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Todoroki Shouto woke early in his dorm room. He was not, by nature, an early riser, but today necessitated it.
By now, Shouto wondered if it might be the beginning of a habit.
Today was not the first today.
Or the second.
Honestly, Shouto might have lost count.
He sat up and got dressed, body screaming at him without any real reason. Physically, he bore no marks of today's battles. Those always disappeared between Shouto's losing consciousness and reawakening.
Numbly, he dressed in the base part of his hero costume. There was no point in wearing anything else. His classmates had all donned their own costumes as well.
Shouto exited his room and slowly made his way down the stairs.
He didn't bother with breakfast.
It wasn't long before Aizawa arrived to escort them out.
Shouto continued with the plan in a hazy state. Before he knew it, he was stepping through a warp gate.
More by habit than intention, Shouto sent out ice to block Touya's fire. He didn't bother speaking, nor did he manage to process Touya's words.
Then, they were both warped to Kamino.
Shouto had been afraid, initially, of Touya's fire tornado. Then, it became impressive. Now, though, he was icing things before Touya's flames did anything more than singe their surroundings.
He managed to tune back in when Touya began speaking again. He engaged in an almost routine banter for several minutes as they fought. Maybe this time would be different. Maybe this time, Touya would give in. Surrender.
He only had one new question to ask: "If you were alive," he shouted, "Why never visit? Our siblings would have given anything to see you."
This, perhaps unsurprisingly, set off laughter from his brother. However, Touya did end up explaining. He had visited, and found himself replaced.
"I see," Shouto said. "I wish I'd seen you."
Touya stopped and stared for just a moment before laughing again. "What do you think that would have done?"
"I…" Shouto didn't know. "I could have asked you to stay?"
"And what would that have done?" Shouto blocked the flames coming his way. "I'm already dead. There wasn't any saving me then or now—I know what you're trying to do. This will only end when we both die."
Touya didn't know the half of it. Shouto had been trying to save him for weeks.
Then the rest of his words registered.
Maybe that was it. Maybe Touya had just told him how to escape this loop.
Maybe the key was not to save his brother.
The next burst of flames his brother sent at him was met with an echoing fire.
Maybe the key was to burn with him.
The flames hurt, but Shouto stood his ground. Touya's pain was worse. Had always been.
Shouto didn't know how much time passed but, eventually Touya's flames began to die.
Within the minute, he fell to the ground.
Shouto walked forward, skin too burnt to run, and encased most of his brother's body in ice.
Part of his training had involved restraining villains they fought.
But, mostly, Shouto hoped it might ease his brother's pain. Shouto had no medical training; there was nothing he could do to save him. For a villain as infamous as Dabi, no hospital would treat him over a civilian.
He would die.
Shouto bowed his head.
"You deserved better," he said quietly. "I wish I could have known you."
Shouto knew he must be imagining it, but he could have sworn he saw the ghost of a smile on his oldest brother's face.
"Goodbye."
Shouto thought this was a moment that deserved silence. He did his best to grant it—standing still as he stared down at his brother and not allowing any noise with the tears that fell—but there was still the crackle of fire around them.
Shouto lifted his head, seeing the blue and red flames around him. He should put them out. They were unsafe and would do more damage.
Yet, Shouto could not bring himself to extinguish his brother's last fire.
Shouto choked out a sob and wiped his eyes with charred hands, the salt burning almost as much as the flames.
Shouto's legs gave out.
Shouto wakes on a new day in a hospital bed.