Todoroki felt his heart strumming against his chest, reminding him of the warnings he had told himself, the warnings he had grained deeply in his own cranium watching his mother as he grew up. She was so weak in comparison to his father. Human. Uraraka had been so strong, her personality so powerful and presence reassuring to him, how could he have forgotten? How could he have pushed down the main thing he felt about humans. Fragile. Fragile. Fragile. His mind wavered to the time he had reached for his mother himself and accidentally left a bruise on her leg as a toddler, the panic and disgust swelled in him. He never wanted to be a drop like his father. She knew he didn't mean it, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. He knew even as a toddler; he knew that his mother was the most fragile out of their family. But he never wanted to be his father. Even with the gentlest touch, the kind that someone would use when going over delicate artwork or in an attempt not to squish the smallest thing, he had still harmed her. And now he had forgotten what was carved deep in his brain about humans. The most important thing. The topic that was so deadly to forget in this world. The topic that he knew that he was just deluding himself in, humans were fragile.
And his human heart felt like something was shattering in his chest as he stared down an empty parking lot with the exceptions of Tsuyu's knife, Uraraka's phone and bookbag, and so, so much blood. His hand stretched to his chest tangling with his shirt. It hurt. The organ had been practically frozen solid for years. It had helped him forget. Forget himself. That his heart was human. He had been so carefully remembering to be gentle with humans that he forgot to be gentle with himself, and now that the ice he carved around his heart was melting, it was too much. The ground felt uneven. He felt like he was choking. Todoroki breathe. He glanced up, searching around for Uraraka, her voice sounding so near to him. His breath exhaled, forming life into the air and ascending to the sky.
"Uraraka!" He called, his voice echoing into the distance, reverberating back through the air to him. He wasn't surprised to hear the silence echoing back at him. There was so much blood, it would be hard to track her scent. He glanced towards Tsuyu's things; she wouldn't leave Uraraka behind. Or have the chance to escape. He walked forward, finding beads shattered around the parking lot, with no time to pick up his mother's bracelet, he needed to find her. He was sure his mother wouldn't mind that he had chosen Uraraka over the bracelet, "Uraraka!"
His chest tightened as he pressed the thoughts of why he didn't get useful powers, why couldn't his family had been one that would bestow him something he could actually use to help his friends. Todoroki swallowed, the blood remained pooled at his feet, on the contradiction of his brain it was good that it wasn't dry yet. That means it was recent. That means he would find her alive. But which way? Which way? There were no footprints, just a pool of blood, liquefying and diffusing in the parking lot. Todoroki reached for the phone in his pocket, glancing down towards Uraraka's strumming against the pavement with the home phone's number battering against it. He was surprised it wasn't dead from Katsuki calling and yelling yet. Todoroki slid unlock on the phone, surprised again that it didn't contain a password.
"She's not here."
"Then what the hell is?"
Todoroki glanced towards the scene, it was likely something that Katsuki had seen before, "Everything's going to be fine. Call for the witch of the Forrest." He hung up the call in the midst of Katsuki's yelling, before searching the phone book, Tsuyu's number being one of the most recent calls. He hit the call button. The ringing of the phone not fast enough to match the beating of his heart.
The phone clicked on, loud clopping steps reverberating across wherever they were running.
"Tsuyu? Where are you?"
"Up, three floors! I don't know what we're going to do-" Tsuyu sounded out of breath, and he could hear that she was being pulled along, Uraraka's breath faint but he could hear it in the background. Meaning whoever was chasing them was playing with them, treating them like they were a game. Todoroki swallowed. Plenty of supernaturals that still craved bloodlust tended to play with their food. It helped wave the bloodlust off for a little extra time before they needed to hunt down another victim.
"I'm on my way, leave a scent trail, something that'll throw off the scent, run in a circle only if you have time, and hide. Don't make a noise. I'll be right there. If I can hear you both breathing through the phone, they aren't far behind."
"You better hurry up or there won't be a body to find."
Todoroki nodded, shutting the phone before throwing himself into the building, going up the stairs two to three at a time. He wouldn't lose this battle, he swung the next-door open glancing down towards the pillage of clothes nearing the door, no one in sight but the echoing of footfalls slowly approaching him. He glanced towards the stairs; they likely were in a way he wouldn't suspect. He had a choice to make, grab them and get out or find the person chasing them and confront the problem. Todoroki swallowed, he didn't want them to see him like he could be in the name of defending his territory or what and who was important to him. But he also couldn't leave, while running and having them fear for their lives.
Todoroki felt his feet move forwards, knowing what he had to do. He needed to be swift and lacking in mercy. A shadow lingered on the opposite side of the construction-littered terrain, calmly walking about the territory and observing as if they were playing hide-and-seek with a child. Their red eyes slowly lingering down towards the clothing articles that laid at his feet. A small scoff of annoyance escaping them, a twist of their foot as if to say they were turning around, but turning back to him and approaching him.
"You do realize who's prey they were right? How can you be such a glutton not to leave a single piece?" The person paused, their unfamiliar but cold eyes glancing over the clothes, "Not a single spot of blood, so either I've misunderstood or you're the world's most meticulous eater."
A hollow laugh escaped him, "I might be, I've never left a mess behind from something I've started, and I'm not going to start now."
The steps were careful, graceful, not a sound echoed in the corridor, laughter echoed down the corridor as the man spun back to him, "You know, if I didn't know who you were you would've had me, I was almost impressed. Alright, fess up where'd you hide them."
A scoff escaped him, "If you knew who I am, you should know that I'm not going to give them up," He paused, almost startling himself when he found himself right next to the guy, his right-hand lingering over the man's neck, his voice dropping to a soft but sadistic whisper, "I would take this as a warning and never look in the direction of this household ever again." He hissed, before launching the man several feet back. His body only stopping once it collided with the wall, shaking the building. Todoroki glanced towards the wall structure, he didn't know where those two were hiding, it would be best not to do that again. If he was lucky hopefully the guy would get his point and dart in the name of at least trying to keep his life until the next new moon.
The man cackled, brushing himself off and unburying himself from the supplies, in the next moment Todoroki could feel warmth wrapping around his own next, "You're not used to losing are you? Or even people being close to your level, huh?" The man laughed as Todoroki grabbed his wrist feeling his feet leave the floor, he had severely underestimated this person's strength. His mind swirling between how he was raised, hoping to find anything that could save him while not being launched back into a regrettable situation, something that would at least give him something in an attempt to free himself.
He grabbed the man's wrist, fire causing light to radiate off their face. Todoroki swallowed, wishing it didn't make the man clearly able to see. He had half a face, jawbone protruding out where skin should be almost seeming as though someone had attempted sculpting the face and wanted to move from clay to a new medium. Honestly, they would almost look decent if it wasn't for the blood that crusted the other side of his face. He could feel his fangs pulse, while his human half wanted to run somewhere and puke in rejecting of the sight. His mind screaming that he knew exactly what covered this man's face, but also wanting to deny it to the point the words sounded as though they were static in his head. He didn't want to know. He didn't even want to think it. His hand tightened, the fires growing brighter, beginning to cascade up the man's arm, but the man didn't flinch. Todoroki attempted to swallow feeling the pressure get tighter around his neck, he needed to get himself free and soon. He needed to be stronger than this man. He was the strongest in the area, if he lost who would protect everyone else? They would be vulnerable. Spots were moving through his vision, at the corner of his eyes, and he could see his fire starting to flicker even with how much it had spread upon this man. Todoroki felt a pressure run through the back of his head, he hadn't felt it before but if he was thinking straight he would've suspected that he was losing. But instead, he was concerned with his blurring vision and the weight of his head, the brown-haired bob flying towards the two of them in the background barely a thought processing through his mind, words that were loud incomprehensible in his mind before he hit the floor.
He could feel someone rolling him over so that he was staring straight up at the roof, saliva running down the side of his mouth.
"Oh no, oh no, Tsuyu what do I do?"
Todoroki felt his head rolling his breathing beginning to sort itself, but almost as though it was hyperventilating in an attempt to regain all of the oxygen he had lost previously, but not quite strong enough yet to return himself to his feet.
"Let me see, watch for the other one."
"I know I'm watching"
"It doesn't look like his neck is broken, I see faint bruising, but I think it's healing currently."
Their panicked voices dropped to whispers as he could feel their hands carefully check to see if he was injured anywhere else before considering moving him, Todoroki glanced behind Uraraka, a metal rod laid right against her leg, and a headless man several feet away. His hand brushed Uraraka's hair out of the way, "I'm sorry." He coughed, out of the two of them he hadn't realized who had been the weaker out of the two of them all along.
She grabbed his hand, her shaking hands tightening around them as she clearly was trying to steady herself, "Keep your breath, we'll move to a safer spot as soon as we know you don't have any other injuries that you'll bleed out from."
"You keep rescuing me."
"And you keep running to me as soon as I call you."
"I, I'm supposed to be protecting you."
"We're a household, we take care of each other now."
He glanced towards her, wondering if she could tell what he was thinking about through one look in his eyes.
A small soft laughter came from her, "Alright, we'll keep a tally and whoever does the most rescuing has to treat the other to ice cream at the end of the year."
A soft laugh escaped him, before he felt his eyes linger towards the body in the background. He would have to take care of whatever that was before other humans arrived in the morning. Likely he would have to burn it in hopes that it wouldn't attempt to rise again like a zombie, or a vampire might if not properly disposed of.
Tsuyu coughed, "We should hide him."
"I'll be up in a few moments. I can fight whoever we find next."
Tsuyu shook her head, "It's not that," she glanced towards the street, whatever she saw down there both relieving and stressing her, "I called my parents."
Todoroki nodded, The Demon Hunters in the area. Never a good sign. Especially since they were likely going to take one look at him so weak and likely decide that it would be the best opportunity to take care of such a powerful demon. But on the other hand, he wasn't ever fit for hiding, and they had mentioned there was another person chasing them through the corridors. "When was the last time you saw the other person?"
Uraraka's hands tightened on his arm, "That's the thing, we saw him and then he was gone…he looks like Katsuki's old friend." Her eyes were distant as though she was unsure if she wanted to share this information. It was clear the next question would be if they should or shouldn't share the information with Katsuki. Her voice shook, "He didn't seem like a-"
"There's never anyway to tell until after you see them do it. It's one of the things that keeps them alive, is they're good until they're not."
Uraraka nodded, glancing towards the window, her attention coming back to him as he was already beginning to try standing.
Todoroki felt himself instinctively bristle feeling a cool metal on the back of his head. It had been a rough day already in the first place. He attempted not to let his hand curl around the clothes covering Uraraka's knees, his hand bracing for an impact as he felt her flinch likely looking at whatever he was feeling behind himself. Todoroki paused still feeling unsteady, he wouldn't be able to get away from whoever was behind him, especially not at the range they were at. It had already been a rough day. He knew he should've found a way to practically dress Katsuki up in a bee-keeper suit of sun blocking curtains and dragged him along. He pushed the ridiculous idea down, trying to focus on the situation. He uncurled his hand, slowly beginning to raise both of them.
"Don't you dare move you disgusting demon-"
"Mom, it wasn't him-"
"Tsuyu!"
"He came to save us!"
"Tsuyu, don't fall for that, he's probably just trying to-"
Uraraka launched herself towards the person behind them, likely to wrestle whatever equipment they had out of their hands, "I've had such a rough week already, I'd appreciate you not aiming a gun at my friends, especially during midterm week."
Todoroki slowly stumbled attempting to raise himself to a standing position so he could see what was happening behind him, before lowering himself back to the floor, raising his hands, "I'm not going to attack anyone."
"That's what they all say!" Tsuyu's mom shouted from underneath Uraraka, seeming as though they were losing the situation barely keeping the weapon out of Uraraka's hands. Frankly, it looked similar to siblings arguing over a toy. Except it was a very dangerous element that could likely kill him considering what Tsuyu's parents did.
"Mame- I'm a half- "
"He's a demon doesn't matter what he says- "
"I don't give a damn if he's a demon or not, I give a damn how he treats me. So, if you want him you're going to have to go through me." Uraraka stood, the glow of a thousand wildfires and the power of a stampede radiating from her presence. "Besides, don't you have a more important job than to attempt to kill an innocent bystander? Especially one that regulates this city better than you could ever dream?"
"I do my job just fine!"
"Your job is murder, not control. I know you're doing you're best and I appreciate you coming to help save us and I know that it's the only answer for a species so weak and so easily preyed upon can come upon, but there's nothing wrong with leaving those who haven't done wrong and those who are doing their best and haven't hurt anyone alone." Uraraka's loud voice dropped to a whisper. Confusion as she ran through her explanation running through her mind. Clearly knowing that she shouldn't reprimand Tsuyu's mother for her job, and that it was something that she would've been doing in order to save their lives. But also, that it wasn't fair to kill Todoroki only due to what he was.
Tsuyu's mom let out a loud sigh, the noise of regret lingering through it, "You're possessed child, move, it's not going to feel good being released from it, but I promise it's worth it." Tsuyu's mom switched, a knife in her hand.
Uraraka threw herself in front of him, "If you can't be bothered to listen, over my dead body, and then some." She hissed, Tsuyu's mother came closer a lingering look of regret, "If you take another step closer, I promise only your nightmares will be where you feel safe."
Tsuyu gasped, grabbing her mom's elbow as she raised the knife, Todoroki moved grabbing Uraraka and spinning her to the other side of himself. He couldn't have done much throughout the day to help her, but at the very least he could protect her from an on-coming knife. He braced himself, waiting for the burning to seethe down his back in the way he had heard it described before. Those who had been cut by a hunter's knife and managed to get away even the tiniest of cuts and bruised never healed. He would have to find a way to hide it so that the forest residence didn't think he was weak, and his father wouldn't take it as a chance to start a war with the humans. But he wouldn't change his mind. He couldn't do much for Uraraka, at the very least he could be her shield. He swallowed, waiting for the pain.
"Honey," Loud steps clopped against the pavement, "I can't find anyone else in the building- "
The pain never came, Todoroki loosened his grip on Uraraka, full of rebellion that he was planning on taking the hit for her especially after she had riled the hunter up. He glanced over his shoulder, the two hunters standing side-by-side, Tsuyu's hands still wrapped around her mother's elbow, confusion, regret, and embarrassment more than obvious on her face.
What he believed was Tsuyu's father, turned to him, likely looking him over as Todoroki slowly let go of Uraraka, pushing down his instinct to run. That was normal. They had pointed a knife at the two of them. If he couldn't tell their clear resemblance he would've laughed at the similarity of the situation if it hadn't been so dire.
Tsuyu's father blinked at him, confusion clear on his face, "Are you….are you Rei's son?"
He almost took a step back, heat rising to his face as he glanced towards his shoes, then back towards him, "Why do you need to know?"
Her father nodded, "Honey, he's a half-demon."
"Does that make much of a difference?"
"No, but the way he's raised would definitely be different than most, it's not often you run into a half-demon. Well, they are more common now a days since demons are beginning to adapt to look a lot more like humans. Anyway, how's your mother?"
He glanced towards the empty corridor waiting for the person that had been chasing Tsuyu and Uraraka to appear at any moment. At the current moment, it didn't feel real, as though they were playing some sort of game of tag and the person, he was expecting to show up was an imaginary player.
"Ah, right, not quite the right area to have this conversation. Thank you for taking care of our daughter, you should come over sometime and bring your mother-"
He glanced back towards him, his eyes narrowing, the humans he had been told about from his mother's side weren't much. From his perspective she had fought to survive taking everything morsel she could possibly get but in her eyes…humans were just as cruel as the stories of demons that her family told. Worse. Because in the beginning, most expects those similar to their own to help them out. He wouldn't put himself in such a vulnerable situation. The story of how his mother had been practically sold off to his father because her family mistook her psychic powers for selling her soul. He didn't trust either of his parents' connections, no matter how much a sparkling recommendation either of them might've given them, "How did you know her?"
"We went to high school together. But you know how it is, after most people graduate, go their separate ways and never speak again. But I didn't know-she…." There was concern radiating in the man's eyes.
Todoroki glanced towards the wall, knowing exactly what the man was thinking about. Uraraka's hand moved around his wrist, "Let's go home." She whispered, nodding towards Tsuyu and her family, before making their way down the stairs. Todoroki glanced towards the floor, attempting not to glance at the bloodstain walls, they had fought with everything they possibly could before he had arrived. And even then, they didn't truly need him to step in. He hadn't noticed Uraraka taking the keys or the quiet drive home. His mind was spinning, and he was regrettably beyond exhausted.
"We'll get him next time. And we'll save Midoriya too. No matter what we have to do to save them. We'll help who we can." Uraraka paused, sliding out of the car, "I was thinking that's the way I want to do things. I looked Tsuyu's parents over and I realized they do good in the world, but I also don't want to be in-discriminatory of the good and the bad and accidentally take the good out of the world. I want to do the best I can for the world. I've decided how we're going to do things, help who we can."
Todoroki nodded, that seemed like the way to be. The hunters' presence had put his mind for a loop, especially when he was typically on the other end of the weapon. But in his defense, he had gone after murderers, serial killers, but didn't that make him a serial killer himself? Todoroki moved his way onto the couch, his head spinning in circles on an already rough week. Uraraka's soft voice sounding as though it was in the hall, "We're all just doing our best. And that's all anyone can ask for." The sound of the shower turning on beginning to low him to sleep. It wasn't until several hours later that his brain was starting to detect some form of weight on his chest as he attempted to breathe. But the presence wasn't unfamiliar, instead of the panic he knew he should've been feeling, he felt relieved. Todoroki slid one of his eyes open, Uraraka's head on his chest and her legs draped across Katsuki on the other side and he stayed, an arm thrown over the back of the couch and watching a movie. And suddenly his mind was quiet. For the first time in weeks, Todoroki found himself not only feeling safe, but content.
