I Loved You First (Dabi X OC X Hawks)

Chapter 24 - The things I heard in the training room

Authors Note

How the hell did this book get over 1000 reads!? Thank you all so much! I'm so happy knowing that people are enjoying this story. Just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has commented or favourited chapters, it actually makes my day when I see those notifications! Also wanted to say happy holidays to you all and hope you have an amazing new year (hopefully a lot better than 2020!)

Rant over, on with the chapter!
😅🥳🥰

Kimi's POV

The journey back from the sushi bar was a peaceful one. Togata and Nejire had joined us back at the table, pulling up two extra chairs to sit adjacent to Fatgum who had somehow managed to finish the entire platter of sushi rolls he was carrying.

We spoke of the upcoming sports festival and of their future careers as heroes. But I noticed that Tamaki seemed a bit off after chatting with Fatgum. I asked him what he wanted to talk to me about but he just said that he only wanted to tell me that he 'loved the present' I got him and that he hoped we could stay friends after he left UA. Of course I told him we would but something still felt off about him. Maybe I should speak to Togata about it? Another worry to add to my ever growing list but I'll definitely be keeping a closer eye on him.

Dabi POV

I knew it was a bad idea but the police were swarming Kimi's apartment and I felt the need to go somewhere familiar. This had happened a few times. The longing to see my old life, even if only from the outside. I couldn't go back and deep down I didn't want to but I was still pulled back to those familiar places that consumed so much of my time. And so I found myself watching Shoto train with that bastard father of mine. Red hot flames against white-blue ice, blasting left and right with grunts of pain occasionally heard through the commotion.

"Use your fire Shoto!" His voice boomed, seeming to echo though the outdoor training facility located in the rear of the Todoroki house.

"Enough. I'm done for today." Shoto muttered slightly out of breath. He had gotten so big. When I think of Shoto my mind calls up images of the little boy who I used to carry home on my back and tickle until he cried with laughter. But the boy before me was a cold stoic shell. Just another person that bastard had destroyed. I found it hard to look at this Shoto. He wasn't the little boy I once knew and it hurt to think that I had missed him grow up. But he's better off without me. They all are.

My thoughts were broken by the sound of Fuyumi arriving through the back door of the kitchen. She hadn't changed at all since I left. Her face was a little rounder and her smile a little smaller, but all in all she was still my one and only sister. She carried a glass of pink lemonade, the ice inside it clinking against the glass with beads of water dripping from it's cool surface.

"Hey Sho, how's training going? I thought you could use this!" She smiled sitting down beside Shoto who had sunk to the floor, and handing him the glass.

"It's fine. Thank you." Shoto replied taking a drink of the lemonade but otherwise remaining silent. Fuyumi looked down at her empty hands, her fingers fidgeting awkwardly as she bit her lip trying to think of something to say.

"I know he is pushing you hard but he just wants you to do well in the sports festival..." she finally settled on, though by the look of Shoto clutching his fists tightly, this didn't look like the right thing to say.

"I know what he wants. He wants me to win. To be number one using my left side. His side. He wants me to win because he can't." Shoto muttered angrily. I felt a twinge of anger myself at hearing this. He was pushing his own failings onto Shoto again. I'd watched him do this countless times before and it led to more than one fight between us.

"If you do win Sho, it should be for yourself. No one else. Just take it easy okay? There are more important things than winning. I don't want to see you hurt yourself." Fuyumi smiled patting his back lightly. The atmosphere seemed to shift, once the topic of our father had been dropped.

"Have you spoken to Kimi today?" Shoto asked, gaining my attention and making me lean slightly closer to them from my hiding spot on the north most wall.

"Yeah, she said she's okay but I can tell she's still worried. The police are patrolling her street but she still knows that whoever it was that saw her might come back. She's scared, she just doesn't want to make us worry." Fuyomi said with a frown.

"Can't she stay with us? The old man doesn't have to know." Shoto asked lowly with clear concern.

"I already asked her but she keeps declining. I think she doesn't want to put us out but no matter what I say, she just brushes it off. But I can tell she's still worried. I don't think she'll be able to be at ease until this guy is caught." Fuyumi muttered the last sentence quietly but I still heard and it made my heart freeze momentarily.

Even when I'm away from her, I still cause her pain. She is scared I'll come back and hurt her. The thought was preposterous of course, but she didn't know that. To her I was just a stranger. A monster that burnt a man to ash in front of her and wants to remove her as a witness. I can't let her go on worrying. But I can't exactly hand myself in to the police either.

There is only one thing I can do.
I have to go to her.
I have to explain that I won't hurt her but I'm not coming back either.
I have to speak to my girl again.