A Feeling From Deep Within (Ryuji Sakamoto x Reader)

XIV. Awkward Moments

You sighed and grabbed a clean cotton ball and poured alcohol over it. "This is gonna hurt..." You then placed the cotton ball over his cut and he hissed.

"Don't be such a baby. Who did this to you?"

"That's not important."

"Tito! Tell me!"

Tito sighed. "I think yo- OW! BE GENTLE!" He hollered when you ripped the band-aid off his cut.

"Sorry! You seriously don't know how to clean yourself up."

"That's 'cause the girls in my biker club always cleaned me up, if ya know what I'm sayin'..."

"Ew! Gross! Just continue your story... Who did this?"

Tito breathed through his nose. "I think your father sent them."

"Wait, what!?" You gasped. "How do you know?"

"Well, two strange guys came by the shop yesterday asking to fix their bikes but I recognized them. I used to always see them at your father's bar a few years back. Your father must have just sent them to check up on me under some type of ruse. Anyway, I got a couple of my guys to service their bikes but I kept a close eye on them."

"But... that doesn't explain why they'd attack you."

"Uh, that's the thing. I may or may not have threatened them to never come to my autoshop again..."

You narrowed your eyes. "Why would you do that...?"

"When I was observing them, they subtly showed me the weapons they were brandishing on their belt. So, I knew they weren't just coming to get their bike fixed."

"They were threatening you..."

Tito nodded. "Yeah..."

"So, that's why you were acting so suspicious yesterday when I came home," you thought out loud. Tito nodded and you sighed. "Man Tito, what are we going to do?"

"We're going to have to be very careful from now on. If you're going to stay out late, make sure you always have someone with you to walk you home. Always keep a lookout for anything suspicious and if you don't feel safe, call me right away. Okay?" Tito looked you in the eye. "I'll drop by the store tomorrow to pick you up some mace and-"

"Pepper spray!? Are you serious?"

"Yes, Y/N!" Tito put his hands on your shoulders as his expression grew serious. "I'm not letting anything happen to you."

It seemed like nowadays everyone was protecting you. Am I... becoming a danger to everyone because of my dad? Does involving my new friends in my personal affairs put them in danger? Is it really a risk they should be taking? The only thing that made you feel better was that the Phantom Thieves had dealt with horrible people all the time. They were already good at this type of stuff. To them, perhaps, it was just another criminal they could take down.

You looked at Tito, who was now looking at you worried. You loved him very much. He put his life on the line to protect you. He took you away from your father, knowing your father could make his life a living hell. But that never stopped him. He saved you and never once regretted his decision to do so. You felt safe having Tito there and you weren't going to let your father take him away from you. You realized then you weren't just bringing down your father for yourself or the victims of his business... you were going to bring him down for Tito too.

You leaned forward to give Tito a hug. "I love you, Tito. Thank you for everything."

"I love you too, kiddo." He said, as he rubbed your back comfortingly.