Through the Years

Hard Talks

CW: Discussion of abortions, general teenage awkwardness & Dabi trying so desperately to be a good explainer.

You couldn't sleep.
Not for any particular reason, just mostly because you were worried about Tomura. Dabi had been fine with you, mostly, after catching you coming out of their room, but you hadn't seen Tomura since then.
So you gave up at about two a.m. and went to the living room to watch TV while you couldn't sleep.

You curl up under a blanket, putting on Spirited Away like you always did whenever you needed comfort, and try to turn your brain off.
You wish you had Cloud with you, but he was still in Tomura and Dabi's room. So you have your old teddy instead, Star Jr, clinging to it like you used to when you were ten.

You're not expecting Dabi to come in, looking equally as startled to see you.
He's still fully dressed, which is unusual for this time of night, his vest and sweatpants still on instead of just his sweatpants like he'd usually walk around in whenever he was relaxing.

"What're you doin' up, dollface?" He asks softly.

"Can't sleep." You tell him, moving your legs so he can sit down with you on the couch.

"Why's that hon, somethin' on your mind?" He asks, frowning worriedly.

"Worried about dad." You say quietly as he moves hair from your eyes.

His expression softens and he nods slightly, swallowing hard enough for his throat to bob. He looks over you like it's the first time he's seen you in years and sighs.

"You don't need to worry, hon. Tomura is tough, and this is for the best." He says, forcing a smile and rubbing your back.

"What's for the best?" You ask, confused. "Tomura being sick?"

"He's...not sick, hon." Dabi replies, sighing a little through his nose.

"He's been sick for the past week, and now he has a tummy ache." You argue.

"It's..." Dabi sighs, and then looks at you, chewing a staple on the inside of his cheek. "You think you're old enough to know without bein' a little brat about it?"

You perk up at the chance of being able to prove you're old enough to be told things you wouldn't usually be told.

"I'm old enough!" You reply confidently, sitting up in your little blanket cocoon.

"Don't wanna hear about it bein' gross. The second you say something-"

"I won't! I'll listen! Promise!" You vow, reaching your pinky finger towards him.

He takes a second, and then takes a deep breath and curls his pinky around yours, squeezing it gently and then letting it go, motioning for you to lean against him.
You do happily, always eager to soak up the heat he lets off, especially when there's no-one else to pass judgment on it.

"Okay. You ready? Put your big ears on." He teases, flicking one of your earlobes.

"Cut it out!" You snort, covering the ear he'd flicked with your hand.

He gently pries it away from your ear, kissing the top of your head.

"Listen." He reminds you, and you nod. "...Okay."

He takes another deep breath, and then says:

"So, Tomura's pregnant."

Your head snaps up to look at him, and he raises a white eyebrow immediately at your reaction.

"He's having a baby?!" You squeak.

"Not quite. Listen." He reminds you, and you slam your mouth shut again. "Sometimes, if someone's pregnant, and they don't wanna keep the baby, for whatever reason, they can stop the pregnancy before the baby's born."