Look, I know this isn't Great Literature, or even particularly good writing, but my brain has been trying to light itself on fire recently, and sometimes the only way you can extinguish the flames is to write about your newfound comfort characters. I say "newfound" because I'm only on like, season 3 of BNHA, lol. I never write fics for series I haven't finished, but I guess this is an exception.

Also, I'm running on like four hours of sleep. So uh. I promise my writing is usually better than this ajksdfljf

I'm low-key fascinated by Toshi's lackluster people skills and how that contrasts with his image as a hero who has inspired millions of people. He just has this (extremely relatable) tendency to be innocently insensitive. Plus he doesn't always pick up on things he should notice. (See: not understanding why Izuku doesn't immediately have perfect control of OFA, not telling him he was quirkless, etc.) But I do believe he has good intentions and wants to be better for his kiddo.

Toshinori was no stranger to the sound of crying. After all, a hero's job was to save people in distress. Those he rescued, if not unconscious or in a state of shock, were typically in tears and on the verge of breaking down. And, just like Nana before him, he always made sure to comfort them, not only with his ever-present smile but also with encouraging words and his strong yet gentle hands. Reassuring people came naturally to him. It was part of his identity as the Symbol of Peace.

When he wasn't working, when he was faced with someone crying who wasn't in immediate life-threatening danger… well, that was a different story. Somehow, no matter how hard he tried to say the right thing, the situation would always go off the rails—slowly at first, and then all at once. After a few particularly cringeworthy failures, he'd taken to writing down things characters in movies and books said to each other in times of emotional turmoil. He tucked these lines away in his memory to use later. But the words never sounded genuine on his lips. Not only did that make him feel even more awkward but also it didn't exactly put whoever he was trying to comfort at ease.

At least he had the right intention. At least he tried, even when he managed only to put his foot in his mouth.

But now, faced with a crying Midoriya, he wasn't sure good intentions would be enough.

Toshinori didn't even know where to start. He'd seen the boy cry countless times before, whether from joy or relief or some other intense emotion. But he'd never cried like this before. Not with his shoulders slumped in resignation. Not with his hands shaking as he pressed them to his face, as if ashamed of being seen, even though he'd asked Toshinori to come.

Deep down, as much as he didn't want to admit it, Toshinori knew he wasn't the right person to handle this delicate situation. He'd seen how Aizawa could calm the kid with little more than a few words and a quick pat on the shoulder. As glad as he was that Midoriya had someone he could count on for reassurance, he still felt a twinge of envy when he saw him with Aizawa. Toshinori wanted nothing more than to care for his boy, to make him happy and keep him safe. But sometimes he made mistakes. Sometimes he didn't know what to say. And it hurt to see someone else succeed so effortlessly where he failed.

But it was he, Toshinori, who had received a text from Midoriya asking for help. He was the one standing before this broken child who had entrusted him with the solemn duty of putting the world back together, and however unworthy Toshinori might feel of this honor, he wouldn't—couldn't—refuse a request from his boy.

So, drawn forward as if by some unseen force, Toshinori knelt in front of Midoriya, wrapped his arms around his trembling frame, and said the only thing he could.

"It's okay. I'm here."

Please let me know what you think! I'm actually working on a longer BNHA fic featuring Todoroki's terrible family, All Might accidentally making things worse, Aizawa being Best Dad, and conversations about grief. Your feedback will help me as I figure out exactly how I want to handle this project. Ty!