Ghostly Flames [Todoroki x Reader]

History

"There's more where that came from."

Oh my God, this boy is going to be the death of me.

I nearly fainted at his words, not to mention his actions. My heart nearly stopped beating.

Shoto, my arm around his, walked me to a little ramen shop for dinner. The owner there knew him too, and automatically ordered two entrees of cold soba, which I was fine with.

"Do you wanna know one reason why I liked you when I first met you?" Shoto asked, his finger encircling my palm.

"Why?" I mumbled dreamily.

"You never judged me. Not that I care what other people think of me."

"You don't care what I think?" I faked a sad voice, accompanied with puppy eyes.

"You're the only exception to that." Shoto wiped a fake tear away from my cheek with a smile. "What I mean is, most people judge me or give me a weird look because of this scar on my eye. Have you even noticed it?"

"Yes," I smiled. "I like it."

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"It adds character." I explained, tapping my fingernails on my water glass. "You're not perfect. You have a story, and your scar shows it. So I always thought it was cool."

Shoto thought for a moment. "I've never thought of it like that." He softened his voice, letting my hand go and bringing his own up to his eye. "I despise the reason behind this scar."

I wasn't sure what to say. I didn't want to ask and pressure him into telling me. Eventually, Shoto sighed, and continued.

"Have you heard of quirk marriages?"

I nodded. "It's sick."

Shoto gave me a weird look.

"Oh God I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, horrified. "I wasn't thinking, oh my God. I didn't mean - I mean, I didn't realize - "

"Don't apologize, (Y/N)." He patted my hand, reassuring me. "I don't like the idea either. It's not okay.

"Anyways, that's the basis of my parents' marriage. My old man wanted to have a child with a strong quirk that would one day pass All Might." Shoto stared at a spot of the table, his hands steady in front of him. "My old man had three kids before me, who he thought of as failures because their quirks aren't as strong as he hoped. And then I was born."

I could tell Shoto was re-living some moments in his life. The fury and silence I witnessed on the bus to the USJ filtered through his face. That expression made me fearful for him - I wish I could go back in time and give him a happy childhood.

My hands reached out and held his. He glanced up at me, and his anger and rage subsided. As he relaxed, his shoulders dropped. Then he continued.

"My mom is the most kind and caring person I know. She wanted me to be a hero, like All Might. Even when I told her I didn't want to be like Endeavor. She reminded me that I didn't have to be like him.

"But my old man tortured her. He kept me separated from my siblings, in order to train me. She did not like that, and would often step in to save me."

I gave his hands a squeeze. Keeping his face turned toward the window at our booth, Shoto squeezed back.

"One day, my mother lost it. She poured boiling water all over my left side because I reminded her of him." He spit his last word out, as one of his hands covered his scar again.