He stares at me, his eyes a storm of emotions that I cannot decipher. "What do you want?" he asks, his voice a mix of pain and anger, disturbing the calmness of the room.
"I...I wanted to see you," I say, the words feeling foreign on my tongue. "To make sure you're okay."
Shoto's gaze is a frosty glare. "Why should I believe you?" The warmth of his earlier kindness is a distant memory, buried beneath the layers of pain and anger. "Since when do you care about anyone's well being?"
I swallow hard, the lump in my throat a reminder of the humanity that's been buried beneath the coldness of my mission. "I...I don't know," I admit, the words a whisper in the quiet room. "But seeing you like this, it's...it's changed something in me."
Todoroki's eyes narrow, the flames of his anger flickering. "Don't you dare," he growls, the heat of his voice burning the chill in the air. "Don't you dare pretend to care now, after everything."
The whispers of the stolen quirks are a taunting chorus, mocking my attempt at redemption. But the warmth of doubt has become a blaze within me, refusing to be quenched by their cold laughter. "I'm not pretending," I insist, the words a declaration of the fire that now rages in my soul. "I never wanted to hurt you."
Shoto's expression doesn't change, the wall of ice around his heart a fortress that my words can't penetrate. "Then why?" he asks, his voice a crack in the frosty silence. "Why did you do it?"
I hang my head, the weight of my actions a heavy burden. "I came here to become the best," I murmur, the confession a warm whisper that clashes with the coldness of the room. "The tournament was about making me stronger, but I didn't know how strong I already was, so I guess...I guess I just underestimated my own power and put you into this state."
Shoto's eyes bore into me, the warmth of anger and disbelief burning through the chill. "That's it?" he spits out, the words a sizzling challenge. "That's all you have to say for yourself?"
I stand there, my heart pounding in my chest, the whispers of the stolen quirks a cacophony of protest. They don't understand why I'm here, why I'm bothering with this warmth when I'm supposed to be cold, unfeeling. But I can't ignore the warmth that's been growing inside of me, the warmth that's been fighting against the coldness of my mission. "I...I didn't know," I repeat, the words feeling inadequate. "I didn't know it would put you into this state. You have pretty much no sense to live now...that's terrible."
Todoroki's eyes widen at my bluntness, the warmth of his anger flickering in the frosty air. "What's your point?" he asks, his voice a knife's edge of ice. "You're just going to stand there and tell me you didn't mean to do this?"
The whispers of the stolen quirks are a chilling reminder of the monster that lurks within me, but the warmth of doubt has become a wildfire, burning away the coldness of my mission. "No," I reply, the words a warm confession. "I'm telling you that I can give you an end to this pain."
Shoto's eyes narrow, the flames of his anger flickering with a hint of curiosity. "What do you mean?" The words hang in the air, a challenge that feels like a warm embrace.
"I can end this," I murmur, the ice sword appearing in my hand. The blade seems to glow with a cold light, a stark contrast to the warmth of the room. "I can take away your pain, give you peace." The whispers of the stolen quirks are a malicious chant in my mind, urging me on, reminding me of the power that I hold.
Shoto's eyes widen, the warmth of hope briefly flickering before the cold reality of my words hits him. "You want to kill me?" he whispers, the words a warm breath in the frigid air. "Is that your idea of mercy?"
The whispers of the stolen quirks are a cacophony of laughter, reveling in the chaos and pain that I've caused. But the warmth of doubt is a roaring flame, consuming the coldness of my mission. I nod my head, the gesture a silent acceptance of the whispers. "Yes," I reply, my voice a warm, earnest promise. "I can save you from this pain. It's the only way this is going to stop."
