"You don't owe me anything."— Todoroki Shoto
**warning: slight swearing, mention of suicide in this episode. Please proceed with caution.
POV—Hebinoya Ikari
Forever
Don't let me go.
Every time I hear his name,
my heart threatens to burst from happiness.
Sometimes I want to believe
all of this is
too good to be true.
Don't let me go.
After I had talked with Shoto, Iida, and Midoriya for a while, I had learned about Iida's situation with his brother, who had been attacked by Stain. I can't even avoid the hero killer anymore— any news channel I open is filled with reports about his ideology. He sounds like someone Father would recruit, but I don't dwell on his fame for too long.
We had a good laugh over Shoto's apparent belief that he is doomed to crush any person's hand that he comes across. Because both Midoriya and Iida's hands have been injured before, Shoto believes that it has something to do with him.
"Be careful, Ikari," he said, dead serious, as I tried to hold in my laugh. "You could be next."
Nevertheless, when I return to Alessia's agency, I am filled with renewed determination. As soon as I walk into her office, a stream of words flows out of my mouth, eager to be heard.
"The power I had summoned during Manipulae's—"
She holds up a hand to silence me, her eyes bored.
"I saw replays of that on TV," she grunts, her tone unimpressed. "You've taken a step from your last stage to a higher one, a power stronger than the last. But your ability won't come in handy if you can't even control it. Training is the solution."
I agree, nodding my head enthusiastically. Nothing can stop me anymore. After I defeated Manipulae, I feel like I can best anything. We continue our training, drilling again and again.
"You've gained significant progress, child," Alessia mutters at the end of my training. I am cocky enough to ask her to repeat it again, but she gives me a dirty look. "I said nothing. You're doing terrible."
My training with Alessia for the rest of the week is not as painful as before.
Don't let me go.
Even though my training is more bearable, it doesn't mean that the ache in my bones completely goes away.
The day before I return to school, I can barely move my joints, as if my whole body is swollen. As I painfully sit in my chair, editing my latest photographs, my mind wanders. I think of ways to break the news about my current relationship with Shoto to my classmates. I had considered if we should keep it a secret, but that would only make the rest of the class more excited when they find out. I just don't know how to tell it to them.
As my head buzzes, it slowly strays to Shoto. We've only been on one date so far before the Nomu attack, and today I am in desperate need of company. I am tired of editing photographs already. With a small sigh, I dial his number, waiting for him to pick up. When a click from the other side sounds, I waste no time.
"Sho-yo."
"Y... yes?"
"Are you busy right now? Are you doing anything?"
"I had been studying for our return to school tomorrow, but I'm just about done."
"I'm bored. Alessia's training is killing me and I've got nothing else to do. Do you like movies?"
A pause on the other line. I can almost imagine his face, scrunched up in confusion.
"I don't watch a lot, so I'm unsure."
"Come over. We can watch some together."
Another pause.
"Sure. I'll be there in an hour."
Don't let me go.
I tell Azani and Alessia about Shoto's arrival, to which both of them agree to leave me alone while he is there. We discuss in the kitchen as Ami chomps on some food.
"I can put Ami to bed so she won't bother you," Azani offers, patting her head as she spits out the food Alessia had handed her.
"You can eat it yourself," Alessia scoffs, offended by Ami's reluctance.
"I don't wanna go to bed..." she whines.
Azani ignores both of them with a satisfied smile. "Could he stay for dinner? If he is, I'll make sure Alessia—"
"You're not making me do anything," Alessia grumbles, crossing her arms and preparing to stalk out of the room. Azani whirls her back around, clasping her shoulders firmly.
"Oh yes you are, sweetheart! Ikari's boyfriend deserves the best treatment!"
Alessia groans. "They've only been dating for a week!"
I stifle a laugh just when the doorbell rings. It takes me no time to race to the door, eager to see Shoto. When I fling the door open, I don't even give him time to greet me before I wrap my arms around his neck, squeezing tight, savoring his minty smell. Moments later, I feel a pair of hands wrap around my back as well. When I pull away, a blush dusts Shoto's cheeks.
"Did you finish your internship yesterday?" I ask, leading him into the house by his hand.
"Yes."
I continue to talk to him as I guide him up an extravagant set of stairs. When I look back, his eyes quietly survey the gilded chairs, sparkling marble, and diamond chandeliers.
"Your house is beautiful. It's certainly an upgrade from your last."
I chuckle, tugging him along further.
"And you know who did it, Sho-yo?" I ask, as I open the door to my room. I turn around just when he closes the door. "You." I stick a finger in his chest. "And I will never thank you enough for it."
Without another thought, he takes my hand poking at his chest and pulls me closer, placing a slight kiss on my lips, catching me by surprise.
"I bought this for you," he says, pulling something out from a plastic bag I haven't even noticed when he first came. A heavenly smell comes from it and I take a deep whiff.
"Soba? You didn't have to," I say, pretending that my stomach isn't begging me to take it. He shakes his head and places the plastic bag in my hands. For a moment, we both glare at each other, daring the other to refuse. After a second of tension, I sigh and take the bag from him.
"I was planning to watch the movie on my computer. We'll probably watch it on the beanbag," I say, gesturing at the plush bag in the corner of my room. On our way, I take a fluffy blanket and drag it along with me.
We make ourselves comfortable. I wrap our bodies in the blanket, one corner wrapped around my head like a cocoon. I begin to dig into the hot soba Shoto got me.
"Have you heard of A Silent Voice?" I ask through a full mouth, scrolling through the movies on my laptop. By Shoto's furrowed brows, I assume his answer is no. "Let's watch it. It's super good, but I can't remember any of the characters' names except for Sho-ya."
I flinch as I shift forward to start the movie.
"Are you alright?" Shoto asks, eyeing me with concern.
I wave a careless hand. "Yeah. Training was hell, that's all."
"Where does it hurt?"
"Hmm? What do you mean? What are you going to do?"
"Just tell me."
"Well... mostly my stomach, and my back, and my arms and legs as well. Everywhere, I suppose," I say, still confused as of what he is attempting to do. I snuggle up close to his left shoulder, his heat instantly making me want to come closer. "But probably my back and shoulders the most," I conclude.
As the movie starts, his hand slowly moves from my waist to my back, and I can feel the heat from his hand grow hotter. I sigh in relief, melting into his arms, as the pain seems to ebb away at his touch.
"You always seem to know where it hurts..." I mumble.
Don't let me go.
Slight A Silent Voice spoiler here, sorry!! If you haven't watched the movie yet maybe watch it and come back to this episode later... or just know about the spoilers, idc.
-
"So... so he didn't die?" Shoto asks quietly, his eyes glued to the screen. His hand that had been relax around my shoulders tenses up.
"Yeah. He tried to save Shoko just when she was about to jump, and instead took her place instead."
(Just for readers who haven't watched the movie yet, the story follows a boy who tries to make amends to a deaf girl for bullying her in elementary school. Near the end, the girl tries to commit suicide but the boy pulls her back, resulting in him falling instead. If you haven't watched it 10/10 would recommend.)
"I would've tried to save you too, even if it meant sacrificing myself."
I pause the movie, his words unable to reach my head. I turn to him, the computer casting a glow on his face. Even in the dim room, his face is as angelic as ever, the light accentuating his face.
"What? What do you mean?" I say, my voice dropping low.
"If I had gotten to you just a few seconds too late, I would have switched places with you."
Even without words, I know he is talking about that day on the roof. His words finally hit me, clenching my heart. He would've died to let me live.
"That's stupid, Shoto," I snap, hurriedly trying to correct his very wrong words, "your life is worth much more than mine. You're a very powerful—"
"No it's not," he says, his words suddenly rushed and sloppy. He shoots up from his stance, his eyes fiery with anger. "Don't say that about yourself."
"But it's true—"
"It's not! And you shouldn't think that!"
I stand to face him, my voice shaky. Why doesn't he understand? His life is fundamentally more important than mine, and it is my duty as a hero to make sure he doesn't waste that. "I've got every right to think that because it's the damn truth. You can't deny it."
"Even if it's the truth, I won't accept it! I'd die a thousand deaths for you," he says, his words peppering me like gunfire. "If you'd even think for a second that—"
"And I'd die a hundred thousand deaths for you, Shoto!" I spit, my voice slowly rising as I stand to meet his angered eyes. "You don't understand what you did when you saved me. You completely reset my life. You changed my destiny. I owe you my life, no matter—"
"You don't owe me anything!" He seizes my shoulders, his voice rising with mine. "Stop talking about petty debts and useless favors. We are both equals here, and I will not accept talk about debts between us. If one of us dies, we both die."
My nose flares, harsh words caught in my mouth, pausing on my tongue. I try to speak, but no words come out, my anger fading away. The normal writhe of white fire in me sputters to an ember. Silence threatens to crush us both, slowly stretching out time. I watch Shoto's eyes lose its glinting fury as we both wait for the other to speak.
"I'm sorry," I finally whisper.
Without another word Shoto surges forward and envelops me in his amazingly warm arms, wrapping me in a sphere of comfort. I hug right back, burying my forehead in his sweater. I know he has forgiven me by his tightly entwined hands, yearning for my to squeeze back— and I do.
After an eternity, I let go. He stares at me quizzically as I stride over to the beanbag and grab my phone, where I begin to play Stay With Me.
(Guys, great song, Stay With Me by Miki Matsubara. If you have tiktok, you might've heard of this. Go check it out of you haven't.)
Its light melody echoes in the room.
"It's too quiet in here," I manage to say, giving him a sad smile. I head back into his arms, swaying slightly to the rhythm, inviting him to do the same. I ignore the slight burning in my body when I move, Alessia's training imprinted onto me. When I look up at him, a small frown plasters his face.
"What, are you telling me you can't dance?" I tease, moving my hips a bit more. "Come on. Dance with me."
Awkwardly, he begins to move in rhythm with my own body, instinctively placing one hand on my side and the other on my shoulder. The lyrics float through the room, as if looking for something to fixate on. It surrounds Shoto and I as we dance. The room basks a warm light on his face, illuminating his soft eyes as he watches me do the same. I place my chin on his chest, admiring his features.
"You're the most beautiful girl I've ever met," he murmurs, staring deep into my eyes. My smile is effortless as an ethereal, floating feeling blooms in my chest.
He just called me beautiful.
"I know. And you're the handsomest boy I've ever met," I return.
We sway more, traveling around the room as I hold onto his hand, never letting go. As the end of the song nears, I lean close to his ear, my lips barely moving.
"Stay with me. Forever."
He nuzzles his head in my neck.
"Forever."
Forever.
Don't let me go.
Hey guys! I had a lot of fun writing these scenes, and I hope you had as much fun reading! Again, thank you so much for all the votes and comments— and we're already at 12K! Thank you so much!! Go get some water if you haven't already, and stay safe!
Fun fact(UA edition):
So today's fun fact is going to be about Ectoplasm, the hero that can split into multiple versions of himself. He is probably best known from the Final Exam battle(that will be coming up soon hehe) against Tsu and Tokoyami, but not a lot of people know that he actually lost both legs before the series started in a villain attack. Even though he has this disability, he still keeps up his hero work and wears a pair of prosthetic legs.