𝓘𝓭𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓽𝔂 | Shoto Todoroki X Female Reader

30 | Three Months Later

You sigh, staring down at your now cracked phone screen as you tap your cigarette on the edge of the ashtray.

It's been over three months since you left Japan, and you've gotten back to your life as usual. Jobs are coming in steadily, and so far you've been staying low and under the radar, avoiding the media and public eye at all costs. Your rundown "apartment" is nowhere near as nice as the one Shoto had, but it was the best you could do.

It was only so long before they found you, after all.

Your phone vibrates, snapping you out of your thoughts and turning your attention to the device. A new message sat on the screen from none other than Charlie.

"I'm on my way over with the new client, have the nail studio ready."

You roll your eyes as you snuff out your cigarette and stand up, sticking your phone in your pocket. 'Why do the code words he uses always have to be so feminine-?'

The sound of barking dogs echoed outside over the distant wails of a police siren heading to some inevitable murder scene. You hate it here, to be honest. But this is where business is good, and it's what you can afford.

You shuffle over to the kitchen, putting away some clean dishes and washing the dirty ones. 'This is what I deserve for being such a shitty person.'

You straighten the apartment up as much as possible, which isn't much, before you hear the knock at the door.

You quickly shove your phone and bumble into a small backpack-purse and stick it in one of the kitchen cabinets. You've developed a habit of packing an emergency bag with your essentials and hiding it so you wouldn't have to worry in case you had to quickly evacuate. Just grab the bag and run.

You then make your way over, not bothering to check through the peephole before opening the door.

"Jeez Charlie, it's not like you to be so ea-" you cut yourself off as you lock eyes with a man that is definitely not Charlie.

Your heart skips a beat, and you find yourself unable to move for a moment.

"Hey, Y/N." Standing there is none other than Shoto, a single red rose in his hand. He blushes a little, giving a cute half-smile. "I finally found you."

In a moment of panic, you grab him by the shirt, quickly pulling him inside and closing the door. You frantically look around, running over to close all the blinds. "Shoto what the hell are you doing here?!" You whisper yell.

"I had to find you, Y/N-"

"Keep your voice down!"

He frowns. "Is something wrong-?"

"Shit." You run your fingers through your hair. "You can't be here!"

"What do you mean I can't be here-?"

"Shoto it's not safe! You have to go! Now!"

"No. I'm not leaving without you."

"You have to Shoto!"

He shakes his head. "If this place isn't safe for anyone, it's you."

"Shoto the people here know who you are! Do you have any idea how big of a bounty is on your head?!"

He looks confused. "...we're in America though-"

"That doesn't mean anything! You need to leave now, put your hood up and keep your eyes on the ground! Go home, or you'll die!"

"I don't care if I die, as long as I'm with you."

"Shoto I don't think you understand, I-"

You're cut off by the sound of glass shattering as something lands on the floor of your apartment.

It's a small green and silver object, one that you recognize all too well. 

A grenade.

"Fuck-" you whisper, quickly crouching and covering your head, ears, and closing your eyes.

When it doesn't go off, you open them to see the grenade, stopped mid-explosion, frozen in a block of ice.

"Shoto we nee-"

The other windows shatter and part of the wall is kicked down as three men with machine guns break in. They open fire, a wall of ice quickly shielding you from the bullets. After a moment the gunfire stops and you peek around the wall to see that Shoto has frozen the men up to their necks. 

"Too easy." He mumbles, looking down at you. "Are you okay?"

You nod. "I think so... I'm a little shaken up, that's all."

"Good... let's get out of here."

You run over to the cabinet, grabbing your bag before he grabs your hand. "There are more coming down the hall."

"Then I guess we have no choice but to use the fire escape."

He nods, and you both hop through one of the holes in the wall. Hurrying down the Fire escape, you hear the shouts of the men entering your apartment. Shoto pulls you along once you reach the ground, and you're barely able to keep up with his speed.

"Shoto! Slow down, you're going too fast!"

You turn into an alleyway, and you feel on your thigh for your holster. Sure enough, there your loaded handgun sits.

"Y/N!" A familiar voice calls, causing you to stop in your tracks. "Step away, he's in my range!"

You turn to see Charlie standing in the entrance to the alley, aiming his handgun at you and Shoto. "Move, Y/N!"

Before he can pull the trigger you have your own firearm out and aimed at him, quickly shooting him to the ground before you can think.

"Y-Y/N-" Shoto stutters, "did you just-"

"Shoto! There's no time, keep moving!"

Your mind is stuck in a haze, processing what you just did.

You killed your best friend to protect Shoto.

But why?

If you would have just stepped out of the way, you'd've been rich.

But you didn't.

And you don't know why.

.................

The world outside is dark as you and Shoto drive along the highway in silence. He had parked his rental car in the alley, and neither of you had said a word in the 11 and a half hours you'd been driving.

You were too ashamed to say anything.

"We should probably find a place to stop for the night." He finally breaks the silence.

You shrug, "there's a Route 66 motel coming up."

He shakes his head. "No way, those are beyond sketchy."

"That's all I've ever known." You admit, still staring out the passenger side window.

"Well we're gonna change that then."

You stay quiet as you arrive, entering the hotel. Shoto exchanges words with the front desk employee, booking a room for the night.

Your own thoughts occupy you as you head to the room together, neither one of you saying a word as you enter and get situated.