Bubble Gum | Tododeku

Ease My Mind

Breaths..

Shallow breaths as the forest overshadows us.

Everything went pitch black, and a screech could be heard that was all too familiar.

Then silence, it was unsettling.

It was Midoriya's scream, starting to worry, I whipped my head around in all directions. Then I saw it, my father holding him by his arm and lifting him up in the air. "THIS, THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT SHOTO. YOU LEFT MY HOUSE FOR THIS... THING?!"

I had never realized how bad my guilt was for that night until now. It wasn't because of my father, but it was Midoriya. I felt so angry at myself for roping him into it, never once thought about how it would effect him in the long run. "PLEASE LET HIM GO. HE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!"

My father laughed, I wanted to move but I was mortified into my spot. The ambiance of the situation made him feel more threatening. "WHY WOULD I DO THAT? YOU CARE ABOUT HIM DON'T YOU?" My throat went dry. Damn it, why couldn't I do anything?

I summoned the only words I could muster from my mouth. "M-Midoriya... no..."

In a similar fashion to when Bakugou was captured, a hazy purple cloud appeared behind them, slowly sucking the two in as my dad taunted me. I was powerless in this situation, I could only listen to the sounds of Midoriya's shouts. "SHOTO! HELP!" Midoriya screamed at the top of his lungs. But then, the silence had returned.

Not to comfort me, but to break me, and tell me I had lost.

I woke up in a cold sweat, screams being held in the back of my throat. If they were let out, people would know. Sero would probably hear or maybe Sato, possibly even Tsu or Yaomomo. My breath started slowly calming down, "I can't stay like this, I need a drink." I said to myself, and released myself from the covers' hold. As I walked towards my door, I checked the time. "2:42, good, no one will be downstairs." But I was wrong, when I made my way to the common room. Three people were still on the couch, only one being awake however.

Kirishima and Bakugou are huddled together on one couch, with a pink leopard-print blanket (courtesy of Mina) draped over them. They looked really peaceful, both must have fell asleep after I went upstairs earlier. I could only make out the other person as I got closer to the living room area. Midoriya was spaced out, holding his knees on the couch opposite of the pair. He looked like he had been crying again, yet he still was as pretty as ever.

"Midoriya?" I was so relieved to see he was still around, that the earlier scene had been all a figment of my imagination. He looked over, and smiled at me. "Hey! Why are you up?" I couldn't specifically tell him what had happened, "Bad dream I guess," so I sugar coated it.

"Oh, same here actually..." he responded, but he didn't look too happy. I didn't really know what to say at this point, so I grabbed two cups of water and brought one to him. "Thanks" he said as he took the cup from me. "Can I sit next you?" Midoriya nodded, and I sat down beside him on the couch.

"They look so... peaceful," Midoriya sighed, "I'm glad Kacchan found someone who made him happy." I nodded, "Yeah... he really needed it." he chuckled, "He did, didn't he." Midoriya still looked a bit upset, the facade of his was slowly slipping and I caught a glimpse of it. "You okay Midoriya?" the greenette said nothing, just nodding and sticking his head into his knees. "It's nothing... I'm ok." "Alright..." and it went silent again. I know I said he shouldn't know what occurred, but he wasn't his cheery self anymore. It hurt me to see him like this, the puffy eyes were standing out more then usual. Other times, when he cried, the red would be minimal since it would be a short frame of waterworks but-

it looked like he had been crying for hours.

Like that night I went over his house. He had broke down, crying and letting down his walls. That was the first time I had ever heard him scream and cry before. It was heartbreaking.

  "Y'know, my dream...."

"Yeah?" he sniffled a bit

"It was about you."

Midoriya grew shocked and turned to me, "How come?" he asked. "Well, it was about that time you helped me... with my dad and all that. I feel kind of guilty? I don't want my father to blame you for what happened. That's what it was." He didn't say anything just stayed in the quiet for a minute, but his eyes grew a look of pity.

"I wanted to help that day y'know?"

"But you always help when it comes to my father, don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful but-"

"You're just scared that Endeavour will start coming for me."

I nodded, and Midoriya quietly laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Well, even after all of this, you still find ways to worry about me. You may look cold, but you are a really caring person underneath, don't ever forget that, ok Todoroki~Kun?"

And then he smiled, my stomach twisted into knots. "I won't Midoriya, I promise."

We both looked back at the other two, a soft grin was on Kirishima's face. The atmosphere had grown lighter, and it was back to comfort. 

"My father had a daughter you know..."

I spun my head to look at him, "W-what!?" He nodded, "Recently, one of my mother's co-workers recognized him on her vacation. She got to say hello to him... and his new wife... and... his 5 year-old daughter Aoi, a girl with a fire breathing quirk just like his. What were the chances of that happening, small world huh?" 

"Midoriya... I am so sorry." 

"Don't be, it's easy to realize now, the reason he left was because of me." The tears formed back up in his eyes... "It's because I- he thought I was going to be quirkless... so he didn't want me." his voice started to shatter as the tears fell again. "I- it was- my fault.. w-wasn't it..." 

Without thinking, I pulled him in for a hug, and hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around me. Sobbing into my shoulder, "It's not your fault at all, and whoever says it is, they are so wrong." Midoriya never responded, he just kept crying and crying. I didn't mind though, he needed to let those tears go and I was there to help. "You know why it's not your fault?"

"W-why?"

"Because he's a fucking dick."

Midoriya paused, sniffling. Soon, he started to laugh again. "I almost didn't catch that."

"It's the word of a wise greenette."

"I'm not that wise!"

"Of course you are."

We both laughed, and he smiled. "Thank you Todoroki~Kun,"

"No problem Midoriya. Here," I held my hand out, although nothing was in it. "What are you doing?"

"Giving you something, take it." He looked confused, "But there's nothing in it," I nodded. "I don't have any gum on me, so we can just pretend it's there, and whatever flavor you guess is going to be right." Midoriya cracked up as he took the invisible stick of gum from my fingers, "Hmm... Mint Chocolate Chip?" I nodded,

"Correct."