Hey guys! Long time no see eh? I'm so sorry for leaving this story for… *checks script* several + weeks but I've been on the road and horseback riding- you know how it is. Not to mention school starts tomorrow and I'm in the process of transferring… anyways, this chapter is extra long, hope you enjoy!

chapter eight: battle scars

Julie eyed the girl on the bed tiredly as she collapsed in her chair, feeling exhaustion creeping over her. She had made sure to tuck in the sheets to the point Toga couldn't maneuver out of them, and she only scowled when her boys had laughed. It had been a very long, very stressful day, and she just wanted to go the fuck to sleep, but she had to get dinner ready first and check on Tenko's bandaged arm and make sure Toga wasn't about to kill them all in their sleep. She didn't really doubt she wouldn't do it, and she hated that.

But first things first was getting Megumi the hell out of the room, because he was dangerously close to the killer's face, and Julie really liked her dog and didn't want to see him dead on the floor.

Allowing her hand to fall and brush the carpet, Megumi spotted it and quickly hopped over to it with a little squeak of excitement. Julie let a small grin crack her face as she scratched behind his ears. "Good boy," she muttered, head lolling back on the chair. "Tenko," she called, too lazy to shoo him out of the room herself.

Whatever Tenko and Dabi were talking about—likely Toga—stopped as Tenko shuffled over, picking Megumi up with ease and leaving the room with the dog settled over his shoulder.

"You mind watching Toga tonight?" Julie asked without pause, picking her head up a bit to eye Dabi. He was sitting a little bit away from her, in another chair, looking at Toga with a strange expression. Seems he was not at all expecting to have a murderous house guest either.

"Hmm?" he hummed, eye twitching a bit as he looked over. Julie looked a little closer and spotted another tear in the staples, and she felt worry creeping up. Shit. "Oh yeah, I don't mind. Today was a bit too much for you, huh, old lady?" he said with a grin.

Julie scowled at him. "Fuck off, Dee Dee." Dabi just laughed.

Sighing a little, Julie picked herself up and handed a tissue to Dabi for him to wipe away the little blood drops coming from the tear. She was far too exhausted to help him fix his burn scar tonight, no matter how much she hated leaving it that way, but he was always careful and knew how to bandage it, so she wasn't too worried he would fall asleep and the skin would get caught on his new nose piercing and peel off like a banana peel and unravel and now she was hyperventilating. Fuck.

Years of living in the Todoroki household had conditioned Dabi to react to anything short of 'deadly' and 'suffocating', so when the killer preteen stirred and shifted in bed, he was wide awake in seconds.

A pair of bright yellow eyes stared back at him.

Hardly moving, Dabi sat up straighter in his seat, making sure to bend his knees and keep his arms at the ready in case he had to fight his way out. Toga eyed him wearily the whole time, body stiff as her body slowly uncurled under the covers. The two didn't say a word the whole time, silently sizing each other up.

Dabi had fought once or twice with Tenko over the years, and he wasn't exactly a slacker when he still trained under his father, so he wasn't rusty, per se, but Toga was a wanted Villain, and it was clear she wasn't exactly afraid to take it to another level in a fight. He respected it, in a way, because no one would fight honorably when their life is on the line, but he had another family to protect now.

He wasn't always a happy camper, but he very much liked being alive too. (And Julie would be sad, a small part of him whispered, but he pushed it away.)

"Uh…hi," he said, like the awkward teenager he was. It's been a while since he last talked to someone without the Chiba name, okay?

Toga shifted a little away from him, best she could, but she ultimately couldn't get far. Dabi felt pity welling up inside, and was tempted to loosen the sheets for her, but that wouldn't be a very smart move at this time. "…hi," she said. Dabi shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, and she seemed to pick up on it, because she turned to look at the rest of the room.

They were in the guest room, of course, since he and Tenko didn't have room for another person, much less a girl, but that also meant that there wasn't much to look at. Their own room was lived-in, the walls covered in posters of anime and movies and video games, and shelves stocked full of Tenko's old action figures he refused to get rid of. The guest room was a bit barren, the walls plain and a light brown color, but Toga didn't seem to mind as she spotted the little glass of water sitting on the bedside table. She unconsciously licked her lips, eyes fixated on the glass, and it took an embarrassingly long time for Dabi to remember that, right, she couldn't move.

He stood up quickly in his haste and rushed over, which only effectively freaked Toga out if the way she hissed and shrank back was any clue. She's like a fucking cat, he thought in amusement, grabbing the water and cautiously bringing his hand closer to her so she could take it.

He belatedly realized that when threatened, cats tend to scratch and bite.

Her teeth snapped far too close for comfort where his hand used to be with a sound clack.

"Kami," he hissed, somehow feeling phantom pains of teeth digging into his hand without her actually biting him. "What the fuck you're like a fucking piranha," he said with all the drama of a teenage boy interested in theatre.

Toga at least had the sense to look somewhat apologetic.

He gave her a glare that was less of a glare and more of a pout, and that seemed to get a little grin out of her, even if the bags under her eyes weighed down her amused expression and made her look older than she was.

Trying again, Dabi slowly reached over with the glass still in hand, and said, "Look, I'm just trying to give you some water, but I fucking will dump it on you if you try that shit again. Tenko learned his lesson last time he tried to pull a cheap shot on me." He gave her a Serious Look, just in case.

Toga seemed to realize that he was indeed serious, so she slowly began to sit up as best she could in the bed, despite her still being pinned down by blankets, and Dabi offered her the pillow he had been using earlier. He handed her the glass of water when she was settled, and she gave a small nod in gratitude as she began sipping at it.

Finally more settled, the two sat in comfortable silence, and Dabi decided that maybe, if Julie did take her in, having a little sister again wouldn't be so bad, even if he had to push away the feelings of grief for his twin.

After Himiko had fallen asleep again after they talked a bit more, Dabi carefully made his way into the living room to get Julie. She had fallen asleep on the couch last night watching the news for anything on the new resident serial killer, but he supposed the efforts of yesterday had exhausted her too much.

Julie was all curled up on the couch, the TV muted, and the news on to yesterday's rioted protest.

Sunlight filtered in through the backyard sliding doors, and Dabi made a mental note to ask Julie about gettin curtains for it later; it was hard to watch TV with the glare. The sun itself wasn't too high yet from the looks of it, so they had plenty of time left in the day to figure out their little problem.

Stepping over to the coffee table it was resting on, Dabi picked up the remote and unmuted it, making sure to hurriedly turn it down in case it woke Julie up. The news lady's voice came in, followed shortly by her partner as they carefully picked their way around the scene of yesterday's protest. Looks like it had been too dangerous and cluttered after the initial attack and the police spent some time getting it cleaned up, as well as arresting anyone found suspect.

"-we're here at the city's center, where a rather aggressive protest turned violent when pedestrians started firing off their Quirks as a result of a bank robbery only a few streets away," the lady was saying, having claimed a spot near a statue of All Might, and Dabi felt old resentment creeping up at the sight of it. "It is unknown, still, who was the culprit, but the local police have a number of suspects arrested and brought down to the station for a mandatory Quirk examination, as well as to hear their rights. While we are still unsure of yesterday's events, police assure us they will have answers soon-"

Her partner cut in and took over with a pointed look at her. "The protest, originally peaceful and safe, was held by the so-called 'Quirked Defenders', a group that has sworn to gain rights for any Invisible-Quirked and Quirkless people. Though small in the beginning, the rallies had lately been gaining traction, a mass of people coming to each rally and getting more aggressive with their message, quickly turning into full-on protests for equal rights. Fights have been breaking out more and more often now, and with the green light from the rising Vigilante known as 'Stain', many of his base followers have been mixing with the crowds. Officials are now calling for the disbandment of the Quirked Defenders to prevent any more injuries. Now to-"

The TV was shut off with a click, and when Dabi turned around he saw a weary Julie sitting up, a scowl on her face as she glared at the blank screen.

"No-good mindless dolls is all they are," she muttered, lightly knocking a knuckle against her temple. Rubbing her eyes, she looked over to Dabi and his carefully neutral expression. "How's Toga doing?" she asked, voice a little hoarse from sleep.

Dabi hesitated a moment, debating whether or not to tell her what Himiko told him, and decided to go for it. Julie always wanted them comfortable, with her and themselves. "Umm…she's doing alright, and she woke up earlier, and…she asked me to call her Himiko rather than her family name, and I think it would make her more comfortable with you an Tenko if you did too," he muttered, picking at one of the scars on his hands. Most of them had heeled over the years, but it was hard not to scratch at them sometimes. Sometimes…sometimes they itched and burned after a nightmare, and he just couldn't stop scratching at them. And sometimes…they bled. (He still hated the color red, even if he didn't really mind the color of Tenko's eyes.) Julie hated the habit and tried to get him to break it, but it was difficult when he had this almost insistent need to peel at the skin until all that was there was bare flesh. It didn't help that they weren't healed properly, or that they couldn't even go to a hospital to get his scars treated without someone asking awkward questions.

Julie noticed his discomfort and reached over, placing her hand on his shoulder and gently guiding him over to sit on the couch next to her. Her arm settled around his shoulders, and he felt himself subconsciously relaxing. Her body heat crashed over him, and he was reminded of Rei and how her warmth was just like Julie's, and he was happy. He was happy Julie had found him and that he had a home and that he was safe. He promised Himiko she would be safe, and the first step was making sure she was comfortable in her own skin, like Julie had made for him.

"That won't be a problem," Julie said, resting a hand on top of his to keep him from picking at his scars. Dabi fidgeted a little under the touch, but otherwise did nothing. The two sat in silence for a moment, allowing the sunlight to slowly creep up on them and warm them up, when Julie spoke up. She was hesitant and said it halting, like she wasn't sure of herself. "I…have to meet up with Yamamoto and some others about the protest yesterday. It's been getting a bit outta hand at the rallies…and they need my input. It can't be put off, especially after what the assclowns on the news had to say…so I need you to keep an eye on Himiko." She looked at Dabi from the corner of her eye, and he knew she wanted to make sure he was comfortable with it.

Dabi had dealt with murderers most of his life, and the fact that Himiko had scars just like him (even if they weren't of the physical kind) just meant that…she was a survivor. Like him. She was scared and lost, and Dabi wanted to help her. So…

"Yeah, I can watch her for a while," he said. A faint smile crawled up Julie's face as she gave him a small side-hug, and he readily leaned into it.

"Thank you," she said, a determined look crossing her eyes as her freckles turned a bright yellow like the sun. "If she wakes up again, can you make her something? I don't think she's had a proper meal in a long time." Dabi nodded, deciding to make some for himself and Tenko while he was at it. Her smile grew into a grin, and Julie ruffled his hair. "Thanks, kiddo. I owe you and Koko ice cream later." She stood and stretched, her back making popping noises as the spine re-adjusted itself, and she headed off to her room, calling, "I'll be back in a few hours," over her shoulder.

Dabi smiled to himself and got comfortable, figuring he could squeeze a few anime episodes in before Himiko woke up again.

Himiko couldn't remember the last time she felt so warm. Her house was always cold like a freezer, never allowing for any warmth…from anyone.

She pulled her blanket tighter over herself, shoulders hunching in as she crept after Dabi.

He was…nice, she decided. He was warm too. He had come back for her, just like he said, and had told her he was gonna make breakfast and he was gonna make some for her too. She didn't really believe it—not really—not until they entered what looked like a mixture of the kitchen and a cozy little living room. There was a TV on the far wall, and a little kotatsu table set up in the middle with some sort of colorful candies that she didn't recognize in a bowl. There was a couch and a coffee table, and video games scattered around the room.

It looked lived-in. Himiko thought it was comforting.

Dabi noticed she had stopped and gently took her arm, and she was too tired and hungry to pull away or feel threatened by it. Himiko let him lead her into the kitchen without much protest, notching the other boy from yesterday sitting at the island and glaring at her. Himiko glared back, fangs bared as she crouched down a little into a running stance. The boy hopped off the stool, pulling his gloves off and keeping his hands open and facing her in a threatening manner. Seems he was still sore from her stabbing his arm. Dabi just stood there looking between the two with an exasperated expression.

"You two gonna duke it out or what? 'Cause if you are, Julie's gonna be pissed as hell if you wreck the house, Ten."

The boy's lips twitched up in the beginnings of a snarl, before he seemed to think better of it and backed down, taking back his seat on the stool. He slipped his gloves on and went back to whatever game he had been playing when they entered on his handheld.

Rolling his eyes, Dabi headed further into the kitchen and began taking out ingredients for breakfast and pots and pans, muttering to himself as he went.

"Need any help?" the gamer boy asked without even bothering to look up. Dabi shook his head, setting down the pan and turning on the stove. "Nah, it's just simple prep and shit." He tossed a sideways glance at him. "Plus Julie said she'd make you sleep out in the front yard if you ever step foot in the kitchen again after last time." Himiko giggled a little at the incredulous look on the pale boy's face and took a seat at the table, wrapping her blanket tighter around her as she settled in for the wait.

The kitchen soon warmed with the stove and heater on, fresh breakfast smells wafting from the pan and plates as Dabi made the food. It had been a while since Himiko last enjoyed a meal, so it was nice to have a home-cooked one again. As Dabi began setting out the plates of rice, eggs, and some sort of bread, she couldn't help but salivate. It smelled amazing, and the other boy seemed to agree too, if the delighted look on his face was any indication as he shoveled the food into his mouth. Dabi came around to whack him with a wooden spoon as he set down his own plate. "Baka! What have I told you about being a pig?"

"That I better come with bacon," the boy said without pause. Dabi whacked him again.

Himiko started laughing. It wasn't a very pretty laugh, or a very nice one, but it was genuine, even if the startled and freaked out looks on the two's faces kinda ruined it.

"What in the fuck are you guys watching? Sounds like the fucking Wicked Witch of the West from Wizard of Oz," a loud voice called from the front of the house, startling all three of them. Himiko dropped her chopsticks. Dabi snorted.

"Dude-"

Pale-boy just shrugged and went back to eating like an animal.

Julie turned the corner, looking a little worse for wear, with a bucket of...fried chicken? "Hey, kids. How's it going? No fire or Dust or anything anywhere? Please, God, I don't need that shit again," she muttered, setting the fried chicken down on the island and ruffling pale-boy's hair as she passed.

"Nope. No fires, no floods - Tenko didn't burn down the kitchen again and Himiko looks to be settling in," Dabi said, stealing a bit of chicken when Julie wasn't looking and shoving it in his mouth, like the pig he accused pale-boy of being.

Julie turned to Dabi suspiciously. "...I never said anything about floods." Dabi paused. "The fuck-" Dabi bolted, a scream of SHIT coming after as Julie gave chase.

Himiko took one look at pale-boy before the two burst out laughing and he swiped the bucket of chicken, tossing her a few pieces before he ducked for cover, Himiko following close behind.

"We're doing what now?"

"Family game night!"

"And why are we doing it?"

"Because I wanna see what it's like being the stereotypical American family."

"..."

"Fine, if it's not fun, we won't do it next week, 'kay?"

"...that was not fun."

"...agreed."

"Order, order, I've called you all here to-"

"Take our orders?"

"No, fuck you."

Himiko leaned over and stage-whispered, "Is she always like this?" Tenko looked up at the ceiling for a second. "About, yes." Something hit her head and squeaked.

"Did you just throw a dog toy at me?"

"It's a possibility, but no," Julie said, clearing her throat and pointing at a board she took out of basically nowhere. Himiko wondered if her Quirk wasn't secretly mother-henning. "Here," she used a comically long plastic finger to point at the board's corner, where several pieces of paper were stapled to it, "is a map of a theme park, Japan's version of Disney World, which you heathens have probably never heard of."

"...that's an American Denny's menu."

Julie looked back at it. "So it is."

"Are we going to Denny's or TDL?" Tenko asked, fiddling with his gloves a little.

"I have no idea what that is, but sure." Julie pointed at another section of the board, this one crisscrossed in string and pictures of people. "This here is a list of movie options for the theaters. Which sounds more appealing?"

Dabi squinted a little. "Pretty sure those are just pictures of famous actors with strings tying them to something called the...Illuminati?"

Julie quickly flipped the board over onto the blank side. "...you weren't supposed to see that."

"What's this all about anyways, Julie?" Himiko asked, head tilted a little as Julie tossed the fake finger over her shoulder carelessly. It had been two weeks since Julie had clotheslined Himiko and brought her home, and the two boys had readily accepted her once she promised not to kill Megumi and use his fur for a hat. All in all, they got on pretty well after Himiko stopped swiping knives from the knife block (she wasn't allowed in the kitchen again after she stole the meat knife).

"Hmm, I'm glad you asked, Himi-chan," Julie grinned a little, something that would scare Himiko if she hadn't seen worse in the mirror. "I took a look into your official Villain records—don't worry, the basics are out for the public eye—and it said your birthday was on August 7th, so I thought it would be fun to go somewhere for your birthday to officially integrate you into the Chiba family! Plus you haven't left in two weeks and I don't want a case of Jack Torrance on our hands…"

"Who?"

"I would show you Stephen King, but my survival instincts say that's a stupid-ass decision, so I'm elected to ignore it."

"What?"

"That was a star reference and you little shits can't even appreciate it. Moving on."

Julie went on to tell them about several different places they could go to celebrate Himiko's thirteenth birthday, while said girl screamed internally because what the hell. She was a known serial killer, with a disturbing Quirk, and a psychotic smile. She was lucky enough to even be adopted by Julie, and now only after a few weeks of knowing her, the lady was ready to take her somewhere special, just like that?

The Togas were an average family that did average things and led average lives; Himiko was no stranger to birthdays, but they were always small and closed off, a quiet affair, and she never really looked forward to them. She never had many friends to invite anyways, and with so many children it was hard to afford something nice. Besides, her parents always said only normal girls get normal things.

Himiko didn't want to be normal anymore. She didn't even want to be a Toga. She just wants to be herself. And maybe...maybe she can have that with Julie and Dabi and Tenko. Maybe...she can be happy.

"Hey, you alright?" Tenko asked, poking her shoulder as her head came back to her. Himiko startled, but the other two didn't seem to notice as they discussed different places to go.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Just...taking it all in, I guess.'' Himiko pulled at her coat buttons a little, fiddling and twisting them as a way to distract herself. Tenko would understand, right? He had told her a few days ago that he had been lost when Julie found him, and now he's happier than ever. That could be her, too, if she was willing to try.

It was...strange, feeling cared for by people other than her older brother. He was the only one who ever gave a damn about her. Looking over at Julie, she decided he would like her too.

"What about?" Tenko asked curiously, for once interested in something other than playing with the dog or his Xbox.

Himiko hummed a little in thought. "Nothing much, but I think I'm better now, Ko-chan." Tenko smiled a little and tried to hide it, but she noticed. She smiled back, and this time, without teeth.

And then Dabi piped up with an interesting idea.

"What about the carnival?"

The carnival was bright and loud, just like Julie always remembered it whenever her and Mom went on roadtrips. They were few and far between, but she always loved the rides and the performers and the good ol' verge-of-cardiac-arrest greasy American food. It had been ages since she had last gone to one, but she had great memories and was excited to be experiencing it again, this time with her kids and in another country. It would be fun to see the Japanese take on America, especially in this day and age.

The kids were already running around excitedly, checking out every nook and cranny of the place they could before Julie would pull them away and shove them in line. Each kid wore a mask, but it did nothing to hide the wonderment and eagerness in their eyes as the carnival lights flickered over them in strobe fashion, giving warmth to Julie on the otherwise cold night.

Many other families passed by, each kid holding some kind of food or novelty toy and dragging their parents around. Some people were even screaming in tune to the carnival music as the rides went, and it brought back so many happy memories.

Julie laughed, loud and joyous, as Tenko raced back to her, hopping in place as he grabbed his head. "C'mon c'mon c'mon, we gotta go before the lines get too long!"

Roughly messing up his hair, Julie pulled him along behind her as she marched off towards the ferris wheel, calling over her shoulder for the other two. "Relax, kiddo - this place is open all night long!" Tenko let out a huff of small irritation, grinning as his siblings fell into line behind them like ducklings and their mama.

"Onward!" Julie called.

They needed no prompting. "Onward!"

Many rides and much more unhealthy foods later, Julie decided for them to take a break and watch a magic act, saying it 'builds character' and 'can teach them how to pickpocket later on in life'. She later said she was too sober to be watching a magician perform and was going for a drink before the show started.

Himiko and her new brothers spent the time running about and playing as many carnival games as they could before she got back, and she watched in amusement as Tenko shoved four pounds of popcorn in his mouth with a determined look. Nearby, Dabi was at the Test Your Strength booth with a giant hammer in hand, arguing with a beefy dude about who scored higher.

Grinning to herself, and glad no one else could see it because it might scare someone, Himiko turned back to her own game and got ready to shoot water at something called a 'clown's' mouth. The lady at the booth had explained how to play with a broken Japanese accent, and she was determined to get the giant stuffed mouse with the little pink bow.

The aiming itself was pretty easy, but the sound of the balloon on the clown's head popping startled her so bad her hand broke the trigger, and the remaining water in the water gun shot out and soaked the people around her.

Now grinning sheepishly at the angry looks, she quickly claimed her prize and went off to hide behind Dabi until Julie got back.

Ten minutes later and screwing around with the boys and eating so much cotton candy she sneezed fuzz, Himiko finally spotted Julie stumbling towards them with a bottle of Ramune in hand, a man in a yellowish overcoat and theatrical mask beside her.

"Hiya, kiddos!" Julie said, grinning a weird sort of grin with the freckles along her nose a soft flushed color in intoxication. "I want ya to meet our—our performer of the night: Mr. Compress! He's a very, uh, very nuh- nice dudde and he's get a great Quirk for hiz magic act."

Himiko squinted a little as Tenko came up beside her, Dabi carrying a huge plush of Bugs Bunny. "Why's she speaking English like a crazy person? Is she alright?" she asked, a little concerned for her new guardian as the Mr. Compress guy helped steady her when a kid accidentally ran into her.

"Well shit," Julie mutered, still in English, but Himiko wasn't very good and it was broken with a Japanese accent. She muttered something, then seemed to remember that she has legs and can walk. "Thanks for the help, Sako, I'mma real fuckin' klutz when I drink, ya'know?"

"It's quite alright, Miss Chiba. I too have experienced the effects of fine wine, even if it is not my favorite. I do hope you and your children enjoy the show, and maybe I'll see you all again after, mm?" Compress made sure Julie was steady with Dabi beside her, then took a practiced bow and disappeared inside a nearby tent.

"'hanks, Dee Dee," Julie slurred, chugging the rest of the bottle before she tossed it in a trashcan. "Now, on with the show!"

It was an amazing show, from what little Julie could remember, and she had gone for another drink with Sako after the finale.

She didn't really think she meant to say it, but with all the wine and the future stress she knew she would get with having three traumatized teens, it kinda just came out.

"How would you like to watch my kids every now and then? They would like all your freaky-deeky tricks and—and, fuck, what's the word… right right, I could pay you...and I think that's—hic—it. Whaddya say?" she rambled, feeling her freckles tingling as they glowed brighter. It was always a nice sensation, like her foot falling asleep but more pleasant whenever she drank.

From what little she could make out, Sako seemed pretty bewildered by the offer, clearly having expected it a lot less than her, but he appeared to be considering it.

"You have three kids, correct? They all seem like delightful children...but I'm afraid I'll have to consider your offer. Is there a way I can contact you? I can let you know in a few days after I make my decision," Sako said, waving over to the bartender to refill his glass.

After exchanging contact information, the two parted ways as Julie's kids came to drag her onto a few more rides before heading home.

All in all, a pretty good birthday.