Normal...?

What a word I have always wanted for myself.

Hawks grew quiet in anticipation as to what I would say in reply to him, the context clues he was laying down for me so I wasn't overwhelmed. It didn't work, I was already overwhelmed. The idea... If I had only had tried harder, if I hadn't slept in that day, would have stopped him before he set foot outside of the abandoned apartment complex- Our home. None of this would have happened.

He... He wouldn't be.

"I know it's a lot to take in. I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner. Touya wanted this to be a surprise for you, like a gift. He was stockpiling money, I was putting money away, looking into the dark side of the world for passports, IDs, and whatnot, just so we can start anew. It- It didn't happen. But I want to give you the chance to experience of being normal. It will just be a lot harder now."

"...Normal... You are saying that if I had stopped him, I could be a normal teenager?"

"Elle-"

"No, stop. It's exactly what you are saying. I get it."

"It's not your fault. Even if you had tried to stop him from going, he would have went anyway. Trust me, I know. He wa- Is very stubborn." Hawks told me, his voice round and firm, trying to get it through to me that what I knew was right was wrong.

But it was the truth.

I would still have Touya here with me.

"I know that you are hurting, I am too. But we can't backpedal into a corner and never move away from it. Fuck- Touya was an amazing person, friend, brother, and-" He fell short, running his hands through his hair, his hair falling forward as he hung his head down low. Disappointed in himself? "I should have tried harder to convince him, to let me give you guys money, so you can leave the city, and Japan itself! That will forever haunt me on what I didn't do. But what I can do right now is make sure that your life moves forward, Elle."

"How can it move forward when the person who kept my life going is- Is.. FUCK!" Hawks propelled forward, grabbing ahold of my hands as he felt the increase in temperature of the room, holding tightly.

"Because he wouldn't want you to stay here, he wouldn't want you to be stuck in this bubble. He would want you to move forward. He would want you to become your own person, be 'normal'. Have an amazing life. I know it's going to be gut wrenching hard as shit but you have so many people left here with you who wants to help you! I loved Touya, and always will. But I can't dwell in self-sorrow forever, because people out there in the world are counting on me to be a hero. To save them when things go bad, okay?" His words didn't register in my head for a moment, my ears were burning as heat flushed my entire body. Trying to combat down my emotions, hindering it from exploding out of me. I didn't want to burn Hawks. I didn't want to hurt him or anyone.

It was silent for a few minutes as I did my best to calm down, I could practically hear Touya's words of encouragement, feel his warmth as he hugged me as I went through a breakdown, felt his tears hit the top of my head because he didn't like seeing me sad, or feel helpless, angry...

Would he truly want me to move on without him?

My eyes burned and stung as I held back tears of my own, Hawks maneuvering to sit down on the bed next to me, swinging his arm around my shoulders and pulling me into him.

"I know I'm not him, I'm probably the last person who should be talking to you about this but- For as long as you need and want my help. I am here for you to take the first steps to a better life, a life outside of this room, away from this confinement." 'Warm...' Hawks wasn't Touya, but the warmth in his words and the hug he gave me that day, helped me imagine that Touya was the one speaking to me, hugging me, telling me that I was okay. That he had faith in me... If I ever needed him, he was going to be there.

---

The day that followed was of the weekend, a day usually given to visiting his mother in the ward, but instead gained a call from the hospital.

At first, panic ensnared him, fear retching at his throat, bile at the back of it. He was ready to go out the door before the first sentence came from the person on the other end, telling him that nothing was the matter, only that... She was ready.

The call ended to put it short, as he gathered up gifts into a bag that had been sitting on the island in the kitchen for months, gifts that should have been given to her for months, but never received because she didn't want to be seen by them. He called his sister from her journey out to the grocery store, he could hear her dropping a bag of noodles to the floor when he told her about the call he just received.

Fuyumi drove back to the house, ecstatic and on the verge of tears, the groceries forgotten back at the store. They could wait, she didn't have to cook dinner that night, she couldn't even think about doing that because getting home was more important. After they would have to go and pick up their little brother.

Fuyumi reached home, walking through the door as Natsuo finished gathering up the gifts, on the phone with Shoto. She couldn't hear the other end of the conversation, but she knew he was just excited as the rest of them were.

They loaded up Fuyumi's vehicle, then took off to the UA dorms. The promise of finally being able to see their little sibling fresh in their minds. The car ride to the dorms were silent, the two not knowing how to put together a conversation to speak about what was about to occur that day. They could barely fathom the prospect- She... She wanted to see them.

Fuyumi and Natsuo's family was becoming whole again after such a hard past, during a hard present, and a hard future awaiting them but- Atleast, they will be together again with the sister they knew to be quick-witted, rebellious, tender- The qualities that she was known for when she was younger came back to them, and they hoped she kept those same qualities, but also hoped to see the new girl that she had grown up to be, and shall continue to grow into.

Shoto grabbed his book bag, shoving in the miscellaneous amount of books that he could fit into the bag, remembering to himself of how much she loved to read during the time he got to know her as the orphan, Elle. He could only think she picked up reading as a hobby after she left the estate. He remembered fondly and in amusement of her making him read books to her because she could never sit long enough or get interested in any book without having him read to her. He loved reading to her when they were little, and after she left, disappeared along with Touya- He would reread those books they had, over and over again, and acted as if he was still reading out loud to her.

If things get awkward- At least they will have something to speak about... Books. As boring as it sounded, he knew that it would be good for both of them.

His older siblings arrived outside of the dorms after gaining permission to enter the grounds. They waited out in the car, Natsuo ready to burst out of his seat to go and grab his brother to drag him out to the vehicle so that they could go and see her already!

Shoto journeyed down the first floor, waving at those who called his name when he passed by the lounge, his classmates sitting down on the sofas and loveseats, he briefly glanced over as he walked by, seeing that they were all playing different card games.

"Hey Todoroki! Wanna play?" Mina questions the two-toned teenager. "Can't." He replied quickly before continuing, "I won't be back until later."

"The hell you going, Icyhot?" Katsuki grumbled out in question, glaring at his classmate from over his set of cards. The card game he was playing with three others paused.

"I will explain later, Fuyumi and Natsuo are outside waiting for me-" Izuku's mouth fell agape, eyeing the book bag Todoroki held in his possession, and the excited twinkle in his eyes. He placed his set of cards down, keeping his cards hidden away from Kaminari's and Ojiro's prying gazes in their game of Old Maid.

"Elle?" Izuku questions him. Shoto blinked at his friend in surprise, not expecting him to catch on so quick.

The redhead that was in the same card game as Katsuki's, head perked up, looking to Izuku at the mention of his friend's name. "Yeah." Shoto stated, sending him a quick smile before he darted out of the room to get to his brother and sister.

It took a minute for the group to process that Shoto just smiled with all of them present in the room at the same time, and that- He was going to visit Elle in the hospital.

"Oh my goodness! I'm so excited for Todoroki!" Hagakure shouted from her spot on the loveseat, the pillow she held in her lap being squeezed into a hug, her sorrowful thoughts about losing in Old Maid forgotten.

"Sounds like Elle is accepting visitors now." Jirou muttered, reigniting the flame in War, smacking her card down, enticing Katsuki to continue on in the game with fever.

"Hear that Shitty Hair? Now you can quit that moping." Katsuki elbowed his friend, Eijirou softly nodded, a little bit dazed as he sat his card down.

"Elle..." He whispered to himself, '...She is finally letting people see her.'

"That's good news for Todoroki and his family! One of these days we should all go and visit her as a class to give her our kind regards!" Iida stated, not participating in any of the card games. He was actually fixing up lunch for them in the wide open kitchen next to the lounge area.

"Let's not be too hasty! It took her this long to let her own brother come and see her, so let's not go there unannounced and make her feel uncomfortable." Momo pointed out.

Shoto hopped into the backseat of the vehicle, barely getting his seatbelt on before Fuyumi was driving, wanting to get there as soon as possible.

"Okay, game plan Shoto." Natsuo turned around in his seat to look at his brother, "We got all of the gifts for Sachiko. Do you have any conversation topics in mind?"

"Uh, books?"

"Okay that is at least something, how about uh, food? No- Any friends she has made in the hospital or like-"

"Calm down Natsu, we don't want to overwhelm her."

"I don't want things to get terribly awkward! Heck, this is the first me and you are seeing her in 10 years in the flesh, It's going to be overwhelming for her and us no matter what!"

"I know that! But we can at least keep it down a notch, okay?" Fuyumi stated, sighing heavily as she kept her cool. Knowing Natsuo was buzzing with nerves and excitement. All of them were.

"Who else did you call?" Questioned Shoto, double checking his bag before they got too far into the city. "Just you two. I didn't want to call anyone else in case Sachiko decides she doesn't want to see us last minute." An uncomfortable shiver goes down the sibling's spine, the nickname catching them off guard. Something they will all have to get used to saying again.

"I wonder if she has read our letters." Fuyumi began, making a turn after the light turned green, "...Maybe she will be more caught up with our lives now?"

"We did write our first sets of letters next to each other." Shoto muttered, Natsuo letting out a bark of a laugh, "And you getting so worked up every time you misspelled something or it didn't look neat!"

"That was you, Natsu."

"Not in my memory log so it didn't happen." Natsuo defended quickly, Shoto's little quip of a shot back at his older brother igniting a giggle from the sister at the steering wheel. "It so did happen! You kept trying to get me to write the letters for you! I felt like we were in middle school again when you would come running in with tears streaming down your face over your bad grammar skills!"

"Not my fault I suck at my own language!"

"It sorta is."

"Fuyu-!" The conversation is drawled out as Shoto finds himself staring down at his phone, staring at the lock screen he had saved and kept for months now. He wished to change it, so it included with all of them grown up now... Well most of them anyway.

It was a picture of a picture, the original coming from the old family scrapbook he had kept under his bed for many years, not wanting their father to find it and destroy it because it left a bitter taste in his mouth. He was glad that never happened, because now they can hold the good memories they did have of their childhood together with them forever. Stored inside a withered scrapbook that is in need of polishing.

He doesn't remember who took the photo, he could only guess their mom did.

Touya stood in the middle, blazing red hair and mischievous glint of blue eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled widely, Fuyumi and Natsuo under his arms in headlocks. Two little forms below them, pulling on their captured older siblings to get them free from Touya's grasp.

He could still hear Touya's laugh at their struggling, Natsuo yelling, "Just because you are taller than me now doesn't mean you can bully me!". The giggles of Fuyumi as Shoto pulled on her arm, and the catching of a gaze with his twin on the other side of Natsuo, hair pulled back into two pigtail braids, courtesy of Fuyumi earlier that day.

He wanted to have another photo like that one day in his possession, when they were all genuinely happy for once.

The trek to the front desk of the hospital, the signing in for the visitor hours, having to be out of there by 9 pm, the ride up the elevator to the third floor, feeling his heart rate increase, hands beginning to sweat, remembering the last time he saw his sister was when she was unconscious and being treated. The last time heard her voice was the day they lost their older brother. Felt her pain and anguish as did she...

It bothered him that, he didn't react to the confirmation of Touya being gone like Natsuo and Fuyumi did. He just felt... Detached? In a way? He loved Touya, didn't have as much interaction with him as the others did, especially not as much with Sachiko. She became his little mini me in terms of rebellion.

Was that why he didn't break down? Why he didn't curse at the world? Were the emotions he felt when it happened truly his? Or his sister's?

The elevator dinged, opening it's door and letting them walk out onto the third floor.

"Okay what is the plan?" Elise questions her friend once again for the fifth time the past hour.

"I already said-"

"No. Recite the plan. Now." Elise huffed in emphasis, poking at Sachiko's shoulder.

"No. Get out Elise, they will be here soon. I don't have time for this."

"Ha! Fine, if you are going to be that way I won't bring you raspberry milk later-!"

"You seriously think bribing will get you to stay longer?"

"I had to try. I know that has became one of your favorite drinks." Sachiko shrugged, sending her a pointed look over her shoulder at Elise. "Get out. You can bother me later after they leave."

"Okay okay okay~ I shall, and will, and CAN!" Elise moves towards the door, ready to leave but pauses when she gripped ahold of the door handle. "Good luck, okay? If things do get too much, I am right next door." The girl seated on the computer chair didn't reply, hearing the Shinsuo leave the room, closing the door behind her so softly she wouldn't have known she ever left if it wasn't for hearing Elise and her nurse speaking outside of the door. The nurse ready to take her back to her room.

She glanced down to the plastic bin by her desk, staring at the opened letters inside, disorganized but opened and read, some glossed over because they were mostly of the same usual things talked about in the rest of the letters. About how much people miss her, couldn't wait for her to get better, things they would do once she was out of the hospital...

She heard the door click open, didn't lift her head or shift her body to turn the chair, arms wrapped securely around the knees held against her chest. Three new pairs of lungs entering the fray to join her in consuming the oxygen inside of the room.

Sounds of shuffling, things being placed on the ground or on her bed, her eyes beginning to burn, heart clenching.

A hand placed on her shoulder, startling her. Her head whipping up, cracking a portion of her neck with the fast motion.

The eyes she met, the expression, the warmth she felt as she fell into his arms, pushing them both down to the ground as she became overwhelmed, ready to shut down just by one look, one thought, that this was really happening. They were here, her other half was here. Her opposite.

Shoto had no trouble landing on the ground, ignoring the slight pain he felt in his ankles from the sudden fall and weight thrusted into his front, arms wrapping around his sister, gripping tightly onto her grey sweater.

No words spoken, but labored breaths and distinct muffles of crying. The shuffling over to the younger set of siblings, hugging them both, shoulders racking in sobs.

The children of neglect and abuse being whole again, with only one out of the fray.

To Be continued

Chapter Title is a bit of a call back to Chapter 5 - Children of Neglect.

Y'all know how much I love making Opposites chapter names coincide with each other, it's very fun :).

How has everyone been? I hope well, I actually got a car last month, and tomorrow hopefully I will be going for my driver's permit! Wish me luck! I'm gonna need it because as always I am a ball of stress.

We get the end of the conversation between Elle and Hawks, Hawks telling her what he thinks, and how in order for things to get better, she will have to do better if she wants to get out of the hospital sooner.

Thennnn, Elle decides to take a risk and, request for her remaining siblings to visit her around two days later. A big step Elle knew she had to take, or else, nothing would have ever come out of it.

We see the three's different reactions to the news, scrambling because as much as they thought they were prepared to seeing the youngest sibling again, they really weren't.

Annddd they are all reunited! Next chapter will be about them interacting, so look forward to that!

Thank you all for reading, and I will talk to you all later! -Golden