Chapter Text
It was evening when it all started.
Shota, Oboro and Hizashi had decided to go to the arcade after school. Heroics training today was a rough one, well heroics training all week has been rough, It’s the final week before final exams. Between studying for the written exam and training for the practical, Class 2A has barely any time to think.
Oboro thought going to the arcade would be a good way to get their minds off of school. Even if they are losing study time. Oboro is glad Shota agreed to go. Typically Shota would refuse to do something like this right before exams.
Oboro suspects Shota is just trying to get away from his home as much as he can. Oboro and Hizashi both suspect shota’s home life isn't exactly ideal, even though Shota would never admit that. Even if that wasn't true Oboro was glad to be able to hangout with his friends during this time.
Hizashi slams his hand down on the Pac-Man arcade machine next to the joystick.
“Dang it! I was so close! I hate this game.” Hizashi whines.
“You say that everytime we come here, and everytime you come back.” Shota chimes in. Hizashi rolls his eyes at that.
“Zashi! You used almost all the arcade tokens on Pac-Man! We barely have any left for DDR..” Oboro cries out playfully. Oboro holds out his hand with the few arcade tokens left in it, presenting them to the other two teens. Hizashi is staring at Oboro's near empty hand.
“What?! Didn’t we get loads of tokens when we came in?” Hizashi asks, confused. “Oboro you douche! You’re hiding the tokens aren't you?” Hizashi states accusingly.
“Zashi! You’ve done Pac-Man like 8 times today, Its always, ‘just one more chance! I'm about to win!’ then you proceeded to fail another 5 times.” Shota laughs out, doing a mocking voice when mimicking Hizashi.
“Rude! I don't sound like that Sho! Oboro you tell him!” Hizashi states defeated.
“I don't know Zashi, Sho was pretty spot-on.” Oboro says, throwing an arm around Shota’s shoulders.
“Why are you guys teaming up on me? This isn't fair! I wish Nem was here, she would defend me.” Hizashi huffs out.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night Zashi.” Shota says monotony.
“Whatever, Are we gonna do DDR or not?” Hizashi says grabbing Oboro’s wrist, dragging Oboro and by extension Shota to the area where DDR is. The three teens get to the area when the DDR machine stands just to realize it raised its costs to 5 tokens per round rather than the usual three.
“What? Are you kidding me? scammers I'm telling you!” Oboro squawks out. “And I really wanted to see Zashi lose poorly to Shota..” Hizashi playfully shoves Oboro at this.
“You guys just hate me don’t you? Its getting late anyways, we should probably start heading home soon.”
“Yeah, I guess your right Zashi,” Shota says. Oboro looks at Shota, to the untrained eye he would look normal, well normal for Shota at least. Oboro can tell that Shota looks almost upset. You could even tell by the tone of his voice, Shota didn't want to leave. Obviously they couldn’t stay at the arcade all night, and it being a school night and the week of finals Oboro didn't think Sho would be allowed to spend the night. Usually Oboro’s parents don't mind all that much but they did care about him doing well in his classes.
Oboro makes eye contact with Hizashi.
“Hey Sho do you want us to walk you home?” Oboro asks as the three boys walk towards the arcades exit. Shota seems hesitant to reply.
“You guys don’t have to do that, you live on the opposite side of town than I do.”
Hizashi replies “Seriously its no biggie Shota, I actually have uhm,”
“An errand to run.” Oboro chips in.
“Yes! Yes that, an errand to run in that uh.. Area?”
Real smooth Zashi, Real smooth. Oboro thinks but doesn't say outloud for Hizashi’s sake and to not entirely give away that the 2 boys are just worried for Shota. Shota pushes open the arcade door and the three boys start walking down the sidewalk, rounding the corner before Shota starts talking.
“I don't live in the best area, seriously you don't have to walk down there if you don't want to.” Shota looks down at his moving feet.
“Alright then its settled! Straight to Shota’s!” Oboro exclaims pointing out.
“Youre not even pointing the right way Oboro..” Shota says tiredly.
______
Hizashi and Oboro are waving Shota bye as shota goes into his apartment building. They are standing in the middle of the Red Light District. A pretty bad looking place to live if you ask oboro.
“I feel so bad leaving him alone here.” Hizashi thinks out loud.
“Yeah, I feel you. He seemed so sad to have to leave the arcade earlier.” Oboro agrees with Hizashi’s sentiment.
A car speeds right behind where the boys are standing. Oboro can feel the wind on his back.
“We should probably get outta here.”
“Agreed.”
The two teen boys walk down the sidewalk, they are nearing the end of the red light district when Oboro gets side tracked. Oboro sharply turns into an alleyway.
“Oboro! What are you doing?”
“There might be a stray here! Sushi needs a sibling!”
Oboro pulls his phone out his pocket and turns on the flashlight. He makes a clicking noise with his tongue. “Kitty?” “pspsp here kitty kitty” . Oboro shines his light around looking for a cat when he sees a small figure sitting in the corner. Small figure, yes. Small enough to be a cat? Absolutely not.
The figures' knees are drawn to their chest, arms wrapped around their knees but not gripping, head resting on their arms. Oboro's heart drops when he realizes what it is. It’s a small child. A small child who's alone, seemingly sleeping or crying in a random alleyway in the red light district.
“Holy shit.. Zashi.” Oboro glances to Hizashi who’s standing at his side.
“Is that a kid?” Hizashi says in a soft sympathetic voice.
Oboro walks closer to the kid, shining his flashlight on the kid. The kid has light blue almost white hair. The skin on the kids arms is all scratched up and- Wait. The kids hands are covered in dried blood. This kid might be injuried.
Oboro crouches down, reaching his hand out towards the kid, tapping on the top of the kids knee. “Hey.. kiddo? Wake up.”
“Oh my god, is he bleeding?!” Hizashi seems to notice the blood on the kid.
The kids head lifts up ever so slightly. His bright red eyes are barely visible. His eyes lock in on the figure in front of him. He looks at the boy with cloud-like hair and tan skin in front of him.
“Hey kiddo are you ok?” and new figure enters his vision, a blonde with ugly hair.
“I-” the kid says softly “Please help me.”.
Hizashi and Oboro look at each other then look back down at the kid.
“We got you kiddo, so whats your name?”
“T-tenko.”
“Well hello there Tenko! Im Shirakumo, but you can call me Oboro. And this is Yamada. We’re gonna help you out.”
“Oboro.. And Yamada..”
“That’s us! So Tenko what happened why are you in an alley?”
“M-my family I-.” Tenko's eyes start welling up like he’s gonna cry.
“Hey Hey, it's okay you don't have to tell us yet. Are you hurt? I see you got a little bloody on your hands.”
“I- Im not hurt.”
Where did the blood come from if its not the kids blood? Oboro can’t think of an explanation for that. It means it’d have to be someone else's blood. Who’s blood did this kid have all over him.
“Do you have anywhere to go Tenko?”
Tenko looks down avoiding eye contact.
“No.” his voice cracks out.
Hizashi looks at Oboro, He knows exactly what Oboro is thinking.
“Tenko do you wanna come with me? I can help you.”
Tenko doesn't reply but stands up instead. Thats enough of a reply for Oboro.
Oboro leads them out the alleyway.
“Oboro, are you?” Hizashi starts talking, English Oboro realizes. He probably doesn't want the kid to understand them.
“Yes.” Oboro replies in english.
“I know we have to help but we need to bring him to a police station, not to your home!”
“But.. If he gets put into foster care.. He might end up somewhere he could get hurt.”
“But Oboro, what about his family, we don't know what happened to them. This could be considered kidnapping of you don't go through all the right legal portals."
Oboro sighed and looked down at the kid that was fiddling with his own fingers. “You’re right Zashi I wasn't thinking clearly its just-”
“I know. But this is the best way to get him help. Come on, there's a police station not far down from here.” Hizashi starts walking ahead leading the way walking past a man with a suit.
Tenko looks up at Oboro, speaking in Japanese “What were you guys talking about?”
Oboro ruffles Tenko’s hair “Dont worry about it kiddo. Nothing bad. Now come on we’re gonna go get you some people who can help you more than we can!” Tenko looks up at Oboro, obviously hesitant.
“C’mon, do you wanna hold my hand?” Oboro offers reaching his hand out for Tenko to grab.