Frozen Wings

Chapter 21

Dabi's POV

After weeks of waiting, Storms had decided to let me out of the room, so long as I was within eyesight of her. She had me in charge of helping her during gym. And by helping she meant allowing me to watch the students. She would leave me with them and back away for a bit, letting them train. Even if I lost sight of her, I didn't move. I quietly sat, knowing she was still watching me from the trees. Besides, I had no intention of harming the students. I truly wanted to give up being a villain.

I continued to quietly watch the students train. The sun was shining brightly down on us, not a cloud in the sky. There was a soft breeze that kept us cool. Birds chirped from the rich green leaves of the trees where I knew Storms was watching over us. The students were dusty and bloody from rolling around in the dirt clearing when they got knocked down, and the blood was from minor scrapes that kept getting beat up and smeared.

They would eye me every now and then, but mostly kept to themselves. I sighed, resting my hands under my chin. Suddenly, someone approached me from the shade of the trees. My heart started racing.

Don't come over here, don't come over here- damnit!

"I've been watching you." Todoroki said, locking the wheels on his wheelchair so he didn't roll away. I ignored him.

"You remind me of someone." He said. I looked at him from the corner of my eyes.

"Strange." I said nonchalantly.

"Isn't it? I thought about it when you kidnapped the four of us too. You looked at everyone else differently from how you looked at me." Todoroki continued.

"I said I'm sorry." I replied.

"Oh I'm not here for an apology," The kid said.

"I want to know why you seemed concerned when Shigaraki had me by the neck." He narrowed his eyes. My heart was pounding in my chest.

"Concerned? You must've had too much blood loss." I lied.

"Probably. But I know what I saw. So stop lying to me and tell me why you were concerned." He saw right through me.

Quick, Dabi, come up with an excuse!

"I didn't want Storms to kill Shigaraki." I tried again.

"I would've believed that if you had been the one to grab me. But you didn't. You changed your path and grabbed Shinso instead. Why not me?" He pressed.

I bit the inside of my cheek. "Because your Quirk would've been stronger against mine." I told a half-truth this time, hoping it would be enough.

"Stop lying to me! Just tell me what the hell you're hiding!" His mood changed.

"I'm not hiding anything." I spoke quietly, hoping Storms wouldn't see us and assume I was attacking her students.

"Yes you are! I can see it! You're trying to divert my attention by giving me bits and pieces of answers! Look, I know you don't trust us or Storms, but lying isn't going to get you any further if you truly want to become a better person." He spat.

"But don't heroes keep secrets too?" I questioned.

Todoroki blinked. "It's a secret? That you obviously don't want us to know?" He asked. I nodded.

"Why? Would it hurt someone? Is it about the League of Villains?" Todoroki questioned me. "No, it's not about the League. We've scattered. It... it does have the chance of hurting someone..." I trailed off.

"It might hurt me, right? I'm the person the secret involves?" He noticed. I didn't respond.

"Why don't you just tell me? It's not like I haven't heard things before. Not much upsets me these days." Todoroki said.

"You don't understand." I croaked.

"Try me." He glared.

"Todoroki, I can't!" My voice rose.

"Just tell me!" He retorted.

"No!" I argued. Suddenly, the ground shook a bit, birds flying out of a few trees. I noticed Storms, in her winged snow leopard form, stalking over to us.

"What're you two fighting about? Todoroki, is Dabi bothering you?" She looked at him with sympathy in her neon royal blue eyes.

"No. It's fine. Thank you for checking." Todoroki glared at me before unlocking his wheelchair, heading back over to the trees.

Storms' ear flicked as she turned her attention back to me. "What the hell are you bothering him for?" She bared her teeth.

"I wasn't! He came over here first and wanted to know something that-" I choked on my words for a moment.

"That I can't tell him. It would break him..." I admitted.

"Have you hurt his siblings?" She asked. I shook my head.

"No. No, it's not that. It... it's something from our pasts when they crossed." I sighed.

She sat down, tucking her paws under her tail. "Care to elaborate?"

I bit my lip. "I can't. Storms, it's not going to put anyone in danger, I promise. It's just... I don't know how to explain it."

Storms blinked. "I have no reason to trust you, but I will. It is not my job to pry into people's private lives as long as it does not put my students in harm's way." She said. I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders.

"I'll tell you eventually. Just... not yet." I decided. She nodded, standing up.

"Take your time." Storms walked back over to the trees, jumping into the thickest branch of a massive oak tree. I could barely see her eyes through the heavy cover of the leaves. I looked to the students again. They were just messing around and playing games at this point. I smiled. It reminded me of something I once had.

Suddenly, something bumped into me, passing by. I glared at Hawks, who didn't even bother to turn around and apologize. I could tell he did it on purpose too, because he pulled his leg back in as he continued walking. I opened my mouth to insult him, but thought better, closing it and staying quiet.

If he wants to be like this, so be it. I'll get Storms' attention by being kind and genuine. Not by subtly taking advantage of other's situations. I won't beat up my competition to get what I want. Not anymore.