The Long Journey

"Can you tell me what you saw in that picture? What color was the house? Was it a police car or a fire truck? Well done!"

"Please lift your leg for me. Can you lift it a little higher? Okay, put it back down."

"Stand up, please. Yes, that's great. Oh…now sit, please."

"Please lift the finger I touch. Very good. Now without touching…"

It was a long and arduous process to relearn just about everything.

"Can you please name this?"

Enji's language therapist held a picture in front of him. He felt tired and – as always in these lessons – a little humiliated. The tasks were so easy that he should be able to do them half-asleep and yet he still failed regularly. Now, she held a card with the image of a man in a police uniform in front of him.

"Police," he said.

"Somebody who works for the police is…?" she asked in that patronizing tone.

He closed his eyes. He knew what she was asking for, but it didn't come to him.

At that moment he was distracted by the door to his room opening. He looked up, embarrassed that he would be seen in such a state. Doing some easy kids' exercises and failing at that. His eyes widened when he saw Natsuo.

His language therapist threw Natsuo an irritated glance at being interrupted, then she turned back to Enji.

"Do you want to try again?" she offered.

He shook his head. He had no idea. The word was lost to him completely.

"A police officer," she said.

Enji nodded, but he was still looking at Natsuo. The boy was looking curiously between Enji and the therapist. When it was obvious that Enji didn't know the word officer, Natsuo grimaced slightly. Enji blushed.

"What about this?" She gave him a different card. Enji frowned at the picture of a bicycle. He couldn't concentrate with Natsuo watching. After a while, turned back to his son.

Natsuo blushed now too. He stood stuck in the door for a moment, about to retreat. "I'll be back later," he announced.

"No, wait." Enji quickly gave the card back to his therapist. "Can we…?" He gestured between himself and his son.

"Of course," she took the card though she made a bit of a sour face. "Do you want me back in the afternoon, Todoroki? Or should we reschedule for tomorrow?"

Enji's shoulders slumped in exhaustion. "Tomorrow?"

"Of course." Putting her stack of cards back into her bag she stood, bowed, and then rushed past Natsuo out of the room.

Natsuo stepped aside to let her pass. Then he stood in the room awkwardly. "I didn't mean to—"

"I'm glad you're here," Enji interrupted him. Then he quieted, embarrassed at having interrupted.

Natsuo nodded jerkily, before closing the door behind himself. Stiffly, he sat on the chair the therapist had just vacated.

Enji watched his son for a while. He waited for the boy to talk, to name the reason for his visit. He knew Natsuo had visited him both while he was still in coma and after. But he hadn't come for a while. Clearly, for Natsuo it was easier to deal with Enji while he was unresponsive.

"I heard…" Enji started when Natsuo didn't state the reason for his visit. "The doctors said, you saved my life." He tried very hard not to slur. It was almost working.

Natsuo blushed. He was avoiding Enji's eye contact, looking out of the window instead. The pink curtains were half drawn.

"Thank you."

Natsuo's hands fisted on his lap. The muscles in his jaw were working, clenching tight.

Enji sighed. "I owe you." He just wanted a reaction. He just wanted Natsuo to say something…anything.

With a long exhale, Natsuo's shoulders slumped a little. "You don't owe me," he said. Finally, his eyes turned to Enji. He didn't quite seek eye contact yet. Instead, his eyes were fixated somewhere on Enji's chest. "You came for me when the League… They almost killed you then. And now… You did what I asked you to. Touya's alive."

Touya… And what a life worth living! Stuck in Tartarus. Had there been a point to saving his life, Enji wondered.

"So, we're even?" Enji tried next. It wasn't quite right of course. Natsuo had already paid for selling Enji out to the league over half a year ago. And Enji hadn't spared Touya for Natsuo. But if Natsuo was more comfortable with that assessment…

Natsuo huffed. His brows furrowed disapprovingly. "No." He shook his head. "It's not… I didn't do it to make up for anything. Nor did I do it so you would owe me…"

Enji stared at his son. Natsuo was clearly struggling with his words as if he had suffered the stroke, not Enji. If that's not why you did it, then why did you? He didn't dare ask.

"It's not about that," Natsuo continued. His hands went slack in his lap. He seemed frustrated at his inability to explain himself. "I just did it." It seemed like he wanted to add something. He looked even more frustrated now. Then he shook his head. "I want to be a doctor after all."

But Enji didn't feel like this was what he wanted to say initially. He took the explanation at face value anyway. There was no point in fighting over it if Natsuo didn't want to tell.

"And you'll be a great one," Enji added. "The doctors called it a miracle." He spoke slowly because he was trying so hard to speak clearly.

Natsuo's eyes widened. Then his head snapped to the side, blushing. With his thumb, he wiped under his eyes. "Yeah," he muttered. "That's not why I… I didn't come to talk about that."

Enji nodded. He knew. He'd known it the moment Natsuo had entered the room. Even before all this had started. Even before the battle with the League, he had known… Natsuo hadn't come to talk about what had happened. He came to talk about the future. About their future apart. It had silently stood between them for weeks as they planned how to take down Touya. Enji's condition had pushed the dreaded conversation off, but it didn't change anything.

"I know," Enji whispered. "I know why you're here."

Natsuo nodded. He looked apologetic. Slumping on his chair, he also looked exhausted. "I wanted to wait," he explained. "I wanted to wait until after…" He gestured at Enji and the hospital room around him. Then he huffed in frustration. "Until after all this. I don't think it's fair… But how long will it take?"

Enji knew what he meant. He shook his head because he had no idea.

He was making progress. Those doctors and nurses with their incessant 'It'll get better' had been correct. But it was a slow process. A year? Two? Ten? Who knew when – if ever – Enji would be fine enough? If Natsuo wanted to wait for a moment that he didn't have to feel guilty for potentially risking a setback in Enji's recovery due to grief or stress… He'd have to wait forever. He'd effectively shackle himself to Enji's progress… In fact, wouldn't it even give Enji a reason to try less to get better?

It was better that way. Enji knew it too. He had known this would happen. He knew it, whether Natsuo spoke to him or not. In a way he was only glad, Natsuo came to at least talk to him one final time.

"It's alright," Enji said, though his eyes stung and itched as he said it. He forced himself not to cry. Not until his son was gone, at least.

"Is it?" Natsuo asked doubtfully, but then he raised himself a little. "But I can't wait… Touya is in prison. He'll get a trial… I don't know, half a year from now? So, it's over." The boy shook his head. "I can move on." His voice sounded tired. "But I can't move on before I do this." He gestured between himself and Enji.

"I know," Enji repeated. "Natsuo, I knew it would happen. I'm prepared." But was he? He didn't feel prepared. He'd known the moment the operation against the League had started, that after it, Natsuo would say his goodbye. The stroke had given him a two-month-reprieve. He should be grateful for that at least. He should be prepared… And still, there was a cold grip around his heart, squeezing painfully.

Enji wondered if Natsuo felt the same. Did part of him regret that it had to come to this? He didn't look like he was enjoying this either.

"I feel like an idiot," Natsuo grumbled with frustration in his voice. "Gosh, I feel almost ungrateful after everything… But I can't." He shook his head. His eyes were shining bright. "Believe me, I tried to give it a chance. But after they put you out of Intensive Care…and then when Fuyumi told me you were talking again…" He wiped silent tears away. "I told myself, every day, that I would visit. That I could just be like her. Smile and pretend that everything was great… But I can't. I get shaky just thinking about it. Even now, I'm still angry."

Enji didn't know what to say to the admission. He was absurdly grateful that Natsuo had at least tried. "I see," he muttered finally and uselessly.

Natsuo took a deep and shaky breath. "And I don't want to be angry anymore. Touya is in prison… Mother is out of hospital… Shoto is doing so much better now, and I can finally be a real big brother to him… And Fuyumi is finally free of all the obligations… So, it's over." He finally looked directly at Enji. There was quiet, dreadful determination in his eyes. Natsuo had decided, and all Enji could do, was to accept. "And still, when I look at you—" He didn't finish the sentence. Instead, he took a deep breath. "I'm ready to move on. But I can't, as long as you're still in my life."

Enji's lips pressed tightly together, so he couldn't cry out from the anguish in his heart. He nodded stiffly. His head sank down to his chest, looking at his hands on his knees.

"Maybe that makes me unreasonable. Or cruel…" His son sounded in pain as he said it. "But it's the only way I know how to move forward." He pushed himself up from his chair. "Goodbye, Father."

Enji nodded, choking on his own farewell. Natsuo didn't wait for it. Instead, he turned and walked to the door. Enji watched. There was no spring in Natsuo's step. More the opposite, he moved with dropped shoulders, looking like he was carrying the weight of the world. This was difficult for him too.

Don't let him go like that!

Panicking, Enji swallowed the tears down.

Say something!

"Natsuo?" he choked out. The boy turned at the door, looking at him expectantly. "If…"

What should he say?

If you reconsider… If you ever need help… I'll always wait for you…

But he knew Natsuo didn't want to hear any of that. He could see it in those grey eyes. Natsuo had made his decision. He would leave…inevitably, finally, with no way back. He wanted to close the door, not leave it slightly ajar.

Close it, Enji thought. He couldn't hold his son back. This was bound to happen. Don't be a fucking coward! Close the door.

"You'll be a great doctor."

Natsuo's lips quirked into a rare smile. One of those smiles he never had for Enji before.

"Thanks."

The door closed behind him.

His eyes still felt puffy and itchy when he woke up later that afternoon. He moaned, and then he froze when a cool hand slid into his much bigger palm. His hand moved, fingers gripping weekly around the slander hand. He was still half-asleep, and for a moment, he thought he was only imagining cool skin on his.

"Natsuo told me he visited."

Natsuo…

Enji opened his eyes. Rei sat, where he still remembered Natsuo sitting. She wore a light grey shirt, her hair open and falling around her face.

"Rei…" Her name ached on his tongue.

"Hi, there." She didn't pull her hand away when her eyes moved to his. For a moment she stayed completely quiet. "I would've come sooner," she said eventually. "But they don't let ex-wives into the ICU." She chuckled.

He stretched his limbs subconsciously without letting go of her hand. Remembering Natsuo, the tears were already back in his eyes.

"Nah…," Rei hummed taking a tissue to wipe at his cheeks. "There's no reason for that. You did it."

He choked on the deep inhale he took. "I'll never see him again."

The tissue retracted for a moment. Rei's head cocked to the side, as she watched him cry. "Natsuo?" She asked with a smile. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. Never is a long time. Who knows what's going to happen?"

He held on to her for dear life, hoping that she was right.

Her painful grunt was so quiet, he almost overheard it. But he didn't. He let her hand go at once like he'd been burned. He hadn't realized that his strength had returned to him enough to hurt her like that.

"I'm sorry," he apologized ruefully.

"No, it's alright." There was a gentle kindness in her voice and in that smile, she had for him. How did he deserve that? "You're hurting," she hesitated. "And grieving… For our son, no less. How could I fault you for that?"

Enji screwed his eyes shut, trying to force himself to stop crying. "Natsuo's not dead."

"And yet," she put her other hand on his cheek. Now that he was at normal body temperature, her cool skin wasn't refreshing but almost a bit uncomfortable. His eyes snapped open at the touch, "it's okay to grieve."

He blinked the tears away. "I don't know how."

She took her hand away. "That's why you have Tanaka. Talk to her about it. You'll see her again, I assume?"

He nodded. Tanaka would know what to do. Then he huffed a dry snort. "I'll see my fair share of therapists in the future."

Clearly, Rei hadn't meant to remind him of that. Her smile fell and she looked sad. "I didn't want this for you." She shook her head. "When I asked you to save our sons, I didn't imagine…"

Enji nodded. He knew. They might have had their differences, and he had treated her abhorrently in the past, but he knew she wouldn't have wished this fate upon him.

"But you did it! You saved them—kept them safe." The smile was back on her face. "Thank you."

It felt wrong, that she had to thank him for it. "They're my sons too."

"I know." She chuckled. "And I can feel grateful regardless, can't I? Natsuo's fine. Touya's alive. I wouldn't know what I would've done if… So thank you!"

He stared at her doubtfully. Then he sighed and just accepted her gratitude. He pulled himself up until he leaned in a more upright position against the pillow. "The date for the trial?"

Rei shook her head. "I don't know. Six months, they say, but there's no date yet."

Six months. Was that long enough for him to recover?

He was distracted by the suddenly teary-eyed and wobbly sounding intake of air. When had Rei started crying?

"I can't visit him. Since he's not a minor anymore… Tartarus has very strict visitation rights. And he doesn't want to see me either, so…" She shrugged helplessly. "I don't know what to do."

Enji's brows furrowed. He wasn't familiar with the exact regulations in Tartarus, but he knew there were possibilities and loopholes. "Maybe I can—" he started but was promptly interrupted.

"You did enough," she declared. "You need to rest and focus on yourself." He was about to protest, but she raised a hand to stop him. "I know you want to help, but you need to get better first."

"I could just—"

"Yes, you could," she chuckled. "Believe me, I've thought about it. You probably could help, knowing who you are, and all the contacts you have… But first, you need to heal. All those therapists, they're there to help you. And you need them. I know you do. So, accept their help, and get better… And then, maybe you can still help with Touya." She put a hand gently on his shoulder. "That's the only thing you need to do now: rest and recover."

He grunted, relenting, because he didn't have the energy to fight her, and really that should tell him enough that he probably also didn't have the energy to deal with Touya now.

"I'm sick of it," he grumbled with a disdainful glare at the pink curtains. It wasn't the color that was offending him, but this whole room.

"What do you mean?" She sounded guarded. He didn't lament on why. It was obvious, anyway. Whenever he was angry, even weak, and frail, and in hospital, she still felt intimidated by him. That only increased his frustration.

"This room," he answered. "The hospital." He couldn't stay here much longer. "And they don't want to let me go…" He shook his head exhausted. "After this, they want to—" What's the fucking word?! "—Into some rehab center." Which would really be just another hospital-like environment.

He was sick and tired of it. He'd spent enough time in his career in hospitals, but so far, his stays had lasted under a week or less. He was now stuck in hospital for two months – although he hadn't consciously lived through the first month. And if he followed the program suggested by his doctors and therapists, he'd stay stuck in hospitals and rehab centers for the next half a year or so. He hated it.

"It's for your best," Rei warned. "Believe me, I know how it is…"

Enji's anger dropped. He felt crestfallen and ashamed. How dare he complain to her of all people about a few months stuck in hospital? She'd spent a decade in a psychological ward only recently struggling back to independence. But his shame didn't alleviate his hatred for his situation. He shouldn't complain to her, he thought, but that didn't mean that he was fine with it. He hated being stuck in bed.

"You just need to focus on the time after. You're making so much progress. It's going so fast. You'll be back at home in no time."

Enji didn't share her enthusiasm. It didn't go fast enough for him, and even more so…

"Even then, I'll be an invalid." He knew that for a fact. Even after the hospital and after rehab and after whatever other torturously slow recovery process he had to endure… Even after everything, when he finally got back home, he'd still be unable to take care of himself. He'd need a nurse to take care of him every day, and the thought was depressing by itself. Somebody who'd have to carry him up the stairs, somebody to do all the easy tasks that he couldn't do, somebody, to monitor him and take care of his medication. And even if he would eventually be fine enough to do all that by himself… He still wouldn't have his quirk back.

Rei sighed. "It's hard, I know." Her thumb stroked soothing circles on his shoulder. "But you won't have to do it alone. People can help you."

He scoffed. "Right!" At his obvious displeasure, she seemed confused, and he felt ashamed. He avoided her eye contact. "I'll just invite some stranger in my house, sure." At least he trusted the nurses and doctors who worked here and his personal therapists. They were professional enough to not let their opinion about him hinder their work. They didn't even mention it in front of him. He could easily sit in his room and pretend that none of them knew any of his sins and failures because they were so professional. He knew that with a nurse who'd have to see him every day and be around him all the time… That line would become blurry.

"Some stranger, who knows all about me, that will see me weak and pathetic…" He sounded childish he knew. He also didn't say the real reason, because, in front of Rei, he'd be ashamed to even mention it. She had suffered from his behavior, and now he was afraid that some nurse might hold it against him?

"You could hire a professional—" Rei started.

"I don't want it!" He sounded petty, but the idea of a stranger – even a professional stranger – who knew all about him, and had their mind already made up about him…depending on such a stranger to survive… The thought sickened him.

Rei sighed tiredly. "If you want to, I can do it. Not like I have a job anyway."

"No!" His answer was immediate and without hesitation.

No, no, no!

He would not put her into this position. Angry with himself, that he had even brought it up, he dragged his hand through his hair.

"No. You need to focus on yourself." She had just started her life independent of him. If they could strike a tentative friendship, he would gladly accept it, but to have her around all day every day. That wouldn't do her any good, and he didn't think it would do him much good either. In a way, he needed to move on as much as her.

"You could pay me," she suggested jokingly, but he knew from her tone she didn't actually want to do it. She just offered because she wanted to help.

"I already pay you," he huffed back thinking about her monthly alimony. She chuckled lightly. "But I don't want… You shouldn't have to do it." A thought struck him. "And neither should Fuyumi." Because he just knew that Fuyumi would offer next. And Fuyumi would be more difficult to deny than Rei.

"You could ask…what's her name? Your housekeeper," Rei suggested after a sharp nod at the mention of Fuyumi. "Would she be an option?"

Enji shrugged. He didn't know. Irina with her many grandchildren might not have the time for it. He had a different concern, though. Whoever he hired would likely have to do exercises with him – including walking exercises. At worst, they'd have to be able to catch his weight, and Irina wouldn't be able to do that. He didn't tell Rei, though, lest she got ideas and offered herself again.

"I can ask," he muttered. And maybe he would if he didn't find somebody else. He knew he should solve this issue soon. Preferably before Fuyumi got any ideas.

He celebrated his birthday in hospital. The hospital didn't allow too many visitors at once and he didn't have the energy to entertain more than a few people, so he kept it private. Fuyumi, Shoto, and Rei visited. Once they left, Silent Tracker and Hawks visited as well. They updated him on everything he had missed during the last weeks, something nobody had quite done yet, though he could piece together a lot already.

Touya hadn't been the only member of the League to be captured that day. Him aside, they had also caught Mr. Compress. Twice was dead and most of the Paranormal Liberation Army were caught as well. The doctor Kyudai Garaki, also known as Daruma Ujiko was imprisoned too. However, despite the combined efforts of Eraser Head, Best Jeanist, Hawks, Bakugou – who now went by Great Explosion Murder King DynaMight – Deku and Shoto, Shigaraki Tomura, Spinner and Himiko Toga had escaped.

17 civilians and two heroes had died from Shigaraki's Decay wave that had leveled Nasadaa. Most of the other heroes had fared much better than him. Deku had been the worst off. He'd apparently stayed two weeks in hospital himself. Hawks' wings were damaged but had regrown to almost full size already. The others had more minor injuries. Silent Tracker, who'd been knocked out early in the fight, had apparently woken up just before Enji himself had been evacuated by Quickstep.

Talking of which, Quickstep's trial would take place in four months. He still had to fulfill his part of the deal with her. He found out that Relax had been killed in the attack, which left Quickstep the sole surviving member of the JfN. Inari's widow would hate that, Enji thought ruefully.

The agency was doing surprisingly well, he learned from Silent Tracker. Shoto, Deku, Chargebolt, and Earphone Jack were still interning with the agency, learning from the sidekicks. And even DynaMight had decided to stick around since they'd need his help more than Best Jeanist's agency – after all Best Jeanist was now back. Apparently – as it turned out – Deku and DynaMight specifically had a work ethic that could compare to Enji himself. They and the sidekicks around Silent Tracker kept the agency afloat better than he could've expected. It wasn't a permanent solution, Enji knew. But at least it would allow his employees to cash in their paychecks while looking for new employment elsewhere.

And then, there was his public approval. After his battle with Shigaraki, it spiked. It hadn't quite reached pre-abuse-reveal levels, but it had increased. Just for a week or so and he had slept through it completely. After that, the criticism had returned, and now…

It could be worse, he thought mildly surprised himself. Nothing had changed. Apparently, after the initial spike and then the consequential drop it had all mellowed out exactly where it had been before.

Not that it matters anymore…

It was almost a relief that soon, he could just ignore all of that. He still had his license, he was still officially ranked as a hero. Through his efforts over the first weeks after getting the license back and before the fight in Nasadaa, he had climbed the projected ranking all the way to Nr. 73. And that would be the position he'd retire from. As soon as he announced his retirement, he would drop out of the rankings, and then he could finally stop worrying about public approval.

Honestly, he couldn't wait.

Two weeks after his birthday the doctors announced that he'd be released into a rehab program. He knew he'd release himself from the rehab center as soon as he had the issue of his care at home sorted out. To his own embarrassment, he hadn't made any progress in that. Mostly, because stuck in hospital and with his every waking hour occupied with either family visits or therapy sessions, his options were limited. He didn't even know whom to ask.

That was until one Saturday afternoon there was a knock on his door. When he asked the person inside, he thought it would be a family member, or maybe one of his sidekicks or even Aiji who came by every now and then. Instead, he was surprised by the face of a rhinoceros mutant.

"Hairo," Enji greeted, surprised. He was glad he could remember the name – which wasn't a given after his stroke.

"Ah, you're awake," the mutant said, as he entered and closed the door behind himself. "I wasn't sure. The nurse said, your therapist just left and you're always tired after that?" He sounded unsure. The nurse had probably not been very forthcoming with information. It was correct, though, he was tired.

Enji only nodded, mutely, surprised to see him of all people.

"You look good." Hairo looked serious, though he had to be joking. Enji knew how he looked. He'd lost weight, and not just a bit. His face was fallen, skin pale, hard-trained muscle reduced to skin and bone.

Enji scoffed at the compliment. Hairo clearly saw and read his mimicry well. He grinned. Leathery grey skin stretched over his strong jaw. "Still look better than me," he added self-deprecatingly. "But honestly, I mean it. The news said you would die, so this is a clear improvement." He chuckled. "You even shaved."

"I didn't shave," Enji huffed. "People do that for me now." Nobody would – and should – allow him to carry a sharp tool close to his face anytime soon. While his speech was improving rapidly now, his movement was a whole different issue.

Hairo laughed. It was a loud and bellowing sound that carried through the entire room. "I see! Probably for the better, lest you cut yourself." Enji glowered at him, not sharing in the humor at his expense. At least Hairo sobered up quickly. "I tried to come earlier," he explained. "But first, you were in coma and they only let close family visit. Then I had my trial…"

"How did it go?" Enji asked curiously. He hadn't even thought about that.

"Surprisingly well," Hairo said. "I got a fine, which will be tough to pay. Since I don't think I can meet the deadline, I'll have to spend two months in prison, but I can abide by that."

"How much?"

Hairo scowled at him. "No!" He shook his head decidedly. "We're not doing that. You did enough for me."

Enji frowned questioningly. "Why else are you here?" It seemed obvious to him. It wasn't like he and Hairo were close. They had connected over Enji's promise not to let the man go to prison. Clearly, if he still had to pay a fine, that he would end up in prison for, Enji hadn't fulfilled his promise.

Hairo looked at him queerly. His brows furrowed suspiciously, then an expression of sudden sorrow took over his face. Not for the first time, Enji noted how expressive the rhinoceros face was. It always surprised him.

"I didn't…" Hairo started, but he apparently didn't know how to finish the sentence.

"You lost your apartment," Enji stated matter-of-factly.

Hairo blinked surprised. "It wasn't mine. I rented…"

"And everything you own with it," Enji added.

Hairo scowled.

"I'm sorry..."

"What for?" The question came before Enji had even finished his apology. Enji blinked in surprise. "What the fuck for?" Hairo repeated. "If you hadn't called, who knows what would've happened? You think I forgot about that?" He pointed at Enji with fury in his face. No… Not fury. "That battle almost destroyed you. You almost died. I heard your sons were involved too… But before it happened, you called me." He pressed his hand against his own chest. "You called me! Why did you call me?"

Enji was taken aback. He eyed the mutant. Shouldn't he have called him? Had it been a mistake?

He coughed, embarrassed. "I had quite a bit of money involved—in—" Shit! He thought he was past that. Past forgetting the words. But there it was again. Whatever joke he had been about to make, it was thoroughly ruined now. Hairo clearly understood him anyway. The mutant scoffed disapprovingly. "Who else was I supposed to call?" Enji added with a helpless shrug.

"You didn't have to call anybody," Hairo replied. "None of the other heroes called anybody, did they?"

Enji had no idea, but he wouldn't have expected them to.

"So, why did you call me?" Hairo asked again, more insistently.

Enji didn't know what he was supposed to say. He stared at the other man, then he shrugged. "Your wife is sick," he said after a while. "She would've needed extra care to evacuate."

Hairo stopped short. His jaw dropped, then he clenched it tight again. "And why did you care?" he asked, hissing through his teeth.

Helplessly Enji stared at him. He didn't know what to say. What did the man want to hear? He was clearly waiting for something, but Enji wasn't sure what it was. He felt increasingly cornered. "I—" he started with a bit of a stutter. "I… I don't know… I thought…" He tried not to meet the other man's eyes. "I thought the heroes wouldn't come in time… So I could at least save some people that way."

Hairo scoffed. "And you thought, the 'some people' would be my family and me?" He shook his head. "Why not anybody else?"

Now it was Enji's turn to scowl. "I don't know that many people in Nasadaa," he answered honestly. "Is that what you came to complain about? Why I didn't call more people?"

With a frustrated groan, Hairo slapped his own forehead. "That's not… Damn, you're difficult to talk to!"

"I suffered a stroke, if you didn't—" What's the fucking word!?

"That's not what I mean." Hairo threw his hands up in frustration. Enji waited with folded arms for him to continue. "You're a buffoon!"

Enji blushed angrily. He was, however, too tired to explode in Hairo's face with indignity. Never mind that both his medication and his concern for his own well-being kept him forcibly calm. "I don't know what else to tell you," Enji said in a tight voice. "I'm a hero. What else do you expect me to say? I called you to save you because that's my job." He bit his lip. "Was my job, anyway."

He looked straight at the rhinoceros mutant again and was promptly surprised by how crestfallen the man looked.

"Oh," the mutant muttered as if that answer only occurred to him now. He dragged his hand over his thick-skinned face looking suddenly tired. "I'm an idiot, then."

Enji huffed. "What did you think?"

Hairo seemed half decided to leave again. He clearly didn't want to answer, but eventually, as Enji kept staring at him, he relented. "I thought, maybe because we're friends." His shoulders slumped. Enji's eyes widened. "But clearly I'm an idiot. Why would we be friends? Sure, you saved me from ten years or more in prison, but that's it… Not like I did anything in return. I'm just your charity case…" He sounded honestly disappointed by the revelation. Turning for the door, he was about to leave.

Enji was reeling. He thought…? But…

"Wait!" he called out. "Wait, I…" But he was suddenly embarrassed, too ashamed, and humiliated to even ask.

"What?" Hairo stood slumped at the door, one hand on the handle.

"I… Where… Where do you live now?" Enji asked, stuttering.

Hairo frowned disapprovingly. Then he shook his head. "I'm not your charity case anymore," he declared. "I'm thankful for everything you did, but you don't need to help me anymore." He was about to turn away.

"No, wait! That's not—" Enji fisted his hands into his blanket. Humiliation burned in his face.

Hairo sighed, then he turned fully towards Enji and took a few steps back into the room. Hands crossed in front of his chest, he glared down at Enji who wasn't looking back at him.

"Why do you want to know?" Enji shrugged, prompting Hairo to continue. "The municipality has offered shared apartments."

He didn't elaborate, but Enji knew what that meant. He had gathered from the letter of Biwako – one of the girls in Fuyumi's class – that she lived with three other families in a three-room apartment, sharing the bathroom and kitchen. The four members of her family living in a single room. It sounded miserable.

"I… My—My house is empty," Enji started carefully.

"I just told you, I don't want your help. Keep it!" Hairo raised his voice. Enji flinched, but not because of the volume but from the burning shame pooling in his gut.

"It's not…," he started but lost his confidence. "It's not charity." He spat the word out. In a way, it was that, wasn't it…? Just the other way around.

Hairo huffed audibly. "Yeah? What else would it be?"

Enji stared at his lap, ducking his head. "I mean… Not the way you think, anyway." He hoped Hairo would understand it, without him having to spell it out, but of course, he didn't. How would he? Enji hadn't given him any information. "I need—I mean I can't…" He shook his head. "I need help?"

"With what?" Hairo asked.

Enji glanced at him. His anger and frustration seemed to be decreasing and were slowly replaced by confusion. Enji took a shaky breath. "Everything." His eyes traveled across the hospital room meaningfully.

"What do you—Oh," Hairo finally understood. He looked utterly stunned. "You mean…" He shook his head. "But I don't have any qualifications."

Enji shrugged, already reading the head shaking as refusal. "You wouldn't need any. Most of it is just every-day-stuff… And I can hire therapists and professionals for the rest. But I get it… I just—"

"Yes."

"What?" Enji blinked, then he understood. "You'll do it? It's a lot of shitty stuff," he argued. His eyes drifted away to the bathroom door. "Literally. And some, rather humiliating tasks."

"You sound as if you don't want me to do it after all," Hairo admonished. "But I want to. As long as I don't need any qualification… Are you kidding? You're offering me a job?"

Enji's face was still flushed red, but he was relieved. "Ok… Thanks!"

"No. Thank you! Fuck!"

"Don't regret it," Enji warned with a tired smirk.

Natsuo's and Rei's final moments in this story.
Some general things about how I wanted to end the story:

I always thought to make this end 'realistically' I'd have to go different routes with the kids. So for Natsuo, I always knew that at the end of everything he'd STILL break off contact. I felt really sad, when I wrote this, I want them to have a nice resolution, but in a way, this is the 'nice resolution' for them. Natsuo can move on in peace. The reason he couldn't do that for so long, was because he was telling himself, that it wouldn't be right. He's a good person, and he knows his sister wants this family to work, so he wanted to give it a chance even knowing, that it's not what he wants. Later Enji changed a lot, did a lot of good and everything seems to be better. To Natsuo it was difficult to make the final decision, because he felt he was being petty. But everything Enji does now, can't undo what he did before. And it can't change the fact that Natsuo still remembers all the bad stuff, and still doesn't know how to deal with that, how to interact with his father.

Natsuo finally has to move on. In the beginning he was very angry at Enji, how he could even 'dare to change', when it's too late. He's grown past that now. After everything that happened, Natsuo can't stay angry at Enji for changing, he can't doubt it anymore either. He knows that Enji's change is genuine but he still needs this distance to move on. For Natsuo and Enji it's a very final goodbye. Enji doesn't plan to run after Natsuo anymore. The ball is now firmly in Natsuo's court. BUT the ball STILL is in the game. In a way, they go apart in peace, and there's nothing stopping Natsuo from going back.

Initially, I wanted to close the door completely on them, to make a fixed ending for Natsuo's character but after everything, it didn't feel right, either. So, while Enji and Natsuo are very hot-headed and dramatic, and think this is final, Rei knows, that Natsuo is 20 years old, he has all the time in the world, and there's really nothing stopping him from changing his opinion sometime down the road.

As for Shigaraki: He got away. This was something I had decided very early on: This is Endeavor's story. In canon, I suspect that Shoto will take down Touya, but I made it about Endeavor. The same wouldn't fit for Shigaraki. Shiggy is Deku's enemy. Neither of these characters are really important for the story. So, I always knew that I wouldn't conclude Shiggy's story in this. The war against the League continues without Endeavor. But I also wanted to make it like a 'positive' ending... so who knows what will happen in the next five or so years... But I didn't want to end this story on society crumbling.

Rei: Maybe you remember that all the way in the beginning, I wondered where I would leave it off with Enji and REi, and back then, I considered if maybe after everything in this hospital scene they could come back together... But it didn't feel right. I want them to end in a good place, where they can understand each other, support each other, maybe even be friends, and maybe there are still some lingering feelings. But their marriage has failed.

Lastly: Hairo has become a really important character for me in the grand scheme of the story... Because while this whole fic is a lot about Enji's family, and work, and his relationship to his colleagues and employees... What I didn't really get into that much, is his friends. He just doesn't have them. The closest thing he has to a friend in canon is probably Hawks. Hawks is twenty years younger than him and he only really knows him for a few months, they mostly bond over work. The closest thing he has to a friend in my fic, is Inari, WAS Inari, who he also really only bonded with over work. And now, that he's not an active hero anymore, what's left? Especially considering, that at the end of it all, his family also distances itself from him. I thought I found a nice place where to end the story, but it also left Enji completely alone, which wasn't what I wanted.

Enji has no idea about how friends work... Over the last few chapters, I was a bit concerned, about how much a role I wanted to give Hairo, because ultimately, just before the big finale happens, how much do you really care about Enji calling Hairo to tell him evacuate? Do we really need to read Enji asking Hairo for help in how to deal with his own children, when we're all just waiting for the introduction of the interns... I was really worried, about how all this focus on a random OC would be received and I was really glad when a few of you said you liked him. Because it turned out the character was very important. Cause ultimately I can give Enji as many fourth-graders as I want who admire him and want to be like him, I can give him a handful of 16-year-old interns that will see him as their mentor, and a hundred different colleagues who'll look up to him for leadership... But he also needs friends.