Perfect-Todobaku

Yuuei

"Maybe I'll see you at Yuuei then, Shoto"

Shoto's perspective

        "There is nothing I crave more in this world than freedom. Freedom from the constant commands, the judgement, the eternal watching eye. Freedom from the weight of the world on my shoulders. Freedom from the hell I have to live through every single day. Freedom from this task I must complete. Freedom from the family I wish was gone.
     
I am a dog on a leash. Father is the master. He shows me the treat, the freedom that I so greatly desire, then pulls the chain before I can reach it. Everything I desire, just one step out of reach. This collar and chain, this binding which prevents me from running free, this-"

        "Shoto!" My father's roar of rage sounds from downstairs. I slam the journal shut, the force causing a cloud of dust to fly from the cover and fill the already dusty air in my bedroom. He'd kill me if he caught me reading this. I'm not even supposed to know that these exist... I tuck my brother's journal back in it's place in my suitcase, the part of the cloth on the edges that I cut away to make a secret compartment, and head down the kitchen. My feet patter on the sparkly hardwood floor, sending quiet echoes throughout the huge empty halls of my family home. No Serving Androids here. No Androids at all. Well... none except... none except me

       "Sho-Sho!" My sister, Fuyumi, is drinking tea at the table. She smiles encouragingly, then looks down, knowing better than to try and protect me. She learned that lesson with the scar on her arm. Instead, she gives another sweet smile in an attempt to calm my father down. An attempt that's doomed to fail.

Like a hurricane to a harbor town, he storms towards me
"Shoto!" And, like a house in the storm, I go flying backwards across the room.

My cheek burns like fire from where he hit me and my back aches from slamming against a chair. I bit my tongue to hold back a whimper of pain. It's always like this. The pretty marble and wood of our house has held so much blood over the years. The vents have trapped so many screams. Time and time again, the door to closet is slammed shut, the windows are locked, the floors are stained with blood.

There's no such thing as perfection. As much as the government would like to deny it, there will always be the bad apples. And if the bad apples get high enough in the social hierarchy, they can fester and rot without any disturbance. Excuses can always be made
"This scar? Oh I fell out of a tree!"
"My baby brother's eye? He tried to make tea alone when he was little, and spilled hot water on it"
"My older brother? He passed away in an accident"

Time and time again, excuse after excuse after excuse, Fuyumi would work to hold my family together. She's the only one who really tries anymore. Who really denies it anymore. We're Imperfect. Every last one of us. My mother, my brothers, my sister, my bastard of a father... and myself. None of us fit the perfect little mold of a family. Not that we'd ever admit it. Not until it's late at night and my father's had too much to drink...

I stand up, brushing imaginary dirt off my pants. Even if my family is ruined, I can still look good
"Well, Father, are you going to drive me or should I take a bus?" My father scowls at my words
"Your sister will drive you. I don't want you on a bus. Bad things happen when you go out" ah. So he found out about what I did at the cafe... hopefully he didn't found out about the boy I talked to. What was his name? Kat? I think that was it. What was it short for though... I can't remember. Doesn't matter. I'm most likely never going to see him again, anyways.

"If you don't want me out in public, then you shouldn't be letting me go to college" I say, before I can stop myself. My father's eyes narrow. Shit. Of all the things, I could've possibly said, that's probably the worst
"You know why you're going to this school. Don't forget your purpose here, Shoto" he warns. My heart sinks
"Yes, Father" my voice comes out quieter than I'd like it to. Weaker. Like the pathetic little marionette I'm supposed to be.

"Come on, little bro..." Fuyumi sighed, breaking the tension between me and my father. My shoulders slump in relief as I walk with her, into her car

Katsuki's Perspective

       I tap my fingers impatiently on the surface of the table "what do you mean, you can't be there?" I snap into the phone "yeah, I know you have fucking work, but this is your only kid's first day at college! You aren't even gonna be home to say goodbye?!" I somehow manage to keep the bitterness and hurt from showing in my voice.
"Sweetheart, I'm sorry. But this is a big opportunity an I need to make it to this meeting..." my mom sighs
"It's always a big fucking opportunity! I'm sure you could stop by and see me off, and still make it to your fucking meeting!"
"I suppose I could, sweetie, but the team is getting coffee... I'm saying goodbye over the phone at least, aren't I? Goodbye, Katsuki. Call me when you're there. I love you!"
"Bye" I grumble, not bothering with 'I love you too'

       I slam my phone down on the table. It's always like that. My first day of kindergarten, my first time riding a bike, hell, even monumental days like my first step or first word... all that was thrown away. It doesn't matter how many Shamefuls she is issued. She's never cared about me.

Sure, she likes me. But only as a concept. As something to parade around and brag about and pretend to be the perfect doting mother. But when it comes down to it, she was never there. I don't blame her, of course. I wasn't exactly an easy kid... if I were her, I'd choose work over having to see myself as well. Of course, I won't deny that it hurts like hell to know that nobody's seeing me off... but I don't have time to cry. I'm already gonna be late if there's traffic

But I don't have time to worry about that. I throw my bag into the car, and get into the front seat. My hands shake as I turn the car on. A two hour drive, and for what? A college I don't even want to go to? Where none of my friends are going? But not going to college is enough to give you a Lost Cause. With Delinquents and Lost Causes, they stick with you. Even when the six month period resets, you keep them on your transcripts.

The drive takes longer than it does when we visited. Maybe it's because this time I'm alone. There are no parents holding my hand and hugging me, telling me I've got this. There never are. And I'm sure when I have the chance to visit, they won't be there for me. I really don't care, at this point. I just put in some music and focus on driving

Shoto's Perspective

      I can feel their eyes on me. Every single one. Every single person,  looking at me. What do they think of me? What do they notice? Their eyes stay on me for a fraction of a second, but in that time they make a million observations. My hair, my eyes, my height, the burn on my face... everything. Every little thing they don't even notice themselves noticing. And I hate it. I hate them knowing who I am, even if it's in one blurry memory in the back of their minds. I hate how some of them will know my name. Know who I am. I hate, that one day, they will know what I have to do.

       When we arrive at my dorm, I can feel my stomach sink with dread. I want to grab Fuyumi's arm and beg her to stay, like a small child. But of course I can't. I smile politely "thank you, Fuyumi" and walk into the dorm, waving my sister away.

       The room is tiny, an eighth of the size of my bedroom at home. The floor is carpeted, and the back wall has a window and two loft beds, each with a desk underneath. There's a dresser at the foot of each bed. And sitting on the bed to the right is...
"Well hello there, Shoto. Haven't seen you in a bit" Katsuki Bakugo grins at me from his place on the bed

(Word count: 1490) sorry this took so long, I had no idea what I was going to write for this chapter... hopefully the next one comes out quicker! And thank you guys so much for 100 reads!