snowy starlight [Seroroki]

we don't have to be so lonely, you know

Shoto has obviously never had a good family situation. Between an abusive father and distant siblings, family to him has never quite felt right. He's never understood the people who say they like their families or say that they miss them. He goes weeks, sometimes months without speaking to his parents or brother and sister; He knows that that isn't quite normal, but when has he ever experienced normal? So, while Fuyumi was spending Christmas with her new boyfriend and Natsuo was off with his friends from college, he decided to stay back at the dorms.

It wasn't without complaints from his father, but the old man also knew he couldn't push his son too far. One wrong jab and he would offset the tense balance they had managed to create. Shoto wasn't happy about the situation, who would be, but he understands. His siblings have lives, and he's still just a child. All of them are trying to get away from the dysfunctional mess they call a family; He just happens to be the runt who's left behind in the dust, doomed to spend Christmas all alone in an empty dormitory. He supposes e could watch the All Might movies that Izuku had left him, but he's not up for it at the moment.

So, he decides to keep doing what he's been doing for the past hour: alternating between various social media platforms. It's a horrific waste of time, but sometimes Shoto finds great comfort in doing meaningless things to pass the time. He still has to remind himself that not everything has to be productive to be good, sometimes he can loosen the reigns and let himself just exist. As long as he makes up for it later.

The curtains are shut, blocking out what little moon and starlight could've peeked through the window. Shoto's room is entirely pitch black, the faint hum of a radiator the only noise filling up the space. It's awfully depressing, Shoto feels, to sit in his dark room all alone when all of his friends are off having fun. They're doing Christmas activities with their families, being kissed by their mothers, hugged by their fathers. Driving around to look at Christmas lights and baking cookies, watching festive movies on the couch with popcorn and blankets while the snow quietly falls outside. And what is he doing? Being a sad sack and laying in bed. The only one on campus except for a few custodians.

He clicks his phone off and chucks it at the floor, hearing it scrape against the hardwood. God, is he really this pathetic? He turns over in his bed so that he's now facing the wall and tugs his blanket pile higher over himself. The warmth feels like a hug, but an empty one. Nothing meaningful or fantastic. It's times like these when he wishes he could see his mom. She would hug him, call him her baby, and make the pang of loneliness in his heart fade away, even if it's just for a little bit. But no, he can't see her now. The hospital said something about her having a slight relapse and that no visitors were allowed, so that was that. No mom on Christmas.

His stomach rumbles, which he decides to ignore. Walking through the empty hallways and seeing the desolate commons wouldn't do him any good right now. He tries to make himself sleep, but the hunger gnaws at him, demanding to be taken care of.

"Fine!" Shoto angrily climbs out of bed and puts his slippers on, then throws open his door and heads for the kitchen. As he expected, hearing no noises other than the humming of the flourescents makes him feel more like shit. Really, he doesn't ask for a lot, but Is being alone on Christmas too much? He grumbles and stomps down the stairs and avoids looking at the empty living room. Normally there's always one of his classmates passed out on the couch and tonight he knows that there's no one, but he'd like to pretend there's at least another soul in the dorms with him.

He swings open the kitchen doors and jumps a little when he sees Hanta going to town on a box of cookies.

Hanta stops mid-chew and looks up at Shoto, like he was caught doing something he shouldn't. He grabs another cookie and holds it out for him. "Want one?" He asks, smiling.