Chapter Text
Golden eyes peered up at the figures standing in front of him, though his eyes remained focused solely on one in particular—a bundle wrapped in a lilac blanket cradled in the arms of one woman in a suit. Faint whimpers and coos could be heard coming from the small girl wrapped up warmly, and impulse warred inside him.
His arms curled tighter around the doll he held as he refrained from trying to reach out for her like he always did when she started to cry. The woman holding her abruptly turned and started to walk away, and the crimson feathers of his wings ruffled slightly as he took a small step forward. "Wait…-" He stopped himself before he could take another, and another voice rose to break the silence.
"She will be placed in a safe home where she will grow up separate from this." Those words should've sounded reassuring, but as the woman got further away, eventually vanishing from his line of sight entirely, his heart felt heavy. "In return, you are not to have any further contact or communication with her- for her benefit as well as yours."
This would be the last time he saw his sister? The realization felt heavy as it settled on his shoulders. His gaze fell to the ground as he held the doll in his arms a bit tighter, squeezing it as he buried down the words that he wanted to say.
She would be put with a safe family, and she would be able to grow up in a normal environment. That's what they had promised him. Anywhere, he knew, would be better than the place they'd come from. She would be safe, he told himself. Still, despite that thought, the words he said came out automatically.
"I… can't see her again?" He didn't look up at the adults around him. Those words were spoken quietly, a faint murmur that was almost entirely inaudible.
"You want her to be able to live a life free of these burdens, do you not?" The answer came in the form of a question, and after a few seconds, he nodded. "Then this is where the connection ends."
Where it ended…
It was what was best for her. She'd never remember, so it wasn't like it'd impact her too much. This…
It would be the burden he bore. If she can grow up free and happy, the sacrifice was merely something insignificant in comparison.
A few seconds dragged by at a snail's pace before he finally nodded again, signalling that he understood their terms.
The sun peeking in through the window caused the slumped figure at the desk to sit up. Birds chirping only further added to the fact that morning had come, and that she had, yet again, fallen asleep hunched over her desk.
She rubbed her hand across her face as she groaned, pressing her face into her palms as she rested her elbows on the hardwood surface.
"Ugghh…"
"You know if you keep sleeping like that, you're gonna be really sore."
With a sigh, she pulled her head back from her hands and turned just enough to spot the figure standing in the doorway. Mismatched eyes met her bright blue ones before she turned away. She flipped the notebook in front of her closed and shoved it back out of the way.
"Not like I do it on purpose," she muttered as she got up. She brought one hand up to smooth down her hair, patting the raven strands back down so they didn't look so mussed. Her hair always seemed so unruly. "Anyway, I'm getting better about it."
"Are you?" The lack of belief in his voice made her expression sour into a pout, and she turned her head to the side as she huffed. She folded her arms across her chest as he came more into her room.
Reaching out with one of his hands, Shoto fixed the messy part of her bangs so the hair fell back into place. She could feel the fondness that painted his aura, even as he did the simple gesture.
"You've pushed yourself a lot these past few months, Kagome." Though he didn't mean for it to, that remark sounded as if he was scolding her. He lowered his hand, gaze dropping to the scattered pages of notes, as well as multiple notebooks stacked along the back of the desk where it rested against the wall. "Its okay for you to take a few days and breathe. You've dealt with a lot lately."
His words were far from a lie, and they both knew it. With the whole ordeal with the jewel, paired with the usual treatment from their father, she'd been under a lot of stress. He'd been worried about her for so long, but she just kept amazing him when she was able to maintain the tedious balancing job.
For the past few years, she had been staying with their aunt, mainly so she would be closer to the middle school she attended. When there was a break in the year, she'd come home before going back. In the last year, however, everything had changed, and it was directly caused by that strange jewel she now wore around her neck.
Whenever she was asked about it, she always shrugged it off with her usual indifference, but anyone who really knew her could tell that she was bothered by its presence. Then again, who could really blame her in the first place? It was rotten luck and circumstance, and, to make matters even worse, she was stuck with it in the aftermath.
"I forgot he said he was coming over today…"
The faint murmur from Kagome caught his attention, and Shoto glanced at her. "Who are you talking about?"
Kagome pushed the chair back under the desk, glancing briefly at him. "Sesshomaru." She was able to feel his presence outside, which had served as her reminder of their prior agreement. Shoto knew him as one of her friends, even though they both denied that they were actually friends in the first place. She sighed and shook her head. "He's a little early, but it's fine as long as dad's not here."
Their father, Enji Todoroki. Known to the public as the flame hero, Endeavor. He didn't like Sesshomaru, and she'd noticed after the first time they crossed paths that Sesshomaru seemed to mirror those feelings exactly. Well, Sesshomaru hated most humans, and she would've been amazed if her father were one of the ones he tolerated. The animosity never once bothered the prestigious demon, but her father, on the other hand…
It was just better for everyone involved if they just didn't cross paths.
000
Stepping outside, her eyes instantly sought out the silver-haired demon standing in wait. She greeted him with a cheery smile, one hand held up in a wave.
"Long time no see!" It'd been a couple of weeks since they had last spoken to one another, and even longer since they'd seen one another in person. Always aloof and mostly solitary in nature, it didn't come as a surprise to her. Still, she was always happy to see him whenever he did show up, planned or not.
There was a brief flicker of something in his usual cold gaze, but it faded just as soon as it appeared. He regarded her for a few seconds before he glanced at the building behind her. "I take it you've settled in at last?"
Kagome sighed, rubbing a hand along the back of her neck as she shrugged. "For the most part, yeah," she said. "I… Well, it's nice to at least be away from the well." Was being home really that much better? In reality, it was an entirely different beast being back home, but…
She'd much rather deal with her father than the well and demons. Compared to all of that, anything here would be much better. She had held herself together rather well. Or, at least she thought so. Despite that, she was just glad that it was over and done. Well, as done as it could be while she was still in possession of the jewel.
At the thought of it, her hand came up, fingers tracing the pink bauble thoughtfully.
"It's been like a month," Kagome stated, her voice breaking the silence that had formed. "Have they finally made a decision?" she asked. She noticed how Sesshomaru's attention dropped to the jewel for only a second before he lifted his gaze back to her face. A moment later, he sighed.
"It's not the one you want, but yes."
There wasn't a reason to elaborate anymore on it. The answer was more than enough for her to comprehend. She let out a sigh and brought her hands up to cover her face, hiding behind them as tears of frustration welled up. Though she was positive Sesshomaru picked up the salty scent, she was relieved when he refrained from calling attention to them, granting her the chance to maintain her pride.
"How does it make any sense to make me keep guarding this thing?" she muttered, her voice muffled, yet still audible for him to hear. "I… They're aware that I'm 15, right?" she asked, though the question was rhetorical. Of course, they knew. "I know they have the means to keep it secure and out of the public eye, so why is it my responsibility? How stupid can they get?"
Despite her questions, she knew the answers already. It left a bitter taste in her mouth, and she scoffed.
"I told you not to get your hopes up, especially since it took them a full month to come to a consensus," Sesshomaru remarked. "They're useless."
Kagome sighed, folding her arms across her chest. "I know, I know…" she muttered.
She hated that it still fell on her shoulders even after everything. She shouldn't spend her time worrying about it, especially not now, when she is still young and ill-prepared for every possibility.
Her expression darkened somewhat, unease pricking into her chest.
She couldn't shake the feeling that keeping the jewel in her possession would lead to bigger problems. As if its very presence was an omen for trouble. She sighed and shook her head.
"God, what a bunch of idiots," she muttered, her eyes narrowing as she scoffed. "So I'm just supposed to shoulder the burden of it for the foreseeable future? That's just… ugh." The worst part was that she couldn't just hand it off to someone else, not without the proper permissions. If she did, then the fault would fall to rest on her shoulders, too. If it wouldn't come back to impact her, she knew that Sesshomaru would have no qualms taking it off her hands and safeguarding the jewel.
The door behind her opened, the sudden sound taking Kagome by surprise. She picked her head up, turning to face the door. A young woman with white hair and red streaks stood on the other side of the door, her gray eyes lighting up. "Kagome, there you are!" Before she could say anything else, she soon took notice of Sesshomaru standing outside with her, and a faint flush of pink rose to color her cheeks. "Oh! And Sesshomaru too!" It was faint, but Fuyumi swiftly brought a hand up, smoothing down her hair.
Kagome smiled at Fuyumi's reaction, shaking her head. "Yeah, Sesshomaru had a message to give me, and it's been a while since he's shown his face, so he decided to come talk in person. A second later, a faint shimmer of confusion sparked in Kagome's eyes. "Did you need something?"
"Oh! Right!" Fuyumi nodded. "I was gonna start breakfast. You wanna help me?" On mornings, ever since she'd come back home, it was normal for both of them to cook together before Fuyumi left for work on most days. It was a nice little routine that had established some sense of normality back into her life, even if some mornings she had her attention pulled elsewhere.
At the mention, Kagome perked up, a smile on her face as she nodded. "Yeah!" She glanced back at Sesshomaru, looking at him curiously. "You busy today? Wanna join for a little while?" Kagome quickly grabbed Fuyumi's wrist and pulled her closer. "Last time we chatted, didn't you say something about wanting to try more of Fuyumi's cooking?"
At the remark, Kagome felt Fuyumi stiffen up, and from the corner of her eye, she could see the flush on her face deepen. She noticed Sesshomaru's glare directed at her, and she smiled a bit brighter.
"C'mon!" Reaching out, Kagome took Sesshomaru by the wrist and hauled him along inside. "We can chat and catch up."
She was trying really hard not to feel so disparaged, but it was hard when every solution she tried, she was met with resistance. It was later in the evening, and she was sitting down at her desk as she ruminated over the unfavorable information Sesshomaru had passed onto her. The jewel rested on the top of her desk, and she idly rolled it back and forth with her finger.
"You're such a problem," she muttered, speaking to the jewel as if it could hear her. Given its history, it most likely could. Her shoulders slumped as she sighed, moving her hands so she could rest her chin in her palms.
It was a problem, and it was her problem, no matter how desperately she just wanted it off her shoulders. The extra stress it provided was unending, and she hated the fact that she was just stuck with it. Those same people who refused to take it off her hands would blame her if something happened to go wrong concerning the jewel.
"... I don't want to be stuck with this thing forever," she sighed, dropping her head so her fingers could tangle in her bangs.
She just wanted to be free of it. Was that too much to ask? It didn't seem like it to her, but it felt so impossible.
There was a faint sound outside her bedroom door, and the aura she felt just on the otherside made her tense up. She turned just in time to see the door open, and the imposing figure of her father entered.
"Good, you're still awake," Endeavor remarked as he stepped into her room. Kagome exhaled softly, pushing herself up from her desk as she refrained from remarking as he welcomed himself into her space without asking first. "We have things to discuss."
Kagome folded her arms across her chest as she leaned back against her desk. She didn't say anything as she simply looked at him, and he took that as all the invitation needed.
"As you're aware, I took you in before you could even speak."
The mention made her arch her brow. It wasn't unknown that she'd been adopted when she was still a baby. Even though she had been, she still had been treated the same as all of her siblings- his biological children. In a normal case, that would've been a good thing, but for the way this family was, it was anything but. She'd always wondered why he'd bothered taking in another child, but she'd never asked. It was something she felt was better just not to question.
"I know you're curious as to why I made my choice," Endeavor stated, pausing in front of her and mirroring her posture with his arms crossed over his chest. She wanted to deny it, but she merely said nothing, lowering her gaze as he looked her over with those searing eyes. "It wasn't out of compassion, but because in you, I saw potential. To be so young and your Quirk already developing is rare."
His words weren't meant as praise. She knew that much. Discomfort wavered through her as she stood there. In a way, it was just like what she thought his reason would've been.
"But, there's more to it than just that," Endeavor continued. "I took you in to raise you into a wife for Shoto."
Those words were stagnant in her brain for several seconds as she struggled to process them. Her gaze snapped up for the first time since he started speaking, a look torn between disgust and horror.
"You can't be serious," Kagome stated as soon as she recovered her ability to speak. "That's…-" She shook her head. "You can't expect me to marry someone I've only ever known as my brother." That was so many levels of messed up, and she didn't want to get into it right now.
"You two were raised separately for most of your lives," Endeavor stated. It was as if he wasn't fazed by her refusal. That's because he wasn't. "It should be easy for the two of you to get past that bridge by the time it comes," he remarked, sounding as though it was already decided.
Kagome shook her head again, pushing herself off of her desk as she stood more firmly on her feet. "Do you even hear yourself? No way!" She wasn't going to have this pushed onto her, too! She didn't even need to talk to Shoto to know that he would have the same thoughts as she did about it. Related or not, raised mostly separated or together, it didn't matter.
Endeavor's eyes narrowed at her response. "I'm giving you the courtesy of knowing ahead of time," he stated. "This is something you don't have a choice in, Kagome." He turned, walking back towards her door. "I'm allowing you to do as you want, going into the Hero Course at UA alongside Shoto, but just know what's expected of you."
"Didn't I just say-!"
"Don't make me regret taking you in, Kagome."
Those were his last words before the door shut behind him, leaving her on her own once again. Still processing the information relayed to her, she stood silently there for several long seconds. After a moment, she exhaled. The sound was shaky.
She sat back down at her desk, once more pressing her face into her palms.
She might've been stuck with the jewel, but she'd be damned if she would relent to what that man wanted. There was simply no way. She wanted to be taken aback by the implication, but she couldn't. Of course, this was something he would do. Just because he was a hero by the public standards… that meant nothing to how things were behind closed doors.
The only thing that gave her any comfort was knowing that Shoto would feel the same as she did about it. That, at least, made her feel a little bit better. But still…
She sighed, slumping down into her chair.
"What a scumbag."
Auroua-chan: Ending this chapter here!
So, Kagome was separated from her family when she was still an infant. At the time, Hawks was around 6 or so. Endeavor ended up taking her in, but his intentions weren't pure. He saw potential in her due to her Quirk- as well as the jewel- but he also intended to marry her off to Shoto, which is something neither of them will be receptive to. It's not gonna happen- obviously, since the main pairing is meant to be Monoma and Kagome.
Speaking of Monoma… he's a piece of work, but Kagome is patient enough to put up with him. She'd be able to provide some reassurance about his insecurities without being direct about it. She's also capable of speaking her mind about people unabashedly, and she can see the good in people.
Hawks was told not to have any further contact or communication with Kagome once she was taken away, which is something he's abided by. He still thinks of her all the time, though, and believes that she was taken to a safe home to grow up free as a bird. They'll cross paths eventually- he'll likely see her during her involvement in the Sports Festival for the first time. When they meet face-to-face, he'll probably be more prone to interacting with her. He just won't let it slip that he's her brother. After all, she was so young when she was separated from him that she wouldn't have any memories of him.
Also, a cute little tidbit about Fuyumi so far. She's got a little crush on Sesshomaru, but can you really blame her? Sesshomaru might not like Endeavor, but he doesn't mind the rest of Kagome's foster family. I might have them as a little side pair in this story.
Anyway, that's it for now! Thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoyed. Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting, but if not sorry.
Please remember to Review, Favorite, and Follow, thank you!
Bye for now~