back stabber | dabi x agender!reader

prologue

You're going to grow up and do amazing things. You're going to be the best. I just know it.

A simple lie-a sweet, innocent lie whispered in (Name)'s ear the day their quirk manifested. When they formed the earth from their hands, their classmates surrounded them, asking them to create other objects from the earth. It was pure entertainment, and (Name) happily complied, trying their best to make the complex things their peers demanded.

The teachers had to settle down the class, congratulating (Name) for their quirk finally manifesting. They told (Name) to use their power for good and continued with their lessons, having to remind the class to settle down and not use their quirks in a classroom setting.

Oh, (Name) was jumping for joy when they arrived home, demanding their parents' attention when they finally arrived. They forced them to sit in the living room, holding out their hands before compressing the dirt in their hand. They hushed their parents, telling them to wait patiently before opening their hands, revealing the complex figure they had made perfectly. The earth had formed into a cube, pulsating with life in their hands.

"Oh, my baby has a quirk," the mother said with a sigh of relief, scooping them up into her arms and pressing her lips to their child's forehead. "Darling, come here. Come hug our baby," she gushed, pressing another kiss to (Name)'s fat cheeks.

(Name) remembered how their father showered them with praises, stroking their hair and pinching their fat cheeks until they burned red. "I'm so happy that you got your quirk. You're going to do great things one day. I just know it," he said with a bright grin. "You better grow up to be something great."

Yes, they would. (Name) would make their parents proud.

They trained until they were battered black and blue, not giving up until they were forced to rest. (Name) was a stubborn and arrogant child, yelling at their classmates who got in their way, looking down on those deemed inferior by the rest of their peers-especially those unfortunate souls who never manifested a quirk or had a strong enough quirk to stack up.

"You're gonna be the best," is what the teachers would tell them, handing back tests with perfect marks, patting (Name)'s desk before walking off to hand out the rest of the grades tests.

Those words fueled (Name)'s ego, only pushing them to do better and better. They had to be the best; they couldn't let anyone down. Everyone expected them to be the best, and they had to make everyone proud. There was so much pressure on their shoulders-they had a responsibility to maintain that high image everyone had of them.

Who were they if they couldn't carry it all?

It got worse when they applied to UA, always competing for the top spot with their rival, Ushio. (Name) hated him with every fiber in their body, wanting to crush and see him eat dirt with every test they took. Ushio made (Name) see red every time he boasted about how much better he was than them, shoving his tests in their face whenever he snagged the first-place spot. It was infuriating-he was a pain in (Name)'s ass.

There was so much pressure as an adult; it was almost crushing (Name). Everything had to be perfect; they had to smile, wave, and perform with the utmost precision every time. They had seen what happened to pro-heroes who got lazy on the job; they were ridiculed and mocked by the public and fellow heroes. They had seen the scandals pro-hero Endeavor has been in, and (Name) never wanted that drama-they tried to maintain a clean image for the public.

With each victory and arrest came more pressure and praise. Climbing the ranks to secure that coveted spot as number one hero made (Name)'s stomach churn and clench, sending them into episodes where they would lose their breath, gripping whatever was closest to them for support. They knew being a hero would be complicated and complex work, but holy fuck, this was stressful. Every day, they faced no challenges and Ushio's constant bragging.

Who cares about the constant panic attacks and the first of anxiety that left them screaming and sobbing in the dark hours of the morning? But they would be fine. They had to be fine for the sake of others and themselves; they had to push their issues aside and worry about everything else. Being number one and maintaining that perfect image was the top priority.

Everything would be fine if they didn't focus on their internalized problems. Out of sight, out of mind, yes? As long as they could come out on top. That's all that really mattered.