Dabi/Touya

The biting wind whipped at my exposed skin, a familiar sting that echoed the ghostly burns that used to consume me. Four years. Four years I'd been lost to the world, a sleeping ghost on Saketo Peak. Now, standing on the cusp of adulthood, the mountain was a faded nightmare, a stark contrast to the vibrant city sprawling below. My reflection in the darkened window of the abandoned warehouse was a stranger, a canvas of smooth, peach-toned skin where ravaged burns had once reigned. Thanks to Recovery Girl, the past was almost erased, but the memory of the searing pain, the crushing weight of snow, remained etched in my soul.

My name is Touya Todoroki. Or rather, it was. Now, I am Inferno. A ghost reborn, forging my own path, shrouded in secrecy and fueled by a burning desire to prove myself – not to my father, but to myself.

The crimson flames danced in my palms, a comforting warmth in the frigid air. I'd honed my Quirk, Fire Manipulation, to a level beyond what even he could imagine. He, Enji Todoroki, the Number One Hero Endeavor. He who had pushed me to the brink, chasing an unreachable dream.

I deliberately chose my hero name to be ironic: Inferno. A fiery hell, birthed from his ambition. A constant reminder of what I overcame.

My phone buzzed, snapping me back to reality. A text from Keigo Takami, also known as Hawks.

"Got a lead on the warehouse district disturbance. Seems like some low-level thugs are trying to make a name for themselves. Wanna play?"

Hawks. He was my confidant, my ally, my only real friend. He knew my past, the accident, the recovery. He was the only one who knew Inferno was Touya. We met during my rigorous training, a chance encounter turned into a genuine friendship. His laid-back demeanor and sharp intellect were a welcome counterpoint to my own intensity.

"Meet you there in ten," I replied, a small smile tugging at my lips.

The warehouse district was a labyrinth of shadows and decay. The air hung thick with the smell of rust and stale rain. It wasn't long before the sounds of struggling and raised voices led us to a dilapidated warehouse on the edge of the district.

Hawks swooped in first, his powerful wings tearing through the air, disarming the thugs with a flurry of feathers. I followed, unleashing a torrent of controlled flames, forcing the remaining criminals to cower in fear.

"Inferno and Hawks! You're both dead meat!" one of them yelled, scrambling to his feet.

I silenced him with a jet of fire, just enough to intimidate but not to injure. I wasn't like him. I wouldn't break them to prove a point.

Working with Hawks was seamless. We moved in sync, a whirlwind of feathers and fire, quickly subduing the thugs and handing them over to the authorities.

"Another night, another victory," Hawks said, landing beside me, a playful glint in his golden eyes. "You're getting good at this, Inferno. Real good."

"Just doing my part," I replied, trying to keep my tone casual. The truth was, I reveled in it. The adrenaline, the sense of purpose, the feeling of protecting the innocent. It was all I had ever wanted.

We patrolled together for a few more hours, stopping petty crimes and assisting lost citizens. As the first rays of dawn pierced the horizon, Hawks clapped me on the shoulder.

"Gotta fly, Inferno. Duty calls. Same time next week?"

"Sounds good," I said, watching him take off into the sky.

I was about to activate my own flames and vanish into the shadows when a familiar voice stopped me cold.

"Touya?"

My blood ran ice-cold. I turned slowly, my heart hammering against my ribs. Standing across the alleyway, illuminated by the rising sun, was Enji Todoroki. Endeavor. My father.

Years had etched lines onto his face, but the fiery intensity in his eyes remained the same. He looked… older. Worn.

"What… what are you doing here?" I managed to stammer, my voice barely a whisper.

He took a step closer, his gaze scrutinizing me, lingering on the red flames flickering in my hands.

"That Quirk… the flames…" He trailed off, realization dawning on his face. "Touya? Is that really you?"

My carefully constructed facade crumbled. The years of secrecy, the carefully cultivated persona of Inferno, all threatened to shatter at his feet.

"It's… it's me," I confessed, the words heavy with resentment and a strange, unexpected sense of relief. "But I'm not Touya anymore. I'm Inferno."

He remained silent for a long moment, processing the information. The morning sun cast long shadows, turning the alleyway into a stage for our unspoken drama.

"Saketo Peak," he finally said, his voice rough. "We searched for you… for so long. We thought you were…"

"Dead?" I finished for him, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "You almost got your wish, didn't you?"

His expression hardened. "Why didn't you come home? Why hide?"

"Because I don't need you!" I exploded, the flames in my hands flaring brighter, hotter. "I don't need your training, your expectations, your pressure! I'm doing this my way. I'm a hero on my own terms!"

"A hero?" He scoffed. "Playing vigilante in the shadows? That's not being a hero, Touya. It's reckless. It's dangerous."

"It's my choice!" I retorted, my voice trembling with suppressed anger. "I'm saving people, protecting them. Isn't that what a hero does?"

He looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and… something else. Something I couldn't quite decipher.

"You're stronger than I thought," he admitted, his voice softer now. "But you're still reckless. You need guidance, proper training."

"I don't need anything from you," I repeated, the flames burning hotter, pushing him back with their intensity. "I've already surpassed you. I'm Inferno."

He stood his ground, his own flames flickering to life around him, a silent challenge.

"Prove it," he said, his voice low and challenging. "Prove to me that you're worthy of that name. Prove to me that you can be a hero… on your own terms."

The air crackled with energy. The alleyway became a battleground, the silence broken only by the roar of our flames. We stood there, father and son, locked in a silent battle of wills, the rising sun painting the sky in hues of fire and defiance. The road ahead was uncertain, fraught with challenges, but one thing was clear: I, Touya Todoroki, now Inferno, was finally ready to face my destiny, even if it meant standing against the very man who had shaped, and almost destroyed, me.