A few hours earlier.
1st year, Gray
At the front gates of Corusan Private Middle School, the air buzzed with anticipation. Dozens of students lined up to the gates early, their phones at the ready. Due to Endeavor, the Todoroki name was famous.
Eyes lit up as two figures walked through the gates. One with red and white hair and the other with pure white hair. The crowd froze.
"Th-those are Endeavor's kids right?"
"Yeah! That one is Shoto and the other one is Haise."
"They're a lot taller than I thought. Especially Haise!"
"Oh my god- Haise looked at me!"
"Did you see those piercing blue eyes?"
"You idiot, they are obviously turquoise."
Gray and Shoto tried to ignore the talking, but the comments were getting more out of hand.
"I don't remember being this popular in primary school." Shoto commented.
"Damn…these next few years are going to be annoying…" Gray sighed. He couldn't believe he was drawing this much attention just being Endeavor's son.
Suddenly, the girls let out a high pitched squeal in unison, catching Gray and Shoto off guard. Shoto turned to Gray and his eyes widened.
"Hey…you're shirtless now of all times?" Shoto questioned.
"Dammit!" Gray said, flustered and quickly buttoning up his top. "Let's just get to the damn auditorium already!"
—
After sitting through the bland morning ceremony, Shoto and Gray sat down next to each other in their homeroom class, with Gray sitting behind Shoto and both of them having window seats. Gray and Shoto kept to themselves as a group of students was loudly talking about them from the other side of the classroom. The students quieted down as the homeroom teacher entered the classroom.
The door to the classroom opened. A youthful-looking woman walked into the room. She was of medium height and had a slender build with dark brown unkempt hair and dark brown eyes. A dreary and sleepy look seemed to plague her face.
The class rose in sync, their desks screeching slightly as they stood up abruptly.
"Good morning Sensei!"
"Sit." She responded sternly.
The students all sat down.
"Good morning class." She began to scribble her name in kanji on the whiteboard. " Lets all quiet down. I will be taking rollcall."
Ayaka cleared her throat before starting.
"Akane, Heiya."
"Here."
Ayaka continued going down the line of students until eventually reaching Gray. Her eyes widened upon reading the surname.
"Todoroki, Haise"
Gray raised his hand. He locked eyes with the teacher.
"Here."
Ayaka was a new teacher. She was a bit nervous about getting a brand new job at such a prestigious school. It was only possible because she ranked 1st in middle school, high school and her university exams and had done quite a few internships. She had interned for a teacher at this school who had just retired. He gave her a good recommendation, which certainly helped a lot.
Despite teaching for months already, some of the students in her class still made her nervous. Haise was one of them. He was a bit tall for twelve year, lean, and had a laid back composure. The way his snow white hair framed his face to the sheer confidence his tone gave off. But what threw her off the most were those eyes. Piercing crystalline turquoise eyes that she could have swore were glowing. He seemed to barely try, but he still excelled in all his subjects. Sometimes, she felt like she was looking at an adult rather than a teenager.
"U-uh anyway…Todoroki Shoto?"
Shoto raised his hand.
"Here."
She sighed. She still hadn't gotten used to having both of the # 2 Hero's children in her class in her first year as a teacher.
—
The bell rang with a shrill clang, signaling the end of the school day. Classroom doors flew open, and students spilled into the hallway. A few lingered, eyes subtly following two particular students as they strolled down the hall: Haise and Shoto Todoroki, sons of the # 2 hero Endeavor.
"They really didn't hold back," Shoto murmured, flipping his textbook closed as they walked side by side. "We had four reading assignments in one day. Especially history. I didn't think we'd spend an entire period on the Heian Era."
Gray tucked his hands into his pockets. "That Ryomen Sukuna guy. Kinda makes you wonder if quirks existed way earlier than they said." he murmured
"Well this school adds hero studies to the curriculum. So they have to give us more work for the other subjects to make space for it. Dad said it's meant to prepare us for high school courses."
Gray was slowly getting used to school. It was extremely boring. The classes weren't too difficult, but he resisted the urge to fall asleep in most of them. He avoided making any friends since they all still seemed like children to him. He only really talked with Shoto. Shoto was already quiet, and without Natsu there, it was all dull. There was alot of attention from other students, but Shoto and Gray just ignored it.
—
Gray was hoping for another quiet day, but sometimes trouble just found him.
"OI OI OI! YOU TODOROKIS!"
The voice was loud and vulgar. Shoto turned, brow raised in mild surprise. Gray didn't even flinch.
"I think that guy's yelling at us," Shoto said.
Gray's expression didn't change. "Ignore it. Anyone who yells like that is just terminally stupid."
"But doesn't Yakut-"
"Exactly." Gray interrupted.
Heavy footfalls thundered toward them. The kids around were shocked. A majority of the school was full of elites and everybody felt that they were superior to each other. This was likely another student who wanted to make an example of someone to make themselves seem bigger.
A tall figure shoved his way in front of Gray, cutting him off mid-stride. He was built like a punk from one of Natsu's manga. His wide shoulders were stuffed into a school uniform jacket two sizes too small, gold chains clinking with each motion. But the most ridiculous thing was the massive, glossy pompadour curling over his head like a shrimp tempura. Gray laughed in his head looking at him. These
"What the hell do you think you're doing, huh?! Look at me when I'm talking to you, pretty boy!" the third-year barked, shoving his face just centimeters from Gray's.
Gray slowly lifted his eyes, irritation brewing in his usually cool demeanor.
"…Who the hell are you supposed to be?"
The guy snarled, lips curling back in a sneer. "You think you're hot shit 'cause every girl in school talks about you?!" he snapped, jabbing a finger into Gray's chest. "Erika hasn't shut up about you since the opening ceremony! I'm not gonna let some wannabe steal my spotlight.
'Who the hell is Erika…' Gray tried to remember if he ever met anyone by that name.
Two more punks swaggered up behind him, sneering like dogs behind a fence.
"Don't mess with the boss, newbie!"
"You're lookin' at Niragi Aguni! The baddest third-year in Corusan!"
Gray sighed.
Without warning, he raised his hands forming his typical ice make stance.
"The hell-? Why's it cold all of a sudden?!"
"Ice Make…" Gray whispered, his voice calm.
"Geyser!"
Gray slammed his hand into the floor. In an instant, all three of the students were encased in a jagged block of ice, only their heads exposed.
Silence.
Dead silence.
The rest of the students stared, jaws halfway to the floor, as Gray lowered his hand and kept walking like nothing happened.
"Let's go, Shoto."
"…That was excessive," Shoto murmured, though he didn't sound particularly upset. Gray didn't answer.
Back where the fight had broken out, Niragi and his goons remained standing, shivering from head to toe.
The rooftop wind howled, tugging lightly at Gray's uniform. He stood alone, sipping from his drink with his usual blank expression, enjoying the cold air. His shirt was unbuttoned slightly, his tie loose around his neck. The door to the roof clicked open.
Shoto stepped out, followed by someone unexpected.
"Hey this guy approached me and asked to speak to you. He seemed nice so I brought him." Shoto said. "He said his name was Ryuma Yamashita."
Ryuma Yamashita.
He looked nothing like a typical middle schooler. Towering over most of the staff, Ryuma's shoulders were broad, his uniform jacket tossed over his shoulder like a cape. His shirt was rolled up at the sleeves, showing off forearms veined with muscle. His black hair was wild and swept back.
"Haise Todoroki," Ryuma said, voice gravel-deep, heavy with authority.
Gray gave him a single glance, then looked away again.
"What do you want?"
Ryuma let out a dry exhale.
"I'm not here to beat you up," he said. "That dumbass Niragi was acting without permission. I don't appreciate trash starting fights under my name."
Gray's brow lifted faintly. "You're his boss?"
"I'm everyone's boss." Ryuma stepped forward. "I don't tolerate random fights. This school's already a mess. I keep the chaos contained. But ever since you and Shoto transferred in, the balance's been... shifting."
"We didn't do anything."
"Exactly," Ryuma said with a smirk. "You exist. And that's enough to light the fuse."
Ryuma adjusted his neck, releasing a loud cracking sound. "So, I'm giving you a choice. Fight me in a sanctioned match after school. No sneak attacks, no unfair tactics. Just quirk-on-quirk. The official way."
Gray's eyes narrowed.
"You want to fight just to prove you're stronger."
"Damn right. I need to put things back where they belong."
"Fine, let's get this over with." Gray replied.
—
The arena was tense with anticipation. Half the school had packed the bleachers chattering excitedly to each other. Faculty members leaned forward in their seats, their expressions a blend of curiosity and concern. A spar between two powerful students wasn't something you witnessed every day.
At center stage stood Gray, relaxed as ever, his school jacket hanging open and hands buried casually in his pockets. Across from him, standing tensely with narrowed eyes, was Ryuma.
A grizzled coach stepped forward, clipboard in hand. "This is a school-sanctioned sparring match. No killing or lethal force. Victory is declared by surrender, incapacitation, or ring-out."
This was the advantage of going to a high end middle school with specific hero education. Quirk usage was allowed under very specific circumstances.
Gray raised an eyebrow, glancing sideways at the faculty section. "Is this really necessary?"
Ryuma cracked his neck, a grin twitching at the edge of his mouth. "You're welcome to forfeit, Gray. But we both know you won't. And the school won't let you back out now."
The referee raised his arm. "Ready…"
Ryuma's body tensed. Gray didn't move.
"BEGIN!"
Ryuma's arms lit up with a crystalline shimmer. From elbow to fingertip, jagged prisms burst outward, wrapping his limbs in brilliant armor before concentrating into a gleaming diamond longsword in each hand.
"This is my quirk, Crystal Forge. I can shape diamond-hard constructs straight from my body." He brandished the weapons with expert flair. "Let's see how ice holds up."
Across the arena, Gray sighed and rolled his shoulders. "A sword fight?" His hand slipped from his pocket as he stepped forward. "Sure."
He snapped into his stance.
"Ice Make: Cold Excalibur."
In an instant, a massive greatsword of ice materialized in Gray's hands, glimmering with frozen mist. The temperature in the arena plummeted. Ryuma laughed and took a step forward.
"Impressive! But ice is brittle-"
He never finished.
As he charged, the ground beneath him shimmered. His foot struck something slick..he skidded out of control, tumbling forward.
Gray was already moving, propelling himself forward with ice. In one smooth motion, he pivoted and brought Cold Excalibur down in a sweeping arc. It wasn't an ordinary slash. The greatsword released a wave of ice crystals that carved a trench in the arena floor.
Ryuma didn't even hit the ground before the glacial blast caught him midair. Ice surged over his body. It enveloped Ryuma's legs, arms, and chest in layers of jagged ice. In just a mere moment, only his head remained above the ice.
The arena went dead silent.
"…What?" Ryuma muttered in disbelief, starting to shiver. He strained against the ice. It didn't even creak.
Gray stood above him, the ice sword resting lazily on his shoulder. "You said diamond's stronger than ice. You're not wrong."
Ryuma's breath fogged in the cold. "Then how?"
"Then why would I clash with you if I knew I was going to lose?" Gray said, walking past him. "Sure, you can make an unbreakable sword. But I can freeze the battlefield before you even swing it."
Gray turned his back. "It's over."
The referee blinked, then raised his hand. "Ryuma is incapacitated. The match goes to Haise Todoroki!"
Cheers and gasps exploded from the bleachers. Students jumped to their feet, stunned by the one-sided display. Some were cheering. Others just stared in awe. A few of Ryuma's fans slumped in disappointment.
Gray, unaffected by the attention, let his ice blade dissipate in a swirl of frost. He didn't gloat. He didn't smile. He just walked away. To him, this match was just a failed show of pride by Ryuma. A waste of time.
He bid Shoto farewell and headed towards his usual training spot.
–
Gray had just returned home, sweat still clinging to his back from afterschool training. He dropped his bag by the door and made his way to the kitchen, expecting a quiet evening. Shoto was already inside, sipping tea with a book in hand.
Then both their phones buzzed. The same alert at the same time.
Gray glanced at his screen and was shocked at the notice. It was from Endeavor. Natsu was attacked by a villain and was currently unconscious in the hospital.
His heart skipped a beat. "What the hell?"
Shoto was already on his feet, phone clenched tight in his hand. His expression, usually unreadable, cracked slightly. "He's in the hospital??"
Gray didn't wait for a response. He was already throwing his shoes on, grabbing his coat. " Let's go."
The train ride felt like an eternity. Neither of them spoke much with their eyes glued to the windows. Shoto's leg was bouncing. His fists clenched over his legs..
When they arrived at the hospital, they were directed to a private room under the Todoroki name. The hallway was quiet, the fluorescent lights buzzing faintly above them. Gray's chest tightened the closer they got.
They opened the door.
Natsu lay asleep in a hospital bed, There was a cast wrapped around both his arms and chest. Some bandages around his face and legs.
Gray's mouth went dry. He stepped forward slowly. "What the hell happened.."
Shoto moved beside him, his brows furrowed, his voice was weak. "They said it was a villain attack. No details yet. Apparently the gas station blew up. "
Gray clenched his fists, veins rising under his skin. "Which villain.," His tone was icy.
Shoto shook his head. He clearly wasn't given the information, but it wouldn't be hard to find out.
The two stood in silence for a moment, just watching their brother breathe. Gray reached out, adjusting the blanket slightly over Natsu's shoulder.
"…He's gonna be pissed when he wakes up and realizes he missed a week of training," Gray muttered, trying to keep his voice steady.
Shoto almost smiled. "Yeah. He'll complain for hours."
But the tension didn't leave their eyes.
–
The room was quiet except for the soft beeping of the heart monitor and the faint hiss of oxygen flowing through the nasal cannula taped beneath Natsu's nose. White sheets tucked tightly over him barely moved; his body was still.
Then a flicker. His fingers twitched.
His brow knit in confusion as consciousness slowly dragged him back. His throat was dry. His body ached, not in one place, but everywhere. A dull, deep pressure pulsed in his chest with each breath, every inhale tight and shallow.
Natsu let out a groggy groan, his eyelids fluttering open against the harsh overhead light.
Immediately, pain flared.
His arms were wrapped in thick casts and slings, raised slightly on padded supports. His ribs protested every movement of sharp stabs that made him wince even as he barely shifted. The back of his head throbbed, a reminder of the blow that knocked him out. His mouth was dry and tasted like metal.
"Yakuto?"A voice, hoarse, choked with emotion.
Rei, his mother.
She was already halfway out of the chair at his bedside, gripping the rail with trembling hands. Tears welled in her eyes as she leaned in closer.
"You're awake… oh god, you're awake…"
Natsu blinked slowly, confused. His gaze drifted around the room, from the IV in his hand to the machines monitoring his vitals.
"…Wha…?" His voice cracked.
Rei immediately reached for the water cup. "Don't speak yet, sweetheart. Just rest. You've been out for a few days."
His eyes widened slightly.
"Days?"
He winced again, his chest tightening.
"…hurts," he whispered.
She nodded quickly, brushing his sweat-damp red hair away from his face. "I know. You've got broken arms and some fractured ribs, there were some mild head injuries too. They said you were thrown hard. But you're stable now. You're okay."
There was a pause.
"…Did the gas station…?"
His brows creased in a flicker of memory.
"It exploded," Rei answered softly. "But you're fireproof, remember? That's why you're still here."
Natsu's eyes began to close again, exhausted.
He muttered something barely audible, with slight annoyance.
Rei let out a teary laugh despite herself.
Just then, footsteps padded in Fuyumi with a thermos, Shoto clutching a book, Gray trailing behind, jaw clenched but relief clear in his eyes.
Endeavor stood outside the glass, watching, but not entering. His silhouette was still, unreadable.
"Hey, flame-for-brains," Gray said, trying for lightness. "Next time you wanna blow up a gas station, let us know, yeah?"
Natsu groaned in response. "Screw…you."
Everyone exhaled.
—---------------
A month later. Natsu stretched. HIs body had mostly recovered. There was still some slight soreness. He was told to relax and not push himself, and he somehow did just that.
"Are you sure you're ready?" Rei asked, standing at the door with her hands twisted anxiously around the strap of Natsu's back pack.
"Yes, Mom. I am fine," Natsu said, stretching his arms overhead. "No more broken ribs. No casts." He waved his arms around dramatically to make a point. Just a student who might fail math."
Rei frowned. "Don't joke about that."
"I'm not. I actually might fail math. I forgot to do the homework they gave me."
Despite his words, there was a lightness in his voice. His crimson hair was back to its spiky look, and his uniform was slightly wrinkled from sitting out too long. His backpack swung over one shoulder as he turned toward the sidewalk, where a few kids from his bus stop were already waiting down the street.
"Are you sure you don't want us to drop you off?" Rei asked.
"No, I'll be fine." Natsu waved.
"Text me when you get there. And make sure to come straight home after" Rei called.
"I'll be fine!" he shouted back, already jogging ahead.
The usual morning bustle of students was louder than usual. Clusters of kids stood around whispering and glancing toward the gate. Phones buzzed. Eyes flicked toward each other. A few heads snapped up as a very familiar, very loud voice echoed down the walkway.
"Yakutooo! You're alive, dude!" Shou yelled as he ran up to Natsu. Glowl was right behind him.
"Bro, I thought you were gonna come back in a full body cast!"
"Someone said you exploded!" another student ran up.
Yakuto Todoroki, hair still wild and fiery red, uniform untucked, sling gone raised a hand lazily in greeting as he swaggered through the courtyard like he hadn't just disappeared for two and a half weeks.
"Tch. You blow up one gas station, and everyone loses their minds," he muttered with a cocky grin.
"Wow, you seem different." Shou noted.
"What do you mean?" Natsu inquired.
"I don't know, like wilder." Glowl agreed.
Natsu just smiled.
Kids swarmed around him immediately.
"I heard it was a villain! Like a real one!"
"No, I heard it was just a gas leak, and a hero pulled you out before it exploded!"
"I heard Endeavor saved you. That's how you survived, right?"
Yakuto blinked, pausing mid-step. A few of the kids noticed and quieted.
"Wait, I thought he beat the villain himself!"
"Nah, he was unconscious. The police found him after the explosion."
"So he didn't fight anyone?"
Natsu let the noise wash over him as he kept walking. His expression didn't change much, he just walked past them to his desk.
"Whatever," he said, tossing a smirk over his shoulder. 'Let them think about what they want. Makes me sound cooler.'
Someone handed him a card, someone else tried to take a selfie, and someone from across the courtyard shouted, "OI YAKUTO! Did you really get thrown into a gas pump?!"
He spun around dramatically. "Hell yeah I did!"
Laughter rippled around him, but the rumors kept spiraling behind it, some claimed a hero saved him, others said he was the one who fought off the villain. Truth and fiction were already tangled, and Natsu wasn't interested in setting the record straight. But one thing lingered on Natsu's mind.
The villain named Muscular. Natsu got fired up just thinking about the fight. He was going to train extra hard. Because the next time they met, he would win.
–
The bar smelled like liquor and smoke.
Muscular sat hunched over the counter, slowly sipping his drink. He rolled his shoulders, and cracked his neck, he still felt pain from his encounter. It took a whole month for him to recover. He was left with disgusting burn scars on the entire life side of his body. He was pissed. He lost to a child. The last thing he remembered was passing out on the rooftop, he heard a voice and everything faded. He was saved by this fellow in front of him. His entire body was made out of a dark purple mist, save for his eyes, which were a glowing yellow. He had a suit on.
"Now that you have properly recovered, we can talk."