Izuku Midoriya

The deluge of tears pouring from Midoriya's eyes seeped slowly into Todoroki's sweatshirt as the former attempted to assuage his sorrows. Every time I convince myself I'm fine and can move on with my day, I break down again at the slightest reminder of any of my problems. I'm so sick of this… For an ephemeral moment, the room was drenched in silence, but shortly thereafter, Midoriya's psyche was inadvertently rent by the papercut of his thoughts. I can't stop crying. When I do, it's only for a few seconds, and then, lured into the false hope that I've overcome the worst, I fall back into this cycle again. I'm sorry, Shouto…

After approximately twenty minutes, Midoriya finally managed to dry his tears, so he simply cherished the warm embrace of his lover. "I-I'm…okay now," he whispered hoarsely over Todoroki's damp shoulder. "Thank you for that. I…really needed it. I know you're not feeling well, so I'm just really grateful for this." He expelled a long, soft breath.

Todoroki tilted his head ever so slightly. "You don't need to thank me for that," he replied in a silky sigh. "I'm honored that you came to me, Izuku. But is there anything you want to talk about?" He winced as he shifted his position and repositioned Midoriya on his lap.

I really do, Midoriya inwardly maundered. I want to tell you everything, but I'm afraid. A part of me doesn't want anyone to know. It's embarrassing, and even though I know you won't judge me, I still can't help but feel like you will. It's selfish, isn't it? So selfish… You're my boyfriend. I should be open about my feelings.

Reluctantly, Midoriya nodded. "I just had a really difficult time at school," he forced himself to admit. "I kept fighting back tears. I couldn't focus. Everything is a complete blur. I just wanted time to stop, y'know? Like, either everything was moving too fast, or I just couldn't keep up." He inhaled deeply. "But…I came to you because I… Um. Y-You know, that's not important anymore. Um. I didn't want to make bad decisions on my own, I guess?" He swallowed thickly and pressed his face to Todoroki's chest.

Please don't press me for more details. I can't bring myself to bluntly say the truth. It's such an uncomfortable feeling, and I don't know how to phrase it into words.

Todoroki's voice was like the faint echo of a river rapidly rushing by from the distance. "I couldn't be any happier knowing that you're safe and alive right now. Thank you for coming to me. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you, Izuku…" His head nodded slowly as though it had been a windchime swaying in the gentle breeze. "Can I do anything else to help ease the pain?"

"Just…your being here with me is so, so helpful, Sho. I can't tell you how much you've gotten me through, so I'm just really sorry that I have a hard time opening up about this stuff."

"Only share what you're comfortable with when you're ready to share it."

"O-Okay…"

Silence slithered between the two for a few seconds.

"Izuku?"

"Yeah?"

"In three days—on Monday—I'll be out of town." As though a shadow had been growing beneath a streetlight, Todoroki's voice gradually dimmed. "I'm worried about you, though. Will you be okay…if I leave?"

Midoriya nodded. "I think I'll be okay, Sho. I'll get stronger. I can handle it. How long will you be out?"

"That's the thing. I don't know how long I'll be gone for. It's for some personal things that happened, but I'll tell you about that before I go."

Oh, is that why he wasn't feeling well today? What happened? I won't ask, but I hope I can be there for him as much as he is for me. He's my natural way of easing the pain. Even so, it's still hard to walk past the blades in my room and not succumb. I see them or think about it, and it's like I start unraveling.

"Are you okay, Shouto?"

"No."

"Um. I—"

"I'm Todoroki Shouto."

A mirthful chuckle burst from Midoriya's lips as he tipped his head back. "Shouto, the dad jokes are killing me," he replied with a beatific smile. "But they always make the atmosphere so much less tense."

Todoroki's lips formed a faint crescent that poked his cheeks with gentle bliss. "You always laugh at them." His deft digits dove through Midoriya's hair. "Your laugh is cute. I love it."

Effervescent stains of peach mantled Midoriya's cheeks. "Sh-Sho, stop. You're too sweet." His gaze returned to sieve his boyfriend's neutral expression. "But, really, though. Are you okay?"