Through The Forest Of Flames

Chap 35- Mental Warfare

A/N: Trigger warning because this chap touches on PTSD (specifically from SA). Again, it's never my intent to trigger anyone or make anyone upset, I just want people to remember that even though these characters are villains, they're humans. I've had personal experience with this content unfortunately, so I'm trying to be gentle with it, but I feel that Dabi/Touya is one of the best characters here to help get thru the PTSD considering his past. So I'm sorry for the sensitive subject in this chap before I throw in smut but it helps the plot, just trust the process.

But don't worry, I'm feeding y'all some more smut🤭

Love you all, stay safe babes❤️

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After a few days of driving each other crazy in the apartment, along with a few breakdowns from you as you fought PTSD and unbridled rage, you finally deemed it safe enough for Skeptic to send a vehicle to pick you all up. Everyone was exhausted and on top of it, you all received a lecture from Lani about your stupidity, especially Dabi. It was fair, and by the end of it, according to the others because you don't remember doing so, you apparently crashed onto your bed and slept for a whole day and a half.

Dabi wouldn't let anyone in while you slept, wouldn't even let anyone knock on the door without catching some new burn marks. When you finally awoke, the first thing you asked around was if anything new about Tomura came in. But sadly, nothing. Which marked almost a couple of weeks of radio silence from Tomura, only angering you more. You couldn't even get a hold of the doctor, and you completely avoided contacting AFO in fear of how the conversation would go thanks to the new info you received.

So you stuck to Tomura's plan, stayed in the mansion and played the role of temp leader. Your little group planned out movie dates, which were fun but none of you ever finished a movie without breaking into fights over plots and senseless arguing. You kept up with your training and check-ins with Lani, who was still researching your quirks for you but could only do so much with the little bit of tools at her disposal.

PTSD still kicked your ass every time someone touched you, and Touya was glued to your side more than he used to be. Seems like the promise he laid out for you a week ago was still locked into place, only releasing from your side once it was just both of you in your shared master bedroom. It felt like you were being suffocated from his close proximity, but when he left, you panicked to the point of a breakdown and he wouldn't be able to leave. It was confusing.

You were currently scrolling on your phone as you sat on your bed, your screen slightly cracked due to you crushing it during one of your PTSD meltdowns earlier in the week. Touya lightly flicked your ear, making you flinch before you glared at him.

"Let's shower, you stink" he teased as he turned towards the bathroom. You pouted at the comment but followed him nonetheless, tossing your phone onto the bed behind you.

He started the shower as you stripped out of your sweatpants and his overly large shirt that you practically lived in. You caught your reflection in the mirror, your h/c hair sticking to your face from sweat due to your sparring session from earlier this afternoon. The bruise around your neck was pretty much gone, only a few yellow spots left on the side as your fingers lightly grazed over them.

When you first got back to the mansion, it was hard to even look at yourself in the mirror. Yaga left behind not just a nasty hand shaped bruise, but haunting trauma. There were times you'd wake up and could swear you felt his hands running up your sides, the blood dripping down your face as his belt buckle coming undone echoed through your head.

Touya would wake up from your night terrors, from your screams, and would have to hold you until you cried yourself to sleep. Even then, there were times you didn't even want him to touch you because you felt so disgusted with yourself. It took a lot of patience from both of you just for you to get through the ordeal of letting Touya touch you again. It was exhausting.