Chapter Text
~*~
it wasn't strange for Miya to come home from practice to an empty house, it was pretty common place actually.
Miya doesn't notice the note until the next day, after he showers, when he came into the kitchen to find himself something to eat that was within his diet.
He had just popped some kind of oatmeal into the microwave and leaned against the counter while he waited for it to be done.and there it was, pinned to the fridge with an old cat magnet like a chore chart.
He snatches it off the fridge like it had personally offended him.
its scribbled down on lined paper, and he recognizes it from his moms old planner she use to use before she quit her job.
Dear Miya,
your father and I have left on last minute business with your manager, we know you can handle yourself and will be responsible. We put money on your card for anything you might need don't use it all on games, the bills have been taken care of for the month. Remember to stay on the diet your coach has put you on and to do your home work.
love,
mom and dad.
Miya's first thought is to read over the note again, just to make sure he's reading it right.
his next thought is- what the actual fuck?
it isn't like this was the first time his parents have left him alone while they were out of town, but usually there was a bit more of a… heads up.
usually he didn't just come home to find out they left.
a lot of things run through his head, he's angry and then frustrated and then just mildly annoyed at the whole thing. its not like he doesn't have a phone they could have at least messaged him.
the microwave beeps and breaks Miya out of his thoughts, he crumble up the note and tosses it into the trash.
he decides that ultimately it doesn't really matter, this wasn't the first time hes been home alone, and half the time they are home he doesn't see them anyways. Miya wasn't a toddler he was thirteen and a half, he didn't need his mom to mix up his protein shakes and stand outside the door while he went to the bathroom.
he was fine. he'd always been Independent, he'd been walking to and from school for years even before he got into skating- heck his twelfth birthday present was a switch and a bus pass so he could get himself to practice.
he brings his oatmeal to his room, careful of the hot bowl.
if anything it meant he had free rein to go to S.
within reason of course, he had school, and practice and a tournament text Saturday- would his parents be back by then? or would he need to ride with his couch? he'd probably have to forge their signatures again.
he takes a spoonful of oatmeal and frowns, barely managing to swallow it down.
why'd he even pick oatmeal? he hates oat meal.
he throws the oatmeal in the trash and mixes a protein shake instead.
he's not actually sure if he like the shakes either, but they were one of his sponsors and they paid him- or his parents to drink them in public and at events, plus they were one of the only things that tasted okay-ish that still fit his nutrition plan.
limited carbs, no excessive sugars, nothing overly greasy.
~*~
Miya was doing homework, his deck under the desk as he rolled it under his feet. his phone buzzed, and he checked it.
SlimeOne
6:43
Miyaaaaaa
hey are you coming tonight
??
?
Shadow says we'll pick you up on the way their.
Miya rolled his eye's, Reki and his spam texting use to annoy him but- well it still did actually.
he texted back.
there*
yeah.
Miya made sure his switch was fully charged before he zipped up the case and packed it into his Bag and grabbed his deck.
~*~
"did you have to correct my grammar?" Reki groans, plopping down next to where Miya is sat on an old picnic table, pulling out his switch to take a break, he's already tired from practice today and e can feel his calf twinge with every step he takes.
Miya shrugs, it's really not his problem if a full grown homeschooler doesn't know who to write.
"are you gonna come tomorrow or are doing stuff?" Reki asks, twisting the cap off of Langa's water bottle.
gross- germs!
Miya sighs. "yeah i guess if Shadow can drive me."
Reki snorted. "sure he will."
Miya inst sure how to take that or what its suppose to mean so he goes back to booting up Stardew Valley.
"hey!" a voice says, Miya doesn't look up, he's too busy organizing his inventory in the game.
"hey Joe!" Reki calls back. "whats up?"
"i wanted to know if you guys wanted to come by the restaurant tonight?" Joe said. "k- Cherry has practically invited himself anyways so i figured I'd make it a group thing."
"I'm down, I'm sure Langa is too- id have to ask Shadow though he's driving us back." Reki said. "what about you."
Miya waited a moment, before he looked up from is switch to see both of them looking at him. "what about me?"
"do have to be home soon?" Joe asked. "like before your parents wake up or something?"
"oh.." Miya said, usually he might try too, but it wasn't like anyone was home to care. "I'm not really hungry but i can hang out for a bit."
"how are you not hungry?" Reki groaned leaning back onto his elbows. "i swear i'm always starving!"
Miya shrugged. "skill issue."
the sound of game over sounded from his switch and Miya looked down to see that one of those stupid flying bug things got him.
and he'd just found a frozen tear for the bundle-
Reki snorted and said in a teasing tone. "sure, i have a skill issue."
Miya frowned. "this isn't funny i have to restart the day!"
"I'm gonna go find Shadow and Langa." Joe said turning and walking away. "have fun!"
"stupid slimes-" Miya started. "i should of paused."
Reki laughed at him.
~*~
Miya plugged his switch charger into the outlet next to their booth.
"dude that trick you pulled was sick as fuck!" Reki nearly screamed waving his hands around in vague motions.
they were sitting across form him in the booth, mostly because Miya refused to sit next to them after they spilled a whole drink into his lap last time. Shadow was on the very inside across from Miya who had stretched out with his feet in the cushioned chair with his switch.
Langa smiled a bit sheepishly. "thanks, i though for sure i was gonna bail though."
Reki's face lit up. "Oh we should make new boards!"
"we should!" Langa nearly cheered.
Joe shouted from the kitchen, “Hey just because the restaurant is closed doesn’t mean you three can scream your heads off!”
Reki and Langa winced ducking down a bit like that was going to make themselves quieter.
"sorry!" Reki called back.
"yeah!" Langa added bit quieter. "sorry."
"i don't see how you two still have so much energy at two in the morning." Cherry sighed, coming back from where ever he'd disappeared too, judging from the wine bottle in his hands it was where ever Joe stashed his nice wine.
Cherry stood at the other end of the booth, looking down at Miya- or rather his stretched out feet- with an expectant look.
Miya shrunk a bit and sat up properly so Cherry could slide into the booth- and trap Miya incase he needed to use the bathroom.
Booths were great until there's people to trap you.
"I don't see how they have energy at all after skating all night." Shadow grumbled.
"It's Friday night." Reki reasoned.
"Actually its Saturday morning." Langa corrected.
Reki rolled his eyes. "besides we arn't old."
"I'm not old!" Shadow barked. "I'm twenty four!"
”what did i just say?” Joe shouted. “I can kick you four out you know!”
"Miya is well behaved." Cherry pointed out as he poured himself a glass of wine.
"he had practice today hes always a bit spent those days." Shadow said taking a sip of his coke.
Miya looked up. "i am?"
Shadow nodded. "yeah."
huh. Miya didn't think anyone would have noticed that.
"plus its past his bedtime." Reki whispered to Langa.
Miya kicked him under the table.
"ah fuck-" Reki cursed.
"guys!" Joe called.
Reki whipped around in his seat. "Joe! Miya kicked me!"
"your a big boy figure it out yourself!" Joe called back.
your such a big boy Miya, you'll figure it out.
Miya goes back to his game.
~*~
"he kicked me!" Reki insisted pointing an accusing finger at him.
Joe sighed, handing out the plates he'd carefully balanced on the tray and looked over to Cherry and Shadow. "are you two gonna help with this?"
Shadow shook his head with a huff. "oh no, I've given up trying."
"these are not my children." Cherry said taking another sip of wine.
Joe rolled his eyes.
Langa put a hand on Reki's shoulder and whispered. "Reki dont let the tween rage bait you."
"don't start with that." Joe sighed before turning to Miya. "you want anything?"
Miya shook his head.
"you sure?" Joe asked.
Miya nodded.
"i can throw some bread sticks in the oven for you-" Joe started.
"I'm fine." Miya snapped.
the table went a quiet, they all looked at him.
Miya looked down at his shoes.
"I'm fine." Miya said, a bit softer this time. "thanks."
"alright." Joe said. "my offer stand though-"
"can you?" Langa asked, more than half his plate was already cleared and the teen showed no sign of slowing down.
Joe sighed before looking at Cherry. "are you flipping the bill for this?"
"i was told this was complimentary." Cherry said before holding up his plate. "this is overcooked."
”then make it yourself you douche bag I still have to make my own food.” Joe snapped putting his hands on his hips.
“Then you'll have no trouble making me something edible while your at it.” Cherry argued pushing the plate in Joe's direction.
”screw that, this is fine.” Joe pushed the plate in Cherry's direction.
"its dry."
"gee i wonder why-"
"ill eat it!" Langa offered.
Joe sighed in defeat for what was probably the one hundredth time that night as he handed the plate over to Langa and marched back into the kitchen.
Reki, who was nearly done with his own plate turned around in his chair to call after him. "hey are you still making those bread sticks?"
~*~
Miya and Reki were standing outside next to the car, waiting on Shadow to finish cleaning up in the bathroom.
"dude-" Reki giggled flashing his phone screen at Miya. "what is this?"
Miya squinted at the bright light of the screen.
Reki was scrolling on Instagram, and there in he feed was Miya, it was an old sponsor photo, Miya holding up some kind of energy drink with a stupidly fake smile on his face.
"i didn't know you had Instagram." Langa raised a brow.
"i don't." Miya said. "my parents run it for sponsors and stuff."
"really?" Reki asked looking down at it with a strange look.
Miya nodded. "there's an affiliate link in the description, i think."
"so what you get money when people buy through the link?"
"my parents do, and they pay the bills, so yeah i do." Miya said.
Shadow came out of the restaurant. "we ready to go?"
"yeah." Miya said. "i want shot gun!"
~*~
Shadow dropped Reki and Langa off at Reki's house, apparently they were having a sleep over.
gross.
it was just Miya and Shadow now, Miya had claimed the front seat when they left the restaurant.
he was not going to sit in the back and watch Reki and Langa suck face.
he had his switch in his lap, bashing buttons until his finger went numb, seat belt strapped over his chest because Shadow refused to drive unless everyone was buckle up.
he'll drive a thirteen year old to an illegal skateboard race but draws the line at seatbelt safety.
"i finally finished the boiler room." Miya said quietly, hes not sure why, he's pretty Shadow didn't really play video games, but he was nice enough to at least pretend to be interested.
usually.
Shadow glanced at him for a moment before turning his eyes back on the road. "you feeling okay?"
Miya blinked. "yeah, why?"
"you've just been quiet tonight."
"everyone's quiet around Reki and Langa." Miya pointed out.
Shadow snorted. "yeah you have a point."
"I'm just…" Shadow started again. "i worry about you, you seem like you've got a lot on your plate."
Miya stared at him for a moment.
"and!" Shadow blurted. "if you ever wanna talk to me- or y'know Reki or- anyone! anyone! you can talk to any one of us!"
Miya tilted his head.
was this the talk?
ew. Miya had the internet for that.
"whats this about?" Miya asked sharply.
"you've just been a bit-" Shadow trailed off. "reserved? i guess."
"reserved?"
"i don't know you just seem kinda checked out!" Shadow urged. "i just wanna make sure your okay, your not in trouble or something."
oh.
Miya sat back in his seat.
he wasn't checked out. was he? maybe a little bit.
there just wasn't a lot going on right now- well he had that tournament and his coach had been on him about 'discipline' and 'structure'.
and he was tired. really tired.
at least now his parents were gone so he didn't have to sneak around and come up with elaborate lies to keep up with.
"i have a tournament coming up." Miya admitted softly. "my coach is just riding my ass."
Shadow huffed a breath. "that's got to suck."
"your telling me." Miya sighed, leaning his head against the window.
"your parents must be proud of you though." Shadow said.
Miya bit his lip.
they had to be right? they hadn't exactly been living the high life before, hell he was doing so well both his mom and dad got to quit their jobs, they'd paid off the house, and Miya got basically anything he wanted within reason.
"aren't you taking any of this seriously son?"
"do you want us to loose the house? you need to do your best or all of this goes away."
"yeah, i guess." Miya says.