The Story Of Forever (Todobaku)

Those Who Matter

Shouto grabbed another cookie from the small plate Rei prepared for him. He never liked having food near his artwork, but today he couldn't bring himself to care. Cookie in one hand, pencil in the other, Shouto sketched away into his notepad as an attempt to distract himself from the hell that was his life.

Yesterday sucked, to put it mildly. Shouto blew it with Hitoshi, his mother found out he was gay, and he was outed over social media in the span of a few hours. He checked Twitter obsessively last night hoping that the photo was deleted. But luck wasn't a gift Shouto possessed.

He ignored the numerous texts and calls he received since it happened, even the ones from Katsuki and Hitoshi. He shot a quick reply to everyone who reached out, all with the same message: I'm fine, but I want to be left alone right now.

Shouto didn't want to talk to anyone. He barely wanted to talk to Rei, though that was impossible since they lived under one roof. But if he had to choose one person to be in his corner right now, he'd choose his mom without hesitation.

Rei returned to the living room with a warm cup of tea. She offered it to Shouto before sitting on the couch beside him. Kori trotted up the staircase to explore the second floor while Soba slept on her back in the middle of the rug.

Rei smoothed out Shouto's unbrushed bedhead. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

Shouto, still in his pajamas, peered back at the end table where his tea and cookies were. He probably wouldn't finish it all. His appetite was already weak.

"I'm good, Mom. Thank you."

She frowned. "Do you want to talk?"

Shouto squeezed his pencil as he sucked in his lip. "I don't really know what to say."

"Well, can I say something?"

Shouto shrugged. "Sure."

Rei planted two kisses to Shouto's temple. "I love you no matter what. And I know you didn't get to tell me on your own terms, but I don't want you to be scared that this changes anything. You're still my baby. And I'm really sorry about what those kids did."

Shouto didn't smile, but his heart did. He figured Rei would accept his sexuality when she inevitably found out, but hearing it out loud was as good comfort as any. Shouto evaded this topic last night as he locked himself in his bedroom after Hitoshi left, only facing his mom again when Izuku texted him about the Twitter post. Given its severity, any discussion about Shouto chasing after a boy in his underwear no longer seemed important.

"Thank you," he said.

Due to Shouto's emotional distress, Rei allowed him to take off from school for the rest of the week. It wouldn't fix everything, but it calmed some of Shouto's anxiety. Shouto's house was where he felt safest, as long as the homophobes that went to UA didn't know where he lived.

Shouto spent his morning drawing, cuddling his cats, and watching Hunter x Hunter for the eighth time. Relaxation was exactly what he needed, even though he was hit with shame when his Netflix account asked if he was still watching two separate times.

In the middle of episode nine, Rei joined Shouto in the living room again. Her son laid on his side along the couch, Soba snuggled into his chest, the two sharing a blanket. Shouto scratched the sleeping kitty behind her ear as Rei addressed him.

"Are you sure you'll be okay here by yourself? I can always hold off until this weekend."

"I'm fine," he replied.

Rei was meant to run errands today, prior to Shouto's life being turned upside down. Being the protective mom she was, she had doubts about leaving her son at home by himself. But Shouto saw no issue with being alone for a few hours. He was fifteen, perfectly capable of taking care of himself, even when his stomach was still in knots from what happened yesterday.