Chapter Text
Aizawa sprinted across the rooftops, chasing a shadow in the sky.
He'd been tipped off that the vigilante Phantom would be around the area. They were right and now he was giving chase. Phantom had to be stopped.
Phantom was incredibly fast. Not fast enough to lose him though. And he was easy to spot in the sky.
He had to get Phantom down. But he couldn't risk using his Quirk where the other could fall. He had to get under Phantom.
So he sped up and waited until he was directly under the vigilante before he activated his quirk.
And then Phantom fell. Right into his arms.
A kid, barely looking eight years old stared at him. And then he started screaming and thrashing.
"LET ME GO!!!" They screeched.
Aizawa shook off his surprise and held the kid close, making sure he didn't harm himself or Aizawa. But he was still in shock.
A kid? The vigilante was a kid?
"Hey, hey calm down." He said.
"LET ME GO, LET ME GO, LET ME GO!!!" The kid screamed, thrashing wildly. Tears of pure terror slid down his face and his voice cracked on a sob.
"Hey, shh.... Calm down." Aizawa said soothingly, holding the kid close. "I'm not going to hurt you. Just calm down."
"I can't go back, I can't go back, please don't take me back." The kid sobbed. His struggles were futile. He had the body of an eight year old. He wasn't strong. Against a trained pro hero, he didn't have a snowball's chance in hell.
Aizawa did not like the implications of that.
"Kid," he started carefully. "I won't take you back. But you can't stay out here. Do you have anywhere to go? Anywhere you feel safe?"
"Let me go." The kid sobbed brokenly, his futile struggles lessening a bit.
"I can't do that kid." Aizawa said as he held him close. "You're an illegal vigilante. But since you're a kid you won't go to jail. But you can't keep going like this. Do you have anywhere to go?"
The kid nodded quickly. He did. Touya. He wanted to get back to Touya.
"Okay. Where?" Aizawa asked.
"I can't show you."
The kid was trembling. He couldn't get out of this, could he? But he couldn't compromise Touya's safety on the off chance that this hero might not try to turn them in.
"Kid, you just screamed that you don't want to go back." Aizawa pointed out. "You're a runaway. Obviously. I won't bring you back but I need to know that you actually have a place to go. I can't leave you all alone out here. It's dangerous."
"I have Touya." The kid said, trying to twist out of the grip.
Aizawa kept his hold. "Then show me where you live. If it's not safe I have to take you with me."
"No! You'll just give me back to them! I can't go back!" The kid frantically tried to get out of the grip.
"Kid, I won't." Aizawa kept his hold. "You clearly don't want to go back to wherever you came from and I won't bring you there. But you can't stay out here either."
"I can! Stop acting like you care! Only Touya does!" The kid shouted.
Aizawa sighed and started walking away with the kid. "Of course I care. You're eight. You're too young to be out here."
"I'm not! Let me go!" The kid tried to kick his captor but it didn't work.
That didn't deter Aizawa who kept walking. He pulled out his phone to text Hizashi that he was bringing a kid home before doing the same to Tsukauchi. Hopefully he'd be able to get the kid to talk and get to the bottom of why he'd run away.
~~~
Aizawa opens the door, holding the kid close with one arm. He had to use his Quirk multiple times when the kid tried to fly away. "Hizashi I'm home."
The kid was trying to bite his arm but couldn't quite reach.
"Let me go!" He growled. Maybe intimidation would work.
"No." Shouta said bluntly.
"Shou!!!" Hizashi smiled at him but paused at the kid in his arms. "Who's this?"
"The vigilante Phantom." Shouta said.
The kid glared at the other adult. One was more than enough. He hated adults. They were only trouble.
Hizashi smiled at the kid. Messy short brown hair that looks to be in a permanent state of wind hair. Bright blue eyes and freckles on his cheeks.
"Hey there little one. What's your name? It can't be Phantom." Hizashi greeted.
The kid narrowed his eyes to glare harder. Like hell he'd tell them.
"Kid doesn't have a place to go so he's staying here for now." Shouta said.
"I'm not." The kid growled lowly.
"Awesome! I'll prepare the bedroom!" Hizashi said and left.
"Let's get you cleaned up kid." Shouta said, walking towards the bathroom.
"I don't need to be cleaned up." The kid protested. "Leave me alone."
"Can't do that kid. You'll fly off." Shouta said, looking at the kid. It had to be an emitter quirk. There was no physical sign of wings but he knew they'd form. Black translucent wings. Feathered if he was right from the many times the kid tried to fly off earlier.
The kid scowled.
"Just let me. You 'heroes' are all the same." He scoffed.
Shouta blinked a little. "Oh yeah? And what is it that we're the same?"
"You're all selfish assholes." The kid hissed.
Shouta hummed as he opened the door to the bathroom. So the kid hated heroes. "Some are. But not all heroes are like that."
"All of them are. You turn a blind eye to suffering and just continue on like nothing happened." The kid growled.
"I didn't leave you behind did I?" Shouta asked.
"Why didn't you?!" The kid shouted. "Touya is gonna be all alone now."
"Who is Touya?" Shouta asked. "And I don't even know your name."
"Why would I tell you? You're a hero and you'd just turn me over to HC."
Shouta blinked. "Why... why would I turn you over to the Hero Commision?"
The kid flinched. He didn't answer, clenching his teeth to keep himself silent. Stupid.
"Kid," Shouta said slowly. "You have to tell me. Why would the Hero Commision want you?"
A harsh shiver went through the kid.
"No. My brother suffered enough." The kid mumbled. He couldn't do that to Izuku. He'd already taken his place to set him free. He couldn't be captured. Everything would be in vain. It would be like spitting into Izuku's face after he'd sacrificed everything for him.
"Kid, I won't take you back." Shouta promised. "But I have to know. And you mentioned a brother. Is he in the same situation you used to be?"
The kid sniffed quietly.
"Just let me go..." He begged quietly. He wanted to get back to Touya. Back to safety.
"Kid..." Shouta started before he sighed. "Just... take a bath. Eat dinner with us. Sleep for the night. I'll let you leave tomorrow."
The kid stared up at him with tears in his eyes.
"You promise?" He mumbled quietly.
Shouta nodded. "Yes. I don't like this, at all, but just... Let me help. When you leave, just let me help sometime."
The kid stared at him.
"I'll decide when I leave." He replied, going limp. He wasn't relaxing but he wasn't fighting the hold either.
Shouta nodded and placed the kid down. "Do you want a shower or a bath?"
"Shower. My wings soak otherwis-" The kid cut himself off, looking sad and lost.
Shouta noticed but didn't say anything. "Okay. I'll turn on the shower. Warm water?"
"No." The kid mumbled quietly.
"Lukewarm?"
The kid shook his head.
"Cold?" Shouta asked. "Are you sure?"
The kid answered with a small nod.
"Okay." The adult relented and turned on the shower with cold water.
"There's a towel on the counter. Help yourself to the soaps. I'll leave out some clean clothes for you." He said before leaving.
The kid stared after him.
When the door closed, he sighed. He stared at the mirror, a face that was not his own staring back at him.
His messy blond hair replaced with brown. And his golden eyes now blue. His cheeks were also dotted with freckles in a diamond shape.
He knew his fingerprint was different too. So were his height and size.
And his red wings were gone.
Well... not completely.
He looked over his shoulder, black wings manifesting.
Why. Why had Izuku done that? Why had he taken his place? Why had he freed him? He didn't even know what to do with his newfound freedom.
All he'd ever known was training. Before that, he had nothing. His family lived in poverty and alcohol. Always stripped for cash. That was why they accepted the offer HC made. Practically sold him off, he'd realized a bit ago.
He didn't even know what to do now. He was using his skills to fight criminals like he was taught but he was not needed. Only chased down. At least he was able to get food.
At least he had Touya...
Touya had gone through something similar as him. He'd been trained until exhaustion. He'd been abused. Because that was what HC had been doing. Abusing him.
Was that why Izuku had freed him? So that he wouldn't be abused anymore? Took his place?
But now Izuku got abused. He needed to save Izuku.
But how? HC is looking for him. He was a nobody now. He had no connections. He couldn't save Izuku.
Hawks sunk to the floor. It was useless. He couldn't do anything.
He couldn't even avoid capture. He wasn't sure if the Hero could even be trusted.
Then again, he didn't know about him. Hopefully. He could lie and say a different name. But what name?
He could just stick with Phantom for now.
It was not like he knew any other name.
Yeah. Phantom.
It took quite a while until Phantom got up to actually showered.
He didn't mind cold showers. He was used to it. Since he was young. And HC forced him to take those to 'wake up'.
Touya liked the cold too.
Phantom sighed. He showered quickly.
He stepped outside and dried himself off with a frown.
He saw a bundle of clothes at the front of the door. He wondered why the Hero had kid's clothes.
He decided not to question it. He reluctantly put on the clothes that were slightly big on him.
The pants hung around his ankles and the shirt was more of a dress shirt than anything.
Phantom sighed. Why was he so small...
He blamed it on the lack of food from his old home. Or genes. He didn't know if Izuku changed it to make him smaller.
Well, he'd always been small.
Phantom pulled up his pants and went outside. Maybe he could run now? There weren't any windows in the bathroom.
The house was okay. It was a small apartment with some rooms. It was... clean. Not messy like his old house but it wasn't sterile clean like at HC either.
He curled his wings around himself for comfort as he searched for an exit.
He missed his wings. These ones were weightless. Or... mostly weightless. They had pressure. He knew they were there but he just missed the weight of his real ones.
Still, he searched around the house. There were no windows he could crawl out of and whatever there was- the bedrooms- it was locked.
Phantom gave up on the doors and walked down the hallway to what he assumed to be the living room.
He sees the Hero on the couch and heard noises coming from what he assumed to be the kitchen. Probably the other one.
He flared his wings a small bit. He hated this. He just wanted to leave.
"Hey." Shouta greeted. "Sit down. Hizashi's making dinner."
Phantom frowned.
He intentionally misunderstood and sat down on the floor.
Shouta stared at him for a moment. "Or on the floor. That's okay too."
Phantom glared at him, his wings twitching.
Shouta stares at the wings for a moment. "It's an emitter isn't it?"
Phantom glared at him.
"Like hell I'll tell you." He growled.
"You don't have to. I know it is." Shouta said. "My quirk erases transformative and emitter type quirks. The difference is that your wings don't form physically. They're just there. Like... phantom wings."
That.. would be a pretty good name to call his quirk.
Phantom wings.
"You're wary, I get it." Shouta said. "But I really won't hurt you or turn you in."
Phantom curled up in his wings a bit.
"I don't believe you. Adults always lie."
"I don't know what adults you've met but I'm not lying to you now." Shouta said.
"I don't believe you." Phantom said. "You're a hero. The worst type of adult."
"Ouch. I don't know if I should be offended or not." Shouta said blankly.
"You should be." Phantom scoffed.
"I'm not though." Shouta said. "Some adults are shitty. I get that. But not all."
"One hundred percent of the adults I've ever interacted with were incredibly shitty." Phantom said.
"How many adults have you interacted with?" Shouta asked.
"I stopped counting at seventy-five. And that was when I was ten." Phantom replied.
"... But you couldn't be older than eight." Shouta said.
"I'm fourteen." Phantom scoffed.
"... You look eight." Shouta said. "And I should know."
"I am fourteen." Phantom said vehemently.
"Okay. You're fourteen." Shouta relented.
Phantom's wings fluffed a bit in surprise.
"That's weird." He said.
"What's weird?" Shouta asked. "Not arguing with you?"
"Yes." Phantom replied. He smoothed down his wings and stared at the weird hero.
Shouta shrugs. "If you say you're fourteen, I won't argue."
"Why not?" Phantom asked.
"What's the point?" Shouta asked.
"I don't know, ask HC." Phantom scoffed. His wings fluttered a bit in agitation.
"Mind telling me why you're so angry at HC?" Shouta asked curiously. "What did they do to you?"
"Oh, they just ruined my life, my brother's life, my crush's life." Phantom replied.
"Why am I telling you this? You won't believe me anyways. Let me go."
Shouta stared at him for a moment in thought, reading him.
"I do believe you." He said finally.
"Great. It's too late now anyways." Phantom hummed, sounding overly joyful. Inside, he felt sickened and hopeless. His wings shuddered a bit.
"... What did they do?" Shouta asked again.
"Like I said. They ruined our lives." Phantom replied.
"Specifics?" Shouta asked. "Who are you to them?"
"If I tell you, you'll hand me over to get the prize money." Phantom explained. "So I won't."
"I'm not interested in money." Shouta says with a frown. "Especially if it involves sending a kid to an abusive or dangerous situation."
"And I don't believe you. Greedy adults are the reason I even was in that situation." Phantom scoffed.
Shouta stared at him for a moment. "Okay. I won't force you to believe me."
"Great. Leave me alone then." Phantom said, curling into his wings some more.
"Okay." Shouta relented.
Somehow, Phantom managed to cover his whole body with his wings.
It wasn't the same as his old wings. It lacked the warmth. The physical touch and softness.
But if having his old wings meant being chased and abused, he'd settle with these.
At least Izuku let him keep the wings. He wouldn't know what to do if he didn't have them.
He'd probably have cried a lot more.
He was worried about Izuku...
He was probably in a lot of trouble for what he did. He didn't want to know what HC did to punish him. Unlike him, Izuku didn't have a contract. He was taken and owned just like that.
They could do anything they wanted to him as long as nobody found out.
Keigo curled up tighter, trying to push down his emotions to avoid crying.
He got beaten by the belt and locked in a room. Punishment got worse as he grew up because he could "take more". They disguised it as "interrogation training" sometimes or retraining.
It sucks. But Izuku... he could heal. He could heal any injury he got to not leave a scar. What would they do to him?!
Keigo shuddered. And he'd just left his brother all alone.
Before they'd had each other. To console each other and take care of each other.
But now...
Why?! Why had Izuku just left him?! Now he was all alone and suffering! Why?!
Why hadn't he done anything to stop him?
Keigo curled up tighter, a small sob escaping him. He wanted Izuku back. He didn't want Izuku to get hurt anymore.
"Whoa, hey what's wrong?" Shouta asked worriedly.
Keigo did hear the hero but he didn't react. His thoughts were so loud that he sounded so far away.
He just wanted to help his brother.
His brother who didn't deserve any of the pain. Who didn't deserve to be there. Especially not alone.
He'd only ever been nice to him.
Keigo was so selfish to leave him.
He sobbed quietly.
He was so selfish. They were right. He couldn't be a hero. He was way too selfish.
Keigo curled up tightly, sobbing shakily.
He didn't even realize where he was. He was too out of it.
His wings shuddered in pain and regret. Why. Why. Why, why, why?!
Why had Izuku left him?! Why had he taken his place?! Why had he sacrificed himself?!
Why couldn't he be stronger? He was older than Izuku. He wasn't broken like Izuku was. He was supposed to be better. Stronger. Izuku was supposed to look up to him. He was supposed to protect Izuku. He was supposed to take Izuku's place.
He was so selfish. He couldn't even save his brother.
It was his fault.
He flinched when he felt something on top of him and looked through his wings. A blanket?
Why a blanket? Where had it come from?
Keigo shuddered. He wasn't alone. Was Touya there?
No. He'd been captured, hadn't he?
He didn't want to leave his wings. He didn't want to see the room he was trapped in.
Keigo sobbed quietly as he pressed his wings closer to his body, his eyes screwed shut.
He didn't want to go back. Or should he? But Izuku had done so much to get him away.
What about Touya? He needed to get back to him.
But he couldn't escape. They wouldn't let him leave again. He didn't have a powerful quirk like Izuku.
He had to get out of here. Now.
They'd call HC while he was sleeping. He was sure of it.
Should he risk it? What if they were out there waiting for him to leave and then capture him?
Keigo whimpered quietly. He just wanted to get back to Touya.
Touya was safe.
Keigo hid in his wings and just cried.
The world was so unfair.
"Let's leave him alone for now." Hizashi said as he backed away from the crying kid.
Shouta frowned worriedly but agreed. There was nothing they could do. They'd most likely just make it worse.
"What happened anyway, Shou?" Hizashi asked gently.
Shouta frowned.
"He just started sobbing. Completely unprompted." He explained.
Hizashi hummed and sat down next to him. "It's probably not. Maybe he had a flashback?"
Shouta frowned.
"I'm not sure." He replied. "He just slowly started curling up and hiding himself with his wings before he started crying.
Hizashi hummed. "He's at an unfamiliar place Shou. Of course he's going to be upset."
Shouta sighed.
"You're right. We should let him go tomorrow morning."
"I'm still worried." Hizashi said. "You're not going to just abandon him, right?"
"No. I can't." Shouta replied. "I'll try to get a hold of his location and bring him food."
"Better to get his general area." Hizashi advised. "The places he frequents. He won't like you so close to what he feels is safe."
"True." Shouta agreed.
"I'm worried what he implied, Shou." Hizashi confessed. "The Hero Commission. Why would they be after him? He's a kid. He can't be a villain."
"Maybe he's a villain's kid?" Shouta suggested. "He said something about a brother and someone named Touya too."
Hizashi hummed. "Not much to go on. Especially since we don't know his name."
Shouta sighed.
"I know. But maybe we'll find out something?"
"I'll try and search." Hizashi promised.
"Thanks, Zashi." Shouta sighed softly.
"Let's just wait for him to calm down." Hizashi said while looking at the sobbing kid on their floor.
Shouta nodded. "Should I make some tea?" He suggested.
"Yeah." Hizashi nods. "If the kid doesn't want it, I could drink it."
"Alright." Shouta replied. He got up and went to the kitchen to make some tea.
~~~
After a while, the kid seemed to calm down a bit. He threw off the blanket as he spread his wings a small bit.
Hizashi stared at the kid silently, not wanting to startle him.
The wings looked interesting though. Feathered, black and slightly translucent. Like ghost wings.
Keigo's wings flapped a small bit. He was nervous and ready to bolt. He might even try getting through a closed window.
"Hey, little guy." Hizashi said softly.
Keigo flinched and looked up.
"What are you going to do to me...?" He asked, his eyes wide with fear.
"Nothing." Hizashi says honestly and raised his hands to show that he had no weapons. "Maybe get you to eat and sleep but that's all."
"Why? Why would you do that?" Keigo asked quietly, his whole stance full of distrust. His wings were flaring a bit.
"Because we want to help you." Hizashi smiled. "Can't let a kid starve after all."
"I don't understand." Keigo said.
Hizashi smiled sadly. "That's okay. I don't hold it against you."
Keigo's wings curled around him for a second. He looked unsure. Sad. Vulnerable.
"When can I leave?" He asked.
"Tomorrow." Hizashi promised.
"Promise?" Keigo asked.
"I promise." Hizashi replied. "But you need to eat breakfast first before you can leave."
"Why?" Keigo asked again. He didn't understand why they were doing this. He just wanted to leave.
"Can't let you leave hungry." Hizashi said easily.
"But I'm fourteen already. I know how to get food." Keigo tried to argue.
"Kid, no offense, but you're thin as a twig." Hizashi said.
Keigo frowned, his wings flaring.
"That's because of HC." He scoffed.
"Sorry." Hizashi said. "But please eat tomorrow morning?"
"You're a weird adult." Keigo only replied.
"I get that a lot." Hizashi chuckled.
Keigo frowned. He'd meant that as an insult.
These adults were so weird. Unpredictable.
He didn't know how to act. And it was scary as hell.
He had to play by their rules for now. If push came to shove, he'd put his training to use.
Maybe he'd be able to take them.
He was faster with these wings. They were lighter and didn't have as much wind resistance. But they acted similarly to his old wings. Feathers included.
Plus he could copy quirks.
So he just had to be fast enough. And he was extremely fast.
He just had to play their game for now.
"I made you something to eat." Hizashi said. "I can taste it if you want, make sure it's not drugged or anything."
"Okay." Keigo said.
Hizashi nodded and went to the kitchen to pick up the bowl of food. He gave it to the kid, taking a bite first to show that it wasn't drugged.
Keigo stared at the food. It looked good. And it was warm.
"Take it." Hizashi encouraged with a smile.
"What's the catch?" Keigo asked.
"Finish it?" Hizashi asked more than demanded.
Keigo frowned.
"That sounds suspicious as fuck." He said.
"There's literally nothing else." Hizashi said while raising his hands. "I don't have any ulterior motives."
Keigo frowned but started eating silently.
It tasted good. He really didn't remember ever eating something like this.
HC sometimes gave him good food but mostly it had been for his diet and tasted awful.
He tried not to let it show though.
Unfortunately he couldn't stop his wings from fluttering happily.
Maybe he should just make them go away.
But he missed his wings.
It was a double-edged sword. Either feel incredibly vulnerable or display his emotions to everyone.
He wasn't sure which was worse.
He probably preferred the wings though.
Displays of emotions he could learn to control. He would learn it. He just wanted his wings.
Keigo ate silently. He was a bit disappointed when the food was all gone.
"Do you want more?" Hizashi asked when he noticed the look.
Keigo looked up.
"You can't give me food twice without a catch." He mumbled.
"Made a lot." Hizashi said. "Besides who else is gonna eat it? The cats?"
"You have cats?!" Keigo asked, his voice rising a pitch in panic. Cats were dangerous and attacked his wings.
"Don't worry they're locked in the bedroom." Hizashi assured.
Keigo felt sick as he remembered how close he'd been to prying open that door. Oh god...
He gulped.
"No, I don't want any more food." He mumbled.
"Okay." Hizashi relented. So the kid was afraid of cats. Made sense. Bird quirk.
Keigo drew his wings as close to his body as he could. He could desummon them but he'd never lose that trauma. Never.
He couldn't see another cat without panicking. Ever.
Their creepy green eyes... Keigo shuddered.
He didn't want to meet their cat. Was that why they kept him here? Why they told him about the cat? To keep him in line?
He was scared. He didn't want to ever see a cat again.
He flinched when the adult came close but he only took the plate.
"Want some tea?" Hizashi asked.
Keigo quickly shook his head. He could drink some tap water.
"Do you want anything to drink?" Hizashi asked gently.
Keigo shook his head.
"Okay." Hizashi said. "You can sleep in the guest room. Third door on the right."
"You're not making me sleep on the floor?" Keigo asked with a frown. There had to be some sort of catch.
"If you're comfortable there, we won't stop you." Hizashi said. "I know some kids prefer the floor. But it's your choice."
Keigo frowned. He never wanted to sleep on the floor again. It hurt his wings quite a lot.
But a bed. It had been a while since he'd been in one. HC gave him a big bed to fit his wings and that was one of the few things he was grateful about.
But he still didn't know what these adults wanted.
He flared up his wings a bit.
"Will you kill me in my sleep?" He asked. Because that was a legitimate concern. Touya had told him that it happened quite often.
Hizashi blinked in shock at the question and he was instantly concerned. "No! Definitely not!"
"Why are you letting me stay then?" Keigo asked suspiciously.
"Because we couldn't let you just starve out there or get hurt." Hizashi said. "Maybe it's because we have a soft spot for kids. Can't stand watching as one flies around getting hurt."
Keigo scoffed and crossed his arms.
"There are a ton of kids in this city who have it a lot worse than me." He argued. He was thinking of Touya.
"We can't save all of them." Hizashi said. "I know they exist. But we've only been able to find you. We help whoever we can."
Keigo frowned.
"You're wasting your time helping me." He replied.
"Helping someone is never wasted time." Hizashi said with a smile.
"But I'm doing fine. You just kidnapped me." Keigo scoffed.
"It's not kidnapping if you can leave." Hizashi said. "Tomorrow."
Keigo wrapped himself into his wings.
"Still kidnapping." He insisted.
"Sorry." Hizashi apologized.
"If you'd really be sorry, you wouldn't have done it." Keigo scoffed.
"Can't exactly leave a kid in need." Hizashi pointed out.
Keigo scowled.
"I'm not a kid in need. I'm doing just fine."
"Kid, if it were anyone else, they'd arrest you for vigilantism and illegal quirk use." Hizashi said bluntly.
Keigo winced.
"I was trained to be a hero." He hissed.
"You don't have a license." Hizashi said. "Trained or not, it still counts as illegal since you don't have one."
Keigo glared at him.
"If a kid thinks they have to put their life on the line to save others then maybe heroes just aren't doing a good enough job."
Hizashi shrugged. "Maybe. It could be true or false. I don't know."
Keigo scoffed and turned away, his arms crossed in annoyance.
"Go to sleep, kiddo." Hizashi said. "Time will go by faster and you'll be able to leave before you know it."
Keigo scoffed and left for the guest room.
~~~
Shouta frowned as he silently made breakfast. He'd decided to let Hizashi sleep in after the straining night they'd had.
Phantom had gotten a total of four nightmares.
They had been woken up by sobbing coming from the guest room. Hizashi stopped him from checking because Phantom was still very wary around them. But it was upsetting to hear him sob, go quiet then start sobbing again.
It had been awful, knowing they couldn't do anything for the child.
He wanted to help. He really did. But he couldn't.
He'd likely just make it worse.
He was a stranger to the kid. And Phantom didn't seem to like him at all.
Which was understandable. He clearly hadn't had the best experience with heroes.
The Hero Commision. What had they done to him? Training? Abuse? What had they done?
His thoughts were interrupted when a tiny kid walked into the living room. The too big clothing made him seem even smaller. He seemed shaky.
"Good morning." He greeted softly. "Sit down and eat something."
Keigo looked up, seemingly noting his presence only now.
He felt awful and was too exhausted to argue.
He sat down silently.
Shouta placed down the plate of warm food in front of him. "Here you go. Enjoy."
Keigo stared at the food emptily. He'd had an absolutely awful night.
He missed having Touya around to make the nightmares go away.
He was probably a bit worried already.
Or at least he liked to think that. Touya was so amazing.
He was a breath of fresh air. Despite his scars, he was the one who helped him when he didn't know what to do or where to go.
Keigo stared down at the food and started eating silently. As soon as he was done here, he could go back to Touya.
Shouta sat down and started eating.
They ate in silence and it didn't take Keigo long to finish.
"Can I leave now?" He asked.
Shouta hesitated before he sighed and nodded. "Yes. You can leave. The door is unlocked."
Relief washed over Keigo. He jumped up to bolt before remembering something.
"Where are my clothes?" He asked with a frown.
"On the table in the living room. I've washed and fixed them." Shouta said.
Keigo flapped his wings and was at the table in a second before bolting for the door.
Shouta watched him leave and sighed.
Hizashi walked out of the hallway and over to him.
"It's hard to help someone who doesn't want help." He said softly.
"Doesn't mean I won't try." Shouta said. "Zashi, if HC is after him, he's in danger."
Hizashi sighed quietly.
"Alright, Shou." He murmured.
Shouta looked down at his food. "I'm so worried."
"I know."
"I'm going to see if I could check around the area for Phantom."
"Okay. Good luck, Shou."
"Thanks, Zashi."