As the months turned to years behind prison bars, I didn't really pay attention to much that was going on outside the prison walls other than what Shoto and my other siblings told me during our visits. Mother would join them sometimes; other times it would be the old man. He was trying his best to change, anyone could see that. But Shoto and I still tried to give him shit whenever possible. We could see his efforts were sincere, but we couldn't help but give him a hard time. After some consideration, they decided to do away with the hero ranking system. So the old man ended up losing his top rank, although he didn't outwardly seem troubled over it.

Three years into my stay, I got to witness Shigaraki being escorted in with full guards on. Thick padded gloves encased his hands, making it impossible for him to use his Decay Quirk. As we passed each other in the hallway on my way to visitation, I just gave a little wave and a wink. His expression soured as he saw my mocked greeting and rolled his eyes in passing.

"You're kidding, that freckled brat took down Shigaraki?!"

Shoto nodded as he filled me in on the details. "Yeah, he's truly come into his own as a hero. Though the battle was fierce. Midoriya lost vision in his left eye and nearly lost an arm. His recklessness hasn't lessened at all since we graduated."

"The kid's got balls to take down the leader of the League though. You should have seen the look on Shigaraki's face when he got paraded in here with those potholders over his hands! It'll likely be the only time I see him since they'll be putting him in solitary below ground, but that was a damn satisfying moment." Knowing he was locked away here gave me the peace to know that none of the remnants of the League would dare to threaten my family now.

Of course, this didn't stop Shigaraki from attempting to kill me while I was here. Every now and then, some insignificant thug would try to shank me or use his weakened Quirk against me. And each time, I'd be ready with my own defense to stop them in their tracks. They give us regular doses of Quirk suppressants, but they don't always do a thorough job on whether it's absorbed after we take it. As long as I kept my flames low enough to not set off any of the alarms, I could easily defend myself against any idiot sent by the League to kill me. I didn't always get away unharmed, but at this point, a few more scars are nothing. Plus I had to make sure none of their silly attempts triggered any misconduct on my part. I didn't want their bullshit ruining my chance at parole.

Just after the sixth anniversary of my incarceration, I was granted a parole hearing. Seeing no negative behavior in my file, the board decided to grant it, and I was a free man once again. Shoto was there to meet me at the gate.

"It's good to see you on this side of the building again," Shoto said as he took the small bag that held my belongings from me. "You ready to go home?"

Home. The place and concept had been foreign to me for so long. After I left it, I never found myself in a place I could consider home. I just lived and survived where I could; just temporary rooms and apartments. None of them felt permanent. The thought of going back made me nervous. How much of it had changed? If I stepped over the threshold and didn't feel a connection there, what would I do then?

"Yeah, as ready as I'll ever be." The prison-issued crutch was nearing the end of its usefulness, the rubber grip torn and sticky from years of sweat. It creaked with each step I took, and although I had gotten used to the sound, it immediately irked my little brother.

"Oh, and don't think I forgot about your promise. We have an appointment with Hatsume the day after tomorrow. She's made a few options for you to choose from."

Shaking my head, "Even though I managed to come out on top in the ass kicking contest? Yeah sure, I'll give them a try, I suppose." I didn't expect Shoto to forget about the deal we had made for when I got released. But what right did I have to be able to walk normally again? Wasn't the loss of my leg just another part of my punishment for all I had done? All the deaths I was responsible for, the crimes I committed. Could six years really be enough to make up for it all?

"I'm looking forward to seeing you stand tall again, Touya. Let's go, everyone is waiting."

The house felt smaller as we pulled into the driveway in Shoto's car. The walls were faded from weather and time, but it still looked as sturdy as ever. I wasn't as worried for the structure as I was for the atmosphere within. I wondered if the fear and tension still clung to the walls inside, right where I had left all my emotions after facing off against the old man. Even with one leg, I was nervous to take the first step inside. Luckily, the door opened and revealed my sister's smiling face, easing my nerves.

"Touya! It's so good to have you back! We're all waiting inside, let's go!" Fuyumi rushed up to me and put her arm against the small of my back, urging me forward.

Even though the outside of the house was worn, the inside hadn't changed at all. The smell of floor wax and incense hung in the air. Natsuo met us in the foyer, grinning and slapping me on the back. This energy within the house now, it was positive and warming. So much had changed in the last sixteen years since I'd been here. It had been far too long since I felt comfortable somewhere.

"There's food in the living room, I'm sure you're hungry. We made a lot so don't be shy to dig in, bro!" Natsuo said.

Grinning in reply I answered back, "Yeah, I just need a moment. Be right back." Waving them away to show I didn't need any company or assistance, I walked down the hallway. They must have known where I wanted to go and knew not to follow.

The training room also felt smaller, though it could be because I had grown since I was here last. Observing the equipment, I walked across the room, noting to myself what was new. Standing now in the spot where I had fallen, I realized that there were burnt markings left in the floorboards and even partially up one of the walls. They were the same as the ones I had made the night I fought with our father, they had to be. Walking over to the wall, I ran my hand across it, feeling the rough texture beneath my fingers.

"I never bothered to repair the damage. It reminds me of how strong you were that night."

I whipped around to see the old man standing in the doorway.

"You fought well back then. I was wrong to doubt your strength. My own was wavering at the time, and it was wrong to take it out on you and Shoto. I can't do much to repair the past, just like these scorched sections of wood can't be easily replaced. But I want to do better."

I had to laugh at how sentimental my father sounded. It was so out of character, though at the same time, completely sincere. "You must be getting soft in your old age."

The rest of the day was full of food and conversation. Having been secluded for so long, it was overwhelming at times, even though they were all people I trusted and cared for.

"I'll be right back, need to get some fresh air," I said as I picked up my crutch and went toward the courtyard. Stepping out into the warm summer night, I closed my eyes and leaned my head up to the sky. It was good to feel the breeze through my hair again. It had returned to its original red shade since hair dye wasn't a common commissary item. I had no urge to change it now.

"Hello, Touya! If you're looking for Todoroki, he's in the main conference room. You can go right in, he should be free to talk," said Midoriya as we passed in the hall. He had gotten taller since I'd last seen him, sporting a thin eyepatch over his left eye. I nodded in response and kept going towards the room. The prosthetic that Shoto's associate made fit me like a glove, although the extra features she added to it were a little… excessive. I didn't see any use for a retractable knife boot or flamethrower in my daily routine. The thought of having them at my disposal isn't entirely unwanted though. You'll never know what situation you'll find yourself in these days.

"Ah, Touya, I have to take some paperwork over to Iida, walk with me?" Shoto had started a hero agency with his classmates, so almost half of his day involved the business end of things rather than actual hero work.

"So how often do you end up dealing with the League now?"

"After Deku managed to defeat and capture Shigaraki three years ago, there's been little to no movement from any of the remaining League members. Based on your old information, there wasn't a clear leader that would have taken over, so it could have just fallen apart."

"I think it would have been me. If Shigaraki fell, and Kurogiri went with him, I think I would have been the next to lead the League of Villains."

"Is that so…" said Shoto.

"You almost sound disappointed, little brother. Bored, even. Should I grab my jacket and set a few fires for you to extinguish? Cause a little chaos so you don't have to do any more desk work?"

"I think we're good, Touya. I wish you'd reconsider the offer to join us here. If you're so intent on setting off those blue flames of yours, you could at least do it fighting on our side."

With an audible groan, I palmed my hand against my face. "Not this again. I told you why I don't want to join, Shoto."

"Yeah, and it's a bullshit excuse. You told me yourself that ever since you set off your first spark you wanted to be a hero. There's no time limit on dreams, big brother. My offer still stands, you'd make a great addition to our agency."

I'd told him when he first asked me to join his agency that it just didn't feel right. After spending so much time on the other side, the villain side, what could I possibly offer as a hero? I had grown accustomed to the darkness, and it wasn't any simple task to just suddenly wade through that and say 'oh, here I am, the hero that's going to save the day!' But Shoto was relentless. Constantly pushing me and trying to get it through to me that I was more than capable of being the hero I had wanted to be.

Even six years later, Shoto was still working to save me. And you know what? Who am I to keep him from achieving his dreams by forsaking my own?

"Tch, well I'm not changing my costume. Or the name. If there's anyone left in the League, at least they'll know who they're going up against."

Shoto smiled, "Of course they will, they'll be facing one of the greatest heroes in our time."

Oh, this boy.

AN- I want to thank everyone that's read, commented, and liked Touya's story. I've always found Dabi's character to be so mysterious and tragic. I know we still don't have a lot of canon backstory for him, but it's always interesting to come up with a 'what if?' backstory of your own, and that's what I did here. So, what did you think? Did it end the way you hoped? How do you think he'd work as a hero? I'm sad that it's ended, but I had a great time working on Brotherly Love and enjoyed all the comments and conversations with you readers that resulted from it. Thank you so much!