Angel: I started another school semester that I was enrolled in this week. So starting from now, until who knows when, it's going to be harder to get a hold of me for those who PM me. It's not personal if I take days to answer, it's just that other things occupy my time. If I'm not at work, I'm at home doing my homework and then writing for my fics or proofreading them. And I tend to work long hours for a night shift only for 3pm to 11pm now, so even if I do message back, I can't always respond back immediately. Unless it's a troll or someone who won't take my time into consideration or who keeps bugging me, then I don't give a fuck if I don't answer to threats. Hopefully everyone understands that moving forward!
Luckily for me, I have season 6 written and I'm in the process of proofreading. And I will be starting season 7 soon. I have no updates as to the fourth movie, though. Also for those who were reading my Dr. Stone story, I just uploaded that as of yesterday!
Also to the people who keep bitching that Izuka and Izuku have to spend time apart, I DON'T. CARE. Even today, I have to delete PM messages I get about this to change this aspect. I don't even have enough energy to say where I've talked about this before because that's how much it doesn't bother me, the writer! If it did bug me and I cared more, wouldn't I be making more of an effort to satisfy the unrealistic opinion that twins in the same class have to be apart 24/7? Or had even gone back to the entire story from start to finish to change that? And even then, I could name over a dozen times that Izuka's not even in the same room as Izuku, fighting villains or not. Classes, work-studies, villain fights, whatever it is, move on from this, it's season five. Redo the story in your own image at that point, I'm done with this topic, and I will be blocking people who keep insisting on this.
The bus doors opened as Shoto, the twins, and Katsuki stepped out one by one.
It's the start of a new year. Kacchan, Izuka, and I weren't sure where we were going to do our work studies until Todoroki invited us to join him at Endeavor's agency.
The four all stared at Endeavor in silence.
Honestly, despite my hangups about Endeavor, I can't say that he's the wrong choice. If it wasn't for Shoto's offer, I wouldn't know where I would do mine.
Endeavor jumped over the fence without a word. His flames appeared on his face as he continued running, dropping his briefcase.
He didn't go easy on us. As soon as we arrived, we witnessed the overwhelming strength and commitment the new number-one hero possesses.
Given how he was given the title of the number-one hero, it makes sense that he has a lot on his shoulders. And he has some actual great advice for people. Although this might have something to do with what I told him in Kyushu.
"You learn to work hard at school," He informed as he led the way on patrol. "And here, you'll gain experience. Bank as much of the latter as you can here. The things you each need to work on can be conquered in this way. This winter, I want you to show me that you can capture a villain faster than me just once!"
If we chase after Endeavor and shorten the distance between us, even if it's by the smallest amount...then one day, we'll reach our goal. To become the greatest heroes in the world!
And we'll do it by going beyond, Plus Ultra style! It may be hard and grueling work from the number-one hero, but that doesn't mean we can't use this to our advantage.
Before we knew it, we'd spent an entire week working at the most prominent agency in all of Japan.
To the point where I was getting used to the fact that I was working with someone who...I take issue with.
A man was walking by, and someone was watching him...well, not him specifically, more so eyeing the briefcase in hand. The one watching put on a mask and smirked at his target. He then ran off and snatched the briefcase, causing the citizen to gasp sharply.
"Ah! That thief took my bag! Someone, call a hero!"
Shoto, Katsuki, Izuku, and Izuka all overheard this, flinching in alarm. Izuku gasped sharply as he looked up, bending down and running off. Katsuki held out his hand to fly off using his explosions. Shoto skated with his ice. And Izuka jumped as her flying star appeared and she zipped off into the sky.
In the world of pros, the slightest actions can make the difference between life and death.
Izuku ran next to Shoto, Izuka flying above them. Katsuki then appeared next to Izuku.
With that in mind, we're trying to follow Endeavor's instructions.
He glanced back at his students. "Keep focusing on the ways you can improve. Train till you can do hero work in your sleep."
Granted, that wasn't our only focus. He had given each of us specific tasks regarding what we have to work on. For example, Shoto and Katsu have to work on condensing their power.
The thief looked up in alarm to see the four coming his way.
"By the time you consciously decide what to do, you should already be in action!"
A burst of flame appeared in front of the thief, who had no time to react as Endeavor crashed into him. The bag fell to the ground as did the thief. The four came rushing in to see what had happened, as they were too late once again.
"We were the ones who responded first this time," Shoto pointed out as he stopped.
"Dammit, how did he beat us again?" Katsuki grunted while gritting his teeth.
Izuku slowly caught his breath as Izuka placed her hands on her hips, panting. Wow. He really is amazing. He always seems to pull ahead of us in the last second. He watched as Endeavor gave back the bag to the citizen, who thanked him.
Izuka then straightened up, staring at her mentor. It's like he's taking my advice to heart and applying it to his hero work as well. Not to mention, you can practically blink and he'll stop a crime before you even realize it...
"You should be more careful if you're still using cash these days," Endeavor warned the citizen.
"Yes, sir!"
"Endeavor," Kido spoke up from the comm. "We've got a hit-and-run in Area 23!"
"Got it. Be right there!" He then flew off using his flames.
"Crap!" Katsuki took off after him first.
"Let's go!" Shoto skated off with his ice. Izuku powered up and dashed off. Izuka backflipped onto her flying star and went after them.
Endeavor already had the suspect in hand as the police ran over. "Incredible work!" One of the officers saluted to the Flame Hero.
"I'll leave it to you," He stated just as the four appeared. He glanced back at the tired group. "Let's stop here for today. You should return to your rooms and get some sleep."
"I'm not done fighting!" Katsuki shouted while pointing behind him.
"Don't argue, Kacchan," Izuku turned to him, but was ignored.
"If you wanna live, don't tell him that," Izuka whispered to her brother.
"What about you? You're not coming back with us?" Shoto implored to his father.
"I'll head in after patrol's over. We have an early day tomorrow. Don't start it out fatigued," He informed his students. Izuku let out a small breath as they watched him leave.
"No matter how strong a power you may have, its foundation is built on a steady accumulation of skills. Even if you're using some of the same concepts you learned at school, real world experience is completely different. Don't forget what you've picked up in class. But get used to being out here. Cause this is real life."
Izuku then narrowed his eyes. I know I can't rise to his level right away. So...I'll just keep doing my best. He gripped his fists tightly, looking up. Little by little. One step at a time.
Izuka looked at her hands as there had been no sign of her new power coming back. But she knew that she would be able to utilize it soon...
"An impressive job as always, Endeavor!" Burnin saluted to her boss as he left for his office.
"I'm going to rest for a while. Summon me if anything comes up."
"Yes, sir!" All of them straightened up as they watched him enter.
He walked up to his desk, staring specifically at the Meta Liberation War book he got from Hawks not too long ago. And the message within still haunted him a little...
The enemy...is the liberation army. They number...over 100,000...
He glared a bit towards the book, knowing that if they failed to stop them...heroes would be vastly low in numbers. His phone then rang and he glanced towards it.
"Oh! Hey, Dad! How are you?" His daughter Fuyumi greeted while at home. "I heard you're working with Shoto these days."
"Yes, Fuyumi," He replied simply, silently wondering why she called. She hardly ever contacted him while he was away.
"And his friends are there too? Aw, why didn't you tell me?" She whined a little and he glanced away. He didn't think to mention them because sometimes his mentality was that Shoto was the only one he was teaching... "I was honestly pretty shocked when I heard! I'm so excited for the two of you! Anyway, school's starting back up, which means it'll be harder to get people together. And since tomorrow's Saturday, I was thinking you could bring everyone over to the house for dinner! Come on, I promise you the food will be delicious!"
He thought about it, once again recalling what Izuka said about family...he looked down at his phone. What can I do for my family? Where do I begin? These questions keep me up at night, as well as what Mido said to me. About who I need to take priority in my life...Recently, I've been having the same dream. My wife and children look like they're having fun around the dinner table. Laughing over simple things. They share moments of joy. Happy to be together. But...I'm never at that table. I know the reasons why. And it pains me. Such as Shoto's injury, and pulling him away from his siblings to train him...
"They live in a different world than the one I'm training you for."
Shoto coughed after throwing up, tears streaming down his face. "Now stand up. If you get hurt that easily, you can forget about beating All Might, or even a small-time thug."
"Please, stop this!" Rei stood between her husband and her son. "He's five! Stop pushing him!"
"He can take it! Get out of my way!" He shoved her towards the ground, and she gasped sharply. Shoto looked up with wide eyes in horror, a tear streaming down his face.
Rei was then standing in front of the burning tea pot, on the phone... Shoto stared at her from the doorway as the tea pot gave off steam. Rei then turned around...
Later, Shoto had a bandage over his left eye, after his mother was sent away. "That was your fault!" He seethed, Endeavor glancing over to him in confusion. Shoto looked at him with hatred on his face. "You're the one who made her hurt me...!"
He slowly put down his phone, looking up. He had put his family through so much...
"Is that all you have to say to me, you bastard?" Shoto growled while walking past him before his match with Izuku. "I'll win this match and advance using only Mom's Quirk. I won't give you the pleasure of seeing me use yours."
He continued staring off into space.
"Shoto went to visit Rei in the hospital?" He wondered to Fuyumi as they sat outside together.
"Yeah," She looked happy as she smiled.
"And...what happened?"
"They just talked. Not for very long, but I'm still happy. I mean, he went there. And she at least let him come in," She explained as he furrowed his eyebrows.
"...I see," He turned away, knowing that Shoto hadn't visited her because of him. "He's really doing that now."
"He says he's going to try and start writing letters to her when school is busy and he doesn't have time to visit. I think...Shoto's trying to get over the past," She smiled softly at her father, looking up ahead hopefully. "I'm sure that, one day...our family...will be whole again."
He then slowly took a seat.
"Okay then. I found out today that Shoto likes soba. I know nothing about my brother cause you didn't want him to have anything to do with us failures." Natsuo remembered seeing Shoto being dragged by his father to train. "For some reason, Mom and Sis are both ready to forgive you for how you treated us," He glared angrily at the ground. He then squeezed his eyes shut, giving a look of disgust at his father. "But to me, you're still the maniac bastard who ruined our family! You look like you're different, but you don't act that way! Even if you're the number-one hero, that doesn't erase the past!" Shoto just stared at them from his seat. "So you defeated a strong enemy, you still neglected us! Mom's screams. Shoto's crying. What happened to our big brother, Toya!" Fuyumi blinked at how much emotion Natsuo was showing. He then hit a fist against the doorway, gritting his teeth. "You may have had a change of heart, but you can't waltz in here and think we'll accept you! How disgusting can you be?!"
Fuyumi held her face forlornly after Natsuo had stormed off. She had tears in her eyes. "Shoto started visiting Mom on a regular basis, and Dad is compromising and making an effort. Mom's even started acting more cheerful. I thought...maybe we could act like a real family for once, you know?"
Enji stared after the hallway.
"I have to admit, Endeavor, the top hero, does some incredible work. He also made sure my friend was safe. But that's a different person," Shoto glanced up at his sister. "Not our old man. I agree with what Natsu said to him."
Natsuo was outside by himself, wanting to be alone as he looked bitter. "I still can't forgive you for what you did to Mom. And that's my choice to make. As for being my 'father'...I'll have to watch your actions to see if you earn that. Because I know something small can change a person. If they want it to."
The man sat there in thought over remembering it all...he looked up at the ceiling, as he was still so lost on how he should act as a father and as the number-one hero.
"What does it mean to be a symbol?" He asked Toshinori during a supplementary class for Shoto, Izuka, and Katsuki. "That's what I want to know...All Might."
"That's a tough question," Toshinori looked up, narrowing his eyes a bit. "I'm not certain how I can explain it to you...I thought that this country needed a hero who could inspire them. So I ran toward that goal at full speed. I wanted to be a light that was a beacon of hope...as well as a warning. I swore that that's what I would become and I never looked back. Listen, Endeavor. I understand the situation you've been placed in, and what's being said about you. There are many who can't help but dwell on our differences. But you and I are not the same person. It was my decision to become a Symbol, but you don't have to do that. Instead...take your time and think about the kind of hero you want to be. Why is it so important to be the strongest? Tell me, Endeavor. I'm sure you have a reason. So what is it?"
Endeavor looked at Shoto giving off a flame in front of two kids, the boy smiling.
Mido...she reminds me of Rei a little, actually. Someone who can handle our world...someone who understands family and Shoto at the same time. Not only is she strong, but she's not like the girl she used to be during the Sports Festival...how do she and Shoto see each other?
Some beeping snapped him out of it. "Endeavor, it's an emergency!" Burnin informed and he immediately stood up, having to put all those thoughts aside...
"I'm heading to the scene!" He announced as the doors opened. "Ready all sidekicks and follow me!"
It was 6:10 in the morning as an alarm clock beeped.
The Endeavor Agency is fully equipped with rooms for us to stay in.
Izuku opened up the curtains, looking out to the view.
So we ate and slept in the same building as the Flaming Sidekickers.
Izuka rubbed her eye a little before reaching out to tie her hair.
And Endeavor Agency was a big building, so they had lots of spare rooms for us. They had over 30 sidekicks, so it made sense.
Izuku stepped out into the hallway as people were already up and moving around. Izuka stepped out of her room across Katsuki's just as he stepped out. He glanced at her as she let out a small yawn, her hair a bit messy still. She would say something to him, but Katsuki could get irritable sometimes waking up early. So she wasn't going to say anything unless he did.
"Morning, everyone," Izuku greeted as he, his sister, and Katsuki stepped into the training room.
"Good morning..." Izuka mumbled while stretching her arms.
"Morning, rookie!" Burnin responded first with a big grin. "How's your progress goin'?"
"Oh, hi, Burnin. It's fine, thanks!" Izuku smiled a little at the woman. She was doing her stretches nearby.
"It's way too early for you to be yelling, idiot!" Katsuki snarled towards her in annoyance.
"I'm not even gonna touch that one," Izuka murmured at him being a hypocrite, because he yelled all the time.
"How's it been, trying to nab a villain before Endeavor?" Burnin stretched her arms behind her back. "Sorry, I know, my bad for bringing up such a delicate subject! I know he's a fast one and you've had zero success so far."
"Good morning, everyone," Shoto announced before any of them could answer, getting their attention.
"Shoto! Hey there, slowpoke," Burnin gave him a small smile.
"We're not as far behind," He answered her question as he stepped inside. "Yesterday, we almost beat him. We need to remember what that felt like and use it to fuel us. Let's make today the day we surpass Endeavor, okay?" He then exhaled onto his hand.
"I was the one who was getting close, Icy Hot!" Katsuki retorted back to him angrily. "You were the one in my exhaust, which means I'm obviously above you!"
"It's not a competition, you know," Izuka told him, hands on her hips.
"Shut up! And hold still," He got closer to her and she flinched, trying not to blush. Before she could ask what he was doing, he reached out to take out the scrunchie in her hair. "You suck at doing this."
"I'm still trying to get used to pinpointed attacks," Shoto looked down at his hand.
"Sure, but it does look like you're slowly getting the hang of them," Izuku smiled optimistically at him.
"Yeah, I guess so," Shoto looked at his friend.
"I'm sure you'll master it soon," Izuka smiled towards the white/red haired boy.
"I'm talking!" Katsuki shouted at being ignored while tying Izuka's hair properly. Burnin then noticed something from all four of them.
"The accumulation before you release is a problem too, huh?" Izuku wondered while his face, costume, and gear were all scuffed. Meaning that they had been wearing their gear out working with Endeavor.
"Yes. It takes me a while to get to my max output, so I can't attack quickly," Shoto remarked, his gear and arms the same as Izuku's.
"Moron! You should always be storing energy up!" Katsuki's gauntlets were the same way.
"Good idea!" Izuku complimented his tactic.
"Endeavor did say to condense your energy," Izuka gently reached up to the scrunchie in her hair after Katsuki was done with it. He had managed to tie it properly. Her hands and her gloves were scuffed, along with her shoes. "Once you do that, you might be able to pull off stronger moves or strategies!"
Burnin grinned at the four knowingly. Don't really need to start a fire under them, do I?
Endeavor then approached the group. "We ready?" All of them flinched, looking back to him. "You boys and Callista, with me."
And so, they all took off to continue their speed training. "You're still nowhere good enough yet! Thinking, acting, controlling your powers. Shorten the time needed for each of those!" Their mentor shouted while rushing over. Some people were washing a window when the rope holding them up snapped. They all yelped and started to fall towards the ground. Endeavor then flew in to catch them. Shoto stared up at his father as Katsuki and the twins caught up to them.
Endeavor then kicked in a wall from a burning building, holding some people that were in danger. His students watched from not too far away.
"Don't lose a single second! Stop incidents before they happen," He informed as he rushed in to stop two people. "To do that, you'll need an observing eye!" He glanced back as he had stopped them from robbing a store. "Find the evil hiding in the everyday." As people walked around, he kept an eye on the streets from the rooftops. "You're not just looking for people. Observe everything happening around you." Behind him, the four were keeping watch as well. "That's not something you can learn overnight. But the more experience you get, the more accurate you'll become."
Endeavor then jumped off the roof, glancing up to see the four already flying towards the ground. "Run! Faster! Push yourselves!" Endeavor kept his glare up ahead, knowing that they were close behind, a change that hadn't happened until now. "Never think you've reached your peak. Show me you're stronger than you were yesterday! A hero should be constantly accelerating!" All of them kept their eyes forward without losing their momentum in their movements.
Soon, the sun was starting to set. Endeavor stood on the roof as all four of them were panting in exhaustion. Despite their progress, they still hadn't beaten Endeavor yet.
"All that effort and we still didn't get ahead of him," Izuku looked up at their mentor.
"Damn it, he's fast," Katsuki sweated a little.
"But we are improving," Shoto pointed out to them. "Think of where we all started on that first day."
"He's right," Izuka wiped her forehead with her wrist. "It's not impossible to pull off. We'll get there soon."
Endeavor stared at them and closed his eyes, knowing that they needed a small breather...
"You could bring everyone over to the house for dinner!"
He still debated if this was the best idea, though...
"I only came here so I could use you," Shoto declared on the first day. "Because it's beneficial for me, Number One. Don't pretend to be a caring parent in front of my friends."
For the sake of being a father...he remembered how much Fuyumi wanted things to change for the better.
Fuyumi. You've helped me realize so much.
And he had made a decision regarding Izuka that he felt like today was the time to share with them. With that, he opened his eyes, having an intense look on his face. "Follow me!"
"Yeah!" Katsuki declared to the man.
"Yes, sir!" The twins answered in unison.
And then, they were in front of the Todoroki house. "What the crap?!" Katsuki demanded immediately once they arrived. All of them were out of their hero costumes. The students themselves were wearing their school uniforms instead.
"My sister invited everyone for dinner," Shoto looked over his shoulder. The twins were looking up ahead in shock. "And...apparently there's some important news to share with us."
"Why the crap?!" Katsuki looked pissed off as the last thing he wanted to do was have dinner with Shoto's family...
"Because she wanted to meet my friends."
"You march in there right now and tell her we aren't and never will be friends, hear me?!" Katsuki screamed towards him, very annoyed that Shoto kept thinking that they were friends. The only time he didn't protest was when Shoto spoke up to his father during their first day. He only let that slide because he knew that there were personal feelings there.
"Kacchan!" Izuku exclaimed in disbelief.
"We're not telling her that, it's rude!" Izuka huffed at his behavior.
Enji then opened the door. "Come on in!" Fuyumi greeted them happily, smiling as she had just finished preparing dinner. "Thank you for making time in your busy schedules to drop by for a bite! I'm Fuyumi, Shoto's older sister. It's nice to meet you! Thank you three for watching out for him!"
"Um, thank you for going out of your way to welcome us into your home," Izuku bowed at her repeatedly. Katsuki didn't respond as he just looked around the house, hands in his pockets. The green-haired boy then bowed again properly. "It's an honor!"
"Yes, thank you," Izuka smiled, bowing only once to Fuyumi. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Shoto's talked about you a little."
Fuyumi blinked at the girl addressing Shoto by first name, something he left out in his letters to his mother. Otherwise, she would've said something about it to the rest of the family by now.
"Oh, right," Izuku straightened up as he realized she didn't know their names. "I'm Todoroki's classmate, Izuku Midoriya, and I couldn't be more excited to be here! And this is my sister, Izuka!"
"I'm sorry about him, he gets really excited for just about anything," Izuka gave a small smile, hands behind her back. She then glanced to Katsuki, silently shaking her head. Although it was for the best that he stayed silent.
"I know who you two are!" Fuyumi gushed as she recognized Izuku, which distracted her from the name thing. "I watched him on TV when you fought my brother at the Sports Festival!"
He gasped sharply while rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm sorry I kind of hurt him back there, but I swear it wasn't personal, honest. It's just that we were giving it our all and-"
"She understands that it was just a match, Midoriya," Shoto interrupted while walking up to his sister. "After all, your own sister did the same thing after our match was over."
"Besides, that was such a while back that she would've had time to process it by now," Izuka turned to her brother.
"Ah! Right, sorry," He chuckled in a bit of embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Katsuki definitely did not want to be there, but he didn't really have a choice either at this point. "I hate this...!" He declared while looking furious. The three then left their shoes at the doorway, being escorted out into the hall. Izuku smiled at the traditional Japanese-style home.
"Sorry for the sudden invitation," Fuyumi informed while leading the way. "I'm delighted this managed to work out."
"I'm glad you asked us over!" Izuku responded as he explored with his eyes. "It's, uh, pretty rare I get to see a friend's house."
"I've been to Ochaco's house, but never a boy's house," Izuka scratched her cheek awkwardly. It was more common in their childhood to visit Katsuki's house, but after he got his Quirk, he hated having them over. So they didn't really visit him much after that. And he technically didn't count back then either as a friend...aside from him, the twins didn't have anyone but each other growing up.
Katsuki huffed, feeling a bit more calm knowing that she hadn't been to a boy's house other than his until now. It almost made being here better...almost.
"Natsu's here too?" Shoto wondered to his sister. "I saw his shoes by the front door."
"Well, I wanted the whole family to get to know your new friends," Fuyumi glanced back with a small smile.
Soon, all of them were seated together in front of all the food that Fuyumi made. "Let me do introductions again." She gestured to herself with a smile. She was sitting next to Natsuo, the four students across from her. Izuka was sitting between her brother and Katsuki, with Endeavor to his left. "I'm Shoto's older sister, Fuyumi. I teach at an elementary school nearby. And this is Shoto's older brother, Natsuo. He's in college."
"Hey, what's up?" He greeted casually, his hand behind his neck.
"Shoto. This is where you introduce your friends," Fuyumi encouraged her little brother.
"Right," He then gestured to the three. "These are three of my classmates in the hero course. The Midoriya twins and Bakugo."
"Uh!" Izuku then flinched, still feeling a bit nervous. "It's nice to meet you!" Katsuki silently glanced at him.
"Thank you again for the warm welcome," Izuka smiled towards Fuyumi and Natsuo.
"Oh, I had a feeling you were twins, that's so cool," Fuyumi smiled, turning to Izuku. "You must be the older brother, right?"
Both of them gave an awkward look at her assumption. "Uhh...well, actually, she's older. It's just that she's shorter..." Izuku rubbed the back of her neck, Izuka looking very disappointed that she had grown in terms of her Quirk. But in terms of height, it was probably never going to happen...
"Oh! I'm sorry," Fuyumi waved a hand to apologize.
"It's okay, we get that a lot..." Izuka mumbled while looking away, wanting to forget that interaction. Meanwhile, Enji stayed silent, his eyes closed. Natsuo gave him a small glare as like Katsuki, he didn't want to be at the table either. The only reason he was doing it was because of his sister, but other than that, he could care less. He turned away, this brief interaction now making the air awkward. The twins blinked, glancing between the father and son, knowing fully well what had happened in the house in the past...
"Uh...Anyway, let's dig in before the food gets cold!" Fuyumi smiled, hoping to ease the clear and obvious tension. "If there's anything you don't like, please don't force yourself to eat it. I won't be sad."
"That's so nice!" Izuku gave her a happy smile. "Thank you for the food!"
"Yes, thank you for the meal," Izuka smiled while opening her chopsticks.
"Thanks for the food," Shoto also responded to her.
"Yeah, same here," Natsuo wasn't going to be rude to his sister.
Izuku took a bite out of his meat, holding a bowl of rice. "Oh, whoa!" He beamed at the taste. "This fried chicken is absolutely amazing!"
"I'm so glad you like it!" Fuyumi gushed happily, blushing a bit. Izuka took a bite herself, humming happily.
"It's moist and well-seasoned on the inside while expertly crispy on the outside, giving you a satisfying mix of textures and pleasing the palate with-"
"Stop analyzing dinner, you freak!" Katsuki screamed at him in annoyance. "Your mumbling's ruining the taste of my mapo tofu!"
Izuku then took a bite out of a potato, gasping in shock. "These rich meat juices were sent straight from heaven to my mouth..." He smiled happily, tears in his eyes.
"This tastes amazing," Izuka smiled as well, savoring the taste as she hummed, closing her eyes.
"Not surprised," Natsuo spoke up to them. "Our housekeeper had a back injury and retired early, so Fuyumi's been the one mostly in charge of cooking for a while now."
"That makes sense," Izuku blinked towards him, a bit surprised that they had a housekeeper.
"You used to cook too, Natsu," Fuyumi turned towards her brother. "We took turns."
"Wait," Shoto looked at his brother wide-eyed. "So did I eat your food growing up?"
"It's possible. I can go overboard on seasoning, though. Endeavor might've kept you from having it," He then glared towards his father. "He always did keep a close eye on your diet." If looks could kill, Enji would not be sitting at his seat...
Izuku, Izuka, and Katsuki all froze while eating from the bitter comment. And Natsuo not even using the word Dad was a good indicator of how he felt being there.
"...I suppose there is truth to that," Enji made no effort to deny it, instead taking responsibility a bit. Natsuo glanced away awkwardly and then there was silence for a few seconds.
"So! Shoto, what kind of food do they serve at UA?" Fuyumi attempted to change the subject.
"Cafeteria-style."
Enji then turned towards Natsuo. "Natsuo, I'd like to try your cooking next time."
As soon as he heard this, he put down his empty bowl, having eaten as fast as he could. "Thanks for the meal, Sis," He then got onto his feet. "I showed like I said I would. But now I'm done."
"Wait!" Fuyumi called out after him. Izuku, Izuka, and Katsuki froze once again during their bites.
"Sorry, but...I just can't do this," He stated, Enji looking up at him just as he was about to close the door.
"Hold on. You need to be here for this," The man stared at his son, who paused. "Regardless of what you think of me...I wanted all of you to hear this." Natsuo gripped the door silently and then closed the door, but didn't sit back down. He gripped his fist, hoping that this would be quick. Enji then turned towards Izuka. "So Mido. It's my understanding that you blow glass?"
"Hm?" Izuka blinked at the random question, tilting her head. "Well yeah, I'm an artist besides being a UA student. I want it to be my second career in the future like how All Might was both a hero and is now just our teacher."
"Oh, can we see some of your art sometime?" Fuyumi smiled towards her, glancing towards Natsuo hopefully that he'd sit back down.
"I'd like that!" Izuka gave her a small smile.
"I'd like to see it now," Enji stood up, confusing all of them. He picked up a vase and then sat back down. He then held it over the table. "You said you were going to take care of the glass on your first day. You meant blowing it out, right?" They watched as he squeezed his hand so that the vase would break, to their shock. All of them were very confused as they watched the pieces fall onto the table. "Repair this vase."
Why is he doing this...? Shoto narrowed his eyes a bit before turning to Izuka. "You don't have to do this if it'll make you uncomfortable," He told her, giving his father a suspicious glare. "After all, she is supposed to be a guest."
Katsuki looked defensive as well. "I don't think she needs to do anything-"
"No, no, it's okay," She waved her hands rapidly. "I've gotten lots of practice so it's not a big of an ask," She gulped a bit at doing this in front of the number one hero, but if she had to...she gathered the pieces together in her hands and then looked towards the others. "Um, you guys might wanna back away a little. It can be a little dangerous," She sweated awkwardly and Izuku flinched.
"Oh, right! Okay, we'll move," He nodded in agreement and they all slid their chairs back a bit except for Katsuki. He stayed right where he was, since this was Izuka, so he trusted that she knew what she was doing. The girl then clumped up the glass, fire appearing from her hands as it was now melted. She then brought together the melted glass into one giant ball, shaping it like it was clay. She stretched it before making it into a bigger ball. The girl took a deep breath and blew it out into a bulb shape. Fuyumi and Natsuo looked at her in shock as she placed down the bulb on the table, looking focused. Shoto and Enji stared in a bit of awe as they watched. She then moved up her hands so that the top half of the bulb was more hollow with the lip forming. Izuka moved her right hand to toss some yellow powder onto the vase near the top. She then pinched a section on the side to pull it out and form it into the handle. The girl then pinched the lip, moving the edges back to make it look like the edges of a sun. Katsuki and Izuku looked at her wide-eyed. Once she was done, she placed down the bulb-shaped vase with a small smile to admire it. It was in the colors of a rising sun, with yellow at the top, fading into orange towards the bottom.
"So pretty!" Fuyumi admired it as they slid back forward.
"Wow, you're really good at that," Natsuo blinked at her, leaning against the doorway as he examined the new vase. "Your hands aren't even burning."
"Thank you," She replied bashfully while picking up her chopsticks. "It works the same as my own fire, I don't really feel anything when I do glasswork."
"That was so cool! And it can help get your name out there in the art world!" Izuku reached out to pick it up and examine it. "Oh, whoa! You just finished it, and my hands aren't even burning from it!"
"How much art pieces do you have?" Natsuo eyed the piece.
"Too many to count. I'm honestly running out of space to put them," She gave a sheepish smile.
Enji was a bit taken aback and then nodded slowly. "Alright then, Mido…there's a reason I asked you to do that. I have a few questions for you before I make my announcement. The reason why I asked you all to hear this. Mido—"
"You don't need to answer if you don't want to," Shoto interrupted in a warning tone.
"Okay..." She responded slowly, as she had a bad feeling about this.
"I was wondering...how do you feel about Shoto?" Enji gestured to him.
"Um..." Izuka blinked in confusion, the others sharing the same expression as her. Why this had to be a question was beyond her. Hearing it from a reporter was one thing. Hearing it from her friend's father was...concerning, to say the least. "Shoto is a good friend of mine. He's very powerful and I respect him a lot."
"Just a friend?" He stared at her and she flinched from how she felt like she was getting interrogated.
"Yes-okay, this is really weirding me out now." Izuka rubbed her arm awkwardly. "Shoto is great, and I consider us close—w-what is this about exactly?"
"Really? Could you see him as something more than a friend?" He raised a brow and she recoiled back a bit, all of them staring at him wide-eyed. She felt like the atmosphere had changed very drastically, and it was starting to make her a bit nauseous from the dread of where this could be going.
"Um..." Izuku gulped a little, tugging at his collar a little. "This doesn't seem like this should be public. Maybe you two wanna talk alone?"
"No. All of you should stay," Enji told them and then stared at the girl again. "I'll get right to it, then. I want Izuka Midoriya to marry Shoto once they've both graduated from UA."
"What?!" Everyone else stood up in alarm after hearing this. Katsuki reacted first by gritting his teeth with anger.
"You bastard! Who the hell do you think you are?" He growled down at Enji. "You're trying to force her to marry Icy hot? I don't care who you are, I'll kill you!" His hands crackled with fire. "How can you ask Izuka to do something that stupid?!"
"Marry Todoroki…like an arranged Quirk marriage?" Izuku's hand shook as he tried not to get angry either.
"Katsu!" Izuka grabbed his wrist to stop him and he flinched, staring down at her. She stared at him with a knowing expression and he sighed slowly. He could tell from the look in her eyes—she'd handle this herself. And she didn't want him to fight Endeavor, the man teaching them, in his own home. She sighed while turning to the hero. "I don't want to marry him. We don't carry any feelings for each other."
"It wasn't stated as a question," Endeavor narrowed his eyes. "You're plenty capable. I've seen your power grow into something that will fit perfectly into our family," Fuyumi and Natsuo frowned deeply at him; forcing someone into their lives wasn't something anyone except him wanted. And if Rei was here, she would agree that they didn't need to bring Izuka into their broken family. "And she's gotten better at her speech compared to the first time we met. Her Quirk will benefit you greatly, Shoto. A child born of ice, fire, and the galaxy."
The angry blond flinched at the thought, gritting his teeth. "YOU MOTHER-!" Katsuki lunged forward and Izuka pushed him back gently.
"You're despicable," Shoto gritted his teeth in anger. "I won't do it! Mido is just a really good friend. I harbor no romantic feelings for her."
"I'm sorry, but my answer remains. I cannot marry Shoto," Izuka let out a deep breath.
"You'd do wise to reconsider," Enji replied in a low tone. "I have power as the number one hero. Don't force me to use it if you want to be a hero. This is for the good of both of you."
The four teenagers all flinched in shock from this. "...She said no," Izuku looked very pissed off now. The fact that the man could be stern both outside and inside his home was truly astonishing.
"Don't think I won't extend that to any of you," Enji glanced at Katsuki and Izuku. And this finally got Izuka to snap. Katsuki growled and he watched her put her arm down. He turned to her in confusion, wondering what was on her mind.
"The fact that you're asking me to do this isn't worth anything. You really wanna decide my life through your son? What do you think that says about you? You really think I won't make your name go down if this got out if you're threatening people I care about? Because if not for the fact that you had ill intentions...doing all this without parental consent paints a pretty bad look, doesn't it?" Enji flinched as he realized...that with Katsuki and Shoto backing them up, they had solid evidence against him should he try anything. "So spare me your arguments. I won't do anything else you want of me," She growled out to the man.
Enji grew a bit pale, swallowing hard as he stayed quiet.
"I can't believe you," Natsuo growled out as he opened the door. "You're trying to force her to marry my brother? Mom would never allow it!" He then slammed the door shut, everyone staring at it. Izuku flinched while looking at Fuyumi, who was very upset. Even though she agreed that the arranged marriage wasn't needed...she still wanted things to go smoothly tonight...instead, they turned out the opposite.
Natsuo slowly walked down the hall, furrowing his eyebrows as he couldn't believe what he heard. It was definitely not his father's place to decide the life of someone he barely knew. He had no idea where it came from, but he just couldn't continue being in the dining room after hearing it. He didn't want to bring anyone from Shoto's life into the hell they went through...
Izuka had nothing more to say regarding the topic as she turned to Fuyumi. "I'd like to be excused, please."
"Oh...sure thing," Fuyumi flinched awkwardly, glancing at her father. Izuka walked away from the table as everyone stared at her. She then stopped at the door, her back facing them.
"Oh, and one more thing, Endeavor," She glanced over her shoulder, opening the door. "You have a wonderful family. What I don't understand is why you don't see it yourself," She then slammed the door shut, everyone wincing.
Sometime after that, the dishes were being washed by Enji. The earlier conversation with Izuka was on his mind. He thought he was doing the right thing for both of them...he didn't think until now that it was possible he got the wrong idea about them. And considering he didn't even ask beforehand left a bad impression...
Izuku and Katsuki walked up, the latter trying to calm down from earlier. "Um. Excuse me," Izuku spoke up a bit awkwardly, both boys holding dishes. "Our dishes?" Enji jerked a thumb to somewhere nearby in silence. "Right..." They walked forward in silence. Izuka was right outside as she couldn't go in, so Izuku had taken her dishes for her.
The three then walked down the hall together. "So, uh..." Izuku decided to get it out of the way. "Did you know Todoroki's family had a lot of issues going on before this?"
"Of course, but only because you guys talked about it so loud that I couldn't not know it," Katsuki remarked, hands in his pockets while gritting his teeth.
"You were listening?!" Izuku asked him in shock as Izuka gasped in realization. The day Shoto confronted the twins during the Sports Festival...was the only time that Katsuki could've overheard. And that caused her to remember something.
"...What's your relationship with Icy hot?"
"Eh?" She glanced at the phone in confusion, wondering if she heard that right. But Katsuki was never one to bluff. "Shoto? He's just my friend like he said."
He gritted his teeth hearing his first name from her mouth. Not even he had gotten to that level, and yet part of him wanted to be. "Do you like him?" He continued despite his mind telling him not to.
"Of course I like him. He's my classmate," The girl didn't seem to get the subtext, just like in I-Island with Momo, Melissa, and Ochaco.
His bangs hid his eyes as he growled a little. "Damn it! Do you even know what I'm talking about?!"
She glanced up at Katsuki wide-eyed. No way...is that why he kept going after Shoto when they fought in the last match? Because he overheard us? But even after that, I kept having to tell him that we're just friends. And now with what Endeavor did during dinner and his reaction...Shoto's arguably the one he fights with the most when it comes to...that aspect of my life. And even though he wrote off our kisses...I honestly don't understand why he acts like that. Katsu...what are your true feelings for me?
She then cleared her throat to snap out of it, as now was definitely not the right time to ask him. "Well, I'm sure he appreciates you not telling anyone. I for one couldn't care less what Endeavor does as long as he's not terrorizing them," Izuka muttered and Izuku winced. Considering what she said not too long ago, this was a sore subject for her. The three then came to a stop near the dining room.
"I feel bad making the Midoriyas and Bakugo help with the clean up," Fuyumi confessed to her brother. She started cleaning the table.
"Both Midoriya and Mido would be upset if you didn't let them pitch in," Shoto pointed out while putting down a tray. He started to gather up plates, furrowing his eyebrows in frustration over the whole...arranged marriage thing. I know that she and Bakugo have a deep bond with each other. Why would he mess that up for them? And...because of her being my friend, I'm getting her even more involved with my family. Was it a mistake to ask her to join his agency?
Fuyumi stared at him from across the table. "Listen. I...It's not that I don't sometimes feel the way Natsuo does." He gasped while looking up, surprised that she was even mentioning it. "And I don't agree at all that your friend should be married into our family. I swear I didn't know about that. But...now is our chance to fix this." He silently took a seat, knowing it was better to make amends with Izuka now than later. "So tell me. Putting what he did aside for now...how do you feel about our dad? Honestly."
He then looked at the table, trying to not let what he did tonight cloud his judgment. "He may not have been there, but he's responsible for the scar I have."
"Oh, baby, no!" Rei gasped in horror as the tea pot was on the floor, water on the ground. "I'm so sorry, Shoto! What have I done? I'm so sorry! Shoto, please, I'm sorry!" She cried out to him.
Compared to his mother, his father had not once yet apologized, something he couldn't ignore. He knew that his mother regretted what she did. As for Enji...he still had motivations for Shoto he needed to get past. Things that he acknowledged, but he never even said anything to make up for it.
"Mom put up with a monster...until he pushed her past the breaking point," He murmured, remembering how much mental hell she went through. "He ruined her. I can't forgive him so easily. And now he's trying to do the same with my friend, and I can't let that happen to her! Mido needs to do what makes her happy, not me or him. Her life is not his decision to make...and I blame myself for that. I should've seen the signs...you know...Mom's trying to get over this herself right now. Working through things." Rei was writing a letter to Shoto right now, looking out the window. It was still snowing, something she didn't mind.
Dear Shoto, are you doing well? It's been cold, so I'm worried about you getting sick. Make sure you wear a coat.
Shoto was reading her most recent letter to him at the dorms.
I've been able to go out more recently. Getting outside of this room. The doctor says that if things keep progressing smoothly, I can be discharged soon. I want to live with you and your brother and sister again. As a family. I'll do my best to make sure what happened before doesn't happen again. I swear it.
She continued looking out the window as every...day she remembered how she got there. And since then, it took all she had within her to continue being happy for her son. Because him visiting and writing letters...she couldn't take that for granted.
"To be honest...I have no idea what I want from him, other than for him to not destroy Mido. I don't know how to feel about the old man, especially after tonight. But...I'll figure it out. He's not making it easy, though..."
She stared at him in silence, knowing that after what Enji tried to do, it made things even more awkward...
"You people," Katsuki snarled from outside, moving open the door. "If you're gonna invite guests over, don't talk about sensitive subjects! There are dishes that need washing!"
"Oh no! I'm sorry, you're totally right," Fuyumi covered her mouth in horror that they overheard.
"Yeah, so, we've, uh, heard about the situation from Todoroki, so we're sorta in the know!" Izuku tried to clear the air as Katsuki gritted his teeth.
"Normally, you'd think getting asked over for dinner is a good thing!" Katsuki stormed over and grabbed a tray full of dirty dishes. "But you went and ruined some good food with your family drama!"
"Katsuki Bakugo! Honestly," Izuka scoffed towards him, crossing her arms as they watched him leave.
"I'm sorry, we kind of overheard," Izuku walked over to grab some dishes too. Izuka sighed knowingly at Katsuki as she walked up.
"And I'm sorry about him, he's still really upset if you couldn't tell..." She murmured while looking a bit embarrassed by how he was acting. Izuku stayed silent for a few seconds and then placed a plate down. He felt like he had to say something.
"Todoroki. I know it's not my business," He looked up towards Shoto. "But I think deep down, despite what happened tonight, you're ready to move forward with your dad." Shoto blinked in shock at him. "Don't get me wrong, though, if you don't forgive him, that's up to you. No one can force you to accept him. Trust me, I'm still getting over what happened myself because it's my sister's life," He glanced over to Izuka, who was staring at them. "The thing is...you're a really caring person." Shoto and Fuyumi looked at him wide-eyed for him admitting this. "Seems like you're just waiting for something."
Natsuo was overhearing this as he bit his lip...as he couldn't disagree with Izuku. He felt like himself that...he was waiting for something to change within their family—an actual change. Not just Enji waltzing in expecting forgiveness, even though Natsuo was very adamant that he wouldn't change his mind.
"If so...I'm sure you'll know how to feel when the time comes." Enji was also listening in from the other side of the room, standing in silence...
"I agree with my brother," Izuka spoke up, closing her eyes. "Even though…I'm still processing what happened and I don't wanna be near him right now…you seem to be ready to at least take that step. Like I said to your father, no one can make you do anything you want to. My opinion is more biased and it's not my business either. Just remember whatever you do, you won't be alone."
Shoto flinched that she was still willing to be there for him despite the tension earlier. And he felt like he needed to address it...he didn't want things between them to be awkward or tense like it already was with the family. With Katsuki...that was a whole different story, because Shoto could still see that the two cared deep down and they weren't going to change that. With him and Izuka, though...with a request like that from Enji...
"...Mido, can we talk about what happened? I—"
"Not now," She interrupted and walked off with some dishes. "It's too soon…"
Shoto clamped his mouth shut, looking at the table. He felt like things were just getting worse because she wouldn't talk about it...
"Give her time, Todoroki. I'm grateful that she's even willing to still be here…" Izuku sighed a bit; and also, she didn't have anywhere else to go since they got here by car. And she didn't feel like wasting her energy to leave by flight, because it was a long way back.
Enji was alone in a room as essence was being given off. What can I do for my family after all this time? Where do I begin? Even when I think I'm on the right track, tonight proved I can't just go into this recklessly... He was sitting in front of a shrine...a shrine for his deceased oldest son. I've been having that dream. My wife and children look like they're having fun around the dinner table. But you're not there. He looked up at the picture of Toya...he had been gone for years now, and it was something Natsuo took the hardest outside of himself. I wish that you could join them...Toya.
A few days earlier
It was quiet as police were escorting an inmate. He then stepped out into the plaza, where it was decorated for the holidays. People were doing some last-minute shopping, or just browsing. A man in a hoodie walked past a store and then looked back, seeing a TV broadcast. That broadcast was of Endeavor's fight with the High-End Nomu, being named his debut fight as the new number-one hero. The man stared at the hero and then gave a big grin...