He blinks himself out of a daze. When he comes to, he glances at his hands quickly as if surprised at what he did. "I'm sorry for being forward. You seemed like you wanted someone to do this for you again, so..."
He's so awkward, Ochako thinks for the umpteenth time, baffled at everything she's seen Prince Shouto do this evening. Is this really the terrifying prince that almost killed her last night? "Thank you, your highness," she stammers as her cheeks begin to burn.
He nods, giving her a relieved smile. It's easy to ignore the monster side of him when he has such a gentle look in his eyes. Despite herself, Ochako can't help but put her guard down completely.
When he offers his hand to her, she finally takes it.
To her surprise, having him close to her doesn't feel as threatening as it should be. Ochako even feels comforted by the proximity of his cold arm around hers. It makes her a little sad that she didn't take him up on his offer before.
So she can feel safe around the Prince after all. That's a start.
The silent walk definitely feels easier than the first terse moments. Before she knows it, they've reached the end of the cobblestone pathway and they're facing a small building next to the tower. From within the hall are paintings hanging along the wall. A hum of magic covers the entryways, shielding them from the elements outside.
"What's that?" she asks.
Shouto shakes his head. "They have not let me out of the tower for years. Your guess is as good as mine."
A prince who lives in the largest castle in the country, who doesn't even know its own intricacies. He's practically a prisoner in his own home. Something twinges in her chest upon the realization.
"Well... would you like to see?" Ochako offers. "I'm curious myself, but I can't do anything about the magic barrier unlike you, so..."
Shouto hums. "I guess it won't hurt."
They make their way to the entrance. Shouto puts his human hand up, and just like that the hum of magic disappears. He assists Ochako through the entryway and walks up to the first painting.
Above them, the face of Todoroki Enji looms--a fearful image in red and gold against the backdrop of fire. His blue eyes burn with determination. He holds a scepter in one hand, a flame in the other. He wears a crown on his head encrusted with rubies.
"Oh. It's him," Ochako says with a frown.
"Yes. Him," Shouto says, with similar distaste. He looks to Ochako in interest. "You, however, are terrible at hiding your disdain of his majesty, your highness."
She puffs her cheeks again. "Do you want me to, your highness? I can pretend to be more impressed."
"No, please continue to be disgusted by my father," the Prince says in amusement. She doesn't suppress her giggle.
They walk to the next painting, which is obviously Princess Fuyumi. She's painted in blues and whites against the background of snow. She smiles serenely as a much-smaller tiara rests upon her head. Ochako feels calm looking at her.
Next to Fuyumi is another man, painted against a similar icy background. He's a large man, similar in built to King Enji but with the white hair and dark eyes of Fuyumi. He's dressed in a blue military uniform and his expression is stern.
"Natsuo... my older brother," Shouto explains. When he quietly looks up at the painting, Ochako feels a new sort of heaviness enveloping his features. "I'm not sure if you'll meet him soon. I haven't seen him for years now."
