A home, a family, a dream

Vīgintī

"C'mon bud, please eat." Shinso played around with his rice solemnly, picking at his dinner. He was still dressed in his black suit from earlier that day, refusing to change. "I know you're sad, I am too, but you gotta eat, Chipmunk."

Shinso lowered his head even more. His uncle sighed, lowering his own head. He grasped the sides of his head, propping up on the dinner table with his elbows. "You've barely eaten at the funeral supper and yesterday. Please eat, Hitoshi."

He heard a couple sniffles from the boy. "I-I miss dad, u-uncle Gao...." He choked out quietly. Gao's heart sank. He was given temporary custody of his young nephew, told he had to take care of him for a few months. He didn't think he could actually adopt him due to his expenses. Gao already had to pay out so much money for a small one bedroom apartment. His boyfriend was still attending his first year of law school, to which he was expecting a moutain of debt in the near future, already having to deal with it from college which thankfully was half paid for by his scholarship. He just couldn't bring a child into a home with such a lack of money and space. Being a policeman with even a decent check wasn't going to cut it.

Gao looked at his best friend's son, thinking of how he was going take care of him for the following few months. He leaned up against the fridge, throwing his head up to the ceiling. His beloved boyfriend came in from their bedroom, towel draped around his neck. He copied what Gau was doing, looking at Shinso worriedly. "Still not eating?" He whispered. Gao nodded.

"He's just sad, he's mourning. And he misses his dad and I'm pretty sure Chizu, too." He whispered back. He leaned his mop of brown on the other's mop of curly black. "I don't know what to do..."

"Want me to deduce him? See what is really going on?" Gao hesitantly nodded. He normally never used his quirk to get something from someone unwillingly, but he had no choice.

Shinso pushed more rice around in his bowl, eyes tired and half lidded. "Hey there Chipmunk cheeks." Shinso didn't look up, still playing with a single grain of rice. "Cant you eat that yummy rice uncle Gao made you? Please? Your dad would want you to eat and get big and strong, y'know. Can you do it for dad?" He asked as he leaned on the edge of the table.

"Uncle Ogawa?" Shinso's voice was little.

"I told you, bud. You can call me Nori." Shinso put his chopsticks down and pushed his food away.

"Uncle Nori, why did dad die?" Nori just furrowed his brow in concentrated worry.

"He was hurt really bad, buddy. He just couldn't hold on." He pushed his nephew's chin up, his eyes still downcast. He began to read his face, deducing him. He multitasked while he read, talking to him. "I'm sorry, Chipmunk. But he really loved you, Hitoshi. You were his everything next to Chizuru. He would give the world to you if he could."

He was sad. He was also confused and groggy, tired. He didn't completely understand what was going on. He wasn't told it was a suicide. He was just told he walked out too early. And so he was confused. Shinso wanted to curl up and listen to music like he would with his parents. He wanted to hear his mom sing and his dad's cop stories. He wanted his parents.

Nori finished reading him. "Can you eat for mama and dad?" He asked softly. Shinso picked up his chopsticks again and grabbed a bit of rice, mouthing it and slowly chewing. "There we go now. S'it yummy?" Shinso slowly shook his head yes. "Good..." Nori moved back to where his boyfriend was.

"Well?" Gao urged.

"His emotions are a bit complex but they are quite organized. He's not just sad, not depressed or anything. He misses both Chizuru and Masato. He just wants their comfort. He's also confused about Masato's death, not understanding... Um... How it happened exactly. He's also very tired. I must've kept him up since he got here with my studying and final case rehearsal in addition to Masa's passing."