Arriving back at the house Hitoshi couldn't help but notice that the two pros had been busy. A lot of the boxes were still stacked in the hallway but at least they had furniture.
Kacchan was sat on the coach when he walked in counting yen notes.
"What's with the money stack?"
He took a seat next to him.
"It's to pay back Kirishima."
"What for the night vision goggles?"
Kacchan nodded.
Hitoshi smiled.
"He really cares about you, you know?"
He couldn't help but notice the smile that appeared on his cousin's face before he quickly masked it and hit him lightly on the arm.
"Shut up, Purple Hair." He growled.
Hitoshi smirked.
"Awww, Kacchan has a crush."
"I will kill you."
"No you won't."
"You wanna' test that theory?"
"No killing in the house." Hizashi stated, announcing his presence as he entered the living room with a tray of tea, handing a mug to each of them before sitting down in the armchair.
"Where's Shouta?" Hitoshi asked as he took a sip of the sweet tasting fruit tea.
"He's wiped after unpacking so I sent him to get some sleep, he needs it, we got a lot done."
He looked around.
"You really did."
"Kacchan helped too." Hizashi smiled. "You're stuff's in your room ready for you."
"You're just too helpful, Kacchan." Hitoshi teased.
"I'm going home…" His cousin pretended to get up.
"Noooo!" He laughed.
"So who's this crush then?" The voice hero asked.
Kacchan groaned, slumping down into the couch.
"Stopppppppp."
"Kirishima." Hitoshi grinned.
"Oh he's a good kid."
"I know you're my uncle and all, but I will kill you too."
Hizashi reached across and pinched him on the cheek.
"Aww that's cute… I'd like to see you try."
Kacchan scowled.
"Do you not have the radio show tonight?" Hitoshi asked.
"I'm taking a hiatus."
That was news to him.
"But... what about your listeners?"
"I think they'll understand that there's something far more important to me right now."
He furrowed an eyebrow.
"What?"
"He means you, idiot." Kacchan added.
"Yes, thanks for the addition Kacchan, I think he got it."
The radio show was everything to Hizashi, he'd been doing it since he left UA if he'd worked out the years right, and even before then he had the podcast. He hated to think how many episodes there'd been by now. And to hear he'd took it on hiatus, for him… that was just crazy; he couldn't be serious, could he?
"Hizashi…"
The voice hero shook his head.
"No, this isn't something you'll talk me around on."
"But you've never missed an episode before…" He stated softly.
"Toshi, numbers don't matter to me. We just got you back, there was no way I was going to spend that much time away from the house after everything that's happened, you need me so here I am; and even if you don't, I'm here just in case you do."
Hitoshi smiled.
"Thank you, I… that means a lot."
The voice hero gave a nod.
"Drink your tea, it's gonna' go cold."
He did, wrapping his hands around the warmth of the mug.
"It's about time you took a break from your gazillion jobs anyway." Kacchan spoke up, also taking a drink.
"Exactly, a little rest period will do me good."
Heading upstairs, Hitoshi yawned.
The act proved infectious as cousin did the same.
He smirked before tripping on the step.
Kacchan's quick reactions thankfully saved him a trip down the staircase.
As he met his cousin's gaze he was confused. There was a range of emotion in his eyes, the rage he expected was there, clearly angered by his lack of care when navigating the steps, fear was there too, Kacchan's eyes wide as his hands still held onto him, but there was also sadness.
"Watch where you're going, do you want to get hurt?!"
"I'm- I'm sorry."
Kacchan exhaled.
"Come on."
His cousin refused to let go of him until they sat on the futon arranged on the floor, the pros having not gotten around to building his bed back up yet.
"Hey, give me a high five with your left hand."
Hitoshi sighed.
"Why, so I can look stupid?"
Kacchan looked angry but not at him, for him, clearly not impressed by how he was talking about himself.
"You're not stupid don't fucking ever say that shit to me again! I just wanna' see how much you're off so I can maybe help so come on..." He held up his hand expectantly.
Hitoshi reluctantly raised his hand and high fived Kacchan... missing by a mile.
Embarrassed and with tears pricking in the corner of his eyes that he desperately didn't want his cousin to see, Hitoshi sniffled, grabbing his pillow and smushing it against him, burying his face on top of it.
"Hey..." Kacchan began softly as his hand came to rest on his back. "It was always going to take some time, don't get mad at yourself for failing on the first try. We'll work on it, so will your vision therapy, right?"
Hitoshi nodded.
"Right."
Kacchan walked over to his bag and grabbed his pyjamas before locating his cousin's from the boxes on the floor.
"Here."
He threw them across.
"Thanks."
As Kacchan removed his shirt Hitoshi's eyes widened as he noticed the scar across his back.
"Kacchan…"
He furrowed an eyebrow before realising where his cousin was looking.
"Oh, it's nothing, don't worry about it."
"It doesn't look like nothing."
Kacchan shook his head.
"It was from when I was younger, some guy grabbed me, it was a whole thing that I'm way too tired to go into right now."
When the hell had that happened?
Hitoshi nodded, quickly changing into his pyjamas before slumping down onto the futon.
"Shouta mentioned that the provisional licensing exams are coming up, I wonder if they'll even submit me for consideration."
Kacchan joined him.
"Why wouldn't they?"
"I haven't done anywhere near the same level of training as you guys have, and I don't even know where I stand with the police, they haven't put the bracelet back on but like, is this just temporary until they get a new one or can it just stay off now?"
"If they think they're putting another one of those things on you then I will burn down the police station."
Hitoshi smirked.
"I'll join you."
Kacchan laughed.
"Very heroic of us."
Hitoshi pulled the sheets over the two of them.
"Goodnight."
"Night." Toshi replied.
This was the part he always hated, just having to lie there and hope for brain to be generous and grant him the privilege of being able to fall asleep.
Kacchan's eyes were closed, his breathing already becoming lighter.
How did he do that?
"I'm sorry for teasing you about Kirishima in front of Hizashi, that wasn't very nice." Hitoshi whispered.
"It's fine… now go to sleep." His cousin replied, no bite to his tone as he did so, just an honest answer.
"Sorry."
Kacchan exhaled with a smirk, eyes still closed as he opened his arms expectantly.
Hitoshi took him up on the offer, shuffling closer and allowing his friend to wrap his arms gently around him, holding him close.
"Thanks."
"No problem, now count fucking sheep or whatever."
Hitoshi smiled, closing his eyes sleep finding him easily.
Hitoshi jolted awake, bolting upright as he shook violently, breathing erratic, hands pulling at his hair as his eyes darted around the room.
"Toshi?"
The voice didn't come from beside him but rather outside. Kacchan was sat out on the wooden decking of the long balcony through the now open sliding door.
Untangling himself from the sheets Hitoshi made his way over and took a seat, leaning back against the wall of the house as he looked up at the night sky, the light breeze of the early hours comforting and tranquil.
"You okay?"
Hitoshi took a breath.
"I'll survive."
There was silence for a good minute before Kacchan spoke up.
"I like Kirishima... I have done since before everything happened but was never strong enough to say it."
Hitoshi was practically beaming.
"Zuku told me about everything he did back in Kamino, he clearly cares about you."
"That doesn't mean he'll even be interested, or that he's even gay, plus I'm not exactly out to anyone..."
"Well you're out to me, that's a start, right?" Hitoshi offered a soft smile.
Kacchan nodded.
"You should talk to him."
"I don't want to... I don't know..." His cousin sighed.
"I don't think you're giving Kirishima enough credit, I highly doubt he'd wanna' stop being friends over this, even if he wasn't gay, he's just not that kind of person."
Kacchan shivered
Heading back into the room he found the box marked 'Toshi clothes', opening it revealed exactly what he needed.
"Here."
He held out the Hawks hoodie, waiting for his cousin to take it before sitting back down and throwing the thick jumper Nemuri had bought him on.
"Thank you." Came the quiet reply.
"No problem."
Taking the opportunity Hitoshi shuffled closer to Kacchan and leant against his side, his cousin accepting the action and even leaning his own head in to rest against him.
"I don't want to start tomorrow, just being there for even a few hours made me feel like I was constantly about to have a panic attack. It's too much and I can't..." He shook his head. "Fuck me..."
"I don't want to either." Kacchan admitted.
"Wanna' just stay here then, Zashi and Shouta won't mind?"
"Yes please."
"Have you moved into your dorm at all?"
His cousin shook his head.
"You know, my room's big enough for you to just stay here too, it still classifies as you being on campus and I doubt your Mom and Dad would mind you living with Shou and Zashi."
"I can't just live in their house, Purple Hair."
"Why not?"
"Because it's their house! I'll live at the dorms and just come over here at night or vice versa."
"You don't have to, I have plenty room, we shared smaller at-."
"Don't." Kacchan's tone sharpened as his gaze moved away.
"Sorry."
No response.
Hitoshi shrunk a little, scared he'd upset his friend.
Kacchan seemed to notice and sighed before looking up at the stars.
"Do you know much about what's up there?"
He shook his head.
"Never learnt."
Hitoshi couldn't help but notice the slight growl his cousin let slip before seeming to shake it off.
Kacchan took his hand and used it to point towards the sky.
"Well I'm guessing you know those are stars."
He nodded.
"Well the sun is also one; we can just see it clearer because it's closer to Earth. There're also nine planets if you include Pluto, some of them we can see, like Mars."
Kacchan moved his hand to point out a reddish coloured star.
"You can also see Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn if you know where to look. And that, obviously, is the moon. The Earth is moving all the time because everything in the solar system is in orbit; we all move around the sun and the moon orbits us making night and day."
Hitoshi furrowed an eyebrow.
"That sounds… really confusing."
Kacchan smirked.
"It's also really boring, trust me." He released Hitoshi's hand before using his own to point towards a patch of stars. "These are cooler though, they're constellations and they make different shapes like there, that's the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper."
It took a little bit of finding but Hitoshi's eyes widened when he did find it.
"Woah…"
Kacchan smiled.
"Yeah, woah. Orion's up there too, it's named after some guy from Greek mythology."
"If there's so much out there, then we're pretty insignificant then, right?"
His cousin smirked.
"I give you a five minute science lesson and you're already hitting the head on philosophical bullshit."
Hitoshi rolled his eyes.
"Shut up." He smiled. "Thanks, for all that."
"Well someone needs to teach you this shit; it's not fair that you don't know basic crap."
"Maybe you could consider a career in teaching if the whole hero thing doesn't work out." Hitoshi teased.
"Shut it, Purple Hair!"
He burst out laughing.
It was two days before the cousins felt ready enough to return back to school. They'd been a little late to first period but Shouta hadn't cared at all, offering them both a soft smile as they entered homeroom and welcoming them back.
Hitoshi couldn't help but notice Kirishima's eyes immediately track to Kacchan, thankful to see his friend back.
After they were dismissed they made their way to the next lesson, Kirishima caught up to them in the hall.
"Hey Bakugou, could I talk to you a minute?"
His cousin looked to him as if asking if it was okay.
Hitoshi gave him a reassuring smile.
"I'll meet you in class."
And walked off.
Kacchan slid his backpack down and unzipped it, grabbing the money and holding it out.
"Here."
"How did you know I bought night vision goggles?"
He shrugged.
"It's not all of it... it's not even like an eighth of it, but I'll pay you back."
"You don't need to do that."
"I don't want to be in debt to you." Kacchan answered, tone small.
Kirishima exhaled.
"You're not." He answered softly. "You're my friend and I wanted to help find you."
Kacchan was quiet.
"Look, after they took you, I felt useless."
'It's not our place to interfere, you fool!'
"When I heard they were after you, I couldn't do anything..." He painfully admitted, shame heavy in his voice. "I didn't do anything! I just had to sit there in that classroom and wait to hear more, by that time they'd already grabbed you and Hitoshi."
'If I don't act now forget being a hero, I'm not even a man!'
"So yeah, I came to save you, and even then I failed. We only got you, I should have done something to help Hitoshi, I could've helped."
"You would have just gotten in All Might's way, that's why he was having to do less flashy attacks, he couldn't risk the collateral damage of Toshi and me. Plus Purple Hair would've just used his quirk on you to get you out of there."
"Is that what he did to you?"
Kacchan didn't reply.
"We need to go to class." He eventually spoke up a short while later.
Kirishima nodded.
"Yeah."
The two teens walked silently down the hallway.
"So, we're still friends, right?"
Kacchan smiled.
"Obviously idiot..."
Kirishima grinned.
