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“No way,” Natsuo says, when Shouto tells him his intention of studying underneath Endeavor. It makes sense to Shouto. He needs to master his fire, as Midoriya told him, and Endeavor is the Number 2 Hero. Shouto hates the man, but it’s not about that – he needs to get stronger. “Nope,” says Natsuo. “He’s trained you enough. Try someone different.”
So Shouto goes with the Rabbit Hero, Mirko, instead.
It’s weird to have his siblings fussing over him – weird to have them doing their best to care, to make up for the years when none of them really had each other. Natsuo has taken to learning everything about Shouto almost aggressively, voicing his opinion on near everything, and shutting down anything he thinks is a bad idea (like the training with Endeavor). He’s not afraid to hold back. It’s nice.
Fuyumi is cut from a different cloth, a lot more gentle and more of a worrier. She takes it upon herself to check out his wardrobe and drag him out shopping because apparently he doesn’t own enough clothes for summer (he tries to point out his ice quirk, but she’s got a good point that he shouldn’t be reliant on that), having delicious soba noodles for meals to the extent he’s almost sick of them (almost), and looking up every single thing on Mirko she can find. It’s also nice.
“She’s never taken an intern before,” Fuyumi says, scrolling through her phone. She’s taking Shouto there on the subway – Natsuo’s apartment isn’t very far, so they had spent the night there. (Shouto has done his best to avoid home ever since he very much did not choose Endeavor for his internship.) “I wonder why she made an offer to you…?”
Shouto hadn’t thought about it too much. “Because I’m Endeavor’s son?”
Fuyumi sucks in her cheek, pouting a little. “She wouldn’t because of that!”
It’s an odd defense to make, given they’ve never met and Fuyumi would definitely be the type to worry about something like that, so Shouto just kind of looks at her before he recalls something. “Oh,” he says. “You have a Mirko pencil case. You’re a fan.”
Her face turns bright red. “I- I don’t!” she stammers, waving her hands, which really doesn’t convince Shouto that it’s the truth. “She’s just- I needed a new pencil case, and she’s the highest ranking female hero, and-”
“You have a T-shirt, too,” Shouto recalls slowly. He squints at her, trying to picture it. “You wear it a lot.” He probably should have noticed before, but at the time, it wouldn’t have mattered. Also, it’s kind of hard to look at someone just wearing a shirt and think of them as a fan when you’ve been exposed to someone like Midoriya and his fan-ness of All Might. (Although… does it count as being a fan when he’s your father…?) “This is why you wanted to come.”
Fuyumi gives up on protesting and buries her face in her hands. “Shouto,” she mumbles. “Please don’t say anything to her. I’m begging you.”
“Alright.” Shouto’s not mean like that.
He gives Fuyumi some time to recover, and they don’t end up going back to the question before their stop comes up. Shouto will have to ask Mirko why she chose him – if it is because he’s Endeavor’s son, he decides he won’t tell Fuyumi because it might make her sad. Well. Maybe she’d rather know?
He’ll ask Natsuo and stop overthinking it.
Fuyumi fusses over him one more time and doublechecks that Shouto’s okay with her walking him there. She doesn’t want to embarrass him or anything. Shouto blinks at her. “I’m not embarrassed that we’re family,” he says, and then they have to stop walking for a little bit while Fuyumi regains her composure because apparently that makes her emotional.
He’s used to it because of Midoriya’s consistent tears and doesn’t even say anything about how they’re going to be a little late. It doesn’t matter that much.
Or at least, Shouto thought it wouldn’t. He’s proven wrong very quickly. They take a step in through the door of Mirko’s Hero Agency, and literally immediately Shouto has to yank Fuyumi out of the way and dodge fast to avoid the leg that smashes down right where they had been standing. He swings her behind him protectively, ice running up his arm as his eyes narrow, but it’s Mirko.
She crouches where she had landed, the floor only slightly cracked under her kick – holding back? Or was it reinforced? – and straightens up with a grin. “Good reflexes, but you’re late!” And then she locks eyes with Fuyumi and blanches. “Oh, shit-”
“It’s my fault!” Fuyumi says immediately, cutting into whatever Mirko was going to say. She steps around Shouto, who relaxes when it seems Mirko isn’t going to immediately attack again. “Sorry, I made Shouto late! I’m his older sister, Todoroki Fuyumi.”
“Huh.” Mirko’s eyes flick over Fuyumi and then her wild grin returns. “Just means I keep him around a few minutes more to beat him into shape! He’ll be late leaving, Fuyumi!” (Shouto… may end up black and blue by the end of this internship. Hm.)
Fuyumi’s cheeks are pink at the very casual address as both women seem to step a little closer to each other, but she smiles back. “Thank you so much for taking on Shouto,” she says. Probably unable to get out much more in the face of Mirko, she turns back to Shouto. “You be good for her, alright?”
Shouto, not used to be treated like he’s five, and who has also never defied an authority figure barring Endeavor, blinks slowly at her. “...I won’t.”
“Don’t worry about him!” Mirko laughs, her grin reminding Shouto unsettlingly of Bakugou’s. “We’re going to have a great time.”
Fuyumi wishes them both good-bye before hurrying out in a way that Shouto thinks means she’s going to have to yell about this into her hands later. Huh. He had thought Fuyumi was a fan, but maybe… When he glances over, Mirko is watching the entrance, as if Fuyumi might reappear.
Huh.
She slams her hand down on his shoulder in a way that’s almost painful, grinning wildly. “C’mon, kid,” Mirko tells him. “I’ll show you where you can get changed and then it’s time to show me what you’ve got. Full beatdown time.”
“...Okay,” says Shouto, and she laughs a little, slamming her hand down again (patting feels like way too weak a word) before she strides off to lead the way. Shouto glances at the entrance. He pulls out his phone.
[txt] You should make dinner and have me invite her. She was watching you go.
And then he turns his phone on silent and follows his new mentor.