Little Runaway || Mitsuya T.

0.5

There was shouting coming from upstairs followed by a loud crashing sound. It was the same thing every night. A fight, followed by furniture breaking... We were already down a chair, twelve plates, and a mirror.

I squeezed my eyes shut to keep the tears from falling. I didn't want to hear them yell at each other. I held the ragged duck plushie I'd had since I could remember close to my chest.

"You need to get a job that brings in some money!"

"It's not that easy and you know it!"

"You can't chase a pipe dream anymore, Mizuki! WE HAVE A CHILD!"

"DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT!"

Hugging Ryu stopped working. My body started to shake. It was too much. With Ryu in my arms, I slipped out the front door leaving the screaming behind.

I ran from the house as fast as my legs would take me. Following a familiar route, it took less than ten minutes to get to where I was going. I was out of breath when I rang the doorbell.

Footsteps approached the door before it creaked open.

"Oh, Haru-chan."

ʚїɞ ~ ʚїɞ ~ ʚїɞ

Shinichiro barely had enough time to move out of the way when the little girl sprinted past him.

"Oi!" He called after her. "At least say hi when you come over to someone's house!"

She glanced back, holding that poor golden duck stuffie close to her chest. Her normally bright blue eyes were dull and empty when she nodded her apology, the look she leveled him with made him regret stopping her. She turned on her heel and kept running, straight to Emma's room.

Today must've been one of the worse days at home. Haru always came over when things got too heavy at her house. It pissed Shinichiro off that a girl that young had to run away from home just to feel safe, though he was glad she could come to their house rather than wander the streets by herself. The thought reminded him that he should go see how Izana was doing...

Everyone deserved a loving family and a home to feel safe in.

ʚїɞ ~ ʚїɞ ~ ʚїɞ

"Haru! You're here!" Emma greeted me cheerfully when I snuck into her room.

The smile on her face faltered when she saw me. The same way her brother's had a few seconds earlier... I tried to fix my expression to hide my feelings better. Mama always said it made other people sad to see me sad, and I didn't want to make anyone else sad.

"Hi." My voice came out smaller than I intended.

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable I fidgeted with Ryu's small wings.

Emma got up from her seat on the floor and threw her arms around me. "It's gonna be okay," she said, even without being told what had happened.

Tears started to stream down my face. I thought I'd calmed down on my way here but I was wrong. Emma's gentle words caused it all to come back. So I cried. And she let me.

After the tears stopped I told Emma everything. She'd heard it all before but she still listened intently. Then she told me that she'd be my sister so I would never be alone even when my parents got the way they did. She said this way I'd always have family to go to. I thought she was joking but she had a serious look on her face.