"Dabi..." Kyoko weakly muttered. "Listen to me..."

She reached out and took Dabi's hand gently on hers. He latched on to that, holding it up, making up for her lack of strength. Pale moonlight streamed in through the hospital room window.

"I know very well that this isn't what you signed up for... I was just happy that you had found a place you could call home... I don't know what happened in your past. I don't know why you hate the world as it is... But..." She breathed. "Dabi, I do know that I love you like a son, unconditionally."

There was a lot Dabi wanted to say, by his voice was caught in his throat. If he allowed it through, it would only come out as sobs.

"If this is the path you choose, I will still love you regardless." Kyoko continued, rubbing tender circles across the top of Dabi's marred flesh. "But (y/n) is still only a child... torn apart by terrible circumstances. This is not a decision she should make yet."

He knew that.

"I already tried to keep her away from this world," Dabi growled. "But every time I pull her back a foot, she sprints five feet forward."

"Then... we make her forget why she was running."

"Are you implying that you'll wipe her memory? What would even become of her then?" He asked further.

"Only the events that traumatized her. My husbands' death, my chronic illness, and you Dabi."

"I never did anything to traumatize her!" He yelled in rebuttal.

"I know." Kyoko's brows furrowed. "But you filled her head with ideas. Maybe they were right, who knows, but (y/n) doesn't yet know how to handle the responsibility of knowledge. I know that what I'm asking for is unfair, but I don't think we can pull her back any other way."

"Damn Ai for telling you..." Dabi growled, trying his best to piece together his scattered thoughts. "And why do you think I'll help you? I don't gain anything from this."

"Because (y/n) will smile again." She replied calmly. "And I know you want that."

Dabi threw her hand away and stumbled back. His hand rested against his temple as he ran through any other possible solution. Again and again, he came up empty.

"Where would you have me go, Kyoko?" He muttered in despair.

"Well... I suppose you would have to disappear to prevent any relapses in memory... I too would have to avoid her until I recovered." She sighed. "Ai and Ranka can look out for her... My good friend Satou even offered to keep an eye on her."

Dabi collapsed back against the whitewashed hospital wall. His mind and heart ached.

"You cruel bitch..." He lowly muttered.

Kyoko shifted back against her pillow, head turning away from him. She watched the night sky close, searching for some kind of answer.

".... Yeah..."

- - -

"(Y/n) please! Listen to us!" Ai pleaded. Ranka held the girl back, keeping her from getting too close. "They're just using you, you and Dabi both!"

"Shut up..." You muttered angrily. "If you're not here to help then just leave!"

"We are here to help!" She boldly declared. "We're here to help you!"

The sky was as cloudy as your mind. Each breath you took seemed to echo throughout the desolate warehouse. Your brows furrowed together and your chest tightened.

"You just don't understand Ai-"

"I DO!" She insisted, voice booming across the empty space. The girl struggled to maintain her composure. "I do understand (y/n)... I understand that you're so distraught you don't even know what to do with yourself! But please, you're about to do something that you'll regret."

"I won't regret it. I'm sure of myself." You replied coldly.

"Oh for fuck's sake (y/n), you're 14! The only thing you should be concerned about is what you're having as an after-school snack!"

In any other situation, you would have cracked a smile at that. She always knew how to get to you through humor. But you weren't laughing, not with what you were about to do weighing heavily on your mind.

"I'm going. Tonight." You growled. "And there's nothing that you can do to stop me."

"You're right," Ai muttered. "Maybe not me alone..."

Blue flames erupted in a line before you, separating you from those you once considered your family. Your eyes darted around, the heat of the flames a clear giveaway of who they belonged to.

"Dabi?!" You called out. "Dabi are you there?!"

"Yeah... I'm here." He entered the warehouse through a side door and quickly made his way over to you. You clung onto his sleeve the moment he reached you.

"Ai and Ranka... They're trying to stop me..." You muttered into his jacket. "Why are they doing this?! Why don't they understand that this is justice Dabi?!"

"Because they've swallowed the load of crap that's been shoved down their throats by this world..." He scoffed. "But we won't fall for it, we're better than that, aren't we (y/n)?"

"Yeah!" You grinned up at him.

"Oi, Dabi! What shit are you telling her now?!" Ai yelled across the sea of fire. "Get your ass over here so we can duke it out properly!"

Dabi wrapped his arm around your shoulders and held you close. It was warm, safe. Dabi was the only one you absolutely and wholeheartedly trusted.

"Dabi, Dabi!" You called his attention with a come hither motion. He leaned down and lent you his ear. "We should kill them."

The whispered worlds were sinister, without a moment of hesitation. Dabi pulled away, his jaw falling open slightly. The smile you bore was borderline psychotic.

It wasn't that smile he craved to see again.

"(Y/n)..." He muttered. "You know I love you, right?"

"Hmm?" You tilted your head curiously. "Of course I do! I love you too Dabi!"

"Right..."

He released you and took a step back, peering down into your eyes. The fire extended into that of a loop around the two of you. You glanced around at it.

"What's this? Is it to keep the other's out?" You questioned.

"No, not quite."

Before the circle had closed up completely, a figure entered behind Dabi. It only took a moment for you to recognize the woman.

"Mom?!" You gasped. "You're out of the hospital!"

"Yeah..." She smiled softly. "Just temporarily."

Kyoko walked up beside Dabi and fell to her knees before you. She took your hands in hers and looked you directly in the eyes.

"(Y/n) my wonderful daughter, listen... I'm about to wipe everything about these past few months from your memory. Your father's death, my illness, Dabi, and all the atrocities you've committed."

"Huh?" You pondered. "But... I don't want to forget."

You attempted to back up and pull away but Dabi was now standing behind you. His hands took hold of your shoulders to prevent any sort of escape.

"Dabi? What are you doing?" You peered up at him with questioning eyes. He didn't answer. Cold fingertips rested against your temples, sending you into a panicked frenzy. "W-Wait!"

"(Y/n)..." Kyoko started, leaning in close to you. "There will come a day when you will remember this. I pray that it will be when you're old enough to understand. Just know that everything we've done has been for your sake."

"LET GO!" You screamed, thrashing around in Dabi's grip to no avail. "I DON'T WANT TO FORGET!"

Tears flowed down Kyoko's face as she activated her quirk. Your mind became putty in her hands, morphed to that of her liking.  It was overwelling to the point that your vision blurred and your consciousness slipped away. As strong as the ringing in your ears was, you heard a few more words escape her lips right before the blackness.

"We love you."