I paced the floor, a burner phone in my hand being used to tap my palm out of nervousness.
"What are you gonna do?" Maru mumbled.
"I don't know." I mumbled and looked down at the phone, continuing to walk back and forth in the little path in the living room.
"Are you gonna help?"
"I don't know just let me-" I huffed and stopped in my place, closing my eyes as I let out a huff. "Just let me think."
It was silent for a moment, thirty seconds at most before Maru was speaking again. "What I wanna know is why he called you. Not me, not mom, not Kai.. you."
"Because he remembers." Kai whispered. I kept my eye on the phone in my hand, my mind drifting as he continued. "He remembers what he did for Y/n was more than this.. and he expects the same help."
"What?" Maru asked and I looked up to see his confused eyes. "What's he talking about Karu?"
I cleared my throat before sitting down on the couch, my eyes dropping back down. "We didn't tell you everything that happened in Japan. Something else did too. Something dad made go away."
2008, age 13
Location, Japan
"More!" I lifted my leg and spun quickly, my foot knocking into the Kai's jaw which sent him staggering back. I then rushed forward and wrapped my arms around his waist, crashing him to the ground. I raised my hand to strike his face but I hesitated. "Go!" My dad exclaimed but.. I couldn't. "I said go!" I felt a harsh kick to my side which sent me rolling over in a breathless heap. My dad walked over and stood above me, eyes blazing with anger. "We don't hesitate. Life doesn't give us time to prepare, so we won't take chances, even here.. understood?" I nodded and he quickly grabbed the back of my shirt, lifting me up. "Understood?"
"Y-yes sir." I rushed out. He nodded and tossed me to the side like a rag doll before walking across the dirt backyard, eyes on the three other kids sparring. "Mason!" He suddenly called out and the build boy stopped mid punch, looking up with a nod. "Fight Hikaru."
My eyes widened and I pushed back quickly when the seventeen year old starting stalking towards me, a wide smirk on his lips. "About time." He grumbled out and quickly rushed forward to step on my hand, making me cry out in agony.
He then picked me up with ease and slammed me against the brick wall, fist now mercilessly pounding into my stomach.
"Fight back!" I heard dad yell so I slid down and tried to push Mason back by his legs but I suddenly felt his elbow rain down harshly on the back of my head, making me drop instantly. I blinked slowly, my mind turning to a static haze as I grabbed the back of my head and felt a thick liquid start to ooze. With the blurriness of my vision, I saw a figure stand before me.
"You.. are.. worthless. Nothing.. like.. I raised.. you."
I pushed onto all fours before being dropped again from a swift kick to my stomach. I fell back onto the ground but my hand landed on a loose brick. I wrapped my fingers around it as I lifted my head. "No.." I wheezed out. "I'm not worthless, Dad." Before Mason could react, I shot up and swung with all my force until the brick connected with his temple. He dropped.
I staggered back and let the brick slip out of my hands as Mason laid on the ground, unmoving with a pool of blood starting to form. "I-" I felt bile raise up my throat so I quickly turned to my side and emptied my stomach.
"I knew you had it in you." My dad said with a smile as he kneeled down and checked Masons pulse. "He's finished.. but that's okay," He looked at me with a nod. "His blood won't be on your hands, okay? You can depend on me, I'll protect you."
Present day
Maru was gaping at the both of us with wide eyes. "You killed someone.. at thirteen?" I nodded. "Why wasn't I made aware of this??"
"We both wanted to forget about out." Kai mumbled. "It's not something a nine year old wants to remember, let alone the thirteen year old that did it."
"But still.. I'm your brother, I.."
While they started to argue, I pushed myself off of the couch and grabbed my keys, walking out of the house as I sent a text.
Me: Can I come over plz?
Shay: Of course, I'm at my studio apartment tho so just come here
Shay has started sharing her location
-
When I reached the mini apartment on sunset, I walked up the steps and knocked on the wooden door.
"Come in!" I heard her call out, her voice slightly muffled from music blaring inside. I pushed the door open and walked in, instantly smelling the mixture of cinnamon and something acrylic. I looked around and took notice of the large murals on the wall, one of a woman with an Afro, rainbows coming out of her hair, and another of a tiger with seemingly tattoos over his body. Hm..
"I keep trying for you," I rounded the corner and saw Shay standing in front of a large canvas, swaying as she held a paint brush. Her hair was thrown into a top bun, body clad in a loosely buttoned plaid shirt and some short cotton shorts. Once she heard me, she looked over her shoulder and smiled, slowly dancing her way towards me while singing. "There's nothing like you and I.. baby." She leaned forward slightly and connected our lips softly, almost barely adding any pressure.
I went to wrap my arms around her waist when I suddenly felt something wet press against my nose, making my face scrunch up. I quickly pulled back and saw her smiling, her paint brush up. She stepped back and tapped her chin, studying me before nodding. "Cute as fuck."
I looked in the small mirror hanging on the wall and saw a black dot on my nose. "This is cute to you?" I questioned and she hummed absentmindedly while continuing to paint. I walked over and was stunned when I saw a very... very naked woman laying on a couch behind the canvas. And I mean bush out and all.
"Her names Deandra." She said before I could ask. "Say hi D." The girl smiled and gave me a wave. "One of my many models, she's my favorite though." I hummed and sat down on the chair as she kneeled down to pick up a tube of paint. "She likes to be completely natural, hence her hair that you keep looking at." I opened my mouth to stammer out a reply but she only looked up and giggled. "It's okay Pooh, the human body is beautiful. Isn't it D?"
"Yes it is." The girl responded, still laying in her same position.
"Wow." I cleared my throat and adverted my eyes to look at Shay who started to paint again, her face concentrated yet relaxed. "You only paint women?"
"Nope." She mumbled. "I do men too." My eyebrows shot up and without even looking, she knew. I could tell by the small giggle that left her mouth. "Don't worry.." Her eyes switched to me as she smirked. "I never get attracted."
"Unless it's me." Deandra suddenly piped up and Shay laughed, pointing at her with the paint brush.
"Damn right, D. You my bitch." I couldn't help but smile. She was always so open and flowy and just.. warm. It was dope.
After we sat there for maybe thirty more minutes with her cracking jokes and shading in her painting, the girl was leaving.
"I'll have it done fully tomorrow, D." They hugged and once she left, Shay turned quickly and smiled at me dopily. "Sooo, wanna be my next muse?"
"The only time I'll be naked for that long is if I'm showering or fucking so.. I'll pass."
She laughed and walked back to the canvas and sitting down on the chair, simply focusing on the background. She stood up and sat back down probably three times to get the top of the canvas before I slid over and sat down on the chair the next time she stood up.
When she found herself on my lap instead of the chair, a small shriek left her lips which followed by a loud giggle . "You scared me."
I hummed and wrapped my arms around her waist. "I'm sorry, Shanny." She leaned back into me as I caressed her stomach with my thumb.
"Hm.. it's okay.. papi."
I chuckled under my breath and shook my head before leaning into her ear, whispering, "You play too much."
She playfully gasped and turned slightly on my lap to face me. "What?" Another fake gasp. "Me?"
"Yes, you." I said pointedly, my eyes rolling. "You goofy as fuck."
"No I'm not." She mumbled before leaning forward and grabbing that painting plate shit that had all the color of paints on it, then a paintbrush. "Now if I can't paint you, I'll paint on you." Before I could stop her she was already making lines on my face.
"Shannyn." She hummed. "This shit is gonna break me out."
"No.." She grabbed the paint tube and turned it to me with a wide smile. "It's organic."
This girl..
I took her word for it and let her paint my damn face before looking over when I heard her front door open. "Expecting someone?" I asked and she shook her head, solely focused on her work.
Seconds later, I saw a girl walk in wearing dress slacks and a button up shirt, tucked it and held up by a Gucci belt. She looked like your typical butch, but with elegance. Hm..
"That was fast." She suddenly said and Shay's hand froze in place. The girl gave me a once over before she walked forward to a table, dropping a cardboard box on top of it. "This is everything from my house.. if anything's missing, let me know and I'll bring it over. Now, my stuff?"
"Um.." Shay pulled back and gave the girl a shy look before pointing to a room. "It's.. it's in there." She mumbled and that was the first time so far I've seen her so.. tamed. Almost insecure.
"Who is that?" I whispered and Shay smiled sheepishly.
"Blake, my ex." I hummed and watched her stand up and walk to the box. "We lived together so.. she's giving me my shit back." Her face was contorted in an emotion even I couldn't pick apart. Was it sadness? Anger? Resentment?
Eventually Blake walked out of the room with her box and she glanced at me, her eyes raking up and down my body before she gave Shay a look. "You could've picked a better rebound, Shan."
Oh see what we're not about to do..
I stood up slowly and stepped towards her. "Wanna say that to my face?"
Blake smirked and set the box down, her arms crossing. "Do you think I am afraid of you, hood rat." My jaw clenched. "You're not worth the dog shit on the bottom of my shoes.. get a real job and stop exploiting yourself for money." My fist then clenched. "I tried to teach Shay that but she'd rather play fantasy land and drop out of med school for.. whatever this is."
"One more thing." I spat out through my gritted teeth, itching to put my hands on someone today. First I found out my best friend betrayed me, then my dad breaks out and expects me to be his savior, and now an ignorant ass ex? There were no more strings to be pulled right now.
But did she get that? Not at all.
"It's okay though, we all play a part. Shay turns to a dreamy hippie and dates a low life thug. Once she realizes how shit you are, she'll come running back to me-" I grabbed her fancy ass shirt and basically picked her up while slamming her back against the wall, feet dangling off the floor. "Woah." She breathed out. "This is Armani, motherfucker!"
I clenched the collar between my hands, my breathing heavy as I imagined the thirty ways I could snap her neck. Then..
"Hey," I felt a warm hand rest on my neck, the other on my wrist. I couldn't look at her and she knew it. "Trust me, not worth it. She's a lawyer.. she runs her mouth for a living but can't back up a thing."
"Not true-"
"Shut the fuck up Blake before you end up killed." Shay hissed out. "Y/n.. look at me." I shook my head and slowly started to slide my hand to her neck. "Karu, come on." Wide terrified eyes stared back at me once I reached her neck, dwindling on the edge of crushing her wind pipe. "Pooh," and that got me. I looked at Shay and saw her calm eyes. "I'm not stressing about her so be stress free with me, okay? Come on, I gotta finish your baby bear face."
I gave her a look before an accidental laugh left my lips. "A bear?" I let go of Blake and she dropped, instantly crawling away as she gasped for air. "Not even a tiger?"
Shay shook her head before wrapping her arms around my waist. "Nope. You're a cute ass Pooh bear." She then looked over my shoulder and faked a smile at Blake. "All your stuffs there, you can get out and stay out. Oh, and pressing charges wouldn't be the best idea.. you know?"
"Uh.. yeah." She said before grabbing her box and staggering out.
I watched her slam the door shut before my chin was grabbed and Shay forced me to look at her, her eyes sparkling. "Okay."
I raised my eyebrows. "Okay?"
She nodded. "We can go on that second date.. and I'm expecting a question by the end of it." I bit my bottom lip and nodded before grabbing her face and pulling her forward, connecting our lips. We started to back to the wall but I suddenly pulled back and looked at her with wide eyes. "What?"
"I came here for some advice but I think I know what I'm gonna do.. wanna road trip with me to Kentucky?"
She shrugged and grabbed her phone, and a random ass blanket that was just laying there. "Can we stop to get some snacks?"
I nodded, a sudden proud feeling growing in my stomach. What a fucking rider. "Of course, that's mando."
-
I sat in an abandoned ass building with only my phone flashlight, waiting.
"If I wanted to, I could attack you right now." I heard from behind me. "What happened to being on guard at all times? Did you forget your training already.. don't tell me you aren't sparring anymore."
I chuckled bitterly before turning around, seeing my dad walk up in a dingy looking sweatsuit. "Good to see you too dad." I forced a smile when he walked over and pulled me into a hug, rocking us slightly.
"Ah I was wrong, you are still keeping in shape. Those shoulders." He said and lightly squeezed me before pulling back. "You come alone?"
"Just like you said." I responded and held up the burner phone. "No one knows we're here."
"Good." He breathed out before sitting down on a beat down chair. "So here's the plan. I just need a couple thousand to go somewhere outta stage, preferably somewhere like.. Alaska, Cuba, something like that." I nodded. "Clear my name, make the feds think I disappeared but a few weeks later in the in Red Hook, the port in New Jersey, a body turns up. I'll make sure no DNA pops up but that's my job. And after they identify me as dead, I'll be back here and we can start our new lives together. Real student and teacher for life. There's a much more I want you to learn, Seito. So.. what do you think?"
I looked down at my feet and nodded to myself. "Remember when I killed that boy? Mason? What did you tell his parents..." I looked up and saw his eyebrows furrowed. "Or that girl who died in your training from getting too many blows to her head. Or.. or better yet, the eighteen year old boy you slaughtered because he looked at me the wrong way. Dad.. you are not okay. And now your gonna kill some guy for.. for what?"
"For you." He exasperated before sliding to his knees and grabbing my hand. "It's all for you, Seito. You need a Sensei-"
"No I needed a father!" I exclaimed, my emotions getting the best of me and causing my eyes to well up with tears. "I never wanted you to be my teacher, I never wanted to learn that murdering was okay if it was for learning progression. I just wanted to have a dad. Other kids was going out for ice cream or seeing a movie, you made me beat my own brother unconscious almost every day!" The tears were now free falling. "I never wanted that."
He was silent when I pulled my hand away, my head shaking as I kept mumbling 'I never wanted that' to myself. "Okay," he nodded and stood up. "Stand up."
"No." I mumbled.
"Tachiagaru Hikaru!" He yelled sternly and I wiped my face before pushing up and watching him step back to reach for something. I held the light up and furrowed my eyebrows when he held a gun. "Don't worry," he smiled and placed it on the chair. "I told you when you were twelve that I'd never hurt you if it wasn't for your own benefit."
I dropped my phone, the light facing up as he finally bowed to me until I did the same. "Ready?" He mumbled as before I could reply, he swung for me which made me stumble back quickly. "Stay grounded, no ukemi." I took in a deep breath and watched his steps draw closer to me.
He did a sudden spin and back hand punched me, making me instantly taste metal in my mouth. I simply spit out the blood and watched him shake his fist.
We walked in circles for what felt like forward before I quickly brought up my hands in a blocking position when he tried to punch me again, then raising my foot and kicking him in his chest which sent him back. "Good." He said and nodded with a smile. "Very good."
The sudden sounds of sirens echoed and my eyes widened but he stayed calm, motioning me to step forward. "Come on, focus." I took in a slow breath and he got into his stance. "Which leg was shot? Left or right?"
I didn't know how he knew but I simply answered him. "Left."
He nodded and rushed forward to which I dodged and elbowed him in the back, followed by a knee to his gut. He let out a mixture of a groan and a laugh. "I'm getting old."
I cracked a smile and shrugged. "Or I'm getting better."
He smiled and stepped back with a slight limp. "Very well might be possible." Once the sirens began getting louder, he grabbed the gun and I watched as he loaded it. "Here's the thing, Karu." He frowned. "They just put me on death row.. and I'd rather go out on my own terms so.." I swallow thickly when he raised the gun and pointed at me. I squeezed my eyes shut when I heard a sudden bang, the pain in my leg searing again, making me drop immediately. I reopened my eyes and saw him sliding the gun into his waistband. "Say you tried to stop be but I overpowered you, your wound is reopen which shows you never let me go, and stay on the ground by the time they come in." He spoke way too quick as he started walking for the back entrance.
"W-what, where are you going?" I asked as I held my leg, my teeth gritted in pain.
He smiled and stopped for a moment, then looked over his shoulder. "Being a father, a real father.. I'm setting you free." I watched as he pointed at me. "You want freedom and I can respect that. You don't have to worry about me popping up anymore. But I do expect you to keep up those Judo moves.. they're too good to be wasted. I love you.. Daughter."
I love you too, Dad.
I swallowed thickly and walked out of the back just as the front of the door bursted open, officers running in with their gun up. "He.. he got away." I winced and pointed at my leg. "And he shot me."
The officer quickly tended to me while the others searched around but, knowing my dad, he was halfway running to the border by now.
I was helped outside to the ambulance and they wrapped me up, claiming it was a through and through wound luckily.
"Hey," I looked up from my spot on the edge of the ambulance ledge, smiling when Shay grabbed my hand and looked down at my leg. "You okay?" I nodded and wrapped my arms around her, my head dipping into the crook of her neck.
"Can I switch something up?" She hummed. "Can I ask first.. then the date later?"
She pulled back and looked at me with raised eyebrows. "Depending what you're asking.."
I rolled my eyes before grabbing her face and pulling her forward to connect our lips. She smiled into the kiss and held my sides, her smile inevitably making me smile. "You know my question." I whispered against her lips and she hummed again. "Will you be my Shanny?"
A giggle left her lips as she nodded. "Okay.. I'll be your Shanny."
And mine she was.
___
fuckin soft bro. tf.. im fuckin soft.
i hope this wasn't all over the place but- im fuckin SOFT BRO