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For once in a while it was peaceful. Not the kind of terrifying peace when everything was suddenly going quiet. Not in the same way, when silence makes you tense up uncomfortably.
It felt good. It felt like it hasn't in many, many years. Probably he never felt this type of sensation. He wasn't even sure how to respond to it.
Yoichi never considered himself extremely unlucky. He should probably feel like he was robbed from everything, like life was cruel enough for him to become cruel to everybody else. But it wasn't like that for him. He won't become like his brother. Even if it was hard, those silent voices were whispering softly in his head "don't be like him. Don't you ever dare to hurt people. People are good".
So he clinged to it as much as he could.
Even if it meant death. Slowly drifting away to nothingness was still better option for him than accepting the way his brother wanted him to be.
Waiting for the end wasn't easy but it was familiar. Familiarity felt like having something for yourself. Even if it was a little bit pathetic, a little bit scary. It was his and only his.
His thoughts that were said out loud to empty, dark space of his prison. His silent cries that were never meant for anyone to hear. It was all his.
But now, suddenly, there was something new for him.
Yoichi never even dreamed about the rescue. It was just like from the comics. Beautiful but unreachable and straight up from the most colourful fantasies. And from what he learnt, living in the dark pit was very far from dreamland but it was Yoichi's to have. And he accepted this fate.
Reading stories about amazing heroes and escaping this place in his thoughts was enough for a while. Until it wasn't anymore.
Daydreaming was hard. Never knowing how to live differently was hard. Stupidly enough, he tried anyway.
His thoughts were mostly drifting away to peaceful landscapes he saw in comic books. Silent spaces with trees, lakes and small cottages where people lived happily forever. Children grew up climbing on the trees, playing hide and seek, collecting herbs while parents looked after them with soft smiles on their faces.
He wondered, would his mother look at him that way? Would she love him if she was still alive?
It was such a useless thought but it was nice thinking about being loved.
He loved his brother but it was obvious that it wasn't mutual. Or it was, but in a such a sick, twisted way which Yoichi failed to understand. He never understood why his brother was like that. Not at all.
And he hated that. He hated it so much that he screamed at him one day, letting his all thoughts struck like a storm. It ended with handprints on his neck and few bleeding wounds. Yet, he tried again and again until his voice wouldn't come out around his brother anymore.
Did he give up? Maybe. It's not like it mattered anyway. He still couldn't help people without a useful quirk.
Ability to stockpile strength? It was just a cruel laugh in his face from his brother. Useless quirk. Absolutely unnecessary when everything he could do now was walking from one wall to another, counting cracks on the floor.
Yearning to be like Capitan Hero kept fading away in his head.
Until one day, door suddenly opened. Light covered every shadow in the room, at least from Yoichi's perspective. Shouts were distant but recognizable. He didn't know what was happening. He was stuck in one place, paralyzed. With fear? With hope? He couldn't quite place this feeling.
In the same moment he saw an unfamiliar man.
First man besides his brother that was close enough to him to really analyse his features.
The mysterious man had red, spiky hair that looked really cared for. Striking red eyes, shining with coldness as he roamed through the room with his stare. He was in some kind of uniform but Yoichi couldn't quite recall what exactly could it mean, who exactly he could be, but it didn't matter.
Because when their eyes met, everything felt real again. Yoichi felt like himself again.
Few steps towards the silhouette petrified on the floor and the red headed man felt his hand reach out uncomfortably.
He looks like he's in need of saving. Hurting him is not necessary.
Yoichi could only stare. Feeling his heart beating hard in his chest. It was like starting to live again, actually live not just exist because he can still breathe.
It was a feeling of hope returning to him. Capitan Hero flashed in his mind but now his image and superhero costume were replaced by man with beautiful red eyes and green uniform.
Soon, he finally responded. Reaching to him. His hand was shaking, Yoichi tried to control his body reaction but with no effect.
He made contact with surprisingly gentle and warm hand that took his own bony hand, as if afraid of damaging it. It was gentle, it was like the touch of sun rays, like finally reaching something that he longed for for so long.
In this moment he felt powerful. Even in this weak state, he promised himself that he'll put a stop to his brother's doings. This new power he felt in his blood was blinding in a most pleasing way.
And red eyes that shun so beautifully with disorientation led him to light. To that unfamiliar strength.
- Let's get you out of here. Are you alright? Can you stand?
Voice brought him back from all of those confusing thoughts and he felt the urge to smile. Smile at his Angel, at his Hero. It was probably cranky and ugly but he didn't care. He never really talked with anyone, moreover, never with someone who was so blinding, so bright in his aura. Yoichi felt that this man was good. His heart told him to trust him, so he did.
- Yes.
It came out raspy and rough from not talking much except from screaming and crying out but this stranger didn't seem to mind. He helped him get up and stabilized him, holding near to his chest. Yoichi could feel his strong heartbeat.
It was overwhelming but in the best way possible. He wanted to stay like that and bathe in the warmth.
He was still holding his hand so gently. Yoichi wanted to cry.
- Come on. I'm taking you with us.
Yoichi now had something new to call his.
His newfound freedom.
His newfound hope.
His newfound heart.
His Hero.
Kudou, because it was the man's name, soon became his everything.