A Lost Creation

Learning Something New

Dabi scoffs. "I'm not a hero."

"You're his hero, he said so." You argue.

"He's crazy."

"You say that about everyone." You huff.

"He actually is crazy." Dabi replies with another smirk, kissing your head again. "Just didn't wanna hear you cryin' if he croaked."

"He's not a frog." You mutter.

Dabi chuckles. "Not literally, doll. Croaked means died."

"Oh." You mumble, embarrassed. "I knew that."

"No you didn't." Dabi replies, flicking your nose. "An' that's just fine. Love ya just the way you are. All innocent and cute."

And then he's pinching your cheek, shaking the skin he's caught there and making your cheek make funny noises. And for a second you feel like you'd gone crazy for thinking he was upset before, because he was being completely normal with you. He was being the normal playful Dabi you knew and loved, like he hadn't been yelling at Tomura all morning, and was prepared to tell you to go away when he thought you were Himiko.

You groan at him and swat his hand away, hiding your face in his side again as he chuckles to himself.

"He showed me the mark, it was really big." You tell Dabi. "And gross. Uncle Giran has to change the bandages because he gets yellow goop all over it."

"Yeah, that's pretty gross." Dabi agrees. "Don't wanna hear about any of the nightmares you get from that. You can bother your beloved Jin wi' that one."

"I won't have nightmares, I'm not a baby." You grumble, despite the fact that you did still have nightmares nearly every night.

He gives a doubtful hum in return but leaves you alone for a while after that, perfectly content in the quiet, even though you're not.

"Where's 'Mura?" You ask quietly.

Dabi shrugs harshly, and you pause, still clinging onto him like you're terrified of being taken from him again.

"Are you arguing because of me...?" You ask nervously.

"What? No, hon, no." Dabi sighs, rubbing your side reassuringly. "We're arguin' cause he's not himself lately. I told you that."

"I heard you talking about me when I was waking up..." You admit.

"I'm tellin' you that we're not arguing because of you." Dabi repeats, his tone final.

So you shut up again. Until he sighs, again.

"Your pa... He got given another quirk, you remember?" Dabi asks, and you nod. "The quirk makes his head... not right."

You listen intently, but are a little confused.

"S' like..." Dabi pauses, seeming to find the words he's looking for. "His teacher, the guy that had the quirk before, is kinda in his head."

"How?" You quiz immediately, imagining a little man inside Tomura's head.

"I dunno, princess." Dabi sighs. "Not a scientist."

"Can't he give it back?" You ask, looking up at him.

"Naw, hon. He's too stubborn for that." Dabi sighs. "He wantsa keep it. Even though his teacher's a dick."

You wait for him to correct himself, but he doesn't, he just carries on staring off into the distance.

"You swore." You point out.

"Yeah." Dabi agrees, a little sadly. "Sorry, hon."

"You're sad." You comment.

"So are you." Dabi replies like it's a fact.