Don't Let Go || Tododeku

New Kid

~ 4 Months Earlier ~

[Izuku's POV]

Darkness.

Everywhere I look it's just...dark. Inky black, so thick it feels like I'm running through an empty abyss, without going anywhere at all.

Loneliness.

My heart rate quickens as I try gasping for oxygen but there's no air around me. For miles on end it lasts for, but I can't see an end and a beginning, it's all just an empty black hole, slowly consuming me.

Trapped.

I try running as something soft brushes past my shoulders and ankles. Panic floods through my system as my body stops moving. I turn to find a rope at my ankle. I pull my foot forward, but more ropes keep coming for me, wrapping around my body, my legs, arms, neck.

Inescapable.

I choke as I'm tugged backwards forcefully, the breath leaving my lungs as I'm dragged further and further down into the endless tunnel, my hand reaching out for something, anything. But there's nothing, and all I can do is scream as a hand looms over me, clamping over my eyes, the rope at my neck choking me pulling me down, until I can no longer breathe--

I sit bolt upright, screaming out, clawing at my neck, panting heavily, gasping for oxygen.

It takes me a few moments to realise there's no rope around my throat, but it still feels like I'm being choked. I look around, my eyes adjusting to the no longer alien surroundings, my hyperventilating gradually slowing to hiccups, as the nightmare fades away and I'm brought back to reality.

For better or worse I don't know.

I slouch back into the scattered pillows, the blanket on the ground showing I was thrashing about in my sleep again. I try to take regular breaths, too afraid to close my eyes for the fear that once I do I won't be able to escape it all again.

These stupid nightmares have been going on for months, and won't stop. It's every single day. Always the same, never changing, only getting more and more nerve-racking. I always end up trapped and chained, unable to make it out the black abyss.

I sigh, raking a shaking hand through my sweat soaked, messy hair, just as an urgent knocking sounds at my door causing me to flinch violently in surprise.

"Deku-kun!!! Come on wake up, we gotta goooo!!"

I breathe out a sigh of relief as I hear Uraraka's voice.

"C-Coming!" I yell, still slightly shaken up from that nightmare.

I stumble out of bed, scurrying over to the front door, picking up bits and bobs left on the floor like clothes and papers. Eventually I make it through the maze to unlock the door for Uraraka, who greets me with a hug, catching me by surprise, causing me to jump again.

"Gomen," she says, apologetically. I shrug in response, watching her gaze change as she takes in my morning appearance. "God, Deku, you look like absolute shit."

"Thanks, that was the look I was going for," I reply, sarcastically. She rolls her eyes in response.

"Sooo, ya gonna let me in or am I just gonna stand in your doorway?"

"Now that I think about it, you'll be fine standing out there."

She giggles, before walking in, taking the clothes and papers I'd picked up and beginning to fold them and tidy them away. "Come on, we have to go. You know what he'll do if you're late again."

I huff angrily, grateful for her friendly gesture as she continues tidying up, and storm off to my bedroom to change quickly and make myself look a little less like shit. In less than a few minutes I'm ready to go, walking out to find Uraraka in the kitchen/sitting room. I catch her looking at old pictures from years ago that were still up on the shelves that I'd forgotten to take down. Ones of memories I'd rather forget forever.

I reach past her, grabbing them and tossing them into the bin, a sour taste building up in my throat. She doesn't say anything as I turn and head out, but simply follows as I lead the way, closing the door behind me and tossing my satchel over my shoulder. I catch her giving me concerned side glances every now and then, like she normally does and it pisses me off. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for her and Asui looking out for me and all, but I don't need people meddling about in my business. Especially when I'm doing just fine. I tighten my grip on my bag as we head into the town and off to work.

It takes us a little over ten minutes to get there, and it's no surprise to find that Asui is already there, cleaning and repairing broken weapons for our 'boss'.

"You're late...again," she sighs.

"Maybe you're just early, Tsu," I retort.

She sighs again before coming over to greet us, pulling me into a much needed hug, as I try to stop my body from shaking.

"Did you eat breakfast?" She asks me. I shrug in response as her eyes narrow before she launches into another lecture about me not taking care of myself.

"I'm fine," I say, nonchalantly.

She opens her mouth as if to say something about how I'm clearly not fine but leaves it. "You two should make a start."

Uraraka and I reach for the pile of tools, weapons and armour in the centre of the workshop, about several metres high, and begin mending and polishing as Tsu was. I sit down and let out an exasperated sigh. But before we can even begin, Itsuka Kendo - our boss' assistant - comes in revealing she has some news.

"You guys have a new member to join your group. I'll let him introduce himself. That will be all, back to work."

My eyes fall onto the shadowed figure standing behind her, almost trying to bleed into the shadows and hide himself from us. I don't get a proper look at him, until Kendo leaves. She's nice and all but as part of her job she has to act super professional and not really allowed to talk to us as much as we wanted.

The mysterious boy steps forward then, and I can see that his gaze is averted almost in a shy way and I can't help but think it's sort of cute. He looks down at his hands, which appear to be fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

I take in the boy's odd and unique appearance: mismatched, two-toned hair; black leather eye patch on his left eye; torn, dirty clothing and bandages poking out the shredded sleeves of his blood stained shirt. Even though he looks like he's been dragged through a tornado backwards, his was still sort of...beautiful...

"Hello, I'm Tsuyu Asui. But you can just call me Tsu," the green haired girl greets, coming over to the taller male, her expression kind and caring as always. She extends her hand out and the boy stares at it for a while before hesitantly shaking it.

"Hi, I'm Shoto Todoroki."