Lessons

People are awful (but I'll pretend to like them for you)

TW: PTSD (will be in most chapters) scars, past abuse, mentioned inhumane procedures,
Please let me know if I missed any

Techno stepped off the sidewalk and walked up the drive. The orphanage loomed over him like a curse. He was cursed to live here for his entire childhood.

It was a joke between him and Puffy at first, but as the months went on, he got older and less adoptable, some foster homes were nice, but they were always the ones who couldn't keep him.

He pushed open the door to the orphanage, the open room was full of kids, most of them younger than the fourteen year old. They all knew him, he was "the blade" according to most of them.

Techno doesn't think he's actually fought any of them. They probably named him that because of the nasty scar over his nose, and all the little marks he'd acquired over the years.

He quickly retreated to "his room". It wasn't his, and it wasn't a room. More like an alcove in the wall that held a big window. It was turned into a reading nook, and Techno was the only one who used it.

A little boy was waiting for him at the bottom of the ladder when he approached it.

"Hey Michael." Techno said gently.

The little boy made grabby hands at the fourteen year old, who sighed, but picked him up anyway. "What are you doing here?" He asked, and the little boy giggled and pointed up.

Techno nodded and told the little boy to hold on tightly. The small boy held the older tightly and the next minute, they were up in the nook. The caretakers believed Michael was mute. He was set on the door with one eye scratched out and a set of stitches on his throat.

Somebody basically devocalized the child.

He really liked Techno for some reason, and learned to recognize his name first. Puffy would always tell Micheal that Techno was coming home, and the two year old would wait by the ladder.

Some days, he would knock on the wall for Techno to let him up. He'd look over the older's shoulder like he was reading the book too. Sometimes placing a hand on the page to "finish reading" the page. For the first year, Techno brought in a bunch of books on sign language, and taught himself, so once the little boy was older, the former could teach him.

'How was out?' The little boy signed.

'Same as always.' The older signed.

The little boy stood up and tottled over to Techno.

'Bad people?'

Techno sighed, most people were bad, but he wasn't going to be the one to tell a two year old that. 'No, just people.'

The younger put a hand on each cheek and turned the older's head.

"What are you doing?" Techno chuckled.

'Puffy.' He thought for a moment before adding, "Puffy does."

It was true, Puffy did that a lot, especially to Techno. He's too good at hiding injuries she says.

But then Michael grinned, and squished his cheeks.

"Squish." Techno said, signing the word too.

'Squish' Michael copied, putting his hands onto Techno's face again.

Techno smiled. If he could stay here forever, he would. But soon enough the dinner bell chimed, and he and Michael had to go their separate ways.

Each age group had a time for everything, it was simply the best way to keep track of everyone. They all ate at the same times though, which was helpful for avoiding people who will want to talk to him.