secure, contain, protect || captain tsubasa

3. if i don't walk

three ---

"Ow! That hurts, woman!"

"Then don't go walking around when you're hurt like this next time! This is entirely your fault!"

"Why the fuck are you making it so tight?!"

"So you learn your lesson, dumbass!" You snap annoyedly, honestly this close to slapping Kojiro across the face. "You could have gotten in major trouble! You're lucky Wakabayashi didn't ask why you were being so aggressive!"

The Anomaly grumbles bitterly as it lets you finish re-wrapping its abdomen, but doesn't bite back. As you finally tie the ends, you draw away from Kojiro and study its face. The creature looks so human, if not for the tail and ears you would honestly think it was just another handsome man. Well, tail, ears, and those blood red eyes. No human you've ever known or known of has eyes like that.

It has fresh scars all over its tanned skin, still raw, but it's an improvement from what they were when you found Kojiro.

"How long has that blond bastard known you?"

"He has a name." You scold, but there's no bite to your words as you continue. "I've known Ryoma for about ten years. He's a very old friend of mine."

"Ten years...?" Kojiro sounds confused, frowning. You hum as you lean away, finally finished. You tie your hair back up, long, just how the owner liked it.

"Yes. Is that really so hard to believe?"

"..."

You sigh, letting your back hit the wood. Daichi murmurs in his sleep, snuggled into Kojiro's recently-cleaned hair. The Anomaly strangely doesn't seem to mind the human child that much, having let the little boy play with its long black tresses.

"Why do you hate Ryoma so much? I understand that he can be hostile and protective, but..."

"..." The beast stares at you, once again looking like it's trying to see whether or not you are joking.

"Kojiro, you can't just keep looking at me like that, I'm always feeling like I said something really, really stupid without realizing it."

"...yeah. My bad." It averts its gaze to the ceiling once more, thinking. "He's just an asshole."

"That's not answering my question." You hum tiredly, hugging your legs closer to your chest. "I'm trying to keep things here as peaceful as I can. I don't want anyone getting hurt, both because I can't financially afford it, and it'll only make the entirety of the slums hate us."

Kojiro stared straight up for a moment before sighing, shutting its eyes.

"He'll tell you eventually."

"..." You huff at him, rolling over so your back is facing him as you curl up a bit, having lent Kojiro and Daichi the blankets since it was rather cold. You don't see the Anomaly gazing at you, both amused and nostalgic. "Are you from out of town?"

Your sudden question snaps it from its thoughts, musing for a moment.

"Yeah. I'm from Tokyo Prefecture."

"Oh, wow..." You turn toward Kojiro again – you're too surprised by the fact that you're talking to someone who isn't a client from outside Nankatsu for the first time in years to notice how alarmed it seems at the look in your eyes. Whatever that look is you're giving it, it's likely fascinated. "That's so far away. How'd you get all the way to this side of Shizuoka?"