The Muzzle (Dadzawa)

Ch. 6 - Injured

He kept visiting since then, and I'm not sure why. I always made sure to growl at him, yet he always came near with a plate of warm food every Friday, my hungriest day. It was nice, but I couldnt let him get to close. Last time I let someone close... I miss him still. That night, I heard an explosion. I like to believe he got out, but he was really stuck under that car. Anyway, Homeless looking but not Homeless man kept coming. At this point I'd have to end up moving, but now wasn't the time to be thinking of that. I was in the middle of a territory fight. Some grown men really wanted my spot and I was not about to let them have it. Fatso comes at me with a knife and I easily dodge and revert it into his side. He collapse and Icecream then charges. With a hand turned to solid ice, he goes to punch, but I dodge once again. I focas on Icecream, but he was hard to deal with. Anytime I tried to bite or claw at him, he'd just turn to ice in that area, so I'd get a mouthful of ice, and it hurt to bite down on solid ice. I turn to lunge at icecream when I feel warmth in my side. I ignore that and lunge at him and bite a chunk out of his side, finally getting through the ice. I growl as he collapses to the ground. With his side missing and his buddy stabbed, they retreat, that when I notice the warmth turning into pain. The rush of adrenaline from the fight blocked out the pain in my side, and lodge inside, was a knife. Fatso's knife. It was serated, so taking it out would be difficult. It was a deep stab to. Luckily no vitals were touched. I collapse next to my sleeping area. I was in pain and tired. I try to crawl inside, but the pain wouldn't allow me. I reach inside and pull a thin blanket and cover myself. What was today? I don't know pain day, I guess. Was today the day I die? Nah, I'll be fine. I turn on my back and lean against a nearby wall. I take hole of the knife and pull it out, painful yes, but it was out. I take the thin blanket and tie it tightly, pressing the wound. I'll be fine. Just, gotta sleep.

I wake up the next day in pain, on the side of the street. It was only Tuesday, so hopefully it would heal soon. Tuesday was rest day, the day I rest, like most days. I crawl inside my hut, successfully, and lay down. I slept for most of the day.

Wednesday, soup kitchen day, but I was in to much pain to move and to nauseous to eat, I'll just skip today. I'll eat on Friday.

Thursday was the day I went to the library. I always went to read stories like Ms. Lauren use to, but this dirty, I doubt they'd allow me in. Besides, I had gained a fever. The wound mustve been infected. I leyed in my now bloodied blankets, tired and sick. I'll be fine. I'll be fine. I'll be fine.

Friday, Homeless looking but not Homeless man day. The day I am in far to much pain to move. I can't move, I feel light as a feather, I'm hungry and nauseous, I'm hot and cold, I feel like death. With as much blood as I've lost, I probably was. At least I could say goodbye to Homeless looking but not Homeless man before I go. Besides Tilly, he was the closest thing to a friend I had. I laid ready to die. Would I even make it to night. I can't stay awake. I hug Tilly, tears rolling down my face. Was everything Chicken Killer did for nothing. I live 3 more useless years and die? I'm sorry Chicken Killer. At least we'll get to play that game of tag.

I wake up, wait, I wake up? I'm not dead? I'm in a room, weird. Wait, was I back? No, no, no, no, no! Not again. I stand up with Tilly and run the door, it was unlocked, God they've become stupid. I wobble through the hall. Seemed like a small house. Where was I. As I was about to fall, I feel arms wrap around me. I freak out and try to kick, but I was so weak, ot was more like a small jolt. I whimper in pain and fear. I didn't want to go back.

"Capm down stray, you're hurt." Stray? It was Homeless looking but not Homeless man. "It's alright Stray, you're alright," he said picking me up. He takes me back to the room and lays me down with Tilly. He sighs and rubs his face.

"You're awake, that's good," an older voice says from the corner of the room. "Ya know, this man called me to his house in the middle of the night for you. You better be greatful." She said. It was an older woman, short with long gray hair, carrying a syringe as a cane.

"Stray, you good?" I sit in a daze. I still felt like shit, but I was better then when I last fell asleep. I nodded as he seemed to calm down. He patted my head and promptly laid down on the floor, covering his eyes with his arms.

"I'm sorry," I wisper. Homeless looking but not Homeless man moved an arm to look at me before sitting up.

"Whatcha sorry for stray?" He asks.

"This," I say moving my arm to show off the room. He cocks his head to the side before sighing.

"You were half dead stray, don't be sorry, what I gave you was what you needed."

"Indeed, do you know how much blood you lost? How long had you been injured? That infection was no joke," spoke the older woman.

"Uh... Tuesday, I think." The woman looked flabbergasted. She sputtered and looked at me.

"Tuesday! How are you not dead! Boy you have some strange forces working for you, you should've died."

"Thanks," I mutter. The woman shakes her head before standing up.

"Well, I'm going home. Bring him by tommorrow Aizawa." So that's his name.

"Yes ma'am," Homeless looking but not Homeless man said. He stood up and walked her out leaving me alone for a little. Soon he came back with some soup. "Eat up stray, you need food, Recovery Girl said you hadn't eaten in days." I grab the bowl from him and scarf it down. It tasted so good. Homeless looking but not Homeless man laughs and pats my head before sitting down on the floor with his back to the bed. "Ya know, you really worried me there stray." I sit the empty bowl down and look at him.

"Sorry," I mutter.

"Its fine stray, just be careful, who knows if someone else found you before me. They could've just taken all of your stuff."

"I know," I say. "When can I leave?" This leaves Homeless looking but not Homeless man in shock. Leave?

"Ha, not now thats for sure."

"Sir, with all sure respect, I gotta get back to m-"

"Your not going back stray."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, after that I can't in my right mind let you back out on the streets." Now I look surprised at him.

"Kid I'm not sure why your homeless, but you can't just stay homeless."

"Who say I won't go back out there?"

"Stray," he says rubbing his face. "Listen to me, its no place for a kid. You can easily have a decent life, go home, go to school, eat a hot meal everyday" I stare down at my hands, what home? I don't have anywhere to go. "I don't know why you ran away, but you need to go home k-"

"I ran away because I was in danger. They wanted to sell me again."

"Again?"

"Quirk Trafficing." His face drops.

"How old where you kid?"

"Four, the first Monday I had my quirk."

"Kid, I... I'm so s-"

"Dont be, you can't control that sick part of the world. No one can." I look away. Homeless looking but not Homeless man mives on the bed, sitting right on the edge. He carefully grabs me and pulls me into a hug. The last time I had a hug was years ago. It eas nice. I lean into the hug and cry. I cry for Ms. Lauren, I cry for The Chicken Killer, and I cry for my Mom. I hadn't cried in years, and here I was crying into a man I barely know arms.

"It's okay kid, you're safe now."