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Noiz had zipped his hat over his face to hide his tears. He was hiding under a blanket, curled up as he hiccuped and let sobs reverberate past his lips. He jumped at the feeling of pressure on his back, immediately stopping his crying.
“…Noiz? Noiz, what’s wrong?”
It was Koujaku. His worried tone made Noiz bite his lip; he wasn’t supposed to be home yet… Mink said he had business with Scratch again, today.
“Noiz…”
He felt the bed sink with arms pulling him up into an embrace. His hat was pulled off his head, and his red face was bitten by the cool temperature of the room compared to the stuffy wool. He frowned deeply, chest convulsing as he breathed. Koujaku stroked his hair and pulled him into his lap, using his sleeve to wipe Noiz’s snot and face. Noiz tried to push him away.
“Shhh… What’s wrong? Please, tell me.”
Noiz stayed quiet, looking away as his nose and eyes were tended to.
“That’s alright. You don’t have to tell me. Is there anything I can do? Or Mink can do?”
Noiz screwed his eyes shut, taking fistfuls of Koujaku’s kimono, erupting into hoarse sobs again. Koujaku was trying hard not to cry, himself. Unsure what to do, he just held the teen close, shushing him while stroking his hair and back.
“Shh… I’m here, now.”
Noiz squeezed Koujaku’s waist. Koujaku held him until his crying subsided into whimpers and the disjointed catching of his breath, kissing the top of his head. He made sure Noiz’s face was thoroughly wiped with the soft fabric of his sleeves.
“I don’t wanna be alone,” he murmured. Koujaku felt his heart break.
Noiz has been here alone all this time. Koujaku and Mink both had work needing to be done. He was alone all the time, wasn’t he?
“Oh, god, Noiz… I’m so sorry., Noiz I… I’m so sorry! You’re always here alone, and you – I just… I’m sorry…”
Noiz sniffled, wiping his nose.
“It’s fine, I guess. You guys have work and stuff.”
“That’s no excuse!”
“You’re not my parents!”
“Thank god, Noiz! We’d be arrested for neglect!”
“And what?! You’d never see me again?”
“No!”
“Good!”
Noiz caught himself, forgetting that Koujaku was indeed not his parent. He saw the great hurt in Koujaku’s face.
“Noiz… We’re not…”
The boy gripped his sleeve.
“Please don’t go. Don’t go away.”
Koujaku grabbed the boy’s cheeks and kissed him desperately, not minding his messy face.
“Mn… Noiz. We’re not leaving you.”
Noiz wrapped his arms tight around Koujaku.
“Can we go somewhere?”
“Of course. I’m off work early. Where do you want to go?”
“Platinum Jail.”
“Can you make us invitations?”
“Yeah…”
“Send Mink one, too, so he knows where we’ll be.”
Noiz nodded his head, letting go of Koujaku to cross his legs and type away at his coil.
Koujaku stood to gently wash his kimono and dressed in another while it dried. Noiz had gotten dressed and insisted on holding his hand as they walked. Noiz’s hand was almost too tight; he wondered if the boy even felt or noticed it. Regardless, he held Noiz’s hand and walked in silence to Platinum Jail. While passing the food vendors, a group of younger women commented on how cute Koujaku’s ‘son’ was. He stammered, thanking them but they laughed and walked off. He was too embarrassed to admit the barely-teen and he were actually together.
Noiz started to cackle.
“Tch, even girls think you’re old!”
“Shut it, brat!”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Daddy?” Noiz let go of his hand to run off, Koujaku running after him. He turned a sharp corner and ran face first into a hard chest.
He rubbed his face and looked up to see Mink. Tori was circling above. Mink’s expression was unimpressed for the most part as he held Noiz up by the back of his shirt, like a cat. Noiz was struggling and swinging his arms, throwing childish insults at him. Mink tapped his nose before stroking his cheek, still holding him up in the air. Noiz stopped his struggle and averted his eyes, cheeks pink as he nipped Mink’s fingertips, a generally affectionate gesture. Putting him down, Mink’s thumbs stroked beneath Noiz’s eyes.
“Did something happen?”
Noiz pursed his lips into a pout. Koujaku smiled and shook his head. Moving behind Mink, Noiz leaped onto his back and clung to him effortlessly, arms around his neck. Mink took hold of his legs and walked on. With sharp teeth, Noiz absently bit into his shoulder, but Mink remained unfazed.
“Hey,” started Koujaku. He gave Noiz a caramel sucker. Mink brushed his hair out of the way as the teen chewed on that instead, quelling his oral fixation.
“Red.”
“Yo.”
“What happened.”
Koujaku sighed.
“He, uh…”
He glanced to Noiz who turned his head, pretending to ignore them.
“He was crying when I got home. Mink, we leave him alone all the time. He doesn’t… He doesn’t have family, or friends.”
Mink stayed quiet for a moment.
“Hey, kid.”
Noiz didn’t respond.
“You were crying?”
“Mmno…”
Mink set Noiz down just to pick him up like a child: an arm under his legs and a hand stroking his neck and back.
After some time of walking around, Noiz jumped down and insisted on playing games. There were times he’d call them children’s games when he couldn’t win, which was when Koujaku teased him and Noiz called him an old man, too old for games. He would insult Mink, too, which Mink would lean down and kiss his head. Noiz stuffed his hands in his pockets, face colored lightly. At one point, he caught Mink’s lips, and Koujaku commented about doing such things in public. Breaking their kiss, Noiz then tugged on Koujaku’s sleeve.
“Carry me.”
“Wha-hey. Where are your manners?”
“Shoved up your ass, now carry me.”
Mink picked up Noiz by the back of his shirt again, staring him directly in the eyes while Koujaku fumed.
“Stop acting like a little bitch. We’re not your parents. You have nothing to rebel against.”
Noiz was put down and he immediately tugged Koujaku’s sleeve again, not looking up from the ground. Koujaku touched Noiz’s lips, letting him nip at fingertips lovingly. He knelt, his back to Noiz.
“Come on, brat,” he teased.
Noiz climbed on his back, arms around his neck, face buried in his kimono. They ended up taking Noiz home, tucking him in bed as both he and Mink stroked Noiz’s soft hair and shoulders, being sure to stay with him all night.