Chapter Text
Midoriya was having a bad day, that he was sure of. Though, when was a day ever good?
Maybe before his quirk appointment. When the doctor uttered those final words (they weren’t the last the doctor said, no, but they were the ones to truly seal his misfortune), his mother inhaled. It was a sharp noise, something that stabbed his little heart. His toy (an All Might Bronze Age 2nd edition action figure) fell from his slack grip, clattering. A snap seemed to be the only sound that reached his young ears, his toy’s hair tuft broke off. Maybe that’s what sealed his fate, not the doctor’s words. Although he would never really know.
His mother, eyes looking so shiny that they could be glass, interlocked their hands together and pulled him out of that office. He didn’t even realize that she pulled his toy into her other hand until well after they left.
He looked up. She kept her eyes forward. “Momma?” She kept her eyes forward. A glance not given. Not a word exchanged. He looked away. His toy’s eyes bore into him.
Right.
He had to keep smiling. These things didn’t matter. Why? Because he will be a hero. That's why!
Point is, his nice days could be counted on one hand since his quirk appointment.
He tugged his backpack straps, feeling it press snug against his back. He thinks that he should pay his friend a visit (one of the few things that brought him joy these last several years).
With a smile that wasn’t so strained, he walked to his destination.
-
“So that’s when All Might showed up, all hands on hips, ready to put an end to it. But! As soon as the villain saw him he immediately put his hands up. Isn’t that so cool?! Imagine being a hero and as villains see you—”
Midoriya rattled on, content to just expel all of his interests. His dearest friend (
his only friend
) Chokiko sat patiently with wide eyes and ‘oh's and ‘woah’s in all the right places. He couldn’t be more happy to have found a true friend amidst all of the discrimination. Chokiko was always there to listen to him during his lows and admittedly low highs. He was grateful.
Sipping his drink, Midoriya sighed. “You won’t believe the week I’m having. Just Monday, the teacher told the class that—”
Yeah, Midoriya was going to make sure all the words that he hadn't the opportunity to say were finally out in the open. And oh boy was that a lot of words.
-
Midoriya was tired.
He had to pull so many sleepless nights to finish this darn project his teacher assigned just for him because the teacher hadn’t liked the way Midoriya treated his other peers . He didn’t even do anything wrong! All he said was to leave the poor girl alone since she obviously didn’t want to receive all that attention. But then suddenly he’s the bad guy for misreading her expression, and now he’s known as the oblivious, stupid, naive kid who can’t help but stick his nose in others’ businesses.
Sometimes, Midoriya was just tired , even with the recommended eight hours of sleep.
That day he met up with Chokiko who could relate to teachers setting unreasonable deadlines. Chokiko emphasized with him, got angry with him, and laughed with him.
Honestly, Chokiko was the greatest friend Midoriya could ask for.
-
When that fateful day happened (one where the class laughed at him, his childhood friend threatened him, his childhood friend burned the physical embodiment of his dreams, his childhood friend suicide-baited him, he got attacked by a sludge villain, he was saved by his idol, his dreams were crushed, he saved his childhood friend, his dreams were revitalized and given the push they needed… a lot happened that day), Midoriya had planned on meeting up with Chokiko given his sorry state earlier that day. But with all that occurred, Midoriya had completely forgotten about their plans.
The next time they met up, Chokiko didn’t mention it and the physically-drained Midoriya, although extremely regretful, didn't mention it in fear of ruining his friend’s mood.
They departed with smiles and waves.
-
Over the time until the UA entrance exams, Midoriya had less and less time to hang out with Chokiko when he had to study for the hardest written exam in the nation and the cutthroat hero training.
The next time they met (which happened to be a few days before the long anticipated day), Midoriya felt the tension drain from his shoulders as soon as he saw the way Chokiko patiently smiled at him. Where could he ever meet such an understanding person like Chokiko?
So Midoriya explained his worries and fears as his friend listened, rubbing his back whenever his voice broke.
-
The first day of hero studies was exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. Not to mention his encounter with Bakugou at the gate when school ended. Goodness, how could he be so careless?! Bakugou knew he was quirkless, and now he suddenly has a quirk which just so happened to be terrifyingly powerful like All Might’s. How was that not suspicious?! He promised All Might and he couldn’t even fulfill that!
…
Bakugou knew he was quirkless which means that he would get suspicious. Because he knew he once was quirkless, this whole mess happened. Because he knew.
And so did Chokiko.
But Chokiko wasn’t like Bakugou, right? No. They are far too different to even consider that possibility. Both of them are smart.
Though, with how much Midoriya had confided in Chokiko, didn’t that mean his greatest friend had even more reason to suspect something?
Midoriya can’t have that happen. He made a promise (a promise to All Might ) and he intends to keep it.
He felt sorry, but Midoriya just can’t hang out with Chokiko as much, you know, UA expects a lot from its students and Midoriya just doesn’t want to fall behind.
That’s all. Midoriya is too busy to hang out right now.
Too busy studying with his class.
Too busy training with his class.
Too busy with his class.
-
The next time Midoriya meets up with Chokiko is a little before the internships.
He apologized profusely for not being available and for not being able to talk in the following week because of finals. Chokiko waved him off, telling him he didn’t mind. Midoriya, as a pitiful apology, decides that the least he could do was treat Chokiko to lunch at a cafe.
And so, Midoriya recounted exciting tales of recent events, making sure to be careful with what he said. As much as he appreciated his friend, it was just too risky. Not that Midoriya didn’t trust his friend, but… it was dangerous, especially with All for One having the chance to be prowling on these very same streets right this second.
-
Midoriya is too preoccupied to meet with Chokiko until the day before school starts again after the Summer Training Camp.
-
He hummed as rung Chokiko’s doorbell. It was a jolly tune, afterall he was going to be living with his beloved classmates for the rest of the year.
Nobody answered.
He rang it again.
No answer.
Weird.
Midoriya called out that he was entering and grabbed the hidden key from underneath the floor mat. He just couldn’t wait to tell Chokiko all the silly adventures and shenanigans his classmates and he got up to.
He took his shoes off, glancing at the only other pair by the door. It wasn’t common, but sometimes Chokiko’s parents went on trips for business or pure relaxation. It must be one of those trips right now. He sometimes wished his own mother would take a vacation every now and then.
“Chokiko?”
Normally, Chokiko would be walking down the stairs, muttering about being sorry for oversleeping. Right now, however, the stairs remain undisturbed, not even the signature squeak of his friend’s door rang out.
Slowly starting to become worried-annoyed-disturbed, Midoriya pulled himself up those very same stairs that Chokiko should be standing on .
He knocked on his bedroom. “Hey, I’m here Chokiko! Are you still asleep? I told you that I would be coming,” fondness laced his tone, a smile that naturally crept up his face. “I’m coming in!”
Opening the door, Midoriya was faced with a bizarre and nightmarish situation.
Creak.. Creak.. Creak..
In even intervals, the fan creaked overhead (Chokiko always kept it on, leading it to be constantly squeaky). It smelt of slight lavender due to a lit candle that was only a few hours away from dying out (Chokiko always said that it helped him fall asleep).
Why did this happen?
How?
Midoriya hadn’t a clue, but what did know was that those closed eyes were the most peaceful he’d ever seen Chokiko.
Midoriya didn’t even register the feeling of rough rope against his palm, or the edge of panic and adrenaline, or the clusters of letters sitting innocently on top of his friend’s desk.
What he had noticed and remembered was the stillness of their body, the way their eyes never adjusted to the change of light when he lifted his eyelids, and the satisfaction that enveloped the frozen figure in his arms.
Midoriya didn’t utter a word this time.