You can hide behind me

2 years later

Touyas Point of View

As usual, my ever loving father is training me till I drop. I can feel my quirk getting stronger. Its stronger than his even. But its not enough to protect my family. And my body wasn't ment for this power.

Shotos walking now. Natsou finally seems to have a good grasp on what's really happening around here. Mom and Fuyumi are becoming more and more distant from us. We might be in this together, but we're fighting him alone.

My quirk, incinerate is destroying my body. I've used a needle and thread multiple times to try and sew myself back up but I just need to keep bandaged I guess.

After my training, dad got Shoto. Todays his last day off for almost a month. Father is desperately trying to force Shotos quirk to appear. I know he'd be in constant pain for it, but sometimes I hope he's quirkless. Just to show dad. But we all know he's the one. Deep down, we do. On paper, his name literally means burning frost.

I stumbled to Fuyumi's room but she wasn't there. I can't find any thread so I grab a stapler. It hurts, but the wounds are closed. I find Natsuo. He hugs me and I walk with him to the den. We have a Wii set up with some games, thanks to grandma.

Natsou and I start playing. Soon Fuyumi joins in from nowhere. As usual, I can't see straight so I got last place in every one.    Thats fine.

I find myself nodding off. I'm always so tired.

"Wake me up before he leaves" I tell them before I drift off to sleep.

My dreams are plagued with nightmares and memories. I just want to leave here. Take mom and my siblings. We can live in the woods, like people in movies! He'll never find us, but if ge did, all of us could blast him and run away again.

It'd be so nice, this dream of mine. But I can't even leave my room at night. How am I supposed to run away?

In a few years he'll force me into UA probably. I might be able to find peace there. Away from him. But I know I'd have to die to escape him.

Fuyumi woke me up suddenly. It must have been hours. He was outside in the courtyard. We all rushed out. Mom took Shoto from him and he said a gruff goodbye and left for his agency.

Number two hero. I'd rather die than see him as number one. Mom had fresh bruises on her arms and face. Probably more than I could see. She leaves Shoto with us and we go back to our gaming room.

Fuyumi is reading a medical book and Natsou and I are playing mario cart.

"Ha! Take that toad!" He yells at me and the three of us laugh. I pass him just at the last second though somehow and cross the finish line first.

"Ha!" I pump my fists in the air. He shoves me playfully and I try not to wince away. He doesn't notice though so its fine.

Mom comes in with some cold Soba. We all dig in. Even baby Shoto seems to like it.

Before we know it, its almost midnight. Im so tired, but as usual, nightmares keep me awake at night. When dad's not home, my door isn't locked. But something still keeps me in. I'm scared to leave. I tried once, when I was 5. I just wanted to see the meteor shower. Everyone else could. But he caught me.

Scars might fade but memories don't.

I hear shuffling outside and I try not to panic. Is it him?

"Touya? C-can I sleep with you tonight? I had a nightmare." Natsou sniffs from the other side.

A nightmare, I know all about it.

"Sure. Come on in, runt." I say with a smile. It's a joke between us, because hes already almost as tall as I am.

The door opens and his little face peaks inside. His eyes are wet and hes shaking.

"Oh, Natsuo. Its alright." I say and open my arms. He races inside and hives me a giant hug.

"What happened?" I ask softly, stroking his white hair.

"It was horrible! You had an Ice quirk too and dad hurt you. And, and then you tried to run away. Like you keep telling us we'll do. So dad tied up mommy, and Fuyumi, and me... And Shoto, and he threw us in the ocean because he was mad at you! And, and-" his sobbing became impossible to understand. I hold him at arms length.

"Hey. That's just Silly. I would never leave without you guys. You know that! One day, we're getting outta here. And we'll erase him from our lives. We'll never see him again!" I assure him.

"N-never?" His lip trembled.

"Never ever." I say and hug him close. He's still shaking. I have an idea. I gently let go and move to the door. The very idea of this makes me shake in fear but I want to help Natsou.

"Are you coming?" I ask. He stands up and follows.

I close the door behind us and we creep out into the night.

"I'm sorry I'm crying." He says. I stop.

"Don't be sorry. Even heroes cry. Only bad guys never cry. Its part of what makes us human." I say with a hand on his shoulder. He nods. We keep walking and we get to the living room.

Natsou stops.

"But, Touya. Dad never cries." He says.

"I know"