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A spring in his step, Izuku walks along the sidewalk with Toshinori’s hand linked with his own. It’s rare for them to have time to themselves, what with everything going on in their lives, so they need to take chances like these.
He looks up at his boyfriend, part of him still amazed that he ever ended up dating his all time idol and first crush. But, then again, lots of things happened that he never thought would, like getting One For All and going to UA and making loads of friends and eventually becoming a pro Hero (in fact, he’s number ten in the top ten rankings throughout Japan, but he gets embarrassed when anyone, usually a very proud Toshinori, brings it up). But no matter how his life changed ten years ago, sometimes Izuku still can’t believe it.
Toshinori sees him looking and smiles; he’s skinny and weak and sickly-looking, his power long gone, but as far as Izuku is concerned, he is beautiful.
“What are you smiling about?” Toshi asks.
“Just the beautiful man I'm dating."
He had been in love for Toshi for as long as he can remember, but he never told Toshi. It wasn’t until he was twenty when Toshi approached Izuku and told him he now had feelings for him. And he was just so happy he burst into tears and kissed Toshinori there and then. And, just like that, they began a relationship.
That was five years ago, and they are still going strong. And days like this are the ones Izuku loves the most. The days when they aren’t doing interviews and he isn’t dressed up as the pro Hero Deku and fighting villains. The days when he is off duty and he can just spend quality time with his partner like a civilian.
Well, not exactly like a civilian. Because a pro Hero never really has a day off, something he learns when…
Click!
Izuku freezes, knowing that sound all too well. The sound of someone taking the safety off of a pistol.
“Hold it right there,” someone says, their voice low and gravelly. “Turn around.”
Izuku looks at Toshi, who nods his head. Slowly, the pair turn to face them.
A man points a hand gun at them. He is dirty and dishevelled, probably a part-time villain and petty criminal. He must not recognise them, because Izuku is certain any sensible criminal would run upon seeing the pro Hero Deku and former pro Hero All Might. Most people don’t recognise Toshi, even though it has been years since he retired, but Izuku thought he was easy to spot. It must be the baseball cap covering his green hair.
The man sneers at them, pointing the gun at Izuku. "Put your hands up!"
Toshi does what the man says, but he nods slightly at Izuku. And he knows what to do. Using One For All Full Cowling, Izuku charges up his power and moves so quickly he becomes invisible to the naked eye.
He doesn’t want to punch the villain, so he doesn’t. He simply dashes towards him, and by the time the man has a chance to react, he is already pinned to the floor, the gun knocked out of his hand. As Izuku kneels on his back, pinning the criminal to the floor, Toshinori takes the bullets out of the gun, and nods his head.
A few bystanders have noticed what just happened, and applaud when they recognise Izuku and Toshi. But as his partner talks to them and calls the police, Izuku can barely process his surroundings. His head feels fuzzy, and his heart pounds against his ribs. He can’t stop thinking about the click of the gun, the gun pointed at his face…
He thinks he dissociates, because the next thing he can process is sitting in the police station beside Toshi, trying to give the officers a statement. His heart pounds so much he can hear it in his ears, the world just seeming all fuzzy.
“Just listen to my voice,” Toshinori is saying, and Izuku realises that Toshi is trying to ground him.
Toshinori grounds him when he is dissociating or having a panic attack or flashback, and Izuku does it in return. They both have PTSD, Izuku from the incidents at the USJ and the training camp when he was at UA, and Toshi from the big fight with All For One that left him seriously injured. And having PTSD means they both regularly get extremely distressed by seemingly normal things, and need the support of each other to calm down.
And that must be what is happening now. Panic still coursing through his body, Izuku breathes slowly and listens to Toshi’s voice, trying to stop dissociating. But it’s hard.
He’s still dissociating by the time he and Toshinori get home, spaced out and lost in his head. He can’t stop thinking about the click of the gun, remembering an incident from two years ago when a villain shot a civilian and he wasn’t quick enough to save her. He knows it is all in the past, but it’s so hard to pull his brain out of the memories.
His eyes stinging, Izuku slumps on the couch. Their day together was ruined by a villain and his own mental health.
“Hey, are you feeling any better now?” Toshi asks.
He sits down beside Izuku and wraps his arm around Izuku, pulling him close.
Izuku shrugs. “A bit. I just dissociated.”
“I noticed.”
“Sorry our day out didn’t go to plan,” Izuku says.
“It wasn’t your fault. I’m just glad you’re feeling better.”
Izuku smiles weakly and leans into the hug. Life might be hard, but at least they have each other.