Periwinkle - Life in shades of blue (part 1)

Catharsis

Now shut your dirty mouth
If I could burn this town
I wouldn't hesitate
To smile while you suffocate and die
And that would be just fine
And what a lovely time, that it would surely be
So bite your tongue
And choke yourself to sleep

Choke by IDK how but they found me

TW: blood, murder, implied death, child abuse

"Come on upstairs! I want to introduce you to someone."

When Megumi turns the corner to reach our floor, the bored expression on his face turns into surprise and then morphs rapidly into concern when his eyes land on Suguru. Oh right, he must look weird, still covered in blood. I wave one hand to dismiss it. "He just got back from a hard mission, don't worry about it."

"How you doing, kid?" Suguru stands up as well, softly smiling at the boy, who nods his head respectfully.

"See, Megumi," I lean forward, resting my hands on my knees, "Suguru brought two new sorcerers to school from his mission. They're around your age and have been through a lot, I was thinking maybe you could show them around?"

I know he's not the best kid for this kind of task. In fact, he rolls his eyes and sighs. "I was going to my room to play with the new Pokémon game, actually."

I straighten up, not wanting to force him, but Suguru crouches down in my place, taking both of Megumi's hands in his own. I didn't expect him to step in, he usually doesn't intervene when I argue with him and lets me handle the situation on my own, even if I know he thinks I'm spoiling the kid. "Please, Megumi, it would mean a lot to me. You don't have to be their friend, just show them what they can do to relax here in the school." I am amused as the kid lowers his head, mouth twisting. "Will you do me this favor?"

Megumi nods and Suguru stands up, proudly patting his head. I'll admit, I would've said yes too.

As If on cue, Ieiri opens the door to the infirmary calling for us and I take the chance to introduce the kids. Luckily, she managed to clean most of the blood out of their faces, but they still look scared to leave Suguru's side when I ask them to follow Megumi around. After he assures he'll be waiting for them right there, they hold hands and follow a mildly annoyed Megumi down the hallway.

I close the door once again, after they disappear from my sight. "So," I clasp my hands together, "what's the plan?"

Suguru blinks wide-eyed in front of my and Ieiri's expectant glares. "You think I had the time to come up with a plan?"

Shoko crosses her arms on her chest. "They'll need a place to sleep, at the very least."

"I know..." he lifts his eyes to the ceiling, pacing around the small room. It was obvious enough that he acted out of impulsivity, but now he looks like reality is really hitting him in the face.

I step up to help him and think of a solution. "We can rule out the school. I don't think they'll let them stay, since you did what you did." I rub my chin, avoiding Ieiri's questioning eyes.

He's leaning on the windowsill with both of his hands, following the kids as they walk around the courtyard. He lifts one hand to say hi when the girls look over. "I'll keep them with me. My house is too empty since my mum died, anyways."

I feel my eyebrows shoot all the way up to my hairline. So he did think about it? "Wait, you mean with us?" I don't change my expression as he turns around to sit on the windowsill instead. "Are you suggesting what? That we co-parent or something?" He closes his eyes to take a deep breath, and I try my best to keep panic out of my voice. I had a hard time to figure out how to be there for Megumi without feeling like he depended on me too much, living together with two kids is a whole other story.