Burnt to Ashes - Kenichi Todoroki

As the Shadows Settle

Kenichi's POV:

I sat out on my porch, waiting for Shinju to come. Thank god I have the quirk I do; if I didn't, then I would have to wear a coat.

It was cold outside, and the sun had already set, though it was only 7:00. I stared up at the stars, the nearly full moon, and the unnatural light coming from the street lights that lined my street. What a wonderful yet terrible world to live in.

I heard the sound of a motorcycle, and cocked my head to face Shinju as he pulled up to my house. He took off his helmet, revealing his slightly messy mohawk. I noticed that he had something on his nose..

"Like my nose ring? My brother Kenji did it himself." Shinju walked up to me, his head slightly tilted so I could see the pure black nose ring he had inserted into his septum.

"Is this about Aaron?" Shinju asked me, sitting down next to me on my porch. "If you're not going to talk, I want to be there for you but I could be making good money by robbing someplace. I know that goes against your heroic beliefs, but yknow my family.."

"Shinju." I muttered. "I understand."

"I know you do, you're a good-"

"But," I said, cutting him off. "I wanted to talk to you about our friendship."

"Come take a walk with me." Shinju stood up and stuck his tongue out at me. I got up and started walking beside him, following him to the sidewalk.

We started walking through the streets, in silence for a few minutes. I looked over at Shinju in his coat, that fit him well. It was a black coat with jet black fur, perfectly complimenting the black shaved part of his vibrant blue mohawk.

As I looked at Shinju, I felt like I had fallen in love even more, this time harder.

"I love you." I told him."

"I know." He responded.

We kept walking, then Shinju picked the conversation back up. "Somehow, this doesn't feel awkward."

I stayed quiet.

"You make me feel things that.. I don't feel with anyone else." He admitted. "And we can get in arguments and scream and shout and say we hate each other but like.. I just feel a genuine connection with you that I can't explain."

"Like we're soulmates?" I asked.

Shinju grabbed my hands and pulled them close to his face. "I want to be with you for the rest of my life, Kenichi."

I remember a while ago swearing that I wasn't gay, but as I looked into Shinju's eyes, all those thoughts were erased.

I slipped my hands out of his grasp and leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder. Shinju combed his fingers through my hair.

"I want to be with you for the rest of my life, too." I mumbled. "That's why I don't want you affiliated with your family anymore. We need to save Tora but you can't stay with your family or you might die before we get the chance."

Shinju stayed silent for a moment. "You know I can't do that, Kenichi."

"But I'd wish you'd at least try." I whispered.

I could feel Shinju nodding in understanding, but I knew he was far off into his thoughts now. For some reason, Shinju never seemed to be fully on earth. His ideas were out of this world, and he always had something he was thinking about. It was weird.

It was like he was trying to get away from something, or someone..

"Talk to me." I said, continuing to walk. "Your mind always seems to be drifting off. What's wrong?"