Work Text:
The cool ball of loneliness settled in the pit of his stomach again as he looked out at the life he could never have. He watched his brothers and sisters playing with sparklers and fireworks in the courtyard from the window of his bedroom. They looked so carefree and the laughter lilting through the cracked open window spoke of the fun they were having. But for Todoroki Shouto life was not carefree, not was it fun. For Todoroki Shouto life was painful, exhausting, terrifying, filled with overwhelming pressure, but most of all… for Todoroki Shouto life was lonely.
“Is that Endeavors son?”
“Oh my god, it is!”
“He’s going to be powerful when he grows up!”
In a life where everyone knows his name, Shouto had never once had a friend. He knew what a friend was, he’d seen other people with their friends. What he didn’t know was how to make friends or why he’s wasn’t allowed to have any.
A tear rolled down his newly scarred cheek as he huddled close to the glass. His forehead pressed against the window as he tried to get as close to the life he so craved as possible. He lifted a shaking hand and placed it on the glass above his eyes to try and get rid of some of the glare. The desk lamp bedside him glared harshly against the darkened window making it hard to see what was exactly happening outside. So he lifted his other hand over his eyes as well. He squinted which only served to make more tears roll down his cheeks. His heart squeezed tightly in his chest as he watched his siblings running around with their arms in the air and sparklers in their hands.
The lights were starting to die out though. Winking one at a time until the courtyard was shrouded in darkness, only illuminated but the bright full moon. The doorknob creaked ever so slightly. The young boy's heart stopped. Shouto instantly shoot into bed. His heart pounded away in his chest as he waited.
Slowly the door opened to reveal his father.
“Bed time, Shouto,” Is all he said before closing the door and disappearing back into the hallway.
Shouto quickly turned off his desk lamp, waiting for what felt like an eternity before slowly climbing back on top of the sturdy wooden structure so he could stare out his window again. Shouto cried quietly as he presses his face to the glass. His whole body was shaking now as he looked up to the sky. Moonlight shone down on him, streaming through the window and illuminating his bare bedroom in its cool glow. There was no warmth in the moonlight light. Only soothing coolness on the young boys aching heart. The moon reminded him of his mother. Shouto looked up to the huge silver disk with bleary eyes as he cries. How he wished his mother were still there. Loneliness and isolation churned in his stomach making him want to be sick. He pressed the palm of his hand against the window as he looked up to the night sky, praying for someone to help him.
“Hey! Icy hot! You want one or not!?”
The angry voice of Bakugou yanks Shouto out of his mind. He blinks a few times to get his bearings. His classmates stand around him in groups, excitedly chattering under the light of the full moon.
Bakugou stands in front of Shouto incredulously holding a sparkler out to him. He looks impatient and annoyed, but also like he’s ready to stand there for an eternity. Shouto blinks in surprise as he slowly takes the sprinkler into his fingers. Warmth spreads through his chest as he looks between the piece of metal and his classmates. Some of them have already light theirs and are running around or drawing words in the air. Laughter and idle chatter drift through the air like music in Shouto’s ears.
As he looks around the scene is so much like to one from his memory, but this time he’s a part of it. This time he’s allowed to be carefree and he’s allowed to have friends and he’s allowed to have fun and-
“Hey, are you crying icy hot?” Bakugou asks. Shouto reaches up so he can touch his cheek. He’s surprised to find wetness there. “It’s just a sparkler. You don’t gotta cry over spending time with these losers. They’ll drag you along whether you like it or not, trust me.” Bakugou gestures to their classmates. Shouto looks out at them, making eye contact with the first person he’s ever called a friend. Midoriya stops what he’s doing to wave at him and Bakugo excitedly.
“Todoroki-Kun! Can you use your quirk to light mine?” He asks excitedly.
“Oh! Me too, me too!” Uraraka cheers with a grin.
“Todoroki-Kun, can you ice this burn for me? These things are hotter than I thought!” Kaminari slurs the words out around the fingers he’s sucking on as Sero and Kirishima laugh away behind him.
Shouto feels a hand firmly placed on his shoulder. He follows it until he’s looking in Bakugo’s eyes.
“It’s ‘kay to have fun sometimes. Just don’t stop for too long, cause if you do I’ll pass you before you realize it,” Bakugou grumbles. There’s not real bite to his words and the blush on his cheeks diminishes what little there is. Before Shouto can say anything back Bakugou is walking away to go yell at Midoriya for something or other.
Shouto is left alone for a moment then. He quickly wipes his tears away before he runs off to join the other. A warm ball of happiness sits in his chest, replacing any trace of loneliness with love and affection.