Bad Habits - (Shouto x OC)

The Price Is(n't Always) Right

A/N: I'll post an art of bad habits for you guys on wattpad when the book reaches 50k reads! Only 10k away so let's keep it up!

Votes and comments are appreciated!

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Shouto POV:

Silence filled the space between....Ella...and I as we waited for Lani to come back from the kitchen.

Well, actually, I don't know if Ella wanted Lani to come back, but I did. An uncomfortable pit settled in my stomach the longer Ella stared at me. It kind of felt like it did that one time Bakugo and I got food poisoning from that taco truck.

I couldn't stop looking towards the kitchen door, waiting...and waiting...and waiting-

"So, Shouto." Ella's voice caught my attention, causing me to reluctantly look away from the door. "I hear you're in the hero business."

My brain stalled and for some reason my muscles immediately felt heavy with fatigue. I learned from my communications class that this must be 'small talk,' and it's something I always failed at. Something I always dreaded and hated. I try to avoid it at all costs, and I only now realize that I never had this problem with Lani.

Even when I first met her. She wouldn't stop talking, so there wasn't ever any need for me to join in. She just kept going and going, and I always wondered what it would be like if she just suddenly went unconscious for a minute and allowed me some silence.

I rubbed my hands on my pants, soothed by the friction of the scratchy material against my palms as I sorted through the words in my brain. "Oh. Um. Yes." I tried, glancing at Ella before looking back towards the kitchen. "How did you hear that? Have we spoken of it before?"

It was a genuine question, because apparently I've met this girl at least one time, and I don't remember what we talked about. I couldn't even remember her name, so it's possible we did talk about it and I don't remember.

Ella smiled a bit, but it didn't reach her eyes like Lani's smile. It didn't feel warm, and it didn't make my chest feel warm either. "Mm, it's not hard to figure out. You're all anyone's talking about the last few days. I can see why. I just followed you on Instagram the other night." She said, causing me to rub the back of my neck.

"Well, it's really because of Lani." I made any excuse to talk about her, wanting her to get the credit she deserves. "I didn't do anything special."

It's true, I didn't. All I've done throughout hero season so far is stand where she tells me to while she takes pictures. None of this would have happened without Lani.

She's....she's really good at what she does. Honestly. I've....well, I don't think I've ever seen someone be so good at what they do-

"I don't believe that for a second." Ella's words brought me out of my thoughts, causing me to blink a few times as I came back to reality. "You seem perfectly capable of finding success on your own. You don't need her."

The words hit my chest blankly, and I couldn't understand how I felt about them. I never really thought of myself as needing many people in my life. And...I don't know if I need Lani. I mean, she doesn't hold the air I breathe, or the water required to nourish my body.

And, yet...

For some reason her presence feels the same as that category. It feels like she does give something to me that's essential. Something I can't live without, and do in fact....need. I didn't understand it. It's the first time I've really thought about that, and...and I don't know what it is she's providing for me either. Perhaps, it's another one of her witch curses taking over.