Six Years Ago
Hikari: Age 13
Three Months After the Commission Attack
As Touya ascended the steps to the abandoned building in order to get to the roof, his mind was just as clouded as ever. He had decided a couple of hours ago to go on one of his "missing" ventures in hopes that his father, brother or sister, anyone would notice and care about him.
It had been over twelve hours since he was scheduled to be home and the boy had yet to receive any sort of call or text from his phone in a moment of panic.
But that was okay, maybe today was the day.
Maybe his phone would light up in the next second with pure worry that he was kidnapped or dead, maybe his father would come bursting through the old doors of his agency in order to bring him back, maybe this time it would be different.
Although the boy wasn't stupid and given the patterns, even Touya knew that it probably wasn't going to be different, that they were all two busy with their own lives to ever notice his. He could've been hurt and kidnapped and still they wouldn't have cared.
But he didn't even want to think of that possibility, the reality far too much to handle for his already aching soul. So instead, he remained hopeful, that something might change for once.
Realizing he'd already reached the top step, his cerulean gaze moved down towards the handle before feeling the soft breeze immediately hit him in the face. At least he'd be alone here.
Yet that's when he saw a very familiar pair of deformed red wings from just a few feet away, her face crinkled up in the opposite direction as she leaned forward over the rail. Hold on, why was she here?
Taking a step inside the space, Hikari's feathers immediately twitched at the sensation before the girl flitched into herself, pushing herself off the railing in order to turn around with fear. "W-Who's there?"
Their gaze met a second later, Touya realizing that the girl's eyes were filled with heavy tears, brimming off the sides as she spoke. Hold on, she was crying? Was that why she was leaning against the railing like that?
A small bit of silence appeared then, the white haired teenager choosing to ignore the tears as they seemed to make her uncomfortable and only focusing on the situation at hand instead. "What are you doing here?"
Sniffling at his question, Hikari seemed to notice her tears before wiping them away with dirt covered hands before trying to compose herself infront of him. "S-Sorry, you said I could use this place if I wanted to...b-break...again. But, I understand if you changed your mind. Who am I kidding, of course you probably changed your mind. Sorry, I'll go..."
Already trying to leave, Touya put the pieces together a moment later, remembering his conversation with the girl about a week ago. That's right, he did say she could come here, didn't he?
Why did he even do that? Now that meant having to deal with her annoying sniffling self more often. How irritating. Him and his stupid weak heart.
Passing by him a moment later, the boy felt himself speak before he even had the chance to process it, hating the idea of sending her away after he gave his word like that.
"You don't have to leave, stupid. Stop being such a scaredy cat and just don't bother me."
Then all at once, Hikari watched as the white haired kid moved past her with a grunt before sitting down on the side of the wall with his eyes closed, almost like he was ignoring her on purpose and pretending she wasn't there.
The girl couldn't help but turn her head at that. Was it really okay to stay here, given that this place wasn't hers in the first place? She didn't want to intrude.
Letting her voice come out rather quietly, Hikari muttered back to him. "Are you sure? You're not annoyed by it?"
Yet Touya only waved his hand in the air before opening one of his eyes into an annoyed gaze, staring at her with a tired sigh. "That's called bothering, Princess."
Realizing she had done the one thing he told her not to do, Hikari felt herself close her mouth a moment later, bowing her head ever so slightly before speaking in an apologetic manner. "S-Sorry, I won't bother you. Thanks."
Then before he could change his mind about letting her stay, the girl hurried back to her spot over the railing before trying to quiet her sniffling once more in order not to disturb the boy as much as possible.
He was already being so kind, letting a mess like her stay next to him like this. She couldn't mess it up, not when he was the only constant in her life right now besides Riku and his training.
That's why she was up here after all, in order to get away from everything for a little while, why she found herself crying on the rooftop of his building more and more. It seemed comforting to her in some way, like she knew she wouldn't be punished for doing so.
As another tear poured down the side of her face, Hikari took in a shaky breath before hearing Touya call out to her once more, except this time it was a bit quieter, calmer and almost softer in a way.
"Why are you crying?"
Widening her eyes, the girl then turned around only to find that he was staring at her silently, taking in her stance as she felt her cheeks fill with embarrassment. Was he just staring at me, watching me cry? I thought he didn't care. Did I bother him by being too loud again?
She forced her lips to answer a moment later, although the only thing that managed to come out was a confused gasp of air. ""H-Huh?"
The response seemed to annoy the boy, Touya rolling his eyes immediately before turning his voice more abrasive, the softness diminishing ever so slightly as he did so.
"What are you, deaf? I asked, why are you crying?"
And even still, Hikari remained silent, wondering why he was asking such a question. Was he worried about her, or just curious? She didn't know.
Feeling herself take another shaky breath, the girl began to rub her eyes in order to cover her shame for being weak before turning back to the skyline in order not to see his face. "O-Oh, it's nothing. I'm just being a c-crybaby."
The word held a bitter meaning to it, knowing that Riku and his gang liked to use it whenever she cried in front of them, calling her Crybaby Hikari.
They would taunt her and torture her with it until she forced herself to stop her own tears and now whenever she heard it, it make her chest ache with shame.
Touya didn't seem to notice though, his voice rising with slight curiosity, like he was fishing for something in particular. Although, Hikari didn't know what.
"Let me guess, about your deadbeat big brother again?"
At the mention of Keigo, Hikari felt her heart twist with hurt before immediately shaking her head, not wanting those feelings to pile onto her current ones. "N-No, I mean, of course I miss Kei-chan, but that's not why I'm..."
A small silence appeared then, Touya remaining strangely quiet as he waited for her to respond, like he was expecting her to elaborate on that sentence. Perhaps because it was about her brother.
But as much as she was sad about Keigo, Hikari knew the cause of her tears weren't because of him, for today at least.
No, it was just one of those days, a day when Riku's training seemed to weigh on her heart more so than usual, when his words would cut far too deep for her handle, when the invisible scars that were once physical pushed her to the brink of death, and when everything was just too much.
Each day she felt herself get pulled apart, tortured, broken, and each day Riku would erase everything in order to start again. It was a pattern and the pain of the healing seemed to be something expected, something that she just had to live with in order to keep going.
And although Touya was sweet for asking about her, she knew that this was her fight to win, these were her demons, her weaknesses, her tears, and the last thing she wanted to do was for him to be unknowingly hurt again by her.
That's why she was doing this in the first place, so nobody would be hurt because of her naive, selfish and blind thinking. Even if it was too much, she knew she had to handle it.
Taking in a shaky breath, Hikari's eyes filled with a thousand unspoken thoughts before voicing her fears in a simple sentence. "It's just, some days are harder than others".
Then she realized her depressed tone, forcing herself to perk her wings up with passion, something that Touya clearly saw as manufactured. "But it's okay, cause I'm getting stronger, just like I need to be. Soon I'll be strong enough to be recognized as Kei-chan's sister someday, I just know it."
Yet, as much as she tried to hide it, Touya read her like her book, her body language and sullen stance something that he realized immediately. He had the training after all, even if he couldn't help it sometimes.
Yes, through his profiling, the boy could tell that she was going through something truly heartbreaking, like she was breaking herself in order to be whatever everyone wanted her to be, like she was trying to prove herself.
And that was an emotion Touya was very familiar with, given his own struggles.
That was because he too was struggling, he too was working for a goal and breaking himself down to do so. Although, her reasons for doing so couldn't help but make Touya's lips turn down into a frown.
All of this, she was going through all of this because of that stupid bird.
And he didn't even deserve it.
Shaking his head in exasperation, Touya then muttered back with slight malice for some reason. "Just when I thought your faith in him couldn't get anymore stupid."
Hikari seemed to sense the change in atmosphere though, turning her head in confusion before taking a step closer to the frowning white haired boy. Did she say something wrong, why did he look so upset now?
Plopping down next to him on his left side without another word,Hikari couldn't help but call out to him, concern laced in her voice. "What about you, are you okay? You seem sad."
Touya perked up at that, turning to notice the girl next to him before realizing that his internal feelings might have been a little too strong. Even this naive girl had picked up on them.
Answering a bit too fast, the boy huffed. "What? I'm not sad."
And although it sounded anything but believable, Hikari only looked up at the sky, not pushing him too much and yet still slightly curious for his change in tone so suddenly.
"I just thought that since you were up here, it meant you were having a rough time as well."
This caused Touya to pause, the words processing something inside of him before his chest stung with the neglect and loneliness in his soul.
She was right, he had come up here for a reason, to waste time and wait for his family to care.
But it wasn't like he was sad, that wasn't something that the boy ever let himself feel but Touya couldn't deny the large amount of heartbreaking emotion in his throat whenever he thought about his family finally abandoning him, getting tired of him and letting him go.
Maybe that's why he came here so often, to get away from those kinds of feelings.
Feeling rather defensive about her question, the boy scoffed in response, his tone laced with frustration and annoyance as he pushed a knee to his chest. She didn't need to know how he felt, he didn't need her pity.
"What, you want me to pour my whole life story to you Princess? You want me to cry about my feelings and whine about how much my life sucks? Yeah, thanks but no thanks."
His tone made the Hikari stop, her lips tightening as she realized his defensiveness. Maybe she shouldn't have asked him that. The last thing she wanted was for him to hate her like her brother did.
Pushing her wings into her back, the girl withdrew emotionally, her voice quiet and slightly worried for a mistake she had unknowingly made. "S-Sorry, I didn't mean to make you upset."
The awkward silence seemed to reappear a moment later, Hikari looking down at the ground before remembering the conversation the two had shared at that bar about a month ago.
Sure, she still didn't know anything about this boy but she could also tell that there was something about him, like there was this wave of unexplained sadness and hurt that followed him. That even if he didn't want to admit it, it seemed like he was going through just as tough of a time as her.
And the things she did know about him, the self harm with his mysterious quirk, him leaving his house for days on end just for his family to care, being withdrawn from the commission, being replaced from the Todoroki successor and passed up for his brother, she knew it couldn't be easy.
What else could he even been going though, what else seemed to weigh on his mind?
Even though she couldn't do much, the girl still felt the need to speak, to possibly offer him a small bit of comfort, even though it might've meant nothing to him.
So because of that, Hikari decided to open her mouth once again, slow and passionate, all while playing with the strings of Touya's jacket as she did so.
"I don't want to pretend like I understand everything in your life, and you probably have enough people around you to lean on. But just know, if you ever want to talk, if you want someone to listen then I'll be here. Like I said before, I care about ya Touya, enough to want to make sure you're doing okay."
And she meant that, knowing that it was the least she could do after all the kindness he had shown her in this last month. It was far more than she had ever received and Hikari wanted to know that she was grateful to him.
But for Touya, the words seemed to slap them in his face, the warmth in her tone filling his chest with a mixture of both comfort and unease. She was just some random girl, she was just his sister, why was she saying something like this again?
Obviously she was just talking out of her ass, that was the only explanation.
Putting a bandaged hand to his mouth in disbelief, Touya tried to hide his illogical smile, knowing that her words didn't really mean anything and yet still happy for a some stupid reason. "What kind of bullshit is that?"
Puffing her cheeks out in annoyance, Hikari felt her hands go to her hips before scoffing, her voice tripping over the swear word given that it was something she wasn't used to. "It's not b-bull...what you just said. I really mean it."
Touya then waved his head away, not lingering on the feeling in fear that he was actually right. She was just an idiot, not even knowing what she was really saying.
Yes, even he knew that someday this girl would walk away and be disgusted by him also, it was almost a guarantee and a matter of time given what he was trying to do.
That was just a fact, even she would hate him someday.
Giving a halfhearted laugh at the idea, Touya responded a moment later, his eyes not matching with his sarcastic words in the slightest. "Sure you do Princess, sure you do."
Touya then reached into his pocket before pulling out a small plastic wrapped sandwich, the boy removing the coating as he suddenly felt eyes on him.
Turning towards Hikari, the boy couldn't help but scoff, already pulling the egg sandwich away from the homeless girl before turning his body in the opposite direction.
"What are you looking at? I'm not giving you shit."
The girl widened her eyes at that, immediately putting her hands out in defense. She just wanted to see what kind of sandwich it was. Did he think she was begging or something?
"I wasn't expecting..."
Yet right in the middle of her sentence, Hikari's stomach seemed to growl with hunger a second later, her cheeks lighting up with embarrassment at the sound as she tried to cover the noise immediately.
She hadn't thought about it before but the girl did miss the last few meals, choosing to linger up here rather than go back to Riku's gang and be tortured some more.
Realizing he was staring at her, Hikari turned her reddened cheeks away from him before muttering back in a shy manner. She probably annoyed him again. "Sorry."
And that fact was confirmed when she heard the boy sigh next to her, obviously bothered by her sudden outburst as his hands moved with annoyance.
But because Hikari was turning away, she couldn't see what he was doing, only hearing his muttered words. "You're such a pain in my ass, you know that?"
Letting her eyes cast down in disappointment, Hikari then paused when she noticed something in the corner of her vision, the girl turning her head ever so slightly only to find Touya reaching out half of his sandwich to her.
Not understanding, the girl looked at the food before turning her gaze back to Touya in question. What was he doing? Didn't he just say he didn't want to share? Why was he forcing himself like this?
Yet Touya seemed uncomfortable by the staring, his own cheeks filling with unexplained embarrassment before shoving the sandwich even close to her face with a huff. He didn't understand why she was taking so long, now he left like an idiot.
"Are you gonna stare at it all day or are you gonna take it?"
Realizing what he was doing, Hikari's eyes softened before carefully grabbing the food from his bandaged hands before gazing at the egg sandwich in unexplained awe. "O-Oh, uhh thank you.."
Humming in response, Touya then immediately turned back to his half in silence, almost like he was embarrassed and bothered by the action as he shoved the bread into his mouth.
The silence lingered for a couple seconds, HIkari taking a small bite before curving her lips into a small smile at his sudden kindness. She couldn't help but be giddy about it, about how selfless he was being.
It seemed like he was always there when she needed him, always there to listen and help, almost like some kind of an angel or fairy or guardian.
Or almost like a hero.
She wondered why his father didn't approve of someone like Touya for the Todoroki name, given he was probably one of the nicest and kindest people she had ever met.
In fact, out of all the heroes she had meant, all the ones that pushed her down and left her to die, he was the only one that seemed to care, that seemed to stay by her side.
It didn't matter if she had deformed wings, a foolish outlook on life or no family to turn back to. Touya never really seemed to mind. It's like he understood, like he knew her struggles and fears, almost like they were personal.
But if he wasn't "good enough" to be a hero then what else could there be? Because from her eyes, Todoroki Touya was just as much of a hero to her as anyone else.
And maybe she was being foolish but it seemed like he cared about her also, even if it was only for his own amusement.
Pushing her lips together in thought, Hikari then turned to the boy before sucking in a breath of courage, her voice incredibly soft. "Hey Touya...?"
Already having taken another bite of his sandwich, the boy grumbled in response, muttering between talking with his mouth full. "Mmm?"
Looking down at her feet, Hikari felt her lips speak the words in her mind, the meaning filled with hope and lingering anxiety. "Can we be friends?"
All at once, Touya felt his jaw lock around the sandwich in his mouth, his eyes widening ever so slightly before the words seemed to stab him in the heart without her knowing.
Those words, those horrible words, they wrapped around him and suffocated him all at once as painful and sharp memories made their way to the surface once more.
Words said by someone else, words that he had already heard before.
And just like that, he felt himself transported back to that little room, where annoying red feathers filled his vision before a voice brought back all the pent up rage and heartbreaking devastation all over again.
"Hey Touya, let's be friends!"
He could still imagine that scene, almost like it happened a couple hours ago, even though he knew that wasn't the case.
The overwhelming happiness he felt when he first heard them spoken, the lingering hope that seemed to force its way into his heart, the realization of a real friend that would take his side finally.......and the devastational reality when it all came crumbling down.
Back then he was foolish, so idotic in putting his hopes into someone that didn't care enough to give them back. Just those very words seemed to make his arms and fingers start to smoke with dark fury, wishing to destroy them all at once, wishing to destroy himself all at once.
Now, he knew better than to believe in such an idiotic words, to put his faith in such a fragile thing again.
Realizing he had grown silent, Hikari leaned forward before calling back to him and snapping the boy out of his own delusions. "Touya?"
Yet as soon as Touya turned towards the blonde haired girl, the sight of her wings couldn't help but bring a sense of nausea into his throat. Out of all people, why did she have to ask that kind of question?
Keigo's sister, did she really think he was so kind of wonderful? Did she really think he was some kind of savior or something? The idea was comical in every single way.
And she wanted to be friends with him? What a joke, what a big fucking joke.
Just looking at her stupid litlte naive face, just hearing her stupidly innocent words seemed to snap something inside of him, something that he couldn't quite realize.
As Hikari's face turned from confusion to concern, Touya couldn't help but recall the similarities, her face morphing into that bird-brained idiot all at once as his own voice still vibrated the back of his chest.
Fuck you Keigo, you deserve to burn, you deserve to burn like Endeavor!
You deserve to burn like Endeavor!
You deserve to burn like Endeavor!
"Touya, did I say something wrong? You look hurt."
Her voice seemed to snap everything away at once, the boy blinking in surprise before Keigo's face disappeared from his sight as Touya finally grabbed hold onto reality.
Already speaking his thoughts, the boy then turned his lips down in disgust because of the lingering memories, his voice so cruel and cynical in every single way.
"What? Don't be idotic. Why would I want to be friends with someone like you?"
Although he soon regretted his decision as Hikari's eyes filled with hurt a second later, the girl taken back by his passionate response before putting her head down with a sad nod. Great job Hikari, you ruined everything again, didn't you?
Forcing her tone to become even, the girl couldn't help but let out a small sniffle before trying to come to terms with the idea of the utter rejection. "Right, sorry. I understand. You probably have enough friends as it is. I didn't mean to push anything. Forget I said that."
Touya stared at her devastation with watchful eyes, his own chest filling with self hatred before internally shaking his head. It's good that she got the message, that would've made things easier later on.
Although as he continued to watch, her small shaky breaths couldn't help but make him screw his lips closed with overwhelming conflict. Why was she so heartbroken about not being friends? He wasn't even that great to begin with. She clearly could find someone better.
And he should have left it at that, he should've just remained silent and walked away from the conversation. It would've made things a hundred times more simple.
But if that was the case, why did he hear his own voice a moment later, why did he try to explain himself to the crumbling girl next to him in order for her to feel as bad?
"It's not just you, I don't need those kinds of things, not if I'm going to reclaim myself as Dad's successor again. Friends are pointless, anything that doesn't help me accomplish my goal is pointless."
Looking up with her own tearfilled eyes, Hikari couldn't help but think about his words. Was he saying that it wasn't her he hated, but rather the entire concept of friendship? That he would've turned down anyone else that asked that same question?
She didn't know why, but that explanation seemed to make her a little more calm, another thought entered her mind before she had time to process it.
Wait, if Touya didn't have any friends then did that mean he was all alone like her?
Pushing her eyes up with concern, the girl couldn't help but picture him all alone, sitting in a dark room by himself with no one to save him.
"But what if you're having a hard time, if you need someone to turn to, if you need a hug someday? Who's going to be there for you when you get sad?
Yet, the boy felt himself scoffing automatically, thinking that her way of describing things was very childish. He wasn't five years old, he didn't need hugs or pathetic fake words to make him feel better.
His father didn't need it after all, so that meant he didn't need it either.
Crossing his arms over his chest, Touya pushed his lips together before speaking roughly. "I already told you, I don't get sad. That's weak shit, something people like you do."
Not even noticing he had insulted her, Hikari forced more on the boy in front of her, finding it hard to believe that anyone could be alright all the time. "B-But.."
Yet once again, the boy cut her off, kicking his legs out with manufactured confidence before speaking outwards in silent determination for his next words. "But nothing, I don't need any of that to reach the top."
Realizing he was done with the conversation, Hikari then looked down towards the sandwich he had given her before letting her lips curve into a warm smile for his passion.
"I believe in you, I believe that you can do it."
And that caught Touya off guard, never hearing those kinds of words from anyone before. Having someone believe in him, now that was something he wasn't used to.
Although he couldn't deny it, it kind of felt nice in it's own way.
Smirking proudly at her words, Touya then lifted his head to the sky before thinking about the future ahead, the one where he would be finally respected and loved.
"Of course I'm going to do it. That's the only option for me anyways."
--------------------
Even though Touya claimed they weren't friends, Hikari and him found themselves together more often, both of them going to the roof every once in a while to get away from whatever was bothering them.
They chatted sometimes but most of the time the two just sat in silence, enjoying each other's company as they looked out at the horizon and thought about their goals.
And although neither of them wanted to admit it, that place became their safe space.
Sometimes Hikari would cry silently, sometimes she would tell him why she was crying and sometimes Touya would share a little bit about his life as well.
They just couldn't help it, up here it felt like they were detached from the rest of the world, like nothing else mattered when they were together. It was nice, not to worry about anything for once and Hikari knew that Touya felt the same as well, even if he didn't want to admit it.
But today was different, Touya opening the door to the rooftop only for Hikari to turn around and greet him with a warm smile, just like she always did whenever they found each other. "Welcome back, Touya!"
The greeting was always something the boy ignored, pushing past her before looking up at the cloudy skies, knowing it had just rained earlier in the day. "Idiot, how many times are you going to do that stupid greeting?"
Shrugging her shoulders, the girl smiled "I don't know, until you tell me to stop I guess."
And of course, as always, the boy didn't tell her to stop, only ignoring the question before changing the subject immediately, almost like he had already planned on speaking his next words. "Whatever, I'm bored. Entertain me, Princess."
Blinking in surprise, Hikari's mouth dropped open. What did he just say? Usually he just sits in the corner and tells her not to bother him. "I'm sorry? I don't..."
Yet before she could even answer, the girl felt Touya aggressively grasp her hand before pulling her down the stairs, his mind already set before she could even say anything.
"Ugh, you really are awful at this. Fine, I guess I'll have to do it then. Come on."
His words were strange. It was almost like he planned on leaving with her from the start, that his question was just a way of leading into the action itself in order not to seem forced or out of the blue.
Dragging behind the white haired kid, Hikari couldn't help but feel rather confused, the whiplash of the sudden conversation knocking her in the face before she could process it. "Whoaa, where are we going Touya?"
Yet Touya only sighed, tightening his hold on her hand before focusing on whatever destination he had already decided for them. "Shut up before I change my mind and leave you behind."
And so, Hikari trusted him, letting the boy drag her through the crowded town before reaching a small park on the edge of the city as finally letting go.
Taking a step away from her, Touya seemed to survey the area filled with little kids and adults before the girl turned her head in confusion. "What are we doing here?"
After a few more moments of looking, the white haired teenager seemed unhappy with the result, running a hand through his hair once more before sighing. "Endeavor has patrol around here somewhere. I'm going to catch a villain in front of him so he can see how much I've improved."
This caused Hikari to widen her eyes. He was looking for his father?
Yet, another thought couldn't help but enter her head, the girl racing forward before grabbing onto his shoulder with newfound concern and worry. As much as she believed in him, Touya was still only fifteen years old. He was hardly a pro hero.
"But isn't that really dangerous? What if you get hurt?"
The worry in her voice made the boy stop for a moment, turning his gaze to her light hand before stepping away a moment later, his eyes fixed on the goal in front of him.
So what if he got hurt, then his dad would have to scold him, he'd have to care.
"Whatever the result, it has to gain a reaction. Now come on, I brought you to keep your eyes and ears out for any crimes. That's what your stupid feathers are good for, right?"
Feeling her feather twitch at the mention, the girl turned her head to the side before racking her brain with confusion. Hold on, she never told him about her quirk, did she? Cause if not then how did he already know about it?
Although the girl was never known for the best memory, realizing she had talked to him quite a bit in the last couple weeks, so that information could've been spilled in there somewhere. It had to be, cause how else would he have known?
Pushing her hands into the pockets of the black jacket she always wore, the girl spread her wings out in response. "I mean, I can try. But I've never been as good as Kei-chan."
Yet Touya didn't seem to care about her less than confident answer, only nodding his head before already moving away from her, intent on his brow. "Well, come on then slowpoke. Put those shitty feathers to work."
And so she did, lifting out the objects ever so slightly as she tried to take in every sound around her. There were plenty of noises sure, but no one seemed to be crying out for help or anything just yet.
Walking in silence beside each other, the girl then looked down only to find a small puddle in front of her from the newly fallen rain, her lips turning with warm nostalgia. Keigo and her used to jump in these things all the time as kids.
Hikari then lifted her feet before jumping into the surface, the water coating her shoes with a gentle splash before a rush of happiness ran through her. It felt the same as back then.
Not wanting to waste the moment, the girl began jumping across to the nearest puddles as Touya's back was turned, her lips playing in a tiny giggle at the very action.
Yet that's when he seemed to turn around, realizing the girl before silently watching her have the time of her life. What was she even doing? She wasn't a damn kid.
Touya then felt his heart twist when he heard her small giggles, the girl looking up before gasping with strange and wonderful excitement. "Touya look! There are puddles, I haven't done this in forever!"
Before he could realize it, his lips were turned up into a smirk, laughing ever so slightly at the display before him. He couldn't help it, her wings fluttering in the breeze, the goofy expression on her face, he knew exactly what it reminded him of.
"You look like a damn bird in a birdbath."
Gasping in fake hurt, Hikari's mouth dropped open before balling her fists at the comparison. "W-Whaaat? I do not!"
Yet her pouty face only added to his words, Touya laughing even more. "Do too. I can see your bird traits are really kicking in, aren't they Princess?"
Puffing her chest out even more, Hikari took in his laugh before reaching out her hand in his direction, a challenge in her eyes with every word.
"Alright Mr. Judgy, you try it then."
Yet that's when his small chuckles diminished ever so slightly, the reality of the situation taking the place of joy. What was he even doing? He was getting off track.
Looking down at her hand with a scoff, Touya frowned. "What would I ever want to do that? I'll just look stupid, like you."
Hikari's wiggling fingers seemed to drop at his words, her lips pushed together in distaste before spinning around in a small circle with the best puppy dog eyes she could manage. "Come on Touyaaaaa, pleaseee?"
Although, not even that seemed to change the boy's mind, his arms crossed over his chest in order to look at her like she was an idiot. "Not a chance."
Knowing he wasn't going to be convinced to have any fun, Hikari then frowned before lifting her foot up with frustration, her voice laced with disappointment "Ugh why are you so grumpy all the time?!"
Yet, as soon as she placed her foot back on the puddle, the water seemed to scoop under her feet, kicking the cold liquid as it made contact with the ground before she could even notice.
The action was something unexpected, Hikari helplessly watching as the water splashed onto Touya in a single second, coating him entirely with the cold liquid.
Widening her eyes immediately, the girl quickly put her hands out in defence, worried for the boy's wordless action, Touya only looking down at the surface before lowering his eyes ever so slightly. Oh no, that wasn't supposed to happen. She was screwed.
Forcing her voice to come out in some sort of explanation, all the girl could do was give him a nervous smile, hoping it would save her life. "Oops."
Yet that's when Touya's lips turned into a malicious smirk, a challenge laced in his eyes as he took a step forward towards the bird with knowing intent. "Alright, you asked for it, Princess. Come here.."
Hikari gasped at the response, already turning on her heels only for the boy to start to run after her a second later as she laughed nervously. "Ha ha ha you know what, on second thought I think I'm good...eek!!"
Realizing he was getting closer, Hikari decided to pick up the pace, running in between families and children, under benches and behind any tree in order to save herself from the scary Todoroki Touya.
As her heart pounded inside her lungs, the girl fixed her eyes on a large fountain in front of her before jumping on the small ledge and turning around in order to come to some sort of peace treaty.
"W-Wait, wait wait! I'm sorry, it was an accident, I swear. Touya, my old buddy, my old pal, can't we just talk about this? You love to talk, don't you? I mean you said it yourself, I'm just an idiot. You wouldn't want to get revenge on an idiot, right?....right? Ha ha ha.."
Although in her nervous rambling, the white haired boy took a step closer only for Hikari to take one back, without realizing the fountain behind her in time.
Feeling her foot slip off the edge, Hikari felt herself plummet backwards with a squeak before vaguely noticing Touya running at her, probably in order to get his revenge for splashing that water no doubt. "Whaa?!"
SPLASH
She just barely registered a hand that wasn't her own around her back before the cold water soaked herself completely, Hikari gasping as soon as her skin made contact before rubbing the newfound water in her eyes. Just great, of course she slipped into the fountain.
Groaning at the sudden hit, the girl looked down at her drenched clothes before suddenly hearing another voice next to her, his tone laced with heavy annoyance for some reason. "Ugh klutz, see what you did?"
Hikari then turned around only to find Touya sitting next to her in the fountain, his clothes and hair equally as drenched as hers. Wait, that didn't make sense. He shouldn't have fallen in, not when he was a couple feet away.
"Touya? Hold on, did you fall too?"
Giving her an "are you an idiot face" Touya only sighed before groaning. "Of course not, I'm not stupid. Watch where you're stepping next time. For a bird you really have terrible instincts, don't you?"
The girl couldn't help but pause at that. Hold on, if he didn't fall into the fountain then that meant he was trying to save her, wasn't he? That's why he ran up to her so quickly, it wasn't because he wanted revenge, it was because he was trying to get her to regain her balance.
Feeling her cheeks turn red from the very idea, Hikari found herself staring at the boy silently before hearing someone yell in the distance as an older security guard was already running up to the two kids with anger.
"Hey, what do you two think you're doing?! Get out of there!!"
Hikari then turned back to Touya before her eyes lit up with anxiety. "Uh oh, Touya, what do we do?"
Yet the boy didn't seem phased in the slightest, looking towards the fuming older man before turning back to Hikari and giving her a knowing smile.
Then before she could realize it, he was grabbing her hand again.
"That's easy Princess, we run..!!"
Pulling each other out of the fountain, Touya and Hikari ran with their hands intertwined, ignoring the security guard's persistent shouts in the distance as they once again dodged through the people.
And as they felt the breeze blow past them, the two felt their hearts beat with a newfound adrenaline before both of their lips twisted into a warm and joyful smile.
They couldn't describe it, but something about it felt so freeing, so comfortable as the kids tightened their hold on each other's hands.
It was like there was no one else in the world besides them, having each other's back and trusting one another to lead them to safety.
Almost like some kind of bubble only the two of them shared.
Finally, the shouts disappeared before Touya and Hikari stopped their pounding footsteps, leaning over with a heavy breath before the two started to laugh under their breath, still in absolute awe for the moment they just witnessed.
Trying to regain her stance, the girl smiled towards him. "We did it, we actually did it."
Yet, Touya only looked proud, glancing at the blonde haired girl before scoffing at her assumptions. "Of course we did, Princess. You had me after all."
Pushing herself back up, Hikari then looked over to her crazy partner in crime before turning her head to the side in question. "Is this something you do all the time then?"
Smirking at her words, Touya beamed. "Basically yeah, unless you wanna get caught."
Hikari then looked down at her hands, recalling that thrilling adrenaline that once coursed through her veins. With Riku's training, the feeling felt suffocating and unconformable.
But with Touya, it was different, so different.
"I..I kind of liked it..."
Pushing his eyes to meet hers, the boy couldn't help but chuckle at her newfound interest, taking a step forward in order to answer. "Oh yeah? Is Princess gonna get a bad side now? I don't even think I can imagine that, given how delicate you are most of the time."
She soon realized he wasn't taking her seriously, the girl crossing her arms over her chest in a pout. "Whaa? I'm not delicate, you jerk. I could get a bad side if I wanted to. "
Yet, he didn't seem to agree, thinking her movements were more cute than intimidating. "Yeah, somehow I highly doubt that.."
Hikari opened her mouth to speak only for another to cover hers a moment later from just a few feet away, the sound forcing Touya's eyes to widen ever so slightly as his head wiped towards the stranger.
"Stop wasting my time and get to the point. You said they went this way?"
The older security guard from the park then began to nod his head aggressively. "That's right Endeavor, they went that way. Those delinquents, defacing public property like that. How dare they!"
Endeavor seemed less than thrilled at his explanation though, crossing his arms over his chest as Touya watched from around the corner with intense interest, his breathing growing far more anxious the more he looked at his father.
Hikari seemed to notice this as well, taking a step closer to the boy. "Touya, are you okay? What's wrong?"
Yet before she could get a response, the boy took off from her sight, already making his way over to his father in a hurried step as Hikari's feathers couldn't help but catch the conversation, given the distance.
Turning his head ever so slightly at the sound of footsteps, Endeavor laid eyes on his oldest son before his lips turned into an uninterested frown. "You, what are you doing here?"
His voice was neither cold or warm, but rather unemotional, like he didn't have any reaction to his son in the slightest, like he didn't care that he was standing before him.
And although Touya's eyes flashed with hurt at the tone, he remained strong, speaking loudly. "I was looking for a villain that I could fight, so that way I can show you how much training I've been doing and how much stronger I'm getting."
Pushing his lips closed, the boy then waited.
He waited for a reaction on his father's face. Was it going to be one of worry for putting himself in dangerous situations, was it going to be one of pride of taking an initiative? Was it going to be anger for his choices?
It didn't matter quite honestly what kind of response his dad gave, as long as it was something. Literally anything to show that he cared, that he meant something to his desperate and pleading son.
But as he waited, Endeavor's eyes still remained cold, taking in the words before giving an uninterested sigh. "You're still doing that? When will you realize it's pointless already?"
Widening his eyes at the painful response, Touya immediately shook his head. "It's not pointless! I told you, I will show you that I'm worthy enough to be the Todoroki successor again, I'm worthy enough to beat Shoto. I'll even beat All Might for you, just give me a chance!!"
Yet even still, his father only looked down at his pleading son with disdain, the coldness never leaving his eyes before the security guard returned, pointing aggressively at Touya. "That's him, that's the one that destroyed my park!"
Turning from Touya to the security guard, Endeavor questioned roughly. "Is that true?"
And that brought a new idea in the boy's mind, something else that could possibly gain a reaction from his father. Although this one was negative, it was still a chance..
He then pushed his hands onto his hips before smirking proudly at his accomplishments, watching his fathers face as he did so for a flash of anger. "So what if it is? What are you going to do about it?"
Endeavor seemed to process the words ever so slightly, looking down at the white haired boy before shaking his head once and turning his back on him in clear disappointment.
Not worry or anger or anything else.
Only disappointment, like he had given up on him.
Feeling his heart hammer with fear, Touya quickly followed after him, reaching his hand forward in order to grab onto his hero suit with a shaky breath. No, he couldn't do this, he couldn't walk away from him like this.
"A-Aren't you mad? Be mad at me, be upset that I broke the law.."
Although the reaction he craved wasn't shown, Endeavor looking down at Touya once more before pushing his hand off of him in unemotional disinterest, his voice cruel and cold in every single way.
"Stop wasting my time Touya. I have better things to do than pick up your mess."
Touya felt the words like a stab though his chest, taking a shaky step backwards only for Endeavor to take his chance to leave silently, not caring about the damage he had unknowingly caused his oldest son in the process.
Hikari then watched as the boy stood in utter silence, his head casted down towards the ground only to see him turn around in order to leave in the complete opposite direction.
Her chest began to ring with concern at the sight, feeling her own feet carrying themselves over to him before grabbing onto his shirt roughly, her voice shaky. "W-Wait, Touya, where are you going?"
And yet when he did answer, his voice was filled with so much hurt and devastation that it caused Hikari to freeze. "It doesn't matter."
Immediately shaking her head, the girl frowned. "What? Of course it matters, it matters to me. I want to make sure you're okay. After what Endeavor said, I just..."
Spinning around immediately, his cerulean gaze seemed to lock onto hers, so incredibly intense as he took a step closer. "What, do you think he's right too?"
She couldn't help but be taken back by that. "N-No, no I didn't say that."
Yet Touya cut her off immediately, almost like he was getting too wrapped in his own emotions to realize what was happening. Even his bandaged arms started smoking every so slightly.
"But you were thinking it, weren't you?! That I should give up, that it's pointless. You fucking birds are all the same, aren't you? Taking his side.."
Twisting her eyes in confusion, Hikari was at a loss for words. What did he mean us birds were all the same? He wasn't making sense. Almost like he was remembering something else.
Even so, Hikari shook her head, hurt appearing in her eyes at his assumption. "What are you talking about Touya, I'm not taking anyone's side. Why would you think that?"
Shaking his head in disbelief, the wite haired boy felt his skin grow hotter with every second, the smoke practically radiating from his palms with horrible memories of the past. "Because that's always how it is."
Yet, the girl still didn't back down, choosing to take another step closer instead, her hands out in defence for the slowly unhinged boy. She didn't know why he was acting this way, but she could tell he was hurting.
"What? I care about you and I don't want you to go off somewhere all alone. Please, let me help you, I'm here for you Touya. Don't just walk away like this."
Taking in her pleading voice, the boy then looked down at his smoking and burning body before quickly turning away in order to leave, his lips gritting themselves together with the small bit of control he had left.
"Just leave me alone."
Although, the minute Hiakri saw his movements, she began to panic and chase after him, knowing that he didn't really want to be alone right now, that he needed someone to care about him right now.
Reaching her left arm forward, Hikari shouted back. "No, I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you!!"
Yet as soon as her hand touched his skin, Touya's quirk seemed activated on contact, her skin immediately burning as a small bright blue flame appeared, the boy screaming back at the top of his lungs.
"I said, leave me the fuck alone!!!"
Gasping at the pain, Hikari's face twisted in agony before immediately letting go, her skin red from the burn as she took a step back in pure fear. "Ow!"
Almost immediately, Touya's eyes traveled to the burn on her skin before his entire stance seemed to crumble at once, devastation on every feature.
I did that to her, I hurt her. What the fuck is wrong with me?
Quickly turning around in order to run away from his problems, Hikari's eyes flashed from confusion to panic before reaching her good hand out towards him in silent plea.
"T-Touya, wait...it's okay..."
But it was too late, he was already gone.
--------------------
Trudging into his house, Touya let his head hang towards the floor before walking into the dark and empty living room, the silence more suffocating than ever as the boy took it in all at once.
Three days.
The boy had been missing for three days and even still, no one was here to greet him. No one raced forward and hugged him in concern, no one asked if he was alright, no one had even shown up to the house to see if he had come home.
No, he was still as utterly alone, just as before.
Walking around the empty house, the white haired boy couldn't help but stop before the events of the last couple days seemed to pour into him at once, his chest filling with so much overflowing emotion that it made his own breath lodge in his throat.
You see, the reason Touya left this damn place, his damn house so often, the reason he found himself wandering crime ridden streets and empty alleyways wasn't because he enjoyed it.
It was simply because it offered a distraction, a way to forget the crippling loneliness that always occupied his heart.
And now, in this pure dark and empty space, all of the repressed feelings and sadness seemed to be far more overwhelming than before, Touya taking in a shaky breath before already feeling hot tears burn down the side of his face.
What was wrong with him, why couldn't anyone see? All he wanted, all he ever wanted was for someone to notice him, to care or be angry with him, to show that he was worth something, that he was worth keeping around in this disgusting cruel world.
It was suffocating, so much so that Touya felt his hand cover his mouth in order to hold back his own devastation. Why couldn't it all just disappear, why couldn't he just go away?! That seemed to be what everyone else wanted anyway. Why was he even trying?!
Yet, that's when someone's voice echoed in the back of his mind, Touya widening his eyes as he remembered the words that Hikari spoke to him about a month ago.
"Just know, if you ever want to talk, if you want someone to listen then I'll be here. Like I said before, I care about ya Touya, enough to want to make sure you're doing okay."
When he first heard her say those words, Touya hardly believed them, brushing them away like nothing. It didn't make sense in the first place. Why would she even care about him like that? He was just a nobody, someone that she was better without.
She shouldn't have even said that to him in the first place. He didn't deserve to be cared about like that, not after everything.
Just then, her voice appeared once more, the boy looking into the closest mirror to his right before watching his devastated and broken expression all at once, the tears continuing to burn on his skin.
"But what if you're having a hard time, what if you need someone to turn to, if you need a hug someday? Who's going to be there for you when you get sad?
He told her that she was talking crazy, that he wouldn't ever have such a pointless emotion but even Touya knew that what he said was all lies.
The truth was, he was sad.
He was so incredibly sad and no one ever seemed to notice. He also knew that he didn't have any kind of friend or anyone to turn to either, the boy only remaining alone.
And usually that was fine.
But today, things felt a little harder, a little more painful and between his conversation with his father and then burning Hikari's hand with his quirk, the boy couldn't help but break down.
Yet just as she had said before, there wasn't anyone there to hold him, to tell him that he was okay. There wasn't anyone to reassure him of these lingering dark thoughts.
No, just like always, he was alone.
That's when Hikari's voice seemed to torment him more, the boy covering his ears from the memory, recalling how desperate she was in order to reach out to him after he tried to walk away from her.
"I care about you and I don't want you to go off somewhere all alone. Please, let me help you, I'm here for you Touya. Don't just walk away like this. I'm going anywhere, I'm not leaving you!!"
Wait.
Touya's eyes began to widen with realization before playing the memory over and over again in his mind. All at once, he couldn't help but recall her panicked voice, her concerned gaze and overwhelming passion between her words.
She seemed so desperate, so worried and frantic about his strange behavior. At first the boy didn't realize it over the heavy emotions but now he couldn't help but really think about what happened.
And all at once, Touya felt her past emotion sink into his lonely soul before realizing that these were the exact words he had always wanted to hear, these were the exact feelings he wished to receive from his dad and siblings.
It was strange, the feeling in his chest that once swirled with uncertainty for her words. But now, he could see clearly, now it was right in front of his face.
She cared about him, Hikari cared about him, didn't she?
He didn't know how or why, but that fight proved it. And it wasn't just the fight, it seemed like she had always held the words and emotions he was dying to hear.
Care, love, worry, and concern, she had shown all of them to him.
Things he wished his father had said, things he wished his siblings had uttered, this random blonde haired girl had done them instead, without knowing how much it actually meant to him.
Suddenly he felt desperate to be back up on that roof, to give anything to hear her kind words and care again. For that place was truly his safe space, a space that he desired more than anything now.
Feeling his heart hammer inside in his chest, Touya then took one more look at the dark lonely house that wasn't his home before turning around and immediately running out the door, anxiety on his face.
The tears continued to pour down his cheeks and burna away as he ran, the boy fixing his gaze on the place that was calling him all at once. Was she even going to be here still? Did she really care that much? Would he ever hear those kinds of words again?
The boy didn't know, but even still he kept his pace until he reached the very top step of Endeavor's old building, Touya's cerulean gaze staring at the door handle just like all the times before.
Feeling his breathing completely stop, the boy then pulled open the door in order to run onto the rooftop with a heaving chest, looking around with wild eyes for something specific.
Although, as soon as he entered the space, Hikari turned around from her usual spot on the railing, her gaze wide and concerned for the broken boy that was falling apart in front of her. "T-Touya?! Oh thank god, are you okay..?!"
Running up to him in a single second, Touya barely heard her ramblings before taking in everything about her, realizing that she was indeed worried about him, just as he wished.
She talked at a million miles per minute before the boy couldn't help but soften his eyes at the sight, picturing what it would've been like for Natsuo or Fuyumi or his father to fuss over him like this.
And even though he had burned her hand with his quirk, even though he had yelled in her face and ran away from her countless times, Hikari still hadn't left him. No, she was right there waiting for him to return.
Waiting for him to come home.
Taking in the panicked bird all at once, Touya then felt himself give a relaxed sigh of content before reaching forward and wrapping his long arms around Hikari's small frame without another word, embracing her in a warm hug.
The girl couldn't help but widen her eyes at the motion, watching as he rested his head comfortably on her shoulder before she could stutter back. "T-Touya..?"
Yet the boy remained silent, Hikari feeling his silent tears coat her black jacket before her own eyes crumbled in understanding, knowing exactly what he wanted.
Then all at once, the girl wrapped her arms around Touya, melting into his warmth before smiling softly. "It's okay, it's okay. I'm here for you. I always will be, never forget that."
Those words seemed to break something in the boy, his cries no longer turning muffled before tightening his hold onto Hikari, almost as if she'd disappear in the next moment if he let go.
And that's how they stayed, the girl holding onto the boy for dear life before he finally pulled away once his emotions were all dried up, pushing his hands into his pocket before taking out another homemade sandwich.
Then he shoved the object in her face before muttering. "Here. Repayment."
She didn't understand what he meant by that, but even still Hikari was happy, taking the fruit sandwich before eyeing the strawberries in the middle with distaste as she picked around them.
Touya seemed to notice this though, raising an eye in question. "What the hell are you doing? Just eat it normally."
Although that's when Hikari smiled to herself before working her finger around the last strawberry. "Ah, sorry, I don't really like strawberries. But you can have them if you'd like. Here."
Then the girl lifted a perfectly cut strawberry up to his lips before the boy looked at the object and groaned, opening his mouth so Hikari could pop the object in. "Whatever. Just don't expect me to remember that shit."
Giggling at his fake annoyance, the girl then nodded her head before giving him a warm smile all at once.
"Don't worry. I won't."
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Awww we have cute things! And I think this is a really good chapter showing a bit more of Touya's feelings about the past. Since we know that Touya and Keigo were friends that means I can add a bit more of his perspective from his side. You'll get more and more as things get relieved in the future.
But poor Touya just wanted someone to care about him, even if it was anger. I played around with Endeavor's character here so it really shows his neglect towards Touya. Because anger is still an emotion that shows he cares for his son, as his dad can't even give him that.
Yet Hikari is coming in and being the support he always wanted, that's why they grow really close. It's because she gives him what his family can not.
Also that strawberry scene more the last chapter is even cuter cause Dabi/Touya does remember everything about, even if he won't admit it half the time. Oop.
Next Chapter: Hawks actually attempts to be a good brother now that he and Hikari have an understanding. Big brother and little sister bonding time fluff.