Void | Depressed Todoroki x Midoriya

33 | Buckle

Shouto Todoroki

After being consoled in the bathroom by Midoriya, Todoroki thanked and apologized to the former profusely. He offered to pay for dinner, but he quickly discovered that Bakugou had already covered it. With one final embrace and goodbye, Todoroki reluctantly returned to his home.

Exhaling slowly, Todoroki closed his eyes and applied minimal amounts of force to the door in front of him to slide it open. Once the door uttered its whispers, Todoroki slid his shoes off and slipped on his faded slippers; they were a present from his mother on his twelfth birthday.

Then, from his peripheral vision, Todoroki saw a familiar figure eagerly rushing towards him. He glanced up from the floor, and in what felt like an instant, he was ensnared by the unwavering embrace of his sister.

"Shouto, I've missed you so much..." whispered Fuyumi against her youngest brother's shoulder. "I feel like it's been years since I've seen you! How are you?" She pulled away from Todoroki and scrutinized his slender frame. "Are you hungry?"

I'm...uncomfortable, Todoroki realized while shaking his head. Please don't ask. I hate being asked that. Especially when you ask that purely because you say I'm too thin. I'm full. I... Don't think about it.

Fuyumi's brows sank. "Shouto, what's really going on? You're so thin..." Her eyes gleamed with a crescent blade of white.

Todoroki shook his head. I just don't have time for it, he typed onto his phone. Sorry. It's hard to use my voice right now.

Before Fuyumi could speak, a voice like a raging, condensed hellfire lurched from down the hall, "Shouto. Training room. Now."

Fuyumi and Todoroki exchanged weary glances for a moment before Todoroki set his bag on the floor and meandered towards the training room.

"Stop acting so depressed and get up. Fight, Shouto. Get up. You will not have time to mope around when you're fighting a villain."

Once Todoroki entered the training room, he felt his blood crystallize into ice. An undulating, tar-like glob inside of him rapidly expanded and engulfed his senses. Even his breath was paralyzed by molten bands of salt scraping against his insides.

In Endeavor's hand was a belt with a familiar, metal buckle that swayed back and forth.

"Until you fight and stand up for yourself, you'll keep being hit. If you want it to stop, do something, Shouto. Imagine that you are your mother."

Todoroki felt a belt buckle smash against his bones as though to dislodge each and every bone in his body.

Stop it... It hurts. It hurts. Stop!

"Why have you lost so much weight?" spat Endeavor.

Todoroki shrugged.

"No. Speak with your voice."

I can't... Even if I try, I—

"Shouto," Endeavor hissed.

I can't, Endeavor. I can't...

"Stop ignoring me and answer me."

Todoroki kept his eyes on the floor, and although the words he wished to say existed within his head, they clumped together in his throat.

"Do you want me to hit you?"

No. I'm sorry... The words won't come out. I'm sorry. I'm trying. Please don't. I'm not ignoring you. I'm trying. I'm trying, dammit...