"And Always, Sweet Dreams."

"Listen to Me."

Read with caution. Warnings included in the description. 

Todoroki's POV

When I awakened from sleep, the first thing my senses picked up on was the clear sterile air and the sweet smell of cherry blossoms. It was warm where I was, and it felt like the afternoon sun was slowly washing over me in a golden hue, causing me to close my eyes right after I attempted to open them. When I became more aware, I grew in confidence and shifted a little before opening my eyes again. As I suspected, I was in the UA infirmary, and telling by the sunlight, it was around midafternoon.

I heard a shift beside me, and then a rough voice. "How's it going, kid?"

I moved my eyes to the other side of the room and wasn't surprised to see Aizawa sitting beside the bed, present as usual.

"Sensei." I greeted. I went to sit up, wanting to not be rude in front of my teacher, but something tugging on my wrist was quick to restrain me and put me back down. I was shocked and confused, and grew angered at what was on my wrist.

Aizawa sighed. "With the stunt you pulled earlier, the authorities have decided to put you on house arrest so they can track where you are."

I looked down at my wrist, and sure enough, a quirk restraining cuff was wrapped around my wrist and the rail of the medical bed. "It is unnecessary."

Aizawa nodded, and sat up. "I know, kid, but you just have to deal with it until they see that you aren't a threat," he replied. "We tried to get them to go easy on you with the case, but the situation is just too messy, and this was the best we could do without angering the authorities and hero agencies."

I nodded in understanding, grateful for Aizawa's efforts to help me. It was still frustrating, of course, and the extra weight on my wrist was quite uncomfortable and causing me to relapse slightly to another time when it was bandages holding my wrist down, and not cuffs. I shivered, shaking the memories from my head, and blinked up at Aizawa.

I swallowed. "Is my back okay? What happened?"

Aizawa sighed again at this, and placed a hand on my shoulder. "I spoke to Recovery Girl after she examined you, and she said that there was absolutely nothing wrong with your back," when the teacher saw the confused frown on my face, he continued. "She said that the stress and shock from the situation had caused your body to react negatively, and that after you became conscious after blacking out, your body had forgotten that it was healed from your past injuries, and copied the muscle feeling of pain and tricked your brain into thinking you were still injured."

Oh. I realized, and suddenly felt embarrassed. I worried Aizawa for no reason. I'm such a burden.

I nodded, and relaxed, glad that my back wasn't actually aggravated again. It was much more of a relief than anyone would have imagined, and felt my body sag lightly when all the tension and fear left it. The reason for the pain I was in a few hours ago was merely psychological, and was a reaction to my past trauma. It sucked, of course, that this happened, because now that I know it is possible and can happen at anytime, the anxiousness of how my future in the hero carrier will play out.

That is, if I become a hero in the first place.

With the suspicion that was cast on me at the moment, seeking a life in the hero world might prove to be difficult, and even if my name is cleared, my family name will forever be tarnished. The thought left my stomach twisting in dread, and I suddenly feared what my future will hold. That is, if I have the chance to move forward into the future. You never really know what's hiding around the corner these days.

Izuku's voice suddenly echoed in my mind.

"We just have to answer some questions, and then it will all be over."

It will be over, but in what way?

A small part of me knew, but I rejected that future.

I didn't want a future that will be lived in pain and guilt, because that wouldn't be a future that I want to live in.

"Kid?"

Maybe I should die. I mean, it's a miracle that I've lived this long, and with all the shit that has been thrown at me, and the number of people that have tried to kill me, it's as if it was meant to be.

So why am I still here?

I felt a rough hand come down on my shoulder again, and I flinched at the unwanted contact, jerking backwards and scrambling to the top of the bed. I was breathing harshly, ragged, and I felt slightly feverish while I leaned away from the touch, startled. My movement was fast and sudden, which caused my head to swim lightly, and as I went to grip the railing of the bed for support, my hand slipped, and I stumbled over the railing. It was quite a pathetic fall, really, and I landed on the floor in a puddle of bedsheets.

Aizawa with his quick and well-trained reflexes was quick to be at my side, and he kneeled beside me cautiously with an outstretched hand. I flinched away again and closed my eyes, because at that moment Aizawa didn't look like a teacher or a hero, and a small part of me believed that that outstretched hand was going to hurt me.

Aizawa must have noticed this, and lowered his hand slightly. "It's okay, you don't have to be scared. I'm not going to hurt you."

But to me, those words didn't matter. They were fake, unrealistic, not true, just like someone else's – just like Endeavor.

"Todoroki – hey, listen to me, okay?"

I looked up slightly, watching him through lidded – wild – eyes, and did as he said. I sat silently, back pressed against the wall, and winced at the aching in my wrist. During my fall off the bed, my wrist was still bound to the railing and the cuff had dug painfully into my skin. I was dazed for a moment as I looked up at where my hand was handing, and the panic spiked in me instantly. There was blood dripping from my wrist - my bone was snapped.

I inhaled sharply and looked away and down, trying not to focus on the pain because I knew if I did, I would probably blackout.

"Don't look, Todoroki, and stay here," Aizawa said, standing. "I don't have the keys to remove the cuff, so I have to get someone. Just stay here, okay?"

I nodded, because at that moment nodding was the only thing I knew how to do, and sniffed, before scolding myself inside about crying about something that shouldn't be concerning. But it hurt, and it was scary, I'll admit, and the blood was dripping down my arm and staining the floor.

With that amount of red, I didn't feel safe anymore.

I felt nauseous and delirious the moment Aizawa left me alone, and looked to the side and gaged. Stress wasn't good for me – it never was, but now it is linked to my medical condition – so I tried my best to take deep, steadying breaths so I could grasp a hold of myself. It worked for a minute before my lungs suddenly felt like they might explode, and I was lightheaded from still breathing a little too harshly. I was scared - very scared, and rested my head against the wall when I felt too dizzy to keep it up.

I was hurt and terrified, but also angry.

I was so, so angry.

Those bastards, I thought, beginning to whimper almost silently. If they didn't cuff me – if they listened to the school and took their word on me not being a threat, I would be okay right now. But I'm not, and that's their fault.

I couldn't help the snarl that plastered itself onto my lips, and began huffing like a drowning person. I felt too hot, and my aching head was making my eyes hurt and spin. I think I stopped breathing at one point, and laid limply against the wall with exhaustion numbing me, and when I saw a dark figure outside the window and a flash of blue flames filling the infirmary, I finally let myself go to sleep. 

:)

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