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The cold wind hits hard with that first breath as Shinsou leaves the warmly lit and well heated building. It’s almost sharp, that kind of cold. He hides the lower half of his face in his scarf and his hands in his pockets, but that isn’t going to be enough. It’s whatever, though, the walk to Mic’s car isn’t going to be long. His teacher walks beside him, and Shinsou’s just thankful that he doesn’t say anything. He isn’t sure that he would be able to hold a conversation right now.
It takes half a block before he even realizes he’s snowing.
Parts of him register that the world is moving but none of him has anything to say about it. His body is heavy, and empty. He’s talked about his emotions and tribulations, the last thing that he wants to do is perceive reality.
His backpack almost shakes the car when he puts it in the backseat, just from the weight of it. Shinsou doesn’t know why he always brings his bag when he could just take the extra few minutes to walk it back to the dorm, but he never wants to bother. He doesn’t like the idea of being late, since he only gets an hour each week. One draining day a week, that’s supposed to be helping him.
He isn’t sure if it is yet.
The car smells like cold and leather. It’s just about enough to make Shinsou nauseous, but he doesn’t say anything as he gets into the car and tries to put on his seatbelt, cold hands uncooperative. He’s just grateful that he didn’t have to take the train all the way out here in the cold that he can never seem to keep out regardless of how many layers he has on, so he can deal with a little nausea in return.
“Music?” Mic asks as the car rumbles to life.
“Sure.”
Shinsou doesn’t really care one way or another, but as long as it isn’t blasting it should be fine. For a moment he isn’t sure if he made the right choice - but when the radio hums to life it plays softly. It’s some western rock station, something soothing in a language he doesn’t know.
It’s good music to look out the window to.
As they slowly pull out of their parking spot, his teacher cursing just once when he thinks that one of the tires is stuck on a snowbank that hasn’t been cleared up yet, Shinsou finds his eyes drifting towards the yellow streetlights.
They’re not too hard on his eyes, as sensitive and exhausted as they are. He likes to watch them, to watch the snow whirl by. Despite always being too cold, he likes the snow. It’s nice to watch, fun to play in when he doesn’t feel like this.
“You okay, listener?”
“Mm hm. Tired.”
Mic hums and leaves Shinsou be, turning back to focus on the road. There’s something about being around him that isn’t as hyper and tiring as Shinsou thought it was going to be the first time he heard that Mic was going to be the one chaperoning him. The more the two of them have this drive, the more Shinsou feels like most of his loudness is just a facade.
He doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with it, something that’s just part of the job. Sometimes he wonders if he’ll have to make a persona. Depends on how public he goes.
Shinsou doesn’t think about personas right now. He just watches the lights, the snow, sometimes the other cars. The first time he looks down at an oncoming car, the lights from the front of it almost gives him spots in his vision.
More than anything, he wants to get back to the dorms and curl up on his bed. Turns out between being in the hero course, going to therapy, and being at UA - it’s not hard to get burnt out. He just wants to sleep, take a nap. Maybe this terrible migraine and nausea duo would go away with some sleep, but that isn’t the way that his time works. No, he’ll get back to the dorms, try to eat. Probably end up staring at his homework in some vain attempt to get it done before collapsing on his bed when he once again realizes that it’s pointless.
Same script, different week.
The two of them are going to be at UA soon. He isn’t really paying attention to where they are, but he can feel it.
“I can drop you off at the door if you want,” Mic offers, breaking the quietness between them.
Shinsou doesn’t want to have to make the trip from the car to the dorm, to once again have to walk in the snow. The parking lot is decently close to the campus, but not close enough, but he doesn’t want to leave Mic to walk it alone.
“I’ll just walk back with you, don’t worry about it.”
“Alright.”
The parking lot is two stories, another UA owned property. Less security than the campus, but an ID is still needed to get in. Shinsou learned the hard way not to go anywhere without his after the first week of school, when he couldn’t get to class because of it. He isn’t someone who can waste an entire day on a mistake like that.
Present Mic’s spot is on level two, near enough to the elevator.
Maybe in a different world where the two of them talk and really know each other, Mic would offer to grab his bag. As it stands, Shinsou’s the one reaching over in the backseat to grab it and it’s a relief when he stands up straight and can close to the door. He lingers behind a little bit, not noticing his teacher looking back at him every moment or so to make sure that he’s still there. After all, he’s being chaperoned. It probably wouldn’t look good if he ended up disappearing mere meters from the school.
“Thanks for the ride.”
“You’re welcome, little listener.”
That’s what they say when the two of them finally step back onto campus grounds. Then, following their routine, Present Mic follows it up with;
“Want me to walk you back to the dorms?”
Shinsou responses with the same answer that he gives every time. “No, thanks.”
They part ways after goodbyes that are almost awkward. Shinsou doesn’t really notice because more than anything, he’d like to collapse onto his bed and pretend that the world doesn’t exist for a little bit while he makes his way back to being himself with his regular walls up.
Glancing behind him, well on his way to the dorms, he sees only his pair of footprints in the snow that hasn’t yet had the chance to be shoveled. They’ll be gone by tomorrow.
Something about that reminds him of being alive, but he can’t connect anything to it.
Reaching the door to 1A’s Heights Alliance, Shinsou braces himself before opening the door and stepping inside.
The warm air that hits him brings forth nothing short of a breath of relief.