#literally my only reason | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

eruden-writes · 2 years

Text

Slow Burn - 5 (Endeavor x OC)

WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR CURRENT CANON STORY. TITLE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Months have passed since the war. The heroes won, but there's still rebuilding efforts to be completed. And not just buildings and cities.

Maemi Ono is one therapist, among many from her US-based agency, who is chosen to treat Class 2-A (previously Class 1-A) as a group and Dabi, of the former League of Villains, individually. However, with the war still fresh in his head and suspicions high, Endeavor isn't so sure Miss Ono's intentions are entirely as good as they seem.

When Maemi's past rears its head, will it prove Endeavor correct? Or will it pull Maemi further into Endeavor's orbit?

I feel like I get more traction on tumblr than ao3, so I’m going to post chapters of this here, too.

---

Part 5: Something Awry

About two weeks after the Amusement Park Episode, as Maemi Ono had begun to think of it, she found herself face-to-face with an Endeavor on patrol.

She had just wanted to do a bit of shopping, perhaps find some self-care ideas for Class 2-A and 2-B. She had just been considering low-energy volunteer activities - like helping animal shelters or planting trees versus crime fighting - that had been posted on an outdoor bulletin when Endeavor approached her.

“Miss Ono.” A direct greeting, perfectly neutral. Someone else may have found the approach rude, bordering on annoyed. Maemi didn’t sense any irritation from him, though. So, she tried to clamp down on the startled flutters in her chest as she looked up at him.

But with the way he stared down at her, he made her insides wobble all the same. It didn’t help that, despite being her day off and in a setting completely unassociated with the school, she still felt underdressed around him.

Which was absolutely ridiculous! Her pink sundress - patterned in strawberries to match her novelty earrings - and sandals were perfectly acceptable wear, especially considering the heat of the day.

“Endeavor,” she returned, with a nod and a polite smile. She was painfully aware there were too many people around to casually call him Mr. Todoroki. She tried to keep her composure, though nerves made her grip her purse strap a little tighter. Already, she could feel attention drifting toward her. Well, more accurately Endeavor and her by association. “I wasn’t aware this area was part of your patrol.”

The particular area had a bustling shopping district and event venues along various streets. People were jam-packed along the sidewalks, chattering with friends or on their phones and carrying shopping bags or walk-and-eat treats. Children skipped about with families and flocks of teenagers traveled from one point of interest to another. Towering above the street, large screens played newscasts and ads.

It wasn’t exactly Maemi’s scene. Too many people wore her out quickly. But the added wrinkle of Endeavor suddenly appearing spiked her anxiety. She could’ve sworn the area was a different pro-hero’s turf, but for the life of her, she couldn’t recall exactly who usually patrolled the area.

With Endeavor standing before her, Maemi became all the more aware of the hustle around her. Once more, the unnerving stillness - assuredness - that enveloped him edged over her.

But she couldn’t relax. Her mental blockades against emotional contamination were worse in large crowds. The feelings of others invariably leaked into her. After the Amusement Park Episode, and how unprofessional she was with him, Maemi had hoped not to relive the situation any time soon.

“My agency fills in when others need assistance,” Endeavor replied, while trying to ignore the civilians that cleaved around Miss Ono and himself. He hadn’t really had a plan when he approached the woman. It was, he supposed, an attempt to be personable, to be seen as approachable. But he really had no idea how to start or continue such amicability.

Judging from the awkward tension and the way Miss Ono shifted on her feet, he was failing superbly. His thoughts quickly shifted toward a subject that had been nagging at him. “How is Dabi doing? Have you seen him recently?”

“Oh, he’s doing well.” Though she couldn’t get into the nitty-gritty details of her patient, Maemi could discuss ancillary discussions. “He got a chuckle from the photos from the amusement park.”

“Anything at my expense,” sighed Endeavor, with a sardonic nod of his head.

A gentle sort of resignation throbbed through the air to Maemi. She couldn’t find any string of resentment around Endeavor. Offering the man a smile, she gently added with a meaningful tone, “He’s still working through a lot of emotions.”

“Yes, there’s a lot to be done there.” A flash of guilt emanated from the man, softening his words to Maemi’s ears. Still, she pressed her lips together and gave an affirmative hum.

As the conversation lulled, she became aware of the attention on them. Passerbys rubbernecking or having the audacity to take photos on their phone. Embarrassment and apprehension crawled up Maemi’s back.

Once more, she smiled up at Endeavor - who had taken that moment to give a surveying glare up and down the street - and she started to edge away. “Well, I better be going. Don’t want to distract you from your patrol.”

Her words roused his eyes back to her. She wanted to shrink back under the intense look, fighting back a renewed sensation of flutters.

“You’re not distracting, Miss Ono,” he replied simply. Maybe he thought the words alone were reassuring, but his utterly neutral tone made the words sound like a vague insult.

Almost at once, Maemi’s polite smile curled with a wry demeanor. Endeavor had such a knack for saying the blandest things in such an insulting way. Sarcasm laden her words as she laughed, “You’re such a charmer.”

Catching the good-humored displeasure in her voice, Endeavor’s eyebrows dipped, before ticking upward in realization. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Mhmn,” she hummed again, that ironic smile on her lips. Though Maemi was more amused than upset, the attention they were receiving and her own inner turmoil desired retreat. And it wasn’t rude to just go about her day, anyway, she reminded herself. “I’m going to get back to shopping. See you later, Mr. Todoroki.”

With that, Maemi gave a wave and turned, forcing herself to not look back at the towering man. The cacophony of the crowd seeped into her. A jagged anxiety rattled through her, as the surrounding crowd’s emotions pressed in on her. She willed the crowds to swallow her up, until she couldn’t feel his eyes on her back any longer.

—

Endeavor watched Miss Ono disappear through the crowds, his eyebrows lowered in consideration. Once more, she acted differently than their earlier meetings. From poised and calm to teasing and coquettish. Now, she appeared anxious around him.

He supposed she felt awkward over their last prolonged interactions at the amusement park. Though he didn’t see why. She’d already informed him she was ‘marinating in teenage emotions.’ It was answer enough to explain her odd behavior.

She obviously had trained to build up a tolerance, simply to exist in crowds. Otherwise, she’d be torn this way and that from the chaos of emotions.

However, he’d noticed how she’d change their course at Thrillventure, seemingly on a whim, only to stumble on a distressed teenager. Whether it had been heat exhaustion or a ride triggering a painful memory from the last year, the war, Miss Ono had managed it. While it hadn’t happened often, it was enough for him to realize she was always on. In some way.

With his thoughts turned toward Miss Ono, another entity scuttled up to him. The pro-hero was completely surprised as they crowed up at him, “You look like you could use a flower, Mister Hero!”

Endeavor noted their long hair - in all shades of red, orange, and yellow - and a basket laden with flowers on an elbow. “No, than-”

Before he could even finish his refusal, a large bouquet of flowers was shoved into his face. The floral aroma flooded his senses, the petals rattled in his face as the vendor shook them. A puff of smoke - pollen, he’d later realize - slammed into his face, filling his lungs with little particles.

Endeavor forcefully shoved the flowers away, waving his free hand in front of his face to disperse the cloud as half-choked coughs sputtered from him. His eyes flicked a watery-eyed glare to the insistent flower seller.

However, they had disappeared with their wares.

Annoyance flared through Endeavor, a frown carving across his lips as he glanced around, trying to spy the offender. The thick crowds yielded no layer-haired punk, toting along a basket of flowers, though.

Just as well, Endeavor decided. They’d looked young. Their little flower antic was likely nothing more than an irritating prank. A small act of rebellion against the less-than-perfect Number One.

With one last cough, Endeavor shook his head and continued along his patrol route.

—

Something was wrong.

Something was very wrong.

What felt like a hot knot of molten lead weighed in Endeavor’s lower stomach and a strange heat had begun suffusing through his body. He was beginning to think he was sick, until he found his eyes wandering. It wasn’t strange happenings or hallucinations or mirages his attention wandered toward.

It was to the bodies of relatively attractive passerbys.

An itch he hadn’t felt since he was a teenager crept along his skin. His stomach lurched at the thought, the strange heat simmering hotter under his skin.

Was he fucking horny?

At first, he tried to ignore the potential revelation. For hours, he continued to assist civilians and thwart minor crime. He posed for a few photos - ignoring how flushed he looked in the snapshots - and signed an autograph to those brave enough to ask.

When he couldn’t shake his awry libido, Endeavor had to face facts.

For the first time in years, an influx of hormones flooded his system. This was abnormal. He was in his late-40s and, even in his younger years, he had a tight rein on himself and his sex drive.

In fact, this was worse than when he was young. The sensation clawed at his insides, the heat rising in his chest and cheeks. His fingers flexed as he stalked the streets, debating what to do while also doing his job.

He wasn’t sure what made him think of it, but he eventually remembered the flowers. And the punk that had sprayed… whatever it was in his face.

Tension wrought along Endeavor’s shoulders. Had he completely missed a malicious act? But if he was this affected, others with less discipline were going to be more susceptible.

Standing at a busy corner, gaze casting over the crowds of shoppers, Endeavor’s stomach felt leaden. Was a spree of sexual assault about to be the newest wave of crime? All perpetuated thanks to a punk with Endeavor could only presume was a Quirk that involved flower pollen.

His fists tightened at his sides, considering the options. He was compromised. The best course of action was to call in some sidekicks to replace him.

Then he could retreat and… take care of himself, he supposed. Wait out the effects of whatever had been sprayed in his face.

But what if the flower vendor got his sidekicks? No, he should try to scope out the situation before dragging more liabilities in. He was already out here and something told him they were still close. He couldn’t simply discount this was a targeted attack, meant to further ruin his own reputation rather than put others at risk.

Dread bubbled up when he saw her again, in the crowd. She stood just outside a store’s display, looking at a message on her cell phone. Endeavor shifted his passage toward her, without even thinking.

A small part of him - a part he knew was just making excuses - thought maybe she could help him. Maybe her abilities could pinpoint the offender that had put Endeavor in this position. It was the best excuse he could come up with. “Miss Ono.”

“Oh, hello again.” Maemi looked up from her phone, smiling politely as she registered who spoke to her. The soft smile faded a little as she realized something was off about Endeavor. His face appeared flushed, his eyes somewhat glazed over. His feelings swirled with some expected emotions and some very uncharacteristic ones. “Are you okay?”

#endeavor fanfic #enji todoroki #endeavor x oc #bnha fanfic #mha fanfic #slow burn #sex pollen #YES I USED SEX POLLEN #ผ(•̀_•́ผ) wanna make something of it?#lol #i just thought it'd be really funny #esp in a fanfic featuring Endeavor #literally my only reason

6 notes · View notes