𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐞𝐬 || S. Todoroki x Reader

28 - What if I Fall?

Content Warning: Brief sexual harassment , brief verbal mention of gore

***

"What's with you today?"

You glanced away from your fox to find Toya's eyes studying you. "Huh?"

"I dunno." He shrugged. "You're all quiet and sad."

"Oh." You looked back down at your stuffed fox, playing with one of its ears. "I'm sorry."

The low hum of the overhead lights in your room filled the dead air. You kept playing with your fox's ear, trying your best not to look at Toya.

The bed dipped as he leaned in closer. "What's wrong?"

More dead air.

Toya let out a slow breath.

"Why aren't you talking to me?"

You swallowed. "I just don't want you to be mad at me."

"Why would I be mad at you?"

You shrugged.

Toya's fingers crawled over your arm, then. Gone were the days when you flinched at his touch. The people with lab coats and stone gazes were the ones you had to worry about touching you. Their touch meant pain. Toya's was always comfort. Warm and rough.

"I would never be mad at you," he said. "You're my best friend."

That's right, you thought. He was your best friend.

"Y/n–" his touch tightened, "please tell me what's wrong. I don't like you being sad all the time."

Dead air. Dead air. Dead air. Dead–

"I just don't want you to go away," you whispered.

"Huh?" He leaned in closer. You could smell the aseptic shampoo when he did so. His hair was nearly all white, only a few strands of the red tucked here and there. Still, the smell of roses lingered about him.

Your voice got louder. "Why is it happening now? It's too soon."

Toya's grip relaxed. You breathed in. "Is this about my final exam?" he asked.

After a moment, you nodded.

"But that's gonna be my one chance to prove myself to my dad!"

You sighed. "I know. But you said to sometimes doesn't go good." Images of Toya, broken and bleeding and unable to hold your hand in the darkness, filled your mind. More bandages, more pain, more scars. More more more. You weren't sure if you could take it. You didn't want him to risk his life for someone who didn't even care about it. You were here; you cared about him! Wasn't that enough?

Toya waved away the notion. "That's for the other kids. They're not as good as I am."

You finally looked from your fox. His eyes bore into yours. "You're not scared at all?"

His smile wavered. "Nah, it'll be great. My dad's coming to watch and everything. I'm gonna show him I can be a hero, too."

The images would not disappear, even with his words. "But what happens if–"

"Are you saying I'm going to fail?" he suddenly cut you off, his smile visibly starting to loosen. "Am I not good enough?"

Your eyes widened, shaking your head, and letting out a frustrated noise from the back of your throat. "No, no." The fox's old fur rubbed against your fingers as you clutched it tighter. "I don't want you to go."