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❟❛❟ CHAPTER THIRTY NINE ❟❛❟
TODOROKI ADJUSTED THE ZIPPER OF HIS HERO COSTUME, the fabric settling snugly against his frame. Akame's words lingered in his mind—this wasn't guaranteed to be a conversation. It could escalate, and they had to be ready. That's why he and his father had decided to wear their hero gear.
He exhaled sharply, bracing himself. He understood the weight of the situation. Every time he crossed paths with Dabi—no, Touya—he felt it: the searing hatred radiating from him. At first, Todoroki had brushed it off. He assumed it was the same disdain other villains directed at him, a byproduct of being Endeavor's son, or simply because he was a hero. It was normal, wasn't it? Villains obsessed with Endeavor often glared at him with similar contempt.
But that was before. Before he knew Dabi was Touya.
The revelation had been a bitter pill to swallow. As a child, Todoroki had never sensed that his eldest brother didn't like him. He had been too young, too naive to notice. When Touya seemed distant or moody, Todoroki chalked it up to personality quirks, or perhaps Touya just having a bad day.
But he had heard it. Standing in front of Touya's door, He had raised his hand to knock when he heard it—a faint voice, muffled but clear enough to sear itself into his mind.
"I hate him. I hate him. I hate him. I hate Shouto. He took Tou-san away from me. Tou-san... is only mine. Tou-san only needs to look at me."
At the time, he had tried to ignore it. What could a child do with words he didn't fully understand?
But now, he understood. The bitterness Touya harbored, the grudge that had festered over the years, had been rooted in those moments.
Still, no matter the history, no matter the blood ties—Touya had hurt Bakugou and Akame. And that was unforgivable.
"Are you guys ready?" Todoroki turned to his soulmates.
Because of the impromptu sleepover, both Bakugou and Akame were dressed in his spare clothes. The already oversized garments seemed to swallow them whole, especially Akame, whose borrowed sweater draped down to her thighs. The sight was almost absurdly endearing, though Todoroki would never voice that thought.
"Yeah," Bakugou answered firmly. Though he wasn't wearing his full hero costume, his gauntlets sat snugly on his forearm.
They slowly walked into the main residence. The others have gathered. His father was also ready in his hero costume, although his usual commanding presence was dimmed, his eyes clouded with sorrow that had lingered since the truth about Touya came to light.
Akame stood in front of them with her quirk activated. "Alright. I'll take you all on."
A swirl of energy rippled through her eyes, distorting the air around her. In the blink of an eye, everything changed.
