The first thing Izuku noted when he awoke the next morning was how sore his body felt. The next was that he was completely naked. He never slept in that state. At most, he'd at least have a pair of boxer shorts on. The thought of anyone walking in on him au naturel made the green haired male feel incredibly self conscious.

That was why when seeing the figure leaning against the open screen and staring out at the endless black sky, caused Izuku to tense up and pull the covers securely up at his chin.

"You're awake?" Todoroki's soft yet deep voice asked, not turning to look at the human.

Izuku nibbled on his bottom lip, not sure whether he should answer or not. Things had grown tense between them. And while admittedly still a bit peeved at Todoroki's coldness toward Eri, he couldn't help but recall yesterday. The way Todoroki had seemed so sad at the idea of Izuku trying to escape. While the demon's clingy nature was a little disconcerting, other than his mother and Kaori, no one had ever directed so much concern toward him. And his stomach gave a small lurch when he noticed the damage he had caused to the yokai's room.

Perhaps he had been behaving a tad childishly...

Another memory soon came to him, and it gave Izuku pause. Todoroki had pinned him to the ground to keep him in place, and then he had...

"That collar you put on me...Did it do something to me...?"

Afraid this subject would come up, Todoroki didn't answer right away. Any answer he gave to the boy would be disagreeable. The fact that Izuku was already narrowing his large emerald eyes at him wasn't helping with his conscious.

"It was the only idea at the moment I could use to keep you from running off and placing yourself in more trouble," Todoroki spoke a bit more bluntly then he meant to. "The last thing I'd want to do is hurt you or have to lock you up...The collar made sure you weren't in a right state of mind to try or do anything."

"What do you mean by that...?"

"...The collar forced you into a state of heat."

Izuku's mouth parted at this. "Heat? Y-you mean like a female animal goes into...?"

"Or demon. No matter what gender, anyone can fall into such a state. Those collars allow humans to do the same." Todoroki explained.

Izuku had gone extremely red, but he also felt horrified by what he was hearing. Was Todoroki saying he had forced himself onto him without his consent? So that explained the soreness...And Izuku just noticed the small marks that covered his flesh.

"H-how could you do something like that?!"

"I'm sorry..."

"Sorry isn't enough! I want to know why!" Izuku hissed out, large angry tears having formed in his eyes.

For the longest time, Izuku didn't think Todoroki was going to answer him, but then he uttered out in a barely audible voice, "your scent", these words confusing Izuku more than he already was.

"What do you mean by 'my scent'?"

A hand ran through Todoroki's long white and red bangs, and he turned to face the hurt and angry looking green eyed male with a solemn gaze. "Iruma...you remind me of him." A pained look formed on the kitsune's face for the briefest of moments before it was gone. "He was an Onmyoji and human like you...Other than your hair and eyes, the two of you were similar in both personality and looks."

"Did something happen to him...?" Izuku asked quietly despite already feeling he knew what the answer would be.

"He died and it was my fault." Todoroki spoke, his voice completely devoid of emotion.

Izuku's eyes grew bigger than normal, no longer caring about concealing his form as the cover fell to his lap where his bare chest was fully exposed. "Would you...tell me what happened?"

Noticing Todoroki seemed hesitant, Izuku wondered if he had spoken out of line? He was curious, and wanted to learn more about what led Todoroki into his actions, but this seemed like something deeply personal. That was why Izuku was a bit taken back when the yokai spoke up, "If this will help ease some of your ire toward me, then I'll tell you my story."

Closing the screen and stepping into the room, Todoroki sat down on his knees, making sure not to get too close to Izuku, which the young human appreciated.

"I met Iruma many, many years ago. It was a time when this world and the human world coexisted together. Back then, yokai were more feared. They were seen as monsters and tricksters, which was the case for most...But not all demons were like this, and they tried to form friendships and even romantic relationships with the humans. At the time, I despised you mortals, and I'm ashamed to say I wasn't above killing any that crossed my path..."

Izuku understandably tensed up at this, and Todoroki closed his eyes to block out the fear on the boys face before continuing.

"Humans were the real monsters, I believed. I constantly watched them burn and pillage villages to the ground, often blaming the damage on us yokai. The fact that they weren't above hunting us down for game or keeping us as 'pets' helped my animosity for your kind fester...I was naïve, and oblivious that my own people were guilty of the same sins. One of the few decent things my father ever told me was that there were two sides to every coin. No matter what species, both were capable of great evil or good..."

Todoroki took in a deep breath. He truthfully wasn't used to talking this much and it was making his throat feel dry.

"Brushing off Endeavor's words of wisdom, it wasn't until I met a blue haired and blue eyed boy that I started to question my way of thinking. For the longest time, I never engaged him in conversation, only observing him from afar. He was an Onmyoji, the type of human I truly detested for they eliminated yokai for the sole belief that we were the evil ones...Yet Iruma wasn't like that. He fought yokai, but he never took their lives, even if some of them may have deserved a swift death...It was the same for humans. He'd punish them, but would never end their lives..."

A small smile curved up Todoroki's lips, and Izuku wasn't sure why his cheeks had suddenly grown warm. "Iruma was reckless like you. He was often rushing into situations that nearly cost him his life...Normally one of his companions would save him or his bizarre luck would, yet during a rather large and aggressive foe, it seemed Iruma had finally met his match..."

"Yet you stepped in and saved him, didn't you?"

"Yes...It was my first time ever protecting or helping a mortal...He was covered in blood and cuts, and must have been in immense pain, but Iruma just smiled at me and said, "I'm glad you're finally showing yourself to me! I was beginning to wonder if you ever would!". He had known I had been watching him all along...I helped Iruma to his village to let the people there mend him, but after that day, Iruma would often seek me out...My coldness never deterred him, and he would talk about random subjects, not caring whether I would answer him or not. One of the matters he was most adamant about was establishing a city where both humans and yokai could reside together without prejudice...He knew about Tono, our safe haven, and gushed about how he'd enjoy to live in a world like that or to create a place just like it...

"The more I was around him, the more I was drawn to Iruma. I slowly began opening up to him, and eventually claimed him as my own...Touya especially and my father weren't too pleased I had settled for a 'mere' human, but they didn't interfere. I knew humans lifespans were far shorter than our own, but I was willing to remain by Iruma's side until the inevitable came to pass...I just didn't expect for it to happen much sooner than I anticipated..."

Todoroki grew silent, but Izuku didn't press him to continue. The single tear that trailed down Todoroki's cheek, which the demon immediately wiped away, made Izuku's heart ache. He had genuinely been in love with this human; something Izuku regretfully didn't think yokai were capable of.

"There was a powerful demon who had risen up and he was trying to force other yokai into following him instead of Endeavor...My father was ruthless, but he never had any intention of starting a full on war with the mortals.. This ayakashi wanted all humans to be under our control, under his control, and would have killed any off that chose to fight against him..."

"You mean Shigaraki...?"

Todoroki was a bit surprised Izuku knew that name, but slowly shook his head. "No. His name was Shigaraki, but not the one you've heard of...That's his protégé. His real name is Tenko Shimura, but he took on his adoptive fathers name...Tenko is nothing compared to the real Shigaraki...Endeavor often referred to him as All For One due to his megalomaniac personality. He was far crueler than his student, but also charming enough that he led many astray...

"When I learned about All For One starting a war with the humans, knowing a battle between the Onmyoji would be unavoidable, I tried taking Iruma to Tono where he would be safe...He refused to run, and we got into an argument...My father found the two of us, and he was furious that I wasn't preparing for the upcoming battle...Neither of us noticed at the time, but All For One was watching us...The ayakashi made a move to strike my father, but the black tendrils didn't pierce him...They went through Iruma instead. He had saved my father, but it cost him his life..."

"Iruma...sacrificed himself?" Izuku whispered, tears forming in his eyes.

"I lost any sense of reason when Iruma died in my arms with a smile on his face...There's a chance I might have been killed if Endeavor hadn't stopped me from lunging at All For One...The pain in his eyes snapped me out of my anger and distress, and I watched my father attack the monster with no remorse...Endeavor, no, Enji Todoroki was strong, but he stood no chance and it cost him his own life..."

"B-but Touya said that you..."

Giving a bitter smile, Todoroki murmured, "I might as well have killed him. I did nothing to help my father...That was why Shigaraki left me there alone and broken, he didn't see me worth his time...My family and the other yokai found me in the center of those two deaths...Touya might not have cared much for humans either back then, but he was the one who snapped me out of it...He made me understand that if we allowed All For One to take control, then not us nor the humans would ever be safe...

"It was a long and grueling battle against All For One and his minions, even with human and yokai fighting together for the first time, but we some how came out victorious...And it was all thanks to one certain Onmyoji. He was the teacher and father of Iruma, and he dealt the finishing blow to Shigaraki...Toshinori didn't blame me for his sons death, and he sorrowfully told me the decision he had chosen wasn't to punish me or my kind...Instead, he hoped it would keep all of our people safe where neither side would face losses such as we did that day...

"All yokai and ayakashi were forced back into the The Realm of Yokai, and a barrier was placed to keep the humans from entering into our world and for us from entering into theirs...Over these last 200 years or so, the barrier has weakened and sometimes humans like yourselves have reached these lands. Weaker demons have even found their way into your world, but the stronger yokai and ayakashi are unable to seep through the cracks..."

Gripping at his black pants, his head lowered, the king of yokai finished off, "These words may not bring justice to my actions, but the truth is, you reminded me of my former mate since the first day I saw you...This is why I needed to keep you nearby...I know you're not him, but I was drawn to you nonetheless...And seeing you in such a vulnerable state, I could no longer control myself...My watchfulness led to Iruma losing his life...If I hadn't taken him from his village, he may have lived out his life longer...Here I am doing the same to you...So, if you wish to leave, I won't stop you..."

Izuku bit down on his trembling bottom lip, wondering why his throat was burning and he felt like breaking down? He understood Todoroki much better, but for some reason, the story just left him feeling more upset.

"I-I need some time to think...I'll stay where Kaori is for the time being..." Izuku stuttered out, staring down at his shaking hands that rested in his lap.

The fox yokai didn't say anything to this, standing up and moving to pull some clothes from the chest that was for some reason behind a hidden piece of panel.

"You can wear these."

Waiting until Todoroki left the room, the emotions Izuku had been holding back unleashed, and he let out a loud sob, burying his face into the dark blue kimono he had been given; his tears soaking through the fabric and drowning out his anguished cries.


(A/N: Just in case your curious, the Iruma I used in this isn't an oc. He actually comes from a manga/anime called 'Welcome to Demon School Iruma Kun'. I'd really recommend checking it out if you've never heard of it before. I swear the main character is Izuku's long lost twin, lol! I know there was a lot of dialogue in this part, but I hope you all enjoyed it nonetheless. I ended up going for a sort of Inuyasha vibe for this part without realizing it~ And thank you to thor94 and Inuyoiushi for your reviews. And to everyone who followed and favorited this story. :)