Toya's Truth: A Todoroki Fanfic

The room was dimly lit, with the faint glow of flickering lamps casting long shadows across the cracked concrete walls. Shoto sat on the cold floor, his hands still tied behind his back, the gag removed but the tension palpable. Around him, members of the League loomed like vultures, their voices a mixture of mockery and menace as they questioned him.

"Come on, kid," Spinner leaned in, his reptilian face twisted into a grin. "Save yourself the trouble and tell us where you live. Makes it easier for everyone, yeah?"

"Don't make us drag it out," Toga chimed in, twirling a knife in her hand. "We don't want to hurt you. Well, I don't... but someone else might get bored."

Shoto stared straight ahead, his jaw set. He wouldn't give them what they wanted.

The door creaked open, and Dabi strolled in with his usual swagger, hands in his pockets, blue eyes scanning the room. "Still nothing?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at the gathered villains.

"Nope," Spinner muttered. "Kid's tougher than he looks."

Dabi smirked and crouched in front of Shoto, close enough for the heat of his presence to feel oppressive. "So, what's the plan here, kid? Stay quiet until Daddy comes storming in to save you?"

Shoto didn't respond, his mismatched eyes glaring at Dabi with steely resolve.

Dabi tilted his head, feigning disappointment. "You know, I don't get you hero types. You're all so eager to throw yourselves into danger. What's the appeal? You wanna be just like your dear old dad?"

His tone was mocking, cruel even, but it was calculated. Dabi wanted to push buttons, to see if he could crack the stoic mask Shoto wore so well.

At this, Shoto's eyes narrowed, and he finally spoke, his voice firm and unflinching.

"No."

The single word hung in the air like a challenge.

"I don't want to be like him. I hate my father," Shoto said, his tone steady but heavy with emotion. "Don't ever compare me to him."

Dabi blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the intensity in Shoto's voice.

"I want to be a hero because of my older brother. Touya."

The room went silent. Even Toga stopped fidgeting with her knife, her eyes flicking between Shoto and Dabi.

"My brother's been dead for a long time," Shoto continued, his gaze distant now as if speaking more to himself than to them. "But I still remember him so clearly. When my father would... hurt me, Touya was the only one who stood up for me. He'd take the beatings for me. He'd shield me every time, even when he knew it would make things worse for him."

Shoto's voice wavered slightly, but he kept going, determined. "He understood what it was like. My other siblings... they didn't get it. They didn't go through what we went through. But Touya did. He was the only one who tried to protect me from our father."

Dabi's smirk faltered.

Shoto's next words hit like a hammer. "Toya was my hero. Not Endeavor. He showed me what a real hero looks like—someone who protects others even when it costs them everything. Even when it breaks them."

The League's usual energy had drained from the room. Toga looked down at the ground, silent. Twice rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Even Spinner and Compress, who were often the loudest, said nothing.

"I want to be a hero because of him," Shoto said, his voice unwavering again. "I want to honor his memory. To protect others the way he protected me."

Dabi didn't respond for a long moment. His mind reeled, his chest tightening as Shoto's words echoed in his head.