Hybrid Heroes - Shōto Todoroki

Chapter 30: A Familiar Stranger

Had Shoto not been right beside me, I might have drooled a bit, if I'm being entirely honest.

"Do I..." I squint my eyes and manage to utter a few words. "...know you...?"

"Know me?" He seemed startled. "...no." he rubbed the back of his neck. "Nobody knows me. You don't...you don't know me. I'm a nobody."

"I feel like...I've seen you before."

"You probably have. It's a small world," he shrugged nonchalantly. "Perhaps at the laundromat or the convenience store. Y'know...something menial like that."

It's only then that I realize I'm laying against concrete in a back alleyway. "H- WHA- WHAT HAPPENED?!"

"Hey," Todoroki reassuringly places a hand on my chest, lightly pressing me back down. "Don't move too fast. You're still pale."

"P-Pal- I'M ALWAYS PALE!"

The boy snickered and then turned to look around, as if to make sure no one was watching us. "Um, so..." he shyly turned back to us. "Like...you don't need an ambulance right...? I don't...have to be present to like...sign some shit, right?"

"N...No..." I mutter, staring at him as he began to fidget. "How...who...are you, anyways? Where did you come from- and...how am I on the ground, unscathed?"

The boy takes a deep breath before he even considers answering. "Jeez...guess I'm gonna miss my show tonight. It's the season finale too..." he mutters before slamming his back against the grimy brick wall behind him.  "My name is Kaito- please don't ask for a last name. I've been disowned since the moment I was born, and never adopted a last name I quite fit with." He taps his boots against the ground.

"I have a uniquely strange quirk. Let's just say, for your sake, as of today I can teleport around from place to place as long as I've got a clear location in my head. I saw the two of you falling right above the Mishigaki Tavern right over there only because I have a keen sense of...everything around me."

Todoroki suddenly grabs at my arm, as though he's ready to sling me over his shoulder and run with me at any given second. But Kaito seems far too shy to attempt to attack us; unless that was his goal.

"I'm...kind of a wanted criminal," he laughs nervously. "I- uh...I didn't do it, by the way! If...if you're thinking about...calling the authorities...shit... SHIT!" He curses, his voice breaking like he was about to cry. "I...should have kept quiet."

Instead of running away...or even calling the police, I pushed Todoroki's hand off of me and stood up. "Kai...to?" I call out to him.  "You teleported us to this alleyway, right?" His eyes glance over to meet my own. "You saved him...?" I whisper, jerking my head towards Todoroki.

"I was...more trying to save you," Kaito admits with a sudden tone shift. "You were the one passed out and unresponsive. Candycane over there acted like he could handle himself."

"Did he just fucking call me... candy cane?"

"Anyways, you're welcome." He mutters. "I'm not really the charity kind of person but...I really wouldn't have like to have witnessed a stranger's death tonight."

I bounce on my toes. "Is there some way I can repay you? I have money, if you want it-"

"Tch," Kaito sneers in offense. "I'm no scumbag, okay?! I just helped you because I felt like it. I don't need shit from anyone."

I flinch, though I really shouldn't have. I know that kind of tone in his voice all too well. I used to act like that all the time.

"I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you-"