Just Say No

Friends

 "It's nothing. Just lost in my own head is all. There's nothing to it, I- HEY!" Keigo yelped as Jin grabbed his arm, and started dragging him up the stairs to his apartment, determination in his eyes. 

"Nope nope nope nope, You're going to sit down and tell me what's going on with you. We don't need you running into some battle or something with a fucked up head. That only spells trouble for everyone involved. Now, sit down, you self-sacrificing idiot," Jin chirped as he shoved Keigo into a beanbag chair and sat beside him. Keigo just sat there chewing his lower lip. 

"I-I... um... I... um... um..." Keigo felt himself starting to slip, his breaths growing shaky as he rubbed at his arm. No... no, he couldn't tell him... not now... He didn't deserve help. Not in this. He couldn't-

"Hey! It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, but... You need to breathe. I know that look," Jin rested a hand on Keigo's shoulder, smiling weakly. Keigo just sat there for a moment, still stuttering and fighting back tears. "You know that it's okay for you to cry, right? I won't tell anyone. Not even Dabi. If you need to let it out, just let it out," Slowly, tears began dripping down Keigo's face. It started as a small drip and soon turned into a full-on waterfall.  He broke down, wrapping his arms and wings around himself. Jin came over after a few minutes and weaseled his way into Keigo's wings and hugged him tightly, smiling lovingly. Slowly, Keigo started to relax, sighing. 

"You're too sweet, you know that, Jin? Really too sweet..." He mumbled. Jin smiled and helped him sit back down in the chair with a teary smile plastered on his face. Jin nuzzled into his hair, huffing a bit. 

"I'm just being nice. That's not too much now, is it?" He asked softly. Keigo shook his head and closed his eyes a little bit. 

"Thank you... you know, for not making me feel like an utter fuck up all of the time," He cuddled closer, feeling his heart warm in a brother sort of way. The two of them stayed like that for a while, just holding each other. 

"No more tears for the birdie, got it? You need to be all smiles from now on," Jin said as he ruffled Keigo's hair, "All the love for the smol baby of the heroes!" Keigo laughed. at that statement. 

"I'm not a baby! shut up!" He giggled happily. Jin poked the tip of his nose. 

"Yeah no, you are. Seriously though, there is something that I want you to say for me, okay Keigo?" 

"Oh um... okay?" Keigo looked up at him questioningly. Jin sighed. 

"I want you to tell yourself that you're worth fighting for, okay? Even when you feel like you're nowt, you are. You're not a failure or a waste of space or fuck up or anything like that. You're worth so much more than that. You deserve to be able to fight for yourself sometimes. I can see it, Tomura, Toga, and Dabi all see it. I need you to see it as well. I need you to see yourself as worth it like we all do," He said. Keigo felt his heart stop a bit as tears gathered in his eyes anew.

For a moment, he could hear Rumi's voice in his head telling him the exact same thing just years ago. He didn't say anything for a while, just clinging to Jin. 

"Say it, Keigo. Tell me exactly what I just told you," Jin said softly. Keigo swallowed a bit before nodding. 

"I-I'm... I'm um... I- I can't..."

"Yes you can, Keigo. Say it. Say it like you mean it. Like I'm that bully inside you- wow that sounds bad!- You get what I mean. Say it!" 

"I-I'm worth fighting for, Um... um... I'm not a f-failure or a w-waste of space or-" Keigo looked down, messing with his hair just a bit. Jin huffed and grabbed his shoulder. 

"Keigo, stop hesitating. Say it like you're angry. Say it like you're PISSED stop looking down. Look right at me while you're saying it, all right?" He grabbed Keigo by his shoulders. The pressure on his shoulders wasn't harsh or intrusive like President Gaelen's grip was. This grip was warm and grounding like a hug from Rumi or a kiss from Dabi felt. Jin was quiet, waiting. Keigo took a breath, working up more courage. 

"I'm worth fighting for. I'm not a failure or a waste of space or a fuck up or a mistake, and I'm not a fucking toy to play with. My life worth is living. I'm not letting people push me the fuck around anymore," Keigo said, his eyes sparking with brave strength. 

"And you know it! Go out there, and kick some ass, Hawks!" Jin yelled, dragging him downstairs. Keigo didn't even have a moment to thank him before he was shoved out of the house, grinning brightly. He waved up at Jin before heading off to his agency with pure determination in his eyes.  He stormed into the agency with a bright smile on his face. It only fell when he noticed Endeavor waiting for him in his office. He swallowed thickly, feeling every last bit of confidence drain from his entire body.

"Hawks, there you are! We need to talk about something."