Akashi had not expected the knock on his door, but maybe he should have. When he'd turned eighteen, he had started renting his own apartment in Tokyo for his increasingly frequent visits, rather than going home or intruding on the Kagami family. If his father found out, Akashi would tell him that he needed the space to be more independent and self-sufficient, but so far his secret seemed to be safe. Only a few people knew about the existence of this place, and those who did he trusted absolutely.

So perhaps he shouldn't have been surprised when the knock came late in the evening of the day after Kagami Taiga was stabbed. Akashi had been attempting to relax without much success, looking at his phone far more often than was necessary, even though he wasn't expecting a call or text from anyone. At the dull, heavy thump of a fist on wood, Akashi jolted from his chair and stared at the door. If his father knew that he was keeping this place without any retainers, never even posting a guard...

The Akashi family had many enemies. Perhaps this was a foolish secret to keep. Perhaps his father would be right to be angry. Especially in a time when Akashi's comrades were being stabbed in the street.

No. Akashi had done a lot of work to mitigate his paranoia over the past two years. He couldn't backslide now.

He didn't even check out the peephole first, which was a victory in itself. He just opened the door. And then he stood there and blinked for a moment. "Hello, Midorima."

Midorima gave him a nod in a greeting. "May we come in?"

"Of course." Akashi stepped back, holding the door wide.

Midorima stepped into the apartment, followed by that friend of his, Takao. Takao was carrying a child in his arms, holding the small body up with his arms under the child's legs as the little one pressed against his front. The child's arms were wrapped around Takao's neck, face buried under his neck. He or she was also wearing Takao's jacket.

Akashi's apartment was small, but it was well-furnished, and the open floor plan made it feel spacious enough. He gestured to the living area, where he had some overstuffed furniture. "Please, sit down." He closed the door behind him and stood there, watching them.

Midorima chose a recliner, but Takao plopped down in the middle of the comfortable loveseat, a sigh rolling off his lips. His arms still held the child securely, but he leaned his head back and closed his eyes for a moment. The child didn't stir. Perhaps...he? Yes, he, Akashi decided, eyeing the short, messy hair and the worn sneakers Midorima had gently removed, then set down in the entryway...was asleep.

"We apologize for the intrusion," Midorima said, somewhat belatedly.

Akashi watched him quietly for a moment. Now that his initial shock had faded, he could see that Midorima was agitated, on edge. His fingers gripped the arms of the recliner, pressing indentations into the faux leather, and his lips were tight, his eyes sparking with suppressed emotion. Takao was tense, too. Even the child, sleeping or not, seemed to be in distress.

Akashi looked back to Midorima. "Would you like some tea?"

Midorima nodded. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Takao let go of the child with one hand so he could wave it at Akashi. "Hot chocolate for me." He bent his head to speak to the little one pressed into his neck. "How about for you, Joji-chan? Does hot chocolate sound good?"

The child held still for a moment longer, then nodded, slow and solemn, messy hair tickling the underside of Takao's chin. Takao smiled at Akashi. "Thanks. We're kinda chilly."

"I see."

Akashi moved to the kitchen area and set the kettle on to boil. He took the matcha powder down from the cupboard, then dug in the back for a few packets of hot chocolate mix. He'd forgotten he even had them. Momoi might have given them to him as a housewarming gift in a basket of other foodstuffs he'd ignored. He was grateful now. Whatever was happening here, he didn't like seeing his guests shiver, as Takao currently was.

Speaking of... Akashi moved to his bedroom and fetched a blanket, then brought it to the living area and wrapped it around both Takao and the boy. Takao offered a smile, but Midorima looked even more grateful. "Takao wouldn't let me give him my coat," he muttered, for Akashi's ears only, though Takao gave him a cheeky grin.

"Couldn't be a liar," Takao said, which made no sense at all. Akashi chose not to pursue it at this time. He tucked the blanket around Takao's shoulders and returned to the kitchen just as the kettle reached the optimum temperature for matcha.

Akashi waited until they were all seated comfortably, warm cups in hand, before he asked any questions. Even the boy, Joji, had been persuaded to turn sideways in Takao's lap and take a mug of hot chocolate, the blanket pushed down under his arms so he could hold it. Akashi had been careful to make sure the drink was not too hot, so the child could drink it immediately. Still, Joji hesitated, staring at the dark liquid with wide, wary eyes.

His cheeks were streaked with teartracks.

Takao lifted his own mug with the hand not currently wrapped around Joji's back and took a long slurp, smacking his lips as loudly as possible when he was done. "Mm, that's good! You should try it, Joji-chan. It's really tasty."

Joji stared at his cup for a moment longer, then looked over at Akashi. The depth of distrust in those young eyes almost took Akashi's breath away. The boy looked up at Takao, wordlessly questioning.

Takao nodded cheerfully. "Oh, didn't I mention? Seijurou-kun is a basketball player, just like me and Shin-chan. He's our friend. That means he's your friend, too."

Joji looked at Akashi again. Akashi gave him a nod, slow and serious. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Joji-chan. Any friend of Takao and Midorima is a friend of mine. You are welcome here for as long as you would like to stay."

Joji took a sip of his hot chocolate. Then another. He clutched the mug to his chest with both hands. Then he curled up into Takao and started to cry. Not for the first time, it appeared.

Midorima's fingers tightened on the recliner, his eyes widening in alarm. Akashi tried to look away, but could not. Takao, though, just sighed and set his hot chocolate on the table beside the loveseat. Then he lifted the blanket that had drooped around Joji's waist, raising it over the kid's head and patting it into place to give him a kind of little cave where he could hide. And he wrapped his arms loosely around the boy and was still.

Joji cried. It was a very quiet affair, mostly sniffles rather than sobs. After a while, Akashi heard him stop for a moment. There was a slurp of hot chocolate. Then he resumed crying. Takao rubbed his back through the blanket.

It was all very strange.

Akashi looked to Midorima for an explanation. The two of them were sitting slightly removed from the loveseat, so perhaps they could risk a conversation. "I take it that this boy isn't a relative of you or Takao."

Midorima shook his head. "We...found him."

"Found him." Akashi blinked. "On the street?"

Midorima managed a grim smile. "Near enough. The street where Kagami was stabbed, as a matter of fact. Takao is convinced that Joji-chan knows what happened, though he hasn't been able to tell us yet. And also we...we couldn't leave him there."

Akashi looked back to the little bundle of crying blankets wrapped up in Takao's lap. He began to get an inkling of what was going on here. It made him sick to his soul. "His...father...?"

"Mother."

Just as bad. Maybe worse.

"What did she do?"

"Locked him out." Midorima looked at Takao and the child too. "How long, we don't know. Hours, maybe. He was chilled to the bone. He was so...frightened. Of us. Of her. Of what she would do. He wouldn't even come with us to Maji Burger so we could give him a meal."

Akashi's hand began to creep toward his cell phone. He could order something. Pizza. Ramen. Whatever Joji wanted.

Midorima quirked a smile. It seemed more genuine this time. "We fed him. It was just...a little difficult."

Akashi relaxed. They must have done quite a lot of work with Joji already for him to be so comfortable now, at least with Takao. When Akashi had given Midorima that address, he had thought of it as a gamble, no idea how it would fall out, if anything would ever result from it. He should have realized that it was a sure thing.

"Why did he come with you in the end?"

Midorima's face went grim again. "It was late. He wanted to give Takao's jacket back to him, but Takao insisted he keep it until his mother let him back into the house. So he went and knocked on the door. She ignored him for a long time, but he kept trying. And then..."

Akashi held his breath as if in preparation for a blow.

Midorima clenched his jaw. Each word seemed hard-fought, forced through gritted teeth. "She opened the door. Barely even looked at him. Just knocked him back into the garden and yelled at him to stop bothering her. Told him to stay out there and rot. Then she slammed the door. We heard it lock again."

Akashi forced his fist open before his fingernails could draw blood from his palm. "I see."

Midorima glanced at him, then looked back to Takao. "I suppose it doesn't sound so bad when laid out in plain words like that."

Akashi shook his head. "No. It sounds terrible. It sounds horrific."

Midorima was silent for a moment, then grunted in acknowledgement. His fingers loosened on the recliner's arms, just a little.

"Is he hurt?" Akashi asked. "Do we need a doctor?" He would sacrifice this secret if he needed to call the family physician for a house call. It would be worth it.

Midorima shook his head. "He wouldn't let us look. But he seemed to be walking fine. Until Takao got exasperated and just picked him up."

"We'll keep an eye on him."

Midorima looked Akashi in the eye. "He's afraid of the police. She drilled that into him. He won't talk to them."

Akashi nodded slowly. "Like Tetsu-kun?"

"Even worse. He was sixteen. It was possible to reason with him. Joji-chan is half that age. Police are the monster in the closet. His fear is unreasoning and impossible to deny."

"What do you suggest?"

Midorima was silent for a moment. "Plainclothes officers. You have contacts in the police department. I'm sure you can arrange it."

Akashi nodded.

"They would have to be discreet. They would need to earn his trust first. Then he'll talk. Perhaps."

"I want to be there."

They looked up. Takao's voice was sharp, allowing no argument. He blinked at them, his arms still wrapped around the little boy in his lap. His shoulders were hunched, and his expression was fierce.

He'd already adopted this boy. It didn't matter what anyone would say to him. In Takao's mind, this was already a done deal.

Akashi expected Midorima to snort. To call Takao foolish. To tell him he was being unreasonable. Instead, Midorima's eyes softened.

"I doubt he would talk if you weren't present. I doubt we would make any progress with him at all."

Takao looked at Akashi. "And I don't want him to go to an orphanage."

Akashi nodded. "We will...work it out."

Midorima smiled, soft and slow. It was strange to see. "Any other demands?"

Takao looked down at the bundle of blankets. Joji made another slurping sound. The crying seemed to have stopped for the moment, reduced to only an occasional sniff. Takao shook his head, then let it lean back on the cushions behind him. He looked, suddenly, utterly and completely exhausted. And also terribly, unforgivably young.

"Stay here tonight," Akashi said. "Give him time to learn what it is to be safe. We'll deal with the rest tomorrow."

It was as good a plan as any. Midorima and Takao agreed without a murmur.