All Might x Student!Reader (Boku no Hero Academia)

Chapter 58 - Between Lines

The room fell silent after your words hung in the air, a quiet challenge lingering between you and Toshinori. His breath, held for a moment, finally escaped in a slow exhale as if he were carefully weighing each word that had been spoken. You stood there, still wrapped in his embrace, the warmth of his chest a fleeting comfort against the growing coldness inside you.

He pulled back slightly, just enough to look at you, his eyes searching yours with an intensity that made your pulse quicken. There was a heaviness in his gaze, a silent conflict brewing beneath the surface.

"(Y/N)... this isn't..." he started, his voice barely above a whisper, but it was shaky, hesitant. "This isn't the right thing to do."

Your throat tightened. You already knew what he was going to say, but that didn't stop the disappointment from settling like a stone in your chest.

"I know the rules," you muttered, "I know what we agreed on." You glanced away, your voice catching in your throat. "But this is the last night, and after this, everything will be gone. We probably won't even remember anything."

A beat of silence stretched between you, filled only by the faint hum of the radiator in the corner. His fingers twitched slightly against your waist, and you could feel the weight of his struggle. There was something almost desperate in the way he clung to you, yet he remained firm, unyielding.

"It's because of that very reason... that we shouldn't do this." His voice was soft, yet the conviction in it was undeniable. "I won't... I can't take advantage of a situation like this."

He moved his hands up to gently cup your face, his fingers trembling slightly as they traced your cheek, brushing away a few loose strands of hair. "You're special to me, (Y/N)," he said softly, his eyes locking with yours, "And that's why I can't break this promise, even if we both want to pretend it doesn't matter at this point."

His touch was so gentle, so warm, that it made your chest ache. You understood, of course you did, but it didn't make the yearning go away. The need for something more, something to hold onto when everything else was slipping away, gnawed at you.

"It matters, Toshinori... it matters to me too." Your voice dropped to a murmur, as if you were afraid of breaking the fragile silence that enveloped you. "But after tonight, there won't be anything left. Just... one moment, something to remember before it all disappears. That's all I'm asking for."

His face softened, a pained look crossing his features, but he didn't respond right away. Instead, he pulled you closer, resting his forehead gently against yours. You could feel the slow, steady rhythm of his breath, and in that small space between you, there was an unspoken understanding, a silent admission that you both felt the same pull, the same desire.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, so quietly that it was almost lost in the sound of your own heartbeat. "But if I do this... if I cross that line... I don't know if I'll ever forgive myself."

You closed your eyes, letting the weight of his words settle in. He was right, of course. Deep down, you knew he was right. 

But it didn't make it hurt any less.

Finally, Toshinori took a deep breath and stepped back, his hands slipping away from your face, though the warmth of his touch lingered like a ghost on your skin. "We'll get through this. One way or another, we'll find a way."

"Yeah." You nodded, though the words felt hollow. "One way or another."

But even as the words left your lips, a part of you wondered if that was really true—if there would be anything left to find once this was all over.