This is... a long, 5.3k word chapter. Be prepared yall
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Really, emotions are annoying.
What is the purpose of having emotions? Of showing it? Does it make you a better person? Does it show someone you have a heart? Does it make you human? Then maybe those fifteen years means that Yuki isn't human.
Emotions are such a bother. Well, the negative ones. Sadness, frustration, anger, fear, jealousy. Aizawa once taught her that emotions could be a hindrance and even a danger in the lines of hero work. Lose your cool and you might make a fatal mistake that will affect you and others around you.
So what is the point of having emotions? It's a question Yuki asks herself when she watched everyone around her showing it. They're happy. They're sad. They're angry. Yuki knows the names and what they look like, but what do they feel like?
The times where Yuki would look confused or disgusted were simply an act. She didn't want to look completely emotionless, even if it might be the case. Or maybe she's not completely emotionless? Why else would she go out of her way just to pretend to have at least those two emotions?
Happiness, sadness, and anger are the three emotions she could not immitate. Once she stood in front of a mirror, and smiled; it was stiff and obviously forced. She wobbled her lips and furrowed her eyebrows; it looked like exaggerated and fake. She gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes the way Bakugou does; even anger doesn't look genuine.
It was until she joined U.A did she begin experiencing happiness, anger, fear. Happiness doesn't feel bad at all, surprise surprise. It's somewhat comforting and made her feel normal. Anger, however, is something she doesn't want to feel or have. Same goes with fear. Anger made her react recklessly, and fear immobilized her. Inconvenient.
For example, right now...
"Those idiots, I swear...!" Stopping after that high speed proves to be hard when they landed quite far from where she had intended. She puts Shindo down while keeping an eye at the villains. She smells smoke too; is something burning?
"Uh, your hair-"
It was as if it reacted on its own, ice covered her hair and disappeared as soon as it appeared. She reached behind her back and brought her hair over her shoulder, inspecting it. A little bit of her hair on the tips are dry and frizzy, sticking out from the rest of her silky smooth hair.
"I'm going to kill him."
"Before you get to murder," Shindo interrupts, voice strained as he still struggled from Gang Orca's attack, "we should probably take care of the villains first, don't you agree?"
"Let's just get this over with." Yuki takes out her key and grows it to her staff. "I want to fix my hair."
"Gosh, you and your friends are really something, huh?" Shindo chuckles calmly, even though villains are advancing towards them. Yuki took a stance, but then the ground in front of them cracks, they way Shindo's quirk did it. She peered down to see his hand on the ground, evidently using his Quirk.
"So you can move?" Yuki comments.
"Not really. But being shaken up from my Quirk built a bit of tolerance to vibrations, so I'm used to it." Shindo answers. "But what the heck was that crap they pulled?! Your friends almost killed me!"
'Aaand he's mad.' Yuki shakes her head.
"I've stopped them! Put 'em out of action!" "On it!" Yuki charged forward, boosted with her wind. She slowed down drastically once she's in range and taps the villains' weapon - their cement gun - with her staff, freezing the device. With the villains caught off guard, she went and knocked them down with kicks and hits. There are still a lot left.
Suddenly, a tornado of fire bursts into her view, collectively distracting the villains' attention from her. Taking this chance she continued her attacks. And soon enough, Midoriya and Ojiro joined her. The civilians has been evacuated to a safer place. The other examinees will likely join too. Gang Orca is nowhere to be seen so he's most likely inside that tornado of fire. But the tornado disappears then, and there stood Gang Orca, drenched from head to toe. So he was already prepared in the case of facing fire Quirks.
It's in that exact moment, that Midoriya is already airborne above him. He aimed his attack at Gang Orca but he easily blocked them like it was nothing. Yuki, that is now above them, dived down sharply with her staff aimed at the pro hero/villain, but a buzzer sounds through the arena. Caught off guard by the sound Yuki tilts to her left slightly and pulled her legs in front off her, landing on the ground with a roll.
"Okay, as of this moment, the civilians that were deployed has been rescued from the danger zone. It may seem arbitrary, but with this, all the provisional licensing exam procedures has been completed. After we tally the scores, we will announce it here. Those who are injured should go to the infarmary. If not, the change and stand by."
"It's over..." Yuki mumbled.
"T-that was actually quick." Midoriya comments.
"Yeah." Yuki nods. "Let's go back."
"You're not going with Todoroki?" Midoriya asks. He sounds surprised.
"He burnt my hair. So no."
Well... it doesn't make her lose control or anything, but it does make her unexpectedly petty.
()()()()()
So then, what about sadness?
It's the one thing that Yuki has never felt before. She saw it as many times as she saw anger. She knows what it looks like, knows why it happens and how it could happen, but what does it feel like? She's been there when Midoriya cried, she's there to comfort him. She once asked him what it feels like to feel sad, and he said it felt horrible. So does she actually want to know what it feels like?
Growing up different from the kids her age definitely made her more aware of herself. It's the main reason why she's so close to Midoriya, as he, too, was different back then. But now, maybe not so much. And it makes her feel lonely. Terribly lonely. Even though she's surrounded with friends, those friends have something she doesn't have. She feels alone.
Although she's slowly able to feel, it doesn't come with a cost. She's unable to focus, she reacts on feeling than instinct, and she always thinks it's a hindrance in battle. Unless she can use it properly as Bakugou does. So is having emotions really worth it? No, not really, but as they say, curiosity kills the cat.
But satisfaction brought it back.
Right now, all the examinees has changed to their respective uniform and is waiting for their result at the field. It makes them anxious, Yuki can see it. Though she doesn't really care about her score for her own personal reason, it would be nice to pass the exam. Maybe Aizawa would be proud.
After a very brief explanation of the scoring system a screen displayed a list of the names of examinees who passed the test. Yuki quickly skims through the list from the very first alphabet, checking the names of her classmates then finding her name. She unknowingly lets out a relieved sigh.
But...
"I told you to keep it together." Yuki approached Todoroki, not seeing his name on the screen.
"...how's your hair?" He asks instead.
"You're gonna pay for it. Literally."
"Alright. I'm sorry."
"Are you okay?" Yuki asks again. Todoroki nods, silent, voiceless, and Yuki really isn't sure if he's telling the truth or not. Just as she was about to ask him again, Yoarashi called to him and approached with big strides. He stopped a few feet away, stares at the shorter boy with a dark glare, then suddenly bowing down, head slammed to the ground.
"It was entirely my fault that you didn't pass! My pettiness is to blame! I'm sorry!"
'Oh my.' Yuki sighs.
"It's alright, I started it. You don't have to do this." Todoroki says, calm and collected. "There were things I realized thanks to you confronting me directly."
Todoroki failing is, of course, a big shock for the class. Added with the fact that Bakugou also didn't pass. The class huddles around, throwing shocked comments (except for Kaminari and Mineta who is giving a pep talk to Bakugou and Todoroki respectively). While that's going on, Yoarashi still has his head down on the ground.
"Inasa," Yuki calls, crouching in front of him, "how long are you going to stay like that?"
"Seriously. Get up and wipe your head. Staying on the ground doesn't suit you." Yuki leaves another one of her handkerchief besides his head, standing up and regrouping with her class. Yoarashi pushed himself off the ground, takes Yuki's handkerchief in his hand, her words ringing in his ears. He failed the exam. How will he be able to get up from this?
"Now then, we'll be handing out score sheets. We've explained the scoring system, so read over them carefully. It was a punitive scoring system with a threshold of fifty points. On your score sheets, you'll see how many points you lost for each given action."
Three men in black suits walks over to them, calls their name and hands them a piece of paper. When Yuki's name got called she went forward to take the paper and moves away. She got a point of 78. One of the reasons written there is "wasted Quirk potential for rescue operation." Hm, what exactly could her Quirk do to help civilian rescue? In a scenario where she doesn't need to engage in battle?
The announcer explains that all who passed are now permitted to act in a heroic capacity during emergencies, and also reminding them that the actions they take will have heavy responsibility to society. "You all know that All Might is out of commission. His active presence served as an important deterrent to crime and without him, we will surely see more villains."
"The balance has shifted and the world will change. Keeping that in mind, you, the next generation, are the central pillar of society. As heroes, you must set a standard, a bulwark to keep crimes at bay. But remember that your licenses are provisional ones. You still have a long road ahead, so study hard!"
The announcer then tells the ones who didn't pass of a special three-month training course. Should they pass the individual test at the end, they will be awarded with their own provisional license.
"Well," Yuki looks over to Todoroki. "That's unexpected."
"Yeah." He nods. He looks reassured by that announcement. "I'll catch up with you all soon."
"You better, Shouto."
()()()()()
They went straight back to the dorms afterwards. Even though Todoroki had planned to take Yuki out to her local hair salon to get her hair fixed. Yuki said to forget about it, telling him to take it as her apology for calling him 'fuckhead' during the test (she got a bit too irritated by him and Inasa, and she has quite the vocabulary. Maybe Bakugou is to credit). Yuki will go alone, maybe in the weekend.
"I'm sure you're all tired, but school will still in session for you tomorrow. So wash up and rest." Aizawa says after they left the bus. The class obeys him and they leaves for the dorm. Yuki does, too, but not even five steps later she was called back by him.
"There's someone who wants to see you." He says.
"Who is it?" Yuki asks. If it's the "twin" Akiyama mentioned...
"It's Iroha."
Oh.
"If you don't want to see her, I'll send her off." Aizawa offers.
"I'll go." Yuki immediately says. "I'll go talk to her."
So now they're walking through the hallways of the school, heading for the staff room. How is she at the school? Yuki thought she would've been with the police, knowing her connections with the League of Villains and all. Sure, she tipped them off, but would it really be enough for her to be allowed to be in the school area, or even temporarily released from custody?
"You did good today." Aizawa suddenly says. "But don't feel satisfied with it. You still have a lot to learn. Don't let your guard down."
"Yes, father." Ever the obedient girl she is, Yuki nods.
Without slowing down and looking at her, Aizawa gently pats her head. It's a rare gesture, short-lived, so Yuki savours the feeling. The silent walk is cut short when Aizawa stops in front of a door. It's... a bit nerve-wracking now that she's here. Should she go in? No?
'What does it matter anyway?'
Yuki opens the door.
And there she is; Iroha, Painter, standing on the far side of the room across the door. Still with the red mantle, the red flower hairpin on her head. Her eyes widened at Yuki, rainbow pupils swirling with her presence, lips blossoming to a gentle smile. She's actually... breathtaking. Her beauty isn't something Yuki has seen before. Looks as gentle as a blooming flower in the morning of spring.
"Hello there, snowflake." She greets first.
Yuki merely nods, unsure of what to say.
"Go sit down." Aizawa pats her back. Almost robotically, Yuki moves to sit down on one of the couch, and Iroha sits right across her. There's the sound of glass clinking behind Yuki, Aizawa is preparing a drink. Tense and awkward. That's what the room feels like. What should Yuki say?
"I'm sorry for coming by on a short notice." Iroha apologizes before Yuki could say anything. "I'm sure you're very tired after the exam."
"It's alright." Yuki replies stiffly.
"How did it went, if you don't mind me asking?" Iroha asks.
"I passed with 78 points, so I think I could've done better." Yuki answers.
"That's alright, just know your limits." Iroha advices. She smiles dreamily. "Ah, it brings back memories. I miss my school days."
Aizawa sets two cups of tea on the table separating Yuki and Iroha. The hero-villain immediately reaches the tea to take a sip, while Yuki, well, she blanks out. She stares as Iroha takes a sip, stares as Iroha sets the cup down, and still stares even when she stared back at her.
"Something wrong, sweetheart?"
"No," Yuki quickly says, "it's just... hard to remember that you were a hero."
"It is, isn't it?" Iroha smiles. "My hero days passed by in a blur. Graduated, became a sidekick, married, became a hero, birthed... there wasn't much during my time as a hero."
Birthed, huh?
It's hard to believe. It's hard to believe Yuki's mother is still alive, after being told by Aizawa that she's dead and believing it for years (well that's her own fault; she never went to her grave nor are there any remembrance). It's hard. Not to mention that she's a hero turned villain. Is she a villain? Is it just a label because she was involved with villains? Yuki just wanted to have a good mother. Maybe she is good. Maybe she has her own reason to join League of Villains.
Then where's her father? Was he the reason why she joined the League of Villains? Ah, why didn't she look for informations of her biological parents? She still has her last name. Looking into it in the internet would've been easy. Yuki never really thought about her real father, mostly because she already has one - Aizawa.
Looking back, there was never a curiosity to find out who her real parents are.
'Why bother? They're dead anyway.'
Maybe this is why Aizawa lied.
"Are you... really my mother?"
She sees Aizawa, who's standing behind Iroha, glancing down at her. Iroha stayed silent for a few second, expression solemn. She's thinking. Is it a lie after all? Why? For what? No, Yuki shouldn't come up with a conclusion without an answer.
"Even if you don't believe it," Iroha starts, slowly, "even if you don't want to believe it, I am."
Yuki looks at Aizawa.
"You heard her." He says.
"I did..." Yuki nods. Well, there's that. Aizawa's confirmation. Yuki's mother is in front of her, very much alive. It feels almost unreal. But Yuki herself isn't sure what to feel. Happy because her mother is still alive, or angry because her mother is a villain? She lets out a shaky breath. It's a bit too much to process to her.
"Are you ashamed?" Iroha asks carefully.
"I'm not sure." Yuki shakes her head.
"I'm sure it's a lot for you to take in." Iroha says, tone patient and understanding. Yuki nods at her.
"What happened?" Yuki mustered the courage to ask. Her tongue felt heavy and her chest felt tight, an invisible weight on them. Iroha, too, seems a bit discouraged at the question. But she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and released it slowly. When she opens her eyes, her rainbow-colored iris no longer swirl in the classic order, but mixing and blending together.
"Do you know who your biological father is?" Iroha asks. Yuki shakes her head. Iroha smiled once again, small and reminiscing. Her left hand dug into her right mantle sleeve and took out a picture, handing it over for Yuki to take. And as Yuki stare at the picture in her hand, she could feel her throat tightening.
"I've been carrying that since it was taken." Iroha says.
The picture shows a bust photograph of two people clad in white outfits. One is obviously Iroha, seen by the clear and light-reflecting hair. There's a white veil around her high bun, clothes covered with bead and lace. Pale colored-roses are seen at the bottom of the picture. Iroha looks slightly younger in the picture compared to now, added with the wide, teethy smile on her face. It looks like she was photographed while she was laughing.
On her left is a man about her age. His hair snow white, bangs swept slightly to the left and barely covering his left eye. The rest is tucked behind his right ear and a bit of mullet peeks out behind his neck. His eyes are sharp but his gaze is soft, iris bright sky blue. He also has a smile on him. It's calmer, but it doesn't hide his happiness. His hand is resting on Iroha's shoulder, gloved and white like their outfits.
"Is this father?" Yuki croaks out.
"That's your father." Iroha confirms. "His name is Fubuki."
"Fubuki." Yuki mutters. The name feels strange on her tongue, but at the same time, familiar. "He, he's..."
"Handsome?" Iroha finishes. "Let me tell you, he looks like your typical heartthrob, but he's actually quite wild beneath his cool face."
"How so?"
"On the day he proposed me, we got interrupted by a villain. He got angry, apprehended the villain in records time, and proposed me while the villain is being put into the police vehicle, in front of a whole crowd! Crazy, I tell you!"
Iroha tells their story with much passion and enthusiasm. Her tone is uplifting, happy, and Yuki couldn't help the smile that appeared when Iroha laughs at her memory. She imagined the scene and, well, it was probably quite chaotic.
"Where is he?"
Iroha's smile didn't disappear, but it changed.
"He's gone, snowflake."
Oh...
"You were still a one month old baby when he died." Iroha shakes her head. "For only one month, he came back to us, kissed me and carried you in his arm every night. Until he didn't."
"Two villains posing as his sidekick killed him as revenge on him. When I heard the news, I was distraught. I mourned. I regret that I wasn't there with him then. When I found out his sidekicks were the ones that killed him, I got angry. So then I headed to his- our agency, and... I..."
"You killed them."
"The villains, still posing as his sidekicks." Iroha nods, and quietly adds, "and the six innocent sidekicks, because I thought they were in it too."
"That's why... that's why you weren't here with me." Yuki says, coming to her own conclusion. If she would guess, Iroha either surrendered herself or was apprehended. She looks down at the picture in her hand, wondering what would her life be like if her father is still alive.
All of these happened because of anger. Frightening.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart."
"I know." Yuki whispers. "I know you are."
"That night, the police came to our house for investigation. And that's when they found you." Iroha continues her story. "They took you to the hospital to stay there, since you were an infant. Shouta knew this since he was there, too."
"Mom and dad didn't feel right, leaving you there." Aizawa adds, speaking for the first time since he entered the room. "They don't want her to comeback to you as a bad influence. If your grandparents are still alive, they would've taken you in. But since they're not, we decided to take you in. Iroha thinks it's best for you too."
"Just me?"
The air in that room instantly felt heavy. Yuki didn't mean to say that, it just popped into her head and she asked on impulse, but both Iroha and Aizawa didn't seem to expect that question. They both froze on their spot, eyes wide, and Yuki knew Akiyama wasn't lying. She needs to hear it from them, still.
"Yes...?" Iroha answers, but she sounds unsure.
"Don't I have a twin?"
"I- that-"
"Why were we separated?"
"I... never wanted you to be separated." Iroha answers. "I didn't think you would be."
Yuki visibly deflates on her seat. All this time, she had someone after all. But why was it hidden away? She can understand if it's Iroha, but her twin? What's worse is Aizawa knows. And he knows how Yuki feels about family. He knows, and he stayed silent.
"Why didn't you tell me?" She looks up to Aizawa. He shifted on feet before he answers.
"It's not my place to say."
"What- what kind of reason is that?" Really, what sad excuse. "That person is my sibling, my twin, I have the right to know. And you know how I felt. You know how much I want a family."
"I'm your family too, Yuki."
"Are you?"
Where this sudden defiance and doubt came from, Yuki doesn't know. No, actually, she knows. Deep down, it's always been there, on the back of her mind. The doubt that she pushes away as bad thoughts, piling up, fueled by her unfulfilled desire of acknowledgement from Aizawa, to the point that she had to let it all out.
Meanwhile, Aizawa and Iroha are both frozen on their place. Iroha looks horrified, and Aizawa is very much flabbergasted. Yuki never once talked back to him, nevertheless doubts him like this. Hell, she never looked like she was about to burst crying. With her eyes blown wide and brows knitted inwards, it's something he had never seen from her.
"Yuki, dear-" "Are you my family?" Yuki cuts Iroha off, focusing only on Aizawa and completely ignoring the older woman. "Never, not even once in my life, did I ever hear you say "I love you" or "I'm proud of you" to me. Never. I get that you're not someone who shows affection, but- you- is it wrong to want to hear that from you? Is it wrong to want to hear a bit more of your approval? Is it?"
"I didn't know how to do that at first. But you always talk about how I would be a great hero when I grow up. So I decided I should be one. Call it shallow determination, whatever, I don't care, I just want to be someone you can be proud of. And when you told me I was fostered, I felt felt even more determined, because I don't want to be any more of a burden to you. But even then, you didn't say anything. You didn't encourage me. You only told me the path to become a hero isn't easy. Over and over again."
"I call you father, not just because I want one, but I see you as one. But you-" It hurts, saying all these. At one point Yuki had looked down to the picture, still in her hands. Her chest felt tight the longer she stares at her father - her real father. Yuki saw Aizawa that way, too. She did. Now, she's not so sure. So she looks up, vulnerable and about to break, and asks,
"do you see me as your daughter?"
An uneasy silence fell over them. Iroha looks back and forth between them, wanting to interrupt but not knowing how. This isn't what she thought would've happened. Aizawa is silent, too. Yuki is literally on the edge of her seat, her eyes twinkling desperately for an answer. And still, Aizawa gives no answer, as if he's almost hesitant.
"You don't... You really don't." The silence is an answer to Yuki, and she has never felt such heaviness in her heart. Absolutely crushed. Betrayed. It hurts, hurts, hurts, and being in the room doesn't make it any better. She wants to leave. Get out. Run. Hide. Anywhere, just not here.
"You should've told me." Yuki says, voice breaking. "Then I- I wouldn't have deluded myself that I have a family."
"Yuki, dear, please don't say that..." Iroha who had been watching, finally spoke, rushing towards her daughter's side. She reached out for her daughter's hands, but Yuki had pulled away. So hesitantly, Iroha spoke, "you have a family. He is your family. It's just... a bit hard for him, too."
Yuki shakes her head. She knows it's hard for him. All this time, knowing that she's a villain's daughter, raising her mostly on his own. Now she knows why he wants to keep their relationship a secret. Has it always been her fault, then? Was she being egotistic her whole life? It must be. Aizawa is a good person. He'd never do something like this. So it's her fault, then.
"I'm going back to the dorm." She says eventually, handing Iroha's picture back to her. Hastily, she makes a run for the door. She bowed down at the door and left just like that. Iroha slipped the picture back into her sleeve, a clear concern displayed on her face.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that." Iroha turns to Aizawa.
"No, I'm sorry." She says and shakes her head. She wonders what's going on inside Aizawa's head. And if Yuki will be alright.
()()()()()
Meanwhile, at the dorm, everyone is leisurely lounging around at the common room, exhausted but excited. They're all still in their uniform, gathered together, celebrating, talking over each other while they tell their own experiences. Overall, they're all still very energetic.
"Still... our top two not cutting it was a shock, wasn't it?" Sero brings up.
"You got a death wish, you punk?!" "Dude! Chill!" There goes Bakugou and Kirishima in the background.
"Yuki made it though! If she didn't, I'd think you guys made a plan or something." Ashido says, grinning from ear to ear.
"A plan?"
"Ooh, I get it!" Hagakure cheers. "Like, maybe they're secretly filming a movie! A romance, love triangle movie!"
"No way in hell that's happening!" Roared Bakugou.
"That's a bit too much..." Jiro mumbles, Uraraka nodding beside her.
"Let me breathe! A girl needs her daily dose of romance!" Ashido whined. "But, like, imagine how spicy the movie would be!"
"Speaking of, I haven't seen Shimokaze since we dropped off the bus." Yaoyorozu points out.
"Oh, she was called by Mr. Aizawa earlier." Midoriya speaks.
And suddenly, they hear the entrance door aggressively opened and slammed closed, surprising them to silence. A few seconds later, Yuki emerges, but she headed straight for the stairs without even sparring her classmate a glance.
"Yuki!" Midoriya calls. Yuki stopped in her tracks and looked at him for a second, before hurriedly ducking her head down and leaving. The class looked at each other in confusion, sensing something... off. Because that's really not Yuki. Running off and ignoring them doesn't seem like something she's do.
"I wonder if something happened..." Uraraka mumbles.
"I'll go check on her." Midoriya says.
"No, let her be. Maybe she's just tired." Iida interferes. "We'll call her for dinner."
"Oh! Oh! Let's order delivery! Let's celebrate!"
And as the class proceeds like nothing happened, Todoroki stares at the corner where Yuki had disappeared to.
Time passes by in a breeze, surprisingly. Before long the sun has set and plastic bags has been set on the table, filled with warm and delicious food they ordered. They have changed their clothes and quickly set up the floor (Uraraka suggested it, so they felt more "home-y"), pulling out plates and utensils. Soon they were seated, making a circle around the stack of food.
"Thank you for the food!"
With that cheer, they all dig in energetically. The dorm is filled with chatter and laughter, alive in the night. Everyone is enjoying themselves, that's what Todoroki sees when he looks around. As he does, he spots an untouched plastic bag and a missing classmate; Yuki.
"I'll go get Shimokaze." He offers, standing up and walking away. Both of their rooms are located on the very top floor; the fifth floor. He climbs the stairs, one by one, just taking his time. When he arrived, he knocks on the door. There are no answer, but he hears the hum of her AC. She's inside. Maybe asleep?
"Shimokaze?" He calls out, knocking again. There's still no answer.
"Dinner is ready. Come out, everyone's eating together." He says. Maybe she really is asleep? He grabs the doorknob, pushing it down; it's unlocked.
"I'm coming in!" He warns and pushed the door open. Cold air immediately hits him. Then he realized that the room is dark. He contemplates to leave or check, and decided to do the latter, preparing to apologize for barging in. However, maybe he should've prepared for something else.
Yuki is awake, on her bed with her head ducked, hands furiously rubbing her face. The only light source is the light from the hallway and her phone on her side. She's hiccuping, light and almost inaudible. Todoroki knew something was wrong. He quickly approached her, hand on her shoulder. She's still wearing her uniform.
"What happened?"
"I- It won't stop-" she answers, voice thick, choked back. "It- why- why won't it stop?"
"Shouto, why, why c-can't I stop it?" And when Yuki looks up to him, she was a heartbreaking sight. It was something Todoroki would never thought of seeing. Tears, falling down from Yuki's eyes. She looked so confused, so scared.
"Make it stop, p-please, m-make it stop." She clutched at his arm desperately. She's cold, so cold. Still, a little bit hesitant and a little bit doubtful, Todoroki pulls her into his arms, holding her close. He could feel how tense. her body is, clearly holding back her sobs.
"Just cry." He tells her. "You'll feel better."
And it took mere seconds for her dam to break down. She sobbed, borderline screamed. Her gasps are loud and her shakes are nearly violent. Hands clutching tightly on him for dear life. And he could only stay there, holding her, keeping her grounded. There's a dull pain in his chest. It hurts, seeing her like this.
"I-I hate this...!" Yuki sobbed, needles stabbing through Todoroki's heart. "It- it- h-hurts...!"
"You're alright." Todoroki says, holding her just a little more tighter. "You're alright."
"T-take it away- Shouto- please, make i-it g-go away-"
He wants to do that, but how?
Is what he's doing right? Is he helping? Is there anything else he could do? No one could tell him if he's right. And this is as best as he could do. Holding her, keeping her somewhat grounded, being her anchor. But God, Todoroki hopes this won't go on for long.
He hopes Yuki won't be hurting for long.