My Hero Academia x Reader Prompt Imagines

Long past are the days spent with you (Toshinori Yagi x Reader)

Prompt: Write a soldier’s journal entry on his first day at war. Then write his last journal entry.

Author’s Notes: Alrighty, this is my first time writing for My Hero academia, so I deeply apologise if any characters are out of character in this oneshot. If you believe I did alright with this oneshot, feel free to request something :)

Toshinori walked through his apartment like he was wondering spirit; A shell of who he was. The news covered the story like there was no tomorrow, probably because they didn’t want tomorrow to come. They wanted the day to start again like all that had transpired was just a nightmare, a figment of the imagination that would just disappear. But Toshinori knew of this day. It had lingered over him like a demented shadow that whispered reminders of that fact in his ear.

All of the costumes he wore over the years were placed in a box by the skeletal man, to be placed in a dark room to collect dust. Maybe when he was even older, he could give them away. But he couldn’t do it with his retirement fresh in people’s minds. Whilst he moved the boxes into this dark room, a small item on the shelf caught his eye.

A small (colour) book. It was covered with a layer of dust but was in moderate condition. Toshinori’s eyes widened slightly as the realization clicked in his head. 

(Y/n)…

He had forgotten he had your journal in his possession for all these years. He had just left it on that shelve, unable to bring himself to read it. He couldn’t bear to hear your words if they didn’t come from your mouth. His fists clenched as they hung at his sides at the thought, but they slowly released as Toshinori found himself stepping closer to the shelf and picking up the book.

Blowing off the layer of dust to show the title-less book, he frowned seeing it like this, for he still remembers the title originally written in marker ‘Journal for Retirement’ along with your signature. He sat on the couch in his lounge, taking a deep breath in whilst he mustered the courage to relive the memories that were sure to be uncovered. 

'Dear journal? That’s how you normally start these things right? 
Whatever, I still don’t get why Nana got this stupid book for me, I’m sure it’s just gonna end up in some box collecting dust. Maybe I could use to write memos and then publish it? Definitely a thought. I don’t know, I guess we’ll see what happens in the long run.’

Toshi chuckled, the image of your confused and slightly disappointed face when his mentor had given you this very journal. He thinks it was because of the colour, how it suited you in some way. A small smile took place on his skeletal face at the thought. 

'Alright, the big days are coming. Deep breaths. Wear a smile. That’s what she says makes a hero. Being able to smile through the hardships of this job. I can do it, he can do it, we can do it. When he smiles, I can smile too. So many years ahead of us. I bet they’re gonna be so much fun!’

He blinked as he finished the page. There wasn’t much to the first page, but it felt like it spoke a thousand words to the man. Those early days were filled with you doing your best to prove yourself stronger than himself and with a bit of an attitude to boot. You were much like young Bakugou in that way. Always leaping into the danger to take down the danger on your own and not letting anyone nearby to work with you or into your heart. You would never say this to him. He never knew that you held him in this regard.

That’s probably why Nana gave you the book. If you weren’t going to vent to someone you knew, then you could vent to yourself. 

Time was lost on Toshinori as he continued to read through the book. Each page gaining more words as you two fought together, including you travelling to America with him, 'To keep him out of trouble' you claimed the reason was. But the nights you two spent together during the abroad studies said otherwise and it spoke volumes about how close you two were. Even if you didn’t express everything you felt to him, he had learned to read you to an extent.

Each page resurfaced an old memory of battles, training, aftermaths. About halfway through the pages, he found one with a small doodle of him smiling at the end. As he read it, his stomach dropped.

'He kissed me. Was something up with him? He was so quiet when he got back to my apartment. Being on the trail of All for One for a while now, we had taken to more patrols both night and day in case that bastard dared to show his face.
Maybe he’s thinking of her and the last time we saw them both. But then why kiss me? Damn bastard! I try to train more and more but this just isn’t leaving me alone! Ever since America, I can never think straight! I’ve been praying that maybe it had something to do with acclimating back to Japan, but it’s been too long. What’s with me? Nana would know, who knows maybe Toshi does as well.
Maybe I should take his advice. Get some rest. It could all just be in my head or that I’m overthinking something. But it can’t be, can it? The kiss has to mean something. Especially how quiet he was and he wasn’t smiling! The symbol of peace wasn’t smiling.
I’ll just rest and talk to him about it tomorrow. Hopefully, he’ll have that bright smile back.’

“Huh? When was…” He muttered, quickly checking the top corner of the page. His heart sank. Five years ago. He had been praying that he had forgotten something, that this was a different day. But no, he remembered that night vividly, how scared he was with everything happening around you two. It was the one time he couldn’t smile through the fear and what did that get him? Nothing.

Long past are those days. The days with you by his side, smiling with him through it all. They could have been more if he had just done something! Anything different! Frustrated tears trailed down his gaunt face, his fists clenching again. His eyes closed, attempting to hold other tears in, but all he could see was that day.

 ~~

Your wide, fear-stricken eyes as your blood escaped your mouth. Just moments beforehand you had been clawing at All for One’s arm, hoping to cause anything to release the grip upon your neck whilst trying to use your quirk, but you had already used so much. Now you were frozen in shock and pain. The villain smiled while you choked on your blood, the fluid filling your lungs from the stab. He deliberately aimed away from your heart so you could die slowly. Toshi screamed when he saw your state, your starting to roll back when All for One tossed you aside like trash. 

 ~~

Tears continued to fall down his face. One kiss wasn’t enough to tell you how he felt. He should have just told you then and there. Now those words are left unspoken and without a response, and that was perhaps his greatest failure as the symbol of peace. He couldn’t protect his own heart.