He wasn't. Kotetsu could see that. Guilt curled like grey smoke in his stomach, twisting his gut into uncomfortable shapes. Because if Ryuichi was fine, wasn't... wasn't hurt, he would have closed in and attempted to stab that into Kotetsu's bodyparts.


Plus he was shaking, and Kotetsu hadn't hurt him enough to have him trembling like that.


No, just in the ways that damaged.


Triggers and breaking points were normal in shinobi life. it wasn't that Kotetsu didn't recognise the signs. He just didn't know what to do.

"I'm sorry," Kotetsu said again, looking at Ryuichi and dropped his gaze. "I didn't mean to."


What was he supposed to do?