A few days later after the commotion, the Commission's situation was worse than it had been in years, back when they had had to scramble to get a replacement for Lady Nagant in the person of Hawks, still a child and in training at that point. Killing off their targets had been messy, their organization disorganised and it had had the result of enemies, villains and other idiots believing they were in their rights to defy them. Absolutely preposterous.

However, that ungrateful Hawks' decision to put them on blast in public had been detrimental to their popularity lately as well as that of their temporary guest, thanks to that criminal named Dabi.

Damn, the President thought. Endeavor was really stupid to have let so many loose ends free to bite him in the ass. She swallowed the rest of her drink. It seemed even the finest whiskey couldn't wash that bitter feeling that filled her guts, watching from the top windows of the building the people of the city protest against their organisation in the streets. The one that had allowed them to turn a blind eye and live happily unaware of the ugliest part of their society. They were perfectly happy before, being fed the narrative and never asking for more. The hypocrites.

She eyed some of the placards held up high by the protesters. When seeing 'Out with the Commission = out with the corruption' and ' No Commission, we want its dissolution!', she rolled her eyes, 'Endea-whore, child abuser, is no number one" she snickered at that one, and scoffed at 'Hawks for President !'. That child, president? He was just another cockroach that had gotten lucky and had now wasted his chance. She would assure that he would be crushed in due course, after his revolt against his many others placards were just as in bad taste as these ones. The audacity of those ignorant civilians!

She had expected nothing from Hawks' speech more than a publicity stunt when it had first been announced, but with what he declared, the information he disclosed on the internet and the debacle with Dabi, it had ended up worse than she could have ever thought. For that matter, the fact that Hawks was so gifted with public speaking, knowing what to say, how to act and orchestrate the scene so that no one will take their eyes or ears off him certainly didn't help. No matter. The brat would learn his mistake soon enough.

A knock on the door of her office got her out of her thoughts. "Come in." Endeavor entered and came near the windows, staring down at the crowds below. The President glanced at him. The man had been inconsolable and disoriented since his eldest child's sudden and dramatic comeback to life, and appearance in his sham of a video. The man had fallen apart watching the child he had believed he had killed by his neglect so many years ago. He had been relieved and devastated at the same time. What a strange mix when you think about it. His self-hate had become quite out of hand. He felt terrible and had been beating himself up for the last few days. It was incidentally why she had summoned him to her office. Endeavour would be of no use to her if he kept on moping days on end. There was no way she had put the Commission on the path of that annoyance called Eraserhead and his investigation if Endeavor revealed himself to be useless in addition to a liability, what with Hawks' and Dabi's speech now rallying people against them all. All he seemed to be doing was to wait for the other shoe to drop.

Still facing the windows, she threw a cold glance at him in the corner of her eye.

"Do you know why you are here?"

"I suppose it has to do with what's happening down there. Do you need my help?" He asked, halfheartedly.

"No. The only thing I need from you right now is for you to lay low."

Endeavor froze and raised an eyebrow.

"Lay low? Shouldn't we put forward our side of the story?"

"No need. Do not worry about anything. These demonstrations won't last. You best believe these mobs will forget all about this as soon as they need our help. We only need to wait for the next clashes with the League or the PLF or whatever they're called these days." She rolled her eyes at the thought.

Endeavor looked at her, an indescribable expression on his face. "I see. Why am I here then?"

She looked at him pointedly. "You need to pull yourself together. You're supposed to be the number one hero for God's sake! It will get better, but we all need to do our bit. Focus on destroying the League. That's your goal as a hero, isn't it? Defeating villains. Pull your weight, or we might not be so inclined to help you in the future. Remember that we are the reason you were not arrested. You would do well not to test our willingness to put our benevolence to good use. "

Endeavor gritted his teeth and clenched his fists... "But my son is in the League."

"Your son is a criminal, that is all that matters." The President of the Hero Commission declared, her tone final.

The hero looked like he was biting back some well chosen words, but knew better. Right now, he needed them for his public protection and they needed him to protect them from the villains, as they were no heroes. Their symbiotic relationship was no more than this. It would not last but he needed them for now. He nodded. "I will see to it."

Todoroki Enji turned his heels to go back to his temporary apartment in the headquarters, a terrible weight on his mind.

Ever since he had watched his son on that screen, it was like he was living a half life. Doing every task to stay functional on the outside. Mulling over everything that ever happened. What he had done to his children. His wife. His regrets. It was eating him alive. Pondering over what could have been and what he could've changed. Touya was alive, his skin charred, hurting, thinking he didn't love him. Touya wanted him dead. That thought was circling again and again in his mind. He had barely slept since he had first seen his son's face again. Re-watched that video. Again, and again, and again, and again.

He was almost in front of his door, when someone called out to him. He whipped round and saw a lanky man saunter up to him. He held out his hand to him with grand theatrics.

"Enchanted to meet you, Mr. Todoroki. My name is Tadeimi Shutei. I'm here to speak to you on the behalf of my client, Mrs. Todoroki Rei."

" Rei? Your client?" His breath hitched. "You are-"

"A lawyer, yes exactly! May I come inside?"

It was as if a stone had fallen in his stomach. His tongue felt as if it was made of lead. He waved to follow him inside and both of them sat in the living room. The place felt bare, uninhabited. Only the strict minimum decorated the flat. It appeared Todoroki Enji entertained the idea that life could still go back to the way it used to be. That it was a misunderstanding and someone will step in, saying it was all a joke. Tadeimi Shutei was quick to set things straight.

"These papers are for you to sign," he dropped a file on the table. "I will make it short: Mrs. Rei is filing for divorce."

And the other shoe did drop for Todoroki Enji.

His face became ashen as if he had seen a ghost. He struggled to form a word for a moment, fruitlessly opening and closing his mouth for a moment.

"Why… why now… Touya is back and… I'm trying… I'm trying to be better. Rei can't do it now. She can't! It doesn't make sense! Our family can be whole again. She… she…" He put his face in his hands and sobbed. He lifted his head, staring at the lawyer with pleading eyes. "I need to see her. Let me see her. It can't be… I … I need…"

Tadeimi Shutei shook his head. "I'm afraid it is too late. She refuses to see you. The only thing you can change is how dirty you want this divorce to be. You can decide how much you want your wife and children to be hurt by you again. That is up to you. Drag this on needlessly and it will be terrible for all involved."

And then, it struck Enji, as he froze. Letting this go on will only drag their names through the mud if they have media coverage of their divorce. It will get ugly for his children if he fights against it. Rei might relapse. And after Touya's video, it was clear his son would never forgive him. As for his other children, he wasn't in denial. Natsuo had limited their interactions years ago. Shouto used him to achieve his goal. Only Fuyumi had seemed to be willing to spend time with him and that had been before the video scandal. She hadn't been answering any messages from him since then. He wasn't so stupid as to not know what it meant. They might have even known about the divorce before him. His shoulders slumped. He had no choice. "What would the accord entail?"

The lawyer nodded, approving. "Rei will have custody of the children. The possessions each of you had before your marriage would go back to their owner. Rei asked that you sell the house and share the profits between the two of you. You would also have to pay alimony for Shouto as he is still a minor. You would have to go through me before asking to see any of them right now."

Todoroki Enji understood. Fighting now would be meaningless. He had no means of winning and anyway, what did winning meant in this situation? It was giving each of them the respect they deserved and leaving it at that. Like the doctors said, do no harm. He had failed repeatedly at that, but this time restraint was the only action worth considering. "Do you have a pen?"

There was a hint of approval in the lawyer's eyes and the shift in his stance. He gave him his pen. A ray of sunlight shone on the stack of papers.

And maybe, maybe one day his children will talk to him, maybe one day his wife will forgive him. Maybe. But he had a long path ahead of him before any of this ever happened.

Dabi felt cornered.

He had made a decision in a split-second? Allegedly. No, scratch that. How was he supposed to know there would be consequences to his actions? Sorry I didn't let you in my petty revenge plan?

Yes, better. A very good defense speech. Now, if only his pursuers would stop to hear him out, that would be swell. He hadn't built up enough stamina in his daily life for this damnit!

"Come back here, you traitor!"

"I didn't betray you! And put that knife where it came from or so help me!"

"You've got no right to talk about my knife, traitor!"

"YEAH HOW DARE YOU TRAITOR! Maybe we should hear him out?"

On one side of the room, Compress and Kurogiri were calmly drinking their finest cup of tea, peacefully watching Toga and Twice give chase to Dabi. A most entertaining show indeed. As for Shigaraki and Spinner, they pointedly ignored the mess, too busy attempting to destroy each other in a deadly Mario Kart race. They were too used to the idiots' shenanigans to pay attention.

Unfortunately, the game of chase came to an end when Twice split into four and jumped on Dabi, squishing him under their weight. Dabi, gasping for air, tried to get out of their grasp, but to no avail. Toga squatted down, her knife caressing his cheek and he stopped all movement, eyeing her warily. "Just a graze, just a drop of your blood, just a sweet taste and I would have your power and no need from you." Toga gleefully threatened.

"Just a graze from your toy and I'll burn you to the bone. I've been nice enough to not use my power, don't tempt me." Dabi snarled.

Fortunately, Kurogiri, the voice of wisdom, chose to intervene. "It might do us good to listen to him. Who knows, maybe our dear Dabi might have had a good reason to lie to us from the beginning, about his identity, his family and doing that reckless move. Don't you?"

Screw that. Kurogiri is as much an asshole as the others. Right. He should definitely have left after filming the video. He had a warm bed in Hawks' flat after all, it was not the League's nice furniture that was holding him back. More like a… misguided sense of camaraderie. What bullshit. If Dabi from a year ago knew this, he would not believe his eyes, all scarred and opposed to trust as he had been.

At those words, Shigaraki and Spinner put their game on pause and Twice let him go. Wary, he stood back up and stretched his back.

"So?" Toga pouted, her hands on her waist. She had sneakily put her knife back in her pocket.

Where to start? Knuckle-heads would say at the beginning, but what is the beginning? They had all watched the video, his family's history was no secret to them anymore. The truth then, but it was vast. His desires? His fear? His hatred? His care? All of it?

"I am Todoroki Touya but also Dabi. But that you already know I guess," he chuckled nervously. "Can't have one without the other now, I'm afraid, much to the chagrin of my dear family. You've all watched the video and know about my history with Endeavor. Nothing has changed for me; I want my father to pay. However, reconnecting with my family lately, well it has shown me that we could do things differently, get our way and our whatever-you'd-called it-happy-endings. They showed me that if we continue, we might obtain our goal, but burn ourselves to the core. And I... I want to change things for us now. Shouto, Eraserhead and Hawks intend to help."

That ticked Shigaraki off. "So easy for you to switch sides, when your boyfriend, brother, and his teacher are on your side," Shigaraki scoffed. "You could just get off lightly, walking away from us while we rot here or in prison, after all is said and done."

Dabi sighed. He knew it would be difficult from the get-go, it was a no-brainer. But like his brother, he so loved challenging tasks. "I know it sounds hypocritical," he pleaded, turning to look at the others. "But wouldn't you like to spend time with that gravity girl as friends, Toga? Wouldn't you like to be able to live like all the others, without the weight of the judgement of people, Spinner? Don't you want companionship without the fear of loss, Twice? You want revenge on All Might and the superheroes Tomura, but all you will get at this pace is self-oblivion. Don't you admire Eraserhead? Then don't impede his path. I don't want to fight until all that is left of me is embers. I want to see the new world with my own eyes. I know that is selfish after the harm I have caused, but I can't help it, that's who I am. It must be another thing I got from my progenitor." He shrugged.

"And where does that leave us? Our plans?" Their boss narrowed his eyes.

"I want to be with my family. I already lost so much time." He admitted. "I can't blame my father if I continue that path now. That would be my own decision, I'm mature enough to recognize that I can't keep on blaming everything on him. The day of reckoning may come for the ones we despise and hate from the deepest pit of our heart, but it will come as surely for us, but I don't intend to throw my life away to the fire because of them anymore. They're not worth it and I know now I'm worth more than that. And I don't want to hurt my family or any of you. Don't make me choose." He winced awkwardly. "It kinda hurts to admit it, but I may care about you a tiny bit now." He took a breath. "Look at the ruckus I already caused. Hawks may have helped a bit, but I believe our stories will resonate enough for society to identify and care now, if only to be able to look themselves in the mirror, like the hypocrites they are. Wouldn't it be a big fuck you to the powers-that-be to be the symbol of change of the new era? Be the ones that contest the statu-quo in a way that will inspire everyone, but not by pitting ones against the others. Or else, we will always be considered freaks and criminals. Do you want to be the monsters of the story, slayed by the rightful heroes?"

Only silence met his diatribe. They were exchanging glances, none of them knowing what to do. They had all been so dead set on obtaining their goal, even by meeting their end, that it was a development none of them had seen coming. Most of all from Dabi. Maybe that was the weirdest part of all.

Dabi shook his head and ruffled his hair. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Fuck. I really lost too much time already. Please, don't make me lose you too…."

One last glance from Spinner and Compress was all it took for Shigaraki, who rolled his eyes and sighed. "You know, it's really weirding me out, you being so talkative and all feeling-sharing. We might just help you so you stop. I even feel embarrassed by proxy."

"So you'll help me?"

"Why do you think you're still alive, idiot?"

"Prick."

"Fucker."

Similar soft smiles met. They looked at each other, a silent but knowing conversation between two children whose families were wrecked by heroes. No more.

"Does that mean we can invite Hawks again? I kinda miss him! NOT!"

"Twice, for the hundred times, no!" Spinner and Compress shouted.

Why did these fuckers always have to ruin everything ? But damn if Dabi didn't care about them…

That the last few days of class had been awkward was the least that can be said. Apparently, the class had collectively decided to give Shouto time to process the events that had transpired, none of them aware of him already in contact with his brother and his dramatics ways. Very thoughtful, very demure and very mindful of them, like Ashido would say. Yet, that elephant in the room was made more and more present each day. His classmates staring at their teacher's back certainly didn't help either, if his aggravated face was any clue. Shouto had even assisted a class reunion about a secret patrol to protect their beloved teacher. To Shouto's understanding, it was quite a normal behaviour, as Hawks had announced their teacher was now on the Commission's watchlist, when that same Hawks had just admitted the Commission had already ordered hits on recalcitrant heroes. But for some reason, Aizawa didn't care for students following him in a badly disguised ninja-fashion on his grocery shopping. No idea why.

The piece of chalk Aizawa used to write on the board broke in two and that seemed to be the straw that broke the hero's back. He sighed and dropped his head on the board. The students looked at each other, dumbstruck. Their teacher turned around after a few moments. He scanned the class in a narrowed gaze and settled on Shouto before nodding, seemingly having made his decision. He crossed his arms and put on his best "not mad, just disappointed" expression. He had particularly mastered that one since taking charge of their class.

"I feel like there is something that we should have spoken about before and it is about time to clear the air. Who wants to talk first?"

Kaminari's hand shot up in the air. "Sir, Mineta was the one who let out that foul fart last time."

Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated. "Not the kind of clearing the air I was talking about." Kaminari put his hand down, chastised. "And everyone already knew that." Mineta let out a scandalised squeal, quickly stifled after Kyouka's glare. That traumatic experience was still in everyone's mind after all.

Kirishima cleared his throat and put his hand up. "I just want to say to Todoroki that if he wants to talk, we're here for him. It must have been traumatic for him to discover his brother was alive in such a way." The others nodded their heads empathetically.

Shouto was touched by his classmates' worry. Since he had begun his studies in UA, he formed a few close bonds with a few of them, namely Izuku, Uraraka, Iida, Tsuyu and Bakugou of course, but the last days had underlined for him how the rest of the class felt about him. For someone like him who had trouble with understanding feelings or expriming them, it had been a boon. Which is why Shouto thought it kinder to refute their misconception.

"I'm actually quite fine, I've been seeing him for months, we've grown much closer now," Shouto announced with a blank face. "But your concern is very much appreciated."

"Uh?" Kirishima gasped.

Aizawa could hear a pin drop in the unusually quiet classroom before mayhem broke out. He facepalmed, frustrated with his student's frankness. The kid could really use more tact in his life, if he even knew what it meant. Probably not. He made a mental note to speak to him privately about it. It would always be useful in his life and career hopefully.

"Everyone calmed down, one question at a time."

"When did you meet him?" Ochako asked. She was starting to pick up the pieces of the puzzle and had an idea of where it had begun. Her friend had been weird, well weirder than usual that day and the days after.

"Do you remember that time we went shopping all those months ago?" She nodded. Bingo! "Well, at first he denied being my brother, but after a few efforts on my part, he eventually caved in weeks later."

That left his classmates in a pensive silence, that only Bakugou dared to break. "So you've been meeting with your criminal of a brother and never thought to warn anyone that you might be in danger?"

"No? Mr Aizawa knew pretty quickly," he shrugged. "And I was never really in any danger."

"He committed a dozen arsons and kidnapped me." Bakugou dropped.

"It has been a rough decade for him." Shouto deadpanned after a beat.

"Humph, anyway, know that I've never liked Endeavor anyway, but that your brother is a real piece of work!" Bakugou hollered, pointing his finger at him.

"Agreed." Shouto retorted, a small smile plastered on his face, which frustrated Bakugou even further. That fucking family and their weird dynamic would lose him!

"Shouto?" Izuku called him softly. "So all those times you hid these messages on your phone, disappeared somewhere unexpectedly, asked about brotherly relationship advice and the one time I was attacked with a shovel by your brother, that was Dabi, I mean Touya all that time?"

"Ha. Uh, yes. Sorry again for that." Shouto ruffled his hair, managing to look sheepish. "And sorry for not telling you sooner."

"No worries, you needed time and that's a complicated situation, but that explains so much!" Izuku beamed at him. "I'm so glad you've worked everything out between you two! Did he agree to go see a psychologist like I suggested to him?"

Bakugou rolled his eyes. "You've seen the video like all of us Deku, so obviously not."

"Like you're one to talk." Ashido muttered.

"Ha?!"

"Children, quiet please!" Eraserhead clapped his hands before it devolved into chaos again. Rookie mistake as the class' focus shifted on him. His eyebrows frowned, a chill going through his body.

"That's right, while we're on the topic, I'd like to take advantage of this opportunity to ask you to stop following me. That nonsense lasted far too long already." Aizawa asserted. However, the determined stare of his students was a bird of ill omen.

"I apologize, but we reject that notion sir,' Iida interjected and stood up. "You were threatened by the Commission, that's an unforgivable offense."

"Yes, you need to be protected!"

"Exactly, can't let our teacher be harmed!"

"Why were you threatened exactly sir?" Yaoyorozu asked.

"That's n-"

"He tried to arrest my father for abuse, but the Commission intervened." Shouto helpfully said.

That started another bout of outrage. Nice one, kid. "Everyone calm down, there is no need to panic or to scream. Endeavor is presently residing in the Commission's headquarters and there has been no attempt on my life," for now, his mind added helpfully, but he reasonably knew the likely assassins had probably been discouraged at the sight of his students, "and I have no need for your protection. I am a pro hero and I am constantly surrounded by heroes or people I trust. So, I insist, stop following me around." Some opened their mouths in protest, which he quickly shut down. "No means no and that's final." They slumped down on their chairs, disappointed.

Shouto raised his hand, timidly, his face blank. Aizawa sighed. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to thank you for everything you have done for me, sir, and I also wanted to thank my classmates, no, my friends for their concern. That's… very much appreciated." He muttered, a faint blush on his cheeks.

At those words, his classmates got up from their chairs and jumped on him to surround him in a tight hug, peals of laughter resonating in the classroom, under the soft eye of Aizawa. He crossed Shouto's gaze and nodded. No thanks needed. All the fondness the man felt for him was conveyed that simply.

Yes, Shouto couldn't even begin to express how lucky he was.