Stuck Together (TodoBaku) (SLOW UPDATES)

The Soul Of A Hero Is A Dangerous Cavern

I don't know if this chapter necessarily needs a warning, but if it does, then here it is.

Also, first, happy 25th chapter, and also... We've passed 100 pages on the Google Docs!! Woo hoo, this is a first for me.

Also also, if you ever think I'm done then the answer is no. Yes, we are nearing the end, but I'm milking this for all I can. (Also I want to plan for this to end Feb 14th because that's it's Year-iversary.)
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Todoroki's P.O.V

      I’d love to say that I was able to fall asleep in the blink of an eye, but the truth is, I couldn’t catch a wink of sleep. I did my best not to react as Katsuki woke up and moved around, I don’t think he found out that I was still awake, and I’m glad for that (I would hate to be the reason he didn’t get the proper amount of sleep).

~

      I went to bed with the full intention of falling asleep, of drifting off into a pleasant dreamscape, but it just didn’t happen. Instead, I was plagued with nightmares. Over and Over and Over again I watched as Katsuki was killed in front of me. By the League, by my Father, even by my own hands. I screamed inside at myself for not being fast enough, not being good enough, just not enough. Who am I to call myself a hero, if I can’t protect the person that I love the most?

~

      With each dream I was startled awake, given a reprieve whenever I looked around and found Katsuki breathing next to me - on me -  alive and well. All seemed fine, but the next thing I knew I’m falling right back into hell. There was no glimmer of hope, no sense of the word, not where I kept ending up.

~

      When I woke to find Katsuki laying on me, holding me down I prayed, hoped, dreamed, whatever I could, that I would be able to have a break. That because he was here, everything would be better.

      It wasn’t.

      It started off as all the others have. Me and him, side by side in our hero costumes, fighting our way through the League of Villains (or as Dream Katsuki kept saying, ‘the League of Assholes’), everything was fine. All around us was our classmates and teachers fighting just as hard, taking hit after hit, protecting the civilians. I looked away from Katsuki for a second, that’s all it took for him to be taken away from me.

      Panicked, I searched around, wishing to catch even a glance of him. I couldn’t find him anywhere. The scenery flashed past as I ran around calling his name, asking anyone around me if they saw a small blond who looked like they were ready to explode in an instant, no one had a clue. “Katsuki!” I kept calling, yelling as loud as I could. But I didn't hear a call back from him.

      A voice cut through the metaphorical fog, "Well, well, well, if it isn't the youngest of the Todoroki's."

      "Who said that?" I demanded, scouring the lands, looking for whomever was speaking.

      "It doesn't matter who said what. What matters is that I've got your precious Katsuki over here." A light shone in the distance, presenting their location. I made a mad dash towards it, pushing people out of the way - absentmindedly apologizing to them - in the hopes of reaching him in time.

      (In time for what, though?)

      The person who had Katsuki was dangling him over the edge of a roof, the villains body was staticky and his face seemed to shift and change into different peoples'. There was Shigaraki, my father, and even me. And each one of them kept taunting me, using their different reasons to get into my head. To mess me up.

      Whenever it was Shigaraki he teasing held onto Katsuki with 4 fingers l, waving the last one close to Katsuki, then away. I ran as fast as I could to them, but they seemingly kept getting away from me without even moving. "Oh come on hero. I thought it was your job to save people, what's stopping you from saving your precious?"

      I tried not to answer, but it switched to Endeavor, "Shoto. What have I told you about distractions? I am bringing you home and if I see any sign of you affiliating yourself with ruffians like this, then I will have no choice but to persuade your teachers to let me train you." He can't do that to me.

      Before I could yell at him to Fuck off, he was replaced by, well, me. He - I? - spoke up, still holding Bakugou over the edge, "This is all your fault, you know that right? Look at you, you're too weak to even save him, how could you ever begin to think that he deserved someone like you?" I dropped to my knees, thinking to myself, 'What the hell was I thinking?'

      "C'mon, save him hero."

      "I forbid you from ever seeing him again."

      "You're not good enough for him."

      "Save him."

      "Stop." I spoke

      "Not good enough."

      "Stop." I repeated.

      "You will never be what he needs!"

      "STOP!" I screamed, "Please."'Just please stop.'

      (I can’t help but feel like this was all my fault, I told him how I felt and this was my punishment. This was the future path we were going down, this is what could happen. I did this to him. This is all my fault.)

      Not wanting to, I was forced by something to look up at them. The bastard was all static now, with no face, just black and white. Grinning down at me, like he was waiting for me to look at what he was going to do. He lifted a finger, and Katsuki began to slip out of their grasp. A second, a third. By the fourth there was nothing holding onto Katsuki. I forced my legs to move, to run, to just freaking work!

      Everytime I ran near him I was sent back to where I began, I never stopped trying to catch up, but my actions were in vain as he landed in front of me, the light knocked out of his eyes, limbs bent in inhumane directions, blank face staring at me, blaming me, "Sho...to…"

~

      I jumped awake, effectively knocking Katsuki onto the floor. Breathing frantically I could barely make out the wince of pain coming from the floor, "Ow, what the hell, Shoto."

      'Breathe, just breathe.' C'mon lungs, work. Inhale, exhale. 'Katsuki.' My mind wailed, beating itself up, 'Why couldn't you do better, Shoto?' I placed my head between my hands and screamed as silently as I could. Feeling the bed dip I look up from my hands slowly. Taking in the sight of a less than normal frustrated Katsuki, my heart leapt for joy.

      "You do know that there are better ways to wake me up, right? You don't need to fucking push me off, you damned alarm clock."

       Not thinking clearly, I (unwillingly) whined out, "Katsuki," leaning my head on his shoulder, shaking but not crying.

      He visibly froze, clearly unsure as to what he should be doing. But I don't want him to do anything, I just want him to stay right here.

     "Hey... Hey." He called, tapping on my shoulder, "You uhh. You okay over there?"

      Leaning away from him, I cleared my face of tears and snot, "'M better now. Thanks."

      "Do you," he scratched the back of his head, "You wanna fucking talk about it or some shit?"

      "Not right now. Can I just stay right here." I asked, leaning back on his shoulder.

      "Of course, Idiot. Any fucking time you need me, I'll be here - especially if you need me to punch something!"

      Letting out a puff of laughter, I basked in the calming feeling he radiated, feeling slightly better than before. This was more than I could've asked for.