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There was actually a car waiting for them, surprisingly far from the station. Todoroki couldn't blame Iida's mother though, with the usual rush of the streets. It was probably easier to search for Iida on foot.
Todoroki entered that car immediately when Iida's mother offered, taking in the leathery smell of the interior. In no time at all, all three of them were piled in, and the driver was off, heading back to the Iida household.
And so, started the awkward silence that would follow them all the way there. Todoroki was thinking of starting a small conversation, but it didn't seem to be a great time.
Iida didn't have the guts to speak in front of his mother, who was typing away at her phone with an concentrated face. He was looking down at his lap, though Todoroki was sure that it was because he was very close to dozing off.
But despite everything, Iida still managed to shoot him a very nice smile when they made eye contact. It made Todoroki's cheeks warm.
Seeing Iida next to him was the oddest but greatest coincidence that could've happened to him that day, but there were still many things he was wondering.
Why was Iida there at the station? He definitely didn't tell his parents. And what happened to Iida, to make him look so frail?
('Was it me?' Todoroki wondered. 'Did Frostburn and Stain do this to you?' He'd seen heartbreak and guilt before, too many times to count.)
And Iida's mother... Todoroki knew she was suspicious of him, which naturally made him suspicious of her. And that suspicion was exactly why it was suspicious that Iida's mother would let him visit so quickly.
But it did seem like she could gather the meaning of the file easily, so he should probably give her more credit. No matter how suspicious they were of each other, her job as a hero came first, like it should be. Still, there were no questions and barely any hesitation, and Todoroki couldn't dismiss that so easily.
It didn't help that there was still silence in the car, even when Iida's mother stopped aggressively typing on her phone. Todoroki didn't like that miffed expression on her face.
When they finally arrived at the household, the first thing Iida's mother did was order her son into the dining room to drain a big bowl of soup. Then she took Todoroki's file and ordered him to come to her office.
They walked upstairs to the second floor, down a maze of highly polished floors and well-decorated halls. On one particular, excessively big set of double doors, she opened them to a world of compact shelves and cabinets. She put the file down on an organized desk.
"I recognize you're here for something important," she said. "But I will say, you're bold for coming back here."
"Because I ate all your food and made your son stay up 'till midnight?" Todoroki said, making himself at home by plopping down in a cushioned chair. "I definitely am. Thank you for the compliment."
Iida's mother scoffed. "I do hope this is as important as you make it out to be."
"I wouldn't have come to you if it wasn't." Todoroki said.
"Alright, then," she said, grabbing the file. "Let's get started." She opened the folder. Todoroki silently waited, watching the stern-faced woman examine the photos and notes carefully. She shut the file after a long, uncomfortable minute, holding a yellow sticky note that Akaguro had put in there.
"A stalker," she read from it. She looked up. "How long?"
"Around a week or so," Todoroki immediately answered, starting to avoid the woman's eyes. He stared at a cup of black and blue pens. "Since you're... a hero and such, you can help me. Would you be willing to?"
"Of course I will," she said, re-sticking the yellow note to the folder. Then she grabbed a black notebook from out of nowhere and clicked a pen. "First of all, do you have the stalker's identity?"
"...No," Todoroki shook his head. "I don't usually interact with people. I can't think of anyone who will continue following me around."
Iida's mother wrote in the notebook. "And so far, what are all the instances of harassment have you faced?"
"Just being followed," Todoroki said. "Nothing else."
Iida's mother nodded, scribbling more notes down. Todoroki held his breath. He'd only met her like, once, but he'd never seen such a pensive look on her face.
"Right, and lastly," she said. "What's your name? Your full name."
Crap. Todoroki wasn't about to call Akaguro a liar, but he was definitely a liar. They "don't ask for much personal information until afterward". Man, why did Todoroki believe him? What did Akaguro know, as a man who had no friends and definitely didn't know heroes?
Wow, Todoroki was really stupid. But thinking of your stupidity doesn't wind back time, and he was still dumbly sitting with no answer coming out of his mouth.
'Twist the truth.' He took a deep breath. 'Twist it like you always do.'
"I need to know it," Iida's mother said. "to help you."
How would he do it, though? Todoroki couldn't just make up a name, because there's literally no documentation of him anywhere. Iida's mother would definitely figure that out.
Plus, Todoroki was a more truthful person than he'd like to be. So with those two factors combined, he spun his lie.
"Can I... tell you something?" Todoroki had a lump in a throat. "And if you need to tell this to someone to help me, then tell them, but I'd rather you don't."
"Of course. And that is?"
"Well, I've... never had the best home life?" he started hesitantly. "I had to leave due to... various circumstances. Um... I guess you can say I- what I'm trying to say is that... I don't have a real name? I just go by Sho."
Todoroki regretted saying that the moment it came out. What kind of lie was that?
"...Various circumstances," Iida's mother mumbled. She looked at him. "Sho, what you just said right now... That sounds serious. Do you have anyone taking care of you?"
"Y-Yeah," Todoroki fumbled over his words. There was no point in lying now. "He picked me off the streets after I left my old house."
"He never reported you to authorities, or took you through court?" She suddenly freaked. "Oh my, are you saying that he just took you in?!"
Todoroki felt his blood start to rush. Oh no, he just said something wrong, didn't he?! Quickly, he said, "Yes- is that... is there something wrong with that?"
"Thank goodness you're okay... how differently could... that is a..."
"Ma'am," Todoroki reached out, but the woman managed to take a sharp inhale and calm down. "Are you... alright?"
"Yes... I'm fine. Thank you," she said, even when her hands shook slightly when writing down more notes. "If you'd be so kind to let me, can I talk to your guardian sometime soon?"
Todoroki's pounding heart slowed, so it was no longer thundering in his ears. "Why?"
"I'm... very glad you're alright..." she said carefully. "You are alright, aren't you? He never forced you to do anything you didn't want to, or hurt you, or-"
"No!" Todoroki burst out. "What are you saying?"
Iida's mother shook her head. "Sorry, I'm sorry. But there are some procedures to follow if you want to... pick up a kid off the streets."
"That can... that can be handled later," Todoroki said in a weak attempt of averting the conversation. He just opened a new can of worms, didn't he? "Can we get back to my problem?"
"...If you'd like..." the woman acquiesced, but not before scribbling down a few more words. "Well... if you're really not documented, it will be much harder to take this to complete this case. It may take time, but-"
"Hold on," Todoroki interrupted, uncaring for the lack of respect. "What do you mean? It shouldn't be hard. Just arrest him."
"I could," she said. "but ther's going to be repercussions if we don't have proper evidence. These types of investigations take time, and if we can't keep a proper label on who you are, what your occupation is, or whoever else you're affiliated with, this is going to be a lot harder."
"I don't care about that!" Todoroki snapped. "I just want him gone. Can't you just scare him into leaving me alone? All you heroes do is beat people up and lock them in jail. What makes this any different?!"
He sounded childish, foolish. He didn't care. Immediate protection is something he wanted (but did he deserve it?), and if wouldn't help him, he would just kill the stalker himself. It didn't matter if anyone caught him, because he was good at running away.
He would run all the way back to Endeavor, and in the last moments of his freedom, he'd kill the man, or die trying. That was a scene he'd imagined a lot.
Maybe Akaguro would come with him, or someone (Iida-) would miss him, but he wasn't going to get hurt before completing his mission.
He stood up, chair squeaking behind him. "Look, if you can't help me, then forget it. I'll fix it some other way."
"Sho," Iida's mother said. "I know you're worried, but-"
"I'm wasting your time," Todoroki said, opening the door. "I know you don't like me, so I'll leave your sight." He left. The large door clanged shut behind him, and he knew that at any moment, the woman would be rushing out, wanting to speak more.
So he ran. Down the steps he went, following down the halls they came from, shoes echoing on the ground. 'Stupid.' he told himself.
He slowed to a stop, once he reached the entrance. He didn't leave though, for it was too early to leave. There was still someone he wanted to talk to.
He started walking to the dining room. He recognized the large tables and chairs and tablecloth as he stepped inside the room, and sat down in a seat. Iida and his father stared at him.
Iida's mother would do something about this, Todoroki told himself, as he picked up a bread roll and took a bite. Whether it was a hero or a villain, somebody was going to help him.
"Sho," Iida said, spoon drowning in a porcelain bowl of soup. "You... What did you talk to mother about? I didn't know you'd need her assistance with anything... if that's what you wanted, of course."
"Sho, correct?" the hero student's father said. "Hello again."
Todoroki gave a little wave, shoving more bread roll in his mouth. He pretended not to notice their dumbfounded expressions.
Then, there was the opening of the dining room doors, and Iida's mother walked in. For the second time, she gasped. "Oh, you're still here?!"
"Yeah," Todoroki said, beginning to stare way too hard at his half-eaten roll. "I'm not about to leave after traveling all the way here. Sorry." He looked up. "Oh, by the way, do you mind if I stay here for the time being?"
"...Excuse me?"
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