Shoto Todoroki found himself walking back along the route to the fork in the road. What am I doing? I'm sure she was just joking. He looked down at the text again. Of course, her little brother is out. She didn't say anything to Hitoshi, so she didn't worry him. But in reality, she's alone in the house that she used to live in with her brother... is she crying? Please don't be crying. He swallowed and walked down the road, looking at all the name plaques next to the gates, before coming to one that said 'Sano.' He heard his message tone go off again.
Jeez... I must've scared you off... I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it, I'm fine alone. - Sano.
Shoto sighed. You are the worst liar I've ever met. He knocked on the door and waited.
Kahoko jumped at the sound of the door. She listened carefully. I recognise that heartbeat... She got up and wiped the tears from her eyes. She went to answer the door.
Shoto fidgeted looking around, hoping passers-by didn't think he was weird and decided to call her parents. This is so unlike me to really care about someone's well-being... but this girl came with me, without question, to visit my mom, so it's the least I can do. He bit his lip. Maybe I should've called the girls to go around... He found himself smiling a little. But she asked me...
The door opened and Kahoko stood there with wide eyes. "Todoroki... you didn't have to..." She sniffed. Why did he come? Surely, he didn't take what I said to seriously.
It's as I had feared... she was crying... He stepped forward and did something uncharacteristic of him... he pulled her into him for a hug. "You don't have to be alone... because I am here."
She felt her heart race.
He pulled back. "Show me to your couch, if the offer is still open." He added with a small smirk.
She nodded. "C'mon in."
"How are you feeling?" He asked as he followed her in.
She shrugged. "I'm alright, you really didn't need to come. I think I had a funny moment when I text you that."
"Well, I'm here now." He smiled, dropping his bag onto the couch. "Plus, you're more pleasant company than my siblings right now."
"You have siblings?"
"Yeah, two older brothers and an older sister."
"Sounds fun." She laughed.
"Oh, loads." He replied, sarcasm slipping out. He dropped down onto the couch.
"Do you want hot chocolate? I was just making some." She offered.
He nodded. "Sounds good."
She went into the kitchen, leaving him to take in his surroundings.
He looked up at the photographs hung on the wall. He stood to take a closer look at a family portrait. He could see her parents, with Kahoko and Tamaki hugging each other. He noticed Tamaki wore the exact scarf that Kahoko treasured. Natsume was on Tamaki's shoulders. Shoto smiled softly. I wish I had a photo of my family like this... they look to be full of love and happiness. He sighed.
"Todoroki?"
His head whipped around to look at Kahoko, who was holding two steaming mugs of cocoa. "Sorry, I was just looking at your photographs." He went to take a cup from her.
She looked towards the picture she caught him staring at. "That was our last as a family." She stated before sitting down on the couch and pulling her knees to her chest.
He sat next to her. "I'm not making you uncomfortable, am I?"
She shook her head. "I appreciate the company." She took a sip from her mug.
He did the same. "Wow, this is some good cocoa." He breathed, surprised as he wasn't too fond of sweet drinks.
She nodded. "My parents brought it back from their last job."
"Well, I'd ask them to bring me some, but I'm sure they'll find it weird."
She shook her head. "I'll ask them." She smiled. "I'm sure they'll just be glad I'm passing on requests from people other than Hitoshi." She gave a snort.
"Well, I'm sure they'll be pleased you're socialising more. I mean, you went shopping with a load of girls from my class."
She grinned uncontrollably. "Yeah, that was fun."
He stared at her for a little longer than he planned to.
She met his gaze. "What?" She blushed a little.
He blinked. "Nothing, sorry."
Her phone beeped, signalling at text. She glanced at it.
Just checking in to say good night. - Bakugo.
She smiled and quickly typed back: Goodnight, Kacchan.
"Someone special? Hitoshi?" Shoto raised a brow.
She shook her head. "Just Bakugo, checking in."
"You two seem pretty close." He replied, fighting the urge to snort.
She shrugged. "I guess. He's the first person who didn't talk to me as if I were going to cry or murder them."
"I think he likes you." Shoto blurted out, without thinking. Ahhh great now I've put a spanner into things! Why can't I keep my mouth shut in front of her?
She tilted her head to the side, confused. "Really? Bakugo?"
He sighed and nodded. "He never used to openly show that he cares about anyone, until he met you."
She sat in thought. Yes, the girls had mentioned it to her, but she didn't take them seriously... because they're girls, they love gossip. "Nah, I just think he thinks of me as a sister or something. Someone who needs to be protected, not knowing that I do pretty well on my own." She added with a laugh.
"If you believe so." Shoto put down his cup and stretched, arching his back like a cat, over the back of the couch.
Kahoko didn't really know where to look. She stared intensely into her mug. Jeez... why do the Hero boys have to look like that?!
"Sano?"
She looked back at him. "Hmm..."
"About my mom... you never asked me why she was there..."
Wow this conversation has been thrown a curve ball... "Well, it's not really any of my business. She seems like a lovely woman."
He sighed. "She is... but she's messed up because of my dad."
She frowned.
"Well... my dad married my mom, not really out of love, but for her ice quirk. He wanted to use her to create a child strong enough to surpass All Might." He started. "He physically and mentally abused my mother, because she was trying to stop the intensive training I got from him. Soon her physiological state deteriorated... that's why I have always hated using my fire power in battle... because it's from him. I don't want to be anything like him. Until Deku assured me that it's mine... not my father's, at the Sports Festival."
Kahoko watched him intently. Why is he telling me all of this? Why is he trusting me so? She swallowed. "I'm glad Deku did that..."
He met her gaze.
"I've always admired your quirk... the ice is so magical and lethal at the same time... but the moment you unleashed your fire... it was beautiful." She looked down, feeling a little embarrassed.
He felt his cheeks burn up. "You thought it was beautiful?"
She nodded. "Everything about your quirk... both sides, I can't look away."
Is that why she was staring when I was training with Bakugo? I thought she was watching him. He cleared his throat. "I've never heard that term used to describe it... but somehow it makes me happy."
She inhaled. "Can I ask you something?" I shouldn't! "You don't have to answer. I'm just a little curious."
He nodded. "Anything."
She leaned towards him and brushed his left cheek with her fingertips... over his scar. "Did your dad do that?"
He flinched a little. She's so close! He cleared his throat again. "Uh, no. It was my mom."
She retracted her hand and met his eyes.
He watched as a little pain and sadness swirled within her emerald eyes. "It wasn't out of hate or anything towards me. She had finally lost it in her mind, and when she saw my left side, it reminded her of my dad, so she threw water from the kettle at me."
She sat back.
"I know, it looks quite ugly."
She shook her head. "It's part of you, and believe me, I don't think that you are ugly at all." She mentally kicked herself. Where did that come from?!
He bit back a big goofy smile. That's the first time someone's not agreed with me. Normally I'd get, 'looks aren't everything' or ' surely someone has a quirk to get rid of it' but no... she sees it as part of me and she likes the me she sees.
She checked her watch. "Jeez, it's late. C'mon, I'll let you stay in Tama-chan's room." She stood up.
Her brother's room? "I'll just take the couch, I don't wanna intrude."
She waved the statement away. "Don't be silly, it's a guest room now, and I'm not about to let you get a bad back from sleeping on that thing." She reached out and pulled him up by the arm. "C'mon."
He obliged and followed her up to the second floor.
She opened the door at the end of the corridor and turned on the light. She inhaled deeply. "This is it."
Shoto looked around, it looked as though a teenage boy still lived in it.
"Sorry, we haven't had it in us to throw stuff away." She bowed her head.
He smiled. "Don't explain... I understand." He went and sat on the bed. He felt his foot brush against something and he looked down to see what it was.
A small mp3 player stuck out from underneath the bed.
"Look at this..." He picked it up and handed it to her. "Is it yours?"
She shook her head and sat down next to him. "Tama-chan's... I've never seen this." She looked around for a set of earphones.
Shoto rummaged in his pockets and pulled out his. "Here."
She took them gratefully. "I wonder if this thing works." She held down the on button and to her surprise, it lit up. She played the first track on the mp3. "Tama-chan...?" She breathed, hearing his voice through the earpiece. "It's him." She sniffed.
Her late brother was singing one of his Battle-Cry ballads he'd been practising.
She felt a lump in her throat. She hadn't heard his singing in over a year, since she didn't know if he recorded it. She pulled her knees up and rested her head on them.
Shoto just watched as the beautiful girl he'd befriended, turn into the girl that lost her hero too soon. He reached out and petted the back of her head, he had no idea what to do now. "I could go home if you want to be alone." He suggested.
She shook her head. "Please... don't leave me alone." She sniffed. She lifted her head and passed one of the earpieces to him. "Listen... this is the song that helped your dad win that fight..."
He hesitated. Did he really want to hear the song that caused his death? He sighed. If it makes her feel better. He took it and placed it inside his ear.
What he heard was breath-taking.
Tamaki never missed a beat of the beautiful song, it was so powerful that Shoto could feel the energy coming through the earphones.
Kahoko smiled widely. "Thank you, Todoroki." She breathed. "I would have never found this if you weren't here. It's the first time I've heard his voice in over a year... I will treasure this." She held the device to her chest.
He stared at her as she finally stood up.
"Sorry, you must be tired... I'll let you get settled and sleep. The bathroom is next door, towels in the top cupboard." She added.
"Thank you, and good night." He replied.
"Sweet dreams." She replied, closing the door behind her.
Shoto flopped down on the bed. Okay... I'm in her house... and sleeping in her dead brother's bed. This is all types of strange and maybe wrong. He thought of her soft hand brushing his cheek and felt himself heat up. What happened to 'I don't need her to be my friend'? He sighed. He took off his shirt and pants, opting to sleep in his boxers since he didn't think about bringing pjs. He slipped into the surprisingly freshly made bed. I bet she sleeps in here when she's feeling lonely. He turned off the lamp and turned over.