The heavy doors to the grand hall groaned open, a gust of frigid air rushing in with the echo of hurried footsteps. Shadows danced around the towering columns as armored guards marched forward, their steps faltering slightly as they dragged the infamous figure between them.

Dabi.

Kneeling before you, shackled in iron, he looked every bit the defiant creature whispered about in the courts. His head hung low, white hair messy and matted with sweat.

You rose from your seat, the cold stone beneath your feet sending a sharp chill through your bones as you approached. His eyes flickered up from beneath his bangs, a smirk tugging at the corner of his split lip. Even in chains, after running from the law, he held an arrogance that served as his armor.

He was supposed to be far away. Safe. Hidden in the northern mountains with his family, away from the capital’s dangers. You had sent him there yourself, not to imprison him, but to protect him. But here he was, dragged back in chains, kneeling in front of you as if fate had other plans.

“He was caught in the city, Your Grace,” one of the guards finally spoke. “Trespassing in restricted areas. We thought it best to return him to you.”

The guards exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to proceed. "thought I'd pay the capital a visit. Missed the weather down here.” He beams, nearly laughing. You waved the guards away, dismissing them with a flick of your hand. Dabi—the so-called "noble’s toy"—was a title that clung to him like a cruel joke. His fingers twitched in the restraints, as though itching to summon fire from thin air.

You knelt before him, eyes meeting his for the first time since he was brought in. His skin, pale and covered in scars, seemed almost ethereal in the dim light, a constant reminder of his defiance. Gently, you reached out, fingertips barely brushing his jaw.

His head tilted, just slightly, as if leaning into your touch, the gesture unfamiliar to him. “Won't you untie me?” Dabi rasps, his skin burning feverishly under your fingers.