Chapter Text
A couple things changed for Kei when he turned eight. For one, he started getting taller than most of the other boys in his class, which made him stand out far more than he cared to. For another, he noticed Akiteru’s voice getting lower. Not in the sense of getting deeper, which it had as a result of Akiteru’s growing older – this was something he would learn happened to all boys later on – but in the sense that Akiteru would start whispering around him the same way his parents would. Those low, hushed, desperate tones that Kei knew meant the topic of discussion was one he wasn’t supposed to know about. Things he was too young for that he ended up finding out about anyway, considering Akiteru was terrible at keeping his bedroom door shut.
When he turned eight, Kei decided that he was proud of his family business. It was like belonging to a family of superheroes, except far cooler. Akiteru joined his parents in the Miyagi branch of the Organization right when he entered high school in their juniors department, and Kei always watched with awe when Akiteru came home from a mission, covered in leftover sweat from volleyball practice, dark circles under his eyes, and grit and blood on his cheeks. And then he’d head up to his room and sit on the floor to do his homework. It was no surprise that Akiteru didn’t have much time for him anymore. Kei respected that about him. In fact, he resolved to do the same thing when he turned fifteen. Balancing domesticity and agency life was something the Tsukishima family did best, after all.
A few months after Kei turned eight, he confronted his parents about the Organization. His father had laughed and called him a “natural.” Kei had beamed proudly. They didn’t tell him everything, of course – this was something he would learn later on that he would come to resent – but they told him the purpose of the Tsukishima family. The Tsukishima family were observers. The Tsukishima family helped to protect Japan. The Tsukishima family saved lives. Akiteru stopped lowering his voice after that, shooting a knowing grin his way when he spoke up to the glaring disapproval of their mother.
Two other important things happened after Kei turned eight: one was that he stopped being afraid of thunderstorms. The other was that his eyes changed color. The two were directly related, and both would be forever remembered to Kei as inconsequential, monumentally insignificant factoids that affected his life forever. And that was because both were the result of meeting and befriending Yamaguchi Tadashi.
The day had begun just like any other day: Kei had gotten up and greeted Akiteru’s empty bedroom, dressed himself, had oatmeal and toast made by his mother for breakfast (which he finished only because his mother threatened him), and began heading to school at the normal time. Akiteru had recently bought him a pair of headphones, which he utilized to their fullest potential when he fell into a mood and didn’t want to deal with people. They were noise-cancelling and just one size too big for his ears and he loved them. Kei had begun to develop a reputation at school for being caustic and mean. The other kids were sometimes intimidated by his height, and if he said the right combination of words, he could make sure they never came near him again. Kei regarded this as his superpower, a direct result of coming from a family of “superheroes,” and used it frequently. His parents didn’t seem to mind his lack of friends. Kei slipped the headphones on, and almost immediately slipped them back off when movement to the left caught his eye.
He barely recognized them. They were clearly from his school since they wore the same uniform, and he thought maybe one of them was in his class. They were chasing after a smaller boy and laughing at him. Kei felt a scowl morphing onto his face as he slowly approached, figuring he’d say something to scare them off and maybe tell a teacher later. It fit in with the Tsukishima family duty. As he drew close, the bullies threw their backpacks at the smaller boy, and said something about his freckles. They stopped and turned when they noticed him. A grin slid onto his face almost too naturally. He said the first thing that came to mind.
“Lame.”
It worked, though not necessarily to the extent Kei would have hoped. The bullies hesitated a second before the one ran up to him shouting that it was him that was the lame one, stupid four-eyes. Kei had laughed at that, sneering down at them as they grabbed their bags and ran away. The smile dissipated instantly as they left the small boy. Kei simply sighed and turned away, not really sparing the boy an extra glance. He could swear that he felt his chocolate eyes boring holes in the back of his head as he walked away, however, and somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt a pang of regret.
To be honest, the rest of the school day after that was pretty uneventful. Kei was an expert at ignoring the cacophonous din of his classmates, throwing his headphones on during break and slipping into the relaxing thrumming of the beat in his head. He ate his bento in peace, and took a brief walk around the halls to stretch out his legs, only barely aware of the meek, timid stare following him. His mind was preoccupied with much more important things, like developing his spike to Akiteru’s standard. Akiteru had asked him not to come watch his high school games, and was always preoccupied with his classes and practice, not to mention the Organization.
He toyed with the watch Akiteru had made during afternoon classes, finding the chain interesting for his fidgeting fingers, and the shifting colors entertainment for his eyes. Akiteru had been showing an interest in engineering, tinkering with various items in his room. He had set himself on fire more than once, adding burns to the list of things he frequently came home with. His first ‘invention’ was actually more of a fancy gift, given as an apology for being gone all the time. It had the appearance of a glass tube filled with mercury that changed color according to the temperature and shape according to the time. When asked the point of it, Akiteru had said that it was ‘just something nice.’ Kei vowed never to take it off. It was hovering between pink and yellow, meaning it was mild out for late November. He could probably practice spiking outside in the yard for a little bit before it got dark. The meek stare lingered unobtrusively on his shoulders.
After school let out, and Kei finished his chores, he swung his bag over his shoulder, slid his headphones over his ears, and walked home. His eyes flicked over to the spot where he’d found those guys from his school picking on the freckled kid. The entrance to the local park, with its large iron gate that was hardly ever closed properly at night and its large playground that had been vandalized more than once as a result of the poorly kept gate. There was a large open field, lined with Sakura saplings and peppered with maple groves that cast pleasant shadows over the sidewalk and filled the air with sweet perfume when they all bloomed in the springtime. Kei glanced at the bare branches and suddenly overcast skies and sighed, inhaling thick petrichor. He turned up the volume on his music player as he began the long walk home, the electronic buzz drowning out the whisper of the cold wind that tossed the branches above. The back of his mind recognized that the meek stare had stopped following him after that.
He managed to get home with enough daylight left for some spiking practice, cut short by raindrops hitting his cheeks. He frowned up at the mutinous sky that had been so clear and bright just that morning, and continued spiking through the growing downpour until his mother shrieked out the window to come in before he caught a cold.
It darkened quickly after that, more quickly than Kei would have considered normal. Akiteru came home just as Kei was being sent to bed, saying something about practice being cut short due to the ‘freak storm’ that was brewing outside. Just as he spoke, a rumble of thunder rolled through the air, sending shivers down Kei’s spine. He never liked thunderstorms. They were too loud, and sometimes sent branches hurtling at his window, once hard enough to break the glass in the pane. And thunder meant lightning, which he had seen strike a power transformer on the side of the street once before. The flash had been enormous, the explosion of sound deafening. The transformer had sparked blue twice before exploding, sending smoke from the curdling machine that left an acrid, metallic flavor in his throat and angry purple flames down the street, knocking out the power for a whole day.
“Kei-chan? Aren’t you heading to bed?” his mother asked. A flash outside, followed by the abrasive noise caused Kei to jump on the stairs, effectively giving his mother her answer. She ushered him up the stairs and put him to bed with the promise of hot chocolate if he woke up during the storm. Kei tried to steady his breathing and relax through the growing storm, the flashes and booms, though infrequent, began coming louder as the rain pattered against the glass. The trees outside flailed frantically in the wind, as if crying out for someone to keep their limbs from being torn from them and mercilessly tossed away.
Kei practiced breathing for a long time. Long enough for his mother and brother to each come check on him once. It was after he’d finally relaxed enough to think about sleep when it happened. A particularly close explosion sent Kei rocketing out of bed, forehead drenched in cold sweat. Grabbing his glasses from the bedside table, Kei leaped from his bedroom, hoping the offer of hot chocolate still stood. As he made his way down the stairs, he heard the low voices talking.
“Yes, I understand, Shimizu-san,” his father was saying. “We’re gearing up now.”
“Is there any lead on a location?” his mother asked, the sound of fabric being pulled up arms and items clipped to belts accentuating the sternness in her voice. Kei’s heart fluttered. This was a call from the Organization!
“Not any closer than our area,” his father responded hurriedly. “Yes, Shimizu-san, we’re heading out now. I understand. Thank you.”
“Is it anything I can help with?” Akiteru asked.
“I don’t think so,” his father answered. “There’s an Enhanced in the area. We don’t have a specific location. We’ll have to go out looking.”
“You stay here and keep an eye on your brother,” his mother ordered. “You know he dislikes thunder. You’ll need to be here for him if he wakes up.”
“Alright,” Akiteru agreed. “I’ll keep eyes on my monitors too. If I see anything strange, I’ll call you.”
His parents left, leaving Kei frozen on the lowest step, hidden from his brother’s view. An… Enhanced? Kei had heard the term before from eavesdropping, but never fully understood it. From what his parents had made it sound like, they were sort of like superheroes too, only scarier. Enhanced, unlike his family, actually had superpowers. They’re going to find an Enhanced! Kei thought. A smile broke across his face, despite the thunder. A nervous coil wound in his abdomen. He wanted to help, and here was his chance. All he had to do was slip out the door before Akiteru noticed. Wouldn’t his parents be surprised! His father would laugh and call him a “natural” again. Maybe he would be allowed to join the Organization early.
The sound of Akiteru’s feet shuffling towards the sitting room was all he needed. Kei pounced on his jacket, sliding it on as silently as possible. He slipped his shoes over his socked feet, and took a deep breath, once again trying to steady his syncopated heartbeat. He pulled the door open and shut it behind him, bolting from the threshold hopefully before Akiteru realized where the noise had come from.
It was pouring rain, and the wind was howling in his ears. Kei pulled his hood over his head, and glanced at Akiteru’s watch, noting the icy blue color it radiated. He ran down the street, looking around for any sign of an Enhanced. There was nothing, of course. Nobody rational would be out in the rain this late at night. Kei wandered the streets, the adrenalin of his initial escape wearing off quickly in the chill of the storm. The rumbles of thunder ricocheted off the thick black clouds and reverberated against Kei’s spine. Forks of electric energy illuminated the sky in quick bursts, stretching out overhead like mangled fingers reaching down for him; getting closer with each second, striving for his skin, falling short every time. The icy rain pelted against his hood, soaking through the shoulders of his jacket. Kei shivered as he roamed the street corners. His glasses were dripping on his cheeks, making it hard to focus. Why was he out here again, missing out on hot chocolate and Akiteru time?
Because I’m a Tsukishima too!
He yelped loudly as another bolt ruptured the sky, exploding as it made its connection with the earth. How was he supposed to find the Enhanced? He had no idea what an Enhanced looked like, much less where to find one. Kei looked to the open sky and pouted. If only there wasn’t this storm messing with the timing of his heart and the pace of his breathing as if it were some percussionist beating against his stretched-canvas chest, frightening him out of his thoughts. He was anxious enough about finding an Enhanced with superpowers all on his own.
Kei’s train of thought came skidding to a halt. He glanced at the sky again, this time with eyes wide, and his grin returning. The Enhanced were feared for a reason, and thunderstorms were the scariest things Kei could think of. In his mind, the connection was inevitable.
I just need to find the middle of the storm, Kei thought. The Enhanced will be where the storm is strongest.
He took several deep breaths, the next thunderclap syncing with his heartbeat instead of interrupting it. The wind seemed to change direction, turning his head to the right. The next mangled finger in the sky stretched down that road. Kei steeled himself, and started running. He ran for what seemed like hours, sloshing through puddles and leaping over torn branches, letting mangled fingers and explosions now joined by the quiver of the earth receiving them guide him. He followed down dark alleys, their street lamps having been killed hours ago. The back part of his mind found a familiar route to follow. The anticipation caused his heartbeat to thrash against his ribcage, empowered by the militant thunder, and his grin widened as he felt the air charge with static. He was getting close.
Kei stopped at the next street crossing, looking up at where the storm had led him. It was the heavy iron gate of the park, slick with rainwater. Another mangled hand instantly reached down from the sky, slashing at the earth not a kilometer away. The ground ruptured, and Kei was blasted off his feet. Kei froze to the ground, stupefied by the sight. He had never known lightning could be so forceful. Perhaps he shouldn’t go in…
A wailing sound changed his mind. Kei straightened up and listened through the wind and thunder. The cries fractured the rickety groan of the maple branches, the howl of the wind. There were no animals or birds in sight, as far as he could tell. Kei sucked in a breath. There’s somebody in there, he thought. Slowly, Kei pushed himself unsteadily to his feet. He approached the iron gate and pushed lightly. It swung open with a strangled creak.
The static tincture in the air was suffocating. Kei could feel the fine hair on the back of his neck reaching for it. The warning he’d heard on television about lightning and hair flashed through his mind. Kei swallowed painfully, as the possibility seemed inevitable now, almost proven by the hands that seemed to rip down every second, clawing at treetops and utility poles. Kei looked down at the ground and practically saw the grass under his feet glowing with their power. Deciding it would be in his best interest to move more carefully, Kei slowed his pace. The constant crashing overhead threw his heartbeat out of synch once again, and his breath came in far more ragged than he would care to admit.
The wailing sound grew louder, prompting Kei forward. He pulled his hood closer around his face, shivering from the cold that had sunk under his skin through the soaked cloth on his back. The better part of him was screaming that this was a mistake; that he should turn around and go back to Akiteru. Another lightning bolt struck the open field and lingered far longer than Kei deemed necessary, prompting immediate investigation. No! Go back to Akiteru! You’re going to stick out in the field and die!
Kei turned the corner around the giant slide. He suddenly felt the prickle of static course through him, and locked eyes with electric blue. With a fearful gasp, he dove under the slide and covered his ears as ions met in mid-air, lighting up the sky and causing the small boy standing there to scream in agony over the explosion of thunder. Kei opened his eyes and shuddered, feeling the power surge through the ground as the boy choked on his own scream, only going quiet as the power died out. His breath came in short and rigid. Sensing a split second of quiet, Kei chanced a look. Go back to Akiteru right now!
Kei’s heart stopped just in time for another thunderbolt to strike, igniting the freckles all over his body and charging his tears with sparks. He whimpered more pathetically than he had when Kei had seen him this morning, and when the bolt finally dissipated, crackles of electricity jumped from one dark blotch on his skin to the next. The unnatural glow in his eyes chilled Kei’s core faster than the rain ever could. The boy slumped over, staggering over towards the metal bars lining the playground staircase. As soon as he touched them, electricity coursed through him, causing yet another lightning bolt to strike him down from the heavens.
Kei scrambled away, hiding further behind the slide, shaking. His eyes were blown wide. Was he the Enhanced? Shooting lightning bolts out of his body? What do I do? I found him, but there’s nobody else around! I don’t even have a cell phone to call mom!
The boy was crying, and even his tears seemed to send power surges through the ground. He let out another pathetic whine, trying to find some way to sit down without getting shocked. I need to get out of here. I need to get back to Akiteru right now! If he sees me he might panic and shock me and then I’ll die!
Kei shifted his weight, ready to run away. His entire thought process shifted from being here with the Enhanced, to running straight back in the direction he’d come from. Screw the thunderstorm. Screw being a Tsukishima! He wanted to be back in his house with Akiteru instead of suffocating on static-filled air that made his hair stand up, drenched through his clothes and shivering, trapped under a playscape and too paralyzed by fear to move away from someone that could very easily kill him.
“M-mo oom!” the boy croaked. “I h-urt!”
Kei’s stomach clenched, his eyes flicked back to the lightning-boy.
“It… hurts…”
His smaller body spasmed with the electricity pulsing through it. He could barely take a step without stumbling and causing another bolt of lightning to strike. The sounds falling from his cracked lips made Kei’s chest ache, and his stomach do flips. Kei wiped his glasses off with his sleeve, and suddenly noticed the cuts and bruises all over him. Almost his entire left side and a part of his chest was crusted over with dried blood. Kei felt dry heaves coming. He clutched at his sides.
“He-elp, I hurt!” he sobbed. “Make it... stop, please!”
Thunder exploded directly overhead. The boy’s body convulsed. He was going to get shocked again. Kei didn’t think he could bear to hear another strangled sob.
Screw thunderstorms.
Kei leaped out from behind the slide and into view. The boy’s glowing, half-lidded, electric blue eyes locked onto his. His hand reached out. Moving on instinct alone, Kei leaped forward and grabbed the boy, feeling his weight collapse against him as his right hand met his left. He felt something hard crunch between their sealed palms.
There was a flash, an explosion, then pain shooting up his right arm, his veins illuminating under his skin where the energy coursed through him, the sight of lightning curling on the smaller boy’s back, flickering and fluttering like feathers in the wind. The feeling of falling backwards. Then nothing.
When he woke the next day in the hospital, surrounded by his hysterical family (“Don’t ever sneak out of the house like that again!
” “Kei-chan, we were so worried!” “I nearly had a heart attack when I saw you were gone!”), Tsukishima Kei learned that two things had occurred. One, he found that he was no longer frightened by the idea of thunderstorms. Two, the color of his eyes had turned from dark brown like the rest of the Tsukishima family, to a vibrant, brilliant gold.
The day after that, as he was walking into the club gym, he was confronted by the small freckled boy who called himself Yamaguchi Tadashi, smiling meekly under his golden stare and fidgeting in place as if he had absolutely no memories of what had occurred in the park. Yamaguchi laughed nervously. His chocolate brown eyes looked everywhere except Kei’s general direction. He immediately bowed deeply, and struck up a conversation about volleyball, praising Akiteru. Kei felt his cheeks heating.
“What’s your name?”
“Tsukishima Kei.”
“Okay. Nice to meet you, Tsukki!”
And just like that, everything had changed.