Ashes of Love and War - TodoMomo

||Chapter 22 ~ Part 1||

Shouto grabbed the front of Kaminari's chiton and slammed the god against the stone wall behind him. There was a sharp crack, and the wall shuddered.

"Hey!" Kaminari yelped. "I know you are an incy, wincy bit angry, but isn't this a bit excessive for friends?" Kaminari's voice rose in alarm.

"I'm not your fucking friend," Shouto hissed, his lips pulled up baring his teeth. Flames and ice erupted from his arms.

Kaminari yelped and shrunk back in alarm.

An abrupt image of Enji's rage flashed through Shouto's mind. His stomach twisted. He canceled his magic, taken aback by his reaction that was so close to his father's.

Shouto's fingers shook as they dug into Kaminari's chiton. He didn't know where this anger was coming from. The fury was overwhelming. Shouto had anticipated anger, but the rage at seeing Kaminari again was unexpected. It felt as if his blood had turned to molten lava, scorching in Shouto's veins and threatening to burn him whole.

His fingers twitched. He wanted to punch the god, slice Endeavor across the erotes' stomach, and watch him squeal in pain.

He didn't even fully understand why he was so enraged. Certainly, the fact that Kaminari cursed him played a part, but the depths of his anger felt unjustified for it to be just that.

Shouto stood, breathing heavily as he tried to control himself. He promised himself never to be like his old man. Still, the fury continued to wash over him, attempting to bury him under its wrath.

Selene's moon shifted, throwing shadows across Shouto's face and casting him in darkness.

He glared at the erotes. His fingers twitched. His hand dropped to his side, and Shouto stepped back unsheathing Endeavor. Malice burned, cold and brilliant, in Shouto's narrowed gaze.

Kaminari's eyes widened. His pupils shook, but a smile was still plastered across his mouth, fueling the fury in Shouto's gut.

The god held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Wait! I get it, okay? Hey-!"

His voice broke as Shouto pointed Endeavor at his neck. The tip of the blade pressed into the god's smooth skin. A thin rivulet of silver ichor ran down Kaminari's throat.

"You can't die, but I can still make you feel unimaginable pain," Shouto snarled; his hands tightened around Endeavor's hilt until his knuckles turned white. "Now tell me what you're doing here. What gave you the nerve to appear before me again?"

Kaminari swallowed. "Well, you see..." He trailed off, eyes darted down to Endeavor's tip pointed at his throat. Kaminari's throat bobbed underneath the steel before his golden eyes raised back up to meet Shouto's gaze. He gave a timid laugh.

Shouto growled and dug Endeavor deeper into Kaminari's throat.

"Okay! okay!" Kaminari said hurriedly. Then his expression flickered, and the bumbling idiot was gone as the god stared at Shouto seriously. "I have a favor to ask."

"What?" Shouto asked, taken aback.

"It's like a quest," Kaminari continued before Shouto could fully process the information. "You know how we gods can't actively deal with humans unless we go through demigods? Well, I need help. A human has captured one of Aphrodite's nymphs, and I need a demigod to go rescue her."

Shouto's eyebrows furrowed. Midoriya's voice recounting that Kaminari was on a mission rose to the forefront of Shouto's thoughts. His heartbeat quickened. A sudden sense of foreboding surged inside of him.

"Why should that be any of my concern?" Shouto forced himself to ask.

"Because of the reward." Kaminari reached up and slowly pushed Endeavor away from his throat. He straightened and lifted his head to meet Shouto's gaze; his golden eyes shone like twin suns.