Chapter Text
Green was…weird. Kai loved him–of course he did, they all did–but nobody could deny that Green was weird.
He never took his mask off, for one. They’d all revealed their identities three months into the whole ninja thing, deciding it was simpler. Green supported it, he just… refused to take his own mask off.
There was the behavior, too. The secrecy.
Green was private. He refused to show anything identifying about himself besides his bright green eyes and puberty-ridden voice that gave away his younger age. He never talked about his family or friends, never took his phone out, and refused to give any contact information. He didn’t seem to have any extracurricular activities and always took a different way home from the warehouse. Kai would almost call it paranoid but… there was a reason he knew about Green taking a different way home every night. Sue him! He was worried!
This was why seeing Green pace holes into the warehouse roof and whispering to someone on a mobile phone at 2 am in the morning was such an odd experience for Kai to witness. Why was Green even up at this time?
Green looked angrier by the second, his previously silent breaths turning ragged and harsh. The voice on the other end of the phone picked up in volume, angry sounding. Curiously, Kai leaned in.
“FSM, just get out of my life already! Can’t I have one night to myself without you hounding me?” he huffed, “you’re a murderer! How can you expect me to just- just accept you into my life?” his voice broke, “You don’t even pay child support!”
Kai watched as Green held the phone away from his ear while the sound of a man’s muffled yells filled the air, all the fight draining out of his body. He looked… dejected. Like a strung-up doll with the stuffing tore out of him.
“Just… lose this number, Dad,” he said, hanging up and stuffing his phone into a duffel bag Kai only now noticed near his feet.
Kai stood there, dumbfounded. Having a murderer as a father… he couldn’t imagine. Yes, he and Nya had it rough, toughing it out in the foster system most of their childhood, but that seemed miniscule to what Green went through. Was going through.
It wasn’t fair. Green was the best little brother anyone could ask for, and he just had to go through this… alone? No. No, that wouldn’t do at all.
Carefully, Kai stepped out of the shadows ”… Green?”
Greens head swiveled toward him. “K-kai?! What- I-” He took a calming breath, “How much of that did you hear?”
“Not… all of it. Um,” he cleared his throat awkwardly, “I know your dad is a murderer, and seems like a really shitty person,” he trailed off into silence. Green was still staring at him with a deer in headlights expression.
Changing the subject, Kai pointed to the duffle bag sitting at Green’s feet. “What’s that for?”
Immediately, Green stepped in front of the bag. “Nothing.”
“Mhm. And we’re both not gonna be tired at school tomorrow. Has anyone ever told you you’re a bad liar?”
Green continued to stare at him unblinkingly.
“Okay,” Kai sighed, “how about this. You tell me why you’re out here, and I’ll tell you why I’m out here. Deal?”
Green eyed him suspiciously before sitting on the ground. “Okay. But you have to go first.”
Kai cracked a smile before sitting down next to Green. Close up now, he could see the redness of his eyes, the way salt clung to the ends of his blond lashes. His heart panged at the thought of his little brother crying alone.
“I live in a foster home,” Kai started. “Not a very good one, either. There wasn’t really any hope of sleep with all the screaming, so…” he gestured to the warehouse, “I thought I’d perch up here tonight.” He licked his suddenly dry lips, “I’m almost aged out, you know. I’ve got thirteen more months, then Nya and I can go live in some cheap apartment and get away from all of that.”
Kai let that sit for a moment before turning to Green. “Your turn, Greenbean.”
Green chuckled wetly, “I told you not to call me that.”
“Then start talking.”
“Well,” he started, “kind of similar to you, actually. My dad sucks, as you heard. My mom is… busy, I guess. I stay at a group home. Ever heard of Darklys?”
Kai sucked in a sharp breath. He’d heard of Darkly’s alright. The kids were bad, the staff was worse, and the punishments were borderline inhumane. It was a wonder how they haven’t been shut down yet.
“Yeah,” Green continued, “I live there. It sucks. So, I’m leaving. I’m gonna stay at the warehouse until I’m brought back.”
Kai didn’t know what to say to that, other than Green’s life sucked. So, he didn’t say anything, just tugged him into a firm hug.
Green crumpled into the hold, burying his face in Kai’s shoulder, breathing deeply for a few moments before letting out an abrupt laugh.
Kai sputtered “Wha- what the- what is so funny about this? Hello? Have you gone deranged?!”
Green laughed even harder, pressing his forehead deeper into Kai’s neck. “No, I’m sorry, I’m sorry it’s just- our lives are kinda fucked up, huh?” he giggled.
“Hey, no, you’re like, eleven. Only the big kids get to say the fuck word.”
Green pushed away from him, staring at Kai incredulously. “I’m 14 in like, a week!”
“Fourteen!” Kai sputtered.
“Fourteen!” Green repeated.
“Oh, so, you’re like, one of those weird child prodigies that are super good at everything, aren’t you?”
“Pfffft,” Green chuckled, “No way. Just ninja stuff. That’s why Wu made me the leader.”
“Yeah?” Kai challenged, “Wanna see who gets to the pullout couch first, then?”
“Oh,” Green replied, “You’re so on. Onyourmarkgetsetgo!” he shouted, shooting off the ground with, frankly, inhuman speed for this late at night. Kai decided it was the kid’s young and spry joints.
“Cheater!” Kai yelled, running after him, smiling his first genuine smile of the night.