Running on Empty

First day back

"Oh, look who's decided to show up."

"We missed you yesterday —there was no one to practise with."

"We're gonna be heroes so you best let us perfect beating up villains, since that's all you'll ever be."

"I'm going to be a hero." He got a slap to the face for that.

"Shut the fuck up freak, don't you dare use your quirk on us!"

"You'll never be a hero," someone cackled in the background. "Grow up already, all you're good for is evil."

"The most heroic thing you could ever do, is lie still and let us train."

"Yeah, it's not fair of you to prevent future heroes from training!"

There were so many of them, he'd come to hide in the toilet at break and they'd followed him. There was no chance of anyone intervening here... not that anyone would of course, but every time a teacher walked past a corridor or classroom he was being harassed in, he hoped for a second that they'd step in.

They never did.

One of his classmates kicked him in the ribs and he winced, although he was silently thanking every god ever believed in that Recovery Girl had healed him because that would have been so much worse if his ribs were still fractured.

It still hurt like a bitch, but focussing on the small mercies was the only way he could keep sane throughout this.

A blow to his stomach had him feeling ill, but he desperately tried to fight the creeping nausea. Throwing up on their shoes was probably the worst possible thing he could do right now. Instead he squeezed his eyes shut and took his mind as far away from that disgusting floor as he could get.

He found himself thinking of the apartment he was living in, of the cats, and the way Jellybeans would run to greet him every time he walked in the door; of his room, with its warmth and comfort, and those two drawings displayed proudly. He hadn't had a chance to show Hizashi that morning, he couldn't wait to do it when he got home.

Home. That was a dangerous thought, but one he couldn't dwell on right now because he was too busy thinking of Hizashi.

Hizashi with his sparkling, mischievous eyes that were simultaneously so full of love for all those around him. With his smile brighter than the sun itself and his hugs warmer and more comforting than any blanket.

And then there was Shouta, who had met him at his lowest and decided to help. Shouta with his dry humour and his secret, soft side that he hid from the world but that he never hesitated to show his husband and Hitoshi. Shouta who seemed to look right through him and yet had decided to stay anyway.

They'd both decided to stay.

Even when they saw how hurt he was, even when they found out what his quirk was, they had stayed.

Hitoshi decided in that moment that he was going to tell them. They hadn't turned their backs on him yet, and even though the possibility of it terrified him, he was going to be living with them for the foreseeable future and he could not stomach the idea of keeping something so big from them, let alone lying to them.

And he'd have to, to hide this. Because they were bound to ask how his day was, because they cared about little details like that.

So yeah, he decided as the bell rang, he was going to tell them.

There was a final blow to his side and he came back to himself, he hadn't even been aware of them kicking him onto his back. Just before they left one of the boys crouched down and spoke into his ear.

"Only dogs need muzzles, you animal." And then he spat on Hitoshi before walking away and leaving him there, alone on the dirty tile.

By the time he'd willed himself to stand, grabbed his bag from the corner, and staggered his way to his classroom he was already ten minutes late, so he wasn't at all surprised when the teacher sent him straight to the office; especially when he had 'so obviously gotten in a fight'.

Making his way to the desk the staff member on duty just scoffed and reached for the phone, "I heard you got moved to a different home again, it's such a hassle having to keep up with the changes, why can't you just behave?"

He just looked at the floor, she didn't want him to answer, and he was just relieved that they had the pro's contact details. He did have a note with them on somewhere in his bag just in case, but since Eraserhead had called yesterday to let them know he wouldn't be in and to inform them of the change, he'd figured they'd probably have the number on file already.

He faintly heard the phone ringing, and then the low sound of his guardian's voice as he picked up.

This was either going to go really well for Hitoshi, or everything would fall apart all over again.