STUTTER | KIRISHIMA EIJIROU.

chapter seven.

     In the dark abyss that many call their mind, a familiar scene played out in yours.

     "Do cats have best friends?" a redhead boy questioned. A fond smile bloomed onto his face while a cat in his lap pawed at the fingers held over its face. The white cat's whiskers twitched, as did its [h/c] spotted ears. "I hope that you do because they're amazing!" he murmured excitedly before continuing, "Mine is someone named [Surname] [Name]. I've mentioned her before, I know." he chuckled, scratching the back of the feline's triangular ear.

     "I can't even list out everything that I love about her," the teenager started once more, staring at the sun setting in the distance. Beautifully and naturally blended splatters of red, orange, and yellow filled the sky. "I could go on for hours⁠— no, days even!⁠— about how great she is." he claimed in a soft voice.

     "[Name]'s always so supportive and caring. She's even manlier than Crimson Riot!" he stated passionately, stroking the cat's relaxed back. "I still think that I don't deserve to be with someone like her though." his starstruck expression shifted into a disheartened and dejected one.

     "She told me about how her parents don't pay much attention to her⁠—" he began in a quiet tone. "⁠—about how she doesn't want to become pro heroes like them, pro heroes who don't care about anything except money, and that's why she wants to become a hero. She wants to prove to people that even though she's the daughter of two pros like them, she won't end up like that..." he looked back down at the cat in his lap, who was listening intently. "...and I believe in her. I really do." the male said it with such faith that the feline's eyes went a little wide with awe.

     The small animal purred loudly, as if pleased and thankful, before nuzzling its head into the chest of the crimson haired boy. He let out a humored laugh, wrapping his arms around the snowy cat's body.

     "You know, you kind of remind me of [Name] a little bit," the U.A. student commented absentmindedly. The feline in his arms immediately went stiff, but the tension in its shoulders went slack when he said, "But I guess that I'm just attracted to good souls." while rubbing the bottom of its chin.

     You recalled that you were the white cat that always hung around him, Kirishima Eijirou, your best friend and the person you held closest to your heart.

     And then, the sky full of warm colors and the bench holding so many soft memories got washed out. The setting of Aldera Junior High School's rooftop replaced it with the bleak colors of the green wired fence and sandy ground which two figures were standing on.

     A pair of [e/c] eyes widen out of shock and disbelief. "You're... what? I⁠-I thought we were just fine!" the girl couldn't help but stutter on her words that oozed with rejection and heartbreak.

     Piercing through her gaze were ruby gems that glistened in the rays of sun raining down. "That's what you thought," the owner of the jewels answered with a harsh glare. His orbs showed no visible signs of guilt or lie. He scoffed haughtily, "You filled your head up with so many delusions — did you honestly think that I loved you? Put up with your sob stories for the past few years because I cared for you?"

     The ashy blond in front of the teary eyed girl shook his head, looking down at the ground. While kicking his feet against the roof of the school, he let out a heavy, agitated sigh. "You ended up being right, you fucking idiot. You've only been weighing me down." he spoke calmly with hot fire burning the edges of his vision.

     The other student stayed silent, determined to not break down in front of the person who stood before her. The latter moved positions so that his back was turned against her. "We're through. I need to be first; I don't need anything or anyone holding me down." he declared finally before walking away with a slouched form.

     When his footsteps were no longer heard by her, the [h/c] haired girl felt herself and her tears slip onto the ground. She sobbed quietly into her hands, utterly ashamed and shattered.

     He had her heart in the palm of his hand and closed it to crush whatever was left.

     You recalled that you were the anguished girl that wept for weeks because of him, Bakugou Katsuki, your ex-boyfriend and the person you used to hold closest to your heart.

     Your [e/c] eyes cracked open, bringing you back down into reality from your slumber. You squinted because of the unexpected beams of light shining down. You sat up to analyze the room you were in, and there was no doubt that you were in a hospital. The most recent memories all rushed back into your head; you laid back down with a bounce on the bed, letting out a sigh that was equally full of relief and exhaustion.

     Out of the corner of your sight, you noticed a familiar shade of red peek out. You turned your head and smiled softly at what you saw.

     You propped yourself back up, and your fingers gingerly took out a brilliant red rose from a white vase that was on top of the bedside table. The color reminded you of the striking rubies that two people you cared for dearly beheld as the spheres to their vision.

     "Maybe it really was because of the color of his eyes that I reached out to him..." you whispered to yourself, careful to not prick your fingertips on the rose's thorns. "...or that expression on his face."

     You couldn't stand people being unhappy when you could easily lighten up the mood, but you especially hated it when carmine orbs gazed at you with so many buried, hidden emotions.