̶U̶n̶ Scathed

-10-

Rain pours from the sky, causing me to slip and stumble on the uneven pavement. I feel the staples along my knees tear and bleed, but I ignore the searing pain and turn onto another street.

Glancing up at the street sign, I turn right and into a well-kept neighborhood. Cherry trees line the sidewalk, offering some protection from the rain. I slow down to a half jog, pulling up my sweatshirt so that the hood obscures most of the scars on my face.

I left my family behind. Shouto. Fuyumi. Natsu. Why didn't I protect them? Why didn't I come back for them? I'm a failure. A worthless peice of shit.

Just like good ol' dad said I was.

I approach the familiar house, fearing the worst. Natsu or Fuyu could be dead, and Enji would have swept it under the rug like it was nothing. But when I walk around to the back of the house, all of my emotions turn to sadness.

In the driveway of my childhood home, two cars sit side by side. The second one must be Fuyumis, then. I think she's a teacher now, so she probably got a car to drive to and from the school. Natsu must use hers to get to college.

I run a hand over the hood of the car. Its a practical-looking BMW, and I feel a smile lift the corners of my lips even as bloody tears fall from my eyes.

Fuyu wanted a hot pink car when she was younger. When I asked her if it came from the barbie sets her friends all had, she wrinkled her nose and told me she wanted a pink car so it would look cooler when she ran over the bad guys.

Natsu always acted like he despised her, but I could tell that he secretly admired her strength and fortitude. When the topic of cars ever came up, he went on and on about how bad of a driver 'FuyuMEAN' would be, and vowed to never stand anywhere near a road if she was within a hundred miles of a car.

Looks like they both grew up, huh?

I glance through the front window of the car and spot a cell phone on the dash. As I watch, a text message lights up the screen. His lock screen is him hugging a bear-eared woman to his chest and planting a kiss on her forehead while she sticks her tongue out at the camera.

Mischievous, goofy, Natsuo Todoroki got a girlfriend at college. My stomach clences and I glance away, torn between pride and regret.

On the armrest, I try to read the scrawls of handwriting across a pile of papers. From what I gather, it's kindergartners worksheets.

I knew she would become a teacher. It was an almost an instinct for her to go to someone in need, and small children were her specialty. If she wanted to, she could probably coax a child to give up all it's Halloween candy with just a few words. Not that she would, though. She was too nice for that.

I move past the car and sneak to the window where I know that the dining room is. I audibly gasp and cover my mouth to stop from making any more noise.

Natsu, Shouto, and Dad sit together at the table. Two kids I recognize from UA are there as well, and everyone seems to be getting along. Fuyumi proudly enters through the kitchen, carrying a tray full of Mapu Tofu. Natsu's favorite food aside from cold soba. The green haired kid and Natsu thank her for the food and they dig in, making small talk all the while.

Its perfect.

Completely perfect, even though the memories they all share are anything but.

I walk around to the other side of the house, and I find that the master bedroom windows are all open, probably to air out the burnt odor that always seems to follow in Endeavor's wake. Slipping inside, the smell of fresh incense makes me turn my head.