Stars (Dead Deku AU)

Chapter Seven - Promises

''Always choose the ugly truth over a pretty lie'' -Beau Taplin

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Izuku was half watching the television when he heard the news.

Shota had been late coming home but Izuku wasn't that worried, he had shown up much later than this and been completely fine. Shota would then usually complain about how his most recent batch of 'problem children' as he called them, were the worst he had ever gotten.

Izuku would force a smile and nod, laughing slightly at the antics Class 1-A pulled, but inside he was wishing with every fibre of his being that he was among them.

He wished he could play pranks with Denki Kaminari.

He wished he could laugh about the stupidest things with Ochako Uraraka.

He wished he could stress over exams along with Tenya Iida.

But mostly he just wished he was there.

Now though, he was not wishing that.

Now, he was pacing up and down Shota's hospital room as he waited for him to wake up.

The class had gone to the USJ as Shota had told Izuku they were. And once there, they were attacked by villains.

One of them, Nomu, had been arrested at the scene but one look at it told Izuku there was nothing that could be gotten out of it.

It couldn't even think for itself.

Izuku knew that look as it had been one he had donned before, following Katsuki like there was nothing else in the world.

The freckled boy shook the thought off, now was not the time.

The Nomu had done the most damage to everyone there, almost hurting Shota beyond repair, nearly damaging All Might.

Although Izuku hadn't told anyone, recently he noticed that All Might's power seemed to be diminishing.

Before, only three, maybe four, punches of All Might at 100% would have been enough to defeat the Nomu. Now, from what Izuku had heard from Shota talking in his sleep, it had taken over 300.

And Izuku was worried.

Extremely, extremely worried.

"P... problem child?" Came the sound of Shota's voice from his bed. But it was weak. Nothing like his voice usually, and nothing like it had been when they had first met.

Izuku turned his head quickly, almost getting whiplash, "Aizawa! Are you ok?! How's your arm? Does it hurt?"

Shota gave a weak cough, gently propping himself up. "I'm... I wouldn't say fine, but I've been worse."

Izuku's fist clenched tightly around his hoodie, knowing that Shota was lying. "That's- that's good."

"Have you been here long?"

"No, no, just came here in the past half hour." Izuku replied, lying through his teeth. In actual fact, he had been there for around 8 hours, but thought it best not to mention that as undoubtedly Shota would yell at Izuku for worrying about him.

''How is everyone else? The students? Thirteen?''

Izuku thought back to what he had heard on the news. "Most of the students are fine. Thirteen's in the hospital but is making a good recovery."

Shota narrowed his eyes. "Most?"

Izuku paused. "Tsuyu Asui. She got hurt pretty bad when the villains surrounded the boat she and Minoru Mineta were on. I think she's in the hospital currently."

Shota paled before goinginto another coughing fit.

Almost immediately, the door opened and a worried nurse rushed in. Izuku took it as his cue to leave. He half waved goodbye to Shota before making his way out of the building. The pro hero wouldn't be out of hospital for a few days, minimum.

So what was Izuku going to do now?

Wait for Todoroki, apparently.

Izuku stared softly as the water lapped up on the edge of the hard ground, barely missing his shoes. His mind was elsewhere, thinking about Shota and the USJ and the so called 'League Of Villains'. So much so, that he didn't even notice Shoto approaching, only snapping out of it when he tapped him on the shoulder.

''O-oh, Todoroki, hi! I didn't see y-'' Izuku began, twisting around quickly and rubbing the back of his head before suddenly cutting himself off. ''Did... you just...''

''Did I just what?'' Shoto asked, completely unaware as to what Izuku was referring to.

Hesitantly, Izuku stepped forward and reached towards Shoto.

His hand collided with the boys shoulder.

His hand collided with the boys shoulder.

Izuku could feel a dull throbbing behind his eyes and knew that he would be crying right now.

''I can- I can hold you.'' Izuku managed to get out, doing his own version of crying.

''I thought you said your quirk...'' Shoto trailed off, looking at the hand resting on his shoulder.

''Mhm.. I've- I've never been able to hold anyone before.''

That was when Shoto pulled him into a hug.

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Why am I hugging him?

The first question that made its way to Shoto's mind was that.

Shoto had never really been a big fan of physical contact. Years of abuse from his father had made him terrified to touch anyone, in case they would hurt him.

He stared at the fluff of green hair below his chin as it shook beneath him, Shoto's hands pulling the boy even closer.

Why am I hugging him?

Hesitantly, Deku put his hands around Shoto as well.

It was always this boy. This boy. That made Shoto do things he wouldn't normally do. First, letting him walk him home. Second, making a friend. And now third, pulling him into a hug.

What was so special about this boy?

After a few more minutes of the two teenage boys just hugging, Shoto enjoying the peace of the night and Deku doing whatever he needed to do, the two pulled apart.

''T-Todoroki...'' The freckled boy began, staring down at his feet.

''What is it, Deku?''

''Can- can we be friends forever?''

''Forever?'' The heterochromatic boy asked, looking down at the younger one.

The greenettes only response was the look up at Shoto, who was surprised to see his eyes clear of tears.

''Okay.'' Shoto stated simply.

Deku let out one of the most innocent smiles Shoto had ever seen, it warmed his heart.

''You promise?''

''I promise.''

Unfortunately, Shoto hadn't been taught one very important lesson.

To never make promises you don't intend on keeping.