Hi! For this one-shot, Toya Todoroki is Dabi and the reader's role would be his twin sibling (please don't come at me I believe this theory—) so ye :)

This will contain spoilers from the manga so please beware :3

Italicized text are flashbacks, and bold and italicized texts are thoughts so ye

Andddd MANGA SPOILERS, PLEASE BE WARNED

The sweet, sweet melody lingered in the Todoroki residence. There was something comforting about the soft tune faintly resonating throughout the household. The silence mixed with the soft hum of the piano basked into the ambience the Todoroki family found themselves accustomed to every night. Today the sound was nostalgic, with subtle melancholic undertones, it soothing nontheless.

As much as they enjoy hearing the soothing, instrumental lullabies resonating through the serene silence of the night, they can't help but to feel concerned.

Fuyumi would often enter your resting quarters to see her older sibling passionately play instruments that varied day by day and after that, she would make sure you'd be sleeping instead of playing. She can only hope one day you won't be in the mood to play an electric guitar during the dead of the night, but she knew you wouldn't do it.

Her memories with you were vivid, she can still remember those times where you would participate in her make pretend, board games, or perhaps you'd teach her how to sew or crochet in your backyard. She can't help but to smile at the wholesome memories, but her heart felt heavy as she realized when she grew older... You were always trying to distract them from what was happening inside the household.

"I want to learn to make a preeeeeeetty dress that looks like a princess would wear!" Seven year old Fuyumi tugged on her older siblings sleeves, a gleam of light in her eyes like a perfect snowy morning.

Her twelve year old older sibling giggled, taking a pair of scissors from the sewing box as they got to work with the dress Fuyumi wanted. They rummaged through expensive fabrics, searching for a particular colour that their younger sister might want.

"What colour would you like?" They asked, running their fingers on the fabrics laid before them, before glancing at their younger sibling.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Red and white! To match my hair!"

"Red and white princess dress it is!"

Natsuo began to follow his older sister Fuyumi into your room only to do the same thing. They often frequented in your room to watch you peacefully play an instrument of your choice, only for them to doze off with you in your room.

He really admired your strengths and multiple talents. Memories with you were often unforgettable and fun. You were so vibrant, but mature. As soon as he grew up, he realized that even as a young child, you immediately learned how to be mature. Your childhood wasn't the best and you were immediately forced to learn how to be the role model your siblings have to look up to.

"Natsuo, just be careful when cracking the egg in the pan... Gently lower young hand and—"

"But the oil is splashing everywhere!" Nine year old Natsuo complains, holding an egg above the pan over the boiling oil, looking over his shoulder to look for reassurance from his fifteen year old sibling.

"Just be gentle and quick, being splashed by oil is normal and—"

"You do it!" He hands you the egg out of fear, when the oil in the pan erupted in bubbles as if it was threatening him.

Sighing, you took the egg from him grasp and effortlessly cracked it in the pan. "See? Easy."

He watches in amusement, then turns to you. "Can I crack the next egg?"

"Sure, go for it."

Shoto have always wondered how you play your instruments every night. For the most part, he was uninterested but there were times he'd wonder how many instruments do you play, when he'd hear different instruments varying night by night. He never got to see you play in personal, he never had the time to... Until he had the time to.

The first time he visited his eldest sibling, was at the time when he visited his mother after the Sport's Festival. He thought he could pay you a visit as well since you were at the same establishment. He never had a significant memory of you from his childhood, but he often see you playing with Natsuo, Fuyumi and Toya. He always wanted to play with you and the others, but the patriarch of the household always held him back from association himself from his siblings.

Shoto can remember feeling the intense anxiety when he visited your room after visiting his mother. He was afraid he would be the one that'll make your catatonic episodes worse and feared that it was a bad idea to visit you. He remembers standing by the door of you room, hearing muffled, yet soothing lullabies from the other side of the door. It was then he gathered enough courage and opened the door.

You were peacefully humming to yourself by the window, staring out, when you saw him. He just stood by the doorway, stunned to see you moving around unlike the last time he saw you. It's been a decade when he last saw you. You were breathing, blinking... But it seems like you were dead and it scared him and the others. For the first time, he saw you smile at his direction.

"Hello Shoto," you smiled, beckoning him close. "Come in, sit with me. The weather's cozy today." He didn't expected the warm greetings, but complied nontheless. He sat on a stool next to you and watched you admire the garden from your window.

"I heard you placed second in the UA Sport's Festival, I'm proud of you," you softly spoke. "Such a shame I couldn't get to see my little brother in action. That'll be cool... No pun intended," you lightly giggled.

"T-thank you..." Shoto found himself stunned at you warm and soft demeanor... Quite reminiscent of that of your mother.

"Doctor said that I'm almost okay and will be discharged out of the hospital soon. I can't wait to get out of here and spend proper time with all of you," you spoke, turning to Shoto. "I'll make sure to be the proper older sibling you need. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to—"

"Don't," Shoto looked down in shame. "The past's passed. It was never your fault." He found himself stunned when you wrapped you arms around your brother's figure. Seeing no choice, he embraces you back.

"Thank you for visiting me."

It had only been a few weeks since you have been discharged out of the hospital, you started playing instruments throughout the night. At first they felt strange hearing a strangely eerie, but compelling tunes coming from your bedroom, but figured it was one of your coping mechanisms to avoid dosing too much medications. After spending a decade in a mental institution, they found themselves letting you play during the night.

Fuyumi vividly remembered that tragic night with her mother and youngest brother, followed by yet another tragedy with Toya running away. The series of stressful and unfortunate events caused you to undergo a catatonic state. But she knew far too well it wasn't just that night that's caused you to be catatonic. It was the constant pressure given by the patriarch, the unsightly abuse he displayed throughout the years... Too much to be handled by fifteen year old Y/N.

You have been thankfully discharged from the institute, and the only connection you have with them was the prescription drugs and visits for therapy and occasional visits you make to see your mother. You can't remember much of the establishment, but you do remember your reactions from time to time whenever you hear music, it was then the doctors discovered an alternative therapy for your case.

The Todoroki family was informed playing instruments was your way to vent out emotions you've compressed in your chest and they let you be. And they enjoyed whenever you played.

Tonight you were playing piano amidst the dead of the night. You can't find yourself resting at this current moment, it was the chronic insomnia acting up again and you didn't want to take your pills too often. It was a long day after visiting your mother with Natsuo and Fuyumi, you got to see the nurses and doctors that used to take care of you who still haven't changed. It was almost hard to believe you have spent a decade of your life in this establishment.

Tonight, the tune sounded frantic. You figured it was the nightly sense of adrenaline from the anxiety attack you have experienced after watching from live television about your father's battle with a strange creature from the days ago. You hated him, that was no secret. Those years you spent in the mental institution, you often found yourself realising you shouldn't blame yourself but your father. And at the same time, you found yourself pondering over you father. You often visit your mother's room during your stay in the establishment, and she seems to forgive him. Those anonymous gifts you received? The flowers? The gifts? You recently found out it was from your father, who somehow still cared. Perhaps he was trying his best to be the proper father he needed to be. He took his first step to be a proper father and he's trying his best. You appreciate him for that and you forgave him. If your mother can forgive him, then you certainly can.

You frequently visited your mother when you were at the establishment. Well, you had to wait for five years to recover from the catatonic state before you can visit her. She was sweeter than you remember, so pleasant... How could someone harm her?

"Mom..." You stared at the flowers sitting by the window. It looked the same as the flowers being anonymously sent to you once a week. "You're receiving the same flowers too?"

"Mm? Yes," she softly smiles, gently touching one of its petals. "Lovely, isn't it?"

"Do you know who keeps sending them? I keep receiving the same flowers, too..."

Rei Todoroki smiles at you. "You'll know some day..."

Tomorrow he'll be discharged from the hospital and you'll be able to see him for the first time. You were anxious, of course... Who wouldn't be? It's been a decade since you last saw your father, the last time you saw him wasn't pleasant and you'd rather avoid the topic.

Nimble fingers pressed the keys, softly and anxiously playing away to drive anxiety at bay. The milky glow of the moon peeked from your windows, light breeze blowing through the drapes and inside your room. You were playing the piano to express your woes, when you heard the door open. Startled, the keys became an incoherent and jumbled mess. You glanced by the doorway to see your two younger siblings.

"G-guys—" you closed the piano, turning away from them to hide your negative reaction. "—aren't you guys supposed to be sleeping? It's late," you beckoned them in, as they entered.

"I don't know about you, Y/N, but I think you should be doing the same," yawned Natsuo, stretching his arms above him.

"Y/N, the doctors said you should rest as often as you can!" Fuyumi scolded, assisting you to your bed.

"Is Shoto coming home tomorrow?" You asked, sitting by your bed and reached for the glass of water sitting by your bed side table.

"Yes, now go to sleep," Fuyumi puts a hand over your shoulder. Sighing, you complied to their wishes.

"You can leave me now. I'll sleep," Fuyumi squinted her eyes at you, but beckons her brother to leave you to rest. They walked towards the door and peaks at you one last time to make sure you'll be sleeping instead of staying awake for the rest of the night. Both of them left nontheless.

You lied awake on your bed, staring at the ceiling above your head. Father would be seeing you tomorrow morning for the first time and you can't help but to ponder... Was it possible that you'd ever be a perfect— no, proper family? A family that sticks together? A family that doesn't involve the patriarch using his children to surpass All Might? No more pain, no more misery... Just family. Will you ever have the family complete? You haven't seen your twin Toya in a decade, you never heard from him again.

A tear rolled from your eyes at the sudden realization. You have never thought about his whereabouts. You never questioned where he went, what he's doing, how he's feeling... He was a miserable fifteen year old, as miserable as you were.

You'd get off of bed to play, but you can't feel your body. You were well aware of this certain events, it almost didn't bugged you one bit. Almost. Another one of those catatonic episodes, it will wear off sooner or later.

"Day by day, I watched him hurt himself. Torturing, tearing himself apart... Day by day, he strayed away from the light, until I can no longer recognise him, until I lost him.

He endured father's pressure everyday. I can't stop it, although I wish I can. If only I were courageous. If only I were there for him when he needed me most. I was weak and I couldn't stop him from harming himself, from father, from his own mind. I could've prevented him, but alas.

Three nights after mother's breakdown and the occurrence between them and Shoto, he finally broke down and ran away. I can't visually remember what happened, but the feeling was unforgettable. The feeling was not difficult to reach within the depths of my despair.

Toya... I'm sorry."

When the morning came, you found yourself wondering in the living room only to see Natsuo and Shoto sitting by the table watching the news, while Fuyumi prepared breakfast. You stood by the door way before Natsuo took notice of you.

"Oh, Y/N. Good morning," he greeted with an enlightening grin, causing you to shoot a grin back at him.

"Morning kiddos," you greeted back, patting their head and messing with their hair, before sitting down with them. They surely know how to express their extreme displease when you messily ran your hand through their hairs.

Food was thankfully served, you started to eat with your brothers whilst you stare at the television. The three of you were peacefully eating soba, when the door opens. And oh behold, your long lost father whom you haven't seen in a decade.

It seems that with the mere presence of your father, your two brothers started to loudly slurp on their noodles. You aren't really sure if they were being condescending, or they just really enjoyed Fuyumi's cooking. You really can't blame them, Fuyumi's cooking is awesome. Enji Todoroki just stared down at them whilst the three of your started slurping in unison.

"That's a nasty scar you got there," Shoto points out as a matter-of-factly.

"H-hey, you guys!" Fuyumi frets, glancing between the three of you. "At least welcome him home first!"

You only bit down on your tongue, unsure of how you should approach the situation. You still bore the mixed feelings and you were unsure how you would let him in your world. And here you thought you were ready to forgive him. All you wanted was to have a normal family, but you were too uncertain.

Your chest squeezed as Natsuo stood up from his seat and began to aggressively talk to your father about everything he has ever done. From abusing his wife and children, turning one of you into a weapon to bypass All Might, pushing your mother to harm one of your siblings, the reason why Touya was nowhere to be found and was presumed dead, pushing you to fall into a rare syndrome in which the heavy stress and pressure caused you to undergo catatonic states... You can't blame him for yelling at Endeavour— your father.

Your gaze fell on the floor, millions of thoughts raising in your head contradicting one another and sending yourself in a familiar state. A state you never want to enter again. It wasn't severe as it was before, you used to undergo a catatonic state that would last within a month. Thankfully, the episodes only lasts for a few minutes. And even that, you never want to enter that state again, fearing you will never break free from it.

Soon, your eyes grew dull and dull by the moment, seemingly dazed. But it was just another one of your episodes. You can hear them that's for sure, but you can't quite grasp their words properly. You can still the harsh heat from your mug, but your body felt numb to any kind of sensation.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to stop him from doing that to you." you frowned, putting an ice pack you've created on your twin's midly burnt skin.

"Don't be, it wasn't your fault," he insists, hiding the ice pack to his skin. "As long as he doesn't hurt mom and you guys, I'm fine."

Your lips twitched, eyes prickling with tears that threatened to spill. "You're still not okay. I don't want that." You wiped the tears off with your sleeves. "Why can't we just be a normal family..." You hiccuped, prompting him to hold you close.

"Yeah... I wish that too..." He longingly sighs, stroking your back to ease your pain whilst you son on his shirt.

"Promise we'll stick together even though our family's dysfunctional?" You choked on your tears, looking up at him. He smiles at his younger twin.

"Of course. We'll stick together and make our younger siblings happy even if our family isn't that happy." He smiles, patting your shoulder. His face darkens, a look of disdain in his eyes. "This is all dad's fault."

You looked up at him with a tearful gaze. He continues his statement.

"Society calls him calls him a hero, their mighty saviour after All Might... But they never knew what's happening in his life. If ever, he's a villain. His only intention is to surpass All Might. And when he isn't number one, he uses his children to do that for him by constantly abusing them and pressuring them at young ages.  There's nothing heroic there." You agree at that statement, you let him continue. "The world is cruel... I'll show them what heroism really is..."

That was the last time memory of him before he ran off weeks after your mother broke down and harmed Shoto. And your father had the audacity to blame your mother for harming his 'creation.'

You were pulled out of your episode after hearing the door slam close behind Natsuo as he ran off screaming at Fuyumi about the food. Although your mind was present and conscious, your thoughts were still incomprehensible and you would love to compose yourself before speaking up.

Doctor said if ever you suffer from the after effects, all you needed was to steady your breathe and heart rate, before you ground yourself to reality. She told you to put yourself in your happy place and all that you knew is that your hands started to itch for your guitar sitting by the corner.

Maybe I can play a guitar later on...

You looked up, finally forming proper sentences in your head. You square your shoulders, only to notice Shoto and Fuyumi were gone. There was only you and your father. You look up at him and smiles. He looked like Shoto the first time he visited you in the hospital. He was taken aback. Stunned to even comprehend things.

"Come sit with me. Let's talk." you pat the cushion next to you with a smile. Although the atmosphere is tense, you were trying your best to ease the situation. He's stunned, but sat by your side nontheless. There was silence, until you spoke. "It's been a decade since I last saw you. Now you're grown up," you jest with a smirk. He takes your cue of trying to ease the situation and lightly chuckles at your statement.

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that?" He jests back, though he was still tense. He was confused as to why you were easily able to become this comfortable around him.

"Tables have turned, I guess," you giggled, covering your lips with your fingers. You sighed. "Look, I recognize your efforts of attempting to become a good father... I appreciate it and I hope you'll continue to continue trying to convince them you're going to change for us."

He found himself in awe to how mature his eldest child is. He never knew how you were raised by Rei Todoroki, but he knows full too well how he raised you with an iron fist. You're brave, but soft. He never thought you'd recover from a severe, rare syndrome but here you were bouncing out with your wise words. He was speechless to say anything, not being able to recognise his first born. It was ironic how you are his first born, and yet he barely knew you. His presence was strong in your childhood, he knows that, but he is ashamed that it was a negative presence. He missed a decade of your life and here you are, more wiser than he is.

"Just promise... Promise that you'll never mixed your hero duties and paternal duties alright?" You asked, looking up at him. It wasn't you who he only sees. He also sees your twin, his eldest son.

Out of words, he merely nods. The sound he made was a sound he never thought he'd produce when you embraced him. Seeing no other choice, he embraces you back with tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He never knew he yearned for one of his children to comfort him. He never knew he always wanted to embrace them just like this. He was confused as to why you would forgive him like this. You were only doing this to motivate him to continue. You forgive him, but you want him to earn forgiveness from all of your siblings as well.

"Thank you, Y/N... I'll be a better father, I promise."

A/N:

The illness that the reader has is made up by me. Maybe it does reassemble other illnesses, but it is coincidental.

I hope you enjoy this chapter as I enjoy writing it 😊