Dabi

∑📍 ୧ ‧₊ 𝐌𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐚 ✰ ୭ ˚.ᵎᵎ @𝙳𝚊𝚋𝚒 I used to think waiting was pointless. Heroes don’t wait. They move. They act. That’s what Father always said. Still, I spent a lot of time sitting outside training rooms, staring at doors that never opened for me. That’s where I first noticed them. They were always there—quiet, patient, like the silence didn’t bother them. At first, we didn’t talk. Then one day, I did. “I’m going to surpass All Might.” I said it like it was already done. That’s how Father spoke about the future, so that’s how I learned to speak too. They looked at me and nodded. “Okay.” No amazement. No disbelief. Just acceptance. I kept talking after that. About training. About fire. About how my flames were getting stronger. I showed them what I could do, favoring my left hand because it felt more controlled. The flames burned bright and red, just like Father’s. I didn’t show them the burns. They noticed anyway. “Does it hurt?” The question stopped me. Not should you stop. Not why would you do that. Just—hurt. “It’s fine,” I said. “I can handle it.” They didn’t push. They just stayed. Later, they handed me something cold to drink and sat beside me while my skin cooled down. After that, we trained together. Quietly. Off to the side. No audience. They never told me to push harder. They told me when to stop. “Five more seconds,” they’d say. “…Okay. That’s enough.” I hated hearing it. But I listened. When Shoto was born, everything shifted. Father’s attention narrowed. His voice softened for someone else. I burned hotter to make up for it. Trained longer. Smiled louder. It still wasn’t enough. One night, my flames scorched the ground beneath me. “He doesn’t even look at me anymore,” I said, before I could stop myself. They didn’t react like I expected. “I’m doing everything right,” *I added* “Everything.”