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They processed anger differently. While Iida raged and lashed out, Todoroki’s anger simmered suppressed under the surface.
“I don’t care if he’s your father, those words were unacceptable!”
Todoroki could feel a headache coming on. “Look, I obviously don’t agree with him, but we have to maintain a professional relationship with Endeavor.”
Iida paced their living room. It felt too small for his long stride. “Endeavor was rude. We should go back and demand an apology.”
Todoroki couldn’t hold in a harsh bark of laughter. “Endeavor doesn’t apologize, least of all to me. He does what he wants—no one stops him.” He sighed angrily. “You shouldn’t have talked to him like that.”
Stopping suddenly, Iida stared at him, stunned. “So, you’re siding with him, now?”
“You’re putting words in my mouth,” Todoroki returned coldly.
Iida placed his hands on his hips. “What else am I supposed to think when you’re defending him?”
Todoroki took a deep breath. The exhale shuddered more than he cared to admit. They never fought like this. Sometimes they disagreed over where to go out to eat or how much unnecessary danger someone (usually Todoroki, in Iida’s opinion) put themselves in; they argued about the mundane things that other couples argued about. The boring things that were easily placated. They didn’t fight, not in ways that could potentially damage them. Not in ways that could potentially end them.
The gravity that they were having a serious argument shook Todoroki. He had to keep a calm head and choose the words that would best acknowledge what he wanted to say. There was no way he was going to lose Iida because of misunderstandings and words twisted in the heat of the moment. “Tenya, you know that I’m with you because I’m in love with you, not because of some perversion. At least, I hoped you knew that.”
Iida scratched his head and took his own deep breath. “I do. I know you are. I’m just—he makes me so angry, sometimes.”
With a nod, Todoroki agreed. “Me, too. But I am scared of what he could do. With a few words, he could destroy a young hero’s career. I refuse to let him do that to you.” He also refused to let his father be the root of any fissures between them. If, in the future, they did part ways (and Todoroki would do anything to prevent that from happening), it would be because that they were in some way incompatible, not because of his father.
“If he tries anything,” Iida stated, “I’ll fight back. If he tries to come between us, I’ll fight him. I’ll fight dirty if I must. I’m not giving you up.”
He sounded so assured that Todoroki suppressed a laugh as he imagined Iida saying those words to Endeavor. His hot-blooded, stubborn lover would try to fight him, too. He sincerely hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but if it did, he’d already chosen a side.
And just like that, the tension deescalated.
Iida touched Todoroki’s arm gently. When Todoroki didn’t pull away, he moved closer to put his arms around the other man. “Are we okay?” Iida mumbled into Todoroki’s fine hair. The fight may have been over, but Iida’s body still tremored with unused energy.
Todoroki nodded. This was home. He’d never let a fight cause him to lose this. “Promise me we’ll always talk it over, just like this.”
Squeezing him a little tighter, Iida replied, “I promise.”