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TODOROKI FOUND himself tossing and turning in his dimly lit bedroom, the digital clock on his bedside table casting a blue glow across his face. The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the city outside, and his thoughts seemed to echo even louder in the silence that was about to drive him mad at this point.
Sleep had become an elusive stranger again lately. He knew he needed rest, but no matter how hard he tried, slumber remained just out of reach. His father's expectations, the weight of the Todoroki name, the unresolved issues with his mother, Momo avoiding him- it all swirled in his head like a whirlpool of darkness. It was almost like his mind was subconsciously keeping him from falling asleep so he wouldn't see those visions in his nightmares again.
The digital numbers on the clock blinked to 4:37 AM, a cruel reminder of the hours he had pathetically spent lying awake. Just when he thought his insomnia was finally getting better.
Todoroki sat up in bed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. He couldn't escape the unease that gnawed at his insides. He felt trapped, as if the walls of his room were closing in on him. Sweat matted his face, but shivers kept running down his spine.
Too cold.
He couldn't stop feeling so fucking cold.
Unable to shake off the feeling of restlessness, he padded across the room in his sweatshirt. The wooden floor was cool beneath his feet, a stark contrast to the clammy heat that seemed to radiate from his body, the heat he just couldn't feel.
Todoroki stepped into the bathroom and flicked on the light, not even wincing at the sudden brightness. He splashed cold water on his face, over and over again, as if it would help clear his thoughts, but the exhaustion that weighed on him felt bone-deep.
Returning to his bedroom, he felt like he was slowly suffocating in the darkness. He pulled the window open, letting in a rush of frigid air. Moonlight spilled into the room. The sensation of the chilling air sending goosebumps against his skin was strangely comforting.
He let out a deep exhale and sat on the edge of his bed near the window, silently watching the starless sky as his thoughts began to drift to her, as they often did. Momo had a way of infiltrating his mind at the most unexpected moments, Todoroki would give her that. He couldn't help but wonder what she would say, what kind of face she would make if she knew about his sleepless nights, about the nightmares coming back to haunt him again from time to time.
He didn't know if he wanted to find out, though.
With a heavy sigh, Todoroki leaned back against his pillows, pulling the covers tighter around him. The weight of his exhaustion was finally beginning to catch up with him, and he closed his eyes, hoping that, just for tonight, he might find just a few hours of freedom from his relentless thoughts.
