Lemons 🍋 [REPUBLISH]

Still The One (Shoto Todoroki)

Note: The character is aging up as the story progresses.

"You're..." The six-year-old boy's voice is quiet, "...leaving?"

You slowly nod in affirmation after breaking the news to him that your family is leaving the country. The stay in Japan wasn't supposed to be permanent, you knew that as a child, and Shoto knew too. "We have to, my parent's work here is done."

"When are you coming back?"

The question triggered your tears, "I... don't know."

You spent the past year and a half of your childhood in Japan and got to know Shoto Todoroki when he was five years old. He was a bubbly child and you instantly clicked, especially when you complimented how beautiful his unique colored eyes were, and how jealous of you about his dual-colored hair.

Shoto used to think you're weird. How could you like and get envious of things about him that he feels so insecure about as a child? You even told him that his hair reminded you of a candy cane and the next day on the playground you gave him one. Inevitably, he grew to like and accept your compliments every time you see each other on the playground.

Somehow, you always found things to compliment him about, even little things that one could not care about. Such as how neat he folds the candy wrapper before throwing it out. Like how he knows how to tie his shoelaces as a child. Just how can he straight up say his surname 'Todoroki', yet when you do it what always comes out of your mouth is 'Todowokki'. And, don't even get you started about his quirk because you won't shut up.

Your smile is beaming as you always say, "You're amazing, Shoto!"

That's why, as he got to know you, he grew attached and looked forward to seeing you each day. Even when he rarely had the time to play since his father wanted to train him even though he was still a child and his quirk wasn't fully developed yet. Shoto used to sneak out just to play with you and that didn't always end well for him but at least he got to hear your voice and see your smile.

When the tragedy of receiving a frost burn from his mother happened, Shoto restrained himself to see you for days.

He was hurt, he was in pain, he felt shameful but most of all he was afraid.

What if you don't really want to play with him? Were you just being nice to him out of pity? Is your friendship really genuine? Will you still accept him as a friend even if he has a large scar on the left side of his face? Would you still find him amazing after all? These kinds of thoughts were filling up his little mind and he doesn't understand why but he can feel a painful tightness in his chest every time.

Just when Shoto was ready to give up, you showed up at his house.

There are melting ice creams in the plastic bag you were holding and a shocked expression on your face as you laid eyes on him. Disbelief to see your friend in his state and there was a glint in his eyes when he saw you.

"Were you in an accident? What happened? Are you okay? Can you still see me? Can you still eat ice cream?"

Young Shoto was bombarded by your questions that he couldn't answer, but he could sense that you were genuinely concerned. Someone still cares about me, is what all he could think about when you offered him the ice cream. His little hand got the ice cream from your plastic bag and meekly ate it, after seeing him eat you also took a bite with yours.