Chapter Ten

One week later.

I was already at the park, hanging up the decorations with an impatient now four year old and a man wearing gloves and a hooded sweatshirt that had a specially designed collar to sit tall enough to cover up to his nose trying to keep her entertained.

"Daddy, aren't you warm?" Ember asked.

"Not really-" I heard Dabi start to respond before Ember began screaming. I snapped my head around and saw my mom coming over, smiling at her and holding the birthday cake she makes every year.

"Grandma!"

"Hi honey-" she smiled before locking her eyes onto Dabi.

"Grandma, look! It's my Daddy!" Ember smiled proudly, tugging at her shirt to follow along. "He's here at my birthday party today!"

"Oh, I see.." my mother's tone was low, which wasn't a good sign.

"Ember, why don't you go play at the park now?" I suggested, patting her butt toward the slides.

"But I wanna-"

"Don't make me ask again."

Ember pouted before running off.

My mom glanced at me before staring down at Dabi, who stood up and said, "Hi, Mrs. {last name}, I'm -"

"So you finally decide to show up after four years huh?" My mom snarled at him, seeing the cake down on the picnic table.

"Actually, Mom, he's been in Ember's life for about seven months now," I chimed in quickly, standing between the two. "Ember absolutely adores him."

"I see." She kept staring Dabi down. "Well if I'm to tolerate your existence, I'm going to need your name. What is it?"

"It's Hajime," Dabi shook her hand.

"And tell me, Hajime, what's with the gloves and that ridiculous hood..."

"Mom-"

"It's alright, y/n," Dabi gently squeezed my shoulder. "I have a skin condition that causes it to blister with direct contact with the sun."

"Interesting," my mom crossed her arms over her body. "So your skin is allergic to the sun, but do you have a quirk?"

"Mom, enough with the questions-" I insisted before seeing Mimi pulling in. Shoyo stepping out on the other side.

Mimi immediately glared at Dabi.

Goddammit.

"You're here, huh?" Mimi snarled.

"You know this bum?" My mom questioned her.

"Mom. Mimi. Enough." I warned the two of them. "Hajime is here for the same reason we all are: to celebrate Ember. Not stop it and behave, or leave."

The two nodded, giving me a chance to relax before seeing some daycare moms pulling in.

dabi pov

I stayed quiet and under the shade, speaking with Shoyo mainly, and watching Ember when I got the chance. There was a moment when I took my eyes off for more than a second and I heard screaming.

I looked over and saw that Aiko kid standing over Ember. "That's not even your real dad!" He pointed at her, laughing. "A has to hide or he burns in the sun!"

"Y/N." I grabbed her arm harshly before releasing it and got up, running towards Ember.

"Oh shit-" y/n hurried after me.

I watched as Ember stood up, glaring at Aiko. "You take that back.." she warned him.

"Or what? Your daddy will fight mine? Mine just needs to shine a flashlight in your dads face and your dads done for-"

"Stop talking badly about my Daddy!" Ember screamed, her entire body flaring up.

"Ember, stop!" I heard y/n shouting before I slid into t knees toward her, shoving the brat back and holding Ember close to me.

Her flames were intense. The hottest I've felt in a long time. I held her head into my shoulder, feeling her flames burn my sweatshirt and gloves.

I froze as I watched Dabi's sweatshirt burn away, revealing himself to everyone at the park. Kids started screaming and running back to their parents, parents were in the phone with police, and I felt a hand on my shoulder turning me around and coming face to face with my mom.

"Are you telling me Hajime doesn't exist, and Dabi is Ember's father?!" She yelled at me.

"Mom, not now!"

"No I deserve an explanation-"

"Stop it!" I snapped. "Fucking stop it! Yes, I slept with Dabi four years and nine months ago and out came Ember. It was a fucking one night stand that ended in my baby existing. Dabi didn't know she existence until seven months ago when he saw us at the restaurant, and he wanted to try and be involved. And let me tell you something - he's the best fucking father I've ever seen, and he's a better father than Dad ever was!"

Mimi, Shoyo, and my mom stared at me in a state of shock. "Dabi has been with us since he found out she existed." I pointed at the two, Ember's flames starting to cool down. "Dabi is literally getting burnt alive trying to contain her and all you three want to do is criticize him. Yes, he's a villain, but he has not done anything wrong since he came into our lives, and he's not out Ember in any fucking danger."

I faced the two, seeing Dabi standing up and soothing Ember in his arms. I had tears streaming down my cheeks as I looked at my mom and Mimi again. "Dabi had agreed to be in her life as long as she isn't out in any danger. We have not had any trouble since he came into our lives. He will continue to stay in her life until otherwise stated. And if you have a problem with that, then do not contact me!"

I ran towards Dabi and Ember, dropping to y knees when Ember's flame finally went out. She clung onto Dabi's jacket, crying.

I looked over Dabi's arms, seeing some freshly done burn marks. I looked at his eyes and saw a different story of pain behind them.

"We need to go home." Dabi insisted, standing up with Ember.