"We're sorry sir, there's nothing we could do..." The doctor grimly admitted.

Dabi's jaw tightened. You yourself hadn't heard what the doctor had said. The staff was keeping you away from the room. But you could read his face.

No...

It can't be...

You yanked away from the nurses and sprinted down the hallways. The air was so sterile that it left a bad taste on your tongue with each breath.

"Dabi!" You cried out, quickly wrapping your arms around him. "What did he say?! Where's my dad?!"

He remained silent.

"Listen sweetie..." The doctor muttered, kneeling down in front of you. "Your father was a brave man."

You were old enough to understand what that meant. As if to cling on to a sense of familiarity, your fingers clutched Dabi's jacket.

"Why..." You stuttered. "Why did the heroes let him die?"

"They didn't let him die." He insisted. "Your father made a sacrifice for the greater good. He was a hero."

The doctor didn't even know what to say from there. Your eyes were empty, like that of a corpse.

"(Y/n)..." Dabi called out softly. "It's going to be alrigh-" But you pushed him away and took off back down the hallway. The nurses and staff tried to stop you, but you shoved your way through.

"I'm sorry Dabi..." The doctor frowned, watching you disappear down the hallway. "I know he was like a father to you too."

"It's okay doc." He sighed. "What about Kyoko?"

"She still hasn't woken up from her last treatment. She's in bad shape."

"I see..." Dabi's throat tightened. So much had gone wrong in such a short amount of time.

"Take care of her, okay? She's only 13. She needs you now more than ever."

"Yeah." Dabi huffed, tucking his hands in his pockets. "I'll handle any paperwork necessary when I return."

He hastily followed after you. The sound of rain beating against the roof escalated as he neared the entrance. It didn't take long to find you. You were right around the counter, curling in a ball, not even trying to take shelter from the rain.

"I hate them... Dammit Dabi, I hate them so damn much..." You muttered, knees pulled against your chest. "He didn't need to die... Why is the world so cruel?!"

"It's going to be alright." He kneeled in front of you. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Dabi reached out and ran his fingers through your hair, ruffling it tenderly in an attempt to lift your spirits. But the rain was heavy and the sky was dark.

"What am I going to do?!" You sobbed. "Mom's sick and we're going to get evicted in a matter of days!" Your breath quickened, turning panicked and scattered.

"(Y/n), listen to me." The boy calmly called out. He tore his jacket off and placed it over your shoulders. "Relax. Let's go home first and dry off before we do anything else."

"But..." You quivered.

You weren't able to get another word out before Dabi had leaned forward to embrace you in his arms. He held you tightly, his hand gently circling your back.

"But nothing. We're going to be just fine."

"YOU SAY THAT! EVERYONE SAYS THAT!" You yelled. "Its like you always said! It's those damn hero's faults that all of this shit happen!"

Dabi didn't say anything. How could he at this moment? Your anger was justified. Your world was falling apart.

"I'm going to kill them..." You snarled. "The ones who let him die..."

"(Y/n), wait-"

"I WON'T!" You sobbed, pulling out of Dabi's arms and standing. "AND YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULDN'T  TRY TO STOP ME!" You took a deep breath and gathered your mind. "You're the one who told me that one day, I could chose my side, that I could rise above what society tells us... Well today is that day... I've made my choice-"

"That's enough." Dabi harshly cut you off. "You're 13, something traumatic just happened, you're not capable of making a decision like that."

"Dabi... Do you... love me?" You plainly asked.

Dabi's eyes widened at the question. He watched as you waited nervously for an answer, streams of water racing down the sides of your face and dragging the lingering dregs of tears with it.

"Of course I do." He sighed. "We're family."

You collapsed back down and wrapped your arms around his shoulders tightly. At that moment, the two of you only had each other.

"Then help me."

- - -

What followed was a series of unfortunate events.

When Kyoko woke up and found out that her husband had passed, she was a wreck. In her despair, she had attempted to take her own life with a butter knife given during one of her meals. She didn't succeed thankfully.

You and Dabi decided she should stay in the hospital. The lupus had already taken a toll on her, but everyday she got a little bit better.

She was, however, unaware of what was going on while the two of you weren't visiting her. Robberies and muggings kept her in the hospital and payed for rent so she would have a home to come back to.

Dabi had taught you how to fight and how to more effectively use your quirk. It didn't take long for the two of you to attract the attention of local gangs.

At first, Dabi kept you as far away from them as possible. He knew they were trouble. Even if you hadn't directly shown detest for hero society since the day your father died, Dabi was always acutely aware that you were teetering on that edge.

He always wanted what was best for you.

However, he found himself tempted by a future where you would be by his side.

And eventually, out of desperation to cling on to the only family he had left, Dabi caved.

- - -

"Are you absolutely fucking crazy?! You're seriously gonna let her go through with this?!" Ai spat, following closely behind Dabi as he stomped through the house.

"Shut up." Dabi scoffed coldly. "You of all people don't have a right to talk."

"Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME?! I rob people, I don't fucking murder them."

"The man's a sell-out to corrupt mob bosses. He deserves to die anyways. Why does it matter who kills him?"

"Because it's (y/n) you dumbass!" Ai cried. "Our sweet (y/n)..."

That made Dabi stop dead in his tracks.

"I asked her again and again if she realized the decision she was making." He muttered angrily, fist finding its way against the countertop. And then he just lost all semblance of control. "SHE ALWAYS HAD A CHOICE! I NEVER MADE HER DO ANYTHING! I'M THE ONE WHO GAVE HER EVERY CHANCE TO TURN BACK!"

"Dabi... You-"

"What?! I'm still not doing good enough?!" He continued. "I loved them too!"

"Kyoko is still alive!" Ai argued.

"SHE TRIED TO TAKE HER OWN LIFE!" Dabi snarled. "And she's sick! She may never leave the hospital again! She can't take care of (y/n)!"

"You can't just give up on everything like that! There's still hope, there's still good people! If the two of you do this, there's no turning back!"

Dabi swept his hand across the counter, sending a lone glass flying and shattering against the wall. The air became completely still as the two of them remained silent.

"If at any point she wants to turn back, that's fine... But..." Dabi lowly mumbled, stomping off towards the door.

"There's no turning back for me."