Two more days had passed, Satoko and Hawks were chatting a bit. Endeavor came in to talk about the students' conditions with Hawks. Particularly Shoto's. He seemed to be on edge about something.
Hawks had asked him who made Shoto that way. It was Dabi.
(Go figure.) Hawks noted.
Shortly after Endeavor left, Satoko and Hawks were talking about it.
The noise of the television behind her was making a ruckus. Like the program was being interrupted. Hawks's attention went towards it instead.
Satoko turned her head around to see the news report. Apparently, Dabi is Endeavor's son. Toya Todoroki.
They didn't have much anymore information to go by except for Endeavor's statement.
After the program ended, Hawks used the remote to shut off the tv.
"That means... Dabi... he..." Satoko's face went pale.
"Tried to kill his brother." Hawks frowned in disapproval.
Endeavor was just there too. Was this really true?
"He could be lying. You know how the news can be." Satoko denied. But then again, Dabi did drop a hint once.
'My father is a famous hero....'
'It was because my brother was born...'
Before letting Hawks speak, she stood up. "I'll be right back."
The one way to find out the truth is to go to the source. Shoto Todoroki's room.
...
Shoto was finally beginning to stir. His face became twisted in pain as he was trying to wake up, groaning in pain as he did so.
The first thing that came to mind was Momo's condition. That was the first coherent thought he could think of. He remembered seeing her trying to fight Dabi off to keep him from getting hurt further. She was so brave. She did more than he did in that fight. He hoped that she wasn't hurt badly.
His eyes finally opened all the way. He wasn't sure if Momo was even nearby. He wasn't thinking clearly yet. All he wanted in that moment was to know if she was alright.
"Yaoyorozu?" He spoke aloud. He wasn't aware of how much pain his eyes showed. The amount of distress that could be seen in them.
"I'm here." Momo replied. She was already awake and sitting up in her hospital bed. Her arm was wrapped where Toga had stabbed her at.
Parts of her face was bandaged from burns she received from Dabi and other parts of her arms were too.
She had been silently gazing at Shoto for the times she was awake. It made her pained he was so hurt even though she was in bad condition herself.
"How are you feeling, Todoroki?" She asked before he could ask her the same.
He wanted to sit up as a way of showing that he was fine and that he was listening intently to everything she was saying. When he tried to move though, his injuries started to cause him more pain. He furrowed his eyebrows. He was frustrated that he couldn't sit up right away.
"It still hurts, but..." He turned his head to the side and rested his cheek against his pillow. It was easier to look at her that way. "What about you? How do you feel?"
"I still get burning sensations, but the doctor said that should feel better within a few more days." Momo noted. "I apologize I couldn't do more to help you. Maybe... I'm just not fit for fighting."
Her self-esteem was getting better since the Sports Festival. But that recent and unfortunate event caused her to question if she's even fit to being a hero.
She doesn't have a lot of power compared to other students. Even Ochako put up with a grand fight against Katsuki.
"I was about to thank you, actually." He adjusted his position so that he was a little more comfortable. His hand rested on the safety rails. "I could have done more had I not let my emotions distract me. I'm not sure exactly what happened after I blacked out, but I think that I probably wouldn't have survived if you weren't there."
"Really?" Momo was surprised at such praise. She didn't expect any form of gratitude. "Well, you were being dragged away by him. I tried to stop him, but I couldn't."
She shook her head and then looked at her arm. "I got another wound while I was unconscious. It was pretty deep. Like someone had stabbed me. I don't recall anything after I had fainted."
"So that's the wound on your arm?" Shoto adopted a shocked expression. A few beads of sweat collected on his head. That was a good sign of his condition improving given the fact that he lost so much fluid from his body. "It must have spread then..."
He noticed Momo's confused expression. He knew that he had to explain. Not everyone was aware of his curse. "Whenever I get involved, people's hands get messed up. It started with Midoriya. Now you. I thought I was the hand crusher, but maybe I crush arms as well."
Shoto was talking a lot more than usual after waking up. The experience seemed to make him want to get closer to Momo. Her presence in the room with him helped to bring him some comfort.
"Heh-" Momo tried to stifle her laughter, but she couldn't. It hurt a bit to giggle. Never had he seen her chuckle like this before. "My apologies- Ahahah."
She had to take a gasp to breathe or calm down, but she had a bad case of the giggles. She wiped a stray tear from laughing so hard.
One of Shoto's eyebrows raised in confusion. "Did I say something funny? I didn't mean to. No one else hurt their hands or arms, right?"
Her laughter confused him somewhat, but if she was happy then it couldn't be all bad. Besides, he enjoyed the sound of her laughter.
"Oh! Hahaha-" She covered her mouth a little bit. There was a little confusion as she tilted her head. "That wasn't a joke?"
"It can be, if you'd like. I like it when you laugh." He had a tiny smile on his face. Talking to her like that felt so natural to him all of a sudden.
He had never attempted to tell a joke before. He was sure that if he did, it wouldn't have the same effect. Perhaps it was worth a shot to hear her laugh again.
He flexed his hand against the safety rails. "Maybe if I'm not careful...I might destroy my own hand someday. I'm still not sure how this curse works."
Her heart fluttered from the compliment. She couldn't help but giggle once more at the last statement. "I don't think you're cursed. Villains just like to hurt people anywhere, I suppose."
She looked at him with a sincere smile. "We were paired up like a team like that one time. Except, this was more serious. We both made it out alive. I suppose that is something to be thankful for."
The low confidence was subsiding. The light of the mood was starting to make her feel positive again. Her bouncy personality was shining through.
His smile gradually became sadder until it was a frown once again. He still wasn't extremely sad, but he was trying to think. The way that villain spoke to him was strange compared to other villain attacks. He knew things about Shoto that he shouldn't be able to know. "The villain who attacked me...you said that he dragged me away. Do you remember anything else that he did or said?"
Momo took a moment to recollect her memories. There was a moment of silence. Then, she spoke up. "He last said..."
...
'You leave him alone. You think that you know him, but you don't know anything. You don't know what he has done.' Dabi kicked Momo. He aimed his free hand at her to attack with a cold expression. 'Let me do what I need to do.'
...
Momo then shook her head. "That's all I remember. I don't believe you've done anything wrong." Her eyebrows creased, feeling a bit mad at the memory. How dare he spoke about Shoto like that.
That criminal.
Shoto seemed a little more upset to hear that. He didn't know what Dabi was referring to. He couldn't recall ever meeting the villain. Much less doing anything to upset him. "There are things about me that hardly anyone knows. Those things weren't my fault though. As far as I know, at least."
He was so young when the abuse started. For some reason, his mind went to his brother, Toya.
He hardly knew Toya, but he always seemed bitter. He was so filled with hatred when he was only a child himself.
Shoto replaced him. He was seen as better in every way. Maybe that hatred was always directed towards him from the beginning.
It made too much sense. Toya was the only person who he had 'wronged' as far as he knew. Those eyes of his were the same as well. His quirk, too.
"Actually...maybe this is my fault," Shoto said.
"What do you-" Momo tried to say, but their attention went towards their room's door opening.
There came in an unfamiliar woman. Satoko Takahashi.
"Hey, uh-" Satoko walked over towards them. She's aware that this situation is a bit awkward. "I know I'm a stranger, but I have something to ask you, Shoto Todoroki."
Momo tilted her head towards him in confusion.
Shoto had a look that was full of suspicion. He didn't recognize her from anywhere. For some reason, her presence put him on edge. He was likely still slightly on edge from the attack that happened previously.
He felt a strong instinct to make sure that Momo wasn't in any danger. It pushed him to force himself to sit up despite the pain. He gritted his teeth as he did so. Finally, he was seated upright. "Who are you?"
"I know Dabi. And I'm friends with Hawks." Satoko felt weird saying that. "I'm Satoko Takahashi. Sorry to intrude on you kids like this, but I need to know something."
She looked around to see where the remote was at and grabbed it. She felt slightly guilty wanting to ask for answers while he's still injured.
He's bound to know anytime soon. With the flick of the power button, the news report was still on. Talking about Dabi being Toya Todoroki.
"...What... is this?" Momo became speechless and she looked at Shoto in concern.
"Can you tell me if the news is twisting the truth in some way?" Satoko asked.
It felt as though the entire room was shaking. Shoto didn't look away from the television. His eyes remained fixed on it as he tried to take everything in. He had it figured out already, but it being confirmed was something else entirely.
"I don't know." Shoto swallowed the lump in his throat. "I didn't wake up until today."
Satoko's eyes turned soft. She wasn't going to push things more. "...I won't stay here much longer. Sorry if this is a bother. I need to know. Do you have a brother by that name? Toya Todoroki?"
He nodded slowly. "He was believed to be dead. A training accident."
The news started to show actual footage. Shoto could see himself being dragged around. He saw when Dabi revealed his identity. Endeavor's worry that Shoto was in bad condition. It all made him start to feel sick to his stomach.
He wanted to tear his eyes away, but he couldn't seem to. He only looked more and more distant to the others the more that he watched.
That's all Satoko needed to hear. "Sorry for prying. And for an unpleasant first meeting. Just know this: I'm not either of your enemies. Your brother... I won't let him hurt you anymore either."
"I want to face him," Shoto said. There was no hesitation in his tone. "I'm the only one who can fight him. He's so similar to me. I didn't do enough when he attacked me, but I'll make up for it someday."
"I..." Satoko started to turn around to leave the room. "I don't want either of you to fight. Because I consider him someone I care about."
Without letting him saying anything more, she left the room with a heavy heart. Momo was a bit hesitant to say anything.
What could she even say?
Shoto finally managed to look away from the screen. He looked down at his hands. "Toya's body couldn't handle a heat quirk. So when there was a forest fire one day while he was training and a jaw bone was found...we were told that he was dead."
Shoto clenched his fists, causing them to tremble. "The reason he did that is because of me. When I was born, my father began neglecting him and my other siblings."
Momo remained silent to listen. Shoto's tears dripped onto his blankets. "It wasn't until I was born that our father became abusive. I think that might be why Toya wants me dead now. I took away his dream. That was the only reason he wanted to live, and I took it from him."
Momo flinched at the sight of his tears. It hurt her to gaze upon him so helplessly like that.
If only she could move.
No. She will move.
Before she said anything, she shifted herself off the bed. It was painful for her to do that. Her arms shook to prop herself to stand.
Shoto didn't realize what she was doing until she fell upon his bed. She got herself to sit where she couldn't hurt him. Before he could scold her for moving, her trembling hands went on the sides of his cheeks. "You have done nothing wrong, ok?"
Her eyes even glossed over. She wanted to take away his pain. She had no idea he had lived such a terrible life.
He didn't realize how much he needed to hear those words. His bottom lip shook a little. "I know that I didn't do anything out of my own free will to hurt him. But knowing that it wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for me still makes me feel this way. I had no control over it. It was Endeavor's fault. But it still hurts to think about."
"You were the victim." Momo put her forehead against his while closing her eyes.
She was a little nervous doing this, but she wanted to do her best to comfort him. "I may never understand how you feel, but know that you can't blame your existence. I'm happy you exist and so are many others. Your father's actions are not your own. If your brother has anyone to blame, then it's his fault. Not yours."
Shoto allowed himself to relax more. He closed his eyes as well. For the first time since he was young, he actually let himself cry. He didn't try to stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks.
In his heart, he knew that it was alright. Mostly because the pain was slowly fading and giving way to warmth in his chest. He had never felt anything quite like it. The feeling was so strong and constant. He knew the cause of it.
He was in love with Momo.
His hands shook as he raised them to cup her face like she had done to him. His hands felt rough to the touch on the areas that weren't bandaged.
He couldn't find any words to express how he felt. Nothing could really describe how grateful he was to have people who cared about him. Words especially couldn't describe how grateful he was to be capable of that feeling of love in his heart. Instead, he said the only thing that he could think to say. "I think I'm in love with you. No...I know that I am."
It was certainly a strange time to confess feelings like those ones. He had to get it out of his system though.
"Eh?" Her eyes suddenly opened from the sudden confession. It was really unexpected.
Fluttering went inside her heart. It worsened due to the fact his eyes opened at the same time as hers.
Her face deeply reddened. (I didn't hear him wrong. I know I didn't.)
"I too, feel the same way." Her thumbs stroked stray tears on his cheeks. "I've fallen in love with you as well."
Shoto planted a little kiss on one of her bandages that was on her face. He rested his cheek against hers and moved his arms back to wrap around her gently. He was careful not to hurt her.
"I would kiss you on the lips, but..." He turned his head to the side more. She could feel his face get warmer. "I don't know if I can hold my breath long enough to. I heard that it sometimes makes you breathless."
She couldn't stop being flustered. She was cautious not to lean against him more to not hurt him. Being near him made her happy despite her wounds. She softly held him too.
"I-It's alright. We can do that when we're both better." She stammered shyly. While he was looking away, she lightly returned the favor by also giving him a short peck on his cheek.
That made her face feel like it was on fire. She couldn't look at him anymore. "There. It wouldn't be fair if I didn't do the same. Um.."
"Yaoyorozu?" He asked. "Will you be able to get back to your bed later? I hope you didn't hurt yourself to get over here."
"Oh..." She had an apologetic look on her face. "I came here without thinking. I'm fine right now, but do you want me to go back?"
It did cause her pain while she moved towards him, however she ignored it earlier. For his sake.
"No. I was only thinking about later when you get tired." His crying was starting to slow down. The tears coming from his eyes were few. The warmth that he felt outweighed the pain.
He rested his head on her shoulder again in order to feel her face close by. Being able to hear her breathing was reassuring as well. She was clearly alive, but actually hearing breathing from her brought that reassurance that everything would be alright in the end.
Her blushing wouldn't subside, but she didn't mind it. Her hand stroked the back on his head. She could feel his hair through the parts of her hand that wasn't bandaged.
"I could stay here if you want? Until a nurse comes back to move me." She asked, bashfully. Not only that, she was a little fatigued.
It would be embarrassing for them both to have someone come in to see them like this. In Japan, public display of affection was different with their culture.
They were both rather new at being a couple so public gazes would probably make them flustered. They would most likely be scolded by hospital staff too. Although, she knows if she were to attempt to move back to her own bed - it would cause her pain. That wouldn't make Shoto happy either.
He hummed in response, indicating that he liked that idea. Between his wounds and the shocking news, he was tired as well. He couldn't seem to drift off, however. He wouldn't mind falling asleep close to her like that if he could.
His eyes were only halfway open as he stared at the wall across from him. He allowed his eyelids to fully drop. He still wasn't asleep, but he was much more calm and content than he was before.
Momo and Shoto ended up lying next to each other in a way that was close and comfortable. As time had passed, a nurse eventually did come in.
There was some scolding, but that didn't do away their happiness with each other. Momo was moved back onto her bed.