Finding Me (Todoroki x Reader)

Chapter 98

I clung tight to Shoto's hand to calm my nerves, probably breaking a finger or two.

It was a bright Saturday morning - finally the weekend - and Shoto and I were on our way towards the place that I used to call home: my family house. The walk itself was pleasant, Shoto making idle conversation with me as we wondered down the footpath, not really paying attention to where we were going. The sudden feeling of Déja Vu hit me; the path we were taking we'd walked many times before back at the beginning of the school year.

Oh, how times had changed.

As much as the journey to my home was relatively okay, I couldn't shake my incessant nerves from infiltrating my brain. What if what I was doing was a mistake? Would they even want me there after what I said to them? They hadn't made any contact with me since I left, so maybe I shouldn't...

"Maybe this isn't a good idea," I said, stopping in my tracks.

Shoto took a few more steps forward before stopping, too; turning around to face me. "What do you mean? It was your idea."

"I know, but... Maybe I shouldn't go see them, after all. I mean, who's to say they're not still mad at me, now? I know now that I hurt their feelings that day..."

"...I understand your concern, but I don't think either of you should have any say in what I do regarding my hero training. Not after everything you've done..."

A slight breeze blew along the street, catching the loose strands of my H/C hair and making them dance. Shoto's red and white locks swayed, too; the contrasting colours blending together with startling beauty. It reminded me oddly enough of the first afternoon we walked home together after our first day of school.

"I was mad at them back then," I continued, looking up at the clear blue sky where a flock of birds flew high. "But now I realise that I can't stay mad at them forever, and I want to make it right with them. However, they may not feel the same."

"You're scared they won't except you?" Shoto asked, a single eyebrow raised in question. I nodded, to which he let out a deep sigh. Walking back over to me, he took hold of my hand and looked me dead in the eyes. "Y/N, from what I can tell, your parents love you. They truly do. Even if what they did was completely wrong and dangerous, they just wanted to protect you. I'm not condoning their actions by any means, and I honestly don't fully understand why you have this sudden urge to reconcile with them; but I'm with you. Every step you want to take; whichever direction you want to go in, I'm with you."

"Shoto..." My heart swelled at his kind words as I stared at him with wide eyes. My shock dissipated as a big smile tore my lips open, a breathy laugh escaping through it. "When did you become so wise, all of a sudden."

Shoto shrugged, turning to continue walking. His hand still held mine, to my surprise and joy. "I told you: I'm not good with words. It is simply the truth."

"Well, then maybe you should speak the truth more often, huh?"

"I always speak the truth. Isn't that how you're supposed to speak?"

"Shoto... you take things way too literally."

The two of us fell into laughter once more, my worries and nerves disappearing as we walked down the footpath. I had to admit: as much as Shoto could be dense in the humour department, he always managed to make me smile. The stubborn, icy-hot bastard he was.

It didn't take us long to reach my street, and an even shorter time to reach the front steps of my house. I gulped as I scanned over every aspect of it: from the front deck, to the garden along the walkway, to the little scribbles in the top corner of the door that were my parents' names and mine. I didn't really know what to expect, coming back - maybe a few changes here and there. But nothing. Nothing had changed.