The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful (Peko x Fuyuhiko) [COMPLETED]

Part 1, Chapter 6 (6 years old)

Hi there! If you've been reading my other parts, you know these are mostly collected, chronological anecdotes about Peko and Fuyuhiko's childhoods. In that case, please comment if there's something or someone you would like to see in the future. Also, just to clarify, the beginning of this one has no connection to the end of my last one. This one is about a week's time later.

Fuyuhiko's POV

I woke up early to a sound outside my door. Someone was coughing, no hacking. It sounded pretty bad. I got up and opened the door. On the way, I glanced at the clock. It was 5:36. I sighed and opened the door.

Peko stood there, slightly bent over, coughing nonstop into her elbow. Her coughing fit ended and she tuned to look at me.

Peko's eyes were watery and bloodshot. She didn't seem awake. Something seemed distant, as though she were in a dream. It was most likely she had just woken up and gotten dressed. Her nose was red and sore, and her grey hair was a tangled mess.

"Feelin' under the weather?" I asked.

"Yep." She said. She coughed twice, her little body shaking slightly as she did. "Does it feel like I have a fever?"

I felt my cheeks grow red as a strawberry as I put my hand to her face. I pulled away quickly, shocked by the intense heat. "You're burning up." I said. "Wait here, I'll go tell my mom. You probably shouldn't go to school like this."

Five minutes later, I ran back to Peko, my mom in tow. She felt my forehead as well and decided to keep Peko home.

"What on earth is going on out here?" My daddy stormed out into the hall.

"Peko is too sick to go to school." My mommy said, in her closing negotiations voice.

"If Fuyuhiko goes, Peko goes." Daddy's voice was just as final.

"She'll just get him and the other kids sick." Mommy's voice got just a little scarier.

"Yeah?" Daddy's voice was dangerous sounding and Peko stepped in front of me. She knew just as well as I did that they could get dangerous.

"Yeah." Mommy said. Her fist slammed into daddy's cheek. He grabbed and twisted, then put her in a hold. Mommy slipped it and kicked him in the throat.

Peko grabbed my hand and pulled me along the hallway. She led me into her room, slamming the door with a bang.  The storm that was my parents kept fighting. Peko began coughing once again. Her little body doubled over, hacking. I put a hand on her back.

"I'll go get you some medicine." I said.

"No. It's too dangerous to go out, and I'm fine anyway." Peko shut down my offer.

"My parents were fading in the right side of the hall, the kitchen is on the right. I promise I'll be fine. Just this once, let me protect you." I plead.

"Fine." Peko said. "But be safe."

"I will." I said. I left Peko's room and tiptoed down the hall. I made it to the kitchen. The cough medicine was way up. With a grunt, I hauled myself up onto the counter. I reached into the cabinet.

The cough medicine was nowhere to be found. I searched, but it was playing hide and seek. I moved a bottle of anti nausea meds and then there it was.

I clutched the medicine and headed back into the hallway. I locked eyes with my mother before entering the room.

"Are you okay?"Peko asked.

"I'm fine." I said. "And I got the medicine." I pulled out the bottle and smiled.

Peko coughed as she tried to take it from me.

"No, let me. Sit down, Peko." I smiled and pointed to the bed.

I read the label of the bottle.

Children take 5 mileaters

I'm not sure what a mileater is, but I saw five, and my shaky, small hands measured it out in the little cup. I handed it to Peko and she downed it.

"Thank you, Hiko." She said. She leaned up a little and kissed my cheek.

Eww... but even still, my face turned red. I couldn't look at Peko.

Peko's POV

I smiled. Hiko blushed and looked away. I sneezed loudly. Hiko turned around, concerned, and I smiled. If it was possible, he turned even more red.

We just sat there the rest of the morning, until the noises cleared up, and we decided it was probably safe. I peeked out through the door and saw no one. The rest of the morning, I helped Hiko get ready for school. We didn't see, nor hear, anything of Hiko's parents.

"Do you think they're okay?" Hiko asked. He was so worried, I could tell just by his eyes. I grabbed his backpack and handed it to him.

"They're tough." I said. "It will be fine." I sent Hiko to school.

Fuyuhiko's POV

I walked to school, lonely without Peko. I played a little game, skipping over the cracks in the sidewalk. I was getting really close to the school, dreading a day without Peko until I realized I had Gundham to play with. The school was in sight.

"Yo." I heard behind me. I turned and immediately paled.

Mondo the corn cob was staring me in the face. "Hey tiny, where's your girlfriend? She can't protect you now, can she?" Mondo smirked. I backed towards the school.

Just as I did, Mondo's fist slammed the soft skin of my cheek, reddening it. My hand flew to the side of my face.

Mondo smiled and sent another blow to my stomach. I doubled over. He started kicking me. I remember it lasted forever, just his foot making contact with my flesh, over and over again. Somewhere along the way, I heard a crunch and felt one of my ribs snap.

After an eternity, Mondo left. I could hardly stay conscious, much less get up and walk. So I just laid there thinking "this is it. I'm gonna die."

Thanks for reading like always! I realize a lot of my stories are inconsistent with cannon material, so I do apologize for that. Bye!