Moments like this made Takemichi think that maybe he should just go back home, no, not in his small apartment in the center of a sketchy neighborhood,

He's referring to his home, his safe haven, the place where his heart truly belongs.

But as much as his heart yearns to lead his feet towards the train station, his mind will provide all the reason why he can't, and why he shouldn't, that he should get up on his feet and start walking back to his new life and learn to just fucking move on,

He felt like crying or maybe he already has, maybe the wet feeling on his swelling cheek is not sweat anymore, Takemichi sniffled, after a long, grueling day at school, then he have to endure the bullying of his old classmates at his part-time job, how they found him after moving, he has no fucking idea, then lastly a few minutes ago as soon as the door of the bakery closed on his back a group of thugs pulled him into a dark alley, politely asking for his wallet and when he refused just as politely as they asked they started throwing punches,

Good thing, he made a hidden pocket inside his bag where he can store his phone, card and IDs, but still those punches hurts like hell,

Takemichi once again stopped on his track this time he squat down and let out a soft strangled whimper not caring if he would be seen, the fuck they're going to do about him crying? beat him up? another round of beating won't change the fact that he was already beaten black and blue today,

He just wanted to go home,

That thought made him sob loudly hugging his knees tight, he wanted to let it all out and empty all the things filing up inside him there, wherever his feet had blindly led him this time,

bam*

Startled, Takemichi snapped his head up and lost his balance on the process landing with his buttocks on the ground,

bam

Another loud sound echoed in that empty parking lot, despite his vision being blurred by tears, his head still turned frantically trying to find the source of the loud noise while getting up on his feet,

bam

Takemichi turned around just in time to see the trunk of the only car parked in that dark, empty, and lonely parking lot flew open.

The young man gulped down, he saw a leg, a human leg, foot clad in white boots and black pants? He's not quite sure, but one thing is for sure, it's a human leg, the person inside probably kicked the trunk open, if that's possible, maybe it's just a prank, maybe they left it unlocked or maybe that car is old and the latch is not on its good condition, there's a lot of explanation to this no need to panic, a group of kids would probably come out anytime soon now since their friend finally got their ass out,

Takemichi was deep in his thoughts he didn't noticed the movement before him, until he heard a very pissed voice spoke up,

"The fuck're you lookin' at?"

"..huh?"

"I said, the fuck're you lookin' at bitch?"

The person inside revealed to be a young man with a pale blond, shoulder length hair,

Takemichi felt his knees shook under his weight the alarm in his head blaring, screaming for him to run as fast as he can or stay still, maybe if he play dead the man would leave him alone, also he couldn't move his legs, as if they turned into jelly,

damn you motor skills! Where the fuck are you when I needed you most

"Are you one of his men?"

The man asked, voice dangerously low,

"Huh?"

"WHAT? CAN'T FUCKING HEAR YOU!"

"I-i said N-no! I d-dunno what you're talking about"

The man jumped out of the car and strode towards him, Takemichi can feel his entire being tremble in fear,

"Then, what the fuck are you doing here?" the stranger grabbed him by the collar,

"I-i.."

"Don't make me wait"

The stranger stared at him with his obsidian orbs, his hand tightening on his shirt he can feel the fabric around his neck digging painfully on his skin,

I'm going to die, he's going to kill me

"I.. i- I just came here to cry, please don't kill me,"

"….huh?"

It was Mikey's turn to be stunned silent, the brat is crying his eyes out, like full blown bawling, with big, fat tears and snot, hiccups and labored breathing, and he has no fucking idea how to deal with it,

He just asked him a few questions for fuck's sake, and the poor kid already starts the waterworks

no fucking way he'll let someone as delicate as this kid in

"Hey, calm the fuck down.."

"I..i.. swear i.. was- I was just.. r-running away and- and-" the kid tried to explain in between hiccups, "Okay, fuck, okay, I get it, you're not involved in this shit. Okay!"

"S-sorry.."

Mikey sighed, Fuck

He watched the kid with mild amusement as the boy wipe his face with the sleeves of his shirt, he's red all over his face, down to his neck, his black hair sticking on his forehead, and eyes swollen, the boy looks cute like a stray kitten or something,

He let out a cute hissing noise when he touched his swollen cheek,

yeah a kitten

"What happened to your cheek?"

"G-got mugged and punched"

"Here?"

"N-no, um, when I got out of my part-time.."

"Saw any sketchy dudes when you arrived here?" "No, I thought I was alone… If- if I met anyone I might've steered clear"

"Thought so"

Mikey studied the kid once again, eyes focused on his cheeks and lips, they looked so soft and squishy, and very distracting that he almost forgotten that he was locked in a car trunk a few moments ago,

All he can think about is,

do they taste like mochi

"Huh?"

Okay, he probably said that out loud because the boy is looking at him funny, head tilted to the side in confusion and if it's not the most fucking adorable thing,

"I'm talking about-"

He was about to say something stupid then stopped halfway when he heard footsteps, he immediately grabbed the boy by the wrist and dragged him inside the abandoned facility.

One moment the stranger is asking him questions, then he's being pressed between the cold concrete wall and the stranger's hard body, the stranger's face leaned closer, his hair tickling Takemichi's skin,

"Not a sound" he whispered,

Takemichi stiffened,

Then he heard it,

Footsteps,

The hand over his mouth tightened, the pressure on his swollen cheek almost made him whimper but he managed to swallow it down,

"Fuck! He got out? How did he fucking got out of the fucking trunk?!"

"Did you locked it properly you dumbass?"

"I did! Look it seems like it was broken by force"

"There's a dent here, do you think-"

"We're screwed, we're fucking screwed"

"Search the vicinity!"

"Aniki, this is Mikey we're talking about"

"And? You're afraid of a single person-"

"Aniki! This is Mikey! The Invincible Mikey"

"So what?! Search the area!"

"We're so fucking screwed!"

Takemichi's eyes darted to the man in front of him one thing in his mind,

what kind of mess did I got myself into?

Mikey wanted to jump out there and beat the shit out of this men, he can do it, then he caught glimpse of a metal barrel,

these shitheads are armed

Not a fucking problem, he can take them, he can almost feel their bones breaking by his hands,

He was brought out of his trance by a hand clutching the front of his shirt, his initial plan to take on these motherfuckers immediately flew out of the window when he saw the terrified look on the boy's face,

He can't compromise the boy's safety,

When the last of the men dispersed, he pulled his hand away from the boy's face and took a step back to give him some room,

"You're name?"

"Huh? Ah! Hanagaki, Hanagaki Takemichi, and you-"

"Takemitchy" he tried and yes it sounds good,

"Eh?"

"Do you live nearby?"

"Y-yes, just a few block... Why?"

"Good, mind if I stay over?"

"Huh?"