@n-emone, here is your gift for @dcmksecretsanta!
I'd initially meant for it to be more blatantly ShinHo, but I like how it turned out. And it's open ended enough to easily create a solid relationship for them later on in your head.
It's been super fun being your santa, and keep an eye out for a pic of my babey doggo boy as I promised!
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TW: Mentions of Neglect/Abandonment, Yukiko and Yusaku are bad parents
Word Count: 1,119
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Shiho POV
The loud thud on the wall beside the cabin’s front door caused me to startle. There weren’t any other cabins nearby, and it was too cold for hikers. I opened the door and peeked out, looking to the left where the sound had come.
A brown haired boy lay shivering in the snow, huddling in on himself for any warmth he could get. Rushing over, I reached out and placed my hands on his shoulders, causing him to startle and look at me in momentary panic. His pupils almost obscured the brilliant blue of his eyes, dilated in fear as he stared at me.
“Come inside, before you freeze to death.” He watched me blankly for another few seconds before he began uncurling his limbs and pushing himself to stand against the wall. I took one of his arms and pulled it over my shoulder, wrapping my free arm around his waist to help support his weight as I walked him inside and sat him beside the fire. I threw a blanket over his shoulders and knelt before him, taking off his shoes and socks, both soaked through from the snow that had fallen into his boots. “Stay here, get out of any wet clothes. I’ll get you something warm to drink. Do you like hot chocolate?” His eyes had stayed trained on me since he first saw me, and I met his gaze as he sat silently. I watched him a moment, before it became clear he didn’t have an answer to give me, probably due to shock. I stood, restating the command to remove any wet clothing, and moved towards the kitchen.
“Too sweet,” came his rasping voice from behind me. I looked back over my shoulder to see he’d turned his head to watch me leave. Our eyes met again, his looking much clearer. Good.
“You don’t like sweet things, then.” I nodded firmly. “I have tea I can brew, if that’s better.” The boy nodded his agreement, and I gave a faint smile before leaving the room, closing the door behind me. I brewed the tea as quickly as I could and set it on a tray to bring back to the library. I knocked on the door, pushing it open just enough to glance inside when there was no answer. The boy sat on the floor as before, staring at the fire. A pile of wet clothes lay on the floor nearby. Entering the room, I set the tray next to him before settling on the floor myself. “Drink, it’ll help warm you up.” His only response was to grab the cup and take a small sip. We sat in silence until his cup was empty, and he spoke as I refilled it from the pot.
“Thank you, uh…”
“Shiho. Miyano Shiho.” The boy nodded.
“Shinichi.” He didn’t offer a surname, and I didn’t ask. Silence fell once again, this time for a much shorter length of time.
“Is there someone you need me to call, Shinichi-kun? So they know you’re safe?” He didn’t respond, just stared at his tea. It took a moment for me to notice the tears in his eyes. “Shinichi-kun?” The boy took a shaky breath, and I slid the tea tray aside to wrap my arms around him as he cried. I took the teacup from his trembling hands and set it on the floor. “It’s alright, everything will be alright.” I continued giving him soft words until his sobs had quieted into soft sniffles, and he pulled away to wipe at his eyes.
“Gomen’nasai, Miyano-san.” The apology was quiet, and something in the way he said it - his tone, or maybe the way he kept his tear-stained face turned towards the floor away from me - made me feel a deep-rooted sadness for him.
“It’s no trouble, Shinichi-kun. And please, call me Shiho.” My gaze was soft when he glanced at me, eyes still brimming with tears. In the back of my mind, I worried over how he seemed to radiate a feeling that made me want to cry for him. “Are you alright?”
“Hai. I’m fine, Shiho-san.” His voice was steady, but I could see in the way he didn’t meet my eyes that it wasn’t true.
“Shinichi-kun...Can I ask why you were out in the snow by yourself? I…” I paused as the words on my tongue registered in my brain. “I want to make sure you’re safe. I’m worried for you.” His shoulders tensed for a moment before he deflated, his whole body seeming to shrink inwards.
“It was supposed to be a ski trip. We...we don’t usually do things as a family.” I could see he was as aware of how his voice cracked on the word as I was. “I never really thought much of it, they’re both so busy with work, or travelling. It was nice to hear them announce we were going on a weekend skiing trip.” Shinichi fell silent for another moment, and I waited quietly for him to continue. “It never occurred to me that they spent so much time away because I was at home. I...I never…”
“Shinichi-kun, it’s okay. It isn’t your fault that they avoided you, it’s theirs.” My earnest words seemed to fall on deaf ears as Shinichi stared at the fire while fresh tears fell silently down his cheeks. “I don’t want to upset you, Shinichi-kun, but I have to ask. Did your parents…did they abandon you out there tonight?” For a moment I didn’t think he’d answer, but Shinichi slowly nodded his head. I sat frozen for a moment before anger filled me. “Why I oughtta...Shinichi-kun, look at me.” He didn’t move, so I reached out and gently turned his face towards me. “Listen to me, Shinichi-kun. Those people are the only ones who should feel any sort of guilt, they are at fault for all of this. You are not.” I held his gaze with firm eyes as the next words left my lips. “You are not a problem, not a burden. And you should never have been made to feel like one.” Shinichi’s tears fell heavier now, but the shine in his eyes was one of gratitude and the faintest hope. It made my heart break for him, a boy only a couple years younger than I. Left in the woods to freeze. I pulled him into a hug, holding him close as he cried yet again. And with every hiccupped ‘thank you’, I held him tighter.
Between his sobs, I made a silent promise to make him see just how important and special he is.
Shinichi, this boy with ocean blue eyes, deserved at least that much.
