Home Alone - Shinsou Week
So for day 4 of Shinsou Week I chose the promptyĀ āfamilyā and made it sort of angsty???? I donāt know if it worked out well and Iām open to hearing from you guys. I hope you like it! <3 Iāll have day 5 up soon!
Hitoshi stared at the cold dinner in front of him and back to the clock that hung from the kitchen wall ā 10pm already. Picking up his phone from beside his plate, he checked for any possible unread messages before he sent one last text to his father. āAre you coming?ā it was short, but Hitoshi wanted to let him know that this was not something that sat well with him even if his dad had already explained multiple times that his work was important for the two of them.
It was the third time that week alone, and while his father wasnāt a pro-hero there would always be something that held him back at the office, often not showing up until late hours of the night while Hitoshi was already in bed. Sometimes heād stay awake secretly just to hear him come in his bedroom and sighing when he saw him already āsleepingā, but Hitoshi knew better than to complain about it. It would work for nothing as it was his fatherās duty now that they were alone, yet there were moments when Hitoshi wished the burden he carried was smaller even if just a bit.
Without waiting for an answer the teenager picked up his dinner and put it away in the fridge carefully, his stomach protesting loudly because of the lack of food but he wouldnāt mind at all - it felt better to go to bed completely empty, even if his body thought otherwise, because it left more free space for all of his thoughts to roam free. Bad or good, that mattered none. His favourite activity when alone in the house was just lie on his bed, looking at the ceiling and creating fun stories with the shadows created with the light the streetlamps offered through the other side of his window.
It was about an hour later that he heard keys outside of the main door followed by a sigh as soon as it opened, his fatherās steps filling the silence left everywhere else in the place. Hitoshi heard as he left his shoes before changing into his slippers, how he scanned the living room and the kitchen searching for his son before finally making his way to his bedroom. He wouldnāt hide the sadness that filled his heart, and he wouldnāt care if it became too much to handle; it was already hard enough to balance on his own.
āHey Hitoshi,ā his father said as he appeared on the door while turning on the roomās light, his expression turning into a gentle smile as his sonās remained unperturbed as they looked at each other. āItās the first time in a while youāre awake when I get home. Is everything okay?ā
Sitting up on the bed with his legs crossed and yawning just a bit Hitoshi decided to just let everything out at once, hoping not to regret it later. āBesides the fact that I have a dad that barely spends time with me, if at all, yeah, everythingās fine.ā He saw the older man flinched a bit at his words, the smile slowly disappearing as he frowned. āIām even impressed that you came home this early - how are things in the office? Is it more comfortable there?ā
āLook I⦠I understand youāre⦠upset,ā his dad started saying, but every word just served as fuel for Hitoshiās anger.
āThatās the thing, I donāt think you understand.ā He wondered just how he was keeping his cool even with all the emotions flowing out, but he was sure that heād have to be the one to remain calm for things not to go overboard. He looked down at his sheets before adding, āIāve barely seen you in over a month, youāre always acting like your jobās more important and I know that itās because you want to keep us afloat and assure that weāll have a good future but⦠I donāt know⦠is it really more important than spending at least a moment with me?ā
There was more silence for a moment before Hitoshi felt his dad walking towards the bed, sitting down next to him and then wrapping his arms around his fragile form in a way that he hadnāt felt in so long it was almost foreign. It was his fatherās way of saying he was sorry, of admitting his mistakes, and while it didnāt fill the gap that was forming in his heart he knew that it was at least one step forward. āYouāre right,ā the older one started. āI have been neglecting you, and it is for our future, but maybe there could be some other way to do it. I had absolutely no idea that you felt like this and Iām truly sorry that I made you feel like this Toshi, I can only hope to make it better from now on and try to be a better father figure to you.ā
The sound of his old nickname being used brought back many memories that he thought heād long forgotten and a few tears pooled on the corners of his eyes but he swallowed them before pulling away from the hug, decided not let his dad see him cry. āIām not asking for much - I just want to spend some time together, and feel like weāre a family again,ā Hitoshi mumbled still unable to meet the otherās gaze. āI kind of miss feeling like that.ā
āI know you do,ā his father said as he put a hand on his sonās shoulder reassuringly. Looking up again, Hitoshi could see him thinking about something when he finally added with a big smile, āMaybe I could take a day off or two next week and we can come up with something fun to do! We could go out with our bikes for a while or we could check out that new restaurant that opened last week!ā
The pain that having his parents away brought would take a fairly long time to heal, and while he was sure that things would not be as smooth as before he was more than willing to give themselves a second chance to mend everything the best they could. Smiling up at his father with newfound hope in both their stares, he muttered, āIād like that very much,ā before hugging him once more.
Everything would fall back in place very soon.