Torino smirked as he saw an exhausted Izuku stumble through his door. His eyes half lidded and his no doubt sore limbs begging him to rest if his stance was any indication.
"Go shower kid. Don't need you stinking up the place," he ordered. Izuku didn't really respond as he followed the order. He felt drained. Like when he had first started to use his magic. It wasn't quite like overworking muscles, and yet it was a simple and similar analogy. Perhaps it was like a quirk? But who knew. He never had a quirk. Nor was he aware of any quirked individual who could use magic. So it was hard to know if it were the same thing.
He stepped into the bathroom and took out the ribbon from his braid and released the trickle of magic that kept the braid immaculate, letting his wildly curly hair loose and fall from the braid. He carded his fingers through the strands in a familiar motion, effectively erasing any evidence of the braid. He quickly undressed and stepped into the shower with ginger movements. He turned the water on, and sighed when the hot water shot out of the showerhead and began to massage his body. His eyes fluttered shut in comfort as he let the water just cascade down his body.
He took his time getting clean, relishing the relaxing warmth on his skin and the refreshing steam. He washed up with the floral scented soaps gotten for him along with the hair cleaners, taking his time to unwind from the strain. He didn't know how long he was in there for, but his fingers were pruny before he got out.
With a relaxed sigh, he turned the water off and wrapped his hair in a towel, knowing it would take far longer to dry. He then quickly dried off with another fluffy towel, then put his underwear and pants on. He picked up his shirt from the ground as well as his shoes. He hummed and plucked his hair ribbon from the sink. With all his clothes gathered, he opened the bathroom door.
His wide green eyes stared down at Torino who had his arm posed to knock. The two stood there a little awkwardly.
"Oh. Hi Torino."
"Izuku. You about done in there?"
"Oh. Yes. Do you need to use it?" Izuku asked slipping out of the bathroom. His back momentarily faced Torino as he passed, before pivoting back to face the older man. Izuku's head tilted in confusion seeing a stern look on Torino's face.
"Did I spend too long in there?" Izuku inquired.
"How did you get that scar?" Torino ignored Izuku's question and anger was barely consealed in his tone. Izuku followed his eyes to his shoulder where the pink scar peaked out from his back. A wave of nostalgia bloomed in his chest, even knowing how much pain it initally caused him, it was the start of wonderful memories.
"This burn... It's the last thing my dad ever gave me," he answered, melancholy dripping from his words. Torino was silent for a moment. In their time together, both had not said much about their past. Torino knew Izuku was looking for his mother. He knew Izuku didn't know his family name. He also knew that he referred to different individuals with odd names.
He knew he had a manipulation quirk that allowed him to create "golems".
He knew Izuku knew little about him as well. Izuku knew his speed, his favorite foods, and the fact he was a teacher.
So Izuku freely sharing information with him about a piece of his past was important.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Why?"
"Why what?" he asked, now leading Izuku to a chair. He had a feeling this was going to be a long conversation.
"Why do you ask?"
"Eh. Call me curious. You never talked about your father before."
"Well, he is dead. And has been dead for a long time."
The scar did look fairly old. And well healed considering the location and the kid's incredible mobility.
"What do you want to know?"
"Anything you want to talk about." Anything you can remember.
"Well, my dad was taller than me, and had curly hair like I do. A little stubble though," he added as an after thought. "He had really pretty dark green eyes. And he had a warm voice," Izuku giggled, "It really matched his quirk well."
Torino mentally paused. He didn't think Izuku knew his parents' quirks with how little he spoke of it. Apparently not. Hopefully it was something unique and identifiable.
"So, what was his quirk?"
A wild grin came to Izuku's face.
"He had fire breath."
A not exceptionally rare quirk, but a start. Perhaps his mother had a better connection with Izuku's "quirk" than his father.
"And your mother?"
Izuku blinked. His eyes lowered to his hands and his voice came out soft as a cloud, "I don't remember."
Well, at least he had the father's description. Hopefully it was accurate.
"No worries. I said I'd help you find her and I will."
Tears shimmered in Izuku's eyes at the casual declaration. He sniffed and felt the tears overwhelm him as they poured down his cheeks. Torino did not take it so well.
"Ah hey! No need for tears now-"
Izuku's head abruptly went to the table with a thud, no doubt trying to hide his tears, his towel drying his hair came loose, allowing the hair to cover the table with a wet splat.
Torino could only wish he were better at dealing with such emotional situations. Eh. It was only a table. He would worry about possible water damage later. For now, he'd let the boy have his little emotional moment. Who knew all that the kid had been through, even as adjusted as he was.
Izuku's burn. A reminder of a father who did love him. A reminder that even people who love us can still hurt us, intentionally or not.
And now, Omake. Path 20. Path of the mother.
Tears shimmered in Izuku's eyes. His eyes always seemed to be shimmering with more tears than needed. But at the moment, his tears seemed to be overwhelming him as the tears began to form a mist around his face and large torrents as well plumetting from his eyes with intense speed, chipping off portions of the table with its' intensity.
Torino stood aghast at the quickly rising water in his home as the tears seemed to have no end in sight. In a rush, he opened his door, releasing a flood of water into the surrounding area at breakneck speed. A few people shot curious glances as the water level rose, easily flooding the street.
With his face set in stone he merely said, "Toilet's backed up."
Magic. Tears.
By concentrating emotion and magic while he cries, his tears have different properties.
Rage-Rapids
Joy-Mist
Sadness-Waterfall
Fear-Whirlpool
Love-Healing
Clearly, this one was not chosen. it had one vote.
