The afternoon light poured through the narrow window of Shoto's room, casting long shadows that danced across the floor as he and Dabi sat on the floor amid a mess of papers and empty soda cans. They had spent countless hours trying to devise a plan that would break the devastating news to their mother, Rei, about Enji's infidelity. Neither wanted to hurt her; she had already endured so much. The thought of their father continuing this betrayal filled them both with anger.
"What if we just tell her straight-up?" Dabi suggested, his fingers running through his unruly hair. The tension in his voice mirrored the furrowed brow on his face.
"Do you honestly think that would be better?" Shoto shot back, frustration evident. "You think she doesn't already feel enough guilt for… everything Dad put her through? This is about her mental health too." He picked at his fingers, visualizing the pain on her face, the years spent in the mental hospital after Enji's abuse.
Before Dabi could respond, Shoto's phone buzzed with an incoming call, its vibration pulling him from his thoughts. He glanced at the screen and his heart raced momentarily. Y/N. His girlfriend. He hesitated, but the sweet face and calming presence of her memory urged him to answer despite the gravity of the moment.
"Shoto. It's urgent!" her voice was laced with anger and disbelief. "I saw your dad with another woman!"
The world around him blurred as he unconsciously leaned closer to the phone. "Where?" he asked breathlessly.
"At the store just now. They were walking back to your house!" Y/N huffed, her tone a mix of indignation and concern.
Dabi's eyes lit up with a mischievous yet sinister glint. "Perfect timing," he muttered under his breath. After Shoto hung up, he turned to his brother, an idea brewing. "What if we set up cameras in the house? We can catch him in the act."
Shoto hesitated for a split second, but the whirl of righteous anger and the desire for justice sparked within him. "Let's do it."
Minutes later, the two meticulously placed small cameras around the living room, ensuring they had every angle covered as they prepared for the inevitable. They then retreated to Shoto's room, breathless with anticipation.
When Enji finally arrived with the woman—Maya—they could hardly contain their fury. The video showed a hidden world where their father's laughter filled the air, mingling with that of another woman. The laughs quickly turned into whispered secrets as they sipped wine, and before long, the screen showed them entwined in a passionate embrace. Dabi and Shoto could only gag as clothing began to shed, their stomachs turning at the humiliating display.
This wasn't just betrayal; it felt like a violation of all that was good in their family. The hours dragged on as they recorded everything, but they stayed resolute, determined to gather irrefutable proof.
"What do we do next?" Shoto asked the air, still gripping the remote.
"Let's share this little family secret." Dabi's voice cracked with anticipation as he sent the footage flying into the digital ether, broadcasting it all over the world.
"What? Are you insane?" Shoto's eyes widened as Dabi laughed maniacally.
"Relax; we'll look at this as just dessert. I'm gonna send it to that jerk Ryan, too. Let's remind him why Enji was never his best friend. You know how much that'll sting."
Chills cascaded down Shoto's spine but, surprisingly, he felt a smirk tug at the corners of his mouth. The satisfaction of bringing their father's indiscretions into the light felt liberating.
Within hours, Rei arrived home, and her footsteps echoed through the hallway, heavy with foreboding. Dabi and Shoto prepared themselves, ready to console their mother. But the moment she stepped into the house and saw the video on the family screen, everything shifted.
Her tears flowed as the betrayal unfurled in front of her, her body wracked with sobs as she struggled to process the pain. Fuyumi and Natsuo followed closely behind, shock morphing into outrage as they too witnessed their father's disloyalty.
"What the hell is wrong with him?!" Natsuo shouted, fists clenched, while Fuyumi stepped forward, wrapping an arm around Rei, crying for her mother's heart that was shattered yet again.
"Mom, we're here for you," Shoto said, kneeling beside her, his heart splintering as she cried against him. "You don't deserve this." Dabi took her hand, squeezing it gently as if reminding her she was still anchored in this storm of pain.
Just as they gathered to comfort Rei, the door swung open, and Enji walked in with a confident swagger—his laughter abruptly dying as he realized the atmosphere. Seeing his family clustered together, their eyes glazed with pain and fury, brought an absurd sense of satisfaction to Shoto and Dabi.
The storm was about to break loose.
"You're home early," Enji's voice dripped with a fake nonchalance.
Dabi stood, a steely glare fixed on Enji. "We have something to show you, Dad. You might want to take a seat."
As reality set in, the once invincible figure of Enji Todoroki crumbled. What followed would be a showdown of words and emotions—a reckoning long overdue, illuminated by their resolve to protect the heart of their family.