The hideout Finn was talking about was a small barn on the edge of the village. It had been abandoned after its previous owner, Uncle Xin, passed away during the brutal winter several years ago. Now its sole purpose was for the four boys to play and scheme away from prying eyes.
The only issue for Nero was how far away it was from the orphanage. The barn stood at the southernmost edge of the small village, while the orphanage was near the western side. From this vantage point, Nero could see the patchwork of small, weather-beaten homes scattered across the frozen earth.
Their walls, made of uneven wattle and daub, looked ready to collapse under the weight of another harsh winter. Thatched roofs sagged with age, their edges frayed and uneven, letting thin wisps of smoke escape from poorly sealed hearths. The streets below were muddy and uneven, bordered by rickety wooden fences marking tiny yards where chickens pecked at the frozen dirt. Everything appeared tired—houses, animals, even the people moving between them, bundled tightly in patched-up layers against the biting wind. It was a village struggling not just to survive the cold but to hold onto any semblance of hope.
Most had yet to recover from the brutal winter of last season, as the final days of spring dwindled. Nero felt a flicker of relief at the thought of summer's arrival. Snow still haunted him, a trauma deeply etched into his memories.
As they descended the hill, stepping onto patches of grass and dirt paths leading into the village, Will slowed down, letting Nero catch up while Finn and Charlie stormed ahead, oblivious to the two lagging behind. Seeing Will linger, Nero glanced at him with a questioning look.
Will spoke softly, "You okay?"
Nero chuckled faintly. "Yeah, Will. Just tired from yesterday."
Will nodded but kept glancing at Nero, his concern evident. Nero ignored his questioning gaze and kept walking. But Will pressed on. "Bruise. How?" he asked, pointing at Nero's chest.
"Eh?" Nero exclaimed, startled. How had Will noticed that when he'd tried so hard to hide it?
"Uh… I fell?" Nero replied unconvincingly.
Will frowned, unconvinced, and pushed further. "Them?"
"No!" Nero shouted unexpectedly, his voice echoing across the quiet path and grabbing the attention of Finn and Charlie ahead. They stopped and turned around.
"No?" Finn asked, confused.
Now all three of them were staring at Nero, his face flushing with embarrassment. Before he could come up with an excuse, Will pointed at his chest. "Those bullies hurt Nero again," he said plainly.
"What?" Finn's face darkened with rage as he marched over and pulled up Nero's shirt.
"Hey!" Nero protested, struggling to push Finn away, but Charlie joined in, holding Nero steady as Finn lifted the fabric. The three gasped at what they saw—Nero's entire right side was a mottled purple, the bruises stark against his pale skin.
"Was it them?" Finn asked, his voice low and trembling with anger as he let go of Nero.
"No, it wasn't," Nero insisted, refusing to meet their eyes.
"…So it was them, huh?" Charlie muttered, cracking his knuckles. "Guess we'll have to teach them another lesson about messing with us."
Will nodded in agreement. "Cooked."
"It's fine, guys. Really, I'm fine," Nero pleaded.
Finn shook his head, his expression softening but remaining firm. "You don't have to act tough with us, Nero. We're brothers. If we don't take care of each other, who will? They sure won't." He grinned. "Now let's go get payback."
Before Nero could protest further, a voice cut through the air. "Well, well, well. Looks like we found us some losers all alone."
Turning to the source of the voice, the group saw five boys walking toward them. At the center was Billy, his trademark smirk firmly in place. "Heh, look at these beggars. They don't even have parents," one of Billy's cronies jeered, and the others erupted in cruel laughter.
Finn's face darkened further. "There you are, Billy!" he shouted, pointing an accusatory finger. "You did this to Nero, didn't you?"
Billy feigned innocence. "Did what?"
"You think you're so tough, ganging up on one kid with five of you?" Finn shot back.
Billy sneered. "Last I checked, taking care of garbage doesn't count as 'ganging up.' Right, boys?" His gang snickered, and Nero's face flushed with humiliation as he looked at the ground.
Billy stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "What's the matter, garbage? Too scared to even look at me?"
Finn's fists clenched. "Leave him alone, Billy."
"Or what?" Billy mocked. "You'll cry to Father Elias? Oh wait, you don't even have parents to cry to."
Charlie stepped forward, his jaw tight. "Say that again, and I'll make sure you can't laugh anymore."
Billy raised an eyebrow, his smirk unwavering. "Oh, big talk from someone whose boots barely hold together." He gestured disdainfully at Charlie's patched footwear.
"Let's just go," Nero muttered, his voice barely audible. But Finn wouldn't have it.
"No, Nero! We can't let them treat us like this. Not anymore." He turned to the others. "We're ending this now."
Billy's smirk faltered for a moment as Finn and Charlie advanced. The gang shuffled uneasily.
"Alright, boys," Billy said, regaining his composure. "Let's show these beggars why they shouldn't mess with us."
The two groups clashed with an explosion of shouts and flying fists. Finn lunged at Billy, narrowly missing as Billy sidestepped, landing a shove that sent Finn staggering. Another boy swung a stick at Charlie, who ducked and yanked the boy down by his shirt.
Nero found himself face-to-face with one of the smaller bullies. The wiry boy jabbed at him, catching Nero's arm before he managed to block the next punch. Gritting his teeth, Nero shoved the boy back, sending him tumbling. But another bully kicked Nero's ribs, making him stumble and clutch his bruised side.
"Come on, Nero!" Finn yelled, grappling with Billy as they rolled in the dirt. "Don't let them win!"
Charlie fought off two boys, his knuckles scraped raw. "You call this fighting?" he barked, grinning despite the struggle. But a glancing punch to his temple made him stagger.
Will darted between the chaos, wielding a stick. "Back off!" he shouted, swinging wildly to keep another boy at bay.
Seeing his friends struggle, Nero clenched his fists and charged back into the fray. He tackled the boy who had kicked him, but the impact sent them both sprawling. Pain flared in Nero's chest as he scrambled to his feet, blocking another swing.
The chaos paused when Finn grabbed Billy by the collar. "Had enough?" Finn growled.
Billy spat, his lip bleeding. "You're lucky I'm feeling generous." He pulled free, retreating with his battered gang. "Next time, we'll finish this."
Charlie scoffed. "You barely got through this time."
Billy's glare lingered on Nero. "You think you're safe because you've got these losers? You're nothing." He turned and disappeared into the forest with his gang.
Finn brushed dirt off his clothes, letting out a heavy breath. "Well, that could've gone better."
Charlie chuckled weakly, holding his scraped knuckles. "At least they didn't win."
Nero stared at the horizon, his chest aching. "They'll be back," he said softly.
Finn clapped a hand on his shoulder, his grip firm. "Then we'll be ready. We've got each other, right?"
Nero nodded faintly, but unease lingered in his chest. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something far worse.