A Dragon's Heart // Shoto Todoroki x OC

Chapter 3: Gehenna

Amara's POV

Harsh rays of sunlight floated down relentlessly onto the dull beige bricks of the ground. I stood quietly among my classmates, all of them wearing their hero costumes except for one—Midoriya, who was still in his gym clothes. A sigh escaped my lips as I took a seat on one of the cream benches, interlacing my fingers.

"Why don't you have a costume?" Todoroki's deep voice came from behind me. He quietly moved in front of me, his eyes locking onto mine, waiting for a reply.

"The design company is having a hard time finding a material that will work with my quirk," I sighed. "Apparently it's difficult to find something that's fireproof, iceproof, and electricity-proof while also being malleable and durable enough not to tear when I harden my skin." I said sarcastically, perching my head on my palms. Todoroki nodded quietly.

"The reason I got here a few days after you guys was because the school decided to run extra tests on my quirk," I began.

"What do you mean?" He took a seat next to me, the bench groaning slightly under his added weight.

"Well, they thought I had multiple quirks, but it's just the one. They made me do a DNA test. They even considered making me wear a bracelet to limit my power. But I said no, and that's why they put my uncle as our teacher—because he can cancel quirks," I explained.

"Mr. Aizawa is your uncle?" he asked, not looking at me.

"Yep. We live together, though it doesn't feel like it because he's never home." A smile crept onto my face. "Don't tell anyone, but," I leaned closer, covering my mouth with my hands as I whispered into his ear, "he actually fosters cats." Todoroki's bicolored eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's a secret, though. He'll kill me if he finds out I told you." I let myself laugh.

Pain tore through my skull as someone blew into a whistle. I slouched over, clutching my head, and felt Todoroki's warm hand touch my shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a monotone.

"I'm fine. Thank you." I mumbled, my ears ringing slightly as I glared at Iida, the class rep. I rose from the bench and stalked toward him. He blew into the whistle again, and I tore it from him, throwing it to the ground and crushing it with my hardened foot. His face contorted in horror.

"Why did you do that?" he yelled.

"You're lucky that's all I did," I threatened, narrowing my eyes.

"You're threatening your class rep?" he stiffened, staring me down. I rolled my eyes.

"Are we boarding this bus or what?" I said in a dead tone.

Iida snapped out of his anger. "Oh, yes. It's time to go, everyone!" he yelled. I groaned internally as I waited in line to board the bus. It didn't take long, and I quickly made my way to the back seat, sitting by the window. I leaned my face against the cold glass. It felt calming, the cold surface against my warm skin. My breath created tiny clouds on the glass before they faded away. I felt weight sit next to me and didn't have to look to know who it was. He was my only friend anyway. The bus began to move, and I peered over at Todoroki. He sat straight, his eyes closed. He looked so peaceful.

"Quit staring," he mumbled. The bus engine was loud in the back, but I could hear him perfectly.

"I'm not staring. I'm inspecting," I retorted. He opened one eye, his brown eye, to look at me before closing it again.

"It's creepy," he joked.

"You're creepy," I playfully nudged him with my elbow, causing him to chuckle. His laugh made the butterflies in my stomach go crazy.