Maverick (A G.I. Joe Fanfiction)

Prologue : Japan

The awesome cover that was partially the reason you're reading this story is made by dracula_gone_social, a reader just like you. The other picture is a definition of Maverick that I randomly stumbled upon. Enjoy the story. -Carrath

I was walking back to Wu's when it happened, I was pulled into a dark ally by the upper part of my arm and thrown against a wall. When my body hit the bricks of the wall, I yelped and dropped the bags I was holding. My head hurt so much I thought it'd cracked open. I didn't want to open my eyes, but when I did, I saw something I didn't expect. A boy ripping into the cups of noodles I had just bought. He was probably a year older than me. He was a bit taller than I was, too. He's long brown hair was shiny with grease from not being washed. He had light brown eyes that looked both hungry and angry. And he was so coated in dirt that I could barely make out the freckles on his face.

"You could have asked," I yelled at him as I rubbed the bump on the back of my head.

He looked at me as if I were crazy while I shoved my thick black-framed, wide lensed glasses back up on to my nose. We glared at each other until I stuck out my hand. At the sight of the waterproofed bandages wrapped around it, his face crumpled slightly.

"Come with me," I suggested. "Let me bring you back with me to my uncle's house. You can eat, rest, get some new clothes, and take a long bath. What do you say?"

He was hesitant, but in the end, I knew he couldn't resist the offer. We walked hand in hand down the crowded street and up the stairs of my uncle's off-black apartment building. I called out to Wu as we enter the small two-room apartment but got no reply. That ether meant Wu had pasted out somewhere or he wasn't home yet.

"The bathroom's over there," I informed him as I pointed to the red door across from the kitchen. "If you need any help bang on the door."

I took the grocery bag from him and went to the kitchen to unpack. All I heard to indicate that he was in the bathroom was a soft closing of the door. While I was unpacking the last bag, a hard double pound on the bathroom door made me jump and drop a cup. Thank god it didn't break.

"Coming," I hollered, picking up the container and setting it on the counter.

I peeked in, wanting to know how far he had gotten on his own. I saw he had already filled the tub. There was a trail of gray suds on the floor showing he'd scrubbed himself. He was in the tub when I came in, looking over the edge at me.

"My hair."

His voice was soft, barely a whisper as he held out my bottle of lavender shampoo. I walked carefully towards him but ended up losing my footing just as I reach the tub. We both laughed as I got to my feet and pulled my step stool over to the side of the bathtub. I stood behind him on my stool and poured the soap directly on his head. I used my fingers to detangle his long hair then massaged his scalp with the pads of my fingers. He seemed to enjoy the pampering I was giving him because his eyes slide shut and there was a hint of a smile on his lips. When I was done, I rinsed my hands in the sink and dried them. I grabbed a towel from the closet and set it on the toilet.

"I'm going to get some clothes for you so you won't have to wear those," I said, pointing to the pile of black cloth on the floor as I opened the door.

The only sound he made was of pure enjoyment so I left him in the tub while I got a few choices. I guess it was just a coincidence that he looked about the same size as my cousin Wan, that Wan had pasted away from fever two years ago at about my age, and that I was staying in Wan's old room. During the first few days of being with my uncle Wu, I found boxes of Wan's clothes which I now pulled out of the back of the closet. I opened the top and pulled out everything that was darkly colored. I returned to the bathroom with an armload and the big cloth backpack Mommy had bought me.

"How about some underwear first," I suggested, lobbing a balled up pair of boxers-breves at his chest.

I looked away as he pulled them on then tossed him a dark red crew-collar t-shit that he looked at strangely and said, "I like black better." I giggled and nodded as I perused through the pile again, coming up with black everything else but a shirt.

"How about a hoodie?" he asked as he took it from my hand.

"Okay but wear the shirt underneath," I compromised, passing him everything else that was black to him along with the backpack before rising. "Put whatever fits in the bag."

He nodded and began shoveling in everything he could. I look over at the heap of rags in the corner and a brilliant idea popped into my head. I gathered the clothes in my arms and took off for the laundry. After throwing them into the already running machine, I rushed back to the kitchen and put two noodle cups in the microwave.

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