bnha oneshots!!

44 - a flicker of hope 🖤

ship: dabi/touya todoroki + tomura shigaraki.

The sky was a wash of twilight hues, the last vestiges of battle still lingering in the air. The charred remains of the battlefield stretched as far as the eye could see, the smell of smoke and ash heavy in the air. Amidst the ruins, Dabi, or rather, Touya Todoroki, stood in silent contemplation. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, his heart a storm of emotions.

It was over. The League of Villains had fought their hardest, and now, standing on the precipice of a new dawn, Touya found himself at a crossroads. The persona of Dabi, the vengeful villain, no longer fit. He was tired of the constant rage, the endless cycle of hate. For the first time in years, he yearned for something different—something more.

A future.

Footsteps approached from behind, and Touya didn't need to turn to know who it was. The familiar, almost comforting presence of Tomura Shigaraki settled beside him. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words.

"You did it," Tomura finally said, his voice a low rasp, raw from the exertions of battle.

"We did it," Touya corrected, his gaze still fixed on the horizon. "But it's not enough for me anymore."

Tomura's red eyes flickered with confusion and a hint of fear. "What do you mean?"

Touya turned to face him, his expression softer than Tomura had ever seen. "I've been thinking a lot, Tomura. About everything. About us. And about my family."

"The family that abandoned you?" Tomura's voice held a bitter edge, but there was a tremor in it, betraying his underlying vulnerability.

"They didn't abandon me. My father did." Touya's voice was firm. "But my siblings, my mother... they're my family. I want to try to find them. To see if there's a place for me there."

Tomura's face twisted in a mix of anger and desperation. "And what about me? About us?"

Touya took a step closer, reaching out to gently touch Tomura's cheek, his thumb brushing over the rough skin. "You're the most important person in my life, Tomura. But I can't keep living like this. I need to find out who I am beyond the hate and the flames."

Tomura grabbed Touya's wrist, making sure to keep his pinkie up as he gripped tight, it almost being painful. "I need you," he whispered, his voice cracking. "Don't leave me."

The raw plea in Tomura's voice nearly broke Touya's resolve. But he knew this was something he had to do, for himself and for the chance at a different life. "I'm not leaving you forever. I just... I need time. And so do you. To heal. To figure things out."

Tomura's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "Promise me you'll come back."

Touya leaned in, pressing his forehead against Tomura's. "I promise. And I'll find a way to stay in touch. But you need to promise me something too."

"What?"

"Promise me you'll try to find your own path. Not the one All For One laid out for you. Your own."

Tomura's grip loosened slightly, his eyes searching Touya's face for answers he wasn't sure he had. Finally, he nodded. "I'll try."

Touya pulled Tomura into a tight embrace, holding him as if trying to imprint the feeling of his lover in his memory. "I love you, Tomura. More than anything."

"I love you too," Tomura whispered, his voice breaking.

They stayed like that for a long moment, clinging to each other amidst the ruins of their past. Finally, with one last lingering kiss, Touya pulled away. He turned and walked towards the horizon, the future uncertain but hopeful.

As he walked, he felt a weight lifting from his shoulders. He was no longer Dabi, the vengeful villain. He was Touya Todoroki, a man searching for his place in the world.

And somewhere in that uncertain future, he knew he would find his way back to Tomura. To the man he loved.

But for now, it was time to find his family and, hopefully, himself.