Work Text:
Having Midoriya in his phone contacts feels less intrusive than Shouto had originally expected. The small icon next to the contact name (reading 'Midoriya!! with a peace sign emoji, courtesy of Midoriya himself) features a selfie of the boy in mention smiling as bright as always, and it offers a strange sense of calm to Shouto. He has all of his classmates' numbers after the unfortunate events they'd all endured following the training camp, though he'd had a few beforehand including Midoriya and Iida, but the personalized contact for his friend was... nice. Midoriya similarly had most of his friends' numbers saved under "fun" contacts as he'd called them, a handpicked emoji next to each enthusiastically typed name. It was silly, but Shouto had felt almost relieved to watch Midoriya give his contact the same treatment as the rest of his friends, almost like a silent confirmation that yes, they really were friends. He wasn't used to having nice things.
And so, when a muted buzzing and the flash of a far too bright light pulled Shouto out of his sleep, he wasn't as angry as he probably should have been (or had been, once seeing the sender of the offending text message).
Midoriya!! ✌
Sent 2:17 AM
hey
Shouto huffs out a breathy laugh. Leave it to Midoriya to send such a casual message so late at night, he supposed.
Midoriya!! ✌
Sent 2:17 AM
hey
Hey yourself.
todoroki!!! why are you up!!??!! :o
I could ask you the same thing. You woke me up.
really?!? i am so sorry !!!! D:
Don't worry about it, I wasn't sleeping well anyway. Why are you still awake?
howdya know you weren't sleeping well?¿
oh! and i was just studying, lol
There are a few patches of frost on my skin. I tend to sweat when I sleep restlessly and depending on what side of my body it's on, it either evaporates or freezes. Can't really control my temperature when I'm unconscious.
Sorry, that was probably more information than you wanted to hear.
dw!! i wouldn't have asked if i was afraid of the answer ahah
Oh... that's good. Also, what are you studying for? We don't have anything coming up?
Unless this is something personal. But you really should be watching the time.
it's nothing i just wasn't paying attention to the time i guess
I get the feeling that it's something more than that considering that you decided to text me instead of going to bed.
You must be tired, right?
Or were you talking to someone else before you texted me?
Sorry for the questions, I didn't mean to press.
shh no it's fine i just.. yeah. studying was..
kinda the first reasonable lie i could come up with to explain me being up? *sigh*
not that i feel like i have to lie to you!!! i just didn't want to bother you. idk but you were the first person i thought to text ;0
You never bother me, Midoriya.
What's going on that's keeping you up so late?
Read 2:38 AM
Three little dots at the bottom of the screen let Shouto know that his friend was trying to put whatever he had to say into words. Becoming aware of the unexplained heat in his dorm, he pulls back the navy blue sheets and stares at the ceiling until the response comes.
Midoriya!! ✌
Sent 2:42 AM
it's kinda stupid but i get nightmares almost every night. ever since the sludge villain attack a while ago i've had mild ones but after all for one they're more frequent and harder to deal with i guess? it's sort of hard to explain. but sleeping is kind of impossible atm. which is why i texted you so late, bc i was bored of staring at the wall and in case you didn't buy my lie i felt the most comfortable telling you the truth :p
i really didn't expect you to buy my lie, by the way. you're too perceptive for that lol
Thank you.
For telling me, I mean.
Do you think it would help to talk about it? If you'd like I can come over to your dorm room right now.
it might help? the dreams are pretty vivid unfortunately :// and don't feel like you need to come here!! it's really late, todoroki
I offered because I want to help. I don't mind.
if you're sure. you're a good friend :)
He doesn't try to deny it to himself when he feels heat creep onto his cheeks.
Shouto had not expected to find himself at Midoriya's door at 2:45 in the morning when he'd originally went to bed that night. Scarred knuckles rap softly against the door and almost instantly the scuttling of footsteps are audible. The door swings open and Midoriya all but drags Shouto in, pulling the door closed behind him.
Midoriya looks, well, like someone who's been up for hours trying to sleep. Which is fair. It's almost endearing seeing him dressed in sweats and a t-shirt printed with the name of some American sounding band, Shouto thinks. Both boys make their way to the bed, Midoriya flopping down on his back and Shouto gingerly sitting on the edge.
"It always starts with the bodies. My own body freezes, and all I can do is watch. There's so much blood."
The smaller boy chokes out a quiet sob. Shouto doesn't even have to think before he's leaning back against the wall, wrapping his arms around Midoriya and pulling him up against his side, nearly sitting him in his lap. Midoriya nestles his head in the crook of Shouto's neck and takes a deep breath before continuing.
"It's stupid to think that I can save everyone, but seeing those bodies all bruised and bloody... how am I supposed to forgive myself so easily? There's no forgetting the pain I felt, all of us felt, when I'm forced to relive it every night."
"I think, that maybe you aren't supposed to forget that pain."
Midoriya tilts his head back to look at Shouto with a tear stained face, as if willing him to go on? It's not easy to read expressions in the dark, he thinks and shakes his head.
"I think you need that pain to get stronger. Let yourself hurt for a little bit longer and allow yourself to move on. Midoriya, with so many people there that night, we couldn't help everyone. If all of us couldn't, then there's no reason to think you should've been able to on your own," he finishes. Wide eyes and a wobbly smile are barely visibly in the room dim from night.
"Izuku."
"Hm?"
"If I can pour my heart out to you in the middle of the night then I think you can call me Izuku. You know Todoroki, I think you're probably right. I doubt I'll ever truly get over it all but talking about it has really helped. Thank you, I mean it. Wow, I really should've woken you up at 2am, like, a week ago," he laughs quietly before snuggling himself into Shouto's arms again.
"I..Izuku," he says, trying out the name.
"Izuku, I'll always be here for you, you know that. And that's Shouto to you."
The nerves are clear in his voice but Izuku giggles at the dry joke anyway, to his relief.
"You should probably go back to your room to sleep now. Sorry for keeping you up so late, again, I really appreciate it."
Shouto presses a light kiss to his friend's head and is up and halfway to the door when he realizes ohmygodwhatdidijustdo.
"I-I'm sorry I don't know why I just did that-hmpf!"
It's almost comical how everything has played itself out. A pair of warm chapped lips against his own cut off his train of thought, Izuku flinging himself off his bed to engage Shouto in a chaste kiss; a successful attempt to keep him from running off in clear embarrassment. Eyes blown wide, the shorter boy pulls away before Shouto can even process the whirlwind of good, definitely good emotions. Izuku's smile is barely visible in the darkness and as abruptly as he was pulled into the room Shouto is shoved back out.
He returns to his bedroom to a glaringly bright screen illuminating the corner of the room.
Midoriya!! ✌
Sent 3:31 AM
❤️ (◡‿◡✿)