Heaven, Hell

Part One

"61…62…63…" Keigo counts the number of times he can hit the ball without it touching the ground. Touya aggressively does the same nearby. "Getting tired already?"

"You wish!"

Reality often doesn't live up to expectations. In the best and worst ways.

The first time he visited the Todoroki's household it had been an unexpected experience. There was no way to know that of all places they were visiting Endeavor's family so that Tsunade could treat their son. He got a glimpse that day. A connection between siblings. A boy putting on a tough guy act as he practically cried. An argument over legacy.

But legacy meant he cared for them, right?

Keigo's parents couldn't care less if he grew up and carried on their name and honour. Not that it was something he wanted to do. Not with parents like them.

However, the more time he spends around the Todoroki's the more his imagined version of Endeavor crumbles. It's disappointing and reassuring in their own ways. Disappointing because he wants the person who caught his father to be a hero greater than life. He could be, at times, but only in relation to heroism and branding. Endeavor was very much lacking as a family man.

The reassurance comes from knowing that there's hope. That he doesn't have to actually be a cookie-cutter version of 'a good person with the right reasons' to become a hero. It's one thing to give assurance and keep composure for the public, and another to constantly live up to those ideals. Touya doesn't know it, but Keigo bonds over their shared goal of becoming heroes even if they are from broken homes. Also, Touya and Enji can be overly serious and prideful and it's something he likes to poke and prod for entertainment.

"I've brought lemonade." Fuyumi slowly walks as she tries to keep the tray balanced. He sends two feathers to take the tray from her and set it down safely all while continuing to keep his ball in the air.

"I got ya."

"Thank you," she says as his feathers return to him.

Fuyumi worries a lot. She's cheerful but reserved at school. Something he observes from being in the same class. She's easy and eager to get along with others. He wouldn't go as far as to claim she's fake. As far as he can tell she is genuine, but he sees it as restraint. She's likely been socialized to be that way. Apologizing on her family's behalf. Having the need to mediate. It reminds him of the days he tiptoed around his parents. Staying out of the way and apologizing for whatever they deemed his latest mistake.

Keigo gives a small salute before stuffing his hands into his pockets as he hits the ball again with the inner side of his foot.

"Ah!" He watches Touya miss.

Keigo hits the ball one more time and catches it. "Looks like I'm the winner again."

Touya glares. "Fight me for real."

Keigo tilts his head as if to show he's considering it and hums. Honestly, he wouldn't mind sparring or training, but there's others he could rely on for that and it amuses him to piss him off. "I rather not."

"Coward. You know you'll lose."

"Touya!" Fuyumi takes a few steps towards her brother with her hands up. "He came all the way over."

"Meh, it's not that far. My house is several blocks away, but it's still in this neighborhood." Tsunade likes the old architectural designs. Keigo doesn't really care. He's more invested that he got his own permanent room all to himself.

"Eh?" Fuyumi whips her head. She has been curious as to where he lived, but she didn't think it was that close.

"Good. Then you can only run away for so long."

Keigo laughs for real this time. That's cute. He doesn't doubt Touya's fire is fearsome, but he isn't scared and he certainly isn't running away.

"Stop laughing. Hey! I said stop laughing!"

Keigo laughs harder. He can't help it. It's another perfect opportunity to fire him up. "I've already saved a bunch of people from a collapsing building and helped with relief measures. As I see it, I'm way more capable." He doesn't believe saving people is a contest. It doesn't matter who helps as long as someone does. He sees some sparks of flames from Touya's anger. He doesn't even bring up Tsunade. Touya is eternally thankful to her, but Endeavor is still his benchmark to impress and surpass.

He understands. He disagrees, but understands. After all, he uses Tsunade as a benchmark for himself. Both in strength and ideology.

"Prove it then." Keigo dodges.

"Maybe another time. I should be getting home now." He doesn't. He has no curfew and he's likely eating leftovers for dinner. "Ah, but first." Keigo walks over to the lemonade and drinks one of the glasses. "Thanks for the drink, Fuyumi. See ya around, Touya."

"Hmph." Touya crosses his arms.

Keigo walks off and Fuyumi approaches her brother. "I'm happy that you're better, but do you need to go around making enemies? I think he would make a good friend if you relaxed a little." Touya has friends, but they're connections are superficial. They're kids from the area who want to play or schoolmates who he's shared classes with. Friends of convenience. Touya has mentioned bragging about Dad and talking about becoming heroes, but she realized at some point, during the nights he came crying to her, that his goal to become a hero has overtaken his life. She wants him to succeed, but she's scared he'll become lonely. After all, Dad has a huge family and yet work is the centre of his world.

Dad has a huge agency. She hopes he's friends with some of them even if he doesn't spend time with them. She feels a twitch in her chest. Okay, she does care.

"Hey! Why are you crying all of the sudden?" Touya's anger vanishes as he looks over his sister. "Fuyumi? Fuyumi what's wrong?" He thinks of the last thing she said before going silent. "Er, rivals! We aren't enemies. We're rivals, so you don't need to cry."

Rival? Touya could begrudgingly work with that. Better him than the other boy. The moment he found out Tsunade was on T.V. for being an interdimensional alien he stayed glue to the television all too fascinating. More than any of his peers. They saw headlines and clips and stopped at that, but Touya wanted to know everything. That involved learning that Keigo is a son of a villain and Tenko is one. He doesn't care if they let him off. Who kills their whole family? How does he live with himself? He's been spiteful at times to Shouto as Dad hadn't disregarded his interest, but to kill?

"Did you go somewhere without me?" Tenko looks at the clock.

"Just played around a bit with Touya."

Tenko's stare burns. "Isn't he the one who yelled at you during the first week of class?"

"That's the one!"

"I don't understand why you want to hang around someone so rude."

Keigo gets his second laughter of the day. He wraps one arm around Tenko. "Aw, do you miss me? You can come to school too, you know."

Tenko continues to let Keigo touch him as he recaps his afternoon. As soon as the story is done, Tenko swats him away. "I don't get you sometimes."

"What's not to understand?"

"Are you trying to fit in or keep distance?"

Keigo opens his mouth to retort when his mind blanks. His mind never blanks.

Tenko gleefully smiles. "Enjoy eating flies."