Kindness in the Rainy Night

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In which we see an alternate universe where Shu is a creature of a different breed, and Theodore is a man with a kind heart and a lot of space in his apartment. (Happy early Father's Day! Have some Theodad!)

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Rain poured from the dreary skies, assaulting the street with thousands of its tiny bullets. The chill in the air seeped deep into anyone out on the sidewalks, but not many had ventured out at this hour.

One of the few souls out in the rain was a middle-aged man dressed in clothes appropriate for the weather, his piercing teal eyes lifted to gaze at the soggy world around him. He was sheltered by a black umbrella that had admittedly seen better days, but did its job of keeping him dry.

He stopped at a streetlight glowing red, glancing warily at the dark alleyway nearby. He'd been attacked before and didn't want a repeat- it was New York, after all.

So far, it seemed peaceful. He minded the space around him but watched the light, but then... "Aaah-shu!"

The man blinked, looking around the area. No one was around that he could see, leading him to believe the noise had come from the alleyway.

That should have set him on high alert, but there was something about it that didn't. Maybe that was because it sounded like a kitten sneezing...

Cautiously, the man treaded into the dark alleyway, pulling out his cellphone and turning on the flashlight. He inched deeper and deeper, and when he reached the end of the alley he found his goal.

Poorly sheltered in a soggy, droopy cardboard box was a mix between a young child and a young animal- a Beast. Their appearance began ten years ago, in people who had been Bladers and in states of high emotion. While they posed no threat, not a lot of people were fond of their existence...

It made sense to see a child abandoned to the elements because of it, but it broke his heart...

The Beast was a boy aged at probably eleven. His messy hair was shoulder-length and white like snow, his skin was pale, bruised and cut up in places, and he was dressed oddly- a gray jumpsuit with black and red accents, and a white coat with red contours.
His Beastly features were a pair of cat-like ears and a long tail that with a ball-like tip that were wrapped in white skin, animalistic hands and feet with claws and similar white skin, red tribal markings on his right shoulder and his cheeks, and a set of sharp fangs in his mouth.His eyes were a vibrant crimson, but they were filled with tears that were probably cause by cold weather and sadness.

The young Beast saw the man approaching him and whimpered for a second, scared, then he put up his guard and began growling.

"Hey, hey, it's alright. I don't want to hurt you..." He knelt in front of the box, tucking away his phone and offering his hand. The boy leaned forward a bit, sniffing the man's fingertips. "See? I just want to help..."

The boy's behavior was odd, but he certainly understood the man's words. He blinked up at the other uncertainly, but there was something in his eyes that said he was listening, and he wanted to keep listening...

"I could take you back to my apartment, and I could give you some warmth and food... Would you like that?"

The boy stared up at him for a few minutes, then he slowly nodded, beginning to crawl out of the box- though crawl wasn't the right word, he seemed to slink out, comfortable on all fours... Even though he was favoring his rear right leg.

The man frowned, humming softly... Then he gently held his arms out to the young Beast, murmuring. "I can carry you back. It's best to keep weight off your leg if there's something wrong with it."

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