Chapter 7
Waving Uraraka and Bakugou off is an odd experience. Hanta volunteered for morning watch with Asui, so that meant leaving the warmth of Todoroki's arms (again) and sitting on the front porch, watching the birds and squirrels play. Asui watched her girlfriend go, after a goodbye kiss and long hug, and Kirishima was the one who handed Bakugou his bag. Hanta didn't see what happened after that, but it's not his business.
Now, with both of their figures fading quickly on bikes, Asui sighs and walks around to the back porch where she's posted for the morning. The sun is barely up, and Mina and Iida, who were on night watch, took care of the two or three lurkers on the fence. They stunk, and Hanta knows that the pile of bodies down in the little cleared patch of field needs to go soon. The crows have decided to make it their home, and Hanta sees them circling overhead when he looks up. The peeking sun make the sky red and Hanta settles against the porch railing with a sigh.
It was just chilly enough this morning for him to need his jacket, and he slid it over his shoulders. Something rustles in the pocket, and he reaches in to pull out a small Ziploc bag. It's crumpled but undamaged, and Hanta studies the two Polaroid pictures inside. They were taken with a super old camera, one that his dad had found at a flea market and decided to bring home. It was a clunky thing, but the shutter and flash worked and Hanta remembers the grin on his face when he had lifted the lens towards Hanta and his mother, who was carrying him at the time. He was a small toddler, and enjoyed being up high compared to on the ground. Hanta traces a soft finger over the plastic bag, looking at the faded colors of his mothers face.
The second picture was of his grandmother. He had brought the camera with him when he went to visit her, older then, but when he had gotten to her house she wasn't home. He then had changed routes and went to the coffee shop she basically lived in. It was mere minutes after opening, and she was the only customer in the shop. The sun was streaming into the windows, and Hanta remembers stopping and staring at her through them. She looked like a ghost, heavenly and shaky, and the bolt of fear of losing her that went through his ten year old brain was enough for him to raise the camera.
Hanta chuckles at the memory, remembers how he ran into the shop crying and worried that she was floating away. The woman had only sipped her tea - always just tea, never a bite to eat - and patted her hand on his head. Mariposa, she murmured, as long as you can see me, I will always be here. That may be in the wind or the sun, or even in that keepsake you've made. You won't ever forget me, Hanta, I promise. Hanta flips the bag around, too afraid to take it out of the plastic to see her face clearly. For such an old camera, it was a decent picture of her. Hanta touched the chain around his neck and put the bag back in the pocket. He idly fiddles with his knife, carving little shapes into the railing. A thought crosses his mind.
Hanta stands, and walks towards the doorframe. He flips the knife in his hand and raises it, and starts to chip away at a flat portion of the wall, where the house address would go if it was in a city. He taps, hoping that it isn't too loud inside the house, until he carves out a small S in the wood. He pulls back to study it, and then goes to work carving out an H. There's some satisfaction that comes with marking something as yours, and as Asui comes around the house, wondering what he was doing, he motions at the wall.
"Wanna put your name up?"
She snorts, but still pulls out her own knife. "What are we, children?"
Hanta shrugs, and Asui chooses a spot a few inches under Hanta's initials. He crosses his arms and watches as she carefully scratches letters into the wood. "Close enough. I'm only nineteen, what about you?"
"Eighteen."
"See? We're still children."
Asui chips into the wood. "I guess. It's not a world where children survive, is it?"
Silence falls over them, accompanied by the sound of wood cracking. He's never been along around Asui before, doesn't know how to act or what to say. He rubs his neck, and figures something has to be a safe subject.
"So did you and Uraraka know each other before everything?"
Asui offers him a side glance, and it isn't unkind. "Mhm, we had started dating just before everything went to shit, about a month, I believe. I was at her house when the news really got out, but we were so far in the country that we weren't affected for days. The worst thing that happened was the power going out, and her parents didn't want me going back into the city. It makes sense now, but at the time I didn't see it like that." She makes a small sound and finishes her initials. "Her parents were amazing. Her family didn't have much, and used pretty much everything they could to get her into a good school. They might not have been able to give her the clothes and phones that other girls had, but Ochako knew she was loved and her parents loved us."
Hanta nods and crosses his arms. He leans against the railing. "My grandmother was the same. She practically raised me, for all the time I spent at her place. My parents were amazing, but they weren't good for each other and couldn't see it." Asui leans on the rail next to him and Hanta gives a self-deprecating chuckle. "They were probably better off getting divorced but they were too stubborn to admit it."
Asui bobs her head. "Did you have siblings?"
"Nah, I'm an only child. What about you?"
"I've got a younger brother and sister. I don't know if they made it."
It's not a world where children survive, is it?
The wind blows a few leaves across the yard, and Hanta tips his head in apology. They crack a few jokes back and forth and Hanta feels a little more comfortable around the girl. Its not until Asui heads back around the house to check the fences that Kirishima calls them in for food. Majority of the group is awake and have a tinge of worry to their expression. Hanta feels oddly drained as he spoons oatmeal into his bowl. Todoroki dollops an ungodly amount of brown sugar on his without blinking before giving it to Hanta. Even he looks more down than usual. Was this what it was like while they were gone the first time? This sucks man.
Kirishima chews his oatmeal, and pats the table a few times. "So I'm thinking that we work on that bridge you guys made the first time. Even if we don't end up staying here, then we have a way to move around faster. What do we say?"
Hanta nods his agreement, and looks around to see the rest of them doing the same. Midoriya pulls his journal out and lays it flat. There's already a sketched out plan and scrawled ideas, and Hanta grins when majority of them look possible. "You little brainiac, you."
The boy looks sheepish when he rubs his neck, and starts explaining a few of the ideas out loud. None of them are skilled enough to build a massive bridge, but even if they can hammer supports down somehow to make the bridge a little safer, and put a rope across to hold when you cross. They could put it under rocks, or tie it around a tree that's farther away. Mina suggests trying to cut planks for it, and Kirishima and Todoroki share a look, being the most muscled out of the bunch. Iida tries to hide behind Midoriya but Asui snatches his collar before he gets too far, volunteering him as well.
They decide on a simple design, one that they can build off of from the measly logs that are on the river right now. The plan is to find some decent trees, chop them into shorter planks and nail those horizontally across the current logs. Then, they need to dig out the side of the bank; it's mostly dirt and clay until right up against the water, so it should work out fine to clear some of it. Hanta gets put on shoveling duty with Mina, and Denki and Midoriya are in charge of rounding up building supplies, like rope and nails and hammers. Asui is going to stay back at the house and patrol, and Todoroki, Kirishima, and Iida are to find the best suitable trees to chop. They definitely have their work cut out, and this isn't a one-day maneuver.
Todoroki finishes his oatmeal and snatches Hanta's empty bowl before he can stand up. As he walks over to the sink to deposit them, Midoriya starts talking about the trees they need and the quality. Hanta doesn't listen, not as he watches Todoroki peek at Kirishima's turned back before dipping his finger in the brown sugar bowl. Hanta snorts and Todoroki jumps, looking scandalized with a finger in his mouth and otherwise empty hands. Nobody else notices, and as Todoroki comes back to sit down, Hanta pokes at his ribcage. He's not wearing the vest right now, but Hanta knows it's hung up beside the door in their bedroom.
Todoroki catches his fingers and squeezes a tad too tight, and Hanta winces quietly so not to catch Midoriya's attention; it wouldn't matter, for the other is on a roll. The grip doesn't hurt, but Hanta plays up his dramatics a bit if only to see that sideways smile on the others face. When the grip loosens, it doesn't disappear, and they holds hands for the rest of the meeting. Hanta barely hears another word.
---
Hanta and Mina head out with shovels right after they clean up the dishes. The three guys that are on wood chopping duty have already left, and as Hanta jumps down from the porch he can hear the telltale sounds of an axe. He hopes that it doesn't attract too many lurkers, but between the fence and the constant patrolling, they seem to be keeping on top of it. There's definitely lurkers that are coming from the city, and Hanta and Mina take out a few on their way to the river. They clear out a bit of the path too, moving branches and stones that they otherwise overlooked when they headed out. Hanta piles the rocks, using them as a small marker for the future.
He's pleasantly surprised when the bridge they installed last time is still there; frozen and shaky, but intact. Mina and him share a look, and get to work caving out some of the bank. They start farther out, driving sharp shovels into the partially frozen ground and moving the dirt and grass aside. It's obvious there's been hardly any human involvement here, for the layers of dead grass underneath are quite thick. Hanta prides himself on lean but strong shoulders, and between him and Mina, they make decent progress. Every thirty minutes to an hour they hear something crash in the direction of the house, and Hanta holds his breath, praying that it's just another tree.
Something to note is that it gets chilly by the water, and with the slowly dropping temperatures, Hanta's fingers aren't a fan of the wind. It's not strong nor biting, but the three hours of exposure is enough to have them red and chapped. Mina seems to be in the same boat, and they take a break with their hands shoved into their armpits for a little. Hanta's nose is probably red too, and the sun has reached it's peak through the trees but offers barely any warmth.
They hit a bit of a roadblock in the form of a bigger rock, but they dig around it and yank it out, letting it fall down onto the sandy part of the bank. It takes both of them to move it, so maybe they can use it as an anchor or something when the progression of the bridge occurs. Mina packs the crater the rock left with dug up clay, and Hanta starts to smoothen out the rough sides and pat it down. No use in digging if it falls apart on them from the sides in. Soon, they have a less steep of a decline to the waterside, an angle like you would find on a set of stairs. It's a little steeper than that, but way better than what it was. It took them a solid four hours, Hanta guesses, and his forearms ache and Mina is panting. They eye the other side and the iciness of the logs, and decide a third person would be better to get across with.
The walk back feels like it's twice the distance as it was there, and they meet up with Todoroki's group partway. Kirishima and him are hauling a tree between them, something thick and with a splintered base, and Iida is holding a bloodied knife, evidently on walker duty. They look exhausted, and nobody really speaks as they head back to the house. The two redheads hoist and throw the log over the fence, where four other ones lay, and then hop over themselves. Todoroki turns back to watch as Hanta - who was at the back of the group - gets over, and then reaches for his hand to help him down.
Asui is sitting on the porch with Midoriya and Denki, chatting about whatever and upon seeing the five staggering young adults, distributes water bottles to all of them and soft words of encouragement. Bakugou and Uraraka aren't back yet, and Kirishima furrows his brow as he collapses on his couch. It's been turned back into a couch for now, blankets and pillows behind it, and Hanta and Todoroki squish in beside him. Mina sprawls on her side of the pull-out, and Iida seems to pass out the moment his head touches his pillow. They all let out identical sighs of relief and pain.
Hanta tucks his head into Todoroki's shoulder, leaning heavily on the others side. Todoroki doesn't seem to mind, if the arm around Hanta's waist and the head on top of his says anything. Hanta's shoulders and the small of his back hurt, and he knows that there's blisters on the sides of his fingers from where the wooden handle slipped. Todoroki's hand feels rough when it scratches against Hanta's shirt, and he smells like moss and gross sweat but Hanta wouldn't trade it for anything. Hanta's other hand reaches out to pat Kirishima's knee sympathetically; he can tell that the other is worried sick about Bakugou, and there's really nothing he can do but wait.
He yawns, jaw aching and wide, and sets off a little chain reaction around the room. Midoriya walks in just as Mina finishes hers, and offers a sympathetic grin at the ragged faces looking at him. "You guys did good today! We can switch up the jobs tomorrow. Hopefully Kacchan and Uraraka are back, and then-"
The front door bangs, and everyone is up like a shot. Speak of the devil.
"Hanta, get your ass over here!"
Hanta whips around the corner at the sound of Katsuki's voice. It's wet and rough and he only sounds like that when he's been cry-
Oh.
Katsuki lays a body on the kitchen table, sweeps something off the side to make room. Blood drips over the countertop and Hanta can only watch as the persons' head lolls to the side, and it's Jirou, it's Jirou who's on the table bleeding from her stomach and it's Jirou who's moaning something that Hanta can't understand and-
Fuck, she's bleeding!
"Midoriya, get the first aid kit! Mina, get cloths, lots of cloths from the closet and Shouto, grab that water jug." Hanta rolls his sleeves up and rips his gloves off, the anxiety of having his hands exposed minor compared to hoping Jirou survives. "Katsuki, help me get her top off. If we can't, then fucking cut it."
There's a few other bodies in the kitchen that Hanta doesn't recognize, like a shorter boy with funky hair and a taller girl with a long, dark ponytail. Hanta zeroes in on the girl. "Is she bit?"
The girl gapes, teary eyes focused on Jirou. Hanta snaps his fingers sharply. "Hey! Is she bit?!"
Katsuki pulls the soaked shirt off Jirou's stomach and she cries out, tearing a hole in Hanta's heart and catching his full attention as Midoriya comes back with a kit. Hanta nearly dumps it with shaking hands and snatches up the first pair of scissors he sees. He cuts a long line up her shirt, and pulls it off to either side. He jerks when the bloody and raw wound is exposed, and swallows down the bile. Please, don't be a bite. Then, he glances around the kitchen and meets numerous terrified gazes.
"If you aren't Katsuki, Shouto, or Eijirou, then please get out. We need the room."
The kitchen clears after a hesitant second, and Mina comes rushing in with an arm-load of towels and clothes of varying size. Hanta grabs the first one he sees and dunks it in the water, squeezing as he snaps something about holding her down. His head is rushing and his heart is pounding, and he cannot believe that it's Jirou right here. Kirishima gets her head and shoulders, having pushed the ponytail girl out of the way not unkindly. Bakugou holds her thighs and Todoroki stands beside Hanta. Hanta eyes the mess on her stomach, the congealing blood that slowly but steadily dripping on his boots, and makes the first swipe at cleaning it.
Jirou jerks in the numerous hands holding her, but Hanta keeps cleaning and wiping, praying as the wound comes closer and closer to light that it isn't a bite, please god, don't be a bite.
Hanta reaches to dunk the cloth again and wipes a last time at the wound, and he breathes out the most gut wrenching sigh of relief when it reveals itself to be a clean wound, no teeth or claws to be found. He leans closer to Jirou's heaving stomach, eyeing it. It looks like a stab wound, a simple in and out, on her left side and over her hipbone. If you have to be stabbed somewhere, Hanta guesses...
"Okay, okay. She's clear. It's not a bite." Hanta dabs at the wound, making the girl shudder and whine. He feels so fucking bad but it needs to be clean, and he reaches for the antibacterial cleanser, the one that foams. His hands are shaking. "It's not a bite."
Bakugou snarls at him as he does. "You're fucking sure?"
Hanta levels him with a solid look. He doesn't point out the blood on Katsuki's cheek or his red-rimmed eyes. "I'm sure. It's not a bite."
Bakugou grits his teeth, but flexes his hands on Jirou's ankles and nods tersely. He fixes his gaze on her knees, and Hanta opens the spray. He takes a breath, and Todoroki readies his hold on her ribcage, clear over the wound but still respectful. Hanta aims the spray.
Jirou's scream is worse than he thought.
Hanta doesn't rush through the next few parts, but he doesn't linger. He quickly wipes the rest of the bacterial spray off and cleanses it again, and then gently spreads the wound - almost gagging despite himself in the process - to make sure there's nothing inside. There isn't, so Hanta puts six stitches in it, and ties it off before taping gauze around. His fingers are slick with blood, even as he keeps wiping them on the towels; Mina is quickly switching them out for cleaner ones, red rags creating a pile beside her. Then, he sits Jirou up slowly, with Kirishima supporting her back. She stayed semi-conscious through the whole thing, and is now trembling and pale as her eyes try to focus. Hanta leans into her vision but stays out of her bubble.
"Jirou? Can you hear me?"
The girl nods, her short hair bobbing. She shivers again, and Hanta glances down at her cut up shirt. She's sat up just enough that her stomach isn't putting pressure on the wound, and all her weight seems to be on Kirishima, who is pale but worried. Hanta gently touches her knee. "We're gonna move you to a bed, okay? Don't move."
Jirou chuckles, and Hanta nearly cries at the sound. She's alright, she's gonna be alright. "Don't think I could if I could try."
Hanta smiles softly, and calls out to Mina, but she isn't in the kitchen anymore. Vaguely, he can hear Denki talking super fast in the living room, and an unfamiliar female voice. Denki's voice raises, but as Hanta scoops one side of Jirou over his arm and gently moves her off the counter, he doesn't pay attention. Jirou winces as Kirishima picks up her other side, and then Bakugou supports where he can. Todoroki leads them to the bedroom that Denki and Midoriya were in, and they put her down on the bed. Then, they just sit there.
Kirishima has her hand in his, and Bakugou is hovering right behind Hanta, silent if not for his fast breaths. Todoroki is standing by the door, but just nods once at Hanta when he mouths 'Denki' at him. Hanta holds Jirou's other hand in his.
"I-" Kirishima clears his throat. "I can't believe it's you, man. You're alive."
Jirou nods, seemingly in the same state. Her eyes are a little clouded with pain and Hanta makes a note to find those painkillers. "Me neither. Everything was going so fast when Bakugou showed up, I..."
Kirishima and Bakugou share a look over Hanta's shoulder, something desperate in it, and Hanta realizes that the first time Kirishima saw Bakugou after the run was covered in blood and holding their supposedly dead friend. Jirou yawns, a little oblivious, and Hanta doesn't blame her. he's just about to suggest that he stays while the other two leave, but then Denki whips open the door and freezes in the frame. Jirou jumps, but tears fill her eyes as she registers Denki standing there.
The blond moves closer, seemingly in a trance, and sinks down next to Hanta. Kirishima and Bakugou are already heading towards the door, and Hanta makes sure her back is supported before he leaves. The last thing he sees is Denki scooping up his friends hand and holding it to his forehead, and Jirou reaching as far as she can around him. Hanta closes the door, and is met face to face with the ponytail girl he saw in the kitchen.
"Is she okay?!" The girl demands, grabbing Hanta's bloody forearms and holding tight. She's right in his face, and Hanta leans back a little.
"Jirou is fine, she's going to be okay." Anxiety spikes in him as he registers the lack of distance, for the fact that this stranger is right up next to him, and he shoves her away as gently as he can. "She's gonna be okay."
"Momo, it's fine. If Hanta says so, then she'll be okay." Hanta nearly melts at the sound of Todoroki's voice, and the girl - Momo? - releases his arms as he steps closer. Todoroki wraps an arm around Hanta's waist casually and offers him a wet wipe, which Hanta takes with a grateful smile. Having blood under his nails isn't something he's a fan of. "Sorry, I couldn't keep her out of the hallway."
"It's alright. Uh, sorry, I'm Sero Hanta. I'd give you a hand, but..."
The girl grimaces. "Ah. My name is Yaoyorozu Momo, but please call me Momo, and I'm- Jirou and I are friends." Momo finishes in a rambling mess, having stepped back into her own space. Todoroki is a beacon of safety beside Hanta, even with this stranger so close. "Todoroki and I went to school together for a brief period, we were acquaintances.
Hanta looks to Todoroki for the agreeance, and only relaxes when he finds it in his eyes. "That's cool. Uh, Denki is in there right now, but-"
"Oh! It's fine then, I can come back after," Momo says, holding her palms to Hanta as she gestures, "I'm sure that there's going to be talk about us being here soon, so I'll be waiting with Tokoyami and Shoji in the living room." With that said, she turns and leaves the hallway and steps into the living room. Todoroki's arm hasn't left Hanta's waist and he wants to sink into his touch. He still feels jittery from working on Jirou, from the gaping wound in her side to the stitches. Hanta sighs, and lets himself lean into Todoroki just a little. His mind is running circles around him, and he just needs a moment.
"Are you alright?" Hanta nods at Todoroki's soft question, and clenches and unclenches his hands.
"I don't know what's going on right now, Shou. I'm so confused..." Todoroki shifts against him, and Hanta melts into the two arm embrace he finds himself pulled into. Vaguely, he realizes he's trembling but Todoroki is a good support. Despite being a little taller, Hanta feels surrounded and safe as he tucks his face into Todoroki's neck. His voice is strangled and thick when he speaks. "I thought she was dead."
"But she isn't. And you just saved her again, Hanta." He feels like crying despite himself, but loud voices start shouting in the living room and he forces in a big breath before pulling away. Todoroki lets him go, and frowns as he looks down the hallway. Hanta sighs.
"Let's go see the damage."
---
The living room is packed. Nobody is sitting down, and everyone is standing generally spaced out through the room. The rest of Hanta's and Todoroki's group stand on one side, closer to the fireplace, and the three newcomers stand on the other. Hanta and Todoroki stay by the hallway entrance as Hanta studies the other two.
One of them is massive, even taller than Iida, and is decently bulky in his arms and body. However, he looks to be the smallest in the room as he shrinks under Bakugou's glare. The guy hasn't even changed out of his bloody shirt, red tracked into the living room and as Hanta looks down at himself, he can see it on his pants. The other newcomer is a lot smaller, coming up to barely the shoulders of the other guy, and has a spiked haircut with a shaved side. He's dressed in all black, whereas the larger of the two has a blue shirt and big backpack on. There's guns strapped to both of their thighs.
Momo is standing between them, and is nervously tapping her shoe against the floor. Her arms are crossed and she's playing with the sleeve of her red shirt. She perks up when she sees Todoroki. Bakugou notices.
"Why're you looking so fucking happy, huh?"
"Easy, I know Todoroki. He can vouch for me. I know you guys probably aren't happy with us intruding, but I can't say how grateful I am that you helped Jirou-"
Kirishima crosses his arms beside Bakugou, a defensive look crossing his face. Hanta feels the same; they just got her back, she's injured and vulnerable despite her strengths. He would be super on edge too. "Jirou is one of us. Of course we would help her."
Momo nods like she'd been expecting that reaction, and motions with her hands at her two accomplices. "This is Shouji and Tokoyami, if you haven't already been introduced. We've been travelling with Jirou for the last few months, and your two friends came across us. I know that you only saw the tail end of it, but I assure you, there is no danger from us. If anything, we're the safest ones out there," Momo finishes, the last few words scowled down towards the floor, "There's no reason for you to trust us and I don't ask you to, but please hear us out."
Bakugou studies the trio, and shares a look with Kirishima. Then, Kirishima glances over at Midoriya, who has a pensive look on his face. There seems to be a silent conversation, and tension rises as the seconds tick on. Denki slips from the hallway behind Hanta and goes to stand beside Midoriya, who gives him a concerned look. It's deafeningly quiet. Then, just as the larger stranger starts to fidgit, Kirishima nods and offers a tight but genuine smile.
"For Jirou's sake, we'll hear you out. Then, when she's healthier, we can really talk."
Momo looks relieved, and she nods her head. Her stance relaxes a bit, and the two behind her share a look. "Thank you. Ah, Jirou came to our group about two months ago I think, bruised and a little bloody. I almost shot her at first, I thought she was a walker," Momo chuckles to herself, but her brow is pinned, "She healed with us, and we welcomed her in to our group. We told her about how we started our small town, and she told us about the friends that saved her."
Hanta inhales sharply, and Todoroki tangles their fingers together. Bakugou scowls and Kirishima steps closer, and Denki turns his face towards Midoriya. The few that don't know much about it look a little lost at the change in mood, but Momo keeps going.
"It was a strange turn of events, really. Shinsou's father was the one that took us in-" she motions at herself and at Tokoyami and Shoji- "And it was a little funny to hear of his son again-"
"-Is he alive?" Denki interrupts, and Hanta can barely look at the poorly concealed desperation on his face.
Momo looks away. "I don't know. Jirou and him got separated before she got to us. I'm sorry."
Denki grits his teeth and nods, and this time, Hanta sees the way he leans to Midoriya for comfort. Momo looks apologetic, but continues to speak. "Um, Jirou fit in well with us, and we were able to clear out the town that's north of here. The four of us were heading out to see what else we could find, much like your group was, I'm assuming, and we ran into some problems. These people are hostile for their own reasons, and-" the girl cuts herself off with a shudder and scowl. "They have... unorthodox ways of surviving. It turns out, game and meat is thinning, and they've found a solution."
Chills run up Hanta's spine, and the rest of the room seems to feel the same. Tokoyami glares at the ground, and Uraraka has her hand covering her mouth. Kirishima swallows. "D-Did they happen to call themselves something?"
Momo shakes her head. "We've just been calling them the Nomu's. Please believe me when I say they are different from the ones you know. Jirou confirmed it." She looks around with a serious tone, and even if Hanta isn't reassured by possible cannibals, then he can be reassured that the League isn't coming back for them. He hopes they never do.
"Regardless, they caught us off guard. We weren't expecting them there, and they got the jump. Jirou took the worst injury, but I think the presence of your loud friend scared them off." Bakugou huffs and crosses his arms, but a quick glance towards the bedrooms tells Hanta he's glad they got there before it was worse. Todoroki squeezes Hanta's hand. "They aren't actively hunting us, but they're taking what they can get. It's good you haven't seen them around here, yet. They're dangerous people, if you could even call them that."
Tokoyami and Shouji bow their heads as Momo does. "Thank you again for taking us in. If you can't believe us, then believe Jirou."
Silence falls over the living room again, and nobody really knows what to do. Kirishima fumbles, and Bakugou glares, but it's Mina who claps her hands together and disperses it. "I don't know Jirou, but I know Bakugou, and if he hasn't kicked you out by now, then I'm sure you're safe!" She moves towards Momo and offers her hand. "I'm Ashido Mina, and I'm from the originals with Jirou. Nice to meet you!"
Momo blinks, but then smiles, and takes the hand. Slowly, introductions are made, and Bakugou and Kirishima slip off to the kitchen. Uraraka follows with a small nod at Hanta, who decidedly sticks beside Todoroki as he introduces himself. Tokoyami has a deeper voice, but seems friendly in an emo way, and Shouji seems to be a sweet man of little words. Todoroki doesn't let go of his hand, and even as Hanta collapses on the loveseat, he just sits beside him. Mina and Uraraka start talking, and Midoriya tries to engage Shouji in a small conversation. Denki and Momo say a hello, and walk towards Jirou's room together.
It's tense, but they're young, and hoping for the best, Hanta surmises. There's still blood under his nails and his shirt is bloody. He can see where it stained Todoroki's blue shirt when they hugged, and Hanta needs to wash his gloves. Still, Todoroki leans his arm on the seat behind Hanta's head and just watches the rest of the groups, legs crossed and angled towards Hanta. He definitely needs to clean up the mess in the kitchen, and the door is probably smeared with blood. Asui says a quick goodbye as she heads out for a patrol (she seems to enjoy doing them) and Uraraka jumps up to join her girlfriend. Hanta traces the callouses on Todoroki's thumb, and Midoriya starts talking to Mina about his plans for the fireplace.
Hanta closes his eyes, and inhales deeply before letting it go and patting at Todoroki, who watches him get up with a questioning look. "'m gonna go clean the kitchen. Coming?"
Todoroki nods, and they trail into the room. Kirishima and Bakugou are gone, but Hanta doesn't wonder too much about it as he eyes the gory mess on the table, and the bloody clothes and supplies beside it. He sighs, and scratches his neck. "I wish we didn't have to do this on the table, but it's the only stable surface. Mind passing me a cloth?"
He sweeps the medical supplies into his hands, and places it in the sink to be rinsed. Todoroki wets a cloth in the pink water left on a stool, and they get to wiping up the countertop. Hanta scrubs, and he's happy that for once, it's new enough that it comes off easy. Todoroki makes a face at the pile of bloody cloths, and nudges them towards the door. "Perhaps we can just rinse these out."
"We probably can, just keep them over there and I'll get to it after." Hanta wipes and squeezes out his cloth, draining red into the sink. He glances over his shoulder at Todoroki, who's staring at a pair of scissors. His brow is pinched, and when Hanta speaks, he jumps, "You've got your thinking face on. What's up?"
"My thinking face...?" Todoroki looks at him, and shrugs one shoulder. "That group Momo mentioned, the Nomu's... I'm just remembering what my father said about a criminal that was sent to a hospital. It was just before the start of everything, and she had killed a-and eaten her husband, and I remember him being livid that the woman was sent to a hospital and not death row."
Hanta stiffens, and turns to look at Todoroki fully. He's clenching the scissors tighter, and Hanta slowly approaches. "If that isn't a coincidence, and she ended up escaping from the hospital and now there's this group out there-"
Tugging the sharp from his hands, Hanta places a palm on Todoroki's cheek and turns his face towards him. "Shouto. If she did, then she did. It could be a coincidence, and it could also be scary people turning to scarier things to survive. Momo is right, the game is getting smaller and we're lucky to have food already in this house." He puts the scissors on the counter behind him and braces against it, and holds Todoroki's face with both palms. He pulls him close, so the hard line of Todoroki's body is leaning into his. "All we can do is hope that we don't come across them, and we'll be alright. Don't fret over things that you can't control. Okay?" Hanta tilts his head to make eye contact, and Todoroki nods his head in Hanta's grasp. Hanta grins, and pulls his face down to plant a soft kiss on his nose. "Good, I'm glad. Now, let's clean this up, and I'll introduce you to Jirou."
He lets go, and Todoroki sways a little as Hanta dances away, avoiding the large hands that grab for him to yank him back. Hanta laughs at Todoroki's red ears and faux pout, and moves to the other side of the counter for safety as he dodges another swipe. Todoroki huffs out a laugh, and Hanta dips around the counter again as he lunges.
"Too slow! Wait, Shou, wait, no wait-!"