Rising Stronger [Sequel to When the Strong are Weak]

6

"I hated it." Venom dripped from the hushed words. "I hate how angry I get whenever I think about them. I hate that I can't talk or think about them without bursting into tears. But what I hate most is how weak it makes me feel."

Locking gazes with your friend you sighed. She wants to understand but how could she? I'm the closest thing to a sibling she has and both of her parents, bless them, are still around.

"You are not, and have never been weak, Y/N," Uraraka told you sternly. She held your gaze, glaring. "Don't you ever say that about yourself again. No matter how upset you are or how much you may want to crumble you are one of the strongest people I know. You have a mental fortitude unlike any other."

"That's far from the truth," you argued before dropping your voice to a whisper. "I have been falling apart more and more since Stain attacked. I'm more emotional. I throw myself into danger without a care for my well being. I disregard logic for what I believe to be the best course of action. If anything, I'd say that I've become a bit unstable."

"I don't believe that for a second." Uraraka shook her head defiantly. "You always come out of these sort of things stronger than when you went into them."

"I don't," you insisted. "Uraraka, I put myself in the hospital after the attack on the USJ. I was having nightmares so bad about Stain that I nearly ran myself ragged. I more or less put myself in a coma after Kamino -"

"Stop it!" Her grip on your shoulders was surprisingly painful. "Y/N, I get that you want to beat yourself up about everything. But you do not need to burden yourself with the what ifs or the could have beens. Let me take some of that weight off of your shoulders. Let me help you."

It's too late for that. You swallowed the lump in your throat. "I wish I could."

"Don't push me away." Uraraka begged.

"I'm not." It's the only way to protect you. "Let's clean up and finish these cookies, shall we?" You forced a smile before turning to wash your hands and arms of the flour coating your skin.

A couple of hours later you found yourself in the darkened kitchen with a steaming cup of hot chocolate in hand. You stood before the doors leading to the back of the dorms watching as snow fell lightly, adding to the blanket that was already accumulated. Memories of stumbling through snow drifts plagued your mind. Asher and his shorter legs fumbling in a desperate attempt to keep up with you as you searched for the perfect place to begin a snow fort in his front lawn. You were more of a spring and fall person but braved the brisk cold each year since your brother loved the snow.

He often caught you watching him or taking his picture as he stared out the window as the snow fell. It was the way his eyes would light up whenever a fresh blanket would fall that had caught your attention first. It had been his unwavering grin that you stuffing him into his snowshoes to take him on an adventure.

Without much thought you set your mug on the counter and stepped outside. An icy wind tugged at your hair and bit at your sock covered feet. Snow melted underfoot as you stepped across the patio. Slowly you rolled down onto your back and stared up into the falling snow. Snow angels. The thought had a smile gracing your lips. Asher's favorite outdoor activity in the winter, second only to snowball fights.

"You're going to get sick if you stay out here like that."

"Can't sleep or are you up studying still, Deku?"

"A little of both actually," he admitted. "Do you want me to wake Kacchan so he can warm you up?"

"No, let him sleep. It's not that cold anyway," you lied. In truth the stinging of the snow on your arms and neck was nice, even if it was somewhat painful.