Chapter 23: Promises and the Past

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Third Person

Touya stares at the picture frame in his hand. He gently traces over the faces of his precious family, stopping momentarily at his youngest brother. He felt guilty. Guilty for leaving his family in their time of need. Still, what was he supposed to do?

He was too weak to protect his siblings and he couldn't ever hope of fighting his father. After all, at the time he was only fifteen.

A sigh falls from his lips as he thinks of the past, his past.

He remembered the good times, his days of playing and laughing with his family. Then his quirk came. At first, he thought it was a good thing. He thought that his father would be happy to find out he had such a powerful quirk. Touya remembered how he ran into his father's study to show off his quirk. He realizes now how foolish he was. How his thoughts of love and recognition from his father were just a childish fantasy.

Instead of being happy, his father just beat him for disobeying the rules of never bothering him, and he was forced to train. For years, he was forced to endure hell on earth. He used to beg for any kind of salvation. When the police didn't work, he turned to heroes, only to find out that his father would just pay them off. He was punished for his 'lies', which brought only more pain.

Then, his baby brother manifested his quirk. Dabi remembers how, at first, he was happy. Then he realized what his father would do if he found out. So he protected him. Everything was well in those three years. And then, his father found out.

Touya tried desperately to fight back against his father as Shoto was dragged to the 'training' room but to no avail. His father was stronger than a 15-year-old after all. The fight turned deadly when Dabi threw everything he had at his father in a last-ditch effort.

That resulted in the burns he has all over his body and his 'death'.

Still, it was the perfect opportunity for him to enact his revenge.

Now, three years later, Dabi is stronger and able to get back at his father. He feels thankful for Phantom for providing him with the opportunity of the perfect revenge.

He knows now that his thoughts were muddled with rage and bloodlust. He wonders who Phantom is under the mask though. Whoever the man is, Touya feels he owes a great debt to the man. Without him, Dabi would have been stuck.

Still, he feels somewhat impatient. He knows the plan will work, but he's wondering when they will enact it. Phantom keeps telling him soon.

Dabi sighs and focuses on his job. His last job is to get an interview with a popular news station. Once that is secured, he can spill all of his father's dirty deeds on national television. Then, all he'd have to do is sit back and watch the show.

'Soon.' He promises to the torn image of his father as a grin spreads across his lips.

Elsewhere, another Todoroki is thinking...

Shoto stares up at the ceiling of the cabin as he turns over the month's events.

He still can't completely grasp the fact that Izuku is from the future.

He knows that the greenette is telling the truth but it seems outlandish. Yet, Midoriya's reactions to things made sense.

He sighs and turns to see, said boy, sleeping peacefully next to him.

Shoto can't help but think how peaceful he looks. He thinks back to the hot springs. To the scars covering every inch of Midoriya's body.

Todoroki has scars, many of them, but not like Midoriya's. He thinks of all the pain the greenette would've had to endure to get those scars. The amount of torture and suffering he would've had to go through.

The thought makes Shoto guilty. In the future, where was he? How come he couldn't help his friend? How come he couldn't save him?

Todoroki could see the pain in Midoriya's eyes every time he looked at them. Each time would make Shoto feel that much guiltier.

Right then and there, he promises himself to do whatever he can to make Midoriya smile again. Not the fake smiles he's been giving people, but the ones he used to have. Shoto swears that he won't abandon Midoriya as he did in the future. He'll do everything in his power to make Midoriya be himself.

With that thought in mind. Shoto closes his eyes, succumbing to his exhaustion.

However, in no time at all, he's awoken again by the sounds of screaming.

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