19

Withered lily pads

Tsuyu was in the workshop, staring at Izuku, thinking about his question. Was he still Deku? She knew he needed a supportive response but, "...Midoriya, you're still a hero to me, ribbit." She had walked up to him as she spoke. She gave him a small supportive smile.

He tried to give it back, but his smile was cracked, even still, "Thanks Asui, you're a really good friend, you know that?"

"You think?" She tilted her head, staring up at him with her tongue sticking out.

He nodded. "Yeah, and I really need one, right now." Dropping his head.

She made a throaty response before simply hugging him, letting him rest his head on her shoulder.

"Thank you." He whispered, feeling ashamed of how vulnerable he was being in front of her.

"You're welcome."

She ignored the damp feeling her shoulder was getting. She ignored the stilted sniffles. She ignored a few salty drops on her neck and back. She simply let him be.

After, he pulled back and rubbed his eyes, cleaning his face. "I'm sorry about your uniform."

"No, don't worry about it." She glanced at his right hand as he rubbed his face. "Midoriya have you changed your bandages?" Subconsciously grabbing his hand, looking at them.

"Oh, um, no, not really?" Kind of asking if that was bad.

"C'mon let's go to the nurse's office, I don't think Recovery Girl will mind."

Recovery girl let them use the room as she went to the teacher's office.

Midoriya was uncomfortable at the closeness, even though they had just shared a long hug. This was different. Asui was going to see his arm, yet he didn't know how to say no. He winced with anxiety as she began to peel.

He waited for her reaction. A gasp or to be taken aback. He dared, struggling to open his eyes. They grew, seeing her face.

Natural. Simply natural.

Tsuyu felt his stare and raised her head up to him. "Ribbit?"

"O-Oh, um." Turning his face to the side, scratching his cheek. "It's just that I didn't think... you'd react like that."

"React to what?" Being genuine in her confusion.

"Er, it's nothing Asui. Thanks." As she finished unwrapping his arm.

The air around him became comfortable again. They talked like usual while cleaning his healing scars and rebandaging him.

"Really thanks again Asui, you've always been there for me."

"And I always will be, ribbit."

Midoriya was rambling with embarrassed cheeks, kicking the sand under the swing he was on. "I can't believe I actually did that. Was it the right thing? But I couldn't help it. Are we gonna talk about it tonight? Or at school? Is she upset? Why did I run away?"

He heard sinking steps in the sand, then the clang and clings of chainlinks. He turned to the person who chose to sit by him.

"Asu-, Tsu?!" Shocked she knew where he was and even deciding to sit next to him.

"Ribbit." Acknowledging him. She let the soles of her shoes skim over the sand.

He tried to break the silence. "It feels like forever s-since we hung out, huh?"

She didn't really respond.

"I can push you if y-you want..?" He attempted, realizing it was in vain. He glanced away dejected. He took a breath before facing her again.

"You... You already know about me and... her, don't you?"

She stared off before sighing and nodding. She finally turned her face to him. Midoriya almost bit back from her expression. She had loss in her big eyes and her tongue was only sticking out a little. "Yes, I do."

Midoriya sucked in a breath. "So, um, yeah... I've been seeing-"

"Why them?" She interrupted.

"Th-Them? What do you mean?" Izuku was trying to keep calm but it was growing in the pit of his stomach.

"What is it about them?"

"A-Asui-, eh, Tsu, what are-"

"Is it because you can keep it a secret?"

"What, no it's not-"

"Or are you ashamed?"

"Asui, where is this coming-"

"And why is it so hard for you to call me Tsu!.. Ribbit." She croaked weakly after her outlash. The wind dangling the chain links left a melancholic lullaby during the silence. "What is it about me..?"

Izuku was staring at the sand trying to understand everything she was throwing at him. He lifted his head, he opened his mouth, nothing came out, he closed it, not having a response. He struggled but finally formed some words. "I... I don't want to lose you as a friend."

"Midoriya, I just can't keep seeing you do this to yourself, over and over again." She took a breath before standing.

Izuku's eyes widened, feeling her pull away. "W-Wait, Asui!" He got up reaching out for her wrist.

"Stop, just stop!" She yanked her wrist away, turning to him. He gasped seeing her bubbling eyes. "I can't keep doing this! Ribbit."

He dropped his arm, staring with parted lips. "Why are you suddenly acting like this..?" He quietly pleaded with her.

She sighed, hugging herself with one arm. "It's not sudden, Midoriya." She stifled a sniffle. "I've been feeling like this for a long time... And finding out about her. I just can't, Midoriya, I can't anymore."

Izuku's throat was dry. "B-But what does she have to do with anything?"

"It has everything to do with it. And don't act like it doesn't! It was the same thing with Kyouka! And then the same with Yui! You can't keep doing that with them and then come running back to me like nothing happened! I'm not going to let you get my hopes up again! It's too mean... Ribbit." She took a shaky breath after letting it all out.

Midoriya almost took a step back, his shoes gritted on the sand. His orbs were a jaded emerald. His throat was clogged as he tried to force some words out, gripping his right hand shut. "Y-You... I, i-it's not like that." Releasing his own grip, weakly. "A-And it's not like that with her." He quietly added, speaking more to himself.

"Ever since you lost your quirk you've changed." Tsuyu wiped her eyes before continuing. "It's like you are a hollow version of yourself when you hang out with all of us, pretending everything's okay but then there's this other you, the you with baggy eyes who goes off on his own and... and I don't know who he is." She glanced to the swing set, not able to stare at him.

He couldn't blink because of shock, stinging his eyes. His parted lips pressed together before speaking. "Asui, it's complicated... She, she needs me."

"You're saving her? Midoriya, you can't save people like that."

"A-And why not? Y-Yui, she-"

"So what? You're just going to continue the cycle? Have you ever thought that maybe Yui wasn't doing it for you? Maybe she had her own reasons."

"N-No, Yui wouldn't... B-Besides it doesn't matter anymore. N-None of that matters."

"Of course it does."

"But why? Why does it have to be like this? Why is this so important to you?"

A deep cold breath. "B-Because, you look at them in such a way... And I never felt that."

The wind blew by rustling their hair.

"...Oh."

"Ribbit."

Izuku was standing in front of Tsuyu speechless, his hair covering his eyes. Before he could react, she stepped forward, grabbing his jaw, bringing him down to her. She forcibly moved his lips with hers, trying to pull his face as close to hers as possible.

His eyes were wide the entire time.

Hers were closed. She slowly opened them as she finished her final attempt. She came to a resounding stop, pulling away with a sad smile.

"Asui..."

"I guess that's why it was always hard for you to call me Tsu." She had her hands on his shoulders, before she sighed, and began to separate from him.

He was still shocked before noticing she was walking away. He forced himself to snap out of it. 'No, not Asui. I can't lose you.' He quickly caught up to her. He tried to reach out again, grabbing her wrist. This time she didn't pull away. He stuttered with his breath. "I'm, I'm sorry... Y-You were always there for me. I-, I never bothered to ask why. I should have... I should have done a lot of things different. I should have paid more attention. I'm sorry, Tsu... Do you think, maybe, we can try to be friends again?" He had a smile of hope in his voice.

"I'm sorry Midoriya."

Buzz, buzz.

Her phone began to chime.

"H-Hello? Izuku."

"M-Momo? I'm... I'm outside."