[ He walks in silence until his heart starts to uncoil from the truth he's uncovered in that short exchange. She was scared of my eyes. Memories of his mother's last days with him come to light. The way she looked at him when she got worked up. It was that same wild-eyed fearful look that stared back at him after the bandages came off, revealing the scar he'd bare the rest of his life. He deserved it for making her break, for keeping her a prisoner in that institution just like his father. For being the reason why his family fell apart.
He breathes heavily, the cold crackling inside his chest, numbing him to that pain. A cold fog expels from his lungs, and Shouto realizes how cold he's grown and attempts to let go of Allen, who holds onto him despite the insistent tug. His grip fastens tightly around his wrist. Shouto concedes to him and turns his efforts inward. His part in his mother's mental breakdown was once a shackle that held him down. Before UA, before his friends, he used to blame himself. He knew better now. In his journey to know himself, he discarded that chain. He was a child. Too young to know what was happening or how to stop it. The same truth held firm here. He didn't do anything to glean their mistrust and hate. It wasn't his fault.
With that thought firmly held in his heart, he starts to warm. When they reach the inn, he's no longer cold to the touch. This time, he lets Allen do the talking. He watches from behind, staring up at the woman. Everything seems to be going well until she looks at him, startles, and swiftly throws them out.
His temperature stays neutral.
The next place plays out in the same manner. And the next, and the next one after that. The pattern is obvious to anyone paying attention. So, by the time they reach the third place, Shouto stares at the ground while Allen - He's tired, isn't he? - tries to find them a room and gets the same reception which startles Shouto more than anything he's uncovered so far. It... isn't just me. He realizes and starts to look back at their previous encounters. They weren't just scared of me. They were scared of you too... That galvanizes him into action, and he stands shoulder to shoulder with Allen after that. Stops looking down, even when the patron of the fourth inn gives him a callous 'Get out.' No matter, Shouto keeps Allen warm with his quirk.
Stubbornly, Shouto hooks his arm around Allen's and wraps him in an invisible shield of heat around him. It radiates off his entire person throughout their next walk which is longer than the last, and the night only grows colder, which prompts a few offers to carry him. When they reach the colorful district, the bright lights wash out everything, and the people who walk the street at this time of night seem bolder because of it. They still get a few startled looks. Mostly from people who get too close, touching on that bubble of warmth. They stare, dumbfounded, but soon shrug it off when they tell themselves it was the wind from someone opening up one of the nearby shops promising discounts of every kind.
Shouto stays closer to Allen, shoulder pressing against his, as he watches the people more than the shops. He's been to Tokyo a few times. Its streets were brighter than this, the crowds larger. They moved through the well-ordered city at a fast pace, but this was more... laid back. Everything was less ordered, the people who walked the streets more... ]
They look... different.
[ He murmurs near his ear. Different from the people he's grown accustomed to in the other districts, Allen took him too. These people hold his gaze, cock their head at him, and smile. He has more than a few staring contests, all of which get disrupted by the crowds as Allen keeps them moving and Shouto loses sight of them. When they arrive at the fifth inn, Allen looks ready to fall on his face. Shouto thinks if they get turned away here, he'll grab Allen and set them up in a makeshift shelter. With his quirk, it's the obvious choice. He can keep him warm.
With that thought in mind, he stands by his side, looking straight at the woman without blinking when she looks them over. Shouto almost wants her to throw them out so he can take Allen and put him to bed, so when she slides the key across the counter, he's half-shocked, half-grateful. His expression softens when he looks at Allen, who looks just as surprised as him. He understands why and makes sure to ask about food and bathing accommodations. Once he gets his answer, he nods at her and turns to Allen, picking him off the ground without a word. Then starts up the stairs with him in tow, letting him open the door without setting him down. ]
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He breathes heavily, the cold crackling inside his chest, numbing him to that pain. A cold fog expels from his lungs, and Shouto realizes how cold he's grown and attempts to let go of Allen, who holds onto him despite the insistent tug. His grip fastens tightly around his wrist. Shouto concedes to him and turns his efforts inward. His part in his mother's mental breakdown was once a shackle that held him down. Before UA, before his friends, he used to blame himself. He knew better now. In his journey to know himself, he discarded that chain. He was a child. Too young to know what was happening or how to stop it. The same truth held firm here. He didn't do anything to glean their mistrust and hate. It wasn't his fault.
With that thought firmly held in his heart, he starts to warm. When they reach the inn, he's no longer cold to the touch. This time, he lets Allen do the talking. He watches from behind, staring up at the woman. Everything seems to be going well until she looks at him, startles, and swiftly throws them out.
His temperature stays neutral.
The next place plays out in the same manner. And the next, and the next one after that. The pattern is obvious to anyone paying attention. So, by the time they reach the third place, Shouto stares at the ground while Allen - He's tired, isn't he? - tries to find them a room and gets the same reception which startles Shouto more than anything he's uncovered so far. It... isn't just me. He realizes and starts to look back at their previous encounters. They weren't just scared of me. They were scared of you too... That galvanizes him into action, and he stands shoulder to shoulder with Allen after that. Stops looking down, even when the patron of the fourth inn gives him a callous 'Get out.' No matter, Shouto keeps Allen warm with his quirk.
Stubbornly, Shouto hooks his arm around Allen's and wraps him in an invisible shield of heat around him. It radiates off his entire person throughout their next walk which is longer than the last, and the night only grows colder, which prompts a few offers to carry him. When they reach the colorful district, the bright lights wash out everything, and the people who walk the street at this time of night seem bolder because of it. They still get a few startled looks. Mostly from people who get too close, touching on that bubble of warmth. They stare, dumbfounded, but soon shrug it off when they tell themselves it was the wind from someone opening up one of the nearby shops promising discounts of every kind.
Shouto stays closer to Allen, shoulder pressing against his, as he watches the people more than the shops. He's been to Tokyo a few times. Its streets were brighter than this, the crowds larger. They moved through the well-ordered city at a fast pace, but this was more... laid back. Everything was less ordered, the people who walked the streets more... ]
They look... different.
[ He murmurs near his ear. Different from the people he's grown accustomed to in the other districts, Allen took him too. These people hold his gaze, cock their head at him, and smile. He has more than a few staring contests, all of which get disrupted by the crowds as Allen keeps them moving and Shouto loses sight of them. When they arrive at the fifth inn, Allen looks ready to fall on his face. Shouto thinks if they get turned away here, he'll grab Allen and set them up in a makeshift shelter. With his quirk, it's the obvious choice. He can keep him warm.
With that thought in mind, he stands by his side, looking straight at the woman without blinking when she looks them over. Shouto almost wants her to throw them out so he can take Allen and put him to bed, so when she slides the key across the counter, he's half-shocked, half-grateful. His expression softens when he looks at Allen, who looks just as surprised as him. He understands why and makes sure to ask about food and bathing accommodations. Once he gets his answer, he nods at her and turns to Allen, picking him off the ground without a word. Then starts up the stairs with him in tow, letting him open the door without setting him down. ]