Good In Evil
By: SomeRandomPerson648
Chapter 16: Under the Surface
A/N: Hey guys! Spoiler warning for Dabi's past, which has finally come into play. And finally, Izuku and Toga's date!
It seemed like forever ago since Izuku made that promise to Toga and yet the day finally arrived... the day of their meet up!
The moment the boy's alarm clock rang he jumped out of bed to smell the sweet weekend air, regaining the same intense excitement and anxiousness that he'd fallen asleep with. Energized he turned to his desk and changed out to his clothes he laid out the day before, a simple mint green shirt with a black vest and beige cargo shorts
It was an outfit that his mom helped pick out and one that he trusted would make him more presentable than the same high school clothes he wore when seeing her. But browsing through his entire closet for something to wear was rather foreign to him, not one to worry about his direct appearance like that
Regardless he soon got changed and pocketed all of his allowance and birthday money he had before leaving his room. Out in the hallway was his mother, smiling brightly and energetically yet still wearing her nightgown and with sleep on her face
"Are you sure you don't want something to eat before you go?" She wondered as her boy strode to the entrance and put on his bright red shoes
"No thanks mom, I'll be eating with my friend." He assured. "And I might come back home a little late so I'll get something on my own later."
"Okay, but don't stay out too late or I'll start to worry."
"I'll try not to mom." He replied, standing from the floor and allowing his mother to grasp his face with her hands
Delicately she held onto Izuku's face and beamed with pride. She gazed into her son's grown eyes and almost shed a tear were it not for a sliver of self restraint
"Take care."
"I will mom."
Silently the boy exited the door but took a second to himself, taking a deep breath to settle himself
It was rare that he feel exactly his age and yet here he was, getting worked up over a girl and a date. It almost felt refreshing having to deal with something so trivial
"Not that it's a date." He rationalized. "Toga and I aren't dating and I haven't even known her for long so it would be weird if we were dating unless that's okay with her which I'm sure it is." He rambled to himself
Hastily he dashed his way through the apartment complex and met the bright, sunny day with a smile on his face and a pep in his step. He silently prepared himself for anything that might come his way, whatever it may be
Elsewhere a man awoke from his tiring sleep with no energy or motivation to spare. It took a full minute of the man's phone alarm to reverberate through the empty room before he reluctantly crawled out of the stuffy couch
As 'Dabi' shut off the alarm he took several moments to shake the sleep from his body, his bones quivering from unrest. And yet he forced himself to awake anyway. Of course he could sleep a little longer but that would risk not only his safety but also the small amount of stuff that he had strung around the abandoned room
After having shifted cities again Dabi found himself in another abandoned apartment building, thankfully one that wasn't filled to the brim with other aimless nobodies. But trading one dingy couch for another was hardly an improvement at all
But of the list of things that he had to deal with the silence seemed to be the most unbearable, something he still wasn't used to even after years of striking out on his own. If hearing your own grating voice was a rarity then seeing anyone remotely familiar was out of the question
Out of well-tuned habit he checked his belongings and his 'bedroom' before jamming a few items into a plastic bag and setting off for the nearest public bath. He exited the dusty hallway and went down the creaky stairwell before eventually being blinded by daylight. In front of him were the remains of morning foot traffic. It was a sparse amount of people that became increasingly scarce as they made their ways to wherever it is they went. No one paid attention to him, not one glance
"At least I can find a shower." He sighed, beginning his search for the day
In exaggerated fashion the teen had arrived to the agreed meeting place a whole hour before it was set to start, a maid café built with a cutesy aesthetic on the outside
Truth be told Izuku never would've thought to visit a place like this on his own were it not for Toga suggesting it. The gimmick in question was never quite something he was interested in before but after everything... he was willing to explore new territory
But what the boy didn't expect was to see Toga there as well, also an hour early and likely having arrived much earlier than that. Her outfit was still reminiscent of her usual schoolgirl outfit, a beige sweater with a black skirt and stockings. Her simplicity did not hold back her charm, as strange and messy as it was
Izuku was instantly enchanted by the girl's smile and blush, much more vibrant and natural than it was every other day. She skipped towards him with an unusual amount of grace despite holding something behind her back. If he didn't know better he'd say that she seemed to be holding herself back. Yet the warnings he received from his quirk told him that her self restraint was slipping the closer she came, as a cat would approach a mouse
"Hi Izuku!~"
"Hey, Himeko." They greeted each other, the boy's nerves and anxiety rising as she stood mere inches from his face
"You look cute today!" She complimented, her blush increasing as she looked him up and down with an unstable gaze
"And... you're pretty too." He cordially returned the compliment
He watched her composure slowly deteriorate until she finally went in for a compulsive hug. But much to his suspicions she quickly drew her hidden knife and aimed to stab Izuku in the side. Thankfully his quirk warned him of the danger and he was ready, seizing her wrist and pressing her arm against her chest as they 'embraced' each other
"H-Hey! We're in public!" He whispered, his gaze flickering through their surroundings
"I stopped caring about that a while ago." She replied, trying to force her knife free while maintaining her chipper attitude
The boy found that the fear of getting stabbed was second to the fear of others judging them. One was physical, temporary and something he'd long since gotten used to while the other was something he struggled with at all times. Quickly he searched for a way to diffuse the situation and came up with the perfect answer
"I'll let you have my blood at the end of the day okay? For now please calm down."
"Aww, but that's so far from now." She whined but nonetheless backed off, storing her knife away. "But I can wait a while."
Reluctantly the two broke off as the crazed teen hid her knife within the folds of her skirt, bringing both their attentions back to their objective. "Come on! Now that we're here we might as well go!" She hurried, dragging Midoriya by the hand as they entered
The younger teen wasn't quite sure what to expect from a maid café other than the little he's seen online. As he thought the store itself sported a vibrant and contemporary atmosphere that was both more mature than he thought yet more fantastical than he realized. It felt like he stepped into a different world that was outside of the norm but was perfectly normal to those within
Quickly the two sat themselves and were attended to by one of the maids, taking their orders of coffee and breakfast with an abnormal cheeriness. Of course the 'maid' also fully acting as a maid was fascinating as it was strangely jarring. The nervous boy was only able to take a breath once the lady had left
"You look nervous." Toga pointed out, analyzing his posture and expression keenly
"I-I've never been to a place like this before." He admitted. "I didn't think places like this existed until now."
"Wow, you really don't get out much." She teased with a smile. "Do your parents even let you go out like this?"
"Sometimes," he replied, "but I've been going out more lately. What about you? Do your parents let you stay out so much?"
For a moment Himeko's eyes seemed to dart away from his gaze before she placed a hand on the back of her neck. "Nope, but they can't tell me what to do."
"To be honest," she continued, "I've only seen this place in passing a few times. I thought that if I were to go, it would be with someone else."
"Then this is new for you too." Izuku chuckled, pulling himself together. "It's nice isn't it?"
"Sure is! I should ask them where they got those outfits. Maybe it'll look good on me?" She questioned, toying with her loose hair and blushing at the thought. At her response her friend turned red and only nodded along
It didn't take long for the drinks to arrive, two coffees with more cutesy art in the form of a heart made of pure white creamer. For a minute the Izuku seemed to stare at his drink, unsure of whether to ruin the art by drinking it or leaving it be at the cost of letting the coffee go cold. Toga, however, took to drinking hers immediately not long after it was set on the table
"Bwaah! It's so sweet and bitter!" She praised with a scorched tongue. "It's not blood though, so I'll pass."
"Speaking of which, why do you like blood so much?" He asked for curiosity and conversation sake
"What's there not to love?!" She exclaimed, aghast by the subtle implication. "Blood is in everyone! It's in you, in me, in people, in animals and it's everything that's important to me! It tastes sort of like metal with a delicious texture and color that I can't stop thinking of! Whenever I see it my heart starts to race a little and my mind goes blank for it!"
Toga's rant almost unsettled Izuku with the fervor she took with speaking it, clutching her face and dawning a lewd expression as though what she desired was deeply forbidden, to which it was. Luckily of the very few around at this hour none seemed to listen to Toga's words as she slowly came back to Earth
"You're still gonna give me blood right? I just started craving it all of a sudden."
"Of course." He agreed, finally sipping his coffee to occupy his hands. "Later."
"Okaaaay." She pouted
Miraculously enough it wasn't long before the food arrived. Izuku wasn't quite sure what he'd gotten, he could only mumble in agreement with what the maid suggested. Surprisingly it was only a plain Omurice. Before he could question the gimmick the maid affectionately crafted the kanji for 'love' over his meal with ketchup. The maid offered the same treatment for Toga but instead she asked that the bottle stay at the table
Again Izuku was mesmerized by the art much like the coffee, similar to the coffee in theme but unlike the coffee he didn't stare at the design for longer than needed to prevent it from going cold. After a quick bite he was pleased with the taste as well, nothing too special after all
To his surprise when he looked over at Toga she'd already began creating her own ketchup art in what he could only make out a stick figure with a pool of 'blood' all around it. How he knew that there was a stick figure beneath the mountain of ketchup that accumulated was well beyond him. He watched in horror as the girl tore open her food and ate through the meal despite being soaked in ketchup
"Sooo goood!" Her muffled voice exclaimed
Even in spite of the strangeness Izuku couldn't help but chuckle to himself at Himeko's odd flavor of adorable. He smiled to himself as he sipped his coffee again and continued with his meal, grateful to be sharing it with a close friend
After having freshened up Dabi took to the streets again, both scouting the new surroundings and doing his best to subside his boredom. He'd decided to change it up a little from his overused black hoodie and replaced it with a loose white shirt under a plain black dress shirt with no buttons and a lightly scorched collar. His pants, however, were a little short as they cut just above his ankle. The change revealed more of his true appearance, his pronounced burn at the whole jaw down to his upper chest, and exposed the patchwork over his face and upper body
There was no particular reason why he didn't wear his hoodie other than having worn it down. But the unchanging glances and glares he received from passerby's were something he'd long since gotten used to, hoodie or not. He was a spectacle for the every day person but uninteresting in every other regard
Prowling the semi-active streets of the nameless city that he stumbled upon he subconsciously noted the surroundings for dangers to himself. Obviously placed cameras, wide-eyed heroes that walked a little close and shifty people that couldn't help but glance in every direction. He dared to walk in the middle of it all but was otherwise unable to search for more than the usual. Police, as rare as they were compared to the abundance of low-tier heroes, did a better job at hiding their presence but were still scouting obviously and in more open areas. He made sure to avoid them as well
But all of this was to say that everything remained unordinary and regular for him. He stayed out of trouble when it was convenient and took to the shadows
"Nothing today either huh?" He thought, his hands jammed into his pockets as he slunk from general location to general location. There wasn't much to see that he didn't already see before
But there was something on his mind still, the only form of news he paid attention to in recent days. The dramatic invasion of UA High's USJ encampment. Dabi tended to keep an ear to the ground whenever he could but headline news that repeated for days was not hard to miss, even TVs in stores would play and replay different broadcasts covering it
He'd asked around the right places and looked into the proper circles but never found out who or what group pulled the attack. An attack by an army of thugs on Japan's most prestigious school would've likely led a trail to any of the underworld's big names but strangely enough his snooping started and ended at basic rumors. Anyone that was contracted was in custody and anyone that asked too many questions disappeared before long
"Whoever it was doesn't want to be known." He guessed as much
The effect was felt if only slightly, the calling out of the school's security and defense. It would take far more to make any real impact, and the motive is still unclear as far as he knew. But one thing was for sure, they wanted to make an impression
The very first and only thing that intrigued him were the confirmed injured students, Bakugo Katsuki and Todoroki Shoto
"So much for the perfect kid." He laughed to himself, a joke that only he understood."See that Enji, that's what your effort led to! A spit in the face!"
His stomach filled with a sick pleasure, imagining the pain and humiliation the man went through due to his perfect weapon getting beat by some crooks! Truly he couldn't ask for anything else!
And yet once the feeling passed he was left with his hunger once more, not just physical but emotional as well. As much as he could dream of seeing the crushed expression on Endeavor's face there would be nothing better than to see it in reality! Oh what he would give to see his face that way!
"Or what I gave." Intruded the thought, ruining his mood entirely as his mind flashed to a memory long forgotten
"Dad! Look at what I can do with my powers now! Come on look! Aren't you proud of me?!"
The grown man clenched his teeth and balled his fists at the inner sound of his once voice, spouting such cringy nonsense that only knotted his stomach. It took more effort than he cared to admit for him not to activate his quirk in the middle of the street from his boiling self hatred
He'd long since buried those feelings of needing for attention and validation. The day he'd lost his way was the day he decided to become a new person, one that was distant from the needy child he was before. Remembering those feelings and those words made him feel beyond stupid, like he should've known better than he did then so as to prevent his years of torment and suffering
But in the end the past was past, there was no changing it. Only living with it yet in the end he didn't really do that either. Died with it sure but he still couldn't process the feelings entirely. Even now he didn't know whether he should feel glad that Endeavor's star child was such a disappointment or that the disappointment wouldn't have held a candle to what he should've been, the true star of the show
"I'm starving." He realized, noticing that the knot in his stomach sat beside the one that was already there. The confusion within himself was only a bother to what he had to do, which was to survive. Rather than process what crossed his mind he instead set it aside, choosing to focus on his hunger
But afterward? Who knows... maybe he'll just focus on something else
It didn't take long for the two teenagers to finish their meal and leave the café. Of course what they would do for the day was still in the air
Izuku for once had no clue what to expect afterwards, having essentially lived under a rock with only one real topic to inform himself on. Having no plan of action or activity very quickly agitated him until Toga began leading the way, taking the reigns as they headed for a strip mall not far from where they were
"What're we doing here?" He asked, glancing at the vast amount of small stores and shops. He wasn't so sheltered that he didn't know what a mall was but he was similarly overwhelmed by the size and scale of it
"We're gonna buy clothes silly!" The girl responded, walking slightly faster with his hand captured by hers. "I need some new ones and I want you to pick them."
"That doesn't sound like something I should be doing." He warned, very much aware of his own abilities
A strange pressure settled in his stomach as he was pulled forward by Toga, who seemed eager to go to one of the stores. To further his unease he couldn't remember the last time he went shopping for clothes nor putting much thought in his appearance beside today. Even worse was considering that his closet was once half full of All Might merchandise, the other half only having simple, mono colored outfits
Of course he was adamant to being a good friend but he also wondered if their current activity fell in line with what 'friends' would do
Soon they arrived at their destination, a fairly large department store that had an especially large selection of clothes. "Come on, it'll be fun!" Himeko assured, yanking her date into a battlefield of skill and wit
The girl got to work immediately, scouring the women's section with the same keen gaze that she always had and spotting even remotely desirable items
Izuku watched as Toga was able to discern between the dresses, shirts and skirts as well as he could quirks. Very quickly he was lost in the search, incapable of spotting and selecting the clothes like his partner could especially with accessories in the mix. Many times he voiced a suggestion and many times he was shut down kindly yet swiftly
And yet he couldn't say that he didn't enjoy it for there was a clear excitement that came with seeing someone expressing their passion, at least one that wasn't inherently violent. Along the way Himiko maintained a level of care in showing her friend the ropes in outfit selection, feeling and recognizing the quality of shirts, learning about the designs of skirts and which ones were favorable. She even identified matching and contrasting colors, combing them appropriately
Before long Izuku was absorbed in the process as well; absorbing the information as it came and expanding his mind into this once foreign world. But eventually came the real test... wearing what was picked
The inexperienced boy found that trying out the clothes was even more tedious than the scouting, like an added layer that filtered the intimidating pile of potential outfits into a select few. Luckily for Izuku, theory crafting was also one of his specialties. The two ran on almost equal footing as they planned and imagined outfits and even returned to collect more until finally the girl disappeared into the changing room
After an hour of having been swept up in the process of picking clothes Izuku sat at one of the benches, breathing a sigh of relief. His legs were tired but his mind was exhausted. As much as he could learn and adapt there was still the sense that he had no idea what he was doing both in this context and the date as a whole
He had watched and observed Toga as she exuded an intimidating level of knowledge and passion. Even if the topic was alien he saw himself in her energy and actions; the way she carried herself and spoke on the matter at hand was nearly as fun for him as it was for her. He knew what it was like to share a passion. Although he rarely had to opportunity to do that himself he smiled a very satisfied smile at having witnessed this side of Himiko
Izuku waited in his seat for a lot longer than he would've thought before Toga emerged wearing her first chosen outfit, one of wild and frankly immature design much like her
At its base was a beige school over-shirt, a white undershirt and a maroon red skirt similar to her regular schoolgirl outfit. But the variation came in the accessories, hot pink leg warmers that covered her whole shin, a light pink bow tied around the shirt's collar along with a small number of scrunchies wrapped around her wrists and each sporting loud colors. Her hair was tied in the recognizable messy buns but featured the same bright colored hair bands. What seemed to tie the whole thing together was the thin jacket loosely wrapped around her waist
The experimental outfit was one Izuku remembered seeing a lot of in his high school, using the regular school's uniform but adding as many accessories as were allowed. The outfit was disguised as a mess but was carefully woven with an array of contrasting colors to keep it all vibrant and varied
"Well? What do you think?" Toga asked, striking a few cutesy poses and many peace signs while Izuku analyzed the outfit
"It really suits you," he said. "I didn't think it would work until you actually wore it."
"It's an acquired taste, so of course you wouldn't be able to see it." She explained, grinning from ear to ear in her superiority
"I guess she really likes dressing like a schoolgirl." Izuku thought as Toga disappeared yet again for another stretch of time
Her new outfit was a complete tone shift from the first, more simplistic and reserved in nature. It was comprised of a black felt sweater paired with a red flannel skirt and black stockings. Unlike the brashness of the last one this outfit was less complex, adding to its strange elegance. Complimenting this was Toga's hair, which was fully down and straightened but now had a small, blood red bow over her head
"Wow... that one also suits you." Izuku exclaimed, charmed yet again by the strange simplicity
"It feels so comfy too!" She exclaimed, rubbing her face against the smooth, silky sweater and feeling its warmth against her
Midoriya was stunned by the unusual amount of innocence that she displayed. Likewise he could tell that the reserved nature of the outfit almost made the wearer seem more relaxed and elegant, something that he knew was not the case
Again Toga retreated to the changing room and again she reappeared, this time wearing what seemed to be a blend of the wild nature of the first outfit and the reserve of the second. This one consisted of a long sleeve shirt with a stripped design made up of a pattern of pink, yellow, blue and orange, all in softer colors. To pair with the unique shirt were light blue pants and even light blue shoes, bringing the colors together. But to amplify the outfit was Toga's single pony tail and rose tinted glasses, a more casual style that finished the look
"How unique." Was the only comment, both marveling at the clashing yet synchronizing of the colors. Even Toga seemed shocked that both her and Izuku's preferences were able to settle into the outfit
Eventually she returned with all her clothes in hand. Although normally there was another process of picking and choosing which outfit to take the two were unable to part with any of the three, setting them on the cart
"That was fun." Izuku stated, fatigued from the excitement. "Where to next?"
"What do you mean silly? We still need to pick out your outfits!"
The shock that came with the statement was only momentary and paled in comparison to the dread that soon awaited the boy
It took too long for the burned man to finally eat, having fought himself on whether or not he should do so tomorrow or even the day after. But realistically he would've fallen unconscious on the street if he waited any longer
After years of experience being a vagrant he knew that money was hard to come by if you weren't actively searching. Of course you could mug a few poor bastards down the street but one too many and they start to recognize you and killing them is a whole other can of worms, thus his constant moving and traveling. You never know what person checks the wanted lists...
Sufice to say that eating wasnt always an option, but sometimes it became a requirement. Like now
Dabi strode into the dingy bar he'd scouted earlier, a dirty hole in the wall with a lack of lighting and very few attendants. It was the type of place anyone would expect a criminal like him to be in and sure enough there were a number of shifty figures around the place. He was almost right at home, sitting on one of the many creaky barstools and ordering a simple burger, something to soothe his hunger for the day. The bartender quickly picked up the menu from his hands and went about his way
Dabi was well used to this type of environment, the shady areas that people only went to when they had no other options. One would be surprised by the amount of people that were attracted to cheap, rundown establishments where no regular person tended to look
For a while all the man could do was soak in the atmosphere. The bar was windowless and the door did a great job at blocking out any light that might seep in save for when it opened, a way to alert everyone inside of newcomers. Otherwise the lighting provided a soft yellow light that flickered in certain areas and was absent in others, providing just enough to see but not enough to make out detail from a distance. The only interesting attribute was the clientele, various colorful people either for their notable hair, skin tone, body shape or all three
Even in the age of quirks where everyone was unique in some way the general public had a way of appearing bland and generic, which only made outcasts stand out all the more. Yet in this place the man with copius burn scars wasnt all that different from the chick in with fish scales and an eyepatch
Surprisingly it wasnt long before the door opened again, a wave of brilliant light pouring in before disappearing yet again and leaving everyone with the usual darkness. Dabi didn't look to see who arrived but he found that he didn't have to, for the new arrival came and sat a few seats beside him
As much as Dabi kept to himself he couldn't help but glance at the man, who had been analyzing him with calculating pink eyes that were behind golden spectacles. His sly grin gave away the fact the he was missing one of his front teeth
"What? See something you don't like?" Dabi questioned, still not turning to face the grey haired man
"No, but you look familiar." He said, pulling a cigarette from the pocket of his purple suit
"Damn." Dabi thought to himself, subtly cupping a hand to allow a small flame to prepare itself. If worse came to worse then he'd have to be ready for a hurried escape
"Take it easy, I'm not here to pick a fight." The man said, eyeing the hand that was set aside
"Then you got one minute to leave." He warned, clasping his hands together as the quiet flame dissipated
Time limit be damned the man took a moment to light his cigar, getting a good long puff in before resuming the conversation
"I was tasked with finding you ya' know." He revealed cooly, watching Dabi's hands shift in place. "Not in a 'turn the town upside down' kind of way but I kept my eyes open."
"And who asked?" Came the snide remark
"Your little savior of course."
Dabi's head whipped to face the man beside him, who looked forward with a calm and collected demeanor even as he received the firey glare. Yet he couldnt tell whether this strange man knew more than what he let on, if he knew what he was doing
"So you know me then?" Dabi asked carefully, making sure not to reveal too much
"Not at all," The man clarified, "but I work under a powerful man that told me a thing or two about a boy with burn scars who nearly died to his own quirk."
"Then he knows too much." Dabi sighed to himself
"And what does he want? To cash in a favor he doesn't have?"
"Nah, he's not looking for favors, just that you lend an ear for a second."
The scarred man chuckled to himself, knowing exacly where this was going. He'd been asked to join gangs before but they could never keep him, for he was too fickle and autonomous for their liking. This would be no different
"Why should I? I'm doing fine on my own."
"Well, what if I told you that you'd be working under the guy that raided UA a week back."
Now that peaked his interest, and sure enough Dabi's returning glance gave the man enough of an answer. Of course he still needed one, but the smile he wore was a way of boasting that he knew he'd won
"...Fine. I'll bite." Dabi stated, but before either of them could move a waiter came by and placed Dabi's food over the bar top
"Mind if I finish this?" He asked with a tiny smirk, to which the other man shrugged
The burned man turned to grab his food and begin munching down on it. He despised the greasy, overcooked monstrosity that seemed almost too wet yet too dry for his tastes. But as much as he hated it, eating it was a good way to dely the inevitable. It was his own way of keeping his control over fate, as gross and unprecedented as it was
The day seemed to enter its final stage as the sun inched closer to the horizon, an orange hue now introducing itself to the bright sky as the same two teenagers made their way through the streets of the city
The shopping spree lasted about as much as either of them expected, stretching another good two hours before they roamed the rest of the mall. Their sightseeing eventually ranged elsewhere, random areas of the city that Toga knew well enough
Their outfits had changed too after their trip, Izuku now wearing a cherry red t-shirt with the image of a sphere that had four tiny stars inside, an icon of an anime he never watched. Otherwise he had black cargo pants with a stainless-steel chain that hung from his side pocket to his back pocket, not particularly latching onto anything
Toga on the other hand had an even more simplistic outfit, a dark pink sundress with a blood red rose design that fell to her knees. Her mess of blonde hair was down and organized again, now with a small red hair clip hidden within
"You definitely have a type." Toga teased, playing with her dress and watching it swing around carelessly
"I guess I do." Izuku confessed, blushing at the sight of her once more. He noticed the way the light breeze toyed with her dress and hair, tossing it around slightly so as to flaunt it in front of him. "Sorry for being a bit of a burden earlier."
"Don't be, I had fun." Toga asserted, her small smile unwavering
"Although I didn't think you would know so much about clothes. I'm actually a bit surprised."
"Hey I can have more interests than blood you know!" She playfully lectured, getting a light chuckle from the boy
The mood shifted slightly as her smile faultered and her hand caressed her forearm, leading to reveal a tinge of hidden saddness that Izuku was unaware of. Fortunately he didn't have to ask what the cause was
"I was always interested in clothes. It was one of the few things my parents didn't hate about me. Dressing up didn't make them care more or anything but it was something they didn't nag about when I did it."
The boy simply nodded and hummed to show that he understood. Not personally of course but that he knew what she meant. Likewise he didn't have a proper response to the information, walking forward with no real direction. Seemingly to distract herself she pulled a vial of blood and began taking sips until it soon disappeared from sight
However, the appearance of the vial remined him of another question. And rather than think more about it himself he asked in favor of filling the silence
"And how do you get your blood normally?" He asked, inwardly yelling at himself when the girl choked on the metallic substance for a moment
When she cleared her throat Midoriya saw her smile smile drop. Her hands were figety, her eyes darted everywhere but her gaze avoided his own
"I got it from anyone I could. After I ran away I would corner people who didn't pay attention and take it from them." She admitted. "Sometimes they'd die, sometimes they wouldn't, but I'd never stick around to find out."
The boy already suspected the type of answer he'd receive, but that didn't make it any less horrific. If anything that only made him lucky. Yet he easily set aside his own feelings in favor of listening to the rest of the answer
"To be honest I never felt bad about it until now. I guess now that I can think about it and admit it out loud it's hitting me all at once." She chuckled bitterly, pulling at the collar of her dress so as to let out the rising heat. "Not even with my parents..."
The last part took him off guard. He didn't even think he'd have such an effect on her. But as he looked down at the clothes he wore, from the shirt to the chain accessory, he realized Himeko also had an effect on him. Of course being self conscious of his own appearance was miles away from the guilt of one's own harmful actions but... he had to find some way to relate, even if it was small
Rather than leave things standing he took responsibility by outstretching his arm in front of her, handing her his wrist. This way, as he came to learn, he'd be able to keep others safe from Toga's bloodlust. But more importantly, it was to keep Toga sane, to allow her to think in the same way she did a moment ago. This way she could satisfy herself without threatening lives other than his
Eagerly she bit down onto the appendage, absorbing every drop of blood that dripped out until it was all gone. Luckily for him, she didn't penetrate the blood vessel. Although now that he realized, he wondered how his quirk would react to cutting a blood vessel, but now was not the time to experiment
"Are you feeling better?"
"Much better!" She beamed, blood staining her otherwise white teeth
"By the way, where do I drop you off?" He asked innocently, caressing the bite wound on his arm. The two of them had been walking rather aimlessly for longer than he was comfortable with
"Hm? Oh anywhere is fine, not like I have a place to go."
...
...
"What?"
"Anywhere is fine." She repeated, tilting her head at Izuku's visible disbelief
"You don't have a place to go?!?"
"No? I haven't had a place to stay since I ran away from home a few years ago." She stated uncaringly, adding to Midoriya's disbelief
"Then where will you sleep? Where will you put your clothes or eat or stay safe?"
"Wherever I can." She shrugged. "I've made it on my own so far."
The teen's hand gripped his own hair as though his worldview was shattered before him. He tried to think of an immediate solution and his mind gave a quick answer... his house
"No!" Came his response, blushing slightly as his mind ran through a number of awkward, embarrassing and frankly frightening situations before he could stop himself. Asking Toga to live with him was simply far too soon of a question to ask...
"Too soon? It's not like I like her so that's not a question I can ask her. Plus I don't know how she'd react to it let alone how my mom would react. And what would happen after? She wouldn't be able to sleep in my couch so she'd have to sleep in my-"
The teenage boy pinched himself before his mind could wander any further from his panic, refocusing his effort into a new solution. But only one came to mind
"...I could get you a place to stay." He told her, watching the surprise paint her face like the blood in her teeth
"What? Really?"
"Yes. But I have to ask first..."
Pulling out his burner phone he began texting Kurogiri, noting Toga's curiosity towards the old flip phone. Not long after sending his location a portal appeared, which was a black disk floating before them like a door to darkness itself
"Here, I can take you there." He stated, offering his hand
Toga took a step backwards and stared at the black disk in front of her, likely startled by the suddenness. She peered questioningly into the inky darkness before staring directly at Izuku's expression. And yet at seeing her apprehension his determination did not fade
"Okay." She finally said, cluthing the hand in front of her and following the boy into the familiar darkness
Inside the well lit bar a portal appeared just in front of the shadowy bartender, allowing two teenagers to pass through. While one of the two teenagers was already well adjusted, the other teen needed a moment to register her new surroundings
"Well young Midoriya? What's the emergency?" Asked the shadow man with only a hint of worry
"Thank you Kurogiri, I hope didn't interrupt anything." Izuku said, scratching the back of his neck
"Actually you have."
The boy grimaced for a moment as the bartender stepped to the side, allowing him to see the other guests... a grey haired man missing a tooth and a familiar black haired one with dark burn scars. The former sat at the bar close to Tomura while the latter stood at the doorway, closed off from the rest
"Dabi?/Kid?" They questioned in unison, stunned by the appearance of the other
"You two know each other?" Tomura prodded, looking between both sets of people
"Yeah I met him twice before." Izuku answered as the man strode towards him
"Didn't think I'd see you at a place like this." Dabi greeted, smirking to himself. "But I guess it makes sense with the type of questions you asked. Then I guess she's the girl you were talking about?"
"He talks about me?~" She sang from just behind Izuku, side eyeing the boy with a playful smile
"All the time." Dabi lied, watching as the boy lowered his head to hide his beet red face and ears. One would think he was dying of heat stroke but instead it was just of embarrassment
"I-Um..."
"Well what do you want?" Tomura but-in, giving Izuku enough relief to remember what he came for. In response the teen walked over to the slightly older boy, who sat idly at the bartop, and bowed before him
"Please, I need to ask for a favor."
The words took everyone by surprise, most especially Kurogiri and Tomura himself. Neither expected the newbie to be so bold yet desperate enough to ask for a favor of all things. However, given that he went to Tomura rather than his sensei directly, the grey haired boy only hummed in amusement
"Can she please stay at the apartments nearby? Even if it's just for a while I want to make sure that she's somewhere safe. I'll pay you back in any way I can."
An akward silence befell the room as the young man looked between the new arrivals. Beside him, the grey haired man only smirked as he took a few puffs of his cigarette
"If she wants to stay here then she needs to be part of the team." Tomura ruled, allowing Izuku a sigh of relief
"Team? What team?" Himeko asked, causing him to tense once again
"Its... well... We're called the League of Villains. And we're the people that attacked UA a week ago."
Gears began turning within her mind, but the usage of 'we' did not go unnoticed by either Dabi or Toga
"You attacked UA? So then... you got your injuries from the attack?" She pieced together rather quickly
"Sorry..." izuku apologized, yet neither his quirk nor his intuition could detect any rising anger within the girl. He assumed that Toga was angered by the lie and was worried once she walked over and stood just in front of Tomura. The two only dead stared each other until she broke the silence
"I wanna join!" She proclaimed. "I'm gonna make sure Izuku doesn't get hurt like that again!"
"Sure, whatever." He waved off, looking at the scarred man who stood back a little further. "And you? What'll it be?"
"Heh, guess this got interesting." He chuckled, observing the events before him. "What do you even do?"
Izuku could tell that Tomura concealed a wide grin under the dead hand from the way he outstretched his arms. He mimicked his master in the confidence he displayed even without showing his face fully
"We're here to kill All Might and destroy everything he's built." He proclaimed for the world to hear
"...Lame."
"What?" Tomura questioned, stunned by the remark
"That's lame." Toga repeated, her arms crossed.
The insulting remark threw the 'leader' for a loop, leaving him standing in place with his arms outtretched
"...Lame?" He growled, balling his fists in anger
"But that doesn't matter." She ignored, hugging Izuku's arm tightly. "As long as I get to see Izuku more then I'll work with you."
"Not like I got a better reason." Dabi shrugged. "I'll join too."
Despite the good news Tomura only mumbled to himself in frustration, returning to his drink and ignoring the others
The green haired boy was elated by the turn of events, now distracted by the fact his arm was trapped within Himeko's chest. He glanced in the direction of the other grey haired man but realized he'd disappeared without him noticing
"He was here with Dabi... could he have brought him here?" He wondered, glancing between both Toga and Dabi beside him. Yet his question had no time to form as the girl pulled him into one of the barstools
"Come on! We should get a drink to celebrate! It's not every day we can." She reasoned, jumping into a seat and taping her fingers on the bartop. "Hey waiter! You got any drinks?"
"Only non-alcoholic ones for the two of you." Kurogiri lectured, witnessing the girl blow raspberries at him
"And you?" He asked the scarred man, his shadowy yellow eye lifting as though to raise an eyebrow
"Hm... whatever you got is fine."
"I'll give you a list." He sighed, taking his place behind the counter
Quietly Dabi sat a seat away from the two lovebirds beside him and even further away from the brooding mess of a person. He continued to keep to himself, enjoying the livelier and brighter atmosphere. Rather than hunching over he sat back, relaxing ever slightly in the more hospitable environment
A/N: Hey again guys! I really had fun with this one especially the date portions. Toying with a character's outfit is a pretty fun challenge even if only the primary one sticks
In other news the manga for MHA finally ended a good while before posting this and although I do have my gripes with the ending I'm glad the series reached its conclusion. I hope we can all continue to enjoy it even past its end