Chapter Text
Mike was eleven years old when he met him, he never knew eyes could be this gorgeous, as yellow as the sun itself, but at that moment it felt as if he was frozen.
Maybe moving to a new city with his family wasn’t bad after all but then again, he didn't really have a choice in the matter - his single mom got sick, and they had to leave their home to go live with her sister.
Sure, he had to leave his friends behind, and that part was tough, but it wouldn't be too bad, he told himself. Little did Mike know that everything was about to change, in one fateful encounter.
those eyes were worth it all “Hello “he said, nervously yet in a big loud voice, making sure the boy behind the large black gate heard him, “Can you throw the ball back?’ As Mike stood on the sidewalk his tiny hand gripping the hard metal, gaze lurking between the golden eyes and the ball that his friend had accidentally kicked over the fence.
" Come get it.” The little boy said, a small hiss in his words, sharp teeth baring through his lips, the scales on his nose and cheeks shimmering under the hot sun.
The gate was locked, Mike could clearly see the large chain on the other side with a large rusty padlock, that obviously wouldn’t open for him, “but there is no way for me to get in" Mike said, frowning, eyes swaying between the boy and the ball.
limping slowly, toward the gate the young creature’s eyes glaring at Mike “Then I guess you won’t have it back.” With a grim smile on his face, turned around and kicked the ball into what seemed to be an overgrown backyard, before heading to the house that looked like it got out of a horror movie.
“Wait! “Yelling after the boy “Do you want to play with us?” stopping him from leaving, Mike was desperate, he wanted to make a new friend so badly since the only people he met were the two other kids that were already close and treated him like the odd one out.
Hesitating, the boy looked over his shoulder, studying the young human for a moment "You want me to play with you?"
"Yeah! My friends and I are playing soccer, you should join us!" Mike exclaimed, a hopeful smile on his face.
He didn’t need to get a response, rather the way those eyes looked down at his prosthetic leg told him the boy wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea.
“Are you mocking me? “He sneered, his already sad face frowning more as he glared at Mike, his dark nails scratching the minty overall buttons he was wearing, the fabric slightly ripping from his talons.
Mike was taken aback by the boys reaction, he didn’t understand how he could get it the wrong way, all he wanted was a new friend, “ heyy Mike” a voice called from the street, turning to see his two friends chuckle, “what's taking you so long ?” wrapping an arm around mikes shoulder, he mumbled “ how disgusting that is” Glaring him down.
The boy let out a loud hiss.
“hmm? he didn't do anything wrong." confused, Mike looked perplexed.
his friend only shrugged, "You shouldn't talk to that freak, mom says he's dangerous."
The other friend sneered, "Mike, that hybrid is a freak! He didn't do anything wrong, but do you want to know what I will do if he doesn't give us our ball back?" The friend laughed loudly, his voice rising. He moved forward with a menacing gaze, clenching his fist, his threatening words caused the poor creature to back off, but he quickly hid his fear behind a mask of defiance and provocation...
“Yeah? what are you going to do?" smug smile on his face “Let’s watch you Jump over” he snarled, his golden gaze fierce and cold like ice, “if you plan on climbing, you might as well climb to the moon, because you will not be getting that ball” the boy then
" Ok ok, guys stop it, don't be mean to him!" He glared at his so called friends, all he wanted was someone to play with and be his friend, but this was completely unexpected, why were they so rude to the poor boy?
His friends only laughed at his attempt to defend the boy, "Why are you defending that hybrid, Mike? he's a freak, not even human, he doesn't deserve to be around normal people like us."
Before Mike could react, a rock went flying over the fence, hitting straight into the pretty lips of the young boy, a scream of pain escaped his throat, as he fell to the ground bleeding.
the darker shade of crimson trickled down his chin as he held his mouth, tears streaming down his cheeks, mike couldn’t see where it hit exactly but he knew it must have hurt, his long hair covering his face as he cried.
his friend was laughing loudly in the back, but all Mike could think about was the poor boy on the floor, his heart ached to see him in so much pain, he knew hybrids were treated less than animals, often harmed and mocked for their differences, this was the first time mike experienced this cruelty.
As Naga raised his head, gazing at the boys with fear and pain shining in his eyes, Mike's heart shattered. Naga's small, intermittent sobs escaped his lips as he tried to hide his face away.
Mike's friends only laughed harder, one bending down to pick up another rock to throw again, but the boy had already scurried back to the old house behind him, limping as fast as he could.
Heartbroken, Mike wanted to run after him and make sure he was okay, but the large gate was still locked, and he couldn’t see any other way to get inside.
The crimson trail on the ground was telling how deep the injury was and he hated how his friends could find so much joy in the pain of another.
As soon as the boy disappeared from sight, Mike turned to his friends, fury burning in his eyes, “I can’t believe you did that, why would you hurt him like that?”
one of them scoffed " Because he's a freak, those ugly hybrids deserve it, that's why they were born this way, they are not even humans Mike, they are abominations" Balling his fist in anger, Mike couldn’t hold back, he punched his friend right on the nose, not like his fist would cause much damage but it felt good to let the rage out.
He knew if he did not run away, they would beat him mercilessly, so he ran as fast as he could.
The boy hid behind the old door panting heavily, hands shaking from the pain, he didn't expect to get hit by a rock, it hurt so bad, that he could feel his lips swell up and the taste of blood in his mouth.
Tears streamed down his cheeks as he tried to keep quiet, hoping the Human boys wouldn't come back again, but knowing they would always come back, he huddled up in the corner of his old room, waiting for the pain to subside.
Though the lady that owned him would get mad at him for bleeding again, he couldn't help but let the tears flow, he was so tired of this kind of treatment, when would it end?
After the incident, Mike felt deeply troubled by the cruelty he witnessed towards the young hybrid boy, he kept visiting the same spot every day hoping to see him again, wanting to apologize and make sure he was all right.
The boy never showed up.
Mike saw a girl who seemed older than him, a hybrid as well, walking in and out of the old house, he debated asking her about the young boy, but he was afraid she might react the same way, or maybe the boy wouldn't want anyone to know what happened.
One day as Mike was passing by, he spotted the older hybrid girl outside, watering some plants in the small patch of greenery near the old house. Gathering his courage, he approached her slowly, drawing his best smile, so wide its scary, and wiping the sweat off his palm before introducing himself. "Hello, I'm Mike," he said, his voice tinged with a touch of nervousness. The girl looked up at him, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied him for a moment before responding. "I know who you are," she said, her tone cautious but not overtly hostile.
Mike swallowed hard, his heart racing as he tried to find the right words to start this conversation, knowing it would end up worse than the last encounter.
"I... “
“Listen, boy, Naga told me what you and your friends did, so you better not come back here or else” she cut him off, her voice stern and full of warning, pointing a finger at him menacingly.
Mike’s face fell, “I didn’t mean to...”
“Didn’t mean to tear his face off with that rock?" she snapped, her eyes narrowing as she glared at him.
He felt his guts twisting, regretting playing with those horrible friends of his.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know they would do that, I swear! I feel awful about it, please let me apologize to him," he pleaded, his voice trembling slightly.
The girls' expression seems to soften, studying him before letting out a heavy sigh, “he’s hurt pretty bad, and is not allowed to go out for a while”
he jumped at the chance, “I could come in and do it then?" his eyes glowing with the smallest bit of hope.
"No." She said sharply, shaking her head, “I can’t let you in, only hybrids are allowed inside.”
Mike's hope fell as quickly as it had risen, "Oh, I see...well, can you at least tell him I'm sorry for what happened, and that I didn't mean for him to get hurt? I really wanted to do it myself, but I understand."
“Since you are new here, I don’t recommend you hang out around us hybrids, it will only bring you trouble, so just stay away, okay?"
He couldn't suppress the disappointment that filled him, as a forced smile remained plastered on his face, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. This was not the outcome he had hoped for, but he gave a reluctant nod, turning to walk away and kicking the dust in frustration, feeling powerless to make things right.
Hearing the loud thud of the gate slam shut behind him, Mike couldn’t help but run home, his heart heavy with guilt and sadness.
……
Naga had been keeping to himself, in the safety of his small room, his face covered in a thick bandage, it stung every time he spoke or ate, Grace said it might scar for life, she tried her best to treat the wound, but the little rock had broken the skin pretty deep.
He couldn't understand why the human boys had to be so cruel, he wasn't bothering anyone, just minding his own business, it wasn't fair! A single tear rolled down his cheek as he replayed the memory over and over in his mind, looking through the window, not having the courage to go outside and risk another attack.
The only thing that gives him a bit of hope is looking up at the blue sky from his window, perhaps looking up prevents him from seeing the blond boy standing outside.
In the past, he used to sit facing the forsaken garden for hours, playing with the few snakes that would slither in. The snakes would hiss at him about the noisy humans outside. But now, he just stays put in his room, too afraid to venture outside and show his face.
The human boys have been throwing rocks at him whenever they catch sight of him, but he has managed to avoid getting hit so far. Thankfully, Grace, the kind-hearted owner, is always there to pull him inside when she spots the boys nearby. She has been so protective and caring towards him during these difficult times.
He got too close that day and the blow was harsh, he just wanted the pain to go away, for the humans to leave him alone, is it that much to ask?
Grace would check on his wound daily, cleaning it with great care and tenderness, Naga knew he was lucky to have her, she was the closest thing he had to a sister.
but the scar will be a constant reminder of the cruelty he faced, and it pains him to think about it.
“Heeeyyyy” Naga was startled at the sudden voice, quickly whipping his head towards the window, only to see the familiar blond boy from before, grinning at him from outside.
His scowl deepened, heart raced with a mixture of fear and anger as he stared at the blond boy through the window.
“Can I come in?” he shouted, his cheeks were red breathing heavily, as if he had been running, the windows were shut, so he was probably shouting to grab his attention.
Naga remained silent, gripping the window frame tightly, but if he kept screaming, he might draw the owner's attention “Look!” he said, pointing at some fake ears on his head, "I'm a hybrid too now! can I come in?” Naga wanted to ignore him, but the sheer audacity of this human angered him beyond belief.
limping to the door Naga swung it open, glaring at him “Leave now!” he hissed through clenched teeth, not daring to step outside.
The blonde seemed happy to see him, smiling wide “sorry about last time, I didn't mean for you to get hurt so badly, honest!"
Naga just stared at him in disbelief, did he really think an apology would make it all better?
" I know you're still mad, but I wanted to make it up to you! if there is any way for us to be friends?”
Naga had to resist the urge to slam the door in his face, instead he stepped back, "I don't want to be friends with the likes of you."
“But I’m a h-"
" You're not a hybrid" naga cut him off sharply " You're a human who hurt me, now leave” Naga shouted, cutting him off.
As a last resort, Mike took a step closer and said, "Wait! You can hit me with a rock if you want - that'll make us even."
Naga couldn't believe his audacity, he really thought compensating violence with more violence would fix it all
he felt petty enough to throw a rock at him, make him feel the same pain they caused, perhaps he deserved it, Naga was angry enough to consider it, and he felt the urge to retaliate, to make the human boy feel the same pain he had endured, “okay “he said, grabbing a rock from the ground.
It's not like Mike wasn’t scared of getting hit, he cringed when the hybrid picked it up but tried to seem brave.
“I’m not going anywhere until we make peace!" the blond yelled, squinting his eyes shut waiting for the impact
Naga paused, the rock gripped tightly in his hand “I don’t want to be bad like you." He looked innocent looking at his hand, taking a deep breath.
The blond boy slowly opened his mouth, surprised to not be hit, Naga's words stung more than any rock could have, his eyes flying open " Wha-”
That's when a flying rock hit him square on the front teeth, the impact causing him to stumble backward, red gushing from his mouth.
"AGH!" he cried out, spitting a whole tooth, he asked for it, Naga thought, trying not to feel guilty.
“I lied” quickly slamming the door shut, his heart racing, adrenaline pumping, he surprised even himself at the outburst, but the look on the human's face made him feel a twisted sense of satisfaction.
standing on his toes to look through the window beside the door, he could see the blond boy cradling his mouth, glaring at the house, Naga couldn't tell if he was crying or not, but the sight still filled him with a petty delight.
Not long after, he saw the blond boy's friends come running to his aide, looking concerned.
The sun reflected the blond hair from afar, tears streaming down his face, as he spit out more blood, Naga felt guilty for taking it so far, but the memory of the horrible pain and humiliation still fresh in his mind refused to let the guilt consume him completely.
Naga turned away from the window, his hands trembling as the adrenaline began to subside, he can't waste his time, dwelling on those boys, they do not deserve his attention, he told himself, brushing away the few tears that had managed to escape, he got chores to do.
Naga thought he wouldn’t return but the next day he was standing at the door again, this time with a backpack, a sheepish smile that got bigger when he saw Naga, revealing his missing tooth "Can- ow can I come in now?"
Naga held the hem of his shirt, feeling ashamed, “only hybrids allowed.”
“But I'm a hybrid too! see?" pointing at the fake ears and tail
" No, you're not. “
“I AM A FOX hybrid! AND I WANT TO PLAY WITH YOU!” their voices got louder, as an old lady stepped out of the house looking displeased at the ruckus, her gaze falling on Naga and then switching to Mike.
"What's going on here?" The elderly woman's stern, authoritative voice made Naga flinch.
"I-I'm sorry, ma'am," Mike stammered, trying to seem innocent and contrite. "I just wanted to talk to my friend here. I just really want to play with him, that's all!" he pleaded, his eyes wide and hopeful.
The old woman looked at Naga with a concerned expression. "Has this boy been bothering you, dear?" she asked, her gaze shifting to the hybrid boy.
Naga shook his head slightly, his fingers gripping the hem of his shirt tighter. "No, I-I'm fine," he replied, his voice quiet and uncertain.
The woman's eyes narrowed as she studied Mike's big, pleading blue eyes that blinked at her twice, the gesture seemingly intended to appear persuasive. "Is it all right with you for Naga to play with me?” Mike asked, trying to sound as friendly and charming as possible despite his obvious desperation.
she tightened the thin shawl around her shoulders, “Well dear, I will not allow Naga to go out, but all hybrids are welcome to come inside."
Mike grinned widely, his mouth slightly curling up "Awesome! Can I come in?"
Naga felt panic rise in his chest, but the old lady had already opened the gate letting Mike jump in, Naga backed away as the blond bounded over to him, “Do not make me regret it, be good boys”
the old lady went back inside, leaving the two alone, Naga was far from pleased “She fell for that?” his tone laced with annoyance, throwing his hands at the obvious fake accessories.
“I told you I'm a fox hybrid! you should believe me.” Mike beamed at Naga, his missing tooth making his smile slightly lopsided, “Look I brought snacks!" he pulled out a Ziplock bag full of goldfish crackers, Naga’s eyes widened a bit at the sight of the treats, but he wasn't about to let down his guard, cautiously eyeing Mike and the bag, “ my mom asked me to share them with my new friends, so you have got to be my friend now!"
Naga felt conflicted, a part of him wanted to refuse but the other part was tempted by the promise of snacks, and Mike seemed earnest, perhaps this could be an opportunity to learn more about humans, he lets his defenses down a bit, slowly reaching for a handful of the crackers.
" I suppose we could be...a little friendly." pink dust touches his cheeks, and he pops a couple in his mouth, savoring the buttery flavor he had not tasted before "These are good" he admits.
Mike took his hand leading him inside, as if he had been invited, " So what do you guys do for fun around here?"
The two boys spent the rest of the afternoon playing various games, with Mike eagerly introducing Naga to new activities and the hybrid cautiously participating.
Naga was surprised to find himself actually enjoying the company of the human, he started to introduce Mike to his snake friends, carefully monitoring their interactions to ensure no one got hurt.
“She doesn’t like you very much" he noted as the snake eyed Mike skeptically, wrapped carefully around Naga's arm.
"Aw, I'm sure she'll warm up to me eventually!" Mike replied, reaching a tentative hand towards the snake, only to quickly retract it when the snake hissed in warning, “Well miss snake even though you don’t like me….. for now! I believe your eyes are really cool and pretty!" the blue pupil focused on the ones reflecting the sunset “Pretty just like yours Naga!"
The feeling of his cheeks heating up once again at the compliment made him even more self-conscious of his eyes "You're just saying that" he mumbled.
“No, Mom says I get in trouble for lying, I think they're pretty! The sun makes them shine all golden!" he peaked closer at the two orbs, " like two small stars!" his finger pointed at his nose “I think the snaky skin on your nose is cool too, kind of looks like cute freckles but glows! Just like mine!”
Naga felt his heart flutter at the praise, no one had ever complimented his appearance before, not even his owner, he couldn’t keep eye contact feeling bashful, he looked away, unsure how to respond, unused to receiving such genuine kindness.
“I better get going, my mom doesn't like me out too late," Mike said with a sigh, glancing at the dimming sky, " But I'll come back tomorrow, ok?"
Naga hesitated, then nodded slightly, "...Okay."
As Mike left, Naga couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment, already missing the other boy's lively presence.
True to his word, Mike returned, this time with a small sketchbook and some colored pencils.
"I remembered you said you like art, so I brought these for us to share!"
Naga’s eyes lit up, but he quickly frowned, he was supposed to be working not playing “I still have chores to do, and my owner doesn't like me wasting time on trivial things, every day"
Mike's face fell slightly, "Oh, I see. Well, how about we just do our art quietly, so your owner won't know?" reaching out his empty hands "Come on, it'll be fun!"
Naga looked conflicted, glancing between the art supplies and his daily tasks, biting his lips nervously, taking in his hand behind the gate, the glowing hope in his eyes was hard to resist." I don’t have the key to let you in, perhaps you could go play with your human friends instead."
But Mike shook his head, “No I want to play with you” Tilting his head, "You are my friend remember? my only friend since I had a fight with the others."
Naga was taken aback by this, he had assumed Mike had plenty of human friends to play with, “we have important guests coming soon and my owner will be very upset if she finds me slacking off." his tongue always hissed slightly on the s's.
“What if I help you? Then you can take a break!" Eager to sit with his friend, Mike almost pleaded, brushing his thumb against Naga's palm,
Naga felt his breath hitched, blushing furiously at the unexpected contact, he had never had anyone touch him so casually, he swallowed hard, " Mike please go home I don't want you to get in trouble because of me."
The blond boy looked dejected but didn't push any further, "Okay, I'll come back tomorrow then!" He watched as Mike left with a heavy heart, part of him wished he could've spent more time with the boy, but his duties came first.
Over the next few days, Mike would faithfully return, each time bearing some sort of gift or treat, from colorful drawings to his mom's homemade cookies.
and the same strange guest kept visiting, always in a hurry never seeming to stay long, Naga couldn't help but feel curious about him, he seemed important based on how his owner acted, always checking on the two hybrids and their health, taking notes.
it felt weird when he took both Naga's and Grace’s blood samples, the prick of the needle stung and left him feeling lightheaded.
But Mike was always there afterward, quick with a snack and a comforting hug, despite the gates' strong metal bars separating them, as Mike was not allowed inside again, telling Naga it would be okay.
“I don’t like that guy, he gives me the creeps” Mike whispered one day, leaning on the gate, Naga nodded in agreement.
" My owner says he's a scientist who takes care of us, but I don't trust him, he's always poking and prodding. And he makes Grace cry sometimes."
Mike frowned, resting his hand on Naga, close to the little snake peeking through his fingers.
" That's not right, I'm going to tell my mom about this, she'll know what to do!"
a soft chuckle escaped the scared lips, “Perhaps this is not a good idea, they own me and can do whatever they want.”
“But that's not fair! they don’t deserve you.” Mike exclaimed passionately, eyes blazing with conviction “I want to own you!” Mike blurted out, “Why would the bad lady own you? You should be out here playing with me!"
Naga was taken aback by Mike's declaration, his heart racing at the thought of someone wanting to claim him as their own
“When I’m a little older I will take you far away from this place, somewhere safe where no one can hurt you, then get ice cream and play in the park all day!"
Naga's eyes lit up with a spark of hope and wonder at Mike's words, imagining a world where he was free, “Here, you can own this, she likes you” The snake gently slid out of his hand, wrapping around Mikes finger, he gazed up at the human with adoration, Mike beamed and gently petted the snake, "Hello pretty girl," that snake was like Naga, the golden pools reflecting the sunset, the boys shared a content smile,
he petted the snake “I wonder if you will grow up to be as amazing as I am” the snake flicked out her tongue.
“She will grow to eat you one day" Naga chuckled, his shoulders relaxing slightly as Mike laughed, their conversation turning to more lighthearted topics.
well, it happened and One day he came by, and Naga was not there, no matter how loud he yelled, how hard he shook the gate, there was no response.
Only the older lady gave him a disgusting look and told him the hybrid was no longer there, he had been taken away.
she sold him, her voice was cold, with no hint of regret or remorse, just a simple statement of fact, as if Naga was just another object to dispose of.
She kept complaining about the trouble of raising freaks unlike them as she slammed the gate in Mike's face, leaving him to stand there, heart sinking, tears streaming down his cheeks. Mike's world crumbled around him, and the realization that Naga was gone, possibly for good, hit him like a ton of bricks.
he only got that snake Naga left for him to keep as a company until their next reunion, which He hoped would be soon.