Fading into the background

Chapter one: Where it all began

Trigger warning: Reference to rape

Todoroki Enji was an ambitious man, by the time he hit 20 he had already climbed to the number 2 position on the hero billboards. His arrests were higher than anything seen before, no crime was committed on the areas he patrolled and his agency was growing and rising at an exponential rate. However none of this was enough, he was forever stuck behind that big blonde man with an overpowered quirk and a shining smile that won the crowds hearts. With time the flaming hero realized that no matter the effort, no matter the hard work, he would never be the number one. And with this realization competent grew and his already twisted mind sought an alternative. In this search an idea was born, to make a hero modeled on his image and likeness, to create a masterpiece that would top the charts in his place.

And so the plan began, the first step was to find the woman who would carry his future. Enji's position as a top ranked hero made the process simpler than it should have been. He entered the quirk archive and introduced the searching parameters, knowing that with his money and influence no one would be able to refuse him. Himura Rei became the unsuspecting victim of the monster's ambitions. She was a woman in her mid twenties with an ice quirk that would perfectly complement his without overshadowing it, the fact that she was single only made the transaction easier.

With the first step completed it was time to begin implementing the plan. Todoroki Enji approached Rei as a charming man, full of affection and with a wish to create a loving family. However the strong-willed woman saw straight through his mask and met every proposal with a refusal. The flaming hero, not known for his patience soon stopped hiding his true face. His seeking of attention became stalking and the loving gestures turned into threats. Himura Rei grew more and more terrified as the days went by and as a final act of desperation she looked for help. As expected, no help was received. "He wouldn't do that, he is the number two hero" the police officers said. "Most people would pay to be in your position" was the only answer she got from her friends. And eventually she gave in, her parents would get a substantial economic compensation to keep their mouths shut and she would marry the monster that was making their lives impossible in exchange for a peace that would never come. Later that month Himura Rei turned into Todoroki Rei, a shadow of the person that she once was.

Once married it was time to complete the next step, Todoroki Enji needed an heir. Rei, unhappy with her entire situation, would have none of it. In spite of that, behind the tatami doors and the huge gardens where her screams could not be heard her word was worth less than nothing. Nine months later in the midst of winter Todoroki Touya was born, a baby boy with his fathers piercing blue eyes and striking red hair. He was way too small for his age and this showed later on as due to his weak body he grew up as a sickly child. Unsatisfied with the boy's apparent lack of strength Enji decided to try again in hopes of getting the perfect child. Not even a year later Todoroki Fuyumi was born, with her mother's snow white hair and stormy gray eyes. She was a healthy little girl and trusting one of these two children would achieve his goals, Enji gave Rei a rest who was beginning to crack under the stress.

Two years passed and little Touya had turned three, his hair started turning white as his mothers but there wasn't a hint that pointed out his quirk was going to appear anytime soon. Seeing as his son wasn't an early bloomer like himself the Todoroki patriarch grew restless and to calm his nerves he decided to make a plan C, a third child should the other two fail. Unlike his two older siblings, Natsuo was born in summer. He was stronger than the two previous kids but only time could tell if his quirk would follow suit.

Touya turned four and his quirk finally showed. A fire quirk with the potential of becoming stronger than his father. Endeavor was elated and immediately began to train the boy. This proved a harder task than thought as the little kid's complexion was built like his mothers, he could withstand cold temperatures but his own flames burned him. Touya's younger siblings were yet to manifest their quirks so there was no alternative and his "training" continued. He came out of each session with new bruises and burns, the burns salve running out faster than they could buy it. In an attempt to soothe his pain Fuyumi manifested her quirk, a weak ice-quirk that was immediately tossed aside by the monster they called father.

Two months short of his fifth's birthday Natsuo's quirk showed. Against his father's high expectations due to his strong build, his quirk came to be as a toned-down version of his oldest sister's already weak quirk. Seeing that Touya's body was rapidly deteriorating and the two other children were useless for his plans, Enji made one last attempt to create the perfect child. When Shoto was born with perfectly split hair and mismatched eyes he knew he had succeeded, he finally had his perfect masterpiece.