CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE - RELEASE DAY, PART 2

The Sports Festival Stadium was the most obvious and appropriate setting to host the impromptu press conference that afternoon. The building was large enough to accommodate multiple news crews with their array of reporters and photographers, the many attending pro-heroes from varying agencies and all the faculty and students of UA High. The stadium also featured an existing built-in stage where a long rectangular table and several chairs had been set-up and the large display screens and accompanying sound system were live in preparation for the broadcast.

Just outside the waiting rooms, Mr. Aizawa, All Might, and Endeavor stood off to one side, whispering between themselves in last minute preparation. The three boys remained silent and pensive, scattered individually ahead in the long tunnel that would lead them out to the field where the dull road of the crowd gathered in the stands could already be heard, chatting in anticipation of the media opportunity, and eagerly waiting for Shigaraki - and to a lesser extent - Dabi and Takami - to take the stage

Everything was set and the clock ticked over, signaling the media event was just five minutes out.

Dabi was leaning casually back against the cool cement wall, intently watching Shigaraki as he paced anxiously back and forth, just like a wild tiger that had been trapped in a cage. He understood why his boyfriend felt so distressed and he wished there was something he could do or say to ease some of Shigaraki's anxiety, but in all honesty, he wouldn't even know where to begin. Dabi didn't feel any apprehensiveness, as a Todoroki he had been exposed to the press and had been in front of cameras his whole life, this was all almost normal to him, but to anyone that was not used to all the commotion and noise, it could be very daunting. No one could prepare you for that, it just became less difficult over time and years of practice.

"You think someone is going to roll out a red carpet for him?" Takami sneered as he sauntered over to where Dabi was standing. "Fucking unbelievable. All this for him." He scoffed and crossed his arms bitterly over his chest.

Dabi only spared his best friend a quick glance. He was too busy monitoring his boyfriend to offer Takami any reassurance about his part in the press conference and he really didn't care to try. Takami was just jealous of Shigaraki and all the attention he was getting because of the revelation of his almost Hero Royalty lineage. The Shimura name had and still was trending on all major social media platforms which Takami did not like one little bit. Probably because he was no longer the center of that attention. Pre-release of the feature, Takami's following had increased significantly, however, since that morning, Shigaraki's socials had blown up, over-taking the golden bird to claim the number one spot at UA High. Not that Shigaraki cared about any of that, which only made Takami substantially more annoyed with him.

"Seriously, they are treating him like he's the fucking Prince of UA High." Takami jeered, scrutinizing Shigaraki.

Dabi scoffed and shook his head. "Try saying that to his face."

"What? Calling him the Prince of UA High?" Takami verified with an arrogant smirk. "I'm not scared of him."

"Yes, you are." Dabi countered.

Takami scowled and jerked his head away.

"Why are you so jealous of Shigaraki suddenly anyway? He hasn't changed at all. Everyone else, sure, but not him."

"I'm not jealous."

"Oh no, of course not. You're just sulking because, you know, too much attention." Dabi said sarcastically.

"Shut up." Takami shot back, irritated.

Dabi snorted a laugh. "Seriously, people still love you, bird brain." He said in mock reassurance, scrubbing his hand playfully over Takami's head and mussing up his perfectly styled blonde locks. "And Cho clearly put you on a fucking pedestal with that interview. You're golden."

Takami grimaced while he attempted to fix his now disheveled hair. "So? I'm still not a fucking Shimura or Todoroki. I can't compete with those names. It's unfair."

"Yeah, well, count yourself lucky." Dabi suggested. "You know, you can do whatever you want and be whoever the fuck you want. That's a fucking blessing. And I guarantee Shigaraki would gladly trade the Shimura name, and all the bullshit that comes along with it, with you in a heartbeat. If he could."

Takami sobered a little at Dabi's honest expression and not a moment later his usual cocky smile was firmly back in place, a glint of confidence sparkled once again in his eyes as he preened.

"I would be a better Shimura than Shigaraki." He boasted in his normal arrogance, an indignant glare directed at Shigaraki.

Dabi simply shrugged his shoulders, neither agreeing or disagreeing with that statement. Takami could think or assume whatever he liked but the fact-of-the-matter remained, he was not related to Nana Shimura. Shigaraki was, and that would not change. Whether he liked it or not.

"So, I spoke to your dad just before." Takami said, wanting to switch the topic of conversation from Shigaraki to himself.

"Great."

"The big guy is in an unusually good mood today."

"Is he?" Dabi questioned, nonchalant.

"He said he was very proud of me." Takami beamed, his wings fluttering slightly. "And you too, of course."

"Glad I got to hear that from you and not him."

Takami chuckled. "Well, anyway, he wants to take us out to dinner tonight, to celebrate the release of the feature."

"Funny. That, he did mention." Dabi said, shaking his head a little. He hadn't confirmed the invite with his dad because he was still hoping he could convince Shigaraki to go on a date with him. Chances were slim but it was better than spending an evening with Endeavor.

"Did he invite the prince too?"

"Takami." Dabi shook his head. "You need to stop calling him that."

"Why though? Doesn't it sound… revering?" Takami smirked. He knew very well the nickname would not go over well with Shigaraki and could potentially result in a broken nose but the temptation to mock him was just too intense. He couldn't help himself, any chance he got to deride Shigaraki he would take.

"No, it's fucking condescending. Especially coming from you."

"Whatever." Takami sneered while casually inspecting his perfectly manicured black painted nails. "So, did Endeavor invite him for dinner or not?"

"He didn't say anything to me." Dabi shrugged. "But I really hope not."

The corner of Takami's mouth curled up into an ugly, amused grin. "It would be very… interesting."

"It won't be anything." Dabi returned. "There is no way Shigaraki would accept the invitation anyway."

"I suppose considering how badly the last dinner with your family went…"

Dabi glared at his best friend.

Takami laughed and held up his hands, palms facing Dabi in mock resignation. "Hey, I was trying to help."

"You were not." Dabi stated. "You just made things one-hundred times more complicated."

"Okay, okay. Sorry about that, Dabs." Takami muttered a half-assed apology whilst simultaneously attempting to hide a well-pleased grin. "Maybe you should invite him then. Tonight, could be the night you tell Dad everything."

Dabi only stared at him. Droll.

"That is, if there is still something to tell…" Takami added, words trailing off and leaving the implied ex-status open-ended. When Dabi didn't bite, he added. "Maybe there isn't anything…"

"Sorry to disappoint you bird brain, but we are still dating."

Takami grimaced. "Well. I'm sure your dad would be thrilled to hear you are dating the Tenko Shimura." He taunted, grinning mirthfully.

Dabi sighed and shook his head. He was quickly growing tired of his best-friends banter, and he was just about to convey his annoyance but decided it wasn't worth the breath. Instead, he pushed away from the wall and shouldered past Takami to go to talk to his boyfriend, who looked very… tense, to say the least. He had finally stopped pacing, but his shoulders were set back, straight and tall, unnaturally statuesque and his ruby red eyes were indescribably fixed on the exit, way down the tunnel. He didn't acknowledge Dabi's approach and Dabi wondered if that was done consciously or not. He seemed to be in his own little world.

"Hey."

"Hey." Shigaraki replied quietly, his gaze still averted.

"You doing okay?"

"What do you think, Dabi?"

Dabi bit his lower lip. It was a stupid question. He knew that.

After a moment of silence, Shigaraki sighed and shook his head. "Sorry. I'm just-"

"I know." Dabi interjected with a reassuring smile, and he subtly brushed Shigaraki's forearm with his fingers. "I understand what this all must feel like for you."

"Do you?"

"Yeah. Of course." He nodded with another consoling smile. "I have lived in the shadow of my Father my entire life so if anybody understands, I do."

When Shigaraki didn't say anything in return Dabi continued.

"You know, the one thing that no one else can ever understand or discern is how difficult it is to live up to your family's name."

Shigaraki made a face and then lowered his chin to look at the ground.

"It's kind of ridiculous actually, like constantly being compared to someone else and then having these unreasonable expectations put on you, thinking that you will turn out just like them. It's so-"

"Unfair. Illogical?" Shigaraki inserted, feeling those words wholly.

"Yeah. It's a lot of pressure. I should know."

Shigaraki jerked his head up to Dabi with a pained expression. "How do you cope with that?"

Dabi shrugged, his laugh short and uncertain. "I don't. Probably why I smoke."

"Fuck." Shigaraki cursed, pushing his fingers back through his hair.

"I just… I try not to think about it too much, I guess." Dabi confessed, leaning back against the wall next to Shigaraki and folding his arms over his chest. "The rest, like the reporters and the cameras, you will get used to that."

Shigaraki attempted a smile, but it wasn't genuine, it didn't reach his eyes. Dabi wanted to say so many things to his boyfriend at that moment, everything and anything that could help with his anxiety. Talking did seem to help, a bit anyway. He settled on something a little more light-hearted and playful instead, hoping it would take Shigaraki's mind off the press conference, even if it was just for a moment.

"I wish I could kiss you right now. You look really… really good."

"Tch." Shigaraki flushed and tucked a loose piece of light hair behind his ear, his eyes fluttering as he promptly diverted his gaze.

The movement was so flawlessly coy that Dabi almost broke down and mauled him. He wanted to kiss him, he wanted to drop to his knees before his boyfriend and beg him to forgive him right then and there in front of everyone. The now exposed hickey that Dabi had marked his skin with earlier did not help the situation at all, it only made him more desirous.

"I won't, don't worry." Dabi teased while internally groaning. "I'm not that stupid."

"Uh huh." Shigaraki snorted.

"Or maybe I am." Dabi grinned and unwittingly reached out to brush the side of Shigaraki's face. "So, later, I was thinking about goi-"

The sound of heavy familiar footsteps coming closer made Dabi pause. He knew who those steps belonged to, and he cringed, drawing his hand back and cursing softly under his breath. Why now?

"Toya. Shigaraki." Endeavor's deep voice seemed to echo along the tunnel, rumbling the walls. "Are you boys ready?"

"Sure." Dabi replied with a shrug. Shigaraki only nodded his head. Just once.

Endeavor fixed his hard gaze on Shigaraki, like he was sizing him up or was at least trying to comprehend who Shigaraki was - it was hard to believe that after eighteen years his Shimura blood was just being discovered. Dabi didn't like the way his dad was looking at his boyfriend one little bit. Shigaraki was already feeling very uncomfortable and didn't need his dad scrutinizing him so firmly. He was tempted to voice his vexation but thought the better of it. He got the sense that neither of them would take that input well.

"We are having dinner tonight to celebrate the release of the feature, and of course, I wanted to extend the invitation to you."

"We?" Shigaraki questioned, one of his eyebrows arched in the query.

Dabi blanched, unusually distressed. He was sure Shigaraki was going to say no, right away, but the slight hesitation and his question suggested otherwise.

"Yes. Toya, Keigo, myself of course. All Might and Eraser Head will also be joining us."

Shigaraki jerked his chin over to his teacher, and current guardian, who had been listening in, silent like a fly on the wall. He nodded, encouraging Shigaraki to accept. If he asked, Mr. Aizawa would say something like it was good for him to get out and socialize with other heroes. He could hear those exact words in his head.

Dabi bit his lower lip. He had this overwhelming need to shield his boyfriend from his Father. He didn't want this, any of it, and he wanted Shigaraki all to himself. "Dad, I don't think Shigaraki wants to be out in public after-"

"I am sure Shigaraki is capable of speaking for himself and making his own decisions."

"Well, yeah. But-"

"Shigaraki, please, I'd love for you to join us. And don't worry about the press, we'll take care of that. No one will bother you." He explained while motioning over to All Might and Mr. Aizawa.

Shigaraki subtly glanced at Dabi before looking up at Endeavor and replying simply. "Okay. I'll come."

"Excellent." Endeavor responded with an extremely rare grin, he even patted Shigaraki's shoulder gently with a more unique delight. "I hope you like steak." He added before leaving the boys to go chat with Takami.

Dabi couldn't stop his sneer but thankfully it was subtle enough that his dad did not notice it, or he just chose to ignore Dabi like he usually did.

"Sorry." Dabi apologized to Shigaraki when Endeavor was well out of ear's shot.

"For what?"

"All… that. You didn't have to say yes."

Shigaraki scoffed. "I think I was left with very little choice but to say yes."

"Maybe." Dabi replied, but he knew Shigaraki was right. Mr. Aizawa would not let him skip out on it. Nor would his dad, truth be told. Endeavor was not the kind of person you could easily turn down. "I was hoping you would say no, though."

"Oh?" Shigaraki tilted his head slightly. "You don't want me there?"

"No, It's not that." Dabi said, shaking his head. "I just… I wanted to take you out."

"I already told you." Shigaraki started, irked. "I'm not going on a date with you."

"I thought I could change your mind."

"You're not that charming, Dabi." Shigaraki said. It was a joke. Dabi was charming and he knew that very well but Shigaraki was still mad at him, so his usual charisma just didn't appeal to Shigaraki. At all.

"Heh-"

Dabi had a slick comeback right on the tip of his tongue, but he would never get to flaunt just how charming he could be because their time for small talk was up. Mr. Aizawa and All Might were heading in their direction.

"We're all set. Let's get this over with." Their teacher grumbled. Shigaraki half-grinned as Mr. Aizawa placed his hand on the small of his back for support and ushered him forward.

Dabi was sure that his possessive and very envious gaze could burn a hole in that hand. He hated that their teacher was touching his boyfriend, even if it was done innocently, and he wanted to replace that hand with his own, maybe tuck Shigaraki into his side as close as he possibly could get him and assert his claim.

Of course, he didn't do that. He couldn't, and instead he sighed and fell into step with the group, walking alongside his Father and with Takami as they made their way down the tunnel towards the field. He really didn't give a rat's ass about the press conference, but he was dreading the dinner later. Would it go better than the last? Or would Dabi just end up further in the doghouse? It was his turn to feel anxious now. And he didn't like it one little bit.