STRINGS // KATSUKI BAKUGO [2]

Chapter 39 // Miss You

Aizawa stayed to comfort you as long as you wanted, but you eventually felt bad for keeping him so long and forced him to return to his own room to get some rest.

That's when you took the time to console and check in with some of your friends. Taking your IV stand, you hobbled out of your room and headed to Todoroki's, who you learned resided closest to you, only being a couple doors down.

You knocked on his door quietly incase he was asleep or wary due to the previous events. However, you soon heard a faint "come in" from the other side, so pushed open the door and headed inside.

Todoroki was sat on the edge of his bed, staring out the window overseeing the city with his hands folded in his lap.

You paced yourself as you walked over to join him, making sure not to overdo anything. You weren't completely healed yet. Then again, you never would be with your health condition.

You sat beside Todoroki, observing his bandaged face and unblinking eyes, examining his fiddling fingers and slouched posture.

"How're you feeling?" you asked. You weren't going to ask if he was okay. He couldn't be, not after what was revealed on the battlefield.

"Better after the rest," he replied. "The doctor said these bandages should be able to come off soon."

"That's good," you said, and he simply hummed, continuing to admire the city.

"How are you?" he wondered. "I know you took a pretty nasty stab to the gut."

"Yeah," you began, nudging his arm with a small chuckle, "it's only the millionth time."

Todoroki quirked a small smile, turning his head, so he could properly look at you while the conversation continued.

"Have you seen anyone else yet?" he questioned curiously.

"Just Aizawa," you answered. "You're the first on my list of friends to bother."

"You're never a bother," Todoroki stated, seemingly taking your attempt to lighten the mood a bit too seriously. "I like talking with you."

You smiled, saying, "I like talking with you too, Todoroki."

You found yourself looking back out the window, taking in the view of the city. However, your happiness didn't last for long as you remembered the other half of the city was destroyed.

"Todoroki?" you questioned, making sure he was still tuned in despite the pause in conversation.

"Hm?" he hummed.

"Do you ever feel like you're...not living," you began, "like you're just existing, like I plant on a window still? Like, I'm just here being fed, given all of this stuff. I'm given support and love and shelter, and I just absorb it and that's that. I'm only ever focused on what's ahead of me instead, like a flower facing the sun, and, once the sun goes down, it's left with nothing, nothing to help it grow, nothing to keep it going."

"I've felt like that my whole life," Todoroki admitted. "I mean, not like a plant, but the not living and just existing thing."

You let out a breathy laugh at his unintentionally comedic remark, which earned a confused blink from the boy.

"Ya know," you began, pursing your lips into a faint smile to avoid another crying fit, "I'm really glad I met you, Todoroki."

Todoroki performed another confused blink before narrowing his eyes at you, his face showing clear suspicion.

"Why does it sound like you're saying goodbye?" he wondered aloud.

You looked away, eyes surveying the city once more, and you almost grimaced at the sound of Todoroki inhaling sharply.

"You're saying goodbye," he realized.

"Not right now," you assured, "but, yes, soon."

"Why?"

"I'm dying."

You could feel Todoroki tense, the room tense. You heard him inhale once more, this time the breath evidently more shaky.

"For short, cognitive brain failure," you explained. "I've already started forgetting things."

"H-How..." Todoroki trailed off, voice cracking. "How long have you known?"

"A while," you admitted. "Sensei was the only who knew, but now you do too."

"Why are you telling me this now?" he questioned. "Why not earlier?"

"Because," you began, inhaling deeply before releasing the same breath, "I don't want you to think I'm throwing my life away the next time I fight Shigaraki. I don't wanna live as a corpse without memories. I wanna die fighting, doing want I love, helping people."

You looked over to find Todoroki staring down at his lap with wide eyes that were brimmed with tears. He processed the information silently and slowly.

"So...you haven't told Bakugo yet," was what he said after a few silent minutes.

"No," you shook your head, "but I will. I'm making my rounds."

The two of you sat in silence for a moment longer, finding the oddest comfort in the quiet environment. Then, you felt a pressure on your shoulder as soft hair brushed your cheek.

"I'll miss you..." he whispered.

You felt his tears drip onto the front of your shirt. You didn't bother to wipe the damp spots away.

"I'll miss you too."

[EDITED]