Humans are selfish creatures.

It was in their nature to want something.

Some people would do anything-even if it affected others-to gain something of profit to them.

Rei Todoroki, like any other human, also had something she wanted. What she wanted more than anything was to have a family of her own. So when her now-husband, Enji Todoroki, bought her hand in marriage with his vast wealth and many accomplishments as the No. 2 hero, she was excited to finally start her own family.

Around a year after her marriage to the No. 2 hero, she had her first child-a son, Touya. He grew up to have a powerful fire quirk, hotter than his father's fire. This intrigued Enji, and he began to train Touya to use his quirk, but it turned out that he had a weak constitution like Rei, and his body was made for an ice quirk.

After some time, the both decided to have another child. Rei believed that having siblings would be beneficial in growth and would also help by supporting one another. This time it was a girl, Fuyumi. She developed an ice quirk like Rei's.

Seeing as his own flames burned him, Touya's training was brought to a halt. They both wished he didn't hurt himself. Rei began to understand why he bought her hand in marriage-to create a child who would surpass him and become No. 1 in his stead. One who'd inherit both their quirks, her ice being the opposite of his fire, and not have the downsides of either.

She tried to persuade Enji not to do this to their children, but he didn't listen and just pushed her aside. It was clear that he wished to fulfill his ambition of being No. 1 even if it was his child who held the position and that he would do anything to achieve his goal. Even if he hurt his family in the process. Their marriage that was working out, was now beginning to fall apart.

Her third child was another son, Natsuo. He had an ice quirk just like her and Fuyumi. Once again, Enji halted his training when his quirk manifested, and it wasn't what he wanted.

Since none of her children, apart from Touya, were getting seriously hurt, she didn't try to stop him anymore. It's not like he would've listened anyways.

When her fourth child was born, she noticed his hair-it was split down the middle with the right side being white and the left being crimson. When he first opened his eyes, Rei saw a grey eye, much like her own, on his right side while his left was a turquoise colour. Seeing this baby, her son, Shoto, made her realize something. All her children were born to fulfill Enji's selfish ambition. Rei saw it. Enji saw it. This child was going to be the one to surpass him. The child who would inherit both their quirks.

This wasn't what she meant when she said she wanted to start a family of her own.

She was sure that Shoto would be the one who would have to endure Enji's training. That he'd be their last child. So, she decided that for once, she was going to be completely selfish. She was going to ask for something that would belong to her and her only.

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"What?" Enji asked for clarification, narrowing his eyes.

"I said I want a child of my own. A child that you will not use to fulfill your ambition," Rei started with a clear voice. "You bought my hand in marriage for my ice quirk and have sired children to fulfill your ambition. I've always wanted to have my own family-my own children-but not like this." Looking to the side, she continued in a softer voice, "So just this once, let me be selfish and ask you for a child I can call entirely my own, a child that isn't born from your selfish desires."

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On the 15th of November, Rei finally got what she had requested months prior-a baby, her baby. Enji wasn't at the hospital with her, but her other children were.

Rei was thinking of a name for her baby ever since she found out the baby's gender. It was another beautiful daughter. She had light pink hair on her head and grey eyes. She looked like a mini version of her with pink hair. And her name was Nozomi. Nozomi Todoroki.

She was named after the hope that Enji would change, and her family would be a normal, happy family. A hope that would only be fulfilled if Enji learned to love again. A hope that he'd realize his mistakes and try to fix their broken bonds.

"She looks just like you," Fuyumi exclaimed with wide eyes. Touya was across from her on the other side of their mother's hospital bed, staring at the baby and Natsuo, who was playing with their new younger sister.

"She does, doesn't she?" Rei smiled at her other daughter, "I was surprised too, but happy nonetheless."

Shoto was at home, with his grandmother who had come to take care of him while Rei was at the hospital. Since his siblings weren't allowed to be with him, he had to be left at home while the others came to visit their mother.

Rei realized that Touya hadn't said anything ever since they had arrived. She turned to look at him, only to see that he was frowning at Nozomi. Rei had a hunch about what was going through his mind. "Touya, why don't you come and meet your new little sister?"

Touya took Nozomi from Rei's arms and held her like his mother showed him. Nozomi stirred a bit but snuggled into his arms.

"Wow, it looks like she likes you, Touya-nii," Natsuo said.

"Yeah..." Touya smiled at the sleeping baby. "It does seem so doesn't it?"

Rei smiled at her children. "I hope you take care of her. All of you. She'll need good role models."

"Of course. It'll be easy work for a future Hero like me. I'll teach her all about being a hero."

Touya's response made Rei's smile falter but none of them seemed to notice.

"I wanna hold her too, Touya-nii!!" Natsuo shouted, only to be hit by Fuyumi.

"Natsuo! Quiet!" She whisper shouted. "We're in the hospital!"

They all stiffen as Nozomi began to reach out with her tiny arms. Her face was scrunched up as if she were crying but so far, she wasn't whimpering.

"And that's our cue to go. Bye mother. Bye Nozomi." Fuyumi waved.

Saying goodbye to both their mother and baby sister, the three siblings made their way out of the room to meet up with the driver, leaving Rei alone with Nozomi.

After calming her down, feeding her and putting her back to sleep again, Rei found herself staring at her sleeping baby. Nozomi was hers, and Rei wasn't about to let Enji get his hands on her to once again use a child to fulfill his own ambition.