coffee with a side of candour

3

⚠️ Mentions of Drug Use

They meet again.  

This time, Midoriya looks more exhausted than him. So, he buys both of their coffee. He notices Midoriya always buys pumpkin spice latte or green tea and he buys him a PSL, because: coffee.

"Well, what happened to you over the week?" He asks. 

Midoriya sighs as he takes a huge gulp of coffee. "Case investigation. Had to search for a gang hideout. Turns out it's that popular nightclub called Neon Moonlight. They meet with their clients there and give them the drugs they ordered."  

That's all he gives. The club name sounds familiar to Todoroki and he feels his eyebrows crease in concentration as he tries to remember. 

"My father frequents that club. He always comes back looking blank for some reason and he gets slightly aggressive. Fuyumi always helps him out. She's been doing it for 3 years..." he mumbles. 

Is his father one of the clients?  

"Are his eyes red? Does he act sleepy and looks like he lacks motivation the next day?" Midoriya asks. 

"Yes, to all three." 

Midoriya frowns as he shifts uncomfortably. "Todoroki… he might be doing drugs…" 

Todoroki feels empty. His father might be doing drugs. Whenever his father comes back, he always feels like his father isn't drunk, but something else. Tipsy, but with something else. 

It might be drugs. 

"This is going to get your father sent to jail for 5 years, and he will have to go to rehab," Midoriya says sadly. 

That's good though. His father can take his time to fix himself to become better, and he can get rid of his addiction in rehab.  

Todoroki knows the consequences of telling Midoriya about his father's state, but if it does his father some good, and his siblings get to be unburdened for 5 years, he's willing to take it.  

"So be it." 

Midoriya nods slowly. "If you really do want that… you're going to need evidence, unless the police finds a list of clients when they apprehend them and raid the hideout or interrogate one of the members".   

Todoroki nods along, he can start at the house, in the kitchen and toilets. 

"Are you sure about this. I don't want you to get pulled into this," Midoriya asks hesitantly. 

"Yes." 

Midoriya nods. A simple nod from him can give him so much comfort about the situation, Todoroki is terrified.  

×××××× 

They talk a little over the phone. The raid is going to happen tomorrow and Midoriya has no part in this since he's only in charge of helping out with the investigation. He has already contacted the people in charge of the case about Todoroki Enji. 

Todoroki decided he'll get the evidence, as backup. Midoriya agrees before hanging up and sighing. 

He never knew the Todoroki family was like this. It was bad, and he wished he could help, and maybe he could by publishing what Todoroki wanted. It can help set him free. 

He decides to take a break and visit his mother. Inko Midoriya was a short, chubby woman with a heart of gold and Midoriya loves her a lot. 

They talk about the current situation and about the case. Midoriya mentions Todoroki and the article he was writing and Inko was surprised. He explains that Todoroki was willingly doing this which calms Inko down.

By the time they finished eating and talking, it was already 10 PM. Midoriya was about to leave and Inko can only smile and hug her son. 

"I'm proud of you. Visit more often alright?" she says. 

Midoriya feels bad now. He loves his mother, he truly does but he became busy with his blog and investigation cases and such that he didn't have the time to stay over. 

"I'll clear my schedule after the trip to Beijing and Yunnan. We can get some taiyaki from the dessert shop close by and I'll even show you photos of the trip. We can rewatch those old romance movies too," he says, holding onto his mother's hands.  

Inko nods and Midoriya gives her a hug. He says his goodbyes and walks out into the cold, windy night.  

He was worried about Todoroki. He's snooping around his own house looking for anything out of the ordinary and he hopes he doesn't get hurt or in trouble. 

He received a call two days later about the case and they found a list of clients and photos of them giving the drugs to them. 

Todoroki Enji was one of those clients. 

Midoriya's heart settles down, knowing that Todoroki doesn't have to do anything dangerous anymore but he still shifts in unease as he waits for him to arrive. 

Todoroki runs in, red faced, panting, again. Midoriya chuckles as his fans screams outside, completely missing the cafe Todoroki just ran into.  

"You must be a fast runner with all that practice," Midoriya says, smiling. 

Todoroki laughs lightly, out of breath as he leans against the table for a few seconds before collapsing onto the chair. 

"They give me a run for my money," he laughs. "They're so fast, it's terrifying. I need to go to the gym more." 

Midoriya goes red. This is the first time he heard Todoroki laugh. Todoroki asks if he needs to go see a doctor again and Midoriya laughs it off and tells him about the news he receives. 

"He finally gets what he deserves and he also gets some help…" Todoroki mutters happily. 

Midoriya smiles as he pulls out his notepad and pen. Todoroki nods, understanding what's going on and starts speaking. 

"I want to feel like a…"

"Normal person?" Midoriya cuts in. 

Todoroki is shocked once again and he covers it up by nodding. 

"I know how you feel," he says, writing in his notebook while smiling softly. 

"Being famous is difficult and you can barely get an inch of time to yourself when you're outside," he sighs. "That's why after I finish my contract, I'm stopping my career. Maybe I'll still do movies here and there, but it won't be very often anymore. I want a simple life." 

Midoriya nods and scribbles down everything he says and breaks them into different points. 

Sometimes even he wishes to be normal instead of flying around the world or solving cases here and there. Occasionally he does get swarmed by his fans, and he loves them, but it's a little too much. 

He enjoys his job, but he too wishes to be normal.  

Midoriya asks if he can input some opinions about the drug case and his father being involved and Todoroki nods his head. 

"We've never had a good relationship, it was more emotionally abusive but him going to jail and rehab after, he gets what he deserves and he also gets help. I think it's good for our family. He is still my father, I'm not willing to completely let go of him and I still have hope we can have an actual bond."  

Midoriya places a period at the end of the sentence and closes his notepad. "This was one of the most interesting topics I have ever worked on…" he mutters.  

"How do you feel? Alright? About the entire thing" Midoriya asks, the worry at the back of his mind finally shoving his way to the front.  

Todoroki nods his head slowly, his lips pressed into a thin line. Midoriya understands its a lot to take in so he places his hand on Todoroki's. 

Todoroki looks up, shocked. 

"It's fine, I understand," Midoriya says gently. 

Todoroki's lips curve into a small smile. "Thank you."

×××××× 

I really need to start my homework.