Chapter Text
Aoi stared in disbelief at the small child before her his hair long and matted, brushes on his face and arms, and Shinobu's bandages covering what were probably cuts he had, the boy was wearing rags for clothes better described as a potato sack with how matted and torn it was the poor kid didn't even have any shoes
“Miss Shinobu did… did you…”
Aoi covered her mouth not really knowing what to say.
Shinobu placed her hand on the child's back but he moved away
“I found this one enslaved to a rather unpleasant man and I couldn't help but intervene, as you can see he'll need a lot of attention to get him cleaned up and comfortable I'm sorry to just drop this on you but I'm sure you'll understand the work that goes into helping someone in his situation yes?”
Aoi signed with a smile
“Is it just a Kocho family thing to take in stray children? Alright I'll prepare a room for the kid, I'll make sure it's near your office just in case of an emergency”
Aoi walked up to the boy crouching down trying her best to give him a warm smile
“Hey kid, don't worry whatever you just ran from is far away from you, you're safe here”
She goes to pick some trash out of the boy's hair but he steps away suspicious of Aoi.
Aoi sighed “You'll come around it's fine
She looked up at Shinobu “I guess that means you're on hygiene while I get his room ready, has he eaten?”
“Yes, we ate the bento boxes you packed for me and the gift Miss Kanroji left as well, you did exceptional work on the food, thank you Aoi”
Aoi began to pick up the sheets and pillows for later "Thank you miss Shinobu glad you hear the kid ate I'll have the room ready for him as soon as possible, and I'll see if the triplets clothes will fit him I'll leave them outside when your done bathing him, good luck, ill think of some boy names for the kid”
Aoi took her leave making her way to the room she was going to prepare the child right across from Shinobu's office, Aoi often wondered what Shinobu got up to in there after Kanae's death any free time Shinobu had was in that office late nights up even until day break it worried her, she's noticed the eye bags growing under Shinobu's eyes, how every day that's passed she seemed to grow paler and paler part of her is scared to ask, though she doesn't understand why Shinobu had hardly raised her voice in recent years much less given her any reason for her to think Shinobu would react in with anger but there was still that back part of her mind that worried. Aoi quickly recomposed herself she was getting sidetracked and she needed to focus on getting the room ready for the kid, though part of her wondered how Shinobu would juggle the responsibility of caring for the new kid, her hashura duties, and whatever she does in that office of hers
Shinobu led the child to the bathroom where she prepared a bucket of warm water and some soap the small child stood there cautiously, while his trust in Shinobu had grown he was still worried about new things and wasn't fond of touch Shinobu worried about what mental scars lay underneath the boy's mind, the trauma that the grotesque man had left on him
“Alright dear this is a bath it's going to help you feel better by getting all that dirt off you and out of your hair, we're going to get you all wet with this water and then we're going to clean you up with some soap, but be careful not to get any in your mouth or eyes it's going to sting, here feel the water”
Shinobu waved over the boy trying to get him more comfortable with the idea of sitting in a bucket of water to let her lean him.
The boy cautiously walked over dipping his finger in, a look of shock came over the boy's face as he felt water warmer than what he was used to which at best was room temperature, the boy then submerged his hand in trying to feel more of the warm water, Shinobu had to quickly pull him up before he fell in
“Oh my! Be careful dear we don't want you hurting yourself” She makes sure her touch doesn't linger longer than it needs to
The child stares at the bucket of water and the supplies Shinobu brought with her, some soap first aid supplies to cover the scrapes and bruises after the bath, and a comb though to the child all these were foreign to him not knowing what anything is used for
“Are you ok dear?” Shinobu takes her haori off putting it to hang on the door as she pulls up her sleeves
The boy responds his a voice quiet
“Y- yes Miss Shinobu”
Shinobu smiled noting the child didn't almost call her master again though she's sure the habit hasn't completely ended it would take a lot longer than one night to break that habit
“Have you ever had a bath dear”
“Rarely Miss, just when there was a meeting for a buyer” The child's gaze was lowered as he nervously scratched at the back of his arm
Shinobh listened as she prepared the soap and medicinal herbs for a rash she noticed the boy had on his arm
“I see and do you know how old you are”
The boy appeared at her side peaking over the table
“Miss is that Lavender?”
Shinobu was a bit surprised at the boy suddenly appearing next to her but enjoyed hearing the slightest bit of excitement in his voice
“Yes dear, I'm mixing it up for that rash on your arm, may I ask how you got that?”
“It was this plant it was um…” the boy struggled remembering the name of the plant “O…Ori…”
Shinobu finishes the name helping out the child “Orientale?”
“Y-Ya, that one”
Shinobu was surprised that someone who seemed so young rarely knew the names of plants that aren't edible, much less one as conflicted as that“You know a lot about herbs dear, why is that? “
“I um… my mas- I mean the man, he um he kept me outside for awhile making sure I knew how to get around and the plants they seemed cool to me… they were more interesting than the rocks and dirt that surrounded me, eventually he caught on and made me begin farming and he got books with all sorts of plants in them he made me study them a lot, it hurt… He made me farm any seeds he could get his hands on, mostly vegetables… I don't like growing vegetables as much as I used to…
A rare moment of sadness crossed Shinobu's lips, the child had a talent for plants and gardening but that evil man had turned the one thing he loved into forced labor another thing to exploit, she knelt on one knee and brought her hand to his cheek hovering over it being mindful of the boy's preference to not be touched
“We don't have to speak of him anymore, he's gone far away, no one will take you from us, here you can be whatever you want and I'll make sure of that dear, do you understand?”
There was a brief moment of silence before the boy answered
“I understand Miss…”
Shinobu smiled pleased at the boy's response “Now let's get you cleaned, if you don't mind I'll need you to take off your clothes dear”
The boy nodded turning his back to Shinobu as he took the torn shirt off, Shinobu had to cover he mouth the sight being a lot even for her, the boy's back covered in lashes and bruises a few scars that don't look properly healed, the sight filled Shinobu with rage, had she known the extent of the child's abuse she would've given that monster a whole lot more than a nap but not wanting to scare the child she took a step back mumbling under her breathe
“Sister help me contain myself… I need you right now” Shinobu took a deep breath before speaking in her soothing voice
“Sweetie, I must ask, do any of these still hurt?”
The boy's breathing was shaky Shinobu was used to him stuttering once or twice but she could sense it in the boy's tone these scars were something he'd rather not remember
“J… just the bruises Miss… though some of the scars can be sensitive at times…”
Shinobu reminded herself to calm her voice not to let anger seep through and not to scare the child
“I see… well just in case we'll only use warm water I don't want to agitate any unknown cuts you might have.” The boy nodded silently grateful for the decision
Shinobu got to work cleaning off years of dirt and mud from the boy, she finally got to work on his hair
“You know dear you have very beautiful hair, I'm surprised that man let you keep it this long, I'm sure we can do plenty of fun things with it later” The boy wasn't responsive much during the process but Shinobu made sure to keep talking to distract him
“Will would you look at that under all that dirt and soot your nails are a pretty pink, don't worry dear after this you'll look completely different you'll see” Shinobu remembered back to when she bathed Kanao like this the transformation was night and day, part of her wondered if she still had her old outfit she was sure it would fit the boy and she doubt Kanao would mind
“Alright sweetie, can you turn around for me?” The child turned around leaving Shinobu to notice something about the child
Aoi straightened up the sheets she made sure to get something colorful to fill the room thinking it would do the kid some good, she left some books on the desk unsure of his reading level she got a book to help with any academic areas he would lack in, she took a step back to admire her work
“And just like that the room is ready, I hope this kid appreciates it maybe if I'm lucky I can choose his name, I'm sorry but Miss Shinobu is the worst at name picking even her fish have a bad name”
Aoi knocked gently on the triplets’ room, with no response she peeked her head in seeing the 3 sisters sleeping peacefully she snuck in and took some clothes for the kid leaving with a slight smile seeing how peaceful the sisters were. Aoi made her way to Shinobu with the clothes bringing an extra bucket of water just in case, as Aoi knocked on the door gently Shinobu peeked her head out scaring Aoi slightly
“M-Miss Shinobu, what are you?” She was cut off
“Aoi dear I hate to do this to you but um..
I'm gonna need you to think of a new list of names, I have a feeling they're not that fitting for a little girl”