(One-shot 23/? in a collection of My Hero Academia one-shots posted regularly on Saturdays - and sometimes Sundays.)
Read on AO3.
Tags: Snipe, Choku Dan, Pro Hero Snipe, Snipe x OC, Snipe x Reader, Original Female Character(s), Ichijiku Aoki, Angst, And When I Say Angst, I Mean the Cliche Damsel in Distress This Time, I'm Not Sorry, I Committed to the Chivalrous Cowboy Trope, Snipe Rides in to Save the Day, I Gave Myself a Panic Attack Writing This, It Was Worth It, Snipe is So Underappreciated, I Did My Best to Remedy That, We Stay Writing 1.6K Words This Week
Word Count: 1,639 words
Summary: As Ichijiku contemplates life, a villain decides to make her contemplate her life specifically when he kidnaps her to get back at Snipe. As the clock for Ichijiku's life ticks down, Snipe finds a hint left behind as to where she's being held. When he finally arrives, he might be able to save her, but at what cost?
Ichijiku (Tigress)
If I stare at the sky for too long, it almost seems like a cardboard cutout, ready at any moment to fall forward and reveal its Great Creator behind it, spanning out into the dark, expansive realm of space. Will galaxies seem finite in the infinitesimal vacuum of space? Or will they only seem that much bigger with my own microscopic existence soiling the atmosphere?
Those thoughts plague my mind before a blue-haired man with tattoos wrestles me out of my rocking chair and through my house to steal me away.
Now, tied to a railroad track and left with nothing but the sky to look at, I’m not wondering about the vast expanse of the heavens any more. I’m wondering what Snipe will think of my absence. Will he think I’m ready to move on from our year-long relationship, unaware of my predicament? Or will he be lost and confused, distraught when he doesn’t find my warning in time?
Death doesn’t even cross my mind, despite the fact that Chameleon makes it very clear I’ll be dying at precisely 3:00pm.
“You’re awfully calm for someone in this situation.”
“You’ll have to forgive me. I’m an introvert and not entirely sure how I should respond to this.” My tone is, in fact, far more calm than it should be. “If this is your idea of catching a date, you’ve got the wrong idea. This isn’t a girl’s idea of a fun time, nor is it what she means when she says she wants to be railed.”
“Shut up. That’s hardly an appropriate response.” I hear him huff out a breath before he continues. “You’re not nearly as fun as I’d hoped. I’d been banking on hearing you scream until you lost your voice.” He drawls, apparating into existence in my line of sight.
What I thought to be a simple blue, turns out to be iridescent scales camouflaging him with every winking beam of sunlight, a kaleidoscope of color with every step he takes. He might be handsome if he didn’t just hogtie me to the tracks.
“I’m so sorry to disappoint you.” I roll my eyes as I glare at him. “But it’s Snipe’s job to make me scream, you know.”
A moment later he’s got a rope tied around my mouth, effectively gagging me.
“On second thought, it’s far too irritating listening to you talk. You have no class.” He crosses his arms across his chest before looking down one side of the tracks. “But don’t worry. You’ll be screaming soon.”
When I feel the ground rumbling beneath me followed by a thunderous horn in the distance, panic sweeps through my chest. Even so, death still isn’t my first thought. Instead, I squeeze my eyes shut and think of Snipe. I think of the sky. I think of infinity and my cat and love letters and regrets and what could have been.
Only when I see the approaching silhouette of the train do I allow myself a fleeting thought for death.
. . . . .
It’s 2:23pm when Snipe dismounts from his horse. It’s 2:25 when he whips past the overturned rocking chair and bursts into her open door, barely hanging onto its hinges.
It’s 2:26 when he finds the note plastered to her fridge.
Been a while since we’ve had a fair fight, Snipe. Let’s see if you’re still on your A-game. Your lady dies at three o’clock sharp. See if you can save her in time.
C
Snipe’s world is out of sorts. The world is not in harmony because she should be here and she should be making tea. She should be turning to the door with that blue-ribbon winning smile as he offers her a bouquet of her favorite flowers. She should be gazing into the corral of his eyes that he leaves open just for her.
She should not be gone.
Snipe slams his fist into the wall trimming, using the pain to pull himself back together. He doesn’t have time to waste. No time at all. Time that ticks down with every second he spends rummaging through the house, searching for any sign of where Chameleon might have taken her.
He’s nearly given up hope by 2:35, where he sinks to his knees and reminds himself to breathe. She will not die. She will be in his arms again. She will hide little love letters in his hat-shaped ring box that once housed her engagement ring now sitting on her finger.
Love letters. Without thinking, he opens the box and what should he find but a note? A blue, crumpled sticky note folded more haphazardly than the rest, and on it is a scribbled word in her handwriting: train.
The box falls to the floor and the door slams shut as Snipe leaps onto his horse and spurs the mare to motion, flying through the forest and into the open plains like a bat out of hell.
When a train comes into view, his eyes follow the tracks on an uncomfortably close trajectory towards two figures. He knows even as he urges Kuroashi faster that he won’t make it.
At 2:59 he aims his gun.
. . . . .
The train is here. It’s close enough to feel the heat from its smoky breath as it rattles the tracks. All sounds drown out from the steady rhythm of chug-a-chug-a-choo-choo until my brain turns the cadence into an ominous Death is coming for you.
The train is here. The train is here. Death is here and all I can worry about is whether or not Snipe will keep the box for my engagement ring. Will he hold it when he wants to remember me? Or will he get rid of everything so he doesn’t have to remember what he lost?
Chameleon’s timer goes off to the sound of a gunshot.
Click. Clank. The switch lever swerves with the tracks and suddenly the train zooms past me, still far too close for comfort, but no longer on course to swallow me with its iron jaws. The warmth of the train mingles with adrenaline and suddenly I can’t stop wiggling and whimpering in my restraints, muscles buzzing as I fight to get off these damn tracks.
“More vocal now, huh?” Chameleon hisses, disappearing and activating his quirk just as Snipe rides into range.
“MMPH!” I try to warn him.
But his camouflaged offender sends him flying off his horse and into the dirt, gun still primed in his hand. He’s on his feet quickly, but what can he do? I watch helplessly as Snipe’s homing quirk becomes useless. How does one shoot what he can’t see?
My eyes scour the dirt, searching for footprints and other minute signs of his movement. When a cloud of dust swirls by Snipe’s feet, I thrash in my bindings, desperately trying to free myself and help him. My fiancé’s head arcs back into the ground from his unseen adversary, kick-starting my heart.
Blood drips from his nose as keen, pro-hero eyes start searching for the same tell-tale signs of Chameleon’s movements I’ve been watching for. It costs him a hit in the stomach and his ribs, but he analyzes his foe’s movements to reclaim the upper hand. Snake battles snake in the hot, barren plains while my body quivers with fear.
All it takes is another dust cloud and bam! Snipe wrestles the invisible villain into the ground, appearing to fight air until Chameleon relinquishes use of his quirk.
“Glad to see you’re still in tip top shape, Snipe.” Chameleon growls, turning his glare to me as Snipe pulls out the restraining tape. “But you cut it kind of close, and next time she won’t be so lucky.”
“There won’t be a next time if you’d prefer to keep breathing.” Snipe barks out, his voice feral and sharp.
Snipe gets Chameleon’s hands behind his back and calls the cops as he sprints in my direction. Calloused hands act as a balm to the tremors tainting my muscles. When he cuts the bindings loose, he grabs my face and presses his forehead to mine; we share each others’ oxygen, our eyes promising the other what our mouths can’t say right now - I’m here and you’re safe and I’m not going anywhere.
My life remains finite while stretching infinitely before me, stretching straight out for Snipe.
I don’t ever want to let him go.
“You’re okay.” He whispers; it’s hard to tell whether he says this for me or himself. “Are you hurt? Did he do anything before he tied you up?”
“A few bruises and cuts.” My fingers card through his hair and slide down his cheek, soaking in every ridge and bump of his body. “And that’s only because I put up a fight before he got me here.”
“That’s my girl.” He grins and the world clicks back into place.
The heat sears my body and pain torments my bones as I become abruptly aware of the world around me. His presence anchors me as I’m swirling dangerously close to the edge of unconsciousness. He catches me with whispered coos, keeping me tethered for now.
“You’re having an adrenaline crash. And, hell, I can’t blame ya. But take a few deep breaths for me, okay, darlin’? Police should be here soon.”
It’s 3:34 when the police arrive to stuff Chameleon in the back of their car and EMTs arrive to check me for injuries. Only when the blinding blue and red lights disappear from my line of sight do I make myself stop counting the minutes.
“Do you want me to take you home?” Snipe whispers in my ear, securing a shock blanket around my shoulders.
“Not my house.” I whimper. “Will you take me to your place?”
“Of course, honey. I’ll keep you safe. Let’s go home.”
(One-shot 9/? in a collection of My Hero Academia one-shots posted regularly on Saturdays - and sometimes Sundays.)
Read on AO3.
Tags: Bakugo x OC, Katsuki Bakugo, Dynamight, Pro-Hero Bakugo, Pro-Hero OC, Pregnant OC, Some Angst with a Happy Ending, One Explosion Boy, Live Grenades, You'll Understand When You Read It, Bakugo Sometimes Just Be Feelin' Feels, And OC Does Too
Word Count: 1,056 words
Summary: When Ichijiku finds out she's expecting, she worries about how her boyfriend, Bakugo, will react to the news and how it will affect their hero journeys.
Content Warning: An "f" bomb is dropped and there is mild foreplay (but it doesn't get very far).
Ichijiku (Tigress)
Katsuki says life is like a live grenade. It’s ready at any moment to explode and see whether or not you’re worth your weight in nitroglycerine. Thus far his words ring true. Our lives have thrown us plenty of live grenades and tested the very sweat of our palms.
Like when a popular tabloid claimed I was cheating on him, or when I had a cancer scare a few weeks before our anniversary. For a time, it seemed as though we were living in a minefield, each of us skirting around problems and trying to minimize collateral damage as hardships stalked our every move.
Now? Now we’ve finally managed to find some semblance of balance. Katsuki works hard to be the best at his job as a pro hero, and I’m content being a homemaker and underground hero.
So when another grenade gets tossed at me in the form of two lines on a pregnancy test in our master bathroom, a thousand different worries trickle through my mind. We’re having a baby! What are we going to need? What if I mess something up? Will I be a good mother? What if the baby hates me? Excitement shoves some of these worries to the side and even brings a smile to my face as I spin around, thinking about how cute Katsuki will look holding our child.
And then I stop.
Kids have always been a possibility, but not a possibility Katsuki has proposed in conversation, yet. Though I’ve always hoped and planned to have children in my future with him, anxiety chokes me up when I pull out my phone and just stare at the screen.
My fingers hover over the keypad as my thoughts try to coax me into it. C’mon. No need to be scared. We may not have talked about it, so he’ll be a little surprised. But he can’t be angry when he’s not protecting his package from procreating. I exhale, and then decide against it as ugly voices from my past convince me he won’t be happy.
Not to mention, being a pro hero is a lot of work. How can I add something onto his already-full plate right now? Nausea turns in my stomach and distracts me until I’ve hurled my lunch in the toilet.
Despite my irrational fear that he’ll jump ship and leave me, I remind myself that we’ve been married for four years. While my frantic heartbeat dulls to a steady buzz, I brainstorm other, cuter ways to tell him. Perhaps a bottle of Prego? Too silly. Maybe a Father’s Day card? Not thoughtful enough.
Ideas swirl around in my head, but I’m no closer to an answer when I fall asleep on the couch.
. . . . .
Katsuki knows I’m hiding something as the weeks pass. I’m a little more shaky around him, a little more skittish. I can’t seem to find the right time to tell him the news.
But there’s no escaping him after a challenging day of hero work. He’s always more needy after a hard day. When he goes feral there’s no keeping my distance. We barely make it into my apartment when he’s got me flattened in his arms, sprinkling kisses anywhere his lips come into contact.
“Tonight, Tiger? You’re gonna beg for it, baby.” He grounds out in my ear, already pressing me against him with sparkling eyes.
“K-Katsuki, I need to tell you something first.” I breathe, knowing that I have to tell him now before he pulls off my clothes and figures out himself. I’m hardly showing at all, but the smallest of bumps is noticeable under my clothes.
And I know Katsuki. He’ll notice.
“It can wait. Damn, I’ve been waiting all day!” He shuffles us over to the couch where he starts kissing from my legs and working his way up my thighs. I use my knees to shuffle him up so I can grip his chin and make him look at me. “Hey!” He growls as he catches my expression and his eyes relax again. “What’s gotten into you today?”
The nerves return full swing as I think about how to say it. I feel like it needs to be special, like I have to remind him I’m worthy of him and his child. And there’s still that small chance in the back of my mind that he’ll leave. I don’t want you to leave me, Katsuki. I don’t know what I’ll do if you do… Have a little faith, Little One, he’s been loyal thus far.
“Did something happen?” He immediately starts making assumptions as his hands rub circles under my shirt. “Whoever it was I’ll…” Abruptly he stops, and I freeze.
I expect the shock on his face and it terrifies me. He raises up my shirt and I let him, being so quiet I can hear the throbbing beat of my heart. His thumb rubs over my stomach. Looking at it, there doesn’t seem to be much change, but feeling it…he looks up at me with recognition in his eyes.
And then the grenade explodes.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me sooner?!”
“Don’t you yell at me, Katsuki Bakugo!” I growl, pulling my legs up to my chest and scooting away from him. Such a small emotion seems to flood me with an intense outburst. Tears wash my hands and the comforter. Katsuki seems so far away even though he’s right beside me. “I didn’t tell you because I knew that you’d get angry like this! I knew that you’d yell at me! I was trying to think of the perfect way to tell you…but I was scared you’d react like this!” My breathing elevates, my body starts shaking, and my voice raises a few octaves.
I don’t notice any of it. I don’t give Katsuki any time to respond. When he opens his mouth, my emotions skyrocket again.
“What did you want me to do, Katsuki?! I couldn’t tell you because I was scared that you’d tell me to get rid of it because it wasn’t planned. And I won’t!” I rake my hands through my hair, bearing my teeth at him.
The room is silent for a few moments. My veins boil with unnecessary rage that bleeds into cold panic when I worry my anger will cause him to turn his nose up at me.
“Are you crazy?!” He grits his teeth at me. “I’ve told you once, I’ll never take an action that ends someone’s life! You think I'd get rid of my own kid?!”
He’s so fast. Always has been. In the next moment, he’s got my arms pinned at my sides and my lips trapped in a hard kiss. When he pulls back, his eyes are softer but he still snarls.
“Stop talking nonsense. I’m not leaving you and we’re not getting rid of the baby.” He puts a hand at my neck, sending my pulse thrumming underneath him as I start piecing his response together. “Don’t you dare think I’d be too weak to take on the challenge of my own child. Do I look that pitiful to you?”
Relief rushes through me as I finally let out a choked sob and cup his face in my hands. Then I pull him close and bury my face in his neck, giving myself a moment to regulate, before I answer.
“No, Katsuki. You don’t.”
Want More Bakugo? Try: Fire in the Hole - Sasses, Spice, and Everything Nice
(One-shot 25/? in a collection of My Hero Academia one-shots posted regularly on Saturdays - and sometimes Sundays.)
Read on AO3.
Tags: Keigo Takami, Takami Keigo, Hawks, Original Female Character(s), Ichijiku Aoki, Tigress, Fluff, Angsty Fluff, There's a Little of Both Okay, It's Bittersweet, Pining Hawks, Childhood Friends to Lovers, It's Actually So Cute, Takami - Keigo's Father Mentioned, Tomie Takami Mentioned, Bookstore is Mentioned, OC Works at a Bookshop, She Lives in Kamino Ward, The Bad Part of Town, Hawks Gets Protective, Pinky Promise, I'm Bad at Tagging, But I Blame That on the Fact that You Kinda Need to Read the Prompt Itself to Understand, What Else Do You Want from Me?
Word Count: 3,137 words
Summary: Hawks' childhood was not unlike that of Ichijiku Aoki, and she would know because she was his best friend. Ten long years after leaving her to train and be a hero, Hawks suddenly pops up in Ichijiku's life again.
Author's Note: This one-shot is a little different. Normally when I write multiple parts of a one-shot, I just include it in a separate series. However, this one just happened to run a little longer, so I decided breaking it into chunks would be helpful. I may end up deciding to make it its own series anyway, who can say? For now, you get part 1/2 of this tasty delicious prompt!
Ichijiku (Tigress)
Mommy doesn’t like emotional brats. That’s why when she and Daddy fall asleep, I sneak out the back door and start running down the trail behind our house. I make it to the broken tree before I see a blurry house.
I step closer, the house getting clearer until it’s obvious it’s more of a shack, wooden and decrepit. It looks like the perfect place to play House, or Superheroes, or even Tea Party! Looking over my shoulder, I crawl beneath a lonely window and peek in.
A little boy with red feathers looks back at me and I crouch as my heartbeat makes it hard to hear. I look up after a moment to find him when his shadow hangs out of the window above me.
“What are you doing here? You have to go before you get in trouble!” He whispers, turning over his shoulder. “My dad will be really angry if he sees you.”
“My mommy can’t find me, or she’ll whoop me good.” I hiss back.
We stare at each other for a minute before his pretty red feathers swirl around me. My face slips into a smile as I reach for it.
“This your quirk? What are they for?”
“I can move them around and hear things with them, but…Mom and Dad say they’re pretty useless.”
“Can you fly?”
“I dunno. Never tried.” He shrugs. “They don’t let me leave our house.”
“You should see if you can–” A limb snaps and both of us freeze, eyes snapping towards the sound.
“KEIGO!”
I wave at him before hopping into the closest hidey hole I see: a barrel. The loud voice inside reminds me of Mommy. I expect the yelling and the smack! that follows, as well as the sharp scolding about being respectful and listening to adults.
I’m not expecting the silence that follows to be tainted with soft sobs from the sassy little boy from the window.
It makes me sad.
I peek out of my barrel and climb out, before looking into the broken window. The boy - Keigo? - faces away from me with shaky wings. He sniffles every few seconds as I listen for footsteps, eyes latched onto the woman sleeping on a mat beside him.
When I climb through and pad over to him, I pat his shoulder and pull on his arm. He pulls back and shakes his head.
“You have to go–”
“Who are you?” A tired voice asks.
I whip my head around to find a lady and two extra eyes watching me. Those two eyes float and circle around me, coaxing me to move closer to Keigo. I swallow thickly and hide my trembling hands behind my back.
“I-I’m sorry. I’m Keigo’s friend.”
“I asked who you are, Keigo’s friend. What’s your name?”
“Ichijiku.” I answer, looking at the floating eyes. “What are those for?”
“None of your business, kid.” Dark circles line her eyes as she glares at me. “Why are you here? How do you know Keigo?”
“I just met him. I was playing Hide and Seek outside when I found this house.” I explain carefully, glancing away.
“Well, you’re not welcome here, kid. Keigo doesn’t have any friends. And if you don’t move your ass, my husband will kick you out personally.”
“Can I come visit Keigo another time if I promise not to bring nobody?” I plead.
“Tch. You can certainly try, kid.”
“Okay!” I lock her pinky with mine. “I pinky promise I won’t bring no one next time. See you later, Keigo!”
. . . . .
The next time I see Keigo, I make extra sure I don’t see any eyes as I sneak in. No one else is in the house as I tiptoe over the wooden floorboards. Keigo’s still curled up in the same spot he was before, red feathers fanned out behind his back.
“Hi, Keigo.” I whisper.
“Huh?” He turns over and his eyes widen as he jolts to a standing position. “Ichijiku?”
“Yep!”
“What are you doing here?!” He hisses, squeezing a plushie against his chest. “I told you, my dad will kill you if he sees you here!”
“He won’t see me.” I assure him. “Besides, you’re my friend! Do you wanna go play Hide and Seek outside?”
“I’m not allowed to go outside, ever.” He frowns.
“Oh.” I rub the back of my neck as I look around. “Well, do you wanna play Superheroes in here, instead?”
“What if my parents come back and you’re still here?”
“We can listen to hear when they’re coming and then I’ll go hide!” I say quickly, before I gasp and point at his feathers. “You said you can hear stuff with your feathers, right? Maybe you can listen for them?”
Keigo looks around the house one time, before he turns back to me with a smile.
“Let’s do it!”
It becomes our ritual to see each other at least once a week playing as the world’s greatest superheroes: Tiger and Birdie! Since Keigo can’t go outside and find me, I make the trek every Thursday to go visit.
Until one day I find the dilapidated shack empty.
My shoulders slump. My little legs scour the surrounding area and all over the house with no luck. No floating eyeballs. No loud, red-haired man. No Keigo.
I return to my house feeling more lonely and worried than ever. Did he leave because he got in trouble? Did I get him in trouble? Will he ever come back? A few weeks pass and answer my question. As the little shack remains vacant, it becomes clear he's not coming back.
Mommy and I are waiting for the train when I spot it.
A small, red feather.
“What the hell are you looking at? Hurry up!” Mommy jerks me forward. “Pay attention so we’re not late!”
I see Keigo huddled up against the wall with his mom and my face smiles so wide it hurts! I look up at Mommy, scrolling on her phone, and get an idea.
When the train doors open and we make it to the platform, I duck and squirm between the people behind us to wiggle back into the train station. I dart over to Keigo as soon as the train doors close.
“Keigo-kun!” I call, sliding to a stop on my knees in front of him. “I found you!”
“Ichan?” His head lifts and his eyes sparkle.
I yank him into my arms, hugging him so tight. I don’t want to let him go. I want to take him home with Mommy so that he can stay with us forever!
“Where did you go?” I whisper, pulling back and wiping my face. “Your house is empty!”
“Endeavor saved us from my dad, Ichan! Endeavor’s real! Like…really real!” Keigo exclaims, holding out his Endeavor doll. “He helped us get away from Dad!”
“Yeah, and now we’re homeless, Keigo.” His mother scoffs, turning her head away. “We have nothing. Nothing to eat, nowhere to stay. Why do you have those feathers if you’re not gonna use them?”
Keigo and I look between each other and then his mom. We remain silent. I turn back to the train to make sure my mom hasn’t come back for me yet.
She’s going to be so angry.
“Where’s your mom, Ichan?”
“I hid from her so I could say hi.” I admit, rocking back and forth on my feet. “Is this where you’re staying?”
“For now, yeah. We move around Fukuoka to find places to stay warm or get food.” He pauses to look behind me before he adds. “You’re not gonna get in trouble are you?”
“Probably. But it’s okay. Maybe…maybe if I talk to my mommy you could stay with us! And then you wouldn’t have to look for food or blankets!” I offer.
“No way, kid.” Keigo’s mom snaps. “I’m not staying somewhere with another brat to take care of and a stranger. Get lost.”
I open my mouth to disagree, but Keigo’s eyes widen and he shakes his head. He uses a feather to turn me around.
“Ichijiku Aoki!” My mom snatches me by the front of my shirt as I flinch back with scrunched eyes. “What on earth did you think you were doing? What if I hadn’t found you? Now those bastards are looking into the custody case on the grounds that I’m not a competent parent. Get your ass back on that train!”
The following pop on my butt burns, but not as much as it burns to wave goodbye to Keigo.
. . . . .
“Pardon me, ma’am. Is your daughter home?”
“My daughter? What is this about? I’ve been getting her packed to move in with her father, you bastards. Why are you here?”
I peek around the corner of the dining table as I see men in black suits talking with Mommy. My stuffed tiger stays squished against my chest as I watch them.
“Ma’am, I’m afraid you’re mistaken. We’re not here to take your daughter. We’re here because a friend of hers would like to say goodbye.”
“Who?”
When Keigo comes into view, I gasp and pop out of my hiding spot, running over to him. This time, he’s the one that pulls me against his chest.
“Did you come over to play, Keigo? I’ve got–”
“I’m sorry, young lady, but he’s not here to play. He’s here to tell you goodbye. He won’t be speaking to you anymore.” A man behind him says.
Keigo stands there with his feathers looking sad. They drag on the ground as he tilts his head down.
“He…” I look at Keigo. “I won’t get to see you again? Never ever?”
“Not never ever!” He says confidently, lifting his head. “Just…not for a long time. It’s like Hide and Seek. But this time, I’ll be the one to find you.”
“You pinky promise?” I ask, holding out a small digit while my eyes burn. Sticky tears dry on my face before he ever leaves, before he ever links his finger with mine.
“Pinky promise.”
. . . . .
“That was years ago, Sacchan, I doubt he remembers who I am.” I whisper to her over a crowd of fawning girls.
Years following Keigo’s abrupt removal from my life, I’ve walked the streets every day hoping for a glimpse of red feathers. By the time Hawks made his debut, I’d all but given up hope in ever seeing him again.
But now? Seeing the familiar floating feathers and the swarm of fangirls on a morning stroll with Sayuri could only mean one thing.
“There’s no way he’d forget you, Ichan! It sounds like you were his only friend as a kid. You don’t just forget that.” She presses, urging me forward against the claustrophobic hoard of warm bodies. “At least say hi. Don’t pass up the opportunity to meet #3!”
At her insistence, I worm my way through the crowd; people scream his name and reach for his feathers. I know I have no shot, but I still raise my hand to get his attention when he looks in my direction.
Immediately, our eyes lock.
“Ichan!” His eyes widen and he surges forward, rendering me frozen. “Hey! Ichijiku, yeah?”
“Y-Yes. You…remember me?”
“Definitely! I told you I’d find you again, didn’t I? I’d know your face anywhere.” He smirks, red feathers circling around me. “Remember these?”
How do I tell him that my every waking moment has been filled with the hope of seeing them again? That every thought in my mind has been tainted with his promise, with his smile?
“I do.” I grin, giggling as they tickle my face. “Did you ever figure out if you could fly?” I taunt.
“Haha! Sure did! Turns out you had the right idea.” His laughter settles in my bones and heals every ache. When he leans in close to me, the smell of springtime and cologne invades my nostrils as he whispers in my ear. “Meet me on the roof of this building in two hours.”
“Okay.” I breathe, exhibiting maximum self-control to keep from reaching for him when he pulls back.
“We’ve gotta catch up sometime!” He beams.
“For sure.” I nod.
As I’m shoved back into Sayuri’s side by the thronging mob, she gives me a knowing smirk while I pinch myself to see if I’m stuck in a dream.
“Told you he’d remember.”
“Shut up.” I flush. “We need to finish shopping quickly; I’m busy in 2 hours.”
. . . . .
Between my attention span and restless limbs, I simply can’t wait. I’m reclining on the roof well before the time I’m supposed to show up. For one lonely hour, I bond with the sky, voicing my insecurities and long-lost desires to the clouds as I gaze over the streets of Japan.
“Breathtaking.” Keigo’s voice ricochets through every muscle.
“Y-Yeah.” I squeak, hopping onto my feet and rubbing the back of my neck. “I don’t often get a view of the city from this high up.”
He chuckles, warm and inviting, as he steps within arm’s reach of me. “I wasn’t talking about the city, Ichan.”
I don’t have time for this. I can’t have time for this. The feeling of home that saturates every limb with this bittersweet reunion clashes with the reminder that a year ago I’d given up hope. I’d given up hope and decided to try and move past my age-old crush on a childhood friend that I’d never see again.
Now, here he is.
And the man waiting for me at home is not Keigo.
Yet, here I am. I am on top of a building looking out over Japan with Keigo. He thinks I’m breathtaking. And even though I know Akuma should be getting off work in a few minutes and heading to the apartment, my temperature skyrockets as I laugh off the giddy feelings building in my bones.
“You grew into a charmer, I see.” I nudge him. “At any rate, it’s really good to see you again, Keigo.”
“Hawks, please. At least in public. My real name has been scrubbed from existence.” He stuffs his hands in his pockets. “I’ve been looking for you since I became a hero, you know? I promised I’d find you, and I never forgot about you.”
“I never forgot you either, Birdie.” With every inhale, I get minutely closer to him until our arms touch. “I’ve missed you. I was starting to worry I’d never see you again.”
He envelops me in his arms and holds me against his chest. The warmth of his aviator’s jacket mingles with the heat of longing I’ve smothered over the years.
“How have you been?” I ask.
“Busy.” Keigo loses a bit of his smile as he pulls back. “Being #3 calls for a lot of work. It’s exhausting.”
“I can imagine.” I peer up at him and focus hard so I don’t get lost in him. His smile. His eyes. His broad wings surrounding the two of us in our own little bubble. “You do an amazing job, for what it’s worth. I’m grateful for all the hard work you put in for everyone.”
“Heart of gold, just like I remember.” He pauses. “What have you been up to, then, Tiger?”
“Ugh…I’d hoped you’d forget that nickname.”
“Aw, come on! I’d never forget our first hero names. Tiger and Birdie fight for justice, remember?”
“Yeah.” I reminisce. “But I’m working at a local bookshop now. I’ve always enjoyed books. Being surrounded by them all day brings me a sense of peace that I’ve only ever found with you.” I turn away from him, facing the bustling view of the city.
“Nice! Following your dreams, yeah? Which bookshop do you work at? Which part of town?”
I stiffen and his feathers vibrate.
“Honshiro, it’s a second-hand bookstore in downtown Kamino Ward.” I try to evade. “I’m also–”
“Woah, wait. You live over there?!” His wings stretch wide, large and captivating. “But it’s so dangerous over there! Why are you staying there, of all places? Why not further east where the neighborhood is safer? Isn’t there a Honshiro there, too?”
“Well, yeah. But, I mean, ideally we would have stayed in Fukuoka, but Akuma had a better work deal downtown.”
“Akuma?” Keigo’s feathers twitch and his eyes glow. “Who’s he?”
I look down, feeling my world crashing around me. What if I’d just waited? What if I had held out hope that Keigo would come back for me? Would I be living better than I am now? Would I be happier?
Would Keigo be mine?
“Akuma is my boyfriend.”
“Oh…” I don’t miss the way his wings droop. “Right. But, well, you can’t stay there. That place is crawling with villains. Fukuoka is my agency’s base of operations. You’d be safest there. I mean, even Kumamoto would have you in Ms. Joke’s territory.”
“I know, Birdie, but I can’t.” I sigh. “Akuma’s on the brink of a really big promotion. We’ll only be in Kamino Ward for a couple months tops. I’ll ask him what his position will be and if we can go somewhere safer, okay?”
“A couple of months?” He frowns before it melts into a little smile. “Well, I guess that’s better than nothing. But do me a favor and talk with him about it sooner rather than later…please? See if he can afford to move somewhere else.”
“Hawks…” I sigh. “I really want to, but Akuma has a really good proposition there.”
“Is it a good proposition for you, though?”
“Why does it matter so much to you, Birdie?” The distance between us suffocates me.
Silence stretches between us as he extends a gloved hand out to me. His lips part to say something before he clenches his hand into a fist and drops it to his side.
I deserve the pit. I deserve the lowest circle of hell. Because at that moment, I would do anything to make him reach out again and tell me he loves me.
“We both lived through similar childhoods. I was given an opportunity to be freed of it. I just want the same for you.”
“I know. I appreciate that you still care about me after all this time.” I look up at him, begging him with my expression to be mine even though I shouldn’t. He’s busy looking over the city, the collar of his jacket hiding his expression. “Can we keep in touch, then? If you give me your number, I can at least promise to call you anytime I think I’m in trouble.”
“Deal.” He taps his phone against mine and our contact information is swapped. “Promise me you’ll call me the second you’re in trouble.”
I hold out my pinky for him as a grin twitches on my lips. “Pinky promise.”
And with a crooked grin, he links his pinky in mine.
(One-shot 18/? in a collection of My Hero Academia one-shots posted regularly on Saturdays - and sometimes Sundays.)
Read on AO3.
Tags: Todoroki x OC, Shoto x OC, Shoto Todoroki, Shouto Todoroki, Pro Hero Shoto, Pro Hero Original Female Character(s), Ichijiku Aoki, Tigress, Shoto is a Ray of Sunshine, Pregnant OC, Enji Todoroki, Rei Todoroki, Mention of Natsuo Todoroki, OC and Shoto Have Children Already, Expecting Their Next, Featuring Protective Shoto, And His Dazzling Smile, Also There's Bunnies Involved, And Cute Child Interaction, Also OC Goes Into Labor, Panic Ensues
Word Count: 1,826 words
Summary: During her 32nd week of pregnancy, Ichijiku gets restless and tired. Shoto, being the good husband he is, takes the utmost care of her...as well as helps her deal with two twin girls who can be a bit of a handful.
Ichijiku (Tigress)
“What color do you think we should paint the nursery?” I hum, looking through the different color swatches in the store. Three colors draw my eyes to their soft, comforting tones: mint green, dusty blue, and a lilac purple.
“You seem to be eying the purple. Do you want that one?” Shoto brushes his hand against my back. “It looks nice.”
“I’m leaning towards the lilac, but what do you think?”
He picks up the three shades and spends a minute looking between them. I can’t help the smile tickling my cheeks at his focused expression.
“Let’s take these three paint swatches home so we can get an idea of what it’ll look like on the walls.”
“Good idea.”
. . . . .
We make it home and sleep calls my name. One long shopping trip has always been enough to tucker me out anyway, but with a full child growing inside me? My bottom finds the couch instantly and I puff out a heavy sigh as I flop into the cushions.
“Do you need me to get you anything, love?” Shoto takes a seat beside me.
“I’m just tired, Frosted Flames.” I coo, stretching one hand to squeeze his as my eyelids flutter dangerously. “But I could use a peppermint tea if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind. I’ll get it started while I put away the groceries.” He gets up again and kisses my forehead. “Don’t try to get up and do anything. Let me take care of you.”
Of course, when I hear the bags shuffling even my desire to sleep can’t fight against my stubborn streak. Just the thought of Shoto having to put away everything and still have to make my tea makes me grunt and struggle to my feet.
I reach down for a bag, thinking he’s got all the heavy items, and wince when I wobble at the unexpected heaviness of the bag.
“Stop, you’re going to hurt yourself!” Shoto exclaims, catching me before I topple over into the table. After a breath, he cups my face. “I didn’t mean to get loud. You scared me.”
“Sorry. I hate seeing you have to do all the work.” I frown.
“I know, Tiger, but you have to be careful. If you overextend yourself, you don’t just hurt yourself now. You have others to look after.” He kisses my cheek and squeezes my hands. “Now, go rest and I’ll make your tea. Homura and Himari should be coming back from Mom and Dad’s within the hour.”
“Are you sure I can’t help a little?” I pout, letting my kitten eyes glow up at him.
“If you’re insistent upon helping, you can do the dishes. There’s only a few in the sink. Will that satiate you, troublemaker?” He chuckles, pinching my cheek.
“I think so.” I giggle, and head to the sink.
As I finish up the final few dishes, a flurry of white flashes outside the window showing the outside. I lift my head up and gasp, drying my hands and tapping Shoto’s side.
“Shoto-kun, look!”
He comes up behind me and his head thunks on my shoulder as he looks with me, his hands coming up around my waist and resting on the sides of my belly. At first, I think he’s missed it, but then I hear his breathing stop.
“Is that a rabbit family in our backyard?”
“There’s been one that I’ve seen off and on in the garden, but I didn’t realize she had a whole family!” I coo happily as the furry critters scamper under the rosebush.
“Looks like we’re not the only growing family here.” Shoto smiles and nudges me. “Now, come on. I’ve got your tea ready. You go rest while I finish the groceries and take a nap if you want to.”
I’m halfway through my mug of tea before I’m passed out on the couch.
. . . . .
“Daddy! Daddy! Look what–”
“Shh, Mommy’s asleep, Homura.”
“Oops.”
“How has Ichijiku been doing with the pregnancy, Shoto? No complications?” Mom's voice pulls me towards consciousness, though I keep my eyes closed and my breathing steady.
“No complications, just restless like she was last time.” Shoto explains.
“Daddy, we played Rescue with Grandpa and Grandma let us help her make dinner, like Mommy.” Himari’s voice chirps softly. “Can we visit them tomorrow, too?”
“Well, we’ll see.” Shoto chuckles.
“You know we’re more than willing to watch over them as often as you need.” Dad’s voice, always deep and stern, is surprisingly soft. I have a feeling he appreciates us giving him time with his grandkids. Natsuo’s been pretty adamant about distancing himself. “Especially since she’s in the 32nd week.”
“I know. We appreciate it, Father.” Shoto assures him. “Though the girls like helping Ichan around with things she still has trouble with. Don’t you, girls?”
“Yes, sir!” They chime in unison.
A smile forces itself on my face, so I open my eyes and yawn. I stroke my belly absently as two little girls with their father’s blue eyes barrel in my direction.
“Mommy! You’re awake!” Homura is quick to crawl into the little hole on the couch behind my back, and Himari squeezes herself in there too. Both of them rest their head on my arm and look at me. “Grandma let us help her cook like you do!”
“Is that so?” I grin, reaching up to boop each of their noses. “What did you make, little loves?”
They turn to Mom, who laughs.
“Vegetable tempura.”
“She helped me cut the kabocha!” Himari beams.
“And I got to mix the sauce!” Homura puffs out her chest. “And then before that, Grandpa let us play Rescue!”
“Really? Who did you rescue?”
“Grandpa!”
“He needed help being saved from a fire!”
“Yeah.” Himari tries to whisper, but there’s no doubt the whole house hears her. “It was make-believe, Mommy. Grandpa don’t get hurt by fire.”
“Oh, okay.” I whisper in much the same manner. “I gotcha. You were very brave for helping him, anyway.”
“You really think so?”
“I don’t think, I know!”
A little more conversation and I do my typical workout of heaving myself off the couch. Of course, Himari and Homura help push and pull to make the effort easier. Then I waddle over to give the in-laws a hug before stealing a kiss from Shoto.
“We appreciate everything you both do to help.” I reiterate, yawning once more for good measure as I head into the kitchen. Although I’m aching to feed my sweet tooth with M&Ms or chocolate-covered pretzels, my body craves fruit in this third trimester.
I pull out a few bananas and start slicing them as Shoto waves Mom and Dad out the door.
“You make your fruit, I’ll get the girls’ ready for bed.” Shoto suggests, nodding towards the girls. “C’mon, girls. Let’s go brush our teeth and put on our pj’s.”
“Aww!” Himari huffs.
“Can’t we stay up a little longer?” Homura begs.
“Not tonight. You have school tomorrow.” He picks them both up and hugs them against his chest. “But I’ll tell you what. If you do well with your bedtime for the rest of the week, maybe I’ll talk with Grandma and Grandpa about spending the night this weekend.”
“Okay!”
When he sets them down this time, two sets of footsteps tear down the hall towards the bathroom. I pop a few slices of banana in my mouth as I shake my head with amusement. I love them so much.
The girls head towards me for bedtime hugs and kisses when I feel it. I wince after I pull back and hold my stomach as Shoto leads them to bed. Shoto’s voice carries down the hall as he reads to the girls while I finish my snack. About ten minutes later, I’m walking down the hall to join him when another sharp, cramping pain crackles through my back and abdomen.
“Ichan?” Shoto’s at my side in a moment. “Are you okay?”
“I should be fine for a bit longer.” I assure him, breathing deep and steady. “But you might want to call the parents to come back and watch the girls for tonight. I have a feeling…”
“Is it already that time?” Shoto’s eyes widen.
“I think so.”
Car lights signal Mom and Dad’s return when my water breaks. Talk about timing. I grip the kitchen counter and swallow thickly. Time flickers by in a blur as my sole focus suddenly becomes the steady ebb and flow of pain as three little boys plan to make their debut.
“It’s gonna be okay, Ichan. We’re almost there.” Shoto reassures me as he helps me through the hospital doors.
One moment I’m in a wheelchair and the next I’m squeezing Shoto’s hand so hard I swear I feel his bones creaking. It’s 7 hours of remembering to breathe and Shoto’s whispered encouragement and doctors and nurses and pushing until a cry cuts through the room.
For all that work through 7 hours, his brother comes three minutes later, and their youngest brother makes his debut in another four. The symphony of three wailing babies graces my ears and prompts me to relax. My eyes lock in on three little bodies with limbs flailing before I search for Shoto.
“They’re here, they’re here.” Shoto whispers, wiping the hair out of my face and caressing my cheek before kissing me. “You did wonderful, love. They’re going to clean them off so we can hold them.” He promises.
Three bundled blankets with three heads of red peach fuzz return to us and tears glitter in my eyes as Shoto and I go to each boy in turn, giving them their fair share of love.
“We’ve got our work cut out for us.” Shoto smiles at me.
“For sure. But the first task is to pick names.”
“I know you had a few in mind.”
“I do.” I agree, thinking over the list I’ve been filing through in my mind. I look at the three little faces looking back up at me and it suddenly seems so clear. “Eiji, Enji, and Emiko.”
It doesn’t surprise me that Shoto snaps his head to me.
“Enji?”
“I know you’re still working on your relationship with him, but they’re my three little boys. My three little protectors. It seems only fitting.” I explain, eyes fluttering as my body winds down from the effort and adrenaline. “Eiji is a name meant for protection through peace and prosperity. Enji, of course, your father has shown he’s capable of protecting the masses. And Emiko is meant for protection through smiles and joy.”
“You’ve put a lot of thought into this, haven’t you?”
“I learned from Himari and Homura that so long as I have a collection of names to pick from…their names will usually come to me after they’re born.”
Shoto looks at our three boys for a moment, then looks back at me, much softer.
“Our three little protectors…I like that.”
Want More Shoto? Try: What It Means to Be the Best
(One-shot 21/? in a collection of My Hero Academia one-shots posted regularly on Saturdays - and sometimes Sundays.)
Read on AO3.
Tags: Shouta Aizawa, Shota Aizawa, Eraserhead, Original Female Character(s), Ichijiku Aoki, Tigress, OC Considers Her Inner Self to Be a Tiger, Tragically This Tiger Got Kidnapped by the League, Because What Else Are You Gonna Do on a Saturday?, Protective Eraserhead, You Can See Endeavor in this Prompt if You Squint, Spinner Mentioned, Shigaraki is a Lil Bitch, But We Love Him Anyway, Also We Catch Him in the Feels, It Might be for Less Than Half a Second, But We Did It, Angsty Angst, Angst
Word Count: 1,625 words
Summary: Ichijiku has been trapped by the League for several days, and Shigaraki finally decides to hit her where it hurts. Will she end up losing herself to stay alive? Or will everything she loves become reduced to ash?
Ichijiku (Tigress)
My ribs ache as Spinner’s foot connects with it. There’s a resounding pop and I grit my teeth to keep from screaming. They can’t know the extent of my quirk. They know that my quirk is multi-faceted, but they don’t know what I can do aside from heal. I’m determined that’s how it will stay.
“You’re quite stubborn, aren’t you?” A familiar voice crackles. I instantly feel the need to clear my throat just listening to it. “No wonder Eraserhead hasn’t come to save you, yet. I’d be tired of the bullshit too.”
I know what he’s trying to do, and it’s working. I refuse to retaliate, but I can’t deny the psychological blow that he delivers to me. It makes it harder to breathe, and exacerbates the pain rippling through my broken ribs. Tch, this guy’s right. You’re more trouble than you’re worth.
“Do you think he’s throwing a party?” Shigaraki continues, walking around me slowly as I flop onto my good side and grit my teeth. I hold my injured side and close my eyes as I’m forced to listen to him. “I bet the second you were gone he let out a sigh of relief that he didn’t have to deal with you anymore. No need to put up with your damn stubbornness, right? Doesn’t that piss you off?”
No. I think. No, that hurts more than it pisses me off.
“Doesn’t it just rip you apart? Make you want to get revenge?”
Maybe a part of me…but I could never hurt Shouta. You don’t seem to understand that. I open my eyes and look at him with all the compassion my squishy heart can manage. Who hurt you?
Shock colors Shigaraki’s face and suddenly his foot connects with my face. I nearly yelp, but grit my teeth and swallow every sound trying to escape. I can’t afford to be weak right now.
“DON’T PITY ME!” He growls out, and I realize I’ve struck a nerve. Interesting. “Where were the heroes at when I was wandering the streets alone, huh?! What good did wanting pity do for me? No. You make me sick.” Another kick and my nose throbs. It starts running and I’m pretty sure it’s not from allergies. Especially from the rusty smell.
I whimper and wrap my arm around my waist, trying to hold myself together. I inhale sharply as he continues his psychological tirade.
“God, I hope Eraser is at home laughing about all of the times he nearly threw you straight into our laps. That pitiful look really pisses me off; I bet it made him want to beat the shit out of you.” Another kick comes but this one is to my shoulder and searing pain ripples through it. My muscles ripple as I withhold a scream. “Though you’re not bad looking. That’s gotta be the only reason someone as cool as Eraser kept you around. You’d be amazed how much one will put up with for some good sex.” Oh, like you’d know, huh, Butterface?
He nearly breaks me. All of these comments are illogical but nonetheless arrows stabbing directly into my heart. Stop it…I know Shouta deserves better but I’m trying my best. A tear threatens to fall down my cheek. No! Don’t you do it! You’ll give him what he wants!
“Worthless. kick Disgusting! kick Why would he ever want you?! How’d you manage to convince yourself of that, huh?” He suddenly has his hand around my neck, a single finger disconnected from the others. “I bet I could disintegrate you to ash right now and he’d thank me for it.” He sneers.
My nose quivers and I stare directly at him. No matter how hard I try, I can’t find it in my heart to hate him. Not from the look on his face. Who hurt you? Is that why you hurt others? This isn’t how to fix it!
“What do you think about that, Ichijiku?” His voice rumbles low and his eyes look wild, feral.
My heart skips as I realize something. He’s a tiger too. There’s no mistaking it. The crazy, feral gleam sets it off. Part of me yearns to reach out and squeeze him in a hug, even if it means my imminent demise.
You can’t let your guard down. Especially around a tiger. Answer him before you’re hurt again. How do we appeal to him?
“I think…” I look up at him with glassiness in my eyes. “I think…I probably deserve it.” I whisper gently, gauging how he responds to it. His eyes soften just barely, but it’s something. “I think given how much of a fuck-up I am, he should thank you for it.”
“Heh,” He lets me go and I’m dropped to my knees. I exhale shakily as I look down, letting my hair curtain around me. “You’d fit right in here, you know, Tiger? We’re all a bunch of fuck-ups in this place.”
I imagine that’s his next course of action, to try and bribe or bargain with me to join the League. My thoughts are confirmed as he puts a hand under my chin to make me look at him.
“Do you see this scar over my eye? The one over my lip?” He makes me look directly at him. On the surface, most might find him decrepit and repulsive, but I can only frown at the sight of so many scars. I nod, and he continues. “Touch them.”
I hesitate. His hand goes back around my throat, his eyes feral and…desperate? Scared? His eyes swim with a needy plea I can’t place.
“Touch. Them.” He growls out, and I gingerly reach a hand up to delicately trace over the scars. The raised skin feels just as callous as his cold words and harsh tone. Physical abuse, perhaps? But from who? Someone that made him feel as worthless as I sometimes feel, I’d wager. What brought him down this road? “There. You feel that? There’s a hundred other scars just like them all over this decaying body.” He hisses, voice laced with venom.
“Who made them?” I ask softly, startled by my own voice.
“My goddamn father.” He growls out, eyes never leaving mine. “I was nothing to him. Nothing to anyone. Except Mon-chan.” He looks down and then back at me, the softness entering them for a split second again before they harden once more. “Take off my hood.”
Again, I hesitate. I’m scared of what this could mean. But I see his finger twitch and move my hands.
“Take it off. Slowly.” His voice is barely a whisper now.
I’m delicate and slow in my movements, survival instincts taking over as I comply. When his hood is finally down, I notice a few patches of thinning hair. He guides my hands to pat the top of his head.
“Hair torn out and pulled from being thrown around like a goddamn doll. Doesn’t that piss you off? Parents are supposed to care about their kids!” He roars out, grip tightening around my throat. “But you know about that…don’t you, Ichijiku?”
My heart stops and throbs at the truth behind his words.
Voices abruptly begin shouting down the hall and both Shigaraki and I look up, his hand leaving my throat and his eyes clearing. We got through to him. It was only a moment, but that means there’s still some humanity left inside him.
“Tomura, boy are we glad to see you! Nothing’s wrong, we can handle this! TOMURA, THEY’VE FOUND OUR HIDEOUT! THEY’RE COMING FOR THE GIRL! GRAB HER!” Twice screams down the hallway.
That’s all I need to hear.
Shigaraki brushes the back of my shirt with all five fingers and disintegrates the collar, before I’m gone. I dart around Twice and down the hall - ignoring the burning in my leg - only to get yanked back by Spinner. I open my mouth wide and channel my inner Mic.
I unleash a scream with full quirk power to scare the shit out of every single one of them. “DOWN HERE!” My voice echoes down the hall.
As I wrestle with the many hands now trying to wrangle me, there’s another pop as my shoulder is dislocated. I hiss out my frustration, but it doesn’t make me stop fighting.
My limbs flail frantically before I see a beautiful sight.
A large man covered in flames followed swiftly by a familiar grey scarf. SHOUTA! Seeing him gives me more motivation and I roar before digging my nails into the man below me.
Fighting whizzes by in a blur, but my brain suddenly focuses on when Shouta finally pulls me away from them. I’ve never been so glad to feel myself tightly wrapped in Shouta’s scarf. Because finally, I’m in his arms and curled up close to him.
“Eraser, there’s kids. They have kids here. You have to help them.” I whimper, eyes frantic but emotions subdued. “I have to–”
“You’re not doing anything.” He growls out. I can’t see his eyes past his goggles, but I feel their burn. “I’m getting you outside to authorities where you’re safe. I’m not losing you again.”
There’s a flurry of shouting and limbs and curses, but in the end, Shouta gets me to an ambulance to get checked out and promises he’ll be back before he goes back to help the others. I’ve got several broken ribs, a broken leg, and a dislocated shoulder. There’s too much psychological damage for me to give an accurate account to the medical professionals.
All I know is that I don’t fall asleep until Shouta is back in my sights, safe and suffering only a few bruises and cuts. Only then do I allow myself the sweet embrace of sleep.
(One-shot 22/? in a collection of My Hero Academia one-shots posted regularly on Saturdays - and sometimes Sundays.)
Read on AO3.
Tags: Keigo Takami, Tamaki Keigo, Hawks, Original Female Character(s), Ichijiku Aoki, Tigress, Angst, Well I Say Angst But it Ended Up Fluffier Than Expected, Protective Hawks, Hawks Saves the Day, Soft Hawks, OC Falls from the Sky, I Know it Sounds Weird, But You'll Understand in Time, Hawks Has to Save Her, Also There's a Coffee Shop Involved, A Bookstore is Mentioned, Hawks Needs a Hug, OC Needs a Jacket, Hawks is a Casual Flirt, And This Surprises No One
Word Count: 1,611 words
Summary: When Ichijiku goes from reading her favorite book to falling off a building, it's obvious her day is a little topsy turvy. After being saved by Hawks, she can't get the winged wonder out of her mind. A chance encounter in a coffee shop tells her that he can't stop thinking about her, either.
Ichijiku (Tigress)
There is no doubt about how the sun felt dripping liquid serenity into my veins. Nor is there any doubt about the way I’d dove into my book to taste the delectable tale on the pages.
So it is only natural that when I open my eyes and see the bustling streets below me that I’m a little confused. Why is my body so heavy? Why am I at the top of a skyscraper?
The questions send me into a sort of vertigo. When I lift my head from the sights below, my equilibrium swirls out of balance. One moment I’m sitting up on the ledge and the next my body tilts forward, my heart left behind as I fall over the edge.
Time seems to stall as the world whips past my line of sight. Nothing stops the twisted feeling of sludge crawling through my mind as I watch the pavement coming closer and closer, not fully comprehending the gravity of its approach.
When a familiar red feather whips past me, the first threads of hope ripple through my limbs until Hawks' figure comes into view. This foreign yet familiar man is a sight for sore eyes as the certainty of my death abruptly slaps me in the face.
My arms already instinctively reach for him as he stretches for me, capturing me into his arms and then smiling with such a sweet smile. A smile that often captivated the hearts of women and journalist cameras alike. His eyes hide behind a visor as I drink him in, likening him to a heavenly protector as he pulls me against his chest and banks a hard right while he redirects my fatal projection.
Whenever it's clear my life will not end - at least not today - I focus on soothing my heart rate.
"I've got you! Just hold on tight and I'll get you to safety!" He promises, the vow sinking deep into my bones and offering me respite. "Focus on breathing for me, alright? You're going to be okay!"
His voice somehow still holds its honey-like quality even as he fights to be heard over the wind. My eyes fight against the desire to be closed again, rolling around in my head as a pair of gloved hands keeps my head steady when it’s obvious I can’t.
We’re on the ground for a minute-long eternity before I realize it.
“Hey, come back to me, cutie pie. Focus here.” His voice and those golden-brown eyes keep my attention, and it’s obvious he clocks the moment I’m responsive again. “Good. There you are. Talk to me; does anything hurt? What’s your name?”
A soft whimper makes it past my lips. My limbs still fight to move through their slimy slumber, and dammit, I just want him to keep talking to me.
“Keep…talk…” I plead, head flopping back until he readjusts me and his other question registers. “Ichijiku.”
He chuckles and it feels like we’re in the air again, his laughter elevating me right up into the clouds.
“I can keep talking, but you try loosening this death grip you’ve got on me in the meantime, okay?” He teases, a smirk pulling at the edges of his lips.
I blink and look at his chest, where a pair of hands clutch his aviator jacket. No, not just hands, my hands. While he calls the paramedics and coaxes me with soothing words, I work on regaining control of my fingers and extracting them from my hero’s jacket.
“Sorry.” I finally mutter, interrupting his reassurances. “I don’t know what’s wrong. My…my head.”
“What’s wrong with your head, honey?”
“Everything feels fuzzy.” I start, opening and closing my hands agonizingly slowly. “My body is moving through sludge, it feels like.”
“Sounds like she might have been drugged.” A new voice enters the fray, and it’s not nearly as pleasant.
A tall woman approaches in a EMT uniform and shines a light in my eyes, making me wince. Electricity crackles through my skull until I’m leaning closer to Hawks again.
“I found her falling off of the Honshii building. She was barely able to hold her head up by herself when we landed.” Hawks reports, before giving a little smile and a wave to me. “I’ll leave you in these fine peoples’ capable hands, cutie. Got more people to rescue. See you on the flip side!”
“Don’t go…”
But he’s gone before the words finish leaving my mouth.
. . . . .
My physical recovery doesn’t take long, but sleeping becomes nearly impossible. I’m reassured that it’ll pass, but that seems a little silly considering the circumstances. One moment I’m reading and falling asleep, the next I’m falling off a 20-story building.
So, the next morning I head to the coffee shop down the street.
The blast of warmth as I step inside helps soothe my tired bones. Bustling bodies clamber together in a line as order after order is placed at the counter.
When I accidentally step back into a familiar, golden-haired angel, I think I’m dreaming.
“Fancy running into you here, honey. Glad to see you’re not falling out of the sky again.” Hawks winks at my bewildered expression before his gaze softens. “How have you been?”
I’d thought that my delirious state might have accounted for the amount of comfort I felt from his voice, but even now his dulcet tones warm me more than any cup of coffee could.
“It’s been hard to sleep, but I’m alive and well.” I chuckle, stepping forward and looking up at the menu. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable that day.”
“Uncomfortable? I had a cute girl clinging to me the whole time. Can’t be more comfortable than that.” He smiles, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “If anything, I should be making sure I didn’t make you uncomfortable. Casual flirting isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s a habit of mine.”
“Oh, haha, no. If anything it helps my self-esteem coming from someone resembling an actual angel.” I rub the back of my neck and step forward to order my drink. “Can I get a large caramel frappuccino?”
“Sure thing!” The cashier replies, eyes locked on Hawks as she waves me down. “We’ll let you know when it’s ready. Hi, Hawks!”
“Hey, hey! How’s it going?” Hawks grins at the fangirling barista.
I smile and head down to the end to wait for my drink, wondering how it must feel to be recognized everywhere you go. I wonder if he ever gets tired or feels like taking a break from it all. He seems fine, but it has to be draining.
“So, do you have any plans for the day?” He asks as he waits for his order with me.
“I’m not sure. It’s been hard to focus on much since I haven’t been sleeping well. I’m lucky my job is so fulfilling to me or I’d never get through the day.” I admit, chewing on my lip.
“I see. Where do you work?”
“I work at a local bookstore in town.”
“Ah, bookworm, I presume?”
“Guilty as charged.” I grab my drink as the barista hands it over. “I love reading and writing.”
“Think you’d like going to the pond with me? It’s the perfect reading nook.” Hawks leans against the counter on his elbow, eyes captivating behind his sunglasses.
“With…with you?” My eyes widen. “I’m not sure I’m worth the time, especially on your day off.”
“On the contrary, you’re a breath of fresh air.” He takes a sip of his coffee once it’s handed to him and tilts his head. “So, what do you say?”
“I could use some company.”
. . . . .
We’re both quiet as we crunch the autumn leaves on our way to the pond. Ducks greet us with noisy quacks as their companions loop around the pond with them.
Between the windy breeze and my cold drink, goosebumps raise on my arms and I shiver. A moment later, the soft lining of Hawks’ aviator jacket envelops my shoulders.
“Oh, you don’t have to–”
“I insist.” Hawks says, guiding us to the edge of the dock spanning the circumference of the pond. “You seemed rather intent on stealing it when I saved you, anyway.”
I laugh at that.
“Okay, but to be fair, I wasn’t in my right mind at the time.”
“That only proves to me that you must have really wanted it. Without your inhibitions you were so eager to have me close.” He continues his taunting before he pauses at the wooden railing overlooking the lily pads. He glances at me and then over the water. “I can’t stop thinking about you, ya know? I’ve saved hundreds of people, but I’ve never had such a hard time getting someone off my mind as you.”
Blood rushes up my neck and into my cheeks, now burning from his attention.
“I, um, I’m flattered. I don’t know why you’d be so interested, but it feels good.” I manage to say, wringing my hands together as I try not to freak out. Am I still not sure I’m hallucinating because of sleep deprivation? “I’m sure you’re not surprised to know that I’ve been thinking about you, too. But honestly, it’s been more so because I cringe every time I think about how I must have looked at you when you saved me.”
“Ha! Why would you cringe about that?”
“Because when I saw you, I thought you were sent straight from heaven.” I shake my head, taking another slurp of my drink. “I must have looked so dumb.”
“No. You looked like you’d reached Elysium. And honestly?” Hawks tilts my face towards him. “I thought I had, too.”
Cuddling 101: The Intricacies of Intimacy [Enji] (Angst)
[One-Shot 15/? in a collection of My Hero Academia one-shots posted regularly on Saturdays - and sometimes Sundays.)
Read on AO3.
Tags: Enji x OC, Endeavor x OC, Enji Todoroki, Endeavor, Angst with a Happy Ending, Original Female Character(s), Ichijiku Aoki, Ice Quirk, Teaching Fire Boy to Cuddle, Married for a Few Months, OC is an Emotional Bean, Enji is a Softie, And Nobody Can Convince Me Otherwise, And They've TRIED
Word Count: 1,963 words
Summary: Only a few months into their marriage, Ichijiku and Enji still have to learn to navigate each others’ unique love language. It results in a conversation about the worries each of them have.
Author's Note: In this prompt, Ichijiku has an ice quirk for the sake of this prompt.
Ichijiku (Tigress)
Morning light filters through a crack in the blackout curtains, nudging my eyelids open and reminding me of a beautiful sight: Enji Todoroki in bed beside me. When Enji's in bed, the worries of the day no longer crease his forehead or draw a scowl on his face. He is Enji...my Enji most fully in the morning.
For these scarce moments in time - in which I wake up before him - I allow myself a rare treat and carefully squirm against his chest, pulling his arm around my back. Cuddles do not come naturally to Enji as emotions disturb him about as much as a high-class villain.
I'm sure if I asked him he'd say emotions are villains.
Still, on lazy mornings such as this, I tuck myself into his cozy presence and pretend he’s cuddling on purpose. It certainly helps that his fingers rub over my back, tracing soft patterns into my skin. An added bonus? The way his fingers gently tug through my hair.
Wait.
I carefully open my eyes to find the sea and sky looking back at me.
"Good morning," He greets, kissing my forehead before he clambers out of bed.
And the tender moment flutters through my fingers like smoke. I even sit up and stretch my hand out, grasping for it, grasping for him. When the bathroom door closes, I figure I'll see if I can rope him into a morning cuddle when he gets out.
In the meantime, I fix the sheets up a bit so it'll look neat. I fix my pajamas and ruffle my hair a bit in the hopes that making it look messy will entice him to me. By the time the bathroom door opens again, I'm laying on my elbows with a pair of kitten eyes and reaching out to him.
"Come back?" I chirp softly.
"What do you need, Frosty Queen?" He chuckles, padding over to the bed and sitting at the edge.
I scoot up and hug his arm, leaning into his warmth and soaking it up like a plant photosynthesizing from the sun. It lasts for a few seconds before he nudges me with his arm.
"You needed something?" He repeats, confused.
"Yeah. Cuddles." I look up at him, resting my chin on his arm. "Just for a little bit?"
Silence permeates the room and he looks at the doorway.
"Can we eat breakfast first?" He asks just as a rumble sounds from his stomach. "I've never been great at the whole cuddling thing...and I'm hungry."
"Oh, um, yeah, sorry. I can make you some food." I quickly retreat, hopping out of bed and looking at my feet as I make my way down the hall.
"Hey," Enji catches my hand before I get too far and spins me against his front. He presses his lips to my forehead and then his eyes meet mine. "That wasn't meant as a denial. I really will try out the whole...cuddling thing." He doesn't sound happy about it, but I'm glad he clarifies that he's willing to try. "I just don't want to be hungry and end up ruining it. I know it's important to you."
"Physical touch is my love language." I explain.
"So you’ve said before," Enji yawns as he spontaneously carries me to the kitchen. I've always been self-conscious about my weight, but his strong muscles holding me up acts as a balm for this particular insecurity. "But we're intimate regularly. I often sit by you and give you kisses throughout the day. Doesn't that satisfy your need for physical touch?"
"It does." I admit, closing my eyes and leaning against him until he sets me down onto the cool tile. "But I have different types of physical touch I want to have met. And sometimes, different touches can mean different things."
"Like what?"
I file through the cabinets for breakfast ingredients as I contemplate how to explain. The fact that he ranks my emotional needs high enough to try something out of his comfort zone makes my heart grow fonder of him.
"It's like...cuddles are a different level of intimacy. Sex makes me feel loved, vulnerable, and physically attractive. Kisses make me feel protected and valued. But cuddles make me feel like I'm worth the effort." I shrug, humming as I work my way around the stove.
Enji quiets for a few moments with a hum, before his hands skirt around my waist from behind. The weight of his head on my shoulder relaxes me.
"What about this?" He asks.
"This feels similar to cuddles." I smile. "It makes me feel like you think I'm your one and only."
"You are my one and only. Don't you know that?"
Several quiet minutes go by. I flip the fish in the frying pan and stir the soup. I glance at the rice cooker to find only a few minutes left.
"Breakfast shouldn’t take too much longer."
"Ichan," He turns me around and puts a hand under my chin. It’s not often those cold, blue eyes look so soft and warm. "You do know you're my one and only, don't you?"
Once again, I’m quiet. When his hold tightens, he squeezes out a flood of tears in his wake.
“I guess…” I shrug out of his hold and grab plates and bowls to set up breakfast.
“You guess?” Even though he lets me go, he follows my every move. I feel a weight lifted from my shoulders as he pulls my hair out of my shirt and combs his fingers gently through the tangles. “Surely you’re more certain than just a guess? Why would you believe otherwise?”
An answer has to wait as I plate fish, miso, and then finish off with a bit of rice. I pull out some cups and splash some orange juice in both.
“You arranged for a quirk marriage because you wanted to make the perfect child to surpass All Might,” I begin bluntly. “You’ve been very good to me, I won’t pretend you haven’t. You pay for everything to keep us fed and splurge on me for my hobbies…you’ve even surprised me with flowers before and I’m forever in your debt for paying off what was left of my student loans.” I don’t look at him. I can’t. “But…I don’t know how to explain it well. I’m appreciative of all that, please don’t think I’m not. It’s just, I thrive off of physical touch and emotional warmth. Whenever you come home and I ask about work, you just shrug it off and say it’s fine. When I try to cuddle you in the mornings or before bed, it’s reduced to a quickie or you leave for the bathroom and I’m left alone. I just want…” I pause.
What do I want? Enji does all the right things. Does that mean I’m selfish for asking for more?
“I don’t want to lose you.” I choke out, not realizing I’ve said it until Enji tilts my chin up. Those blue eyes capture me with their concern. I force my eyes away. “I’m scared that once we start having babies you’ll forget all about me. I don’t want to be a means to an end for your heroic ambitions, Enchan. I want to feel like you love me because I’m me. Not because of what I can give you. I want you to feel like you can be vulnerable and let me carry whatever troubles you. I know you think you’re supposed to protect me, keep me safe, but I want to be able to carry your burden every now and then so you can rest when you need it.”
Large fingers pad away the liquid in the corners of my eyes. When I finally look back at him, he rests his forehead against mine. There’s no escape. Everything about him draws me in and acts as a salve to my woes even though he hasn’t spoken.
“Ichan,” He says. “I…” He inhales and stops, closing his mouth and sighing through his nose. His mouth opens and closes, then repeats the motion until his head slumps against my shoulder. “I wish I had something better to say, but all I can say is I’m sorry I’ve made you feel that way. I have no excuses.”
My fingers indulge in the coarse depths of his fiery hair. This…this is the kind of intimacy I want. To know every precious little thing about you. For a few moments, the world around us keeps moving, but we’re caught in time with each other.
Both of us against a raging world.
“When I first asked you about the quirk marriage, it was originally just for your quirk.” His fingers paint sweet pictures across my shoulders. With every stroke, my muscles melt under his touch. “Of course, the more I met up with you after your agreement, I hadn’t expected to enjoy your company so much. You’re so vibrant and passionate about the things you love, it’s intoxicating.” The familiar feeling of his lips on my neck pulls a gasp from my throat. “Your enthusiasm for life reminds me of why I became a pro.”
After some doting kisses, he lifts his head and cups my face.
“I’m sorry that I haven’t said it, but you’ve changed so much in my life for the better. When a villain attack delayed you at the grocery store last week? I was at my wit’s end. I wondered what I’d do if you didn’t come home. Surpassing All Might was forgotten because all I could think about was how much I’d miss seeing you, how much I’d miss waking up beside you, how much your presence brings this house to life.” Sorrow glistens in his eyes as he presses a soft, brief kiss on my lips. “Ichijiku Todoroki, even if my intentions were initially selfish…you changed my life for the better when you became a part of it. Never doubt that.”
Sincerity hangs from his every word, draping me in comfort and affection that soothes the worry buzzing in the background of my head these past couple months following our wedding.
I lead him back over to the table before breakfast gets cold while I process these deeper emotions. We eat in a more comfortable silence. When he takes my empty dishes over to the sink and sweeps me up in his arms, I squeal and hold on tight.
He steps over to the couch and lays down, getting comfy against the pillows before he holds me firm against his chest. As my head nestles into the crook of his neck, tension oozes out of my body and a smile sneaks onto my face. Just like earlier, his fingers trace patterns along my back. Unlike earlier, he smatters kisses all over the side of my face. I giggle as they tickle my cheek like little butterfly wings. He rumbles out a chuckle as I squirm and wrap my legs around his waist, before I feel his lips twitch and his fingers wriggle against my sides.
“Enji!” I shriek, cackling as I move away from him and he pulls me back to smother my other cheek in kisses. “You could have just asked me to turn!”
“Now, where’s the fun in that?”
With a huff, I try tickling his sides in retribution. Nothing. I try his neck. Still nothing. He smirks up at me until my fingers assault his stomach and then he twitches with a snort.
“Not there!” He laughs, pulling me under him while hovering over me.
He rests his forehead against mine with a small smile, something so rare that it warms me down to the tips of my toes.
(One-shot 20/? in a collection of My Hero Academia one-shots posted regularly on Saturdays - and sometimes Sundays.)
Read on AO3.
Tags: Toshinori Yagi, All Might, Smol Might, Original Female Character(s), Ichijiku Aoki, Protective Toshinori, Protective All Might, All Might-centric, Young Toshinori Yagi, Toshinori Has to Shoulder a Lot of Weight, But Not Just Because He's a Hero, OC Shoulders a Lot of Weight Too, But She's Worried about Being a Burden, A Lot of Angst in This One, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Angst and Feels, We Weren't Made to Be Atlas, Don't Carry the Weight of the World on Your Shoulders, It's Okay to Ask for Help, OC is Sad, OC is Tired, I Mean Aren't We All?
Word Count: 2,052 words
Summary: After a long day hanging out with a friend, Ichijiku gets frustrated because she feels like she's not contributing anything but also like she's contributing too much at the same time. Toshinori comforts her because he knows exactly how she feels.
Ichijiku (Tigress)
“It just feels like she’s always watching over my shoulder, waiting for me to mess up.”
“I felt that way when I left home. I thought I saw all of my so-called friends around me, too, telling me what a screw up I am.” Hanoku says.
“I don’t see Grandma everywhere, I’m just in a constant state of fight-or-flight. It makes me second-guess myself. I get hypervigilant and anxious.” I elucidate, trying to keep the focus on the point I’m trying to make.
Irritation coils in my limbs as I try not to be mean. I get that you’re trying to relate, but you always try to remind me your life was worse than mine. Why can’t I say anything without feeling overshadowed when I just needed a safe place to feel…? I take a few deep breaths, trying to remind myself that my friend isn’t at fault. My weary psyche needs a safe place to land, but the only place it's ever had is my own arms.
“Well, what have you tried so far to help with the anxiety?” She asks. It’s a simple enough question, but in my tired anxiety, all I hear is, Clearly, you’re not doing enough.
“Soft music in my earbuds so I don’t have to hear the sounds all around me. It helps me sleep.” I explain, fidgeting with the fabric of my shirt, unable to look at her.
“So, that method helps, but you still aren’t sleeping well? What if you played around with the lighting instead? Then, you’d be fine!” Hanoku suggests. You’re not doing enough to prevent it. You haven’t considered all of your options. God, it’s so annoying listening to you be so stupid.
“Well, I’m doing better than last week. Without the earbuds I barely slept at all.”
“Well, that’s good. Oh!” She dismisses the tired look on my face as I look up at her and surges forward. “Maybe you could try aromatherapy!” She looks at me with a proud smile. “You can train your body to know you are safe and it’s time to sleep!” It’s obvious that this had a simple solution all along, dumbass.
In my insecurities, I force a smile even as I internally crumble. I don’t have much energy left in my reserves after the past few weeks. Between anxiety and fighting villains, all I want is a place to share my woes without being out-traumatized.
With a solution shoved into my lap, I can only assume I’ve overstayed my welcome on the subject of anxiety. I just want someone to listen to me. But…they have their own problems to deal with. Adding mine must be an extra burden. Guilt makes me straighten up and look ahead, avoiding eye contact as I give her a nod.
“Yeah, I use my pillow mist. It helps since it smells like Toshinori.” I admit, kicking a rock out of the way as we walk.
“Ah, okay. What if I sent you scary stories before bed?” She giggles. “Maybe then your anxiety would have a reason to stay and then go away on its own?”
My brows furrow as I immediately reject that idea. But I shove it away with a laugh and a shrug; I don’t want to bother her anymore than I already have. I turn to her with a smile and nudge her with a wink.
“If your goal is to keep me awake to talk to you about them, then sure. But those are likely to fuel my anxiety more.”
“Ugh! Fine.” She groans, further solidifying that I’m just an irritation. She looks across the street at a couple playing with their kid. “On a more serious note, is there anything I can do to help you?”
“No.”
. . . . .
“You bastard! How dare you cheat on me with that whore!” The sound of breaking glass on the TV echoes through the living room as I step through the door, feeling defeated and exhausted despite only walking once around the park with Hanoku. “Can you feel what you’re doing to me? Can you feel the way you break my heart, you cheap piece of ass?!”
“Ichan?” Toshinori calls, his eyes glued to the television set. “Did you enjoy your walk?”
“Yeah, it…was fine.” I give him a believable smile. He’s busy watching his show. I’ve already bothered one person today, anyway. I shuffle my shoes onto the carpet and hang my jacket on the coat rack. “I’m gonna lay down a bit.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Everything’s fine, don’t worry.”
Everything is not fine. I pad down to our room and curl up under the blankets, inhaling and exhaling the scent of my husband to ground myself. Though I shouldn’t check my phone when I know I’m going to be disappointed even further, I can’t stop myself from scrolling through all of my conversations hopefully.
A few writing friends promised to read my story yesterday since I’ve finally gotten a solid outline written out, but I’m not surprised to see nothing has been touched. Don’t go down that hole. There’s no reason to be upset. I scroll through Hana’s posts in the same collection just to be sure it’s not me. Both Sayuri and Hanoku left comments within the last two hours. A painful feeling bubbles in my gut, so I should close my phone.
But I don’t.
I enter the rabbit hole of counting just how many conversations I can stop just by existing. Six conversations in my messages alone had steady responses until I said something. They just got busy. It’s not just you. I keep telling myself.
Still, it wouldn’t hurt so much if it wasn’t so consistent.
When tears make seeing my screen difficult, I finally turn off my phone. The blanket wraps around me until the only opening is around my nose for breathing. Ungrateful brat. I’m not trying to be ungrateful. I want my friends to like me. They only talk to me when I’m alone with them, but in the middle of our friend group, I’m not as important as other people. I get talked over and dismissed. My problems aren’t as big, so they don’t matter. And I know they have lives, but…I don’t want to be the center of their world, I just want to be a part of their constellation.
Tiger roars in the back of my mind, fighting to try and be heard, but I don’t want to hear her for the time being. I just want to feel my emotions and be swallowed by them for a little while, seeing as I so frequently shove them deep, deep into the abyss.
“Ichan,” Toshinori’s soft tones caress my ear as his weight shifts the bed. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m just tired.” I lie, too scared to bother him. He’s the Symbol of Peace. He’s already got enough on his shoulders. I can’t add anymore weight.
“Are you saying that because you think you’re going to bother me, or are you really just tired?” He hums, and when I hesitate for a second too long, he squeezes me tight. “Talk to me, Ichan. I can carry it for both of us.”
“But you shouldn’t have to.” I whimper. “You already carry so much. It’s not fair if I let you carry me, too.”
“It is my privilege to carry you.” He chuckles, before abruptly sweeping me up - covers and all - and spinning me around. “You’re light as a feather!”
I squeal and hide my face in his chest.
“Now, tell me what happened.”
“I’m tired.” I sniff, decorating his shirt with salty stains as I choke on a sob. “I’m tired of being ignored. I’m tired of everyone treating my problems like they’re not as bad as theirs. I just wanna sleep and never wake up.”
“Hey,” He coos, sitting back on the bed and pulling me closer. It feels like he’s trying to wring out all the sorrow from my bones. I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t at least partially work. “You’re allowed to be tired of that. Even if you take a nap and realize you were just tired, you’re allowed to feel that way.”
“But I feel bad!” I cry, fingers grasping at him as I grow more certain he’ll leave, disgusted with every uttered word. “I’m not supposed to want things from them! They’re doing their best and I know they are–”
“Except you need them.”
“Except…I…” It hurts to admit. I can’t say it. I can’t need them. They need me to carry them. “But they’re all trying their best and I have no right to ask them for anything. It just feels like if I stopped talking to them altogether, nobody would notice I was gone. Nobody would notice that anything was wrong because I’m Ichijiku. And Ichijiku is always okay. Even when Ichijiku is suffering, she’s strong and she’ll get through it because it’s Ichijiku! Ichijiku can figure shit out on her own because they have to take care of themselves first and Ichijiku will be fine because she knows what they’re going through and they’re having a hard time. They can spend time with all of their other friends because Ichijiku will always be around. Ichijiku will never leave. Ichijiku would never get mad that they’re too busy for her. They can throw another brick on top of the pile because like Luisa, Ichijiku might buckle and bend but she’ll never break. She can handle it. She can fix her own problems.” My muscles clench and clench and clench until they’re sore.
“But Ichan,” Toshinori rubs my shoulders as he forces them to relax with his superior strength. “Sometimes, you can’t handle it.”
“I HAVE TO!” I roar, baring my teeth as I throw my head back to look at him. “I have to be able to handle it! Because if I don’t then who’s going to help everyone else?”
“Ichan,” Toshinori caresses my cheek, thumbing away tears. “That’s not your job.”
“But it is.” I cough, rubbing my eyes and shaking in my exhaustion. “They say it’s not, but every time I ask for help, they redirect me to their problems. It is because I can’t leave them to deal with it on their own like they can with me. I can’t leave it be because I’m scared they’ll get hurt. They’ll get sad. And no one will be there for them. So I’m here, Mr. Symbol. I AM HERE.” I huff, raking my fingers through my hair. If anyone understands that, it’s you. “And that’s fine. I don’t mind that. I would break myself in half a hundred times and cry every night and give limbs and organs and whatever other bodily instrument they need to keep them safe. To keep them happy. To keep them protected and of sound mind. But…” I open my mouth, unable to find the words.
“But there’s no one to do that for you.” Toshinori breathes, eyes glistening as I look at him. An understanding that breaks me and sews me back together reflects in those pretty blue eyes. “Someone’s always too busy. Everyone else has problems at the same time you do. Someone always needs your strength to help hold them up even when you’re tired and don’t know if you can…but you do it all the same.”
“Y-Yeah…” I shrivel back into his arms, heart aching as guilt weighs heavy.
He knows all about it because he does it every day. And here I am whining about it. Adding stress to one of his few rest times.
“Toshi, I’m–”
“Don’t you dare apologize to me.” He growls, gripping my jaw to make me look at him. “What did you tell me when I first met you? Before you ever knew I was All Might? You told me that you wished you could take the burden of every hero and carry it for a while. And when you learned I was All Might you did.” He kisses my lips, slowly carving out every soft crevice of my skin. “So don’t you dare apologize for letting me do the same.”
Silence hangs in the air like drying laundry as he holds me, breath heavy as he bears the brunt of my sadness for me. And for once, I let him.
