We're Different But That's Okay

chapter three - a new family member

content warnings: injury mention, muzzles, prostitution mentioned, shitty law system, hybrid mandates suck ass in general, unlawful imprisonment,

word count: 2.9k

Cold.

Why's it so cold... and hard?

Slowly but surely, Eijiro wakes, grunting as he's suddenly blinded by the bright light coming from the ceiling, making his vision struggle to adjust to the sudden flow of light in his eyes. He drapes an arm over his face to shield him from the light, groaning in slight pain as he attempts to calm himself down.

His (now bandaged) hand then grazed over something metal and heavy on his face, his senses slowly coming to him as he realized that something was covering his mouth. A muzzle.

"Hey man, you alright?" A gruff and unfamiliar voice asks from nearby, instantly making Eijiro shoot up and push away from whoever was speaking, his back hitting against the cold, cement wall directly behind him. The wind was nearly knocked right out of him but he recollected himself and opted for finding the source of the voice that had suddenly spoken to him.

Coming face to face with a tall silver-haired man with aggressive eyelashes made the male's nose scrunch up, the both of them wearing matching muzzles.

A dog? Where was he?

Almost as if the dog hybrid had heard his thoughts, he spoke up again, "If you're wonderin' you're in a shelter for the disruptive types. If you're lucky you won't be euthanized in the next couple of days. But..." The man's eyes drifted to the collar that was around Eijiro's neck, zeroing in on it with a suggestive look in his eyes. This caused Kirishima to squint and then protectively put a hand over the collar before speaking up, finally, "But what? I have an owner, I need to call her." He paused for a moment and then sat up off of the wall, shifting his weight around so that he could dig around in his pockets.

His fingers soon clamped around what he'd been searching for and he snatched it from his pocket, staring at his phone before sighing in exasperation, immediately hitting the speed dial to call you. No signal. Wow, someone must really hate him. 

"Woah woah woah, you've got a phone?? Wow, you really must have an owner then," the unknown hybrid said, sadness in his voice as he shrunk into his corner.

Kirishima felt a tinge of guilt for the other hybrid but was quickly distracted by the sound of your voice. It didn't sound far away, in fact, it sounded like you were in the same building as him.

"... I need all of your badge numbers, immediately, You can't go around treating people like they're hardened criminals! You should be ashamed of yourselves!"

"Ma'am, please. We had reason to tase him, he had a knife-" "THAT WAS STABBED THROUGH HIS HAND. I can't keep talking to you, where is he?" There was a pause, Eijiro immediately scurried from where he was and went to press his body against the plexiglass that caged him in, making him feel like a measly animal.

"Y/N!" He shouted, beginning to pound on the plexiglass in hopes that you could hear him. Unfortunately, for him, you wouldn't be able to.

"Sorry to tell you but- it's soundproof," the stranger spoke up, sitting with his back against the wall and arms crossed over his chest, his clothes tattered and ratty, "But don't get too freaked out. They'll make it over here soon enough and you'll be reunited. You're pretty lucky, pal."

For some reason, the other hybrid's words seemed to soothe him just a smidge, thinking that you would find him no matter what, you always did so he trusted that you'd be there to get him soon enough. He found himself slowly turning to look at the rugged stranger, taking in his appearance in silence for a moment, only observing him, before speaking up, "... How long have you been here?"