A Lost Creation

Goodbyes

Everyone stood in one massive circle around Tomura. They all seemed upbeat considering the fact that he was leaving you all for an undetermined amount of time.
Spinner is clapping his back with the palm of his hand affectionately and grinning at him, Himiko is bouncing on her feet, looking up at Tomura with respect-filled eyes. Atsuhiro is a little more subdued as he leans on his cane, and Jin keeps alternating between singing Tomura's praises and cursing at him for leaving you all.

You think that Dabi's as sad as you are about the fact that Tomura's leaving, because he hasn't said a word, he's just been standing with you close to his waist, his hand resting still on the top of your head as he watches the others alongside you.
You don't understand why the others aren't sad too. When you had asked him if he would visit he had told you no, because he would be too busy. Not seeing Tomura for a few months at least was really quite upsetting for you.

It wasn't even like he was scary anymore like he used to be back when everyone first met. He was a lot calmer, and didn't lose his temper or glare at anyone just for being in his space or for being loud anymore. Everyone liked being around him a lot more, everyone came to him for advice and enjoyed their respective time alone with him like he'd promised everyone.
He's even smiling, a rarity for Tomura, as he talks to the others, wrapping an arm around Himiko carefully as she finally gets sick of waiting for him to be done with Spinner and wraps her arms around his torso, still looking up at him with a wide, sharp-toothed grin herself.

You look up at Dabi, but his face is unreadable. He isn't noticeably upset, but the fact he wasn't joking around with the others or touching Tomura too tells you that he isn't happy about it.
Himiko looks over at you, her eyes still sparkling with happiness, probably because Tomura was giving her a hug, but there's a curious gleam in them.

"Come join us Star!" She encourages, reaching an arm for you.

Dabi nudges you forward without a word, and you join the hug, wrapping your arms around Tomura's waist too and burying your face into his side.
A metal-laden hand places itself on the top of your head and you squeeze him tightly, your bottom lip wobbling despite yourself when you think about how you're not going to see him for a long time.
The others don't pay any attention to how tight you're holding onto him as he continues to talk with them all. It sounds like work stuff, telling them he trusts them to do a good job without him around and answering questions that you tune out.

The more you dwell on how he's going away, the more you begin to fear that he might not come back.
Before you know it, you're sniffling against his clothes and the talking has quietened down.

"Star?" You hear Himiko ask carefully. "You cryin'?"

You nod, not wanting to peel your face away from Tomura just yet.
There's a small 'aw' from both Himiko and Jin, and you feel Tomura's careful hands pry you away from him gently. Himiko's no longer clinging to him, and everyone seems to have given you both a little space, all of them smiling softly at you like they understand why you're upset.
Tomura slowly drops to a crouch, regarding you with curious red eyes.

"Why are you crying?" He asks, gently rubbing under your eyes with his thumb.

"I'm going to miss you." You sniffle.

Tomura is quiet, like he doesn't know what to do with this information, and he just looks at you quietly as you cry and wipe your own tears away.

"I have a very important job for you to do for me while I'm away, though, Star." He says, trying to catch your eyes.

"You do?" You ask between shaky breaths.

"Yes. I'm going to miss you all too. So I need you to do some drawings or paintings for me while I'm away." Tomura says evenly. "Of things that happened, or things you think I'd like. Can you do that for me?"