Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Moonshine filtered through light drapes, illuminating the pale skin of her hands where they rest on marble countertops. The kettle on the stove warms gradually, the water in it soundlessly bubbling, pointedly grey eyes focus on the sky outside the window instead of the flame. Melancholy never suited Rei, she was a doer and a thinker ; she always tried to meet situations with a smile, or a positive attitude. She never the one to back down from a cause if she had strong thoughts on the matter. But not anymore, not after coming to this house. Not after marrying that man. I don’t want to be scared, but I can’t do this anymore. I can’t do this anymore. She twitched, fingers worrying at the gold band that is heavy on her finger. These sort of absent episodes come more often now, accompanied by panic and paranoia.

The training was getting worse; the sessions were more often than before, much harsher than anything that Enji had dared do with their previous 3 children. He’s not going to get better, this situation is not going to get better. Her mind reels with horrors, the bruises on Fuyumi and those god awful burns on Toya before he was disappeared from their home. Thankfully, Natsuo’s quirk was so minor that Enji hadn’t even bothered with him at all. To spare one of her children even the slightest bit of pain was worth all of the questions ( “Why does dad hate me , Mommy? Did I do something wrong? ” ), insecurity, and the tears. When Shouto’s quirk developed, there had been a mixture of relief and horror . Enji had succeeded in creating his perfect combination, and would finally leave Rei alone. But she never wanted to give birth to a child that she knew would experience abuse and pain at the hands of a parent obsessed with winning. Shouto’s such a sensitive boy, he doesn’t deserve this. He should be able to play with his siblings, he should have a happy childhood. Like hell would Enji allow that though.

It always came back to Enji, from the fire to her children’s faces. Everyday it became a little harder to look at them, especially little Shouto’s left side. Every flicker of flame red hair in her peripheral caused a shock of panic to roll down her spine. The man that beat her almost daily had come to assault her again; the man responsible for the flames that created the burns on her hips and wrists had returned home.

Reflexively she peaks over her shoulder as she reaches for her mobile. She wanted to speak to her mother, if only to hear her voicemail. Childish as it may be, a hurt child reaches out for their mother’s comfort in times like these. With thoughts like these, Rei felt like she was going to suffocate, the walls closing in and the air almost too thick to breathe. She knows the number by heart, and can type it with her eyes closed, but her fingers stumble over the keypad as she dials familiar numbers. Her mother picks up after three rings, her voice hushed. “Rei? It’s so late, are you okay?”

“....M-Mom.” she stuttered. “I’m so scared, Mom.”

“Oh Sweetie, what’s going on.” her mom answers, exasperation clear in her voice. “Did you get in a fight with Todoroki-san, again?”

“I feel like I’m splitting in two.” she whimpered. “Mom, I honestly think I’m going crazy, and I don’t think I can take it anymore. Every day, the children seem more and more like that monster .”

There is a small shuffling on her left, but the mounting panic clouds her mind. Her thin shoulders shake under her blouse, and she clings to the phone like it is a lifeline; if she lets go then she will sink deeper and deeper into insanity. It was best to concentrate on her mother’s voice and hope that the episode passes. It usually does, even though tonight was a sleepless night plagued with shadowy smoking figures in the edges of her vision. Her mother’s voice relays shock, and even fear. “Rei…surely it can’t be that bad.”

“It is that bad ! That child’s left side looks so unsightly to me that I just can’t stand even looking at him. It’s Enji, it’s always Enji -- the fear, the pain, the hatred. I don’t think I can raise him, I don’t think I should .” She can taste salt on her tongue as her words leave her in a rush of panic. Her left leg won’t stop shaking. “I feel like hurting him, Mama, and no mother should have thoughts like that.”

The kettle is so close to boiling over, the spout letting out a soft whistle, though Rei doesn’t know how long it’s been that way. She’s lost so much time, anxiety makes the time drag on and pass by in a matter of minutes. Her teeth worry at the thin skin of her bottom lip, breaching the skin due to the tension. Her mom calls out to her, is trying to speak to her but Rei doesn’t hear her. Another sound to her left, shattering the concentration afforded to her mother’s phone call. A small whimper, then a child’s voice drifted through the suddenly whistle of the kettle.

“M-Mommy?”

The flash of red is all she sees in the corner of her eye. It’s Enji, It’s Enji, IT’S ENJI. the thought is a distorted mantra in her mind, dread weighing heavily on her shoulders. She was so tired of being hurt, so tired of letting him beat her and her children. He had broken Fuyumi’s arm in three places, he had said that she’d only be slightly useful for making connections through marriage. She was a child, and he had mentioned selling her as though he was talking about the weather. Her mother’s voice falls away as her phone bounces off the countertop and onto the floor. The kettle burns her palms as she grips it around the middle with both hands. A split second could change her life, a split second could change everything.

Black blurs along the corners of her vision, and there’s someone screaming. It takes her a moment to realize that it’s not her, and it’s not Enji . A small form writhes on the ground in pain, little fingers clutching wet, steaming skin. Her mouth trembles, the kettle dropped from burnt fingers. She whimpers before she screams, hands fisted in snow white curls.

Her mother’s voice screams back. But it offers no comfort to the scared children that hear it.

The detective’s hands are warm, they remind Shouto of his mom’s hands but different. He can feel rough patches along the base of the fingers  against the palm of his hand, where his mom’s had just been soft and sometimes clammy. The left side of his face throbs when he wrinkles his nose, and there is an itch that he can’t scratch. The police station smells funny, it makes him want to sneeze but he tries not to. Sudden movements of his face makes him feel bad, and the nurses at the hospital had said it was probably for the best that he didn’t. So he tries to keep his face impassive, even though he’s sad and wants to cry. He wants his mom, but he hasn’t seen her since that night, and he misses her.

Shouto is 5 years old, and he knows the basics of a lot of things. He knows that his quirk is cool and slightly more unique than most. He knows that he wishes that he can play games with his siblings; and for certain he knows that he did not hate his mom. He had told Detective Tsukauchi as much, when they were having their private talk. Thoughts of his mom make him break his silence, quietly asking “Is my mom going to be here?”

The detective winces, but when he smiled it was still warm and nothing like his dad’s angry grimaces. “Sorry, Kiddo, but she’s not. She’s in a hospital for a little while because she’s sad, but the doctors there will make her feel better.”

“Like the nurses did with my eye?”

“Yeah, kinda like that but ald  different.”

The way that Shouto nods like he truly understand the implications behind his words really upsets Naomasa. He’s seen a lot of different kids, from kids who bounced off the wall to kids that preferred to read or cling to their mothers; He’s seen children who cower from their parents and have bruises darker than their hair. Shouto was quiet and reserved, and Naomasa had noticed whenever he made a sudden movement toward the boy, he flinched. It makes the detective’s blood boil, his brow furrowing as he thinks of the implication of it all. A hero, one of the country’s best, abusing his kids; abusing his wife and then acting like it was nothing .

Endeavor had only came to the hospital after someone had anonymously tipped him off that the police force would be opening up an child abuse investigation. It wasn’t unlikely that he had someone in the force in his pocket, most heroes had the connections that civilians didn’t. Todoroki Enji had obviously expected that they would look the other way after they had responded to the domestic disturbance and detained his wife. Maybe that would have been true if Naomasa hadn’t been on the investigation, and hadn’t personally heard of and saw the bruises and the burns on both the child and the mother. With pictures of evidence like that, and the right pressure, the child was removed from Enji’s custody immediately. All the detectives needed was testimony from the parties involved, and it would be open and shut; Child Endangerment and Spousal Abuse.

The flame hero had appeared, causing a ruckus when they denied him access to the child. Later on, his agency had paid off the hospital for the scorched hall and equipment that came about after Naomasa had personally informed him that the child wouldn’t be returning to him, and that while Rei’s mother was pressing charges and bringing forth accusations of child and spousal abuse he was to have no contact with any of them. There had been great satisfaction in watching the hero throw a tantrum like a child then storm off. It seems that, after officially meeting the boy, he was much more mature than his father.

He looks down at the boy who seems comfortable with the lapse in conversation, though his little mouth pressed into a fine line. “Penny for your thoughts, Little Man?”

“...” Shouto’s voice is soft. “I miss my mom, and I don’t want to go home with my dad.”

“And you won’t have to, I promise. Your dad is in a lot of trouble because of what he did to you, your mom, and your siblings.”

Shouto’s eye turns to him with wonder, actual child like hope replacing cold indifference. “He won’t be able to hurt mom anymore right, if h-he’s in trouble.”

“Yes. that little private talk we had ? he won’t be able to hurt anyone ever again because of that. Just in case, though, some other people are going to talk with you in a few days. Like they do with the heroes, you know?” The detective smiles at the way the boy’s eye light up. “ Can you do that for me, Little Man?”

“Yeah!”

Naomasa reaches out and ruffles the kid’s two toned hair, blinking back tears that burn the corner of his eye. The boy holding his hand seems much lighter, his feet dragging less and less, his little shoulders held back and walking with some measure of confidence. It reminds him of the way that he’s seen the symbol of peace, All Might, walk into more subdued interviews. Proud, confident, with bravado oozing out of every pore. With Shouto, it’s obviously a child’s imitation; an obvious attempt to banish fear with the summoned presence of his personal hero.

The boy’s bravado falters if only slightly when they enter the room where there are other people he doesn’t immediately recognize. A redheaded woman, his grandmother, and his siblings (minus one) all clustered in a little group, obviously waiting for him. Fuyumi comes to him without a moment's hesitation, wrapping her youngest sibling up in a hug that reminds him so much of his mother that the tears Shouto had banished earlier come back. He usually asks himself, Would All Might cry like a baby ? in times like these  but he can’t keep his tears in, and he sobs against the chest of a girl he truly barely knows. He had watched her from afar, but to actually be held by her seemed like some sort of miracle, maybe a dream. The adults in the room stand back and watch, and after a moment more, Natsuo comes forward to ruffle his hair after Fuyumi pulls away.

“Hi Sho-chan! I’m glad that I can finally hug you. I wanted to do that for so long.” Fuyumi sounds nothing like their mother, but Shouto smiles anyway. He doesn’t mind that ,he likes it “Uhm, They said that we would be able to stay together if we wanted to , but I decided to go with Grandma...they’re going to let you pick who you want to go with.”

A full head of snow white hair bows briefly, before lifting again, a small smile on his brother’s face. “I said that I wanted to go to with Ms. Hikiishi, one of Mom’s friends. She lives around here, and Yuuei is pretty close by...”

Shouto looks between the two, the child’s face in open wonder. He knows his grandmother’s face, but not what she’s like. He’s seen pictures, but visiting was never possible because his father never allowed it. He has no rapport with her besides the fact that she was his mom’s mom, but she didn’t help his mom when she needed help. His face scrunches up in thought, his hands clammy. He doesn’t want to leave Fuyumi, but he doesn’t think that he can trust his grandmother. He hesitantly reaches out to take Natsuo’s hand, his face turned down.

Fuyumi only smiles, though; reaching out a soft hand to ruffle his hair. “Don’t worry, it’s okay. We can call each other everyday, and I’ll be able to come down and visit.”

His grandmother steps forward, a small watery smile on her face. “Sho-chan, You were so brave. I just want you to know that, and to know that your mom loves you very much...”

She hesitates, her mouth opening and closing after she trails off, like she was trying to find the words. “I also want to say that I’m sorry, Sho-chan. I should have done more, and helped more.”

Shouto doesn’t reply, instead, turning his face into his brother’s arm. Natsuo doesn’t push him away or scold him, instead moving his arm so that he can tuck the boy against his side. It’s obvious that the youngest Todoroki has nothing to say to Rei’s mother, and no one pushes him on it. His grandmother steps away, her face pressed into a handkerchief, her sobs weak but full of remorse. Many in the room seem somewhat sympathetic at her plight, but there was so much more she could have done, and she just didn’t do it.

The tall redhead steps forward next, and when Shouto gets the confidence to turn to look at them, there’s an inkling of familiarity. Shoulder length red hair, dark eyes, sunglasses pushed up along their forehead like in the pictures that his mom had showed him of her school days. Candid photos of herself with friends, but none with his father. He had asked once if the redhead had been Enji, with the way they had their arms wrapped around each other looking more than a little happy to be in each other’s presence. She had shaken her head no, at the time, had told him it was her best friend. He had simply wondered why his dad and her weren’t as happy as that.

“Hi there, I’m Hikiishi Keiko, people call me Ke-chan” She holds out a hand to him, her smile gentle. It was like his mother’s but more confident, less likely to disappear at a moment's notice. “Can I call you ‘Sho-chan’ as well?”

“....” He nods his head shyly, his face flushing when she smiles at him.

“Well Sho-chan, I hope that we can get along with each other!” She crows, reaching out to ruffle his brother’s hair. “Natsuo was telling me that you liked All Might! Me too, but I kind of like Present Mic more these days.”

Shouto’s eyes light up, leaning forward once the woman begins to talk heroes. “I like All Might best, Present Mic’s really  loud….”

“Well sometimes loud is good don’t you think ? You can’t quite rock out without loud being involved.”

His head visibly tilts as he thinks on her words, before nodding. “That’s true. But All Might is stronger.”

“You’re probably not wrong about that. You wanna come talk about it some more with me? You brother won’t tell me his favorite hero, I was hoping you could weasel out of him.” With a wink, Keiko holds her hand out, radiating an aura of patience and warmth. He looks at it, and then back at her. She was nice, and she does know about heroes; If his brother was going to be there, and he’s get to talk and meet up with his sister, then he was happy. It was much more than he had ever had before, and as long as they weren’t going back to that lonely home and his mom would get better; then he was happy.

He places his hand in hers, and those long nails don’t scratch or scrape against him. Instead long fingers gently curl around his and they were just as soft as his mom’s. He’s content to talk with her about heroes, while his brother jumps in and out of the conversation; Apparently his favorite hero was Ectoplasm. Shouto files that information away with the rest of the things he knows. Along with his grandma’s number, and his sister’s smell.

Ms. Hikiishi takes them home on the train when they leave the station. Their goodbye to Fuyumi wasn’t much of a tearful goodbye, and more a heartfelt ‘ See you soon ’. Shouto had never ridden on the train before, honestly he had scarce memories of ever leaving the compound. He watches as the buildings pass by in a blur of color and texture with wonder in his eye, his little knees braced against the seat after Keiko had helped him up. Natsuo watches with the same wonder, but much more subdued, one of his hands gripping Keiko’s. He had taken her hand earlier, when they were walking to the train station in a deep conversation about Hero coolness, and hadn’t let go since. When the the train bumps, or slows to a halt, the white haired boy seems to jump, if only slightly. But along the way, the older woman manages to reassure him and to comfort him.

Shouto is especially tired by the time they arrive around the area that Keiko lives. He’s listing on his feet, even though he tries not to show it, he’s ready for a nap. He doesn’t fuss about how he’s a big boy now when Keiko picks him up. He’s exhausted, and his face is throbbing, and he just wants to rest. He loops his arms loosely around her neck, gingerly pushing his face against against her shoulder. He can smell the scent of her perfume from her clothing, fruity and warm like the kitchen in the spring when his mom brings out the oranges, and is comforted. He dozes only lightly as they walk, the streets blurring together but the warmth of the setting sun and the woman’s scent lulling him into peaceful respite. Natsuo smiles at him, still holding the hand that’s holding Shouto. He doesn’t notice much about the apartment building, but he knows that he doesn’t much like the stairs as they climb them. They jolt his face against her shoulder with every step, and it’s not all that pleasant.

As she fumbles with her keys, one arm tucked under Shouto and Natsuo’s gripping the fabric of her pants. Shouto’s sleepy eye rolls around the empty walkway, looking at the sky over the half wall that he could have never seen over if he was on his own two feet. There are many doors on this hallway, with name plates that Shouto can’t read. It seems like a nice place, with the faint din of people coming and going, dogs barking, and the scent of dinner wafting from under doors. As the lock clicks, and Magne ushers in Natsuo first, before entering herself. In the split second before they disappear inside, Shouto sees a flash of green curls and red shoes running past to get back to his own home.

Chapter Text

Natsuo holds his hand when they go to the mall together, their fingers interlaced and tightly locked. Shouto likes it, because it reminds him that his brother is there, and he knows that Natsuo doesn’t much like the crowded mall. Shouto thinks it's amazing in it's own way; while loud and noisy, there are posters of All Might in shop windows and smells of greasy foods. Not to mention it is filled to the brim with people, more people than Shouto has seen in his life outside of television, all going about their day in some manner or another and completely unworried about him or his brother. Keiko had made sure they were dressed warmly just in case, pulling the hoodie over Shouto’s head after she had pinched his nose. And he was thankful for it, a shiver racking it's way down his back when the cold autumn air hits his nose and the front of his neck. She had told them to stay close, even though that doesn't need to be said; though she keeps a firm hold of Natsuo’s hand, he seems like he wants to become one with her leg with the way that he presses in close. Obviously terrified of losing her and Shouto in the crowd and never being found again.

“Don’t worry Tsu, I’m pretty hard to lose in crowds.” She announced after stumbling over Natsuo’s tiny legs trying to turn a corner.

Natsuo only replies with a whimper, looking around at the groups of people with more visible fear than Shouto has ever seen from him.

“It’s okay, Niichan, I’ll protect you.” Shouto whispers, looking up at the boy; his single eye hard with determination. All might protects people, so would Shouto. Especially if it was his most precious people. 

“T-thanks Sho-chan. It's probably dumb of me to be so scared like this, but there's just so many....”

Keiko takes them to all sorts of stores. She tells them they can pick out anything they want, even though only Natsuo really takes her to heart. The elder Todoroki gravitates toward the solid colored shirts that are louder than his usual white or blue, sometimes with single words on them that Shouto can’t read because the characters were too complex or just looked like weird scribbles .

“What’s that one say.” He inquired. But Natsuo can’t really read the words either, so he turns to their caretaker. “Do you know what it says, Ke-chan?”

She leans over them both, not even pushing up her sunglasses to read the sunflower yellow shirt in Natsuo’s hand. “It says SUPER PLUS, in English. Do you wanna get it?”

“Y-yes please!”

She drapes it over her left arm, along with the others that Natsuo had chosen. All spring colors out of place in the chilly fall that was slowly bleeding into winter. But if it made him happy, no one was going to complain about it. At her side, the youngest of their party seems to be slowly picking his way through countless racks of shirts before he sees one that makes him pause. Magne can only lean over, just to see what her charge is fixated on. It’s a pretty plain tee, with a wave design along the front, and upon further investigation sharks printed out all over the back panel of the shirt. With the way that Shouto looks at it, it might as well be the best thing the stoic young boy has seen all day. His grey eye wide with wonder as tiny fingers run over the sturdy print; his mouth dropping open in soundless awe. When he catches her looking though, he seems to deflate, closing his mouth and stepping away.

Reaching out to pull the shirt from the children’s rack, checking to see if its the right size before asking. “Do you want this one, Sho-chan?”

The wonder makes it way back onto his bandaged face, which turns up to stare at her with a aura radiating surprise and wonder. “R-really? I can get that?”

“Of course! You can get pretty much anything you want. It would be unfair of me to make you wear boring clothes.”

He smiles, honestly, wider than she’s seen him smile since meeting him. His little pile of shirts grows from the plain white button ups that she’s managed to pick out to more eccentric clothing in a range of blues, reds, and every other color of the rainbow. He finds two more shark themed shirts, though one is too big so he gives it up to his brother, and the look on his face when she reassures him that YES he can have the All Mght shirt and hoodie he finds is absolutely adorable.

Chapter Text

Shouto quietly watches as Keiko bustles around the kitchen. She was cooking dinner, singing along with the theme song that plays before Natsuo’s favorite anime. He’s too shy to watch with him, old habits keeping him off the couch while Keiko was in the kitchen. His dad had said that TV was a waste of time, and that never ended well for him or his mom before. But the scent of food is comforting; and Shouto absently begins to bob along with the song. When Keiko starts to do a little dance, he laughs out loud, and for once it doesn’t really hurt his face. The bandages wouldn’t come off before he started his new school, but he didn’t really mind. He found himself emoting more often than not, and he was just glad that he wasn’t in pain anymore.

“Sho-chan! Do you want to come taste this? I was thinking about putting the leftovers in your bento.” She calls out to him over the tin of battle sounds as the anime fades from music and title cards into high octane shounen glory.

“Yeah!” He answers, eagerly hopping down from his seat to round the table.

She smiles at him fondly, gently blowing on the glazed piece of meat between cooking chopsticks. He opens his mouth when she finally deems it cool enough to hold it out to him. He takes it in his mouth eagerly, chewing thoroughly as the flavors hit his tongue. It’s a little bit spicy, but sweet and sour all at the same time. He likes the slightest hint of orange that he tastes in the sauce, his face easing into a facial expression that makes Magne laugh. He blushes when he hears a shutter go off, opening his eye to see her mobile in hand and the shutter snapping. He rushes forward, pressing his face against her apron so she can’t take anymore embarrassing pictures of his face.

Smoothing a kind hand over his two toned head, she gently places her phone back into her apron. “Sorry, Sho-chan, that was just super cute But do you like it? Too Spicy?”

“No…” He shakes his head against her legs, his face and ears still burning. “I really like it, it’s super good!”

“I’m glad ! I’ll go ahead and put some in your bento. Tsu, can you come get the chopsticks and rice for your brother?”

Natsuo nods absently before scrambling over the back of the couch, every so often turning back to see what was happening in his anime. He’s tall enough to reach the rice cooker now, and he knows enough to easily pile rice bowls high without making a mess. Shouto skirts around Keiko to go admire his brother’s technique, eagerly taking his bowl when Natsuo hands it off to him. It’s warm and fresh and smells really good; he smiles happily, sliding his bowl gently onto the table before he climbs back up into his chair and stack of book. He waits patiently for his chopstick, kicking his feet lightly. They come just in time for his little bowl of sweet and sour chicken to be placed next to his rice. He’s vibrating with energy as he waits for the other two to get with the program, looking between his food and them.

“Itadakimasu!” Three voices call together after Keiko slides into her seat. Shouto digs in eagerly, his little hand clutching his chopsticks as he worked on shoveling a mixed of rice and meat into his mouth. By the time he’s had his fill, Keiko is finished ; her chopsticks balanced on her bowl as she moves through the motions of filling Natsuo’s and Shouto’s empty bentos. Shouto’s was covered in sharks and other fish, it was brand new and he had picked it out himself. He had taken a liking to the sharks, but also didn’t want to a pick between that one and an All Might themed one. Keiko had bought both with their matching utensils, and he would be able to pick which one he wanted to use. She had also bought a pack of hero themed stickers to decorate the boxes with just in case. Natsuo’s was kind of plain, but cute; Pink and covered in cherry blossoms and he had loved it.

As the last little snacks are hidden away into the bento, Magne calls over her shoulder. “I put your stickers in your bag, so you can share them with any friends you make at school.Sound like a good Idea?”

“Yea’, Shank you!” Shouto answers around a mouth full of food, making Natsuo laugh at how his cheeks bulged.

“Hamster Sho-chan! Shoutaro! ”

Shouto tries to glare at him with his remaining eye, and chew and swallow before Keiko can snap another picture.

Chapter Text

The first day of school is a lot less dreadful for Natsuo and Shouto than it is for Magne. By the time the boy’s had woken up and come down stairs, She’s already awake and running herself up the walls without any help. Their outfits had been set out the night before, and Natsuo helps Shouto into his favorite shark shirt and brushes his hair. The bandages had been changed the night before, so at least that was one less thing to worry about. Teeth all brushed, and faces all clean, Shouto practically sprints down the steps, almost running head long into Keiko as she doubt checks and triple checks her purse to make sure that she has everything.

“I made egg on toast for you guys if you’re hungry!” She says, calming down when she sees how well made up the boys are. Leaning over to press a soft kiss on each of their foreheads.

“I love eggs!” Shouto states the obvious, with his instance that he have hard boiled eggs for snacks, it's a household fact how much he loves his eggs. “Is Niichan coming with us to my school before you go to his?”

“What if she was dropping you off last and taking me first! I’m obviously the favorite.” Natsuo replies, helping his brother up on to his usual chair and stack of books. He sits down beside him, immediately digging into his egg after applying a healthy amount of a ketchup ; making his brother immitate gagging noises at the sight.

“Nuh-uh! Your breath stinks, stinky.”

“Good comeback, little bro, you’ve bested me in a battle of wits.”

Magne’s shoulders gradually fall as she listens to them banter back and forth, the  nauseous-green tone to her skin slowly disappearing. Her hand had been trembling only moments ago as she tried to apply her eyebrows, but now she was steady -- laughing at this inane insults and her boy’s antics. “Boys, Boys ! I love you both equally, you should know that.”

“Hey! Don’t tell him that, he said my breath stinks!”

“You eat too much ketchup, Niichan!!” The youngest todoroki yells. “Ketchup breath!”

Breakfast is finished soon after they dissolve into a back and forth insult match. Keiko grabs Natsuo’s backpack and makes sure it’s firmly on and comfortable; double checking that he has his lunch and folders before they start the walk to Sho-chan’s daycare. Natsuo’s school is a little further down the way, and that means they could walk home together if they wanted to. Natsuo keeps his hand firmly in her left, and Shouto is on her right. Under his breath, Natsuo hums the theme song to Mahou Shoujo Robo and smiles at his brother as he looks around in wonder. This was the first time the youngest had been to anything like this. Before they had been mostly homeschooled untill Enji stopped caring enough to let them go out in public. To watch the youngest take in all the new experiences while being a normal happy kid, despite the bandages and their history, really made his older brother happy.

A woman comes to meet them, her hair a miasma of green smog that seems to be constantly flowing from her scalp. “Hello, Hello! Are you Hikiishi-san?”

“Thats me! Are you Enenra-san? I’m pretty sure I spoke to you on the phone the other day?” Keiko answered, smiling as she noticed Shouto quietly inching behind her legs. “This is Shouto, he’s gonna be going to school here. This is his older brother, Natsuo; Please take care of them.”

They bow briefly to each other, Natsuo joining in to make sure he was utterly polite. Enenra smiles before piping up brightly trying to get the boy hiding behind his mother to peak at her. “Hi Shouto-kun! I’m going to be your teacher from the time being; if you want you can call me Ms. Nena.”

Shouto turns his face into the leg he’s clinging to, shyer than he’d normally be. “...”

“It’s no worries, if you wait just a moment, I’ll go find someone your age to come help you out, okay?”

Shouto’s non-replies doesn’t dampen her smile, instead she turns back to the school to go grab someone to help out. When she’s gone, Magne gently reaches down to pat the boy clinging to her. “It’s okay Sho-chan, no one’s going to hurt you here.”

“....” His voice is muffled when he finally replies. “I don’t want you to leave.”

Her heart seems to swell three times with that single sentence, tears prickling at her dark eyes and making her wish that she had her sunglasses nearby. “Don’t worry! You’re going to make a lot of friends, and I’ll definitely be here at the end of the day to pick you up!”

“.....Promise?”

“I promise! and if I break it I’ll swallow 100 needles.”

Shouto nods again against her, his grip becoming less tight minute by minute. He’s just about to get up the nerve to leave her when the teacher comes out again, hand in hand with a little boy with dark green curls clutching an All Might toy in his free hand.

“I’m back~! Shouto-kun, this is Midoriya Izuku-kun. He agreed to help you and be your buddy for today! Does that sound good to you?”

Shouto nods, looking at the boy’s toy with a curious eye.”Do you like All Might?”

“Yeah!!” Izuku is quick to reply, his shifty nature bleeding into enthusiasm. His green curls bounce as he nods his head eagerly “He’s the best ! The strongest ! and the Coolest!”

“ RIGHT ! He’s SO cool. Do you like his sidekick too?”

“Yeah, Sir Nighteye is like …..the smartest guy in the world, I think!” Izuku replied, waving his hands and his figure. As Shouto talked to Izuku about their mutual interest in All Might, he drifted more and more from Keiko’s side. His eye reflecting the boyish smile that illuminated his face.

As the boys talked, Keiko made sure to hand over the bag with Shouto’s pills and the instructions, as well as his lunch. They say their goodbyes, and before she leaves she makes sure to give Shouto a gentle kiss on his forehead, leaving behind just a bit of her lipstick before she smooths his hair back into place. Midoriya holds out his hand brightly, his whole face radiating warmth like the sun, and it only seems to glow brighter when Shouto actually reaches out to take it. They run inside, hand in hand, Natsuo and his Caretaker watching them  disappear into the building together.

“I’d say that went well!” Natsuo peeping from her side, a fond smile on his face.

Chapter Text

Natsuo’s only issue with school was that he had to do math, before all of this math had been one of his worse subjects. “That sucked .”

The frustration that comes with trying to solve number equations and remembering mathematical formula clings to his thoughts even as he drags himself away from the class to find somewhere to eat lunch. I wonder what Sho-chan and Ke-chan are doing for lunch . He looks up at the cloudless semi-grey sky. It would probably rain later, and Natsuo’s probably was a definitely . His skin was so sensitive to the weather that he could practically feel the pressure building against his joints. Plopping himself on a random step under an awning, he moved to eat; Still counting down the hours till he could go home.

“Hey, why are you eating alone?” A voice speaks up somewhere to his left, making him jump. “On your left, Snow head!”

Natsuo turns his head… brows raise… and before he can stop himself, he screams out in pure fear when he notices the face poking out from the very solid wall to his left. Holding his lunch in a deathly tight grip, he scrambles away; a hand comes out to join the face, waving at him. Natsuo kept his eyes glued to the thing that could one be a supposed ghoul. “WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!! HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT!!!” he screamed.

“Hey, don’t curse! And it’s my quirk, dude! how else do you think I’m doing this?”

The blond boy carefully steps out into the open completely, his blue eyes sparkling with enthusiasm and wonder. Natsu was so busy staring at his face he only notices a moment later that the boy is completely nude , hands on his hips. The blond pipes up “I’m Togata Mirio! You're the new transfer student, right?”

“HEY!!!! DON’T TALK TO ME WHILE YOU'RE NAKED MAN, IT’S WEIRD”

“OH! SORRY , I DIDN’T REALIZE!”

Amajiki Tamaki who had been following his best friend slowly rounded the bend, his face flushed and unsure. In his hands he held a pile of clothes; though he was hesitant to approach once he saw the unknown senpai yelling at Mirio, but he has to soon enough. No one deserves Mirio naked, and it’s absolutely inappropriate for their age.

Todoroki and Izuku stick to each other like glue, sharing All Might facts and their opinions on the current heroes in the media. Of course, The flame hero comes up, but when Shouto says unabashedly that he hates Endeavor, Izuku just stares at him for a moment; before nodding and quickly changing the subject seeing how it seemed to make his new friend uncomfortable. They were eating side by side, Shouto generously sharing one of his slices of waffle and whipped cream with Izuku. Afterwards they sit down, shoulder to shoulder, looking at Izuku’s hero journal.

“My handwriting is bad, but I want to do more of these. My mom says that you can figure out anything by an-an-anailyzing?”

Shouto doesn’t quite get it but he nods anyway, deathly serious because Izuku, himself seemed very serious about all of this. “If I can help I will. I used to watch the news all the time before I moved.”

“OH! That’d be cool!! You already helped me so much, you knew so many things about All Might that even I didn’t know.”

Shout blushes just so, ducking his head. He remembers the All Might stickers in his lunch bag, and knows that Izuku would definitely love something like that.  He grabs up the bag, reaching in to pull out the carefully folded sheet. “I have stickers too if you want some for the cover of your book.” He whispers, smiling shyly.

“You’d really let me use your stickers, Shouto-kun?” Green eyes were wide and watery suddenly as Izuku replied. “That's so nice of you!!!”

Uncomfortable, Shouto hurriedly whispers. “I...hope I didn’t upset you!”

“No these are happy tears!”

Shouto just nods, relieved beyond belief. Izuku was so nice to him, and he didn’t really ask about the bandage, or about where he came from before, or went to school. Instead he was honest, kind, and wonderful to Shouto. He wonders if this is how making friends feels, if this is how being carefree felt. They decorate Izuku’s book cover together, the glossy and glittery All Might figures and speech bubbles make the book look almost like a twinkling holographic shrine.

“Oh ! Shouto-kun, I think we live close by each other, right? You should ask your mom if you can come over one day, I don’t … really have many friend and you like my books and don’t mind when I ramble.”

Shouto’s eye is wide, his blinks slow. He slowly nods his head, smiling then showing all of his teeth. “I’ll ask her today. She’ll probably say yes, she’ll be happy I made friends on my first day. ”

Later on when Shouto hears his named called by the teacher, he gathers his stuff with hurried impatience. He waves bye to Izuku, and rushes out the doors to Keiko’s side. When he gets to her, She’s saying her goodbyes to a Green haired woman who seemed to look almost identical to Izuku. Maybe it’s his Mama . But it’s not important now, instead he runs full force into Magne’s knees, wrapping his arms around them. He hops up and down, the smile on his face genuine when he looks up at her.

“Mom ! Mom ! I made a friend !! And he invited me over. He’s the green haired kid that lives on our floor.”

Keiko seems momentarily shocked into silence, looking down him in amazement. Slowly a smile works it’s way across full lips. “Well you’ll have to go over and hang out with him then. And, of course, you can have him over anytime you want! Come on, we can talk details on the way to meet you brother”

Shouto throws his hands up in the air in a excited fist pump, a genuine smile reflected in his grey eye and curled along his little mouth. He talks a mile a minute on the way to meet Natsuo, running briefly forward before waiting for her to catch up and then doing it again.

Chapter Text

Izuku’s mother answers the door only minute after Shouto knock on it; though in his mind it feels like an eternity. His little heart welling with anxiety, and the urge to just go home since his apartment was only doors down. Maybe Izuku didn't want to meet with him, maybe he thought the kid with the bandaged eye and split hair was weird after all. Suddenly, he just wants to go home, a heavy panic weighing at the bottom of his stomach. But the appearance of the woman in the door halts him in his steps when he turns to do just that; She’s not as tall as Keiko, but she’s soft and bright – just like Izuku when he smiles. Her own smile is, of course, a mirror image of the younger Midoriya’s; it makes Shouto’s heart skip a beat just seeing it. They’re like twins .

“Shouto-kun, right?” when he answers with a shy nod, she moves back to let him in; her high watt smile still glowing bright “Izuku has been talking nonstop about you and your ‘cool hair’ and ‘cool personality’, I'm glad that I can finally meet you. I'm Inko, but you can just call me Auntie! He been really excited for you to come over;His room is right down the hall, with the All Might plate. He should be in there.”

He nods again, a rosy flush burning his ears and the apples of his cheeks. Keiko and his mom had always stressed politeness. So he makes sure to bow, finally finding his voice to thank her as he kicks off his shoes and bolts past. Izuku had promised to let him see all of his All Might figures, seeing as Shouto had never had any of his own (and was too scared to ask for any; toys had always been considered childish and for Christmas he got sweets or got to watch tv all day). He finds the room easily, and sees the door slightly cracked and there is shuffling beyond it. He gently pushes it open.  “Izuku?” he calls out

The boy in question looks up, green curls bouncing, from where he was painstakingly lining up what seemed to be hundreds of all might figures. “Shouto! You're early! I was getting everything ready for when you came, and i'm not even finish setting up the figures.” a small boyish pout, he's even waving the figure in his hand at him.

“Sorry! Niichan was taking a nap, and…” He trails off, his flush going brighter. He doesn’t want to say that he was bored and lonely, so he leaves it there. “You have so many…I didn't expect this much”

“Yeah! My mom gets me a lot, and my dad sends some from a-amarica .  I have a lot more cause my dad sends ones that I already have, but I put those away!” He sits the toy in his hand carefully on the last row as he talks. "I lined them up from my favorite to not my favorite but still cool!"

Shouto moves to sit next to the boy as he talks, gently running small fingers over the plastic antenna of the toy closest to him. Upon jostling it just so, it begins to tilt over; he reaches out quickly to grab it before it falls and sends the ones behind it crashing down. Surprisingly, the movement seems to cause to toy to suddenly let out a staticy ‘I AM HERE’ as he closes his hands around it. It shocks the boy, his eyes wide as he stares at the figure in his hand. It spoke! It had said the most notable catchphrase known to the hero community, and in the process had wowed the youngest Todoroki to bits. He hadn't even knew toys like this existed until now, and he was hooked.

“That’s a cool one! They used to give smaller ones out in Wacdonald's meals.” Izuku hops to his feet, going to rustle through the bottom drawers of his red, white, and blue dresser. He makes a happy noise before pulling out a figure identical to the one in Shouto’s hand, though it seemed slightly less played with. “This is one of the extras I have, you can take it home if you want to!”

“B-but I don’t have any money to give for it?”

“That doesn’t matter, Silly. We’re friends and Mommy says you share with friends that have less than you, and I have more than enough” Izuku nods solemnly. “Plus you gave me some of your waffles at school and you don't care that I'm q-quirkless! I want to give you something in return! Just take care of him, okay?”

Shouto nods his head furiously, he can feel a stinging sensation in both of his eyes this time. “I will, I promise!”

“All right! Let’s look at the others!”

“Kay!”

Ms. Midoriya comes in a bit later with a snack for them; vanilla wafers and a glass of milk. Shouto thanks her again, still shy but the smile and the light in his eye brighter than before. Izuku explains the two piles of toys to her around a mouthful of crumbs, only pausing to drink milk down to swallow the mess in his mouth. Shouto nor Izuku understand why his Mom looks so watery eyed when Izuku tells her that the pile of toys is the pile that Shouto is going to take home, and that they had pretty much cleaned out one of the bottom drawers.

“Sharing is just the right thing to do, mom! Remember! ”

“That’s right, Sweetie. I'm really proud of you for taking that to heart. I’m going to go get a bag to put the toys in, okay! I don’t think Shouto can take all of those home by himself.”

Izuku looks at him, then back at all the toys. A tiny finger pressed to his chin, and brows furrowed in deep thought. “I didn’t think of that!”

Shouto can’t lift the bag of toys himself when it’s time to go home, so Izuku’s mom helps him along the way. Izuku scrambles before they leave out the door to add a stack of picture books to the pile, because He knows Shouto likes those even though they’re his only copies. Shouto can't thank him enough, and almost cries when the boy wraps him up in a hug before seeing them off. Keiko and Inko talk in the doorway when Shouto finally makes it home, he’s not paying much attention. He’s a bit overwhelmed, and his head is slightly throbbing; so instead he gently presses his face into the fabric of his mom’s skirt and rests there for a bit, sighing just so when she gently pets over his hair. She takes him to his room once the bag is exchanged and the door is locked and shut, and helps him organize which toys he wants to display on his side and which where going to go in the closet because he didn’t have a toy chest yet. That night after a bath, he chooses one of the figures to take to bed with him, and let's Natsuo choose a book for her to read to them before bed. When he falls asleep, there's no nightmares of flames or hot water, instead it's him and Izuku and they save his moms and siblings, and finally beat up his dad with All Might helping along the way.  

Chapter Text

“So do you even have a quirk?”

Those words cut Natsuo like a knife, his brow furrowing and tears prickling the corners of his eyes. He wasn’t going to cry though, he didn’t want to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing him cry. He was cornered, back to a wall as the bullies surrounded him. Two boys from his class, and the leader: the fastest runner in their grade, Yoyumi. She sneered at him from day one, had hurled questions at him that made him uncomfortable answering. It had came to a head on a day that seemed like all others, and now they were taking it to extremes. Natsuo was always nice to them, he was nice to everyone; compared to his little brother, he was extroverted, he kept a smile on his face and often talked to anyone that turned his way. But there was no way he could talk himself out of this, even if he wanted to. But there was also the truth that lingered under his skin: He hardly knew what his quirk was .

He felt a hand push against his chest, her smile more than a little cruel; her already long black nails lengthening as she grabbed a fist full of his canary yellow shirt. “Or are you just a quirkless loser who’s been lying to everyone. My mom says there’s no way that a guy like you would be Endeavor’s son, you don’t even look like him! Is Todoroki even your real last name?”

“I do have a quirk.” He’s sweating now, down his neck and along his forehead; his hands are trembling but he tries to keep his voice steady, but it comes out quieter and weaker than he hoped. He hates this, he never once bragged about his father. He would never do anything like that, seeing how the man pretty much thought he was worthless.

“What was that, rat? Speak up! Didn’t your mom tell you it’s impolite to mummer.”

Her fingers are cutting into his shirt, and if she kept going, she’d probably prick the skin underneath. “I said I do have quirk!” Natsuo answered, this time louder ; but there were still tears in his eyes. 

A burning sensation rises in his arms, it tingles at first before rolling into a numbness that prickles at the muscles under his skin. He doesn’t realize he’s crying until he hears himself sob, the feeling traveling up his shoulders and he can see shards of ice in a his peripheral. His ice is so much different from his mother’s or Fuyumi’s, his was dry, hard, and vaguely chunky and powdery. Dry Ice. he had looked it up once, but it didn’t quite fit but it was the only thing he could put against the look of i.

Yoyumi stumbles away from him, her hand letting go of his shirt. Her cronies look horrified, but he doesn’t  understand why until he looks down at his hands. They were shrouded in a flowing of white mist, and he couldn't see his hands or up to his forearm. When he tries to make a fist, he can feel them -- like a ghost of something solid in all of the smoke. Phantom pains, almost; lLike limbs he no longer had.

“This is my quirk!” He laughs, tears on his face. Without his dad’s favor, he hadn’t had any sort of training with his quirk; and with his mild personality, and his sensitivity, he’d only saw the hints of his quirk before. Ice along his fingers, wisps of mist from them, his nose and his mouth. He never got cold, but got so warm easily during the summer. He had assumed that he was so weak and his quirk was just the same and that’s why his dad hated him.

But this was his quirk, and he was proud of it. It was a version of his mother’s no doubt, anything the mist smoothed over was frozen solid almost instantly; he could create his own domain if he wanted, everything frozen in time with only the hint of frost. He sobs, more from the pure elation than fear or sadness, his head falling back against the concrete of the school building. The girl and hew crew call him weird and crazy, bolting the other way from him and his mist; and he’s finally left alone to his thoughts. I can’t wait to tell Keiko and Mom. I can’t wait to show Shouto. He looks up to the sky, resolving to himself that he didn’t need Endeavor's training or attention to be a hero. He could be whatever he wanted on his own merit.

Chapter Text

Rain falls in sheets, thrumming against the sea of umbrellas that were out to shield families and business men on their way home. Shouto’s rain boots, calf high and covered in an aquarium's worth of fish, are dry and somewhat warm as he splashes through puddles; a large grin brightening his face. He had never seen the appeal, more so because he never really got the chance to play like a kid should. But he could see now that this was more fun than he’d ever had in the compound. His raincoat keeps him somewhat dry, though the blue fabric of his shorts darker and heavy with puddle water than they were before.

Keiko sits on the park bench, well within eyesight if he needed her, her sunglasses reflecting the light from her phone in the grey of the gloomy afternoon. She was taking pictures again, and when Shouto had asked why she did it so much and so often, Natsuo had told him with a smile and ruffled his hair. They were for Mom, that makes sense . Shouto pauses in the puddle, looking at his reflection in the water. The bandages were almost gone, just a strip of gauze and a pad now until Monday. He can see the scar from the burn peeking from under the bandage, and he knows better than to touch it right now. The lady that him and Natsuo visit on Thursdays after school and lunch tells him it’s okay to feel bad about this and a lot of other things. She said that it was okay for both of them to be mad at Endeavor or his mom. But Shouto isn’t angry, no at his mom that is, because he knows the truth; His mom didn’t do anything wrong but put up with her father as long as she could. His father had been in the wrong, had made her sad and forced to do something like this, but he can’t hurt her or them anymore. Would she be happy if she saw me now, or would it be all the same ?

He glares at the face of a sober child in the puddle, who looks so much like the kid that was still trapped in that house. The child who could do nothing to save his mother, and wasn’t hero-like at all in his opinion. With a great yell, and then a leap, he stomps out that visage of himself. He’s got his Mom, his Mama, and his brother and his sister; He also had Izuku and Auntie Inko. He could be happy now, and when his Mom got better and could come home from the hospital, then she’d be able to be happy with all of them too.

The storm that passes overhead doesn’t give way to rainbows and instantaneous fixes to deep problems, but the clouds gradually pass. Long after Keiko takes his hand and takes him to pick up Natsuo from club. The sun is bright, but the puddles linger and Shouto’s boots are still muddy and he has to leave them outside when they get back home. He’s still happy, though, and he still smiles when his brother invites him to watch Mahou Shoujo Robo together.

Chapter Text

“Sho-chan?” A familiar voice calls out to him, hesitant but not stammering.

Shouto’s smile is wide, his excitement clear on his face.He had rushed to the phone as soon as Keiko had called out to him. These were his favorite days, when his Mom could call from the hospital and could talk to him for a little while. “Yes, Mama! How are you feeling? I was getting my bandages done! ”

“I’m good, baby, how are you? Are you being good for Ke-chan”

Shouto physically nods his head, his smile practically registering in his voice. “Yeah! I’m getting ready to go play with Izu-chan right now.” Keiko ruffles his hair as he speaks, gently trying to keep him still as she tries to get his bandages on straight. Just a few more days, and then he wouldn’t have to sit still anymore to make sure his burn was clean, he’d just be able to go play without a single worry. “Me and Izu-chan are gonna play hero, and make cards for Natsuo’s present. Mom said that we’re also gonna get cake.”

“Oh! Ke-chan told me about his class winning in their little sports festival. I bet you’re excited to finally get to do your own, huh?”

“Yeah! Though Ms. Enenra said we’d have to wait until we’re around Niichan’s age. Which is unfair because I’m really fast, even faster than Bakugo.”

“Well if you feel that strongly on it, maybe ask Ke-chan to take you out running, it would be good exercise and good practice.”

Keicho lets out a purely dramatic groan, hand over her heart as she finishes up her work on his bandages. “I’m truly not cut out for exercise, I’m a delicate flower!” It makes Shouto and Rei laugh, and for a moment Keiko can almost see them standing side by side. Her best friend and her precious child with the same wide smile and sparkling eyes. It makes her grin softly, ruffling Shouto’s hair as Natsuo pokes his head out from the boy’s shared room.

“Hey Mom! When we come visit next month we’re going to bring flowers and Spirited Away and Ke-chan was going to make you a scarf.”

Keiko lets out another groan, playfully hissing back to the boy. “You do not know how to keep a secret, do you?”

“Nope!”

“Niichan are you sure you don’t want to be a villain when you grow up?”

Rei’s laughter is bright and joyous, and even through the receiver it brightens up the room with no effort at all. It’s been so long since she’s smiled like that, on her side of the phone. It’s been so long since she’s been so carefree, and even longer for her children who she thought would never have any semblance of a normal life. “I’m looking forward to that visit, and your brother’s future villain career, maybe he can be called the secret spilling hero, Natsubo!”

“ Mom !!! Don’t take their side, it’s 3 against one now!”

Chapter Text

The first time Shouto had ever gotten into a fight had been in defense of someone else. His mommy and his mom had always said that he was born to be a hero. He was nice and he tended to empathize with those that were maybe weaker than him. But in all honesty, he just hated when others were sad; He had known too much fear and sadness his whole life, isolation and pain had been a childhood ‘comfort’ before he left his father’s shadow and started to know warmth and love. So when he saw someone sad, he wanted to help -- he wanted to be there for them in anyway he could. He helped Auntie Inko when he was over her house, he helped his mom when he could. He even helped Izuku, from homework to mock hero training putting to use the pain that his father had put him through for something good .

That’s why he had ended up punching Katsuki Bakugo in the nose without a moment’s hesitation. He deserved it anyway, He was gonna hurt Izuku . He had known that the boy had been bullying Izuku for a while now. Long after they had stopped being friends and Todoroki had taken over the coveted ‘best friend’ position in Izuku’s life. It didn’t stop the explosion-in-human-form from doing everything he possibly could to get back at the green haired boy. Maybe it was some misplaced anger at being replaced, or maybe it was the fact that everyone had always thought the boy was so cool. Bakugo looked down on everyone he perceived as weaker than him, even Shouto at his tender age could read that. While Shouto always received praise for this and that, Bakugo heard it day in and day out and it obviously had went to his head. He was cocky, and a bully – through and through. Shouto hadn’t liked him, his personality absently leaving a bitter taste in the boy’s mouth; and in a roundabout way, his own discomfort had lead to Izuku distancing himself from ‘Kaachan’ .

But Shouto has seen the burn marks, the scrapes, the bruises, and beyond all that. Sometimes Izuku doesn’t want to play, or hid in his room when Todoroki comes over play; And the look on Auntie’s face is horrible and sad and it reminds him so painfully of his Mommy that it worries him how angry he had gotten. This reaction was a long time coming , he figures. With the mountinging anger, and Shouto’s hang ups; it’s surprising it didn’t happen sooner.

Izuku was a hero in his own right; Quirkless , but always eager to smile and stand at someone’s side. He tries to stand up for others, while putting himself in danger, because everyone deserves to be saved. Izuku took All Might’s word to heart, and inspired Todoroki to truly be the same way.

They had been playing the sandbox when it happened; hands deep in the warm sand and their heads bowed over a freshly built little town of sand buildings and walkways. Shouto had even used some of his ice to make sure that it stayed up right and made Izuku smile at the little crude ice dresses he made for the barbies they were using as towns folk. They heard the laughter first, and the small cry of a boy falling to the ground second. Izuku was the first to react, shooting up onto his feet, curly head turning toward the sound. He had taken off before Shouto could even react, his little legs taking him to the place where a familiar head of blond hair was leading the charge of harassing some poor child in their grade. His town more recent buddies, studious figures at his side while he tormented and lorded over the cowering child.

As Shouto trails behind, he was too far away to hear what was fully being said at first. But he can see it, from the way that Izuku stands in front of them, his little fists weakly raised and his posture defensive. There’s a tremble in his mouth, but he doesn’t cower from the boys who display their quirks menacingly. He stands his ground, and Shouto moves to back him up because he would always be there for his best friend. Plus he had taught Izuku that, and he could probably scare them away without a fight even. But Bakugou has obviously had enough, the set of his shoulders is angry even from where Shouto is.

“So you think you can stand up for yourself! Useless Deku! You’re a quirkless loser who can NEVER be a hero and you should get that through you thick skull, Shit For Brains.” Bakugo raises a fist to strike him, pops and crackles of heat bouncing between his closed fingers. Shouto can’t see his face from here, but suddenly he sees Endeavor standing right there -- fist raised. He’s reminded of all the little bruises and burns he’s seen peak from under Izuku’s All Might hoodie, or the times he’s flinched when Shouto moved too fast. Just like Mommy.

“LEAVE HIM ALONE!” Shouto’s voice leaves him before he even realizes he’s speaking. His own fist is raised, and with the surprise of his entrance; it makes first contact between the three; Bakugo hadn’t expected him, even though ‘Todoroki and Izuku’ had been a popular collective phrase as of recently.

Bakugo goes down with the strength of the hit, but Todoroki keeps going after him with such ferocity even then. He hits the boy over and over, screaming all the while but he doesn’t really realize it. The boy gives it back to Shouto as good as he’s giving it. But Shouto has the training, the absent knowledge that if he wanted to he could be much more dangerous than some kid in a playground brawl. Before long, they’re separated, Izuku having ran to get a teacher when he couldn’t pull Shouto away from the flurry of blows, kicks, and screaming. The teacher grabs him up under his arms, ripping him away from Bakugo and holding him up high even though Shouto spits and hisses to get back down, to do more damage. He only realizes Izuku’s sobbing his heart out when he cools off ( quite literally too, steam rolling off his shoulders and back). He only realizes he’s looking at Izuku with both eyes when his left starts to twitch, his bandages having been ripped off during the tussle; his eye having instinctively opened so he could dedicate all of his focus on the boy that had been hitting him. It waters, the unobstructed light of the afternoon sun too much for it right now. He closes it hastily, bringing one hand to cover that side of his face as he goes limp in the teacher’s arms. They haul him away to the Nurse’s office first, even though he’s relatively unharmed. They give him a cloth patch for his eye, and for that he’s thankful. After they’re sure he’s all okay, he’s off to be lectured in the teacher’s lounge, three other instructors including Ms. Enenra, who looks like she wants to cry as much as Shouto does, join them in that room to make sure they don’t go at it again..

Bakugo sits across from him while they wait for their parents to arrive, the Nurse had did as best as she could to staunch the bleeding and cover any scrapes in bandages and antiseptic, The biggest is along Katsuki’s right eyebrow, where Shouto’s knuckle ( and a little bit of ice ) had broke skin. Keiko and Bakugo’s moms arrive at the same time, both practically rushing in the room, shoulder to should. Shouto is somewhat surprised, for some reason he had expected Endeavor to shove his way through the too small door to punish him for embarrassing the Todoroki family name. But seeing Keiko’s face twisted in worry, obviously having just come from the bar where she worked in rush, relief suddenly rushes over him. Tears burn his eyes, and he doesn’t hesitate to go to her when she gets close enough that his teacher won’t pull him back in fear he might attack the other boy again. He buries his face against the fabric of her blouse and tries not to let the tears out, but he cries anyway; trying to stay as silently as he can. He can’t see it, but Bakugou is the same way, his face pressed against his Mother’s side, seeking any comfort he can get.

“What happened, Sho-chan. You have to be be brave and tell us why you were fighting.” Keiko’s voice is gentle, there’s no anger or disgust in her voice. Instead she’s caring, stroking his hair like she always does. It makes him sob even harder, he doesn’t think he deserve it right now. He was so bad, and he knows what that may mean.

“He was being mean to people, and I-Izu-chan tried to stop it and Bakugo was going to hit him, so I hit him first. I didn’t want Bakugo to do what He did to mommy to Izuku.” He refuses to speak after that, even though things in the room get kinda loud. His hands form tiny fists in the fabric of her shirt, and he’s suddenly so overwhelmed by the situation he just wants to leave; to go home where it was safe and wait for the day to get better.

In the end, he has to look Bakugo in the eye and apologize to him, even if he thinks he right and he only hit him to protect Izuku. He doesn’t want to, and it takes all of his mom’s will and soft whispers to get him to let go of her to even do it. He stands there, looking anywhere but Katsuki’s bruised face and bows, apologizing but not meaning it one bit. “I’m sorry for hitting you and beating you up.”

Katsuki looks at him like he wants to spit, scream, and shout; on the edge of tears but they don’t fall. Instead he just looks away from Todoroki’s scared face, and replied. “It’s okay.”

They shake hands and ‘make up’, and go back to their respective moms who were silently shooting looks at one another from across the room. He doesn’t have to go back to class, and he doesn’t want to. Instead he lets his mom take his hand, and nods when she askes him if he wants to hang out at work with her before they go home. He sticks close to her as she signs him out and navigates out of the building and to the train station. He doesn’t speak, but he’s more than happy that she’s taking him to work with her, since Niichan was going to his friend’s house after school today and wouldn’t be back till later. He’s more than a little sad that he didn’t get to say goodbye to Izuku, or didn’t get to ask him if he was okay. His mom had told him Auntie Inko had taken him home because he was so upset, and he could see him tomorrow or when they got home if he was up to it.

The bar smells like cinnamon, like it always does when they get there. Shouto’s Mom has him sit down in one of the corner booths where she can see him from the bar but he was isolated from the few customers they did get. Mr. Kusogiri ruffles his hair when he sees him, his smog like hands feeling weird against his head but he doesn’t shy away from the touch. “I heard you got into a fight at school, Young Man. But your mother also told me it was for a good enough reason.”

“He’s going to be a hero someday, I just know it.” His Mom’s spoke from behind the bar, smiling at him before directly addressing him. “It’s not...good to fight at your age, Sho-chan. But you stuck up for yourself, and for your friend, and all I can say is that I’m proud of you and I’ll never punish you for something like that. And I know, for a fact, that your Mommy would be proud of you too for protecting your friend.”

Kusogiri nods, his glowing eyes curving into gentle half moons. “I agree, more or less.”

Shouto doesn’t reply, still exhausted and overwhelmed. They give him ice cream, and a little bit to eat that he actually manages to stomach. Mom even makes that weird blonde man in the off white suit get him paper and crayons to draw with, and even though he looks tough and scary with that scar down the middle of his forehead, he does what Keiko says without complaining one bit. He doesn’t talk to Shouto much, but watches over him as he draws, a noticeably unlit cigarette hanging from his lips. Before his Mom’s shift is over, he ends up falling asleep in that little booth tucked away in the corner, an off white suit jacket draped over his tiny form. There is only flashes of the train ride home, a soft deep voice alongside of his mom’s familiar tone. The next time he wakes he’s curled up in his mom’s bed, his face pressed against her chest and peaks of unruly white hair peeking over her shoulder.  He doesn’t forget about the fight, but he comes to terms with the violence that is required to protect the ones that he care about the most. If he had to do it again, than he would, in a heartbeat.