?: "Who's there?"
Called out a voice from the darkness of the room. I whipped around to see who has said it only to find nobody there.
"Who said that?"
?: "..."
No response...
?: "..."
Suddenly I could hear breathing from far behind me. I turned around once more only to once again find nothing. I decided to give it a shot and tell this mystery figure who I was.
"M-my name is Aska. Aska B-Bultraas."
?: "..."
A figure suddenly appeared on the shadows in front of me. Startled, I shot up and nearly screamed, though I didn't want to be caught so I held it just in time.
?: "My name is Imeria"
[Present Mic voice] "Imeria Odiniwa. Quirk: Cowardace. Imeria's quirk allows him to, after a short time of hiding in a dimly lit area, teleport to another dimly lit area"
We sat there for what felt like an hour, just examining each other. He was a boy around my age, he had short black hair with a sort of glow to it. His skin was pitch black and his eyes were completely white, though they did glow slightly when open.
He didn't have much on, though I can't say for sure as he was almost entirely covered by a blanket that he had wrapped around him.
He broke the silence after a while and simply stated something. Then posed a question.
Imeria: "You're hurt...why?"
"Oh...um...it's"
Imeria then vanished. My brand new acquaintance disappeared right in front of my very eyes leaving me all alone...again. I don't know why, but I began to tear up, I hadn't known Imeria for very long but I was already attached to him.
Then I felt the warm touch of hands on my arms, I whipped my head around to see the culprit and looked deep into Imeria's eyes. He had reappeared, this time with a roll of bandages in his hand.
"...I brought you something..."
Imeria muttered, still holding onto my arm.
"Thanks..."
I felt my body get a little warm for some reason. I took the roll and began to patch myself up, I would get better faster this way now that the wounds aren't exposed to the open air.
For the next month or so we lived together in this run down house, I would find places filled with food or clothing, and at night Imeria would go and get it. I learned that Imeria had been abandoned by his parents after learning his quirk was "useless" since it wasn't flashy.
Even though they had thrown him out like garbage, he didn't hate them for it. In fact he told me often that he still lived them and missed them very much. Apparently sometimes he'd appear back into his room, just so he could be home again even if for a little bit.
I shed a tear and hugged him on the spot, his pure white eyes shot open in surprise and returned the embrace. After a bit we let go and decided to go to sleep, it was very late after all.
I found myself tossing and turning for a while since I couldn't go to sleep for some reason so I began to ponder my life up until now.
Kinship. It was an idea unfamiliar to me until I met Imeria. I began to think how different my life would've been had I not met him and found someone to talk to. I allowed my mind to wander until I began to think what would happen if I were to lose him.
I stopped thinking about it when I began to tear up.
Eventually my vision began to fade away as the hands of my unconscious finally got a hold on me. I was finally being allowed to sleep after a long sleepless period. It felt good.
"Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me"
It's something I vaguely remember my mother telling me to memorize. And, until recently I believed it.
It was a cold night when Imeria and I had gotten into a fight for the first time.
"No Aska, I can't do that!"
Imeria exclaimed, tears running down his face.
"Imeria, how many times do you have to be reminded, they don't love you!"
I shouted back
"That doesn't mean I need to stop! I still love them, that should be enough"
Imeria went, tears beginning to drop to the floor.
"Even if they don't love me, even if they don't want me, even if they hate me-"
Imeria paused for a breather.
"I. Still. Love them. That's all that matters..."
Imeria said, his voice now a mere whisper.
"..."
I said nothing, but blinded by rage I went up to Imeria and did something I would regret for the rest of my life.
*Slap*
Imeria looked at me in horror, and clutched his face. Tears still streaming down his now swollen face. Looking to the floor, he muttered.
"I hope I never see you again"
Then he disappeared.
Realizing what I had done, I spent the entire night running around the city looking for him. I didn't care anymore if I was caught, I just needed to find Imeria. I needed to apologize for what I had done. I didn't mean it. I wanted to take it back. But the words he said to me made my heart hurt in a way I had never felt.
That night as well as the following few nights I cried myself to sleep clutching the blanket he had left behind.
I wanted him back. Unfortunately the next time I would see him, wouldn't be a good one.