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It was a cold and blustery morning. The wind howled violently, blowing down everything in its path. The sun was hidden behind the thick, dark clouds. And standing atop a cliff, overlooking it all, was Enji Todoroki – Lord Endeavor.
Every day since he went into exile, the flame knight spent much of his time overseeing what land he had left. Waiting for some villain to appear. Some bandits to harass a band of traveling adventurers. Some dragon to try burning down the countryside. There was always something that needed to be stopped, even in a seemingly quiet valley. Hunting threats was the only thing he was good at – those talents needed to be put to good use. It occupied most of his waking hours every day.
That was until recently.
Weeks had passed since Enji had begun training the former Prince of Peace, Toshinori Yagi. He surprised himself by his offer. He despised All Might for so many years, yet the second he’d finally fallen down, he’d offered to help him back up? To an outsider, it might not make any sense. He’d gotten what he wanted – he’d finally surpassed the oh-so beloved Prince of Peace.
But at what cost? Yes, Enji had wanted to surpass his rival since he became a knight, but not like this. He wanted it to be by his own merits, not by unfortunate circumstances. The victory was meaningless and empty. Now, he had to move on and find a new purpose. And if that purpose was putting his energy into helping someone he once hated, then so be it.
Enji was self-aware enough to know some of it was a cathartic revenge fantasy – he’d spent his whole life chasing All Might, and now he’d be the one to bring the Prince of Peace back from the brink. But it wasn’t just that. He meant every word he’d said to him. He believed Toshinori was more than capable in his current state. He only needed some help to bring that potential out. And if anyone was going to do that, it should be the one who saw that potential.
Plus, he still owed him that fight.
All things considered, training had been going well enough. They hadn’t had the time to go over much – just the very basics of fighting and self-defense. In his years coasting on One for All’s power, Toshinori had forgotten a lot of it. In Enji’s eyes, one had to know all of the rules before they could start breaking them. So many of his lessons went over things like how to stand properly or the best ways to throw an arm out to punch someone.
Despite the tedium, Toshinori was a gracious and patient student. If he told him to fix his footing for the tenth time in a row, he did it without sighing or whining. Any lesser knight would’ve given up if they were in his position, but though Toshinori came close, he never did. It was odd to say of a man that was both older and more experienced than he was, but he was proud of him and his tenacious spirit.
“Got something on your mind, big guy?”
Enji groaned, completely forgetting he wasn’t alone. He looked over at his partner. “I’m fine, Hawks. Leave me alone.”
Keigo Takami, better known as the winged knight Hawks, slyly smirked. One of his wings patted him on the shoulder. “Oh, come on, you can’t fool me. You only get that look on your face when you’re thinking about something. Spill the beans, already!”
He rolled his eyes and looked forward, trying to ignore him. Sometimes, he didn’t know why he kept Hawks around so much. Sure, he was dependable in battle and he could be trusted with some awful secrets. That’s why when he went into exile, he was the only person outside of his family he told. But he always enjoyed pushing his buttons and annoying him. Not to mention, he always knew just the right thing to say to piss him off.
“Fine, keep me in suspense. Would really suck if some bad guys show up and I’m so preoccupied with it that I can’t help you when you’re getting your ass kicked. So much for me being your most trusted friend.”
Enji closed his eyes, counting backwards to ten in his head to calm himself down. If he was going to be that persistent, he might as well tell him some of it. “Fine,” he said with a groan. “I’ve taken on a pupil.”
Keigo’s eyes lit up. “Really, now? Endeavor, the mentor: has a nice ring to it. Shoto told me you got a lot better at that, after the whole ‘running away from your problems’ thing. He’s really blossomed since you started lightening up on him. So, who’s the lucky kid?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.”
He laughed. “Gimme a break! You tell me you have a student, but you won’t tell me who it is? Can I guess? It can’t be Shoto because I haven’t seen him around here since he started adventuring. Is it one of his pals? Midoriya’s a good kid, but he’d probably be fanboying about learning from the mighty flame knight every chance he got. Uraraka’s a great girl and a really fast learner – maybe it’s her. Iida would be a good student, but he’s already got his brother to teach him stuff. Hope it’s not Bakugo. Remind me not to visit if you ever have him over.”
“No.”
“Then who is it? Come on, don’t be shy. Let me in on your little secret!”
Enji glared at the winged knight. There was no way he was telling him the truth. Toshinori was still in a vulnerable state, both physically and emotionally. The last thing he needed was someone gossiping about it to another knight. “I mean it, Hawks – let it go.”
Keigo put his hands up, before sticking them in his pockets. “Okay, sorry I asked. But that’s awesome, man. You always seem so lonely in your big mansion all by yourself – must be nice to finally have company.”
As loathed as he was to admit, he was right. He was a lot lonelier than he thought he was, and he hadn’t realized that until Toshinori started living with him. Going back to his home after a long day of being on patrol and finding someone there to greet him felt… nice. They didn’t talk much and he wouldn’t exactly call them friends, but the fallen prince was surprisingly easy to be around.
Of course, he’d never admit that out loud. Especially to this jackass.
“Oh, you’re thinking, again. Must mean I’m right.”
Enji ignited the flames around his face as he gave him a dirty look. “How fireproof did you say your wings were, again?”
Keigo laughed. “Never change, man. Never change.”
Toshinori breathed in, as he lifted his sword into the air. His arm shook, as he tried to hold the steel blade with one hand. Then, as his hand tightened on the hilt, he swung it out to the side in a fast motion, swinging it at an enemy that didn’t exist.
Enji stood across the room from him, arms crossed over his chest with an impassive look on his face. “Again,” he said firmly.
He lifted his sword again, before swiping it out to the side.
“Again.”
He cringed to himself, the weight of the sword starting to take its toll on his arm. He wasn’t used to using a one-handed sword. Nevertheless, he lifted it into the air once more, and threw it to the side.
Enji caught his arm before he could complete the move. Toshinori jumped at how fast he was able to move next to him. “You’re still not thinking of it the right way. The sword is an extension of your arm – not a separate entity. You have to be able to move it with the same ease as you would hitting someone.”
Had anyone else tried explaining that to him, he would’ve thought they were being condescending. He knew how swords worked – he used to wield one before giving it to young Midoriya. Yet it didn’t come off that way when he explained it. Enji, for as rude and abrasive as he was, never talked down to him. When he retaught the basics, it wasn’t because he thought he was an idiot – it was because he thought it was necessary for their training.
He shifted the sword to his other hand, as he shook out his right arm. “I know, I know. I just haven’t used one-handed swords in a while. Not used to carrying all that weight on one arm.”
Enji put his hand on his own cheek, tapping his finger tips against it. “That’s right. You always used a greatsword when you were All Might. No wonder you’re struggling.”
Toshinori shrugged. “It’s not that bad,” he tried to assure him. “When we work on strength, we’ll just have to focus on my arms individually, I guess.”
He pressed his mouth into a firm line, as he mulled over something in his head. Then, his eyes lit up. “Turn around and hold your sword at your side,” he said.
Toshinori’s brows furrowed, but he did as he asked.
He could hear the flame knight walk up right behind him. Even without his hellflames, he still radiated heat like a bonfire. Then, he put his hand underneath his bandaged forearm. “Try striking, again.”
He breathed in, as he brought the sword up in front of him. Enji’s hand balanced underneath his forearm and elbow. The extra support helped with his balance, making it easier to move the steel blade. Then, he followed through, throwing the sword out to the side.
“Better. Do it, again.”
As he brought it down once more, Toshinori heard his shoulder pop. He grit his teeth together, but still held onto the sword tightly.
Enji huffed, as he took the sword from his hands. “That’s enough,” he said. He walked past him, putting his sword back into its sheath. “We’ll practice more another day.”
He grabbed his popped shoulder, trying to massage the pain away. For as unforgiving of a teacher as he claimed to be, Endeavor had gone surprisingly easy on him. With the pitiful state his body was in, there were days he couldn’t train for more than 20 minutes. And despite how frustrated he got on those days, he never tried to push him too far past his limits. He knew just went to stop and pull back, no matter how much either of them wanted to keep going.
“I appreciate the help,” Toshinori began, “but what good did that do? You’re not gonna be able to hold my arm during a fight.”
He turned back towards him. “That might be true, but you still have to learn how to swing a sword correctly. Training isn’t fighting – it’s learning. And if I have to support your arm for you to get that knowledge, that’s fine. Once your upper body strength has improved, you won’t need my help either way.”
The former prince nodded. When he put it that way, it made a lot of sense.
“I’m going to put this away,” he said, his hand rest on the sword’s hilt. “Then, we’ll have to change your bandages. In the meantime, you should-”
“Get started with cooling down?” He smiled at him.
The flame knight glare back at him. “If you keep that up, you can bandage yourself tonight.”
“Right, sorry,” he said, stifling a laugh.
Enji rolled his eyes, as he opened the door. “I’ll be back soon.” He let it close with a loud slam.
Toshinori sighed, as he stretched his stiff muscles, wincing slightly as he did. He used to be able to jump over tall castles like it was nothing. Now, he struggled with getting back up after sitting down on the floor. It might take him years until he was as limber as he once was. If it even got to that point. Eventually, Enji would realize he was a lost cause and turn him loose. It was inevitable.
But knowing that wouldn’t make it hurt any less.
Years of being the Prince of Peace had gotten him used to not relying on anyone else. He was the one to save people. No one ever came to save him. He wasn’t bitter or angry over it. It was just apart of the job. Having someone care for him and show concern for his well-being was foreign, yet welcome. The consistency of his and Enji’s routines made him feel secure. More than he had in years. For once, he wasn’t alone. Which would make it hurt more when it all comes to an end.
Toshinori’s train of thought came to a sudden halt as he felt a breeze on his back. He looked over his shoulder. He didn’t remember opening that window. He walked over and pulled it shut. The wood on the windowpane was so old, it loudly creaked as it went down. Luckily with his bandaged hands, he wouldn’t have to worry about splinters.
He turned around, again. Maybe it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but he swore he hear something scuttering around the shadowed ceiling. It couldn’t be Enji on the next floor – the armory was at the end of the hall.
He crouched down, holding his arms up in a guarded stance like he’d been taught. His eyes flashed around the ceiling, trying to figure out where those noises were coming from. It seemed to move at an incredible speed. His heart raced as he tried to figure out what was happening. Had a villain already discovered that he was here? But how? He’d barely stepped foot outside of the manor’s grounds since he came here, and Enji wasn’t the type to gossip. None of this made any sense.
Eventually, the scuttering came to a stop. Toshinori’s eyes were glued on a shadowy spot on the ceiling. For sure, they had to be there. Anxiety and fear seized his entire body. He wasn’t ready for another fight. What should he do? Call out to it? Run and hide? Scream and hope Enji got back here fast enough?
Then, he heard a noise right behind him.
Without thinking, he turned around and threw his fists towards it. He could feel his entire arm burning with power and kinetic energy, as pure adrenaline coursed through his veins. A violent wind suddenly erupted in the room, sending everything inside flying into the air and crashing against the walls.
Toshinori stood in shock the second he realized what he’d done, his mouth hanging open. He pulled his shaking fists towards his face. His arm still tingled from the power it just had. He flexed his wrist back and forth and it felt fine. When the thought of using One for All in his current form came to him, images of young Midoriya with broken arms and fingers flashed in his brain. That kind of damage was inevitable to an untrained user. Yet now, he scarcely felt a thing. He didn’t even realize he’d done it until he was standing in the aftermath.
Before he could analyze it further, his legs were suddenly swiped out from underneath him and he fell onto his back with a loud thud. Then, he felt something suddenly dig into his stomach, effectively pining him to the ground.
“Nice try. You almost had me there. Wouldn’t expect any less from the Prince of Peace.”
His eyes flashed open. As he looked up at his attacker, recognition hitting him like a train. This wasn’t a villain. It was someone he knew.
“Hawks,” he exclaimed.
Keigo grinned and laughed. “The one and only! Good to see you, All Might.”
Toshinori stared up at him, slack jawed. So many questions raced through his brain, as he stared at the winged knight. So many that his mouth couldn’t keep up with them. “What are… why are… how did you… huh?!”
He leaned his cheek against his palm. His hair was windswept and his clothes were out of place, but he had no bruises or marks on him. “Speechless, buddy? Don’t worry – I know I have that effect on people.” He winked at him.
Suddenly, the door slammed open. “What’s going on in,” a familiar irate voice yelled. His rant was cut off when he saw the room was a complete wreck.
Keigo waved at him, still kneeling on Toshinori’s gut. “Hey, Endeavor,” he said with a smile. “Just flew in to say hi.”
Within seconds, the winged hero was grabbed by the collar of his leather coat and hoisted into the air. Enji’s hellflames were fanning wildly around him, completely obscuring his face. “What the hell did you think you were doing?!”
He was completely unphased by his anger. “I was in the neighborhood, and thought I’d pop by. Though, when I came in through the window, I wasn’t expecting to find All Might here.”
Somehow, flames around him grew even brighter and hotter. “How many times do I have to tell you this?! Stop breaking into my house! You’re lucky I don’t incinerate you now for the mess you made!”
“He didn’t make the mess.”
Enji blinked, the hellflames dwindling slightly as he looked down at Toshinori.
The former prince sighed as he sat up. “Look, I heard some noises after you left, I panicked, I tried to throw a punch, and,” he gestured towards the rest of the room, “all this happened. I didn’t mean to. I’m really sorry.”
His eyes widened, as he dropped Keigo unceremoniously onto the floor. “You did this?!”
“I guess. I-I didn’t even realize it was happening when I did it. Next thing I knew, I was standing here and my arm felt like it’d been hit by some magic spell.”
Enji rushed to him. “Which arm?” When Toshinori held that arm out towards him, he gently grabbed it. As he pulled him back to his feet, he twisted it back and forth, looking at it closely. “And you’re not feeling any pain.”
Toshinori shook his head. “No. It feels… fine. That’s a good sign, right?”
“It’s more than good – it’s incredible!” He looked him in the eyes, his hand grasping his tightly. “This is exactly what I’ve been telling you. You still have power – you just need to find the right way to channel it.”
Something about the fiery passion in his eyes and voice made his heart skip a beat. He glanced down, trying to ignore it. “Yeah, but it doesn’t do much good if I can’t do it on command.”
“And what did I tell you when we started? That’s something we’ll figure out together.”
Before either of them could discuss it further, they heard laughter. When they looked over, Keigo was sitting hunched over on the ground, clutching his stomach as loud cackles came from his mouth. When he tried to gasp for air, he just laughed more. Enji and Toshinori glanced at each other, as they looked on in confusion and concern.
“You- you gotta be kidding,” he managed to wheeze. “All Might?! The Prince of Peace! The land’s most famous and perfect knight! The guy you hate with a fiery passion! That’s who you’re mentoring?!” He kept laughing, putting his hand on his forehead.
Toshinori looked up at Enji – he was silently seething, his lips curled into a snarl. He let go of his hand and started marching towards Hawks, but the former prince grabbed his arm, stopping his forward motion. When he looked down at him, he shook his head. Beating him up for laughing would probably just make him even more hysterical.
Eventually, Keigo calmed down, wiping tears from his eyes as he stood up, again. “Hooo boy, that’s rich. I mean, it's All Might. What on earth could he have left to learn?” He looked right at Toshinori. “Seriously, dude – what else is there?”
His body stiffened. It was a legitimate question from his point of view, but what was he supposed to say? ‘Yeah, I got in a bad fight and I can’t use my powers anymore, putting the land at risk if the next demon lord comes along’? It wasn’t that he didn’t like or trust the winged knight, but he really didn’t want to tell people if they didn’t need to know. The last thing the world needed to know was that Prince of Peace was out of commission for good.
“I’ve already told you this once, Hawks,” Enji snapped at him. “Mind your own goddamn business! If All Might thinks he has more to learn, that’s his prerogative. Not yours. Just this once, can you stop being so damn nosy?!”
Toshinori’s eyes widened as he looked up at him. He never thought he’d see the day where he got angry on his behalf. Hawks hadn’t even asked anything too personal. By his tone, one would think he’d asked him how he got his injuries. Years of his cold-shoulder attitude towards him made hearing it so surreal.
Even the winged knight was taken aback by his sudden harsh tone. “Alright, alright, I get it. Yeesh, you’re crabbier than usual.”
“Only because you refuse to leave well-enough alone.” He groaned, as he took Toshinori’s wrist in a firm but gentle grip. “We’ll be finishing our business elsewhere. If you pull something like this again, Hawks, I’ll incinerate you. That’s a promise.”
He shrugged. “Whatever you say, big guy. And it was nice seeing you, All Might – we’ve been missing you on our adventures.” He smiled at him, but with a sad look in his eyes.
Toshinori’s heart lurched at his statement, guilt filling his stomach. He’d abandoned young Midoriya and his friends without so much as a goodbye. Or even word that he was still alive. Were they worried for him? He hated to think so.
“Thanks,” he eventually said. “If you see Midoriya, tell him I’m alright. And I’m hoping to see him, soon.”
Hawks jokingly saluted and winked at him. “Loud and clear, man. I won’t mention, y’know,” he gestured to the room and towards them, “all this. He’d probably fanboy over the Prince of Peace learning under the great Flame Knight, y'now.”
Enji breathed out harshly through his nose, turning around and tugging Toshinori alongside him. “We’re leaving. Find your way out or I’ll burn you into ashes.” Keigo waved to them, as they left the room.
When they were alone in the hallway, Enji let go of his wrist and groaned, rubbing his temples. “Apologies,” he grumbled out. “I should’ve guessed that he’d weasel his way into our business when I told him I had a pupil.”
Toshinori rubbed the bandaged wrist the flame knight had been holding. It didn’t hurt, but it felt too light without the weight and pressure of him grasping it. “It’s no big deal,” he insisted. “I would’ve been more happy to see him if he didn’t try to scare the daylights out of me.”
“But if he didn’t try something like that, he wouldn’t be Hawks. I’m going to kill him one day, I swear.” He dragged his hand down his face, before looking back at him. His eyes flicked down to the wrist he was rubbing. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
Against himself, he let out a breathy laugh. “Enji, I’m fine. He just startled me. No offense, but you never struck me as the neurotic type.”
A choked sound came out of him. He looked down at him with a surprised look in his eyes, before glaring. “Don’t read into it! It’s only because you still owe me a fight – nothing more than that!”
Toshinori almost laughed. Who was he trying to convince – him or himself? Instead of laughing, he said “Either way, I’m still grateful for it. And… thank you.”
His brows furrowed in confusion. “For what?”
“For believing in me. I was beginning to think I’d never be able to use One for All, again, but… I did.” Toshinori looked down. “Without you, I would’ve completely given up. I'd… probably be lying at the bottom of a ditch right now, to be honest.”
“You’re wrong.”
Now it was his turn to be confused. When he looked back up at Enji, his hardened glare had softened.
“You would have figured it out without my help. I wasn’t the one who taught you how to do that – you did it, yourself. Maybe it’ll take a while longer for you to harness it, again, but if anyone can, it’s you.”
He could scarcely believe what he was hearing. Endeavor hated All Might for years, and never made his disdain a secret. How could just a few months of living together have changed that so drastically? Yet, every word he said strengthened his resolve and confidence.
If Enji believed he could do it, maybe he actually could.
“Thanks,” he said, again.
Enji snorted, a gentle smirk on his face. “You thank me too much. We’ll have to work on that. Now, let’s go.” He took hold of his arm and pulled him alongside him.
“Don’t have too much fun, you two!”
They turned around to see Hawks leaning his arm on a wall, a smug grin on his face.
Enji’s hellflames suddenly ignited around him, as he pushed Toshinori away from him. “WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE, YOU IRKSOME PIGEON?!”
Keigo’s eyes lit up. “Oooh, that’s a new one! Irksome pigeon – I gotta tell Shoto and Rei about that!”
“GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE!” He raised his hand into the air, as a ball of fire ignited in his palm. Toshinori balked, grabbing his arm, trying to pull him along towards the other end of the hallway, telling him he was about to prominence burn his own manor, while Hawks laughed at them.