One More Step (Would It Make Me Free?)

Home Sweet Home

"Hitoshi!" a high-pitched voice called out as the young girl slammed into him, knocking the wind out of him.

"Hey, Eri," he greeted, returning her hug. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay! Mr. Yamada's really nice!" That must be Aizawa's husband, Hitoshi noted, glancing at the blond man who was smiling in unrestrained glee at their interaction. "He's been telling me lots of stories and jokes ever since I woke up! But I'm really happy to see you again!"

He smiled warmly at her. "It's good to see you, too."

He noted Aizawa leaving the room, but his focus was quickly pulled back to Eri. She began chattering enthusiastically about everything Aizawa's husband had talked to her about. It was the most Hitoshi had ever heard her speak. He didn't process most of what she said, too absorbed in the rush of joy that came with hearing so much of her voice.

Aizawa cleared his throat, having returned at some point, getting the two's attention. "Listen, I know it's a little fast, but you've both been cleared to leave. If you're both ready, we can start getting you settled in at home."

Hitoshi was very unsure about the whole situation. An actual house? What would that even be like? It had been so long since he'd actually had a home. He couldn't remember what it was like.

He turned to Eri, who was nodding her assent enthusiastically. That settled it, then. If it was what Eri wanted, he'd go along with it. Besides, Aizawa and Yamada seemed nice enough. And they were heroes. They wouldn't hurt either of them. Everything would be fine, right? There was no reason to worry.

Hitoshi's pathetic attempts at reassuring himself did nothing to dispel the worry stirring inside him, making him feel sick.

Hitoshi felt awkward and uncomfortable throughout the whole car ride. He'd never wished for an invisibility quirk more.

He knew there was no reason to feel that way. No one else seemed to share his sentiments. Eri was speaking shyly with Yamada, not anywhere near as confident as she was talking with Hitoshi but trying all the same. Aizawa would offer comments of his own every now and then. But Hitoshi stayed silent. He had no idea what to say. Not that he felt like saying much of anything. Words seemed impossible at that moment.

He could've sworn he'd seen both Aizawa and Yamada sending him and then each other concerned looks, but he quickly dismissed it. There was nothing for them to be concerned about. He was fine. Everything was okay.

He couldn't wait for the stupid car ride to end.

Eons went by, but eventually, it did. He stepped out of the car, taking in the sight of the house before him.

It was large, definitely bigger than he remembered his own house being. A rather nice garden decorated the front. Hitoshi wasn't sure he'd ever seen so many flowers before. All in all, the place looked fairly warm and homey. It was all so foreign to him. Would he really be spending the foreseeable future in a place like that?

"Alright! Before we go in, little listeners, are either of you allergic to anything?" Yamada's question seemed a bit out of the blue, but Hitoshi shook his head anyway. Eri did the same. "Great!"

He and Eri trailed after the two as they unlocked the door. They all made their way inside, Hitoshi glancing around nervously. It was so strange, so unfamiliar. He felt so out of place.

He froze in place as he stepped into the living room, a high-pitched noise filling the room. He slowly turned toward the noise, eyes widening as they landed on the source. He couldn't stop the gasp that escaped from his mouth.

Holy shit. They have cats.

Hitoshi paused, glancing at the adults for permission. Eri shared none of his hesitation, practically running towards them in excitement. After getting a curt nod from Aizawa, he joined the girl.

He crouched in front of the black cat as Eri stroked the orange one. He took note of the name tags on their collars - the orange one's read Pumpkin and the black one Bastard. Interesting name choices.

He held out his hand, Bastard sniffing it cautiously before rubbing up against him. He tentatively set his hand on her back and began to pet, eliciting a purr from her. A vice suddenly gripped his heart and he felt as though he was choking. The sudden weight on his chest was unbearable. He wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to breathe again.

He loved cats. He hadn't pet one in the past decade. Hell, he hadn't even seen one in over ten years. Even such simple things like that had been taken from him. How could anyone do that to him?

"Shinsou? Are you okay, listener?" A voice asked, worry laced through it. It was an anchor, suddenly bringing him back to reality and grounding him there. He lifted a hand to his face, touching his damp cheeks. He hadn't even noticed he'd been crying.

He nodded, wiping his cheeks as he felt his face heat. He'd just gotten here and was already crying like a baby. He was acting more childish than Eri, the actual child here. It was pathetic. He wouldn't be surprised if they changed their minds about fostering him right then and there.

He stood up quickly, wanting to move on from that awkward moment. "You said something about wanting to get us settled in, right? We should, uh, get started on that, yeah?" he stammered out quickly. Once again, Yamada and Aizawa shared that pitying look Hitoshi hated, but said nothing about it.

"Alright, Listener. Let's get going then, yeah? I'll show you two to your rooms."

He trailed behind them, sticking as close to Eri as possible. He knew rationally that she wasn't in any danger here, but his fear was stronger than his logic. He couldn't bring himself to let his guard down, not even in a place like this.

His and Eri's rooms were both fairly nice, if a bit bare. Yamada assured them that they'd go shopping tomorrow (and when was the last time he had gotten to go shopping?) to allow them to personalize their rooms. Hitoshi didn't think his room needed anything else; it was the nicest goddamn room he could remember having, even with nothing but a bed, dresser, and a night stand. But Yamada was insistent, so he wouldn't argue.

They were left to their own devices after that, Yamada leaving to start dinner and Aizawa following to help. Eri left not long after to play with the cats in the living room, though not before asking Hitoshi if he wanted to join her. He declined, even though he wanted to keep an eye on her. He needed some time alone to process everything. Besides, he was close enough to the living room to hear if anything happened. He could take his eye off her for a little bit, so long as he kept his ears open.

He collapsed into bed, immediately feeling the vice around his heart again. It was just so soft. He had a mattress, pillows, and blankets. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had any of those things. He couldn't remember the last time he'd actually felt comfortable, like he was now. It was such a foreign sensation to him. He hadn't thought he'd ever get to feel like this.

It was all just too good to be true. Foster parents? A room of his own? Safety? Comfort? He just wasn't someone who got those things. It wouldn't last long, he was sure of it.

Good things just didn't happen to him.