"Here." The crinkle of plastic packaging gave preface to the little bundle that hit her chest.
Melon bread. It was something at least. Ayumu tugged open the plastic and savored the sweet scent. "Didn't think you'd be back so soon."
"I asked if you were hungry, right?" Dabi sat so that their thighs touched, digging into his own snack food, a bag set to the side. "Gotta keep you fed, don't I?"
She rolled her eyes. "Have you thought more about what I said?"
He ate in silence for a moment, balling up the plastic wrap and shoving it in the bad. "Yeah," Dabi said at last. She raised a brow. "You're stuck here for the time being."
"You can't just lock me away and bring me out to fuck like a sex toy." Anger tinged her voice as she turned to the fire user. "I'm not a fucking object."
He met her fury with his own. "You ever seen someone turn to ashes? Everyone is an object, doll."
"Bodies don't count—"
"I'm not talking about bodies. I'm talking about living, screaming, burning people. So easy to destroy." His eyes glowed hotly, hand darting to clasp her jaw. "When you can reduce someone to that in the blink of an eye then, yes, doll. People are objects, and the strongest are the ones who own the others."
Her pulse picked up. "I thought you liked me."
"Why do you think you're still breathing?" The words skated over her lips. "You shouldn't have played with fire if you weren't ready for a burn or two." He released her, shoving her back so only a quick hand kept her from falling back.
Ayumu finished the bread with a dry tongue, the light food sinking like stones in her belly. She sighed and stared at the wall again.
"Here." Dabi set a yellow legal pad and black pen on her lap.
"What's this for?"
"Make a list of shit you need from your flat. Kurogiri will get it for you later." His fluorescent eyes narrowed. "But don't try anything cute."
She lifted a brow as though to say that should have been able to stay unsaid, but began sprawling a neat list. "I need something else though," Ayumu murmured, head still bent to the notebook. "Not from my place." He didn't respond, silently watching. "Plan B, and maybe some birth control to start taking."
"Didn't we already talk about this?"
"That was before you involved Shigaraki." Ayumu sighed. "I'm not trying to give birth to the Destroyer of Worlds, thanks."
Dabi snorted. "Whatever you say, doll. I'll talk to the boss when he gets back."
Ayumu tore the sheet and handed it over so he could skim it. He nodded, leaned in and tipped her chin up, and planted a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth.
"You know, you look really fucking hot wearing nothing but my shirt."
"I'm also really sore," she retorted. "Since that NEAT is somehow hung like a horse."
Lust drenched Dabi's eyes. "You'd better get used to it. That horse cock is gonna be filling you a lot." With that he left her alone again.
It was getting ridiculous, this whole locking her up whenever one of them wasn't around to watch her thing. It was only slightly less ridiculous than how they treated her when she was around.
And fucking Dabi and his damn interference. She'd been getting somewhere with Tomura before the Pyro had stepped in and burned it all to ash. Ash and dust; the two villains suited one another.
Dabi wasn't an idiot; it was something she'd liked before it was turned on her. He was quick-witted in that way that spoke of self-reliance borne of necessity. He was confident, driven.
So what is his motivation?
What got him through the days before he'd gained those traits? It had to be something big.
Endeavor .
The flame hero's scarlet visage flickered through her mind again. She knew very little about heroes, and less about their families. However, it seemed Dabi didn't ascribe to the same principles as papa.
She shook her head and threw herself back on the mattress.
Dabi flicked the useless Zippo opened and closed as he stared at the news bulletins scrolling across the screen, nodding as Toga droned on about something to Twice. The two were ridiculous, insane, but strangely endearing. He almost always ignored them, but they didn't care, and tried roping him into everything anyway.
Movement caught the corner of his eye and he turned to watch Kurogiri warping Shigaraki back in.
Dabi flicked the Zippo closed and tucked it away. "Hey, boss. Good meeting?"
Shigaraki's one visible red eye narrowed.
"Hey, does that doc of yours have access to the pill?"
"Why?" mumbled the younger man.
He grinned his stretched, macabre gin. "Well, ya see, Tomura. When a man and a woman love each other very much they do a special kind of hug—"
"I know how babies are made," the villain griped. "What, she doesn't already have some?"
"The last person she fucked on a regular basis didn't have a dick, so no."
"What's this?" The girlish curiosity made both men freeze. "You have a girlfriend, Tomura? Why does Dabi know about her, but we don't?"
"She's not his girlfriend," Dabi snapped. "She's my girl."
"Oooooooo," she cooed. "When can I meet her?"
Before he could tell her off, Shigaraki spoke, "Next time she's out of his room."
Toga squealed and spun on her heel; Dabi's grip whipped around her forearm. "Don't even think about it," he growled.
Her face fell, the dagger in her hand already lowered in her pout.
"Are we gonna talk about the mission, or what?" Dabi turned his flat gaze to Shigaraki, who shrugged and walked toward the bar. He scratched at the peels of his neck, frowned, stretched his hands (the ones attached to his arms, not the ones he wore). The eye visible through the thing he called Father darted around and considered their ragtag team.
"I've gotten a few more details from our insider at UA," he began in that creepy rasp.
Dabi leaned back and smiled
The door creaked open and Ayumu jolted up from the grudgingly comfortable mattress. She must have faded out not to have heard them; neither were disguising their steps, and they were talking.
"— stupid reason to keep her here," Shigaraki was grumbling. He came in first, red shoes shuffling against the plush rug Dabi had found somewhere, hair hanging over the pale monstrosity covering his face.
Dabi was half a step behind him, rolling his eyes and lolling his head. "I'm not gonna let the nutjob go knife happy and bleed her out 'cause she's excited to control herself."
"That won't happen because—"
"Are you talking about me?" Both men paused in their trek toward the bed, and she would have found the blank consideration of their surprise amusing had she not suspected she was the one Dabi wanted to protect from 'the nutjob.'
Dabi broke out of it first, that cheshire smile of his narrowing her eyes. "Hey, sweetheart." He leaned forward enough she could smell his bonfire spice. "Miss me?"
Ayumu snorted, then turned her focus on Shigaraki. "Did you get my pill yet?"
"No." He might have frowned behind his mask. "I just got back."
"Well, I need it. As soon as possible."
He scratched at his throat while he considered her. "I, hah, have a doctor. I'll talk to Sensei."
Her throat hitched, eyes widened. "Who?"
"He's like his dad," Dabi said; he'd sat beside her and pulled out her list, tapping it against his knee, then held it up for his boss to take between to cautious fingers.
Shigaraki glanced it over ( what was a .3 pen? And how did it differ from a .5? Who even needed so many types of pen?) "He's my mentor," Tomura corrected. "He's really powerful, and he wants me to succeed him."
She had no idea what to say to that, think of that, let alone all the implications it might have for her. "O-kay. Can you do it now?"
"He's gonna want to meet you then." He seemed even more nervous now.
Ayumu took a deep breath, trying to still the hurricane in her chest. "Fine. Whatever I need to do."
That was Dabi's cue to add his smart assed remark. "Is that right?" He wound an arm around her and tugged her to his side. "Whatever?" His gaze flicked to Shigaraki. "Got any ideas?"
Ayumu shoved at him. "Not right now, Dabi."
"You don't call the shots here, doll." He grabbed her wrists and glared down at her with those phosphorescent eyes. "I thought you'd learned that by now."
"Dabi." Ayumu pressed one of the hands he held against his chest, captive as they were in his lap. "Please? Please just let me get this over with so I don't have to worry." She stared up at him with gleaming eyes and he considered her pleading.
He huffed. "Fine. Can we get this shit over with, boss? Princess here wants to have her way."
Shigaraki's expression was mostly hidden, but his pupil contracted and dilated as it flitted from one to the other. "He might be busy. But I guess we can see."
At this point Ayumu was willing to suck just about anyone's dick to make sure one of these 'nutjobs' didn't knock her up; a little waiting around wasn't going to phase her.
"I don't want her near Toga." Dabi had a thought and added, "Or the rest of them, for that matter."
It was Shigaraki's turn to roll his eyes. At least, Ayumu assumed the hidden one also rolled. He shuffled around in his pockets. "Relax. I can talk to him in other ways."
What were they talking about?
A sleek phone was held with forefinger and middle on one side and thumb on the other. He tapped on it, then she heard the ringing of his call.
"Tomura. Whatever is the matter?"
That voice. It sent familiar chills down her spine. She may not know who was behind it, but it was too smoothe, too syrupy, too knowing to be good.
Shigaraki cleared his throat nervously as he thought of how to word the request. "There's this girl—"
How fucking cliche.
"Ah, yes. The artist."
She froze in Dabi's arms.
"Kurogiri told me all about her." Who? "She's a pretty one. Interesting Quirk, too. You find her presence… enjoyable?"
He knew.
Shigaraki was red down his throat, to the roots of his hair (or what she could see). "She wants a— a pill."
"Whatever for?" The man was so patient with his nervous protege, and it made her stomach plummet.
"For, hah, in case— that is."
"Take all the time you need, Tomura."
That snapped something in her and she stood before Dabi could tug her back to his heat. "For fucks' sake, just tell him."
His scarlet eye shot to where she glared at him, a hot hand already bruising on her arm.
"Is that Miss Ayumu I hear?"
"Yes," she spat.
"Yes, Sensei."
"It's alright, Tomura. Let me speak with her."
He turned the phone toward her so the speaker could better pick up her voice, but kept it outside of her reach.
"Hello, Miss Ayumu."
"I want the morning after pill."
"So forward. You know, manners will get you further than demands. Especially from such a pretty girl."
She didn't think she could hate anyone anymore. "This is an emergency. I need it now, and probably will need more."
"Not the motherly type, then. You aren't getting any younger, dear."
He did not just imply that her 'biological clock was ticking.'
"No." A cold, singular word.
"Hm. How strange; your own mother was quite lovely. A nurturing, thoughtful woman. Wouldn't you like to pass that on?" Her throat tightened. "I will have Dr. Ujiko see you later today. Will that suffice?"
Dabi had pulled her against him again. "As long as I get what I asked for."
"Now, I need to talk to Tomura about his recent updates. It was lovely meeting you, Miss Ayumu."
She said nothing as Shigaraki took the phone off speaker and went into the hall with it pressed against one ear.
Dabi rested his chin on her head as though to soothe her.
"Who the fuck," Ayumu breathed, "was that creepy fucker?"
He hummed. "I can't decide if I should punish you for that mouth or kiss you."
"Dabi."
"I told you already; that's like his dad. He pretty much raised him. I guess he's some villain mastermind with unbelievable power. And I kinda believe it. He apparently taught Shigaraki everything he knows, including how to fight, how to plan. And the man is fucking scary."
"At least we can agree on that," Ayumu murmured into his chest.
She was trying not to spiral, but it felt like her suprasternal notch held everything tight. If she let too much out, she would fall down the rabbit hole that would ensue from Tomura's Sensei. He'd known entirely too much.
That thought kept hammering at her until it felt like her skull would shatter, and all of her memories create a maelstrom of sorrow and pain.
Notes:
AFO is a creepy fucker. And there has been no smut in a few chapters. We are getting to that.
Also, I have only a few different ideas of ways this story could go. I'm always open to suggestions.