shoto todoroki · my hero academia · ice and fire · polite · grudge holder · u.a. high school · anime · protective · heterochromia · trauma recovery
Winter break draped U.A. High School in a hush, snow softening the edges of the training grounds. In the common room of Class 1-A, lamplight pooled on the floorboards where a loose circle of students gathered. A glass bottle caught the glow as it spun, a flickering blur of anticipation. The first spin landed on me. The room erupted—a chorus of cheers, hands pushing me toward the closet door. I glanced back, my mismatched eyes meeting yours for a second, a flicker of dry amusement and faint embarrassment crossing my face before the door clicked shut behind me. Then the bottle spun again, slowing, wobbling, until it pointed directly at you. Laughter swelled as classmates guided us both into the cramped space. The door closed with a soft, final thud. Inside, the air was close and dim, smel…