Trigger Warnings:

- rape

- physical abuse

- verbal abuse

Announcement:

If any of you found this story on Wattpad, then you will have noticed that I have a picture for every chapter: a flower for chapters from Selene's POV; an image of Shouto with different facial expressions for chapters from Shouto's POV. Hopefully, all the flower pictures finally make some sense after reading this chapter. There are many reasons why I've selected each picture; one of the reasons is stated in this chapter. If any of you are confused about what I'm talking about, just type "Blossoms of the Dark" in the Wattpad search bar and see for yourself. My username and cover image for the stories are the same as on FanFiction.

It's the day of the presentation.

Todoroki-kun and I arrived at the primary school thirty minutes ago.

Now we wait in the hallway outside the school cafeteria along with everyone else.

I sit on an empty side bench and set the box full of scoresheets and pencils beside me, and Todoroki-kun stands beside me with the graph paper rolled in one hand and equation sheets in the other. He appears tense. There is a look in his eyes, lost somewhere far away in time. I decide to leave him be. I had assumed that he was familiar with this school when Ectoplasm-sensei had disclosed the location. My suspicions are confirmed now.

I pick at a piece of fuzz clinging to my school uniform trousers, flinging it away when it comes loose. Then I unbutton and take off my uniform blazer, only to drape it across my shoulders. I lean back, my head touching the wall, and close my eyes. With one sense disabled, the others heighten.

The students converse about their projects. I hear snippets of project themes, difficulty, and time management problems. The smell of sterility permeates the air, and the sensation of my closeness to Todoroki-kun amplifies.

Immediately, I recall the events of last night.

As Hanada-sama had said, his eldest son entered the bedroom after an hour of our perilous discussion.

Unlike as Hanada-sama had said, I did not dress myself to welcome him.

He didn't hesitate. I was working on homework when he grabbed my arm and pulled me out of my chair. Tossing me onto the bed none too gently, he proceeded to divest me of my clothes. I had unsheathed my knives, my sword and shield, much earlier. One by one, the remaining pieces of my armor were removed. Only my pride was left. He removed that, too.

I felt my blood freeze with fury.

He was harsher with my hair, tearing the flowers and tugging at my horns. Last were the faerie shells; he scratched my ears as he tried - and failed - to pull them out.

Icicles frosted into spikes and spears.

Giving up, he finally did what he intended to do.

He flipped me onto my stomach and undressed. With one hand pushing my head into the mattress and the other pressing my back, he sought his release inside me. All the while complained about how difficult his client was, how irritated he was with the Pro-Hero having me all to himself, and of course, how he hated me the most.

All the while, I focused on my new goal. I used to attempt ignorance during these torments; the Pro-Hero made sure I could never do that again. I needed a new tactic, a new coping mechanism. Something that would let me keep the last slivers of my sanity.

That something was Todoroki-kun.

During the entire night, I repented.

Rage is a moment. Regret is forever.

Instantly, the ice melted into rivers of remorse.

Though he was not here, I made a promise to redeem myself in his eyes.

Now I just need to bury my pride and summon the courage to tell him. Just like Kurogiri said.

That's easier said than done.

On habit, my fingers coil and tighten around each other.

"It will be fine. We're going to do great," I hear Todoroki-kun say.

I open my eyes and look at him. He is looking at my grip. He assumes that I'm worried about how we will do in front of the children. I play along. "You're right." His gaze meets mine, and I see that distant shadow still hasn't left his eyes. "But are you saying that for my comfort, or yours?"

He doesn't break his stare, but his defenses rise. "Yours. You're the one wringing her hands."

I'm not convinced. "Is everything alr-"

I am cut off by a woman who announces that the class may enter the cafeteria and set up their things. I get up and carry the box inside, Todoroki-kun walks just beside me.

We find an unoccupied table and begin arranging, the now unrolled graph paper as the center of attention.

Ten minutes later, the school children pour in. Things become lively.

A young boy with chestnut brown hair and eyes approaches our table. For three long seconds, neither Todoroki-kun nor I say anything, now truly nervous and waiting for the other to speak first. I do. "Hello! What's your name?" I greet him as I pass him a scoresheet and pencil.

"Akira!" the boy exclaims.

"Nice to meet you, Akira-kun. My name is Selene, and this is ..." I trail off as I glance toward Todoroki-kun.

"Shouto," he says after a beat.

"This is our design for a playground. We chose a flower theme." I point out the various sections of the playground. "Here are structures of flowers that bloom in the summer. Here are autumn flowers. Spring, night, winter, day. Oh, and here are the flowers that bloom at dawn, just like the meaning of your name. "

"That's so cool!" Akira-kun shouts.

I laugh softly. "You should compliment him. He's the one who drew them." I gesture toward Todoroki-kun, who had been watching the entire exchange in silence, gaze alternating between me and Akira-kun, lingering longer on Akira-kun.

Akira turns toward Todoroki-kun. "You draw so well. It's amazing! I wish I could, too. I drew a self-portrait in art class last week, but my art teacher said it looked horrible. She also said it was very realistic. I don't like her."

I'm stunned. Are teachers not fired for insulting students? Todoroki-kun, however, seems unfazed. "Was this teacher Yasuda-sensei?"

"Yes!"

Todoroki-kun sighs and bends down to Akira-kun's level. "I don't like her, either. She had said the same stuff to me back when I was a student here. Honestly, I'm surprised she still works here. So how about you and I pull a little prank on her? Just some little sweet revenge."

"But I might get detention or suspension," Akira-kun whispers, unsure.

"Only if we get caught," Todoroki-kun responds with a smirk and a devious glint in his eye.

I'm amused. "I never took you for the petty and mischievous type. Every day I learn new things about you."

"Hanada-chan, I could say the same about you," he smiles.

The boy shrieks his assent, and he and Todoroki-kun leave to find this art teacher. I agree to be their partner in crime, or pettiness, when I tell them that I will make an excuse if anyone asks why they are missing.

Once I'm alone, I fixate on what Todoroki-kun said.

Hanada-chan. He called me Hanada-chan. Maybe, just maybe, we can be friends again. The emotions behind those words were merriment and playfulness. Things can return to how they were before I made the mistake. Perhaps-

I stop there. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope is like the moon. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human. Hope means to be human.

And I, who has killed in cold blood under the moonlight, cannot be human.

I, who is abused by humans day and night, cannot be human.

I, who was christened after the celestial being of the night, cannot be human.

The moon is neither a victim nor a murderer, but I am. I am a wretch, an assassin, a demon, a sin incarnate. My name is Selene, but I am the furthest thing from the moon. I am a blossom of the dark: destined to only ever bloom in eternal shadows and despair, never to bathe awash for a moment in pure, glorious moonlight. I don't know if I am even a budding blossom right now; perhaps I am just as wilted and withered as I was before; perhaps I am simply dust.

But even as I immerse myself with these thoughts, my emotions betray me. Hope surges back like a ray of moonlight piercing dark clouds.

His name does not mean moon or moonlight, but maybe he could be mine.

Citations:

"Rage is a moment. Regret is forever." - The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh

"Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human." - Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi