Learn to Live (Vigilante)

What does he know? (Chapter 15)

I wasn't able to sleep a wink. All night I  listened to any sound in the house. I was able to hear the kid move the bed. Hitoshi on the other hand was fast asleep. He was finally making those eye bags less black.

Shanks left my room a while ago. He normally slept but he snuck out when Ren got here. He was the only cat I had. I wanted more cats, but Shanks was getting old. I don't want him to think I'm replacing him.

It was 3:30 in the morning. I would rather stay up this late than ever wake up this early. It's just a crime that I haven't been able to sleep. Maybe I'll have my class write a two-hour essay and I can sleep then.

I inwardly sighed. 

I would have to correct all those papers and that would take me far longer than two hours. I am too lazy for that. Plus today I already planned something.

I wonder if the kid has traits of a bird? Hawks was a Hawk so he loved to eat chicken. Birds are light sleepers so maybe that's why the kid always looks tired? What if the kid can't eat certain things?

I've only seen the kid do one birdy thing. 

One day when Denki accidentally got too excited and let out a bolt of electricity. Everyone jumped away but Ren caught my attention because you could visibly see a chill run down him. His feathers puffed out and to be honest it looked ridiculous. I almost laughed out loud except for the expression on his face. Pure fear. I couldn't get his terrified face out of my mind.

Giving up on life I rolled out of bed taking my blanket with me. I crawled to the kid's room poking my head around the corner. I was surprised he left the door open Hitoshi always closes his. 

I poked my head in and erased my presence trying my darn hardest not to wake up the bird. 

I looked into the corner of the room where the bed blocked it off. So he did move it. Sure enough, I saw the kid laying on the floor with his cat pillow. 

As it has happened once before I looked at his face in pure terror. The kid was trembling in his sleep. Whole-body in a tight ball.  My whole body jolted towards him before I could even register what I was doing. One-step and his eyes slammed open. He jumped up and looked at me one tear falling out of an eye. 

I approached him slowly, "Bad dream?" 

He looked around the room realizing where he was. Eyes widening ashamed, "Yah, bad dream."

I walked up to the kid. His shaking seem to have vanished but on closer inspection, it was still there. Not thinking twice I picked him up in my arms and walked to my room.  I was getting déjà vu. I did this years ago with Hitoshi, but Hitoshi gladly came with me. This time I was carrying Ren. I placed the kid down on my bed and threw the blanket on him.

"It's fine." A squeak came out of his throat. "Sorry if, if I woke you." He was laying on his side facing away from me. 

"I was already awake." I laid next to him on top of the blanket. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He stayed there still, "It was just a nightmare." 

We both heard a loud groan and a thumb from down the hall. I inwardly cursed at the bad timing.

A purple worm came inching into my room, "Daddddddd my nock out meds wore out! I need morrre."

I cursed out loud making Hitoshi freeze and look up at me. "Come on it's only 4 am. You are..."  he saw Ren "ahhh heyyyyy there." I watched as my idiot son still on the ground inched around in a circle and started inch worming himself out the door.