Maybe We'll fix Each Other

Chapter 53

Summary:

Dabi has a goal for his witness testimony: to not lose his temper this time.

Maybe he should have made a goal about being snarky.

Notes:

And we're back at it, folks! The trial ✨continues✨.

I have quite a few witness testimonies lined up in the wings for this arc of the fic! I tend to prefer action chapters, so hopefully I don't lose you guys in all the talking!

He felt his jaw clench as Nighteye called his name.

Deep breaths, he told himself. Isn't that what Aizawa said he should do to keep calm?

Dabi pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the way the chair scraped roughly on the tile floor. If the hearing testimony was nerve-wracking, this made him feel like he was hotwired to short-circuit.

As he walked to the witness stand, Dabi stuck his hand in his pocket and ran his fingers along the folded sheet of paper tucked away. It was the drawing Eri had made for him before they'd left the apartment. He needed it to help ground him.

Dabi took his seat and adjusted his suit jacket before finally lifting his eyes to the courtroom before him.

The trio of judges were watching him with interest, particularly Judge Kaiba whose sharp eyes felt like they were piercing right through him. Judge Rikimaru looked as though he were trying to solve him like a puzzle, and Judge Eniwa regarded him with a neutral expression.

Honestly, it could be worse.

Like the way Shimizu and Endeavor were staring daggers at him. Dabi had purposely avoided looking at them to keep from triggering himself. But now? Their scowls only served to stoke his motivation.

Dabi smirked at them and lifted a hand, wiggling his fingers in a little wave at them. His father's eyes twitched with irritation.

Nighteye cleared his throat, drawing Dabi's attention to him. The man did not look amused. Dabi forced his smirk down and dropped his hand back down to his side. He learned his lesson last time to not put hands prone to heating up on the wooden witness stand.

"Touya," Nighteye began. "Would you please state your relation to the defendant?"

Dabi had to suppress an eyeroll, reminding himself that this was all just the standard courtroom procedure and not meant to drag things out.

"I am Enji Todoroki's eldest son, Touya."

Nighteye gave a nod. "During the preliminary hearing, you described the circumstances surrounding your childhood and the upbringing imposed upon you by Enji Todoroki," he continued. "Would you please give a summary of those statements for Judges Kaiba and Rikimaru?"

His eyes slid once more to Endeavor, who met his gaze with equal intensity. Dabi was determined that he wouldn't let the man–or his fucking jackass of a lawyer–get to him this time. He wouldn't let himself be reduced to a quiet, insecure kid afraid of his own father.

Not again.

"In short? Enji Todoroki has always dreamt of power. He was born with a strong quirk and allowed that to shape his life and career. When he...–" Dabi recalled the objection from the hearing when he'd tried to speak of the quirk marriage and knew Shimizu would object if he insinuated it again today, "--married my mother, he realized his children would inherit potentially stronger quirks. And since he utterly failed at becoming Number One because of All Might, my father forced his aspirations onto us. His kids."

"And this consisted of?" Nighteye prompted.

"Abuse disguised as training. Being pushed so hard I threw up. Being burned over and over again to 'train my body to be better.' Being brainwashed into thinking being a hero was the only way to get my father to look at me," Dabi bit out. "I saw him beat my mother, lived through him beating me, and learned that he began beating my baby brother once I'd gone."