𝑅𝐸𝐽𝐸𝐶𝑇 ┊ 𝐻𝐼𝑇𝑂𝑆𝐻𝐼 𝑆𝐻𝐼𝑁𝑆𝑂

𝗦𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡

"So, do you wanna talk about it?"
Y/N shook her head as Shinso continued to run his hand under cold water. She was sitting on the counter of his home, despite her telling him she'd rather not go inside.
"I just want to help. You know you can talk to me, right?"
She continued to stay silent, continuing to watch the color of his skin return to normal.

"Y/N, my brainwashing can't make people talk. It's just not apart of my quirk."
"You promise?"
He smiled, "I promise."
He turned off the faucet and placed both his hands on the counter beside her legs.
"Also, it's verbal responses, not just questions."
"That doesn't help."
"It's not like I'd use it on you. You really see me that way?"
She sighed and leaned forward.
"No, I don't," Y/N replied, "I'm sorry."

"Hitoshi?"
The two teens looked behind them to see a woman with lilac hair.
"Who's this?" She smiled, almost bursting with excitement at the sight of a girl.
Shinso quickly removed himself from the counter and held his hands behind his back.
"Is she a classmate?"
"No," Shinso mumbled, "She's our new neighbor."
"Oh! I didn't know the L/N's had children. They never pay mind to me when I see them in the morning."
She waved to Y/N as her smile grew.
"What's your name?"
Y/N worried about giving her given name to this woman.
"It's Y/N," she quietly answered, hoping Shinso's mother wouldn't know her.
"That's a lovely name! Hitoshi! Does Y/N want to stay for dinner?"

Hopping off the counter, Y/N waved her hands in protest.
"It's alright. I need to get home."
"Are you sure? I can talk to your parents."
"No! No, it's fine."
She began to back away to the door, nodding her head at the mother and son.
"Thank you for today, Shinso. Again, sorry about your hand."
Leaving the house, Y/N quickly ran to her own front yard, passing by the cat on the porch steps.

Closing the door, she shut her eyes tight, waiting for words to fill her ears.
Instead, a hot slap hit her cheek.
"Where were you?" Her father asked, trapping her at the door.
"I was outside."
"You weren't home. What have I told you?!"
She opened her eyes, keeping her head down, only able to see the tiny flames that would bloom on and off of her father's arms.
"We've told you multiple times, you cannot leave this house without our permission!"
"Yes, I'm sorry."
She saw the flame on his arm dance and swirl around his hand before it came down onto her face again.
"You unbelievable excuse for a child. Can't even handle their own quirk like the ungrateful brat that you are."

He began to walk away, his heavy footsteps making the floor creak.
"Ruined our damn lives. You're lucky we still allow you to live here."
She ran upstairs, quick to lock her room.
She kept the lights off as she crawled along the floor to sit at the kotatsu in the middle of her room. Her mother had gotten it for her when she was younger, finding it to be the easiest way to keep her daughter warm.
She dragged the candle sitting atop the kotatsu and snapped her fingers, trying to use the heat from the table to light a match on her fingers.

It wasn't hot enough to do, so Y/N sat in darkness, tears running down her face.
Her cheek stung, as burns still hurt despite her quirk. While she let her dad's words run throughout her disturbed mind, she was interrupted as she heard tapping on the window.
Looking over, she saw tiny rocks hit the glass.
She stood up and walked over to the window, opening it to see Shinso on his roof, tiny pebbles in his palm.
"What are you doing?" She spoke softly.
"I just wanted to get your attention."
"Seems that you always do."
He chuckled nervously, rubbing his neck.

Y/N climbed outside, sliding down the roof and stopping at the edge where Shinso sat, his legs off the edge.
"Your face."
"Huh?"
Shinso touched his own cheek, referencing hers.
"What happened to your cheek?"
"I-I uh, I burned myself."
"You have trouble using your quirk then? Is that why you got so heated up today?"
"When my heart rate goes up, my body takes in whatever sort of heat is around me. Sorta trying to keep me alive sort of thing."
"How hot can you get?" He asked, then squinting at the awkward wording.
"I didn't know you were so flirtatious, Shinso," she grinned, tossing her legs over the side.