(A/N) The making of the pretzels! For the record, I have made homemade pretzels and they are amazing. Warning for a slight panic attack later in the chapter. It isn't graphic or anything, but I'm warning you.

The kitchen was about the same size as most other foster homes he'd been in, although it probably had more counter space, given the large island in the middle.

"You two can sit up there for a bit so we can figure this out!" Hagakure gestured to the island, which was currently free of any objects. "I'll get the mixer really quick while you do that!"

Ojiro planted his hands on the edge of the counter, then jumped slightly, twisting and planting his backend on the counter. It didn't look hard, and Hitoshi had practice with motions like that from swimming. He hadn't done it recently, but he'd probably done it enough as a kid.

So he shifted weight to his slightly better leg, and planted his hands on the counter, bouncing slightly with his better leg, and twisting to sit on the counter.

"So your legs do not brush the floor," Hagakure sounded rather disappointed. "Aww, still cool though! It's pretty close! Maybe when you're an adult you'll be able to touch the ground while sitting on a counter!"

Hitoshi shrugged it off, watching her, or her clothes, he supposed, put the rather large mixer on one of the counters opposite him.

"Hey Momo, can you turn on the sink, pull the handle out and all the way to the left?" Hagakure was doing...something to the mixer, and gestured to the sink.

Yaoyorozu let the water start running. "Do I just leave it running?"

"Yeah, it'll warm up in a bit," Hagakure finally stepped back, rummaging around in a different cupboard. Hitoshi spotted a bunch of measuring cups before she chose one and closed the door. "Mash, can you find the sugar? It's in the pantry there. Should be the shelf about chest height for you."

Ojiro disappeared into the pantry, and Hitoshi watched as Hagakure checked the temperature of the water with her fingers, then ignored it for a bit to open the fridge and pull out a smallish container.

"We need the warm water to activate the yeast," Hagakure explained, checking the water again. "The sugar helps too."

Ojiro set a fairly large container on the counter, and it startled Hitoshi, who jumped slightly. "Oh, sorry Hitoshi, I'll warn you next time."

Hitoshi watched the sugar carefully for a moment to make sure it wouldn't go anywhere, then nodded.

Yaoyorozu swiped a finger under the water. "It's hot now."

Hagakure grinned, checking herself then nodding and pulling out a large measuring cup thing. She turned down the water then filled it halfway.

Hitoshi watched them work around each other, Hagakure directing them like she was born to do it.

"Hey Hitoshi, can you bring over a cup of flour?"

Hitoshi, nerves frayed slightly from worrying about not being helpful, jumped slightly before nodding. Hagakure handed him a measuring cup. "Just use this! Don't worry about getting it level. This isn't an exact science."

Hitoshi nodded again, carefully sliding off the counter. He suppressed the wince that tried to happen when he landed on his feet, the injuries still painful. He scooped out some flour, carefully leveling it at least a little bit with his finger before approaching Hagakure with it.

"Glad to see you guys are working together!" A man's voice came from behind them, and everyone jumped, Hitoshi dropping the measuring cup like it had burned him.

It fell, landing on his foot, right on one of the previous injuries left by the glass. Flour flew everywhere and Hitoshi very nearly started crying. He had to clean up, right? The adult had seen him make a mess right there! He didn't even know what the punishments were for this house. He should've handed it to Hagakure sooner.

"Hey, Hitoshi," Hagakure said urgently, snapping her fingers presumably to get his attention. It startled him again, and he reared back, stepping backwards with his bad foot and promptly crumpling to the ground in pain.

"Toru," Yaoyorozu reprimanded quietly, before crouching down next to Hitoshi. "Hitoshi, hey, it's alright, we can clean up the flour. It's not a big mess."

Hitoshi shook his head. He'd made the mess, he had to clean it up, couldn't let any of them get in trouble for his mistake.

He tried to force himself to his feet, only for the pain he'd been repressing all day to crash down on him. He didn't cry out, of course he didn't, but he crumpled back to the ground, trying desperately to steady his breathing against the flood of pain and panic pressing down on him. He barely heard Yaoyorozu trying to get his attention, her soft counting.

"Hitoshi Shinso," Yaoyorozu said again, and Hitoshi managed to focus on her, although just barely. "Five things you can see. List them to me." She paused. "Or point at them."

Hitoshi blinked at her, then slowly, slowly forced his hand to point at her, then at the hand he now noticed she was holding and pressing against her chest to feel the gentle and slow rising and falling. She nodded encouragingly, and he pointed at the next thing he could see, the floor, followed by the counter, then Hagakure sweeping up flour.

"Four things you can touch," she said next. "Point again."

He pointed at his hand, still held against her chest. He was imitating her breathing, although hadn't realized he was. He tapped his shirt, then the floor, and his pants.

"Three things you can hear," she encouraged.

He pointed at her, then the broom Hagakure was using, then the soft hum of the mixer.

"Two things you can smell."

Hitoshi had to think about that one a bit more, breathing in deeply through his nose. He pointed at the mixer again, then a candle he hadn't seen when it'd been lit.

"One thing you can taste."

Hitoshi wrinkled his nose.

Yaoyorozu laughed. "It's alright. We can leave that one off. Feeling a bit better?"

Hitoshi nodded hesitantly. The finding things and the counting down had calmed him down, made him focus on one thing, not the helpless spiral of his thoughts.

"See, the flour's all cleaned up," Yaoyorozu gestured to the clean floor and cupboards. "It's alright." She nailed him with a pleading look. "Can we please take care of whatever injuries you have?"

Hitoshi really didn't want them to see, didn't want them to know how badly he'd messed up in dropping the plate, but what choice did he have? He nodded.

"Thank you," she replied quietly. "Would you prefer if we dealt with it in the bathroom?"

Ojiro crouched down next to Momo, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I can do it. If that's alright, Hitoshi?"

Hitoshi just nodded. He didn't particularly care at this point.

Yaoyorozu nodded, handing Ojiro a roll of bandages and a bottle of something, along with what looked like a chunk of gauze.

Ojiro tucked it into his hoodie pocket, offering his hand to Hitoshi. "Would you rather walk or be carried."

Hitoshi raised an eyebrow. Was Ojiro sure he could carry Hitoshi? Wasn't Hitoshi a good few inches taller then he was? (Author note: I looked it up, Hitoshi has like, three inches on Ojiro)

"I'm pretty strong, and you're pretty light," Ojiro continued. "I can probably carry you just fine. May I carry you or would you prefer to walk."

"Point at the floor to walk, at him to be carried," Yaoyorozu said quickly, and Hitoshi was grateful to her. He hesitantly pointed at Ojiro.

He rationalized it as not wanting to get blood everywhere. He could feel the blood slowly spreading, and not just on the top of his foot.

"Alright, I'm going to pick you up in the princess carry, since I think that's easiest." Ojiro pointed to Hitoshi's knees, then to his back. "I'll hold you there and there, flick my arm or something if it's uncomfortable."

Hitoshi nodded hesitantly, and Ojiro looped his arms under Hitoshi's knees and around his back, lifting him up fairly easily. Hitoshi flinched at the small puddle of blood left behind where his foot had been.

Hagakure swooped down and mopped it up with a rag, smiling reassuringly at him. "All comfortable Hito?"

Hitoshi wasn't in any pain because of the hold itself, and that was good, so he nodded.

Ojiro headed towards the bathroom, and Hitoshi spent the time fretting about dripping blood anywhere, and also trying to not have another panic attack.

Ojiro carefully set him down on the toilet, and Hitoshi quietly relished the coolness of it.

"Can you pull up your pant leg so I can redo the bandages?" Ojiro asked calmly, pulling the bandages and disinfectant out of his pocket.

Hitoshi complied, grateful they only seem to have noticed one leg, not both. He could manage this, he would be fine.

Ojiro raised an eyebrow once he finished unwrapping Hitoshi's leg. "Honestly I would suggest either a hospital or Recovery Girl with it being this bad, but I suppose neither is much of an option at the moment."

Hitoshi didn't move as Ojiro took a quick picture of his leg. "It's for when we try and get you out of the foster system," Ojiro explained as he worked to disinfect each cut. "Does this still have glass in it Hitoshi?"

Hitoshi shrugged. Why would he know.

Ojiro sighed. "Whatever. There should be tweezers in here somewhere, I'm going to need to pull it out."

Hitoshi's stomach clenched as he realized that if Ojiro pulled out the shard, he'd probably realize it had been part of a plate, and that the injuries were Hitoshi's fault. He hoped it wouldn't make him lose Ojiro as a friend. He didn't think he could manage that.

(A/N) I'm iffy on that ending, but it'll have to do for now. I'm tired and still have a bit of homework to finish. Wish me luck. And please, if you end up shattering glass over your feet, go to the hospital. It'll be easier and safer. Hito's being an idiot.