A/n:
Sorry for the hiatus again..
Hope y'all stay safe. Especially my fellow Americans, it's scary times.
Ps: Sorry to bring up politics when we use this for an escape.
Harry reclined on the blanket, a hand resting lightly over his rounded belly as he watched the sparring match unfold. His book lay forgotten beside him, its pages ruffling in the light breeze, but his focus was entirely on the two figures in the yard.
Toji moved with his usual ferocity, each step deliberate, each motion calculated. His gruff voice carried across the clearing as he barked instructions. "Wider stance. You'll fall over like a twig if someone so much as breathes on you."
Suguru, all twelve years old and trembling with effort, did as he was told. His small body was already slick with sweat, his dark hair sticking to his forehead. His face scrunched with frustration as he struggled to follow Toji's commands.
"Good. Now tighten your core. Keep it steady," Toji growled, pacing around Suguru like a circling predator. His sharp green eyes missed nothing, from the boy's unsteady footing to the tremble in his arms.
Harry watched it all with quiet amusement, his free hand moving in soothing circles over his belly. The baby, ever active, gave a gentle kick, almost as if chiming in on the scene. Harry chuckled softly and muttered, "You're not wrong, he's terrifying."
Toji's sharp gaze flicked over to Harry, catching the faint smirk on his face. "What's funny, huh? You think I'm going too hard on him?"
Harry raised a brow, amused. "You're barking like a drill sergeant, Toji. The poor kid's ten."
Toji snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Kid's tougher than he looks. Ain't that right, brat?"
Suguru, still catching his breath, nodded quickly. "Yes, sir!"
Toji crouched in front of the boy, his tone softening just a fraction. "Don't just say it, prove it. You're better than this. Keep your back straight, and don't let me catch you slacking again."
Suguru straightened immediately, the determination in his eyes outweighing his exhaustion.
Harry hid a smile behind his hand. For all his gruffness, Toji had an undeniable knack for motivating people. But Harry could see through the harsh exterior to the sweetness underneath—like the way Toji's hand lingered for a moment on Suguru's shoulder, steadying him before stepping back.
"Take five," Toji finally said, his tone gruff as ever. "Drink water. Then we're going again."
Suguru nodded eagerly and jogged over to Harry, his legs wobbling slightly. Harry reached into the picnic basket beside him, pulling out a water bottle and a snack.
"You're doing great," Harry said as Suguru flopped onto the blanket beside him, grabbing the water. "Don't let him scare you too much. He's all bark."
"Oi," Toji growled from a distance, but the faint smirk on his face gave him away.
Suguru took a long drink, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "He's really strong," the boy muttered, looking over at Toji with a mixture of awe and determination.
"He is," Harry agreed, smoothing Suguru's sweat-damp hair. "But don't let that discourage you. You've already come so far."
Suguru's cheeks flushed under Harry's gentle praise, but before he could respond, Toji's voice cut through the moment. "Don't baby him, Harry. He's got work to do."
Harry rolled his eyes, leaning back on the blanket. "You're lucky I can't move as fast as I used to. Otherwise, I'd make you do the work for him."
Toji chuckled, low and rough, before strolling over to them. He crouched beside Harry, his eyes briefly flicking to the bump beneath Harry's hand. "How's the kid?"
Harry smiled. "Active. They've been kicking all morning."
Toji grunted, reaching out to place a calloused hand gently over Harry's belly. For a man who could crush a curse with his bare hands, his touch was surprisingly tender. "You're takin' it easy, right?"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"
"Because you're stubborn," Toji said, his voice softer than usual.
Harry bit back a laugh, watching as Toji stood, his imposing figure towering over them. "Suguru, break's over. Back at it."
Suguru groaned but pushed himself to his feet, his small frame vibrating with renewed determination. As the boy jogged back to the training area, Harry leaned back, his hand still resting on his belly.
Toji paused for a moment, his gaze lingering on Harry before he followed Suguru. "Don't overdo it, either of you," Harry called after him, his tone teasing but warm.
Toji just waved a hand in acknowledgment, his gruff voice already barking more instructions.
Harry watched them with a smile, the weight of contentment settling over him. For all of Toji's rough edges, his actions spoke louder than his words. His care was undeniable, even if it was wrapped in gruffness, and Harry wouldn't have it any other way.
Shoko shifts impatiently, arms loosely folded as she stands behind her mother, who is carefully picking through the vegetables. The market is too crowded for her liking, with a constant hum of chatter and clinking carts swirling around her. The harsh fluorescent lights overhead do nothing to help the headache bubbling beneath her temples. All she wants is to leave, maybe curl up somewhere quiet and sleep.
Her mother, ever meticulous, inspects each vegetable like it holds the secrets of the universe. Shoko sighs, letting her eyes wander through the aisle. Mundane faces drift past her vision, people consumed with their errands, blissfully unaware of the danger perched on their shoulders or skulking just out of sight.
Ordinary people, like her mother.
She clenches her jaw, the thought leaving a sour taste in her mouth. She loves her mom, but the woman doesn't understand. No one does. The curses she sees aren't figments of her imagination, but explaining them only earned her pitying looks and hushed conversations behind closed doors.
A sudden laugh cuts through the noise, bright, melodic, and entirely out of place in the drudgery of the store. It pulls at Shoko's attention, standing out like a beacon in the hum of ordinary life. Her head snaps toward the sound, her eyes narrowing as she scans the produce section.
Her gaze lands on a young man with messy black hair and striking green eyes. He's pushing a cart with an easy, unhurried grace, his thin fingers loosely gripping the handle.
A boy walks beside him, clinging to the man's jacket in a way that feels both possessive and grounding. The boy is her age, maybe a little younger, with dark hair neatly tied back. He has an expression Shoko recognizes immediately: bored, yet sharp as if he's watching the world while pretending not to care.
What catches her attention, though, is the black blob perched on the boy's shoulder. It shifts and wriggles, almost lazily, and the boy reaches up every so often to pet it with an almost unconscious tenderness.
Shoko freezes.
Her heart skips a beat as her eyes lock onto the creature. It's not human, not natural, but no one else seems to notice it. The boy doesn't just notice it, though, he treats it like a beloved pet.
The man and the boy pause near the produce section, the man pointing something out with a gentle smile. The boy nods silently, his hand still idly stroking the blob on his shoulder. They move like a family, the man's warmth contrasting sharply with the boy's cool demeanor, but they're connected. There's no mistaking that.
Shoko's fingers twitch at her sides. Are they like her? Can they see the curses too?
The thought lodges itself in her brain, an itch she can't ignore. For so long, she's felt alone in this, seeing what no one else could, trying to make sense of a world that doesn't care to explain itself. But these two… they're different. The boy, especially. If he can see the blob and doesn't flinch, doesn't fear it, maybe he knows something.
Maybe they both do.
Her mother's voice jolts her back to the present, the woman holding up two heads of cabbage and asking which looks fresher. Shoko blinks, forcing her expression into something neutral as she shrugs. "That one, I guess."
Her mother nods and turns back to the produce, oblivious to Shoko's racing thoughts.
Shoko glances at the man and boy again, feeling a strange pull toward them. She wants to call out, to ask them,
Do you see them too? Do you know what they are?
But she doesn't.
Instead, she stays rooted in place, her fingers curling into her sleeves. For now, she just watches, hoping to catch something, anything, that might prove she's not as crazy as everyone thinks.
Getou Suguru frowned as he trailed beside Harry, his small hand clutching tightly to the hem of the man's jacket. The soft squeak of the cart's wheels and the low hum of chatter in the store buzzed around them, but Suguru wasn't paying much attention. His gaze darted around, scanning for anything unusual—a habit that had been hard to shake, even with Harry and Toji's reassurances that he was safe now.
They stopped near the produce section, Harry crouching slightly to inspect a pile of apples. His green eyes scanned the fruit with calm focus, but Suguru's attention was elsewhere. He shifted uncomfortably, his shoulders tense as his eyes flicked toward a girl standing a few feet away.
Her mother was engrossed in picking vegetables, but the girl wasn't. She stood stiffly, arms folded, her sharp eyes fixed directly on Harry and Suguru. Something was piercing in her gaze, something searching, as if she were trying to unravel a puzzle only she could see.
"Why is that girl staring at us?" Suguru muttered, tugging on Harry's jacket.
Harry glanced up, following Suguru's gaze to the girl. She had dark eyes framed by straight bangs and a messy ponytail. Her stare was intense—unwavering and almost clinical—but Harry saw no malice in it, only curiosity.
"I think she's like you," Harry said softly, a playful lilt in his voice. "And I think she may be lonely and want to be your friend."
Suguru scowled, stepping closer to Harry. He didn't like the way the girl was looking at them, or more specifically, at Harry. There was something in her expression that felt too raw, too familiar—a desperation Suguru wasn't sure he trusted.
"She can find someone else to talk to," he muttered under his breath, his grip tightening on Harry's jacket.
Harry chuckled, setting down an apple and crouching so he was level with Suguru. He placed a warm hand on the boy's shoulder, his touch grounding. "She's not dangerous," he said gently. "And sometimes, people look when they see something they don't understand. Remember what Toji says—don't let it rattle you."
Suguru huffed, his lips pressing into a thin line. He didn't say it, but he wasn't thinking about himself. He was thinking about Harry. The girl's gaze wasn't just curious—it was probing, almost like she could see something Suguru didn't want her to see.
"She's still staring," Suguru muttered, glaring back at the girl.
Harry tilted his head, watching the girl for a moment longer before giving her a small, friendly smile. She blinked, her lips parting slightly in surprise, before quickly looking away. Harry stood, brushing his hands on his jeans as he picked up another apple.
"See? It's nothing," Harry said, his voice light.
But Suguru wasn't convinced. He kept glancing over his shoulder, his dark eyes narrowing every time he caught the girl peeking their way again.
"Harry," he finally said, his tone low and hesitant. "What if she knows?"
Harry paused, turning to look at Suguru fully. He crouched again, his expression softening as he placed a hand on the boy's cheek. "Knows what, love?"
"That we're… different," Suguru whispered. "What if she can see it?"
Harry's expression didn't change, but his voice was steady as he replied. "And what if she can? Being different isn't something to be afraid of, Suguru. It's something to be proud of. She might see something in us, but that doesn't mean she'll hurt us."
Suguru frowned, his fingers twisting nervously in the hem of Harry's jacket. "I just don't want anyone to take you away."
Harry's heart ached at the boy's words. He pulled Suguru into a gentle hug, smoothing a hand over the back of his head. "No one's taking me anywhere," Harry said firmly. "You're stuck with me, alright?"
Suguru nodded against Harry's shoulder, his grip on him tightening.
"Good," Harry said, pulling back just enough to ruffle Suguru's hair. "Now, let's finish shopping before Toji eats us alive for taking so long."
Suguru gave a small smile at that, his shoulders relaxing slightly as they continued through the store. But as they passed the girl and her mother, he couldn't resist throwing one last suspicious glance her way.
The girl's sharp eyes met his briefly before she quickly looked away again, her fingers twitching at her sides.
Suguru didn't say anything, but the unease lingered. Harry might not be worried, but Suguru had a bad feeling about this girl, and he wasn't going to let his guard down.
Not yet.
A/n:
Getou is totally not wanting anyone to take Harry's attention off of him. Little Megumi is different, but other child encroaching on his territory…
Also Toji is such a gentle giant, (well to Harry)
Hope this update brings you a little comfort in these stressful times.