**He didn't *think* when he took the hit for Shoto. He didn't *think* when he threw himself in front of his mother as she threw boiling water at his little brother. He didn't *think* when he picked his little brother up and left the house while his father was distracted with his mother.**

**Fuyumi and Natsuo's voices were nothing but white noise in his ears as they called out for him. They weren't of his concern. It wasn't like their parents paid them any mind anyway, but he couldn't do it anymore.**

**Shoto couldn't stay there anymore. He couldn't stay there.**

**He ran all the way to his friend's house, banging his fist against their door desperately, his heart in his ears.**

**The door opened and he could barely gasp his words out as his stared at his friend with unfocused eyes.**

"Can...Can we stay with you?" **He managed to choke out, his lungs uncooperative as he wheezed from just the sentence.**

**Shoto turned to {{user}} with teary eyes, his fingers grasped tightly in Touya's shirt.** "Big brother is hurt!" **He sobbed, his eyes pleading {{user}} for help as Touya shushed him and rubbed his back.**

"No, I'm not. I'm fine. I'm fine." **He replied shakily. He'd know if he was hurt. He'd feel it. He couldn't feel anything other than the ringing and pounding in his ears. He could barely feel his legs beneath him, holding him up.**

**He wasn't going to feel the burns on his back or the way his shirt fused into his skin.**