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↳ in which, they feel safe around each other.
fluff / angst
warnings : panic attacks, slight bullying
follows the hc that kenma's autistic
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Y/N SMILED AT THE DUAL HAIRED BOY that sat beside her at school. she barely knew the boy; and any time she tried to get to know him, he'd shut her down with mumbling and quiet mutters.
she noticed he only had one real friend; kuroo, who graduated last year. since then, he was barely ever sociable; an invisible ghost to everyone.
the bell rung, indicating school was finally over as all the students quickly filed out of the room.
kenma put in headphones, listening to music as he quickly walked down the crowded hallway; trying not to freak out at all the noise.
he started to mumble to himself, counting from 1 to 100 like his therapist told him too before he accidentally bumped into someone.
continuing his adventure to the exit, he didn't take any mind to it before he was yanked back by his hoodies hood.
"aye! you don't hear me talking to you?" a guy said, slamming kenma's body into the locker before continuing to yell.
kenma's eyes darted everywhere but to the taller guy in front of him; his breathing picking up as he kept counting.
he couldn't hear what the guy was saying. his voice was loud & he talked to fast for kenma's understanding- making him freak out even more.
"hey, cant you see hes not all there?" the girl beside him laughed, watching kenma slid down the wall with his hands over his head; rocking shortly.
y/n watched the altercation, squinting her eyes until she saw kenma pulling at his hair before slightly banging his head against the locker behind him.
she dropped her bag, running towards it and pushing through the small crowd that was gathering around.
"hey, kay! get a nurse!" she yelled, looking over her shoulder at her friend who nodded and ran off.
"please move back!" she stated, looking at more and more people gather around; causing his episode to get worse.
she gently grabbed his face, shushing him and whispering to help calm his nerves. the loud hallway got even louder as they continued to stare at the interaction.
"hey, look at me." she kept whispering. she gently took one of his hands as he shook his head; continuing to look straight ahead.
he rocked himself as his knees were to his chest; his free hand clawing and pulling at his blonde hair.
she intertwined their fingers, nodding at the boy before slowly taking his other hand.
"you're safe." she whispered, doing the same thing with his other hand before he squeezed it tightly; digging his fingernails into the back of her hand.
"safe?" he asked, his rocking coming down to a stop before he nodded. his breathing evened, and he stopped his slight shaking.
"you're safe."
-
"thanks." kenma mumbled to the girl as she got onto the train behind him. he sat down, staring ahead out the window.
"for?" she asked, looking over at the boy.
"back there." he stated vaguely, avoiding the annoying eye contact she attempted to make with the boy.
"anytime. i assume you're on the spectrum, right?" she asked, smiling at him softly before he nodded. "my brother is too."
"okay." he answered, bouncing his leg up and down. he hated trains, especially the noise. it made him panic, as if people were staring at him; judging him.
she noticed how tense he was, grabbing his hand as rubbing her thumb over the top of it.
"where are you going?" she asked, continuing to sooth him. his nerves calmed down- no longer bouncing his leg.
"therapy." he answered.
"i'll walk you there, if you want." she exclaimed, smiling at the boy who shrugged.
"i don't care."
-
"how was school today?" maria, kenma's therapist, asked as she sat across from the nervous boy. he fiddled with his fingers anxiously, wishing he had his psp with him- but of course, he forgot it at home.
"i forgot my psp so i've been anxious all day." he exclaimed, looking at the older girl who nodded. "and i had an episode, but a girl helped me."
"oh? kenma, what happened?" she asked worriedly, looking up from her notebook.
"i bumped into a guy and he yelled at me. his girlfriend said i wasn't all there and i started panicking." he shrugged.
"what's her name? the girl that helped." she asked, smiling at the boy. his hazel eyes flickered from maria's pretty ocean blue ones to the hardwood floor.
"y/n. she's in the lobby-"
"oh? why didn't you bring her back here? you're friends now, right?" she interrupted, kenma shrugging at her question.
-
"i'm all there. right?" the blonde haired kid asked the girl. she sat at her desk, doodling small drawings in her notebook before looking up at the boy.
"of course. why do you ask?" she raised an eyebrow.
"i'm not a freak. or weird. right?" he asked again, his eyes flickering around her face as he tried to keep eye contact with her.
she got the hint of what was happening, smiling at the boy before looking at the time. they had about an hour before home room actually started.
she packed her stuff up, grabbing kenma's hand before walking him to a safe quiet space.
"a closet?" he asked, looking around at the decorated, old storage closet. there was a blanket and cute comfortable beanbags for the two to sit on.
"yeah, i used to skip a lot last year so i'd just come here for some peace and quiet." she chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.
-
y/n and kenma sat on the train again; kenma's nerves calmer around the girl as they sat in a comfortable silence.
"therapy today?" she asked the boy who shook his head.
"i'm just going home." he mumbled. she hummed, gently turning his head to look at her.
"have you tried making eye contact with others?" she asked, staring into his hazel eyes as he shook his head.
"makes me uncomfortable." he mumbled.
"but you're doing it with me." she stated lowly, maintaining it as a smile stretched on her face.
"you make me comfortable."
-
"i don't wanna take the train today." he determined, looking at the [eye color] eyed girl who sat beside him in class.
"hm? why's that?" she asked, looking over at him.
"don't like the noise." he responded as she nodded.
"okay. wanna walk?" she asked as he nodded before going back to his psp. y/n smiled, going back to her drawings.
"what're you drawing?" kenma asked, not looking away from his game.
"a surprise." she stated, smiling at the tsk noise that came from the boy.
"i hate surprises."
-
unfortunately, it started raining- forcing the two teens to take the train. as well as, a bunch of other people.
y/n held kenma's hand to calm his nerves a little better; though she could still feel the boy shaking.
"the noise bothers you, right?" she whispered to the boy who nodded. she gently moved his head to focus on her. "words."
"yes. it's annoying." he exclaimed, squeezing her head before ticking. randomly jumping, and spazzing randomly.
he didn't hear her words, though he could see her talking. he started to freak out, his head banging against the window behind her. his fingernails dug into her skin, causing crescent marks in the back of her hand.
she quickly took action, grabbing his head to stop him and shushing him; continuously telling he was safe.
they got weird stares from others- y/n ignoring each and every one of them just to make sure her friend was okay.
"safe."
-
"there you are." y/n sighed, thankfully. she was worrying about her friend not being in class, so went to their closet.
he nodded shortly, continuing his game.
y/n walked closer, slowly moving the psp from his face. she sat on her knees in front of him, looking directly into his eyes.
"what happened?" she asked softly, his leg bouncing up and down anxiously.
"i was called a few names." he whispered. she frowned, hugging the boy who calmed down under her touch.
-
"your graduations tomorrow. that means, don't stay up until 4 am." kuroo scolded gently at his friend who shrugged; returning to his game.
"i'll be okay." kenma responded, his eyes flickering around the screen of his television.
kuroo smiled at his friend's behavior; realizing he's been happier than usual for the past month.
of course, kuroo didn't know why but as well didn't care. he was happy to see his friend happy- even if kenma didn't realize nor understand.
-
"you have a speech." kenma whispered to the girl who looked like she had been crying. her eyes were puffy and red as she bit the inside of her cheek.
"i can't do it." she mumbled, her voice barely audible.
"not with that voice. are you sick?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. in truth, she wasn't sick. she went to find the people who were calling kenma names.
not wanting to go back to her old ways and get arrested the day before graduation, she simply yelled her voice away (literally).
"yeah. i'm sick." she nodded, smiling at the boy.
"i'll do your speech for you." he stated, blinking at her before taking the cards from her hand. "i don't like public speaking, but i'll do it for you."
"why?" she asked, looking at kenma who read over a few of the cards. his leg bouncing up and down from the nerves already. "you don't have t-"
"i want too. because you make me feel safe." he nodded, determined as he grabbed ahold of her hand; his bouncing stopping completely.
she smiled at the boy, nodding before squeezing his hand.
"you make me feel safe too, kenma."