Author's Note: Yeah I know I was going to do all this earlier, but I really want to do well with this story so kind of got all "nope" and deleted most of it. Right so promise no more deleting chapters.

Skwisgaar returned the the alleyway where he'd met the homeless teenager. He needed the break from his band mates anyway; he clenched and unclenched his fist still feeling the pain in his arm from where Magnus had grabbed his wrist and thrown him into the wall. He had to admit that he was still shaken up from the fight, it wasn't even really much of a fight. He didn't want to think about it all that much. Skwisgaar pulled out his pack of cigarettes, he removed one sticking it between his lips and lighting it. He took a drag then released the gray smoke into the already polluted air, he hated how polluted the air in America was. It always got on his nerves how people treated their environment here; not like he'd say that around his friends. He held his hand out noting his hand was shaking, a ring of bruises forming on his wrist. Fucker.

He walked through the alley in hopes of finding the teenager, the kid had been nice enough. He felt bad for him, he remembered running away from Sweden and not having much. He hadn't been homeless though; he'd known a guy in Sweden who knew a guy in America who could put him up until he could get on his own. He'd never had to live on his own; he'd always gone from band to band which meant from couch to couch and spare bedroom to spare bedroom. Now he was in another band staying in another dump of a house with another group of guys, but these guys he got along with. These guys he actually considered his friends, but right now it was tense and he didn't really want to go back to Mordhaus just yet. He wanted to find Toki and talk to him some more, make sure the kid was okay. He was disappointed to see that the alley appeared to be completely vacant; he even checked inside of the dumpster thinking maybe he was hiding out in there. Now what?

Skwisgaar leaned back against the dumpster and continued smoking his cigarette hoping the nicotine would do something for his nerves. He didn't like getting into fights; he wasn't really built for fighting. He could yell and scream, throw a full blown childlike tantrum for hours on end until he exhausted himself out both physically and mentally, but physically fighting wasn't really his thing. He could fight, he could stand his ground if he had to, but he didn't like it. Especially if there was a chance his hair or face could be damaged, it was a very vain reason, but it was one none the less. That wasn't why fighting with Magnus bothered him though; he hadn't even fought back or given the lead guitarist a reason to fight him. It had been happening too much lately ever since they got signed to the stupid label. Skwisgaar heard Nathan talking to Pickles about maybe kicking Magnus out of the band; he was as for it as he wasn't. They were all friends, he liked the man, but at the same time he scared the shit out of him anymore. He was even too afraid to ask him what was going on, he liked to think that it was only stress...That was all, besides Magnus had been right he hadn't been playing well.

"Hey Skwisgaar"

He looked up to see somebody running towards him, he smirked when he realized it was Toki. He really wasn't sure what it was about the kid, but he liked him. When he was close enough he saw the black eye and split lip, Skwisgaar moved away from the dumpster so he could get a closer look at the younger man's face. He placed two fingers beneath his chin gently tipping his head back. Skwisgaar dropped his cigarette on the ground stubbing it out with the toe of his boot.

"What happened?"

Toki pulled back from him, he shook his greasy hair out so that it covered his bruised right eye.

"Just got into a fight"

That made two of them then, though looked like the teen got it worse by a long shot.

"Tell me what happened, they take anything from you?"

He looked him over noticing he still had the guitar case slung over his shoulder and that stupid fanny back of his. As far as Skwisgaar could tell nobody stole anything of his, nothing obvious anyway.

"No they were just some drunk guys, it's okay really."

"Assholes, city is full of them; why not stay in a shelter?"

"No I can't do that, they'll want to put me into foster care or something." He sounded disgusted by the idea.

Skwisgaar reached out ruffling his hair only to have Toki playfully shove his hand away.

"Might be good don't you think, you aren't doing too good out here."

He wasn't in the worst condition; Skwisgaar noticed a lot of homeless kids, teens, and college aged people here. He'd seen them in worse shape than Toki was; other than the fact he looked under weight, beaten up at the moment, and like he was in desperate need of a bath he seemed okay. Skwisgaar worried that could change at any moment, he'd gone this long without anything too severe happening.

"I'm doing okay, I got rid of them."

"You?" Skwisgaar asked crossing his arms over his chest.

Toki grinned looking up at him.

"I'm not that weak you know"

"Please you're a little baby"

"Am not"

"Whatever you say little Tokis, I just worry."

"Why?"

Good question; he wasn't sure why he worried. He'd talked to this kid what, one time? It hadn't even been much of a conversation; he'd learned the teenager could play guitar, his name, he was from Norway, and he was a run away. He didn't know anything about him and he hadn't started thinking about him again until late. Seriously though he really had meant to go looking for him again, just things had come up.

"You seem nice, that's all."

"I didn't even think you'd come back, I looked for you, but then figured you weren't coming back."

"Yeah well here I am"

He noticed that Toki was looking at his hands, he looked down to realize he was still trembling slightly.

"You okay?"

He genuinely seemed concerned, Skwisgaar wasn't entirely used to that. Nobody at Mordhaus had asked if he was alright, he wasn't sure any of them noticed him slip out the front door while they had Magnus restrained. He really hoped to Odin that things would be calm by the time he did decide to go back.

"Yeah I'm okay, I'm just having a really rough day."

Toki tilted his head to the side looking curiously at the older male. He was rather sure that if Toki had a good bath and some clean clothes he'd be rather pretty.

"Do you live with anybody, like a girlfriend or anything?"

Skwisgaar laughed, Toki seemed confused by his laughter. Just the thought of himself having a girlfriend was funny, he'd had them, but nothing long standing. Lately he hadn't even had a string of one night stands; he wasn't sure he could bring ladies back to Mordhaus with the tension there as of recently.

"I live with a group of guys I know." He finally answered.

"Oh cool"

"When is the last time you had something to eat?"

"Um...I don't really remember, maybe last week; I think.."

"I'm taking you somewhere to eat, it's bad if you don't even know the last time you ate. You'll probably starve to death."

"You don't have to do that, I'm okay."

"No you're not and I really don't want to go home right now. So I got some time to kill, yeah?"

"Places don't really like seeing me, drives away customers." The younger man said gesturing to his torn clothes.

Skwisgaar just noticed he didn't even have socks on and his shoes looked ready to just fall apart. He really didn't understand how this kid wasn't sick or dead.

"Fuck them, come on." He slung an arm around the younger man's shoulders leading him away from the alleyway.

He felt like being nice, he wasn't sure why. The dumb teenager just made him feel protective, maybe. He didn't now how to place it, he just knew that he didn't want to be anywhere near Magnus right now and he needed to distract his mind for an hour or two. He took the younger man to a near by restaurant that he knew shouldn't say anything, if they tried he'd happily yell at the bastards. He could just lie and say Toki was his little brother, he got into a fight at school or something. It didn't matter, he'd think of something. He noticed how the teen did seem embarrassed and shy as fuck when they entered the building. He avoided eye contact with other people and kept his hands in his pockets like he was waiting to just be screamed at; Skwisgaar was still trying to picture this malnourished kid winning at a fight. Other than a couple of dirty looks from waiters and a few assholes whispering about how filthy Toki looked once the two had passed nobody said much in the way of trying to kick them out. They sat down at a booth in the back of the building, he figured Toki would be less awkward and shy if they were away from everybody else. The young woman who waited on them was nice enough, she looked like the kind of girl Skwisgaar wouldn't mind having a one night stand with. He winked at her and told her she looked pretty, he ordered their drinks and watched her walk away. Too bad Magnus was being psychotic.

"Why did you come to America, should have chosen some place better." Skwisgaar said once the two of them were alone.

Toki shrugged, he glanced around before meeting the older man's eyes.

"Something in my head just told me to, like there's something here for me."

"That's kind of crazy"

"Why did you come here?"

"Plenty of girls and guys to hook up with." He replied shrugging.

"Hook up?"

"Yeah you know have sex"

Toki went to ask something else, but the waitress returned with their drinks. Skwisgaar ordered a salad for himself and a burger for the teen; he wasn't really fond of American food, but he figured the teen should eat as much as possible. God knew how long it'd be until he got another meal after this.

"So why did you leave home?"

"It was bad there"

"Must have been a real hell for you to run this far away."

Skwisgaar figured it was probably something as stupid as his own reason from running away from home. He knew he could have stuck it out, but he knew his mom wasn't good for him. She could be over protective and demeaning, relied on him too heavily between men. He'd hated it, hated having to take care of her and play the grown up when she was busy partying and acting like a teenager. She'd practically killed his youth. He felt like Toki would relate to that if he chose to tell him, there was something in his eyes that said he'd seen way too much already. He looked and acted innocent enough, but his demeanor around people just seemed like he'd been through some bad situations. Skwisgaar wanted to know more as much as he didn't; he hardly knew him and there was a chance he really wouldn't see him again after this.

"Did you have a fight with your friends?" Toki asked breaking the silence that had grown between them.

"Just one of them"

The younger man nodded like he understood that. When their food arrived Skwisgaar watched as the kid picked at his food for a minute or two like he was scared to eat any of it. He didn't eat until Skwisgaar told him that it was okay, then he seemed to just devour it; he definitely hadn't eaten in a long time. He had to wonder what the fuck had gone on at his home for him to run away so far and to live like this, he stopped thinking about it. Not good to get attached to some kid on the streets; he'd like to do something for him, but there wasn't much. He could take him back to Mordhaus, but the guys would be dicks about it, and Odin fucking knew how Magnus would react. He wasn't even happy with having Skwisgaar around, he couldn't imagine bringing in somebody else.

The two of them ate and talked, he learned Toki had been playing guitar for a few years now. He asked how he had gotten his guitar and found out he'd used to have two of them. One of them he'd found out in the snow, he'd tripped over it while he was walking through the woods. It reminded Skwisgaar of how he'd find his own, except he'd more so been running and fallen down into a pit. Honestly the fall should have broken every bone in his body but he'd been just fine minus a bruise or two. He still couldn't figure out how he'd come out fine. He told Toki that he was in a death metal band, they were signed and supposed to be working on their first album but they were having some personal problems. He didn't mention it had to do with their lead guitarist turning into a lunatic.

Once they were finished they left taking their time as they walked, he didn't feel alright with leaving Toki on his own it was like taking a pet dog out into the middle of the highway and leaving it just assuming it'd be okay until you came back for it.

"You sure you're okay here, there's a shelter you can stay at like two blocks away. I can take you there or something."

"I'm okay, really Skwisgaar I've been doing this for a year now. You'll come back though, right?" He asked looking up at the blond haired man hopefully.

"Yeah Tokis I'll come back, I won't take so long this time though. I'll see you later, just try not to get your ass kicked anymore."

"Okay I won't, bye Skwisgaar."

"Bye kid"

With that he turned and left making his way back to Mordhaus. He walked as far as he could without needing a taxi, the longer it took the better he felt. He felt nervous when he got back home, it sort of reminded him of all the times he didn't want to go back home as a boy. The times his mom would keep a few men over, mean men who would bully him. She would be drunk and so would they, she wouldn't care that they teased her son or shoved him into walls or pulled at his hair calling him a sissy. She was drunk and said it was just them having fun, if he could help it he'd stay away from home those times. He'd come back when she'd call his friend's house crying and telling him she was sorry and it was okay to come back now. He wasn't a boy anymore though, he was a man, and yet here he was not really wanting to be back home. He took a moment before walking inside; he felt a false sense of security when he walked into the nearly pitch black living room. Maybe the others had gone out, that would be nice or they were all sleeping. Somebody grabbed him by his throat slamming him hard against the wall.

"Where the fuck have you been?"

He tried to push Magnus away from him, but the older man kicked him in the stomach.

"I was out, I'm allowed to go out." He spat back angrily.

He was so fucking tired of this.

"We need to get working on this record Skwisgaar, you can't go out and fuck women all day."

"I wasn't you asshole."

Magnus shoved him to the floor, he gave him a kick in the ass knocking him flat on his face. He stepped over the breathless Swede and went back to his own bedroom slamming the door shut behind him. Skwisgaar remained on the floor for a second or two, he was shaking all over again. He climbed to his feet and quickly went to his room closing and locking the door behind him, he undressed and got into bed pulling the white fur blanket up over his head. This was too much like being a boy again, he wasn't okay with it. Something needed to change.