The hideout was unusually quiet when Roy pushed the door open. He stepped inside, his bag sliding off his shoulder with a dull thump, and immediately noticed how empty it felt. No chatter, no clattering of dishes, not even Kieran's voice bouncing through the halls.
Only Rin sat in the middle of the floor, a small wooden sword in hand, swinging it clumsily at an invisible enemy.
Roy raised a brow. "Where's everyone else?"
Rin looked up, slightly out of breath. "They went out a while ago. I just got back from school."
"I see." Roy muttered, dragging himself toward the sofa. He collapsed onto it with all the weight of someone carrying a lifetime of exhaustion. His arms spread, head sinking into the cushion as if the sofa might swallow him whole.
For a while, silence filled the space, just the sound of Rin's tiny footsteps pacing and the occasional 'whoosh' of his toy wooden blade cutting through the air. Then, tentatively, Rin spoke.
"Roy?"
Roy cracked one eye open. "…What?"
"Can you help me?"
"Sure, why not," Roy said flatly, his tone more resignation than agreement. "What do you need help with? Homework? Carrying groceries? Finding out where you hid Kieran's snacks again?"
Rin puffed his cheeks. "No! I want you to help me get better at fighting bad guys."
That made Roy sit up a little, his arms resting on his knees. He studied the boy with narrowed eyes. "Fighting bad guys, huh? That's a big thing to ask at your age."
Rin nodded firmly. "I don't want to be weak anymore. You promised, remember? You said you'd help me fight in this cruel world."
The words hung in the air. Roy exhaled slowly, leaning back against the sofa. His gaze wandered up to the ceiling, and for a moment, his expression softened, though the heaviness in his eyes never lifted.
"There aren't really 'bad guys', Rin," Roy said finally, his voice calm but edged with the weight of experience. "Not in the way you're thinking. There are only people. People who've sinned, people who've made choices, people who've been broken by this world until they became something ugly. You can call them villains if you want, but remember, they weren't born that way but made."
Rin frowned, gripping his wooden sword tighter. "But… if they hurt people, doesn't that make them bad?"
Roy gave a humourless chuckle. "Maybe. But the truth is everyone's carrying something. It could be fear, greed, anger, or pain. It's easy to label someone a monster. However, it's harder to admit they're just human."
The boy didn't reply right away. His brows furrowed in thought, his small body tense with the effort of trying to understand something far beyond his years. Finally, he whispered, "…So what do I do then?"
Roy stood, stretching his arms overhead before stepping toward Rin. He crouched down until they were eye level. His voice was steady, his words deliberate.
"You fight, Rin. Not because they're bad. Not because you're good. You fight to protect yourself. To protect the people you care about. That's the only reason that matters. And if you're going to do that…"
He tapped Rin's wooden sword with a finger.
"…then yeah. I'll help you train."
Rin's face lit up instantly, determination and excitement burning in his eyes. "Really?! You mean it?"
Roy smirked faintly, standing back up. "Don't get too excited. Training means work. Sweat. Falling on your face. And I'm not going easy on you. Are you sure you're ready for that?"
Rin nodded so hard it looked like his head might pop off. "I'm ready!"
Roy sighed, running a hand through his hair. "…Guess there's no turning back now." He glanced toward the door. "Alright then. Once everyone's back, we'll find a spot. Tomorrow, you start your first lesson."
Rin cheered, swinging his wooden sword wildly with a burst of energy. Roy watched him for a moment, then returned to the sofa, lying back down with an almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Roy sighed, seeing the boy's passion lit something inside of him, running a hand through his hair. "…Guess there's no point in waiting." He glanced at the wooden sword again, then toward the door. "Alright. Grab your shoes. We're starting now."
Rin's eyes widened. "Now?!"
"Yeah, now." Roy stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders like he was shaking off years of stiffness. "You wanted me to help, didn't you?"
The boy's shock turned into pure excitement. He scrambled to his feet, nearly tripping over himself as he darted for his shoes. "Okay. Okay."
Roy watched him with the same deadpan expression as always, but his eyes softened just slightly. He opened the door, stepping out into the fading evening light, and called back, "Come on then. Let's see what you've got."
Rin ran after him, wooden sword clutched tight in his hands, his small figure practically buzzing with determination.
For the first time that day, the hideout wasn't quiet anymore.