Chosen family bonds

Leave it to the rat

"I can't take your food! Wh-what if you're too hungry and you get hurt, I don't want you to starve!" Ren subconsciously squeezes Shota's arm but he doesn't mind. What is going on in her head the family wonders if her hesitance at eating food might have stemmed from being denied food in the past rather than mistrust of it? Shota and Hizashi are at a loss combined they've had some degree of most kinds of trauma and can help with it but this is an area they're lacking in, Hitoshi on the other hand immediately responds.

"I'm offering because Papa gave me too much I couldn't possibly eat this all alone! So I need your help or the food would go to waste!" Ren makes a little oh noise and takes the offered piece nibbling it and her eyes going wide.

"Yummy!" Ren squeals but unlike you would expect a little kid to devour something they like she only takes tiny nibbles savoring every bit, Hitoshi would be fine he had only torn off a small corner of his pancake and he can have snacks he grabs his notebook and writes.

"Maybe give me extra food at every meal then I can share with her? Or possibly switch who has the extra food but incorporated it into one of our servings? I don't think she'll eat her own plate, like me the first month I was with you guys." Shota nods at the idea and so does Hizashi as Ren finishes her bit of pancake.  Once she's done she looks like she's deep in thought Shota waits a couple minutes before gently nudging her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Ren looks up and whispers so quietly that Shota almost misses what she said.  

"C-could we watch another movie?" She squeaks looking down and Shota gently pats her head looking at Hizashi he's better with the emotional stuff.

"Of course lil listener, how does one about fairies sound?" Ren blinks and tilts her head before shrugging.

"I dunno... What are fairies?" Ren asks him quietly looking curious. 

"Well, they have wings and magic It kind of like quirks but not really." Ren ponders the explanation for a while before nodding. 

"Yeah, fairies sound cool!" Hizashi grabs the remote and puts on the first Tinkerbell movie grabbing a surplus of snacks from the kitchen and leaving them in easy reach of Ren. Hitoshi is still content to sit on the floor and instead of returning to the sofa, Hizashi joins him. 

Hitoshi is exhausted the adrenaline of everything with Ren had worn off last night and it hit him like a truck just how much he's been talking he hadn't meant to maybe they wouldn't want him any- he is broken out of his spiraling thoughts by a gentle hand rubbing circles on his back followed by a more calloused one. Dad and Papa are reassuring him, that's right they'd adopted him. This is home now because they had decided they wanted Hitoshi and Ren to stay. 

He's still freezing up but no longer on the verge of panic Hizashi grabs his hand and gives it a quick squeeze to reassure him that everything is going to be alright. 

"You alright Hitoshi?" Hizashi is careful to regulate his volume so that Rens movie watching doesn't get interrupted. Hitoshi grabs his notebook and pulls his hand away so that he can write. Once he's done he turns it around so Hizashi can see it. 

"Yeah, just don't wanna talk right now. But can you stay there Papa?" The last word had been crossed out, erased, and rewritten so many times it had made a small hole in the paper. Hizashi doesn't comment nodding in understanding.

"I can stay, also you mentioned wanting to learn to sign for when you're feeling uncomfortable with speaking and going nonverbal or semi-nonverbal. Is that still something you want to learn?" Hizashi doesn't want to pry or pressure, but at the same time, it would be nice to occasionally take his hearing aids out rather than keeping them in almost 24/7 and only switching them out with his other set so they can charge it gets exhausting. Hitoshi nods excitedly and though they don't notice Ren peeks at them curiously.