"Damn it..." Hajime muttered, pacing back and forth in the gardens outside. Why did he say that to Nagito? It's not like he liked Nagito or anything... right?

Hajime sighed, frustratedly running his hands through his hair.

Nagito...

Nagito...

All his thoughts are of Nagito!

"I mean, clearly it's just because Nagito just came back from that coma... thing... right?" He muttered, gently tapping his cheeks with his hands. "Yeah, yeah. Okay, now calm down Hajime..."

Hajime sighed yet again and turned to head back inside. As he walked past Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi in the living room, they called out to him.

"Hey! Hajime!" Kazuichi called, running up to Hajime, Fuyuhiko chasing after him.

"Y - Yeah? What's up guys?" Hajime asked.

"What's up? What's up with you and Nagito is the real question we've been dying to know!" Kazuichi followed Hajime's question with another question.

"Ah-!" Hajime stuttered. "N - nothing!"

"Look Hajime, it's fairly obvious what's going on - and since Nagito has only been here for a day, these... emotions you're feeling probably started from in the game." Fuyuhiko jumped in. "But... just be careful with him, okay? I mean, he's clearly unstable - and he used to be part of the despair like we were. Moreover, he tried to kill us!"

"I - I know, but-" Hajime started talking, unsure of what he was going to say. He didn't know what Fuyuhiko meant by 'emotions', but

"AAAAHHHHHH!" A scream cut Hajime off. Wildly, the reactions of the game still imprinted in their minds, the three of them spun around, trying to determine the source of the noise.

"ARGHHH!" Another scream - the same as the last - sounded, slightly more distressed and upset than the last.

"My room..." Hajime muttered, before racing up the stairs. "Nagito!" He heard Kazuichi and Fuyuhiko behind him, but didn't turn around, his bigger priority being to check on Nagito's safety.

In a flash he reached the door and flung it wide open. Nagito was sprawled on the floor (thankfully not bleeding or harmed in any way), shaking, with his face away from Hajime. Hajime ran towards him. One hand was plunged deep into his pocket, the other covering his face and occasionally unconsciously running through his hair.

"N - Nagito!"

"Ha... Hajime..."

Nagito lifted his head as Hajime crossed the remaining distance between them both. His face was watery, red, and swollen. His eyes were blood-shot. Hajime gently touched Nagito's cheek with his hand.

"Nagito..." Hajime muttered. "What... what happened?"

Nagito looked away, tears forming once again on his face. "It's stupid."

"Hey, someone once told me that it's okay to cry." Hajime said, sharing a secretive smile to Nagito, recognising the ironic inside joke between them. Nagito chuckled in response and lifted his head further upwards, being able to lock eye contact with Hajime.

"It... it's my... my arm." Nagito muttered.

"Your arm? Looks fine to me." Hajime said, glancing at the one he could visibly see.

"No... the other one..." Nagito replied, slowly pulling the arm out. Before the arm was in full view, Hajime already realised what Nagito meant.

"N - No... that's her... her arm..." Hajime stammered. How did they not realise it before??

"PLEASE!" Nagito screamed, staring at Hajime's shocked expression. "Please, please... cut my arm off!"

Hajime unconsciously took a step back. "Woah, when was that on the table?"

Nagito quickly grabbed a hold of Hajime's hand, pulling him back. Tears falling on the floor, he cried, "Please! I know I was a bad person back then, full of awful despair, but I don't want to be like that anymore! I don't want this horrid, constant reminder of who I was!"

Hajime's other hand lifted to fiddle with his new hair. For once, he completely understood how Nagito felt. His hair may be changed, but his eyes are still red, and whenever he looks in a mirror, he still sometimes can't help but see Izuru. Since he only had his hair cut that morning, Hajime hoped that eventually he'll stop seeing his past in the mirror.

"I... I know..." Hajime muttered, holding Nagito close. "But I don't know how to help you..."

"We could do that."

"Ahh!" Hajime stuttered, letting go of Nagito, turning, to face Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi.

"I'm sorry Nagito. We both assumed that you would be the most trouble when you awoke, but none of us - except for Hajime - stopped to consider that you're in the same position as us. You may have tried to kill us but... honestly, if we were who we were back then... I kind of get it." Fuyuhiko apologised. "I mean, if I came across those trying to harm others, I'd do my best to stop them. There was no way to know for sure whether we'd come back from the game like this, or..."

"Woah, I never thought of it like that!" Kazuichi said, looking at Fuyuhiko with something resembling admiration.

"I know, that's why I'm the smart one." Fuyuhiko said, with a smug grin on his face. Hajime couldn't stop the smile from forming on his face, and the laughter that erupted from him at Fuyuhiko's comment.

"H... Hajime..." Nagito whispered, face once again flushed, as he watched Hajime's peals of laughter.

Once Hajime calmed down, he turned to Kazuichi.

"Any - Anyway, you said you could help?"

"Yeah! I mean, I can." Kazuichi replied.

"What am I, chopped liver?" Fuyuhiko sarcastically spoke.

"No, you'll be focused on the detachment and reattachment. If only we had Mikan..."

"M - Mikan?" Nagito said, distrust plastered on his face.

"We don't have to wait for Mikan! I... I know... many things..." Hajime stammered, uncomfortable with the idea of tapping into Izuru's ability, but still quick to Nagito's defence.

Nagito's distrust waned slightly. "Haji... Hajime..."

"Yes, me, Hajime." Hajime tried to comfort Nagito, keeping his distance while under the eyes of Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi. Hajime turned to them. "So what's the plan?"

After explaining, Kazuichi grinned, turning to Nagito. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Okay. Let's do it."

Hey guys!! New chapter is out!

I've never seen anything except for the first two games, so I have no idea whether Nagito actually has a metal arm or not, but I saw a lot of fanart that seemed like he did - so I apologise if the arm isn't how it's 'supposed' to be, or anything...

My story is in a weird position where it isn't canon but is close to canon if that makes sense... anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you again tomorrow for the next one.

But for now...

Peachy out! 😊