Don't Judge a Book

now the earth was formless and empty

"Dabi."

"What?" 

"Dabi."

"What the fuck do you want?!" he snapped, turning his head to face his younger brother. The two were in a 1997 Impala because Dabi has a sense of humor and likes a nice car. 

"You went to see that angel again, didn't you?" the half-angel half-demon stared right into Dabi's eyes as if he could see past the sunglasses, directly into his non-existent soul. 

"What's it to you?" he frowned, turning his attention back to the road like a good driver. The two demons could 'appear' wherever they wished but somehow driving was just more enjoyable. Plus, this car had to be used. No way in Hell was Dabi just going to let it sit around looking pretty. 

"I thought you said you were over him." 

"I thought you said you weren't going to talk to dear ol' dad again." 

"That's an entirely different matter. Father is the only person keeping me safe."

"Safe from what? Happiness? You do know how you were born, don't you?"

"She is gone, Dabi, you're going to have to get over her one of these days."

Something within the older demon snapped. He swerved off onto the side of the road and slammed on the breaks as hard as he could, nearly damaging them. The tires squealed as they left burn marks into the road. Dabi shifted in his seat and tore off his sunglasses, throwing them into the back seat. He rested his hand on the steering wheel and stared his younger brother right in the eyes, only rage found there. Rage so hot and so agitated you could almost feel the heat radiating off of him. Almost see the flames glimmering within his irises. 

"Your mother was fucking murdered, Ssshouto. Murdered. He usssed her for sssome fucked up experiment and her body dissscorporated beyond repair. Do you underssstand what that meansss? Do you? Once he realized that he couldn't just fuck an angel to get a 'perfect being' he decccided to dessstroy one in the mossst ruthlesss way imaginable. Our sssiblings are gone. Your mother isss dead. And you dare to tell me that I have to get over her? I will not 'get over her' and neither ssshould you." Dabi slammed his hand down on the wheel and clutched it so tight his knuckles turned white. Small flames appeared along his arm, in his hair, and upon his clothes. His forked tongue elongated, each time he hissed it did the cute little lick thing snakes do. 

"She was my mother. Why are you so upset over her?" he replied, cooly, without concern. This only agitated Dabi further. Shouto reached out with his right side to tap each of his small flames, forcing them to go out so they wouldn't damage Dabi's skin. 

"Because," Dabi's voice cracked. He'd been holding this back for so long, not wanting to admit it, forcing his rage on his father because he couldn't fess up to his mistakes. "Because, Shouto," he looked down at his legs, staring at them, fighting back his miserable impure tears. "Because, I..."

"Dabi?" 

"I'm the one who killed her," Dabi lifted his hand to cover his eyes, unable to fight the disgusting liquid pooling from his eyes. His voice just a whisper and his rage withered away completely. 

"He used you to kill her, rather," Shouto corrected, not believing Dabi had it in him to murder an angel without being forced. 

Dabi shook his head. "She asked me to. He was forcing her to drink some angel-zapping liquid and...well, our father might be strong but he in no way has flames hot enough to burn an angel alive." 

"It's not your fault, Dabi," Shouto, with zero resentments in his voice, reached up to pat Dabi on the head. He was brushed off. "You did what you had to do. I didn't even know her so I can't miss her. I don't hate you and I'm not going to start now. You've done a lot to protect me from the demons. You're a good brother."