"Weren't they with those villains?"

"All the other heroes who were on that side have been imprisoned, so why haven't they?"

"That blue haired one was Dabi for crying out loud. I could recognize those blue flames anywhere!"

"Some fucking heroes! What'd they do? Buy their way out of going to prison?"

"I heard Dabi is Endeavor's son. I bet the number one hero kept him out of jail to protect his precious image."

Just ignore them, Baby Bird, Touya signs after waving to get my attention. It's fairly impressive how quickly he had picked up on the signs, but then again, Touya was always quick to pick things up. They don't know what they're talking about.

I give him a tight smile. No matter how much I try to ignore the hurtful words that the people scream at us as we try to help them to safety, I just can't. The best I can do right now is stop myself from crying until we get back to our base. Oh how I hate the fact that with civilization being as screwed as it is, I can't get access to my T-shots right now. These stupid female hormones are annoying, and with how long it's been since I last dealt with this, I'm not sure how to handle all the emotional turmoil that comes with them.

Let's get back to the base. It's your father's turn to patrol. I suggest. I just can't handle much more of this. I'm exhausted, nauseous, and emotional. All I really want to do is curl up on my bed and sleep. I wish things were peaceful so I could have Touya on one side and Kaito on the other, but all I have is Touya, like it was back then, before he faked his death.

At our current base, I practically fall onto the bench as Touya heads off to find food for both of us. I'm not really in the mood for food, but I know that I have to eat, no matter how much my stomach churns.

"Here you go, Birdie." Touya places a tray of what appears to be chicken in front of me. He then props his phone up with one of our cups making me smile. "Alright, Kai, I need you to explain to your momma bird here that as long as we know that the things people are saying aren't true, that everything is fine? He keeps stressing over it."

My son smacks himself in the forehead. The people just don't understand what you did for them. Maybe you and dad should make a statement on television. He pauses for a moment before continuing to sign. The few people who still have televisions could tell others what you say.

"He's right, you know." Touya grins at me. "I don't really want to admit to being Endeavor's son, but if we were to make a statement about our actual part in what happened, maybe things would get better. Especially after what happened to Stars and Stripes. Her death has put a huge damper on how people see heroes."

I shrug before starting in on asking Kaito about UA. Even though most civilian families of heroes are supposed to be staying in their own separate dorms, Kaito was moved in with Class 1A so that he could continue to train with them. At first, I was against it after everything he's been through with the Commission, but he actually begged to be allowed to do it. Despite everything the Commission put him through, Kaito actually wants to be a hero, and he wants to be ready when it's his turn to go to UA. Shouto promised me that he wouldn't let Kai take the training too far, and I know Eraserhead won't let him push himself too much as well.

Uncle Shouto says make Midoriya come home, is the last thing he signs to me before we have to hang up.

"We'll try," is all I can manage in response. As much as I want the kid to go home to UA and stop risking himself, I know that he won't listen to me. If he won't listen to All Might or Endeavor, why would the kid listen to me?

The next morning, getting out of bed almost feels impossible. I just want to sleep. I don't remember ever feeling this tired.

"Come on, Baby Bird." Touya attempts to get me to get up. "It's our turn to patrol, and after patrol, we gotta head to the news station. Apparently Jeanist heard our conversation last night and set something up for us today."

"Fuck," I groan, finally sitting up. "Couldn't he have given us time to prepare statements?"

A piece of paper is shoved into my hands. I blink at it blearily until my vision clears enough to read it.

"Mr. Preppy Jeans already did that too. I'm planning on just incinerating mine and coming up with something as we walk around for patrol. He makes us sound so disgustingly proper, and if I'm admitting my relation to Endowhore, I'm definitely not acting like a fucking gentleman. Gotta disrupt his precious image somehow."

I chuckle a little. "Next thing I know, you'll be kissing me on camera hoping the fact you're gay will hurt his standings too."

Touya rubs his chin in contemplation. "That's not a half bad idea, Keigo. I might just do that."

I simply roll my eyes at his words before climbing the rest of the way out of bed to get ready for the day ahead.

"You know, we never really discussed if Kai is keeping my family name, or changing to yours." I comment off handedly as we head to the news station. Jeanist promised there will be showers and dress clothes waiting there for us before we go on. "I originally wanted to give him the Todoroki name, but due to circumstances, the only option I had was Takami. As much as you hate your father, at least he's a hero, and having his suriname won't hurt him the way my shitty old man's name will."

Touya shrugs. "We'll figure it out later, after all this bullshit with All For One is over and done with."

I nod in understanding before we push our way through the doors to the news station, as ready as we can be for the press conference that we're about to be bombarded by.

"What exactly was your role with the League of Villains?"

There are no formality questions, they just want to dive deep into the heart of the matter. To be honest, I don't blame them for it.

"Hawks was never a fucking member of the League," Touya growls. "I joined them when I was a fucking vigilante. I idolized Stain’s ideals, but the League went after someone very important to me, so I switched sides. I went through the Commission's training course and became a hero. After that, I became an informant to the Hero Commission on everything I knew about the League of Villains."

There's murmurs from the different reporters at Touya’s response.

"You are the eldest son of Endeavor, correct?" another reporter asks. "You look almost identical to his youngest son, Shouto, except for the hair."

Touya growls. "Unfortunately, yes, I'm related to that bastard."

I jump in to try and diffuse some of the tension from Touya’s response. "Phoenix and his father have never really seen eye to eye. Their differences is what led him to becoming a vigilante in the past, but never once has his wish to help people wavered."

Touya rolls his eyes at me, but he knows why I said what I did. Endeavor's abuse cannot come to light right now. Not while people are already doubting heroes thanks to those who helped the Liberation Army.

"Are the rumors true that the two of you are in a relationship?" a small, timid looking reporter in the back corner asks.

"I don't know what that has to do with the matter at…" I'm cut off as Touya does exactly what I joked about him doing this morning. Instead of fighting it and making things more awkward than they already are, I let myself melt into the kiss for a moment before pulling away with a small smile on my face.

Touya smirks at me before speaking. "I don't know why it fucking mattered. We're supposed to be explaining why we aren't a damn threat, but there's your answer."

The reporter smiles at us before more questions are sent our way about our involvement with the League of Villains and the Paranormal Liberation Front. Here's hoping that something we say will help the people feel more at ease around the two of us and the rest of the heroes still trying to help with everything going on.

Next chapter, along with a repeat of this chapter will be posted on Saturday on TheWriterShikari787's copy of the story.