Found // A Spicynoodles fanfiction

Four

The words didn't quite register in Mk's head.

"What?!" he sputtered out in disbelief. He must've misheard what Red Son said.

The redhead wiped his eyes, nodding at the brunette. "Yeah... it's true. I lost my red ninja figure at the park when I was younger. I... can't believe you were the kid who actually hung out with me then.. kinda funny, huh?" He gave Mk a sad smile, feeling his hands shake as they rested on his knees. 

Mk could even feel himself starting to tear up now. When he was younger, he dealt with a lot of teasing everywhere because the other kids thought he looked funny. Nobody ever wanted to play with him. He would go to playgrounds and approach some kids who seemed nice enough, and he'd ask if he could join them. Every single time, they'd laugh at him, blow raspberries and call him names. And every single time, he'd run over to his father, tears pouring down his face as he hiccuped cried. And of course, his father would embrace him gently, shushing him, telling Mk that everything would be okay. And from the distance, the kids would snicker, pointing and laughing at the fact that Mk's father wasn't even human. Mk's dad would notice this, and he'd get up, carefully placing his son down on the bench, and he'd stomp over to those kids, and start screaming at them as loud as he could. Those kids would instantly shut up, tears in their eyes as they ran away. Mk would just laugh at them. His dad was awesome. 

So, of course, when he asked Arlo if he could play ninjas with him, he expected the worst. But, he was pleasently suprised when Arlo smiled at him and nodded. That was one of the few rare times someone was being nice to him. And it was the first time someone truly wanted to talk and talk and talk to him endlessly. Ever. 

And seeing that same person again years later when he thought he'd never see him again really was something special.

Mk grabbed onto Red Son, clutching him tightly as he burried his head into his chest. Red son's face heated up in embarrasment, but he hugged him back anyways. They did this for minutes on end, just holding onto eachother in serene silence.

They both eventually pulled away, and Mk had a stupid grin on his face. "So... should I call you Arlo now?"

A small smile was plastered on Red Son's face as he nodded. "Yea, I'd love that."

"Why does everyone call you Red Son then..?"

Arlo sighed. "My real name reminds my parents of those times. Those times when I was innocent, carefree. They don't want to see me as that. They don't want to remember that i'm not just some slave of them to carry out their orders. They just want to use me to take over the world, that's all. They want to forget that they raised me." He stared at his lap, shoulders heavy. "So, they gave me a new name, for my new, "better", evil self."

Mk put a hand on Arlo's back, rubbing small circles. He gazed at Arlo, frowning a bit at what he told him. 

"I'm so sorry.. I promise i'll call you Arlo from now on, okay? No more of that nickname those jerks gave you. You aren't their pawn."

Arlo looked up at Mk and chucked quietly. "Yeah... uh, thanks Mk. It means a lot to me, really."

After some small chatter, a thought suddenly came to Mk. He eagerly asked, "By the way.. do you still have those figures? The ninja ones, I mean."

Arlo shook his head. "Sadly, no... my father threw them all out once I was getting a bit older. It's such a shame, those were everything to me.."

Mk frowned, scratching his chin. "Dang.. well how about you have mine?" He smiled, reaching over to grab the red one when Arlo grapped him by his arm.

"Wait! No, you really don't have to! And I gave you that figure, so you really should keep it. Think of it as a gift of thanks to you for being so kind to me when we were children!" He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrasment after saying the last part, his face warming up. 

"Awh Arlo.. you're so sweet. Even if your parents tried to hide that from the world." Mk leaned foward, embracing the redhead into a warm hug, and Arlo couldn't even process it.

His face turned bright red, his heartbeat increasing. "W-what are you doing, noodle boy?!?" He sputtered out in shock, his stomach churing in excitment and anxiousness.

Mk let go, looking up at his face, giggling. "Giving you a hug!! What else would it be?"

"You trying to ruin my reputation..!"

Mk shook his head, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Arlo..."

The taller male sighed, muttering out, "Sorry, sorry.. I was just flustered, that's all" He smiled at Mk, his eyes twinking, and suddenly everything changed.

Mk felt it. He felt something lingering in the air. It made him giddy, feverish, and purely happy, and at the same time, uneasy. He looked into the demon's bright eyes and felt a rush. His smile, his eyes, his beautiful features; it all made Mk feel dizzy. 

And at that moment he knew.

He really cared for that demon. He really did.