We'll Be Going Now

Isla woke up the next morning, butterflies immediately fluttering in her stomach. Did Shoto Todoroki ask her out on a date yesterday? No. This was just a leisurely walk. Some exercise and fresh air. She was supposed to be at his house by 9:30am and was determined to not get lost like she did in the stadium. Checking her phone, the time read 7:45am as she opened up her GPS app and typed in his address to see how long it would take for her to get there. He mentioned it wasn't far from the school, which also meant it wasn't within walking distance of her apartment. Without giving too much information to her mom, Isla asked if she would help her navigate the public transportation and accompany her to Todoroki's house.

"That's the boy who came in second place at the festival, isn't it?" her mom cooed. "I didn't know you were interested in him!"

"Mom, please," Isla sighed. "I wouldn't say I'm 'interested in him'. He apologized for how he treated me when we first met and then asked me to hang out today. Friends. That's it."

Catherine watched her daughter fuss over her hair. Attempt to put on make-up that she never wore and take one too many 'last checks' in the mirror to make sure her outfit was the right choice; light blue denim jeans and a simple black shirt with a grey cardigan. "Oh, of course," she grinned. "Friends."

Isla made her mom teach her how to read the maps and figure out how to read the transit schedules so the next time she could get to Todoroki's on her own.

Wait … is there going to be a next time? Did she want there to be a next time? Did he?

It only took two bus switches to reach his neighborhood and another fifteen minute walk from the station to his house. It occurred to Isla she hadn't seen any other housing structure besides her own since moving to Japan. The house was large, but only two stories; simplistic in design. A stone wall surrounded the whole property, with the exception of the walkway that lead to the main entrance.

Isla stood frozen on the spot, her mom standing next to her. "Aren't you going to knock on the door?" Catherine asked.

Taking a deep breath, she clutched the strap of her bag. "That would help, wouldn't it?"

"Just text me when you're ready to meet back here," her mom kissed the top of her head before heading back to the bus station.

Making her way up the cobble stone pathway, she started to panic. What if she knocked on the door and Endeavor was the one to answer it? Wait. Today was a weekday, which means the Number Two Hero is most likely working. Which a relief. Steps away, the door gently slid open and Todoroki was right there behind it. She also caught the glimpse of a girl who looked older, but definitely not old enough to be his mom. The two of them looked alike.

She saw Isla, too and nudged Todoroki off to the side, skipping out of the door to greet her. "You must be Isla Evans, right?" she smiled, pure and genuine. "I'm Shoto's big sister, Fuyumi! It's so nice to finally meet one of his friends!"

Isla blinked, taken aback by the greeting. She wasn't so sure if they were friends, but it was clear Fuyumi thought so. She was so different from her brother and father. Kind, happy, warm and upbeat. Isla saw Amy and Laura in her and felt herself getting stupidly emotional at the connection. "Yeah, that's me," she smiled at Todoroki's sister. "It's really nice to meet you –"

And then a cold hand grasped her wrist, turning her around away from the house. "We'll be going now," came the flat voice of her … friend; as they started walking; his hand still maintaining its hold.

Fuyumi stood with a surprised expression in her eyes before smiling and waving them off. "You should come back for tea after your walk!" she called.

As soon as the two turned on the street, he released his grip and returned both hands to their normal spot inside the pockets of his trousers. Light grey and rolled up just a bit at the ankle, Isla saw impeccably white converse shoes. He wore a dark navy blue button down shirt that he chose to leave open with a simple white t-shirt underneath, a cross-body satchel on his back. He hadn't made eye contact with her, let alone acknowledged her presence, and Isla began to think that maybe she should've declined his invite.

"Sorry about my sister," he muttered, breaking the silence. "She thinks I'm a loner at school, so she was really excited to see that I was telling the truth about us meeting up today."

Isla furrowed her brow. "She thought you were making it up? Our walk?"

"She believed me when I said I was going out. I don't particularly like being home a whole lot to begin with, but it was your part in particular she was skeptical of."

Isla looked up to him, realizing just then how much taller he was than her. She walked on his right side, figuring it was on purpose. She found herself wanting him to hold her wrist again. "Why don't you like spending time at home?" she finally asked, though she had a feeling she knew the answer why.

He closed his eyes and exhaled loudly. "My old man isn't exactly parent of the year. "He's the Number Two Hero, Endeavor. From an early age, he obsessed with my Quirk training; never letting me be a normal kid with my brothers or sister. Being home reminds me of that time in my life, and my … well … my mother …"

His voice grew distant and Isla's heart began to ache. She didn't want to press for information from him, though. It was the very thing he was grateful for from her, and she wasn't about to ruin that.

"My father has enough money to throw at his problems as well as his solutions. He basically bought my mother from her parents because of her Quirk. When powers first started to develop in a majority of the population, a type of arranged marriage quickly became a problem. People would seek out partners for the sole purpose of producing powerful children; since Quirks can be inherited. My two brothers and sister were 'lucky enough to have escaped with mediocre powers', according to my father."

Isla could hear the disgust in his voice. What Endeavor did was obviously not out of love. How could anyone allow their daughter to be married to a man, simply because of however many zeros were on a check? Her stomach churned as her eyes focused on the road ahead of them. Simply listening to the boy walking beside her.

"My father never treated her well," Todoroki clenched his jaw. "She would come to my defense whenever he was pushing me too hard, and he would almost always hit her to get her out of his way. She would sit with me and watch interviews with All Might on particularly rough days and it would always make me feel better. She would say how proud she was of me. But I was afraid. Afraid that the more time he tried to mold me into whatever shape he wanted, the more I would end up like him. Someone who bullies people. Who belittles and makes others feel worthless if they don't live up to his expectations."

She looked up to his gaze focused straight ahead of them.

"One night, I woke up wanting a drink of water. I could hear my mother's voice in the kitchen. She was talking to someone on the phone, saying that she wanted to run away from her life. That my brothers and sister looked more like my father every day. That the sight of me …" his voice broke and he came to a stop.

It was then Isla realized they were in a courtyard of sorts. Similar to UA, but more casual. There were shops, food carts and vendors selling various handmade goods. In the center was an elegant water feature, spraying streams in a rhythmic pattern. A heavy exhale brought her attention back to Todoroki, who was watching her. She felt her cheeks warm and maintained eye contact with him. She was afraid her voice was going to betray her so she tried her best to keep it even. "It's okay," she was finally able to say. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

He removed his left hand from his pocket, studying its features. "I heard her call my left side unbearable. When I went to her, it only took a split second to make the decision to pour boiling water on my face …"

Isla felt her chest tighten. Hearing him explain it directly to her was different than overhearing his conversation with Midoriya at the Sports Festival. She felt her lower lip tremble as her vision became blurry. Using the sleeve of her cardigan, she fiercely wiped her eyes dry before anything could spill from them.