A young man walked down the gloomy, badly lit streets a tin cup in his pale hands. His hands quivered as his white teeth chattered, echoing in the silence of the night that seem to sallow up anything that went into it. It was a few weeks before Valentines Day when love blossomed into chocolates between couples and people celebrated their love, but there was nothing there for the man to celebrate. His heart was colder then the ice in your freezer. Nothing could thaw such a cold heart like the one that lay in his chest. You couldn't even get a smile to appear on his hard set face. Maybe when he was a child and his mother was still around to make him smile, but he wasn't the kind of person to think about the past.
"Come on...smile..."
In his eyes thinking about the past didn't help him at all get a piece of bread into his mouth.
"Watch where you're going!" The young man glanced up his eyes peered though his long, black bangs that had needed to be cut, years ago. He looked over the teenager that he had just bumped into. "Sorry..."
"Stay out of trouble Shuuhei..."
"I don't want to hear your apologizes! Just watch where you're going!" The girl brushed her wavy hair out of the way of her view and snickered before walking off, her hips swaying. Two men standing outside a bar watched as she proudly held her head up high and the man that was smoking, whistled. The girl turned briskly around and stared at the two men before chuckling and walked around the nearest corner.
"They talk behind your back..."
The young man watched, but deep inside, he didn't really care what happened to the green haired girl. She could get injured for all he cared and he probably wouldn't do anything to give a helping hand. Sighing softly he paused, his legs about ready to give out and leaned against a cold, brick building. The building clearly had seen better days, but that was it. It was just like the young man that had pressed his lonely self against it. A child and his mother walked by and the child pointed at him. The mother leaned down and whispered a few hushed words to the child's rosy ear. Reaching into her purse, which didn't seem to fit into the gloomy darkness, she handed the child a few coins. By that time the man just slowly relaxed, giving up and closed his eyes.
"Clink, clink."
He opened his eyes, immediately glancing down at the cup and then to the child. He gasped softly as he realized how much this child looked like his younger self. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he faked a small smile and thanked the thoughtful child. The child grinned back and raced over to his mother, reaching for her hand and she gave it, walking away into the light. The young man blinked and then realized that they weren't walking into the 'light'. They were just walking past a city light that flickered every once in a while.
He tilted his head back, baring his throat to the chill of the air, but he didn't seem to mind. He was too deep into his thoughts.
"Shuuhei...can you give your father and I a few minutes of alone time?" His mother asked, having just returned from the her job and looked at him with a kind, generous smile. He nodded cheerfully and left the room the race up the stairs, but stopped. Curiosity got to the best of him and he sat down on the top of the stairs, listening into the heated conversation between his middle aged parents.
"You try to give someone advice and they act like you're being cruel and they talk behind your back!" A husky, male voice rang out of the living room and the child heard a chair move as the mother calmed his father down.
"I'm sure he was having a bad day just like you...I doubt he meant to damage your guy's friendship..." Hs smiled lightly as he heard his mother's soothing voice.
A bad day?" His father remarked as if in disbelief. "It seems like more than that..."
"It's freezing isn't it?"
Shuuhei jolted and his eyes opened, having been pulled away from his thoughts. "Huh?"
An older man with grey, short hair crossed his arms and grinned mischievously at the younger man. "Falling asleep over there?"
"N-No.." He murmurs, looking exhausted in the eyes of the taller man.
"Yeah, right. That is by far the worst lie I've heard."
Shuuhei sighed softly. "Believe what you want to believe. I wasn't trying to make an impression on you."
"Well, clearly."
Shuuhei set the cup down making a clattering sound. The man glanced down at the tin cup, a small frown on his face. "You need money?"
Shuuhei opened his mouth, but he was interrupted by cat that wrapped it's tail around his legs. He let himself smile a little and he picked up the cat, stroking it's smooth fur. The older man chuckled softly and bent down, pulling some lose change out of his pockets. "Here. Take it. Get yourself something to eat and smile. You clearly don't smile enough..." Shuuhei glanced up, shocked. He had heard those same words from those lips before.
Stop crying!" The older man sighed and stared at the crying child at his feet. "Come on...smile...you clearly don't smile enough..." Shuuhei rubbed his eyes and sniffed softly.
"Smile?"
"Yeah idiot. Smile."
"Hey kid, you okay? Is that a hobby of yours? To just stare at people?"
Shuuhei cleared his mind before faking a small smile. "No it's not a hobby...sorry..." The older man frowned but nodded slightly before walking away, his footsteps echoing in that dark.
He was alive. He had been standing and breathing RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM. Shuuhei almost wanted to cry tears of joy. It didn't matter that his mentor didn't recognize him. All that mattered was that he knew 1. the man was alive 2. he had seen him 3. and he had saved him again.
Shuuhei breath was visible in the air as he started to calm down. Yes it had been great that he had seen the man that had helped him as a child, but this was real life. He couldn't stand there all do nothing, just remembering his interaction with the grey-haired man.
Stretching he slowly got moving, his legs felt like lead and his couldn't even feel his hand grasp the tin cup. It was terrible this life he lived, but what could he do? He could try to go to the soup kitchens, which he did try once, but after that he never wanted to do it again. He shuddered as he tried to hold back the painful memories. The whole time he had been there, he like he was being judged, studied, touched...he never wanted to do that again. Even if it meant he would get a small bite to eat.
Having had to walk miles in that lonely city that never seemed to go to sleep, Shuuhei sat down in the city park on a bench. Hopefully nobody would come by to ask what a young man like himself was doing out here. Alone.
Even though he lived on the streets, eating almost everything he could get his scared hands on, he could probably pass as a college student to the everyday hard working human.
So...sleepy...
Shuuhei sighed softly and slowly closed his eyes. It wouldn't hurt if he closed his eyes for a second?
"Renji..." "Mmm?" "Sit down. I have to stitch up your cut..." Renji chuckled, his face slightly pale and he sat down. The wound had slowly stopped bleeding, but it was clear that the wound would need stitches. Sighing softly Shuuhei started to clean the wound. Renji studied the older man in front of him. He couldn't even remember when they became friends, but he knew that if it hadn't been for Shuuhei, he would be long dead. "Shuuhei..." Renji whispered softly and stared at the man's hands, that were starting to stitch up the wound. Shuuhei glanced up at the red-haired man and a little smile appeared on his face. "What is it idiot?" "Will we always be friends?" Shuuhei paused in his work and stared at the bowed head in front of him. "Of course..." "Promise?" Shuuhei sighed and ruffed the man's hair. "I promise to always be friends you someone as weird as you." "Hey!" Shuuhei and Renji laughed softly in their room, but unknown to them Renji would later pass away, his death a shock to Shuuhei's system.
Kensei never was one to bring people to his place, but as he studied the young man's face he slowly started to recognize the skinny man before him. It was the kid that he had meet a few years ago. The kid must have realized this...why else had he been staring at him? "Hey...kid...wake up..." Kensei shook Shuuhei's shoulder somewhat gently. But Shuuhei didn't stir at all. If anything, his breathing didn't seem to change. He felt cold. So cold. Eyes widening in alarm, Kensei shook the younger man roughly, his heart pounding like crazy in his muscular chest. He had finally found the kid...the kid couldn't just die now!
Shuuhei coughed softly, but didn't move, too cold and too deeply asleep.
Making up his mind, Kensei picked the kid up and threw Shuuhei over his shoulder, being gentle not one of his high points. Panting softly Kensei ran to his place, Shuuhei still unresponsive.
Reaching the apartment he grabbed his key, opening the door quickly. Placing Shuuhei gently down onto his couch, he shut the door with a loud slam, that seemed to awake the younger man.
"W-Wher-"
"Your at my place."
"Kensei!" Kensei sighed softly as the black haired boy rushed up to him. "Where are you going?" Shuuhei asked softly, watching the older man's every move. "I told you for the hundred time. I'm going to go get us something to eat..." Shuuhei tugged on Kensei's coat sleeve frowning slightly. "I can't come?" Kensei growled softly and picked the kid up, dropping him onto the kid's bed. "You need to stay here and work on your homework...I'll be back soon." Shuuhei nodded slightly, relaxing when his mentor ruffled his hair. "See you later then..." "Later. Stay out of trouble Shuuhei..."
"Kensei...How?"
Kensei chuckled softly and grabbed a clean shirt for Shuuhei. "After I left you in the alleyway, I realized it was you. Anyone would have chased after you, if they had been your teacher and later your legal guardian for a little bit."
Shuuhei bowed his head and put his head in his hands, hiding the tear that ran down his cheek.
"I'm sorry! I thought if left your side you would be happier!"
Kensei sighed and sat down, pulling the younger man onto his lap, hugging him tightly.
"Stop crying. You should smiling because I back for you. Jeez...you're acting like a baby."
"A-Am not!" Shuuhei glared up at the grey-haired man, his face red, his eyes slightly teary.
"Yes you are. So shut up and just get changed into the clothes I gave you."
Shutting the door behind him Kensei put the full grocery bags in the kitchen, almost surprised when he didn't hear Shuuhei. "Kid?" Frowning when he didn't get a response, he walked over to Shuuhei's room. Opening the door, his eyes widen and he collapsed onto his knees. Shuuhei wasn't anywhere in the house.
"I'm glad you're back Kid..."
"Glad I'm not dead, you mean." He huffed a laugh, hinting that he was making fun of his disappearance.
Kensei nodded silently and wrapped an arm around the smaller man as he his neck. "You have no idea how much I missed you..."
"I missed you too." He blushed lightly as he was nuzzled.
"Yeah right..."
"I-I did!"
Kensei just merely laughed and nuzzled Shuuhei's neck. It felt good to have the younger man back.