Touch of Heat

Chapter 6: The Weight of Shadows

Dabi

The night was alive with chaos. Sirens wailed in the distance, barely cutting through the symphony of crackling flames that devoured the edges of the city. The thick scent of smoke and ash hung heavy in the air, mingling with the acrid bite of fear. It was all too familiar. Another night, another fire. The world always seemed to be burning, one way or another.

I leaned against a lamppost, its flickering light casting broken shadows across the street, playing tricks with the edges of my form. To most people, it was unsettling. That was fine by me. I had learned to embrace it—the menace, the way people looked at me like they weren't sure if they should run or scream. It didn't matter either way. They were already lost in the game.

I watched the streets like a hunter, eyes tracing the chaos I'd helped create, waiting for the inevitable spark to ignite something bigger—a riot, a fight, whatever. It didn't take much to push people over the edge these days. Society was always teetering, and I had become quite good at giving it a shove.

That's when I saw her.

Y/N.

She was sitting in an alleyway, her body slumped against the grime-covered wall, knees drawn close to her chest. Even from where I stood, I could see the way her cheeks glistened with tears, tracks of silver staining her face. She was trying to hide, her head buried in her arms, but the soft, shuddering breaths gave her away.

I raised an eyebrow, curiosity flickering to life.

What was she doing there, sitting alone in a dark alley while the world around her fell apart? Maybe she was lost, or maybe something had broken inside her. Either way, she was a picture of misery, and for some reason, I couldn't look away.

Most people would walk by. Ignore her. But I wasn't most people.

Pushing off the lamppost, I walked toward her, my steps slow and deliberate. The closer I got, the more I noticed the tension in her form—the way her shoulders shook, the quiet, strangled sobs she was trying to suppress.

Pathetic.

Still, something about the scene felt... off. Y/N wasn't supposed to be like this. She was supposed to be stronger, tougher. At least, that was the impression I had. I stopped a few feet away, watching her for a moment before speaking.

"Crying won't fix anything, you know."

My voice cut through the silence like a knife. She flinched, her head snapping up, eyes wide and startled. For a second, she just stared at me, as if she couldn't believe I was there. I could see the confusion in her gaze, the way she tried to piece together why I was standing in front of her, of all people.

I smirked, taking a step closer, crouching down so I was at eye level with her. "What? You thought heroes don't cry?" I tilted my head, my tone mocking. "They sure like to pretend they're invincible, don't they?"

Her eyes narrowed, her lips pressing into a thin line. Good. At least I wasn't dealing with a completely broken doll.

"Go away, Dabi," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, laced with exhaustion.

I chuckled darkly. "Not in the mood for company, huh? Too bad." I leaned in slightly, letting my smirk widen, the space between us crackling with something electric. "I'm not exactly known for being considerate."

Her jaw clenched, and for a moment, I thought she might actually lash out at me. But instead, she just looked away, her hands gripping the fabric of her pants like she was trying to hold herself together.

"You're in over your head," I said, my tone dropping, more serious now. "I've seen it before—heroes who think they can save the world. But when things get tough, when it's real," I paused, letting the weight of the words settle. "They break."

She didn't respond, but the way her hands tightened into fists told me enough.

I stood up, glancing around at the flames licking the buildings in the distance. "This world doesn't care about heroes," I added, my voice cold. "It'll chew you up and spit you out, just like everyone else."

The night air crackled with tension. I could feel it in the way she held herself, tightly wound like a coiled spring ready to snap. Y/N. Even her name felt heavy, laden with expectations and burdens that were far too great for someone like her to bear.

"Stop pretending you're fine," I said, breaking the silence. "You're not fooling anyone, least of all yourself."

She flinched at my words, her body tensing even more. I could see the internal struggle written all over her face—the push and pull between the hero she wanted to be and the person she truly was. It was almost entertaining, watching her grapple with the reality of her situation. Almost.

"Why do you even care?" she shot back, her voice sharp, though I could hear the tremor underneath. "What's it to you if I'm falling apart?"

I shrugged, trying to mask the flicker of annoyance that threatened to surface. "I don't care, really. But I can't help but find it amusing to see you like this. You're always so put together, acting like you have the world figured out. It's nice to see you—"

"Stop it!" she interrupted, her voice rising as anger flared in her eyes. "You don't know anything about me!"

"Then tell me," I challenged, crossing my arms and leaning against the alley wall. "Tell me what's got you all twisted up inside. I'm dying to hear this one."

She hesitated, her gaze dropping to the ground. The silence stretched out between us, thick and suffocating. I wasn't going to let her off that easily. She needed to confront whatever demons were haunting her—after all, I was more than familiar with my own.

"Steelbreaker called me for backup," she finally admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I thought it would be a chance to prove myself, but... when I got there, it was all wrong."

I tilted my head, intrigued. "How so?"

"He's not a hero," she continued, her voice trembling. "He revels in hurting people. I thought... I thought being a hero was about saving lives, but all I saw was him throwing villains around like they were nothing, enjoying their pain. It felt... twisted."

Her frustration crackled in the air, and I could see the tears brimming in her eyes. "I don't want to be part of that. But... but if I don't, what does that make me?"

"What if you don't have to be part of it?" I began, the spark of a new idea lighting up my gaze. "What if I told you he would never hurt anyone ever again?"

Her eyes widened slightly, confusion mingling with intrigue. "What do you mean?"

I leaned in even closer, my voice a conspiratorial whisper. "Imagine taking him down. Imagine being the one to stop his reign of terror. You can be the one who takes control of your destiny instead of being a pawn in his twisted game."

Her heart raced, and I could see the turmoil playing out across her features. The thought of acting against Steelbreaker seemed to ignite something deep within her, even as it filled her with uncertainty.

As the weight of my words hung in the air, I turned to leave, letting the shadows engulf me once more. But just before I vanished into the night, I heard her call out, "Wait! What do you need me to do?"