[ENG]Shoto Todoroki : Modern-day Terrorist

Chapter 148

Hawks slowly approached Shoto, his hands held high to show he meant him no harm.

The feverish teenager glanced nervously from side to side, as if expecting something - or someone - to suddenly appear.

- Touya ? What has he done?, Hawks asked, still walking slowly.

Shoto looked up at him, then shrank away, moving fluidly around him to the window.

Hawks swung to his feet to watch him but remained motionless.

Shoto paused at the window, exhaled loudly and ran a trembling hand through his hair.

Hawks saw the shiver run down his shoulders, noticed the way his neck tightened as he suddenly dropped his head in despair and muttered:

- Shit, shit, shit

Without taking his eyes off Shoto, Hawks leaned back and closed the door. It slammed shut.

The teenager was startled but didn't turn around.

Hawks walked around to the right of his desk - Shoto was on the left - forcing himself to make as little noise as possible as he walked, so as not to startle him by accident.

He sat down on the corner of his desk and waited, arms crossed, for Shoto to say anything.

But the boy didn't speak.

Hawks observed his profile, his shoulders slumped, his arms flailing, his hands clenched and trembling in spite of himself.

He opened the first drawer and took out his pack of cigarettes.

He inhaled his own smoke through his nose and exhaled to get the nicotine to his brain faster.

- You okay ?

Shoto dropped the head he'd been holding in both hands and turned to face Hawks.

He had dark circles around his eyes as if he hadn't slept in weeks, a waxy complexion and prominent cheekbones that made him look sick.

A huge purple haematoma covered his eyebrow and temple.

Hawks made no comment.

Shoto held Hawks' gaze.

- I just...

His eyes shifted to the floor to his left.

- I didn't know where else to go

Hawks smoked slowly, his eyes narrowing.

- What did he do to you ?

- To me ? Nothing.

Hawks' eyes darkened.

He pointed at Shoto with the hand holding the cigarette.

- That's not what that bruise tells me

Shoto lifted two distracted fingers to his left eyebrow, passing right by the pale scar that crossed his eye, eyelid and eyebrow.

His expression twisted in pain for a second, then he met Hawk's gaze and pretended not to feel anything.

- It's not a big deal, he said

He looked down.

Hawks felt anger surge through him like a tsunami of fever: he took two long drags, his eyes riveted on Shoto, ash falling onto the tips of his fingernails, then he crushed the cigarette on the corner of his desk with a crackling sound.

- Shoto, what did he do to you ?

Shoto looked suddenly irritated.

- I told you he did nothing to me