Chapter 2
Mikaela studies the map in front of him from the safety of his room at the inn. It's an older room of creaking wooden floors, thin walls and sparsely furnished with a only a small desk, chair, and bed inside, but it's somewhere to rest his head. He's got such a long way to where the Mages live. He's heard there are faster methods of transportation than walking and wagon, but they haven't been developed in this part of the land yet. They can barely even fathom a steam powered train here. Another way to keep the people separated from Mages. He can't use teleportation magic either, it's not something he could discover on his own and he's a little wary of trying something that requires such a high level of skill. It's just as likely he might end up killing himself while trying.
A quick flick of his wrist and a small ball of light appears, enough to illuminate the darkening room. There's no way he'll make it to his destination before winter sets in. At the rate he's traveling, he'll be in the middle of nowhere when winter starts, but the only alternative is to wait it out and delay his trip by months. Something he has no desire to do. The sooner he gets this over with, the faster he can go places he really wants to see. The ocean, the scented hills, the icicle forests, all more interesting than where he is now. Besides, he wouldn't put it past the Mages to punish him in some way for not obeying them immediately.
He checks once again to make sure the letter is still packed safely away in his bag. A letter...the only reason he's bothering to go this far. With his magic, he could have found a nice town and set himself up quite nicely, provided he never let anyone else learn of his skills. But, written inside the letter given to him before he left the orphanage were strict instructions to see the Mages when he turned sixteen.
Why? He has no idea. Does he harbor the illusion that he'll be welcomed into their society with open arms? No. The Mages are notorious for only taking care of their own and by 'their own,' they mean pure blood Mages born in their own community, not random children who happen to have some magic from an ancestor in their blood. Those they condemn.
Magic makes you different from the rest of the humans and if the Mages want nothing to do with you, you're an outsider. No one will accept you, except others with similar abilities. He remembers several years back when people with low level magic decided to band together and form their own community where they didn't have to hide. It lasted a few months before the whole place was mysteriously burned to the ground. No one said it, but everyone knew what happened.
Although, it doesn't matter to him anyway, he has no intention of going that route. Finish his business with the Mages, travel, then settle somewhere nice. That's his life plan, everyone else can burn for all he cares. Speaking of which, he needs gold for all that and it's time for him to earn it.
Leaving the inn, it's a short trip to the izakaya he's spent the last few days working at. It wasn't hard to get a temporary position there, they took one look at his face and the owners were eager to let him work. No doubt because they thought his face would bring in more customers. He's not sure if it did or not, but the customers that do come in always seem pleased to see him, requesting that he specifically serve their tables. It's something he appreciates because the more tables you serve, the higher your pay. Needless to say, it hasn't made him popular with the regular staff who see him as an interloper.
He steps inside the izakaya, making his way quickly to the back to pull his robe on. It's dim inside, full of raucous laughter at the low tables crowded throughout the main room. The scent of yakitori permeates the air and he assumes that must be the special tonight. He's in luck, it's busy. That makes it easier to slip a few extra coins while people are distracted. Here there are too many people to keep track of every separate bill, so people pay per order, giving him numerous opportunities to 'earn' more.
The staff lead calls him out and he begins. Smiling at everyone, being attentive to his customer's needs, and navigating the tight spaces with ease, ignoring when every so often a wandering hand makes contact with him. Keeping guests happy is his only concern, he can deal with something as harmless as a touch. Besides what he earns will more than make up for it.
Each time someone calls him over to order, a small bit of magic levitates an extra coin or two from their pouches as they pay and right into his hand with the given payment. It's quick, simple, and no one's the wiser. On a busy night like tonight, there's far too much commotion for the guests to notice and by the end of his second hour, his own coin pouch is feeling much heavier.
It's going well until a hand slams on his wrist and several coins fall to the floor. He already has a smile fixed on his face as he turns his attention to the customer and meets his coworker's angry gaze instead. "Can I help you, Goro?"
"Why are you overcharging our customers?
"I'm not, that's what he gave me."
"And why would he do that?"
"I don't know," he shrugs. "Maybe because he likes me?"
"And the past three customers just happened to feel the same also?"
Mikaela's smile remains carefully placid, "I guess so." He takes a step back from the table with coins in hand. "I should get his order."
He curses quietly as he heads back to the kitchen, aware that Goro is right behind him. He got careless, he should have been aware of those brown eyes monitoring his every move. Goro hasn't liked him since he started, adamant against hiring him, sure that he would only cause trouble. It fits that he'd be looking for any chance to be proven right.
"One order of teriyaki," he tells the cook, placing a coin inside the jar.
"Don't forget the other ones," Goro says loudly to make sure he's heard above the noise.
"Those are mine."
He steps forward, intruding on Mikaela's personal space, "Yes, they were given to you with a little help from magic."
"No, they were given to me because I'm good at my job unlike you."
Brown eyes narrow at him in scorn, "So when we check wherever you've been stashing those coins, all the customers will say they gave them to you freely?"
Mikaela tilts his head away from the close proximity, "Of course."
"Put all the coins in the jar and I won't reveal your secret, then maybe you won't get run out of town. But, don't show your face here again."
The blue of his eyes turns icy as Mikaela stares him down, "I'm not giving anyone anything."
"So be it."
He opens his mouth and Mikaela's pushing past him, skirting around tables right towards the door, ignoring the shout behind him. Looks like he's overstayed his welcome. He's almost to the central square and safety when he's yanked back by the shirt and strong armed against a wall.
Unsurprisingly it's Goro, one other worker, and the owner's eldest son. He wonders if they've suspected him for a while or just taken Goro's word for it. "Don't you have an izakaya to take care of?"
"Hand over the coins and we won't hurt you," he states, ignoring Mikaela's question.
His eyes glance down to the thick wooden stick in the other boy's hand, they didn't come unprepared. Mikaela thinks the situation over critically. Magic is out of the picture because unless he kills them all, they'll remember him and know for sure he used magic. All they have now is a guess. If he kills them all, people will still suspect him because they were following after him. There's no good solution here and he's not giving up the coins, but there's also no way he can take all three of them at once with only physical strength.
He's too busy considering how badly a beating from all three of them would hurt and trying to formulate an escape plan that he misses when the owner's son goes down. All three of them turn in surprise to see the skinny boy from a few days ago brandishing a broken plank of wood. Guess he was stronger than he looked.
Emerald eyes meet his for a brief second and it spurs him into action. His arm wraps Goro's neck and squeezes while the other boy knocks the remaining one before he can react, seemingly unmindful of the blood now splattering his plank. "Do you want me to just knock him out too?"
"No, that's okay. You can put down the plank now."
He releases Goro and steps away, letting his unconscious body slump to the ground and studies the other boy carefully. What's his motivation? He didn't have to endanger himself to help him, he could have kept going and left Mikaela to his fate, but he didn't. Most people would have. Why? Out here, he's positive a bit of food doesn't make anyone think they owe anyone anything.
Green eyes, tanned skin, messy black hair, thick lashes, threadbare clothes, scrawny, and dirty all over, a thief with a secret heart of gold?
"Stop looking at me like that!"
"Like what?"
"I don't know! Like your brains about to explode from confusion. It's annoying."
Nah. "Well, I am curious as to how you made it here. I was sure you'd pass out along the way."
Yuu shoots him a sour look, "I made it just fine and saved you."
He smiles slightly, "I suppose I owe you now."
"Yeah, that's right!" Yuu sticks out his hand, "So, hand over my payment."
"You can come with me."
"What?"
"That's your payment."
Mikaela watches his eyebrows furrow in consternation, "I'd rather have the money, though."
"Tough." He steps past the raven haired teen to grab his discarded bag, "Let's go."
"But I changed my mind! I don't want to go with you anymore!"
"Alright, your loss," he shrugs. "I'm still not paying you."
"I saved your life!"
"I gave you food," he counters easily.
"You're too much trouble!"
Mikaela gives him a wry smile, "Somehow, I think you're far more trouble than I am."
"More reason for us to stay separate!"
"Are you coming or not? I'm not going to stay here and wait for them to wake up." The other boy murmurs a few choice words before sulkily coming after him, dragging his feet the whole way. "You're going to do that the whole time, aren't you?"
"You could pay me to leave."
He sighs, "What's your name?"
"Yuuichirou," he grits out reluctantly.
"What do your friends call you?"
"I don't have any."
Mikaela glances back with a smile, "Not surprising."
"No one asked you!"
There's thoughtful silence for a few minutes before he announces, 'Yuu-chan.'
"What?"
"Since we'll be traveling together, I'll be your first friend." He gives Yuu a megawatt smile, "And that's the nickname I'm choosing for you."
Yuu stares at him blankly, "I'm not answering to that."
"I'm Mikaela," he continues on as if Yuu hadn't spoken.
"Don't care."
"You should."
"Well I don't."
"So, Yuu-chan, where are you headed?"
"..."
"This isn't going to work if you don't at least try."
"I don't want it to work! I want you to pay me, so I can leave!"
Mikaela rounds on him with a frown, "Leave and go where? Last time I saw you, you were starving and about to pass out from a swim. So, tell me, where will you go?"
Yuu crosses his arms and glares him down, "Anywhere that's not with you."
"Why? You have nothing and no one. You're more likely to survive with me than on your own."
"I just...I'm better off by myself."
"Yuu-chan," Mikaela rests his hands on the other boy's shoulders and he can feel the tension in Yuu's body, how guarded his emerald eyes become as if Mikaela intends to hurt him. "I'm almost positive you're just going to sleep on the street tonight, come back with me and we'll talk about it in the morning."
He shakes Yuu gently when he doesn't receive a response, trying to make eye contact with emerald eyes that keep avoiding his gaze, "Yes?"
"I'm better off alone," Yuu repeats stubbornly.
"Alright," he sighs, "In the morning if you really don't want to stay, I'll pay you and you can leave."
"Okay."
"You know, money's not everything."
"Says the one who has plenty of food," Yuu scoffs.
Mikaela glances up towards the night sky and gauges the moon's position, it must be almost three in the morning by his measure. "It's late, we should get back."
"I'm only coming with you for the money."
"Believe me, I know. Hungry?"
"No."
"If you say so," but he still stops by one of the last open food stalls and purchases several nikuman that he delivers into Yuu's hands before leading him down the cramped streets to the inn. It may not be the nicest inn, but it's secluded and quiet.
He ignores the suspicious look the inn keeper's daughter throws him when he arrives back with Yuu. Her suspicions aren't unexpected. They probably make quite a sight, him calm and clean while Yuu's covered in dirt shoving the buns in his mouth as fast as possible. Mikaela snorts lightly at the sight and Yuu glares at him. "Thought you weren't hungry?"
"I'm not."
"Uh huh," he places an extra coin on the counter and ushers Yuu towards the stairs, firmly locking the door to his room. "You can take a bath if you want, I paid her extra."
"...No thanks."
"You sure?"
"Yeah." It's only when he looks up from untying his work robe that he realizes Yuu has withdrawn as far away from him as possible in the small room and looks distinctly uncomfortable. His shoulders are hunched over and he's shifting from side to side while doing his best to avoid looking at him.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm just ready to sleep." He looks towards the bed apprehensively, "We're not sharing, right?"
"No, I don't know you well enough to share a bed with you plus you won't bathe." Yuu's shoulders relax infinitesimally and he has the realization that Yuu must have thought he'd been lured into a trap. "I'm not going to hurt you."
Yuu scowls at him, "Like you could!"
Rather than answer, he passes Yuu a blanket which the other boy quickly buries himself under. He looks down at the huddled form in perplexity, he supposes the floor and street are equally hard, but at least it's inside. Stepping over Yuu, he slips under the blankets of his own bed after securely tying his bag to the bedpost. He'd be lying if he said he trusted Yuu not to sneak coins and disappear while he's asleep.
Sleep doesn't come easy to him, between his hopefully new companion and the close call he had today, there's a lot on his mind. It's best if they lay low and get out of town by tomorrow. All it would take is a basic description of them and they'd be identified.
Mikaela peers over the side of the bed at Yuu's curled up form. The raven haired teen sleeps like he's protecting himself, bag held tightly in arms wrapped around himself and knees pulled in tight. It has to be uncomfortable, but how easily Yuu fell asleep in that position means it's probably what he's used to.
He reaches down and pulls the blanket back over Yuu before glancing out the window to catch sight of the moon. It's a full moon and sleep still seems a long way from him. Is it really a good idea to bring Yuu? He's not sure, but it's a long trip and he wouldn't mind some company. Not to mention Yuu appeals to his softer side, the part of him that cares about others and wants a place to belong.
The other boy is all alone, but not nearly as off putting as he acts, just unaccustomed to companionship. Every time he touched Yuu casually or offered him food, that same apprehensive look would flash through his eyes. The look of someone who's never been shown kindness. It stirs something inside him. Something that makes him want to protect Yuu, show him that there's still some good in the world. Convincing Yuu to stay is his last thought as he finally drifts off.
~~~~~
Mikaela wakes to Yuu poking him impatiently in the shoulder. Tired eyes look up to see the other boy frowning down at him. "You sleep too late."
"It was almost dawn when we got back," he murmurs and pulls the pillow over his head. "Go lay down or something."
"No, you said you'd pay me in the morning."
He peeks up at Yuu in exhaustion, "What time is it?"
"Don't know, I don't have a clock on my forehead."
Mikaela sighs, it's far too early to deal with this. "You really don't want to stay?"
"Nope!"
He motions for Yuu to crouch down and he props his head on the pillow to meet Yuu's gaze with sleepy eyes, "You don't have anywhere to go."
"You said that yesterday too."
"And it was true then too. Once I pay you, what happens? You go sleep on the streets again?" Yuu studies the wall behind his head blankly. "Starve? Drown?"
"What do you care anyway?!"
"I just do. What will you do?"
"Buy food, obviously."
"You'd rather have food than safety?"
"You're not safe! I saved you!"
"So, that means we work well together," Mikaela argues back.
"No! It doesn't mean that at all!"
"I could really use a travel companion."
"If you dye your hair black."
"...Absolutely not."
"You grab too much attention then. I like to stay hidden. It makes it easier."
"To steal?" He teases. Yuu sets his jaw stubbornly without responding. "You won't have to steal if you're with me."
"But people will remember me if I'm with you and that's bad for someone like me."
"Not if you aren't doing anything wrong."
"Can't you just give me the money?" Yuu sighs, sensing this might be a long battle.
"I can, but I really don't want to." He reaches out to place a cautious hand on Yuu's arm, "Please?"
Yuu recoils from him with a wary expression, "...O-only for a little while."
"Yes!" He beams at Yuu in excitement, squeezing his arm before turning over. "Now wake me up in two hours."
"What?"
"Still sleepy."
He hears Yuu huff and smiles as Yuu moves to the corner and pulls his blanket back around him, sticking his tongue out when he catches Mikaela looking at him. He buries his smile contentedly into his pillow, he'll drag Yuu with him to the Mages and back if he lets him.