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Dabi only returned twice to his home, once to apologise to his family and tell them what happened to him - that he was in a coma and couldn't come home for three years - he wanted to be a better son and a better brother, but he left when he found that nothing had changed.

The second time he returned home to the Todoroki estate, was to take his phone. It was a rash, foolish decision, and he didn't know why he did it, but he did it.

He saw the shrine in his room, and blood ran down from the scars under his eyes as he stared at his picture.

He wanted to stay, but -

He ran away from the Todoroki estate again.

**********

Dabi never liked Shoto.

He hated his brother for taking his place, for being the perfect creation in their father's eyes.

He hated him for having the perfect quirk while he was flawed, cursed and trapped in this weak, frail body.

He hated him for taking their parents' love away from him.

But his heart always hurt when he saw him cry and when he tried to have comfort from his siblings, but no one gave him.

He hated Shoto so much, but he brought him a phone to check on him when everyone thought that both of them were asleep.

A little part of him wanted to help his brother , but he couldn't.

Dabi looked at the phone in his drawer - Its screen was cracked, and it was an old version that he knew no one in Japan was using.

A few moments passed, then Dabi took it out from the drawer, and nervously, he pressed the power button.

He didn't know why his hands were shaking as he waited for the phone to open.

Stupid, stupid - he kept repeating in his chest. Why was his heart beating so fast in his chest?

As soon as the phone opened, it began to vibrate intensely, almost as if it was bursting with anticipation.

That means -

His heart beat more rapidly in his chest, and with trembling hands, after the vibrations stopped, he unlocked the phone.

As the lock screen faded away, Dabi could see hundreds of messages, and they were only from one person

Shoto.

They were from Shoto.

A shaky breath came out of Dabi as he settled on the floor. He scrolled to the first message to know how long Shoto had been sending these messages. Some of them were voice messages because Shoto was still young, and he didn't know how to type properly.

(Please, don't leave me like mama) - it was whispered in a small shaky tone. Shoto's voice was thick with tears.

The message was on the day he burned on Seketo Peak.

(When you are coming back, Nii-San?)

Dabi kept listening to Shoto's young voice and reading his messages. His heart breaking with every moment passing.

(Touya-nii, I don't want to be alone.)

(Papa hurt me today, Nii-San. He said I am not strong enough to beat All-Might.)

(It hurts, Touya-Nii - Shoto choked on a sob, and he tried to muffle the other sobs that followed it, but he failed.)

Tears of blood ran down from under Dabi's eyes.