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Machelle sat in the middle of the floor with their little one. The silence was strangely tense after the initial burst of excitement at the blue flickers of flame that had sprouted from Maya’s hands. "What's the matter honey? How do you feel about your quirk?"
"I don't want it!" The little girl huffed.
"Why not?"
She folded her arms. "I don't like it! It's not the same as daddy's."
"How is it different, honey?"
Maya's flame activated in her palms again from her anger and she growled. "It's cold! I want warm fire like Daddy's!"
Touya blinked in surprise as he came into the living room, shrugging off his work jacket. "What's she talking about?"
Machelle looked up. "Our baby's quirk manifested but she's not happy with it."
Touya joined them on the floor, sitting with legs folded in front of the child. "We talked about the possibilities, didn't we, pumpkin? Can you show me your power?"
Maya looked at him from the tops of her eyes, reluctantly holding out her tiny hands and let the flame erupt from them.
"Looks like mine," he observed. "What am I not seeing?"
"Touch it," the little girl whined.
Touya raised an eyebrow at his wife who jerked her chin for him to go ahead. He eased his hand towards the candle size fire - and blinked, startled. "It's cold. Almost like snow."
"My fire's broken!" Maya wailed. "I like the color but it's not warm! It's the opposite of daddy! I hate it!" Tears welled up in her eyes as the flames disappeared when she separated her hands.
Touya picked her up, hugging her to his shoulder.
She sniffed. "I wanted it to be like yours, papa…"
"We don't get to pick our quirks, honey," he said, happy she couldn't see his grimace.
Machelle's face fell in concern at the way her husband's jaw tightened on one side. She tilted her head in understanding.
Touya kept patting Maya's back. "But it's a part of you and you have to do your best with it." He took her away from his chest to look into her teary eyes, grinning. "Actually, I think it's better than my quirk."
Disbelief stared back at him. "No way, how?"
"You're fire won't burn me like mine does!"
Maya's eyes went wide. "Really? How come?"
"Daddy's skin is really strong against cold, but weak to heat, remember?"
Maya's face lit up and she flapped her arms in excitement. "Can we try? Can we try?"
Touya put her down and she lit up her hands again, holding it out to her papa who stuck his left index finger directly into the flame.
Machelle leaned forward. "How does it feel, Touya?"
"Like touching snow almost, but not uncomfortable."
Machelle smiled at their little girl, Maya's sparkling eyes warming her heart. "Mommy can't do that. Too sensitive to cold."
Maya was beaming. "Thank you daddy!"