you make the fire
and I'll show you something wonderful:
a big ball of snow!
-Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)
~●~Aizawa slid past the guard posted at the entranceway to the restricted hospital floor with a brief nod. After his second set of twice-daily visits with Touya, the hospital rarely checked his identity. He would have to speak with the hospital about it, while it was nice not to be delayed by the security procedures, the League of Villains had two quirk users with the ability to mimic another person's identity. Between Endeavour and Aizawa, the decision had been made to keep Touya's return under careful lock and key. They still weren't sure the extent of Overhaul's plan, nor the League of Villian's involvement or if they would finish whatever the Hassaikai had started. Even the temporary alliance was enough to further destabilize the heroes' expectations over the group's actions. There was no doubt now that the League were evolving into something dangerous, and Aizawa didn't think an opportunity like Kamino would present itself again, not that he would allow one of his students to be placed in a position like that a second time.
He failed Bakugou at the training camp and learnt a painful lesson he did not need to repeat. If there was the slightest risk of the League coming after Touya, Aizawa was determined to protect the kid at any cost. The League already had a reputation of going after UA students, but better to avoid a potential altercation if at all possible. Detective Tsukauch had also suggested restricting Touya's internet access to "limited the League's means to track Touya" was his reason, and Aizawa had no issues giving that rationale to Endeavour. He was just glad that they decided to think more thoroughly about monitoring the vast amount of new information about the League and other dangers Touya could be exposed to. It could not be healthy for a kid, especially one that just experienced what Touya had, to be forced with new anxieties about things that they couldn't control or would even happen.
However, facing Shouto, knowing his brother was secretly alive, created a gnawing feeling of guilt. Somehow it felt like a betrayal to keep something like this from his student hidden, but the risk to Touya outweighed the need to tell Shouto. The one upside, in Aizawa's opinion, of Touya's ill-advised early release from the hospital. Hopefully, Shouto wouldn't hold this against him.
Touya sat up in his hospital bed, blue eyes empty as they stared out the window. Aizawa watched from the doorway as Touya remained still, hardly moving, frozen in thoughts locked away from the world. It was unnerving to see someone the same age as his students able to compartmentalize the news so quickly and efficiently. As the time grew closer to Touya's discharge date, Aizawa's apprehension about moving too quickly in breaking the news to Touya increased. Aizawa had been in the room when Endeavour delivered an abbreviated story over why Rei Todoroki was no longer in the picture. The story had been stilted at best, as Endeavour stumbled over words and phrases. Whether unsure how to deliver the news that Touya's mother had been institutionalized after injuring Shouto or because Aizawa was in the room he couldn't say for certain. The ordeal raised several red flags that Aizawa would investigate further before allowing either Touya or Shouto another off-campus visit. However, Touya had hardly reacted with a quiet nod and a wall of ice that covered judgmental blue eyes which whereas Endeavour viewed as a show of strong character, Aizawa saw a child trying their best to live up to expectations.
Yet, Touya had seemingly taken the information about his death and revival shockingly well. Other than the minor lapse with his quirk when they first broke the news to him, Touya hadn't dwelled on the fact. Courteous to the hospital staff, who told jokes with the nurses and laughed with the doctors. Content in being left unsupervised and enjoyed reading in the evenings. Touya, by all definitions, was the perfect patient. Still, Aizawa had seen fear lurking behind practiced smiles, the distant gaze Touya adopted when no one was looking, and the anger that bubbled silently to the surface. The most worrying of which included Touya creating a handful of white fire, watching the flames that flickered until smoke rose from the skin grafts at the base of his wrist. It was easy to overlook, and Touya masterfully concealed the elements of himself that might have labelled 'of concern' from the rest of the hospital staff and Endeavour. But everything Aizawa saw screamed that Touya was not as okay as he would like people to believe.
Hindsight was twenty-twenty, but he should have planned this better. As it was, Aizawa could only try to make Touya comfortable in this strange out of time experience. The kid would need a strong support system if they didn't want to repeat the mistakes of the past. On the second day after Touya woke up, he had caught Touya doodling absent-mindedly on a corner of a napkin. For having nothing but half a pencil and a flimsy paper, the mountain landscape had been surprisingly realistic. Determined to bring the kid something useful, Aizawa had stopped by a small art store on the way to the hospital for his afternoon visit, picking up miscellaneous supplies the person working there recommended, as well as a stack of cute cat stickers for Eri. Aizawa didn't question the various pencils and tools the employee placed in his basket and tried not to flinch at the large total of the supplies.
It had been worth it for the small, but genuine simile Touya displayed when Aizawa had presented him the sketchbook. Although Touya guarded the book ferociously, prohibiting anyone from looking at the drawings, he took great care to maintain the tools .At least he knew what to do with the things that Aizawa had brought. And it had become a new routine for Aizawa to sit in the visitor's chair grading papers and setting up the small radio to Hizashi's afternoon channel, while Touya drew. A contented quiet atmosphere as each did their own things in the company of the other.
This morning would be the last time Aizawa saw Touya before he started his time at UA. Aizawa had gotten Hizashi to take over his morning classes since Endeavour had agreed for Aizawa to drive Touya to the Todoroki estate after the visit with his old quirk doctor, while Endeavour went ahead on the metro. Aizawa guessed to warn the other members of the Todoroki family about the changes, and Shouto had already scheduled time away from the UA campus for Endeavour's release. Afterwards, it would be up to Aizawa to organize everything Touya needed to start his time at UA, including letting Eri know, and hopefully, the news would come as a relief for the girl.
"Touya" Aizawa entered the room entirely, as blue eyes narrowed on him before loosening as Touya took notice of who he was.
"Eraserhead." Despite Aizawa's best attempts, Touya had refused to call him anything else. "I was wondering if I could ask you for a favour?"
Nodding, Aizawa took his usual spot in the visitor chair. To his knowledge, Aizawa had been the only one to use it. Touya noted once that he saw Endeavour during the evenings, but never for any length of time as Endeavour was busy contemplating the recent events. The arctic smile held little warmth as Touya explained that Endeavour had his duty as a hero which prevented him from spending more time with his family. A narrated line the boy probably got tired of repeating.
"Would you mind giving this to Eri?" Touya held out a neatly folded page of his sketchbook. "It's not much, just a small thank you."
Grasping the paper and waiting for Touya's silent acquisition that it was all right to look, Aizawa gently unfolded the piece of paper. "It's a bluebell" Aizawa examined the detailed drawing, shaded in a way that he could feel the silky petal despite the rough paper. To the side of the flower, beautiful swiping letters that danced off the page, in a level of calligraphy that anywhere else might have been sold at an exorbitant amount of money, a short haiku. One glance was enough to realize the amount of talent and skill needed to make this gift, not to mention the time it took to create the art. Aizawa had suspected for a while now Touya had more skills than he let on, and he seemed the type of person that never let go of personal information until absolutely necessary. It made the gift all that more special because of it. Here were two more things Touya trusted Aizawa to know about him.
"You might have read it out to her if you want. I just wanted to thank her for saving me." As Touya spoke, a deep blush bloomed on the boy's pale cheeks. "Losing ten years sucks, but it's better than not existing at all."
~ ~"Endeavour requested an appointment with your previous quirk doctor."
Touya shut his sketchbook, and closed the page on his incomplete drawing, he would have to finish it later before he forgot about the dream. "We should better get going then Dr. Garaki doesn't like to be kept waiting."
Biting his lip to stop the groan as the tight skin on his arms complained when Touya lifted himself off the hospital bed. With the constant attention from doctors and a couple of healing quirks here and there, the burns were slowly getting better. However, the doctors gave Touya strict orders not to overdo it or use his quirk until everything had healed completely. They explained that Touya had been lucky and the burns would heal, but next time there was no guarantee. Apparently, the body reached a certain point where it couldn't accept more grafts and with Touya's quirk, it was near impossible to find a donor match. Touya needed to be more careful this time around, and with the addition of UA's support items, Touya knew he would succeed.
Touya refused Aizawa's offer to push him in a wheelchair to the doctor's office, although it probably would have been quicker. Still, Aizawa didn't seem to mind and just slowed his pace to match Touya's. Hands in the baggy black sweatpants that had definitely seen better days, nothing about his posture suggested secret annoyance. It was nice, as confusing as it was.
Aizawa reached out to open the door to Dr. Garaki's office as Touya pulled himself together with an easy smile that gave him the mask of false confidence Touya had grown used to wearing.
"Hey, doc, bet you never thought you would see me again." His voice smooth and dripping in sarcasm just as mild tremors started in his fingers.
Touya grinned at the familiar round glasses and terrible mustache. On previous appointments, Touya had made a game of trying to read the doctor's closed expressions, and he had rarely seen the doctor express emotions so openly as the look of complete shock he wore now.
However, it didn't take more than a moment for the doctor to recover from the astonishment from seeing his not-so-dead patient. "My my Touya, this is a surprise."
Settling on his usual spot on the examination table, a seed of anxiety blossomed in his chest. An off feeling that screams at him Run . "You and me both, Doc." Touya's voice came out strong while his hands began to shake.
The peering eyes behind the round glasses continued to scrutinize Touya, making his set of nerves even worse. It didn't use to be like this. Once, Touya considered the doctor's office almost as an afterschool refuge and counted on 's advice during his self-driven quirk training. Luckily Aizawa, whether it was because he took notice of Touya's distress or wanted to get the appointment going, saved Touya from having to take direction. "UA needs to know more about Touya's quirk so that we can better prepare support items."
Dr. Garaki regarded the other man cooly, with more apathy than Touya would have expected "without knowing the situation, I'm afraid there is very little I can do to help."
"The situation is confidential." Aizawa continued, unfazed by the doctor's hostility. "It's fortunate that Touya just needs a quirk evaluation then. There shouldn't be any additional information that might impact your work Doctor."
The tension in the room spiked as Touya glanced from the Doctor to Aizawa. Neither willing to surrender, but Touya had seen others play this game with the Doctor before. Direct hostility was never Dr. Garaki's style, once Touya would have been amazed at the Doctor's expert deflection that charmed his way out of a confrontation. However, now Touya found himself wishing that Aizawa wouldn't be so easily tricked.
"Of course, but since you are neither family nor legal guardian, I will have to ask you to leave the office until I have finished the examination."
Dimly Touya realized he did not want to be left alone with , but he also didn't want to be any more of a burden to Aizawa. "That shouldn't be a problem. Endeavour left behind a message with the hospital stating I could accompany Touya to whatever tests were needed. If it's an issue, Touya can always be tested by UA's quirk doctor."
The muscles in his shoulders relaxed slightly as a warm feeling spread in his chest, looping to soothe the rigid feeling in his limbs as it struck Touya that this was the first time anyone had defended him. And Aizawa refused to back down, despite Touya being more trouble than he was worth, the UA teacher was still here.
"No, it's not a problem." laced the words with a sickly sweet courtesy that spoke he would likely do nothing more than to kick Aizawa out of the office as fast as possible.
The tests themselves were nothing Touya hadn't experienced before. Between and the Hero Commission's quirk therapy program, Touya was well versed in the standard practice: Activate your quirk, what is the pain level compared to before, any changes you think should be noted? And each time, Touya responded with a dialled-back answer that avoided suspicion of a miraculous recovery but didn't increase the level of concern. If anyone knew the real answers Touya could wave his chance of going to UA goodbye, and he doubted even Aizawa would stick up for him when he knew how much a failure Touya truly was.
Not soon enough, shooed the two of them out with promises that the test results would be sent to UA by Monday, shutting the door behind them with a little more force than what was professional. And after some final paperwork and last-minute checks, Touya was discharged in a whirl of hugs from his nurses. In the back of Aizawa's car, clutching his backpack, Touya focused on not getting carsick as Aizawa drove in edged silence. The effects of the visit with seemed to lingered on the both of them.
Pulling into the long Todoroki driveway, Aizawa addressed Touya for the first time since leaving the hospital. "Will you be alright going in by yourself? I can come with you if this makes you uncomfortable."
While the offer was tempting, the taboo of bringing in unsolicited guests without the proper warning and permission prevented Touya from accepting the offer. "It's alright. I appreciate everything you have done for me" Touya gave a short but deep bow of his head "thank you, Eraserhead." The words weren't enough, Touya would have to prove himself to be worth the effort once he got to UA.
"If anything happens or you feel unsafe, call this number, it's my personal line, and I will come any time of the day or night." Aizawa pressed a card into his hand before Touya turned sharply towards the doorway. The sound of the car not starting again until Touya shut the front door. As soon as Touya set foot in the Todoroki estate, he knew something was wrong as the air of the house rang thick from the raised voices in the dining room.
"Not to mention what happened to big brother Touya." Natsuo's fist was still lying where it lay beside the door when their eyes locked.
"Holy shit Natsuo? You're huge!" Everything Touya had planned to say escaped him as he looked up at his younger brother. Grey met blue, and they stared at each other as neither brother moved to break the spell.
Natsuo's jaw moved silently before all his brother's new height and weight surged at Touya, engulfing him in a deep hug. Immediately Touya's still healing burns protested, but he didn't care. After everything that happened, this pain was welcomed and so familiar that Touya didn't waste a second to wrap his arms around Natsuo, even though they were too short to complete the hug fully.
"Hey Natsu"
"Touya."
No hesitation behind the somewhat watery words, Natsuo had no doubt over his identity. Touya didn't know how long Natsuo embraced him, but eventually, he half-let go as Fuyumi shuffled over, her hands covering her mouth as tears slipped beneath her glasses. Then, slowly as if she was afraid Touya would vanish if she tried to touch him, Fuyumi cupped a hand to his face. Moving his head slightly to melt in the hold as well as letting more of his cheek with the nerves intact feel the cool relief of Fuyumi's frigid fingers.
"It's really you."
"Really me, Yumi."
That was all it took to dispel any previous trepidation as Fuyumi joined in their hug, and Natsuo wrapped a huge arm around them, pulling her closer. This was home. Touya made it back. And even though for Touya, it hadn't really been that long since he had last seen them, the reunion made the time apart feel so much longer. He missed them.
From his spot buried underneath his suddenly much larger siblings, Touya caught a glimpse of Endeavour watching them with an unreadable expression. Foolish. In the hug attack from Natsuo, he forgot there was an audience. Gently Touya began to extract himself from his sibling's hold. The process sped up as soon as Natsuo noticed the bandages still lacing his arms. Touya gave a dismissive smile to Natsuo's look of concern. No doubt his brother would bring up the topic later, just like old times.
Quickly Fuyumi set one of the empty spots around the table, and Natsuo moved his plates nearer to Touya. Any closer, and Natsuo would be sitting on him. As the table was reshuffled, Touya took the opportunity to get a good look at Shouto. His youngest brother had yet to join the reunion, mismatched eyes watching Touya with unsure curiosity. The large red scar didn't surprise him as much as he thought it would have, and although Touya hadn't seen any pictures of Shouto during his time in the hospital, seeing the mark on his face Touya sensed he had processed the feelings a long time ago. Touya wasn't sure how he felt as he examined Shouto. Aizawa had briefly mentioned how Shouto was one of Class 1A's top students and how his brother had struggled in the beginning. The UA teacher hadn't said much else, stating that Touya would have to ask Shouto for the rest of the story; however, with the perfect quirk, it was unsurprising that Shouto would be anything but the best. The bubbling feeling of jealousy rose, tearing at the edges of his mind and threatening to overpower the elation of being back with Natsuo and Fuyumi, but soon Touya would have his own chance to prove that he was better.
As Fuyumi sat down, Touya felt the room's eyes were on him. Begging to be noticed, for any them to look in his direction hadn't gotten as much of a reaction as merely sitting at the table. So it took him dying for them to acknowledge his existence. Touya shifted in his spot; it was strange being the center of attention but not knowing what to say.
Luckily Natsuo picked up his discomfort "hey Touya, now that you've returned from the great beyond," unanimously, the attention was taken off him as unsure eyes trained themselves on his brother "there is so much I have to tell you." Natsuo's grin was contagious, and the sound of Endeavour choking on soup was all that was needed to make Touya match his brother's smile.
Touya listened in wonder as Natsuo began to tell him all about university and him deciding to become a doctor, to which Touya laughed and nodded in all the right places. Fuyumi also narrated what she had done after high school and told him stories about her students. Pointedly ignoring her experience before or what happened in the house after Touya and Rei were gone. Shouto, too, didn't contribute much, seeming more content just to watch their interactions as Natsuo kept bumping Touya with his elbow as he refused to be more than an inch away. It was more comfortable and more conversation than Touya could ever remember having at the dinner table until Fuyumi asked the inevitable question that lay on everyone's mind.
"Where have you been, and why do you look like you haven't aged a day? They told us you were dead." Fuyumi asked, dabbing at the tears from under her glasses.
Touya looked at his dad, but Endeavour glanced at the bowl in his hands. Somehow Touya would have preferred the yelling, "Technically, I have been, you know dead." No matter how many times Touya said the word, it still felt like a lie, a wiggly half-truth that didn't sit right with Touya.
When Endeavour refused to look up, eyes focused on his bowl as he avoided Touya's gaze, he continued with a newfound determination to hurt this passive version of his father. Turns out being raised from the dead by a villain group wasn't enough to warrant Endeavour's attention. Touya was tired of feeling like a piece of a past Endeavour wanted to be forgotten.
"Apparently, the group known as the Hassaikai have been performing experiments on people with fire quirks. The heroes didn't even know about it until they rescued Eri. It was a fluke that they found me. Not that you looked, right Endeavour?" Touya sneered, a sick satisfaction filling him as Endeavour flinched slightly. The bitter notions, Make him hurt, make him watch lashing through his head coiling and twisting like a violent viper, poisoning his thoughts.
However, the feeling of guilt came just as quickly as Fuyumi put a hand to her mouth to stop a choked sob. No happy tears this time, as horror filled his sister's face. Natsuo also had gone pale, but Touya saw the familiar anger turning grey eyes stormy. Touya didn't look at Shouto. If he did, Touya didn't think he could stop himself from saying, 'it's because of you.' But that wouldn't be fair to him or Shouto, so Touya clamped his mouth shut.
Dinner continued in silence after that.
The meal just about finished when Touya couldn't handle the awkward tension. The guilt that he ruined the moment gnawing at him. "So," he started, and eight pairs of eyes were suddenly on him; wow, he hated that. They didn't use to do the staring thing before. With a practiced schooled expression, Touya continued, turning tilting his head slightly upward to expose the new scars along his chin. "Only Natsuo avoided a face scar."
Not missing a beat, Natsuo gave a solemn nod, "The universe's way of making it up to me for not giving me a quirk."
Aghast, Fuyumi turned her head first to Endeavour then glared at each of them. "Touya! Natsuo!"
"Mmmmmm, another curse."
Touya had no idea what Shouto meant by that. Still, Shouto delivered the statement like an absolute fact. And judging by Natsuo's bewildered look, he didn't know what Shouto was on about either. Touya couldn't help himself, and a laugh burst deep from his chest at Shouto staring intently at his hand. At the same time, Fuyumi continued to pretend to slap Natsuo, holding back her own laughter exasperatedly. In the joy of the moment, Touya didn't see the small smile on Endeavour's face.
The room held a companionable ease after that. As Touya finished eating, he took note that Fuyumi had really gotten to be a great cook since he was gone. Before, Fuyumi had consistently been nervous about messing things up, too afraid to deviate from a strict recipe for any cooking creativity, and always asking Touya if she was doing okay. It seems like she had done fine without his guidance after all, and regardless of the small pit of sadness for not being able to see it happen, Touya felt pride overtake the negativity. Distracting himself from the bitter thoughts, Touya helped Natsuo clear the table.
"So since technically you resurrected as a fifteen-year-old, does that make you the little brother." Natsuo punctuated his statement by pointedly resting a giant arm on Touya's head.
The audacity.
"Natsuo, I swear I love you, but if you don't take your arm off my head right now, I will roast you."
Shouto, at that moment, chose to stand up, handing over a plate to Fuyumi. Damn, he really was the shortest sibling. Catching Natsuo's amused look, Touya subtly, so Fuyumi wouldn't notice, flipped his brother off. Natsuo just laughed as Touya pushed his hand away from further ruffing the white hair.
"Touya, I hate to break it to you, but I have been taller than you since I was like eight, and you haven't been taller than Fuyumi since you were eight. So Shouto is just following the tradition."
"The disrespect, all of you," Touya grumbled as he tried to flatten his hair. He didn't remember Natsuo being such a little shit. Touya suddenly missed his ten-year Natsuo. At least that Natsuo still showed him some respect.
"Sorry, Touya, but you lost your big brother privileges" Natsuo grinned and reached a hand to re-ruffle his hair, ignoring Touya's protest.
Touya batted the offending hand aside before Natsuo could get him. "Since when? I was still born first."
"Since you decided to die on your day to do the dishes."
There was a tightness to the corners of Natsuo's smile, one that Touya recognized as a silent confession that if Natsuo didn't laugh, he would start to cry. And if Touya was honest with himself, he felt that way too. So he played along. Falling into the role was like slipping on a worn pair of shoes. Comfortable in their familiarity but pinching in all the wrong places.
"I'm sorry my dying inconvenienced you." Touya rolled his eyes, trying to drive as much sarcasm into his voice as he possibly could.
Natsuo snorted loudly. "As you should be."
Crisis avoided, and Touya saw how Natsuo's shoulders drop as stiff muscles relaxed. They were testing the waters, seeing which things changed in those ten lost years and which things remained the same. It was hard to imagine what went on when he had been six feet under, for Touya the time passed instantaneously, but Natsuo and Fuyumi had ten years to grieve for him and suddenly, to have that closure ripped away must be jarring. Natsuo made a good show of welcoming Touya back without hesitation, but Touya wondered how the event affected him in the layers that Natsuo didn't show.
Touya poked Natsuo's giant arm "hey, show me what's changed," letting a grin loose; he continued, "bet your room's still a mess."
"Bold of you to assume I still live here." Natsuo guided him from the room, and at that moment, Touya did not doubt that if Natsuo wanted to, he could easily pick Touya up with one arm. Terrifying.
Touya examined his own morse-looking face staring back at from the frame of his shrine. Out of his pictures, why did his family choose one of Touya just coming back from quirk therapy? "Ok, this is really weird."
Natsuo placed an arm gently over his shoulders, a solemn nod that was quickly replaced by a mischievous grin "at least it's fireproof!"
The little shit.
"Natsuo." Fuyumi scolded, "don't joke like that."
"Ya Natsuo." Touya gave his brother a grave look "respect the dead."
Twin smiles broke out at Fuyumi's exasperated sigh. Natsuo reached out to give Touya a not-so-subtle high five, making Fuyumi pinch the bridge of her nose ever harder.
"Ok, but seriously why did you choose that photo?" Touya looked at his own solemn face. He remembered it being taken shortly after he found out Shouto got his quirk while he was away for quirk therapy in preparation for his middle school graduation. Touya had been determined not to smile, a small protest to his family's situation. Well, that backfired. Hard. If Touya had known this was the photo that would be chosen for his shrine, we would have put some more effort into looking presentable.
Natsuo placed a hand below his chin and pretended to examine the photo and then Touya's face "it captures the brood."
Touya's attempt to shove his brother was met with severe failure as trying to move Natsuo was like running into a brick wall of muscle.
Fuyumi tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, an old habit to hide any falling tears without anyone noticing she had been crying in the first place. "Well, Dad got rid of a lot of stuff afterwards. So this was one of the best options."
"Oh" That hurt more than Touya was expecting.
It was Natsuo who saved the moment. "Well, since it would be really creepy spending the night next to your own shrine, why don't we set up some futons outside like we used to? And since our hot chocolate maker has returned to us from the beyond, it will be great, plus we haven't done that in a while, right Fuyumi?"
"I don't know Dad's here and —"
"It's a great plan, if the old man has a problem with it, I'll deal with it," he promised. "Besides I think we're entitled to this." After everything, Endeavour could let them have this, and if Touya was anything, it was a master at diverting Endeavour's anger.
Natsuo nodded "besides, we have your personal heater back. It'll be great. Come on, Fuyumi, lighten up."
A shy smile lit her face "it will be like when we were kids. Ok, then I'll get some old blankets." Fuyumi grabbed his hand in hers "it's so great to have you back, Touya."
Not wanting to risk another 'let's squish Touya pile now that we're all giant' and desperately wanting to change out of the mismatched clothes the hospital mustered up for him. Touya asked, "Yumi, are there any of my clothes left?"
"You might be able to fit in some of Shouto's old clothes; I'm sorry, Touya after you" Fuyumi paused, and Touya saw the hesitation as she considered her words, "disappeared we donated most of your things."
Guess dad really wanted to get rid of any trace of him, erasing the past mistakes to make way for the masterpiece "don't worry about Yumi. It's ok, I understand."
"You can have some of mine" Unbeknownst to them, Shouto had made his way to the doorway, standing as if he wasn't sure he was allowed to enter the room. Touya was quickly learning that Shouto's default expression consisted of a single deadpanned look, a classic case of resting 'bitch face'. Gone was the expressive child from Touya's memories, and Touya wondered whether it was Rei's break or Endeavour's expectations which were responsible for the change. A conflict of emotions that would have to be sorted out later, preferably before he would have be confide to spend a vast amount of time with his youngest brother.
Fantastic, just what Touya always wanted, hand-me-downs from his youngest brother. But out of the three of them, Shouto was the likeliest to have clothes that fit him. Not much changed in Shouto's room, the walls still achingly bare and the room devoid of anything personal. One thing that hadn't changed, Touya observed sourly. As it turned out, they were the same shirt size, and Shouto gave him enough shirts to hold Touya over until he got some clothes of his own. However, Shouto surprised them all by being a long-legged giraffe — seriously the kid's height was all in his legs, the cheater— and all the pants Shouto gave him created a tripping hazard, leaving Fuyumi as a last resort.
Touya felt around the black jeans "where are the pockets?"
"Oh, they don't have any," Fuyumi replied casually as if she hadn't just dropped an earth-changing comment.
"What kind of pants don't have pockets?" That seemed illegal. How were you supposed to carry stuff without a pants pocket?
Natsuo whistled as he reentered the room. "Looking good, Touya."
"The future sucks." He grumbled as Natsuo gave another hearty laugh at his suffering. Touya shot a glare at his brother that might have carried more weight if he didn't have to stretch his neck up just to look Natsuo in the eyes.
Holding something behind his back, Natsuo motioned for Fuyumi and Shouto to leave the room. Whatever it was, Touya wasn't sure whatever was left of dignity could handle it. Fuyumi and Shouto had barely stepped out before Natsuo flourished the object in Touya's face.
"I'm not wearing that." Touya didn't reach to take the shirt Natsuo held out for him. In ten years Touya would have thought Natsuo would have grown out of his taste in trashy shirts.
"Come on. It will be funny." Natsuo grinned with that big stupid smile that crinkled the corners of his mouth and spread to his eyes. Touya hesitated, it had been a long time since the last time he saw that smile, and for some reason, it felt longer than his memory made it seem. "Can you imagine the old man's face? Even Fuyumi would find it hilarious."
"Ah yes, there's nothing funnier than making fun of this traumatic event."
"Exactly" Natsuo pushed the shirt forward again, "I mean, in this family, what else would we do."
Touya poked the shirt, geeze he was getting soft. "It's huge."
"All the better, come on, Touya-nii."
Stupid Natsuo with his stupid face "fine, I'll wear the dumb shirt. Now get out."
Making his way to the kitchen, Touya heard the telltale sounds of Endeavour's footsteps. Instead of ducking out of the way as he usually would have, Touya stopped dead in the hallway, arms at the side, allowing for the shirt's print to be clearly readable. Natsuo's prediction did not disappoint. The look on Endeavour's face had been entirely worth the further loss of dignity. The old man looked as if he would combust, face red as if his emotionally constipated self couldn't decide whether to yell or laugh. And Touya, never the one to pass up the opportunity, raised an eyebrow begging for Endeavour to comment. However, Endeavour clamped his mouth firmly shut as he turned sharply on his heel and strode pointedly to his room. Touya tried not to flinch at the slamming door, still grinning at his father's reaction.
Sneaking to the kitchen, Touya was confident he had at least a couple of minutes to organize himself before he had to face his siblings. With practiced movements, Touya grabbed the different spices, pleased that Fuyumi hadn't completely rearranged the spice shelves so that he couldn't find anything. He sprinkled in a generous amount of whichever spice felt right, gradually warming the milk with the heat of his quirk.
"Touya, I got the futon for when you're ready—" Fuyumi froze, blinking rapidly at Touya. "What are you wearing?"
From behind her, Natsuo barely seemed to get a chance to breathe as his laughter turned into silent, hunched over wheezing. Fuyumi, to her credit, didn't say anything about his shirt as Touya watched her patience with Natsuo vanish into the ether. Handing Fuyumi the cup in his hand, Touya neglected to say a word to Natsuo, who had to grasp the door frame for support.
"Hey, where's mine?"
Turning a scornful look to Natsuo, "Get it yourself." Leaving the rooming to Natsuo's protests, Touya and Fuyumi barely managed to make it to the other room before collapsing into fits of their own laughter. Just when he thought it was over, Fuyumi met his eyes and listened to Natsuo's continued grumbling; they would collapse again into another round of giggles. It wasn't really that funny, but the stress of the day and the novelty of the reunion, it was a relief just to be able to laugh with his sister again. And Touya could sense that Fuyumi felt the same way.
"Think he will manage?" Finally, out of laughs, Fuyumi cleaned her glasses on the hem of her shirt. Despite everything, she didn't spill a drop of her own drink.
"Even Natsu can pour liquid in a cup. Besides, I did all the work," Touya huffed, taking longer to regain his own breath.
Fuyumi had placed two old guest futons side by side, creating one large bed that was half in the house and half in the outside hallway. They used to do this as kids sometimes when everything became too much, usually on the nights Endeavour was working overtime, and Rei locked herself in her room with Shouto. Smaller then, the three of them could fit on just a single futon, watching the stars as they pretended the family wasn't crumbling around them. Touya would point out the constellations until Fuyumi and Natsuo's breaths deepened in sleep, as he stayed up longer thinking about all the things he would change about the world once he became the number one hero. It was nice to know that Fuyumi and Natsuo hadn't completely written him out of their lives now that he was back.
Settling into his spot in the middle of the futon, propped up by the pillows Fuyumi had piled neatly, Touya reached to grab his sister's drink as she got comfortable to the left of him.
"Where's Shouto?"
Fuyumi reached to take back her hot chocolate "he had some homework to get done for Monday, and wanted to talk with his friends. He doesn't know how long it will take, so maybe he'll join us next time."
Just like old times, he guessed, only this time there wasn't really anything keeping Shouto from accompanying them. It's not like Shouto couldn't take time away when he was already so far ahead of Touya. Determined not to let Shouto get to him, Touya filed away the anger, storing it to fuel his drive to work harder tomorrow.
"Shouto is just a little confused by everything, give him some time, Touya" Fuyumi added, catching Touya's dark look. But before Touya had a chance to snap back Natsuo's return interrupted him.
"Can't believe you two just left me like that." As opposed to Fuyumi's careful movements, Natsuo simply plopped down frighteningly close to Touya, sending large vibrations through the wood. Briefly, Touya considered what they would do if Natsuo broke the floor.
"Maximum two minutes, Natsu. You were fine."
"Two minutes felt like forever" Natsuo raised his shoulders in a long-suffering sigh and inched himself even closer to Touya.
The gentle breeze held the light chill of changing seasons brushed against the quiet as the three of them simply enjoyed the moment. Fuyumi's icy arm wrapped around his, and Natsuo's giant self-consuming nearly a whole futon by himself squished Touya's other side. A lot of things were different and would continue to change, but for now, Touya was glad for this moment.
Eventually, both Fuyumi and Natsuo drifted off. In spite of the events of the day and his body's sluggish movements and cries for sleep, Touya could not shut off his mind as he allowed himself to feel everything he had bottled away in front of his family. Biting his lip to prevent any sound that risked waking the sleeping people next to him, Touya reached for the sketchbook sticking out from his bag. Turning to unfinished drawings, Touya had been working before Aizawa arrived that morning. In the light of the moon and porchlight, Touya shaded in the details of the terrible malformed monsters that plagued his dreams. Creatures with too many or not enough eyes, brains separated from the head, but he also drew marbles and magnets. He guessed that strange dreams were expected, but the unnerving realness left Touya shaken by the sense of Deja Vu. Touya continued to sketch until sleep's call couldn't be resisted any longer, and he closed his eyes in the huddled safety of his siblings for the first time in ten years.
~ ~Shigaraki deftly evaded the virtual bullets, sneaking behind the broken wall for cover before adjusting his headset.
"So Mr. Aizawa has been going to the hospital, like all the time. Every morning before class and like right after too. It's really weird cause Midoriya hasn't really broken anything in a while" Shigaraki watched as the avatar waved before continuing to shoot at another player.
"Do you know why?" He asked Dabi's UA mole, trying his best not to sound too annoyed, it wasn't the kid's fault Dabi was such a nuisance. Dabi had made himself scarce for the time being, and Shigaraki hadn't seen the idiot since he pulled the stunt on TV. After failing repeatedly to find a way of contacting Dabi's informers, Shigaraki had finally broken his cool in front of Spinner.
"You could just log on to our game tonight" Spinner cut Shigaraki's latest anti-Dabi rant midway.
For a solid minute Shigaraki simply stared dumbly at the other League member. From threatening dealers to hacking a Hero Commission network, and all he had to do was log on to a game he was already playing.
"Thought Dabi told you about it," Spinner waved his hand awkwardly as his words trailed off " since you know, the four of us have been on the same server for the past couple of months." Shigaraki added that moment to his ever growing list of shit Dabi pulled and owed him for.
Shigaraki turned his attention back to the third player. "No, he hasn't mentioned it. The only reason I know is cause I hacked his GPS."
"Hmf" For some reason the thought that the kid placed a bug on Easer rubbed Shigaraki the wrong way.
"Don't tell me you're butt hurt about it. I know you're a fan boy—"
Shigaraki cut the kid off. "Anybody tell you, you and Dabi have a lot in common? Both annoying as fuck."
"Aw thanks, I knew you cared!" The kid sounded overly chipper for whatever hour it was, grating on Shigaraki's nerves.
He could hear Spinner's muffled laugh on the other headset "by the way our favourite fire hazard just got back. I heard the window in the kitchen open."
Shigaraki logged off without a goodbye. Taking off his headset, Shigaraki noticed the sound of soft cursings and the distinct shuffle of the freezer door opening. But, if Shigaraki hadn't been paying attention the sounds could have been easily dismissed, only after spending an ever-increasing and unwanted amount of time with Dabi, Shigaraki had come to learn the fire user's particular brand of silence.
Shigaraki flicked the light on and not bothering to say hello to the figure illuminated by the dim light of the freezer. "I hate you."
"Feelings mutual."
"One of these days I swear I'm going to kill you." Shigaraki turned around one of the broken chairs they found in an alleyway. Leaning against the back as he watched Dabi cradle the freezer.
"Jokes on you, I'm not even real." Dabi didn't even turn to face him, but a single hand rose up to flip Shigaraki the finger. Just when Shigaraki thought Dabi couldn't piss him off any further the bastard always managed to set the bar even lower.
Long fingers reached to scratch his neck as Shigaraki fought the urge to use Decay against the bastard. "Are you going to do anywork today?"
"Nope" Dabi popped the 'p' but the sound got muffled in the freezer shelves miscellaneous filled with ice cream and Toga's blood bags, "quirk is acting up. If I over do it I'll melt. Literally."
Clone-bi stuck his head deeper in the freezer, like this Dabi truly looked pathetic as the feverish heat wave hovered around him. Shigaraki gave a low 'tsk' that lacked any real bite, early on he learnt when Dabi got like this there was no use in trying to drag work out of him. The first and only time Shigaraki forced the issue ended in one terrible hospital visit and a whole list of other problems he needed to fix. Dabi would get around to it eventually.
"I have a meeting with Ujiko soon."
"Ya? Have fun, I hate dealing with that guy." There was a sour note to Dabi's words, and with everything that had been revealed recently Shigaraki wouldn't be surprised if Dabi and Ujiko had some sort of history. Shigaraki hated his teacher's long time friend, but there was no denying that Ujiko was a skilled doctor. And Dabi would have needed one to survive with burns like his, there weren't many doctors in the underground with the equipment or ability to pull that kind of treatment off.
"Anybody ever tell you that you are more trouble than you're worth."
"Now you sound like daddy dearest."
A silence hung in the air before both Shigarki snorted and Dabi let out a dark laugh into the icy depths of the freezer. He should better get going, being late for a meeting with Ujiko always dragged it out, as the doctor constantly felt the need to bring up his busy schedule and the disrespect Shigaraki showed. As if Shigaraki wasn't equally as busy.
"Don't think you're off the hook" Shigaraki pointed a finger at Dabi's back even though he knew the other couldn't see the gesture. "We still need to talk about all this."
A non-committal sound was his only answer, but Shigaraki had a feeling this time Dabi would stay put. Making to leave Shigaraki was hit with the sudden and disappointing realization that stopped him in his tracks; he was quickly becoming fluent in reading Dabi. Disgusting.
As he passed by Shigaraki picked up the scent of alcohol lingering around Dabi. "Are you drunk?"
"Only a little. Crucial, to the new member process." Ya Dabi's recruiting gig sounded more legit every time he reported in.
"Spinner is down the hallway if you melt, at least don't puddle it in the freezer."
Shigaraki didn't even acknowledge the finger that flipped off. Well at least he knew that Dabi was continuing to act like himself, and Shigaraki felt a small twinge of relief, oddly glad that with all the things that came to light their relationship dynamics hadn't been too badly affected, and hatred level remained evenly consistent. Shigaraki wished he could say the same for the rest of the League.
Other than Spinner, Shigaraki could feel a rising threat of a mutiny on his hands. Toga brushed off any attempts at a conversation with short-clipped responses, leaving for hours at the time and occasionally a trail of bodies a mile long. Shigaraki didn't know if Toga's risky behaviour or Twice's demoralizing crying over that god-awful jacket was more dangerous to the League. But out of all of it Mr. Compress's cold shoulder stung the worse. After all, it wasn't Shigaraki's fault Dabi went and got himself maybe killed.
Well, hopefully, the reason that Eraserhead had been going to the hospital would be the clue Shigaraki needed to unlock the next step. And his gut was telling him that Dabi might not actually be dead, Overhaul's reaction didn't sit right with him. If Dabi was truly dead why not gloat? Even in shock, from the little information Shigaraki had about Overhaul, Shigaraki didn't see him passing up the opportunity to rub in the fact Shigaraki lost his second in command.
Shigaraki side stepped a pair of laughing white-haired teenagers, meddling into the shadows of the alleyway that led to Ujiko's lab. Like always Shigaraki ignored the tanks filled with things that threatened to add more nightmares to his nightly adventures. Turning the corner, around the empty tank Ujiko kept as some twisted form of nostalgia, the doctor sat at the usual spot behind his desk.
Without giving a sign that he noticed Shigaraki's presence, Ujiko began to speak.
"Shigaraki you're late." The doctor turned his chair arrogantly slow. "How's Dabi?"
Without skipping a beat Shigaraki answered. So the game began. "Fine, why are you asking?"
"No reason, just earlier this week a patient I never expected to see again. Care to explain why Touya Todoroki walked into my office?"
"No" Shigaraki decided to play dumb. "Who's Touya Todoroki?"
Authors Notes
Hello it is your idiot author who finally figured out how to leave these notes ( I am embarrassed to think that yes yes it did that me this long to go wow! what if I just put it in the text :) HUGE thank you to everyone for the support! I can't tell you how much comments and kudos motivate me to write! Literally, this chapter probably would have been delayed further but the amazing questions and interest dragged me out of uni burn out XD You are all awesome 3!
And thank you to the oh so amazing Insertpoetryhere for the art! The piece really captures Touya being 110% done with his siblings XD
I know there wasn't a lot of Shouto in this chapter but fear not he will definitely be a major character next chapter! I just love clingy Natsuo and wanted him to be a focus since Shouto will be the focus in the upcoming chapters.
Shigaraki makes plans and deals with Ujiko. Touya and Natsuo steal Endeavour's credit card and after yet another reunion where random apples are given, Touya meets with Dekusquad and the school waits in held breaths as Touya and Bakugou meet.
Next Chapter: Welcome to Class 1A!