Smoking cats - shinsero

Lost and Found

Two days had passed since their conversation, but the ache in his chest hadn't gone away. It felt like something was still gnawing at him, growing stronger with each passing hour. No amount of smoking had really helped, and by now, he was out of weed.

He couldn't tell the other how bad it had gotten. Not again. He didn't want to burden him, didn't want Shinsou to worry more than he already was. But the truth was, the boy was struggling more than ever. He felt like he was sinking into a pit of his own thoughts, and he had nothing left to dull the noise.

So, against his better judgement, he decided to head out that evening to buy more.

It was raining lightly when he left the apartment, pulling his hoodie tighter against the drizzle. Shinsou was out for the evening, working late at the school, so Sero had slipped away unnoticed. He walked down the familiar streets, his hands stuffed into his pockets, his mind racing with too many thoughts.

He knew a guy who could hook him up - nothing dangerous, just some weed to take the edge off. But when he arrived at the usual spot, a shady corner near a run-down building, things didn't go as planned. Instead of his regular dealer, a group of drunk men stood nearby, passing around bottles of cheep alcohol. They were rowdy, their words slurred, and Sero hesitated, wondering if he should turn back.

But one of the men saw him approach and waved him over.
"Hey, man, you lookin' for a good time?"

He shifted uncomfortably, glancing at the alleyway.
"I'm just here to pick up some weed, that's all."

The man laughed, stepping closer, reeking of booze.
"We got more than that. You want something stronger? Make you forget everything for a while?"

Sero shook his head.
"Nah, I'm good. Just the usual."

But before he could walk away, one of the men grabbed his arm, pulling him closer.
"C'mon, kid. One hit, that's all it takes. You'll feel amazing."

Sero's heart raced, and for a moment, he considered it. He was already so close to the edge - what harm could one more hit do? Maybe it would help, maybe it would drown out the chaos in his head once and for all.

The next thing he knew, they were handing him something - he didn't even know what it was. He swallowed it without thinking, his mind too foggy to register the danger.

But it didn't take long for the world to start spinning. The edges of his vision blurred, his legs felt weak, and his heart pounded in his chest. The rain came down harder now, drenching him as he stumbled out of the alley, his breaths coming in shallow gasps.

He barely made it a few steps before collapsing onto the wet concrete.

———

Back at Shinsou's apartment, Tipi had been restless all evening. Normally, she was calm, curling up on the couch or napping in one of her favorite spots. But tonight, something was different. She paced back and forth, her ears twitching as if she could sense something was wrong.

Shinsou, who had just returned from school, noticed Tipi's unusual behavior.
"What's wrong, girl?" He asked, frowning as the cat meowed loudly, almost urgently.

She darted to the door, scratching at it, her eyes wide and alert. His heart skipped a beat. It wasn't like Tipi to act this way - something was definitely off.

A sinking feeling settled in his stomach. Sero hadn't been himself lately, and Shinsou had been worried. Now, seeing Tipi so agitated, he couldn't shake the thought that something had happened.
"You think Sero's in trouble?" He muttered to himself, grabbing his jacket.

She meowed again, more insistent this time, pawing at the door. Shinsou's pulse quickened. He had no idea where the boy had gone, but if Tipi was acting like this, he wasn't going to sit around and wait.

"Let's go find him," he said, pulling open the door.

Despite the rain pouring down outside, the cat darted ahead, leading Shinsou through the streets. He followed her, his heart pounding in his chest as they made their way toward the darker part of town. It wasn't a place Shinsou had been often, but he knew the other sometimes came here to pick up weed. He clenched his fists, hoping he wasn't too late.

The rain grew heavier as they approached an alleyway, and that's when he spotted him - Sero, lying motionless on the ground, soaked to the bone and barely conscious.

"Sero!" He shouted, rushing to his side. His heart raced as he dropped to his knees, shaking the boy's shoulder.
"Hey, wake up! Can you hear me?"

The black haired boy's eyes fluttered open for a brief second, but he was too out of it to respond. His skin was clammy, and the smell of alcohol and drugs hung thick in the air around him.

His stomach twisted in fear. He didn't know what Sero had taken, but it was clear that it had been too much.
"Shit... Fuck... Sero, stay with me, okay?"

Without wasting another second, he scooped the unconscious boy into his arms, struggling to get a good grip as the rain pelted down around them. Sero's body was heavy, limp in his arms, and Shinsou's breath came out in panicked gasps as he carried him out of the alley.

He knew there was a hospital nearby - just a few blocks away. He had no choice but to run, his shoes splashing through puddles as he pushed himself harder, desperate to get Sero help before it was too late.

Tipi followed closely, her paws padding softly against the wet ground, as if she, too, understood the urgency of the situation.

When they finally reached the emergency room, the purple haired boy was drenched and out of breath, his arms aching from carrying Sero the whole way. He barged through the doors, shouting for help.

"I need help! He overdosed!" His voice cracked with desperation.

Nurses rushed over, taking the limp body from his arms and placing him onto a stretcher. Shinsou could barely keep up with the flurry of activity as they wheeled Sero into the ER, shouting orders and hooking him up to monsters.

Shinsou stood there, soaked to the bone, his heart pounding with fear. He had never felt so helpless in his life.

———

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