"This is…" Hitoshi groaned as he tried to avoid swearing in front of the entire UA staff. "So I come third in the midterm exam and then what, I'm just not allowed to participate in the final exams at all?"
"That's not what I said." Shouta replied.
"Then what? I have trained for every second you've allowed me to have this stupid bracelet off, and I am more than ready to prove that where I finished in the sports festival wasn't just some fluke, so why won't you let me?!"
"Master Shinsou." Principal Nezu walked over.
"No! I'm sick of being treated like I'm different. Like there's something wrong with me. I know you don't trust me, and I know that the police are on your backs saying that I'm probably gonna' just waltz back to the League, but my loyalty is with UA and my classmates, just… give me a chance… please."
"You are taking the final exam."
"Just not with them or any of the teachers, that's not fair."
"Life isn't fair, kid." Snipe retorted.
His anger grew as he glared at the pro.
"Hitoshi." Hizashi walked over. "You need to calm down."
"But!"
"Now."
Hitoshi looked hurt as his gaze dropped.
"'You'll have the same chances as every other kid in the country'." He began voice quiet. "You said that to me less than a week ago. It certainly doesn't feel like it."
"Hitoshi…" Shouta sighed.
"So what is it? What reason did the police give for why I can't take part? Is it because I could hurt a classmate? Or are they scared I'll target one of you guys? I live with two of you!" His tone rose a little once again. "It's hard to believe your speeches about me not being a villain when you're so determined to treat me like one. 'Oh no Hitoshi, you're nothing like them. What's that, oh that's just a precaution, you have to be at least eight miles away from any student or staff member on campus just in case you try and kill someone'…"
"You need to learn some respect." Snipe stated warningly as he stood up from his seat.
"Oh yeah, what are you gonna' do?!" He challenged.
"Hitoshi, what is your goal here?" Shouta asked, tone showing how unimpressed he clearly was with his behaviour.
"You talk about how you 'saved' me, and I got used to that idea in my head, but moments like this, or just being at school in general reminds me how far away I actually am from that concept." Hitoshi began. "I'm not free, I'm just not being punched or bled or injected with shit, oh and you're feeding me, those are literally the only differences. You don't let me train; I have a friggin' limit to how far away I'm allowed to go before this stupid thing sets off." He shook the bracelet on his wrist. "I have this, which I suppose is a torture device considering it apparently electrocutes me if I use my quirk." His breathing raced as he got riled up. "So what happens if someone attacked, hmmm? Am I supposed to just stand there while everyone else fights? Just hold my hands up and ask them politely not to kill me if they pick me out of the group? You're so scared that I'm gonna' do something that you haven't even allowed me a way of defending myself. And you and the police can justify it anyway you want, I know who I am and I'm not one of them."
Hitoshi's lip shook.
"After everything they did to me, all those years, why would I ever want to be? I was here for months before the USJ and not one of you even noticed something was wrong with me. None of you asked if I was okay, or why I was covered in bruises, or nearly passing out from starvation, you just didn't care. Then when I got pulled through that warp gate you saw me as the perfect scapegoat. Like your neglect of a student was now justified because said student ended up being mixed up with the League of Villains. Fucking Kacchan was the only one who stopped them from hurting me." He pulled at his hair as the panic set in. "I want…"
He willed himself to stay composed.
"I want to believe that if the League ever came back I could protect my friends because I don't want to lose them. I'm having nightmares all the time where they attack and I can't do anything. I watch my friends die every night and I can't get it to stop. I just don't want to be scared anymore. I want to be stronger!" He roared.
They all looked shocked, their eyes wide as Hitoshi finally came back to himself, realising just where he was, and most importantly, just who he'd screamed in the faces of.
"I-."
"Eraserhead, Present Mic, could you please take Master Shinsou somewhere to cool down?"
Twenty minutes later and Hitoshi was sat in homeroom with Shouta's sleeping bag wrapped around him, the warmth keeping him grounded.
He fiddled with his fingers, gaze downcast as he spoke up quietly.
"What I said back there, I didn't mean it."
Hitoshi saw both Shouta and Hizashi's gaze raise to him as he avoided eye contact, not wanting to see the disappointment.
"Living with you is nothing like being with them, and I didn't mean to sound so ungrateful. I really appreciate that you feed me, and don't hurt me, and I uh."
Words became harder to produce, his throat hurting as he felt the muteness pushing forward. Hitoshi fought it back as he bit his lip, trying not to cry.
"I'll be better, I'll talk less, I'll do everything you say, just please don't send me away."
"Hitoshi…"
He panicked.
"I'm sorry."
Hizashi, clearly having enough of seeing his ward in such emotional distress, closed the gap between them. The flinch from Hitoshi as he reached out a hand made him feel almost sick as he gently wrapped his arms around the young boy and began offering soft coos of comfort.
As Shouta walked over, the voice hero moved around so that he could hug the teen from behind while allowing his husband space to crouch down in front of Hitoshi.
Hitoshi's breath caught in his throat.
Shouta gently took his ward's hands and offered a warm smile.
"I think everything just got a little too much back there, and you had some things you clearly needed to get off your chest. I know the timing may not have been great but I'm glad that you did." He reached up and stroked a hand through the teen's hair. "If you ever feel like that again, angry or sad, or worried, I want you to talk to us, okay? I know it might feel better to keep it all in but the only person you're hurting is yourself by doing that."
"Are you happy living with us Hitoshi?" Hizashi asked.
The teen's expression crumbled as he looked down.
Shouta rubbed his thumb against his ward's hand reassuringly.
"Hey, we're not getting rid of you, okay?" He took a breath. "Clearly we haven't been doing our jobs properly because otherwise we would have noticed something was bothering you."
Hitoshi looked horrified as he shook his head frantically.
"No, no, it was me. You didn't do anything I was just being stupid and-."
"You were not being stupid, your emotions are important and I'm sorry that we didn't help you when you needed us to. That changes today. From now on, no matter how inconsequential you think someone you're feeling upset or scared about is you come and see us, okay?"
"And just to add onto that, it doesn't matter if it's 4AM and we're asleep or if you physically have to tap me on the shoulder and ask me to put my hearing aids in, you come and tell us so we can help you. Don't think that there's ever a time when you can't come to us." Hizashi explained.
Hitoshi met their gaze for the first time.
"Did I get you in trouble? Because I was so rude and you could lose your jobs because of me and…"
"No one is losing their job, not over that. Yes you shouldn't have talked to members of staff the way you did but no, you didn't do anything to warrant something like that."
There was a knock at the door as Principal Nezu peered round.
"Sorry to interrupt."
"No come in." Hizashi invited.
Hitoshi turned to the Principal.
"I'm really sorry."
He got a smile in return.
"Apology accepted, Master Shinsou. Are you feeling better?"
Hitoshi nodded.
"As much as I don't agree with the manner in which you aired your thoughts about the proceedings, I do agree that it would be unfair for you to not participate in the final exams, especially given your performance in the midterm; therefore I have some news which might make you smile a little more. As you know Midoriya and Bakugou were assigned All Might as their opponent. It was always going to be a challenge to face a hero such as him two on one so placing you in the group with them should hopefully help to balance out the odds of success."
"Thank you, Sir."
"I think it would be best if Hitoshi went home, I'll arrange cover for you both, the schedules light today anyway."
Shouta stood up before offering his arm to the teen.
"Come on, you need some rest for tomorrow."