Midge the Neko - Boyxboy -complete-

Chapter 47 -- Dusk

Scott and Zac decided to walk to the apartment one more time, then each take one side of the street and do one last sweep before they called it a night and rallied the troops for a larger search tomorrow.

"Scott, where did he come from? Where was he before you found him?"

"Some guy who worked at a restaurant, Steven I think... I don't know. Midge ran away, it must not be too far from here but I don't know where he lived. He wouldn't go back there though."

"You don't even know which restaurant so we could track the guy down? Or maybe know which direction he WOULDN'T go in?"

"No, I... I didn't ask. He hates to talk about his past, I mean he told me some, enough that I wouldn't bug him about it. I don't want to think he's been lying, I don't. No, I mean Misty was obviously his sister, why wouldn't the rest be true? I just don't know. He said he would never leave if he was owned, I don't get it! It makes no fucking sense and now he's.... what if something happens to him?"

"I don't know what to tell you Scott. He's a pretty tough guy though, it seems, and he's not stupid. We'll find him tomorrow, okay? We'll have a LOT more people and be able to do a huge circle around the apartment. Maybe he's waiting for us, let's go see if we can possibly be that lucky."

*** *** *** *** ***

Midge watched a girl walk up, pulling a scuffed suitcase behind her. Her hair was dirty and she looked sad, but her energy was calm. He didn't panic until she put her suitcase on the ground against his tree's trunk and sat down on it. How do I get down? I must go see if Scott has forgiven me.

He looked around but none of the branches were really long enough that he could climb out and jump down a safe distance from her; he was stuck. She was just a girl though, maybe he could simply ask her to move? Or maybe it would be best to wait a few more minutes and see if she left? That seemed less rude, so he waited.

As dusk inched closer and closer to dark, he realized she was there for the night. He'd slept outside times before but he wasn't sure why she was. He was lonely though, and curious, and needed to get down so he softly called out to her. "Ma'am? Miss? Excuse me."

Ashley heard the voice and looked around, panicked, but there was no one nearby. This was her spot, anyway, and all the regulars knew that.

"Excuse me, but may I please come down?"

"Come down?" She looked up then and jumped back, startled at the sight of a boy siting in the tree above her. "Get out of my tree!"

"Yes, I would like to. Thank you." He climbed down easily and started to walk away but turned back. "Why are you sleeping out here? Did you run away?"

"None of your business. Who the hell are you?"

"I am Midge. I slept outside a few times and it is not fun. I am sorry."

"You don't LOOK like one of us. Where's your stuff?"

"It is in my pockets. I must ask my master one more time if I may come home but if he will not let me, may I please come sleep here?"

"Your master, eh? He must be a kinky fuck. What'd you do to get thrown out?"

"I ran away. I have misbehaved and he will not let me back in. I do not blame him, it is a more kind punishment than I deserve. I do not know what else will happen later."

"Are you one of those leather boys who walks in the parade?"

"I am... no I have never been in a parade. I watched one on television many few years ago, I love the balloons and all the pretty costumes."

"I didn't mean the damn Thanksgiving parade, dude. You're a riot. Yeah, yeah, go home to your 'master' and if he won't have you, you can sleep here but ONLY tonight, got it?"

"Thank you, that is very kind. Why are you sleeping here?"

"I got thrown out too, but there's NO way I'm going back. Hey, do you have any food?"

Midge pulled one of the granola bars out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Yes, I will share."

"Thanks dude, and good luck."

*** *** *** *** ***

Scott unlocked his front door and opened it, Zac close behind. He'd refused to leave quite yet, wanting to make sure Scott had something to eat and help make phone calls and plans for tomorrow. Scott was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't see the notes at his feet, but Zac did.

"Scott? Notes."

He grabbed the napkins and turned them around, reading the messages. "He wants to come home. He came back. But I wasn't FUCKING HERE!!! Shit shit SHIT! I'm so fucking stupid!"

"No, hey, calm down, this is good, right? What does it say? Where is he?"

"Nothing, everything. He's sorry, he wants to come home, he fucking called me master again. Is he only coming back because of that? I don't know and I don't fucking care, he needs to come back! I don't know where he IS!!" he growled in frustration.

"But he's around and he wants to come back, that's all really good, right?" Zac offered, trying to calm him down. "It's getting dark, maybe he'll come back once he thinks it's safer to walk around?"

"Maybe. Do you think so?" Scott looked out the window at the deepening dusk, lights already illuminating the parts of the city people wanted to see.