That's how Izuku Midoriya, eight years old, spends the entire afternoon and late into the night. Mr. Toshinori only lets him take one-minute breaks after failing a total of twenty times only to start again.
Before, this would have made him cry into his mom's arms and maybe throw a tantrum. But now, he doesn't feel like doing any of that. It hurts, and he wants to complain, but he can't. This is what he has to do to reach his goal.
When Mr. Toshinori finally deems it too cold to continue training, he lets Izuku, and the dogs go inside. The warm fire and the hot soup brighten Izuku's spirits and helps the soreness of his muscles and the numbness of his face from falling into the snow so much.
Mr. Toshinori silently sits down, the dogs sniffing and panting around Izuku, trying to get some of his food. The man takes a bite of soup, before setting it down.
"Back when I was a child,"
Izuku looks up, also putting his soup down. A dog goes to take some, but Izuku pushes it away quickly before putting his attention on the man again.
"I was taught that a man's honor and bravery in the war would help him in the afterlife. But i have learned that it also helps you in the living."
Mr. Toshinori looks at him, his blue eyes grim.
"I want you to show the same determination and drive that you have shown me today, young man. Can you do that?"
Izuku nods, and there is only a beat of silence before the man continues to eat.
"Good."
The fire crackles between them, and Izuku watches the flames as he eats. The next day is the same, only Izuku is woken up earlier than before.
"Getting an early start to the day gets you ahead!"
Said Mr. Toshinori as Izuku starts running with all of the coats on. It is slightly better than yesterday, but it is a lot colder in the morning, the sun barely rising. He looks towards the sky where the sun peaks out from over distant mountains, continuing to run.
The cold bites his face, his scarf loosening as he runs. Mr. Toshinori rolls up in the sled, the dogs howling and barking. The man is wrapped up warmly, a big scarf around the bottom half of his face.
"Good job! You are farther than yesterday!"
He wants to ask how he knows that, but his throat stings too much to speak. Izuku takes a moment to celebrate his small show of progress. He trips after, his foot lodged into a particularly frozen part of snow, falling face first.
He hears Mr. Toshinori sigh when he picks himself up.
"Again!"
He runs back to the house and starts for the fifth time that morning. His stomach hurts with the lack of food, but he keeps going until the man tells him to take a break...
"Food tastes better when you have worked hard. Another twenty minutes. I trust you will restart on your own."
Mr. Toshinori pats his shoulder when he passes, going inside.
STAI LEGGENDO
I'll be your island in the raging storm
Fanfiction- Warning, Super slow burn - Izuku has lived a hard life trying to survive in the cold winter mountains. They are all he has known. Katsuki has lived a hard life trying to survive in the cold cages of the black market. They are all he has known. ...
