the day it stopped raining | midoriya izuku

28 | bottled rain

TOKYO
15°C
THUNDERSTORM

If sadness were a painting in a museum, then the scene of Masuyo's apartment in distress along with her tragic posture, is a windowed canvas in the midst of navy skies and grimy clouds. Midoriya could feel it through his bones, his heart, his skin and his soul—the raw despair emanating through the balcony window as he froze, having watched everything from the sidelines. It almost feels as if he was in some melodramatic movie, but this was real—this was excruciating to watch.

For the first time in months, he was soaked to the bone. Before he even left the office, the thunder clapped fiercely similar to an explosion, scaring almost everyone in the vicinity. At first, he thought it was an actual explosion, but when the second one came and the sky started falling heavily, his stomach twisted.

Masu-chan.

That's all that came to his mind at that moment.

And he ran. He ran at full cowling towards the shelter they share every single night. The raindrops stabbed him like needle pricks every second and every inch, while the spring breeze quickly drops to a temperature close to the midst of winter. It's been long—too long—ever since Midoriya experienced this years ago, back before he met Masuyo. Back before everything. Back before them. That very same day felt like ancient history, and it's repeating itself.

Now, he could hear his heart shattering at the sight of who she'd become—what she tried to avoid. What he wished he didn't see. Because it hurts. It hurts to see her like this. It hurts to see her hunching on the floor with dirt and glass everywhere. Upon reaching, he recognized her sister, but he never thought he'd see Masuyo's mother too. To witness that they were the root of Masuyo's downfall was heart-breaking to see, yet part of him was angry. He's angry at them for making her like this. He's angry at the fact that they destroyed her in merely minutes after months of healing. Masuyo just wanted to heal, but her past came back and extinguished the light he saw glowing around her.

Midoriya finally opens the balcony door after standing in the hard rain for a while, fixating his gaze on Masuyo. He couldn't be bothered to take off his shoes and his wet costume to dry off. All that matters now is her. She needs someone. She needs help. She needs him. And he's the only person who can do that.

He carefully steps over fragments of mugs and a fallen cushion, as if all of this mess were the walls Masuyo had built up, only for them to collapse and expose her vulnerably. Midoriya stands in front of her, forced to look down as she kept her head lowered, not even looking up when he's there. The only sound he could hear was the muffled rain pattering against the windows and the distant sound of Masuyo's torn soul. He quietly sits down to meet her level, crossing his legs. Tilting his head to meet her eyes, he could see her glistening cheeks, baby hairs stuck to her cheekbones. Her once sparkling eyes were now barren of anything, staring hard at the floor as if to seek salvation.

An image of Masuyo laughing as she danced flashed through his mind, coming back to reality as he sees the current one.

"Izuku."

Masuyo said his name in a hoarse whisper, still managing to make his heart skip. Midoriya swallowed, nervously fidgeting with his scarred fingers.

"Yeah?" He breathed.

"What do you see in me?"

He thought his heart was going to burst. His mind was racing, thinking and thinking, trying to comprehend this complicated atmosphere.

"I..." He started, staring at her hands that had a few cuts caused by damaged glass. "I see an amazing, beautiful girl."

Then he looked up at her, who then was already staring at him with shiny eyes, furrowed brows and sombre expression. Midoriya realized she was on the verge of tears.