Midoriya gasps, Shouto-kun's aunt...
A stream of words floods out from his mouth.
"Shouto-kun's... I mean Todoroki-kun's aunt?! Where is he?! How is he?! What happened to him?! May I see him?! Please, tell me!"
Midoriya is speaking fast, frantically, awkwardly getting closer to that young lady as fast as he can, thumping loudly his crutches on the floor.
The young lady stares at that tiny kid anxiously getting closer, clumsily walking on his crippled legs, his bright green eyes wide open.
"You really seem to care about Shouto... Midoriya-kun..."
"I do! I do!" Says Midoriya urgently.
"Please ma'am, tell me how's he. Let me see him, please!"
"Please Midoriya-kun, calm down..."
"Your teachers said you and Shouto were close so... I thought you could... help him..."
"Yes! yes! We're friends! But why are you talking like that?! What happened to Shou... to Todoroki-kun?!"
"Shouto is at my place now."
"After a long legal battle I got a deal with his father. Shouto is now under my custody, he lives with me now."
"Really?!" Asks Midoriya widely smiling.
"Yes, but... now Shouto is..."
Midoriya's smile quickly fades out.
"What is it? He's fine, right?" He asks anxiously.
"No, Midoriya-kun... He's not..."
Midoriya wobbles, struggling to keep his balance.
"What... what... happened to him?..."
The young lady stares at Midoriya's scared eyes.
"The doctors said he is in a sort of self induced coma... He... He closed himself deep in his mind... He doesn't speak anymore... He doesn't move anymore... He has to be fed by a feeding tube... "
Midoriya opens his mouth but nothing gets out. He feels dizzy, his head spinning.
"Are you ok, Midoriya-kun?" Asks the young lady worriedly.
"Oh... Yes... Sorry ma'am... I'm fine..."
"Midoriya-kun..." Continued the woman.
"I... I came to ask you to... to come see Shouto..."
"Maybe you can help him to find himself again..."
"Please Midoriya-kun... Come to see Shouto... Please..." She says while a tear runs down her cheek.
"I will!" Almost shouts Midoriya.
"I wanna see Shouto-kun! I wanna help him! I'll do anything!"
The young lady is holding her tears. Shouto has a friend...
He never had... but now... this tiny disabled kid seems to really care about him.
"Thank you Midoriya-kun, Thank you..." Whispers the young lady, wiping her eyes.
"Please ma'am, bring me to him... Now... Please..."
"I... I got a a car waiting outside the school, would you come with me?"
"Sure, let's go!" Says Midoriya resolutely.
He tightly clenches the handles of his crutches. He wants to go, he wants to run...
But he can't.
He can just painfully drag his feet on the floor, struggling to walk on, softly whimpering for the strain and for the frustration.
If only his legs would move faster... If only his stupid feet wouldn't bump together...
Kirishima can feel the struggle of his friend fighting his spastic legs, striving to move on as fast as he can.
He gets closer and gently lays a hand on Midoriya's shoulder stopping him.
"Midoriya... I know you may feel uneasy... but..."
"Would you... um... would you let me... carry you?... Just this time..."
"Oh... Um... Thanks Kirishima-kun but I... I..." Says Midoriya, avoiding eye contact.
"Midoriya... Please... I'm your friend... There's no reason to feel uneasy... Let me help you... just this time... please!"
Midoriya can see the concern on Kirishima's face. His usually jokingly expression his now worried, worried for him. He just wants to help him. He's a friend...
"...Thanks, Kirishima-kun." Eventually says Midoriya, shyly.
"...Please... ...help me..."
Kirishima smiles, showing his sharky teeth. He feels relieved. Midoriya trusts him after all...
"Excellent decision, Sir." He says then cheerfully, back to his usual mode.
"You'll find my back really comfortable! Anything like Denki's, with all that spiky bones!"
"Wuh... What?! My ba...ba...ba...back is as cuh...cuh... uh... as cuh... omfortable as y-yours!"
Splutters Kaminari, slapping Kirishima with the back of his hand.
"A-ha! You smiled, Midoriya! I saw you!" Says Kirishima, grinning and pointing at him.
"Not one of you best, but..."
His face gets serious again.
"Don't worry Midoriya, Todoroki is going to get better. I feel it."
"Please kids, get in." Says Todoroki's aunt, opening the door.
"Sorry for intruding..." Say the kids getting into the genkan.
"Guys..." Asks Midoriya uneasily.
"Um... Could... could you help me to sit on the step? I have to take off my shoes..."
"Midoriya-kun." Says the young lady, staring at the kid's braced shoes.
"Can you walk without your braces?"
"Uh... Um... well... I... I can crawl... Don't worry..."
"Absolutely not!" She says resolutely.
"Please keep your shoes on and use your crutches, I don't mind!"
"Oh... But... I... Um..."
"...Thank you, ma'am... I... I really can't walk without them now..."
Says Midoriya blushing.
"Midoriya, remember..." Says Kirishima holding him steady while he's trying to overcome the genkan step.
"You can count on us. Ever." His funny face is now serious.
"Call us for anything you need. Promise!"
"Yes... I will. Thanks..."
"Midoriya, look at me." Insists Kirishima
"Promise!"
Midoriya stares at Kirishima's resolved face.
"I will... I promise. Thank you guys..."
Kirishima smiles, gently squeezing Midoriya's arm.
"See you, Midoriya... and remember, you promised..."
"Aren't you staying kids?" Asks the young lady to Kirishima and Kaminari.
"We really would but Todoroki and... Oh... Sorry... Todoroki-kun and Midoriya shares a very special bond, intruding now wouldn't be a good idea..."
"Oh... I see... That's very considerate of you... Thank you kids..."
"Oh... Um... you... you are welcome ma'am..." Says Kirishima blushing.
"If we can do something for Todoroki we... I mean, for Todoroki-kun we will. Just let's know!"
"Goodbye Ma'am, thank you for taking care of our friends."
"Good...Good...uh... Goodbye, Ma...a...adam."
"Would you come in, Midoriya-kun?" Gently asks the young lady.
"Yes ma'am, please."
Midoriya awkwardly follows Todoroki's aunt, dragging and stomping his feet along a narrow corridor, leaning heavily on his crutches.
"Do you need help, Midoriya-kun?" Asks the young lady, aware of the kid's struggle.
"No, thank you ma'am."
He replies panting, struggling to free the foot that just got stuck against the other one.
"I can do it by myself."
A the end of the corridor, the woman opens a door.
"Midoriya-kun..." She says.
"Please, get in. Shouto is here."
