Chapter Text
It was around 5:30, the time all of the after school activities ended. You were tossing your biology and geometry text books into you bag when you saw some kid you had a couple classes with, Kankri Vantas, you think was the boys name. He seemed like a suck up and a teacher's pet. He showed you around the school on your first day. It was more of a thing he had to do since he was part of the school council or something or another instead of him just being friendly but you didn't mind. At least you had a guide.
You were about to wave to the boy when you saw a couple of guys from football practice. They were strong and had a heavy build, a couple inches taller than you with arm muscles with the same circumference as the Vantas kid's head.
They both started laughing, walking over to the smaller boy.
"Look who it is." The biggest guys said.
"Its the fucking dweeb!" The other shouted as he pushed his chest, shoving him against the locker.
"G-get lost." You could barely hear Kankri mumble. The boy who pushed him against the locker now had his hand wrapped around the hispanic boy's throat.
"And what are ya gonna do about it, fag?" He snarled at the kid.
How was no body noticing this? You guessed it was simply because only you four were still in the hallway and everyone else had left by now.
You stared at the event as the bigger one pulled a switch blade from his pocket, resting the blade right where the underside of Kankri's chin met his throat.
"You know what happens to little cunts like you? They get picked from the herd and killed."
"And the same damn thing is gonna happen to you wimp." The other chimed in.
You weren't about to see this kid get slaughtered, you decided. You dropped your bag to the floor before pulling your own blade from your back pocket.
"Drop him." You demanded from the guy who had a hold of his throat and held him up to his own height against the locker so high that he couldn't touch the carpeted hall floor with his toes.
"What did you just say to me?" He growled and you snarled back at him.
"Did I fucking stutter? Leave him be and beat it."
The dark skinned boy stared at you wide eyed like you had fucked up more than he had and you knew you were in for it when the guy dropped him to the door with a thud of Kankri's tennis shoes.
"Make me." He demanded and within the blink of an eye you were fighting with the other football players.
The biggest one, you think he was the quarterback actually, had you pinned the the ground, sitting on your chest as he slugged you hard in the jaw and you spat at him. The smaller one kicked you in the head before squatting down beside you to at you. He grabbed you by the hair to turn your head and make your rage filled eyes meet his. "Look man, I know your new. I'm guessing you don't know your place around here so I guess I'm gonna have to teach you where it is. And we're gonna start with cutting all that long, greasy hair offa you, pretty boy."
He took his blade in one hand and grabbed a fist full of that thick, slicked back hair that you prized with the other, cutting at it sloppily, short to the scalp and choppy. The other guy was still sitting on top of you and was holding your wrists down.
You assumed that he forgot you still had a blade clenched in your fist since he didn't do anything about taking it so you slid it to Kankri as discreetly as you could without anyone noticing.
You thrashed around, getting their blade to grace your scalp as you twisted and turned and threw your blade to the kid's feet, looking up at him.
You hoped like hell he would get what you wanted from him and use the damned thing and even though he didn't seem like the guy who would do such a thing he picked it up and hesitated for a second before holding it to back of the guy sitting on you.
"Get out of here." He sounded as demanding as he could you assumed. He seemed rather timid and getting him to do this probably took a lot of guts for him. The guy let go of your hands and they both looked at the hispanic boy.
"You're not gonna use that blade." The quarterback dared and Kankri pressed the blade to his back. You assumed he felt the cold metal against his skin pressing against him slowly as you watched his face turn white and his devilish grin pass.
"Would you like to carry through with that bet?"
"Fuck it, man. Let's blow this joint before I get a scratch from sweater boy over here." And with that Kankri pulled back and the guys left, running while trying not to look scared.
Kankri closed the switch blade and handed it back to you as he pulled you to your feet. "Damn," you mumbled. "Didn't think you would do that."
"Are you trying to say something?" He raised a brow at you as you gathered your bag and slung it over your shoulder.
You shook your head. "Nah man, it ain't like that. I just meant you seem too clean cut and pristine to use my blade like that. Appreciate you getting me outta that."
"It was the only thing I could do. I mean, you did get them off of me. You know you could always stop by my place and I'll get you cleaned up. Some new clothes and a haircut seem needed."
"Sounds great."
"Lets go then."
And with that you two left. You felt like best friends already but all you did was save each others lives. You and this kid clicked immediately and it felt fantastic.
It was unlike your gangs in Brooklyn, it was nothing like that. Instead, it was more of a close friendship and it felt better than being in a gang. This boy was nothing for the sort. He was nothing like you and yet he was so fascinating.