A/N

It's been ages since I have written anything, but here we go! Hope you enjoy this chapter and the rest to come. I hope to give this fic another chance and finish it over the summer :)) All your votes and comments really motivate me, so thank you so much for being there my lovelies <3

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You tied your shoelaces and ran into the U.A. fields as fast as you could. Todoroki stood there, with his arms crossed, as if he'd been waiting for you for a long time. Because he had. Though you had argued with your parents time and again about it, they still didn't want you to see Todoroki. Not because they thought ill of him, but because your quirk became so unstable when you experienced strong emotions that they feared for your future.

Regardless, you decided to ignore their advice and find a solution with Todoroki. So, you took another brave step forward and adjusted your sports shirt at your shoulder. "Ready to see me win against you, Sho?"

Todoroki, rather stoic, shook his head sideways. "You know I wouldn't allow it."

A glimpse of the tiniest of smiles on his lips gave you the energy to break out on a sprint. Ten laps around the U.A. fields, every morning before school. You would be lying if you didn't say it broke your soul every time Todoroki won, but then again, you weren't one to give up so easily.

Not long into the race, you could feel your lungs burning up, and you itched to obtain some life energy from the plants around the field or even catch up to Todoroki so that you could slow him down. Yet, you just kept running, reminding yourself that the only way to ensure that you didn't break down for good, was not only to train your body but also to regain control of your emotions. You would never allow them to affect you as much as they had ruled over you in the past.

There was still no answer to what you would do to fix your quirk. And you dreaded to even think about choosing between a relationship with Todoroki and becoming a hero. Both were too important to you, but try as you might ignore it, you needed to make a decision. Staying with both for the past few weeks had only put a strain on your body and added yet another worry to your already troubled mind.

You kept running, feeling the wind against your face, sweat trickling down your back. With one last push, you sprinted towards Todoroki, only for a loud ringing noise to stop you on your tracks.

I can't let him see me like this.

Your vision blurred, and your knees buckled. You closed your eyes, feeling Todoroki's presence approach you.

"(y/n)?" Todoroki's voice was laced with concern.

I can't put him through this so often. I don't know if I can keep trying this hard for so long. I wish I could just lie in bed for a bit and just not do anything. Not have to worry about anything else.

You looked up to Todoroki, who was extending his hand to help you up. Nevertheless, his face seemed absent to you. As if he also was caught up in his own thoughts. He would have never foreseen that when he started caring more about others, especially you, he would start hurting at the smallest of things. And in all the strength he saw in you, he still felt a pang deep down in his chest. Was he asking too much of you again?

As you took a sharp breath, you got on your feet without Todoroki's help, not without stumbling and scratching your hands with the gravel path. Both of you exchange a knowing glance.

Todoroki cleared his throat. "Do you want to talk about--?"

Before Todoroki could finish his sentence, you dashed away from him. Your muscles were on fire from the pain, but you carried on and brought your hands to your mouth to shout in the distance. "The last one to the dorms loses!"

Stunned, Todoroki waited a few moments to regain his calm and collected composure. He didn't know whether he should push for an answer about what you were planning to do to solve the problem with your quirk or not. But the more you avoided the subject, the more downcast he became. As he saw the dust you lifted on the path as you sprinted, Todoroki shook his head slightly before getting ready to overtake you.

---

The usual ruckus of the cafeteria greeted you, as well as Ochaco's voice as she waved at you. "It feels like we haven't seen you in such a long time, (y/n)!" She swapped seats to open a space between her and Tsu.

As you placed your tray on the table, Mina called your attention. "Yeah, girl, what you been up to? Todoroki keeping you busy?" Mina put her hand on her chin and winked at you suggestively.

"Not really," you said, scratching the back of your neck as you took a seat.

"You say 'not really'?! Come on, girl, tell us all the goss." Mina used her straw to pierce through her orange juice carton, eagerly awaiting for you to expand on your statement.

You looked down at your hands. "Not been up to much but for, um, training?"

"Oh, come on," Mina whined and then took a sip of her juice. "Don't you wanna tell us more about your life? You don't need to be all reserved all the time. That's Todoroki's role, yknow."

You showed her your palms and let out a small laugh, wanting to mention the ring you'd found in Todoroki's house. "Things are going great with Todoroki, I think," you added. It's not like telling them about the problem with my quirk wouldn't help me, no. "Also, the internship is going well."

"Yeah, ribbit. We are not allowed to talk about the details, but it has been very rewarding working," Tsu saved you from any more questions from Mina.

Ochaco used her chopsticks to down the rest of her rice before stealing a glance from you. For a second, she could have sworn that your smile was fake as if it was barely hanging on at the edges, just like your spirit. Though once she had felt offended that you hadn't opened up to her in the first weeks of school, she now knew that you preferred to confront problems on your own, even suffering in silence, only so that you didn't have to make others worry. However, she wasn't sure if she could put her finger down on what you were trying to hide this time.

---

After lunch, you headed down the corridor and then up the stairs on your way to the rooftop to meet Todoroki. Yet, the realisation dawned upon you that you just didn't have the energy to act like the kind and caring girlfriend you always had been when you could barely hold yourself together as it was.

So, you dragged your feet downstairs, out to the patio. Once outside, you stretched your arms out, gazing down at the autumn hues around U.A. The scent of the dying leaves gave you such a nostalgic feeling, you almost found yourself wishing that time would stop.

Someone snapped you out of your thoughts. "Trouble in paradise again?" You heard Shinso's coarse yet unfeeling voice.

You didn't respond and gave him a pointed look. Ever since that time you two met outside the principal's office, you had grown to see how he shared more similarities with you than you would have expected. He had this innate ability to spark a conversation with anyone you lacked, though.

Shinso rolled his sunken eyes. "I'm not going to use my quirk on you. There's no need to be afraid of me because I could also tell you to stay away due to your quirk. I don't know why your classmates don't give you any flack, knowing that you could kill them by simply touching them."

You shrugged, but then you knelt down to the ground. "They have in the past, but not anymore."

You traced your fingers on the fence next to the playing fields, where a group of students played football. If you didn't have your quirk, you would have found it so much easier to join in with the children at primary school. They wouldn't have been so scared of you draining all their life energy, just like you did with your best friend, Chiharu, albeit by accident.

Shinso squinted as he crouched down next to you. "And that proves society's unfair. You call yourself the Life Hero because they could just as easily call you the Death Hero."

You absorbed the life out of some blades of grass, making them wilt. A single touch-deprived them of the many days they could have basked in the gentle autumn sun rays. "Yeah, but I'm a coward, so I can't accept that you're right, Shinso. And maybe, that's what's helped me come this far."

He looked away, somehow disappointed with your reply.

Meanwhile, you grabbed a stick and traced circles on the ground, minding your own business. Nevertheless, for the slightest second, you sensed Todoroki's comforting presence in the vicinity, so you gradually stood up and turned around to greet him.

Yet, he was nowhere to be seen.

You closed your eyes, ignoring Shinso's curious gaze while you tried to pinpoint Todoroki's location. A ringing noise in your ears made your eyes snap open. "Did you hear that?"

"What?" Shinso said. "Oh, the ringing noise... It's called tinnitus, by the way."

Shrugging, you strolled away from the purple-haired boy and closer to your boyfriend's aura. However, soon as you turned the corner of the building, instead of seeing Todoroki, as you expected, no one was there.

What is wrong with me?

Why?

Why is everything going to shit and I can't do anything to change it?

The ringing in your ears came back.

And though Todoroki had hidden away so as to not be caught eavesdropping, he rushed in to help you without a doubt. "Breathe. Deep breaths. In and out." His hands cradled your cheek, and though the tightness in your throat didn't ease up, you tried again. "Yes, that's it. You're doing so well, (y/n)."

"I don't care how many times you need to try before you tell me. I won't leave you behind," he said, his lips brushing against your cheek.

You wanted to scream. Although you attempted to plant yourself on the ground, you felt like your head was going to explode. "I'm sorry for troubling you!"

"You are my girlfriend. I wouldn't do any of this if I thought you were causing me trouble."

A few tears came to the corner of your eye, but you didn't let them fall, harshly brushing them off with the back of your hand. "Thank you. Thank you for being more patient than you have to."

You tried to push down the knot on your throat so that you could talk to Todoroki, but it was all still too much. This happened to you every time the thought of taking a break from your relationship with Todoroki until you got better crossed your mind.

Todoroki brought you closer to him, cradling your head in his arms. With the warmth of Todoroki's body against yours, you felt so safe that you realised you didn't want to run away from the challenges you both had before you anymore.

He planted a soft kiss on your head. "No, thank you, (y/n). I'm here to listen to you whenever you're ready. It doesn't have to be today."