Singing AU: Boku No Hero Academia

Shoto Todoroki: Don't be Sad

Shoto Todoroki sat on a soft off white couch in a soft-lit room. Across from him sat a man with a notebook, eyes fixed on the heterochromic boy.

"So, what seems to be the problem?" 

Shoto looked up at the man, expression guarded.

"You'll keep quiet, right."

"Of course," The man's face softened, "The same as last time, and the time before that. You spill, and I write. Nothing new."

Shoto took a deep breath, resuming staring at the floor and fidgeting with a small die, each side carved with a different symbol.

He ran his fingers over the rose, going back and forth in his mind before deciding to just get it over with.

He tossed the die forward. Him and the man, Isha Serapisuto, had made it during his first visit. Each side stood for a different way of telling his therapist what was going on, from charades to writing to art.

The die bounced on the plush carpeting a few times before rolling to a stop by the armchair Isha sat in. The man bent down to lift it, showing Shoto the character of a microphone. Singing. It was arguably the easiest way for Shoto to communicate, and not bad on Isha's ears like some of his other clients.

With a small nod from Isha, Shoto took a deep breath and began singing.

"I've been feeling so down on myself."

"I've been losing my mind and my health."

"Think that it's time that I try and see life a new way~"

"I needed advice so I called up my dad,"

All Might's image appeared in his head, and Shoto smiled softly. Isha smiled as well, noticing the change in demeanor from anxious to relaxed as Shoto's metaphorical weight was lifted.

"He answered the phone with a joke and a laugh."

"He said to me, 'Son, it's your attitude, you need to change.'"

Shoto took a deep breath, a slightly crazed smile overtaking his soft one.

"I'm a ray of sunshine,"

"I fucking love life."

"Yeah, that's me (la, la, la, la, la)," He hummed softly.

"Never home being lonely,"

He looked at the floor, shaking his head as his expression went back to being guarded.

"Got plenty of homies,"

His brain called up the image of his childhood friends, their soft and gentle selves becoming hard and unforgiving teenagers who didn't spare him a second glance.

"Calling me up."

"While I was crying on the bedroom floor,"

"They told me, 'don't be sad anymore.'"

Enji stood above him, a fist raised at the small child.

"And I said, 'holy shit, that's it, I'm cured.'"

Shoto frowned.

"No good moods ever last too long,"

"Snap my fingers and it's all gone."

"You can almost see in the wind, it's drifting away!"

His shoulders shook gently, light tears leaking from his shut eyes.

"Sunday night, all alone with my thoughts,"

"Thinking of someone I'd loved then I'd lost."

Kirishima's face appeared in Shoto's mind before fading away.

"It's hard but it's right and I knew it was time for a change~"

"I'm a ray of sunshine,"

"I fucking love life,"

"Yeah, that's me. (la, la, la, la, la)"

More tears dripped down, staining the carpet.

"Never home being lonely,"

"Got plenty of homies,"

"Calling me up."

His shoulders shook.

"While I was crying on the bedroom floor,"

"They told me, 'don't be sad anymore.'"

"And I said, 'holy shit, that's it I'm cured.'"

He took a deep breath.

"Trying to fight all the feelings I'm having,"

"Why not just cave in and let all the feelings I'm feeling just happen."

"It's so hard to function when you let a bad thing get you down,"

"Don't let a bad thing!"

"I let myself cry for a little then I let the happiness come back around."

A small smile appeared on Shoto's face, the tears still flowing freely.

"Can I be happy 'bout one thing, but sad overall?"

"Choosing the way that I feel isn't always my call."

"Yeah, this isn't a switch you can turn off and on at your will."

"This is a lever that you've gotta crank until you feel the way that you wanna feel." (I wanna feel), Isha chimed in.

"Like a ray of sunshine."

His smile grew, stretching oddly.

"Someone who fucking loves life."

"They say I should just decide,"

"To look on the bright side."

"I'm a ray of sunshine!"

He threw his hands up, standing as though cheering for a sports team.

"I fucking love life, (oh, yeah I love life)"

"Yeah that's me! ('cause I'm never)"

"Never (ever) home being lonely, (home being lonely)"

"Got plenty of homies, (brrt)"

"Calling me up. (calling me up!)"

His smile grew, vision blurring with emotional pain.

"While I was crying on the bedroom floor,"

"They told me, 'Don't be sad anymore.'"

"And I said, 'Holy shit, that's it,"

"I'm cured.' (whoa)"

"Feel better?"

"Lots. Same time next week?"

Isha nodded and opened the door, passing Shoto some tissues.

"Stay safe, Todoroki."