Not Her Kingdom

"Bubbs," Ren said, her voice strained with barely contained panic, "what the hell are you doing?" Ren's heart raced as she gripped Bubbles' wrist, her knuckles white with the force of her grip. Shoto sat, leaning as far back in his chair as he could to avoid Bubbles' outstretched hand. The air felt thick, charged with an energy that seemed to crackle between the three occupants of the room.

Bubbles' gaze dropped to where Ren's hand clasped her own, her eyes widened with a renewed sense of wonder. With a gasp of amazement and a swift, fluid movement, Bubbles grasped Ren's hand, pulling her closer. Her blue eyes, usually so dreamy and unfocused, now sharpened on Ren's hand with an intensity that made Ren want to shrink away.

"Wow," Bubbles breathed, her pixie-like voice filled with awe. Her pink curls bounced as she tilted her head, her eyes skimming up Ren's arm to her face. "You're glowing too, Ren!" She squealed, pulling Ren's hand to bring it parallel with Shoto's face. "Half silver, half red…" Bubble's voice trailed away as she inspected Ren and Shoto with curiosity. The two teenagers remained perfectly still as though moving would somehow give them away. "You're in perfect symmetry with Todoroki." Ren felt her breath catch in her throat, her heart hammering against her ribcage. She could feel Shoto's eyes on her, his confusion and irritation of the situation clear in his burning gaze. The classroom suddenly felt too small, the walls closing in around them. Bubbles' brow furrowed, a rare look of confusion crossing her usually carefree features. "But why?" she mused, her grip on Ren's hand tightening. "I've never seen two people glow the same way before. It's... beautiful."

Panic surged through Ren, her mind racing as she desperately searched for an explanation. The truth was out of the question - how could she possibly reveal the secret they were desperately trying to keep? Her eyes darted around the room, seeking inspiration from the faded posters and scuffed desks. Taking a deep breath, Ren steeled herself. The scent of chalk and old textbooks filled her nostrils, grounding her in the moment. She met Bubbles' gaze, forcing a calmness she didn't feel into her voice.

"I guess," Ren began, the words feeling heavy on her tongue, "it must be because I'm attracted to him."

Bubbles blinked, her grip on Ren's hand loosening, Ren withdrew her hand from Shoto's vicinity quickly. Bubble's contemplate the idea. "Maybe..." she murmured, her voice uncertain.

Sensing an opening, Ren pressed on. She turned slightly, gesturing towards Shoto. "I mean..He's super cute, right?"

Ren was lucky she knew how to read people, knew what made them tick, knew how to manipulate them. She played on Bubble's barely contained enthusiasm for good looking boys. Bubbles' gaze shifted to Shoto, who sat rigidly in his chair, even with a look of confusion and alarm on his face, it was somehow charming. His mismatched eyes darted between Ren and Bubble's like a lost puppy.

With a big smile, Bubbles nodded emphatically. "Like, really cute," she agreed, her voice taking on a dreamy quality once more. Ren had to stop herself breathing a sigh of relief as Bubbles took the bait.

"And he probably finds me attractive…?" Ren continued with her ploy for damage control, turning to look at Shoto. Her grey eyes met his heterochromatic ones, silently pleading with him to play along.

Shoto, caught off guard, understood immediately what Ren wanted and stumbled over his words. His usually stoic demeanour cracked, a faint blush creeping up his neck. "Yes," he finally managed, his voice slightly strained. "Her face is very symmetrical." Ren had to purse her lips to prevent herself from laughing at Shoto's matter-of-fact response to such a human question.

Bubbles, whose hand was still outstretched towards Shoto, nodded at him in agreement. Seizing the moment, Ren gently but firmly removed Bubbles' hand from Shoto's vicinity. "So let's not touch the students," she said, her tone light but authoritative.

Bubbles pouted, her blue eyes still fixed on Shoto. "But he looks so pretty," she whined, "he's all glowy."

"I'm aware," she said quietly, as though speaking to a small animal she did not want to scare away. "But that's not a good enough reason to touch him."

"Such a shame," Bubbles sighed, finally tearing her gaze away from Shoto.

Ren let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. "Yeah, self-control really sucks," she quipped, feeling the tension in the room begin to ebb away. The harsh fluorescent lights seemed to soften, the classroom expanding back to its normal dimensions. Ren's shoulders relaxed, the knot of panic in her chest slowly unraveling. "How many unspoken rules of professionalism do you think we broke in the last thirty seconds?" Ren asked, a wry smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Bubbles' eyes widened, her hand flying to her mouth as she gasped. "Let's not tell Kaito," she said, her voice filled with genuine fear.

Shoto, who had been watching the exchange with a mixture of confusion and relief, jumped as both women turned to him sharply. "I won't tell Kaito," he said solemnly, his deep voice filling the quiet room. Ren and Bubbles exchanged a look before bursting into laughter, the absurdity of the situation finally hitting them.

As Bubbles gathered her things, Ren caught Shoto's eye. His glare spoke volumes - he was clearly unhappy with her unannounced visit and its potential consequences. Shoto left the room, the door closing behind him with a sharp thwack.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Bakugo's interview was a whirlwind of terse responses and colorful expletives, while Ren struggled to maintain her composure. As they moved through the halls, she caught glimpses of red and white hair in the crowd, her heart racing each time before she quickly averted her gaze.

When the final bell rang, Class 1-A gathered to say goodbye. Ren's eyes found Shoto at the back of the group, his posture rigid and eyes cold. The storm of emotions in his mismatched gaze - anger, hurt, and something unidentifiable - sent a wave of guilt crashing over her. She had intruded into his carefully constructed world without considering the consequences.

Unable to approach him with so many watching eyes, Ren forced a smile and waved goodbye to the class. At the gates of UA, she caught a final glimpse of Shoto's retreating back, his shoulders tense as he walked away.

"Well, that was certainly an interesting day!" Bubbles chirped as they headed to their car. "Want to meet up tomorrow to write the article?"

Ren nodded, grateful for the chance to process everything. As they drove away, she couldn't shake the feeling that something fundamental had shifted, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to face what that might mean.

The soft glow of the evening sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Ren's apartment, casting long shadows across the polished hardwood floors. In the sleek, modern kitchen, Ren stood motionless, her eyes fixed on the steaming cup of tea before her. The porcelain mug, a delicate white with intricate blue patterns, seemed to mock her with its serenity as her mind churned with regret and self-recrimination. Ren's dark hair, usually so perfectly styled, fell in loose waves around her face, a testament to the long, stressful day she'd endured. Her grey eyes, normally sparkling with mischief, were clouded with worry as she replayed the events at UA over and over in her mind. The soft silk of her white blouse now seemed to have lost its lustre.

If only she had warned Shoto, given him some indication of her impending visit. Perhaps then they could have avoided the awkward, tense moments that had left her feeling so off-balance. Her carefree, impulsive nature had always been both her greatest strength and her most glaring weakness. Today, it had most definitely been the latter.

The sound of a key turning in the lock jolted Ren from her reverie. Her heart leapt into her throat as she heard the door open, followed by the familiar, measured footsteps that could only belong to one person. She herd him shuffle, take off his shoes and put on some slipper as he made his way to her. Shoto appeared in the doorway of the living room, his presence immediately filling the space with a crackling tension.

Even in his anger, or perhaps because of it, the boy next door was still a sight to behold. His shoulders looked broad and strong in his pristine uniform. His two toned hair fell across his forehead, partially obscuring the scar that marked the left side of his face. But it was those mismatched grey and turquoise eyes that now blazed with barely contained fury, that kept Ren prisoner.

Her breath caught in her throat as Shoto's gaze locked onto her. He stood there, silent and imposing, clearly waiting for her to speak first. The air between them crackled with unspoken words and simmering emotions.

"Hey," Ren ventured, her voice small and uncertain in the heavy silence.

Shoto's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Try again," he said, his tone low and controlled, but with a clear note of anger that made Ren flinch.

Swallowing hard, Ren lowered her gaze. How was it, they were both nineteen years old and yet he made her feel like a child? "I'm sorry," she whispered, the words barely audible even in the quiet of the apartment.

"Try again," Shoto repeated, his patience clearly wearing thin, gritting his teeth in frustration.

Ren felt a flush creep up her neck, a mixture of embarrassment and shame colouring her cheeks. She lifted her head, meeting Shoto's gaze directly this time. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice stronger now. "I should have warned you I was coming. I didn't think-"

"No, you didn't think," Shoto cut her off with sharp words. "You never did think. You are still the same poorly behaved child you always were." The truth of his words, so blunt and to-the-point, winded Ren physically. She had always prided herself on her quick wit and clever schemes, but now she realised how thoughtless and selfish her actions had been. The flush on her cheeks deepened as she stood under Shoto's scrutiny, feeling every bit the chastised child he accused her of being. Shoto continued, his voice rising slightly with each word. "It's one standard for the princess and another for the rest of us, right? Heaven forbid anyone is as important to Ren Ishikawa as she is to herself."

"Ouch," Ren murmured, the word escaping her lips before she could stop it. But she knew she deserved his anger, his disappointment.

Shoto's eyes flashed, a mixture of fire and ice that seemed to pierce right through her. "You were the one who said we needed rules. Boundaries. Well, you found mine; do not, ever, interfere with my work at UA or my work as a hero."

There was a moment of heavy silence as Ren absorbed his words. She took a deep breath, straightening her posture and squaring her shoulders. "I understand," she said quietly. "You're right." She paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing. "I apologise. It won't happen again."

Shoto's anger seemed to deflate slightly at her sincere apology, but the tension in his body remained. He stood there for a moment, clearly unsure of what to do with the residual anger that still simmered beneath the surface. Finally, he moved into the living room, shrugging his school bag off his shoulder and letting it drop to the floor with a soft thud.

Ren watched as Shoto removed his uniform jacket, draping it over the back of the sofa. His movements were precise and controlled, a stark contrast to the emotional turmoil that was evident in the set of his shoulders and the furrow of his brow. He loosened his tie with a sharp tug before sinking onto the sofa, hunching forward with his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped tightly together.

The sight of him, looking so conflicted and vulnerable, stirred something deep within Ren, more than the guilt. How could she ever let him think he was unimportant to her? An idea formed in her mind, a way to perhaps bridge the gap that had opened between them. She moved from her spot in the kitchen, crossing the living room with quiet, deliberate steps.

Shoto looked up as Ren approached, his eyes wary and guarded. She lowered herself to her knees in front of him. The plush carpet rug beneath her knees seemed to still hold onto the shapes of where they had been the night before.

"I'll be your slave for the night," Ren said, her voice soft but clear in the quiet room. "What would you like me to do?" A small smile played at the corners of her lips as she watched a blush creep up Shoto's neck. His eyes widened slightly, surprise and desire warring with the lingering anger in his gaze. Ren could almost see the internal battle he was fighting, his body tensing as if he was physically restraining himself from reaching out and grabbing hold her. "Doesn't sound too bad now, does it?" Ren prompted, her tone light and teasing. But Shoto remained silent, his heated gaze fixed on her face with an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat.

She could see in his eyes that he had forgiven her, realised her apology was sincere, understood how sorry she was. But he was holding onto his anger with no idea of what to do with it. Realising he wasn't ready to engage, Ren nodded slowly, her mind racing as she tried to think of a way to help him, channel his anger somewhere else. A small smile of understanding curved Ren's lips as an idea formed. Her eyes locked with Shoto's, holding his gaze as her fingers moved to the top button of her satin shirt. She tilted her head slightly, a silent question in her eyes as she began to undo the buttons one by one.

She could have sworn she saw the faintest flicker of a smirk on Shoto's lips.