Chapter 1

His eyebrows twitched, a signal of a blooming thought. Maybe it was the lack of the coat and the tank-top in the beginnings of the first snow or her unkempt hair, maybe it was her eyes darting and scanning each stranger at the park he passed through to go to work. A face he hadn't seen in years: Uraraka, Ochako.

"Uraraka?" His voice was soft, barely a tone above a whisper. She flinched, tightening her arms around the bundle of blankets in her arms. It was cold today she should've put them on. Maybe she had a cold.

"Todoroki?" She hesitated, even moved a foot back slightly. To the untrained eye, it was unnoticeable. She had disappeared her senior year, right before graduation. Barely a word to anyone. Aizawa had said it was a family matter and returned to what he was going. That distant look had bothered him.

Todoroki nodded.

"Ah, that's great. You look like you're going to work, I shouldn't distract you too long." Her hands tightened on the bundle, a flash of gold on her finger.

"You're married?"

Red lit her face, then she palled, "well, um, you know how it is, some things happened back in high school."

High school It must've been related to her disappearance, "Are you-?"

"Look at the time, I've got to go. Nice seeing you. I wish I could see you again."

It was an odd word choice, Todoroki nodded anyway. It was probably best she got inside anyway. The snow was beginning to stick to the ground it would pile soon, and she was already shaking.

He tightened his hand on his bag. He knew she came from a poor family, but they should at least be able to afford a coat. He hoped she was at least happy. A flash of his mother sitting in a hospital bed invaded his thoughts. He shook his head wishing the intrusive flashback away. Todoroki glanced at his watch. He still had time, the crowd was larger than normal today, but he would make it. He glanced towards the suited members of the crowd attempting to pass around their brochures. If he wasn't praying they would leave him alone he'd be almost impressed at each of their abilities to manage the crowd's attention for a spare moment longer than most.

Another approached him, pulling a paper from the top of their stack, "Not interested." He turned. He wasn't in the mood for socializing, he just wanted to get to work. Something about Uraraka was bothering him. He needed a distraction.

"Please sir, just two minutes-"

Tch, persistent. "I told you I don't want to buy your-" He glanced down at the brochure, Uraraka's face with large letters underneath, "Missing."