[ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴀɪɴ ] - 𝙨. 𝙩𝙤𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙞

【 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙨𝙩. 】

You skipped over a rock, and Shoto did the same. He tightened his grip on your hand while you entered the park.

"Wh-Where are we going?"

"My home." You glanced at him, grinning. He stared at the back of your head while your h/c hair flowed out of your stocking cap. He was a bit confused, but he decided to trust you.

You led him to a little meadow at the edge of the lake, where there was a shelter made of sticks, wound together with ropes and a large, thick, snow-covered quilt over the top. You let go of Shoto's hand and spun on your heel, throwing up your arms.

"Welcome to my humble abode!" Your smile stretched wide, and you went to the front of the shelter. You swept the blanket that covered the entrance aside, crawling in. Shoto followed suit, eyes filled with amazement.

"You... live here?"

"Yup!"

He looked around the inside. There was a mound of blankets that covered the grass and acted as a carpet, and blankets lining the walls to cover the holes between the sticks that formed the fort. There was an old pillow in the corner with a lantern beside it, presumably where you slept. Against the wall there was a small box where a tiny cat figurine sat. The photo frame contained you and two adults, presumably your parents.

You scooted to sit by the box while Shoto sat in front of you. "It may not be much, but it serves it's purpose. There was a really nice old woman who would come here and give me things to help me, like these blankets."

"U-Um... Y/N?"

You hummed, hugging your knees.

"I'm.. sorry if you don't want me to ask, but.. Where are your parents...?" He asked quietly. You stared at him, the memories flooding back.

"Last year, I was with my parents at a festival. I don't remember it that well, it's all a blur, but a villain appeared. She destroyed everything and killed everyone she saw. I only escaped because my mother.. took a hit for me... I ran until I reached this park a few days later. I met that old woman and she helped me build this shelter since her own home wasn't large enough to fit me and her. She gave me these blankets, this pillow, this lantern.. and that cat figurine. She died a few months ago, though.."

You sniffled, not even realizing that you had started crying. You wiped the tears, not noticing that Shoto had crawled over to you. He wrapped his arms around you while you tried to stop crying. Tears just kept spilling out of your eyes while the image of your mother getting skewered by a blade kept replaying in your mind over and over and over.

"I'm sorry, Y/N.."