*Trigger warning: Mention of r*pe*

Everything felt numb. Since our strange, intimate reunion, Bakugou had been sticking to me like glue, yet his attitude was as fierce as ever.

We refused to speak about what happened between us, but I was sure that was for the best. If I was to be honest with myself, I wasn't completely certain that I truly loved him, but there was definitely something keeping me attached.

We weren't officially back together, nor were we enemies. We were stuck in a hazy limbo. A single day now remained until the exams started, and all I could do was sit and mutter to myself, just like Midoriya.

Everyone was smart enough to give me space, apart from my two blond ‘disciples’, as Tsuyu had jestingly dubbed them. Their constant presence wouldn't have frustrated me as much if it weren't for their constant bickering and arguments.

Bakugou seemed to believe that Kaminari was a major threat, and I couldn't exactly oppose his judgement. Kaminari, on the other hand, oblivious of our reconciliation, just wanted to keep the explosive teen away from me.

“Stop hovering over her, you damn dunce!” Bakugou snapped viciously, blocking the path to my desk, where I cringed.

“Y..you can't talk! Give her some space, would ya?!” It was our break between classes, so I knew things would quickly get out of hand without a teacher present.

“Guys...chill…” I tried to gain their attention, but they were already too loud for me to be heard. Before I could make another attempt, I felt a cool hand grab mine and I was suddenly pulled out of my chair. I blinked a few times and realised Todoroki had begun leading me out of the classroom.

When I said chill I didn't exactly mean...oh, never mind…

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PLAYIN’ AT, ICYHOT?!” The scent of burning wood reached my nostrils, but we didn't stop to give the enraged Bakugou the time of day.

“I require a moment of her time, Bakugou.” Todoroki explained calmly before we slipped through the doorway and started down the hall.

“Uh...so...what's up, Canada?” I asked a little sheepishly, eyeing his hand which still firmly grasped mine. He seemed to notice this, as he released me immediately, coughing as a way of pardoning his actions.

“First of all, I apologise for grabbing your hand like that...especially since I am apparently a serial hand crusher…” He stared down at his palm, flexing his fingers in and out whilst I became even more confused.

“Hand...Crusher..? You've lost me there, Two-Tone…” I said with a nervous chuckle. He caught my eyes again and sighed, motioning for me to walk alongside him. The corridor was empty, and our footsteps echoed as I waited for him to continue.

“You and I see somewhat alike, (Y/N)...” He said quietly, keeping his eyes facing ahead.
“Somehow...I don't quite buy that…” I mumbled in response.

Alike? How could we possibly be alike?

“Though you've obviously gone through a lot more...well, for lack of a better word, I'll say shit...I know what it's like to have a brutal father…” I stopped walking and looked up at him, my eyes wide for a few moments before a nervous, fake smirk stole my lips.

“Don't tell me you're a fellow member of the daddy issues club?” I snickered, but my voice was betraying me. I was quite startled by his sudden confession, and I wasn't keen on having a conversation about my villainous father. He began to walk again, and I forced myself to follow, but now I was lagging behind.

“Would it be too much to ask you a personal question?” He said after a while, turning to glance at me over his shoulder.

Yes, it really would be…

“Ask and I'll answer if I'm comfortable enough with it…” I responded cautiously.

“Are you also the product of a quirk marriage?” Suddenly, being trapped between the feuding blonds didn't seem so bad.

“I...uh…” I swallowed and bit my lip, trying to decide whether or not I should say anything.

Shota told me not to...but...he also told me not to show my Berserk...so...

“Come with me…” I grabbed him by the left arm, feeling a heat similar to Bakugou’s as I led him out towards the tree, where I had first shared lunch with Kirishima. After making sure the coast was clear, I leant back against the bark and sighed. “You're close...but not quite on the mark, Shoto…it wasn't a quirk marriage…” He seemed a little taken aback by my sudden use of his first name, but he didn't complain.

“So, what was it exactly? If you feel comfortable enough to speak to me about it, that is…” I really didn't, but the fact that he was similar to me, brought into this world as a tool rather than a blessing, made me feel like I could trust him.

“I'd call it...a quirk rape…” The word made me shudder, and I noticed Todoroki visibly stiffen. “...My father...Slate...has three children to three different women. The first was with his late wife...apparently...a woman with a quirk that could induce vertigo...then Hokuto’s mother...the late pro hero Lifejaws…”

“Lifejaws? The hero who could tear through steel with her teeth, famous for rescuing over fifty people in that major motorway accident all those years ago?” Todoroki queried, and I nodded, uttering a sarcastic snort.

“You sound like Midoriya…” I chuckled dryly before continuing. “Yeah, her. Remember when she apparently died during childbirth? Lies…” I didn't want to talk about it, but I knew I'd already said too much to stop now.

“And...what about your mother, (Y/N)..?” Todoroki’s voice had softened, and he seemed almost scared to ask.

She…

“According to what I've heard...Slate stalked my mother for years...once Shota’s quirk manifested...she could erase by touch...and he, as you know, by sight...he found it valuable…”

I don't want to say it…

“...when Shota was in his last year of middle school...he apparently came home and found the apartment trashed...our mother was catatonic, and battered pretty badly...to put it bluntly...he...took her with the intention of later collecting the outcome...me…” I allowed myself to slip down to a seated position, my head resting back against the scratchy surface of the tree. “...I mean...who would want a child born from that, right?” Todoroki sat down beside me, staring off into space as he took it all in. The atmosphere was awkward, but he eventually spoke.

“But...she kept you...she wanted you…” He murmured, and another forced chuckle rose from my throat.

“Wanted? God, no...The only reason she kept me was because Sho begged her to. He said that once he saw me...it was like a sort of paternal instinct took over. Our mother didn't abuse me or anything...she smiled and shit...but she never treated me as her daughter. More like a house guest. Sho was the one who raised me, even after he started at UA…” I felt like I was squashing an entire colony of ants, one by one, as I fought against my emotions. I'd crush each one as it surfaced, but more kept following.

“I'm...sorry, (Y/N)...” Todoroki looked so sad, and I hated seeing him pity me. “What happened? To...your mother, I mean…”

I knew he'd ask that…

“She killed herself about a week before my fifth birthday...apparently...I was with Sho at the time, and I barely remember anything, just that I saw a lot of people around the house and I ended up being watched by Hizashi...Present Mic. After that, he and Sho raised me. That's all I remember...everything else before I was ten...is all cracked and jumbled…” One solitary tear trailed down my cheek, but that's all I allowed.

“(Y/N)...I-”

“We need to talk, Street Rat…” I jumped in fright as Bakugou’s voice cut Todoroki off, and he walked out from behind the cafeteria building.

He heard everything…

“Don't call her that…” Kaminari was at his heels, looking pale and guilty.

They both heard everything…

“Perhaps you should both just give her some space...if you were, in fact, eavesdropping, then you should understand that…” Todoroki stood up and glared at them, his heterochromic eyes warning them off.

“I d..didn't mean to! Bakugou just started to follow you guys...and...I tried to stop him...but…” Kaminari tried to defend himself, but trailed off in a sigh. “...I'm sorry, (Y/N)...”

“Why'd you tell him?! Why not me?! Fuck, even this electric extra would've been better than him! Actually, no...why wasn't it me?!” Bakugou raged on, and I felt guilty, but I just wasn't willing to deal with any of it.

Silently, I stood up and began to walk away, back to where I had been residing at the back of the UA grounds. Behind me, I could hear Todoroki trying to stop the crackling hot head from following me, and I could feel sad, desperate eyes drilling into the back of my skull.

Every time we reconcile...he loses his temper…

Just as I reached my door, my phone chimed in my bra. I fished it out and opened the message, a heavy sigh blowing past my lips.

From: Sentient Powerbank

I'm sorry...I didn't mean to listen in…

Bakugou’s not good for you…

He's angry and rude and he doesn't treat you right…

I want you to be happy...because I love you, Precious

Just know that I'm here for you...and I won't treat you like an extra… x

I couldn't respond to it. Instead, I just pressed my forehead against the door and whined, sounding like a pound puppy.

People really need to stop loving me...I can't take it anymore...