Sound of Silence (Aizawa X OC)

Ch. 27: Reality [is the Best]

----Shouta's POV-----

I could practically see the gears moving behind Shinobu's chartreuse eyes as she tried to process what the hell had just happened. Since hearing about the dinner, she had obviously been on edge, trying to prepare herself for any possible outcome tonight, but it was clear by how wide her eyes were that she had never considered anything close to this being a remote possibility.

Not wanting to set the young heroine over the edge, I set the and recording device down in the empty seat to my left and held my arms open a bit as an invitation. With little hesitation, Shinobu scooted herself into my arms where I pulled her into my lap, hoping that the physical contact would help ground her at least a little bit. After several minutes, with Hizashi on the phone with the police officers who were coming to take his parents into custody, Shinobu looked up at me with questioning eyes and removed herself from my lap, I can only guess out of respect for her cousin. However, she didn't move far as she took my hand and gave it the lightest squeeze and looking up at me, her brows furrowing as her face held a questioning expression.

"The day that you had to be Hizashi's TA for the second half of the day, I went to the hospital and visited your parents," I began to explain, earning a silent gasp from the woman in front of me and while she looked a bit unsettled for a moment by this information, she nodded with a blank expression, allowing me to continue, "Your parents showed me the letters they had received from your aunt when I was confused by them informing me that you hated them. The handwriting didn't match yours. Shinobu, your parents have been hiding their medications and secretly not taking them for years. They miss you and want to see you. Your dad helped me plan this whole thing with the wire and everything for tonight."

At that last statement, tears flowed from Shinobu's eyes as she immediately released my hand and buried her face in her own, her form wracked by barely audible sobs. It shocked me really, and I wasn't quite sure how to handle this. So I reverted back to my normal method: blunt honesty.

"Do you want to see them?" I questioned, trying to soften my voice a bit. I knew Shinobu was anything but frail, but tonight had already been a lot for anyone to handle. I didn't want her to break again... At my words, Shinobu's face shot up out of her hands and I was surprised to feel her soft pink lips against my own as I held her waist to steady her shaking frame.

"Yes, please... Yes... I want to see them," the silver haired heroine whispered against my lips, causing me to fight back a smile as I cupped her cheek and pressed my lips affectionately against hers before gently pulling back, meeting her gaze with a soft smile. Her freckled nose and cheeks were flushed from her crying and the excitement of the night and a hopeful glint in her eyes matched the small smile on her pink lips. Goddammit what is this woman doing to me?

"I thought I told you guys no making out in my back seat?!" Hizashi's ever loud voice called from the door beside me as he grabbed the recording device I had used and passed it to one of the officers that must have arrived during mine and Shinobu's talk. This night is even fraying on my senses. I wasn't even aware that the cops had showed up. After giving the recording device to the officer, Hizashi jumped into the front seat and started the car, turning to look at me.

"Alright so where are we headed now?" he asked. I looked at Shinobu, who had finally began to calm down as she continued to process everything. Grabbing her hand in support, I looked to Hizashi and answered.

"Nakameguro General Hospital."

------Shinobu's POV-----

The ride to the hospital was a blur for me. In order to process everything as well as try and keep myself grounded, I kept all of my senses canceled except for my sense of touch. I could be strong on my own, but I was so thankful for the warmth of Shouta's hand in the midst of the darkness I surrounded myself with. I needed this, this silence, in order to handle meeting my parents, if the hospital even allowed me in. That was another possibility I had to prepare myself for.