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gun lowers, though he isn’t necessarily sure if he should. the last kid he ran into was also a zombie. but leon’s hesitant. this time, he wants to make sure that people are safe and god damn the kids that find themselves in times of trouble– stuck in zombie apocalypses without anyone. he’s glad his family wasn’t like that (if they’d waited 15 years, maybe then it would). “ hey, kid, “ he calls out. “ are you… okay ? “ he asks, hesitantly. none of the zombies he’s spoken to can do much more than groan and this kid looks normal.   but he’ll be damned if someone goes and attacks him. 

“ i’m here to help, i’m with raccoon city police department. “      —- barely —-       “ i can help you to safety. “ 

Eyes steeling as the barrel to a gun was removed from his general direction ― what started as a him being spooked just to see another figure looming in the distance had turned into silent dread. Abhorrent terrors were always lurking within every corner . . . even prior to the city fallen apart, PEOPLE were a nightmare in themselves ― Ray had felt as if all this tribulation was simply just underlying the most primal human nature in many . . . the desire to rip others apart when it was most convenient.

He brought the biggest blanket he could steal out of the home store!

“ Is that.. ” Glossing over the sheet of fabric that was so graciously brought forth from the Felicid . . . Ray took a moment to eye Airin up and down once with an unreadable look before breaking out into a grin just moments later. “ How many people freaked out this time? ”

how could he ever forget ?  the body healed yet left scars ;  the mind too ,  could irreversibly wound .  but ray still had what should have been a long ,  full life ahead of him ,  and as someone who deemed themselves now responsible for the other ,  lucky would try his best to see the idea through .  forever ,  look to the future !  

he doesn’t want to demand anything that ray wasn’t ,  peacefully accepting the younger boy’s lingering gloom ,  negligent terrors and wry ,  sharp humors alongside the rare ,  blissful moments of laughter and smiles ,  but he would always reject the idea that he should have not taken care of the other regardless of the gaps and differences in their personalities .  they could love each other despite them ;  just as it should have been good for ray to find comfort and happiness on his own ,  an ease that lucky would periodically try to coax them into .  gentle baths ,  warm blankets ,  good food ,  even lucky’s more macabre house and morbid paraphernalia might have turned familiar and banal by now ,  decorations that never lunged or tortured .

‘ y’still got a point ,  though … ‘  the realization after ray’s remarks inspires a brief ,  quizzical look .  ‘ some guys stay pretty skinny .  like me , ‘  even though he wished - he wished - he wished he was prime rib steak big and hunky ,  with biceps that could bench-press an elephant .  ‘ that’s okay ,  though ! ‘  smiling ,  a palm affectionately comes down on the other’s head and ruffles their hair . 

‘ by then ,  i’m sure you’ll have lotsa friends .  if you’re still not strong enough t’carry me by y’self ,  then y’can ask ‘em t’help carry me’r whatever else y’want ! ‘  heave ho !  even the ancient thatched huts of japan were built by dozens of individuals working together as one ;  ray too ,  despite his introverted ,  isolated tendencies ,  should have nevertheless grown to be comfortable with himself ,  and thus other human beings as an adult .  ‘ either that or you’ll be so smart you’ll invent a robot that carries me around n’ feeds me old people puddin’ like a cyborg butler . ‘  wouldn’t that be cool ?!  his eyes shine at the other . 

‘ either way ,  i’m sure you’ll have tons of stories t’tell .  even if someday y’wanna go off somewhere on y’own ,  you’ll write t’me a whole bunch ,  won’t’cha ? ‘  no matter what happened between them ,  he’d never forget the thin ,  brave ,  bleeding and reckless boy that he had carried in his arms .  ‘ …  well ,  i’m not worried just yet .  that’s a long ways off ,  mister !  let’s start by seein’ if y’ever get as tall’s me ,  first ! ‘

Compared to that of how Ray was when Lucky first brought him to their now shared home . . . it was safe to say that it did leave an impression. For the teen to be introduced to so many firsts ― so many things that he was deeply deprived of while growing up. Even just regular foods that people would normally take for granted in their day-to-day lives . . . a room to himself and clean clothes to cover his back. Granted, the first time his eyes lay on the eccentric decorations that Lucky enjoyed collecting did make him sick to his stomach and frightful. Though now, it was a peculiar taste that he’s now grown used to. Their interactions grew, too . . . from a frightful boy that would always assume even the slightest advance in his general direction was out of malicious intentions ― now, he could be held like this by Lucky and feel safety within the arms of the other.

     “ No, not you. You’re not a parasite. ”

     “ It’s Earth Day, so if I catch you living I’m going to bust your kneecaps with my fangs. ”

          “  i’m actually pretty good at consoling people.  well,  in a material way.  buying them whatever they want usually does the trick.  “  she clicks her tongue,  bored expression taking form.  the words are true but she says this in an almost joking manner,  as if she’s trying to make him contemplate the validity of her statement.  “  but whatever.  “ 

          at his next words,  she almost allows a smile to form but her lips curl into a frown instead,  rolling her eyes.  “  nope.  if i wanted to have a sincere moment,  we would’ve had one.  but i don’t.  sorry to disappoint you,  must’ve been wanting a sweet heart-to-heart,  huh  ?  a little hug too  ?  “  she teases,  a lighthearted giggle spilling out.  “  would you like my silence instead  ?  “  

“ Not your enemy, that’s for sure. Relax. “ Bandit rose his palms to show the kid that he was not hiding any weapons or about to attack the other. He even took a step back to give him some space.

       “ Your wounds need to be treated, unless you want them to get infected. “

“ What’s your name? “ He crouched down to the other’s height again, motioning at the wounds he mentioned before looking at him. Not the first street kid he found, so he knew to stay calm and show them that he was no harm. The kid might end up getting himself killed otherwise. 

Steely eyes trained themselves on the man . . . an internal debate coursing through his mind as he weighed the pros and cons on either choice. It was true — the kid had no way to patch himself up right now, and anything that he could probably get his hands out whilst out on the streets would more than likely only make it worse. So, reluctantly . . . he abided and allowed for his muscles to relax. Still ever so wary, only his mind would stay on high alert.

"i'm just trying to watch out for you.."

"You smell absolutely delicious! I kind of want to eat you. " Aluin that isn't a compliment. "Are you willing to sell your blood?"

           “  that's  ..  "  not the point.  that’s what he wants to say but he doesn’t want to make the situation any worse.  he suppresses a sigh,  a headache forming from turbulent thoughts that crash against each other like waves hitting the rocks.  he wrinkles his nose a bit at the sight of the other wiping even more blood onto the shirt, staining it further.  well  ..  alright. 

          that was gonna make cleaning it a lot more difficult,  bordering on a lost cause.  “  i guess it doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.  i get the hunger and all but  ..  let’s  ..  uh.  can’t we find you another shirt to wear  ?  wearing a shirt all stained in blood isn’t  ..  the best idea,  is it  ?  “  he talks as if treading on eggshells,  worried lilt to voice. 

Refusing to make eye contact as Nine started to speak, he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth instead; Ray didn’t want to hear it, as he was already feeling guilty enough for what he’d done. The hunger long since subsiding, but all he could do to combat against his regret was to act defensive. He didn’t know what else to do.

“ Hey Kid, you alright? .. “ He knew that he had smelled blood, but he did not expect to find a child at the end of that blood trail. The only worse thing he could’ve found was a child corpse, but this kid was still alive. Bandit had crouched down and checked his pulse, brows furrowed.

Despite the aching pain all throughout his body, he’d reacted all too quickly the moment an foreign touch reached out and pressed against his skin. Within an instant, Ray reached up to smack the hand away, only to yelp and flinch away afterwards. His head craned up and the look of sheer terror mixed with anger was written across his features. However, the moment he realized the man before him was not one of THEM, he seemed to visibly relax to a degree; the distrust still clearly visible towards this stranger.