The Reckless & The Brave Book 2: A Crack In This Castle of Glass [Iwaoi]

Part 2

"Look I... When I talked to headquarters earlier and told them that we'd need an extraction soon... They asked about the status of the mission."

"Fuck the mission we'll die out here if we stay."

"That's why I'm going to handle it... at least part of it. I can take out the general and at least say we completed half of what we came for."

"We are going together, you and me just like it's always been. Then those bastards on the board will..." Hajime takes a deep breath to calm himself. "We'll get it done and then go home. Me and you and all the others." He doesn't think about Watari's worsening fever or Kyotani's violent fits.

"Hajime," He can hear the exhaustion in Tooru's voice. They need to go home. Hajime pulls Tooru into his arms and hugs him tightly.

"I know," he presses his lips against sandy curls. "I know." They don't have time for this but there are too many emotions swirling around inside them. Threatening to break out. They need to be strong now though, they need to have something to show the board of directors so they can get what's left of their team back home.

"I want to go home Iwa-chan," Tooru's voice is just a whisper but he presses his mouth against Hajime's ear. "I want to go to visit mama Iwa, I want to go to school and play sports and do homework."

To be normal, Hajime wants that too. But they can never have that now, they're too broken. Destroyed by this life they were thrown into when they were too young to know better, too young to understand that they'd been better off on the streets. Hajime has a scar on his arm, from the fence that he'd fallen from. He can't help but blame himself when he sees it. If he hadn't taken so long in the store that day maybe they would have found a way to stay together anyway.

"Me too Tooru," He whispers back. Then it's time to go. They move through the city silently. They know how to do this, it's all familiar. Sneak into the base unnoticed, kill the general. Get out before the alarm is sounded and leave no trace behind. They're there in what feels like an instant, faces blank as Hajime's knife slides across skin and blood spills onto white sheets. It only takes a few seconds and then the general is gone.

They're turning to leave when they spot something unexpected. A child. Sitting in the corner of the room with his knees pulled up to his chest. He's thin and his clothes don't fit him properly, his feet covered in dirt. His black hair is matted in places and his blue eyes devoid of any life. Hajime and Tooru exchange a look and then Tooru moves towards the boy slowly, bending the crouch in front of him.

"My name is Tooru," he says in English, but the boy shows no signs of recognizing the words so Tooru repeats it again in mandarin. There's still no response.

"What's your name?" Hajime asks in Japanese. There's a flicker of something in the boy's eyes then as they dart between Tooru and Hajime.

"Tobio," he whispers. Tooru holds out his hand and smiles gently at the boy. Hajime knows what he's going to do, knows how many rules it will break. But the boy won't be safe here when the General is found and he's seen too much of them anyway.

"Do you want to come with us Tobio-chan? We're going to Japan soon," Tooru offers. The boy's eyes widen and he reaches out cautiously to take Tooru's hand. Hajime can see the pain on Tooru's face as he tries to stand straight again. His knee pain is probably getting worse.

"I'm going to pick you up okay Tobio?" Hajime takes Tooru's arm and supports his weight for a moment. The kid looks really unsure but after a moment he nods his head slowly. Hajime makes sure to he as gentle as he can as he lifts the boy into his arms. Tobio trembles in fear but he wraps his arms around Hajime's neck and hides his face. Hajime meets Tooru's eyes. It's not going to be easy to get the board to allow Tobio onto the plane back to Japan, they'll want something in return. He knows though that Tooru won't go back on his word so they'll have to think of some way to get him allowed or find their own way back to Japan. The kid was probably abducted at some point. He probably has a family out there looking for him. But he saw Tooru and Hajime kill that general. He'll see the faces of the rest of the castle team. They will have to convince the board that the boy's knowledge isn't a threat. That he'll forget them soon enough once he's home with a loving family.