Chapter Text
“…Maybe you should take your brother with you this time.”
“What? What are you saying? How do you expect me to take care of him with my studies? I’ll have less than half my work done per assignment if I take him with me for the semester.”
“You don’t understand dear. He’s having… problems here. The children won’t leave him alone. Your father’s going overseas again, and he’ll be all alone after you’re gone.”
“And what about his education? How am I supposed to keep track of his health? How will I even afford to live with another person? The city is expensive, ya’ know?”
“Well, your brother is a smart little boy, they’ll accept him into a school in the city, no problem! I can get his transfer papers. He’s a relatively healthy child, barely ever catches anything, he’s got all his shots. Daddy’s going to be sending you a good amount from Belgium. He’ll be able to cover for the both of you.”
“Mother…”
“Please dear. I can’t see him like this anymore. The clinic is constantly full and I can’t keep up with him. He needs someone and your father and I just can’t manage. A change of scenery would do him well.”
…
“…Alright, I’ll be leaving in a week, so his stuff needs to be packed in the next five days. I’ll do my best for him.”
“Thank you, dear. Your father and I are so proud of you…”
“Hey kiddo, you doing okay?”
Your brother nodded, softly, sighing and letting his head rest on his curled fist, propped up by his elbow on the thin metal windowsill. He sighed, long and slow.
"I like the sound the train makes.”
Your fingers brushed against his messy locks, gently weaving through along with the spring wind intruding in through the old-school metal barred, train window.
“I think I like trains…”
His pensive eyes remained stationed outside of the window, the scenery gradually shifting from bright green country grass, quaint family farms and unknown shrines to crisp red sunsets among vast empty hills and sparkling streams.
“Well, I’d think boys your age, more often than not, would like trains and stuff, no?”
You tried to hold up the conversation with him, his despondent face alerting you too late of your blunder.
“I don’t know…”
Oh.
You straightened yourself out in your seat and zipped up your jacket. Gosh, were you ever this moody when you were in the seventh grade? You rolled your shoulders in exhaustion. For a kid who's so wishy-washy about his likes and dislikes he sure seemed to know exactly what to pack overpack. Your phone buzzed and you glanced at your palm, a text. A text? From mother. What more does she want? She already pushed this kid on to you to raise alone while beginning a whole new semester! Geez...
'Be extra nice to your brother for me. You probably wouldn't know but he was pretty excited when I told him you were taking him with you, even if he doesn't show it. He's just a kid.'
A sigh escaped your lips as your shoulders dropped. Great, now you feel like a shit-sister. Thanks mom. You glanced in his direction, his eyes remained peering out of the large window, his unkempt hair continued to wave back from the wind hitting his face. You cleared your throat and your brothers gaze shifted to you.
“Listen, how about we do something together tomorrow? You and me. It’ll be fun. We’ll do anything you want.”
You gave him a suggestion to try and lift his spirits and in common childlike fashion, he perked up at the suggestion of a possible opportunity to explore his new home. He thought for a second with an uncommon twinkle in his eyes. He pointed his index up pointing.
“Can we eat some hamburger steak? From a restaurant?”
His eyes seemed to express a spark of simple excitement. Turning towards him, you leaned the side of your head on the rigid backrest of the seat and grinned.
“Anything you want.”
He scrambled to mimic your pose, his legs folded onto the seat and little lips pulled into a subtle smile.
“Okay…”
The harsh gliding of the train on its tracks continued as the two of you closed your eyes, momentarily dozing off for the rest of the ride.
“Are all of the little ones gone for the day?”
Old man Bang, hunched over in elderly fashion, legged over next to an exhausted looking Garou, who waved at the child waving back at him from the steps of the dojo.
“Yeah, the last little goblin just got picked up. Made all of em’ scrub the floors today before they left, heh. Serves em' right, my brain feels like sludge.”
Bang surveyed the now empty dojo, sighing. Garou ran his fingers through his hair, following Bang’s gaze.
"A handful- bunch of rascals, aren't they? Youthful and full of vigor, a promising batch indeed."
The young man let out a quiet laugh.
"If they weren't so little and stupid, Id've cracked their heads open by now. Too eager, the lot of em'..."
Bang knowingly nodded, nostalgically remembering his earlier days, not too far back but long enough to be a treasured memory to the senior. After all, this boy right next to him had caused quite a stir-up in his life, with his own flavor of hardiness.
"You weren't much different around that age, Garou. I can recall a cute little thing huffing and puffing through these very doors."
Garou reminisced about his adolescent years and how he had travelled far in search for his former master, stumbling into his dojo on that fateful day and passing out from exhaustion. Bang smiled under his silver mustache. Garou bashfully turned his head, so obviously embarrassed of his tad dramatic meeting with his master. Bang cleared his throat, a look of fondness still etched onto his wrinkles.
“So Garou, what do you make of this arrangement? “
Garou tilted his to his side, glancing back at his old mentor. He shrugged.
“I don’t know what yer’ talkin’ about, old man.”
Bang and Garou made eye contact momentarily as the elder patted Garou’s rigid shoulder.
“Have you gained any newfound clarity from your experience here? I mean not just your experiences of working here but also the ones you've had these past few years?”
Garou shrugged again.
“Listen old man…”
Garou stretched; cross arm stretches, shuffling away from Bang, concealing his face.
“I don’t care about anything as long as these kids get taught, and I get by. I’m grateful to ya’ for lettin’ me off easy the last couple of years but don’t count on anything. I still ain’t that… uh, what do you geezers call it…?”
He huffs, bonking his head a couple of times in thought.
“Integrated! I ain’t that integrated yet.”
Garou stood in his ‘ah-ha’ position, his finger pointed pointing up, Bang shook his head.
“Even so, you make a fine teacher. Thank you for the help.”
As great of a master as Bang was in Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, he had to face the reality of his age and come to terms with his aching bones. Bang, again, placed his hand on Garou, this time his hair, uncharacteristically ruffling it.
“The dojo has grown and so have you. I'm glad you're back here. With the influx of these new students and my lack of vitality, you've really pulled your weight. You seem to be able to manage them just as well as I would have in my prime.”
Garou scoffed, shaking Bang's hand off his already disheveled mane.
“I’ll get goin’ now. I’mma be back here early tomorrow.”
Bang nodded.
“Do not go to sleep on an empty stomach. Make sure to check the mailbox as well, grocery coupons might have been delivered in the afternoon and don’t forget to drop off the bills tomorrow…”
Bang handed Garou his bag, a simple black leather shoulder-carry, his blue eyes searching for acknowledgment of his words on his former student's face.
“Yeah yeah. Stop worryin’, jeez. I ain’t a kid…”
Bang let out an airy chuckle as Garou scurried out of the sliding doors of Bang’s dojo onto the stone steps under the night sky. Turning back, he locked eyes with his former mentor.
“But I wanna say...thanks, I appreciate yer’ patience.”
Bang closed his eyes, curtly nodding, ending their conversation on an understanding note. Garou slid the dojo door, closing it behind him as he stepped out. He walked through the mountain range, back to the train station, his empty apartment waiting for him.
He thought about what Bang had asked him earlier. What would Garou do? It's been about two years since his monsterification, two years since he set out on a mass hero-hunting spree, two years since he was 'reformed'... But really, what's changed? It's not like he's changed his mind about heroes, just toned his distaste down. Attended a reform program for a year and a half and graduated with superficial pride, worked for a while at different establishments and earned decently for himself but what the hell was he supposed to do now? After becoming Bang's 'junior' student again and whizzing through his training in record time (15 months), he realized the way of the fist is all he knew. So, he stayed back with Bang and worked on himself, becoming Bang's co-instructor. He seemed to be doing a good job, the kids were energetic, cute and their moms were nice but this arrangement still, as much as he loathes thinking about it, brought no purpose for him. Why is he here? Who is he? He doesn't even know himself enough to answer those questions. Should he just continue like this? It's not completely terrible but...
Whatever! Thinking about things that you can't do anything about just makes you hurt for nothin'. Curse that old geezer for making him think so hard!
"Tch, stupid old man..."