Running on Empty

My future, my reality

Hitoshi was dreaming.

No scratch that, maybe he succeeded in killing himself and this was heaven?

Either way, there was no way in hell he was actually sitting with Eraserhead, as in the Eraserhead right now.

But he could feel the underground hero's arm wrapped around him securely, and he could see his distinctive yellow goggles pushed on top of his head, and he could hear his voice trying to reassure him that everything was going to be okay.

He was so close Hitoshi could even smell him.

But there was no way this could be real.

This was exactly the sort of thing that Hitoshi's mind would invent just to make waking up on the floor of his foster parents' apartment even more painful.

But he could feel the blood running down his cheeks and the wind ruffling his hair and this was all so vivid that he figured he might as well go along with it. It was rare he got sleep and it was normally plagued by nightmares so he decided he should appreciate this while it lasts and he'd just have to get over the disappointment when he inevitably woke up.

He was broken from his thoughts by the hero asking his name. He didn't know if Eraserhead knew sign language, but Hitoshi really wasn't feeling up to talking right now so he lifted his hands and finger spelled Hitoshi before doing the sign for purple.

"Purple huh," Eraserhead responded. "I can see why."

Hitoshi relaxed slightly with the knowledge that the hero would be able to understand him that way and he wouldn't have to talk. He didn't know if he'd even be able to considering how tight the muzzle was on. It was probably a good thing, he thought, as otherwise he might just brainwash the hero into letting him jump and wake up from this dream before Hitoshi allowed himself to get attached.

"So Hitoshi, I have quite a few questions." Hitoshi's heart dropped. "But we don't have to go through all that right away." The hero rushed to continue, probably seeing the panic in his eyes. "I do need to know if you're safe at home though, because I'm not taking you back there if you aren't."

Hitoshi hesitated, on the one hand, he figured that by the hero's standards no, he was definitely not safe at home. But on the other hand, by his personal standards, this was not the worst place he'd lived. He did at least have a mattress to sleep on here, and even if it wasn't much they still fed him everyday. If Eraserhead reported them he'd just get placed with another family and they could be worse.

But he really didn't want to lie to his favourite hero, and there wasn't much a new family could do to him that hadn't already survived so he figured he might as well see where this leads.

He shook his head.

"Did they do this to you?"

There was something in the hero's voice that Hitoshi couldn't identify, it sounded almost angry, but it wasn't directed towards him so he answered the question a little quicker this time.

"Most of it." He signed, he didn't really want to get into the whole school situation yet and that wasn't strictly speaking a lie.

He felt more than heard Eraserhead's sigh as the hero seemed to reach a decision on something.

"Okay, in that case, how would you feel about staying at my place for the night?"

What?

Hitoshi must have heard this wrong, there's no way.

"You can sleep in the guest bedroom and tomorrow we will figure out how to proceed. But it's late and I think we both need some sleep first."

Yeah, Hitoshi was definitely dreaming.

"You can say no, I won't be offended, we can go straight to the police now if you'd prefer, I'm just putting it out there as an option."

"I'd prefer to go with you." Hitoshi signed quickly. "If you're sure that's okay Eraserhead-san? I don't want to be a bother."

"It is. And you're not."

And just like that he was being helped up and Eraserhead (he still couldn't believe it!) was guiding him through the streets to where his car was parked.

"Oh and Hitoshi." He looked up at the sound of his name. "Since you're going to be staying with us you should know, my name is Aizawa Shouta."

Hitoshi nodded in understanding, but then frowned.

"Us?" He signed curiously.

"Ah yeah, my husband Yamada Hizashi. Heads up, he's probably going to be very excited to meet you."