Kiniro's nose broke with a sickening crunch as Maki drove the heel of her palm into his face. Stumbling back, Kiniro groaned as his head rang like a church bell and blood poured down his throat.
"I know you're a pervert that likes pain, but surely you must be getting sick of me always beating your ass," Maki gloated as she absently spun her metal staff with one hand.
Reaching up, Kiniro grabbed his misshapen nose and, with another crunch, straightened it before spitting out a wad of bloody mucus. "Little do you know that's half of the thrill."
Maki rolled her eyes, but otherwise didn't react, having grown somewhat numb to Kiniro's comments throughout what was now their many sparring sessions, "Then maybe I should stop letting you train with me altogether."
"Nice bluff, but I'm the best punching bag around," Kiniro boasted confidently as he adjusted his grip around his knives, "Toge and Panda want nothing to do with your freakish strength, even during our morning training. Like hell they would agree to extra afternoon sparring."
Maki glared at Kiniro, though she didn't, or rather couldn't, refute his words, seeing as he was completely right. Thought that didn't mean she was just going to let his disrespect slide, "Just for that, I'm gonna dislocate your right arm."
"Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try!"
---
"Stop squirming, otherwise I'm leaving you like this."
"Just make sure you do it right and whatever you do don't-"
Before Kiniro could get his words out, Maki snapped his arm back while pushing down on his shoulder, snapping the joint back into place with a soft pop.
"Not even a countdown?" Kiniro muttered as he slowly rolled his shoulder, "You sure you did it right? Feels kinda off."
"Yeah, because some of your ligaments were probably partially torn," Maki muttered, "Just give it a few weeks or use that freaky healing technique of yours."
"You know I can't just use it, at least since you forbade me from using my technique on you," Kiniro pointed out.
"Damn right, I don't want your perversion anywhere near me," Maki agreed shamelessly, "And that's not really my problem now is it?"
"Jeez, you don't have to be so rude about it." With one last shrug of his shoulder, Kiniro stood up, "Well, this was fun. Wanna do same time tomorrow?"
"What, you're not heading into the city?" Maki asked with a raised eyebrow as she grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat off her forehead.
"Nope, I'm still working to pay off my debt." Kiniro sighed, "Hopefully, I'll be free by the end of the month, and I can actually start saving a bit of pocket cash to spend on myself."
"I'm surprised you're actually paying that moron back. I didn't think you were capable of doing anything decent. Then again, the only reason you have to pay him back is that you stole from him."
Kiniro pouted, "Stole is a bit of a stretch, don't you think, and of course I'm paying him back. Gojo-Sensei saved my life after all."
"But that didn't stop you from taking his favorite desserts." Maki pointed out critically, making Kiniro groan, "I didn't know they were his favorites!"
Maki rolled her eyes, "No need for the theatrics, I know you really don't give a shit either way. You just do and say enough to give the illusion that you have some semblance of normalcy."
Kiniro paused for a second before a sharp smile spread across his lips, "I knew I liked you for a reason."
"Remind me next time to break your arm completely instead of just dislocating it," Maki muttered as she turned and started walking away. "Also for the record, the moment I even think you have a chance of turning into a curse user, I'm making it my personal mission to end you."
"In that case I'll save it for when you finally manage to achieve your full potential," Kiniro teased Maki with a laugh, and her only response was to flip him off over her shoulder.
Watching her go Kiniro wondered what he was gonna do stuck on campus for the entire weekend when his pocket started to buzz. Taking out the phone Saturo had given him at the beginning of the week, Kiniro looked at the screen and saw that it was none other than his sensei calling. Which wasn't much of a surprise, seeing as there was only one number in Kiniro's phone.
"Yo, what's up?" Kiniro asked casually as he answered the call, splaying his legs out in the turf and lying down.
"I have some people I want you to meet," Saturo replied, "I think the three of you will hit it off."
"What kind of people?"
"Your upperclassmen, two second years who just got back from a mission."
Kiniro sat up, "That does sound interesting, but why do you want us to meet?"
"Just humor me, will you, and don't say you have anything better to do, I can see you lazing about in the training field," Saturo replied, making Kiniro purse his lips. "That's totally cheating, but alright. Where should I meet you guys?"
---
"The rec room, be here in five minutes," Saturo answered, promptly hanging up the phone.
"This student of yours sounds like a brat."
Saturo glanced at the back of the room where a couch was pressed into the corner opposite a tv, "It's mostly an act, but it's a better alternative to his real personality."
"Oh?" Hakari leaned forward with a small smile, "Why does he need to hide it?"
"Hmph, stop moving, I'm trying to watch my show."
Glancing down at his lap Hakari stared at Kiara who was glaring back at him with a pout across her lips, "Hmm, my bad."
Hakari sat back on the couch and Kiara smiled before turning her attention back to the TV.
Watching the entire exchange with grin, Saturo shook his head before continuing, "You'll have to see for yourself, Kiniro is a layered person."
"Layered?" Hakari repeated only to immediately be followed by a knock, though instead of coming from the door, it was one of the wooden window shutters that rattled.
Wordlessly, Saturo walked over and opened the window shutter revealing Kiniro standing upside down his feet sticking to the overhang, "Yo."
Staring at his student, Saturo sighed, "Why couldn't you use the door."
"You said get here in five minutes," Kiniro shrugged, "The only way to do that was to obviously scale the outside wall."
Standing up from the couch Hakari ignored Kirara's groan of protest as he walked over to star at Kiniro, "So he's got a cursed trait, this why you wanted us to meet?"
Kiniro's head slowly swiveled to stare at Hakari, "You have one as well."
Hakari's eyes narrowed, "That wasn't a question."
"It wasn't," Kiniro confirmed with a grin as his pupils dilated, "It feels rough and gritty, like sharkskin."
Hakari blinked before his lips moved to match Kiniro's expression, "Normally, people say sandpaper, but you've got the right idea. Though how you know has me curious, this is the first time we've met."
"I can feel it in your soul, though that's not the only unique thing about you," Kiniro muttered as his enlarged pupils started to glow, "Definitely wouldn't want to play a game of poker against you."
A brief look of surprise flashed across Hakari's face before it was replaced with a broad grin. "Kirara, stop being anti-social and come greet our junior."
"Mhhm?" Kirara let out a curious moan as she sat up and walked over, joining Saturo and Hakari by the window.
Staring at the newcomer, Kiniro and Kirara's eyes met, and in an instant, a connection was formed, "You…are…so cute!"
Kirara squealed as she shouldered past Saturo and Hakari to lean out the window and smile at Kiniro, "I love your bangs!"
Kiniro blushed and held up his hand to cover his face, "Stop, you're making me blush."
"What the hell is going on?" Hakari muttered to Saturo as the two of them watched Kirara and Kiniro start chatting like they were lifelong friends, "I don't know, but I believe it wouldn't turn out well for either of us if we interrupted."
Hakari quickly nodded in agreement, "Now I can see why you said layered; it almost feels like two completely different people are occupying the same body."
"You don't know the half of it."