3 Despondence

Zayd was used to fighting, however, that was fighting against people who weren't trained fighters.

Right now, those kicks were extremely worrisome, so much so that with Zayd's inexperience, he forgot punches existed.

During his leg getting back to position, a punch landed on his right cheek that caused him to hit his head against the alley wall.

The blow dazed him and he couldn't stand up as his legs gave out from under him once more from another leg kick.

Blood leaked from the cut, dousing the right side of Zayd's face with blood and creating a grim atmosphere.

Baldie was standing with the help of the cap guy and now, Mohawk man was stood up also. Kicking Zayd while he was down, Mohawk man vented his anger momentarily.

"That's enough. Leave him alone. He's just a school kid still." The cap guy had some semblances of morals left after beating Zayd down.

"But Hanzo, this guy-"

Not even turning towards Mohawk man, Hanzo replied. "I said that's enough." His voice deeper this time. Mohawk man felt he was serious and stopped.

Lifting the Hoodie Hobbit, Mohawk man and Baldie trudged behind Hanzo as he took some turns and disappeared.

Now, it was just Zayd and the girl in the alleyway.

A minute passed silently and Zayd broke it by getting up, groaning from the pain he felt.

Of course, he was not new to pain. He'd been in many fights before moving to Japan and many more after his arrival. Sometimes, you couldn't just avoid being hit. You had to face the pain head-on.

Zayd felt the world spin as he attempted a step, however, he quickly stopped. Dizziness overwhelmed his senses, and his head was ringing from the collision with the wall.

Suddenly he felt his left arm being lifted and it was wrapped around a shoulder.

"I'll help you." A meek voice came from the girl. Zayd had forgotten she existed while he was fighting.

Thinking for a second, Zayd mapped out where he was in his mind, and he was not far from his home.

"I don't live far from here. Help me get home and we're even." Turning to look at the girl's eyes, he saw they were light hazel it matched with her hair which was almost identical in colour.

Looking at the uniform, he identified that he had no clue which school she went to. Not that it mattered, she felt familiar-looking, but Zayd couldn't recall why.

---

"Alright, you can go now." Zayd didn't speak the entire way as his face hurt whenever his cheek moved.

He didn't feel the need to make conversation anyway, he did not feel awkward whatsoever.

"U-Um, thank you very much." With a bow, the girl quickly ran away. Seemingly embarrassed for some reason.

Getting the key out of his pocket, Zayd felt rather reluctant. His Aunt had probably finished working by now. He did not want to admit it, but Zayd feared her reaction sometimes. As sneakily as possible, he turned the key.

'Women are scary.'

After opening the door, his Aunt's voice came followed by footsteps.

"Finally you're home. Where the hell were you? You honestly make me so worried for no reason sometimes- Oh my..." Zayd's Aunt had just come around the corner from inside and the first thing to meet her eyes was the crimson liquid that stained his face and shirt.

"Hi. I can't walk right now, can you help me inside, please. Then we'll talk, I promise."

Zayd gave up on the stealth moments before he turned the door handle. His body ached too much for him to care for such things currently.

"Zayd what- where- never mind, just come inside." Quickly coming to his side, still dressed in her work clothes, Zayd's Aunt helped move him as carefully as possible.

Getting him sat down on the couch, she quickly fetched a cloth and some water along with some cream and bandages.

Delicately wiping his face first, as though afraid of even causing the slightest of pain, Zayd's Aunt stopped when he flinched. Her motherly attention was quite heart-warming at the moment.

Rubbing some cream onto his face lightly, his Aunt got a plaster and carefully covered the wound on his face.

"I got hit on my back and chest too," Zayd said quickly, wincing as he unbuttoned his shirt. Bruises ranging from a bunch of sizes littered across his upper abdomen like craters. The colours having more variation than a painting from the Renaissance.

Meanwhile, his back looked like a strange tattoo you'd see the members of the Yakuza possessing.

---

Having had a hot bath, Zayd managed to use his leg to stand once more by using the wall. His calf had turned a shade of purple so deep, it seemed like a miniature Thanos was on his leg.

Zayd felt disabled due to the current state of his left leg.

Whilst he was sat in the bath he already told his Aunt the events that had transpired.

Now, he had eaten and felt a little bit better, most of the bitter feelings remained within.

His Aunt noticed this and so put his head on her lap much to Zayd's reluctance until he gave in under the comfort. Her hands gently surfed through his short black hair. A calming feeling invoked itself in Zayd.

"Aunt Naomi, I'm sorry for causing so much trouble for you. I'm sorry you have to deal with the consequences of what happened back then. I-I just feel-" Zayd didn't even know what he was saying, perhaps it was old memories coming back to the surface. Of the time before he first arrived in Japan.

His Aunt realised this, quickly silencing him with a finger.

"Shhhhhh. I love having you here, Zayd. I'm happy that you were sent here. Even if it was meant to be a punishment for me too... Having company makes life a whole lot easier to live knowing you're not alone."

With his mood in the dumps, Zayd started remembering all the bad times in his life. However, Aunt Naomi being his maternal figure helped him greatly.

"I'll tell the school that you're not feeling well. You can stay at home until you feel better, okay?"