Watch the World Burn

Yesterday's Song

Shouto sighs as he watches Shinsou write something, ignoring the questions that Iida and Uraraka are asking about Midoriya. The teen stares out the window, his hands tensing up as his glare hardens and burns brighter while glittering with unshed tears. "Leave me alone, I don't want to talk about it."

That gets them to back off while he blinked away the tears in his eyes. Shouto frowns as he tries to make sense of it. He had gone to visit the green-haired teen yesterday but the door was locked and the lights were out. A note had been taped on the door saying that he was taking a short break from school but Shinsou's disheveled appearance (worse than usual) and Aizawa's glare at the ground is anything to go by, something had happened. Finally, the half-and-half quirk user has had enough. Something happened and they are not being told anything.

"Alright, what happened to Midoriya?" he questions when he finally cornered the purple-haired boy. It technically was more of a demand instead of a question by the tone of his voice. "Don't bother using your quirk to get out of this either. Midoriya had promised to help me out of something and he isn't one to back out on his promises." Nothing. Only a wet glare. "Did he go back to the vill—?"

"Shut up!" Gotcha. "You don't know him like I do! He isn't a villain!"

Shouto sighs and moves his attention to the side. He waits a few seconds until the look of anger on the other's face simmers down. "Sorry for assuming. I'm just worried. He's done more for me than most have."

The teen sighs, dropping his head into his hands. Usually the brainwasher in front of him held more of a cool and laidback appearance, keeping his emotions in check just like him and this is one of the few times when he showed anything other than disinterest for something. "He's in the hospital. That's all I'm allowed to say. Please, just—just leave me alone."

  Shouto doesn't, instead, he kept his grip on his shoulders. "I'm not good at this, but, if you need someone to . . . talk to, come to me. Okay?" He had thought back to when Midoriya said those words. He didn't think that the teen could do anything, but when he finally cracked and spoke to him, he felt so much better knowing he wasn't alone anymore. Maybe he could do that for Shinsou. He just didn't expect the guy to start crying. "Uh?"

  "S-sorry! I want to be left alone right now."

  Shouto has never seen anyone breakdown this terribly. Something bad—no, not bad but terrible—must have happened if this is the reaction he earns from his classmate. "No. You need someone to talk to. I'm not leaving until you either feel better or want to open up."

  Shinsou stares at him with wide eyes. "Why?" he croaks. "Why are you doing this? Why care at all?"

"Because it's what a hero does. No, it's because that's what a person should do," he admits, correcting himself. He sits down beside Shinsou and awkwardly offers a hug which the other takes with a laugh. "I'm bad at this, I know."

"You are. But it's okay." He tightens the hug for a second, giving him a squeeze before pulling away. "Thank you, Todoroki. I really needed a hug right now." His smile turns sad. "I'm pansexual," he admits, curling into himself while thinking that he'd say something rude about it. When he doesn't, he continues, "And Midoriya—"

"You have a crush on him." That's too blunt. Good job, Shouto, make him regret opening up to you. "I honestly wouldn't doubt if a lot of people have a crush on him. He's a good friend despite the first impression he made."