Chapter Text
You’re nodding off when the front door opens, and Toshinori enters the house wearing a shirt several sizes too big with blood dripping from his mouth. You dart upwards at the sight, rushing to fetch the cloth, basin and fresh shirt you’d prepared for his return. The water was now lukewarm, however, as you were expecting his return almost half an hour ago. This was a regular occurrence in your household- Toshinori would leave to become All Might and return a little weaker than when he left. The Symbol of Peace himself collapses onto the couch, groaning, and you sit down next to him, fussing over the blood on his face.
You wipe his bloody mouth, give him a cup of water to rinse his spit, and gently you peel off his sweaty and tattered oversized shirt. There was the giant and painful looking scar from his worst fight- another scar from surgery on his stomach, and hundreds more. Every day they grew in number. You remember the time the both of you started to count them. So long ago. Now there is too many to count. You give him the pills recovery girl had prescribed for him, along with a painkiller.
“You’re home late again, Toshi. You know what Recovery Girl told you, you have to stop going over your limit so often. Your body can’t handle the repercussions as much as it used to.” You scold him.
“I know, I know. But it’s hard. I couldn’t just go when people are in danger. There was a little girl-“
There came the excuse. He had to save someone last minute. You soften, knowing how hard it must be for him to carry a burden so great.
“God Toshi, I know. I watched someone livestream it.”
“You did?” He asks, sounding surprised.
“Yes, dummy. I worry about you so goddamn much. I’m always on the lookout for where you are. Just in case.”
He falls quiet at this, and his hand slips gently into your free one. “I don’t mean to worry you, sweetheart. If I could I’d stay with you.” A lie. Toshinori may love you, but you know how much he cares for the lives of others. He would always give tirelessly to the world, till there’s nothing left of him. That’s one of the things you both loved and hated most about him. He was too selfless for his own good.
The bleeding has subsided, and you focus on applying bandages. He winces as you put pressure on a fresh wound. “Sorry.” You say, gently prodding his skin. You can feel his sunken blue eyes watching you. You glance up at him, and his expression is one of a man who is in pain- and in love.
“I don’t know why you bother. With me.”
You halt in your actions of wringing the cloth out, almost dropping it into the basin. “What?”
“I’m nothing but a hassle for you nowadays. I don’t understand how you can look at me when I’m like this.”
Toshinori knew he’d lost his good looks in his true form. He looked ill, skinny and frail. And yet she was still beside him, as always. He always held a nagging fear she’d find someone else, someone better looking, someone who could be with her more often, someone with less liabilities than he had.
“Toshinori Yagi, look at me. I love you. It doesn’t matter to me, none of it does. You’ll never be a burden to me. Not ever in this life.”
He lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. You drop the damp rag into the basin, damning it to hell. All you want to focus on is him.
Your lips meet halfway, and his hands find your waist to pull you closer.
It’s a passionate kiss, one that speaks more words in itself than you’ll ever be able to say. Your hands run through his messy blonde locks, tugging gently. Toshinori wishes he could indulge both of your desires and make the kiss sexual, but he’s so worn down from his day he just doesn’t have the energy. He pulls away gently, and you understand.
The TV provides a quiet hum in the background as the both of you lean against each other, feeling more at peace than you had in a while.
“I still think you’re handsome too, if that’s what you’re worrying about. Just as handsome as the first time I met you.” You tease him.
He laughs, a noise so lovely and pure your heart aches. Toshinori, exhausted, lays his head on your lap and soon falls asleep. You watch him for a while, feeling his breath steady on your legs. For a little while, he won’t have to bear the world on his shoulders. He won’t have to be All Might, Symbol of Peace. He can just be Toshinori Yagi.
You stroke his face gently with the back of your hand. People may call you selfish, but you wish the world didn’t need him. You wish in your silly little heart that he could just be yours. But you know your wishes are in vain.
Gently, you shift his head from your lap and replace it with a cushion. You drape a blanket over his body, and kiss his forehead.
“Sleep well, Toshi.”