⤷ muselist found here ⤷ leave an idea/plot/character you want in the subject line. ⤷ you can leave your comment blank or create your own scenario. ⤷ have fun!
[Sometimes, you make a decision because it feels right deep in your guts, and while you don't doubt it one bit you also wonder, why the fuck you made that decision you did. You get infected by the Endouism, the virus of Friendship and Compassion fails to leave you after a dozen god damn years, and suddenly you're back from playing pro in Europe to help the rude research some shady activity going on in Japan, camping on a sketchy island where a bunch of kids were being put through abusive soccer bootcamp, and then you're learning that most of these kids have absolutely nowhere to go or anyone to rely on after the island is shut down.
And then you're talking to Endou and Kidou who talk to Kiyama (Kira, or whatever) back in Tokyo and then it's 7PM in the evening as one of Kidou's drivers drop you off in front of your apartment with one of those island soccer players next to you like a stray cat you picked up in an alley on a rainy day. The kid -- Hakuryuu -- doesn't exactly resist as he leads him up to his third-floor apartment room, but Fudou has no doubts that the guy would rather be anywhere but here. Or perhaps he'd rather not be anywhere. He couldn't exactly blame him for feeling that way, if that were the case. He'd come out some literal hell, after all.
Fudou doesn't touch Hakuryuu. He speaks in brief sentences, suggestions and explanations rather than the commanding tone he tended to take with anybody else.
This isn't exactly immediately after the incident at the island. No, it's been a couple weeks since those days -- the island had to be shut down first, the children had to be put back into the system first, and Fudou had to work with Kiyama and the Sun Garden so that he wasn't just housing a teenage child illegally. What that meant was that it gave him time to prepare, so when the lights are turned on and the front door is closed behind them, he's able to turn to Hakuryuu and say,]
Use these. [A pair of indoor slippers is placed on the wooden floor in front of him.] You wanna take a bath or something? Did you even take a shower after you got to the mainland? I got you PJs.
[The moment Raimon won against Zero was both a victory and a loss. Sure, their island bootcamp had come to an end, and they'd no longer be put into rooms and practically tortured into training to become Seeds. They'd no longer have to be used as footsoldiers in the Fifth Sector's mess of a campaign. Zero had fallen apart, God Eden was no longer, and Shuu had mysteriously left as quickly as he'd come. It left a lot of kids alone and confused, unsure where or if they belonged back in the real world. Hakuryuu, the captain of Zero, was the one they all turned to.
And even he couldn't give an answer.
Endou Mamoru, though, the one who had led Raimon's team through it all, had come to them, told them that he knew a man who could take them all in. A place called Sun Garden, and despite the unsure looks on their faces, were promised that it was nothing like the 'utopia' they'd been given here. Kariya Masaki had to vouch for them at one point, which did evenutally get most of them to yield.
Hakuryuu was about to accept this as his next step in life. Another orphanage that may or may not be worse than the last. But then Endou comes up and says someone was willing to take him in. It would take some time to get the paperwork done, but he found someone who agreed to house him. Someone...like the man in the purple jacket and green pants sitting on the bench, doing everything but making eye contact with him.
Fudou Akio.
It was a whirlwind of events after that. Packing, traveling, temporary homes. All ending up where they are now, just outside of Fudou's door holding his suitcase and two different shoulderbags with all (what little he had) his belongings in them. He's not said a word since Fudou had taken him, from the car ride over to the elevator to the wait outside the door. As if the mentality of "if I don't say anything, he can't kick me out" were in full effect.
The door opens, and he steps inside, immediately taking his boots off and setting them as close to the wall as possible. The less space he takes up, the less of a hassle this is for Fudou. The apartment was...well, it was certainly something Fudou could afford on his questionable salary. Although he's silently wondering why he's living in a place like this. Didn't he hear Raimon say these players were from the pro leagues?
Fudou was a part of that.
But there's no time to question that further. Fudou's offering him indoor slippers, and his red, almost cat-like eyes zero in on them.
A question is asked as he takes them, starting to slip them on his feet.]
I stayed at a house for a few days. They let me.
[Which was about a four days ago, and it's obvious from his unkempt hair falling out of that ponytail that personal hygiene took a backseat to his nerves and the whole moving process.]
[Hakuryuu's answer is acknowledged by a nod before Fudou starts to step further into the apartment, picking up a remote control and pointing it out a white machine attached higher up on the wall. With a low whirring noise the heating system comes to life, and the chilled living space will soon warm up. It's only then that Fudou shrugs off his own jacket, slipping it onto a hanger that he pulls from a closet by the entrance. A second hanger is held out in Hakuryuu's direction for his own outer layer.]
Sorry it's small. I only got here a few months ago in a hurry so I didn't have time to be picky about the place, but it's pretty convenient. And easy to figure out your way around.
[And, without moving, as not to startle Hakuryuu with suddenly advancements,] Let me carry that suitcase. I'll show you where your room is.
[There's a rushed scramble to get his coat off, as if that hanger were only offered for a short amount of time before it'd be snatched away again. The suitcase is set down out of necessity, and even then, he moves it just a few inches away from him in offering to Fudou. His hands go to the edges of his jacket, starting to pull it off...
Only for it to be trapped under those crisscrossed shoulder bags. He'd have to--okay, give him a moment to take those off, lifting the straps over his head and through his ponytail and setting them down just next to his feet. It's only then that Hakuryuu actually reaches for the hanger, taking it gently and shimmying one arm out of that jacket.]
I-It's not that! [His voice may have raised a little in panic, wondering if he'd already offended Fudou on his living quarters. It was already miles above what he remembers at God Eden, and the warmth slowly starting to fill the apartment eased the usual aching chill of his bones, but...
Maybe he expected an ex-Raimon in something more flashy, is all.
Words he'd never say to Fudou's face.] God Eden just didn't have actual houses. [A good enough answer, he hopes, as he lets Fudou take his suitcase, his own arms slinging his bags over one shoulder.]
[Fudou's voice, on the other hand, remains level and even light. He'd taken no offense in anything Hakuryuu said, and the explanation he's given only makes the most sense. He'd been on that island long enough to know most of its structure; aside from that one barren shelter Endou came across, there was nothing outside of the Sector's structure on the other side. An apartment like this would never have existed there.
Taking the suitcase in his hand -- it's light, as he expected -- he waits for Hakuryuu to put his jacket away before nodding and turning to lead the way.
The apartment was clearly chosen, initially, with only one occupant in mind. They pass through a living space with an open kitchen; a short on the other side of the room contains three doors, two of which Fudou points out as the toilet and bathroom respectively. He stops in front of the last door, furthest back, and enters the room after another nod to the boy.
He may have signed the lease for this place months ago, but he rarely spent time here. He was mostly on the move, talking to Kazemaru or Kabeyama or Fubuki in different regions of the country, and this was where he'd come back to every two weeks and crash for a few hours before leaving again. Most of the furniture were things he acquired over these past two weeks to prepare for a child that deserved more than short naps on a park bench.
A simple storage bed pushed up against one wall, a chabudai table sitting on a rug with a small television installed across from it on top of a low dresser. The futon put over the bed is simple but new, and a folded set of clothes and bath towel have been set on top of it -- the pajamas Fudou had mentioned.]
Here. Get comfortable if you want, I'm gonna go get the bath ready.
[He follows Fudou without hesitation, sticking close and eyes peeled to the environment around him. There wasn't much to the apartment, that's for sure, but it was more home than he could have ever called God Eden. The heater made a little rattling sound every now and again, the kitchen seemed small, but way bigger than it looked, with a little table and some chairs set up.
The bathroom and toilet made up the two other doors, which left one room that had to be Fudou's. He doesn't make a move or speak a word as Fudou opens the door, revealing the room inside. It was simple, cold from the lack of heat (although that'd soon be fixed), with a table, a TV, a futon... Hakuryuu's eyes practically widen at the...normalcy of the space.
It was a real room.
But like most kids his age, Hakuryuu can do simple math. And if there was three rooms to this apartment not including the main den, and two of them were the toilet and bathroom. That left this to be Fudou's. Which meant he would have to sleep elsewhere. But Fudou had called this his room, hadn't he? The pajamas on the bed proved it, and red eyes flick to the man in confusion.]
Wait.
[That came out a little more commanding than he intended, closing himself off immediately and folding his arms.]
This is your room.
[As if to remind Fudou that it's not Hakuryuu who was living here first.]
Uh? Oh. I guess, technically, but I've never used it.
[Most of the time he crashed on the couch in the living room with the TV and the heater on, leaving this one empty save for the suitcase he first brought along and the dinky old TV he received when he moved into his first apartment in college. Everything else...
He steps into the room, quickly turning on the light and heat and depositing the suitcase by the bed.]
This room's yours. You can do whatever you want with it.
["This room's yours. You can do whatever you want with it."
The words bounce richochet off the insides of his skull, smacking around in his brain like an angry bee and practically stunning him at that moment. He'd insisted this was Fudou's room, he'd had it confirmed, even. Hakuryuu had no expectations to start with, but even he could put two and two together that the person paying for the apartment would be the one to get the room. The couch did look comfy, Hakuryuu wouldn't have bat an eye at sleeping on it.
But here he was, someone from Raimon who'd officially taken custody of him, and giving him his room. It takes every ounce of willpower to move his legs--not out of stubbornness, but out of pure shock as he slowly walks into the room, like an animal stepping out of its cage for the first time. He makes his way over to the bed, fingers running along the futon and up to the pajamas. White and gray, probably picked just to be safe. But they were soft, freshly bought, and his size.
He wants to believe this, he really does. But the lingering thought of God Eden shoves that buzzing bee of positivity down into submission, gripping the strap on that bag extra tight.
His face is stoic as he nods. He ha to acknowledge what Fudou had done for him, at the very least.]
[Fudou's leaned against the doorframe, arms folded across his chest and a small smile on his face should Hakuryuu look over. It's a gentle look, if he could recognize it as so, Fudou's entire demeanor at ease and without tension. Loose like his hair.]
It might take a while to get used to, but if there's anything you've got plenty of now, it's time. You can warm up the room as you need it, and I'll call you when the bath's ready, got it?
[The question at the end seems to perk his attention. Mostly because any question given in God Eden often requires an answer. Red eyes flick up from the pajamas, body straightening up as he adjusts those straps once more and turning to the man speaking to him.]
Y-Yes.
[There's nothing more said after that, removing the bags from his shoulder to set down next to the suitcase. Fudou's face is so much different than the face of someone he's supposed to immediately respect and give allegiance to. It was softer, relaxed...and that buzzing in his head of the selfish want to just accept this as what it is strikes up once more.
His hands go back to those pajamas, holding them to his chest as he sits down on the futon, sinking into its softness as he takes all this in. The clothes remain untouched otherwise--he's not going to change into them until after his bath, but they were in his hands, gripped so tight as if protecting it from some unknown predator. He'd wait until he was called at least, until then he'd try and process this in his brain.
[Answer gotten, Fudou widens his smile and nods in response. What answer he can get, he acknowledges, and he leaves the door open the way it is as he lifts off the doorframe and stretches briefly.]
A'ight. Call you in a bit.
[The bathroom is not far from the bedroom. A few steps down the hall, through a door into the changing room. It's an apartment without a washing unit, and Fudou had been taking his laundry to the coin laundry on the corner the last few months. He briefly hopes Hakuryuu has another set of clothes to wear in that luggage of his. What he's wearing now seems to have been on him for at least a few days; he's sure Kiyama would've had something prepared for him but it's questionable whether Hakuryuu would've accepted it or not.
Kiyama's a good guy, but that gay-ass smile of his sure is unnerving sometimes...
Thinking about a certain red-haired teammate from days past, Fudou lets out a small chuckle and opens up the folding door to the washroom. Pulling up his pants legs and peeling off his socks, he steps inside the small, but well-lit and clean room to make sure he hadn't forgotten to wash up anything the last time he used it. It's a few minutes for him to fill up the bathtub with hot water and make sure the shower temperature isn't set to scalding, putting the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash bottles where Hakuryuu will be able to find and reach them with ease. He also makes sure to set out the new washcloth and sponge he made sure he got for the kid.
Rather than call Hakuryuu's name loudly, Fudou will come back to the room after everything's ready, wiping the last of the water from his hands on his pants.]
Hakuryuu, [he says once he's standing in the doorway again, voice quiet, light. Not demanding in any way.] The bath's ready. Come with me and lemme show you how to turn on the shower and stuff.
[For the longest time, Hakuryuu doesn't move, eyes fixated on the room around him. It was by no means a mansion, but it had everything a person could want in one. Heating, a TV, a bed...and the fact that Fudou had confirmed this to be his...it's all a little overwhelming for him. He's not some caveman that doesn't know what a TV is, hell, he remember watching it when he was younger. But when he got older and more exploitable by Fifth Sector, the barracks became home. You learned to forget about such luxuries like a television, and things like food and one of the better beds often became the priorities.
With a small breath, he stands up, pacing around the place with his head held up high, inspecting the ceiling and the walls, craning his body over (while keeping those pajamas bound tightly to his chest by his arms) to look at the heater, to see what magazines were on the table. Everything had that 'new' feeling to him, possibly in the best way he could have ever imagined. But there's a small nagging feeling in the back of his head, one that he's been fighting ever since Fudou had picked him up.
"How long will this last?"
After his lap around the room, he finds his way back to the futon, plopping down on it once more and looking more at the pajamas that lay in his arms. His thumb brushes over the fabric, obviously freshly bought and ready to be worn. And in turn, his face begins to soften as well, red eyes losing their sharpness and a smile starting to form on his face as he traces the collar of the shirt.
It's not until Fudou speaks up that he snaps out of his little daze, looking up as if he had been caught daydreaming (well, he had), and standing up almost immediately. Those pajamas remain in his arms, ready to follow]
Yes.
[He was beginning to sound like a broken record at this point, but it's not like he could mess up if his mouth kept shut, right? He moves closer to Fudou, eyes locking with the cool blue ones of the man's, and it's obvious just how much they softened in the time he left and came back.]
[Fudou, observant and perceptive, doesn't miss that change. He figured that a kid who survived that island and came out as its top player had to have some ridiculous level of adaptiveness, but he's pleased to see that it can work in the other direction, too. He had no illusions that Hakuryuu's transition from the shark tank of God Eden to the larger world would be a smooth one, but this sort of skill in the kid in question can affect their progress plenty.
Hakuryuu's eyes put him at ease. As long as he watches himself, gives him the right things, and nudges him the right direction, Hakuryuu will soak it up like a sponge and figure out his own footing.
This kid will take his own steps forward.]
Good answer. Don't forget the towel there -- that one's yours too.
[The tour around the bathroom is quick but thorough. Simple instructions on how to use the shower, explicit permission (and encouragement) for him to use the shampoo and soap, explicitly letting him know that he could soak as long as he needed. He finishes by showing him where to put his dirty clothes, explaining the laundromat situation and that he planned to go this weekend should Hakuryuu have anything else in his luggage that he wanted to have clean. With all that said, he steps back out into the hall while running a hand through his hair; the steam from the bath had made it all humid.]
When you're done I'll make dinner. Udon sound good?
[He's nervous. He's clearly walking on proverbial eggshells around Fudou, waiting for one of them to crack and for this facade of a better life to crumble around him and leave him in the same shambles he'd been in when God Eden had ended. Fudou's soft eyes were a comfort, but one he's afraid to sink into. A forbidden fruit that he knows will turn into a snake and bite his hand.
He doesn't keep his gaze on Fudou's eyes for too long, knowing he'd rightfully cave to the comfort and put him in a vulnerable state. So he focuses on his feet, watching the way Fudou walks. It was a carefree kind of walk, almost lazy in nature but not at all clumsy. Something familiar about it--maybe militaristic but with slack. There was a lot you could tell from someone's gait. How they carry themselves, how they see themselves.
Fudou's matched his personality perfectly.
After grabbing his towel, he follows him to the bathroom--not a long walk by any means, eyes darting to and fro to where Fudou points, making a mental note of everything as he sets his clothes down. Everything seemed simple enough--he knew how to work a shower already (for as rare as they got them at God Eden, but it's not like he spent his whole life there), but what the ins and outs of this specific one were always useful information. His eyes unconsciously widen at 'take as long as you need' and other such encouragements.
This already seemed too good to be true.
With everything set out for him and ready, he goes to remove his coat, too distracted by the action that he only half processes what Fudou says. Udon, huh? That seemed alright. They were full of nutrients and helped with immunity...but it all depends on what kind. And with that thought process...
He can't help but blurt out-]
As long as it's healthy. I don't eat anything that makes me fat.
[And that's when he froze on the spot, eyes snapping open.]
[Fudou was very aware what time of year it was. What day today was. It had never mattered to him in the way it mattered to others; he didn't take days to meticulously plan the perfect gift like Kidou did, and he wasn't Endou, who he knew for a fact sent postcards to his grandfather overseas until the year of Daisuke's death. Fudou didn't exactly have much of a father to write back to for most of the last fifteen or so years of his life, anyway. It was only recently that he started to give that man occasional calls, short, awkward conversations that never felt quite right but never felt terrible, either.
This year would be the third father's day that he's called his father, and he does it while he's out, leaning on the railing outside of his apartment building rather than inside his own home, preferring to take care of it while he didn't have company. Hakuryuu had mentioned that he would be out to train with some of the members from Teikoku, but surely he'd be home by now. It was almost dark, and while Fudou didn't care too much, the boy was still a little sensitive to this imaginary curfew of his.
The call, as usual, only lasts a few minutes, Fudou's words to his father softer and not as lofty as his usual drawl. A question, an answer, a several words about how 'that young boy' is doing, then a good night. That was it. Fudou always made the old man hang up first, and he listens to the beeping of his phone for a short while before closing his phone and his eyes, sighs, and makes his way back to the apartment he shared with a boy now under his care.]
I'm home. Hakuryuu, sorry it's late. The usual store didn't have the detergent you said you wanted so I had to make a few runs.
[Hakuryuu had been all too aware of the date as well. Not that he'd celebrated it before, but his teammates at Teikoku had sprung his memory of the children at God Eden, talking about their parents, wondering how they're doing. Daydreaming what gifts they'd get them for next year when they were able to go back, if they were able to manifest their Keshin and have all around good behavior. It was a conversation Hakuryuu never joined in on, sticking close to Kai as he was the only other one who seemed to know what he was going through.
It's hard to discuss a holiday like that when you don't have parents, after all.
But this year...his life had turned around. After Raimon had disbanded God Eden at its core, the children were released and returned to their homes, Kai and Hakuryuu taken to Sun Garden to be with the other orphans until Fudou expressed interest in taking Hakuryuu in. One thing led to another, and soon he found himself living in Fudou's apartment. Eating with him, going to school, doing chores...sleeping in a room Fudou had provided him. It was the closest thing he'd had to a real home, and some nights, when sleep didn't come as easily, Hakuryuu would stare at the ceiling and recall what those kids spoke about when they talked about their parents.
It sounded an awful lot like what he has now, and it almost terrified him to admit it.
But despite that, he wanted Fudou to know just how he thought. Months of saving, taking odd jobs from Fubuki thanks to Yukimura's help, Kazemaru, who often gave him errands from Sakuma too, and Aphrodi, who tended to be a little more than generous when it came to his payment. He was grateful for all of it, really, and stowed it away until the time was right--when he could afford something that Fudou desperately needed...and Hakuryuu desperately needed to show.
Hakuryuu had never been more glad that the store was out of a specific item. It gave him time to prepare--from getting the wrapped box out and set on pillow in front of the TV, the table already set and two bowls set down with steaming udon and vegetables filled to the brim. The very first meal that they had together in this house...Hakuryuu felt it only fitting that it should be the main course of tonight, no matter how simple it was.
When Fudou opens the door, Hakuryuu was just setting down the chopsticks, freezing in place like a deer in the headlights. A small part of him wished it had taken just a few more moments so he could finish setting the table, but he supposes there's nothing to be done there.
His hands go to his knees, eyes closing and nodding in acknowledgement.]
I'm sorry it was so hard to find. You can use whatever's available if that's easier...
[His throat catches, wondering how he was going to lead into this situation he set up for himself. How do you 'start' Father's Day, anyway?]
[Fudou expects nothing as he slips off his shoes and steps into the apartment, eyes lighting up just a shade at the sight of his charge greeting him, a smile coming naturally now at the boy's words.]
Don't worry about it. It wasn't trouble or anything, and I like this one too.
[A hand is placed on Hakuryuu's head in further reassurance, and he hangs both his bag and jacket from the dining chair before washing his hands in the sink (he must set a good example, he thinks to himself idly). It wasn't unusual for Hakuryuu to mumble shyly once in a while even as they grew more comfortable with each other, so he thinks nothing of it, simply finding himself relaxing in his presence -- in their home -- effortlessly.
Are you doing well? his father had asked. He'd only murmured without commitment in response, but maybe he could've answered that more clearly.]
Sorry I made you do all the work. But thanks. Let's eat before it gets cold.
[Hakuryuu's eyes follow Fudou as he goes to place the bags own, wide open with a bit of curiosity, and a hint of nervousness.]
It wasn't--I planned it this way.
[He clears his throat, watching as Fudou walks closer to the table and changing his position so he's properly sitting for dinner.] I didn't realize it would take me so long to make it...so I'm a bit thankful for the extra time it took.
[He's not sure where to go from there regarding this, so he figures he might as well be frank. His hands reach behind him, sliding the pillow up to the open side of the table that faced towards the TV. The one that had the gift already mounted on top of it. The wrapping job was crisp and clean, like the sheets of Hakuryuu's bed, folded neatly at the corners and minimal tape used to keep it together. Despite how professional it looks now, it had taken the boy quite a few tries to get it so it matched his standards, and with no label on it--it was obvious who it was for.
Hakuryuu's heart beats wildly in his chest, wondering if this was a bad idea now that he had all his pieces set up. Dinner was made, the gift was shown. There was no going back now that he had revealed both of these to him. Fudou had to know what this meant.
So he takes a deep breath and looks into his 'father's' eyes, hoping deep down that he wasn't wrong to make this assumption.
But he never backed down.]
This is for you. All of it is for you. For...Father's day.
[His hands return to his knees, head arched slightly down in a pseudo bow.]
[He realized it the moment the boy started speaking. The readied meal, the box presented to him, Hakuryuu's attitude. The date.
His words only confirm that hunch, and blue eyes are slightly wide as they meet the boy's deep magenta, lips slightly parted as they fall out of their usual careful knit.
He knew what he was to Hakuryuu legally. He knew that he had to write in his surname when adopting the boy on paper. He was his guardian, the one who held custody over him. His parent.
This is for you. For Father's Day.
All that he needed was for Hakuryuu to accept this house and be comfortable enough to live his life. For the boy not to be in fear. For him to have enough freedom to choose his life. He would do everything to ensure that level of happiness. Until, one day, Hakuryuu can find a place to call his own...
He never expected to be thanked in this way, with those words, on this day, but as is sinks in that this truly is happening, he feels warmth spread through him, blossoming from his chest and reaching out.
He also reaches out, kneeling with one knee on the couch beside his 'son,' arms wrapping around his shoulders and tugging him close in a soft embrace.]
[Hakuryuu knew the difference. He knew what it meant to be a guardian and what it meant to be a father. At least, he'd heard stories from the people from Zero who actually had parents, what theirs were like. None of their descriptions matched who his 'guardians' had been. He'd considered this very seriously, parsing through his brain and debating what Fudou would be best labeled as. And every time he tried--every time Shuu had asked what sounded the most 'right'--"father" fit the bill most of all. It put his heart in a vulnerable position, laying it bare and ready to be stricken down by the words he feared most: rejection. His mind said that would be okay--he would understand.
His heart was a different story.
Fudou speaks, and he can feel frost start to form on his heart, the next moment truly deciding his place in the Fudou household. Did he want to be considered Fudou's son? More than he'd ever truly admit. Was Fudou kind enough that it wouldn't be out of the question? He thinks so. However, none of that is any consolation as his eyes clamp down tight, unable to meet that gaze any longer.
All this and Fudou had only said his name.
Moments pass, and with each one the silence is more and more unbearable, the only sound being Fudou's footsteps approaching and eventually hearing the couch give way to his weight. The sound of his breath echoes through his ears, something he heard so often when he lie half awake, too scared to fall asleep when night terrors reared their ugly heads. Another moment passing without a word said.
And just then, when Hakuryuu felt suffocated by the silence, he feels those familiar, strong arms wrap around him, pull him closer until he can feel the fabric of Fudou's track jacket and the beat of his heart. Magenta eyes snap open, staring robotically into the coffee table in front of them as all this tries to process. Was this...acceptance?
Fudou's words only confirm this to be so--and Hakuryuu can feel his arms inching up to snake around the man's torso. Latching on before this moment escapes him. His cheeks flush pink, either in warmth or sheer embarrassment of the situation.]
I...It's nothing. Not compared to what you do for me.
[His face buries into that jacket, feeling the scratchy material rub against his cheeks, and for once not caring how childish this might look.
[It might be childish, but Fudou Akio is the last person to mind that. Having grown up without much opportunity to bury himself like this in his own parents, he relishes in this feeling, in the warmth of being able to give the chance to someone else. Hakuryuu's strong, but small, hands wrap around to his back, and in all honesty, nothing has felt more right for Fudou in a very long time.
With a smile, he situates himself more properly on the couch and gives the boy in his arms a squeeze.]
I'm your parent, aren't I? It's only natural I take care of you.
[The words ring endlessly like a bell in Hakuryuu's head. Sure, one could deduce with context clues that Fudou had already accepted the role of parent to him. One could go out on a limb and say that his acceptance of the gift and the embrace were confession enough. But Hakuryuu often spoke and listened in absolutes. Without confirmation, he'd always be wondering what exactly their place was. Where they stood in this apartment.
So hearing him say that...
"I'm your parent, aren't I?"
It echoes, bouncing against the walls of his skull and slowly starting to sink in with each second. Fingernails dig into that jacket, his face trying desperately to hide the formation of tears starting to pool around his eyes.
He doesn't speak, only nodding his head against that chest and hoping that's enough for Fudou to get out of this. He'd be strong in a minute. He'd go back to saying everything confidently and formally. But right now he just wants to soak in that he has what the other kids at God Eden had now.
Someone to come home to, someone to ask about his homework.
[They certainly did. Fudou tries to remember the last time he held his own parents the way Hakuryuu clung to him now, grasping for any memory he could find of strong arms holding his then-smaller body, wondering when the last time he buried his face into someone else's shirt was. His father wasted away under the stress of debt collectors banging at the door every day and his mother's blaming him for everything that had happened.
... That's right.
The last time he was this close to either of his parents, it was when his mother held him in her arms and told him those words. To get revenge. To curse everything in the world that had brought them to that point. Her arms were painful and burned into his skin like heated iron branding him.
He hopes the arms that Hakuryuu feels around him now are much kinder, safer. Something to protect him rather than to chain him to some painful agenda. He raises one hand, feeling the long, wavy hair the boy grew out and tied back, then the shock of unruly hair that stuck out in all directions. A hair style similar to his, someone had once commented. He smiles to himself then, dropping his hand to run it through those messy strands.]
[His head shakes stubbornly, denying the man's gratitude for just a moment. Not that he Fudou shouldn't--that it wasn't his place to--but it wasn't the right thing to say in Hakuryuu's mind for the moment. In his eyes, this wasn't a time for Fudou to be thankful of him, but the other way around.
After all the man had done for him...he still wound up saying thanks first.
So this time, Hakuryuu was going to correct it.]
No, Fudou-san.
[His smile presses into that jacket, lips creasing the fabric as he all but nuzzles into it--an attempt to dry his tears so he could continue.]
It's father's day. Thank you for everything you've given me. His house, food, a room...a family.
[He exhales, letting his feelings settle before continuing.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
ULTIMATE catch-all.
so one day i adopted a dragon.
And then you're talking to Endou and Kidou who talk to Kiyama (Kira, or whatever) back in Tokyo and then it's 7PM in the evening as one of Kidou's drivers drop you off in front of your apartment with one of those island soccer players next to you like a stray cat you picked up in an alley on a rainy day. The kid -- Hakuryuu -- doesn't exactly resist as he leads him up to his third-floor apartment room, but Fudou has no doubts that the guy would rather be anywhere but here. Or perhaps he'd rather not be anywhere. He couldn't exactly blame him for feeling that way, if that were the case. He'd come out some literal hell, after all.
Fudou doesn't touch Hakuryuu. He speaks in brief sentences, suggestions and explanations rather than the commanding tone he tended to take with anybody else.
This isn't exactly immediately after the incident at the island. No, it's been a couple weeks since those days -- the island had to be shut down first, the children had to be put back into the system first, and Fudou had to work with Kiyama and the Sun Garden so that he wasn't just housing a teenage child illegally. What that meant was that it gave him time to prepare, so when the lights are turned on and the front door is closed behind them, he's able to turn to Hakuryuu and say,]
Use these. [A pair of indoor slippers is placed on the wooden floor in front of him.] You wanna take a bath or something? Did you even take a shower after you got to the mainland? I got you PJs.
no subject
And even he couldn't give an answer.
Endou Mamoru, though, the one who had led Raimon's team through it all, had come to them, told them that he knew a man who could take them all in. A place called Sun Garden, and despite the unsure looks on their faces, were promised that it was nothing like the 'utopia' they'd been given here. Kariya Masaki had to vouch for them at one point, which did evenutally get most of them to yield.
Hakuryuu was about to accept this as his next step in life. Another orphanage that may or may not be worse than the last. But then Endou comes up and says someone was willing to take him in. It would take some time to get the paperwork done, but he found someone who agreed to house him. Someone...like the man in the purple jacket and green pants sitting on the bench, doing everything but making eye contact with him.
Fudou Akio.
It was a whirlwind of events after that. Packing, traveling, temporary homes. All ending up where they are now, just outside of Fudou's door holding his suitcase and two different shoulderbags with all (what little he had) his belongings in them. He's not said a word since Fudou had taken him, from the car ride over to the elevator to the wait outside the door. As if the mentality of "if I don't say anything, he can't kick me out" were in full effect.
The door opens, and he steps inside, immediately taking his boots off and setting them as close to the wall as possible. The less space he takes up, the less of a hassle this is for Fudou. The apartment was...well, it was certainly something Fudou could afford on his questionable salary. Although he's silently wondering why he's living in a place like this. Didn't he hear Raimon say these players were from the pro leagues?
Fudou was a part of that.
But there's no time to question that further. Fudou's offering him indoor slippers, and his red, almost cat-like eyes zero in on them.
A question is asked as he takes them, starting to slip them on his feet.]
I stayed at a house for a few days. They let me.
[Which was about a four days ago, and it's obvious from his unkempt hair falling out of that ponytail that personal hygiene took a backseat to his nerves and the whole moving process.]
You live here?
no subject
[Hakuryuu's answer is acknowledged by a nod before Fudou starts to step further into the apartment, picking up a remote control and pointing it out a white machine attached higher up on the wall. With a low whirring noise the heating system comes to life, and the chilled living space will soon warm up. It's only then that Fudou shrugs off his own jacket, slipping it onto a hanger that he pulls from a closet by the entrance. A second hanger is held out in Hakuryuu's direction for his own outer layer.]
Sorry it's small. I only got here a few months ago in a hurry so I didn't have time to be picky about the place, but it's pretty convenient. And easy to figure out your way around.
[And, without moving, as not to startle Hakuryuu with suddenly advancements,] Let me carry that suitcase. I'll show you where your room is.
no subject
Only for it to be trapped under those crisscrossed shoulder bags. He'd have to--okay, give him a moment to take those off, lifting the straps over his head and through his ponytail and setting them down just next to his feet. It's only then that Hakuryuu actually reaches for the hanger, taking it gently and shimmying one arm out of that jacket.]
I-It's not that! [His voice may have raised a little in panic, wondering if he'd already offended Fudou on his living quarters. It was already miles above what he remembers at God Eden, and the warmth slowly starting to fill the apartment eased the usual aching chill of his bones, but...
Maybe he expected an ex-Raimon in something more flashy, is all.
Words he'd never say to Fudou's face.] God Eden just didn't have actual houses. [A good enough answer, he hopes, as he lets Fudou take his suitcase, his own arms slinging his bags over one shoulder.]
no subject
[Fudou's voice, on the other hand, remains level and even light. He'd taken no offense in anything Hakuryuu said, and the explanation he's given only makes the most sense. He'd been on that island long enough to know most of its structure; aside from that one barren shelter Endou came across, there was nothing outside of the Sector's structure on the other side. An apartment like this would never have existed there.
Taking the suitcase in his hand -- it's light, as he expected -- he waits for Hakuryuu to put his jacket away before nodding and turning to lead the way.
The apartment was clearly chosen, initially, with only one occupant in mind. They pass through a living space with an open kitchen; a short on the other side of the room contains three doors, two of which Fudou points out as the toilet and bathroom respectively. He stops in front of the last door, furthest back, and enters the room after another nod to the boy.
He may have signed the lease for this place months ago, but he rarely spent time here. He was mostly on the move, talking to Kazemaru or Kabeyama or Fubuki in different regions of the country, and this was where he'd come back to every two weeks and crash for a few hours before leaving again. Most of the furniture were things he acquired over these past two weeks to prepare for a child that deserved more than short naps on a park bench.
A simple storage bed pushed up against one wall, a chabudai table sitting on a rug with a small television installed across from it on top of a low dresser. The futon put over the bed is simple but new, and a folded set of clothes and bath towel have been set on top of it -- the pajamas Fudou had mentioned.]
Here. Get comfortable if you want, I'm gonna go get the bath ready.
no subject
The bathroom and toilet made up the two other doors, which left one room that had to be Fudou's. He doesn't make a move or speak a word as Fudou opens the door, revealing the room inside. It was simple, cold from the lack of heat (although that'd soon be fixed), with a table, a TV, a futon... Hakuryuu's eyes practically widen at the...normalcy of the space.
It was a real room.
But like most kids his age, Hakuryuu can do simple math. And if there was three rooms to this apartment not including the main den, and two of them were the toilet and bathroom. That left this to be Fudou's. Which meant he would have to sleep elsewhere. But Fudou had called this his room, hadn't he? The pajamas on the bed proved it, and red eyes flick to the man in confusion.]
Wait.
[That came out a little more commanding than he intended, closing himself off immediately and folding his arms.]
This is your room.
[As if to remind Fudou that it's not Hakuryuu who was living here first.]
no subject
[Most of the time he crashed on the couch in the living room with the TV and the heater on, leaving this one empty save for the suitcase he first brought along and the dinky old TV he received when he moved into his first apartment in college. Everything else...
He steps into the room, quickly turning on the light and heat and depositing the suitcase by the bed.]
This room's yours. You can do whatever you want with it.
no subject
The words bounce richochet off the insides of his skull, smacking around in his brain like an angry bee and practically stunning him at that moment. He'd insisted this was Fudou's room, he'd had it confirmed, even. Hakuryuu had no expectations to start with, but even he could put two and two together that the person paying for the apartment would be the one to get the room. The couch did look comfy, Hakuryuu wouldn't have bat an eye at sleeping on it.
But here he was, someone from Raimon who'd officially taken custody of him, and giving him his room. It takes every ounce of willpower to move his legs--not out of stubbornness, but out of pure shock as he slowly walks into the room, like an animal stepping out of its cage for the first time. He makes his way over to the bed, fingers running along the futon and up to the pajamas. White and gray, probably picked just to be safe. But they were soft, freshly bought, and his size.
He wants to believe this, he really does. But the lingering thought of God Eden shoves that buzzing bee of positivity down into submission, gripping the strap on that bag extra tight.
His face is stoic as he nods. He ha to acknowledge what Fudou had done for him, at the very least.]
no subject
[Fudou's leaned against the doorframe, arms folded across his chest and a small smile on his face should Hakuryuu look over. It's a gentle look, if he could recognize it as so, Fudou's entire demeanor at ease and without tension. Loose like his hair.]
It might take a while to get used to, but if there's anything you've got plenty of now, it's time. You can warm up the room as you need it, and I'll call you when the bath's ready, got it?
no subject
Y-Yes.
[There's nothing more said after that, removing the bags from his shoulder to set down next to the suitcase. Fudou's face is so much different than the face of someone he's supposed to immediately respect and give allegiance to. It was softer, relaxed...and that buzzing in his head of the selfish want to just accept this as what it is strikes up once more.
His hands go back to those pajamas, holding them to his chest as he sits down on the futon, sinking into its softness as he takes all this in. The clothes remain untouched otherwise--he's not going to change into them until after his bath, but they were in his hands, gripped so tight as if protecting it from some unknown predator. He'd wait until he was called at least, until then he'd try and process this in his brain.
Maybe a bath sounded good, after all.]
no subject
A'ight. Call you in a bit.
[The bathroom is not far from the bedroom. A few steps down the hall, through a door into the changing room. It's an apartment without a washing unit, and Fudou had been taking his laundry to the coin laundry on the corner the last few months. He briefly hopes Hakuryuu has another set of clothes to wear in that luggage of his. What he's wearing now seems to have been on him for at least a few days; he's sure Kiyama would've had something prepared for him but it's questionable whether Hakuryuu would've accepted it or not.
Kiyama's a good guy, but that gay-ass smile of his sure is unnerving sometimes...
Thinking about a certain red-haired teammate from days past, Fudou lets out a small chuckle and opens up the folding door to the washroom. Pulling up his pants legs and peeling off his socks, he steps inside the small, but well-lit and clean room to make sure he hadn't forgotten to wash up anything the last time he used it. It's a few minutes for him to fill up the bathtub with hot water and make sure the shower temperature isn't set to scalding, putting the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash bottles where Hakuryuu will be able to find and reach them with ease. He also makes sure to set out the new washcloth and sponge he made sure he got for the kid.
Rather than call Hakuryuu's name loudly, Fudou will come back to the room after everything's ready, wiping the last of the water from his hands on his pants.]
Hakuryuu, [he says once he's standing in the doorway again, voice quiet, light. Not demanding in any way.] The bath's ready. Come with me and lemme show you how to turn on the shower and stuff.
no subject
With a small breath, he stands up, pacing around the place with his head held up high, inspecting the ceiling and the walls, craning his body over (while keeping those pajamas bound tightly to his chest by his arms) to look at the heater, to see what magazines were on the table. Everything had that 'new' feeling to him, possibly in the best way he could have ever imagined. But there's a small nagging feeling in the back of his head, one that he's been fighting ever since Fudou had picked him up.
"How long will this last?"
After his lap around the room, he finds his way back to the futon, plopping down on it once more and looking more at the pajamas that lay in his arms. His thumb brushes over the fabric, obviously freshly bought and ready to be worn. And in turn, his face begins to soften as well, red eyes losing their sharpness and a smile starting to form on his face as he traces the collar of the shirt.
It's not until Fudou speaks up that he snaps out of his little daze, looking up as if he had been caught daydreaming (well, he had), and standing up almost immediately. Those pajamas remain in his arms, ready to follow]
Yes.
[He was beginning to sound like a broken record at this point, but it's not like he could mess up if his mouth kept shut, right? He moves closer to Fudou, eyes locking with the cool blue ones of the man's, and it's obvious just how much they softened in the time he left and came back.]
no subject
Hakuryuu's eyes put him at ease. As long as he watches himself, gives him the right things, and nudges him the right direction, Hakuryuu will soak it up like a sponge and figure out his own footing.
This kid will take his own steps forward.]
Good answer. Don't forget the towel there -- that one's yours too.
[The tour around the bathroom is quick but thorough. Simple instructions on how to use the shower, explicit permission (and encouragement) for him to use the shampoo and soap, explicitly letting him know that he could soak as long as he needed. He finishes by showing him where to put his dirty clothes, explaining the laundromat situation and that he planned to go this weekend should Hakuryuu have anything else in his luggage that he wanted to have clean. With all that said, he steps back out into the hall while running a hand through his hair; the steam from the bath had made it all humid.]
When you're done I'll make dinner. Udon sound good?
no subject
He doesn't keep his gaze on Fudou's eyes for too long, knowing he'd rightfully cave to the comfort and put him in a vulnerable state. So he focuses on his feet, watching the way Fudou walks. It was a carefree kind of walk, almost lazy in nature but not at all clumsy. Something familiar about it--maybe militaristic but with slack. There was a lot you could tell from someone's gait. How they carry themselves, how they see themselves.
Fudou's matched his personality perfectly.
After grabbing his towel, he follows him to the bathroom--not a long walk by any means, eyes darting to and fro to where Fudou points, making a mental note of everything as he sets his clothes down. Everything seemed simple enough--he knew how to work a shower already (for as rare as they got them at God Eden, but it's not like he spent his whole life there), but what the ins and outs of this specific one were always useful information. His eyes unconsciously widen at 'take as long as you need' and other such encouragements.
This already seemed too good to be true.
With everything set out for him and ready, he goes to remove his coat, too distracted by the action that he only half processes what Fudou says. Udon, huh? That seemed alright. They were full of nutrients and helped with immunity...but it all depends on what kind. And with that thought process...
He can't help but blurt out-]
As long as it's healthy. I don't eat anything that makes me fat.
[And that's when he froze on the spot, eyes snapping open.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
a day more appropriate for us than we imagined.
This year would be the third father's day that he's called his father, and he does it while he's out, leaning on the railing outside of his apartment building rather than inside his own home, preferring to take care of it while he didn't have company. Hakuryuu had mentioned that he would be out to train with some of the members from Teikoku, but surely he'd be home by now. It was almost dark, and while Fudou didn't care too much, the boy was still a little sensitive to this imaginary curfew of his.
The call, as usual, only lasts a few minutes, Fudou's words to his father softer and not as lofty as his usual drawl. A question, an answer, a several words about how 'that young boy' is doing, then a good night. That was it. Fudou always made the old man hang up first, and he listens to the beeping of his phone for a short while before closing his phone and his eyes, sighs, and makes his way back to the apartment he shared with a boy now under his care.]
I'm home. Hakuryuu, sorry it's late. The usual store didn't have the detergent you said you wanted so I had to make a few runs.
no subject
It's hard to discuss a holiday like that when you don't have parents, after all.
But this year...his life had turned around. After Raimon had disbanded God Eden at its core, the children were released and returned to their homes, Kai and Hakuryuu taken to Sun Garden to be with the other orphans until Fudou expressed interest in taking Hakuryuu in. One thing led to another, and soon he found himself living in Fudou's apartment. Eating with him, going to school, doing chores...sleeping in a room Fudou had provided him. It was the closest thing he'd had to a real home, and some nights, when sleep didn't come as easily, Hakuryuu would stare at the ceiling and recall what those kids spoke about when they talked about their parents.
It sounded an awful lot like what he has now, and it almost terrified him to admit it.
But despite that, he wanted Fudou to know just how he thought. Months of saving, taking odd jobs from Fubuki thanks to Yukimura's help, Kazemaru, who often gave him errands from Sakuma too, and Aphrodi, who tended to be a little more than generous when it came to his payment. He was grateful for all of it, really, and stowed it away until the time was right--when he could afford something that Fudou desperately needed...and Hakuryuu desperately needed to show.
Hakuryuu had never been more glad that the store was out of a specific item. It gave him time to prepare--from getting the wrapped box out and set on pillow in front of the TV, the table already set and two bowls set down with steaming udon and vegetables filled to the brim. The very first meal that they had together in this house...Hakuryuu felt it only fitting that it should be the main course of tonight, no matter how simple it was.
When Fudou opens the door, Hakuryuu was just setting down the chopsticks, freezing in place like a deer in the headlights. A small part of him wished it had taken just a few more moments so he could finish setting the table, but he supposes there's nothing to be done there.
His hands go to his knees, eyes closing and nodding in acknowledgement.]
I'm sorry it was so hard to find. You can use whatever's available if that's easier...
[His throat catches, wondering how he was going to lead into this situation he set up for himself. How do you 'start' Father's Day, anyway?]
...
I made dinner. [That's...one way to start.]
no subject
Don't worry about it. It wasn't trouble or anything, and I like this one too.
[A hand is placed on Hakuryuu's head in further reassurance, and he hangs both his bag and jacket from the dining chair before washing his hands in the sink (he must set a good example, he thinks to himself idly). It wasn't unusual for Hakuryuu to mumble shyly once in a while even as they grew more comfortable with each other, so he thinks nothing of it, simply finding himself relaxing in his presence -- in their home -- effortlessly.
Are you doing well? his father had asked. He'd only murmured without commitment in response, but maybe he could've answered that more clearly.]
Sorry I made you do all the work. But thanks. Let's eat before it gets cold.
no subject
It wasn't--I planned it this way.
[He clears his throat, watching as Fudou walks closer to the table and changing his position so he's properly sitting for dinner.] I didn't realize it would take me so long to make it...so I'm a bit thankful for the extra time it took.
[He's not sure where to go from there regarding this, so he figures he might as well be frank. His hands reach behind him, sliding the pillow up to the open side of the table that faced towards the TV. The one that had the gift already mounted on top of it. The wrapping job was crisp and clean, like the sheets of Hakuryuu's bed, folded neatly at the corners and minimal tape used to keep it together. Despite how professional it looks now, it had taken the boy quite a few tries to get it so it matched his standards, and with no label on it--it was obvious who it was for.
Hakuryuu's heart beats wildly in his chest, wondering if this was a bad idea now that he had all his pieces set up. Dinner was made, the gift was shown. There was no going back now that he had revealed both of these to him. Fudou had to know what this meant.
So he takes a deep breath and looks into his 'father's' eyes, hoping deep down that he wasn't wrong to make this assumption.
But he never backed down.]
This is for you. All of it is for you. For...Father's day.
[His hands return to his knees, head arched slightly down in a pseudo bow.]
Please accept them.
no subject
[He realized it the moment the boy started speaking. The readied meal, the box presented to him, Hakuryuu's attitude. The date.
His words only confirm that hunch, and blue eyes are slightly wide as they meet the boy's deep magenta, lips slightly parted as they fall out of their usual careful knit.
He knew what he was to Hakuryuu legally. He knew that he had to write in his surname when adopting the boy on paper. He was his guardian, the one who held custody over him. His parent.
This is for you. For Father's Day.
All that he needed was for Hakuryuu to accept this house and be comfortable enough to live his life. For the boy not to be in fear. For him to have enough freedom to choose his life. He would do everything to ensure that level of happiness. Until, one day, Hakuryuu can find a place to call his own...
He never expected to be thanked in this way, with those words, on this day, but as is sinks in that this truly is happening, he feels warmth spread through him, blossoming from his chest and reaching out.
He also reaches out, kneeling with one knee on the couch beside his 'son,' arms wrapping around his shoulders and tugging him close in a soft embrace.]
Thank you, Hakuryuu. This is-- it's really nice.
no subject
His heart was a different story.
Fudou speaks, and he can feel frost start to form on his heart, the next moment truly deciding his place in the Fudou household. Did he want to be considered Fudou's son? More than he'd ever truly admit. Was Fudou kind enough that it wouldn't be out of the question? He thinks so. However, none of that is any consolation as his eyes clamp down tight, unable to meet that gaze any longer.
All this and Fudou had only said his name.
Moments pass, and with each one the silence is more and more unbearable, the only sound being Fudou's footsteps approaching and eventually hearing the couch give way to his weight. The sound of his breath echoes through his ears, something he heard so often when he lie half awake, too scared to fall asleep when night terrors reared their ugly heads. Another moment passing without a word said.
And just then, when Hakuryuu felt suffocated by the silence, he feels those familiar, strong arms wrap around him, pull him closer until he can feel the fabric of Fudou's track jacket and the beat of his heart. Magenta eyes snap open, staring robotically into the coffee table in front of them as all this tries to process. Was this...acceptance?
Fudou's words only confirm this to be so--and Hakuryuu can feel his arms inching up to snake around the man's torso. Latching on before this moment escapes him. His cheeks flush pink, either in warmth or sheer embarrassment of the situation.]
I...It's nothing. Not compared to what you do for me.
[His face buries into that jacket, feeling the scratchy material rub against his cheeks, and for once not caring how childish this might look.
Maybe he wants to feel like a child for once.]
no subject
With a smile, he situates himself more properly on the couch and gives the boy in his arms a squeeze.]
I'm your parent, aren't I? It's only natural I take care of you.
no subject
So hearing him say that...
"I'm your parent, aren't I?"
It echoes, bouncing against the walls of his skull and slowly starting to sink in with each second. Fingernails dig into that jacket, his face trying desperately to hide the formation of tears starting to pool around his eyes.
He doesn't speak, only nodding his head against that chest and hoping that's enough for Fudou to get out of this. He'd be strong in a minute. He'd go back to saying everything confidently and formally. But right now he just wants to soak in that he has what the other kids at God Eden had now.
Someone to come home to, someone to ask about his homework.
Someone he'd miss and would miss him.
Kids take that stuff for granted, don't they.]
no subject
... That's right.
The last time he was this close to either of his parents, it was when his mother held him in her arms and told him those words. To get revenge. To curse everything in the world that had brought them to that point. Her arms were painful and burned into his skin like heated iron branding him.
He hopes the arms that Hakuryuu feels around him now are much kinder, safer. Something to protect him rather than to chain him to some painful agenda. He raises one hand, feeling the long, wavy hair the boy grew out and tied back, then the shock of unruly hair that stuck out in all directions. A hair style similar to his, someone had once commented. He smiles to himself then, dropping his hand to run it through those messy strands.]
Thanks, Hakuryuu, for letting me be your family.
no subject
After all the man had done for him...he still wound up saying thanks first.
So this time, Hakuryuu was going to correct it.]
No, Fudou-san.
[His smile presses into that jacket, lips creasing the fabric as he all but nuzzles into it--an attempt to dry his tears so he could continue.]
It's father's day. Thank you for everything you've given me. His house, food, a room...a family.
[He exhales, letting his feelings settle before continuing.]
Someone I could celebrate today with.