What Fire Burns

The Usual Story

Making their way to the kitchen Touya, did his best to persuade Shoto he was just fine and that he'd be alright in the morning. Shoto didn't look completely convinced as Touya inhaled sharply every time he put too much weight on his left leg, but at least he didn't look like he was gonna start crying again.

When they made it to the kitchen both of the remaining Todoroki siblings were sitting at the table. Touya's bruised face nearly made Natsuo choke on his soda, his pale face turning a furious red. Fuyumi started to sniffle almost immediately.

"I SWEAR I'LL KILL HIM!" Natsuo snarled, glaring down at the table with a vengeance as he smashed his soda can down on it, sloshing soda everywhere. Touya smiled ruefully at his older brother. "You know he'd crush you, big bro, Leave it be. I'm alive, so I'll live." his brother didn't answer.

Turning to his oldest sibling Touya started "Hey Fuyumi, can you help me or whatever-" He stopped in surprise as he noticed that she was glaring at him through the tears welling up in her eyes " W-what?" he asked a little confused. Usually, Fuyumi was about as menacing as a kitten when she was angry, but she seemed, almost frightening, and he couldn't figure out why. "What'd I do?"

Fuyumi sniffled deeply and whispered "Why do you have to provoke him like that Touya? It's been the fifth time this month! I'm so so afraid you'll make him go too far one day and, and I won't be able to..." She stopped but she didn't have to finish. Touya stared down at the floor, feeling ashamed. "Sorry Yumi, I'll try."

Then Touya noticed the presence in the doorway, with horror he turned around to see his mom's wide blue eyes staring at him in sad despair. "WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING HERE!" his mind screamed. "I-uh-iii... um, I fell and..." he stuttered

But Shoto seeing his mom for the first time in weeks ran to her and hugged her tightly. After a moment she hugged her youngest son back, but her sad eyes never left Touya's bruised face. She already knew what had happened, Touya could tell, and his lies faded on his lips. "I'm sorry. I swear it was all my fault and I made dad angry and-" his mom's cool hands clasped his and she looked up at him.

"Thank you, for trying to protect me, my brave boy." For some reason, Touya felt his eyes begin to sting, which didn't mix well with the marvelous black eye he was sporting. Rei Todoroki smiled gently at her only daughter. "Don't worry Fuyumi, I'll take care of Touya. You deserve a break." Leaning over, she kissed Fuyumi, Shoto, and Natsuo on the heads. She looked over at Touya. "This will take a bit, so let's get started."

Touya followed his mother down the hall to the bathroom, where she opened the medicine cabinet to retrieve the first aid kit. Sitting him down on the toilet, Rei applied (medical stuff) to the cut on Touya's forehead. The silence was almost awkward for him as he refused to look up at her. Finally, she asked. "So, what happened?" Touya didn't want to tell her. But she was his mom, and she had a way of making him and his siblings tell her what she wanted to know without even trying. He ended up explaining everything.

How dad had been hurting Shoto again, how he himself had called dad a couple of names he wasn't going to repeat {he received a reproachful look from his mom, but Touya had no regrets in that area}, and how dad had lost his temper again and started hurting him instead.

The usual story.

Rei listened to it all without a word, her mouth forming a grim line. When Touya had finished his story, Rei Todoroki bent down to stare her son in the eye. "I know it hurts you to see Shoto in pain, but please Touya, be careful. Never stop defending your brother, but your temper so often gets in the way of your caution and ends up getting you hurt. So be careful. Please. Promise me you'll be more careful around him." She traced her finger over the un-wrecked side of Touya's face. He promised. Like he could refuse his mom anything.

After that, Rei treated his bruises in total silence, and when she was finished, she kissed her son, closed the first aid kit, and went back into her room again, locking the door, and everything was back to normal.