PYROMANIA (Endeavor X Male Reader)

Chapter 72 - FORGIVENESS

You stood at an impasse, staring at the man awkwardly. You didn't know what to say, felt silenced by your guilt and fear and now, your inaction.

"Touya-"

"Do not call me that! Don't you fucking dare!" He screamed, the right side of his face erupting in blue flames. You recall what Enji had told you about Touya's powers and immediately felt worried.

"Okay. Sorry. Dabi, calm down before you hurt yourself."

This just angers the villain further, and he stomps his foot on the ground, his own leg being engulfed in flames and sending a stream of fire along the concrete - your pant leg erupting in flames as well. You hiss in pain, the unusually hot flames eating through the material and injuring your leg before a spirit could touch your shoulder and activate their fire resistance.

"Don't patronize me, you two faced asshole! How long have you known?!"

You grimaced, swallowing the pained groan you were tempted to vocalize, and leaned against the far wall.

"Known what, Dabi?"

Somehow, you using his alias also seemed to bother him now. Suppose that was a given. He was enraged - logic probably didn't take precedent.

"Known who I was!"

You paused, pursing your lips. You decided to be completely honest now, recognizing, even through the haze of pain and your own turbulent emotions, that was the only way you'd get through to him.

"Since I met you."

An oppressive silence settled over the room once again. Touya rummaged through his pockets before tossing the ring you had given him onto the floor. You flinched, with the wound of your mother's loss having been opened again, the crass treatment of her only memorial was upsetting.

"And this? Bought it at some fucking thrift store so you could garner sympathy? So you could gain my trust? Play with my emotions? You really think I'm an idiot don't you?"

You sighed, shaking your head.

"No. It really was my mother's."

He scowled, thrusting his hand forward and shooting a beam of fire at the ring. Your eyes widened and you stopped yourself from protesting as you watched the ring melt into a pathetic amorphous blob, recalling what you'd told him when you'd given him the ring.

"The only thing my mother ever gave me. If I betray your trust, you may do what you will. Destroy it. Sell it. But if I don't I'd like you to return it."

"Christ, Spitfire."

He froze at the nickname and stopped using his powers, the already scarred skin on his hand looking raw once more.

"Don't call me that," he whispered. You rubbed a hand over your face, struggling to process your feelings but refusing to let them overcome you.

"I haven't told your father," you stated, completely out of left field. He frowned, clearly baffled.

"You...haven't?"

You shook your head.

"Then why? Why are you here?"

You were perplexed, to be honest. Did he believe you were there for him?

"I'm not...I didn't even know you'd be here. I'm here for," you stopped speaking, considering whether to reveal your plans before sighing, rubbing your tired eyes. "For All for One."

He blinked, seeming to deflate, although he still seemed angry. Or resentful? You couldn't tell anymore.

You cleared your throat, slowly making your way to your desk, limping before coming to a stop and opening a drawer. Touya seemed to brace himself for physical retaliation, before once again relaxing as you take out a first aid kit. You unzipped it, the sound of you taking out its contents the only sound in your room, save for your breathing.

You sat down on the edge of the desk, squeezing some antibiotic ointment onto your hand. You gestured at his arm.

"Come on."

He scoffed. "Fuck no. You think I'll let you touch me now?"

You leveled him with a look. "Spitfire. Give me your arm."

His lip curled up into a scowl but he approached regardless. You took Touya's wrist gently, causing the man to flinch and tense up, though evidently not from pain.

You lightly massaged the ointment into the new burns, taking care to ensure the process was painless, albeit painfully slow.

You picked up a bottle of pain pills, dropping two into his other palm and handing him a water bottle as you began wrapping a bandage around his injured arm.

"How do I know you're not trying to drug me?" He asked, staring at the pills.

You snorted, bemused. "If you've been watching the news you must know that I could incapacitate you and drag you wherever I need to by force without even trying. I have not. That speaks for itself."

This reply seemed to both disconcert and calm him, and he dry swallowed both pills with a grunt. You pinned the bandage so it would stay wrapped, staring at Touya with an inscrutable expression.

Touya stared back, before holding his good hand out.

"Gimme."

Confused, you stared at him unblinkingly, expecting him to elaborate. Instead, he wretched the tube of ointment out of your hand, bending a knee at your feet to inspect your burned leg.

He grimaced, looking somewhat regretful, though he hid it well.

"Looks bad."

You didn't tell him that you could heal yourself, waiting to see what he'd do. This felt like your absolution, embracing the injury Touya gave you instead of giving into cowardice and healing yourself. To some degree, you felt like you deserved it.

As he rubbed the ointment into the burn, you accepted the pain, staring down at the top of his head, where the white roots of his hair were already growing out.

"Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”  For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

Like washing feet, the action felt like forgiveness. Or so you hoped.

[A/N: @1234acsdf you go :) hope everyone enjoys, I have to clean my rats' cage so I'll look forward to reading your comments in a few hours]