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Justin hadn’t shown up for practice today, missing for the first time since they started all of this. It was something that would stick out to Giriko as weird under normal circumstances, so with how things had been lately he was really fucking concerned.
It wasn’t likely at all that Giriko would manage to find him, he’d probably just need to wait until tomorrow’s class time to confront Justin about this. Or at least that was what he was expecting would be the case. Giriko had sort of looked around for Justin, but not very hard and not outside the gym area. He had been on his way home when he actually saw the kid again.
Giriko really didn’t know what he was thinking at first, what he was looking at. Justin was cornered behind the gym, far past it near the parking lot. He was refusing to make eye contact with the boy in front of him, some idiot with dirty brown hair and too many freckles. It wasn’t clear what they were doing just from looking, but it didn’t seem good.
They hadn’t noticed Giriko yet, stuck in their moment together and blind to the world around them. For a second Giriko thought it was a confession, a moment of love caught. It made a weird form of dread build in his stomach, but then things quickly changed. It made him feel a completely different kind of dread.
“Surely a guy like you has enough just to get me on a bus. I just need to get back home idiot.” Immediately Giriko’s mouth went dry, he felt frozen in place, in shock. It was the standard bullying sure, but also a play Giriko had dealt with plenty of times in his life. Had left him spitting on people a few times, bad memories mixed with the flavor of the nice rum Giriko definitely couldn’t afford anymore.
Shitty encampments, 3 streets over, less guilty looking because of the small distance. A terrible woman running up in a panic, thinking if she spoke fast enough the money would be passed over to her before any thoughts could pass the victim’s mind. Women were always the worst, felt so much more confident- thought somehow they could get away with far more because they never looked as dangerous as a man like Giriko.
They’d always be the innocent party in the eyes of the law.
Too bad there had never been law back there.
“I really don’t, and even if I did, do you really think I’d bring my wallet to school?” Justin’s voice snapped Giriko back out his memories, giving him a second to focus on the actual situation again. This wasn’t anything like that, these were not only brats but rich ones at a fucking puffy private school. Even something as miniscule as alcohol being switched between hands probably felt like a grand fucking heist.
“Yeah. What, do you never go out after classes? You have at least one friend, right?” There was something to say about the fact that they hadn’t noticed Giriko yet, but there was also something to be said about the fact he had started shamelessly watching from his spot in the parking lot. That guy had a good point, did Justin have friends? Giriko had never seen or heard mention of one…
“I do, but I’m too busy to waste my time with him on… silly things.” The words were barely said under Justin’s breath, and the last part was so quiet Giriko wasn’t even sure he had heard it. It almost sounded like it hurt Justin to say, but there wasn’t enough time to really dwell on it before the other boy scoffed.
“Fucking real shut in, huh?” Giriko really didn’t know Justin, did he? It was stupid that was what Giriko was getting from this but fuck, there was a surprising amount of Justin’s life being dragged out in this pathetic show. Still nothing that explained the marks on him though, this definitely didn’t seem to be going anywhere sexual.
“I suppose.” The parking lot grew colder, almost as if things lost tension with Justin’s sigh and bored agreeance with the other boy. It worked the kid up more, unhappy he wasn’t getting the reaction he wanted any more. Classic asshole that just wanted other’s misery to feel better about their own, Giriko could certainly get it but he didn’t have patience for it either.
“Shameless too then, don’t you have any fucking embarrassment in there? Acting like this all the time? As if everyone’s fucking beneath you when you never even do anything.” There was some rage there, the boy getting closer, close enough that Justin had to back up into the wall to keep their distance. When he got to the point where he couldn’t back up anymore though, the kid took his chance to reach out for the front of Justin’s uniform.
Justin was quick to stop it.
“Don’t touch me, my dad will get angry if you do that.” Those were the fucking firmest words Giriko had heard in his life, the fire in Justin’s eyes as he said that was absolutely terrifying even for a man like Giriko. They somehow didn’t really seem to be aggressive though, Justin was saying them as if he was just stating a fact. He probably was just stating a fact, but why the fuck did such simple shit sound so horrifying? Of course a father wouldn’t want their son beat up, so why did it feel different here?
“Fucking flexing your Daddy? Really?” Justin’s nose turned up into disgust, maybe even a bit of pity, it was hard to really pinpoint the right emotion here as the expression faded amazingly fast. It turned into something that looked like it could possibly be shame, but still wasn’t clear, felt almost as if it couldn’t be trusted after that last second of what Giriko now thought had to have been sheer anger.
“No! Uh, no… no I’d never want to do that.” Shy awkward voice, like the perfect pimpled round glassed boy being bullied in a movie. An amazing change that even the other boy didn’t seem to completely believe it. Obviously it was the reaction he wanted, but it wasn’t cooling his anger here at all. He rather knew it was straight up fake or it just wasn’t enough. Wasn’t enough to get him to forget that bite back, that threat Justin was giving him.
“Then what the fuck do you think you’re doing bringing up his money?” That brought Giriko back to attention for a second, remembering he was actually here and also surprised that that was the direction this kid was going with all of that. Not on topic really but a long hanging jealousy perhaps. It really hadn’t been what Justin was talking about, was it? Giriko wasn’t too sure but it seemed off base. He had heard rumors of Justin’s dad but also still hadn’t met him. Bastard was like a ghost.
A ghost that apparently stole Justin’s patience away because wow he was done with that play fast. Done with it the second he realized it wasn’t working.
“I wasn’t, I was trying to avoid more severe issues. For both our sakes.” Justin was getting aggressive back, spitting the words in frustration, finally reaching his limits with the comments on his dad. Violence seemed to be boiling under both of their skin now, of course the bastard who started it went for the first hit though.
“Fucker-” Giriko caught the boy’s wrist, having moved fast enough over to stop him mid strike. Trying to punch Justin but held back in an iron grip. At first the kid looked pissed, but when he looked behind him to see Giriko all the blood drained out of his face, not at all confused that he had suddenly got himself in a situation he absolutely did not want to be in.
“I’m sure you know this kinda shit is against school rules, brat. Don’t be an idiot and so obvious with it. You might get into something you’ll regret.” The threat was blatant and hissed out with such anger that it screamed Giriko was going to be the reason he’d fucking regret everything. It was definitely not how Giriko should be acting, threatening goddamn kids, but he didn’t care. He never really cared, he hated these brats, why could they never fucking listen?
Dropping the boy’s wrist, he watched the kid consider if he wanted to actually try fighting back here, against Giriko of all people. A true moron, but apparently one with enough sense to realize that absolutely would not be worth it and a terrible idea, sneering a bit before running for his life. The sneer alone was also pretty dumb to try but with how weak and scared it looked Giriko brushed it off with a huff.
Unfortunately Giriko’s glare didn’t fade when his eyes snapped back to Justin, looking over at his student backed up as far back into the wall as possible. Justin’s hands were even trying to grip onto the bricks in an odd desperation. He was scared of Giriko too, just as much as the other kid, if not more so.
It took a second, but Justin’s eyes eventually came back to meet Giriko’s own. Something between horror and amazement flashing behind his eyes. He looked scared, but not by Giriko, more about the consequences they might face for this. Fair, and smart to think of… but Giriko really wasn’t in the mood to think of it. His blood was still pumping from this mess, and his common sense had gone out the window long, long ago with this reaction.
So much in fact that when he walked back over, suddenly towering in front of the small boy that had done nothing but watch… he picked him right off the ground, settling Justin against his chest as he just started to go lock up just like that. Justin still wasn’t talking, in far too much shock, but he did give a warm gasp. Not exactly happy, but certainly not unhappy either. Just plain dull amazement.
“Alright we’re going home brat.” Justin almost gave himself whiplash looking up to Giriko, trying to place himself in a way where he could make eye contact and show how confused he was. It definitely worked. Giriko had to give a tired laugh at the expression he got, absolutely agreeing with the disbelief over this but still not changing his mind. He wasn’t fucking putting Justin down for anything.
“H-Home?” The shyness Justin was showing didn’t seem to be an act at all this time, he was actually shaking a bit and the way his hands fisted into the front of Giriko’s shirt screamed over active nerves.
“Yeah, you’ve been fucking worrying me sick this past week. I’m tired of it, I’m taking you back to my place so I can watch you for fucking once.” Justin’s hands twisted up even further in the front of Giriko’s shirt, his face turning hot enough that Giriko could feel it on his collarbones as Justin hid in his chest. It was cute, but Giriko was far too angry to really appreciate it right now. Especially because the tension the kid was holding himself in Giriko could tell he was more than just terrified by this.
It made sense, if Giriko was thinking right he’d probably be pretty fucking scared too. This obviously wasn’t something he should be doing, and when he switched the kid to one arm to hoist him up a bit further… his mind finally started to kick in to scream he was making a mistake.
He had time to stop this, using his free hand to mess with his keys he knew that every second here he was making a mistake. Time was passing, things were settling down… locking up the cold empty gym and getting his shit really gave him a moment where he could reflect on this. Justin wasn’t saying anything… Which was fucking surprising, and it gave Giriko way too much time to ruminate in his own head.
Mistake. Mistake. Mistake .
He fucking knew it was one… so why the fuck couldn’t he get himself to put Justin down?? It was almost like he was scared… but scared of what? That kid almost pissed himself running away and Justin was almost certainly just going to go home if Giriko didn’t fucking pick him up like a creep. Which… speaking of Justin, why the hell was he just sitting here, completely fine with being carried and not saying anything at all?
More than that, Giriko was at a loss as to why Justin was seeming to actually be calming down in his arms. The earlier scarecrow-like stiffness had completely vanished and now Justin was holding him back, arms soft around Giriko’s neck. It didn’t seem like Justin wanted to be let go anymore, if he even had in the first place, and also seemed to want to make this mistake…
Acting almost like a little koala right now…
That was pretty much the nail in the coffin. Giriko was taking this stupid brat home. Just for today… just until he figured out what was going on…