Goldberg

Chapter 18

≡Izuku POV≡

"NOW FOR A LUNCH BREAK BEFORE THIS AFTERNOON'S FESTIVITIES! SEE YA!"

"So, no offense to you, but, why the hell did you drag me into a random hallway? I'm pretty hungry so it'd be nice if this was quick.." I said as I looked at Todoroki who stood on the other side of the hallway from me.

He just stared back at me, probably trying to intimidate me.

"I was overwhelmed," he started, "and you almost made me break a promise I made to myself a long time ago."

"Does this have to do with me cancelling your quirk? I already took off the bracelet, your quirk should be working fine now."

"You almost forced me to use my left side today. If the timer didn't go off when it did, I probably would've," he took a breath as he continued, "my father is the hero Endeavor, you must've heard of him, which means you're aware that he's the number 2 hero."

"Yeah, I've heard of that asshole before."

He stared at me with a shocked look as he processed my words. I don't think he expected me to say that.

"My old man is ambitious, he aims for the top. He used his power to make a name for himself as a hero," he tried continuing but I cut him off.

"Todoroki, look, I get that you have some sort of trauma," I pointed at my left eye as a reference to his scar, "but, I really don't see what this has to do with me."

"Throughout the sports festival today, you've been staying at the top, barely below me, without even using a quirk. If I can't completely surpass someone who doesn't use their quirk with only my right side and am forced to use my left, then I'll never be able to prove my father wrong."

"Wait, wait, wait. You're saying that me doing good, without a quirk, is pissing you off?" I raised an eyebrow as I tried to understand where this conversation was going.

"In every memory of my mother, I only see her crying. I remember she called my left side unbearably, before she poured boiling water on my face," he continued, ignoring my question.

Now both of my eyebrows went up, hearing him continue with his childhood trauma.

"The reason I picked a fight with you was to show my old man what I was capable of doing. Without having to rely on his damn fire quirk. You see, I'm going to show him that I reject his power and I can take first place without using it."

"That's got to be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard."

"What?" He asked as I deadpanned at him.

"So, just let me make sure I understand what you're saying. Basically, your dad is a dick and you think that by not using your fire, that you are showing him how you don't need him?"

"I refuse to rely on his power," he stated, looking me straight in the eyes.

"No, no, no," I sighed as I crossed my arms. "Todoroki, you seem like a smart guy, so why are you being so stupid?"

"Excuse me? I share my life story with you and you take that bastard's side?" He grit his teeth as he began to get angry at me.

"You idiot. I'd be more than dead before I side with an abusive parent, trust me," he furrowed his brows in confusion as I continued. "All I'm saying is that he doesn't control your flames. It's not his power. It's your quirk, not his."

His eyes went wide as he listened to me.

"I understand why you want to reject him and get him out of your life, but that doesn't mean you have to suffer too. Prove him that you can thrive on your own with your own powers."

"...Thank you, I have never thought of it that way."

"Yup, I know, I help others more than I help myself," I chuckled at my own joke and saw a small smile crack his lips for the first time. "What do you know? The half n' half prince can smile."

A slight blush spread across his cheeks at the praise, which shocked me. Looks like Shota isn't the only nonchalant guy who can go red.

"If you don't mind me asking, I noticed that whenever you introduce yourself you only say your given name. During the obstacle course, they announced you as Izuku Midoriya. Why don't you ever say your full name?" I cringed at the use of my last name and took a deep breath, letting it out as a sigh.

"How very perceptive of you.." I dragged my hand down my face, trying and failing at stalling. When I looked back at him he stood, patiently waiting for my answer.

"I... don't like it?" I tried. My great lying skills were met with a raised eyebrow.

"I think it sounds fine. There must be a different reason," why does he have to be so subtly pushy. The only person I've ever told is Kacchan, and I totally broke down during that.

"I guess it's only right that I share my sob story too, huh?" I smiled to myself as I began to fidget with my hands. "Well, for starters, the reason I haven't been using a quirk is because I'm quirkless."

A sharp intake of breath was heard from across the hall as the boy must've realized how much of a dick he sounded like earlier. He probably just thought I was holding back, when really, I didn't have a quirk to use.

I told him about how he didn't take the quirkless news well and even after he left, my mother was sick because of him. I finally looked up from my fiddling hands and stared at the shocked Todoroki. "That's why when I introduce myself, I prefer to keep him out of it."

There was a tense silence between the two of us as he processed what I said, and I calmed the roaring emotions inside of me.

"I had no idea you've been through so much. Compared to you my-"

"No. Don't even start with that. No one should ever compare their trauma with someone else's and think like that. You've been through hell too. Let's just leave it at that," I quickly shut down his comparison.

"So... I guess this makes us trauma brothers?"

I blinked as I stared at Todoroki's emotionless face until I burst out laughing.

"Hmm.. I think we'd probably be more like cousins... Wait... Endeavwhore's quirk is hell flames, and mine was fire breath... does that mean..?"

"Izuku, are you my secret cousin?" Todoroki's eyes widened slightly as you could practically see the gears turning in his head.

"Holy shit, maybe I am."