A Silent Human

[Warning: May contain implied underage scenes!]

[Warning: May contain gore!]

~Renji POV~

Was I dreaming?

I watched as the giant still silent and imposing completely destroyed the Ghouls who had plagued me, plagued my gang. While I knew the CCG could fight Ghouls with their specialized equipment, but this… This was something else. He didn't just fight them, he obliterated two Ghouls with nothing but his bare hands. Watching him sprint with speed that seemed impossible for someone his size was awe inspiring.

And then there was the moment he saw one of Shunji's 'toys'.

The veins in his body bulged grotesquely for an instant before vanishing. Then when he clenched his right hand, I could've sworn his arm almost grew twice its size, and when he finally unleashed that punch on Shunji, I thought I felt the ground quake beneath my feet.

'I have to be dreaming.'

But it didn't end there.

When Shunji returned after being sent through the wall, I thought it was over. His Kagune shifted into something more fluid, whip-like, coiling with deadly precision. He lashed out at the giant's midsection, and I held my breath, expecting the man to falter. But there was no hesitation. No fear. His neutral expression hadn't changed from the moment he walked in.

Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, the giant bit down on Shunji's Kagune and seized his head with a single, massive hand.

And that was when I realized it was truly over.

The nightmare of being used by Ghouls, of watching my gang crumble under their cruelty, it was finally over.

~Takeshi POV~

I let out a brief sigh, waiting for any sign of movement from the Ghouls. When none came, not even a twitch, I turned away from their broken bodies and walked toward the counter where the blond haired boy was huddled. As I approached, I softened my steps hoping not to startle him.

Reaching his small, balled-up form, I gave his head a gentle pat. A dull blue eye peeked out from between his fingers, wary and tearful. I knelt, holding out my arms in invitation. He hesitated for only a moment before noticing the bodies behind me. His fragile composure shattered, and tears began to fall as he launched himself into my arms, sobbing.

I hummed a soft tune to calm him, cradling him carefully as I stood. Turning, I saw the braided, green eyed man still standing nearby, watching me with a frown.

'I didn't think he'd still be here.'

Still humming, I met his gaze. We stayed there in silence, broken only by the boy's muffled sobs and my quiet melody. Eventually, the man spoke.

"I'm Renji Takahara. Renji's my first name."

I gave him a small nod and turned toward the exit, but before I could take a third step, he spoke again, this time in a quieter tone.

"There's more."

I stopped and glanced at him, shifting the boy in my arms. Renji gestured toward the boy.

"There are more victims. Shunji kept others locked away. I'll need help getting to them, they're behind a steel door." He rubbed his eyes, looking down at the floor. "I don't know where he kept the key, but—"

I stepped closer, nodding at him to continue. For a moment, I saw his calm facade crack, a cold sweat breaking on his brow. He quickly composed himself and gestured toward a door, likely leading to the basement.

"Unless you can break down a steel door, we'll need to search for the key."

I nodded again, then glanced down at the boy in my arms.

"It'd be better if he stayed out here or waited somewhere safe while we searched." Renji suggested.

I walked toward an intact chair, planning to set the boy down, but his grip tightened on my shirt.

"D-don't!" he cried, his voice trembling.

I looked into his tearful blue eyes, pausing.

"D-don't leave me! Let me go w-with you!"

Still holding him securely, I patted his head gently and nodded. What he needed now was an anchor, and if I was to be that anchor, so be it.

Turning toward the basement door, I approached it with Renji silently following behind. Raising my leg, I kicked the door off its hinges, sending it crashing down the steps and revealing the darkness below.

'It's going to be a long day.'

~Scene Change~

Descending the stairs, I now stood before the steel door that imprisoned the victims of the Ghouls. My free hand clenched into a fist while the blond boy that had calmed down sat in my other arm, watching silently. Without hesitation, I struck the spot where the locking mechanism should be. My fist tore through the steel, leaving a jagged hole.

I felt around inside for any kind of lock, but when I found nothing I changed tactics. Gripping the edge on the other side, I began pulling with a little bit of strength to rip it free.

"W-what the fuck?" Renji's voice came from behind me, his tone filled with disbelief.

The blond boy gasped softly, his wide eyes fixed on me as I continued pulling. The hinges wouldn't give but the surrounding wall began to crack and crumble under the strain. With one final yank, I tore the steel door along with its frame, out of the wall and tossed it aside.

As the dust settled, the sounds of quiet sobbing and shuffling reached my ears. I stepped closer to the darkened room, peering inside and made out the faint outlines of several figures. Young boys, by the looks of it around the blond's age.

"Fuck…" Renji muttered behind me, his voice heavy with emotion.

The boy in my arms whimpered softly, but I gave his head a reassuring pat before stepping fully into the room. Finding a light switch, I flipped it on illuminating the space.

What I saw made my chest tighten.

About sixteen boys huddled together, their conditions varying. Bruises, scars, and hollow faces stared back at me. They ranged in age from what seemed to be fourteen being the youngest to maybe seventeen at most. Their gazes shifted between Renji and me, a mix of fear and desperate hope.

"I-it's over." the blond whispered, his words directed toward the others.

One of the older boys, a thin frail looking teen stared at him, wide-eyed. "R-really?"

The blond clutched my shirt tighter but nodded. "Mhm. They're dead."

Tilting his face up, he met my eyes, the life slowly returning to his dull blue ones a little more. "He killed them."

His words caused the boys in the room to burst into tears all at once. Their sobs filled the space, raw and unrestrained. Without a word, I walked further in and sat down cross-legged on the floor. Gently, I set the blond boy at my side and opened my arms.

At first, only a few of the younger boys hesitated forward. But then, one by one, the others followed until I was surrounded, their fragile bodies pressed against me as they cried uncontrollably.

"W-wow." Renji muttered.

I glanced back at him, noticing how he had turned his head away, his braid shifting slightly as he tried to hide the tears threatening to spill.

Letting out a soft sigh, I returned my attention to the boys. I waited patiently, allowing them to cry until their tears slowed and their breathing steadied. Only then would I be able to take them away from this place, away from the nightmare that had held them captive.