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The snow swirled around him, a shiver rolling down his spine. He turned his gaze up towards the sky, letting the small flakes of frozen water melt against his cheeks. Todoroki Shouto was used to being cold, even when it wasn't snowing, especially when he stood outside of this house.
The snow fell silently, his scarf blowing in the tiny winter breeze, his warm breath puffing out before him in a cloud.
"Papa! Pap-OOF!" Arata fell face first into the snow, his red and black hair now covered in the fluffy white powder.
Shouto bit his lip, trying his best not to laugh at his small son.
"P-Papa..." Arata's voice trembled as he turned to look up at his father, his dark eyes coated with a shiny film. "I-I tripped..." he whimpered.
Shouto stepped forward and knelt down, picking the small boy up. He pulled him close to his chest and began to brush off the pieces of snow which stuck to his winter jacket. "I saw," he said softly.
"I told you not to run ahead," Momo chided softly. She approached the walkway slowly, holding on to the hand of their other toddler, Yuuta. He pressed close to his mother, clinging to her as he often did.
"B-But Papa was lonely!" Shouto felt his heart melt, even as Arata poked his finger against Shouto's cheek.
"I have you now, so not anymore," he chuckled.
Momo smiled, looking at Shouto with her warm, dark eyes. "Are you ready, Shouto? Should we go inside?" she asked, leaning forward to brush her lips against his.
"Ew!! Papa and Mama are kissing!" Arata squealed, shoving his hand against Momo's cheek to push her away from her husband.
Yuuta wrinkled his nose. "Gross," he said, his voice quiet as always. His white and black hair draped over his forehead, pieces poking out from under his hat.
"We did kiss. And I'm going to do it again," Shouto smirked, leaning in one more time to peck her lips.
"Shouto..." she chuckled.
"EW!" Both boys called out in unison.
"I suppose we should... head inside," Shouto mumbled, though it was the last thing he actually wanted to do. His grip on Arata tensed as he stared at the door at the end of the walkway. He wished he could take his family in the other direction, far, far away from that man...
Arata began to wiggle in his hands. "I can walk, Papa!" he grunted, and Shouto placed him back on the ground. He walked forward proudly, glancing back to see if Yuuta would follow.
"Go on," Momo said softly, gently pushing the back of her other son. "Follow your brother." Yuuta glanced up at both his parents and then reluctantly followed after Arata. "Well," she said, watching the two boys kick at the snow on the ground. "They certainly are your sons."
Shouto raised his eyebrow at her. "You don't say..." He trailed off and glanced at the damn house again.
"It'll be alright," Momo whispered quietly, taking his hand in her own, squeezing it tight. She knew how much he hated these gatherings.
"Let's just get it over with."
Christmas was right around the corner, and with Christmas came family obligations and things Shouto didn't care to think about. Normally, they spent the day before Christmas with Shouto’s mother and the evening before with Momo's family, which left Christmas day to themselves and the twins.
However, Todoroki Enji would insist upon Shouto and Momo bringing the kids by a few days before. He would give them presents and they would share a meal. In the past, Shouto's sister, Fuyumi, and her family would join, but this year, they had separate arrangements as Shouto's sister was pregnant once more.
If only they had an excuse.
He stared at Momo for a moment, and sighed.
"What?" she asked, frowning. "You're looking at me funny."
"Just... wishing you were pregnant."
Momo's face turned bright red, her shoulders tensing. "S-Shouto!" she gasped. "W-We decided-"
"Relax," he chuckled, walking forward to slip his arm around her waist, pulling her close. "I just... don't want to go."
"Oh..." she sighed. "It was a joke... because of your sister."
"Mmm..."
There was no excuse for them. To Enji, this year was especially important, since both twins now officially had their quirks and he was interested to see. Of course, the last thing Shouto wanted to do was show off his sons' quirks for the man who bred himself to achieve Shouto.
Shouto supposed he could've skipped out if he wanted to, but he didn't feel like listening to it at work. Not showing up to these sort of things was often worse than showing up, otherwise Enji would harass him until he brought the children over.
Arata knocked on the door excitedly. "Grandpa, Grandpa!" he called out. Yuuta stood next to him, patiently waiting, not saying a word.
The door swung open and Todoroki Enji stood, ready to greet his grandchildren. Sometimes Shouto forgot how much the man had aged over the years. The skin of his scar was tight, his dark hair showed speckles of gray. And yet the old man still wouldn't retire.
"Ah! If it isn't my two boys," his voice boomed as he gently pat their heads.
Shouto's hand clenched, squeezing Momo's tight. There was some protective instinct which always made him want to jump in between his father and his sons. Todoroki Enji didn't deserve to see Shouto's sons... and Shouto knew he was going to ask... any moment now...
Arata flung himself at the man, wrapping his small hands around Enji's neck. "Grandpa!!" he cheered happily, and Shouto knew it was because the boy didn't know any better. Enji had been nothing but kind to his grandchildren... like he had some strange change of heart.
Yuuta scooted forward and hugged Enji quietly. He was usually less forthcoming than Arata anyway, but Shouto could sense hesitation in his quieter son.
He felt Momo's thumb brush over his hand and he desperately tried to relax. This was happening... they only had to spend a few hours here and then they could be on their way.
"How about we get you out of the cold?" he said, lifting both boys up with his arms, holding them to his chest.
Shouto took in a sharp breath of air, his hand heating up against Momo's.
"Shouto," she whispered softly. "It's okay... we would never let him hurt them..."
He took a deep breath and nodded. He knew. He knew the probability of anything happening was insanely low… it wasn’t like they hadn’t spent time with their grandfather before... and yet, he could never shake the feeling.
Things were different now; they had quirks.
Enji carried them inside before setting them down to remove their jackets and shoes as he led them to the living room. The boys followed eagerly behind as Enji sat on his carpet.
"I hear you two have your quirks now!" He smiled wide, looking far too proud of the young boys.
Shouto's fingers curled into fists as he watched. 'Leave them alone!' He wanted to scoop his children up and put a protective ice wall between them and his father. They were his family; his father was anything but.
Admittedly, Shouto never expected to want children. He never thought he would care about having a family, or loving anyone, not when his own was so broken. But Momo... she was perfect; kind, loving, gentle. He knew she wished to be a mother... always had that instinct... and he couldn't deny her it. He found he wanted it too... with her.
Originally, the thought of being a father terrified him. What example did he have to go off of anyway? And yet... now they had the boys, he never wanted to let them go. He wanted to protect them with everything he had, and seeing the man who caused Shouto so much pain so close to them set off all his warning bells.
At the mention of their quirks, Arata jumped up, a ball of energy. Shouto still wasn't quite sure where it all came from, but the lively boy always kept things interesting. "Grandpa, Grandpa!!" he cheered, "lemme show you."
"Now Arata, don't make anything too big," Momo scolded gently. "You know what happens when you get over-excited." Momo and Shouto stepped around, kneeling in front of the table to watch their boys show off their quirks. Arata was always thrilled to use his, sometimes too thrilled.
"Mama," he groaned. "I wasn't gonna!"
"I know, I know. It's just a reminder."
Holding out his palm to Enji, Arata closed his eyes as a small orange and red crystal appeared. Steam rose from it, the object shimmering. "Tada!" he smiled. "Fire crystals! Technically I can make anything I want, but Mama said to keep it small."
"Incredible!" Enji said, leaning forward to get a closer look. "So anything you make looks like this?"
"Yup! And they're hot too!" he said, gesturing for Enji to take the small crystal.
He held the object in his hand and smiled. "Indeed it is! It's very impressive, Arata," he chuckled, rubbing the boy's head.
"Yeah, I'm pretty proud of it!" he said, posing happily. "I'm gonna be a hero just like you guys!"
"Of course you are!" Enji laughed, the sound booming. "And this will be a useful quirk for you to have!" he praised. Turning towards Momo and Shouto he smiled again. "You must be incredibly proud."
"Ah! We are," Momo interjected, not wanting Shouto to feel he needed to speak. "He needs to be careful though... part of the fire comes from his body heat so if he uses it frequently he could lower his body temperature too much..."
"He can train and hone his skills when he's a little older," Enji nodded. "It won't be a problem in the long run."
"Maybe not..." Shouto said, gritting his teeth. Who was Enji to assume anything about his son?
"I'm going to go to U.A! Just like Mama and Papa!" he cheered.
"Of course you are!" Enji laughed, and slowly turned his attention to Yuuta. "And what about you, Yuuta. Are you going to be a hero too?"
Yuuta's eyes widened as he looked towards his brother and then back to his parents. He shrugged, glancing down.
Enji laughed again. "Come, show your grandfather your quirk!"
Yuuta quickly shook his head and ran towards Shouto, pressing his face against his arm. "Yuuta..." Shouto muttered, stroking through his white and black hair. "What's wrong?" He turned himself around so he could sit directly in front of his son.
"I-I can't..." he whimpered.
"What can't you do?" Shouto muttered.
"G-Grandpa is going to think my quirk is weird!" he said. "I-It doesn't look anything like his flame or yours, Papa!"
Well, Shouto knew that was wrong. If anything, Enji was going to find Yuuta's quirk incredible and urge him to start training the boy immediately, though Yuuta hadn't expressed any interest in being a hero like his parents.
"Hey, it's okay..." Shouto whispered. "Your flame is very special, Yuuta. But you don't have to show anything you don't want to if you're not feeling ready."
"Of course he does! Yuuta, there's no reason to be scared, show me your quirk!" Enji urged.
"But I-"
"Yuuta. You are a Todoroki and Todorokis are always strong! There is no reason to be shy about-"
Shouto pulled Yuuta protectively towards himself, immediately glaring daggers at his father. "My son does not have to do anything he does not wish to, especially involving his quirk, Father."
Enji rolled his eyes. "There's no need to be so callous, Shouto. You brought them here to show me their quirks. Don’t baby him."
His hands clenched, and he tightened his jaw, desperate not to ignite his own flame. He couldn't, not here, not while he held his son so tight. "I will never, ever force my children to use their quirks if they do not want to," he hissed.
"Shouto..." Momo said softly, gently placing her hand on his shoulder.
Enji snorted. "Fine. Do as you will."
"P-Papa..." Yuuta's voice was small, and Shouto loosened his grip, letting his son step back. "I-I can... show Grandpa." Shouto could tell the boy was uncomfortable with the amount of tension in the air.
"You don't have to," he said gently, trying to calm himself down.
"Arata did it..." he mumbled. "So I can too..."
"Alright," he muttered, letting the boy walk towards his grandfather. Shouto almost wished Yuuta would keep his quirk a secret, if only to piss Enji off. But Shouto was true to his word; it was Yuuta's quirk, and he could do as he pleased.
"Um..." He held out his palms, but suddenly closed his fists. "P-Papa..." he said, turning to look at Shouto nervously. "Can you... help me?"
"Of course," he said softly, moving to sit across from his son. "You ready?" Shouto said, holding his hand out to his son.
"Mhm..." Yuuta nodded and placed the back of his palm atop his father's hand.
"Clench your fist, and release the energy you feel in your palm, okay?" Shouto instructed. "I'll do it with you."
"Okay, Papa..."
He curled his small fist up while Shouto did the same. They both released their fists at the same time, Shouto creating a small orange flame while Yuuta's small flame was blue. "When you want it to go away, just close your fist," Shouto instructed.
The first time Yuuta activated his quirk things got a little out of hand. The fire practically engulfed his entire arms and though it was cool to the touch, it didn't stop the little boy from panicking. Shouto was teaching him to control it as much as he possibly could, but he was young... and it was difficult. And though his flames were not hot, it still scared the young boy. As a result, Yuuta often didn't enjoy using his quirk.
"Blue flames..." Enji muttered, looking at the boy's palms.
"They're not hot," Shouto explained. "They normally make him feel cold after a while."
"Very fascinating..." Enji said, leaning towards the boy's palms.
"I-I don't want to be a hero..." Yuuta admitted, quietly. "My quirk is no good..."
"Don't say that, Yuuta… Your quirk is plenty good," Momo said, her eyes filled with such sadness for her boy.
Shouto looked at his outstretched palm. "If you don't want to be a hero that's fine, but if you think you can't be-"
"These flames are incredible!" Enji said, brushing his hand across his palm. "You never know how your quirk could change and grow! My flames weren't always this big," he chuckled, patting the boy on his shoulder. "If you want to be a hero, you shouldn't give up that dream. You are a Todoroki after all."
Shouto’s jaw dropped. Was his father... actually... being... supportive?! Helpful!?
A small smile pulled across Yuuta's cheeks and he wrapped up his palm, snuffing out the small blue flame. "Okay... Grandpa," he said, moving to stand next to his brother.
Shouto couldn't believe his ears.
"Why don't you two go play while we get lunch ready?" Momo suggested.
"Okay, Mama!" Arata giggled and tugged on Yuuta's hand. "Let's go!" The two went running off down the hall.
"Don't break anything!" Momo yelled, sighing heavily. "One day, I hope Arata will have far less energy."
"Mmm," Enji moved to the table, looking at his son and his wife. "You two must be very proud of the quirks they've developed."
Shouto followed suit, taking his seat next to Momo. "It never mattered to me what their quirks would be."
"Well, it seems you made the right choice, marrying this one," he smirked, gesturing towards Momo. "Even after the problems you two had producing children, you made good ones."
Shouto glanced to the side, seeing Momo stare at the ground. Just when he thought his father could've gotten better... he said awful shit like this. "Of course I made the right choice. I love her," he snapped.
"You always get so overly sensitive, Shouto," Enji scoffed. "It was an observation."
"It... wasn't an observation. You're bringing up sensitive topics that upset my wife and judging our children based on their quirks. I know this is something you are unfamiliar with, but I would love my family, regardless of their quirks. Children aren't things you can control and toss aside," he hissed.
Momo frowned, placing her hand on his knee. "Shouto is right, regardless of their quirks, we would've been proud. They are our gifts."
Enji scoffed, folding his arms over his chest. "Children are meant to further your legacy."
Shouto swallowed, listening to his father speak. It was all a lie. Everything he said to the boys... every word he spoke... he only cared about his legacy... creating one hero stronger than the next. He only was pleased because of how much potential the boys' quirks could have.
"If you can teach Yuuta to control the temperature of his flames, he would be a perfect successor for you, Shouto-"
"I'm not looking for a successor!" he growled, pushing himself off of the ground. "I don't know why you always do this," Shouto trembled, holding back the flames burning under his skin. "I always start to think you're maybe different... especially when it comes to my children. You talk so kindly to them. I don't wish to take their grandfather away from them, not when they seem to admire you. But I knew it was too good to be true. I know what a shitty, horrible influence you are and I don't want you anywhere near them," he snarled.
The room went silent as Shouto stared at his father, his chest heaving as he took large breaths in to calm his rage. He normally was much more relaxed and subdued, but his father always brought out a side of him he normally kept at bay.
"My family... will not be used to further your legacy. You have no control over them or me," he hissed. "We're leaving."
"Always so dramatic, Shouto..."
Momo stood up, bowing her head to the man once before walking down the hall. "Boys, we're going," she called out.
"What?!" Arata yelled. "Already!?!"
"Yes," Shouto said, looking at his sons. "Say goodbye and get your jackets."
The goodbyes were short and Shouto saw a flicker of regret cross Enji's eyes when he hugged his grandsons. However, Shouto felt no remorse. His father tortured him for years, he wasn't going to let him do the same to his sons. They weren't to be a part of 'Endeavor's' legacy. Just as Shouto made his own path, he wanted his sons to do the same.
With a curt nod, Shouto led his children back out into the cold. They only had been at his father's house for an hour... an hour too long.
"Come on, Yuuta! I'll race you to the car!" Arata said. Shouto was grateful Arata was often so energetic. He didn't seem phased by them leaving far earlier than originally planned.
"Don't trip again!" Momo called after them, the two of them bouncing through the snow.
Shouto turned his gaze up towards the sky once more, letting the cool snow calm him down. A puff of air curled up toward the sky, his heated breath creating a small cloud.
"Hey..." Momo whispered, hooking her arm through his as they followed their children to the car. "I know that wasn't the first time you've told your father off but... I'm proud of you," she said, brushing her lips against his.
"Mmm..."
"Thank you for protecting our boys," she said softly.
"I won't have him involved in their futures," he whispered. "He's done enough of that already with me."
This was his family. He wanted his children to have the freedom they deserved to choose whatever career path they wanted to take. If Yuuta really didn't want to be a hero, that was his choice, and Shouto wouldn't force him to do otherwise.
"I win!" Arata laughed, flopping down in the snow.
Yuuta puffed out his cheeks. "No fair! You had a head start!"
"No fighting boys," Momo called out.
Yuuta picked up a tiny snowball and threw it at his brother, the two of them giggling as they slipped and slid around the car.
"Well... I suppose I can't yell at them for having fun," Momo chuckled.
"No, let them do what they want," Shouto said softly, a smile pulling onto his face as he leaned over to kiss Momo once more.
Even in this cold, things always felt warmer when he had them all nearby.