Dabi stepped closer, pinning me against the wall of my room. A shiver ran down my spine. He was pissed. Not just at the fact that I'd disappeared for a few days, but because he knew I was hiding something. Something big.
"Get off..." I muttered, trying to sound threatening, but it came out weak.
He backed away slightly, his turquoise eyes narrowed, but the anger was simmering down. "What is it, Tomura? You've been acting...different. Distant."
I sighed, the weight of the secret crushing me. "That was Eri...and she is my daughter," I confessed, the words feeling foreign but accurate. They felt like a betrayal to who I was.
Dabi stared at me, his expression shifting from anger to utter confusion. "W-what...?" he mumbled, the single word laced with disbelief.
I pushed off the wall and ran a hand through my messy, light blue hair. "I saved her from Overhaul. Remember that mess? I took her in. Adopted her. She's mine now." The words tumbled out, a dam finally breaking.
Dabi nodded slowly, processing the information. The confusion was still there, but now it was mixed with something else...understanding? "Why didn't you say anything?" His voice was more relaxed now, the edge gone.
"I just...wanted to do it myself," I admitted, avoiding his gaze. "And I guess I didn't want judgement. Hell, I'm not even supposed to be in this position. I'm supposed to be a assassin, not…making money and saving the world and shit, not have a kid." I scoffed, a bitter chuckle escaping my lips. It was pathetic. Here I was, the heir to All For One, playing house.
Dabi came closer, a surprising gesture of comfort. He wrapped his arms around me in a hug, a rare display of affection. He understood, probably more than anyone else, what I meant. He understood the burden of expectations, the struggle to reconcile who you are with who you're supposed to be.
"You don't have to do it alone, Tomura," he murmured into my hair. "You got me. And if the girl is important to you, then I respect that, making her important to me too." He chuckled lightly, a warm sound that eased some of the tension in my shoulders.
My eyes snapped to his. "Really?" I questioned, hoping I wasn't misinterpreting his words.
"Yes," he said softly, his gaze intense. "I already told you once before, I want this…I want it…all of it." He was talking about us, about the fractured family we were building, about the life I was trying to forge out of the ashes of my past.
In that moment, I wanted to cry. A wave of emotion, a strange mix of relief, gratitude, and fear washed over me. But I held the tears back. There was no need to cry. Not anymore. I hugged him tightly, burying my face in his shoulder.
"Thank you..." I mumbled, the words barely audible.
He nodded, holding me close. After a moment, I pulled away, a sense of purpose filling me. I had to introduce them.
I took Dabi to the living room, where Eri was happily coloring at a small table. She looked up, her crimson eyes wide with curiosity.
"Eri," I said gently, kneeling beside her. "This is Dabi. He's...a friend. And he's going to be around a lot more."
Dabi knelt down too, offering a small, hesitant smile. "Hey, Eri. It's nice to meet you."
To my surprise, Eri didn't shy away. She tilted her head, studying him with a thoughtful expression. "Your skin is funny," she said, pointing at his patchwork skin.
Dabi chuckled. "Yeah, it is. It's a long story."
Over the next few weeks, Dabi proved to be surprisingly good with kids. He was patient, playful, and genuinely interested in Eri. She, in turn, seemed to adapt quickly to him, drawn to his quiet strength and the warmth he showed her. I watched them sometimes, a strange sense of peace settling over me. This...this was something I never thought I could have.
After some weeks, Dabi moved in with me and Eri in the penthouse. We figured it would be convenient for her if she could have both of us with her. We switched shifts so only one of us go out each night for work just in case Eri needs us. Tonight was my night, I was working with Toga. Just my luck. We finished early, which was shocking, until she found something shiny. I sighed and told her to hurry up, and she did. After some time, we walked around the woods and talked. It wasn't much, but it was enough. I noticed her body language and saw how she shifted; I asked if she was okay, and she said she was fine, but I didn't buy it. As we stood up, I noticed the blood on her pants and knew something was wrong. She was on her period. I sighed and took my jacket off and wrapped it around her waist and told her to go home. She blushed but didn't question it and went. She must've been embarrassed. I then thought of Eri; soon, she would come of age and get feminine things....I knew I would be ready, but would she? Would she freak out? Would sh-
A strike of lightning stopped my thoughts, knocking me to the ground. Two men. How did I miss this? They were huge, and one had an electricity power while the other had some kind of rock power. I groaned and tried getting up, but his quirk caught me off guard so badly that even moving hurt. They were going to attack, this time together. I tried to move, but nothing. I saw what was wrong. Several purple marks marked my skin, and they seemed like a nullification drug or a paralysis one at that. I couldn't move. This can't be it. Shit, I need to find a way. As I was thinking of a way, red lasers struck both men, and they were done. Good, but bad news: I have a feeling who that was. My father.... He had came to save me, but...why and what was he doing here? He was in America for the time and now suddenly here…