Ethereal ◆ Shoto Todoroki x Reader

29 | Tears

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"Oh my goodness, it's so beautiful!"

The stout green-haired woman twirls around, taking in every inch of the palace. Izuku flutters around his mother, nervously laughing.

"Oh, Izuku, how did you manage this? Becoming a royal guard?" She turns to her son.

They haven't realized you and Shoto are watching, and you can't help but feel like you're intruding on the moment.

The duo hugs, and Izuku smiles. "If it weren't for their Highnesses, I wouldn't even be here. I don't know why they chose me, but I intend to live up to their expectations."

Izuku's mother smiles and hugs him tighter. "Now, where are they? Can I meet them?"

You gesture to Shoto and you both walk in as if you weren't listening. 

"Oh! Mrs. Midoriya, you made it," you smile, bowing.

"Oh dear, please drop the formalities, just call me Inko."

Both the Midoriyas drop into a deep bow. "Thank you, your Highnesses, for everything you've done for my son. It means the world to me as a mother," Inko smiles, her eyes getting teary.

"Aw, mom, don't cry," Izuku says, getting teary himself and hugging his mother.

"Oh sorry," Inko says, wiping her eyes, "May I ask, where are all of the decorations?"

"Decorations?" You and Shoto say in unison.

"Yes, the decorations!" Inko smiles, "Kurisumasu* is fast approaching!"

*ᴊᴀᴘᴀɴᴇꜱᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴄʜʀɪꜱᴛᴍᴀꜱ

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"We don't usually celebrate Kurisumasu here," Shoto says, "we decorate a little, but nothing more."

"Nor did my kingdom," you reply, "we ate cake and such, but it wasn't this grand."

"Oh it's very popular among us commoners!" Inko says, helping some maids decorate the hall.

"This early?" You ask, "There's still at least twenty days."

"Nonsense, it should be celebrated every week as far as I'm concerned."

You and Shoto laugh. Izuku's mother is a sweet woman, and very kind, and also passionate.

You turn to Izuku. "How's your guard training going? I hope the commander is treating you well."

"Oh it's great!" Izuku smiles, "I don't have a quirk, so some things are harder than others . . ."

"You're quirkless? I didn't know."

Now you feel slightly bad for knighting him; the commander is a harsh man, and can be discriminative. If Izuku is quirkless and a commoner, surely he's being treated poorly.

The commander's not a bad guy. He's an exceptional fighter and has a powerful quirk, but you've heard good things about him.

Even though you've never met the guy, Shoto has not spoken ill of him. Apparently he trained the prince how to fight as well as the royal guards.

What was his name? Aizowwow? 

You gesture to the only maid you know by name, Mayra, and whisper to her. "Please allow Mrs. Midoriya to decorate as she pleases, and when she's done show her to her room in the Eastern Wing."

"Yes, your highness," Mayra curtsies, smiling.

The Eastern Wing is where all of the parents and spouses of the guards live, along with the more refined maids, although you've never been there. That's were Inko will sleep and spend most of her time.

She might be sad to be far away from Izuku, since he'll stay with the other guards in the Northern Wing, but maybe she could decorate there too.

Despite the king still ill, or delusional rather, the mood in the palace hasn't been all that bad, and the decorations only help.

Maybe things are changing for the better.

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Hitoka's door is closed, but you can clearly hear her speaking with Takahashi. Their voices are muffled and intelligible, but the familiar tone of your guard's laugh pierces the door. 

You smile. They've been spending more time together lately, and after Takahashi asked about flowers, you're sure he has a crush. 

You wonder if he got her any flowers, and if so, what kind. 

The thought of the upbeat guard you've grown to love and the quiet and stern Hitoka makes you laugh. Opposites do attract, don't they?

You see the doorknob start to turn and hide, peeking out at the door. Takahashi comes out, a smile on his face wider than you've ever seen. A blush dusts his cheeks.

He turns the corner, and you're going to ask Hitoka for the juicy details, but you hear something that makes you stop.

Sniffles. Sobs.

Hitoka is crying.

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A/N:

Hey guys! I'm going to start posting announcements and such (like when the next chapter is out, some spoilers, questions/polls, etc.) on my profile, so follow me for updates!

Also, sorry I haven't posted in a while, if you follow me you know why.