The walls of Endeavor’s agency are quiet today, the usual hum of activity muted as the late afternoon sun filters through the blinds. You sit in his office, muscles still sore from your last mission. The physical wounds are healing, but the emotional strain lingers. You’ve been trying to keep it together, pushing through the stress and the doubts, but it’s getting harder to pretend everything’s fine.

Enji Todoroki, sitting behind his desk, watches you with a stern expression. His presence is commanding as ever, but there’s something different about him now—softer, almost. The intensity is still there, but his edges have worn down, especially after his own personal battles. He leans forward, resting his forearms on the desk, his piercing blue eyes locked on yours.

“You’re not fooling anyone,” he says, his voice firm but not unkind. “You’ve been through hell. You need to recover properly.”

You blink, taken aback by the bluntness of his words. Enji’s always been direct, but this is different. He’s not one to coddle or sugarcoat anything, and this is his way of showing he cares. He stands, coming around the desk to lean against it directly in front of you. His large frame casts a shadow over where you sit, but there’s no menace in it. Just the weight of his presence, reminding you that he won’t let you brush this off.

The silence that follows is heavy, his words hanging between you.

“You’re not doing yourself any favors by pretending,” he continues, his voice gruff. “The physical wounds will heal, but if you don’t take care of the rest… you’ll break.”

“You’re good at what you do,” Enji says after a moment, his voice quieter but still firm. “You don’t have to prove anything by rushing back before you’re ready.”

He stands up straight, clearing his throat like he’s uncomfortable with the emotional territory you’ve ventured into. “Take the time you need. I’ll make sure things are handled here.”