Tododeku: The Phantom of the Opera

~Chapter Thirteen~

"Down once more
to the dungeon
of my black despair!
Down we plunge to the prison
of my mind!
Down that path into darkness
deep as hell!"

Todoroki was now dragging Izuku down a path to his lair, tears streaming down both of his cheeks - The normal one and the deformed one. Izuku was frightened beyond words and even he was crying, but out of fear and not of heartbreak like Todoroki was.

How could this all have happened? Why did Bakugo have to rip off the Phantom's mask? Why did he have to reveal to the world what Todoroki really looked like? It was strange though... Todoroki seemed even more terrifying without the mask on.

"Why, you ask,
was I bound and chained
in this cold and dismal place?
Not for any mortal sin,
but the wickedness of
my abhorrent face!"

The two eventually came into the lair as Todoroki finally let go of Izuku's arm, seeing as they were both sobbing their eyes out but for two different reasons. The two stared at each other as they remained in the middle of the lair, everything the same as it was once when Izuku first came here. However, there was a large gate that shielded them from the other exit of the lair. Todoroki slammed the secret door and locked it tightly, throwing the key in the lake of the lair.

"Hounded out by
everyone!
Met with hatred
everywhere!
No kind word from anyone!
No compassion anywhere!
Izuku..." 

He turned to the boy and walked over to him, looking at him with love but also anger. "Why...? Why?!" He screamed, which caused Izuku to jump in pure fear. Todoroki was seeing how much he was scaring his beloved and moved away, staring out into the lake and running his hands through his hair. He needed to calm down.

Izuku began to pant a little and looked around. Todoroki had done all this because he was in love with Bakugo. And he was angry so he did all of this just for him. He felt so guilty that he had not gone to him and just told him the truth about everything... But it made him so angry that he would kill people just to be with him. He tried to calm himself down, but he could not.

"Have you gorged yourself at last,
in your lust for blood?
Am I now to be prey
to your lust for flesh?!"

Todoroki turned his head and looked at Izuku with cold eyes. But he then began to laugh, which scared Izuku even more. If only he could escape and go back to Bakugou...

"That fate, which condemns me
to wallow in blood has also
denied me
the joys of the flesh . . .
this face -
the infection
which poisons our love . . ."

He motioned to the right side of his face, which to him was the "infection." Izuku let out a small sigh; Todoroki really believed that they were meant to be together. He felt so sorry for him... The bi-colored haired male began to walk over to Izuku, taking his hand and placing it on his the deformed half of his face.

"This face,
which earned
a family's fear and loathing . . .
A mask,
my first unfeeling scrap of clothing . . .
Pity comes
too late -
turn around
and face your fate:
an eternity of this before your eyes!"

Izuku heard himself shallow hard. As much as he cared for Todoroki and loved him, he knew that his love was poisoning Todorki's mind. It was not fair to let him continue to live with that lie. He gently rubbed Todoroki's cheeks with his thumb, which caused the Phantom to close his and purr at the feeling.

"This haunted face
holds no horror for me now . . .
It's in your soul
that the true distortion lies . . ."