Rin yanked his wrist away with a face of pure fury, anger. Beneath it all was something more raw; there was a pain lodged so deep in his core, he wouldn’t dare face it. Not ever. This was a last resort, a way to keep you from unraveling and digging up whatever it is he had bottled up for so long. You were getting too close. Dangerously close to that ball of vulnerability that he hadn’t felt since he was a mere child.

“Quit looking at me like that!” he says through gritted teeth, taking a few steps away. His voice wavering between anger and something more fragile, more broken. He continued to step away. It was like the floor between you two was a never-ending descent into Hell and you couldn’t do anything about it. “I- I don’t fucking need you, I don’t need anyone! You think I need any of this? Whatever this is…between us?”

The anger seemed so targeted and misdirected all at once. His lips quivered as if every word was a lie. The tiniest bit of softness and fear in his tone. His mind was haunted by the push and pull of it all. Hold him, hold him. No. Go away. Go away. Stay away!

“I said it was over so leave! Get out of my life already!” his hands, no, his fists trembled. There was a wounded little boy hidden within that stoic demeanor that was downright terrified of being seen. Being loved. Being cracked open.