numbertwohero | Prismatica Inbox

Uh - actually... something warm would be kinda nice? If you've got anything, I mean.
And I can take a sec to get this little guy set up.

[Said with a gesture in the bird's direction.
But considering everything about her perked up at the idea of something warm (food, drink, whatever, she doesn't care), it's safe to say it was a good suggestion at least?

She's so cold, man. Being a snake sucks. She suddenly feels deeply for every fish and snake in the world.]

Yeah, it's no problem. I can make some tea.

[Because of course Traditional Japanese Todoroki would have found tea of some kind immediately. He's also got some microwave buns that are pretty close to bao he can heat up. After all, even though it's warm-ish in the apartment--he's got climate control, but it's nicer to have an open window with a fan--it might still be cooler than it is outside, especially with all the shade.

It only takes a few minutes to make a small pot of tea and microwave a few buns, and he puts everything on a tray, setting it on the living room table and making sure she's good before he takes a seat at the other end of the couch with his own cup, still looking at her.]

Jiro-san--I mean, thanks for coming over, but can I ask...?

[He does not, in fact, ask her if she's cursed. Give him at least a little credit.]

Is that your moonblessing?

[He's at least 90% sure he would have noticed her turning into a snake-fish hybrid back home, right??]

[It doesn't help that she's literally half coldblooded... she's so cold, but she's just warmblooded enough to feel that she's cold. It's the worst, most awkward combination of snake and person ever.

Which means right when it's where she can grab it, she's wrapping her hands around a cup of tea and holding it close so it warms her hands up.
His question, though, gets a quick little nod.]

Yeah, it is... Sanguis, specifically.
Midoriya's notes said there's gonna be a lot of tiring stuff to go with it, too - so if I get snappy, that's why.

[A pause, as she takes a sip... complete with her snake tongue flicking out at it first.]

- Snappier than usual, I mean.

[That does seem like it'd be uncomfortable. And even Todoroki can't miss the way she clutches that steaming cup like it's the dead of February and she's gonna die without it--something to do with the physical changes? Maybe it's more than just aesthetic. If their bodies change that much...he kind of wonders what he's going to look like, when his eventually kicks in.

He takes what she says seriously, nodding as he files the information away. Right, Sanguis. And that moon cycle is the first five days of the month, and then again with the triple moon the 16-18th. He'd been studying how this place worked, what the rhythms were. It's important to learn in a new place.]

Right. I guess I'll find out, whenever whatever moon cycle I'm supposed to deal with comes around...

[Except--he looks back up at her over the rim of his cup as she finishes, expression a little surprised.]

I don't think you're snappy. You just say what you're thinking, without worrying about whether it sounds nice or not.

[Is that really such a bad thing? He doesn't think so.]

[She's even going so far as to tuck her tail up around herself, too... it's definitely not all just aesthetic.
Especially considering she has, y'know, fangs and all. She probably even has gills she simply hasn't found yet.

... She's surprised by his statement too, though, with her jacks even raising up a bit.]

That's true, yeah. You're right, I do just kinda say what's on my mind.
But I know I can get snappy, too. You've also never been at the end of it, I think?
At least I've never really had a reason to.

[He's a chill dude! Nothing to take issue with, in her mind.]

... Though that might change with the whole moon thing. I did notice I keep getting mad about the dumbest crap.
Nearly broke something in my apartment just because I bumped into it.

Ah, maybe not. I guess I'll just try not to do anything that'd make you mad. And if I do, just...tell me?

[That's...probably fine, right? After all, they're both just trying to figure out how to be friends with each other. Maybe if they just...talk about things, it'll be fine.

She does look pretty cold, though. Hm. Maybe he's got something...]

Do you want me to turn off the fan, or get you a blanket? You look pretty cold.

I really think you'll be fine. If anything, it's me who has to keep in check, right?

[That's paired with a half-shrug, though she's taken a little off guard by his suggestion, having dipped forward to drink a little more of her tea.]

- Uh, maybe? I don't wanna impose or anything, I just came over to show you some music...
But I think it's the whole snake thing. I'm honestly freezing.

Maybe once you've done this once, it'll get easier next time. At least you know the moon cycles are consistent, and you'll be able to know when it's coming and plan accordingly. And you'll know how your body reacts to the moon, right? It's just like learning how to control your quirk for the first time. There's an adjustment period.

[Because it's basically a set of skills and traits, right? Sure, some of them are a little more intense, and affect your personality as much as your abilities and your appearance, but at the root of it it's still the same, probably. Or at least similar enough. Stands to reason you should be able to apply the basic principles to both.

He shakes his head at her answer, though, unfolding his legs and climbing off the couch to fetch a blanket from a closet in the short hall that leads to two bedrooms and a bathroom.]

It's not a problem. You came over to show me music, the least I can do is make sure you don't freeze.

[Which means as he comes back, he's going to open up the blanket, draping it over her shoulders and making sure her tail is covered, before he comes back around to resume his place on the couch, looking over at her to make sure she's good.]

Is that better?

[She's left considering his words as he goes to fetch that blanket, staring at her tea like it'll tell her how to handle her moonblessings as well as she does her Quirk...

Only to near immediately huddle up under that blanket, her tail coiling around herself not unlike a snake's would with just the tip - the koi fins - poking out of it.]

... Well, I'm not gonna freeze, I'm just being overdramatic.
But, uh... don't blankets work by trapping in your own heat?

[So it's nice! But. You know. She's not exactly making any heat for the blanket to work with.]

[The same way you do a quirk, really! It just takes practice, getting to know what it is, its limits, how it all feels. Probably.

As he sits back down, Todoroki looks over at Jiro's words like he's...just realized. Right. Blankets trap heat. And if she's mostly cold-blooded now, she's. Probably not making much, if any heat.]

Y-yeah...you're right. And you're probably not making much at all, right now...

[There seems to be an obvious solution. Just...it seems weird to suggest???]

I mean, I could help. If you want. You could use mine.

[That is a totally not awkward way to phrase this yes.]

I can't say I'd mind it. It won't bug you, though?

[After all, he's the one who's barely even held someone's hand before now...
Can he do blanket cuddling without dying? She's actually interested to see.]

I mean, I did offer. And it'll help you, right?

[Priorities, here. It's definitely not usual, but then she's not usually half snake-fish-person, and they usually aren't in a world where you could literally die if you don't hug enough people and use too much of your power. Besides, it's literally just to share body heat, and they'll have the music to focus on. It isn't that weird. Right? Right.]

[Bold of him to assume she'd view it as weird!!
Actually, she kind of smiles a bit? ... And ends up standing so she can move and sit right up next to him on the sofa.
She even takes a moment to toss the blanket around him, too.

Contrary to what she said earlier, though, she definitely was not being overdramatic. She's way colder to the touch than a normal human being should be.
WAY colder.]

Sorry if, you know - this might be a little uncomfortable.
I'll warm up eventually.

[Yes, because it's the cold that's uncomfortable. Surely. What else could it be?]

[She might not, but then she's had a little longer to get used to things like this, right? But...that's actually kind of reassuring, too, in a way. It means that at least one of them knows what they're doing. Not that they're doing anything! It's just sharing body heat.

Todoroki stays where he is as Jiro moves closer, sitting down next to him and wrapping the blanket around them both. Although, honestly? The second he feels how cold she is, it strips a considerable amount of his slightly awkward hesitance away. She's freezing.]

It's fine. You're fine. Here, let me--

[Let him just wrap his left arm around her shoulders, letting her fit nicely in right underneath his arm, against his side. That should help warm her up, right?]

Is that okay?

[It should definitely help! And... she doesn't seem to think much of it either, tucking right in without any hesitance.
A mix of "way too cold to care" and "way too used to this to care", for sure.

...

Her tail's starting to flick a little, too.]

Mmm. I should've brought that electric blanket Midoriya picked up for me...
But this works just fine for me.

[She's gonna use a jack, then, to stretch out and scoop up her birdbox - bringing it down the table so it's closer to where they're both sitting.]

Any requests? Like I said, it can play literally anything from home - it's even played some of my mom's stuff when I was testing its limits.

If it's not warm enough, I can always use my quirk.

I mean--I can raise my body temperature, if you're still too cold.

[Of course he might get a little too warm, but it's okay, nothing he hasn't dealt with before, and she really needs it, right? His arm tightens just a little around her, trying to make sure she's covered as he looks at the mechanical bird. What kind of music...]

Could I hear that? Your mom's music.

[What? He's curious.]

...

[Well, she DID ask for requests. Yet that still seems to surprise her, getting a look up in his direction for a moment before she turns it down toward her birdbox.
The thought seems to get her mind off the cold for a moment, and she ends up giving him a half-shrug.]

... Yeah. I mean, it's gonna be kinda loud if you're cool with that, but sure. I don't mind.

[She whistles once to get the bird's attention, the little automaton having hopped away to preen its non-existant, painted on feathers - but once she asks, picking a song she feels Todoroki might like, it seems plenty happy to stop what it's doing and play a song for them.

... It's definitely loud though. Considering her mom plays, uh. Punk rock.]

I'm sure it's fine--

[Although it's...still kind of a surprise. Maybe less of one the more he thinks about it, considering Jiro, but the idea of someone's mom being in a punk band is kind of strange. Not bad, though. He's not sure what part exactly to listen to, so he just...closes his eyes, and lets the entire thing wash over him, arm wrapped around Jiro.

When it ends, he opens his eyes, looking thoughtful.]

That was pretty good. It kind of felt like...the way I feel when I'm fighting? If that makes sense...what instrument does your mom play?

All of them.

[There's no beat, no hesitation to that answer whatsoever - even the face she gives him looks serious, looking up at him from where she's wrapped up in his arm.
But after a second, she gives him a lazy half-shrug.]

... Well, as far as I can tell, anyway. She's the one who taught me guitar and keyboard... my dad started to teach me drums before I veered so hard into my Hero training, but I've seen her wail on those, too.
I'm pretty sure she could play anything she put her mind to.

What she played most was guitar, though... like, lead.

She sounds really talented. That's pretty amazing...

[And honestly explains some more about why Jiro felt so strongly about not letting her parents down. With that much music in the family, it could feel like a lot of pressure to follow in their footsteps. He can definitely understand that. Looking down at Jiro, he's a little distracted by the scales, but he doesn't seem to be put off by them.]

Was bass your favorite?

[He remembers her mentioning it before, during the tournament.]

Yeah! Plus... between my dad on drums and my mom on lead and vocals, it felt natural to play the bass, you know?
Like, it felt like there was something missing, so it made sense for me to fill that.

[That's followed by a short pause, and she reaches up to rub the back of her hair a bit.]

Not that that matters much, anyway. I mean, mom can play bass, too, and they record all the tracks separate from each other...

I think it matters. It's something you wanted to do with your parents. And they wouldn't have taught you if they didn't want you to be part of the thing they love.

[It's his turn to pause, and to look the tiniest bit awkward.]

I mean...it's something you can do as a family, and I think that matters. But I don't really know much about it, so...

[So maybe he's projecting a little bit. Sue him, it sounds nice. It'll never be the kind of thing he has, but it's nice to see other kids with families that are like that. It means they aren't all as bad as his.]

[... Yeah, that might've surprised her a little. Just a little. Talking about how it's things to do with your family, and how they just want her to be part of what they love...
Only to follow all that up with "I don't really know much about it". Boy...

She takes a second, quiet as she is, to shuffle in his arm a bit - and ends up reaching across him to settle her arm around his middle. It's a lot more of a hug, now, and not even fully intentional.
But there it is.]

Hey, uh...
What's the deal with your family anyway? You always sound a little... not jealous, but like you want that kinda thing, too.

[He's not mean about it or anything, and sounds pretty happy she's got what she does, but at the same time...
There's some pretty noticeable worry in her voice, asking this. It's a little out of place with her, but can you really blame her for worrying in the first place?]

[Oh. Well, that's fine, too. As long as she's comfortable. It's not like it's uncomfortable for him; there's the nice, pleasant buzz of moonlacing that seems to be amplified by more contact, and the weight of an arm across his body as he breathes in is actually kind of nice, too. Settling, in a way. Between that and the warmth under the blanket, it's enough to almost make him feel kind of dozy, although her question definitely brings him back into the moment.]

I'm not jealous. It's nice hearing about other people's families. Just...that's not how mine was. Or is.

[She sounds...worried. That's unusual enough, and he's at least self-aware enough that he knows explaining to her the way he explained to Midoriya that day at the sports festival isn't going to make her worry any less. But she deserves some kind of answer. After all, she'd explained to him about the place she was in before, and all the things they'd had to do. It just...takes him a moment to find the right words.]

You know about quirk marriages, right? That was my parents. My dad's always been obsessed with strengthening his bloodline. He doesn't even really look at his kids as his kids. We're just...things he's made. My older siblings all have really minor quirks, and one of them is even quirkless, so he barely even bothered with them. Then I was born, and...

[He shrugs, a small gesture that's still careful not to disturb her, and he lifts his other hand to brush his fingertips along one of her arm fins, tracing the spines, not quite conscious of the motion.]

There wasn't any question about what I was going to be. Before my quirk manifested for the first time, I spent most of my time with my mom. I saw my first All Might video--you know the one--when I was three, and I knew I wanted to be that kind of hero. Not like my dad, but like him.

My dad's never been happy being the number two hero. He always wanted to be number one, but All Might was always there, ahead of him. That's why he made my mom have me. I was supposed to surpass All Might. To do what my dad couldn't. He started training me when I was five, right after my quirk showed up for the first time. Mom tried to keep me safe, but...my dad's my dad.

[That should say enough, right there.]

When I was six, there was...an accident. I got burned. And my dad had my mom hospitalized. It wasn't really her fault, he made her do it, but...

After that, it was just me and him, until I started at UA.

[Shoto shakes his head, still looking down at that fin and his finger running over it. Shaking off the past, maybe.]

I mean, it's fine. I used to be really angry about it, and I guess I still am sometimes. That's why I refused to use the fire half of my quirk for a really long time--I didn't want to be anything at all like him. I hated the half of me that was him. But I'm not him, and my mom doesn't blame me, and I'm getting to know my siblings again, so it's not all bad. It's just--nice, to hear about families that aren't like that. Like yours, and Midoriya and his mom. Iida and his brothers. It's good.

[Just in that first sentence, just the words "quirk marriages", that's enough to get her stomach to start to sink. She had a feeling it was gonna be bad, that she was probably poking at something she maybe shouldn't... but she just had that morbid kind of curiosity about the whole ordeal. She wanted to know.
And she certainly doesn't regret knowing, but...
She still ends up staring down at her jacks, in lieu of her occupied hands, for a solid moment or two.
Finds her mind wandering to the weird, reverse parallels between her family and his, like her family is what his should have been; two people married with a common goal, delighting in their kid getting one of their Quirks so perfectly.
Of course, she only got one of their Quirks, and it's a perfect copy even down to the legal registration - but that's beside the point.

Either way, after just a moment, her tail lifts up under the covers and clumsily wraps around his stomach from in front, kind of swaying all of her weight onto him as she pulls him closer. It's pretty clear it's gotten to her.
But what does she even say?
There's so little one could say to something like that.]

...

I'm glad you're learning to like both halves of yourself, after all that. I like the parts of you I've met, too.

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gently places a bunch of headcanon here

yolo

the biggest of yolos

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