Chapter Text
Hakuri didn't really have much of a plan when he ran away. That was probably his second mistake.
His first was running away in the first place.
Soya was going to be so mad. He's especially cruel when he's angry. Just thinking about it makes Hakuri's hands shake.
He forces himself to breathe, though, and calm down. When he left, he just picked a direction and ran. There was no thought behind it. It was an impulse decision.
It's been a week since then and he's thoroughly lost.
Realistically, he probably couldn't find his way back even if he wanted to go home.
Hakuri hasn't stopped moving. Soya is probably looking for him so he continues to walk, trying to put as much distance between himself and the Sazanami estate as he can.
Does he regret running away? He isn't really sure yet.
He's hungry and getting the occasional free water from restaurants he passes. His clothes are dirty and his hair is greasy. His back hurts from sleeping on the ground and he's tired because he hasn't been getting much sleep.
He hasn't been beaten, though. Nobody has hit him or called him a failure or pushed him to do something he couldn't until he passed out. There's been a lot of pity from strangers but most people have ignored him.
Hakuri is also smart enough to stay out of danger. He vanishes when anyone watches him for too long. He avoids places that are too far from people like the plague. He doesn't let his guard down, even when he's sleeping.
The one thing he hadn't considered was the weather.
It's raining.
Hard.
Hakuri is practically soaked in a matter of minutes. His clothes stick uncomfortably to his skin and the rain practically blinds him.
He needs shelter.
A cafe is probably his best bet. He doesn't really have anything he can pretend to be doing but maybe if he acts like he's taking shelter from the rain, they'll let him stay. It won't entirely be a lie, either.
A car drives past as Hakuri turns a corner. It hits a puddle, splashing him with dirty water.
Some of it got in his mouth. Gross.
He feels gross.
His vision gets blurry as tears well up in his eyes against his wishes.
The dirt on his skin and in his hair is overwhelming. He's tired and cold and hungry. He wants to go home.
Hakuri quickly banishes that thought. Soya will beat him if he goes home. That's why he ran away in the first place.
That's what he tells himself, anyway.
He shouldn't continue standing there. He needs to go. To keep moving.
He needs to find somewhere he won't be found.
Hakuri turns, wiping at his eyes with his hands, continuing down the street.
He doesn't get very far, though, when he walks into someone.
Strong hands steady him, practically dropping an umbrella to do so. For a moment, he panics. Then he looks up, not recognizing the man he sees.
They're very pretty. The man's green hair is tied up in a ponytail and the red makeup on his eyes draws Hakuri's eye. He carries a sword on his hip.
This man is dangerous.
Hakuri takes a step back, bowing apologetically. "Sorry, sir."
The man waves him off, adjusting his umbrella. "You don't have to apologize! I wasn't paying attention to where I was going either."
He doesn't miss the way the man scans him, picking apart every detail of Hakuri's appearance meticulously. It makes his skin crawl. He feels like he's back home, being scrutinized for breathing wrong.
Hakuri goes to step around him when the man catches his arm. He tenses up, waiting for a hit to come.
"Let me buy you something to eat, as an apology for running into you."
That... is not what Hakuri was expecting.
He opens his mouth to decline the offer when his stomach makes it very known just how empty it is. He closes his mouth, face flushing with embarrassment.
"Okay..."
The man beams at him, guiding him gently under his umbrella as he leads the way to some place nearby.
The restaurant the man chooses is warm when they step inside. It immediately sets to work banishing the chill that had set deep into Hakuri's bones. He wraps his arms around himself as he surveys the restaurant, the man shaking off the umbrella beside him.
Hakuri is guided to the counter and it isn't long before a steaming bowl of ramen is placed in front of him.
The man gestures for him to eat as he begins to dig into his own bowl. Hakuri mutters a quiet thanks before he follows the man's lead.
They eat in silence.
The man pauses after a while, smiling kindly at Hakuri. "I'm Uruha Yoji. What's your name?"
Uruha. One of the war heroes who wields an enchanted blade.
That means he's a good guy, right? Hakuri can probably trust him... Right?
"I'm..." He trails off. Uruha is a well known swordsman. There's a chance he'd recognize the Sazanami name. Hakuri doesn't want to be sent back. "Hakuri."
Uruha raises an eyebrow. "Just Hakuri? No surname?"
He shakes his head no. Uruha frowns.
"Do you have anywhere to go?"
Hakuri's hands ball up into fists against his thighs. He refuses to make eye contact as he shakes his head no again.
Uruha moves and Hakuri's head snaps up, anticipating a hit. Uruha just leans back in his chair, arms behind his head as he stares up at the ceiling thoughtfully.
"I'm assuming you don't have any parents..." he trails off, thinking out loud. Hakuri finishes his food in the meantime, content to let Uruha make assumptions.
The more the swordsman assumes, the less Hakuri has to explain.
He sits up, turning in his seat to look at Hakuri. "You should come stay with me."
Hakuri almost chokes on the food he just swallowed. "What?"
"You should come stay with me."
He blinks. Uruha seems dead serious. He doesn't want to be a bother more than he already, even if the offer sounds a little tempting.
"No thanks. I'm fine on my own" he says, like a liar.
"Kid, you're like, eight–"
"I'm eleven–"
"Not the point." Uruha dismisses Hakuri's addition with a wave of his hand. "The point is that I'm not leaving some kid alone in a rainstorm. The weather is supposed to get worse, you know."
Hakuri looks down at his lap, face red. He didn't know that.
Uruha pats his head, ignoring how Hakuri tenses up under the sudden touch. "You sure you don't have somewhere to go?"
"I'm sure."
Uruha sighs as he stands. "C'mon, kid."
Hakuri scrambles to follow. He doesn't have much of a choice to do otherwise. He'd probably get sick or something if he doesn't go with the swordsman and Uruha can probably protect him if his family comes looking.
Suddenly, he feels bad for lying. If they get attacked and Uruha gets hurt, it'll be his fault.
They step outside together and the wind immediately threatens to turn the umbrella inside out. The storm got worse while they were eating. They stand there for a moment while the swordsman considers their options.
Hakuri flinches when Uruha grabs his arm, keeping him close as they begin walking down the street.
"Slight change of plans, kid! We're going to my friend's house."
Hakuri nods, trying to keep close so he can stay under the umbrella. It really isn't doing much but it's better than the nothing he has without it.
He's shivering by the time they reach an apartment complex. The rain has thoroughly re-soaked him and he wants to be out of it. Uruha is in a similar state, handing the umbrella to Hakuri so he can bang on a door with both hands.
A man taller than Uruha answers the door. His hair is silver, with a scar that goes across his nose and under his eyes. There are two lip piercings on the left side of his face and he isn't wearing a shirt.
He can't help but admire this guy's muscles. He's definitely really strong too.
"Yo, Natsuki!"
The man, Natsuki, glares. The force of it causes Hakuri to flinch and step back.
"Get lost."
Natsuki goes to close the door, only to be stopped when Uruha grabs it. "Please, Natsuki. You wouldn't leave a kid out in this storm, right?"
It's then that Natsuki notices Hakuri. He flinches when the glare is turned his way, avoiding eye contact. His grip on the handle of the umbrella tightens.
Natsuki sighs, opening the door as he steps aside. "Get in."
"Thanks, Natsuki!" Uruha steps inside, ducking to avoid getting smacked upside the head with a laugh. Hakuri is quick to follow, Natsuki grumbling behind him as the door closes.
The umbrella is taken from his hands and Hakuri is left standing in the middle of a stranger's living room, dripping water on the floor.
A stranger that doesn't like Uruha very much.
A stranger that probably wouldn't be very happy about Hakuri dripping water on the floor.
He tenses as Natsuki enters the living room. Uruha beams. "Hakuri! This is–"
"Misaka Natsuki." He crosses his arms, staring Hakuri down. He doesn't apologize for interrupting Uruha.
"Natsuki, this is Hakuri."
Natsuki raises an eyebrow. "Just Hakuri?"
"That's what he said."
He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. He stands like that for a moment before grabbing Hakuri's arm, marching him through the apartment.
They end up in the bathroom where he's told to stay put as Natsuki leaves. He returns a moment later with dry clothes in his hand that he tosses into the counter.
"Take a damn shower. Use whatever soap you need. There's a change of clothes. Leave yours on the counter. I'll deal with it later."
He practically slams the door shut, flipping on the fan as he leaves. Just like that, Hakuri is alone.
He does what he's told, of course. He hasn't showered in a week and the grime is seriously bothering him. On top of that, the rain has made him incredibly cold.
The thought of a nice, warm shower is deeply appealing.
He washes himself quickly, using only what he needs. While he'd love to stand under the hot water for longer, he doesn't want to make Natsuki more upset than he already is.
The clothes he was provided with consist of a sweater that shrunk in the wash and a pair of sweatpants that are way too big on him. He wears them anyway, because the thought of putting on his dirty clothes and making Natsuki mad makes his skin crawl.
When he steps out of the bathroom, he feels much better. He's clean and he's eaten and he's out of the rain.
Uruha stops what he was saying to smile at Hakuri. Natsuki turns to look at him too, seeming slightly less pissed.
Hakuri yawns as he approaches the table they're sitting at. Natsuki points at where the couch now has extra pillows and blankets.
"You're staying until the storm lets up. Get some rest."
Hakuri nods. "Thank you for your hospitality, Misaka-san."
Natsuki grunts and they both watch as Hakuri trudges over to the couch. He lays down, sighing at how nice the couch is after a week of sleeping on pavement.
He falls asleep much faster than he'd like but surely Uruha will keep him safe.
Uruha watches Hakuri pass out almost immediately, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. Natsuki watches him too, only speaking once he's sure the kid is absolutely asleep, keeping his voice low.
"And you're sure he was lying?"
"He tensed whenever I touched him. I moved in the corner of his eye and he looked at me like I was gonna hit him."
Natsuki grunts, leaning back in his chair. "You're also a stranger. Kid could just be cautious."
"No this was different, I'm sure of it."
Natsuki rolls his eyes. "Just go take a shower now that he's done."
Uruha chuckles, standing to go do so. He doesn't say anything else, leaving the conversation there. Natsuki sighs, running a hand through his hair.
What the hell has he just been dragged into?