The Universe Listened | Kiribaku

My eyes are damp from the words you left

After years pass, you've never completely healed. Parts of you are still broken and parts of you still bleed with pain.

And years later, when you're nearly grown and yet still haven't managed to move on, you're back in that shitty town where all the shitty things happened because of your dad's job, and you learn there's a dance competition for duos and he wants to be partnered up with this kid called Kirishima. You give in.

This kid, Kirishima, he's the very kid you stopped from jumping into the river, and you learn he's blind. You lost to a blind kid, and for so damn long you fucking hate his guts because of the victory he stole from you.

You meet his friends, Kaminari and Mina, and they're the most annoying people you've ever had the misfortune of meeting in your entire life. You somehow become friends with them, and you become friends with Kirishima, too.

And slowly, you start to fall in love. And then it's no longer slow. At first, it was a slow trek to a metaphorical bridge, and then you trip and you go tumbling over the edge, falling face-first into feelings. Because of these feelings, because of the friendship you built with him, and because you fucked up greatly, you tell him everything.

He sees right through you, smiles, and helps you grieve properly. He eases you into human contact again, he opens your eyes to the possibility of feeling other things that weren't pain, guilt, ir rage. He gives the courage to go to therapy, only if he goes too. And he does.

Every moment in your life, every shitty moment, all the loss and pain, has lead you to this moment:

Kirishima, Mina, Kaminari, and you are all late for the competition because some asshole overslept and you're next onto the stage. For the first time in your life, you're nervous but you can't think about that as you lead Kirishima and his guide dog down the cold streets, because Mina's truck is broken down and your dad is using his, leaving you to walk down the streets in the strange outfits you have to wear while you dance.

You make it with no seconds to spare and no time to practice.

Your names are called through a loudspeaker.

You look at Kirishima, survey his skin and his gorgeous eyes, and you're tempted to kiss him but you don't. You, instead, grab his elbow, leave Riot behind with the other two, and guide him to the stage where the judges await with their fancy pens and high standards and these looks that are almost stoic, like they could endure and witness so much without batting an eye.

You try to prepare yourself, you try to be ready, and you hope Kirishima is ready too.

It's time.

〄

The moment Kirishima and Katsuki become visible on the stage, claps erupt within the auditorium, and backstage, Mina and Kaminari shouted and cheered. Trembles took over Kirishima's body. He couldn't see the auditorium, but he was certain it was filled to the brim with people. Overflowing. He couldn't decide with was more terrifying: seeing the crowd or not seeing the crowd.

Beside him, Katsuki squeezed his elbow and then came to a stop when they reached the centre of the stage. They bowed and moved into their starting positions.

Mina shouted when the crowd had fallen silent, that they looked hot in their costumes. It's not like they were dressed in much. Katsuki had on a pair of black mesh pants that were high waisted, and no shirt on. Wrapped around the length of his arm was a black strip of black material. Kirishima was dressed in a similar dark red material, but a shirt with only one arm covered his upper body, and it was almost like a cape was attached to the back of his pants.