"You don't have to be scared of me, you know," You said, furrowing your brows at how tense he suddenly looked. For a big, burly thing of a hero, he sure seemed to cower in your presence.
"Mm," Endeavor nodded, standing still in the dim light of his home, preparing to accept whatever request you had. He'd assumed at some point you might need something. He wasn't privy to any of your personal information- only Fuyumi had your written consent for medical disclosure and doctor visits, etc. Having only heard of all the injuries you underwent- it was a comfort to see you in good shape, standing strong on your own rather than a shadow behind his son.
"I just wanted to say something," You said, casually, your hands in your pockets. "I don't like you. I think your past actions are not suddenly resolved by your whims to change. And the effect of what you've done to your children and your wife will forever be a reminder of your failures,"
Right. Maybe he should've expected that. Endeavor nodded in agreement again.
Thinking you were done, he looked up only to see you shaking your head, scratching the back of your neck like the next part was just hard to get out.
"In any case," you grumbled, dragging your eyes back to his. "Even if it wasn't for the right reasons, you took me in. Gave me food and a roof and siblings I love very much. You wronged them and I both, and I do not forgive you for the mindset you instilled in me... But I respect your efforts to change,"
The hero's eyes went wide, a large part of him surprised, yes, but another strangely not. He'd known you as nothing but a weapon for so long. Seeing you as a human being, noticing in his memory all the admirable qualities you beheld, your honesty and candidness had always been one of them.
"Thank you," Endeavor said, curtly, with a small bow of his head.
"Sure," You said, hunching your shoulders, turning around, your footsteps creaking on the floorboards. "You also sort of pay for everything I own and my sort of, perhaps, medical bills that've been piling up so yeah, whatever." Keeping your head facing the earth in tiresome, you sighed, knowing a past writhe with two-sided people wasn't one that you unscathed... But at the very least, it made sure even when everything else inside you felt dead, your compassion still breathed.
"Thank you for actually trying."
***
"Well," Sweat trickled down Monoma's forehead, catching on his brows as he bent over his knees, near heaving his lungs out. "You've changed since the festival."
That was the understatement of the century. You didn't even dignify that with a response, standing right where you'd just dodged one of his attacks.
The boy was neat with his movements, they were calculated, not ready to give up the match despite it already being won. On the flip side, he was too predictable. Too slow. You'd dealt with far worse. Endeavor prepared you for far worse. It made you think of the other day he nearly died and you'd almost never gotten to say what you felt.
Those days were over. Hiding yourself for the sake of others, acting as if nothing mattered, not saying what needed to be said or showing what had to be shown. And it started with putting one of the first people who'd ever underestimated you in his place.
Monoma attempted to knock you off your feet several times, different techniques he'd pushed himself to learn too, but they were all in vain. Even without Atomic, you could predict and counter every move he made without so much as a glance in his direction. Perhaps it was time for different tactics.
"Not so scared of yourself anymore?" The boy panted, widening his arms, bending his head forward to take off again.
Not a breath from your body seemed forced. Your chest rose and fell calmly. Your hair had barely moved from its original place in that ponytail. Overexertion was not a weakness you bore in front of such a pitiful opponent. So at his question, you cocked your head to the side, half-lidded, uninterested eyes opening just for his benefit.
