Before my heart gives out (My hero academia)

Underwater

Gray carpeted the sky as Todoroki walked on the sidewalk. His head held back, eyes gazing onto the onslaught of clouds forming in the vicinity.

The gloomy weather mirrored his own emotions and threatened the world with a rainy night to come. It spoke volumes that Todoroki would rather walk out into this weather than stay at home with his father.

To other people, Todoroki would seem to be a normal teenager, if only a little peculiar with his mismatched red and white hair. Although if you looked close enough, you'd notice the way he favored his left leg, the stiffness in every step he took and the tension held in his shoulders as if he bore the weight of the world.

After the attack on the USJ, his father took it upon himself to intensify his training. The number two hero wanting his son to get stronger. So that, in the man's exact words, 'he'd crush the villains who dared attack him next time'.

He hated his father with a burning passion. Hated everything about the so-called hero.

So, when Endeavor got a phone call, he took it as an opportunity to bolt right out of there. He needed to clear his mind and for the first time, Todoroki found himself walking into a cat café.

'Mirakuru' seemed like a normal coffee shop. If only for the cats that lounged around the place lazily.

The owner seemed to be busy talking to a boy when he walked in so he took it upon himself to find a seat. However, he couldn't help but watch the interaction between the two.

Although, from a closer look, it seemed it was more of a one-sided speech. The old lady hadn't even noticed that her words were going on deaf ears.

He watched, attention wrapped, as the boy walked to the counter as if on autopilot. His movements stiff and uncertain. His walking stick clicking against the tiled floor with every step.

Feeling a little creepy, he decided to stop staring at the kid. His blindness wasn't an invitation to stare after all.

The calmness and coziness of the shop eased some of the anger he was feeling. The tension in his body subsiding with every cat that huddled near his left side. His quirk was a perfect haven for the small creatures.

However, the calm atmosphere was abruptly broken by the sound of shattering glass. The noise effectively startling him out of his reverie.

Looking towards the source of the noise, he couldn't help the unease he felt.

The green-haired boy from earlier was crouched on the floor. Hands patting the space around him as if searching for the falling shards of glass. His fingers were red, bleeding from various cuts. Not that he seemed to notice.

Not wanting the boy to hurt himself further, he got up and tried to usher him away. Although that seemed to be the wrong move. If the way the boy flinched and backed away was of any indication. The boy then promptly ran into the lady from earlier.

The women didn't even pay his distress any mind. Ignoring the injured employee's needs, she opted to kick him out on the spot.

The boy- Midoriya- she called him, took off right after that. Not even stopping when Todoroki tried to make sure he was okay.

Every bone in his body told him to follow the teen. Run after him. Do anything to help. However, he had a bill to pay and by the time he made it out of the store, the teen was already long gone.

Todoroki chose to walk for a while. If only to clear his mind from the events he just witnessed.

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