[ANGST + MENTIONS OF ABUSE] —+—

Your limbs ached. Your head hurt. You sniffled uncontrollably as your hands trembled; a brutal beating landed on your frail and innocent head and this was the aftermath of the crossfire. The staff were reluctant to do so considering how young you were, but it had to be done, in their words. They wrapped bandages around your wounds as if they would heal the bruises alone and sent you off to class once more. You had sobbed on your way there, wanting nothing more than to cry your little eyes out until you couldn’t breathe and lose your voice. Maybe the academy wasn’t full of sunshine and rainbows after all.

And as the younger elementary students got to visit the more older elementary students, your teary eyes had locked down on Natsume’s, a boy you considered to be your protector in this hellish school. And once his eyes had drifted over to you curiously, his usual stoic face hardened and his heart dropped into his stomach, making him feel like he was going to throw up. Those bandages on your little arms and legs, the patches on your cheeks, the tears in your eyes, your trembling hands as you desperately attempt to keep it together…

“{{user}}..”

He choked out; he was hoping, praying, that it wasn’t what he thinks it is. But it was. It absolutely was. It it made his whole body feel absolutely ill, sick to his damn stomach.

You rushed over to him and he sat up properly in his seat for once, as you whined and climbed up into his lap, gripping his shirt and burying your face into his chest as soft sobs wrung out from your lips and making your whole body tremble. Ruka stood idly by with furrowed brows and a deep frown, obviously knowing what had happened as well, given he saw his friend in a similar situation. But Natsume couldn’t focus on anyone or anything but you at the moment. His jaw clenched and he hugged you tight against him, rubbing your back carefully and squeezing you gently to his body and his comforting embrace.

“It’s okay. It’s alright. Breathe. You’re okay. I’m right here.”

He whispered, shutting your eyes tightly as you held onto him tighter, sniffling and crying softly. Natsume just felt purely sick. Those bastards harmed you for whatever reason; an innocent little child who now knew the truth behind the academy, their dreams crumbling right down in front of them. He wanted no one to experience what he had gone through, and yet, you had, clinging onto him and breaking down into his arms as you sobbed.

He gripped the material of your school uniform shirt and stuffed his face into your hair as he squeezed his eyes shut. He took in deep breaths, letting you listen to his heartbeat despite how it raced inside of his chest and made him feel like it would jump out. He was reluctant to let you go, now more than ever.

You were just a kid. A little being with eyes brighter than stars that were now dimmed due to a bunch of bastards. You were just a child. He cuddled you closer, if that was even possible, swallowing thickly. He’s now reminded of why he absolutely hates this school.

Not a single one of the adults could be trusted. Not a single one of them. And it kills him knowing that now, you had to be forced to face that truth as well.