"We're sorry..."
I had never been a violent guy. Sure, I'd been involved in fights before, that's what happened when you were the weird, quiet kid, but I had never hit back. Slowly, fists clenched by my sides, I turned to face the quivering drunkards, having to walk through the final, bloody mark Kaminari had left in this world.
"You're sorry, are you..?" My voice was dark and deep, so low that I wasn't even sure they had heard it. Once I was close enough, I couldn't stop myself. I swung my fist back and clocked Setsuno right in the mouth. Midoriya was on me in an instant, holding me back from delivering the same attack on Iguchi, who was petrified beside his blond buddy, who clutched his now bloody mouth.
"Shinso, it isn't worth it! W..we can't turn on each other..." My friend said to me, making sure I wasn't going to lunge back in before releasing his hold. "We need to tell the others..." I knew he was right, but I still felt the overwhelming urge to rip the pair of assholes to shreds. If they had just thought about someone other than themselves, Kaminari could have made it.
Meeting Iguchi's eyes, I curled my lip back, hesitantly following Midoriya towards the door.
"You're a coward...Both of you...Fucking cowards..." I was positive the only thing keeping me from collapsing in a sobbing heap was adrenaline. Blood soaked my shirt, and it was still warm. Proof it hadn't been a nightmare.
The four of us reentered the main area of the shop, but stayed close to the door, trying to figure out how to go about announcing what had happened.
"I think we should talk to the staff first..." Midoriya started, ringing his apron in his hands. "They're likely to panic less...I mean, they'll freak out, but we know some of the locals jump to extremes..." He had a point, and I nodded, trying not to look at Setsuno and Iguchi as they did the same.
"Y..yeah...Probably the best bet..." I had more to say, I was sure of it, but I didn't get a chance to continue. My mouth went dry as (Y/N) raced over, eyes widening when she saw the red of my shirt.
"What happened?! Hitoshi, are you okay?!" Her hands hovered over my chest for a few moments, then she noticed a split-lipped Setsuno standing beside me. "Shit, man! Seriously, what happened?! Did you two get in a fight?!"
I don't want to scare her...
Midoriya hushed her, looking around to make sure nobody was paying attention, before attempting to explain.
"There's...something in the mist. Kirishima was right. Kaminari...he tried to get to the switch box outside...and something got him..." (Y/N) stiffened, returning her gaze to my bloodied clothing. "We tried...Shinso and I tried to save him, but..."
I wanted nothing more than to reassure the girl. To tell her that everything was going to be fine, but I couldn't. My jaw was locked, and my chest ached. We weren't fine and everything was definitely not okay.
"B..but if that's true...and I totally don't think you'd lie about something like that...then we have to stop Shinji! He's trying to gather a party to get help!"
(Y/N) didn't even wait for us to respond before she spun on her heels and raced off, barely ducking into one of the aisles before she came back, dragging her brother along with her. Others followed curiously, each and every one gasping when they saw the state of us. Of me.
"You're just antsy because of the mist! You've never liked it, ever since we were kids! Don't go buying into conspiracies!" Nishiya pulled his arm away before glaring at us, particularly me, clicking his tongue so hard it sounded like an axe to wood. "They obviously got into a fight."
I wish...I wish that we had...
"There's something out there." I started, taking a single step forward and narrowing my eyes. "Some weird tentacle things dragged Denki outside. They had teeth! This is his blood! If anyone goes out there it's a death sentence!" My voice shook, and it only seemed to get worse once I realised he was looking at me like I had lost my damn mind. Anxiety began to kick in.
"You really expect us to believe that? Aliens, maybe? Tentacles from Planet X? Give me a break! This is either some dumb prank, or you're just so excited to be around actual people for once that you'll do anything to keep us here! You're a joke, Shinso!" I could feel every lash of spite in his words, and my own froze partway up my throat, sticking to my tongue like flies to honey. "Unlike you, and those two drunks, other people have lives they need to get back to."
Why can't I speak?! Why can't I move?! I feel like I'm gonna throw up...
Midoriya stepped in, trying to reason with him, explain that we were, in fact, telling the truth. Even Iguchi and Setsuno chimed in a few times.
"Listen, bag boy, we're heading out and actually doing something, whether you like it or not! That Kaminari kid probably just ran off home to smoke dope with his buddies, and you're just trying to cover for him! I'm over this, you're wasting my time!" Nishiya waved us off with a scoff and started back towards his group, shouting something about getting ready to go.
"Shinji! Get your ass back here! You can't go out there, you idiot..!" (Y/N) bolted after him, as did Midoriya, whilst the two cowards slunk off in the opposite direction. I, however, sunk to the floor, dragging my knees to my chest.
This can't be real...Denki is dead...There's something out there...We'll all die...I'm useless...I can't protect Eri, or (Y/N), or anyone...It's only a matter of time...
"Hey..."
I flinched when I felt a hand on my arm, and when I looked up, I was shocked to see the familiar (H/C) girl kneeling in front of me.
"A..aren't you gonna go see your brother off?" My voice broke like a China plate to concrete, which only added to my turmoil.
A look of concern washed over her face, and that was when I noticed she was looking a lot paler, and her eyes seemed a little red.
"Hitoshi, he left over an hour ago...You've been sitting here for ages, and I got worried..." She sighed, standing back up and offering me her hand, which I hesitantly accepted. "I saw Midoriya try to talk to you, but you ignored him...I'm glad we've got you back to earth now, though..."
Flipping my hand over, she placed something upon it. It was one of the cheap, wrapped T-shirts the store sold, along with the same generic brand of sweatpants.
"Y..you don't...believe us, do you..?" I wouldn't have blamed her. It was insane to even consider, but we had lived it. We had, but Kaminari hadn't.
"Why wouldn't I? Hitoshi, you're covered in blood, and there's no way that creepy guy's busted lip caused all of that..." She nervously motioned to my body, and I noticed her hands were shaking, but she quickly pulled them away again. "Eri's been asleep, so you should go change and get some rest, too. You look exhausted."
It hadn't purely been her looks that had sent me head over heels. She had always been soft and kind, a comfort, even if she didn't utter a word. Swallowing, I murmured a thank you, but didn't walk away, and neither did she.
"Are you okay..? If you really do believe us, then your brother..." She was putting up a brave front, that was obvious, but she still smiled. It helped.
"There's always hope, right?" She laughed in an odd pitch, rubbing the back of her neck as she tapped her thigh with her other hand. "Do...uh, do you mind if I stayed by you and Eri? You know...familiar faces..?" Even if I had wanted to, I couldn't say no. I never would have wanted to turn her down.
"I...uh, I insist...We never got the blankets, so...I guess I'll grab a few once I change." My voice had returned, but it was still quiet. Wrong. It was astounding that I could even function at all after what had happened.
"I can give you a hand, if you want?" (Y/N) offered, tilting her head to the side so her hair fell across her shoulder.
The blood...
"N..no...Thanks, but no...I don't want you to have to see the...mess..." I explained it as vaguely as possible, and I could see her tense up. There was no way she wasn't as terrified as the rest of us.
"If you're sure...Still...I'll wait out here, to help carry some. Four arms are better than two, after all..."
Her chuckle soothed me, even though it was forced. So much so that, without really thinking about it, I reached out and patted her on the head. The moment I realised, I froze up, but once the look of surprise had run it's course on her face, she smiled, this time genuinely, albeit small.
Coughing awkwardly, I retracted my hand, palm tingling from the contact as I turned away towards the door to the loading dock.
"Th..thanks...I'll be back in a sec, then..." I wanted to feel happy about getting close to her, but I couldn't allow myself to. Kaminari had died. There was nothing that could make that better, and I was positive the only reason she was sticking by me was because she didn't have anybody else.
Don't think about it...Just think about getting through the night and being rescued...
.
.
.
.
.
.
***Hello, hi, yes, I would like to be trapped in a grocery store sharing a blanket with Shinso pls.
Next Time: Reciprocation***