Mind and heart are two things Enji never knew how to understand; one he manipulated with professional excellence and the other he knew little or nothing about.
All he knew was that he now understood everything EVEN less than before.
He wasn't exactly 20 years old. It knew that for a certainty. That city announcement was a reminder of his achievements, but not an update on those events.
Since his professional excellence began to be exercised, it didn't take long for him to quickly forge an indelible legacy in agency and prestige format.
Moreover, his children were not newborns. He recognized Fuyumi when she was probably two or three years old?
Touya... God, Touya was the eldest by a year...
"Thank you very much for your work, Endeavor! Your agency will take care of the rest!"
The man awoke from his thoughts at the officer's words. To tell the truth, he hadn't paid attention to anything whatever he had said. But he had stopped the criminal and without excessive violence for his own peace.
He was tired. For some reason without understanding, he felt really fatigued and tired since he understood that he was in this time and place.
It was time to go back. He had stopped few criminals in the remainder of his patrol, but he no longer really felt fit to go forward in it.
It was time to finally show his face to Rei.
...
Coming to the house (because he doesn't have the dignity to even recognize it as a home) meant for Enji what it always used to be. Arrive, condolences to the "deceased" Touya, eat, train, leave for work and repeat.
Heck, he was even forgetting steps like sleeping and so on... The loneliness of being in that room. He just felt tied to that place for not being able to sleep in another corner... And because of Fuyumi, the one who waited for him all the time in that house with dinner ready and a familiar touch he never received from another... Except from Rei. Of course, it's not like he deserved any better, but...
Now, facing the door he never thought he would hesitate to open, he didn't know what to do and/or say.
He never thought he deserved what he had right now, a chance and the woman who forgave him all his misfortunes... Even, behind that door, there were those who would be the children that he never marginalized and accepted, the opposite being said with Natsuo, something he regrets with total sense and understanding now.
That his male children hated him was not something incomprehensible. Not now at least...
He sighed as he leaned his forehead against the large door, lowering his gaze with regret and noticeable concern. What would he say, what should he say, what should he do? Just when he needed his mind and professionalism the most, everything fails in favor of the heart that was beating wildly against his insecurities and fears.
He knows perfectly well that what is in front of those doors is something he does not deserve at all... And yet, he was here... In his home... The one he now wants to make a home.
The image of Dabi laughing violently echoes in his mind to prevent him from taking the step he is so afraid of recreating. His son, turned into a monster because of him.
He shook the fingers of his hands, in an attempt to ease his tension at what would follow this act and what would happen next.
He was tired and yet, this was his last decision...
Enji Todoroki decided to open the door, stepping into the beautiful front grounds that overlooked the ancestral looking house. From the sliding window, he could see perfectly Rei who seemed to notice that he had finally arrived as she rocked Fuyumi in her arms to keep her asleep. And peeking out from a corner, was a boy watching everything.
They both noticed the man coming and the reactions were mixed; the boy smiled excitedly and the woman looked at him with concern.
He knew that the only thing he could do in this case was to follow his worried heart. But then his mind intercedes and takes over his insecurity.
Now Enji is afraid, yes, and yet he is willing to face everything again.
The door opens and the woman quickly greets him. The boy is so excited that he jumps toward the man and hugs him and the man, knowing that he dictates his heart, acts without hesitation in response to the boy's surprise.
"Dad, are you okay?" The boy inquires, surprised by the response to the gesture.
"Just a moment, Touya... I'm just tired, that's all."
And with that response, his gaze turns to the woman who denotes in her expression both concern and kindness.
And it is that single knowing that offers both Endeavor and Enji a single answer for all their doubts.
This time he would do everything right and he didn't doubt a damn that he would.
Ah, also that he had somehow gone back in time. But that's the least of it right now...
"Are you all right, E-Enji?"
The man only smiled slightly at him with a look burdened by the tiredness he felt for some reason.
"I'm feeling wonderful, Rei. Thank you for asking..."
...
Dining had always been a splendid thing to do since Shoto had not existed. Rei never had any housewifery or similar skills, but she loved to indulge in learning and growing because she hated to sit still. That and 3 years taking care of Enji when she worked made her a full-fledged housewife... Add to that having to take care of three children, the redhead was seriously thinking of claiming a pay rise for housewives from the government... Until he remembers that his money is what allows them all to live in that house.
"Delicious..." Touya muttered as he hugged his belly and rested on the floor. Rei looked at him with a slight smile, glad to hear his opinion. Enji knew that had an important meaning now and regretted the thousand and one times she looked at him expectantly, waiting for a similar response from him.
Hey, don't blame him on this. He's really bad at reading social atmospheres... Ah, but if you ask him to manipulate the press in a thousand ways, he comes out with a tactical plan and the whole thing.
Okay, enough self-deprecation, Enji. Your wife is still waiting for an answer.
"It's delicious, Rei. You've improved a lot."
Excellent response. The woman looked at him with a gesture full of illusion that affected the poor man immediately for feeling too bright. Touya seemed to notice that interaction and eyed them suspiciously.
"Are you going to give me another brother?" The boy consulted with some suspicion, causing Enji to quickly choke and cough roughly.
"No!" The man stated with concern, perhaps too much, as he startled both family members suddenly. Noticing this, he coughed once more and corrected himself. "I don't intend to bring Rei any more trouble now... She's been doing a lot of work to take care of you two and I've been thinking about whether she would like to get out of this place this Sunday... I'll take the day off and we can all go outside."
Silence. Enji swallowed deeply not knowing what the others' opinion of the proposal was, more for himself not wanting to be in the place that choked him with bitter memories than anything else and that they for some strange reason knew.
Rei's face lit up with both surprise and excitement and Touya averted his gaze to the side, full of doubt. Of course, he was raising them within those 4 walls, it was obvious he wasn't going to know what the hell was away from there with 4 years locked up.
"R-Really, where would we go?!" Queried the woman with great excitement and an intense aura of illusion.
God, it's fine that he was the culprit of countless tragedies and should pay for it, but don't do this to him and punish him like this. She was killing him...
"Maybe someplace far away? A picnic or something. I like your food."
Okay, that was pretty ambiguous even for you, Enji. But you're appreciated for the effort. His son was interested in the idea and Rei was quick to get up to find a sheet of paper to write on. It was most likely about a list of things needed.
"Shall we take Fuyumi and Natsuo?" He inquired, interested. Enji nodded while holding his gaze with narrowed eyes.
"Of course. We should all be there..."
And so, the Todoroki's had a picnic scheduled ready for Sunday.
...
Enji and Rei shared a double bed in their room. A place of course where discomfort abounded due to the years where never in his life, the Todoroki showed an ounce of human interest in the beings around him since what happened with Touya.
The most horrifying thing of all was that he now assumed it to be so by understanding it as that.
And even more so as he looked at his hero costume arranged perfectly on the rack in his room, burning his eyes with weariness and doubt.
"E-Enji... I-I know I'm not supposed to touch your suit, but you had left it lying around and I arranged it here, since I thought you might need it nearby and so..."
The man looked at the woman. Understanding what she did, he sighed. He took the suit and everything that went with it and left the room without a word, leaving her filled with uncertainty as to what was going on.
When he returned with nothing, she looked at him worriedly and he sighed, somewhat remorseful for not knowing what to say.
"You can touch it, even break it or something. I'm going to change the design anyway... But I don't want it here. Here, just leave what you like..."
Ambiguous and not at all good in a talk, but still, Enji said the words he wanted to say. He made his way to the bed and she looked at him, worried about everything that was going on with him.
"Enji, are you really feeling okay?"
"Just a little tired... But better than ever." He answered frankly as he closed his eyes heavily and collapsed on the bed, letting out pillow-choked moans as he willed the sheets open and tried to crawl inside.
The woman sighed and it only remained for her to pray that the redhead would figure out how to open it soon or she should do it before he fell asleep in the process.
Sorry it's short xd. I love this idea but it takes a lot of time and dedication having to come up with a lot of things that the canon/lore haven't shown. But I hope you guys are liking it.
In case of complaints, ideas or even criticisms, comment without waiting. I read everything you leave.