Shino Oneshots, MHO/MHE

Subconscious AU pt 1

I got too excited about the GhostWhisperer thing.

This is now a AU I'll be updating throughout October✨

—~+~—

It's been 15 years, 180 months, and 782 weeks since my parents deaths. Well, "Deaths" . I should say since I lost contact since neither of them are truly dead. 

It almost feels like the whispers get louder every day. 

It started as a regular October. Plastic skeletons lining peoples yards and walls, faux spiderwebs handing from the roofs, cardboard graves implanted in the ground, carved pumpkins in the doorsteps, costumes being sold in most stores, candy being on sale, all the fun things linked to the spooky season.

I personally never had any tolerance for it. 

Holidays in general aren't my thing, but especially Halloween makes me feel sick. 

The plastic skeletons on peoples yards and walls seem to smell like dead bodies, a disheveled appearance that looks as through it's been in the ground. The faux spiderwebs on the roofs look freakishly real, almost like what you'd see if you were to open an old casket. Cardboard graves seem to have the same two names written on them. Carved pumpkins candles seem too bright and familiar, illuminating two distinct yet distant faces. Costumes of ghosts have an uncomfortable aura, almost cold. The candy looks tampered with and old. 

This is what Halloween looks like in my eyes.

̷T̷h̷i̷s̷ ̷i̷s̷ ̷w̷h̷a̷t̷ ̷s̷h̷e̷ ̷w̷a̷n̷t̷s̷ ̷m̷e̷ ̷t̷o̷ ̷s̷e̷e̷ ̷H̷a̷l̷l̷o̷w̷e̷e̷n̷ ̷a̷s̷.̷

A reminder of my past. My shortcomings. My flaws. 

Things I wouldn't like to remember. 

—~+~—

Shino tugs at his door, practically fighting himself to step outside. He needed to go to the store and pick up his anti depressants since surprise, surprise, he doesn't have any left. The only things in his small medicine cabinet being one lonely cold medicine bottle and a first aid kit beside it. The other three shelves completely empty, collecting dust. 

He finally forced himself to open the door to his apartment, immediately getting greeted by a skeleton hanging on his neighbor's door. The words, "Happy Halloween" are written on a sign held by the skeleton. 

"Happy my ass..."  Shino mumbled under his breath, zipping his coat to cover his neck from the cold outdoors. 

This fall is feeling more like winter. Shino shivered every few minutes when the breeze hit him in the face. He tried not to focus in on those two faces he kept seeing. Instead he looked at his shoes or directly in front of him. 

Eventually he reached his CVS, stepping inside to the warm heating system. He avoided the Halloween isle, not particularly fond of getting a panic attack in the middle of the store. 

Making his way to the counter for prescriptions, he waited in the line, three people ahead of him. 

Then something caught his attention.

The pumpkin on the desk. 

It was plastic, a small lightbulb designed to look like a candle illuminated the inside. He looked at it for a moment. 

Just long enough for its toothy grin to morph into something much more detailed. He tried to close his eyes, but he saw it anyways. Now I'm much more detail.

...Em tuoba tegrof t'nod esaelp ,raed

Shino's eyes shot open upon hearing the voice. He whipped his head around, looking for the source, half expecting someone to have whispered it in his ear. 

"Are you in line?" A woman had said from beside him. Her grey hair pinned into a bun with a yellow and orange clip. Her voice was kind and inviting, matching her eyes.

Shino's eyes darted in front of him, seeing the large gap between him and the person in front of him. How long had he been zoned out for?!

"Sorry ma'am, yeah.." He mumbled before stepping up to a reasonable space again. The woman just kindly smiled before getting behind him in line. 

He tried to stay focused from then on. He eventually made it way to the counter the worker rightfully cold after dealing with a confused and argumentative customer just before Shino. He got the cold medicine he'd ordered in advance and decided to make the trek home. 

Trek not because it's far, but because it's littered with triggers.

Shino walked through the neighborhood that led to his apartment building. The small bag with his medication hanging around his wrist while his hand warmed in his pocket. 

As he made his way through the neighborhood, a little girl ran excitedly past him with a younger girl tripping to keep up with her. As she went past she bumped Shino's leg, causing him to trip and tear the small paper bag against his zipper. She called out an apology, her yellow shirt catching wind as she continued running, the younger girls orange shoes padding behind her. 

Shino smiled at the happy children before bending down to pick up his fallen medicine. 

?Ymmom ruoy evah uoy nehw esoht deen uoy od yhw

There it was again. 

The voice distorted and fuzzy sounding, yet clearer than the last time. 

It echoed in his ear as he touched the bottle. 

He quickly shoved it in his pocket as he started to feel dizzy. 

Taking a deep breath, he discarded the torn bag in a nearby trash can, chalking up the weird voice to not taking his medication for a few days. He needed a strong dose anyways. Maybe he'd take an extra pill today? 

Anything to get rid of the voice. 

̷ ̷...̷o̷g̷a̷ ̷s̷r̷a̷e̷y̷ ̷5̷1̷ ̷t̷i̷ ̷d̷e̷t̷a̷h̷ ̷e̷H̷

̷ ̷...̷y̷m̷m̷o̷m̷ ̷s̷i̷h̷ ̷f̷o̷ ̷d̷i̷r̷ ̷t̷e̷g̷ ̷o̷t̷ ̷t̷n̷a̷w̷ ̷d̷'̷e̷h̷ ̷y̷h̷w̷ ̷e̷r̷u̷s̷ ̷t̷o̷n̷ ̷m̷'̷I̷