? Benevolence ?

We're soon seated back at the dinner table with Fuyumi. I fidget nervously, keeping my eyes down and waiting for someone to say something. It's quiet for a while until Midoriya speaks up with a confused look.

"Your older brother..."

Fuyumi glances over to Todoroki, surprised. "You didn't tell them?"

"It's not exactly a conversation starter."

She looks down. "Natsuo and Touya were so close... They were always playing together. It was shortly after Mom went away... Her condition somehow got even worse to the point that Shoto couldn't even visit her..."

She pauses, brushing some hair out of her face and adjusting her glasses before continuing. "But she's overcome all that. Shoto's visiting her now and our family's looking towards the future more and more. Only Natsuo can't seem to let go. He believes that father... killed Touya."

My heart clenches and my mind flashes back to the man I met twice before. Burnt hands, voice rough and young. You can call me Touya. But keep it to yourself, he had said. The scars looked old and his eyes were oddly familiar but... it had to be just a coincidence. Touya isn't an uncommon name and-

I shake the memory away and focus back on the others. Bakugou leans back, glancing over to Fuyumi. "That explains the expression on his face."

Before anyone else can respond, Endeavor enters the room and the conversation is brought to a close. "I gotta bring the boys back to the school."

We follow him, gathering our things and soon we're ready to head back. Midoriya bows, thanking Fuyumi. "Thank you so much for the meal!"

In contrast to Midoriya's happy tone, Bakugou simply huffs. "Gimme that Mapo Tofu recipe."

Todoroki lets him know he'll have her text it and I offer the older girl a soft smile. "Uh... thank you for having us over. The food was great... I hope everything goes well for you all."

I hear Endeavor thank her quietly before she turns back to us, smiling softly. "Midoriya, [L/n]... Thank you for being Shoto's friends."

"Well, I mean... the pleasures all mine."

I nod at Midoriya's words, returning her smile. "It'd be hard not to be."

We're eventually ushered into the car but it's crammed with all four of us in the backseat. I sit between Midoriya and Bakugou, practically on the latter's lap, listening idly as Endeavor speaks.

"You boys gotta get stronger fast. In addition to weekends... You're to report in at least two days a week if you can shift your class schedule around."

Todoroki nods, turning to us. "That's how it was for Ururaka, Kirishima, and the others last time around."

"We also have to study for finals. I'll help you out with your English, Todoroki." Midoriya smiles and I think over my own plans. I imagine I'll just end up studying with Hitoshi. It'll be nice to see him after this week.

I'm pulled from my thoughts as Bakugou growls, shoving his head out the window. "Shouldn't the number one hero get a bigger car?!"

The chauffeur snaps back a clipped response. "Complaining about being chauffeured around?! Kids these days! Endeavor, since when do you give rides to slacker students?!"

"Since I was placed at the top."

"Are you saying one's position can change a person?"

Suddenly, something in the air shifts and I know there's something wrong.

"Endeavor...something's not right..."

At my tone, he glances back but I just lean forward, looking out the front window. I just barely spot a figure in the center of the road. No, two figures. The second is held in the air by ropes or something.

My heart stops as I catch a better glimpse when we suddenly swerve to avoid hitting them. Natsou's panicked eyes gaze back at me and I feel a rush of concern. The car skids dangerously and the driver shouts something I don't catch.

Todoroki leans forward next to me, shocked. "That's Natsuo!"

In seconds, Endeavor's quirk activates and he flies out of the car, quickly followed by something wrapping around it and trapping us inside.

"LET HIM GO!" The hero booms and I swear I can feel the ground shake.

"Remember me Endeavor?!"

I lean over Bakugou to see out the window, quickly taking in the situation. The villain's quirk is holding Natsuo and the car. The situation seems stable for the moment as Endeavor talks so I take a moment to assess my options.

If I pop all of us out there, we could help but there's also the possibility that it would push the villain to take drastic measures if he felt outnumbered or threatened. We also might get in the way and become liabilities.

If I go out by myself, there's a chance I could get Natsuo but if I can't reach him it wouldn't matter. Not to mention, I don't know the villain's quirk and I could escalate the situation, making it more dangerous for everyone involved.

I decided to observe for now, taking in all the information I can. Tuning in to their conversation, I find my dread growing by the second.

"-gave yourself your own villain name and everything! You're-"

"Yes, yes! Amazing! I'm tickled pink you remember! That's right, I'm Ending! Sorry Endeavor, but you gotta understand... No matter what I did, you always had so much I could never attain. I looked up to you! But I never had anything to protect! I'm gonna kill this kid, so please Endeavor, do the job right this time! You gotta kill me!"

He adjusts his quirk and suddenly the car is mummified as adrenaline floods my system. I reach for the others immediately and they seem to have the same idea, holding onto me. Midoriya grabs our costume cases just as I pop us out of the car and tosses them to us.

"KAACHAN! SHOTO-KUN! [Y/N]!"

I catch my case and unlatch it, tugging my Recall Lenses on. Then, we leap into action and all hell breaks loose.

---
Natsuo is one of my favorite characters overall! I love that he's studying Health and Wellness! He just wants to help people!
Thank you for reading!!