(Shouto POV.)

It's so incredibly hot.. I can't stand it- my ice isn't even working to help regulate my temperature.. The area all around is surrounded by fire.. Blue flames in a twisting inferno of pure heat..

I can't even keep my eyes open all the way.. I can barely make out the Villain causing this-

"Ready to give in, Shouto?"

"That voice..." I cover my eyes partially with my arm, shielding them from the heat and bright light of the fire. "Touya.. I thought you were in Tartarus!" I shout, assuming this is someone's Quirk.

"You wish. You think I'm stupid enough to get caught just like that?" he scoffs with that smug look on his face. "Why would I allow myself to be caught by that bastard of all people? You really thought they had me? You never even came to see me, so how could you confirm it?"

I grit my teeth, still trying to get my ice cold enough to cool my body down. It feels like I'm melting... His fire is so much stronger than mine... "This can't be happening! This isn't happening!" I shout, focusing everything on my right side.

I'm able to blast my ice across the ground, sending spikes in every direction. The fire goes out as it melts my ice, splashing the water all over it and extinguishing it all. While he's somewhat confused I'll attack! I charge at him using my Quirk, boosting myself as fast as I can with a combination of my right and left sides.

Once I'm right before him I focus all my fire in my palm, propelling me to the side just as he attacks. He misses, just like I thought.. I bring my foot around and land my hit in the side of his head, freezing a portion of his body instantly.

He flies across the scorched empty street, skidding across the ground like a ragdoll. I'm able to land on my feet and instantly charge him. He's still down and looks pretty beat up from that fall. Now's probably my best chance. Gotta take him down quickly!

Engulfing my left side in flames, I blast everything I have at him. He's not immune to fire! I know this will hurt him!

The fire blasts across him but my orange flames suddenly swirl with a combination of blue. Shit.. Touya gets up, countering my attack and blasting an even more intense heatwave at me. Quickly I use my right side, forming ice across my backside, keeping it behind me so it won't melt as fast. I keep my flames blasting in the hopes of him succumbing to his burns before I fall to overheating..

"Give up Shouto!!! You can't beat me in this situation!"

And what situation is that..? I've got him pinned!

"Not unless you want to burn your own children!"

"What?"

I cease my Quirk and Touya does the same. My eyes widen and I can't believe what I'm seeing. Daichi and Taichi are in his grasp... He's holding them both in one arm, his other extended out at me, ready to attack if needed...

"What- how did you-"

"Shouto!"

I turn as I hear Momo's voice from behind me. She's kneeling in the street, her body covered in burns and blood.. "No! MOMO!"

I run to her just as she drops face first toward the street. I dive, painfully sliding across the burning cement, catching her before she hits. Blood trickles down my arms and chin as I sit up, holding her close. "Momo... What happened..?" I choke out, adjusting her so she seems more comfortable.

"He... He came for them.. I tried to.. Stop him.. But.."

"It's okay... I've got you," I assure her as tears begin to leak from my eyes. "Momo.. Just hold on, okay..?"

"Save our children, Shouto.." she whispers, her voice sounding weak and hurt. "Be... Their Hero..."

Her body goes limp in my arms. She's still breathing but it's very weak... "Momo... I don't know if I can...." I whisper, laying her down.

"This is Father's great creation!? The chosen child!? The one who took priority over us all!?!"

I get to my feet, glaring at him as he speaks. Everything around goes black- his blue flames are the only source of light.. "Touya- no.. You prefer Dabi, right? You're no brother of mine.."

"Shouto, what are you saying..? Of course he's our brother."

I turn my head and see Natsu standing behind me. "What? No- Natsu-"

"Shouto... We all thought he died... Just because he's taken the wrong path doesn't mean he isn't apart of our family..."

"Sis.. No, I meant-"

"You're just like him aren't you?"

Natsu glares at me and Dad appears between them. My eyes narrow as I focus on him. I can feel my anger surface at the thought of becoming anything like he is... Was... He's gotten better... I can't deny that.. But, it still doesn't make up for everything he did to us...

"I.. I'm not him.. Touya! He- he's got my kids! Your nephews! Doesn't that mean-"

"They won't listen to you, Shouto. Why would they?" Touya speaks up, making me turn my full attention on him. "You can't control anything here."

"What? What do you-"

"Please," he scoffs, "you can't even trust your own subconscious."

"Touya! NO!"

My eyes shoot open and I sit up in bed, breathing fast and heavy. I'm coated in a cold sweat, and the room is dark and quiet... I turn the lamp on, instantly turning to my left and seeing that the bed is empty... "Right... Right.. She's in the hospital with the twins..." I mutter, coming back to reality after my nightmare.

"I thought my nightmares were all gone..." I mutter, holding my head in my hands. "It's always about Touya... Why is that..?"

Glancing to Momo's place in our bed, I can't help but miss her.. I miss her so much and it's only been two days since she's been gone from me... I want her back.. Right now this feels like a punishment..

I drop back into the mattress, sinking into the overly softness that I've gotten accustomed to.. A sigh escapes me and I roll over, picking up my phone and checking the time. "Four am... Wonder if she's awake..."

I unplug it and remain laying on my side as I text.

Me || 4:07am

« Are you awake..?

No response... Why would she be awake..? She needs to be taking care of them and sleeping when she can.. I shouldn'tve texted her...

(Momo POV.)

Finally got them to sleep again.. Seems like they like to be awake at night more... I'm so tired..

Quietly, I lay back in the bed just as my phone vibrates. "Is that a text...?" Picking up my phone I see that it's Shouto. "Why is he up now...?"

Me || 4:08 am

« I'm awake. Is something wrong?

Shouto || 4:09 am

» No. I miss you and its hard to sleep without you here with me

» I'm sorry if I woke you..

"Shouto..."

I press the call button and hold my phone to my ear. "You didn't have to call me," he answers. "You should probably be sleeping."

"So should you," I quietly respond.

"Yeah well, even if I could, I don't want to try and sleep again right now..."

His voice.. He sounds.. Scared.. "Shouto.. Did.. Did you have another nightmare..?"

".... Yeah.."

"... Was it the same as before..? About Touya?"

".. More or less..." he admits, sounding defeated. "I don't know why I keep having these dreams.. I thought I was done with them.."

"Taichi and Daichi were just born two days ago, and I'm not there with you.." I say, glancing over to the twins. "I know you've been overprotective of me during the pregnancy, and now that they're here with us- you probably are having insecurities about not being with us as much as you can..." I say, taking my best guess.

"Maybe... I- I was thinking of maybe going and seeing Touya in prison.. Maybe if I see him, I can get some closure on this and I'll stop having nightmares..."

"It's not a bad idea.." I say, hoping that it'll be for the best. "It's up to you. I don't know what's best in this situation, but, if you think it'll help then you should do it.."

"I think I will.. Today.. I'll try and come see you afterwards if I'm able," he calmly says. "I'll let you go though. You should rest."

"Okay. I love you. Be smart and safe today," I tell him, wishing I could hug and kiss him..

"I love you too.. So much.. I'll call you later today."

"Bye."

"Bye.."

I hang up and stare down at my phone. The wallpaper is a picture of Shouto I took while he was sleeping on the couch. He looks so calm and so peaceful when he sleeps... I don't like seeing or hearing him in pain like he's been in.. These nightmares he's had are just so terrible.. I want to be home with him...

(Shouto POV.)

Tartarus... I haven't actually been here before.. Looking up at it, it seems much more intimidating in person than the pictures in the reports or on the Internet...

"This way, Todoroki," one of the guards escorting me in says. "Dabi has been locked up for months now and he has no knowledge of anything going on outside. Please refrain from speaking of anything going on out there. He's a key member of the League and we don't need him knowing anything."

"I understand.." I reply, glancing to the cell doors as we pass them. "Stain... Almost forgot he's still here.." I mutter as we pass his room.

"Dabi is just up ahead. You have ten minutes."

"Thank you," I nod to him before focusing on the room before me.

Okay Shouto.. Here we go..

I open the door and step inside the white room. There's thick glass between us, and Touya is restrained in a straight jacket- probably fire proof. Taking a quick glance around his side of the room, it looks like there're guns pointed at him along with extinguishers.. I walk in and take a seat in the chair that's on my side right in front of the glass.

"Shouto. Finally decided to come and visit your big bro, huh?"

"Yeah.. I needed to see you here for myself.."

He smirks, eyes narrow with a condescending look in them. "Taking some time out of your happy, busy life to come and see your Villain brother," he chuckles. "Must be nice out there. Back at your precious Hero work, living up to being the perfect little Hero just like that bastard wanted."

"You don't know what you're talking about," I can't help but grumble. "I know apologizing won't do any good, but what happened to you wasn't my fault-"

"It was your fault. I'm stronger than him and I was supposed to be his successor. The other two were failures from the very start.. But you being born, the perfect combination of Quirks just like he wanted.. I didn't have a chance."

"You pushed yourself-"

"He pushed me! He knew my Quirk backfires on myself but he pushed my limits! He didn't care though! Why would he!? He had you!"

"Touya..."

"Tch.. Why are you here, Shouto?" he mutters, turning his gaze away.

"Not really sure.. Closure, maybe? Just needed to see you where you belong," I tell him, still feeling sorry for what had happened in the past.

"Closure?"

"It's not important anymore.."

"Closure... You'll probably have to wait a little longer on that one."

My brow furrows as he speaks. That snide look on his face is starting to piss me off. "What are you talking about?" I ask.

"Todoroki, don't engage him any further," a guard's voice speaks over an intercom. "He's trying to get under your skin. He did the same thing to Endeavor, Ground Zero, and Deku when they interrogated him."

"I was just having some fun with them, but you.. You don't think I've been keeping my eye on you?"

"You've been in here. You can't possibly-"

He ignites his Quirk and blue flames fill the room he's in. I take a step back, surprised by his action. The extinguishers turn on and blast the fire. Even though the extinguishers are on, his fire is still swirling in the room..

"Hey! Stop him!" I shout up to the camera that's in the room with me.

"It's not working! Open fire!"

"What!?" I turn and see the guns begin to fire rounds at Touya. The fire dies down and the guns and extinguishers stop. "Wait.... No.."

He's sitting in the chair, melting away, his face and body crumbling to the floor.. "I'll be seeing you soon, Shouto.." he maliciously says before crumbling into nothing..

"He wasn't real.. He was a copy..?" I mutter, backing up until my back hits the wall. "No.. This has to be a dream.. This can't be happening.."

Guards storm the room, guns drawn and all pointing at the empty cell. "How could you have not known he was a copy!?" I question them, furious about the situation.

"Our security scanned him when he first came in-"

I grab the guard and pin him to the wall, my anger escalating and getting the better of me. "Dabi has been out there this entire time! I thought Tartarus was the most secure prison in Japan!" I shout. "How could you not know he was a clone!?"

"It- it is! I don't understand how this happened!"

"Todoroki, put him down.."

I glare around the room, seeing that I'm making them all too uneasy.. They don't have their guns pointed at me, but I can tell they're on edge because of me.. I release my hold on the guard and pull out my phone as I go to leave.

"Lock this place down and call the prisons that the others were sent to when Dabi was brought in. There could be others who're clones," I tell them.

"R-right! We're on it!"

I leave Tartarus, holding my phone to my ear as I wait for him to pick up.. "Hello?"

"We have a situation.."

"What kind of situation? What's going on, Shouto?"

"Dabi was a clone," I growl, getting into the car I took here. "Endeavor never caught him.."

"Was it one of Twice's clones then? He was there that day."

"It looked like it, but, he must've been extremely strong to face off with my dad like that and not disappear.." I say, recalling watching the fight between them.. "If it was Twice's doing, he's gotten much stronger.. They all probably have.."

"Alright. I'll call Kacchan and some of the others and we can try and make a move against the League. I've been closing in on what I think is their current location," Midoriya confidently tells me. "If Dabi wasn't actually in prison, he's got to have been laying low..."

"Where are you so we can talk in person? I didn't know you were working on finding them. If that's true, then I want to be apart of the team who goes in this time."

"Sure. It's mostly been me and Lemillion who've been working the case under wraps so we don't draw too much attention.. I informed the others about the location yesterday, but you were busy with your family so I didn't get the chance to tell you yet-"

"It's fine. Just get me caught up. Text me your location."

"Okay. We'll get them this time for sure."

"Yeah. We'd better..."

I hang up, glaring out the window as we pass over the bridge heading back into the city. Touya.. This isn't how I was expecting today to go.. I should call Momo... She'll worry, but, I don't think this is something I should keep from her... I dial her number, closing my eyes and hoping I wake up from this fucking nightmare..

"Hello?"

"Momo.."

"Shouto? Did you visit Tartarus already? It's still pretty early-"

"I just left.." I interrupt, opening my eyes and leaning my head against the window. "It.. It wasn't good.."

"What.. Happened..?" she asks with obvious worry in her voice.

In the background I can hear one of the twins crying. Hearing him makes my chest ache.. I can't help but hope that our family won't end up broken and cursed like mine was... Having a wife and children now, it makes me a little scared to go out there and put my life on the line.. But I have to, and I want to.. I need to help keep this world safe from people like Touya and the League..

"Touya, he was never caught.. It was a clone... He melted away right before my eyes," I inform her.

"He's been out this whole time..? Then.. What are we going to do about it?"

"I'm going to meet up with Midoriya and some others now and we're going to figure out a plan," I tell her. "I don't want you to worry though.. Just focus on taking care of Dai and Tai for us.." I say, smiling a little as I picture them.

"O-okay.. I know you can take care of yourself out there, but, just please be careful, Shouto.."

"Don't worry. We won't be making a move today," I remind her. "Also, can you send me a picture of the boys? I kept forgetting while I was visiting..."

"Of course.. I'll send you one once they settle down," she says, making me feel relieved. "I'll let you go now. Daichi is hungry.."

"Okay. I love you, Momo. Take care of them today. I'll try and come by," I say.

"I love you too. Call me if you can't make it before the visiting time is over," she replies in a happy tone, sounding as if she's smiling.

"I will. I love you," I say again and then hang up.

Once I end the call I see that Midoriya sent me his location.. Kamino, huh? Okay.. Haven't been there in awhile. Wonder how much intel we're going to be going over today.. I'd like to get as much information as I can, then come up with a plan of attack against them.

I lean forward and hold out my phone to the driver, "go here," I tell him, making sure he typed it into his own GPS.

He nods and I head to where Midoriya is at. A few minutes must have passed because shortly after, my phone goes off. I open the message and it's a picture of Momo with the twins. A nurse must have taken it for her.. She's holding them both, smiling with them both awake and looking up at her... God, how did I get to be so lucky with her... I need to put an end to Touya and the League before anything bad happens.. It's time to take action..

A/N: I'm actually surprised I got this chapter out first. I've been working on something else when I haven't been drawing..

But for those who read the manga and know exactly what's going on in it rn.. I started this story before the Villain Arc came out so anything regarding the Liberation Army probably won't be happening in this story. It annoys me that I'm unable to figure out a way to put it all in without going back and rewriting some things within previous chapters, but, I'm lazy and don't want to do that 🙃

Anywho, I'm probably like half done with writing the next chapter, so we'll just see how long it takes for an update 😗