Dabi POV, earlier that morning

When I woke up, I swear I could still feel her in my arms. So naturally, it was a massive disappointment to discover my bed empty, my room cold, and Shigaraki standing in my doorway. I dragged myself out of bed, adjusting my sweatpants from where they hung low around my hips, and stretched, purposefully ignoring the crusty pain in my ass who was now invading my space. Finally, exhausting every stretch I was lazy enough to perform, I turned to look at him.

"The hell you want, crusty?"

Shigaraki, lacking the usual hands that clung to his arms and face, surveyed me with a disdained glare.

"Just came to remind you…we have a job today."

I scowl, stitches on my cheek tightening with the movement, then stalk over to my bathroom, clicking on the flickering light and surveying myself in the cracked mirror over the bloodstained sink.

"I haven't forgotten. I'll be there."

Shigaraki nods, turning to leave, before he stiffens, turning back with eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You've found your soulmate, haven't you?"

My blood runs cold. Shigaraki has avoided his soulmate for nearly a decade, evading all attempts to get them to meet outside of their dreams. He hasn't mentioned her in over a year, not since we found out that she lived in Europe.

I turn, eyes narrowing into a sharp glare, fingers heating as unconscious flames lick the edges of my fingertips.

"And what if I have?"

What I was expecting him to say, I'm not sure. But his muted, casual response caught me off guard.

"You should meet her. While you have the chance. If she's nearby, anyways."

I blink, the tiny flames at my fingertips stuttering out in surprise, but Shigaraki's already turning away and stalking out into the hallway, shutting the door behind him.

I scowl, turning back to the mirror, and attempt to fix my hair into some semblance of order, mussed from sleep and…her last night. I sigh, resting my hands against the cool material of the sink as the memories crash back into me.

Images of her, on her back as she gives herself to me, the feel of her tight wetness clamping around my cock as she came, wings splayed beneath her like some angel come down from heaven. I groan, realizing I'm already hard, and take a few minutes to take care of myself before shuffling into my usual attire for our raids, sliding into my trench coat and lacing up my boots before stalking out to meet the rest of the League.

They're all sprawled around our current den, Toga and Twice bickering on the couch about some hero's blood, form, how they think it'd feel to wear their skin, et cetera.

Mr. Compress is slouched against the bar, hunched over one of his capture balls, Kurogiri leaning over the bar from the other side to inspect a stain on the bartop.

Shigaraki sits in his corner, characteristic hands now covering his face and arms again. Spinner's late, as usual, and, per his normal, comes racing through the door like an elephant, weapons clanging.

Shigaraki shoots him a halfhearted glare, and I wonder for a minute if maybe he's hurting more than I've given him credit for. He's the only one in the League to have had their soulmate dreams, at least the only one that's made it known.

I suspect Kurogiri's had his, but he refuses to speak about the topic any time Toga brings it up. Spinner's too young, and Twice is too split to remember any of his dreams.

I settle into my usual chair, tuning Shigaraki out as he explains the mission. It's the same thing every time. We're going after a summer market this time, one of our few missions that we conduct in broad daylight. I'm not a fan of these.

It's silly to expose ourselves further to the heroes who are already hot on our tails, especially with the new group of hero students that UA's acquired. I snort to myself slightly, earning me a disapproving look from Shigaraki, recalling the first brush we had with the new crop.

All For One's getting pretty desperate to get his hands on All Might, who mysteriously seems to be getting weaker, for some reason. I tune back into the conversation just as Shigaraki stands up, the others and myself following. Kurogiri opens one of his shadowy portals into the market, and I shake all other thoughts from my head, stepping through. In the darkness and disorientation of the portal, I don't even notice the sting of a soulmate tattoo gracing my wrist. As we step out into the shadows of an alley near the market, I tug my hood up, despite the oppressive summer heat. Then it's time. We fan out, Toga and Twice diving into the crowds, screams following in their wake as blood spills and market stalls topple.

I smirk, knowing that my turn comes next. I stride out, opening my arms and bursting into my blue flames, causing more screams as nearby stands catch fire, then spread.

I grin, a feral, angry piece of me floating to the surface. I stalk through the rapidly emptying market, watching people flee, then nearly stumble at the force of an explosion, likely set off by Compress.

My grin widens at the sound of destruction, and I change my path, heading towards the source of the explosion, knowing that wherever it is, it'll be our extraction point.

As I round a corner, a familiar, dark grey feather catches my eye, floating down through the warm air.

My eyes widen slightly, realizing what it means, and I turn, frantically searching every inch of the now-decimated square, until-there! I rush over, heedless of the other members of the League who are now gathering there, and dig madly through the piled rubble until I uncover first one wing, bent at an awkward angle that breaks my heart, then a face I know from my dreams.

I hurriedly but gently pry her out, her eyes closed and a trickle of blood staining my hand from where I cradle her head.

I hiss in surprise, checking the back of her head, and find a cut, likely from where she was thrown against the wall. Before I can fully examine her, Kurogiri's yanking me back and into a portal, the faint sounds of shouting echoing through the square before we're back in the League hideout, still clutching my soulmate to my chest.

Tajo. She said her name was Tajo. I cradle her to my chest, brushing the hair out of her face as gently as I could, not registering the rest of the League arguing and shouting around me.

I nearly punch Compress in the face when he grabs my shoulder, forcing my attention.

"WHAT?"

I snarl, the sound shooting out of me and catching me by surprise, startling Compress and myself. Compress' eyes widen behind his mask slightly, and he backs off quickly, allowing me to recover slightly. I haven't snapped like that in years…it must be because she's hurt.

I'm deep enough in thought that Shigaraki has to say my name four times to get my attention. When I finally realize, he just looks tired.

"Take her somewhere safe. Get her some medical attention. Spend some time with her."

I nod, not willing to chance him rescinding his offer, and stand, gently cradling Tajo against my chest, mindful of her wings and injuries.

As I stride out of the common room, I choose to ignore the harried whispers that instantly spring up once they think I'm out of earshot, but I don't miss Shigaraki's voice, a lightning bolt in the night-

"Shut up. It's his mate. He's been through enough today."

I don't hang around to hear the end of the whispers, striding into my room and locking the door behind me, awkwardly maneuvering Tajo to reach the lock.

A flick of a light switch later, and I'm gently setting her on my bed to finally examine her wounds in peace. Dried blood mats part of her hair in the back of her head, but I frown as I gently probe the back of her skull for a wound, finding…nothing.

I gently turn her over, thoughts racing, to examine where the wound should've been, but only dried blood and honey-colored hair greet my questing fingers.

I check over the rest of her, searching for wounds I definitely saw earlier, like the small cuts and bruises that would surely be a result of being buried under sharp bricks and rubble, and I'm just in time to watch a tiny cut close right before my eyes.

How could I be so stupid? She's a healer. She told me that in our dream…I sigh in relief, gently settling her against my pillows to allow her to sleep.

I sit by her side, taking in every inch of her perfection.

I'd heard stories of how soulmate's were each other's perfect matches in nearly every way, but…nothing can compare to really looking at your soulmate for the first time, actually touching them, being there with them.

As I go to take her hand, I hiss in pain, remembering for the first time in a minute that I was, in fact, on fire.

I sigh, reluctantly rising and limping into my bathroom, the adrenaline of seeing Tajo hurt now fading, leaving pain and stiffness in its wake.

I groan slightly, settling onto the edge of the bathtub to apply burn salve to my fingertips, arms, and legs where I ignited myself with the hottest flames, sighing as the salve cools and soothes my skin.

A quiet groan from the bedroom jerks me from my task as I jolt to my feet, nearly faceplanting onto the floor as my legs momentarily fail me, but stumbling towards the bedroom, hoping that she's finally woken up, that she's alright.