-x- Dabi -x-

Dabi landed outside the theater with Tenko. "Where were you?"

"Taking a shit, what do you care? I came on time. Where's Toga?"

"Getting popcorn with Fuyumi. You're welcome I waited out here for you." Dabi rolled his eyes, and they walked inside. Dabi didn't regret healing Keigo. He'd have woken up by now, probably, with his leg healed. He'd gotten to know the guy not as Dabi, so he saw the raw version of him, he'd had no reason to impress "Tendo". He did feel bad for the guy, though, having a child kiss his forehead. Must have been awkward.

Toga bounced over with Fuyumi, both of them loaded with sweets and popcorn. Fuyumi didn't usually hang out with them but Toga wanted another girl to watch the movie with her so Fuyumi was the only option. Things are home were kind of difficult. There just wasn't enough room for the three Todoroki's to stay. Well, the four, but Dabi wanted to stay in the foster family, but he also didn't want to leave his siblings.

Mei said they could stay until the trial was over, which was soon, and she was already trying to come up with solutions to them leaving. Dabi hadn't said it, nobody had, but he was sure they all knew that he wanted to stay in Mei and Asahi's house. At least until he was kicked out. He had popped back into his work and honestly said he'd been held hostage but was fine, now. He was working again, which was how he paid for their small outing.

Fuyumi and Natsuo were obviously upset Dabi was choosing others over them, but at the same time, the entire time they'd known he chose the foster family over theirs. And they'd agreed to try and set him free again. He was really hoping they weren't… too hurt. He wasn't going to go no contact with them, but they needed to find a more secure space. Fuyumi was his age, his younger twin, so they'd be out before Natsuo and Shoto did.

All four of them would be happy to be in a good foster home, though. They saw the way Mei and Asahi were selfless and took them in at an emergency. They grew up so much, and Dabi believed most of that was from him going missing. There were no hard feelings.

The previews were starting when Dabi got a text from Natsuo. Did you help Keigo? You said you would.

He should be fixed up now. If he calls you, don't tell him I was there. It was Tendo, not Dabi. got it?

Yup! Thanks man!

Yuppers.

Dabi was distracted through the movie. It was boring, he had no idea why Toga invited them to a romcom. Spinner had refused, so it was just the three classmates and Fuyumi. She went to their school now but not in the same class. Dabi was dozing off by the time the movie ended. TeNko had somehow stayed awake and engaged through the whole thing. "It wasn't…that bad," he admitted.

"It sucked ass."

"You were asleep most of it," Tenko replied.

"Dabi! How could you?!"

"You should be grateful I paid for this shit for all of us," Dabi replied. "I'm going by the music store for a new guitar pick, anyone want to come with me?" Tenko nodded and they headed to the music store while the two girls went and got Starbucks. Probably those god awful rainbow things. They looked a unicorn shit in the cups and made it look fancy. Gross.

When they got there, Dabi admired one of the most expensive acoustic guitars. He ran his fingers along the smooth surface. "You know you could buy that, right?"

"Somehow Mei and Asahi haven't noticed about my job. Buying a huge thing like this would definitely show I have an odd amount of money," Dabi pointed out. "I'll ask for it for Christmas, maybe." They went to the picks and looked for the ivory colored ones. He had a refurbished guitar, it wasn't awful and he'd replaced the strings while Asahi sanded it a bit to help fix it up. It was good enough but Dabi was serious about being into music and wanted a nicer one.

It was a want, not a need. And he had over 2 million yen in his account nearly untouched that he was saving up for. He wasn't going to make a big deal from it and risk being caught and in trouble. Tenko bought some new pages of blank paper for sheet music and Dabi bought his new pick. It came in a small plastic ziplock bag so he shoved it in his pocket along with the receipt.

Dabi picked at a staple with a smile. He rolled the metal ball in his mouth. When he got home, his real home, Mei had immediately gone out and got him replacement piercings. It had been a bit painful to put them all back in since some of the holes had started to close, but he was sure nobody would understand why he felt so much better with a bunch of metal sticking out of his face.

His phone rang, and he answered to Mei. "We're all on our way back."

"I have good news. Since your siblings have been set up here for now legally, I was the one to receive a call that your mother wants custody of you four back once she gets out of the hospital. So, any home you four would go to would be temporary until she was ready to have you back." Dabi clenched his jaw and dragged the ball along the roof of his mouth. "Dabi?"

"I don't want to go back to her," he said stiffly, turning away from his friends a bit for privacy. "I don't trust her with Shoto - she burned his face. Yeah, I understand Enji drove her insane, but even before that she never tried to save us from the abuse! She doesn't deserve any of us back!" He was very heated on this. "I brought my siblings out of a toxic house and I'm not about to put them back in another abusive place."

"Dabi, calm down. She'd only get custody back if the right people approved. And nobody would be forcing you. You could stay with us."

"Sorry… sorry, I got really emotional."

"It's okay, it's a sensitive subject. I'm sorry I didn't break the news in person. But at least you got this reaction out away from your siblings, who all care for Rei."

Dabi wouldn't ever want to be under that woman's parenting. Not that it ever actually existed. "I have to go, we're heading back and Fuyumi is getting suspicious."

"Alright, see you soon."

Dabi hung up and Tenko grabbed his arm. Dabi unintentionally flinched at the surprise touch and Tenko released him. "You okay?" he asked quietly before they returned to the others.

"Yeah. I'm good," Dabi said with a smile. Tenko nodded and they all headed back, dropping Toga and Tenko off as they went home. When it was just Fuyumi and Dabi together, she started a conversation only to be cut off by Dabi. "Have you spoken to Enji?" She tensed. "You did. Why?"

"I don't know…" a complete lie. He gave her a stern look. He wasn't interested in bullshit. "I just imagine him lonely as the world hates him." Dabi's jaw clenched, and he balled his fists. "I don't think he should go to jail." Dabi grit his teeth, truly hurt and angry. "He should lost custody and access to us, but jail is so - so extreme."

"You know what's extreme? Resorting to stabbing myself to get us out! I did that for you all! If I went out on my own I would have found a different way and just leave, but I stuck around for you three! And now you don't want him to pay?! He committed crimes, he assaulted his kids, he threw mom in a mental institution! What the hell is wrong with you?!" he demanded. He hadn't shouted at his siblings like this in a long time. She was shocked, and then teared up.

Dabi was unmoved. "Fucking go home without me. I'm sure Natsuo would be more understanding. After all, neither of you were physically abused."

"Tou-"

"IT'S DABI!" he raged. He grew wings and flew away and to the beach. Angry and hurt tears poured from his eyes and he curled into a ball and cried at the dock - his dock. The single space he had that felt safe for him. It was an old dock and not many people would walk there. It wasn't even near sunset.

How could Fuyumi want anything to do with him after what he did to Dabi? And what measures Dabi took to get them out, only for her to spit them in his face by wanting a lesser sentence for the man that beat his kids. She never had to be on the other end of a fist. She was the privileged one. She only got neglect. Not like Shoto and Dabi.

She'd never understand. Natsuo might, but she wouldn't. Dabi was so hurt and angry. His phone rang, Mei's ringtone. He sighed, wiped his nose and answered. He hid his nasally voice. "Hello."

"I heard about the argument. I'm sorry that happened."

"I'm so… so hurt. Because she saw it all. She saw how he treated me. I stabbed myself to get us out, and now - now she doesn't even care about it, about what I went through. What Sho had to go through, what Rei went through! Just because it didn't happen to her, she doesn't care!" He was crying harder.

"I know it feels like she doesn't care, but she desperately wanted a full family, and it was ripped apart. You came back, so maybe she thinks that maybe that could continue to happen. Rei might come back, maybe she has an idea that the family could reunite. It's not rational, but emotions often aren't. And you can't brush off that she was abused and affected as well. Just in a different way," Mei said kindly and patiently.

"It's not fair. Why can she be so forgiving, it's so stupid, am I the only one who hates people?" Dabi asked, face in his knees and voice small and confused.

"Some people are just that way. It's not wrong for you to hate Enji. Is it wrong for me to hate my birth family?"

"No," Dabi said.

"Then your feelings aren't wrong either. Even if your father was a good person and you still hated him, they're still your feelings and should be respected to at least some degree. But you're forgiving. You forgave Hawks."

"...How'd you know?"

"Natsuo told me. He excitedly said you fixed Keigo, but clearly didn't mean it when he gasped and slapped his hand over his mouth like he just coughed out a disease of some sort." Dabi snickered. He couldn't bring himself to be angry at Natsuo for slipping up since it had been out of a place of happiness and excitement, not to tattle on Dabi. He expected more questions, about how and when he did it, but didn't get any. "Stay out as long as you need to, dinner will be in the fridge."

"Thanks, Mei," Dabi said quietly. He hung up, and looked at the horizon. It was nowhere near sunset, and he didn't feel like being out in the cold more than necessary, so he went home. He had to share his room with Natsuo and Shoto, unfortunately, and was looking forward to having his own space. He missed his old bedroom. It had been a month of this, and many weeks at the Todoroki estate. Dabi hadn't been in his home safe space in a long time. He missed it.

Was it wrong to want his siblings to be gone? He just wanted his room back. Was it selfish to wish for that? And it was wrong for him to not be so attached to them? He left once, left them in a toxic place. Having them adopted by someone good would be easy. They'd keep in contact. Well, he'd stay in contact with Natsuo and Shoto. He wasn't sure about Fuyumi.

When he walked downstairs to put his shoes at the front door, he sent her a nasty glare, and she looked down at her feet, seeming frustrated. Dabi should be the angry one, she was a traitor. He shoved past her and to the kitchen to help with whatever was left of the meal. Mei handed him the spare apron and he took directions to start chopping the vegetables. Since the house was far too full, a second table had been bought. The family's needs were being paid for by Enji, no matter where he was at the moment.

Dabi didn't say anything through dinner, but his tension was felt by everyone. Natsuo's good mood at Dabi healing Hawks didn't last, it seemed, as he was clearly far from happy or celebratory. Dabi didn't feel great doing it, he wasn't about to go healing random people, he isn't the hero Hawks wanted to be. He only healed Hawks because he felt he deserved it after how much he tried to do for Dabi and his siblings.

And also in return for how he'd been the reason Dabi got away free. He's the reason Dabi was brought to this house by his senpai. While he didn't know why she chose Mei and Asahi, he was the one to ask her. He was the chain event. And it wasn't Hawks' fault that Dabi was captured and abused. Hawks was just one of the tool used against him.

When dinner was over, Mei told them all they needed to talk. Meaning the bio children. The three fosters went upstairs until it was only the Todoroki siblings and the two adults. Dabi was sitting in the corner against the wall behind the couch. He was squeezing a stress ball, jaw clenched as he fiddled with his tongue piercing. Having his mouth and hands busy doing something helped him with stress.

"Your mother has expressed she wants to take you four back. It wouldn't be for a few more weeks at most while things are set up, but you would inherit the house, and could return there." When Dabi opened his mouth to protest, Mei made eye contact, and he huffed but shut his mouth. "There is also some of your extended family who have seen on the news and wish to help. I've been contacted by Endeavor's cousin and her wife.

"They gave me their contact numbers in case you want to get to know them."

"I wanna be with mommy again," Shoto piped up. "I want to go home, but have it be happy." His voice was deeply sincere and heartfelt. "I miss mommy, it wasn't her fault she hurt me." Dabi bit down on his tongue, drawing blood. It healed over, but the taste lingered. He was putting down his anger, he didn't want to turn things hostile. Fuyumi would be the one to argue and then cry but Dabi would need to be in the same room as Natsuo and Shoto to sleep and hearing them cry all night would suck. He had school in the morning.

"How do you feel about it, Natuso-kun? Fuyumi-chan?" Asahi asked.

"I would be happy then," Fuyumi said. Natsuo nodded. They all looked at Dabi.

"I would stay here," he said. Natsuo frowned deeply and Fuyumi looked mildly angry. "I have no desire to be bossed around a woman that pumped out four kids to an abusive man and then failed to parent them properly-"

"Dabi!" Mei said in disapproval.

"Am I supposed to lie? She was never a good mother to me - maybe she was to Fuyumi and Shoto and Natsuo, I don't know, but she was not to me. And I will live where and how I choose. If I stay here, I'll still be out at 18 and be on my way making my own life choices." Fuyumi was angry crying and Natuso and Shoto looked heartbroken.

"You don't want to be a family again?" Shoto asked quietly.

"We were never a family," Dabi said. "Not in the right way. I wasn't and am not a good big brother. I'm selfish, and I'll do what I want for myself." He stood up and walked out to the backyard. He heard Shoto start crying, and Fuyumi shushing him. They would be better off without him anyways. He'd lied to them their whole lives, and then ditched without a word. He didn't understand how any of them thought he was a good big brother.

He stabbed himself like that for dramatic flair, the plan made in the perfect way to bring hell down on Enji, his legacy and his reputation. And it hopefully made sure Enji never got custody of them ever again. Dabi wanted him in jail, but even if he did go away it would be a light sentence. He was the number two hero. Not well liked, but well respected. Or he was. As a hero he probably still would be. But as a person, as a man, nobody would ever respect him again. A wife beater, an abusive father. PR nightmare fuel.

Dabi had a creepy grin on while he sat in one of the arm chairs in the backyard. He wondered if fellow inmates in jail would be there because of him? Would he be bullied? He'd be just as low as the rest of them, all criminals inside the jail. Dabi snickered to himself, imagining Enji in a jump suit, eating nasty food, cleaning toilets.

A hand gripped his shoulder lightly, making him jump. "Sorry, Dabi," Sheri said. "I didn't mean to scare you… are you alright?" she asked softly, concerned.

"I don't know."

"I heard the conversation. Does seeing your old life make you angry? You… seem so bitter and angry around your bio family. It's not that I don't understand that, you know my past with my family." Dabi hunched over and she released his shoulder and sat across from him, turning on the electric outdoor firepit.

"I was just… I didn't like who I was, and I don't like how I behaved just now. I feel like I just want to not be associated with Touya anymore."

"You would have to cut them out completely to fully get away from that version of you. Do you want that?"

"Obviously I was fine abandoning them before, what's a second time? I did my best to help them. Not my fault if they go back to a 'mother' like Rei."

"There's your bitter voice again," Sheri said. Dabi glared at her, but with annoyance and not anger. "Just saying."

Dabi huffed. "I don't know, okay? I can't sort out my feelings. Today was fucking weird, all over the goddamn place. I want to be alone but I have to share a bedroom and there's nowhere here for privacy. The moment I go back there and see them upset with me I'll probably just get more pissy and wreck even more shit!" He grabbed at his dark hair angrily.

He should apologize but he had said what he truly felt and wasn't going to take what he said back. All of it was the truth, his truth. He wasn't going to lie and back track. He looked over his shoulder back towards the house. Sheri asked if he wanted to cut the family off. "No… not for the long run, at least. It was easier when it was only me. I'm tired of taking care and responsibility of them."

"I understand that point. But your brothers and sister don't hate you, and you don't hate them. Maybe… trying to be on good terms is important now."

"Uggghh," Dabi grumbled, and stood up stiffly and walked back into the house. Shoto and Fuyumi were crying, and Dabi hated that. He'd only said the truth. But he cried about fucking everything, he shouldn't judge, it would be unfair. Natsuo glared at him, looking deeply upset. There was hot chocolate in front of them and Mei came back over.

He knew he had to apologize, so he did. "I'm sorry I sounded mean when I said that." Not the most sincere sounding apology, but it was as close as it was going to get. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, I was just saying how I felt about it. I don't hate you three at all. I just don't want… the responsibility of being the protector. I've done enough of that. I'm also proof I'm not good brother in the first place."

"That's not true!" Natsuo shouted.

"I lied to you all our lives. I let Shoto take the fall by hiding my overpowered quirk. I ran away without a word, leaving you three to the wolves. I didn't come back when I could."

"You were happy…" Natsuo said. "You wanted to stay happy."

"I do. I want you happy, too. But you can't trust mom to keep you three safe. I mean… if she has help then maybe you could make it work. And I don't want to cut you guys off for life or anything, I just want to live apart. Being around you reminds me of Touya. And I hate that, I don't want to be who I was," he said, crossing his arms tightly to his chest in discomfort about the topic.

"Nobody is making you be Touya," Fuyumi stated.

"You've called me Touya today alone," Dabi said back in a cold voice. She frowned, and apologized but Dabi didn't forgive her. He didn't want to be around her, the traitor sibling. "If you do go and live with mom, you can't talk and reminisce about Enji and the good old days."

"Dabi, let's not talk about that right now," Mei said. Dabi huffed but dropped it. "Why don't we call it a night? Finish your homework and do something fun," she suggested. The kids nodded, and the three boys went upstairs. Dabi had trouble not resenting them for losing his room, but it was his fault they left the estate in the first place. It wasn't their fault.

He sat in the desk chair while Shoto and Natsuo were on their bunk beds. "Do you hate us, Dabi?" Shoto asked.

"Of course not. Just because I want away doesn't mean I don't like or love you," Dabi said. "It's - it's not your fault. Fuyumi pissed me off, but not you two. You didn't do shit." He paused a long moment before he filled the silence again. "Do you guys hate me? I uprooted everything twice."

"But the last time was to put dad in trouble. And to help get mommy back." Dabi didn't say anything more of his opinion on Rei raising them. He didn't want to ruin it when Shoto sounded so damn happy and hopeful. Dabi just nodded, and sat sadly in his chair, pouting with a scowl. He wished things could be easier and he didn't need to make big decisions.

-x- Keigo -x-

"How the hell did it heal completely?" Rumi asked in shock as Keigo walked back through the front door with his clothes and medicine incase the infection was still there, hiding. Keigo wasn't going to give anything away about Dabi, so he said another patient was able to heal it. Didn't go into more details, and when he clammed up, his only friend respected it and didn't press, thankfully.

He went back to his room, so thankful he wasn't kicked out during that time. Rumi's girlfriend really saved him. He was in a great mood. Just walking put him in a fantastic mood, where he felt hope that things would be okay, and he'd be happy in life. He was free to move, free to travel and continue his work. Without Dabi, all of that could be out the window and he'd be an amputee the rest of his life.

Sure, there were good prosthetics out there, but he was in no position to have access to any. He was no special person anymore, to anyone. He hoped one day he could thank Dabi, but he didn't want to pester him, risk him regretting. Though maybe it was best to never speak to him again. Maybe he saw them as being even, and it was time to move on from that chapter in their lives.

He flopped onto his bed on his stomach, stretching his wings out to get comfortable. He smiled as he browsed the news on his phone. His brows rose when he saw that Endeavor's public trial was today. Keigo wondered how the kids were holding up, what Natsuo thought of this. Dabi clearly wanted this, wanted this to end poorly in Endeavor's hand based on the fact he was the one to make this possible.

Keigo plugged in his computer and turned it on, sitting up in bed and going to the live viewing of the case. It had been weeks of limbo, while Endeavor had easily paid his bail and was waiting for his trial. In that time, he hadn't done hero work and mostly stayed inside to avoid media. Here he was, sitting in the seat, tense and jaw set, wearing a suit. No fire was on his face, he just looked severe and unhappy.

The teen put headphones on and got settled against the pillows, frowning. Endeavor had once been his idol, and now he was watching his trial to see if he'd go to prison for his crimes against his family. None of the children and his wife were there, of course. Keigo wouldn't have been surprised if Dabi wanted to go, but he wasn't there. Only Endeavor and the lawyers.

This trial would be long and lengthy. It shouldn't be, he should go to jail for what he'd done to those children and his wife. Keigo hoped she got better, maybe got a divorce and money from it to get her children back and raise them herself. He just wanted things to go right for that poor family.

Endeavor was very serious every time he spoke, answered questions. And to his credibility, he was honest about how he met his wife. And what she was his wife for. Keigo was following Twitter while watching the trial, and the moment it came out that she was bought for a quirk marriage, Twitter was on fire in rage. Quirk marriages were a taboo. It was one of the worst things you could do.

But it wasn't like Dabi got his power from either parent. So the marriage didn't even matter for three of the four kids. Little Shoto was the one to be what Endeavor wanted. Keigo ended up watching the whole day's trial, but he decided once it was over to only watch the high lights. There were just too many long breaks to keep his attention.

It was the talk of the city, everyone at the gym spoke about it while he was working, he heard it at the store when he went shopping, he heard it on the bus. This wasn't something that would fade away quickly. It had been almost a year since he'd hurt Dabi, and people seemed to finally be letting it go, making Keigo so happy. Finally.

When Keigo got home at night he'd watch the high lights. There were a lot of witnesses against Endeavor, and none on his side. Photos of bruises and injuries were shown, on his kids and Rei. Rei's were by far the worst. She'd had broken bones a few times under Endeavor's large hands. He admitted to it all. After years of hiding and lying, he was forced to acknowledge and admit the truth.

That he was an abuser, who hurt his family with no remorse. When it came to the questioning of Dabi, Endeavor didn't reveal his quirk fully, only said there were aspects of it being hidden, and he'd been lying all his life. When asked why, Endeavor didn't know how to answer, or didn't want to answer and make himself look bad.

The jury was angry when it was revealed that Touya was the same child that had been kidnapped and tortured by the HPSC, and was then abused further by his father when he wrongly got custody back. His method was inhumane and cruel. Knowing that the child had been tortured and finally found a place to call home only to be dragged back to the place he'd run from and locked up and trapped inside.

When it came for Endeavor's team to plead his case, they knew they couldn't defend his actions, there was no positive spin to put on this, so they emphasized how bad it would be for the country to lose their number two hero if he were to go to prison for any length of time. That his home life role was indeed awful, but with the children out of the home, they were safe and Endeavor could continue his work as a hero.

Twitter didn't appreciate this. Keigo imagined Dabi watching this and keeping up with the news feed, just happy with the outrage.

It was everywhere, everyone in the nation was seeing this and those that sided with Endeavor were by far the minority. Who wants a hero saving their children that beat or neglected his own? Keigo did feel sorry for the family, for the mom and the kids having their dirty laundry aired for the whole country to see. It would be been better untelevised, because now those kids' classmates and future friends all knew about how abusive their hero father was.

Keiog wondered if the Commission knew about this already. If they knew how Endeavor treated his family. He wondered if they hid it as well. Keigo's job would have been to preserve the hero status quo. This was not that. This was taking down the number two hero in a non villain way. This was his fault, he was the one who got himself into this predicament.

After eating dinner with Rumi, Keigo was on the couch watching the highlights and his favorite social media people reviewing them, mostly people who were former heroes that were analyzing what this meant for the hero and his career, if one still was there by the end of the trials, if he wasn't put in jail.

He finally decided to ask.

How are you doing? he messaged Natsuo. He didn't psych himself up for an answer. He hadn't spoken to Natsuo besides when Keigo let him know someone healed his leg. He'd gotten a happy face emoji but nothing else. But it was something, at least. It was Natsuo who told Dabi about his injury in the first place. So Keigo had both of them to thank.

He was surprised and happy when the boy texted him back.

Ok. A lot of drama.

I would assume. I'm keeping up with the trial. Sorry all your dirty laundry is getting shown to everyone. :(

I hate it. The only one that's happy is Dabi. Keigo wasn't surprised. He invites his friends over and they watch the trial on the TV and laugh and make fun of it all.

Well, maybe that was how Dabi found comfort in this. It was his past, too. He wasn't a passive viewer, it was his life being shown off to everyone, too. No, it was Touya's. Dabi's name and face were changed. Anyone who knew him as Touya didn't know him as Dabi if he didn't want them to.

Maybe it's how he copes. Or maybe this is just what he wanted. To have Endeavor punished.

I'm sorry I dropped off the face of the earth. A lot was going on, and you were sick so I had stopped messaging you to feel better.

It's okay. I was sad, and I hope you didn't only want to talk with me because we both knew Touya/Dabi.

No! It wasn't that.

Good! I won't press.

I'll tell you, if you want to know. Keigo wanted to know, and asked. How were the Todoroki siblings doing while their life was on display? While they were in the care of strangers. We're staying with Dabi's foster family. Dabi wants us gone because he hates being reminded of Touya. And Fuyumi doesn't want him going to jail and thinks he should have a lesser sentence so she's Dabi's nemesis and they fight all the time. Mom is going to get custody of us back, but Dabi isn't coming with us. He's staying with the foster family once we're gone.

Oh, that sounded like a mess. Looked like Dabi was having some identity issues. Though, Keigo could understand. If he was forced to take back his birth name but was still part of the Atlas Program, he might get confused, too. He wasn't looking down on Dabi. He hoped it didn't ruin things since Natsuo fucking adored Touya when he was gone.

I'm sorry. It sounds messy.

I wish he loved mom, too. He hates her for not protecting us. And for hurting Sho.

Keigo sighed, scratching his cheek. Family therapy could help you all deeply. Even if Endeavor goes to jail.

That's what Mei-san suggested. Good. Someone knew what they were talking about. Keigo messages he hoped things worked out. Me too. How are you?

I'm doing well. My leg is still in great shape. I've decided to not become a hero after all. It was awful when I was so badly injured. I could never do that again. Idk what I'll do in the long run. Maybe save up to attend college when I know what I want to do in life.

Nice! I'm happy for you. You won't always have someone around to heal you.

Very true. Neither said anything about who exactly healed him. There was no point. Natsuo had to know because Dabi wouldn't have known Keigo was injured in the first place.

On the last day of the trial, one week later, Endeavor sat in his stand with the much smaller lawyer next to him, looking grim. This was it. Would the number two go to jail for his crimes? Or would he get away with it because of his position in the world? Keigo really didn't know what to expect. Either option would make sense. Unfortunately, the rich and powerful rarely went to jail. The country wanted Endeavor to pay for his crimes. Even if he didn't, he was a pariah as a hero.

The judge spoke, looking at papers with her glasses on. "In the case of Todoroki Enji for the abuse of his children and wife, the jury finds you guilty." Keigo smiled, though there was a feeling of sadness. That it happened in the first place. "You are sentenced to two years, no probation." Keigo's jaw dropped. Two years?!

Endeavor didn't even look happy about this. Keigo could imagine how livid Dabi must be right now. Because if Twitter was this outraged, Dabi had to be more. All the work he put in, all the suffering they were caused, and Endeavor only got two years. The rich and powerful were immune to the law. Keigo was dissatisfied.

Would Endeavor be welcomed back once he was out of jail? Maybe, maybe not. Who knows? Endeavor was taken out of the court room in cuffs. The news showed him leaving, and then cut to interviews with other heroes, all who were disappointed in the number two greatly. But it didn't seem like anyone was especially sad with him getting in trouble. He just wasn't likable, really. So it wasn't surprising that he wasn't too badly missed by his colleagues.

All Might refused an interview, which was a bit odd, but also not. He was the number one, the most influential. Maybe his opinion would sway others' and that wasn't right.

Two years. It was wrong. Keigo was just glad he never was tried for the things he'd done based on why he'd done such things. How long would he have been in jail if he was arrested? He'd confessed to everything, so he would have had not much of a case against going to prison. He admitted he was guilty from the start.

Keigo sighed and laid on his back, wings positioned to not be uncomfortable. He decided to get his mind off of the disappointment and sympathy for the Todoroki siblings and go shopping at his favorite thrift store. He had plenty of clothes by now but thrifting was very cheap. And it did get his mind off of it, earbuds in while he shopped. He was glad there weren't employees that were pushy so he could just shop leisurely.

-x- Dabi -x-

Dabi was crying in anger as he punched holes in the ground in the backyard. Two fucking years?! After over 15 years of abuse?! It wasn't fair! Rei had been being abused since the start, and Touya since he was four! Did their pain and suffering not matter at all? Did their mental scars not fucking matter? Just because Enji was a goddamn hero?! It wasn't like he'd ever be in the top ten ever again when he got out!

Natsuo came out, and he looked upset too. Angry as well. He sat on the deck and put his knees up and pressing his face into them. His phone rang in his pocket, seeing it was Tenko. He didn't answer, and texted he was not in the talking mood. His three friends were the only people who knew who Dabi really was, nobody else. Well, besides his family and foster family.

It was a bad day, the same day that his three siblings were being picked up by their cousin to live with her and her wife while Rei was till getting cleared. It wasn't long after the sentence that she came to pick them up. They lived in a different city than where they'd been staying the last few weeks, but Dabi could easily go to them by flying.

He calmed himself, wiping his eyes, and went to help them bring their things into the car. The Todoroki estate was currently empty. Bad memories were all that would haunt that hell for the time being. They didn't have many belongings in the first place, so it was only some clothes and a few toys or books.

Shoto hugged Dabi tightly, and Natsuo did as well. Fuyumi was glad it was only a two year sentence so Dabi had nothing to say to her. "I'm not gonna be gone forever, guys. I can visit and call."

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us? We have the room," Naki asked, a kind woman to take them in. Everyone in Enji's side of the family was wealthy, so she wasn't in it for pay from Enji's bank account while he was gone. Paying child support for both the three going to one house and for Dabi in the foster home.

"I'm sure. Thank you, for taking them in."

"Of course. I'm sorry we weren't there for you all sooner."

"That fucker would have never abused us in front of someone else," Dabi said with a shrug. "We appreciate what you're doing." And he gave a polite bow. Shoto and Natsuo gave him one more hug, Dabi ruffling both of their hair. He had a grin that pulled on the staples, but nobody really seemed to care about his chosen appearance. Not even Fuyumi. They didn't once question him why he chose to look the way he did.

They drove away, Dabi waving goodbye. He was both relieved and sad once they were gone. He and his foster family moved the extra furniture in his room to the storage closet in the backyard, and wrapped them in plastic so no bugs could ruin them. He flopped onto his bed, and sighed in relief at having his own space.

But something bothered him, and he texted to ask if Mei could come up to talk with him. She did, knocking on the door before he said she could come in. The door was shut behind her and she sat in his desk chair. The room was so much less cramped without the bunk beds and extra dresser. Dabi was nervous to say what he did.

"Do you feel I'm using you? I'm not as broken as I was, and… I had a chance to leave to go somewhere probably safe. You… don't need to take care of me anymore," he said quietly, hand gripping the blanket he had over his lap. He was in comfortable clothes right now and socks.

"It's our job to keep our foster children until they are comfortable to leave. We are to see you to your next permanent home."

"I had the chance, just now."

"Are you ready to leave this home, Dabi?" Mei asked seriously. Dabi looked down and shook his head. "Then you'll stay. In the next two years, you might find somewhere else you want to be, with someone else."

"I'm sorry when I misbehave."

"I forgive you. And I do know you are working at a job that you did not tell us." Dabi's face went pale, but only a little bit of his normal skin on his face could be seen. "I did check your bank account, and you have far more money than the job you're supposed to be working. Will you tell me where you are working?"

"Am I in trouble?"

"It depends on your job. If it is something illegal, then yes," she replied honestly.

"...I'm a clothing model." Mei clearly did not expect this, looking baffled, truly. "For Sekko. I use my quirk for it. They pay me a lot because I save them money." Mei asked for more detail. "I can be any appearance. It saves them money because they have to pay way less people with me being able to look like anyone."

"Oh, wow. That's actually very smart. Why did you lie?" she wondered, looking kind of confused.

"I lied on my application. I aged myself up a bit so I looked 18. I figured you wouldn't have approved." Mei sighed.

"It's illegal to lie on a resume." Dabi bit his lip, worried he'd be forced to quit. "I won't force you to quit. But I am sad you didn't trust us to tell us the truth. I understand your reasoning, but as your guardians, we should be able to know where you are while you're out." Dabi nodded, head bowed, and gave the address. It wasn't very close to where they lived, but neither was the beach and he could freely go there.

"I lied because I really want independence…"

"Lying to us doesn't give you independence, Dabi. But I can't ask you to fully trust us when you've only been here less than a year."

"I trust you!" Dabi said quickly. "You've taken care of me despite being a burdensome little shit. You took in my siblings when you didn't need to and they took up time and space and money. And I also was lying because I felt like, since I lied in the first place, I couldn't come clean because I would be seen as bad regardless," he explained. "I'm sorry."

"Dabi, you are not a burdensome little shit," Mei said firmly. "You are not the hardest child we've fostered. And you're one of the best older brother figures. You misbehave, but most teenagers do. But you are kind to your foster siblings and you do things around the house. We would just be grateful if you didn't lie to us again. At least not about something so important." Dabi nodded.

He came clean about where he'd been going weeks ago, and said he'd been visiting Hawks - Keigo. He admitted that he'd healed him, fixed his leg before it would have been amputated. She was shocked, even more than where Dabi had been working. "Why?" she asked, though she had a small smile on her face. It looked like pride.

"I heard him out… he did something shitty, but I think he might be actually a good person. And seeing him all weak and vulnerable, it didn't make me scared anymore," Dabi said, and flushed when Mei beamed, so clearly proud.

"That's amazing, Dabi. Have you forgiven him?"

"I think so. I wouldn't have healed him if I didn't, I don't think. He didn't know it was me, I pretended to be some kid whose mom had cancer and she lived in the hospital. He acted so guilty with himself about what he did. And apparently he knew all along that I was living with a foster family and had a fake name. He didn't even tell Natsuo what it was because he wanted me to not be found by Enji. He also tried to get to me first when Natsuo called him to warn him that Enji found my location."

"Did he know it was you who healed him?" Dabi shrugged. "Maybe telling him directly, as yourself, that you forgive him could help. He may still be dealing with the demons of what he'd done," Mei said. Dabi looked at his lap. He thought that was a good idea. He wouldn't admit it was him who healed, but Keigo was smart. He had to be to be the Commission's weapon. Groomed by adults, but still intelligent, so he probably knew it was Dabi that helped him.

But after Mei left the room, giving Dabi a warm hug, saying she was proud of him, he went to reddit. The post from Keigo had been taken down by the mods for the toxic comments that had been on it, but Dabi was still able to DM him.

He thought long and hard before he typed out his message.

This is Dabi. I want to say I forgive you for what you did to me. I understand now you didn't want to do it, and it still bothers you. I forgive you, so I hope you can move on from it like I have.

He pressed send and let out a deep breath. He was surprised to get a response back very quickly. Thank you so much. And thank you for giving me a second chance to have a normal life, healing my leg. I decided not to become a hero after all. Maybe it's selfish, but I want to live healthy and not severely injured again. And I'm sorry Endeavor got such a ridiculously short sentence. I imagine you must be livid after all your efforts.

Dabi didn't really feel like talking about Enji right now. He said You're welcome. It's not fucking selfish to take care of yourself over others. That's a stupid way to think, you should matter to yourself most. And find some friends dude, seriously.

Thanks. I'll try.

Dabi closed the tab and laid on his back with a deep sigh.

-x-

Summer break had come, and Dabi had successfully finished his first year of actual school with good grades. He only got detention a few times and it was mostly for throwing tampons at people who annoyed him. Usually from behind. It really pissed the guys off and made a few of the girls laugh. He got along with the people in his class, mostly. But he wouldn't call anyone his friends but Toga, Tenko and Shuichi.

The other three got jobs but they still spent a lot of time working on their band. He didn't like it much, it was embarrassing, but Dabi was the singer in the group and had also written some of the songs they made. Only the lyrics, Shuichi was so much better at writing the actual music even if they could all read sheet music and Dabi could read chords.

They made it their personal mission to learn how to use orchestra programs to add instruments to any songs that they were lacking. It was actually a blast, and it made Dabi's summer so fun. He bought himself a nice guitar, one that could be acoustic and electric. He bought Toga drums and Tenko got a keyboard. Shuichi was able to afford his own guitar. Dabi's purchases for his friends were gifts for their support during his hard times.

Honestly, both were offended that he "repaid them for being decent friends". But of course they couldn't say no to such gifts. Dabi didn't talk to Keigo again, and just hoped he'd moved on and found some friends. He knew Keigo still talked to Natsuo but didn't ask about him when the siblings hung out.

Tensions with Fuyumi has lessened. Rei was currently out of the hospital but wasn't the main parent right now, she was living with the three and the kind cousins. Things were going well, and Enji was behind bars at a maximum security prison based on his quirk. Dabi wished he would suffer, but he probably was on his best behavior and kept separate from any inmates that he put behind bars.

Dabi didn't think about him much anymore. He got counseling about trying to let go of his anger. He knew he'd never let it go, but it could be on hiatus until the motherfucker comes back.

Dabi was getting make up done on him in a woman's face by his modeling agent when he was asked if he'd work for their lingerie as well. It had been many months of him working there and saving up a nice sum of money. "Uh, no," he said immediately.

"Understandable." And they moved on. Even if he was an adult, he did not feel comfortable in any body wearing skimpy clothing. It was already bad enough needing to be a woman and having to inflate his tits to be the size the photographers wanted. He got a good scope of how bras worked and they were awful.

Toga thought it was the funniest thing that he once went bra shopping with her because her own foster mom wouldn't. Dabi wasn't bothered by doing "girly" things like escorting his friend to a bra shop as a girl himself or handing out menstrual products. Or painting his nails with Hikarki while she was still there, as she was in the long process of being adopted. And Dabi still had never seen her with her mask off. He also let Rika and Sheri us him as a makeup client, usually not in his Dabi face as there wasn't much to work with in that appearance..

He didn't know why he was fine with it all when even Tenko called him weird for it, but it really didn't bother him. Maybe because he was already so extra about his appearance that something like makeup wouldn't faze him. Piercings on his face everywhere (he'd added two more to his nostril), so makeup on a face that wasn't his own was not a big deal.

-x-

"We should make a YouTube channel," Shuichi said while they had s'mores in the garage with a fire Dabi started in a small pit. "I mean, worst thing that could happen is some jackasses talking about our appearances, but we've pretty much moved on from that shit." He smooshed his roasted marshmallow between the cracker and chocolate.

"They could say bad things about our music," Toga commented. "That would be worse."

"But everyone else says we're good," Shuichi said.

"They might feel they had to. We got good reviews for the cover song, but that's a cover, not original content," Dabi said, taking a bite out of his own treat.

"Do you guys want to be in music as a career?" Tenko wondered. The four looked at each other before all nodded at the same time. "Then maybe starting to try and get known early would be for the best. It'll show any record labels that we've been working at this for awhile." Dabi grinned. Talking about a normal future he chose himself was always a good feeling.

"We could make it look real professional by looking like we're at a recording studio! Dabi can make illusions," Toga said. "But we should get better recording tools and stuff. And soundproof somewhere."

"Maybe Mei would agree to turning the storage room into a studio. It's big enough for all of us," Dabi said brightly.

"You know, we could always add more to our band. Just have Dabi make clones of himself. Then we'd have more than only two guitarists."

"Ooh, and it could be a girl version so we look more inclusive! Oh, what if we made up entire life stories for them. Oh! We could have back up Dabi singers! The possibilities are endless!" Dabi didn't hate when his friends and loved ones talked about using his quirks in this way. It wasn't how he'd been afraid it would be if Enji had found out. They didn't mean harm and they didn't only have him around to use his quirk. His friends all knew about the real power. He told them only a few weeks ago. He believed them when they swore not to spread it around.

"I don't know about all that. I'm a great liar and all, but if we did somehow make it big, we'd have been lying to all our viewers or any fans," Dabi pointed out. Toga deflated and pouted dramatically. "We'll just use the software to do it. I have no real interest in performing in front of people. Sorry not sorry," he said, biting into his s'more. It was, like, his tenth and they were running out of ingredients.

Rika poked her head through the garage door and asked, "Are you guys through all the s'mores?" she sounded hopeful. Dabi looked at their stash. Only one more chocolate bar left.

"You can have the last two, we're eating like pigs," Dabi said. Rika hurried over and Dabi helped her assemble the treat since having one hand was a bit hard with this kind of thing. His friends liked all of his siblings, biological or not, so that was good.

After awhile more, the other three walked or rode their bikes home, and Dabi cleaned up their area, burning away the wrappers and containers that were now empty of ingredients, and then went inside to help with dinner. It was such a good feeling to have a future that he chose. Nobody else influenced him in this. Nobody told him to learn guitar or sing. He made his own decision and it felt so empowering.

"Mei, would it be okay if we modified the storage room into a little studio for us to work in for music? We're thinking about making a YouTube channel since we learned more about recording shit and all," Dabi said. He was now as tall as Mei was, he'd grown a lot in the last year.

She smiled, and Asahi commented that he'd help them remodel it. Dabi beamed gratefully. After dinner when he texted the others they were ecstatic. The next day Dabi went out with Asahi and bought soundproofing to put along the walls, along with some mats for the floor and a portable air conditioner. It was a really fun project, and since Dabi was closer to Mei than Asahi, who was closer with the girls, it was good time to spend with him.

Once the place was done, Dabi moved all of their equipment from the garage into it. The air conditioner would stay on so the place didn't get too hot and mess with anything. His guitar would not be staying in there out of caution, though. But once it was done, Dabi worked to record himself with one of the songs he wrote that only went with his acoustic guitar.

His songs had turn into more hopeful ones. Some were still depressing, but not all of them.