Work Text:
This was going to be even harder than he’d thought.
Shouto had spent almost all of his spare time of the past weeks on helping Touya write the apologies to Dabi’s victims, pouring all of his energy into this enormous task. There had been thirty victims after all.
The police and Hawks had provided him with some information regarding each case, nothing too private about the deceased ones or their relatives, but enough to paint a picture of who they’d been and who they’d left behind. He’d compiled all of that information into new case files, eventually printing all of them out and handing them over to his brother. Shouto had hoped that Touya would’ve been able to start formulating the apologies on his own after that, but the elder had only become frustrated as he failed to write down a single character after three whole days.
And so Shouto had sat down with him after coming back from work, every single day, trying to encourage his brother to find his own words. He’d initially thought that Touya was actively trying to sabotage the entire undertaking at first, feeling both disappointed and guilty, which didn’t go unnoticed by his brother, creating a lot of tension between them. He’d felt like they ended up taking three steps backward after only having managed to take one step forward.
However, he realised that Touya seemed truly incapable of formulating the texts on his own – for no lack of trying. He then decided that he’d have to write something instead, adding to his previously compiled files, starting off with a template text, adjusting it for every person before presenting it to his brother, asking him to fill in details that he might remember, asking him to make changes so that the text would resemble something that he’d have written himself.
It was truly draining, spending hours upon hours every week with his brother, the case files and the handwritten texts spread out on his bar counter dinner table. It was all they talked about, it was all he could think about, it was all he spent his spare time on, it was all they spent their time together on. The whole ordeal weighed both of them down tremendously.
He knew that Touya was also talking to Ieiri-san about the apologies, that he’d take the files and letters to his therapy sessions, but it didn’t seem all that helpful. They’d written thirty texts, after two months of arduous work, but Touya had same the same thing about all of them.
“It’s shit. I didn’t even really write this, I don’t mean any of it and anyone could tell. It’s all shit.”
Shouto was starting to consider handing all of them over to Hawks to have them delivered anyway, but he knew that it was no solution. It would be beyond disrespectful to the families, it would be a PR nightmare and it could destroy his relationship with Touya since his brother had refused to send the apologies in their current state numerous times.
He often thought about his list. He hadn’t mentioned any of the other points, feeling hopeless after they hadn’t even been able to resolve the first one despite the countless hours both of them had poured into this.
Shouto hadn’t seen any of his friends since that outing with Midoriya, the day that had prompted him to consider an outsider’s perspective on his and Touya’s relationship, to consider the way his brother’s life consisted of nothing but stagnation, to consider the way his own view had been distorted by everything the two of them had been through.
They’d silently agreed on leaving the letters be a few weeks ago, but the unresolved issue ate away at their relationship like Ashido’s acid. Something needed to change, but he didn’t know how to provoke that change. His brother would have to be the one to actually do something, after all.
Maybe he needed to ask someone for advice again. He couldn’t continue like this. They couldn’t continue like this. He and Touya had gotten into too many pointless arguments over the past weeks. Their previous state of mostly peaceful coexistence had transformed into an air of constant agitation and frustration, neither of them knowing how to move past it, especially since the apologies remained unfinished and unsent. The fact that both their social skills were lacking didn’t help the matter.
It was a Sunday afternoon, the one day of the week that he always took off. Spring had passed a while ago as summer had set in, the outside temperatures having become unbearable in the dense city of Tokyo, but it would be hard to tell inside his climatised apartment. Shouto was currently splayed out on the futon in his room, scrolling through the contact list on his phone.
He didn’t want to bother his former classmates with Touya’s problems, he avoided the topic whenever possible nowadays, especially when messaging Midoriya. He could tell that his friend was curious, but he was also polite enough not to pry. Iida had messaged him once, asking if he’d found the reading list helpful. He’d replied that it’d been very helpful and had thanked the former class rep once again.
Shouto knew that his perspective on things tended to be very… one-dimensional. He’d realised in the past years that this might just be a family trait, one that Touya would certainly have inherited as well, which didn’t help their current situation. What he needed was someone who was adept at finding solid solutions to complex problems, someone who could approach an issue from a multitude of angles.
Ah. Of course.
He opened the LINE app, tapping another contact that he hadn’t opened in over a year.
Me:
Sorry to bother you. Can I ask you something?
He hit “send”, staring at his phone as if it held all the answers to his problems.
Maybe it would.
Shouto sighed, tossing the device onto the tatami flooring that covered his room, the only tatami room in the apartment. Old habits seemed to die hard. He’d tried leaving the room as is at the start, had bought a western-style bed, but he’d given up on that after a few nights of restless sleep. The slightly bouncy texture of the familiar mats felt pleasant under his feet as he got up, stretched his limbs, picked up the phone, stuffed it into the pockets of his sweatpants, put on his grey whisker slippers and slid open the shoji doors leading to the kitchen and living room.
He made his way to the counter and grabbed his “UA alumni” mug from the cabinet before starting the expensive Italian coffee machine placed on top, wondering if the noise of the integrated coffee grinder would wake up Touya, who was sleeping in the guest room.
Shouto stared at the dark liquid pouring into his favourite mug (he only owned two anyway), feeling too exhausted to think about the upcoming week. He kept getting bombarded with agency offers, all of them way too eager to hire him despite his repeated public statements about not wanting to join an agency (or starting one). He didn’t really know why, he wasn’t opposed to the idea of collaborating with a fixed team at all, he wasn’t like Bakugou. He just didn’t feel like settling down work-wise despite having no plans to leave Tokyo.
The coffee was done. He eyed the corridor leading towards the guest room, but he hadn’t heard anything. He wouldn’t know what to talk about with Touya anyway right now. He didn’t even want to think about the unsent apologies at the moment.
They could always watch a movie, but his brother hadn’t shown interest in a single one they’d started so far, usually falling asleep a few minutes in anyway. Even a simple activity like that ended with Shouto feeling slightly frustrated. He’d asked the elder to think of something that he’d like to watch since he always fell asleep, but his brother kept insisting that he didn’t care, that he truly wasn’t interested in any kind of media or entertainment, still spending his days doing nothing, sleeping or working on those letters to no avail.
He took the mug out from under the coffee machine, wrapping both hands around it for a few seconds before setting it down on the dinner table, sitting down on one of the bar stools, facing the window. The cherry blossoms were long gone. He hadn’t really noticed them this year, too absorbed in his work and the endless hours of drafting apology letters.
Shouto took his phone out of his pocket.
He slowly dragged his thumb across the screen in order to unlock it.
There was one new LINE message.
He tapped the notification.
Yaoyorozu Momo:
Hello, Todoroki-san! It has been a while. How are you? What can I help you with?
He let out a sigh, asking himself how he was going to explain his current situation without revealing too much about Touya.
Me:
It’s been very stressful lately. It’s hard to explain. I feel like I’m stuck.
Was that too much? He’d never talked to Yaoyorozu about his personal problems. He didn’t want to burden her with his family drama.
He took a sip of coffee.
Yaoyorozu Momo:
That is rather unfortunate. I know what that feels like. Have you considered taking an extended break from work? I know that you always work very hard, but getting rest is equally as important.
He sighed into his mug. His last time off had been in February, but he’d spent the first week of that period worrying about Touya and the remaining two weeks on compiling the case files.
Me:
I ended up working through some personal matters during my last holiday. But I wouldn’t know what to do if I took more time off right now. Work itself is not the issue. I just feel like I need to make some changes, but I don’t know where to start.
That sounded vague enough while excluding information about Touya and also being entirely true.
Yaoyorozu Momo:
Have you considered changing locations?
He frowned. Renting a place in a different part of the city wouldn’t be a problem, temporarily or permanently, but he didn’t feel like that would solve the issue.
Me:
I could move to or work in a different district, but I don’t know if that would help.
Yaoyorozu Momo:
May I suggest spending some time outside of Tokyo? The countryside, perhaps? I could recommend you some places.
That thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. A proper holiday away from the city? Had he ever been on a trip like that? That one time on Nabu Island probably didn’t count, just like their trip to I-Island.
Endeavour had certainly never wasted any time or money (not that he was lacking in that department) on family holidays.
Huh.
But what good would it to if he went on a trip now? Touya would certainly survive (although Shouto felt guilty when thinking about his brother’s insomnia), but his absence wasn’t going to help solve their problems. He couldn’t just leave Touya behind. This wouldn’t work.
Unless.
Me:
What do you suggest?
Yaoyorozu Momo:
My family owns several holiday homes across the country. We sometimes spent Christmas on Okinawa, for example, but I would suggest looking north since autumn is approaching. The temperatures will be pleasant and the countryside will be beautiful thanks to the red leaves.
Me:
What kind of places would you stay at if you didn’t have a holiday home? How would you spend your time?
Yaoyorozu Momo:
There are a lot of hot spring resorts up north as well as traditional inns, some of them are located near beautiful lakes or the sea. I suggest visiting some of the temples or shrines, but I can also recommend the smaller islands along the coastline!
Me:
Do you know where I could get started?
Yaoyorozu Momo:
I can compile a list with places to stay and things to do!
Me:
You don’t have to, I can do my own research.
Yaoyorozu Momo:
I would love to! As I said, I suggest going in autumn in order to enjoy the colourful leaves. The ideal time for the northern regions would probably be in late October.
Hot springs. He’d never been to one outside UA, he’d always enjoyed that though.
But.
Me:
Do those places typically have private hot springs?
Yaoyorozu Momo:
Not all of them, but I can limit my search to those that do if you prefer it. Is there anything else, perhaps a specific price range? How many days would you like to stay?
Me:
Thanks, I appreciate it. The price doesn’t matter. I’m not sure about the time, what do you think?
Yaoyorozu Momo:
I would suggest around three weeks. I always found that it takes some time for the mind to settle, to truly immerse yourself in the new environment.
Me:
Sounds good. Thanks again. Didn’t know you also worked as a travel agent.
Yaoyorozu Momo:
I usually forward my holiday plans to my family’s assistant since she is already familiar with my preferences, but I also enjoy doing my own planning! I’ll get back to you after creating the itinerary.
Itinerary? Maybe she really was a secret travel agent.
He took a sip of his coffee. It had almost gone cold.
Oh well.
He closed the LINE app and opened his browser, entering kouyou touhoku into the search engine. He knew what autumn leaves looked like, of course, but he’d never seen them in the northern regions.
Shouto scrolled through the image results, taking in the vibrant yellow, red and orange colours from the pictures, some of them surrounding shrines or temples in the mountains. It would certainly be something different from Tokyo for once.
He deleted the search term and entered ryokan onsen instead.
Those rooms looked just like his own, like their family home. Not something he wanted to be reminded of.
But there were also images of private baths, some of them on balconies, others right next to rivers.
Maybe… Maybe this wasn’t the worst idea.
He stared at the dark liquid inside his favourite mug.
Footsteps approached, their sound muffled by grey whisker slippers.
Silence.
He kept staring into his mug.
The footsteps came closer.
“Hey.”
He looked up as Touya sat down on the stool opposite of him. His brother looked about as tired as he felt, crossing his arms to use as a pillow for his head, not meeting Shouto's gaze.
“Touya-nii.”
“Mhm.”
“Would you go on a holiday with me?”
Blue eyes shot up to meet his.
“What?”
Shouto blinked.
“A holiday. It’s an extended period of leisure and recreation, especially one spent away from home-“
“I know what a holiday is, Shouto. But- why?”
His phone next to the coffee mug buzzed once.
Touya eyed the device, gaze narrowing.
“Did Dad put you up to this?”
“No. A friend did.”
“I don’t get it. What’s the point?”
Shouto sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“Have you ever been on a proper holiday, Touya-nii? I know I haven’t.”
Touya lifted his head, scratching at the staples below his cheekbones.
“Don’t remember. It’s not like Endeavour to take his family somewhere nice.”
“Yeah.”
Silence.
Shouto picked up his phone, unlocked it and tapped the LINE notification.
Yaoyorozu Momo:
Please find the itinerary below, Todoroki-san! Do not hesitate to contact me again if you have any questions! I can also make changes according to your wishes.
“Please find the itinerary below”?
She had to be a secret travel agent.
He tapped the document, eyes widening slightly as he realised how detailed Yaoyorozu’s itinerary actually was. There was a link to the map app, the preview showing a route from Tokyo to Aomori and back with several stops, there was a list of cities, another nested list with places to stay as well as one more with activates for each area. There was also a “recommended alternatives and day trips” section for each day.
Me:
You really didn’t have to go that far. But thanks, I really appreciate it. I’ll look into it within the next few days.
Yaoyorozu Momo:
Anytime, Todoroki-san! It is always Plus Ultra, remember?
He smiled at that, the former vice class reps' polite enthusiasm somehow conveyed through one line of text.
He’d been incredibly lucky with his classmates. He didn’t even want to think about where he’d be without them and their continued support, even though he wasn’t all that close with most of them.
“What’s so funny?”
He looked back up. Touya was frowning at him, scratching at the staples on his chin.
“My friend said something.”
The frown deepened.
“What’s that got to do with your weird holiday idea?”
“It was her idea.”
Now it was a proper scowl.
“What’d you tell her?”
He sighed, pushing his phone across the counter.
“Nothing, just the truth.”
Touya picked up the phone, scrolling through the messages, still scowling as if the device had personally offended him.
He put it back on the table, pushing it across the counter.
“You think some holiday is going to- to fix whatever the fuck this mess is?”
Shouto shrugged, not breaking eye contact.
“Don’t know. Maybe. We could try. She could be right, you know. A different environment might… It might help put things into perspective.”
Silence.
“I also really need some time off again, I think. I’m pretty burned out.”
Touya turned his gaze down.
“Because of me.”
He considered lying, but it would be pointless. They both knew it was true.
“Yeah.”
Touya frowned again, his exposed teeth clenching visibly.
“You should go without me then.”
He let out a long sigh, fighting the urge to cover his face with his hands.
“No, I want you to come with me.”
Silence.
Shouto stared down at the dark liquid inside his favourite mug.
“What… what exactly would we be doing anyway? Do we just- sit in some hotel? Isn’t that what we do anyway? What’s the point?”
He looked back up. Touya was frowning at him, scratching at the staples below his cheekbones.
“Stop that.”
Burned fingers halted in their movement.
Touya lowered his hand.
“Didn’t you read the messages just now?”
The frown deepened.
“I don’t know. Something about red leaves and shit.”
“I think the point is to… try and enjoy the room and food at the inn, spend time in the hot spring, go outside to see some places you usually wouldn’t.”
His brother stared at him.
“I don’t know either, Touya-nii, I’ve never been on a holiday myself.
Touya folded his arms again, resting his chin on top, looking like he was mulling things over.
Shouto looked outside the window.
The cherry blossoms were long gone. He hadn’t really noticed them this year, too absorbed in his work and the endless hours of drafting apology letters.
“How am I supposed to pay for that? My allowance is pretty dogshit.”
He shifted his gaze back towards his brother, who was looking up at him through his white hair.
“Just ask the old man, I’m sure he’s gonna pay for your half of everything.”
Silence.
“Do you know where we’d go?”
“Yeah, my friend sent me a list with places to go and things to do. We could go all the way to Aomori.”
Silence.
“How would we even get there?”
“I have a driver’s license. We can rent a car.”
Touya narrowed his eyes.
“Since when do you have a license?”
Shouto frowned.
“Since January. I got it just after my birthday. I told you about it.”
The frown deepened.
“You did?”
“Yeah.”
Silence.
“Fuck. I don’t remember that.”
“Oh.”
Silence.
“What about- what about all that police shit? The shrink? I’m not allowed to leave Tokyo, you know.”
“I don’t know, but I’m sure the old man can make something happen.”
Silence.
Touya let out a sigh, lifting his head again, meeting his eyes.
“You really wanna do this, huh?”
Shouto nodded.
“I don’t see why not. It’s worth a try. Maybe it makes both of us feel a bit better. And…”
His brother tilted his head to the side.
“And?”
“I think I want to see the red leaves. It sounds… nice.”
Touya let out an even longer sigh, pressing his forehead against his folded, miscoloured arms.
Silence.
Shouto stared down at the dark liquid inside his favourite mug.
“Fine. Fuck. If you really wanna go.”
He flicked his gaze back to his brother, who had put his chin back on top of his arms, looking at him through his white hair.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I’ll come with you. If you really want me to.”
Shouto felt the corners of his mouth pull up into a smile.
“I do.”