As The Music Dies

47. Pep Talks

Izuku sits in Mina's couch feeling a bit lost and defeated as she gets him a glass of water then takes a seat beside him.

" Ok sweetie, let's hear it. What in the world happened?"

He looks over at her with a tired upset looking smile and sighs.

" We had this really amazing weekend, everything was perfect. I felt like we were so close and .. I mean we are, I think anyway, or I thought? I'm not even sure but we were eating and talking and I was just so caught up in the time we had and the way the relationship had been going that when he looked at me and told me how much he was going to miss me when I left that I just.. I just said it! Like, without even thinking the stupid words were out of my mouth and he looked like he just saw a ghost. I knew right then before he even said anything that I just scared him to death. Ugh Mina, he wasn't ready and I just feel like I've screwed the whole thing up.", he says with green eyes going teary.

She reaches for his hand.

" Oh Zuku, I don't think that's true at all. What did he say after you told him? You guys didn't break up right?"

Izuku sighs putting his head back on the couch.

" He .. he just said he wasn't ready to say those words again and no we didn't break up but .. I feel like things are so messed up now, like this is just laying in the air between us cause he knows that I love him and I know that... that he...", he pauses unable to get the next words past his lips.

She squeezes his hand, her heart heavy for the sweetest guy she has ever known.

" He what honey?"

Izuku looks over at her, brimmed tears now falling down his cheeks.

" He doesn't love me."

She reaches over and pulls him into a hug with a heavy sigh. She takes a minute to think before she pulls back and hands him a tissue from the box on the coffee table.

" I don't necessarily think that's true."

He looks over her with a raised brow as he wipes his eyes with a sniffle.

" But .. he.. he said .."

She shakes her head.

" He said he wasn't ready to say it. He didn't say he didn't. His treatment of you says more than his words. He worries about you all the time, has me check in on you constantly. He's miserable when he can't see you. I think he's scared of the words because that means this relationship is at the level where it's serious and after Sora that's frightening for him but Izuku I definitely think he feels more than he says, the fact that he didn't break things off right there after you said it says a lot too."

Izuku nods sniffling.

" Yes.. I.. I suppose you're right. I know he doesn't want the relationship to end he seemed really concerned about that. It actually hurt my heart to see him so worried about it."

Mina eyes the male she's loved from the minute she met him.

" You aren't going to break things off are you Izu?"

He meets her eye, tears in his own again.

" No. I mean I definitely don't want to, I really want to try to make this work. It's just I feel so.. hurt and I'm not even sure I should but I definitely am."

She rubs his arm with understanding.

" Of course you do, that would have been hard to hear from someone you love. I understand why you feel that way Izu and honestly I'm sure he does too that's why he's worried, cause he knows he hurt you even if he didn't want to."