Chapter Text
The streets were never kind. And if you were weak, they would chew you up and spit you out.
Remy had learned that early in his life. You gotta be smart. Gotta be quick, sly. Gotta look innocent enough for people to take pity on you, but not weak enough to be an easy mark. He was struggling with that last part for a long time, was too fragile of a boy.
A runt. An easy pick.
Sure, now things have changed. Now, he had a house to sleep in, a warm meal every day, a new set of clothes... And a whole lot of new expectations to meet if he wanted for it to stay that way.
Remy did his damned best, putting up with the teachers Jean-Luc hired, observing the older thieves and listening to every little bit of information that he could get. His little demon eyes were sharp, because otherwise he would've had closed them forever a long, long time ago.
But it didn't change that he was once a street urchin. And the streets remembered.
"Look who it is! Little Prince returned! How's it life of royalty, huh?"
Remy clenched his teeth, trying to walk faster. He promised Jean-Luc he'd stay out of trouble. He had a new shirt, a nice one he liked. He wanted it to stay intact.
"Hey, where you goin'? Is that the way to treat yo' friends?"
One of them grabbed him by the arm. Remy tried to thrash away, but the bully held tight. A grin flashed on his face.
"Reckon we gotta teach you a lesson."
He hit first. A sharp, dirty kick to the knee to get his opponent to his level, and then a punch to the ribs. But then the others jumped in.
It was a brawl. Remy felt tears sting his eyes when they kicked his shades off and tore the collar of the shirt away.
"Remy! Where you at, petit?"
The voice echoed through the alley and the boys scattered away like cockroaches. Pests, all of them. He was one too.
Remy spat blood out and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. The footsteps got closer, and Remy heard a gasp behind his back, and turned to look up.
Henri rushed to him, falling to his knees to look over the boy.
"Merde, who..." he mumbled, carefully examining the bruises forming on Remy's face, the way his clothes were ruined. His eyes were wide and Remy saw fury taking root in him. His little heart skipped a beat. "What happened?"
"Nothin'," the boy answered too quickly, dropping his head down and searching for his shades, finding them missing one lense.
"Remy, dat ain't nothin'," Henri insisted, grabbing him by the shoulders. Remy hissed in pain and the man loosened his grip but didn't let go of him. "Petit. Look at me. What happened?"
Remy felt his chest tighten. Henri was his brother. Was supposed to be his big brother, at least. Jean-Luc listened to Henri, took his opinion seriously. If Henri told him Remy got himself beaten like that, got in trouble like that...
Hurt flickered in Henri's face as he saw Remy, trembling like a leaf, raise his head and smile, his lips too red, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
He was missing a tooth.
"M'fine, see?"
Henri deflated, bringing the boy close, wrapping him in a bear hug. Remy choked on a sob, terrified.
"No one gonna abandon ya, Remy," Henri said slowly. "You need help, we come. Dat's what family do."
He rubbed Remy's back slowly, and the boy gave in, wrapping his thin arms around his big brother's neck.
"It okay, petit," Henri murmured, gathering Remy against his chest and raising to his knees, holding him still. "It okay. Let's get you cleaned up."
Remy sniffled and nodded. Henri turned to him, giving him a reassuring smile.
"I reckon dey look worse?"
A bloody yet proud grin bloomed on Remy's face.
"Much worse."