Need You (ShinDeku)

Ch. 15 - Bug

A/N: here's the next chapter! I have this vivid mental image of Midoriya just timidly peeking out from behind Shinso's hand and it is literally the most adorable thing ever.

Trigger warning:
Shinso notices Midoriya being pretty jumpy and overall a bit scared, but similarly to the last chapter, I don't think it's bad enough to put warnings within the chapter so I won't this time.
Have fun reading!

Shinso POV

     "I... wanna see Uraraka and Todoroki. I want to speak with them, privately because... they were my friends before and I want to prove to myself that they're safe and I can be in the same room as them."

     I stare at him for a moment, processing his words. I fight back an are you sure? I don't want to sound rude or make him second guess himself, but this seems pretty sudden, after all, from what I know it seems like he sees them as his tormentors. He sure is brave.

     "I can call Aizawa and tell him to get Uraraka and Todoroki to come here during their lunch break. He'll tell them to bring lunch for you, too. I think their break starts in a few minutes anyways."

     After a moment of staring at Midoriyas unblinking face I keep talking.

     "Or we could do it another day. It doesn't have to be right now."

     "I want to get it over with. Thank you."

     "You got it." I freeze in place. You got it? Who says that? I've never said that in my life. I'm broken out of my thoughts when a small puff of air, almost reminiscent of a laugh, comes from Midoriya.

     I turn my head away in embarrassment. God, he's laughing at me now. I knew I sounded stupid. I pull my phone out from my pocket with my free hand and unlock it, going to Aizawa's contact information.

     When he sees me typing with one hand he pulls his hand out of my grasp, mumbling a small apology.

     "It's alright. I can type with one hand." I say. He doesn't put his hand back though. Why am I making this so awkward?

     I finish typing the text and slip my phone back into my pocket once Aizawa responds with a "they're on their way."

     "Uhm, I'm not supposed to leave you alone so is it alright if I stay in the room when they get here?"

     He looks guilty as he nods, not daring to look my way.

     Goddamn Hitoshi, why can't you be more useful? How can you be a hero if you can't even save this boy in front of you? 

     Just then the door opens and Midoriya very nearly jumps out of the bed, snatching my hand up to his chest.

     Holy shit. I whip my head around to face the opposite direction as my face turns red.

     Now is really not the time to be gay panicking.

     "Deku! We were so worried about you! And then Aizawa came in and told us you would be coming back to class today, like, out of nowhere and I was so happy but I didn't know what to do and then he was talking about being quiet and not jumping at you, but I was like no way, I haven't seen you in so long and I was so scared- Deku?"

     I whipped my head back around to look at Midoriya again just to see him practically hiding behind my hand, peeking out from between my fingers. His hand that was holding mine was shaking slightly.

     Uraraka stepped back from the bed slowly, closer to where Todoroki was near the door.

     "I'm really sorry, I was just really excited but I forgot that was probably too close." She put a hand behind her neck and rubbed it awkwardly. "Are you okay?"

     He seems to have relaxed slightly now that Uraraka has stepped back a bit, and I'm immediately reminded of the time that a bug got into Mic's English class and landed on his arm while teaching. He accidentally activated his quirk out of fear while screaming, but calmed down a bit once it flew towards the other side of the classroom. Luckily the scream wasn't towards any of the students and other than a bit of ringing in our ears right after it happened, there was no permanent damage to any of our ears.

     I assume that in some ways Mic's fear resembles Midoriya's fear. The most obvious difference is that Uraraka and Todoroki can't be caught and thrown out the window.

     "H-hi guys." Midoriya mumbled, pulling me out of my thoughts once again.

     Both Uraraka and Todoroki's faces seemed to brighten up when he spoke to them. He slowly lowered my hand from his face as he took a deep breath.

     "Sorry for freaking out." He seemed wary of them, but there was definitely improvement.

     "No don't apologize, it was my fault for doing that!" Uraraka rushes to assure him, obviously struggling to keep her voice down. Her eyes fill with tears as she looks at him.

     "Oh Deku, I was so scared. You hadn't answered my text that I sent that Saturday, but you always answer your texts, and then I came to school on Monday and you weren't there, and then Aizawa came in and he told us that you were kidnapped. They didn't know who took you and they wouldn't tell us anything, but it was so long and I thought- I thought I would never see you again. I felt so useless because I had no idea about anything, I just knew you were gone."

     She fell to her knees on the floor and covered her face with her hands. "I'm just so happy you're here." She said between sniffles.

     Midoriya looks conflicted as he slowly opens his arms up. "Uraraka..." he says quietly, and she looks up at him. "Come here."

     She slowly gets up and walks over to him, before collapsing in his arms. He wraps himself around her tightly as she cries into his chest, mumbling about how much she missed him.

     "Thank you," she says quietly, before laughing slightly. "Im really glad you're back." She whispered, getting up and wiping her face with her sleeves. "S-sorry for crying on you." She giggles in embarrassment, gesturing towards the wet mark on his t-shirt.

     "It's okay." He assured her. "I... missed you too."

     Todoroki steps forward slightly, looking nervous. Midoriya has a similar expression on his face, but probably for a different reason.

     "I want to apologize, Midoriya. You were my first friend, and really the only reason I have any other friends. I wouldn't be using my left side if it wasn't for you, and you really helped me open up. That day you went missing I was going to ask you to accompany me to one of the training gyms on campus to spar after class, but you sounded really excited to go see your mother, and I didn't want to take away from that." He looked away for a moment, regret plastered across his face.

     "I knew if I asked, you would agree to go even if you didn't want to because you are very kind, so I didn't say anything. If I had just asked you to train with me this wouldn't have happened. I'm sorry for failing to protect my friend." He looked back at Midoriya as he finished his speech, and the normally apathetic boy looked truly distressed.

     Even Midoriya seemed to notice with the concerned look on his face.

     "It's not your fault-"

     "But it is. I made a vow to myself that I would protect you, no matter what. I would still be closed off, stuck up, and miserable if it wasn't for you. You helped me see the good in things, and then you were gone and I let you go. For that, I am deeply sorry."

     "No, Todoroki. This had nothing to do with you. You could never have known that this would happen so you had no way of knowing that I needed help."

     He sounds confident but I can tell he's saying it more to himself than he is to Todoroki. Something tells me whatever happened while he was kidnapped, this Todoroki impostor person was worse than the Uraraka impostor.

1321 words.