Legion

Acceptance

"Sometimes, accepting help is harder than offering it."

Once, when he was young and his face was whole, a boy had a mother. And only in his deepest memories, as faded and darkened as they were did he remember her once comforting touch.

How, one day, when he was crying, she gently caressed his head.

"But you want to be a hero, don't you?" He remembers her saying.

"It's okay for you to be one..."

Before he knew it, that was all that he remembered.

Todoroki idly wondered why his thoughts were on this moment in particular.

Especially since he was currently flying in the air.

His body roughly hit the ground and he rolled, quickly getting to his feet he glared at the boy.

The right side of his face was burning, and he quickly applied ice to numb it. His vision was already slightly blurry at the edges and he stumbled a bit before regaining his bearings.

"You...where was that strength before?"

"I've been saving it, as you can see," Izuku raised his hand, showing the purple, broken finger that he'd used. "It takes a lot out of me."

"You..."

"I made a promise, Todoroki, that I wouldn't let what happened at the USJ happen again. But with what you're doing right now. All I can see are the brothers you've killed."

Todoroki flinched at that, his old man's words coming back to his mind.

"And the people you will."

"What?"

'I'm sorry about this Todoroki.' Izuku thought as he continued his spiel.

"Every hero I've ever seen has given it their all. Every student here has given it their all and you spit on all of that thinking that you can coast by with just your ice."

Todoroki growled before sending a fresh wave of ice toward his opponent.

"Did my old man put you up to this?"

The ice completely missed its target as Izuku dodged and sped around the arena at speeds rivaling Tenya's.

"No. But I did just meet him. He's a real piece of work that's for sure. Kind of reminds of you."

Ooh, that pushed some buttons.

Todoroki snarled at the insinuation.

"I am NOTHING like him!"

"You're right. At least he had the decency to apologize for the deaths of my brothers."

Todoroki flinched as if he was struck.

"Way I see it, you trying to spite him by refusing to use your fire is pointless because you've already caused harm by not using it. So when will it stop, Todoroki? Is it 'cause they're clones? Will you finally use your fire when a real person's life is on the line?" Izuku asked, the tone in his voice just daring Todoroki to answer in the wrong way.

"I-, I-"

"Because the USJ can easily happen again, only this time, you won't be given a second chance."

"Shut up!" Another trail of ice that Izuku dodged.

"How many more, Todoroki?!" He said as he flipped over and almost struck him, Todoroki dodged at the last second. "How many more must die before you face the truth?!"