Shoto never understood the concept of shows such as this- the ones that led thirsty spectators to drool over the scene: contenders ready to tear each other to shreds for something as simple as a title.
A single, stupid, finite title that meant nothing.
He thought of that, stalking up the stairs to the platform.
The weight of his boots seemed heavier than before, the concrete below them rougher.
His hair blew from his eyes as he reached the top, giving way to the sight of Midoriya standing on the other side.
He stared at the boy for a moment- so green, so new, so innocent.
It made him realize, he didn't understand the contenders either.
People like Midoriya, like Bakugo.
The ones submitting themselves to be shown like pitbulls thrown into a dog fight.
What did they get out of this other than pride?
But maybe this was only bias, maybe he just resented them.
Those who only searched for things as meaningless as being number one.
He thought of that, standing still just at the border of the bounds.
As he did, the crowds felt quiet, yet still, a single sound still overshadowed that of the breath in his chest.
He heard his father's flames, from a distance, somewhere lost in the stands, his voice even.
For a moment, Todoroki felt sadness.
From the sight before him.
From the noises flurrying to his mind.
Because you.
You were neither a contender nor a spectator.
You were neither his father nor his mother.
But he saw you in Midoriya's eyes- in his innocence...
And he heard you in his father's fire.
Clenching his fists, the boy forced the sadness to fizzle out.
The sound of fire and sight of innocence obliterated with it.
So what, he couldn't understand?
He understood his rage.
He understood it was powerful enough.
Powerful to put out the sound and arrogance of those flames for good, no matter if it extinguished your bond too...
But Shoto seemed to always forget:
How easily he got lost when it was dark-
How hard it was to find his way home without you beside him.
***
"So," Todoroki said, standing between the fire pits at the entry to the ring. Slowly looking up from the ground and to Deku, he frowned with hooded eyes. "You're still here then."
Midoriya had to let out a sigh to keep himself steady at Todoroki's voice.
It was so low, quiet, threatening, but he heard it despite the crowds.
Shifting forward just into the arena, the boy tried to hold onto his goal rather his inhibition.
"Todoroki." He said, choosing not to be afraid of the person across from him- trying to remember what his pain was causing him to be. "I understand what's going on now."
Across from him, Shoto didn't move or react to his words.
It was like he wasn't himself anymore.
Like it was just his anger standing in his place.
Deku ran a hand through his hair, pushing back his sleeves, cracking his neck back and forth.
All Might would never approve of what he was about to do and he knew it would cost him, but it was worth it.
It was worth it to get his friends back.
Meeting Todoroki's gaze once more, he nodded his head as he bent his knees, getting into his fighting position.
"I'm ready." He said, at once to his opponent and himself.
Todoroki met the call, raising one of arm and waving it across his body to put out the flames in the fire pits behind him.
"No." He said, doing the same and stepping into the arena as the humming of the crowds intensified to screeches of anticipation. "You aren't."
***
Everything was so loud again.
And now you didn't have the convenience of relying on your earpieces.
Your quirk obeyed now, more than before, but the anxiety had to be let out somehow and tapping your foot a million times a minute was the only way to do that.
Everyone else in the class was fairly relaxed, each of them waiting for the match to start below, some of them even conversing with each other like Sero and Kaminari.
You couldn't do that right now.
You were too embarrassed from earlier anyways, so foot tapping and hyper-focusing it was.
Of course, the constant vibrations and clicky-clacking wasn't exactly relaxing for anyone else around you.
On your left, Bakugo sat without so much as a shaking finger; arms crossed, leaned back, his focus lazily kept on what was going on below.
However, every thirty seconds or so his eyes would drift to the side.
The sadness he'd witnessed in you was still there, back-cast by stress.
You were still lost in yourself, everything building up, the energy let loose in those fricken annoying movements you kept repeating.
He was patient with you the first few minutes because hey, you killed your parents when you were five, had your trauma unwillingly told to two of your classmates, as well as been cast aside and told your only purpose in life was null in void, but now- god damn it couldn't you just calm down?
Without warning, Bakugo reached over and grabbed your knee.
He pushed it down, gripping it just firmly enough to stop the tapping, but not enough to hurt you.
The force of his hand caused you to stumble forward a bit in your chair, your focus temporarily broken from the scene down in the arena.
"Sorry." You mumbled, shifting back again and tucking loose strands of hair behind your ear.
Bakugo didn't let go.
You hadn't spoken to each other yet.
All he'd done was give you room, let you sit by him, but there was still some uncertain air.
Just as you were about to look away again, he tightened his grip a bit, demanding you keep your attention on him.
"What did I tell you about apologizing?" He asked, his voice quieter than usual, but still with a connotation of his usual impatience.
You blinked, still a bit distracted by your own thoughts.
"I don't know," You shrugged, holding his eye-contact. "Something about not letting me take notes I think."
Making his 'tch' sound, Bakugo let go of your knee and crossed his arms even harder than before.
Once he was looking away and at the match, you subtly tried to mimic his posture, sit like him, cross your arms, focus calmly rather than with fidgeting.
He noticed, looking you up and down as he did.
Maybe it was a subconscious effort.
Sitting like that.
Maybe you thought if you somehow acted the same, he could lend some of his strength.
But you were still shaking slightly.
You were still scared about what was about to happen.
"So," Bakugo said, louder now. "Are you back?"
Not quite understanding the question you turned to look at him, but he just kept his eye on the platform.
It took you a second to figure out if you'd heard him right.
"Heh?"
Bakugo rolled his eyes.
"Well you may be out of it, but at least you're still deaf, that's reassuring."
"I- I'm confused."
Turning to you, the boy rose a brow.
"Did shitty hair lie to me or did you not throw one of your tantrums cause of my match?"
Your eyes went wide, embarrassment sinking to your stomach.
Of course Kirishima said something, why wouldn't he.
Trying to cover, you opened your mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
Bakugo was looking at you now and his eyes were intense as it was, but now as he was waiting for you to answer it was even harder to think because of them.
Shifting in your seat, you rubbed the back of your head, looking at the ground rather than him.
"Yeah." You said. "You used my moves." It was the best thing you could come up with in the moment. "I-I got mad."
Bakugo scoffed.
"They're shitty moves," He said, causing you to furrow your brows. "but they work when they have to I guess."
Suddenly regaining a little confidence from his challenge, you leaned towards him as he had to you.
Once he gave the acknowledgement you were waiting for, you spoke.
"Only shitty cause you didn't do them right."
A slow, sly smirk curved Bakugo's mouth then.
He leaned in right back until his hair was close enough to touch your forehead.
"Yeah?" He nearly whispered. "That really what you were yelling about?"
Bastard. You thought.
He already knew you defended him.
He was just drawing out the conversation now, he was just-
"You're trying to distract me." You realized, Present Mic's announcements blasting over the intercoms.
For some reason, the attention you would've paid to Midoriya's introduction, to Shoto's, it remained Bakugo's.
You searched him, searched his silence and the bright red you usually avoided for its harshness.
He seemed so upset earlier in that stairwell.
Why was he so keen on helping you now?
Sighing, Bakugo finally broke eye-contact, uncrossing his arms and sitting back in his chair.
"Yeah." He admitted. "But still." Sliding his hand to your knee again, he laid his knuckles against its side- as if trying to tell your anxious energy he was there if it resurfaced. "I don't wanna owe you anything."
Waiting until right before the buzzer rang for the contenders below to take their place, Bakugo took his hand away and mumbled below his breath, "So thank you."
***
The moment the buzzer rang and Present Mic yelled the beginning of the match, both Midoriya and Todoroki knew what was about to happen.
Each of them had to strike first if they had any chance of winning.
Todoroki slammed his foot down, ice propelling from his point of impact in a straight, aggressive line towards Izuku.
Clamping his hand down on his own elbow, and extending his arm, Izuku had no choice, but to counter. He flicked his finger with a 'smash'.
The power of his quirk was able to deflect the spikes of ice.
Not only that, the wind it caused had the strength of a hurricane, blowing back the frozen air straight for Todoroki.
The boy put both his arms up to protect his face and chest, grunting as the wind pushed him back into his own ice wall to keep him in bounds.
Up in the stands people yelled in shock as they were hit by the same power.
You, on the highest level felt a slight chill from it, but it wasn't enough to distract you from the hit Todoroki just suffered.
No matter how angry or lost either of you was-
The sight of him potentially hurt still made you swallow with fear.
Down below, Deku was now gripping his wrist, his hand shaking, not from the cold, but rather from his broken finger.
As he winced at the pain, Todoroki straightened himself, observing his opponent.
It was just as he'd expected. He was prepared to injure himself, to endure pain in order to win.
That would make things harder.
That annoyed him.
Putting his weight on his front foot again, Todoroki did the same as before, willing his ice into a barrage, building with enough speed and size to scare Midoriya into once again breaking another bone.
This time he was ready for the power of his quirk, able to form enough ice to protect him from the wind, but not enough to counter.
Both Todoroki and Midoriya stayed standing after the ice from the second exchange had fallen.
Two broken bones on one side.
A weakening ice shield on the other.
Everyone, including you, knew this fight wasn't one with a calculable outcome.
It all depended on how far each of them was willing to go.
How much Deku was willing to use his quirk and hurt himself.
How much anger Todoroki could control before it boiled through the surface.
Just as you were about to hyper focus again, let your analysis of each of them become the only thing in your head, the sound of footsteps running in took precedence.
"Oh crap! I'm missing it!"
Kirishima skidded to a stop, almost tripping over himself just at the row you were sitting in.
Looking away from the fight, he was about to start asking some questions, see how everyone was doing, but something distracted him for a second.
You were back, seemingly a little better, but who could tell.
And Bakugo was right there too- each of you watching the fight, but- next to each other?
A bit cocky about it, Kirishima smiled, careful to do it subtly. He wasn't about to get caught for having a little pride at his work.
"Hey, nice job making it to the next round Kirishima." Kaminari said.
"Thanks man." Kiri laughed. "Looks like I take down Bakugo next."
The boy who hadn't looked away from the fight still didn't budge as he replied with all seriousness, "I'll kill you."
"Haha, yeah sure. In your dreams." Kirishima looked back down at the sound of ice and wind clashing. "No but seriously, It's crazy how you and Todoroki both have moves that blast the whole stadium. Must be pretty nice."
You weren't listening much, but you heard that bit.
Kirishima didn't say anything about your quirk.
But then again he saw what it did to Monoma.
He saw the aftermath of your fight with Kaminari and he remembered the USJ too.
It's hard to envy a spear once you realize it's double edged.
It's hard to envy its wielder once you see their scars.
"Plus you don't have to pause between attacks." Sero added.
"It's not as easy as you think, you morons." Bakugo interrupted. He wasn't yelling now. Maybe he didn't want to considering who was sitting next to him. "If you overuse your muscles, you risk tearing them apart. If you sprint too much between attacks you run out of breath. Quirks are physical abilities too. They can get worn out. You can't just use them nonstop. There's a limit to how much all of us can take."
"Guess you're right there." Kirishima hunched his shoulders. "Even Todoroki has to weaken at some point against attacks as powerful as Midoriya's."
As he said that, you released a long shaky exhale.
Imagining Todoroki losing or getting hurt wasn't really helping your situation.
"Hey Y/n," Kaminari said, noticing your silence on the matter. "You sure you're okay?"
Bakugo growled.
"Does your quirk cause short term memory loss!? What did I just say about not talking to her!?" Smacking Denki upside the head, he grumbled a bit more shoving him back into his seat till Kirishima took a seat next to Sero and they went back to talking.
If you were being honest, you only heard bits and pieces of what they were saying.
It was still so loud.
So quiet too.
The knots in your stomach only worsened by the sight of the continuing fight in that arena...
"You want an endurance match." Todoroki said, downcasting his chin as he prepared to fire off another ice attack. "But I'll end this quickly."
Seeing another mountain of ice come his way, Izuku panicked.
Raising his arm once more, he used one of his final five chances to use his quirk with only his hands taking collateral.
He already looked in so much pain.
You could only imagine what he was going through.
Spotting weakness, Todoroki took advantage of the situation.
Using only small spurts of ice, he began running towards his opponent, only building ice below his feet, using movement rather than stance.
Once he got close enough, Izuku once again flicked his finger, this time using his left hand, breaking the ice from beneath Todoroki's feet.
But he'd expected that, jumping just at the right moment to ambush him.
The boy had to pull back so as to avoid getting hit, but that only allowed Shoto to send ice upward and trap him.
He'd done that against you in training before, but it never worked considering how good you were at dodging. Though you didn't know much about Midoriya's fighting style, you knew he wasn't suited for skidding or escaping any sort of caging method.
If he was going to get out of this without Todoroki's power immobilizing him, he would have to-
Sending his quirk entirely through his arm, Deku sacrificed his greatest strength within a single move.
His arm shown yellow, his veins protruding, shinning with it as he sent his fist straight for the ice beginning to climb his leg.
You'd never seen him use his quirk like that in person before- only heard about it when he fought that robot in the entrance exam.
It was no lie to say it almost dropped your jaw.
The sheer force of wind it produced was enough to cloud everyone's vision of what was going on below.
Your breath hitched as you lost sight of Todoroki, your legs shuffling beneath you as you leaned forward and your brows knit together with worry.
"Hey." Bakugo said, your head snapping to meet his voice. "Relax." He ordered, something in his voice the slightest bit reassuring. Looking down, searching for any sign of Todoroki too, he added, "He's got this."
Eventually the wind and ice cleared from the surrounding air.
Deku was the first able to be seen again, standing at one end of the ring with a pained look on his face. His eyes were shut tight as his body shook, the arm he'd used completely black and blue.
He was tearing himself apart for this.
That made you feel something akin to empathy.
All he ever was was kind, albeit afraid like the rest, but kind anyways.
You didn't have time for empathy though.
Not until Todoroki came into view once more.
He was still in bounds, unhurt, not a single scratch on his body.
As he stood from his chasm of ice spikes and knocked their now useless pieces aside, you noticed something though.
No one else would make anything of it, but after ten years you knew what it meant when frost began forming on his face and arm.
He was speaking to Midoriya, saying things that were obviously upsetting him, but the next exhale he released was the most prominent aspect to how he was acting.
Cool smoke left his mouth.
And he was shaking.
Just like your quirk betrayed its own body sometimes.
His had that same draw back.
"I'm sorry about this." Todoroki said, either not noticing or not caring that his body couldn't handle the pressure he was putting on it. "But thanks for drawing it out." The crackle and waving of fire called to him without a voice, but it was enough to draw his gaze towards the stands where his father stood.
Todoroki smirked.
"Look at him. He's furious I'm not using his power. And with your hands like that you can't fight anymore, can you? Why don't we end this?"
Again, Todoroki took a single step forward, ready to send a final attack towards Midoriya, but-
"You're trembling Todoroki."
He stopped at those words.
Izuku wasn't even looking at him anymore.
He was still recollecting himself, rolling his shoulder back in order to put his burdensome arm out of the way.
And his tone was so calm, so calculated.
There wasn't an ounce of fear now.
"It's easy to forget that quirks are physical abilities. And that means there's a limit to how much your body can take right?"
Todoroki stared deadpan at his too shaking opponent.
It was only now he noticed how cold he was.
How much pain he was in with the frost wrapping his limbs.
"I get it." Deku said, wiping his mouth. "Usually you'd make up for the drop in temperature by using your left side, but you refuse to do that now."
Todoroki retracted his step, stood close to the ice he kept up to keep himself in bounds.
Sending another ice attack wouldn't work, he realized.
Izuku would only deflect it until every muscle in his body was torn to shreds.
By then, Shoto would've reached his limit.
There had to be a way to fight him, defeat him using his ice, he just needed a little more time.
"Listen to me!" Midoriya yelled, Todoroki looking up with a halt in his breath as he shivered. "I know you're angry at your father. I would be too."
Todoroki's jaw clenched at that, his fists too.
"If he hurt me and my sister like that, I wouldn't even know wh--
"Shut up!"
Finding some sort of resolve, Todoroki impulsively sent another attack at full force, unwilling to listen to him anymore.
Using his broken finger, Midoriya used another deflect, the both of them yelling out in pain.
"No!" Deku yelled, breathing through his teeth as he held his broken fingers once the ice had fallen.
Todoroki was thrown back into his shield again, this time barely kept in bounds.
"We're all here giving it our everything trying to win this! To make our dreams a reality and be number one!" Deku yelled, Todoroki struggling to stand. "You think you can win with half your strength? Look at me Todoroki! You haven't managed to put a single scratch on me yet. So try harder!"
Shoving his own ice aside with his power, Todoroki yelled with nothing but frustration in his blood.
Thank god for his anger.
It was the only thing keeping him from freezing solid now.
"What are you trying to do here?" He asked, both his arms shaking, his eyes turned red around the irises. "You want my fire?! What did my monster of a dad bribe you too or something?!"
Without a single forethought, Todoroki started running straight at Deku.
"Now I'm mad!"
Everyone was on the edge of their seats, fidgeting at the fight below, but you.
You were paralyzed where you sat.
You knew him better than anyone- his fighting style- better than anyone.
Todoroki was running slower, his muscles beginning to weaken at the drop in temperature.
The part of you still upset with him didn't even exist anymore, you just wanted the fight to end, for him to come to his senses, but everything was moving so quickly, there was no way he'd win at this rate.
Worse; no way he'd come out uninjured.
Shoto kept running, both his arms out and ready to attack despite the limit he was closely approaching.
His energy was depleting, his body focusing on keeping him alive rather than keeping him efficient.
The moment he lifted his right foot in order to attack, he left himself open.
It was only a fraction of a second, but you saw it.
So did Midoriya.
His arm once again began to glow as his quirk activated and your heart dropped.
The moment Todoroki saw, he activated his own quirk, but it was too late.
Midoriya's fist made contact with Shoto's body and you swore the impact was nearly audible.
Your quirk woke at the panic in your viens and as Shoto's body went flying backwards, you grabbed Bakugo's hand.
The boy next to you didn't move, but he was shocked for a moment.
He felt your fingers curling around his, your palm folding over his knuckles at the side of his leg.
You were just barely holding on, your thumb and forefinger sort of clinging to the edge of his hand.
When he looked up, you weren't looking at him.
Your eyes were glossed over, in so much fear that Todoroki was hurt he swore you were close to breaking.
It was like you were holding on, just to not fall.
Because you needed to touch someone- feel someone to make sure the world wasn't going to crumble beneath your feet.
And just as all the times you'd touched him before, Bakugo didn't flinch.
And just as before, he chose not to pull away...
The match became a sort of back and forth.
Each of them slower, each of them in so much pain it showed on their faces with every attack, every deflect, and every time they stood back up.
Though it'd only been minutes, it'd felt like hours.
Deku's broken fingers and arm were limp, dead weight, but still he fought through it.
Maybe he knew recovery girl would help him or maybe he just didn't care.
Whatever he was trying to do, the determination in his eyes never faltered.
Todoroki became nothing but his determination too.
His body was covered in frost, even his left side beginning to submit to the cold.
It was so uncharacteristic of him to be so emotional during battle.
It meant everything to him to just prove his father wrong, to prove he didn't need you.
And he wouldn't let Midoriya get in the way.
But he shouldn't have underestimated his opponent.
He shouldn't have underestimated the power of his pain.
Deku, without any offensive measures left as an option, rose his hand to his mouth.
Laying his thumb between his teeth, he winced at the motion.
Todoroki panted, his eyes widening as he realized what Midoriya was about to do.
Despite his the pain, Shoto managed to send another ice wave.
He had to do it, to keep him at bay, or finally knock the bastard out of bounds.
But Deku was quicker than that, stronger than that.
He was willing to put himself through more than Todoroki had imagined.
Flicking his thumb with his mouth, the quirk surged through him and into the air, breaking the ice and causing it to crumble back towards Shoto.
Though it wasn't as powerful as before, Todoroki was beyond weakened.
He shivered, managing to build another ice shield at his back to keep in bounds.
But the pain was beginning to get the better of the both of them.
It was beginning to be too much.
"Why are you-" Todoroki coughed, barely able to get back on his. "Why are you going this far?"
Deku was panting, cringing at the frost on his left arm and the blood trickling down his right.
But he wasn't even close to giving up.
"Because I know what's like to think you're not enough!" He yelled. "I know what it's like to be pushed aside and overlooked because the person beside me is stronger!"
Both you and Bakugo were taken aback by those words.
So was Todoroki.
It took him a moment to understand he wasn't talking about himself...
He was talking about you.
Deku stumbled forward a bit, his eyes reaching out more than before when only aggression glowed in their light.
"I- I know what's it like to be hated by that person too."
Todoroki shut his eyes.
"Stop it."
"And I know you don't really feel that way, Todoroki."
"Stop it!"
"You asked why I'm doing this! I'm telling you! I want to help people! That's why I'm doing this!" Deku yelled back. "I want to live up to people's expectations and be a hero!"
Todoroki let out a tortured sound, covering his eyes and shaking his head.
He was starting to remember things he didn't want to think about, things he didn't want to remember.
He saw you, you in the corridor taking his hands when he was out of breath, just as he was now.
"I'm here for you. No one else."
You said that to him, you did, he remembered your voice, but as he did he also remembered-
"Don't blame me for doing what I was raised to do."
Nearly screaming at himself, Todoroki became so conflicted he felt it was tearing his mind in two.
His rage only took in those memories as fuel, the confliction as a lighter.
Midoriya was still there though.
Not ready to let him fall into it.
"There's no way I can know what you've gone through! Either of you!" He yelled. "But I know you care about each other. I know you didn't mean those things about her or your quirk! And you have no right to be number one unless you realize that and use your full power!"
Todoroki shook.
His body wasn't just giving into the cold anymore.
His hair covered his eyes, everything drowned out, but Izuku's voice resonating in his head.
Your quirk.
Use your full power.
Her.
Care about each other...
He suddenly remembered all those years ago when it all started.
His father's fist.
He remembered what it'd felt like against his stomach.
He remembered vomiting on the floor of the training room, you in the corner of the room watching, not understanding what was going on.
He remembered his mother picking you up, running to his side and begging her husband to stop pushing you both so hard.
"They can take it." His father said, prying you out of her arms and pushing his mother out of the way.
You were put down next to him, still so wide-eyed, so young, and uncomprehending.
Those moments of violence.
The bruises you were taught to give each other.
They became the only thing either of you knew.
Todoroki flashed in and out of the memories, ice climbing his skin till it wrapped around him like a sheet.
Midoriya might've been running towards him, he might've not, Shoto didn't know.
He just stood there, trying to remember what his mother looked like.
Trying to remember what you looked like.
Watching from the stands, you were on the verge of tears, your hand shaking above Bakugo's.
Nothing made sense.
Why wasn't he moving, why wasn't he fighting, what was happening to him.
Once Midoriya reached Todoroki, he still hadn't moved a muscle.
Deku sent another hit right into his chest, this time without the backing of his quirk, but still Shoto went flying back, blood rising to his throat as he fell.
You whimpered at the sight, shuttering, feeling like everything was falling apart.
You could only wonder if he was okay and even if he was, there was no way Endeavor wouldn't punish him for this or try and take it out on him, hurt him somehow and--
Your thoughts stopped racing.
The cold you were feeling as much as Shoto dissipated in what felt like an instant.
Time slowed down and despite the noise and the fight and the everything, you suddenly felt warmth.
A familiar warmth.
Looking to your side, you realized you'd taken Bakugo's hand.
And noticing the fear in you...
He'd taken yours.
He'd pushed your hold off of him.
Instead grabbed your wrist and slid his fingers up your palm until they interlaced with yours.
He held onto you just as you had to him, but this time it wasn't just to let you know the world wouldn't fall apart.
It was to let you know he'd be there if it did.
You stared at him for a second.
At the sight of his strength holding your weakness.
Without looking your way or saying a word, he began coursing his thumb over yours, back and forth, slowly.
He may have just been trying to calm you down.
But almost like a mask, it felt like he was reminding you to keep breathing.
Nobody had ever taken your hand before like this.
All you'd ever known was the violence that action too.
You remembered Endeavor grabbing you and Shoto's hands, tugging you both away from Natsuo, Fuyumi, Toya as children.
While they played outside, you were to train, to be taught.
Brought up in a different world than they were meant for.
You barely remembered Toya.
You were never allowed to become close with Fuyumi or Natsuo either.
Knowing them felt like a privilege, becoming their sibling an overstepping of boundaries.
Todoroki remembered that too.
Even as he was fighting, his mind wouldn't let him focus on anything else.
He remembered another night.
One he'd never forget.
You and him had trained all day, so much that he'd accidentally burned you on the arm.
It was only a scuff mark, but Shoto couldn't sleep because of it.
You two had known each other for only a few months and despite your obliviousness to his father's abuse, you were kind.
You were gentle, warm in such a cold household, the only other person he saw himself in.
You were innocent.
That night, he held your hand, tugging you down the hall of his house, in the dark, looking for his mom.
She always healed your injuries, put band-aids on your cuts and kissed your bruises.
She could take care of this too.
Calling for her as he rubbed his tiresome eyes and dragged you along with him, he eventually saw a light on in the kitchen.
His mom was at the stove, clinging to the edge of it, on the phone with someone.
"Mom. I can't take it anymore." She'd said. "Everyday, the children seem more like him. Shoto. Sometimes that child's left side looks unbearable to me. All I can see is his father. And that girl he brought home to us. She doesn't understand. She just sees what he orders. I can't raise them anymore. I want to run away from this life."
"Mom?" Shoto called, walking into the room, your hand still in his. "What are you saying?"
He remembered the look in her eyes when she turned around.
His screaming as the boiling water hit his face.
Your touch as you tried to use your quirk to stop it from spreading and hurting him anywhere else.
He remembered his mother leaving.
His father the only adult left in the house.
He remembered asking where she'd gone.
Where his mother had been taken.
And though you never really spoke back then, you did this once.
"Why did she hurt you?" you asked him. "Why was she afraid?"
He remembered not knowing how to answer.
Only being able to look up at the man he had no choice but to call his father.
And he remembered your innocence fading as you let yourself be morphed by the man you chose to call a father as well...
Todoroki flashed out of his memories like waking from sleep.
The crowds and the arena came back into view, their cheering audible again.
Midoriya was there too, waiting for him to stand back up before striking.
But the fire was still audible too in Shoto's mind.
The flames he was trying so hard to put out.
"I will reject you." He said, to himself, to Endeavor somewhere in the stands. "I refuse," he groaned, standing back up, now nearly frozen. "To use your power."
"IT'S YOURS!" Deku almost screamed, Todoroki's head snapping up to meet his call. "NOT HIS!"
The whole arena had to have heard him yelling, because you did.
Bakugo must've too and wanting your trembling to stop, he tightened his grip on your hand.
The warmth made you remember a time when Rei had said something similar.
When she tightened her hold on both you and Shoto, hugging you in her lap.
"Just remember you two." She said, wiping Shoto's tears as he cried: the prospect of becoming like his father too much for his little self to bear. "Stay true to yourselves."
She ran a hand through her son's hair.
"You are not a prisoner of your lineage."
Than she ran the other through yours.
"And you are not a prisoner of your past. It's okay to use your power. To become who you want to be."
You loved her so much.
A love you'd forgotten after so long of her being taken away.
You'd forgotten her words until now too.
You and Shoto both.
But she'd always been a light.
And even from a time as distant as this, Shoto and you felt the warmth of her presence one final time.
And with that warmth-
Shoto lit his own fire.
One that outshined the one of his rage.