Disdain [Dabi x Reader]

VII

Touya's legs felt like they were about to snap. It was a miracle that they hadn't given out already. Feeling his weight topple on him, he fell to the side, allowing his body to be held by the sturdy tree. He wheezed out a few strainful coughs. The burning sensation began to spread around the soles of his feet once again, and that with his sore legs made it excruciating even to stand. 

He wanted to slump down and lay on the grass which he had done prior some way along the lengthy path, and in response, (Y/n) slammed a wooden stick against the hind of his head, hence he decided against the idea.

"You don't want to stand there." (Y/n) warned, turning to face him. "this place is infested with fire ants." 

"Who cares...!" He groaned as he continued to catch his breath. "OW!" He jolted when he felt a painful sting on his arm. He leaped away from the tree and swatted at his exposed arm repeatedly while (Y/n) watched amusingly as the defenseless insects flew off his arm.

"Told ya." They teased, walking toward him while they reached for something in their backpack. They pulled out a spray bottle and grabbed his arm, straightening it before them and spraying the unknown substance above the irritated area where the ants had stung him. He flinched and hissed at the furious burning.

"Don't move so much." They said.

"But it hurts!" He complained.

"And who's fault is that?" They retorted. He pouted at their response.

"I hate this! Where are we going anyway?!" He cried, throwing his head back in exaggeration.

"Who said we're going anywhere?" (Y/n) raised a brow at him, pulling away once they were done spraying the antiseptic. "We're exercising."

"Why do I need to exercise?! I don't need exercising!" He yelled. 

"Yes, you do. Your muscles are extremely weak and your vitamin D has practically reached the negatives, so we're gonna need you to get out more. you know, for the sun and all."

"So what if I have bad vitamin D? literally everyone has bad vitamin D." He crossed his arms angrily, but flinched and uncrossed them when he felt a harsh sting where his inflamed area sat.

"Touya, please! I can hear firecrackers go off whenever you stretch your limbs. So you better start taking those vitamin sublimates seriously." They tapped his forehead aggressively, clearly irritated. 

 "Why are you like this..." He groaned.

"I know, I'm strict to a fault. But you'll thank me later." They sighed. "Now we jog down the hill." They turned and pointed down the steep path. Touya's eyes widened as he stared down, his heart dropping to his feet in distraught. He groaned then collapsed to the ground, his arms outstretched beside him.

"I can't do thisssss." He whined, kicking his legs like a toddler.

"Come on, you'll get used to it." They started jogging ahead, leaving the young boy laying by himself. "You don't want those fire ants to come back, do you?"

At the mention of the creature, he hurriedly hauled himself up and sprinted after his caretaker, already accepting the new lifestyle they granted him.

--

(Y/n) had already grown custom to the harsh lifestyle they lived in, therefor they found no issue when it came to walking long kilometers a day with no sleep intact from the night before. Although, carrying a limp child on your back for an hour-long was quite the hassle. 

They were tired, exhausted even, but not enough to which they'd collapse once they arrived home. 

They let out a long sigh of relief when they finally walked through the front door. They kicked off their shoes and made their way to their bedroom, the aching in their sore arms increasing further with every fleeting second. 

They gently placed Touya down on his bed and felt the stiffness seep out of their frame. They flexed their blistered fingers a few times, the tension in them slowly draining.

After they removed the passed-out child's shoes, they sat quietly on their own bed, brows pinched together. Sometimes they wondered what would have happened if they had discarded the nearly deceased child, if they had avoided all the trouble of taking care of him and insuring his safety. Life would have been easier, no? They wouldn't need to spend double the amount they used to spend a month, and they wouldn't have to constantly worry about a lethal man hovering over their shoulder, watching their every move. 

They peered over at Touya's resting face and felt their frown slowly dissipate. The corners of their lips twitched up as they came to a solemn conclusion.

It was worth it.