Worth It (N. Todoroki X Reader)

Chapter 9: High School Was Shit

I had mentioned the whole high school dilemma multiple times with multiple wordings around Natsuo, so it really shouldn't have surprised me when he finally decided to question me about it further.

Except I seriously didn't expect him to ask while we were watching Aladdin.

He had paused the movie to ask, turning on the lamp on the table thing next to the couch and staring at me for a moment before he asked.

It had honestly surprised me, and I almost didn't know how to respond. Hell, I didn't even want to dig up that chest of memories I had buried after graduation. So when I asked if he really wanted to know, and when he looked me dead in the eyes and said yes, I knew he was serious about wanting to know.

"Like you already know, it happened in high school," I started, not really knowing how to start. I leaned into him, finding a comfortable position to sit in. "Uhm, high school was a very shitty five years for me. They weren't fun. This specific instance happened during my tenth year and kinda ruined everything else. Basically, there was this guy—named Ribaundo—and, according to a rumor everyone had heard, he really liked me. And of course, me being the absolute idiot I was, actually believed them.

"We had started talking, but it never became anything more than that. One day, I was walking past a section of the library where I could hear him talking with someone else. He was asking about how much longer he had to do this until he got his money. I didn't know what he was talking about until his friend said until you make Y/n your girlfriend. I started ignoring him after that. He caught on to it, though, and cornered me in the hallway to ask what was up. When I told him about what I had heard, he didn't even try to deny it, only asking if I would be his girlfriend so he would get his money.

"I obviously didn't accept, but it just hurt me that he wasn't actually interested in me. That he had actually spent months getting to know me just so he could ask me out, and not even because he genuinely wanted to be with me.

"I guess that's why I was so quick to judge when Endeavor asked about why you got with me. After that whole ordeal in high school I just kinda lost faith in love and romantic feelings, even if it was only one time. That one time had destroyed me mentally, and I fell into a sort of slump. The rest of the year I was so focused on what I wasn't and how I could make myself more likable. I ended up being held back and having to repeat year ten.

"During that year, someone who hadn't liked the fact that I got close to Ribaundo for a few months got really upset, and spread the rumor that I got around a lot. That messed me up even more, and I almost failed again.

"Eleventh year came around, and those rumors still existed. That year I decided to take my studies more seriously, and that was my best year academically, since no one really wanted to be my friend. It was like that until I graduated, but those rumors never faded, and I got bullied because of it. Even the teachers and counselors knew about it. High school isn't necessarily the best years of my life."

I didn't look at Natsuo. I didn't want to, scared of what he'd think or if he'd judge me. I just kept my head on his chest and stared at the paused Disney movie. I don't even know what I was thinking in that moment. My mind was completely blank compared to the chaos that normally goes on in it.

"I really don't know what to say in response to that," Natsuo finally said, breaking the tense silence.

I snorted at his comment, hanging my head down and cracking up. "I was expecting any other reaction except that," I admitted, still laughing. I shook my head, calming down and leaning my head on his shoulder.

"Well, I want you to know that I still love you, no matter what the rumors from high school said," Natsuo said. 

I smiled, lifting my head so my chin rested on his shoulder and stared at his profile, admiring the way he looked.

He seemed to sense that I was staring at him, because he turned his head and smiled at me. "Can I kiss you?"

I nodded, leaning in until our lips met in a sweet kiss. When we pulled away, I said, "You know you don't have to ask. I've told you that before."

"But I want to ask," he replied. "I never want to make you do something you don't want to—even if it's just kissing me."

My smile brightened somehow, and I leaned my head on his shoulder again. "You're too sweet."

We sat in silence as we finished the movie, adding in unneeded commentary every now and then, and then wondering whether or not there might be a possibility this could actually happen. We concluded that it could 100% happen in a world full of quirks, but not Agrabah (or wherever this movie is set) before quirks.

We agreed that since it was late, Natsuo would stay the night. After a long and cliché argument about sleeping arrangements, it was decided that we would just share the bed. Honestly, it was actually a difficult conversation to have because he is very tall while I am average height. I really don't think anywhere other than the bed would let him sleep comfortably.

"I have something to ask," Natsuo said, getting in next to me. I hummed, letting him know to continue talking. "I want to meet your family. As your boyfriend."

I paused. Pondering his favor and wondering if either of us were ready in any way to face my parents after I told them they would get to meet my boyfriend.

The answer: we definitely were not. But that's okay, that just adds to the character of our relationship, I guess.

"Are you sure?" I asked, wanting to know if he was completely positive about this. I took off my ring and put it on my nightstand, laying down and facing him. "They can get kinda—" I made a face and moved my hands around, hoping that conveyed the message I was trying to deliver since I couldn't think of the word.

"I'm positive. I don't care how crazy they are, I want to meet the people that created such an amazing and beautiful person."

That made my face flare up, and I hid my face in my pillow. "Please don't tell them that. They will gush and never shut up about my supposed accomplishments."

Natsuo chuckled, pulling me to him and planting a simmering kiss on my temple. "I won't say that," he said quietly. "But that doesn't mean that I, personally, won't hush about how amazing my girlfriend is."

I shook my head, accidentally whacking him with my pillow before telling him to go to sleep.

~~

I feel like the quality of this book is very slowly deteriorating