Chapter Text
“Where are you going, Ritsu?”
”Out,” he’d say, and his mother would turn away.
She didn’t bother asking anymore. He packed a small duffel bag and walked out the front door. He didn’t say goodbye.
It was raining when he stepped out. The weather forecast had been wrong. He sighed and pulled his hood up over his unkempt hair and started walking.
-*-
He had no idea where he was going.
He had been hoping his psychic powers would be strong enough to detect an aura - his aura - but he was having no such luck. He should have expected his own shortcomings.
He could see signs everywhere, but couldn’t read them. He was wary of crossing the street when he glanced to the stoplights and saw nothing to indicate their status. He felt like a child, having slipped from his mother’s guiding hand, but he ignored that ugly, cold twinge in his lungs and pressed on. He would find a way. He would adapt.
-*-
He had stepped in puddles more times than he could count, and his toes were becoming numb in his waterlogged socks. He might have walked in circles a few times, but he had no way to tell - every building looked the same to him.
He had stolen money from his mother’s purse and food from the kitchen, and he only felt a little bad about both acts of theft. He was munching away at some sort of cereal bar as he paused at a street corner, contemplating his next destination. He had long since passed the point of familiarity, likely already a good distance from the neighborhood he’d grown up in.
Faceless strangers passed him by without a second glance, shoulders hunched underneath identical umbrellas as they scurried along in the steadily pouring rain. Not a single soul considered to stop for him, for the lone boy without an umbrella, without a clear purpose. He didn’t resent them for it.
He swallowed the last bite of the cereal bar and tossed the wrapper in a nearby garbage bin, ultimately deciding on taking the left path.
He had always chosen the least populated areas to explore. It wouldn’t make sense to search anywhere else - he’d never been a fan of crowds.
-*-
At some point, he’d realized that he was being followed.
To be honest, they weren’t very good at it; the duo stuck out like sore thumbs in that attire, dressed like proper businessmen in such a run-down section of the city. They had no reason to be there on their own, and for every turn he took, they followed a distance behind.
He couldn’t fathom what they could want with him. In his ragged old sweatshirt and jeans, he could have passed as a homeless youth wandering the streets in pursuit of spare change and generous passersby. Mugging him would be a fruitless effort.
Kidnapping even less so - for who had any use for a sickly blind boy like himself?
They followed, regardless. If they were waiting for him to arrive at home to make their move, they would surely be disappointed to find that he no longer had a home to return to.
-*-
They were growing impatient.
There were times where they drew so close that he could just barely hear their mumbled conversation over the slowly dwindling rain, though he couldn’t quite make out what was being said. The larger of the two seemed to be agitated.
He found himself growing a bit nervous. Why have they continued their pursuit of him for so long without making a move? What would happen if - when - they did?
He was not a fighter. He knew psychic powers could be used to hurt, but that was not how he intended to use his.
He needed those powers to see. Fighting would mean giving up what little vision he had left, and he was admittedly, ashamedly terrified of the dark.
The tension in the air was palpable. They would take action soon, that much he was sure. He took a shaky breath and slowed down.
He might as well try to get in the first swing.
-*-
“Why have you been following me?” he asked simply, back still turned to them, though he could see them just fine.
The question startled them, and they came to a sudden halt, looking to each other as a means of silent communication.
”You are Ritsu Kageyama, are you not?” the smaller of the two asked, voice cold, heavy, sharp. He asked the question already knowing the answer. There was a sword hanging from his hip.
”Who are you?” he responded bluntly. That time, the two didn’t seem at all surprised.
”Why are we even bothering with this?” the larger man spoke up, clearly impatient. “He’s just a kid, let’s grab him and get outta here!”
The smaller man sighed, pushing a pair of glasses higher up the bridge of his nose. “Really, I’d rather not resort to violence if it can be helped...” he trailed off, taking a step forward. “Though I have to admit, walking around in this weather for much longer can’t be good for my health.”
The large man rolled his eyes and cracked his knuckles. “Whatever, so we’re doin’ this, right?”
His heart skipped a beat. Suddenly he didn’t feel so cold anymore.
”I suppose so.”
The sound of a katana being pulled from its sheath reverberated through the desolate side street. He ran as fast as his overworked legs could carry him.
-*-
The rain had stopped, leaving a thick humidity hanging in the air that filled his lungs like syrup, sticking to his insides, making him feel sick. His legs hurt more than they’d ever hurt before, but he couldn’t stop running.
There were more of them, many more of them, chasing him relentlessly, goal still unclear. He hastily ducked and weaved his way through crowds of bystanders. It was difficult for him to discern which were innocent and which were after his head, bringing panic with every brush of a shoulder.
They were all wearing the same kind of suit. For some reason, that simple observation stuck out in his mind, but there was too much adrenaline pumping through his veins to make sense of it. There was no time to think, he just had to keep running.
-*-
It must be a miracle, he thought, as his frantic escape had led him straight to the local train station. There were so many people, making their way home from a long day of work, and he slipped right into the crowd and disappeared. He had to act fast.
Except he couldn’t read the maps on the wall. He couldn’t see where the lines ran to or when. He couldn’t even make out how much a ticket would cost him.
They would find him soon enough, he had to do something-
“Excuse me, miss?”
It was a desperate, impulsive decision, calling out to a woman that had just passed him by. She turned as she was addressed, looking to him with a confused but kind expression. “Yes? What is it?”
”Ah, I hate to disturb you, but I’m a little lost,” he began casually, screaming on the inside. His ability to slip into a lie so easily scared even him sometimes. “The truth is, I’m legally blind... I was hanging out with some friends of mine, but at some point I was separated from them. I’m sure they’re worried about me. We were planning to go back to my house at the end of the day, so I think it’d be best to go there now, except I can’t navigate the train station myself. If you’re not too busy... could you help me buy the right ticket and get to my train?”
Fortunately, the woman appeared to buy into his story, nodding with a sympathetic smile. “Oh, of course! It would be no trouble at all!”
Bingo! Maybe his luck is finally starting to turn around.
”Oh, thank you miss!” he replied cheerily, then brought out the small wad of yen he’d stuffed into his duffel that morning. “I should have enough for the ticket here...”
As he held out the money, the woman shook her head, gently pushing his hands back. “Oh, no, I can buy a ticket for you!” she said, then walked up to the map. “Where are you wanting to go?”
By nature, he wanted to protest her generous offer, but he didn’t want to waste any more time. “O-oh, thank you very much!” he said honestly, bowing out of respect.
Then the question caught up with him, and he froze.
He didn’t even know where he was now, how was he supposed to know which stop he wanted?!
She was looking at him expectantly. He had to make something up.
”Ah, well, I’m not sure how far I wandered when I got lost... which station is this?” he tried weakly, the sweat building on his forehead thankfully hidden by his bangs.
”Oh, this is the Salt City Station,” she replied, unfazed by his uncertainty.
He was in the heart of the city then, at least he was familiar with that much.
”Ah, I live... to the west of here,” he mumbled, hoping that she would catch on and elaborate.
”To the west, to the west...” she repeated to herself, finger tracing along lines that were invisible to him. “Ah, is the Paprika station close enough?”
Finally, something to go off of!
”Yes, that’s perfect!”
She was beaming at him, seemingly pleased by that simple accomplishment in communication. “Okay! I’ll just buy this ticket right here...” she began fumbling with her purse before pulling out a wallet and shuffling through it for the needed amount. He stood in nervous anticipation, senses heightened to every little motion around him, just waiting for the men in suits to appear through the crowds of inconsequential faces.
The ticket machine beeped a few times, and a slip of paper was dispensed. “There we go!” the woman said, grabbing the ticket. Then, after looking between it an the boy next to her, she reached out and gingerly took his hand, placing the ticket in his palm.
The motion startled him, and his face flushed at the gesture. “Th-thank you...” he stuttered, keeping his head low.
She laughed airily, still holding his hand as she began to walk. He resisted the impulse to smother his face in his free hand. “Really, it’s no trouble at all! I’m in no hurry to get home,” she began, skillfully maneuvering the two of them through the crowded station. “You won’t believe this- oh, I never introduced myself! I’m Hitomi, by the way- as I was saying, you won’t believe this, but I was supposed to be meeting a guy here for a date, but he never showed up!”
The topic was so normal that it was almost jarring. It was something he would have heard back in school, gossip between some of the girls in the class, the boys snickering at her misfortune. He could still remember the blue of the sky he saw through the window as his mind wandered. “Miss Hitomi, my name is Ritsu. I’m sorry that happened to you, though. It’s inconsiderate to leave someone waiting for you like that.”
”Right?! I got all dressed up and everything, and he didn’t even bother to come at all!” Hitomi ranted, her grip on his hand tightening as she expressed her anger, but surprisingly, he found he didn’t mind the otherwise mundane exchange (it had been so long, so long since he’d had someone to talk to like that, so long since he’d been treated like a person worthy of conversation) and allowed his shoulders to relax. “Ritsu, when you go out with a girl, don’t be that guy, okay?”
He almost chuckled at that, but he found he was starting to grow tired as he calmed down. “Of course, I wouldn’t do anything like that. If I make plans, I’ll stick to them.”
He saw her face, so full of life and emotion, and it made his heart ache. When was the last time someone had looked at him like that?
When was the last time his mother ever smiled at him?
Their little moment was over too soon. They had arrived at his train, and he was getting on alone.
They paused before the open doors, and her hand slid out of his, only a lingering warmth remaining. “Okay, we’re at the Paprika train now,” she turned to him, voice laced with concern. “You’re sure your friends will be there? I don’t mind riding along with you, if you need me to.”
She really was too kind.
”Don’t worry about me, I’m lucky to have very good friends. I’m sure they’ll be waiting for me,” he said, and he wished he was telling the truth. He wished this was real, that he wasn’t making up a happier story just to fool this caring, naive woman into helping him escape the city.
She looked like she had further doubts, but before she could voice them, the intercom announced that his train would be departing from the station soon. She sighed, adjusting the bag on her shoulder anxiously. “Well, if you’re sure... then I hope you have a safe trip, Ritsu.”
He smiled and hated himself. “Thank you again for your generosity, Miss Hitomi. I hope your next date will treat you better.”
She laughed, waving him off, though she lowered her hand once the thought occurred to her that he couldn’t see it. But he did, and he appreciated it, and he almost returned it.
Almost.
As the train doors slid shut behind him, those men in suits came into view, and his heart stopped. They apparently hadn't spotted him however, so he hoped he hadn't inadvertently made that sweet woman a target by associating with her.
As the train began to move, and he took his seat, he caught something new in his vision, and those strikingly eye-catching outfits suddenly made sense.
They had little, identical metal pins on their jackets.