A Safe Place ||SBI x GN!Reader||

A Thief Is Caught Twice

⚠️⚠️Trigger Warnings: child neglect, minor domestic abuse⚠️⚠️

Published: May 8th, 2022

Edited: N/A

The cobbled street was slippery from the earlier rain. Puddles reflected the streetlights above, their images unbroken. Buildings of all heights rose on either side of the road, blurring past. A single figure was there, breaking the stillness of the scene. Dirty Converse shoes broke the images in the puddles.

[Y/N] had been running for what felt like hours, when in reality, it had been only a few minutes, give or take. The only reason they were running was their own stupidity. They hadn't been paying attention to the position of the shop's security cameras and had gotten caught. Luckily, they had been wearing a generic gray hoodie with the hood up, so their face hadn't been seen, and they weren't identifiable from their clothes, but that didn't stop the manager from calling the police. Even if it was only a convenience store in one of the worst parts of the entire metropolis, there was a chance that the police might actually show up. They knew better than to take that chance.

Once they passed the fifth city block, they finally slowed to a sustainable jog. They were out of breath, panting so much their throat hurt. It wasn't far now until they reached their foster home, but it wouldn't be much better once they did. Considering all of their options, the only two being to sleep in the streets or on their thin, lumpy mattress, they decided to go back to their house, if only to test the waters. It had been nearly two months since the last time they had slept outside, and they didn't care to break that record.

Slowing completely to a drawn-out stroll, they began to observe their surroundings more. It hadn't been long since they had been here last. Exactly six months ago, by their calculations. Since then, the system had, once again, forced them into a home. Before that, they had been living on the streets for another six. That made it their one year anniversary since leaving their last, and favorite, group home.

Not wanting to dwell on negative memories, they focused their attention back onto their surroundings. Crumbling apartments, a liquor store, more convenience stores, and even more apartments. This was L'Manberg, the most notoriously poor part on the outskirts of the metropolis known as the SMP. After it failed to gain its own independence, its citizens were thrown into poverty. But this wasn't a history lesson. This was home.

Walking along the crumbling sidewalk, [Y/N] decided that now would probably be the best time to take a look at their loot. They surveyed the immediate vicinity, their eyes landing on a dry spot on the entrance steps of a building. After shuffling over to the stairs while simultaneously pulling their bag off of their shoulders, they began to unpack.

It wasn't much. Just a few granola bars, some energy drinks, a box of cereal, and a pen. [Y/N] cursed themselves for risking so much for such a bad haul. It wasn't the worst they had ever gotten away with, but this crap wasn't worth almost being caught, was it? Then again, they had no one but themself to blame. It had been a last second decision to throw in the cereal, since [Y/N] had just wanted to grab everything they could while the store's manager began sprinting after them. It was purely by luck that the man had stopped to call the police, and subsequently lost track of the teen, but it was a silly mistake.

With a sigh, the teen began to toss everything back into their bag. It didn't take long, considering there were less than ten small items, but they left the cereal box untouched. Zipping up their old backpack, they tucked the box under their arm and stood. Haphazardly, they opened the box. Then they used their teeth to open the plastic bag full of cereal. After that was done, they shoved their fist in and pulled out a handful. What? They were hungry.

Walking home took a long while. [Y/N] made sure to take the scenic route, stepping in puddles and snacking on cereal. They didn't really want to go home. It would just be more of the same old crap. Their "mother" would be out gambling, and their "father" would be passed out on the couch. Unless, of course, it was a once in a blue moon situation where they would actually be home, awake. That would truly be shit.