Surprise! You didn't think I was done, did you? Nah, I got a tiny bit more for you. Also, if you are stumbling across this, I highly recommend you read "His Reasons" before this as it has both spoilers from that book and you need it to understand this one. This is just a little short story for readers of the original series to see what comes next. :)

As Endeavor looked up at the large estate that was his son's home, the man couldn't help but narrow his eyes in slight disdain, wondering why he was here in the first place. He hadn't gotten much from the short message, just that Shoto and his wife wanted to talk to him about something.

But knowing the two of them, Endeavor was sure that the conversation was going to be disastrous to say the least. That's always how it was with the two of them, especially Amari. That girl had trouble following her at every turn.

So because of that, the man silently prepared for whatever he was about to face as he briefly said hello to the maids before stopping in the entrance way and preparing for the worst.

Although what he didn't expect was for a high pitched voice to ring through the space before Endeavor just barely caught the sight of a messy head of red hair. "Ayumi, come on! It's your turn to be it..!"

Hearing little feet tap against the floor, the boy turned the corner as his head turned the opposite way from Endeavor, clearly calling back to someone while he giggled wildly. "Bet you can't catch me..!"

Because he wasn't looking though, the red haired kid didn't even notice the large man a couple steps away and a moment later, the boy felt his entire body slam into Endeavor, the sheer force knocking him off of his feet and tumbling to the ground.

And any normal adult probably would've helped the boy but because Endeavor didn't know much about raising kids, he just stood there silently, watching as the kid looked up at the hero's towering stance with his arms crossed.

Knowing he probably should say something though, the man managed to mutter out. "Watch where you're going."

The kid on the over hand widened his eyes at the presence, quickly stumbling to his feet before taking a step back. Wow, he looked really angry. "Sorry.."

Endeavor couldn't help but sigh though, taking in Toya's scared stance and getting hit with a flash of horrible nostalgia, the kind that would always seem to appear after seeing the boy.

He couldn't help it, the fact that Shoto's kid looked and acted like his dead son.

It was something that Endeavor was constantly reminded of, a tick of shame entering his throat at the boy's reaction to his words. Maybe he shouldn't have said that, but what could he do to change it?

Sighing at the idea, the hero tried his best not to look so scary, although for a six foot guy, it proved to be quite difficult. The man just didn't know how to talk to kids. "Hello Toya."

Toya pushed his lips together in response before holding onto the end of his shirt in anxiety. The fact was, out of all of his family members, blood related or not, grandfather Enji was probably the scariest of all.

And it didn't matter how many times his mom called the man "a harmless grumpy old teddy bear" the boy and his sister still didn't know how to act around him. It seemed like he was always struggling wherever the two crossed paths. "Hi, grandpa Enji."

The two sat in silence for a moment before Endeavor spoke up again, obviously trying to keep the conversation going for some reason. "Where's the other one?"

Knowing that the hero meant his sister, Toya pointed a finger behind him. "We were playing hide in seek. She's counting…"

Endeavor couldn't help but move his gaze towards where he was pointing before his lips forced out a response, probably a little harsher than he had meant it to be. "You know, you shouldn't run around like that."

He meant it as a safety thing but his tone suggested that he was scolding the boy, causing Toya to take a step backwards before pouting his lips silently. "Sorry…"

Seeing that his words had the opposite effect, Endeavor took a step further with the intent to fix his mistake. What was the right thing to say to the kid, what would make him not so scared, what would be different than the past? "Toya…"

Although before he could speak, another loud voice carried over the space, except this time Endeavor could only internally groan at who it belonged to. "You're here! Why, if it isn't my favorite father in law..."

At the term, Endeavor turned to the woman before shaking his head, knowing that she was only saying that because she knew it pissed him off. "How long are you going to say that? I told you that term was off limits."

Giggling at his frustration though, Amari only clapping her hands before throwing her past trainer a playful wink. "Aww come on, you know you love it. I know exactly how you are Enji.."

Endeavor could already feel a headache forming at her teasing tone, causing the hero to groan in exasperation before looking at Shoto's wife with disdain. She was still the same as ever. "And here I would've thought you would have grown out of your childish tendencies by now. You're a grown woman Amari, have you forgotten?"

The woman in question only scoffed though, crossing her arms over her chest. "No, I haven't, but being an adult doesn't mean I have to be a stick in the mud like you though. Looks like I'll never grow out of them. How unlucky for you, huh?"

Laughing again at her own joke, Amari then forced herself to calm down before turning serious. "Seriously though, thanks for coming. Shoto and I wanted to talk to you about something. I know you're busy so it means a lot that you're here."

Almost as if on cue, Shoto entered the space a moment later, carrying his daughter in his arms before giving a nod to Endeavor. "Father.."

Matching his nod, the hero replied shortly, in true Todoroki fashion. "It's good to see you son.."

Clapping her hands together, Amari then spoke up for the two of them, her happy personality a clear difference from the neutral ones in front of her. "Alright! Let's get started now that everyone's here shall we?"

Todoroki then lowered Ayumi down to the ground before placing her next to her brother. "Ayumi, play with your brother for a bit while we talk. Don't be too reckless and look out for each other, okay?"

The two kids turned towards their father before nodding their little heads with passion, both of their voices ringing out at the same time. "Okay daddy, we promise!"

Satisfied with the answer, Todoroki then lifted himself from the floor before smiling. "Good. We'll be right back."

Glancing at Shoto with an impressed smile, Amari then gestured the two Todoroki's into the next room, taking one final glance at their kids before getting back to business.

"Are you going to tell me why I'm here?"

That was the first thing Endeavor said as soon as they entered the room, causing Amari and Shoto to look at each other before taking a seat in the two separate chairs in front of them.

The two of them didn't know exactly how this was going to go but the girl was metaphorically crossing her fingers as she spoke. "Surprising enough, it's not about us, it's about Toya."

At the name of the child, Endeavor's eyes widened a fraction of an inch. "What about him?

Sensing the unease in the room, Todoroki spoke next, his voice even and smooth. "He has his quirk now."

And that was surprising given that Endeavor hadn't heard of that yet, his arms crossing over his chest in a huff. Sure, getting a quirk was great but he didn't understand what that had to do with him. "You called me here just to tell me that? I thought you said this was too important to tell over the phone.."

Although Amari cut him off a second later, her eyes filled with an intense serious gaze. "It's not just any quirk, he has a fire quirk."

Wait, a fire quirk? Amari's son had a fire quirk like him, like a strong number of the Todoroki line? I mean, it wasn't that rare of a notion so he didn't see why the two were treating it like some kind of bomb shell or something.

Trying to hide his shock, Endeavor replied. "I see. But I still don't understand what that has to do with me…?"

Then he watched as Amari shared a glance with her husband before placing her hand over his with a sigh. "Look Endeavor, Shoto may have fire but it's no secret that his ice side is the most powerful right now, and I don't even have a quirk anymore. Toya's going to need someone to look after him and I thought that maybe…"

Seeing that she was struggling with her words, Shoto finished for her, his voice far more blunt than his wife's in every sense of the word, causing Endeavor widened his eyes immediately.

"Father, we want you to train him."

The air stood extremely still as Endeavor tried to process his son's words. He must have been hearing things. Shoto and Amari wanted him to train their son? After he abused his own child, after he neglected his own blood for so long, now they wanted him to do it again?

So much so that he felt himself rise from his seat desperate to leave this conversation. "No, absolutely not."

Hearing the rejection though, Amari frowned before standing up to meet him. "Whoa whoa, hey come on. Hear us out at least before you walk away, will you? I think it could be good for both of you and.."

Although she was quickly cut off by the man, his anger and fear mixed all at once. "I don't want to hear anything you say, my answer is final. I refuse to train that boy. Do you even remember the past Shoto, do you even recall how you felt when I trained you?"

At his words, Shoto pushed his lips together before nodding his head. "You're right, I hated you for it, I hated you for years because of it."

Feeling a sharp flash of shame in his throat, Endeavor's eyes fell before turning back to the door. "If you remember then this conversation is finished."

Although, that's when Shoto said something surprising. "I remember hating you for it, but I also remember how you supported and protected Amari when she needed you most, how you trained me to use my fire side for my provisional exam even after everything, and I remember how you invited me back to live with all of you after Toya's death.."

Finishing lightly, the monochrome man couldn't help but smile at his next words, knowing how far his family had come since he was a child. He knew it wasn't the same, and that's why he didn't have any doubt about this.

"That is why I am confident that you will be able to help him in a positive way, why I trust you to do so.."

Endeavor couldn't help but blink in disbelief at what his son was saying. Sure, Amari always had this kind of unrealistic faith in him but he thought that Shoto would be the first person to completely shut down the idea given what happened in the past.

But that clearly wasn't the case, in fact it almost seemed like the two toned boy was fully trusting him to take care of his child, and that was something Endeavor hadn't expected in the slightest.

So much so that the hero felt his mouth run dry at the very idea. "You have no idea what nonsense you are saying. It seems all this time with Amari has turned you into an idiot like her. You out of everyone should know why that's not possible."

The truth was, Endeavor was terrified about the idea, for multiple reasons. The most important being that he was afraid to ruin that kid just like he had ruined his entire family, like he had ruined Shoto and his late son Toya. Why were they even trusting him with this kind of thing?

He didn't want it, he didn't want to be the cause of another mistake, another sin.

The second reason was just simply that the man didn't know how to deal with kids. Sure, he had his own but he could hardly call himself a "good father" in any sense of the word.

Sadly, everything that came out of his mouth usually either sounded like an insult or something filled with disdain. Even the interaction with Toya in the entrance was a sign of his communication flaws.

You see, Endeavor just wasn't a "family man" and that showed more than ever.

But it was also because every time he looked at Toya, the hero couldn't help but be reminded of the past, of how he utterly failed his son to the point of villainy and then death. The two were too similar, with his red hair and familiar attitude.

He couldn't do it, he just couldn't, he couldn't relive that horrible past again.

Feeling a wave of sadness pour through him, Endeavor lowered his eyes slightly before muttering mostly to himself. "Besides, that child would do better without me. It's obvious to tell that he's scared of me."

At this, Amari pushed her lips together in thought before giving him a reassuring smile and patting him on the back once. "Toya just doesn't know what to make of you yet. I mean, you do have a rough exterior most of the time. Maybe you just gotta spend some more time together so that he can learn to love your tsundere attitude like we do."

Although, her suggestion sounded more like a nightmare than anything. "If you know what's good for you, you'll keep that boy far away from me. Training him will only end in disaster."

The female Bakugo only frowned before pointing to herself in question. "What are you talking about, you trained me, remember? And I turned out fine!"

Yet Endeavor only deadpanned before replying plainly. "That's still up for debate."

Slapping her past trainer in the shoulder, Amari scoffed at his distaste. "Rude. I mean it Endeavor, you're not that bad of a guy so quit putting yourself down. I mean I think you're pretty great, and I'm sure Toya will think so too!"

Yet the hero wasn't swayed in the slightest, his eyes casted down. The amount of faith they had in him was overwhelming but Endeavor knew he didn't deserve it, not after everything.

Yes he may have done a couple good things in his life but he had equally done as many terribles ones as well. He may have taken Amari in but it was only to settle his own grief. Hell, the hero didn't even find out about her relationship with Dabi and her goals to fix their family until it was too late.

He almost let her die like that, and that was something that Endeavor would never forget. His blinded eyes, his disregard for the danger that girl had faced for him, it would always haunt him.

So because of that, he just couldn't do what they wanted. "It doesn't matter what you think in that messed up brain of yours, I'm not doing it, and that's final."

Sensing discourse in his voice, Amari and Shoto then looked to each other before confirming that maybe now wasn't the time. Ah well, it was worth a shot.

Although that's when the blonde haired woman tried her second tactic, sighing heavily at the rejection. "Alright Alright fine, I get it. It was worth a try. We'll come back to that later. In the meantime though, we have another question for you."

Todoroki then nodded his head before gesturing to his father to sit back down. "Amari and I have a hero summit to attend tomorrow night and we were wondering if you could watch Toya while we're gone?"

The whiplash of the conversation was certainly not something Endeavor had prepared for, it was almost as if the two of them already knew he was going to turn down their request to train Toya.

But the utter idea of watching the same kid that reminded him of his grief for his dead son seemed like the worst idea ever, the man scoffing immediately. "You're not serious. You want me to, babysit? What kind person do I look like to you?"

That's when the two of them opened their mouths as Endeavor put his hands out. He just knew they were going to insult him about something, it was obvious. "Never mind, don't answer that. What about the other child?"

Amari shut her mouth a moment later, erasing the planned joke in her head for the hero before answering his question instead. "Eri, Fuyumi and Rei are planning on taking Ayumi for a girls day tomorrow so they said they will watch her for the meeting. Although, we both don't feel comfortable leaving Toya alone either. And since you're retired we thought that.."

Todoroki then finished for her plainly. "We thought that you could watch him for us, if possible. Amari and I would feel a lot better than just leaving him with a random babysitter."

The man couldn't help but drop his mouth open in disbelief though. "Did you not hear everything I just said about that child? I want nothing to do with him."

Yet the female Bakugo was not one to give up, the girl knowing fully well the reason why he liked to keep Toya at a distance, and she wasn't going to allow it. "You're telling me that the previous number one hero can't handle a six year old kid for a couple hours? Come on Endeavor, you were able to handle me for years. Toya should be a piece of cake compared to that."

And although the girl meant it as a joke, the hero couldn't help but see the truth in the statement. Yes, he hated the idea of being responsible for another kid but Amari was right. He did watch her dumbass for years and she didn't turn out that messed up.

Also as much as he couldn't help it, Endeavor did feel bad about turning down the offer to train their son. He felt ashamed, unable to shove down the grief and nostalgia enough to help out his family. He was running away and the man knew that. It was cowardly and unlike him in every way.

He was the number one hero damn it, he could handle this task. It was only for a few hours after all, and then he'd just send the kid back with Amari and Shoto. It was the least he could do after everything.

Besides, it seemed like he was the only available option out there anyways. "Fine, but only if he doesn't do something stupid like run into a burning building filled with Nomu like his mother."

Scoffing at the idea, Amari couldn't help roll her eyes at the small jab of her past. "Very funny, you're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

Todoroki seemed more thankful for the confirmation though, nodding his head in approval. "Thank you father. It will only be a couple of hours at most and then we will be home."

Sighing heavily, Endeavor then moved towards the door before muttering under his breath, not knowing what he had fully agreed to just yet. "I should hope so..."

Once he was gone though, Amari couldn't help but let out an anxious breath before turning to her husband with a nervous smile. "Well, that could have gone worse I suppose."

Shoto seemed to share her nervous nature though, standing from the chair before making his way over to her, snaking a light hand to her waist with a hum. "Do you think he'll be okay?"

Twisting her brow in silent thought, Amari then leaned into the man before shaking her head with a small chuckle. "I'm sure he'll be fine. The guy was the number one hero before all this. Although, I'm pretty sure Toya will give him some trouble as well."

Yet that's when a slight bit of sadness worked its way into her throat before thinking about Endeavor's very clear rejection of their request to train their son. "I get where he's coming from but I just wanted to show him that he doesn't have to be afraid of messing up again. I know he's terrified of letting the past repeat itself but he can't run forever, especially if he wants to have a part in Ayumi and Toya's lives."

She knew his fear, in fact she didn't blame him for it. After so many mistakes Amari was sure that Endeavor was outright terrified of taking care of a child, even if it wasn't his own.

And although he didn't say it, the guy acted like he was poison to the two kids, like he shouldn't be anywhere around them, like he'll corrupt them or something like that.

And that broke Amari's heart, mostly because she knew just how hard Enji tried for his family and just how hard he probably wanted to be a part of the twins lives. She understood the reluctance about everything but the girl wasn't going to let him run away from it.

Because if he ignored the problem then he would be just doing the same thing again like with Natsuo and Fuyumi. Nothing would ever change and that's not how Shoto or Amari wanted their family to be.

Shoto as well seemed to share the same feeling, which was surprising to his wife. Amari thought she'd have to convince him more about the idea but even he seemed ready to trust his father with something like this, and she was thankful.

Looking down at his feet, Todoroki sighed. "I agree. The last thing I want is for our children to be neglected like we were. They deserve better, I want to give them better."

His wife could feel the overwhelming passion in his voice, causing Amari to turn towards him before placing a loving hand on his cheek in order to trace the outline of his scar.

Shoto was always so sweet, wanting to give Ayumi and Toya a better life than the ones they got. She admired it, how far he went to accomplish such a thing and it was the same for her. That's all she wanted for them to.

All they wanted was for them to never experience the heartbreaking pain of neglect, abuse or isolation that the two of them had known for their entire lives.

And for most that seemed easy but for two parents that hardly knew what the meaning of normal was, it was something that was always on the forefront of their minds.

Pushing her lips into a light smile, Amari replied. "Don't worry Shoto, we will."

The utter warmth and care in her voice was enough to make him melt instantly, placing a hand to cover hers before pushing it close to his lips and kissing it lightly. "I know we will. I just worry that's all. I want Ayumi and Toya to live without a single fear, I want them to have what we didn't."

Letting her eyes fall in slight sadness for their devastating pasts, Amari closed her eyes as soon as Shoto's lips met the inside of her palm. "That's all I want also. Do you think Endeavor will change his mind about Toya? I really hope he does.."

Pulling her hand away, Todoroki thought about the question before placing her hand back on his cheek. "I'm not sure. But I hope that after tomorrow he'll at least be more comfortable with the idea."

Amari then couldn't help but groan to herself, turning away from his husband before placing a nervous hand through her hair. "It's my fault, isn't it? I should have never suggested the name Toya cause now it's like Endeavor can't even look at him without freaking out. The resemblance was bad enough but now…"

Although that's when Shoto stopped her wandering thoughts. "Amari, it's not your fault. Of course the name is going to be strange for him but our child is not my big brother. He needs to realize that.."

Groaning once again, the female Bakugo couldn't help but place her hands into her head before answering. "I know, I know he's not. But I feel like I just made this whole thing harder for him. It's obvious he's still grieving.."

Just then, a small voice echoed from behind them as Amari felt a tiny hand grab onto her pants with a small pull. "Mommy, are you okay?"

Blinking in surprise, the girl then looked down only to find Toya staring back at her with large concerned eyes, causing Amari's worry to drift away in order to not scare the boy. "Ah, yes sweetheart. I'm okay. Sorry, did I worry you?"

Toya nodded his head though, causing Amari to get down to his level in order to give him a hug before the boy muttered into her shirt. "What were you talking about with grandpa Enji?"

Smiling softly, she then pulled her kid away before placing a hand on his head and ruffling his red hair playfully. "I was just about to talk to you about that actually. Your dad and I have to go to a big hero meeting tomorrow night. But while we're gone, how do you feel about spending some time with your grandpa for a couple hours?"

And although she assumed that Toya would be onboard with the idea, she watched as his little eyes widened with surprise before shaking his head. "No, I don't wanna Mommy. Please don't make me..grandpa Enji is scary.."

This caused Amari's face to fall before Shoto leaned down as well in order to help Amari out. "Toya, he's your family. Maybe if you spent more time together then you would see that he isn't as scary."

Yet the little boy only shook his head before crossing his arms. "Nuh uh, he always looks at me so angry all the time. I don't wanna go there."

Sighing heavily, Amari realized that she would have to try another approach, grabbing onto Toya's waist lightly before gesturing to her knee. "Come here Toya, Mommy wants to tell you a story about grandpa Enji."

Toya followed silently, plopping himself onto her lap before his mother continued lightly, speaking slowly as she played with the sections of her hair. "I used to think he was kind of scary also, because he has a grumpy face all the time. But your grandpa has done so much for me, he made me into a hero, he believed in me, he trained me. So that's why I just need you to give him a chance, okay?"

Humming in slight nostalgia, Amari finished. "I know he doesn't seem very friendly but grandpa Eniji has been through a lot, he's lost a lot of people he's loved. That's why we have to be patient with him. He really wants to know you Toya, but he just doesn't know how just yet.."

Shoto nodded in response before adding lightly. "Your mother is right, my father is hard to talk to sometimes but he isn't a bad person. It would mean a lot to both of us if you at least tried to understand him a bit."

At his parents' words, Toya scrunched his nose up in pure thought before letting their words sink in. He really didn't want to spend time with such a scary man but if his mom and dad both thought he was a good person, then maybe he wasn't so bad?

Because of that, the little boy then sighed roughly before dipping his head in defeat. "I'll try."

That was enough for his parents, causing Amari to smile widely before picking the boy small up and spinning him around. It was a start, and that already made her so relieved. "Thank you sweetheart! You know what this means, ice cream!"

Throwing his arms out happily, the boy cheered at the idea. "Yes yes! Ice creammmm!"

Yet that's when Shoto followed behind her with a small frown. "Amari, that's extremely unhealthy. We can't just have ice cream, not before dinner.."

The female Bakugo only shook her head and stuck out her tongue at that, realizing that he had shot down her dreams. "Don't listen to daddy, he's not invited to our ice cream party."

Although underneath her frown was a small smile, winking back to her husband before he couldn't help but give into her childish nature, shaking his head in exasperation. "Fine, but only a little.."

Gigging at the agreement, both Toya and Amari cheered once again before his mother moved out of the room, taking in her sons smiling face with glee. "Alright! Now let's go get your sister so she can join in on the fun, what do you say?!"

Toya then lifted his little arms towards the sky before waving them around in excitement before turning towards Shoto with a laugh. "Yayyy! Ice creammmm, Ice cream party! Come on daddy!"

And even that was enough to make the two toned boy cave, his lips turned into a small smile before following his crazy wife and child with a small laugh.

Now this, this is what their kids deserved.

"I'm coming.."

Endeavor, the number one hero, had faced many trials in the past but none were quite like this one. Because you see, fighting villains was one thing but it seemed like this was something else entirely, the man now staring down into the wide eyes of Amari and Shoto's kid as he waited for him to say something.

It had only been mere minutes since the two had left him with this monstrosity and Endeavor was already at a loss of what to do. What was he supposed to say, what was he supposed to do until his parents came back? The hero was sadly at a loss.

So much so, his stare came off as a glare as the little boy sucked in a nervous breath, wondering what he could have done to make his grandfather angry already. "Grandpa Enji..?"

Snapping out of his own anxiety, Endeavor then shook his head before walking away from the child, fully expecting him to follow behind as Shoto did when he was child. "So, what does a child like you usually do then?"

Although the kid only stayed still, watching his grandfather leave before muttering to himself. "I don't know…"

The answer frustrated him mostly because it gave him no idea on what he should be doing next, his voice coming out rather harsh in response. "That's not an answer…"

Toya couldn't help but gulp at that before Endeavor realized his mistakes, forcing his voice to even out before coughing in order to cover his previous tone. That wasn't right, was it? "I mean, I see. What does your mom and dad do with you then?"

Holding onto his shirt with little hands, Toya forced himself to come up with some kind of answer so that his grandfather wouldn't be upset with him. "We like to play games or pretend or and stuff like that. Do you like to play games, grandpa Enji?"

Although that idea seemed utterly ridiculous to the hero, knowing that when his children were younger he didn't dwell on those foolish things. Hell, Endeavor didn't even know where to start with that. He didn't even own any kinds of games.

In fact, when he was a child his parents only cared about training, which meant he was really out of his league on this one, more than he wanted to admit.

He really was the farthest thing from a family man, wasn't he?

Scoffing at the utter idea, Endeavor crossed his arms over his chest. "Of course not. I spend my time doing far more important things than that. Any other pointless things you like to do?"

Although his own frustration seemed to seep into his words, causing the hero to close his eyes in shame. Couldn't he do anything right? Why was it so hard to talk to this kid?

Lucky enough though, Toya answered again, far more meek this time though, almost like he was afraid to be criticized again. "I like to color…"

Color? He didn't know much about that either, but that's when Endeavor vaguely remembered the old box of crayons on the top shelf of Fuyumi's closet that was now collecting dust. At least he could do something with that.

Nodding his head, Endeavor then turned around without explanation before stomping down the hallway and loudly speaking to his grandchild with a huff. "Don't move, I'll be back."

The poor man's words only sounded like a threat though, causing Toya's lips to squeeze shut as he watched his grandfather aggressively leave his sight. Maybe he said something wrong to anger him again? He didn't know.

Yet he received his answer a couple minutes later when Endeavor slammed the door back open only for the boy to see a couple pieces of plain white paper and a box of crayons in his hands.

Then the man practically threw the items on the table before pointing to him with his head turned, signally that he had brought them for the kid. "There, that should satisfy you, right?"

Blinking in surprise, Endeavor then plopped down on the other side of the table before taking the remote in his hands and turning on the TV. There, now the kid could have something to do without him having to mess anything else up.

Toya seemed to accept this as well, looking at the art supplies before opening the box and getting to work silently as the hero sighed. Why did he think he could do this? He didn't know anything about kids. Of course it would be a disaster.

He had ruined all of his children, that was an undeniable truth that would never go away, no matter how hard he tried. It didn't matter how good his intentions were, he just wasn't cut out for this kind of thing.

And he never faltered Shoto's kid for being scared of him, that's just the way Endeavor was, it was the way that his parents had taught him to be. What was it even like to be normal, to have a normal conversation? Endeavor didn't know, he just couldn't process it.

Sure, Amari had understood him but she was also an idiot with a death wish for most of her life. The truth was, not everyone was like her, and even then he had almost let her die, almost let her sacrifice herself for his happiness.

And then there was Toya, his Toya.

His son, the one that he had let die two times over, the one that he had chosen to ignore for his entire life. He knew it was his fault, because he didn't hold him close and that was something that the hero would never forgive himself for.

And yet, after all of that, why would Amari ever let him near another kid, why would Shoto trust him with his?

Some hero he was, right? He couldn't even protect the things closest to him. Endeavor knew he'd only ruin the boy, that much was obvious.

Just then, a small tap caused Endeavor to snap out of his own delusions before looking down and finding a piece of paper in front of him. Wait that wasn't here before.

That's when Toya's small voice entered a moment later, pointing to the object. "It's for you."

Fixing his eyes in confusion, Endeavor then lifted up the paper before widening his eyes at the sight before him. It was a small drawing of him in his hero suit next to another stick figure with a blonde hair covered in gold.

Not fully understanding, the hero replied. "What is this?"

Scooting a tiny bit closer, Toya answered lightly. "Mommy said that you helped her be a hero, so this is you and her fighting all the bad guys together.."

The man couldn't help but stare at that picture and the little blobs that told an untold story, one that was certainly surprising to Endeavor. He had never expected Amari to tell him something like that. "I see."

Bouncing up and down in his seat, the boy beamed. "Do you like it?"

Although, Endeavor didn't know exactly how to answer, staring at the small stick figures before replying plainly. "It's alright, needs some work.."

This caused Toya to frown before watching as Endeavor stuck the picture into his back pocket. Well at least he didn't' throw it out. Maybe he didn't completely hate it then.

Shaking the comment off, the little boy settled on a new topic. "Did you really train mommy, all by yourself?"

At the mention of Amari, Endeavor couldn't help but shake his head, remembering all the trouble that girl had put him through throughout the years. "I did, and she was just as frustrating as she is now. Not much has changed.."

Nodding his head in excitement, Toya added. "I heard she was really cool, like the best hero ever!"

Endeavor couldn't help but scoff at that though. Those idiotic words sounded like something Amari would say about herself in order to sound cool. "Who did you hear that from, your mom?"

And to his suspicion, he was correct, the little boy nodding his head. "Yeah! That's why I wanna be a hero just like them. I just gotta learn my quirk, and then they said I'll be unstoppable!"

At the declaration, Toya then looked down at his hands before saddening slightly and muttering mostly to himself. "But it seems I'm no good yet. I gotta learn really fast, for both of them.."

His choice of words was certainly strange to the hero, although before he could question it, Toya scooted even closer with a hopefully look in his eyes. "Hey, I heard that you have a fire quirk too! Could you teach me just like you did with mommy? Then I can be a super cool hero like her!"

Yet that's when Endeavor's eyes clouded with uncertainty before all of his past mistakes and sins worked its way up into his throat. He needed to get off this topic, and fast. "You're wrong child, that's the last thing you should want."

Pushing himself off of the floor in order to get away from the horrible idea, he paused when he heard small footsteps follow after him. W-Wait! Grandpa Enji, why not..?"

Yet Endeavor only screwed his eyes shut. No, no why won't they just listen?! He couldn't do this, he couldn't ruin this kid like everyone else. "Because, it's better that way. I'm not who you think I am, child, you'd be better off with someone else as your trainer."

Toya could hardly understand though, following the large man down the hallway in hopes to make him listen. "But my mommy said that you're.."

Gritting his teeth, all of his own fear and anxiety seemed to burst then, Endeavor stopping before slamming open the door next to him in order to reveal a training room of some sort. "It doesn't matter what she says, she was wrong. Just drop it kid, my answer is final. I am not going to ruin anyone else in my family. I refuse.."

The hero then shut his mouth before cutting himself off and staring at the training room that brought him so many unpleasant memories. Memories of Shoto crying, memories of Toya begging his father to love him, memories of Amari pushing on because of a death wish he never knew about. It was too much, it was all too much..

Toya followed the man silently, stepping into the training space before hearing his grandfather speak again, slow and quiet, like it was against his will. "Why do you even want to be a hero in the first place..? Do you even know what that really means?"

Although the little boy didn't have to think about that question at all, already knowing the answer. "Because I know Mommy had to say goodbye to her quirk for me and Ayumi, that she chose us over being a hero. That's why I gotta do the bestest thing and show her that I'm strong too, to make her proud and show that having us wasn't a bad thing."

And that was something Endeavor has certainly not expected to hear, turning back to her boy in surprise before seeing his palms light up with sparkling gold colored fire.

So that's why this kid was so adamant to become a hero and have him train him, it was because he wanted to prove to Amari that losing her quirk wasn't for nothing. How sweet, he really loved his mom, didn't he?

Pushing his lips into a frown, Toya then looked down at the golden flames before replying. "That's why I gotta be a hero the fastest, so I can be just like her. If mommy can't be a hero anymore then I'll be one for her."

Endeavor then watched as the little red haired boy pushed his hands out in a pose similar to his mother before smiling widely, almost like he had mimicked it from a news article. "That's right, I'm gonna be the bestest hero the world's ever seen so that mommy and daddy can be happy all the time!"

A small tiny flame escaped his palms as Toya's little eyes grew wide with pride as Endeavor took in his declaration. He didn't want to be a hero for himself. No, he wanted to be one for Shoto and Amari. That idea itself was overwhelming.

In fact, the hero would have thought that the boy would've said something self centered or foolish given his age but it seemed even he had a reason for being a hero. He wondered if the kid blamed himself for Amari turning quirkless, he hoped not.

The reason was so powerful that Endeavor couldn't help but shake his head, forcing all of his fear away for a single solitary moment. With a reason like that, how could he ever ignore it? "Your arm is too low, that's why the flames are small. Raise it up thirty degrees."

Blinking in surprise, Toya turned to his grandfather only to see his arms crossed. Wait, was he helping him? "What do you mean?"

Endeavor could only sigh at this, moving over to the boy before standing beside him and lifting his arms into the position he was going for. "Like this. Lift your arm so it matches mine."

Pushing his lips in determination, Toya then nodded his head before raising his little arm so it matched his grandfathers, causing Endeavor to reply. "Good, now when you're activating your quirk, think of something powerful. Quirks trigger through heavy emotion. That will cause a bigger flame.."

Toya thought about his words before closing his eyes in order to think of something that would trigger a bigger flame. That's when he felt his fingers start to spark with golden flames, shooting out from his palms as Endeavor hummed. "Keep thinking, let it get stronger and so will the fire.."

So the boy did just that, thinking about his reason for being a hero, for making both of his parents proud of him. That's all he wanted, he just wanted them to see that having him and his sister wasn't such a bad thing. That wasn't a waste. He didn't want them to be a waste.

Feeling his palm heat up through his fingers, he heard his grandfather's voice through his own wandering thoughts, gazing at the growing golden flames. "Keep it steady, that's it."

And although the boy couldn't see, he felt like he was doing it, like his quirk was growing as he continued to think about the same desires, letting it completely consume him. That's it, he could be a hero like this, he could make his parents smile like this.

He didn't want to make them sad, not like before.

That's when a flash of memory entered his mind, recalling a conversation that he overheard last year when he couldn't sleep, the little boy peeking into his parents room as their words couldn't help but feel his mind.

Whatever it was, his mom seemed upset about the news.

Pro hero Ember has dropped ten more rankings since her leave of absence. It seems the majority of citizens are concerned with her recent dip in the hero chart. The once third place hero has now fallen so far. It really is a tragedy, isn't it?

Turning the object off immediately, five year old Toya watched as his father pulled his mom into his arms before speaking out lightly. "It's okay Amari, those kinds of things don't matter. I'm still here for you, okay?"

Although that's when he heard his mothers tears, her voice raspy from the report. "I know, it just hurts. I don't regret my decision but some days it's just harder than others. I just wish the world wasn't so cruel, I wish I could have both. I wish I didn't have to chose."

Pushing her hair from her face, Toya's father then lowered his eyes before rubbing small circles across her back in order to calm her. "I know, sometimes I wish you didn't either…"

Toya hadn't meant to overhear that conversation but since then it was something he couldn't escape from, no matter how hard he tried. He didn't want his mom to be sad, he didn't want her to feel bad for giving birth to him and his sister.

He wanted her to be happy.

Feeling his teeth grit with frustration for himself, the heat in his palms turned scolding hot before thinking about that horrible night. He never asked for his mom to give up her quirk, he never asked for her to end her hero career as number three for him.

He never asked for any of it.

The amount of passion was so strong that Endeavor watched as Toya's flames grew larger by the second, the once tiny sparkle radiating a small sized flame. Whatever he was thinking about, the emotions were really strong.

But in Toya's own mind, he found himself spiraling, thinking about a hundred thoughts at once before feeling immediately dizzy. It's like they were suffocating him, like his only desire at this moment was to make his parents proud of him.

I know you didn't have a choice Mommy, I know it's my fault you lost your quirk but I promise I'll show you that I can be strong too! I can be a hero just like you and Daddy, watch me!"

Although that's when Endeavor watched as the excessive heat caused the once golden flames to start to change color before he could even realize it, causing the hero to widen his eyes and the very familiar glow that now filled the space.

And that was because Toya's flames weren't gold anymore.

No, they were blue.

The same color blue as Dabi, the exact same color as his dead son Toya's was. In fact, no one in his family had ever been able to create blue flames other than the late Todoroki Toya himself, and that thought utterly terrified Endeavor.

Widening his eyes in horror at the blue colored glow, Endeavor then shouted through the space, causing the little boy to lose his focus immediately. "S-Stop, stop stop it right now..!"

All at once, all of his swirling thoughts and the glow died down as Toya opened his eyes only to find his grandfather utterly terrified. Wait, why did he look so afraid of him? "Grandpa Enji..?"

Yet when he took a step forward, the hero took one back, his hands shaky and unsteady. He was dead, his son was dead. Dabi was dead. There was no way, there was no way that this child by the same name had the same quirk. "N-No no no, it's impossible, there's no way.."

Opening his mouth to speak, Endeavor quickly cut him off before yelling out of the empty room for a maid to hear him. "Call Amari and Shoto right now!"

His loud voice caused Toya to flitch before reaching out to his grandfather, not knowing what was going on. "Grandfather.."

Yet that's when the old man flinched back, taking back more steps backwards to clearly show his fear before turning to leave. He needed to get out of here. He couldn't do this.

Because that boy reminded him of Dabi. "Don't touch me..!"

Toya then retracted his hand in fear only for Endeavor to practically run out of the training room before leaving the poor kid there, absolutely utterly confused.

What just happened, did he do something wrong?

Amari and Todoroki raced to Endeavor's house as fast as they could, wondering what the hell was going on. They didn't get much from the sudden phone call, only the hero demanding they get over there as fast as possible.

If anything, he seemed kind of scared for some reason?

Once they entered the space, Shoto and his wife found Toya crying by himself outside of the living room as Amari quickly reached down and brushed the tears from his little cheeks. "Sweetheart, it's okay, mommy's here. What's wrong, what happened?"

Although that's when the door opened only for Endeavor to stare down the red haired boy before turning to his parents with serious intent. "Amari, Shoto, get in here. We need to talk."

Not fully understanding, the female Bakugo then lifted herself up before placing a loving hand on her child's head. "Toya, I'm going to talk to grandpa Enji, okay? Are you going to be okay for a couple minutes?"

Nodding his head through his tears, a maid then appeared behind her before bowing formally. "Don't worry, we will take care of the boy in your absence Todoroki."

And as much as it killed her to leave her son while he was upset, she knew that she needed to have some words with Endeavor, words that were inappropriate for her child to hear. "Thank you."

Then she turned to her father in law before following him into the next store room as Shoto followed her silently, a heavy glare also on his face.

And as soon as the door closed, Amari didn't hold back. "You wanna tell me you called me screaming and why when I get here I find my kid crying, Enji? You better start explaining.."

Placing a calming hand to her shoulder in order to quell her Bakugo side, Shoto watched as his father shook his head, obviously at war with himself. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Not understanding, Amari crossed her arms. "What are you even talking about?"

Yet Endeavor was quickly clarified, the haunted sight of Toya's blue flames causing his hands to shake once again. "That kid, his quirk.."

Shoto and Amari were still utterly confused though, her husband choosing to answer this time. "What about his quirk?"

Gritting his teeth together, Endeavor then lifting his arms out with a shout. "His flames, they were blue.."

And that caused both Todoroki and Amari to widen their eyes, only knowing one other person that could make such a thing, and he was dead. No, it couldn't be.. "W-What?"

Shaking his head, the hero felt himself spiral, placing back in forth as he shouted in their direction. "Do you know how rare that is? How it should be impossible! There is no reason for him to have that kind of power...and yet I saw it...I saw it with my own eyes…"

Amari tried to process his words as well, her eyes traveling back down to her hands before twisting Toya's old ring in between her fingers. Her son had Dabi's power? But that didn't make any sense, the last time she saw her sons quirk it was gold, not blue.

Her thoughts were cut off by Endeavor's grief though, his anxiety filling the space, and rightfully so. He thought he'd never see a quirk like that ever again. "At first I thought it was just a resemblance but now...it's like he's back somehow…"

And that terrified the hero because if Toya was back then that meant that Dabi could also return somehow also, like the past could repeat itself. And that was Endeavor's worst nightmare.

Bakugo couldn't help but call out his utter insanity though. "Hold on, do you hear yourself? Toya is dead, you saw him die. My son is not him. He's not Dabi and he's not your Toya, okay? I get that you're freaking out but.."

Although Endeavor cut her off. "Amari, you've seen the picture in your agency, you can't possibly tell me that Toya doesn't look exactly like my son did as a child. And now with his quirk, that can't be a coincidence…"

His idea seemed crazy but even the girl couldn't deny the similarities between her Toya and the picture of the one that was hanging up in the front of her agency. The two kids looked almost identical besides their eye color and Amari always explained it away as just a coincidence.

But if his quirk really did have the power to turn his flames blue, then maybe Endeavor was right. There was no genetic way that should have been possible. Sure, quirks skipped a generation once and while but it was always due to a grandparent, never a sibling.

And as far as Amari knew, the only one in the Todoroki family that could produce blue flames like that was the villain once known as Dabi. And that idea couldn't help but scare her.

Gritting her teeth, the girl answered. "You don't think I've noticed?! I know it's weird, okay? It doesn't make any sense, I don't get it…"

Although that's when Amari balled her fists into a hard ball, her eyes screwed in utter determination and intent. "But it doesn't matter how it happened or even who he was before. He is my son, and I love him with everything I have."

Coming up to meet her, Shoto nodded his head before placing a supportive hand on his shoulder. "Amari is right. He is our child, and we will treat him as such, regardless of his quirk or his resemblance to my big brother."

Endeavor couldn't help but stare at the two though, taking in their utter passion and desire to protect their son before shaking his head. They were so strong, but he wasn't. He couldn't do this anymore, he couldn't allow the past to repeat itself.

"Do whatever you want, but leave me out of it. If that kid really does have something to do with Toya, then it's better if he stays far away from me.."

Amari's eyes couldn't help but crumble at that, taking a step forward before Shoto put a hand out to stop her, his eyes boring into her all at once. "Go calm down Toya, I'll talk to my father."

And as much as she hated it, Bakugo knew she was too heated to deal with this topic right now, nodding her head sadly before setting her goal on finding her son. He probably didn't understand what was even going on right now.

She found him a couple minutes later, his little red eyes still puffy with tears before Toya barreled into her with a large hug. "Mommy, did I do something wrong..?"

Her heart began to break before Amari shook her head, taking her son in her arms immediately. "Oh sweetheart, of course not. Grandpa Enji just needs some time to himself. You didn't do anything wrong.."

Although that's when the little boy looked down at his hands before more tears filled his eyes, spilling over the sides. "He seemed scared, am I scary? Is there something wrong with me? I just wanted to be a hero like you…"

Pushing her lips together in order to hide her own devastation, Amari placed a loving hand to his head before smiling to give him reassurance. "Not at all, and you will be a hero like me, okay? You will be the best hero out there. Your dad and l will make sure of it."

Recalling Endeavor's words, her eyes then fell before lowering her arms in order to grab her son's tiny hands "Toya, grandpa Enji said that you turned your flames blue, is that true? Did you do that..?"

That's when she watched the red haired boy lowered his eyes as if he was recalling something before answering quietly. "I think so, is that bad?"

And as much as Amari tried to hide it, Toya watched as his mothers eyes lit up with the same expression that his grandfather had worn a couple of hours ago, the very same one that made the boy's heart drop into his chest.

It was fear, his mother was afraid of something.

But as soon as he recognized it, the girl wiped it away, replacing the uneasy air with a small head shake and a smile before his father entered the space in order for them to go home.

And Toya didn't understand what was going on, but whatever it was it had something to do with his blue flames, like the very idea scared everyone around him, like they were looking at him in a different light.

The little boy didn't know why it happened, but he didn't like it.

He didn't like making anyone unhappy, so for that reason he promised himself never to push himself that hard again, so that no one would be afraid by his scary new power.

The one that seemed to terrify everyone.

Surprise! You thought I was done? Nah, I got a little something extra up my sleeve.

You know how I said that at the end of His Reasons it could be inferred that Amari's son was the reincarnation of Dabi, giving him the life he never had?

Well, in this short story we will explore that as truth. Sounds like some chaos right?

It's' good to be back in this world, if only for a little!

Also a fun fact, I don't know if anyone noticed but Amari calls Toya "sweetheart" because that's the name that Dabi used to call her when he was alive. It's like a little callback.

Next chapter: Time skip, Toya and Ayumi going to U.A.