Don't Give Up On Me: TodoDeku (Book 2 of You're Like Me)

9

Izuku pouts on the bottom bunk of him and Amajikis bunk bed. He glares at the door with his arms crossed, though his anxious heartbeat doesn't match his angry face.

When ten minutes pass and neither of his dads have opened the door, Izuku feels tears streaming down his face. He closes his eyes, uncrossing his arms to tug at his long hair. He bites his lip hard, trying to stop himself from crying.

He doesn't know why he said that. He didn't mean it. He had never even considered Hisashi to be his dad before, even when he was forced to call him 'father'.

He was just... he feels so much, and he doesn't know what it is. All those years of therapy have made it easier to identify emotions but right now, it was as if there were a million pounding through his veins.

He feels so small right there in that position. So tiny and the room so big, the world so big.

Through his quickening breaths and tears he finds himself entering the small closet that has nothing but a few coats in it.

He can't help but freeze when he opens it.

He remembers the cage.

Remembers being put in there only some weeks ago.

Remembers using his entire body to shake the thin bars that trapped him as he screamed.

But...

He looks behind him at the room, and feels himself shrink.

It was too big. Everything was too big and he was too small. It was too much.

He closes the door of the closet, letting the darkness surround him.

He slides against the wall and curls into a ball. He can feel the walls beside him, but they're not closing in on him like they did when he was with Hisashi.

They were comforting.

Anytime he felt himself begin to panic he reminds himself that he can get up at any time. He can open the door and let the light flood his eyes. Open the door and see his dads.

Alone, and in a more controlled space, the boy lets his emotions take hold of him. He lets the tears flow freely, lets his body shake, lets his voice whimper.

All that existed right now was him in this space. He wouldn't be ridiculed for crying. Wouldn't be dragged out against his will and beaten until he couldn't move. He was safe.

Snot covers the lower half of his face and right above his knees. He doesn't bother to wipe it away.

He doesn't hear the bedroom door open, or footsteps open the room. The only thing he can hear are his shaky breaths and his heart pounding in his ears.

"Izuku."

His papas voice makes him jump. He can see the shadows of his feet under the door. Izuku cries harder, "Izuku, baby. I'm gonna open the door."

Izuku quickly grabs at the door knob, using his entire weight to pull backwards against it, preventing the man from opening the door.

On the other side, Yamadas heart beats rapidly. Him and Aizawa were terrified at their sons outburst, and now his son had locked himself away from, "Izuku, please, open the door."

A muffled sob comes from behind the closed door, but it doesn't budge as the man tries again, "Izuku, please, I just wanna see that you're okay." He tries his best not to let any of the fear leak from his tone.

"N-no, no, no," he hears sniffling from his son, "No, no not yet."

Yamada takes a shaky breath, "Izuku, I need to see that you're okay."