No, it's you and you alone.

Chapter Eight

Hitoshi jolts out of his thoughts when the bus comes to a halt. He scrambles to pick up his things and exits. The chill of the air hits him fast: It was on the verge of snowing and Hitoshi's jacket does little to protect him from the harsh wind and biting cold.

He's going to have to layer up for his shift. Luckily he has time to get to the foster home before work, the impromptu dinner with Aizawa cuts out the time Hitoshi has to do his homework but it's a small price to pay. He has just enough time to head inside to add some layers before heading out again.

Despite how well the day went, Hitoshi shivers. There's something he should be remembering: something he should be wary of. The happiness from the day clings to him stubbornly despite his instincts screaming that something is wrong. Something is coming.

A pit forms in the bottom of his stomach and Hitoshi hesitates in front of the door to his group home. He can always just skip layering up and go straight to work. The feeling he has is only growing and Hitoshi isn't stupid.

It doesn't take long for realization to strike him. The bad feeling is growing. Aiko could be home already. The thought slams into him and Hitoshi's breath hitches. If this bad feeling is... if Aiko is...

He doesn't think about it. He opens the door. Don't, Hitoshi. Something is wrong.

Immediately, his instincts scream at him. Hitoshi takes an involuntary step back before hardening his will and heading deeper into the house, door swinging shut with an audible thump.

Hitoshi fumbles with the muzzle as he puts it on. He can hear voices coming from the living room and it's clear he won't be able to pass through it without someone noticing. A loud raucous laugh bellows out and Hitoshi flinches. That isn't Ikeda's laugh.

The smell of booze grows stronger and stronger as Hitoshi inches closer to the living room, intent on heading right to the bedroom to check on Aiko. As the doorway comes more into view, Hitoshi can see beer cans littering the floor, glinting menacingly in the light of the television.

Ikeda and the other guest are not focused on the TV and are instead standing near the door, facing away from him. Hope laces Hitoshi's heart, it might be possible for him to slip past without them realizing.

He's counting on them being drunk enough not to notice the shadow pass them. As he draws closer, his heart beats faster and faster. Hitoshi is almost lucky to be wearing the mask as he almost gasps when Ikeda swings his arm out in a grand gesture, in the middle of drunkenly rambling a story that seems entirely fabricated.

Hitoshi is almost past them when he makes a fatal mistake. His eyes had been locked onto the pair so intently that he hadn't been watching where he was going.

A can of beer skitters across the floor, loud clang echoing from where Hitoshi had accidentally kicked it. Get out get out get out gET OUT GET OUT HITOSHI GET OUT.

The voice howling in his head sounds suspiciously like Aizawa, a voice of reason.

Ikeda slowly turns to face Hitoshi. A chill runs down his spine as Hitoshi recognises the look on Ikeda's face. It's the same look he has gotten before every beating, every bruise. Hitoshi can feel his breaths coming faster as he inches back towards the bedroom.

"Well well, look who's here. Yamaguchi, looks like our entertainment for the night has arrived." Ikeda's smirk glitters in the dim lighting and Hitoshi crumbles.

He shakes his head frantically, taking steps back and back and away. The other man, Yamaguchi, steps out from behind Ikeda and Hitoshi can't help but feel captured in his gaze.

Where Ikeda looks scary, Yamaguchi looks downright terrifying. His eyebrows are drawn together and shadows fall across his face, emphasizing the lecherous grin that marrs his face. Fear floods into Hitoshi so fast that it takes his breath away. He had never felt this scared in his entire life.