Chapter Text
Akira Fudo liked to think he was very mature for being six. He could brush his teeth on his own, help his mom cook, help his dad sort out boring papers, and - most importantly - he could walk down the beach by himself. Not too far and he couldn't swim - because he’s small and the ocean is big so it could easily carry him away - but he can explore and collect seashells as long as he listens for his parents to call for him. This is a newly granted freedom and he's so focused on it, on seeing if he can find any cool shells or scuttling crabs as he walks with a branch turned walking stick, that he almost trips over something.
Someone.
He falls on his behind, eyes round at the sight of someone - a kid around his age - loosely curled up and sleeping on the beach, close enough that the water laps at their legs, that they'll surely drown when high tide comes in. It’s Akira’s duty as a very mature six year old to wake up this kid up before they get hurt. As he goes to shake their shoulder though, he catches sight of something weird. Feathers, in their hair, in the sand around them, a soft warm white like lightbulbs in a fancy restaurant. He scooches up on his knees, a little closer, a little higher, to peer over the stranger's back and gasps at the sight there. Wings, feathery and fluffy at the same time, six of them spread out behind them, some bent strange, some spread along the sand like a beach towel. Now that he looks closer he can tell that there's more wings, a set in their hair, another on their ankles, a third (sixth?) pair draped over their butt. (and he can't help but giggle at that, butt wings) there's wings everywhere, but also nasty sunburns, near purple and scaly, scratches and bruises under those and Akira is thinking that maybe -
Maybe he needs an adult for this.
But he can't leave this kid on the beach, burnt and broken, golden hair matted, can’t leave them alone not knowing that help is coming. Akira doesn’t want to hurt them worse by tugging at the knots in their hair or by shaking their shoulder. He eventually settles for trying to wake them up anyways, gently patting a spot on their cheek that isn't burnt.
"Hey. Hey you need to get up. Heyyyyyyyy" It takes a bit, but the other child begins to stir, shuffling and groaning before a high whimper breaks from them and their eyes open. They're just barely open, cracked against the harshness of the sun and their burns, but they’re bluest eyes Akira has ever seen and he can't help but think that him and the stranger are thinking the same thing.
I know you.
The stranger makes another noise, high and pained, almost more bird than human and Akira quickly takes the hand that is haltingly reaching for him.
"Hey, it’sokay. You're hurt pretty bad but my mom and dad are super smart doctors, so I'm going to run and go get them and then I'll be right back and they’ll fix you up, okay?" He uses his best impression of the doctor that gave him his school shots, of his mother when something is scary, voice soft and soothing before trying to stand. He doesn't get far before the hand in his tightens, the other child letting out another one of those birdlike cries as tears well in their eyes and catch in their lashes.
"Nonono, not - alone, don' wanna alone ag’in pl eas e." Their voice is harsh and cracked. Their arm is shaking as they try to sit up without letting go of Akira’s hand, and, as they begin to cry, so does Akira, crouching back down closer to them.
"Okay. Oh-okay I won't leave you alone, I'll be right here. Don’t be afraid." He carefully wiggles his free arm under the other kid, pulling them up further and into a hug that they tightly return. It must hurt the burns, the scrapes and bruises that make Akira worry they're hurt so bad that they must surely be going to die if he doesn't help them. They squeeze him tightly despite this, broken wings twitching behind them as they do, almost as if they want to join the hug too. There’s something just as familiar about the hug, and Akira can’t help turning his head, tucking his face in the other child’s neck as they do the same, neither caring about wiping tears and snot on the other.
The two children sit like that a while, Akira running a soothing hand through the feathers that make up the others back between the wings as they cry and whimper, saying something in a language that makes his hair stand on end, but it must end. The ocean water is beginning to rise, is beginning to lap at their toes, and Akira knows that his mom and dad will be calling for him any minute.
"Hey. My mom and dad are gonna want me back soon, I gotta go -" he talks faster as the other jerks in his arms another one of those scared trills ringing out, arms tightening almost painfully around him. " - but I can give you a piggy back ride so that you can come with! That okay?" A weighty pause, a noise like a coo mixed with one of those words he doesn’t know, and the blonde lifts their head to look at Akira with bloodshot blue eyes. There’s snot running from their nose and a fading bruise marring their cheek, but Akira thinks they’re the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, better than sunsets and the fancy cakes at the bakery.
"Okay."