Touya POV:

The bastard I once called dad looked like he'd been through hell and back as we stared at each other on the battlefield. We're closer than we've been to each other in a decade, even though we were still at least ten feet apart.

With Tsuyo gone and Iron Ass Kaito temporarily distracted by other fighters now that their precious Endeavor was in harm's way, he had no choice but to stop and look at me. God, it must kill him. Not for my own sake, but for his. I'm his walking mistake. His living breathing reminder of the wrongdoings that won't ever be erased.

I always imagined this moment. For years, it was the only thing that kept me going. What the stupid look on his face would be. What he'd say-or, maybe what he wouldn't. How he'd even breathe when he finally saw me again. My twisted imagination created the sweetest picture of justice and karma in my head. It was the only thing that helped me survive.

And, now, it can either be called ironic or tragic that I don't give a single damn about any of it.

I spent my entire existence and gave up my soul for this guy, for someone-something that no longer matters to me. And I'm paying the consequences for it, because I feel empty inside. I feel regret and disgust that I let this worthless sack of shit ruin my life, that I didn't let go sooner and live for the things that really mattered.

A small snort puffed from my nostrils at the epiphany that I had just a few years too late. Look, clarity's a bitch. It hurts to realize these things, and I guess that's part of the reason I never wanted to come to terms with it in the first place. It's never easy admitting when you messed up, especially when it's something of this magnitude.

Twenty-five years of my life wasted, and my innocence ripped to shreds. A lifetime of being locked up awaits me, and my body is permanently cursed to an eternity of pain. And don't even get me started on how many days I wasted trying to shun Grape.

See? I told ya it wasn't easy to think about. I'm getting upset just remembering it....

I looked into his eyes blankly as the battle around us ensued, feeling the inner child in me so eternally angry.

Dad, how dare you? How dare you bring me into this world just to make me suffer?

How dare you?

There's no point in asking it aloud, because I'm not seeking an answer from him. I'm done looking for answers from him, he'll never be able to give one that satisfies me.

And, as much as I love to jar my mouth and get my thrift store dancing shoes, for the first time I refused to speak first. Not cause I didn't have a fuck ton to say, but because I knew that's what he was waiting for. Little Touya, always so emotional and loud, right? Always exploding with screams and garbles that are dramatic enough to overshadow anyone else's wrongdoings. It's always so easy to make me the scapegoat.

Nah, I wanted to make it hard on him.

Dad blinked a few times and moved his mouth wordlessly, trying to find a few pointless words to really make the moment 'special.'

"Touya..." His voice sounded hoarse, trailing off into a void of his own guilt and regrets.

It was weird hearing my name from his mouth again. Even when I was alive and in his house, it was a name he rarely said. So much so, it would always cause my heart to jump in hysterical panic when I finally heard it.

And, I guess old habits die hard cause that stutter in my chest was involuntary, a conditioned response that probably won't ever go away, thanks to the scars he left on me.

"Oh? You remember my name. Isn't that surprising." I chuckled sarcastically, looking away from him with disinterest.

Maybe he'll see what it's like to not matter.

I didn't flame him, or go off on a big ass rant. I just stood in the middle of the battlefield with my hands in my pockets, standing face to face for the first time with the man in years.

Just like I wanted, my lack of reaction to him was only more of a challenge for him than if I had yelled and lost my shit. Because there's no interruptions now. Right now, there's none of my own mistakes or wrongdoings here to mask what he did. No, it's just him, and he's speechless.

Because what is there to say? After all this time, what could he possibly have to say? As if a simple 'sorry' would ever be enough to undo the burns of my past.

Then again, I doubt he'd ever say that anyways.

After ignoring me for so long, it must be fucking impossible to try and have an actual conversation with me. Our bond-if you could even call that sorry excuse relationship of ours one. It's unsalvageable, because no matter what this man does in his life will never meet my approval.

He must have known it, 'cause his mouth fell closed with a tearful sigh after coming up short on any words, dragging his familiar blue eyes down the scars of my body with a look that pretended to be guilt.

I'll never admit or consider the idea that he actually feels bad. He's my villain, and I have no intention of changing that.

Everything he does will always be the wrong thing to me. Even if it's technically 'right,' even if it's somehow to help, it will always be wrong to me.

That is the price he must pay. That's the consequence he will have to live with for the rest of his life.

There has to be someone in his life who holds him accountable and makes him suffer. He needs to be the villain in someone's life, and while I'm willing to let go of my active revenge for him, it won't change the furious resentment I'll always carry.

I will never forgive him for what he did.

I want him to know that and take it to his grave. I want him to remember it when he's dying and never feel peace in the afterlife because of it.

Yeah, it's time to let go. But, that doesn't always mean forgiveness either. Letting go just means preserving yourself and your own sanity in a way that helps you no longer suffer so much. This is my way.

I burned my gaze into his own, filled with judgement, disgust, and absolute rejection for his silence before tilting my head musingly.

"Aw. Come on. That's it? And after all these years? Go on, say something if this moment means sooo much to you." I taunted him purposefully, watching his eyes glisten brighter with tears.

A small smile curled on my stitched lips as I pushed harder, "I said say something. Do it-fucking speak."

The words left a bittersweet taste on my tongue. I didn't wanna hear what he had to say, but at the same time I did. Not because it would matter, but because it would give me another reason to hate him and continue being angry.

No one ever said letting go was easy, especially when you're ridding pieces of yourself that kept your heart beating for all these years.

But, still, it felt good to see his face slowly cracking, moving his bloody lips wordlessly and so utterly pathetic.

"Ah, whatever. Nothing you ever say will be enough, anyways-isn't that ironic? For once, you'll never be enough. For me. Ho, that must kill ya." My voice came out mockingly, watching his breathing get heavier.

He looked like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown. I know that, cause it's the same look I used to wear every day when I lived in his house.

It felt like the two of us had switched bodies, giving the other a taste of what it was like all those years.

"You can spend your whole life trying to be enough, but I'll never look at you. I'll never see you, and your death won't even go noticed by me." I chuckled, repeating the cruel mind games he used to play with me.

Guess it is karma in a way. I can't be the bigger person in every moment, alright? I'm not that guy.

"For once, you'll get to see how I felt. Oh, but not that it matters to you." My sarcasm cut through the air, deeming him useless as I turned on my heel to leave.

"I-It does matter." He quickly blurted out upon seeing me trying to leave, causing me to freeze in my tracks. "I-you always mattered. I-I just didn't know how to talk to you."

Aw. What an excuse, huh? He killed me because he didn't know how to talk to me? Sounds like something a coward says to take the blame off themselves.

"Looks like nothing's changed then. You haven't changed. And, yet you call yourself a hero-the number one, no less." I finished my own thoughts. "This is why your little hero society's such a fucking joke. It's a shame no one else sees what a fraud you are."

"Touya. I'm sor-"

"I don't care."

My lips barely parted as the words blurted out of my mouth involuntarily, surprised at their nature. And while I don't give a shit about his worthless, useless apology, deep down, this moment still pisses me the hell off. I'm really holding it together right now, more calm on the surface than I am inside.

Because I do care. I do care about what he did to me, how he fucking neglected me and ignored me, how he forgot about me, and casted me aside, and looked at Shouto, and...

I do care. I always will, and it's always gonna hurt. That's life, it's fucked up and it's shit. It's shit that sometimes the biggest wounds never go away, no matter what ya do, and that people like this asshole continue to get worshiped by a bunch of idiots with no brain-also idiots who deserve to die in my book...

So, yeah, I care-but, all caring has done is fucked me up more. It really didn't do shit to him.

I needed to hate dad to survive. Because that's the time of my life I was in. That was the suffering I was living through. It was unspeakable amounts of pain, and no doubt the darkest time of my existence.

But, now my life is different. I'm no longer in the sewers with my skin falling off, and trying to live another day.

No. For the first time, I can actually say I'm past that point in my life now. I don't need it to survive anymore. Because I have other things to keep me going now. A life I actually want to have. One that sounds a hell of a lot more appealing than trying to make this worthless piece of shit notice me.

At this point, even if he notices me now, it's meaningless to me.

"I don't care about anything involving you anymore." I uttered emptily, letting my thoughtful eyes slowly fall towards the grass. "Not if you live, not if you die, not if you suffer-heh, though, I can't deny I wouldn't mind hearing about that last one. Just for shits and giggles..."

I chuckled at that, unable to fully take the 'high' road. I'm not a good person, and I never will be. I'm doing just what I need to.

"I'll forget ya. Just how you forgot me. In my mind, I'll let you be the one to burn at Sekoto that day. You'll burn away, you'll be tortured from it, and I'll never think of you again. Oh, but I'll never forgive you either, so don't get too comfortable now." I smirked darkly, turning my eyes back to him.

They held more heat and residues of 'Dabi,' leaving me unable to fully forget.

"You can't make it up to me. You can't atone, and you can't ever forget the real monster you are. You'll never be worth anything because I don't forgive you, and you can think about that forever if ya want. Knowing you though, you probably won't-"

"I-I've thought about it everyday." His words sounded so disingenuous to me. "I should have never let you go to Sekoto Hill that day-"

"No. You should have never let me been born. You forced me to be here, and then punished me for it. It's fucking hilarious how you can live with yourself-and people call me the villain..." I mused, hiding my anger behind a careless smile.

His eyes glimmered with another set of sheen tears, and I laughed a little harder as they fell down his face, feeling my fist itch to slam straight into his nose.

"I'll never stop trying to make it right with you." Endeavor breathed out shakily, earning a look of disgust from me.

"Then you'll be waiting forever, and that's exactly what I want. So, go right ahead." I shrugged smugly.

I stalked a few steps closer, feeling my hands heating up hotter as I spoke directly to him now, "I don't need you in my life. Not for approval. Not for vengeance. Not for survival-and certainly not to win here today."

His bloody lip quivered, dropping to his knees and falling at my feet in front of everyone.

And that was finally the first sliver of justice I ever felt in my life.

"I look forward to the day we're finally in hell together, father. You'll have to see my face every single day, and it will make you suffer to know you were never the man you pretended to be." I said apathetically, watching the embers of permanent unrest settle in his worn eyes.

Weak. Pathetic. Useless. That's all I see when I look at him now. And because he used to look at me that way, he recognized those emotions on my face well.

"So go back to your perfect, little box. Your flaunted golden child and masking lies." I stated, kicking my foot into his chest forcefully.

Intentionally, too, as he went stumbling a few feet backwards, watching me shoot a wall of my flames between him and I...

....to separate us. Forever.

Through the swelters in the air, he remained crumpled on the ground, looking at me like a deer in the headlights. He pretended to be heartbroken for words, not even caring about the tips of blue that slowly latched onto his body.

"Just remember you'll always have the karma of your mistakes breathing down your neck, and it's something that even the great number one hero can't ever escape." My voice loomed over the fire before I slowly backed away.

I saw my reflection in his teary eyes. Flames surrounded me and it looked like I was burning again, causing him to whimper and reach his hand into the fire to grab me.

"No! Touya, wait! Please-"

Holding a taunting hand to my ear, I cut him off, watching more fire consume his body.

"Oh? I can't hear you. I don't hear those whose imperfections don't meet my standards. You should be proud, it's something I learned from you." I said, giving him one last feral grin of resentment.

His face paled and he saw his mistakes in me, finally getting a taste of how it feels to be so blatantly ignored.

He'd never rest. And I simply became what he always was to me.

Finally, after twenty-five years, I had nothing left to say now.

All my diabolical monologues I'd rehearsed in my cracked mirror for so long left me. The fire of vengeance in my chest had lost its spark to the wind, and Touya from ten years ago really did die.

Because his entire spirit was held together by revenge for this man.

I ain't that Touya anymore.

I turned my back on Endeavor as he called out for me. Apparently, he was still too 'heartbroken' to move as my flames slowly began to overwhelm his body.

He was letting himself die. What a fucking coward, death was too good for him.

And karma thought so, too, as Hawks' feathers zipped into the circle of flames starting to surround him, pulling the number one hero out of the area. The feathers dragged him far away to the other side of the battlefield-near the medic tent as it seems the bird brain deemed him too physically-or mentally unfit to continue fighting.

Throughout the air, the hysterical sobbing screams of 'Touya. My son.' echoed for all to hear, but I didn't even turn around.

He's no father of mine.

Ignoring him and turning my attention back to Iron Ass Kaito, I eyed the sea of crushed corpses and severed limbs surrounding him.

Ah, I see. He used his stupid giant to wipe out all the pathetic hero reinforcements who tried to stop him while Endeavor and I were having a chat. God, these bootlicking heroes just get more pathetic by the second. Can they really not stop one guy?

Fine with me though. I want his head for myself-and his windpipes, remember?

"Looks like you're getting too comfortable up there." I murmured, wiping the sweat from my mouth as I sized him up.

"Come get me!" Iron Ass Kaito taunted, causing me to grumble and curse him out from the ground.

This guy's been alive way too long.

Look, it ain't my fault, alright. I keep getting distracted by my tragic backstory and shit. Writing a three way point of view finale fight scene that also has to answer a fuck ton of important questions, and give my narcissistic, problematic ass that last push of character development all at the same time? It's not fucking easy...

Now tell this whore of an author to stop complaining. This is my story, and I want all the attention.

All of that's outta the way now, and it's time to finally kill this asshole.

What have we learned about Iron Ass Kaito in this fight, kids? No, seriously, tell me 'cause I don't fucking remember-and fuck the kids...

Oh yeah, so one quirk alone doesn't work on his silly little quirk power up. Shouto and I were having some quality bonding time a few minutes ago, with me putting him in a headlock and him barely making himself useful with some pathetic little ice attacks to support my flames.

But, Shouto's as useless as ever right now, still unconsciously slumped against the tree. He's probably faking it so he doesn't have to fight. You're telling me that kid's the one who took my place? Fucking embarrassing. One thing I've learned today is that he really ain't shit.

So, it's just me then. But, whatever. I like it that way.

The sharp cut of something barreling through the air caused me to curse and get my head out of my, kinda entertaining, thoughts, quickly jumping to the side as an iron boulder tried to crush me.

Instead it slammed into the back of some other unlucky hero, causing a violent, gory explosion of the woman.

Look, that ain't my fault. She should have dodged like I did. Dumbass.

"Oh, running away now, Touya? You're more of a coward than I thought." Iron Ass taunted from his height.

"Says the one from that high up. Let's get you on the ground, and then we'll have a nice little chat." I drawled out, lighting my hand up blue.

Alright. It's time to think. I hate thinking.

But, if the iron giant only works with two quirks and not one, I gotta stop aiming for it...

So, rather than shoot for it this time, I blasted a line of fire straight at Kaito himself, trying to knock him off his monster and bring him to the ground.

Cause once he's on the ground, he's fucking dead.

And he knew it, too, apparently, dodging my flames and clinging onto his monster with a humorous amount of desperation. He still had the audacity to laugh and talk shit once the flames passed, appearing sweatier and shakier.

"Y-Yeah, right. I see what you're trying to do. You'll die before you ever see my feet touch the ground." He taunted, ducking quickly as another ocean of fire came for his head.

"Is that so? Well, don't be shy then. You know where to find me." I smirked, ignoring the light sheen of smoke starting to radiate off my skin.

I'm definitely overdoing it. And I'm about to overdo it a lot more.

Exhaling a heavy puff of smoke, I aimed my hands at Kaito's position, using my shitty eyesight to try and pinpoint that loser from the sky-and, no I ain't talking about Hawks. For once...

The iron moron controlled his giant to swing its big leg at in my direction, causing me to jump back and barely miss the hit. I didn't miss the large rush of air that came with the momentum, and it was enough to send my own flames back into my face and knock me off my feet.

I fell into the grass on my ass, wiping the ash from my face with a grumble, "Damn..."

Iron Ass didn't give me the time to rest as I saw an object coming straight for me, forcing my muscles to leap out of the way.

The item landed in the grass, and upon looking at it, I saw it was....

...a spear.

The same type he used to kill Violet.

Oh ho, the fucker's taunting me now.

"Thought it might bring back some memories for you." He snickered, sending a shower of iron rocks straight for me.

They were just meant to annoy me so I didn't waste my energy dodging, not even flinching as the rocks cut up my face, arms, and torso along their path.

Instead, I casually stood up and chuckled with him, "Aw. So when I burn a hole through your throat, you can think about Euphoria, okay? See? We're all very nostalgic today."

He was a hot headed idiot and it showed as his smile faltered into seething anger, controlling his giant to try and stomp me to the ground.

The action was impulsive-enough to send him tripping atop the monster's shoulder and causing him to grip it tighter.

I used his falter to send another shot of fire for him, watching him jerk his body to the side with less control.

At first, I thought I missed again...

But, when the smoke cleared, I heard his groan of pain, seeing bright blue flames flickering violently atop his arm.

Heh. Got 'em.

It wasn't the arm he was holding onto the giant with, but it would spread, and it makes him less focused on the fight. Trust me, that blue fire's a bitch on your skin. Distracting as fuck.

He slipped when I taunted him. So, it's time to do what I do best...

Run my fucking mouth! God, I've been waiting all day for this. Finally.

"You know, Euphoria was some shit, stank pussy!" I cackled ferally, dodging another foot stomp. "Oh, not that you'd know-but, I definitely wouldn't die for that fishy bitch. I'll tell ya that-"

BOOM!

I dove to the floor and ducked as another boulder was sent my way, missing me and taking out some random Jeweled Bitch soldier who was waving around a bat.

Whoops. Shouldn't have been on the wrong side then, fucking idiot.

Alright. Now I'm having fun!

With a grunt of exertion, I sent a heavier ocean of flames towards iron ass in the sky, too used to the way my skin suddenly ripped and splashed with blood.

Quirk overuse has begun. But, there's no way I'm about to stop.

The hit was a miss this time, but it didn't matter. The flames from earlier had traveled from his arm to his collarbone now, making him groan a little more unhinged as he was clearly in pain.

"With a monster this big, ya must be compensating for something down there." I continued to shit talk, gesturing to his dick. "No wonder Euphoria never wanted to fuck you."

Through a sweaty, paling face and grit teeth, Kaito didn't use his giant this time, forming a sharp pillar of iron before sending it straight for me.

Sloppy, impulsive hit. My favorite.

Cause it's weaker and he's not thinking as clearly.

If the iron came from him and not his monster, I should be able to use my one quirk to stop it.

Or, so I thought.

Quirk overuse had set it way earlier in the fight than I'd realized, watching my flames come out way too weak to combat the large mass of rock that was still heading my way.

"Shit." I uttered blandly as the pillar continued coming for me, watching more blood come from my hand than fire.

But, the boulder never made contact as a large ice structure shot up from the ground, causing the pillar to slam into it.

The ground rattled as I recognized the ice, cursing begrudging curses and slumping my shoulders as I looked towards the source.

There was Shouto. His head was bleeding heavily from the hit earlier, and he looked weak and woozy, standing just a few feet behind me.

"Aw. Look who finally decided to wake up? Fucking slacker." I taunted, watching him limp over.

"Um...how long was I out?" He asked hoarsely, causing me to scoff.

"Just long enough to miss my great conversation with dear old dad."

Shouto's hazy eyes blinked a little faster in surprise, "What...?"

But, the blast through his ice didn't give us a chance to finish our 'brotherly' chat, seeing Kaito's arm completely engulfed in my flames now.

Desperation was painted on his face as the fire continued to eat away at him, spitting out a mixture of blood and ash towards Shouto and I.

The two of us stepped out of the way and Kaito chuckled hoarsely, wiping his mouth and preparing more iron weapons from his hands, "Little Endeavor's awake again, huh? Alright, alright. It's time to stop toying with you idiots."

"Couldn't agree more." I grinned up at him, sending a blast of flames straight through the remaining pieces of Shouto's ice structure.

They were right near the giant's feet and the combination of blue fire and ice was enough to cause an explosion, shaking the monster's balance and sending it tripping backwards.

I blew the smoke from my fingertips out like a birthday candle, looking at Shouto when I felt his questioning gaze on me. I know why, but gross, I'd rather not talk about the elephant in the room.

The big ass elephant that basically says-by willingly slamming my fire into his ice to create an attack, it means I'm working with him by choice now...

"That's a stupid look on your face. Must have learned it from your old man." I blew him off, not wanting to make a big deal about our new-very fucking temporary partnership.

Look, whatever gets this done faster at this point. I'm pretty over it.

"Are we....working together then?" He asked, causing me to wave him away and turn my attention back to iron ass Kaito.

It's time to let go. If I can let dad go...

"Call it whatever you want. Just try to keep up." I said, letting waves of fire consume the front lawn of the mansion now.

Shouto jumped at my barely extended hand of alliance, furrowing his brows and aiding my fire with his ice.

The silver water crystals encrusted over my blue flames, temporarily hardening before instantly shaking the ground with an ear splitting explosion the entire battlefield heard.

Kaito screamed as one of his giant's arms was blown off its body, unable to replace it this time as my flames continued to eat away at his limbs.

I could feel the countless eyes on the two of us-heroes and villains alike, all watching the circus show of Shouto and I engaging.

And then...

"Hey, the Todoroki brothers are working together!" One of the sidekicks cheered, causing Shouto and I's eyes to widen.

The words gathered the attention of other fighters in the area. Some were holding their dead comrades-smushed, thanks to the iron ass in the sky. Others were tying their lost limbs from the same asshole. And some were those crusty little student heroes.

"Oi. You better kick his fucking ass, half and half." That fuzzy headed Pomeranian boomed angrily.

"Take him down, boys!" Another hero sobbed, holding their dead, smushed friend tighter.

Another sidekick quickly pressed the little microphone in their ear, "Alert Endeavor his sons are taking care of the giant!"

"Son." I scoffed mockingly, not intending for Shouto to hear. "Remind me to barf later."

"Yeah. Same." He uttered, causing my brow to raise a bit curiously.

Huh. Guess he does have a little spark to him somewhere.

For the first and last time in our lives, we worked together, sending flame after flame, and ice after ice. And I'm not one for enlightenment, but damn, sure makes things go faster when people work together. Who fucking knew.

Had Shouto and I stopped messing around earlier, this guy would have been dead in the ground ages ago. It's clear he doesn't stand a chance.

And he knew it.

Another blast of ice and fire later, the second arm of Kaito's giant was blown off, causing the big monster to slow down and stumble backwards again.

Kaito's arm was burned down to the bone now thanks to my flames and his inability to put them out, forced to release his stabilizing hold on the giant's neck as he aimed it at Shouto and I now.

I could have flamed him right then and there, but that would mean incinerating him before he reaches the ground. Heh, and we can't have that.

"Get 'em." I mumbled to Shouto, letting him have the shot.

Closing his eye for better aim, Shouto shot a circular ball of ice straight for him, landing him straight in the stomach and knocking him fully off the giant now.

His scream sounded loudly as he fell through the air, and for once, I was glad Shouto put a slide of ice underneath him to ensure he wouldn't die from the fall.

Because...

I grinned like a maniac and jumped atop Shouto's ice slide like the bully king of the playground, plopping my foot down on Kaito's stomach once he reached the end of the ride-literally and figuratively.

My blood buzzed with adrenaline as I took in the sight of those ugly yellow eyes he's got-always so smug and annoying, seeing that now...

"Aw. You finally look afraid." I mused, holding up my smoking, spent hand. "Good. You should be."

Just like Euphoria did, Kaito whimpered in panic as I crushed my body weight down on top of him, trying to crawl away on the slippery slide of ice like his life depended on it.

"Nuh-uh, uhhh. There's nowhere to go now. Well, you know-except hell." I drawled out maliciously, using the last push of my flames.

With my hand lit up blue, I slammed it down straight into Kaito's throat, causing him to let out a blood curdling shriek. But, his voice was cut off quickly as my flames burned through his jugular, now turning to choked garbles of hysteria at the hole I was making in his throat.

His blood splattered all over my face and I laughed. His legs kicked violently underneath me until they didn't, his wild, fearful eyes never leaving mine as I grabbed his windpipes and ripped them out of his throat, holding them up with a crimson covered hand for him to see.

And making good on my words, I forced his mouth open and shoved the pulled body parts down into it, gripping his cheeks and making his fading eyes look at me one last time.

"Say hello to that stinky bitch Euphoria for me." I teased, spitting into his paling face before letting his head fall back onto the ice.

With another choked, unattainable breath, his body went rigid, eyes vacant in permanent hell and staring up at the black sky.

Oh yeah-he's deaddd dead.

I was covered in his blood-and now that I'm out of serial killer Dabi mode, it's kinda gross.

Wiping my hands on my pants with a sneer of disgust, I rose to my feet and jumped off the ice slide, lazily stopping in my tracks when I came face to face with Shouto.

Oh, right. Forgot about him.

Judging from the way his skin had gone a sickening grey color and his gaze was wide in frozen horror, he clearly watched the whole thing. He was speechless, not uttering a single word or sound.

I chuckled at his face and continued wiping the nasty residue of Kaito's insides off my hands, "Aw. Does it upset you, Shouto? Seeing your big brother kill someone with his bare hands?"

He swallowed heavily and tore his eyes away from the corpse, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm....I'm sure I don't need to tell you that's it's wrong-"

"Wanna see wrong? Why don't you start with the man you look up to so much-" I started off before he interrupted me.

"I don't look up to him. I haven't even forgiven him yet. I..." He trailed off, losing his words.

I watched him through narrowed eyes as he sighed, looking down at the ground before back up to me.

He hasn't even forgiven him yet. Doesn't look that way to me, but still, I didn't know that.

"Touya, I'm...I'm sorry." Shouto said, causing my eyes to flicker with surprise.

It's the first apology I've heard from anyone in that family. Endeavor doesn't count.

And while I know better than anyone that a pathetic apology can't fix shit-and it doesn't, Shouto piqued my nosy curiosity more than anything.

"Oh yeah? And what are you sorry for?" My voice came out hoarser and more closed off, crossing my arms

Seriously. What is he sorry for? I always said my beef with Shouto was just collateral damage from dad. I tried to fucking kill him, and I went on to regret it shortly after-and then I un-regretted it after I became Dabi.

"For not being there when you needed someone." He said. "When you needed the family."

How could he have been there? He was Endeavor's golden prodigy and I hated him. It wouldn't have made any sense for him to be there. It would have only made things worse.

And, yet, even knowing all of that, he's still apologizing. And from how blunt and stupid he is now, I know it's genuine.

I laughed bitterly and shook my head, deeming the conversation over as my own form of defense mechanism.

"Wow. You were raised to be so kind, weren't you?" I said sarcastically, brushing past his shoulder to leave.

I won't say I didn't mean it though.

This is the first time Shouto and I have spoken today. And while we're nowhere close to being on the road to best buds, I don't see him as a menacing thief that ripped everything away from me anymore.

After a few steps, my feet stopped walking instinctively, with Shouto and I remaining with our backs to each other.

I don't know what came over me to stop, or to speak my next words...

"Don't do it." My voice came out barely more civil, causing Shouto to immediately turn around and face me.

"Huh?"

I kept my back to him and looked to the ground calmly, feeling a new sense of peace filling the hole of vengeance in my chest.

"You said you haven't decided yet, right? If you'll forgive him or not? Well, that's my advice. The only advice you'll ever get from me. Don't do it." I said plainly, ensuring hints of annoyance were still laced throughout my voice.

After all, this is Shouto I'm talking to. Let's not make this a habit...

He went quiet in thought and I saw him nod in my peripheral vision.

"I'll take it into consideration." He said softly.

An awkward silence ensued between us. It felt like more needed to be said, but that wasn't the direction I wanted to take things.

"Whatever." I blew him off again, continuing my walk away from him.

My answer was short. Curt. A standoffish, parting goodbye.

But...

It was still a goodbye, I guess.