Running on Empty

Old friends

Hitoshi was hit by a wave of déjà vu as he walked through the gates of UA with the crowd of hopeful applicants. Although he was amused to find that he was more nervous about the prospect of having to interact with any of them than he was about the actual exam.

As it turned out though, he needn't have worried about either — no one attempted to speak to him and he answered every question he was faced with. Whether or not he got the answers right was a whole different kettle of fish, but he was just glad to have been able to put something for each of them.

He left the exam hall with a strange lightness in his chest, a stark contrast to the state in which he left the school a week ago.

Shouta was waiting for him in the hallway and he led him to the teachers' lounge where Hizashi was going to meet them as soon as he'd finished ushering students off the grounds with a couple of other members of staff.

Shouta made coffee as he asked about the exam, and then they sat in comfortable silence drinking it, each lost in their own thoughts.

Hitoshi set his mug down when he finished and leant his head on Shouta's shoulder, relief that the test was over and out of his hands now setting in. He felt the pro shift to make him more comfortable and closed his eyes, a small smile on his lips. Things were looking up.

Suddenly the door burst open, "Show me the child!" a female voice exclaimed and Shouta choked on his coffee before sighing.

"Calm down Nemuri he was resting." He drawled, and the newcomer pouted.

"But I'm here now, and I want to say hello!"

Hitoshi sat up. "I'm awake," he muttered rubbing his eyes.

"Awwww!" The stranger cooed and waltzed over.

Shouta sank further into the sofa glaring at the woman who looked entirely unfazed by his hostility.

"Hey kiddo, I'm Midnight, but you can call me Nemuri or Nem if you want!" She plopped down on the seat next to him and grinned.

Hitoshi rubbed his eyes once more and then turned his head away blushing when he saw what she was wearing.

"It's better than it used to be, trust me." Shouta shrugged and Nemuri laughed maniacally.

"You're so boring Sho, I wish you'd let me give you a makeover sometime. That baggy jumpsuit does nothing for you."

"No."

"Give me one good reason."

"I know you."

She gasped in outrage and Hitoshi laughed. It was nice getting to see his guardian interacting with someone outside of their little family.

"You work together?" He signed, and he saw Shouta quirk a brow at the choice. He'd just rather play it safe with strangers, even if they were a close acquaintance of Shouta's.

"I was in the year above him at UA, we've worked together since we were kids," she reminisced dramatically. "He just can't bring himself to get rid of me."

"If you say so." Aizawa deadpanned, but Hitoshi could see the faintest trace of amusement in his eyes.

The door was flung open once again and this time Hizashi entered, frowning at Midnight with his hands on his hips.

"Nem! You ditched me!"

She just grinned, "You were taking too long and I wanted to meet the kiddo." She ruffled his hair and Hitoshi tensed slightly, but he found himself already warming up to the lady. She reminded him of 'Zashi.

"So," she turned to face him, choosing to ignore Hizashi's outrage. "How are you coping living with these two idiots?"

Hitoshi smiled and started telling her about how he caught Shouta downing coffee straight from the pot the other day.

"You're a bad influence Sho!" She laughed.

"You're one to talk." He retorted.

"I think I'd have pinned you as the more responsible one," she mused. "It's pretty close though."

"I am responsible."

"So am I!" Hizashi chimed in, tripping over his own feet as he rushed to join the group on the sofa, evidently finished with his tantrum.

All four of them laughed at that, and the rest of the afternoon was spent trading stories. It was nice, getting to hear about his guardians when they were not much older than Hitoshi.

By the time they got home, Hitoshi was ready for bed. All that socialisation had tired him out. He got through dinner, and said goodbye to Sho as he headed out on his patrol — the same patrol that he'd discovered Hitoshi on a week ago. With that on his mind, he took his tablet and crawled under his covers. So much had happened in the past week, it felt like things were finally calming down and moving forward.

He sighed, reaching a hand out to stroke Jellybeans as he thought about everything he'd done since meeting Eraserhead.

It still didn't feel real, and maybe it was the medication, but he couldn't help but feel that one day he was going to wake up and this would all have been a dream.