OH, ABSO FUCKING LUTELY. [cracks knuckles]

i don't know how anyone could read those chapters and.... not understand? touya's story is practically biblical— the favorite son who is ultimately cast aside in favor of the new baby is a trope as old as time.

touya DID want attention. that doesn't make him bratty! and the neglect he dealt with was different than fuyumi or natsuo, because he'd been in the spotlight before and knew what it felt like. the lack of attention was bigger than just that— it was an indicator of his "failure" as a son. i mean, touya said it himself; he wanted to prove he wasn't a mistake. whether endeavor meant to or not, his love APPEARED to hinge on the abilities of his children. touya's body starting to deteriorate in a home environment like that would have been immensely traumatizing.

and dabi still holds onto that. that whole performance during the war, that was for endeavor. he wanted his father to SEE him, to realize he'd underestimated his son, that HE had made a mistake.