31_days | [April 1] [Gokusen] Fear-less

Title: Fear-less
Day/Theme: April 1 - when I want to run away
Series: Gokusen
Character/Pairing: Sawada Shin, Kumai Teruo, Minami Yoichi, Noda Takeshi, Uchiyama Haruhiko
Rating: T/PG-13

:::

“Aren't you afraid?”

Sawada blinked up at him. “Minami, you ain't that ugly.”

Minami sputtered. “What...! No, that's not...! Come on!” He turned and punched Uchi and Noda when they started to laugh. “Shut up.”

Sawada sat up with a groan. He knuckled his eyes and yawned. Sitting under the sun always made him sleepy.“What the hell are you talking about?” Sawada rolled his right shoulder, feeling the muscles pull unpleasantly.

Minami huffed. “Back there. Weren't you afraid?”

Sawada stopped and eyed Minami. It took a moment to figure out what Minami was talking about. “Not really. I mean...” He frowned.

“We were outnumbered,” Minami said, and frowned down at his hands. “I thought we were done for, especially when Kimbara brought reinforcements.” He swallowed roughly. He looked up at Sawada with a serious look. “You kept fighting. It didn't matter that we were gonna lose. You didn't quit or run away. You just...”

Minami hesitated and then added: “I would have skipped the moment the others came.” He flushed and looked away.

“And that,” Noda began, smirking at Minami; “is the difference between you and Sawada. He's not easily intimidated.”

Minami glared at him but kept silent. Sawada scratched his cheek. “Why didn't you?”

Minami blinked at him. “What?”

“Why didn't you, run away?” Sawada asked again. “No one would have stopped you.”

Minami pursed his lips. “Because...because you were there. And I couldn't just leave.”

Sawada sighed and laid back down. “Well, there's your answer.”

“I don't get it.”

Sawada closed his eyes. “All of you guys could have bailed and left me to Kimbara and his goons. They were after me after all. But you guys stuck to my ass and well, you know the rest.”

“We can't let you have all the fun,” Kuma mumbled.

Sawada opened one eye and peered at Minami. “We're friends so, you, fuck you very much.”

Minami looked at him and then laughed. “Yeah, okay. I get it.”

They fell silent then until:

“Were you really gonna piss yourself, Minami?” Uchi asked with a shit eating grin. “You're such a coward.”

Uchi squeaked when Minami lunged at him.

“I'll show you who's a coward!”