Sparring Partners (MidoriyaxKendo)

Chapter 10: Rain

The white noise endlessly repeating all around. Cold drops tapping away against anything exposed. Wind cutting through the air, throwing water into Midoriya's face, unseen in the darkness of the late night. Nature's ambient tones only interrupted by the two clangs of the clock's bell signaling the hour. Pained voices and straining cries bleed into each other, turning into screaming feedback spinning wildly through his head. The bitter cold of Winter's night is all that can distract him, breaking one pain with another. Tired legs drag the boy to the soft and lonely beach which owes its new life to him. Stepping onto the cushion of wet sand gave relief to the weary bones carrying a worn mind. Doubts of himself spill out, tainting the breaths escaping his lungs. The ones he loved were put in danger because of him, and one was nearly snuffed out.

Nemuri... the thoughts of his friend in pain because of his weakness ate away at the strength he'd built over the year since he met All Might. How can the greatest hero not protect the ones he loves?

When you wake up Nemuri, I'll make it up to you, I swear, kept playing through his mind as he walked the empty beach lit by moonlight and the odd lamp. Cold, sharp rain falling upon his soaking body was nothing more to him than a reminder that this was no nightmare. The thought that Nemuri was in a hospital bed right now because he was weak wrung his heart out, leaving a deafening self-loathing seeping into every corner of his being. His sorrow was interrupted by a sight he was unsure about its reality. At the far end of the beach was a bench, bathed in a cone of harsh warm light, contrasting the cool soft reflections from the moon. As it neared, he noticed that... there was someone sitting in the rain, unbothered by frigid air, wet daggers, or the sleepless lonely hour. The figure looked familiar, but from where was a mystery. Izuku spent a moment inspecting whoever it was from behind.

"It's not polite to stare, you know," the figure said in a warm and deep voice. He raised a hand from his lap to motion the boy to sit next to him, "You should rest, it's been a long day," he suggested. Izuku was startled by the man noticing him, and being so kind. These dark hours aren't always safe, but Midoriya felt like he could trust this man. He sat next to the man, looking over to try to identify him. He can make out long dark green hair, stuck to his shoulders from the rain. A tired but unbothered pale face holding grey eyes.

"Why are you out here?" Midoriya asked, starting a conversation, hoping to learn about the man who apparently knew about his day.

"My quirk," he replied, without taking his gaze from the moon hovering over the ocean, "It's how I knew you were there, and tired. I can feel the vital signs of those around me. I felt yours, and you show signs of fatigue," he looks over to Midoriya giving him a look of sympathy.

"That explains how you knew I was there, but still, why are you out so late?" The boy asked again.

"I can't turn off my quirk. And it works on everyone near me. So if I'm around too many people at once, I'd be driven insane, though I keep a few people around," the lonely man mused, turning back to the view.

"I'm sorry to hear that, sir. I hope I'm not bothering you," Izuku apologized.

"No, of course not. One person is fine. Sometimes the company is nice," he said, letting a faint smile creep onto his face. "Why are you out here so late, if I may ask?"

"I needed to think about what happened today," Midoriya looked down at his lap, running through everything that happened, "It's a long story, so I won't tell you if you don't want to hear it," he offered an out from his sob story.

"I've got until people arrive. I think it's you who might be short on time," he answered, opening a statement that confused Izuku.

"What do you mean?" the boy asked.