We accept the love we think we deserve.
A/n: This initially started out as a Sakura x oc fanfic but then I changed it to a Furin x Jo Togame!sister!reader :))
Warnings: implied sa/abuse (see it how you want it) (none of the wbk characters do it), unhealthy family dynamics, mention of kidnapping and torture, self harm mention, story is written in third pov, reader is kind of emotionally constipated
Pairings: Jo Togame × sister!reader, bofurin × Jo Togame!sister, brotherly!Umemiya, Sakura × reader if you squint
A boy walks, or more like balances himself, on a tight rope. It was silly, a trick that was normally only used in circuses, was now guiding his life. There's nothing but darkness underneath. In a circus, there'd be a crowd of children and parents, and young teenagers, cheering him on with cotton candy and little light sabers.
A gust of wind from the darkness appeared, throwing him slightly off balance. There's nothing for him to hold on to. No wall, not a different rope, not even a person. Just himself. Voices entered the boy's mind, with pictures of people:
"Did you hear?? The boy got into another fight." A girl's voice snickers. Another one, "you're kidding. What even is his deal?"
An older woman's voice. "again?? Well, what did you expect from a delinquent like him."
A whole random bunch of voices chimed in. All of it was insults, left and right. He couldn't do anything right, could he? Everyone was against him. If he wasn't born with his hair colours and two different eye colours, he wouldn't be treated like this.
He kept on. Somehow, by some miracle, he kept walking. His arms were stretched out for balance, but it barely did anything. The voices threw him off balance. Out of all the insults the voices spewed at him, one had his attention.
A plaque? Was he really? Was that all people saw him as, a disgusting disaster? Why is he treated like some accidental disease? His breath became shallow, his balance had gotten worse. He was hanging by barely a thread.
Finally, he slipped. Everything went black.
Sakura Haruka walked around the small town. There are little shops filled with either gifts, meat, beer, fruit, or baked goods. Each restaurant and shop had a signature look, making each one stand out.
It was beautiful. It really was beautiful.
But Sakura isn't focused on that. No amount of beauty can tear his focus away from his goal: fighting. There is no beauty in violence.
I hate the weak, I only care for the strong. But what I hate most? Are people who think they're strong, when they're weak.
Sakura saw from a few kilometres away, that a girl had been backed up by a few guys. The girl carried some shopping bags, obviously making her a bit vulnerable. Sakura heard bits of their conversation.
"I'd love to smash these eggs in your faces." The girl had a bitter tone, and an even bitter stare. "But you aren't worth it. It'd be an insult to these eggs."
That last one didn't stick too nicely with the group leader. He took the girl's wrist in his bigger hands, not even being gentle about it. "I think you should watch your mouth.."
The grip on her wrist caused a pained expression. "Let go, you jerk!"
The leader was about to get violent. Sakura could see it. He couldn't just sit idle, watching the boy beat up a woman. His chest tightened with fury at the boy's aggression.
"hey.." Sakura's voice had an edge to it. His tone caught the attention of both the boy and the girl. The group leader immediately showed irritability.
"huh? What do you want??" The leader snarled.
Sakura finished his sentence. "you shouldn't embarrass yourself in broad daylight. It's not a good look."
The words the leader said went over Sakura's head. He was too focused on punching the guy and beating his gang up. It wasn't fast, but it wasn't slow either.
Sakura threw a punch to the man's face, which immediately knocked him out. Pathetic. The other members went after Sakura to avenge their leader. It was a weak attempt, Sakura had them all knocked out in swift kicks and punches.
"hm. That was weak." Sakura turned away, planning to continue his walk from earlier.
The girl stood behind, stunned by the swift fight in front of her. Once her amazement was back to normal, she quickly realised that her saviour was walking away, and that she didn't have much time to repay him.
"uh- hey!" The girl transported one plastic bag to the other hand to catch the attention of the boy. "Come back here!" She managed to catch up with him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"thanks for helping out." She smiled at him once getting his attention.
Next thing he knew, he was sitting in a small restaurant, in a bar stool, with a plate of omelette rice and a glass of water in front of him.
The food was actually good, and he practically scarfed it down. The girl, who he got to know as Kotoha Tachibana, tried to make conversation with him. It was all a weak attempt; Sakura haruka was not a person of conversation and social interactions.
What did get his attention, however, was the girl walking in just before he planned on leaving. She had beautiful black hair, with pretty eyes and eyelashes. He noticed the green of her eyes, and how her eyeliner and makeup made it pop out.
A little girl ran down a hallway. Her arms and legs were bandaged. She wore a hospital gown with scratchy material. The skirt only went down to her knees. The wind came from somewhere down the hall, from the blackness.
The little girl cried and cried, screaming out for anyone. as long as it wasn't him, she'd be happy with any stranger. She just wanted it all to stop. She needed a blade, or something sharp. Just anything, please.
She gave up on crying out for her mommy; she never got an answer back. A deep, gruff voice spoke. The voice alone sent shivers down the girl's spine.
She stood in the middle of the hallway. She soon realised that the hallway was neverending. The front would always be bleak and dark, and the back would always be familiar. The voice spoke again.
"you can't run from me. I'll always find you. You belong to me."
Tears strung together, the girl had lost all hope. All the doors were either locked or carried something that hurt her. She could hear the footsteps behind her getting closer and closer.
She collapsed onto the ground. It's hopeless. No one will save you. You'll be stuck with him forever. There is no escape.
She felt hands on her waist. Slowly, the cold closed her eyes. Pitch darkness surrounded her. And she let it.
"STOP IT." (Name) Pulled Togame away from Amina and Kumana. "They're already beat up, you won't get through to them if you keep beating at them!"
Everyone, including the whole of shishitoren, stared. Togame stared at the girl. "Move. They need to be taught a lesson."
The whole interaction..seemed like a child's quarrel. Like two siblings fighting.
It never struck the first years; how similar the two seemed. (Name) And Togame shared the same green eyes and black hair. The only difference was the curls (name) had.
"wait..are those two related?" Nirei nearly whispered to Suo.
"it seems like it." Suo comments.
Jo stares at (name) for a while, then sighs and turns around. (Name)'s eyes burrow in deeper and she lets out an exasperated exhale. I don't know what I was expecting. But it wasn't that.
She stands still, watching Togame walk back to the stage where Sakura sat. (Name) Sits back in her seat next to Nirei with an annoyed look.
"what was that about?" Nirei asks. (Name) Barely glances over as she grumbles a "don't worry about it".
(name) sighs at the sound of his voice. "What, Togame?"
(name)'s back faces Togame; her front facing the exit of the Oni.
"don't call me that like we don't know each other." Togame snapped. His glasses are in his hand, so all expressions he shows are exposed.
"we don't know each other."
Jo stares in disbelief. His breath caught in the cool night air, and his body froze. It wasn't just the words coming out of her mouth, it was the tone; she said it like a fun fact.
Jo opened his mouth, but he couldn't say anything. He felt a tightness in his chest, one that banned him from speaking. By the time he actually caught on to the moment, (name) had left with the other bofurin members.
It wasn't even his fault. No. Maybe it was. He was supposed to look after his sister. His baby sister. He was only going to get some drinks, that was it. He went to the shop, leaving her alone on the bench. He got caught up with some friends. But the bench was just outside the store.
No..it's not my fault...right..?
"you know, you're going to have to tell us about yourself at some point."
(name)'s eyes lifted from the lettuce to Umemiya. She hummed as she tends to the soil.
(name) sighs. Leaning back, she takes off her gloves. "Why does everyone want to know? It's nothing. Just leave me alone."
(name) stands up, places the gloves down next to a set of tomato plants. She was just about to reach the exit, when she felt something tug at her wrist. Another sigh.
"can you let me go?" (Name) Asks softly.
"no. It's clear that this situation with Shishitoren has gotten you distressed." The grip was firm but gentle. Umemiya's voice held the same gentle but firm tone.
After a bit of negotiation, (name) told the whole story. She was left alone while Jo got some drinks.
I don't know what happened. One moment I was sitting on a bench outside the store my brother went in, the next I was in this old car. The only thing I remember after that is a hospital, but they did weird tests. I remember having my blood drawn every damn week, with the occasional torture of drinking a nasty liquid. It didn't really do anything, besides reducing my appetite and making my lungs smaller.
"Jo and I never talked until last week. I wasn't there when Sakura and sugishta saved that middle schooler, but I knew it was him from the moment they reported it."
Silence stretched over the rooftop, but it was comfortable, not awkward. The 4 kings of Furin High, and Umemiya, stood silently, but there was no judgmental stare. Just acceptance.
Finally, Umemiya reached in for a hug.
"thank you for telling us, (name)."
Did you guys like the dead poets reference I made
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