c: This is just a concept story I had in my mind that wouldn't go away. It's not very original because I've been reading a lot about arranged marriages for Todoroki and I got inspired to write my own. Again, this is more of a concept story. I just thought I'd try to write something new compared to my other one.

-Aislinia

The Entwined

Chatter and rushed movement could be heard from beyond the door. Clangs and scolds briefly sounded before rushed quietness. A lone figure stood in the middle of the room, at least that was how she felt. Her arms raise up at her sides as the maidens moved about and around her.

Emerald green eyes stared at the reflection in front of them as slender feminine hands reached to touch their own face. A soft sigh came out forth from lush pink lips. Her personal maid stood up the pale girl, leading her to take off her day dress and replacing it with an evening chiffon dress.

"Maria," her timid voice spoke up. "Do I have to do this?" Her eyes glistened as she turned to look at the head maid tending to her.

"Mistress, if it is the wishes of your mother and father, then yes." Maria bowed her head before tending to the small girl again. Maria sat down her small mistress, applying simple makeup to the girl.

Another maid curled her thick, long, platinum locks as another tended to her nails. She continued to stare at her reflection, her face void of any emotions. If anything, one would say she looked like a beautiful porcelain doll.

Maria slipped on her mistresses' shoes before leading the girl up and out the bedroom doors.

Aiko tilted her head up and began straightening her posture as she was led through the extravagant hallway. She passed by the many rooms she had grown up in. A saddened thought rushed to her head while she walked.

Todoroki Enji and his son stood at the foyer of the Sakamoto household. They eyed the overly extravagant entrance. The entire vicinity consisted of one mansion standing at the center with lush lands surrounding all sides. An assorted garden and maze sat to its left as the servers headquarters were located on its right.

They're faces were void of any emotion as they looked upon the servant guiding them to the Sakamoto head. Enji held his head up high, a sneer on his face as they passed by the many rooms. Reaching their designated room, a loud voice spoke up and they entered its quarters.

As her maids opened the doors, she was greeted by the sight of her mother and father, along with the number 2 hero and his son.

"Aiko! Just in time. Meet Todoroki Enji and his son, Shoto." Her father, Sakamoto Norio, stood and stretched his hand out. He was initiating she walk to him. Looking back to her maids as they closed the door, she sighed mentally before elegantly walking to her father. A smile plastered her lips as she held his hands. She turned her attention to the two men seated at the dining table with her parents.

"Hello. I am Sakamoto Aiko. It is a pleasure to meet you both."

"Likewise." Endeavor grunted. She sat down across the young boy and took notice of the scar on his left side of his face.

"My!" Her mother beamed with excitement. "I can't believe it!"

"Now, now. Settle down, Minami." Her father chided in the screeching woman.

Endeavor uncrossed his arms and smirked at her father.

"So, shall we discuss this?" He spoke confidently, eager to sign the documents.

Norio shifted his glasses as he snapped his fingers. The doors flung open and in walked 2 lawyers, each representing the 2 families.

"Aiko, please sign here."

"Shoto, sign it."

She glanced up to see heterochromia eyes boring into hers before she signed the paperwork. She looked up to see him signing his own.

"I am pleased, she will make a very fine wife for my son." Enji stood tall and proud, bowing politely. Her father also stood and bowed. Aiko gripped onto her dress, eager to have the dinner go by fast. Shoto sat across from the small girl, eyeing her up and down. There she was, sitting across from him. His betrothed. He had not wanted this, but it was inevitable.

"This is not a quirk marriage, but a marriage to unite our families. Long have our families been at odds with each other, but today marks history in our families uniting as one." Norio rose his hands up, wine in his clutches. Their parents cheered and drank to the toast.

Aiko ate quietly as her parents chattered with her future father-in-law. She looked up, hoping to start a conversation with the quiet man whom she would call "husband" in the near future. But found him staring down at his own plate. She bit her lips and stared back down to her plate. Tears threatened to drop but she held them in, too afraid to embarrass her parents.

Shoto sat alone with the young girl as his father and his wife's parents stepped out the room to finalize the paperwork.

"U-Um." a soft voice disrupted his thoughts. "N-Nice to meet you." He looked at her.

"Hello." He replied back, short and curt. A small sigh escaped her lips as she looked down at her hands in her lap.

"W-Why did you agree to t-this engagement?" She asked, timidly. Almost as if afraid to get lashed out at.

Shoto eyed her darkly before stating his answer. "There is something I want from my father." He hadn't meant to make it sound so harsh, but it had just came out like that.

"O-Oh." She looked to the ticking clock on the dining wall. "I see…" She whispered to herself.

Shoto looked at her, "Why did you agree?"

She only shook her head, no answer was given. He arched his eyebrow in curiosity. Did she mean that no, she would not answer or no as in something else? Before he had the chance to ask, the doors swung open as the maids led his future wife away.

"G-Good evening, Shoto-sama." She bowed politely before walking, her maids trailing after her. Shoto only sat in silence as he watched her figure disappear behind the doors. "As long as she doesn't get in my way, then I will agree to this stupid arrangement for now." He thought to himself as his father walked back in to summon him to go home.

2 months had gone by since their first meeting. They had begun interacting with each other within those 2 months. He would travel to see her thrice a month. He had only done so because it was a requirement from his father. "Get to know your betrothed. Do not disappoint."

Though he had spent time with the small girl, their conversations were always short and curt. No emotion held between the two. They would spend time together in the garden, with her reading a book by the tree as he trained and meditated in the clearing. They only spoke when one would speak up or asked a question.

Shoto eyed at the clock in his classroom. He mentally sighed in annoyance as he realized today Aiko would be moving in to the Todoroki household. It wasn't that he didn't want her there, but more of an annoyance that his and her father had taken such measures to get them to interact more. He grit his teeth as the bell rung signaling for lunch. Soon his betrothed would be attending the same school as him. "What a drag." He stood and collected himself before leaving with his classmates to the cafeteria.

Aiko stood with her personal maid, Maria, at the front steps of the Todoroki household. She was shaking. Whether it be from fear or nervousness, her Maid didn't know. Maria placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Please, Mistress. Be at ease." She offered a small smile towards the young girl.

"I-I," Aiko spoke up, sputtering. "I don't want to be here alone. Why can't you come with me?" Aiko's eyes glistened as she stared up at her maid. Maria only shook her head sadly before replying back softly. "I am sorry Mistress. But I am the maid of the Sakamoto household. Therefore I can not leave to accompany you." She straightened her posture as she heard the front door open.

"Come now, lighten up. We mustn't disappoint your mother and father." Maria stood still and greeted the person answering the door.

"Hello, we are here from the Sakamoto household."

"Oh, hello! You must be Aiko and I am assuming her maid, Maria?" A woman with white hair and red ends greeted. "I'm Fuyumi, Shoto's older sister." She smiled warmly at the two.

"Please, come in."

Aiko felt her maid pushing her gently to walk to the door. Glancing at her maid, she watched Maria nod gently, probing her to go on.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Sakamoto Aiko." Aiko bowed her head before walking in the doors. Her voice no longer held the tremble.

Fuyumi looked to the maid, only for Maria to shake her head and bow before walking away. Aiko watched as Maria's figure disappeared in the distance. Her heart tugged as she saw her one and only friend walk away. No goodbyes were exchanged between the two.

"U-Um." Fuyumi smiled softly to the girl. "I'll show you our house. Please, follow me." Aiko began following the woman. "Shoto is in class currently, but he should be home in another hour or so." Aiko only nodded silently. She looked around the traditional Japanese home quietly as Fuyumi talked. Their home was so much more different than her mother and father's. Walking to the center of the house, her eyes widened seeing the big zen garden and a training ground.

"Ah, this is where Shoto trains and meditates. There is a garden overlooking the open training ground." Fuyumi smiled as she saw the girl staring into the garden. "Feel free to use the garden whenever the weather is great."

Aiko's soft voice spoke up, "Thank you."

Walking towards the west wing of the home, she showed Aiko the way to her bedroom. "I heard about the exchange of you and my brother. You two will be sharing a room."

Fuyumi kept the last comment to herself. "Courtesy of my father…"

Aiko only nodded in silence again. She had already known they would be sharing. They were betrothed, it was only natural that their parents would want them to share so that they would learn to get along. As they neared the bedroom, Fuyumi bowed and left Aiko alone.

She stood by the bedroom door, walking inside she shut the door shut softly. Slowly trudging her way to the wall where the closet was, she placed her suitcase next to it. Many of her clothing and personal items were already sent on ahead of time. The only thing she had brought was just her old childhood blanket inside the suitcase and spare clothes from her travels. As she walked in the huge walk-in closet, she sucked in air and sniffled. Tears fell in soft waves on her pale face as her legs gave out from underneath.

Shoto greeted his sister with a curt nod before making way to his bedroom. Their bedroom now. He grit his teeth in annoyance at his father, he had insisted the pair share a room. Sighing to himself, he knocked on the door before opening it slowly. He eyed the open space and saw no one inside.

"That's odd, Fuyumi said she was in the room."

Walking to his ensuite bathroom, he opened the doors and again found no one. Turning around, he eyed the closet. Arching his eyebrow, he walked to the closet, its light shining through the cracks of the door. He knocked twice before opening the closet and finding Aiko laying on the floor, sleeping. He sighed in annoyance before gently picking up the small girl. Surprisingly, she felt like a feather. As he carried her to their futon, he saw dried tears on her cheeks. Laying her on the futon, he stared at her small face. He had never really noticed her features before but now noted her heart-shaped face and small chin. A small mole resided on her cheek by her left eye. She looked quite peaceful and oddly enough, Shoto had found her beautiful in that moment. He cleared his throat and turned away. It felt wrong to stare at her while she slept.

She lay upon their futon, peacefully sleeping. Shoto assumed she must've been tired and stressed from all the traveling. He left his room and closed the door silently, he didn't want to disturb her. Since they were now living together, he figured he should be nice. It wasn't like she had done anything wrong to him. Shoto furrowed his eyebrows as he thought of his father, he glanced at the clock before sighing. It was training time.