@ukubi said: "Happy birthday, Todoroki-kun!" Approaching him slowly with a plain white box in her hands and a smile across her cheeks, she stretches out her arm to offer a gift! Inside the box was a small, shallow black dish with silver stars painted on. inside the dish, two halves were separated in the shape of two opposing koi fish ( symbol of perseverance ) / kinda like yin yang! she filled one half with white sand & the other with pale pink sand. (1/2)
in the white side, she made a clay snowman with a round little white kitten ( that she got from a coin machine ) on top as the head! to symbolize winter! she made a small red hat and scarf for it too! on the pink side, she put together a round mini garden of plastic flowers with another kitten sitting on top but this one was a cream color and had a mini straw hat on! besides the mini zen garden, she placed a small black rake with matching stars! (2/2)
“Oh - “ Shouto should’ve known that the information about the day he was born would just get out - given how everyone going to this school acts, and reacts to social situations and cares for those they are around on a daily basis, he almost expected it. Almost. But even as Uraraka came before him, of her own volition, and extended a small gift out toward him, he was surprised. His birthday - despite how much his actual birth, supposedly, ‘meant’ to his father - had never actually been a big deal his entire life. Especially given the context of why he was born - yeah, he wasn’t the biggest fan of his birthday, didn’t celebrate it, also didn’t receive any gifts that ever really MEANT anything to this.
But even as he unwrapped it, even as he revealed the small gift in his hands before his eyes, Shouto was shocked by what he saw. It was a small zen garden, he pressed a small finger to each of the dividing sides just to be sure - yes, definitely a zen garden. He wasn’t sure he had ever told anyone that he actually enjoyed them, only ever had one - and he never touched it once his mom left - but he enjoyed them nevertheless. But it was the kittens, the symbolism of the snow and the flowers, the white and red pink sides and details, not only to Shouto’s likes and interests, but also to the beautifully intricate design it was all placed in. And the stars - not something that innately related to Shouto - but actually reminded him of the person who gave it to him, reminded him of Uraraka.
There was a moment, then two, maybe a few more - He’d lost track at this point - but he took it in and how it made him feel. Which was strange all together, not used to being a gift that went with his interests but was actively bought, made? Put together? with him in mind, it was an odd sensation settling in his chest.
But when he finally lifted his head, Shouto looked at Uraraka, the faintest of smiles ghosting his lips, “Thank you,” He spoke softly, his usual intonation not lost even in this moment, but now? There was a hint of something more, some deeper meaning that would be lost to anyone who didn’t just know his entire life story - but that’s not what mattered now. What mattered? His friend had gotten him a birthday gift ---- and it meant the world to him.
