A light in the void (my hero academia)

It's okay

Shinsou was expecting excitement. He expected his heart to be fluttering at the mere thought of seeing his friend.

Izuku was awake. His friend was back, he was safe and alive. Yet... yet it didn't feel right. Why didn't he feel right?

Why were his guts shunning? Why was his mind swirling with a hundred possible ways this could go wrong?

This was Midoriya, the boy who came into his life like a storm. Entering and invading his life like a force of nature. Abolishing the resolve that he spent years accumulating, destroying the walls he fought so hard to put up and finally opening his heart to the world.

This was the kid that stood up for him when no one else did. The boy who defended him and stood by him even though he was facing his worst problems.

The boy who gave him hope when he was drowning in his sorrow. When he was losing faith in the world itself.

So, why wasn't he happy? Why was he so... soscared?

Looking around, he realized that he probably wasn't the only one harboring these feelings.

The class decided that going all at once would be too overwhelming for the boy. They split themselves into small groups. The first group, consisting of Iida, Uraraka, Todoroki and himself.

They were all walking, painfully slow. All of them dreading what they were going to find on the other end of that corridor.

Were they going to find the same green-haired boy they had come to know and love so much? Or were they going to find a broken, shattered version of their friend?

Either way, they were going to stand by him. Just as he did when they were the ones in need of a friend.

____________________

Now, standing in front of the white hospital door, it was easier said than done.

Decisively, Uraraka- the bravest of them all- lifted her hand up and knocked gently on the door. Each knock resonating through the deserted hallway.

A soft voice called out for them. The tone so quiet and meek that they'd almost missed it.

Tentatively opening the door, they stepped in, one by one. Shinsou's eyes scanned his surroundings, as he followed Uraraka into the room.

The room was bathing in natural sunlight, the curtains having been drawn open. Finally, his eyes landed on the small figure sitting up on the hospital bed.

He couldn't blame Uraraka for the quiet gasp that escaped her throat as he too was trying to come to terms with Izuku's appearance.

Izuku's once green effervescent hair was now a pure, snowy shade of white. A great contrast to the few green locks he still had left.

"H-hey guys." The boy in question greeted hesitantly, snapping them out of the shocked silence that had settled over the room.

"Deku!" Uraraka was the first to react. Quickly charging at the boy, encasing him in a bear hug. The gravity wielder having missed the subtle flinch that overtook her friend at her actions and her loudness. Shinsou, however, took note of this too late. "We're glad you're okay! You scared the living hell out of me!" She rambled on "I just- We were so scared! And then we saw you being taken away by the medics and- and w-we thought you- "She faltered at the end, her eyes tearing up, as her emotions became too overwhelming for her to finish her sentence. Yet, she didn't have to. They knew all too well the risk he was in.

"Midoriya." Iida was next to announce his greetings. "I am relieved to see you up and awake! I must say, you gave us quite a scare!" Despite his formal nature, they could all sense the concern and immense relief in Iida's tone.