The Future Firecracker

69 | SAVE TO WIN

CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
'save to win'

a/n: ayy 69 lmaoo

Shoto kept cradling you until you stopped sniffling in his arms in the middle of the corridor.

There was supposed to be a meeting between the class to decide on the approach to battle the villains on the island. Shoto was tasked to get you while Midoriya and Katsuki were meant to rest and then join on their own. However, when Shoto found you, he saw that you were struggling to cope after coming back from the lab tests.

He saw this in you before, when you'd go over to his house and train with him after being dropped off by your mother. It was better for him during those times, his father went easier on him.

Endeavour would make you both sit down together in the middle of the training room, talking about where you want to be, criticise and then advise or inject in your head what steps you both could end up taking in the future.

The times now weren't like before, you weren't in front of him with a smile like back then.

It was plain for him to see that you didn't know which was the next step to take, that your downfall was you.

You kept degrading yourself and you couldn't see that, almost as if you were blinded to see your achievements, left to only see the weaknesses.

He heard you say you killed people?
That's something he couldn't believe.
You were acting like this, meaning it could be true.
But maybe not on your own accord.

If you told the whole class this, would they think the same?
Would you even tell them?
Would they look at you the same? Treat you different?

Expectations, rules to abide by in hero society were as clear as day. There was no fine print anymore. It was all bold. The shell of the sugar-coated words became impenetrable that only a few would be able to uncover the secrets.

Save the victims and therefore get praised by people. What was left out of the equation? Being a hero came with consequences. Sacrifices. Suffering that needed to be hidden to uphold an image for 'hero'.

Shoto thought of his father.
To get to where he was now, he had to mentally and physically drain his children and wife.
He thought of your mother.
For the image she left behind, she had to take away her only child's childhood and happiness.

Who else was hiding the imperfections of society?

The red and white-haired boy frowned, checking his phone once again for the small chance there could be service to contact the teachers or pros. No luck.

He was waiting for your boyfriend to arrive, not that he didn't want to be here.
Shoto didn't know how to get you back to yourself.
He really wanted to.
But he wasn't the right guy for it.
No matter how much he wanted it to be him, he wasn't.

It was just then he heard heavy footsteps and saw a tuft of spiky blond hair around the corner.

"Icyhot, this place is a fucking maze. Where is... [name]... what happened to her?" He asked, worried. "Why was she in a different room?"

Katsuki dropped close, Shoto carefully transferring you into his arms while he got up. "[name] is resting. We thought it would be best if she didn't wake up next to all the injured civilians. And I thought it'd be best if you could help her. You always seem to."