Chapter XII

     -Two days later; IZUKU POV-

     "Izuku! Foods ready!" My mom called. I yelled back and ran down stairs. I sat at the dining table and waited for my mom to sit down with me. When she did, we said our blessings and dug in. Fried rice with egg and sushi rolls to the side.

My mom turned on the news. I ignored it but my mother's sudden gasp startled me.

     "What's wrong?" I ask with my mouth full.

     "Isn't that boy, uh, Shoto Todoroki your roommate?" Mom asks wearily.

     "Yes why?" She point towards the screen.

     "A 911 Call was distributed from the Todoroki residence. The call took place around 12:30 am two days ago and it was said to be a domestic violence case. Five people were in the house at that time, the perpetrator, two barely scratched, Kasai and Natsuo Todoroki, one severely injured, Fuyumi Todoroki, and one in critical condition, Shoto Todoroki." My heart dropped. "It is said that Shoto Todoroki took on the perpetrator in defense for his siblings. He was found unconscious under the man that was strangling him in the the living room while the others were locked in the bathroom. It is still unknown who this criminal is, but will continue to investigate and keep you updated. Back to you, Fo-"

     I shut off the TV. I suddenly lost my appetite and pushed my left overs in the center of the table.

     "Izuku..." Mom sniffled. I began to cry. My chest tightened and my head pounded. I cried and sobbed and wheezed. I felt a pair of warm arms around me, cooing in my ear my moms voice. "Shhh....shhh.... don't cry."

     "B-But he- he's..." words failed me at this point, I couldn't speak. I cried in my moms arms for what felt like an eternity. When my sobs turned to sniffles, she let go and made me face her.

     "You know how you were in the hospital a month ago? How I told you I met Shoto?" Mom said. I nodded and she gave me a smile. "He was pacing by the waiting room, he looked sick with worry but he was still so kind. You know what he said to me?" she smiled brightly at me.

"What did he say?"

"He told me that he thought you would be okay because you're the 'strongest person he knows.' He had faith that you'd pull through even though he had no idea what was going on. He trusts you." She pulled me into a hug. "So you have to have faith that he'll be okay. You have to trust him to pull through like he did you."

"..." I was speechless. I had no idea he saw me like that. It made my chest hurt more. But my moms right, I have to believe in him.

"How about we go visit him tomorrow. See how he's doing?" Mom pulled back and wiped my tears. I nodded as she helped me up and to my room. She laid me down on the bed before kissing my forehead. As soon as she left, my eyes fluttered shut and nightmares haunted my dreams.

-THE NEXT DAY-

     "Mom! Hurry!" I yelled hopping into my shoes at the front door. It was getting cooler by the day so I threw on my coat. My mother had just gotten done in the kitchen so she didn't even have her apron off yet.

     "Izuku, honey, he's not going anywhere. He'll still be there when we arrive," she said as she slowly slipped on her shoes. I was bouncing to release all the nervous energy I had built up. How bad was his condition? Could he be in a coma? Did he have broken spinal cord? Who did this to him and his family? Why didn't he tell me he had more than one sibling? Why did he not hide in the bathroom like the others?

     I jumped in the passenger seat and buckled as my mom turned on the car. I could've just drove there on my own but I don't know what kind of mental state I'm gonna be in when I leave or if I leave at all. Maybe that's why I wore sweats today.

      "Izuku you need to calm down. There's no need to get worked up. He's going to be okay," Mom said while turning a corner.

     "But what if he's in a coma? Or on the brink of death? I don't know what condition he's in so I can't help but feel anxious and scared," I whimper. I was so afraid of what I might find.

      "What did I tell you? Don't doubt him, he's strong. If he wouldn't have put himself in danger if he didn't believe he would survive. We have to believe in him, and hope for the best. He's in good hands." She kept preaching but I couldn't focus on her words. My mind was somewhere else entirely. I looked outside the window and a few minutes later, a hospital came into view.

     I bolted out of the car, not caring if I didn't close the door all the way, and inside. I slammed my hands onto the reception desk and startled the lady.

     "Hi, me and my mother are here to see Shoto Todoroki," I spit out. The receptionist went to call but stopped and looked at me.

     "Who are you and how are you connected to Mr. Todoroki," she eyed me and I could feel my blood boiling.

     "My name is Izuku Midoryia." A hand was placed on my shoulder and I knew it was my mom. "And this is my mother, Inko Midoryia. I'm Sho's best friend and roommate."

     "Show me proof and an ID because I don't know if you're just a crazed fan or not." She glared at me, her blue eyes penetrating my soul. Now I realized why she was so reluctant and relaxed. I'd forgotten that Shoto and his family was famous. My mother showed the lady her ID and I showed her my drivers license and my home screen, which was me and Shoto in a Snapchat cat filter. He looked so adorable I had to have it as my home screen, but now I realized how gay that must be.

     She sighed and smiled while giving an apology and called us in. She said that Todoroki was staying in a private room at the top floor with security guards. We said our thanks and went as quickly as we could to his room.

     The guards asked for our ID and we showed them and were allowed to enter.

     The room was white and clean with two beds. One had a woman in it and she was sitting up right eating food. Her gray eyes stared at us and she smiled.

     "Hello, hehe, are you a friend of Shoto?" the woman asked cautiously. I nodded and introduced my mother and I.

     "My name is Fuyumi! I'm his oldest of the five of us. My other siblings are out trying to get custody of Kasai, she's the youngest of the family and has to live with one of us now." She chuckled as she scratched at her bandaged arms.

     "What about your parents?" I asked. Her eyes went sad and pitiful.

     "Didn't Shoto tell you? Our mother is in a mental hospital and our dad is in prison now," she explained. My eyes widened in horror.

     "Your father is the one that...?" I trail off, not wanting to believe it but she nodded.

     "My Dad was abusive to our family, especially to Shoto. It drove my mother insane to the point where she..." she shut her eyes as tears pooled in her sockets, "after that, my father sent her to a mental hospital and became harder and more strict with Shoto. He wanted to turn him into the perfect musician. He forced Shoto to practice all day everyday and sometimes didn't let him sleep for days because he forced him to practice nonstop." She was crying and my mother, with her kind, motherly heart, went and comforted her.

     My air felt icy and my head was pounding hard enough to make me flop in a chair from nausea.

     "Where is he...?" I asked. She pointed to a curtain blocking the view of the bed, divided the room in half. I slowly walk over to it and shakily removed the curtain.

My...

...heart...

...stopped...

B     E     A     T     I     N     G.

My best friend was wrapped head to toe in bandages. His legs were patched with band aids and his arms and hands were covered in wraps as well as his neck. His face was bruised and a bandage wrapped around his head under his bangs, white patches of cloth covered his nose and jawline. His lips were busted and puffy and his eyes were swollen. I almost didn't recognize him because his scar looked like another big ass bruise. The only thing that was remotely similar was the half red and half white straight hair that was messier than normal.

I wanted to cry, I didn't know if he would remember me because of all the head trauma he'd endured as well as his beaten body.

"Sho..." I whispered. I wanted to grab his hand, but I'd probably break it more. I wanted to hug him, but I don't know if I would do more damage. I shakily placed my hand on his swollen face, as gently as I could. He was warm, but I couldn't engulf myself in his warmth.

The door opened and revealed a heavy set doctor. He had dark grey hair and glasses that looked like mirrors. He was shorter than me and he held a clipboard in his hand.

"Oh, hello! I'm Dr. Debu. I'm assuming you're here for this young lad?" he happily chirped. I gulped before stuttering a 'yeah' out of my mouth. "Don't worry so much, he's going to be fine." He wrote something down on his clipboard after looking at his heart monitor.

"How long does he have to be here?" I ask, hopeful yet preparing for the worst.

"Bout six weeks. He broke his jaw and one of his ribs which thankfully didn't move and prevented a pierced lung. He dislocated his right knee so he'll have to wear a brace for two months before the ligament can go back to normal, and he'll need physical therapy. It'll be a lot but it'd be no time till he's back on his feet and performing again." He said. I sighed in relief.

"What about his mental state?" I ask. Silence filled the room except for the tapping of his pen.

"He might have amnesia from the blunt force head trauma, but itll be temporary. I can't really say what he remembers or not because it'll be less than a week before he wakes up." The doctor settled down his clipboard and did a check up. I sat in a chair and squeezed my fists together. I thought for a long time. About the fun memories and the sad ones, the fight and study sessions. I thought about his habits and pet peeves. About how he interacted with everyone. How he chuckled every time I got frustrated with homework or said my thoughts aloud. How he smiled when we talked or played his instruments. I missed those times where we were just together having fun and enjoying the moment.

My mind went to the time he fell asleep on me. His arms around my waist and his head cuddled to my chest. He was pretty out of it, but he was so adorable when he slept. My mind went to the time I gave him a piggyback ride after his meltdown. He was so embarrassed it was funny and that's when we decided to call each other our first names. My mind went to the time he revealed his scar. I'd woken him up and he sat up, cutely rubbing the sleepy from his eyes. How he panicked and ran to the bathroom. How he nervously scratched his elbow and the surprise and relief he showed when I accepted it.

I didn't know it then, even if I should've felt my gay ass be drawn to him. I didn't like him for money or his good looks, but for his personality and soul. I was actually afraid that he'd be a spoiled jock that wanted to screw every girl he met and I regret thinking that. When we first met, he kept to himself when I rambled on about my friends and didn't interact much with people. He'd told me that he'd never hung around people his age and told me we were instant friends because we had to live with each other. He was quiet and nice at first and he started to warm up and joke around with me more, insulting me freely and talked with me. Like, he had the personality of a kundere sort of.

"...ku. Izuku!" My mother pulled me out of my trance.

"W-What? What happened?" I mutter.

"Visiting hours are almost up. We have to leave in a little bit," she smiled. I gave her a sigh and nodded. Now knowing that his hands weren't broke, I took his into mine and squeezed it, not hard, but firmly. I sat there like that for a while until I heard my mother said it was time to leave. I kissed his hand and kissed his forehead gently before I left the room and went home, planning to visit everyday until he is allowed to leave.

_________________________________

Well, that was emotional. What a trooper.

Published July 31 2019Edited December 12 2022