#Atsushi being Finney essentially

[starlightshadowsworld]

Bungou stray dogs X the Black Phone

His name was Shibusawa Tatsuhiko. But the kids at the Orphanage called him the Grabber.

The staff used him a ghost story, if you misbehave you'll be sent to the Grabber. None of the kids knew what happened when you got sent to the Grabber.

Only that no one ever came back.

Kids would tease Atsushi, tell him he'd be the next one. It terrified him, Atsushi was blamed for everything, innocent or otherwise.

"You know, one of these days you're gonna have to stand up for yourself." Said Robin as Atsushi bandaged his hands.

If the Orphanage was a dark night sky, than Robin Arellano was the stars.

Robin was Atsushi's first and only friend in this wretched place.

He was the only person to see Atsushi as human. He was always getting into fights with bullies, especially on Atsushi's behalf.

Atsushi tells him he shouldn't bother but Robin never listened. He saw red when Atsushi was hurt and always came to his rescue.

He was everything to Atsushi. So of course, Robin went missing one night.

Atsushi had waited for him to show up, he was helping Robin with their maths homework because the other didn't understand it.

But Robin never showed up. He'd been sent to the Grabber.

Atsushi had never felt so alone. He didn't have Robins protection so he was at the bullies mercy. The staff found amusement seeing his protector was gone and became more cruel.

And yet Atsushi refused to believe Robin wouldn't return. Because Robin would always return. He had promised Atsushi he would always have his back.

But days, weeks went on and Robin never came back. One night Atsushi bumped into one of the staff, sending his paperwork falling to the ground.

Atsushi helped him and it was the biggest mistake of his life.

Because this man was Shibusawa Tatsuhiko, this was the Grabber. Atsushi tried to run but he was knocked unconscious.

He woke up in the basement of the Orphanage. The basement was completely empty, the only thing was a black telephone on the wall.

Shibusawa told him the phone didn't work, and yet it rung. Through it Atsushi would get advice from the man's past victims.

Griffin Stagg, Billy Showalter, Vance Hopper, Bruce Yamada.

With every phone call Atsushi was left reeling, trying to use the pieces they'd left him to escape. They warned him of the Grabbers games, when he'd sleep.

The experiments.

There was one thing in common with all the kids the Grabber had taken, they were all gifted.

Griffin, invisible to everyone until he went missing could camouflage his skin like a chameleon.

Billy Showalter, now known only as the Paperboy could turn any object into paper.

Vance Hopper, one of the scariest kids in the Orphanage could set things on fire with his mind.

Bruce Yamada, the star athlete could destroy boulders with his bare hands.

Atsushi didn't understand it all until the final phone call, when he heard a familiar voice. One he wanted desperately to hear but also not, because it confirmed his fate.

Robin Arellano.

Atsushi's best friend who could move faster than light. But never ran away from a fight. He was gifted, so was Atsushi.

... Suddenly all the cat puns make sense.

Robin coached him through it, to transform his arm, raise his claws and bring it down on The Grabber.

"Will I still be able to talk to you?"

"This was the last call, Atsushi. It's all you from here on out."

"I miss you Robin."

"Than get out for me."

Atsushi used everything the others gave him, the things they'd left behind from their failed escapes. He trapped The Grabber in his own lair, bringing his claws down and killing him.

Just like Robin taught him.

So imagine Atsushi's suprise when the gifted suicide cases show up, and on the screen is the face of the man he killed.

The one who took the lives of many and killed his best friend.

Atsushi screams, just as the phone rings.