𝖇𝖓𝖍𝖆 𝕺𝖓𝖊 𝕾𝖍𝖔𝖙𝖘

Love Hurts [Tododeku]

A/N: suicide warning

Life was hard for someone like Shoto Todoroki. He didn't seem to have a normal childhood or lifestyle like most others would, and it took him a very long time to realise that. Apparently it was the normality to be brought up with love and care and honesty. Not in hatred and anger and devastation. Not being punched and hit and slapped and burnt every single day since he was only five years old. Not being forced to train and train and train with a quirk he hated and didn't even want, until he could barely stay standing for more than three seconds. 

He's lost count of the number of times he's had to throw up during those torture sessions. Lost count of how many times his legs gave out and his head would swim violently before he'd pass out. He's even lost count of the number of times his father has scorned him, lectured him, told him he's worthless. Pathetic. Disgusting. A failure. An idiot. Weak. A burden.

No, Enji Todoroki wasn't Shoto's father no matter what the birth certificate said. If a father was meant to love you and care for you and protect you, then this man was far from that. He didn't deserve that title. He didn't deserve many things. Number two hero or not, this man was a villain behind closed doors. He took everything away from Shoto, forced him on his own path, and tried to use him as a weapon. He'd never seemed to regard him as a person, a human, or even his son. No, the only thing Enji Todoroki cared about was surpassing All Might.

Rei Todoroki was the only person in this broken boy's life that could get him through the endless days of suffering and torture. She was the only one to ever show him anything close to love and care. Shoto loved his mother with all his heart, and she always told him to believe in himself – he could live his own life. And yet, his mother was the same person who put that horrid scar upon his left eye; that's remained through his whole life as a reminder. That those were simply empty words. Life isn't what you make it. It's what others make for you. And all you can do is shut up and carry on.

Those were the words and mottos Shoto Todoroki decided to live by after his mother was sent away from him and all that was left was hell and pain. And because of those words he became a person he didn't want to be. Angry and reserved, distant and alone. He pushed away people like they were some disease, and never opened his mouth to speak to anyone. Because what was the point when they're only going to let you down anyway?

~

'News at 02:00 : three villains involved in the murder of pro-hero Manual were obtained and arrested earlier this evening. The Hero Killer's whereabouts are still unknown, but pro-heroes are working tirelessly to find out. Meanwhile All Might made an appearance in Musutafu and saved the people from a rioting villain threatening countless people's lives. And the body of a teenage boy was found earlier today on the streets – they say the result of death was su—'

The television blinked off and Shoto turned a tired head to the person responsible.

"Shoto, it's late you should be sleeping," Fuyumi said softly, placing the remote out of reach, after coming back in here for the fifth time that evening. Her younger brother simply jumped up from the sofa and snatched the object back, before she could do so, and continued with his early morning activities. His sister sighed heavily. After their mother had been sent away to a mental hospital, Fuyumi had had to undertake her role as the only girl left in the house. 

And the boys sure didn't make it easy on her. She looked at her baby brother with sad eyes, the burning white light of the television glaring at his pale face in the pitch black darkness, emphasised just how broken he really was. As he'd been getting older, the training their father had put him through had intensified and as a result Shoto had just grown more angry and tired by the day. Fuyumi wasn't certain of the sorts of things he was put through, but every day she felt guilt weighing her down more and more, watching her brother change into a person he was not.