“Is it that hard to believe, Yata-san?” Kamamoto asked. “I mean, he had been here a few days already. It makes sense.”
“That’s not the problem!” Yata shouted. “The little bastard tried to kill Mikoto-san!”
“And Totsuka-san!” Bandou added, also a bit angry. “And he almost did if Fujishima didn’t show up! What would’ve happened if he actually stabbed him?”
Kusanagi sighed as the others began to protest about their newest member. Luckily, Eric was led outside with Fujishima to keep him busy as the bartender explained everything that had happened to the others. They had been unaware of what transpired just yesterday and when they arrived with Eric, now with the mark of Homra on his shoulder, it was time to tell the whole story.
He supposed after hearing this kid was part of a gang and did try to kill two of their members, they would be a little angry.
“I mean, it’s fine, right?” Shouhei said, trying to calm the tension. “Kusanagi-san said it was because of that gang, Hikawa, right?”
“I suppose if Mikoto-san gave him the test and he passed…” Chitose trailed off, not liking the idea either but accepting it a lot better than a few others. “A lot of us joined under weird circumstances.”
“Kusanagi-san,” Dewa spoke up, beside Chitose. “If he wanted to not only kill Totsuka-san but also Mikoto-san, why keep him around? He’s obviously dangerous. It could be another trap”
“Because those were orders to him, Dewa. And the people who gave those orders aren’t around anymore. He’s as harmless as a pup now.” The bartender’s hand twitched as he said the word ‘pup’. It felt wrong to use those kinds of words on the kid, he’ll have to make sure the others don’t use them either anymore for him.
“Moving on,” Kusanagi took an empty glass and began to clean it. “We need a place for him to stay. Last night he was with me, but I can’t be the one supervising him all the time, I won’t be home enough. Yata-chan, you’ve got an extra spot in your place, can he stay with you?”
“What?!” Yata almost jumped out of his seat. “I…come on, Kusanagi-san, I’m not really home much either, I’m too busy and he’ll just slow me down.” He froze a bit as he saw Kusanagi give him a disappointed look. “Wha…what about the bar?” Yata suggested.
Kusanagi shook his head. “It’s cramped in here enough with Mikoto and Anna, she took up the last livable room.”
“Can’t he stay with Totsuka-san? He’s got a nice place and he isn’t there half the time.” Bandou half shouted, his arms crossed.
“Exactly.” Kusanagi stated. “Leaving Eric alone might not be the best at the moment. And I thought you were so concerned about Totstuka’s wellbeing before, Bandou. Unless you’re volunteering your own apartment.”
“Y-yeah, right!” Bandou deflated a little. Eric had tried to kill Totsuka, leaving them alone together like that was the last thing Bandou had wanted. “And, I mean I would but, I’m in between jobs again and there’s so little space and food in my place, we’d be standing on top of each other…”
Kusanagi turned to the others. “Chitose? Would he be able to stay with you?”
“Ah, well…” Chitose brought his hand up to rub his hair. “I mean, I don’t mind, but my grandparents are in a bad spot with the store you? An extra mouth to feed…”
Kusanagi sighed. “Dewa?”
“No.”
Chitose chuckled. “Not even a reason?”
Dewa scoffed. “Why would I need one? And what about Fujishima? He’s the one that picked up that strange kid in the first place.”
“His parents barely tolerate him bringing animals in their house, another human is out of the question.” Kusanagi explained, exasperated. Mikoto really should have thought of things ahead of time, where would they place this kid that hasn’t had a home in years?
“He can stay with me, Kusanagi-san.”
Kusanagi turned to Shouhei, who had his hand up as if answering a question for a teacher. “Would that be alright with you Shouhei?
The other nodded. “Yeah, I’ve got an extra futon he can stay on. It might be a bit cozy, but I don’t mind the company.”
The bartender smiled thankfully at Shouhei. One problem solved. If only he knew that was the easiest problem to solve involving their newest member.
~
“So Shouhei, what’s it like? Having Eric stay over?” Bandou asked.
“Hmm, it’s not so bad.” Shouhei answered, thinking thoughtfully. “He’s really quiet, and doesn’t do a lot. The other day I went out and got him a nightlight.”
“A…a nightlight?” Chitose repeated, his eyebrows raised at the sudden comment.
Shouhei nodded. “Yeah, I don’t think he likes the dark that much. He always opens the curtains or curled up in some space near a light.”
“Does he move the futon around then?”
He shakes his head this time. “I don’t think he sleeps so well either. Anytime I wake up in the middle of the night, he’s always out of his bed, curled up somewhere else. And if I see him sleeping, he doesn’t use the futon like a futon.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ah, well…he sleeps on top of everything, blankets and all. I told him he could go under the covers but I don’t think he wants to. Doesn’t even use the pillow just sort of, curls up in it you know?” He shrugged. “Maybe he’s just warm.”
“Maybe he’s waiting for the perfect moment to slice your throat.” Chitose kidded, earning an elbow to his stomach by Bandou. “Just a joke okay? A joke.”
“Does he do anything? At the bar, he just follows Fujishima around or sits on the couch.” Bandou asked.
Shouhei shrugged. “He basically does the same thing. Just, sort of sits there. I don’t mind, and if I ask him to help with something he’ll help. Well, try to help, he doesn’t seem to know a lot.”
Chitose tilted his head, before shrugging. “What a weird kid.”
~
“Yata-chan, go wake up Eric, will you? Then we can all eat together.” Kusanagi ordered, setting up the plates for the dinner. Everyone else had gathered around the bar counter, eagerly awaiting the meal. The only one missing was the one not even aware it was dinner, dozing soundly on the couch.
Yata scoffed, but did as he was told, walking over to the sleeping tiny form that was Eric on the couch. Shouhei had mentioned that he didn’t seem to sleep through the night, he certainly slept a lot at the bar. Someone had even given him Totsuka’s blanket.
“Wake up, it’s supper time.” Yata stated, his arms crossed. He growled light in irritation as there was no response. He decided to place a hand on the other, shaking him slightly. “Hey come on, I said ge—“
Blue eyes popped open, staring wide at him. He wasn’t expecting the blond to jerk away from him, or for him to yelp as if he was in pain. Unfortunately, the fumbling that Eric had done, slid himself off of the couch and onto the floor, curled up in a ball.
“I’m sorry!” Eric cried out, holding his head in his hands.
Yata paused, now more confused than ever. “Huh?” He turned to look at the others at the bar, everyone silent and in shock by the sudden reaction. He looked back to the younger one. “Look, all I said was there food. You don’t need to—“
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’ll be good! I’ll be a good dog.” Eric’s trembling increased as he tried to flinch away from the approaching skater.
“What are you talking about?“ Yata’s shout was cut short as he saw Fujishima suddenly appear beside Eric, taking him in his arms in a loose, awkward hug. The other whined and shook in place, not seeming to know where he was.
“Walk away slowly, and make as little noise as possible.” Fujishima whispered, his eyes on Yata before bringing his attention back to Eric.
Yata could only nod, and head over to the bar, as quietly as he could. He joined the other confused and shocked members, all their eyes on the two on the floor.
“What the hell did you do, Yata?” Chitose hissed out as quietly as he could.
“How should I know? I just tried to wake him up!” Yata defended quietly.
“He’s not here.”
“Anna?” Kamamoto asked, turning to the one girl. Everyone else followed.
She looked up at him. “He’s not here, in his mind. He’s somewhere else, where there’s a lot of pain.”
The others blinked, confused at the statement, before they all looked back to Fujishima, who seemed to finally have calmed down Eric enough to stop crying.
“He does this sometimes at my place too.” Shouhei added quietly. “It takes a while but he’ll be fine again soon.”
“You serious?” Bandou asked.
Shouhei nodded. “He’s had it pretty rough, anything I can do to help make things easier, it’s the least I can do, you know?” He slide off of his bar stool and grabbed a glass of water. “Kusanagi-san even said, he used to be a dog in a gang, for who knows how long. I can’t even imagine living that way. So, the more we help him, the better.”
With that, Shouhei walked over to the two, kneeling down a little ways away from them and reached out to give Fujishima the glass of water. The red head smiled, accepting it, before showing it to Eric to take.
Kusanagi’s face was sad and concerned, but, there was smile there all the same, glad that Shouhei was helping. “I suppose now, you finally understand a little more what I said last time.” They nodded. “He’s been through a lot. And we won’t know everything, how to help him, how something might hurt him, but, be patient. We’re going to learn a lot from him as he is from us.”
Random Drabble
“Is it that hard to believe, Yata-san?” Kamamoto asked. “I mean, he had been here a few days already. It makes sense.”
“That’s not the problem!” Yata shouted. “The little bastard tried to kill Mikoto-san!”
“And Totsuka-san!” Bandou added, also a bit angry. “And he almost did if Fujishima didn’t show up! What would’ve happened if he actually stabbed him?”
Kusanagi sighed as the others began to protest about their newest member. Luckily, Eric was led outside with Fujishima to keep him busy as the bartender explained everything that had happened to the others. They had been unaware of what transpired just yesterday and when they arrived with Eric, now with the mark of Homra on his shoulder, it was time to tell the whole story.
He supposed after hearing this kid was part of a gang and did try to kill two of their members, they would be a little angry.
“I mean, it’s fine, right?” Shouhei said, trying to calm the tension. “Kusanagi-san said it was because of that gang, Hikawa, right?”
“I suppose if Mikoto-san gave him the test and he passed…” Chitose trailed off, not liking the idea either but accepting it a lot better than a few others. “A lot of us joined under weird circumstances.”
“Kusanagi-san,” Dewa spoke up, beside Chitose. “If he wanted to not only kill Totsuka-san but also Mikoto-san, why keep him around? He’s obviously dangerous. It could be another trap”
“Because those were orders to him, Dewa. And the people who gave those orders aren’t around anymore. He’s as harmless as a pup now.” The bartender’s hand twitched as he said the word ‘pup’. It felt wrong to use those kinds of words on the kid, he’ll have to make sure the others don’t use them either anymore for him.
“Moving on,” Kusanagi took an empty glass and began to clean it. “We need a place for him to stay. Last night he was with me, but I can’t be the one supervising him all the time, I won’t be home enough. Yata-chan, you’ve got an extra spot in your place, can he stay with you?”
“What?!” Yata almost jumped out of his seat. “I…come on, Kusanagi-san, I’m not really home much either, I’m too busy and he’ll just slow me down.” He froze a bit as he saw Kusanagi give him a disappointed look. “Wha…what about the bar?” Yata suggested.
Kusanagi shook his head. “It’s cramped in here enough with Mikoto and Anna, she took up the last livable room.”
“Can’t he stay with Totsuka-san? He’s got a nice place and he isn’t there half the time.” Bandou half shouted, his arms crossed.
“Exactly.” Kusanagi stated. “Leaving Eric alone might not be the best at the moment. And I thought you were so concerned about Totstuka’s wellbeing before, Bandou. Unless you’re volunteering your own apartment.”
“Y-yeah, right!” Bandou deflated a little. Eric had tried to kill Totsuka, leaving them alone together like that was the last thing Bandou had wanted. “And, I mean I would but, I’m in between jobs again and there’s so little space and food in my place, we’d be standing on top of each other…”
Kusanagi turned to the others. “Chitose? Would he be able to stay with you?”
“Ah, well…” Chitose brought his hand up to rub his hair. “I mean, I don’t mind, but my grandparents are in a bad spot with the store you? An extra mouth to feed…”
Kusanagi sighed. “Dewa?”
“No.”
Chitose chuckled. “Not even a reason?”
Dewa scoffed. “Why would I need one? And what about Fujishima? He’s the one that picked up that strange kid in the first place.”
“His parents barely tolerate him bringing animals in their house, another human is out of the question.” Kusanagi explained, exasperated. Mikoto really should have thought of things ahead of time, where would they place this kid that hasn’t had a home in years?
“He can stay with me, Kusanagi-san.”
Kusanagi turned to Shouhei, who had his hand up as if answering a question for a teacher. “Would that be alright with you Shouhei?
The other nodded. “Yeah, I’ve got an extra futon he can stay on. It might be a bit cozy, but I don’t mind the company.”
The bartender smiled thankfully at Shouhei. One problem solved. If only he knew that was the easiest problem to solve involving their newest member.
~
“So Shouhei, what’s it like? Having Eric stay over?” Bandou asked.
“Hmm, it’s not so bad.” Shouhei answered, thinking thoughtfully. “He’s really quiet, and doesn’t do a lot. The other day I went out and got him a nightlight.”
“A…a nightlight?” Chitose repeated, his eyebrows raised at the sudden comment.
Shouhei nodded. “Yeah, I don’t think he likes the dark that much. He always opens the curtains or curled up in some space near a light.”
“Does he move the futon around then?”
He shakes his head this time. “I don’t think he sleeps so well either. Anytime I wake up in the middle of the night, he’s always out of his bed, curled up somewhere else. And if I see him sleeping, he doesn’t use the futon like a futon.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ah, well…he sleeps on top of everything, blankets and all. I told him he could go under the covers but I don’t think he wants to. Doesn’t even use the pillow just sort of, curls up in it you know?” He shrugged. “Maybe he’s just warm.”
“Maybe he’s waiting for the perfect moment to slice your throat.” Chitose kidded, earning an elbow to his stomach by Bandou. “Just a joke okay? A joke.”
“Does he do anything? At the bar, he just follows Fujishima around or sits on the couch.” Bandou asked.
Shouhei shrugged. “He basically does the same thing. Just, sort of sits there. I don’t mind, and if I ask him to help with something he’ll help. Well, try to help, he doesn’t seem to know a lot.”
Chitose tilted his head, before shrugging. “What a weird kid.”
~
“Yata-chan, go wake up Eric, will you? Then we can all eat together.” Kusanagi ordered, setting up the plates for the dinner. Everyone else had gathered around the bar counter, eagerly awaiting the meal. The only one missing was the one not even aware it was dinner, dozing soundly on the couch.
Yata scoffed, but did as he was told, walking over to the sleeping tiny form that was Eric on the couch. Shouhei had mentioned that he didn’t seem to sleep through the night, he certainly slept a lot at the bar. Someone had even given him Totsuka’s blanket.
“Wake up, it’s supper time.” Yata stated, his arms crossed. He growled light in irritation as there was no response. He decided to place a hand on the other, shaking him slightly. “Hey come on, I said ge—“
Blue eyes popped open, staring wide at him. He wasn’t expecting the blond to jerk away from him, or for him to yelp as if he was in pain. Unfortunately, the fumbling that Eric had done, slid himself off of the couch and onto the floor, curled up in a ball.
“I’m sorry!” Eric cried out, holding his head in his hands.
Yata paused, now more confused than ever. “Huh?” He turned to look at the others at the bar, everyone silent and in shock by the sudden reaction. He looked back to the younger one. “Look, all I said was there food. You don’t need to—“
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’ll be good! I’ll be a good dog.” Eric’s trembling increased as he tried to flinch away from the approaching skater.
“What are you talking about?“ Yata’s shout was cut short as he saw Fujishima suddenly appear beside Eric, taking him in his arms in a loose, awkward hug. The other whined and shook in place, not seeming to know where he was.
“Walk away slowly, and make as little noise as possible.” Fujishima whispered, his eyes on Yata before bringing his attention back to Eric.
Yata could only nod, and head over to the bar, as quietly as he could. He joined the other confused and shocked members, all their eyes on the two on the floor.
“What the hell did you do, Yata?” Chitose hissed out as quietly as he could.
“How should I know? I just tried to wake him up!” Yata defended quietly.
“He’s not here.”
“Anna?” Kamamoto asked, turning to the one girl. Everyone else followed.
She looked up at him. “He’s not here, in his mind. He’s somewhere else, where there’s a lot of pain.”
The others blinked, confused at the statement, before they all looked back to Fujishima, who seemed to finally have calmed down Eric enough to stop crying.
“He does this sometimes at my place too.” Shouhei added quietly. “It takes a while but he’ll be fine again soon.”
“You serious?” Bandou asked.
Shouhei nodded. “He’s had it pretty rough, anything I can do to help make things easier, it’s the least I can do, you know?” He slide off of his bar stool and grabbed a glass of water. “Kusanagi-san even said, he used to be a dog in a gang, for who knows how long. I can’t even imagine living that way. So, the more we help him, the better.”
With that, Shouhei walked over to the two, kneeling down a little ways away from them and reached out to give Fujishima the glass of water. The red head smiled, accepting it, before showing it to Eric to take.
Kusanagi’s face was sad and concerned, but, there was smile there all the same, glad that Shouhei was helping. “I suppose now, you finally understand a little more what I said last time.” They nodded. “He’s been through a lot. And we won’t know everything, how to help him, how something might hurt him, but, be patient. We’re going to learn a lot from him as he is from us.”