𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓨𝓸𝓾'𝓵𝓵 𝓑𝓮 𝓜𝔂 𝓠𝓾𝓮𝓮𝓷 (BNHA/BKDK Fantasy AU) [EDITING]

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Calm Down

The Draconics of the group searched the river, trying to discover who did this and why, while the other half set up camp somewhere nearby. Though the sun wasn't close to setting, everyone was too exhausted to carry on. But perhaps exhaustion wasn't the only reason they wanted to stop...

Uraraka hadn't seen the lake, for she was held back by Iida, but she still knew what happened. Since she had never been exposed to something as horrible as that, Iida kept her away. She was grateful for the action.

Still, she gathered around the campfire Todoroki had set up and waited for the others to come back. The day passed by slowly, and each second brought more fear and dread than the last. She eventually grew restless and used her magic to play a more serene and calm version of her dancing song. The action was small, but the fear slowly began to dissolve.

Midoriya was leaning against a tree, his fingers fiddling with each other as he anxiously waited for the others to come back. How long had it been since the Draconics went out there? And how much longer would it be until they return? He didn't know, and he was becoming uneasy. The swordsman just wanted them to come back.

Midoriya suddenly blinked, snapping out of his thoughts, and he realized something in front of him. Todoroki was sitting next to him now, holding an apple up to Midoriya.

Midoriya shook his head, "U-Um, no thank you. I'm not really hungry..."

But Todoroki didn't move. "Take it. That panic attack you had earlier deprived you of your energy."

Midoriya suddenly realized that.

He hesitated, but eventually took the apple from the prince's hand and took a bite out of it. The fruit's crisp skin contrasted with the soft pulp and plentiful juices inside. Though he wasn't hungry, he forced himself to continue eating.

He slowly chewed on the bite, but when he finished it, he mumbled, "A panic attack... is that what happened to me?"

"Well, self diagnosis isn't exactly safe... but it's what I picked up from you," Todoroki admitted.

Midoriya let that sink in. A panic attack? But why?

"I-I don't understand..." he started. "I've trained myself to handle battles for months, fought back against enemies who were stronger than me and didn't falter, raced into Draconia - which was slowly being filled by death and destruction. And something like this happens to me when I just see a few bodies?"

Todoroki remained silent for a moment, thinking of what to respond with. "I... Listen, I don't know why this was so hard on you, but it was. We can't change that. The most we can do is look forward and heal."

Midoriya eyes widened, the apple suddenly limp in his hand. Todoroki was being so calm in this moment. He knew how to handle the situation beforehand. He was aware of how to stop a panic attack and the care that was needed after one.