A.N. - Hope you all have been well and that you enjoy this next chapter! We're definitely not in canon territory anymore, which makes me a little sad, but that's what fanfiction is for, right?

If you're just reading this chapter, I added a couple epitaphs to the first two chapters, as well as this one - I'd love to hear what you think of them and if you've heard of/like the songs.

Also, in case you don't know, Shoji's given name is Mezo, which is relevant for the very end of the chapter.

Do you walk in the shadow of men
who sold their lives to a dream?
Do you ponder the manner of things
In the dark
the dark, the dark, the dark?
- "Glitter and Gold," Barnes Courtney

Shouto stared out the window of the U.A. dorm's common room. A light drizzle was falling from dark clouds overhead. The weather station said a storm would erupt later, but so far the rain just made everything quiet. Peaceful, even.

He sensed a presence behind him and he turned, body suddenly tense, fingers curled, only to see that it was Shoji. The Tentacole hero tilted his head at Shouto, and a mouth sprouted out of one of his wings.

"Are you alright, Todoroki?"

Shouto released a breath and nodded. "Yes. I'm fine, Shoji. Thank-you."

Shoji continued to stare at him for a moment, before nodding. "Alright."

Since the the war, everyone in class had been making a more conscious effort to support each other. Satou made sweets for everyone every Friday. Jiro had put together individual playlists to help people either train or fall asleep. Iida had appointed himself the amateur therapist of Class 1-A, offering to talk or listen to anyone who needed it.

But the heroes-in-training had also learned when some of their classmates needed space, and quiet, and couldn't bear to talk - Shouto especially.

Shouto cleared his throat, grateful for Shoji's understanding but also for the distraction his presence offered. "Um, did you need something from me, Shoji?" He glanced at the window once more. "I'm not in your way, am I?"

"No, not at all," Shoji assured, speaking from a mouth on his shoulder now. "But, actually, I do need you. You and I have an assignment."

Shouto raised an eyebrow. "Really? They're letting me out of here?"

Shoji shrugged. "Well...everyone is pretty short-handed nowadays."

Well, that was certainly true. Hero numbers had been decimated by the fight against the Paranormal Liberation Front, which would have been an issue under any circumstance. But add in the scores of escaped convicts from All for One's prison breaks, and the country was practically overrun with crime. In desperation, police forces across Japan had begged hero high schools like U.A., Shiketsu, Ketsubusu, and others to let their pro-licensed students assist in recapturing the criminals.

U.A. had held out agreeing the longest, wanting to give their students time to recover from the PLF War. But the situation for civilians had become dangerous enough that finally Principal Nedzu had given the OK.

There were conditions, however. No more than ten students from each hero course could be out at a time, they had to work in pairs, and only once a week. Shouto had helped out a few times, working with Midoriya, Kirishima, Mineta, and Yaoyorozu respectively. He had yet to work with Shoji.

In fact, since his brother Touya had broken into his dorm room two weeks ago, he hadn't been allowed off U.A. property without a pro-hero escort. This stipulation had created mixed feelings inside Shouto - anger at his restrictions, though he knew it was to keep him safe; guilt that the school and his classmates could be in danger because of him; general restlessness; and angst that he was stuck inside when hero students across the country were helping catch villains.

Shouto stepped away from the window, closer to Shoji. Getting an assignment had surprised him, but he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to finally be useful again.

"What are we supposed to do? Who are we looking for?" he asked.

Shoji handed him a small manilla folder. Shouto opened it to see a few papers. One had a picture showing a blue-haired man with a long face, green eyes, and a scar running down the right side of his face. Information written next to the picture introduced him as 30-year-old Watanabe Itsuki. He had a long rap sheet, mostly for trespassing, unlawful entry, breaking-and-entering, and petty theft. His Quirk was "Ghost," granting him the ability to turn invisible and intangible at will for up to 20 minutes.

Watanabe didn't seem like he would be a problem - almost not worth pursuing. Shouto felt a flash of annoyance, but quickly tempered himself. If the police needed hero support taking this man off the streets, then he and Shoji would help them.

"Watanabe was last spotted about twenty minutes downtown from U.A.," Shoji said. "I'm ready to go when you are."

Shouto nodded. "Alright. Give me a few minutes, I'll meet you outside by the gates."

Shoji nodded, and Shouto left him to take the elevators back to the fifth floor and get his hero costume on. As he did so, satisfaction and a little excitement bubbled in his chest. Finally he could leave campus again, finally he could see some action. Shoji was a good tracker and could be counted on in a fight as well, and Shouto had been pushing himself harder and harder during training, to prepare himself for his next encounter with his brother.

With their skills and a little luck, they could wrap this up and be home in time for dinner.

...

But Shouto should have known that luck was never on his side.

Maybe he had been a terrible person in a previous life. As cruel a father to his children as Endeavor was. Or maybe he had murdered someone, or abandoned his duty at a time of crisis? Surely there had to be some reason the universe hated him so much.

Because not only had Shoji and Shouto not captured Watanabe, they were now stuck in a cave, waiting for a snow storm to blow over.

Shouto sighed. The cave floor was hard and wet, but at least they were safe from the whirling tempest outside; Shouto had blocked the cave entrance with his ice, leaving only miniscule cracks to allow fresh air in. Both boys' emergency hero packs came with supplies to make a campfire, which was now burning in front of them. They'd tried radioing in earlier, but the storm must have damaged power lines because they couldn't get through.

To his left, he noticed Shoji wrap his wings even more tightly around himself. Wordlessly, Shouto activated his fire side, exuding extra warmth. Immediately Shoji shifted closer.

"Ah, thank-you, Todoroki," Shoji said.

"It's no problem."

They sat in silence, then, the only sounds their soft breathing and the crackle of the fire. It was a comfortable silence, if a bit tired. Both Shouto and Shoji valued the quiet, and this was a good time to catch their breath.

After a while, however, Shouto's ears perked up. He could hear something outside - was that voices? Were there people out there? And they were getting closer.

"- cave! Th-th-thank the gods! M-m-melt it, let's get in-n-nside!" a male voice exclaimed.

"Hmm...that ice looks a bit unnatural, don't you think? Quirk-made, maybe," another voice answered.

Shouto's eyes widened. Those voices - it couldn't be, could it? The first one was vaguely familiar but the second one sounded like it was - but it couldn't be -

"I d-d-don't c-c-care! Just d-d-d it!" the first voice snapped.

The ice distorted their vision, but Shouto could still make out the blue flames that blazed to life, slowly but surely melting a hole into Shouto and Shoji's impromptu shelter. Shouto sprang to his feet, followed by Shoji. They assumed battle stances as the figures on the other side stepped in through the hole. And when they did, Shouto's heart dropped.

Because one of them was Dabi.

Touya.

His older brother.

(The universe really did hate him)

Shouto sucked in a deep breath, eyes fixed upon his brother. Touya was dressed as he always was, in dark jeans, a white T-shirt, and a black jacket. As if the cold didn't bother him - but it didn't, did it? He was like Fuyumi, like Natsuo, like their mother, body built to withstand the cold, even with his fire Quirk.

The other figure rushed inside, only to pull up short. Shouto finally tore his gaze away from Touya to get a good look at his companion. Another member of the League of Villains, it was Shuicihi Iguchi, AKA Spinner, the lizard-Quirk villain. He, at least, was wrapped in a puffy red coat, suitable for the winter storm they all had apparently found themselves in. His eyes widened as he looked at Shouto and Shoji.

"Oh! There's people here. And th-th-they're heroes - UA st-students!" Spinner exclaimed. He had his arms wrapped around his body, shivering.

Touya chuckled low and stepped forward, placing a hand on Spinner's shoulder. "I thought that ice looked familiar," he sing-songed, locking eyes with Shouto. "And these aren't just any hero students, you know, Spinner."

Spinner glanced between Touya and Shouto. "Yeah. I know," he said quietly. His shivering had lessened, but he still eyed Shouto and Shoji's fire with longing.

Shoji stepped forward, wings outstretched. "What do you want?" he asked from a mouth on his shoulder.

Touya said nothing, just looked at them with an amused look on his face. Spinner glanced between the heroes-in-training, before answering in a soothing voice,

"Look, we don't - don't want any trouble. We came here to get out of the storm, alright? Same as - as you."

"You wouldn't leave us out in the cold, now would you, little heroes?" Touya added, mouth stretched into a mocking grin.

Shouto's hands clenched into fists. But he looked at Shoji, trying to gauge what the other boy was thinking. Shoji stared back at him, glancing between Shouto and the villains, before giving a little nod. Shouto bit his lip, examining their unexpected guests. His gaze lingered on Spinner's shivering, on the hand Touya still had on his shoulder, perhaps to keep him warm. Spinner's Lizard Quirk must leave him extremely vulnerable to the cold. It reminded Shouto of Asui.

Finally Shouto sighed. "Alright," he heard himself say. "You can stay."

Spinner slumped in relief and dashed over to the fire - though still sticking to the wall opposite Shouto and Shoji. He settled down on the ground and put his hands out, seeming to bask in the warmth.

Touya strolled over, plopping down directly opposite Shouto, grin still in place. Subconsciously, Shouto's hand traveled to his throat, fingering the burn that Touya had left him when they last fought. When Shouto first woke up in the hospital and the nurses told him not to talk, he'd been terrified that he'd never be able to speak again. He was a quiet person, but that didn't mean he didn't have things he wanted or needed to say.

After Shouto re-fortified the ice wall, the four of them all simply stared at each other. Finally, Shoji - also quiet by nature - broke the silence.

"What are you two doing out here?"

Spinner glanced briefly in his direction before looking back at the fire. Touya faced Shoji and replied nonchalantly,

"Oh, you know. This and that. Villain stuff." Then he added, "And what about you, then, little heroes? Why aren't you barricaded in that school of yours? Not that it's all that safe, of course."

Shouto gritted his teeth at the reminder, while Shoji answered, "We're tracking down a villain. One of the escaped convicts."

"Oh, I see! No wonder everyone's so busy these days." Touya chuckled. "Though, you know, a lot of civilians have been using their Quirks to fight back. I'd say they don't even need you heroes anymore. At the very least, they don't want you."

Annoyance rose inside Shouto, but he couldn't refute his brother's point. Trust in heroes had been decimated after the war, and vigilantism had been on the rise. Stories abounded from his classmates and other schools about civilians berating heroes and students, and rushing in against villains themselves.

Shouto cleared his throat, causing his brother to look at him directly. "Just because someone doesn't want your help, is no excuse not to give it," he said quietly.

Touya stared at him, gaze calculating. It reminded Shouto uncomfortably of their father. For all Shouto's resentment of Endeavor, he had been forced to acknowledge that the Flame Hero was an intelligent and resourceful man - as was Touya. As long as their emotions didn't get the better of them, they could analyze any situation, weigh every word, to ensure their advantage.

Finally Touya leaned back, resting his head on the cave wall. "Is that so, Shouto? Hmm. Speaking of help, then, have you thought any more about my offer?"

"Shouto. Come with me. Join the League and wreak havoc on this pitiless world."

Shouto frowned, surprised, as the memory of his brother's surprise visit sprang to mind. This again? Touya was more serious about that then he had originally thought. Slowly, he shook his head, tone controlled,

"You know what my answer is, Touya."

Touya leaned forward again. "I thought you might have changed your mind - you're all about change, aren't you?" His tone was mostly playful, but Shouto could detect a hint of anger in it as well.

Shouto breathed in deeply, trying to calm down; his heartbeat was steady, but still more elevated than he'd like. He replied carefully,

"But who says I'm the one who has to change?"

Touya blinked, seeming surprised; Shouto couldn't help the rush of pride at having caught him off-guard, even by a little bit.

Then he threw his head back and laughed. It was loud and grating in the enclosed space, and made Shouto clench his fists at the sound. Even Spinner winced. Finally, when his laughter died down to chuckles, Touya said,

"Ah, you're more interesting than I thought, little brother." He smiled, as if Shouto had done something pleasing, before holding up a finger, wagging it back and forth. "But I'm not gonna wait on you forever. If you're not gonna change and I'm not gonna change, we're gonna have a problem."

"But we can have a truce for tonight," Spinner interjected, shifting closer to Touya. "Right, Dabi?"

Touya turned towards him, head tilted. Shouto felt Shoji stiffen besides him. Shouto held his breath, waiting for his brother's answer.

Finally Touya nodded and turned towards Shouto and Shoji, smiling. "Of course we can!" He gestured towards the front of the cave, just as the wind shrieked and began buffeting Shouto's ice wall. "Just until the storm dies down, yeah?"

Shouto stared at his brother, drinking him in. He remembered the tears in their father's eyes, and the steely determination in their mother's, as they discussed what to do about Touya. Now, in Touya's eyes, he saw nothing but a manic gleam.

But that didn't mean he couldn't change, right? Like Endeavor. Like Shouto himself, with the help of Midoriya and his friends.

So Shouto nodded. "Just until the storm ends," he agreed.

...

Mezo woke with a start.

He blinked a few times, trying to orient himself. Thin daylight waited outside, but in the cave it was still dark enough that Mezo could just make out the bodies surrounding him. Immediately he glanced to his right and was pleased to see a Todoroki-shaped figure curled up next to him, breathing soft and steady. Todoroki's left side was still warm, and Mezo wondered if he had kept his Quirk activated the whole night.

Mezo turned his attention towards the two bodies across from them. Spinner had slept as close to the fire - now a pile of ashes - as he could, resting his head on his arms, legs tucked in close to his chest. He, too, appeared to still be asleep, emitting quiet snores. Beside him, Dabi lay with his knees bent, arms behind his head.

"Don't you know it's rude to stare, Octopus?"

Mezo said nothing, only half-surprised to realize Dabi was awake. Dabi chuckled, then added, "But I guess you're used to everyone staring at you, right?"

Mezo shifted, sparing a sympathetic thought for his sore backside, before answering (quietly, so as not to wake the other two),

"I find it best to keep an eye on villains - especially you, to make sure you don't harm me or my classmate."

Dabi snorted. "I got nothing against you, little hero. What's between me and Shouto - that's a family affair. Mind your own business and you'll have nothing to worry about."

Mezo crossed his arms over his chest. He couldn't see Dabi's eyes now, though he could picture them very well, from memories and nightmares - a bright blue that matched his flames, or the two marbles that Mezo had clutched triumphantly in his hand only to realize he and his classmates had been duped.

"You've attacked my comrades and desecrated a place I consider home, at least twice. You are my business," Mezo answered, voice stony.

"Haha! I see. Fair enough," Dabi replied. Mezo could hear the grin in his voice. "Well, you're welcome to say your piece on the battlefield, if that's where we meet next. As long as I get the final say, I don't really care what happens."

Mezo was quiet after that, and thankfully, Dabi said no more. Mezo knew what Dabi's "final say" was - the truth about what happened in the battle against Shigaraki couldn't be kept hidden for long, especially not from Class 1-A.

At that thought, Mezo clenched his jaw and extended a wing over Todoroki, as if that could protect him from his brother's hatred.

His classmates carried many burdens - Midoriya with One for All and Shigaraki, Todoroki and his family trauma, even Uraraka and Himiko Toga.

Mezo would just have to help them bear it, however way he could.

A.N. - Any kind of feedback is appreciated!

Two other songs that I think fit the Todoroki family, particularly Enji and Touya (and their relationship) is "Fire", also by Barnes Courtney, and "War Between Brothers" by Heather Dale.