Chapter 125: Chapter 124
As soon as we closed the door behind us, my father snapped :
- What's wrong with you both ?
I sank into one of the two armchairs facing my father's desk, who was standing behind his chair.
Teka, hands clasped behind her back, paced the room, looking at the knick-knacks, books and paintings that littered the room and made it the sanctuary it was.
- Was cordiality too much to ask of you ?
- I didn't do anything, I said in a low voice.
The demon's eyes locked on me.
- Don't lie to me, Shoto.
Well, maybe I'm lying a tiny bit.
- You knew very well what would happen when you invited your grandmother.
That's exactly why I invited her.
- Don't lecture your son, Enji. I am responsible for my own behaviour.
She was looking at an oil painting.
- And I've been absolutely irreproachable.
She walked away slowly, as if strolling through the galleries of a museum.
At least that had the effect of making my father focus on her and leave me alone.
If I sink a little bit more, I might be able to become one with the chai-
- Shoto, straighten up
I stood up straight at once.
- Teka, come here, we need to talk.
- I'll come when I feel like it, she said evenly.
My father's eyes darkened and his fingers dug into the leather of the chair.
Shit, is she trying to get us both killed ?
- This meal was supposed to be a way of putting Touya at ease, of making him feel at home.
- Oh yeah, that's a really clever way to make people feel at ease when we don't even feel at ease with each other, I muttered.
- What did you just say ?
- Nothing
Dad's eyes narrowed.
- Whether you like it or not, Touya is here. You'll have to get used to it, even if you don't like it.
- I know
- You obviously don't, judging by the way you behaved tonight.
- It wasn't me, it was granny
He frowned.
- How old are you ? Twelve ?
My skin got hot and I suddenly felt like a child.
- Yeah, yeah, I get it
- I don't recognise you anymore, he went on, and I felt like sinking into the ground. You've never been-
- -petty ?
- Surly
I crossed my arms over my chest and looked away.
- Yeah, well, I guess you don't know me that well.
Silence.
I immediately regretted my words.
Whatever he was going to say died in his throat.
He closed his mouth whereas I stubbornly refused to look away from his desk.
- What's happening to you ?
I stood still.
- I thought we'd left the angry impulses behind a long time ago. Should I ask your therapist for more frequent sessions ?
- I'm not angry, I said irritably.
- Then what's going on?
I remained silent.
- Does it has anything to do with Touya ?
My left hand twitched and I knew he'd seen it.
- Is there something I should know?
Yes, Shoto, you unworthy son, is there something your father should know about the fucking sociopath who's just come back into his life ?
- Talk to me
I felt sick.
- Shoto, look at me.
I clenched my jaw and looked up at him reluctantly.
He looked at me with the same patient expression he had when I was five and couldn't understand how my ten fingers were supposed to defend me.
- What happened to you ?
- I just...
I paused and cleared my throat, trying to swallow the lump that made me feel like I was going to cry like a damned weakling at any moment and-
- I think Touya wants to kill you
I was so relieved by the revelation - the pure, unadulterated, unvarnished truth - that I fell back against the chair, physically worn out.
Dad, eyebrows raised, eyes wide open, looked like he'd run out of words.
Teka's heels clicked like two colliding stones as she calmly crossed the distance to us.
- What do you mean?, she asked.
- He and I talked and there's something about him... Nothing about his story makes sense.
- Why would he want to kill your father ?
I bit the inside of my cheek, embarrassed at having to reveal my... my feelings to someone else.
- Because he hates me more than anything and he knows how much it would... bother me if he killed him...
No one picked up on my choice of words, and I felt grateful to them for that.
- And why doesn't he try to kill you ?
- Because he knows he can't.
Dad, pale, snapped out of his torpor and dropped heavily onto his chair.
- Are you all right ?
- I'm fine. Of course I am.
But the flash of pain in his eyes told me more than words could.
Even Teka tried to be sympathetic:
- Eleven years alone, Enji, especially at his age... that was bound to leave its mark...
- I know, I know
But he looked like someone who simply didn't know.
Suddenly he stood up, the legs of his chair crunching against the floor.
- Dad, I said worriedly, You know this isn't your fault.
Teka put her hand on my shoulder and motioned for me to be quiet.
- I'll be... I'll be right back
The door closed softly behind him.
- Should I have lied ?
- No, of course not
- But he looks...
Down.
- It's not the truth that hurts him, it's the fact that it's family that does.
I groaned, rubbing my eyes with one hand to wake myself up.
- Everything used to be so much easier...
...before Touya showed up, before the hangar video came out, before All for One disappeared, before I killed the vilains, before the camp, before-
- Do you ever wish you could go back and change things?
- More often than you'd like to think.
I sighed.
Life sucks.
- What did you mean earlier, about Touya not being able to kill you?
- He... already knew. About some of my abilities.
Teka waved me on.
- Ten years ago, when he came to my room... Dad told you, didn't he?
- I know he set fire to the house, probably hoping to lock you in, yes.
- And long before Dad came to separate us, I used some of my... abilities.
I remembered the burning house collapsing on us whereas the weakling I was hit Touya without daring to use his chakra because he was afraid of what blood on his hands would do to him.
Ten years later, my hands were so soaked in blood I couldn't see my skin anymore.
How ironic.
- He saw them, but it didn't bother me because he should have died. He knows I could have killed him back then, he knows I still can
Teka remained silent, her eyebrows furrowed.
- Shoto, I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to answer me honestly.
I straightened up.
- You didn't know that this villain - this Dabi - was Touya, did you?
- No, of course I didn't.
- Good, good.
Silence.
- I'm worried about dad.
- You've seen his exploits with God Mode as well as I have. If anyone can protect himself, it's him.
I protested.
- But he's still just a man.
Men were flaillible, mortal.
- It only takes one bad day, one bad encounter...
Teka shook her head, her eyebrows raised in disillusionment.
- You worry too much about him.
- Please, grandma
Teka gave me a sideways glance.
- ...what do you want?
- Put some of your men on his protection.
All for One was still out there, as were Kurogiri and their bloody doctor - not to mention the possible Nomus' army, who was probably hiding in some bunker or hole, waiting for the day when they could invade Japan.
No one had threatened me or tried to kidnap or kill me since the 'revelation' of my abilities.
Things had been far too quiet, as if a storm was about to engulf us all.
- Your father will refuse.
- Then don't tell him.
Teka pressed her lips together.
- What are you hiding that requires such precautions ?
If anyone found out what I was doing, I'd be publicly executed.
- I just need time. Help me not to blow everything up in the meantime.
Teka said nothing.
I felt the fireball, my earthly sun, cross the corridor towards us.
My eyes were on the door before he even opened it.
His face was wet, as if he'd just splashed himself several times with water. Drops ran down his hair and stained the white collar of his shirt.
Calmly, he walked over to the desk and sat down.
- So, Touya wants to kill me. What makes you think that ?
I exchanged a look with Teka, who motioned for me to just pick up where we left off.
- He knows that it's impossible for him to kill me, so he thinks that hurting me is the best option.
- And what is this assumption based on ?
On the fact that he told me himself that he wanted to ruin your life.
- Touya is not... The Touya of ten years ago hated me and tried to kill me twice. What do you think the Touya of now, who has lived alone and done I don't know what to survive out there, will do to me ?
Dad studied me silently, his hands clasped in front of his face, leaning forward slightly like Teka when she tried to judge whether you were worth the air you breathed or not.
- Do you think he might be a danger to his mother or siblings ?
- No
Their existence didn't matter to me at all, and Touya must have realised that by now.
But they matter to Dad, and what matters to him matters to me.
- Maybe
He looked up at Teka.
- Can you lend me some men?
For a second I thought I saw a slight smile tugging at Teka's lips.
- I'll lend as many of my men as to anyone who wants them.
Dad didn't look up.
- I'd like you to leave some others here as well. To keep an eye on Touya
- Of course. Is there anything else you need?
- Why are you here?
The question surprised me so much that I froze, half standing, my eyes darting back and forth between them as they stared at each other like two chess players trying to predict the other's next move.
- Shoto invited me
- Don't tell me you travelled halfway around the world for a dinner
- And what a wonderful dinner it was, with my dear grandson and my favourite son.
- Don't think I didn't notice.
Enji tapped one of the silver buttons on his cuff, engraved with the Todoroki crest - the stylised flame.
- I see them everywhere these days
Teka smiled.
- Their weakness is their pride when it comes to our clan
- Are you planning to invade Japan ?
Silence. Friendly smile.
- I am only buying properties, Enji. Don't I have the right to diversify my assets ?
Father said nothing. Then he turned back to me.
- Shoto ?
- Nothing more to say
- In that case, you can go
And he took his glasses out of the drawer and slid towards himself a pile of leaflets he had left on the corner of his desk.
I think everyone has forgotten that we were in the middle of dinner.
I wasn't the one who would remind them.
The door closed softly behind us.
Teka's men flanked her as if she were the president.
- You can take the million to my room, she said
- Teka
Hands clasped behind her back like a soldier at rest, Teka stopped in the middle of the corridor as the procession came to a halt.
- Have you ever met All for One?
When my father and All Might were fighting him in Tokyo, he said something strange about Granny.
- The man who kidnapped you? (She pretended to think) Yes.
- Did he try to steal your Quirk ?
She smiled, amused.
- 'Tried' is a big word, my boy. Your grandfather wouldn't even let him get within a safe distance of me.
- How did he keep him away ?
Her eyes wandered, as if recalling distant memories.
- Your grandfather was the most powerful telekinetic this earth has ever known. The All for One of fifty years ago was simply no match for him.
Then the corners of her mouth turned down, wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes and creases crossed her forehead.
Suddenly she looked much older and tired than she let on, and I felt a sudden surge of compassion.
- I'm going to run a bath. I'm tired from this trip.
- Don't buy property in Japan
She raised an eyebrow.
- Should I be worried ?
I tried to smile, but it didn't reach my eyes.
- Just don't buy any
She scanned me silently, then started walking again.
- Your hands are shaking, Shoto
I looked down at my hands, which were indeed shaking.
I forced myself to smooth my trousers to relax them.
- I have no idea what you're doing, but a word of advice : don't do anything you'll regret.
I think it's already too late.
*
Author's note :
Think you guessed what Shoto's big project is ?
Nah you didn't, think bigger.
Last day to get the 150 power stones for the sunday bonus chapter !
If you want to read ahead of schedule, then go check my P@treon, Nar_cisseENG
See you (maybe tomorrow) in the next update everyone !
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