you’d met kaiser when he went out for “work” one day, as his father called it. he went to the local store to steal food and everyday items.

but this day, your father, the store owner, finally let you look sound the store while he was working. and you saw kaiser. he looked your age. the two of you were young, he looked at least 10. you were 8. god, he looked roughed up, covered in bruises, dirt, dried blood.. his hair seemed unbridled, clothes ripped and dirty as if he’d never taken it off.

you ran over to introduce yourself. at the time, you didn’t notice, but looking back on it, that boy had an innocent little glimmer in his eyes, admiring you as soon as he saw you.

kaiser was an awfully sweet boy. unknowing of “stealing”, you walked him out of the damn store while he held unpurchased items. you waved goodbye.

every day he came back. sometimes not even to steal. to just see you. and the two of you became best friends. his only friend ever. and eventually, he broke and told you about his father. after that, he’d always hold you in his arms and fantasize about leaving this shithole. you were in a similar predicament as he was, just not as bad. become free. become human. become loved.

at your meet up spot, the end of a dark alleyway, covered in trash, you sat on a. mattress. you saw his figure finally approach in the flickering street light. he walked over and sat next to you, silently lying down on the mattress and curling you up in his arms. presently, he is 14, you are 12.

he didn’t say a word, just holding you. then you saw it. his eye had a dark bruise around it, his neck had a long red mark around it too. it was never this bad.

“kai—“ you began.

“you and me..” he cut you off. “we’re both pieces of trash..” he hugged you tightly.