When the Strong are Weak [Bakugo x Reader]

18

You and Todoroki decided to grab lunch together at a nearby shop. "Can I ask you a question?" You wondered after pushing your food around it's bowl for a few minutes.

"I suppose," Todoroki set his chopsticks down and waited for you to go on.

"It's not a secret that you and your father don't get along. Don't get me wrong I completely understand why, especially after earlier. But I would've thought this would be the perfect opportunity for you to get away from him for a while. I guess what I'm trying to ask is why you accepted his offer above all the others you received."

"I wasn't going to at first," he admitted. "But I remembered something my mom told me when I was little." He paused, smiling slightly. "She told me that I could be whatever kind of hero I wanted to be regardless of where I've come from as long as I stay true to myself. I think that's something both of us should keep in mind."

"I never thought about it like that," you admitted with a crease in your brow. "Even with Uraraka telling me something similar before my fight with Iida. I couldn't look past what I'd done with my quirk before."

"This is the same thing that had you worked up at the festival last week, correct?"

"I appreciate you not wanting to overstep Todoroki," you smiled a little, sad at the thought of telling your story again. "But you don't have to beat around the bush with me. I'll tell you what happened."

"It makes sense that you reacted at festival the way you did," Todoroki nodded when you'd finished. "Who else knows?"

"Just Uraraka, Kirishima, Katsuki and now you. They found out the night of the festival."

"I thought you and Uraraka grew up together?"

"My father made me swear to never talk about what happened that day."

"My mom had a mental break down," his words were barely a whisper when he spoke. "She poured boiling water over my face after calling my left side unbearable to look at."

"I - I don't even know what to say," you stammered.

Todoroki shook his head. "My father was and still is abusive, as you've seen. I'm not mad at her for what she did."

You had the feeling even this was a lot for him to admit. "You don't need to tell me, Todoroki," you told him softly. "I think I understand. Say, about earlier, I wanted to apologize for turning on you with my quirk."

"Don't be," he shook his head with a small smile. "I'm the reason you did it in the first place."

"Why did you stop me exactly?"

"Everything he did could've been worse if you'd actually made it out the door."

"You were protecting me," you realized.

"No one should have to suffer the abuse of my father," Todoroki stared at his hands. "Even what you went through today was too much."

You grabbed your elbows, hugging yourself. "I didn't get hurt," you lied.

"You healed yourself when you used your quirk on my father." Why does he have to be so smart.

"The ability is called Fatigue," you explained quietly.

"What is the proper name for your quirk?" Todoroki leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table. "I'll admit yours is one I don't know much, if anything about."