The last few days were amusing to say the least, Dabi watched the underground pro hero look and look in certain locations by the looks of it. They only had two more days before the plan could officially begin, and he wordlessly give Shouto how manys days were left. Even though the youngest gave him a look when he visited the other day, he had noticed how the other would try to engage into a conversation. It was awkward in a way, but he would reply with short words, not fully trusting himself to reply with the full truth. A few questions of his own needed to be answered, and the time seemed exactly just right.
“What did mom say when you went to go see her?”
Dabi noticed how the other tensed a little before his shoulders relaxed, and started to scratch his cheek. He decided to give the dual quirk holder to think about the conversation, it must have been hard to see their mother after being gone for almost a decade. It didn’t take long before Shouto put his hands on his lap leaning against the wall behind him, looking at the wooden floor as he spoke.
“I went to go meet her to tell her i forgive her for what she did, and that I didn’t hold it against her. She apologized for doing so and saying what she had said back then. When she hugged me though...I didn’t know what to do. It’s just been so long…”
He was silent the whole time as he listened to Shouto tell how his first visit was, and then went from there, giving him more details about their conversations. Dabi felt his blood boil when he started to explain the flowers he had seen whenever he visited their mother.
“Mother said that the flowers were from father, and that he’s been trying to show he’s been changing by leaving them. I was worried she would have another breakdown, but she didn’t seem worried, just stared at the flowers for a moment after explaining it. After that, we started to talk about-”
“Changing? The bastard wants our mother for forgive him after having to put her through the hell she’s been through?! BULLSHIT!”
“Touya, I agree with you in a slightest bit, but maybe-”
“Maybe what?! He’ll change, and you forgive him only to beat you up again?! THAT BASTARD DESERVES TO ROT IN HELL!!”
“T-Touya, calm down. The ceiling. Oh my god-YOU’RE GONNA BURN US BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN MAKE THE BASTARD ROT TO HELL GODDAMMIT!!”
The room went silent as a small layer of frost and ice surrounded half the room, and Dabi’s body causing smoke to fill the room from the extinguished flames. Dabi stared at the other’s huddled form as the smoke disappeared, looking down at the ice that started to melt as he started heat up hi own body, and lighting a small flame to melt the rest of the ice. He felt his rage slowly fade like the ice melting as he continued to stare down at the huddled form. If he looked carefully, Shouto’s hands were shaking as he put them back in his lap staring anywhere, but directly at his eyes. Looking around, he noticed that the room was scorched, and ruined more than what it already was.
“I’m sorry...it’s just...the fire, and then the wood started to burn. The yelling...the fire...mom…”
It was like a switch was turned on inside him as he started to hyperventilate. Dabi panicked as he kneeled down in front of Shouto, deciding to push away his pride, and try to comfort the other. When he tried to touch the youngest’s shoulder, he flinched setting off his quirk slightly as his right side started to frost over. Shouto had his knees close to his chest, and arms above his head as a defensive pose for protecting his head. It didn’t help the guilt and worry Dabi felt as he watched the other shake and cry.
‘He’s having a panic attack, okay, I just need to get him to look at me, and calm down.’
“Shouto, calm down. Look it was my fault, I should be apologizing, I wasn’t thinking...I’m sorry, I’m sorry, shh, take deep breaths, you’re...you’re not at home Shouto. We’re in a abandoned apartment, remember? You’re not with dad, you’re here with me, Touya. Calm down Shouto, please.”
Begging wasn’t his thing, he didn’t like to beg, but if it was to get his brother to calm down, then Dabi would do anything. Moving to sit beside Shouto with one of his legs stretched out, and the other bent to lean his elbow against, he stretched his arm over to give the youngest a sideways hug in reassurance. It didn’t take long for him to hug back, taking in the warm that he radiated off his body. They fell into a calm silence as they sat together giving each other reassurance without even speaking a word. He wouldn’t admit it, but he had watched Shouto grow older after a year and a half being by himself.
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It was changing from winter to spring by the time he decided to return, but only to watch than to reappear into their lives again. Dabi had spent a year and a half trying to heal himself, and living on his own. The winter was harsh like most winters, and it was harder to find any place to go without being noticed by others. Each passing day he would find any jobs to get himself some money, and would visit local homeless shelters to get free food, shelter, and first aid kit access. He used a fake name to not cause any suspensions, and if rumors gone out that he’s still alive, then his father will look for him again.
Dabi had been deciding whether or not to stop by the Todoroki house for awhile, so here he was, sitting on top of the fence watching the youngest of the Todoroki sibling’s sit in front of their small shrine in the backyard. From the looks of it, he was praying, the same way their mother taught them how to before being taken away. He couldn’t quite hear what he was saying, so he decided to get closer, and when he did, his words broke his heart more than he had wanted it to.
“-miss him, but I hope he’s doing okay wherever he is. I also want to see mama again when she gets better, it’s not her fault either, she was...she was just scared and mad at me maybe...Don’t be mad at mama, or at Tou-”
The urge to jump out and take Shouto away from the man that only causes the family pain was strong, but then how was he supposed to take care of him alone? There was barely any money to buy a fruit bar at a convenience store. Slowly he started to back away from the tree, but Dabi didn’t notice the branch behind him before stepping on it making a snapping sound loud enough for the other to hear.
“Hello? Is anybody-”
“Shouto! It’s time to go to bed!”
“Okay!”
He watched the small form of the youngest run back inside, leaving him alone in the dark as he left the backyard to go wonder the night once more. Dabi made a promise to himself to watch over the youngest as he grows older, making a plan to save him from the hell hole they had to suffer in together even if he was gone in their lives.
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“Touya?...”
“Hmm?”
“...Why did you stay? Why didn’t you just leave? I would have gotten better later anyways.”
Dabi felt his body stiffen as he started to ask the same question to himself. Why did he stay? He knows Shouto can get out of a panic attack after watching him do so when he was younger, so why? Taking a deep breath, Dabi let his shoulders relax shaking his head before shrugging.
“I don’t know, but it was my fault that I let my temper get the best of me. Maybe I just wanted to apologize, and not for just making you scared, but for everything I did. I don’t think you knew, but that night, when you were praying to the small shrine in the backyard, it was me that made that noise. I would have gone out to see you, but it’s been a year and a half since you last saw me back then, I couldn’t just walk back in your life like that...So I’m sorry...I’m sorry for leaving you, Fuyumi, Natsuo, mom, I’m sorry for not contacting you, I’m sorry for scaring you, I’m sorry for kidnapping you...I’m mostly sorry for not being the big brother I was supposed to be.”
Apologizing was another thing he wasn’t used to saying, but the guilt had gotten the best of him that moment after the memory reappeared at a time like this. Dabi brought the other closer as he felt an emotion he thought disappeared after nearly a decade of being away from the people he loved...sadness.
YOU ARE READING
Light In The Darkness
Fanfiction"Mom...I know it's not right, but I can't do it anymore. The children, they're...like him more and more every day. And Shouto...his left side. Sometimes I look at him and hate what I see." Shouto drew closer, just enough for his left side to be seen...
