Endeavor, the Flame Hero, the official Number Two strode on the pavement, among fearfully gaping passer-bies, pride and joy on the verge of bursting through his chest. His beloved Shouto decided to take the internship with him. He wanted to learn all the ropes, the know-how from him. Not from All Might, not from Hawks, not from Best Jeanist, but from him, his own apparently despised father. It was hard not to grin all the time, even if people looked disturbed and wary of suddenly happy Endeavor; hard not to think that everyone could see them together, their mouths hopefully shut up now after all the gossiping and comments in tabloids about their relationship that the Sports Festival fueled. Of course, Shouto's attitude towards him did not change a iota, but Enji still considered this a huge step in Shouto's path to their dream, and maybe, hopefully, a small step in improving their relationship.
They were now in Housu, where he expected the Hero Killer to reappear. They've been staying here for a few days now and so far they have only been dealing with petty criminals he would hardly even call true villains. It's not like showing Shouto this side of Number Two's job – that is the fact that just because you were on the top did not mean you were above small things like stopping a car accident or pursuing the bag snatcher – was not important. A hero was there to help whenever and however they could. But being back at his agency in Musutafu would allow him to show Shouto how running this business in practice looked like, so that the boy could avoid mistakes he himself had made in the past. However his honed by many years in this field instinct stubbornly persisted on staying here. Something was going to happen here, he just knew that.
And tonight he was finally proven right as he saw police cars rushing west.
"Shouto! There is an incident! Come! I'll show you how to be a hero!" he shouted, grinning.
Soon he felt slight trembles, heard the sound of explosions, followed by a familiar glow of fire.
'Good, this seems serious enough to actually prove useful for Shouto!'
He suddenly stopped hearing Shouto's footsteps behind him. He turned, irritated. There was no precious time to waste! People's lives might depend on them coming to the scene as quickly as possible!
Shouto was actually looking at the goddamn phone.
"Shouto! Eyes on me, not on the smartphone!"
But his son simply turned his back on him and rushed in the opposite direction.
What the-
"Where are you going, Shouto?!"
"An alleyway at 4-2-10 Ekou Street!", the boy shouted back, not sparing him even a glance. "If you finish on your end or have any free pros, send them there! I count on you! You take care of whatever's happening in the west - you'll be able to deal with it smoothly!"
Enji stared at the boy, irritation with his behavior now turned to worry as he heard the urgency in Shouto's voice. 'I count on you'? Sending proheroes? What the hell was the message Shouto had gotten?
"A friend might be in danger..." he heard Shouto adding quieter.
'A friend'.
'A friend'.
Izuku.
Shouto was going to join whatever the hell was going on with his other son, two teenagers without an adult professional helping him. The cold settled in his heart. And shouldn't Izuku be doing an internship with All Might now? The asshole probably let the boy have evening off, cause why the hell have your eyes on a fucking teenager. Maybe that was the American way of bringing up children.
Another explosion thundered from behind him and he could hear screaming. There was no time to dwell. He knew well where his duties lay, what the priorities of the hero were, so he rushed again towards the western part of town, towards the fires, but in the back of his mind dread was rising its head. They were just teenagers. They were smart and strong, but still teenagers. His children. What if this was a huge distraction? What if this was planned to... what? Attack a couple of teenage not even provisional heroes? He shook his head, he was just spiraling into black scenarios, letting old trauma cloud his vision. They'd be alright. It's probably nothing serious. The attack on the U.A. was to kill All Might. The Hero Killer did not target children. So, nothing serious could be happening to them now.
He arrived at the scene to see a monstrous, disgusting mutant chasing a couple of bystanders and an old man trying to fight it off with skills suggesting he once must have been a fearsome fighter. He released his fire with no second thought to burn the creature to unconsciousness.
"You will have to forgive me for not knowing you, elder" Enji said to the old man with respect the one earned by trying to protect the innocent at that vulnerable age. "You can leave the rest to me."
He smirked as everyone recognised him.
"Why are you here?", asked the saved woman, surprised.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm a hero," he grinned proudly.
His attention snapped back to the mutant who managed to stay conscious. That's new.
"Be careful!", he heard the voice of the old man, "It can-"
The creature released back Enji's fire. Stupid. The creature definitely wasn't intelligent; if it were it'd know Enji's own fire couldn't harm him, not that level of it at least. And it obviously did harm the creature itself.
As he commented on this old man shouted "You're wrong, Todoroki! It's got multiple quirks!"
And true to these words, the creature suddenly gained a huge mass of muscles and jumped at him, but before Enji could attack it again, the old man smashed it to the ground with power that broke the cement of the pavement.
"Look at that, you're doing a fine job on your own, elder."
The explosion shook the ground again, from the direction the defeated noumu came from.
"Shouldn't there still be a bunch of heroes gathered over there...? At least two, maybe three minutes went by and everyone of them just... Even though they're all gathered there, they still... Pathetic," he growled angrily. How could they let these creatures move around freely? Why haven't they managed to deal with all this sooner? Who gave them their licenses?
"Let's restrain this quickly and turn him over to the police so we can help," replied sensibly the old guy. Apparently this city's heroes were so pathetic they needed help from their elders.
"Leave this villain to my sidekicks. Head to the address I'll give you, elder. Me, Endeavor only, will be sufficient support for the heroes there."
The old man only nodded, took the address and was gone. He was quick. Was he a professional hero once? If so Enji could not recognise him now, after many years that must have passed from the peak of the man's career.
Never mind. What was important was that the old man seemed to be skilled enough to provide whatever help his children might need.
Enji headed towards the commotion.
The heroes were fighting there another two mutants, one with some sort of strength enhancing and regenerative quirks, other able to fly. He judged the situation in a second and immediately ordered useless heroes to head to the address his son gave him. It wouldn't hurt and it wasn't like they would be much help here. He alone was enough, truly.
And, true to his words, he fried the exposed brain of the regenerating mutant easily. The other one managed to grab one of the local weakling heroes, but Enji injured it enough to make it drop its victim. Enji made a safe catch and followed the creature. It was fast and soon disappeared out of his field of vision.
Damn. He could but hope it wasn't going to change direction or hide. They did not seem too smart, fortunately.
It was some minutes of running later when he realized he was going in the direction of where Shouto and Izuku were supposed to be. Damn. Good he sent so many people there.
One more minute later and he reached the group of heroes he sent here huddled together like idiots they were. Shouto was among them, a little roughed but looking overall fine. He felt relieved.
"Why are you all standing around in a group?! The villain should've escaped this way!"
"On your end, have you already...?" One of the heroes looked overwhelmed. Apparently being actually professional was something rare in Housu.
"Things got a little rough-" and then he noticed. The fuck was wrong with these people! Why didn't they tell him immediately?!
Stain, the Hero Killer was standing meters behind the hero group and he had...
He had...
He had Izuku.
Everything ceased to exist in Enji's world, but these two figures; the bloodied villain, with madness in his eyes and hand clenched on his son's hero costume, and Izuku, also bloodied, lying on the pavement, struggling against the enemy. He realized he can't move, he can't breathe; he knew he had to do something, he needed to save his child, now, but it was as if everything in his brain disconnected leaving only this – the overwhelming, paralyzing terror of losing a child. Losing another child.
One wrong move and Izuku dies.
So he couldn't move. He simply couldn't.
The Hero Killer noticed him, said something to him. He heard him well, but he didn't hear him at all.
Stain moved a step away from Izuku, but he was still too close, too close!
He again was saying something, mad, furious, insane, but Enji couldn't care.
Just move away some more. Just some more.
'And I'll fucking kill you'.
But then the miracle happened. Stain stopped moving and just stayed there, motionless. In the shock Enji was in, it took him a longer moment to realize the villain actually lost his consciousness while standing.
He was there in a second, throwing Stain to the ground, binding him and probably also beating a world record in it. Then he finally sighed.
Izuku!
"Are you alright?", he asked immediately, using all the willpower he ever possessed to seem calmer than he really was.
"Yeah, I got a deep wound in the leg, but nothing crippling or lethal."
Enji felt another wave of relief. "Good."
He moved to the group of heroes, considered briefly asking them for the report, then decided his Shouto would be most likely more professional without his license than any of these losers with one.
"Report, Shouto."
Admittedly his child knew when was not the time to show off his dislike to his old man and immediately recited.
"I have reached the address Midoriya had sent me to find him fighting the Hero Killer-"
WHAT.
"-in order to protect hero Native and Tenya Iida, who were immobilized by villain's quirk. I have joined them and we have managed to render the villain unconscious, with Iida's help. We thought we had deprived him of all weapons and tied him up, but apparently we... haven't done the search thoroughly enough, since he had one more hidden blade and managed to release himself. The Nomu came and seized Midoriya-"
Now Enji simply stared at Izuku.
'Maybe I should tell Midoriya to keep the boy locked forever somewhere safe', it occurred to him.
"-but Stain actually killed it. The rest you saw. There are no lethal or crippling injuries. Iida most likely has a broken arm, Midoriya deep wound on the leg, me and Native are alright. Both the ambulance and the police are on their way."
Enji stared and stared. At Shouto. At Izuku. Who, both of them, apparently managed to not only survive the encounter with the very Hero Killer, but to beat him up.
They fucking decided to fight the fucking Hero Killer.
'I should fucking beat the crap out of both them for endangering themselves like that,' was his first thought, his fists clenched.
The second thought was 'But they did it. They did it. They have chosen the difficult fight with a strategy and abilities that not only allowed them to survive, but also to win. To save the villain's victims." He couldn't scold them, not really. They were going to be heroes, after all.
He nodded.
"I understand." He turned to local idiots, that is, heroes. "Go and search for any additional victims, make sure the area is clear, check for any small fries trying to use the commotion to rob or rape or whatever the villains love most. I shall stay with the kids here."
The heroes rushed. At least they were good at obeying orders.
He gave a long, assessing look at his Shouto.
"You're sure you're okay?"
"Yes."
There were many things he wanted to say, but he settled on "You did very well today. You will be a great hero one day. Better than me."
"You bet," Shouto replied, staring him in the eyes.
He forced himself not to roll said eyes. Then he moved towards Izuku. The old man from before was by his side; they seemed to be actually acquaintances?
"You know each other?"
"Ah, yes, this is Gran Torino, a retired hero, I'm doing my internship with him!"
Enji stared at Izuku.
'The little fuck had chosen some retired guy rather than Number Two's agency'.
Izuku got tiny under his angry glare.
"TwasjustthatGranTorinoherehasaverysimilarquirkandAllMightsaid" the boy started to mumble nervously.
"Ah, yes, All Might and his brilliant ideas," he growled rolling his eyes. Gran Torino's brew rose.
"Ah, I suspected you had to be a hero seeing how you fight. You're better than all these small fries calling themselves heroes in this city."
Gran Torino chuckled. "Youngsters nowadays."
"Indeed. You go to the hospital, understand?" he turned back to Izuku now.
Izuku's ears went red, embarrassed. "I will."
"You both did exceptionally well today."
888
'I can't accept it!'
'I don't accept it!'
'Like I could ever accept it!'
Nothing existed but these words. Nothing existed but his fury. Chagrin. Frustration. Despair.
Nothing but these.
The world he knew burned. His personal world burned.
His therapist called, hell if that man did not know him perfectly well by now, but he didn't even hear the call. He'd decline it anyway.
He hit and burned and burned and hit and wanted to scream.
He did not know how much time passed when he finally dropped onto the floor breathing heavily.
Fuck.
Fuck.
FUCK.
He sat like that for some more time, among the burned and broken pieces of his training equipment, thinking nothing.
The phone buzzed.
Fuck if he wanted to move, but he was a hero. Number One now too, apparently. Like he deserved it. He did not make himself Number One. Some monster of a human, some sort of supervillain, ancient archenemy of All Might made him one. The only logical thing to do, the only way to make it right would be defeating the man who destroyed All Might, but nooo, All Might had to do it himself. And now Enji would be forever Number Two, not really, but, yeah, actually yes.
He took the phone.
It was Midoriya.
It better be about Izuku, not about All Might. Or congratulations to him.
"Todoroki-san?"
"Yeah," he replied, suddenly tired. He realized his muscles hurt. How long has he been messing up his gym?
"Is this a bad time?" She was sharp like that. Emotional intelligence, was that? The therapist said something like that once or twice.
"Honestly, what time is good?" he said before he could stop himself. All he needed now was to turn into a whiner too.
She sighed. "I understand. I'll call later maybe?"
"No, no, sorry. How is Izuku?"
"Yes, about him..." She hesitated. "I don't know if I want him going to U.A. anymore."
What?
"Why?"he asked, genuinely surprised.
"First villains attack his class, then one of the students is actually kidnapped... And Izuku always comes home in bandages... Did you know that any more serious damage to his arms and he might lose the ability to use them?! ...I want him to be a hero! I really do. That always was his dream... I know one day he... he might get maimed... or worse... But for it to happen in school?! While he is supposed to learn how to be safe during his work as a prohero?!"
She was audibly shaken.
He couldn't blame her. He recalled his own words he had told Nezu once. 'I have chosen this school for Shouto, so that I could be sure he would be best prepared to not die in action as a prohero. Not to see him dying because he entered it!'
So, he understood her well.
However...
There was a reason he hadn't made Shouto change schools.
"I feel the same, I do. I went to Nezu after the League attacked school grounds and we had a huge argument."
"You did?"
"Yes, of course. My Shouto is in the same class as Izuku. They both were in the same dangerous situations."
"Yes, but your Shouto is better prepared! You teach him at home! He's already on the pro level! And my Izuku... he just comes home with more and more damage."
'He is my Izuku too' whispered something, but he shut it up. It wasn't really true. He had no right for such a claim.
"Don't underestimate Izuku. He is very smart and a great fighter. I've seen them both, Shouto and Izuku, apprehending dangerous villains, under supervision of course" Yeah, right, supervision, but he couldn't tell that to Inko. He did not want Izuku to get into any trouble just because he had his hero instincts right and heart on the right side. Besides, she wouldn't understand. How talented the boy was. How much of a waste would it be to send him to another school.
"What I want to say though is that there is a reason I let Shouto go to U.A., despite the events that happened. This is the best school for heroes. Let Izuku go here and he'll be safer in the future."
She was quiet for some time.
"I am just afraid he won't have a future," she was choked now, clearly barely stopping tears.
"This won't happen. I will make sure of that. I promise." And he meant it. He'd sooner die himself than let any of his children die. Any more.
"Are you really sure this is a good idea? You're a professional hero, Number One," his fists clenched even if he knew she couldn't possibly know what was happening in his head now. "you understand all this better than me, you've got knowledge and experience... Are you sure? My Izuku is not your Shouto. Are you sure it's good for Izuku?"
"Yes," and he meant it.
"Okay," she sniffed. "At least now I won't have to worry about him being broken-hearted over having to leave Yuuei."
He rubbed his temple when the conversation was finished and shot another look at his gym.
Shit. He even managed to destroy the shock- and fire-proof floor. He sighed tiredly. Good thing money was never the problem. He checked the time. 10 PM. Never even noticed so many hours passed.
Fuyumi was, of course, waiting for him in the kitchen.
"You shouldn't have," he murmured awkwardly.
"It's okay!" she smiled widely, but he could see the worry. And the fear. Was she thinking he'd move from the gym equipment onto them? It pained. He has never abused them. Rei, yes, he blamed her for Touya. But not his kids. But the therapist opened his eyes to the fact that it was enough. Even if he never hit them, seeing as he treated their mother was enough to scar them.
Still, it pained. After all, he's been trying to be better for years now.
"I've prepared some food for you!" Fuyumi started to take out some dishes from the refrigerator. Gyuudon, sashimi, kuzu mochi, all his favorite, of course.
"You don't have to worry so much," he said quietly. "You take too much upon yourself. You shouldn't."
"What are you talking about, Dad?" And there it was, pretending everything was fine. But could he blame her for desperately wanting things to be alright? Could he blame her for hoping the words would actually shape reality? He's been doing that too, when he's been downplaying Shouto's hatred towards him, calling it a 'tantrum', a 'childish rebellion'. He hoped that maybe if he repeated it enough times it would become the truth in Shouto's mind.
"Thank you, Fuyumi. Go to sleep, you must be tired. You've got classes tomorrow at 7, right?"
"Yes, but I don't need to sleep that long."
"Go to sleep, Fuyumi, I'm fine."
She hesitated, never really sure how to deal with him. But she tried so badly.
"I'm okay, Fuyumi. Thank you for the food. You know I love all these," honestly he did not think he could swallow anything right now, but he smiled at her with his best smile.
"Well, okay then, dad... um, try not to worry so much too, okay?"
Not 'worry', he knew well she actually meant being angry.
"Of course." He stroked her head as she passed. She sent him a kind smile. She was the only child that allowed his touch.
'She is too good for this world,' he thought dejectedly as he eyed the food with no appetite. Fuyumi would be hurt and worried if she'd found it tomorrow back in the refrigerator, so he decided to pack it up and take it to his agency. He was thinking of going there either way. Not like he would get some sleep tonight anyway. And his sidekicks would be in seventh heaven for the chance to eat Fuyumi's food.
888
Ah, it was there already, the report on the Kamino situation, assembled by the police and all the heroes taking part in the whole Bakugou operation. He asked for it immediately after the villains were apprehended and was impressed it was ready so soon. Well, Tsuragamae was nothing if not professional and hardworking.
The report was long and as detailed as it was possible, considering that there probably were still some omitted classified data. It was an informative lecture.
Suddenly he stopped.
And stared.
Of course.
Of course.
He did not know why he was even surprised.
Of course his Shouto and his Izuku would sneak into the highly dangerous situation that has destroyed All Might to save one of their classmates.
Of course.
Of course they would snatch the boy right from under the League's and All for One's noses.
Of course.
He buried his face in his palms. What else were his children doing he knew nothing about?
Soon his hair is gonna match his family's, he realized.
Also.
Midoriya can't know about this.
888
It was late afternoon and he was still at his agency browsing the internet in search of anything that would help them all with dealing with the League of Villains. There could be all sorts of small insignificant clues hidden on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, but it took time and patience to find these. So far he discovered nothing though, to his irritation. The League apparently decided on lying very low for the time being.
His phone buzzed. Midoriya sent him a photo. His brows rose as he took a look. On the picture there was a Provisional Hero License with the name Midoriya Izuku on it. The multitude of emotions whirled in his mind.
The phone started buzzing again. She was calling him.
"Hey," he said, trying to sound calm.
"Such a shame we can't drink to this together!" she exclaimed happily. "Our boys are real heroes now!"
There fell a heavy silence.
"Todoroki-san?"
"My Shouto... failed the exam," he whispered, despair in his voice, darkness in his soul, tears in his eyes. His Shouto failed the provisional exam! His perfect child! The boy with a golden heart, bright mind, incomparable fighting skills, two amazing quirks and, yeah, total lack of social skills. This probably was to be blamed. But still! This child was capable of bringing down the Hero Killer! Not alone, of course, but still! It was so unfair! He was the best in that whole class, Enji knew that! Second place in the Sports Festival!
There was a surprised pause on the other side of the line. And then: "Haha, I knew my son is better than yours."
Midoriya had apparently a merciless side no one would expect from her.
"No, he isn't," he replied sulkily.
"By the look of it, he is," she teased.
"He didn't even get to the semifinals during the Festival."
"Ah, apparently he's a quick learner and managed to overtake your Shouto, and in such a quick time too."
"Don't call me to say things like this," he pouted.
She chuckled good-naturedly. "My, my, someone is really taking this hard."
He decided on sulking some more and said nothing.
"Alright, alright, but what went wrong?"
The darkness in his heart intensified.
"He wouldn't tell me. He told me nothing about the exam. Now that he lives in dormitories I can't drag things out of him like before. He usually just doesn't answer my calls or text back and on a few occasions we do talk he just hangs up whenever he wants," he admitted, pained. Shouto. His beloved Shouto. He missed him SO MUCH.
"Ah," now she sounded more serious. "...but maybe a little space would actually improve your relationship?"
No.
"No."
"How do you know that? He's a teenager now. This is exactly the time when they need some form of independence."
"This is exactly the time they are doing the most stupid things!"
"You know I'm not talking about letting them loose, but that you should let Shouto decide when and how he wants to contact you."
"He just won't," he said bleakly.
"How do you know? Have you ever let him make the call first?"
"He won't call me. He-" 'It's just... at that moment... for a second... I forgot about you.' "He'll just- He'll be gone. From my life. I just know that."
"Enji, have you ever let him call you?"
"...no," he admitted unwillingly. He was always peppering Shouto with texts and calling him everyday.
"Well then you don't know."
Enji fell into stubborn silence.
"What does your therapist say?"
He wasn't going to answer that.
She sighed, "I thought so. Enji, maybe you should listen to him and give your boy some space. I know you love him, do it for him."
He feared too much to be able to do it. Shouto won't reach out to him on his own, he won't. He saw that in his cold eyes. Admittedly the therapist told him many times people in general, and Enji specifically, tend to see in others things that not necessarily are there and are only a reflection of their (his) issues. But he was too afraid to check whether the guy was right.
"Well, it's not like it's not hard for me too. Izuku is such a ray of sunshine and the apartment is so empty without him," she admitted.
"Yeah, this whole dormitory idea is horrible."
"But hopefully safer for them."
"Yeah."
There was a thoughtful pause.
"He looks horrible in that photo," he decided to change the subject.
"Oi."
"It's true. He has to work on his confidence in front of people or cameras or he'll end up being worse than me in that field."
"Oh, no, I need to talk to him about it then, we can't have that," she chuckled.
"Deku. I like this hero name." It reminded him of his own, Endeavor. Heroes usually were choosing names with great marketing potential or simply things they thought cool, boosting their own confidence when entering professional heroism. He'd heard many times during his high school times from many people – classmates, proheroes, teachers specializing in the business aspect of heroics – that 'Endeavor' was not the best choice he could have made. They've been saying it connotes weakness, inferiority, self-doubt. He couldn't care less.
"Well, I was surprised he's chosen this," she said, now more serious again. "It was actually how children had been calling him, because of his quirklessness."
Ah. So that indeed was the struggle the boy thought defined his climb to the top.
"It is a very good name," he repeated.
"And your son?"
"He simply stayed with his given name, Shouto."
"Oh. That's rare. But I suppose it is much better than some ridiculous names heroes choose for themselves."
"It was me who chose that name for him. He knows that. I'd never thought he would want to use it as his hero name." Was his own name defining Shouto's struggle? Was this why he had chosen it? Because it was something given to him by his father?
"You see? Things are going to get better, Enji."
"I hope," but he did not sound or feel too sure about it.
888
M - I told you he wouldn't call me on his own.
- Me When was your last call?
M - Two days ago.
- Me Enji
- Me Worry if he won't call you for a month
M - Month!
M - This is ridiculous!
M - I'm calling him. Something might be wrong.
- Me omg Enji
- Me Just text him, teenagers prefer texting
M - I keep texting him. He leaves me on 'read'.
- Me You know what, I'm changing your contact's name to Bakaoya
888
The blue flames surrounded him, separating the whole world, leaving only the three of them in this small inferno. His body was thoroughly battered, unresponsive, he barely clung to remnants of consciousness. Hawks was by his side, but what could a bird do against blue flames? Enji knew he should stand up and fight, but he couldn't. He couldn't, because his body reached its limit a long time ago.
No, that's not true. Not entirely.
He couldn't, because the man standing opposite them with a menacing smirk on his face was Touya.
Enji awoke with a start, his heart hammering so hard it was a miracle it did not break free out of his chest, his lungs desperately gasping for air as if he'd been drowning for the whole eternity, the incomparable, impossible to describe feeling wailing in his mind, before he realized it had been a dream.
He stared at the unpleasant cold white of the hospital ceiling, the sound of his own heart repeated by the machine by his bed.
Just a dream.
No, the encounter was real, of course, but it wasn't Touya that attacked them. His child's flames weren't blue and he would have never become a villain anyway. And, most importantly... Touya was dead. Dead for years.
Is it back again? Soon after Touya died he used to see and hear him everywhere. He would suddenly stop in the middle of the street, his heart thundering, because he'd swear he heard Touya's voice, but it always was just some child that sounded a little bit like his son. He saw Touya in every redhead kid standing with his back to him.
But he was long past this now. Why was it back again?
He sighed. It's probably the trauma of the gruesome fight. Admittedly Dabi had eyes just like his Touya, but that was it. Well, he's been a fire user, too, but Touya wouldn't be able to produce blue flames, not with his mother's body.
He sighed again. The fight with this Noumu had been obviously much, even for him.
He made a mental check on his body – being a professional hero meant you had to learn to assess the damage your body had taken. This was especially crucial during a fight, when misjudging your current capabilities could result in your death.
He did not think he ever had been beaten up as badly as now. He felt exhausted, everything hurt even though he was sure the doctors pumped him up with drugs, but he felt all his limbs, even if the arm was obviously badly broken, his memory was intact, his thinking processes of course slow and duller than usual, but not to a level suggesting brain damage and none of his body parts seemed to ache more than they should after a battle like that.
The door opened and a doctor came in, hopefully to confirm his preliminary diagnosis.
"Todoroki-san, I'm glad to see you awake," she smiled genuinely. "You'll be fine. You heal extraordinarily well, for all the trauma your body had taken during this fight."
Yeah, he was lucky to have a body like that. His wounds always healed fast and he never got sick. Also, the amount of muscles he's built throughout the years probably helped too in protecting the vitals.
"For which we are all grateful, Endeavor-san. Thank you, for your constant fighting for our sake."
"This is what heroes do," he murmured more tiredly than he wanted to show.
She smiled again. "Your eye is intact too. You'll make a 100% recovery."
"How long?" He wanted to be back on the streets as soon as possible. This could be just a first attack out of many. Though then again Dabi was saying something about taking that Noumu back. Did they have only one of those? A prototype maybe?
"A week, to make sure-"
He glared at her.
"Well, we could cut it short to four days..."
He glared some more.
She sighed. "I've heard the Recovery Girl is coming all the way from Musutafu, so there is a chance it shall be shorter. But you are really pushing your luck, Todoroki-san," she added sternly.
"My place is out there."
"Yes, your place is out there, alive and healthy," she actually glared at him. It was a nice glare, very professional. Enji, a fellow specialist in the field, gave it 9 out of 10.
"Until then, rest, understand me?"
When she left he reached for his phone lying on the bed stand.
6 missed calls. Fuyumi.
But when he actually unlocked it it appeared two were from Midoriya.
Oh.
Something warm settled in his chest. The number of people calling him when he was licking his wounds just doubled. He had to admit it had been mostly his doing that people refrained from visiting or ringing him up when he laid in hospital. When he was younger he absolutely loathed others seeing him at his weak and people quickly learned that, the hard way. He had no one to blame now other than himself.
The door opened again.
Hawks?
"What are you doing here?"
"Ah, can't Number Two check up on Number One?" answered the brat smiling widely.
"I'm fine," he growled.
"Yes, I can see that," the smile was even wider. That brat was so weird. Enji was never sure what was on his mind. Often he thought Number Three- no, Number Two now - was simply mocking him. But from time to time he would say something that cracked this conviction. Something unexpectedly helpful. Something unexpectedly understanding. Something unexpectedly serious. Enji had no idea what was Hawks's play, really. And not knowing was beyond irritating.
"All these bandages are for an early Halloween parade then, I understand?" added Hawks, seemingly very pleased with his sense of humor.
"What do you want?" he replied angrily. The bird really got on his nerves, always.
"Thought you might want a proper, nice coffee after all the fighting?"
Enji really wanted to banish him to the hell the brat came from, but the bird was spot on. He realized he, indeed, would die for a sip of good coffee after yesterday's ordeal and it was doubtful the doctor would let him have it.
He grunted non committedly. Hell if he's gonna explicitly admit the bird's good at guessing what Enji needs.
"Haha, I knew it. Black as the darkness of your famous glares?"
Enji rolled his eyes. "No. Bring something sweet. I need the calories now."
Hawks' brows arched, but, thankfully, he refrained from commenting. Or else Enji would throw him out of the window, and no broken arm would stop him.
He called Fuyumi when Hawks was gone. She picked up immediately.
"Dad!" she seemed choked.
"I'm fine."
"I'm gonna fly to Fukuoka!"
"Absolutely not. You've got your job. I'll be back in Musutafu this week. Recovery Girl is going to speed the healing."
"Are you sure, dad?"
"Yeah, Fuyumi, I'm fine."
"Is this what the doctors said?" Smart girl.
He sighed. "Yes. I'm okay, Fuyumi. I'll have you know when exactly I'll be back at home."
"Okay..." A pause. "...I was so worried. We all were worried. We all watched."
Fuck. That's why he hated the media. He did not want his kids to go through this, seeing their father, even if hateful, battle with death breathing on his neck. It had to be a nightmarish show.
"It wasn't that bad."
"Dad..." she hesitated. "I'm glad you're okay. We all are. Me, Natsuo, Shouto, we all are." Yeah, right. It would be nice if it were so.
"Thanks, Fuyumi. Stop worrying."
Next he called Midoriya.
"Oh my god, Enji! I thought you're gonna be killed!"
Ah, talk about being candid.
"Yeah, well, they're not gonna get rid of me that easily." Then something occurred to him. "Even if I die, Izuku's going to get an amount of money th-"
"I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL TAKE THE NEAREST PLANE AND BEAT SOME SENSE INTO THAT THICK SKULL OF YOURS, ENJI TODOROKI!"
He promptly shut up.
"I don't care about money, you unbelievable idiot! You don't deserve to die by the hands of some monster and that's all I care about! Japan needs you!"
He really had no idea what to tell her.
"How are you? Like really, not like 'I'm tough Number One, nobody needs to worry about me'."
"I'm actually really fine. I'll be back in Mustafu in no time."
"You did not look fine."
"I am. Should I forward you my medical records?"
"Idiot hero."
He couldn't help but smile. He liked when she sometimes got all blunt like that.
"Do you have everything you need? Do you have someone to take care of you down there, in Kyushu?"
"I'm fine." He hesitated. "Thanks for calling," he mumbled awkwardly. She really did not have to. Was he there when she needed him most?
"You are an idiot. There is nothing to thank for. But I don't want to see you in the media doing anything other than resting now, are we clear?"
He huffed without any real irritation.
"...Enji." Suddenly she sounded so serious it got him worried. Something happened. Of course it did.
"I really... I really never wanted to talk about such grim things, but seeing your fight... I mean, I always knew it can happen anytime, when you're a hero, but still, you're so experienced and powerful, so I thought you're, maybe, safe, somehow.."
He waited patiently, to his own surprise. He wasn't known for patience with people. Training, research, yes. People? No.
"...but if you..."
Suddenly he knew what she was about to ask.
"I leave that to you," he said quietly. "I leave that choice to you. You know Izuku best. Don't think about me. Think about what is going to be good for him."
She was silent.
"...you really are a better person than you look in the media."
He smiled at the attempt to lift the somber mood.
When he finished the call the door creaked open. It was suspiciously timely.
"Have you been eavesdropping, Hawks?!"
Hawks shrugged, not a care in the world on his face. "Not my fault I have such sensitive feathers, Number One."
Did he... did he connect the dots? Would he guess? The bird was smart, he knew that. He looked into Hawk's eyes, but saw absolutely nothing but self-pleased serenity.
Well, whatever the case, maybe he'd keep whatever he pieced together to himself. Hawks had his irritating heart in the right place, that thing he knew for sure.
"There, your coffee. I thought matcha flavored would suit you."
Enji stared at the couple of small boxes.
"Chocolates and strawberries?" What the hell? And heart shaped too?
The brat had a gall to actually wink at him.
"What the hell is wrong with you, seriously?" snarled Enji.
"Haha, don't get your hopes up, Number One, I just grabbed what they had."
"I specifically asked you for coffee!"
"You asked me for sugar and however I realize my humble person is sweet enough, considering all the damage you got even I may not be enough," Hawks grinned.
"You're impossible."
"Shall I feed you? You look like you can barely lift your hand."
"Get out."
888
Enji almost dropped his phone when he saw Shouto was calling him.
"SHOUTO!"
"Normal people say hello. Also notice, say, not shout."
"IT'S JUST THAT YOU NEVER CALL ME!"
"Are you going deaf?"
Enji considered sulking at his son's usual cold demeanor, but decided against it. What if he does that and Shouto never calls him again?
"How are you doing, Shouto?"
"I am considering your agency again, when it comes to the internship."
"Of course!"
"However. I want my friends to join me."
"Of course!" Wait, friends? As in plural?
"Seriously, shouldn't you at least ask who they are?"
"I'm sure you chose your friends well, Shouto!"
888
"I've thought so since the supplementary lessons – you're cringey."
Unfuckingbelievable. He thought he saw a shadow of smirk on his Shouto's face. Is that why he brought Bakugou along? To irritate his father?
"Shouto! Are you really friends with this boy?!"
"Well, if I can see how the top hero works, I don't care for anything else," added Bakugou.
"Shouto! Why can't you choose a better friend, like Izuku-kun here?!"
Bakugou's face twitched.
"And exactly WHERE IS HE BETTER THAN ME, YOU OLD GRUMP?!"
"Katchan!" Izuku looked terrified now. "You're gonna get us kicked out of the internship!" Then he immediately turned to Enji, plastering a nervous smile to his face. "Thank you for allowing us to do the internship with you!", he said eagerly. Now that's a well behaved kid. Unlike the other two.
"You should learn basic manners from Izuku-kun here, both of you!"
"I NEED NOTHING TO LEARN FROM THIS DAMN NERD!"
"Izuku-kun?" Shouto tilted his head slightly as his eyes drilled into Enji's.
Ah. Damn.
"Oh, I get it. It's because of what happened at the Sports Festival."
Ah, a bullet dodged.
Still, Shouto seemed displeased.
They've started walking towards his agency. Enji couldn't help but glance at his both boys. He knew he'd be barely seeing his Shouto again after the internship. And Izuku? He hasn't talked to him since Housu and no wonder, there was no reason for Endeavor to get in contact with the boy. The joy was filling him that he got the chance to train both of them now.
Izuku's eyes met with his. "We will do our best to learn from the work of the number one hero!", the boy exclaimed enthusiastically. Enji's eyes softened, but he immediately heard the familiar voice hissing 'Oh, he wouldn't be so enthusiastic if you were his father properly. He'd be just like Shouto, broken by you.'
He turned his face away, guilt as usual raising its head. In Izuku's case he did not know what would be worse, being an absent father as he was, or being a father like he was to his children. And it was a horrible thought.
A woman, in the distance saw something he couldn't see and terror appeared on her face. He was already speeding there. He shot a look behind. They almost kept up. Good. Considering such an overwhelming difference in experience it really was good.
888
They were good. Not as good as him or Hawks, obviously, but they were close. Close to Number One and Two. And they were still merely freshmen at U.A.! But that was to be expected. Bakugou won the Sports Festival, Shouto was second and Izuku was tutored by All Might himself. Good. At least maybe he won't have to worry about them in the dark events to come Hawks had warned him in a very roundabout way. Still, there was much to improve, as always, until the day you die, at least that's how he always saw it.
They were standing now in his agency's training hall.
"I will train you. But before that, Deku, Bakugou, tell me about yourselves. Tell me what you can do now and what you want to be able to do."
"I want to be able to control my power and be able to move at peak performance!" replied Izuku immediately.
'Control power, huh?' That felt familiar, even though their quirks were so dissimilar.
"You've got a quirk similar to All Might's, right? But you end up hurting yourself."
"Yes," nodded Izuku. "I found a way to control it enough to not injure myself. But..." the boy suddenly got nervous. Enji's brows rose. What's wrong with Izuku's quirk? "...as I got so far, it... well.. how to describe it... like secondary... um... it's started manifesting in a different way..."
Huh. Interesting.
"Show me."
A small jet of black energy spurted out of Izuku's hand. Weird. No body enhancing quirk should be able to do that. Which meant it wasn't a body enhancing quirk per se; the body enhancement was just one of the effects possible to achieve, but the true nature of this quirk was something else. Or, it could be a double quirk, but these were extremely rare and even rarer was to inherit one of those not from parents but from earlier generations. So, it was more possible and plausible that the nature of Izuku's quirk was yet unknown. And considering it revealed itself so late it made sense for it to be something quite unique. It also made sense the boy did not have it for long enough to truly understand it. Anyway, one week was far too short to try to decipher how exactly it worked, so he put these thoughts away for the time being.
"If I concentrate and release just about as much as I can tolerate, this is the most I can handle right now. If the output wavers, it'll pour out and get out of control."
"You've mentioned you want to achieve peak performance. What exactly do you want to achieve with this ability?"
"This is actually a power that's flexible, like a whip. I want to turn this from a risk into a weapon I can use. Right now, I'm trying to see if I can control it the way I do Air Force- Oh, that 'Air Force' is a long-distance attack using wind pressure,"
'Yes, I saw you at the Festival, child,' thought Enji, slightly irritated, but said nothing, letting Izuku continue his explanation.
"but it needs more output than my body can handle right now."
Enji remembered well how Izuku's limbs looked like after the Festival.
"In my current state, if the amount I can tolerate without stressing my body is about 10-15%, then Air Force needs 20%. That's a little more than I can handle. Even if I don't injure myself, there's a painful grating and it affects my movements. That's why I practiced so I could release it in an instant and go back right away. If I could do this with the current Blackwhip, then theoretically I should be able to use it. But in the first place, I adjust my power output as I move, so adding another factor to that is hard to juggle in my head. I've been training so that I can do it all at the same time, but it hasn't been going that well..."
Enji felt the fondness overcoming him. The boy was truly smart. He knew exactly what he wanted to achieve, what was in the way and was even quite close to discovering on his own the path leading there. It would seem all Enji needed to do was just to quicken the process providing his decades worth of experience.
"In other words... you want to learn to micromanage your power output in the battle," concluded Enji.
"Yes!" replied Izuku eagerly.
"That's a burdensome quirk you've got. ...so you were one of us all along..."
Izuku stared at him uncomprehending, but Enji did not elaborate. There was no need to bother the kid with the miserable story of how he had struggled to control his flames. Especially that they weren't as destructive to his body as Izuku's quirk was to his.
"We'll work on it, Deku."
Izuku smiled hopefully.
"You next, brat." He faced that little bastard Shouto brought.
"I, on the other hand, want to know what's there I can't do."
Enji shot a glare at Burning, who seemed to find this amusing. The boy's aim wasn't ridiculous at all.
"That's what I came here to find out. With my Explosion, I've been able to do whatever I wanted to. Even with only this one quirk I can become the strongest. But I also learned that just being strong isn't enough to make someone truly strong. I came to find out what I lack in order to surpass the Number One. "
The words were so familiar. He was standing here, in front of always calm and reserved Shouto, and in front of kind, friendly Izuku and he realized out of those three the one that resembled him most was the one who wasn't his child, the seemingly eternally angry and irritating Bakugou.
"Fine," he nodded. "With that, let's head straight to-"
"What about me?" he heard his Shouto. Ridiculous, he knew his son's skills well, there was no need for this.
"Haven't you come to learn the Flashfire?!" he barked, irritated before he could stop himself. 'Maybe I should staple this stupid mouth shut,' he thought belatedly.
"All the quirk training you've beaten into me when I was a kid I've put into my right side."
Enji felt all the eyes on him.
"Looking back, it couldn't be helped. My resentment for you outweighed everything else. But after I entered U.A. and began competing with these guys... with everyone... my eyes were opened. Endeavor. In the end I'm acting exactly how you wanted me to act. But remember this. The person I strive to be... is that man I once watched on TV with my mother and siblings."
All Might.
"I came here of my own free will, as a fledgling in order to become a person worthy of the title of 'hero'."
'Unlike me? Is that what you want to tell me, Shouto?'
"I came here to use you. Sorry, but it was too convenient not to, Number One. So stop trying to act all fatherlike with me in front of my friends."
There went all the joy he felt before. How stupid he was. After that dinner, when Shouto had acknowledged him as a great hero and told him he intended to wait and see what kind of father he would become, he thought it was a signal that things were improving. That he was given a chance. Especially since the boy came to him for the internship and even brought friends.
He was so stupid. Like Shouto would ever forgive him. The familiar pain was back in his heart and it was foolish to hope it'd ever go away. ("You only get what you deserve, Enji" he remembered well his mother's voice, heard that phrase so many times when his father was beating him up and mother was watching, making sure father wouldn't go lenient on him.)
"Good, I got it," he replied forbiding any of his emotions to show. "From now on I will look at you three as heroes." He caught the glimpse of Izuku's face when he was turning his back to lead them out onto the streets. The boy looked sad. For Shouto? For Enji? He'd never know.
888
"I'm going to stay at my agency this week, Fuyumi."
"Oh, why is that, dad? Did something happen?"
"Shouto and his friends are on internship here and I'd prefer to be around. To let them learn as much as they can."
"Oh. ...can't they stay at our house? We've got plenty of guest rooms!"
It did cross his mind before they started the internship, to invite them over. They were not only his interns, but Shouto's friends after all. Though the truth was that he simply hoped to spend as much time as he could with Izuku; such a chance would probably not arise again.
'Stop trying to act all fatherlike with me in front of my friends.'
But after what Shouto had told him he knew his son would never agree to the arrangement.
So he decided to sleep at the agency instead, where the boys were staying. He still could spend more time with Izuku that way, hopefully.
"No, I don't think they'd like that. Besides, it's more convenient that way."
"Well, at least invite them over for dinner on the weekend? I'll make it a feast! Besides, school starts soon, right, and it will be harder to make time after that!"
He hesitated. He owned Fuyumi much. He knew how badly she clung to the idea of 'family', how desperately she wanted everyone back together. But still, was what Fuyumi wanted more important than what Shouto wanted?
"I don't think Shouto would like that. He... cherishes the space."
"Oh, Dad, I'll speak with Shouto!"
"Fuyumi, if Shouto w-"
"Dad, it'll be fine!"
He sighed when he finished the call. Fuyumi always hoped for the same, that it would be fine. One day, in the future, certainly, it has to be fine, when the time comes, if she makes enough effort.
But he doubted it.
He headed towards the living quarters. It wasn't hard to find the boys, with Bakugou's shouting. It appeared that his children were discussing Endeavor's advice (and actually praised them! Not that the advice wasn't spot on, obviously, but it was a balm to hear that uttered by his sons. He knew Shouto would never say anything if he knew his father was listening) while Bakugou was loudly letting them know they should stop ignoring him.
"Are you eavesdropping on your own son, Endeaaaavor-san?" he heard Burning's amused whisper.
Enji flinched. She got really good at sneaking, he had to give that to her. Especially for someone that loud.
"You're a horrible sidekick."
"No, I would be a horrible sidekick if I said that loud and clear," she grinned.
"No, you wouldn't be my sidekick at all, if that happened."
"Oh, dear, are we kicking people out based on personal conflicts now?"
"Smart-ass."
She chuckled and left. She was there in the training hall in the morning, heard everything Shouto had said. What was she really thinking about him?
He shrugged the thoughts away.
The boys stopped talking when he entered the common area that was now empty; whoever was spending the night at the agency probably left Bakugou's vicinity instantly.
"Is there an incident?!" Izuku asked immediately.
"Stop fucking being so overzealous, does the old grump looks to you like he's rushing to the scene or do you need your eyes checked, you shitnerd?!"
Enji frowned, but Izuku did not seem bothered at all. Admittedly the whole day spent with them taught him this was pretty much the way Bakugou communicated with everyone, just because, apparently.
"I just came to warn you, Shouto, that your sister wants you all to come for dinner on Saturday."
"What?!" came an indignant shout from the blond.
"Yes, I know, she already called me."
Damn, she was quick.
"Oh, really?" beamed Izuku. And there it was, the warmth again. You just couldn't look at this smiling face and not feel better. "We would be honored!"
"Stick that honor up your ass! I came here to learn, not to eat some shitty take out!"
"My sister is a great cook."
"Yeah, right, I've seen your incomparable cooking skills at the dorm, you halfshit!"
"I'm not my sister."
"So, are you all coming?" he asked Shouto.
Shouto frowned, his lips a thin line.
"Since Fuyumi is asking."
He nodded shortly. "Rest before tomorrow. I am also spending the night in the agency if you need something." His eyes fell on them all again; Shouto cold and irritated as always when he had to speak with his father, Bakugou in a state of constant fury as if stability of this universe depended on it, and Izuku, again looking sorry as he looked at Enji.
"Good night," he stepped out into the corridor. Before he reached his own room he heard Shouto's quiet voice.
"Stop looking so sad for him."
"And you stop telling people what to do, halfass!"
"Bakugou, this is not your concern."
"Just leave Deku alone, you thick headed asshole."
"Who, me?"
"Katchan, maybe this shouldn't come from you of all people..."
Enji stopped in his tracks. He shouldn't have, but he did.
There was a pause.
"I know you are a very good person, Midoriya, but I know my father best. You don't need to feel sorry for him"
"Todoroki-kun, I didn't mean to... it's just..." Izuku faltered.
"It's just the stupid nerd doesn't have a dad of his own, so you fucking should use your two fucking braincells and shut the fuck up!"
There fell a silence.
"What the fuck?! I thought you knew, considering you're always together everyfuckingwhere, two goddamn sad backstory besties!" Enji could clearly hear guilt under all this anger.
"I... didn't know."
"It's okay, it really is okay, I'm not thinking it's better to have any dad, Todoroki-kun, sorry!"
"You stupid fuckers with your stupid family drama!"
"As if you're better."
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT SUPPOSE TO MEAN YOU HALFASS!"
"You told me yourself you were brought up with violence."
Enji just stood there, rooted to the spot. He never dwelled too much on how exactly Shouto chose his friends. Izuku was the best, warmest ray of sunshine in everyone's life, one day spent with him was enough to see that, so it wasn't so weird. But Bakugou?
But now he could see the connection. Did they subconsciously get together because they sensed they had a common feature – fucked up parents? Guilt drowned him again.
Fuck. He used to think everyone had children, so it couldn't be that difficult. Apparently everyone thought that too, and here were the effects of that.
It also seemed Bakugou was even more similar to him. He should have guessed that.
888
The week went by too quickly for Enji's liking, but the boys improved immensely. They really took all his advice to heart and made progress that others wouldn't make in a month or even longer. It made him wistful however that the time they'd spent together was devoted only to the professional matters. If things were different he'd love to eat dinner with them, in one of the nearby restaurants, but of course, that was out of the question. Now that Saturday evening came, he realized how grateful he had become for Fuyumi's idea.
"Welcome!" Fuyumi simply sparkled with joy. That alone would be enough to make it worthy. Then he noticed Natsuo's shoes. 'Damn,' he thought and he felt guilty for thinking that. It's just he really wanted this to be a pleasant evening, without bringing up the awful past he was to blame for. With Fuyumi trying her best and Shouto refraining from reminding him about their relationship in front of Izuku since the time he got to know about Izuku's family situation, it was possible. But not with Natsuo here, sadly.
"I am so grateful you made time in your busy schedules to come! Hajimemashite! Thank you for taking care of Shouto! I'm his older sister, Fuyumi!
Izuku immediately went into the good mannered albeit slightly afraid of strangers mode. It was amusing to watch. Enji stopped the little smile creeping on his face before someone could see it.
"I know you!", exclaimed Fuyumi happily after Izuku introduced himself. "I watched you fight against Shouto during the U.A. sports festival on TV!"
Izuku paled. "OH! I'm so sorry for the injury I caused your brother at that time!"
"I think it's nothing compared to breaking all your limbs?" stated flatly Enji, all his willpower at not showing his amusement.
"Loser nerd," he heard Bakugou snickering.
"It was just a match," added Shouto, rolling his eyes.
They went to the dining room. Fuyumi really has outdone herself this time. Practically the whole space on the table was laden with various, heavenly smelling dishes. The girl was truly gifted in that field, thought Enji, as he felt ravenous looking at all the masterpieces prepared. She took it after her mother. Rei was a great cook, though initially, when they just married, she couldn't cook anything but the simplest dishes and she fretted terribly over the fact. He remembered clearly their first dinner when she asked him if they could have a take-out instead, whatever she intended to prepare apparently had not gone well. He remembered the fear in her eyes as she looked at him worried how he was going to react that confirmed his earlier suspicions that she came from a household as much abusive as his was. He promised himself back then he'd never abuse her. He did not keep his word.
Fuyumi took care of the conversation at the table as he lost himself in unpleasant memories. Which wasn't bad. If he kept his mouth shut, the dinner might go smoothly after all. Though a part of him of course hoped for some opening in conversation that would let him speak to Izuku. Soon the time together would pass.
The boy seemed overawed with food which started an amicable conversation between him and his older children. It all was going so well.
"So, I ate your food too, Natsuo?"
"Well, I'm not sure. My food was heavily seasoned, so Endeavor might've stopped you, saying 'Don't eat stuff like this.'"
And there it went. It had to.
Izuku and Bakugou went stiff, obviously uncomfortable to witness an impending domestic scene.
"I haven't realized it was you who cooked," he murmured apologetically. Apparently it wasn't the right thing to say as Natsuo went visibly irritated. He tried again, "Next time we could eat Natsuo's-"
"Thank you for the meal," interjected Natsuo coldly, rising. "I came. That's enough, right?" he added as he left the room.
"Natsu!"
"Sorry, sis, I can't do this."
Fuyumi did her best to lift the atmosphere after that, but of course it was irreparable now.
888
He was just taking some of the food to their butsudan when he heard Shouto's quiet voice.
"He ruined mother." Enji wished it wasn't true. But still it was overbearing pain to hear his beloved child saying that out loud.
"I can't forgive him so easily. But, you know, Mother's trying to overcome this herself right now."
Enji stood still, listening.
"Honestly, I don't know myself what I want to do yet. I still don't know how to feel about the old man..."
At least there was still hope, maybe, if Shouto was hesitating. From his cold demeanor Enji thought-
"'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!"
Enji almost dropped the plates.
"IF YOU INVITE PEOPLE KEEP SENSITIVE SHIT LIKE THAT TO YOURSELVES!"
Ah, yes. Bakugou probably had enough of this kind of atmosphere in his own home. Enji himself was always torn over dinners with guests – on the one hand his mother would never berate him in front of strangers, so he had a couple of hours without being criticized or scolded, but on the other hand she always acted so sweet around him in front of people it made him sick.
"Hand over the rest of the dirty plates!"
"Oh, we shouldn't have! I'm sorry, it just-" Poor Fuyumi.
"Ah! Umm! We've already heard about your situation from Todoroki-kun!" And Izuku desperately trying to make Fuyumi feel better. Sweet child, truly. As if knowing Shouto told them about how broken their family was would make Fuyumi feel better.
"Normally you'd think getting invited for dinner is not to end up drowning in people's shitty problems! Now the taste of that Sichuan Tofu is completely ruined!"
"I'm sorry! We happened to overhear!"
Enji was about to move when he heard Izuku's voice again.
"Todoroki-kun. I can see you are preparing yourself to forgive, right?"
"Huh?" Shouto was rarely caught off-guard, but this was how he sounded when it happened.
"If you really loathe your father, I think it is okay not to forgive. But you're such a kind person... I think you're waiting. I think this is exactly the time for that."
'Such a kind person? You're a kind person, Izuku. You're the one, kinder than anyone,' he blinked away the tears. Would all his children grow up like that if he wasn't there? He kept having this dream recently. His wife and children are sitting around the table, the atmosphere grave, fearful, hateful. Then he is sitting in his car and watching Midoriya play with Izuku, happy, laughing, serene. He clearly can see the deciding factor in that dream. In one scene he is part of the family, in the other he isn't.
He slowly started to see what he can do for his family now, after all these years.
888
Enji was lost in thoughts the entire ride to U.A.
He had frozen again when one of his children had been in mortal danger, unable to control his emotions, unable to think objectively. That was unforgivable. It happened once, but it should never happen again. But his therapist was obviously absolutely right all these years – he was too emotional when it came to those close to him. But before it had been a matter of their healthy family life; now it started to be a matter of actual life. He has lost one child already due to his mistakes, now it seemed another death was impending, cause he couldn't get a fucking grip on himself. The day would come that there would be no one to help him nearby and he's gonna be fucking standing watching his child die incapable of anything. Some hero that can't save his own family.
Then his thoughts went to his conversation with Natsuo – the boy's words resounded in his head "I'm not kind like Shouto", and he knew very well the emotion that had broken on the surface – guilt. Fuyumi has forgiven Enji, Rei was working on it too, Shouto was considering it. He knew well how Natsuo had to feel – that he had all right to be angry, to hate, but kindness of everyone around made him seem like a villain, made him feel like one maybe too, even though he did nothing wrong. He probably felt forced by everyone to forgive; it had to be unjust in his eyes. So Enji had said what he had said in hope that Natsuo would truly believe he does not expect his absolution. He hoped the boy would believe Enji does not think him to be worse, less kind than others. He hoped his son would see that Enji did grant him the right to hate him forever. Cause he had that right, even if the thought hurt like a knife through his heart. Enji himself never stopped hating his mother, not really, even if he was trying to be a good, helpful son until the day she died. The hate was always there and nobody had the right to tell him it was wrong, not with all she had done to him. So, he understood Natsuo well.
He sighed.
The characteristic shape of U. A. high school emerged from the darkness and soon the taxi they were forced to take arrived before the main gate. Shouto left with no word to him, deep in thoughts himself, Bakugou growled something unintelligible and followed the boy. Only Izuku proved yet again his mother brought him up well as he fired his usual series of words uttered with speed making you wonder if his quirk actually doesn't have something to do with a machine gun.
"Thank you very much, Endeavor-san, for allowing us to do our internship with you! It was most instructive! I can't believe I've learned that much during a mere week! And we are so grateful for your offer to learn from you more on weekends! I can't wait for that! This is amazing! I hope I'm gonna soon reach the level of control you wouldn't be ashamed of! I hope we weren't too much of a nuisance! And thank you so much for the dinner! Please tell Fuyumi-san again, we're very grateful. And please tell Natsuo-san we-"
"You're such a good kid," he heard himself saying.
Izuku stopped surprised and smiled warmly.
"So is Shouto-kun. I'm so glad we're friends with him."
"SPEAK FOR YOURSELF, NERD!"
Ah, it looked like both boys stopped in the distance and were watching them.
Enji smiled back. "I know. Shouto is the best."
Izuku grinned.
"About your quirk. You should try to understand its true nature. You should try to understand what is the common ground between enhanced strength and ability to create Blackwhip. It will help you with better control and maybe to develop even more useful skills."
Izuku got nervous for some reason. Maybe he felt ashamed he doesn't understand his quirk yet. Well, no fault of his there to be such a late bloomer.
"Yes," he nodded, scratching his head sheepishly. "I shall do that."
"I am looking forward to tutoring you again."
"Thank you, you were actually better at it than All Might," Enji's stupid heart skipped a beat. "I mean All Might is great, but he is-"
"An exception. A genius," he murmured bitterly.
"Yeah, how he described his experiences with his quirk, it seemed like it all came so natural to him."
"Well, we, normal people, have got to take the harder way."
They looked at each other for a moment, Enji unwilling to end this conversation even though he saw his Shouto intense look drilling into Izuku's back.
"Um, I know it is really not my place to say that..."
Enji waited patiently.
"...and I really should not poke my nose like that... ...but I'm sure things will get better, with all the effort you make, Endeavor-san," he finished quietly. Enji's eyes softened. "Sorry, I really shouldn't be saying things like that, thank you again!" And he ran towards other, by now quite irritated boys.
Enji just stood there taking in all the conversation.
This child... He'd gladly die for him.
888
Enji was sitting in his study, laptop opened, but eyes unseeing. Soon the huge house would be empty. Even without only one of his children, Shouto, Enji felt horrible, missing the youngest child's presence, even if it usually was most unassuming, the boy always in his room on his computer or reading a book. And to think that soon there would be none of his children here. His heart painfully squeezed, to a point it was hard to catch breath. But it was the right thing to do. That would be good for his family. For him? Not so much. But they were most important. They always should have been more important. He failed to understand this when he was younger and it was his duty to repay the damage he's made. Still, it was a horrible prospect. Maybe he'd just move to the agency. But could he leave Touya's butsudan?
His phone buzzed.
"Hello."
"What happened?" How did she notice? He'd bet he strived for the most normal, flat hello in the world.
"Did something happen at the dinner?"
What? How? Fuck.
"God, I'm so sorry. I haven't thought to ask you. I should have. But it was just because Shouto is friends with Izuku, I swear I wasn't intending to do anything behind your back."
"You should have told me. I'd agree to it, of course, but you should have." She sighed. "But it's okay. I can see you have a lot on your plate, as usual. What happened? Was the dinner a disaster?"
Enji felt quiet. But she was the only person he felt he could talk about these things, beside his therapist. But then again he did not want to burden her.
"It's not a big deal."
"Is it not?"
"Yeah, Izuku is the greatest child in this world, maybe apart from my children, and he was awesome throughout the whole dinner. But I- you know... have some problems with my kids."
She was silent for a moment.
"Well, you have to give them time and space."
"Yes, I've decided to build them a house. For them and Rei."
"Ah. What about you?"
"I'll stay here."
"Oh, Enji, it's gonna kill you."
Enji stared at the phone, feeling so moved he couldn't talk for a second. There was someone there who truly understood him. Who cared. Despite everything that he was, that he did.
"I'll be fine. And most importantly this will help them get better... It will be best for Rei too."
The doctors still wouldn't even let him see her. It was out of the question they could live together anyway.
"Oh, Enji, I'm so sorry."
"I am not. I am not happy, but I am not sorry."
She was quiet for some time.
"Probably i's a good decision. They will have freedom to come to you whenever they feel like it. To decide on their own pace of things. But I know how much it will cost you."
"I'll be fine," he replied in a more drained voice than he wished.
"Enji. You know you can always call me, right? You've always been such a help."
"Was I? I've never been there for you."
"No, but you've been calling me tirelessly all these years, always checking up, always offering advice, even when I really was giving you a cold shoulder. For how many years you were the side who tried to keep in contact, while I never called?"
"That's a bare minimum."
"Many single mothers don't have that. They really are alone and without much money too."
"This is ridiculous. Just because other men might be bigger assholes than me it doesn't make me-"
"You're not an asshole. You're a bit broken though." He bristled at that, but she was right.
"That's not an excuse."
"We've made the child together. I knew you had a wife and children. Am I not an asshole too then?"
He was quiet. There really was no winning an argument with Midoriya.
"An asshole would not bring up such a perfect child as Izuku," he finally said.
She chuckled, the mood suddenly lightened by her good natured laugh.
"But I really mean it," she added more seriously. "Call me whenever you need. I'll call you more too."
She did call him more, well, called him at all, recently, he realized. It never was the thing before. What changed? Was it because Izuku was friends with Shouto? Was it because he was now going down the dangerous path of a hero and Enji knew this path better than anyone? Was it because their children were going through the same dangerous situations and it only made sense to support each other? Or maybe he really became a better man, finally, and she saw that?
"Thank you. I will try not to burden you too much though."
"Don't be stupid."
Author's Notes:
So. This chapter would be up earlier, but I fight a goddamn bedbugs infestation right now. I'm proud I actually forced myself to finish this and publish at all, cause this is a goddamn nightmare. Also, did you know this is the first fic in years that made me win over my procrastination? :D
Also, of course I HAD to fuck up canon story, I knew it had to happen. So apparently Rei ended up in hospital BEFORE Touya 'died', so it's a bit of an arrow to the knee for this story or at least a fist to the dick, cause as you noticed even if I did acknowledge Enji started to be abusive when Touya started to act up, I also made it so that the worst nightmare would start after Touya died, cause I thought this was what fucked him up completely. Well, maybe I'll rewrite the relevant parts later.
Also unfortunately, since I don't want any more fuckups like this one, the next chapter will be much much later published, since I have to properly watch season 6 and read all the chapters after 6 season, and I have two jobs and apparently goddamn bedbugs too now. But we'll get there. I expect the whole story to be published in June, or sooner if I manage. I expect there are only two chapters left, though who knows, not sure how much more relevant material will appear in manga in anime.
Stay tuned, next chapter is gonna feature a Big Revelation! Yep, Enji finally tells everyone he's Izuku's dad.
Also, as usual, I search for an English native beta, cause I;m sure the tenses in the story are totally messed, and probably other things too. Or you can buy me Grammarly :D