Chapter Text
Dan trudged through the streets, his knuckles white from gripping the brown paper bag of groceries he had just picked up. The harsh wind bit his face, the cold seeping through the thick fabric of his coat.
Winter was nice when you were inside, sitting by the warmth of the fire, sipping hot chocolate from a mug that warmed the palms of your hands. It was not nice when your boyfriend had a cold and you needed to go out in freezing air to get him chicken noodle soup.
It was also not nice when you heard someone crying.
Dan peeked into the alleyway the noise was coming from and froze. Well, he was already almost frozen from the snow, but this was a different kind. Curled against the brick wall, a kid no older than 15 sat, arms wrapped around their knees, and sobbing. A dirty grey backpack sat next to them, and they were not suited to be out in this weather. Their coat was thin, and they were wearing leggings that seemed to be two times too small and ended just a few inches above the ankle.
“Hello?” He asked, stepping closer to the kid. They sniffed and looked up. Their nose was pink, and snot ran down their tearstained face. They reached up and wiped their nose with the back of their sleeve.
“Um, hello.” Their voice cracked, sounding strained. They then sneezed into their elbow, making more snot fly from their nose.
“You’re going to get a cold if you stay out here.” Dan said, furrowing his brow with worry. The kid looked down.
“I’ll be fine.” They were silent for a moment. “Do you have a phone? Anyone to call?” Dan asked. The kid shook their head. Hm. They didn’t seem to be a big fan of talking.
“Is there a reason you’re out here in the snow?” The kid sniffed again.
“My mom doesn’t like me.”
“What happened?” The kid continued after a moment of silence. “I-I told her I was trans and she…” they looked away. “She told me to get out. So I did.” Tears welled in the corners of their eyes. “Dad would’ve fought her. He would’ve let me stay, but… He died a few years ago.”
It was a lot of information to take in. The kid looked away. “Sorry, I overshared. You’re just a random stranger.” Dan turned to the kid. “What’s your name?”
They paused, and then opened their mouth. They had never used their preferred name with anyone, and they had the chance now. “L-Liam. I like Liam.” After pausing for a moment, they blushed and looked down. “And, um, I use He/him pronouns.” Dan smiled at him. “Well, my name is Dan. And I don’t want to leave you here.” He tried his best to look safe, so the poor kid wouldn’t be scared of him. “Would you like to come stay with me? Or we can go to the police first. Whatever you want. But you can stay as long as you need, promise.” Liam looked like he was thinking it over, mind somewhere else.
“Are you sure you aren’t like a murderer or something?”
“Definately not.” Liam bit his lip and looked around at the snow, at his backpack, and the kind stranger who had just offered him a home. What did he have to lose at this point? Well, his life for one. But he’d probably die of starvation or frostbite if he stayed out here. And he didn’t really trust the police. Not that he fully trusted this stranger, but he trusted them more. He ran over all of the pros and cons before looking up at Dan and opening his mouth. “Okay.”