Chapter Text
It's a cold night, though it's not quite winter anymore. A few flowers are blooming, trees finally regaining their green leaves. Still, wind blows through the streets, unnoticed by most people who are peacfully sleeping in their beds. The clock on the wall is ticking, barely audible over the shaking of their window in its frame.
Just like most of the things in their apartment, the window is old and no longer quiet good enough to keep out the cold. Their heater isn't working very well either. They barely have enough money left to pay their rent, so they don't have any money for luxuries like heating or warm water. At least they still have electricity, but they fear that it will soon be gone as well.
Curled up under a few blankets are two children, staring out of the window at the night sky. Although they live in a large city, their apartment is located in a part of it where there isn't much traffic, so the night sky is usually quite so clear.
The boy, round-faced with spiky, disheveled hair, is clenching his fist as anger a surges through him. He is stubborn and angry that his attempt to give his sister his sweater has failed.
The girl, who would not take her brother's sweater just to be a little warmer, is also staring up at the sky, but instead of a scowl, her eyes are wide open, glancing from the rattling window to the closed door of the room they are in.
They don't talk about it, for their opinions are far too different for them to come to an understanding, but the girl waits for any sign of her parents, who have disappeared weeks ago. The father, a stoic and dismissive man, has left them with a pile of money, not the first time but for the longest time in their lives. And the woman, who should have been their mother, has vanished even longer ago, leaving nothing for the children to remember her by.
The boy mumbles, "Tsumiki..." as his lips tremble from the cold.
"Yes?" The girl responds, her eyes on the boy while she tries to compose herself and act as if nothing is wrong.
With furrowed brows Megumi says, "They are not coming back."
Tsumiki chuckles gently, but it's clear that she's fforcing t by the way her eyes watee. "No, Megumi. They will be back. You know how they are. They have always come back before."
Megumi just shakes his head, grabs Tsumiki's hand, and climbs onto the bed, the frame squeaking as he lays down, followed by his sister. Together, they barely take up one-third of the bed, their little bodies huddled together in the center, wrapped in the aapartment's few blankets that are not covered in holes or mysterious stains.
For a while, they stare up at the ceiling before the late hour catches up to them, as their eyes close and their breathing evens out.
The calm is short-lived, as a few hours later, they are startled out of their slumber by a crash.
This time, it's not the wind beating against their window; instead, it's something far more dangerous, which the two children are unaware of as they stare straight ahead, their bodies fighting against the sleep they were ripped from.
Megumi, through means he does not comprehend yet, abruptly leaps up, as his senses seem to sharpen. Quiet shuffling outside their room. His heart begins to race.
His sister wipes her eyes and gives him a worried look. "What's going on, Megumi? Did you have a nightmare?"
The boy in question looks at the door to their room, ignoring her. Then, in an instant, he takes Tsumiki by the hand, pulls her off the bed, and pushes her down until she is hidden behind the bed. A moment later he covers her with all the blankets that previously laid on the bed.
Tsumiki is slow to react before she attempts to shove the heavy blankets from her. "Megumi! What?" She grumbles in annoyance, but quiets down when her head finally breaks through the fabric and she sees his face.
Tsumiki is the only one to notice that despite the almost constant expression of seriousness on Megumi's face, there is always a childlike sparkle in his eyes. In the little times they spent together, not even their parents were able to see past his grave expression.
However, this- there is no sign of softness, childishness, or a smile so small that it would go unnoticed by someone unfamiliar with Megumi's facial expressions. Just a blank face. The unfamiliar coldness of it makes Tsumiki shiver and quiet down
Despite being covered with numerous blankets, she feels as if the room becomes colder, a weird thought for which she had no explanation. Suddenly all the noise disappear from the room. Then the door swings open forcefully, colliding with the wall with a loud thud, breaking the silence.
Moonlight filters through the window, casting a dim glow that barely illuminates the three figures standing in the doorway. Towering over the two children, their menacing presence is accentuated by the weapons they hold.
Without bothering to search for the light switch, the trio scans the room until one of them suddenly screams and collapses to the ground.
The remaining two immediately tense up, scanning the room for any signs of danger, but pause as they don't detect any. That is, until a second cry pierces the air. Another one them stumbles but manages to keep their footing, only for their eyes to meet a shadowy figure lurking in the darkness.
'Weird' The man thinks. Despite the darkness in the room, he is unable to distinguish any details about the small figure standing before him. He can figure out that it is a person, sure, definitely a child, but he cannot perceive any specific features. There is no face, no expression, just a figure seemingly made entirely out of darkness.
He nudges his partner and gestures towards the child, making his partner to laugh and look down at the young boy. "Well, it appears that this apartment is not as abandoned as we initially thought. Quite a feisty little one, isn't he?"
The man catches the pan that the boy attempts to strike him with, preventing himself from being hit just like his partners. The child stubbornly clings onto the pan, but is lifted into the air, his small body not heavy enough to trouble the man, before reluctantly letting go and glaring up at the men.
Even though they far outnumber the boy, an involuntary shudder runs down their backs.
The man, nursing his knee, turns to his partner, who swings the rusted pan in his hand. "Hey, Aki. Wasn't this supposed to be that Jujutsu-lacking man's apartment? What's some brat doing here?"
The man that was hit first, finally heaves himself onto his legs and examines the boy.
"You figure he had some kind of affair? That's probably why they threw him out in the first place."
A hum fills the apartment as Aki plays with the pan. Then a grin appears on his face. "If that brat is his bastard, then he'll pay a pretty amount for him. Wouldn't you say so? And if that asshole doesn't, his clan would. Can't have a successor and blemish on the family running around freely."
Then his eyes land on the boy again. Said boy continues staring them down, his fists clenched and body shaking in unconcealed fear. "And just look at him. That brat probably has a Technique running through his veins."
The other two quiet down. The first man gulps nervously. "Are you sure, boss? They said our target wouldn't have Jujutsu."
A hand hits him over the head. "Calm down, Harada! It's just some stupid brat. Anyway, Aki, aren't kids supposed to develop their Techniques at an older age? How old is this kid? Four?"
Aki shakes his head with a smirk. "That's exactly it, Funai! If this kids got his Technique it must mean he's some kind of prodigy. Just like that Gojo clans brat. The Zenin will pay well for returning him."
His hand shoots out and he grabs the child by his arm. "You'll come with us, won't you?" A smile appears on his face. "Your dad sent us to pick you up."
The boy's eyes meet his, and the man's smile widens. Suddenly, he yells as a foot kicks into his knee with surprising strength.
"Oh, you brat will regret this!" He yells before grabbing the boy around the throat and dragging him forward. The boy struggles, his fingers clawing at the hand choking him in vain.
His two accomplices surround the young boy, restraining him by grabbing his arms and stuffing a cloth into his mouth. The man let's Megumi's throat go a moment later, taking pleasure in the boy gasping for air.
"If you weren't worth so much, you'd be dead!" They warn him, walking towards the door completely ignoring the trashing boy in the arms of Harada.
Before they can leave the room, an object strikes Harada's head, causing him to stumble forward and inadvertently release the boy in his surprise.
The other two men turn around, just as the previously abandoned pan clatters to the ground. Standing in the center of the room is a previously unseen child. In contrast to the boy, her features are clearly visible, illuminated by the moonlight. Clutched in her hands is a small knife, it's sharp edge gleaming in the darkness.
Aki whistles. "You've got some guts, kid." A dangerous glimmer appears in his eyes. "But you're just as foolish as the other brat."
He takes a step forward, attempting to grab the girl who holds the knife in trembling hands, tears streaming down her face, when a heavy weight pounces on him, causing him to topple forward with a thud.
Megumi leaps onto his back, then positions himself in front of Tsumiki with a menacing glint in his eyes. His gaze shifts from one man to the other as they all rise to their feet, emanating anger from their bodies.
Tsumiki whimpers, and Megumi briefly glances at her before turning back around, a murderous glare on his face as he takes the knife from the girl's grasp, almost slicing one of the men's hands as they attempt to grab him.
His defiance is short-lived, despite his best effort, as he's quickly overwhelmed by the force of the three men who effortlessly snatch the knife from his grasp and push him down.
As he struggles to regain his footing, he is startled by a yelp, causing him to whip around. To his horror, he sees one of the men holding his sister mid-air, with a knife pressed against her throat.
"Now, let's all remain calm, shall we?" Aki condescendingly suggests, a smug smile on his face. "It appears that this girl is important to you. Unfortunately for her, I have no need to keep her alive. So, here's the deal. You stay calm, and she stays alive. Understood?"
Megumi's heart races, his hands trembling as he gazes at Tsumiki's terrified expression. He takes a hesitant step forward, only to freeze when the man applies more pressure, causing a few droplets of blood to trickle down her skin. A whimper breaks the tense silence, as Tsumiki's mouth moves soundlessly. Megumi doesn't need to hear her words to understand what she's telling him.
Run
Anger surges through him, overpowering his fear. Before he knows it, he blacks out, a blinding flash of light filling his vision before darkness embraces him.
When he regains consciousness, he finds himself sprawled on the ground, his head throbbing with pain and his body aching like that time he evaded a police officer for twenty minutes after being caught shoplifting groceries due to their lack of money.
Tsumiki was so mad at him. Tsumiki...
He sits up abruptly, ignoring the pain coursing through his body, and searches for the three criminals. What he discovers are three motionless figures sprawled on the ground, blood pooling beneath them, and a massive monster looming over them.
Megumi takes a frightened step backward, only to be enveloped in a tearful embrace by his sister.
"M-megumi!" She sobs. "D-don't ever do something like that again! I was so scared."
Megumi remains silent, returning her embrace just as tightly, burying his face in her sweater.
Their moment is interrupted by the sudden appearance of another figure beside them. Megumi lifts his gaze, only to find the monster staring down at them. Acting on instinct, he springs to his feet, grabs the knife, and attempts to stab the monster.
The creature easily avoids the attack and continues to gaze down at them. Tsumiki takes hold of Megumi's hand and gently pries his fingers away from the knife before discarding it to the side.
"Stay calm..." She whispers, her eyes on the monster. "It helped us... I believe."
Megumi makes a questioning sound, tightening his grip on Tsumiki's hand.
"Well, it suddenly appeared and dealt with those guys before...calming down and inspecting them? Oh God, do you think it killed them?"
Seeing his sister's distress, the young boy shakes his head and approaches the men, carefully avoiding the monster. He kneels beside one of the men and stares down at him, noticing the rise and fall of his chest. Megumi glances up at his sister and gives her a thumbs up.
The girl lets out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad," she says, regaining her composure. "Alright, Megumi. Why don't you pack some of your clothes while I prepare some food for us?"
Megumi tilts his head. Tsumiki offers him a shaky smile. "W-well, we should call an ambulance for the men and also probably the police, but dad always told us not to trust anyone that has to do with the police."
She anxiously wrings her hands together. "We need to leave. I'm not sure where to go, but we'll figure it out."
Megumi ponders for a moment before shrugging. Their apartment wasn't particularly important to him anyway. All that matters is that his sister is safe and by his side.
Tsumiki smiles and exits the room, while Megumi retrieves a bag from the closet and begins packing their limited amount of clothes. Once finished, he grabs two smaller blankets and secures them on top of the backpack. He then turns around, picks up a smaller bag, and cautiously steps over the growing pool of blood as he heads into the bathroom.
In the bathroom, he retrieves a box that his father used for treating wounds and a small plastic object that his father's friends used to ignite those unpleasant sticks that would make their apartment stink for weeks. Fire is good for when it's cold, isn't it? He remembers seeing it on TV once.
Upon returning to the room, he picks up the discarded knife and tucks it into his pocket. Then, he rushes out again to meet his sister in the hallway. He hands her the smaller bag, and she proceeds to fill it with a few boxes and water bottles.
After taking one last glance around the apartment, she helps Megumi in putting on his shoes, before placing a hat on his head and wrapping a scarf around his neck.
She also dresses herself and reenters the apartment to get the phone. Megumi tunes out their conversation, uninterested in anything other than escaping from here. After a few minutes, his sister returns and takes his hand, leading him out of the apartment. Megumi gazes at the ground, observing as his feet stir up dust and dirt.
After walking in the darkness for a while, Tsumiki lets out a trembling breath before softly laughing. "I'm not sure what to do, Megumi." she admits. "Now mom and dad won't be able to find us when they come back-" her voice breaks.
Megumi slowly looks up, only to be startled by the tears running down her face. With wide eyes, he rushes towards her and hugs her. She clings to the back of his jacket with trembling fingers. "Don't worry, Megumi, we'll figure it out. I believe that when Dad realizes we're gone, he'll find a way to find us. We just need to stay safe."
Megumi knows that Tsumiki is holding onto false hope, that their dad will never return, but he remains silent. He doesn't have the heart to tell her.
Tsumiki slowly releases Megumi and takes his hand again. "Let's go, it's almost morning, so we'll need to find a place to stay until afternoon. Otherwise, people will think we're skipping school and notify the police-" she pauses, causing Megumi to turn and see what interrupted her.
In front of them, the monster from their apartment stands. When they left the apartment, the monster didn't follow them, so Megumi assumed it would stay there, but now it's here, staring down at them.
Outside, under the street lights, Megumi finally gets a proper look at the monster. It's enormous, with white skin and a face that lacks eyes. Instead, there are small wing-like appendages where it's eyes should be. Its hands are red, although Megumi suspects they're not naturally like that. Probably drenched in blood. Strangely enough, the monster stands on two legs and even wears pants.
Through the fear, Megumi finds himself confused by the pants. Is this creature a monster or a man? Why is it wearing pants?
"Well... um, Megumi, listen to me. RUN," she yells, pulling him along as she starts running. He doesn't resist, but his gaze remains on the monster. It simply stands there, and Megumi wonders if it can even move its legs, as he has only ever seen it rooted to the ground.
As they turn a corner, Tsumiki begins to slow down, gasping for breath. They think they're safe until the monster suddenly appears right in front of Tsumiki. She lets out a small yelp at the creature's sudden appearance.
The creature continues to stare down at them, despite not having any eyes. Tsumiki trembles with fear, and Megumi observes this before stepping forward. He raises a hand and reluctantly whispers, "Hello."
The creature tilts its head, its face wings fluttering. It remains like that for a while, not reacting. Megumi and Tsumiki remain frozen, a mixture of fear and confusion overwhelming them.
Then, the creature bends down so that its face is in front of Megumi's. The monster exhales, making Megumi's hair flutter. Now that it is so close, Megumi can feel how warm the monster is. He wants to touch it, his hands twitching at his sides. The outside air is chilly, but the being is as warm as the kotatsu they used to have before their father sold it for what he called "easy money."
The boy takes a step towards the being, but before he can touch it, Tsumiki pulls him back.
"Megumi! Be careful, don't you remember what it did to those men?"
Megumi shrugs. "It protected us?" He pushes Tsumiki off and reaches out to touch the creature. Its skin feels weird and leathery, but the warmth is so inviting that he moves even closer. The being allows him to touch, raising its head slightly, but otherwise remains still. In the background, he can hear Tsumiki whimpering.
After a moment, he turns around, grabs Tsumiki, and urges her towards the being as well. He notices her shoulders relax slightly upon feeling the warmth.
"Oh-" she whispers and touches the monster's arm.
They remain huddled like that until the sun begins to rise and the streetlights turn off. Then, Tsumiki stands up straight and gazes at the opening of the alleyway.
"We have to leave, Megumi. It is getting late."
Megumi simply nods and starts walking out of the alleyway. Tsumiki, always the nice one, turns around and bows to the being, nervously stammering, "Thank you!" before hurrying after him.
They walk a few streets before sensing its presence behind them. Irritated, Megumi turns around and finds it silently standing there. He wonders if this creature is capable of feeling anything, because if it can, he imagines it would be smug.
"You cannot follow us," he states firmly. "We need to go away."
The being continues to stare. Megumi huffs and walks away.
The presence persists, trailing behind them. Tsumiki chuckles nervously. "Well, I suppose we have someone to protect us then?"
"But everyone will look at us strangely!" Megumi complains.
Tsumiki giggles. "I believe there is a forest on the outskirts of this province where we can hide for the day."
Megumi quickly agrees after debating their options, so they change directions in order to reach the forest before the streets become crowded with people.