chapter thirty-one;

"IS THIS THE NEW BOOK?!", YOUKO EXCITEDLY ASKED, jumping up and down as shigaraki just nodded.

     "when will we read it together papa?", youko asked, hugging the book so tightly that the edges would've caved in if it wasn't a hardback.

     "once I inherit master's quirk", shigaraki answered.

"w-what?"

"youko, now that you've inherited another quirk, it's time for me to inherit one too", shigaraki explained, pulling the girl onto his lap.

"but how long will papa take?"

"four months", shigaraki answered.

     "four?! why four?! that's too long!! that's like a hundred million hours!!", youko exaggerated.

     shigaraki didn't know when he had became so soft, but he just didn't have the heart to tell youko that he needed to undergo some gruesome and agonizing surgery before entering the same process as youko did.

     "I'm older. my body needs to stay in there longer", shigaraki lied.

"then can I come visit you?", youko asked, opening up the book as she marveled at the pictures that were painted.

     "after a while. you can come visit once you can learn how to read this entire book", shigaraki replied, to which he had purposely bought a harder fairytales book—with pictures since he didn't exactly want to bore the girl—so that it would take her a while.

     "alright", youko dejectedly promised.

     "four months isn't that long. I'll see you right after", shigaraki promised.

     "okay....guess I'll have to stick with uncle dabi for now", youko sighed, making shigaraki let out a chuckle.

     youko smiled at that. don't get the girl wrong, she loved dabi as much as she loved the rest of her family, it was just that whenever she insulted him, shigaraki seemed pleased, which youko appreciated.

     plus, it was a dabi and youko thing to mock each other.

     "I have to go now. I will see you soon though", shigaraki said as he placed youko on their shared bed, meanwhile he kneeled in front of her.

     youko pouted at how soon her father had to leave. after all, she just came back not too long herself.

     "okay papa. I'll see you soon then. I'll learn the whole book before you even know it!", youko widely smiled, pumping her arm into the air with determination.

     "and don't forget to train your new quirk", shigaraki reminded.

     "of course! once papa's finished, I'll be able to protect papa from anything and everything", youko giggled.

"you're definitely my little queen", shigaraki slightly smiled, patting youko's head.

"alright now, be good", shigaraki mumbled as he placed a kiss on youko's forehead, getting up to leave before youko stopped him at the door.

"wait!! stay safe papa. and I love you!!", youko yelled as shigaraki nearly choked on his spit.

"I-I...loveyoutoo", shigaraki mumbled as he hastily left, not even being able to look little youko in the eyes as he hastily said it.

youko just grinned as she laughed to herself, probably seeming crazy to others.

once the little girl calmed down, she opened up the children's book, flipping to the first page as she realized it was more difficult than she had anticipated.

youko then groaned as she shut the book, aggressively opening the doors to the halls as she ran down the hallway in her bunny pjs and matching slippers.

"UNCLE DABI!! UNCLE DABI!!!", youko shouted, harshly knocking on the male's door as she heard some stomping from the other side of the doors.

     "what", a tired dabi yawned as he swung open the door, scratching his stomach as he only wore pants to bed.

     "ewww, can you put a shirt on please", youko fake puked, immediately covering her eyes.

     dabi heavily sighed as he rolled his eyes, going back into his room as he begrudgingly pulled a sweater over his head.

youko then sneaked in as she tightly held onto her book, somehow closing the door behind her as she invited herself onto dabi's bed by crawling in.

dabi scratched his head as youko started happily jumping on his bed, then letting herself fall onto her back before repeating the cycle again.

     "so why're you in here again? don't you usually sleep with crusty?", dabi yawned once more.

     "yeah well papa needs a stronger quirk", youko responded. "and so I thought I'd sleep with you until he gets back".

     dabi squinted his eyes.

     "no. go sleep with crazy or something", dabi said opening his door for youko to leave.

     youko sighed as she sat up on the edge of the bed, clenching onto the book.

     "and here I thought uncle dabi would be the most loving, most kind, most caring, most—"

     "okay okay!! just stop with the nonsense and you can stay", dabi growled, slamming the door closed as he happily got back into bed.

     "well? aren't you going to sleep?", dabi asked.

     "can you help me read first?", youko asked, opening up the book as dabi knew he should've kicked the girl out when he had the chance.

     "goodness...why?"

     "papa said when I can finish reading this entire book, I can go see him", youko replied, though dabi's question was more rhetorical if anything.

     the dark-haired male hesitantly sat up as he ran his hand through his hair.

     "fine", dabi grunted, as he snatched the hefty book out of little youko's hand.

     flipping to the first page, dabi was about to start reading before he felt a little girl try to crawl under his arms and onto his torso.

"what in hell's name are you doing?", the scarred male asked.

"papa always lets me crawl on top of him when he's reading to me", youko automatically replied, continuing on her mission as she laid on top of dabi's chest.

     "I absolutely do not understand how crusty does this. you're like a little worm, constantly wiggling and crawling on things", dabi scoffed, making youko laugh.

     "now come on!! I want to hear the story where cinderella's stepsisters don't get their toes cut off", youko urged, as dabi gave the girl a concerned look.

     "what the fuck has that man been reading to you?"

     "a fairytale?"

     dabi's brows furrowed as he just shook it off and cleared his throat, starting on the clean version of cinderella.

     "ahem. once upon a time..."

_♚_

     "why desire more power? your quirk's already become so powerful, you're literally destruction incarnated", dr. ujiko commented as he prepared the tools.

     "you promised me more power as long as I met the requirements. plus, I want to use everything at my disposal to obliterate the drags all might left behind", shigaraki confidently answered.

     "and I need more to be able to protect her".

     "I appreciate your proclamations, but your current body is unsuitable for his quirk", dr. ujiko explained.

     "but you've already got a plan for that don't you", shigaraki stated, rather than questioning.

"yes yes, however, it'll be a very painful and agonizing process", dr. ujiko warned.

"it will be absolutely hellish".

shigaraki simply chuckled, though not one that he would show in front of his daughter, as it was quite insane.

"bring it on, doctor".

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