Summary: A quiet moment with Shouto.
Warnings: none
There were very few moments where Shouto Todoroki could claim that he was truly at peace with himself, but this was definitely one of those times. He had recently started dating you, but with training and schoolwork burdening both of your schedules, it was hard to find time to spend together. The two of you had been lucky enough to finally find a break from all of your work, however, and you had suggested a walk in the park to get some fresh air and clear your heads.
He was afraid that none of the teachers would clear your trip away from campus, but Midnight had happily signed off on it, and had even volunteered to chaperone you. Where she was now, he wasn't sure; she had said that she was staying back at the car to give you two some alone time, but he doubted that she was staying true to that. He wouldn't pay it much mind, though, not when he finally had a moment away from campus with you.
The temperature outside was finally starting to warm up a little bit, but it was still far too chilly to go out without at least a light jacket. The cold wind had a strong bite to it as it blew against the two of you in frequent intervals, but the warmth from the sunlight reigning down on you offset it for the most part. You were apparently still cold, though, because you had moved over to his left side where the most warmth radiated from him before intertwining your fingers with his own.
There weren't very many people at the park, and he counted that as a blessing. With everything that had happened since the two of you joined U.A., it was nice to finally have some to time to breathe and just be together without the unwavering stares that you normally got on account of the Sports Festival and the fact that he was Endeavor's son. It left a bitter taste in his mouth, knowing that some of your privacy was being taken away because of that man and his connection to him, but you never complained about it. Whenever he brought it up, you would just wave him off, saying that you were perfectly fine with the loss so long as you could be with him.
As the two of you walked, he took a moment to study you, taking in the features that he had grown to love so dearly. You had a small smile on your face, one that was gentle in nature, and it gave way to the rest of your expression, which was relaxed and gave you the appearance of being calm. You always seemed to be so calm around him, even before the two of you started to date. He doubted that it was intentional on your part, but still, it was enough to truly make him feel like a hero.
Maybe one day he would tell you how it felt for him to be around you, how your presence was enough to make him momentarily forget all of his troubles, how your affection was like a balm that soothed the wounds that he still carried from his past. He felt like he owed it to you at this point. Maybe when he found the courage to tell you that he loved you, maybe he could just tell you everything then. He wasn't very skilled when it came to romantic things, but it seemed like a good idea to him. He'd probably confirm that idea with somebody else first, though.
He treasured the relationship that he had with you, and he wanted to do everything perfectly for you so you would treasure it, as well. Knowing you, though, you probably already cherished it just as much as he did, if not more. You likely didn't care whether everything about your relationship was perfect or not; you were far to kind to hold small mistakes and imperfections against him, but he refused to aim for the bare minimum when it came to you. You deserved the best in life, and he intended to give that to you, if only for the reason that he knew you planned to do the same for him. The two of you were building a partnership together, and he was glad that the two of you would be able to better yourselves as heroes and as people together, and better yet, that you would be able to help each other do so.
With all of those reflections running through his head, he couldn't resist the urge to pull you closer into his side, and there was no need for words as you continued to walk through the park, enjoying each other's presence and savoring the serenity that surrounded you.