CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - SUMMER IS COMING

"Shigaraki?" Dabi called gently for what seemed like the hundredth time. "Hey. Mop Head! You in there?" He teased, waving a hand in front of Shigaraki's face. When his boyfriend blinked back into reality, Dabi chuckled and shook his head slightly. The lighter haired boy tipped his head to look at him, clearly irritated.

"What?"

"You were a mile away."

"Was I?"

"Yep." Dabi snorted a laugh and then leaned in to smack a kiss against his boyfriend's turned cheek, relishing in the responding dissent that his affections caused before he sat back in his chair with a self-contented smirk.

Shigaraki grumbled and shifted his gaze back to his extra-large, extra-spicy bowl of ramen. He slurped up some noodles and followed them with a huge gulp of broth.

"Is he always like this?" Dabi asked, looking across the table at Kurogiri and Kai. Shigaraki seemed more interested in eating than having a conversation with his friends. Was that normal or was sharing the table with Dabi, and his crew, throwing him off?

"Pretty much." Kurogiri replied with a shrug. Kai agreed, nodding his head without looking up from his phone.

"Food is important. Got it." Dabi affirmed.

Before they had started dating, he and Shigaraki never did have lunch together, but now, their two groups of friends had joined in a somewhat awkward sociability - thanks to their relationship - and had decided to sit together during the break period after a week of awkward shuffling back and forth. Minus Takami who still refused to share a table with Shigaraki. Which was probably for the best. Dabi almost felt bad for his best friend. Almost.

"You know I can hear you, right?" Shigaraki interjected, sniffling.

A series of snorts and chuckles filtered around the table. Shigaraki's cheeks flooded with heat, partly from the attention and the other part from the steam coming off his hot noodles. He jerked his chin down. Disconcerted.

"So, what are your plans for Summer break?" Dabi asked, repeating the question he had asked earlier. The question that had gone unanswered. He casually draped his arm across the back of Shigaraki's chair and moved in closer so he wouldn't be ignored this time.

"I dunno. I guess, just working." Shigaraki said, picking at the remnants of his food.

"Working?" Dabi questioned, his brow raised. "Where at?"

"At the Fourth Kind Agency. I need the extra cash."

"You're working all Summer break?"

"Yeah." Shigaraki finally set his chopsticks down, having finished his lunch. "Why? What are you doing?"

"I told you already. Family shit. We always go away for Summer break." He moved in a little closer, his voice dropping lower. "But I want to see you."

"Oh, and i'm sure Endeavour will be just fine with you leaving the annual Todoroki Summer Vacation to visit me." Shigaraki replied sarcastically, earning him some laughs from the others at the table.

"Heh." Dabi grinned, "I don't really care what he thinks."

"You say that now." The corner of Shigaraki's mouth curled up into a grin.

"Don't you want to see me?" Dabi asked and he leaned all the way in, stealing a kiss from his startled boyfriend's mouth while the opportunity presented itself.

Shigaraki gasped and immediately revolted, pushing him away. "Dabi!"

"Yes?" Dabi grinned and dropped his arm from the back of Shigaraki's chair, his arm sneaking to Shigaraki's waist.

Around them, students began to whisper. There were chuckles and some whistling. Shigaraki was sure he even heard one jerk yell out, "get a room". Dabi quickly shut them up, telling them where they could stick it to pacify his very uncomfortable boyfriend, but still refused to move back.

Shigaraki scowled.

"So, don't you want to see me too?"

"That's a given." Shigaraki grumbled, squirming in his chair and trying to dislodge Dabi's insolent arm.

"So, yes?"

"Yes, Dabi." Shigaraki rolled his eyes.

"Mm. Good." Dabi's fingers swept the small of Shigaraki's back through his UA Blazer, "What about your family?"

Shigaraki abruptly looked over at Dabi, for the moment forgetting about the disagreeable groping, and he furrowed his brow. "What about them?"

"You don't have to visit them?"

Shigaraki's mouth settled into a hard line. "No."

"You don't want to see your parents?"

Shigaraki sighed and scratched frantically at his neck. From across the table, Kurogiri, who neither of the boys thought was listening in to their conversation, sat up straight and leveled a stern gaze at Dabi. "Change the subject." He whispered in quiet warning.

"Excuse me?" Dabi's head tilted slightly to the side. "Not that it's any of your business, but I was just asking him a question."

"And I'm telling you to leave it."

"Leave what exactly?" Dabi contended, unsure what Kurogiri was referring too and taken aback by the suggested threat.

"Hey." Kai piped in, grabbing Kurogiri's forearm and preventing him from getting up. "Calm down."

"Yeah, Mist boy. Something got your panties in a twist?" Came an impish voice from beside Dabi. It was Toga, ready to stand up for her friend too.

"Toga. Don't. It's cool. We're cool. Right?"

Dabi really didn't understand what had happened. He was just making idle conversation and showing an active interest in his boyfriend's life outside of school. How had it turned so sour so suddenly?

Admittedly, he really didn't know all that much about Shigaraki - what his family was like, where he grew up, or something as simple as what his favorite color was. Though, on the latter he was sure if he guessed black he would be right. And it was only recently that he had discovered what Shigaraki's favorite food was. That... was it. They had been classmates for almost three years and Dabi hadn't learned a single personal thing about his previously aloof boyfriend. Of course, he had had no right to ask those kinds of intimate questions before - they were never really friends. But now? They were in a relationship and he wanted to know everything about Shigaraki Tomura.

So, what was the big deal with asking? He would only find these things out if he asked the right questions.

After a moment of awkward silence and antagonistic staring, Shigaraki finally spoke up, alleviating some of the tension between his best friend and boyfriend.

"Cut it out. You are both idiots."

Dabi dragged his intense blue gaze away from the other side of the table, settling his eyes on Shigaraki, and everyone calmed down once again, returning to their food or their phones or their previous conversations. Fight averted.

He turned in place to face Shigaraki, his voice lowering so the words would be kept between them. "Did I say something wrong?" He asked, one brow raised.

"No."

Dabi searched Shigaraki's face and then lifted a hand to the side of his face, thumb stroking the high point of Shigaraki's cheek.

"What was that about then?"

Shigaraki didn't answer right away. He only stared at Dabi, contemplating his response. He didn't like to talk about his family or lack thereof. It wasn't worth the breath, but maybe Dabi deserved to know now that they were dating. He was bound to find out eventually, Shigaraki just didn't think it would be so soon, or in the cafeteria at school during a lunch break.

"If there's… anything that bothers you, or if something I say upsets you, don't keep it to yourself. You can talk to me." He grinned reassuringly and brushed a light lock of hair away from Shigaraki's eyes. Shigaraki knew who his parents were, and Dabi had told him about all his… scars, now he wanted to know about Shigaraki's.

"Your parents, who are they?"

"I don't know." Shigaraki shrugged his shoulders like he was brushing it off as no big deal and tore his eyes away from Dabi. "I don't have any."

Dabi's brows popped up in surprise. That was not the answer he was expecting. He thought for sure Shigaraki was going to say they were on the wrong side of the law, or that he just didn't get along with them or something - but not this. What did he say now? How should he reply or react? This was an extraordinary situation.

"I know you want to ask." Shigaraki added, noticing Dabi's bewilderment. "But you don't need to. There isn't much to say." He shrugged his shoulders again, "My birth parents abandoned me, apparently after I developed my quirk. I don't remember them, I don't remember their names. I don't even know if any of that is true. But it was what I was told, and I accepted it."

"Okay." Dabi swallowed and pressed his closed fist against his mouth, like he was considering Shigaraki's words and trying to keep his mouth shut while he did so. And mostly so he wouldn't say anything stupid on insensitive. "That is a lot to process."

'It's not, really." Shigaraki shook his head.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Who told you that?"

"What?"

"That your parents abandoned you."

Shigaraki's mouth again settled into a hard line. "I dunno. I don't remember. Someone at the orphanage. Most likely several different people. I knew I was too much for them. For anyone. So, I believed it."

"Where did you grow up then? Who raised you? There had to be someone…" Dabi said in a rush, a million questions running through his head, until Shigaraki stopped him.

"Nah. Adoption never seemed like an option. They tried, i'm sure but it didn't work out. I lived in that orphanage until I started at UA High. Then, when I turned sixteen, they were no longer responsible for me. I was on my own."

Dabi opened his mouth to say something but words did not come out.

"That's it. That's my story, and pretty much all you need to know about me. And you don't need to say anything. I don't need any pity bullshit. I came to terms with… everything a long time ago. I've accepted what and who I am."

With a little hesitation, Dabi reached out and slid his arms carefully around Shigaraki's waist. He knew Shigaraki was opposed to PDA but he needed to hold his boyfriend, so Shigaraki knew that he was there. Really there. And that he wasn't alone.

"Don't you want to know for sure?"

"About what?"

"Your parents. What really happened."

"No. Why should I care?"

Dabi's hands curled to caress Shigaraki's back and he found himself moving closer. Soon enough, they fell together into a tight embrace. Well, it was tight on Dabi's side. Shigaraki's shoulders immediately tensed up at the hugging, but he didn't pull away

"You know, I was always told I was never enough." Dabi whispered right by Shigaraki's ear, "But they are wrong. And they are wrong about you too."

"Are they?"

"Yes." Dabi brushed a kiss against Shigaraki's temple. "You are not too much. And I am enough. We don't have to live up to anyone else's expectations."

Shit. Shigaraki blinked slowly and his heart thumped loudly inside his chest. What was this? This feeling. This feeling of falling? In just a few simple words Dabi had given him something no one else had ever managed to give - a little bit of hope and a whole lot of reassurance. It didn't take away years of self-doubt and self-loathing, but it sure did help to know he wasn't alone in the way he felt.

Dabi never failed to surprise him.

Shigaraki's brow furrowed and his eyes fell hard, closing as he buried his face against his boyfriend's shoulder, surrendering to the hug and, for once, finding some comfort in it.

"So, Endeavour really is an asshole, huh?" Shigaraki finally muttered to break the seriousness and the silence between them.

Dabi chuckled. "Yeah. He is."