Another Kind of Hero

8

??? pov

After what happened yesterday, I couldn't move, for multiple reasons I guess. First, my entire body hurt like hell. I felt limp. God, it hurt to even talk. Even when I could move, it hurt inside to look at all these fucking injuries covering my weak ass. And it was all his fault that I was stuck here in bed. Well...maybe not quite. The other reason was because I couldn't stop thinking about that kid. That kid with green hair and freckles that covered his skin. That kid who looked shocked when he saw him almost drag me off the ground. That kid who had such a kind and genuine smile. I wish I know who he was. I wish I could see him again. I wish-

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by heavy footsteps dragging towards my room. And I knew exactly whose footsteps those belonged to.

Fuck.

I looked at my alarm. I was supposed to be up 4 minutes ago for "training". I tried to get up, using the little strength I had left, but it was useless. I fell back onto by bed: That's when the door burst open. That's when I felt something looming over me. It was my "father", Enji Todoroki, looking as upset as ever.

Without a word, he pulled me up by the neck. His hands started getting warmer and warmer, until my neck started bubbling. "What the fuck are you doing still in bed you useless ingrate. You're five minutes late for training." He dropped me to the floor and I couldn't even wince as my bruises cried out in pain. "Get up, you pathetic worm." He wasn't yelling. That scared me much, much more than his screaming. "Get UP!" He kicked me in the nose, and I felt it crack. His hands were engulfed in flames in a matter of seconds. "Why are you doing this?!" I croaked. His response was a cold, "You have disgraced me. Having a fag son is making me look bad." His hands were engulfed in flames in a matter of seconds and I braced myself for what I new came next-

Until he was interrupted by his phone ringing. It was one of his sidekicks, Blaze telling him to get to work for today. "This isn't over Shoto. Don't think I'm letting you off easy. You'll have hell to pay tonight." He stormed off through the house and I waited to hear the front door slam shut before I let myself breathe again.

Finally finding some strength, I pushed myself up off the floor and stumbled to the bathroom. My nose was pouring blood like a faucet, and already it was swollen with black and purple bruises. I plugged it with cottonballs and put a few band-aides over it until i could buy a splint for it at the store. I got changed into a hoodie and jeans before going to the living room. Fuyumi looked at me with concern.

"Shoto, aren't you going to eat?"

"No."

"Shoto you have to eat or you'll never heal."

"Im not hungry."

"Shoto, please." She sounded like she was about to cry.

"...Fine. But only because it's you." I sat down and Fuyumi passed me a large serving of eggs and rice. It only took one bite to realize how hungry I really was, and my plate was clean in the blink of an eye. "Okay, Im gonna go get a splint. Be right back." I pulled on my shoes and headed to the convenience store down the street. It was a bit of a walk, but I needed something to keep my mind off of what had happened this morning.

The kid from before... He was cute. And kind, the sort of kindness you could see in someone's eyes, like Fuyumi. He seemed like he was a good person, someone that should be a hero.

I grabbed what he needed from the store, paid and went right back home.

"Ah you're back already! Good! I'm planning on heading over to the mall to get some new clothes, wanna come?" Fuyumi grinned as she helped me unpack the splint. "After we deal with your nose, of course. Blow." She handed me a tissue and continued to unpack the splint.

I blew as hards as I could for each nostril until the tissue came away covered in congealed blood and snot. "Ewww! Toss that and remove the band-aides. We have to put the splint straight on the skin, then ice it."

I complied, peeling the plastic off of the bruises. "Okay... And done! Here's a bag, fill it with ice and you can use that!"

"Thanks Fuyumi."

"Of course!" Her face fell and a bit of sadness crept into her voice. "I'm to weak. I can't be a good big sister and protect you from him, so I have to be there and patch you up after. It's all I can do." 

I wrapped my arms around her.

"You're the best big sister anyone could ask for. You don't need to be strong to be that."

"Aw c'mon, don't get sappy on me now. We gotta get going!"

She grabbed her bag and we headed out to the car, saying goodbye to Touya and lighting some incense as we went.

...

Midoriya's pov

"Hi. Midoriya right?"

I stood stock-still, processing what was right in front of me. There was a blonde kid... and a guy with black hair and....weird elbows...and Shinso. They all look out of breath. The black haired dude was halfway on the floor, and Shinso was holding hands with the blonde one, and is also nearly in the floor.

"Uh... Yeah? I'm Izuku Midoriya..." I nervously laughed.

Looking a little more hyper then before, he stuck his free hand out for me to shake. And began to drag me away from where I stood with Mum.

"I'm Denki Kaminari! I'm a friend of Shinso's!"

I looked at Shinso in the back, and Kaminari pulled him forward. "He wants to talk to you, so we were on an epic quest to find you! Here-" He shoved Shinso in my direction, suprisingly strong for such a small guy. "Now go talk!", he demanded, backing up and taking the black haired kid with him.

"You've gotta be kidding me..." I heard Shinso whisper. He nervously fiddled with his hands. He looked over at Kaminari, who motioned with his hand for him to talk to me.

Shinso took a deep sigh before speaking suddenly "Look i'm really sorry, Midoriya. I shouldn't have gotten so mad at you."

Why is he apologizing? It was my fault. I quickly realized I'd been staring and sputtered, "Ah! Um, no it's- um it's, it's my fault, really! I, I shouldn't have run out on you like, um, like that." Shinso looked surprised and... confused... by my apology.

"What are you talking about!? I was a huge prick and got mad at you because you had a panic attack in the freaking tea shop! How the hell is being scared of your old bully your  fault!? I was a huge dick!!" 

"No, no! I should have clarified what was wrong before I left!"

"Bullshit, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions!"

"No, it's my fault!"

No it's mine!"

"No mine!"

"No mine!" 

"No-" Shinso broke into laughter, cutting off my apology. "What's so funny?" I asked.

"We're being so dumb. Let's just accept each other's apologies and agree to disagree, k?"

I felt my face split into a grin. "Okay. Friends?"

"Duh!" We hugged and I remembered his gift, still buried in my bag.

"Oh shoot! I have to get something, be right back!" I headed back to the line and spotted Mum with her food and my bag, waiting. "Thanks Mum! I'll be right back, okay!"

"Okay Izuku... I'll interogate you when we go home, remember that!" She called after me as I dashed over to Shinso again, digging through my bag.

"Aha! Here it is!" The charm was still in perfect condition as I pulled it free of my notebooks. "I meant to give this to you before, sorry."

Shinso lit up with a smile. We said our goodbyes and went back to our own mall days.