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Connected

Endeavor scanned the crowd carefully.

The girl couldn't have gotten too far. She would want to stay near the stadium for when the finals would start. Which meant that she'd likely be in one of the player waiting rooms.

He made his way down the empty corridor towards the first waiting room.

He had a feeling that she'd be in here—just passing the time until the fight would begin. She'd always been intense in that sort of way.

Endeavor flung the door open. As expected, she was right where he'd anticipated.

"So you finally decided to show your face around me," Kagome's icy tone cut through the silence. "I'm surprised you had the balls to come here."

He knew she'd still be angry.

She'd been incredibly close to Touya. His death had effected her immensely however he wasn't willing to give up just yet. There was one last thing he needed to do.

"I came here to talk," Endeavor folded his arms over his chest. "I wanted to give you time to process what'd happened but I think now is as good of a time as any to continue where we left off."

The young woman's expression sharpened, "I know what you're going to say and my answer is no."

Kagome pinned him with a fierce glare, "You may have swindled an agreement from my grandfather before he passed but that doesn't mean that things will be as easy this time."

The chair's metal legs scraped noisily against the floor, "Touya was more than just a friend. He can't just be replaced. Not by Shouto nor anyone else."

He watched as she strolled towards him, "That engagement was to one man only. I won't settle on anything or anyone else."

Endeavor knew she'd be unreasonable. That was partly why he'd decided to choose her as his son's fiancee. Her stubbornness was what would've held their relationship together. Conversely, that also meant that she was less likely to agree to a marriage with Shouto now that Touya was gone.

He couldn't have that.

He needed her quirk for their future.

It was the only one that would pair well with both the flame and ice quirks that Shouto possessed. There was even a mild possibility of any future child of theirs inheriting all three at once. Unlikely though it may be, the fact remained that adding her powerset into Shouto's would only further improve his line. He would not accept anyone else.

"Don't be naive," The man snorted through his nose. "Touya is gone. None of us can live in the past forever. We have to move on with our lives."

The air shifted as she jabbed her index finger into his chest, "Live in the past!?" Kagome's voice rose several notches. "Need I remind you that you haven't even accepted your role in the past! It doesn't just die away, Endeavor! It will always be there no matter how much you run from it!"

The teen shoved her shoulder into his arm as she brush past him, "Don't think I'll ever agree. I said it once before and I'll say it again. The only man I will ever marry is Touya. Maybe not in this life or the next, but eventually that day will come. No one and nothing will ever replace him."

Azure eyes thinned at him sharply, "Maybe you should start thinking about atoning for your past before you start living in the future."

With that she slammed the door shut behind her.

Endeavor blinked.

Living in the future?

Somehow, he had a feeling that convincing her was going to be a far more difficult task than he originally anticipated.