Scars of Creation

It was a starry night at the summer camp, the day of training had taken its toll on the students of U-A, after having their dinner and baths they were all just hanging out in their divided rooms, most them trying to have some fun to take some of the edge off: Kirishima was playing cards with Midoriya, Kaminari, Shoji, Oijiro, and Sero, Iida was reading a few books he had brought with him for the trip, Mineta was trying to find ways to escape to the girls room, but was always stopped by Sato and Tokoyami who were tasked with keeping an eye on him, Aoyama was staring at a mirror admiring his own reflection, Bakugo was hitting his head against the wall in frustration (mostly because he kept sucking at cards and quit).

But there was one among their number that was missing, that being Shoto Todoroki, who was currently walking by himself on a familiar trail, the same one used by Koda to get to his secret place when he wanted to be alone. The same can now be said for Shoto, who learned of the place from Midoriya in a prior chat about the boy and his troubles, after his parents were killed in action, Todoroki was looking to be alone with his thoughts for a little bit, what exactly troubled him was unknown to anyone, having kept his feelings suppressed all day, not exactly wanting to trouble anyone with his issues.

As he walked hands in his pant pockets and head hung low, his mind was blank, the only thing he could even really focus on was his inner conflicts and the sky above him that he took an occasional glance at, this being the only real peace he had even had the whole day, amongst his classmates training and sometimes bickering. It was honestly nice for him, not enough to wipe away the issues on the table but it was certainly nice to have a pleasant atmosphere away from the chaos of the city and the school.

He eventually found the secret place, taking in the better view of the starry sky and moon, a small smile formed on his face for the briefest of seconds.

"Hello," he called out, curious if Kota was here at all, "If someone else is here, I'll leave you alone."

Silence confirmed his lone presence, a fact that allowed him to be grateful though he didn't show any sign of it aside from a sigh escaping his lips.

The young man then made his way to the edge, taking a seat a couple feet away from the edge for his own safety. He pulled his legs to his chest, resting his chin and right arm on his knees, then held out the other arm and began snapping his fingers, creating flames on his index, then putting it out quickly, only to keep repeating the process, a little trick he would do when bored or lost in thought, similar to how Jiro would twirl her ear lobes but he wouldn't do this often due to sprinklers becoming a bit of a nuisance to him. A memory of one time he had activated them in the classroom coming to him, the sight of Bakugo enraged at his sudden state of wetness, Kaminari shorting out, the rest of the class trying to crowd around Shoji for an umbrella except for Tsuyu who remained unaffected, and Aizawa's irritation, the event made the young man chuckle to himself, not normally enjoying such things but that was a good day for him, nobody really got mad at him (except Bakugo) the whole thing giving them all a good laugh, warming his heart, especially the sight of Yaoyorozu, her hair needing to come down and be dried out from the water, despite this she still smiled, making her glow in his eyes…feelings he was confused by, so he asked his mother…his mother…his smile faded again.

His mind wandered, as he began reflecting on his own past, his quirk, his family, his father, and…his mother. His eyes at first focusing on the ground, then back to the flame.

*Snap*

*Snap*

*Snap*

*Snap*

"Get up Shoto, you're not a wimp!"

*Snap*

*Snap*

*Snap*

"I can't take it mom, every day they just look more like..him."

*Snap*

*Snap*

"Use it, use your flames Shoto, or it will only get worse!"

*Snap*

"Mom?"

"*gasp*"

*Snap*

*Splash*

"AGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"

*Snap Snap SNAP SNAP*

"You did this, you made her do it!"

Tears began streaming down Todoroki's face, as his flames started igniting on his left side on his head and up his arm ending at his sleeve, his emotions amplifying as the voice of his father and mother kept flowing into his head.

*SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP*

"I'm so sorry for what I did to you Shoto…"

*SNAP SNAP*

"One day my boy-"

"No."

*SNAP*

"You'll be just-"

"Noo!"

*SNAP*

"Like-"

"NOOO!"

*SNAP*

"Me."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHH," Todoroki's scream sent his flames into a frenzy, as they skyrocketed upwards, his face engulfed by an intense rage…and sadness, the tears didn't stop flowing, only created steam against the accelerated fire he was shooting out at an alarming rate, nearly spreading to his right side, "NEVER, I WILL NEVER BE YOU, NOT AFTER WHAT YOU DID TO MY MOTHE-"

"…Todoroki?"

The screams had ceased, the sudden the vocals had caught the teen off guard, the flames dived down a bit, but not by a large margin, that is until the young man turned his head to see the source of the voice-

Momo Yaoyorozu, leaning against a tree, wearing a concerned…and frightened expression.

"Yaoyorozu," Todoroki confused at the sight of his classmate, but focused more on how scared she was of the sight before her eyes, this caused him to quickly douse the flames, and stand up, "Wh…what are you doing here?"

"…"

"I-I'm sorry you had to see that, but I'm ok now, you don't need to look so frightened," she still wore the expression, her mind trying to process the contradictory nature of the outburst from her friend, she would never see him as any kind of threat, but, what had occurred moments ago did indeed shake her a bit.

No.

It terrified her…until.

"Please, don't look at me like that," the red/white haired boy hung his head in shame, biting his lip, clenching his fists, and shaking, he may not have understood his emotions toward her. But he did know that the look she wore, truly scared him as well, knowing what he must have looked like.

"S-sorry Todoroki," Momo calmed herself, stepping away from the tree, "I've just, never seen you like that before."

"I know," he raised his head to face her, releasing the tension from his body, truly grateful that he didn't do any damage, "I apologize for that, I was just…dealing with somethings."

"Are you, ok," she asked approaching him slowly.

"Ye…" he paused, not wanting to lie to the girl, and in all honesty, despite his want to be alone, he really needed the company, "No Yaoyorozu, I'm not ok."

"…how can I help," she smiled at him, she knew how serious this, whatever it is, was to him, but she couldn't just let her friend suffer like this alone.

"Before I answer that, why are you here."

"Oh, um, well…" her smile turned into a nervous frown.

"Sorry if that sounded rude or anything, I was just curious," Todoroki apologized again, praying he didn't offend Momo.

"No, you weren't rude," she confirmed to him, "It's just that, I saw you leaving the building looking depressed, I wanted to tell the others, but I figured you didn't want anyone to know."

"So, why did you come?"

"Because, well…because I just couldn't stay there, knowing you were out here alone, and suffering."

"…oh," he wasn't surprised or taken aback, just oddly happy, he didn't want to trouble anyone deliberately, but it was nice knowing that she wouldn't mind helping him if push came to shove, funny enough reminding him of a messy haired classmate who came to his aide at a time of need.

"If you want to be alone, I can-"

"No, no, please stay, I really could use the company at the moment if you don't mind yourself."

"Not at all," she smiled at him again, this putting the boy more at ease with himself though not completely, he sat down again near the edge, his legs going back against chest except this time both his arms lay on his knees, Momo then followed his lead, sitting next to him except her legs were outstretched, and her hands support her body as she rested them on the ground beside her.

"I'm guessing its about your family," she looked toward him.

"Yes, specifically my parents."

"Go on, I won't tell anybody about this."

"…Thank you, Momo."

Calling her by her first name was something he had never done before, this surprised the two of them, but Momo had the more extreme reaction, a small shade of pink forming on her face.

"My father, isn't the most pleasant of people."

"I gather that much."

"He is so obsessed with being the greatest that he treats anyone under him like trash, after so many years of being in All Might's shadow he snapped," he continued his face still reflecting his sadness, Momo not breaking eye contact with him, her own expression turning sad, "He…undermined my siblings, and my mother, because he couldn't take it out on anyone else. When I was born, he decided to train me to be a tool for his ego."

"That's horrible."

"It unfortunately gets worse, as I got older he only got more brutal with his training, he held back enough so that it wouldn't kill me…but only enough…he would never let me play with my brothers and sisters, I barely got to talk to them, to be honest with you I can still feel some of the punches and kicks he gave me to this day," he rubbed his chest with his right hand, the girl looking to him her eye lids lowering, not even able to imagine what that could've felt like, "Then…it happened."

"What did?"

"This," he pointed to the scar, his finger trembling, "My mother had to put up with him for so long, he payed off her family just so he could have an arranged marriage with her…to create the perfect offspring," the young girls face was shocked, she knew of quirk marriages, but didn't know someone could be that cruel with it, especially Endeavor, "Having to deal with that every day, and…seeing his face every single time she looked at us, she snapped to. Then, one day, after I overheard her talking to my grandma, she took a kettle of boiling water…"

His body began to shake, and tears flowed from his eyes again, the pain returned to him like an old friend, as he clutched the left side of his head with his left arm. A void began to surround him, it almost felt as though the world was about to swallow him whole, the darkness was almost too much for him.

Then a hand placed itself on his shoulder…

"You don't need to finish that part Todoroki," her eyes began to water as well, her friends pain becoming so intense hurt her, she understood what had happened, but didn't want Todoroki to finish the story for his sake, he wiped the tears from his face, and spoke.

"Thank you…after that my father had her committed, I blamed him for everything, and I hated him for so long, and even though he means nothing to me now, it doesn't take away the pain."

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that all by yourself."

"…I didn't though."

"Hm?"

"You remember how I, got "intense" with Midoriya at the sports festival?"

"Yes."

"He helped me get through some of it."

"That's good, how?"

"I was ashamed of my left side, the part of my quirk that came from my father, I refused to use after what had happened that day, so decided to vent my frustration at Midoriya," Todoroki decided to keep the part about Izuku being in All Might's corner a secret, since the green haired teen asked him to for some reason, but after all they had been through, he trusted he had his reasons, "He reminded me, that it was my power, it never belonged to my father, and it never will."

"So why did you decide to intern under him?"

"Sadly, he was the only one who could teach me how to use my flames effectively, but it honestly wasn't terrible since he meant nothing to me after my fight with Midoriya…I really owe him, since after that, I started visiting my mom."

"I'm glad you got that closure, but…what is your problem at the moment?"

He paused, he had held this thought for a while but didn't tell anyone, because…he didn't want to believe it himself.

"…I love my mother…but how do I keep facing her, when all she sees…is him…the man who destroyed her life, and even if that wasn't the case, every time she looks at me, she has to be reminded of what she did to me."

"…Todoroki…"

"She says she's fine, but how do I know she's not just lying to make me feel better."

"She isn't."

"How do you know," he looked at her confused.

She had kept silent to let out his story of trauma, now she could speak to him, and show him the truth.

"I may not know her, or be able to relate to her situation, but I know she doesn't see that at all when you come to her. She sees her son, not a monster, not your father, she see's her boy, a kind, caring, smart, and driven person who is doing his best to do some good for the world and the people in it. You may be your father's son, but you are also hers, and each time you visit she gets to be proud that you are a fine person, she may have done something bad, but at least she regrets it in the first place, your father didn't make you strong, she did."

Todoroki was stunned at her words, his eyes wide, his mouth gaping, and the darkness that surrounded him had started to fade, she smiled as she scooted closer to him, taking his hand once more.

"Trust me when I say, that left side, and that scar don't destroy her in anyway, she knows you're a hero and you can be one of the greats."

He smiled, his eye lids lowering, and his body became tensionless once again, this time for good, as his legs spread from his chest, "You really think, she thinks that?"

"I know she does Todoroki."

"I know I've probably said this a billon times, but, thank you."

"Uh, d-don't mention it," she blushed, she got pretty emotional there but was overall glad that he was happy again, even more so than he was before, her feelings toward the boy thankfully still being secret to him…or so she thought.

"…What about you?"

"Hm?"

"…Do you think all of that, about me," Todoroki was an extremely calm and stoic person by nature, but this time, he was a bit nervous, not just because she was still holding his hand (though it didn't help) but because she seemed so convinced in the validity of those words she spoke about him, his feelings toward her were something he hadn't been able to figure out yet. He couldn't certainly identify when they began, but he did know they were genuine, and they became prominent after their clash with the man in black, unable to put his finger on it, he asked his mother about this feeling, and she simply responded with one word.

Love, a feeling he was about to become acquainted with.

"Oh, well, um, I mean yes, yes I do think that about you," her blush intensified, but didn't freak out at her compliment, it was all to make him feel better, nothing romantic at all…right?

This time it was Todoroki's turn to be a little flustered as he turned his head away, trying not to make her feel more embarrassed or reveal his own blush, true plenty of girls found him appealing, but that was mostly due to his father's credibility, as the scar had turned off most of them, he normally wouldn't let it bother him, but after a while it started to do some damage to his self-esteem, but even though he couldn't put it into words, Momo made him feel lighter than air. She wasn't like anyone else from before, when she looked at him, she didn't see Endeavors son, she saw, him.

"Hey, Yaoyorozu," he turned his head toward her again, his face still pink.

"Yes, Todoroki," the same pinkness on her as well.

"I have a question for you, and I just hope it doesn't sound weird…that just makes it sound more weird, oh boy, um, I just don't want you to feel odd or uncomfortable or anything," Shoto wasn't exactly sure how to be socially adept like his other classmates, this embarrassed him but Momo, didn't mind, she actually found it pretty cute and adorable.

"Todoroki," she chuckled and smiled at him, "Just go ahead and ask me, I won't judge you or anything I'm your friend, you can tell me anything."

'This girl is going to be the death of me if she gets anymore cute,' he thought as he looked at her, he then took in a deep breath, and then asked, "…Do you, think my scar is ugly?"

"Why would I think that," she replied with concern.

"It's just that, ever since I got it most people thought it was horrid, I don't let stuff like that get to me, but, girls who 'liked' me normally found it disgusting, and treating me differently because of that, and I guess it just got to me after so long."

"Todoroki, I am nothing like that, not somebody that doesn't like you, I mean-"

"What?"

"Huh, um uh, I meant I wasn't shallow or anything I actually think you look handsome, uh oh man I'm sorry that I am so weird right now," she covered her now completely red face with both her hands, getting a little bit more embarrassed after she realized she was holding his hand the whole time.

"Yaoyorozu, are you ok, do I need to go get a doctor," the teen quite oblivious to her feelings, but was hoping, no, praying that he heard all that right, "Wait, I know press on that pressure point I told you about!"

"No, no its not that," she spoke, but was a tad muffled by her hands.

"Then what is it," he asked, 'Please, please say you like me.'

"It's, ummmmm," she quivered, 'Come on, just tell him, no harm in just saying the truth…but…I don't want to say it.'

"I could make an ice pack if you wanted."

"N-no, I just, want to…"

"Want to what?"

"…Todoroki…"

"Yeah Yaoyorozu?"

"I'm sorry," then, in one split second moment, she kissed him on the lips, sending both of them into a bit of shock, Todoroki was sent wide eyed again by this very girl, and she was finally able to do something she was waiting to do since school ended, but certainly wasn't expecting to be so forward with him.

She quickly parted her lips from his, red as a sunburn in the face and turned away from him to hide it, leaving him still in a state of shock, his hand trembling and his lips quivering.

"I'm sorry, I was just embarrassed, and I've been looking for an opportunity to tell you how I felt since we got to the training camp, and a little bit before that. You really helped me be more secure with my abilities after I lost at the sports festival, and the heat of the moment I-"

"Momo."

"*gulp* yes," she tensed, worried he would reject her, but was surprised, when her hand was taken by his, she turned to face him, his face was nearly the same shade of red, but he was calm, the happiness present on him gave no sign that he was depressed earlier. He had finally gained, what he needed for so long.

"I…really like you," a sparkle and tears of joy formed in the girl's eyes, she smiled at his confession, her blush remained, but she certainly didn't care, Shoto Todoroki actually liked her.

"Th-thank you Todoroki, I really like you to."

"…Um I have, another question…would you-"

"Yes."

"But I didn't-"

"I know and I'd be happy to date you, just uh…could you maybe," Todoroki smiled at her nervousness, but they both knew what they wanted in the moment.

"Yes."

Todoroki pressed his lips softly against hers, the two closing their eyes, and embracing the other, the light of the moon and the stars shining down on them, making this night even more beautiful than it already was.

They walked here alone.

But thankfully, they'll be leaving together.

The End

I really hope I did well with this one, I was thinking about writing it for a little while now, I feel like I may have rushed the romance, and I really hope that I didn't do anything horrible for either character, ive been in a rough spot recently and I all I want to do is entertain you guys, constructive criticism is welcome and I hope u all have a great day.