Ashes

Escape

Touya carried his brother through the night, the only thing keeping him on his feet being will and his fried nerves.

Finally...

He had made it to a bus stop, that would take him to a different city. Somewhere far away from where Endeavor would start his search.

He set his brother down on the bench, covering him with a blanket as he eyed the gas station across the street.

This is the best chance I have...

He knew it would leave traces of him, but he had to hurry. His hair was too recognizable, and so was Shoto's. They would be sitting ducks once the search for them went public.

He took out one of Shoto's hoodies and slid into it, for once glad that his body was small enough to fit.

That'll be good enough.

He took the blanket around his brother and covered his head, making sure he wasn't recognizable before he bolted toward the gas station. 

Hair dye... hair dye... hair dye... there!

He found it on one of the lower shelves, grabbing as much as he could fit into the hoodie's pockets before he walked to the counter.

He walked to the counter, giving the money he stole from under the kitchen counter when he was packing everything.

"You're a little young to be out this late, aren't you?"

Touya froze, the clerk's eyes sizing him up as he took the cash from his hand. His mutation quirk makes his body human and his head that of a jackal.

"That's none of your business."

The clerk watched with a dark gleam in his eyes as the boy left the store, heading to a bundle of clothes that was probably his little sibling.

Two of them huh?

He rang up his buddy, smiling as the boy carried the bundle to a nearby restroom.

"Hey Chen, what's up?"

Chen smiled manically as he closed up the shop for the night, "Get down here Yuan, we got some freshies."

A whistle came from the other side of the line, "Really, how much do you think we can get for them?"

Chen tilted his head, "I don't know, but they're easy pickings. Just get down here quick, they're waiting for the 4 am bus."

"You got it."

The line clicked shut as Chen got a knife from the back counter, his claws flared as he slunk into the dark cover of night.

It's my lucky day.

...............

Shoto woke up groggily, feeling a warmth around him as his head nodded off.

"Touya?"

He opened his eyes to see an empty stall, the only sign of Toya being his backpack next to him.