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Guren Ichinose | Red | #A5211F

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[Izuku visibly balks at that advice. How can he open up to them when there are things he cannot tell them, isn't allowed to tell them, even if he wants to? What would All Might say if he just blurted the secret out to a bunch of people?]

I--we should talk about you instead! [That sure was a smooth and totally not-desperate attempt at changing the focus of the conversation.] There's....a lot that the furniture's been saying. And you pretty much said you're not okay either.

You're avoiding the subject!

[He snaps, intimidating even if his words are for the best for Izuku. Hiding things away, bottling them up, making excuses as to why... It wasn't good. He'd done the same things, and if he was this kid's teacher now, then he had to act like it.]

This is a two way street! If you want to hear me talk, then you're going to have to talk first! That's an order!

[The sharp tone makes Izuku flinch back instinctively. He can't even find the words to defend himself because Guren's right; he is avoiding the subject.]

I-it's not that big a deal. [The lie tastes horrible on his tongue, rather like the ashy food they've been forced to settle for here. Izuku's voice is barely audible, and obviously shaky.] Whatever's bothering you is probably way more important.

[He can see everything in that body language, of course. Hesitation, more from self-deprecation than a lack of trust. Worries, fear that he'll be seen as less. Guren stares hard across the room at him, not letting up.

He's serious. It was an order. He's not going to talk about himself unless Izuku learns to do it first.]

Izuku. [And so, again, he speaks. This time it's less angry, but the seriousness hasn't dropped.] Talk to me.

[Anger and raised voices have always made Izuku's defenses prickle and strengthen, but this--the lowered, gentler tone compared to before, it makes something in him twist uncomfortably.

Izuku swallows. It shouldn't make him feel like he's done something wrong, that Guren has to soften his voice and coax this out of him. And yet, he can't help but feel like he's disappointed his new teacher already, with his inability to be truthful about these things.]

I... [His voice cracks.] I don't know if it's okay... when it's okay to talk to my friends about my problems.

[The tears that had begun welling up earlier finally spill over, and Izuku squeezes his eyes shut.] What if I tell them too much and it changes their opinion of me? I haven't really had friends before them. I don't want to-- [Be alone again.] To lose the friends I've managed to make. [Izuku scrubs at his eyes with his sleeve unhappily.] Besides. I-I should be able to deal with things like this on my own

You don't have to deal with anything on your own.

["Hypocrite!" the walls say, but Guren shoots them a glare as he stands up, ignoring them otherwise.] There may be things they don't understand, or things you've done that may make them doubt you... but friendship isn't weak.

I could already tell from the way your friends speak about you that you're well loved. Every time you hold something back and keep it to yourself, you're telling them that they can't help. That they aren't strong enough to help, themselves. How do you think that would make them feel?

[He's crossed the room by now, and he places a hand on Izuku's shoulder, crouching to his height.] They found you while you were all alone. Isn't that right? So what makes you think that they'll leave you so easily?

Edited 2018-04-03 06:19 (UTC)

["You're well loved." Those words hit Izuku hard, making him shed even more tears. After being told for most of his life that he's not good enough, it's hard to believe that his friends will still accept him when he's at anything less than his best. Or more than his best, really.

Guren's words are convincing, though, and this time Izuku's made to change his perspective, to think about it from his friends' side.] Todoroki-kun... he said that he hates it when I don't take care of myself. Because we're friends. I...I would hate it if I couldn't do anything for him and the others.

[Izuku shakes his head, careful not to dislodge Guren's hand from his shoulder. Though it was Guren who pushed Izuku into the corner in the first place, Izuku can't bring himself to be angry at him, when he's showing such care to Izuku now.] It's...because of a lot of things.

[Guren keeps his hand on his shoulder, watching quietly as he speaks. As he opens up. The first part is good— a different perspective can help him realize that his friends only want to help. That they'd hate this, being unable to do anything. But of course there are still fears.]

Listen. [He gives his shoulder a light squeeze.] I've been with my friends for 9 years now. We even went through the end of the world together. But I'm still worried about losing them.

Every day. They were my first friends. They stayed by my side even though I was Ichinose scum, even when we risked our lives— but that fear hasn't left. You want to know why?

It's because they're important. It's always going to feel like you could mess up at any turn, or they could realize some truth about you that you've been hiding all along, turn tail and leave. But it's not that simple. [He squeezes again, a little firmer.] You hear that? It's not that simple.

Whatever it is you're worried about... friends will stay through it. They'll help you through it.

[Surprise makes him look up at Guren, even as he's still blinking the tears out of his eyes.]

You? You're scared...? [The words tumble out of his mouth, and Izuku blushes a second later.] S-sorry, it's just.. you always come across as really confident. [That's how he's seemed to Izuku since the beginning, at least.] Or maybe I just...didn't know what to look for.

[At the back of his mind, Izuku realizes that Guren's kept his promise from before. As soon as Izuku started talking for real, he'd shared his own fears, too. He can't help but feel a burst of warmth at that--however aloof Guren might've seemed in the beginning, he's obviously a man of his word. Someone Izuku can trust.]

[In this moment, he's not even bothered by the surprise. His hand slips away from Izuku's shoulder, but it's just to give him the space to wipe those tears away, if he'd like.]

Everyone has fears. I might be confident, but I'm still human. Fears, worries, sadness, anger. Everyone has those things.

[Hmm, but he'll go ahead and reach forward and flick away one of those tears himself, playfully forceful rather than too gentle.] But I save my tears for when people can't see them. I don't want to worry my friends, either. As long as I keep thinking that I can do what I need to, my friends are there supporting me. Remembering that, there's no reason to get all worked up about it.

You're human. Embrace those feelings, but don't let them hold you back.

Can’t help it. [Izuku gives him a wobbly smile.] I tend to cry a lot—just ask anyone in my class.

[He seems to have finally calmed down, though, the shuddering little sobs dwindling down, and his tears drying up. There’s a new look in his eyes, though, as he cocks his head and watches Guren. It’s one that’s tentatively hopeful and surprised at the same time, like he’s still isn’t sure why Guren took the time to talk him through his break down like this. Not a lot of people would’ve been willing.]

Th-thank you… [Izuku says, suddenly bashful as he fiddles with the mop and looks off to the side.] You didn’t have to tell me all of that.

Idiot.

[He knocks his knuckles lightly into Izuku's chest, a fond excuse of a punch that's more of a tap.] We're family now.

[He stands up, now, shoving his hands in his pockets as he looks down at Izuku.] That means I'll do whatever it takes to help you. We stand up for each other. Got it?

[Oh. Izuku places a hand over his chest where Guren had tapped him, still looking up at him with that overwhelmed expression on his face. We're family now. For the longest time, it's only been him and his mom, his father simply absent in a way that doesn't even hurt him anymore. You can't really miss someone you barely remember.

For Guren to just say something like that, to claim Izuku as family when no one used to want him around--it's a lot to take in all at once.]

Okay. [Izuku's voice cracks with emotion, the tears welling up again, because how can he not cry at a time like this? At least they're happy tears this time. Hurriedly, he wipes them away and beams at Guren.] That... that means it's the same for you. I know I'm still... just in training, but if there's anything you need, I want to know.

[That's better, and Guren laughs, reaching for a cloth nearby that Izuku was probably using earlier to drop on his head, playful.]

I don't need anything from a crybaby. [He's teasing, of course. It means agreement... even if he's never been good at that.] Come on, keep cleaning. I'll help you out.

I'm serious. [He half-heartedly protests, even as his face scrunches up when he grabs the cloth and brushes the dust out of his hair.]

You're just getting all the dirt and dust I cleaned everywhere again. [Izuku teases him right back, still red-eyed from the crying, but looking much happier now.]

[That's right, cheer up and ignore it all. To help with this, Guren falls into teasing banter with ease. He shoves down at Izuku's head, and this time his hair ruffle is more like a noogie.]

I'm going to clean you up, brat. If you can't keep it all sparkling clean, you're not working hard enough.

[Izuku makes a strangled indignant sound as Guren noogies him, torn between staying put and suffering through the treatment, or trying to escape. It's a weird mix of the affection he might get from All Might at times and the kind of gruff encouragement he might get from Aizawa-sensei, and Izuku can't say that he dislikes it, not when he can tell Guren's just teasing him. The good kind of teasing.]

If I need any cleaning up, it's because I've been working. [Finally Izuku staggers out of Guren's grasp, hair looking even messier than usual.]

Oh yeah! [He pauses, hand over just over the mop he was about to pick up again.] Did you come here for something? Um, before... [A helpless wave of the hand to encompass everything that just happened.]

Edited 2018-04-14 06:06 (UTC)

[Hmm. Guren lets the bickering fall naturally and moves to pick up his own cloth to clean with. He'll dust, or scrub at counters, or whatever he can do here— but he glances back at Izuku as he starts.]

I came here because I wanted to see if you were crying over the furniture.

[That's the rudest way he can put it— it was specifically because he was worried, specifically to check on him.]

[A nervous little laugh as he continues cleaning, trying to cover as much area as he can to pacify the angry furniture.] Well... you caught me.

[Wait a second. Izuku pauses in his movements and then swings his head back to look at Guren.] Were you worried about me?

[Guren reacts without missing a beat.]

Tch, who'd worry about a snot-nosed brat like you?

[He was clearly worried... he's making a face at him, but there's always something past his cold words that makes it clear, as if his actions weren't enough.]

[Soooo that's a yes. Huh.]

Definitely not you. [Izuku answers agreeably, though with the warmth bubbling up inside of him, he just ends up grinning at Guren anyway.]

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