Chapter 19: Problems in store
Groaning, Uryu blinked a few times as he slowly woke up. He pushed his tired body into a sitting position, stretching his stiff arms and shoulders from laying on the cold ground. As he shook his head a few times to fully wake up, Uryu remembered he was in the storage room at school. How long had he been out of it? What time was it?
There was a small window in the back of the room, and Uryu gasped as he noticed that it was completely dark outside. Had he been laying here for this long? Everybody must have left the school grounds a long time ago. He groaned again as he tried to stand up on his numb legs, seeking support on the nearby storage shelves.
Uryu pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose on a long sigh. He would most likely need to get out of a window on the ground level again, like that time when Keigo and his flock had harassed him in the restroom. Walking through town in the dark hours wasn't something he was looking forward to.
As he unlocked the storage room door, he found his schoolbag waiting there for him. Sado must have left his belongings there. Uryu clenched his fists, remembering Sado's cruel judgement. He did not want to speak to him again, it was utterly pointless. Sado only understood Ichigo's pain, but what he had lived through was of no importance as his wounds had been healed. The mere thought made anger flare through his body, giving him the strength to steady his legs.
But Uryu knew he couldn't dwell on all of that right now. He didn't know what his life under the bridge would bring him, but for now decided to just go 'home' and try to find his rationality back between the dark thoughts that were haunting him right now.
And if the nights became so cold that he would freeze to death, so be it. He had tried so hard to find a solution, but he had run out of options. Help was not coming. Not for trash like him.
He didn't have much left to hold on to anyway… That thought made his chest clench again, but it was a bitter truth he needed to accept. Nobody wanted him. He was completely isolated. He was no longer a proud Quincy, he was just a cast-away.
And so, with another deep sigh, Uryu tried to get himself together again and changed into his school uniform, not wanting to roam the streets at this hour in his P.E. clothes. Then he went to the nearest restroom to fill up all his water bottles, before proceeding to look for a way out of the building.
It was cold outside, so very cold. The full moon casting shadows around him as Uryu trudged away from the school grounds, making an eerie feeling creep up to him. He didn't like it. It was like his Quincy senses tried to warn him of something, but that was no longer possible. It was just his mind playing tricks on him.
Rubbing his gloved hands together to infuse them with warmth, Uryu quickly walked through a street with flickering lanterns. Suddenly, the lights went out completely. Uryu stopped for a second, feeling his anxiety rise at the prospect of being in complete darkness. However, there was nothing he could do about a malfunction of this sort. At the crossroads with the nearby shopping district, the lanterns seemed to be working just fine, so Uryu hurried towards those welcoming lights. Though there were a few shopping streets that he usually avoided when taking the shortest path to his hideout, he preferred crossing those crowded places to walking in complete darkness right now.
All at once, Uryu's stomach made itself heard with a loud growl. He was so very hungry. Quickly, he sat down on a bench in a well-illuminated square, just in front of a grocery store. After drinking some much-needed water to settle his blood pressure, and with the vain hope of filling his stomach somewhat, Uryu counted the money he still had left and sighed. It was next to nothing and he was already stretching his tight budget for all it's worth. Probably even more. Was he down to his last packet of dry crackers?
What was he going to do?
Defeated, the Quincy closed his eyes with a desperate sigh. 'Go inside that shop and steal something,' a voice from a dark corner of his mind whispered. Even after having close to nothing to eat and living hand-to-mouth for over three months, Uryu had never considered shoplifting before, even though the thought had been popping into his head almost every day now. He sighed again. He was in desperate need of food, but stealing would make him a criminal, someone not worthy of the title 'Quincy'—even if he wasn't one any longer—and he was afraid he would lose the last slivers of his pride if he did so.
Uryu looked up at the sky where the stars were clearly visible due to the absence of clouds and couldn't help but wonder what his beloved mother and grandfather would think of him now. He didn't try to dwell on that for too long as it pained him, for he already knew how low he had sunk.
Uryu rubbed his hands together again and blew some hot breath between his cold fingers when suddenly, he felt eyes on him. Was he imagining things again, or was someone really watching him this time? Not to look too conspicuous, he tightened the scarf around his neck as his eyes searched the square. A chuckle drew his attention to a small group of men, 4 or 5, standing in a dark corner to his side. He couldn't see their faces due to the dim lighting, but he could tell they were watching him. When he threw them a warning glare, one of them chuckled again before they started whispering between them.
That was Uryu's cue to leave. It was probably his overactive mind again, but he didn't want to take any risks. Hoisting his schoolbag over his shoulder, he swiftly entered the store.
His stomach roared loudly when the waft of food hit him, and he turned crimson as he noticed several customers giving him an odd look or a raised eyebrow. Uryu tried to brush it off by chuckling to hide his embarrassment. He wrapped his arms around his demanding belly and hurried to the dry food aisle where there were no other customers. The shop wasn't too big, but they had a surprisingly vast array of products in their compact location. Uryu had visited this store a few times before and already knew his way around.
The Quincy grabbed the dry crackers he'd been eating for far too long, when the thought that he could just steal something and make a run for it popped into his mind again. He gulped, carefully put the package of crackers back on the shelve and looked around him. It was late, and the store wouldn't be open for too much longer. The few employees that were still there had already started tidying up or replenishing the shelves.
Should I?
Uryu looked around again before stepping towards another section of products. With trembling hands, he grabbed a can of tuna and swallowed hard. Stealing to survive wasn't as big of a crime as armed robbery. At least, that's how he tried to convince himself. And he would share some of the tuna with Ichi, the stray cat that was now his only friend.
But before Uryu had managed to slip the can into one of his pockets, arms wrapped around him from behind, and a body was pressed against his back. The Quincy froze.
This distinctive scent, this feeling. It couldn't be…
"I've missed you, Uryu-kun," the man behind him spoke.
Uryu let the can of tuna drop from his fingers, his hands now trembling severely, and his body going rigid. The arms unwound from his frame to turn him around, and Uryu gasped in shock as he found himself eye to eye with…
"K-Kazuma…"
The man smiled at him, but before Uryu had the chance to say anything else, Kazuma moved forward and brought their mouths together, cupping the Quincy's face. Panic shot through Uryu's body at the unwelcome familiar sensation, and his heart started pounding. He tried to protest, to break free, but his body was not responsive. The shock of encountering his rapist again had sent a shockwave through his body that instantly paralyzed him; the man's scent and feel only added to that, overriding everything with panic.
When Kazuma had had enough of plundering his mouth, he pulled away and stared at him. "That wasn't a nice thing to do, Uryu-kun, running away from me after I gave you a place to stay, after I offered you my bed."
Uryu struggled hard to gain some control over himself again and tried pushing Kazuma back, but his arms felt like jelly. "G-get away from me!" He tried spouting with as much fake bravado as he could muster, frustrated at his bodily reaction. Unfortunately, he had already learned the hard way that there was little he could do during a panic attack.
With a dark smile, the blonde closed the gap between them again and whispered menacingly: "Get away from you? That's not what you're supposed to tell your boyfriend, Uryu-kun."
"S-stop…. Y-you're not my b-boyfriend…" The Quincy trembled as Kazuma pushed him backward against the shelves, pressing his body flush against him. His hands sliding around Uryu's wrists to restrain him.
Uryu made a distressed sound and his pupils dilated. He was horrified; his body was barely responsive, and the edges of his reality already started to blur. The trauma he had sustained at Kazuma's hands left him wide open and vulnerable to attacks, rendering him helpless and terrified. He tried to scream, but could only manage a muffled sound as Kazuma swiftly clasped his free hand over his mouth.
"Now, Uryu-kun, you're gonna behave and come back with me to my hotel, where you'll be safe. Where have you been staying? You look a mess."
Kazuma caressed the Quincy's cheek with the tenderness of a lover, a false token, just like Ichigo had done while under the mind control. It made another crack in Uryu's severely broken heart and he couldn't hold back a smothered whimper. Tears were already pricking the back of his eyes at the ominous prospect of more misery and horror at this creep's hands. He wasn't going to be able to take something like that again…
"N-no… I-I'm not g-going… w-with you…" Uryu stammered, trying to get some words out between the horrors that started overrunning his mind.
"Fuck hard! Whore!"
"Hush, boy." Kazuma placed a finger over his mouth. "We had such a nice time together. I will provide you with food and shelter." The blond slowly licked his lips. "The only thing you have to do…" Instead of finishing that sentence, Kazuma chuckled and let one of his hands slide over the curve of the archer's ass, giving it a firm squeeze.
"N-no…" Uryu pleaded, but Kazuma claimed his mouth again, conveniently shutting him up.
The Quincy felt his legs grow weak as petrifying panic coursed rapidly through his veins. He was not drugged this time, but the trauma of what he'd lived through at this madman's hands, as well as at Ichigo's hands, got the better of him and completely overpowered him.
"You should be grateful to me for fucking trash like you!"
The perpetrators' voices were blaring in his mind, and the Quincy felt his knees buckle, his body becoming heavy and lifeless as he was forced to lean against Kazuma. His breaths coming out wild and ragged at being so close to the person who had caused him so much pain, and he couldn't hold back a highly distressed, yet smothered sound.
"That's more like it, Uryu-kun," Kazuma whispered with a honey-coated voice, clearly misinterpreting the situation, his body still holding Uryu firmly in place. "You look like you've been through a lot, so once we get back, you can take a shower, eat dinner, and I'll even let you get some sleep… tonight." He lifted one of Uryu's restrained wrists and kissed it.
"You mate! Fuck hard!
"An ordinary whore can't even compare to you."
"S-stop…" Uryu managed, having difficulty separating the current reality from the horrible nightmares that were playing over and over in his mind, especially because Kazuma was present in both. His world was spinning, and he feared he was going to faint from all the emotions attacking his weakened body and mind. If that happened, he was sure this creep would drag him back to his wretched hotel and do as he pleased with him. Again. He'd rather die first. He had to try and stand up to this freak, or the consequences would be horrible.
"Come on, let's go home, my sweet," Kazuma murmured. "You know you want to."
"You like this, don'tcha. You want to get fucked by me, I've heard you say it before. Want to feel me inside of you, you gay freak!"
"Fuck hard! Whore!"
Uryu had trouble breathing, his vision blurred as his lungs worked overtime, his mind being attacked from both the present and the past. "H-help…" he stammered, but it was barely audible and it made Kazuma snort mockingly.
"Help? Sure, I'll help. You look really troubled, Uryu-kun." One of Kazuma's hands let go of one of his wrists to wrap around his waist, holding him even closer. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of you."
This was bad. No matter how much Uryu wanted to shove that creep off of him and kick his ass, or preferably, his balls, his body refused all cooperation. He was not a Quincy anymore; he was plain pathetic. Weak and stupid. Just what Renji said he was.
A year ago, if he had not gone through all of those horrendous events, it would never have come to this, and he would already have beaten the crap out of that freak. But that was poor consolation and of little help right now. If nothing, it only made him feel even worse about himself.
All those weeks of solitude and hardships, an attempt to get back on his feet, only to encounter the maniac who destroyed a part of him once more...
"You're my boyfriend now."
"Fuck hard! Whore!"
Uryu made another whimper, his blurry eyes darting around rapidly. Why weren't there any other people around? Why wasn't anyone coming to help him? The store was bound to close any minute now, the employees should be urging customers towards the counters.
"We gotta go, Uryu-kun. The shop's closing. And even though I said I'd let you sleep tonight… I can't wait to feel you writing beneath me again, gorgeous thing." He gave the Quincy an evil grin before continuing, "You were such a great fuck, just the sight of you gets me hard."
Kazuma attacked his mouth again and wedged a leg between Uryu's knees to pry them open, no matter how the Quincy tried to prevent it. Uryu's brain fried as he felt the evidence of the hotel owner's arousal press up against him, and it completely dulled his reaction to scream.
No. Please, no…
Uryu was suffocating and his heart pounded so hard he could barely stand. His weight was now fully supported by Kazuma while he tried to hold on to the edge of reason. But then, as the latter squeezed his ass again and pressed his erection against his groin, something inside Uryu snapped.
Please…. Mother, Sensei… Lend me a shred of Quincy power… Please…
He had to get away from this lunatic! Pushing his paralyzed body over its limits on a very welcome surge of adrenaline, Uryu got enough to his senses to bite down hard on that invading tongue until he tasted blood in his mouth.
Kazuma made a surprised, yet pained cry and quickly stopped kissing him to clasp his hands over his mouth, doubling over and releasing Uryu's wrists in the process. "Y-you bit me! You little slut! You bit me!"
Uryu had managed not to fall flat on his face while Kazuma was occupied with himself. Gulping for air, he tried to shake off the panic that was still saturating his nerves. "L-leave me alone, you p-psycho!" He tried taking a few steps sideways, but his legs were trembling severely and he had to grasp the shelves for support.
"Fuck!" Kazuma cursed, before straitening himself. "So you want to play it rough, eh, Uryu-kun?" The man swiftly caught up to him again, before grabbing him by the collar and crashed his fist into his face. "Wait until I'm on top of you, kid, I'll give you rough!"
Uryu whimpered as Kazuma's fist struck him again, his body still too paralyzed to block any of the punches. Of course, he had known the blond would retaliate, but he had to at least try something. "S-stop…," he pleaded before the man struck him a third time, making his broken glasses fall onto the floor. The scent of his own blood made his pupils dilate, intensifying the overwhelming emotions that overran him.
"Fuck this! Prove that you love me or we're through! Spread your thighs!"
"That's no way to treat your boyfriend, Uryu-kun! I'll have to punish you when we get home."
He couldn't do this. His body and mind had deserted him a long time ago, and he could not stand up to this vile creep. His legs gave way, and if Kazuma hadn't been holding him up by his collar, he would have hit the floor by now. The man's eyes shone dark and menacing, and he held his fist still in the air, ready to strike again. Dazed and afraid, the memory of being dangled in the air by Ichigo's Vasto Lorde form filled his heart with terror and injected even more crippling panic into his system.
His Quincy pride, having been reduced to almost nothing, abandoned him as well and he could not hold back a quivering gasp. When Kazuma started shaking him, Uryu heard a plea roll from his own lips before his brain could catch up. "P-please… I c-can't…"
Suddenly, a tall figure grabbed Kazuma's poised fist, causing both the blond and Uryu to gasp in surprise as the intensity of the moment was pierced.
"Whoa, whoa, Kazuma," the vaguely familiar man spoke, "we've done crowd control as agreed when we noticed him on the square, but damaging the goods wasn't part of the deal, man."
"Shut up, Masaki," Kazuma retorted and released his grip on the Quincy's collar. "He needs to be disciplined."
Uryu's weak legs could no longer support him and he sank down on his butt against the shelve behind him, groaning.
"Yeah, well-"
As the two men started bickering, Uryu sought his glasses on the floor around him. Masaki? Now, where had he heard that name before? He quickly slid his specs back on, hands still trembling from the shock, and tried to focus his blurry eyes to find that two other familiar men had come to stand on either side of the tall guy.
"Keep it down, you two," the ugliest of the two whispered.
"Yeah," his fat companion agreed, "we're still inside the store, you know. Take the kid outside already."
The tall one, Masaki, sneered hushedly, "Kazuma, you said he'd be easy to lure, then what's taking you so long? They'll kick us out any minute now."
"Shove it," Kazuma retorted, not-hushed, "I was almost done here, you imbecile."
Uryu had managed to calm his ragged breathing a little, still crumpled in a heap against the shelves, with four men scrutinizing him. His mind began to clear, working overtime to recall where he had seen these guys before.
Wait.
Uryu gasped as he took in the figures in front of him. A tall, buff guy with slick black hair and silver skull earrings. An ugly guy with a significant scar over his face and a missing eye. And a fat guy with long purple hair tied in a ponytail. All three of them were clad in uncomfortably tight jeans, heavy boots, and vividly colored tank-tops.
Something clicked horribly into place…
"Y-you're the ones that… t-tried to rob me at t-the… capsule h-hotel…" Uryu stammered, instantly gaining the attention of the foursome.
"Well, hello there, pretty boy," the tall man grinned. "I'm flattered you still remember us." He stepped forward and grabbed Uryu's chin to lift his face. "We have some… intense plans for you after all. Kazuma's been bragging about your tight little ass ever since you ran away. When we get back to the hotel, I'm finally gonna get a taste of you."
Uryu's eyes grew wide at that, and the horror on his face made the other two chuckle.
Dear god, no…
What was he doing wrong to attract all those perverted maniacs? He wasn't a sex toy. He never wanted any of this. How did he manage to keep running into all these creeps?
Then, suddenly, Kazuma pushed Masaki away from Uryu. "No! I won't share this one. Not this time, Masaki."
"Fuck, Kazuma, not this again!" Masaki growled and pushed Kazuma in turn. "We do all the work to set up your 'hero' thing, but we are in on the deal too. I want to get laid, too, you fucking bastard!"
Hero thing?
Uryu's heart sank when he figured it out. It had all been a set-up, a charade, from the start. Those three goons attempted to rob the victim and Kazuma came to the rescue. How many times had they done it before? It made him feel even more disgusted and stupid about himself, having walked into their trap like a frightened bunny. He was not worthy of the title "Quincy" anymore… He was just broken trash that nobody gave a damn about.
"Keep it down, you two," the ugly man said hushedly. "We need to go!"
"Shove it, Tetsuya!" both the tall guy and Kazuma spat, before Masaki put a hand on Kazuma's sternum and continued angrily: "He ran off after you broke him in. We did our part, but never got our reward."
Kazuma gave the other man a push again. "No! I said I'm not sharing this time. He's mine!"
"Shhhh," the fat man tried to separate the two of them. "We don't have time for this. Just grab the boy and let's go."
"Screw you, Hiroki!" Kazuma shouted and smacked the other on the head. "I won't let any of you touch him! He belongs to me!"
"If your like that, Kazuma, then that's all the more reason to fuck him!" Masaki snpped.
"Be quiet," the ugly one tried again. "You'll get us caught, you idiot!"
"Who are you calling an idiot, Tetsuya," Masaki interjected. "Just grab that dam kid already."
"For fuck's sake, be quiet, you assholes!" Hiroki yelled. "We need to go!"
"Who the fuck are you calling an asshole, you dick!"
Uryu watched incredulously as the foursome started pushing and hitting each other right before his eyes. One direct strike meant retaliation from the others, and as the aisles of the shop weren't that broad, they knocked cans and other products off the shelves. Uryu could only thank the heavens for their stupidity, as the noises they were making were bound to alert some people.
The Quincy's heart was still pounding from the implications of what they had been saying in front of him, but during their conversation, he had somewhat regained his senses and reclaimed his breath at last. Even if he was still shaken a lot, the panic was slowly subsiding, and he was trying very hard not to think about what he had heard, lest he'd fall apart.
As the four weirdos were otherwise occupied, Uryu quietly rolled on his side and tried crawling towards the end of the aisle, his legs still too unsteady to make a run for it. This might be his only chance to escape!
Suddenly, someone pulled him upright by yanking his hair, and he let out a startled cry, trying to get his pained head free from the hold. Kazuma looked furious as he forced Uryu to his feet again, then slapped him hard across the cheeks, causing Uryu's glasses to slide down slightly as he groaned.
"Wanna run away again, Uryu-kun? Think you're so clever to take advantage of our squabble? After how you ditched me and left me with only my right hand as company, I'll fuck you so hard you won't be able to stand for 2 days."
Trying to stay upright on his trembling legs, Uryu swallowed hard as he knew he couldn't take his threat's lightly, and Kazuma would do just that… The thought of going through that again made his hands tremble from dread and disgust. Still unable to free his hair, he could only manage a weak, "N-no… I-I won't let you. I'm n-not c-coming with you."
Masaki was cradling his right cheek as he came to stand next to Kazuma. "We're taking you with us, one way or another, boy. We know you're homeless with no relatives. Just give up, little one."
"He's already falling apart, Kazuma. No need to treat him so roughly," the fat man, apparently called Hiroki, interjected. "Quickly! Cover his mouth."
"N-no!" Uryu protested before his own scarf was tightly secured over his mouth, and Kazuma slapped him again as he made distressed sounds.
"I'll have to knock that defiance out of you, boy," the hotel owner sneered, his eyes ablaze as he poised his fist.
As the realization dawned on Uryu that he was powerless against the four of them, his heart sank once again, pounding with terror, and he lowered his eyes in defeat.
Why was nobody coming to his aid? Surely someone must have heard them by now.
"Man," the ugly guy whose name was Tetsuya, hushed, "Just knock him out already. We really need to get going before-"
"What the hell is going on here?" a loud voice sternly inquired.
As Kazuma and his friends looked up, they found two store employees rushing towards them. The Quincy, still being yanked by his hair and struggling to keep his feet on the ground, felt relief starting to spread from his chest, lighting a flicker of hope.
Finally!
Masaki snorted mockingly at the old man, sporting a balding head and short white beard, who glared menacingly at them, clearly taking in the scene in front of him. He was backed by a young clerk, probably a part-time student, with short and neat black hair.
"What in blazes have you done to my store and what are you doing to that boy?" the eldest of the employees asked, his face set in worry. Uryu knew that the sight of him being held by his hair, with bruises all over his face, surrounded by four men, probably didn't leave much to their imagination. "Release him. Now!"
"Boss?" A young woman with a long braid asked as she ran towards her colleagues, gasping in awe as her eyes locked with Uryu's. "W-what's going on?"
"It's okay, Yuri-san," the old man answered. "You know what to do."
"Right. I'm calling the cops." The girl took a few steps back before quickly grabbing her cell phone, while the male clerks took on defensive stances in case the foursome tried to stop her.
"Shit…" Tetsuya cursed under his breath, before whispering: "Kazuma, let him go."
"He's right, Kazuma," Hiroki, the fat one, agreed. "It's not worth it."
Suddenly, Masaki flashed a broad grin as he elbowed Kazuma backwards, shooting him a warning look. With swift movements, he hoisted Uryu's arm over his shoulder and forced Kazuma to release his hair, all the while the Quincy could only make protesting muffled sounds.
"No need to call the cops, man. We were just having a little fun with my brother. That's all."
"Yeah, his little brother," the fat one backed him up. "Always wanting too much fun."
"So," the old employee scratched his beard, "you want me to believe that the boy you're restraining, with a gag around his mouth, is… your brother?"
Masaki continued, "Uh, yeah, he's my half-brother. You know, different moms and all."
The employees shared a look between them, but obviously weren't convinced. The eldest one crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Half-brother, huh? Looks like he wants no part of whatever 'fun' you're talking about."
Kazuma, finally catching on, spoke in a honey-coated voice: "Oh no, sir, he's just a rascal, but he loves our tough love." The blonde ruffled Uryu's hair before tightening the back of the gag around his mouth.
Uryu's eyes locked with the old man, who wasn't buying any of it, and he tried to make a pleading sound. His last sliver of Quincy pride chipped away a little more. He couldn't even stand up against four humans anymore. How low he had sunk. If his father knew, he'd never hear the end of it…
The old employee's eyes flashed with anger. "Release him, right now. I might not look it, but I've a black belt in karate."
"Yeah, sure, geezer," Hiroki, laughed. "And I'm Godzilla."
The young clerk huffed amusedly, his defensive stance unwavering. "I believe it's time to bring out the ball crusher, sir."
The old man smirked. "My thoughts exactly, Natsu-san."
Without warning, the old man executed a swift, flowing movement, delivering a precise kick to Hiroki's groin.
"M-momma!" The fat man doubled over, sinking to his knees with a resounding shriek, clutching his bruised genitals tightly
"Damn," Masaki cursed. "That's gotta hurt."
"Good one, sir!"
The old man grinned, a touch of amusement in his eyes. "Liked my kick, fatso? That's my specialty, you know. My foot is immediately drawn to douchebags' nuts."
"Hence we call it the 'ball crusher'," the young clerk smirked.
"W-wait till I get back up, you old fart. I-I'm gonna—"
Then all of their attention was directed to the girl on the phone as she spoke into the receiver: "We need an officer here, quickly. There's an assault in progress at our store. The address is-"
"Shit," Tetsuya, the ugly guy, hissed and they all looked at each other, before they agitatedly started whispering between them.
Kazuma, feeling the pressure, attempted a cocky grin. "Look, no need to involve the cops. We'll just leave. Alright?"
"Oh really?" the old man replied. "My ball crusher was just getting warmed up."
"Release the boy," the young employee said. "Or explain this situation to the police."
Kazuma gritted his teeth, obviously furious, and directed his eyes at Uryu again. "Let him go, Masaki."
The latter grumbled, but did as he was told. Kazuma gave the Quincy a piercing glare before bringing his hand up. Uryu, anticipating another blow to his face, swiftly shut his eyes. Only to open them again hesitantly when there was no strike, only the scarf around his mouth being undone.
Masaki pushed Uryu towards the three clerks. "Whatever. This brat always overdramatizes things anyway."
"L-leave me alone, you creeps," Uryu gasped as he stumbled towards the store employees on unsteady legs, panic still coursing through his veins. The young employee swiftly caught him when his knees buckled.
"I've got you kid."
The fat guy chimed in nervously, "Hey, we were just fooling around. No harm done."
The old employee stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of the Quincy. "Now, how can I put this politely? Oh right. Get the fuck out of my store! The cops will be here any minute now. And my ball crusher is just aching to find more testicles."
"Yeah, I'll back that," the young male clerk said as he passed Uryu to his female co-worker and came to stand next to the elder. "My boss has a profound affinity for aiming directly where it hurts."
Kazuma, Masaki, and the two others—whose names apparently were Hiroki and Tetsuya—exchanged glances and whispered a few words among themselves. It was clear they wanted to leave.
Kazuma shrugged and ran a hand through his short, blond hair. "Sure, man, whatever." Then he directed his gaze towards Uryu and threatened, "Don't think you can just leave me like this, Uryu-kun. That's not what boyfriends do and I'm not done with you yet."
Uryu took a shuddering breath, but couldn't utter a word. He wanted to snarl something back, anything, but was just frozen in place. It took all of his willpower not to fall apart.
Then, Masaki grinned at him too. "Yeah, little one, better watch your back, as we will find you. That's a promise."
The prospect of what that creep promised made Uryu's heart pound even faster and he was barely holding on to his sanity.
Kazuma elbowed the tall guy. "I'm warning you, Masaki…"
The fat man grunted. "Let's discuss that later. We need to go."
"Why is it taking you so long to exit? Get the hell out already," the old man snarled.
"Live today, fight tomorrow, boys," Masaki said, blinking towards Uryu.
Kazuma blew a kiss in his direction and whispered, "I can't wait to get my hands on you again, sweet boy. We'll be watching you."
They foursome grinned collectively before walking towards the big sliding doors at the entrance of the store, while the two male clerks went after them to make sure they were gone before locking the doors.
Crisis averted, Uryu felt his legs give way and sank to the ground, dazed, and breathing hard. The girl made a startled sound as she could not prevent him from going down. Tears pricked the back of his eyes again. The thought that he had been a hair's breadth away from falling into Kazuma's clutches again, and the realization that his 'robbers' had been playing along with him all along, stirred a storm of emotions within him. Plus, both Kazuma and Masaki had threatened to come look for him and he could not take that lightly, seeing as both men seemed to be insane. Completely stressed out, he took a few gulps of air to alleviate the tightness in his chest.
What could he do? He had no one to turn to, no one to ask for help, and that feeling of being completely and utterly alone made another crack in his severely broken heart. He buried his face in his hands, pulling his knees up, but he couldn't stifle the soft sobs that escaped him, nor could he hold back the hot tears that spilled from his eyes.
Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder and gasped in surprise, his dark thoughts interrupted.
The female clerk had kneeled beside him and asked, "Are you alright, kid? Here." She softly dabbed a handkerchief against his bloody nose and gave him an empathic smile. "It's okay, don't worry. My boss has kicked them out. You're safe."
"T-thanks," Uryu stammered, still very much shaken. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand on a quivering breath, attempting to conceal his vulnerability, though that was exactly how he felt.
Safe? No, unfortunately, that was only temporary. In a moment, he'd find himself out on the streets again, in the dark night, in a cruel world where every day was a struggle. There wasn't a soul that cared if he would succumb to the cold or hunger. At least, no one that could help him… The few people he still considered friends—like Isshin, Kon, Orihime, and Rukia—would not be able to help him.
He didn't dare go to Urahara's anymore either. Not even now. Even though he had wanted to do so months ago and the Shinigami would likely offer him shelter, Uryu couldn't risk it. His reluctance to ask him for help was exactly the same reason why he hadn't been able to let Isshin in on his dirty secret. Uruhara had ties to Ryuuken. And he was not willing to take the risk whether the Shinigami would inform his ex-father of what was left of him now. On top of that, Renji was probably still staying over and he would not be able to endure that pineapple's judgement again.
"What did they want from you?" the girl asked, still wiping his face. "I've heard some of the things they said and… well… that sounded awful."
Uryu lowered his eyes in shame, his heart still drumming in his ears from all the stress. "T-they wanted to… to…" He couldn't even finish the sentence and just buried his face in his hands again to hide his misery. Sitting here, crying, would lead to nothing, but he was still struggling to believe he had slipped through Kazuma's fingers. The truth would be too horrifying to tell. Had he not escaped the first time, he now knew Masaki and the others had wanted to have their way with him too, treating him like some kind of sex toy. Even if Kazuma clearly did not want to 'share' him right now, there was no way of knowing whether he would have all those weeks ago.
"Yuri-san," a voice suddenly cut through the tension, causing both Uryu and the girl to gasp in surprise. Uryu quickly wiped away his tears as he looked up to find the elder clerk and his young colleague standing next to them. . The old man continued, "Go get the boy some tea. Better to give him a moment to collect himself."
"Right away, boss," the girl nodded and left.
"Don't worry, kid," the young man said reassuringly, "we've made sure those creeps left, and our neighborhood police officer is keeping an eye out during his patrol."
"T-thanks," Uryu stammered, "I-I'm really g-grateful for your help."
The old employee assisted Uryu, guiding him to a nearby crate. "Here, you can use this to sit on, son. Just take your time, you look pale as a sheet."
"Thank you, sir," Uryu said, wiping his eyes again in an attempt to regain some of his composure.
"What did those goons want from you?" The young clerk asked, as he crouched down to be on eye-level with Uryu. "Did they try to kidnap you?"
"Y-yes." Well, they did want to take him with them, so he was not lying. "They've bothered me before, a-and…" Uryu fell silent, the memories still made his broken heart ache.
"Is there someone we can call to pick you up? Or do you want us to call a taxi to take you home?" The elder clerk offered.
Uryu sighed; the question got to him. He didn't have money for a taxi, and he didn't have a home either. Even worse, he was certain no one would want to help him out. And the few people who still would –Orihime, Kon, Isshin, the male nurse, Sato, maybe even Rukia or Urahara– couldn't. "No. I am all by myself."
"Huh? A boy your age?" the younger employee asked, clearly dismayed. "Why, you can't be over 17, so why–"
"Don't pry, Natsu-san," the old man intervened. "I'm sure he has his reasons. We needed to step in, and that's what we did."
Uryu felt conflicted. These kind people had helped him, but revealing the horrendous life he was living could lead to unwanted consequences. He feared they would not let him leave and might involve the authorities, who could, in turn, contact his ex-father.
Suddenly, the girl, who had been listening, stepped towards Uryu, holding out a cup of steaming green tea and an onigiri, making him gasp in surprise. "Here," she said kindly, "to settle your nerves."
"T-thank you," Uryu stammered, bewilderment clearly on his face. "That's very kind of you a-and–" At that moment, his stomach roared loudly, and he blushed crimson. Testing the tea, which was at the right temperature, he took a big gulp to help settle his blood pressure. Unwrapping the packaged onigiri, he felt all eyes on him, but he was starving and couldn't help but stuff his mouth. The employees chuckled in response, much to his surprise. Weren't they disgusted by him?
"Don't feel ashamed, son. You were obviously very hungry," the old man gently squeezed his shoulder. "We've asked our neighborhood police officer to watch the square for a while, but if you want, we'll call him inside and you can tell him what happened and press charges against those creeps."
"O-oh," Uryu stammered in bewilderment, unsure of how to react. He didn't want to sound ungrateful, but he couldn't bring himself to involve the police. They might ask too many questions and could even know his father. "I-I'd rather not," he started, noticing the old man's raised eyebrow. "N-not tonight, anyway. I-I don't feel up to t-that yet, a-and…"
"Then, let me get you to the hospital," the young clerk offered, still crouching in front of Uryu with an empathetic smile. "They'll patch up your face and you'll need the medical rapport for when you press charges against them anyway."
"No!" Uryu snapped without thinking, his heartbeat already quickening at the mere thought of them taking him directly to his ex-father. There was no way he could face that man right now, or have his rescuers tell him how he was feeble enough to let himself be restrained by four humans. The thought alone of that man's unbearable scrutiny made him clench his fists. However, Uryu quickly realized his mistake as he saw the three employees looking at him in bewilderment. "T-that won't be necessary. I-I can m-manage tomorrow. "
"But, why," the young man tried. "I just want to help."
"Natsu-san," the old man said sternly. "I already told you not to pry. This boy is obviously in some kind of trouble, but if he doesn't wish to tell us more, who are we to judge."
"True. Sorry about that, kid."
"T-that's quite alright, sir, " Uryu said bashfully, amazed at having found such nice people for once.
"I'll go finish closing up the shop, boss. I'd rather you stay with the boy for a little longer. You could give me a hand, Natsu," the girl said, after which they both excused themselves and bid farewell to Uryu.
"So, what did you need from our store, young one?" the old employee asked, while Uryu finished his onigiri. "You were in the aisle with canned products, so I imagine you needed some canned goods?"
Uryu swallowed. Yeah, he had been trying to steal a can. It made him feel so guilty now that these employees had stepped in to prevent disaster, but… "I-I needed a can of t-tuna," he muttered, feeling his self-esteem crumble a little more.
"A can of tuna?" the old man repeated, glancing at the scattered items all around them.
Uryu noticed how the old employee was inspecting the aisle and pushed himself off of the crate to get back onto his feet, still on unsteady legs. "Sorry, sir. Let me put everything back in order here."
The man picked up one of the tins, before muttering, "That's alright, young one. My employees will help me out in the morning. It's much too late for this, and you look exhausted."
"But–" Uryu tried, feeling the need to make himself useful, to repay the store clerks for their assistance, even if he wasn't feeling all that well.
The man turned towards him and gestured to follow him. "Come, boy, I'll let you out through the back door, just in case those buffoons are lurking somewhere in the shadows out front, even though our police officer is keeping watch."
Uryu gasped. He hadn't thought about that yet, shaken as he was. Another surge of relief flooded through the Quincy, grateful for the elder's foresight. "Thank you, sir. They probably are waiting for me at the square, somewhere out of sight, ready to take another shot at dragging me with them."
"Yeah, better to be safe. Come." Uryu followed the man towards the other end of the store, and noticed he was being appraised by his stern, yet empathic eyes. "Pardon my rudeness, but you're a runaway aren't you, young one?"
Uryu took a sharp inhale and decided to go with it; that would be best for both of them, and he wasn't entirely lying. "Y-yes, sir. My father hates me and… I just couldn't take it anymore."
"Hmmm, I figured something like that," the man said, stroking his beard. "Hence you didn't want anyone else involved. But… how do you manage on your own, boy?"
Uryu averted his gaze and took a long, yet heartfelt sigh. "It's… tough, but… I have no other choice. Unfortunately." Then, a flicker of hope fluttered through him, and he pushed himself to ask: "I-I'm looking for a part-time job, sir. It would really help me tremendously if I could work in this store. I will do anything you need. I'm a really hard worker. Won't you consider hiring me? Please?"
That obviously took the old employee off guard, and he turned back towards Uryu after unlocking the door in front of them. Stroking his beard, he simply looked at Uryu in silence for a moment before taking a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, young one, but I'm just the senior employee here, even though the others refer to me as their boss. My brother is the actual boss of this store, and I know for certain he is not going to hire any additional employees anytime soon."
Uryu's shoulders slouched in defeat, and he looked down. "I-I understand."
"I'm sorry, boy," the old man continued. "I wish I could help you, but… "
"It's alright," Uryu sighed, holding his tongue about the fact that he was used to being rejected everywhere he went, no matter how hard he tried.
Uryu's stomach roared again, and he quickly wrapped his arms around himself while a blush gave his pale cheeks some healthy color.
The old man stroked his beard for just a second, raising an eyebrow, before speaking: "I forgot the key to the backdoor. Just wait here for a second, boy. You can sit on that chair."
Uryu nodded and did as he was told while the old man disappeared back into the store. After a few minutes, he approached Uryu again, now dressed in his coat and carrying a paper bag that he handed to the Quincy. "Here, I know it's not much, but at least it's something to help you out."
Surprised, Uryu took a peek in the bag to find 2 cans of tuna, a loaf of bread, a carton of milk, and an apple. "B-but–" he started to stammer, when the old man cut him off with a smile.
"It's on the house, young one, don't worry. I've had my share of problems when I was young. So the only thing I ask is that you return the favor to another person in need some day."
Uryu clutched the bag between his fingers and bowed down to the man, feeling even more guilty because he had wanted to steal some food here in the first place. "T-thank you so much, sir."
The old employee chuckled and led Uryu outside to a dimly lit alley with trash cans and a few stray cats. "That's alright, young one. I'm sure it will count towards my karma and all. Come, I'll walk with you for a bit, just in case I need to crush those morons' balls again."
That made Uryu chuckle, and he welcomed the feeling as it made the last remnants of panic disappear. He knew he couldn't let his guard down, as Kazuma had most certainly been telling the truth and would come look for him again. That thought already made his chest clench in fear and he fell silent, letting the old man speak as he walked with him to a brightly lit crossroad not too far from his hideout.
"Good luck, young one. I'll hope you'll never see those goons again."
"Thank you, sir, for everything." Uryu bowed to the man once more before telling him goodbye.
He then proceeded to take the shortest road to the bridge. It was very cold outside, and he couldn't help the feeling of uneasiness that crept up his back now he was alone again. His senses were on high alert, causing anxiety to rise in his chest. At the slightest sound—a rustling wind or a distant dog barking—he quickly glanced over his shoulder to ensure he wasn't being trailed by Kazuma or his friends."
He sighed. Had he still had his Quincy powers, he wouldn't be this paranoid, as nobody would be able to get to him unnoticed. Alas, fate had decided otherwise, and after all these months, he still didn't know why he had lost his powers to begin with.
His steps were measured, deliberate, as he navigated through the quiet streets. The dim glow of streetlights cast long shadows, playing tricks on his apprehensive mind. Uryu's heart raced with every creak of the night, his fear intensifying with each echoing footstep behind him—real or imagined.
The winter chill whipped at his clothes, and Uryu rubbed his arms over his torso to keep warm, his breath visible in the cold night air. The bridge, his makeshift refuge, loomed in the distance. He stopped for a moment, scanning his surroundings carefully to ensure nobody was following him. If one of those perverted creeps found his shelter, he was doomed. When he had looked for a while and deemed the situation to be safe, Uryu ascended the slope of the bride and disappeared inside the niche on a shaky exhale.
He quickly closed the opening of the niche with his self-made windshield, made out of branches and cardboard, and fastened it with the strings. The opening on the other side, where he slept, had been permanently closed off for a while now, to stave off some of the cold.
A merry meow brought a small smile to his pale face.
"Hi, Ichi, have you been waiting for me?" Uryu asked as the orange-striped cat got up from his blanket and began rubbing against his legs. "I've finally gotten some food for you too. You'll love it."
Although Uryu was starving and had almost run out of money—only enough for one pack of crackers or the like—he wasn't so selfish as to not share at least part of the tuna with his only friend. However, that would have to wait until tomorrow, as for now, the Quincy was positively beat. Nevertheless, he couldn't resist eating a slice of bread, careful to not throw up from the bile that instantly filled his mouth. He offered a little of the milk in a bowl to the cat, which purred happily.
After drinking some of the now ice-cold water from the bottles in his bag, he quickly brushed his teeth and swapped his school uniform for his pajamas. Then, he laid down on his makeshift bed, using everything he had gathered to stave off the cold: an extra pair of jeans and a sweater, his winter coat, gloves, two scarves, his blanket, and the patchwork he had sewn from all the old rags and fabric he had found at school.
It was so cold. So very cold. Uryu was exhausted and really needed to sleep, even if he feared freezing to death every night since the temperature had dropped below zero.
Safe, for now, Uryu listened to the sound of the river flowing beneath the bridge, hoping to soothe his depressing thoughts. However, the river's tranquil melody was swiftly overshadowed by the chattering of his teeth. Seeking warmth, Ichi burrowed beneath the fabrics surrounding Uryu and nestled against his belly, providing a little extra comfort. Uryu reached for the large box he had made from old cardboard, punctured with a few air holes. He placed it over himself to further ward off the freezing cold. Though he had to pull up his knees to fit inside, with Ichi pressed against him, it was the warmest he could get for now.
Disheartened by everything that had happened today, Uryu closed his weary eyes to try and calm down the turmoil in his mind, as it was already late and he had school tomorrow. However, forgetting Sado's harsh words or Kazuma's threats was tough. The thought of their hero thing setup made his stomach turn, and he could only hope never to run into Kazuma or his goons again.
As he drew his blanket closer around his trembling frame, he no longer hoped for the best, but knew that within his cruel reality, he needed to prepare himself for the worst.
Help is not coming. Not for trash like me…