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𝐲𝐨𝐮
the room was thick with tension, the kind that lingered even after the words had faded. we had laid out a rough plan to confront touya, and i had my rough moment with the siblings, but it hadn't brought any relief. fuyumi stood a little apart, her fingers trembling as she clutched her arms. natsuo remained stone-faced, though i could see the anger simmering just beneath the surface. shoto, still bandaged and bruised, kept his gaze fixed on his bandaged arm, avoiding all of us.
hawks and best jeanist had just stepped back in with us since he apparently couldn't see all might and midoriya yet, their presence breaking the heavy silence. hawks, looked weary, but his sharp gaze remained focused, vigilant. he pulled his phone from his pocket as it began to buzz, stepping aside as he answered.
a chill crept into the room as hawks' expression shifted from tense to grave.
"what is it?" i asked, already fearing the answer.
hawks ended the call and faced us, his fingers typing whatever he wanted to express. "the video... it's everywhere. all over japan and even reaching international news outlets. dabi—touya's video is spreading like wildfire."
fuyumi's face went pale. natsuo clenched his fists tighter, knuckles white, while shoto glanced back at us, his expression unreadable, though a flicker of something intense—fear, anger, perhaps both—lingered in his eyes.
hawks continued, "the public's in an uproar. the commission and the police are planning a press conference to address the situation. they want best jeanist, endeavor, and me to be there, since we are the top three heroes and the ones touya mentioned. they've also requested you, y/n."
there is no way.
i felt my stomach drop. "me?" i whispered, barely able to say the word aloud.
"you're part of this now," hawks said, his small burned wings twitching in subtle agitation. "touya mentioned you by name in the video. people are already talking, asking questions. the commission thinks it's better if you're there to explain things, clear up any misunderstandings about you and the lab before they get worse."
the knot in my stomach tightened. i'd never stood before the press for anything like this. this wasn't an award show or a simple lab presentation; it was the fallout of a villain's revelations, my past with touya, and the complicated ties of the todoroki family. it wasn't just my reputation on the line; it was my integrity, my choices, and my silence.
"i've never done anything like this," i muttered, glancing down at my hands, which suddenly felt cold. "i don't know if i can..."
"you can," hawks' synthetic voice said firmly, his voice leaving no room for doubt. "you have to. if you don't speak up, people will assume the worst. they'll think you were complicit, or worse... that you actually were part of touya's plans."
the thought of people believing i'd supported touya's actions felt unbearable, of him murdering innocents before i even knew he was alive, the break ins, anything. but standing in front of cameras, explaining myself, admitting the truth? that felt equally terrifying.
fuyumi took a hesitant step forward, her eyes soft but pleading. "y/n, the people need you. we can't do this without you. you know touya better than any of us. people need to hear that from you, to know you were trying to help him, not hide him or support his recklessness."
i swallowed hard, my throat tight. i wanted to help, but i didn't know if i had the strength to stand under that kind of spotlight.
"i don't want to make things worse," i admitted, my voice barely steady.
"you won't," shoto said, his voice quiet but resolute. "we'll be there for you. you're not alone in this."
hawks stepped closer, nodding. "it won't be easy, but you have to be there, y/n. people and heroes trust you. they see you as someone who helps heroes, who supports the good. they need to hear that from you directly."
i looked around the room, taking in everyone's expressions. i could see the weight of it all mirrored in their eyes. then, natsuo, who had remained silent through the discussion, finally spoke up, his voice sharper than i'd ever heard. "if you're serious about stopping touya and about asking for our forgiveness, then you have to own up to this. you don't get to stand on the sidelines anymore."
his words cut deep, but i knew he was right. i'd been trying to stay on the edge of this whole mess for too long. i either stepped up now, or let the fallout bury me. there was no middle ground.
"when's the press conference?" i asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
jeanist sighed, running a hand through his hair. "a couple days from now. endeavor needs to stay in the hospital at least another night, so they're delaying it until then. we've got a little time to prepare, but not much."
"just what i needed," i muttered, the weight of it sinking in.
hawks chuckled softly through his respirator mask, though his eyes remained tense. "i know it's a lot, but you'll be okay. we'll get through it together. i'll be there the whole time."
"just be honest," fuyumi said, stepping beside me. "tell them the truth. that you didn't want any of this, but you're trying to do the right thing now."
i nodded, though the knot in my stomach hadn't loosened. "okay. i'll be there."
hawks gave me a reassuring smile, though worry lingered in his gaze. "everyone get some rest while we can. we've got a lot to go over."
"rest," i muttered under my breath, shaking my head. it felt impossible with everything looming over us. but i knew i had no choice. tomorrow, or the day after, we'd be facing the public, the media, and the consequences of it all.
