Dabi could feel his heart pounding against his chest, a painful tightness pulling around his ribcage like an elastic band. His hands and mouth felt numb as his vision tunneled, leaving one thing in his sight.
Shoto Todoroki.
A name that had been as dead to Dabi as Dabi was to his family.
His fault his fault his fault—painful memories clattered through his skull. The desperation he'd felt as a child practically drowning him as he both craved and dreaded the attention of his father. He hated it.
His breathing stuttered for a moment and Dabi screwed his eyes shut, the ringing in his ears like a jackhammer to his brain. He felt nausea settle into the back of his throat.
His fault his fault his fault—Shoto Todoroki. One of the stars of UA. Doing everything Dabi couldn't because he was so goddamn perfect and Dabi was nothing but a miserable failure at anything he did. The sensation of his heart beating against his sternum was uncomfortable, and he felt dizzy.
He could feel his face twitch as the paper crumpled slightly in his grip.
...my fault?
He startled at the sensation of a hand on his forearm. Dabi jerked back, the sound of ripping breaking through the painful ring.
When the black peeled away from his vision, he saw Eri had taken a few steps back, hands wringing nervously in front of her. She looked...scared? Worried?
"Eri?" he whispered.
His voice seemed to encourage her, as her face lit slightly. She took a step forward. Eri hesitated before pointing down to his hands.
Dabi glanced downwards, seeing the drawing had torn almost completely down the middle. His breath caught and he looked up hurriedly to meet Eri's eyes.
"I–I'm sorry, kid," he breathed out, looking back down and pushing the two halves together. He still felt weird. Disconnected.
Eri's hands entered his line of sight as she reached forward and placed her hands on his. He looked up at her through his hair.
She gave him a small smile. "It's okay," she replied in that gentle, understanding voice of hers. "We can fix it."
Dabi felt his heart calm down, but his hands and mouth still felt numb. He let her take the paper from him, and watched as she turned and dug around in her little backpack. She turned back triumphantly with a roll of tape.
"See?" she said, sitting down on the floor in front of him and bending over the drawing. She stuck her tongue out in concentration as she (sloppily) taped the halves back together. She held it up proudly and showed him. "All better!"
He avoided looking at the head of red and white staring back at him.
Eri dropped her arms and put the sheet on top of all the others. She looked back at him with a concerned look.
"Are you okay?" she asked quietly.
Dabi huffed and looked away. Weakness is pathetic, a voice rang in his head, sounding suspiciously like–
"I'm fine," he ground out. Dabi let out a surprised 'oof' when Eri collided with his chest in a hug. He stilled for a moment before making himself relax. Her presence dulled the last of the ringing in his ears. Dabi wrapped one of his arms around her and settled his head on top of hers.
He wondered if she could feel his heartbeat.
A movement in the corner of his eye broke the moment.
Dabi's hackles instantly raised. Eraser Head was watching them with a calculated look. Dabi sent him a vicious glare.
YOU ARE READING
Maybe We'll fix Each Other
Художественная проза"So," he said. "Do you want me to get you out of here?" She hesitated. "But...Overhaul..." "Is a bitch," Dabi finished. "I'll make sure he never lays a hand on you again." And that admission is what surprised Dabi the most. That he wasn't lying. Tha...
