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The soft melody of a child’s lullaby played, the same notes echoing around the almost empty cobblestone streets, melancholy and slow. Small hands held the wood carved lute, small etchings and doodles sloppily carved into the body, childish engravings of royal crowns and leaves, uneven stars, and swirls. The rain came down almost in time with the song, drops plunking off of metal and stone roofs, the muffled sound of chatter coming from the tavern behind him.
Sighing to himself, the young boy stopped playing, messy curls sticking to the sides of his face due to the humidity, leaning his head back against the wall to watch the rain.
“Whatcha doin’?”
He jumped, startled by the sudden and unfamiliar voice, turning his head to see who had spoken. A young boy, seemingly close to his age was staring at him, head tilted in curiosity as he ignored the rain pelting down on him.
“I- I’m just playin’ a song.”
“What song was it? It was real pretty!”
The musician felt the tips of his ears turn red, “Really?”
“Yeah! My auntie used to sing me a song that sounded like that when I was younger, Hope and Stars, right?”
Nodding, he fumbled with his lute, plucking at the strings absentmindedly. The newcomer didn’t seem phased by his shyness.
“I’m Hanamaki by the way! Hanamaki Takahiro!”
Frowning, the raven hair boy looked up, “That’s a long name.”
Hanamaki huffed, “I know. ‘S why I go by Makki!”
“Makki?”
“Yeah, cause Hanamaki, the ending. Makki! I had an old friend call me that, and I thought it sounded cool. What’s your name?”
“Matsukawa Issei.”
Makki frowned, nose scrunching, “Your names not that much shorter than mine.”
“Yes it is, Issei is shorter than Takahiro.”
Makki rolled his eyes, “Can I call you Mattsun?”
Matsukawa paused, debating the nickname. He hadn’t been given one before, his parents weren’t in the picture to have given him a loving one, and while the Tanakas were very kind and eagerly allowed him to stay with them from time to time, they normally just called him Issei. Mattsun had a nice ring to it.
Mattsun nodded, “Sure.”
He received a blinding smile in response, “Awesome!”
The rain was still coming down at a steady pace, dark clouds hanging heavier in the sky. Mattsun felt himself grow a tad bit concerned as he took in his new friend's appearance.
“Aren’t you cold?”
Makki seemed to just take notice that his clothes were sticking to him, pulling at the thigh of his pants, caked in dirt and dust, and shrugged.
“ ‘M used to it. Least it’s autumn!”
“Would you like to come inside? I- I know the people who own the tavern, they’re very nice.”
“Do they have hot chocolate?”
“Maybe not at the bar, but upstairs I think. Ryu says his mom makes him some when he asks, so she probably has some.”
Makki nodded, hands on his hips, “Okay then!”
Mattsun stood up, the newcomer was loud and excited. The thought of being that outgoing made him feel almost tired, he’d usually just prefer to play his lute and help clean cups once the tavern closed. Saeko told him he needed to branch out and make friends, Ryu had already befriended another loud-mouthed boy down the street by the age of three. Mattsun was content by himself.
He led them in, not sure if he’d get scolded for having Makki track mud inside, but he figured it would be easy enough to clean. Besides, business was always slow on rainy days. He turned, searching behind the bar for either Mrs. or Mr. Tanaka, ready to ask for two mugs of hot chocolate when he felt a tug on his jacket pocket. He looked down, eyebrows furrowing as he saw the small hand of his shorter companion reaching into his pocket.
He didn’t think before he swung around, ready to push Makki away, but forgot about his instrument in his hands. The lute swung around full force, smacking the pink-haired boy upside the head, and the two froze as the bang seemed to echo through the almost empty tavern.
Mrs. Tanaka had moved to lean over the bar, startled by the noise and eyes wide as she took in the scene before her. Saeko had been by her side and had immediately started laughing after watching Mattsun’s reaction. Ryu had been upstairs, but if he were down here he would have been torn between laughing and helping the pair.
The two boys were frozen for a few seconds before Mattsun watched tears well up in Makki’s eyes before the shorter boy let out a watery hiccup. He was quick to burst into tears, the side of his temple and cheekbone a bright red that would definitely bruise.
Mattsun began panicking.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! You tried to pickpocket me and I got scared! I’m sorry! Please stop crying!” He had hot tears of frustration building in his eyes.
Mrs. Tanaka made her way over, wrapping some ice in a clothe as Mattsun began crying quietly, apologizing to the blubbering boy before him. She reached them, running her hand through Mattsun’s curls before kneeling down before the two.
“Okay okay, c’mon you two, let’s go sit down.”
She took them by the hands, leading them to an empty booth and sitting the two down. She was quick to press the ice to Makki’s face, brushing his wet hair from his forehead, cooing and shushing him. Mattsun had stopped crying, cheeks damp, and eyes a light tint of pink.
“He tried stealin’ from me, I wanted to tell him to stop. I didn’t mean to hit him with my lute, honest.”
She smiled softly, “I know you didn’t mean to, you wouldn’t do that Issei,” She turned to Makki, trying to keep her frown from scaring the boy, “Did you try stealing, honey?”
He was rubbing his eyes, cries quieting down, “I- I was only gonna take a little bit! Only a little I pro-pro-promise! Auntie taught me how to pickpocket, but I only do it when I n-need money for food I wasn’t gonna take it all!”
She frowned, “Do you not live with your parents?”
He shook his head as best as he could with her holding the ice to his head, “N-No ma’am, I lived with my a-aunt for a bit but she moved to somewhere else.”
Mrs. Tanaka frowned to herself, Why would an aunt not take her nephew? Especially one this young.
Mattsun frowned, thick eyebrows furrowing intensely, “You coulda asked .”
Makki sniveled pitifully, “Didn’t know if you’d h-help me.”
“I was bringing you in for hot chocolate!”
Mattsun takes back calling him a new friend, he was clearly an idiot who was also mean. He crossed his arms, huffing. Just when he thought he was able to branch out as Saeko had suggested, he had found a thief.
“Do you wanna have dinner here tonight?”
The two looked at Mrs. Tanaka with different emotions written on their faces, Mattsun with betrayal and Makki with awe. The pink-haired boy was quick to nod, tear-filled eyes shining with excitement. Mattsun leaned further back in the chair.
“Alright, hold this to your cheek for a bit longer, I’ll grab two plates and two hot chocolates, okay?”
Makki took the cloth from her, sniffling quietly as she walked away. He turned to Mattsun who was refusing to look at him.
“ ‘M sorry.”
Mattsun ignored him.
“I am! I didn’t mean to scare you or- or take a lot. I just wanted to get an apple from the shop I saw earlier.”
Turning his glare to Makki, he sneered, “You gotta learn to ask, you butt. If you had asked I woulda asked Mrs. Tanaka to make us dinner too, but you had to be rude!”
“Well, she’s making us dinner now,” He shrugged sheepishly, “Can- can we be friends?”
“No. You’re a thief and you’re mean.”
Makki’s face fell, “But- ”
“No, I don’t like you.”
The shorter boy’s response was cut off as Mrs. Tanaka came back with two bowls of vegetable soup and a small portion of bread. Makki eyed it with excitement, and Mattsun thanked her quietly.
“T-Thank you, ma’am!”
She smiled, ruffling his hair as Saeko came bounding up behind her.
“That was stupid,” Her voice was blunt as she spoke.
Mrs. Tanaka hissed a small, “Saeko”, at her, ushering her away from the table.
Makki put the ice pack down, grabbing the spoon before he paused, “Are you sure we can’t be friends?”
Mattsun glared, scooting his bowl away to sit further, “Yes, I’m sure.”
///
Autumn bled into winter, and windy cool days slowly became frosty and cool. Mattsun spent most of his days in the orphanage in the town, though he occasionally spent the night with the Tanakas. He felt bad for staying with them so often and not paying for the food he was given, though they insisted he was more than welcome to stay with them whenever he wanted. He was debating moving in with them, but with the cooler months coming in they had grown very busy with customers, so he had sat back.
It had also been a few months of Mattsun seeing Makki around the town, glaring at the pink-haired boy as he followed the taller boy around, excitedly rambling about the animals he saw or the people he met. Mattsun did his best to ignore him, but Makki was a force to be reckoned with.
It was a slower day, frost creeping up windows as the morning air was crisp and almost painful. Mattsun was bundled up, sitting outside of the orphanage, tracing his fingers over the carvings in his lute. He heard a set of footsteps creeping closer and sighed loudly. Hanamaki was here.
He looked up, ready to give him his best annoyed look but paused, eyes widening as he took in Makki’s state.
He had a gash on his forehead, a thin stream of blood falling down his temple, and his eyes were watery, but he was grinning, a proud look on his face. He held up his hands, a loaf of freshly baked bread still steaming, holding it up almost as an offering.
Mattsun stood, disregarding the food, “What happened to you?”
He received a shrug, “I’m okay, I got you some bread!”
Pushing the bread down from his face, Mattsun felt a dark feeling in his chest as he stared at the wound on Makki’s head, “Does it hurt?”
“A little bit, but it’s okay! It hurt more when you hit me with your guitar- ”
“It’s a lute.”
“But I’ll be okay! I got it for you, I know you don’t like talking to me a whole lot,” Makki’s shoulders fell some, a sad look crossing his face before he sent a small smile Mattsun’s way, “But I know you said you feel bad eating at the Tanakas all the time, and the orphanage doesn’t get much money from the kingdom. So I got you some bread! I figured you could eat like… half before bed, and the other half tomorrow night. I’ll get better at stealin’, so I can get you food and won’t get hurt as much. Means you won’t have to go to bed hungry tonight, or ever again!”
Mattsun’s cheeks felt warm as he stared at Makki, eyes tingling and nose twitching as he began tearing up some. Hanamaki had gone out of his way to steal him a loaf of bread because he had mentioned he had been hungrier lately, and he had gotten hurt because of it. All Mattsun had done lately was ignore Makki or snap at him. He let out a soft, sad noise, before stepping forward, hugging Makki tightly.
“Mattsun?”
“I’m sorry I’ve been so mean to you Makki!”
Makki patted his back with his free hand, laughing lightly, “ ‘S okay, I tried stealin’ from you when we met. I was mean then.”
Mattsun sniffled, “And I hit you with my lute, but then I was mean after then.”
He stepped back, rubbing his gloved hand over his nose, looking at the bread. His stomach rumbled, and he reached for it before hesitating.
“Do you… wanna split it?”
Makki lit up, but looked hesitant, looking at the bread briefly, “Are you sure?”
Mattsun nodded, “We can… eat it and talk? I think that’s what grown-ups do.”
Nose wrinkling, Makki stuck his tongue out, “Auntie told me grown-ups do that on dates. ”
The two walked off, in search of a bench or a hidden place to sit, “What’s a date?”
“I dunno, but I think it’s what married couples do.”
“Gross,” Makki nodded in agreement, and the two stopped walking as Mattsun pointed out a small corner down an ally, his usual spot to sit and play his lute.
The pair sat down, Makki ripping the bread in half as they began talking, Mattsun adding more to the conversation than he had months before. The early morning bled into the afternoon, and though the two were shivering and their teeth chattering they didn’t want to leave, laughing and joking together, making fun of the adults in town and poking fun at the castle and the royal family.
Once the cold got too much, Mattsun was ready to head to the Tanaka Tavern. He stood up, wiping away the loose crumbs from his shirt, looking curiously at Makki.
“Do you wanna come to the tavern with me?”
“Should… should I go there? Last time I went there I- I tried stealing from you.”
“You haven’t gone back since?” He remembered Mrs. Tanaka telling Makki he was welcome back any time, insisting he had a place he could turn to.
“No… I felt bad.” He shifted where he was sitting, wringing his fingers.
Mattsun sighed, “They won’t mind, Saeko will be happy I made a friend.”
The response was instant, Makki snapping up to look at Mattsun, an excited look on his face, “We’re friends?”
“Yeah, I mean, if you still want to be?”
Makki stood up, bouncing on the tips of his feet, a large grin on his face, “No going back on that! I’m gonna stick by your side all the time! Your best friend forever.”
Mattsun frowned, “Forever?”
“Mhm! Forever and ever, a bard and a ranger! Tale as old as time.”
“Aren’t you a thief?”
Makki shrugged, “Yeah, but, rangers are so cool. Bows and arrows look so fun to use! Plus it means I could defend you and hunt for you since we’re gonna be together forever.”
“What am I supposed to do for you then?” He felt bad if Makki was planning on doing so much for the pair.
Shrugging, the shorter boy waved a hand about, “You could just write songs?”
Mattsun shook his head, “I don’t wanna be a bard bard. Saeko said when she gets to own the tavern I can work with her, so maybe I’ll become a cook.”
“Yeah! I can hunt and you can cook and then we’ll have big family meals every night.”
Smiling, Mattsun listened as Makki rambled on about their future, telling him that he’s always wanted a pet cat, but always wanted a best friend more. He told Mattsun he filled that role quickly, and now all that was left was to get rich then get a cat. There was a part of his consciousness that told him his dream of getting rich wasn’t realistic, but there was a bigger part of him that was just flattered he was included in these plans.