Every Heart Has its Thorns

The Empath faces the fire

Izu grunted in pain, he opened his eyes to see Recovery girl standing over him. He smiled weakly.

"I won..." He said.

"Actually, Todoroki got you over the line..." She began, Izu shook his head weakly.

"I won, because I helped Shoto." He smiled, Recovery girl stopped before smiling.

"You may have angered Endeavor." She smiled, planting a kiss on his forehead, he felt the pain go away.

"He's always angry, so there won't be much difference... wait, did everyone hear me?" Izu sat up, Recovery girl began checking over him.

"Yes, you were loud, everyone in the crowd, I am sure it was probably caught by the media. You have drawn attention to Endeavor once more." Recovery girl told him. "I am worried about how you see him, we understand his not a nice man, so we don't want you to get hurt."

"I'll be fine, unless Endeavor really does hurt me... then that speaks more about him then me." Izu smiled. "Has Shoto started his last match yet?"

"No, you are okay to watch, just be careful, okay?" Recovery girl gave him a stern look.

"Okay. Thank you." Izu went off. He was walking down the corridor, he was excited to see Shoto and Bakugo's match. Something blocked his way, he looked up to see that the something was someone, and the very person Recovery girl had just warned him about. Izu could feel his anger, annoyance, but it was nothing new. "Excuse me."

"No, we need a little talk." Endeavor glared down at him. Izu just looked back.

~~~~~~

"Shiyu, go and find Izu, and give him this coffee." Kyoumi said, she passed Shiyu a coffee. He nodded.

"Okay." He headed off, towards recovery girl's temporary office. He stopped as he heard a voice in the corridor ahead. He peeked around to see Endeavor blocking Izu's path, he immediately pulled out his phone and began to film, just in case Endeavor hurt Izu and then he would have proof. He also listened carefully to the conversation.

"I honestly don't know what you mean." Izu frowned.

"You are trying to destroy my reputation, kid. Don't pretend you don't know." Endeavor snarled.

"I am an Empath, I came feel every one of your emotions. I speak the truth, Endeavor. I honestly didn't mean to make you angry. I just spoke what I felt." Izu said. "I am sorry, but you should know that the truth does hurt most of the time. And your son... no..." He stopped and looked at Endeavor, before frowning. "Todoroki... doesn't feel like a son too you..."

"What are you talking about?" Endeavor growled.

"Your feelings towards him aren't parental. Their..." Izu stopped trying to think of the word. He tapped his cheek, before smiling as the word came to mind. "Objective! Your feelings towards Shoto are objective... wait, that's not good. Why do you feel that way towards him?"

"He is my son..." Endeavor began.

"You can fool others, but not me. You say that, but it doesn't feel that way." Izu told him, his own tone stern, annoyed. "I have dealt with adults like you before, those who don't care. Practically every teacher in Middle school. So, answer me and answer me with the truth, why don't you act like Shoto is your son?" There was silence, Shiyu had a horrible feeling that Endeavor was going to pummel Izu into the ground.

"Shoto has a duty to surpass All Might." Endeavor replied. Izu was silent, before sighing.

"I can see him surpassing All Might, in a way you never could." Izu said, his voice honest. "He has something you lack."

"Oho, and what would that be?" Endeavor smirked

"Human decency, respect for others." Izu replied, before smiling. "You see All Might as nothing but competition, holding your spot as the number one. Here's why All Might is number. Its not that he's stronger then you, though he is. It's because he honestly cares, he cares about people, everyone. He worries everyday that there are people he can't help. And at the U.S.J, he blamed himself. He has such deep-rooted guilt, it hasn't gone. You, you would never have felt that, you would have helped just for the popularity, and that doesn't make you a real hero, it makes you a fake one!" Izu glared up at Endeavour. "Your son is already twice the hero you are, maybe you should consider that!"

"You'll regret saying that, brat!" Endeavor growled, the fire around burning brighter, his fists trembling in anger.

"You don't scare me, Endeavor. You can't get me to hate you enough to make me un-willing to use my quirk... I don't even want to know why Shoto is so unsure of using his fire, it seems he's afraid, but he doesn't act or feel that way." Izu said simply. Before smiling. "Now, excuse me, I believe two of my friends are about to fight, and I don't want to miss it." He walked around the hero. Shiyu quickly stopped filming and put his phone away, before stepping around the corner.

"There you Izu, I got you coffee, I think the match is about to begin." Shiyu smiled, his eyes fell upon Endeavor. "Oho, and Endeavor!" He added with a smiled, Izu looked at him silently.

"Let's go Shiyu, I don't want to miss it." Izu took the coffee and vanished around the corner. Shiyu followed. "How much did you hear?" Izu asked

"Most of it... He's a scary guy... I kinda want to give Shoto a hug, I feel so bad for him." Shiyu sighed.

"He'll be fine." Izu and Shiyu ended up going to the 1-A box, before the class could say anything, Izu turned to the match, Todoroki was only using his Ice, despite Bakugo trying to get him to use his fire. "Though, Endeavor may have affected him more then I thought... HEY! HALF N' HALF!" He yelled, causing everyone to glance his way. He grinned brightly at Shoto, who's eyes widened. "I didn't lose for you too lose to Bakugo. You've got this, Plus Ultra!" He yelled, Shoto slowly smiled, before dodging Bakugo, and finally flames flickered around his arm. Izu frowned as he watched the match.

"Izu?" Shiyu asked

"I wonder what Endeavor has done to make Todoroki not want to use his fire... then again, I am not sure I want to know." Izu sighed. The rest of the class was silent, Shoto soon won the match. Once it was all over, Izu rushed down to speak to him. Shiyu carefully uploaded the video to YouTube under the title Empath kid encounters Endeavor again. He wrote a small description.

Empath kid, Izu once again meets the one hero he couldn't be around many years later, nothing has changed, but more words are exchanged. He seems to place a valid point.

Then he left it like that, within an hour, it was being tagged with the Sports festival video of Izu yelling at Shoto

~~~~~~

"WHAT!" Shoto woke to his dad's shout, he yawned when someone knocked on his bed room door. He opened it to see his sister.

"Shoto..." She muttered, they looked down they hall, Endeavor was police.

"What's going on?" He asked

"That Empath kid in your class seemingly spoke to dad yesterday, there's a video of it. And, they are now investigating dad." She said, Shoto's eyes widened. Before looking back at the police.

"I should thank Izu for this..." He muttered quietly, a small smile on his face.