Fallen but Found || PoruKoru

The Day It Began (II)

Porco walked into his home, dropping his backpack on the ground. He grabbed the sticks and started to put them in the burning area of the stove when his mother appeared.

"Ah, Porco! You're back!" His mom stepped closer to him, wrapping him in a hug. Porco sighed into her arms, but he fidgeted a little. He lied to his mother- had lied multiple times. Even if they didn't agree on him joining the Survey Corps, he knew that his mother just wanted to protect him and keep him safe. She didn't want him to end up like Marcel.

"Hi mom," He said, stepping out of her embrace. He went back to the pile of sticks to continue with his task, but there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" He called, walking to the door and opening it without another thought. He had only opened it a crack when a hand shot out and pushed the door the rest of the way open, the action causing Porco to stumble and fall to the ground.

In front of him was the man that he had hit before with a stick. The one he had run away from. How did he find him? Did the man know his mother and therefore recognized him?

Porco could feel his breath catch as the man's gaze landed on him. Porco could see the anger in those eyes, and he shuffled on the ground, trying to get away. Before he could move farther, the man's arm went for his shirt, and he picked Porco up by his collar. Porco squirmed in the man's grip, unused to the feeling of not being on the ground.

"Porco?" His mom called, stepping into the doorway. "Who's at the door-?"

"Mrs Galliard," the man raised Porco higher, and he grabbed at the man's arm for balance. "I saw your son today. The little rascal hit me on the head with one of them sticks!"

"Mr Miller!" His mother moved closer to them, pushing the man's arm till he let go of Porco. The boy landed on the ground with a thud, and his backside hurt. Ouch.

"What's all this about? You come to my home and then strangle my child?"

Mr Miller's fingers twitched. Maybe he was thinking of strangling Porco more.

"Mrs Galliard, you need to punish your child. He hit me on my head with a stick for no good reason! The kid wants trouble, that's what!"

His mother opened her mouth, about to retort, but Porco was faster.

"It wasn't for no good reason!" Porco cried, folding his arms. "Y-you were talking about..." His voice trailed off as he sniffled. He could feel the tears start to fall now that he let them out, but it didn't make him feel better. Big boys didn't cry, but here he was on the floor, sobbing.

"What, the Survey Corps? Do you love them so much that you hit your elders? Have you got no respect?"

"Thank you for telling me, Mr Miller," His mother said as she pushed Mr Miller towards the door. "I'll deal with him myself, but please do not harm my child again- he is my responsibility, not yours."

Before Mr Miller could argue, his mother slammed the door in his face. Once she did, she leaned against it with a sigh.

"Mr Miller is the person who provides our fruits and vegetables," His mother said, sliding towards the floor. She sat crossed-legged, a few centimetres away from Porco. "It's going to be painful doing business with him now. He might try scamming us- it wouldn't be the first time he's done it to a customer he didn't like."

"I'm sorry," Porco whispered, his voice cracking on the word. He quickly wiped at his face, trying to get rid of the tears. It didn't work, they just kept on flowing.

"I'm sorry," He repeated.

"I know," His mother said, but her eyes had that sad look- the same one Porco saw when Marcel's division of the survey corps came back with only a bloody cape.