Broken Mask

17

"Your fault? Shou, it's my fault! If I hadn't let my stupid emotions get in the way, I would've been able to escape in time. I just wanted you to stay safe. I had already fucked up really bad and I... I didn't want to drag you down with me. I was weak and stupid and I don't deserve you at all."

"Izu, look at me. Just look at me. None of this is your fault. You're allowed to fuck up, and yeah, it was pretty bad, but you've literally never made a single mistake before." The smaller boy looked up and started crying even harder.

Deku blinked hard, shaking away the memory before it could finish. Shou didn't give up on me either. Shou? Since when did I call the traitor Shou? It's always been Todoroki... or Shouto on occasion. So why-?

"You." He said with a snarl.

"Me what? What... just happened?"

"You're messing with my head! I don't know how, but ever since you've come, I've been having memories shoved into my head. How? Why do I remember things that are entirely different from how they happened? Why do I remember you being a somewhat decent person? Why do I remember the fucking traitor comforting me?!"

"I- I've already told you... what Icyhot said... about your damn memories."

"Stop giving me that bullshit!" The statement was underlined by the loud thud of a knife hitting the wall behind Bakugou. "You're lying! Just like you did when we were kids. Fuck you, asshole." He slammed the door as he walked out of the room, making his way up to his own.

Once he'd gotten inside and shut the door, he slid down the wall and screamed. What's even real anymore? I can't trust anyone, not even my own damn mind! Everyone just uses me. Stupid Deku! You're an idiot. Why didn't you just die the day you jumped off that damn bridge?

Angry tears streamed down his face, and he didn't even register the boiling water splashing everywhere in his room.

*UA*

"Todoroki, I know you've been training with 1A and you're kind of an unofficial part of it, but we never truly went over if you wanted to become a hero or not. It's perfectly acceptable if you would rather do something else, but we need to know if you want to take the licensing exams tomorrow." Aizawa said. He was talking to Shouto in the staff room after classes were done for the day.

"Well... I... I guess I haven't really thought about it. I mean, I don't really have a reason to become a hero... and honestly I don't think I deserve to be one, but... I don't want anyone else to go through what I did. If... if being a hero means I can help kids that are like me... then... I want to take the exams."

"Very well. Todoroki, the world has been cruel to you, and the fact that there's still a bit of you that wants to help people says a lot. I believe you'll be a great hero, even if you are a problem child." He ruffled Shouto's hair and let him go.

"Are we sure this is a good idea?" Vlad King asked.

"Yes. He's trustworthy."

"I don't mean he isn't... I mean that the other schools will think that. We already know there are some students at this school who harass him, imagine how much worse it'll be at the exams. He'll be even more of a target than the normal U.A. kids."

"That's true, but if he wants to do it, I'm not going to stop him."

"If you say so Aizawa."

Shouto was still unsure about his decision. He knew there would always be people who wouldn't trust him due to his past. There was nothing he could do about that. Still, he could do his best to prove himself. He was going to save people, starting with Deku.