The world returned in an overwhelming rush, all at once. It was like someone had left the tv on full blast… Or more like a wall of TVs, all showing different shows and infomercials with the brightest clashing colors imaginable and the sound turned up as far as it would go.
The first sounds that separated themselves from the confusing cacophony were the sirens. Police, ambulance, fire department… The three patterns were indistinct but present as they wound in and out of each other, each one earsplitting and vying for his currently limited attention. They were close. So much so in fact that when Tenko managed to open his red eyes, the strained globes were assaulted by blurry strobes of flashing color. It was enough to make him groan softly and squeeze those eyes closed once more. Underneath the screaming klaxons, there were people shouting and talking, though he couldn’t quite make out what they were saying. Above all the other sounds there was a high-pitched whine like a mosquito was trapped inside his skull.
Tenko tried to bring his hands up to cover his ears, only for one to cooperate and the other to answer with shooting pain that left him gasping. The man raised his head to try and look at the offending limb, grimacing at the crunch of debris and concrete underneath him as he shifted. He could make out his own blurry shape, followed his shoulder down to what appeared to be his arm. It was too mangled to really be recognizable. Last he’d checked, his elbow was supposed to bend the other way, and his skin hadn’t been so purple. His hand was sitting in a pile of dust, all five ungloved fingers having touched the ground at some point.
Right, his gloves, he needed his gloves. His quirk was too dangerous to be running around without adequate protection. Groaning, Tenko made himself sit up, finally taking in the scene around him. Crumbled remains of an office building sprawled around him haphazardly. It looked like it had been torn apart by some sort of natural disaster… Shattered glass littered the floor, along with decimated office supplies and scattered sheathes of paper. There was a cheap office chair upturned nearby, the spindle of wheels still spinning slightly.
The destruction was enough to jog Tenko’s memory, the Hero grunting softly as he held the back of his aching head, fingers finding grit and wetness among the light blue strands.
There had been an earthquake, and the building he was currently in the ruins of had destabilized in the shockwave. It, along with the neighboring buildings, had started to crumble before an evacuation could be completed. As an Urban Rescue Hero, this was exactly the sort of thing Tenko Shimura -Hero name Dust- had trained for. Here, in these sorts of circumstances, he could use his normally destructive quirk to help people and save lives. He’d moved quickly through the collapsing structure, carefully disintegrating every obstacle in his path while also being mindful of the building’s supports. He couldn’t Decay willy-nilly or he’d risk bringing the building down himself, trapping heroes and survivors alike.
It had been going well -as well as a natural disaster really could- when the building next door had suddenly started to crumble and collapse faster than anyone was prepared for. An alert went out for everyone to evacuate the building before it and the second one collided.
Dust had made it out without issue, handing-off a civilian with a broken leg to the paramedics when the alert chimed loudly from his phone. The other heroes he’d been working with were already backing off with the paramedics, trying to get clear of where the impact zone. Several of them were also working on guiding onlookers away from the scene and away from the danger. It was kind of nice to see civilians get excited about a rescue, though Tenko couldn’t help but think it would be nicer if they didn’t insist on getting close to the action. It was dangerous, and onlookers didn’t have the best grasp of safety.
He shared a look with another rescue hero, the both of them smiling and rolling their eyes as they went to herd away civilians and get out of the radius. Only… Some of them were pointing at something, back at the building Tenko had just vacated. His head whipped around, worried but somehow already aware of what he would see.
There was still someone in the building. Someone was still on the next-to-top floor, waving their arms out of a shattered window. It was hard to make out any concrete features, but they were definitely in danger, as the neighboring building continued to lean precariously.
Rescue heroes were trained extensively to weigh the risks in any given situation. Casualties were unfortunate, but sometimes when accessing any given situation at hand, they were inevitable. The best bet was to wait for a hero to come to support the structure, or to search after the collapse was over. Running inside an actively crumbling building to try and save one person was foolhardy, and libel to get a hero killed.
Tenko’s feet were already moving, the red boots he favored slapping the ground in a mad dash to the entrance. Behind him, a voice called out for him to stop, and he felt the air move as a hand narrowly missed grabbing his shoulder. Tenko ignored them. He was a hero, and someone was in danger.
He’d become a hero to save people like he himself had been saved. There was no way he was ever going to just walk away when someone needed help, no matter how inconvenient it might be.
He would never just assume someone else would help.
The front doors were still propped open, nothing impeding his journey as the hero made a beeline for the stairs access. The elevators would have been quicker, but the building’s electricity and water had been shut off for safety reasons. He moved forward with single-minded purpose, taking the stairs two at a time while tearing one of his gloves off in preparation for inevitable debris. There were five stories, he could clear a flight in three minutes… He could make it. He could make it!
His feet hit the landing of the fifth floor right as the stairwell caved in. The crunch of cement and metal had been loud, and he’d sprinted, hand outreached to decay the fifth-floor stairwell access door in his mad rush. The floor had started to give away as he ran. Tenko had kept running, decaying walls and obstacles as he raced the falling building… Then something had hit the back of his head, hard, and he’d gone down for the count. The last thing he remembered thinking about before darkness took his vision was a pair of startlingly blue eyes.
Touya was going to be so pissed.
Dust groaned softly, pulling his hand away from his head and finding it bloody. A light concussion probably. That explained blacking out, along with the swimming lights and blaring sounds. He wiped the blood onto the dirty and damaged thigh of his Hero Suit, before propping himself up and trying to get a better look at what condition he was in. Which, it turned out, was hard to do now that he was aware of the shape of his arm. Every movement jarred the injured limb, making Tenko’s eyes water and his teeth clench. Besides the arm and concussion, there were a number of places where debris had torn open his suit, and left gashes in his skin, though none seemed deadly or worth worrying about at the moment.
So, now to deal with his arm, or more accurately, his ungloved hand. Leaving it bare was an extra risk for any hero that managed to get through the rubble to find him… Even if they knew about his quirk, manipulating him while he couldn’t control its movement was dangerous.
Tenko bent forward a bit to reach for the first aid kit he kept in a pouch strapped to his thigh, biting back a pained noise all the while. Getting it open with one hand was a bit of a pain, but once he had, Tenko dug through it until he found a roll of gauze and medical tape.
Then came the hard part.
Grabbing ahold of his bare hand, he pulled it into his lap, careful that his fingers didn’t touch his hero suit. He couldn’t decay himself, but his clothes and tools weren’t so lucky. Cries of pain left his throat as his broken arm protested. Similarly, his vision swam with tears, Tenko blinking them away as he focused on the task at literal hand. He wound the gauze tightly around his ring and pinky finger, covering them in a thick layer of the material and then securing it with the tape.
His quirk now under control, Tenko laid back, wiping his eyes furiously with the back of his hand. His breaths were pained sobs, each one wracking his frame. The rescue hero took a deep breath, reaching into a pocket to find his phone, pulling it out closer to his face so he could make it out through his teary eyes. The screen was shattered, unsurprisingly, but it seemed to be working.
A few button presses and he was connected to the Rescue Network, sending out a Downed Hero signal to everyone else connected to it in the area.
All he could do now was wait, and hope someone would find him.
A Different Path
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TiredLesbian
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 2:45 pm
Re: A Different Path
How the fuck could someone be so…. Stupid? Idiotic? Moronic? Countless other words to describe Tenko Shimura and the utterly dumb shit he just pulled in front of god and everyone.
Touya swore that the other man often thought without consequence. No second-guessing, no pausing to make sure no would die, none of that. Just unadulterated mindless jumping into action. It happened time and time again and with each time? Touya was scared that the other wouldn’t make it out of the dumb situation alive. The white-haired man searched half frantically for his friend, tuning out sounds around him as he searched the rubble near the now-demolished building brain going a hundred miles per hour with worry.
Watching the other hero leap into action had made Touya unbelievably worried, for good reason too. The building was unstable, and another rescue hero had taken quick notice of the situation and had already leaped in to help. He'd done his best to keep his cool while Tenko went to "help", keeping civilians back away from the scene to make sure no other injuries were sustained other than those that had already been hurt. He could only watch as that the building began to collapse, with his roommate and friend inside, hoping deep in his heart that his stupidity wouldn't get his ass killed this time. "Come on, Dust..." Phoenix mumbled as he watched the building go down, heroes that could withstand the impact jumping in to try to keep the other from getting crushed, but there was only so much they could do with the given situation.
The building was finally down within minutes of Dust rushing inside. Heroes handed civilian control over to the police and went to work trying to find their fellow hero, calling out over sirens and chatter of onlookers while they checked the rubble. Touya had the bright idea to check the Rescue Network, seeing the Signal and immediately rushing over to help his friend. Well, to help for the most part, and scold his ass for being so god damn reckless.
Honestly? Touya had always been worried about his friends, even if he didn't have many of them, to begin with. He was always the one bandaging people up after fights, making food when they hadn't eaten, helping with emotional turmoil, that sort of thing. He was always the one to tell people to be fucking careful, to not die in action. Even if he was an asshole about it, he worried. After all, he was a big brother, it was his job in general to worry about people he cared about. And for some reason, Tenko was one of those people.
Rubble crunched under black boots as Phoenix approached where the signal had come from, giving a quick call out to the other heroes looking to let them know he'd successfully found Dust, giving a sigh of relief to see his friend alive. Injured, but alive.
"Hey dumbass. Come on, let's go. Your fucking stunt had everyone worried, pretty sure the civilians think you're fucking dead." He scolded as he went to help Tenko up, helping him to walk once he got him to his feet. "I can't believe you're that stupid, to run into a collapsing building like that. Idiot."
Touya swore that the other man often thought without consequence. No second-guessing, no pausing to make sure no would die, none of that. Just unadulterated mindless jumping into action. It happened time and time again and with each time? Touya was scared that the other wouldn’t make it out of the dumb situation alive. The white-haired man searched half frantically for his friend, tuning out sounds around him as he searched the rubble near the now-demolished building brain going a hundred miles per hour with worry.
Watching the other hero leap into action had made Touya unbelievably worried, for good reason too. The building was unstable, and another rescue hero had taken quick notice of the situation and had already leaped in to help. He'd done his best to keep his cool while Tenko went to "help", keeping civilians back away from the scene to make sure no other injuries were sustained other than those that had already been hurt. He could only watch as that the building began to collapse, with his roommate and friend inside, hoping deep in his heart that his stupidity wouldn't get his ass killed this time. "Come on, Dust..." Phoenix mumbled as he watched the building go down, heroes that could withstand the impact jumping in to try to keep the other from getting crushed, but there was only so much they could do with the given situation.
The building was finally down within minutes of Dust rushing inside. Heroes handed civilian control over to the police and went to work trying to find their fellow hero, calling out over sirens and chatter of onlookers while they checked the rubble. Touya had the bright idea to check the Rescue Network, seeing the Signal and immediately rushing over to help his friend. Well, to help for the most part, and scold his ass for being so god damn reckless.
Honestly? Touya had always been worried about his friends, even if he didn't have many of them, to begin with. He was always the one bandaging people up after fights, making food when they hadn't eaten, helping with emotional turmoil, that sort of thing. He was always the one to tell people to be fucking careful, to not die in action. Even if he was an asshole about it, he worried. After all, he was a big brother, it was his job in general to worry about people he cared about. And for some reason, Tenko was one of those people.
Rubble crunched under black boots as Phoenix approached where the signal had come from, giving a quick call out to the other heroes looking to let them know he'd successfully found Dust, giving a sigh of relief to see his friend alive. Injured, but alive.
"Hey dumbass. Come on, let's go. Your fucking stunt had everyone worried, pretty sure the civilians think you're fucking dead." He scolded as he went to help Tenko up, helping him to walk once he got him to his feet. "I can't believe you're that stupid, to run into a collapsing building like that. Idiot."
Re: A Different Path
Laying back among the jagged rubble to wait, red eyes slipped closed once more. With the head injury, he knew better than to try and move on his own… The broken arm was certainly enough of a deterrent by itself in that respect. In this situation, his rescue hero training supplied that the best thing to do would be to stay still and remain calm. Easy enough. Tenko focused on his breathing, counting the length of the inhale and exhale, and the space between each. That focus helped him to ignore some of the other aches and pains that, thanks to the adrenaline fading from his system, were each vying for attention.
In… Hold... Out… Hold...
The sirens faded slowly.
In… Hold... Out… Hold…
The ringing in his ears abated,
In… Hold... Out… Hold…
Crunch.
Tenko’s eyes flew open, casting off to his left to try and figure out what that had been. Debris shifting, or..?
White, he could vaguely make it out… Hair? With a pained gasp he sat up, trying to get a better look at the person and make himself more visible. His first attempt at calling out to them was little more than a breathy croak, the hero scowling and swallowing before trying again.
“O-Over here..!”
Then, as the crunching grew closer, the rest of his rescuer’s familiar form came into view… The white hair, the cobalt eyes, the blue flames pouring out from the shoulders of his hero suit.
Touya Todoroki, the Hero Phoenix…
The hero’s relief at someone finding him- and a soft warmth that it was his friend, of all people- was quickly dwarfed by shame and indignation curling in his stomach from the scolding. Well… It was nice to know that his almost-last thoughts had been right on the money. Touya looked pissed. If Tenko was honest with himself, though, he knew the other rescue hero had every reason to be. This was far from the first time Tenko had moved without thinking and put himself in unnecessary danger while in the line of duty.
Knowing him, it would be far from the last time, either.
Tenko was sure his fellow rescue hero could already tell the extent of his injuries… Outlining them would probably just make Touya more pissed than he already was. If that was possible… Likely the only thing saving him from impromptu incineration at the moment was that they were both on the clock. Dust could only imagine the chewing out he was going to get when they got back home, away from the civilian eyes and cameras. If he was really lucky, maybe he wouldn’t end up as a pile of smoking ash.
A frown pulled at dry lips as he accepted the other Hero’s help to stand, the corners of his mouth pulling further down into a grimace when his mangled arm protested. Sudden verticality had the rescue hero’s vision swimming, neon spots playing in his periphery. Likely the concussion’s doing. The arm that wasn’t broken wrapped around Touya’s shoulders for support, Dust’s legs still shaky and his balance off.
“I can’t leave people behind To- Phoenix. Y-you know that… Not w-when I could help.” He shot back, though Tenko knew better than to assume that would be enough to appease the other man. Instead, he took in the devastation surrounding them, hoping for a glance of the civilian in question. “Is she okay..? Did someone find her?” As they made their way around the rubble that had once been the front of the building, movement caught his eye. A couple of rescue heroes that he recognized as cave-in specialists were tossing slabs of concrete and debris out of the way, likely searching for the woman now that building was down and Dust had been located. The injured hero stopped in his tracks, watching just long enough to see a limp, pale arm-
Dust quickly looked away, steeling his jaw and fighting back the wave of guilt and nausea that rose within him.
If he’d… If he’d just been a little faster, she might have…
He swallowed down the emotions, not letting them rise and overwhelm him. There would be time for that later. Right now, he needed to reassure the civilians that he was alive, and have his wounds treated.
A smile broke out over his face as the civilians came into view waving at them and doing his best to seem as if nothing bad had happened... It was a good ruse, one that only the very closest people to him would ever be able to see through.
In… Hold... Out… Hold...
The sirens faded slowly.
In… Hold... Out… Hold…
The ringing in his ears abated,
In… Hold... Out… Hold…
Crunch.
Tenko’s eyes flew open, casting off to his left to try and figure out what that had been. Debris shifting, or..?
White, he could vaguely make it out… Hair? With a pained gasp he sat up, trying to get a better look at the person and make himself more visible. His first attempt at calling out to them was little more than a breathy croak, the hero scowling and swallowing before trying again.
“O-Over here..!”
Then, as the crunching grew closer, the rest of his rescuer’s familiar form came into view… The white hair, the cobalt eyes, the blue flames pouring out from the shoulders of his hero suit.
Touya Todoroki, the Hero Phoenix…
The hero’s relief at someone finding him- and a soft warmth that it was his friend, of all people- was quickly dwarfed by shame and indignation curling in his stomach from the scolding. Well… It was nice to know that his almost-last thoughts had been right on the money. Touya looked pissed. If Tenko was honest with himself, though, he knew the other rescue hero had every reason to be. This was far from the first time Tenko had moved without thinking and put himself in unnecessary danger while in the line of duty.
Knowing him, it would be far from the last time, either.
Tenko was sure his fellow rescue hero could already tell the extent of his injuries… Outlining them would probably just make Touya more pissed than he already was. If that was possible… Likely the only thing saving him from impromptu incineration at the moment was that they were both on the clock. Dust could only imagine the chewing out he was going to get when they got back home, away from the civilian eyes and cameras. If he was really lucky, maybe he wouldn’t end up as a pile of smoking ash.
A frown pulled at dry lips as he accepted the other Hero’s help to stand, the corners of his mouth pulling further down into a grimace when his mangled arm protested. Sudden verticality had the rescue hero’s vision swimming, neon spots playing in his periphery. Likely the concussion’s doing. The arm that wasn’t broken wrapped around Touya’s shoulders for support, Dust’s legs still shaky and his balance off.
“I can’t leave people behind To- Phoenix. Y-you know that… Not w-when I could help.” He shot back, though Tenko knew better than to assume that would be enough to appease the other man. Instead, he took in the devastation surrounding them, hoping for a glance of the civilian in question. “Is she okay..? Did someone find her?” As they made their way around the rubble that had once been the front of the building, movement caught his eye. A couple of rescue heroes that he recognized as cave-in specialists were tossing slabs of concrete and debris out of the way, likely searching for the woman now that building was down and Dust had been located. The injured hero stopped in his tracks, watching just long enough to see a limp, pale arm-
Dust quickly looked away, steeling his jaw and fighting back the wave of guilt and nausea that rose within him.
If he’d… If he’d just been a little faster, she might have…
He swallowed down the emotions, not letting them rise and overwhelm him. There would be time for that later. Right now, he needed to reassure the civilians that he was alive, and have his wounds treated.
A smile broke out over his face as the civilians came into view waving at them and doing his best to seem as if nothing bad had happened... It was a good ruse, one that only the very closest people to him would ever be able to see through.
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TiredLesbian
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 2:45 pm
Re: A Different Path
If the two heroes weren’t on the clock at the moment, Touya was sure that Tenko would be getting a far worse scolding from him right now, that was for sure. Incineration was definitely on the table, but Touya would just have to see how pissed he still was by the time they got back to their apartment. He knew the scolding would do him no good though. Tenko’s instinct to save people was far too strong, which was exactly what made him such a damn good rescue hero. It was people like him that made sure everyone went home at the end of the day, and Touya knew that there was absolutely nothing he could do to put out that burning desire to save.
The man let little to no sympathy leak through his pissed expression as he watched the other grimace and wince at the pain he could only imagine he felt, remembering back to the time he’d broken his own arm and they ended up in a similar situation to their current one. It had hurt like a bitch, and if he hadn’t had Tenko to help him, he more than likely would’ve been in a whole new world of pain. Phoenix allowed the flames that adorned his hero costume to die out to allow his friend to wrap his arm around his shoulders, starting to walk with him back towards the ambulances once he was where he could walk.
“I know, Dust, and that’s what pisses me off about you. You don’t know when to stop saving. Sometimes, people can’t be saved.” It was a bit pessimistic of him to say, but it had been a lesson he’d learned on his own back when he first started as a hero. Not everyone could be saved, and you sometimes have to save your own life before someone else’s. It makes him sound like an awful person, but he didn’t care. He’d almost died once, and he cared enough about himself, his family, and friends not to let it happen again. Touya could only imagine the grief his mother would feel about him dying, and that was enough to keep him alive in this line of work.
“She’s…” He caught a glimpse of the cave-in specialists tossing concrete and debris away to look for the woman, seeing the definitely dead woman’s arm in the rubble. He couldn’t help but shake his head, biting back his own wave of guilt as they moved on. Of course, he felt guilty, who wouldn’t? The mission was a so-called success, but there had been a casualty, meaning the whole team of heroes had failed. If any one of them had seen her sooner, or if they’d gotten her out with the rest of the civilians, maybe she’d still be alive.
Phoenix saw straight through Dust’s facade as they rounded the corner to see all of the civilians, his own small fake smile coming to pull at the corners of his lips. Sometimes you just had to put on a fake smile to let people know things were okay.
After getting Tenko’s wounds treated, giving their statements to police, changing out of their hero costumes, and finally getting the okay to head home, Touya experienced the quietest car ride of his life. The tension was so thick you could cut it, but he refrained from saying anything until they were behind closed doors, and he was somewhere with a fire extinguisher just in case. It wasn’t long before they were home, and Touya could finally express how he felt about the situation as he set his bag and keys down by the door.
“You know, sometimes I wonder if you even think about how other people feel before you do something. I really do. You could’ve died, Tenko, and I probably would’ve been the one to find your fucking corpse with my luck. You have to stop and think about how your actions affect other people. I always think of how my fucking mom and siblings would react if I died at work, and it almost kills me to think about it. You just can’t seem to get it through that thick skull of yours that some people actually give two shits about you!”
The man let little to no sympathy leak through his pissed expression as he watched the other grimace and wince at the pain he could only imagine he felt, remembering back to the time he’d broken his own arm and they ended up in a similar situation to their current one. It had hurt like a bitch, and if he hadn’t had Tenko to help him, he more than likely would’ve been in a whole new world of pain. Phoenix allowed the flames that adorned his hero costume to die out to allow his friend to wrap his arm around his shoulders, starting to walk with him back towards the ambulances once he was where he could walk.
“I know, Dust, and that’s what pisses me off about you. You don’t know when to stop saving. Sometimes, people can’t be saved.” It was a bit pessimistic of him to say, but it had been a lesson he’d learned on his own back when he first started as a hero. Not everyone could be saved, and you sometimes have to save your own life before someone else’s. It makes him sound like an awful person, but he didn’t care. He’d almost died once, and he cared enough about himself, his family, and friends not to let it happen again. Touya could only imagine the grief his mother would feel about him dying, and that was enough to keep him alive in this line of work.
“She’s…” He caught a glimpse of the cave-in specialists tossing concrete and debris away to look for the woman, seeing the definitely dead woman’s arm in the rubble. He couldn’t help but shake his head, biting back his own wave of guilt as they moved on. Of course, he felt guilty, who wouldn’t? The mission was a so-called success, but there had been a casualty, meaning the whole team of heroes had failed. If any one of them had seen her sooner, or if they’d gotten her out with the rest of the civilians, maybe she’d still be alive.
Phoenix saw straight through Dust’s facade as they rounded the corner to see all of the civilians, his own small fake smile coming to pull at the corners of his lips. Sometimes you just had to put on a fake smile to let people know things were okay.
After getting Tenko’s wounds treated, giving their statements to police, changing out of their hero costumes, and finally getting the okay to head home, Touya experienced the quietest car ride of his life. The tension was so thick you could cut it, but he refrained from saying anything until they were behind closed doors, and he was somewhere with a fire extinguisher just in case. It wasn’t long before they were home, and Touya could finally express how he felt about the situation as he set his bag and keys down by the door.
“You know, sometimes I wonder if you even think about how other people feel before you do something. I really do. You could’ve died, Tenko, and I probably would’ve been the one to find your fucking corpse with my luck. You have to stop and think about how your actions affect other people. I always think of how my fucking mom and siblings would react if I died at work, and it almost kills me to think about it. You just can’t seem to get it through that thick skull of yours that some people actually give two shits about you!”
Re: A Different Path
Sometimes people can’t be saved.
His friend’s words echoed around his skull, a dull weight in his chest at the truth of them. He wanted to reject it. Dust strove to save everyone. To leave no one behind… He’d gotten himself into more than one tough situation doing so, to which his roommate was more than aware. No matter how many times his back ended up against the wall, or his good intentions ended up squandered, he wouldn’t drop that line of thinking.
But… Touya was right.
That woman’s death was another failure, another painful reminder that no matter how hard he tried, someone could still end up dead. He wasn’t all-powerful. He couldn’t see everyone that needed saving… In fact, he’d probably overlooked a fair amount of people without even realizing it.
A rolling wave of nausea built up in the hero’s stomach as the paramedics checked him out, admonishing him much as Touya had, though not as harshly. His head wound was cleaned and bandaged and the broken arm was quickly and painlessly set, thanks to one of the EMT’s quirks. When they were all finished the arm had been set in a cast, held close to his chest in a grey sling. A month of rest and weekly visits to an accelerated healing quirk user and he could be cleared for Hero Work again.
Giving his statement was quick enough, Tenko relating what had happened and being jokingly admonished by another group of professionals for acting so rashly. All the while, he kept on that fake smile, waving to the cameras and civilians as they passed.
Changing out of his hero suit wasn’t too much of an endeavor. Tenko had spent his whole life-changing his clothes using as few fingers as possible, doing it one-handed wasn’t too different. He managed everything up until where they’d cut away his sleeve… There really wasn’t a way to get it over the cast comfortably so, with a sigh, he freed his good hand from his gloves and decayed the whole shirt away. His hero suit would have to be replaced after that, anyway… But it still felt like a waste, as little particles of the fabric drifted to the floor. Getting his civilian clothes on was a bit less of a challenge, Tenko re-emerging in a grey hoodie and matching sweatpants. The fabric meant to cover his right arm was left limp and empty, his sling underneath the hoodie, in order to avoid the whole fiasco of trying to pull the sleeve over it.
He hadn’t been able to meet Touya’s eyes as he got into the car, that fake smile fading the moment he was behind the tinted glass. The ride was… Silent, something that further upset the churning nausea in his abdomen. Any attempt to break the silence died in his throat, leaving Tenko staring out the window he leaned against for the whole of the ride. Who knew, this might be the last time he ever got to ride in a car. Hopefully, Touya would at least make it quick when he incinerated him.
Coming in the front door felt like a relief, even with the building tension. Away from the crowds and the people that relied on him as a hero, Tenko could let his emotions out. Many a night like this had been spent in his room, devouring the most sugar-loaded ice cream he could find and definitely not crying. Though it didn’t seem he’d get much of a chance to retreat into his safe haven if he was reading the room right.
A cracked phone and second set of keys joined Touya’s, Tenko hearing the metaphorical trip gong ring when the door shut, cutting them off from the rest of the world. Tenko set his jaw, not shying away from Touya’s outburst. A lesser man would have shrunk away from Phoenix’s wrath, but Dust knew him, and wouldn’t be intimidated. All the guilt and shame and pain pooled in his stomach and burst out as a heavy ball of frustration.
“My job is to try and save people, Touya! That’s what I’ve trained to do since I was six! A moment of hesitation could be someone’s life!” Dust moved into the other man’s space, not about to let Touya think he would take this verbal abuse lying down. “I didn’t die, I got banged up, sure, but that’s all part of the job description, Phoenix! You should know that! If I tried to avoid every dangerous situation that came up I wouldn’t be a Hero!”
His garnet eyes bored into Touya’s unwaveringly.
“Well great for you, I’m glad you have a mother and siblings to worry about you and go back to! I don’t. This is all I have, what I’ve dedicated my life to and I’m going to do it the absolute best I can, even if it means I get hurt!"
Tenko had to quickly steady himself at the momentary remembrance of his lost family, and the corresponding vertigo that always came with it. He knew it was his fault they were gone… Quirk accidents were fairly common with children, and his own was so easily lethal. The memories were locked away for good reason, no matter what the therapists had said. Even the little flashes he sometimes got were enough to give him panic attacks. The Hero Dust swallowed thickly, suppressing the urge to anxiously scratch at his eyes and neck. It was an impulse he’d once had trouble with, but as an adult, he managed it much better.
“This is all I have, Touya!” Tenko meant to snarl his words at the other man, but couldn’t stop his tone from cracking into something approaching a sob. Fuck. He couldn’t break in front of his roommate, not now... He could feel the frustration stinging at his tired eyes, the weight of his failure curling up jagged and merciless under his sternum.
“If you’re going to burn me alive for trying to save someone, then do it already.”
His friend’s words echoed around his skull, a dull weight in his chest at the truth of them. He wanted to reject it. Dust strove to save everyone. To leave no one behind… He’d gotten himself into more than one tough situation doing so, to which his roommate was more than aware. No matter how many times his back ended up against the wall, or his good intentions ended up squandered, he wouldn’t drop that line of thinking.
But… Touya was right.
That woman’s death was another failure, another painful reminder that no matter how hard he tried, someone could still end up dead. He wasn’t all-powerful. He couldn’t see everyone that needed saving… In fact, he’d probably overlooked a fair amount of people without even realizing it.
A rolling wave of nausea built up in the hero’s stomach as the paramedics checked him out, admonishing him much as Touya had, though not as harshly. His head wound was cleaned and bandaged and the broken arm was quickly and painlessly set, thanks to one of the EMT’s quirks. When they were all finished the arm had been set in a cast, held close to his chest in a grey sling. A month of rest and weekly visits to an accelerated healing quirk user and he could be cleared for Hero Work again.
Giving his statement was quick enough, Tenko relating what had happened and being jokingly admonished by another group of professionals for acting so rashly. All the while, he kept on that fake smile, waving to the cameras and civilians as they passed.
Changing out of his hero suit wasn’t too much of an endeavor. Tenko had spent his whole life-changing his clothes using as few fingers as possible, doing it one-handed wasn’t too different. He managed everything up until where they’d cut away his sleeve… There really wasn’t a way to get it over the cast comfortably so, with a sigh, he freed his good hand from his gloves and decayed the whole shirt away. His hero suit would have to be replaced after that, anyway… But it still felt like a waste, as little particles of the fabric drifted to the floor. Getting his civilian clothes on was a bit less of a challenge, Tenko re-emerging in a grey hoodie and matching sweatpants. The fabric meant to cover his right arm was left limp and empty, his sling underneath the hoodie, in order to avoid the whole fiasco of trying to pull the sleeve over it.
He hadn’t been able to meet Touya’s eyes as he got into the car, that fake smile fading the moment he was behind the tinted glass. The ride was… Silent, something that further upset the churning nausea in his abdomen. Any attempt to break the silence died in his throat, leaving Tenko staring out the window he leaned against for the whole of the ride. Who knew, this might be the last time he ever got to ride in a car. Hopefully, Touya would at least make it quick when he incinerated him.
Coming in the front door felt like a relief, even with the building tension. Away from the crowds and the people that relied on him as a hero, Tenko could let his emotions out. Many a night like this had been spent in his room, devouring the most sugar-loaded ice cream he could find and definitely not crying. Though it didn’t seem he’d get much of a chance to retreat into his safe haven if he was reading the room right.
A cracked phone and second set of keys joined Touya’s, Tenko hearing the metaphorical trip gong ring when the door shut, cutting them off from the rest of the world. Tenko set his jaw, not shying away from Touya’s outburst. A lesser man would have shrunk away from Phoenix’s wrath, but Dust knew him, and wouldn’t be intimidated. All the guilt and shame and pain pooled in his stomach and burst out as a heavy ball of frustration.
“My job is to try and save people, Touya! That’s what I’ve trained to do since I was six! A moment of hesitation could be someone’s life!” Dust moved into the other man’s space, not about to let Touya think he would take this verbal abuse lying down. “I didn’t die, I got banged up, sure, but that’s all part of the job description, Phoenix! You should know that! If I tried to avoid every dangerous situation that came up I wouldn’t be a Hero!”
His garnet eyes bored into Touya’s unwaveringly.
“Well great for you, I’m glad you have a mother and siblings to worry about you and go back to! I don’t. This is all I have, what I’ve dedicated my life to and I’m going to do it the absolute best I can, even if it means I get hurt!"
Tenko had to quickly steady himself at the momentary remembrance of his lost family, and the corresponding vertigo that always came with it. He knew it was his fault they were gone… Quirk accidents were fairly common with children, and his own was so easily lethal. The memories were locked away for good reason, no matter what the therapists had said. Even the little flashes he sometimes got were enough to give him panic attacks. The Hero Dust swallowed thickly, suppressing the urge to anxiously scratch at his eyes and neck. It was an impulse he’d once had trouble with, but as an adult, he managed it much better.
“This is all I have, Touya!” Tenko meant to snarl his words at the other man, but couldn’t stop his tone from cracking into something approaching a sob. Fuck. He couldn’t break in front of his roommate, not now... He could feel the frustration stinging at his tired eyes, the weight of his failure curling up jagged and merciless under his sternum.
“If you’re going to burn me alive for trying to save someone, then do it already.”
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TiredLesbian
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 2:45 pm
Re: A Different Path
It was a sad reality in their line of work that some people couldn't be saved. As a hero, you wanted to save everyone, but at the same time, your life matters as well, and there are some tough calls that have to be made. Touya had made his fair share of tough calls over the years, and none of them were ever remotely easy, but they had to be made sometimes. It was sad, yeah, but in the end, you had to live with your choices at the end of the day.
Touya could feel his body grow hot as the other man argued back to him, taking a step back as Tenko moved closer into his space. "I know that! I know that more than anything! It's part of the job, yeah, but when do you realize that putting yourself in situations that are more dangerous than they have to be is stupid? When do you realize that you could fucking die doing one of these stunts. If you would've waited a second, you would've seen the other hero go to save her! But it didn't matter who went after her, she still..she still died, Tenko. You could've fucking died and it wouldn't have changed anything."
The white haired man's throat felt tight as he lectured the other, hating the thought that nothing would've changed if Tenko would've died today. The woman still would've died in the collapse because no one was fast enough, and Tenko would have died in vain, trying but failing to save her. He cleared his throat to collect himself, taking a moment to pause as Tenko mentioned his lack of family to be able to go to.
"Maybe you don't have a mother or siblings to go back to, but you have me. You have me, and my mom, Fuyumi, Natsuo, and Shoto. We care about you, you idiot. It's not all you have, but if you wanna think that, be my guest. There are people who would actually miss you if you kicked the fucking bucket."
They never talked much about what happened to Tenko's family. It was an unspoken rule between the two of them not to talk about it for fear of opening up the old wound, but it seems tonight was the night it was brought up again. Over the years they'd lived together though, Touya made sure to include Tenko in most of his family's activities, from dinners to family trips, Touya always tried to bring the other along. He felt like it was the least he could do to provide the other a family, since he didn't exactly had one. The Todorokis were more than welcoming, which was a relief to Touya.
"No it's not! You have me, and I can't...I can't fucking lose you, Tenko! I just can't, because if I did, I don't know how I'd feel anymore. " Blue flames lit his shoulders ablaze from frustration, and for a moment Touya was glad all of his clothes weren't able to burn. But nonetheless, Touya was frustrated that Tenko was so willing to get himself hurt and possibly killed because he thought hero work was all he had. It left a pain in his chest to think about it, and he wasn't sure why, but he just knew that he couldn't lose him.
Above everyone else, he couldn't lose Tenko Shimura.
"Look, I'm...I'm not gonna kill you or whatever you think I'm gonna do. Sorry I ever fucking worried about you or even gave a shit, don't worry, it won't happen again." Flames died out to be barely visible as Touya gave up, knowing they could go on for hours like this, with his temper and Tenko's stubbornness. "If you wanna die at work, be my guest."
Touya could feel his body grow hot as the other man argued back to him, taking a step back as Tenko moved closer into his space. "I know that! I know that more than anything! It's part of the job, yeah, but when do you realize that putting yourself in situations that are more dangerous than they have to be is stupid? When do you realize that you could fucking die doing one of these stunts. If you would've waited a second, you would've seen the other hero go to save her! But it didn't matter who went after her, she still..she still died, Tenko. You could've fucking died and it wouldn't have changed anything."
The white haired man's throat felt tight as he lectured the other, hating the thought that nothing would've changed if Tenko would've died today. The woman still would've died in the collapse because no one was fast enough, and Tenko would have died in vain, trying but failing to save her. He cleared his throat to collect himself, taking a moment to pause as Tenko mentioned his lack of family to be able to go to.
"Maybe you don't have a mother or siblings to go back to, but you have me. You have me, and my mom, Fuyumi, Natsuo, and Shoto. We care about you, you idiot. It's not all you have, but if you wanna think that, be my guest. There are people who would actually miss you if you kicked the fucking bucket."
They never talked much about what happened to Tenko's family. It was an unspoken rule between the two of them not to talk about it for fear of opening up the old wound, but it seems tonight was the night it was brought up again. Over the years they'd lived together though, Touya made sure to include Tenko in most of his family's activities, from dinners to family trips, Touya always tried to bring the other along. He felt like it was the least he could do to provide the other a family, since he didn't exactly had one. The Todorokis were more than welcoming, which was a relief to Touya.
"No it's not! You have me, and I can't...I can't fucking lose you, Tenko! I just can't, because if I did, I don't know how I'd feel anymore. " Blue flames lit his shoulders ablaze from frustration, and for a moment Touya was glad all of his clothes weren't able to burn. But nonetheless, Touya was frustrated that Tenko was so willing to get himself hurt and possibly killed because he thought hero work was all he had. It left a pain in his chest to think about it, and he wasn't sure why, but he just knew that he couldn't lose him.
Above everyone else, he couldn't lose Tenko Shimura.
"Look, I'm...I'm not gonna kill you or whatever you think I'm gonna do. Sorry I ever fucking worried about you or even gave a shit, don't worry, it won't happen again." Flames died out to be barely visible as Touya gave up, knowing they could go on for hours like this, with his temper and Tenko's stubbornness. "If you wanna die at work, be my guest."
Re: A Different Path
Tenko had been primed to argue, to defend himself, but all his heated words died in his throat as Touya spoke the reality of the situation. He… He knew that. He knew that if things had gone just a little differently, he could have died a meaningless death, today. It could have been his limp body they found in the rubble…
Even knowing that Tenko still couldn’t bring himself to regret that he had run in. He’d tried… Though the failure and futility remained a dull ache in his chest.
“I couldn’t just-!” His voice broke off into something that was not a sob, Tenko gritting his teeth.
Anger twisted into guilt and self-loathing in his stomach. The Todorokis… Not his family by blood, but they might as well be these days. Tenko had been so nervous meeting them the first time Touya had asked him to come to a family dinner. He’d worn two pairs of gloves and his nicest clothes- not his pro hero shirts or ripped jeans, no, he’d busted out the good pants and a proper button-up shirt for that meal. He’d been stiff and anxious the whole time, tripping over his words.
Even so, they accepted him without hesitation, even with his dangerous quirk.
The family so quickly became people he knew he could trust. People he could rely on and support in return. He could listen to Fuyumi talk about the hijinks her students got into or Natsuo complain about his classes all day, and they seemed happy to listen to him about hero work all the same. Tenko had lost his voice for a full day after cheering Shoto on with the rest of the family during the Sports Festival. The youngest sibling was a bit like him, and they’d gotten on quite well… Tenko was so proud of his progress at UA.
They’d all come together to celebrate him and Touya receiving their Hero Licenses with a huge family dinner. Rei had baked the two of them a cake, with their names and well-wishes written all over it in different shades of blue. All his anxieties and worries about entering the world of pro heroes had melted away and he’d just… Been a part of this family. A real family, who cared about each other’s hopes and dreams. Who loved each other.
That memory kept him going through every difficult patrol or tough situation.
Blue flames brought Tenko back to the present situation, his oldest and closest friend in front of him, his frustration evident. This close, Tenko could feel the heat drying his already irritated skin, and he instinctively took a step back. He hadn’t been able to put on one of his creams after washing the blood and grime from his face at the agency, and scarred skin around his eyes and neck was already feeling parched. Luckily he’d escaped that with his lips, as Tenko always made sure to carry some sort of lip balm on him. This particular one had been a vanilla latte flavored tube that... Touya had actually given him back when the flavor first came out.
Both Touya and his mother had picked up on his need for personal care products, and unwillingness to shop for them himself, in fact. Most holidays and celebrations ended with him carrying home a bag full of all sorts of skin and lip care products. He’d been self-conscious receiving them, at first. The dryness was a result of Decay that he couldn’t help, and he’d faced a good amount of ridicule for it growing up- ‘Crusty’ had been the derogatory nickname of choice. Because of that, it had taken him a few gifts to realize that the items only had good intentions behind them. The two Todorokis cared more that the quirk side-effect made him uncomfortable than how unsightly it was.
They cared.
Touya cared.
Tenko looked away as his oldest friend’s flames died down, scowling softly in the general direction of the front door. Emotions were warring inside his chest- guilt, anger, helplessness, frustration. Shame. The words wouldn’t come and he wasn’t sure what they would be when they did.
Silence stretched past what felt like the point of no return before he could finally get something out from his scarred throat.
“... Touya I can’t… I can’t be like them, I can’t see a scared kid walking around a street alone and ignore them because helping would be inconvenient.” He hated how soft and broken his voice sounded, bringing that up. It was one of the only childhood memories he had... walking down a crowded city street, dirty and scraped up while crowds of people ignored him, or quickly looked away. He’d been so scared, aimless, lost, and… alone on a crowded city street. If it hadn’t been for the Hero that eventually stopped to help him, there would have been no telling what horrible thing could have happened to him, or who could have found him.
When they were both younger, he shared that memory after a failed mission, curled up in Touya’s bed under a blanket and staining his sheets with tears. It had been the first time someone had died on Tenko’s watch, and that first time- along with each time after- still sat heavily on his soul.
“I can’t… I can’t do that to someone else.” Tenko rubbed at his eyes, trying to do away with the building liquid before it spilled over and made a fool of him. It was bad enough that his voice was already giving him away. “But if that… If that means I lose our friendship…” The sentence choked off, a dark painful dread under his sternum at the mere mention of losing Touya. The man meant so much to him, more than he could really put words to.
More than he even dared admit to himself out of some quiet fear and embarrassment.
“I’ll… I’ll try to be more careful about it. I’ll try, okay?” There was a soft plip as a tear hit the floor.
Please don’t leave me.
Even knowing that Tenko still couldn’t bring himself to regret that he had run in. He’d tried… Though the failure and futility remained a dull ache in his chest.
“I couldn’t just-!” His voice broke off into something that was not a sob, Tenko gritting his teeth.
Anger twisted into guilt and self-loathing in his stomach. The Todorokis… Not his family by blood, but they might as well be these days. Tenko had been so nervous meeting them the first time Touya had asked him to come to a family dinner. He’d worn two pairs of gloves and his nicest clothes- not his pro hero shirts or ripped jeans, no, he’d busted out the good pants and a proper button-up shirt for that meal. He’d been stiff and anxious the whole time, tripping over his words.
Even so, they accepted him without hesitation, even with his dangerous quirk.
The family so quickly became people he knew he could trust. People he could rely on and support in return. He could listen to Fuyumi talk about the hijinks her students got into or Natsuo complain about his classes all day, and they seemed happy to listen to him about hero work all the same. Tenko had lost his voice for a full day after cheering Shoto on with the rest of the family during the Sports Festival. The youngest sibling was a bit like him, and they’d gotten on quite well… Tenko was so proud of his progress at UA.
They’d all come together to celebrate him and Touya receiving their Hero Licenses with a huge family dinner. Rei had baked the two of them a cake, with their names and well-wishes written all over it in different shades of blue. All his anxieties and worries about entering the world of pro heroes had melted away and he’d just… Been a part of this family. A real family, who cared about each other’s hopes and dreams. Who loved each other.
That memory kept him going through every difficult patrol or tough situation.
Blue flames brought Tenko back to the present situation, his oldest and closest friend in front of him, his frustration evident. This close, Tenko could feel the heat drying his already irritated skin, and he instinctively took a step back. He hadn’t been able to put on one of his creams after washing the blood and grime from his face at the agency, and scarred skin around his eyes and neck was already feeling parched. Luckily he’d escaped that with his lips, as Tenko always made sure to carry some sort of lip balm on him. This particular one had been a vanilla latte flavored tube that... Touya had actually given him back when the flavor first came out.
Both Touya and his mother had picked up on his need for personal care products, and unwillingness to shop for them himself, in fact. Most holidays and celebrations ended with him carrying home a bag full of all sorts of skin and lip care products. He’d been self-conscious receiving them, at first. The dryness was a result of Decay that he couldn’t help, and he’d faced a good amount of ridicule for it growing up- ‘Crusty’ had been the derogatory nickname of choice. Because of that, it had taken him a few gifts to realize that the items only had good intentions behind them. The two Todorokis cared more that the quirk side-effect made him uncomfortable than how unsightly it was.
They cared.
Touya cared.
Tenko looked away as his oldest friend’s flames died down, scowling softly in the general direction of the front door. Emotions were warring inside his chest- guilt, anger, helplessness, frustration. Shame. The words wouldn’t come and he wasn’t sure what they would be when they did.
Silence stretched past what felt like the point of no return before he could finally get something out from his scarred throat.
“... Touya I can’t… I can’t be like them, I can’t see a scared kid walking around a street alone and ignore them because helping would be inconvenient.” He hated how soft and broken his voice sounded, bringing that up. It was one of the only childhood memories he had... walking down a crowded city street, dirty and scraped up while crowds of people ignored him, or quickly looked away. He’d been so scared, aimless, lost, and… alone on a crowded city street. If it hadn’t been for the Hero that eventually stopped to help him, there would have been no telling what horrible thing could have happened to him, or who could have found him.
When they were both younger, he shared that memory after a failed mission, curled up in Touya’s bed under a blanket and staining his sheets with tears. It had been the first time someone had died on Tenko’s watch, and that first time- along with each time after- still sat heavily on his soul.
“I can’t… I can’t do that to someone else.” Tenko rubbed at his eyes, trying to do away with the building liquid before it spilled over and made a fool of him. It was bad enough that his voice was already giving him away. “But if that… If that means I lose our friendship…” The sentence choked off, a dark painful dread under his sternum at the mere mention of losing Touya. The man meant so much to him, more than he could really put words to.
More than he even dared admit to himself out of some quiet fear and embarrassment.
“I’ll… I’ll try to be more careful about it. I’ll try, okay?” There was a soft plip as a tear hit the floor.
Please don’t leave me.
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TiredLesbian
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 2:45 pm
Re: A Different Path
Touya took a hesitant step forward as Tenko's voice sounded strained and the other grit his teeth, out stretching a worried hand before he retracted it. It was just like him, to worry even when they were in the middle of an argument. He gave a tired sigh and a small nod, his friend not even having to finish his sentence for him to know what he was going to say. "I know. I know- you can't just let people die. It's how you are, and it's how you'll always be. Nothing I can say is gonna change that."
He remembered the first time he'd taken Tenko to meet his family, he remembered the dinner like it was yesterday. His family had been excited to finally meet one of Touya's friends, seeing as he never really brought anyone else around or even talked about his other friends or coworkers. So when he brought Tenko over for dinner, they were absolutely over the moon. His mother had immediately welcomed in the other man with open arms, and treated him like her own son from the get go.
And for that? Touya would always be grateful.
Even if his mother did embarrass him with all the stories and baby pictures she'd shown Tenko over the years. Stories of when he was little, stupid pictures of him when he was little, all of those things that looking back on it now, he didn't really mind. He was just glad that Rei had been so welcoming to his friend who'd had such a rough childhood. She helped provide him a home, and Touya could never express how lucky he was to have such a generous mother.
Touya crossed his arms over his chest as he extinguished the flames that lit his shoulders, his own scowl adorning his face. He didn't know how to feel about the situation, the argument as a whole. He didn't want to be the one to break the silence, but the tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
His hardened expression softened as Tenko brought up the memory, knowing exactly what his friend was talking about. He remembered well when Tenko told him about his childhood, curled up in his bed after a failed mission, dealing with a loss for the first time. It had been hard for Touya to hear, but he gave his friend the comfort he'd needed back then.
"You're not like them. You're better than them. You actually have the heart to stop and help, not just walk past, Tenko. You're nothing like them." He tried to reassure him, feeling hot tears prick at his eyes at the mention of them losing their friendship over this. He couldn't lose Tenko, there was no way he could live without his best friend.
"Just...try. That's all I'm asking. Be careful. I get you wanna help people but I just...I can't fucking lose you, Tenko. I can't, because I fucking love you okay?" His eyes widened as soon as the words left his mouth, having realized just what he'd just admitted. He'd truthfully loved Tenko since highschool, but had never had the guts to tell him. He didn't want to think about ruining the friendship they'd worked so hard to build over the years, and now upon admitting it he could imagine everything crumbling down around him.
He remembered the first time he'd taken Tenko to meet his family, he remembered the dinner like it was yesterday. His family had been excited to finally meet one of Touya's friends, seeing as he never really brought anyone else around or even talked about his other friends or coworkers. So when he brought Tenko over for dinner, they were absolutely over the moon. His mother had immediately welcomed in the other man with open arms, and treated him like her own son from the get go.
And for that? Touya would always be grateful.
Even if his mother did embarrass him with all the stories and baby pictures she'd shown Tenko over the years. Stories of when he was little, stupid pictures of him when he was little, all of those things that looking back on it now, he didn't really mind. He was just glad that Rei had been so welcoming to his friend who'd had such a rough childhood. She helped provide him a home, and Touya could never express how lucky he was to have such a generous mother.
Touya crossed his arms over his chest as he extinguished the flames that lit his shoulders, his own scowl adorning his face. He didn't know how to feel about the situation, the argument as a whole. He didn't want to be the one to break the silence, but the tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
His hardened expression softened as Tenko brought up the memory, knowing exactly what his friend was talking about. He remembered well when Tenko told him about his childhood, curled up in his bed after a failed mission, dealing with a loss for the first time. It had been hard for Touya to hear, but he gave his friend the comfort he'd needed back then.
"You're not like them. You're better than them. You actually have the heart to stop and help, not just walk past, Tenko. You're nothing like them." He tried to reassure him, feeling hot tears prick at his eyes at the mention of them losing their friendship over this. He couldn't lose Tenko, there was no way he could live without his best friend.
"Just...try. That's all I'm asking. Be careful. I get you wanna help people but I just...I can't fucking lose you, Tenko. I can't, because I fucking love you okay?" His eyes widened as soon as the words left his mouth, having realized just what he'd just admitted. He'd truthfully loved Tenko since highschool, but had never had the guts to tell him. He didn't want to think about ruining the friendship they'd worked so hard to build over the years, and now upon admitting it he could imagine everything crumbling down around him.
Re: A Different Path
Tenko bit at his bottom lip as the other hero reassured him. For some reason, when Touya was the one saying things like that, it meant more. He could get a thousand ‘thank yous’ and ‘good jobs’ from other people and they still wouldn’t mean as much as his friend telling him that he was better than abandoning people in need.
He let out a soft breath, nodding at Touya’s words... up until the last five. Tenko’s head jerked up, wide garnet eyes meeting sapphire, finding them watery like his own. A series of expressions crossed Tenko’s face- confusion, shock, disbelief- but finally settling on uncertainty. Touya… Meant as a friend, right? He loved him as a friend..? They’d certainly always been close, but neither of them had ever said out loud that they loved each other.
A look at his oldest companion’s expression and he knew that wasn’t it. He’d known Touya for years and could read him like a book- like a book that occasionally burst into flames when it was angry. His eyes said it all. The confession had been a slip of the tongue and… It seemed like he meant it. There had been no backpedaling or attempt to play it off or anything of the sort.
“Touya..? You… Love m-me?” His voice was soft and shaky, the injured hero so unsure. There was a warmth spreading through his chest even so, a pulse of hope and happiness, and something else he was afraid to name. He swallowed thickly, too floored by the revelation to notice the last few remaining tears leaving wet paths down his cheeks.
Touya… Loved him? Loved him? Loved him, Tenko Shimura, with his stubbornness and bad attitude, with his anxieties and fears? With his ugly scars and eternally chapped lips?
...With a pair of hands that could never fully touch him?
It was hard to wrap his head around why he’d want Tenko, of all people. Surely there were better matches for that place at his side... Come to think of it, Tenko had always found it strange that he’d not seen the other man in a lot of relationships. Thinking hard, Tenko could recall one or two, but they never seemed to last long. People had to still be pursuing him… Back in high school, Touya’s desk had always been filled near bursting with chocolate and letters every Valentine’s. No way had that stopped, now that he was a successful Hero.
Touya could have anyone he wanted, just on looks alone… Tenko was embarrassed to recall the several times he’d seen his friend changing, or wearing something that showed off his physique just right. Everything about the man, from those shockingly blue eyes to his many piercings, was so attractive. Touya was hot, a thought that had the pale man’s skin taking on a rosy hue around his cheekbones and ears.
It was more than just looks, though. Touya was also so kind. It was hidden under layers of assholery, sure, but they’d been friends long enough that Tenko could see right through him. After all, he’d been on the receiving end of his friend’s caring nature more than once in the form of Touya making him eat and sleep, or the rare instances when Tenko would go to him seeking comfort. Opening up to Touya had been surprisingly easy, and he'd told him about things he would have trusted no one else with,l like the fragments of memories he got sometimes, or the nauseating suspicions that he’d killed his family.
Then there was his quirk, powerful and awe-inspiring. When they had first met, Tenko had been so jealous of it. Those flames were beautiful and so much more versatile than the quirk at his fingertips. Flames could weld things together, cook food, warm people… It was dangerous, sure- he’d learned that lesson personally back in high school- but Touya had worked so hard and learned to control it. All Decay did was turn things to dust. Not to mention how it was always on, and always a danger to everyone around him. Even now, his uninjured hand was gloved and kept close at his side, a trained response so he wouldn’t run the risk of hurting anyone. Touya didn’t have that issue… He could call forth and send away his fire at will.
Touya Todoroki was amazing.
“This… Isn’t a joke, right? You aren’t just fucking with me?” Tenko’s words were so soft, fragile. ”I don’t know why you’d… But I’m... “ He swallowed back his words, no longer able to meet the other man’s eyes. “I’m just… me.”
He let out a soft breath, nodding at Touya’s words... up until the last five. Tenko’s head jerked up, wide garnet eyes meeting sapphire, finding them watery like his own. A series of expressions crossed Tenko’s face- confusion, shock, disbelief- but finally settling on uncertainty. Touya… Meant as a friend, right? He loved him as a friend..? They’d certainly always been close, but neither of them had ever said out loud that they loved each other.
A look at his oldest companion’s expression and he knew that wasn’t it. He’d known Touya for years and could read him like a book- like a book that occasionally burst into flames when it was angry. His eyes said it all. The confession had been a slip of the tongue and… It seemed like he meant it. There had been no backpedaling or attempt to play it off or anything of the sort.
“Touya..? You… Love m-me?” His voice was soft and shaky, the injured hero so unsure. There was a warmth spreading through his chest even so, a pulse of hope and happiness, and something else he was afraid to name. He swallowed thickly, too floored by the revelation to notice the last few remaining tears leaving wet paths down his cheeks.
Touya… Loved him? Loved him? Loved him, Tenko Shimura, with his stubbornness and bad attitude, with his anxieties and fears? With his ugly scars and eternally chapped lips?
...With a pair of hands that could never fully touch him?
It was hard to wrap his head around why he’d want Tenko, of all people. Surely there were better matches for that place at his side... Come to think of it, Tenko had always found it strange that he’d not seen the other man in a lot of relationships. Thinking hard, Tenko could recall one or two, but they never seemed to last long. People had to still be pursuing him… Back in high school, Touya’s desk had always been filled near bursting with chocolate and letters every Valentine’s. No way had that stopped, now that he was a successful Hero.
Touya could have anyone he wanted, just on looks alone… Tenko was embarrassed to recall the several times he’d seen his friend changing, or wearing something that showed off his physique just right. Everything about the man, from those shockingly blue eyes to his many piercings, was so attractive. Touya was hot, a thought that had the pale man’s skin taking on a rosy hue around his cheekbones and ears.
It was more than just looks, though. Touya was also so kind. It was hidden under layers of assholery, sure, but they’d been friends long enough that Tenko could see right through him. After all, he’d been on the receiving end of his friend’s caring nature more than once in the form of Touya making him eat and sleep, or the rare instances when Tenko would go to him seeking comfort. Opening up to Touya had been surprisingly easy, and he'd told him about things he would have trusted no one else with,l like the fragments of memories he got sometimes, or the nauseating suspicions that he’d killed his family.
Then there was his quirk, powerful and awe-inspiring. When they had first met, Tenko had been so jealous of it. Those flames were beautiful and so much more versatile than the quirk at his fingertips. Flames could weld things together, cook food, warm people… It was dangerous, sure- he’d learned that lesson personally back in high school- but Touya had worked so hard and learned to control it. All Decay did was turn things to dust. Not to mention how it was always on, and always a danger to everyone around him. Even now, his uninjured hand was gloved and kept close at his side, a trained response so he wouldn’t run the risk of hurting anyone. Touya didn’t have that issue… He could call forth and send away his fire at will.
Touya Todoroki was amazing.
“This… Isn’t a joke, right? You aren’t just fucking with me?” Tenko’s words were so soft, fragile. ”I don’t know why you’d… But I’m... “ He swallowed back his words, no longer able to meet the other man’s eyes. “I’m just… me.”
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TiredLesbian
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 2:45 pm
Re: A Different Path
Touya couldn't help but give an almost exasperated sort of laugh at Tenko's comment, uncrossing his arms to drop them to his sides. "You're just "you"? Tenko, that's...that's what I love about you. You're you. Why would I fuck with you about this? You're.. you're fucking amazing, you just don't take the time to realize it. I wish you would." He admitted, finding no reason now not to go on with how he felt, even if he knew that Tenko wouldn't feel the same about him. Just thinking about that egged on more tears, hot as they went down his cheeks.
It wasn't often that you knew and trusted people like Touya knew and trusted Tenko. He trusted him with his life, at work and out of it. He trusted him with his deepest secrets. He trusted him enough to be vulnerable around him, to drop his tough act and just be human for a damn second- to not just be who everyone saw him as. Endeavor's oldest son. Tenko saw him as someone entirely different, and he'd always appreciate that.
Tenko Shimura was someone who Touya thought was amazing. Not only had he been through so, so much in his life, he was an amazing hero and an even more wonderful person. He was kind, selfless, and put everyone else before himself, no matter the situation. He was everything Touya wasn't. His quirk was dangerous, sure, but he had enough control and awareness not to hurt anyone with it. Unlike Touya, who'd accidentally burned more people than he cared to say.
Sure, in highschool he'd always had people coming up to him confessing to him, and every valentine's day his desk was full to the brim with gifts, but he'd never cared about any of that. Even now, people pursued him, texting him on his social media or even coming up to him during his patrols. He'd had two brief relationships over the years, which didn't last long at all due to the fact that his feelings for Tenko wasn't fair to them. It wasn't fair that he couldn't distract himself from his best friend who would never feel the same about him.
He looked to the floor, running a hand through his hair with a shake of his head. "But who am I kidding? There's no way you feel the same about me, I'm too much of an asshole. Why did I think I could get away with being in love with my best friend? I'm a fucking idiot." He sighed, taking a moment to wipe a hot tear from his cheek, not wanting Tenko to see him cry, nonetheless show any sort of weakness in a moment like this.
It wasn't often that you knew and trusted people like Touya knew and trusted Tenko. He trusted him with his life, at work and out of it. He trusted him with his deepest secrets. He trusted him enough to be vulnerable around him, to drop his tough act and just be human for a damn second- to not just be who everyone saw him as. Endeavor's oldest son. Tenko saw him as someone entirely different, and he'd always appreciate that.
Tenko Shimura was someone who Touya thought was amazing. Not only had he been through so, so much in his life, he was an amazing hero and an even more wonderful person. He was kind, selfless, and put everyone else before himself, no matter the situation. He was everything Touya wasn't. His quirk was dangerous, sure, but he had enough control and awareness not to hurt anyone with it. Unlike Touya, who'd accidentally burned more people than he cared to say.
Sure, in highschool he'd always had people coming up to him confessing to him, and every valentine's day his desk was full to the brim with gifts, but he'd never cared about any of that. Even now, people pursued him, texting him on his social media or even coming up to him during his patrols. He'd had two brief relationships over the years, which didn't last long at all due to the fact that his feelings for Tenko wasn't fair to them. It wasn't fair that he couldn't distract himself from his best friend who would never feel the same about him.
He looked to the floor, running a hand through his hair with a shake of his head. "But who am I kidding? There's no way you feel the same about me, I'm too much of an asshole. Why did I think I could get away with being in love with my best friend? I'm a fucking idiot." He sighed, taking a moment to wipe a hot tear from his cheek, not wanting Tenko to see him cry, nonetheless show any sort of weakness in a moment like this.