Disclaimer: I do not own Boku No Hero Academia.

CHAPTER XXII – CHRISTMAS EVE

More than seven months passed. During that time, like in Tartarus, he was kept in isolation, never once seeing another prisoner and only being visited by his therapists or the people bringing him food and new clothes. He knew he was still being monitored every second but he was thankful that they at least allowed him to wash himself.

The therapy meetings always went unexpectedly smooth, surprising both the doctors and him and with every good act he put on display, they seemed to trust him more and more. Soon he was put into a cosier cell with an actual bed and a blanket stuffed with down feathers. Still, his body never calmed down and Tomura soon understood that all these quirks that had been forced into him only to be as abruptly removed again, had left his body in an uproar. But there was nothing he could do but to endure the quicker beating of his heart and pulse and the bad sleep until his body was used to being itself again. Gone was that little additional heartbeat but decay still remained.

Ironic how it's always death that sticks to me.

Fortunately, his working hours were soon reduced to eight and he was given books and riddles to solve, distracting his mind. He was never bored but with each passing day, his desire to be out there grew stronger.

How much longer will I have to endure this?

Will they ever let me go?

He had no idea what the lawyer, which had been assigned to him by the state, was actually doing to get him out. Yes, Tomura had met and talked to him, but for all guy cared, he could probably rot in here. Nobody wanted a murder like him walking around freely. Not that the guy had ever said that, but in the end he was just like the rest of them! This wasn't one of All for One's lackeys: This was an actual everyday guy, who watched the news and knew that he was involved with Stain, with the attack at school camp and everything from then on. And now that Tomura was "his case", he knew many more things about the silver-haired young man which Tomura tried not to think about.

You will rot in here, just as you wished back then.

I don't want to die. I want to go out.

You don't deserve it.

I want to see All Might!

You are trash.

One day, Tomura asked for a pair of scissors, which he was given after an hour of negotiating with the guards, convincing them that he wasn't going to hurt himself with them, realizing that they still didn't trust him as much as they appeared to.

In front of his bathroom mirror, he began cutting his long white hair. At first, he had only planned on cutting the tips that were so annoyingly tickling his neck and back. But while holding that pair of scissors, he was like in a trance, and he didn't stop cutting until his hair was short. Not so short that he couldn't still hide his eyes anymore, but the last time he had worn it this way was while attacking U.A., more than three years ago. That memory felt like yesterday and like a hundred years ago at the same time.

Stop thinking about the past.

Whenever he spoke to himself like that, he could feel his anxiety, caged up somewhere in the darkest corner of his brain, rattling the bars and trying to break free. Sometimes he managed to keep it at bay, but this time it broke through and invaded his heart and his stomach, making him let the scissors fall. He went to his knees and hugged himself, feeling the bones on his back as he tried to fight back that disgusting cold.

You killed them!

You tried to kill All Might!

Then one of the guards entered the cell and took the scissors away, but paid no mind to a panicking Tomura.

See? I told you that you were trash.

Then came the day his assigned lawyer visited him to tell him about the good news; that had been granted an early release, though on parole. The man had assured him that it wasn't going to be easy and that he would still be monitored, but Tomura had not listened anymore. Somehow, he was convinced that everything was going to get better once he was out of here.

And eventually, Christmas Eve rolled around and Tomura's release was.. quieter than expected.

Before leaving his cell, he had been given some clothes to wear that still smelled of fabric colour, revealing that they just came out of some cheap clothing shop. Simple black pants combined with a white shirt and a thick coat, reminding him that it was indeed winter outside. However he wasn't given a scarf or a hat and they didn't bother with proper shoes either; instead they brought him some blue sneakers and he could already fell the cold pushing through that thin layer of cotton.

"Who is going to pay for all of this?", he asked, trying to distract himself from the excitement.

"This has already been taken care of."

After he had put on the clothes, he was given all necessary documents including health insurance papers and an identity card (with which he wasn't allowed to leave the country of course) before he was told that a pick up to his new home was already on the way. The guards then guided him towards the exit of the prison, but didn't step through the door that looked like the only entry (or exit) this building had. Everything else was high walls with barbed wire atop. The moment the heavy door behind him closed, it suddenly became real: Freedom.

Cold.
Wet.
Air.
Fresh.
Dark sky.

He took in the world like the air he needed after being held captive in a prison made out of water.

I'm not dreaming. This is all happening!

How could this be? A moment ago, he had been a child living with his family, later on only with his father. The next he had killed the man and chosen to go down the dark path of a criminal, a thief, an outcast. The way of a murderer, of someone who took whatever they wanted. And though he had never thought it to happen, he got captured, his master unable to protect him. And Tomura got put into jail, where he was either ready to break out or to die but there had never been something in between – until All Might had come to visit him.

He had changed so much.

"How do you feel?", the voice of an older man startled him. Tomura turned to his left to face Gran Torino, standing there in casual clothes with his hands hidden inside the pockets of his jacket.

Where did he–? I didn't even notice him!, it angered him that he had gotten weaker again, not paying attention to his surroundings.

"Nervous." It was only one of the many emotions he currently felt. He was happy and relieved and still so frightened of what was to come.

"Let's get in the car, I'm freezing.", the old man said and waved at him, signalling Tomura to follow.

Just around the corner, there was a parking spot and of course, Gran Torino opened the door of a car that was at least as old as the guy driving it. Tomura couldn't help but sigh.

Then, something cold landed on the tip of his nose. He stopped and looked up into dark sky, its stars hidden behind the curtain of thick clouds.

"It's snowing.", he mumbled, more to himself than anyone in particular and once more he felt alive. How was it that he had never seen the beauty of such simple things before?

Have I been dead all along? Am I awakening only now?

"Come on, Shimura!"

He startled once more, this time at the mentioning of his birth name, but shook it off quickly and got onto the passenger seat. Gran Torino started the engine and turned the car out of its spot, then put on the heater as the vehicle brought them away from this prison and a part of Tomura's life at the same time.

He didn't look back once.

There was no music during their whole voyage. After half an hour, the former villain tested the waters: "Where exactly are we going?" He knew they were going to his "new house", but he had not been told where this place was.

Gran Torino's eyes didn't leave the road, he only shrugged and kept quiet for at least another minute, before he said quietly something like 'You'll see'.

And so they drove for at least another hour before the man parked the car right next to a small two-floor house, a building like they were seen everywhere in and around Japan's capital. There was weak light on the first floor, meaning someone was at home.

It has to be him..

"We're here.", Gran Torino stated the obvious and quickly added, "Now get out, kid! I'm tired."

Tomura nodded, stepped out and closed the door without a goodbye. Taking a step back, he watched Gran Torino get out of the parking spot again and driving off. The young man could feel his feet inside his shoes getting wet, but continued to stand on the same spot for a while longer, taking in the neighbourhood. Everything looked as usual as it could look. Lamps lightening the way for whoever chose to walk the streets tonight. Electricity wires hanging from every house, providing the power to heaters. Tomura then let his eyes wander to the snow, which had managed to build a thin layer on the streets.

It's still so hard to believe this is happening..

He walked up to the main entry and rang the bell.

Ten seconds, twenty, thirty.. closed it remained. He considered ringing again but then shook his head. This was the house he was supposed to live in, right? So why would he expect someone to open the door?

Tomura reached for the door handle, one finger always aloft, and pushed it down. He entered into the dark hallway, a dim light at the end leading the way to what he thought to be the kitchen.

"Hello?", he called.

No answer.

Tomura sighed and got out of his shoes and thick coat, placing in neatly on the floor before walking towards the light. His socks were wet (yes, he was wearing them for a change. It was cold after all!), but it was quite warm inside this house and they were going to dry in no time.

When he left the hallway, he found himself in a dining room. As he thought and secretly wished for in Gran Torino's car, All Might was sitting on the table. His head was resting on his arms, happily asleep while the fire inside the chimney cast dancing shadows upon his face. So this had been the week light he had seen from outside.

The table was set and opposite to All Might stood a bowl of rice, miso soup and some fish. At this point, probably all of it was already cold. It looked like All Might had been waiting for him the whole evening.

Quietly, he pulled out the chair and sat down, ready to eat until he saw that there was another rather curious item lying in the middle of the dishes: An envelope. He reached for it and turned it around, looking for a name.

This is stupid Tomura, of course it's for you! Just open it up.

Slowly, he opened it and folded out the letter, reading the following:

"To Mr. YAGI TOSHINORI

We are happy to inform you that your inquiry for the fostering of

SHIMURA TENKO

has been accepted by the social-"

Tomura didn't read any further but clasped the letter to his heart.

And just like that, for a day, all fears were forgotten. This was the happiest moment of his life.

No, he wasn't a minor anymore but the fact that All Might had still inquired for adoption was..

"But if you ever need someone to be a father to you, a father that won't hurt you.. I'll be there."

He glanced back at All Might, who was now awake, sitting there with sleepy eyes and a trademark smile:

"Merry Christmas, Tomura. Welcome home."