Suicidal Todoroki x Midoriya | What it Means to Love

7 | Frigid Lies [1/2]

Shoto Todoroki

Once our class has ended for the week, Midoriya insists on walking me home. I find no valid reason to decline and accept his offer. Before we manage to step outside of U.A., however, Yaoyorozu tosses her hands onto both of our shoulders. It is a miracle that my reflex falls short of its expected expectations.

"I'm going to be hosting an overnight party at my house for our accomplishments up to this point," Yaoyorozu announces as we turn to face her. "I'm inviting...almost everyone from our class! Um, it's a bit short notice, but you're welcome to come as early as tonight around six. We might swim in my backyard pool if everyone wants to, so be prepared for that." Her grin directed at me seems unusual for her in some way, but I'm not certain why that is. Humans are such complex creatures of habit that it renders my understanding of Yaoyorozu as insufficient unless my knowledge of her increases.

Midoriya looks uneasy. "Umm..." He looks up to her and then to his sparring thumbs.

"I'll go," I decide, shrugging mentally. I will take any excuses available to me to escape that hellhole. No, it is not simply the place itself that is defined as hell. It is due to the fact that he lives there.

Yaoyorozu's cheeks light up with a pale pink hue. "Great! What about you, Midoriya?" She seems to be holding back on her emotions.

"A-As long as my mom says I can go, th-then I will!" Midoriya abruptly states. "Thank you, Yaoyorozu-san!" His offering of thanks looks half-hearted to me if I've ever known my own habits.

"Fantastic! Thanks, you two. Hopefully, I'll see you tonight. I'll send you my address!" She waves the two of us farewell and swiftly departs with a darker shade of red dusting her cheeks. Perhaps she feels unwell.

The first buzz I've felt in my pocket for a few months almost startled me. Figuring it to be Yaoyorozu, I extract my phone from my pocket to make a mental note of the address. With a screen still illuminated by the alert it received, I look at the text I've received and feel as my grip around my phone tightens.

Damn old man, I hiss at myself with vitriol. The last time you found it in you to text me was over two years ago. What was it for? I compose myself again and look back over the text message my father had sent to me. To remind me that I'm a failure—that I was supposed to be his greatest creation. Tch. Not son...but creation. I can recall the slight sting of pain that jabbed me when I read that.

Dad: We are going to have a serious conversation when you return from school. If you dare to defy me, there will be serious consequences.

"Where's Mom?"

"She hurt you, so I had to put her away."

You hurt her. You hurt me. You hurt all of my family. Why aren't you the one being put away?

"When will she—"

"Not any time soon, Shoto."

The ghosts of where tears should be cease to slide down my cheeks. "Can I see her?" My voice cracks, but still no tears have formed in my good eye.

"No."

You took away the only person who ever cared about me! I hate you. I hate you! I never want to be like you! You made Mom hurt me! It was your fault. All of it was your fault... Even I can tell I'm grasping for excuses, but they sound so true that I believe that they must be.

"Why did you have to ruin all of us?" Now clenching my fists, the weight of my inevitable tears grows heavy in my right eye. "Why did Mom have to leave? I'd rather die than live with you!"