Chapter 15.

"We have to do something about Shigaraki" Mr Compress sighed, sitting next to Dabi's bed.

The pyrokinetic was still in a convalescence room in the Paranormal Liberation Front mansion, although they had moved him to a private room that almost looked like a hotel suite. The nine lieutenants and the Grand Commander had no business resting in the same rooms as their replaceable underlings, after all. Moreover, everyone knew how much the Lieutenant of the Violet Regiment liked his peace. Making him rest with someone else in the room was a guarantee for disaster, no matter his state. Nevertheless, it hadn't stopped the League's original members from visiting him. They came almost every day to chat about the current situation within the Paranormal Liberation Front or outside. The heroes were in disarray after the destruction of the cult, apparently, and the media was eating them alive. Dabi had no doubt he would have good laugh while watching the rush from his dear father's interviews.

"True, he hasn't left Hana-chan's side!" Crazy intervened.

Dabi absentmindedly nodded. He didn't really understand the concept of caring one's sibling. He had only cared for Fuyumi, getting into a few fights for her at school, but it was a lifetime ago, back when he was a brat. Nowadays, he couldn't care less if Fuyumi lived or died. She wasn't part of his plan, and neither were Natsuo or his mother. Only Endeavour and perfect little Shōtō were. As for his grandparents, he had frankly forgotten their names. He couldn't even remember if he had cousins.

"What do you suggest?" Mr Compress asked, his mask for once removed.

"Love obviously!" the blonde girl replied as if it was some kind of evidence they were all too stupid to see.

"What a great plan" Dabi snickered.

He was already annoyed by these guys' presence in his room. He was tired and bored to death, with nothing to do except fantasise about Endeavour's dying expression. Or, just like now, listen to his "comrades" insane ramblings. He much preferred the first option; at least it wasn't utterly annoying. There was no noise around him, and no one expected him to talk. Even the Ice fucker was less annoying, and boy did Dabi hate that brainwashed idiot. If he wasn't useful, Dabi would have already killed him, just to blow some steam.

"It's a great plan!" Crazy insisted, looking straight at Dabi. "Tomura-kun will listen to you" she told him, dead serious.

Dabi rolled his eyes. And there it was again. Their latest idea was Shigaraki having a thing for him, which was complete bullshit. Shigaraki slept with a lot of people, and maybe Dabi was his latest fantasy, but that was it. Shigaraki didn't have a crush on him, nothing. Moreover, how would they make a relationship work? Dabi was firmly asexual and Shigaraki was whoring around as if he was trying to break a record. He even had had different boy toys at the same time.

"No, he won't. When has Boss listened to anything anyone ever said? Go in my stead."

"He lets you do anything you want! Mister or Spinner would be dead if they pulled the shit you do."

"I'm useful" Dabi shrugged.

Sure, he got away with basically everything, but his firepower allowed him to hold his own against more opponents in one go than Spinner had ever faced in his entire life. Plus, if the boss were to try to kill him, Dabi would roast him. He would probably lose, but he would at least give him a good fight. He could probably take him down with him so they would both die.

"I have to second Himiko-chan's opinion." Mr Compress said. "Shigaraki has had a crush on you for a while now. I wouldn't put it past you to convince him to get some sleep."

They never gave up, did they? Dabi rolled his eyes once more. Persistent little shits.

"Fine, I'll try, so that I can prove you wrong."

Crazy squealed, a cheerful smile on her face. They got him a wheelchair, which absolutely refused to use. It was bad enough that he bad been bedridden for so long, he couldn't move around the mansion with a wheelchair. A cane would do the trick perfectly. He had a reputation to maintain, and he refused to look weak. It was bad enough that the wannabe-heroine had saved his life twice, he had no desire to show the whole Paranormal Liberation Front he was still recovering.

Standing up was quite the feat, as his whole body protested, but Dabi ignored the thousand needles stabbing his muscles and nerves. He was used to be in pain, although this particular pain was different from the chronic pain caused by his burns. Nevertheless, he was able to push the pain away and grabbed a cane to help himself walk. Thankfully, he wasn't hooked up to any kind of machine or anything so he wouldn't have to drag anything with him. He would ridicule himself, and he had no intention of doing so. He would rather suffer.

"So, where's the kid?" he asked.

"We'll walk you there in case you collapse" Mr Compress replied in a tone that indicated he wouldn't accept "no" as an answer.

Dabi sighed and nodded, gesturing at the older man to lead the way. Crazy followed them, a happy note in her walk, and Dabi decided he would never be able to understand how her brain worked. How could someone be so fixated on love? How could she be this cheerful all the time? Wasn't it exhausting at some point? He tried to picture himself this happy but simply couldn't. The last time he had truly felt happy about his life, he was five years-old, before Endeavour had stopped training him discarded him like trash. Maybe when Endeavour would be dead, he would be able to feel some sense of satisfaction or catharsis.

It didn't matter much, anyway.

He wasn't going to live long, with how fucked his entire body was. The transplants had probably extended his lifespan of a few years, but he had no doubt that he would die young. Probably soon after Endeavour's and Shōtō's deaths. He was perfectly fine with it; he had no desire other than vengeance. Once Japan would be a pile of ashes, he would go out in a blue firework. Twice and Crazy would probably mourn him. They were people-lovers, they both saw the League as a make-shift family, after all.

Dabi didn't. The League members were comrades at best, nuisances at worst. He had no desire to bond with them more than necessary, but he had no intention of watching them getting hurt if he could help it. Psychologists would surely have a blast with his psyche. He almost snorted at the thought of talking to a shrink about his issues. The poor doctor would look at him with wide eyes and the list of his disorders and other issues would probably be endless. Shigaraki's would be as well. Mr Compress was probably the sanest of all.

They finally reached the door of the wannabe heroine's bedroom, and Dabi rolled his eyes as Mr Compress gave him a courteous nod and Crazy the thumbs up. He had no need for their encouragement. He wasn't about to meet the devil in person.

Dabi pushed the door open and entered the bedroom. Hunched on a chair right next to the huge canopy bed, Shigaraki was holding his unconscious sister's hand. She looked horribly skinny, and Dabi was pretty sure he shouldn't be able to count the girl's ribs through the red blanket. It was a pretty worrying sight, he had to admit. Especially considering the sheer number of machines she was hooked up to. As for Shigaraki, he was just as Dabi had expected him. The bags under his eyes were bigger than even, and he had a blank look on his face. Still, it was surprising to see their usually manic boss in that almost catatonic state.

"Hey boss, you got a minute?" Dabi shot, not sure how to start this conversation.

"What do you want?" Shigaraki replied, voice was raspier than usual which was honestly an extraordinary feat.

"You need to get some sleep. I'll watch over the quirk, if you want" Dabi said, sitting on the other side of the bed on a chair.

"You're half-dead. You couldn't protect her."

"Then get Crazy or Twice to do it. You know they won't mind. Compress could as well. Go get some sleep."

"No. I have… I have to stay with her… Until she wakes up."

Dabi sighed heavily and massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming. Shigaraki was the most bull-headed person Dabi ever had the displeasure to meet. Convincing him of about everything or anything was a nightmare.

"Okay. Then take a nap in that room. You have super senses, you'll hear someone coming before they even reach the door, and we both know it."

"I can't that risk." Shigaraki finally looked up, staring in Dabi's eyes. "I can't live with the guilt anymore."

"It's not your fault, it's mine. I'm the one whose ass she had to save twice. Not you."

"I killed her once. If she dies again…"

"She's not gonna bite it. If she got decayed and lived to tell the tale, I'm not sure she can actually die like that."

"Are you trying to reassure me? That's unlike you" Shigaraki snarked.

"I'm just being realistic" Dabi shrugged. "Anyway, the problem is the lack of lipid, right?"

"Yeah… She has not fat left in her body… just the bare minimum to keep her heart beating…"

"Hmm… It would take her month to recuperate."

Shigaraki nodded, and Dabi glanced at the girl's sunken face. They needed to find a solution to speed up the process, otherwise, Shigaraki would die from worry. But what? From what he had gathered, no medical quirk could speed up the stocking of lipid in the human body. Some had healing quirks, but they couldn't replenish these kind of reserve as it wasn't technically a wound nor a disease. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes, mentally listing all the healing quirks he knew of. A shame they didn't have that Chisaki bastard's quirk, they might be able to cure the girl with it. Deconstruct her down to the molecular level and rebuild her will all the needed fat. They could probably sacrifice her hair for the lipid, although he didn't know how Chisaki's quirk precisely worked.

Wait.

"The kid!" he blurted out, and Shigaraki frowned. "Chisaki's kid, the one with the rewind quirk!" At the mention of Rewind, Shigaraki's eyes widened. "She could turn her back to before she lost the fat!"

"Get everyone."

000

Everyone looked sad, so horribly sad. Just like people did around Chisaki. What had happened? What had made everyone sad? Could she rewind whatever had happened to make everyone happy again? Eri's hands fisted on her skirt, and she looked at Shota. He had big bags under his eyes, and everyone from class 1-A was pale, but Eri didn't understand why. She wanted to, though. She wanted to help them.

"What happened?" she asked, voice shaking. She wasn't sure she was allowed to know.

Shota looked down at her, forcing a small smile on his face. He kneeled and put a hand on her shoulder. Eri's stomach tightened, and she swallowed, already expecting the worst.

"Do you remember the League of Villains?"

"Yes, they're villains, and they worked with Chisaki. Mister Twice gave me a lollipop once, though… Did they hurt someone?"

"Well, they took Momo away from us, and we're all very worried about her. Even if Twice was nice to you, some in the League are very, very bad people, just like Chisaki. Momo's quirk is very strong, and we don't know what they might do to her…" Shota told her.

Eri felt like throwing up, and tears filled her eyes. Would they hurt Momo-nee like Chisaki had hurt her? Would they take pieces of her to make weapons? She shuddered, a tear rolling down her cheek. She wiped him angrily, but another followed, and another, and another. And soon, she was sobbing. It wasn't fair; why had Momo-nee been taken by villains? They couldn't hurt her. Mister Twice would be nice to her, wouldn't he? He had been nice to her, after all. Even Miss Toga could be nice. She had made Eri buns one day she had been tasked to watch over her with Chrono. They wouldn't hurt her, would they?

She clung to Shota, wailing in worry for Momo-nee. She didn't want Momo-nee to be hurt, she had been hurt too much. She had shown Eri all her scars before going to her internship to reassure Eri. To show her she didn't have to be ashamed of hers. Eri wished she could return to those days, where Momo-nee was safe and happy. Why couldn't her rewind help her return to those happy days?

When night came, Eri hug her toy bunny close to her and closed her eyes. Momo-nee had made it for her, with plenty of clothes just like Eri dreamed of. She wanted Momo-nee to be there and read her a story. She was the best storyteller of the class. Deku-nii would ramble or stutter, and Shota was monotonous. But Momo-nee knew exactly how to read stories, with great voices and expressions. Sometimes, Ochako-nee would come around and make things float in the room, especially when the story was about fairies. She hid under her blankets, hoping she would be able to fall asleep and forget about all her worries for the night.