Night Watch
Title: Night Watch
Rating: Pg-13
A/N: It's a short story related to Wants and Needs arc. Very QaF.
“You lost, little puppy?”
Yukio was going to his regular Friday night crusade when he spotted a boy on a street corner watching the men go in and out of the bar. He looked really out of place here in Nichoume.
“No.” The boy looked about 14. He still had baby fat on his face but Yukio could tell in a few years he’d have killer looks.
“You sure? This isn’t a place to hang out. You should run home.” Yukio didn’t normally pay attention to stray kids but tonight he was the king of the jungle patrolling his territory and he felt like particularly merciful.
“No,” the boy repeated with a resolve.
Yukio was about to shrug and head on his way when he heard a voice to his left.
“What do you have here, Yukio? What a sweet little boy.” A short aged man covered with tattoos stopped next to him and was looking at his new acquaintance with interest.
“Move along. He’s with me.”
The man looked Yukio up and down assessing his status before finally muttering “Fine,” and reluctantly turning away.
“This is why you shouldn’t be here. Listen, they won’t even let you in to any of these, you have to be at least 18 and you clearly aren’t.”
The boy just stared at him with his huge eyes.
Yukio knew this was a bad idea but now it was too late. The boy sat in his tiny kitchen with a glass of milk looking around curiously. The whole situation was kind of ridiculous.
“Don’t be scared, I’m not a rapist.”
“I’m not scared.”
“Good,” Yukio said lighting a cigarette. “So what’s your name, kid?”
“Yuya.”
“Well, nice to meet you, Yuya. I’m Yukio.”
“Are you gay?”
Yukio laughed involuntary. However, the boy looked dead serious.
“I am. Why?”
“Teach me.”
“Huh?”
“Teach me everything.” Yukio could see fear in the boy's eyes but also determination.
“What? Do you even realize what you’re asking of me?” Yukio asked incredulously.
The boy didn’t even blink, just kept looking at him. It was kind of creepy.
“You know, I could go to jail because of you.”
“I won’t tell anyone.”
“I know you wouldn’t, sugar, but your parents might.”
“They won’t,” the boy assured. “They don’t give a fuck about me.”
“Woah, watch your language!” Yukio said and frowned. It’s been years since he told that to anyone. “I’m sure that’s not true. But even if it were, I’m sure if they found out, they wouldn’t be very happy.”
“Are you scared?”
Yukio nearly choked on the smoke.
“Didn’t they teach you to be respectful to elders? Anyway, it’s not even about that. I have to interest in babysitting you.”
“Fine. If you won’t do it, I’ll find someone who will,” Yuya said getting up.
“Whoa. Slow down, kid,” the man said quickly putting out his cigarette.
Yuya tried to walk towards the door but Yukio grabbed his shoulders.
“What the hell are you thinking? Are you fucking dumb? If I didn’t find you you’d probably be in some dark alley now groped by a bunch of creepy old dudes. You think you’re tough? You’re just a small stupid kid. This isn’t some adventure land, you can get raped and nobody’s gonna care. Is this what you want?”
Yukio realized he was now shouting and shaking the boy hard. Hit by this realization he stopped suddenly only to see that tears were rolling down the boy’s cheeks. He cried silently without making a sound, only his body shook slightly. Yukio couldn’t remember the last time he saw someone crying, let alone crying in his arms. Slowly he brought the boy closer.
“There there,” He said patting the boy’s back but it came out very awkward.
“I just… I can’t live like this anymore. I can’t pretend everything’s normal. Nothing will ever be normal.”
Yukio let the boy sob for another minute or two. Then he stepped back out of the embrace and looked him in the eyes.
“Ok, listen, here’s what we’ll do. Now you’re gonna calm down and I’ll take you home. But I’ll give you my number and we’re gonna meet and then maybe I’ll try to teach you a thing or two. Deal?”
The boy nodded quickly.
“And don’t ever go to that place alone again. Do you understand me?”
“Yes.”
“Now go wash your face. You’re a man. Nobody should see you cry. Bathroom’s over there.”
As the boy disappeared behind the bathroom door, Yukio lit another cigarette. It was going to be a long night.
Rating: Pg-13
A/N: It's a short story related to Wants and Needs arc. Very QaF.
“You lost, little puppy?”
Yukio was going to his regular Friday night crusade when he spotted a boy on a street corner watching the men go in and out of the bar. He looked really out of place here in Nichoume.
“No.” The boy looked about 14. He still had baby fat on his face but Yukio could tell in a few years he’d have killer looks.
“You sure? This isn’t a place to hang out. You should run home.” Yukio didn’t normally pay attention to stray kids but tonight he was the king of the jungle patrolling his territory and he felt like particularly merciful.
“No,” the boy repeated with a resolve.
Yukio was about to shrug and head on his way when he heard a voice to his left.
“What do you have here, Yukio? What a sweet little boy.” A short aged man covered with tattoos stopped next to him and was looking at his new acquaintance with interest.
“Move along. He’s with me.”
The man looked Yukio up and down assessing his status before finally muttering “Fine,” and reluctantly turning away.
“This is why you shouldn’t be here. Listen, they won’t even let you in to any of these, you have to be at least 18 and you clearly aren’t.”
The boy just stared at him with his huge eyes.
Yukio knew this was a bad idea but now it was too late. The boy sat in his tiny kitchen with a glass of milk looking around curiously. The whole situation was kind of ridiculous.
“Don’t be scared, I’m not a rapist.”
“I’m not scared.”
“Good,” Yukio said lighting a cigarette. “So what’s your name, kid?”
“Yuya.”
“Well, nice to meet you, Yuya. I’m Yukio.”
“Are you gay?”
Yukio laughed involuntary. However, the boy looked dead serious.
“I am. Why?”
“Teach me.”
“Huh?”
“Teach me everything.” Yukio could see fear in the boy's eyes but also determination.
“What? Do you even realize what you’re asking of me?” Yukio asked incredulously.
The boy didn’t even blink, just kept looking at him. It was kind of creepy.
“You know, I could go to jail because of you.”
“I won’t tell anyone.”
“I know you wouldn’t, sugar, but your parents might.”
“They won’t,” the boy assured. “They don’t give a fuck about me.”
“Woah, watch your language!” Yukio said and frowned. It’s been years since he told that to anyone. “I’m sure that’s not true. But even if it were, I’m sure if they found out, they wouldn’t be very happy.”
“Are you scared?”
Yukio nearly choked on the smoke.
“Didn’t they teach you to be respectful to elders? Anyway, it’s not even about that. I have to interest in babysitting you.”
“Fine. If you won’t do it, I’ll find someone who will,” Yuya said getting up.
“Whoa. Slow down, kid,” the man said quickly putting out his cigarette.
Yuya tried to walk towards the door but Yukio grabbed his shoulders.
“What the hell are you thinking? Are you fucking dumb? If I didn’t find you you’d probably be in some dark alley now groped by a bunch of creepy old dudes. You think you’re tough? You’re just a small stupid kid. This isn’t some adventure land, you can get raped and nobody’s gonna care. Is this what you want?”
Yukio realized he was now shouting and shaking the boy hard. Hit by this realization he stopped suddenly only to see that tears were rolling down the boy’s cheeks. He cried silently without making a sound, only his body shook slightly. Yukio couldn’t remember the last time he saw someone crying, let alone crying in his arms. Slowly he brought the boy closer.
“There there,” He said patting the boy’s back but it came out very awkward.
“I just… I can’t live like this anymore. I can’t pretend everything’s normal. Nothing will ever be normal.”
Yukio let the boy sob for another minute or two. Then he stepped back out of the embrace and looked him in the eyes.
“Ok, listen, here’s what we’ll do. Now you’re gonna calm down and I’ll take you home. But I’ll give you my number and we’re gonna meet and then maybe I’ll try to teach you a thing or two. Deal?”
The boy nodded quickly.
“And don’t ever go to that place alone again. Do you understand me?”
“Yes.”
“Now go wash your face. You’re a man. Nobody should see you cry. Bathroom’s over there.”
As the boy disappeared behind the bathroom door, Yukio lit another cigarette. It was going to be a long night.