tw: ableist slurs, bullying, dead dove do not eat
“You’re a fucking retard!” Another yank of your hair, and you swung, though your fist met nothing but air. Trying to fight them off at this point seemed nothing more than a futile struggle with you being outnumbered this badly, even if you did manage to score one earlier - seems like they had learnt that holding you at arms length was the simplest solution.
“Let go!”
“Retardddd!” One of your schoolmates taunted (what was his name again? Kenji or something?), his jeering laughter a scratching sound in your ear as he pulled a face, free hand emptying out your school bag onto the damp grass, the clatter of plastic and paper alike adding to the already overwhelming cacophony of sound. That homework you worked so hard on with an all-too-patient Draken over the weekend, your favourite pen that you always had with you that had been gifted by Kazutora - you could only watch as they were heartlessly tumbled out into the awaiting mud below, the tears on the edge of welling up held back by the last shred of your pride. “Where’s those ‘friends’ you leech off now huh? Not so strong without them?”
You knew they’ve been watching you for a while at school - it wasn’t hard to feel those beady eyes following you down crowded walkways, until you disappeared into the safety of your classroom, hear those muffled footsteps pattering across wooden floors trailing you no matter which corner you rounded or how many flights of stair you climbed. And you’ve never been able to figure out who these mysterious figures were try as you might - they knew better than to make a move while Mikey and the others were out and about and on the prowl, not with the menacing auras practically pouring off every one of them.
At least, not till today. It was rare that you were ever alone at lunch these days; not only did your Toman friends treasure every ounce of your attention much like the parched winter earth welcomed the first spring rains, the boys were well-informed of your supposed stalkers. Yet try as they might, this wasn’t a meeting they could rearrange easily, as Mikey huffedly informed you, Baji worriedly wringing his hands in the background - leaving you undefended was less than desirable.
