Wonders

When you refuse to let go

Shion?  Rat whispered when the boy drew back. He had to hang onto him as the world was still reeling around. “I don’t want to hurt you.” He said barely audible. He pressed his face against Shion's soft hair.
“You should run. Get as far away from me as you can.” He moaned. “All I do is hurt others.” Shion slugged him in the gut. Rat dropped to one knee surprised by the violence.
“You've never hurt me.” The pale boy stood above him hands clenched in fists. “Not like that.” He added still feeling the slightly swollen lip. Rat stood. He looked at him. His face was blank to the white-haired saint before him. Inside the dark boy was in turmoil.
“I don’t deserve you.” Rat shook his head. “… deserve happiness.” He muttered.
“Well too bad!” Shion yelled at him.  “Because I do, and your what makes me happy!” he hugged Rat. The taller boys arms snaked around him.  “I'm not going anywhere, Rat. I don’t care if you only want to be friends. I want you in my life.” Shion's shoulder shook from the tears. Rat held him closer.
“I want you in my life too, Shion. I just don’t want my life to destroy you.” He said. Shion took a step back, still holding Rat's sides.
“Then we won’t let it.” He said. As if it were that simple. Rat thought. Yet this was Shion. For him it was that simple. Rat chuckled.
“Bet you have no clue how to get back home, do you?” he asked. He felt the cold as Shion's hands fell away from him. The pale boys arms dropped to his sides as he grinned at Rat.
“Nope!” they laughed together. Rat looked around. They were standing by a loading dock. Rat was pretty sure it was the one behind the super market. He took Shion's arm. Spinning him around, he began to walk back toward the bakery
Shion pulled his arm away. Or at least that’s what Rat thought he was doing. Instead he simply pulled his hand up so that their hands were inside each others. Shion curled his fingers around Rat's hand. The dark boy smiled, ducking his face into the scarf he wore. He didn’t need anyone to see he was pleased.
“So, what are you going to do now?” Shion asked. Rat blinked.
“What do you mean?” he stalled. Shion waved a hand in the air to swipe at their surroundings. Rat looked around him confused.
“Your entire gang just got arrested tonight.” Shion pointed out. “And, you’re the one that made it happen.” He added. Right. Rat thought. For now his life was going to be in jeopardy. They would get out of jail on bail, at least a few. Then what? He knew Monkey boy wouldn't let it go. Dogkeeper either. She was like the animals she so adored. When something stuck in her mind she didn’t let it go. They were the two who would take his place as leader.
Maybe they already had. Ever since Shion showed up, Rat hadn't really been hanging around them. Not that he had much before. He lead them because they thought he was dangerous. Would they still think that? Could he take them if they ganged up on him? Would they go after Shion again?
He wasn’t sure. He would have to stay closer to the boy. His grades where slipping. That was only because he didn’t do the work. He could see if the teachers would assign Shion as his tutor. It would give him a viable excuse to be around the boy so much.
He looked over at Shion now. Chuckling to himself he realized the boy had been talking all this time. Rat had little clue as to what he was talking about. That was Shion though. Rat grinned at him. Shion stopped mouth falling open slightly. Rat used his free hand to close it.
“Sorry, I wasn’t listening to you. Got lost in my own head again.” He said.
“You're beautiful when you smile.” Shion replied. Rat blinked at him. Really?
“So are you.” He said. Shion beamed. The smile making his pale face glow. Rat knew at that moment, he didn’t want to be just his friend. He also knew that for now, he couldn’t tell Shion that. It would have to wait until he got everything resolved. He wasn’t going to hurt the boy any longer.
“Come on, you weirdo!” he snickered. “Your house is this way.” Shion chuckled as he walked across the street. Rat hadn’t taken his hand back. Shion breathed in the cooler night air. It felt like the world was righting itself.
“Can I still stay tonight?” Rat asked. Shion blinked. They were standing in front of the bakery. The police cars still flashed their lights outside. Shion felt the fear return.
“Please?” he begged. Rat nodded, taking the boy back inside. Just before he opened the door, Rat pulled his hand from Shion's. He tucked it in his pocket, feeling the others warmth still wrapped around it. He held the door for Shion to enter.
They were separated as soon as they walked in. One police officer took Shion into the kitchen. Another steered Rat to the far side of the room.
“Why did you run off?” he barked. Rat decided to be honest.
“The ones who held up this place.” He indicated the mess around them. “They, were friends of mine from school.” He said.
“They came here for revenge on you?” Rat slumped in the chair.
“In a way. You see until I beat the shit out of them tonight, oh and shot one, they were still my friends.”
“You did know they were coming here to hold up the bakery?” the officer demanded.
“No!” Rat growled. “I was here to visit Shion.” He told them.
“So, you’re friends with Shion as well?” the officer looked like he couldn't believe what Rat was telling him. Rat reached into his jacket. He pulled out the photo.
“Since the sandbox.” He thrust the photo in the officers faces as he rose to his feet. “And I would die before I let anyone hurt him.” He shoved the officer back, tucking the photo away.
“Sit the hell down!” the officer yelled.
“Like hell I will. I want to see Shion.” Rat leapt away from the man. He jumped the counter sliding into the opening over the icing table that Shion had come through before. Shion sat in an armless chair. An officer stood beside him, a detective in his face.
“But you go to school with these guys, right?” he shouted. Shion flinched away from the tone of voice. He curled into himself, but said nothing. The man grabbed him by the shirt front.
“You better start talking kid.” Rat’s hand slashed up breaking the hold. He spun becoming a human shield for the boy. He thrust the detective back.
“He's been traumatized since he was five. He doesn’t talk to people he doesn’t know. Especially if they're yelling at him!” Rat cried. The two cops faced the newcomer. Rat stood, knees slightly bent, hands before him, ready for a fight.
“He will tell you what you want to know but you have to ask him calmly!” Rat told them. He relaxed his stance.
“First question?” he demanded.
“Did he know the kids that broke in here?” the detective didn’t look happy with Rat. Rat ignored him he knelt beside Shion.
“It's ok, I told them the truth. You can answer them.” Rat placed his hands on Shion's knees. “Just tell me the answers.” He pressed. Shion's small thin hands covered Rat's. The ruby red eyes locked onto the cloudy grey ones.
“I knew them from school. Monkey boy, the big one, he picked on me from the first day I started.” Shion's voice was shaky at first, but as Rat watched he became more confident.
“You were homeschooled until this year, right?” the detective asked.
“That's right. I had a childhood trauma, it caused me to not be able to talk to others or be in large groups.” Shion said.
“You had no idea the kids where planning on breaking in here?”
“No.”
“This, Rat, you’ve known him awhile?” Shion's hand lifted to touch Rat's cheek.
“All my life.” He stated.
“Did you know the other kids were friends with Rat?”
“Yes sir.”
“Alright. That's enough for now. We will let you clean up and get some rest.” He started to walk away.
“Shion, have you ever fired a gun before?” he asked as an after thought
Shion looked directly at him. “No.” the man gave a nod. He pointed to Rat.
“Son, you need to decide who really is your friend.”
“No, I don’t, it's Shion.” He declared. The cop gave him a nod before turning away.
“Are you ok?” Rat asked. Shion gave a tired nod.
“Yeah, you?” he asked.
“Now I am.” He squeezed Shion's hand.
The police left. Safu and Karen had been cleaning up while Rat and Shion were being questioned. Now they joined the females in helping get the store back in order. It was nearly three by the time they were done.
Karen got them some left over pastries and tea. They sat around the table in the small apartment kitchen. Karen's hand fell over Rat's. “Thank you for all you have done for us today.” She smiled at him. Rat turned away.
“Had they hurt you it would have hurt Shion. I was protecting him.” Rat said. He was uncomfortable with the attention Karen was lavishing on him. “Besides, they were my friends.” He said.
Karen looked at him, sadness in her eyes. “I'm sorry you had to be alone for so long.” She said. She withdrew her hand. “But you're not now.” She stood.
“Safu, you can sleep in Shion's room. The boys can sleep in the attic.” She cleared the dishes. Shion stood to wash them, but Rat beat him to the sink.
“I wash, you dry. You at least know where they go.” Rat said. Shion flashed him his smile. Rat knew he was going to do anything to keep it on the boy’s face.
When all the dishes were washed and taken care of, Rat was cleaning out the sink. Shion slapped his ass with towel when he wasn’t looking. Rat flung a handful of water at him. Shion dodged out of the way. He tried to hit him with the towel again but Rat caught it out of the air. Shion still held the other end. He pulled him in with the towel. Rat rubbed his hand over the boys hair.
“You're soft.” He chuckled. Shion pushed him back against the counter.
“You're a jerk.” He teased with a grin.
“More of a tease.” Rat said under his breath. He slipped away from Shion. “We should get some sleep.” He pointed out. Shion watched the other boy walk away. Shion spent a moment to compose himself. He wiped down the water and took care of the towel.
Walking slowly up the stairs, Shion saw the door to his room was open. The light was still on. He walked up knocked softly. Safu looked up at him. He gave her a smile. “I just wanted to say thank you for your help.” He said. She sat down the book.
“You know it was his fault that they tried to rob you tonight, right.” They looked at each other. Shion stepped inside. He walked over to sit next to her.
“I understand you don’t trust him. That's fine. But he didn’t know they were going to come here. Plus, he saved us all. Mom he saved my mom.” Shion wiped at his eyes. He stood up. “Keep distrusting him. Someone needs to believe in him. I won’t turn my back on him again. You are both my friends. I will do whatever I can to keep you both as my friend. But if you can't keep an open mind about him, then maybe we shouldn’t…” Safu stood up. She hugged him.
“I will try.” She said. He gave her a tiny smile. “Thank you.”
Shion walked up to the attic. He opened the door. The Christmas lights were on. He headed up. Crossing the room, he headed toward the room with the bunk beds. Rat sat on the edge of the top one.
“You would think that colliding with my best friend’s car in mid air, that watching the explosion and losing my entire family, I would be afraid of heights.” His feet dangled in mid air. He turned to look at Shion. He gave him a smile. “I never was.” He said. Shion gave him a smile.
He walked into the room. “That’s great. I was afraid of a lot of things after that. Mainly of people leaving me.” He said looking down. Rat leapt off of the bed. He took the boys shoulders in each of his hands.
“I will never leave you again. It took me too long to find you.” Rat pulled him into a hug. “Get some sleep, Shion. I will be here in the morning. I may even make you my famous chocolate chip pancakes.” Shion giggled. He climbed into bed as Rat took the top bunk once more.
Rat laid awake listening to the boy below him. Shion tossed and turned for about twenty minutes before finally settling down. When his breathing evened out, Rat closed his eyes. He allowed the fear to take him then. The fear of seeing someone pointing a gun at the boy he couldn't live without. He curled up into himself holding his chest tightly. The tears fell on the pillow. No one was ever there to hold him when he cried. He always made sure of that.