His friend, laying next to him, once again holding his hand in his own... Not that Yuanfei was complaining - these little moments together were strangely exhilarating in ways he couldn't quite define. Katsuyuki wasn't so readily sentimental, especially not towards other males - but somehow, Yuanfei had earned a little sliver of affection. With the invigorating effects of the compound still coursing through his veins, it was a challenge to play it cool.

Fingers interlocked with Katsuyuki's, Yuanfei stared up at the ceiling in what he hoped expressed a casual, apathetic disposition. It wasn't much of a view, but he was content to enjoy an intimate moment together regardless - or at least a simulacrum of one. It was a jarring juxtaposition; laying side by side, hands clasped together, staring skyward, like a first date cliché - but instead of a deep blue sky and swirling spring clouds to set the scene above them, they gazed into flat, off-white tiles and harsh fluorescent lights. The mat was uncomfortably firm under his shoulders, and his skin stuck to its thick vinyl surface. But Katsuyuki's hand was warm, and soft, and his slender fingers gently clutching his own reframed the sterile room with an intimate softness.

He didn't know why Katsuyuki did it, holding his hand on these rare occasions. It was unthinkable that he'd agree to it at all. But still, he was blessed with these little moments here and there, in complete isolation from the rest of the world, and safe from the threat of discovery. For whatever enigmatic reason, Katsuyuki was willing to privately indulge in hand-holding. And for whatever enigmatic reason, Yuanfei enjoyed it.

He glanced over at Katsuyuki from the corner of his eye. He wore a stern expression and carried a slight stiffness in his body. He recognized that tension, to some extent: the effects of the compound still lingering in the system. But, while his own imbued him with an energizing boost that was giving way to a jittery sort of restlessness, Katsuyuki's comedown appeared much more somber; often it seemed to give him a dour, initimidating aura, but today it had ultimately left him reticent and detached. Yuanfei tentatively tested the waters with an ice-breaker.

“How much compound did you use?”

Katsuyuki lazily reached his free hand out and felt for his headgear. “Not much.” He held it at eye level, checking the reading on the canister inside. “A fifth, maybe.”

“How does it feel? The feeling when it's wearing off, I mean.”

Katsuyuki shrugged, idly turning the headgear around in his hand. “It's manageable. Just have to keep calm until it passes, remind myself it's just the after-effects I'm feeling. Same as you, probably.” His response was a little curt, but that was to be expected; sparring under the influence of these potent compounds had a notorious knock-on effect to the mood of its users. There was an art to controlling one's emotions that any good fighter was expected to learn, but it was easier said than done.

“But I think yours is probably harder than mine, right?”

“How so?”

“The B-type substances you use... Especially demerylone. You use a lot of that one, right? People say it's...” Yuanfei deliberated for a moment. “... It's difficult to handle. Even a little of it.”

Katsuyuki laughed dryly. “Yeah, I know what people say. 'It's for assholes who enjoy being assholes'.” He rolled his eyes; this was clearly a sore point. “Bullshit projection. Anyone that complains about others using dem in their compound is a fucking amateur. If you can't control your emotions, then you aren't cut out for Yaobudo.”

“You're right. People are too harsh about it.” Katsuyuki's expression softened a little. “So then... How is it when you're fighting? Does it actually make you feel angry?”

“Not really.” Katsuyuki shrugged. He tilted his head to the side as he contemplated. “Well, sort of. But you adjust. You

can control it, more or less. You have to learn to, if you want to use it successfully.” His head leant to the side, gaze growing ever gentler as the last of the compound faded from his system. “You know how it is. Androlamenine, ephedronine... Using so much of those A-substances must do something weird to you too. Evidently.”

“Yeah, I know. I'm weird.” He sighed sheepishly. Katsuyuki smiled. “I guess it's not so bad, though. It feels alright at first, when I'm competing. Like I'm hyping myself up to do something big, like jumping from a plane, or something.”

“An adrenaline rush.”

“Right, yeah. But also, especially when it's wearing off... You know the feeling when you've had a bad fight with someone, and you realize after you were wrong? Or waking up the night after getting drunk, and remembering something stupid you did... It's kind of like that feeling.” He shuffled a little, clearly discomfited. Katsuyuki eyed him, deliberating for a moment, but held his tongue. He looked back towards the ceiling.

“Hm. You ever considered trying different ratios in your compound? Or something different entirely? It might help with the side effects.”

“I thought about it,” Yuanfei replied. “But I don't know if I could. I've used this compound only for the whole time I've been fighting. I'm kind of worried to change it and have to adjust, and be a worse fighter because of it.” He smiled at Katsuyuki. “I guess I'm kind of curious, though. It might be fun to try something new.”

Katsuyuki glanced towards the doorway - still, no one was there. He looked back, just a hint of a mischievous grin on his lips. “Well... You want to try mine?”

Yuanfei sat up. “Is that okay? Can we do that?” There was a cautious intrigue in his voice.

“Well, it's a controlled substance. You're not supposed to share it around. But... “

Yuanfei laughed nervously. “But...?”

“I mean, you're a registered Yaobudo athlete. You have the right to try a new compound. This isn't necessarily illicit sharing.” He shrugged. “Or it doesn't have to look like it, at least.”

Yuanfei bit his lip. Something about it was strangely alluring. More than just curiosity, it had a twinge of something personal about it; a rare peek into Katsuyuki's own experience with compound. Most of the substances in his

blend were ones Yuanfei had never tried before. The reputation of some of them was a little intimidating, to say

the least: overwhelming, hard to control, not for the weak. Fitting for Katsuyuki.

“Let's do it.”

Katsuyuki's smile grew wider. He was enjoying this. He quickly, delicately lifted his headgear in his hands,

holding it close to Yuanfei's face. Flicking the switch on its underside, it let out a small hiss as the pressurized

canister of compound released its initial burst. Yuanfei leant forward, face framed by the headgear, and took a deep breath. The aerosol was different to his own - a little more bitter, perhaps, but not unpleasant. He held it in his lungs for a moment to let it take hold, then fully exhaled. The mist swirled out through the exhaust system of the headgear. He took another deep breath.

Then it hit.

Waves of energy and pent-up emotion surged through him. He was used to the fast-acting effects of the compound, but not like this; where his own gave him a jolt of high-octane vigor, this one was deep, low and intense. First, a gripping, isolating focus, as he found himself intently, involuntarily staring Katsuyuki down - but then, giving way to something stronger. Darker. A searing, burning fire in his chest. The feeling was reminiscent of the rare few times he had been truly, viscerally angry. It was complemented by a powerful, reactive urge for physical control, held back by a hair trigger - a primal instinct, searching for the first excuse to break out.

It was hard to handle. He knew, consciously reminding himself, it was the compound - just a chemical reaction, nothing genuine. It could be harnessed, the way Katsuyuki had mastered it - but he felt woefully unequipped himself.

Eyes still locked with Katsuyuki, his smile had taken on a new tone. Mocking, arrogant, disdainful. Yuanfei's hand was gripping the mat, nails digging into its surface. He closed his eyes, tilting his head upward, and took another deep breath. The still air of the room tasted sweet compared to the compound.

“You doing okay?”

“Yeah.” Yuanfei's strained voice belied his true state of mind. Katsuyuki surely knew how he felt; he must have felt this way too once, when he'd first tried it himself.

“How does it make you feel?”

“Nothing.” The answer didn't make sense. Yuanfei was too busy trying to keep control to give it any real thought.

“Don't lie. Come on.” Yuanfei opened his eyes again. Katsuyuki had that taunting smile. “I want to see what it does to you.”

Now that the gates were open, Yuanfei couldn't hold it back. His hand snapped outward in a flash, locking onto Katsuyuki's wrist. He gripped it hard, fingers clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, staring wide into Katsuyuki's deep, burgundy eyes. In a moment of clarity, he loosened his grip, but it was too late; he'd already started something in motion. He barely had time to register it, and before he knew what had hit him, he was spun onto the mat, Katsuyuki regaining control. He was looking for a fight. That primal reflex kicked in once more, and Yuanfei retaliated, this time grabbing Katsuyuki by both wrists. He pushed him back with enough force to topple him onto his back, and Yuanfei lunged. Pinning his wrists by the sides of his head, Yuanfei pushed his body into Katsuyuki's, pressing him into the ground. Physically, it was an ineffective position, easy to throw off by even a novice fighter - but its domineering message came through perfectly.

Katsuyuki's legs were forced open as Yuanfei rested his hips heavily between them, using his thighs to leverage Katsuyuki's wider apart. He pushed his body firmly against his friend's, tightening his grip as Katsuyuki squirmed. Another wave of emotion had taken hold of him, but this one didn't seem to be from the compound - though the substance flowing through his veins only seemed to make it harder to hold back.

A rapid-fire barrage of thoughts flashed through his mind; thoughts he'd had just hours earlier in the privacy of his room when... figuring some things out.

This scene he was in now certainly looked familiar.

It took every last ounce of self-control to fight the urge to press further. Slowly, Yuanfei peeled his fingers away from Katsuyuki's wrists before releasing them altogether. It was like fighting against the tide; fresh waves of intense emotion crashed through him, and his body screamed at him to maintain his dominant position over Katsuyuki - for one reason or another. Determined not to lose himself in the moment - if only for his friend's sake - he eased himself off Katsuyuki's body and sat up.

“Sorry. That was...”

“I know. It's fine.” Katsuyuki pushed himself upright. Yuanfei sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. His body was tensed up, still on edge from what had just transpired, and he was gripped by the urge to pull away from the world to escape the feeling that uncharacteristic aggression had left behind. He tentatively lifted his gaze; Katsuyuki's smile seemed warmer again, playful and inviting. “It's intense, right? Maybe I should've warned you. Just take a minute for it to wear off.”

Yuanfei closed his eyes again. After a few more slow, steady breaths, the dizzying aggression from the compound was slowly lifting away. He was starting to feel like himself again, the moments earlier already feeling like a surreal blur.

“You good?”

Yuanfei nodded. “I'm getting there.”

Katsuyuki laughed. “I guess it's all compound that makes you fucking weird. Or maybe it really is just you.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm weird.” Katsuyuki grabbed his hand and pulled him into brief hug.

“You really are.”

Yuanfei's body softened in his friend's arms. The tension from the compound had entirely dissipated, lifting his spirits and bringing him back to comfortable familiarity. His head was clear once more - or, at least, as clear as it could be. He squeezed Katsuyuki for a fleeting second before they pulled apart. He looked away from a moment, eyeing his own headgear on the mat. An idea was forming.

“Well,” He spoke in a hushed tone, turning back to reveal a small, teasing smile. “If you think you could do better...”

He held up his headgear to Katsuyuki. “It's your turn to try mine.”

Katsuyuki smirked. “I was hoping you'd say that.”