A/N: I finally finished this fic I've been working on since chapter 192 came out. This also turned out to be more dialogue heavy then i intended. But anyways, here's an 11.3k fic i wrote because i have a lot of feelings about the Todoroki family. Enjoy!
"Don't forget your essays are due online today at midnight!" Natsuo heard the professor call out to remind them as everyone filed out of the lecture hall.
Natsuo made his way to his dorm enjoying the cool autumn air. He was relieved this was his last class of the day, his brain felt like mush and he didn't think he could last another minute if he had to sit through another lecture. Exams were coming up soon, and the professors were making sure to dump as much information on them as possible.
He was looking forward to the next few days he had off. His professor for his last class of the week had let them know ahead of time that class would be cancelled for this week, giving him a long weekend off.
Natsuo inwardly grinned, he was going to enjoy this long weekend spending as much time possible relaxing and catching up on some much-needed sleep.
Entering his dorm, he flopped down on to his bed and pulled out his phone. He scrolled through his contact list looking to text his girlfriend, when he passed over a contact that made him pause.
His thumb hovered over the contact name for a few seconds, when an idea popped into his head. Not hesitating, he pressed the call button, hoping they would pick up.
"Hello?"
"Fuyumi! Hey, it's me Natsuo!" He greeted, jumping to his feet.
"Natsuo, Hi! You called at a good time. My students are currently at lunch. Anyways, how have you been? How's college?"
"Good, a bit stressed since exams are coming up soon, but nothing I can't handle. I just got out of class right now." Natsuo answered as he began pacing around the dorm.
"That's good to hear. You should come visit more often, I miss you. It's been rather lonely here at home, especially since Shouto moved into the new dorms they built on campus."
"Ah, that's actually why I'm calling. I have a few days off, so I was thinking about coming to visit later this week."
"Really? That's great!" She replied. "Do you want me to tell Mom and Shouto?"
"Actually, I was hoping you could keep it a secret. I want to surprise them."
"Of course, my lips are sealed. Mom is going to be so glad to see you. Shouto too, I think. They're both doing well in case you're wondering. And you're in luck. Dad said he's going to be busy this week, so he won't be home too much."
Natsuo sighed in relief. "That's good to hear. And here I was thinking about having to stay in a hotel or something..."
"Natsuo, you don't have to do that. You're always welcome here at home. You can stay in your old room-"
Natsuo tensed and stopped his pacing knowing where this conversation was headed.
"I know you don't get along with father and with valid reason, but I think he's really starting to come around-" She trailed off. He heard her sigh on the other end of the line. Although they all resented their father to some degree, Fuyumi hated the man the least and acted the most civil to him.
"But yeah," She continued. "Ever since he became the number 1 hero he's hardly home anymore. Sorry for souring the mood. I know you don't really like to talk about him."
"Don't worry sis, I know you mean well."
"Thanks. Oh, I got to go, the bell just rang. Lunch just ended, and my students should be back soon. Text me the details later, yeah?"
"Sure thing sis, see you in a couple days. Love ya'!"
"Bye Natsuo, love you too!"
After the call ended, Natsuo flopped back down on his bed and stared at the ceiling where he and his roommate had stuck glow in the dark stars.
'We're adults, and we can do whatever we want. If that includes decorating our dorm with stickers, then so be it!'
Natsuo snickered at the memory.
Although his university wasn't too far away from home, it was still about 2 hours away by train. He hadn't visited since home since he started college. Sure he kept in touch and made sure to call. And between college and his new girlfriend, he didn't have all that much free time.
Excuses or not, Natsuo knew he should really visit more often. It wasn't fair to his mother and siblings, but the farther away he was from him the better.
Which was why he had always tried to spend as much time away from home as possible. But he owed it to his siblings and mother that he should come visit more often. It's been far too long. So he figured he could use this opportunity to spend some quality time with the rest of his family.
He just really hopes that Endeavor won't be around even more than usual. His father was officially announced as the number 1 hero a couple day ago. And despite finally achieving his goal, given the circumstances he knows his father probably didn't take it well.
All Might's retirement hit everyone hard. The symbol of peace was gone. And now Endeavor has to try and fill his place. A man who unbeknownst to the public, drove his wife insane, isolated and trained his youngest since he was a toddler, and neglected the rest.
Natsuo wonders how Shouto is taking all of this. He was the one who was raised and trained since he first got his quirk to surpass All Might and was burdened by their father's selfish desires.
He sighed and shook his head, getting rid of his negative thoughts. He won't dwell on that now. This weekend will be great, and he can't wait for it.
But for now, he would take a well-deserved nap and-
Natsuo shot right up in bed.
"The essay! I haven't even started!"
Later that week when he arrived back home, one of the first things he and Fuyumi did was to go visit their mother in the hospital. Unfortunately, Shouto couldn't visit.
Their mother was of course surprised and glad to see him. And even happier that they had decided to visit her together. Natsuo was just glad to see her happy.
They brought her gifts like always. This time it was an extra change of clothes and a new coat. Other times they would also bring her flowers, new snacks to try, some books to read, or pictures they had taken.
Anything to make her little hospital room more bearable.
He couldn't imagine having to spend day and night here for years, being confined by the pale walls and floors of her small room. Even with the combined efforts of him and his sister, it still must seem lonely and horrible to stay there. Though thankfully now their little brother was helping, too.
The first time he visited his mother in the hospital had been two years after she poured boiling water on his younger brother's face. One day out of the blue when Natsuo was 11 and Fuyumi was 14, they had decided to go see mom after school. Shouto unfortunately had training with their father and was unable to come. And there was no way they could sneak him out of the house for a few hours without their father noticing. Unlike the rest of them, who could probably go a couple days without Endeavor finding out.
He and Fuyumi would come back to visit several times after. But Shouto would refuse to visit for years.
That day when he saw her she looked so frail, lonely, and sad. She spoke softly, and her movements were cautious. She marveled at how much they had grown and thanked them for coming to visit her. It broke his heart that they were most likely her first visitors since she was placed here.
When they mentioned Shouto she had burst into hysterics and fear filled her eyes. The nurses escorted them out and their visit was cut short. Clearly, she had not recovered enough, and the incident was still fresh in her mind. His hatred for his father only grew even more.
Over the years his mother had slowly begun to get better. She wasn't completely recovered, his father had done a number on her, but she no longer broke down at the mention of Shouto or Endeavor. She would occasionally shed silent tears when they were mentioned and would still look lonely and sad. But it was improvement.
Ever since Shouto started visiting her a few months ago, he's noticed how the weight on her shoulders have lessened, and the sadness behind her eyes has begun to fade. How her smile is a little brighter each time he visits.
They talked about a lot of things. From topics like the weather, to his new girlfriend that Fuyumi somehow knew about, and Shouto's letters. She asked him about college and asked Fuyumi about her teaching job.
They even talked about Endeavor, even though they're really not supposed to. They talk about how he's now officially the number 1 hero. And how the world doesn't know about what he's done to his family, and more.
He voiced to his mother about how he can't ever forgive their father who's more like a stranger to him. How he's never even apologized for his actions. How he's sure their father is just going to leave everything he's done behind in the past, even if his mother seems to disagree.
As he and Fuyumi say their goodbyes, he looks at her and waves one last time before closing the door. He watches through the door's window as his mother turns to look at the view outside, twirling the flower around inside its vase, thinking about her words.
That Endeavor won't leave them behind in the past and is trying to face them head on.
He wishes he could agree with his mother's words, but he just can't.
The next two days somehow pass by in both the blink of an eye and agonizingly slow at the same time. As Fuyumi and him were leaving the hospital and heading back, a high-level villain attack alert propped up on their phones.
Fuyumi pulled up the live news report on her laptop and there on the screen was Endeavor, going up against one of those noumu.
Except, this noumu didn't look like any of the other noumu from the attacks in Hosu and Kamino.
The fight takes him by surprise. Natsuo finds himself worrying and bit afraid. He's seen tons of his father's fights with villains, so why is this one so nerve-wracking? He tries to push down those emotions, but still can't help but feel anxious and concerned.
"What the hell is the bastard doing?" He found himself asking.
There was no way Endeavor could hold his own against this Noumu. He's not All Might, Endeavor knows this. So why is he still trying?
"Just give up like you always do and run already."
Give up, like how Endeavor gave up trying his best to become the number 1 hero and instead tried to have a child with the perfect quirk and put him through intense training since they were a toddler to do what he couldn't.
Run away like how he ran from his failures. His own children that he neglected because they weren't what he wanted, and his wife, left behind in a hospital.
"Natsu…" Fuyumi began speaking beside him, eyes never once leaving the screen.
"There are some things… that even if you think you comprehend them, you just refuse to accept, aren't there?" It wasn't a question, it was the truth. When it came to their father, he knew that his judgments and thoughts were tainted and clouded.
"He hasn't given up. He never did. There is no one in the world more stubborn about giving up than that man."
Natsu didn't say anything else. He just listened to his sister and soaked in her words while he stared unblinking at the screen.
Her words were tinged with bitterness. He realized what the hidden meaning of what she said was.
"Can't you see!" Some guy with a scarf yells at one of the cameras. To everyone, his words show that Endeavor the hero isn't giving up and is giving it his all and fighting for them.
But to his family, his words also imply the lengths Todoroki Enji will go to achieve his goals. They were living proof of it.
The words ring in his head as the fight continues. Endeavor is risking his life out there, pushing further and going beyond more than he ever has before. But this is Endeavor the number one hero they're talking about, not Todoroki Enji his father. What he does as a hero isn't going to matter as much to his family.
Taking down a villain doesn't erase his past.
Risking his life to save others won't undo his actions.
He knows his judgment is clouded, but he can't bring himself to change his opinion on the man. But despite that, he can't help but feel relieved as the Noumu falls and Endeavor stands with his fist raised in the air in victory.
They don't visit him in the hospital.
Natsuo doesn't want to see him, and Fuyumi doesn't make any mention of wanting to see him either. For whatever her reason is, he doesn't ask.
They were however, in contact with the doctors and hospital staff, receiving updates on their father's condition.
Even if they had wanted to visit, they might not have been able to anyways. Endeavor was in surgery for most of the first day that he was admitted to the hospital. Apparently, even Recovery Girl had stopped by to help with his recovery.
The next day was no doubt filled with Endeavor giving his account of what had happened for all the paperwork and legal stuff on top of resting.
Fuyumi had called Shouto to see how he was doing and update him on what they knew about how their father was doing. Apparently, he too had seen the whole thing unfold as it was happening. He had been passing through the common room when the attack had been broadcasted on the television some of his classmates were watching.
Their younger brother had also surprisingly admitted that he had been a bit shaken but was fine.
She also asked if he could request permission to leave the campus for the weekend. Shouto obliged, saying he would ask, and that he could use a break.
It was going to be the first time in long while that all of them were going to be in the same place at once.
Natsuo had managed to be convinced to stay at home for his visit. He called it home, but at times it didn't really feel like it. To others, the vast gardens and traditional architecture seemed impressive and beautiful, but to him it was cold and lonely. Walls devoid of family photos and an uninviting aura. To him, the place only served to remind him of the secrets that were kept away from the public.
In the meantime, he and Fuyumi spent the next couple of days going shopping, hanging out, and just spending time with each other. The two went out to the city, explored, and tried new restaurants. They also planned to visit their mother one more time before Natsuo left. Hopefully with Shouto this time.
"Shouto will be coming by later today. He managed to get permission to leave campus and stay for this weekend. His homeroom teacher will be dropping him off later."
It was currently noon. Since it was only the two of them at home, they decided to have movie marathon. They had spent the entire night curled up on the couch, eating snacks and watching movies, pointing out inconsistencies and laughing way too hard at bad jokes.
The two had only just woken up. Both were still in their pajamas with sleep mussed hair in the kitchen, each holding a mug of coffee in their hands.
Natsuo yawned before replying, a small smile playing on his lips. "That's great, I haven't seen him in a while. I feel like a lot has happened since I last saw him."
"Yeah, tell me about it." She sighed.
"Anyways, I still haven't told Shouto that you're here." Fuyumi added, getting out some pots and pans. "You know, in case you still want to surprise him."
Natsuo grinned. "Of course I still do. Do you think if I hide and jump out from behind the counter it'll scare him?"
Fuyumi chuckled. "That never works on him."
"You'll never know unless you try, maybe today will be my lucky day." He quipped.
"So, what are we having for breakfast today? Or lunch I guess." He asked looking at the time.
"I was thinking about making Zaru soba, it's Shouto's favorite. I haven't seen him in a while, so I thought why not?"
Natsuo couldn't help but make a face as a pang of sadness shot through his chest. Fuyumi must have noticed because she quickly backtracked.
"Unless you had something else in mind." She said frantically. "We can make-"
"No, no. Soba is fine. We should definitely make that. It's just… I had no idea what his favorite food was."
He frowned. He knew so little about his younger brother. And they had lived and grown up together. Shouto had been more like a ghost haunting their house than an actual person living there. He rarely saw him, only occasionally in passing, and mostly only knew of his presence from his pained yells.
Just thinking about it makes him angry. It wasn't right how their father had separated Shouto from the rest of them. There was so much he didn't know about him.
"Oh, um. It's not really that big of deal. I mean Shouto is a pretty private person after all. I only know because I usually do the cooking…"
"…Right."
"Hey, don't beat yourself up over it. Isn't this what this weekend is all about? Bonding and reconnecting with each other?"
"Yeah, you're right." He grumbled.
"Aww come on, where's my lovable idiot brother with that big smile of his?"
"Hey! Technically I'm a guest here. You should be treating me with some more respect."
"Technically, this your house, too. Now either help me with these noodles or pick up the mess from last night before Shouto gets here."
True to his word, when the doorbell rang signaling that Aizawa had arrived with Shouto, Natsuo ran to hide out of sight behind the kitchen counter while Fuyumi answered the door, shaking her head but smiling nonetheless at his antics.
From his hiding spot, he could just barely make out parts of what they were saying.
Fuyumi greeted the both of them and thanked Shouto's teacher. They exchanged some words that Natsuo couldn't quite make out. Then she told the man he was welcome to come inside, but he politely declined. Natsuo, didn't blame him. Endeavor was due to come home today as well, and even he himself didn't want to be around for it.
His brother and sister both thanked the man again, said their goodbyes and entered back into the house.
"Go set your bag in your room and meet me in the kitchen." He heard Fuyumi say. He didn't hear a response back but assumed that Shouto had nodded in confirmation like he usually did.
Once Fuyumi was back in the kitchen, she ducked her head under where he was hiding and whispered, "On my signal jump out and scare him, ok?"
Natsuo just grinned and nodded. His sister grinned back and straightened herself up waiting for Shouto. Not long after, he heard quiet footsteps getting closer.
"Shouto! It's so great to see you! It was nice of your teacher to let you come home and even drive you here, too."
Fuyumi gently nudged Natsuo with her foot, letting him know now was the right time to...
"Yes, he wanted to make sure-"
"BOO!" He yelled, jumping out from his hiding spot.
"Oh, Natsuo. You're here too."
The look on his younger brother's face was basically his same deadpan expression, except for his eyes which were open slightly wider than normal, in what could barely be considered faint surprise.
Though whether it was surprise that he was visiting or from his attempt to scare him, he didn't know.
"'Oh, you're here too.' What kind of greeting is that?" He said, feigning hurt. "Come here and give your big bro a hug!"
He made his way to where Shouto stood, basically tackling him into a hug. He made an effort to not react when Shouto stiffened at his contact.
"It's so nice to see you little bro! It's been so long since I've seen you. Look at you, you're getting so tall." He said, holding him at arm's length. How's school been?"
"Fine."
"Anything interesting happen recently?" Natsuo inquired.
"We just had our cultural festival not long ago." Shouto replied.
"Oh, really? Must've been kind of weird for you guys to be doing something so normal. What did your class do?" Natsuo asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.
"Yes, we did a live band performance and dance."
"That must have been fun." Fuyumi commented, "Knowing your class, everyone probably went all out, huh?"
"Yeah, I have a video if you'd like to see. Everyone seemed to like my suggestion and were quite excited about the performance."
"Wait a sec, your idea?" Natsuo asked disbelievingly.
"Technically yes, although my original idea was a handmade soba house." Shouto deadpanned. Was it really that unbelievable that he suggested a party? Shouto thought. "One of my classmates suggested a dance first. Her idea reminded me of something from my supplemental lessons."
"Are you secretly a party person Shouto?" He joked.
"I'm not. I just thought it would be best if it was something where everyone could have fun." He clarified, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"So when is the old man getting here today?"
Natsuo was glad to know Shouto still called him that.
"The doctors said he'll probably be released from the hospital in the evening, he seems to be recovering well." Fuyumi answered.
He nodded, his face blank as usual.
They stood in silence for a few moments. Shouto was never the best at conversations and was never quite sure how to interact with his siblings. Though Natsuo knew he couldn't blame him. It was all because of their dear old father.
"So... are you hungry? We made zaru soba, your favorite! Go wash up and I'll bring everything out to the dining room, okay?" Fuyumi told him.
Shouto nodded and turned to head out of the kitchen when Natsuo stopped him.
"Oh, and just so you know, I'll get you for sure next time." He grinned evilly.
"Sure you will." Was Shouto's monotone reply.
"Hey, don't get cheeky with me!" He called out as Shouto exited the kitchen.
He turned to Fuyumi once Shouto was out of earshot. "I'm surprised, he's more talkative since I last saw him. Still kind of quiet, but at least he's not answering in those one or two-word sentences like he used to." He said to her, eyes glinting with delight.
Fuyumi smiled softly. "Yeah, after he started visiting mom he's been opening up more."
"That's good, I'm glad he's doing better."
Fuyumi nodded. "I used to worry about him all the time. He wasn't making friends and didn't have much of a life beyond school and training. I feared for what all that pent-up resentment and anger would doing to him."
"Yeah, me too. I wasn't around him too much, but he was always too quiet and serious for his age."
The dining table was where the siblings saw Shouto the most. And even then, it wasn't too often. More often than not, Endeavor's training sessions would run long, and the siblings would have to eat dinner without them. Regardless, they would use the opportunity to strike up a conversation with their youngest brother whenever he was able to join them at dinner.
As it turns out, making conversation with Shouto was harder to do than they thought.
Even in school all of Shouto's teachers only concern was that the boy was too quiet. Aside from being rather aloof, he behaved well in class and followed directions. But his teachers were worried since it seemed that he wasn't making any friends and would comment on his short, curt answers.
Shouto, aged 11, was seated at the dining table with Fuyumi and Natsuo. He and Fuyumi shared furtive glances at each other, while Shouto silently sat across them staring down at his plate, occasionally rubbing at the bruise on jaw he had gotten from training earlier. Endeavor had been called out to help with a villain attack and was forced to end training early, letting Shouto able to join them for dinner.
Natsuo thinks this is the first time he's seen him in weeks.
"So… how was school today Shouto?" Fuyumi asked him, having been the first one to gather up enough courage to speak to him this time.
"Fine." Shouto responded without looking up.
"Did anything interesting happen?" Natsuo questioned, hoping to get a longer response this time.
"No."
Natsuo sighed as Fuyumi frowned. Looks like today was going to be like every other time they tried to get him to open up.
"…Your birthday is coming up soon. Is there anything in particular that you want?" Fuyumi inquired, hope creeping into her voice. Maybe this will get him to talk.
"Not really."
His sister's shoulders slumped as she picked up her chopsticks and resumed eating, accepting defeat.
Time for Natsuo to step up to the plate.
"How about you ask us about our day, huh Shouto? Let's change it up a bit. You'll never guess what happened to me today!"
Shouto gave no response
"Uh well, on my way to school today, my train was stopped because of a villain attack. There was this villain with these huge arms, punching and destroying everything. Then all of a sudden pro hero Ryukyu shows up and kicks his ass. I was late to school, but it was totally worth it. Her dragon form is even cooler up close!"
"She's getting pretty popular. Word is that she could be a top 10 hero. What do you think Shouto?" Fuyumi added, looking to see what his reaction was.
Shouto showed no emotion on his face whatsoever. He set his chopsticks down and stood up to take his plate to the sink, his siblings' eyes trailing on him.
"Thanks for dinner, Fuyumi." He said, not making eye contact. It was the longest sentence he muttered all day as he headed towards his room, leaving his concerned siblings behind.
"I worried about the kid, too. It's good to see that he's doing a lot better now. "Natsuo said while getting out the trays and bowls.
He seemed so broken and bitter before. Maybe now I can see what his true self is like, he thought as he set the table.
Once Shouto returned, they moved to sit in the dining room. Fuyumi and Natsuo sat on one side with Shouto on the other. But before anyone could begin eating, Fuyumi spoke.
"Before we dig in, I just want to say to go easy on father when he gets here. He's had a rough couple of days. Apparently the doctors said he almost could have died…so please promise me no fighting or arguing with him, at least for this weekend."
"No promises." Natsuo immediately said.
"Natsu! I'm not asking you to completely change your opinion on the guy or anything like that, just – welcome him home and try to act civil. Please?" She said, giving him her best puppy dog eyes.
Damn you Fuyumi, he thought. You know I can't say no to that face.
"Alright, alright. But know that I'm doing this for you sis, not for him." He grudgingly agreed, and Fuyumi gave a big smile in return.
"Same goes for you too, Shouto. I know how much the two of you like to grab at each other's throats sometimes." She rounded on him, pointing her chopsticks at him.
"...fine." Shouto grumbled, who had already begun eating.
"Thank you." She said sincerely, with a self satisfying grin on her face.
Lunch was nice, aside from a few awkward moments and lulls in the conversation since they weren't too sure how to interact with each other, especially with Shouto. But doing something so normal with him was a pleasant change. It was rare for the three of them to be in the same room together, so he savored every moment of it.
The three had been eating lunch and watching some random cooking show, making idle chit chat when they heard the front door open and close. Immediately the tension in the air grew thick.
Natsuo stilled. He didn't think he'd be home this soon. He wasn't supposed to come home until nighttime, and Shouto just barely got here.
Well, that was fun while it lasted, he thought sourly.
All three turned their heads to the sliding door opening revealing Endeavor, their father all healed up without his usual flames and a new scar. And because the world is a cruel and twisted place, it just so happens to be in the spot as Shouto's.
"Nice work out there. You must be tired." Fuyumi said before it got awkward.
"...Long time no see." Was Endeavor's reply, glancing over the three of them, and probably a bit surprised to see Natsuo there as well.
Fuyumi without missing a beat, continued. "Shouto even went out of his way to get permission to leave school grounds, you know! I told the teacher he was welcome to come in too, but he respectfully declined."
Shouto was probably glad he did. It was probably for the best that his brother's teacher hadn't got involved in all of this anyways. It would have made for an awkward conversation once back at school.
"Well anyway, I just want to say congrats on a job well done... and leave it at that!"
There was awkward, tense pause as Fuyumi finished. She glanced back and forth between him and Shouto, clearly hoping that one of them would speak up next and say something soon.
"That's... a nasty scar you've got there." Shouto commented, narrowing his gaze on their father while slurping his noodles in some passive aggressive way Natsuo didn't even think was possible.
Natsuo would have laughed out loud if he weren't afraid to face his sister's wrath later. Instead, he opted to copy his brother and slurp his noodles. He only hoped his stare was as effective as Shouto's.
"Hey you two! Can't you at least manage a 'welcome back'? We all promised we'd thank him today, didn't we?" Sorry Fuyumi, he thought. It wasclear that their sister was the only one who was going to keep up on their promise.
"Dad's finally trying to reflect on the past and show more concern for his family, you know?"
Trying? It sure didn't seem like it to him. His father hardly kept in touch with him. It's been a couple months since he was last in contact with him. That didn't seem like trying.
"Just because you hate him doesn't mean you should leave it written all over your face like that!"
Natsuo didn't care. He could tell he was already getting angry and annoyed. He knew he was acting childish, but he wasn't going to care. He couldn't take this anymore. He couldn't stand to be in the same room as him right now.
"I can hear you."
Good, he thought bitterly as he set his bowl and chopsticks down.
"Sorry, sis. I just can't do this." He said getting up to leave. The room felt suffocating to him. There was no way he could try to be civil to that man after everything he's done. If his father barely gave him the time of day, then he would too.
"Natsuuu!"
"Natsuo." Endeavor said, stopping him with a firm hand on his shoulder. "If you have something to say, then go ahead and say it."
Oh, he had a lot of things to say. A lot that he didn't say when he was younger and afraid of the consequences of his words if he voiced them. But now he was older and braver and wasn't about to let his father's actions slide by so easily. He wasn't going to quietly sit back and just let things happen anymore.
He shrugged off the hand on his shoulder. He was really starting to get angry now.
"'Say it'?" He scoffed. "That's rich coming from the guy who wouldn't even look me in the eye for all these years. You've got some nerve, you know that?"
Did his bastard of a father really want to hear about his thoughts and feelings now? After barely even batting an eye at him and the rest of his siblings for years? For someone with a fire quirk he sure did act pretty cold.
"It's funny, I had no idea soba was Shouto's favorite food until today. You took special care to never let us your 'failures' into his life after all." He spat.
There's so much he doesn't know about his younger brother. He doesn't know if he has any hobbies. He doesn't know what his favorite subject in school or if he has any friends. Natsuo is the closest in age to Shouto, and yet he feels almost like a stranger to him.
All thanks to their father.
He turns to look at Shouto who looks mildly surprised at him. His younger brother who had essentially been whisked away from them because of his quirk. Shouto, who hadn't been allowed to be near them and was separated from his own family because they were considered weak and flawed.
He remembers his younger brother looking out the window, hands pressed against the glass peering down at them with a longing expression on his face as his siblings played with each other in the courtyard.
He thought back to all the times Shouto would try to sneak off to be with his siblings only to be dragged away by their father. He would resist against their father's grasp on his arm. Trying his best to go towards his siblings. His expression was always so sad, lonely, and desperate as their father only pulled him away harder, making Shouto stumble and lower his head and shoulders in defeat.
"Natsu..." Shouto murmured, watching him with concern growing in his eyes.
Natsuo frowned and tried to calm himself down, but he remembers back to his mother's words from a couple days ago.
"He's not leaving anything behind." She tells him. "Not his past nor his family. I know for sure that he's trying to face them head on."
He clenches his fists and turns back to his father, anger creeping into his voice.
"For whatever reason, mom and sis both seem to have no problem with forgiving you. But as far as I'm concerned, that crazy bastard we knew all to well is still going strong! They are acting like you've changed, but you haven't changed a bit!"
His father still acts like he barely even exists. He doesn't call or ask how his day went. The man who stands before him seems no different than the one that hardly acknowledged him for years.
"You completely neglected us and left us to listen to mom screaming and Shouto crying. Not to mention what happened with big bro Touya... you going off and beating some strong villain doesn't make all that disappear dammit!"
Their yells and cries were devastating and heartbreaking to hear. His mother's screams of desperation and fear and Shouto's cries and whimpers after training would haunt him for years to come. It made him feel helpless knowing he couldn't do anything back then.
And Touya…what happened to him was horrible.
He bangs on the door with his fist. He's furious now. Words keep spilling out, but he's not going to stop. He needs to speak up let his father know how he feels. To let him know about all the pain and suffering he caused them.
"And here you are, deciding now's the time to have a change of heart! You just one-sidedly try and come back into our lives!" He's full on yelling at this point and shouting his thoughts and feelings that he's kept for years at his father, but he doesn't care.
Why would he want to be apart of their lives after so many years? He and Fuyumi are adults now. And Shouto is already in high school. In his opinion, it's too late.
"It makes me sick! Do you have any idea of how any of us feel?!" He shouts into his face.
The only reason they were even born was to fulfill their father's selfish and insane desire to beat All Might by having a kid with the perfect quirk and training them until they could barely even stand.
He was the reason his mother was locked up in a hospital.
He was the reason for what happened to Touya.
He was why his sister was so nervous, anxious, and worrisome.
He was why his younger brother was so cold and closed off, filled with resentment and sadness.
He's never even said he's sorry, never apologized for his actions, and never shown any kind of remorse or guilt.
His father just looks at him, pausing for a moment before speaking. "From now on, I'm going to face my past and atone for everything I've done."
Something in Natsuo snaps.
"Oh, is that so?!" He rages.
How dare he. Does he really think they're just going to forgive and forget everything? He's livid now. And his father is just standing there hardly reacting to his yelling. No shouting, no threats, he doesn't even look away and it pisses him off. Atoning isn't going to make him forget all the bad he's done.
He doesn't believe him. Not one bit.
After years of neglect, how can he be so sure that he's being honest and truthful? Why care now all of a sudden, and not when they needed him the most?
He can't stand this anymore.
"I'm sorry, sis! Thanks for the food!" He tells Fuyumi and speeds past his father hoping that he doesn't follow him.
"Natsuuu!" Fuyumi calls out after him, but he pretends he doesn't hear.
Natsuo stormed down the hallways to his old room and slammed the door shut behind him. The room was fairly empty since most off his personal things were in his dorm room now. Fuyumi had managed to convince him to just stay at home for his visit. But now he was regretting the decision.
He stood there, back pressed against the wall, fuming. It was a bad idea coming to visit. He knew something like this was going to happen. He should have just stayed on campus and taken a day trip to visit mom, Fuyumi, and Shouto. He could have spent his days off with his girlfriend and avoided this whole fiasco.
Natsuo sighed, running a hand through his hair and mentally reprimanded himself. He knew he shouldn't be thinking this way. He came to visit to spend time with his mother and siblings. If he just ignored them and hardly visited, then he would just be acting like how his father treated them.
His father just brings out the worst in him.
He felt emotionally raw. His anger at his father had spilled over the top and this was just the tip of the iceberg. He just hates how their father treated them. It makes him furious.
He wants to spend time with them. He wants to be there for his mother. He wants to get to know Shouto better. He-
Natsuo stiffened. He could hear footsteps. He quietly turned, facing the door and held his breath as whoever was on the other side stopped right in front of his door.
Natsuo was sure it was his father, and already his anger was beginning to spike again. He waited, expecting him to barge in. However, the person on the other side of the door just sighed heavily and walked away.
He let out his breath that he didn't know he was holding and was soon left alone with his thoughts again.
He sat down on his futon that he forgot to put away earlier, watching the sunlight filtering in from the windows create shadows on the wall across him.
When he was younger, the other students in his classes would always talk about their families. They would talk about how their mothers would make them lunches and kiss them goodbye. How their fathers would ruffle their hair and carry them over their shoulders. How they would have so much fun playing with their siblings.
Natsuo would be lying is he said he wasn't at least a little bit jealous. Of course he had wanted his family to be like the ones his peers talked about, or like the ones he saw on tv.
When they would ask about his family, he never quite knew what to tell them. He couldn't exactly tell them the truth about his family. So, he answered their questions with general answers mixed with half truths. Enough for them to be satisfied and not think anything more of the subject.
Despite having white hair and grey eyes, he still looked remarkably like his father. That combined with his last name along with rare appearances for parent conferences led to most of the school knowing that he was the son of the number 2 hero Endeavor.
Thankfully at least now in college he doesn't get recognized as often. The campus is large, and most people tended to mind their own business.
But when he was younger, every year when his new classmates found out, they would always question him on how it was like being the son of Endeavor.
He would lie and tell them it wasn't all that interesting and that he lived a normal life. He'd tell them that he had three other siblings and lived in a big traditional Japanese style house. If he was feeling gutsy, he'd also say that Endeavor wasn't even around all that often. And of course, they would never think twice about his words or question his short answers.
'That's why he's the number 2 hero, he's always out there taking down the bad guys'
'You must be so lucky'
'I bet you meet all the top pro heroes and go to those big fancy galas'
'So you're like basically famous too, huh'
'I wish I was the kid of a pro hero'
Natsuo would always laugh off their comments and would just go along with what they said. It was easier that way. And it became easier to just lie and pretend everything was fine.
Because he couldn't exactly tell them that he honestly didn't even really know his father. That his father was basically a stranger to him. And that whenever Endeavor was home, he would spend most of it 'training' his younger brother until he puked and couldn't even stand. Obsessing over his perfect creation, while he neglected the rest of them, barely even sparring them a glance. It's was sickening.
Had he been jealous of Shouto at some point?
Of course.
He had all of their father's attention and he was all he cared about outside of hero work. Endeavor always talked about how special Shouto was.
But then he realized how the training sessions were.
It was a miracle Shouto has been able to last so long and overcome everything despite their father's burden. He wondered how Shouto was able to become such a good person considering everything he had gone through.
After their mother was placed in the hospital, everything only got worse. They saw Shouto even less then they already did. Touya became more rebellious and fought with father more. Fuyumi was stressing over now having to deal with their mother's responsibilities. And Natsuo just wanted to get out of house and away from Endeavor.
A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts, but he made no move to open the door. After a moment, whoever it was knocked again, louder this time.
Natsuo sighed. "Who is it?" He asks with more bite to his tone than he intended.
The person behind the door hesitates to answer. Natsuo swears if his shitty father actually gathered the courage this time to speak to him he's going to-
"It's Shouto."
Shouto. There was no way he could just ignore him. He hasn't even spent that much time with him today, but even he can tell how much he's changed since he last saw him. If Natsuo wanted to build a better relationship with him, this was the first step.
He got up and unlocked the door, swinging it open to reveal his younger brother, and motioned for him to come in.
Shouto muttered a quite thanks as he stepped inside while Natsuo closed the door behind him and went back to his spot on his futon. Shouto stayed standing by the door, looking directly at him. Natsuo couldn't quite read the expression on his face. It was silent for a few moments before Shouto finally spoke.
"Are you ok?"
Natsuo could only stare back having been caught off guard by his question.
"Sorry, I've just never seen you so angry before, so I thought maybe you weren't alright." He said, and shoved his hands in his pockets, turning his head away.
Natsuo took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair. Of course he'd never seen him angry.
Although he's generally a care-free and upbeat person, his father tended to bring out the worst in him. In his few interactions with Shouto as kids, he made sure to put on a smile and act like everything was fine.
He would tease him, laugh, and make jokes to try and cheer him up. He always took extra care to make sure that everything seemed alright whenever Shouto was around. Even if those instances were few and far between.
But everything hadn't been okay. And Shouto wasn't a little kid anymore. And he had still been subjected to his father's harsh training and been denied a childhood.
"Sorry." Natsuo breathes out. "I'm ok now. He just gets me really riled up sometimes." Shouto hummed in agreement.
"Did sis say anything after I left?" He asked.
Shouto nodded, still standing by the door looking out of place. "She hoped that we could be a proper family since we were starting to get closer as a family and things with mom were getting better. She really wanted things to work out."
Natsuo figured that was her reason. And at some point, he too had hope that they could be a proper family. But as the years passed, that hope had vanished.
He motioned for Shouto to sit down next to him, who quietly plopped down beside him. They sat there in contemplative silence for a few moments when Natsuo spoke. "What do you think about all of this?"
From beside him, Shouto moved to get in a more comfortable position, leaning his back against the wall and sighing deeply before answering.
"I think that for the most part I agree with what you said. But, if I'm being completely honest-" he trailed off, thinking of the best way to phrase what he was going to say next.
"The old man as Endeavor is a great hero. He's strong and doesn't give up. His work as a hero is the top of the line. It's one of the reasons why I decided to internship with him, even if we don't get along. He's even an inspiration to some people. But despite all of that he's a bastard of a father who ultimately ruined our family."
He spoke softly, but his words were firm and clear, sounding loud in the quiet room. Shouto frowned before continuing, eyebrows furrowing.
"Which is why I can't forgive him for what he's done, and I don't think I ever will. His actions aren't something I just can easily forgive or forget. I hate what he did, and it makes me angry." He then turned his head to face Natsuo directly, his mismatched eyes staring intensely at him.
"However, I have to admit that I'm willing to give him a chance. I want to see how this will play out. To see if he can back up his words with actions."
Shouto looked down at his hands in his lap, clenching and unclenching them.
"For so long, I denied the old man's power by refusing to use my left side. I was resentful and angry. But during the sports festival, a friend's words reminded me of memories that I had forgotten due to my hatred for him. It made me realize some things and changed my perspective on some matters."
Natsuo nodded absently. Fuyumi told him that after day he had seemed different. He had watched Shouto's performance at the sports festival on tv that day. He was impressed with his younger brother's abilities. He grudgingly admitted to himself that Endeavor trained him well, but at a great cost.
Natsuo had been surprised to see flames suddenly burst from Shouto's left side, lighting up the stadium and sending waves of heat through the arena. He had wondered just what the green haired boy had said to Shouto, causing him to unleash the fire that he had sworn not to use for years.
Shouto closed his eyes and rested his head back against the wall, thinking back on those memories. That day was eventful and a whirlwind of emotions. But ultimately, he was grateful for what happened and that he was able to come to terms with his left side.
"I'm still have progress to make, the provisional license exam reminded me of that, but I've come a long way since the beginning of the year. I know what kind hero and person I want to become, and I'll never lose sight of that again."
Shouto opened his eyes again, staring at the door with a far away look in his eyes.
"He came to one of my supplementary lessons not too long ago. When we left, he said he was proud of me. He also told me that he would become someone that I would be proud of, too. I don't know if I completely believe him but, I think that whatever happened that day, really must have opened his eyes."
"It's amazing what a small inspiration can change, I think." He said quietly.
Natsuo nodded. He could see where his brother was coming from and could respect his stance on the subject.
Out of all the Todoroki siblings, Shouto had it the worst. His experience with their father was completely different from the rest of them. Whereas they had been neglected and pushed off to the side, Shouto had all their father's attention. Except it wasn't all that great. He had enduring harsh training from their father to become someone who could beat the symbol of peace. He'd been isolated from the rest of them had his childhood cut short.
All because out of the four Todoroki siblings, Shouto was the one that got the quirk their father wanted. Fire and ice split perfectly in half yet working together in perfect harmony. The right produced ice while the left could conjure up flames. Each side was powerful on its own and used together would be near unbeatable. The perfect quirk. One that could negate the drawbacks of the opposite side.
"You're so mature Shouto, are we sure that I'm the older sibling here?" He laughed weakly, reaching over to ruffle Shouto's hair, who stiffened under his touch. Natsuo's smile dropped as his expression turned somber. But he chose to ignore it for now.
"That's probably the most I've ever heard you talk in all the years I've known you combined, honestly." He thought out loud bitterly. "I just wish I had made more of an effort to stand up for you. I'm sorry for not doing more. I should have protected you. Maybe then, things would have been a bit better..."
One day many years ago, when Natsuo was nine and Shouto was five, Endeavor had said he was going to be out late that day. So all four Todoroki siblings took the chance to play together. Their mother, Rei, was a couple rooms away reading and smiling softly at their peals of laughter and shouts that could be heard from down the hallway. It was rare for all of them to be playing together, but they took the opportunity while their father was away.
They were playing heroes vs. villains. Shouto and Fuyumi were the heroes, while Natsuo and Touya played the part of the villains. It was nice to see Shouto finally being able to spend time with them. However, their fun was cut short as their father entered the room.
"Shouto, what do you think your doing?" He growled. "You know you're not supposed to be around them."
They all froze at the sound of his voice. Shouto's eyes widened as he turned around to face him.
"I- I wanted to play."
"Nonsense. You're above that. What you need to be doing is training."
"Please! You never let me play!" Shouto begged.
"Just let him stay for five more minutes. He's just a little kid." Touya exclaimed.
"You, stay out of this. This doesn't concern any of you." Endeavor snapped.
"I have a name. We all do! Why can't one of us switch with Shouto and train with you instead for awhile?"
"None of your quirks are strong enough, besides it's too late to start training any of you. You'll never be good enough. Now come Shouto, we have training to do." He ordered.
"I don't wanna. I don't like training. It hurts."
"Shouto, you will do as I say. You'll never surpass All Might with that attitude. Now get over here!"
Shouto whimpered, looking down at his feet as he trudged over to where their father stood. Natsuo wanted to step in and stand up for his brother, but he didn't move a muscle and just sat there as Shouto crossed the room in defeat. He couldn't will his body to move or his mouth to make a sound.
"No!" Touya shouted as he stood up, and everyone's attention snapped to him. "All you do is hurt him!"
"He barely turned five years old." Fuyumi added also getting up.
Natsuo was barely able to bring himself to copy his sister and slowly stood up as well. But stayed rooted to the spot.
He watched the scene unfold before him as his siblings defended Shouto while he just couldn't will himself to. He wanted to be more like Touya who was now standing in front of Endeavor's towering form, looking like he was ready to throw a punch. But Natsuo just couldn't summon the courage to speak up.
Their mother then entered the room having heard the commotion coming from the room. "Enji, you're back. I thought you were staying late today." She said surprised.
"I took care of things quickly. Now come Shouto, you've wasted enough time today."
"Please Enji, don't you think you're being too hard on him?"
"Of course not, he needs to learn to be strong if he's ever going to beat All Might."
"Please, he's just a child." She begged.
"It doesn't matter if he's a child. The earlier he starts training, the better.
"You trained him all day yesterday, at least let him have a day off."
"Day offs are for the weak. Now come on Shouto." He said grabbing his younger brother by the wrist. Shouto struggled against his grasp as he was pulled towards the hallway.
"No Enji, I won't let you." His mother said, blocking the doorway.
"Foolish woman, get out of my way!" His father yelled as he shoved their mother aside.
"Hey! Leave her alone!" Touya shouted.
"Mom!" Fuyumi cried out
"Don't bully mommy!" He heard Shouto yell as he was dragged along down the hallway.
Even little Shouto was standing up for their mother. Touya and Fuyumi ran to help their mother up while Natsuo just stood there. He hated how he could never bring himself to stand up against Endeavor.
"And to top it off, I started avoiding spending as much time at home as possible. I feel like I left you to suffer all alone with him."
"It's alright. I understand."
"Still, I should have been more like Touya. I should have been there for you. It was basically torture for us hearing you crying and knowing what you had to go through. And yet, I barely did anything."
Shouto shook his head. "If you tried to help, then you just would have gotten hurt."
"It's a risk I should have been willing to take for you. I'm your older brother. How he treated us isn't something we should have just accepted and let happen."
"It's ok."
"But it's not ok, Shouto." He gripped the sheets underneath him tightly in his fists. "What he did to us, what he made you and mom go through isn't ok. You shouldn't have had to go through that."
"…Do you really care that much?"
Natsuo blinked, taken aback by surprise. The question wasn't said with hate or accusation, but with genuine curiosity. Did Shouto really think he didn't care that much? He a pang of guilt and quickly reassured him.
"Shouto – of course I care! You're family. Me, sis, and mom. We all care. I'm sure your classmates and teachers care, too. And we're all here for you if you need us, you know that right? We...we all love you."
His younger brother didn't look at him, instead he stared at some random spot on the floor with downcast eyes. He doesn't want to think about when the last time someone told him that was. Instead he tried to steer the conversation in a lighter direction.
Natsuo cleared his throat. "You know, aside from the little fiasco at lunch, I really enjoyed today. It was nice spending time with you." He said honestly. "So…I know that you're pretty busy. But I was thinking that maybe the next time you have a day off we could use it to spend some time together. Just the three of us." Natsuo added, hope creeping into his voice.
"...yeah, I'd like that." He replied as a small smile appeared on his face.
Natsuo grinned. "Great. We can get to know each other better and do sibling stuff together, yeah?"
Shouto nodded, "And then you can tell me about your new girlfriend." He said, the corners of his lips lifting into a sly smirk.
Natsuo was shocked for a moment before he cursed under his breath. Fuyumi was going to pay for this.
"You're a little shit you know that, right?"
Their conversation was interrupted when someone else knocked on the door, both of them tensing up.
"Natsuo? Are you in there? Can I come in?"
They both relaxed in relief. Thankfully it was Fuyumi at the door and not their father. He doesn't think he can go for round two of his argument with Endeavor.
"Come in." He calls out, and Fuyumi cautiously opens the door and steps in. Her hair was let down from her ponytail and now fell over her shoulders.
"Oh, Shouto. You're in here too. That's good, I thought I was going to have to go looking for you, too."
"Sorry sis, you just missed the heart to heart."
"Well I hope you guys are up for some more because I have some things I want to say too. Dad's in his study. And it looks like he'll be in there for a while, if you're wondering."
Fuyumi crossed the room and sat down beside Shouto's other side. Looking over at her she could tell she was a bit nervous to say what she wanted to. He reached his arm around Shouto, placing his hand reassuringly on top Fuyumi's. She looked back at him, a thankful smile gracing her features.
"First off, Natsuo, I just want you know that I understand why you want nothing to do with Dad. And I respect your stance on this. Both of yours."
"I know he's a terrible father. What he did to mom was horrible. And Shouto, he's caused you so much pain and suffering. Me and Natsuo got off easy compared to you, but it still hurt us. He'd barely even pay any attention to us." Her voice filled with emotion as her shoulders sagged and she closed her eyes.
"And truthfully I don't really think I can actually forgive him either. But, so much has happened this year, I just really want to move on and for us to be an actual family, you know. Shouto, you started visiting mom and she's been so happy since then, and now dad wants to Atone. I really wanted things to change for the better. I hope you can understand, too."
Fuyumi opened her eyes, turning to look directly at him. "But now, I think he might actually be starting to change…I mean, didn't you ever have hope that he would be a good father one day?"
"When I was younger, yeah." Natsuo admitted. "I hoped he would come around and be an actual dad to us. But the years went by and he didn't change. I lost hope and just accepted that he was going stay a terrible parent forever." Natsuo sighed.
"I'm really sorry for ruining lunch, I know how much this meant for you, I just…had to finally let him know how I feel. I couldn't stay quiet anymore."
Fuyumi nodded. "Don't worry. I understand. Besides, it was nice for the first few minutes. At least we're all here under the same roof, baby steps still count as progress, right?"
He nodded, "Alright, I think that's enough talk about him, he's come up in too many conversations lately. I don't think I can handle much of this depressing stuff any longer." Natsuo commented. "When do you have to be back at the dorms tomorrow, Shouto?" He asked.
"Aizawa sensei said to be back by curfew."
"Great, then it's settled!" Natsuo announced, getting up from the futon. "Tomorrow, we're going to see mom. The three of us, together."
Shouto gave a small smile. "I haven't been able to visit her lately. It'll be nice to see her. I've been sending her letters, though."
"About those letters, I think your need to get with the times. You're a teen Shouto. Aren't you supposed to communicate through phones almost exclusively?" He teased.
"Knock it off Natsuo, I think it's sweet."
"I'm just saying."
The rest of the day was spent inside Natsuo's room. They exchanged stories and other little tidbits of information. Fuyumi told them about her teaching job and her students. Natsuo talked about college and his girlfriend. Shouto told them about U.A., his friends, and how life at the dorms was going. They asked each other questions back and forth even after the sky turned dark. For dinner, they ate leftover soba and then watched a movie before heading into their rooms for the night, quickly reminding each other to set their alarms early to visit mom tomorrow.
And as Natsuo laid down on his futon, he couldn't help but feel excited to visit his mother with his siblings tomorrow.
Fuyumi and Natsuo were already up and awake, getting started on breakfast when Shouto woke up the next morning. He walked into the kitchen groggily, fixing the part in his hair that had gotten mixed up in his sleep.
"Good morning Shouto!" They both chorused together.
"Morning."
"Did you sleep well last night?" Natsuo asked him.
He nodded. "Do you guys need any help?"
"Sure, could you hand me that knife right there by sink?" Fuyumi asked him.
Shouto nodded and went to grab the knife and hand it over to her. However, Fuyumi reached out for it without looking and accidentally stabbed herself.
"Ouch!" She cried out.
"Fuyumi, sorry I-"
"Don't worry Shouto, it was my fault for not looking, and it's not a big cut anyways." She assured him.
"Still-"
"It's ok, really. It was just an accident." She said, as Natsuo rummaged through the drawers looking for a band aid.
Shouto reluctantly let it slide for now and looked down at his hands "Damn curse-" He muttered.
"Curse? What curse?" Fuyumi asked from the sink where she was washing her cut under running water.
"It's nothing. Forget I said anything." Shouto grumbled.
"Nope. Come on, tell us. What's this about a curse?" Natsuo pestered.
Shouto hesitated for a moment before answering. "Whenever I get involved in something, other people's hands get messed up. I think it might be a curse." He said seriously.
Fuyumi and Natsuo stared at him for a few seconds before the both of them burst out laughing.
"Shouto, I didn't know you could make jokes!" Natsuo said through tears.
"Why does everyone always laugh? I'm not joking. First Midoriya, then Iida, and now you Fuyumi. I'm like–the hand crusher."
Natsuo and Fuyumi only laughed even harder.
"I'm not joking!"
"Hand crusher! That's a good one Shouto!"
"I'm totally saving that as your contract name."
"Wait till we tell mom about this!"
Once they finished breakfast, they went to visit their mother at the hospital. Their mother looked the happiest he had ever seen her. She was practically ecstatic at seeing the three of them visiting together. He'd never seen her smile so bright before.
They didn't talk about Endeavor. They promised to not mention him before coming, and actually kept their promise this time. Though they wouldn't and couldn't just ignore him forever, he was a conversation for another time.
They talked for hours. Shouto showed them the video from the cultural festival and some pictures he took. The one of him and his friend Iida in particular made them all laugh. His mother even told them a few stories from when they were children.
He only wished that Touya could be here.
The time to leave came sooner than they all wanted. As the three of them said their goodbyes, they all promised to visit her together more often.
And when they headed down stairs and out of the hospital, Natsuo thought of two more promises he wanted to make.
Shouto. He really has changed a lot. Yesterday was the first time he saw him smile in years. He seems happier, and less cold and closed off. U.A. has really been good for him. Natsuo promises to make up for these past few years, wanting to build a better relationship between them. To be like actual brothers instead of strangers.
Fuyumi. She really is a great sister, the best anyone could ask for. He still won't ever forgive him, but for Fuyumi, he'll promise to try and act civil around him. He wants to try and make more of an effort so they can be the family she's always wanted.
Once they pile into Fuyumi's car to grab something to eat, he can't help but let a content smile show as he watches the scenery pass by, music playing quietly from the radio in the background.
Perhaps things really are starting look up in his family.
A/N: I just love the Todoroki siblings so much. Next up is Fuyumi's chapter. I have no idea if it'll be as long as this one, but I'll try. Also for now, I'll just be doing Natsuo, Fuyumi, and Shouto. Once we know more about Touya I'll give him a chapter too. Hope you enjoyed it!