The trolley rattled into the night, the vague turn it made causing the boy to stop his third box from sliding across the seat and hitting – wait – no – she had gotten off at the previous stop. Either way he tugged the clear plastic container closer, opting to stack it on top of the other two he had between his legs. Cumbersome, but that wasn't his issue.
Shoto Todoroki, save for the homeless man at the other end of the cart and another younger guy who looked polished and poised with his thin frame glasses and smart polo/sweater combo, was the last passenger left on the late-night trolley. He had barely gotten on at the stop nearest his old house and had been on longer than most anyone else – forty five minutes to be exact. He was due to get off at the next stop, and even in all that time he still wasn't ready to.
Not that you'd think so from first glance. Aside from the occasional twitch of the arm, he managed to keep his stony composure and quell any nervous shaking or breathing. He pulled out his phone, flicking the screen on to double check the time and skip forward to better song, settling on a jazzy rendition of "This Bitter Earth", shifting back into the nylon seat and looking out the window. Black after black peppered with city lights zoomed by as the overhead announcement toned out the final stop on his journey.
Standing up slowly, legs braced for any unsteady jolts, Todoroki held down the storing boxes with one hand while his other one unfurled the collapsible dolly. The trolley car came to a stop, and after sliding the storage boxes onto the thin car, he stepped down off the car and walked into the night. A warm parka stopped the early March chill from cutting too deep into his skin, the fuzzy hood hiding his face from both cold and unnecessary stares. Too often his heterochromia and burn scar drew more attention than necessary, and while makeup could help, it wasn't something he wanted to have to apply every day.
Todoroki wasn't about to be found. He had been planning this for some time, and these were the last things he managed to get out of the house before making his break. The three boxes clattered behind him as they were dragged over uneven sidewalk, and he often needed to stop and readjust their placement on his rack, but after a brisk twenty-minute walk he stood outside the building.
Harbor Apartments. Cheap, far from home, and not too close to the sketchier areas of town. He had found the housing sector nearly a month ago, slowly and discretely moving his possessions into the mostly empty apartment to avoid suspicion and make his departure that much easier (in spite of the rather long trolley rides to and from). His job at the bookstore was enough to cover rent and he was within walking distance of everywhere he needed to be. He punched his code in, walking through the side entrance and past the lobby, into the elevator. Giving a curt nod to the receptionist, who raised a hand in brief greeting mid phone call, Todoroki closed his eyes as the doors slid shut, pulling him up to his third-floor apartment.
A few minutes later and a forceful hip-bump to the always-stuck door saw the young man cart the last of his possessions to their place amid the other boxes and miscellaneous furniture. He would organize what small things he had tomorrow; the argument that he had stormed away from still lingered in his head, even after the long journey to his new lodgings. He shrugged the parka off, hanging it on the recently purchased coat rack next to a few other, less cold-conscious, jackets he had brought over not three days ago. Padding down the hall and over to the one bedroom, he paused for a moment before he flicked on the lights, greeted by the furniture and mattress he had ordered a week prior.
Neatly arranged, same style as his room back home. A sigh in relief shuddered out of him as he walked in, taking care to undress as he got ready for sleep. Tossing the clothes from the night into the hamper and selecting a fresh pair of lounge pants to wear to bed, Shoto was interrupted by a light flashing from his bed. His phone screen was lighting up with an incoming call – for a moment his heart jumped into his throat, but it sank back down upon remembering he had blocked his father's number as he stormed out. Thankfully, his sister Fuyumi's face was the one filling his screen, and she had moved out not long after accepting a teaching position. Regardless of his bond with his sister, the youngest Todoroki steeled himself for the worst-case scenario and answered the phone.
"This is Shoto."
"Oh thank god," his sister breathed, her warm voice flooded with relief. "Dad made it sound like he was gonna tear you a new one from that voice mail he just left."
"Mmhmm."
His sister chuckled. "Finally stood up to him, huh? The twins and I were wondering when you'd snap, I was this close to coming in to check on you. I can't imagine things got better after I left, not that I expected them too… I am sorry about that."
"Can I ask why you're calling, Fuyumi?"
"To check on you, ya dork! And no, Dad's not making me, you know I don't follow his agenda." There was a pause as she fidgeted with her phone on the other end, at least that's what it sounded like. "You holding up ok? Found a place to stay the night?"
"You could say that."
"Shoto."
He trusted his sister; of everyone in his family, they were the closest. That didn't change the tension seeped into his bones, or how badly he wanted to hang up and just end the day already. His sister continued, her voice showing the concern she had been trying to cover up.
"I know how little you trust Dad. More than any of us. And you know I'm not here to wrangle you in or get you back on his radar. I'm just… no matter how mature you are or how independent, you're still my little brother. I'm worried for you, and if I can help you or be there for you, you know I will. I'm just making sure you're safe somewhere, ok?"
Todoroki nodded, then, remembering those don't register over the phone, said "I understand."
"Okay, that's all I was asking." Fuyumi sighed in relief, taking another deep breath before continuing. "Do youuuuu want to talk about anything?"
"No."
"You know you can call me if you have any problems, right?"
"I know."
"Will you call me if you have anything you need help with?"
He could hear her smirk over the phone. "We'll see."
"Alright Shoto, I hope you mean that. And listen, brother…" She paused. And maybe it was just his nerves, but Shoto could have sworn he knew where she was going with it. And he severely hoped she wouldn't.
"Yes, Fuyumi?"
A sigh. "I know…" [he didn't like the way her voice changed] "… I know you don't like talking about this, but – just, please listen, ok?"
He didn't say anything. The way his voice dried up told him enough to know that if he tried to talk it wouldn't work. He just nodded, not sure what else to do.
"Look, I've been… visiting her, okay? And I think she's getting a little better, but so far it's just me going and she's still not where she should be and… just think about it? I-I can't imagine-"
"I know." It came out like a balloon pop, but he couldn't keep listening. His throat was tightening up and he wasn't about to deal with another wave of hurt and stress. Not tonight. "I know."
"Shoto, are you - ?"
"I can talk more later, Fuyumi, thank you for checking in." He hung up the phone and set it roughly on the night stand next to him, setting himself down on the bed before getting up and walking – shakily – over to the door to flick the lights off. Now in the dark he stalked back to bed, stowing himself away under the covers with a groan as he tried to steady his breathing.
Years of practice finally settled in, and he got his breathing down to a steady rhythm. His heartbeat still kick-drummed in his ears, but that would settle down eventually. He didn't think about that evening, he didn't think about where he was, he didn't listen to the vibrations coming from his phone, he shut that world out and focused on his lungs filling and emptying with timed patience. Finally closing his eyes, Shoto Todoroki spent the rest of the night stiff as a board, eventually falling into fitful but much needed sleep.