Work Text:
“Those shoes are honestly a killer pair of heels.”
Ran leaned in, observing the pair of heels, debating whether to go in and purchase the black heels she saw in the window, already imagining what flashy pieces she would pair with the dashing black leather look. Long fingers, painted colorfully, rested against her chin, but then—
The movement of a dark figure reflected in the window made her pause, then turn her head to look at the passerby, eyes on the silhouette of the person’s back, dressed head to toe in black with black boots and black hair, and—
Out of curiosity, she hurried over, her eyes taking in his boots, hands jammed into his pockets, and her eyes looked up, drifted up and—
Ran caught sight of the flaming turquoise eyes before the purple scars covering his body, but he stopped walking, glaring at her as his mouth twisted into a scowl. The scarred places weren’t pleasant, yet above the jawline—
“What?”
Ran’s eyes blinked, and then—
“Hey! What…” She’d grabbed his hand, pulling him back to the shop, stumbling slightly, but from his tongue: “Bitch.”
Ran frowned, pointing at the black pair of heels. “Those are a killer pair of heels, aren’t they?”
He stared, far from amused, then said, “Last person I should be asking that of.”
“Come on,” Ran said, letting go of his arm, placing a hand on her elbow as she touched her lips with the long nails. “My gals aren’t here, but you seem to know your blacks.”
He paused, then said, “So you’re not trying to get me to fucking by them for you? Thank god.”
She turned to glare at him, frowning. “What? You don’t think I’m pretty.”
He glared at her. “Even being seen with you is going to…”
—kick in the shin—
“Ow! What the fuck!”
“You don’t want to be seen with me.”
“Not my girlfriend!” He said, holding his leg, giving her a side eye as if he planned on murdering her. “And I was going to say those staring think I’m robbing the cradle. Fucking idiot.”
Ran rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” —then— “Just asking for some fashion advice, so you all can just move along.”
She waved them away, while he—
“Well?”
—stiffen—
“Hey? You aren’t just going to walk off on me without helping a gal out, huh?”
He turned, giving her a horrified look. “What did you not understand about you being too young for me?”
Ran stared, then pointed. “Those black heels. Just your opinion so I can make up my mind on them. I’ll keep dragging you back until I get an answer, ya jerk.”
Turquoise eyes rolled; he turned back and leaned in, crouching over slightly, before saying, “I do like the look of the leather. Not a girl, not feminine. Not fucking…” He then glared at her. “Oi. You didn’t ask me because…”
“Fuck no,” and then she laughed. “OMG! Do you really get fucking upset at the fact you look like a J-pop idol, minus the scars, of course? You should seriously think of starting a punk rock band and cash in on that look, if you do have musical talent.”
“Noted.” He turned back to the heels. “Well, that would definitely add six inches.” —pause— “And yes, I’ve height issues.”
“I, what?” She laughed. “I think your height is just right.” And then she giggled. “Wait. Are you jealous that a six-inch heel for us gals is far less conspicuous than guy shoes with six inches?”
“There is a definite limit to the height I can get with boots, girl,” he said, looking far from amused. “And you know, I could actually burn you to ash if I wanted.”
Out of curiosity, Ran turned to look at him. “Huh. But you didn’t.” She sat up straight. “I’ve made up my mind.”
“Good. Leave me…”
Only for her to drag him into the store, claiming he was her boyfriend, telling him to behave as his face turned red. “I’m not a damn crib robber, brat.”
“Ah? Your brother?”
Ran grinned, going and buying the shoes, blowing her allowance, taking a picture with the guy, forcing him to take a picture with him because, obviously, from the way he looked around, he really didn’t want to draw in a scene. Making him exchange phone numbers; his phone was rather busted up.
“Not that I’m going to take your calls.”
“Because you’re too old,” she said.
“Duh,” he said.
“Just how old are you?”
He paused, frowning, then, “Don’t know. It’s the summer after…” —pause— “Next winter in January I’ll turn seventeen.”
“OMG!” Ran gasped out. “Are you…” And then she burst into laughter.
“This whole robing the crib thing isn’t funny,” he said.
“Yes, but…” Ran said. “How is it robbing the crib thing when we’re the same age.”
“Huh?” —pause— “Aren’t you in middle school?”
“Man, if I were my old lady, I’d be thinking you paid me a compliment.” She looked him up and down, frowning, then, “Hey? Are you homeless?”
“That…” He looked at her, rather uncomfortable. “Not sure how that is any…”
“I’ll take that is a yes.” She looked at the phone. “You’re scrapping by, but the jobs you’re taking aren’t legal.”
“That…”
“You told them, what, you’re nineteen?” she laughed, wiping more tears away. “You have lied to get a job, then? I mean, they wouldn’t question it, because it’s got to be a place that doesn’t look at papers right/”
“Buzz off.”
“Nope.” And then she reached out and grabbed his wrist.”
“Let go.”
“No.”
“I’m going to burn you.”
“Nah, you’re a nice guy.”
“That…”
“You listened to me gab about fashion, and put up with me without burning me to ash.”
“You…”
“I think I can repay you.”
“I’m not.” —pause— “I don’t do that kind of work.”
Ran paused, turning, then, frowning. “Okay. Definitely bringing you home to my parents.”
“Are you freaking crazy?”
“Yeah. They’d be pissed if I left some homeless kid on the street, whose worried about having to take on prostition. It will be fine.”
“It won’t be fine. I’m dead, so…”
“No, it will be fine.” —then— “They won’t kill you.”
“I mean, legally I’m dead, so…”
Ran paused, turning to look at him. “Then my parents can help you.”
“They can’t, nobody can.”
—but—
She told him flat out she wasn’t letting him go, and—
Her mother was fine with her bringing a boy home, instantly: “We have got to get some meat on your bones.”
“Yup. J-pop you look, but you could still use a little meat,” she said.
—and—
“Fucking!” —guy flipped her dad a bird— “Didn’t tell me he was a cop! Fuck, I’m out…”
“Stop,” the cop said, grabbing his arm.
“Dad,” Ran said, frowning, remembering the comment about turning things to ash.
“I need to know. Are you worried about family finding out you’re alive? If so…”
“My family doesn’t care. They moved on,” the guy she crushed on said, whose name she didn’t yet know.
“Dear. Family doesn’t just move on,” her mother said.
“I went home. They’ve forgotten about me.”
“No. Hun, it may have looked like that, but family just doesn’t forget like that.”
“How about I ask some questions about what you saw when you went home?” her dad offered.
—and—
Ran found herself kicked out of the room as her parents grilled the guy, and she worried for a bit they’d burn the house down, then—
Her mother came in, smiling. “Your father and I are filing for emergency custody.”
“Damn? So I can’t date him?”
“Well, he could be a mukoyoshi,” her mother offered. “But the funny thing is, he insists that he’ll fight it, which I assume is his father, which seems a bit of a contradiction about family not caring.”
Ran frowned. “Old man could be controlling, no?”
“Well, controlling can mean a lot of things,” her mother said. “Your dad is rather strict and not fond of your Gal lifestyle, so maybe it is something like that. We’ll get it sorted out, but we told him that if he has to go back, he’s welcome back here, and once he’s a legal adult, he can do as he pleases.”
—and then—
“Ran, why don’t you look into makeup for burn victims? I think he could use a bit of a confidence boost.”
“Oh, yeah,” Ran said. “I can see it- the contours under all those scars.” She threw up both hands, nails long. “Not that I think they’re ugly, but I can see where that could be an issue, particularly when looking for a job.”
“And definitely, a home-cooked meal. Wonder how your brother will react when he gets home.”
I wonder too,” Ran laughed. “Sayo’s going to bug him trying to solve the mystery.”
“I’ll warn her and her boyfriend not to pry then,” her mother said. “He’s in good hands.”
“I know,” Ran said. “Rather cute, huh.”
“Definitely,” her mother laughed.