Prologue: Fallen

Rizusa stood at the staircase to her old home, leaning back against the railing. She was early by an hour, mostly because she didn't want to be snuck up on. She scouted the whole area, making sure no one was around. She had Dragon Dolls watching every shadow for movement and around every corner for intruders. She really did want to know who'd written that letter for her. Even if it was a trap, at least she would know. It had been eating at her for two days, so of course she couldn't just stay away. She was on her phone pretty much the whole time, but that was more because she wanted it to look normal that she was standing there, rather than being obvious she was waiting for someone. She made herself comfortable on the steps after about 20 minutes, telling herself she had to wait for a while yet and there was no use getting a leg cramp. She was reading articles about the League of Villains and how their influence was spreading all over the city, making her wonder if she was just that tunnel-visioned about the Conglomerate to not have known about all these reports, or if she just forgot it all.

"I must be pretty dense… no good…" she sighed, leaning her head on her hand as she relaxed a little. "I'm really doing this whole hero thing wrong, huh…?" she laughed a little to herself. "I can't even keep up with all the big names anymore…"

Finally, it was 11:59pm, midnight was just 60 seconds away. She put her phone away and scanned the streets for anyone approaching. No one? How odd… maybe it was just a trick? No… she had a feeling someone was watching… it was the same feeling she had the day that Gin attacked her. That same presence watching. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

55…

56…

57…

58…

59… she opened her eyes, feeling someone staring at her. She looked across the street, her blue-silver orbs meeting brilliant turquoise ones, those scars and staples unmistakable. Oh god… was it really him?

"Well well… looks like I got lucky… guess you do like corny love letters." He grinned as he stood across the street. Rizusa's face turned bright red, Dabi laughing a little. "C'mon, don't tell me you're really that flustered…" he took a step towards her, waiting to see her reaction.

"Are you trying to trick me…?" she asked. Dabi shook his head, beginning to walk across towards her.

"Now why would I have gone through the trouble of writing it myself if I was tricking you?" he asked. "I would have had someone with better hand writing do it if it was a ploy." He added, Rizusa feeling that it was all too true. "I know I'm a bad guy, but I'm not a BAD guy, you know." He chuckled.

"… Why did you save me?" she didn't move as he took a few steps closer.

"Why not? I certainly wasn't going to let a low life like Thousand Blades kill you… not with a dirty trick like that… I think fights shouldn't have anything to do with tricks like that… it should all be face to face if you intend to kill."

"Why…?" she asked as he made it across the street to her, standing mere feet away on the sidewalk. What had she done to make him even think about this? They'd met one time. Maybe he just wanted to mess with her? Maybe he was just going to use her… "You're…" she paused. "You can't possibly…" she tried to convince herself.

"I told you before, you know." Rizusa looked up at him, staring at what was offered to her from his hand. A senbei… her mind flashed back to the day that boy broke into her compound. That was the same kind of senbei she'd offered him all those years ago, her eyes widening at the sudden realization. Dabi was that boy… "You never know till you try…" he slipped the senbei into her hand, fingers brushing against hers intentionally. "And besides… I think I have more right to the phrase "You wouldn't like me" at this point…" he motioned to his face and scars, pulling on his lip a little. "I'm kinda a monster now, Little Miss Dragon…"

"… How… I…" she bit her lip, trying to find words, but only finding the ability to sputter out one or two before she lost her sentence. Her head was spinning, trying to figure all this out. She never told anyone about that encounter, so he had to have been the one. But somehow still she wasn't sure. Then suddenly she knew a way. "Then what is your first name?" She remembered that name… he'd introduced himself… sure it was a name she thought she'd forgotten, but she knew that would prove it… If he got it wrong, then he was lying and she'd fight back as hard as she could. And if it was the right one… well, she was in deep shit, wasn't she?

"… If I tell you, will you believe me?" he asked, leaning in a little. He absolutely hated giving out his real name… but if it would get his point across, just his first name wouldn't hurt… So long as she never asked for his last name. But somehow he trusted her… even though she was a "hero", something told him that Rizusa wouldn't rat him out after coming out here and not attacking him.

"… Yes." She looked up at him, Dabi's eyebrow raising a little at the color on her cheeks, the insecurity in her gaze. He smiled, leaning over to whisper it into her ear, feeling her tense up. But he didn't mind. She was cute when she was embarrassed. He grinned, practically feeling the heat radiating off Rizusa from her blush as she shut her eyes tight.

"Name's Touya, sweetheart."

((Congratulations, you've entered the Dabi Route. Please be wary there is much insecurity ahead.

And yes, I am a fan of the Dabi Todoroki theory.

I want it to be true so bad ; A ;

As always reviews are loved, and thank you for reading!

-Winter Cheshire))