How late is okay for late submissions? (because I still have ideas for 2 of the other prompts, but just haven't had time this week with other projects) Also, will you be doing a 2024 halloweek too?
Hello!
We will be accepting entries until 14th of November so you still have time! And as of now we can't guarantee anything about next year but we'll be thrilled to do it again!
“He is the One Without Eyes. He is the One Without Shape. He will be the One Who Lies. He is the One Who Shall Rape. Throughout the Remains of this Shattered World.”
– Invocation of Zalgo
Based on Day 2 Prompts: Mirrors / Haunted / "Ghosts never speak till spoken to."
SUMMARY:
“You came back?” Was the first thing that the mirror said, a curious expression on his face. “I thought that you were done here?”
“What are you?” Todoroki asked, ignoring the mirror’s question.
“I already told you, I am a ghost.”
“I spent my whole weekend researching supernatural stuff, my google looks like I am ready to be a ghost hunter, but things still don't make sense! Your existence still doesn’t make sense!” Shouto spilled, his frustration at the topic leaking with every word. “I can see you, but I can’t prove your existence with numbers or logic! And this is so weird, because, what the hell am I doing?! Talking with a mirror?! The only logical explanation here is that I am finally crazy!”
Woah!, Shouto thought, surprised by his own outburst. Last time that he got to say so much in just one breath was at Asui’s 18th birthday party when he got really drunk, and was explaining why people should eat soba instead of ramen.
Or, a TodoDeku story where Todoroki talks with a ghost trapped inside a mirror.
Ao3 link:
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
“Did you hear?”
“Hear what?”
“What?! You didn’t hear about it?!”
“About what?!”
“It appeared!”
“What appeared?!”
“The ghost!”
…
Medical student Todoroki Shouto was a science type of person. Math, biology, physics and chemistry make a lot of sense, you can prove stuff using logic, numbers, chemical experiments, and you can show people that a bacteria exists using a microscope.
As long as you can give concrete proofs about something, that exists. It's not a rumor or gossip. Numbers and logic don’t lie. It shows you a fact, and even if you don’t understand why you should use that formula, as long as you use that, anyone will have the same result.
It is a fact. It is rational.
But that is his opinion, as a logical person. People are free to believe in whatever they want, but Shouto just didn’t understand why other people were so adamant on believing in…ghosts.
For some reason, since he arrived at his class that morning, the students from all departments were gossiping about the oldest building in the campus - the one that right now was under renovation. From what Shouto heard so far, something, a ghost of all things, showed up there.
He didn’t care about it, zombies and vampires could be spotted around the old building and he still wouldn't care, so he ignored the rumors and continued his day. Or so he did until lunchtime.
“So, Tsuyu-chan told me that Toga-chan told her that someone from the art department went to the oldest building in the campus because of a bet.” Uraraka said as soon as she sat at their regular table in the gardens.
“Oh, is that about the rumors that I’ve been hearing since morning?” Yaoyorozu asked, unwrapping a big sized (and really expensive looking) bento. “About the ghost?”
Todoroki had to control himself, or he would roll his mismatched eyes over this ridiculous gossip.
“I also heard about it.” Jirou commented, pointing her chopsticks at no one in particular. “And the students are also posting a lot of comments and stories about the rumors on the official students page on twitter.”
“Even the teachers had their own opinions about it.” Iida added, fixing the position of his glasses on his face. “Hizashi-sensei was yelli- I mean, sharing his ideas for 10 minutes.”
“This is ridiculous.”
Four pairs of eyes turned to look at the white and red haired boy, who was munching his soba undisturbed by the stories.
“A ghost. Really?”
“Come on Todoroki! You don’t have to sound so annoyed. It’s just for fun.”
“I just can’t understand what is so fun, Jirou.” He admitted, expression serious. “Why do people insist on telling stories about ghosts? It doesn't even exist, it’s so obvious it is a lie, and everyone still gossip and speculate about it.”
“Woah! Sometimes I forget that you are the ‘it doesn't exist until it’s proved the opposite’ type of person!” The short haired brunette girl whistled amused by her friend's comment. “But anyway, it’s not a lie.”
“And how do you know?” He arched a perfect red eyebrow. “Where is the proof?”
“It’s not a lie, but I also didn't say it’s true. It’s a rumor.”
“...It’s a lie.”
“Todoroki-san, just because you don’t believe it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.” Yaoyorozu interrupted, her voice soft and understanding. “I know that you are skeptical about this kind of stuff, but some people believe and you have to respect it, okay?”
“Sorry…I didn’t mean to be rude.”
“I know.”
“But.” He added. “I just don’t…understand.”
“I know what you mean.” Iida seconded. “I am a math and physics student, so I understand that logically speaking, ghosts and the supernatural in general are something that challenges everything that we learn.”
“Oh guys, come on!” Ochako grunted. “You don’t have to believe! Just think that this kind of story appears once in a while for the college student’s fun experiences! I mean, remember back in our school days when people were always gossiping about the School Seven Mysteries? Here at college it is not so different!”
“Uraraka is right, you don't have to believe." Kyouka nodded. "I don't believe it either because I never saw a ghost or whatever, but still, it is fun when people do courage tests and other events."
Well, Todoroki could agree with it. It was fun to see Kaminari and Ashido, two of their high school friends, run around the forest after being hit with a piece of konjaku during a courage test during their senior year.
"By the way, what are the rumors saying?" The tallest girl in the group asked. "I didn't hear about the specifics about the rumors…I was too worried about the mock test…"
"Well, Tsuyu-chan said that this art student went to the storage in the old building because they lost a bet."
"You already said it." Todoroki commented.
She didn't mind Todoroki and continued.
"The thing is, there is a story about a mirror in the storage room."
"A mirror?" Iida sais retorically.
"There's a rumor…"
"Again a rumor…"
"Be quiet, Todoroki!" Jirou snapped.
"...that says that the spirit of a student is locked inside the mirror, and if you call it, it will answer any question. Some people say that it can even tell you about your future."
"And what do we need to say to call it?" Momo asked, genuinely curious about the story.
"Mirror mirror of mine."
They stared at Uraraka.
"What?" Jirou asked dumbfound.
"Yeah, I know, kind of a Snow White punchline, but that's what the rumors say!"
"Seems like Snow White will show up in the mirror." Shouto lips curved up, amused. "Or the seven dwarfs."
"As long as it is not the Evil Queen, anyone is okay." Ochako giggled. "But anyway, the thing is, the student said these words, and something really showed up in the mirror!"
"His reflection. It's a mirror." Came Todoroki dry comment, but his friends ignored him as Ochako continued the story.
"Unfortunately, the student freaked out and left, so we don't really know if the ghost in the mirror can tell you about the future or something like that." She sighed disappointed.
"That's a shame." The ponytail girl said, a hand on her cheek. "If this is true, I would like to know what I am doing in the future so I can prepare better."
"You already do good enough, Yaomomo." The short black haired girl tried to cheer her best friend, patting her on the back. “But it does sound like the kind of story that people would gossip around the campus.”
“Don’t you think so?!” The brunette exclaimed. “If I wasn’t already scared of the old building alone, I would like to take a peek at the mirror and ask the ghost how I can become rich!”
“It’s a mirror.” Todoroki repeated. “It will show your image, and that’s already an answer for your question. Only you can make yourself rich.”
Uraraka rolled her eyes.
“So why don’t you go there and tell me if it’s real or not?”
“Why should I?”
Their friends looked back and forth from those two, clearly, something interesting would come now.
“You want proof that ghosts don’t exist, so go to the old building and call the ghost.”
“This is ridiculous.”
“No, this is science.” Ochako grinned. “You prove theories by trying them, right? So say ‘mirror mirror of mine’ and see what happens. You will prove a point, and entertain your curious friends! It’s a win-win situation!”
Mismatched eyes stared at the brown ones for a moment.
Todoroki sighed.
“Fine.”
…
The sky was already a dark shade of orange and purple when Shouto’s classes ended that day. His friends were probably gone by now, fridays were the days that his classes last longer than the other majors, and no matter how much his friends love him, they definitely love their early freedom on fridays more.
He was tired, and had a lot of homework and a new project to start, but when he was passing by near the old building, the conversation with Uraraka came to his mind.
Proof.
If he goes inside now, he can show Uraraka that rumors are rumors and that ghosts don’t exist, and the earlier he does it the better, or Uraraka would definitely say something like he is afraid of entering the building or whatever.
He approached the building and pushed the door open, a loud crack sound echoed in the empty hallways, and for a split second Todoroki thought that this scenario looked like one from a horror movie that his friends forced him to watch years ago.
There were a lot of paint cans, wood and other tools like hammers and saws scattered around, after all, the college was indeed renovating the building, but no one was there, probably all the workers left early. Well, it’s friday.
“By the way.” Todoroki abruptly stopped walking, mismatched eyes looking around. “Which room has the mirror?”
Of all things to forget, he forgot to ask Uraraka where he was supposed to find the mirror.
…
The sun was long gone when he finally found a storage room for the theater and arts department. The room was filled with costumes, boxes with makeup, brushes and paint, there was some cardbords and signs stacked in one of the corners of the room, but the flashlight of his phone wasn’t good enough to distinguish what was written or draw on them, and Shouto didn’t want to turn on the lights of the building, the last thing he wanted was the security coming by and ask what he was doing there.
Going deep inside the storage, something reflected the light of his flashlight.
A mirror. A full length mirror hanging on the wall.
“Must be this one.”
A rectangular mirror with a golden frame. There was a crack from the top right corner to the bottom left corner, slightly distorting his reflection. Shouto put his phone on the floor and grabbed the mirror, taking it from the wall and turning it around to take a look behind it. It was heavy, but then again, the mirror was glued at a wood surface.
He inspected the object for a full minute, but nothing was wrong with it. It was a normal old mirror that the arts department probably dropped, but was too lazy to throw in the trash.
There’s just one thing left to do. Todoroki thought, putting the mirror back at the wall.
He stared at his reflection, his mouth opened.
“Mirror mirror of mine…” What was he supposed to say now? A question? What should he ask? He didn’t have anything in particular to ask anyway. “...Is there anyone more beautiful than me?”
Okay. What the hell just came out of his mouth? He joked about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but his brain must have had a really bad short circuit, because what the hell he just said?! Thank God no one was there to hear that…
A giggled.
…or so he thought.
“Who is there?” Shouto called, eyes looking around the room, because he heard someone giggled.
“Well, so far, you are the prettiest person I have ever seen." Someone said, voice muffled. "But this is just my opinion."
The college student turned his head, once more looking at his reflection in the mirror, this time though, his reflection was not alone.
Big emerald eyes, curly and fluffy green hair, cheeks painted on freckles that looked like stars, and an amused but sincere smile.
"Hello!" The boy in the mirror said when their eyes met, the smile still playing on his lips.
Todoroki flinched. WHAT.THE.HELL?
"Oh, you are the first one that doesn't run away on the spot!"
There must be a logical explanation for this, Todoroki told himself, because how is it possible that...that...an image(?) was talking with him?
"Hum...? Hey?" The mirror waved a hand. "Are you okay? Oh, please, just don't pass out here!"
"I..." He cleared his throat. "I won't." Shouto found his voice again, mismatched eyes never leaving the mirror.
"Thanks god! I was really worried for a second!" And the mirror sighed like he was really relieved.
Shouto studied the mirror again. Was it really a mirror? Maybe it was a screen and someone made a really good job programming an A.I?
"I am not a TV, app or A.I." The green haired boy said amused, and Shouto flinched again, surprised that he was muttering.
"So..." He couldn't believe what he was about to ask. "...what are you?"
"Not 'Who are you' but 'What are you' ..." The boy paused. "I would like to say that I am a person, but people call me a ghost."
A ghost.
Hah. Great.
"Ghosts don't exist." Shouto denied, not wanting to believe in what he was looking at right now.
The boy in the mirror blinked a few times, pointed a finger at his own face, and arched an eyebrow.
"But I am right here...?"
"You're not a ghost."
"If I am not one, then what exactly am I?"
"...I don't know... yet ."
"Oh! I see!" The mirror snapped a finger, face suddenly lighting up. "You are shocked! Or just in denial!"
"I am not!" Todoroki grunted. What was happening? He was arguing with a mirror? He must be dreaming or gone insane! Where was the logic that he liked so much?
"Sure~"
Was the boy in the mirror sassing him?
"Anyway, did you just come here to ask me that?"
"What?"
"I mean, did you really ask me the same question that the Evil Queen used to ask her mirror?"
"I didn't know what to ask." Todoroki replied dryly, and then added. "And I didn't believe or expect that something would answer me at all."
"Well, I answered, so what do you want to do now?"
Shouto stared at the boy, analyzing him. Now that he calmed down and was trying to better assess the situation, he could see that the boy was wearing some kind of costume, like a jumpsuit, and black ironed shoes. The green haired boy was probably shorter than him and around his age. If this was some kind of prank, the mirror boy sure was doing a good job.
"I am leaving." Shouto said suddenly, grabbing his phone that was still on the floor, and turning his back to the mirror.
"Oh." He heard, and it sounded really sad. "Bye bye."
The red and white haired college student closed the door behind his back and quickly left the building.
...
Todoroki didn't tell his friends about the mirror. He spent all weekend searching for logical explanations for what happened at the old building, because as a scientific person, how could he accept that whatever he saw that day was a…ghost?
No. No way.
There must be a logical answer for that. So he researched, and researched and researched. The algorithms for his google showing now, articles about ghosts and other supernatural figures, people trying to hunt said ghosts or communicate with them.
When monday arrived, Todoroki did his best to avoid his friends, because right now he was a man on a mission to prove that whatever was that person he saw in the mirror, was not a ghost.
…
Shouto lied to Iida, saying that he would go to the college library to study for a mock test, and being a serious student, Iida nodded and walked away, proud of his best friend.
Now, the half white and half red haired student was standing in front of the mirror, on a late monday afternoon, glaring at his own reflection and waiting for the green haired boy to show up.
“Hey, where are you?” Shouto said, but the mirror was still only showing his reflection. He pondered for a second. Was the ‘mirror mirror of mine’ a condition for the other boy to show up? He should try. “Mirror mirror of mine, where are you?”
He blinked, and on the next instant, green eyes were staring back at his own mismatched ones.
“You came back?” Was the first thing that the mirror said, a curious expression on his face. “I thought that you were done here?”
“What are you?” Todoroki asked, ignoring the mirror’s question.
“I already told you, I am a ghost.”
“I spent my whole weekend researching supernatural stuff, my google looks like I am ready to be a ghost hunter, but things still don't make sense! Your existence still doesn’t make sense!” Shouto spilled, his frustration at the topic leaking with every word. “I can see you, but I can’t prove your existence with numbers or logic! And this is so weird, because, what the hell am I doing?! Talking with a mirror?! The only logical explanation here is that I am finally crazy!”
Woah! , Shouto thought, surprised by his own outburst. Last time that he got to say so much in just one breath was at Asui’s 18th birthday party when he got really drunk, and was explaining why people should eat soba instead of ramen.
“...Are you done?” The mirror asked.
“...Yes.” The student answered, sitting in front of the mirror.
“What is your name?”
“Todoroki Shouto.” There was a pause. “And you?”
“Well…I am not really sure.” The boy said sincerely. “But I remember someone calling me Midoriya something. Well, something that sounds like Deku.”
“Deku?” Shouto parroted. “That…sounds mean.”
“Yeah, I know. But if this is my name…well, that’s fine.” The mirror, Midoriya, shrugged. “Why…did you come back? People usually leave here crying and shouting and never come back, but you…are here.”
“I am trying to understand your…existence.” And Shouto was trying really hard. “People die, and that’s it. The end. There’s no life after you die.”
“Some things can't be explained. And I am some kind of proof, right? After all, you can’t really pinpoint why I exist, and I don’t think any scientist would understand either, I don’t understand, and I’ve been here for a while.” Deku commented, but there was no arrogance in his voice, he was just saying what he really believed.
“How long? I mean, how long have you been trapped?”
“Hum…that’s a difficult question.” Midoriya looked pensive. “After a while you kind of lose track of the time, since I can only appear if someone says those Evil Queen’s speech. So, yeah, it could be days, months or years, but I bet that I’ve been here for a couple of years.”
“That…sounds…”
“Sad? Lonely?”
“I was about to say boring, but it fits too.”
This time Midoriya laughed, and Shouto couldn't control the small smile that appeared on his own lips.
“Yes, it is boring, but most of the time I feel like I am asleep, dreaming about a world and people that I can’t remember after waking up…so yeah, but I can manage something. It’s not like I’m gonna die…again.”
“Don’t you…want to be free from the mirror?” Shouto asked, taking a look at the golden frame. “Find the light or something like that?”
“Of course I want to, but I don’t even know why I am here!” The mirror boy replied, biting the inside of his cheek. “Maybe I died in front of a mirror and my soul got trapped, people say that mirrors have this power. Or maybe I am cursed? Or I am the real Evil Queen’s mirror!”
“...Don’t be ridiculous.” Todoroki deadpanned. “And how do you know this kind of stuff? I had to do plenty of research to find some legends about mirrors and their power.”
“I am amnesiac, not dumb.” Came the reply, and then the laughter. “I don’t know either, I like to think that I was curious about a lot of stuff when I was alive, and even if I forgot my name, I still have the knowledge that I got during my life.”
“Remembering your name would be better.”
“Maybe yes, maybe no. There’s no way to know.”
They went silent, Deku humming a soft melody that Shouto never heard, but it was nice.
“Do you…want to know your name?”
Emerald eyes stared at him.
“What?”
“I said, do you want to know your name?”
“Well, of course I want to, but how…”
“I will do some research, try to find a clue about you, and with luck, we can get a name.”
“Would you…do something like this…for me?” Shouto didn’t know that a ghost or mirror could cry, but the small droplets at the corner of Midoriya’s green eyes were tears. No mistake.
“If I can’t explain rationally stuff like ghosts, I would like to at least prove that someone by the name ‘Midoriya something like Deku’ one day was a living person.”
“Thank you.” Midoriya said between sobs, hands trying to stop the tears that keep falling. “Thank you.”
And for the first time since all that crazy experience started, Shouto felt like something was right.
...
The days passed by, and Shouto would visit Midoriya every day. It was fun, Midoriya was a good listener and was really intelligent, he would always give Shouto his opinions on the papers that a teacher would score, and mutter over small things.
Shouto didn't even notice when he stopped caring about the logic behind Midoriya's existence.
...
“Another test?!” Uraraka exclaimed, clearly indignant. “How many mock tests have your teachers passed you in the last two weeks?!”
“I lost track after the third one.” Jirou commented, not really giving a shit about Todoroki’s possible suffering. “That’s medical students for you.”
“Ugh! This way you will never have enough time to check the old building!” The brunette complained, and Shouto had to control his usual stoic expression. “The rumors are already dying, and I still don’t have an answer about the mirror!”
“Rumors are rumors anyway.” Todoroki said, not letting a single amused tone of voice escape his lips. “And if you are so curious, just go there by yourself and check it out.”
“No way! I am scared!” She cried, arms around her shoulders, trying to protect herself from an invisible threat. “What if something really shows up?”
“Then scream and run away.” He answered. Shouto wondered what Midoriya would say to whatever Uraraka asked about.
Yaoyorozu placed her chopsticks down, and stared at Todoroki for a moment, but it was long enough for Shouto to realize that the ponytail girl was looking at him.
“Something is wrong, Yaoyorozu?”
“No, not really.” The tall girl said, but her eyes still had a curious light in them. “I just feel like usually you would answer a little bit different that kind of question.”
“What do you mean?”
“You said ‘Then scream and run away’ , when usually you would say ‘Nothing's gonna show up’ .”
“Ah. That’s true.” Iida agreed. “That would sound more like Todoroki-kun.”
“Heh~” Ochako hummed, amused. “Have you finally accepted that a ghost may exist, Todoroki-kun?”
“I never said that.” He stated, trying his best to keep his cool. “I just gave you a logical solution for a hypothetical situation. Or would you stay put and wait for something to jump on you like those stupid people from horror movies?"
“Of course I would run away! No way that I am dying like that!”
“I thought so.”
“Yaomomo, that is a totally Todoroki kind of answer.” Kyouka nudged her taller friend.
“I guess so.” Momo sighed and went back to her lunch.
Crisis averted.
…
“Why do you wear a jumpsuit?” Todoroki asked one day.
“Hum…I wonder why…” Deku answered. “But they are pretty comfy.”
“It’s weird.”
“No, it’s cool! Makes me look like a superhero!”
“Are you a kid?”
“I look around your age though?”
…
“Why do we need to say ‘Mirror mirror of mine’ to call you?”
“I don’t know. But it’s kind of fun!”
“For you.”
“Of course! Or maybe there’s a rule like ‘Ghosts never speak till spoken to’.”
…
“Someone came here today.” Deku said.
“What did they ask?” Todoroki asked, eyes never leaving his anatomy book.
“They asked about you.”
“About me?” He got his coffee, taking a sip of the drink.
“Well, the exact words were, ‘Mirror mirror of mine, how many children me and Todoroki Shouto will be blessed with? ’.”
Shouto spatted the coffee and coughed, Deku laughed the whole afternoon after that.
…
“You are popular.”
Shouto arched his eyebrow.
“Why do you say it?”
“I mean, people keep coming here, and your name appears a lot on their questions.” Midoriya smirked. “Do you want to know what they asked?”
The red an white haired student glared at the mirror.
“Let me get a coffee, and this time I can spat all my coffee in the mirror.”
“That’s gross!” The green haired boy laughed, and Shouto's expression softened seeing the mirror so relaxed.
“It would be your fault.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
…
“Todoroki-kun…do you have a girlfriend?” Deku asked one day, freckled cheeks slightly pink, and for some reason, Shouto felt his own getting hot. “Or a boyfriend?”
“No.”
“Hum…and do you…like someone…?”
That question was really tricky. Shouto should lie, but just one look at Deku’s face was enough for the college student to spill everything.
“Yes, I do.”
“Oh…I see.”
After that, Midoriya changed topics, and didn’t comment about it anymore, and neither did Shouto.
…
“Mirror mirror of mine, why can't I find anything about you?”
That was the first thing that he told the mirror that afternoon.
“I don’t know.” Deku said as soon as his image appeared in the mirror, a small smile on his lips.
“...I am sorry, Midoriya.” Shouto apologized, sitting in front of the mirror, a defeated expression on his face.
“Don’t make this face, it’s not your fault that apparently, I am a difficult person to find.” Midoriya joked, trying to lighten up the mood. “You’ve been researching for almost two months, you are using your precious time on stuff that you didn’t even need to.”
“But!”
“It’s okay. Really.”
“I thought…that I could prove that you existed.” Todoroki frowned, eyes looking at the floor and hands closing around the fabrics of his pants. “I thought that I could help you…”
“Todoroki-kun, look at me.”
“I can’t…”
“Yes, you can.”
Slowly, mismatched eyes looked up to find gentle green ones.
“You don’t have to wear such a painful expression.” The boy in the mirror commented, a gentle and soft smile on his lips. “It’s not your fault that there’s no information about me. Maybe I died so long ago that there is no data at all. Don’t blame yourself for stuff that you don't have control over.”
“I just wanted to find your name.” He muttered.
“I have one. Midoriya Deku.”
“You are not sure.
“I am, because is the name that you call me, right?”
“Midoriya…”
“Yes, that’s my name.” Deku smiled.
…
Something changed by the end of the second month since Shouto met the boy in the mirror.
“I hear someone calling my name when I am sleeping.” Midoriya said during one of their conversations.
“Your real name?!”
Deku shakes his head.
“No, they call me ‘Midoriya’.”
Shouto stared at the boy in a jumpsuit, Midoriya looked like he wasn’t telling him everything, but demanding answers was never a good option, he should be patient and wait until the grenette was ready to talk.
“Maybe it is a piece of your memory.” Todoroki tried, and green eyes stared at him. “And soon you will get an answer.”
“Yes, maybe.”
…
Three months after he met Deku, something felt off.
Shouto woke up that morning feeling like something was wrong. His alarm didn’t go off, he woke up 30 minutes before the alarm, and occurrences like that were rare since he wasn’t a morning person.
It was raining outside, the sky was gray, and once in a while he could hear the sound of cars running over water puddles. Usually he didn’t mind rainy days, but that morning, that kind of weather wasn’t helping him get rid of the wrongness inside his chest.
Midoriya.
The name of the boy in the mirror was the first thing that came to mind.
He wanted to see Midoriya no matter what.
…
“Midoriya!” He exclaimed, pushing the storage room open and going straight to the mirror, forgetting for a second that calling his name like that didn’t work. “Mirror mirror of mine, where is Midoriya?”
The clock ticked.
One, two, three, four, five…a full minute.
But Midoriya didn’t appear,and that made Shouto panic.
“Mirror mirror of mine, where is Midoriya?!” He tried again, however nothing but his reflection was there. “Midoriya! Hey! Midoriya!”
“...Todoroki-kun.”
The voice, that familiar and sweet voice came from behind him. Slowly Shouto turned his body, and behind him, was a shorter green haired boy, with emerald like eyes, and freckles that looked like the stars, wearing a green jumpsuit and black ironed shoes.
“Midoriya…”
“Hi.” The boy waved.
“You…” Shouto said dumbfounded, approaching Deku carefully, as if a single hasty gesture would scare him away. “...are free.”
“Yes…looks like that.” Deku agreed, not moving from his place.
“How…?”
“I had a dream last night, or more like I retrieved my memories.” He said, and when Shouto stayed silent, he continued. “I remembered why I was stuck inside the mirror.”
“Did you…” But Todoroki didn’t have the courage to finish that sentence, because right now, everything was too real.
“No, I am alive.” Deku said, and Shouto felt his heartbeat skyrocket. “And I’ve been alive for a really long time, when something called quirks were still going around the world.”
“Quirks?”
“Something like superpowers, I would say. Can you imagine a society where we had heroes and heroines running around the city saving people’ lives?” Deku explained, a little bit more excited. “That kind of explains why I am wearing a jumpsuit that looks like a Halloween costume.”
“Midoriya,” Shouto called, trying to make the boy come back to track.
“The thing is, there was a villain…her quirk allowed her to trap people inside a mirror, and I think she died before someone could figure out where I went. Time passed, and I was probably sleeping all these years, no one found me, and the first time I woke up, people were scared of me.”
“What was the condition to get you out of the mirror?” Shouto asked, stopping in front of Midoriya that didn’t back off.
“I had to remember my name.” Midoriya replied, a nervous look on his face. “For a few weeks, I felt like someone was calling me in my dreams…or memories, and last night…they finally said my real name.”
“...can you finally introduce yourself?” Shouto asked, lips quivering.
A few tears fell from Deku’s green eyes, but he smiled.
“Yes, I can.”
“So, mirror mirror of mine, can you tell me your name?”
“Nice to meet you, I am Midoriya Izuku.”
“Izuku…” Todoroki tried the name. “Izuku.”
It was perfect.
“Do you want to know who was calling me?”
Shouto nodded.
“Ask the question.”
“Mirror mirror of mine, tell me, who was it?”
“Someone that I loved so much, and fell in love once again.” Izuku said, loving eyes staring at mismatched ones. “Do you know someone that goes by the name, Todoroki Shouto?”
…
“Did you hear?”
“Hear what?”
“What?! You didn’t hear about it?!”
“About what?!”
“It appeared!”
“What appeared?!”
“The ghost!”
“Oh, is that about the rumor about the ghost trapped inside the mirror hanging on the wall of the storage room in the old building?”
“Yes!”
“No way, there is no ghost there.”
“And how do you know?”
“Because I heard it from a student whose grandfather used to study here. Did you know that is not a horror story? It’s actually a romance?”
“What? A romance?”
“Yep! They said that once upon a time there was a hero who was imprisoned within a mirror, waiting for his soulmate to appear, because that was the only way he could recover his memories and break free from his glassy confinement, so one day he could get together once again with his loved one.”
theartofmadeline
yousharknotpass
