Shorts.

{Touya & Rei Todoroki}

{Murder/Suicide}

Touya peers around the corner into the bathroom, "Mama?" Rei looks over at him with a fake smile of care as she finishes running his after-training bath.

She robotically holds her hands out for her oldest son –the curse that started everything wrong in this household– to come. Touya can sense something is wrong, but chooses not to comment on it. She'll probably just shut down. Then she won't want to do this anymore.

Rei cradles the back of his head. The hug is too tight, but again, no comment. She turns around for him to get undressed and hide under the bubbles before finally facing him again.

Arms move jerkily as they begin washing the boy's hair. Hands attached pull at the strands, making Touya's scalp hurt. There's no calming humming, making the bathroom eerily empty. Just the sounds of soap and water. He doesn't want to ask his mom to be more gentle.

Finally, Rei breaks the silence, hands on Touya's shoulders, "..Baby.. You know how much Mama loves you.. Right.?" He freezes. She's never asked that before. Out of fear for verbally answering, he just nods. His confirmation makes her hold back a sob as she kisses his head.

Before her son can react, she's shoving him under the water.

Strangely, Touya doesn't fight it. After the initial shock of it happening, he goes limp under her hands. 

His blue eyes open and stare at his mother through the soapy water. They make eye contact when he takes a deep breath, filling his lungs with water. Another mild panic. Then he starts to breathe normally through the water.

Touya's smaller hand comes up and holds Rei's cheek, rubbing it with his thumb. She returns the gesture, smiling softly when he leans into the touch. He smiles back, not once taking his eyes off hers.

Rei waits until after his hand falls from her face. 

A hand on his chest proves his lungs have stopped. 

No heartbeat either. 

Rei pulls her child out of the water and holds his still body tightly. Minutes pass before she's willing to redress him in the softest clothes she could find. She carries him to his room, tucking him in like normal.

One down, three to go. 

Then Enji. 

Then her.

Rei puts in an emergency call, alerting the police something is wrong, before taking her own life.

Police kick the door down when they finally arrive, splitting up to search the mansion.

Four drowned children are all tucked into their beds, safe and sound.

Enji is in his office, a spilled cup of coffee on the floor.

Rei is in her bed, a pill bottle on the side table.

An envelope on the table, neat words written across it.

'He can't hurt us anymore.'