Unlikely Heroes

Todoroki opens up

Todoroki wasn't sure what made him chase after Izuku, was it because he understood? No, he would never see it from Izuku's viewpoint, but he had a similar experience.

"Midoriya!" He called, Izuku visibly flinched, Todoroki stopped, did he think he was going to hurt him? He remembered Izuku had had a reaction like that when Bakugo had yelled at him. What had happened to make Izuku act in such a way. Either way, his call had made Izuku stop walking.

"What?" Izuku asked, Todoroki was surprised at the bitterness in his voice. Todoroki glanced at the floor. What was he meant to say now, to assure Izuku he wasn't like the rest of the class, that he was more like Iida and Uraraka?

"I don't judge you for your father." He told him, hoping Izuku would at least to listen to him. He had never spoken out about this before, but he felt like Izuku was the one who would listen and at least understand. "I know what it is like to want to be nothing like your father." He muttered. Izuku glanced back, but his eyes were shadowed.

"Your father is Endeavor the number 2 hero. Why wouldn't you want to be like him?" Izuku said sourly. "He's not a notorious villain.

"No, but he is nothing less than a monster..." Todoroki told him. "What he did to my mother..." His voice faltered, he bowed his head as the memories washed over him. Izuku looked up, looking at Todoroki.

"Your father hurt your mother too?" Izuku asked, Todoroki nodded. He covered his scar.

"He hurt her, she tried to protect me from his training. I am not his son, I am just an object of his creation. An object he wants to use to surpas All Might. That's why I was created. He used my mother for her quirk to create me... he didn't care, he still doesn't. He hurt her, and it affected her mentally." Todoroki looked at Izuku. "I don't know what it is like to have a villain as a father. But, I have a father who is more suited to being a villain than a hero as one. So, I don't judge you. And I respect how you still tall in your conviction to be a hero."  Silence fell between them. When Todoroki looked up, he was surprised to see Izuku crying. It was obvious he was trying not too. He bit his bottom lip as tears fell down his cheeks silently.

"Sorry..." Izuku said, wiping away his tears.

"It's fine... It can be hard to cope with..." Todoroki nodded in understanding. They ended up going to a quiet part of the school.

"I'm guessing your ice is your mother's quirk," Izuku muttered, Todoroki nodded.

"My dad was able to persuade my mother's family to agree to a quirk marriage..." Todoroki said

"A Quirk Marriage?" Izuku repeated.

"When two people have compatible quirks, they could have a kid with the best of both. That is what my dad wanted. So, he married her for her quirk. And, after two brothers and a sister, I arrived. The perfect object to beat All Might. Once I was five, he began a horrible training regime for me. It was harsh, and it hurt." Todoroki stopped as the pain from all that time ago resurfaced. "But, my mom tried to protect me from him, she was often hit by him, but she continued to try and protect me..."

"what happened to her?" Izuku asked.

"He drove her mad... One day she was on the phone. I could hear her talking. I called out to her. The next thing I knew was pain..." Todoroki closed his eyes. "She feared my left side because it reminded her of my dad. She poured boiling water on my face. She was then admitted to a mental hospital. She is still there... I haven't seen her since that day. But I don't blame her, it wasn't her fault... She tried..."

"Maybe you should visit her," Izuku suggested, Todoroko looked at him, Izuku was looking out of a window. "I bet she feels bad and blames herself... you should see her, and tell her you don't blame her."

"What if she still hates..." His hand raised to his left side.

"It's you, Todoroki-kun. I am sure she'll feel better seeing you." Izuku smiled softly, but it was filled with sadness. "My... Pyro never hurt my mom in that sense. One day, when I was really young, he just left. Going to work overseas, he said. I never saw him again until I was six. Only heroes and villains saw a use for my quirk, the heroes... quickly became my family. They were always there. Always cheering me on, helping. You should have seen the teachers back then, you wouldn't have guessed they were the same, expect Yamada-Oji-san, he is still the same. I felt safe with them, I guess, even back then, I saw AizawaOji-san as more of a father figure than an uncle."

"You called him dad in the U.S.J, didn't you?" Todoroki asked, Izuku hid his face with a nod.

"I didn't think of it at the time. Spur of the moment I guess, but it felt right saying it." Izuku said "Anyway, it was a Saturday, and he showed up at the door. I was watching the news, I am sure he threatened her. She still stood against him, she wasn't going to let him take me."

"Our mothers are our heroes, aren't they?" Todoroki muttered. Izuku smiled at that and nodded He took a shaky breath and stood, holding out his hand to Todoroki. "We should head back, I bet we have worried Yamada-O...Yamada-sensei."

"Does that ever get confusing?" Todoroki asked, accepting Izuku's hand. He helped him to his feet.

"All the time, luckily, He doesn't care if I call him Yamada-Oji-san or Yamada-sensei. But if I called him Yamada-Oji-san in class, he wouldn't give the other teachers a break." Izuku grinned.

"It must be cool, to have so many heroes around you," Todoroki said

"Yeah, you should come round for dinner at mine sometime, Aizawa-Oji-san is usually there, and another teacher or two. They show up on random days. So, it is always a surprise." Izuku beamed. Todoroki smiled slightly, even after everything, he could smile so brightly, he couldn't help but feel lifted by it.