Bound To You [Neko Todoroki x Midoriya]

Chapter 9 - I'm Here

Midoriya's POV:

"What are you suggesting....?" I asked, afraid of her answer as the way they were talking made it painfully obvious.

"Animal Euthanasia..." Haru answered, not meeting my gaze anymore, but looking down at Todoroki's bloody, unconscious body with a saddened expression. The other two behind her seemed saddened by her suggestion, but I didn't understand why.

"Animal.. Euthanasia..? I'm afraid I don't quite follow what you're..." I tried to make Haru explain what she meant as I had never heard that term before. I carefully reached down and gently stroked Todoroki's head, his warm blood staining my hands even more.

"The best option here would be to put him down." Haru explained as her gaze met mine, her eyes cold, yet empathetic. My entire body froze in shock by her words, hands trembling even more than before, a sob caught in my throat and heart pounding.

"... No..." I mumbled, that can't be... I-I won't let them kill him..! I thought as my tears slowly fell, my hand gripping onto Todoroki's fur tightly.

"Sir, you have to calm down." One of the vets said as she quickly walked over to me and placed her hand on top of mine, gently trying to make me release my hold on Todoroki. I turned my gaze to her hand as I slowly let go and took a small step back.

"Midoriya," Haru called out my name softly, gaining my attention, "you have to understand. This isn't about you, you have to think of him and what kind of cat you'd get back home. He'll never be the same cat that you knew..." Haru said, looking me straight in the eyes.

"... You're wrong..!" I normally act with a lot of respect and politeness towards adults and authorities, but right now I couldn't help but speak my mind, "I know he'll recover from this! Y-You'll fix him and then-- THEN HE'LL WAKE UP AND WE'LL GO BACK TO NORMAL! I-I WON'T EVER LET HIM DOWN AGAIN!" I couldn't help myself from raising my voice at the end, surprising everyone in the room, including myself.

I could feel everyone silently staring at me, but I kept my gaze low, my tears dripping down on the floor underneath me.

"... He has gone through so much already... Fought an endless battle alone for so long. I... Don't want all of his efforts to have been in vain... He has to get better... And explore his newfound freedom... And I-I'll be there with him, cheering him on and helping him through it all..! I've already failed him once... I refuse to ever do that again. I haven't even known him for a week... But, I already can't imagine myself going on without him..." I subconsciously started ranting as my emotions had gotten the better of me.

"... I can't say I completely understood all that... Nor can I say that I agree with your choice, but, it IS your choice and it's very clear to me that you love your cat very much, and there'll be no more talk about putting him down." Haru started, pulling me back into reality as I watched her with wide eyes as one of her colleagues handed her a syringe needle and a small glass bottle.

"We'll do everything we can now, there's no more time for this, so if we're gonna try and save him, it has to be right now. Okay?" Haru looked at me for confirmation with a small smile on her lips.

"Y... Yes! Understood!" I cried out with a hopeful feeling starting to wind up within me. I quickly wiped away my tears, feeling a little embarrassed that all three of them had seen that.

"Pet owners are not allowed to stay in here while their pet is under surgery." Haru then said as she filled the syringe with the liquid from the glass bottle. Her colleagues were getting ready to start assisting Haru, but then one of the girls nodded as she quickly went and opened the door for me to leave.

I looked from Todoroki to the door and back to Todoroki a couple of times, wanting to object against it and stay here with him, but knowing that I had no choice in the matter.