𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐘𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐄 ❀ 𝐒. 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐎𝐊𝐈 !!ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇᴅ!!

Chapter Seven ~ It Was Me

Todoroki's POV

Right before we went inside their small house, I felt Akiara's body go limp in my arms. "Uhhhh... Haruka? I think she just passed out."

Haruka bit her lip and opened the door. "I think... I think she just needs rest. I did go pretty hard on her."

I raised an eyebrow, the worried expression hadn't left my face since I ran to comfort Akiara in the middle of their training. "What did you put in her mind?"

Haruka smirked despite her teary eyes. "First I put the image of you two cuddling on the beach watching the sunset."

Heat rushed to my cheeks and the red part of my hair caught on fire. I willed my fire to not ignite on my arms and chest so Akiara wouldn't get roasted. But my face and ears were bright red.

"Wh... what?" I mumbled.

Suddenly, I blinked and there I was, sitting on a beach. The sun was setting on the horizon, the water lighting up with yellows and oranges. Akiara was leaning against me, our fingers intertwined as I wrapped an arm around her. I blinked a few more times until finally the image was gone as we stepped into the house.

"That was..."

"Comfy?" Haruka wiggled her eyebrows.

My hair lit on fire again.

"Hey, put that out! You'll burn down the whole neighborhood!" The 6 year-old scolded me, pointing up at my hair.

I took a deep breath and the fire disappeared.

I examined their house. It was very small. The main room was as big as my bedroom back home. A rickety couch was pushed against the wall opposite the front door, with a table in front of it. To the right of the couch, was a small kitchen counter with a stove, oven, microwave and fridge. Cupboards were open, and I could see the contents inside, which wasn't much. To the left of the couch, were two doors which I assumed led to their bedrooms.

"Your house is very lovely." I said.

Haruka frowned. "Don't lie. Akiara and I know we don't have an amazing financial life." She paused mid-sentence and instructed me to set Akiara down on the couch. I was about to, but I couldn't see a pillow to rest her head on. With much debate, I sat down on the couch and laid her down, resting her head in my lap. It was an awkward position I must admit, but I'm sure it was better than crushing her face on the hard sofa.

Haruka continued, trying not to smirk at the two of us. "I know I already told you that our parents died a year ago, and that Akiara has taken on at least three part-time jobs. She's trying her best to support us with what little she can. She thinks that I don't understand what's happening, but I do." Haruka frowned again. "I understand that she's doing it all for me, to try to give me the best life she can guarantee. I understand that it's hard on her. I understand that she's sleep deprived trying to provide for me. It hurts me to see my sister try so hard, without knowing that I care for her more than I care for how my life is or how much we have."

She paused, allowing me to think.

"You know..." I started, "You're very wise for a 6 year-old."

Haruka flipped her hair. "Thank you, Todoroki."

I looked down at the girl asleep on the couch, whose head was lying in my lap. Her ash blonde hair was splayed out around her head, and her halo was hovering up and down, still glowing a golden yellow. Her wings were neatly folded against her, so they wouldn't be crushed by the backboard of the couch. She looked peaceful now.

"Do you think her panic attack stopped?" I asked.

Haruka nodded. "Yes. I've been filling her mind with her warmest memories. I scanned her mind for some of the happiest times in her life. Playing heroes with mom and dad, when I was born," She looked at me with warm eyes, "Even when she met you."

I blushed, trying to resist lighting on fire again. I stared down at Akiara. My hands were awkwardly placed at my sides, and I decided to do something with them. Without another thought, I started to fidget with her hair, twirling it around my fingers.

Again, I asked, "What was in the nightmare you gave her? What happened?"

Haruka sighed and frowned, sitting on the floor across the table, facing the two of us on the couch. "After the beach scene I had projected, I made her collapse into a black abyss. She had said she wanted me to scare her the best I could, and darkness is one of her biggest fears, so I plunged her into it. Once she blinked again, I created the image that she most feared now."

She didn't finish. Instead, she projected the scene into my head so I could see for myself.

I blinked my eyes, and looked around me. I was in the middle of a city that was on fire and burning down. Surrounding me, were the dead bodies of my new classmates. But I wasn't seeing this scene from Akiara's perspective. Apparently, I was seeing it from the skies, in third person. Akiara was bent over a body which was covered in blood. She was bawling her eyes out, holding onto the body's bloody shirt, wiping the hair away from its face. It took me a while to recognize who she was crying over.

It was me.

The vision disappeared in a flash and I found myself back inside their small but cozy home. "She... had a panic attack because we died?"

Haruka nodded. "Mostly because you died, but yeah."

I looked back down at Akiara, a new softness in my eyes. She had just barely met all of us, and she now wants to do everything in her power to protect us.

"I'm going to put her in her bed instead. I'm sure it's more comfortable than laying on the couch." I stated, carefully moving her so I could stand up.

"I don't know..." Haruka cooed with a smirk. "She looked pretty comfortable on your lap."

I raised an eyebrow at the young girl as I picked Akiara up bridal-style again. I carried her towards the other doors. "Which one is her room?"

"Oh, the one on the right is our bedroom." Haruka answered, hurring over to open the door for me.

The room was even smaller than this one. Simply with one mattress tucked against the far wall, and a rotting wooden dresser next to it. Carefully, I set Akiara down on the bed, her head resting on one of the pillows laid on the mattress.

"I should probably get going." I said, pulling out a piece of paper and a pen from my pocket. I quickly wrote a note, using the dresser as a table before heading outside of the room. "Please tell Akiara I had a lot of fun with you guys today, and that I hope she gets better."

Haruka nodded. "I will. Thanks for coming, Todoroki."

I softly smiled in response as I left their cozy home, feeling relieved I actually enjoyed something today.

Bro. Haruka is such a sneaky little 6 year old. And EXTREMELY smart. I hadn't intended her to be that smart... but it just happened. I was writing in my normal style, and then I realized, "Oh. This kid is supposed to be 6. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........

~Dream