Sorry for the late update! My laptop broke. ;_;
Anyway for all those asking, Deku will get a quirk in this so y'all have nothing to fear. And yes, Bakugou is on his way too! But only to make Todoroki look good. And I mean even better, because he already looks good. LOL~
Also, the original plan for this fic was for only Inko to die, but then I got lazy and decided to include his father so I changed it into "parents". Anyway, I changed it back to only Inko so I could use Deku's father later on for more plot and build-up. So please don't get confused. It was only Inko who died, and Deku's father is overseas... yeah, let's go with that.
"Raison D'être"
Chapter 02: Holding Words.
Midoriya was not supposed to be awake. Todoroki had specifically ordered him to make sure he was asleep by the time he got back, and he had made that glaringly clear. But the child was still awake, nothing was going to change that and the fact that said child now has wide eyes staring all over him and his injuries. So Todoroki did the same. Midoriya was frozen in front of the sink, water running through his hands. The child had probably woken up to go to the bathroom, makes sense since he wasn't exactly disobedient. And Todoroki couldn't find fault in that, although this was a lot sooner than he anticipated to have to come clean.
Todoroki allowed himself a slow blink, stunned face morphing back to its natural deadpan before taking a step towards the child. Midoriya had jolted when he reached over to shut the faucet. "You're wasting water."
"A-ah! I'm so-sorry, Bocchan!" Midoriya nervously wiped his hands on his pajama pants, head hanging low as if he had something to be ashamed of.
Todoroki stood there a little while longer, waiting for the questions. But just like what happened on the rooftop, the questions never came. And for some reason that irked him more than his usually preferred silence. He didn't want things to be awkward between the two of them, and it's not like he was planning to keep things a secret forever anyway. He sighed. "Aren't you going to ask?"
Midoriya looked up at him and his expression spoke volumes, that he really did want to. But the child merely shook his head. "Endeavor-sama told me not to ask questions when he brought me here."
Really?
"So how are you going to figure out the things you want to know if you aren't going to ask?" Torodoki pressed his lips in a thin line, he should've known it was his father's doing.
Midoriya looked back down again, shrugging helplessly.
"You're not going to learn if you don't ask questions," Todoroki recited, that's how his father taught him but he would understand if the man treated Midoriya differently. "From now on, my father's rules don't apply when you're talking to me. His rules are different from mine, okay? In fact, I'd prefer you to disregard him completely but I can see how that can be a problem."
Midoriya nodded slowly, before eventually smiling his usual sheepish grin.
And Todoroki liked that, until the questions came.
"Are you o-okay, Bocchan?"
"I'm fine," Todoroki answered, looking away to take out the first aid kit.
"B-but you look hurt," Midoriya walked to his side when he sat by the tub.
"It's just the usual toll after training," the bi-haired kid opens the kit and busies himself, but was surprised when Midoriya dropped on his knees beside him.
"Training?!" Big green eyes were twinkling as if that was a dream come true, slowly inching into Todoroki's personal space.
"Uh, yeah... to become a hero." The older child shied away, looking down at the kit and back at Midoriya repeatedly.
"That's amazing! You're so cool, Bocchan!"
"Thanks," Todoroki finally found the bag of cotton balls in the kit, adamant not to look back at the green-haired child.
"Can I help you?" Midoriya offered an open hand.
And Todoroki looked back at him, failing miserably not to. He swallowed an imaginary bump down his throat before handing the cotton balls over. They proceeded to quietly clean and fix his wounds. Todoroki preoccupied himself with thoughts of how Midoriya's stuttering clears up when they're talking about hero things. It was really amusing and endearing. Granted, everything about the other boy seems so.
The green-haired child had just finished sticking the last band-aid on his arm when he suddenly swooped in and kissed him on the cheek. Todoroki felt himself rigidly turn to the child beside him, eyes wide and both cheeks heating. He shakily held a hand on the kissed cheek, all thoughts jumbled and unable to make a sound.
He heard Midoriya giggled, slightly pink on the cheeks. "M-my mom used to kiss me all the time when I get hurt and it-it really makes me feel better."
Todoroki coughed awkwardly, "oh... thanks, I guess that does help. My mom used to do that too."
"Oh, I'm sorry." The freckled child's face immediately drooped down.
"She's not dead." The bi-haired child stated flatly, vaguely unsure if he regrets telling Midoriya to ask questions but at least it takes away the awkwardness. "She just doesn't live with us anymore, she's somewhere far away from here."
"O-oh! Well, i-in that case. I'll take care of Bocchan from now on!"
Todoroki's eyes widened again, repeating the words in his head.
Midoriya then sheepishly scratched on his cheek, "it's the l-least I can do for being ta-taken in. Endeavor-sama s-saved my life and ga-gave me a new home. That's why, I'll do my best to take care of Bocchan!"
The older kid then felt apprehensive, remembering he still didn't know a lot about this arrangement. "Izuku," calling out the name for the first time. "You're mine, you are not a servant here. Don't mind my father, I'm the one who gets to decide what you are in this family. And while it may not have been my choice initially, I have already decided to keep you."
Midoriya laughed awkwardly, "t-that sounds like I'm a p-pet, Bocchan."
"That's not what I meant at all. Izuku, you are my friend. But at the same time you are now a member of the family so that makes you a little like a brother to me."
"But d-don't you already have b-brothers, Bocchan?"
"I do, but they're a lot older than me and they've both already gone to boarding schools so they don't live here anymore."
"Boarding schools?!"
Todoroki smiled, the other boy's nerdiness was showing again. "Yeah, for heroes."
"Wow! Sounds exciting!"
The bi-haired kid finally stood up, patting fluffy green hair. "Don't worry, we'll get there too someday. And we'll go together."
"Eh? M-me too? But I-"
"You want to become a hero too, don't you?"
"We-well, yeah..." Midoriya admitted breathless, he didn't want to proclaim he wanted to become a hero because he was afraid Todoroki would bully him too like the others. "B-but, is that really o-okay? E-even though, I'm q-quirkless?"
Todoroki blinked at him, he didn't understand why that should matter. All he could think of was his mother's words, still clear even after the incident. So he repeated them, but this time not just for himself. "Yeah... it's okay for you to become a hero."
For what seems like forever for Midoriya, he was glad to finally hear the words his own mother couldn't utter. A little teary-eyed but he beamed, and it wasn't any less bright. "We'll both become heroes then, that's a promise!"
Midoriya nodded, and the tears finally came.
The next morning, Todoroki and Midoriya woke up to a knocking at the bedroom door. It was Fuyumi, looking apologetic as ever. It was early saturday morning so they could've slept in if she hadn't disturbed them. She nodded towards Todoroki before kneeling down in front of Midoriya.
The green-haired child sat up, rubbing his eyes before beaming up at her. "Go-good morning, Nee-chan."
"Sorry to wake you up so early,"
Midoriya merely shook his head, eyes still drooping.
Fuyumi then suddenly lunged at him, hugging him as tight as she could. And that piqued Todoroki's interest enough to get him to sit up too.
"Nee-chan?"
"Izu-kun, you need to get ready to go out today." Fuyumi slowly pulled away, eyes glassy from unshed tears. "It's your mother's funeral."
Silence and tension instantly engulfed the room, it was the acknowledgment of the taboo they were skirting around of for the past few days.
Todoroki felt his shoulders sagging as he slowly turned to look at the expression on Midoriya's face. The child was looking down, but he wasn't crying. He just looked thoughtful, like he was too stunned to process the message.
"Police officer Tsukauchi Naomasa is here to take you there. Do you remember him? He told me he was the first respondent in the accident so you already met?" Fuyumi bit her lower lip, she was nervous and sad and disheartened.
Midoriya merely nodded, like he doesn't trust his mouth.
"He's going by himself? Father's not going with him?" Todoroki suddenly voiced out.
Fuyumi was surprised but she just shook her head.
Todoroki pressed his lips into a thin line. Midoriya was practically adopted, and he was their father. Even if he didn't care, he should've at least show face. Someone died! He ripped his covers off and dashed out of the room.
"Shouto!"
He ran to his father's study and slammed the door open as harshly as his small body would enable him to. His father was sitting by the window, calmly reading a newspaper as if he didn't even notice him.
"You're not going with Izuku?"
"Who?"
His father really knows how to infuriate him. Todoroki gritted his teeth, wanting to shout. "The child you brought back here."
"I gave him to you, didn't I?" His father looked at him a tad incredulous, eyes burning fiercer than his fire. "Don't tell me you don't now what that entails?"
"That I'm going to be responsible for him," Todoroki answered, gritting his teeth.
"Good, now go." Enji turned back to his reading.
That caught the bi-haired child a little off guard. "I'm allowed to go with him?"
"It will be good to familiarize yourself at such functions, as well as the Police Force."
Todoroki honestly couldn't believe his father was so unattached, this was technically his failure. He couldn't save Midoriya's mother! He turned, walking back out the room and closing the door. He wouldn't dignify his father with an answer. What's important right now was that he could go with Midoriya.
He walked back to his room. Midoriya was already dressed in black by the time he got there.
"B-bocchan," he was looking at him, but not really seeing. "Nee-chan said we should have breakfast first before I leave."
"Okay, you can head down first. I need to get ready." Todoroki opened his closet.
"Eh?"
"I'm going with you."
It was a closed-casket funeral. Midoriya wasn't even allowed to see his mother's face a last time. But Todoroki could make a few guesses why, based on what he was briefed with. It had been a car accident, they were waiting for a go at a stoplight when a truck crashed into them from the side. Midoriya's mother had cushioned him, she was probably disfigured enough to be haunting. Not that it meant Midoriya wouldn't still have wanted to see her, but it cannot be allowed for his own sake.
The bi-haired kid watched his charge. The child had been standing in front of his mother's coffin since they got here, completely unmoving but he wasn't crying. There weren't any relatives, just a bunch of neighbors and friends. Todoroki had belatedly learned, Midoriya's father was not in the country. In fact, he wasn't in their lives at all. He vaguely wondered how that was like. Detective Tsukauchi had told them earlier that she was going to be cremated, burnt into dust. Her will had been prepared beforehand, and everything will be given to Midoriya, including their house. Todoroki wondered again, this time about where that was and how the child's life was before everything.
There was suddenly movement in his peripheral vision, a couple of men from the funerary were gathering on the side.
Todoroki moved to stand beside Midoriya, taking hold of smaller hands. "It's time, Izuku."
The green-haired child nodded numbly, before they walked to the side and took a seat. The men excused themselves and bowed towards Midoriya before carrying the casket into the next room. Todoroki felt Midoriya's shoulders sagging from beside him, as they both watched the doors close.
It was about two to three hours later when they were presented an urn. It was the size of a person's head, and a little bit heavy. Midoriya had been tasked to carry it all the way as they walked to the burial site. The men got to work, and people said their prayers. It didn't take long until a new grave was constructed, and only the two of them remain. [1]
Todoroki took back the hand he had released when Midoriya had to carry the urn, discreetly glancing at the other. "You can cry you know, it's okay to be sad too."
"Uhn," the smaller child nodded. "I'm trying."
The bi-haired kid blinked at him. "Well, if you don't feel like crying yet, then let me pay my respects." Todoroki turned to the grave and bowed low, as low as his hips would take him before straightening back up. "My name is Todoroki Shouto. I am your son's keeper. It's a pleasure to meet you, Midoriya-san. I just wish we had met sooner, and under different circumstances."
Midoriya stared at the older kid, vaguely wondering about what the older kid was saying.
"I want you to know that I am very happy to have him, and that I will take good care of him as much as I can for as long as he would allow me to. So, please rest assured." Todoroki released the smaller hand he was holding to clap both of his three times, with a final bow for an end.
"T-thank you, Bocchan. I'm sure that m-made my mom feel a lot better."
Todoroki didn't look at him and just took back his hand before nodding. He clearly remembers the child's proclamation just last night, so it should only be fair. "We'll take care of each other and become heroes together, that's a promise."
Both fell in relative ease with each other soon after. Promises were easy to make but neither wanted to break them, so they were mindful, supporting each other without a word. It was in the middle of the weekday, when Midoriya started feeling aware of the twist in his gut, spurting from having taken care of Todoroki's wounds last night. The green-haired child has started paying extra attention to his Bocchan since finding out about the training sessions, making the promises to take care of each other and become heroes someday.
Midoriya looked around the classroom. For some reason, all the other kids sat far away from the two of them.
They had free time after lunch, where kids were allowed to go about doing whatever they wanted. Some were playing, reading, writing, and Todoroki did what he usually does. He sat in a corner with his crayons and coloring books. This was the time when kids usually grouped around their friends, but he didn't seem to have that. What he did have though, was Izuku. Like a knee-jerk reaction, instinctive and natural, the green-haired child approached him the moment the teacher stood up to leave. She'll probably come back later, but that didn't matter. Izuku was sitting in front of him, having started coloring too just like how they usually do.
"B-bocchan, don't you ha-ve any f-friends?"
"I have you, Izuku." Todoroki didn't pause, or flinch, or even look at him.
"W-well, yeah... b-but don't you want other f-friends?"
Todoroki finally paused and stared at him, expressing nothing. "You're the only one I'm allowed to have Izuku, you're the only one Father is allowing me to have."
"W-what?"
The bi-haired kid sighed, "Father has never been enthusiastic about me having friends. He says that while it's good to get along with everyone so I could work efficiently, it's not something I'm actually ever gonna need, and that's not why I'm here for either. Besides, most of the kids who approach me only do so because they know my Father is the Number Two Hero, Endeavor."
"But do you want m-more friends?"
"No, I already have you so I'm happy." Todoroki went back to coloring his picture book, head bowed lower than before with his hair shadowing his eyes. "But if you want to make friends yourself, you can go. I won't stop you. I know sitting here in a corner when everyone else is having fun is kinda pathetic."
Midoriya quickly shook his head. "No, Bocchan! I-I just didn't want you getting bored with me be-because I-I'm not really all that fun... besides, they'll probably only bully me once they find out I don't have a quirk."
"Why would they do that?"
The green-haired child shrugs. "Be-cause I'm la-lame and use-less..."
"That's not true, you're really fun to be with and you must be incredibly special if that Father of mine even agreed to take you home."
Midoriya laughed sheepishly. "I-I don't really k-know about that..."
Todoroki blinked. "Well, you don't have to take my word for it, but I want you to know that's what I hold to be true."
"T-thank you, Bocchan." The green-haired child felt himself tearing up, but he held it in.
"And also." Todoroki glared down at his work. "If anyone ever tries to bully you, I'll bully them."
Midoriya couldn't get it out of his head, such kind words and promises. He remembered them after the free time was over, as they were walking back home, during dinner, and after Todoroki left the room for the training session. The older kid said he meant them, and Midoriya couldn't doubt that but he wonders. Was his Bocchan taking to heart such words the same way he does? Because after all, Todoroki was not the only one who made promises. And also, the fact that his Bocchan said it was okay for him to be a hero. Does that mean he was also relying on Midoriya to come save him?
The green-haired child took a shuddering breath. He was standing outside the dojo, not deaf to the incessant yelps of pain and cries of agony. And when there was silence the clock behind him was hammering the nail in the coffin. With every tick that he was waiting, the person he promised to take care of was suffering.
But he wanted to become a hero, didn't he? Now is a good time as any. Besides, if what Todoroki had said was true, then Endeavor wouldn't hurt him. He shouldn't because he's a hero.
He slammed the doors open and ran as fast as he could, spreading arms out wide to shield the older kid from the Flame Hero. "Stop hurting Bocchan!"
Clearly, Midoriya didn't know who he was up against. He belatedly realized upon taking a hard punch to the gut, retching his dinner out.
"Izuku!" Todoroki was suddenly screaming at the top of his lungs. He tried to get up, but his shaking limbs failed him, frost was starting to creep up his right. "What are you doing here?! Get back to my room! Runaway!"
Midoriya didn't answer, he couldn't even breathe right now, dry heaving and coughing in fetal position.
Todoroki turned his attention back to his father, who seemed completely unperturbed by the unexpected intrusion, and angrily lashed out on him. "Father, why did you hit him?! He's quirkless!"
"I-I'm okay, Bocchan. I got hit be-because I got in the w-way..." Midoriya was trembling but he was slowly getting on his feet, looking back at him. "Are you o-okay?"
Todoroki released a shuddering breath. What was Midoriya saying? His dinner was just beaten out of him. And wasn't it obvious that the Number Two Hero was very much capable of stopping himself in time if he really didn't want to hit Izuku. The bi-haired child seethed, his bastard-of-a-father had done it on purpose.
"Shouto," they suddenly heard the bellowing voice of his father. "Aren't you ashamed that a younger and much smaller kid without a quirk is trying to protect you?"
The bi-haired child sucked in a silent gasp, his father had a mocking tone. This is bad. He could only fear for Midoriya.
"Endeavor-sama," the green-haired child was now up on his feet and was limping towards them, getting in between the two again. "I don't know w-why you're so mad, but I-I'm sure Bocchan is doing his b-best. P-please be more pa-tient with him."
"You're wrong, Izuku. Shouto is clearly not doing his best since he's been refusing to use his fire side to spite me." The Flame Hero spoke low and disdainfully. "I'm just teaching him a lesson."
Midoriya could feel the hairs on his nape stand up, he swallowed his heart back down his throat. "I un-derstand... but is-isn't this t-too much?"
"No, this is just appropriate." Endeavor narrowed his eyes, glaring at Midoriya from down his chin. "But if you're so concerned, then why don't you take it?"
Todoroki felt his heart stop.
"Take Shouto's punishment in his stead." Todoroki Enji sneered.
Time seemed to slow down for the younger Todoroki then, it felt like the the two were speaking on the same wavelength and he was the only one who couldn't comprehend. There was no way his father, a hero, was actually asking a quirkless seven-year-old to allow himself to be beaten up, right? "No... d-don't do it, I-zuku." He rasped, voice only above a whisper. And the two didn't seem to pay him no mind.
"O-okay," Midoriya answered.
And just like that the green-haired child flew over his head and landed behind him in loud thump. Todoroki rigidly turned his head to look back at him. The green-haired child was now unmoving, with both of his eyes closed. Time seemed to have caught up with him then, quickening and pulsing. Like he was being punched in the chest from the inside. Or was that just his heart?
"Shouto, weren't you supposed to be the one taking care of him? How could you let this happen?" His father's voice was booming again. "How could you expect to become a hero if half of your body's frozen solid, that you're shivering to the point you can't even summon out the ice you're so proud of."
Ah, so that was it. Todoroki realizes all too late, the purpose of Midoriya being taken into the Todoroki household. It was so that his father could use someone against him since his mother was now gone, like a hostage, or bait, or leverage. It felt different from how his mother used to protect him though, because this time he was the one who was supposed to be responsible in the first place.
He hated his fire, sure. He doesn't want to use it anymore in a bid to resent his father, to completely and absolutely reject him. As what his mother did, to the point she had rejected her own son too. Now Todoroki didn't have proof, but if her words on that day were anything to go by, he could deduce his mother poured boiling water on him in an attempt to put out the fire. Because he looked like his father when he was on fire. He hated that too.
He tried to summon his ice one last time, as tremors kept racking his body. But he was already numb, hypothermia was setting in and it would be dangerous if he got frostbite. Honestly, he'd rather just give up and die than light his fire to fight. But who was he kidding? It wasn't his life he was risking here, and damn it all if he was going to lose Midoriya too. When his mother was taken away, he had sworn to himself he would never use his fire side again. But the promise to take care of Midoriya in front of his mother's grave, was something he'd want to keep more than the one to his own.
And so Torodoki burned. He burned so bright Midoriya dreamt the sun was rising at night.
AN:
Was that good or bad? Did it feel forced, or too fast? Honestly, I feel like this could've been written better but I can't wax poetry. Sorry! Anyway, set-up is done! We'll have the timeskip next chapter~ ;3
Please review. Thank you so much!
Fic Facts:
1.) I did not bother looking through Japanese or whatever kind of ceremony for the dead here, I'm just winging it so please just read between the lines.
— Lynx
20180114
And I'm also on tumblr~! ;D