Heroes in the Dark chapter 62

As October faded into the next month, days passed without consequence, at least for a short time. Tokoyami was left alone for the most part as he adjusted back into what had become the norm for him. Even though his memories of that encounter with Gigantomachia and that doctor festered in his thoughts, after a few days he was able to push them to the side. If he never saw them again, that'd be perfectly fine, but given Tokoyami's track record with these sorts of incidents, he didn't expect to be so lucky.

He couldn't let these things bother him forever, though. The one thing to come out of it was a sliver of hope. If Dark Shadow really had helped him in his time of need as Dabi had claimed, then that meant he could still break through to his quirk. Sooner rather later, he hoped. There was one thought he couldn't afford to let slip, and that was the idea that he was running on a timer now. While Shigaraki and the others were off doing hell knows what in their ongoing fight against that monstrous man, Tokoyami was expected to make his own progress.

As it stood, he was still confined within the walls of a scummy room with relatively little to do. It made him wonder how anyone could stand to be limited to such a small space for such a prolonged period of time. And yet he acknowledged that so long as he remained here, whittling away the days with fruitless attempts to reconnect with his quirk, at least he was safe. For now, anyway. Dabi's threat – no, promise – of continuing his training hung in the air, and he remembered it every time he slipped in through the doorway.

But for at least the next week following that chilling encounter, things were quiet. Quiet in that artificial way that Tokoyami wasn't quite used to in Dark Shadow's continued silence, but it was something he was learning to live with. In his head, he wanted to pester his quirk for answers, and sometimes he did. After that day it felt like there had been another shift, like Dark Shadow was slowly uncoiling. Even though he couldn't manage a word from his quirk, he remained optimistic. In the meantime, Tokoyami maintained his own quiet lifestyle, silently begging his wounds to heal faster. He knew that by now Dabi was just biding more wasted time before something of consequence rattled this fragile state of rest yet again. During this period, the sword that Spinner had gifted him was, predictably, locked up in Dabi's room. He said that he'd get the chance to swing it around at some point, but it sure as hell wasn't going to be in the living room while he was gone. Dabi hadn't said much to him in the days to follow, as if he were dwelling on things of his own, but Tokoyami did notice that a few rare apples had made their way into the groceries, and suspected that it was something of a meager compensation for everything he'd had to endure.

For an agonizingly short period, Tokoyami had convinced himself that maybe he'd be allowed to take it easy just a little longer. As bitter as he was about the injuries that limited him, at the very least they'd created a buffer between him and the League's expectations. As long as he was in the process of healing, they had been hesitant to push him in any given direction… but under the threat of that doctor, he knew he wouldn't be able to use his wounds as an excuse much longer.

This concern reached fruition all too soon when Dabi came in through the main door. It had been ten days after that encounter, and since then business had continued as normal – or as normal as it could be. But this day would be different. Dabi quickly discarded his oversized coat and shades that he used to blend in with the public, revealing the beginning of a scowl on his face. Tokoyami sat up straighter from where he'd been lounging on the couch re-reading one of the few manga that were scattered around the apartment. It was only midday, a few hours after Dabi had gone out. That usually meant something, since he wasn't usually one to hang out in his room if there were better things he could be doing outside. And obviously he wasn't keen on being around Tokoyami if he could help it.

Dabi finished doing something on his phone before jamming it into his pocket. His brow was knit together, and his gaze felt scorching as it swept over the room before landing on Tokoyami.

Tokoyami avoided his eyes as best he could and attempted to return to reading, but it felt unnatural.

"Hey."

Shit. He wants something with me after all, Tokoyami thought with a defeated sigh. He closed the book and set it aside before sitting up straighter to face his reluctant roommate. "Was there something you wanted in this desolate estate? I haven't touched anything noteworthy, though I can put the manga back if it bothers you so much."

Dabi blinked, hesitating for a moment to process what he said. Then he just as quickly rolled his eyes. "I don't give a shit about that. Now stand up – get over here."

Tokoyami dug his nails briefly into the thin fabric of the couch, a wave of dread seeping into him. But he did as he was told and pushed himself up from the meager comforts of his nest before approaching.

Tokoyami stopped a safe distance away. Even still, he could feel Dabi looming over him, and it made him squirm. Not with the same unpleasantness that that damned doctor had given him, but enough that it made him want to step back even more.

Dabi looked him up and down, unspoken thoughts circulating through his mind. Tokoyami could swear that there was disappointment in the way his mouth turned downwards in the slightest of frowns. He built up the nerve to open his beak and ask what he wanted, but before a question could slip past him Dabi spoke up first.

"How much has your scar healed?"

Tokoyami closed his beak uncertainly, ending his previous thought, only to open it again just so he could manage a flimsy response. "I—hm, it's… it's still not fully healed yet."

"Yeah, no shit," Dabi scoffed. "But by how much? Be honest – I don't want any half-assed answers."

"…It's closing just fine. I've been tending it as best I can, but it'd be better if I had more time…" With the way that Dabi was looking at him expectantly, he could feel his throat go dry. "We don't have any more time, do we?"

Dabi took a single, long step forward, easily bridging the gap between them. "No. You don't have any more time. Unless you wanna go back to Mr. Ujiko, we start now." Tokoyami turned his gaze downwards in bitter acceptance, the weight of the matter burdening his shoulders. "Hey. Don't think you can ignore this. Look up here, dammit."

Tokoyami looked up at him.

"So? Any luck with your quirk? Besides recovery, that's the most important obstacle you face right now."

I have countless obstacles other than that I'm having to face, thanks for noticing, Tokoyami thought bitterly. "…No such luck talking with him. But I feel I may be close. I just don't know what needs to happen for us to open up cooperation again…"

Dabi thought about that, holding a hand to his face in troubled contemplation. With a heavy exhale, his thin frame deflated and he rolled his shoulders as if preparing himself. "We can't wait for that stubborn quirk of yours to come around either. That puts you at a disadvantage… more than you already have." Dabi's arms dropped to his sides and his legs slip into a familiar stance. Tokoyami felt his muscles tense instinctively, as though relaying old habits. It was weird to think that he'd gotten used to training under Dabi. He wasn't exactly a good mentor – sometimes Tokoyami wondered if he'd ever find himself learning from a truly capable person – but as far as villains went it could always be worse. Dabi could always be worse. But it had been almost two months since the last time they'd trained, and a lot had happened since then, so he didn't know what direction this would be headed in.

Dabi slanted his cold blue eyes at him. "I want you to punch me. Go ahead – show me where you're at."

Tokoyami hesitated. Of course he did. But he knew if he stepped back like his instincts told him to that Dabi would get irritated. So instead he balled his fists. "Do you intend on stopping me?" Tokoyami asked carefully.

Dabi hadn't put his own hands up to deflect yet, and the air around him was cold, so Tokoyami had to wonder if he was going to defend himself. "Hurry up, I don't have time for stupid questions."

That smart mouth of Dabi's always made Tokoyami want to fight harder during training. Even after all this time, his condescending ego made his blood boil just enough to drive his fist forward. Tokoyami closed his eyes so that he wouldn't hold back and launched a sharp jab at Dabi.

He put all he could behind that punch and was surprised when a small grunt came from it. With a start, Tokoyami realized that he could feel the scrape of metal beneath his knuckles, and when he opened his eyes he saw that his fist was planted into Dabi's stomach.

Tokoyami quickly took his hand back. "I-I'm sorry! I thought you would block it! Why would you let me—"

"You're weak," Dabi snarled, holding his stomach.

Tokoyami flinched. Dabi never took his attacks like this – he knew those scars were painful and he didn't take damage very well. Whenever they fought, it usually involved their quirks, which balanced out because of their counter advantages. In the beginning, so long ago it seemed, their training had mostly been physical brawls… but Dabi never let himself get punched. "I didn't think you would…"

"That yakuza bastard didn't un-do your training did he? Come on, I know you can do better even without that quirk of yours."

Tokoyami's beak drooped miserably, but he held Dabi's gaze this time. "I can still fight," he growled. And when he did, he could swear that victory had sparked in Dabi's eyes.

"Then you're gonna have to prove it," Dabi said, igniting a challenge.

This really shouldn't have been the time for Tokoyami to get back into the heat of training, but that choice wasn't his. It never had been. But saying it aloud – declaring his willingness to stand in the face of adversity – felt like he had taken back just that little bit of power that the League held over him.

Given current conditions, he didn't know what to expect out of Dabi. The tattered man had something in mind, though, evident by the way he circled around Tokoyami to get to the door of his room. Dabi never showed his back to him, same as he would during training, as he deftly unlocked the door and reached inside to whatever was lying just inside the frame.

Tokoyami tilted his head to the side in uncertainty, but when he saw what Dabi had grasped he straightened up in surprise. It was the sheathed katana that Spinner had gifted him – the thing that Dabi had complained about because he didn't want it getting used against him. But now he was grabbing it out of the dark depths of his room.

"You know how to use these things?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Tokoyami reached towards the blade, but grasped his wrist to hold himself back. "Ahh… I've wielded dangerous blades like this before, but I wouldn't claim a level of profession with them. That and… they're something of a mockery in the world of quirks – relics of the past, I should say."

Dabi's shoulders slumped with an annoyed huff. "So is that a yes? Come on, kid, it's a one-word answer."

Tokoyami felt the heat rising underneath his feathers. "Y-yes, I can use it," he mumbled.

And without another thought Dabi tossed it over to him. Tokoyami scrambled to catch it by the hilt, caught off guard. The blade started unsheathing itself by the time Tokoyami got a grasp on it, and the faded steel glinted dully in the low light of the room. It was his first good look at it, and he was captivated by the hair-thin scratches that marred its surface and the slightly rigged edge. It wasn't decorative or impressive by any standards – it looked more like something Spinner had snagged from an antique store for a good price, and was probably in desperate need of a thorough honing. But it was a worthy enough weapon to have at his disposal… since he had so little else.

Dabi stood over him, similarly appraising the katana, albeit with less interest. "They may be kinda outdated, but all it takes is one person who knows how to really use them to bring them back into popularity. You can give credit to Stain for that, otherwise that empty cosplayer probably wouldn't have any swords to give you. They'd just be decorations in someone's room."

Tokoyami mulled over that quietly for a moment until finally he closed the sword back into its sheath. "And what would you have me do with such a weapon?"

"Use it, obviously. I can't teach you shit about it, but whenever we leave this room you should have that on you. You know, in case we get locked in another crummy encounter."

Tokoyami looked up at him in confusion. "Huh? I don't really leave this place very often, though. I've only truly seen the light of day twice since taking up residence. It's dictated by your whim, after all." He couldn't help the edge of bitterness in his tone just then, but Dabi brushed it aside all the same.

"That so? Weird, I would've thought you'd be getting plenty of sun through the windows."

"…They're boarded up."

"Not all of them," Dabi corrected pointedly, and Tokoyami wilted under his accusatory tone. "But that's besides the point. I don't need to remind you of what our training sessions were like. You should at least know how to defend yourself if you don't have your quirk. Better yet… we could get Dark Shadow to come out again. But that's not happening at my place. We're taking this somewhere else."

Tokoyami jolted to attention. "We really are leaving?"

Dabi scoffed harshly. "Don't act so surprised. I wasn't planning on keeping you cooped up forever, not that I really can anyway. I need to know where you are in strength right now, so we gotta take it somewhere else. Secure that sword and grab your cloak – don't waste anymore of my time than you have to."

Tokoyami swiftly followed orders while anxiety gnawed at his scarred stomach. His cloak felt heavy over his shoulders, even when he drew it close in that way that usually brought him comfort. The sword he settled for shoving through his belt loop and tying it to his hip as best he could. This was the sword that Spinner usually had sheathed horizontally across his waist, but that would stick out from Tokoyami's cloak. He'd have to figure out a better way to keep the sword on his person later. Meanwhile, Dabi donned his usual tattered overcoat and waited at the front door looking far more concerned with his phone until finally Tokoyami hurried over to him.

Dabi jangled his keys in the air before leading the way, and Tokoyami followed him into the sickly darkness of the dank hallway. He locked up the shabby room behind them and led the way through the catacombs of decrepit suites with a flame-lit hand, same as he always did whenever Tokoyami found himself in this position of leaving the building. Only this was the first time he was leaving for reasons other than meeting with the rest of the League.

"It'd be better in the future if we left at night when there's less prying eyes, but at least for now it shouldn't be any trouble getting to where we need to go without anyone bothering us," Dabi explained.

Tokoyami followed him into the stairwell when they reached the end of the hall. He was compelled to look upwards to where the stairs spiraled all the way to the roof, but quickly tore himself away in favor of dogging Dabi's descent to the main floor. "You said… that heroes didn't patrol this part of town."

"And I stand by that. Maybe a stray vigilante every once in a while, but that hardly matters. No, we're trying to avoid the scum that clogs these streets. Too many low-lives are holed up in this area. So wherever we go, you better have that hood up to cover your sorry beak. The last thing I need is some two-bit villain group targeting you because they recognize you from reports in the underworld. I get enough of that crap already. It's disgusting." Tokoyami hung onto his words, as always trying to glean some deeper intent behind his words versus his actions. But even now the intent this man held evaded him, and he could never be sure what his deal was.

When they reached the back door of the hotel building, Tokoyami drew the hood of his cloak securely over his head, as far as it could go. It still wouldn't take much for anyone looking in their direction to see Tokoyami and realize that it was some bird-headed kid, but at least if his identity was truly so widespread then it wouldn't be immediately recognizable.

Dabi stared out into the parking lot for a while, taking in their surroundings. Nobody was there but them. "No cars this time. How does a walk through these crime-ridden streets sound to you? It's just like being out on patrol for people like you, right?" He stepped out into the light of day. "Well. I patrol this area too. But not for the reason a hero would."

Tokoyami stepped out of the building and into the open air. The day was overcast, but when he looked up he could still feel the fragile warmth of the November sun beaming down. He took a moment to bask in the idle pleasantry and tune out the somberness of the bleak surrounding city-scape and garbage-filled parking lot.

The sound of Dabi's boots stomping on the pavement snapped him back to the present, and Tokoyami hurried to catch up to him. This time around, there was no shady car waiting to take them somewhere, nor any suspicious people to meet with. When they left the parking lot, it was just the two of them. And maybe that's why turning down onto an actual street felt so weird. This was a place where people lived… supposedly. He had yet to see anyone from the boarded up window in the apartment that looked like they actually managed a life here. Dabi's decision to live here was probably justified by the fact that nobody in their right minds would willingly take up residence in society's dumping grounds. That's what made this stroll through dingy backroads and dumpster-clogged allies feel that little bit sadder. This place felt like a realm for the forgotten.

Tokoyami adjusted the sword at his hip. It swayed awkwardly against his side with ever step, and he had to be careful not to trip over it. If he was really going to have a weapon like this, then he had to wonder if there was a weapon out there that suited him better. Maybe something shorter, more suited to close range. I wish I could ask Dark Shadow about it… we could figure out something that compliments Black Ankh. You would probably enjoy that, too.

He stayed within relative closeness of Dabi while thoughts continued to pass through his mind. Dabi was taking the role of observation, forever on the lookout while on the streets. They must've walked just a few blocks, but twice during that brief period Dabi pulled him by cloak and into a narrow side alley, or would motion for him to stop. There was a few stray glimpses of people in the streets, but they kept a wide berth. Tokoyami briefly wondered, as he always did in these scenarios, if there was anywhere he could escape to. But it was a wasted thought – wherever he went, he knew Dabi's flames would reach him before he could get very far. And depending on where they ended up going… well, it probably wouldn't hurt if Dabi trusted him enough to do stuff like this more often with him. Being in that room for so long made him feel trapped, and no amount of gazing longingly out the window was helping the hopelessness that threatened to swallow him.

Even now, he was still a prisoner with invisible chains. But even the rancid stench of dumpsters and car fumes felt nice when coupled by the feeling of untrapped air billowing around his cloak. Being able to walk down a street unhindered and be reminded of the familiarity of it all was a greater freedom than he'd previously imagined, even if it was leading him to his uncertain demise.

It ended, of course, as it always did. Here their short walk concluded when Dabi stopped outside of a heavy concrete building supported by bulky columns. It was an old car garage. It looked like it had started the process of demolition by the city, but there was no visible activity around it – just caution tape flapping in the wind and a few piles of rubble where it had begun. Buildings like this took up a lot of space, so it made sense that it'd be dismantled for something more efficient. But so far the effort to make any headway on the city project looked like it had been at a standstill for a while.

"Come on. This is a good spot away from prying eyes," Dabi said, ducking under the tape and picking his way towards the dark entrance.

Tokoyami checked the open roads behind him before following after him. "Are you certain? This place looks like prime territory to harbor criminal activity and shady practices."

Dabi sighed. "Yeah, no shit. That's why we're here. But you don't gotta worry about people walking in here – I already cleared out this place. The trash around this area know better than to come around here. Now hurry up."

Tokoyami bid a quiet farewell to the outside world, as hostile as it was, and slipped into the shadows of the abandoned structure.

They ended up sticking to the lowest level of the building, buried almost completely underground with only thin open-air slits where clouded sunshine filtered in to weakly provide a bit of light to the cold concrete expanse. The shadows cast from stone column supports layered on top of each other, creating pools of deep darkness that scattered throughout the space. When Tokoyami stopped to listen, he could hear the earth protesting the heavy burden that built itself atop the crumbling foundation. There were tons of construction weighing on top of the lowest floor, and with it came the discomfort of wondering if it would all come crashing down. Despite how much open space it provided, it still felt suffocating, each pillar acting as the bar of a cage trapping him inside.

"Could we not do this on a higher level? There'd be more light up there." Tokoyami wandered around the empty expanse, carefully taking in the place they'd ended up at. Looking around, it was difficult to make out anything substantial beyond the vague shapes of the pillars. And then he realized that he'd lost sight of the only other person that was supposed to be here with him. "Dabi…?" Shit, did something happen? Are there others here after all?!

Tokoyami stopped dead in his tracks, going no further. His head swiveled from one corner of the expanse to another, and he listened for the sound of Dabi's heavy boots, but to no avail. Where he stopped, a sliver of light lit up a small square of the floor. Tokoyami saw the way that patterns swirled oddly on the cement ground, the dark splotches reminding him of… these are burn marks. "Dabi!"

Tokoyami received no warning before a jet of blue flame erupted behind him. For a split moment, the whole floor was lit up with warped light, and that telltale heat swept through the cold stagnant air of the underground. Tokoyami broke into a run, immediately placing himself behind one of the columns. His heart beat wildly in surprise, the unprecedented attack catching him entirely off guard.

Dabi's voice echoed off the walls, its source nigh impossible to locate. "I'll admit, I've been soft lately. I was hoping you'd recover on your own time and get your quirk back quickly." There was no trace of emotion in his voice. It was a statement of facts. But Tokoyami wondered still if it came from a place of disappointment. "It feels like ever since day one I've been in charge of you, and that was fine for a while. I thought I was teaching you well enough how to be useful. Then you went overboard with the yakuza mission and undid all that work. Dare I ask, did you learn anything from all that?"

Tokoyami looked from one column to the next, trying to locate where Dabi was hiding. He wouldn't hurt me, would he? No, no, that's not the issue – what's the best way to protect myself here? If I head to a wall, I'll have a better chance of seeing him coming… but I could also get cornered, and that would be my downfall. So stick to the center? There's more pillars there, but it means he could come at me at any angle, and he has a lot of cover too. So then…

Tokoyami swallowed the panic rising in his chest and bolted for the next line of pillars in front of him.

"Did you ever learn anything from me? Time's running out, Tokoyami – where's that fucking quirk of yours?!" His yell filled his head, ringing with frustration, and Tokoyami pulled his hood further over his head to block out the vicious words. "That's all anyone ever cares about, is how destructive some quirk is. So let's see it!"

Tokoyami pulled himself behind one of the pillars right as another burst of fire swept the area. This time, he knew to expect it. Even though he wanted to flinch away from the harsh heat, this time he peered around into the scorching haze to find where it was coming from. Flames swirled in a chaotic sprawl of destructive power, but Tokoyami could see the directional force of it. Before the light went out to leave behind nothing but a cloud of embers, Tokoyami sorted through all the dancing shadows cast from it and managed to make out a human silhouette slipping back into the dark. There!

Tokoyami quietly untied the sword from his hip, still sheathed, and held it in one hand so that it wouldn't interfere with his running. The light had gone out from the flames, but flecks of sunshine still managed to light up rectangular areas on the ground. Tokoyami steered clear of those, slipping into the overlapping shadows where it was darkest while keeping his eyes trained on the spot where Dabi was last seen. There was something familiarly comfortable about being able to move stealthily through the darkness – his domain – even without the help of his quirk. He listened tensely, wondering if Dabi's mocking tone would signal another attack. But no such luck.

His breathing became shallow as he trained all of his senses outwards, and his footsteps were quiet, each step conscious of where it was being placed. The only indicator that he was truly here was the rustle of fabric.

Another flash of blue – off to the side this time, and it was quickly snuffed out. It wasn't much of an attack, more like a chance for him to see the area lit up properly. Perhaps he's not having as much luck as he'd like finding me. But at least this time he's quiet about it. What's wrong, can you not see me in this pitch of black? You should've chosen a different floor if you wanted to intimidate me, fool.

Tokoyami circled around where the fire was last seen. It was a fair distance away from that second burst – he was covering a good amount of ground, weaving his way through the lines of empty parking spots. Tokoyami sneaked his way through the line of supporting pillars, ducking behind each one in succession in order to get closer. He was there, he just knew it. And if Dabi continued pacing around this place trying to hunt him down, then right now he would be located somewhere over…

From the line of pillars parallel to him, another blue flare. This one was as big as the first, aimed at the spot that Tokoyami would've been in had he not decided to move. And it perfectly brought to light Dabi's bedraggled figure framed against the stark blue blaze. His back was turned, looking in the wrong direction for a shadow that was no longer there.

Don't discredit me. I remember my training just fine!

Tokoyami sprinted forward, clearing the gap between them. His legs wobbled beneath him, not used to such sudden exertion, but he propelled himself forward regardless. Right when Dabi's attack began to burn out, he turned in response to the sound of his approach. Tokoyami saw those dangerous blue eyes light up in triumph. Time slowed down as his hand rose towards him and embers sparked along his discolored flesh. The stench of burning filled the air right when Tokoyami came within two meters of him – point blank range. With a solid step, Tokoyami lunged forward with everything he had to bridge the gap and lashed out with the sword from the folds of his cloak. Right as the air grew hot around them and fire began to dance along his arm, Tokoyami struck Dabi's attacking hand upwards with a slash of the sheathed sword. A giant vortex of flame shot above them, scorching the ceiling and raining embers down around them before dispersing completely. He could feel them singing his feathers and burning marks into his cloak. But it was nothing compared to the irreparable damage the full attack would've done.

Responding quickly to the gap he'd made in Dabi's defense, Tokoyami swung the sheathed sword around again, aiming for that head of his that was always out of reach. Dabi grabbed it instead before it could hit its mark, and by the light of the fading embers he could see the baleful glare being directed at him. With a swift movement, Tokoyami unsheathed the sword using Dabi's grip of it before his other hand could come back around. Now all Dabi held was its empty case, a fact he realized with an audible curse.

Tokoyami stepped right up into Dabi's space, the sword held directly between them. But instead of lashing out with the rugged blade, he aimed a punch at his stomach. You always did tell me that I was never getting close enough!

His fist was stopped. Not by the feeling of Dabi's weak core, but by his free hand coming around just in time to catch it. It trembled slightly with the force, but was nowhere near enough to catch him off guard. It was uncomfortably hot, like tinfoil that had been left in the oven too long, and it was only getting warmer. Tokoyami wasn't given time to react when Dabi's other hand came down on him, and the empty sheath he'd inadvertently given him came crashing onto his head with a well-placed thunk.

For a brief second, Tokoyami saw stars. Then he was being forcefully shoved away. Tokoyami staggered backwards, sword flailing, and all Dabi had to do was step away to avoid being hit by his clumsy swings. Before he could even think what was happening, his heels hit a parking block and his momentum came out from under him, landing him flat on the floor. Stunned, he lost grip of his sword, which skittered off somewhere into the shadows. A defeated groan left him, and he held his head woefully where Dabi had struck him. With a shuttered breath, he began to push himself up. Only for one of Dabi's boots to slam down next to his head as he stood directly over him. A startled cry escaped his beak, and he looked up into the villain's unsympathetic face. W-wait, no, I thought this was just training? Why are you looking at me so coldly? Why is it getting so hot?!

Dabi aimed a hand at him, flames licking around his fingers.

Tokoyami squeezed his eyes shut and covered his head with his arms. "You wouldn't dare!" he cried out desperately.

The air erupted with flames, scorching hot and all-consuming.

None of them hit him.

He could feel them, all too close, blistering the stagnant air with their lively inferno. So close to his exposed arms that he could almost feel them. But they weren't meant for him.

When they faded, Tokoyami slowly uncurled himself and looked up to see the disappointment staring back at him. A frustrated hand covered most of Dabi's face, and he pinched the bridge of his nose with a defeated sigh. "…Huh?"

"That's not what you were supposed to say," Dabi growled, annoyed.

"I—you looked ready to kill me! What the hell, Dabi!" Tokoyami protested loudly as the bastard stepped away to give him the room to get up on his own.

"That was the point, dumbass. Came pretty damn close, too. Here's your stupid sheath back – go find that sword, too, for all the good it did you."

"But why?" Tokoyami demanded, pushing himself off the ground with sore muscles and snatching the sheath back angrily.

He shrugged. "I thought it would be enough to convince Dark Shadow to come out and play. You know, I figured he'd care more if your life was in danger. But you had to go and ruin it."

"Asshole!" Tokoyami snapped. He swayed on his feet, taking a moment to find his balance. With one hand, he ran it through his feathers to find where a bump was beginning to form on his head, all the while glaring bitterly at his opponent. "I really thought you were going to get me that time!"

"Oh yeah? Then why weren't you begging for mercy, huh?" Dabi drawled. Tokoyami's blood was boiling by this point, and not because of all the residual heat in the air. "Don't glare at me like that, I'm right! You said it yourself, right in the face of danger: you wouldn't dare. What was I supposed to do about that, huh? Actually cremate your sorry ass?"

"Wouldn't be the first time you've come close to that," Tokoyami grumbled, limping off in the direction of where his sword had gone. Locating the troublesome blade, he returned it to the safety of its sheath and looped it back into his belt with a weary sigh. When he turned around, Dabi was standing directly in front of him.

"Hey. Treat this seriously. I know I'm not wrong – if push comes to shove, your quirk is gonna be there for you. But since you two know I won't kill you, that doesn't work. And maybe nothing I do will convince your quirk to defend you, but I still had the right idea," Dabi said. "That means either there's still something you have to do yourself… or you need something that will really shove you in the right direction."

Tokoyami drew his cloak tight around him. Now that the heat was beginning to fade, a cold emptiness was beginning to fill the car garage once more. "Dabi? What do you mean by that?"

He was staring off into the shadows, as though looking at something unseen. The stray shreds of light filtering into the building were becoming weak and long as the sun began setting. "I'll keep bringing you here to train, but it'll be typical stuff you can expect. I need to gauge what abilities you do have since it's been so long. It won't be on the same level as before, but it's still gonna be strenuous in your condition. So you'll just have to keep up as best you can."

"And if it's too much?" Tokoyami pressed, feeling the burden of the exercise already as his heart went back to its normal rate. As infuriating as this person was, Tokoyami could already feel his anger begin to ebb away. These villains were selfish, every last one of them… but at least something had been confirmed. Dabi wasn't going to get him killed if he could help it. It was literally the least he could hope for from someone who was supposed to be looking after him, but even something so basic had been his undoing in the recent past. It was amazing how low the bar was, now that he thought about it. "What if I can't keep up?"

Dabi didn't answer him. He looked conflicted about something with the way that was brow furrowed. And like the dramatic bastard that he was, he turned away, towards the direction of the exit. "Come on, I've put you through enough hell for one day. Tomorrow will be better."

For you or for me? Tokoyami grumbled internally, brushing dust off of himself before following after at a slower pace. Dark Shadow, I hope you were listening to all that. Because if not then I fear I'll only be getting myself into worse dangers without you here.