Chapter 4

Hello hello!! Mimmy here with chapter 4 of The Runaway Sky!

Word count

1434

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Hawks was uncharacteristically quiet, not that Dabi would know, he was trying to figure out how to get rid of the spoilt and rotten smell that still lingered in the house after a week while keeping an eye on the amnesiac villain. Something about it all felt terribly wrong, and he couldn’t get rid of the thought that the Hero Commission would eventually find them. They’d probably searched in every obvious hideout, they’d probably broken into his house, and destroyed everything in their path, just to find them... Which meant his house was probably somewhat safe for them, but…

He glanced at Dabi from the kitchen, seeing him on the couch. He couldn’t take him back there. Maybe it was safe, but he couldn’t take Dabi back anywhere near those people. Not now that he had decided he was going to help him become who he was meant to be all along.

He turned back to what he was doing and caught a glimpse of a flame that flickered between red and blue out of the corner of his eye. He tensed briefly, almost dropping the cans of food he was putting away, and looked at Dabi again.

“Everything alright?” he asked, setting the cans down before cautiously approaching the couch.

Dabi glanced up at him, seemingly breaking from a trance as he looked away from the flame on his hand. He nodded. “I’ve just got a lot of questions…” he trailed off, putting out the flame.

“Ask away, I’ll do my best to answer them.” Hawks smiled, sitting near him on the couch.

“You said my father is the Number One Hero?

“Endeavor, yes.” Hawks nodded. “What about him?” he asked, almost afraid he’d ed something he wasn’t supposed to.

What was he thinking? Who was he to allow Dabi to ? Why was he so set on bending him to the hero he could be rather than the villain he was?

Dabi averted eye as if he were trying to hide something or find the right words to say something. Hawks waited patiently, not wanting to push him. The less he intervened when it came to Dabi’s memories, the better.

“I think I ed something.”

Hawks’ heart stopped and his throat seemed to close at those words. He searched Dabi’s face, trying to find something, anything, that would tell him what kind of memory it was or if he should be concerned. But there was no indicator, which only worried him more.

He swallowed thickly, trying to keep himself calm as his mind raced. “What did you ?” he asked, his gaze flickering from Dabi’s face to his hands, part of him afraid that he’d suddenly attack him out of nowhere. It was in moments such as this he wondered why he was doing all this and hadn’t turned him in…

“I’m not sure, he was teaching me how to use my fire…”

And that answer was the answer to those doubts. Those words hadn’t come from Dabi the villain… they’d come from the child he used to be before Sekoto Peak… before Shoto.

*****

Touya was barely 6 at the time, it was when his fire began to harm him. "Dad..." he said shyly, walking up to him as Endeavor watched another report on All Might's success in another mission. He didn't want to disappoint his father. "It hurts." He scratched at the burns he had gotten that day, trying to ease them, but it only made them worse.

Endeavor turned his attention from the report on the screen to Touya, noticing the distress in his son's eyes. The sight of the burns on Touya's skin and the pain in his voice immediately struck a chord within him. He set aside the remote, standing up with a determined look. He knelt down to Touya's level, his expression softening despite his usual stern demeanor. "Touya," he said gently, "come here."

He guided Touya to sit beside him, carefully examining the burns on his son's skin. "I see. It looks like your flames are becoming too intense for you to handle right now. But we can work on controlling that." He placed a hand on Touya's shoulder. " what we talked about before. Controlling your quirk is like learning to control a wild force. It takes practice and patience, but you can do it." He glanced around the room for a moment before reaching for a small first-aid kit he kept handy for such situations. "This will help with the burns," he said, starting to gently tend to the wounds. "But more importantly, we need to focus on how you can control your flames better."

Endeavor began to apply ointment to the burns, his movements careful and deliberate. "When we train, I want you to that your flames are a powerful tool. They can be both a weapon and a shield. The key is learning to control their intensity and direction." He paused, looking directly at Touya. "Think of your flames as a river. If the river is too wild, it can cause destruction. But if you learn to channel it properly, it can be a source of great strength." Endeavor took a deep breath, trying to convey his despite his usual focus on strength and discipline. "I know it’s hard, but you have the potential to master it. We’ll practice controlling the heat, focusing on smaller flames first, and gradually increasing the intensity as you get better."

He finished with the ointment and gave Touya a reassuring nod. "We’ll work on this together. I know you’re strong enough to handle it, and I’ll be here to guide you every step of the way." The tenderness in his voice was a rare glimpse into the depth of his care for his son, a testament to his belief in Touya's abilities and potential.

Touya seemed to be distracted from the pain as he listened to his father. Control. He wanted to learn to control his quirk so badly. That way, he would be the best hero ever. "How...?" he asked. "They always get so big and hot..." he said.

Endeavor nodded, understanding the urgency in Touya's voice. He stood up, guiding Touya to follow him to an open area of the room, where he could demonstrate.

“Alright, Touya,” he said, his tone firm but encouraging. “I’ll show you how to control the size and intensity of your flames.” Endeavor extended his hand, igniting a small, controlled flame in his palm. “The key is to focus on what you want your flames to do. Start with a small flame and gradually increase its size as you gain control.”

He demonstrated by creating a tiny, manageable flame and then slowly expanding it. “You need to concentrate on your intention. Think about what you want your flames to accomplish. If you want them smaller, focus on that. If you want them larger, allow them to grow, but keep your mind steady.”

He turned to Touya, encouraging him to try. “Now, you give it a try. Start small and focus on keeping the flame steady. Control it with your mind, not just with your body.” Endeavor watched attentively as Touya attempted to replicate the demonstration, ready to offer guidance and as needed.

Touya watched in awe at how his father did it, his eyes full of amazement and wonder. "That's so cool! You are the best, Dad!" he said before trying it, the excitement fuelling his fire. The flame took over half his arm and disappointment quickly took over his features.

Endeavor observed Touya’s attempt with a mix of pride and concern. The enthusiasm was evident, but the flames expanding too much showed that Touya still needed guidance.

“You’re on the right track with your excitement and determination. Now, let’s focus on refining your control.” Endeavor said, his voice steady.

He stepped closer to Touya, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. “, it’s about precision and concentration. You don’t need to use all your strength at once. Start small and gradually increase the size of the flame as you get more comfortable.” Endeavor demonstrated again, this time emphasizing the concentration required. “Think of it like this: if you want a candle flame, you don’t need to push too hard. Just enough to keep it steady. You’ll get there. Practice and patience are key. The more you train, the better you’ll become at managing your flames.”

With each attempt, Endeavor offered ive , encouraging Touya to keep trying and adjusting. His presence was a steady anchor, helping Touya channel his excitement into controlled, focused practice.