Safe
I give too much angst and @lancesexual is a cool nerd who wanted some soft tododekus, and who am I to deny?
“Where is he?” Todoroki snapped, and the low-class hero - Magnimus - flinched back before they jerked a thumb over their shoulder.
“They took him to the Med Bay - it’s not too bad, but-”
Todoroki tossed a thanks over his shoulder as he jogged past, barely listening to them anymore. He could only feel the thrum of his heart in his ears, blood pumping a little too loud, right in time to the thoughts racing through his head, the logical and illogical colliding together. He’s fine. He’s hurt. He’s going to be okay. I have to see, have to know he’s alright.
He knew the route like the back of his hand - well, Midoriya’s anyways. He’d been there far too many times, half of which were because of the same man he was dashing to see - but he could never find it in himself to care, not really, not so long as he was safe. Todoroki nearly slammed into several heroes, apologies spilling off his lips, but none halted him, and he darted on, shoes squeaking on the pristine white floors, eyes set ahead.
The nurses’ station came up on him in a rush, just like always, and he clutched at the lip of the desk as he took one calming breath, two. The woman behind the counter blinked at him, a soft smile stretching across her lips as she recognized him. “Todoroki. He’s in Room 20. Doctor just finished up with him.”
“Thank you,” he breathed, and then he was off again, taking a right at the station and darting down the little hall.
The numbers ticked past, some of the rooms occupied, some not - thankfully, 20 still was, and Todoroki had to resist the urge to slump against the doorframe as he peeked in. Midoriya was sitting upright in the hospital bed, a water bottle between his thighs, a cast on his left arm, and a loop of bandages around his forehead. A breath rattled out, cool relief pooling in his chest. Midoriya glanced up, blinked, and then a sunshine smile bloomed, filling his face as Todoroki crossed the distance in three quick strides.
There was no dignity or grace in the way they practically threw themselves at one another, in how Midoriya wrapped his arms around Todoroki and pulled him close, their arms slipping around one another to clutch tight. Todoroki’s settled into that curly green hair, into the soft blue of his hospital-issue shirt, and pulled him closer, bodies melting together. There was a sudden thickness in his throat, a faint burn in his eyes, and Todoroki bit his tongue, buried his face into Midoriya’s shoulder as he drew in one steadying breath. Two.
Midoriya’s fingers drew through his hair all the way, slow and soft, scratching gently at his scalp as he smiled, pressed a kiss to Todoroki’s shoulder. “You came quick this time.”
“I left immediately when I saw you were injured on the news.”
He felt Midoriya grimace against his shoulder, and then his partner pushed him back gently, a guilty look in his dark green eyes. “I’m sorry you have to find out that way,” he whispered.
Todoroki’s hands slid back, traced along Midoriya’s arms and up to his wrists so he could curl his hands around them. “I’d rather find out like that than not at all.” Rather know every time Midoriya was injured, rather than be left with what happened to All Might - the world unaware as to why he had slowly disappeared, as to why a husk of a man took his place until that too had faded.
He pulled back further, cradled Midoriya’s right hand in his, crisscrossed with those thick scars from finger to shoulder. My fault. Or rather, partially his fault. They were both to blame, himself for being so merciless, Midoriya for going in knowing that his powers were not stable, and yet fighting as he did anyways. Brilliantly, truly, but no less painful when he thought about it.
Todoroki shook his head, slid his fingers along Midoriya’s wrist and brought it closer. “I’m just glad you’re safe,” he murmured as he kissed his fingertips. Midoriya’s ears went bright red in an instant, and Todoroki watched, smiling faintly as he kissed Midoriya’s knuckles, ghosting his lips across the rough, warm skin, then down to his calloused palm. Midoriya’s breath hitched as he dropped lower, skimmed a kiss across the inside of your wrist. “You getting hurt scares me,” he said softly as he pressed another kiss into Midoriya’s skin, a little lower, right over a particularly thick scar, “But I know why you do it.”
Because Midoriya was noble. A kiss. Because he was brave. Another kiss. Because he was breathtaking and wonderful and so much more. Every thought was paired with a soft kiss as Todoroki traced his way up Midoriya’s arm, creeping closer and closer as Midoriya flushed more and more until the red had spread down to his chest, too cute to fathom almost, and Todoroki smiled, laced their fingers together as he leaned forward and set his other hand on the bed, right at Midoriya’s hip. “Izuku,” he murmured, “I love you.”
Midoriya smiled, radiant, a familiar look in his eyes - one reminiscent of when he cried, but this one so sweet, so beyond happy, that it left Todoroki’s chest aching as Midoriya squeezed his fingers. “I love you too, Shouto.”
Todoroki could only smile as he squeezed Midoriya’s hand with his warm one, reached up with his cold, and cupped Midoriya’s chin, drew him in, pressed sweet kisses to his cheeks, his nose, his smiling, giggling lips, an unmatched warmth sitting high in his chest.
