1.

He hadn't gone to jail. That had, probably, shocked everyone the most. Because Touya's list of crimes? A mile long, ranging homelessness to murder. But some strings had been pulled and multiple meetings held behind closed doors. Each meeting had started the same way: do you know what quirk marriages are? And from there things had come out, a lot of things. Which led Touya being viewed less as a villain and more a victim of domestic abuse and violence who had become twisted. Exposing him meant exposing his father and the hero community couldn't afford to take another blow like that.

Of course, he could have been handed to a prison. There was more than reason enough. His story could have been kept under wraps, he knew that. But apparently Nezu - the UA principal, of all people - and All Might - again, of all people - had strongly argued and gotten UA custody of him.

Touya was...unimpressed to say the least.

He didn't want to belong to a school. He didn't want to be...kept. He didn't want to live with the knowledge that at any time Shouto could just appear at his door. That he'd have to face the consequences of his actions over and over again. Bakugou had already had a go at him, having to be dragged away by his homeroom teacher...and right, Touya had tried to kill him too.

But there had been another kid, one Touya recognised. He hated him. His name was Midoriya and he'd stormed in, punched him across the room, and then abruptly burst into tears, hugging him and apologising for everything Endeavour had done to him.

"Kid, let go," Touya growled, prying away at those shoulders.

Surprisingly, Midoriya did, wiping his face with his sleeve. "I...Todoroki, uh...I guess Shouto to you, he...he told me about..."

Touya rolled his eyes. "And? I tried to kill him and your friend in return."

Midoriya's gaze was startling sharp. "I don't think you did. Because, if you had...they wouldn't be here." He got to his feet, glancing at All Might who was overseeing from the doorway before, "It's Midoriya, Midoriya Izuku."

He held his gaze for a long, long time before giving in. "Dabi. Or...Touya. Just...never the other name."

Midoriya gave him a sad smile that made Touya's nose crinkle in disgust. "Okay, T-Touya then." And that was the start of that.

2.

"And what is that?"

"Uh, strawberry daifuku," Midoriya replied, holding the small box out. "Kacchan made a box for everyone."

Touya raised an eyebrow. "Pretty sure I'm not on that list."

"Well, no," Midoriya admitted, "But I'm not really that fond of mochi and it's...it's nice to share, isn't it?"

Touya frowned, snatching the kid's phone out of his hand and refusing to give it back. He glanced at the date and the pieces clicked together. He then dropped said phone onto Midoriya's head none too gently. "Getting soft 'cause you're graduating, huh? Gonna miss me?"

Touya then recoiled as the box was all but shoved into his hands, Midoriya flying to his feet. "I just wanted to be nice." And shit, the kid's voice was all choked. "But no, you've...you just have to ruin it and mock me. Enjoy the gift."

Before Touya could blink he was gone and...and he would never see him again. Nearly two years of contact ending sourly because he'd had to push it, had to have the upper hand. Touya sighed, tossing the box onto his desk before throwing himself on his bed. Good one Touya.

3.

He hadn't turned soft, Touya was adamant of that but the next time his little brother came in, he asked him to pass on his well wishes to Midoriya. Shouto had given him an odd look before agreeing to do so. The result of which was something Touya wouldn't use for two whole years:

A phone number.

Touya had stared at it long and hard before stashing the paper away. He didn't have a phone and while All Might had assured him he could make arrangements for him, being cut off from the world was almost nice. He'd started getting more free range around UA and had even been permitted to use his quirk, though only in the confines of Gamma, both gym and ground. Touya occasionally did but strictly at times when students weren't around. He didn't need to be screeched at or called a villain. Hell, he wasn't sure he would be able to rein in the urges to act like one either, despite what his therapist told him.

But two years after receiving a phone number, four years after arriving, nearly five years after being captured, Touya was given probationary permission to live amongst society once more. His apartment was picked for him - paid for by his father and not by choice either - his phone was tapped and all contacts cross-referenced through every database, and his internet had more blocked websites than unblocked ones. He was also banned from working - for now apparently but Touya wasn't stupid, he knew how he looked. The staples could be removed from his skin but the hideous burns would always remain and those burns...they may as well have screamed his name. "Dabi" may as well have been written across his forehead in neon lighting.

So he took to amusing himself with YoTube. It was what young people did these days, wasn't it? He was twenty-seven, borderline twenty-eight, so he was hardly old. Touya preferred it to the news

because it was first-hand, untainted.

Then one day curiosity got the better of him and he typed into the google search bar: green haired

rookie all might strength

Look, it wasn't as though he'd ever asked Midoriya what his hero name was - he hadn't cared and still didn't - and he clearly didn't need to either because his search came up with hundreds of results all pointing to the same direction: Deku. Touya raised an eyebrow. An odd choice for sure but whatever. He typed that into YoTube and watched some of the most recent scuffles with villains. Midoriya, or "Deku" he supposed, was much faster than Touya remember him being. Five years of intense training probably did that.

Watching the last fight which was...huh, posted five hours ago, Touya finally reached for his phone, scrolling to that one contact.

A villain always has two escape routes, probably three. Blocking only one and nearly letting them escape? Rookie mistake Mr. Rookie.

His phone remained silent for a minute or two before,

Touya?

Is this Shouto's Touya?

Like, big brother of the T word we don't say family?

Dabi snorted.

Yeah.

Omg. It's been two or three years? I can't believe you still have my number Did you see my fight? Wait, were you there?!

Touya, have they let you out of UA?

Jesus, this was going to go on forever. Biting the bullet, Touya pressed 'call'. He was ninety-nine percent sure Midoriya answered on accident because in lieu of a greeting he was met with a squeak and what sounded like someone falling off a chair. There was then a mad scrambling and,

"Touya..."

"You gave me your number," he drawled. "Don't sound so shocked when I use it."

"In my defence, I was in high school then," Midoriya pointed out and he sounded like he'd gained

confidence somewhere along the line. "And you never used it. How did you see my fight?" "YoTube," he replied, leaning back in his chair. "Internet's great in my apartment."

The statement sat in the air for a few minutes. "Oh that's...you're out of UA that's...Touya, that's great! You're stepping back into society! That's one of the most important steps and you should try to get involved in your community. There are tons of recreational centres that have different clubs you could join! Isolation is really bad so you should definitely-"

"Kid, you remember my face, don't you? Do you think I'll be welcome at any bingo club?" Midoriya paused. "...do you like bingo?"

That actually got a laugh out of him. "No, I don't."

"Hmm, I see what you mean though. It's...you need somewhere private but socialisation is also...Oh, I know a great coffee shop that's really tucked away and kind of only known to heroes. Let's meet there on, hang on I-...I'm free Thursday! I-...Whoops, gotta go, this report needs-...shit, I'll text you details."

The dial tone rang in his ear before Touya stared at his phone in disbelief. What had just happened?

4.

One coffee turned into two coffees, turned into a weekly thing, and then turned into Midoriya showing him all his favourite haunts. Being around an up and coming hero seemed alibi enough to give Touya free reign of the city so long as he logged where he was going and kept his phone on so his gps could be tracked.

They'd tried hole in the wall restaurants, arcades where the lighting was dim enough to cloud Touya's features, and even an amusement park when Touya said he'd never been.

(And as if they would have. Fun was never one of their father's top priorities.)

Touya didn't know whether to be irked or grateful that Midoriya had waited until winter so he could hide his scars under gloves and scarves, a beanie and sunglasses covering the ones on his face. And if he'd fallen in love with rollercoasters - the faster and steeper the better - that was neither here nor there.

Tonight they were bundled up outside a movie theatre, in line for the midnight premiere of a new animated All Might movie. Touya wasn't thrilled - why would he be? - but Midoriya was one of his few outs besides his family and really, there was only so much of them he could take. Especially after his mother had burst into horrified sobs upon seeing him, never knowing the extent of what Endeavour had done to him. To be fair, Touya had thought his siblings would have told her.

All that aside though he had reluctantly come to the realisation that, above all else, he actually liked being in Midoriya's company. He was bright and altogether too much to handle sometimes but he could also match Touya's dry sarcasm with little more than an eyeroll and a pout and barrel on as if he'd never spoken. He was quick enough in a battle of wits and all around he just kind of seemed...nice. Touya wasn't that familiar with "nice".

A cautious tap on the shoulder brought him back. "Uh...you alright?"

Touya shook his head to clear it. "Yeah." He looked up and saw they were nearly at the counter. He fished his wallet out. "Here, I'll pay."

Midoriya made an odd noise. "Uh, no I...can I...I'd like to pay Touya. For both of us and...I mean, I can pay if we go out after...?"

Touya raised an eyebrow. "Your fanboy side needs to learn to chill. Sleep is what I'll be doing afterwards." He poked Midoriya in the forehead teasingly. "Not listening to you prattle on."

He expected a comeback. He hadn't Midoriya to suddenly looked like he'd kicked his dog. "Hey, kid...What's-"

Midoriya smacked his hand away, eyes burning. "I'm not a kid! I'm twenty-two! And just...You know what, forget it."

Midoriya stormed off, all but slamming the money on the counter and startling the poor cashier.

He then apologised profusely, fussing until the poor girl was flustered beyond all reason. He waved Touya over impatiently but it wasn't friendly. Unfortunately, he didn't explain either, just gave a soft apology before slipping away at the movie's end.

...maybe he'd have to see his family sooner than he'd thought. *

"You do realise," Natsuo said as Touya helped him weed their mother's garden the following weekend. "That he was asking out? As in, on a date? And you just...took him out in one fell sweep."

"Ha ha," Touya shot back sarcastically, lobbing a hunk of dirt at his brother.

"Hey! That-...wait, you don't believe me."

Touya paused, frowning. "You...you weren't serious?"

"Yes!" Natsuo screeched incredulously before leaning around him. "Fuyumi, you were listening, right?"

A distracted "yeah?" came back at them. "So you agree?"

Fuyumi looked up from her book long enough to answer. "About Midoriya trying to ask Touya out? That bit was obvious."

"See?!" Natsuo shouted, shoving Touya in the shoulder and effectively knocking him off balance. "I bet even Shouto would agree and he's more emotionally constipated than you. Or so I thought," he added in an undertone, making Touya kick him sourly.

Shouto looked displeased to be pulled away from his own reading but did so at his name, removing his glasses as his thumb held the page. "What am I needed for?"

"Your friend, Midoriya, he likes Touya, right?" Natsuo asked.

Shouto mulled that over. "He's mentioned it. He tends to avoid the topic around me though. I think he's under the impression that I'd disapprove." He met Touya's gaze evenly. "I don't but if you hurt him, I'll come for you. I value Midoriya's friendship more than yours."

"Sh-Shouto!" Fuyumi scolded.

Touya waved her off. "Stop it, it's fair. But..." He dropped his head into his hands. "Fuck!"

Natsuo laughed and Touya suddenly remembered why he hated his family. Well, not really. Not this part anyway.

Stepping up, Touya pressed 'call', not giving Midoriya a chance to speak before talking.

"I think we had a misunderstanding the other day. I'm also confident it's my fault so, on your next day off...wanna do dinner and a movie? My shout."

There was some stammering and hastily stamped down squealing but through it all Touya did manage to get an answer:

Yes.

5.

It was the middle of summer and they'd been intending to make a temple visit when black clouds had rolled in. A quick look at the weather app showed the storm was set to stick around for the rest of the day, well into the night, and a severe weather warning came up on the tv screens in nearby shop windows. Midoriya winced but Touya merely shrugged. It wasn't like they could do anything.

"Stop scowling," he chided, playfully bumping Midoriya's shoulder. "My apartment's big enough for two."

At his side Midoriya came to a dead halt and Touya was confused until he replayed exactly what he'd said and oh. He...he had never invited Midoriya over. It wasn't like Midoriya made a habit of it either, not after Touya had turned him down the first time or two. It just...Touya felt like Midoriya's flat would turn to ash should he ever grace its doorstep. And if he couldn't go there, it wouldn't be fair to invite Midoriya over, right?

Clearly wrong, if his brain was to be believed.

"I-...I'd love to!" Midoriya agreed hurriedly, taking his hand as if to make sure Touya didn't disappear.

Smart move too because he was almost tempted to. Instead he turned on his heel, giving the faintest squeeze. "Come on, this way hero."

Midoriya beamed at the nickname as always, chattering away as they walked though Touya wasn't blind to the careful attention he paid every building. His address would be memorised by the time they arrived he was sure of it. Taking the elevator up to his floor, Touya unlocked the door and kicked his shoes off in the entryway. His leather jacket followed, Touya hanging it up with a shout of,

"I'm home!"

Midoriya peered around him curiously. "Touya has...a pet?"

He snorted. "Please." He pointed at the cacti on the window sill. "Them."

"Oh," Midoriya said, taking off his own jacket before walking over and legitimately introducing

himself. "Hi everyone. I'm Midoriya! It's nice to meet you."

"Move," Touya shooed good-naturedly, reaching into the cupboard Midoriya had been blocking and grabbing two cups. "I'm making coffee. Tea?"

"Yeah," his boyfriend replied distractedly, looking around in wonder. He pointed further into the apartment with poorly hidden excitement. "Can I..."

Touya shrugged, flipping the kettle on. "Sure, it's not like I have any secrets. I'm not really allowed them."

Midoriya's expression pinched just a tad before setting off to explore. His apartment had become a little more personalised over the years but it wasn't anything fancy. There were probably more plants and strings of lanterns than Midoriya was expecting but then there was also probably just as much black as he was expecting. A photo or two hung in his bedroom and a tacky children's calendar of Shouto in his hero costume was stuck to the fridge - that particular item had been a gift from Natsuo. Midoriya seemed to guess as much, chuckling softly.

He collected his tea from where Touya had left it on the counter and came to join him on the couch. Something mindless was playing on tv and Touya shifted to accommodate Midoriya, even if he was broader than him. Broader didn't mean taller.

"It's nice," Midoriya said after a long sip of his tea. He then pointed around him. "Uh, the apartment I mean, not the tea. A-although that's nice too!"

"Should be. Dad pays for it."

"Maybe he should." Midoriya's voice was soft in the face of Touya's disdain. "It's...compensation, isn't it? Or, you know, the closest thing? For damages past and present."

"Huh. That's...a different way to look at it." Touya still sighed though, head tipping back to stare at the ceiling. "Still connects me to...that. I'd rather..."

Midoriya hummed, curling in closer and letting his head drop onto Touya's shoulder. "I get that too. Couldn't you...You work though. Surely you could prove you can pay your own way?"

"Tried that. Denied. Dad's "punishment" or something."

Still, Touya had the tiniest bit of pride because he could pay his way. He'd somehow, accidentally and miraculously, picked up a job. Afternoons spent around a decrepit basketball court to get some sunlight had drawn attention of troubled teenage boys who hadn't fit in. They'd all been impressed with his scars and only more so when he'd told them his father had done them. A sense of awe had come then and in return he'd learnt their stories; kids who came from homes like his, kids who couldn't control their quirks and were outcast because of it, kids who struggled because they wanted to hurt others and their quirks let them. He never owned up to being a past villain but he was sure a few had put the dots together.

Then one day he'd been approached by a woman dressed for business. She'd sat herself down and explained that she was a counsellor and that one of her clients - a young boy who'd suddenly been showing improvements - had mentioned meeting with him all the time. She'd also showed him the abuse case she was building against his mother and Touya had passed along every bit of hearsay he'd gotten.

Like dominoes, one thing led to another and he was basically an unofficial-official go to for problem kids. And he passed bits of information along to the right people but never without one

very important promise:

If things get worse because of this, call me and I'll come stop it.

That had only happened once and the entire house had nearly burnt to the ground before the fire department arrived. It was probably only because he'd left the man alive and that said man's wife and three children were clinging to him, two of them screaming, that he hadn't been put in jail. He'd been given a stern warning and been locked down for a week as a consequence.

Touya would do it again, in a heartbeat.

"You have that look on your face Touya."

"What look?" he asked gruffly.

"That look that always make me think you could have been a great hero."

Touya propped his chin atop Midoriya's head. Being a hero wasn't on the cards for him - they'd actually argued viciously over it one time - but... "In another life."

If Touya had known opening the door once meant opening it permanently from that day on, maybe he never would have invited Midoriya over. Because there he was, a week later, off work later and in Touya's area and so just popped around. He turned up more and more until he didn't even bother calling to say he was coming; the cursory text was always there but nothing more.

It was when Midoriya stood up from the couch one day to charge his phone and said he was going to put a load of laundry on that it really hit Touya. Because Midoriya doing laundry meant he had enough of his own belongings here to do laundry.

It was also when Touya dug out the spare key he'd been instructed to give to Natsuo and gave it to Midoriya instead. And Midoriya promptly burst into tears. Touya would never understand him. Never.

6.

"Can you show me how to do that?"

Touya blinked slowly, eyes flicking up from where he was massaging cream into the deep, withered scars on his arms. They would never go away but the doctor Shouto had directed him to had methods to lessen them somewhat. It essentially involved breaking the scar tissue down by massaging it and applying a healing balm. With the extent of scars Touya had, it was hardly a quick process. He spent a good hour, if not more, on the routine every night.

Still... "You hate my scars."

Midoriya balked, looking everything from hurt to offended. "When did I say that?" he demanded. Touya frowned. "You didn't need to. I know."

The cream was abruptly ripped out of his hands. "Touya." Midoriya's voice was like a knife. "You don't decide what I do and don't like." He shrugged. "It's not...it's not like I'm attracted to them but I am to you and they're a part of you so...Plus, I'm hardly scar free myself!"

They weren't the same - Touya knew that, Midoriya knew that - but the message was there. Touya finally nodded, slowly extending an arm. Midoriya took it almost reverently. "Guide me," he instructed.

And so Touya explained, walking him through each set of motions, which direction to rub which muscles, pulling him up when he pressed too hard. Both of his arms were burnt as far as his elbows, his legs split between mid-calf and mid-thigh. It wasn't until Midoriya reached his chest that Touya finally relaxed, letting himself be pulled down into Midoriya's lap. Fingers gently caressed his neck, thumbs rubbing his jawline.

"Too soft?" Midoriya whispered. "No," Touya lied.

He was confident his boyfriend saw straight through it but didn't pull him up, just kept up his soothing ministrations. Touya couldn't stop a content sigh from escaping when Midoriya traced his ears. He almost whined when Midoriya finished his near massage.

"Shh," he soothed, hastily clearly his throat.

Touya bit back a smirk. He knew what that meant; Izuku was torn between adoration and arousal. The next move was up to him. Touya fumbled around the bedside until he found his phone, flipping it open to the app that filled his bedroom with the sound of soft rain and crickets chirping. It was an obvious declaration that he was going to sleep. Midoriya seemed content with that, gently easing him off his lap before slipping under the covers. He guided their lips together for a brief kiss. "Good night Touya."

"Mm, night Izuku."

7.

Touya was thirty-two years old when he forgot about the existence of April Fool's. In his defence, he and Izuku had never participated in it before but there was clearly a first time for everything. There must have been because why else would Izuku be holding out a box with a ring inside?

Touya took the ring in something that was little more than confusion. "What is..."

"Touya," Izuku's voice was wobbling frightfully. "Don't. This...you know what I'm asking." There was something very thick in his throat. "Why?"

"I-...Did you ju-"

"Why would you?" he corrected before Izuku punched him; something he looked painfully close to doing. And just like that, all the fight left his boyfriend and honest pain took its place.

"Touya..." Izuku cupped his face. "We've been dating for four years, we live together. I love you."

And it suddenly seemed to hit him. Izuku loved him. Yes, Touya loved Izuku, he'd realised that years ago but he'd buried it deep because Izuku didn't love him. Yes, he said he did but he didn't mean it, couldn't, because Touya was...well, he was Dabi. Son of him. But no, Izuku loved him. Genuinely, ardently loved him.

A sob escaped his throat, Izuku's breath hitching and clutching him tightly because right, Touya had never cried in front of him before. "Are you...good crying?" Izuku asked weakly.

Touya didn't answer that, just pulled away and scrubbed his eyes. He held the ring out between them. "I'll do you a deal, Midoriya Izuku. I'll marry you if you marry me."

It was Izuku's turn to cry and, for once, Touya thought he knew why.