Chapter Text
Today is it.
Kaminari comes home today.
Like a thread pulled tight, Shinso is as nervous as he is excited. The doctor had mentioned that Kaminari needed to be kept for a few days, so Shinso worked it out with Chief Toshinori to be on desk duty until he was released. That way he didn’t reorganize his house for the third time trying to make everything perfect.
Not only did Shinso get a hell of a lot of work done, but it also made the three days before Denki’s release go by pretty quickly. He had wanted to visit, but the doctor had called him after he left the second day and mentioned that Denki kept having panic attacks whenever he left, and asked him to pause his visits.
That doesn’t mean he didn’t talk to Denki every day, the alpha made sure to give Denki a video call around lunchtime to check on him. Shinso always ended up hanging up with a smile on his face as he went back to work.
That morning, Shinso had gotten up early in order to make sure the guest room was set up for a newly released Omega. On top of that, the chief had made sure to call him and let him know that his week off started that day, and make a small threat that if he did see him on station grounds, he would be sent home early with the promise to keep him there. (The chief could be pretty scary when need be)
Not one to ignore threats from his boss, Shinso had promised to stay home with Denki, not that he planned anything else anyway.
Denki wasn’t allowed to be released until noon, but Shinso was asked to come in early in order to be caught up on Denki’s results from the tests he’d had over the last few days.
A psychologist named Jiro had been assigned to Denki and the other victims in order to gather more information on the group that had kidnapped them, as well as to try and get them set up with some therapy appointment for the future. Denki had spoken her praises over the phone multiple times.
I hope she’s as nice as Denki says. Shinso thinks as he walks out of the elevator. The nurses wave and give him the directions to Jiro’s office. Her door was open, and she offers a laid-back smile when he knocks.
“Ah. You must be Shinso-san. Please come in and feel free to close the door. Can I offer you some coffee?” Shinso waves her off as he sits down. “I’m alright, does nothing but make me tired. You had wanted to talk to me about Denki?”
Jiro sits up straighter and nods as she pulls out his files. “I did. Normally, I am not allowed to share information like this with you, but Kaminari-san has asked me to tell you because, in his words, ‘You don’t know what you are getting into’. I disagree, but I do think you should know regardless.”
Consider Shinso confused. Sure, he wasn’t exactly sure what happened, but it’s not like that would change anything.
“I know that look on your face. People that go through what Kaminari went through tend to have a lot of muddled up feelings, including anxiety. And with his ADHD, that has gone up sevenfold. Based on what he tells me… He’s been through a lot.” The look on Jiro’s as she looks through the papers makes Shinso nervous. “What happened while he was there? What did they do to him?” He knows why they auction them off, but Midoriya was adamant that while he was there, they typically left the victims alone in their room.
A stapled stack of papers is softly pushed in front of Shinso, along with a recording device. “I think you should hear it from Denki. It’s not exactly easy to phrase and this gives you the option to take as much info as you need. He did give me permission to record him by the way.”
Shinso takes a deep breath before pressing play.
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Jiro: Denki, How were you trapped in the…. in that warehouse?
Denki: The warehouse? Pfft, I don’t know. Like a few months? But if you mean with the traffickers? It was hard to tell. Not many ways to keep track. Right before I was given to them, I remember this band I liked had just released an album. I think it was called “Moonlight”? Super good tracks,
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Denki had always loved that group. Starlight Dreamers was their name. Shinso tried to think about when that album came out and sighed. It had been at least 7 or 8 years.
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Jiro: I see. Their music’s pretty nice. Did you ever get a chance to listen to any of their music after you reached the traffickers?
Denki: Not really. We weren’t allowed any contact with the outside world while in the holding houses. I tried getting the alpha that bought me the first time to let me watch the music videos on Youtube, but the internet was… a big no for me.
Jiro: You said first time… How many times did they sell you?
[Silence]
Jiro: You don’t have to tell If it’s too much we can take a break and talk about something else-
Denki: I- No it’s fine… I was sold four times. To a few different Alphas. The first two and the last one didn’t go so well. I wasn’t the best at following the rules, so they brought me back. The third guy was nice though. He had just wanted a companion in the last years of his life and actually had me gifted to him. Some kind of old tradition stuff. But when he ended up passing away, they didn’t… want to keep me…. So, I got sent back.
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His voice. It was so calm, like he had zoned out. Hitoshi couldn’t begin to imagine how scared he must have felt. Four times… Shinso silently thanks the third man for giving Denki a reprieve from all of that, even if it was only for a year or two.
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Jiro: What were the rules you had to follow?
Denki: Um…. Let me think…
- Always keep the house clean.
- Feed your alpha first and wait for permission to eat.
- Ask for permission to do anything you aren’t told to do.
- Don’t get lippy.
- Be prepared for whatever your alpha needs.
That’s all I can remember right now. But mainly because those were the ones, I had a hard time with. But it’s ok. After a while, I learned that it was better to just apologize afterwards instead of trying and messing up again. Eventually they would get sick of beating me and would just send me back and ask for a refund for sending them “flawed merchandise”.
Jiro: Denki… You know you aren’t flawed though. Right? You just think and act differently.
Denki: [softly] Yeah… that’s what the others said too… mm…. Actually… can we take a break? Hitoshi should be calling soon.
Jiro: Sure. I’ll be back tomorrow. And I’ll sneak you some lemon cake too, since they always run out before you can get to the cafeteria.
[soft laughing as the recording stops]
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Shinso stares at the recording, speechless. Jiro hums to get his attention, the look on her face full of pity and understanding.
“Just so you know, Denki looked forward to your calls every day, even when we would be talking about things… less than favorable… he would light up thinking about you. You saved him, and he knows that. He’s just... healing… slowly.”
Shinso had so many questions. None he could ask Denki directly. But maybe… “Denki said one of the rules he was bad at was being prepared for the alpha that owned him at the time. You don’t think…”
The nod Jiro gives serves only to make his stomach turn and his breathing pick up. “The attending doctor called in a specialist, and it was confirmed that Denki has suffered from a large amount of both physical and sexual trauma.” Shinso’s eyes widen, and he stands quickly. Jiro follows, placing a hand on his shoulder to keep him from bolting. “I know what’s going through your mind, and it is distressing, but you can’t turn back time. You just need to be there for him. He’s had some nightmares over the past few days, and I think that’s part of the reason. So, you need to stay strong for him. And for yourself.”
Jiro helps Shinso get his breathing back under control and has him sit back down, handing him a cup of water. While he drinks it slowly, she gives him a bit more information.
“We haven’t put him on any medication yet, but he will need some for his ADHD later on. Let him get settled in first. I don’t recommend leaving him alone for long, but I also wouldn’t take him to crowded places just yet either. Just relax at home with him until he is comfortable. Any questions?” Shinso shakes his head and Jiro hands him a card. “here is my email and number, contact me if he needs someone to talk to. Or you…”
The card immediately goes into Shinso’s wallet, and he offers her a thanks when a nurse comes in to let him know that Denki is ready to leave.
Jiro shows Shinso out and the alpha immediately makes his way towards the omega’s room. Denki is sitting on the hospital cot, happily playing a game on the phone Shinso had bought for him when he went to buy him a bedframe.
When he saw Shinso, he was quick to get up, smiling brightly as he grabs his bag, “Toshi! Is it time to go? Do we get to go home?” The excitement in his voice makes Shinso relax a bit. Now wasn’t the time to be angry over things they can’t change. Instead, he smiles warmly and nods his head.
“Time to go home Lightning Bug.”