What Is A Soulmate? ( A Tododeku Soulmate AU Story)

Chapter One: Let Me Tell You A Story

Pain.

All Shoto felt at this moment, as he lay on his back on the hard floor, was pain.

His tears were hot against his cheeks, his teeth clenched together, his hands were tightened into fists, and he squeezed his eyes closed to hope the pain would end. 

"We're done for today. I can't have you slacking off because you're injured," his father said, stepping over his son's body. Shoto heard the door slam closed and he began to cry harder.

His leg burned and the bone felt disproportioned in his skin. He felt as if he was a corpse that had been laid out to die. Unwanted and useless.

The door opened. First, there was a worried gasp. Then, Shoto heard new teardrops dropping on the floor as footsteps drew near. Someone bent down next to him, her dark grey eyes wide with concern. "Shoto! What did he do to you?!," she said through sniffles.

Shoto pointed towards his legs. His mother looked at his leg. The disproportioned bone was visible. She gasped and more tears began to fall. She carefully took her son in her arms and hugged him in her lap. The five-year old hugged his mother and stained her shirt with his tears. "I-It hurt so much, mom," he stuttered.

His mother rubbed his back and held him close to her. Shoto could hear her heartbeat, going fast with worry. "I know it did, honey. It will be okay. I shall care for it. Just be still and don't struggle," she said. She softly grabbed Shoto's leg, earning a whine from her son. She moved the bone into the correct spot and laid her son back on the floor to get bandages. 

She went to the first-aid cabinet in the training room and pulled out the roll of bandages. She walked back over to her son and wrapped his leg, keeping the bone in place. She smiled softly at her son, who looked up at her with glossed eyes. "Thank you for being strong, Shoto. You made it so much easier," she said, scooping her son up from the floor. She carried him down the long hallways of their home and into Shoto's bedroom. She sat him down on his bed and sat next to him.

"You should sleep, Shoto. It will neutralize the pain," his mother told him softly. Shoto slowly sunk into the bed, laying his head on the pillows as his mother pulled the covers over his body. 

"Mother?," he asked quietly. She looked at him. "Yes, Shoto?"

"Can you tell me a story? I can't sleep," he asked, whining a little. His mother laughed quietly before tapping her chin. "How about the story about soulmates?"

"What's a soulmate?," Shoto asked innocently. His mother had never told him this story. She giggled at his and stroked his forehead. 

"Long ago, there were two ordinary people living in the same town. In the world we live in, there is a legend that passes through generations about a magical red string. This string binds a person with another that is identically compatible to them. It's basically love at first sight," his mother explained. Shoto's eyes twinkled.

"Does everyone have a soulmate?," he asked eagerly. He was almost jumping in the covers. His mother nodded. "Yes, everyone does. However, me and your father are no longer compatible. Therefore, he is no longer my soulmate," she said sadly. Shoto frowned in pity. 

"But that does not trouble me. One day, you will find a soulmate and you'll finally be happy. That's enough love for me," she smiled. Shoto smiled softly as his eyelids began heavy. His mother began to get up as Shoto closed his eyes and surrendered to slumber.

******

All Shoto saw was red. Not like blood, but like a heart on a Valentine's card. He squinted as he tried to make out  the object. It was a small red string, gliding in front of him, mesmerizing him. Where had he heard of a red string before? As he thought about it, the string began to glide away from him. Shoto screamed for it to come back and ran after it. It stopped in front of a door. The string folded into an arrow, pointing towards the door. Shoto stared at the door. Soulmate...a red string means your soulmate. His soulmate was on the other side of that door. He walked towards the door, grabbed the doorknob and opened the white door. There, a little boy laid on the floor. His arms were cut and blood leaked through. Shoto ran towards him and bent down to his height.

"Hello? Are you okay," Shoto asked the boy. He flinched as he stared up at Shoto. His eyes were glossed over and his freckled cheeks were stained with tears. "W-Who are you? Are you with Kacchan," he asked, his eyes wide with fear. Shoto was confused.

"Kacchan? Who's Kacchan," he asked. The boy looked at him for a moment before smiling lightly. "You don't know him. That's good. What's your name," the boy asked, standing up. Shoto stared at his wild green hair before staring at his beautiful, emerald green orbs. 

"I'm Shoto Todoroki. What's your name," Shoto asked the greenette.

At first, the boy seemed nervous. But after a short moment, he relaxed and played with his fingers. "I-I'm Izuku...," he smiled, before his voice faded away with Shoto's dream.