#shou

Of course Ritshou complement each other to an uncanny degree but in particular I’m fascinated by how violence influences their dynamic. "We could never even fight like brothers because I'd have no way to protect myself" versus "yeah okay maybe it didn't work the last four times but certainly the FIFTH headlong charge will stop my dad". Ritsu’s chronic fear of rocking the boat versus Shou’s smug comfort in face of aggression and hostility. Like. Their first meeting is a fistfight and Shou absolutely wipes the floor with him. Shou is then so enamored by this boy who's ass he just kicked that he rewires his entire plan to include him, to hype him up, to yell some self-esteem into him because no! He is strong and he can fight back!! Ritsu just has to lock in and believe it for himself! Shou did it, Shou overcame his fear and despair with the power of hope, surely Ritsu can do it too! And Ritsu, who has spent his whole life shying away from violence— until a couple weeks ago, of course, when he went sicko mode and beat up delinquents every day for the hell of it. Ritsu who is still grappling with his trauma around helplessness and hurt, who sees Shou and throws himself swinging into his first real fight, and yeah he loses, but there is no fear when he stares down this kid in the halls of the 7th Division. There is significantly more fear when that kid rolls up to his house, but less than twelve hours later, they're buddying up and sacrificing their lives for each other, so that clearly didn't stick.