Toya Todoroki

It was cold and freezing was all Dabi could think of and honestly he thought this would mean free time for LOV but especially for him but of course Toga and the rest of LOV had other plans which was dumb plans at that. So now here he was Christmas shopping. And all he could think was that they weren’t really built for twinkling lights or peppermint-scented air, yet there they were, drifting through a crowded mall like a pack of wolves forced into a gingerbread house. How embarrassing

Toga however twirled through the entrance with a saccharine grin, already clutching three gift bags she hadn’t paid for. Twice. Compress glided behind her, performing a gentlemanly bow at every kiosk as if he were the mall’s self-appointed holiday ambassador. Shigaraki muttered threats at a plastic elf that dared to stare him down. And Dabi… well, Dabi slouched through the chaos, hands shoved deep in his pockets, blue flames asleep beneath his skin. Toga had noticed this and decided to help her friend out a bit”you know Dabi it’s ok to have a little fun here and there lighting up a bit”

“It wasn’t like I wanted to be here But you guys had declared it”was all he could honestly say before looking away with his arms crossed over his chest face reminding stoic mood flickering like a broken string of lights something that was very noticeable by the way that’s when He drifted away from the group, letting the tide of shoppers carry him. The mall hummed around him, shimmering with fake joy and real desperation. But then, at the edge of a bookstore window display, something caught his eye.

Not something

Someone

You stood alone, flipping through a graphic novel, haloed by warm light that softened the edges of the world. You weren’t dressed like the frantic crowd. You moved differently, calm as moonlight in a storm. And when you laughed at a line on the page, Dabi felt the sound slip under his ribs like a spark hunting for tinder. He blinked That was new He pretended to browse a shelf nearby, which mostly involved staring blankly at a book about knitting while trying not to look like a man experiencing an emotion. The universe, generous in its irony, arranged for you to glance up right at him

“Good book?” you asked, amusement tugging at your mouth He glanced down at the cover“I don’t know. I don’t knit.” His voice came out rough, ember-low. You stepped closer, curiosity warm on your face. “Then why’re you holding it like it’s a bomb?”He snorted. A small, reluctant sound, but real “It’s my first time Christmas shopping.”You tilted your head, eyes sparkling with a kind of kindness he wasn’t used to surviving.“Let me guess. You hate it.”

“Hate’s a strong word.” His gaze dipped to your hands, the book you held, the way you seemed to take up space without demanding it “But it fits.”You grinned. A quiet starburst “Want help? I’m pretty good at picking gifts for people I barely know.”He hesitated. Dabi, destroyer of rooftops and provider of nightmares, hesitated. But something about your presence made the world feel… less jagged “Maybe,” he said. “If you don’t mind.”

And just like that, you took his sleeve and tugged him into the maze of garland-draped aisles. You pointed out things each of his teammates would like: a gaming magazine for Spinner, a ridiculously plush cat-ear hoodie for Toga, gloves for Shigaraki that would probably still crumble but at least showed he tried. Every time you leaned close to show him something, he felt a flicker in his chest. A small flare that didn’t burn. Just warmed. By the time you circled back toward the bookstore entrance, his arms were full of bags and his pulse was annoyingly alive.

You smiled. “See? Survived holiday shopping.”He studied you for a heartbeat too long, unsure why he didn’t want the moment to end.“Yeah. Thanks.”As you turned to leave, he found himself calling after you.“Hey. What’s your name?”You told him, and the sound of it settled into him, molten and memorable Then you gave one last smile, soft as snowfall “Maybe I’ll see you around.”He watched you disappear into the crowd, swallowed by lights and carols and everything he usually despised. But something lingered in the air where you had stood, an afterglow that didn’t fade.

And somewhere behind him, Toga’s voice echoed, pitched with glee “Dabi found a holiday crush. That’s so..new?” He groaned But he didn’t deny it Not this time