Need You (ShinDeku)

Ch. 66 - Honored

A/N: Present Mic is really embracing his role as a father and Todoroki is... truly trying his best in this chapter.
Have fun reading!

Midoriya POV

     The first session wasn't that bad, it went by relatively smoothly. We mostly just talked so that Hound dog could, in his words, get to know me and my situation a little bit better. I didn't even have to get into any specifics and he didn't push me to say anything I wasn't ready to talk about. Of course, I also couldn't talk about what really happened to my quirk but that was okay.

     The whole thing was a lot less stressful than I thought—though still scary—but I was not against doing it more often if it meant getting better.

     "Thank you for agreeing to talk with me today. I think that our future sessions will be very useful to you." He said as we ended the session.

It was also the most professional and non-threatening I had ever seen hound dog act. It was interesting to see how different he was when he wasn't in hero mode. I guess when he's calm his instincts are easier to control so he acts less... feral.

     Hizashi walked me back to the class, smiling widely.

     "So how did it go? Was everything comfortable? Sorry, I shouldn't ask so many questions, whatever goes on in that room stays in that room unless you want to share it. Oh, but I'm so glad my kiddo is allowing himself to heal, so many kids try to convince themselves they don't need therapy even though it helps so much!"

     "It went well." I smiled back. "If I wanna become the best hero I can be, I gotta heal myself first. Shota taught me that."

     He stopped walking, and everything was silent for a moment. "Is it alright if I hug you?" He asked, sounding choked up.

     "Of course." Is my immediate response, and he comes around to draw me up into a warm hug.

     "Ah, I'm sorry for being so emotional! I know we really haven't been able to spend much time together, and you don't have to look at me as a father figure, but in my eyes you are my son. Last week I was terrified we might have lost you for good, and it's just so relieving to see that you're okay and working to get through it. Shota and I are so, so proud of you. I promise that whenever you need me I'll be there, and I'll be sure that nothing like that ever happens again, as a proper father should." He pulled back from the hug, just to go back in for one more squeeze before he let go. He wiped tears from his eyes on his leather jacket.

     "Sorry, I gotta get it together." He gives a watery laugh. "You're just so important to both of us."

     Him and Shota both are so protective. I'm not sure they fully get the expectations of a father figure. I mean, as far as I was aware it didn't include having ways to fix permanently damaged hands and taking down villain organizations classified as national threats. Maybe that's just a hero parent thing?

     "Don't apologize, you and Shota are the best parents I could have asked for in a situation like this. You're both extremely important to me too." I feel my own eyes watering, knowing I've always had a hard time controlling my emotions around other emotional people.

     I look away, trying to compose myself. Hizashi does the same. He laughs a little.

     "It makes me really happy to hear that." I can picture the smile on his face even though I'm still looking away from him.

     I hear him take a deep breath and some movement.

     "Alright, enough of that. Let's get ourselves together and get you back to Shinso. I know you just want to get back." Was I just imagining his tone? Or was he trying to suggest something?

     I fought the flush that crept up my face at his words. He didn't mean anything by it, I convinced myself. He doesn't know how much I wanted to see Hitoshi. He just meant that he's dropping me off with my caretakers. He nudged me with a smile, and and my blush intensified. He definitely knows.

     "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." He winks, going around to continue pushing my wheelchair down the the hall. It's as if he was reading my mind. He's probably just reading my stupid traitorous red face.

     Does he... know that I have a crush on Hitoshi? Oh, he definitely does.

     I slump in my chair, covering my hands with my face. He only laughs in response as we continue down the hallway. Now both of them know. Shouta and Hizashi.

     When we get back to the 1-A classroom the rest of my class is just starting to enter the room, coming back from their lesson. Hitoshi immediately leaves his conversation with Uraraka and Momo to come up to me. When the two see me they wave and wait.

     Hitoshi looks over me worriedly and quietly asks if it went well. I laugh a little, noticing how he looks as though he's checking me over for injuries.

     "It was good. I was a little nervous without you but I think it went well otherwise."

     "I'm glad." He smiled, taking over my wheelchair from Hizashi, who waved goodbye to us and went off to his own class.

    When the last bell rang, everyone started packing up and filtering out of the classroom.

     "See you in two hours, guys!" Uraraka waved to Hitoshi and I as she left the room with Iida.

     "If you three need any help with setting up the room just come and get me, kero." Tsu was next to leave, and Todoroki walked up to us.

     "How are you feeling, Midoriya?" He asked, standing awkwardly in front of me.

     "I'm good, thanks. Are you okay, Todoroki?" I ask, curious as to why he's suddenly acting awkward and worried.

     "I'm okay. I'm trying to be more aware of how my friends are feeling and show that I care about them. I'm sorry that I'm not very good with emotions, it's hard." He sighs, rubbing a hand over his face.

     "Ah no, it's great! Don't worry too much about it. I wanted to thank you, uhm, for standing up there with Hitoshi earlier today. I'm not sure what made you do it but I was really freaking out and just knowing you and Hitoshi were there, kinda blocking him, made me feel a lot better." I bowed my head in thanks, remembering the way he immediately came up to stand in front of me. The way he positioned himself clearly intentionally blocked out what parts of the Ectoplasm clone I could still see, and his stance was subtly defensive.

     "It's okay," he reassures quietly. "I know what trauma looks like." I blink up at him in surprise.

     "I couldn't figure out what was causing your distress but Shinso seemed to know and it looked like it had something to do with the clone or the rope, with how you were looking at it. Sorry. I can pretend I didn't notice."

     "Th-that's not necessary. I'm really thankful to have such a great friend like you." I told him truthfully, mostly just surprised that he pointed it out like that.

     "I don't think I can be considered a great friend yet, but I'm honored that you would think of me in that way, even if I let those villains get to you a second time. I'll try my hardest to live up to the title of a great friend." He bowed his head sincerely.

1274 words.