second try [sxf x child! reader]

⋆ ꜰᴀᴍɪʟɪᴀʀ ꜰᴀᴄᴇꜱ ⋆

crazy fr idk what is wrong with me

Akira was sent to the boys dormitories after a couple hours of unconsciousness. Pain still racked through his head and he struggled to walk, limping down the halls to get there. Guards stood on his sides, sending sharp glares his way anytime he looked at them funny.

"In you go," one of them said gruffly, shoving him into the dark room and locking the door behind him. Akira staggered, clutching at the wall as his legs threatened to give out beneath him.

"Newbie?" A high pitched voice rang loudly in his ears and he was swarmed by about a dozen boys. "A new one!"

"Michael," a gruff voice warned.

"Right," the boy with the squeaky voice stepped back from Akira and switched on the lights, revealing his pale white hair and dark brown eyes that were round with wonder. "I'm not the new one anymore!"

Akira, despite his broken body and blinding pain, scowled at him. "I'm not new."

"You are," Michael chirped, "I've been here longer."

"He looks familiar," a voice murmured near Michael and a blue-haired boy shoved him aside, scanning Akira with pale white eyes. He tilted his head, eyes narrowed.

"Akira," he said.

"I don't remember you," Akira answered coldly.

The boy shrugged, "I don't think you would. I just came when you ran away... but I saw you flee. Thought maybe I could one day too."

"Hmm," Akira said suspiciously. 

"I'm Lux," the boy said. 

Michael grinned, "He's got the most kills here!"

Akira winced, "Great."

"But I don't get why you want to run away," Michael said, eyes wide. "It's awesome here! You have power and you get fed!"

"It's not awesome," Akira snapped. "You've got your mind in the wrong place."

"Dumbass," another voice agreed from the crowd.

Michael whipped his head towards the boy who'd said so and bared his teeth, glowering.

"It's true," the boy mocked. "You're stupid if you actually like this place. It's a prison. We're never going to have normal lives."

Akira winced. They could...

Michael paused and turned back to Akira and for some reason, he seemed a lot taller and fiercer.

"You're still the new guy," he hissed, "and you're going to get the treatment."

There was a loud silence before Lux elbowed Michael hard, knocking the smaller kid to the ground. He yelped with pain, hugging his chest.

Akira rolled his eyes. "Awesome. Which bed is mine?"

Lux frowned, "You get floor until someone new comes."

"That's shi-"

Lux silenced him with a sharp look. "You can go outside if you want."

Akira sighed, "Can I at least fight someone for it?" He glanced down at his swollen body and sighed. He'd fought in worse conditions before.

"Like that?" Lux raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You're not a superhero, you know."

Akira shrugged, shaking his limping foot. The pain seemed to have eased for now so it was easier to think and not crumple from the agony. "I'd say I'm close enough."

Lux thought for a moment before nodding, "You can try for Michael's."

Michael stiffened, "What!?"

A smile tugged at Akira's mouth, "Sure." He grinned at the boy. "Bring it on."

Akira was nestled comfortably (or at least as comfortable as he could get) in Michael's bed, feet propped up on the wooden frames. He had a knew cut on the side of his face from Michael but otherwise he was as bad as before. He closed his eyes, wishing that he'd never skipped class. Maybe he could've been with his family by now, around the dinner table discussing Anya's newest adventure (she had ten a day, as far as Akira could tell).

Michael scowled at him from the floor, "I'll get you back."

Akira shrugged, "You can try."

"I will," Michael promised, his face clenched. After a moment, he muttered. "So why did you run? I don't get what's so bad about this place."

Akira frowned. "You're probably to stupid to understand."

Michael staggered to his feet, fingers clutching his eye where Akira had hit him. "Take that back man."

Akira turned his back to him, "If you don't understand already then it doesn't matter. Everyone knows why."

"Because we're killing people?" Michael scoffed. "There's a reason why. They're probably criminals or something."

"Or perfectly normal people," Akira retorted. The familiar images flashed in his mind and he winced despite himself.

Michael snorted loudly.

Akira stared, his eyes blank with fear, at the cool metal in his hand. The blade was tinted with red, slipping down the gray and blackish handle.

"I can't do it," he whispered, taking a step back and dropping the knife.

Kai leaned in his face, his mouth was a twisted form of a smile. "Are you sure, Akira? You were so good at it back then! The best at it!"

"I'm not," Akira stumbled.

Blood... the screaming. Ow, ow, ow. 

He dropped to the floor, the blade skittering away from his feet as he clenched his fists and curled his head against his legs.

The tortured faces, the pleading. I ignored all of them. I did. 

Why?

"Now don't look so sad," Kai soothed. "It's no big deal. We'll try again-"

"No!" Akira shouted, his voice ripping free from his closed throat. "I can't. I can't! You can't make me."

Why... why... why?

Can't I just be normal? Why did I... what can I do? 

Kai cocked his head and let out a snort, "Of course you can. Tomorrow. If you don't kill her," he jerked his head at the pale girl writhing in a chair, eyes wide with fear, "you're next."

Akira struggled to his feet, dizzy with emotion. "No," he spat, glaring defiantly at him.

Kai laughed, amusement written all over his face. "Whatever you say... but in the end I will win."

Akira slipped into the dorms, shaking with something he couldn't quite describe. He staggered, feeling for the wall, trying to be quiet because most of the boys were already asleep, completely oblivious to what they had done today.

He moved over to Lux's bunk, breathing hard. The older boy was still awake, leaning against the wall and fingering a picture in his hand.

"Hey," Akira mumbled.

Lux blinked up at him, looking like he didn't recognize him for a moment before nodding. "Akira," he said slowly. "What do you need?"

What can I do? 

Akira straightened, ignoring how his voice trembled. "Can you get me out of here?"