Maybe We'll fix Each Other

Chapter 41

Aizawa sent another careful glance at Dabi and Keigo. While they were both doing an amazing, truly amazing job dealing with all of this, he couldn't even begin to understand how hard it must be for them.

To be here, facing their demons with the world as their audience.

Aizawa hoped with every fiber of his being that Judge Eniwa would be just in her ruling, and that his kids stood a fair chance.

He needed to be stern and stop their whispering and gestures to each other out of respect for the court, but secretly he was glad that they were still able to find such easy comfort in each other.

"The defense calls Enji Todoroki to the stand."

At the statement, Aizawa could feel the tension pull through Dabi at his side.

"Dabi," he said quietly as the temperature spiked again. Dabi didn't look at him, but rather kept his blazing eyes zeroed in on Endeavor as the man made his way to the stand. "Deep breath, kid."

At first, Aizawa thought he wasn't heard. But then Dabi let out a rough huff of air.

He'd count that as a win.

He relaxed somewhat when he noticed Keigo's wing adjusted to press against Dabi's back, and Dabi sent Keigo an appreciative look. The temperature dropped back to normal.

Aizawa let out a breath of his own and turned back to face Endeavor.

The man looked like he always did: confident and angry. And he was matching Dabi's glare with one of his own.

It lit a protective spark in Aizawa's chest, and he had to put in effort to maintain a neutral expression.

Shimizu's damn annoying voice spoke up. Aizawa couldn't help himself from imagining his fist in the man's face.

"Enji Todoroki," Shimizu began. "Also known as the number two Pro Hero Endeavor. Would you please describe what you have been accused of?"

Endeavor's jaw twitched as he pulled his attention from Dabi to his lawyer.

"I have been accused of harming my family and working with the Commission to hide this information from the public," he replied.

Shimizu shook his head in feigned disbelief. "Steep charges for such a prominent Pro Hero. Are they true?"

"No," Endeavor growled in reply. "They are not."

"What is your side of your family's home life and raising your children?" Shimizu prompted.

Endeavor's eyes slid back over to Dabi, and then behind him to the Todoroki trio in the gallery. It made Aizawa's skin crawl, seeing the way he looked them over.

"I always wanted children, and my wife was in agreement. Once Touya was born, she was quite pleased and he was an energetic child. He was excitable and my wife found him endearing. Our daughter was born soon after, and then Touya's quirk came in," Endeavor stated.

Aizawa could practically feel how tightly wound Dabi was at his side.

"Seeing my hero work on TV, Touya begged me to start training him right away. He was very volatile, even then, which is a dangerous thing to be with a fire quirk. So I agreed and we began training. I would hardly call it difficult," he said with a snort, sending a scathing look Dabi's way. "We worked on temperature and flame control."

"Dabi claims you would train him until he was injured?" Shimizu prompted.

"As I recall, it was Touya who refused to let training be done. He wanted nothing more than to push himself. He would beg me to start in the morning, and he would be upset when I would leave. His injuries were self-inflicted, especially after his quirk matured," Endeavor replied.