Chosen family bonds

Clear skies

"Please don't hurt me I've been good!" Ren barely sobs out, which breaks Shotas' heart of course the kid is expecting some kind of physical punishment he silently curses himself for not realizing sooner. 

"Hey kid we won't hurt you, you're safe here." Shota kneels to the kids' height and speaks in a monotonous but comforting tone before turning to Shinso and whispering. "She trusts you the most, could you take her hands? we need to handle the sores she reopened." Shinso nods moving closer and gently grabbing her hands after Hizashi lets go of them, he takes deep breaths hoping she will mimic him.

"Zashi..." Shota mutters so Shinso won't hear. "You know the villain whose case I got put on, Razor?" Hizashi nods

"I remember very vividly I bailed you out of a meeting on it the night we sent in our foster application, why?" Hizashi wonders where Shota is going with this and how it's relevant to the situation, but knowing his husband it's clear this isn't some random train of thought so he listens.

"They had found his house but said it collapsed nothing personal was found inside except a battered stuffed animal. Also, her scars look like those of wounds created by his quirk." Shota glances at the kid and Hizashi feels his stomach drop dearly hoping Shota isn't heading where he thinks he is with this line of thought.

"There have been several people we know he captured found dead by wounds that we know his quirk didn't make, what if part of why we can't calm the kid down is she's scared of us as heroes if she were a villain's child it would make sense." Hizashi feels sick if Shota was right this child had been forced to kill people and dehumanized they glance over and to their relief Ren is taking deep breaths now imitating Shinso, eyes no longer completely clouded over in terror. Hizashi decides it's worth trying to talk to her.

"Hey little listner!" Hizashi says trying to sound as friendly as possible. Ren freezes eyes darting up she's not used to positive attention "Whoah there, you're not in trouble just wanted to ask if I could take a look at those arms you scratched them back up quite a bit." Ren looks over at Shinso who gives an encouraging nod before she holds out her arms still watching Hizashi like a hawk. Hizashi notices this and makes sure he very clearly telegraphs every move and narrates what he's doing as he looks at the reopened wounds. 

"Alrighty little listener I need to clean these up and it's going to sting a bit alright?" Ren looks like she's thinking super hard for a moment. Can she trust him? Shinso is good and Shinso trusts him so he must be good right? Ren eventually gives a tiny nod in the affirmative that Hizashi can clean the wounds. She doesn't even flinch as he rubs them with the alcohol wipes it stings but not as much as some of the punishments her dad had given. Once they're rebandaged Hizashi gives her a wide smile it reminds her of Mama's smile and she tilts her head the the side a little.

"Great job little listener all cleaned up!" He also sounds like Mama when Ren had won a game they played or helped with cooking. Mama always sounded like that, it feels good to be talked to like that again instead of getting yelled at. While Ren is intelligent and had to grow up too fast her communication skills are underdeveloped since she never really talks, she struggles to find words to describe what she's feeling so she smiles Mama had always said she has a very pretty smile, maybe Hizashi would think so too? she hopes so he was so sad when he looked at her and Ren didn't want him to be sad.

The change in attitude is sudden enough that it almost gives Hizashi and Shota whiplash, how could a kid so hurt and afraid smile so brightly? They are just getting more confused about this kid because that smile lit up the room, Hizashi wonders if it's okay for him to say something, or if that would startle Ren. He figures a little compliment couldn't hurt after all the kid probably hasn't been told nice words frequently if at all if their theory is correct.