Shoon's Greatest Pride: a Heisei Kumi fanfic (1/9)
Author: ryosukekoibito
Pairing: none
Rating: R
Warnings: Drug use, Homelessness, Violence
Genre: Slice of life/Coming of age
Disclaimer: I do not own anyone.
Summary: The first time Shoon had seen Hikaru, he hadn't thought the kid could be saved. That didn't keep him from trying.
A/N: So here's some more Heisei Kumi fic! This one starts in November of 1997, and follows the boys, but more specifically Shoon and Hikaru's relationship, over almost nine years. You do not need to have read any of the other stories in this AU to read this one, as it introduces the world through Shoon's eyes. If you'd like to read the other stories in this AU, please check out my masterlist! All Heisei Kumi fics have 平成組 next to their titles, to mark them as part of the AU! I'm pretty excited about this fic, and I hope you all like it!
When Shoon had first seen Hikaru, he hadn't been sure if the kid could be saved. At least, that's the way he'd remember it. The first time Shoon had seen Hikaru he hadn't really had any thoughts about the younger boy, as he himself had actually been on the run from an angry fruit stand owner, his heart pounding in his ears, his ratty long sleeved shirt not doing much to take the bite out of the chill in the November air, one apple in each hand as he'd raced down the alley, dusk settling over the town. Hikaru had been a small, ratty ball on the alley floor that had flashed by, barely registered as the form of another boy as he'd glanced back over his shoulder to see how close his pursuant was.
He'd managed to escape the fruit stand owner and was safe, cross legged next to a space heater in the tiny abandoned apartment that he called home, his heartbeat just beginning to return to normal, his first apple nearly completely devoured before he remembered the tiny kid he'd seen as he'd made off with his dinner. It wasn't often that he stumbled across other kids out in the street, no possible guardian in sight. The only other homeless kid Shoon knew of was that young, lanky boy that hung out under the bridge on the other side of town. What had this boy been doing, out there all on his own, in a grimy alley, in mid-November?
Shoon tried to tell himself that it didn't matter. What did he care? He had plenty of his own problems, without having to worry about some other kid. He tried not to think about it. Yet, halfway through his second apple he snorted in frustration, and, unable to keep the kid out of his mind, he pulled himself to his feet, away from the warmth and safety of his apartment, and went back out into the night. He ran through the streets, the temperatures even colder now that the sun was set, hoping that when he got to the alley, the boy would be gone. Hoping that the alley would be empty, and he could go back home, his mind at rest.
He nearly tripped over the kid, rounding the corner into the alley and just barely stepping over a pair of sneakers, skidding to a halt. The boy was unconscious, crumpled against the brick of the alley, his face pink, mouth gaping open, his breathing slow―too slow―and something that Shoon was pretty sure was vomit decorating the front of his jacket, and the ends of his shoes. He was a mess, the symptoms ones Shoon had seen before, in adults who's families had given up on them, drugs swallowing them up, but never in a child. He scared Shoon a little bit, Shoon crouching down next to the kid, and asking
"Hey, are you okay?" He got no response, and he reached out, shaking the kid by the shoulder a little. "Hey." Still nothing. The boy was obviously not okay, Shoon cursing and shaking him harder. the action's only response a rope of drool extending out of the boy's gaping mouth. He glanced around, looking for someone to help. But they were all alone. He turned his attention back to the boy, panicking a bit. He couldn't just leave the kid here. But the kid was obviously on something, and Shoon didn't think he could handle the boy by himself.
He stood there, shivering, looking down at the boy crumpled in the alley for a few moments, indecisive, before leaning down and scooping the kid up, bridal style, and hugging him to his chest as best he could. The boy was smaller than himself, and he barely weighed anything, Shoon able to carry him easily, the boy's body unnaturally cold as he made his way back to the apartment. The way back to the apartment was significantly slower than the way from it, and Shoon considered dropping the boy off somewhere, somewhere other people could find him, but the thought of just abandoning him with a bunch of adults―with no guarantee that they cared about him―fundamentally rubbed Shoon the wrong way. He took the boy back to his apartment, and laid him down next to the space heater, flicking on a lamp to get a better look at the kid, and searching the boy's body for confirmation of his suspicions.
It didn't take long to find proof of drug use, tucked into the boy's jacket pocket was a small pouch, everything he'd need to shoot up―needle, drugs, and all―encased in a thin plastic bag. Shocked, Shoon dropped it as soon as he realized what he was holding, staring in morbid curiosity at the small kid. He crouched down next to the boy on the floor, slowly rolling up his sleeves, to find the inside of the boy's right arm marked with small, discolored scars. Marks of injection. Shoon cursed again, sinking to the floor. He definitely had picked up a drug addict, and, judging on the number of scars the boy had, it wasn't anywhere near his first time.
What could he do? He wasn't going to turn the kid back out on the streets, and he wasn't going to take him to the police. The boy needed help, and Shoon wanted to help him, but he knew that if he was going to get this boy off of drugs, he wouldn't be able to do it on his own. He needed someone he could trust. He didn't have any friends. Adults had done nothing but abandon him his whole life, and there weren't any other kids―there was that bridge boy. Shoon didn't know him very well, but they had a certain camaraderie, and Shoon had slipped the boy an extra juice from the vending machine on more than one occasion. That boy was the closest thing Shoon had to a friend. He was the closest thing Shoon had to a trustworthy companion. He was all Shoon had. And so Shoon pulled himself to his feet, tentatively picking the bag with the needle inside up and giving the kid on his floor one last sweeping glance.
"Just, stay here. Don't...freak out or...die or something while I'm gone." Shoon told the kid, just in case he could still hear him, despite his state, before leaving his apartment again. He ditched the drugs and needle in the first dumpster he saw, and even after they were out of his possession, the knowledge that he had touched them left him feeling contaminated somehow, and he wanted to take a shower, to cleanse himself. But he was on a mission, and he jogged most of the way across town, sticking to alleyways and lesser used streets, to the river. There, to his relief, he saw the boy, sitting out next to a fire, curled up by the little hut he'd constructed for himself, eating what looked like instant ramen. Shoon's stomach growled in jealousy. He ran over to the boy, the kid catching sight of him as he approached, giving him a wary look, but not turning to hide. Once they were finally face to face he just treated Shoon to a perplexed look, staring up at him from where he sat cross legged on the ground, slurping up a mouthful of noodles.
"Hi." Shoon got out, between deep, gulping breaths of the frigid night air. The boy swallowed his noodles, clearing his throat and getting to his feet. He was about as tall as Shoon, but much thinner, barely any muscle on him. "I'm Shoon." He offered, his breathing beginning to slow. The kid gave him a look, eyes unreadable, and Shoon started to feel wary. But then he flashed a slightly bashful smile, ducking his head in a small bow, and said
"I'm-I-I'm Taiyo! Do you want some n-noodles?" Shoon blinked in surprise at the genuine tone and the shy stutter. He glanced down at the ramen cup for a moment, considering it. But that boy back in his apartment couldn't wait while he ate a meal.
"I actually need your help, Taiyo-kun." He paused, wondering for a moment how to go about explaining the situation. But Taiyo was looking at him with big, innocent eyes, and he decided to forgo a detailed description, instead just saying "I found a sick boy, and he needs help, but I can't do it by myself. Will you help me? Please?" He fell into a bow himself, hoping to win over the boy with what little manners he had. He had to. The drugged up kid in his apartment was depending on him. "I don't have anyone else I can ask." Taiyo looked flustered.
"Help you? I-I can try. If you need me to." He was looking around, as if expecting the boy Shoon was talking about to appear in front of them. "Where is he?"
"He's back at my apartment." Shoon gestured in the general direction he'd come, turning. "If you help me you could stay there, instead of out here." Taiyo's eyes lit up at the prospect of a proper shelter, and he nodded, saying quickly
"Just let me get my stuff!" Shoon blinked in surprise at the lighthearted manner the other boy was facing the whole situation with, and he moved closer to the fire as Taiyo disappeared into his little hut. Taiyo scurried around it for a few minutes, Shoon eventually realizing that he was packing up belongings into a blanket. There were things that made sense, like a rope, packaged cups of ramen, and a toothbrush, but there were also small plastic figures, and a headband with cat ears on it, and Shoon didn't know what to make of any of it. He just watched as the kid gathered up everything he deemed important and carried the bundle back over to where Shoon had squatted by the fire, soaking up all of the warmth he could get. Shoon helped him tie the corners of the blanket together, and after everything was situated they were off, back to the apartment, and to the drugged up boy he had left on his floor.
Shoon wanted to run back, not comfortable with how long he'd left the boy alone. Worried that something could have happened while he was gone. He tried to rush down the streets, but Taiyo faltered behind. He didn't seem to sense Shoon's urgency, walking at his own pace, his head bobbing as he took small, bouncy steps. Shoon's legs were probably shorter, but he would have left Taiyo in the dark if he hadn't stopped every few paces to allow him time to catch up. Shoon's skin was crawling, his veins coursing with anxiety, but he pursed his lips, trying to keep from snapping at this kid. He was the one that had sought Taiyo out after all. He couldn't be complaining now. His resolve lasted until they were nearly there, before he snatched the blanket full of Taiyo's belongings up into his own arms, saying
"We're nearly there, c'mon. I'll carry this, you just follow me, okay?" Taiyo blinked at him in surprise, but he fell into step behind Shoon, and Shoon took off, dashing toward his apartment like he'd been wanting to. He only glanced back once to see if Taiyo was following him, the kid a few paces behind, but running, his eyes wide. Shoon skipped some stairs, pounding up, getting to his doorway and bursting in. It was dark, the hum of the space heater and the sound of slow breathing the only thing his senses could pick up. He dropped Taiyo's bundle in the doorway, concern for the boy he'd left taking precedence, and he scrambled for his handheld lantern, flicking it on and bathing them in light as Taiyo came to the doorway.
He took the few steps over to the heater, casting the boy in light as he knelt down next to him. The kid hadn't really moved, he was laying in more or less the same position he'd been in before, his eyes nearly completely closed. He looked less flushed than when Shoon had left, and Shoon reached out, attempting to check the boy's temperature. But when he pressed his palm to the kid's forehead he realized that his hands were freezing, the boy starting, eyes flying open, and and he gave Shoon a strange, slightly disengaged look of confusion and fear, his limbs starting to move, as he attempted to pull himself away.
"What's the matter with him?" Taiyo asked, his voice afraid, and Shoon turned to see the other boy standing a few paces away, watching the kid by the heater with wide eyes.
"He's on drugs, I think." Shoon said quietly, the words tumbling from his lips in a hushed mess, before he turned back to the kid, murmuring "Hey, it's okay. You're okay." He reached out, but the boy scrambled to his feet, before promptly stumbling and falling back on his hands. Shoon's heart was racing in his chest, and he was afraid, afraid for the boy. He knew he could handle the kid if he tried to attack them, but he didn't want him to run away. It was too late at night, too cold, and the boy was too alone, too messed up, to be able to take care of himself. He drew his hand away, taking a step back, and the boy froze his eyes fixed on Shoon. "Do you want some water?" He made his way over to the kitchen, snatching a water bottle from the pack he'd stolen a few days prior and twisting off the lid.
"Here." He tried to keep his voice low, gentle like he'd seen parents talk to their children when they skinned their knee in the park. He held out the water bottle, murmuring "It'll be okay." The boy just watched him, head slightly bowed as if it was too heavy. Shoon waited a moment to see if he would reach for the water, and when he didn't Shoon sat down, scooting a bit closer. "It's for you." Slowly, still wary, the boy reached out, and once he had the bottle in his hand he jerked it away from Shoon's grasp, spilling some of its contents down their fingers and onto the floor. He paid it no mind, putting the bottle to his lips and downing it all as if he had been on the verge of terminal dehydration, the water spilling down his chin, dripping onto his shirt. The boy didn't acknowledge the mess he'd made, just working on trying to get every last drop from the bottle. Shoon turned to Taiyo, saying
"I have a blanket. Over there―" He pointed to the doorway to his bedroom. Taiyo nodded. "―it's in there on the floor, with the futon. Get it. Please?" Taiyo nodded, skirting around the edge of the room and disappearing off into the dark bedroom. After a crashing noise he returned, looking a little sheepish, the blanket in his hands. Shoon took the fabric, inching closer to the kid still fighting with his water bottle, until they were side by side, and draping the blanket over his shoulders. The boy stilled, his body slumping and Shoon ran his hand over the boy's shoulders through the blanket, trying to offer some comfort. When the boy didn't startle away, he wrapped the arm around the kid's shoulders, pulling him close.
The kid slumped heavily into his side, and Shoon leaned back against the wall, trying to get comfortable. The boy still didn't seem to be fully aware, drooling a bit onto Shoon's shoulder, his eyes glassy in the light of the lantern. It wasn't long before they drooped shut, Taiyo crouched down on the other side of the heater, watching them quietly. But then he turned away, grabbing at his bundle of things, and for a moment Shoon thought that he was leaving, bailing on them. But then he turned back around, a blanket and a rope in his hands, and he crouched down, wrapping the rope around his ankle, before tying it around one of the drugged up kids own. The knot was sloppy, but Taiyo tugged at it, satisfied when it held.
"So he doesn't run away." Taiyo explained. Shoon was impressed by the innovative thinking, nodding and saying
"Tie mine too." Once they were all tied together Taiyo wrapped himself up in his blanket, curling up in a ball between their feet and the heater. It was probably the best spot in the apartment Shoon mused, watching in the dim light of the lantern for a few moments before flicking it off, immersing them in darkness, before he too fell asleep.
He woke to a sharp tug on his ankle, and he jolted up, suddenly alert. The sunlight was just barely beginning to creep through the window, and he cursed, his heart pounding. The boy from the night before was awake, looking at him with eyes wide with fear, his hands trying to undo the sloppy knot of rope from around his ankle. Taiyo was still asleep next to them on the floor. Realizing the situation, Shoon let out a sigh of relief, running a hand over his face.
"G'morning." He murmured. The boy didn't react, his eyes fixed on Shoon's face. "I'm not going to hurt you, promise." Shoon told him. The kid's eyes trailed over his body, judging and afraid, and when they came back up to Shoon's face, he couldn't tell if the boy believed him. "Here; how about if you promise not to run away, then I'll untie you?" He offered. The kid swallowed, but after a moment he nodded, and Shoon nodded back, leaning forward and reaching for the knots. As he worked them loose, he explained
"I found you last night, and took you home." He paused, looking over at the boy's face. He seemed much better, eyes bright and alert and surprisingly intelligent. "You look better." He offered, trying to smile, trying not to freak the kid out too much. He got the rope untied, and the boy pulled his leg in toward his body, wrapping his arms around it, before pulling them away in disgust when he noticed the dried vomit on his shoes.
"Who are you?" The boy asked, still taking in his surroundings.
"Shoon. My name is Yamashita Shoon." He paused. "What's your name?" The boy fixed him with one last scrutinizing look, before saying
"Hikaru."
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