Silhouette | Suicidal Todoroki x Bakugou

7 | Beckoning Ghost

Shouto Todoroki

A week had passed, and Todoroki could only sigh once he returned home after finishing his shift patrolling U.A., the high school he'd attended. He wanted to collapse onto the floor and sleep, but he changed out of his uniform into casual clothes and exited the house again to pick up Mai from school. His stomach growled at him during the walk to Shuhei Elementary, but Todoroki still had no appetite.

I know she can walk home and to school with her friends without me, but... Todoroki thought to himself shortly after arriving at Shuhei. If I lost Mai too...

A few seconds after the school bell rang, Mai sauntered out of the double doors of the main building and jumped into her father's arms. "Dad, Dad!" she chirped with a beatific smile. "I made a new friend!" Her black hair gleamed in the white sunlight.

Todoroki smiled at Mai and lowered her to the ground, taking her hand into his as they walked down the gray pavement. I'm so happy for you, he wanted to say, but he felt his body tense up instead. I'm so proud of you for making friends, Mai. I know you're a timorous soul around people you don't know very well. Your smile is...just like your mother's...

For a fleeting moment, Todoroki felt a tug at his free hand, and abruptly turning his head, he could only stare vacantly when he realized why he felt the beckoning ghost of a tug in the first place.

"Did your voice come back yet?" Mai tilted her head.

Todoroki shook his head. Why does that make me feel even more uncomfortable speaking? he wondered. I know she means well. I must be so selfish. I feel like everything I've done lately has been nothing but selfish...

The walk home was silent yet comfortable. Although Todoroki did not speak, Mai occasionally mentioned details about what her friends said, or what she learned at school. Todoroki initially felt his stomach grow heavy when all he had to offer was a nod and a glance at his daughter, but he felt that tight, thick constriction in his stomach slowly fade when Mai did not comment on his inability to verbalize his thoughts.

Once Todoroki and Mai arrived at home, Todoroki put together a sandwich with apple slices on the side for Mai. He gently ensconced her into an embrace, and then, he hauled his body up the stairs and flopped onto his bed.

I can't keep lying in bed all day, Todoroki internally groaned. I can't keep doing the same things in the same order every single day. I need to get back into working out. I feel so weak now. I don't even remember when I last ate anything. I know I'm hungry, but I don't have any appetite. Why am I like this? I know why... I've always known, but why? After another twenty minutes of sinking into racing, mindless thoughts he had no recollection of, Todoroki felt something buzz at his leg. Momo?

Bakugou
What's up?

Todoroki blinked twice, uncertain if he was facing delusion or reality. I guess it's an opportunity to do something other than lie in bed doing nothing. But I thought he might be... He scrolled back to his last conversation over text with Momo. I want a text from you to come through. I want to see your name. I want it to be you. Not just my imagination...

Todoroki
Not a lot. I just got home. You?

Bakugou
Been playing the drums for a bit. Where'd you go?

Todoroki
Oh. How long have you been playing the drums? I walked my daughter home from school

Bakugou
13 years. Hella fun. You play any instruments? Oh, you have a daughter?

Todoroki
That's a long time. I'm always impressed at how drummers can manage so many things at once while maintaining a beat. I played the piano for a few years in elementary, but I stopped because of my dad. Yeah. She's six