/Title/
Looking For A Flame Of Hope
|Disclaimer|
Abandonment, Homelessness
\Requested By\
Captain-Lysdexic
|POV|
Enji Todoroki
Enji didn't expect to feel that tug on his uniform that day. He didn't expect a small child only to the height of his knee. He didn't expect to see a child in such poor clothing and it be too small for you. Enji didn't expect anything like you.
Enji had walked down the street after he was told about a child beggar who was harassing people. At least that's how he saw it. He thought this call would be a kid who just wanted money and was causing trouble. And when he saw the man running his fish store calling him over, he expected a teenager with the look on his face.
"This child keeps begging me for fish!" The man complained. "I tell the kid no each time, but they just keep asking!"
Enji rose his hands, as if trying to defuse his anger. Though it was no use, it was gas to a flame. "Calm down, sir," he still wasn't used to actually being nice. "What did the child look like?"
The old man thought for a minute and tapped his chin. "Well," he looked at the sky as if the child would fall from it. "They were yay big," he lowered his arm to the child's height. "And looked pretty dirty! And their outfit was pretty small. But it's probably all just an act! I want them gone!"
Enji sighed. "Sir, a lot of children are that tall. I need a detailed-"
"THERE THEY GO!" The man suddenly yelled, pointing behind Enji. He turned around to get a glance of a small shape.
Enji sighed, thinking that the child was running from their crime. He calmed the man down and went to find the child, however expected it to be hard with how small they actually were. Why would a child so small be harassing so many shop owners?
As he was thinking, he didn't hear your voice.
"S-Sir! Down here! En-eavor!"
Enji didn't hear it, but he sure felt your small hands give a rough tug. He turned around quickly, ready to attack if he was jumped. However he saw you.
You held his costume and shook in your-well in your skin. You had no shoes, and no socks. Enji wasn't able to speak before you did. You couldn't exactly say your 'd's correctly, and not your 's's or 'f's either.
"E-Excuse me, sir," you said shyly, frowning with the look Enji gave. He tried to make it softer, remembering what Keigo has said. But it seemed to make it worse. "I-I just want some change! Do you have any? I want to buy a fish!"
Enji tilted his head slightly. "A fish?" Of course a fish, he thought. They've been asking all the fish shops! "Where are your parents?"
You blinked up at him, seeming to not understand what he asked. "Pardon?"
Enji's eye twitched a little. He didn't have the patience for this, but something made him stay. He turned around completely and bent down to your level, looking at you eye to eye. "Where are your parents? Your mother and father?"
Your eyebrows furrowed. You stuck your lips out a little and hummed. "Um," the child looked at the flames all over Enji, making Enji back up slightly in case they tried to touch it. "Home?"
"Where is your home, little one?" He looked around, trying to find someone who looked at least a little like you. Something tore at his stomach, something that reminded him of his own family. Was this how his daughter and sons felt?
"Um," you shifted. "They don't live with me! Or, I don't live with them," you laid a finger on your chin. "But they moved away! I don't know where so... home."
Enji began to piece the puzzle together. He then felt a pang of sympathy for the child. This child was abandoned, and for what it looked like for a long time now. He sighed and lifted you in his arms, making you squeak in surprise.
"How about I take you with me? I will feed you some fish, if you'd like. And perhaps you could meet my children." Enji figured that perhaps Fuyumi would like to see the child, at least until they found the parents or a good home.
The child looked confused. "Why?"
"Because children like you shouldn't be on the streets like this, it's dangerous." Enji explained, carefully holding you in his arms as he began to walk towards his agency.
"Why?" You asked again, looking at the flames on his face.
Enji's eye twitched a little. "Because there can be bad people on the streets, not a place for children."
You were quiet for a minute. "Oh," you looked to the side. You were so high up! You kept looking down and then at the sky. You smiled and tried to reach for the sky. Enji noticed.
"You won't be able to touch the sky, little one. It's too high up," he explained, looked up and down the street before he crossed the road.
You looked at the hero and tilted your head a little. Where there were no flames you placed a hand on his cheek and giggled at the warmth. Enji glanced at you but didn't move his head, not wanting to burn you. That's when he realized how cold you were to the touch.
"So warm! If tickles my hand a lot!" You smiled. "Sir, can I still have change?"
Enji sighed. "No, because why would you need change when I pay?"
You thought for a moment. "Why are you paying?"
"Because I want you to eat," he said slowly. "You must be hungry if you ask strangers for change."
You nodded a little. "Yeah," you said calmly, soon coughing into your hand, which Enji immediately cringed at your germs. "But why are you so nice? People don't talk nice about you very much."
Enji groaned and his flames rose a little, angry. "Yes, I know. Don't talk about it."
You frowned a little but obeyed. You laid against his chest since his shoulder was engulfed by hot metal. You closed your eyes. Enji forgot you were there until he heard soft snores.
When he made it to the agency, people were surprised. Enji made his way to his office and sighed, not having a single clue what to do. He requested some new clothes, some water, and a hot meal for you. He also called his daughter, Fuyumi, to come quickly.
As he sat in his chair and held you, his chest tightened. He looked down and saw a hopeless child, just like Shoto. You felt regret. The fear in his children's eyes whenever he got angry or made a sudden movement. He did that. All because he was selfish.
He closed his eyes and his flames died down to a subtle flame. He lifted you from his lap to his chest. He sat you on one arm and held your head with the other, letting you bury your face into his body.
He didn't know how long it's been since you ate or slept correctly, but if he had to guess he suspected most likely a week at most.
You didn't even stir when a knock echoed throughout the room. "Come in," he said in a gruff voice. It wasn't too loud to wake you, but was enough for the person in the other side to hear.
Fuyumi came in, head down. She looked tired, which Enji took notice immediately. She walked towards the desk without looking up. "What do you need, dad?" She asked, reaching into her purse. "I have the bandaids you asked for but-" she paused when she looked up.
Enji adjusted his grip on you. You didn't even move. "The child was searching the market stores for fish," he explained, reading Fuyumi's mind. "Asking passerbys for change. They're abandoned,"
Fuyumi almost dropped her purse and the bandaids. She blinked for a moment. She hesitated before setting her belongings down. "Abandoned? You mean," she frowned. "Left on the streets?"
Enji nodded. You moved your head and he stopped to look at you, making sure you weren't awake. "The child is very polite, but I suppose that's mainly to try and get change and food. They have clothes on the way, along with food and water."
Fuyumi grew confused and looked up. "Then, if you don't mind me asking, why am I here?"
"To help care for them," he said. "I can't exactly care for them while at work. And we can't exactly give them to strangers. I've decided we shall care for them until we find their parents or a home."
Fuyumi's eyes grew a little. Enji could only image what was going through the woman's head. After everything he's done to her he figured it was mainly unhumanly things.
"I," she paused for a moment. "I will take the responsibility. I'll ask Natsuo and Shoto too. Do you know how long it will be until we find them a home?"
The clothes and the food arrived, and with the smell you stirred and whined a little. Enji looked down at you as you rubbed your hand across your face tiredly. "I don't know," he said with a slight hint of worry, making Fuyumi's heart pound.
Fuyumi nodded a little. "Okay, I'll call Natsuo. We'll make sure they're taken care of, I promise."
"Mmm," you whined, a few tears escaping your eyes as you yawned. You smelt the food and you finally laid your eyes on it. You gasped and bounced in Enji's arms. "Yum yum! Yum yum!"
Fuyumi smiled and let out a soft giggle. Enji watched as you sat in his lap and took the fork {since Enji figured you didn't know how to use chopsticks} and ate quickly. You were quickly engulfed with a mess.
Enji sighed and used a napkin to clean you up. Fuyumi saw the change in her father. She hesitated before smiling in a softer manor. She called Natsuo.
"Natsuo? Yes, I need your help. Dad brought us a gift."
~~~
Word Count:
1709
Artist Credit:
MSketchesM on DeviantArt
Music Credit:
N/A
Published On:
August 29, 2020