Wow! Can't believe I'm on chapter 5 already. In special thanks and as a late holiday and New Year present here is an extra long chapter! Hope you enjoy!

Special shout out to my betas, C's Melody and Flourchildwrites! Both are amazing writers and I highly encourage you to check out their work.

I also want to give thanks to Fencer29 and the guest who left reviews. I try to always respond to comments so if you have an account I'll definitely message you back!

Also, big thank you to Evieeburn125 who was my partner for this Big Bang. Check out their artwork on my tumblr at TeaPlease1717

Btw, I can't believe no one caught that it was Sero accompanying Mineta! Haha. I practically took his lines straight out of his fight with Todoroki in the second season!

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Chapter 5: We Can (Not) Deny

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Shouto's teeth ground in frustration, and he pressed his hands more firmly against the glacier. His magic prickled down his arms, and he felt the ice melt under his palms, letting off a low hiss as the water evaporated into steam. It misted through the room and clung to his skin like morning dew on leaves.

Hanata Sero lay in the doorway, his legs still encased in the glacier. He was pale and shivering violently. Yaoyorozu had wrapped blankets around him, but it wasn't enough to stop his quaking. The likelihood of frostbite was high, amputation a possibility.

On the other side of the doorway, Kirishima and Rikado Sato, the Prince's chef, chipped away at the ice with shovels. Unlike Kirishima's slim and muscular frame, Sato was tall with a broad build, small beady black eyes, and full lips. He wasn't the smartest but had the brute strength needed for the job.

Sero moaned softly in pain and Shouto's chest tightened. Not for the first time that night, he wished he knew how to use his powers to heal instead of just to kill. Shouto dug his nails into the ice.

It wasn't like it was his fault.

It was common sense.

Sero should have known not to come by unannounced, especially not right after conquering the city. Anyone would have attacked first, thinking it was an enemy. And Yaoyorozu's breakdown hadn't helped. When she had cowered, the fear in her eyes had clawed at his heart. It had made him see red, made his belly burn, made his lips curl.

"Todoroki!" Kirishima's voice cut into Shouto's thoughts harshly.

There was a cracking sound, and the remaining ice shattered under his fingertips.

Sero crumpled to the ground, free at last. Kirishima threw down his shovel and rushed over to his side. The room was silent as Kirishima pulled Sero's limp body out of the ice.

"We got you, man. Stay strong," Kirishima said gently.

Shouto's fingers shook slightly as he canceled his fire magic. He stood up from his crouched position on the floor, and pins and needles shot through his legs as he moved closer.

Sero didn't twitch as Kirishima carried him over to a blanket and laid him down.

Mineta skirted wide around Shouto and scurried over to Sero's other side. Leaning over, he lay his head on Sero's chest. His eyes widened in horror, and he jerked back. "His heart's stopped!"

Shouto froze, his stomach twisted viciously.

Kirishima looked across Sero's unconscious body and up at Shouto. His red eyes narrowed. "Todoroki, heat him up!" he ordered, his voice tense.

Shouto started and then nodded. He went over to Sero and crouched down, extending his hand to lie upon Sero's chest.

"No!"

Pausing, Shouto looked up sharply at Yaoyorozu. She took a step forward, away from Tokoyami. Her fingers still had a slight tremor from her earlier fear. She swallowed, and for a moment, she hesitated. Then, a look of determination flashed across her face, and she straightened.

"You mustn't," she continued, clenching her wrapped hand over her heart. "Direct heat will damage the skin and could possibly make his heart stop entirely."

Kirishima's eyes widened and his mouth fell open as he looked at her aghast. "Then what do we do?"

Yaoyorozu bit her bottom lip. "We'll need to do chest compressions," she finally said, moving closer.

Rikado Sato nodded and pushed Mineta out of the way with his wide frame. "I'll do it," he said in a thick Cretan accent. His lips thinned in concentration as he laid his hands on Sero's chest. "What do I need to do?"

Yaoyorozu tucked pieces of her fringe behind her ear. "It's a delicate operation. If you can do the compressions, I'll do the rest." She said, kneeling down by Sero's head.

"Sero, you lucky bastard," Mineta whispered.

Everything within Shouto went cold. His gray eyes traced the outline of Yaoyorozu's figure, eyeing the tear in her chiton with a lingering gaze. He was suddenly intensely aware that Yaoyorozu was still in her torn clothes. His lips twitched as he watched Mineta leer at her exposed skin. The image of bashing the young boy's head into the floor suddenly seemed very appealing. He clenched his jaw at the violent thought. He should have been more forceful and made Yaoyorozu wear his cape, instead of letting her use it as a blanket for Tokoyami.

Shouto forced himself to look away. Sato pressed on Sero's chest, fast and hard. Yaoyorozu shifted to hold Sero's head up, and then, after roughly 100 seconds, she raised a hand to pause Sato. She tilted Sero's head back, plugged his nose, leaned over...

Shouto stopped breathing.

Roaring sounded in his ears as she leaned down. Her mouth still hovered over Sero's as Shouto's hand shot to grasp Endeavor's hilt. His eyes narrowed as a dark burning fury spread out from his chest.

"Half n' Half," a deep voice snapped. Shouto started, and his gaze jerked up as everyone paused. The Prince stepped into the doorway.

"Bakugou!" Kirishima stood up. "It's Sero. He's not…"

Bakugou's eyes narrowed, and then they darted to Sato. "What are you fucking waiting for? Get his heart going again, idiots. Press on his chest and then blow into his mouth while you hold his nose shut." He turned and glared at Shouto. "Half n' Half, bring your woman and bird brain and go find a new place for them," he snapped.

Yaoyorozu stood up abruptly. She wore a determined expression. "We can't leave yet." Bakugou paused and looked at her. "I'm the one best suited to take care of him," she said, her hand pressed against her chest. "I was the temple's top healer-"

"Then you should know that the humidity in the room is a breeding spot for infection," Bakugou said, interrupting her. Expressionlessly, he looked across the room to the temple guardian. "You care about it, right? Then we need to go someplace dry."

Hesitation flashed across Yaoyorozu's features. Then she deflated, and she gave a small nod.

Shouto felt a strange sense of relief at her consent. The room was uncomfortable. Seeing Yaoyorozu tending to Sero had made his chest twist painfully. And the fact that too many people knew where to find them also sat heavily on his mind as he pulled himself up and went over to the half-man, picking him up.

Being careful of the demigod's wounds, Shouto carried him outside.

Night had fully set in, but the air was still warm. Yaoyorozu shivered slightly in her damp clothes, and Shouto's chest tightened. He needed to get her someplace warm and safe before she got sick. He clenched his jaw.

Back towards the city square, he could hear the sound of lutes and singing from the festivities. Shouto turned away from the music. He led Yaoyorozu towards the outer wall of the city. Behind them, Bakugou followed at a distance. Shouto could feel his eyes trained on his back. Again he was struck by how calm the usually hot-headed Prince was.

He frowned as he pushed open a couple of doors to houses that seemed mostly intact, but a restlessness in him found none of them to be acceptable. Everything seemed too cramped or dirty. Too close to the partying soldiers.

He led her further towards the outer walls of the city. Here, there was no one left. Most of the houses were burned or completely destroyed. It was a place that spoke of death, and yet, for whatever reason, Shouto felt more at ease here, surrounded by the singed smell of burnt wood, than he did with his fellow soldiers.

He found one of the only remaining houses and kicked open the door. It was almost identical to the house they had just left except for the smashed pottery on the floor and half-eaten meal still sitting on the table. Shouto led Yaoyrozu inside and placed the demigod on the bed.

A knock sounded against the wood, and Shouto turned to find the Prince. Bakugou stared at him. "Half n' Half, a word," he said.

Shouto tensed. He recognized that it was illogical, but his stomach felt like it shrank at the thought of leaving Yaoyorozu alone. She could take care of herself, he had seen her do so, but something dark twisted within him just thinking about being apart from her.

"Todoroki?" Yaoyorozu asked, her dark eyes looking up at him questioningly.

Shouto turned sharply, took half a step forward, and grabbed her chin. He leaned down until his mouth hovered above her own. Yaoyorozu stilled. He felt her breath puff against his lips.

He wanted to kiss her again.

He longed to taste the wine and honey on her lips. It felt like all the anger and tension coiling within him would disappear if he just closed the distance between their mouths. But now wasn't the time.

"Stay," Shouto ordered. Releasing her, he pulled back and turned on his heel to follow Bakugou.

The Prince led him down the street. Shouto's chest constricted the further they moved from the house. Every step felt heavy like Shouto was trudging through mud. It was an illogical thought, but in the back of his mind, he couldn't shake the feeling that Yaoyorozu was in danger. It pounded through his ears and made his heart race.

Shouto glanced over his shoulder and almost tripped over the Prince as Bakugou stopped suddenly and rounded on him. "You can't even fucking walk straight, can you?"

Shouto took a step back. From the corner of his eye, he could still see the house, and it unexpectedly put him at ease. His gaze flicked back to the Prince. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Bakugou's red eyes narrowed. "Explain what just happened then," he snapped, his lips curling up into a snarl.

Shouto's hand moved to rest upon Endeavor's hilt. "There's nothing to explain," he said, after a moment. "I lost my temper."

"Fuck that!" Shouto's eyes narrowed a fraction. He could see a vein pulsing in Bakugou's neck.

"You've endangered my men before, Half n' Half, but never like this. You fucking almost froze Flat Face's skin off. And I got some fucking Athenian general whining about twenty of his men slaughtered outside of Apollo's temple. They think it's that fucking bird brain and want it back for retribution. But I know your work and those men weren't cut down by no fucking bird demigod."

Shouto's fingers twitched, and his throat tightened. "Sorry for causing you trouble," he said softly.

"Sorry ain't gonna cut it!" Bakugou said, his tone vicious.

Shouto felt like there was a lump in his throat. It was true: he had gone overboard, especially with Sero.

He had just been angry.

People had called him dispassionate before. But intense fury had welled up within him when he had seen Yaoyorozu's fear. It had whitened out his vision, similar to the emotion that had overcome him when the Athenian soldiers had touched her. Except at that time, she had truly been in danger. Shouto's grip on Endeavor's hilt tightened.

Bakugou's eyes narrowed. "You've noticed it too, haven't you?" he said seriously.

Shouto didn't respond. There were pieces of broken vase on the ground; mindlessly he swept the pieces into a pile with his foot. The Prince watched him and sighed.

"It's that woman."

Shouto's gaze darted up and narrowed sharply, his temper finally bubbling to the surface. "It has nothing to do with her. Yaoyorozu is just a slave," he growled.

Bakugou stared at him for a second, his face void of emotion. "So you haven't noticed it."

Shouto's fingers twitched slightly. He was tired and didn't have the mental resources to play mind games with Bakugou at the moment. "What haven't I noticed?" Shouto asked in a cold voice.

"You're practically drooling over her," Bakugou said.

"I'm not a dog."

Bakugou rolled his eyes. "I forget how fucking dense you can be." The Prince looked sharply at Shouto. "You fucking want to sleep with her."

Shouto stood stunned. "What?"

Bakugou's expression grew hard. "You're lusting after her, hard. You treat her as if she's a fucking princess. I'm sure if she cried, you would wipe her tears for her too," he continued coldly.

Shouto's stomach dropped, and he looked away. He swallowed over a suddenly dry throat. "She's mine. Of course I'd take care of her."

He could feel Bakugou's eyes widen. "Fuck. You're whipped already," he said, aghast.

Shouto's hand clenched around Endeavor's hilt until his knuckles turned white.

"What happened?"

Shouto ground his jaw. "Like I said — nothing."

"Fuck that!"

Shouto turned back to stare angrily at Bakugou. He could feel pulsing rage inside of him, and then his shoulders sank. He looked down at the ground.

"Kaminari shot me," he said softly, suddenly feeling drained. He dropped his hand from Endeavor. "I don't think it's anything to worry about. It's just a kissing spell."

Bakugou was silent for a moment. "You dense motherfucker," Bakugou finally bit out. "If it involves the gods, it's never just a simple spell."

Shouto didn't answer. He stood there frozen. Somehow a part of him had assumed if he ignored Kaminari, everything would be normal. He was strong.

Bakugou sighed and pushed back his blonde hair. "I'm sending you home."

Shouto's gaze jerked back to the Prince. He couldn't have been more stunned if the Prince had just slapped him. "What?"

"You heard me. I'm sending your fucking ass back early. That cock sucking Deku can deal with you."

"I'm one of your top fighters," Shouto hissed.

Bakugou cut him off. "And you can't control it."

"I can."

"Can you?"

Shouto looked away. "I'll learn."

Bakugou snorted. "That ain't good enough, Half n' Half. I have hundreds of men to feed and bring back to Sparta safely. I don't have fucking time to deal with you and whatever this is," he said, pointing at Shouto's chest.

Shouto glared at Bakugou and swatted his hand away. "I'm strong. I won't be defeated by some weak god's curse," he retorted, his hands balled into tight fists at his sides.

"Fuck, Half n' Half! It ain't about being strong or weak." Bakugou scowled. "Fact is you are a danger to my men and me. Until you learn what the fuck sets you off or you get off, I want you gone." Bakugou turned, his red cape billowing behind him as he walked away. "The ship leaves in two days, and I want your fucking ass on it. Until then, stay out of the way. I'll send Kirishima or that round face you saved to bring you food."

Shouto didn't move. His knuckles turned white as he shook with barely suppressed rage, watching fitfully as the Prince disappeared.

He didn't understand how it had turned out this way. He was strong. If he was under a spell, he would have known.

"Fuck!" Shouto turned and slammed his fist into a wall. He felt his knuckles split at the impact as the wall gave way under his fist, leaving a hole.

It wasn't enough. He wanted to fight. He wanted to feel his blood pump and be able to forget about all of this.

But he couldn't. The war was over, there was no one left to fight. Still, the fury boiled within him like an overflowing pot.

Shouto grit his teeth, his body trembling with rage.

He heard the creaking sound of a door opening down the street and lifted his head slightly to see Yaoyorozu standing in the doorway. She looked at him, her face hesitant. Shouto straightened. He didn't want to worry her.

He paused at the thought. His eyes widened. If he hadn't been paying attention, if he hadn't felt such overwhelming fury, he would have missed the slight shifting of his mood.

Shouto's stomach twisted painfully. Even his emotions weren't his anymore, he realized. It was as Bakugou had said.

It made him sick. The gods had even taken away Shouto's ability to control his own emotions. It made him feel like a puppet. A toy. And he had never had as much anger towards the gods as at that moment.

Shouto clenched his eyes shut and breathed in a trembling breath to steady himself. He was stronger than this. He'd figure out a way to beat Kaminari.

Slowly, Shouto unclenched his hands and walked towards her. He'd win, he'd break Kaminari's curse. He would.

The strong live, and he was strong.

The following days bled together. Yaoyorozu spent most of her time mixing medicinal pastes or healing Tokoyami, who had periodically began to wake up. Shouto, for his part, would watch, or find himself unconsciously offering assistance, but mostly he tried to ignore the aching sensation in his chest and strategize how to break the annoying spell. What he had found instead, was that Bakugou was wrong. The curse wasn't based on pure lust. It was a possessiveness that boarded on the brink of obsession.

Shouto ground his teeth in frustration as he watched the sea. Bakugou had been true to his word and given them his biggest trireme and a crew to sail them back to Sparta. The ship was larger than the standard 40 meters ship, but otherwise was a typical trireme, with two large masts and two floors, the rowers sitting on the lower level.

The ship rocked against the waves, and water sprayed up to mist Shouto's face as he watched the ocean.

The world had rules.

Even a god's curse had limits, and Shouto had tested those to exhaustion over the last two days. He'd practiced, seeing how close other men could get to Yaoyorozu without his heart speeding up and his sight going red. He'd left her in the house to test how far he could walk before he was overcome with worry and rushed back to her side. In the end, the answer was the same.

Whatever magic Kaminari had struck him with was strong, and he'd have to wait for the effects to wear off, if they ever did.

Unconsciously, Shouto's eyes slid to the side, to the subject of his thoughts. Yaoyorozu sat beside him on the ship's deck, her posture straight, formal as she ground herbs and grasses into a medical paste. She was dressed in a clean, white chiton. Her long black hair had been washed; it curled around her in dark waves.

His fingers twitched. He wanted to touch it. Twist it around his fist and pull her head back to lay kisses along her neck. Shouto frowned at the thought and looked away. It was Kaminari's curse, he reminded himself. Sure, she was pretty, obviously smart, and strong, but he had never felt such an overwhelming desire to touch another human being. Least of all in the way he was imagining.

His hands tightened into fists at his side.

It wasn't fair, but then, when had anything involving the gods ever been fair? Shouto sighed quietly. The fact that his attraction to Yaoyorozu was based on a curse was difficult to reconcile. It didn't feel like something he was doing primarily because of Kaminari's arrow. He tried to think of kissing any other woman. Like the Trojan girl that Bakugou had sent to bring them food, Uraraka Ochako. She was small and cute, but he couldn't imagine feeling the same desire he felt for Yaoyorozu.

Shouto rubbed the bridge of his nose. Now that he was aware of Kaminari's curse, he was constantly looking for signs of the magic influencing his thoughts. It was a difficult task.

'Act first, question later.'

It had been his creed during the war, and it had kept him alive through countless battles. But now, trying to separate his thoughts from the fabricated feelings the curse inspired, Shouto wished he had more practice deciphering the mixed feelings swirling through his chest.

His fingers touched the small bag on his right hip. It contained the few belongings he had brought from home. Shouto closed his eyes and quietly exhaled, wishing his sister was there. She was good at these kinds of things. She would know what to do, maybe even a way to break the curse, but she was a long way away. It would be at least another two weeks or longer before he was able to see her again.

Warm wind blew across the ship's deck, mixing his red and white hair. It filled the twin masts, propelling the two-tiered trireme back to Sparta.

Movement in the corner of Shouto's eye caught his attention. He looked back at Yaoyorozu. Her lips thinned as she pulled her hands away from the stone mallet to inspect her palms. She had taken off her wrist bindings in order to work and Shouto's eyes narrowed on the red, angry blisters that lined her palms. He was reminded of her fight three days ago.

The sight made his stomach drop. As much as he hated letting the curse control him, even he understood that it wouldn't go away by ignoring her.

He needed to come to a truce with her. They were stuck together for the time being and him ignoring her wasn't going to fix anything. He turned towards Yaoyorozu.

"Give me your hands," he said, kneeling down and pulling a small ceramic bottle out of his side pouch. Yaoyorozu looked up at him as he sat crossed legged in front of her.

Shouto uncorked the stopper on the bottle and poured a small amount of oily liquid into his palm. It smelled clean, with a faint, spring-like scent of dittany. Shouto held out his hand expectantly.

Yaoyorozu paused. She hid it well, but Shouto could still see the internal conflict. Small flashes of unease swirled in her black eyes as she glanced over towards him. She was cautious, and he hadn't given her any reason not to be. After a moment, she extended her hand.

Shouto took it and began to rub the thick liquid into her skin. It felt like chilled olive oil as he gently kneaded the medicine in small circles into Yaoyorozu's palm.

She tilted her head. "What is it? It feels...icy," Yaoyorozu said thoughtfully.

Shouto didn't look up as he switched hands, drawing her other palm closer and repeating the action. "It's something my sister made. It won't heal big wounds but helps with minor injuries like these."

Yaoyorozu fell silent for a moment. "You don't have to use it on me if it's from your sister," she said softly.

He gave a small shrug. "It's fine," Shouto said dismissively. "I've never needed it."

He could still feel her eyes on him and looked up. "What?"

Yaoyorozu was silent and appraising as she studied him. Then sighed quietly and looked away. "I don't understand you," she said. "You hardly say two words to me for the last two days and then you do this. Your mood seems to shift as quickly as Proteus changes forms. I don't understand."

Shouto's chest tightened. There were things he and Yaoyorozu needed to discuss, such as the curse. His lips thinned at the thought. He wasn't ready to talk about it, especially not to her. She was smart. If she hadn't already figured it out, he wasn't going to provide the information. There were too many ways that Yaoyorozu could use it against him.

Shouto's lips twitched. "There's nothing to understand," he said sternly. Then changed the subject abruptly. "How's he doing?" Shouto asked, looking over at the demigod sleeping on the deck next to them.

Yaoyorozu bit her bottom lip and dropped her gaze to the temple guardian. "Well enough, I suppose. His wounds are healing faster than a normal mortal's because of his god blood."

She pulled back the blanket gently with her free hand.

"Look. In some areas, the skin is already starting to repair," she said in a thick voice, pointing at the horizontal cut that had been stitched closed with flax. The skin was puffy and red but did appear to be healing. "I…I just don't have the same tools I used at the temple, so I'm still a little worried that he may contract an infection," she said, pulling the blanket back into place. Her voice had a tremble to it.

"We'll be back in Sparta soon enough. You can get what you need there," Shouto said and then looked away as Yaoyorozu went quiet. His throat felt tight, like he had swallowed a small stone. Once again, he was at a loss of how to comfort her. He wasn't used to dealing with other people, least of all women, and wasn't sure what to say to put her at ease. He was torn between leaving her alone again, but another part argued for him to stay. That part of him couldn't imagine ever leaving her.

Shouto's gaze moved back to the demigod sleeping on the deck, and he cleared his throat. "The stitching looked good, though. Where did you learn to do that?"

She blinked and sat up straighter. "As a priestess to Apollo, it is my duty to be versed in many things, including healing," she said.

Shouto tilted his head slightly. "Is that where you learned to fight?" he asked curiously as he released the palm he had been treating.

Yaoyorozu deflated. She looked away, and he could see the tops of her cheeks redden. "No. Tokoyami taught me that."

Yaoyorozu hesitated. She dropped her gaze to her lap; her long fingers ran over the calluses and blisters lining her palms. "The head priestess would never allow me to learn something like that. Tokoyami had to teach me in secret. I never got to practice that much, but he said I was a fast learner." There was a trace of embarrassment as well as pride in her tone. She smiled half-heartedly and turned to the demigod. Leaning forward, she ran her fingers through the feathers on top of the demigods head tenderly. Shouto's stomach clenched.

"I just wish I could have done more to put his teachings to good use," she continued, the last words a whisper under her breath. If not for the curse that made Shouto hyper-aware of her, he'd probably have missed it.

Shouto corked the bottle and shifted as he returned it to his side pouch. "You did all that you could."

She met his eyes. Shouto wanted to lean in, brush her bangs out of her face, and place a kiss upon her brow. It was a strange feeling of tenderness, and he pushed it away. It was Kaminari's arrow, he reminded himself. Besides, their peace was still too fragile.

He cleared his throat. "You're inexperienced, and it shows."

She frowned. "I know I'm weak."

"No. Not weak. Inexperienced. There's a difference. Weak would mean you are a coward. You were willing to fight off a group of Athenian men twice your size. I'd hardly call that cowardly. What you lack is experience and a bit of spatial awareness."

Yaoyorozu's gaze dropped to the floor. A small smile pulled at her lips. "Thank you."

Shouto gave a low sigh. "You thank me too much," he said, his voice was a little gruffer. "I'm just stating the truth based on what I've observed."

They lapsed back into silence after that. He helped her bind her wrist again and shortly after that Tokoyami woke up. Shouto's eyes narrowed. His chest tightened as he watched Yaoyorozu let Tokoyami lean against herself. She picked up a water flask and uncorked the top to hold it to the demigod's mouth gently.

What was Tokiyami to her?

More than a pet, of that he was becoming sure. She had said he was all that she had left...

The thought lingered in the back of his mind, and he felt his jaw tighten as he watched them. A pulling sensation in his gut left him agitated, and he watched sweat slip down Yaoyorozu's neck and disappear under the top of her chiton.

Shouto felt hot. His fingers twitched on Endeavor's hilt, and he forced himself to look away.

The sailors on the deck were all sweating. Shouto could practically see steam rising from their bare chests. The heat coiling in his veins didn't seem to be just affecting him.

His eyes narrowed. It was a nice day. There was no reason that he should be this hot.

Shouto frowned. The hair on his neck stood on end, and he jumped to his feet.

"Todoroki?" Yaoyorozu asked, standing up after him.

Shouto didn't respond. Something wasn't right. He looked around the ship. It was too hot. Almost like-

"Ah, so this is the woman who stole your heart?" a deep voice sneered. The sound cut through the air like steel.

Shouto grabbed Yaoyorozu and shoved her protectively behind himself; his gaze darted up to the sky. Hanging in the air above the ship was a man clad in black armor. He would have been considered handsome, with short black hair and fine features, if not for the deep burn scars that snaked down his neck and arms, and purpled like newly-formed bruises under his piercing blue eyes.

"Hello there, little brother. It's been a while." Dabi yawned and stretched dramatically.

Shouto felt a chill even as immense heat beat down on the boat from the demigod. Dabi was his older half-brother through their father, Ares. He was known to mortals as Deimos, the god of terror. In Shouto's experience, he was cruel and unfeeling, despite the laid-back attitude he exuded.

Shouto slid his fingers firmly over Endeavor's hilt. "What do you want, Dabi?" he demanded.

Dabi's lips quirked up at the side into a patronizing smile. "Is that any way to treat your dear, older brother?" he asked casually. "I'm just worried about my lil' brother. Father's favorite child."

Shouto's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" he repeated. He wasn't prepared to fight Dabi on the open sea, especially not when he needed to protect Yaoyorozu.

Behind him, the wooden planks groaned as the temple guardian stood up. He was suddenly thankful for Tokoyami's presence. If anything, the temple guardian would act as an extra layer of protection for Yaoyorozu.

Dabi looked at Shouto, and his eyes glittered. "Poor, little brother. Daddy dearest sent me to reprimand you for letting your guard down. And - these are his words - remind you that women are nothing but a distraction for a warrior." Dabi's face hardened, and he held out his right hand. Instantly, crackling blue flames appeared, expanding and twisting into something hideous.

Shouto's eyes widened, and coldness settled in the pit of his stomach as the fire pulled back and condensed into a tight ball of immense heat. Dabi smiled cruelly. "He never specified the how. But I don't think he'd mind if I got a little creative."

Shouto didn't have time to think. He pivoted and shoved Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami with all his strength. His chest tightened as he watched them hit the water.

Then there was a roaring sound and a blistering, blue pain seared through his mind before everything turned black.

And that's a wrap for 2019! Hope you enjoyed this extra long chapter.

All thoughts and feelings are welcome, good and bad - I love it all! That's the only way I'm going to get better. But, seriously, your comments and love give me life. I can't tell you how appreciative I am for each and every one of you for supporting me. So thank you!

Notes:

Shouto isn't stupid, he had an inkling that something was wrong when he had first accepted Yaoyorozu's proposal back in chapter 2, but had been hoping that whatever Kaminari had hit him with had been a miscast spell or too weak to impact him. However, he is slowly learning that nothing is that simple, as Bakugou points out. This frightens Shouto, not only because he feels that the gods are making him into a puppet, but because his whole identity thus far has been based on being strong. And the fact that he was not only struck by Kaminari, but forced to fall in love with Yaoyorozu is something he had never considered happening to him. Because, as Dabi said, only the weak fall in love. This leads Shouto to ignore Yaoyorozu, falling back on what we are now starting to see as his habit when he can't or won't deal with a situation. However, as much as Shouto wants to walk away from Yaoyorozu, the curse won't let him. And he finds himself unable to leave her alone.

Other notes:

Proteus - a sea god, famous for his ability to flicker from one form to another when enemies pursued him.