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his arm shoots up, fist balled and a smile on the boys face. look dad, look! flames flicker in the boys fist and he smiles up at his dad.
enji grins, proud and feeling. his own fist comes up and big flames grow. his son, his first born, toya. his face changes in childlike surprise, but the surprise is quickly replaced with happiness, a big toothy smile across his boys face.
despite toya not having the quirk enji hoped for, he wasn't upset about it. he was just as satisfied with toya as he would've been with any child he was given.
toya laughs as he bumps his fist against enji's the two flames joining together.
his tuft of red hair sways as enji ruffles his sons hair, toya smiles even happier even wider.
i love you dad, teach me to make better flames!
i love you dad.
i love you?
do you not? do you love me?
i do, toya, i love you so much, my boy
the flames grow hotter, as enji holds his son, no longer a boy. his face scarred and displaying every mistake enji had ever made. his son doesn't cry, he can't anymore, but his voice shakes and cracks like he is. he tells him to look, to look at him. and enji does.
he looks as the fire burns his skin, he looks as ice departs from toya's chest and he keeps looking even as toya's voice is lost and he's still on the floor.
his sons eyes blink bleary, he's dying.
enji holds him steady in his arms, I'm looking toya, I'm still looking. his arms tremble in pain and desperation, he holds his son in a hug, flames still dying around them.
he watches as toyas eyes blink up at him. tears waver in enji's eyes.
toyas eyes shut.
sobs echo throughout the battlefield.
I'll never stop looking