LOST // BAKUGO X OC

Shoto's investigation

It had been two days since Todoroki and Estelle went to Endeavours hero agency. The time spent was valuable since Todoroki had already improved his fireside a lot to where he felt a little more comfortable. Estelle had made some additions of her own. She had managed to increase the temperature of her fire and create whips that she could control from her hands.

The two students had begun to feel more comfortable with each other as they worked together. Todoroki had attempted to use some of that time to get to know the lone girl by asking questions. He once read online that asking a person questions was a sure way of obtaining friends, so he had put that advice to good use.

For example:

"What do you like to eat?"

"Pizza."

"I like Soba, especially when it's cold. What's your favourite colour?"

"Lavender."

"I like white. It reminds me of my mom. Where is your favourite place to go?"

"The woods."

"Why? I like restaurants that sell Soba."

And on it continued, Estelle decided to humour her classmate since he mainly asked surface-level questions. She did appreciate his effort and willingness to answer his own questions - since she had never asked. Estelle had figured he had given up when the training room turned quiet. She wasn't complaining, but it left a bit of awkwardness in the air. Shaking off the feeling, Estelle turned her thoughts back to her fire aspect.

Todoroki had run out of questions to ask, and he was stumped. The gym had gotten quiet as the two classmates trained. Todoroki watched Estelle when she used her abilities as he found it fascinating to see her powers. She moved majestically with her flames. He envied her confidence with her fire. He couldn't blame her, though.

She made fire look beautiful.

He wasn't used to that. To him, fire was destructive. Fire was evil. Fire was his father. Estelle was the total opposite of his father. He really wanted to hate her when he realised that she could use it as his old man did, but he couldn't. His father embraced the fire, allowed it to control him in all its volatility and unpredictability. Estelle seemed to control the fire, tame it and bend it to her will.

She looked alluring, with orange and red lighting up her features.

He was staring. He needed to look away.

-_-

Todoroki paced in his room before leaving and knocking on Estelle's door. He shuffled on his two feet apprehensively whilst he anticipated for Estelle to answer. Once she finally did, he asked her to accompany him for a meal. It was quiet for a moment, causing Todoroki to berate himself about inviting her internally. His shoulders eased when she accepted, and he waited for her to appear at the reception.

Once she arrived, the two strolled in peace towards a known soba place. Todoroki was the one to spring up with the idea with intense eagerness. That was when Estelle realised the boy really did love his Soba. She shook her head with a smirk, agreed to his option and followed him as they made their way down the streets.

Estelle was not surprised when he spoke up once more; she was fully aware of his attempts to get to know her.

"So, you know what it was like for me growing up. I think it would be fair for you to even the playing field."

Estelle smirked and scoffed. "You say that like I pried. You willingly offered that information up to me."

"What? Should I have charged you twenty yen to tell you?" Todoroki responded with a lost look.