Sigma found it a bit challenging to see how hitting things would calm him down and make him feel better. He believed that punching a bag, even imagining it as Shibusawa, would only make him angrier (because whenever he had a bad day and went to his room to hit things, all it achieved was making him feel more frustrated and annoyed than he already was). But if Chuuya said it would help, there must be a reason.

They arrived at the gym in the mall, and the redhead showed him how to put on the boxing gloves, explaining more or less what they were going to do.

"Look, you're going to hit my left hand," Chuuya said. "And then you duck when you see I'm going to hit you with my right hand. Got it?"

"Alright," Sigma sighed, though with a skeptical attitude. "Are you sure this will make me feel better?"

"In my case, it works," Nakahara shrugged. "When that idiot Dazai does something stupid, I come here to relieve stress, and when I go back to him, I don't feel like killing him as much."

Sigma made a gesture.

"Impressive."

"The important thing is that you focus," Chuuya instructed, giving him a gentle tap on the shoulder. "Remember, you hit the left hand, dodge the right hand. You can't do it right if you're thinking about other things. Forget about your brother, Fyodor, and Nikolai, okay? Focus on me."

Sigma raised an eyebrow incredulously but would do it just because Chuuya told him to and because he had nothing better to do. He didn't want to go back to Shibusawa.

He got into position and began hitting Chuuya's hand, initially with clumsy movements, but then he got used to it, and his movements became smoother. Still, he couldn't help but let his thoughts wander among his problems. He got distracted for a moment and almost got hit by Nakahara.

The redhead scolded him.

"Focus, Sigma."

"I am focusing!" the bicolor-haired one protested.

"No, you're not," Chuuya sighed. "Look, I know you're going through a lot right now. It's normal to overthink everything, right? But just because it's normal doesn't mean it's healthy."

"I just don't understand," Sigma said somewhat annoyed. "You always tell me that we should talk about our problems because it helps to get rid of them. And now you're telling me to ignore them. It doesn't make sense."

"I never said to ignore them. I said to focus and not think about anything else. I need you to release all your anger with this so you can talk to me with your brain and not with your rage."

"How am I supposed to release my anger if I don't think about all the crap that happened to me today?"

Chuuya raised an eyebrow.

"Do you need a reason to be angry?"

Sigma felt those words hit him like a punch in the stomach, or perhaps like a slap that said, "Realize."

No, he didn't need a reason to be angry. He could be angry whenever he wanted, and in the past few days, he had been angry just for existing. He bit his lip.

"Do you want to start with the punching bag?" Chuuya suggested.

"Yes... Sounds better."

He let out a sigh, and they approached the hanging punching bag in front of them.

"And... What do I do?" Sigma asked.

"You hit it."

"Just hit it?"

"Just hit it. Go ahead."

Like with Chuuya a few minutes earlier, the first punches were somewhat timid, hesitant, clumsy. But then Chuuya told him the bag was Shibusawa, and that's when he got angrier and started hitting the bag harder.

With each punch, Sigma began to feel more exhausted, but he didn't stop. The fatigue helped him focus on nothing but hitting the punching bag, which had Shibusawa's name written in invisible ink all over it.

After a few minutes, he felt like his body couldn't take it anymore, and after delivering the final blow, he collapsed backward, landing on the floor.

Chuuya sat down beside him, and Sigma let out a choked sob.

"It's okay, it's alright," the redhead whispered. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Sigma sobbed. "I'm so tired."

Chuuya took off his boxing gloves and placed a hand on his head.

"That's okay. Do you want to talk about Shibusawa?"

The bicolor-haired one nodded.

"What did he say to you, Sigma?"

"He... He talked to me about Fyodor and Nikolai... And then he wanted to make me feel bad by mentioning my father. Chuuya, do you think my dad will ever come for me? Do you think he cares about me, even just a little bit?"

"Do you believe that?"

Sigma thought for a moment and nodded.

"I know he loves me," he decided, "but I still don't understand why he didn't take me with him. Why did he have to leave me here? Why did he leave me with Mom and Shibusawa?"

"I guess he thought you would be better off here," Chuuya commented. "You grew up here, your friends are here... And he probably thought that living with your brother would be good for you, that you could get along."

"Half-brother," Sigma corrected. "But yes, I guess you're right."

"And what did he say about Fyodor?"

He took a shaky breath and swallowed.

"He told me that I don't feel good enough for Nikolai to love me and that I think Fyodor is worth much more than me."

"Is that true?"

He didn't answer and just leaned against Chuuya's shoulder as he cried.

"You're the best, Sigma," Chuuya told him, trying to cheer him up. "You deserve the world."

"I don't think so," Sigma protested.

"But I do," Chuuya replied. "And I'm older than you, so if I say it, it must be true."

Sigma laughed and sat up.

"Thank you, Chuuya-san," he said, with a beautiful smile on his face.

Chuuya gave him an affectionate pat on the arm.

"You're clingy."

Sigma chuckled.

"Yes, I guess I am."

"Do you want to get ice cream?"

Both of them got up and packed their things. Sigma needed Chuuya's help to walk because he felt too exhausted. All he needed now was some sugar to get his energy back.

"You know, I was thinking that during the holidays, you should come to Osaka with Osamu and me."

"To Osaka? What for?"

"I don't know, just to hang out. Distract yourself. Be with us. I think it would be fun."

"Yes, that sounds good. I'll have to let my mom know."

"Yeah. After all, you're like my adopted son."

Sigma laughed.

"I am."

Their spirits sank to the ground when they approached the ice cream stand and came face to face with Fyodor and Nikolai, holding hands, with the rewards they had won at the arcade.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Man, I love drawing 

Thanks for reading!