Licensed Villains

Rumors

It wasn't until the next day that Dabi moved from the bean bag on the floor. He'd spent the whole night there, staring up at the ceiling and going over the truth he'd told Dek- Izuku. He knows he was Touya. He knows why he hates Endeavor so much. He knows everything that he's kept locked away for eight years. After all this time, his secret is out there and with the one person who everyone would believe if he spilled. Revite's a trusty source. He's hoping he's a trusty secret keeper too despite his whole mantra of letting the public know the truth.

That night he'd spent hours agonizing over how his next talk with Izuku will go. He'll want answers, something more than the single cryptic line he'd given him. He knew he was Touya now but what did that mean? He'd be foolish to not at least talk about it with him but when? How? What would he even say? 

He can't even begin to explain his past. How does he tell Izuku that he used to idolize the very man he's now trying to kill? How does he speak of years of suffering and pain that at first he'd mistaken for pride and love? Can he even force the words out, words he's been looking for years for? What hope does he have explaining it all to Izuku when he's still trying to make sense of it all himself?

There was so much that happened when he was younger, it's hard to remember it all. Things had started out fine. Or at least he'd thought they were fine. He didn't always get to see his siblings but he hadn't cared that much. All he ever wanted was to make his father proud and yet every training session with him, he came out of it will more burns than before, words of disappointment still ringing in his ears. That was all his life had been. Eat, train, study, train, eat, sleep, repeat. He'd been fine.

Then Shouto came along. Poor poor Shouto who was just so perfect. Before he got his quirk, Dabi had been the best, the golden child but still not enough. When he was twelve, his brother got his quirk and he was tossed aside. He saw his family for what it really was. Broken. 

His anger grew and grew until one day he had enough. Enough of walls more like prison cells, training that was more like torture and relatives that were closer to being people he happened to live with than actual family. He'd ran away, but not like a coward. He ran away so he could come back stronger, better than his father. And then he'd take away the thing most precious to him, his life. 

But De- er, Izuku got in the way of that. He'd played him, he's sure of it. Wormed his way into his life with the idea that he was going to help him kill Endeavor and instead made him soft. He can't say he hates it. He'll still get his revenge but. . . he's thinking that not dying with Endeavor isn't such a bad idea anymore. He wouldn't mind sticking around for the kid. Even if he is annoying. 

Speaking of which, how the actual fuck did he get real name privileges now? Not just real name, but first name. Sure, he thinks of the kid as a younger brother of sorts but doesn't mea- shit. Has he gone so soft he's thinking of someone as his younger brother? Ew. 

Point is, he dumped a bunch of trauma and a big reveal onto Izuku (who, knowing him, probably had his suspicions for at least a week now) and his response was to tell him his first name. The kid does realize that's not normal? Was he trying to say something? Is that his way of showing he still cares about him and. . . and that this doesn't change anything. His way of saying thanks for opening up about something?

He'll deny it till he dies, but something in his chest pulled at the thought. People don't care for him like that, and why should they? Like, look at him. He's a vigilante who looks like he stappled purple sand paper to his face. Yet Izuku doesn't seem to care. It's a first and he can't be blamed for being surprised. He's never cared about someone like this, not even his own siblings. They had never been much of a family but Izuku feels like a brother.