Spectre - (MHA x OC)

Chapter 37: Comfort in Many Ways

Aiko and the rest of her classmates were all sat in front of the television, watching the Hero Rankings. "It's so strange not seeing All Might on here..." Kirishima remarked.

Everyone nodded in agreement, but then Hawks came on screen, cutting someone else off. The girls in the class, and Haru, all started gushing about how beautiful he was. Aiko felt a small blush form on her face. "Okay yeah, he's very beautiful, but that doesn't change that he is full of himself," Aiko stated.

Then, it was Endeavor's turn to speak. Aiko couldn't miss the way Todoroki tensed. She furrowed her brows before she got up, grabbed a glass of water, and sat down again, but this time next to Todoroki. Aiko put a hand on his shoulder, pulling his eyes away from the TV for just a moment. She gave him a comforting smile, and he returned the gesture. "So just watch what I do," Endeavor stated calmly.

Todoroki rolled his eyes and stood, walking to his room. Aiko locked eyes with Midoriya for a moment before following him upstairs. She knocked on his door gently before entering his room. "Hey..." she said gently.

"Gessei, what are you doing here?" he asked.

Aiko walked into the room and closed the door, sitting on the floor beside him. "I'm worried about you," she muttered.

"If this is about Endeavor, then you have nothing to worry about. I've made peace with the fact that he's number one now," Todoroki stated coldly.

A sigh escaped Aiko's throat as she put a hand on his shoulder. "If that's the case, then what's on your mind? Something is bothering you."

He looked at her and sighed, "I may have come to peace with it... but not for what he did to my mother..."

Aiko's expression softened. "I get that, and no one is asking you to."

Todoroki relaxed a bit before looking around. "Is Haru not in here? It's not cold," he asked.

Aiko shook her head, "He's busy fawning over Hawks with the other girls."

A small huff came out of his nose, a sort of laugh. Aiko laughed and said, "It's true! He's a massive fanboy!"

They both laughed a bit, the small chuckle from Todoroki being music to Aiko's ears, and vice versa. But then, a silence blanketed the room. They sat like that for a few minutes before he said, "I feel... conflicted..."

Aiko quirked a brow, silently urging him to continue. "Part of me still wants to reject my father, his quirk, and everything to do with him... but the other part of me knows that his expertise as the number tw... as the number one hero is invaluable to me... that if I am to succeed as a hero, I need his advice..."

For a moment, Aiko thought on his words, and then came up with her own answer, a smirk gracing her face.  "Well, your whole life, wasn't he using you to get what he wanted?" she asked.

Todoroki nodded, his nostrils flaring. Aiko grabbed his shoulder and made him look at her, "Well, now it's your turn to use him for what you want."

"I don't think I get it," Todoroki stated.

"Take his advice and training, take advantage of his skills and abilities, like he shamelessly did to you for years. Use him and your connection to him for your gain and only for what you want, not what he wants," Aiko said with a smile.

The blocks clicked together in his mind, and Todoroki's blue and gray eyes sparkled. A small smile graced his lips. "I like that idea."

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The next day, Aiko was walking through the dorms when she noticed a crowd surrounding a TV. "Guys?"