The Future Firecracker

73 | SHOTO'S CLOSURE

CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
'shoto's closure'

a/n: the song that inspired this chapter-
'happier' by Olivia Rodrigo

Shoto knew something everyone else did.

Even though the bond you had in your relationship with Bakugou Katsuki was strong, that didn't mean his feelings would've just dissipated.

He knew it was wrong— he really did. He tried so very hard to forget, move on, make his heart realise that he wasn't there first and that he wasn't the one for you.

Maybe he just needed rejection to get over it. Maybe he needed to spend more time with you and Katsuki with his group of friends to realise what he cannot interfere with.

He couldn't bring himself to do that.

Shoto was pretty sure Katsuki already knew and hasn't said anything about it. He was lucky the guy didn't tear his head off— but you would've never allowed that.

When you were unpacking downstairs with the rest of the class, most of the boys excluding Midoriya and Kirishima were out training their quirks on Ground Gamma.

He walked past you, like every other day and he felt his chest tighten and his throat dry. His cheeks didn't burn up. He was clever enough to use his ice quirk to reduce the heat.

He felt extremely guilty he even had feelings for you. He just didn't want it to build up anymore, he didn't want to step too deep into a hole he cannot climb out of.

Whenever he'd see you, wanting to tell you to get it over with, he'd think of Katsuro and then think to himself:

If I say something, he might not exist.

That held him back, suppressed his feelings, hid the love he felt for you ever since you helped him smile in his childhood for months.

Shoto didn't want to say anything because he loved Katsuro, treated him like he was family even though he was however many years into the future. What would he think?

"Uncle Sho."

He blinked. He coughed and he gained his senses back from drowning in his thoughts. Why is everything complicated?

"It's okay Uncle Sho. It's time to tell Momma," he whispered, hugging the red and white-haired boy. "Nothing bad will happen to me."

It was as if he had an additional quirk to read minds, but knowing the future and travelling back, he might've gained knowledge he didn't know before.

Shoto was in disbelief and he was embarrassed that even a six years old noticed his distance and pondering.

As the boy cuddled into his arms, he looked to you, laughing with the Big Three who paid a visit. The eagerness you showed when the third years told you about their future work reminded him of when he first met you. When the day he first felt something different, all those years ago, you were so eager to know about him too.

elementary school, eleven years ago.

Shoto didn't know if his father would've allowed it to happen,  even as a young child, he was genuinely surprised that one day, after his first training with his quirk, he was introduced to the first child welcomed into his household outside of his family.