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𝐲𝐨𝐮
the hum of the machines and the sterile scent of the lab had become my constant companions. late nights blurred into early mornings as i meticulously examined the blood samples from eri and izuku. i spent hours analyzing the quirk-erasing bullets, studying every detail, searching for a way to replicate the effects of rewind without eri's direct involvement. i couldn't afford to make mistakes—there was too much riding on this.
sometimes, the lab felt colder when i was the only one left. the others would head home while i stayed, poring over data and running simulations until my eyes burned from exhaustion. the weight of aizawa's watchful gaze and the hero commission's scrutiny hung over me. every report i sent to them was dissected and questioned, and i could feel their skepticism in every email and phone call.
the restrictions meant touya couldn't risk visiting me here, and hawks, well he was on his mission; i was never truly alone, not with the commission and aizawa keeping tabs on me. i told myself that it was for the best. the project had to remain a secret, and if anyone suspected the real reason i was so invested, everything would fall apart. still, in those moments when the lab was silent, my thoughts drifted to him...
we were sitting in the patio of the todoroki residence, surrounded by the serene beauty of the traditional japanese garden. the soft rustling of leaves and the faint chirping of crickets filled the air as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the old wooden beams.
"wouldn't you want a big, public wedding when we're older?" touya asked, breaking the peaceful silence with a hint of excitement in his voice.
i glanced up at him, amused. "touya, by that time, we'll already have been married for years."
"i know," he said, grinning as he leaned back against one of the wooden pillars. "but our arranged wedding is only going to be for our families. i want everyone else to see us together."
"you want people to watch us get married... again?" i teased, swinging my legs lightly over the edge of the patio.
"if we're gonna be the best of the best," he replied, his eyes shining with determination as he gazed out over the garden, "i want everyone to look at us and believe that the public wedding is our true union. like a promise to the whole world."
his words made my heart flutter with hope. "that actually sounds really nice, tou," i said softly. "we could invite our future friends... and no one would ever know we'd already had our first wedding."
he chuckled and squeezed my hand, his touch warm against the evening chill. "exactly. it'll be our little secret until the day we're ready to share it with everyone..."
