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Home is whenever I'm with you
Jan. 21st, 2018 02:42 pmIt had taken almost an hour into their trip before it had occurred to Akira he should probably let his parents know he would be a little later than expected considering he had been expecting it just to be him and Morgana on a train for a couple of hours. That had changed, of course, when his friends had decided to be their ridiculous, amazing selves and invite themselves along with him - and then had changed again when they had declared they were turning the roadtrip into a roadtrip complete with stopping at every other roadside stand that caught Ann or Futaba's eye, every scenic overlook that Yusuke declared was the most perfect view he had ever seen and that he had to sketch right then because the light would never be right again or because Ryuji or Morgana decided they couldn't stand to be cooped up in the van for another sixty seconds.
By the time they actually approach the exit to his town, it's dusk and Makoto has threatened to make them all walk the next time someone demands a stop. Akira scoots forward from his place in the middle of the van, directing Makoto through the side streets of his town (the van has GPS, but he grew up here. Even a year away can't take from him the way home.). He points out landmarks for the benefit of the others as they go, pointing toward his favorite restaurant, the grocery down the street where the owner had free candy for the children of his customers, the shop on the corner where his father buys coffee on the way to the station - and...
His voice dies in his throat as they get close to his house, as they pass the intersection where he interrupted Shido's assault on the woman that night. In the van, concerned faces turn to him - and then Ryuji squeezes his shoulder and they pass by. It takes Akira a moment to swallow the emotion - it's over, Shido will never hurt anyone again - but he's anchored by Ryuji's hand on his shoulder and, a moment later, the touch of Ann's hand next to his, and he clears his throat and points out the turn to take them to his house.
Makota pulls the van up in front of the house, and for a moment, Akira's not sure he can move. Then, the front door opens and his mother steps out - and it's all he can do not to shove Ryuji out of the way in his hurry to get out. She reaches for him as soon as she sees him, and he clings in a way he hasn't since he was small and woke his parents with his nightmares. She clings back, ruffling his hair, and he takes a long moment to let himself be held.
Finally, he pulls back, and both their smiles are slightly watery as he says, "Hi, Mom."
"I missed you so much," she tells him, reaching up to cup his cheek for another moment - and then, without taking her hand away, looks past him to the van. "These must be..."
"Oh. Um." He steps back, turning to stand by her side, gesturing to the others as they pile out of the van. Introducing everyone takes some time, and Akira is so busy trying to make sure he doesn't miss anyone or leave out how he met who and oh by the way, this is Makoto-his-girlfriend, and this is Morgana-the-cat-that-he-adopted that he does miss the realization that dawns behind his mother's eyes.
So, when he finally finishes and when she looks them all over and says, "So, you're the Phantom Thieves," it's all he can do to form words at all. His mother just chuckles, though, reaching up to pat him on the cheek again before she gestures back into the house. "Park that around the corner and come in. I'll start the coffee."
By the time they actually approach the exit to his town, it's dusk and Makoto has threatened to make them all walk the next time someone demands a stop. Akira scoots forward from his place in the middle of the van, directing Makoto through the side streets of his town (the van has GPS, but he grew up here. Even a year away can't take from him the way home.). He points out landmarks for the benefit of the others as they go, pointing toward his favorite restaurant, the grocery down the street where the owner had free candy for the children of his customers, the shop on the corner where his father buys coffee on the way to the station - and...
His voice dies in his throat as they get close to his house, as they pass the intersection where he interrupted Shido's assault on the woman that night. In the van, concerned faces turn to him - and then Ryuji squeezes his shoulder and they pass by. It takes Akira a moment to swallow the emotion - it's over, Shido will never hurt anyone again - but he's anchored by Ryuji's hand on his shoulder and, a moment later, the touch of Ann's hand next to his, and he clears his throat and points out the turn to take them to his house.
Makota pulls the van up in front of the house, and for a moment, Akira's not sure he can move. Then, the front door opens and his mother steps out - and it's all he can do not to shove Ryuji out of the way in his hurry to get out. She reaches for him as soon as she sees him, and he clings in a way he hasn't since he was small and woke his parents with his nightmares. She clings back, ruffling his hair, and he takes a long moment to let himself be held.
Finally, he pulls back, and both their smiles are slightly watery as he says, "Hi, Mom."
"I missed you so much," she tells him, reaching up to cup his cheek for another moment - and then, without taking her hand away, looks past him to the van. "These must be..."
"Oh. Um." He steps back, turning to stand by her side, gesturing to the others as they pile out of the van. Introducing everyone takes some time, and Akira is so busy trying to make sure he doesn't miss anyone or leave out how he met who and oh by the way, this is Makoto-his-girlfriend, and this is Morgana-the-cat-that-he-adopted that he does miss the realization that dawns behind his mother's eyes.
So, when he finally finishes and when she looks them all over and says, "So, you're the Phantom Thieves," it's all he can do to form words at all. His mother just chuckles, though, reaching up to pat him on the cheek again before she gestures back into the house. "Park that around the corner and come in. I'll start the coffee."
