I do not own Boku no Hero Academia. It belongs to Horikoshi-sensei and respecive parties.
A little warning. It wasn't enough to put it into tags, but I want tell those of you that don't like ANY KIND OF SPOILERS, that in this one-shot there are VERY INDIRECT spoilers to the manga. If you don't know where to look for, you won't find them (probably). It's like one sentence in three subsections and it wasn't addressed directly. But I wanted to warn you just in case.
Outside of that, please enjoy!
1
Dabi stepped to the edge of the renovated building.
People under his feet looked like ants, rushing around the street without a purpose. Burned out of energy, stressed, indifferent to their environement. They were begging for being manipulated, used by someone, killed in the least creative way, just to entertain low-class villains. Stupid, unaware people who chose heroes to be their defenders.
Like the little bird, who played a dangerous game with much stronger opponent, think he was too smart to get caught.
An rough space on the seventh floor in reconditioned building made a perfect place for the secrect meeting, so the little bird agreed, not knowing how foolish he was to trust a villain. Dabi jerked his head toward the horizon, where on the afternoon sky touched by a purple licks a small figure flew straight to its fate.
Dabi hid his hands in pockets, reading himself to return to the League's quarter, when he looked down again, spotting something interesing.
Two heads caught his attention, when they passed the construction area. They bickered with each other, to the confusion and a anxiety of people around them.
Todoroki Shouto's hair were his trade mark, so Dabi had no problems recognizing him even from distance. A little soldier impressed by the world of big, strong heroes, who followed his daddy's steps, until he had grown enough to be separated and try the true taste of reality.
Such an interesting development the kid made, since he was a little, frightened child, hiding behind his mommy's legs every time daddy's entered the room. Now an aspirating hero, who failed his first practial exam.
But the blond boy beside him, now threatening his companion with clenched fists, were even more interesting prey to follow. Dabi smiled at the memory of a scared teenager acting brave, but trembling under the pressure of possible death.
He squated at the edge, tilting his head.
Messing with him had sent thrills of happiness all over his body and the knowledge who they were to each other made everything more exiting.
A wide grin bloomed on his face, when he realized the opportunity that appeared in front of him, eyeing the blond boy with joy.
Chills wandered through his spine, when the familiar feeling rose in his chest. Forearm inching with an infuriating intensity, although it was removed years ago in rather draamtic circumstances.
Inked letters shaped in a hero name were still engraved in his memories, rounded and messy, just like his little soulmate.
Now, Dabi needed just the right moment, and the best way to find one was a hunt.
2
Dabi escaped the current hideout of the League, because the mood was terrible.
After the attack of yakuza eveyone neither yelled afraid of another thread popping up out of nowhere or was pissed and yelled because of said thread.
What was enough was enough.
Dabi wasn't there to clean the mess or make a scene, so he had taken the first possible opportunity and flee. Shigaraki probably didn't even notice, concentrated on finding a way out from the current mess.
When Dabi sneaked out, he still didn't have a clue.
In late afternoon people wasn't paying attention to others, hurrying to their tasks, dinners, meetings or whatever they were supposed to do.
Dabi walked through smalled aleys, not wanting to bump into any hero, who felt a need to be a source of justice.
One massive headache for a day was enough to deal with.
He was wearing long sleeves and a turtleneck to avoid unwanted attention, because he learned that people on the street tended to not hold an eye contact as long as it was not provoked or anticipated by the other party. Dabi wasn't interested in social interactions, escpecially those one's that involved chatting or escaping from heroes.
As much as he wanted to burn them all into aches, then blow it on the wind, he knew that Shigaraki would skin him alive.
Right now they were in a bad situation and even worst position in power. In fact, they didn't have any, until something unexpected happen, they would play by yakuza's rules and grit their teeth, like little, obedient dogs.
Dabi would just wait for his turn and pay those bastards back, sweet, blue flames eating them alive, screaming and begging, fighting with unstobable force of the nature, when their skin burnes, turning bones into ashes.
"I don't fucking care what you thinnk, you stupid halfbrain!" a loud yell scared people, looking around for the source of sudden shriek with knitted eyebrows.
As a response, Dabi only scretched his neck, hiding in the back alley. Nothing rushed or suspicious, so nobody frowned at the odd behavior, occupied by someone else spectacle.
When two boys passed the entry, Dabi took another step back, so the shadow swallowed him to the point where only tips of his shoes were visible. And who paid attention to the ground?
With position secured he listened to the conversation, or rather shouting match, between two high school student.
"I think you're contradicting yourself by calling me stupid and half brain. It suggests that I, in fact, have a brain and it's functioning, but not as a whole. In contrary to the state that, in general opinion, stupid people..."
"Just shut the fuck up! Nobody is interested in your stupid dilatation!" the blond kid threatened the other boy with his fist.
Dabi's left forearm itched, rough skin feeling oddly fresh, unprotected. A new sensation to him, since the last few years the mark was silent.
It only activated maybe once or twice, a decade ago, when he was still Todoroki and the hero forced his will on his youngest, most perfect creation.
"I didn't know dilatation can be stupid. Is it a reason why people avoid them so much, or it's just you, because you're incapacity of holding a normal, human interaction without shouting at someone?"
Ouch, Dabi winced, that must be hard pill to swallow. A smile played on his lips, when the mark became hot and throbbing.
"You're saying I'm stupid, you icyfreak?! Give it on then!"
"I'll be happy to entartain you, but we still don't have our hero licence, so our match must wait until the course..."
"Just shut the fucking up! You're annoying me!" the blond boy yelled, making a face.
It looked strange from this angle, but Dabi grinned at the piece of information he now possesed. His eyes wide, when he looked at two small figures walking on the street.
Time for a real hunt.
Playing with a prey was always his favorite part of the event.
3
Finding out their rute was hard, because of the frequency – the remedial course happen once every week.
They met with their tutors for a two - three hours for training session, then returned to dorms.
Dabi grinned, watching a blond boy's hunched back, while he cursed under his nose, body all bruised, cheek swollowed by a red mark.
What a sweet sigh, if only he was the one putting them on this handsome, little face.
But they had time for this, their whole lives. After all fate paired them together with a reason.
4
At first he chose to just follow them during their returning trip.
The blondy scrached his neck, trying to take away chills he felt. It was amusing to watch him like that – fidgeting and walking on pins.
Then he looked for an interaction, before the final stage would be enforced.
Throwing stones from rooftops was fun, especially when the blondy shouted at some innocent civilian who just passed.
It wasn't going to be easy.
These two always walked in pair, bickering the whole way or sulking in silence.
But on that day Dabi was lucky.
"I need to buy something to drink" Todoroki Shouto announced after the training session, when the sky was turning orange, ready to call a day and backing down, so the mood would settle on the dark blue firmament.
"So?" the blondy grunted.
"There's a grocery shop down the street. I'll be right back."
"Just hurry up, fucking halfbrain" the blondy sounded exhausted, his answers lacking the usuall energy.
Perfect.
Dabi waited, until the blondy lifted his head, then he loomed onto the edge.
The boy blinked, wiping his eyes. Then opening them wide and... scared. Such a sweet expression he was showing his soulmate. In another blink fury replaced fear. It was the moment, when Shouto exited the shop.
Dabi put a finger on his lips, then dissapeared from the view, knowing his message was received, just waiting for the right reaction.
"Do you have a conscussion?"
"What? The fuck with you, shithead?"
"Do you feel nauseatic or have problems with concentration? Are you sleepy?"
"What a question is that, fucking freak?!"
"Reasonable one."
Silence followed the statement.
"I'm fine, just thinking, is all. Stop pretending you care, asshead!"
"I don't, but is better to no be blamed because of your condition."
"Shut the hell up and fuck off!"
5
When the school started, Dabi let himself be spotted at random locations, just on the edge of blondy's view, enough to be seen, but not being recognized immediately.
Now, when the League returned to the game, he had less time to his little play.
But the blondy's head was a fun one to mess with.
Too smart to be fooled by the illusion and too intuitive to ignore the rational explanation.
He probably suffered PSTD after their little kidnapping, so now came the desparate need to prove himself in other's eyes. Setting another stage of his hunt, Dabi chose the perfect location to their little randevou, sending the message via kid's mail.
What he would give to see the reaction.
Sometimes being a villains was a easy-pass to resolve one's problems with communication.