Fates Entwined (A TodoBaku ff) ✔

V

Shoto received several knocks at his door throughout the afternoon and late into the evening. The tribe ambassadors, Midoriya, and even Bakugou's father had attempted to talk to him, but he couldn't face them without first collecting his thoughts. 

He questions everyone's actions towards him. Were they being kind out of pity? Out of pity that he was some sort of pawn in his father's political gain, sold to the highest bidder? Out of pity that he had no freedom in his life as they seemed to do, that they wanted to ease him into living with them before the marriage. Would they have ever told him of the marriage or kept it all a dirty little secret until Bakugou couldn't sit around waiting any longer?

He paced back and forth so much he thought he would eventually wear a hole into the carpets, no matter how thick and luscious they seemed. His boots sent gentle thuds echoing around the room, no doubt audible to whoever was in the rooms next to and below him. He felt trapped, suffocated, moving from one prison to another; it was just his luck that he ended up in the last place he wished to be. And it seemed that luck had abandoned him for a little longer...

By the time he looked up from his hands, twisting and wringing them back and forth until the skin was blotchy and red, the sun was setting onto the horizon. A deep orange hue settled across the forests, the leaves gold like they were inlaid with jewels. The sight was beautiful, so warm and peaceful, that it sent through him the first deep breath of air his lungs had been desperate for for hours. The sunlight reflected off the glass window, sending small sunbeams filtering through his room, almost tangible as he waved his hand through one. Yet, the long shimmering rays of light looked like prison bars to him now, spanning the whole room as if trapping him in a cage.

A loud and consistent knocking pulled him out of his haze, back into the present where he could hear voices from the people outside, doors opening and closing throughout the castle, and exasperated noises from beyond his door.

"Open the fucking door!" The knocking was replaced by an angry voice, and Shoto would honestly prefer the knocking to continue than having to face what Bakugou would try to say to him once he opened the door.

"Why should I? One door leads to another, and none of them open to a place where I'm free. Did you only care about keeping me under your watch so nothing could happen before our wedding? I'm sure you don't want Enji's precious goods to go to waste."

His voice was laced with venom as he spoke loud enough that it would no doubt be heard by Bakugou outside. He felt a wave of anger rush through him, just like it did so often whenever he saw his father hurt or belittle someone. He would speak as freely as he wanted to; besides, Bakugou could force the door open if he wanted to.

There was a tense silence lingering in the air, no movement from outside the door that Shoto could detect. He almost thought that the man had left, but he was clearly stubborn and very used to having things go his way that when the sound of his lock being blasted apart erupted through the quiet it didn't stun him at all. The door was pushed open so harshly it whined on its hinges before colliding with the wall, swinging pitifully as Bakugou stormed in right at him, eyes a fiery red as they glared at him with as much spite as they could. 

"Don't strain yourself." Shoto couldn't help himself. This rage, a quiet yet constantly brewing anger that had been building inside of him for years was starting to boil over, and he knew whatever consequences he may face would be nothing in the face of his father's hands. 

"Listen hear you little shit! I don't give a shit about any fucking arranged marriage! You're not special, you're like the fucking dirt under my shoe when I have more important people to think about! I'm being fucking generous by allowing you stay in my fucking home, when to your shitty father it's practically me showing off the power I have over him!"