Through the Years

Looked After

"You've been working yourself up." Tomura says matter-of-factly. "You made yourself sick from stress. What is it?"

"That drawing? Really, Star?" Dabi asks, immediately putting two and two together.

You get up shakily to rinse your mouth out, Tomura helping you up and hovering behind you, likely on the off chance you fall again.

"You're worried about your project?" Tomura asks as you swirl water from a plastic cup around your mouth. He looks over at Dabi. "I thought it was a recreational class?"

"It is." Dabi replies dryly. "I told ya already, doll, you don't need to work yourself up this much about it, it's a fun class."

You don't say anything as you pass him to go back to your bedroom on shaky legs, Cloud meowing as he follows behind you as faithfully as ever. Tomura wordlessly follows a few steps behind with Dabi keeping even further back, still watching you with worried, icy eyes.
You go to sit back at your desk, but Tomura grips your shoulder, shaking his head and pointing at your bed.

"I need to finish it." You argue weakly.

"Bed." He says simply.

If it were Dabi, you would have groaned but obeyed, but because it was Tomura, you just purse your lips a little and reluctantly get into your bed, lying down so you can see what he's doing. Cloud jumps on the second you're under the sheets, settling into a loaf against your stomach.
You watch as Tomura looks at the drawing, his long white hair shielding his face from your view, which makes you feel a little unsettled again.

"It's the first bar." He says simply, his fingers tracing over the pencil markings on the paper carefully. "There's nothing wrong with it."

"It's not good enough." You say quietly, clenching your jaw as you swallow.

"Less'a that." Dabi chides gently, flicking your nose gently as he settles on the side of your bed.

"It's not." You insist.

"I like it." Tomura says bluntly, and Dabi raises an eyebrow at you.

"Boss has spoken. You know he doesn't lie." He says, petting your hair carefully. "Hon, it doesn't have to be a masterpiece. You're meant to enjoy these projects, not stress so much that it makes ya sick..."

He frowns in concern down at you.

"I worry that if you can't handle a fun art class, if ya get into an art school you're gonna make yourself sick again, like when you were younger." He chews at a staple on the inside of his cheek. "Don't wanna see that happen again, Starshine. Near ruined me."

"I just wanna make you proud." You admit quietly, your face heating up at the patheticness of the admission.

There's a painful moment of silence, before Dabi wipes his face with his hand, laughing dryly.

"My darlin' Star, you never gotta make yourself sick with stress about makin' me proud." He says, completely sincerely, as Tomura settles down next to him, tying up his hair. "I'm prouda you every day. You could never do anythin' that would make me feel any different."

"The only person you should worry about making proud, is you." Tomura chimes in.

"That drawin' is better than most kids your age would be able ta do." Dabi says, jutting his thumb towards the desk. "You could draw anything, anything at all, an' I'd love it and treasure it forever. You're my pride an' joy, darlin'."

Tomura nods in agreement, petting Cloud's head as Dabi's hand pauses at the back of your head, and he looks down at you with an intense but adoring look.

"Don't make yourself sick again worryin' about me, 'kay? I'll be proud of you whatever you do. Same goes for 'Mura."

Tomura grunts an agreement, brushing his knuckles over your cheek faintly before getting up.

"I'll get you a sports drink and some toast." He says. "Just relax for a little while."

Dabi brushes a hand over the small of Tomuras back as he walks past, and then turns to look at you again, something soft behind his eyes.

"Wanna cuddle?" He asks, entirely hopefully.

And normally, you'd deny him. You were getting too old to be as cuddly as you used to be with him when you were younger... But you needed it. So you nod, and his lips curve upwards ever so slightly, and he settles down on his side too, shooing Cloud out of the way and pulling you to his chest, burying his face into your hair.

"When you're feelin' better, maybe when you've handed your drawing in, let's have a Star and paw day, yeah? Just like old times?" He asks quietly, rubbing your back. "Can go see the ducks, go to an art museum, go shopping... Whatever you want, darlin'. I wanna see my Starshine smiling again."

"I'd like that." You say against his chest, closing your eyes and cherishing the contact you so rarely allowed him to give these days.

"Me too, doll. Me too." He says, kissing the top of your head and holding you like something to be treasured.