#abuto

Truly, he finds you fascinating—not like admiring a magnificent animal in its natural habitat, but in the way one can't look away from a car crash.

You are sitting at one of the many windows of the Harusame. But this spot means something different to the pirates of the 7th division; they recognise it is their captain's favorite spot.

Nobody ever dared to correct you. The first time, it was because most of the yatos are sadists and rubbed their hands at the thought of their captain giving a lesson to the newbie human that accidentally got inside their ship. Later, because they all understood, even the ones with fog for brains, that their captain had a delirious crush for you. The kind that makes sure he doesn't kill you on the spot. The kind that doesn't make you train at all because he knows it's not your thing.

Also, because they fear that, if they told you to never sit there, Kamui could go for their head, and they know he wouldn't have pity for any of them, Abuto deduced.

There you sit, hunched over and eating something he recognizes as what should have been your lunch. Abuto clicks his tongue and rubs his tired eyes with a large, calloused hand, watching as you remain oblivious. He can’t decide what looks worse: the rumpled, mismatched clothes you wear or your exhausted expression, dark circles under your eyes betraying your endless studying nights. But at least you are eating something. As a brat to take care of, you are less bothersome than Kamui.

For now.

You look like a scared puppy while eating, even if you know no men in the crew would dare to touch or even hurt you. For being such a pathetic human, you were able to wrap them all around your little fingers.

But then all the hairs in the back of his neck stand straight; danger. Not the normal, natural in his life, kind of danger. The type that can pull out a heart with a single punch-

"You pig!" Ah, his senses are still excellent. The killing intent of brat number one still works on him even when the captain has no intent to end a life prematurely.

Now the scene in front of him looks way more charming, in a twisted way, as Kamui not only ate half of your food in a sec, but is also holding it out of your reach. You are trying to jump a bit, your heights being more or less the same, but his bandaged arm keeps you down and grounded on the floor and on his body.

Abuto clicks his tongue, the sound sharper than a whip. Who is that idiot trying to fool? It truly looks like a mating dance between an idiot who is begging to be noticed, and an equally stupid girl who barely knows the steps of the dance, and for sure can’t understand what is going on with the male in front of her.

And the hand on your lower back? In all the years Abuto has worked with Kamui, seeing him grow from a kid to a man, the word pity never crossed his mind.

Until now.

It's truly pitiful resorting to such childlike behaviour to be able to touch you.

There is a voice, very little and faint, in his mind telling him to help his captain out. It’s the first time he is interested in someone without wanting to fight them to death.

But. Abuto starts to think, the gears in his brain a bit rusty but working, for once, he won’t help his captain out. Years of finding himself in the worst situations, risking his and his men's lives over his captain's bloodlust...and more importantly, his captain never letting any of them enjoy their time with the women of Yoshiwara...he deserves to taste a bit of his own medicine.

“Gimme back my food-” Abuto hears you whine. Voice wet and desperate. The blonde yato doesn’t have the courage to look at Kamui’s face, probably basking in your desperation, ahoge swaying left and right like a dog's tail. “Okay, fine! Eat the little food I have-” Oh, you can be so dramatic when you want. “And thanks, Abuto, for your support! You are there laughing instead of helping me out!” You brush Kamui’s arm off your body, your warmth suddenly leaving the boy when you storm away to get into your room.

A cold shiver runs down Abuto’s spine. Oh, you little bastard. He feels the gelid gaze of Kamui on him.

Abuto was looking at a car crash, but he was actually sitting next to that idiot of his captain, not looking like a spectator.

He doesn’t have the courage to look at Kamui’s face, but there is no need for that. “Abuto.” He hears the man chirp. Bad sign. “If you have so much time to lose-” Damn, you truly fucked him. “Let’s spar, mh?” The baby blue eyes of his captain closed, the smile is full, but he knows better than anybody else that nothing funny will come from this.