Todomomo ~ Fractured Legacies

Chapter 41 "Bearing Shadows"

Shoto entered the room, wearing a tired expression. "Hey."

Momo looked up from her thoughts, her expression filled with concern. "Shoto. How are you feeling?"

He managed a faint smile. "As good as I can be, I guess." After a brief pause, he continued, "I heard about Sensei."

Momo responded with a sad smile. "Yeah. We lost a great teacher."

Softly, Shoto acknowledged, "She fought well."

Shaking her head, Momo wore a regretful expression. "I could have fought better, Shoto. We all could have. If my plan had worked..."

Interrupting gently, Shoto reassured her, "Don't blame yourself. You did your best. We all did."

In a sigh, Momo expressed frustration. "I know, but it doesn't feel like enough."

Softly, Shoto offered comfort, "Sometimes, our best is all we can give. She'd be proud of how hard you fought."

Nodding appreciatively, Momo said, "Thanks, Shoto. I just wish..."

Placing a hand on her shoulder, Shoto adopted a determined expression. "We'll get through this together. And we'll make sure her sacrifice wasn't in vain."

Momo looked out the window, her tone steady and reassuring. "He hurt you, didn't he?"

Shoto maintained his silence, contemplative.

After a brief pause, Momo spoke again, her words chosen with care. "We're moving forward, Shoto. Right now, my concern is for you, not dwelling on the past or dealing with the media storm."

He met her gaze, a mixture of appreciation and uncertainty in his eyes. "The media... it's a lot to handle."

Momo nodded understandingly. "We'll navigate it together. And about Dabi, I can't imagine how difficult that revelation must be for you."

Shoto sighed, emotions playing across his face. "Complicated, to say the least. But I'll manage. Just have to figure it out."

Momo reached out, her touch gentle. "You don't have to figure it out alone, Shoto. We're here for you."

He gave a small, appreciative smile. "Thanks, Momo. It means a lot."

——

In the quiet of the hospital room, Momo sat alone, the weight of guilt pressing down on her. She replayed the events in her mind, questioning her decisions, the plan she had formulated, and the outcome that had led to their teacher's death. Each moment was etched in her conscience, and the burden of responsibility weighed heavily on her shoulders.

Meanwhile, in his room, Shoto faced the harsh scrutiny of the media. Headlines echoed in his mind, each word carving deeper into his psyche. "Endeavor's son," a label he couldn't escape. "Dabi's brother," a connection that defined him. "The family's hero," a title he hadn't sought but was now burdened with.

The criticism from the public and the relentless gaze of the media only intensified the struggles Shoto faced. He felt like a puppet, dancing to the narratives spun by others, caught between the shadows of his family's history. The weight of expectations, judgments, and the sins of the past bore down on him, threatening to suffocate any sense of self.

As Momo grappled with guilt and Shoto battled against the labels imposed upon him, their separate struggles converged in the silent corridors of the hospital, creating an atmosphere thick with angst and the heavy toll of their respective burdens.