【𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 • 𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐊𝐔 𝐗 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑】

37| Enough

He's silent for a moment, but then looks at you with pleading eyes.

"Group hug?"

It doesn't matter that it's only you two. You smile at him.

"Group hug," you say, wrapping your arms around him. He does the same, his broad shoulders encasing you in a blanket-like grasp. You feel secure. His touch is soft, and his breathing is slow.

"I just don't want," Midoriya takes a breath, "you guys to leave me alone. I can't be alone again."

❧

"I can't promise anything for Shinimi, because I'm sure he'll go with his brother," you reply, pulling away from him with a small smile, "but I'll stay with you. I don't have anywhere to go. I don't have any family left. So . . . I promise I'll stay."

You look at Midoriya. 

He's a beautiful mess in a world that doesn't deserve him.

This boy with emerald eyes and freckles like stars, who's lost everything—

—just like you have.

 "Now you promise me this," you say softly, "you won't leave me."

He laughs, his voice quiet. 

"I promise I won't leave you. Even if it means we both die, I'll stay by your side."

"We won't have to go that far." You look up at him. "Never go that far. Contrary to what you may believe, this world needs you. You can't die, I won't let you. This world wouldn't be the same."

"This world," he scoffs, "didn't care when I needed it the most."

"I care," you whisper, cringing at how cheesy it sounds, "I've always cared, since you went missing and then when you were put in a hospital."

"Back then I felt betrayed. Alone. It didn't even cross my mind that someone could even . . . ever since my mom d-died, and then All Might after her . . . "

You put a hand on his cheek, making him look you in the eye. 

"The past is the past," you tell him, "we're here now. You have me. You have a teenager we picked up on the way. We're here, locked in a plane bathroom while undercover and heading to Tokyo to fight a guy we don't even know exists."

You sigh, continuing with a small grin.

"Yeah, life is crazy. Unpredictable. We've both lost people along the way. But we're here, isn't that enough?"

Midoriya only blinks, but then his slightly shocked expression melts into one of gratitude.

"I suppose," he taps his forehead against yours, "that's enough."

❧

"What took you two so long?" Shinimi hums, eyeing you both up and down. "It looked a little suspicious, ya know, two people going into the bathroom together. You weren't doing something weird, were you?"

You ignore the teen and Midoriya sits down with a plop. "Maybe."

"In your dreams, Midoriya." You roll your eyes.

"Ew." Shinimi groans, covering his face. "You guys have a really strange and gross way of flirting."

"W-We're not flirting!" You stutter as your cheeks heat up. Shinimi shrugs.

"Whatever you say, but I'm not blind."

"I can change that if you'd like." You mutter, leaning down in your seat.

As Midoriya and Shinimi laugh, you lay your head back. The plane is almost completely silent, not including your friends' meaningless chatter. 

You can hear someone's soft music playing through their headphones, and the light of the moon through the plane's windows make you remember how late it is. 

You close your eyes, the day's activities catching up with you.

"Shut up! She's sleeping!" 

"I'm not the one who keeps chewing so loud."

Your eyes pop open, quickly shooting a glare at Midoriya, and Shinimi who has his face stuffed once again.

You turn over, facing the window and ignoring them both.

And sleep takes over.

❧