Center of the Sunlit Sea || Chisaki Kai/Overhaul x Shirabe Mariya(OC)

6. First Sight

4100 words

Warm water splashed over the edge of the tub as the young boy dropped himself into the bath. The layer of grime that had become like a shell around him was thoroughly scrubbed away until his arms ached and his skin turned red. Feeling cleaner than he ever had before, Kai allowed himself to relax for the first time in a long while, sliding down until he was covered up to his chin. He let out a deep sigh, the heat working wonders on his sore muscles as he thought about his current predicament. Sure, the old man was kind, so very kind, but what did he have to gain from taking in a street urchin like him?

Staring at his fingers under the water, he focused for a moment, letting all outside influences fade away as he tried to recreate that feeling from not so long ago. An uncomfortable tingle shot up his arms, through his veins, all the way to his fingertips. A pattern of dark, geometric lines followed the sensation and he felt the skin of his palms prickle right before a spray of water erupted right in front of him, making him yelp as it soaked his head. Like a snake returning to its den, the feeling of pins and needles passed back up his arms and disappeared, leaving behind ripples in the bathwater. Maybe he should test it out in a way that wouldn't cause such a damp result.

The steam in the room was beginning to make him feel dizzy, so after soaking peacefully for a few minutes (he counted the seconds), he pulled the drain plug and went to find a towel. One had been left for him, along with a fresh set of clothes, on top of a wicker laundry hamper next to the sink in the connected washroom. His old clothes were nowhere to be seen, which he wasn't sure was a good thing, but he accepted that running around naked was not an option at the moment. After drying himself off, he discovered that both the shirt and pants were too big, forcing him to messily cuff the pantlegs so he didn't trip.

Turning around, he caught sight of himself in the mirror. It had been a long time since he'd last seen his own reflection without it being warped by a bent piece of metal or broken glass. The Kai in the mirror looked anxiously back at him like he was asking his other self if everything would be okay; he was the one who wore his feelings on his sleeve. Neither knew the answer to that question. With another sigh, he fixed his expression and walked out into the hallway. He remembered the way to the entrance, having been sent straight to clean up as soon as he stepped in. No one told him where to go after he was done, so he settled on retracing his steps until he found somebody to direct him.

The house was gigantic. It had stretched outside the edges of his vision when he walked up the front path, holding a stranger's hand and wondering whether he was walking right into a lion's den. At the bottom of the staircase, talking in low voices, were the old man and someone he didn't recognize. The other person wore a smart navy suit, contrasting against his conversation partner's casual t-shirt and pants. He had a severe look to him, with a rigid stance and visible frown lines that deepened every time he spoke; the type of person who was perpetually grumpy. Such an observation was proved when he glowered as he laid eyes on the boy in oversized clothing creeping closer. The old man noticed his shift in attention and looked down, a smile crossing his formerly stony face.

"Feeling any better?" he asked. Kai hummed a yes in reply, not trusting his voice under the weight of their combined gazes. "Why don't you do some exploring? Make yourself at home, Chisaki." He ruffled the boy's hair with a grin and nudged him on his way. Home, huh? Was that what this huge house was supposed to become to him? Kai wanted so badly to take what the elder said at face value, but distrust had made its home in his chest, delicate as a child's heart was. It would only be a matter of time before he was proven right, but until then he would take advantage of what he was given.

Explore he did. Picking a random direction, he started off with no idea of where it would lead. The part of the building to the right of the entrance seemed to be the actual living quarters, including the bathroom he washed in, a kitchen, western-style living room, and second floor of mostly empty bedrooms. It looked like a normal, average size family unit. The rest of the place was another story. When he noticed the picture frame hanging on the wall with a bird's eye photo of the property, he didn't realize the scale relative to him.