𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 ⟢ 𝘁. 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗶/𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗶

𝟒𝟑: 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

(it's stressing me a bit out how some gifs just won't load omg T-T)
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𝐲𝐨𝐮

the conference had been draining—a nightmare, really. every question, every camera flash felt like it chipped away at the walls we'd carefully built to protect ourselves. endeavor was the worst off. though he tried to mask it behind his usual stoic facade, you could tell the weight of touya's reveal and the reporters' relentless probing was more than he could bear. they were eating him alive, demanding answers he couldn't give without unraveling completely.

best jeanist, always the composed professional, had been trying to smooth things over, his words polished and diplomatic, but even he was caught in the crossfire. eventually, he got dragged down by the sheer force of it all.

"never in my years in this profession have i seen such vicious reporters," best jeanist muttered as he and endeavor finally joined us in the back room, a look of exhaustion on his face. "it's worse than all might's retirement or even the incident in kamino."

hawks sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as we gathered ourselves in the dimly lit room. "you're right, jeanist. they're like sharks in bloodied water. but we gave them what they wanted—at least, as much as we could."

best jeanist adjusted his collar, his fingers gliding over the suit's flawless fabric. "the questions were inevitable. though some crossed the line... what matters now is how we control the narrative. people need hope, yes, but they also demand transparency."

endeavor was silent, his eyes distant, fixed on some point in the floor. he looked like he was barely holding it together. "we've said all we can," he muttered. "the truth is out there now, and it's ugly. but we can't stop. touya..." his voice caught, but he quickly composed himself. "touya's actions affect all of us, not just me."

hawks stepped closer to endeavor, his usual easy-going demeanor tempered by the tension in the air. "hey, we've got your back, endeavor. we'll get through this."

endeavor grunted, his response more a reflex than actual agreement, then turned to best jeanist. "we need to get ahead of this, frame the story before it spirals further out of control." with that, he and jeanist walked out, leaving me alone with hawks.

i leaned back against the wall, exhaling heavily. this whole ordeal had been brutal, and i'd lashed out at one point. i wasn't sure how much more pressure i could handle. as i tried to steady myself, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

"oh no..." i muttered, glancing at the screen to see "mom" flashing up.

hawks raised an eyebrow. "your parents?"

i nodded, hesitating before answering. the moment the call connected, my mom's frantic face filled the screen. "y/n l/n! what is going on? we've been watching the news all day!"