When I'm With Them, I'm Free

Chapter Seven: Love Is Lying

It was like you never even called Shoto last night, lying right through your teeth to dismiss it altogether.

You were carefree, and without a doubt happily talking to Ashido as if your life was a giddy thing. Shoto wasn't exactly surprised, although a part of him thought something would be different. Perhaps you'd stand around him more, talk to him before you left, or even visibly acknowledge the fact you went to him for help.

Admittedly, Shoto made the whole thing bigger than it was, given the fact—to him—you were just upset over this break's packet. While in reality, panic had swarmed you, held you, captured you. Really, it was a big thing, but neither you needed to remember that, and Shoto didn't need to know it.

"Shoto, Dad wants to speak with you when you get home."

Shoto turned his head and looked at Fuyumi, blinking back into reality after shifting into a staring trance (unsurprisingly) at you. "What does he want?" His tone was accidentally cold and dripping with something dark. It was a mistake, of course, but Fuyumi didn't know that, and either way, she knew well enough how sour their father made Shoto. Natsuo too.

The female shrugged, lips forming a slim and tightly sealed line. "I don't know," she admitted, "but you know him." Trying to lighten the mood, Fuyumi gently and playfully punched at Shoto's shoulder. It only riled a mere glance out of the male, and with that, he turned away just as quickly as he glanced at his sister.

Silently, Fuyumi walked away, streaming her presence across the room until she exited by the front door and bolted through the cold towards her small car.

Already, Shoto's focus has shifted, and although you were barely at a hearing distance, his eyes wouldn't budge from their place on your face. His heterochromic irises were full under the fluorescent lights, although yours seemed to shine so brightly, even under the same circumstances like his. Your skin too looked healthy and held a lively shine on the apples of your cheeks and tip of your nose. To Shoto, it was like his senses became hyper-aware of everything, almost like his mind and eyes suddenly awoke from their everlasting hibernation. Because everything was so bright now, so vivid. Small details popped out like a red balloon in a grey room and a large man in a room full of children.

"Mina-chan!" Shoto heard you say in a mock-whine, your shoulder suddenly slumping and face panning forward in an upset manner. "Please! You're teasing is hurting me," you joked, voice turning deep and almost labored as you pressed the back of your palm against your forehead. "My heart," you said, placing a placid hand in the middle of your chest, "is broken."

Ashido rolled her eyes, bringing two hands to your shoulders and pushing at your figure. You slightly stumbled as she scoffed. "Shut up," she laughed, her shrill of a chuckle being profusely followed by yours.

Shoto would be lying if he said Ashido's laugh was music to his ears because honestly, it was annoying to him. Perhaps it was deeper, raspier in a way, and more tolerable than the rest of his peers—besides you, obviously—but it still didn't make its sound less annoying. However, her giggle's volume and overall frequency weren't close to hitting Shoto's ears as Hagakure's did.

In general, the bi-haired male only tolerated Hagakure by the slimmest string. She was loud, peppy, and too smiley for her own good. It was true at times you were bubbly much like her, but your half-rough, sarcastically aggressive, and joking demeanor balanced it perfectly. It wasn't overbearing and never seemed annoying to anyone but Bakugou in certain situations.

"I'm going to miss you," you said seriously, pinching your lips together into a feeble frown. It was obvious it was genuine, and filled with some unknown level of sadness, but Ashido ignored it all, using her knuckles and scratching at your head.