"Hey, Dabi, aren't you going to join in? You are in charge, we should know a little bit about you. Like your favorite food, or your real name...stuff like that."
Toga's whining voice sparked a flare of aggravation as it interrupted my research. Looking up I glare at her from across the room, where she's draped herself across a chair. The others in the Vanguard are seated in various other pieces of furniture, talking low enough I could drown them out with the plans and strategies flooding my mind. However, Togo found a way to barge in and scatter my thoughts. How...thoughtful of her. The empty aluminum can in his hand cracked under the strain he was putting it under. Scoffing at it, he tossed it to the side.
"I told you," I responded in a low voice. "Call me Dabi."
"Aw man," Toga complained. "Aren't we friends? You can tell us."
"Dabi," I repeat, an edge entering my tone.
She flops back, head hanging at an odd, painful looking angle. Satisfied that I won't be interrupted again, I look back down at my phone and the news feed I was reading. Damn her. I now had to pick up the pieces of my thought process and reconnect them. I reached the end of the article, scrolling past the suggested reports. One in particular catches my eye. My thumb hesitates over the icon, as my eyes narrow onto the headline.
Endeavor: Getting to Know Our New Number One.
If it hadn't been for the others in the room, I would have laughed. As if they could get to know that bastard. So stoic and strong in his interviews, almost to the point of intimidation. So unlike All had replaced a true hero with one so shallow and praiseworthy even the people were doubting him. If only they knew half of it.
It was late when I laid down that night, thoughts still weaving together, plans for the future. Shigaraki trusts me, to some extent, with the Vanguard's actions as long as they are in line with the League's goals.
Get up off your ass, Toya! Is this what you are going to be? A sniveling brat? How are you ever going to become the Number One Hero?
I bolted upright, staring into the darkness. My teeth grind as I curse myself, laying back down. Phantom voices of the past. I'm pathetic. Reacting like a scared five-year-old again. Like I could be afraid of him anymore. I was stronger now. Stronger than he even dreamed I could be all those years ago. I was what he threw to the rubbish heap, just like he did with Mom, with my sister, and with my brother. He only had one masterpiece. Slowly, I drifted off to sleep, haunted by living ghosts.
Toya hit the ground, coughing as he tried to push himself upright in time. It was no use. A large hand hauled him to his feet, gripping the back of his shirt tightly. The collar choked him, and he pulled at it so he could breath.
"Get up off your ass, Toya! Is this what you are going to be? A sniveling brat? How are you ever going to become the Number One Hero?"
Too busy trying to breath, Toya didn't answer. He was suddenly dropped back to the ground, accompanied with a backhanded blow to his head. Ears ringing he sucked in deep breaths, trying to still his shaking.
Over him stood his dad, Enji Todoroki, the Number Two Hero in all of Japan. Ever since Toya's quirk had manifested three days ago, he had suddenly show interest in him. At first he had received a stern lecture on how he was going to become the Number One Hero, how he was no longer allowed to play with his older sister and his little brother. Then the training had began. He had to use his quirk, which had excited him at first. Then when the small blue flames began to hurt his skin, he wanted to stop. His dad had forbade him to stop. That night he soaked his hands in cold water, his mom taking care of the burns. She had demanded that his dad let him rest that morning, but in the afternoon his dad had come for him and had begun to teach him endurance and hand to hand combat. At first it had been fun, until his dad's blows had become harder when he didn't do it just right.
"Dad...I..." Toya coughed, pulling his knees to his chest.
"Don't speak to me," his dad spat, flames flaring angrily from his face. "If you want to talk stand up and try that again."
Toya looked up, his eyes wide. He didn't understand why his dad was so angry. Why he looked like that at him. Why he hurt him. Did he do something bad? Had he been naughty? Sometimes Grandmother spanked him when he was especially naughty. That hurt. Was it because he didn't do that move right? He wiped his eyes, trying not to cry. He had learned earlier that his dad did not like crying. He said it was weak. Whatever that meant, he didn't want Toya to be weak. Toya pushed himself to his feet, looking up fearfully into his dad's face. If he didn't want Toya to be weak, then he wasn't going to be.
"I'll do it right." Toya shuddered, crossing his arms like he had been instructed.
"Enji." a soft voice filtered into the room.
"What do you want?" His dad asked shortly, clearly irritated.
Toya looked over at the doorway. His mom leaned against the smooth wood, her face pale. Already her stomach was showing beneath her loose shirt, the tell-tale signs of a younger sibling in the making. She had been throwing up all morning. That scared Toya. He didn't quite remember it all but his sister Fuyumi did. Mom had lost two kids before the one she had now. Every times she had been sick, almost all day. He didn't know what that meant, but he did know it was scary for Mom.
"Dinner's ready." his mom ducked her head, her lips pressed together.
"We were finished for the day anyways," his dad said gruffly, stomping towards the door.
She ducked out of his path, before hurrying into the room, kneeling by Toya's side. She brushed his cheek, smoothing his bright red hair out of his eyes.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, tears gathering in her eyes. "I should be in here, helping you. Your dad, he's so rough. I never imagined he would be so with you. I am a terrible mom. Too sick to even help her own child."
Toya looked up at her, not understanding most of what she said. He didn't like the fact that she was upset. Her tears made him want to cry. Maybe girls were allowed to cry, and maybe he could cry when his dad wasn't around.
"My stomach hurts," He said. "Can you kiss it and make it better?"
She always kissed things and made them better. Everything was better when Mom kissed it. She smiled softly, pressing a kiss to her fingers and touching his stomach lightly since she couldn't bend over anymore. He hopped up onto his tip-toes and kissed her forehead.
"Does that make it better?" he asked, wondering if it would make her happy again.
"Yes," she smiled at him. "It does."
"Then let's eat, I'm hungry!" Toya took her hand, having already forgotten about the ache in his stomach. "A Number One Hero needs to eat!"
"Alright," his mom nodded, slowly getting to her feet.
Toya bounced by her side, all weariness having vanished at the thought of food. His dad was waiting at the end of the hall for them. He took Toya's hand, pulling him away from his mom.
"You eat with the others, Toya eats with me," he said sternly, flames flickering as always around his face.
"Why can't we eat together?" his mom asked.
"Because I said," his dad growled.
"It's only dinner," she protested.
Toya's eyes widened as his dad slapped his mom across the face, leaving a red streak across her street. She cried out softly, backing up a step. Toya whimpered as his dad drug him away from his mom.
"Toya is eating with me from now on, you will stay with the others," his dad shouted back at his mom.
Toya looked back as his dad dragged him down the hall. His mom was crying again. He looked up at his dad. Why had he hit mom? Had she done something bad? He didn't understand.
"I'll be there to tell you your bedtime story!" His mom called to him as they turned the corner. "Have a nice supper, Toya."
Toya followed his dad willingly to prevent being dragged all the way to his dad's room. When she came to tell him his bedtime story he would have his teeth brushed. It would make her happy that he had brushed his teeth without being reminded. Then he would kiss her cheek to make it all better. Because, a kiss made everything better.