Aoi dropped his grocery bags on the kitchen table and patted the front pocket of his jeans to see if his cell phone was still there, a little habit he’d picked up from living in Tokyo. He’d been robbed three times in the first five weeks he’d lived there, he didn’t have it easy when he had just moved to the country’s capital, but he liked to believe that he had gotten much better in dealing with the busy life and the pickpockets.

Aoi began looking through all the stuff on his hallway table. Train tickets, addresses and phone numbers written on little pieces of papers, text books and texts. He scratched his head as he finally found his pack of cigarettes, but they were empty. He thought it was silly to go out again after he’d just gotten back from grocery shopping on his way home from meeting Kai, but he still put on his coat while fetching some change and his keys. He safely locked his door before he walked out of his apartment building towards the little night shop across the street.

Aoi bought the cigarettes and a packet of gum before stepping outside in the cold night air again. December left its mark on the little park down the streets, everything looked grey and frozen. No children were playing there even though it was only six P.M. Aoi shook his head; he really hated winter, and put his hands deeper inside his pockets as he checked to see if he could cross the street.

As Aoi looked a little to the left, his vision was immediately taken by a boy standing in the middle of the pavement. He had a stuffed shoulder bag around his frame, a backpack on his back and another stuffed bag in his hands. Aoi frowned at the sight as he started crossing the street. It seemed weird for tourists to come to this part of Tokyo.

Aoi decided to light up his cigarette outside of the building, his interest had been struck and after he’d lighten up the cigarette, his eyes went back to the man on the pavement.

What were so special about the guy were definitely his clothes. He was wearing normal jeans, but with holes on the upper parts and they looked very worn out at the bottom too, muddy even. He was wearing a yellow sweater that looked too big on him even though the guy himself looked rather tall. His hair was obviously very long and on his head he wore a big, fluffy, bright blue hat that covered most of his head and face.

Aoi didn’t know why, but the other looked rather comical as he just stood there and looked around. The stranger’s eyes looked full of awe as he looked around him, up at the bright lights of a Tokyo night and to all the commotion on this, one of the biggest streets around.

Aoi took one last drag from his cigarette before throwing it in the garbage can in front of the building and getting back inside.

The rest of the night went by really quickly and Aoi forgot all about the boy while he was studying for his history midterm. He hadn’t gotten that scholarship for nothing and to Aoi, there was nothing more important than getting good grades and making something out of his life now. So if that meant studying the whole evening and all night, he’d do it.

When midnight passed by, Aoi was well into his studying routine with his own system and everything. All it took was a: his bed, b: his textbooks, c: some pieces of paper, d: a pencil and e: a pack of m&m’s. Satisfied with completing the whole chapter on World War II, Aoi stretched his back, lying down on his bed thinking that this deserved some kind of celebration. Celebration in the form of food Aoi decided as he got out of his room and into his jacket. Grabbing his keys and money again, he quickly made his way out of the apartment for the second time that night.

Aoi was already thinking about what kind of chips he wanted to get when everything seemed to stand still for the smallest amount of time. That guy was still there. Aoi frowned and thought about what he should do for a moment. He shook his head. Not my business, went through his head as he stepped inside of the store. He quickly got what he wanted and as he stepped outside he hoped that the guy had already left.

Aoi frowned as he noticed that the guy was sitting next to the bus stop sign.

“Hey.” He said as he approached the young boy. “Buses don’t come by here this late.”

The boy looked up at him, smiling. This upset Aoi for some reason and he quickly looked away from that smile.

“I’m not here waiting for the bus.” The boy said.

“What are you doing here then? This is a very dangerous neighborhood.” And it was, Aoi should know. He was robbed three times.

“I’m just looking at the view.” The boy said, his eyes back on the flickering lights of Tokyo.

“Have you eaten yet?” Aoi’s protective nature surfaced. He had always been the one to look out for everybody else. People always liked him for that. They also kind of took advantage of that. That’s why he’d left; well, that was one of the reasons.

“Uhm, no I haven’t.” The boy said sheepishly.

Aoi reached in his bag and handed the boy a bag of his chips.

“Oh no, that’s okay.” The boy’s smile faltered for a little.

“How old are you?” Aoi asked.

“I’m fifteen.”

“Fifteen? Where are your parents?”

“Home I guess, I kind of ran away.”

“You ran away?” Aoi’s eyes widened as he continued to watch the boy’s smiling face.

“Wh-where are you running away to?”

“Here I guess.” The young boy smiled softly.

“So, this is where you plan on sleeping too?” Aoi felt his belly bubbling with an uncomfortable feeling of attachment to this guy, and it frustrated him, he didn’t even know the guy’s name for fuck’s sake.

The guy shrugged, not in a rude way or anything, more like he really didn’t care or didn’t really know.

Aoi sighed deeply. “I live there.” He said, pointing at his apartment. “Do you want to come up with me? I have a couch that’s rather comfortable and I’ve got some left over fried rice if you’re interested and stuff, just for tonight of course. It’s…I can’t really leave you here on the street, right?”

The guy looked up at Aoi and smiled up at him warmly before getting up and nodding.

As Aoi opened the door that led to his apartment he suddenly felt worried about taking a stranger to his home. He’d worked damn hard to get all the stuff he had now. Really, really hard, so he’d be devastated if the guy would walk out with any of it.

Aoi locked his door safely, putting the key in his front pocket. The guy wouldn’t be able to leave without Aoi knowing now.

The moment Aoi looked back at the boy - who was now putting his stuff in a corner as not to disturb anything - Aoi already felt guilty about it.

“It’s hot in here.” The boy said softly, a blush on his cheeks from the temperature change.

“It’s just really cold outside.” Aoi chuckled softly, going to the kitchen to make his guest some tea.

The boy stayed still the entire time and as Aoi came out with the two mugs, it seemed like the boy only started moving again when Aoi was in reach.

“I made you some tea.” Aoi said, handing the other the steaming mug.

“Oh thank you!” The boy smiled honestly, taking the mug and drinking immediately.

“Be careful, it’s very-!”

The young boy winced as the hot liquid hit his tongue.

“-hot.” Aoi grimaced, stepping closer. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” The boy smiled apologetically. “Stupid of me.” He mumbled, setting the cup down on the table before starting to peel off his large, yellow sweater, only to reveal another, very purple sweater. He took that one off too and then the red one underneath that one. Finally he sat there in a white tank top that stuck to his body. The young boy then took off his hat, revealing his long blonde hair and his beautiful face.

Aoi had to swallow for a second. All of a sudden he felt some kind of fear for the boy. He was so thin and beautiful. Aoi wanted nothing but to feed and protect him. What if someone else had taken him in? Somebody with a lot less good intentions. Aoi shook his head at those thoughts.

“Uhm, I’ve got to go study.” He told the guy.

“Oh, you’re still in school?”

“Yeah, I’m in my first year of college.” Aoi said rather proudly.

“You’re nineteen?” The boy asked carefully.

“Uhm, no, I’m twenty one.”

“Oh.” The boy just smiled at him.

“It’s…I just didn’t-”

“Oh, you really don’t need to explain anything to me.” The boy shook his head quickly.

Aoi smiled softly. “Uhm, so this is the couch.” He chuckled as he pointed to the only couch in the apartment. “I’ll get you a blanket and stuff.” He quickly added, taking the three steps to his bedroom.

When he came back the young boy was already sitting on the couch, softly bouncing up and down, lying back against the back of the couch again before standing back up and repeating it again.

“Here are the blankets and a pillow, do you think you’re gonna be warm enough?”

“Yeah sure, thank you.” The boy smiled, taking everything from Aoi’s arms and putting them on the couch and then starting to take off his pants.

Aoi quickly turned around, not wanting to stare or something, so he quickly went to the kitchen and turned off all the lights.

His place was pretty small and every room was connected to the others. Only the bathroom had a door and four full walls. The apartment wasn’t the biggest but it was all Aoi’s and Aoi was damn proud about it, too.

“Uhm, I’m going to be studying for a while still and the light in my room’s gonna be on and I don’t have a door so…I hope you’ll still be able to sleep.”

“Oh that’s okay, really, I can sleep through everything.” The boy smiled, already on the couch, beneath the blankets.

“If you need anything just ask, I’m right there so…” Aoi smiled before stepping into his bedroom.

“Hey, can I know your name?”

“Sure, I’m Aoi.”

“I’m Uruha.”

“Well, goodnight Uruha.”

---

So, I'd like to hear what you guys think about the chapter, would you like to read more?, and also, I want to know what you guys think about the age thing. I thought about changing it to 16 for a while, just because I'd find it very sad if people would say: "I don't want to read this cause 15 is too young too have sex" or something , but then I talked it over with a couple of people and in the end I went with fifteen, just cause it fits better to me.