watch me burn || BNHA DabiHawks

9. all might's wax house of horrors

Dabi wakes up on the Saturday morning with a looming sense of premonition.

He lets out a yawn as he stretches his sore muscles, then reaches for his phone to check the time. It's a bit too early for his taste – especially considering he only got back home from his vigilanting gig around three in the morning – but the loud voices from downstairs peak his curiosity enough to chase any remaining sleepiness away. There's a message from Keigo waiting for him, reading simply we still on for today?? to which he quickly replies yes, before dragging himself out of bed to put on some loose tank top and black shorts, lest he be called 'indecent' again, and then heading towards the dining room with his eyes still half-closed, following the delicious smell of breakfast.

Everyone's already eating when he arrives – and really, why is it that they have to wait for Endeavor to start but not for him? – and although the atmosphere isn't quite as tense as it used to be during their so-called 'family meals' – in fact, as he already took notice of, it's unusually lively – it's still apparent that every word spoken by his siblings or his mother is deliberately careful, followed by cautious looks towards their father as though waiting for him to snap at them. However, the man seems fully absorbed in his food, avoiding everyone's eyes and, for once, keeping his mouth shut.

"Touya." Rei perks up once she sees him, offering him a warm smile that he finds himself unconsciously returning. "Good morning."

Fuyumi doesn't look up from whatever has her preoccupied on her phone, but Natsuo waves at him enthusiastically and Shouto gives him a solemn nod. Endeavor glances up from his food to size him up, as though hoping to find something he can criticize and put some normalcy back to their family dynamic, but even though the man's face twists in displeasure at the sight of him – the feeling being entirely mutual, of course – he visibly bites his tongue before he can make any rude comments and looks away. Dabi rolls his eyes at his father's childish behaviour, earning himself a chuckle from Natsuo.

"Hi," he mumbles as he takes his usual seat, reaching lazily for a spoon and starting to eat his half-cold cereal. He's pretty sure this is his mother's revenge for his recent less than polite reactions to being woken up before ten.

"Did you sleep well?" his mother asks, smiling innocently, as she grabs his empty cup and pours him some tea. He takes it as a peace-offering it is and doesn't mention the soggy cereal.

"Thanks," he says instead, smiling wryly. He can't even be too mad, because any act of rebelliousness from her feels like a precious gift these days, even if it's aimed at him. "I slept fine."

"We heard," Fuyumi comments dryly as she finally unsticks herself from her phone. "You snore like a walrus."

Dabi's smile immediately gets wiped off his face. He gasps, offended. "I do not."

"You kinda do," Natsuo says, you know, like a traitor. He's grinning like one too. "It's almost impressive."

He rolls his eyes. "Fuck all of you." He ignores their snickering and his mother's disapproving stare, sticking another spoon of food into his mouth. Once he swallows, he decides to change the subject before they can truly gang up on him, "Anyway, how about you stop bullying me and tell me what got you all so worked up, hm?"

Immediately, Natsuo's face brightens and he almost jumps out of his seat from barely contained excitement. Fuyumi's enthusiasm is less obvious, but it's definitely there – she's smiling more freely than usual and there's a spark in her eyes betraying her eagerness. Even Shouto, the pinnacle of stoicism, seems to be having trouble keeping still. Something big must have happened to have them all so animated. Dabi isn't sure if he should join them in their joy or start dreading for his life.