the day it stopped raining | midoriya izuku

34 | paper clouds

TOKYO
21°C
PARTLY CLOUDY

The way she glows was like the dim ember flickering in a paper lantern. It's soft and beaming gently, lighting up the corner of a dead-end forest. Anyone who gets lost in the maze of vines and mosses would surely spot the lantern on the brink of losing its light, glowing as bright as a firefly in a barely lucent sky.

Midoriya takes her hand. It's cold and frail, but he takes the leap to rub his thumb over her fingers, providing his share of warmth. The fluorescent light of the room was a little too bright for his liking, clashing with the white walls and white bed and white everything. Hospitals have always been plain for some reason, other than the forget-me-nots standing in a vase by the window. It's pale blue and white, barely matching the blank state of the room. The only thing that seemed worthy of colours was her presence, even though the latter still had her eyes closed for the day.

The green boy had just finished his shift and he immediately made his way here the second he clocked out. It's always been this way since then, ever since the incident. Although she awoke many days ago, Midoriya didn't manage to visit her. Not because he's too busy or anything. It's just...he couldn't.

Did I save you?

The voice in his head echoes. It's a question that has many meanings, a question that drilled his skull for sleepless nights.

What is saving when she doesn't have a happy ending?

Midoriya sighs deeply, shoulders hunched as he lays his head on the bed beside their laced hands. He absently rubs his thumb over hers again. His eyes feel as heavy as his shoulders, unexplained guilt, regrets and frustration. As heavy as it is, his heart was the one suffering the most.

He sits up straight, bringing his chair closer to the bed. He covers her hand with both of his, bringing the back of her hand to his lips, kissing it softly. He stares at her peaceful features, still slumbering away. Midoriya didn't know what they did to her, only getting the gist of medicine and examinations. Perhaps Masuyo's just too frail and gets tired easily that she needed rest at odd timings, even though it's only about half-past eight now.

"See you tomorrow." He whispers, about to stand and lean forward when he barely felt the small squeeze from their hands.

A faint grunt slips past her pale lips, brows furrowing when her eyes flutter open at the blinding light above them. She blinks slowly, unconsciously squeezing his hand harder. The moment jade eyes met his, Midoriya almost teared up on the spot.

"Hi," he breathed, smiling sadly.

"Hi." Masuyo smiles back. She brings her other hand to his face, cradling his freckled cheek, brushing a thumb over the skin under his eyes. Midoriya watched as her eyes lazily roam over his face, growing warm under her gentle touch, feeling loved under her touch.

"Why didn't you sleep?" She asked, clearly knowing that the two didn't need to explain why she ended up in the ward in the first place.

Midoriya chuckles, holding her hand that cradled his cheek. "Couldn't stop thinking about you."

"How romantic." They laughed, then silent. "It's not just that, is it?"

Midoriya tried to hold his gaze on hers, but the lingering question and the burden weighed on him gets heavier. The small smile he's been trying to keep plastered on his lips wobbled just a little, on the verge of breaking down for the nth time in a week.

"I...um..." He swallows, voice shaking as he tries to compile his thoughts. "I've been kicking my own ass lately."

Masuyo looks into his eyes and he sees nothing but ambiguous sorrow. Stroking his cheek, she wipes away the tear that already fell from his green eyes.