Chapter Text
Toshirou could feel Sougo's hand tighten around his upper back. The 6 year old kid who always had a sharp mouth and annoying attitude was now scared. It was raining and Toshirou wasn't sure whether it was the rain, the water of the sea or Sougo's tears that was making his upper back wet. He was carrying the kid. Guiding them both to the sea. To die. Was this the right thing to do? No it wasn't but the pain of his life failing and failing and failing, again and again and again no matter how hard he tried was exhausting. It was taking a huge toll on his mental health that he has now lost all meaning to live. The sea had always been a place of peace for Toshirou blue and calm but today it was black and rough. None of his life's misfortunes were Sougo's fault but the child insisted on coming with him, beneath that rude demeanor the kid had always loved his step-brother and trusted him with his life. Toshirou could feel the rough waves of the sea hitting his knees now. They were seconds away from drowning to death. It would all be over. They could start new together or separately.
"Gotcha!"
Toshirou heard as he was pulled back from his collar. Someone had pulled them out of the water. Toshirou stumbled backwards holding tightly onto his younger brother as he fell on the beach on his back. They were pulled back by a man his height, but more muscular and had white permed hair. Toshirou at one glance could recognize that he was an alpha as well. He tried to stand up, still holding tight to Sougo to escape because the man did not look like someone who would be roaming on the beach on a stormy night. The fear made his mind remind him of the past 27 years of his life and why he was here. To die.
Toshirou was 27 but had never gone to school or college. It's not like he was a high school dropout; he just had never gone to school since day 1. Toshirou was an omega son whose mother got pregnant with his father and left him because she couldn't take care of him. Toshirous father was in a mountain load of debt and barely cared for him since he was young. Toshirou was slightly looked after by some neighbours until he was around 6 and then onward he had to take care of himself. Toshirou's father bought food the first few years until he was about 8 but after that the loan sharks started coming regularly demanding money. Everyday his dad would come home beaten up or drunk and Toshirou used to be beaten up as well when he was angry. When he was around 10 Toshirou started working in small places finding enough money to feed himself. He never brought the money home because once when he brought the money his father had used it all on gambling. He continued working like this and when he was 21 there was a kid, a newborn child inside his house. Toshirou was enraged when he found out that his father had gotten someone pregnant again. The first reaction to the crying kid was anger but then he started seeing himself in the newborn and slowly took care of him. He took the kid to his workplace often, it was safer than leaving him at a house that was frequented by loan sharks demanding money. The kid grew up to have a sharp mouth and annoying attitude but always cooperated with Toshirou and never demanded anything that a six year old would like to have. He would follow Toshirou to his work place and sit all day until work was over, eating something and they would go back home and only enter the house if there was no sign of their father. If he was there they would spend the night in an alleyway and return home the next morning.
One night both brothers were returning home after work and the house seemed empty so they went inside. Toshirou took out the money he had earned and started arranging them to manage the next few days, Sougo also sat beside him munching his anpan when suddenly the house door bashed open.
"Oh there you are, you two ungrateful fuckers. I FUCKING gave birth to you and you give me NOTHING!!" It was their father who was drunk and totally lost his mind. He grabbed Toshirou and sent him flying onto the wall, Toshirou hit the wall and fell right on the floor. He groaned while holding his back and Sougo crawled over to him. Toshirou got up and slightly opened his eyes only to see his father picking up his money and trying to go away.
"WAIT! YOU BASTARD THATS MY MONEY!" Toshirou screamed and ran towards his father and they both fell on the entrance. Toshirou quickly tried to grab the fallen money on the ground only to meet with his father's feet hitting his stomach.
"YOU FUCKING UNGRATEFUL PIECE OF SHIT. I GIVE BIRTH TO YOU FEED YOU AND THIS HOW YOU REPAY ME. JUST DROP DEAD ALREADY!" The drunkard said repeatedly as he kept kicking Toshirou, he could feel his consciousness slowly losing as well.
"LET HIM GOOO!" Toshirou heard Sougo come at their father's leg screaming only to be kicked to the side. The drunkard now turned towards the kid to hit him and Toshirou swiftly ran and hugged his brother to cover him so that he wouldn't get hurt.
"Please don't hurt him. Just take the money. Please just don't, not him." Toshirou said, hugging his brother tightly and pleading.
They heard the drunkard leave, the footsteps slowly fading away. Toshirou looked up to see Sougo, the kid was whining in pain. He carried the kid ignoring his own pain and ran to the hospital. As he entered the hospital two nurses saw the kid's state and took him in. The doctors checked him but it was nothing severe. Toshirou felt relieved but it was then that he realized that he had to pay. There was some money in his pocket that covered the checkup but there wasn't enough money to buy Sougo's medicine so he lied to the doctor telling he had money and left carrying the kid out.
He walked towards the orphanage that was closest to the hospital, kept Sougo on the doorstep and turned away to leave. This was the best for both him and Sougo. Toshirou couldn't even afford a living for himself so taking care of another felt impossible. He has been doing it all this time but today's events showed him that things don't always go that way. Sougo could be safe in an orphanage, this also made Toshirou think as to why he didn't do this before. Maybe he was lonely too and Sougo was filling it. The kid was always with him even though it was hard. Without realizing Toshirou was crying. Tears falling down his cheeks not because of the physical pain but the sorrow of leaving his brother away. Toshirou was hugging himself weeping as he was walking away only to be stopped by the sound of tiny footsteps behind him.
"Stop following me. You're going to be safe there. You'll get food and friends. You'll get to live a better life."
Toshirou said without turning back.
"But I want to stay with you." The kid mumbled behind him. It sounded weak.
Toshirou slowly turned and kneeled in front of the kid.
"I can't keep you safe. You'll get hurt, again." Toshirou pleaded, trying to change the kid's mind. Or was he?
"I want to stay with you." The kid came close and hugged Toshirou, burying his face on Toshirou's shoulder.
Toshirou couldn't move, the kid was the only reason that kept Toshirou wanting to live, but right now could he keep both of them alive? Would they be safe? Can they return home? Was it even their home? All these questions started coming into Toshirou's head like rapid fire. He lifted Sougo up carrying the kid in his arms and walked aimlessly until he heard the rough waves of the night sea and carried them both towards it.
"Oi! The kid is burning up."
Toshirou was suddenly stopped by the mysterious man.
"Listen, we are not as heartless as we look. Let him take the kid to a hospital." The man continued pointing at another long black-haired man in a white shirt.
Toshirou hugged Sougo tighter so as to not let him go and suddenly felt that the kid was actually heating up. Fear embodied Toshirou's face with what he needs to do. The men didn't seem trustworthy at all but at this rate Sougo could literally die.
"Hey listen, come with us, that kid needs to be taken to the hospital immediately. Or do you wanna watch your kid die in your arms?" The black haired man spoke in rather a stern voice.
Toshirou was lost as to what to do. The entire situation was heavy but he needed to act quickly for Sougo. Toshirou stood up and nodded slightly. The men took that as a sign of agreement and asked him to follow them. Toshirou followed the men into the car and the black haired man took Sougo away from him.
"Listen, you talk to him and I will take the kid to hospital. Also cooperate, the kids' life is in your hands." The man said pointing to the perm head who sat beside Toshirou entering through the other door.
"Wait. Please don't take him away." Toshirou pleaded, holding onto Sougo's leg with the little strength he had left.
"Rich coming from someone who was about to jump into the sea to die with the kid." The perm head said while taking the hand away from Sougo.
"Zura will take care of the kid. We don't kill kids like a certain someone here. That kid's not at fault for anything that has happened to you. Right?" The perm head said, looking straight into Toshirou's eyes.
Toshirou couldn't say anything anymore he watched as Sougo was taken away by the man into another vehicle and was driven away in the hospital's direction.
Toshirou started feeling afraid and confused as to what to say. The pain in his body was increasing every second and the guilt of what he was trying to do a few minutes ago was drowning him. Was I trying to drown a kid to death? A 6 year old? He believed in me and trusted me and I-
"Hey hey control your pheromones little omega, you're gonna send me to rut." Toshirou heard the alpha breaking the silence between them. It was then that he came back to reality to understand the situation he was in right now. Who this man was or what he wanted with him, Toshirou had no idea.
"What do you want?" Toshirou asked rather demandingly but still he sounded weak. Even though he was an omega, Toshirou had a low voice and also enough strength to put up a fight (but not right now).
"Oho, still energetic I see. But stop with the act. I saw you all whimpering already." The alpha smirked and continued.
"Anyways let's get to business. Your biological father Hijikata Kametaro had borrowed 1million yen from us and even after a hundred warnings he still hasn't paid back and we tried to find him but unluckily specially for you and your kid he was found dead. Actually beaten to death by another group of loan sharks that he went to ask for money. Honestly that's not my problem but your father had signed you as his guarantor so you need to pay back the money he borrowed. Simple as that."
Toshirou was filled with anger and shouted at the alpha, "I NEVER AGREED TO BE HIS GUARANTOR, I DON'T EVEN HAVE MONEY. DO I LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WHO CAN JUST PAY 1 MILLION YEN TO YOU!?" Toshirou started breathing heavily, eyes widened and emitting more pheromones without noticing.
"Yeah yeah you don't but again, THAT'S NOT MY FUCKING PROBLEM AND FOR GODSAKE STOP EMITTING YOUR PHEROMONES I'M TRYING SO HARD NOT TO TAKE YOU RIGHT HERE!" The alpha growled back and Toshirou backed a little, looking down and hitting the door.
The air was getting heavier and it was making Toshirou so hard to breathe. His vision was getting blurry and his stomach started hurting again (he still hasn't taken medicine for wounds).
"You can work for me if you want." The alpha said, covering his eyes with his forearm leaning back on his seat. It was clear that the pheromone outburst was taking a toll on him too.
"We have a restaurant. You can work there and pay back. But with one condition." The alpha turned towards Toshioru and the omega lifted his head in surprise.
"You and the kid have to live with me. You work and come home to me."
"Why?" Toshirou asked with a frown. "Why are you suddenly choosing to help me and making me stay with you?"
"Your scent. It smells like strawberry parfaits and it's my favourite thing to eat." The alpha said, with a smirk, bringing his face close to Toshirou.
"How can I trust you wont hurt me?" Toshirou asked without moving away.
"I won't and also looking at your condition, are you even in a position to ask these types of questions? You need to be grateful that Gin-san is offering you a job and a house to live in." The alpha replied, moving away.
The alpha was right, Toshirou was not in a position to negotiate. As much as he hated to work to pay for something he's not even part of he still needed to make sure Sougo gets a better life than him.
"Alright." Toshirou nodded.
"Alright it is. Then let's head to the hospital. I don't want you dropping dead in my car." The alpha said as he drove towards the hospital.
"Oh! btw I'm Sakata Gintoki. Nice to meet you, Hijikata Toshirou-kun."