Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Shouto leaned his head back against the wall of ice behind him, allowing himself a few moments to catch his breath. He wasn’t sure where Kai was at. He panted, sweat dripping down his skin. He wiped what he could away from his forehead, grimacing as he pulled his hand away and saw the streak of blood on his arm.

He underestimated the other man’s attack. Overhaul was strong, and his quirk worked quickly, chaotically. It was almost impossible to predict the movements of the landscape he manipulated. Shouto needed to get faster at dodging his attacks. But the cut didn’t hurt. It couldn’t be too bad if he didn’t even feel it. He was lost in a rush of adrenaline and a lingering high from the joint that Kai had given him after the interview earlier today. The drug slowed him down a bit, but he knew it was probably slowing Kai down as well.

He could still win this.

He had to win this.

The only reason they had come to the training center in the first place had been so Shouto could blow off some steam.

“Welcome, Todoroki Shouto, to ‘Musutafu Morning’, Musutafu’s most popular talk-show! We were so happy when you agreed to meet up with us this morning! Word is that you haven’t appeared publicly since you were released from the detention center! And I have to say, you look fantastic! The last time we saw you was walking out of the courthouse over a month ago! But you certainly have made some changes! Doesn’t he look handsome?”

There had been a number of catcalls from the audience, and Shouto had hated every single one of them as he sat up on that brightly lit stage with a neutral look on his face. This was his first public appearance since the trial. Since he had said goodbye to his old friends. Since he had changed his hair and started dressing in the clothes Kai bought him. Since Okimoto had officially accepted him into the Yakuza. Since the night that they had broken Dabi out of the prison.

The talk-show host, Miss Iato Yumi, was overly cheerful, probably in her late twenties. She was wearing a knee-length red dress with her black hair twisted up in a taka shimada, her lips painted ruby red to give her a distinctly geisha-style appearance. She was pretty, that much was undeniable. But this interview felt so much like the ones that Enji had forced him into as a child. It was a cloak-and-dagger attempt to distract the public. Necessary, but dreaded.

“Thank you, Miss Yumi,” Shouto replied, giving a brief smile at the audience. “Although I do prefer to go by just Shouto now. After my fathers disinheritance, I am no longer a Todoroki; one of many things that have changed for me over the last month. One of the best changes, honestly.”

There had been too many rumors about his involvement with Dabi’s escape. Tabloid articles that maybe he had joined his brother in the League. Shouto had tried to avoid it, but ultimately Okimoto had deemed it necessary for Shouto to make a public appearance. Dispel any rumors that were circulating. The Yakuza leader did not want his newest member associated with criminal activity. He had plans for Shouto, and they included his name staying clear for as long as possible.

Shouto wiped at his forehead one more time, flinching a little at the sting as sweat rubbed into the gash on his hairline. He couldn’t stay still for long. He turned, leaning against the crystalline ice and peeking around the wall he had created. It was hard to see much. That’s why he hated the suburban landscape. The tall buildings, the cars, the fences and alley’s and everything that provided shelter for his opponent. Shouto would have chosen the forest setting. But it was Kai’s week to choose, and with hundreds of different things for Kai to manipulate against him, this setting was much more beneficial for his quirk. Regardless, this was the week that Shouto was determined to best him.

Suddenly his wall turned to snow and Shouto fell forward, getting covered in white powder as he landed on his knees on the cold road.

“Tell me, Shouto,” Yumi started in with her first question. “What made you decide to say yes when we reached out to you? Rumor says that you have turned down dozens of requests for interviews over the past few weeks.”

“I wasn’t ready to talk about everything that happened to me,” Shouto shrugged, crossing his legs and leaning back against the stiff couch on the set. He needed to appear casual, comfortable. Even if he felt the exact opposite. “These last few months haven’t been easy, especially my time in the detention center and my trial. When I was finally released, I needed some time to myself. But I am finally ready. And it’s a good thing. The other day I read in the tabloids that I am apparently a member of The League of Villains. I had no idea.”

A number of laughs broke out in the audience. He hadn’t been trying to make a joke. Okimoto had told him to address the rumors head-on, and this was the only way that he knew how to do that.

Yumi had laughed as well, throwing a large, probably fake, smile at the camera from where she sat on her over-sized chair across from him.

“There have been a number of rumors associating you with The League of Villains,” Yumi replied. “Especially once it came out that they were behind the attack that led to your arrest, and that your older brother, Todoroki Touya, is a member of the League as well.”

“He prefers to go by Dabi, actually,” Shouto replied. “And he was a member of the League. He betrayed them in order to prove my innocence at my trial. He couldn’t have gone back to the League after his escape from jail. They would have killed him.”.

“Dabi, huh?” Yumi mused, looking genuinely intrigued. “Can we get a picture of Dabi up on the screen for our audience?” She called out to some technician in the booth behind them. A moment later Dabi’s mugshot appeared on the large screen behind their couches. A smug smile on his face as he held up the board with his name and criminal information on it. He had all of his piercings in, his hair spiked up, make-up done. Hell, Shouto was pretty sure he even had mascara on. Leave it to his brother to get all dressed up to be arrested. He could hear a couple of the audience members gasp at the picture. Over-dramatic. This was unlikely the first time anyone in this room had seen this picture. The city had conducted an active manhunt for Dabi the two weeks after he escaped; this picture had literally been everywhere. “Is it true that you were pretty close to your brother before you were arrested?”

Shouto quickly blasted fire over the snow around him, resulting in a plume of steam as it melted that gave him the cover to get behind one of the nearby buildings. He used his ice to propel himself forward, moving as quickly as he was able to in order to duck behind the red bricks. Kai was only able to manipulate objects through touch, which meant that the other man had to still be close by.

As if in response to his thoughts, the ground shook as a large crack started to rip through the pavement, the destruction shooting out in a path straight for him. Shouto dodged out of the way, using his ice to create a platform that shot him up to the roof of the next building over, watching as the crack went underneath the building he had been hidden behind. The wall of the building shuddered as it shifted, cracks spider-webbing up the side of the wall, bricks and dust sprinkling down to cover the ground where he had just been.

Shouto aimed his fire down at the platform, melting it away so that Kai wouldn’t have easy access to reach him. He peeked over the edge of the roof. The steam from his melting ice lingered like a faint fog in the alley between the two buildings. Although he was only a few stories up, Shouto had a much better vantage point from up here. He let both sides of his quirk start to thrum through his body, focusing on lowering the temperature of his right side. Once Kai came into view, he was going to bury him in an avalanche between the two buildings.

Kai was good in battle. Too good. But Shouto was getting better every week. Okimoto’s training schedule was as rigid, possibly more so than even Enji’s had been. He wanted Shouto ready to actively participate in Yakuza missions, and he wanted it as quickly as possible. Shouto trained five days a week at the Yakuza headquarters. Although he wasn’t being purposely beaten to try to draw out his fire, he was often as tired and sore from the sessions as he had been after training with his father. His training was always conducted by a different member of the Yakuza, sometimes one of the other bullets, sometimes by someone he had never met before. So he never knew what he was walking into. But Shouto embraced every fight; he wanted to improve his skills more than anyone. After Kai had assigned Tengai to protect him during their mission to free Dabi (and the other bullet had actually protected Shouto more than he cared to admit), Shouto was determined to get stronger. He didn’t want to be a weak link. He didn’t want a baby-sitter. He didn’t want to be left behind because he wasn’t ready to hold his own.

He joined the Yakuza to make a difference. And he couldn’t do that until both Kai and Okimoto approved him for missions.

“Dabi and I have been close since we were children,” Shouto answered Yumi’s question. “I was living with him, actually, right before I got arrested. We had just reunited after he had disappeared four years ago, and he was helping me through the domestic violence charges against my father.”

He heard the gasps from the audience.

“You were living with him?” Yumi said. Shouto knew that was a juicy bit of gossip. Nothing about that had come out yet, and now the city had heard it from his own mouth. The best way to distract the city from inconvenient rumors? Gossip. As much as Shouto hated that particular tactic, everybody loved gossip. “Did you know that he was a villain when you moved in with him?”

“Yes,” Shouto replied, to an entire chorus of gasps. Even a few people booing him. Fuck them. As if they could ever understand.

“But The League of Villains attacked your class at UA! And the articles that came out after your trial said that you were raped by the League. Why did you choose to stay with your brother after all of that? Weren’t you angry with him?”

He trained his face to stay neutral. So many articles had come out after the trial, detailing every single personal detail of what had happened. Just like he had feared, the entire city knew what the League had done to him. Knew what he had gone through.

“For attacking my classmates. Yeah, I was angry,” Shouto responded. “But he had nothing to do with what happened to me. I was raped by their leader Shigaraki, and by Toga. I was also framed by them, and would have gone to jail over something they had done had Dabi not stepped forward and given himself up for me. He also gave me a place to go when I didn’t feel safe at my fathers. My brother may be a villain, but he was still a damn sight better than living with my father. I do not regret having him back in my life. If I could go back and do things differently, I would have moved in with him the moment we reconnected. His apartment felt like more of a home to me than the Todoroki mansion ever could.”

A part of Shouto wished that he could see Enji’s face when he saw this interview.

“Wow,” Yumi exclaimed, glancing around, her eyes glittering with bewilderment. “There is a lot to unpack in that statement! I am not even sure where to begin with my questions,” she laughed.

She laughed. Shout clenched his fists, hoping it wasn’t too noticeable. How could people laugh at that? Did she really think that was a joke?

He felt the roof starting to shake underneath his feet. He could hear it groaning as Kai manipulated the bricks, pushing the structural integrity of the building.

Shit.

Kai knew exactly where he was. Shouto pushed himself up, running to the other edge of the roof even as it began to sway beneath him. Kai was going to bring the entire building down! Shouto glanced over the edge just long enough to see Kai, both hands on the building as he continued to send quakes through the brick. Shouto didn’t hesitate, aiming his right arm down and releasing the avalanche of ice toward the golden-eyed man. He jumped off the edge as ice continued to pour out of him, using it to slide down toward the ground. If he could just encase Kai in enough ice…

Suddenly he was falling, the ice beneath him churning into a flurry of snow as he fell through it.

“Shit!” Shouto cried out, unleashing more ice to catch his fall right before he hit the ground. He still hit hard. It knocked the air out of his lungs, made it hard to breathe. Kai’s ability to manipulate his ice made the other man difficult to trap. He needed to change up his tactic if he had any chance of beating the other man. He took a few gasping breaths, ignoring the pain of his rough landing as he rolled over and pushed himself up to his feet. Kai was standing there, watching him. The older man must have gotten caught in the steam from older, his clothes were damp, clinging to him sinfully, his hair plastered to his forehead. He was breathing hard as well, but he had a smug arrogance on his face.

Shouto put up his left hand. He couldn’t let the older man win so easily.

“Let’s start by addressing some of the most current questions that people are asking. There are a lot of rumors going around that you were involved in the attack on the prison that resulted in your brother’s escape. Is that true?”

Shouto smiled bitterly.

“No,” Shouto lied. “But a part of me wishes that I had been,” he added quickly, to make it sound less like a lie. “My brother has done a lot of horrible things over the last few years, things that he deserves to serve time for. But he didn’t deserve to go to prison for helping me. No, I um, was actually pretty distressed at that point. I doubt any of you could understand what it is like to read article after article painting you out to be a monster. To read in the news that you were expelled from your university and disinherited from your family. To sit in a courtroom and know that people you cared about thought you were capable of attacking your friend.” Maybe Shouto was still a little bitter. Anyone who held that against him could go fuck themselves. “I wasn’t alright. I had lost pretty much everything that I thought my life was ever going to be. So no, I wasn’t out breaking my brother out of prison. Or joining the League of Villains. I haven’t been doing anything really. I have spent the last four weeks sitting in my new apartment trying to come to grips with everything that my life has become.”

He hated the lies. Hated how much he reminded himself of his father in that moment. How much it made him feel like the villain that Bakugou said he was going to become. But he had to make this believable. He couldn’t exactly come out and admit to being involved with a major crime on national TV. Especially not one that had caused the death of two prison guards. Burned alive in the back of the prison yard. Shouto took a deep breath. He couldn’t be associated with that. He would be arrested within the hour. Well… they could try to arrest him. He wouldn’t let himself be taken away so easily next time.

Dabi hadn’t deserved to be arrested for proving Shouto’s innocence. Shouto regretted losing control. He regretted getting lost in the drugs he had been given. He regretted the unnecessary loss of life. He regretted the blood on his hands; the way he felt sick every time he remembered the screams that had followed the rage of blue flames he had unleashed in that field. But he did not regret freeing his brother.

“And what about the rumors that you know where your brother is?” Yumi continued.

“I haven’t seen or heard from my brother since before my arrest,” Shouto replied simply. That one was at least, almost true. He had only seen Dabi a handful of times since he had been released, and it was never for as long as he wanted. Dabi had been forced to lay very low these past few weeks. Not just from the heroes who were determined to see him back behind bars, but from the League as well. Although Shigaraki had been quiet for the past few weeks, Shouto had no doubt the villain would go after Dabi if he had the chance.

Shouto released a blast of fire directly toward the golden-eyed man, satisfied as Kai had to drop and roll out of the line of fire. The moment the other man was distracted, Shouto switched out his fire for ice. He created a wall that would block Kai’s view long enough for Shouto to get away. He ran quickly, ducking into a nearby alley and heading back to climb the fence blocking it in. If he continued to use his ice, he would leave a trail for Kai to follow. He needed to put some untraceable space between him and other man. He needed to give himself a moment to think, to figure out a way to incapacitate Overhaul.

He knew Kai was getting tired too. He was starting to see the rash that broke out along the other man’s skin when he was over-using his quirk. Then again, both of Shouto’s arms were starting to thrum as well. Although his endurance for using his quirks, especially his fire, even if he still hated using it, had improved greatly over the past few weeks. But Kai was always his most challenging opponent, and he found himself using larger attacks in his attempts to beat the other man in combat.

Shouto jumped as soon he reached the top of the fence, landing in a crouch and turning the corner around the next building. He couldn’t use his ice, Kai could manipulate it too easily. He couldn’t overhaul Shouto’s fire, but he could easily block it just by touching the ground at his feet. Anything Kai could get a single finger on could become a shield in the blink of an eye.

Shit.

Think, Shouto. Think!

“Have you been in contact with the rest of your family? There was some pretty big news from our #1 hero earlier this week!”

“You mean that he and my mother are expecting a baby?” Shouto replied bitterly. Yes, he had heard about that. On the one-o-clock news along with the rest of Musutafu. “Yes, I did hear that. And I suppose that it sounds like such a great thing. Todoroki Enji, trying to recuperate after the loss of two sons. Starting fresh with a new baby. But I can’t see it that way. My father didn’t lose Dabi or myself. He pushed us away because he was abusive. He will abuse this new baby as well, and everyone will ignore the fact that its happening. Just like they did with me. But I will be watching. I hope you are seeing this today, Endeavor. Mark my word. If you lay a hand on my new brother or sister in anger, no matter their age, I will personally make sure you end up behind bars like you deserve.”

Another lie. If his father abused his younger sibling, Shouto would make sure he wasn’t physically capable of abuse anymore. His hero work be damned.

A strange silence settled over the audience.

“It seems like you and your father aren’t on great terms at the moment. So tell me, if you aren’t at the Todoroki mansion, where are you staying Shouto?” Miss Yumi was good at her job. She could see the interview getting too tense, too political. This was a gossip show, and she needed to keep things light if she wanted to keep her ratings up.

“I am living in an apartment with my boyfriend.” Shouto replied, to another chorus of exclamations from the audience.

Shouto dodged behind the dumpster in the next alley. He had to wear Kai out. Enough to get close to him, take him out with a pressure point. Shouto was not going to be able to overwhelm him with his quirk alone. But he also wasn’t going to be able to keep using large-scale attacks. If he could use the landscape around him though...

Cars. If he could lure Kai close enough, and then explode a car or two with his fire. Kai would be forced to block the explosion. Shouto could attack at the opportune moment, and if he could just get his thumb onto the right spot on Kai’s neck, he could take the other man down, ending the fight as the victor.

He just needed one good distraction.

“Your boyfriend?” Yumi practically purred, obviously pleased by the change of pace. “And here I was beginning to think that none of the rumors going around about you were true. Tell me, is this your boyfriend?

A moment later the screen changed, going away from Dabi’s mugshot and switching to a picture of Kai and him walking out of the trial. Kai’s arm was protectively cradled around his waist, and he was using his other hand to block a journalist from pushing a microphone into Shouto’s face. That day felt like such a blur in his mind. He looked distraught, still clothed in his horrible tan jumpsuit and Dabi’s black jacket. But Kai… Kai looked as handsome as ever.

“Yes,” Shouto replied, hoping that Kai wouldn’t be too unhappy about the reveal. He was somewhere behind the scenes here, but Shouto was certain that he was watching.

“So those articles are true? You are gay? That would make you the second hero to come out as gay this month!”

Hawks. Hawks had finally come out as gay on national television a week after Dabi’s escape. Shouto couldn’t help but wonder what spurred the winged hero to finally come out after so many years, but he suspected that it had to do with seeing Dabi again. He didn’t know what was said between them, but Dabi had mentioned that Hawks had spoken to him after his arrest. It didn’t seem as if the reunion had gone well, though.

“It would, if I were gay.” Shouto replied bluntly. “I am actually bisexual. And I am no longer planning to become a hero.”

After a good bit of running through the city, Shouto finally found what he was looking for. An intersection with multiple cars sitting at the traffic lights. He didn’t waste time, knowing that Kai was getting weary as well. If Shouto was looking for a way to end this fight quickly, it was likely that Kai was doing the same.

Shouto chose the front car, lighting it up with his fire before ducking back behind a building nearby. He was certain that Kai would come to investigate the flames, looking for any sign of Shouto among the quiet cityscape. He readied his fire, prepared to light up the next car in line the moment the golden-eyed man came into view.

What he didn’t expect was the sudden constriction of metal around his body.

“Not planning on becoming a hero?” Yumi had seemed genuinely surprised at that. “With a quirk as strong as yours? What else are you hoping to do, Shouto?”

Shouto looked out toward the audience. How could any of them understand his decision?

“I don’t know,” Shouto said, another half-truth. Most Yakuza members had actual jobs. Very few made enough through the Yakuza to forego other work. Shouto hadn’t decided what exactly he wanted to do. The amount of yen he was set to receive from his defamation and misconduct lawsuits was enough to keep him well off for a few years, even after an extremely generous donation to the Yakuza as a thanks for their role in his trial. Although it was unlikely that he would see much of that money for a little while. Hagiwara was doing his best to settle the cases outside of court, but the amount of red-tape, and paperwork, and complete bullshit to get anything with the cases resolved was insane. “We will see what opportunities come around.”

A soft bell dinged from somewhere on set. A very brief look of annoyance crossing over Miss Yumi’s face. But Shouto couldn’t feel more relieved. The interview was finally over. He could get off of this over-lit, stuffy stage.

“It looks like that is all the time that we have for today!” Miss Yumi said, her cheerful smile plastered back onto her face. “But I have to say that I am just fascinated with these changes in you, Shouto. And I’m sure that our viewers are as well! I wish that we had more time together this afternoon, I have about a hundred more questions!” She laughed, the audience laughing along with her. “It’s not everyday you get to speak to someone who went from hero to villain and back again! I do hope that you will come to see us again soon, Shouto. Perhaps we can talk about more of your new goals! And maybe a bit more about that handsome man you are dating!” A series of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ came from the audience at that.

Of course people would be more interested in his sex life than in anything else he had said. He shouldn’t have expected any more out of a talk show.

“Perhaps,” Shouto replied.

Shouto struggled against the cage, unleashing a burst of ice in an attempt to push it away from him, but the frost-bitten metal held strong. He twisted and turned, realizing that his arms had been captured in the warped frame of the fire escape from the building he had hidden behind. He continued to struggle as he heard the building groaning, shifting behind him as Kai forced it to create a staircase for his descent.

Shouto pushed outward once more with his ice, but Kai was already there, overhauling his ice into snow as quickly as he could form it.

Shouto was trapped.

He had lost.

"You told me you could beat me this week," Kai noted, breathing hard.

Shouto struggled against the metal encircling him, looking up as Kai touched his cheek.

"I misjudged your last maneuver. A mistake I won't make again, Overhaul. I am going to beat you." Shouto said, steeling his voice, trying to ignore the way that Kai drug his fingers down his neck. Shouto ignored the thrum of arousal that coursed through him at the intimate touch. A touch that changed in an instant as Kai moved his hand up to grip Shouto’s jaw tightly.

"That is what you said last time, little fox," Kai sneered, his eyes dropping to Shouto's mouth as he ran a thumb along Shouto's lower lip. "And yet, here we are. Yield." The fingers tightened on Shouto's jaw.

Shouto refused to admit defeat. Shouto met his gaze, eyes defiant. He may have lost, but he was certain he had held out almost twice as long as any of his previous fights with Overhaul.

"Yield," Kai repeated, his voice thick and deep. So like the control he had over Shouto in the dark of their bedroom. It wasn't a question. It wasn't an offer. It was a command. And his body responded instinctively, begging him to succumb to it.

Then Overhaul moved just slightly. Enough to set a single finger on the twisted ladder. The metal shifted around him, and suddenly a sharp chunk was pressed up against Shouto’s neck, forcing his head back at an awkward angle.

“Yield, Fenikkusu,” Overhaul demanded, his voice getting sharp. The other man was done playing games. Shouto could feel the sharp point of the metal digging into the soft skin of his throat. This was a legitimate threat. Shouto had learned the hard way that Kai did not play games during these trainings. He could kill Shouto, and bring him back with a single touch if he wished. A little pain, or even an injury, was nothing to him.

Shouto nodded.

“I yield,” he said, his voice soft as he tried not to move his neck against the sharp metal.

Kai touched the ladder, disintegrating it in rust. Shouto fell to his knees at the sudden lack of stability around him.

Fuck.

He had lost.

“I will beat you one day, Kai,” Shouto said, reaching up to touch his throat. He could feel a tiny cut where the metal had pushed into his skin. These fights were almost too real. Sometimes Shouto forgot they were just sparring. Much like the USJ, the Yakuza had a training center that was hidden underground that allowed them to train in insanely life-like scenarios. But unlike UA, there was no built-in safety features. You could die in this training center if someone wished you too.

“Perhaps next time,” Kai replied. “But you need to pay better attention to your surroundings.”

Shouto nodded, pushing himself up to stand. He knew Kai was right. Shouto was great at using his surroundings to boost his quirks, but he tended to get too focused. He lost track if that part of his environment was no longer in his immediate battle plans. He needed to learn how to be more aware, to think more broadly about his surroundings.

Especially fighting Kai.

“Do you feel better, at least?” Kai asked after a moment. He knew the other man was referring to the interview. He had hated it. Hated every moment of it. Every question. Why did rumors and gossip have to be such a big deal? Why couldn’t people be content to deal with their own shit, to not care who was doing what? Or who was sleeping with who?

But between the weed and the fight, Shouto was feeling a little better. Physically tired, but better.

“Yeah,” he replied, following Kai as they made their way through the empty streets to the entrance. “I guess so. I would feel even better if I had won.”

“Than you will have to try harder next time,” Kai replied, glancing back at him with a grin. “Are you up for a little more tonight?” Kai asked. “We could go to the club for a few hours before heading home. Dabi will be there.”

“Dabi?” Shouto asked, concerned. Shigaraki kept tabs on that club. Why in the hell would Dabi risk going there? “Isn’t he still supposed to be laying low? Shigaraki knows about that club.”

“Dabi is a big boy,” Kai replied. “He insisted. Even after I offered to send over some company for the night. He’s bored. Wants to get out of the apartment for a bit. Besides, Shigaraki hates that club. And he doesn’t bother coming up to the third floor, which is where we will be. I know you have been wanting to see him again.”

Shouto nodded. It was stupid. And probably really fucking reckless. But he knew it could be impossible to reason with his brother. The least they could do is be there in case of trouble.

Besides, the club meant that he could probably refresh his high. And Shouto wasn’t opposed to the idea of a little something else to take his mind off the day…

* * * * * *

Dabi wasn’t there when they first arrived at the club. It was slower, although that was probably a good thing. Probably part of why Dabi chose tonight. Shigaraki would be a lot less likely to expect Dabi to go out on a Monday night; there was also a lot less people to risk recognizing Dabi as he moved through the club on his way in and out. Kai almost immediately got pulled into a political debate with Hojo and Setsuno that Shouto had zero interest in, so Shouto ended up smoking a joint with Chronostasis, who name was actually Kurono, and a woman named Yokubo. She was a few years older than Shouto. She was very tall, and looked remarkably like Momo, if maybe not quite so curvaceous, which immediately peaked Shouto’s interest. She had streaks of purple in her long, black hair that hung down to her lower back. She was wearing a black mini-skirt and a purple tank that matched her hair. Yokubo worked as a secretary in the ministry of finance. She had been in a Yakuza for just over a year and was apparently in an on-again, off-again relationship with the white-haired man. And a few other members of the Yakuza as well.

She was quite intrigued by Shouto, and convinced him to dance with her after Kurono declined the offer. So they left the rest of the joint to the white-haired man, and she swayed and twisted against Shouto in the middle of the room. The Yakuza’s room in the club was nothing like the main floor. It was relatively small, with a few large couches seated around the main area. There was a small bar in the back, although it was unmanned tonight for such an informal gathering. Otherwise, there were a few doors that Shouto assumed led to private rooms or offices. Music played from a small speaker system overhead, and Yokubo didn’t seem to care that there was no official dance floor as her high slowly took effect.

She was a very good dancer, and obviously familiar with the music from the club scene. With the haze of the weed washing over him, Shouto had to focus not to get a full hard-on as she danced against him, and she honestly danced circles around him. Shouto got so distracted with her body against his that he didn’t even notice when Dabi arrived until he looked up to see Dabi relaxing on the couch next to Kurono. He was smoking a cigarette, leaned way back with his legs spread wide as he watched them. As usual, Dabi had dressed up for the night out, and, also as usual, he looked damn good.

Yokubo noticed his distraction, her gaze following his.

“Dabi! You’re finally back!” Yokubo exclaimed, her face lighting up at the sight of his brother. She smiled, wiping the sweat away from her forehead before swooping her hair over one shoulder and going over to sit on his lap. Apparently they already knew each other, quite well if the way she draped her body against his was any indication.

“You looked good out there Yokubo,” Dabi replied, his free hand wrapping around her waist, pushing up her tanktop just enough to rest his fingers against her naked skin. “You too, Shouto,” he added, glancing back up to meet Shouto’s eyes.

She giggled slightly in response.

“Did you bring me anything special, Dabi?” She asked, tracing a finger down the gray V-neck T-shirt he was wearing.

Drugs. Dabi must be her drug-dealer.

Shouto smirked slightly as he pushed his hair back, glancing over, glad to see that Kai was finally alone on the other couch. Apparently the entire room had been watching the two of them dance for a little while. Kai had undone the top few buttons on his shirt, a thin silver chain laying against his skin. Shouto made his way over, watching Kai’s gaze travel over his body, lingering on the front of Shouto’s jeans. After a moment, he glanced up with a knowing, sultry smile.

Shouto blushed as he hurried to sit down next to the other man. Apparently he hadn’t done as good of a job not getting an erection as he thought. Kai’s hand came to rest on his thigh, squeezing it.

“Of course I did,” Dabi replied, handing her the cigarette, which she happily took over smoking as he adjusted them both slightly to pull something out of his pocket. It was a small bag of colorful pills. Probably ecstasy, which seemed to be Dabi’s drug of choice when he wanted something with a bit more kick than weed. “What kind of a night out would it be otherwise?” She grinned at him, giving him a small kiss on the cheek as she took the bag.

“I will be right back,” She said, standing up and disappearing behind the bar for a few minutes. She returned a moment later holding a bottle of vodka. She climbed back into Dabi’s lap, taking one of the pills and washing it down with a shot right off the bottle, wincing as she swallowed the bitter alcohol. Dabi watched her, his eyes on her mouth as she pulled the bottle away, drops of vodka shining on her lips. He leaned forward, licking them off before taking the bottle gently out of her hands. Shouto watched, very intrigued, as she took a second pill, placing it on Dabi’s tongue, giggling as he playfully nipped at her fingers when she tried to pull them away. Dabi grinned at her before he also washed the pill down with a long drink of vodka, shaking his head to mask his reaction to the strong liquid.

Dabi handed the bottle over to Kurono. The white-haired man took it as Yokubo shifted, crawling off of Dabi to straddle Kurono’s lap. The movement forced her skirt to climb up her thighs, stretching tightly over her ass as she placed a pill in his mouth, tracing his lips with her slim finger before sitting back enough that he could wash it down with the alcohol. Than she leaned over, kissing him deeply before climbing out of his lap.

Yokubo came over to Kai next, and Shouto was mildly surprised to see him allow her to sit on his lap, her naked calves coming up to rest over Shouto’s thighs as she did. Kai was gay, and Shouto had never seen him express any sexual interest in women. But he still allowed her to place a single white pill on his tongue, taking the bottle of vodka to wash it down. She had definitely seemed more hesitant to be playful with him, but she openly stared at his handsome face while he took his shot. Shouto wondered if this was the closest the Yakuza leader had ever allowed the woman to get before. Kai took a second shot of the vodka before handing the bottle to Shouto. That seemed to snap Yokubo out of her trance, and suddenly she was climbing into Shouto’s lap, just as she had done with Chronostasis. Shouto felt Kai’s arm tense beside him, but the other man didn’t stop her from settling herself directly over Shouto’s crotch. She smiled at him, taking a pill and holding it up to his lips. Shouto obediently opened his mouth, letting the woman place it on his tongue. He brought the bottle up to his lips, very aware of the heat of her pussy against his jeans as he took a shot of the bitter alcohol off the bottle.

She took the bottle from him, taking a second shot as well before standing back up and returning to Kurono’s lap.

It didn’t take long for Shouto to feel the effects. Between the weed, and the vodka, and the ecstasy, Shouto felt a blissful haze washing over him. The music continued to blare from the speakers, and it wasn’t long before Yokubo was dancing again. The dance this time was much more erotic, positioned in front of the two men on the other couch. Shouto couldn’t take his eyes off the girl as she pulled her shirt off, her hips swaying sensually to the beat. He knew Kai was watching him watch her, but he couldn’t pull his eyes away. Her body was beautiful. And he drank in every inch of naked skin as she took off her black bra next, her pert, round breasts glistening in the dimmed light. Then she turned around as she danced, and she had an intricate sternum tattoo that started between her breasts and swooped down to decorate the top of her stomach, displayed enticingly as she put her arms above her head. She had her head back, long black hair swaying with her body, eyes closed, lost in the same hazy bliss that Shouto could feel settling over him.

He could feel Kai’s hand on his thigh.

Shouto watched, entranced. He wasn’t sure how long she danced like that, her short skirt bunched up around her hips, her naked breasts with her dark nipples, the slim curve of her waist. Eventually Chronostasis spread his legs out, leaning way back in his chair as he began to undo his pants. He motioned for her to come to him, and Shouto watched as she obediently went down to her hands and knees, crawling forward until she was between the white-haired man’s legs. Shouto could feel Kai’s mouth on his neck as he watched her crawl. Her skirt didn’t quite cover her ass, or the flimsy black thong that went up between her pussy lips, so thin that it did very little to hide the beautiful pink skin underneath it.

“Do you like her, little fox?” Kai whispered in his ear.

Shouto nodded as he watched her reach up, pulling Kurono’s cock out. She looked up, locking eyes with Kurono as she arched her back and wasted no time before wrapping her lips around it. The white-haired man moaned, his head falling back against the couch as hers started to bob up and down. Shouto felt that moan in his cock, tilting his head to the side to give Kai better access to suck on his neck.

Fuck. He felt good.

The woman swayed her hips enticingly as she licked and sucked up and down Kurono’s cock, her long hair draped down her back and falling beautifully over her cheeks as she moved. Yokubo’s hand snaked up underneath Kurono’s shirt, pushing it slowly up to reveal his taut abs as she touched him. She moaned as Chronostasis began to move his hips slightly against her mouth.

Dabi moved, standing up off the couch and kneeling down behind her. Shouto’s cock pulsed with interest as Dabi pushed her skirt up the last few inches, revealing the rest of her black thong. Shouto could see the way that her pussy glistened around the dark fabric. She was already wet. The woman moaned loudly around Kurono’s cock, making the man moan as well. Kai’s hand was sliding underneath Shouto’s T-shirt, tracing lines up and down his body, his long fingers digging possessively into his skin.

Shouto’s body thrummed with pleasure. He watched as Dabi leaned back, undoing his pants and pushing them down just enough to pull out his pierced cock. Shouto could still remember how good it felt to have his brother’s cock inside of him. Dabi nestled his cock into the contour of her ass, sliding it downward to stroke the crevice of her ass with his barbells, his cock getting fully hard as he did. Then Dabi leaned down, nuzzling his face into the top of her ass where her thong rested as he pushed his hands upward, fingers outstretched until they came to rest on her shoulder blades. He took the tiny string of fabric that was the top of her thong in between his teeth and promptly bit the fabric in half, ruining her panties. He drug his fingers back down her spine, over her skirt, and hooked his pinkies into the dangling fabric of the thong in order to slide it down her thighs, pulling it off her body. Shouto’s fingers clenched as he admired the slick folds of her naked pussy.

Dabi grabbed her hips, lining himself up and slowly pushing his cock deep into her wet sex. She moaned deeply on Kurono’s cock as Dabi filled her. Shouto could see her thighs quivering as every stud on his cock passed into her heat. Kurono reached up, meeting Dabi’s eyes as he wrapped a hand into her long hair, using it to push her further down onto his cock as Dabi started to fuck in and out of her.

Shouto groaned. Fuck. Watching the two men take her. He needed more than touching. He wanted to feel Kai inside of him.

He started to stand up, but Kai’s grip on him tightened, holding him in place.

“Not yet, Shouto,” Kai whispered against his skin. “I know you are enjoying this. Watching her get taken, watching your brother fuck her wet pussy. You remember what she’s feeling, don’t you?” Kai’s hand had started to trail lower, undoing Shouto’s pants and slipping down into the waist band of his underwear, wrapping his hand around Shouto’s cock to very slowly stroke it. “Keep watching.” Shouto was already so aroused that the moment Kai took his cock into his hand, Shouto felt himself grow fully hard against the other man’s touch.

Shouto moaned. He enjoyed the feeling of Kai teasing him as he watched the two men across from him fuck Yokubo. God she was so beautiful this way, her tits swayed with each thrust of Dabi into her, pushing her mouth down onto Kurono’s cock. She took the two men so well, and Shouto watched Dabi’s cock slide in and out of her, glistening with her sex, his hands cradled around her hips. Dabi’s mouth was slightly open, his eyes closed as he enjoyed her heat. Kurono was moaning more and more, and Shouto guessed that the man was close as he used her hair to push her mouth up and down his cock, going faster and faster.

Yokubo’s hand moved to clutch into Kurono’s shirt, pulling him down toward her as she moaned wantonly.

Shouto’s cock pulsed as Kai continued to stroke it, pre-cum dribbling down onto Kai’s fingers. It felt so good. But it wasn’t enough. The heat of Kai’s mouth on his neck wasn’t enough. The older man was purposely going too slow, his strokes teasing and light. Dammit. Shouto wanted more. He wanted to be fucked.

“Please,” He moaned. “Overhaul… I… fuck, I want you.” He rocked his hips up, trying to increase the speed of Kai touching him as Kurono came with a choked off growl, pushing his cock so far down the woman’s throat that Shouto could see the slight bulge of it in her thin neck.

Kai bit him harshly, pushing his hips back down.

Shouto moaned at the feeling of Kai’s teeth biting harshly into his skin. Kai pulled his hand away from Shouto’s cock, Shouto whimpering at the loss until Kai pushed his fingers against his lips and into his mouth. Shouto moaned at the taste of his own arousal, sucking on Kai’s fingers as the other man slowly fucked them in and out of his mouth. He watched as Kurono finally let the woman go, Dabi increasing his pace as she pulled off of the white-haired man’s cock. Shouto could see the saliva dripping down her chin as she wiped it away. Dabi adjusted, leaning over her to take one of her beautiful tits in his hand, pinching and teasing the nipple as he continued to fuck her. His other hand replaced Kurono’s, tangling into her long hair and turning her head just slightly so that he could see the side of her face as fucked her, her lips wet and swollen. Her eyes fluttered, her pupils blown out with lust as they rolled back in her head. Her lips parted slightly, her cheek sliding against Kurono’s lap as Dabi increased the urgency of his thrusts.

The sound of skin against skin filled the room, the smell of sex starting to wash over Shouto as he watched them.

“Fuck, sweetheart,” Dabi groaned. “You feel… nnnggh…”

Shouto groaned. He wanted to be in her place. God, he wanted to be there in front of Dabi. His brother praising him and filling him up, those fucking piercings teasing him as they rocked in and out of his body.

"Fuck, Shouto," Kai whispered, nipping lightly along the outside of his ear as he pulled his fingers out of Shouto’s mouth and slid them back down to caress his cock once more. "You are dripping. I cannot wait to have you on my cock."

Yokubo was whimpering and moaning, desperately chanting 'Yes, yes!' as Dabi fucked her. Shouto could see the perspiration building up on Dabi's forehead, and on her lower back as it arched in the low light. He could see the strain in Dabi's lower stomach.

God. He wished his brother was naked.

"Kai," Shouto groaned as the man moved his attention to Shouto's balls, stroking and playing with them as they watched the lewd scene in front of them. It wasn't enough! "Please!"

"Patience, little fox," Kai murmured in his ear, his fingers stroking and teasing and bringing Shouto to the edge of desperation. "He's close. Don't you want to watch your brother finish?"

Shouto writhed against Kai's touch, desperately pushing against the other man's strength to relieve some of the aching need for release. He curled his hand around Kai's thigh, struggling not to reach up and start stroking himself as Dabi's thrusts grew more and more erratic. Shouto didn't have permission to touch himself yet, and so he settled on grinding against Kai’s fingers.

Dabi suddenly pulled Yokubo up and back against him, so that her head came to rest against his shoulder. He let go of her hair, reaching around to wrap his fingers over her throat, his other hand still buried into the soft flesh of her breast. His thrusts only quickened as she reach back to desperately grab at his ass as he entered her. Her other breast was dancing wildly in the low light.

“Fuck! Yes!” Yokubo moaned into the side of Dabi’s neck, her body tensing and convulsing, her chest heaving as she orgasmed around him. She cried lewdly into his neck as she came. Dabi growled, biting down into the soft flesh of her shoulder his body tensed. She arched her ass against him as his thrusts grew erratic and he was cumming into her.

Fuck! God! Shouto groaned. Watching his brother dominate her was so sexy. He needed to be touched, stroked, fucked... Pleasure radiated out from Kai's fingers against his skin, teasing him with the knowledge of how much more he could have.

Dabi buried his head into her hair as his thrusts slowed down, his cock falling out of her as he went soft, the last few pulses of his orgasm dripping out onto her thigh. Shouto could hear his brother’s ragged breathing as Dabi finally sat back on his knees, admiring the site of his cum dripping down the woman's pussy.

Dabi leaned back, reaching over to snag a pack of cigarettes off the table. He pulled out a single cigarette, tossing the pack on the couch next to Kurono. His cock was still pulsing as he put the cigarette between his lips. His head was tilted all the way back, resting upon the back of the sofa, as he used his blue flame to light the cigarette. Once the cherry began to glow, Dabi lowered his head and leveled his eyes to watch Shouto and Kai where they were entangled. He took a long drag from the cigarette and locked Shouto’s gaze in the low light. After a moment, Dabi’s eyes dropped down to where Kai had his hands down the front of Shouto’s pants, the tip of Shouto’s cock, flushed and leaking and desperate, peeking out of the top of his underwear as Kai stroked it.

"Dabi. Bring her..." Kai commanded, his voice thick with desire. Dabi turned his head to look at her once more, taking another long drag of his cigarette as he met her gaze. She had reached down, her fingers wiping at the cum that was dribbling out of her. Dabi nodded, tilting his head toward Shouto and Kai. Shouto watched as Yokubo stood up, her legs trembling for a moment. She brought her fingers up to her mouth to taste Dabi as she started to walk forward. Dabi stood up just after her, his cock still glistening with their sex as he joined her. He passed her the cigarette, and she took it between her sticky fingers, taking a deep drag before handing it back.

The scent of cigarettes and sex followed the pair as they came to stand before Kai and Shouto.

Kurono had lit one of the cigarettes Dabi had left behind, lounging and watching them lazily from across the room.

"Overhaul," Yokubo smiled sultrily at him as she spoke, her voice rough from having her throat fucked. Her chest was even more beautiful up close, flushed a deep red from the sex.

"Get down on your knees," Kai directed. She glanced down at Shouto's partially exposed cock, sinking down to her knees in front of him. "You too." Kai added, leveling his eyes at Dabi, watching until his instructions were followed. Dabi met Shouto's eyes as he sunk down to his knees behind her, his eye’s half-lidded, his head tilted back just slightly to take another deep drag of the cigarette.

Shouto moaned lowly at the sight. It sent a thrill through him. The idea of being at the mercy of the two men. Fuck, he wanted this. He would do anything for them.

“I saw you watching us, Shouto,” Yokubo purred as she met his eyes. She traced her thumb sensually across her lower lip. “Do you want to taste him?”

Shouto nodded, his breath catching in his chest at her bold sexuality. Damn. This was no Yakuza plaything. This was a woman who knew what she wanted, and she knew exactly how to get it.

She moved closer, but just before she pressed her naked chest against him, she glanced over at Kai. A silent plead for permission from the golden-eyed man. When no protest followed, she reached up, taking Shouto’s jaw gently into her hand and leaned forward to kiss him. Her nipples dangled just over his cock as she moved her lips against him. She tasted like strawberry chapstick and Dabi. Fuck, she tasted like Dabi. Shouto reached up, wrapping his hands around her neck and pulling her mouth hungrily against his, his hips grinding against Kai’s fingers as he dipped his tongue in between her sweet lips and methodically licked the last traces of his brother from her mouth. His tongue traced along her teeth just as she pulled away, a wanton grin on her face as she looked at him. She bit her lower lip, waiting for direction.

"Stand up, little fox," Kai whispered, letting go of Shouto's cock and pulling his hands away. Shouto obeyed quickly, the room swaying around him as he stood. Kai helped him, pulling his pants down and helping him step out of them. Yokubo helped as well, giggling as she was faced with Shouto’s naked cock. She slipped out a tongue, mewling playfully as she licked the pre-cum from the tip. Shouto moaned, his thoughts immediately filled with the desire to press his cock in between her beautiful, lush lips.

Dabi had pushed her dark hair to the side, kissing the side of her neck.

“Prep him,” Kai demanded, and Shouto could hear him shuffling behind them, the sound of his zipper. The sound went straight to his cock.

Shouto grabbed onto Dabi’s shoulder to hold himself up. The room was continuing to sway slowly around him.

“How would you like him prepped?” she asked playfully.

“Let me show you, darling,” Dabi replied, his voice thick. He met Shouto’s eyes one more time, and his blue pupils were dark with lust. Like he had wanted to do this again as much as Shouto did. Like he had been waiting for the chance to touch Shouto’s body once more. Shouto wanted it too. His cock pulsed at the thought.

Dabi took the womans hand, curling up all but two fingers. Those he guided down toward her pussy, and she turned to look at Dabi, her lips parted, almost touching Dabi’s as she cooed at his direction. He gently pushed Yokubo’s fingers up inside of herself. The sound of her pleasure dripped with carnal desire, and Shouto cursed in response as he realized that Dabi was coating her fingers in his cum in order to help the woman prep him to take Kai’s cock. Dabi moved her hand up and down, making the woman whimper and fuck herself for a few moments before pulling her glistening fingers out and guiding her hand up behind Shouto. Shouto closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Dabi’s hand pulling his buttocks apart, the tentative press of her two fingers against his entrance. She leaned forward, Kissing Shouto’s cock where it stood up against his stomach, and giggling as she pushed those two fingers in to the first knuckle.

Shouto was well aware of Kai behind them, his eyes glued to Shouto’s ass as he watched Dabi help guide the woman’s fingers into him. She moved in small, tentative circles as she slowly pushed deeper and deeper.

“Yeah, like that,” Dabi encouraged her. “He likes to be touched like that.”

“He’s tight,” she murmured, and Shouto’s hand moved off of Dabi, wrapping into her hair. He pressed her face up against his cock, enjoying the warmth of her breath on his shaft. He wanted her mouth. Fuck did he want her mouth.

“Yes, he’s very tight,” Dabi agreed huskily. Then those beautiful fingers were suddenly fucking in and out of him, pushing further into him, coating his ass in Dabi’s cum, stretching him for Kai’s cock.

“Help her,” Kai commanded, his voice strained. Shouto could hear the desire in his voice.

Shouto opened his eyes, meeting Dabi’s grinning face as his brother reached down between the womans legs to coat two of his fingers in the sticky mess between her thighs. Shouto couldn’t look away as Dabi reached around, a third finger sliding into him alongside the woman’s two eager ones. She pushed slightly against Shouto’s grip in her hair, moving enough take the tip of his cock into her mouth, suckling on the head as Dabi forced his finger between her two, scissoring them apart to start stretching Shouto more. She made happy mewling noises as she licked up each pulse of pre-cum out of his desperate cock. Shouto’s grip in her hair was so tight he knew it must be hurting, but it was all he could do to stop himself from pushing his cock down her throat and fucking it until he came all over her pretty mouth.

“Please,” he moaned. He was so turned on. He was ready! He needed more!

A fourth finger pushed into him, and Shouto moaned as Dabi’s attention grew more forceful. His brother’s touch was rough and possessive as he scissored his fingers outward, and Shouto cried out as Dabi suddenly hit his prostate. The surge of pleasure that washed over him felt surreal. His fingers were tingling, and his body was begging for release, sparking like electricity up and down his spine. The high was making his thoughts cloudy, beautiful and filled with sinful desire.

“Enough,” Kai demanded.

Yes! Fuck! Finally!

Dabi and Yokubo’s fingers were pulled out of him. Shouto felt Kai’s hands on his waist, letting himself be guided backward. Kai pulled Shouto back onto his lap, lining himself up to push inside of Shouto as he did. Shouto cried out blissfully as Kai filled him, pulling him slowly down until every inch of the golden-eyed man’s cock was buried inside of Shouto’s body. Shouto felt Kai’s teeth sink into the back of his neck as he gave Shouto a moment to adjust.

Just as Kai started to move slowly, rocking his hips up and into Shouto, Dabi guided Yokubo’s head down to take Shouto back into her mouth. Shouto cried out as the motion of Kai’s body forced his cock deep into the wet heat of her throat. She grabbed onto Shouto’s thighs to brace herself, and Shouto felt pulses of desire leaking out onto her tongue as Kai’s cock massaged his prostate with every thrust. Dabi used one hand to hold her head in place for Shouto’s pleasure, his other hand disappearing. But if the woman’s sloppy moans were anything to go by, his brother was fucking his fingers up into her wet pussy.

“Fuck!” Shouto cried out, wrapping his hands into her hair beside Dabi’s as Kai movements forced him to fuck her mouth, slow and deep. “Yes! God! Yes!” His head was pushing in and out of her tight throat. She didn’t move her mouth, allowing him to take it as he wanted. Shouto could see the saliva starting to drip down her lips and chin as she did her best not to choke and gag on his cock. Shouto was already close; the feeling of her mouth on his cock, and of Kai deep inside of him, it was all too much. Shouto’s wasn’t going to last long. Especially if Kai kept hitting those nerves deep inside of him, each thrust sent a wave of pleasure washing over his body.

“Shouto,” Kai growled, and suddenly Yokubo was crying out around his cock. Shouto realized that she was cumming again, Dabi’s fingers buried up inside of her. It was too much, it pushed him over the edge, and Shouto’s orgasm crashed over him. He cried out, pushing her mouth deep onto his cock as his body convulsed and he came down her throat. Kai’s fingers dug into his waist as pleasure shot through his body, the feeling of Kai’s cock almost too much as he increased his speed, pushing relentlessly into Shouto’s overstimulated prostate. Shouto let go of her head as his cock went soft, stretching his hands behind him to try to find purchase in Kai’s hair. Shouto forced the other man to lean forward against him, the feeling of being fucked over-shadowing everything else. It was too much, and yet he didn’t want Kai to stop. He wanted the man to take him, to find pleasure in his body and to empty himself deep inside of Shouto.

Dabi was kissing Yokubo, his tongue pushing deep into her mouth, moaning lewdly as he tasted Shouto on her.

Then suddenly Kai’s fingers dug harshly into his hips, his cock thrusting up into Shouto with jerky, forceful movements as he came. Kai’s teeth sunk once more into the back of Shouto’s neck as he ground up into Shouto’s sensitive body. Shouto rocked his hips back to meet the other man, wanting to make Kai feel good. After a moment, Kai’s grip on his waist loosened. Shouto could feel Kai’s cock starting to fall out of him, the slick feeling of cum dripping down his ass and probably leaving a mess all over Kai’s soft cock.

Fuck.

Shouto shifted, his thoughts lost in a fog of pleasure as he climbed out of Kai’s lap to sit on the couch next to him.

This was exactly what he had needed.

Chapter Text

Bakugou POV

Bakugou glared purposefully across the cafeteria. Shinsou was sitting at the table with Deku and the rest of those goody two-shoe extras. They were fucking smiling and laughing, and probably so fucking happy that they all got their provisional hero licenses like they were all fucking professional heroes or some shit now. His lip curled up into a snarl. Shinsou had been in class 1A for a week when the exam came, and even he passed! Of course, it was probably fucking easy for that purple-haired brainwashing freak to pass the exam, all he had to do was use his quirk on one person and he could just walk up and hit their targets. Some people had to actually—

"Bakugou!" Mina's sharp voice cut in to his thoughts. He pulled his attention back to his friends, who were all staring at him. Except Pikachu, who was so busy stuffing his face that he probably hadn't even noticed that everyone had stopped eating. "You need to stop glaring at Shinsou. It's not doing anything! He's part of the class now, it doesn't matter if you like him."

"It's not that I don't like him! I don't fucking trust him!" Bakugou growled, ignoring the way Kirishima was shaking his head with exasperation. It’s like everyone forgot what the asshole was capable of. He had nearly defeated fucking Deku without raising a single finger. He was a complete asshole who had brain-washed so many people in ‘practical jokes’ that he had nearly gotten suspended over it. He was a shady creep. Well, Bakugou would be damned if Shinsou got even the chance to brainwash him. He would kill that fucking bastard before he would let him into his head! So what if they already had this conversation once or twice, this shit was serious. “The school made a damn mistake giving Icy-hot's spot to that freak.”

"He's not a freak," Mina replied, almost word for word to how this same exchange had gone yesterday. "You just don't like him because he took Todoroki's spot. It wouldn't have mattered who the school gave it to, you wouldn't have liked them. But we all knew they wouldn't hold it for him forever."

"This has nothing to do with Todoroki!" Bakugou retorted irritably. "Not everything is about that half-n-half bastard!"

"Who pissed in your Cheerios this morning?" Kaminari commented snidely, finally looking up from his lunch tray, his mouth still disgustingly full of noodles.

"Tch," Bakugou brushed off the comment, inwardly fuming.

"He's just mad about the interview," Kirishima said. Bakugou glared at him. Fucking traitor. That was no one's business.

"What interview?" Kaminari asked, looking around curiously. Of course dunce-face didn't even know what the fuck they were talking about.

"Todoroki was on a talkshow this morning," Mina explained, pulling out her phone and starting to search for something. "He seems... different." She apparently found what she was looking for, handing the phone over to the electric blonde. It better not be the damn interview. If he had to listen to that thing one more time…

Icy-hot had lied. After all of his ‘heroes are corrupt fucking liars bullshit’, the asshole had gone on national television, and he had lied to fucking everybody. Well, at least he hadn’t told the whole truth, Bakugou was certain of that. Over the last few months, Bakugou had watched the heterochromatic asshole lie to enough people that he had learned his ticks. Seen the way he always paused when he was trying to figure out exactly how to word something to sound better than it really was. The stupid way he kept his face neutrally impassive so that people wouldn’t be able to tell what he was really thinking. The way he diverted questions so that he didn’t always have to blatantly lie.

That interview was a perfect example of Todoroki’s shitty ability to keep a fucking secret. Bakugou didn’t know what exactly the other was trying to hide, but he had a feeling… and he didn’t like it. Not one bit.

“Dude!” Kaminari exclaimed, “Look at his hair! He looks dope!”

Bakugou growled.

That was the other thing he hated about the video. Todoroki did look good. Too fucking good. And it pissed Bakugou off to no end.

“I’m sure his fucking boyfriend would agree with you,” Bakugou replied stiffly. He hated that part of the fucking interview. And at the end, the talkshow had shown clips of Todoroki leaving the studio with him, clips that the other probably hadn’t even realized they were filming. The entire city of Musutafu got to see the golden-eyed asshole lean over and kiss Icy-hot like he was some kind of god-damn treasure. The man was a fucking gang leader! It didn’t matter how good looking he was, or if he was some kind of fucking god in bed (although the idea of those two in bed together made Bakugou see red every fucking time)… Kai was a member of the fucking Yakuza! The man branded Icy-hot, and practically black-mailed him in order to get him in bed. And Todoroki still chose him! How fucking stupid was he to not see what a toxic fucking relationship that was!

Well, Bakugou had every intention of showing him. One day. He may not be strong enough to do it now, but he was going to take that Yakuza fucking scum down, even if it meant taking Icy-hot down too.

If Todoroki didn’t want to date him, that put them right back to being rivals. And what better rival to help Bakugou become the number one hero than some over-powered Yakuza fucking scum drug lord. He just needed to get through the damn remedial training and get his provisional license. He still couldn’t believe that he had failed the exam the first time around.

Aizawa said he failed because he used too much profanity during the exam. He needed to focus on being positive and having a better attitude. Fuck. That. He lost because of that meatball fucking asshole that had decided to show off in the middle of the exam. God, that guy had been such a dick!

“How many times did you watch that video?” Mina asked, a note of concern in her voice.

“None of your fucking business,” Bakugou growled.

“He’s watched it at least three times,” Kirishima answered.

“Shut the hell up, shitty hair!” Bakugou slammed his hands on the table and stood up, attempting to tower menacingly over his friend. Not the easiest with the way the damn benches were attached to the fucking tables. He mostly just succeeded in attracting a bunch of unwanted attention, including Deku’s and the purple-haired freak of nature. How dare Deku look at him sympathetically! He didn’t need the nerds pity! Bakugou glared around the cafeteria, his friends waiting patiently for the outburst to pass, which pissed him off even more. Finally, he plopped back down. “How do you even know?”

“Thin walls,” Kirishima shrugged. “I could hear you watching it this morning while I was getting dressed.”

Bakugou snarled. He hated living in the fucking dorms. The university had moved them in two weeks ago, in order to keep the student’s safer and help them stay focused on their studies. What a fucking joke. All it really did was give them zero privacy, a tiny ass bedroom, and the worst water pressure in the entire fucking city. And now he couldn’t even watch a damn video without his best friend knowing about it.

“Busted,” Kaminari snickered.

“Bakugou, you really need to get over him,” Mina commented. “He’s moved on… you should too.”

“I agree with Mina,” Kirishima said carefully. The redhead knew how much he had struggled after the trial, knew how hard it had been to sit in that damn courtroom and watch all of those fucking videos. He should know to keep his damn mouth shut. “You can’t pine over him forever.”

Pining?!

“I am not fucking pining over that damn idiot,” he bit out through clenched teeth. And it was the fucking truth. They fucked. That was it. Bakugou had been an idiot to think it could have turned into something more. Todoroki was a fucking whore, and they had been fuck buddies, and now Icy-hot was in danger of becoming a villain and Bakugou didn’t want to be within a mile of that complete shitshow, and that was it. There was nothing more.

Except there was.

The way that Todoroki had talked about his brother. That was where Bakugou had seen the ticks… the hesitation, the cold demeanor. Todoroki was lying. He knew something about his brothers escape. Bakugou had a bad feeling that he knew a lot about his brothers escape. The news coverage of the escape had mentioned the possibility of more than just the League being involved. And Todoroki’s precious boyfriend had been their when Dabi got arrested. He had tried to stop it. Of course he had something to do with it. And if he was involved, than the Yakuza was involved. And if the Yakuza was involved, than so was Todoroki.

Dammit! Why hadn’t the asshole listened to him?!

Now, he was torn between keeping his word to Todoroki, or giving in and telling the heroes that Kai was a part of the Yakuza. If they knew that, they would connect the same dots that Bakugou had. It would only be a matter of time before the possessive creep would end up behind bars.

But that would also deny Bakugou the chance of being the one to put him there.

“Maybe you should try dating someone else,” Mina suggested, drawing his attention back to their petty conversation.

He sneered at her. He didn’t want to fucking date anyone. He didn’t have time for that shit. Todoroki had been a distraction and had cost him his fucking provisional license. He needed to re-focus and get back on track. Besides, he didn’t want to date any of the fucking shitty extras that he knew.

“I’m serious,” she replied, looking around for support when it became obvious that he wasn’t going to bother responding. The others just all kind-of nodded, but none spoke up to agree. Good. At least some of his friends realized that he didn’t give a fuck about dating. “Look, I knew you were going to struggle after you and Todoroki broke up. And you have made it very clear that you aren’t interested in any of the guys at UA, so I did you a favor and I did a little bit of digging after the provisional licensing exam, and I think I might have found a few guys that would be options from other universities. Not all of them are exactly ‘out’, but I definitely think that at least most of them are into dudes.”

“Shove it up your ass, pinky,” he growled. “I’m. Not. Interested.” As if he would be interested in any of those stuck-up dicks.

“Bakugou,” Kirishima admonished him.

“You don’t have to be such an ass, Bakugou,” Mina sighed, taking her phone from Kaminari and messing with it. “What about him? You guys at least talked for a minute.” She turned the phone around to show him a picture of the black-haired asshole from Ketsubutsu. Bakugou’s draw dropped. Was Mina fucking kidding?! Was this some god damn joke?! That guy was a complete fucking asshole. A brown-nosing, two-faced asshole!

“That prick?!” Bakugou growled. “Are you fucking kidding me?!”

“His name is Shindo, and he was really nice!” She countered, pushing the phone closer. As if he needed a better look at the douche bag. No fucking thank you. “I know for sure he is at least Bi, you’re both super dedicated to becoming a hero, you’re both really hot, and you have matching, but opposite hair. You would be like a little Yin Yang couple, and it would be adorable! I mean, look at those abs. Don’t you just want to run your hands over them?”

They would look adorable?! He has nice fucking abs?! Are you fucking kidding?! What kind of a shallow dick did Mina think he was? If he wanted to date an asshole with nice abs, he would have kept dating Todoroki.

“No. Fucking. Way… I wouldn’t date that asshole if hell froze over,” Bakugou snarled, jabbing his fork impatiently at his noodles.

“But—” Mina tried to protest, but Bakugou was in no mood to talk about this shit.

“If you want to touch his abs so badly, you date him,” Bakugou interrupted her. “If he’s really bi he might not even care that you come with a boyfriend. I hope you’re into abs and dicks, shitty-hair.”

Kaminari and Sero started snickering.

Bakugou turned to glare at them too. What was with everyone today?

“What the fuck are you two laughing at?”

“Nothing,” Kaminari replied, a bit too quickly. Sero nodded in agreement.

“Tch…” Bakugou sneered, “That’s what I thought. I can’t believe none of you assholes are going to stop her from harassing me about this shit. Why don’t you set these two losers up, Mina? They would love to be involved with your disgusting cupid bullshit.”

“She’s kinda right, man,” Kaminari shrugged. “Maybe getting laid would help. You have been in a horrible mood since the… thing.” His sentence dropped off at the end, the last word so quiet that Bakugou barely understood it. But he knew exactly what Pikachu was talking about. Since the trial. Everybody knew what happened. Even the students that hadn’t attended knew about it. Knew about the arguments on both sides. Knew that he and Icy-hot had been fucking. Knew that Icy-hot had been… Fuck. No one talked about it. It was a fucking unspoken rule. Why the hell was Kaminari bringing it up now?!

“I was talking about dating, Kaminari,” Mina defended herself. “Not just sex.”

“I was getting fucking laid asshole,” Bakugou snapped. “And do you see what that got me? Sitting in a fucking courtroom, watching the guy I was dating get fucking raped, and walk out on the arm of another man. Oh, and a failed fucking provisional licensing exam. So excuse me if I don’t give a single flying fuck about getting my dick wet anytime soon!” God! It’s like all these extras cared about anymore was dating! Did they all forget that they were training to become heroes?

“I’m sorry,” Kaminari mumbled, frowning down at his lunch. The table had grown uncomfortably quiet.

“Fuck,” Bakugou growled. He shouldn’t have said that. He just… Why couldn’t people just leave him be sometimes? “Can we just fucking drop it. I’m really not interested in dating any possibly gay assholes from the other schools. Okay?”

“Okay,” Mina said quietly. “I didn’t mean to—”

“I fucking know,” Bakugou cut her off. He knew she meant well. She always meant well. She just assumed that everybody cared about dating as much as she did. He really didn’t. He did not care. He didn’t care before Todoroki, and he let the dual-quirked asshole suck him in to that trap, and now he cared even less about dating. He cared about becoming a hero. And he was currently behind every single fucking extra in their class. Even Mineta got his provisional license! No damn way that could stand.

Bakugou was going to kill those damn remedial classes. He was going to get his license. Get a fucking awesome internship. And then he was going to blow past all of these distracted assholes to become the number one hero. And unlike the current number one, he wasn’t going to get bogged down in corrupt politics. He was going to make an actual difference. And he was going to a relentless hornet in the Yakuza’s side until he could see that smug brown-haired asshole behind bars. And if halfie tried to get in his way, Bakugou would put him behind bars too. Good intentions be damned, Todoroki was seeing the gang through rose-tinted glasses. It was only a matter of time before he got his hands dirty, if he hadn’t already. Icy-hot chose the wrong fucking side. And Bakugou wasn’t afraid of being the hero to make him realize it.

Chapter Text

Shigaraki POV

"Ugh! Stop pacing, Shiggy!" Toga whined. She was sitting on the couch in her blue mini-skirt and a white T-shirt with some ridiculous k-pop band on the front. She had her foot propped up on the coffee table, her tongue sticking slightly out of her mouth as she focused back on painting her toenails a garish glittery pink. He was beginning to regret keeping her at the base today; all she had done was complain and pamper herself. Nothing useful. He should have sent her out with Twice. At least than he wouldn’t have to listen to her whining.

Shigaraki scratched at his neck, the constant itch irritating him more than usual today.

“Fuck you, Toga,” Shigaraki snapped, eye-balling the packet of cigarettes on the coffee table. He had already smoked half the pack this morning, but it was barely helping. He needed something to take off the edge. Kurogiri was in decoding the latest message from the boss. It was a grueling process; messages that came through in morse code from the clicking of his tongue in the device that the Yakuza had finally managed to get in to him. Clicks and hisses, interspersed in meaningless chatter and humming to throw off any guards who might be listening to him. A single sentence took hours to come through, hours that Shigaraki was running out of.

Kurogiri had given him his last treatment a week ago, and already it felt like he was nearing the end of the month. He barely used his quirk anymore, it didn’t make sense. Ever since his encounter with Kai, everything was so much worse. His decay was affecting his body faster than it ever had before, and it was killing him. The wound in his chest was barely healing, and his body was a disgusting collage of dry skin and thin wounds from scratching. And his energy…

Fuck. He just really needed that cure. The permanent cure. The one that All-For-One promised him.

Shigaraki slumped down on the couch next to Toga, wrinkling his nose at the over-whelming fumes of the nail polish. He leaned over and snatched up the cigarettes, pulling one out before tossing the pack back down and grabbing the lighter. Toga finished the color on her pinky toe, recapping the bottle and wriggling her toes in satisfaction. Damn that color was awful. But fuck if he cared. For whatever damn reason, painting her toenails made Toga happy. Useless, but happy.

Who was he fucking kidding anyway? Besides Kurogiri, the only member of his team with half a brain for strategy had been Dabi. He scowled, taking another puff of his cigarette and than scratching his neck. A sharp pain washed over him as he did, and he knew he must have left another gouge in the dying flesh.

“What’s the matter, Shiggy?” Toga asked, scooting over and curling up against his side, reaching up to take his hand and move it away from his neck. “This isn’t about the meeting with the MLA… that went so well! Is this about Dabi? I’m sure he will be back soon. I know he misses us!”

Shigaraki pulled his hand away from her grip, scowling as ash from the cigarette sprinkled all over his pants. He wiped it away. Of course this wasn’t about the Meta Liberation Army. He practically had them eating out of his hand already. It was only a matter of time before they agreed to work with the League.

But Dabi… Fuck Dabi. And fuck that club for not calling Shigaraki the moment that asshole finally showed his face. Shigaraki had posted someone at that damn club every weekend, and Dabi went on a fucking Monday! It had been a month already. Where the hell was Dabi’s honor? He screwed the League over. He screwed Shigaraki over. And he didn’t even have the balls to come face him like a man.

Shigaraki took another puff, forcing himself to ignore the nagging itch on his neck. And the one that was starting to build under the bandages on his arm.

“No,” he lied, irritated that she knew him so well.

Dabi owed him everything. The other man would be dead if it hadn’t been for him. Shigaraki had gone against his better judgment and taken in a fucking Todoroki when the entire hero world had written him off as a failure. He had given him a job. A purpose. A whole fucking new life without that asshole of a father intervening. Not to mention everything else… All of the emotions that Shigaraki had given to him that he had never bothered to give to anyone else. The sex. The intimacy. They had always known that the relationship was a ruse of normalcy in their life. A fucking joke, a glimpse at a life they might have had in a different time, or a different place. But not in this god-forsaken corrupt city. And especially not as Shigaraki’s quirk had slowly begun to eat away at his body. He had spent the last two years watching the tattooed man pull away from him; seeking comfort in the beds of other people. But he had always come back to Shigaraki. Always apologized and begged for forgiveness, and touched Shigaraki in a way that made it impossible not to succumb to his attention.

And now he had turned his back completely. Out of any member that could have betrayed him, it had to be Dabi. The one member he cared the most about, and now he would be forced to make an example out of him.

And it was all because of the little fucking hero. Todoroki Shouto.

“I miss him, too,” Toga said, moving her hand back and forth across his chest in slow, comforting strokes. Her fingernails were painted the same, hideous pink as her toenails, and he could smell the over-chewed bubblegum on her breath as she spoke. He laughed bitterly as he smoked. He didn’t want to talk about Dabi. The other man would come back to them eventually, Shigaraki was certain of that. His brother gave him a tiny glimpse of an old life, and now he had spoken to that conceited winged hero that had discarded him in the first place. He was probably feeling pretty high and mighty. But it was only a matter of time before he realized that Shouto had Kai, he didn’t need Dabi. As for the rest of his family, Dabi’s little charade had done more harm than good. If he thought being a known villain was better than being a missing person, than the man had another thing coming. And as for his old love, well Hawks was practically in bed with Endeavor. Dabi had nothing now that he had given up his anonymity and betrayed the League. And when he realized it, Shigaraki had the perfect means for the burnt man to prove his allegiance.

He would help Shigaraki get rid of the problem that had started this entire mess.

Shouto was the key.

“Dabi betrayed us, Toga,” Shigaraki replied after a moment. “He doesn’t deserve to be missed. He is a traitor.”

“He didn’t mean it, Shiggy,” She said, and he could hear the sadness in her voice. He could feel the way that her touch was slowing down as it trailed over his shirt. Fuck. She was going into one of her moods. Her inconsolable sadness. He hated when she did this. It was always Dabi who brought her out of them.

Who fucked her out of them.

He growled. Dabi had always been good at using sex to get what he wanted.

“I think he meant every word,” Shigaraki hissed, shifting her in order to lean forward and put out the cigarette in the over-flowing ash tray. This place was fucking disgusting. He was surrounded by slobs. His hands shook as he sat back, Toga readjusting to clutch back onto his arm. He had never needed another treatment so quickly. He had never felt so weak.

What was taking the boss so long?! Why did he refuse to give up the formula? All Might may not be dead, but he was as good as fucking defeated. If Shigaraki could get his strength back, he could finish the job. All-For-One knew that refusing to give him the formula was tantamount to signing a death warrant. If they couldn’t stop the decay, it was only a matter of time until he would be dead. He knew this, and still he drug his feet. Shigaraki was beginning to wonder if the villain ever intended to make good on his promises. If he even had such a formula, or if he had been bluffing this entire time. If that was the case, he needed to start making new plans. And quickly.

“I think you just need to relieve some stress,” Toga said, her voice trembling, filled with both hope and mourning. She sat up suddenly, smiling at him. “I have an idea!” She squealed, jumping up and hurrying out of the room.

He shook his head, debating grabbing a bottle of vodka out of the kitchen. He reached up, vigorously scratching his neck, before she got back and stopped him.

A few minutes later, Toga re-emerged, holding a vial of blood in her hands. She jumped back onto the couch, landing on her knees and holding the vial up to him like a treasure.

“Here,” she offered happily. “I can drink this, and you can show me exactly how much you miss Dabi...”

Shigaraki stared at the vial. It was Dabi’s blood. One of the two vials they had left of it. He scowled as he took it from her, the chilled glass cold against his fingers.

“We cannot waste this on something as trivial as fucking,” Shigaraki snapped, carefully setting it down on the table. He hated how much he wanted to give in to the offer. The idea of getting to have Dabi, even if it wasn’t really him, was more appealing than he cared to admit. But sex wouldn’t fix anything.

“Come on,” Toga pouted, playing with the hem of her skirt and staring longingly at the vial on the table. “Let me help you feel good. You haven’t fucked anyone since Dabi went to jail. And you haven’t gotten to fuck Dabi since the night Magne died. I know you miss him!”

Shigaraki scowled. She wasn’t wrong. The night he fucked Shouto had pissed Dabi off. They had fought over it more times than Shigaraki cared for, and afterward Dabi would barely speak to him outside of League business. Sex had been out of the question. But Dabi only had himself to blame. If he hadn’t gone off and climbed into Overhaul’s bed like a lost fucking puppy… Fuck! It still pissed Shigaraki off to think about. The Yakuza scum was such a pretentious asshole. And Dabi had probably begged the man to fuck him like the slut he was. Ungrateful whore.

He should have never invested so much into the other man. He should have known that Dabi would never be satisfied.

“No,” Shigaraki said, ignoring the little stamp of Toga’s foot. She probably didn’t care about the sex, she probably just wanted to taste Dabi’s blood again. The fucking vampire. “I’m too tired for that shit.” It wasn’t a complete lie. Shigaraki barely had the energy to make it through the meeting last night. Even getting out of bed this morning was difficult.

“Pretty, pretty please?! You don’t even need energy!” she argued, climbing into his lap and starting to pepper kisses over his neck and jaw. “I will… do… all… the… work…” she said, the words clipped between each kiss. He could feel the heat of her pussy on his lap as she rolled it back and forth, his cock stirring with interest. She stopped, licking down the fresh scratch on his neck, murmuring happily at the taste of copper on his skin. Then she stopped at his collarbone, licking and sucking. He pushed her back. His skin was so brittle that she would leave hickies, and he didn’t want to look like a horny teenager the next time he met up with the MLA. Or for his meeting with Okimoto.

But it might keep her from sulking. And it would make a good distraction.

If she was willing to do the work…

“Fine,” he agreed, hesitantly. Hopefully he wouldn’t regret the decision. “But no blood.” He added as she turned to grab the vial off the table.

She nodded, agreeing, before turning back around and kissing him fully on the mouth. Her kisses were fervent and eager, and they hurt as much as they felt good. Her mouth was warm, pliant; and it pushed against every dry crack and split on his lips. He embraced it, grabbing her upper arms and claiming her mouth as he plunged his tongue between her lips and tasted the stale cherry on hers. After a moment, she pulled back, her cheeks already slightly flushed, grinning broadly.

She jumped up, pulling off her T-shirt in excitement. As usual, she wasn't wearing anything underneath, and her tits swayed softly as she moved. They sparkled too, with pale glitter smeared over them. Shigaraki smirked as he realized she must have been hoping for them to have sex. Must have gotten ready for it.

At least he would always have Toga. She would never betray him the way Dabi did.

Shigaraki's cock stirred as Toga pulled off her skirt and panties, especially as she giggled and swayed her body for him. The blonde hair on her pussy was neatly trimmed into a little heart. He reached down, stroking himself through the fabric of his pants a few times before undoing and pushing the jeans down past his knees. Toga leaned over, shimmying slightly as she smiled at him before pulling his pants completely off.

He scratched his neck, admiring her rosy, budded nipples, and the way the glitter caught in the light as she leaned in and helped him take off his T-shirt.

Than he caught sight of himself as she sank down to her knees in front of him and he scowled. He was skeletal, disgusting. Even outside of the horrid bandage over the hole Kai had left in his chest. His torso was sunken down to outline every rib, the bones in his pelvis jutting out harshly against his skin. Even his cock looked dry and lackluster. His fucking quirk was going to take everything from him before the end. But it didn’t seem to phase Toga at all. She took his cock into her warm, brazen mouth, running sloppy circles around the head with her tongue that sent pulses of arousal through his body.

He groaned, tangling his fingers into one of her messy pigtails, leaning his head back against the couch and watching her swallow him.

Fuck. She was so good at that.

“Mmm… yes,” he moaned as she started to bob her head up and down, tiny contented mewls slipping out as she tasted him.

He tightened the grip in her hair, pushing her head further down, enjoying the feeling of her throat enveloping the head of his cock for a bit before he let her go. She choked slightly as she pulled off and eagerly licked her tongue up and down the bottom of his shaft. She wrapped one of her petite hands around him, stroking him slowly as she moved up to suckle the head once more, tonguing over the slit at the top. Her lips and chin were shining with spit, and he could feel his arousal pulsing in his cock, pre-cum dribbling out to meet her enthusiastic mouth. And she lapped up every salty drop with fervor, her eyes shining wantonly as she looked up at him.

“Oh, Shiggy,” She moaned, the words muffled around his cock. She hollowed out her cheeks as she sunk down, burying her nose into his pubes. His hips jerked, fucking the head of his cock further into her throat, enjoying the slick sounds that filled the room as he did. She moaned as his grip tightened and he held her head in place, thrusting in and out. For the briefest second he felt her teeth against his cock, and as he closed his eyes, it felt just like Dabi’s tongue stud as it drug across his skin. Then she whined and brought him back into the moment. He growled, yanking her off of his cock.

Fuck Dabi.

“I want you to fuck me,” he hissed, leaning down into her face and licking across her sloppy lips.

She groaned, kissing back desperately. He pushed her away before leaning back once more against the couch, scratching his neck petulantly. She caught herself just before she fell back into the coffee table, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Damn that slip. He just wanted to fucking get off, and now all he could think about was how good it would feel if it was Dabi there with him. God he would fuck the other man so hard that he wouldn’t be able to walk for a week. Show him how much better he was than whatever fucking twink he took home the night of the club.

If his fucking pathetic body would let him.

“I want you to fuck me hard, Toga,” he growled.

“Mmm… I knew you would like this,” She purred as she used the coffee table to stand up. “You always fill me up so good, Shiggy,” she giggled. Swaying seductively, she turned around, and carefully climbed backward into his lap so that she was straddling him, reverse cowgirl. Her tight little ass grinding into his lower stomach as she lined him up and sunk down onto his cock. And fucking hell her pussy was soaking wet. It was damn hot to feel how excited her body was to have his cock inside of her. “Yes! Yes! Ah…hhh…hh”

She leaned forward, showing off her long back as she reached out to grab onto the coffee table for support. She started out slowly as she ground against him. He admired the sight in front of him as he enjoyed the initial feeling of her walls contracting around his cock with every movement. Her hair was mussed up from his hands, her neck and shoulders flushed. Her head was tilted just enough that he could see the profile of her swollen lips, parted slightly as she panted with pleasure. Her eyes were closed, and he could see the occasional sway of her breasts as she started to increase the speed of her ride. He groaned as he got a peek of her ass, her legs spread wide over his so that he had a perfect view of her plump cheeks.

He could feel the juices of her pussy starting to drip down his cock as she moved.

“Fuck, you’re wet,” he groaned, reaching up with his left hand to cup her tit. She mewled as he rolled the pert nipple between his fingers, pinching it roughly as he felt her body convulse with pleasure from the motion.

“Ye-es!” She cried out, one hand still on the coffee table, the other reaching back to settle on top of his, encouraging him to pinch her again.

His brought his other hand up to suck his thumb into his mouth, covering it with spit. Once he was satisfied, he moved it down to grab her ass, pulling on one of her cheeks to get a better look at the puckered hole between them. It clenched from the cool air on it, and he stayed like that for a moment, watching the way it fluttered as she fucked him.

“Please!” She finally cried, her voice getting deeper, her tone heavy with lust. “Touch me!”

He rubbed the tip of his thumb over it, smearing her entrance with spit before pushing the tip inside of her, knuckle-deep into the the tight muscles that clamped around him. Her movements slowed for a moment as she cried out and she pushed her hips back, forcing his thumb deeper into her ass.

“Ah!” She moaned as she began to move once more, her thrusts getting harder, more desperate. “Shiggy, yes! Ah! Ah!” She cried out, loud enough that it risked drawing Kurogiri’s attention. But she felt so good that Shigaraki didn’t care if the other villain walked in on them. He wasn’t about to rush her, every movement helping to distract him from all the bullshit he was dealing with. Her cunt felt like fucking heaven compared to the pain and lethargy he had suffered the last few weeks. He could feel his breathing getting heavy as he rocked his hips up to meet hers, enjoying the cry of her chanting his name as they fucked, his cock buried in to the hilt with every roll of her hips. “Shiggy… you… feel… so… good!”

As her cries got louder, he began to roll his thumb in circles, stretching her ass. If he was going to take her, he wanted all of her.

She pushed herself back to sit up straight, pulling herself off of his cock.

“You… want… it…?” She panted, grinding her wet lips over his shaft. Her voice was breathy from riding, her body covered with a thin sheen of sweat.

“Fuck,” he growled, pulling his thumb out. She adjusted herself, helping to line him up with her ass. His cock was wet with her juices, and the tip pushed in, the heat of her body almost over-whelming. She grabbed his hand once more, lifting it back up to touch her tits as she continued to lower herself slowly onto him, a stream of fervent whimpers filling the room around them. He followed her lead, pinching and playing with her nipple. Than, when he couldn’t stand the slow teasing of her ass sinking inch by agonizing inch over him, he pulled her down.

“Hah! Ah!” She screamed into the room as he filled her, throwing her head back.

He grabbed her hips, grinding up into her. Fuck she felt so good!

“Toga,” he groaned as she started to move. Her ass was sinfully tight around him as she moved, her walls almost pulsing. He could feel the sweat building up between their thighs, the heat of her flushed body as he touched her. God he wanted to cum inside of her. He was already close, but even without doing the work, he could feel himself getting tired. Fuck his body! “Faster baby,” he groaned. “Make me cum for you.”

“Yes!” She nodded, her movements speeding up eagerly. She reached down, touching herself as she continued to fuck him. “Shiggy! Sh-higgy! Please Shiggy… Ah!… give it… to… me! Cum!… for me!” The sound of her chanting his name, the desperation… the heat of her walls clamping down around his cock each time her plump ass bounced down into his lap. He closed his eyes, letting himself get lost in the feeling, his fingers buried into her sides as she fucked him. She was screaming, and suddenly the pressure on his cock increased tenfold. He could feel her pussy dripping all over her lips and down onto his balls, and it was too much. His orgasm hit, and he groaned as he pushed his hips off the couch and deep inside of her, spilling himself into her. He panted as his body convulsed and pulsed the last drops of his seed, and she continued to slowly grind into him until his cock went soft and he fell out of her.

“Mmm…” She murmured as she collapsed back against him. She was sweaty as fuck, but she felt good as she wriggled around until she was curled up in his lap, her arms wrapped up around his neck. Shigaraki took a deep breath, although he felt like he could barely get any air. Now that the high and the adrenaline was fading away, he could feel the wound in his chest throbbing from the effort of sex. He hadn’t known it was possible to feel so good and so shitty at the same time.

Fuck!

He could barely manage sex anymore. Of course he got shafted by his fucking quirk. Just like everything else in his fucking life.

He scratched his neck, moving Toga off his lap and onto couch next to him so that he could lean forward and grab the pack of smokes.

This wasn’t the end. If All-For-One wasn’t willing to give him the formula, he would find another way to get what he wanted from the boss.

Chapter Text

He had only seen Momo once since the trial, and it had been a rushed lunch that they squeezed in. But Kai was in Tokyo for two days, and he had told Shouto he was allowed to bring Momo to the apartment. It was Sunday, so she had no class and permission to leave the dorms for the day, and they would finally get to spend some actual time together. And celebrate the fact that she got her provisional license for hero work last week.

But he did not expect to end up an hour after she arrived covered in a thin dusting of shiratamako over his carefully chosen black shirt, making him look like the bag of flour had literally exploded in his face. Which, in his defense, it practically had. No one told him you couldn’t just rip the bag open. Cooking was not exactly a thing that Shouto did. It also meant that he had been completely unprepared for the total mess that the kitchen had devolved into. The plethora of bowls and measuring devices that were scattered all over the counter tops, most of which Momo had to create on the spot, since Kai wasn’t any more of a cook than Shouto, made the kitchen almost unrecognizable in its chaos.

“You can’t just stir it in one spot, Shou,” Momo chided him, her chest pressed gently against his arm as she watched him attempt to whisk the lumps of flour out of the mixture. “You have to stir the whole thing, otherwise you will never get all the lumps out.”

“I am stirring the whole thing,” he said, glaring at her out of the side of his vision. Although not as covered in the flour as he had managed to get, she also had a sprinkling of the white dust across her red shirt, and covering the pale skin on her neck. “This was your idea in the first place.”

“Oh don’t be such a grump.” She teased, reaching over and patting his flour-covered cheek affectionately. He rolled his eyes, trying to stir in wider circles as he cradled the bowl against his stomach. “You said we could do whatever I wanted, and this is like the easiest recipe I know! There are only like 7 steps! It’s not my fault you tried to open the shiratamako like a bag of potato chips. I’m telling you, Rikido made these last week for everyone. They are delicious!”

“Daifuku is always delicious!” Shouto protested. They were within a mile of like three different bakeries. He still didn’t understand what the appeal of baking it yourself was when you could just go out and buy them already made. It was faster, they usually tasted better, and you didn’t have to deal with the clean-up.

Momo just laughed, stepping away from him to start moving some of the dirtied dishes to the sink so that she had room to set up the rice steamer on the counter. Shouto shifted the whisk in his hand to try to stir faster, cursing the lumps of flour silently. He was just starting to see them smoothing out when there was a knock at the front door. He looked up, a bit startled by the sound. The only people who came to visit this apartment were the other bullets. But Kai wasn't here. And although Kai had allowed him to invite Momo over, exposing her to the other Shie Hassaikai members did not seem like a good idea.

"Are you expecting more company?" Momo asked, looking up at him curiously as she propped the lid to the steamer open.

He shook his head as the knock sounded again. Ignoring it was apparently not an option. It had to be someone who didn't realize Kai was out.

"You stay in here," Shouto told her, slightly relieved to hand her the bowl and whisk. Maybe it would be ready to go by the time he got back. "It's probably just someone looking for Kai. I just need to tell them he's not here and then I’ll be right back."

"Is it someone from the thing," she asked, her voice dropping, almost conspiratorial in tone. The Yakuza. The thing must be the Yakuza.

"I don't know," Shouto rolled his eyes, wiping his hands on his pants. The fact that she sounded almost excited about it being someone from the Yakuza was everything that was wrong with them staying friends. Hopefully the excitement was more a rush of adrenaline at being in a potentially dangerous situation. Although she probably had no idea thats exactly what this was. He turned around in the doorway to the kitchen, leveling her with a stern look. "Seriously... Stay."

"Ugh, I'm not a dog, Shou," she retorted as he walked down the entrance hall. When he got to the door, he unlocked it, trying to open it slowly to peek at whoever was on the other side. It was definitely one of the other bullets. He was dressed in long, dark clothing, and he still had his helmet on, the visor down and completely obscuring his face. They stepped forward, pushing the door further open and forcing himself inside past Shouto. Shouto panicked for a moment, until the man spoke.

"Damn, Shou," Dabi's muffled voice came from beneath the helmet. "Took you long enough to get to the door. Do ya know how fucking hot this thing is?" He slammed the door closed, as Shouto tried to scramble out of his way, yanking the helmet off, and shaking his hair out. "God, you look like the pillsbury doughboy busted his nut all over you. Don't tell me you are planning on trying to cook for Kai. No offense, but I have seen your attempts at cooking. He is the pickiest eater—" He was rambling, hanging his helmet on the coat hooks when a giggle interrupted them. Shouto groaned internally as they both turned to see Momo sticking her head out of the kitchen.

So much for staying put.

Dabi's eyes widened for a moment, but his alarm faded to an easy smile as he recognized her. Though Shouto could still see the tension in his posture, and wondered how much of that was a facade. Although his eyes were especially glossy, and not 100% focused, so there was a good chance he might just be really high.

"Well, well, well" Dabi replied, moving past Shouto toward the kitchen. Momo tensed as he walked toward her. She had a nervous smile, her hands clasped together in front of her. It was a subconscious gesture, but it betrayed how unsettled she must feel. Just like Shouto had been when he saw Dabi for the first time in the club. It wasn’t just the fact that he looked different… knowing who he was, how dangerous he was. It was enough to make anyone feel uneasy. But he did look different. Handsome and dark, with those same sparkling blue eyes and the smile that made it easy to forget that he wasn’t really Touya anymore. "Mini Mo, you certainly have grown up. I barely recognized you." He gently took her hand, lifting it up and kissing the back of it. "You are absolutely stunning."

Momo smiled, her cheeks blushing a deep red just like she used to when she was a child. She also giggled, letting her fingers linger in Dabi’s hand. Ugh. Apparently she wasn't 100% over her little childhood crush. Not that he could blame her. Dabi was just as charming as Touya, and he had a way of smiling at you like you were the most important person in the world. And the dangerous bad boy persona that radiated off of him only made him more appealing; sometimes it was too easy to forget that he was a villain and a murderer.

And Shouto definitely did not feel jealous as he watched the two interacting for the first time in years.

"I look different?" She replied, her voice quiet and unsure. She seemed unable to tear her eyes away from his face. She pulled her hand out of his, reaching up and laying it on his cheek. Her eyes roved over the numerous modifications, wide with a sort of morbid fascination as she touched the subdermal implant at the top of his cheekbone, then dropped down to almost caress the black roses on his jaw. "These tattoos, the skin underneath is..."

Dabi reached up, patiently removing her hand with a tight smile. Shouto knew exactly how he felt. People were both fascinated and disgusted by scars, as if they were the most defining part of your personality. And although Shouto knew that those scars on Dabi’s body definitely did help to shape him into a villain and a drug addict, there was always more to the story than other people could understand. And sometimes you just didn’t have the energy to talk about that.

"Burn scars," Dabi replied. He stepped away from her, unzipping his black jacket. "The skin underneath is grafted skin and burn scars. I'm surprised that Shouto didn't tell you."

"We haven’t really talked much about you," Momo replied. Thank god, even if it was sort of a lie. They just didn't talk about him much. "How far do they-" she trailed off, her eyes following the movements as he shed his jacket. And the outfit he was wearing did look good. A little too good. Tight black jeans, and a deep-cut white V-neck that showed off the tattoos on his chest, tight enough that Shouto could see the faint outline of the barbells in his nipples. He definitely looked like he was going out.

Shouto narrowed his eyes, trying to decide what his brother could possibly be doing today. As far as he knew, Dabi was still supposed to stay pretty low-key.

"Kai isn't here right now," he said, hoping that would prompt an explanation. And maybe distract Momo from practically undressing him. Dabi was letting her touch him again, pulling down the V-neck on his shirt to better admire the roses across his chest, and the toned muscles underneath them, Shouto was certain of it.

He wasn’t surprised, but considering that drugs made his brother especially flirtatious, it was probably better to put a stop to this now.

Dabi looked over, smiling widely at Shouto.

"Good thing I'm not here to see him," he replied casually. Shouto self-consciously rubbed at the flour on his face, knowing that it probably wasn’t helping a whole lot. He was a mess. “I actually have something I need your help with.” Shouto caught the slight tell-tale slur in his words. He was definitely high. Fuck. And he had driven over here on a motorcycle?! What could possibly be this important?

“Alright,” Shouto replied. “What do you need?”

“Can we talk for a few minutes… alone?” he asked. Shouto wasn’t surprised. The fact that Momo knew the villain was here was dangerous enough on its own. She definitely did not need to know anything else. Whatever Dabi wanted was probably Yakuza related, which meant it was for his ears only.

He nodded.

“Do you mind finishing the dough on your own?” Shouto asked Momo, hoping to distract her from her rekindled fascination with his brother.

"I guess," she replied, giving Shouto a strange look as she finally stepped away from Dabi. It was a combination of intrigue and disappointment. As if she knew that whatever Dabi needed may not be strictly legal. As if she knew that Shouto would probably give in and help him with it anyway. And as if she was dying to know what that was going to be. “Hopefully I can salvage the mess you made of it. Otherwise, we might have to take a quick trip to the store to pick up more shiratamako.”

Dabi chuckled, which did not amuse Shouto at all. He had followed all the damn directions. It wasn’t his fault that it didn’t work the way that it was supposed to. Shouto motioned toward the bedroom impatiently, waiting for Dabi to head that way before turning to Momo.

"Stay in here," he said firmly. "For real, this time. No eavesdropping. It doesn't end well. Trust me." He had a brief flashback of that night in Dabi’s apartment, when he had first overhead Kai and Dabi talking. Outside of the sex, their actual conversation had been less than five minutes. And overhearing it had literally changed Shouto’s entire life. Although he wasn’t unhappy with where everything had ended, he didn’t want to subject anyone else to the pain it had taken to get here. And he certainly didn’t want Momo to have to follow his own darker path just because of her curious nature.

"Shou," she leveled him a very innocent look. "I'm not going to eavesdrop. Who do you think I am?"

"Who you are is exactly why I am worried that you will eavesdrop." He said playfully, but he was absolutely serious. Momo had a bad habit of being nosy, especially when it came to him. Less than an hour ago he had told her he didn't have much contact with Dabi, and here the villain suddenly was. Looking fine as hell, and letting her run her hands over his body in a way that might have given her a nosebleed four years ago. Of course she was going to be curious.

"I won't!" She defended herself.

He stared.

"I promise I will stay in here, and attempt to salvage the Daifuku." She said, making an exaggerated motion toward the kitchen.

He nodded, silently praying that she would keep her word as he headed toward the bedroom. Of all the days for Dabi to decide to surprise him with a visit, it had to be today. The door to the bedroom was open, and he headed inside, expecting to find Dabi already spread out and making himself comfortable on the bed.

"Please tell me you are 100% certain that she isn't going to leave here and report this straight to the heroes," Dabi said, pushing the door closed the moment that Shouto was inside. Dabi leaned back against the closed door, giving Shouto a less than perfectly focused, incredulous look. "Because that would not go well... For either of us. I am honestly surprised she is even here."

"She isn’t going to tell anyone," Shouto replied, hoping that he was right. She had been adamant about them staying friends. He had tried to explain the danger to her last time they saw each other, but she had threatened to go to Aizawa about his involvement with the Yakuza if he cut her out of his life. She claimed that if his life was too dangerous for her to be a part of it, than it was too dangerous for him to be a part of it. So he had given in, but he had made her promise that anything she heard when they were together would stay between them. Surely she would know that extended to seeing Dabi. She had to know that telling the heroes what she saw today would be as much trouble for Shouto as it would be for Dabi.

"You had better make sure you are right," Dabi replied. "Because you are going to feel like shit if anything happens to her just because you two wanted to bake fucking cookies. Trust me."

"Look I'm not being any more stupid than you are," Shouto defended himself, although he hated that Dabi was right. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if anything happened to her. "Driving around high in the middle of the day. You could have gotten pulled over, or crashed and killed yourself. What are you doing anyway?"

Dabi shrugged, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Running errands," he replied cheekily.

"Errands?" Shouto would have laughed if it wasn't completely reckless and stupid. Dabi had been incognito for weeks, and suddenly he up and decides to get high and then drive around running errands. In the middle of the day, no less.

"Yeah, I need your help with a few things," he shrugged as Shouto sat down next to him.

Shouto looked at him suspiciously. He was dressed in an outfit that left very little to the imagination. He smelled fucking amazing. He came over when Kai was supposed to be gone...

A rush of arousal shot through him as he remembered the last time he had seen his brother. The way Dabi's hands had felt against his skin as Kai fucked him. He looked away, quickly, hoping that his cheeks didn't flush the way it felt like they did, and that Dabi wouldn't notice the way his cock was trying to react to their proximity.

"And what is that?" Shouto asked, his voice coming out way too high-pitched. He cleared his throat, scooting over a bit before turning to look at Dabi again. He focused on forcing his voice back to a normal tone. "What do you need from me?"

Dabi smiled, his gaze taking in Shouto's flustered expression, dropping down to the way Shouto casually lay his arm over the beginnings of an erection.

Dabi leaned over, reaching around to put his hand on Shouto's cheek and turn his face toward him, un-phased by the flour that was probably getting all over his hand. He leaned in, his lips pressing to Shouto's. Hunger washed over him as he felt Dabi's snakebites press into his lip, the tickle of his labret against Shouto’s skin. He moaned lowly as Dabi's tongue poked out to caress his lip, dipping his tongue into Shouto’s mouth to taste him. His brother tasted faintly like cigarettes. Then Dabi pulled away, his pupils blown as his gaze stayed glued to Shouto's mouth.

"Although I do like the way you think," Dabi whispered, his breath warm on Shouto's face. "I didn't come looking for sex." Dabi swallowed, finally looking up to meet Shouto's eyes. He leaned back, pulling an extremely wrinkled envelope, folded in half, out of his pocket. He handed it to Shouto, who awkwardly took it, trying not to uncover his hard-on.

"What is this?" Shouto asked. It looked questionable as fuck.

"It's a letter for Hawks," Dabi replied. "I need you to get it to him. But I also need you to get one other thing to give him with it. You said you had all my stuff shoved into storage in the mansion, right?"

"Yeah," Shouto answered, genuinely curious.

"You think it's still there?" He asked.

"Probably." Shouto shrugged. "Enji doesn't really go down to that part of the house. He didn't know it was there for four years, I doubt he's found it in the last few months."

"Perfect," Dabi smiled, finally sitting back again, taking his hand away from Shouto’s cheek and wiping the flour on his hand off on Shouto’s shoulder. "Do you think you could sneak in and get something for me?"

Shouto frowned. He could do it, all he would have to do was wait for Enji to go to work. He could get in and out without the housekeepers seeing him, it was pretty rare for anyone to go to the basement. Uchi dusted the main rooms on Tuesdays, but he doubted anyone had gone to the storage rooms except him in the last few years. The idea of going back to that place, though...

"I could," he finally answered, a bit reluctantly.

"I could make it worth your while," Dabi replied.

"What is it that you need?" Shouto asked. If he was going to have to retrieve it, he deserved to know what it was.

"Well, I have been tasked with securing Hawks as an ally," Dabi explained. Shouto choked.

"What?!" He practically shouted, before his brother could continue. They wanted Hawks as an ally? Kai wanted Hawks as an ally? That was insane! Hawks was the #2 hero! And with how fucking dedicated to justice he had been during the trial, there was no way he was going to be convinced to help the Yakuza! Shouto didn't care what used to exist between him and Dabi.

"Can you say it louder?" Dabi dead-panned. "Make sure Momo hears you."

"I'm sorry, but seriously?" Shouto replied, in an urgent whisper. "I know that you guys were a thing, but there is no way he is going to join the Yakuza! This is crazy. It's going to end up with you back in prison!"

"I don't need him to join the Yakuza," Dabi replied. "I just need him to be open to helping us occasionally, over-looking a few things that Kai has planned."

"That is a terrible idea," Shouto reiterated. "Hawks is dedicated to being a hero. Look at everything he gave up to get where he is."

"You aren't wrong," Dabi shrugged, laying back against the bed. Shouto averted his eyes as Dabi’s T-shirt rode up to expose his lower stomach, a small trail of red hair disappearing down into his boxers. "It is a terrible fucking idea. But now that Kai knows we used to fuck, he is convinced I can do it. And you know how he is once he has an idea in his head."

"How does he even know?" Shouto asked. They had never talked about it, and he doubted Dabi had opened up about it either.

"He figured it out." Dabi replied, settling his hands under his head. "Especially after Hawks' behavior during the trial. A bit of research back to our time at UA, and it was pretty obvious. When he finally asked me about it, didn't really see a point in trying to deny it."

"Hawks has an active warrant out for your arrest," Shouto reminded him.

"Yeah, he does," Dabi agreed.

"And it didn't exactly seem like your reunion at the prison went well," Shouto continued.

"Fuck no," Dabi replied, sounding completely un-phased. Although that might be the result of his high. Hell, his high was probably because of this whole thing. What was Kai thinking?

"So?" Shouto emphasized.

"So I figure it out," Dabi said, running his right hand over the comforter. "Being a villain ain't that different from being a hero. Boss gives you an order, it's your job to figure out how to make it happen. But I'm not too worried. I have two things in my favor."

"And what are those?"

"One, Hawks likes a thrill. He likes things to be exciting," Dabi said. "That's why we started fucking in the first place. The first time I sucked his cock was behind the bookcase in the library at UA. I just need to remind him of how much more exciting his life is with me in it. Which brings me to the second thing, and that is a stupid tie-on bracelet of his that I accidentally yanked off when we almost got caught by Nezu. It should be stowed away in one of my old books. Hence what I need you to get out of storage. You give it to him with the letter. And that's it. I will take care of the rest."

Shouto turned to stare at him. And he thought sex in the upstairs bathroom at school was risky.

"That's your plan?" Shouto replied incredulously. "Remind him about the first time you blew him and hope he doesn't arrest you?"

"Pretty much," Dabi replied. "You should know as well as anyone how powerful of a tool sex can be." Dabi took one hand out from behind his head, running it from his chest down over his body until it came to cup his cock. Shouto blushed, the motion obviously meant to rile him up, even out of the corner of his vision.

Shouto forced himself to look down at his hands instead, refusing to give his brother the satisfaction of knowing that the motion affected him.

"Don't worry so much," Dabi added, after a moment. "This isn't my first rodeo. I'm not stupid enough to walk into a trap. By the time we meet in person, Hawks will come to me as a man, not a hero. One taste of what we are offering, and he will be hooked. Adrenaline has always been his drug of choice, and I can offer him more thrill now than I ever could before."

Shouto didn't know how to respond. He didn't exactly like the thought of Hawks becoming their ally, although that was in large part because he was a little bitter still toward the winged hero. But having an actual hero on their side, it would help fight some of the corruption in the system. He wondered if Hawks would be the only one. They had police officers and other members sprinkled in the political world. It wouldn’t surprise Shouto in the slightest if they already had a hero or two in their ranks.

"And all I have to do is get that bracelet, and deliver it to Hawks with the letter?" Shouto questioned, turning around to meet Dabi’s eyes. At least he was finally being tasked to help with something, although he doubted anyone but he and Dabi would even be aware. He was getting stronger every day, but training alone wasn't enough. He felt useless.

"Easy as pie," Dabi said. "And I'll make it worth your while. Drugs. Money. Sex. Whatever tickles your fancy, Shou." He added with a wink.

Shouto’s cock pulsed with interest, and he turned back around quickly.

"Yeah. I’ll… I’ll do it." He agreed. Although he was not exactly looking forward to seeing the hero in person. It was going to be awkward and forced. And it would be a risk even for Shouto, a sign that maybe he did know where Dabi was, despite telling numerous heroes and the public that he did not.

But it still wouldn't be as big of a risk as Dabi trying to get those things to the winged hero himself.

"Alrighty then, it's all settled," Dabi finally agreed, standing up and stretching. Shouto watched the way the muscles in his lower stomach rippled as he stretched. "I will leave you two to your cooking. Try not to burn down the apartment." He walked toward the doorway, opening the door and waiting there as Shouto got up, ignoring the grin on Dabi’s face as he adjusted himself so that his hard-on wouldn’t be so obvious when he got back in to where Momo was. Shouto followed Dabi back out toward the kitchen. "I know Kai's in Tokyo. I can come back later if ya want. We can watch a movie and I can bring some actual food."

"Maybe you should just stay here and take a nap," Shouto suggested as the two of them stopped in the living room. He was hyper aware of the fact that Momo could certainly hear them again from her spot in the kitchen. But he definitely did not feel comfortable knowing Dabi was driving around all over, high on who knows what.

"You worried about me?" Dabi asked, smiling knowingly at him.

"Someone has to," Shouto replied honestly. "Just stay for an hour, long enough for your high to fade a bit before you start driving around again."

"I'm fine, Shou," Dabi countered. "I'm barely high. Plus I have somewhere I have to be."

Shouto stared. Somewhere he had to be? Dressed like that…

"Are you going on a date?" Shouto asked. The thought that maybe he would be going to see Shigaraki flashed in his mind, leaving him feeling very unsettled.

Dabi laughed, loudly. The question had apparently caught him off guard.

"A date?" He asked. "Who the fuck would I be going on a date with? If you must know, I am off to be a good Samaritan. Practically a fucking hero, really."

"A good Samaritan?" Shouto quirked his eyebrow at Dabi.

"Hell yeah," Dabi said. "I had a buddy off himself while I was in the clink. I ended up with some of his shit, and one of the things was a picture of him and his wife at their wedding. I finally got her address, I figured she might want it back."

"You are delivering a picture to a widow?" Shouto asked incredulously. That was what was so important that he was willing to risk his life?

Dabi pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, fishing a small picture out and handing it to Shouto. It showed a guy with short brown hair, a large scar on his face, and a smile that showed off a set of metal-plated shark teeth. He was huge compared to the petite woman he had his arm around, her hair pulled up in a bun with a fluffy white veil that hung around her face, giving her an almost angelic presence. She was absolutely stunning. Shouto glanced back up at how Dabi was dressed. Was this a hook-up? With a widow? He knew Dabi liked a new partner, but that seemed a little odd, even for him.

"Really?" Shouto asked.

"What can I say, I guess the hero training never fully wears off."

There was definitely more to it than that. But Shouto doubted that he was going to get any better of an explanation.

"And you can't stick around for thirty minutes to sober up, maybe eat something?" Shouto urged him. It was probably stupid. Dabi had been a functioning druggie for years, he probably didn't want Shouto trying to baby him. But he had to try. If Dabi got killed trying to drive over for whatever this was, Shouto would feel awful.

“You should stay!” Momo’s voice caught both their attention. Dabi and Shouto both turned toward her. She was standing in the doorway, watching them. “Shou really sucks at cooking, and I could use the help. Besides, I think Shou would really enjoy the extra company. And we have wine!”

Dabi glanced back and forth between the two of them, weighing his options. Momo had wiped off all the flour, and had definitely freshened up her make-up and pulled her shirt down just slightly when they were out, showing off the swell of her boobs enough to be more than a little distracting. Letting her and Dabi spend time together was clearly not a good idea. Although his own bodies response to his brother made him feel like a hypocrite to think it, but he needed to try to nip her fascination with him in the bud. But if it was only a little while, long enough for him to feel comfortable letting his brother drive away on his bike, it couldn’t do too much harm.

Though the idea of having them both stay the night with him here certainly had some appeal..

He quickly pushed that thought away.

“God, you guys have always made a good team,” Dabi sighed. “No wonder you always talked me into helping you little heathens with shit when you were young.” She smiled widely, motioning for him to join her in the kitchen. “Just for a few minutes, though. Than I have to get going.” Shouto followed him in, mildly impressed with how much she had cleaned up in the time that they were gone. They must have been talking for longer than he realized. The dough was apparently already in the steamer, the timer on the machine showing just three minutes left before they would be ready for the next step.

“So what are we trying to do in here anyway?” Dabi asked, glancing at the steamer.

“We are making Daifuku,” Momo answered him, beaming proudly.

“Can’t you buy that at the bakery down the block?”

Shouto started laughing, earning a frown from Momo. One that she turned toward Dabi next.

“Technically,” she said, as the steamer started to beep. “But it tastes so much better homemade. Trust me. And it’s super easy!” She opened up the lid to the steamer, and the three of them watched a puff of steam erupt out of the pot and into the kitchen. Shouto stepped forward, going up onto his toes to peek inside. The dough was formed into a big lump, more of a translucent color than when he had last seen it.

“Did you tell Shouto that?” Dabi joked, shooting him a mischievous grin. Shouto gave him a flat look before turning back to watch Momo use two giant spoons to transfer the dough onto a big slab of paper she had laid out on the counter.

“Well, I may have underestimated just exactly how undeveloped Shou’s cooking skills are,” she giggled, dipping her fingers into a bag of potato starch and pulling out a small handful to sprinkle over the dough. Shouto frowned, not amused. He wasn’t that bad of a cook. He knew how to do the basics. It wasn’t his fault he had grown up with a live-in chef. He was barely allowed in the kitchen at the mansion, and if Uchi caught him attempting to cook on his own, he was usually run out of the room with a spatula.

“He almost burned down my apartment making rice,” Dabi laughed. “Twice.” Momo smiled at him, clearly amused by the direction of the conversation. And it had technically only been once. The second time it had been Toga who had started the rice and then forgotten about it. Just because Shouto happened to be there at the same time. Dabi hadn’t believed him, though.

“We are actually celebrating Momo getting her provisional hero license,” Shouto said, attempting to change the subject before they could continue to talk about his culinary failures. Luckily Kai was less than interested in his cooking abilities. The other man cooked less than Shouto did, and actually had all of their meals delivered by a food service.

“Congrats, Mini Mo,” Dabi said as she started to roll out the dough into a thin sheet. “One of those fucking agencies is going to be damn lucky to have you on their team.”

“Thanks,” she replied, a bit flustered. Maybe talking about becoming a hero wasn’t the smoothest subject change Shouto could have chosen, but at least it had worked. “I don’t really know where I am going yet. Some of the other students already have internship offers, but I don’t have any yet.”

“As long as you don’t end up at the Endeavor Agency,” Shouto said. Enji had already offered an internship to Izuku, although Shouto was pleased to find out that the greenette had politely declined the offer. Not that it was much of a surprise. Endeavor’s dislike of All Might was pretty well known, and Izuku practically worshipped the retired hero. Enough that Shouto still suspected that there was something between them, despite Izuku assuring him that they weren’t related in any way.

“I just don’t want to end up with someone like Uwabami again,” Momo answered, picking up the paper that held the rolled up dough carefully. She motioned for someone to open the fridge, and Dabi swung it open for her to set the dough inside. Which made zero sense to Shouto. They had just steamed that dough to get it warm, and now they were refrigerating it? “She only chose Kendo and I because we were pretty, she didn’t care at all about what we could do. I want to make an actual difference, ya know, not just be another pretty face.”

“Do both.” Dabi replied, closing the fridge.

“What?” Momo asked, confused. Shouto wasn’t entirely sure he was following either.

“Be a kick-ass hero, and take advantage of the fact that you are absolutely beautiful to help you move up in the ranks,” he said, as if it was super obvious. “If people are going to be shallow enough to vote based off of looks, than take advantage of that. Tease them with that sexy as hell body of yours, and leave them wanting more. You move up in the ranks, your chances of making an actual difference improve. They are still pretty dismal in the long run, to be honest, but at least they will be better than the heroes outside of the top fifty. It’s better than some of the shit heroes do to move up in the ranks.”

She looked at him strangely, weighing the advice in her mind. It was definitely on the cynical side, although it was Dabi so Shouto wasn’t exactly surprised by that, but it did have some viability.

“Maybe,” she replied hesitantly. “I guess I never really thought about it that way before.” She picked up the jar of anko and handed it to Shouto. “Will you stir this? It needs to be really smooth to go inside the Daifuku.”

“Me?” Shouto argued as he took the jar, knowing that she wasn’t going to change her mind. “Dabi hasn’t even done anything. He should stir the bean paste.” He pulled off the lid, staring, unimpressed, at the dark congealed paste inside the jar. She ignored him, handing him a spoon.

“I actually do need to get going,” Dabi said, pulling out his phone to glance at it. “Besides, the practice will be good for you. Bean paste today, maybe ramen tomorrow? The possibilities are endless.”

Shouto glared at him, grabbing the spoon from Momo so that he could stir the damn paste.

“It was… good to see you again Tou- Dabi,” Momo said, as he walked out of the room. She hesitated and stumbled over her words enough that Shouto almost laughed. She was definitely conflicted over the whole thing. And Shouto knew exactly what that felt like.

A moment later, he returned, shrugging back into his jacket.

“You too, Mini-mo,” Dabi said. He stepped up toward her, laying a hand on her shoulder in order to lean down and kiss her on the cheek. She was blushing once more as he pulled away. He pulled a joint out of the front pocket of his jacket, laying it on the counter next to the steamer. “Congrats again,” he added with a smile. “You two have fun tonight. Not too much fun… or maybe do have too much fun. It’s none of my business, I suppose.” The blush on her cheeks darkened, and even Shouto blushed at the implication. Not that sex with Momo wasn’t great… but he was with Kai now. They couldn’t just casually sleep together. The older man had certainly made that clear.

Dabi didn’t say another word as he zipped up the jacket and left the room. Shouto heard the muffled sounds of him grabbing his helmet, and than the door opened.

“Text me if you do want me to come over later,” Dabi called out.

A sort of awkward silence filled the apartment as the door closed behind Dabi. Shouto busied himself stirring the Anko, and for a few minutes they worked in silence. Momo even dug out the corkscrew, opening the bottle of wine and pouring them each a glass as they worked. She took the dough out of the fridge, shaping it into little circles and setting it between them.

Shouto may have over-stirred the bean paste, finally looking up when Momo cleared her throat.

Momo was staring at him expectantly.

"I didn't know he was coming!" Shouto defended himself.

"Yeah, because you never see him?" Momo asked, a definite accusatory note in her voice.

"Honestly, no!" He said, flopping a big spoonful of the anko on one of the dough circles and attempting to shape it like the picture Momo had shown him. It made a great excuse to avoid eye contact. "I have only seen him a handful of times over the last month. He is supposed to be keeping a low profile now that the heroes know who he is. I'm surprised he decided to come out today at all."

"Alright," Momo replied. "I will trust you. But I hope you don't feel like you have to lie to me. I already promised you that I wasn’t going to tell anyone that you are a part of the Yakuza."

"Momo, I told you last time that there is a difference between lying and just not telling you everything. There are some things that might put you in danger to know."

"I know," Momo said, "But you also need someone you can share things with. You could have told me that you see him sometimes. I know having Touy- Dabi back in your life is important to you. I wouldn’t have judged you for it. I actually suspected it, if we are being honest."

Shouto stared at the misshapen Daifuku, deciding that it was probably as good as it was going to get.

He pursed his lips, trying to very carefully decide on his answer. After he had told her and Bakugou about Dabi, he hadn't really talked to her much about everything that had happened. A lot of it would just distress her more than anything, but he didn't understand how to make her realize how fast things could change.

"Remember when I told you and Bakugou that the reason I met Kai was when I saw him and Dabi having sex?" Shouto asked her.

Momo choked on a sip of wine, and Shouto looked up in concern. She was staring at him with wide, almost betrayed eyes.

"What?!" She exclaimed. "You most certainly did not tell us you saw them having sex! Oh my—" she took another drink as she processed the information.

"I told you that I saw them together," Shouto corrected her. He very clearly remembered telling them. He remembered the whole afternoon pretty well considering that was the day everything really started going downhill with Bakugou. That story about Kai was pretty much the moment things started falling apart.

"Yeah! You said you saw them together. Not like… ‘together’." She emphasized, putting her hands up with finger quotes. "Oh my God! You stole Kai away from your brother?! But wait, wasn't Touya with Shig— so you've seen Touya naked?! How far down do the tattoos actually go? And Kai? Were you guys sleeping with him at the same time? Or... Ah! Has he asked you to have a threesome yet? I could—" Momo was rattling off the questions so quickly that even Midorya might not have been able to keep them straight.

"Momo," he interrupted her, turning and pushing the glass of wine back up toward her mouth to encourage her to take yet another drink and breath for a bit. He could feel himself blushing, memories of the times he had seen Dabi naked flooding his mind. The ghost feeling of his mouth on Shouto's from that very day. "The fact that they had sex wasn't the point of the story," he tried to redirect her back to the previous subject. "The point was that I only overheard a few sentences about something Dabi did for the Yakuza, and Kai nearly killed me when he found me. The less you know about this part of my life, the better. If I need you, I promise I will talk to you."

She stared at him, finally nodding. Shouto grabbed another circle of dough, ducking his head to hide the lingering blush on his cheeks.

"Alright," she agreed after a moment.

They both went back to shaping their next Daifuku, working in silence as two or three minutes passed.

"So... how far down do the tattoos go?" Momo asked, the curiosity in her voice quite obvious.

"Really?" Shouto looked up, blushing furiously. "He's my bro—"

"Oh, spare me the lies. If you saw your brother naked, I know you looked at his cock.” She replied confidently. “I know you too well. Please! I just... I really want to know!"

He had to be bright red, embarrassed at how she knew him a bit too well. He spooned a big drop of anko on the next piece, hoping she would drop it.

"Fine," she said, once it became obvious what he was doing. "You don't have to admit it. Even if it's pretty obvious you have seen it. The next time I see him, I will just convince him to show me. I am sure that will make for a very interesting conversation anyway."

"It's pierced, ok? Now can we drop it?" He blurted out. He did not want this conversation going any further. He didn't want her to find out how intimately he knew about those piercings.

"I knew it," she gasped, seemingly satisfied with the answer. “All those other piercings…”

"You seriously need to not think about it, though. He's a villain." Shouto reminded her. Honestly, Dabi might consider sleeping with her if she tempted him. And Shouto knew exactly how tempting she could be when she wanted something. That would be a fine mess.

"So are you, and I would sleep with you right now if you weren't serious with Kai."

"He is a murderer." Shouto added, feeling like a hypocrite. His thoughts flashed back to the night of the prison break. Fuck, he could never let Momo find out he had lost control like that. That he was responsible for two men who would never return to their families.

"I know," she said, sadly. "It's really hard to believe. Especially now that I've seen him again. I used to imagine that one day he would sweep me off my feet. Although, in my defense, I didn't know he was gay," she added.

"He's actually bi," Shouto corrected her before he even thought about it. “Not to encourage you."

"Don't worry," she replied. "I won't really try to sleep with him. Even if he is kind-of, like really hot. I just haven't found anyone I wanted to mess around with since the last time we slept together. Kaminari asked me out, big surprise there. And a guy I met from Shiketsu at the provisional licensing exam. But no one that I'm actually interested in."

Of course Kaminari had asked her out. And Shiketsu? Those guys were completely full of themselves.

"None of those guys are good enough for you anyway," Shouto answered honestly.

"Thanks, dad," she teased him as they grabbed the last two circles of dough.

He gave her a flat look. She just grinned at him. Then she smiled down at the Daifuku. Hers looked picture perfect. His looked... edible.

"Perfect!" She proclaimed. "Now they just have to chill for about fifteen minutes, and they are ready!"

"Then what's on the agenda, Creati?” he teased her, throwing in her hero name to remind her that tonight was supposed to be about her.

“Oh, don’t think I didn’t notice that huge jet tub in your bathroom!” She squealed, looking up at him mischievously. “Hot-tubbing and wine is absolutely going to be a thing that happens! Gah! Everyone at the dorms is going to be so jealous!” She grabbed the bottle of wine and her glass, smiling widely as she left the room. He smiled too, taking a minute to set the Daifuku in the fridge and grab his glass.

He was determined to make tonight fun for her. Even if it meant listening to her ramble on about some stuck-up asshole from Shiketsu.

And if he was rather looking forward to the idea of them hot-tubbing in their underwear… Well, who could blame him? He just really hoped she was wearing the red, lacy set that he liked so much.

Chapter Text

Dabi POV

Dabi pulled up to the danchi building and into the shitty garage underneath in order to park his bike. He stepped off, double-checking the apartment number in his phone and heading inside. It felt fucking great to finally get out of that damn apartment and do something for a change. Even if it wasn’t exactly Yakuza approved… he needed to get back on Shigaraki’s good side. Or at least just off of his bad side. Otherwise, he was a dead man walking once the other man found out where he was. This place, he hoped, would hold the key to doing just that. Finding out that Sakai actually had a wife, and a family on the outside had been a surprise. Finding her address had been a challenge, buried in the jumbled system of low-income housing. But supposedly Sakai had a box of evidence against the League, against Shigaraki particularly, stashed away. The purpose had been for blackmail once Sakai was finally out of the pen, but now that he was dead, who knows what his little widow would be planning to do with it. If she even knew it existed.

No reason to risk that falling into the wrong hands.

And if he was able to wrap it up and deliver it with a bow to Shigaraki. Maybe it would take a bit of the heat off of his betrayal of the League.

And if Sakai’s widow just happened to need a bit of comfort to deal with the death of her husband, well… who was Dabi to deny such a thing? After god knows how many years married to that fucking maw, Dabi could provide her with a hell of a lot more comfort than that asshole ever could. And he planned to do so directly on Sakai’s bed. Preferably with her bent over one of Sakai’s pillows, while screaming Dabi’s name.

Dabi headed up the stairs at the back of the building. The inside of the complex looked dark and dreary through his helmet visor, although he doubted light would add much to the place. It was worn out and dirty, and reminded him of the shitty apartment that Shigaraki and Toga lived at when he first met them. He stepped to the side as a woman and her son came down the stairs, heading in the opposite direction. She steered clear of Dabi, her son careening back and forth like a hellion as he pretended to fly an Endeavor figurine back and forth, making very dramatic jet engine noises as he did so. Dabi scowled, stomping past the duo.

Even after all the shit that came out about the damn hero after Shouto’s trial, and the city still treated him like a fucking god.

Fucking disgusting.

He stalked out onto the the floor of Sakai’s apartment.

He was in a fucking mood today. Irritated. High. Horny. After his conversation with Kai yesterday, he needed something to blow off some steam. He was still annoyed that Kai had appointed him to make some kind of a ‘deal’ with Hawks. Not that it was going to be hard, honestly. Hawks liked the thrill of adventure, which made him predictably unpredictable. And the winged hero had clearly been looking for some kind of closure at the prison. If Dabi offered him a chance to earn that closure by embracing Dabi’s new identity, and getting to explore every little mark and scar that the past four years had left on him… preferably with his tongue… Dabi had a feeling he was going to jump at the opportunity. Than sprinkle in the thrill of helping to bring down some of the corruption that had separated them in the first place…

It was almost too easy.

Still, this meant that Dabi had to pretend to forgive him for at least some of his past sins. And he didn’t.

He stopped at apartment 813, reaching up and knocking on the worn wood of the door. He was eager to get out of the halls; the walls were stained an unsightly yellow and the entire eighth floor smelled like stale ramen.

All of this just to get the winged hero to overlook a few things around whatever plan Kai had up his sleeve. Something to do with the little girl he was picking up in Tokyo. They hadn’t had a lot of time to discuss the details. Hopefully Shouto would be able to find that damn bracelet. That it was still there, stored with who knows what other fucking shit he had thought was cool when he was eighteen and had access to Enji’s bottomless pocketbook. It was probably complete garbage, mostly.

Although perhaps he should have waited to go see Shouto until later tonight. God, the way he had responded to Dabi today. The flushed cheeks… the assumptions… the fucking hard-on. His skin had felt so warm against Dabi’s fingers. His mouth so obedient as he let Dabi slide his tongue inside of it… Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! His little brother was going to be the death of him. If Momo hadn’t been there, he wasn’t sure if he would have been able to stop himself from pushing Shouto back onto the bed and tasting every inch of his skin…

Fuck, he would have done unholy things to that body.

Kai would have been so fucking pissed.

But that would have been a problem for another day. As it was, Shouto’s mask of innocence, combined with the X he had enjoyed with his coffee this morning, left him with a very real, very persistent desire to fuck.

He really hoped this little widow would be as eager to please as his brother had been.

As the door opened, Noni Sakai hesitantly peeked out. He could tell she was a little nervous. He didn’t blame her. She had no idea who he was; when he had called, he had merely identified himself as a friend of Sakai’s from prison. Told her that he had something of Sakai’s to give back to her. Honestly, the man was a seedy thug. His associates likely weren’t better. She should have told him to fuck off. But apparently curiosity had over-ridden her better judgment, and here she was letting a complete stranger in to her apartment.

Just like her picture, she was a pretty thing, although obviously a few years older now. The time seemed to have only done her favors. Like Toga, she was quite short, and petite enough to throw around the bed. And she clearly wasn’t ashamed of her body. She was wearing an extremely short denim skirt and a thin purple tank that hugged her upper body, slight nubs of RT suggesting that she wasn’t wearing anything underneath. Her long hair was bleached a faintly yellow-ish blonde, pulled up into a messy ponytail that would be a hell of a lot of fun to wrap his hands into.

She stared at him with wide eyes that were almost as blue as his, and filled with a healthy dose of skepticism.

“Are you…?” she trailed off, apparently realizing that she had never even gotten his name.

“A friend of Sakai’s? Yeah,” Dabi finished, not wanting to give away his identity quite yet. Although he was perfectly capable of breaking in to get the information… hell, it had been a month since he had gotten to use his quirk. It might feel real fucking good to light something up… it would be a hell of a lot easier if she just let him in. “May I come in?” he asked after almost a full minute of her scrutinization. He was absolutely more than ready to get the damn helmet off. It was like a permanent fucking sauna, and he could only imagine the absolute havoc it was wreaking on his hair.

She hesitated only a moment longer, before nodding and stepping back, opening the door enough for him to step inside. The door led in to a cramped front room with a red couch, a small TV, and a plethora of videogames and equipment strewn over the floor. Either she was a hell of a gamer, or she was not the only person living in this house. There was also a handful of discarded clothes stuffed in a corner, and an almost overflowing ashtray on the TV stand. He slipped out of his shoes, leaving them neatly lined up beside hers.

“I made tea,” she said, a bit uncertainly, standing in a doorway that led into a little kitchen. He nodded, pulling off the helmet, and running his hand through his hair a few times. He heard her gasp as he looked up to meet her eyes. He figured she would recognize him. Kind-of hard not to after Hawks fucking plastered that mugshot all over every damn paper, magazine, news station, and bulletin board he could find. Than she darted into the kitchen, and he heard the shuffling of a drawer being ripped open.

He sighed, walking over and leaning casually in the doorway.

“You’re…” Noni breathed, her eyes wide as she pressed herself up against the sink. “You’re the villain that the- the hero agencies have been looking for…” She was holding a small steak knife out between them. Dabi’s eyes traced the movement.

“The name is Dabi,” he introduced himself, trying to keep the amusement out of his voice. It was almost endearing that she really thought that knife would do a damn bit of good if she needed to defend herself.

“They say that you’re… you’re dangerous…” She added, rotating slightly to keep the knife between herself and Dabi as he walked over to the small table in the center of the room, setting his helmet on top of it. Her knuckles were turning white where they clutched the handle.

“I am.” He replied, starting to unzip his jacket. “But only if I want to be. If I was here to hurt you, it would already be too late to stop me. I am here because I have something that I believe you might want back.” He shrugged out of the leather jacket, enjoying the rush of cool air over his arms. He hung the jacket over the back of the chair, sitting down.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“I know who you work for,” She said, the knife held up as religiously as a cross to ward off an evil spirit. “On the phone you said that you were friends with my husband. But Sakai hated the League of Villains. He would have never befriended you. What do you really want?”

She was clever.

Dabi liked her.

“I suppose that would be true… if I were still a member of the League,” Dabi replied, leaning back against the chair. “What my wanted posters failed to point out was that I went to prison because I betrayed the League. Shigaraki hurt someone very close to me.”

"I don't... I don't understand?" She muttered. "Even if that’s true… Sakai hated the League. Despised them. He would have never befriended you."

"We had an unusual relationship," he agreed, choosing his words carefully. She seemed to be a smart woman. She knew of her husbands predilection toward the League. It was wise of her to be wary. "But as I mentioned on the phone, I happened to come into possession of something that I think you might want back after, well... Everything."

Everything.

The image of Sakai flashed through his mind. His limp body hanging so delicately beautiful against the blood splattered tile. He could still hear the sound his skull had made as it had caved in underneath his hands. He could smell the tang of copper that had sang to him as he stepped away from the lifeless body and washed the last of the man’s essence down the drain like the trash it was.

Dammit, his blood was still rushing. He needed a really good fuck... Although the more he thought about Sakai the more he thought a good fight might do it too.

Than he glanced back at Noni, at the enticing way her clothes hugged her delicate curves. At the low cut of her blouse that accentuated the creamy skin on her neck, a thin silver necklace trailing down her sternum and disappearing underneath the fabric.

He almost wondered if she had dressed up specifically for him. A stranger. A thrill. A good fuck.

With a dead husband who had been in prison the last few years, who knows how long it had been since she had gotten laid. She took a shaky breath, and he enjoyed the subtle shift of the fabric over nipples, budded from a combination of fear and, he hoped, arousal. Her hand was still trembling as she set the knife down on the counter.

"So are you still planning to offer me tea?" Dabi said coyly, spreading his legs casually apart, just enough to be provocative. He motioned to the tea kettle that was ever so faintly starting to whistle on the stove. It would be going off any second. "Or do you have anything a little stronger?"

She laughed, light and nervous like she almost couldn't believe this was actually happening.

"I, um," she said, clearing her throat. "I have beer," she said.

"I would love a beer," Dabi replied, playfully emphasizing the word.

He watched her move to the fridge, pulling out a brown glass bottle. Then she dug around in a drawer, pulling out the opener and uncapping it for him. She was moving slow, almost purposefully. She kept glancing at him, as if any moment she might find anyone but a member of the very League her husband hated sitting at her kitchen table. He didn’t care. He had all the time in the world, and the way those damn shorts cupped her ass when she moved made him want to sink his teeth into it.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had been this fucking horny. Hiding away from the fucking world was obviously not great for his sex life.

Noni poured herself a cup of tea, and brought the beverages carefully over, the last of the smoke slowly dissipating away from the bottle as she set it in front of him. She sat down at the round table, next to him, her eyes trailing over his casual position. She set her tea down in front of her, the steam giving away how hot the drink must be.

Dabi picked up the beer. It was a decent brand, he noted, taking a large drink as he gave her a moment to gather her nerves.

"You weren't in prison very long before you escaped," she began, squaring her shoulders as she looked up to meet his eyes. "I saw you get arrested on the news. You couldn't have been in for more than a few days before my husband killed himself."

She was very clever.

He smiled.

"You are absolutely right," Dabi replied, fishing out his wallet. "And yet, I was the honorary beneficiary of a handful of crap that he kept stashed away. Most of it useless, but when I saw this, I thought you might want it back." Dabi pulled out the picture, sliding it across the table toward her.

She picked it up, the slightest smile playing on her lips as she looked at it. She flipped it over to read the words on the back.

I will love you always ~Noni
47-13-88

The top had been a very endearing message to Sakai, probably given to him to remember her by when he was in the pen. The numbers below had been added in what he assumed was Sakai’s messy hand-writing, and Dabi had committed each one to memory. According to Buto, who had accepted Dabi with alarmingly open arms once Sakai was dead, they were the key to his less than scrupulous dealings. Hopefully he was right.

"You found my address just so you could return a single picture?" She asked, her gaze turning back to him, the hesitation melting into softness.

She was hiding it well, but the twinkle in her eye gave away how happy she was to see that picture.

"Not just any picture," Dabi said, leaning in and pointing to her smile in the photograph. "But a picture of one the most exquisite women I have ever seen, on one of the most important days of her life. It certainly doesn't belong in my wallet. And it doesn't belong in the trash. I was compelled to return it, and meet the woman in it. And I am increasingly glad that I did."

She giggled, quickly suppressing it, her eyes widening slightly with surprise. She set the picture down, taking a very careful sip of her tea to cover up how flustered she appeared. But Dabi could tell that she was looking at him out of the corner of her eyes, her gaze tracing down his body with a whole different perception than she had a few minutes ago.

“Did you know that you have a million yen reward out for you?” she asked, pulling her eyes away from him as she took another sip of her tea.

“Sure did,” he replied, mimicking her movements. “The Hawks Agency is apparently very eager to get their hands on me again.” A million yen. What a fucking joke. Shigaraki probably had a bigger price on his head than that.

She nodded, contemplating the new information. Than she looked back down at the picture, picking it up one more time and looking at it. Really looking at it. He could almost see her sinking down in memory. He took a few slow drinks of the beer, enjoying the added thrum to his high. He watched her, letting his gaze roam over the naked skin on her neck and chest as he waited, imagining the way it would taste if he pressed his lips against it. When he looked up, she had a single tear running down her cheek.

Dabi set the beer down, leaning forward and cupping her cheek in his hand, wiping the tear away with the pad of his thumb.

She startled, as if she gotten completely lost in the picture, then she flushed slightly in embarrassment.

And fuck did that faint pink look beautiful on her skin. He licked his lips as he met her crystal gaze.

“I’m sorry,” she said, a twang of sadness in her voice. He could see more unshed tears threatening at the corners of her eyes. “You go out of your way to bring this to me, and I…” a few more tears slid down her skin, some of them pooling between his thumb and her cheek. “I am not even sure how I have any more tears to cry for him. This picture…” She motioned at the photo, pulling his hand away from her cheek. “It wasn’t real.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, watching the tears trail down the porcelain skin of her neck.

“He didn’t really love me,” she said, laughing bitterly as she quickly reached over to flip the photograph face down. “We were seventeen when he got me pregnant. I was head over heels for him, but I found out later that he only married me because my father threatened to kill him. It was a… a… What do the American’s call it?” She mulled for a moment, looking over at Dabi. “A shot-gun wedding.”

“So he was an asshole.” Dabi had heard enough about Sakai after his death that he already knew that much. Fuck, he surmised that the moment he saw him in the cafeteria, before he had even opened his mouth. He did not shy away from using physical force to get what he wanted, and apparently the threats he had spewed at Dabi weren’t unfounded.

There was a reason so many people practically worshiped Dabi after the ‘suicide’.

She laughed, looking at him like he was crazy…

“Well, you are certainly not one to sugarcoat things, are you?” She replied. “Although you aren’t wrong. He was an ass. He hit me, and he was never faithful. Not even on our wedding day. But I stayed with him anyway.”

“Why?”

“Like I said, I loved him. He was my highschool sweetheart, even if I was only one of his.”

Well, if anyone could understand being in love with a complete asshole, it was him.

“He was an idiot too, than,” Dabi added, putting his hand slowly up to touch her neck, tracing his fingers over it. He enjoyed how soft her skin was as he trailed his hand slowly downward, pulling it away just as his fingers brushed her low neckline. He felt her breath hitch. Dabi could see the way that she leaned forward slightly, her pupils wide, the faint part of her lips as she licked them. He pulled his eyes up, knowing that he had her exactly where he wanted her. He stood up, and stretched his arms over his head, purposely letting his shirt ride up so that she could admire his lower stomach. Her eyes trailed down, and he didn’t bother to try to hide the fact that he was half-hard.

She definitely noticed.

“I should probably get going now,” he said casually, reaching for his jacket.

“Wait,” Noni stood up, reaching out and touching his arm to get his attention. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay a little longer?”

Fuck yes.

Dabi’s cock twitched with interest. The suggestion in her voice told him everything he needed to know. He turned toward her, settling both hands onto her petite hips, his thumbs running up and down over her skirt. He stepped toward her, forcing her to step back as he did, his blue eyes intent on hers. Step by step, he guided her until she was backed up against the counter, than he stepped in again, his lower body pushing into hers and trapping her against him. She gasped slightly as the outline of his cock pressed against her lower stomach. The pressure shot desire through his body, and his arousal fully hardened against her body as the thought of pushing himself up into her petite frame washed over him.

She was probably tight as fuck.

Dabi reached up underneath her hair, wrapping his right hand around the back of her thin neck and holding her head firmly in place as he leaned down toward her. He could feel her pulse racing under his thumb, her breath coming in short pants as he stopped, their noses practically touching, his mouth just a few inches over hers. Her cheeks were tinted pink, her eyes widened with mock innocence.

“Are you sure you want me to stay?” he breathed, her crystalline eyes still locked with his.

She hesitated for just a moment, before wrapping her arms around his waist to pull him against her even more.

“I was beginning to hope you would stay the night,” she replied, her hands digging in to grip the back of his shirt.

He growled, capturing her mouth with his as he snaked his left hand possessively over her lower back. Her lips were soft against his, pliant and warm as he slotted their mouths together, tracing the crevice between her lips with his tongue. Her mouth was salty from her tears, and he could taste the faint hints of bitter green tea on her mouth. Then her lips parted for him, her hands eagerly pushing his shirt up, tracing her fingers over his back as his tongue slid inside of the heat of her mouth. He rolled his tongue against hers as he reached down, taking the thin fabric of her shirt and pulling it up, finally breaking the kiss in order to pull the shirt over her head.

Her chest was flushed an enticing pink, her nipples dark and budded as he traced one of his thumbs over them.

Fuck, he wanted her.

He grabbed her ass, hoisting her up onto the counter, enjoying the little squeal of surprise at the movement. He pushed her legs slightly apart, so that he could step in between them as he leaned over to sink his teeth into the soft skin of her neck. She whimpered as he sucked and bit at the tender flesh, placing his left hand on her chest and pushing her slowly down onto her elbows as he worked his mouth down her body. Tasting every inch of skin, just like he had imagined, until he was low enough to take one of her tits into his mouth, tracing his tongue ring around her nipple. That made her cry out, her back arching, her legs widening ever so slightly to give him better access to her supple body.

And he took his fill. He didn’t bother being gentle as he continued to play with her tit, his left hand cupping the other. He sucked and bit, and drug his fingers over silky skin. He was horny as fuck, and his mind kept urging him to take and taste; his teeth and lips ravaging her upper body, leaving beautiful mottled marks all over her porcelain skin. And every cry that passed between her kiss-swollen lips only urged him to bite harder… to go lower.

Dabi yanked her tiny skirt off, dropping down to his knees to enjoy her. She was wearing lacy purple underwear that was already darkened by a faint wet spot, betraying her arousal. He leaned in, turning his carnal appetite to the insides of her thighs, enjoying the scent of her sex as she whimpered and pleaded with him to stop teasing.

And then his mouth was over her mound, the thin purple fabric a mockery of decency as he breathed hotly against it, dragging his tongue over it to taste the hints of her sex that had already soaked it.

“Fuck!” She screamed, her pussy grinding up against his mouth. “Dabi… Uh, eee… please!!”

He growled, deep and primal, pulling the thin fabric aside and plunging his pierced tongue in between her lips, flattening it out and dragging it slowly up to give him access to her clit. Her body continued to tremble as she held her legs open for him, whimpering with wanton pleasure as he traced the delicate nub with his lips and sucked it into his mouth, flicking his tongue against it.

Her pussy was hot against his mouth. She tasted both bitter and sweet, like fermented honey. And the way her nectar coated his tongue as he ran it back down between her velvety skin and pushed it inside of her sex drove him mad with want. He could feel his fingers digging into her thighs, his cock rock hard and wet with pre-cum as he got lost in the heady taste of her arousal.

“Dabi!” she cried out, her ass arching up off the counter as his mouth traveled back up her sex to tease her clit once more. “The bedroom! Ah! God, the bedroom! I… AH! FUCK!” She cried, her weight shifting as her body convulsed against his mouth. “I want to… taste… ngh… you, too!”

Dabi’s cock pulsed, spilling out pre-cum at the thought of burying himself inside of her hot mouth. He pulled away, meeting her eyes as he reached up and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Her flushed chest was trembling with each breath, her body the canvas of his bruising desire. He stood up quickly, cupping his arms underneath her thighs and pulling her up so that her ass was cupped in the bend of his elbows, her lower back supported by his hands. She threw her arms around his neck as he lifted her. He could feel the heat of her pussy against his chest.

"There," she murmured, motioning with her head to the open doorway. "Down the hall... door at the end."

He moved quickly, nibbling and sucking new marks on her chest and shoulders, enjoying the way she mewled and writhed in his arms. He tossed her on the bed, climbing in after her as they both worked to get each other undressed. She seemed even more eager than he was, and he could barely get her panties off with how determined she was to get him naked, covering his crotch with wet kisses as she stripped away each layer. And the way she gasped when she finally saw his cock made him want to bury every piercing inside of her body.

But he had other plans first.

He dropped onto his back, kicking his pants and boxers the rest of the way off. Than he guided her on top of him, settling her wet pussy directly over his mouth, his cock directly in front of hers. She hesitantly kissed one of his piercings.

"Don’t worry about being gentle," he said, sensing her uncertainty. “I'm not going to be."

Her body shuddered as he pulled her lips apart, sucking her clit into his mouth once more and stroking it with his tongue.

"Ah!" She cried out, her body tensing with pleasure against him. He smiled into her pussy, flattening his tongue and licking down between the folds of her sex.

He could feel the soft press of her tits into his lower stomach as she finally leaned down and took the head of his cock into her hot mouth, licking up the pre-cum that was covering the skin.

Fuck!

Dabi gently rocked his hips upward, groaning as her lips sunk lower over his cock. He pushed his tongue up inside of her, as deep as possible. He felt her hand tighten on his thigh, her other hand wrapping around the base of his cock as she worked her mouth up and down his shaft. He shifted her slightly, pushing the tip of his index finger into her sex to get it wet enough to slip it up into her ass as he took turns between licking as deep inside of her as he could reach, and rolling his tongue piercing around her clit.

He groaned at the vibrating sensation of her crying out around his cock, enjoying the sound of her muffled pleasure.

God, she was dripping, the taste of her arousal sweetening slightly as her thighs clenched against his head. And with practically every inch of their torsos pressed together, he could feel the sweat starting to slick up their skin. She was moaning lewdly now, her body rocking back against his mouth, forcing his finger deeper into her ass as he worked his tongue over her. He stretched her around his finger, making small circles as he slowly pushed more and more of his finger into her. He shifted his legs, starting to actually fuck up into her mouth. She was close, and he wrapped his free arm around her back to hold her in place as he brought her screaming to the brink of ecstasy.

He plunged his tongue deep into her as her body writhed against him, her hand stilling on his cock as she got lost in absolute pleasure.

He didn’t give her time to recover before he shifted out from under her and onto his knees. He maneuvered her body for his pleasure; pulling her onto her knees, forcing her arms behind her, and holding them in place against her lower back as he pushed her face down against the blanket. He used his knees to shift her legs apart, sinking his cock into her soaked pussy. She screamed into the comforter, her body shuddering and clenching around him like a fucking vice. Her body was just as tight as he had imagined. He was desperate to get off, and he fucked her roughly, enjoying the sight of his cock sliding in and out of her.

He tightened his right hand around her arms, bringing his left thumb up and sucking it into his mouth to cover it with spit. He pushed it into her ass as he continued to fuck her. Every one of her muffled screams pulsed directly through his cock, and he could already feel his orgasm building. He sped up his pace, shifting slightly to hit her g-spot as he fucked. He closed his eyes, fucking harder and faster until he knew he was only seconds away from cumming inside of her. Than he pulled out, letting go of her arms and moving the thumb in her ass in order to jerk himself, groaning as he finally came all over her ass, continuing to stroke himself in pulses out onto her.

“Fuck,” he groaned, sitting back on his heels. Dabi let himself fall back onto the bed, his entire body singing with pleasure. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying it. Neither of them moved for a bit. Than as Noni shifted and stood up, he finally stirred.

"Hey," Dabi said casually, standing up before she could get out of the room. He walked over, pulling her into his arms and kissing her deeply. She smelled strongly of sex, and in his post-orgasm state her mouth felt so good that he just didn't want to stop. He teased and tasted her mouth until she finally giggled and pulled back.

"I need to wipe my ass off," she said. "You are starting to drip down the inside of my thighs."

He growled, kissing her one more time out of defiance. The idea of his cum dripping down her legs was sexy as fuck. He felt fucking great, and the idea of rolling around in the bed with her for a few more hours was getting more and more appealing with each kiss. But that wasn't the only reason he was here tonight.

"Fine," he said as he let her go and stepped back. "You get cleaned up, and I will grab us some beers. Don’t think I’m done with you yet, though."

She kissed him coyly, and he unashamedly watched her cum-smeared ass as she walked out and disappeared into what he assumed must be the bathroom. Than he moved quickly, hurrying to the kitchen and digging into his jacket. He grabbed his smokes out of the pocket and a small plastic bag with two crushed sleeping pills. Enough to put her into a good sleep so he could find what he needed. He pulled two beers out of the fridge, adding the powder to hers.

He made it back to the bedroom before she did, setting her beer on the nightstand. He flipped off a picture of Sakai on the wall, settling back into the bed and lighting up a smoke.

When she came back, she climbed directly into his lap. They drank and smoked and made out like fucking teenagers until he got it up enough for her to ride him to another orgasm. He certainly enjoyed watching her tiny tits heave as she did. Than she passed the fuck out, his cum still dripping out of her. Between the sex and the pills, he was pretty sure she would be out for a while. Which was perfect for him.

He dressed quickly, hoping that whatever fucking 'evidence' Sakai had would be somewhere in this apartment. The place was a mess, but he did eventually find a small safe in the top of Sakai's closet, buried underneath a bunch of old jackets. The combination from the picture worked like a charm. What he found inside, not quite so exciting.

If this was Sakai's idea of blackmail, he was a fool. There were a few files of old newspaper clippings, and a bunch of photographs, most of them blurry or mundane. There was also a pile of thumb drives that were labeled ‘Shig call’ with the date under them. The most this could do is tack on a couple more petty charges. Probably pittances compared to what Dabi helped put on his record. None of which matter if the heroes can't capture him.

This was practically a joke. Sending this to Shigaraki might actually do more harm than good. It would be just like Shigaraki to take this as Dabi trying to make some kind of a mockery of apologizing.

Dammit! Fucking Dammit!

He gathered it all up anyway. No use leaving it. He also gathered up an old box of Cuban cigars, a goody bag of drugs, and about 12,000 yen the man had stashed in there. The cigars Shigaraki might appreciate, although it certainly would not be enough to appease the man's ire. Dabi burnt up a stack of nudes and dirty magazines the asshole had stuffed in the back, and closed it all up, throwing the filthy jackets back on top. He counted out 4,000 yen from the stack, sliding it on the nightstand underneath their empty beer bottles before putting the rest in his wallet.

It was going to be a while before anyone realized a thing was missing. And the only hint that he might have been involved was the ashes of those pictures at the bottom. And honestly, that could have been anyone with a match or lighter too.

He grabbed two more beers on the way out, stashing everything into an old backpack he found in her kids room and tying it on to the back of his bike.

He pulled out his phone, mildly disappointed that Shouto hadn't texted him to come back over and watch an old action movie. Climbing on to his bike, he headed back to his apartment. Just one more week of isolation, and than Okimoto was finally going to let him get back in the game.

Chapter Text

Shouto took a deep breath as he approached the door, steeling himself for the conversation ahead. He should have come earlier today; now he was tired and sore from training. He had been pitted against Tabe for the first time today, and the man had given Shouto a real fight. Kai had mentioned more than once that Tabe wasn’t completely sane, an insatiable hunger had a way of messing with a man’s mind, but it also made him a dangerous opponent. He was raw hunger, he was fast, and he didn’t seem to care that the training was any different than if he had found himself in a life or death battle.

And Shouto’s ice had been completely useless, devoured without a second thought or care.

It had taken too long, but Shouto had finally overpowered the other man. Even his voracious appetite had not been enough to counter Shouto’s fire (and it pissed him off to no end to think of how fucking proud Endeavor would have been if he had been witness to the fight). But Shouto was still fairly certain he had strained a muscle in his back trying to roll away from the other bullet. And he had a pretty nasty bite on his left arm that had to be stitched up and wrapped until Kai finally got home to overhaul the wound.

But he had been nervous, and so he had procrastinated the meeting. This would be the first time that he had seen Okimoto since their dinner, the first time speaking to the leader alone. And he was here to ask for a favor, with absolutely nothing to offer in exchange. It wasn’t exactly a favor. He needed permission to skip his training tomorrow to go retrieve that damn bracelet from the Todoroki mansion. He needed to go on a day that there was minimal chance that Enji might be at home. And Tuesdays were ideal as the Commissioner always had a mandatory agency debriefing every Tuesday afternoon.

"You may come in, Shouto," Okimoto's voice came through the thick wood almost immediately after Shouto knocked. Shouto was surprised the man even knew it was him. Shouto looked around for a camera of some sort. But he gave up quickly, not wanting to seem hesitant or uncertain in his entrance. He stepped inside, bowing deeply to Okimoto, who was seated behind his desk.

"You may sit," the man's deep voice filled the room, permission for him to rise and join the leader.

"Thank you," Shouto said. He glanced around the office, noting the very traditional Japanese styling and art. His office looked more like a traditional tatami room than a modern office. Simple tatami mats covered the entirety of the floor. The back wall was a latticed Shoji, large sliding doors in the middle that Shouto guessed must lead to his actual office, a dark ranma decorating the wall above it. Both side walls had been converted into large tokonama’s. The one on the right bearing three larger than life scrolls that displayed the kanji for courage, loyalty, and hope, a single light above each one to illuminate it; the alcove on the left was a mirror image whose scrolls displayed the kanji for strength, pride, and power. In each tokonama there was a single, large planter filled with white and pink peonies. And in the middle of it all was a single, short table with two black zabuton cushions on both sides. Okimoto was seated at the far side of the table, a book set open before him. On the right side of the table was a large wooden tray, with a tetsubin, a small sugar pot, and three teacups seated on it. The cast iron teapot had a small maroon cloth folded on the tray next to it. The fourth teacup was sitting, still full to the brim with dark tea as if it had been forgotten, in front of Okimoto. Just like at the dinner, Okimoto was dressed in traditional garb, and Shouto almost felt like he was stepping into a different time as he slipped off his shoes by the door, and made his way over to sit down on one of the cushions across from the leader. He rather liked the aesthetic, as much as he hated knowing his appreciation of the style had come from Enji. "I like how traditional you have kept your office."

"I have always felt very strongly connected to our ancestors," Okimoto replied, the barest hint of a smile on his lips as he looked at Shouto. "I have chosen to embrace tradition in order to honor them, and pray daily that they will continue to favor me in return. Would you care for some tea?"

Shouto nodded. He didn’t actually want any, but to refuse the offer would be considered both rude and disrespectful. Okimoto carefully selected one of the unused tea-cups, setting it in front of Shouto. He used the maroon cloth to pick up the iron teapot and carefully pour the dark liquid. The smell of kocha wafted up around them.

"Sugar?" He asked, reaching over and taking the lid off the smaller pot, filled with sugar cubes, as if he already expected Shouto to say yes.

"Yes, please," Shouto mumbled, a bit embarrassed that he must be that easy to read. Okimoto used a small set of black tongs, moving two cubes to Shouto's tea.

"Tell me," Okimoto began, setting the tea in front of him. "How is your training? Hopefully equal to what you were receiving under your father and UA's guidance?"

Training with the Yakuza was a difficult thing to describe. It was a hundred times more intense than his other training, every single day like he was walking into a battle… like being put in the ring with a different opponent. You never knew who it was going to be, what quirk or support gear they had to use against him. It was trial by fire. Harder than even the days that Enji had tried to beat him into using his left side.

But the part he loved was that he was an equal. The other bullets, the other Yakuza members, they didn’t give a single fuck that he was a Todoroki. That there probably wasn’t a single person in the city that didn’t know his name. That he had grown up with money and privilege. That he was younger than them. That he hadn’t finished his training. That he wasn’t as good yet as they were. When they met him at that training facility, they treated him like an equal. Like an adversary. Like an opponent. There was no whistle-blower to stop the fight if things got too rough. Shouto had to think quickly in that facility, to adapt his quirk every day. There was no one else to help him, no one to rely one. He had learned by trial and error. And he wasn’t always the victor. Which meant that he had also learned how to fight past pain and injuries. His mastery over his abilities had grown ten-fold in the last few weeks. Not even a full-time internship at a heroics agency could provide the training he was getting.

And as for UA… even the Sport’s Festival looked like a joke after this.

"It is very challenging," he replied. "I learn new things about fighting every day, about my quirk, about how to defend against other quirks. There is no question that I'm already stronger than I was. The members that show up to train with me, they don’t go easy on me. They fight to win."

"And Overhaul. Have you beaten him yet?"

"No," Shouto sighed, picking up his tea and blowing on it, taking a tentative sip. Even with the sugar, it was bitter and strong. He resisted the urge to scrunch up his nose. It was just like Enji used to make it. "He is too strong. And his quirk makes mine difficult to leverage."

Okimoto nodded, seeming to mull over Shouto's answer. He took a deep drink of his tea.

"Are you trying to beat him? Or are you trying to kill him?"

Shouto almost choked on his drink at the question. He looked up. Okimoto was completely serious.

"It's a training exercise," Shouto replied. “We are fighting to win, not to kill.”

Okimoto’s mouth tightened, ever so slightly at the words.

"You still have much to learn, Shouto." Okimoto said. "You have not been with us for long. And your hero training, although useful in some ways, has not prepared you to go head to head with a truly powerful quirk user. But I will tell you the key to beating Overhaul. To beating any nemesis. Fight to kill. Fight like either you or him will make it out alive. Fight as if the ability to see tomorrow's sunrise depends upon it. Because that is how Overhaul fights. Even in training, he is willing to kill you if that's what it takes to secure his victory. That is how I trained him, and that is what makes him one of the strongest leaders in this organization."

Shouto balked. He knew the other man had little empathy; that he was cold and calculating, and a truly dangerous enemy. But surely that wasn’t entirely true. Kai hadn't killed him in any of their trainings. He had gone head to head with the golden-eyed man five times. Twice Kai had delivered a blow that Shouto would not have recovered from without the other man's quirk. But he was one of the few people who could be that brutal in training. Kai could aim to kill because he could always bring Shouto back if he did.

"He can fight like that, because he can bring me back," Shouto replied carefully. "If I actually killed him, he would be done. Gone."

"As long as you hold onto that, you will never beat him. 'Lose and you die. Win and you live.'"

"'You can't win if you don't fight,'" Shouto finished the quote for him. Yeager. "My dad used that quote. He used to say that a villain wouldn't hesitate to kill a hero. A hero's primary goal is to incapacitate the threat as quickly as possible."

"Your father had at least some wisdom then." Okimoto replied. "But using words like hero and villain weren't among them. The titles are arbitrary, almost useless. Pretty terms made up by the media to sell more papers, to get clicks on their websites. Todoroki Enji is the number one hero. He is also your father, who is generally a hero in their children’s eyes. But do you consider him a hero?"

"Not exactly," Shouto replied bitterly. Though his heroics record was proof otherwise. As much of a bastard as the man was, he had saved a lot of lives along the way. Many more than he had ruined. "Although he is capable of some heroic things."

"You are right." Okimoto agreed. “He is capable of such things. So are you. So is the attendant who works the desk at that fancy apartment complex you will be returning to tonight. So am I. We are all capable of being heroic, it is just that some choose a lifestyle that gives them the opportunities to do so openly. Most peoples heroic deeds go unnoticed, unacknowledged. Did you know that last year the Yakuza donated more money to charity than the Endeavor Agency? Almost seven million yen more than the Endeavor Agency donated. That is something that most people consider heroic, but when was the last time that you heard anyone refer to the Yakuza as heroes?"

Shouto didn’t need to answer. They both knew the answer. No one referred to the Yakuza as heroes, not ever. They were a gang, a criminal organization. And no amount of good deeds or money donated would change the way that the newspapers portrayed them.

"Exactly,” Okimoto said after a moment. “You need to forget the words hero and villain. Your hero training is only going to hold you back. You are not becoming a villain by letting go of such antiquated ideas. You are a man. Instead of focusing on training with morals, train to win. That is how you will survive in this world. If you really want to beat Kai, fight to kill. Even if you stop the breath before death, you want him to know that his life was truly in your hands. How many times have you allowed him to hold your life in his?"

Shouto took a drink of his tea, mulling over his thoughts. It wasn’t a completely foreign idea. It mimicked so much of what Dabi believed. Of what Kai believed. Hell, even of what Shigaraki believed. But it was a cold, brutal mindset. And it also meant that Endeavor wasn't entirely wrong in his training. If this was how the Yakuza trained their members, and a hero met one on the streets, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill the hero if necessary. It was a harsh reality. Survival of the fittest, as if they were no better than beasts fighting over territory, or food, or the right to fuck. For the good that he had seen the Yakuza do, he honestly wasn't sure he could 100% commit to such a cruel way of thinking.

And he definitely was not sure he could put his emotions far enough aside to try to kill Kai.

"So what did you come to see me for today?" Okimoto interrupted his train of thought. Shouto blinked up at him. The question was casual. So simple. As if what they had just been talking about wasn’t any more important, any more life-altering, than the weather. As if he hadn’t just finished telling Shouto that the only way he could beat the man he loved in battle was to be willing to kill him.

"Oh," Shouto mumbled, trying to force himself to change subjects so quickly. "Um.. I was hoping I might be excused from my training tomorrow. I need to retrieve something from Todoroki Enji's mansion, and I would rather not do so while he is at home."

Okimoto chuckled lowly.

"You are asking permission to go steal your own belongings?"

Not exactly. Although it was probably just as well he believe that. He wasn’t sure if this new plan of Kai’s was something that Okimoto was aware of. And he had heard Kai arguing with the older man over the phone enough times to know that they didn’t always see eye-to-eye. He also knew that Kai had no intention of staying under Okimoto forever, so it only stood to reason that he wouldn’t tell the leader about all of his plans.

“Yeah,” Shouto lied smoothly, silently admonishing himself for how easy it was to do that now. “If there are any of my belongings left, at least. Todoroki Enji isn’t exactly known for his forgiving personality. It wouldn’t surprise me if he had given it all away, or even burned it, just to spite me.”

Okimoto refilled his tea as he mulled over the request. Shouto noted that the older man didn’t add even a single cube of sugar, taking a slow sip.

“Permission granted,” Okimoto finally agreed. “However, I do not want this to become a habit. A man of honor must be dependable, must fulfill his obligations to their fullest. Your quirk training begins next week, and I expect that you will not disappoint either Dabi or Geten by being late or absent to your appointments.”

He knew he was going to be training with Dabi to improve his control over his left side, but who in the hell was Geten?

“Geten?” Shouto asked, trying not to sound as interested as he was. “I wasn’t aware that I would have anyone but Dabi helping with my quirk training.”

“Yes, well, Dabi is the ideal candidate to develop your left side,” Okimoto replied. “But we must also develop your right. You relied on it out of spite, and although it is strong, you have yet to learn how to utilize it to your best advantage. There are few ice-wielders outside of your mother’s family, but this one was suggested by Shigaraki. He is a member of a group known as the MLA, and he is quite advanced in his use and manipulation of ice. Acquiring his assistance to train you has been no easy feat, and at no small cost, but I believe it is in our best interest. I wasn’t sure at first, but watching you this past month, I have come to see that you have potential, Shouto. As much potential as I saw in Kai when I first took him under my wing. But potential itself means nothing, nor will it help achieve anything of worth in this life. Only hard work, training, and dedication can ensure that. Between Dabi and Geten, we will have provided you with the best training for your quirk that we have access to. What you do with it will be up to you.”

Shigaraki suggested someone to Okimoto for Shouto’s training. Why? Shigaraki hated him. Had made it infinitely clear that he had no interest in Shouto’s abilities; had actively lashed out at and nearly destroyed Shouto’s future. Why would the dessicated man even discuss Shouto’s training with Okimoto. When? As far as Shouto knew, no one had seen or heard from the League since the night of the prison break. Well, almost no one, apparently.

Shouto hadn’t even met this Geten, and he already didn’t trust him. But he also doubted there was much chance of changing Okimoto’s mind.

“Thank you, Okimoto-san,” Shouto replied, bowing his head briefly, acknowledging both the permission he had been granted and the compliment in the leader's words. “I will not disappoint you.”

“Perhaps you can show your thanks by joining me on Thursday evenings in this room for tea and a game of go.” Okimoto suggested. “It is a ritual that Kai and I used to enjoy together, but it has been a few years since he has had time to indulge such things. Go is such a common game, and yet I have found it is an excellent way to keep the mind sharp. You don’t only learn strategy, but you learn how to read the true nature of another man. I think you and I could learn a lot from one another.”

Shouto took a sip of tea to avoid answering, trying to decide if this was actually an invitation or a mandatory request.

“I would be honored,” Shouto finally agreed, deciding that it didn’t exactly sound optional. But he was not honored, at all. He didn’t like board games, and the idea of spending every Thursday night with Okimoto made him anxious.

Okimoto smiled, and Shouto had a feeling that he could sense his hesitance.

“You may go now, Shouto,” Okimoto excused him. “I look forward to seeing you on Thursday. Five o’clock.”

Shouto hurried to take the last gulp of his tea, leaving any would be considered rude, before standing up. He bowed deeply one last time before hurrying to rush out of the room. Fuck. He had gained one day of freedom to help Dabi. But it had not come for free.

He just really hoped that this damn bracelet would be worth it.

* * * * * *

Shouto could smell food cooking the moment he opened the door to the apartment. His lunch had been a single protein bar, and the smell reminded him of how hungry he was. It was also completely unexpected. Kai wasn't supposed to be home until tomorrow. And Dabi didn't have a key. For a moment, his thoughts flashed back to the day Izuku had been raped. He had come home just like this, prepared for an empty house, only to be greeted by the smell of a hot meal. And Toga...

His stomach clenched, his heart suddenly racing. He lifted up his right arm, prepared to use his ice as he stepped inside.

The relief when he saw Kai's green and purple jacket hanging on the coat rack was swift and visceral. He almost laughed, stopping to breathe out the air he hadn't even realized he had been holding.

Fuck.

He took another breath, quietly stepping in and closing the door. Willing his heart to slow back down as he unzipped his jacket and hung it up next to Kai's. He touched Kai's jacket, leaning over and breathing in the faint lingering cologne of the other man. Every time he thought he was past the anxiety, over it, something would happen and he would be right back into one of those damn memories. Vulnerable. Naive.

After a moment, he felt better. Toga and Shigaraki wouldn't dare risk coming to this apartment, even if they knew where it was. He put his other hand on the wall next to their jackets, just breathing for a few moments. He didn’t want Kai to see him until he was better composed. He finally let go of Kai’s jacket, ran his hands through his hair, and slipped off his shoes. Shouto walked down the short entry hall to the living room. The kitchen light was on, and he could hear someone shuffling around. But as he neared the end of the hall, he saw Kai sitting in the living room, the only light in the room coming from the large window that over-looked the city. He had moved the table out in front of the window, the couch pushed back. The table was set for two, a vase with two roses, one black and one white.

Kai stood up the moment that Shouto entered the room, walking toward him.

He was still dressed for business; black pants, gray button-up, and a red tie. His brown hair was perfectly styled, his eyes glinting in the dim light as he looked Shouto over. A thrill of anticipation washed over Shouto at the predatory, almost hungry look in those golden eyes. He would never get used to the rush of being the focus of the other man’s attention, of his desire. Shouto couldn’t move if he wanted to, Kai approaching him like a panther approaching its prey; once the man had decided what he wanted, he took it. Without thought or regret. Without hesitance or mercy. And the pain, the pleasure, that he wrought was a drug. Like everything else in Kai’s life, sex was driven by an unbridled passion. One that most people would never know existed underneath his cold demeanor until it was too late, until the tsunami hit and you were gasping and writhing and panting in his arms; and Shouto would do anything, anything to be left completely wrecked by the storm.

Shouto’s body was already responding to the other man. He knew that look, knew that he had only a few seconds before Kai would reach him and than Shouto would be at the whim of the man’s desire.

"You're home early" Shouto whispered, afraid to break the spell that had fallen between them.

Kai didn’t reply, not that Shouto had expected him to. Kai didn’t want small talk. He wanted Shouto in his arms; and within moments he had that, his mouth on Shouto’s, kissing him deeply. The other man’s kiss was carnal and all-encompassing, the rich, musky scent of his body wash surrounding Shouto. He wrapped his arms around Shouto’s waist, pulling Shouto firmly against his chest as Kai continued to taste him. His kiss was almost desperate, as if they had been separated for weeks instead of a few days.

Shouto reached down to pull off his shirt, his body reacting, pulsing with arousal as Kai’s teeth bit into his lower lip. He needed more. But Kai stopped him, grabbing each of his wrists as he broke their kiss. Kai's golden eyes were almost black in the dim light, and Shouto could feel the outline of the other man's arousal against his leg.

Kai guided Shouto's hands above his head. Shouto didn't try to resist. He would do anything to keep Kai's hands on his skin. And when Kai let go of his wrists, he knew better than to try and lower his hands without permission. His cock pulsed with anticipation as Kai's hands moved down to dip underneath his shirt, pushing the fabric up and out of the way so that he could explore the naked skin underneath.

"I dreamed about you last night," Kai whispered, his hands starting to slowly move upward, dragging along Shouto's skin. Agonizingly slow; teasing as he lifted the shirt up. Kai's hands continued up Shouto's arms, pushing his shirt up and off. He guided Shouto's hands down and behind his back, using his T-shirt to tie his hands firmly together behind his lower back.

Shouto moaned, the pain shooting across the wound in his arm, his skin pulling around each of the stitches in a way he had grown unaccustomed to since he had met the other man; an ache in his back from his sore muscles. But none of that mattered as Kai claimed his mouth once more, his tongue hot and desperate against his as Kai pushed him roughly back against the wall, trapping Shouto’s arms behind him.

"I could feel you on the bed next to me," he whispered as he started to trail hot, open-mouthed kisses down Shouto's neck and chest. His hands roamed over Shouto’s torso, touching and exploring every muscle, his mouth following in their place. He dropped slowly to his knees in front of Shouto, and holy fucking shit every other thought fell away as Kai leaned forward and lay a single kiss on Shouto's now fully hard, clothed cock.

"Your lips on my skin," Kai continued quietly. Shouto groaned as Kai placed his hands on Shouto’s jeans, slowly dragging his fingers up the front of Shouto's legs. "I could feel your hands moving down to wrap around my cock."

Shouto shivered as Kai kissed from the bottom of his shaft up to the very top, wishing desperately that there were no jeans between them. The pain in his arm had faded to a dull thrumming. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears. The sound of someone in the kitchen; the knowledge that they weren't alone and that any moment that person could walk out and see Overhaul on his knees in front of Shouto, undoing the button on his jeans.

"I could feel your warm breath on me," Kai whispered, hints of gold flashing in the dim light as Kai looked up, meeting his eyes as he slowly unzipped the dark jeans.

"Overhaul..." The name left Shouto's mouth unbidden. The other man didn't get on his knees for anyone. He had only done so for Shouto once before, that first night together, with Shouto pressed against the window, the other man's breath teasing as he kissed Shouto's cock. "Please... Fuck! Please…" He would do anything, give anything to feel Kai's mouth on his cock again.

"I could taste you on my lips," Kai replied, his fingers curling into the waistband of Shouto's pants and underwear, pulling them down until Shouto's erection sprang free. Shouto moaned, a tremble running through him as the cold air, mixed with Kai's warm breath, washed over his arousal.

Shouto's cock pulsed, the tip wet with the beginnings of his arousal. Kai leaned forward, laying a kiss on Shouto's lower stomach, right next to his cock. Slowly dragging his lips ever so faintly across his cock to sear a matching kiss into his skin on the other side.

Shouto groaned as Kai sat back on his legs, looking up at Shouto as he began to undo the tie around his neck.

“I could feel your body tremble with desire as I touched you." Kai loosened the tie, just enough to start undoing the top few buttons of his dress shirt. His gaze had dropped to Shouto's cock, rapacious and clouded with desire. "I could feel the way your body tightens around my fingers when I slide them inside of you. The room echoing with every tiny whimper that you try to hide as my fingers stretch you."

Kai stopped unbuttoning about halfway down his shirt, leaving it hanging open, his tie dangling over his naked chest.

"Please," Shouto begged. His eyes were glued to the other man's mouth, imagining how his lips would feel. Taking Shouto's cock with those same possessive... demanding kisses that always sent sparks of desire shooting through him when they ravaged his mouth or his neck. "Overhaul... I need you."

"I can smell your desire, little fox." Kai leaned forward, dragging the very tip of his tongue agonizingly over the bottom of Shouto's cock, dipping it into the mess of Shouto's desire that kept spilling in pulses out of his cock. A string of precum followed Kai's mouth as he pulled away, and Shouto's mind went white as he watched it eventually break, Kai's tongue darting out to taste the remnants of arousal left behind. "I can taste it."

Shouto's legs trembled, threatening to give out from underneath him. Kai's mouth... So fucking close... The other man had never taken him this way...and Fuck! Shouto hadn’t realized just how damn much he wanted to bury himself inside of the other man’s body. Even just one time.

He wanted to coat Overhaul's lips with his arousal. He wanted to taste himself on Overhaul's mouth. He wanted the man's hands on him... In him. His body was Overhaul's to do with as he pleased. He just needed the golden-eyed man to touch him… to wrap his lips around Shouto’s cock and take Shouto into his body…

"Please, please, please, please..." Shouto could hear the desperation in his voice as the words came out in a chant. He slumped against the wall, the stitches in his arm burning, the only thing keeping him grounded in this moment. He let every desperate plea... whine... mewl escape his lips until Kai finally opened his mouth and took Shouto into it. And then Shouto cried out, oblivious of everything except for the wet heat of Kai's mouth that was licking and sucking the arousal from the head of Shouto's cock.

Shouto's mouth fell open, every breath punched from his body as he sank into the heat Kai's mouth. The man was slowly moving his head; up and down, up and down. The erotic rhythm, the sight of his cock disappearing into Kai's mouth was so fucking sexy that Shouto could already feel the desire churning and threatening to spill over. He wasn't going to last long.

Shouto was inside of Kai's mouth. Fuck! Inside of his body. Of Overhaul’s body.

He could feel the man's tongue moving against his cock, coaxing desperate noises out of Shouto as the back of Kai's throat tightened briefly around his head.

Kai. Overhaul. On his knees, worshipping Shouto's body in a way that may never happen again.

And why Kai had decided to do this now, he couldn’t even fathom. But fuck if he didn't want to feel every inch of that mouth on him. He shifted his hips, testing his freedom, his control, as he pushed deeper in between those lips. But the response was swift, immediate; Kai's hands digging almost painfully into his upper thighs, pushing his lower body roughly against the wall and holding it in place.

Kai glanced up again, a glint of warning burning in those golden eyes. He could hear the unspoken words between them. Overhaul was still in charge.

Shouto groaned at the sight; it was so sexy to see his cock buried in between the other man's lips, kiss swollen, glistening with spit and Shouto's precum. Shouto’s entire body thrummed as every tiny movement of Kai’s tongue, his mouth, his fingers buried into Shouto’s thighs— they made his skin tingle with pleasure. His body begged him to chase his release, begged him to cum inside of Kai for the first time.

Fuck.

The thought that Kai might not have ever taken another man into his mouth crossed Shouto's mind.

Than the other man buried his nose into Shouto’s lower stomach, the back of his throat tightening and constricting as he swallowed the head of Shouto’s cock, and suddenly Shouto was screaming, his body threatening to give out as his orgasm peaked, the intoxicating rapture of releasing into Kai sent shocks of tumultuous pleasure over every inch of his body. His muscles flexed, his arms straining against the constraint, his hips fighting to push against Kai’s firm grip so that he could bury himself deeper into Kai’s mouth as the other man pulled back. Kai’s tongue danced in sensual waves up and down the bottom of Shouto’s cock, coaxing every drop of his orgasm out, prolonging the intensity of every aftershock that crashed over him.

Shouto was lost in the bliss of the moment, barely aware of Kai’s mouth leaving his soft cock until the man was standing up. His body pushed Shouto’s harder against the wall, his hand wrapped into Shouto’s hair, guiding his face to look up so that Kai could kiss him. The faint taste of Shouto on Kai’s lips increased tenfold as he opened his mouth for the other man, and Kai’s tongue pushed against his, sloppy and still coated with Shouto’s seed. Shouto groaned as Kai spit his own cum into his mouth; pulling back, his eyes black as he pushed Shouto’s mouth closed to swallow it.

And Shouto swallowed.

“Fuck,” Kai whispered, his eyes locked on Shouto’s mouth. His grip tightened in Shouto’s hair, his cock thick and hard even through his pants as Kai pressed his lower body against his. “I should have killed you the moment I saw you in Dabi’s apartment, little fox.” His words were so quiet, Shouto almost wondered if they were meant to be heard. They were raw and passionate; and they left a bittersweet taste in the air between them. “It does not matter how much of you I take, it will never be enough. You are my weakness, Shouto. I have never mourned an empty bed; and now I can barely sleep without your touch haunting my dreams. I came home early because I could not stop thinking about you, and I am consumed with the desire to both pleasure and punish you for it.”

Shouto could hear his own ragged breathing; his body sensitive to every subtle shift in Kai’s stance as he kept Shouto trapped against the wall.

“I am yours to do with as you please, Overhaul,” he whispered, choosing each word carefully. He could feel the clash of tension and arousal pulsing off the other man. He could almost feel Kai’s quirk tingling on the tips of his fingers against Shouto’s skin. All it would take is one single thought, and Shouto would be gone.

Not just wrecked; but completely washed away by the storm.

“To pleasure, and to punish,” Shouto finished, the euphoria brought on by his orgasm starting to pulse with adrenaline.

Kai growled, animalistic and deep in his throat. The sound dripped with danger and lust, and Shouto found himself bent over the couch before he even realized they had moved. His hands were still tied behind his back, his stomach crushed against the arm as Kai shifted his legs apart and slid two spit-slicked fingers inside of him. Shouto cried out, the stretch too much, too quickly; both painful and over-whelmingly pleasurable as those fingers moved to caress the bundles of nerves deep inside of Shouto. His entire body was still sensitive from his orgasm, and the glorious pressure was hard to handle. Shouto whimpered into the couch cushion as Kai stretched him thoroughly, taking his time as he moved from two fingers… to three… to four.

The fingers of Kai’s other hand digging into his waist was enough to tell Shouto that Kai was holding back, that he wanted to bury his cock inside of Shouto; and yet no amount of begging and pleading and whining distracted the other man. He scissored and stretched his fingers, working them in and out of Shouto’s body for what felt like hours as Shouto’s body threatened to collapse from desperation and over-stimulation.

“Fuck me!” Shouto’s muffled words filled the room. “I need to… Fuck! I need to feel you! Overhaul, Fuck me! Please! Just, please just fuck me…” Shouto didn’t filter himself. The other man had been touching and teasing and prepping him long enough that Shouto’s cock was hard again, and he was a drooling mess underneath him.

Finally, the fingers disappeared, and Shouto’s breath caught as they were replaced by Kai’s cock. The other man shifted to push himself as deep inside of Shouto as he could. He didn’t wait for Shouto to adjust, setting a harsh pace right from the beginning, pulling almost completely out to bury himself inside of Shouto again and again. Every thrust sent a wave of blinding, all-encompassing ecstasy through Shouto’s body. He moaned and cried with every one, his cock leaking as it ground against the couch; he could almost feel the primal desire, and the anger, with every stroke.

Shouto was so sensitive from the first orgasm, so turned on from the prep and the way that every single thrust buried itself against Shouto’s prostate, it wasn’t long before Shouto came again, vaguely aware of the fact that it was getting all over the couch underneath him. The entire couch shifted as Kai pushed himself harshly into Shouto, burying his teeth into the back of Shouto’s shoulderblade as he came… as he continued to rock his hips as deep into Shouto as he could with every pulsing thrust. Kai’s body convulsed against his back as his weight sagged over Shouto, and he could feel the slick layer of sweat that had built up on Kai’s skin coating his back and his ass. He could feel the way Kai’s cock was going soft, and slowly sliding out of him, allowing even more of the mess to start to drip down over the couch. Kai was breathing hard as he kissed the sensitive bite mark that he had left on Shouto’s pale skin.

And then his weight was gone, and he was pulling Shouto up onto trembling legs.

Things started to come back into focus as Kai turned him around, kissed his lips, gently this time. It had gotten darker outside, the room lit instead by the light flooding in from the kitchen. Shouto glanced around, relieved to see that whoever was in there hadn’t come out. He could feel himself blushing as he realized that they must have heard though, that they must have heard all of it. Every whimper and plea that had fallen from his lips, the cries as Kai brought him to orgasm… twice.

“Don’t worry,” Kai replied, seeing the direction of his stare, sensing his thoughts. “He isn’t going to tell anyone what he heard. I brought him here for a special dinner, but then I saw you, and…” Kai swallowed, tilting Shouto’s face back up toward his. “I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to have you, Shouto. I wasn’t lying… You have awakened a side of me that I didn’t know existed, and I will never get enough.”

Chapter Text

Dabi shrugged. He pushed off from his post by the doorway, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed.

Shouto moved over to give Dabi plenty of room on the bed, trying to ignore how fucking tight Dabi’s clothes were; how well they hugged the muscles and edges of his body as he walked. He had clearly spent extra time on the dark make-up, the crystalline blue of his eyes standing out in stark contrast. The dim light of Kai’s room cast shadows over his face that gave him a predatory edge as he walked. Dabi ignored the extra space that Shouto had given him, sitting down so close to Shouto that their thighs were pressed together, their arms. He could feel the heat from Dabi’s body, almost searing where it touched his skin. He could smell the lingering scent of cigarettes, faintly covered by scent of cologne.

Shouto looked at him suspiciously. What was he doing here? He came over when he knew Kai would be gone…

A rush of arousal shot through him as he remembered the last time he had seen his brother. The feeling of Dabi’s fingers pushing into him as he helped Yokubo stretch him. The way Dabi's hands had felt against his skin as Kai fucked him. He looked away, quickly, hoping that his cheeks didn't flush the way it felt like they did, and that Dabi wouldn't notice the way his cock was trying to react to their proximity.

"What do you need from me?" Shouto asked, his voice coming out too high-pitched, too vulnerable. He cleared his throat, scooting over even more before turning to look at Dabi again. He focused on forcing his voice back to a normal tone.

Dabi smiled, his gaze taking in Shouto's flustered expression, dropping down to the way Shouto casually lay his arm over the beginnings of an erection.

Dabi leaned forward, turning his body as he reached around to put his hand on Shouto's cheek and guide his face toward him, un-phased by the flour that was probably getting all over his hand. He leaned in, his lips pressing to Shouto's. Hunger washed over Shouto as he felt Dabi's snakebites press into his bottom lip, the tickle of his labret against Shouto’s skin. He moaned lowly as Dabi's tongue poked out to caress his lips, dipping his tongue into Shouto’s mouth to taste him. His brother tasted like cigarette and mints.

Dabi moaned lowly against Shouto’s mouth, starting to pull away from the kiss. But his lips felt so good. Too good.

Fuck! Was he really thinking about doing this. Here? In Kai’s bedroom? In his bed? Kai would be furious to find out they had gone this far. If they went further… And Momo was just in the other room. There was no doubt that he should stop. He should make Dabi leave. That would be the right thing to do…

Shouto tangled his hand into Dabi's hair, pulling him back against his mouth and deepening the kiss.

Dabi tensed at the movement, his entire attitude shifting as his kiss went from sensual to ravenous, insatiable. The hand on Shouto's cheek moved possessively to cup the back of his neck. His fingers dug into Shouto’s skin as he moved, climbing into Shouto's lap and straddling him as they sat on the end of the bed. Dabi's hands found the bottom of Shouto's shirt, pulling it off of him. And Shouto, spurred on by the desperate edge of need in his brothers movements, slid Dabi’s shirt off as well. His fingers teased warm skin underneath, subtle promises of what he hoped to explore later.

Dabi stood up, maneuvering Shouto onto his back as he lay over him. They were spread out over the middle of Kai’s bed as Dabi reclaimed Shouto's mouth, devouring every kiss and whine that Shouto offered. Then Dabi shifted, and Shouto groaned as his brothers clothed erection started to grind against his.

Fuck. Fuck!

"Shhhh... " Dabi shushed him, pressing his erection even harder against Shouto as his kisses started to trail downward. "Unless you want Momo to overhear us..." Dabi's mouth suckled and bit over his naked skin; his jaw, his neck, his throat, his chest... Each bite leaving a scorching red mark on his skin, teasing and tasting. Every kiss went straight to his cock. Dabi was in no hurry as his warm fingers touched Shouto. He was playing with Shouto’s body like a toy, winding him up until he wanted to scream, to beg for more.

But he couldn’t. His lungs nearly burned with the need to cry out as he tried to contain his desire. But Momo was just in the kitchen.

What if she did overhear?

Shouto’s cock pulsed with interest at the thought. Shit. The idea of her walking in, seeing them…

"Please, Dabi," Shouto whined, trying to keep each plea as quiet as possible. As sexy as the idea was, Momo could not find out about them. "Touch me... I need more..." Nobody could find out about them. Nobody could find out about this.

Dabi sat back onto his knees, eyes half-lidded and getting darker as he undid the button on Shouto's pants. Once unzipped, he was yanking both pants and boxers down, as if he was just as desperate to touch Shouto as Shouto was to be touched. His cock begged for attention under Dabi’s keen gaze; flushed, glistening with carnal desire. Dabi moaned lowly, barely audible under his breath as he pushed Shouto’s legs apart to admire the way Shouto’s entire lower body tensed and flexed with anticipation of Dabi’s touch. He licked his lips as he scooted backward onto his hands and knees between Shouto’s legs. Shouto could barely breath at the feeling of Dabi’s warm breath on his cock. Fuck! The sight of Dabi between his legs, the feeling of his teeth sinking into his thighs…

"Please! Fuck…" Shouto whispered, rutting his hips upward. They couldn't take forever... Momo was waiting for them.

"Mmm... You look good like this Shouto," Dabi whispered, wantonly. "I should come over more often when Kai isn't home..." A pang of guilt and pleasure washed over Shouto. Kai. Fuck, they shouldn't be doing this. Not here. Not like this. If Kai ever found out...

Shouto threw his head back into the soft gray comforter, his lower back arching up as Dabi flattened his tongue on Shouto’s taint, his tongue ring tracing a firm, wet line slowly over Shouto’s balls and up the bottom of his cock, his blue eyes dark with lust. He sucked the head of Shouto's cock into his mouth, groaning as he licked off the precum that was eagerly leaking out.

"Ngh," Shouto whined. Shit it felt so good. He wrapped his legs over Dabi’s shoulders, trapping his brothers head between his thighs as Dabi began to work his mouth up and down over his cock. God, it was just as good as he remembered. Almost overwhelming… the heat, the piercings, the sloppy mess of saliva that was already beginning to drip down his cock as Dabi’s mouth moved lower and lower. Shouto cried out, his back arching as he tightened his thighs around Dabi’s head. Dabi was deep-throating him, swallowing around his cock. Shouto reached out and tangled his hands into Dabi's hair, Dabi's fingers digging into his thighs as he moved his mouth in long, slow, agonizing strokes up and down. Each one drawing lewd moans from Shouto’s lips, ending with the head of Shouto’s cock buried deep in the constricting heat of Dabi’s throat.

Shouto was just starting to feel that familiar desire building up when a faint gasp caught his attention.

Momo.

Shouto startled as he looked up to see his friend standing in the doorway, practically yanking his cock out of Dabi's mouth as he tried to scramble to cover up. Not that Momo hadn't seen him naked a dozen times, but to be caught here, like this... He could feel the blush jumping to his cheeks, certain his face was quickly turning bright red. Dabi's grip on his thighs did not loosen, however, as he sat back onto his calves. He didn't seem even the least bit concerned to see Momo, her mouth dropped open, her gaze dropping down to Shouto's cock; flushed and hard, slick and wet from Dabi's mouth.

"Tsk, tsk, Shou," Dabi chided him. "Looks like someone did want Momo to hear after all."

"I'm sorry," Momo murmured, a blush that probably rivaled Shouto's rising to her face as she traced the bite marks on Shouto's thighs. "I heard Shouto yell. I thought he might be in trouble. I didn’t think—" she swallowed, her words trailing off into an awkward silence.

"Momo, I’m—" Shouto started to blurt out an apology.

"Don't apologize, Mo" Dabi interrupted him, his gaze settling on her. He twisted his body to face her, holding out his hand. His eyes flashed, filled with the same predatory hunger from earlier. "I was just helping Shou relax a little... Wanna help?" His voice was low and gravelly, a mixture of licentious desire and raw from having had Shouto’s cock buried in his throat only moments before.

Momo stared, her eyes taking in Dabi’s outstretched hand, tracing along his arm to rove over his naked chest, his tattoos, his pierced nipples, and down his stomach to where his erection was clearly outlined by his jeans, inches away from Shouto's naked cock.

She swallowed again, her cheeks getting even darker. Shouto pushed himself up, watching her anxiously. He wished he knew exactly what she was thinking. He was torn between stopping this now, praying that Momo wouldn't think less of him; or waiting to see if she took his hand. He was ashamed at the part of him that hoped she would accept. To welcome not only Dabi, but Momo as well into this bed… It was wrong, and yet his entire body trembled with anticipation of her answer. With desire at the thought of having them both.

Momo had always had a crush on Touya, but would she willingly enter the bed of a known villain?

But Dabi's confidence didn't waver. He waited patiently, as if he already knew the answer before even she did. Finally, she met his eyes, taking very slow, tentative steps toward the bed. She climbed on it, the entire bed dipping at the added weight, shifting as she crawled on her knees toward him and laid her hand on top of his.

Dabi's fingers closed around hers. He reached out and grabbed her waist, pulling her forward until she was snuggled between them. She was wearing her school uniform, the skirt riding up as she settled into the space between them. Her naked thigh was pressed against Shouto’s cock, and the feeling of her silky skin against his erection felt so good that he moaned. She giggled as she glanced back and forth between them, her eyes growing darker at the sight of Shouto’s very swollen, naked desire and the very obvious hard-on that was outlined by Dabi’s tight jeans.

Dabi leaned forward, placing a long, slow kiss on the side of her neck. He took her hand, and set it on his chest. meeting Shouto's eyes as he continued to suck deep kisses on her neck. For her, it was a silent permission to touch, to explore. For Shouto, it was the encouragement to touch, to kiss, to make her feel good between them. And Shouto didn't need to be asked twice. He was so intimately familiar with her that he eagerly shifted, sitting up. He ran one hand over her stomach, the other up underneath the back of her shirt to caress her naked skin. He loved the way he could feel her muscles rippling under his fingers. The way her entire body seemed to preen under their attention.

She giggled, slightly hunching up her shoulder and nuzzling her cheek against Dabi's hair as he continued to kiss along her neck and collarbone. Shouto could see dark marks forming on her pale skin; the thought briefly flashing through his mind that the other students at UA were going to assume he must have left them on her. Momo’s hand hesitantly started to move along Dabi’s chest, tracing the tattoos and scarred skin that were on full display now. She ran the tips of her fingers over the roses on his chest, and played with the barbells on his nipples. She flattened her hand over the muscles on his stomach, and ran a finger along the neatly trimmed line of red hair that decorated his lower stomach and disappeared into his jeans.

“Your skin is so warm,” she mewled with a soft gasp as he nipped particularly hard at her collar bone.

Dabi grunted with agreement, the noise lost against her shoulder. His blue eyes watching the fabric of her shirt move as Shouto slid his hand up underneath it to caress a lacy bra. Shouto leaned forward, kissing her arm gently as he breathed in the floral perfume. It seemed off from her normal scent; mixing faintly with the lingering scent of cigarettes and cologne that he had come to associate with his brother; with the sent of his own arousal as his cock dribbled thin lines of pre-cum along her naked thigh.

He wrapped a hand around one of her tits, his fingers burying themselves into the soft, supple flesh as he ground against her leg. She moaned softly as he rolled a lacy nipple between his fingers.

Momo was fascinated with Dabi. Not that Shouto could blame her. Childhood crush aside, there was something about the man, both arousing and terrifying. He had this intensity when he wanted you; his gaze drawing you in as if he could consume you in his flames. As if he was just as likely to wrap his hands around your throat and watch the life drain out of your face as he was to stroke and caress and bring you to orgasm. And when he touched you, his fingers were always slightly warmer than normal, as if his quirk was there lingering just underneath the surface, the constant reminder that with a single thought he could consume you with fire.

It was both unsettling and addicting.

Shouto hurried to start unbuttoning her school shirt, pulling her hands briefly away from Dabi’s torso to slide it off of her. She was wearing the lacy red bra. He groaned at the peek-a-boo of her pink nipples underneath the dark fabric, already budded with desire. Fuck, he loved her in red lace. She fucking knew that and she wore it here, even though she knew they weren’t supposed to do anything…

Momo put her hands back on Dabi’s chest, pushing him away from her neck so that she could continue to explore the tattoos that trailed up onto his lower jaw. Running her finger along his lower lip, briefly touching each of the piercings. Shouto undid the button on her skirt, working his left hand down and slipping it underneath what he was certain must be the matching lacy red panties. He could feel the soft fabric against the back of his hand as he slid his middle finger between her sex until he could gently tease her clit.

She gasped, her entire body convulsing with pleasure at the sudden stimulation. Then Dabi was kissing her, muffling her whimpers as Shouto stroked slow circles over her and Dabi explored her soft mouth. Fuck it was sexy to see the two of them together. Shouto couldn’t look away, moaning as warm fingers snaked around his cock. He cried out wantonly as Dabi began to stroke him, the sensation almost too much. He was still so turned on from being inside of Dabi’s mouth, and seeing them… Dabi’s other hand pushed up into her hair, his mouth moving voraciously against hers. He could see the occasional glimpse of tongue; their lips both slick with spit. The way Dabi’s liprings pressed themselves into her plump mouth as they made out.

Dabi pressed his thumb into the slit at the top of Shouto’s cock, smearing the pre-cum over the tip.

Shouto cried out, his eyes falling closed, his hand curling up further into the wet heat of Momo’s pussy as he thrust up against Dabi’s fingers. A moment later his moans were swallowed up; Momo’s mouth on his. He kissed her back, hard; eagerly sliding his tongue between her lips. The familiar taste of her chapstick flooded his senses, intermingled with the faint taste of Dabi on her mouth. God it was so, so good. And the way she opened her mouth so eagerly for him. He could get lost in this moment, kissing her, one hand buried in the heat of her sex, Dabi’s fingers stroking him

Time seemed to fall away as they kissed. Then her hands were on his chest; the tips of the fingers of her right hand laying over the Shie Hassaikai mark on his collar. Kai’s mark. She pushed him back, her eyes almost black in the dim light as she met his, biting her lip.

“Is this ok?” Shouto asked, worried that she might be having second thoughts. He started to pull his hand out of her underwear. “We can stop if—”

“No,” She giggled, laying her hand over his just before it completely pulled free, keeping it in place, trapped under the lace. “I was wondering if I could…” she stopped again, a dark blush jumping to her cheeks as she looked between the two of them.

Dabi reached up, taking her chin in his hand and guiding her face up to look directly at his. He leaned down until his lips were brushing hers, her eyes wide as they met his dark ones.

“You can have anything you want,” he replied, licking up over her lips, his tongue ring tracing a line over them.

Shouto could see her chest rising with each hesitant breath, her eyes widening at his words. Shouto slid his hand back down into her sex, running two fingers this time in stroking lines over her clit to emphasize Dabi’s point. He could already feel how slick she was getting under his touch, her arousal coating his fingers.

“Can I see you,” she whispered, her breath rushing over Dabi’s mouth with each word. “I mean, I know that your brothers, but… um…” she laughed nervously, self-consciously. “Can I watch you kiss him?”

Dabi smiled, his grip tightening around her jaw.

“Tell me, Momo,” he asked, his lips brushing hers with each word. Shouto watched the exchange, hyper aware of Dabi’s other hand still wrapped around his cock, still stroking him very, almost agonizingly, slowly. “What part of Shouto do you want to see me kiss?”

Shouto heard her breath catch, and he would be lying to say that Dabi’s words didn’t viscerally wash over him, ghost feelings of how good his brother's mouth felt on his skin. Dabi let her jaw go, his focus turning to Shouto. Shouto shivered at the intensity of Dabi’s gaze, unmoving as Dabi shifted, his hand finally unwrapping itself from Shouto’s cock. He brought it up to his mouth, not dropping eye contact as he licked Shouto’s pre-cum off his fingers. Then he leaned over Momo, and claimed Shouto’s mouth. His kiss was as intense, as insatiable as it had been earlier. Dabi’s hand grabbed the back of Shouto’s neck, pulling him forward so that they were directly in front of Momo, who was leaning back, eyes wide as they made out.

Shouto moaned, the fingers of his left hand curling up into Momo’s pussy, his other hand grabbing her arm to hold his balance while he and Dabi kissed. Momo gasped, and Shouto could feel her pussy tightening and trembling around his fingers as her body arched up against his fingers in response. Shouto could feel Dabi smiling into the kiss, and a moment later he felt Dabi’s hand on top of his, sliding into Momo’s underwear alongside Shouto’s. Dabi moaned into Shouto’s mouth as the slick juices coated his fingers too. Momo leaned forward as they touched her. A moment later there were two mouths on his. Shouto did his best to kiss both, to taste both; tongues and lips moving against his, sloppy and wet. The sensations were almost overwhelming as they made out, Momo’s hips grinding against their hands as they both touched her.

Dabi started trailing his kisses lower, down Shouto’s jaw and biting his neck and chest. Then Dabi sucked one of his nipples into his mouth. His lip rings pushed into Shouto’s skin, his tongue ring teasing as he circled the nipple with his tongue. Shouto cried out into Momo’s mouth, breaking the kiss as his back arched with pleasure.

“Ah, Dabi!” he whined, the sensation of Dabi’s hot mouth on his skin sending pulses of arousal through his body, all the way down to his cock.

Momo’s eyes were wide, her pupils blown as she watched them. Dabi pulled his hand out of Momo’s pussy. He sat back, reaching up and placing his fingers on Shouto’s lips, tracing them, leaving the taste of Momo all over his mouth. A slight weight on his bottom lip and Shouto was opening his mouth, Dabi’s fingers sliding inside. The familiar taste of Momo’s sex flooded his mouth as he sucked and licked Dabi’s fingers. He closed his eyes, pulling his own hand out of her panties to grab Dabi’s arm, hold his hand in place so that Shouto could bob his mouth up and down on his fingers, his mind flashing with images of having Dabi’s cock pressed just like this against his tongue.

His cock pulsed, he could feel pre-cum starting to drip down his shaft. He was so turned on it was starting to get painful.

“Please,” Shouto whispered against his fingers.

Dabi pushed him backward, shoving him to lay down on the bed.

“Patience, Shou,” Dabi replied, leaning down briefly to lick over the top of his lips, then sitting up once more.

Dabi leaned back onto his calves once more. He undid the button on his pants, meeting Momo’s eye. She giggled as he pulled his hands away, waiting. Shouto watched intently, his eyes glued to the front of Dabi’s pants, his erection obvious underneath them. He was so fucking hard that you could see the slight bulges of his piercings, so hard that Shouto was certain it must be getting painful for him too. Shouto’s mouth watered as Momo reached tremulously over and ran a finger up the outline of his erection, palming it.

“Your cock is pierced?” She asked breathlessly as she looked up at him.

He didn’t answer, just cocked an eyebrow at her. Challenging.

She swallowed audibly, her pink tongue darting out to lick her lips as her attention turned back to his crotch. She moved her hand, pulling the zipper slowly down to reveal his dark gray boxers underneath. Than she shifted, up onto her knees, her body turned slightly toward him. She wrapped her hands around his pants and boxers on both sides of his hips, hesitating for only a moment before starting to push them down. Shouto leaned forward, laying kisses on Momo’s arm as he watched Dabi’s pants slowly slide down. His pale skin gave way to the trimmed red hair at the base of his cock; she pushed it slightly further, revealing inch after inch of shaft until it finally sprang free. Momo gasped as it stood up against his stomach, all five of his piercings on display, his cock already flushed with desire.

Momo let go of his pants, abandoning them mid-thigh, practically forgotten as she reached up and traced her fingers up the bottom of his shaft. Dabi moaned lowly as her hand traveled over each of the piercings before she wrapped it around his cock and gave it a few experimental strokes. Shouto reached out, wrapping his hand around hers to help guide her strokes, enjoying the bead of pre-cum the movement caused. Momo must have noticed it too. Before it could drip down his shaft, she had leaned over, wrapping her lips around the head of his cock and sucking it away.

“Fuck Momo,” Dabi groaned, very gently grinding against their ministrations, his one hand coming up to grab her ponytail.

Momo’s tongue trailed down his shaft, licking over the top piercing nuzzled just under the head of his cock. She whimpered at the taste, and the sound went straight to Shouto’s cock.

Dabi pulled her by the ponytail, capturing her mouth with his, hands working quickly to start pushing her skirt down. Shouto let go of his cock, helping him. Shouto lay kisses on her skin as it was exposed, and after they had pulled off her skirt, he moved to her panties, pulling them down and helping her shimmy out of them as Dabi undid her bra.

Her chest was flushed with desire, and… fuck… her naked body was so beautiful. She had the fullest tits, soft and kissable, with pink nipples that absolutely begged to be sucked on. Her body was trim and toned, and she had completely shaved her pussy, the skin pale as it led down to her slick lips.

“How many times have you sucked my brother's cock?” Dabi asked, the words lost against her lips. Her tits were pressed heavily against his chest as the two made out, both on their knees. Fuck they looked sexy together. Shouto leaned forward, pushing their hips to shift apart so he could take turns pressing sloppy kisses along each of Dabi’s piercings and sliding his tongue into Momo’s sex, teasing her clit. They shifted at his guidance, giving him better access to kiss and taste each one. The resulting moans made him even more desperate.

Dabi was slowly pulling the tie out of her hair, letting it fall down to frame her face and shoulders, hanging down her back.

“A lot… ngh,” she moaned as Shouto rapidly flicked his tongue against that sensitive nub between her legs. “I’m… not… oh, fuck, yes.” She gasped into Dabi’s mouth, her lower body grinding against Shouto’s face. “Oh Shou! Yes. Like… ah! Oh! Like that!”

Dabi’s hand tangled into her hair, pulling it roughly as he plunged his tongue into her mouth. Shouto loved the way Dabi’s cock caressed his cheek with each subtle movement as they kissed. He switched back to suck Dabi’s cock into his mouth, tracing lines up and down the bottom of his shaft, flicking his tongue over each of the piercings in the way he had been so desperate to do that night at the club.

“How many times, Momo?” Dabi repeated sternly, pulling back so that his lips hovered just over hers, close enough that they brushed when he talked. But his grip was firm in her hair, tangled enough that she couldn’t move her head. Her chest was rising and falling with each ragged breath, and Shouto could feel the almost subconscious movements of her hips slowly grinding against him.

“A lot…” she repeated herself, the words sounding more like a pathetic plea as they spilled over her lips. Shouto moved back to her, grabbing her ass and pulling her hips forward so that he could push his tongue farther into her this time. “Fuck! Yes! I love… I, ngh, I love… I love sucking his… ah, yes, cock! I don’t—” she whimpered slightly at a warning squeeze around her hair. “I don’t know… how… many—” she groaned loudly as Shouto tilted his head, leaning forward to suck her clit into his mouth. He could feel her juices starting to drip onto his skin. Fuck, that was sexy! She was so wet for them, so turned on.

“Are you having a hard time concentrating, Mini Mo?” Dabi asked after she trailed off into a series of lewd mewls.

She whimpered, barely nodding for the hand in her hair.

“Please, Dabi,” she whispered, and Shouto could practically taste the fear and arousal in the air around them. It was as thick and cloying as the smell of their sex. Shouto could feel the tension between them; Dabi’s desire to share her with Shouto, his need to punish her for having been able to enjoy Shouto for years. For being the first person to comfort Shouto when Dabi was forced to abandon him, for doing so by welcoming him into her body. “Please… touch me…” Momo’s desire to give in to her childhood crush, to allow them to use her and fill her and make her scream with pleasure. The fear of realizing that Dabi was in complete control. The need to take out her frustration and anger for having lured Shouto into this new life, for taking him away from her.

Shouto moved back to take Dabi into his mouth, lowering his head slowly, licking over stud after stud along Dabi’s cock until he could feel his brother at the back of his throat. He relaxed his throat, going even further, trying to take as much of his brother's cock as he could without gagging. Dabi’s pre-cum dripped onto his tongue as he did, the head pulsing and swelling, his barbells pressing down into Shouto’s tongue as Shouto did his best to trace sloppy lines up and down his cock.

Dabi growled, the sound vibrating over Momo’s mouth.

Shouto felt Dabi’s other hand on the back of his head, silently urging him to go deeper, to take the last inch. Shouto breathed through his nose, trying to relax his mouth as he worked the head of Dabi’s cock further into his throat, burying his nose into the red hair at the base. Fuck it smelled like Dabi’s sex and cologne, and it made Shouto’s cock pulse painfully. He reached down between his legs, wrapping his hand around it and starting to stroke it slowly. He didn’t want to get off too quickly, but the desperate need to do exactly that was drowning out every other thought.

“Show me,” Dabi directed, pulling Momo’s head back to expose her neck to biting kisses. Dabi didn’t hold back, sucking another dark, possessive mark into the pale skin of her neck. Shouto did his best to deep-throat Dabi, pulling back to catch his breath and then sliding back down to get lost in the scent of his brother's arousal. “Show me how… Mmm…” he groaned slightly, the words hot against Momo’s skin. “You suck Shouto’s cock. I want you to make him scream.”

Shouto’s cock pulsed at the thought of him finally getting to bury it in Momo’s mouth. It had been months. Fuck… too many months.

Momo whimpered as Dabi leaned down to suck one of her nipples into his mouth, and Shouto knew he must be tracing that damn tongue ring around it. Then everything shifted. Dabi pulled him up off his cock, Shouto gasping to fully catch his breath as he was pushed back against the bedframe. Momo was between his legs, leaning down so that her ass was arched in the air and her nipples teased Kai’s gray comforter as she kissed along Shouto’s cock. He groaned at the immediate relief as her wet tongue flattened against him, licking a long stripe up the bottom of his shaft.

Dabi was behind her, watching Shouto’s face as Momo sucked his cock into her mouth. Shouto could feel his own mouth hanging open, his hands curling up into the blankets at the intense pleasure that washed over him as she started to bob up and down. Fuck it was sexy to see them like this. Momo’s dark hair falling over her face; her naked back, the way her ass looked as Dabi knelt behind it. Dabi pushed her legs apart, exposing her sex to him as she went down on Shouto. Shouto watched Dabi admire it as he ran a finger up and down, his other hand massaging her ass. She groaned as he slid two fingers up inside of her, and the vibrations of it thrummed over Shouto’s cock.

Dabi leaned down, pulling his fingers out and sucking them off before burying his mouth between her legs. Momo’s entire body shifted and arched as Dabi tasted her. One of Momo’s hands dug into Shouto’s thigh to brace herself as she groaned loudly, the other gripping the base of Shouto’s shaft so hard that he knew she must be enjoying Dabi’s tongue on her. Her mouth stilled for a moment as her body rocked forward, her tongue pulsing as she pressed it against the bottom of his cock. Dabi’s head was moving up and down, and Shouto almost wished he could be behind them, watching as Dabi slowly took her apart with his mouth. Tracing his tongue piercing along every inch of her body from her clit all the way up until he could push it down inside the rim of her ass, her entire body convulsing and gasping with each tiny movement.

Fuck it was sexy to watch her whine and mewl, feeling so good that she struggled to stay focused, the movements of her mouth sloppy and loud as she moaned around him. He could hear the slick noises of Dabi’s tongue on her, the occasional groan from him as he seemed particularly pleased with her reactions. Shouto ground up into her mouth as she blew Shouto and Dabi blew her, until her entire body was rocking, convulsing. She was crying out around him, her body trembling as she came on Dabi’s mouth, three fingers buried inside of her as she rocked back against him. And fuck, it was a sight. Her boobs swayed with each movement; the muscles contracting in her back, rippling with pleasure.

As her convulsions began to slow down, Dabi shifted, pulling his fingers out of her and rubbing the slick juice over his cock. Shouto watched him through hooded eyes as Dabi put one hand on her hip, lining himself up and pushing slowly into her. Momo’s breath came in punched gasps as he entered her, the hot air rushing over Shouto’s cock. She moaned and writhed, and Shouto’s cock pulsed in her mouth.

“So easily distracted, Momo,” Dabi whispered as he draped himself over her back, grabbing onto her hair, pulling one side of it out of her face as he tangled his fingers into it. “Are you ready to really taste him?” he whispered, guiding her head up and down a few times.

Momo whimpered and nodded the best she could around Shouto’s cock.

Dabi moved his other hand up around her throat, the hand in her hair pushing her head slowly down onto Shouto’s cock. It was sexy to watch Dabi draped over her back, his hand high on her neck to feel how deep Shouto’s cock was.

“Ah, fuck,” Shouto murmured, his toes curling as Dabi moved her up and down to deep-throat his cock. Her mouth felt good. So, so good.

Dabi nipped at the bottom of her ear.

“You look good like this,” Dabi whispered into Momo’s ear, her body beginning to rock forward gently as he started to move, his words trailing off into a deep murmur of approval. He was looking directly at Shouto as he spoke, and Shouto knew the words were for both of them. Dabi’s mouth hung open slightly, groaning as he fucked her. She was tight. Shouto knew that from experience; he knew exactly how good it felt inside of her. And with Dabi’s piercings, with Shouto’s cock in her mouth… she was so full. And she did look good. She mewled at the attention, occasionally choking if Dabi pushed her too far; her body convulsing and jumping if he held her down for too long. The air around them was hot, and it left Shouto feeling heady as they both fucked her. “You like this, don’t you? You like choking on Shou’s dick while I fuck you…”

Shouto groaned. Fuck, he was getting close.

Dabi increased the speed of his thrusts, Momo’s body moving with his. Her moaning got louder as Shouto reached up and curled his hand into her hair over top of Dabi’s, helping his brother to move her head up and down to match the swaying of her body.

“Fuck, you two look good together,” Dabi murmured. Momo’s left hand was digging into Shouto’s thigh, her right bracing herself as she moaned around his cock. Her back arched up and down as Dabi fucked her. Shouto could see her skin flushing a slight pink, and saliva was dripping down his shaft as she allowed them to guide her mouth over Shouto’s cock.

Than Momo was screaming around his cock, her entire body convulsing forward as she orgasmed again. Dabi let go of her hair, grabbing her other hip to hold her lower body in place as he fucked her through her orgasm, groaning as her body clenched around him. The vibrations of her cries felt so good, Shouto’s hand tightened in her hair, moving her head up and down faster as he fucked up into her mouth. He was so close, chasing his release, desperate to get there.

Shouto looked up, meeting Dabi’s eyes. His brother was watching him, mouth open slightly, breath coming in ragged pants. Shouto was panting too; sweat starting to bead up around the edges of his hairline. His entire body was flexing with pleasure as his grip tightened in Momo’s hair. She was gasping between each thrust as he fucked up into her mouth, his head falling back against the bedframe. His brother’s gaze didn’t waver; watching him, enjoying the show even as Shouto could see the muscles in his stomach tensing, his eyes half-lidded, his thrusting starting to get erratic.

Shouto closed his eyes, cursing softly, hips thrusting up into Momo’s mouth as he came. She choked at first as his orgasm hit the back of her throat, closing her lips around his shaft to swallow around him. The orgasm was intense, his body convulsing as he slowly fucked her mouth. He felt amazing, as if his body was vibrating with pleasure, thrumming. He opened his eyes, looking down at Momo’s flushed face as she licked up and down his cock, swallowing the last of his cum.

Than Dabi groaned loudly, his mouth dropping open as he started to thrust hard into her. Shouto looked up in time to enjoy the way Dabi’s entire torso rippled and convulsed with his orgasm. The way his hips rolled as he fucked them against Momo’s body, the movement pushing her forward enough that Shouto’s softening cock fell out of her mouth, and she buried her face into Shouto’s lower stomach as she moaned. Shouto knew for a fact she had never fucked a man without a condom, and the idea of Dabi’s cum leaking out of her was a huge turn on. He wanted to lay her on her back and lick every drop of it out of her sex.

Shouto let go of Dabi’s hand, of Momo’s hair.

Fuck, he felt good. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths as his body sang with pleasure.

"Don't tell me you are tired already, Shou," Dabi's voice washed over his post-orgasmic haze. He felt Momo's weight settle into his lap, her lips kissing the Shie Hassaikai mark on his shoulder. "We aren't done yet." Shouto smiled, enjoying the feeling of Momo's lips on his skin.

He felt Dabi's hand wrap itself around his neck. It was sexy at first... Kai wasn't shy about doing the same when they were fucking. And he had come to associate the slight pressure, the faint restriction of air with absolute bliss. But it only took a moment to realize that Dabi was pressing too hard. His hand was hot, burning. As if he was using his quirk. The weight of Momo was gone and he couldn't breathe, sharp fingers digging into the side of his neck.

Shouto reached up to grab at the hand choking off his air, his eyes flying open. Panic washed over him as he came face to face with a very different set of blue eyes, heat washing over his face at the flames that surrounded him.

Dabi and Momo were gone; he was in his old room at the mansion. Endeavor was before him in his full hero costume, pinning him to the wall by his throat. He was still completely naked and thrashing helplessly against his father's hold as he gasped for breath. He tried to use his quirks, but nothing happened. He was quirkless, helpless, trapped. His strength nothing compared to his father's, and he was getting weaker by the second.

Endeavor was going to kill him...

"Please..." He managed, the word barely audible, hoarse and pitiful. It took up precious oxygen. Shouto's vision was starting to blur, everything fading into one large flame as he tried to fight back.

"You don't deserve pity," Endeavor snarled, pushing him further up the wall as he stepped in. His fingers dug into Shouto's neck, his flames licking and burning Shouto's naked skin as Endeavor pressed his body against Shouto's. Every gasp was ragged, his father's face hazy and unfocused as it came close to his. He could feel the flames reaching out toward him. "Why don't you show me what a disgusting whore you really are."

Shouto's eyes flew open as Endeavors lips touched his, scalding his mouth. He woke up with a cry, flailing in defense, fighting against the weight on his chest. He could feel hot tears burning his eyes, a cold sweat over his skin. He couldn’t breathe! He couldn’t move!

"Shouto. Shouto!" It took a moment for him to realize it was Kai's voice, Kai's hands pushing his arms down, forcing him not to strike out. His heart was racing. But things slowly began to come into focus. He could breathe. He was alright. He was with Kai, in their bedroom. Endeavor was nowhere in sight. "Can you hear me, Shouto?" The words were muffled by his ragged breathing, the blood rushing in his ears. He looked over, meeting Kai's tired, golden eyes.

Swallowing, he nodded. He let himself momentarily sag against Kai, breathing in the scent of the other man.

“Nightmare?” Kai asked, kissing the top of his shoulder.

“Yeah,” Shouto nodded, feeling a little guilty that it wasn’t entirely true. It had started out as a great dream, too good of a dream. The end though… He shifted, scooting out of Kai’s arms and toward the edge of the bed. “Yeah, just a nightmare.” He gave the other man a shaky smile as he climbed out of the bed, shivering as the cool air hit him fully.

“You want to talk about it?” Kai asked, but Shouto could hear the tiredness in his voice. Kai had mentioned that he had barely slept the night before, and now Shouto had woken him up out of a dead sleep. This wasn’t the first time he had startled awake like this, but it was usually a very different figure that haunted his dreams. He had never had a dream quite like that about Enji.

“No,” Shouto replied, walking over to the dresser and fishing out a pair of boxers and a joint. “I’m ok. Just need a few minutes to relax. I think I’m going to smoke real quick.” He added, holding up the joint, trying not to let Kai see his hand still shaking. Trying not to let him hear the stress in his voice. “You should go back to sleep. I know you’re tired.” Shouto set the joint down for a moment, stepping in to the boxers and beginning to pull them up. Not unusual for them, he and Kai had gone to bed naked. Dinner had led to Shouto kneeling underneath the table between Kai’s legs. That had led back to the bedroom, and then to the shower. By the time they had collapsed into the bed, they were both exhausted and extremely satisfied. And a few hours ago, he had loved getting to be pressed up against every inch of Kai’s naked skin in their post-orgasmic bliss. But now, after waking up with the ghost feeling of Endeavor pressed up against him, burning him… it left him feeling vulnerable.

“You sure?” Kai asked, pushing himself up on one elbow, running a hand through his mussed up hair as he watched Shouto slide the boxers on.

“Yeah, really. I’m good.” Shouto reassured him.

“Alright,” Kai replied, laying back down, adjusting the blanket as he did. “Don’t be too long.”

“Sure,” Shouto nodded, heading toward the doorway. “I’ll just be a few minutes.”

He made his way to the kitchen, heading straight to the window and opening it up about half-way. The muffled sounds of the tired city flowed in around him; the faint thrum of traffic, the occasional horn or night owl calling out to somebody nearby. Shouto leaned against the windowsill, shivering as the night air hit his torso. The dim lights of the street bled onto his skin, exposing him as he put the joint between his lips with shaking hands, using his left side to light it up and inhale deeply. He held his breathe for a moment, the distinct smell of the kush wafting around him. That alone was almost enough to help ease his shoulders and unclench his jaw, a promise of what was to come.

He knew that the dream was the result of his anxiety coming to light. He had a lot on his mind, and although he had mentioned to Kai that he was going to be helping Dabi to secure Hawks as an ally, or whatever it was that the Yakuza hoped to gain with the hero. But he hadn’t mentioned the fact that Dabi had kissed him. In their bedroom. On Kai’s bed. He hadn’t mentioned that Dabi had offered sex as a reward for Shouto’s help.

He also hadn’t mentioned that he had ended up with Momo in the jacuzzi tub, both in their underwear. They hadn’t done anything. She had laid against him as they talked, but it wasn’t sexual, not really. Still, he didn’t want to admit how beautiful she had looked in her wet, lacy red underwear. The way it had clung to her body. The way he had struggled not to stare at her pink nipples just visible under the lacy bra.

And after Momo’s teasing about having seen Dabi naked, he was certain that was the root of his dream. And he felt guilty that it had felt so sexy, so good to fuck them. He took another deep hit of his joint, blowing the smoke out the window. He could already feel the first of the effects. His heart rate had returned to an almost normal rhythm, his hands starting to relax. He could no longer feel a faint burning around his neck, the final flashes of the dream fading away. The lingering panic at finding himself once more completely helpless at his father’s mercy.

He knew those last few moments of the dream where just his reluctance to go back to the mansion in the morning. He had promised Enji that he would never step foot in that place again; hell, he had promised himself he never would. He had no reason to. He didn’t need it, or Enji. But here he was, barely a few months later, getting ready to sneak inside. And even though it was likely that Endeavor wouldn’t even be home, there was always that chance. Always that faint possibility that his schedule might have changed, or that something might happen…

He took another hit, deep and full, before exhaling the smoke out into the night air. Watching it drift up toward the few stars that managed to shine through the pollution that so often clouded the sky.

It was for Dabi. He could do it. He could go back to that stifling house and get what his brother needed. After everything that Dabi had done for him these last few months, it was the least he could do.

And Endeavor wouldn’t be there.

He took another hit, blowing the smoke out as slowly as possible this time.

Endeavor had meetings; there was no way that he could be there.

Shouto hoped, almost prayed, that he was right. An empty house. In and out, just long enough to grab one thing. Easy as pie.

* * * * * *

Endnotes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I was actually really hesitant to post this chapter originally because dreams like this are so cliche, but I couldn't help myself! This chapter is all based around Shouto's subconscious, and I wanted to incorporate that into this. So for him those two particularly represent his past and future and that resentment between them is the clash of those two things. During the original posting of this fic, I had one reader (thank you @Spideypal) who was interested in that symbology. For anyone else who is interested, here is some additional details: In this dream, Momo represents Shouto's heroic past, the 'good' side of his moral compass. She has always been Shouto's safe place. She represents what he was raised to have, to want. His fiance; a girl from a rich family with a good social standing, with the ability (quirk) to create (which for his misogynistic father was ideal for a woman whose true role was to produce an heir). From the soft edges of her body, her perfume, she is even wearing her school clothes. The 'ideal' partner. She is 'pure'(ish - although not a virgin, her and Shouto's sex was clean because they always used protection. It was always just the two of them. They only occasional had oral sex, and never anal sex. Sex with her felt good, but it was innocent.) Dabi represents his future, the 'villain' side of his moral compass. He is dangerous, just like this lifestyle is. He is literally sex and drugs, all hard edges and sin. He represents everything that Shouto was supposed to avoid. His brother; incestual (taboo), a man, an outsider who was cast out of good society, who has nothing to his name, whose quirk (fire) leads only to destruction and death. He is also 'tainted'. (He sleeps around as he pleases. He is primal, almost chaotic in the bedroom; chasing after what feels good, regardless of the consequences. He usually fucks while high, and he never uses protection. It usually includes additional partners. Sex with him is filthy and carnal, debaucherous. So to have them together is a clash between those two very different parts of his life, very different parts of himself. Hence the resentment that underlies their reactions; in direct contradiction to the other thing that defines their interaction in this threesome; their intense desire for each other. (Shouto's lingering desire for those two parts of his life to be able to coexist, even though subconsciously he realizes that life can't work that way). The way that Shouto perceives them in the dream (hopefully!) helps to support that. In the threesome, a lot of the interaction is between Dabi and Momo. Shouto is there, but he is almost more of a passive participant. He observes a lot. He see's Momo's 'innocence', her shyness, her hesitance, her beauty, the softness of her skin, etc... He see's Dabi's 'corruption', his predatory nature, his dangerous personality, his carnal appetite, his confidence, etc... And he enjoys them both, going back and forth between them (literally, as he takes turns licking Momo's sex and taking Dabi's cock into his mouth), as they kiss each other. The perceived resentment between them comes from Shouto's perspective, how he believes they must see each other, and deep down a part of how he really feels. Ok, now for their physical interactions. Dabi giving him head represents him giving in to his 'dark side' (sex, incest, and adultery). Momo (his 'good side') walks in and sees it. Dabi gives her the option (the temptation) to join them. It feels like a choice, but Dabi's confidence (He waited patiently. As if he already knew the answer before she did.) implies that it wasn't really a choice. It happens again when she asks to see them kiss. Dabi tells her that she can have whatever she wants. He asks her where she wants to see him kiss Shouto. But then he acts before she has the opportunity to express that desire. It's the perception that the 'good' has some control, but since the moment she accepted Dabi's hand the 'dark' side has been in control. (Hopefully this is starting to sound familiar, because it is supposed to represent a lot of Shouto's struggle in 'The Spiral', that perceived feeling of control that he had as he was trying to stay on the right path, only to slowly sink further with every decision he made). This is physically represented by the numerous hickies that Dabi left on Momo in the dream. She is also completely fascinated with Dabi (just like Shouto was drawn in by Dabi and Kai). Shouto gets to enjoy them both at his leisure at first, but Dabi becomes more controlling as the dream goes on. Starting to guide Shouto's movements, starting to control Momo's interactions with him. This is the moment the true resentment between them surfaces. (How many times have you sucked my brother's cock?) Than he goes on to literally guide her in deep-throating Shouto (almost choking her as he does, the act itself still sexy, but dangerous as she wasn't in control. All it would take was for Dabi to decide not to let her back up and she could literally suffocate). All the while he fucks her, bareback, every piercing stretching her innocent sex to shape her for his corrupt pleasure. Not only that, but he also tasted every inch of her sex, even penetrating her ass with his tongue, the first time she had ever had a man in that part of her body. It happened so fast she didn't even have the chance to object, but it felt so good that she didn't even try to stop him. She gets off twice because he just feels so good, but her orgasm only gets on him. It's temporary, it washes off. But once he gets off, its deep inside of her sex. For the first time ever, she is filled with a man's cum, inside of every fold of her womanhood. Its not exactly easy to just wipe away. That's the point of no return. The corruption is literally dripping out of her. And Shouto's first thought isn't aftercare, to gently clean it away from her. He wants to literally lick it out of her (symbolic of his eventual acceptance of becoming a member of the Yakuza). Ok, that kind of sums up a lot of what guided my choices on their interactions in this particular threesome. I still wanted it to be sexy, but I didn't want it to just be another cliche sex dream sequence. Enough so that I was very back and forth about the whole chapter (ask @acertainneko, I think I went back and forth about a dozen times on if and how I wanted to post it) Finally I decided that I wanted it to feel like 'if you were to wrap up 'The Spiral' to be represented by a single sex sequence, this would be it.' It also, of course, holds some symbolism for some of his current anxieties, especially around sex (surprise Shouto! you can still feel sexual desire for other people even if you are in a serious relationship. lol). and yeah...

Chapter Text

June 2

Shouto POV
The Todoroki mansion hadn't changed. The damage from he and Enji's fight, at least the outside, had been repaired. A fresh coat of paint decorated the walls, and the flower gardens around it were all thriving and neat. It looked perfect, surreal. Seeing it, outsiders would never realize how much turmoil the family had gone through these past few months. Shouto couldn’t say he was actually surprised. Enji preferred to keep family issues private. He only wanted the public to see the positive side of their lives; better for ratings.

The thing that did surprise him, though, was that the wrought iron gate leading in to the drive was closed. The only times he remembered his father closing it was when their family traveled out of the city. His Ojichan had installed the metal monstrosity nearly 40 years ago, and it was opulent and ridiculous in Shouto’s opinion. And it could only be opened or closed with a code, which would send an alert to Enji's phone. It was definitely inconvenient, but it certainly was not a full deterrent.

All it really meant was that Shouto had to sneak around to the back of the house and use his ice to get over the fence. He wanted to be in and out pretty quickly. If he had timed everything correctly (and prayed there were no changes to the schedule), Enji would just be getting to his weekly meeting with Tsuragamae. That meant if there was any alerts or notifications to Shouto's entrance, he would be less likely to notice, or be able to respond quickly to them. Shouto just needed to get in, find the bracelet (he really hoped Dabi didn't have as many books to check inside of as he remembered), grab his gaming console system if it was still there (if he was here, he might as well take advantage of getting the one thing he actually missed having), and get out.

The yard was quiet as he surveyed it from the top of the fence, only one gardener in the far corner. Easy enough to avoid. As quietly as he could, he dropped down into the yard. He moved along the far side, as far away from that gardener as he could, and made his way down to the house. He crept window to window until he found the one that led directly to the storage room he knew held the forgotten, dusty boxes of his mother and Dabi’s belongings. The windows were small, and not the easiest to get in and out of, but he knew that they weren’t linked in to the main alarm system the same way that the large windows were.

He was grateful to Hojo at this point, the man had made him pick locks for over an hour during their last training session together, going on and on about how being a part of the Yakuza was more than just knowing how to fight. In this case, the lesson had turned out to be useful, and he was able to use a thin needle of ice to pick the lock. Sliding the window open, he peeked inside. Just as he expected, the room was dim, filled with dusty boxes and shelves. He had come down here sometimes after everyone else was gone, if he was especially lonely. He doubted that anyone else had so much as stepped foot in the room in a few years. Satisfied, he tossed his backpack in. Then he squeezed in, legs first, carefully dropping down amongst the myriad of boxes piled around the room.

Dusting himself off, Shouto turned around, quickly surveying the room. He hadn't been down here since the night he had reconciled with Dabi, when he had scoured his brothers old clothes to find something appropriate for going out to the club. Things looked a little different, he was certain that some of the boxes had been moved around since than.

Shit.

He made his way to the light switch, praying silently that his brother's stuff was still there. When the light came on, though, he was relieved to see the corner with Dabi's stuff was still full. But the rest, the boxes with his mother's stuff, had all been moved around. They were disorganized, a bunch of empty boxes were sitting in one corner, and the door was standing open.

Shouto made his way over toward it. He was starting to get a bad feeling, very carefully looking out into the hallway. Like the room, all of the lights were off, the basement seemingly quiet. Shouto quickly closed the door, locking it from inside so that no one could simply barge in. What was Enji doing? Why was he getting rid of all of his mother’s things? She was very sentimental; she would be devastated to find out that her belongings had been given away.

Enji was such a fucking asshole. He was probably trying to get rid of these things to ease his own guilty conscience. Shouto would be lucky if any of his belongings were still upstairs, and Dabi was probably damn lucky he sent Shouto now. His storage was probably next on the chopping block. Especially considering that Enji had thought they had gotten rid of all of his things years ago…

Shouto almost wished he could be there to see Enji’s face when he discovered it still down here.

He moved quickly to the stack in the back corner. There were four boxes labeled ‘books’. Of course. Four large boxes. Dabi had always enjoyed reading, and had probably owned more books than the rest of the family did combined. So much for getting out of here quickly. He pulled out his phone, sending his brother a quick text to see if he remembered which book he had left it in. Setting his phone nearby, he pulled down the first box and set it on the floor. Pulling it open, he got to work pulling books out one at a time and shaking them to see if anything fell out.

Dabi never texted back, of course.

It was almost forty minutes later, and well into the third box before he finally had some luck. In an old copy of ‘Ugetsu Monogatari’, he finally found a hand-woven brown bracelet that looked like it had come straight out of a cheap tourist shop. There was also a strip of four small pictures of Hawks and his brother, one that must have come from those kitschy photo-booths in the malls. Both of them were wearing UA uniforms, Takami’s wings all tucked up around them, barely fitting into the booth. They must have been taken just before they broke up, probably no more than a year before his brother disappeared. The first picture had Hawks smirking at the camera while his brother was sticking out his tongue. The second had Hawks using one wing to pull Dabi (well, Touya, Shouto supposed) against his body, a look of surprise on Dabi’s face. The third picture showed Hawks stealing a kiss. The fourth picture showed Dabi flipping him off, but they were both smiling so widely that it was pretty obvious to see how happy they were. Seeing them like this was almost sad, it was a glimpse into a life that might have been if only Enji hadn’t been such a fucking asshole.

A thump from upstairs distracted him, reminding Shouto that he was still on a time-frame and had already spent twice as long as he expected looking for that damn bracelet. He quickly re-packed the books and stacked the boxes back up. Although he probably could have left everything a mess and there was a good chance that Enji wouldn’t notice. He stashed both the bracelet and picture strip into his backpack. He unlocked and opened the door, turning off the light as he glanced out into the hallway one more time. Things were still dark, quiet. Stepping out, he moved very cautiously through the basement and up the stairs to the main floor. This floor held the most risk of getting caught, it was where the majority of the house-keepers spent their time.

Luckily, the house seemed particularly quiet as he stepped carefully out of the stairwell. He quickly scoped the area, listening carefully for any signs of people around. Although he didn’t think Uchi would report him if he ran into her, he doubted he would be as lucky if he ran into anyone else. He moved quickly, but quietly, making his way down the hall toward the kitchen. If he could get there, he could use the servant’s stairway to get up to the second story.

That’s when he heard someone talking. He froze in place, pressing himself up against the wall, listening. The voice wasn’t familiar. Although it had a definite feminine lilt, it was deep and grainy. It was also quite muffled, so it was hard to make out what the person was saying. Shouto crept closer toward the doorway, certain the voice was coming from the kitchen. It didn’t sound like any of the house-keepers that he remembered.

Than he heard her. She was laughing, a light airy sound, exactly like he remembered it. Shouto’s breath caught, a wave of nostalgia washing over him as he was suddenly eight years old again, running through the house, looking specifically for the person that voice belonged to.

His mother.

He would recognize that sound anywhere. Things were starting to make sense. The boxes, the clothes being moved. Enji wasn’t getting rid of things. Rei was here. His mother was here, in the house. A single, thin wooden door the only thing between the two of them. His heart clenched, his legs frozen in place.

“Do you think we might send Uchi out in the morning to pick up some more roses for the garden?” Rei asked. “No one has been tending it, and I so wish to get everything planted before Fuyumi’s visit next week.”

“Uchi went out for roses yesterday, Mrs. Todoroki,” that unfamiliar voice answered. “We planted everything this morning, remember?”

A short silence followed. Than a small, uncertain laugh. His mothers. Shouto hated the sound, not at all the same laugh from a few minutes ago. Not the one he remembered from his childhood. This one sounded so meek, so… resigned.

“Of course,” Rei finally replied. “How silly of me to forget. We planted everything this morning. All of the roses.”

“We could go out and walk the gardens, if you would like, Mrs. Todoroki.” The woman offered. “The afternoon sun might do you some good.”

Shouto’s heart went out to her. He wanted to run in, to see her. He wanted to be the one talking about roses and gardens, and walking the yard with her. But he didn’t understand why she sounded so confused. So small.

“Yes,” his mother agreed. “Yes, I think I would like that.”

Suddenly the door opened, and Shouto found himself face to face with a tall, stocky woman. She was probably in her early forties, wearing a set of blue scrubs with her hair pulled up into a tight bun at the back of her head. She startled as the two of them nearly collided, coming to a stop in the doorway.

“Who are you?” the woman demanded, stepping forward warily. “How did you get—” She stopped talking mid-sentence, her eyes going to the scar over Shouto’s left eye, than to his eyes. “You aren’t supposed to be here.”

“Who is it, Nikumu?” Rei’s voice called out curiously.

“I just…” Shouto stammered. He was speechless. He had no idea what to say, or do. His thoughts were a flurry of emotion; and he was torn between the almost desperate desire to run in and throw himself into his mother’s arms, and the desire to turn and run in the other direction, not quite sure if he was ready to try to forget everything that had happened ten years ago. He had started writing letters to her at the start of the school year. Things had been going better. He had been thinking about going to see her, but all of his plans had changed so much these past few months.

“It’s just a worker,” the woman, Nikumu, replied. Than she leaned forward, her voice getting very quiet. “I don’t know what you are doing here, or how you got in, but you should go. You are going to upset her.”

“Who will upset me?” Rei asked as she stepped into the doorway.

Shouto stared. She was actually there, standing right in front of him, smiling. She was every bit as beautiful as he remembered, but she looked so much older. So… tired. She was wearing a pair of black pants and a simple, lightweight red sweater. Her white hair was pulled back into a braid, her bangs falling out from it to frame a face that was thinner, more gaunt than he remembered. She had faint circles below her eyes, her face bare of any make-up.

She seemed startled at first when she saw Shouto standing there, looking at him as if he were a stranger in her home. Then, as she took in his dual-toned hair, the old scar over his left eye, and his heterochromia, her gray eyes widened with the spark of recognition. She gasped, the sound practically a sob torn from her body.

"Shouto?" She asked, a slight tremble in her words.

Ten years. It had been more than ten years since they had last seen each other. Enji hadn't believed in taking the children to the hospital. He had always claimed it would be a media nightmare. The last memory Shouto had of his mother was having her turn to him, the hot tea in her hand. Everything afterward was a painful blur that lived like a tumor in the back of his mind. Time had faded the memory of that night some, but nothing could wash it away completely. Not when he was reminded of it every time he looked in the mirror. Every time he met someone new and they stared at his scar, and Shouto could hear the unspoken questions, the curiosity that burned their tongues.

"Mom," Shouto replied, his voice quiet, the word barely more than a murmur, a ghost on his lips.

Her arms were around him, a strangled cry falling from her lips as she pulled him into a tight hug. She was warm, and she smelled exactly like he remembered as he tentatively wrapped his arms around her too. He wasn't sure how long they stood there, her arms around him as she cried, his own tears burning his eyes as they held each other. He could feel the way her sobs shook her body, the slight press of her baby bump against his stomach.

When she finally pulled away, her face was red and streaked with tears. She took his face into her hands, cupping his cheeks so that she could turn his head one direction, than the other, in order to get a better look at him.

"Look at you. My baby." She smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. They were sad, looking so intently at him as if he might not really be there, a desperate figment of her imagination. "You are so big now. So handsome." She touched his face, exploring it with her fingers. Reaching up and pulling his beanie away, surprise temporarily flitting across her face as the rest of his black and white hair fell down in messy tangles. She ran her hand through it.

She didn't touch his scar, though. She wouldn’t even quite look at it fully.

"Mrs. Todoroki," Nikumu interrupted, stepping up next to them and setting her hand gently on Rei’s shoulder. "Your son isn't supposed to be here. Remember what your husband said. He's trespassing. He should be leaving… now." She added, with a direct look at Shouto.

"He's not trespassing," Rei answered, her voice full of incredulity. "He's my baby. He can't leave already. He only just got home." She looked up at the worker. "Please, he can't... He can't leave yet." She pulled Shouto back into a hug, hanging on as if the woman might physically force him away from her any moment.

"We haven't seen each other in ten years," Shouto added, in a sort of surreal daze. He still couldn't believe that he was standing here with his mom. His mom. He could feel his hands starting to shake.

"I don't know how you got in, but your mother isn't well and you don't live here." Nikumu replied, without missing a beat. "You need to leave."

"Please, Nikumu," Rei said, starting to cry once more.

"I will leave in a few minutes," Shouto said, not really sure what he was doing. What good would being here with his mother even do? Just a few moments ago he had been trying to decide if he was even ready to see her. But now that he had, he just... he couldn't leave yet. "I just want a few minutes."

"You aren't welcome, Todoroki Shouto," Nikumu countered. "Your mother is in a very fragile state right now. I am going to have to report this to Mr. Todoroki, as well as to the MPH. Your father would be well within his rights to press charges against you for breaking and entering."

The MPH. The Musutafu Psychiatric Hospital, where his mother had lived these past eight years. Nikumu must work for them, a health assistant to help watch over her now that she was finally allowed to return to the mansion.

"Don't listen to her, Shouto," Rei chimed in, distressed. "You are always welcome. I want you here! Come on..." She grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the entrance to their kitchen. Shouto followed her, Nikumu right behind them, muttering that Mr. Todoroki was going to be very unhappy about this.

She sat him down at the island, smiling as she looked at him.

"Here, let your momma make you something to drink," Rei said. "And I want you to tell me all about your life. Fuyumi says that you're living with Touya now!" She bustled over to the stove, at the same time that Nikumu slouched against the far counter, glaring at Shouto and pulling out her phone. She was probably calling Endeavor, but Shouto didn't care. This may be one of his only chances to see his mom again. He wasn't going to waste it. "Isn't that just wonderful? My two little boys," she mused as she got out a teapot and took it over to the sink for water. "You two always were close. He loved you so much when you were a baby. Always used to ask to hold you. Tell me about Touya, Shouto. Is he taking care of you?"

Shouto stared. He swallowed, a lump forming in the back of his throat. She was making tea. Tea. He watched her carry the teapot over to the stove, smiling happily as she did. The same stove... The same teapot...

Did she even remember what happened?

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and willing away the memory of walking in to see her just like this, reaching out to her…

"Yeah, um..." He mumbled, trying to stay focused. The doctors said she didn't remember. She must not. Surely she wouldn't offer him tea if she did. "I mean, no. Well, I was living with Dab—" he cut himself off. How much did she know? She had called him Touya a few times, which meant that she likely had no idea that her son was a well-known villain. Shouto wasn’t sure if he wanted to be the one to explain it. "With Touya.” He corrected himself, the name sounding so foreign on his lips after these past few months. “But I live with my boyfriend now."

"Isn't that sweet?" She smiled, as she began to pull down teacups from the cupboard. "Is he a friend from school? Your father says you are doing so good in school. I always knew you would get in to UA. Just like your brother, you are. You two should come visit sometime, you and Touya. I know your father and I miss you both terribly."

"Mom, I'm not—" Shouto slumped. She really didn't know pretty much any of what had happened these past few months. Would she be disappointed if she knew? He didn't care if his father was disappointed in him; he had spent the better part of his life being a disappointment to Enji. But his mom... "I don’t go to UA anymore."

"You graduated already?" She asked, turning to smile at him. The teapot was starting to steam, and he glanced at it anxiously. "That's good. You must be smart like your brothers. We weren't sure, ya know. You were such a silly, fussy baby. Natsuo always said you were just too spoiled."

"Not exactly," Shouto said, quietly. "I left UA."

She really didn't know anything.

"Now why did your father let you do that? And Touya? Where was your brothers head? He is supposed to take care of you." She started to pull a jar of loose-leaf tea over, measuring it into a small cloth as she spoke. "Do you want to walk in the gardens with me, Shouto? You remember when we used to work in the rose gardens together. We used to spend hours trimming those roses. I miss that time together."

She wasn't all there. Shouto watched her sadly, but he was starting to see it now. She was confused, probably heavily medicated.

"That wasn't me, mom," he replied, a bad feeling started to grow in his stomach. Is this how she had lived these past few years? "That was Touya."

"Touya?" She mused, setting the tea into the water. "That's right! Touya and I used to spend hours in that garden. Did you know that he's the only one of you that visited me in the hospital?" She laughed, delighted at the memory. "Don't tell Enji, of course. He didn't want you kids seeing me like that. And you know how he and Touya butt heads. But your brother used to sneak in every few weeks to see me. He would bring pictures of you children, especially you. He had such a soft spot in his heart for you. Sometimes he would sing to me. He would brush my hair and sing silly lullabies just like I used to sing to you kids before bed. He is such a sweet boy, Touya is. A trouble-maker, but he was always my little angel. He stopped coming a few years ago. Out of the blue, he just stopped." Shouto watched her move on auto-pilot, lost in her memories. She sounded far away, a sadness in her voice. Shouto knew that her and Touya used to be close, but he had no idea that Touya used to sneak into the hospital.

Shouto could also hear Nikumu on the phone, a very loud voice on the other side. Probably Enji. Which means he didn't have much longer he could stay.

Rei brought two empty tea-cups over, setting one in front of Shouto, one to the side, presumably for herself.

"I miss you both so much," She said, smiling sadly as Shouto looked up at her. "Will you bring him to see me? We could have a nice dinner. Your father would enjoy it too. We could be like a real family again."

"Mom," he replied. God, he hated Enji so much. He had single-handedly torn their family apart, and kept her so drugged up and out of the loop that she still thought they were a family. He couldn’t stop the tears that began to fall down his cheek. She looked so happy at the idea, as if it was the most important thing to her in the world. How could he make her understand?

“What’s the matter, Shouto?” she frowned, reaching over and wiping the tears from his right cheek. “Why are you crying?”

He felt lost. She had this beautiful, disillusioned view of the world. A view that made everything alright. That made her alright. If he told her the truth, it would shatter that. She already struggled with so much pain, more than Shouto ever realized if Enji had been telling the truth on the night they tore the mansion apart.

But didn’t she deserve to know the truth?

"Touya stopped coming to see you because Enji hurt him,” Shouto replied, praying that it was the right choice. That he was doing the right thing by telling her. After all, she was about to have another baby with him. She needed to know what kind of father Enji Todoroki really was. “He hurt both of us."

"What?" She recoiled slightly from him. Her eyes widened, confusion evident on her face.

"Enji was abusive," Shouto repeated, wiping at his eyes. "He hurt us, that's why we left."

"No," she shook her head, stumbling back toward the counter. "That's not true. That can't be true. He said it was a lie. Those articles in the paper were a lie. He wouldn't hurt you. Your father loves you. You shouldn't read those articles, Shouto. They are lying!"

Shouto stared. So she had seen something about the domestic abuse charges. And this was the bullshit that Enji had fed her. That the hospital had fed her.

"I have to go," Nikumu said suddenly, hanging up the phone.

"It's not a lie," Shouto said, standing up. "He's abusive. He abused Touya. He abused me. He probably abuses you! Look at you! How many prescriptions does he have you taking, mom?"

"That's enough!" Nikumu marched over, grabbing Shouto's arm. "It's time for you to go! Can’t you see that you’re upsetting her?"

"No!" Rei objected, trying to force herself between them. "Don't make him leave. Please Nikumu! Let me see my baby." She turned to Shouto, tears starting to well in her eyes. She was cupping his face again, searching his eyes. "Please tell me it's a lie, Shouto. Your father loves you. He would never hurt you."

"This is enough, Mrs. Todoroki," Nikumu interrupted, trying to pull Rei away. "It's time for your son to leave. We are going to walk in the gardens, remember?"

"It's the truth, mom." Shouto wasn't going to back down. His mom deserved to know the truth, deserved to know how Enji treated her children. She didn't deserve to have to live this bullshit lie that Enji was a perfect dad. "It's the reason Touya and I don't live here. We aren't even welcome here!"

"That's enough, Mr. Todoroki," Nikumu demanded. "The authorities are already on their way. They will be here any minute. You can leave now, or you will be escorted off the property."

Shouto scrubbed at his eyes with his other hand. He stepped back, hesitating.

“Don’t listen to her baby!” Rei starting crying, almost sobbing. “You don’t have to leave yet.”

"Mrs. Todoroki—” Nikumu began.

"He was s-s-supposed to- to take care of you. Enji p-promised me he would take care of you," Rei cried. "How could h-he hurt you? My, my baby. And my T-touya. My angel." She wrenched herself away from Nikumu and clutched onto Shouto, her arms around him like a vice, sobbing into his neck.

"Mrs. Todoroki," Nikumu tried to reason with her. "Your son is trespassing. Your husband has already contacted the police. He will be arrested if he is still here when they arrive."

Fuck. Fuck!

This was a complete disaster! Shouto had imagined this reunion so many times in the last ten years. He had gone over dozens of scenarios for what it might be like to finally see his mom again. How good it would feel to finally hug her again...

This was none of that. Nothing could have prepared him for this moment.

Rei sobbed loudly. Shouto was crying too. Had it been wrong to tell her? Was the illusion better? It didn’t matter now. For better or for worse, it was too late. And he just wanted to keep holding her, just like this. To try and comfort her, and tell her all of the good things about the last few years. Let her know that it wasn’t all bad.

But he couldn’t. He needed to leave. If the police really were on their way, he had to go. He couldn't get arrested again. He just couldn't.

"Mom," Shouto put one hand on each of her arms, trying to gently pull them away from him. "It's ok, mom."

She only tightened her grip, her head shaking back and forth as she cried.

"It was s-spposed to be a, a lie!" She sobbed into his neck. Nikumu was cursing, rushing out of the room. "He p-promised me! The media is... is always t-trying to, to make him... look b-bad. It was wh-why I agreed to... to have an-another—" she broke off with a loud wail.

Shouto cried harder. He gave up on trying to pull her away, wrapping her back up into a a hug.

"I'm sorry, mom," Shouto whispered. He shouldn’t have told her. It was too much. She wasn’t stable; she had just been released from the hospital, and now he had thrown all of this at her. He was such an idiot. Fuck! Why did he tell her?! He wished Dabi were here. Dabi would know what to do.

She pulled back, and for the first time since they started speaking, he didn't see that far away look in her eye. She was there. Really there.

"Take me w-with you, Shouto," she said, her face shining with tears.

"What?" Shouto stepped back. It had been the last thing he had expected to hear.

"You live... You live with Touya, right?" She said, her voice shaking as she tried not to cry. "Take me with you! Please! Let— let me be your momma again! I won't h-hurt you! I would never hurt you!"

Suddenly the door to the kitchen burst open, a police officer rushing inside, his gun drawn. Nikumu was right behind him, a panicked expression on her face.

Rei looked over, her eyes widening as she saw the gun trained on Shouto.

"What is—"

Shit. Shouto started to back away.

"Todoroki Shouto, please put your hands in the air where I can see them," The officer called out; a tall, muscular man with a very thin mustache. "I have been sent to escort you off the property. Any attempt to resist will lead to your immediate arrest."

"No... NO!" Rei cried, as Shouto carefully raised his hands up. Shit, shit, shit! He resisted the desire to wipe the tears away from his face. He couldn't afford to take any risks. His mom's voice sent pangs of anguish through him. This was his fault. All of this. He should never have come upstairs. He should have gotten the bracelet and left. "LEAVE MY BABY ALONE! LEAVE US ALONE!" She screamed at the officer, her hands tangling in her own hair, pulling roughly.

Nikumu rushed over, pulling his mother away from Shouto. She had a syringe in her hand.

"What are you doing?" Shouto yelled, as the woman stuck the needle into Rei’s arm, quickly administering a clear fluid.

The officer rushed Shouto when he turned towards his mother. The man moved quickly, wrenching Shouto’s arm behind his back and pushing it into his backpack. The movement was swift and caused a shock of pain through Shouto's arm and shoulder.

"STOP IT!" Rei cried, as the assistant pulled Rei's arms gently away from her hair, trying to subdue her. "You're hurting him! Stop hurting my baby!" Rei put out her right arm, ice beginning to form on her skin, a small spray of ice spreading out underneath her feet. She was panting, her breath fogging. But the shards never really took form, and she collapsed to the floor, the sheen of ice growing slowly around her.

She was too subdued, too medicated to even use her quirk.

"Shh… It's okay, Mrs. Todoroki," Nikumu tried to console her, dropping to the floor beside her and pulling Rei into her arms. "Everything's going to be okay in just a few minutes."

"It's time to go," the officer growled at Shouto, using his wrenched arm to start guiding him out of the room.

"NO!" Rei was sobbing again, struggling against Nikumu’s hold. "Don't take my baby away! Shouto! Don't take my baby away from me!"

"I love you, mom," Shouto managed, choking up as he let himself be guided away to sound of her crying. The officer didn't stop, leading him out of the kitchen and down the hall.

This was a mistake. He shouldn’t have told her. Now he couldn’t even try to make it better.

“MY BABY!” Rei wailed, the sound following him down the hall. “SHOUTO! SHOUTO!”

Each cry was like a physical blow to the stomach, worse than any he had received from his father. He kept his head down, trying to hide the tears on his face from the officer. They were almost to the door, and he could still hear the faint sound of his mother crying. When they got outside, the officer finally let him go.

“You are lucky that your father isn’t pressing charges,” the officer sneered. “Did you steal anything?”

Shouto glared up at him, the man’s expression cold, despite the tears on Shouto’s face.

“No,” Shouto replied, glad that he hadn’t made it to his gaming system yet. The fucking police might as well be on Enji’s payroll. He doubted that they would have believed it was his. “I didn’t steal anything.”

“Let me see your backpack.”

Shouto took it off slowly, wincing slightly at the pain in his one shoulder. Apparently the man had wrenched it worse than Shouto realized. He handed it to the officer. The officer took it, unzipping each pocket. He briefly pulled out the pictures and the bracelet before stuffing them back inside, uninterested. Satisfied, he handed the backpack back to Shouto.

“This is an official warning,” the man said seriously. “You sneak onto this property again, and you will be charged with trespassing and issued a restraining order from this property. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Shouto bit out, meeting the officer’s eyes. A restraining order. From his own mother. Enji was really that desperate to keep the truth away from her.

“Good.” The man nodded. “Now go.”

Shouto didn’t wait. The moment he was excused, he ran. He ran all the way down the drive, past the police car, and through the now open gate. He ran until he was out of breath, down the sidewalk, the large houses and intricate yards passing by him in a blur. He didn’t know far he went, finally collapsing down on the sidewalk. He didn’t even know where he was, and he didn’t care. He could still hear his mother cries, hear her calling his name as the officer led her away. He could smell her perfume, and see the pathetic sheen of ice trying to spread out around her. She had been trying to protect him, and he left her there, sobbing. His hands were shaking, tears welling up in his eyes once more.

He pulled his phone out, dialing Dabi’s number.

He had made everything worse. He had made everything so much worse.

Chapter Text

Shouto POV

The phone rang and rang and rang. Shouto had almost given up on his brother answering when he finally heard what sounded like a yawn on the other side.

“I don’t know which book I put it in Shou,” Dabi mumbled into the phone. His voice was rough, and it sounded like Shouto must have woken him up out of a dead sleep despite it being almost noon. Another yawn, and a barely audible “was years ago…”

“Dabi…” Shouto choked out with a half-sob. He had been determined not to cry, his facade crumbling the moment he heard his brothers voice. He was so glad he had called Dabi instead of Kai. The golden-eyed man had been so focused on helping to make Shouto stronger, that he couldn’t stand the thought of Kai hearing him so upset. So emotional. He hated even being this upset. He just wanted to be as cool and calculating as Dabi and Kai always were. Since he had met them, he had never seen them cry, not even once.

“Shouto?” Dabi’s voice changed. Still tired, but concerned.

“I’m… fuck,” Shouto cursed, looking around. “I wasn’t sure who- who else to… call.” His voice was broken up through sobs, and he pulled his knees up to his chest, taking deep breaths and trying to calm himself down. He probably looked insane, sitting on the sidewalk in the middle of a random road. There was a large fence right behind him, and the other side of the road had a large cherry tree in front of an older house. He recognized the area now; he hadn’t even made it as far from the Todoroki mansion as he thought.

“Are you… crying?” Dabi asked. “What is going on? Are you ok?”

“I saw her, Dabi,” Shouto replied, scrubbing at his eyes. Thank god that the street was quiet. Not much chance of having any damn nosy assholes out snapping pictures of him.

“You saw who?”

“Mom,” Shouto said, the word breaking into a sob. “I saw Mom again.”

The phone went silent. Shouto could barely make out Dabi’s breathing over his own.

“Where?” Dabi finally asked, the word so quiet that Shouto almost missed it.

“She was at the… at the mansion,” Shouto replied. “Enji must have moved her back in. When I went to—” Shit. His voice sounded so thick, he wasn’t even sure if Dabi could understand him. He swallowed, taking a few deep breaths. “When I went to go get that bracelet, I didn’t know… and I, um. I, um… I went upstairs to see if any of my… any of my stuff was still, there. Ya know? I didn’t know, and than I heard her voice. I should have… I should have left. But I didn’t. I stayed, and Dabi she isn’t ok! I fucked up. I fucked up so bad… I just… fuck… I didn’t know who to c-call…”

“Shouto you need to relax and take a few deep breaths before you have a panic attack,” Dabi replied. Shouto could hear shuffling on the other side of the phone. “I need you to follow my instructions, can you do that?”

“Yeah,” Shouto mumbled as he looked around hurriedly, still worrying about anyone else being around. He tried to steady his breathing as he nodded his head, despite the fact that Dabi couldn’t even see him. He cursed his trembling hands as he adjusted the phone.

“Good. I am just going to help you catch your breath. I want you to breath in and hold it… Four. Five. Six. And breathe out… Three. Four. Five. Six. Breathe in and hold it… Four. Five. Six. Breathe out… Three. Four. Five. Six.”

Shouto followed Dabi’s instruction, closing his eyes and focusing on his brother’s voice as he walked him through the exercise at least a dozen times. He clutched his knees closer to his chest, breathing in time to Dabi’s voice until he could feel himself relaxing. He could feel his heart rate slowly returning to normal.

Finally, he felt better. Sort of. At least enough to not break down into tears.

“I… I think I’m good,” Shouto finally said, glancing around once more to make sure that he was still alone.

“Good,” Dabi replied. “Now let’s try that one more time. What is going on?” He didn’t sound very tired at all now, and Shouto could hear the sound of dishes clinking in the background. Probably making coffee if Shouto had to guess.

“Enji moved Mom back into the mansion,” Shouto began again, his voice much steadier now. “I didn’t realize it. When I broke in to get that bracelet, I, um… I decided to see if my playstation was still up in my room. But when I got to the main floor and I heard her voice, I just… froze up. I was trying to decide what to do when this awful woman walked out and saw me, and than, um, Mom walked out and…”

Shouto went quiet. He could feel himself trying to get upset again. He could still hear her voice crying out for him.

“I hadn’t seen her in over ten years, Dabi…” he whispered, hoping his brother could hear him. “I think I might have upset her.”

Dabi didn’t reply for a moment. Long enough that Shouto was beginning to wonder if his brother had heard him.

“You really saw her?” Dabi asked, his voice strained.

“Yeah,” Shouto replied. “But she isn’t the same. She was so…” He clenched his fists, he was angry. Frustrated. Torn. He had upset her so much, had made things worse. But she had deserved to know. If Shouto was in her place, he would want someone to tell him. “He is keeping her so medicated, Dabi. It was like talking to a ghost. She has no idea what’s happened in the past few years. No idea at all. She didn’t even know you had gone missing! Or that I had been arrested, or dropped out of UA, or anything. They told her the abuse allegations were lies! Lies! Fuck! I fucking hate him. I HATE him!”

He blinked back the angry tears threatening at the corners of his eyes. He was not going to cry again.

“That’s how she has been for years, Shouto,” Dabi said. “She suffered from depression as a girl, but after she met Enji, he pushed her to the edge. Drove her crazy. He was as toxic to her as he was to the rest of us, but she had been in love with him... Think about it. When she broke down and hurt you, he shipped her off, like some kind of possession that had out-grown its use. He had you. He didn’t need her anymore. And he kept her drugged up so that she wouldn’t fight it, or make a scandal. So that she wouldn’t try to come back.”

“You knew…” Shouto whispered, not sure if it was a statement or an accusation. “You used to go see her. She told me that you used to sneak in and see her when she was in the hospital. You’ve known this whole time what he was doing to her. Why didn’t you…” Shouto broke off. Dabi and her used to be so close. How could he just walk away from her like that? Why didn’t he tell Shouto sooner?

“I wasn’t just sneaking in to see her, Shou,” Dabi replied. Shouto could hear the irritation in his voice. Yeah, he definitely took it as an accusation. But if he knew… “People can’t just sneak in to hospitals like that. I signed in like every other fucking visitor. I went and saw mom, because neither Natsuo or Fuyumi were willing to defy Enji’s wishes and you were too young to understand that we should. It drove Enji crazy. He and I fought about it so many times, but it didn’t matter because she needed someone. She deserved to see pictures of us, and to hear all the stories about the crazy stuff we all got up to. She deserved to hear all the things that she should have gotten to see firsthand. She is our mother.”

“But than you just walked away…” Shouto retorted. It was a horrible, shitty thing to say. He was lashing out at the only person he could.

“Are you fucking kidding me, Shouto!” Dabi screamed. "Walk away?! Don't you dare try to put this on me! I was the only person who even tried to help her! You haven't been eight years old this whole time, Shouto! What have you done for her?!"

Shouto went quiet. Shit. His hand clenched around his phone. He could hear the crackling hiss of Dabi’s quirk at work through the line, probably fucking up his phone.

Dabi was right. At least he tried...

"Dabi, I'm sorry," Shouto choked out. He felt like he had been slapped. How many times he had thought about going to see her and never followed through.

"No. Shit," Dabi groaned. "I didn't mean to yell. The only person who is at fault is Enji. You know why I walked away. I didn't have a choice."

Enji had threatened to kill her if Dabi came back. Dabi had told him that the night they reunited. After today, the threat made so much more sense. Even as a boy, Dabi had never been afraid to stand up to Endeavor. Even threatening to kill Dabi may not have been enough to keep him away. But if Enji knew that his brother had been going to see mom, if he knew how much she meant to Dabi...

"I know," Shouto replied. There was no end to the depths Enji would sink to in order to get his way.

"This is going to sound cruel," Dabi said, his voice low and serious, "but there isn't anything we can do for her right now."

"There has to be something!" Shouto countered. "She asked to come with us, Dabi! We could get out of there! Kai would help us, I know he would!"

"Yeah, he might be able to. But where would she stay?" Dabi replied. "With you and Kai? With me in my tiny one-bedroom apartment and a price on my head? You know how dangerous our lives our Shouto. I mean, fuck, you should know better than anyone. She is in her forties, pregnant, and has spent almost a decade under 24 hour care and probably the strongest anti-depressants on the market. We can't give her the help she needs, not without putting her life at risk."

"We can't just leave her there!" Shouto exclaimed.

"I didn't say we wouldn't do anything," Dabi interrupted before he could continue. "But we need to make it the right thing, not some half-assed spur of the moment plan because we are upset. Your impulsive behavior is going to get you killed if you aren't careful.”

“I just…” Shouto knew what Dabi was saying made sense. But he hated the idea of just leaving her there. “I don’t want to just leave her like that.”

“We will figure it out, Shou,” Dabi replied.

Shouto sighed, watching as a car passed by. The person in the passenger seat gawked at him the whole time they passed by. Dabi was right. There wasn’t anything that he could do right now.

“I got the bracelet,” Shouto replied, changing the subject. “There was also some pictures with it that I thought you might want back.”

“Give the pictures to Hawks too,” Dabi replied, without missing a beat.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I don’t want to see them.” Dabi said. “But I think it might help to convince Hawks to follow the instructions I left in the letter. Do you think that you could get it to him by Saturday? Kai is less than patient.”

“Yes. I will get it to him by Saturday.” Shouto replied. He was going to take it over today. He had decided as much this morning, and he was determined to see it through no matter what. He was less than enthusiastic about seeing the winged hero, besides, his day was already complete shit. He might as well just get it over with.

“I owe you one,” Dabi said, and Shouto could almost hear the suggestive smirk in his voice.

“Yes you fucking do,” Shouto replied, pushing himself up and adjusting his backpack as he started to walk toward the bus stop. “And I won’t forget it.”

* * * * * *

Bakugou POV

"Bakugou, I need you to stay after class for a few minutes today," Aizawa announced, almost as if it was a last minute thought thrown in only three damn minutes before they were finally supposed to be free from class for the day. Fuck. He was probably in for another lecture about his attitude. He was trying, alright! It wasn't his fault that his classmates could be so damn annoying. And it definitely wasn’t his fault that Dunceface had been particularly dense today. Seriously?! They were studying to be heroes and he left his damn shoes untied during training! He tripped during warm-up and took both Bakugou and Sero out with him. He deserved to get chewed out.

"Tch... Whatever," he begrudgingly agreed. Not that he really had a fucking choice. Never mind that he already had plans to kick Shitty Hair's ass at Grand Theft Auto.

Aizawa nodded. Bakugou could practically feel Deku's eyes boring into the back of his head; the nerds curiosity was fucking palpable.

"Don't forget to read Chapter 14 of 'The Evolution of Hero Ethics in Japan'” Aizawa drawled. “and answer the questions at the end of the chapter. Be prepared to discuss those answers with the class tomorrow. Class dismissed."

Bakugou slammed the book shut... Gently. Mostly gently. At least he didn't think anyone heard it over the horrid chatter that erupted the moment Aizawa dismissed them. He shoved it into his backpack, a familiar tap on his shoulder.

He ground his teeth together, before turning around and glaring at the younger teen behind him.

"What the fuck do you want, Deku?" Bakugou growled. The greenette didn't even flinch, smiling at him. He seemed to have forgiven Bakugou for using him to make icy-hot jealous. They were getting along slightly better, Deku had been particularly attentive in the weeks after Todoroki's trial. Almost annoyingly attentive.

"Do you want to go out for ramen after you're done talking to Aizawa, Kacchan?" Deku chirped. "We could get the assignment done together, and than stop by the comic shop and pre-order the new All Might comic that is releasing next week. They are only releasing a limited number of comics, and only 500 in Musutafu! If we don't pre-order—"

"I have plans with shitty-hair," Bakugou interrupted him before he could get distracted with some sideline tangent. Although the comic shop was tempting. He was hoping to pre-order the comic as well.

"Oh," the greenette replied, his shoulders slumping almost imperceptibly.

As if summoned, Kirishima appeared by the desk.

"Ooh, blasty's in trouble," the red-head teased. "Gotta talk ta teach!"

"I will fucking kill you if you don't shut the fuck up," Bakugou snarled lowly, so Aizawa had no chance of over-hearing.

"That attitude is probably what Aizawa-Sensei wants to talk to you about, grumpy!" Mina chimed in, also appearing out of nowhere to worm her way underneath her boyfriend's arm. Shitty hair laughed, flashing a sharp-toothed grin as Bakugou glared even more.

"Hey Kirishima! Mina!" Deku chirped. He sounded super cheerful, though Bakugou guessed he was pretty bummed about being turned down for lunch. Whatever. He could go with the rest of his fucking dork-squad. Maybe he could even convince Deku to pre-order a copy for him too.

“Alright students,” Aizawa interrupted them. “I asked for Bakugou to stay after class, not all of you.”

Deku stiffened up, jumping up from his desk and bowing quickly.

“I’m sorry Aizawa-Sensei!” Deku blathered as he bowed. “I was just about to go, I promise!”

“We’re headed out too!” Kirishima said, smiling over at the professor as he stepped away from the desk. “Just call me once you are back at the dorms, man. I’m gonna start warming up so that I can kick your ass!”

“Language, Kirishima,” Aizawa chastised him, as Bakugou smirked. It was about time someone else got in trouble for swearing around this place. Everyone thought it was all him.

“Sorry, Sensei!” Kirishima apologized sheepishly, grabbing Mina’s arm and hurrying toward the door. “It won’t happen again!” They ducked quickly out the door, Deku right behind them with another ridiculously over-dramatic bow.

Aizawa waited patiently as the door swung closed behind them, before going over and picking up an envelope off his desk.

“Now Bakugou, I am sure that you are aware that many of your peers have received offers to intern with different hero agencies.”

“Yeah,” Bakugou grumbled. Yeah, he was well aware. Everyone was well aware. Everyone passed the provisional exam except him, and now they were going to get experience with a real agency, and he was going to be behind the rest of them. The very idea of it pissed him off to no end.

It didn’t matter.

He was still going to become number one.

“Well,” Aizawa continued, pretty much ignoring him. “I have been asked to speak with you today, as there is an agency who has made an offer to you for an internship opportunity.”

“What?” Bakugou sat up straighter, intrigued. “But I don’t even have my provisional license.”

“This internship would have a few requirements for it to remain valid,” Aizawa answered. “Such as the completion of the remedial training, and subsequent license testing. Failure to acquire a license at the next session would render the internship null and void. Until then, you would primarily be helping with paperwork.”

“Tch,” Bakugou turned up his nose. An internship to do paperwork. Sounds like an agencies attempt to get a bunch of grunt-work done for free.

“You should consider yourself extremely lucky to be offered any internship. I have never seen an agency make an offer to a student without a license before. Sure you would start off doing paperwork, but once you have your license, you would be getting hands-on experience with one of the best agencies in the entire city.” Aizawa set the envelope on the desk, leaving his hand on it so that Bakugou couldn’t just grab it. “Before you look at it, I want you to know I made a copy. So blowing it up won’t do you any good.”

Blow it up? Why the fuck would he blow it—

Aizawa moved his hand, the symbol for the Endeavor Agency was stamped over the front.

Bakugou stared, confusion slowly turning to anger.

“Is this some kind of a fucking joke?!” He snapped, standing up to get on the same level as Aizawa as he glared at him. “I thought you were talking about Jeanist’s agency. Or Hawks’ Agency. Or any damn agency but this one! Endeavor is a fucking family abusing prick, and he knows that I know it! He ripped Todoroki out of my fucking bed and slapped him around right in front of me, and he expects me to accept an internship with him?!”

Aizawa flinched. Damn right, he better fucking flinch. Just because the domestic violence charges were dropped by the courts did not mean that Bakugou had forgotten seeing the mans abuse firsthand.

“I don’t like the man either,” Aizawa replied, his mouth twisted distastefully. “The behavior you witnessed was inexcusable for any man, let alone one of the cities top heroes. But I still think you should consider this offer before turning them down. The truth is that it likely wasn’t even Endeavors idea to offer you an internship. His agency offered internships to Midorya and Yaoyorozu as well; all three of the students impacted by Todoroki’s trial. It’s a form of community service in the agencies eyes. Which means your direct interaction with Endeavor himself is going to be limited, at best. But you have a known temper, and your failure at the exam, regardless of extenuating circumstances, does not look favorable. This may be the only internship offer you receive this year.”

Bakugou gawked, his hands beginning to sweat.

There is no way that Deku and Tits accepted internships at that agency! Deku was interning with Nighteye, for fucks sake!

“How can you stand in front of me, after sitting at that damn trial, and tell me I should accept this.” Bakugou snarled.

“Because there isn’t a clean agency in this city, Bakugou,” Aizawa dead-panned.

“What?”

“It’s the truth. The ugly truth.” Aizawa replied, leaning against the desk. “Obviously I believe that heroes can make a difference in this city, otherwise I wouldn’t be in the position that I am today. I didn’t become a teacher because I wanted it, I became a teacher because I recognized the corruption. The next generation of heroes is going to face a lot of challenges, and the problems in the system are going to be the biggest of those. The biggest difference I can make is teaching a generation of students that I believe will stand up against the corruption. Even than, some of your peers will fail. Their behaviors will mimic the same poor judgment of their predecessors. There is not an agency in this city that doesn’t have their Endeavor. Some are just more obvious than others. But if you are serious about becoming the number one hero, and I hope you are serious about it, than accepting an internship at the current number one hero’s agency is a step in the right direction. You can’t fight the corruption in the system by refusing to join the system.”

"You don't really understand how far gone hero society is. You follow the rules to get in. You follow the rules once you are in to make it big. You accept a little help here and there. And by the time you are in a position that can make a difference, you'll be too deep to see the problem anymore. In the Yakuza, I won't have rules like that. I can make a difference from the beginning." Icy-hots words played in his head. That had been one of the last things that Todoroki said to him. At the time he had told himself the other teen was just trying to justify his own stupid choice. But this felt so… wrong. Accepting an internship like this. He knew Aizawa wasn’t lying. The man didn’t lie. He didn’t try to sugarcoat things. And he was probably right. It was hard enough to get an internship by applying for one; this one had fallen into his lap.

Was this what Todoroki had meant? The rules to get in. More rules once he made it in.

But at the same time, Todoroki had chosen to side with the Yakuza. As if he had any moral high ground to judge Bakugou. Bakugou did want to be a hero; the number one hero. He glared at the envelope, as if that was going to make a single bit of difference.

Icy-hot would never forgive him if he accepted that damn internship.

“Look,” Aizawa interrupted his musing, “you don’t have to decide right now. They are giving you until next Monday to make a decision. Take it home and talk to your parents. If you have any questions, I’m happy to sit down and talk to you about them.”

“Tch,” Bakugou grunted. “Like the old hag cares. She would tell me to stop being a baby and accept the damn internship.”

He snatched the envelope off the desk and shoved it into his backpack, not caring that it wrinkled the piece of shit offer. Then he slung his backpack over one shoulder, heading to the door.

“I know everything that happened with Todoroki was difficult,” Aizawa added, still facing the window, as Bakugou neared the door. He paused before pushing it open. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear anymore. “Being at that trial wasn’t easy, especially knowing that I was one of the teachers who voted to suspend him from UA. I let him down, and I will have to live with that mistake. The system failed Todoroki again and again, and by the time we saw how deep he was in, it was too late.”

Aizawa stood up, turning toward him.

“Now we have lost a valuable future hero.” Aizawa added, as Bakugou half-watched him out of the corner of his eyes. “I don’t want to lose two because of what happened to him. I know that you are angry. But when you make your final decision, just remember that The Endeavor Agency is not just Endeavor. You want to make a difference? This might be the best way to make that happen. Todoroki was slotted to eventually take Endeavor’s spot as the number one hero. Neither Midorya or Yaoyorozu accepted an internship. You had better believe that slot is open now. Endeavor can’t hold that spot for almost twenty years until his new child, if they are even capable of being a hero, is able to take over. Endeavor may be strong, but his ethics are lacking. Someone is going to have to take his place before that. And you can guarantee that Endeavor will work damn hard to make sure it is a hero from his agency, at the very least. Imagine the difference you could make if you were the number one hero, Bakugou.”

Bakugou stood at the door for a few moments, letting the words sink in. He hated them, and he hated how damn tempting the man made it sound.

“I will think about it, Aizawa-Sensei,” Bakugou finally replied, opening the door and stepping out quickly, before the man could say anything else.

Then Deku popped up in his damn face out of fucking nowhere and nearly scared the shit out of him. Bakugou responded by shoving the greenette away, who barely managed to catch his balance against the lockers before he ended up on his damn ass. Bakugou’s heart raced. Served him fucking right. What the hell was he thinking?! Jumping up in Bakugou’s face like that. Deku was lucky he hadn’t blown his ass to hell!

“What in the fucking hell, Deku?!” Bakugou snapped, trying to slow his heart rate down with a few deep breaths.

Bakugou’s reaction seemed to have thrown Deku off too. He pushed himself back up to stand quickly.

“I-I’m sorry, Kacchan!” Deku apologized. “I didn’t mean to scare you!”

“Tch,” Bakugou sneered, re-adjusting his backpack and walking away without a word. Of course Deku didn’t take the hint that he wanted some fucking time to think without any extras fucking gabbing away, or filling every second of silence between them with an incessant nervous muttering. He just really wasn’t in the mood for Deku’s the sun shines outta’ my fucking ass attitude. Not today.

“I thought maybe you would want someone to walk back to the dorms with,” Deku laughed nervously, apparently finally realizing what a bad mood he was in. They walked in a thick, awkward silence all the way through the halls and out the main doors. “The Endeavor Agency did offer me an internship too,” Deku finally said, so quietly that it took a moment for Bakugou to process the words.

Than once he did, he was fucking pissed.

“You were eavesdropping?!” Bakugou practically screamed, turning, a fist in the air aimed directly for the greenette’s face as he berated the younger teen. “What fucking gives, DEKU?!” Just because they had been getting along slightly better didn’t give him any right to get involved with Bakugou’s business.

“I didn’t mean too!” Deku defended himself, but, to his credit, he didn’t flinch at the physical threat of Bakugou’s fist. “You and Aizawa were both really loud! It was hard not to overhear what you were talking about!”

Bakugou growled in his face, fucking pissed at him. But he was probably right. He had practically been yelling at Aizawa.

He stalked off, praying that Deku would get the hint this time and leave him the fuck alone!

“Are you going to accept it?” Deku’s grating voice asked, about two seconds later as he jogged to catch back up with Bakugou.

“I don’t fucking know, OK!” Bakugou snapped. “I can’t stand the thought of working under that asshole.” He got quiet for a minute, and amazingly, Deku gave him a second to collect his thoughts. He breathed, finally deciding that if he was stuck having this conversation, he might as well take advantage of it. Deku was the only person who was even more affected by all of halfie’s bullshit than even Bakugou was. If anyone could understand, it would be him. “You didn’t accept it.”

“No,” Deku agreed. “But I had already been interviewed by the Nighteye Agency, and I just knew I was going to make it in. Mirio was certain of it, and so I trusted him. If I hadn’t had that, I might have. I mean, it’s just an internship. It’s not a full contract.”

“It’s not just any fucking internship,” Bakugou retorted, finally admitting the one thing that bothered him most. “It was his internship.”

He better fucking know who Bakugou was talking about. He didn’t feel like explaining it to the other teen if he didn’t. This internship was supposed to go to Todoroki. The entire city knew it was supposed to go to him. Hell, there had been entire magazine articles and social media campaigns advertising Endeavor’s intent to put Icy-hot into his agency. And now it was being offered to Bakugou, Todoroki’s fucking cast-off boyfriend. Like some kinda fucking pity-apology bullshit. Everyone would know it.

Todoroki would fucking know it. And he would hate Bakugou for accepting it.

“But Shouto isn’t here to take it,” Deku replied quietly.

Bakugou didn’t answer. He didn’t want to answer. He wasn’t really in the mood for anything. He just needed something to distract him for a bit. He had until Monday to decide about the internship anyway.

“You still wanna hit up the comic shop?” Bakugou replied, knowing it was a pathetically veiled attempt at changing the subject. Hoping that for once in Deku’s god-damn gotta stick my nose in everyone else’s business life, the other teen would just let it be. “If you want ramen, though, it better be your fucking treat.”

Deku immediately perked up, his entire face lighting up in a smile.

“I thought you were hanging out with Kirishima today?” Deku replied hesitantly.

“Tch. He left with Mina. They are probably tits out, rolling around on his fucking bed right about now.” Bakugou replied, amused by the immediate blush that jumped to Midorya’s face. There was a pretty good chance of that being accurate anyway. He lived in the room right next to the red-head, much to his fucking dismay. He had pretty quickly invested in a good pair of noise-reducing head-phones. “I may be an asshole, but I’m no cock-blocker. Besides, he isn’t buying ramen.”

“Yes!” Deku jumped up and down.

“Don’t fucking do that,” Bakugou glanced around. Leave it to the nerd to act as completely uncool as fucking possible. “Can’t you just pretend to be a normal person for like one afternoon?”

“I heard that the first 100 people to pre-order will be entered into a drawing for a limited edition signed poster of the cover of All Might’s first comic appearance!” Deku had stopped jumping, but he could barely contain the excitement in his voice. The fucking nerd.

“Don’t you already have a signed copy of that poster?” Bakugou replied. The dork had so much All Might merch it was hard to keep track.

“Well, yeah,” Deku said, without skipping a beat. “But if I won a second one, than I would have one for my room at home and one for my dorm!”

Bakugou shook his head. If either of them won, obviously he would get the poster because he didn’t even have one.

“Whatever,” Bakugou replied, sighing heavily. Yeah, he just needed a distraction for a little while. “Just try to keep your nerdgasm under control once we hit the fucking comic shop.”

Deku blushed even harder. Of course he did.

“Only if you promise to get a picture with me in front of the All Might cardboard cut-out,” Deku countered confidently.

Bakugou glanced over, scrutinizing him. Was the damn nerd trying to black-mail him? For a fucking nerd-themed selfie?

Since when did the comic shop even have an All Might cardboard cut-out?

“It’s life-size…” Deku sing-songed, apparently his attempt to make it sound more appealing. “And he is wearing his golden-age uniform, from after the fight with The Pillager, when he had to replace one of his broken bracers with that piece of red bent metal he ripped off of a car so that he could continue fighting!”

Ok. That was kind-of cool. That was a super rare issue, and merch for that costume was almost impossible to come by.

“One picture,” Bakugou replied, trying not to show much interest. He didn’t need to encourage Deku’s fanboying. The greenette was perfectly capable of freaking out over comic shit enough for three people.

“YES!” Deku squealed.

“Don’t let it go to your fucking head,” Bakugou replied. “This is a one-time thing. I ain’t gonna start nerding the fuck out with you everyday.”

Deku smiled, motioning for them to cut through an alley next to the school. He pulled out his phone to text Shitty-hair as he followed the greenette to the shop. He snagged Deku’s arm when the younger teen stopped to glance at a picture of an ice-cream advertisement on the outside of a cafe.

“Hurry the fuck up, slowpoke,” Bakugou chided him. “You want to be one of the first hundred people, don’t you?”

Chapter Text

Hawks POV

Takami was having a really shitty week. Honestly, a shitty month. Few months. He didn’t even bother trying to track it anymore. His life had gotten a hundred times more complicated since he had stumbled across Midorya Izuku and Toga. As a hero, he was grateful that he had found Midorya when he did. The boy was bleeding badly enough from his head that he might have died, or suffered from some lingering effects if it had taken too long to discover him.

But a part of him was angry. Angry that Shigaraki had chosen for Takami to be the hero to discover them.

“He even planned it out to have it be Hawks that found him, because he said you wouldn’t get involved if Hawks was!”

Takami could hear Toga’s words on repeat in his head. He had watched that video a dozen times at least, trying to figure out any clues to help him understand where Dabi might have disappeared too. He glanced at the mugshot on his desk; at Dabi’s smug, smiling face. The asshole didn’t look the least bit concerned that he was being arrested. In fact, he almost looked like he had gotten dressed up for the occasion. The arrogant fuck.

Takami subconsciously traced over the rose tattoos with his finger, recalling the last time he had seen Touya, before he had disappeared. It felt like a lifetime ago. The other man’s face had been so badly burnt, so mutilated. Takami was surprised as much of his skin healed as it did. Like this, you could barely see the hints of scarring underneath the tattoos; most people probably wouldn’t even notice the scars were even there. And his piercings… so many piercings. The dark make-up. The black finger-nails. The black hair. It felt so fitting and so wrong all at the same time. This man was not the person he dated in college. “You should forget about Touya, Hawks. He isn’t the same person anymore. Everything that he went through, it… changed him.” He hadn’t believed Shouto when he had told him that, but he believed it now. This person was a criminal. A villain. A murderer. The thought of him made Takami sick. Made him want to see Dabi end up behind bars were he belonged.

But there was also something else… something intriguing. This new look seemed so natural for Dabi. Even when Takami had seen him for questioning at the prison. There was something about him that Takami just couldn’t stop thinking about. He didn’t even realize it until he saw the other man in person. Even the video hadn’t really been enough to prepare Takami for the allure that the other man still had over him. He had denied it to Dabi’s face, but the truth was that Takami wanted more. He wanted everything that the other man had teased at. He wanted Dabi.

And surely, if Shigaraki had chosen Takami so that Dabi wouldn't get involved, there had to be a reason. More than just hate. There had to be something there... Something that Dabi felt as well.

Although, looking at the mess Dabi had caused this weekend, Takami wasn’t feeling quite so certain about the other man’s feelings for him. The Hawks’ agency was offering a fairly hefty reward for verifiable information regarding Dabi. It was a desperate measure, but the villain had been so quiet in the weeks after his escape that Takami was beginning to wonder if he had left Japan altogether. Even that had yielded no results. Than on Sunday the first call to claim the reward finally came through.

The woman, a Mrs. Sakai, had been nice, even if she did seem a bit ruffled. Embarrassed, if Takami's observations were right. Her hair was pulled into a sloppy braid, and she was wearing long pants, long sleeves, and a scarf; rather unusual for how warm the weather was.

But she invited him in, and Takami had accepted. Although it did seem like an unusual place for Dabi to pop up out of the blue.

“Before we begin, I am required by law to inform you that the reward being offered in exchange for information regarding the whereabouts of Todoroki Touya, also known as Dabi, is only valid if you have physical proof that your information is truthful. Otherwise everyone would call in. I hope you understand. Do you have any proof that Dabi was here today?”

The woman nodded, her cheeks taking on a faint pink color.

“Yes. Do you want me to give it to you now?” She asked, not quite meeting his eye.

“Lets start with the basics, Mrs. Sakai,” Takami began. “I need a brief summary of your exchange with Dabi. The more details you can provide, the better. We will be utilizing this information in an attempt to locate the whereabouts of Dabi, not in an attempt to file criminal charges against our witnesses.” Drugs. Takami had a feeling that Dabi’s visit today must have something to do with drugs. Given the area, and the man’s past, it was the most likely scenario.

Not to mention that the woman was quite thin, and dressed up like it was the middle of winter. Both potential indicators of drug use.

“Miss Sakai,” she had corrected him with a sad smile. “My husband died in the Musutafu City Prison. Dabi reached out to me a few days ago. Well, I didn’t know it was him at the time. He said he was a friend of my husbands from prison, and that he had something for me that belonged to my husband. He wanted to give it to me.”

“He contacted you?” Takami verified. “How?”

“He called me,” She answered, hesitantly.

“Can you provide me with the number he called from?” Takami asked, although he knew it would be a dead end. The other man would certainly have used a public phone, or a burner phone. But he might as well cover all his bases.

She nodded.

“And than you invited the man, a stranger, to come here to your apartment?”

“Yeah,” She nodded, flushing darker this time. “I know how it must sound. I know it was really stupid. I can’t imagine what you must think of me. But I… I just wanted closure. My husband… he killed himself. And I still don’t understand why. He didn’t leave a note. I didn’t even know that he was suicidal! So when this man said he had something of his, I thought that maybe, whatever it was…” She wiped at her eyes, looking down. “I thought it might help me somehow.”

Hawks doubted that Dabi and this guy were actually friends. Dabi had been in the prison less than a week. Not enough time to really make friends. He was going to have to look into Mr. Sakai. This guy commits suicide in the same week that the tattooed villain was in that prison, and Dabi decides to visit his house only a few weeks after his escape. Takami isn’t naive. It was too far-fetched to be a coincidence, and he doubted it had anything to do with his widow. There had to be something else that had lured Dabi here.

“He was wearing a motorcycle helmet when he first arrived, so I didn’t recognize him until he was inside.” She continued. “By the time that I realized who he was…” She had hesitated, trying to find a good excuse for having allowed him inside.

“It’s alright,” Takami reassured her. “I know the situation was complicated. Why don’t you tell me what he brought to you.”

She nodded, walking over and picking something up off the table.

“He returned this picture to me.” Sakai replied, handing it to Takami. “It’s a picture I gave my husband right before he went to jail. I thought it had been lost after his death. I was really surprised to see it.” The picture was of Sakai and who Takami assumed was her late husband on their wedding day. He turned it over. On the back was a hand-written note and a combination of some sort.

“Did he say why he brought it to you?”

“He said that a picture of someone so beautiful didn’t belong in the garbage,” She replied quietly, almost affectionately.

She blushed again. Touya was charming, so it stood to reason that Dabi was as well. Even if he had been a complete asshole when Takami had seen him at the prison. But Takami was not liking the feeling that was beginning to form in the back of his mind.

The picture was an excuse. Dabi preferred being with men over women. At least, Touya had. Despite what the video of Dabi and Toga implied, Takami had clung onto the fact that it was all a part of the act to help set Shouto free. After all, the video had also implied that Dabi would enjoy Toga transforming into Shouto for sexual reasons. And Takami knew that even Dabi would never go that far.

“Did you guys talk about anything else?” Takami asked stiffly. “Did he ask you about the combination written on the back of this picture?”

“We talked about my husband, mostly.” Sakai answered. “He didn’t like the League of Villains. We talked about the fact that my husband wasn’t the most… attentive to me. He never asked about the combination.” Her voice had taken on a definite note of sadness. “I didn’t even think about the fact that my husband kept a small safe in the apartment until a few hours later, after Dabi had left. I didn’t have the combination until he brought it to me. But when I checked the safe after he left, all that was inside was a small pile of ash.”

“He was here for a few hours? Why did he stay for so long?” Takami had known it was a mistake the moment he asked. He really should have been more concerned about the safe that Dabi had most likely pilfered.

Sakai had blushed again, much deeper this time.

“We were having sex.”

Takami had left the apartment as quickly as possible after that. Not quickly enough for his liking, though. Considering that he still had to go in and get pictures of the safe; deal with the fact that the entire room still smelled like sex. Dabi’s sex. And that Sakai’s scarf kept slipping as she showed Takami the safe, and holy shit, Dabi had not been gentle with this poor woman. Seeing those marks made it exceedingly difficult to not think about what Touya’s mouth had felt like when they were together. And that the bed was still ruffled from where the two of them had…

To make matters worse, she hadn’t even known what was in the safe to begin with. So Takami had no idea what had actually drawn Dabi to the apartment to begin with. Surely Dabi had known there was a good chance that this woman would call and report this encounter, and that it would be Takami that would end up taking the report. It almost felt like the other man was literally giving him the middle finger.

When Takami had finally left, he was done. Sakai’s ‘proof’ that it had, in fact, been Dabi at her apartment was a ziploc bag with a disgusting tissue inside that was supposedly covered in the other man’s cum.

Of course, he didn’t actually have the luxury of being done with the report. He still had to get the DNA sample tested (it had come back as a match, which had irritated Takami all over again), and he had to look into Sakai’s husband’s suicide at the hospital. Which was the exact pictures and reports he had on his desk at this moment.

The fact that anyone had labeled this as a suicide was clearly a cover-up of some sort, although Takami had yet to figure out by who. But the other prisoner had had his face smashed in on a shower knob. Coincidentally, on the very same night that Dabi had been put into the prison. Not only that, but the prison logs had notated a physical altercation between the two earlier that same day. Although there was no hard evidence to say Dabi was guilty, Hawks was almost certain that he had to have been involved, if not directly responsible for the murder.

Takami’s phone rang, interrupting his thoughts.

"This is Hawks," he answered, a tad more impatiently than he intended. But he had really hoped for a day to sort through this mess.

"Sir, you have a Mr. Todoroki Shouto here—”

“It’s just Shouto,” Takami heard Shouto growl from the other line, interrupting his secretary, Phiti.

Shouto? Out of anyone that might have visited today, Shouto was one of the last people he would have expected.

“I’m sorry,” He heard her say, her voice muffled. “Sir, you have a Mr. Shouto here to see you. He says he has information for you in regards to the Dabi investigation. Would you like me to send him up now? Or should I set up an appointment for him to return another day?”

“Send him up,” Takami replied, putting the phone back down on the receiver. He tapped on the desk a few times, pursing his lips as he surveyed the file spread out before him. He really wished that Shouto had called first, given him a bit of time to think about how this conversation might go. Technically, leaving a confidential file like this open for a potential witness was… unethical. However, especially considering how this might be his only opportunity to question Shouto in regards to this case, having the pictures and evidence open like this might just spark an actual conversation.

He had, of course, tried to contact Shouto a few times since the trial. Being his brother, his room-mate prior to the arrest, and the person Dabi had gone to prison for in the first place, Hawks was sure that Shouto could almost certainly lead Takami straight to Dabi. But the phone number that Shouto had left with the courts wasn’t even his; it belonged to his boyfriend, Chisaki. Which meant that every attempt had been a semi-awkward message asking the man to ask Shouto to call him. And chances, honestly, were that Shouto wasn’t getting those messages.

At least, he almost hoped so. The other alternative is that Shouto had received the messages, and had simply ignored them.

Takami did not trust Chisaki at all. Despite what he had done for Shouto, the man was practically a ghost. There was almost no information available about him; and what little he had found out showed that he worked for the Okimoto Corporation, which was a front building for the Yakuza. Not that many agencies were willing to put forth the resources to prove it, let alone have it shut down. But the idea that Shouto was dating a member of the Yakuza did not sit well with Takami. Not at all.

A knock sounded on the door.

“Come in, Shouto,” Takami called out.

Takami adjusted his wings to get more comfortable as he leaned back against the chair. Shouto pushed open the door a few moments later, not quite meeting Takami’s eyes as he stepped inside.

“You arrived at a perfect time,” Takami greeted him, waiting for him to shut the door before motioning toward the seat across from him. “I was just looking over Dabi’s case.”

Takami hadn’t seen Shouto in person since the trial, and the difference was noticeable. Yes, he had changed a few things physically, with an undercut and all traces of his red hair dyed to black. But there was a bigger change in the way he carried himself. He carried himself differently, more… confidently. He also seemed super stressed. His hair was messed up, and his eyes were slightly puffy and rimmed with red.

“Well, it must be your lucky day,” Shouto replied gruffly, and he sounded like he was having as rough a day as Takami was. He took off a backpack, dropping down into the chair across from Takami, glancing with only a vague interest at the messy desk.

Takami wasn’t quite sure where to start. A part of him wanted to apologize to Shouto, but he didn’t feel like this was really the best timing for that. Everything that had happened in the trial had drastically changed the relationship between them. Especially the day he had gone in to ask Shouto where to find Dabi. He wasn’t sure that Shouto would even want to hear an apology. He wouldn’t care that Takami had only been trying to see justice served. He hadn’t wanted to press those charges against Shouto, but all evidence had led to that conclusion. Even when he had given Shouto a chance to provide evidence that what he said was true, Shouto had refused.

That left them at a very awkward impasse.

So he had decided to let Shouto take the lead once he felt comfortable. It seemed like the best option, especially considering that Takami wasn’t in a great mood at the moment. But after almost a full minute of silence stretched on, with Shouto just kind of staring at him, frowning, it became obvious that Shouto wasn’t going to take the lead.

“Is everything alright?” Takami finally took charge, not quite sure how to proceed.

“No,” Shouto sighed, looking up at Takami as he began to unzip his backpack. “I had a really fucking shit day, actually. You are still looking for information about my brother, right?”

Straight and to the point. It was clear that Shouto was apparently having the same kind of day as Takami was. Takami leaned forward, putting his chin on his hands, his elbows on the desk.

“You have spoken to him?” Takami asked, carefully. If Shouto was in a bad mood, he didn’t want to push him.

“I wouldn’t say that, exactly.” Shouto replied, reaching in to his backpack to pull out a handful of papers. “He did, however, leave a message for you at my apartment.” Shouto set the pile down on top of the mess on his desk. Takami glanced down at it, his heart lurching slightly as he recognized the pictures and bracelet. There was an envelope as well. Curiosity spiked through him, but he forced himself to look up from the items blankly. It would do no good for Shouto to see that Dabi’s message had any effect on him.

“So he brought you this to give to me, but you didn’t speak to him?”

“Not at length,” Shouto replied stiffly. Hawks could hear the hesitation in his answer. Shouto definitely knew more than he was letting on. “He called me on the phone, and told me he had a message for you. I’m happy to give you the phone number he called from, but I think we both know that would be a dead end.”

Takami nodded. He shifted his wings, feeling like the ache in his shoulders was worse than usual today. He reached over, picking up the ‘message’ from Dabi and moving it to the side of his desk.

“And this is the first time that you have spoken to Dabi since he escaped the prison?” Takami asked.

“I didn’t say that, did I?” Shouto replied, and the note of stubborn confidence in his voice was clear. “But if you think I know enough to help you find him, than you’re wrong.” Takami ground his jaw. He knew that Shouto was upset with him, but this almost felt like the teen was taunting him. He was not in the mood for games.

“We can’t know that for sure unless you tell me about those conversations,” Takami answered, working to keep his voice calm and neutral.

“We can,” Shouto said, not backing down, “because you and I both know that Dabi is only going to be found if he wants to be found. He lived in this city, right under both of our noses for four years without us knowing.”

“If you don’t have anything to hide, why not tell me about those conversations?” Takami struggled to keep the irritation out of his voice. Shouto had come here. To talk to him specifically about Dabi. There was no point in being so difficult. “It’s illegal not to disclose information in regards to an official investigation. At the least you could be charged with obstruction of justice, at the most you could be charged as an accomplice.”

“You can only charge me with that if this is part of the official investigation,” Shouto answered him smoothly. “Right now, I am merely coming in response to this agencies reward for information. You should be glad I came in at all. I could have just mailed it to you.”

“Than why didn’t you do that?” Takami retorted. He reached out and grabbed the picture of Sakai’s murder scene, putting it down in front of Shouto. “I know what he means to you, Shouto. But Dabi is still a dangerous criminal. He killed an innocent man in prison, Shouto. Cold-blooded murder.” Although it was a bit more complicated, Shouto didn’t need to know that.

Shouto glanced down at the picture. Takami knew it was gruesome. Sakai’s body hanging from a shower knob by his skull, blood and brains decorating the tile around him. Gruesome enough to be considered shock-tactics, honestly. Something that was frowned upon in heroics. But he needed Shouto to cooperate. And this was likely the only chance that he would have to speak to Shouto.

The teen’s eyes widened just slightly, giving away his surprise. Whatever else Shouto knew about his brother, Takami doubted he knew about this side of him.

“He wants to fuck you again,” Shouto finally replied, after a few minutes. It was a complete change of subject, catching Takami off-guard. His words were bitter and angry as he reached forward and pushed the picture back toward Takami. It was a diversion tactic, clear that Shouto didn’t want to discuss Dabi’s more brutal nature. Still, out of anything Shouto could have said… “That letter contains a time and a place. You should take advantage of the opportunity, because you aren’t going to find him otherwise.”

Shouto stood up suddenly, grabbing his backpack.

Takami followed suit.

“This isn’t about sex and you know it, Shouto,” Takami said. Shouto stopped, his shoulders tensing up as he did. “Dabi is just as dangerous as Shigaraki. I know that you know more than what you are telling me. Who broke him out of prison, Shouto? We know that it wasn’t the League.”

“Why do you think I would know anything about that?” Shouto replied without turning around.

“There have been rumors that you were at the prison that night,” Takami said. This was a desperate attempt. There weren’t actually rumors, although Endeavor had spoken to him at length about the prison break, and he had made numerous comments about that implied he thought Shouto was involved.

“Do you have enough evidence to charge me with being involved with breaking Dabi out of prison?” Shouto asked. His voice sounded cold. The fact that he didn’t blatantly deny it was proof enough to Takami that Shouto must have been involved somehow.”

“No,” Takami answered him honestly, although a part of him wanted to see where the conversation would go if he said yes. But he couldn’t blatantly lie to Shouto. But if Shouto was involved, it made sense that his boyfriend might be as well. Especially considering that Chisaki had nearly been arrested alongside Dabi. It was enough to confirm his suspicions that Dabi might be involved with the Yakuza. It also left the uncomfortable possibility that Shouto might also be involved with the gang.

“Bye Hawks. Have fun fucking a cold-blooded murderer.” Shouto replied as he opened the door, walking out without a word.

Takami stared as the door fell closed on itself. He curled his hands into fists, slamming them down on the desk in frustration.

“Fuck!” He cursed, glaring at the mess in front of him.

He ignored the bracelet, because he remembered the day that Touya had purchased it for him as a practical joke. It was during a school outing in their first year at UA, long before they had actually started dating. At first, he wore it as part of the joke, but as they got closer, he began to wear it for sentimental reasons. One day during second year, Touya had been teasing him about it. One thing had led to another, and Touya had kissed him behind a bookshelf in the library. Then he had touched him… The fact that they almost got caught, and that Touya had accidentally broken the bracelet in the incident, hadn’t mattered. What Takami didn’t know is that Touya had kept the bracelet… to this very day. He ignored the pictures too. They had been taken during a random outing to the mall, a few months before Endeavor had walked in and destroyed everything they had.

Instead, Takami focused on the envelope.

He couldn’t let himself get caught up in the past. As much as the idea of seeing Dabi… of having sex with him… sent a thrill of excitement through Takami, he needed to stay focused on the bigger picture.

He cursed the fact that his hands shook slightly as he opened the envelope, pulling at a piece of lined notebook paper. He unfolded it, noting the familiar scrawl on the page. The letter was much shorter than he had expected.

‘If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle… The opportunity of defeating the enemy is often provided by the enemy himself.’

Saturday. 11pm. Our spot.

Dabi

* * * * * *

Shouto POV

Shouto contained the urge to slam the door to Hawks office, opting to leave it hanging open behind him instead. He stalked out of the room, his hands shaking as he stopped in the hall just outside of the office, leaning his head back against the wall and trying to calm himself down. He shouldn’t have tried to come after everything that had happened this morning. He thought he could handle it; and now he was even more frustrated with himself for getting so worked up. He had told himself that he could pull off the same stoic facade that Kai so often wore like a second skin. Instead, every single word, every fucking accusation that Hawks made had felt like it cut straight through him. Insult to injury.

He had purposefully kept bringing up sore points for Shouto, even knowing that Shouto had had a shitty day. Even if he had no way of knowing quite how terrible his day really was going. The damn hero wanted to catch Dabi; well Shouto had practically hand-delivered his brother to him. And the man still had the audacity to ask for more.

To accuse him of with-holding information.

The fact that Hawks was right was beside the point. It also didn’t bode well for Shouto. Up until now, he was certain that his role in the prison-break had gone unnoticed, and definitely for the better. The only person that might have recognized him was…

Endeavor.

Which is probably where Hawks heard the rumor.

Fuck!

He was not looking forward to having to tell Okimoto about this conversation.

He ran a hand through his hair, irritated. He really needed to see Kai. The other man had a way of calming him, grounding him. Fucking him. Fucking him so well that it helped to ease whatever damn stress that Shouto was dealing with. Helped to take his mind off of all of the utter bullshit. He needed that. Biting his lip, Shouto sent a quick text to the other man, asking when he would be home. He took a few deep breaths as he waited for the response, praying that Hawks wouldn’t come out of his office and see him. He ran a hand through his hair, almost subconsciously rocking back to press his ass harder against the wall.

Fuck, he needed Kai.

The reply, however, did not make him feel any better. The man wouldn’t be home for a few hours.

Shouto hit his head on the wall behind him in frustration. He shoved his phone into his back pocket, feeling even more frustrated. His nerves were shot today. Of all the fucking days for Kai to be working late...

He just really needed him.

Shouto finally pushed off from the wall. He needed to find a restroom. He was so stressed, so worked up… his body had responded to even thinking about the golden-eyed man. He was glad that this level of the agency was pretty much empty, relieved when he found a restroom without running into anyone and having them see how disheveled he was.

He hurried into one of the stalls, closing the door and leaning up against it. He pulled out his phone, dialing Kai’s number as he began to palm himself through his jeans. He wasn’t usually one to rub one out in a public restroom, but… fuck. He needed something. Anything. And if Kai wasn’t going to be home for a few hours…

“Come on, Kai… pick up,” Shouto murmured, his voice embarrassingly needy.

‘Chisaki. Leave a message.’

Shouto hung up, immediately re-dialing. He closed his eyes as it rang, imagining Kai’s hands on him. He palmed himself harder, tempted to dip his hand into his pants and actually touch his cock, relieve some of the need that had built up.

“Answer the damn phone!” Shouto growled as it went to voicemail again.

After the third try, he gave up.

“Dammit!” He cursed, knowing how pathetic he probably looked right now. In a bathroom stall, palming himself through his jeans and praying that his boyfriend would answer the phone and talk dirty to him so that he could jerk himself off. At this point, he was pretty sure he could jerk off three fucking times, and it still wouldn’t do a damn thing to ease the stress that was over-whelming him; to tame the growing desire to have Kai take him, rough and hard and demanding.

Shit.

He moaned quietly as he closed his eyes, hating the fact that he couldn’t have the other man for hours.

Then the answer came to him.

If Kai wasn’t going to be home for hours, than Shouto would go to him. It was a bit on the risky side. Extremely risky, honestly. Outside of their apartment, Kai was his leader. And maybe barging in to his office begging for attention just because he had a bad day was a tad on the childish side. Maybe showing up and asking Kai to fuck him in the middle of his workplace was a bit presumptuous… he didn’t really care. That was definitely a benefit of dating a powerful man. It was also a benefit of knowing exactly how and where to touch a powerful man to get him to give in to Shouto's wishes.

He wanted Kai.

And just like the other man had told him to do a hundred times or more, today he was going to take exactly what he wanted.

Chapter Text

Shouto had given himself a few minutes, forcing himself to think of anything and everything but Kai. Enough time and distraction that he hadn’t walked out of the Hawk’s Agency and rode the bus to headquarters sporting a full-on erection. He tried to ignore the obvious looks that he was getting as he boarded the bus and chose a seat near the back for the ride. There would be pictures, of course. There was almost always paparazzi outside every hero agency. And his visit to the Hawks Agency would likely make it into the papers, even if it was just the tabloids.

But that would be a problem for another day.

Shouto pulled out his phone, opening up his phone. The ride was almost thirty minutes, and he needed something to distract himself from thinking about… well, anything, really. About the complete mess of an afternoon. About his mom or the way she had cried out his name. About the panic attack on the street, or his call to Dabi. Or the awkward conversation in Hawks office.

So he scrolled through his social media. Most of it was useless junk from people he didn’t know. Since his account was fake, he had accepted pretty much any random request that had come through, so it would seem less obvious if Izuku or Momo or Bakugou noticed the account. But there were a few posts in there from his friends. Izuku had posted a few last week of Class 1A’s most recent training sessions. Which definitely seemed a bit more intense than what they had been doing before Shouto had left. He had only been gone for a few months, and already the training seemed to be so different. Glimpses of his old friends using their quirks in completely new ways; of new classmates even. It felt so strange to think about how different training with the Yakuza was. The entire goal and objective had shifted; no longer focused on a self-sacrificing mentality, but instead on becoming the best and strongest version of yourself.

Momo had posted one yesterday of her, Shinsou, and Jirou studying at the university library. Shouto couldn’t help but notice how close together Shinsou and Momo were sitting, she was leaning against him with her head laying on his shoulder. She was smiling widely, and although he wasn’t smiling exactly, he seemed to be pretty content where he was. Momo hadn’t mentioned anything about Shinsou when she had been talking to Shouto about dating last week, but the picture sure did look like there might be something between them.

The most recent picture was from Izuku, posted only thirty minutes before. It showed him and Bakugou posing in front of a cardboard cut-out of All-Might, in what looked to be the comic shop near UA. It was Izuku’s favorite store, and Shouto had accompanied the greenette there more than once to get the newest edition of a comic. Or just kill a few hours before either of them would have to go home for the day (although Shouto still suspected that Izuku did that more for Shouto’s benefit than his own). Both of them seemed happy. Izuku bore no new scars from his attack, and even Bakugou seemed less grumpy than usual. Even if he wasn’t exactly smiling for the camera. They weren’t touching in the picture, and there was no indication that they were anything more than friends.

Shouto wasn’t sure why he always looked at that. In every picture posted with the two of them. He had asked Izuku to stay close to Bakugou, had known that perhaps something more than friendship might come from doing so. But he couldn’t help it. Even if it did sound petty that he always felt better when he didn’t find evidence of anything more.

The bus driver calling out his stop got his attention. He cursed, grabbing his backpack and rushing to the door before they closed and he missed his stop. He had lost track of time, not realizing they had already gotten so close.

Once he was off the bus, the Okimoto Corporation was only a block away. He walked quickly, heading straight inside and up to Kai’s office. Shouto had only been to Kai’s office one other time. It wasn’t nearly as large or ornately traditional as Okimoto’s was, but rather minimalistic, much like their apartment. Although the furniture was clearly hand-picked, and obviously expensive, there was not a lot of it. Shouto didn’t think that Kai spent a large amount of time in his office. He seemed to prefer a much more hands-on approach to being a leader, and was often out and about with one of the bullets rather than sitting around doing paperwork. Shouto suspected Chronostasis did most of that stuff. Although he was still getting a grasp on the intricate dynamics of the Shie Hassaikai, it was fairly obvious that Chronostasis would do anything and absolutely everything that Kai asked of him. Shouto would be slightly jealous (well, more than slightly jealous) if that wasn’t the case with most of the bullets.

Shouto hesitated as he walked down the hall to the office. It was clear that the door was closed, a faint light in the opaque glass a sign that Kai was still inside. And as he got closer, he could hear muffled voices; the meeting must not have quite ended. Shouto knew that he should probably sit in the hall and wait for the meeting to be finished. As a bullet, that was the smart thing to do. The professional thing to do.

But Shouto couldn’t distract himself anymore. He couldn’t keep pushing away the nagging thoughts, or the anxiety that had crippled him this afternoon.

It was Kai, after all, who always told Shouto he needed to be more bold. That he needed to stick up for himself and take what he needed. Although he knew Kai didn’t inherently intend for that advice to be used for sex, or for interrupting an important business meeting.

Shouto took a deep breath and turned the knob. The conversation ceased the moment that the door began to open, framing Shouto in the doorway. His confidence wavered as the two men both looked up at him. They were sitting on either side of Kai’s large, wooden desk; there was a picture of an older building that Shouto didn’t recognize, two black and gold choko cups, and a bottle of Sake on the desk between them. Kai’s face flashed from anger at being interrupted to intrigue as his gaze met Shouto’s. He looked handsome today, not that he wasn’t almost unnaturally handsome everyday. His brown hair was perfectly styled, and he was wearing a dark red button-up shirt with a black vest and tie. The clothes fit him perfectly, hinting at the well-defined shoulders and toned chest below it.

Just seeing him felt like a breath of fresh air. Like everything that had happened today might be alright now that he was here.

As Kai’s gaze traveled over him, he knew that Kai was shrewd enough to see more than just Shouto standing in the doorway. But to understand what had brought him there. The way his hair had been hastily fixed in the bathroom mirror at the agency. The slight pink flush in his cheeks. The way his pupils were larger than normal, betraying the desire that he had tried so hard to distract himself from on the bus ride over. The fact that his pants were too tight to hide the way Kai’s gaze was already starting to affect his body.

Kai smiled. It was there and gone so fast that Shouto almost wondered if he had imagined it.

“What is he doing here?” An unfamiliar, nasally voice snapped, drawing Shouto’s attention. He had expected to find one of the other bullets. Instead, there was a man that Shouto didn’t actually recognize sitting on the other side of Kai’s desk, scowling at Shouto. He was probably in his late twenties; tall and almost too thin with long, black hair that was braided down his back. He had simple, brown eyes lined with black, a single eyebrow piercing over his stark, almost gaunt features. He was wearing a loose, white dress shirt and a dark blue tie, hints of an intricate tattoo peaking out just above the collar. He had on a number of large, ornate golden rings and a knock-off watch that looked a lot more expensive than it likely was.

“Sniper,” Kai answered, gracefully recovering from the surprise visit, almost as if he had been expecting Shouto to walk through that door. “I don’t believe you have been introduced to my newest bullet, yet. This is Fenikkusu. Fenikkusu, Sniper.”

Shouto bowed deeply to the other man. The introduction was semi-formal, which made Shouto suspicious that perhaps this man had to be someone important. The fact that they had been drinking Kai’s favorite Sake, almost 20,000 yen per bottle, only confirmed that suspicion.

“Nice to meet—” Shouto began.

“I know who you are,” Sniper growled, interrupting Shouto. “And I also know that you have overstepped yourself. New bullet or not, your boss is in the middle of an important meeting. One of which you have no business being a part of.”

Shouto straightened his back out, glancing at Kai hesitantly. He wasn’t completely sure what to do now. He had already interrupted the meeting. If he conceded and stepped out, it would achieve the opposite effect of his intentions in coming here. Instead of showing the strength of conviction to take what he wanted, it would instead draw attention to his subservience. But if he refused, and this other man was actually someone of true importance or power, it might cause a lot of trouble, for both him and Kai.

“I am afraid that this meeting is going to have to be rescheduled,” Kai said, after a few moments, taking the decision out of Shouto’s hands. Kai stood up and started to walk around the desk. “Like you with Goya, my bullets know better than to interrupt a meeting unless it is a matter of crucial importance. I’m sure you understand. Business must come first.” The words were polite, aimed at Sniper. But Kai was not looking at Sniper as he said them. He was looking at Shouto, his golden eyes flashing darkly as he spoke.

"Goya is not going to be happy about this, Overhaul." Sniper growled, standing and slamming the desk with his hands. "You are getting more out of this so-called arrangement than we are." The motion rattled the choko cups as he glared up at Kai, the frustration evident in his face. Kai stared back impassively. Almost boredly.

"I wouldn't be so certain of that,Sniper," Kai replied flatly. "Goya came to me needing a favor. This building means nothing to me. If this arrangement falls through, I can find a new one within the hour. Without my help, though, you boys are going to owe a lot of powerful men a lot of money. You would be hard-pressed to find a fighter as good as Rappa by tomorrow night."

"This is ridiculous!" Sniper's eyes bulged. "Goya only needs a fighter because ours got shot in the fucking head while out getting drinks with one of your men!"

"Yes, he did," Kai replied, leveling his eyes at Sniper. "And according to Sakaki, he got shot because he ran his mouth like a bitch."

"How convenient that Sakaki was the only witness to that."

"And Sakaki is in the hospital with three bullet wounds because of that same attack." Kai responded, without missing a beat..

Sakaki was in the hospital? With three bullet wounds?

Shouto had no idea what the two men were talking about, but the hint of accusation in the air between them was obvious. Shouto had seen Kai give orders before. He had seen the Yakuza leader at work, but never like this. And his absolutely cold expression made Shouto wonder if he knew more about this other man's death than he was admitting to.

Shouto swallowed down the surge of nausea that came with the thought that Kai might not just know something, but that he might actually have something to do with the man's death. After seeing that picture in Hawks office, Shouto did not want to think about murder. Not that he didn't know that both Dabi and Kai were capable of it. That they had killed men before. Kai had killed Magne just a few months ago...

Not that Shouto could be too judgmental. Not after the night of the prison break. But so much of that night had been the result of drugs and adrenaline... and it still made Shouto sick to think about. To remember the article. To know that those two had died to his fire... He couldn't imagine taking a life in cold blood.

And he didn’t want to imagine Kai doing so either. Not again. He had no intention of asking more about it. Sometimes it’s better not to know.

Sniper growled loudly, the frustration evident in the gutteral noise.

"So what? You expect me to be at your beck and call?! The fight is tomorrow night! What do you expect me to tell Goya? That you expect me to come running back here tomorrow when it’s more convenient for you?! All so you can indulge your fucking untrained pet?"

Anger flashed through Shouto. The last person to call him a pet had been Shigaraki, and the condescending name made bile rise to the back of his throat. Suddenly Sniper’s lanky form brought images of excessively chapped lips and a vile, raspy voice to the forefront of his mind. He felt frozen in place, his heart beginning to beat rapidly in his chest as he stared at the man.

But Kai was faster to respond. Before Shouto could even decide what to do, Kai was behind Sniper. He wrenched one of the thin man's arms behind his back and slammed him forward, Sniper's head smacking into the wooden desk with an almost sickening thud.

Kai's face had darkened, cold impassivity replaced with livid anger as he held the other man against the desk.

Kai looked directly at Shouto.

"Tell us, Fenikkusu," Kai asked him, and Shouto could see his fingers digging harshly into the skin on the back of Sniper's neck. "Are you my pet?”

Kai was giving him permission to stand up for himself.. More than permission even. This was a command.

"No," he said, looking down at Sniper. The man's face was turning red, scrunched up. From anger or discomfort, Shouto had no idea. But he was glaring at Shouto. "I have never been Overhaul's pet."

"You overstep yourself, Overhaul! Goya is going to hear about this!" Sniper snapped. Kai lifted him up a few inches, slamming him back down.

Sniper groaned.

Kai looked at Shouto expectantly. Shouto had no idea what the other man wanted, but he knew that doing nothing wasn't an option.

He swallowed.

"Apologize." Shouto said, putting as much confidence in it as he could. Trying his best to sound like Kai. A command, and not a question.

"No," the man snarled.

Shouto could feel his heart racing. Fuck! Could he really afford to make this guy angry? But Kai was still looking at him expectantly. And if it came down to pissing him off or disappointing Kai, he would certainly take his chances on Sniper.

Shouto allowed both sides of his quirk to creep up his arms. Trying not to let his fire touch his shirt. He hadn't worn his fireproof clothes today.

“You have dishonored me. Apologize.” Shouto continued, feeling Kai’s gaze on him, scrutinizing every word. “Or I will burn the apology from your flesh.” Shouto prayed silently that the threat alone would get the intended results. The thought of putting his hand on Sniper’s skin, leaving an ugly burnt handprint in its wake… it made him sick.

But he also knew he was unlikely to get an apology without a threat. Not for a man like this. And empty threats were not an option. If he refused, Shouto would have no choice but to do exactly as he said.

“Fuck you! You wouldn’t dare.” Sniper hissed, his eyes practically spitting venom.

Fuck!

Shouto didn’t need to look up to know that Kai was waiting to see if he would follow through.

Shouto blanched. The fire crawling up his left arm suddenly felt a hundred degrees hotter, as if it might burn him as surely as it would burn Sniper. He took a step forward, using every ounce of willpower he had to keep his hand from shaking as he lifted it up.

Sniper’s eyes widened.

Shouto took a deep breath.

“I don’t let emotions get in the way. Emotions are messy.”

Dabi’s words came back to him. A phrase that Shouto sometimes felt was stuck on repeat in his head, especially the more involved with the Yakuza he became. A mindset he had yet to perfect. One he wasn’t sure he would ever be able to perfect. So he looked over Sniper, noticing the way that Kai’s grip on him seemed to only emphasize his almost skeletal frame.

So much like Shigaraki.

And he had called Shouto a pet.

Just like Shigaraki had.

Shouto frowned, his thoughts swirling with the resemblance between the two men. Focusing on it. He brought his left hand down on the man’s shoulder, orange and red flames licking out to kiss the white shirt between them. But it was Shigaraki’s skin he was burning, punishing.

Sniper screamed as the overwhelming heat scalded him, only worsening as the shirt underneath Shouto’s fingers turned to ash and the smell of acrid, burning flesh filled the room. Shouto pulled his hand away as Sniper continued to scream. The sound, raw and filled with agony, echoed around them.

Sniper struggled and thrashed against Kai’s grip.

It was almost hard to breathe through the smell. Shouto didn’t take his eyes away from the red mark starting to blister on the man’s shoulder. He didn’t want to see Sniper’s face.

He only saw Shigaraki. And it sickened him. To reach out and punish the desiccated man for everything that he had done to him. For everything that he had done to Izuku. For the brief moments of panic that had haunted him since the trial. For the nightmares that often plagued his sleep.

It also felt really good. Better than he had imagined it could. Like it had that first time that he had stood up to Enji.

He felt… powerful.

“Apologize,” Shouto repeated, his voice sounding far away, even to himself. Every word thick with the adrenaline that he could feel starting to rush through his veins. So far away that he wouldn’t be surprised to find that it was Kai talking and not himself. “Or I will burn out your tongue and your stubborn refusal will be the last word to ever leave your mouth.”

His hands were openly shaking now. And he stared at the raw handprint as if it was the only thing grounding him to reality. If Sniper refused to apologize, Shouto would have no choice but to…

Sniper spit. Shouto didn’t see it, but he heard it. A disgusting, spiteful sound that rang in his ears.

Shouto’s stomach churned. His body thrummed with energy. He kept his eyes on that handprint, tracking the movement of his left hand out of the corner of his eye. Flames still licked up and down his fingers as he began to move it toward the man’s mouth. His hand was less than an inch away, the heat already beginning to scorch the tender flesh of Sniper’s lips when the stubborn man cried out.

“I’m sorry!” Sniper screamed, his head wrenching back at a horrible angle as he shied away from Shouto’s fire. The words echoed through Shouto’s mind, a surge of relief washing through him. “I’m sorry for dishonoring you, Fenikkusu!” Shouto stilled his hand, allowing his flames to lower to mere sparks that seemed to reflect in Sniper’s brown eyes. But he kept his hand hovering there. “For fucks sake! Can you get those flames away! I’m sorry dammit!”

Shouto didn’t respond. His hand felt frozen there, in front of Sniper’s face as he waited to make sure that it was enough. That Kai was satisfied. He had no idea how long they stood like that. Seconds. Minutes.

Just. Waiting. Waiting for Kai to give him a sign that he could stop.

“Fenikkusu?” Kai’s voice brought him back to reality, and Shouto looked up. Kai’s attention was completely on Shouto, even as he kept Sniper pinned.

Shouto glanced down, the events of the last few minutes replaying in his mind, and he pulled his hand away, letting both of his quirks drop completely as he did so. He stumbled backward, letting out a shaky breath as Kai let go of Sniper and took a step back. Sniper’s face was bright red, a sheen of sweat on his skin dripping down his face. His shirt was rumpled, and there was a large hole in the shoulder, the edges blackened and ashy, raw skin blistering underneath from Shouto’s fire. Sniper flinched as he moved the shoulder tentatively.

Kai set his hand on Sniper’s shoulder, and Shouto watched as the man writhed in pain, gasping. A moment later, Kai stepped back. The skin underneath the hole in Sniper’s shirt fully healed.

“Fuck, Overhaul,” Sniper groaned, reaching up to tentatively touch his shoulder. “That fucking hurt more than the damn burn!”

Kai smiled coldly, reaching down and picking up the bottle of Sake. He filled the two Choko cups, almost to the brim. Setting the bottle back down, he took one of the cups and lifted it up to Sniper.

“Same time tomorrow, than?” Kai asked him, the confidence in his voice betraying the fact that he already knew what the answer was going to be.

Sniper scowled. But he took the Choko cup, downing the Sake like a shot. Shouto could suddenly feel the wall pressed against his back, realizing that he had retreated as much as he was physically able to. His hands were still shaking.

Sniper had apologized to him. Kai had helped, yes. But ultimately, the man had apologized because of Shouto. Because of his quirk.

He wanted to laugh. To cry. To scream.

Because as good as it felt to see the approval in Kai’s face, he could see the disapproval in Momo’s just as clearly. As if she was standing there in the room with him. He had spit in the face of everything UA had taught him. He had purposely used his quirk to hurt another person, and all to hear him say ‘I’m sorry’.

Because burning Sniper had felt so good. Too good. A physical release to the emotions that had felt like they were going to consume from within. It had been everything that Shouto had needed when he stepped into that room. Well… almost everything.

He looked up at Kai, whose golden eyes were dark with approval.

With desire.

Sniper stalked over to the door. He stopped in front of Shouto, tearing Shouto’s attention away from Kai as the man glared at him. The thin man didn’t say a word, but he didn’t need to. His eyes were daggers that pierced Shouto’s skin, and if Kai hadn’t been watching, Shouto would have flinched away from them.

Then Sniper was gone, the lingering scent of burning flesh the only sign that he had been there to begin with. Shouto released a deep breath that he hadn’t even realized he had been holding. His hands were still shaking, and he could feel the bile rising in the back of his throat.

What had he just done?

Kai closed the door behind Sniper the lock clicking into place before he stepped away. There was a distinct tension in the air; a palpable energy that seemed to flow between them; the result of Shouto’s obvious push in the boundaries of their relationship.

His only acknowledgment of Shouto was to pick up the second cup of Sake and hand it to him, before going back around to sit down behind his desk, adjusting the collar of his shirt and tie as he glanced at the mess on his desk. Kai was quiet, thoughtful. There was an obvious pride in the tiny smile that kept playing at the corners of Kai’s mouth. Shouto had performed to his satisfaction; had risen to the challenge before him. But there was also anger. Shouto could see it too; in the way that Kai’s eye’s had darkened and his brow had furrowed ever so slightly. In the tense set of his shoulders, and the stiff movements of his fingers.

Shouto downed the shot, just as he had watched Sniper do. The alcohol burned, and his face scrunched up for a moment as it lingered. He hoped it would help soothe his shaking hands. Help make sense of the torrent of mixed emotions that warred in his thoughts. He stepped forward just long enough to set the cup down next to it's partner.

Kai closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, the golden iris seemed to spark as they met Shouto’s directly, a war of golden fire and the black desire of lust-dilated pupils that painted his expression with open want. It was a piercing look, and for a moment it took Shouto back to the night that he had met those golden eyes in the light of Dabi’s refrigerator. Dark with carnal lust, and bright with anger at being caught off-guard. As if he was seeing Shouto for the first time once more, before either of them had any idea of what was to happen between them.

Shouto swallowed. So much had changed in these last few minutes. His mouth felt dry, and he struggled with the conflicting desire to take control as he had intended to do. To tell Kai exactly why he had come and what he needed of the other man. Not that he even needed to, they both already knew what had brought Shouto here. That path seemed even riskier now that he was here, confronted with Kai’s obviously mixed desires. Perhaps it was better to stay quiet and obedient, just as he knew Kai liked him to do. To wait for Kai to offer him what they both knew he wanted.

Although then he risked the possibility that Kai would choose punishment over desire.

"That was bold of you, Shouto," Kai began, finally breaking the heavy silence between them. "Sniper is not a man to piss off lightly, although neither is he a man that you can afford to see you as weak. He is Goya’s right hand. Goya is one of my… colleagues here in the Yakuza. The leader of the Korosu Mono, another branch of the Yakuza, much like the Shie Hassaikai. Insulting Sniper is akin to insulting Goya himself. This little indulgence of yours has interfered with Yakuza business and caused dishonor. At some point, Goya will answer this insult with violence. Against one of the bullets, possibly even against you. You will need to be careful until amends are made. You may be in the Yakuza, but that doesn’t guarantee you respect. You have to earn that yourself. And the fact that you are sleeping with me is going to make it twice as hard for you. You can’t just interrupt business meetings because you are… stressed."

"I know that," Shouto replied, forcing a confidence into his voice that he no longer felt. He slipped his backpack off of his shoulders and let it drop unceremoniously to the floor. His stomach was churning nervously as Kai's dark gaze pinned him to the wall. The intensity that smoldered in them made it hard to look away, to drop his gaze. He had wanted Kai's attention, and he had gotten Overhaul's instead.

Now Overhaul was demanding his full attention in return.

It was too late to turn back now. All of the other problems of the day were falling to the wayside; paling in the moment, dimmed by the overwhelming intensity that sparked between him and Kai. Regardless of whether Kai punished or rewarded him for it, Shouto knew that Kai was waiting for him to make a move. Shouto intentionally tried to make each movement slow and sensual as he crossed his arms over his stomach, curled his fingers into the soft fabric of his shirt and began to pull it up and over his head.

Shouto could feel himself getting hard under Kai’s gaze as he dropped his shirt on the floor next to his backpack and looked back up.

Kai's body had tensed, his eyes dropping to trace down Shouto's naked torso. Shouto purposefully trailed his fingers along his stomach as he moved his hands down to the fly of his jeans.

Kai's eyes flashed as he watched Shouto, and it sent a pulse of desire through Shouto's body.

"I chose to come anyway," Shouto added, pitching his voice low and sultry as he undid the button on his pants. He slid his thumbs into the waist of his underwear, very slowly pushing both the pants and underwear down to reveal his lower stomach... Hip bones... Thighs...

Finally, his cock sprang free from his underwear as he completely undressed, throwing his pants to the side and standing up so that Kai could enjoy the sight of what the other man did to Shouto, without even a single touch.

"And what is it you were hoping to achieve by knowingly disobeying the rules, little fox?" Kai asked. His voice was thick, and would sound almost cruel if Shouto was less familiar with the man. But he could hear the want lacing each word, the lust that he knew accompanied the low timbre of his tone.

"I want to feel you inside of me, Overhaul." Shouto replied, walking around the desk toward him.

"And if I say no?" Kai replied, although now that Shouto was stopping in front of him, stepping forward to slot his naked body between Kai's thighs, he could see the slight bulge in the other man's pants.

Shouto licked his lips, slowly. He climbed into Kai's lap, knowing that he didn't have permission yet. The line between confidence and disobedience was blurred, almost non-existent. Kai's hands twitched with the desire to touch him as Shouto wrapped his hands around Kai's neck and settled his ass into Kai's lap, his naked cock directly over Kai's clothed one as he ground down against him.

Kai's golden eyes grew dark, and Shouto could feel the way his cock pulsed underneath him.

"I need to feel you inside of me, Overhaul." Shouto breathed the words against Kai's mouth, his lips so close to Kai's that he could smell the Sake on Kai's breath. Combined with the feeling of Kai's muscles tensing with desire underneath him, the hard line of Kai's cock... It was intoxicating.

Kai's hands came up, wrapping around his waist to dig harshly into his ass.

"That doesn't actually answer my question," Kai replied, his fingernails scratching lines up his ass and over his lower back. It made Shouto hiss slightly, and the pain made it hard to think about anything other than Kai's hands on him, the red tracks they would leave behind. "What if I say no?"

Shouto closed the space between their mouths, not caring how absolutely desperate he must seem to the other man. The kiss was needy and rough against Kai's mouth, who wasn't kissing him back. Shouto dug his fingers into the collar of Kai's shirt, a pathetic whimper escaping his lips.

"Please, Overhaul," Shouto whined against his closed mouth. He could already feel the pre-cum leaking out onto Kai's expensive dress pants. "Kiss me... Touch me... Fuck me…" He murmured between one desperate kiss after another, and the only response he could get was the feeling of Kai's cock straining underneath his pants and the man's fingers moving up to pull his body harder against him. "I need you. After everything you just risked, you can't tell me no. I won't let you."

He didn't realize his mistake until it was too late. One moment he was kissing Kai and reaching between them to start loosening the other man's tie. Kai's hands disappeared so briefly, and a moment later, he was taking control. He grabbed each of Shouto's impatient hands and forced them behind his back. It took Shouto a second to realize that a third hand had pushed him away from the kiss, even as Kai held him in place on his lap.

Shouto's eyes flew open, and his mouth dropped as he watched Kai finish loosening his tie. It took a second to dawn on Shouto's lust-hazy thoughts that Overhaul had used his quirk on himself; had given himself two extra arms to help control Shouto.

Shouto had never seen the man Overhaul himself before. Shouto moaned as the hands tightened around his arms, holding them firmly in place behind his back.

"Perhaps I have spoiled you too much, little fox," Kai murmured, but even with the disapproval, there was no mistaking the desire in his voice. He pulled his tie off and put it on the desk. His two free hands unbuttoning first his vest, and then his shirt. "Coming here and demanding to be fucked. Do you need my cock that much Fenikkusu?"

"Please," Shouto moaned, his eyes glued to the naked skin being revealed with each button that Kai undid. Not that he even needed to answer. Settled on Kai's lap like this, his balls grinding against Kai's clothed erection with each tiny shift of their bodies… Shouto was an open book. His pale skin was flushed with want, his muscles rippling and tensing with every tiny tease of Kai's skin against his. His cock swollen and dripping with precum as it stood against his lower stomach, begging to be touched.

Shouto gasped, his back arching as Kai's fingers brushed over his cock as the man began to undo his own pants. The only thing keeping Shouto from falling off of Kai's lap were the man's second arms around him, holding him in place. He writhed and moaned as Kai continued to let his fingers drag over the sensitive skin with short, teasing touches as Kai pushed his pants down just enough to pull out his own cock.

"Ask for it, little fox," Kai demanded, his eyes almost black as they took in the desperation in Shouto's body. "Ask for forgiveness. Ask to be fucked. Ask for my cock."

Two fingers smeared through the pre-cum on Shouto’s shaft, before Kai reached around to push them both knuckle deep into his body.

"Ah! Fuck!" Shouto's back arched again, Kai's gaze devouring him as the man began to stroke himself, gently bumping his hand against Shouto's balls each time he got to the bottom. It was so good, and not enough all at the same time. Even the fingers starting to pump shallowly in and out of him were not enough.

"Ask me," Kai repeated, hooking his fingers just enough to tease Shouto's prostate as he prepped him.

"Please Kai, I'm sorry i- ngh! I interr- shit, yes… interrupted the meeting…" Shouto panted. It was hard to think clearly. To process what Kai wanted. "I need you! I need… yes, ah! I need… I need you… Fuck me! Ah! Please fuck me!" He didn't know if his babbling made any sense. And it didn't matter. Kai was sliding a third finger inside of him, the fingers of Kai’s other hand brushing up and down the base of Shouto's cock with every stroke of his own.

"What do you need, Shouto?" Kai growled. His voice was clouded with lust, his fingers demanding as they stretched Shouto.

Shouto gripped his thighs around Kai's, leaning back into the other man's grasp to try to get the leverage needed to grind down against Kai's hand.

"I need your cock," Shouto gasped as Kai's fingers took mercy and wrapped themselves around Shouto, fisting both of them and stroking them together. "Shit… ah, ah… I need you to fuck me!"

Kai groaned in response, his fingers pulling out of Shouto as he turned the chair and got into a drawer. Shouto knew that Kai must be as desperate as he was, moving quickly to grab a small bottle, spreading lube over his cock and then using his two free hands to line Shouto up and pull him down onto his cock.

Shouto threw his head back and gasped as the air left his body. Kai hadn’t stretched him for as long as normal, and he felt so full that he could barely breathe as Kai groaned and held him in place on his cock. Shouto could feel his body clenching desperately around Kai’s girth, his fingers desperately gripping into the man’s arms. He knew Kai was enjoying the sight of Shouto writhing on his lap.

“Fuck, Shouto,” Kai growled as he moved his hands onto each side of Shouto’s hips, guiding Shouto slowly up and back down. “You feel so good on my cock.”

Shouto could feel Kai’s cock pulsing inside of him, stretching him as the other man continued to guide Shouto’s body. Shouto followed every unspoken instruction, the desire in his body slowly building every time Kai pulled Shouto back down over his cock. And with every thrust it seemed to punch the air out of Shouto’s lungs, a wave of desire that threatened to consume Shouto and make his cock drip as it bounced against his lower stomach with each movement.

“Ngh… Overhaul… Fuck.” Shouto gasped, his voice breaking with desire. Kai’s fingers on his hips tightened, his thumbs digging into tender skin just under Shouto’s hip bones. Both knew there would be bruises later. Bruises that Kai would kiss as they lay in bed that night, a dark reminder of how good they each felt in this moment.

Kai’s lips were slightly parted, his eyes black with the faintest spark of gold around each pupil as he watched his cock disappear into Shouto’s body. Again. And again. And again. Watching the way Shouto’s cock swayed to their rhythm, red and flushed and ready to cum for Kai.

But it wasn’t quite enough. Kai’s thick cock was massaging against Shouto’s inner walls, teasing his prostate. But he wasn’t targeting it yet, not in the way that Shouto would need to cum untouched. This was still foreplay. This was Kai working them both up, drawing it out. Shouto tried to increase the speed, but Kai’s hands on his body wouldn’t relinquish control. He had Shouto exactly where he wanted him, moving Shouto’s body up and down over his cock like a doll, the smell of sex, of Shouto’s pre-cum, filling the room around them.

“Is this what… you… wanted, Shouto?” Kai asked, his words dark and breathy as his cock throbbed inside of Shouto. The thought that his cock might also be dripping with desire, his pre-cum mixing with lube to coat Shouto’s inner walls with every thrust. Like the mark on his collarbone, a reminder for anyone who got too close as to who Shouto belonged to.

“Yesssss...” Shouto groaned as he came down on Kai’s cock once more. This was exactly what he wanted. He was in Kai’s arms, both of them hazy with pleasure, right where he belonged. “Overhaul… Overhaul… Overhaul…” The rest of the day had faded in importance, like a memory as he let himself get lost in the moment, the other man’s name barely a whisper on his lips. He wasn’t even sure the chanted name was comprehensible, lost in his moans as Kai changed their rhythm. He held Shouto in place a few inches above his lap, so that he could begin to fuck up into Shouto

Kai shifted just slightly lower with the movement, lining his cock up to thrust directly against Shouto’s prostate. Shouto cried out, only vaguely aware that anyone walking past the room would be able to hear him. The change pushed him over the edge, desire exploding through him as he came, his orgasm decorating his stomach and chest. He could feel Kai’s grip on him tightening as he writhed, his orgasm coursing through him like shocks of electricity that made him scream with pleasure as Kai continued to fuck him through it. Every inch of Kai’s cock inside of him made his own hips thrust as the last few pulses of his release dripped down his cock.

Finally, Kai pulled Shouto firmly back down into his lap. Shouto’s entire body shivered and convulsed at the feeling of Kai’s erection pulsing deep inside of him. Reminding him that the other man still hadn’t cum. That they weren’t finished yet; that Kai had every intention of finding his own release deep inside of Shouto’s body.

Kai’s hold on his arms finally let go, and Shouto's body collapsed forward against Kai. He wrapped shaky arms around Kai’s shoulders, closing his eyes and burying his face into the crook of Kai’s neck. He could feel the cool sheen of sweat there, could feel Kai’s pulse as he pushed his mouth against the man’s neck; kissing, sucking, tasting. Between the pulsing cock buried deep inside of his body, and the heartbeat that thrummed against Shouto’s lips, he was lost in Kai. Grounded in him. He could practically feel Kai’s energy engulf him as Shouto clung to the man. As if there was no line where Shouto ended and Kai began.

Shouto began to move slowly, rotating his hips in small circles, shuddering as the movement of Kai’s cock inside of him drew agonizingly pleasurable lines against Shouto’s over-sensitive skin. The sound of Kai’s breath catching in his ear was everything Shouto needed; he pulled his lips off of Kai’s neck as all four arms wrapped around his body. Shouto put one hand on each side of Kai’s neck, and moved so that he could look at Kai as he began to ride him.

It had to be slow at first, his orgasm had left his legs shaky. Every thrust caused reverberations of pleasure to wash through him, so intensely that it almost hurt. But he moved anyway, aware of the way his cum was smearing on their skin where his stomach slid against Kai’s. Aware of how snugly Shouto’s soft cock and balls were pressed against Kai’s body. The other man’s hands weren’t shy as they explored his back and shoulders, as if just being inside of Shouto wasn’t enough. Kai wanted to touch, to memorize every inch of Shouto’s naked body.

“Fuck…” Shouto murmured, his breath coming in ragged waves. Shouto began to move faster, willing his body to cooperate, to help him make the other man feel as good as Kai had made him feel. “You feel… so good… inside me…”

Kai moaned, his eyes flashing. Then he was kissing Shouto, his mouth hot and desperate as his tongue traced a line across Shouto’s bottom lip. Shouto opened his mouth obediently, clenching his thighs against Kai as he began to move his body in longer strokes up and down Kai’s cock. The kiss was sloppy as Kai plunged his tongue into Shouto’s mouth, the movement of Shouto’s ride making it broken, interspersed with ragged breaths as they both refused to pull away. Kai’s lips on his spurred Shouto on even more, and suddenly the only thing that mattered was making Kai cum for him.

Shouto’s hands teased up into Kai’s hair as they kissed. Shouto could feel sweat beginning to drip down his back as he moved. The room was hot, Kai’s skin almost feverish against his, the scent of their arousal so strong that it was almost overwhelming. Shouto’s body continued to shudder with pleasure, and he could feel his cock starting to get hard once more as it ground against Kai’s abs. He relished the way that Kai’s tongue rolled against his own, the faint lingering taste of Sake on his mouth.

“Make… me… cum… little… fox…” The words were lost in each ragged breath, spilled into Shouto’s mouth as they fucked. More fingers than Shouto could count were digging into his sides and back, and Shouto could feel the other man’s cock throbbing as Kai’s thighs tensed underneath him.

Kai was close.

The knowledge. The command. The heat of their bodies. It all made Shouto heady with arousal. He could feel the faint pleasure of a second orgasm beginning to coil in his groin.

Shouto moaned so loudly that the sound practically echoed in the small room.

“Cum in me… Kai… Fuck…” Shouto groaned, the words ragged and choppy as they kissed. “Please… cum for me… ngh… I. Want. You…”

Kai growled, and he moved so fast that Shouto was spread out on his back over the desk before he even realized what had happened. Two of Kai’s hands pushed his legs up to his chest, a third wrapping itself around Shouto’s cock as the last one lined himself back up to push inside of Shouto. Shouto cried out at the new angle, and at the feeling of Kai’s hand stroking him. Kai didn’t start slowly this time. The angle was deep and rough and desperate, Kai chasing his release even as he stroked Shouto back to full hardness.

The entire desk shifted underneath them as Kai fucked Shouto against it. He had been so close that it didn’t take long before Kai groaned, his body folding over Shouto’s to claim his mouth as he came deep inside of Shouto, continuing to fuck Shouto through his orgasm. Kai’s body shuddered and convulsed against his as his rhythm slowed, but he didn’t slow his strokes over Shouto’s cock. He pulled back enough to get a better grip, keeping his cock pushed deep into Shouto as he jerked him off.

“Cum for me, little fox,” Kai commanded him. His voice was rough and demanding.

Shouto groaned, reaching up over his head to grip the desk as his hips arched up into Kai’s hand. He could feel Kai’s cock still pulsing faintly as it softened inside of him, slowly falling out as his body writhed against Kai’s touch. He could feel Kai’s cum beginning to drip out of him, not caring that it was probably making a mess of a desk worth more than most people paid for a car.

“Yes… Ah! Ah! Fuck…” Shouto moaned, his head pushing back against the desk. Kai’s hand on him felt so good. And as Kai’s cock slowly fell out of him, it was replaced with two fingers, curling up to tease Shouto’s prostate as he stroked him.

“Like that, Shouto, yes,” Kai murmured, twisting his wrist just a tad at the end, the motion, combined with gentle teasing pulses against Shouto’s prostate, slowly bringing Shouto closer to the edge. “Cum for me.”

Shouto’s body was moving against Kai, his legs pushing against Kai’s extra arms, straining to get just a bit more friction. Kai’s gaze devoured him; enjoying every moment of his desperation. He knew how debauched he must look like this, covered in cum; flushed and writhing under the other man. But as Kai’s fingers inside of him grew more demanding, he could feel his body starting to shake and quiver. He was so, so close.

“Please, Kai…” he groaned, his hips thrusting involuntarily into the other man’s fist.

Kai’s fingers curled up into him once more, almost harsh in their demand.

“KAI!” Shouto screamed his name, his second orgasm rocking him as his hips arched off the desk and he came all over Kai’s neck and chest as the man stroked him through it. Shouto tried to close his legs, to pull away from Kai’s touch. “Agh! Its too… fuck… too much!”

Pulses of cum continued to drip out of him with every stroke, making a mess of Kai’s long fingers around him. Stroking until Shouto was almost crying from overstimulation, his entire body trembling from the pleasure.

And then Kai finally let go, pulling his other fingers from his ass. Shouto collapsed against the desk as Kai’s extra arms let go of his thighs, closing his eyes and revelling in the haze of pleasure following his orgasm. He could almost fall asleep, despite the hard surface and the almost disgusting amount of sweat and cum on him. But a moment later he felt Kai shifting one of his legs, opening a drawer in the desk below him.

“You are sexy when you cum for me, Shouto,” Kai murmured as Shouto opened his eyes. The other man was pulling out a small pack of tissues, taking one out and wiping the cum off of his fingers before beginning to clean the mess off Shouto’s stomach.

Kai was back to normal. The two extra arms were gone, as if they had never been there to begin with. Shouto struggled to push himself up onto shaky arms, panting to catch his breath. He flinched at the slight pain in his lower back. Kai looked as fucked as Shouto knew he must. They had made a mess of themselves. Tissues were not going to do much. They needed a shower.

“I didn’t know that you could do… that,” Shouto noted, as Kai continued to help him clean up the best they could.

“Grow extra arms?” Kai asked, an amused look on his face.

“Yeah,” Shouto replied. He leaned forward, blocking Kai’s efforts to clean him. Using one hand for balance, and the other to pull Kai’s dress shirt away from his skin, he licked a stripe of his cum off of Kai’s chest. Combined with Kai’s sweat, it was bitter and salty, but the moan it drug from Kai’s body emboldened him. Shouto continued to work his way up Kai’s neck, slowly licking every drop of his own cum off of him.

“Fuck,” Kai growled, the tissue forgotten as he reached up and wrapped a hand into Shouto’s hair, pulling him up into a deep kiss. Shouto closed his eyes, losing himself in the taste of Kai’s mouth. The kiss was carnal and deep, Kai slowly moving his lips against Shouto’s, nudging his mouth open to indulge in the taste of him. Kai slid his arms around Shouto almost bridal style as he slowly explored his mouth, picking him up off the desk and carrying him over to the chair. Kai sat back down, once more straddling Shouto’s legs on either side of his own.

Shouto pulled away, leaning his forehead against Kai’s as he caught his breath.

“I can overhaul my own body,” Kai panted, his breath hot against Shouto’s mouth as he spoke. “Although it isn’t something that I do often. I can’t create matter that doesn’t exist. To create extra arms, I have to take from other parts of my body. Although it does come in useful, it makes the rest of my body weaker.”

Shouto let himself slump against Kai’s chest. He didn’t know much about how Kai’s quirk actually worked, and the new information brought a number of questions to his mind.

“So you can overhaul any part of your body?” Shouto asked. It was teasing, but also genuinely curious. The possibilities of that were very intriguing.

Kai smirked, kissing the side of his head.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Kai answered playfully. Then he shifted, his voice getting more serious. “Now are we going to talk about what actually brought you here today? Are you alright?”

Shouto sighed. He knew it was probably better to talk about it. Especially now that he wasn’t in the middle of a panic attack.

“I don’t really know where to start,” Shouto admitted, shifting slightly to get more comfortable in Kai’s lap. It was true. Between running into his mother and the meeting with Hawks, he felt emotionally exhausted. And even though none of it seemed quite as bad now that he was here with Kai, he still worried about coming across as weak if they talked about all of it.

“How about you start with whatever made you skip training today?” Kai suggested.

Shouto sat up, surprised. He hadn’t told Kai that he was going to skip. How did the man even know?

“How did you know?” Shouto asked.

“There is very little that happens with any of my bullets that I don’t know about, Shouto,” Kai replied, leaning his head back against the chair. “Especially you.”

Kai did like to be in control of things. Still, he must have talked with Okimoto. Aside from Dabi, who didn’t know what day he was going, Okimoto was the only person who knew that Shouto was going to the mansion.

“Dabi asked for my help in his task regarding Hawks,” Shouto explained. “I needed to go back to the Todoroki mansion to get a few things for him. I had to skip training so that I could arrive at a time when Enji would be working.”

“And was he working?” Kai asked, and Shouto could almost hear the gears turning as he tried to piece together what must have caused Shouto so much distress.

“Yes,” Shouto replied. “But I ran into…” Shouto stopped, swallowing the lump in his throat as his encounter with his mom came back to him. “...my mom.”

That did seem to catch Kai off-guard. Shouto was fairly certain that Kai already knew that his mother had spent most of his childhood in a psychiatric hospital. He was the kind of man to do his research around the people in his life. But Shouto had never talked to Kai about her before. He didn’t really talk to anyone about her.

“She was… different,” Shouto continued, pressing his face further against Kai’s neck to help ground himself. “It was like she barely knew who I really was. Like Enji has her brainwashed so that she doesn’t even realize how broken our family is. I just… I fucking... hate him! For everything. For everything he did to me. To Dabi. To my mom. To all of us.”

Kai was quiet for a few moments, his thumbs rubbing soft circles where they rested against the inside of Shouto’s thighs.

“We could kill him,” Kai offered. Shouto sat up, looking at Kai in surprise. He couldn’t be serious. Sure, Shouto had imagined more than once what life might be like for his family without his father. But they couldn’t just kill the number one hero.

“We can’t kill him,” Shouto replied, hesitantly. Kai had sounded so casual in the suggestion. So comfortable.

“If I did it, he wouldn’t even see it coming,” Kai suggested. “All it would take is a single touch. It would be over and done before he even realized he needed to fight back. Then you wouldn’t have to worry about him again. His control over you, your siblings… even your mother. It could be over.”

Kai looked directly at Shouto as he said it, not an ounce of uncertainty in his words. Shouto searched his face. It was a solution to his problem. But what would happen after that? Dabi had a point, where would his mother even go? The Yakuza wasn’t a safe place for her, and he didn’t know if either of his other siblings would even be able, much less willing, to take her in.

“What would happen to my mother?” Shouto asked, feeling like he had to be crazy for even considering Kai’s offer valid.

“To be honest with you Shouto, she would probably go back to the hospital,” Kai answered him, the answer making Shouto’s stomach sink. “Maybe not forever, but it’s hard to say. She has been on very heavy medication for almost a decade, and in that time she has not had to care for herself. It would probably take a few years of rehabilitation for her to live on her own. If she ever fully rehabilitates.”

“But as long as he is alive, then he is going to have control over her,” Shouto replied, trying to push away the feeling of hopelessness that was threatening him. He might have finally escaped Enji’s control, but the man was far from being out of his life. “There really isn’t a good solution.”

“There rarely is, Shouto,” Kai agreed. “The older you get, the more you will find this is true. There are many times you will simply have to choose the option that is in your own best interest, even if it is not an option that makes you feel good. So you tell me, Shouto. Is it in your best interest to keep your father alive? Or to kill him?”

Shouto turned the question over in his mind. If killing Enji couldn’t take away the damage that he had already done to their family, then perhaps that wasn’t really of any benefit to Shouto. As much as he hated Enji for everything the man was, and everything he represented, at least with him alive then his mother would have a chance to live in her own home once more. To get to see her youngest child grow up, something she was denied with the rest of her children. Not only that, but it would seem suspicious if Enji was killed out of nowhere. If Fuyumi or Natsuo found out… they might hate him. And although they may not be in his life either, he didn’t like the idea that either of his eldest siblings might resent him.

Then again, if Enji abused this new baby, Shouto would hate himself for not taking steps to prevent that from happening.

“It would be better to keep him alive,” Shouto finally answered into Kai’s neck. “At least, for now. Killing him doesn’t undo the damage that he has already done. And it wouldn’t look good for him to be killed now, especially at random. There is already rumor among the heroes that I was involved in Dabi’s escape, and I suspect that Endeavor is at the core of those rumors. He saw me that night… it was from far away, and I didn’t give it much thought at the time. But I think he must have recognized me. If he were to be killed now, the heroes he has spread those rumors to might be suspicious. Especially seeing as how Hawks just asked me about those rumors today.”

“What?” Kai sat up suddenly, looking at Shouto with concern. “Hawks asked you if you were involved in Dabi’s escape? Today?”

Shouto squirmed, slightly uncomfortable under Kai’s sudden scrutiny. And he had been worried about telling Okimoto.

“Yeah,” Shouto nodded. “I needed to take the things that I had gotten for Dabi from the mansion over to him. He started questioning me about what I knew of Dabi. He said Dabi was dangerous, and showed me a picture of…” Shouto had almost forgotten about the picture, the gruesome details coming back almost full force. And he had to suppress a shudder at the thought that such carnage had come at the hands of his brother. The same brother that had so tenderly treated his wounds as children… hell, even more so now that they were older. “Did Dabi kill a man while he was in prison?”

He cursed himself silently for asking the question.

Sometimes it was better not to know.

“Yes, he did,” Kai replied, with barely a thought. Like the matter was of passing interest, of no importance. It made Shouto feel slightly nauseous. “Now I need to know what Hawks told you about these rumors? Did he say if there was any proof? Are they going to be filing official charges? If so, it would be best to contact Hagiwara tonight to give him time to begin preparing a defense.”

“No,” Shouto answered. “He just said there were rumors that I was at the prison that night. They have no evidence, so they can’t file charges. Even if they wanted to.”

Kai leaned back once more, though Shouto could tell that the tension didn’t actually leave his body.

“Good. That’s good.” Kai replied, looking at Shouto curiously. “Did he make any other accusations?”

“Sort-of,” Shouto said honestly, starting to feel particularly sticky now that they were out of the heat of the moment, and talking about more serious matters. “He said that if I knew more information about Dabi and didn’t tell him that I could be charged as an accomplice for his crimes.”

“That’s a lie,” Kai practically hissed. “A scare tactic. Disgusting! The worst you could be charged with is ‘withholding information’ regarding a police investigation, and only if they had evidence that you were lying. A photograph or verified communication between the two of you. Without at least some shred of evidence, they can’t even file for a warrant.”

“Well, I did take items from Dabi to him today. Those items could be evidence that I was in some form of communication with my brother.” Shouto hadn’t even considered the idea that Hawks might be so desperate to find Dabi that he might attempt a search warrant to try to locate more evidence.

Kai pursed his lips, clicking his tongue in irritation.

“That would be enough,” Kai mused. “I will get in touch with our contacts at the police station. Ensure they put a hold on anything that might come through from Hawks agency in regards to the case. It would be quite inconvenient to have that pompous winged hero digging around in our apartment. All we would need is a few days, until Dabi meets with him. I doubt Hawks will bother with such resource-intensive methods once he has finally had some time to speak with Dabi in person.”

Shouto nodded, feeling a bit naive at how little he still understood about all of this.

“I should have sent it to him anonymously,” Shouto said. It wasn’t a question, but a statement. “Taking it to him directly was a risk I didn’t consider.” He was mildly irritated with Dabi, his brother could have told him as much over the phone. But somehow he had the feeling that Dabi was a villain who didn’t shy away from taking risks. After all, he was the one planning to fuck Hawks.

“Yes, that would have been a better way to accomplish your part in Dabi’s task,” Kai agreed.

“I don’t know enough yet about how all of this works,” Shouto replied, the frustration evident in his voice. “In one day, I exposed myself to Hawks as a potential ‘person of interest’ in his investigation. And I disrupted your meeting, and caused tension between the Shie Hassaikai and the Korosu Mono. I need my training to go faster. I need to learn more than just how to fight. I need to know how this business runs.”

“Perhaps that can be arranged, little fox,” Kai agreed. As his fingers came up to start tracing lines up and down Shouto’s back. “I have a new project coming up that is going to require most of Chrono’s attention. In the meantime, we have a few clients that we provide drugs and protection to… in exchange for money. Chrono usually takes one of the other bullets to collect the funds, but I suppose that you could accompany Mimic to collect these funds for the next few weeks. Mimic has a detailed understanding of every aspect of this organization. I think you could learn a lot from him.”

“Like we did with Hironaka?” Shouto asked, remembering the asshole with the strip club.

“More or less,” Kai answered, swiveling the chair slightly as they spoke, his legs shifting underneath Shouto’s weight. “Most of our clients are easier to deal with. They understand the value of the services that we offer, so they don’t push back against this organization the way that Hironaka did. If someone does, you and Mimic will have full control over how you choose to bring those clients back in line.”

Shouto swallowed, remembering how easily Dabi had responded to Hironaka when they had gone with Kai that night. If Dabi hadn’t been there, Shouto would have struggled to even summon the courage to use his fire. Perhaps an assignment like this would be good for learning how the Yakuza worked. And working with Mimic, the man was black and white. Cut and dry. He wouldn’t try to hide the uglier sides of this business from Shouto the way that he knew Kai did at times.

Shouto was in the Yakuza, for better or for worse. If he truly still wanted to use his role here to make a difference in society, he needed to understand exactly how the Yakuza worked. The good. The bad. And the ugly.

“Alright,” Shouto agreed. “I will go with Mimic to help collect the funds.”

“That’s good,” Kai answered with an amused smile. “Because I wasn’t asking. But I do believe it will be good for your growth. Most of our collections happen on the weekends, but I will have Mimic get in touch with you to set up a schedule.”

Shouto nodded.

“What is the new project you have Chronostasis helping with?” Shouto asked curiously. This was the first time he had heard Kai mention anything about it.

“Just some work on a few new drugs we are looking into,” Kai replied, almost resigned, “Nothing that you need to concern yourself with. As of right now, we don’t know if the drugs will even be a success.”

Shouto could tell from the tone of his voice that there was more to it than the other man was telling him. But the tone was also distinct. Kai didn’t want Shouto asking any more questions about it. Shouto wouldn’t learn more of this project unless Kai decided to tell him about it.

Although… maybe Mimic would tell him more about it.

“Are you ready to go home?” Kai asked after a moment. “I for one am more than ready for a shower.”

“Me too,” Shouto nodded, standing up. He blushed slightly at the way that Kai’s gaze trailed down his naked body. Almost predatory as it lingered on his soft cock. Kai stood up, pulling Shouto up against him once more, and catching him in another deep kiss.

His hands began to trail down Shouto’s back.

“Then again, I might be able to wait a little longer,” Kai murmured against his mouth, cupping his hands around Shouto’s ass and lifting him back up to sit on the desk as he kissed him.

Shouto moaned as Kai slotted himself between Shouto’s thighs, one hand going down to stroke Shouto’s cock. Shouto nodded as he felt his cock growing hard under Kai’s fingers. Kai smiled against his mouth, biting playfully at Shouto’s swollen bottom lip. Then he placed a single hand on Shouto’s chest, pushing him back down onto the desk.

Chapter Text

Overhaul POV

“Are you certain this is the place you want to base our research out of? It looks like it hasn’t been used for years.” Kurono looked skeptically at the gate as Kai made his way over to a small lockbox just off the side of the wooden panels. He pulled out a small keyring from his pocket, selecting the smallest of them and using it to open the box, revealing an older style keypad that would give them access to the Yakuza compound. “It’s going to take us weeks just to get it cleaned up. We need somewhere to move the girl now. We can’t stay in that motel forever.” The entire building was surrounded by a large cement wall; the gray stonework along the bottom half was worn down from the years of disuse, but the structure was sound. As was the gateway they were currently huddled inside of, even the nokishita above them was still intact, shading them from the warm sun.

Kai’s mouth tightened in irritation as he entered the combination; satisfied by the whirring of a small mechanism coming to life for the first time in years, the gate creaking in protest as it opened up to a large courtyard. Of course it did not look like much now; after almost a decade of disuse, time had taken a toll on the old compound. The grounds were in disarray, the cobblestone path was dirty, with small weeds poking up between the stones. The gardens and trees lining the walkway had been allowed the freedom to grow wild, covering over most of the decor and rocks that he knew must be camouflaged beneath the overgrown flora. Even the small pond was filled with weeds and wildflowers, although Kai could still see the bridge that crossed it, as sturdy as it had ever been despite the years. The building itself was also in good shape, although the years had left signs of dirt on the stark cement walls; a few places where the decorative brick around the edges had started to crumble, a handful of broken or cracked windows staring out at them. But the foundation was still solid.

Kurono should really have more trust. It had taken him a week to find this building, and almost another to secure it. Arranging the unfortunate accident that had claimed Goya’s fighter had been tedious. The man had been difficult to track down; and even harder for Sakaki to secure a private drink with. Although it had left a necessary amount of blood on Sakaki’s hands, he would have never required his bullet to shoot himself if he didn’t have faith that this building was exactly what he wanted for their research.

As they ascended the short stairway that led to the main entrance, Kai selected the master key. He unlocked the large double-doors before tucking the keyring back into his pocket and pushing the door open. Just like the gate, the wooden doors protested, the hinges stiff with rust, creaking as the opening door forced them to move. The smell of dust and stale, warm air wafted out; the faint perfume of rot lingering at the edges. Kai stepped inside, feeling around the wall for a lightswitch. He flipped it on, relieved to see that electricity still flowed to the building. Although only a handful of dim lights turned on, some flickering, casting dancing shadows on the lobby, the rest burned out after years of disuse.

Kurono scowled as he closed the door behind them. The lobby was a large room with a tall, old cypress desk at the back. Dark walls with golden pillars along them lined both sides of the room, square golden vases that used to hold magnificent displays of peonies were now burnished and dull, filled with nothing but dry dirt and dead roots. The floors were a white marble, a large dirty red runner leading back to the main desk. There was a small coffee table on both sides of the room, each surrounded by a half-circle of chairs; although many of them had been knocked over or collapsed. One of the walls was tainted with bold lines of neon green and pink spray paint that spelled out ‘Kiken’na Tora’; old graffiti that had likely been left by some pathetic group of teenagers that called themselves a gang and thought that tagging an old Yakuza compound would somehow give them street cred. A feat that was unsuccessful as he had never heard of a gang called the dangerous tigers. The other side of the room, next to a broken vase, was an old mound of blankets that indicated the building had been used by the homeless not too long ago, reeking of rot and filth. Kai frowned at the mess.

Disgusting.

He turned back toward his second, adjusting the gloves on his hands to ensure they were secure. He did not want any of this filth on his skin.

“It has been almost ten years since this building was used, to be exact.” He said, moving toward the vase at the back left corner of the room. He reached behind it, locating a small panel that pushed to the side, revealing a second keypad. He didn’t have to look back to know that Kurono was behind him as he entered the code, satisfied as one of the wall panels behind the desk swung open. Everything was still working; the structure of the building was strong. A good cleaning crew could have this mess taken care of within a few days; sooner, for the right pay. He nodded toward the secret doorway, leading Kurono toward it. They wouldn’t have long before the door closed once more. “This used to be an old office for Okimoto Corp; they handled all of the shipments that went to or came from the states. They also had a large research team that based out of the lower floors. When Okimoto built the new headquarters, many of these smaller offices were abandoned so that he could keep a closer eye on the different research teams in his employ. The basics of the laboratory in this particular office, however, were left behind during the transition. Which means that there may be some components to salvage as we create a new research station. The fact that it’s in Goya’s territory makes it ideal.”

He stepped into a small entry, flipping on the light as the door began to close just as Kurono dodged in behind him, cutting out all light from the outside world. A large staircase led down into what Kai knew was a labyrinthine work area; much smaller, but similar, to the one at headquarters. The official laboratory was actually the first place he wanted to check. All of the old records indicated that it had been in good shape at the time of the transition, but almost worthless compared to its top-of-the-line counterpart at headquarters.

The air was stale as they took the stairs down almost two stories, the stairwell finally giving way to a long hallway that went in both directions.

“We already have our own compound. It wouldn’t take nearly as much work to get it ready.” Kurono replied. “Okimoto won’t care where we take her. He doesn’t even want to talk about the girl.”

“Not at the moment,” Kai mused, recalling the blueprints in his mind as he got to the bottom of the stairs. He went right, leading them down a long hallway, flipping the light switches along the way. The underground facility was much larger than the faux office building above them, and if the measurements on the blueprints were correct, it was nearly a quarter mile down to the laboratory. “He is still mourning the loss of his only son. If the girls mother hadn’t walked away, I doubt he would have even sent me to retrieve Eri. Despite the fact that she has done nothing to earn the title, some day he is going to remember that she is the heir to the Okimoto Corporation, and he is going to want her back. It might be a few years; or maybe only a few months. This building will ensure that, once that day comes, I am the one in control of how and when that happens. Because once she is back with her grandfather, our chance to research her quirk will be gone. Its critical that we take advantage of the time that we do have. And if it happens before we are ready, I doubt he will look for her in this part of town. Okimoto knows how much Goya and I dislike one another.”

Kurono nodded, the two of them falling into an easy silence as they continued their walk. The occasional door would pop up on one side or another, but Kai ignored them until they finally reached their goal. He pushed open the door, flipping the light on and looking around. Kurono walked in past him, starting to examine the research stations. Cut off from the outside world, this section of the facility was much cleaner than the rest of the building, this lab covered in only a thin layer of dust. It was undisturbed however, each of the stations set up just as they had been the day the Yakuza walked away from the building. Although there would be plenty of equipment that would require replacement, at least primary components could be salvaged for their use. The research he was investing in Eri was being fully funded by his own savings; it was the only way to ensure that Okimoto would be hard-pressed to find this place if he went in search of his granddaughter before Kai was ready to return her. As were the scientists that he had recently brought on, and all of the renovations to this building. It was going to cost him millions of yen to get the research he wanted.

But if the research panned out, if her quirk was able to help create even a third of the drugs that initial checks indicated, he stood to make billions more in return. Enough that he might finally be able to step out from Okimoto’s shadow and finally create a name for himself.

Eri was a well of possibility. Enough that Kai was surprised that Okimoto hadn’t already seen as much himself; although the fact that she had accidentally re-wound his son out of existence had likely temporarily blinded the old man to it. She was his grandchild, his only grandchild, and one day he was going to want her back in his life. But she had also taken away his only biological son, and so Kai had to take advantage of the resentment that Okimoto currently harbored. Who knew how many months he would have with Eri. But after an initial quirk analysis, his new team believed that her quirk ‘rewind’ could potentially lead to drugs that could slow or reverse aging. Drugs that could have the ability to erase quirks, or to reverse quirks that have been damaged or lost. Drugs that could reverse the effects of injuries or disease. Even potentially the ability to bring the dead back to life.

Not to mention the possibilities for day-to-day use; the possibility of chemicals that could be added to energy drinks, pain-killers, vitamins, and dozens of other items that the entire world used every day. Things that would pay a pretty penny to effectively ‘rewind’ the symptoms they normally only masked.

“It’s going to take a lot to get this place in order,” Kurono noted, opening up cupboards and surveying what was left behind.

“I already have a cleaning crew scheduled for the next two days. On Sunday, I have supplies being delivered. Including furniture for Eri’s room. We should be able to have you all out of the motel and settled in by Monday. I will have the rest of the bullets settled in by the end of the week. The research team will be getting me a list of supplies tomorrow, and that should be here by next Friday at the latest. It shouldn’t be long before we can start researching the girls quirk and get a better idea of how we can use it.”

“That’s good,” Kurono replied, almost disappearing from view as he made his way over the actual research equipment. The laboratory was larger than Kai had expected, a definite advantage if they decided to continue operations out of this building once the research on Eri was complete. “Getting her out of that room will be good for all of us. She is little spitfire, honestly. She’s restless and bored out of her mind cooped up in that motel all day. She refuses to eat pretty much anything that even resembles a vegetable without the bribe of ice cream to follow. She has already drawn pictures on two walls in the motel. She barely responds to me or Setsuno. She just keeps asking for her mom and dad.”

“She has a temper; just like her grandfather.” Kai murmured, motioning back toward the doorway before heading toward it. Kurono nodded, following him out. “She asks for her parents? She still doesn’t remember rewinding her father than?”

“No,” Kurono replied as they made their way back down the hall. “Nor does she know that her mother abandoned her. Setsuno and I have done our best to keep her distracted, but eventually she is going to realize that she isn’t going back to her home. She is going to be upset.”

“As was I the day I found myself on my own,” Kai replied, his mouth tightening bitterly. He and Eri had some things in common, after all. His father had also died at Kai’s hands, although unlike Eri it had not been an accident. Kai’s father had taken his mother away from him at an early age; gotten too rough with her in a fit of drinking. She had ended up in a coma after he pushed her down the stairs in a fight; and she just never woke up. That had only made his father drink more, turn to violence more. So when Kai’s quirk manifested, the first thing he did was make his father pay for his sins. The fact that he had ended up on the streets had been worth seeing that bastard die. That didn’t change the fact that Kai had lived on the streets for months, almost dying himself, before Okimoto had picked him up out of the gutter and given him a place in the Yakuza. “She will eventually realize she is on her own, and grow stronger from it.”

“I hope you’re right,” Kurono noted, as Kai led him down to another room. This one used to be an office, but in a few days it would be a room fit for a princess. “She still doesn’t know how to use her quirk. I don’t know much good these experiments will be if she can’t even access her quirk purposefully. It comes and goes in fits of emotion. The other day she re-wound her blanket into threads because she had a nightmare. Two days before that she rewound an almost dead grasshopper back to perfect health because she was so upset when I suggested that killing it was more merciful than letting it suffer.”

“We’ve discussed a few possibilities,” Kai replied. He had brought on the best scientists that he could find. He only prayed their hypotheses would pan out. “They are going to start with a few tests based off of Pavlovian Theory, paired with genetic research of course. We will be taking blood samples almost daily, so its important you keep her on a nutritious diet. They also plan to take regular shavings off her horn, as well as a few samples of skin tissue. Those alone could lead to breakthroughs in the drug industry. If the initial tests don’t work, Dr. Satsu believes that hypnotherapy or sensory deprivation might also yield some beneficial results.”

“Hmm…” Kurono nodded, though Kai doubted the man was truly that interested in the subject. Kai generally used Kurono for more physical missions; longterm baby-sitting was certainly not something he was excited about. Despite the importance of the work. “And this room?”

“It will be Eri’s bedroom,” Kai replied. “Setsuno’s will be next door, and yours at the end of the hall. The other bullets will be able to choose where they wish to stay. I already have plans for her room to be fully furnished. And I expect you to keep her happy, to connect with her on some level, regardless of her stubborn nature. All the toys and books and dresses that she could ever desire. If she wants to have a tea party, than you will have a tea party. If she wants to paint your nails, than you will let her choose any color she wants. But she is to have absolutely nothing that could allow for communication with the outside world. No radios. No T.V.s. No computers. No phones.” The little girl was only six, too young to really understand what was going on. But she was also Okimoto’s grand-daughter, which meant that she was resourceful and smart as a whip. She was also bound to get lonely, to crave friends her age. No amount of toys or tea parties with his bullets would fully fill that need. So it was crucial she had no means of reaching out. The last thing Kai needed was for her to accidentally ruin this experiment simply because she wanted a playmate.

Kurono snorted.

“Are you sure this risk is going to pay off? Surely I would be of more use in my regular job duties, one of the other bullets could assist Setsuno. You cannot possibly be planning to collect the dues from our clients yourself.

“Of course not,” Kai replied, turning off the light and heading back up the stairs. “Shouto and Mimic will be running collections on Saturday nights for the next few months. Any that they aren’t able to complete, Hojo and Tabe will be able to complete.”

“Do you think Shouto is ready for that?” Kurono questioned.

“He will have to be,” Kai replied without hesitation. “It’s already been arranged.” Shouto had grown much over the past few weeks, Tuesday had been proof of that. Although Kai was glad to see Shouto finally having the confidence to go after what he wanted, and the courage to follow through with his threats; the fact that he had thought he could interrupt a meeting was unacceptable. He needed to learn more about how the Yakuza worked. And he needed to learn quickly.

“I take it that you still don’t want him involved in this?” Kurono asked.

“Not yet. I will tell him about it when the time is right. With his quirk training coming up, and these new missions with Mimic, he has enough on his plate for now.” Not to mention these weekly games with Okimoto. Kai had been less than pleased to learn about them. That is where Shouto was tonight, playing Go with their leader. Although Okimoto was like a father to him, Kai still wasn’t sure if he could fully trust the conversations between the two of them. There was no doubt that Okimoto could teach Shouto, just as he had taught Kai, but he was certain they would ultimately be lessons that would benefit Okimoto. Kai needed Shouto to be strong; he couldn’t afford for Okimoto to put any doubt in Shouto’s mind that his place in the Yakuza was anywhere but with the Shie Hassaikai. And Okimoto had already told Kai explicitly that he had plans for Shouto. He even planned to take Shouto and Dabi on a trip to America in August.

Which meant that Kai had only two months to ensure that Shouto was fully ready to represent the Shie Hassaikai in whatever the mission in America would be. To ensure that Shouto knew his place in the Yakuza. To ensure that Shouto understood that, although Kai was allowing for Okimoto to use him, Shouto answered to Kai, and Kai alone.

Chapter Text

*Before reading this chapter, I suggest reading Chapter 1 of 'High on Roses & Black Ink', part four of this AU. It provides some Dabi backstory that will add to this chapter*

Dabi POV

Dabi was parked in a side alley near Hawks' apartment, motorcycle helmet still settled on his head, visor down to conceal his identity.

Mimic was waiting quietly, just behind him, hidden from sight by Dabi's legs. The other bullet had arrived just a few minutes ago, after wrapping up a night of collections with Shouto. He wanted to ask Mimic how the night had gone; they had talked about his plans for training his little brother at length while they were surveying the apartment yesterday, but he couldn't risk attracting any unnecessary attention.

That would have to wait for another day.

He shifted impatiently, pulling out his phone to check the time. They were at a standstill; leaning against a brick wall, hidden in shadow, waiting for Hawks to finally head out to their meeting point.

Not that Dabi was actually going to be there. In his place, Dabi had left a message for the hero; carefully laid out and awaiting his arrival. He had also set up a camera to monitor the whole thing. As much as he suspected that Hawks did, indeed, want to fuck him again; he wouldn’t put it past the hero to take advantage of this meeting to try to get him back into handcuffs, and not in the way that Dabi actually enjoyed.

Dabi, on the other hand, was going to make himself comfortable in Hawks apartment to await his return… He just hoped that the hero would be smart enough to go to the factory alone. Dabi would be disappointed if he brought anyone; ruined Dabi’s plans for the night. He was very much looking forward to trying out the new body mod that Kai had helped him out with yesterday.

A tongue frenectomy.

Definitely not the most exciting sounding of his many mods, but one he had been wanting for a while. It wasn’t the pain of the surgery that had stopped him. No, the pain he always enjoyed. But the recovery time was another matter entirely. Thanks to Kai’s quirk, though, there was no recovery time, no wait this long before having sex rules like he had dealt with for so many of his piercings. He was ready to go. As if he had the mod for years.

After several minutes, he caught sight of the winged hero coming out of the building. It was dark out, but the lights around the apartment entrance were just enough to get a decent look at him. Hawks wasn't in his hero costume, not completely at least. He was wearing his signature fur-lined jacket; a fitted black shirt underneath and dark wash jeans that hugged his thighs in a way that was definitely intended to draw attention to certain attributes. His hair was slicked back, dark liner around his eyes making the golden irises almost glow.

He came out with a smile, waving at the handful of desperate paparazzi, sticking around long after their normal hours in the hopes of getting a good picture just in case one of the many heroes who lived in the apartment made a late-night appearance. Just like tonight. They were thrilled. Hawks dodged autographs and questions, though, coming out and taking off in flight at the curb; cameras flashing in an attempt to get the best shot. Dabi smirked at the show. The whole thing was a media ploy. Hawks could easily take off from his patio, he lived in the damn penthouse after all, but he chose to do so out in the open. The magazines just loved pictures of him in flight; and he was obviously happy to oblige that desire in order to keep his name trending.

And the city just ate it up.

Apparently he had learned a few tricks while interning with Endeavor.

Dabi pushed himself off from the wall. He didn’t have long; an hour at the most before Hawks would return. Probably less, though. He needed to get inside quickly so that he could monitor the camera at the old factory.

He motioned to Mimic; and they took the long way around to the back entrance; easier to avoid the lingering paparazzi outside. He ducked into the shadows just outside the camera's vision, watching as Mimic melded into the building's walls.

The plan was risky, but simple. He and Mimic had surveyed the building yesterday, and had a good idea of where the cameras were. Dabi had a basic scrambler that would allow him to temporarily block their signals as he passed by them on his way up to Hawks' place. The static and interruptions could attract attention too, though, so Mimic would go in first to cut the power completely to the main lobby. Once the security guards headed down to check things out, Dabi would be able to get inside and make his way up to the penthouse without attracting unwanted attention.

He tapped his foot nervously until the text came through; the thumbs up emoji lighting up his screen.

Glancing both ways, Dabi activated the scrambler. He moved to the door and keyed in the code to the building.

It hadn’t taken Mimic long yesterday to infiltrate the walls of the building, and eventually the keypad itself. Once he had, he simply had to memorize the order of the buttons depressed for the buildings occupants to gain entry.

Once inside, Dabi moved quickly, making his way to the employee maintenance elevator near the back. It wasn’t the fastest way to the top, but it beat the hell out of taking the stairs and it had a lot less risk than taking the public elevators. This was a very well-to-do building. Outside of the two security officers currently investigating the lobby, there were also 16 pro-heroes living there who wouldn’t hesitate to question anyone who didn’t seem to belong. And walking around inside with a fully-visored motorcycle helmet on… well, that wasn’t exactly common behavior.

There were only two penthouse apartments in the building, and thanks to the time it was likely that Dabi would be able to get the door open without being discovered by a neighbor. He made his way to the door to Hawks place, setting the scrambler down on the floor and pulling a tension wrench and hook pick out of his pocket. He crouched down, balancing on the front of his feet as he worked. It had been some time since he had broken into a place using such an old-school tactic. He looked up and down the hall one last time before inserting the wrench into the bottom of the keyhole and holding it gently down. Then he slid the pick into the keyhole and began to test the pins, one at a time to try to locate the first binding pin. Once he had found the stiffest pin, he leaned his ear in close, and pushed upward until he heard it click. Working quickly, he continued on until he had finally secured all five pins out of the way.

He opened the door with a satisfied smile, standing back up and re-pocketing the tools. It wasn’t as dark as Dabi had expected inside the apartment. He stepped in, closing the door quickly and locking it behind him. He turned off the scrambler, tucking it back into his jacket as well. There was a single, dim light on in the entryway; another faint light coming from a doorway further down. The apartment smelled like sandalwood, the lingering hint of noodles from what Dabi guessed had been the hero’s dinner. The smell made his stomach rumble, reminding him of how little he had eaten throughout the day. Dabi pulled off his helmet, balancing it on a coat hook, and toed out of his shoes. He glanced down a short hall that seemed to lead into a main room with the shadow of a dark-colored couch.

Dabi took out his phone, making his way down the hall. Finding the kitchen didn’t take long at all. He flipped on the light, taking a quick look around. The room was large, almost twice as big as his own apartment’s kitchen. The appliances and cabinets were stained red, accompanied by what seemed to be fairly new stainless steel appliances. The place was clean, but the counter-top was an almost amusing amalgamation of dozens of small gadgets and appliances.

How fitting.

Hawks had always loved the thrill of buying something new; the biggest, the best, the top-of-the-line. He had never really been able to do so when they were younger. Unlike at the Todoroki mansion, money had been sparse for him. So now that he had plenty of it to go around, it didn’t surprise Dabi that his apartment was stuffed with a whole bunch of fancy gadgets that had probably been used once before being shoved into an empty space on the counter.

Dabi opened up the monitoring app on his phone, selecting the camera he had placed at the old factory. Everything was still set up just as Dabi had left it; Hawks hadn’t arrived yet. Dabi glanced at the time. 10:50pm. The winged hero would be getting there any minute now.

Dabi set the phone down, heading over toward the cupboards, when a movement in the corner of his vision caught his attention. He whirled quickly, both hands sparking with blue flame, only to find himself staring at an old orange tabby cat that had jumped up to sit on the table. It was staring back, one of its green eyes milky and clouded over with age.

“Well I’ll be damned,” Dabi chuckled at the absurdity of the situation, dropping his quirk as he recognized the old cat. “How in the fuck are you still alive Tibs? You were old as balls when we were still at UA.” Tibs had been a present for Hawks from his dad on his seventh birthday, long before he and Dabi had even become friends; before the man had been arrested for murder. The cat was a grouch, who preferred to be left alone unless food was involved. It had, however, always liked Dabi… well Touya... which had always been a sore spot for Hawks, who had to bribe the damn thing to even acknowledge him.

Dabi walked over, taking another quick glance at his phone as he did. 10:53pm. Still no sign of the hero.

Tibs mewled quietly as Dabi reached up and scratched behind his ears. The cat bent its head down, pushing back against Dabi’s hand. Just like it always had when they were dating. As if the damn thing actually knew who he was.

Suddenly, a noise from his phone caught his attention. 10:56pm. Hawks had finally made it to the factory. Dabi smiled, picking up his phone and watching as he made his way back over to the cupboards.

He watched as Hawks walked in carefully, hesitantly. The hero didn’t approach the rose at first, taking the time to look around the room. Dabi was pleased to see that he had actually arrived alone. That meant he likely had no intention of trying to arrest Dabi tonight. It was also pretty stupid of him. Like Dabi, a part of him had to know that this little arrangement would be the perfect time and place for an ambush.

“Stick around you ancient little fucker, and maybe we can find you a treat.” Dabi mused aloud, glancing up briefly at the cupboards, trying to decide which one would have what he was looking for. “If only you could tell me where your daddy keeps his wine…”

“Dabi?” Hawks’ voice played out from the phone. The hero was finally walking up to the blanket.

Dabi had everything carefully arranged; artistically. An altar with a single black rose, thorns carefully left intact, arranged in the middle. He had thought about leaving a white rose, out of irony, just like the one he had first given the winged hero. But he couldn’t bring himself to do so. He wasn’t even sure if Hawks would understand the significance of the color. It had been so long ago that Dabi had tried to explain Hanakotoba to him; and they had never once discussed the color black.

Underneath the rose was a simple, white envelope; the name Takami written out in elegant, scrawling calligraphy. The hero bent down, grabbing the letter and gently pulling it out from under the flower. Hawks traced his thumb over the lettering for a moment before turning it over and breaking the seal.

Like the first letter that Dabi had arranged for Shouto to deliver, this one was also short and to the point.

"He who dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose."

Hawks stared at the words for much longer than necessary to read the simple sentence, as if he was running them through his mind again and again. After nearly a full minute, the man sighed, looking down at the rose.

Dabi could hear him mumble something, although so quietly that Dabi couldn't make out the words. He slid the letter back into the envelope and tucked it in his pocket. Then he leaned over and carefully picked up the rose.

Dabi began to open up cupboards, searching for the hero's wine collection, watching the screen out of the corner of his eye. Hawks had stooped down, his hands buried in his hair, the rose still in his fist. Dabi could almost feel the press of the thorns biting into his own palms at the sight.

Hawks was frustrated by his absence.

That was good.

Very good.

Dabi finally found what he was looking for, a small stash of wine in a lower cupboard. He pulled the bottles out, checking the labels carefully. It only took a minute to find one that caught his attention. A Lafite Rothschild 1959 Rebouche Au Chateau.

Over 600,000.00 yen per bottle

Perfect.

"Dammit Touya!" Hawks cursed.

Dabi frowned in irritation at the name. The hero just refused to accept the cold truth. A part of him was tempted to just leave, but that wasn't exactly an option. Doing so would be blatantly disregarding Kai's orders. Dabi set the wine on the counter, slamming the cupboard harder than necessary.

It didn’t take long to locate the wine glasses and a corkscrew. He also managed to find a small can of cat food for Tibs. Hawks had disappeared from the video, which meant he was likely on his way back to the apartment now.

Dabi popped the cork on the wine, throwing it and the corkscrew lazily into the sink. He gathered up his supplies, before making his way toward the bedroom.

He stopped by the bathroom on the way, juggling everything precariously into one arm long enough to pop in and take a piss. He ran water through his hair a few times in an attempt to fix his helmet hair, before curiously opening up the medicine cabinet. Most everything was pretty generic, but one particular prescription caught his eye.

Fentanyl.

Fuck yes.

Dabi pulled it out of the cupboard, spilling some of the wine on the sink as he struggled to open the cap one-handed. Once he did, he popped a single pill and washed it down with a large swallow of wine.

Two swallows.

Dabi wasn’t usually much of a wine person, but that was pretty damn good. Maybe the price did actually amount to something.

Recapping the Fentanyl, he slipped it into his jeans pocket and continued on his trek to the hero's bedroom.

Like the kitchen, Hawks' bedroom was filled with all manner of expensive looking gadgets. Dabi bypassed them all, making his way to the bed. He set the glasses down on the nightstand and filled them halfway with wine; taking another large drink before setting the bottle nearby. Then he stripped off his jacket and shirt, undid the button and zipper on his pants, plopping down on the bed and crossing his ankles as he laid back against the headboard, making himself comfortable.

Tibs pushed open the door as Dabi fished a joint out of his pocket. The cat jumped up onto the bed, curling itself into a ball next to Dabi's feet as he used his quirk to light up, taking a few small puffs to get it started. Then he lay his head back against the wall, waiting. Smoking. Letting the haze of the fentanyl kick in. Drinking over-priced wine.

He swore to the fucking gods, if Hawks even uttered the name Touya while they were fucking around, he was out.

Done.

Finished.

Kai could find another way to blackmail the hero.

Dabi was only a few puffs away from finishing his joint when he heard a door open and close. A moment later, footsteps echoed down the hallway, Hawks appearing in the doorway to his bedroom. His eyes widened slightly at the scene, Dabi smiling at him as he took a final hit of his joint and then extinguished it by rolling it between his fingers, enjoying the slight burn as he did.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you’re here," Hawks said in lieu of an actual greeting, his eyes narrowing in over the scene. "Making my apartment smell like marijuana and drinking the Lafite Rothschild I had been saving for a special occasion."

"Is this not a special occasion?" Dabi asked, picking up the untouched glass and holding it out for the hero. Hawks shook his head, so Dabi took a generous swallow from the other man’s glass before setting it back on the nightstand.

"How did you get in?" Hawks asked shortly, changing the subject without answering. Dabi suspected that the hero did consider this a special occasion, but pride kept him from admitting so aloud.

"A good magician never reveals his secrets," Dabi replied smugly.

"This isn't a game, Tou-" Hawks began.

"Ah ah ah," Dabi interrupted loudly, shaking a finger at him. "My name is Dabi. If you say the name Touya even once tonight, then I will leave and you will never see me again."

"You shouldn't be here, Dabi. Meeting up in an abandoned building way outside of the city is one thing. You breaking in to my apartment is another thing entirely. What if someone had seen you? You didn't just put yourself at risk, you put my entire career at risk!"

He who dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose.

Dabi couldn't help but notice that Hawks was having a hard time staying focused as he spoke; his golden eyes continuing to wander down to his tattoos, his naked chest. The silver barbell piercings in his nipples. The little sliver of blue underneath the open zipper of his jeans.

Dabi shifted his hips slightly, the movement emphasizing the slight bulge of his cock under his jeans. He wasn't hard yet, but if the winged hero didn't stop glancing at his crotch, it wouldn't be long before he was.

"So many accusations, Hawks." Dabi replied. "I show up here to make you feel good, and Tibs is happier to see me than you are. Did you really expect me at the factory? I had to be sure that this little arrangement wasn't going to lead to my arrest. As much as I enjoyed my time in prison, I rather prefer my freedom. Not that I have much of it, thanks to the mugshots you have plastered up around the city."

"I wouldn't be too cocky. There is no arrangement between us, Dabi." Hawks replied. "I went to that factory because you asked me to. As a favor. For an old friend. I haven't decided how this night ends yet. You could still end up behind bars."

Dabi smiled, picking up one of the wine glasses and draining the rest of the glass. Nice and slow, purposefully making Hawks wait. He could definitely feel the effects starting to hit. He was going to have to slow down, at least enough to have the sense to stick to his plan. He needed to bait the hook; to give Hawks just a taste of what Dabi could offer him… if he plays by Dabi’s rules.

“Don’t be coy, Hawks. It’s not as cute as you may think. You want to fuck me." Dabi replied confidently. He had no intention of letting that happen… not tonight, at least. But the other man didn't need to know that. "Otherwise, you would have shown up at that factory with enough heroes to take me in. And you would be getting a call from Tsuragamae right now congratulating you for finally re-apprehending such a dangerous villain. And probably a bonus.”

Hawks laughed, short and bitter.

“You’re right about the bonus,” he replied, shoving his hands awkwardly into his pants as he stood at the edge of the bed.

“I’m right about all of it,” Dabi replied shamelessly. “You have been thinking about this little reunion since we talked in the prison. About what it would feel like to touch me again. To fuck me again."

Hawks’ eyes dropped, almost subconsciously, down towards the open fly on Dabi's jeans.

"Even if I was, your recent display with the Sakai widow certainly made it clear that you weren't exactly thinking about me."

"The Sakai widow?" Dabi grinned, surprised that Hawks knew anything about that. She must have called in to claim the reward. Good for her. "That just… happened. She needed a good lay as much as I did."

"Could you be anymore irresponsible?" Hawks huffed, obviously irritated that Dabi didn't try to deny it. Maybe even jealous… "Marking her up like that? Fucking without protection. What if she ends up pregnant? She would be ruined."

"On the contrary. I would hope it inherits my quirk. Endeavor is in the market for a little fire wielder with some Todoroki blood. He would pay handsomely for the baby. She would be set for life." Not that Dabi would ever allow that to happen. If by some chance he ever did knock a girl up, he would keep the child far away from that bastard.

But again, Hawks really didn't need to know that either.

Hawks shook his head.

"This isn't a joke," Hawks replied stiffly. Dabi resisted the urge to sigh. The hero was getting side-tracked. Or procrastinating. Or both. Dabi, on the other hand, was ready to have his cock fucking touched while he was still enjoying the best part of his high. "Did she even know that you murdered her husband?"

So the man had been doing his research.

"I murdered her husband?" Dabi answered, putting a hand on his chest dramatically. Hawks stared, his brow low. Questioning. Dabi didn't actually expect an answer. The heroes probably had no idea how complex prison politics were; how brutal. "Sakai's death was no one's fault but his own. Or maybe you didn't get that memo."

That wasn't a lie. The bastard had signed his death warrant the moment he threatened to rape Dabi.

Hawks scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Of course," Hawks replied sarcastically. "I'm sure he ran his own face into the shower knob, what... six, seven times?"

"Is that how he died?" Dabi feigned ignorance. "What a way to go! Now is this really how you want to spend the night, or do you want to finally touch me? And don't lie and tell me you don't want to fuck me. I know that it's been on your mind."

"Sounds like I'm not the only one who has been thinking about it. Is that what you’re here for? What you want? To be fucked by a hero?" Hawks reached behind his back, undoing the buttons that held his jacket in place beneath his wings; pulling the jacket off and setting it on the edge of the bed. Dabi watched shamelessly, enjoying the show. After everything that had happened between them, he had never intended to end up back in Hawks’ bed. But since he was here, he might as well enjoy the few benefits that this mission could yield for him.

And as the winged hero unhooked his custom T-shirt and slid it up and over his head, Dabi’s body enjoyed this benefit immensely. Hawks had filled out a bit since they dated. Although he was still lean, his muscles were well-defined, and he had abs that made Dabi’s mouth water.

Yeah, he was very tempted to actually fuck the hero tonight. He could almost see Hawks settle into his lap. He could almost feel the tight heat of the man sliding his body down over Dabi's cock, riding it as those beautiful red wings smoldered with Dabi's blue fire; slowly crumpling to ashes around them as they fucked.

He pushed the thought away, refocusing on the moment. He could feel his thoughts going a bit foggy from the drugs and the alcohol. The idea of burning this entire complex to the ground as they fucked was far too tempting.

He needed to stay focused.

He looked back up at Hawks. A part of Dabi wanted to tell the other man that this wasn't his first time being fucked by a hero. One thing he had discovered as a drug dealer was that an addicted hero was just as likely to suck cock in order to get their fix as the average druggie. But as satisfying as it would be to stoke the man's jealousy, it wouldn’t help achieve the goals of this mission. He needed Hawks to still feel… special. To feel like he could offer something to Dabi that he couldn’t get elsewhere. To make him feel like Dabi actually needed him.

He almost wanted to laugh. If any part of tonight was actually a fucking joke… that was it.

"There are a lot of things that I want to do with you, Hawks." Dabi replied, masking the bitterness in his voice as desire. He could still see those wings burning in his mind.

Hawks sat down on the bed, his wings flexing up as he inched over until he was sitting next to Dabi. It was awkward; Dabi could feel the nervous sexual energy rolling off of the other man. And Hawks should be nervous; probably more than he actually is. The fact that he is hanging on to the name Touya meant that the hero thinks there is more left of his old friend than is really there. That also means, despite having seen the pictures of Sakai's corpse, despite having read off the charges at the prison, despite all evidence to the contrary; Hawks underestimates how dangerous Dabi really is. The hero has no idea how vulnerable he is right now. He should be glad that the Yakuza has plans for him. If Dabi wanted to kill him, the hero would never see it coming.

Dabi wasted no time moving to straddle Hawks lap, making sure that he was sitting back just enough that Hawks could feel the heat of his sex, but he couldn't feel it against his. Then Dabi took Hawks' right hand, and placed it on his cheek.

"I want you to touch me," Dabi said, pitching his voice low and sultry. He rolled his hips ever so slightly as he said it, his crotch barely brushing against the outline of the hero’s erection. Hawks’ eyes darkened, his hand tightening momentarily on Dabi's cheek. His other hand came up to grab Dabi's side roughly; and fuck if it didn't feel good. The drugs had heightened his senses and the way Hawks' fingers curled into the lean muscle sent sparks of desire through his body.

Dabi moaned lowly.

Hawks began to trace his fingers over Dabi's skin. He started on his jaw, drawing small circles across his skin. The movement was slow, sensual; his dark eyes focused. Dabi closed his eyes; enjoying the feeling as Hawks memorized every dark petal, mapping out the scarred skin hidden beneath them. He touched each of Dabi's piercings, each part of Dabi that separated him from the person he once knew.

He touched Dabi as if it was the first, and possibly the last, time that he would ever be able to do so. His fingers felt cool against Dabi's skin; his other hand continued to hold his side, his fingers biting into him. Rough, almost possessive compared to the gentle touch over Dabi’s face.

Hawks continued to explore the skin down his neck, and onto his chest. Admiring the tattoos, tracing them. Hawks leaned over, kissing the scarred, tattooed skin. His mouth was warm on Dabi's chest, his lips soft.

Then he sucked one of Dabi's nipples into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the piercing and using his teeth to tug on it ever so slightly.

"Fuck, yeah," Dabi groaned, his head falling back. The sensation of it coursed down his torso and pooled in his groin, his cock pulsing in response.

A moment later Hawks’ mouth was on his, his arms wrapping around Dabi's waist and pulling him forward and up against Hawks' chest. His kiss was fervent and hungry; tasting like passion and betrayal. Hawks’ arms tightened possessively around Dabi. His red wings wrapped around their bodies to encompass them. Dabi moaned into the kiss as Hawks bit down on his lower lip, running his tongue along it, over Dabi’s snakebites, until Dabi opened his mouth and Hawks’ tongue slid between his lips.

Dabi ground his body down against Hawks, enjoying the way the hero moaned into Dabi's mouth. He could feel how hard the man was. He reached up with one hand, wrapping it around Hawks throat to push him against the headboard, angling his body backward to get in a better position to grind his erection against the hero's.

Dabi leaned forward against Hawks’ chest, running his free hand down between them and sliding it down into the waist of Hawks’ boxers. He eased the pressure between them just enough to wrap his fingers around Hawks' cock.

He could already feel the drops of sticky precum, smearing his thumb across the tip to gather it up. Then he slid his hand back out, breaking their kiss. He leaned back enough to bring his thumb up to his mouth and sucked the precum off.

The taste of the hero was like a blow to the stomach. He tasted exactly the way Dabi remembered him; wrenching Dabi momentarily into his memories. Memories he had spent four years building up walls to forget. It made him want to vomit; and to wrap his lips around him and suck his soul out through his cock.

"Dabi" Hawks moaned, his hand grabbing the one Dabi had wrapped around his throat. It startled Dabi back to the moment, his fingers digging almost cruelly into Hawks' neck. He let go, leaning down and biting into the tender skin, dragging it between his teeth and sucking a dark mark into the hero's pale neck.

Dabi continued to trail hot kisses up Hawks’ throat until he could claim the man's mouth with a demanding, bruising kiss.

Hawks kissed him back with as much passion, his hands roaming over Dabi's body again and again, as if to memorize the way his muscles rolled under his fingers as Dabi's hips ground against his. With his wings around them, their breath warming up the space around them. It felt surreal; the warmth and the drugs and the arousal pulsing through him.

Hawks’ hands moved down to his waist, pushing at his pants, forcing them down enough to pull Dabi's cock out. He gasped into their kiss, breaking away to look down between them, his thumb trailing the line of piercings going up the bottom of Dabi's shaft.

"Shit… Dabi…"

Dabi groaned as Hawks squeezed his hand around his cock, giving Dabi a few tentative strokes, getting used to the way the piercings felt against him. Fuck it felt good. The pressure… the sensation… the warmth of his hands…

"Let me... touch you... Dabi…" Hawks murmured, the words panted and thick with lust. "I want you…"

Dabi leaned forward, biting Hawks’ lower lip and tugging it gently.

Then he leaned onto one knee, sitting up enough that his weight was no longer holding the hero down. He wrapped his hands around Hawks’ toned waist and pulled him suddenly lower, until he was lying flat. The hero's wings shifted, spreading out under him, the feathers ruffled where they touched Dabi's legs. Then Dabi braced himself, and flipped Hawks over onto his stomach, a flurry of red feathers surrounding him as he did.

Dabi pushed his wings upward, running his left hand down Hawks' spine and squeezed the hero's ass, his fingers digging into the man's jeans.

Dabi shifted his body downward as he leaned in to kiss the naked skin between Hawks’ wings; nipping and biting along the naked skin, leaving mottled marks over his lower back.

Dabi yanked Hawks hips up to force the hero onto his knees.

Dabi ran his hands down between Hawks' wings, scratching his nails down the other man's spine. He traced it all the way down until he could slide his fingers under the waistband of Hawks’ pants. He tugged at them, growling when they resisted. He reached around the other man's toned waist, impatiently undoing the buttons and zipper, and ripping the pants down.

Fuck.

Hawks’ ass was perfect. Dabi sunk his teeth into it, the hero crying out, his back arching as his wings spread out above him, the tips of the red feathers almost brushing the ceiling.

"Dabi, what are-" Hawks began, his words breaking off in an embarrassed moan as Dabi moved to bite the other cheek, tracing a single finger down the crack of his ass to tease his entrance. "Ah!" He cried as Dabi traced very small circles around it. "You don't have-"

"Shhhh, little birdie," Dabi interrupted him, pulling away to smack his ass roughly before putting one hand on each cheek and pulling them apart. The muscles in Hawks’ ass tensed as if he were resisting being so exposed; his body leaning forward slightly as if he were subconsciously trying to escape Dabi's heated gaze.

Even from here, Dabi could see a flush forming over his skin.

Dabi dipped his head down, placing a wet kiss directly on his entrance.

"Ngh! Fuck!" Hawks cursed as Dabi licked a stripe over the puckered skin, the ball of his tongue ring catching slightly on the rim.

Warmth spread through Dabi's body; no one had ever rimmed the hero before, that was becoming very obvious. And knowing that Hawks had always been the top between them, he was beginning to wonder if anyone had even touched him there. The idea of being the first person to do so…

Fuck, he really wanted to stretch the hero around his cock.

Dabi pushed his tongue in slowly, enjoying the way Hawks’ entire body responded to the feeling, rolling back against Dabi's mouth, moaning loudly into the room. Dabi could feel the sound of that moan like a vibration in his body, coursing down through him straight to his cock.

He closed his eyes, enjoying how deep his new mod let him put his tongue; swirling circles with his tongue ring, his nose pressed into the crevice of Hawks’ ass, his fingers buried in the firm muscles of his ass. Unlike his pre, tasting the hero like this was new; the pressure on his tongue as Hawks' body clenched around it was almost sinfully delicious.

Dabi moved his hands down to grab Hawks’ hips as the hero rocked in pleasure, holding his body in place. He worked his tongue against Hawks' soft inner walls, searching.

"Dabi!" Hawks screamed suddenly, and Dabi knew he had hit the right spot. He focused his attention there, lavishing the man's sex, enjoying the way it made Hawks scream.

Dabi moved one hand down, wrapping his hand around the hero's cock, stroking him. He pulled his tongue out slowly.

"Tell me that you’ll take my 'wanted' posters down," Dabi demanded softly. He spit on his hand, smearing it over his cock, spreading around the pre-cum that had leaked out.

Hawks tensed.

"What… ngh…?" He moaned, obvious confusion in his voice. Dabi pushed his cock up against Hawks’ ass, grinding the piercings against him.

"The posters…" Dabi repeated himself, twisting his hand as he stroked, slowly working the hero up to his orgasm. "The mugshots…" Hawks’ ass felt so good against Dabi's cock. Fuck, he could probably get off just from grinding against him, decorate those pretty red wings with his cum. "I need you to take them down…" he stroked, enjoying the pulsing in Hawks' shaft under his fingers. "You wanted me; now you have me. You don't need them anymore."

Hawks groaned as Dabi teased the rim of his entrance with the head of his cock. He had no intention of fucking the hero, but the desire to be the first one to top Hawks made it hard to resist the urge to push it further in. His entire body thrummed with the desire to do so.

But he had to stay focused. This was the first real test. After all, this entire mission wasn't about sex; it was about seeing if Hawks could be manipulated into helping Kai. It was a means to an end. But it meant nothing if the winged hero's convictions wouldn't falter.

"I… I can't…" Hawks moaned, starting to rut his hips, fucking his cock into Dabi's fist.

Fuck. Hawks was practically dripping with pre-cum; Dabi's fingers were coated in it as he stroked him.

"Oh, but you can," Dabi replied, reluctantly pulling his hips away to lean back down and plunge his tongue back inside of Hawks. Hawks screamed, and Dabi's cock ached, painfully, desperately, with the need to keep going.

"Dabi, I'm… I'm…" Dabi changed tactics, moving his hand down to wrap harshly around his balls and the base of his shaft, cutting off his orgasm. "What…?" Desperation dripped from the word. "Dabi… Fuck! Please… please… I'm close… I'm so close!" He stilled his tongue, keeping it buried as far into Hawks as he could.

Dabi let his body roll with Hawks' desperate rutting, knowing that alone wouldn't be enough for the other man to actually get off. After he was certain the hero wouldn't cum immediately upon him resuming his attention, Dabi began to slowly fuck his tongue in and out of him, keeping his hand firmly around his balls.

Hawks' legs were trembling underneath him; his wings almost fluttering in ecstasy.

He pulled back, dragging his tongue along Hawks' prostate as he did.

"Take down the 'wanted' posters," he demanded again, firmer this time, accentuating it by sticking his tongue back in just enough to trace circles around the rim.

"Fuck!" Hawks cursed, pounding his fist into the headboard. Dabi could feel the conflicted emotions rolling through him; desire, frustration, anger, fear…

Dabi loosened his grip, resuming slow strokes as he tongue-fucked Hawks’ ass.

"Yes, yes!" Hawks cried, the words coming out in hoarse, choked off sobs. "Please Dabi!"

"Yes what, Hawks," Dabi growled, the words muffled by the hero's body.

He sped up his strokes ever so slightly, encouraging the other man to give in to his desperation. Hawks’ entire body was rocking, trembling. His cock was pulsing so hard under Dabi's hand that he could tell the hero was already close once more.

My, my… how sensitive the other man was.

He pulled his tongue out, resting his forehead on Hawks’ lower back as he focused on stroking him.

"I know you want to cum for me, Takami," Dabi murmured, the name both vile and beautiful as it slipped past his tongue.

"I will… take… mnn… down the… fuck, yes… yes..." Hawks panted, "the… the… the...posters!"

Dabi stopped the moment that the words left the hero’s mouth, his hand dropping away from Hawks’ sex only moments before his orgasm hit. Hawks rutted pathetically, moaning as Dabi sat back. The hero collapsed on the bed, grinding against it.

Dabi scooted backward, tucking his throbbing cock back into his pants, biting off the urge to groan. The pressure from his jeans alone provided a bit of relief, but not much.

"Good boy," Dabi said, smacking his ass playfully as Hawks buried his head into the pillow, his body shaking. "Once those posters are down, I'll be back to finish this…" He crawled off the bed, swaying slightly to get his balance back. He pulled on his shirt as Hawks pushed himself to sit up.

"I will take them down, Dabi," he begged, his wings curling around himself as he bent over. "Please. I… Fuck! I need you." He must already be feeling the initial effects of blue balls.

Dabi was too.

Dabi smiled at him, making his way to the nightstand, and drinking the last of the second glass of wine. He went to grab his coat as Hawks closed his eyes and groaned in defeat. Hawks’ jacket caught his attention, and he picked it up spontaneously. Shrugging it on, he slung his own jacket over his arm and slipped out of the bedroom.

His erection didn't make it easy to walk, so he shuffled his way down the hall to his shoes and helmet. Once both were on, he flipped on the scrambler and stepped out the door.

He hurried to the same elevator he had taken up, knowing there was no longer a distraction to mask the static in the cameras. He needed to be quick. The moment the elevator opened on the main floor, he hurried, the best he could considering that his dick was throbbing so painfully that it hurt to even move, to the back entrance and out into the night.

Fuck.

Fuck!

The winged hero had felt so good underneath him. The moment he reached the alley, he ripped off his helmet, dug into the pocket of his jacket, pulled out another joint, and lit up. Touching Hawks had stirred him up more than he wanted to admit; both in the best and the worst ways. He was wound up tight; horny as fucking balls and so fucking pissed at the nerve that the damn hero had to taste so good… to feel so good…

He pulled out his phone as he leaned back against the wall. It was barely after midnight. The night was still young, and he sure as fuck was not ready to go home yet. He could still get in a few hours at a club, find someone that would be willing to get down on their knees and let him bury his cock in their throat. But the idea of fucking some random John just didn’t do much, not when all he could think about was burying his cock inside of a certain fucking hero with red fucking wings and a fucking attitude that made Dabi want to punch him in the mouth.

After a few minutes, he put the joint out against the wall, pulling the helmet back on. He threw a leg over his bike, standing it up and pushing the kickstand into place with his heel. He rolled his coat into a ball and tucked it in front of him, noting the tightness in the shoulders of Hawks’ jacket. The other man was slightly smaller than him. He put the key into the ignition, turning it on. Then he sat for a few minutes, letting weed slowly settle into his system, top off the high he was nurturing from earlier. He ran his hand over the shining metal of the bullet bike, enjoying the vibrations of the machine coming to life underneath him.

He should have started riding motorcycles years ago. The look, the feel, the freedom… it was addictive.

No. He wasn’t going to the club tonight.

He was going to Kai and Shouto’s apartment.

Chapter Text

Shouto POV

Shouto adjusted his new headphones, carefully leaning back against his boyfriend on the couch, his body angled to face the TV. Kai didn't protest, shifting his arm so that Shouto fit snugly underneath it. He lay his head back against Kai's naked chest, relishing the warmth of his body pressed against Shouto's back. He loved the weight of Kai's arm over him, his fingers resting on Shouto's side as they relaxed together. Kai in only his dark gray boxers, researching something on his phone; Shouto in a pair of white joggers, waiting for his new PlayStation 5 to finish updating so that he could actually play.

He took a deep breath, savoring the moment. Dating Kai could be lonely at times; between his duties as the Shie Hassaikai leader and Shouto’s training, they didn't always get to see a lot of one another.

So it had been a welcome change when he had come home to find Kai waiting with soba and an almost amusing pile of gaming equipment stacked up next to the TV. To say Shouto was surprised would be an understatement; he had barely mentioned the PlayStation to his boyfriend in passing. Now, he not only had the console, but every accessory he could think of to go with it, and a stack of games teetering in a pile that was almost taller than the TV.

Kai had admitted to not knowing much about videogames. He had simply gone into the store and asked for one of everything. Shouto almost wished that he could have been there to see the look on the associates face at the unusual, and insanely expensive request.

Of course, Shouto would take some of the things back, especially a good chunk of the games, but it didn't stop the feeling of warmth that had bubbled up in his chest at the physical display of Kai's affection.

It couldn't have come at a better time. The entire day had been stressful; one thing after another until he had been almost ready to pull his hair out. Shouto had been woken up an hour before his alarm to the grating sound of the doorbell buzzing; he had completely forgotten that he had Mr. Hagiwara coming over to sign updated paperwork for his cases this afternoon. Which meant he was still in his pajamas, with barely the time to brush his teeth before he had been forced to try and pretend to understand all of the work that Mr. Hagiwara had put into his cases. Yes, they were winning. Both cases were likely going to settle in order to avoid actually taking the cases to court. Shouto stood to be compensated millions of yen between the misconduct lawsuit and the defamation lawsuit… yen that would help him really begin to rebuild his life… but the amount of legal jargon and signatures required was absolutely exhausting to keep up with. Then, as if the fates had decided to fuck with him, Mimic had arrived two hours early to pick him up, right in the middle of his paperwork with Hagiwara. He had come in his small form, and had sat on the back of the couch, directly behind Shouto, tapping away obnoxiously at his phone and swinging his legs while Hagiwara flipped through document after document that required Shouto’s signature.

Once Hagiwara had finally left, Shouto had a whopping ten minutes before Mimic was pulling him out the door to start collections. Shouto was nervous enough as it was; he could still remember going out with Kai and Dabi to the strip club. The disgusting owner had been belligerent enough that both Shouto and Dabi had used their flames to threaten him. And now he was expected to spend an evening doing the same with Mimic, only with no backup this time.

As for guidance, Mimic made no attempt to convert to his normal self. Which meant that Shouto had gotten stuck doing most of the work. He had to talk to each of the businesses, with only a small briefing of each one's contract with the Yakuza before going in. They collected funds from twelve businesses over eight hours. Which really meant twelve times that Shouto had to deal with the scrutiny of who he was, of why it wasn’t Chronostasis or Rappa or Hojo there instead. Twelve times of people saying that they had never heard of Fenikkusu, and twelve times of him having to pull his shirt far enough to the side to show the brand on his collarbone. Yeah, he looked young. He was young. Mimic trailing alongside him looking like a tiny cast-off pokemon did nothing to dispel that illusion. But it still pissed him off when business after business talked to him like he was a fucking child.

By the third business, he was done. He began introducing himself with his fire crackling up his arm; hating the way the orange flames made him think of Endeavor. The way that the heat seemed to encompass him each time he used it. He wanted to allow both of his quirks to show; to show these businesses that he was more than a kid. That he was powerful enough to belong in the Shie Hassaikai; but both Okimoto and Kai had ordered him not to expose his dual-quirked nature. Shouto was the only person in all of Japan with his quirk; and he was well-known enough to be recognized for it. The Yakuza wanted to keep his involvement in their organization quiet, at least for the time being. Luckily, the fire alone helped encourage people to take him a little more seriously.

Mimic finally decided they were done after nine; mentioning that he needed to help Dabi break into Hawks’ apartment building. The information shouldn’t have irritated Shouto like it did. After all, he knew it was happening. Hell, he had even helped it along by delivering that letter to Hawks. But that was less than a week ago! He had expected it to take time! Not for Dabi to go breaking in to a secured apartment building with who knows how many other pro heroes living there. He knew that Dabi was a tad on the cocky side in his missions; but this was a bit much even for him. If Hawks decided to arrest him, he would be surrounded by an entire apartment building of potential allies that would happily help bring Dabi in.

Despite the sacrifices that Dabi had made for Shouto, there was no shortage of people who wanted to see Dabi pay for his crimes. To see him imprisoned. To see him stand trial. Some articles even went so far as to encourage the death sentence...

Shouto pushed the thought away, hoping that Dabi’s plan to seduce the hero was going to work. Hating the idea that it might almost as much as he hated the idea that it might not. If it did, then Dabi was going to end up in Hawks’ bed by the end of the night. After everything that happened between them, the idea that Dabi could willingly give his body to the hero was infuriating. Hawks’ didn’t deserve to get to touch Dabi like they were still lovers…

Shouto had been more than a little stressed by the time he got back home, not even sure if Kai would be there or not. So to come home to both dinner and a gift had been a welcome treat. And the longer he was home, despite the headache of setting up the new system, the better he was starting to feel. The slight rise and fall of Kai’s chest, and the smell of his boyfriend surrounding him was starting to melt some of his stress away.

The installation and upgrades finished, the system finally allowed Shouto to get his settings in order, and get signed in to his old account. He had only been signed in for a few minutes when a notification popped up on the top of his screen.

PLUSULTRA4EVER has invited you to a party chat!

Izuku.

Shouto glanced at his phone. It was almost midnight. He was surprised that the other teen was online so late. Although it wasn’t a school night; Momo had mentioned that they had some fairly strict rules they had to follow in the dorms.

Shouto went into the notifications screen, hovering over the option to accept the party chat. He hadn’t been expecting it; especially not so soon after logging in. Although a part of him was excited at the thought of talking to his friend after so long, another part was anxious about it. They hadn’t talked for weeks; and they had never had a chance to talk about everything from the trial. What would they talk about? What if the conversation was awkward? Shouto already struggled socially; how was he supposed to start a conversation with Izuku knowing what had happened to his friend because of his involvement with the League.

Oh fuck…

What if it wasn’t just Izuku?

What if they were having another game night? What if there were other members of Class 1A that he would have to talk to? What would he say to them?

What if Bakugou was there?

Shit. Shit!

Shouto frowned, sighing in frustration. Izuku already knew that he was on. He couldn’t just turn down the party chat invitation, could he? No, he couldn’t. That would be rude. He couldn’t just ghost his friend.

He felt Kai’s grip on him tighten momentarily, his warm fingers rubbing soothing circles over his side.

“Everything alright?” Kai asked. Shouto could feel his breath, warm and soothing on the top of his head.

“Yeah,” Shouto murmured. “It’s just Izuku. He invited me to a party chat.” Shouto turned slightly, looking up at Kai from below. Kai was looking down at him, his golden eyes reflecting the TV screen. “Will it bother you if I talk to him?” Shouto asked, not sure if he wanted Kai to say yes or no. “Since you’re reading.”

Kai’s hand moved up to tilt Shouto’s head slightly further back, leaning down to kiss him, languid and sensuous. Shouto closed his eyes, ignoring the awkward angle of his neck as he moved his lips against Kai’s, opening his mouth for the other man to enjoy, relishing in the heady taste of Kai’s mouth on his.

Shouto almost whined when Kai pulled away, small sparks of desire dancing over his body; suddenly very aware of how close they were, of how little clothing there was between them.

“You can talk to your friend,” Kai answered, kissing Shouto’s forehead before letting his hand drift back to Shouto’s side; his attention going back to his phone.

Shouto nodded, his lips feeling cold now that Kai’s were no longer on them. He readjusted himself, mumbling an apology at Kai’s grunting when Shouto accidentally dug a shoulder into his stomach. Once he was finally comfortable once more, he glanced back at the screen. Izuku was still online. The invitation was still waiting.

Now that he had asked for permission, Kai would get suspicious if he didn’t talk to Izuku.

Shouto huffed out a small sigh, praying that it would be only Izuku on the other side as he accepted the invitation.

"Shouto?!" Izuku's voice filled his headphones immediately. He was talking in a rough whisper, the name a question as much as an exclamation.

"Who else would it be?" Shouto replied, feeling a little better about his decision to join the chat. At least Izuku sounded happy to talk to him.

"I just… you haven't been on in forever!" Izuku exclaimed in the same quiet voice. "I… um… it's really good to hear your voice!"

"Yeah, you too," Shouto replied honestly. He hadn't talked to Izuku since the night he had broken up with Bakugou for good. Even with Izuku whispering, he could hear the smile in his friend's voice; he could feel the genuine excitement in his words. It was… refreshing. "Kai bought me a new system. I needed to unwind a bit, so I wanted to try it out."

"Rough day?" Izuku whispered, a note of concern in his voice.

Shouto set the controller on his stomach as he eyed the stack of games next to the TV. There were so many. Too many. Most of them he had never even heard of. He didn’t know where to begin on choosing one.

"A rough week," Shouto sighed. He really didn't want to talk about himself. This week had been a challenge. And he couldn’t exactly tell Izuku about it. Breaking into the mansion and seeing his mom. Talking to Dabi, the third villain on Musutafu’s ‘most wanted’ list. Training with the Yakuza. Spending his day using his quirk to assert his power, a silent threat to those who questioned him. Fuck, he didn’t even want to admit to himself he had done so. The very idea made him feel sick. So, instead, he changed the subject. "What about you? Why are you whispering?"

"I'm in the common room at the dorms ‘cause we aren't allowed to have TV's in our rooms. But we only have one to share!” Izuku complained. Shouto smiled at the unspoken indignation in the other’s voice. “So I had to wait forever to get on! Now it’s so late, and Momo and Shinsou are passed out on the couch nearby. I don't want to wake them up."

Momo and Shinsou? Shouto remembered the picture of them the other day. The way that she had been leaning so intimately against him. He pushed away the image, ignoring the pang of insecurity in his gut.

"Momo and Shinsou?" Shouto asked, trying to sound as casual as possible. But he was irritated that he was having to ask Izuku for gossip.

"Yeah," Izuku replied quietly. "You didn’t know?!” He sounded surprised. “I figured that you would know… well, I guess they aren't official yet, but they have been spending a lot of time together since he got transferred into the class. Like, a lot, a lot, ya know? She blushes when he flirts with her, and the other day Kaminari said he saw them kissing in the hallway. But Sero called him a liar and said that Shinsou was actually just fixing her hair. So no one really knows for sure. Either way, I think that sounds like they might be dating. Shinsou actually crashes on the couch in the common room more often than not, but this is like the third time that she has fallen asleep by him. I’m certain they are already dating, but just haven't told anyone yet. I swear they hold hands during-"

“Izuku!” Shouto interrupted him. Izuku was going into one of his notorious rants, his speaking getting so fast and mumbled together that it was hard to follow.

He heard Izuku take a deep breath, laughing quietly.

“Sorry,” the greenette mumbled.

"It’s ok,” Shouto replied, smiling. “I guess I haven’t talked to Momo much this week,” he lied, once again ignoring the pang of jealousy at the idea that Izuku had learned about the relationship before he had. Momo was his best friend! They texted each other almost everyday! Why wouldn’t she tell him? “He sleeps on the couch? Too good for his own dorm room, huh?” Shouto added, bitterly. He didn’t know why he even said anything. It’s not like Shinsou had done anything wrong. But he wasn’t entirely sure that he was good enough for Momo.

Scratch that.

Shinsou wasn’t good enough for Momo. Not that he had seemed like a terrible guy from the few times they had spoken. He was good-looking, in an emo, sleep-deprived sort of way. But Shouto didn’t know if anyone could ever be good enough for Momo. She deserved the world and more.

“Oh, Shinsou doesn’t live in the dorms,” Izuku replied quietly. He sounded half-distracted. He must be playing a game at the same time.

“I thought everyone had to live in the dorms?” Shouto replied, curious. If, in fact, Momo was actually dating Shinsou, then Shouto wanted to know as much about him as possible. “For safety, or something like that.”

“It was… shoot…” Izuku cursed quietly, then laughed at whatever mistake he must have made in his game. “It was encouraged. The teachers even made personal visits to our parents in order to get permission. But our parents had to sign a permission slip. I guess his parents wouldn’t sign it. He’s not supposed to spend the night at the dorms technicalleeeee....” Izuku drug out the last syllable, as if he got lost in thought in the middle of his sentence. “But for some reason, Aizawa lets him. I don’t mind though! He has such a cool quirk! And he is really interesting to talk to! If you can get him to talk.”

“Ah,” Shouto murmured, sliding out from under Kai’s arm and going over to the games. He decided on Grand Theft Auto. It was the game he knew the best; and he didn’t really want to have to think much as he was playing. He carefully plucked the game out from the stack and put it in the console. “How is everything going for you?” Shouto asked, changing the subject as he made his way back over to the couch, getting distracted by Kai’s almost naked body. Shouto loved it when he lounged in his boxers like this; the way they hugged his body…

“Great!” Izuku chirped, at the same time that Kai cleared his throat. Shouto looked up, realizing that he had been caught staring, blushing at the suggestive way that Kai raised his eyebrow. “Really great. We have been working on specialty moves in class lately, and it’s so cool to see what everyone can do with their quirks! There has been a lot more training around working together to help overcome obstacles, and how we can combo quirks with other students to do more.”

Shouto listened intently, sliding back into place under Kai’s arm. He ignored the fact that it felt warmer there than it had before, or the fact that Kai very suggestively traced a line down Shouto’s chest and stomach as he re-settled his arm into place.

“And did you hear?! I got accepted for an internship at the Nighteye Agency!” Izuku practically yelled, and Shouto heard someone else grumble in the background. “Sorry, sorry!” Izuku mumbled. "I start next week!" Izuku added, much quieter. "I'm super excited!"

"Congrats man," Shouto replied, "That's really cool." Nighteye was a pretty well-known agency, and they didn't often accept new interns. Especially not a first year intern. It was a pretty impressive accomplishment.

"Yeah, a few of us got internships actually! Tokoyami is interning with Hawks," Izuku replied. Shouto frowned at the reminder of the winged hero. He was probably fucking Dabi as they spoke. "Ochako and Tsuyu are interning at the Ryukyu Hero Office! And Kirishima got in at the Fatgum Agency!"

"Did anyone get the Endeavor internship?" Shouto asked. Technically he had already been accepted for the position; before everything had happened, of course. After that the position had been offered to Izuku, who had obviously turned it down. He couldn't help but wonder who had ended up with it.

"Oh… um…" Izuku coughed, making a strange noise in the back of his throat. "Well, um, no one has technically accepted it yet."

"But he did offer it to someone? What an asshole. Who did he offer it to?" Shouto retorted, irritated. His father was shameless.

"Yeah…" Izuku mumbled. "It was…" he cut himself off, laughing nervously.

Strange. Usually Izuku was more than happy to talk about anything hero related. Which meant it must be someone Izuku didn't want to…

Fuck.

"He offered it to Bakugou!" He yelled, immediately regretting it when he felt the way Kai's body tensed under him. Shit. Although Kai hadn't forbidden him from talking about the blonde, it had always felt like an unspoken rule.

"Erm…" Izuku whined, obviously uncomfortable. It was all the answer that Shouto needed.

Of all the fucking nerve! Of all the students! Endeavor had offered it to him.

"Please tell me that he didn't accept it," Shouto replied quietly, praying that Bakugou had not only refused it but spit in Endeavor's narcissistic face.

"He isn't really sure what to do," Izuku said, the words barely a whisper.

What?!

He wasn't sure what to do?!

He was actually thinking about accepting it?! How was that even possible? Bakugou knew what kind of a person Endeavor was. He knew what a hypocritical, abusive, lying piece-of-shit the number 1 hero was. And he was actually thinking about accepting it?

Shouto scrunched his eyes closed; focused on keeping his breathing steady. He was certain that Kai was paying close attention to their conversation now. He didn't want to seem overly concerned. He didn't want Kai to get the wrong impression.

"It's been hard for Kacchan since… everything." Izuku continued. Shouto felt the beginnings of a headache starting behind his eyes. He couldn't believe this shit. And here was Izuku; ever the peace-keeper, trying to defend him. "You know how-"

"It's fine," Shouto lied brusquely, irritated at how slowly the loading bar was moving for the game. "I'm actually doing an internship too. With the Okimoto Corporation." He added, forcing the subject change. He could not keep talking about this. He was going to lose his cool, and Izuku didn't deserve to take the brunt of his anger. It wasn't his fault that Endeavor had chosen Bakugou for the internship; and it wasn't his fault that Bakugou was actually considering it.

"An internship, hmm?" He heard Kai murmur, amused. It was technically a lie. He had a job with the Yakuza, fronted by Okimoto Corp.

Shouto nudged Kai gently in the side with his elbow, a silent request to not point that out. Kai chuckled quietly, and Shouto was relieved that the subject change had distracted both Kai and Izuku.

"The Okimoto Corporation?" Izuku echoed. "I've never heard of it before."

"It's a business," Shouto mumbled, realizing he hadn’t thought through the entire lie. "They do like... trades and stuff," he finished. Lamely. He knew that there were some legitimate business ventures that Okimoto Corporation had; he really needed to find out what they were.

"Oh. That's really cool. You’re so smart, I bet you will do really good there!" Izuku complimented him. Of course he did. The greenette always looked on the bright side. It was one of the things that Shouto both loved and hated about his friend, both annoying and redeeming. It gave Izuku fortitude, and an endearing personality; but it also meant he was naive.

Even after everything that he went through, everything that happened before the trial, he still genuinely believed that there was a positive side to everything.

The doorbell rang, interrupting the conversation, startling Shouto. He felt Kai's muscles tense. It was after midnight. He craned his neck, looking at Kai with a silent question. Kai shook his head. Apparently he wasn't expecting anyone. He set his phone down, gently pushing Shouto away from him so that he could stand up.

“Stay here,” Kai ordered, and Shouto could hear the suspicion in his voice.

“Thanks,” Shouto said instinctively, answering Izuku, watching as Kai disappeared down the hallway. He knew that Kai was more than capable to handle anything that might be on the other side, but he couldn’t help feeling nervous about the unexpected visitor.

They never had unexpected visitors.

“Who’s there?” Kai called out, before opening the door.

“It was really nice to talk to you, Izuku,” Shouto added, trying to listen for the answer. But either the person on the other side didn’t answer, or it was too muffled for Shouto to hear. “But I should really be going. It’s… late.”

“Oh... yeah,” he felt bad about the disappointment in Izuku’s voice. “That’s ok. You probably need to get to sleep. I should go too.” The way that Izuku said it was pretty obvious that he knew that he should go to sleep soon. But he likely didn’t have any intention of doing so.

The door opened.

“Holy shit…” The voice immediately let Shouto breathe a sigh of relief. It was Dabi. “I made the right choice in coming here… Fuck you look good all dressed down, Kai.”

What was Dabi doing here? Wasn’t he supposed to be with Hawks tonight?

“Dabi,” Kai greeted him. “I take it tonight went well, for you to be finished so early.”

“Yeah,” Shouto replied. “I need to get to sleep. I will talk to-”

“Wait!” Izuku interrupted Shouto before he could finish saying goodbye. “I was hoping to ask you something.”

“Fan-fuckingggggg-tasticccccc…” Dabi slurred, over-exaggerating the word as the door closed. Shouto could hear shuffling from the hall. Dabi must be taking off his shoes. “Got to see Tibs again. Enjoyed wine that even you would have approved of, Kai. And my ‘wanted’ posters should all be down by the end of the week.”

He also sounded pretty damn high.

“Yeah,” Shouto replied to Izuku, once it was apparent that his friend was waiting for permission. Too polite for his own good.

“Well, my birthday is next month,” Izuku began. He sounded almost as nervous as when he was trying not to mention Bakugou. Shouto had a feeling that he knew where this was going. “And July 17th is the last day of classes before summer break. So we are going to have a huge bonfire that night to celebrate my birthday. I was hoping that you would come.”

We. All of Class 1A. Izuku was asking him to see all of Class 1A for the first time since… everything.

He felt like there was a lump in his throat.

He could hear Kai and Dabi walking back into the room.

“Hey little bro…” Dabi said, far too loudly for the fact that Izuku might be able to hear it. Dabi jumped over the back of the couch, landing roughly on the couch next to Shouto. He was wearing Hawks’ jacket, a black T, and jeans that were so tight they might as well have been painted on. His gaze took in Shouto’s naked chest, smiling appreciatively. His pupils were already dilated; he was definitely not sober.

Shouto hurried to put a finger on his mouth, silently shushing him.

“I, um,” Shouto hesitated, not sure how to answer. He really wasn’t sure if he wanted to go through with that. If he wanted to see all of them again. "I'm not sure if I'm ready for that."

Dabi put his hands up in a submissive gesture, his attention going back to Kai as he sat down behind Shouto once more.

"Please, just think about it," Izuku pleaded. "I’ve never had a big party like this before. I really want all of my friends to be there! You don't have to stay very long. And… and you don't even have to talk very much. I just… um…" Shit. He sounded so eager, so hopeful. "I really miss you, Shouto." He added quietly.

Dabi shifted around obnoxiously, laying his head back against the armrest, his ass pushed up against Shouto's thigh as he put his legs over Shouto's lap and stretched. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a bag of joints, fished one out and lit up.

"Um…" Shouto mumbled. Shit! What should he say?

"Dabi, I swear that if you make my apartment smell like weed, you will be the one cleaning it." Kai murmured.

"All you need do is ask, Overhaul" Dabi grinned, blowing out a large waft of smoke. "I am all yours to do with as you please.”

"What did you say?" Izuku asked, confused. He must have heard Dabi.

Shouto put one finger over his lips once more, making an exaggerated, silent shush.

He hated the way Hawks’ jacket looked on his brother.

"Nothing," Shouto replied. "Just Kai talking to me. Um…" Please, please have not let him heard Dabi's name. "I guess…" Shouto knew he was going to regret the next words out of his mouth. "I guess I can come for a little bit."

"Sweet!" Izuku exclaimed happily.

"Midorya, please!" Shouto could hear a faint groan over the headset. It sounded like Shinsou.

Dabi sat up slightly, handing the joint to Shouto. Shouto took it, bringing it up to his lips and inhaling quietly. The smoke was more bitter than normal, and he made a face as he exhaled. It must be a new kind of weed. It didn't taste much like what Dabi usually had on him.

"Sorry! I'm sorry!" Izuku apologized to the other student, before lowering his voice back to a whisper. "The party is going to be awesome!" Shouto took another hit of the unpleasant blunt, handing it to Kai. "I will have Momo text you the details."

"I'm sure it will be something," Shouto agreed half-heartedly. "I really do have to go. I will talk to you soon, Izuku."

"Bye Shou!" Izuku replied happily, just before Shouto pressed the 'exit chat' button. The chat ended with a click.

Shouto sighed.

What did he just agree to?

Shit.

He pulled the headphones off, setting them in his lap as he leaned back against Kai and took the joint back from him, closing his eyes as he inhaled deeply and let the smoke fill his lungs, holding it so long that he coughed as he finally exhaled. He frowned at the bitter taste it left in his mouth. This shit was terrible. But he took another hit anyway, heavier than first.

He wanted the numbness that he knew would follow.

"You planning on smoking the rest?" Dabi asked playfully, using his knee to softly nudge Shouto in the stomach.

Shouto blushed slightly, opening his eyes to look at Dabi before offering him back the joint.

"Sorry," Shouto managed, while trying to hold his breath.

"Rough night?" Dabi asked, sitting up once more to take the joint.

"Just tired, I guess," Shouto shrugged. Definitely wasn’t a lie. “What about you? Did you have fun fucking Hawks again?” Shouto asked, bitterly. He knew it sounded bitchy. After all, Dabi was only doing this because Kai told him he had to. But he couldn’t help himself. “Was he as good as you remember?”

A strange look passed over Dabi’s face, there and gone so fast that Shouto wondered if he had only imagined it. Then Dabi grinned about it.

“Who says I fucked him?” Dabi mused, the words releasing a cloud of smoke into the air around his head.

“Wasn’t that the whole point of tonight?”

“The point was to seduce him,” Dabi replied, using one hand to draw a line down the front of his own chest until he got to his cock, cupping it gently as he ground his hips upward. Shouto could feel the way his ass tightened where it was pushed against his thighs at the movement. “Wave a little bit of bait around. See if he can be trained to help us out. Why? Were you hoping that I had fucked him? Were you hoping I would tell you about it, Shouto? Describe what a pretty cock everybody’s favorite birdy has?”

“No!” Shouto answered, too bluntly for it to be believable. He could feel himself blushing, feel the effect the words had on his body. The way Dabi’s ass moved against his thigh.

It was just the weed taking effect. That was all. He did not care about Dabi and Hawks.

“You’re jealous, little fox?” Kai asked, his words both confident and… angry. Shouto felt Kai’s hand on his neck, his warm fingers caressing the skin on his throat. The sensation sent a shiver of arousal through him.

“I’m not jealous,” Shouto replied. Why would he be jealous? Dabi could fuck whoever he wanted. He just couldn’t believe that these two really thought that this crazy plan could work! “I’m pissed off! Dabi had no business going to his apartment tonight. That’s asking for him to end up back in jail!”

Dabi smiled at him like he didn’t believe a word that Shouto said.

“I’m not jealous!” Shouto repeated, grabbing one of the couch cushions and shoving it at his brother’s smug face. Dabi grabbed it, barely managing to not drop the stub of a joint in the process.

“Just angry?” Kai asked.

“Yes!” Shouto growled impatiently. “Of course I’m angry! I’m pissed. So much has gone wrong this week! Dabi is the only actual family I have left, and I almost lost him once to prison. Now he’s risking getting arrested again! And you two don’t even seem to care!”

“If you are so angry with him,” Kai replied lowly, his voice taking on a deep, commanding tone. Shouto recognized it immediately. He had heard it so many times that his body responded to the tone alone, a rush of arousal that left Shouto half-hard. “then do something about it.”

Dabi sat up, his eyes lighting up with delight.

“Do something? What can I fucking do about it?” Shouto asked. He wasn’t sure if it was the weed, or the fact that he was exhausted… but the energy around them had changed. He could feel it in the way that Kai’s fingers tightened ever so slightly around his neck. See it in the way that Dabi’s entire body seemed to respond to Kai’s words.

He swallowed.

Kai leaned forward, pressing his mouth to Shouto’s ear.

“If you are truly angry at your brother’s reckless behavior,” he whispered, his tone no less demanding than before. The effect on Shouto just as profound. “Then punish him.” Kai’s fingers began to squeeze his throat.

Dabi put the joint out on his jeans, standing up as Kai’s grip on Shouto released. Shouto could feel the energy rolling off Dabi as he stepped into the middle of the room, widening his stance and putting his arms up in a defensive position.

Shouto stared for a moment before standing up, understanding finally breaking through.

They wanted Shouto to hit him. To take out his anger by fighting Dabi. Right here, in the middle of their damn apartment. As if that was a normal thing to do.

Shouto wasn’t exactly certain how he felt about it as he slowly squared off against his brother, who was grinning, still wearing the damn jacket. Kai had stood up as well, moving out of the way in order to watch them. Dabi was so high, he could barely stand up straight. Not that Shouto was entirely sober. No, the weed had definitely started to take effect. But he was clearly in a better state than his brother. Shouto felt a little guilty; it was a cheap shot.

But he was angry! Angry at both of them.

Especially at Dabi, though. He had literally strolled into Hawks' apartment, where dozens of high-profile heroes lived. And then drove through town afterward wearing the hero’s iconic jacket. That wasn't like a letterman's jacket! Heroes couldn't just give them to their lovers (or fuck buddies). Dabi was lucky he hadn't gotten pulled over just for having the damn thing on!

If Dabi ended up in prison over this, the heroes wouldn't take any chances. They would lock him away in Tartarus, probably for life. All this, just to get a few favors from Hawks.

It wasn't worth it.

Maybe this would knock some sense into him.

Shouto moved in fast, going for a solid punch to the jaw. Surprisingly though, Dabi dodged nimbly, stepping backward so that Shouto’s fist went through the air a few inches in front of his mouth. Shouto ignored the grin, immediately stepping forward and following up with his other fist. Dabi also dodged that, grabbing his wrist with practiced ease, and using two fingers to wrench his wrist almost painfully inwards and behind him. Dabi stepped forward, getting directly in Shouto’s face, chest to chest, forcing him backwards until Shouto’s legs hit the couch. Still holding his arm behind his back, Dabi pushed Shouto down on the faux leather. Dabi was quick, bracing one knee on the couch next to Shouto, the other foot still planted on the floor. The way he draped his body over Shouto was almost sexual as he used his weight to keep Shouto pushed into the cushion; their torso’s pressed intimately together. His brother was warm; his weight almost crushing as he leaned down to whisper in Shouto's ear.

"Is that really the best you can do, Shou?" Dabi practically purred. "I thought you said you were angry with me?"

Shouto tried to get some leverage with his free arm, pushing his shoulders back to break the grip.

"You’re stoned! I don't want to hurt you!" Shouto retorted, focusing to breathe as Dabi's weight slowly forced the air out of his lungs.

Dabi growled, pushing Shouto harder into the cushion.

"And here we are..." he said, his voice taking on a more serious note. "You should never underestimate your opponent, Shouto. I like a good fight as much as I like a good fuck.” He growled, rocking his hips against Shouto, his hard-on obvious, emphasizing his point. “If you go easy on me, you're just going to piss me off."

Shouto didn't respond. Instead, he took his one free hand, tangled it roughly in Dabi’s hair, and yanked for all he was worth. Dabi gasped at the sudden pain as Shouto tightened his grip, and Shouto could feel the way that Dabi’s cock pulsed against him. He took advantage of Dabi’s momentary distraction to use his heel to kick out the arch of Dabi’s planted foot, taking away his brother’s leverage. The moment he felt Dabi’s weight fully collapse on him, he threw his own weight sideways, his hand in Dabi’s hair yanking his brother at the same time. The momentum sent them over the edge of the couch and onto the floor below.

Dabi grunted at the sudden shift, at the wind being knocked out of him as Shouto landed on top of him. He let go of Shouto’s arm, and Shouto rolled off of him. He quickly got back to his feet, rolling his neck and shoulders. Kai was silent, watching the exchange between the two. Dabi grinned at Shouto as he shrugged off Hawks' jacket and threw it on the couch. He put his hands out to his sides, palms up, expectantly.

“That’s more like it, Shou,” Dabi said, a playful tone in his voice “There is the number one hero’s prodigal son. Let’s see what you are actually capable of.”

Shouto growled, his left eye flaring in anger at the insult. He gritted his teeth. He knew Dabi was using the insult as a distraction technique, But it was a low blow; and it pissed Shouto off.

Then Dabi lifted a single eyebrow at Shouto, waiting.

An invitation.

Ok. So Dabi was probably used to fighting while on drugs. Shouto could still beat him. If anything, the smug look on his face made Shouto want to punch him even more.

Shouto rushed him this time, planting one foot on the couch and using it to help him jump, drawing his fist back mid-air in order to come down harder with his punch. Dabi side-stepped smoothly. As if he had done this a hundred times. As if he hadn’t gotten wine-drunk and sucked down who-fucking-knows how many joints.

It was infuriating.

Shouto landed in a crouch, trying to lessen the impact on his knees. He needed to get back on his feet and rush Dabi; but he moved a moment too late. Dabi grabbed him the moment his feet hit the ground, yanking Shouto up by the hair and throwing him into the wall with a thud that nearly knocked the wind out of him. The clock above them rattled as the impact reverberated through the wall. Shouto pushed himself backward, only to be thrust against the cream-colored paint once more as Dabi pinned him against it. Dabi moved faster than Shouto anticipated, pressing one knee up between Shouto’s legs as he trapped Shouto’s wrists on either side of his head. Dabi leaned forward, pressing his chest to Shouto’s back and rolling his body up against Shouto in order to cage him in against the wall.

Shouto panted, struggling to break free of the hold.

Dabi laughed, grinding his crotch against Shouto suggestively. Teasingly.

"I didn't fuck him, Shou…" Dabi whispered, his lips touching the edge of Shouto's ear. "But oh how I wanted to... Imagine it, Shouto. That pretty little birdy on his hands and knees for me. Wings spread out around us. His pale... lean... toned back decorated with my scratch marks. I spread his ass apart, and stuck my tongue into that tight, little hole..." Shouto bit back a moan. He could feel how hard Dabi was... "Fuck, Shouto... He begged for it."

Shouto growled.

"I'm not… fucking… jealous!" He managed to yank one of his wrists out of Dabi’s hold, bringing his elbow down harshly into Dabi's side. His brother grunted, his entire body tensing against Shouto’s, but it barely seemed to phase him. Shouto wasn't jealous! He just… he just hated…

Fuck.

Shouto let his ice begin to form up his right arm and over his back, creating a thick sheet between himself and his brother.

He would never admit to being jealous.

With a thought, Shouto formed sharp, jagged spikes across the sheet.

“Shit,” Dabi cursed, jumping back so that he wouldn’t be impaled. Shouto was ready, his right hand sending a sheet of ice down the wall to shoot out across the floor underneath them.

Dabi managed to keep his footing as he stepped backward, but it took his focus off Shouto… just as Shouto had hoped it would. He only had a few seconds before Dabi would recover, and he needed to take him down. Shouto turned, dropping down and sweeping one leg out quickly, directly into Dabi’s ankles.

Dabi’s eyes widened momentarily as his legs were whipped out from under him, barely managing to brace himself with his arms to avoid having his face smashed into the floor. He immediately moved to a roll, but Shouto jumped onto his back before he could, pinning Dabi’s legs in place with his own, his hands digging into the back of Dabi’s upper arms, putting all of his upper body strength into holding the other man down.

Shouto was breathing hard, shifting as Dabi put his hands against the floor and began to push himself up, determined to keep his brother down. Suddenly Shouto felt Kai as he dropped down to his knees behind Shouto. The ice coating Shouto’s back turned to snow that fell down around them, and Kai’s naked chest pushed against Shouto’s back as his arm reached around Shouto to lock onto the back of Dabi's neck, shoving him roughly back down so that his cheek was pushed against the floor. Kai’s fingers dug harshly into the sides of Dabi’s neck, a silent threat, holding him there below them.

Kai's other hand tangled itself into Shouto's hair, his grip a vice as he pulled Shouto's head to the side, pressing his forehead against Shouto’s temple. The room was a mess; ice coating the wall and floor, the couch pushed off-kilter, the rug completely uprooted by Shouto’s attack. Kai didn't say anything for a moment; no one did. But when he spoke, his voice was deep and ragged.

"Do you want to fuck him, little fox?"

Shouto moaned; Kai’s fingers in his hair so tight that it bordered between pleasure and pain. Fuck. Trapped between the two men like this, he could feel his body responding. Arousal coursed through him alongside the adrenaline. He nodded his head, Kai's grip tightening as he did.

He wanted to fuck him.

Vague memories of Dabi riding him flooded through his thoughts, pushing all sense away. How tight his brother had felt around his cock, how eager he had been to make Shouto feel good. The ecstasy of cumming inside of him; of feeling his own cum drip back out onto his soft cock afterward…

Shit.

He wanted to fuck his brother.

"Answer me, Shouto," Kai growled.

"Yes," Shouto admitted. He could feel the blush that spread over his body at the admission; his cock hard, pressed up against the back of Dabi's thigh. He was certain his brother could already feel it. "I want to fuck Dabi."

"Undress him," Kai ordered, pushing Shouto's head forward. Shouto nodded, stifling a groan at the way his hair pulled against Kai’s grip as he did. He could feel the heat of Kai’s body pressed against his side; he could feel the desire pulsing through him. He looked down, eager to obey Kai’s wishes.

“Yes, Overhaul,” he whispered, unsure if it was loud enough for the other man to even hear him. But the faint tightening of his fingers in Shouto’s hair; the way Kai’s breath caught ever so faintly… it was all Shouto needed to know that he heard.

That he approved.

Dabi’s hands were braced at his sides, his fingers white as he scraped his fingernails against the ice melting slowly on the floor. Shouto could see the tight grip that Kai had on his neck, the way the skin rippled as Kai squeezed, causing waves of shadow in his already dark tattoos. Dabi’s thin black T-shirt was riding up from their position, exposing a strip of skin across his lower back. Shouto traced the line of pale skin and toned muscle as he took the bottom of the shirt in his hands. The fabric was soft, flexible.

Shouto let his quirk flow through his left side, just enough for flames to encompass his hand as he held the shirt; burning it, weakening it. Shouto wrapped both hands into the fabric and began to pull. The sharp sound of ripping filled the apartment, the soft fabric breaking apart, ripping up the back of Dabi’s shirt. Small ashes sprinkled onto Dabi’s skin, and Shouto could feel the way his brother’s body tensed underneath him at the sudden heat.

He could hear the heavy breaths that Kai was taking as they both enjoyed the sight of Dabi’s naked back laid out before them.

“That pale, thin, toned back decorated with my scratch marks.”

He could hear the echo of Dabi’s words in his mind; hating the fact that they had been right all along. Hating the surge of jealousy he felt at imagining it. Hawks’ blonde hair mussed up from their foreplay; his red wings spread out in a beautiful display around him; his long back decorated with deep, red scratches left by Dabi’s desire to have him. To mark him.

Shouto leaned forward, enjoying the way Kai’s hand resisted in his hair; the slight pain of the pull, the way it made his head swim slightly as arousal pulsed through his high. He spread his fingers wide and placed his hands on Dabi’s shoulders just below the tattoo on his neck, one on each side of his spine, and pushed his fingernails against the muscle. Hard. Then he slowly drug his hands downward. Dabi moaned loudly, his eyes closing, his mouth dropping open where Kai had his cheek pressed against the floor. Shouto’s eyes traced the lines he made, thin white scratches that quickly began to turn red.

Once Shouto reached the bottom, he moved his hands to grab Dabi’s waist, watching the lines getting darker. His cock throbbed at the sight, at the feeling of Dabi’s body tensed underneath him as he enjoyed the pain. Shouto ground his cock against the back of Dabi’s thigh, moaning at how damn good the pressure felt.

“Please, Shou,” Dabi moaned, the words choked off as Kai squeezed his neck harder.

Shouto moved quickly, almost as desperate as his brother, forcing his hands underneath Dabi’s hips to fumble at the button on his jeans. It wasn’t easy, especially not with the restricted movement of Kai’s hand in his hair. He shifted his hips slightly to take some of his weight off Dabi’s ass, his cock throbbing from the loss of the pressure. He could already feel the front of his boxers starting to stick to the pre-cum leaking from him. He curled his fingers into the waist of Dabi’s pants, yanking them down to reveal a pair of blue boxer-briefs underneath.

The same color as his eyes; and barely his size as they clung to the muscles on his thighs and ass. Shouto suppressed the anger that washed through him at the sight. Living with Dabi, he had seen his brother walk around in boxers more times than he could count. They were never blue. Which meant that he had likely gone out and bought boxers just to seduce Hawks.

Shouto’s left hand was lit up with flames before he even consciously realized that he intended to rip the damn things apart, just like he had the shirt. Dabi’s breath came out in a long hiss, his body flinching as Shouto took the fabric in his left hand, the flames licking Dabi’s skin as he wrapped his fingers underneath the waistband and burned the fabric. Then, just like with the shirt, he wrapped his right hand in the fabric next and pulled it apart. Another long ripping noise echoed around them, the blue fabric tearing a long line all the way down his taint. Shouto let the fire burn out as he dropped the torn edges of the ashy fabric back onto Dabi’s ass. The muscles in his ass clenched as the hot fabric touched him, his body tensing. Shouto could feel the shift in Kai as well, as he put more weight into holding Dabi held in place below them.

Shouto slid his fingers underneath the ruined blue fabric, pushing it to the sides, exposing Dabi’s ass to he and Kai’s gaze.

“I spread his ass apart…”

Shouto put one hand on each side of Dabi’s ass, digging his fingers into the soft flesh and pulled his ass apart. He could feel the shiver run down Dabi’s body as cold air kissed the puckered skin of his entrance. Dabi was practically whimpering with need; his hips were rutting ever-so-slightly underneath Shouto’s hands, his brother so desperate that he was grinding his cock against the floor. Shouto could see the way the movement made Dabi’s ass twitch, eager for Shouto to finally touch him.

Kai’s hand let go of his hair, trailing a line down Shouto’s neck, over his shoulder and down his right arm. His long fingers wrapped themselves around Shouto’s forearm, pulling his right hand away from Dabi’s ass and guiding it up toward his mouth. Shouto opened his mouth obediently, letting Kai push two of his own fingers inside.

“Suck,” Kai whispered the order heavily into his ear. His voice was practically dripping with lust. And Shouto’s entire body lit up with the desire to please the other man. He closed his lips around his fingers, Kai slowly guiding them in and out as Shouto sucked on them, coating them with spit. He looked over at Kai as he did. His golden eyes were so dark they were practically black, his pupils blown wide as he watched Shouto’s fingers disappear in and out of his mouth. Shouto was overcome with the desire to touch Kai; to see if he was as hard as Shouto was.

But he didn’t have permission yet.

Then Kai looked up, meeting his gaze. Kai licked his lips, pulling Shouto’s fingers out of his mouth and guiding them back down toward Dabi’s ass. Shouto let Kai guide him, pushing the tips of both fingers inside of Dabi’s ass. Dabi groaned, his hips lifting off the ground at the sudden stretch. Shouto could feel the way his brother’s body resisted, the muscles clenching around him as Shouto continued to push his fingers deeper into the heat.

Fuck.

Shouto’s cock throbbed with anticipation as Dabi’s hips began to rock harder into the floor, the clenching and unclenching of his muscles causing the shreds of blue fabric framing his ass to dance against his pale skin, held in place where the legs wrapped tightly around Dabi’s upper thighs.

Shouto had never prepped anyone but himself before. If his brother felt this good around his fingers… God, Shouto couldn’t wait to find out how good his cock would feel inside of him.

He began to twist his hand, rolling his fingers in gentle circles.

“Ngh!” Dabi cried out, not even trying to keep his voice down. The noise of his desperation went straight to Shouto’s groin. “Fuck! Shouto!” Shouto started slowly, knowing that two fingers at once was a hard stretch. He began to pump his fingers in and out as Kai finally let go of Dabi’s neck, shifting his body behind Shouto, pressing his cock against Shouto’s ass, his arousal obvious even through the thick fabric of his pants.

Kai was hard; his hips grinding faintly against Shouto as he reached around and placed his hand over Shouto’s, sliding one of his fingers inside of Dabi.

“Yes!” Dabi cried out against the intrusion; his upper body tensing, pushing up slightly on his elbows. The scratches in his skin rippled as he moved underneath Shouto. Shouto could feel Kai’s finger pushing in between his own in order to stretch Dabi out for him. Then Kai curved his finger just so and Dabi cried out with pleasure. Shouto followed Kai’s guidance, teasing Dabi’s prostate as Kai slid a second finger inside.

Dabi moaned as they continued to stretch him, and Kai ground his length against Shouto. Shouto closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of his brothers wet heat around their fingers. The way that Kai was kissing and nipping at the back of his neck. Shouto was so hard it almost hurt, his breathing ragged and broken.

“FUCK! FUCK!” Dabi ground back against them. Shouto could feel the way his ass clenched around them, the movements of his hips sloppier, more desperate. He was getting close.

Kai must have noticed too. A moment later, he pulled his fingers away. Shouto did the same as Dabi whined, deep in his throat. Kai bit Shouto’s neck roughly before sitting back and pushing Shouto’s joggers and underwear down to his thighs. The head of Shouto’s cock was already covered in a thin coat of pre-cum, slapping stickily against the bottom of his stomach as it popped out of his boxers.

"Make him scream, little fox" Kai directed him, standing up. The chill air of the apartment hit Shouto’s back as the warmth of Kai’s body disappeared.

“Imagine it, Shouto. That pretty little birdie on his hands and knees before me.”

“Get on your knees, Dabi,” Shouto ordered him, his voice shaking slightly. He wasn’t used to being in charge like this. Even with Momo, when he was on top, sex was never rough the way it was with Kai and Dabi.

Kai walked around, coming to stand in front of Dabi; watching. The outline of his erection strained against his thin, gray boxers.

Dabi shifted, pushing up onto his elbows and then bringing his knees in. The shredded black T-shirt fell away from him, pooling around his elbows and into the melted ice on the floor. Dabi widened the stance of his knees, the new position exposing him for Shouto’s pleasure. The blue boxers still clung to his thighs, Dabi’s erection pushing the fabric away from him, stretched out obscenely just underneath his balls.

Shouto spit on his hand, reaching down and coating his cock as he inched forward. His legs were trembling with anticipation, the head of his cock already slick with pre-cum. He stroked himself a few times as he lined himself up with Dabi’s stretched hole.

Before he pushed in, though, he glanced up; meeting Kai’s dark gaze, looking for permission. Kai pushed his boxers down just enough to pull his cock out. His long cock was flushed with arousal, the sight enough to make Shouto’s mouth water. Kai nodded, stepping forward to nudge his foot under Dabi’s chin, forcing him to look up at Kai.

Shouto grabbed Dabi’s hip with one hand, using the other to push the head of his cock in. Four fingers later, Shouto’s cock slid into the tight ring of muscles like it was made to be there. Dabi’s breath hitched, a deep, broken moan filling the room as his body clenched around Shouto. Shouto wasn’t even breathing, his eyes locked on the sight of his cock slowly disappearing into Dabi’s body; enjoying the way it stretched obscenely around him.

Fuck.

Shouto didn’t even realize that the hand on Dabi’s left hip was digging into his skin, almost possessively, heating up more and more as he pushed into Dabi. His brother’s body felt like a vice around him; the pressure alone was almost enough to make Shouto cum. Dabi groaned as Shouto finally bottomed out, his balls pushing into the blue fabric. Shouto let his breath out in a rushed whoosh, realizing he had been holding it. He let go of Dabi’s hip, suddenly aware of the heat in his left hand. A bright red mark marred Dabi’s pale skin, an echo of the scratches down his back.

“Fuck, Shou!” Dabi moaned, pushing back against him. “Please… fuck me!”

His voice was hoarse with desire. He sounded absolutely desperate.

Shouto put both hands on him, one on each hip, Dabi’s entire body tensing, shivering with pleasure as Shouto’s palm touched the burn on him. Then Shouto began to move, slowly at first. He was already so turned on; and Dabi was so fucking tight around him. He was afraid of cumming too quickly; the movement almost too much. He didn’t know if it was the marijuana or just how desperately turned on he was as he fucked his brother while Kai stroked himself in front of them; but the soft inner walls of Dabi’s body felt like pure heaven as they clenched around him.

And the sounds Dabi was making… The way his entire back rippled with pleasure every time Shouto pulled out and slammed back into him.

“Fuck Dabi,” Kai growled, half-lidded eyes looking down at Dabi as he kept his chin tilted up. Dabi was looking up at him, his body rocking forward with every thrust. “You already had that pretty little hero’s cock in your hands tonight… Now you want more. You really are a cock-hungry whore, now aren’t you?”

Dabi groaned lewdly, his body clenching so tightly around Shouto at the degrading words that he almost pushed Shouto out of him.

A dark blush jumped to Shouto’s already flushed cheeks.

“Aren’t you?” Kai repeated, a dangerous tone to his voice.

Dabi nodded, his mouth open, his breathing heavy.

“Yes...” he moaned. “Yes, Overhaul.”

Kai dropped down to his knees in front of Dabi, taking Dabi’s chin in his hand and pulling his face upward. He pulled hard enough that Dabi had to shift up onto his hands, looking up to meet Kai’s gaze.

Kai looked down on him, hooking his thumb into Dabi’s mouth and pulling it open.

“Open your mouth, Dabi,” Kai demanded harshly. “Wide.”

Shouto watched, entranced, as Dabi dropped his mouth open as wide as he could. His entire body rocking back and forth as Shouto fucked him. Shouto groaned as his hands dug into Dabi’s hips, pushing past how tight Dabi was at the rough treatment. He could already feel his orgasm building.

Kai leaned down, holding Dabi’s lower jaw wide open as he spit directly into Dabi’s mouth. Dabi moaned as Kai stuck two fingers into his mouth, spreading it around on Dabi’s tongue.

“Why don’t you show me how good that new mod really is,” Kai purred, straightening back up and pushing his cock into Dabi’s mouth. Dabi’s groan was muffled around Kai’s cock; the sound of it bringing Shouto even closer to the edge.

Then Kai looked up, and met Shouto’s eyes. He tangled both hands in Dabi’s hair, holding his head as Shouto’s thrusting pushed Dabi to take more and more of Kai’s cock.

Shouto could feel the sweat starting to drip down his back, his knees sore from the hard floor beneath them. The sound of his body slapping against Dabi’s ass over and over filled the room around them, made even lewder with the wanton way Dabi was moaning around Kai’s cock. He could take Kai deeper than even Shouto, his body convulsing with the need to breath as he choked on the thick length.

“You… like… that… Dabi…” Shouto panted, blushing even harder.

Dabi moaned loudly, one of his hands coming up to grab Kai’s thigh. Shouto leaned forward, his eyes glued to the sight of Kai’s cock disappearing into Dabi’s mouth. He could see the bulge of it fucking in and out of Dabi’s throat. Shouto took one hand off of Dabi’s hip, reaching up and wrapping it around Dabi’s neck.

Arousal sparked in him.

He could feel the head of Kai’s cock pushing in and out of Dabi’s throat. Shouto tightened his hold on Dabi’s neck, both Kai and Dabi groaning in response. He focused on trying to make Kai feel even better as he fucked Dabi’s throat. Practically stroking his boyfriend’s cock through the tattooed skin of his brother’s neck. Dabi was choking more, his body convulsing as he struggled to breathe. But he liked it. He was clenched so tightly around Shouto’s length now, his hips rocking as he let himself be used.

Kai pulled Shouto into a kiss, his hand gripping the back of Shouto’s neck possessively as he plunged his tongue into Shouto’s mouth. It was sloppy and demanding, and fuck if it didn’t do things to Shouto’s body. Shouto kissed Kai back wildly, on the edge of cumming.

Suddenly, Dabi’s ass clenched around him, Dabi’s entire body shuddering as he came, untouched, while Kai and Shouto made out above him. The feeling was too much, Shouto’s vision going white as pleasure sparked in his body. He thrust himself as deep into Dabi as he could; his body rocking against his brother’s ass, his moan lost in Kai’s mouth as he came. He felt Dabi collapse underneath them, Kai deepening the kiss as Shouto orgasmed, his teeth nipping at Shouto’s lower lip. Shouto’s legs gave out, and he collapsed on top of Dabi, who was on his side, mouth still wide open, chest heaving in exertion, gasping for breath.

“Fuck,” Dabi rasped, his voice in terrible shape. He coughed some more. “...felt. Fucking. Good…”

Shouto’s entire body was tingling with pleasure as he came down from his orgasm. His head was swimming as he looked up at his boyfriend. Kai was still hard; he hadn’t gotten off yet. Shouto pushed his jogger pants the rest of the way off, leaving him completely naked for Kai. He crawled forward, moving carefully around Dabi’s legs.

The way Kai looked at him sent shivers down his spine. Like he could devour Shouto alive… like he wanted to.

Shouto’s entire body thrummed with the after-shocks of his pleasure.

He felt so good…

But it wasn’t enough. His body responded to Kai’s gaze shamefully, his mouth watering at the sight of Kai on his knees in front of him; the man’s long, hard cock shamelessly glistening with Dabi’s spit, a drop of pre-cum rolling down one side; begging for Shouto to taste it. Shouto’s cock stirred with need, a deep arousal still lingering in his groin. His ass clenching around his desire, anticipating the way that Kai’s fingers would feel as they slid inside of him; the way his cock would feel as it stretched him open.

Fuck. He wanted Kai to devour him.

Already on his hands and knees, Shouto sunk down to his elbows in front of Kai, licking a small, tentative stripe up the bottom of Kai’s cock. His tongue danced with the taste of his brother, the taste of Kai’s arousal; primally familiar, musky and overwhelming. He could feel both men watching him as he sucked the head of Kai’s cock into his mouth, and greedily licked all of the pre-cum away from the skin; moaning wantonly.

He slid his mouth further down, using his tongue to stroke and tease Kai’s shaft. He could already feel the way Kai’s cock pulsed under his tongue, how swollen it was as it began to push into his throat. Fucking Dabi’s mouth had him close already; Shouto’s body pulsed with arousal as a hand tangled in his hair, gently pushing his head down until Kai’s cock stretched his mouth almost painfully wide to take more of him.

It only lasted a moment before Kai pulled Shouto’s mouth off of his cock; yanking Shouto to his knees and wrapping his arms around Shouto’s waist to pull him up into a deep kiss. Kai’s mouth on his was carnal and bruising; as were the arms around him, pulling Shouto’s body flush with his own. He could feel Kai’s hard desire pushing against his lower stomach, pulsing against his abs.

Shouto opened his mouth in response to Kai’s silent demands, enjoying the way the other man dominated him as he sucked Shouto’s lower lip into his mouth and nibbled, almost too roughly, on the tender flesh. The way his hips were now moving, rocking both of them as Kai ground his cock against Shouto’s skin as he slid his tongue into Shouto’s mouth, exploring and claiming it as he smeared sticky pre-cum over Shouto’s lower stomach.

Shouto was getting hard again; there was no way to stop it. His body was responding to Kai; responding to the need for Kai to consume him.

“Kai…” Shouto groaned into the depraved kiss, grinding his half-hard cock against Kai’s thigh. Kai moaned in response, his cock pulsing against Shouto. He broke their kiss, his breathing heavy as his dark eyes bore into Shouto.

His hands moved suddenly; dropping down to grab the bottoms of Shouto’s thighs. He lifted Shouto up, Shouto’s legs curling themselves around his waist almost instinctively as he felt all of Kai’s muscles tense against him. Kai kept his hands firmly around Shouto’s thighs as he stood up, picking Shouto up with him.

A shudder ran through Shouto’s body, relishing in the way that Kai could do that. Could pick him up and carry him. Shouto was lean, but he was by no means small. He was tall, and his entire body was dense, firm muscle. And yet Kai could carry him as if it was nothing.

Kai sat down on the couch, temporarily trapping Shouto's legs behind him until they shifted so that Shouto was straddling him, hands on Kai's shoulders as Shouto enjoyed the heat of their bodies pressed together. Shouto's cock was pressed against Kai's, their balls pushed almost obscenely together as Kai ran his hands up Shouto's side.

A movement caught Shouto's attention, and he looked up as Dabi walked out from the hallway. He hadn't even realized that Dabi had left the room; strolling back in, completely naked now, his lips swollen from being fucked, his cock hanging softly between his legs and a bottle of lube in his hands.

Arousal washed over Shouto, his lower stomach tensing in anticipation as he watched Dabi walk around the couch.

Kai's hand around their cocks made Shouto gasp, his back arching in pleasure.

He could feel Dabi behind him, hear the shuffling as Dabi dropped to his knees. Kai's legs opened wider, and Shouto could feel his brother's warm hands on his sides as Dabi knelt between them. His eyes rolled with pleasure as Dabi's hands roamed over his back, his nails dragging across Shouto's skin as Kai continued to stroke them.

Then Dabi's hands disappeared completely; and Shouto could hear the familiar pop of the bottle cap. He felt the first drop of pre-cum leak out of his cock, smearing with Kai's. Then a warm, slick finger was teasing him, drawing tiny circles against the sensitive skin of his entrance. Shouto moaned as he rocked back, his ass clenching around the fingertip inside of him, desperate for more. He could feel his body twitching and pulsing with want as Dabi chuckled lowly, sliding the finger in up to his first knuckle.

He felt Kai's grip tighten around their cocks at the moan that fell from Shouto's lips. Kai's golden gaze went over his shoulder, and he could almost feel it burning into Dabi's crystal blue eyes. Shouto didn't care about the silent look. He didn't notice the way the air changed around them. His eyes were closed, his attention relishing in the way they almost worshipped his body. Dabi finally sliding a second finger in, gently scissoring them outward as he pumped them in and out of Shouto, going slightly deeper each time. At the feeling of Kai's hand on him, drawing delighted gasps and moans from Shouto's lips as he stroked Shouto toward his next orgasm. At the feeling of Kai's cock leaking against his; knowing that every inch of that hard flesh would soon be buried inside of him.

Claiming him.

"Be thorough, Dabi," Kai said, an answer to an unspoken question.

Dabi growled lowly in response, working the tip of a third finger almost possessively into Shouto. Then Dabi's teeth sunk into the side of his hip, both pain and pleasure sparking through him as Dabi sucked a dark mark into his skin. Shouto could feel the tongue ring on his skin, the rigid bumps of Dabi's lip rings; the determination to imprint themselves into the sensitive flesh as Dabi worked the third finger inside of him, continuing to scissor outward, the stretch almost too much.

Shouto cried out, the sound lost as Kai leaned forward and claimed Shouto's mouth in a demanding kiss. His stroking had slowed, his grip around them tight. Shouto's body responded, grinding his cock up into his boyfriend's fist.

Shouto felt Dabi's warm breath on his lower back as he continued to work Shouto open. Dabi's other hand splayed out over Shouto's ass, pulling it to the side as he dipped his head down and licked his tongue up inside of Shouto, forcing it in alongside his fingers. Shouto's back arched at the sudden warmth that filled him, that stretched him even more.

Dabi growled into him, the noise sending vibrations along Shouto's inner walls and straight up into his core. He shuddered, leaning forward into Kai's kiss, giving Dabi better access to his entrance. He was so sensitive, the stretch bordering painful; he could feel Dabi's lip rings pushing into his perineum, feel the combination of spit and lube slowly dripping out of him.

He could feel the tip of Dabi's pinky starting to tease his entrance.

"Ngh," Shouto groaned, pulling away from Kai's kiss, desperately trying to catch his breath as Dabi's tongue pulled out of him and his pinky slid in. His entire back arched, his body clenching against the intrusion. "I… I'm ready…" It was too much.

Kai's hand cupped the side of Shouto's neck, his thumb stroking soothing lines over his skin. Shouto felt like he was getting split in half as Dabi began to move his hand in slow half-circles, back and forth as he slowly worked his four fingers in to the knuckle.

Kai's golden eyes were so dark, his mouth parted with desire. His hand moved up over his cheek, his thumb tracing over Shouto's swollen lips.

Shouto's cock was leaking precum, sticky and desperate as Kai's fingers worked over him. He was so full he could barely breathe.

Dabi's teeth nipped along the curve of his hip; Kai's thumb pushed between his lips. Shouto closed his mouth around it, not breaking eye contact as he sucked obediently; as he swirled his tongue around the tip. He felt like he was going to lose his mind, his entire body sparking with arousal.

"Dabi," Kai growled, the name heavy with want, dripping suggestively as he watched Shouto suck on his thumb, his eyes glued to where Shouto's lips wrapped around it.

Shouto whined as Dabi's fingers slid out of him. Kai let go of their cocks, shifting Shouto's hips, smearing their precum over Shouto's skin as he did. He pulled his thumb out of Shouto's mouth, pulling Shouto's body down onto his cock, bottoming out in one swift motion. Shouto cried out, his eyes rolling back, his cock pulsing with the desperate need to get off as Kai's thick length filled him.

"Fuck," Kai groaned, his left hand squeezing Shouto's hip.

A moment later, Shouto felt Dabi's hand on his shoulder, pushing Shouto forward against Kai's chest. Arousal pulsed through him as he felt Dabi's cock teasing the crack of his ass, followed by a surge of anxiety.

He knew what was coming, and it was both thrilling and nerve-wracking. He had never pushed his body to such an extreme.

Shouto's nails dug into Kai's shoulders as Dabi's cock pressed just above Kai's, clinging on to him, their noses practically touching.

"Don't forget… to breathe… Shou," Kai murmured, his golden eyes locked onto Shouto's as Dabi began to push inside of him. Dabi moaned loudly. Shouto gasped, feeling as if the air had been punched out of his lungs as the extra stretch threatened to split him in half. His eyes watered, his mouth hanging open as he struggled to breathe.

His entire body was tensed, his back arched, his toes curled.

"Fuck," Dabi breathed, his forehead pushed into Shouto's neck, his eyes glued to the sight of Shouto's body stretching around them. He was pushing in so slowly that Shouto was certain he was going to lose his mind. "You take… us… ngh… so… well…"

Shouto could feel Kai's body rippling underneath him as Dabi's piercings rolled over the top of his shaft as he pushed in. He could feel the way Kai's cock was pulsing against his inner walls, his hips grinding up into Shouto.

Shouto let his head drop back, Kai reaching up to drag a hand over the front of his throat. He could hear the breathy, punched out whimpers that kept dripping from his lips. Every spot the two men touched felt like ecstasy, fireworks of desire lighting up his body.

There were so many hands on him.

Then Kai started to move, Dabi following his lead. They went slow, Dabi matching Kai's rhythm with deep, long strokes.

Shouto's entire body shuddered with every gasping breath. He could feel the sweat dripping down his body. They were pressed so close as Dabi and Kai rocked up into him that the only thing that mattered was the heat of them on his skin, the smell of their sex; the feeling of them moving inside of him.

Dabi's teeth sunk into his shoulder; Kai's mouth replacing his hand, leaving a trail of scorching kisses over the front of Shouto's throat.

Shouto's cock was leaking, hot and sticky across Kai's abs.

Dabi moaned into Shouto’s naked skin.

“Ngh… yes…” Shouto panted, his mind blissed out, hazy with the effects of sex and raw lust. He could feel every moan from the two men reverberate through his body. Every pulse of their cocks inside of him echoed up his spine and made him whimper with blind need. Every muscle that tensed and trembled against his. Every wash of hot breath on his skin. Every finger digging roughly into his skin. Every kiss. Bite. Demand.

Dabi growled lowly in his ear, his hands going down to bury his fingers against Shouto’s ass, dragging them slowly upward, leaving thin red lines to mirror his own back. He stopped halfway up, pulling Shouto’s cheeks apart; shifting forward to get a bit deeper, to stretch Shouto just a bit further.

Kai moaned. Shouto cried out, throwing his hands up and over his head. He buried both of them in Dabi’s tangled, sweaty hair, pulling Dabi flush against his back as they fucked. He kept his eyes locked on Kai’s; silently begging… pleading for the man to touch him.

He was close. So, so close.

Dabi groaned at the rough treatment.

“You... want to.... cum for us... little fox?”

Shouto could feel Kai’s thrusts getting more erratic; he could feel the tightening in his thighs, in his lower stomach. He could see it in the way that Kai was looking at him, his mouth parted slightly, his breathing ragged. He too had a sheen of sweat over him, his brown hair damp and sticking to his forward. A slight flush to his cheeks.

Fuck.

He looked so sexy like this. Shouto couldn’t have looked away if he tried.

Shouto nodded, desperate for it.

“Please,” he begged.

Kai slid a hand between them, through the mess that Shouto had dripped over their skin. He wrapped his fingers around Shouto’s cock, stroking him. Shouto cried out as the pressure sent him over the edge, his hands almost yanking into Dabi’s hair as his body arched and he came all over Kai’s hand and stomach, his cock twitching with every pulse of his orgasm.

Kai’s mouth dropped open, groaning as the feeling of Shouto clenching around them sent him over the edge. His body stiffened, his hands digging bruisingly into Shouto’s thighs as he came. He kept thrusting through his orgasm, matching Dabi’s rhythm until his cock grew soft and he fell out.

“Fuuuuccccckkkkkk….” Dabi moaned at the sudden rush of slick, warm cum around his cock, pushing forward to bury himself completely into Shouto. His rhythm changed; getting faster and rougher as he fucked Shouto into Kai’s chest. It made Shouto’s entire body jump with over-sensitive convulsions.

Shouto could feel the way Kai’s cum leaked out every time that Dabi pushed in. The way Dabi’s piercings rolled against his inner walls, the way that Dabi’s head ground against his prostate with every thrust.

“It’s. Too. Much!” Shouto cried, his body screaming at him to stop. He trembled and convulsed, almost pulling Dabi’s hair out as his hands shook against him.

Dabi’s teeth sank into his neck once more, one hand letting go of his ass and snaking around to play with Shouto’s nipple, pinching and teasing it.

Shouto screamed, and Dabi fucked him harder until suddenly his teeth sunk into Shouto so deeply that he broke skin as he came. He buried his cock as far into Shouto as he could, holding it there as his body convulsed against Shouto’s ass; short, deep thrusts.

Pain blossomed in Shouto’s shoulder as Dabi gently kissed the wound. Shouto let go of his hair, allowing himself to fall forward and against Kai’s chest, burying his face into Kai’s neck. The room went quiet around them, the only sound was their heavy breathing. They were a mess of sex and sweat. Dabi slumped against his back.

Shouto wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that before Dabi finally stood up, his legs trembling as he stepped away.

The movement made Shouto’s entire body shift, and he groaned softly at the way it made his body ache. He was going to be sore. Very sore.

“We need a bath,” Dabi said, putting his arms up over his head and stretching.

“A bath?” Kai echoed. Shouto hadn’t moved yet. He felt too good. Even with the cold air that was settling over him as their sweat dried on his skin. Kai smelled so good, felt so good as Shouto clung to him. And after two orgasms…

He could fall asleep just like this.

“Yeah,” Dabi replied, “we should take a fucking bath. We stink. And soaking will be good for Shouto’s ass. He has training bright and early Monday morning with me and that asshole Geten. If he can’t walk, he can’t train. And if he can’t train… well, I don’t want to be the one to explain why to Okimoto.”

Kai chuckled, lowly.

Shouto let himself get lost in the feeling of Kai's chest rising and falling underneath him, he could feel the thumping of Kai's heartbeat against his cheek.

"Get the bath running," Kai directed Dabi. "We will be right in."

Dabi nodded, rifling through his clothes before throwing them back on the floor and disappearing down the hall. A moment later, Kai pushed Shouto reluctantly away from his chest, pulling him up into a kiss. Despite their sticky, sweat-slick skin, Kai kissed him deeply; passionately, cupping Shouto’s face in both hands as he indulged in the taste of Shouto’s mouth. Shouto melted into the kiss, enjoying the sensual movement as he ran his hands over Kai’s arms. His body was still thrumming with post-orgasmic bliss. He moaned softly as Kai nipped his lower lip, dipping his tongue deep into Shouto’s mouth the moment Shouto opened it for him. Kai tasted like sex and weed, and Shouto reveled in it.

The sound of water running echoed down the hall, and Kai broke away from the kiss. Shouto met his eyes. He felt sticky and gross, and a warm bath sounded like it would do wonders for the painful ache that was settling into his lower back; but a part of him wished he could stay here like this all night. Could settle himself back down into Kai’s chest and just… be.

Kai shifted him gently until he could pick him up bridal style. Shouto was too tired, and his ass was way to sore, to resist, lazily draping his arms around Kai’s neck. He rested his head against Kai's chest.

"A bubble bath?" Kai asked, a hint of amusement in his voice as he turned sideways to get into the bathroom.

Shouto glanced over. Dabi had a joint hanging almost comically out of his mouth, unlit, and was pouring the rest of the strawberry bath suds that Momo had left behind into the bath. Way too much for one bath. The aromatic scent of fake fruit filling the air.

"Fuck yes," Dabi replied, his grin crooked in an attempt to not lose the joint. "I lived with Toga for almost three years; even I can appreciate a bubble bath."

Dabi tossed the rest of the bottle into the bath, stumbling as he went to step in after it.

Shit. Shouto wasn't even sure how Dabi was still conscious, let alone ready to smoke more. He was already stoned as fuck.

Dabi hissed as he stepped into the water, adjusting the tap as Kai gently lowered Shouto into it as well. Shouto also flinched at the scalding water, and then again at the pain that shot through his lower back at the movement. He sat down gently; the hot water and soap making Shouto’s tender, over-stretched rim burn and sting uncomfortably. He groaned softly. He was sore; but he liked that. He liked how thoroughly and completely owned it made him feel.

Fitting the three of them into the bath wasn’t easy; but they did eventually manage it. Kai on one side, Shouto between his legs and resting against his chest. His shoulder stung as the bubbles on Kai’s chest washed over the bite on his shoulder, the soap stinging where Dabi’s teeth had cut into him. Dabi was facing them on the other side, his head off-center to avoid the tap, the scalding water running down onto his chest, new bubbles forming all around his body. Their legs were all tangled together in the middle.

Dabi let the water run until the bubbles threatened to spill over the edge and onto the tile floor before he finally turned it off. Then he leaned his head back against the ceramic lip and lit up his joint.

“How much have you smoked today?” Shouto asked, knowing that the question probably sounded motherly and annoying. But he couldn’t help it. Dabi’s drug habit had only seemed to get worse over the last month. He worried about him.

Dabi sighed.

“M’not catatonic yet… so not enough.” He replied, taking a long drag of the joint and holding it, as if to emphasize his point.

Shouto rolled his eyes.

Yeah. He was definitely stressed about something. And Shouto suspected that something was a blonde hero with red wings. He didn’t really want to bring him up, though.

Dabi exhaled, the smoke wafting up to mix with the steam from the bath.

“How’d your big night go?” Dabi asked, before Shouto could think of the best way to ask if Dabi was alright. He sighed. Dabi probably wouldn’t tell him if he wasn’t doing alright anyway. “How was working with the lil’ guy?”

“Mimic would be livid to hear you call him the lil’ guy,” Kai noted.

“He loves the nickname… trust me,” Dabi grinned, still staring up at the ceiling.

“It was fine,” Shouto replied, stiffly. He didn’t really want to talk about how stressful it was. “There wasn’t any big issues. No one really knows who I am yet, though. But we still managed to collect all the funds.”

“That’s good…” Dabi nodded, his foot beginning to rub slow lines over Shouto’s inner thigh.

“Just wait, Shouto,” Kai added. “One day you will become my second-in-command; and the entire city will know the name Fenikkusu. Will respect it.”

Shouto wasn’t sure if that made him feel better or not.

“Your second?” Dabi mused, finally looking up, past Shouto, at Kai. “Let me know the day you plan to tell Chronostasis; that man is going to be absolutely crushed. He will need someone to help him forget his woes for the night.”

“Yes,” Kai replied bluntly, almost emotionless. “But he will do as he is commanded to do. I wouldn’t get your hopes up, Dabi. He will turn to Yokubo for those needs. Or some whore in the red light district. He isn’t likely to want cock to make him feel better.”

“You think he’s straight? Clearly you have never noticed the way he looks at you,” Dabi said, amused. “He is at least curious; and for a pretty little face like his, I will happily volunteer as tribute in helping sate that curiosity.”

Shouto hated the way that made him feel. Chronostasis was pretty. He had delicate, almost feminine features, with large eyes and a tall, lean body. He was also absolutely submissive to Kai; and would likely do anything that Kai asked him to do. Shouto had always worried that there was something more between him and Kai. Hearing that Dabi also found him attractive made Shouto’s stomach twist into knots.

“I’m sure you will,” Kai replied neutrally.

“So you are going to a party?” Dabi switched gears suddenly, his attention turning back toward Shouto.

“Maybe,” Shouto shrugged. “I don’t know if I really want to go. All of my old classmates will be there. It will be… awkward.”

“You don’t want to see Bakugou again?” Kai asked. His voice had taken on an almost dangerous undertone. He had definitely gotten the wrong impression from how Shouto responded to news of the internship earlier. The implication in Kai’s voice was clear; emphasized by the way Kai’s grip tightened around Shouto’s waist.

Shouto shifted, the bubbles around him shifting as the water below them rippled.

“That depends,” Shouto replied carefully. “If he accepts the internship with the Endeavor Agency, I might really enjoy the chance to punch him in the face.”

“Dear old dad offered him an internship?” Dabi mused. “I’m not surprised… classic Endeavor move. It’s his subtle way of giving you a big ol’ middle finger. Bakugou will take it though. No doubt about that.”

“What makes you so sure?” Shouto asked. Dabi couldn’t be certain. He had only talked to Bakugou a handful of times when the League kidnapped him. He didn’t know Bakugou the way that Shouto knew him.

“He would be an idiot not too,” Dabi answered. “Your old fuckbuddy wants to be a hero, right? He wants to make a difference. To make the world a better place. Well… that internship is his best bet. He has a shit attitude and a bad track record. Endeavor might be an asshole, but he is likely the only asshole that is going to give Bakugou a chance to get his foot in the door anytime soon. Bakugou is going to accept that position. You might as well get used to the idea now. Before you know it, he will be in the top ten, and you will have to look at his smug face everywhere.”

Shouto hated how much sense his brother made. Bakugou did have a known attitude problem, and his three day internship with The Best Jeanist hadn’t done much to help him. He had failed his provisional licensing exam, and made a fool out of himself at the Sport’s Festival. He was lucky to be offered an internship at all this year.

“I hate him.” Shouto said quietly. “I hate Endeavor.”

“Don’t worry about him,” Dabi replied, casually. He was still smoking, most of his chest submerged, a thick layer of bubbles coating his neck and chest. “I am going to kill him. One day. With my bare hands. The last thing that fucking bastard will see before he dies is my face.”

Dabi was serious. Serious enough that Shouto was certain he had thought about it before. The idea was… unsettling. And the way that Dabi said it, so casually. Like he was looking forward to the idea of taking Endeavor’s life. Not a crime of passion or self-defense or necessity. But one of pleasure. Premeditated. As if there would be nothing more beautiful to Dabi than watching their father take his last breath.

It was cold.

It made Shouto think of the pictures that he had seen on Hawks’ desk.

Another reminder of why Dabi was number three on Musutafu’s most wanted list.

Dabi took the last hit of his joint, putting it out on the side of the tub and letting the butt fall down to the floor.

He glanced up, his eyes struggling to focus for a moment. They settled on Shouto. Then suddenly Dabi was sloshing around onto his knees, bubbles and water pouring over the side of the bath at the movement, hitting the tile floor with wet splash.

“You’re making a mess,” Kai scowled.

“S’ important,” Dabi grumbled as he crawled up between Kai and Shouto's legs. He scooped up a bunch of bubbles before reaching up toward Shouto’s hair. He looked determined.

"Stop… what are you doing?" Shouto pushed his high-ass hands away.

"I'm just…" Dabi pushed back, undeterred, sloshing even more bubbles over the side. "Just let me do… this…”

They struggled back and forth for a few moments, the movement drawing more of Shouto’s attention to the ache in his ass. The bubbles from Dabi’s hands were getting all over in Shouto’s hair and dripping down his face. But he finally gave in when he realized that Dabi wasn’t going to let this go. He went still, dropping his arms and frowning as Dabi scooped up a bunch more bubbles into his hair, molding it up into a mohawk.

He settled back onto his ankles, grinning, clearly delighted with himself.

He was so fucking stoned. Shouto was not amused.

“Very mature,” Kai noted.

“Catatonic or not, I think you’ve smoked enough,” Shouto added grumpily. He probably looked ridiculous.

“No,” Dabi noted, reaching up and tracing a finger down the side of Shouto’s face. “This looks good. This is how you should do your hair for the party.”

“The party? I am not doing my hair in a Mohawk for Izuku’s birthday party.” Shouto stated flatly.

“Not that party.” Dabi replied quickly. “The sex party.”

“Sex party?”

“It isn’t a sex party,” Kai replied. “It’s a fetish-themed social being hosted by one of the Yakuza’s wealthier donors. He usually hosts one twice a year. I didn’t make it to the last one; Okimoto made it clear that I was expected this time. And Shouto will not be wearing his hair in a Mohawk. The theme is Shibari, not punk.”

A fetish-themed party? Kai had not mentioned anything of the sort to him.

Dabi was still tracing his hand over Shouto, down his neck and over to the Shie Hassaikai mark on his shoulder. One finger following the design. Shouto almost wondered if he was even still paying attention.

“Sex party. Fetish-themed social.” Dabi’s words were quiet, almost sultry as he continued to trace the mark. He seemed fascinated, almost hypnotized. “Same thing, really.” Dabi leaned down, replacing his hands with his lips, kissing the mark on Shouto’s collarbone.

The sensation made Shouto shudder. Dabi’s mouth felt so good on his skin.

“I didn’t know about the party,” Shouto added, his eyes closing as he leaned his head back on Kai’s shoulder to give Dabi better access to taste his skin. It felt so good; the way that Dabi poked his tongue out, and traced his tongue-ring in a searing line over the brand. He could feel it all the way down in his groin, sparks of desire that echoed over his entire body.

“It’s not for a few weeks, little fox,” Kai replied, his hand moving down to wrap around Shouto’s cock.

Shouto moaned, his hips rocking against Kai’s touch. He wasn’t hard yet; his body was still so sensitive that even the slow strokes on his soft cock were almost overwhelming. But it didn’t deter Kai, who began to kiss his neck, licking over the wound that Dabi had left earlier on his shoulder. Dabi moved his attention down to Shouto’s nipples, submerging his mouth underwater to suck one into his mouth, rolling it between his lips.

Neither of them seemed to care about the water that continued to splash over the side; their attention focused on Shouto and Shouto alone. Kai’s other hand came down to cup Shouto’s balls, massaging them slowly as he stroked him. Dabi continued to play with his nipples.

Minutes passed. Shouto lost track of how many as he shuddered and writhed under their mouths; under their touch. Slowly, he began to get hard again, his hips rutting up, fucking his cock up into Kai’s slick fist. The feeling was agonizingly good, and he could hear the way his moans echoed in the bathroom around them. Each kiss, each stroke brought Shouto closer to the edge. The muscles in his legs felt like jelly, they jerked and quivered with each new jolt of pleasure. Every time he moved to rock his hips, the deep throbbing pain in his back made itself more known. It thrummed with pleasure and pain; carnally satisfying.

“Cum for us, Shouto,” Kai whispered into his wet hair. “Cum for me.”

Shouto nodded, the steam around them so warm that it was making his head swim. His entire body practically vibrated with arousal. Every nerve tingled with his growing desire. His muscles tensed and shuddered as his orgasm approached.

Dabi’s head disappeared under the water, and a moment later Shouto felt his brother’s mouth wrap around the head of his cock. It trapped the hot water around him, Dabi licking a stripe across the head as Kai continued to stroke him slowly. Shouto tilted his head back even further, pushing it against Kai’s shoulder as he brought one arm out of the water. He clenched his fist, biting down on his knuckles to stifle his cries. The feeling of Dabi’s mouth on him under the scalding water tipped him over the edge, his hips arching up almost violently, forcing his cock deeper into Dabi’s mouth as his body convulsed with his orgasm. He could feel Dabi swallowing around him, Kai’s arms holding him in place as his muscles spasmed and twitched through his orgasm.

Then Dabi’s mouth pulled away, the hot water washing back over him. Kai’s stroking stopped, his hands still cradling Shouto as the last few tremors of pleasure washed through him. Shouto’s body trilled, riding on a high of pleasure. Like all of his muscles had given out, and he was floating weightlessly in the hot water.

Dabi re-emerged from the water, his hair dripping wet and hanging down in his face. His head and face were covered in bubbles, dripping back down into the bath below them.

He licked his lips.

“God, I cannot wait to see you in Shibari.”

Chapter Text

Shouto POV

Dabi arrived at 7am to pick up Shouto for training, stumbling into the apartment like a half-asleep bear; kicking his shoes off hap-hazardly in the hall, knocking the jackets off the coathook, and nudging the couch askew as he collapsed face-first onto the cushions.

It was amusing; not that he would say as much to Dabi. His brother was clearly a bit grumpy. Dabi could function in the early morning, usually with the help of caffeine; but he was by no means an early morning person. And if the bags under his eyes, or the fact that it looked like he had barely brushed his hair, nevermind bothering with the shading or lining he usually did around his eyes, was any indication… Dabi clearly hadn’t gotten much sleep last night.

“Shou!” The muffled noise called out to him, barely audible as he was brushing his teeth in the bathroom. “So hungry! Need. Food!”

Shouto rolled his eyes. He was tempted to ignore it, but his brother sounded fairly pathetic. And since the only reason that Dabi was even up this early was for the training, Shouto decided to take pity on him. So he quickly spit out the toothpaste, rinsed his mouth, then hurried to the kitchen. They didn’t have a lot of time, so he decided on something easy; setting up water in the tea kettle and grabbing a protein bar and a banana. He took it back to the living room, setting them on the couch next to Dabi's head.

"That…" Dabi pushed himself up onto his elbows, glancing up at Shouto dubiously. "That barely counts as food!"

"You should have eaten earlier!" Shouto defended himself. "I still have to get dressed. We are supposed to meet Geten at the training grounds in forty-five minutes!"

Dabi blew out his cheeks, gathering up the proffered food and sitting up, a dramatic, wounded expression on his face.

"One. This is not enough food for training. No wonder you are so thin, Shou." Dabi said, tearing open the protein bar. "And two. Geten is an asshole, so it won't matter if we are late." He took a large bite of the protein bar, making what Shouto was certain was an over-dramatized face to show his distaste for the food.

"Ok, one. You are thinner than I am," Shouto retorted. "And two. You have never even met Geten. And I don't want to be late because I promised Okimoto I would make the most of these trainings with you two. So eat up, and when the kettle goes off, if you will make tea for me and Kai too. I'm going to hurry and get dressed."

"Tch," he grumbled reluctantly, in place of actually answering. "But don't forget to wear something fireproof and flexible. I have an extra body suit if you need something."

"I'm fine," Shouto replied, leaving Dabi to his make-shift breakfast and heading to the bedroom. "Thanks dad." He teased.

"Ugh!" Dabi called out after him. "Don't do me like that Shou! At least call me daddy!"

Shouto blushed, refusing to acknowledge the response as he stepped back into the bedroom and closed the door. Kai was sitting on the edge of the bed. He must have just started waking up; he was still in his boxers and a T-shirt, his hair a mess, and he was scrubbing a hand over his face as he yawned.

God he looked so sexy.

A part of Shouto wished he could push him back down into the bed and wake him up properly… but they definitely didn't have the time for that.

"Morning," Shouto teased, heading over toward the dresser to grab his training suit.

"If you are going to be calling anybody daddy, it's me," Kai replied, his voice thick with sleep and jealousy.

Shouto glanced over, amused.

"Did you really wake up just to tell me that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at his boyfriend.

"Don't think for a minute that Dabi isn't half-serious," Kai replied.

"Well, it's a good thing I don't plan on calling either of you daddy, then." Shouto replied, pulling the black suit out of the drawer.

"Is that so? I think I could change that..." Kai surprised him, grabbing Shouto's arm and pulling him over into his lap. Shouto dropped the training suit, half-stumbling into Kai's lap. He maneuvered until he was straddling Kai's waist, the other man's arms wrapped possessively around his waist. "I don't want you to forget who you belong to, little fox,"

"And who is that?" Shouto teased.

Kai growled deeply, scooping Shouto up and flipping their positions; trapping Shouto between him and the bed, their crotches flush together. Shouto's eyes widened as his back hit the bed, his shoulders bouncing slightly against the mattress. Kai put one knee on the edge of the bed, slotted between Shouto's thighs.

"You tell me," he demanded, his voice so deep and husky, it shot straight to Shouto's groin.

Fuck! They didn't have time for this.

Shouto squirmed, but the movement didn't help. It rubbed his clothed cock against Kai’s, both of them getting aroused as he did.

"Kai, we don't have time!" He gasped as Kai leaned down and started biting the side of his neck, one hand next to Shouto's head, the other sliding down Shouto's pants to wrap around his cock.

"Then you better tell me what I want to hear, little fox," he whispered in Shouto's ear, pulling Shouto's earlobe in between his teeth and nipping at it playfully as he began to stroke his hand up and down Shouto's length.

Shouto bit back a moan as Kai's fingers tightened around his shaft.

"Shit, Kai…" Shouto murmured, closing his eyes as his hips rocked up against Kai's hand. "I'm yours, I'm… all… yours…" It felt so good. Kai didn't even seem to be listening; kissing a broad line across his jaw. "Oh my god… Dabi is going… to hear us!"

"Is that why you're so hard for me?" Kai growled. "Do you like knowing he might hear you? Go on, Shou… let him hear who you belong to."

"Fuck," Shouto grumbled. Kai's hand felt so good on him.

"Ngh… Kai…" Shouto keened. "I don't… have… time… for sex…"

"Who said I was going to fuck you?" Kai teased, shifting down slightly so he could tease his erection against Shouto's ass while he touched him. Shouto was so hard; Kai's fingers stroking up and down, his wrist turning just so in a way that was getting Shouto close almost embarrassingly fast. "Tell me who you belong to, little fox."

Shouto's fingers curled into the blankets, his hips rocking up against Kai. He wanted Kai so badly, thoughts of training and time limits were hard to keep track of. If the other man kept this up, it wouldn't take him long to get off.

"I belong… to… you…" he moaned, trying to pitch his voice loud enough to appease Kai, but not so loud that Dabi might overhear them. He knew it was stupid… after all, Dabi had heard him having sex before… more than once. Hell, Dabi had fucked him… more than once. But it seemed so different when he wasn’t involved.

And if Dabi decided to get involved… they definitely didn’t have time for that.

Kai bit roughly into the soft skin of his neck. He shifted, sitting up and putting his other knee on the bed. He was balanced precariously on the edge of the bed between Shouto's thighs. He stuck two fingers in his mouth, coating them with spit before sliding that hand down into Shouto's pants too. Shouto cried out as he traced a finger down until it was teasing his entrance. Shouto could feel his body tensing already, desperate to feel that finger push inside of him.

"What was that?" Kai continued to stroke him with one hand, the other teasing a small line up and down over Shouto's entrance, dragging his fingernail to gently catch on the rim, driving Shouto crazy with the desire for more.

"Please, Kai… ngh! Yes…" Shouto moaned. He could feel the beginnings of his orgasm building. Just a little longer… "please… I. Belong. To. You." He was a bit louder, a flush blooming across his cheeks and chest, hoping that Dabi wouldn't overhear.

"Don't be coy, baby," Kai emphasized by pushing the very tip of his finger inside of Shouto, making Shouto gasp with pleasure. "Let me hear who you belong to. Let Dabi hear who you belong to…"

Shouto's cock twitched in Kai's hand, his ass clenching almost obscenely around Kai's finger as the other man traced it in a circle, teasing and stretching his entrance ever so slightly.

Shouto hated what those words did to him. Kai's playful, possessive nature. The need to obey him. The way it made his cock leak pre-cum.

The fact that he knew Kai wouldn't relent until Shouto gave him what he wanted.

Kai pushed his finger slightly deeper into Shouto, stroking him slightly faster.

"Fuck… Kai," Shouto wasn't even struggling now. His hands were digging into Kai's shirt, his head lifted up to press against the top of Kai's. He could feel the pleasure rolling through him, his hips grinding up against Kai's weight. "I'm yours, Kai," he yelled, his already flushed chest getting darker with embarrassment, certain that Dabi could hear him now.

"Whose?" Kai teased.

"I belong… to you…" Shouto cried, desperately wishing the man would stop teasing and go just a bit deeper… would massage the bundle of nerves inside of him that would certainly get him off. "I belong to you… Overhaul!"

"Who?" Kai was unrelenting, completely pulling his finger out of Shouto to simply brush it up and down the sensitive rim. Shouto groaned, realizing what Kai truly wanted to hear. He was certain he had to be almost maroon with embarrassment. He wriggled, whining pleadingly. And he knew that Kai didn't give an actual damn about being called daddy… but he was stubborn, and now that he had decided he wanted that, he wouldn't give in until he heard it.

"Please…" Shouto murmured, hoping that Kai might have some mercy on him. "I want… I want to…" Time was ticking, and they were already late, and he really should be getting dressed so that they could leave on time… but damnit, the only thing he could really focus on was how fucking sexy his boyfriend looked on top of him, and how good his fingers felt on him, and how damn much he wanted to cum for Kai…

Kai lowered his head once more, pressing a kiss into the side of Shouto's neck. And another one just below his ear. Finally pressing his lips against Shouto's ear, his breath hot against Shouto's skin.

"Do you want to cum for me, little fox?" Kai whispered, emphasizing the words by pushing his finger back inside of Shouto, the sensation making Shouto whimper with need.

Shouto's hips rocked up into Kai's fist, his legs starting to tremble.

"Please…" Shouto moaned, closing his eyes and digging his fingers harshly into Kai's shirt, hard enough that it was likely to leave bruises in the skin underneath. "Please, please, please..." He chanted.

"One word, Shouto," Kai whispered. His voice was thick with desire, and Shouto could feel how hard Kai was. "That's all I want." His hand was starting to move faster, the finger inside of Shouto moving in slow, agonizingly slow circles deeper inside of him; the tip of his finger beginning to tease his prostate with every move, drawing desperate whines from his lips. "Let me hear your pretty voice say it, and I will make you feel so good, little fox. I want to see you cum for me."

Shouto groaned as Kai sunk his teeth into the side of his neck, licking his tongue over the skin as he slowly sucked a dark mark into the sensitive flesh. Shouto was on the edge of cumming, so close that his thighs were shaking, the muscles in his stomach clenching in anticipation, his cock twitching with every tiny move of Kai's fingers. It was too much and not enough all at the same time… Kai was edging him, playing his body in a way that only he knew how to do.

Shouto ignored the burning in his ears… knowing that Kai was never going to let him live this down… and he couldn't even bring himself to care because he needed this… he was so close that he could feel desperate, hot tears sliding down his cheeks as he whimpered underneath the other man.

"Please! Please daddy! Ngh!" Shouto cried out, his voice high and needy. "Let me cum for you!"

Kai growled into his neck, the fingers of his right hand tightening around Shouto's cock; a second finger sliding inside of him to begin stroking his prostate. Shouto was so close, it only took seconds before his vision went dark. He cried out, throwing his head back against the messy blankets as his hips arched up against Kai, pleasure exploding throughout his body. Kai moaned in approval, stroking him through the orgasm; warm, wet cum soaking through the shirt and sticking to his stomach.

Shouto lost track of time as he lay there, Kai continuing to pleasure his soft, over-sensitive cock; his entire body shuddering every time Kai's fingers grazed the head of his cock. His entire body thrummed with lingering pleasure.

Then Kai's fingers left his cock, the two inside of his body stilling as Kai pushed his own boxers down and began to stroke himself. His breathing was hot and heavy as he jerked himself off; and he must have been turned on because it only took a few minutes before he was stifling a groan as he came; adding to the mess all over Shouto's lower stomach.

They lay there like that for a blissful moment, each lingering in a haze of post-orgasmic bliss…

Until the rest of the morning came rushing back with the harsh slap of reality. Shouto’s eyes flew open, panic setting in.

How long had they taken? What time was it? He still needed to get dressed, and now he needed to clean up and he definitely didn’t have time for a shower! And Dabi… fuck, Dabi was waiting in the living room, probably just sitting there and listening to them groaning through the walls. He had already been in a sour mood; he was definitely going to be even grumpier now that Shouto had basically assigned him to make them tea… so what? He could get laid?!

It wasn’t his intention… but he doubted that his brother would believe that.

“Kai,” he started wriggling out from underneath his boyfriend, his nose scrunching as he felt cum start to slide down the side of his stomach toward the bed. “Move… I need to get ready! I’m… going to be... late!”

Kai finally got the hint, un-straddling Shouto and scooting to the side. Shouto pushed himself up, rushing to grab a towel and start wiping himself off. He pulled off his pajamas, throwing them into the laundry. Kai was next to him a moment later, picking up the same towel and using it to wipe off his own cock. He watched as Shouto rushed over to grab the body suit off the floor. His stomach and cock still felt slightly sticky, and he really wished that he had enough time for a shower, but…

He glanced at his phone. 7:30am. They should be leaving right now. Already on Dabi’s bike, pulling out of the apartment and on their way.

Fuck!

Shouto quickly (well, as quickly as possible considering that the body-suit was skin-tight and worse to put on then even the damn skinny jeans that Kai was so fond of buying him) pulled on the outfit, grabbing the first pair of shoes he could find and rushing out into the hall.

Dabi was waiting for him, leaning against the back of the couch with two cups of tea in his hand and a rather unhappy frown on his face. Shouto blushed, muttering a quick thank you as he grabbed the tea and buried his face in the cup, praying that Dabi would just let the whole thing drop.

“Really?” Dabi said, quirking an eyebrow at him. “Is that all you-”

“Morning Dabi,” Kai interrupted, walking out behind Shouto. He was only in his boxers now, running a hand through his hair.

“Good morning, daddy,” Dabi replied, handing him the other cup of tea. “You seem to have had a good morning.”

Shouto cringed.

Kai smiled, turning toward Shouto.

“I’m going to take a shower, little fox,” Kai said, reaching up and moving the cup away from Shouto’s mouth. He put his hand under Shouto’s chin, forcing him to look up and meet Kai’s eyes. Shouto blushed even harder as his gaze traveled from Kai’s boxers, up his naked chest, to finally meet his golden eyes. “Work hard in training… I look forward to when you come home and we can continue where we left off.”

He leaned forward, kissing Shouto’s forehead. Then he turned around, tea in hand, and walked down the hall toward the bathroom.

“Tch,” Dabi scoffed, rubbing his hands over his face in frustration. "Not even a fucking thank you."

* * * * * *

Normally Shouto had to take the bus almost an hour out of the city, getting off at the nearest stop and walking the mile and a half through the woods to get to the entrance of the training grounds. It was a completely different experience from going to the USJ, which was located right at the edges of Musutafu. Not surprising; USJ was a sanctioned training facility that was used by all of the major universities in the area. These training grounds, on the other hand, were completely unsanctioned and off the books. According to Kai, they were located underneath hundreds of acres of private property that belonged to a wealthy patron of their organization. What had originally been a small Japanese bunker over a century ago had been converted to a grandiose training facility for the Yakuza.

The drive out to the training area, as usual, was droll and boring, although Shouto greatly enjoyed going out on the back of Dabi’s motorcycle. With his hands wrapped around Dabi, it was comforting to feel the warmth of Dabi’s back against his chest. To close his eyes and just enjoy the feeling of the wind whipping past them, and the vibrating of the engine underneath them.

They took a slightly different route than the one public transportation followed, so that Dabi could drive right to the entrance to the training area. It was just after eight when they arrived. To anyone else, the place looked like an old abandoned war sight; a large mound with the original cement front of the bunker. The doors were boarded up and chained over, a large sign on the front that warned people away. The Yakuza had purposely let the ground grow wild around it; making the entire thing look as if it had been abandoned for decades.

Dabi parked his bike a ways back in the woods. Shouto climbed off first, pulling off his helmet and hooking it to the side of the bike as Dabi followed suit. The entrance to the facility was hidden across the road from the bunkers entrance in what looked like an old guard booth, but was actually a small elevator that took you almost unnervingly far underground into a long hallway that led to four training grounds.

“Okimoto said that Geten was going to meet us at Training Ground D, near the Lakehouse on the north end.” Shouto explained as they crowded into the elevator. Shouto dialed in his passcode, bracing himself against the wall as the elevator rumbled into motion. He really wasn’t a fan of this elevator; it was small and dimly lit and always made him feel slightly claustrophobic.

Dabi nodded, suppressing a yawn as he ran his hands through his hair. Both he and Dabi were wearing black fireproof body suits. They weren’t completely alike, Shouto’s was much thicker and had stripes of dark gray down his sides and legs. They were made to go underneath costumes, but they were perfect for training; they were sleek and flexible and didn’t inhibit movement.

“I almost wish I could see the absolute shit-fit that Enji would throw if he knew that I was the one who finally got to help train you to use your fire.” Dabi mused, smiling at Shouto in the dim light as the elevator bumped and whirred on its way down. “A part of me almost wishes I could record it and send a copy to the old bastard.”

“He would probably have a stroke,” Shouto replied. He could almost imagine Enji watching it; the vein in his forehead bulging the way it always did when he was particularly upset with something that Shouto was doing.

The elevator rattled to a stop at the bottom.

Shouto pushed open the door, leading Dabi out. The hallway to the training grounds was long, and just as cramped as the elevator; a long, cement hall almost a mile long. It led off into four different training areas; and unfortunately for Shouto, the training ground they were scheduled in today was the furthest down.

He checked his phone. It was already 8:15am. They were already fifteen minutes late.

“Come on,” Shouto encouraged Dabi, beginning to jog down the hall. By the time they made it to the door to Training Ground D, they were both panting lightly. Shouto was beyond stressed; it was almost 8:30am, and he just prayed that Geten would still be there waiting for them.

He pushed open the door, hurrying inside and leading Dabi toward the back.

“Where the fuck is Geten?” Dabi growled as they neared the lake.

Shouto glanced around. They had followed the main path back to the lake. He could see the lakehouse in the distance, partially collapsed from what he assumed had to be from past training sessions. However, there was only one house and no sign of the man that was supposed to meet them here. Not that Shouto actually had any idea what Geten looked like, but there was no sign of anyone.

“I’m not sure,” Shouto replied, glancing toward the far end of the lake, in case they were at the wrong house. But there was nothing beyond the lake.

“You sure it’s Training Ground D? Ground C has a small lake too.”

Shouto pursed his lips, walking past Dabi to get to the house, hoping that maybe Geten was just waiting on the far side. He was certain that Okimoto had said it was Ground D. He had noted it in his phone. Unless it had changed… but why wouldn’t anyone tell him?

“I’m sure it-” Shouto began, but he was cut off as a movement from above caught his attention. Someone had jumped off the roof of the lakehouse. He didn’t have long to take in the guy… aside from the fact that he was almost completely covered in a long, over-sized blue coat… before the temperature began to drop, chunks of ice coming toward them. Shouto put his arms up as chunks of ice swirled in the air around them, forming into two hugely oversized hands that caught the guy just as he landed in front of Shouto. The force of the landing vibrated through the earth like a small earthquake.

The man dropped down to the ground between the two hands, looking up to meet Shouto’s eyes.

Geten.

He was nothing like what Shouto expected. The hood of the coat was pulled up over the man’s face; a thick, fleece lining framed most of Geten’s face in shadow. The only thing Shouto could make out aside from the coat and a pair of thick winter boots were his eyes; and those seemed to almost glow from out of the shadow of his hood, shining with an unnatural, almost eerie, silver-blue hue.

“Your lateness is unacceptable,” Geten growled, his cold stare unblinking. His voice was deep, but soft-spoken; much deeper than Shouto expected from someone with such a small stature. There was an obvious note of irritation, of anger, in his words.

“What did I tell you? This guy just looks like a fucking asshole,” Dabi grumbled, adjusting the sleeves on his body suit as he approached, his stance already on the defensive as he stepped up on Shouto’s right side.

Geten lifted up his left arm, the large ice hand on his left beginning to shake and crack as it broke into chunks that lifted into the air at his side. Shouto widened his stance, letting both of his quirks begin to form over his arms, not sure what the man was doing. A second later, Geten turned his hand, thrusting it forward. The ice followed, large chunks flying directly at Shouto. Shouto reacted on instinct, releasing an ice barrier between himself and the chunks that were aimed at him. But it only took a moment for Shouto to realize his mistake as his own ice was almost immediately broken apart to join Geten’s.

The chunks of ice hit him with a force that knocked him backward even as he allowed his left side to burst into flames. He screamed in frustration as the ice formed a huge mound around his body, hating that he had once again neglected to lead with his fire. It was a bad habit, and now he was paying for it as chunk after chunk added to the attack, clumping onto his body and trapping him to the ground, the ice so cold that it smothered his initial flames.

When was he ever going to fucking learn? It was humiliating to be taken down so quickly… and by ice of all things! This was not the first impression he was hoping for.

“Your training begins if you can show me that you are going to take this seriously,” Geten called out, his gaze turning toward Dabi. “I have no intention of wasting my time instructing a spoiled brat who can’t even bother to arrive on time. Until then, you can see what is possible through the mastery of your meta-ability… of your right side, at the very least.”

Shouto struggled, allowing his fire to erupt off the left side of his body in waves. It worked, melting the ice enough for him to push through the wall around him. But as quickly as it melted the ice encompassing him, new chunks encased him to take its place. He reacted with another wave of flame, only to be met with the same results.

The process was grueling, and beyond frustrating.

“As cocky as ever, aren’t you Ice Man?” Dabi yelled in response, the sound of the other ice hand breaking and cracking apart nearly drowning out his words. “You may be tough… but I have to warn you that I have gotten stronger since the last time we met. Your meta-ability doesn’t fucking scare me!”

...since the last time that we met.

They knew each other?! Shouto snarled in frustration as he continued to struggle against the ice. Dabi had made it sound as if they had never met. But apparently not only had they met, but they clearly didn't like one another. And that was going to make these training sessions, well… complicated.

He stopped the futile walls of flame, focusing instead on increasing the heat of his fire, both internally and externally. The ice all around him helped balance his core temperature as he drew on everything he remembered from his training with Endeavor, the ice around his left side melting into a wet mess at his feet as he brought his temperature steadily higher and higher. With a big enough flame attack, he could combat the never-ending whirlwind of ice that Geten was manipulating around him.

“I threaten your brother, and you still hesitate to unleash your fire…” Geten shouted over the noise of his quirk flowing around him, his attention fully focused on Dabi now. It was a sight to take in. Geten was clearly powerful… very powerful. Not only was he still maintaining a whirlwind of ice around Shouto, one that clung to him despite actively attempting to break free, but he was seemingly doing it with very little focus directly on him. At the same time, he was also breaking apart ice that was beginning to lump together and form shapes in the air above him. “You say that you’ve improved, but it seems that you still struggle with your meta-ability. Afraid that you cannot last against me… not even to demonstrate what your fire is capable of?”

Dabi stood his ground though, his blue flames rolling up both arms as he faced off against the other villain and the ice all around him.

“You would like that, wouldn’t you asshole?” Dabi yelled, widening his stance and crouching down with both arms out wide at his sides. “But you aren’t as powerful as you think. You think I won’t use my fire against you… well here you fucking go! This one is just for you!”

An explosion of blue flame burst from Dabi, aimed directly at Geten.

Shouto’s entire body was overheating, despite the whirlwind of ice around him. He took a deep breath, and let his fire go in a huge burst of flames that exploded out from his body. The intense heat met Geten’s ice, the ice cracking and melting with bursts of steam that temporarily blurred out everything else as it filled the air around him.

Dabi’s attack blew Geten off his feet, temporarily breaking up the mass of ice chunks that he was directing at Shouto. It gave Shouto the perfect chance to press forward. He ran to Dabi’s side as Geten pushed himself up to his feet, not hesitating a second before beginning to lift his arms. Shouto watched in amazement as the water in the lake began to freeze over, chunks of ice beginning to slowly emerge up into the air behind him. Within moments, the ice was beginning to take shape, forming a large beastial ice dragon.

“You think your fire can melt my ice?” Geten screamed at them… at Dabi, specifically. “You forget that I was trained by the Grand Commander, and I have been perfecting my meta-ability for years. You are no match for me, blue-flame! You want to see true power, Shouto… this is what your right side is capable of!”

Shouto released a shield of ice between Geten and the two of them just as the ice dragon launched over Geten’s head, it’s maw... filled with shards of sharp, icy teeth... was aimed directly at them. Dabi was just as fast to respond, firing an even larger blast of blue flame that consumed all of the ice in its path; both Shouto’s wall and the enormous dragon that had began to break through it. Shouto used his left arm to cover his face, the entire right side of his body burning as the flames surrounded all of them. The steam of the ice and fire colliding spread like a hot fog rushing out in all directions, soaking through bodysuit that he was wearing. So thick that it left droplets of water coating his body, dripping down his exposed skin like sweat.

Shit.

To say these two didn’t like one another was clearly an understatement. Forget training… these two were practically trying to kill each other! Whoever thought it would be a good idea to put them in charge of his quirk training clearly hadn’t realized…

Shigaraki. Shigaraki was the one who had suggested Geten to Okimoto. The only way that Dabi could know Geten would have been through the League. Which meant that Shigaraki very likely knew exactly how much these two didn’t like each other.

Fuck…

This must be his idea of a clever joke.

“You think anyone cares about your fancy party trick, Geten?” Dabi screamed over the roar of smoldering steam, smoke rolling off of his shoulders. Like Shouto, he also had water dripping down his skin, his hair partially flattened by the steam around them. “Mines bigger! And elementally… you’re outmatched and you know it!”

Geten was pushing himself, once more, back up to his feet. His hood had fallen off, shoulder length white hair hanging in limp strands, blocking his features as he stood up. Small patches of flame were smoldering at the edges of the collision of the two elements, an entire wall of the lakehouse burning as they argued.

"Be careful, Dabi," Geten called back, ignoring the taunts. "I can already smell your skin blistering from here. You aren't stronger! Your body is still as weak as ever… and no one can fix it for you. Not your father. Not The League. Not the Yakuza. Your meta-ability is wasted on you!"

Geten finally looked up, his icy gaze sharp and unwavering. He was nothing like what Shouto expected. Even with his hair a mess from the steam, his coat singed (although it had to be fire and cold resistant… there is no way it could have survived that second blast otherwise), and his skin pink and raw from being exposed to the heat… he was stunning. He had petite, almost graceful features; beautiful crystalline eyes that still seemed to pierce through you even in daylight, high cheekbones, lips almost tinted blue from the cold, and a long, pale neck. He appeared almost ethereal as he faced off against them, new shards of ice rising into the air around him.

And Shouto… Shouto might as well not even exist. Dabi and Geten were so focused on eachother. This wasn't training, it was the culmination of a grudge that Shouto guessed had been festering between them long before today.

"I'm weak?" Dabi retorted, his voice so high and cruel that it might as well belong to a stranger. "My quirk is wasted? That's rich coming from someone whose head is so far up Re-Destro's ass that you haven't done jack shit with your quirk in years... besides using it for foreplay between you and the The Grand Commander!"

Geten sent a flurry of ice shards directly at them the moment the last word had left Dabi's mouth… and Shouto jumped to action, sending up a wall of flames to match Dabi's, melting the ice before it could reach them. Blasting them both with a rush of misty steam.

Dabi rushed forward, through Shouto's flames, directly at Geten. Shouto dropped his defense, using ice to form a slide to attempt to get between the two before they actually killed each other. He needed to actually get something out of this lesson, and that was not going to happen if these two fucked one another up.

In the blink of an eye Shouto conjured a steep splintering wall of ice; jagged spikes that rose nearly a hundred feet into the air between the two of them. In his rush to split them up, Shouto had failed to contain the length at which the wall spread, and an entire wall of the lake house had been reduced to a shattered mess as the ice broke through it.

Things went silent for a moment, as he and Dabi were both stopped by the ice.

A moment later, a large hold appeared in the bottom of the wall, like a doorway.

"There we go! You finally decided to show some ambition… it took you long enough!" Geten said, his demeanor almost completely changed as he walked through the doorway and towards them. "The raw strength of your meta-ability is impressive. Okimoto says that you have received little training. Is that true?"

Shouto glanced over at Dabi, who was scowling at Geten as he brushed the dew of steam off his body suit. Geten had changed gears so quickly, but he could tell that Dabi was still angry with the smaller man.

"Most of my training has been with UA,” Shouto replied. “The past month I have been training combat skills with the Yakuza, but not focused specifically on my quirk." Honestly, Shouto's training before that was a mess; half his fault for being stubborn, and half Endeavor’s fault for being such a damn asshole. "Most of my training before that was for my fire quirk, but I didn't really use it so most of my experience is with my ice quirk."

"So… no. You have received almost no training?" Geten replied, an obvious note of distaste in his voice.

"Says the guy who has never received any formal training," Dabi scoffed.

“I’m not talking about formal training,” Geten snapped, glaring at Dabi. “I am talking about constructive training. Training that actually amounts to something. Schooling… it’s shit. The first thing you should do if you want to actually amount to anything, Shouto, is to forget everything that you learned at UA. Everything.”

“Here we fucking go,” Dabi groaned, running his hand through his hair.

“Are you going to add anything useful to this training?” Geten growled. “Because I was hired to actually teach him something… something more useful than how to destroy half a city with a bunch of barely controlled elemental attacks.”

“So fucking teach him how to control his ice,” Dabi argued. “He doesn’t need to hear a bunch of regurgitated theories that were spewed by a man that died in prison decades ago.”

“Destro was not just some man who died in prison.. he was a genius! And the fact that his message reached so many even after the government put him in prison to rot should be proof enough of that.” Geten replied, his tone almost reverent. “Your opinion of him means nothing. I was hired by Okimoto… not you. Which means that I will train Shouto the way I see fit, including the importance of having freedom in our meta-ability usage. Don’t like it? You can either leave, or shut your mouth until you have anything useful to add.”

Dabi growled, shaking his head and muttering as he turned around and stalked over toward the wall of ice that Shouto had left. He sat down, steam rising up around him as he leaned back against the ice and started to dig into his pocket, pulling out a cigarette and lighting up.

Shouto stood there awkwardly, not sure if he should try to interfere.

“Well go on then, Ice Man,” Dabi yelled, an obvious note of sarcasm in his voice as he over-dramatically motioned with one hand, and used the other to hold his cigarette. “Since you obviously won’t be able to accomplish shit until you get it out of your system… tell us all about your precious grand commander. Educate us ignorant heathens. Then maybe we can actually accomplish something useful.”

Shouto groaned inwardly. He loved his brother… but Dabi did not give a fuck about most people; so he could likely care less what Geten thought about him. Shouto, on the other hand, really needed to get something out of these training sessions. So he couldn’t really afford to let Dabi piss him off before their first training session even began.

“Who is Destro?” Shouto asked, trying to change the subject before the two of them ended up in another fight.

Geten turned to him suddenly, as if Dabi had ceased to exist, a look of sheer disbelief painted across his features.

Dabi just started laughing.

“Destro was one of the greatest minds of our time. He was the founder, the original Grand Commander, of the Meta Liberation Army. Please tell me that you have at least heard of us.”

Shouto had heard the name before… but he honestly had no idea what the Meta Liberation Army actually was. As far as he knew, it was just another organization in the underbelly of Japan, like The Yakuza.

He shook his head.

Geten’s mouth tightened with disapproval.

“I suppose I should not be surprised, given that most of your training came from UA, a known government tool used to manipulate heroes for their own agenda.” Geten finally replied. “But it does tell me that you have far more to learn than I had been led to believe. You see, the government is scared of meta-abilities. Scared of what people might do with them. They have been from the very beginning. That’s why there are so many rules, restrictions, regulations, and laws regarding how and when we are allowed to use our meta-abilities. Regulations that stop many people from ever discovering how truly powerful their meta-ability can be; that restrict us from ever being able to embrace who we really are. All because they are afraid of what would happen if ordinary citizens suddenly had the power to stand up to them… to fight back against the corruption.”

Geten had begun to pace back and forth as he spoke, gesturing grandly. There was passion in his words; his eyes even more brilliant as he spoke, looking at Shouto every few moments to make sure he was paying attention.

“They tried to make it sound like the regulations they kept putting into place were meant to protect the citizens. One after another after another. Rules that were meant to keep meta-abilities from being used by dangerous people. And most of the citizens ate it right up… their excuses, their bullshit. Claiming that meta-abilities were dangerous; treating citizens with meta-abilities like second-class citizens. But not Destro. Destro watched his own mother get killed by a mob of anti-meta citizens… just for trying to stand up for her son’s rights as a human. He watched as the government did nothing… there was no justice for her. She gave her life so that all citizens could have equal rights, and instead her memory was buried; and the government did nothing but strengthen their resolve to take away our freedoms! The laws were not regulations… they were limitations! They weren’t restrictions… they were shackles! And the punishments for any who did not follow those laws were swift and brutal; prison sentences, exorbitant fines, even horrendous medical procedures that were meant to cull dangerous quirks… procedures that often led to permanent disfigurations and even death. He started off trying to fight the regulations from a legal standpoint, but the government shut him down at every turn. So he finally formed the Meta Liberation Army, a Japanese militia who decided to take a stand against the unfair regulations around meta-abilities. But ultimately that first group was too small… they were quickly overwhelmed by the government, and most were sent to prison with life sentences. Ultimately, all of them, even Destro himself, perished in prison.”

Geten paused at that, stopping and taking a deep breath; gathering himself. As if that single death, of a man that he had likely never even met, was a tragedy that was too great to even put into words. After a moment, he looked up, his crystalline gaze once more boring directly into Shouto’s.

“But the Grand Commander did not let prison stop him. He knew that his message was too important to be silenced. So he used the last few years of his life to write an autobiography, ‘Death by Regulation’. Of course, the government outlawed the book as soon as it was published. But that didn’t stop it from circulating in the black market. And it didn’t stop the importance of his ideology from spreading. Our meta-abilities do not belong to the government, and they should not be controlled by the government! So when his son Re-Destro, the current Grand Commander of the Meta Liberation Army,” at this Geten had raised his right hand, using his thumb and fingers to create an ‘L’ and then placed the tip of his thumb against the center of his forehead, “took up his fathers mantle, people flocked to our cause. We have thousands of soldiers that are loyal… thousands of citizens just waiting for the opportune moment to step out of the shadows and free our meta-abilities from government control, thereby finally liberating our society.”

Geten had paused once more, his hand practically shaking. Shouto could see Dabi in the background, his cigarette almost completely gone, mocking Geten by placing his thumb and index finger in an obvious ‘L’ shape against his forehead, changing the symbol to mirror what gradeschool children used to call each other losers if there were adults around to chastise them for doing so verbally. He forced himself not to smile, knowing that Dabi was being an asshole. Clearly Geten felt very strongly about this, and Shouto did not think he would take being mocked well at all.

“Thousands of people,” Dabi called out, pulling his hand away from his head the split second before Geten’s head whipped around to glare at him. “And yet Re-Destro hesitates to actually do anything. All talk and no action. His paps fought for the cause. Hell, he died for it. Apparently Yotsubashi doesn’t have the balls to actually liberate anything. The MLA would be better off with Shigaraki in charge you know… at least he isn’t so scared of failure that he refuses to ever make a move.”

“The Grand Commander would never make a move without certainty of its success,” Geten sneered, turning his nose up at Dabi as he looked back around to Shouto. “Instead, we train. We recruit. We prepare. And you can be certain that once we finally do come into the light, we will be successful. There will be a day where one’s place in society is directly tied to the strength of one’s meta-ability. The only real way to survive will be strengthening and developing your meta-ability to be the very best that it can be.”

“But people can’t control what their quirk is,” Shouto countered. “We are born with our quirks. My family is proof of that. My father chose my mother solely for her quirk, and they had to have four children before he was satisfied with the resulting quirk. The only other way is with drugs… but even that is only temporary.”

“Wrong,” Geten replied simply. “People are born with a raw meta-ability; some greater than others, that’s true. And ultimately, the strong will rule… but all meta-users have the ability to develop their raw power to something greater. To train, or even evolve new abilities. Our bodies are made to grow and adapt. With the right catalyst, we can evolve new meta-abilities on the spot. The ability and the chance to develop into the best version of ourselves… that is freedom! That is the freedom that the MLA fights for! Can you even imagine an entire society where every individual was given that opportunity? Humanity would achieve feats that are, at this point, seemingly impossible.”

Shouto stared, trying to take in everything that the man was saying. It couldn’t be true. People had quirks or they didn’t. Aside from drugs, you didn’t have control over it. Yes, you could train to grow stronger and learn how to use your quirk better; new moves or techniques that allowed heroes to make the most of the quirk they were born with. But you couldn’t just evolve a new quirk on the spot.

“That’s impossible,” Shouto replied.

“Don’t bother trying to argue with him, Shouto!” Dabi yelled, putting the cigarette out on the ground and pushing himself back up to walk over. “It’s a waste of breath. Trust me.”

“Many would say the same thing about having dual abilities,” Geten replied to Shouto, completely ignoring Dabi. “Yet, here you stand before me with the ability to create both ice and fire.”

“If it were true, then why doesn’t that happen more in training?”

“Ah ha… now we are going somewhere,” Geten smiled, seemingly quite pleased with the turn in conversation. “School would be the ideal opportunity for such things to happen… if they weren’t governed by the very regulations that put limitations on our meta-abilities. UA, and every other hero school out there… they teach you how to be the heroes that the government is willing to allow you to be. They teach you the rules. The regulations. The redtape. And the bullshit. They allow you to strengthen your quirk… but only under direct supervision to ensure that you strengthen it in a way that is beneficial for them. Why do you think all of the top heroes come from your precious universities? When was the last time you heard of a hero rising to the top without formal training?”

“You have to go to University in order to get licensed.” Shouto replied.

“Wrong again,” Geten replied, without missing a beat. “It is possible to obtain a license without going to a university, but it’s not easy. It’s also not cheap, and it’s a tagged license; most of the primary hero agencies are hesitant to hire a hero with such a license. It’s almost unheard of for a hero with such a license to make it into the top hundred. Most of us are labeled as vigilantes, villains, or criminals. Now that you have stepped away from your training, it’s only a matter of time before you too are labeled as such… if you aren’t already.”

”There have been rumors that you were at the prison that night.”

Hawks’ accusation came back to Shouto. Hopefully there wasn’t enough evidence for him to be officially labeled as a villain… even if the two men who had died to his fire were probably enough to warrant it. He wasn’t ready for that yet; he wasn’t ready for heroes to look at him differently because there was some file somewhere that had him labeled as a bad guy.

“Oh, you can guarantee that dear old dad already sees you that way,” Dabi quipped. “You betrayed him and embraced me, there is no doubt that he already has his suspicions. And if he does, the rest of the agencies won’t be far behind. You will terrify them, Shou. A villain with your abilities…” He paused, whistling lowly. “Once they connect you with the Yakuza, it won’t be long until they try to put you back behind bars. They won’t be willing to risk having a villain with your potential on the streets.”

“For once, I think we actually agree,” Geten added. “From what I have seen and heard, your raw meta-ability is quite powerful. I believe I have much that I can teach you over these next few weeks, but if you wish to reach your full potential then you will need more. If you joined the MLA and continued your training under The Grand Commander… you could have the potential to bring entire cities to their knees.”

“Holy shit,” Dabi replied, shaking his head in disbelief. “If Overhaul hears that you are trying to recruit Shouto, you are a dead man. Mark my words.”

Shouto didn’t like the implication, hoping that it was an exaggeration. Sure, Kai was possessive. Very possessive. But surely he wouldn’t kill someone for just suggesting an alternate path. Especially since Shouto had no interest in joining the MLA. Sure, some of what Geten was saying made sense, and he definitely had some points that were worth considering, but not enough to draw him away. Shouto was a part of the Yakuza now. He had committed to it, and he was determined to honor that commitment.

Besides, Geten must not know Overhaul. Overhaul had the most powerful, the most versatile quirk that Shouto had ever seen. If anyone could help Shouto reach his true potential, it was Kai.

“Again,” Geten replied to Dabi, unphased by the threat, “I wasn’t speaking to you. What do you say, Shouto? Are you interested in the chance to reach your full potential?”

Dabi flipped Geten off.

“I owe the Yakuza a debt for helping to release me from prison,” Shouto replied, hoping that he wasn’t about to offend the smaller man. “It would be dishonorable for me to consider such an offer. But I hope to learn much from you over these next few weeks.” He added, hoping to lessen the blow of his rejection.

Geten nodded, pursing his lips as he considered the answer.

“It’s a shame,” he finally responded. “But once you have outgrown the Yakuza, I hope you will reconsider my offer.”

“The fucking nerve…” Dabi growled under his breath.

“Are you ready to get started?” Geten asked, once again completely ignoring Dabi.

Shouto nodded, praying that once they actually focused on his training it would be a good enough distraction to keep the two from bickering. Although he had very little faith that would actually be the case.

"Good," Geten said, undoing the buttons on his coat and shrugging it off. He was wearing a pair of dark leggings underneath and a dark gray long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. The outfit was very flattering. He was petite, but clearly very strong. The shirt clung to him just enough to hint at a nicely defined chest and stomach underneath. And his pants… his pants left absolutely nothing to the imagination; a distracting bulge at the front. "Let's see what we’re working with. Supposedly, ice is your strong suit. Show me what you can do."

"Ok," he finally managed to pull himself together; after what had to be an awkward amount of time staring as Geten set his coat to the side, swirling his hand toward the lakehouse, ice breaking off of Shouto’s wall to extinguish the lingering flames; the half-destroyed wall creaking and breaking under the weight of the ice. Dabi smirked as if he could read Shouto's thoughts. And if Geten noticed, he didn't say anything. But Dabi was definitely checking Geten out too, which left an uneasy feeling in the pit of Shouto’s stomach. Dabi was already tangled up in a mess with Shigaraki and Hawks… the last thing he needed was to start fucking Geten, who clearly disliked Dabi even more than Dabi disliked him. It would be stupid, dangerous even.

But he couldn’t worry about that now.

Shouto pushed the thought away, stepping forward and bracing himself. He took a deep breath, wanting to make a good impression. Ice was his strong suit, but if they are training, he should push himself to be the best. He put his right arm out, mentally preparing himself to produce the largest attack that UA had helped him achieve: The heaven piercing wall of ice. He allowed his left side to flame in order to help maintain a stable core temperature, before releasing his ice directly toward the already existing wall in front of them.

The ice shot from his arm; an enormous, jagged wall that broke directly through the existing wall with a deafening cracking as it shot all the way out to the edges of the lake, gouging the ground along its path, uprooting all of the plants and roots. It took a few moments to settle, chunks of ice larger than his torso dropping to the ground where the two walls intersected, shattering upon impact. The resulting structure was massive; two intersecting glacial walls of ice, peaks of sharp, frozen shards jutting up along the top.

Shouto dropped both of his quirks as he stepped backward, keeping his face passive. But internally, he was excited. This was definitely one of the bigger walls of ice he had ever created. He glanced over; Geten was surveying the ice critically.

He did not seem impressed.

Shouto frowned, trying to analyze the man’s response.

Geten has an ice quirk as well. He can probably do that too. Shouto tapped his foot, deciding to do something a bit more showy. He took off running toward his mountain of ice, using his right hand to create a slide in front of himself. He shifted the slide to go up the steep side of the wall, increasing his speed and momentum to follow the path up toward the top. As he reached the peak, he stopped the flow of ice, jumping off and using spurts of ice to create platforms for him to jump on the way down. He came to a stop directly in front of the two.

He was panting lightly, but he definitely thought that was more impressive than just a mass of ice.

"Not bad," Dabi mused. "Not enough fire, of course."

Geten did not look impressed.

"Is that all?"

Shouto shrugged, shifting his feet uncomfortably. He was used to being praised for his abilities; and he had grown up in an environment where bigger was definitely better.

“And your fire? Is it the same?” Geten asked. “All large-scale moves and wide-range attacks. Can you do anything smaller, more controlled?”

“Well, yeah,” Shouto replied, feeling mildly frustrated. He had just watched Geten fight Dabi, and the man had certainly used his fair share of large-scale moves and wide-range attacks… now he was acting like that was a bad thing. “I mean, I can channel my ice into much smaller attacks if I want to; I can create chunks of ice as small as ice cubes… smaller even.” He put up both hands, producing a small chunk of jagged ice in his right hand, and a small flame just above his left palm. “Same with my fire. I can create as small of a flame as I want. But what’s the point? My quirk is ideal for a support role, for crowd control. I can hold my own in a fight, but my quirks can be deadly in close range, so I have to be careful when I fight in hand-to-hand combat. I’m definitely better as a part of a team.”

“Agh!” Geten growled irritably, using a flick of his wrist to shatter the platforms that Shouto had left behind from his last demonstration. He was clearly frustrated, glaring at Shouto. “No! Have you listened to nothing I have said?”

“I don’t-” Shouto started to defend himself, but was quickly cut off.

“Who told you that your meta-ability was only good for wide-range attacks and support?” Geten asked, each word sharp and bitter and sounding much more like an accusation than a question.

“They did a quirk analysis when I first got to UA and-” Shouto began, once again cut off by Geten.

“Ah ha! And what did I tell you about what you learned at that little university of yours?”

’Forget everything you learned at UA. Everything.’

“You told me to forget it,” Shouto admitted, realizing that the advice had already completely slipped his mind.

“Exactly!” Geten agreed. “They wanted you to believe that. They wanted to force you into that role so that they could later take advantage of that power to further their own agendas. But it’s a lie! Everything you think you know about your meta-ability- the things that your father told you, the things that your school told you… it’s all a lie. That’s the beauty of wielding an elemental ability! You can take out entire armies,” Geten began to lift his hands up over his head, a huge cracking sound nearly drowning out his last words as the entire ice wall shuddered as it broke free from the ground and began to raise high into the sky behind them. He brought his hands into fists, the ice beginning to break apart into jagged shards that began to fall to the ground; each one hitting with a force that sent small tremors through the ground.

Shouto’s mouth dropped open at the sheer display of power.

How was it possible for a villain with this much power to exist, and he had never even heard of him? How many more like that were out there?

“Or,” Geten continued, as he dropped the attack, pausing as chunks of ice larger than a man rained thunderously to the ground behind them. Geten put out his hands once more, two chunks of the fallen ice came flying to his hands, re-shaping themselves into swords in front of their eyes. He whirled around, ending with the blades crossed over Shouto’s chest, the sharp edges digging into his neck. “You can take out even the most skilled assassin. The biggest limitations to your meta-abilities are the ones you place yourself… or the ones that you allow others to place on you.”

Geten pulled the swords away, stepping back and holding them out to his sides. Shouto reached up, touching his neck. When he pulled his hand away, there was a tiny drop of blood on his finger. He looked up, and Geten, as if reading his thoughts, held out one of the swords for him to inspect.

Shouto took it from him, the guard cold in his hand. It was impressive; lightweight and as well-formed as a basic steel sword. He tested the edge with his thumb, and it was definitely sharp. Although it wasn't as durable as a steel sword, it could easily kill an opponent if used correctly.

But Shouto could never create something like this. Geten's quirk was so different from his own; he manipulated the ice in the area, he didn't actually create it. When Shouto created his, whether the chunks were large or small, they were exactly that… chunks. Formless masses with jagged edges. The closest thing to forms he could create were his slides and platforms, and even those were rough around the edges.

"Your quirk works differently than mine does," Shouto voiced his thoughts out loud, handing the sword back. "Even if I focused solely on my ice, I can't do most of what I have seen you do so far today."

"Stop being thick-headed," Geten replied, tossing the two swords to the side. "You think too narrowly! Do you think I started out creating weapons and dragons? Do you think I have always known how to manipulate the temperature of my ice? Of course not! I have been training and mastering my meta-ability for years. You may not be able to manipulate ice once it is created, but you are capable of creating so much more with both of your abilities then you do. Right now you are like a baby. You use only a fraction of your ability! You need to start thinking bigger… otherwise you will never amount to anything."

"Calm down, Mr. Freeze… you sound just like Endeavor," Dabi interrupted, stepping up next to him. "And trust me when I say… I don't mean that as a compliment. His right side needs a few minutes to relax. So let's see what he can do with his fire."

"The bigger uncertainty is what you are capable of as a trainer, blue flame," Geten sneered, stepping, almost imperceptibly to the side.

Dabi stepped up behind Shouto, stopping just behind his left shoulder.

"I know you haven't done much with your fire. I'm guessing the biggest attack you have used in awhile was The Sports Festival, right?"

"No, it was at the prison," Shouto answered, then silently cringed because now Geten would also know he was there… not that he was likely to take it to the heroes, but still. The less people who knew, the better.

"Doesn't count," Dabi replied, shaking his head. "You were on a cocktail of drugs, and you gave yourself third degree burns. Your body will adapt to bigger attacks, but you need to train it. For now, let's see the biggest fire attack you can manage, unaided."

Shouto nodded, widening his stance and allowing for a thin sheen of ice to coat his right side.

Dabi's hand came up to press on his abs.

"Tighten your core muscles," Dabi instructed. "For a larger attack, it will help you resist the backdraft from your fire."

Shouto followed his instruction, tightening up his core and focusing on his left side. He aimed it at the wall of ice, trying to give plenty of room to ensure the heat wouldn't be too close to either of the men. Then he let go, shooting a large blast of fire directly into the side of the wall.

The fire hit with another huge burst of steam; melting a hole into the middle of the wall. The ice above where his flames hit immediately cracked apart as the support below it melted, huge chunks falling to the ground.

Geten didn't say a word, making a small noise of disapproval in the back of his throat. Shouto shuffled self-consciously, glancing back at Dabi. He knew his blast wasn't as large as any of his brother’s. His fire wasn't as versatile either. Because he had never given Enji a chance to train him how to do more, he couldn't do as much with his fire as he could with his ice.

"Not bad," Dabi said, but his face was unreadable. Shouto wasn’t sure if it was because he was trying to be nice, or because he still wasn’t in a great mood… but he hoped it was his mood. As much as Shouto disliked knowing that he had inherited his fire from Enji, it was still something that he shared with his brother. Now that he was free of his father, and Dabi was in charge of his training, he wanted to impress him. “But we have a long way to go.

“Agreed,” Geten replied, un-crossing his arms. “Let’s get on with the training. The first thing we need to do is start testing what moves you actually know.”

The next few hours were grueling. At UA, training with quirks was always for a limited period of time. And even since joining the Yakuza, his training was a combination of fighting and quirk usage. This was move after move; alternating between his ice and his fire. Geten and Dabi would take turns, almost appearing to actually get along. It was exhausting, and Shouto could feel his skin burning on both of his arms. He wasn’t used to such prolonged use of his quirks, and although Geten said it would get better with time… that didn’t help him at all today. Most of the moves he was familiar with were wide-range, so those are definitely the ones he did the best with. Geten was extremely unimpressed, disgruntled even, at Shouto’s lack of ability to create shapes of any kind with either his ice or his fire.

Eventually, Shouto knew that he had pushed himself as far as he could; both arms red and raw, small blisters beginning to form in some areas. He was struggling with the moves, and he was absolutely starving. Luckily, Dabi noticed his moves getting weaker, and called for them to wrap up before Shouto had to admit that he couldn’t go much longer.

“I suppose,” Geten reluctantly agreed. “But there are only two more trainings after this. You are going to need to work hard these next few weeks if you hope to achieve what your boss wants you to.”

Your boss. It had to be Okimoto. Shouto was certain that Kai hadn’t been involved in arranging for these training sessions. And Okimoto had brought them up multiple times.

“I am going to leave a training regime with Okimoto tonight,” Geten continued. “It’s not optional, and they are not suggestions, so I expect it to be completed to the letter. We need to work on your bodies stamina to use your meta-abilities, and on honing them. Large, unshaped elemental attacks are barbaric. Even when forming a mountain, your attacks should have purpose and control.”

Shouto nodded respectfully, though he was doubtful in his ability to learn how to create shapes in a week. In a month, even.

“I suggest you stop by a toy store on your way home. Go to the baby section and pick up a ‘shape sorter’... it’s a box with shaped blocks. At least 6 shapes, preferably more. Place the blocks on your right palm, and focus on only allowing ice to form beneath them. This should allow you to create crudely shaped blocks. I want you to keep practicing until you can perfect them without the blocks there for guidance. I expect you to be prepared to create those blocks for me next week.”

“And for my fire?”

“You will have to look to your brother for that,” Geten replied simply.

Shouto nodded once more, his arms starting to throb faintly now that the adrenaline of training was beginning to wear off.

Dabi grumbled under his breath as Geten walked away from them, toward the lakehouse to retrieve his coat. He shrugged it on, doing up the buttons as he made his way back over toward them. Shouto expected him to just pass by without a word on his way out, but surprisingly he stopped in front of them. His attention, however, was focused on Dabi.

“I want you here an hour before training begins next week.” Geten ordered. “Alone. And not a minute late. We have a few things that we need to… work out before our next session.”

He didn’t wait for a response, turning and walking away the moment the last word left his mouth.

Dabi flipped off his retreating form.

“I told you that he was an asshole,” Dabi muttered. “Maybe now you believe me.”

“You could have told me that you knew each other,” Shouto accused, half-teasingly. “Or, ya know, given me a heads up that you hate one another.” He fell into step behind Dabi as his brother began to lead the way back out of the training ground.

Dabi chuckled.

“We don’t know each other,” he replied. “Shigaraki has been trying to build an alliance with the MLA for awhile. Who knows, maybe he has actually succeeded by now? But I have had to sit through more than one meeting with that conceited fucker. All he cares about is his ‘grand commander and their little plan. They all think so highly of themselves that Narcissus would be disgusted with them. The entire MLA thinks they shit gold and everyone else is just dirt under their shoe. It’s not so much that I hate him… it’s that I despise him and everything that he stands for. The MLA has some sound principles, don’t get me wrong. But the generals, they are as stuck on themselves as Endeavor.”

Shouto shuddered at the thought of an alliance between The League and the MLA, especially if even a tenth of the members of the MLA were as strong as Geten.

“I thought you were going to kill him,” Shouto muttered, as they neared the entrance to the training ground.

“It’s a tempting idea,” Dabi replied, “but it would spark a war between the Yakuza and the MLA that I have no interest in being a part of.”

“Yeah, well, keep that in mind when you two are together… alone... next week.” Shouto said bitterly. That was, in Shouto’s opinion, a disaster waiting to happen. Not that he had any control over it. But if today was any indication, there were a myriad of reasons why those two should not be allowed to be alone together. He was going to be lucky if he didn’t find one of them half-dead.

Not to mention that it took away his ride for the day.

“No promises. But I will try to be on my best behavior, if that makes you feel any better.”

“I think that might make me feel worse,” Shouto replied, honestly.

“You wound me, Shouto,” Dabi said, putting his hand mockingly over his heart.

Shouto ignored him, leading the way down the hall toward the elevator.

“Do you want to pick up some soba on the way back?” Shouto asked, his stomach growling. He was hoping to wait until he got home and Kai had a chance to overhaul his wounds, but he was starving. He didn’t think he could wait that long.

“I suppose,” Dabi agreed. “Then we can stop by and pick up your new baby toy,” he added in a teasing voice.

“Shut up, it’s for training,” Shouto shushed him, as they arrived at the elevator.

“Of course it is,” Dabi grinned.

Shouto sighed. A baby toy for training? It felt like Geten was purposely mocking him. But he had no idea how else to achieve what the man wanted, so he was going to do it. He was going to try to learn how to create shapes with his ice in a single week.

He had his work cut out for him.

Chapter Text

June 7

Kurogiri’s POV

Kurogiri stood beside the bed, watching Dr. Kyudai check the various tubes and instruments that were currently attached to Tenko. The man looked… frail. Frailer than he had appeared even when he was a frightened little boy. When All-for-one had left Kurogiri in charge of caring for him. But here, today, he seemed so small. Tenko was naked, covered from the waist down with a thin, white blanket; with fresh bandages wrapped around his torso to cover the unhealed wound just below his heart. He was skin and bones, absolutely skeletal. His skin was dry and taut, and covered in more scratches than he had ever seen the boy deal with before. His hair was stark white, limp, and thinner than usual. His red eyes seemed dim and dull.

Even his spirit had fallen, his already sour mood made worse by Dabi’s betrayal.

Tenko’s health was a constant worry anymore. Ever since Overhaul had speared him through, Tenko had been struggling. His health had been failing. His treatments barely lasting half as long as they used to. With the boss in prison, the treatments they had left were already gone.

Kurogiri was no fan of Dr. Kyudai, but when Tenko had collapsed this morning, there had been few other options besides simply putting their leader in bed and waiting for him to die. Which, Kurogiri was certain, would not have taken long.

Dr. Kyudai hummed thoughtfully as he tapped on the machine that was displaying Tenko’s vitals… vitals that even Kurogiri knew were much lower than was healthy. They were, however, slightly stronger than they had been when the doctor had first hooked him up to the machines. That, however, had been over 12 hours before. Kurogiri had been hoping that Tenko would at least be showing signs of waking by now.

“How is he?”

Kyudai snorted.

“Not good,” he replied, running his fingers along a tube that was a part of an elaborate blood transfusion that the doctor had going. “But you already know that. By the looks of him, and this” the doctor added accusingly as he tapped just below the bandages over his chest, “it appears that young Shigaraki has been in trouble for some time. You should have brought him to me sooner, Kurogiri. But you already know that too. He will live, I hope, but we are going to need to take more drastic measures if you and the boss want to have him continue his work as the leader of The League.”

Kurogiri frowned.

Dr. Kyudai had been Tenko’s doctor since the very day that their boss had rescued him from the streets. Much like today, he had been half-dead. And Dr. Kyudai, absolutely fascinated with the potential inherent in his quirk, had always treated him as more of a science experiment than an actual child. Because of that, Tenko hated him.

He was also going to be very upset when he woke up to find himself, once more, on Kyudai’s operating table.

Kurogiri reached over, pulling the blanket further up Tenko’s stomach, worried about him catching a chill like this.

“Yes, well, you and I both know that the only reason I am here now is because the boss has refused to give me the formula for Tenko’s treatments.” Kurogiri answered bluntly. “You are the only other person who might have access to that information.”

Kurogiri’s phone chimed in his pocket. He ignored it. It was likely just Toga, texting him for hundredth time since he had left with Tenko this morning. It had been almost impossible to get away from the base without her.

“And if he dies, then you will always know that your stubbornness to seek out my help sooner contributed to his death,” Kyudai replied, re-paying his own bluntness in kind. The doctor had turned toward his desk, grabbing a pad of paper and furiously scribbling down notes as he spoke. “I do have the very recipe that you seek. And have already begun the process of preparing it. However, it will not be ready until tomorrow. Which means that this blood transfusion is our best hope for keeping him alive until then. A blood transfusion which is, also only possible here… with me. It’s a mixture of his own blood from six… no, seven years ago! Mixed with an O negative donor’s blood, and a bit of the boss’s blood to boot. They are both a B negative… very rare in this part of the world. Oh, it’s going to be fascinating to see how he responds!”

Kurogiri gritted his teeth as his phone chimed again.

Fascinating. Just like a science experiment.

"After this treatment," Kurogiri pressed on, although he suspected that he already knew the answer to his next question. "What happens then? I don't suppose you will be willing to give us the formula for his treatment. Perhaps we could buy it from you? Arrange for a trade?"

"If the boss had wanted you to have the treatment, he would have given it to you."

"I had a feeling you would say something like that," Kurogiri replied.

"If Shigaraki wants to live, he can continue to come to me." Kyudai added, dryly. "Depending on how cooperative The League is willing to be, I could heal him back to his former strength… possibly even make him stronger."

"And how would you be able to do that?"

"Before the boss got arrested trying to clean up the mess that The League made, we had been discussing some upgrades for young Shigaraki." Kyudai set down the clipboard, turning to look directly at Kurogiri. “AFO believed that, with extensive treatment, we could not only erase the decay that Shigaraki’s quirk has caused to his body and his internal organs, but we could also magnify the power of his decay. Significantly.”

“And if he chooses not to?”

“He will die, eventually. Probably not this episode, but it’s quite clear that something has changed. His body is decaying more rapidly than before. At some point, the treatments won’t be enough. I would estimate he has about 8 months, maybe a year. He will be weak though. If he chooses not to accept the treatment, then I would suggest you begin to consider who will take over as leader for The League. I suspect that the boss would be…” Kyudai paused, tapping at his chin, thinking about his words. “most disappointed if you choose that path.”

Kurogiri sat down in a folding chair next to the surgical table. Tenko’s fingers were twitching, occasionally. But otherwise, he showed no sign of life outside of the very shallow rise and fall of his chest. He looked up, staring at the profile of Tenko’s face, thinking.

8 months. Maybe a year.

Kurogiri chewed on his bottom lip, weighing the options. Not that he would get the final say. Ultimately, Tenko would have to agree to the experiment. And Kurogiri wouldn’t hold it against him if he chose not to do it. Kurogiri gained his quirk at the end of one of Kyudai’s experiments… he knew firsthand that the doctors methods were abrasive, almost cruel. It wasn’t long after that he was put in charge of tending to Tenko; back when the boy was young and scared. Rescued out of an orphanage after decaying his entire family. Kurogiri had been helping to care for Tenko ever since. The thought of watching the man die made him… sad. And he wasn’t accustomed to dealing with emotions as a part of his work.

He also knew that there were very few options for who could run The League if Tenko couldn’t. Even if the boss thought he could do it, Kurogiri had no interest in being their leader. And the others… Toga was too chaotic. Twice wasn’t stable enough. Spinner was too emotional. Muscular didn’t have the wit. Mr. Compress was better at following instructions than giving them. And the others were even less qualified… There wasn’t a good option. Maybe if Dabi were still there… Dabi at least had the head for strategy. But he was gone. Unlike Tenko, Kurogiri did not believe that he could be convinced to rejoin The League.

Without Shigaraki, everything that they had been working toward would be gone.

All-For-One would be more than most disappointed if Shigaraki were to die. He would be furious.

“What would he need to do for the treatment?” Kurogiri asked, curious.

“I need access to the boss.” Kyudai replied, casually. “For at least one hour, minimum.”

“That’s impossible,” Kurogiri retorted. “We have no way to get access to him in Tartarus. And we certainly don’t have the resources to get him out of Tartarus.”

“Rumor says that you have been in contact with him.”

“Yes,” Kurogiri answered reluctantly. It wouldn’t do for too many people to know that The League had limited resources to speak to AFO. Not that it was a fast, or an easy process… but even that was an invaluable resource. One that cost The League greatly to obtain.

Kyudai nodded.

“You have allies? Surely they could help you?” Kyudai added.

Allies. You could barely call the tenuous bond that Shigaraki had begun to develop with The MLA an ally. And the relationship he had recently been fostering with Okimoto and the Yakuza was no better; especially considering that Overhaul would be a constant thorn in their side if they tried to work together.

Kurogiri shook his head.

“We don’t have allies that could achieve such a feat,” Kurogiri answered honestly.

“Hmm…” Kyudai hummed, the disappointment obvious in his tone. “That does present a problem. But… all challenges can be overcome. With a bit of creativity.”

“It would take a lot more than a bit of creativity to get into Tartarus.” Kurogiri replied. “If it’s his blood that you need, we have access to a handful of vials.”

“No, I have that,” Kyodai answered. “I need to speak to him, and I need access to his bone marrow. You see, we were in the process of creating a treatment when he got arrested. We were never able to complete it. Without access to the boss, the best we can hope for is to simply keep Shigaraki alive.”

Kurogiri frowned. If that was truly the case, there may be little hope for them.

“And how would you suggest that we gain access to the boss?”

“Simple. If your allies will not step up to assist you… then force their hand,” Kyudai said. “If one of their own… especially an important member of their organization were to find themselves locked away in Tartarus, I believe that they would be more amenable to assisting with breaking into such a high-security facility. We already know one such organization that has resources within Tartarus and is capable of successfully completing a prison break.”

The Yakuza.

But surely even they would balk at attempting such a thing at Tartarus. Unless they were having to go in after the very top of their organization.

“It wouldn’t work,” Kurogiri replied. “Okimoto keeps his hands too clean. Even if we could draw the right type of attention to him, he has an army of lawyers that would ensure he never even set foot in Tartarus, let alone manage to get him locked up.”

“I’m not talking about Okimoto. I’m talking about one of his general’s; one that is so close to Okimoto that it would spur the old man into action. You need Overhaul. Okimoto practically raised him; there is little that he wouldn’t do to free Chisaki… even attempting a jailbreak into the most high-security prison in the country. Overhaul may be good at covering his tracks, but he gets his hands dirty often enough. If the heroes were to get pushed in the right direction…” Kyudai trailed off, but the meaning behind his words was clear enough.

“Overhaul is very clever,” Kurogiri shook his head, immediately rejecting the idea. “Trying to help the heroes catch him in a crime worth sending him directly to prison… it wouldn’t be easy.”

“Luckily for you, I am quite invested in this particular experiment,” Kyudai replied. “If you could guarantee that I would have The League’s support in helping to save their leader, then I would be quite willing to assist where I can… including handing over some valuable information that might assist you in seeing Overhaul behind bars.”

Kurogiri tapped his foot, considering his options. Tenko would be less than happy for such an important decision to be made while he was unconscious, but it may be necessary. No matter how good this information might be, a task like that would take time. If Kyudai was right about Tenko’s condition… and Kurogiri feared that the doctor wasn’t lying this time… then they would need to act quickly.

“And if we agree… if we manage to get Overhaul locked away in Tartarus, then you will help him?” Kurogiri reiterated, he wanted to be certain that the terms were clear. “No funny business. No unnecessary experiments. Just the treatment.”

“On my honor,” Kyudai agreed.

“Fine. You have our word. If your information can achieve such an outcome, and you gain access to the necessary resources, then I believe I can convince Shigaraki to complete the new treatment.”

Kyudai put his right hand out, waiting.

Kurogiri hesitated only a moment before reaching forward to shake the man’s hand. A gentleman’s agreement.

Kyudai smiled widely, almost manically. He picked up his pencil and notepad once more, turning it to a new page and scribbling something on it. Kurogiri couldn’t make out what he was writing from his seat. But it didn’t matter for long. Once he was finished, Kyudai ripped out the paper, folded it in half, and handed it to him.

“What’s this?” Kurogiri asked, tentatively accepting the paper.

“That is the address for what rumor says is the new base that the Shie Hassaikai is using,” Kyudai answered proudly.

An address? That was it?! There was no way that was enough to put Overhaul behind bars. After all, the heroes all knew that The Yakuza’s primary base was in Okimoto Corp, and yet none were willing to do anything useful with that information. If he got this in a hero’s hands, there was little chance they would even utilize it.

“That’s it?” Kurogiri voiced his displeasure.

Kyodai frowned.

“That’s it?! Use your head Kurogiri!” Kyudai snapped. “If you look at it, that address isn’t in Shie Hassaikai territory! To create a new base outside of his own area… it’s dangerous and extremely costly. Which means that he must have a very good reason to be doing so. A reason that he doesn’t want people to know about. He’s hiding something. And I suspect it must be something big. Something that, if discovered by the right person, could lead to him rotting in a cell at Tartarus.”

“And how do we even know this is true?” Kurogiri argued. “You said yourself that it was a rumor. Where did you hear about it?”

“Does it matter?” Kyudai replied. “But it’s worth looking into. Surely it would be useful to at least send a few of The League members down to investigate. If the information pans out and Overhaul is doing something illegal, as I suspect he is, then it would only be a matter of getting that information into the hands of the heroes. They would do the rest of the work for you.”

Kurogiri opened the paper, staring down at the address. It wasn’t too far from their own current base. Thirty minutes tops. Kyudai was right; at the very least they could send a few people over to investigate. See if there was something that would help them achieve such a feat.

“Alright,” he agreed, hoping this wasn’t a mistake. He couldn’t believe he was agreeing to anything. Trying to get access to AFO inside of Tartarus… it was crazy. Dangerous. “I will send a few people over to check it out.”

Chapter Text

June 8

Hawks PoV

Hawks leaned back against the dirty couch, his wings fanned out behind him. The room smelled stale, a thick layer of dust coating the entire thing. The old factory was practically falling apart. And he had no clue why he had decided to come here in the first place, but here he was anyway, staring absently at the blanket that Dabi had left there on Saturday.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, glancing at the time. He only had an hour before their weekly debriefing meeting, and he needed to get his plans approved by the commissioner before he brought them to the meeting. He should have called yesterday, but his thoughts had still been scattered.

He pulled up his contacts list, scrolling down to the commissioners direct number. His finger hovered over the call button for a moment before pushing the button to put the call through. He took a deep breath, hoping that this wasn’t a mistake.

Saturday had been… a mess.

“Hawks,” Commissioner Tsuragamae’s voice answered.

“Commissioner,” Hawks replied. “I was hoping to discuss some details around the case with Dabi. I am hoping to make some changes in how we are moving forward."

Hawks knew this was… risky. Dabi's request hadn't been random. Despite how distracted Hawks had been… how desperate he had been to lose himself in the other man's hands… it was very clear, looking back on the exchange, that Dabi had a goal. An agenda.

"Changes?" Tsuragamae sounded hesitant. "Are you sure that's a good idea? *Woof* After all, you finally reported your first real lead last week. Most would consider that a sign that the current course of action is beginning to yield results."

"One lead in over a month is nothing to be celebrated," Hawks replied, choosing his words carefully as he looked down at the blanket Dabi had left his message on. This had to be the right choice. If he didn't get the wanted posters down, then there wouldn't be anymore messages. Ever. And the thought of that… well, it just wasn't a viable option. Not anymore.

Even if that meant playing Dabi's game.

"Yes, but it was a verified report."

"With all due respect, commissioner, it was a one-night stand. The information we gleaned from it did nothing to further the investigation." That wasn't entirely true. Clearly, something had happened with Sakai in prison; and Hawks would bet money that the man had died at Dabi's hands. But proving as much would be a waste of time and resources. Dabi already had a slew of murder charges against him. One more would do nothing, especially the murder of another convicted killer. "My agency cannot afford to pay out fifty thousand yen every time that Dabi goes out for sexual relations," he added, his mouth twisting distastefully.

Tsuragamae hummed thoughtfully.

"What do you have in mind?"

Hawks took a deep breath, his hands shaking slightly. He hadn't been this worked up over a case since… well, ever, really.

"Dabi is smart. Much smarter than the average criminal. He knows that we have enough wanted posters around the city to make movement difficult for him." Hawks repeated the pitch that he had delivered a half-dozen times to the mirror that morning. While every word was true, Hawks still felt like a liar. "He isn't going to risk getting arrested again. He knows he might end up in Tartarus. Which means he is going to wait until he believes that we have reduced the search efforts for him."

“Tell me that you’ll take my wanted posters down.”

Dabi’s words echoed in his mind. The man had felt so good… so alive. Hawks could have spent the night tracing his hands over Dabi's body. When he had closed his eyes, Dabi's hands had felt just like Touya’s…

"How do you propose that we go about that? *Woof*"

The words hovered on the end of Hawks' tongue. He suspected that he was playing directly into Dabi's game… but Hawks knew there was something there, something left of the man he once loved. He could feel it in his touch, see it at the edges of that damn goofy smile he always flashed when he got caught doing something he wasn't supposed to. Hell, even Tibs had recognized him… had still trusted him. And that damn cat didn't trust anyone!

"We take the wanted posters down," Hawks answered, sounding much more confident than he felt.

"Take down…" Tsuragamae hesitated, "Hawks, he is #3 on Japan's most wanted list! *Woof* We can't take down those posters! That's highly against policy."

"I know it's against policy, and so does he. He trained to be a hero, commissioner." Hawks continued, determined to see this argument through.

It wasn't just the sex… As much as he wanted that… he was determined to show Dabi that he wasn’t just a villain. Deep down, Hawks knew that there was something left of the man he had loved. Yes, Dabi would still end up in prison ultimately. It wouldn't matter how close they got, or how many times they fucked, or what Dabi did to repent for his sins… the villain’s path was set in stone. But he could still be… had to still be… a good person. Otherwise, he would have never risked his life for his brother.

"We keep the stats up online, and in the hero agencies. But we take the public posters down." Hawks continued. "Once he believes we have backed off a bit, it could be just the thing to get him to start coming out more. If our discovery of his recent one-night stand tells us anything, it's that he is growing restless. If he thinks he has a bit of freedom back, hopefully he will slip up and we can finally get a real lead on his location. And once we have him in custody, and he's facing life in Tartarus, perhaps then he will be more willing to share some information about The League."

"It also leaves him open to get more involved with criminal activity. *Woof*," Tsuragamae replied… but the answer wasn't a 'no', and Hawks could definitely work with that. "He isn't with The League anymore, which means we have no way of predicting his movements or intention. The other agencies… they aren't going to like this. And Endeavor, he really isn't going to like this. *Woof*"

"There is a reason that you don't have Endeavor associated with this case," Hawks replied smoothly. "It's a clear conflict of interest. His opinion is too biased to be considered relevant."

Tsuragamae hummed once more.

"Do not think that I have forgotten that you and Touya were also close friends in high school. I know you and I spoke at length about this before you were assigned the case. *Woof* I need to know that nothing has changed, that you are making this choice for the right reasons. We need Dabi behind bars *woof*, not giving him the freedom to commit even greater crimes."

If Tsuragamae had any idea how close they had been… Hawks would have never been assigned the case. He still didn't know why he lied about their former relationship, or why he accepted the case, or why Endeavor allowed it to happen, but here he was. And he was determined to see this through.

"I can assure you that I am making this decision in the best interest of the case," Hawks finally answered him, his stomach churning in a mix of disgust and anticipation. Once he could get Dabi close to him, he could begin to break down his walls, one brick at a time if need be. He was certain of it. "I will see Dabi behind bars; I just need him to stop hiding. If we take the wanted posters down, it will give him a false sense of security."

And hopefully it will be enough to help get Dabi back into his bed. Hopefully it will help him to reconnect with Touya… to bring his wayward friend back to life before he is forced to arrest Dabi and condemn him to a life behind bars.

"Alright, *woof*" Tsuragamae replied. "I'm trusting you, Hawks. We will try this your way. But if you can't make the arrest within 90 days, the posters will go back up."

90 days. He had 90 days.

"You can count on me, commissioner," Hawks agreed.

His eyes drifted down to the blanket on the floor, his thoughts already back on Saturday night. He hoped they could get the posters down soon, that Dabi would see it and reach out to him once more. 90 days wasn't long, and he planned to make the best of the time he was given.

It wasn't about the sex.

Hawks repeated the thought like a mantra.

It wasn't just about the sex… but if this was the game Dabi wanted to play, Hawks wouldn't back down. If sex and drugs were the path he needed to find Touya inside the mess that Dabi had clearly become, then so be it.

Challenge accepted.

And if a thrill of excitement shot down his spine at the thought of Dabi in his bed… well, that was something that nobody else needed to know.

Shouto POV

Shouto gritted his teeth in frustration as he hucked the chunk of ice… that absolutely did not resemble the damn cube that it was supposed to. He glared at the cube and the little baby elephants that decorated each side. He was exhausted. He felt ridiculous training with baby toys… and it wasn't working!

What Geten had described as a training regime felt more like military boot camp. Running, weight training, sparring, meditation, basic quirk training, longevity training, creating shapes, and he expected him to finish reading 'Death by Regulation', the core principles of the MLA before next Monday. He had started at 8 this morning, and it was already after 5. Kai was already home, and he was just stuck here at the stupid training ground trying to make baby-toy shaped blocks of ice.

He pushed down his frustration, centering the square block, once more, on his right palm. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on only creating ice where he could feel the shape against his skin; and very slowly, he allowed his ice to flow out. It wasn't long before he heard the block tumble off and hit the ground. Silently praying for success, he opened one eye… only to find himself staring at a lump. It didn't resemble the block. It didn't resemble a square. It didn't resemble anything!

"Dammit!" He yelled, hucking the ice; frowning as it landed in a melting pile of failures.

He reached down to pick up the toy once more, his arm starting to burn faintly from the prolonged use of his quirk throughout the day.

"Maybe I should try the stupid circle," he grumbled.

"Maybe you are over-thinking it," Kai's voice replied, scaring Shouto half to death; causing him to drop the toy and almost fall over as he whirled around. His heart pounded in his chest as he took in the sight of his boyfriend walking toward him.

Kai looked almost as tired as Shouto felt. Shouto left the toys on the ground, meeting him partway, throwing his arms around Kai's waist, and burying his face into Kai's neck.

"What are you doing out here?" Shouto asked, happy to see him but very hopeful that he hadn't been there long enough to witness too many of his failed attempts.

"I came out for you, little fox," Kai replied, his hands running down Shouto's spine and squeezing his hips. "I was going to take you to dinner… but perhaps I can help with this first."

"There is nothing to help with," Shouto grumbled into the collar of Kai's shirt, frustrated. " I can't do what Geten wants me to do."

"You're over-thinking Shouto,” Kai replied. “You are tired and frustrated, and that is making it harder to concentrate.” Kai pushed him away, forcing Shouto to take a step backward. He leaned down and picked up the toy that Shouto had dropped. Then he stepped around until he was behind Shouto.

“My quirk doesn’t work that way,” Shouto complained quietly, knowing that there was little chance that Kai would listen.

“Close your eyes,” Kai directed him, the man’s hands coming up to rest on his shoulders. “Forget about the task for a few minutes. I want you to clear your thoughts, and just focus on breathing.”

Shouto closed his eyes, resisting the urge to sigh. He had already meditated today, and he really didn’t think that just breathing was going to help him get any closer to mimicking that stupid cube. But, he trusted Kai… and nothing else he was doing was really working so…

It was worth a try.

Shouto took deep breaths, focusing on the weight of Kai’s hands against his shoulders to help ground him.

Breathe in… Three. Four. Five. Six.

Breathe out… Three. Four. Five. Six.

Breathe in… Three. Four. Five. Six.

Breathe out.. Three. Four. Five. Six.

Shouto wasn’t sure how long they stood like that, the tension slowly draining out of his body, replaced by the physical reminders of his exertion. With each breath, he could feel the strain in his muscles. He had pushed himself hard today, and he could feel a faint wobble in his legs; a slight ache in his lungs, a tightness in his throat. He could feel the faint lingering effect of his quirks; the very beginnings of frostbite on his right side, the faintest raw skin from burns on his left.

Breathe in… Three. Four. Five. Six.

Breathe out… Three. Four. Five. Six.

“Raise your right arm, Shouto,” Kai’s voice eventually skimmed around the edges of his focus, soft but direct.

Shouto did exactly that, raising his right arm.

“Turn your hand so that your palm is up.”

Shouto turned his hand, keeping it open and flat, palm up.

A moment later, he felt an object being laid on his palm; lightweight and flat.

The toy.

“Don’t do anything yet, little fox,” Kai whispered. “Just feel the block there. Trace the edges of it in your mind. Imagine the shape of it there, on your palm.”

Shouto followed each instruction, turning his focus from Kai to the object in his hand. It was so lightweight, it almost felt as if he held nothing. But if he concentrated, he could feel the hard edges ever so faintly against his skin. He drew an imaginary line around the block.

“Can you feel it?”

Shouto nodded.

“I want you to cover that block with a faint layer of frost, just enough that you can feel the cold against your palm.”

Shouto furrowed his brow, very carefully activating his right side. He focused mostly on his palm, allowing the very faintest traces of his ice to creep up onto the block. It took a few moments, but he could feel the temperature of the toy drop, the edges growing colder against his skin.

“Good,” Kai praised him. “Instead of focusing on the block itself, focus on the temperature. I want you to only create ice where you can feel the cold against your skin.”

Shouto let his mouth fall open slightly as he concentrated, zeroing in on the temperature and forcing the ice to focus solely on each edge. He didn’t rush; the progress almost agonizingly slow. The ice in his hand was frigid against his skin, the weight almost quadruple that of the original toy. He traced the edges in his mind, his thoughts hopeful when they felt remotely close to those of the toy. He could feel his heart racing hopefully, but he hesitated to look at his creation, not wanting to face the possibility of another failure.

“Open your eyes, Shouto,” Kai instructed.

Reluctantly, he did.

And he was… pleasantly surprised. His fingers closed around the ice, bringing it closer to his face. It was an almost cube-ish shaped chunk! He could hardly believe it. Granted, it was definitely not a replica of the toy… and, honestly most people would definitely not call it square... but it was the absolutely closest attempt he had achieved so far.

He smiled.

“And you said you couldn’t do it,” Kai teased.

“This hardly counts,” Shouto replied hastily, refusing to give his boyfriend the satisfaction of being right. “None of the sides are even. It doesn’t even look like a block!”

“Then why are you smiling, Shouto?”

“Geten would never call this a success.” Shouto grumbled stubbornly, failing to successfully wipe the smile from his face.

“Then I suppose we will have to help you relax so that we can try again,” Kai replied, his voice lowering slightly, and Shouto was suddenly aware of how close the man’s mouth was to his ear. His hand moved down to Shouto’s side, tracing his fingers forward over Shouto’s hipbones. The motion sent shivers of anticipation down Shouto’s spine.

“And how do you suggest we do that?” Shouto asked, breathily; his stomach muscles dancing underneath Kai’s fingers as Kai slid his hands to the button of Shouto’s pants.

“I have a few ideas…” Kai replied, kissing the side of Shouto’s neck as he pulled open the button on his pants. Shouto could feel desire coiling in his stomach. “I want you to close your eyes, little fox,” Kai repeated his instruction from earlier as he unzipped Shouto’s pants.

Shouto, once again, followed the instruction, his focus shifting to Kai’s hands as they slid into the waistband of his pants, and his boxers, and began to push the fabric downward.

“Clear your thoughts,” Kai continued, each word accompanied with a rush of warm breath on the side of his neck. “And just focus on breathing.

Chapter Text

Kai POV

"Oji!!" Eri cried out, jumping up on the bed the moment that Kai stepped into the doorway. She was wearing a pink dress with a tulle skirt and ballerina slippers. There was an open coloring book on the pink comforter, crayons scattering around her feet as she jumped up and down.

"Eri, stop jumping on the bed," Kai replied, watching one of the crayons bounce off the bed and onto the floor, rolling into a pile of dolls and clothes nearby. "Look at the mess you are making." He glanced around the room, noting the toys and childish items scattered throughout. There was even an empty soda bottle sitting on the dresser.

The mess was... unacceptable.

He would need to talk to Chronostasis right away. Children were capable of keeping their own spaces clean, they just needed guidance.

Eri collapsed onto the bed, sending two more crayons careening over the edge.Then she rolled off, deftly bounding through the dolls on the floor and running over to barrel into his legs with a big hug.

"It looks like you are doing well here," Kai remarked, patting Eri's faded, blonde, curly hair as she squeezed his legs even more.

"I don't like it here Oji." Eri replied, finally letting go and stepping back to look up at him. Her red eyes were wide, her mouth scrunched up petulantly. "I wanna go home. I miss mommy and daddy." The budding horn on the right side of her head was very small today, almost hidden where it was nestled in her hair. She had a small ace bandage on the inside of her left elbow, probably from having blood drawn recently.

"You can't go home, Eri," Kai said, walking over toward the dresser. He couldn't stand the empty soda bottle just sitting there, the remnants of soda spoiling inside of it. "Your parents don't live at your home anymore. This is your home now, and it looks to me like Chronostasis has bought you lots of fun things to play with here." Kai picked up the soda bottle, glancing around for a waste basket of some kind, internally cringing when he didn't see one.

Kai stiffly put the bottle back on the dresser. The only thing worse than dealing with such refuse was standing there and holding it.

He heard Eri sigh loudly, followed by the sound of rustling skirts. Then a sniffle.

"It's boring here!" Eri complained, and Kai could hear her voice wobbling on the verge of tears. "I want to go to the park and play with my friends. Coro doesn't play with me. Nobody plays with me." Kai turned around, leaning against the dresser as he looked down at Eri. She had sat down on the floor, frowning at the dolls around her. She wasn't crying hard yet, but he could see the tears streaming down her face.

He frowned.

He understood her feelings, her frustrations. Children are more aware of what's happening than most people believe. He remembered distinctly how he felt when he found himself on the streets, both of his parents dead. Perhaps that's why he saw Eri more as a kindred spirit; why he didn't have as much empathy for her as most would. He never had been great with children anyway. They were too messy, too emotional, and too volatile for his tastes.

Being dubbed Eri's uncle hadn't changed that, an honorific role that Okimoto had pushed him into. She wasn't really blood, so he had never felt a strong, emotional connection to her. He had never expected to find himself in the role of her primary caregiver. Now that he was, he responded in the same way that he responded to everyone, in the same way that Okimoto had nurtured him as a child. And that was to find her use within his life, to begin her path to ultimately become a member of The Yakuza… or, hopefully, to remain by his side once he was finally freed from the constraints of Okimoto's rule. Thanks to her quirk, and the likely benefits that would come from studying it, from bottling it, she would be more influential than most when they first entered the ranks of the organization. And if he could also teach her to master her quirk… she would be a very powerful ally to have by his and Shouto's side.

As for everything else, he had hired experts to ensure that she was cared for properly. Two of her own personal doctors to help with her quirk, a nutritionist to advise on her eating, and even a therapist to help her remember the death of her father, and come to terms with her role in his demise.

But playmates… that he could not provide. Not yet, at least. For this research to succeed, he needed to keep her isolated for the foreseeable future. Outside influence could slow down the research, delay her training. Delay her ability to control her quirk.

"It looks to me as if you have lots of things to play with," Kai replied, offering a small, empty smile. She had more toys and entertainment in this room than he had enjoyed throughout his entire childhood. But he had no control over her ability to enjoy her belongings. "It looks like you were drawing something when I arrived. What was it?"

The truth was that Eri was dangerous. More dangerous than Shigaraki, or Okimoto, or any of his bullets. More dangerous than possibly even himself. She may not enjoy it now, but her isolation and this training may be the only thing that allows her to one day live a semblance of a normal life. She would already be in a governmental facility, under 24 hour observation, if it hadn't been for Okimoto covering up the cause of his son's death. And Kai was well aware that such places didn't provide so much… entertainment… for children they considered delinquents.

So no, perhaps he really did not have the empathy for her that she deserved. But his interference, although undoubtedly a means for financial benefit to himself as well, may be her one chance to live a life that doesn't end behind bars.

Eri's eyes lit up at the interest in her work, looking up at him with a teary smile and wiping snot away from her nose with her right hand. He made a mental note to not let her touch him with that hand until they had a chance to wash it properly.

"I was drawing a, uh, pic-picture of my family," she sniffled, pushing herself up and running over to the bed. She grabbed a paper off the bed and brought it over, proudly handing it to him.

He took the paper, looking at it as she proceeded to climb up onto her dresser in order to admire the picture with him. There were three figures, herself in the middle clothed in a long red dress and an orange cat in her arms. On each side of her, he vaguely recognized her mother and father. For her age, the drawing was actually quite good; detailed, recognizable.

"This is very good, Eri," Kai complimented her. If he remembered correctly, Eri's mother was a renowned artist. Apparently Eri had picked up at least some of her skill.

"See, this is me," Eri explained, pointing to the picture (with her not-yet-cleaned right hand, Kai noted with a barely suppressed cringe). "I'm holding Pumpkin… she was my cat," She explained, as if he simply wasn't capable of recognizing the pointy ears and long tail. "And this is my mom, and my dad!" She beamed.

"That's very good."

"I really miss them," she sighed, taking the paper back and staring at it. "I just wish I could go home."

"This is your home now," Kai reminded her.

"I know," she replied glumly. "I don't like it here. Coro doesn't play with me, and they keep trying to make me use my quirk, but I can't. I don't want to stay here. Maybe I could come home with you. Coro says that's why you don't come visit very often… 'cause you're home with your boyfriend!"

Kai took a deep breath, irritation immediately putting him on edge. Shouto was not supposed to be involved yet, and the fact that Eri somehow knew about him could only happen if one of the bullets told her… and he had a feeling he knew exactly who might have.

He was going to have to talk with Chronostasis before he left. The man clearly was not taking his new assignment as seriously as Kai needed him too.

"I am very busy," Kai replied slowly, trying to decide the best way to respond. But, ultimately, it wouldn't hurt her to know about Shouto. It's not as if she would have a chance to meet him until Kai was ready for that to happen. "And my apartment is quite full with Shouto and I living there."

“Shouto?”

“Yes, Shouto. My boyfriend.”

"I knew it! You have a boyfriend!" She squealed, clearly excited. Kai couldn't even begin to understand why she would even care, let alone why she would be excited about it. "I can't believe it!"

"You sound surprised about that," Kai noted, mildly amused by her reaction.

"Mommy said you’d never get married!" She replied, in explanation, setting the paper onto the dresser beside her. "She said…” Eri paused, her face scrunched up as she tried to remember what her mother had said, “She said you had, um, too big of a stick up your… ass” She whispered the last word, so quietly that he could barely hear it.

Kai suppressed his scowl, reminded of exactly why he was not a big fan of Eri's mother. Not that he had any intention of being in a relationship, not before he met Shouto, at least. But he was annoyed that she would speak so disrespectfully of him. It was dishonorable.

"She told you that, did she?"

"She told daddy," she replied, sheepishly. "She was mad that Ojichan brought you to dinner." Eri jumped down from the dresser, fixing her skirt, and looking up at him curiously. "Do you really have a stick up your a-"

"Eri," Kai interrupted her from swearing, a note of warning in his voice.

"...up your butt?" She switched gears quickly, determined to hear the answer.

"No," he replied bluntly.

"Oh," she said, seeming a bit disappointed at his answer. "I guess that makes sense since you are getting married. Which means I'm going to have a new Uncle soon! I hope he's nice! Is Shouto nice?" She asked, emphasizing the name, as if it was exciting just to say it.

"We are not getting married, and, yes, he is nice." Kai quickly corrected her. No wonder she was so excited. After being separated from the rest of her family, she was clinging onto any she had left. Which, unfortunately for her, was only Kai at the moment. And he wasn't even her real family, though she was too young to understand such things.

"Oookkkkaaaayyyy…" she replied, clearly dubious. As if it were infeasible to date someone and not get married. "Are you gonna bring him to come see me?"

"Yes," Kai answered her question. "But not for a while."

"Doesn't he want to meet me?" She asked quietly.

"He is very busy," Kai avoided the question. He had no idea if Shouto would want to meet her if he knew about her. But there was no need to lie directly, at least not in this case.

"Oh…" she replied, that disappointed note back in her voice. "Do you have a picture of him?"

"Why?"

"I just wanna see him!" She pleaded.

Kai considered the request. His instinct was to say no, but he supposed it wouldn't actually hurt anything for her to see a picture.

"I suppose," Kai answered hesitantly. She beamed, starting her climb back up the dresser. "But you have to promise to clean up your room if I show you. It's not healthy to live with clothes and toys and garbage thrown all around your room."

"I will!"

"Promise?"

"I promise!" She assured him, wiggling on the dresser, causing the whole thing to shift slightly where he was leaning against it.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, opening it up and scrolling through his pictures until he found one of him and Shouto. He turned it around to her, holding it just out of her reach so she wouldn't be able to actually touch it as she looked… not that that stopped her from trying. Once she gave up on holding the phone, she leaned forward, her long hair brushing against his arm as she scrutinized the picture.

"What happened to his face?" She asked, curiously. "Why is it painted red like that?"

"It's not paint," Kai answered. "It's a scar. Shouto got burned when he was a little boy… about your age, actually."

"How did he get-"

A knock interrupted her thoughts, and they looked up to see Chronostasis standing in the doorway. He was dressed in jeans and a black tee, and looked surprised to see Kai there.

"Boss," he greeted Kai with an honorary bow, before turning to Eri. "Eri, it's time for quirk training. Are you ready?"

"No!!" Eri exclaimed loudly, visibly pouting and crossing her arms stiffly. "I don't want to go to training, Coro! The doctors are boring, and I want to stay here with Oji!"

“It’s fine, Eri,” Kai replied before Chronostasis could. “I need to be going soon anyway, and your training is important.”

“Training is boring! I don’t want to!” She argued.

“This isn’t up for discussion,” he replied firmly, closing his phone and turning to look at her. She pouted and kicked her feet against the dresser, but when he only frowned and hardened his gaze in response, she finally seemed to give in.

“Fine,” she mumbled.

“I need you to change into your training outfit,” Chronostasis added. “You have ten minutes, and then I will be back to get you.”

“OoOkaAay.” She replied grumpily, jumping back down from her dresser.

Kai stepped to the side as she went to pull open one of the drawers, rummaging through her clothes.

“I need you to take this training seriously, Eri,” Kai told her. “Your quirk could hurt people if you don’t know how to use it. But once you can learn to use it, then it could help people. Like that grasshopper you saved. You want to help people right?”

“Yes, I do,” She mumbled, barely loud enough to be heard.

“Good,” Kai replied. “I expect to see some progress the next time I come visit. Do you understand?”

“Mmmm…” She mumbled half-heartedly.

“What was that?” He pushed for a real answer. He couldn’t afford for her to be so stubborn. She was almost seven, too old to be behaving so poorly.

“Yes, Oji, I understand,” She replied.

“Thank you,” he replied. Then he started walking toward Chronostasis. “Chrono, can I speak to you before I leave? I have a few… concerns.”

Chronostasis frowned briefly at the request, but Eri interrupted before he could answer. She ran into Kai’s legs, nearly causing him to trip at the unexpected hug.

“Bye, Oji!” She said, the words muffled as she spoke into his pants. He sighed inwardly as both of her hands clung onto him. They still hadn’t washed her hands, and now he was going to have to clean his pants as soon as he got home. “I love you!”

“Goodbye, Eri,” He said, patting her awkwardly on the head before carefully extracting himself from the hug. Although dating Shouto had certainly helped, Kai wasn’t entirely comfortable with physical displays of affection.

He made eye contact with Chronostasis, hardening his gaze a bit so that his bullet would know he was serious about talking. Chronostasis nodded, although he didn’t seem particularly happy about it. He stepped out into the hall after Kai, closing Eri’s door behind him so that she could get changed. Kai led him down the hall a few doors before stepping into an empty office. He didn’t want Eri to hear them in case things got… heated. He closed the door after Chronostasis stepped in, turning toward his bullet.

“You don’t seem to be taking this assignment very seriously, Kurono,” Kai began, allowing the irritation he felt to edge into his words. He was paying a small fortune for this research, and he couldn’t afford for such sloppy handling of potentially his most valuable business venture. “I’m disappointed.”

“I am taking this seriously,” Chronostasis disagreed, the act making Kai stiffen up. The fact that his top bullet would lie to him was even more disappointing. “She is healthy. I get her to the doctor for research every day. Her bedroom is a damn princess’ paradise. She has more toys than she could possibly play with. She has had no contact with the outside world. Everything that you asked me to do, I have done.”

“But she isn’t happy,” Kai admonished him. “I asked you to spend time with her, to play with her. To keep her happy. Both her doctor and her therapist agree that the key to unlocking her quirk is to manage her emotions. If she hates it here, she is going to resist the training and the research. And that is going to make this project take longer. I thought I made myself very clear that time is of the essence here. You have no other tasks right now? How hard can it possibly be to keep one little girl happy?”

“I’m not a fucking baby-sitter!” Chronostasis snapped, his face paling immediately afterward, once he realized that he had spoken back to Kai.

As it should. His attitude was infuriating!

“You are a member of the Shie Hassaikai. The Yakuza. A bullet, and my second-in-command. This is the last time I remind you that you will do exactly as I command you to do. If you cannot obey a simple directive, perhaps you are better off where I found you. And I would be better off with a second-in-command who knows how to follow orders.” Kai growled. Chronostasis had been a pathetic, homeless wretch when Kai had found him. Living on the street. Skin and bones; eating out of dumpsters and garbage cans. Using his quirk to slow down drunks and old people in order to steal a few yen from their wallets. He would have died years ago if he hadn’t joined the Shie Hassaikai. “So tell me, Kurono. Can you do this?”

“Yes, Overhaul,” Chronostasis replied, standing up a bit straighter and looking Kai directly in the eye as he spoke. “I can do this.”

“I expect you to keep her happy,” Kai reiterated. “And for fucks sake, buy her a garbage can and teach her to keep her room clean. It’s disgusting.”

“Yes, boss,” Chronostasis replied.

Kai stepped back, straightening up his shirt.

“One more thing,” Kai added, remembering the secondary reason for his visit. “I will be putting Setsuno in charge of Eri during Nemuri-san’s annual social. It’s a week from Saturday. I need you there.”

“I thought you were taking Dabi and Shouto,” Chronostasis replied.

“I am. But I need you and your quirk there. I need to send a message.”

“To who?”

“To Nishi Ogura.”

“Nishi? He has been a Yakuza client for nineteen years! Okimoto is not going to be happy.” Chronostasis observed, obviously surprised at the request.

“Okimoto trusts me to make this call. Over the past four months, he has paid his dues using counterfeit bills. This is unacceptable, and by the end of Nemuri’s party, he will know it.”

“Are you going to kill him?” Chronostasis asked. “You know Nemuri has strict rules at these events. His daughter usually attends, and she may be debaucherous, but she is still a hero. I don’t know if it’s worth the risk of drawing her attention.”

“No,” Kai replied. “I need to send a message. Nishi has been a client for years, too many years. If he were to disappear, or turn up dead, it would look as if the Yakuza failed to protect him from his many enemies. Instead, we are going to cut his debt from his flesh, and brand ‘CHEAT’ across his forehead. This will send a message that such behavior will not be tolerated by the Yakuza. Once it’s known that he is no longer under our protection, it won’t be long before one of his enemies makes him pay the ultimate price for his mistake.”

“And what role do I play in this?” Chronostasis asked.

“I need your quirk to ensure that he feels every second of the pain he has earned. Each letter of a brand takes but a few seconds, but with his body slowed, it will feel as if each letter will burn into his flesh for minutes. A much more… memorable… punishment for his crime.”

“Okay, I will be there.” Chronostasis agreed.

“I will need you to bring Yokubo along as well.” Kai added.

“Yokubo and I are on rocky ground right now,” Chronostasis admitted, bitterly.

“I need someone to help lure Nishi away from the party,” Kai explained. “Yokubo is a perfect means to do so. I am sure you can find a way to smooth things out before then. If not, I suppose I can ask Dabi to invite her. Though I think we both know whose bed she would end up in if that happens.”

Chrono frowned, and Kai could see that the comment had struck a bit of a nerve. He knew Chronostasis was the jealous type, and, well, it didn’t seem that Yokubo was very keen about a monogamous relationship.

“I will figure it out. What’s the theme this year?” Chronostasis asked.

“Shibari,” Kai added. “Though I have two professional Riggers who will be coming to help with the ties for myself and Dabi, I have them hired for the day though. If you bring Yokubo along, I can ensure you are both ready for the party as well.” Kai was paying a good sum for them too. Although these parties were not his first choice, he understood the importance of making a good impression. So he had hired the best Riggers he could find in Musutafu to help with everyone but Shouto. He planned to tie Shouto’s shibari himself. He didn’t trust the Riggers to touch Shouto so intimately.

“What time?”

“Tying Shibari is meant to be a journey, so it takes time to complete. You will need to be at my apartment no later than noon to ensure there is enough time for all of us to be ready.”

“We will be there,” Chronostasis agreed.

“Good,” Kai replied, turning toward the door. He walked over, opening it and stepping out, but turning toward Chronostasis one last time before leaving. “And I do hope you understand how serious I am about your tasks with Eri. You don’t want to find out what will happen if I am not pleased the next time I stop by to check in.”

Chapter Text

Momo POV

Momo tapped her index finger against the steering wheel, in time with the beat of the pop music that was softly playing. She was smiling; excited to be driving Shinsou to his apartment. Up until today, he had always refused her offers to take him home. No matter how much she opened up to him, he was reserved and quiet and he never talked about his private life. But they had finally made things official between them, and she felt like this was going to be a glimpse into who her new boyfriend really was. He had definitely seemed hesitant to invite her over, but this felt like there was finally some trust growing between them, so she was ecstatic.

And, considering that they rarely got any sort of privacy, she was hoping to take a few minutes to really thank him for inviting her over.

She glanced over, smiling at him. He smiled back, but it was a nervous smile.

"Turn right up here," he directed her, glancing back down at his lap. "Then you'll follow the road a few miles. It isn't much farther now."

He sounded stressed.

"Are you ok?" Momo asked. He had to be nervous about having her over… as far as she knew, she was the only UA student that he had ever invited to his house.

"Yeah, I just… um…" he mumbled, not really looking at her as he spoke. "Well your family has a lot of money, ya know. And, well, my apartment… it isn't much."

Momo's heart went out to him. He was worried about status, worried that she might not want him as much if she knew where he came from. But she had already surmised that he didn't come from a wealthy family. He was a year older than most of Class 1A; he had taken a year off in order to save up money for his tuition. He was still working to help pay for food… probably the only student in the class who was trying to hold down a job in addition to their studies. The few non-school clothes she had seen him wear were… well, definitely not the quality she was accustomed to wearing herself.

But the biggest clue had been the time they spent together. She had never dated someone without money, and she was admittedly used to going out on dates without having to worry about the cost. Especially with Shouto; they had always, unashamedly, spent huge amounts of money. Endeavor’s money… but money nonetheless. With Shinsou, it was so different. He didn’t want to go out; they made dinner and watched movies in the dorms, snuck into her room to make-out, went out on walks; they never spent money. It was so different... but refreshing too. Her and Shouto had been so close to each other when they were betrothed. After the romantic part of their relationship ended, she had worried that she wouldn’t be able to find that type of a connection again. The handful of guys she had dated other than Shouto had mostly been interested in having sex with her.

Shinsou was actually interested in her, not just her body. Or her social standing, or even her family’s money. It was endearing, and a huge part of what had attracted her to the shy, purple-haired guy to begin with. With the exception of Shouto, all of the other rich boys she had dated had a major superiority issue; acting as if she should be grateful that they were taking her out, and that she owed them sexual favors at the end of the night. It was obnoxious and degrading, to say the least. She had no interest in wasting her time with scum like that. But with Shinsou… he seemed like an actual, genuine gentleman. He didn’t ask for things, or expect her to be quiet and act like some kind of a ‘trophy wife’ when they were together. He didn’t try to guilt her into sex. Even when they made out, he had been hesitant to touch her, even over her clothes. Not that they often had much time, but he still hadn’t even touched her body… yet.

"You don't have to worry about it, I don't care about money." She replied.

“Oh,” he muttered. He frowned slightly, glancing out the window. He didn’t respond, the fingers of his right hand digging slightly into his thighs. Shit. Only someone who had a lot of money could say something like that so casually… she probably sounded so vain! The less money people had, the more it controlled their lives; and that just wasn’t something she knew how to relate to. But she also didn’t want to risk things falling apart between them because of money.

“I mean, um…” She tried to correct herself as she focused on making the turn onto his road. “Of course money is important, but that isn’t the point of me coming over to your apartment. I don’t care how big or small it is… I just want to get to know you a little bit more. See what you’re like outside of school.”

“Right,” he replied quickly, glancing at her. “Yeah. I guess I’m not really used to letting people in, ya know. Not since… well, not for a while, I guess.”

Her heart went out to him. In hero training, he had so much poise and confidence; he knew exactly what he wanted and what he needed to do to get it. But his personal life... he had built up walls around himself; more than anyone else she knew, and she was used to dating Shouto! Trying to get past those was not going to be easy. Luckily for him, Momo wasn’t scared of a challenge.

“You said it was just a bit further,” she said, trying to change the subject and distract him from overthinking. This was definitely not a great part of the city. It wasn’t that far from where she had picked up Shouto after his night at the club… a part that her father had always told her to never walk through alone.

“Yeah,” Shinsou replied. “It’s that big building up there on the left.” He pointed at a large, danchi-style apartment complex. It was massive, consisting of multiple tall buildings. It was clearly made for mass, low-income housing, and probably housed hundreds of families per building…

She swallowed, suddenly a bit nervous to park her father’s car there.

“You will want to take the second entrance in, the parking is around the back,” Shinsou added as she slowed the car down near the first turn in. She corrected, following his direction to the parking area. She chose the least obvious spot she could find, knowing that the expensive car was going to stick out like a sore thumb no matter what she did. Not that she would mention as much to Shinsou, not knowing how nervous he had been to bring her here in the first place.

She grabbed her backpack (which she had originally intended to leave in the car), and followed Shinsou inside. He held open the door for her, taking her hand as he quietly led her to the elevator. His apartment was on the sixteenth floor, near the back of the building. One of the lights in the hallway was flickering, but at least the walls and the floor seemed, well, mostly clean.

“You seem nervous,” he observed, digging into his own backpack for his keys. “You don’t have to come in if you don’t want to. I can drop off my backpack and walk you back down to your car.”

“No,” she answered, a bit too quickly. “I’m not nervous. I’m just not used to-” She hesitated, biting her lip. She didn’t know how to say what she was feeling without risking offending him.

“You just aren’t used to spending time around people who are poor?” He asked. The question was blunt, but it didn’t sound hateful. More… understanding, gentle even. She blushed, smiling apologetically and giving him a slight nod.

He laughed, as if the whole situation was suddenly funny to him. Then he turned and inserted the key.

“It’s ok,” he added, pushing open the door and stepping in. “Come on in.” He turned on a light as she stepped in next to him. The door led directly into a small living area. There was a small two-seat couch in the middle of the room, facing a computer desk with a laptop on it. He had a stack of books piled up on the desk next to the computer, a small fishtank in front of the books, and a tall lamp in the corner next to the desk. The other side of the room had a makeshift kitchen setup with a minifridge and a microwave on top of it. He had a small sink built on two cabinets, and what appeared to be a fold-out table attached to the wall next to it. There were two doors on the far side of the room and not much else.

It was very small. Even smaller than she had mentally prepared herself for. The main living area was smaller than her bedroom.

“This seems… nice,” she smiled at him, wanting to break the silence that seemed to be stretching on between them as she surveyed the room. It was, at least, tidy and organized. Although that didn’t surprise her. Shinsou was very organized at school too.

“It’s a dump,” Shinsou corrected her, taking her backpack and setting it on the floor near the door. “It’s ok. It’s all I can afford right now.”

“It’s not a dump,” She quickly corrected him. She wasn’t sure why she was defending his apartment, but she didn’t want him to think that she hated it or he might not invite her over again. “It’s just smaller than I expected.” She added, taking off her jacket and laying it on the side of the sink.

“Well, I can give you an official tour…” he offered, an amused, almost shy tone to his voice.

“I’d love a tour,” she replied, glad that he seemed to be a bit more playful now that they were inside.

He stepped behind her, setting his hands on her hips and gently turning her back toward the sink.

“The whole apartment is decorated in a very… minimalist style.” He began, very tongue-in-cheek. “If you turn to your left, you will see the kitchen. The perfect set-up for a wide variety of delicious, microwaveable dinners.” He took her hand, leading her behind the couch and toward the two doors on the far side. He opened the first door to a bathroom that was smaller than the closet in her room. “This is the bathroom. And this,” he moved to the next door and opened it. “Is my bedroom.” It had a single twin-size mattress with a flat pillow and a black comforter. There was a small closet in the back that had what might be a work outfit in it (which she was definitely going to try to inconspicuously check out later because she was really curious where he worked). Other than that, the only other thing in the room was a large tank, with a light attached to the hood and two lizards sleeping on a fake log.

“And who are these guys?” she asked, stepping into the room for a closer look. Two lizards and a fish! Momo didn’t even know Shinsou had pets!

“The one on the right is Hanzo, the one on the left is Musashi. They are Bearded Dragons.” Hanzo didn’t move when she leaned in close, but Musashi opened it’s eyes for just a moment. They were a pale yellow color, a few darker stripes down their backs with small spikes over them.

“I didn’t know you had any pets!” She said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Yeah,” Shinsou replied. “These guys are pretty old, actually. They used to belong to my dad, but he left them with me when he moved to America. At first, I kept them for when he came back. Now, I guess I just can’t bring myself to get rid of them.”

“Oh,” Momo realized she had no idea his dad had left him. She actually didn’t know, well, pretty much anything about his family. “I didn’t know-”

“It’s ok,” he replied quickly, sitting down next to her. “I didn’t tell you. I guess I have always been kind of bitter about it. He had an affair with an American intern at his work. Ended up getting her pregnant. He left my mom and I when I was six. Moved to America and started a new family. Now I have two half-brothers and a half-sister who I have never met in person. He really hurt my mom when he left, and things were never the same. I guess you could say that he and I don’t really get along very well after everything that happened.”

“Do you still see your mom?” Momo asked, her heart hurting for him. To be abandoned like that… replaced, really… at such a young age… it must have been devastating.

He shook his head.

“She died,” he answered her, quietly. She could hear the catch in his voice as he said it.

“Oh, Shinsou…” Momo was stunned. He was all alone! He had no one in his life…

“It’s ok,” he said. “She was the most amazing woman in the world. We may not have had a lot of money, but she was always there for me. Then a few years ago, the doctors found a lump in her breast. By the time they removed it, it was too late. The cancer had already spread. Chemo gave her a few extra months, but she died when I was sixteen.”

“So you live in Japan all alone? Is that even legal?” Momo almost wanted to cry, the story was heart-breaking.

“Technically not,” Shinsou answered with a wry chuckle. “I was actually supposed to move to America and live with my dad and my stepmom. The night before my flight, he called and asked me not to bring anything of my mom’s with me, not even any pictures. He said it would be too hard on his family. Needless to say, I didn’t end up going. But I did get him to agree to sign for this apartment. He even covered the first month’s rent, as long as I found a way to pay the rent after that. So I got a job and started working every day after school, and here I am. Only eight months and then I can legally put the apartment in my own name.”

He was proud, she could hear it in his voice. And he should be. To go through so much at such a young age, and still manage to keep a roof over his head, graduate highschool, and end up at UA… it was amazing. She couldn’t imagine how hard he must have worked over the past few years. It almost made her feel ashamed of how easy she had it… she never had to think about money. She didn’t even know how much the tuition at UA cost; everything was covered by her father.

“Wow, I…” She wasn’t even sure what to say. “I mean, everything you went through. It’s amazing that you have done so much.”

“Thanks,” he said, running his hands through his hair.

Things got kind-of quiet between them, a semi-awkward silence. They were alone, side-by-side on his mattress, the perfect opportunity for what she had in mind earlier. But after everything he had just shared, the air in the room felt heavy.

A few minutes passed, before he stood up. He surprised her by scooping her into his arms. She shrieked, throwing her arms around his neck to hold on tight.

“What are you doing?”

“Well, I don’t want to dwell on my past today. And I still haven’t shown you my favorite part of my apartment,” he replied, carrying her carefully back through the door and toward the couch. He stopped in front of his computer. “This is my personal computer…” He turned them around in a circle to face the same computer a second time. “And this is my work computer,” He added, turning in a circle one last time. “And this is my TV.”

Momo laughed.

“Your favorite part of your apartment is your computer?” She asked.

“No…” Shinsou corrected her, turning them slightly to face the fish tank and setting her carefully down. “This is Sakura, and she is my favorite part of my apartment.” He announced proudly, pointing at a pale fish with small red fins. She had a slight bend in her body, making her swim a bit crooked.

“Your fish?” Momo asked, glancing at him to see if he was joking.

“Sakura is not just any fish,” Shinsou corrected her, pulling a fold-out chair out from behind the desk and opening it for Momo to sit down. “She is a beta fish, and she’s very smart.”

Momo sat down, leaning over to get a closer look. The fish began to swim around near the top, much more active than the bearded dragons had been. She didn’t want to correct Shinsou, but this fish did not look like a beta fish.

“I thought beta fish had, like, big fins on them,” she commented, as Shinsou opened a drawer and pulled out a few things.

“Only the males,” Shinsou replied. “Their bright colors and big fins allow them to assert dominance and attract a mate. Most of the females have very small fins. I used to work at a fish store. Sakura got injured before the store got her, that’s why she has a funny bend. Because of it, she was never purchased. The owner was going to flush her. So I took her home instead.”

“You have a soft spot for animals, huh?” Momo observed.

“Yeah,” Shinsou replied. “I like animals more than I like most people, honestly.” He said with a laugh. “Besides, Sakura and I really connected. Everyone wrote her off because of how she looks… but she is a little spitfire. She even knows tricks.”

“Oh come on,” Momo turned to him, “Fish don’t do tricks. You’re pulling my leg.”

“I would never,” Shinsou gasped, in mock offense. “Watch.” He took the lid off her tank, setting it carefully on the floor so that it wouldn’t drip water on his books or computer. Then he picked up a small stick with a green tip. He barely dipped the tip of it into the water, and Momo watched as the little fish immediately swam to the stick and followed it back and forth across the tank. He smiled after the second lap, dropping a small treat into the tank, which the fish eagerly gobbled up.

Momo had never had a fish in her life, so she had no idea if that was impressive or not.

“She probably just likes the bright color,” She commented, teasing Shinsou.

“Fine, Mrs. not-so-easily-impressed,” Shinsou replied, carefully dipping the wet end of the stick into the jar of treats, until one stuck to the end. “Watch this” He held the treat about a half-inch out of the water. The fish hovered under the water for a moment, before jumping out and snatching the treat off the stick.

Ok, so that was kind of impressive… for a fish.

“She likes food…?” Momo offered, enjoying the more light-hearted mood they were getting back into, and not wanting the game to end.

“Ok Sakura,” Shinsou said, as if the fish could really understand him, ignoring Momo’s comment all together. “It looks like Momo needs to see your most impressive trick.” He opened the drawer again, pulling out a small plastic hoop that was duct-taped to a red straw. He lowered the hoop into her tank. It took about thirty seconds, but eventually the fish swam through the hoop. Shinsou rewarded it with another small treat.

He turned and looked at Momo expectantly. When she looked back, still not seeming appropriately impressed, he just sighed and shook his head.

“What?” Momo said. “She seems very smart.” She added.

“Some people just can’t recognize true talent,” Shinsou teased, taking the hoop out of the water and setting it on the desk. Then he carefully put the lid back on, and sat down on the couch.

Momo turned her body in the chair to face him. He smiled at her, and, shit, he looked so sexy. He had messed up his hair earlier when he ran his hand through it, but somehow it made him look even better. And now that his school jacket was off, she could appreciate the way his shirt fit so snugly over his shoulders; the way it had ridden up slightly so she could see a thin line of naked skin at his waist.

The tension between them was palpable, growing with each second as he watched her gaze traveling over his body. Momo could practically taste it. She could see Shinsou tapping his foot. This was the first time they were truly alone, with no chance of anyone catching them and no heavy conversation to weigh them down. And they were both very aware of it. He was… hesitating… to do anything, so she took the initiative and stood up, walking slowly over and climbing into his lap; straddling him and planting her hands on the couch, caging him underneath her.

She could hear his breath hitch, his body tensing against hers. It only took a moment for his hands to wrap around her waist, pulling her forward so her body was pressed against his. He was warm, and she shuddered at the feeling of her soft curves pressing against hard muscle. She smiled coyly, meeting his lavender eyes as she tilted her head down, ran her hands up into his hair, kissing him.

He tasted like spearmint, and the warmth of his mouth as he kissed her back made her toes curl in satisfaction. Aside from a handful of heated (not as heated as she would have liked… but the walls in the UA dorms were insanely thin) make-out sessions, she hadn't really been with someone since Shou… and that was months ago! Just the idea of sex with Shinsou was enough for her body to start responding; it took every ounce of willpower to try and take things slow. She didn't want to seem overly eager… but she was! They were official, and Shinsou was so sexy, and she had touched herself more than once at just the memory of touching his body through his clothes… God, she was so very, very eager for more.

He groaned as she rolled her hips against him, a rush of desire washing over her as she felt the length of his arousal straining under his pants, brushing ever-so-faintly against her panties.

"Shit, Momo, ngh…" he groaned into her mouth, his body tensing underneath her as she wrapped her hands into the bottom of his shirt and began to pull it up. He pushed her gently away, breaking the kiss. "Wait…"

Momo stopped, forcing herself to slow down. She wanted him so badly that she could already feel herself getting wet, but she didn't want to push him too fast.

"Too much?" She asked breathily, her chest straining against the buttons of her shirt with every breath. She prayed the answer was no.

He looked up, his pupils blown wide as he kind of laughed, his hands squeezing into her sides. Then his gaze dropped down, admiring her body.

"No, it's… fuck, you feel so… so good," Shinsou panted. "I just…" He looked down, his cheeks flushing a slight pink. "I've never had sex… and, uh, yeah…" he trailed off, awkwardly.

He had never… Momo could hardly believe it. She knew he wasn't that experienced, but she had just figured he hadn't done much. No wonder he had been so reserved!

She placed both hands under his chin, tilting his head up so she could smile at him.

"That's ok," she said. "I don't care." She didn't. In fact, the idea kind of excited her. The only other time she had been with a virgin was Shouto, when they had lost their virginity to each other… and that had been over pretty fast, to be honest. But now… now she knew what she was doing. She could take things slow, and make him feel really good. She could be the first person to hear him moan underneath her... to taste every inch of his skin… to feel the way his body responded as she pleasured him and hear him beg for more.

It would be something they would always have… even if it didn't happen today.

"Cool," he responded, still feeling a bit tense underneath her.

"We don't have to do anything if you don't want to," she added reluctantly, wanting him to feel comfortable. She wanted him so much… but only if he wanted her too.

"No…" he answered, almost a bit too quickly, his grip on her sides tightening ever so slightly. "I really want you… I mean, fuck, look at you. You're amazing. You're sexy as hell." He moved his hands, motioning them around her as he talked. The praise made warmth pool in her belly, making her want him even more. Not that she wasn't used to hearing people tell her she was beautiful, but it just felt so much better in such an intimate moment. “I would have to be crazy not to want you. But…" he trailed off again.

Ugh. Shinsou was as bad at communicating as Shouto. How could men possibly be so emotionally constipated?!

"But you're not ready yet…?" She urged him to continue. He may not want to talk about this, but she was determined. Now that they were dating, they needed to be on the same page.

"No, I am…" he looked up at her, his hair falling down into his eyes, mussed up from her hands as they kissed. He had a slight blush on his cheeks and neck. For how physically and mentally strong she knew he was, it was almost cute to see him look so vulnerable. After a moment, his jaw seemed to set in determination. "Look, I've heard a lot of rumors about you and Todoroki. I know you guys were sleeping together for a while. And considering how many people he was banging, he's probably pretty good in bed. And I… well, I don't know what the fuck I'm doing."

Momo stared at him for a moment as his words set in. Out of all the things she expected him to say, that was not it. Yeah, she knew there were a lot of rumors about Shou, a good number of them involving her too, but people were never so blunt about them.

But if all that was stopping them from having sex was his worry about not being as good as Shouto…

She laughed.

"I'm serious," he defended himself, his blush deepening. "I've never even touched a woman down there. What if I can't get you off?"

"You don't have to worry about Shouto, ok. Yeah, he was pretty good in bed, but it's not like he's a sex god or something. What he and I had…" she paused, not sure this was really the right time to admit that her and Todoroki had been betrothed, and slept together for years. That was probably a better conversation to have when their relationship wasn't quite so new. "It was really complicated. If I wanted Shouto, I would still be with him."

It was the truth. Her and Shouto had dated for years, but never seriously. They had both slept with other people, but Shou had always been so fiercely loyal to her that if she had asked him, he would have never started seeing other people. Hell, he probably would have actually married her if they hadn't been so open. Looking back, maybe that would have been better… at the very least for Shou. Maybe he wouldn't have gone through so much pain if they had stayed together like they were supposed to. Maybe he wouldn't have ended up in The Yakuza.

But there was no point dwelling on 'what-ifs'... they were just not meant to be together.

"But I'm with you. I want you..." She decided to be bold, taking his hand and lowering it down between them, underneath the pleats of her skirt, and sliding his hand down into her panties. She moaned slightly at the feeling of his long, warm fingers as she guided them down to explore the folds of her body, to show him exactly how wet she already was… how much she already wanted him.

His fingers curled up into her, his other hand in a death grip on her thigh as he tentatively moved his fingers back and forth, making her even wetter with every gentle, likely unknowing, brush over her clit.

She closed her eyes, groaning as the tip of his middle finger pushed into her body.

"Shit, Momo," he growled, his touch getting a bit more confident.

"Do you have any condoms?" She breathed, praying the answer was yes. She had created one once before in a pinch for her and Shou, but she didn't know how to create the spermicide on them, so using it was a risk.

"Yeah… I uh…" he averted his eyes, his fingers stilling inside of her. "I picked some up recently…"

Recently…

She knew that he hadn't dated much. Last year he had been too busy with work, and this year too busy with school. Which meant that he had likely picked them up since they had started talking… with her in mind.

And she loved that; knowing that he had been thinking about sex with her. (Maybe not as much as she had been thinking about sex with him… but no one can blame her. She was used to getting laid whenever she was in the mood, she was definitely having withdrawals.)

Shinsou pulled his fingers out of her, holding her hip steady as he shifted his right hip up to pull his wallet out of his back pocket. He let go of her hip as he resettled, his hands shaking slightly as he opened his wallet and pulled out a single condom… which Momo was hoping they might end up using more than one tonight, but at least it was a start.

Momo took the condom packet, setting it on the arm of the couch beside them. Then she reached down, more confident now as she took the bottom edges of his shirt and began to pull it up. Shinsou helped her, adjusting his arms as she slipped the shirt over his head and off of him, tossing it onto the floor behind them. Then she leaned back, finally getting the chance to admire Shinsou…

He was so fine!

The sight of his naked chest made her clench her thighs in anticipation. Under his shirt, he had three long, silver chains hanging down over his chest. He was more cut than Shouto, his chest and abs more defined. He had wide, broad shoulders; and long, muscular arms that felt so good around her. Their position, and her thighs straddling his legs, made it difficult to see much lower, but shadows teased at well-defined hip bones and a strong core, a thin trail of light purple hair leading from his belly-button down to disappear underneath the waistband of his pants.

She reached up, setting both hands on his chest and trailing them over his skin. She played with the necklaces, rolled her fingers over his nipples, and traced his abs. She splayed her hands out over his warm skin, enjoyed the way his muscles seemed to shiver under her touch, and trailed her fingers over the hair on his lower stomach. She imagined how good he was going to look once she finally had him on top of her; how his muscles would roll and shift with every roll of his hips to fuck her... His body was so firm, and she could feel his strength under her fingers. He had trained hard over the last year in order to overcome the limitations of his quirk, and his work had definitely paid off…

Momo could see the blush on his neck and chest deepening a bit as she enjoyed touching his body, and she looked up to meet his eyes. Maintaining eye contact, she took both his hands, and lifted them up toward the top button on her shirt. She awkwardly guided him into undoing the top button, before letting go and leaning slightly backward. His hands shook, his eyes dropping to her chest as he began to undo the next button and the next. It wasn’t long before her shirt stretched open, revealing a floral, purple bra underneath (which she may or may not have purchased with him in mind… but he didn’t need to know that). His work slowed, his mouth dropping open slightly as his eyes traced over the curves of her chest, each button that he undid revealing a bit more. The bra was mostly a light purple mesh, which meant that it left little to the imagination. And as he undid the last button, and pushed the shirt to the side, he could already see her rosy nipples, budded with anticipation, barely obscured by the mesh fabric.

“Fuck, Momo,” he breathed, his gaze mesmerized as he admired her body. “You are so beautiful.” He wrapped his hands behind her, pulling her forward so that he could feel the lace of her bra against his own naked chest as he kissed her neck. She moaned, throwing her head back so that he could have full access to the sensitive skin, enjoying every tentative nip of his teeth, every warm caress of his tongue, every soft touch of his lips. His hands held her tightly in his grasp as he explored her neck with his mouth, slowly working his way down her chest, gently kissing the mounds of naked flesh just above the bra-line. Then, without warning, his lips wrapped around her nipple as he gently bit her through the mesh fabric.

Momo cried out, her body writhing in his grip as the attention sent a shiver of arousal straight down her spine; desire blossoming in her groin. She could feel a rush of warmth between her legs, feeling her wetness soak into her panties.

“Yes, ‘Toshi.. Like that…” she moaned unashamedly. One of his hands came up to cradle her other breast as he licked and teased the nipple under his mouth, the fabric growing dark and wet with spit, clinging to her skin as her body responded to him. His touch was growing more confident, moving from one nipple to the other, sucking it into his mouth and sending shivers down her body as he rolled his tongue around it; the mesh fabric melding perfectly with the heat of his mouth to drive her wild.

Desperate, she grabbed his hair, pulling his head back so she could pull him up into a heated kiss. His mouth was wet from lavishing her nipples, and her lips were swollen and tender from their earlier kisses, but neither mattered. She wanted him. She needed to feel his mouth against hers.

She rolled her hips against his crotch as she kissed him, every tiny movement drawing small moans from Shinsou, sounds that got lost in her own mouth, sending sparks of desire across her flushed skin.

Shinsou pulled at her shirt. His kiss was voracious and rough as he stripped it away, leaving her in just her skirt and bra; then his hands were everywhere… blindly exploring every inch of naked skin.

Things around them seemed to fall away, and all she really cared about was the feeling of his hands on her. She urged one of his hands down, back under her skirt. He growled, his confidence growing as he pushed her panties to the side and touched her, drawing a sensual circle with his middle finger around her entrance.

"Tell me what feels good," he urged her, sliding his finger inside of her.

Everything… every single touch felt so good. She closed her eyes, her free hand digging into his arm as she spread her thighs further apart and leaned back. She used her other hand to pull up her skirt, she wanted him to be able to see her, to see what his fingers were doing to her.

"Yeah," she nodded, the word low and breathy as she enjoyed the way his gaze fell down to her pussy; the hunger in it was unmistakable. And knowing it was probably his first time seeing a woman's sex turned her on… so much more than she would have ever thought. "Another finger..." she urged, her free hand reaching down and spreading her lips apart, exposing her clit and the slick, sensitive skin around it. "I want to feel myself stretch around you."

"Shit… like that," he groaned, sliding a second finger inside of her. The position was a bit awkward, but the extra stretch was worth it.

"Mmmm…" she nodded, unable to stop her body from rolling, fucking herself gently on his fingers. She was a wet mess down there, and she hadn't even gotten off yet. "Ye-yes," she murmured. "Like that… ngh… yeah… now…" she moaned as his fingers curled slightly inside of her, faintly brushing her g-spot. "Use your thumb… to...mmmm, yeah… to touch... my clit…"

She cried out as his thumb came up, settling over her clit, gently massaging it.

Her back arched into the motion, her body clenching around the fingers inside of her.

"YES!" She cried, not caring that the neighboring apartment could probably hear them now. All she could focus on was his hand, and the movement of her body against it. "Like… like that!" She could feel the desire building in her groin, her mind hazing over as she chased her orgasm. She could feel her thighs beginning to shake from the position, but she didn't care. Shinsou's confidence was growing, and he had curved his fingers to press against her g-spot as she moved. That, and every tiny movement over her clit, was pushing her closer and closer to the edge.

"God, you look so beautiful on my fingers…" he murmured, his eyes coming up to watch the way her chest swayed with every movement. "I can't wait to fuck you…"

Momo didn't know if he had done it on purpose, but even that tiny bit of dirty talk was enough… her entire lower body exploding with pleasure, shivering and shaking as she came all over his fingers.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" She cried out, much louder than she had intended, burying her head in his neck to try and stifle the sounds that she couldn't seem to hold back.

He continued to stroke the soft, velvet walls inside her. Her hand dug into his arm, her body convulsing softly with every tiny movement as she reveled in her orgasm.

“Mmmmm…” She moaned, kissing the side of his neck as she guided his hand away from her overly sensitive body. She pushed herself back, meeting his eyes. They were dark, and she met his gaze with a playful, sultry look as she brought his hand up to her mouth and licked teasingly at his fingers before wrapping her lips around one. She kept her eyes on his as she sucked gently, using the tip of her tongue to lick her cum off his skin. She moaned softly, enjoying the almost sweet taste of herself… and really enjoying the way his pupils widened even more, licking his lips as he watched.

“Sh-Shit Momo… fuck, I want you.”

Shinsou pulled his hand away from her, sliding it around to cup the back of her neck as he pulled her in for another kiss; needy and demanding as he pushed his tongue against her lips. Momo opened her mouth with a soft moan, enjoying the warmth of his tongue sliding between her lips; the possessive growl as he did so. He kissed her like he was starving, and she was certain he could probably taste her sex now too.

His free hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her against him, pressing their bodies closer together. She could feel his body beginning to move underneath her, rolling his hips and grinding his clothed arousal against her wet panties.

Momo gasped as Hitoshi unknowingly ground against her sensitive clit. She struggled to pull slightly back, immediately hating the loss of his mouth against hers as she broke the kiss. She didn’t want to stop, but…

"Condom…" she gasped, as Hitoshi ground his cock up against her once more. She reached clumsily for it, her hands still trembling slightly from her orgasm. She was trying so hard to go slow, but dammit... Hitoshi had already worked her body back up to a needy, eager mess.

She wanted him.

Now.

Shinsou's instincts had taken over, leaning forward and biting the soft skin on her collarbone. He continued rocking his hips forward as his mouth trailed gentle nips across Momo’s neck. She clutched the condom in her hand as she gasped, her thoughts scattered with desire as she tipped her head back, giving Shinsou full access to her neck. He didn't hesitate to take advantage of it, experimentally biting along the line of her pulse. The sensation sent sparks of arousal down her spine, her hips bucking forward; making Hitoshi practically growl against her throat.

"Condom!" She groaned, more insistent this time. "Now…"

Hitoshi nodded dumbly, his grip finally loosening enough for her to climb off of his lap. Her legs quivered, barely stable as she stood between his legs, undid her skirt, and let it fall to the floor at her feet. He started undoing his own pants, though his attention was glued to her as she reached behind her back and undid the clasps on her bra, sliding the lingerie off and setting it on the arm of the couch. He started pushing his pants and underwear down as she slid her own panties down. It was a rushed striptease, but finally she stood naked in front of him as he leaned down to pull the pants off each leg.

When he leaned back, she finally got to enjoy the sight of him, completely naked, below her. His abs trailed down into defined hips and thighs… and, shit, the muscles in his thighs made her mouth water. Between them, standing up against his stomach, his cock was flushed and hard for her. He was thick… much thicker than her past lovers. She stared for a moment; she could already imagine how good it was going to feel inside of her.

She dropped down to her knees, on the floor between his legs, and leaned forward. Looking up at him, she looked for any sign of hesitancy; when she didn’t see any, she took the head of his cock into her mouth.

“Fu-u-u-ck!” Shinsou hissed, his hips instinctively thrusting forward, forcing his cock further into her mouth. She had to stretch her mouth wide, putting her hands on his thigh in order to keep him from choking her as she bobbed her head up and down. One of his hands came up to grab her hair, the other digging into the arm of the couch. Momo absolutely loved the feeling of his thighs trembling under her hands; the hitched breaths that he took every time the head of his cock pushed against her throat, her tongue tracing a line up and down the bottom of his cock with each movement. She squeezed her thighs together, moaning softly around him as she enjoyed the weight of his arousal on her tongue.

She continued the attention for a bit longer… torn between wanting to bring him to orgasm orally, and wanting to finally feel him inside of her. But she didn’t want to wait any longer. She sat back on her ankles, tearing open the condom and tossing the foil wrapper on the floor beside them.

Shinsou took the condom from her, his hands shaking slightly as he leaned back, rolling the translucent sleeve down over his cock. Momo didn’t waste any time as she pushed herself up and climbed back into his lap. Shinsou’s hands cupped her hips as she positioned herself over him. She slid the head of his cock between her lips, rubbing it up and down the wet folds of her sex in order to slick him up; finally lining herself up and sinking down onto him.

Shinsou moaned, Momo’s own breath coming in punched out gasps as she slowly lowered herself onto his cock. She started slowly, using the back of the couch to brace herself as she began to ride him.

“Momo…” he groaned, his hands cupping her ass as she began to fuck him, his fingers digging into the soft skin so hard it was likely to leave bruises.

She could feel the muscles in her lower body tensing, clenching around him.

“Ngh… ‘Toshi…” She said, rolling her hips as she moved, absolutely reveling in how big he felt inside of her. Even as wet as she was, she could feel the resistance in every movement, the way he stretched her out with every thrust; as if he were sinking into her for the first time with every movement. “You feel… so… so… ugh… good…” She panted. “Your cock feels… fuck… so good…”

She closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of his breath on her chest as she rode him.

His hands moved up to her hips, steadying her as he began to move his hips in response to her, fucking up into her body.

“...ah…” Shinsou moaned lowly, shifting to get a better angle as he moved.

“Yes…” She cried, their moaning in tandem. The smell of sex was filling the room, and creating a euphoric bliss as they enjoyed eachother’s bodies. She moved her hands, grabbing his hair and practically forcing his face against her chest. “Oh… oh, oh… yes…” She could feel herself getting close again. “Oh ‘Toshi… I’m… I’m… close…”

Shinsou growled, the room suddenly spinning as he moved, using his hips to push her up enough to be able to grab her. He flipped their positions, and she bounced slightly as her back landed on the small couch. Fuck, he looked so sexy as he grabbed her legs and spread them open, re-lining himself up.

“Ngh… Fuck…” He met her eyes as he sunk into her once again, his cock deeper than before. He kept one hand on her thigh, the other one cupping the back of her neck as he set a fast rhythm. She reached down, playing with her clit as he fucked them both closer to orgasm.

“Faster… Shinsou… faster…” She cried, her body already clenching and convulsing around him.

“Yeah…” he grunted, increasing the speed; watching her touch herself, watching his cock disappear into her body again and again. She could feel his cock pulsing slightly, swelling as he got close.

“Shinsou!” She screamed his name as her orgasm hit, her vision going dark as carnal, euphoric bliss rocked her entire body. A second later, he pulled out. She tried to stop him, but her body was rocking and convulsing as she orgasmed. She could hear him groaning, watching as he stroked himself through his orgasm, the condom ballooning out slightly as he filled it.

Then he collapsed against the couch, his chest rising and falling in heavy pants as he tried to catch his breath. She shifted slightly, her arms practically giving out as she tried to give him more room. They were both sweaty, but damn…

She just felt so. Damn. Good.

“Mmmm….” She mumbled, nudging his thigh playfully with her foot. “That was pretty good… for a virgin…” she teased.

“What?” He gasped, looking up, a flash of worry crossing his face.

“I’m teasing!” She replied quickly, before he got the wrong idea. “That was good. Really good. You were really good.”

“Oh,” he laughed slightly, letting his head collapse against the back of the couch.

After a few moments, he carefully removed the condom, tying it off and setting it on the floor next to the couch. Momo pushed herself up, ignoring the unsteady quakes in her body as she adjusted to lean against him. A few minutes passed as she snuggled against him, relaxing and tracing lines over his chest with her fingers. She could smell their sex and feel the sweat on their skin, but she didn’t care. It just felt good to lounge here against him, in post-orgasmic bliss.

Then her phone went off. Twice.

Momo sighed, not wanting to get up from her spot but knowing that it was probably her parents looking for her. Or the university. She was technically out past curfew, and she was dreading the possibility that the dorm secretary might call her. Or worse… Professor Aizawa.

“You could ignore it,” Shinsou tempted her as she began to push herself up.

“It’s probably the dorms…” she replied, reluctantly standing up. She made her way over to her jacket, getting her phone out of her pocket. She opened it up, delighted to see that it was Shouto texting her. It felt like she had hardly gotten to talk to him the past few weeks. He was always busy, and knowing that he was getting more and more entwined with the Yakuza with every passing day… it made her anxious.

Not that she could tell Shouto that. She was eternally grateful for everything that Kai had done for him after The League of Villains had framed him, but she was very leery of everything that had come since then. She wished she could at least meet Kai, maybe then she would feel better about everything. But the man seemed to have zero interest in Shouto’s past life, his past friends. He encouraged Shouto to focus on the future… but Momo would be damned before she would let Shouto cut her out of his life.

Especially after meeting Dabi. It had been… so surreal. She had spent her childhood having a crush on Touya Todoroki; but seeing him again, seeing what he had become, was hard. Of course, he had been as gorgeous as ever, but he had obviously been on drugs when she saw him at Shouto’s apartment. He had lured Shouto away from her to talk about something, which meant that it likely was not something legal. And, knowing that Shouto was lying to the police and the heroes about being in contact with his brother… it didn’t make her feel good about what was going on in Shouto’s life.

She opened up the text, greeted by a selfie. Shouto was holding up his palm, two small chunks of ice balanced on it; one was shaped like a sphere, the other a cube. He was smiling widely, a rare sight, but he looked exhausted. His hair was a damp, wild mess, and the right side of his face had spots of frost on his skin. The collar of his white shirt looked damp as well, and his skin was flushed as if he had been over-working his quirk. A second text had come right after, just saying ‘Hell Yeah’.

She smiled. It was so like Shouto, a picture without any actual context. She knew he was showing off the ice in his hand, but she had no idea he had been working to create shapes. It was impressive; Shouto had only ever used his quirk to create large-scale attacks and defenses.

“That’s a pretty big smile for a text from the school,” Shinsou said.

She looked up, he had shifted around to lay on the couch; well, the best he could considering how small the couch was and how tall he was.

“It’s Shouto, actually,” she replied.

“Oh,” he said, the word almost neutral, but there was definitely a note of bitterness in it. As if he would have preferred it to be the dorms. Not that she had expected Shinsou to love hearing about Shouto, especially not now that she knew most of his knowledge of Shouto was based off of rumors and the fact that they used to fuck eachother. But Shouto was still a big part of her life, so she needed Shinsou to be willing to accept that. She took the phone over to him, holding it out to show him the selfie. “He’s started to create shapes with his ice!”

“That’s pretty cool, I guess. He couldn’t do that before, huh?” Shinsou replied.

“No.” She answered, sitting on his stomach, then accidentally shrieking as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down over him. They were both still completely naked, and his skin was warm against her.

“Wait…” Momo squirmed a bit in his grasp, “Let me hurry and text him back.” She sent him a quick thumbs up as Shinsou snuggled her even more. She eventually relented, knowing she would have to call Shouto later. “Fine, fine…” she giggled, dropping the phone onto the floor by the couch and letting herself snuggle against Shinsou.

“Where is he even training, now?” Shinsou asked. “I thought he had dropped out of school.”

“He did,” Momo replied, snuggling her nose against Shinsou’s cheek. Somehow, she had ended up half-wedged between him and the couch, with her legs between his, his soft cock pressed against her outer thigh. She could smell the lingering scent of his cologne and their sex, and she just felt… safe. “I think he still trains with his boyfriend.” She answered, feeling a slight pang of guilt about lying to Shinsou. But she couldn’t tell him that Shouto was associated with the Yakuza; she couldn’t tell anyone. The only other person who knew was Bakugou, and they hadn’t talked much about Shouto since the trial. She didn’t know for sure how everything had ended between Shouto and the blonde, but Bakugou hadn’t taken it well. In fact, most days he avoided Momo entirely. Which meant, she didn’t really have anyone to talk to about her concerns with Shouto’s new life.

“Boyfriend?” Shinsou mused, rubbing her arm as they snuggled. “I thought that he just had a sugar daddy.”

Momo snorted, amused. Though the sentiment wasn’t exactly untrue. From what she had heard, Kai did have a lot of money… a lot of dirty, Yakuza money.

“Kai is pretty rich,” Momo replied, deciding that something so vague wasn’t a big deal. “But Shouto doesn’t really need that money. Not for long, at least. He has a bunch of money coming to him from the courts. He won’t be as rich as he was as Endeavor’s heir, but he certainly doesn’t need a sugar daddy.” Momo had actually been surprised to hear that Shouto was suing the paper and the police; and she was certain that Kai was probably to thank for that. But she was glad for it. A part of her feared that Shouto was with Kai because he didn’t have any other options, but once he had his own money, then he wouldn’t have to rely on someone so dangerous just to ensure he didn’t end up back on the streets.

“Hmm…” he sighed, and she felt the rise and fall of his chest underneath her as he took a deep breath. “Wouldn’t it be nice?” he added quietly.

She pushed away the surge of irritation at his words; Shinsou was definitely envious of Shou. He didn’t understand, and she wasn’t sure she could try to explain it to him without breaking her promise to Shouto. It wasn’t nice. Shouto had been through so much these past few months… just thinking about everything that had happened to him, about everything that Shouto had gone through, was almost too much for her. His lawsuits were well-founded, and the money he would get from them was the least he deserved in compensation for having his entire life turned upside down. The truth was, even without the Yakuza interference, Shouto’s entire public image had been destroyed in the debacle of the court trial.

Shinsou’s opinion was only proof of that.

Eventually she would need to introduce the two of them. If Shinsou knew Shouto, he would feel differently about him, she was sure of it. But that wasn’t going to happen for awhile. Shouto didn’t even know that Momo was dating Shinsou yet; he was going to want to meet Shinsou once he found out they were dating, she was sure. But Shinsou was smart, and she wasn’t sure how to keep him from finding out that Shouto was in the Yakuza if they started to spend time with him. Especially after her run-in with Dabi the other day. And she wasn’t sure that Shinsou would be as willing to keep Shouto’s secret…

She sighed.

“Let’s not talk about Shouto right now,” She said, trying to mask her internal struggle. “I have to go soon, and I just want to enjoy cuddling before I have to go back to my very cold, very lonely bed.” She tightened her hold against him, pushing her thoughts away.

Life had been so much simpler a few months ago, when her biggest struggle had been coping with an arranged marriage to her best friend.

“You know, your car was making some pretty funny noises earlier,” Shinsou replied.

“What?” She asked, confused.

“Yeah, that strange rattling sound.” He added, and she began to hear the hint of sarcasm in his voice. “It might not be safe to drive right now. We should probably call and tell the dorms that you are taking it into the mechanics shop. Lucky for you, I have a perfectly good, very tiny bed that you could crash on…”

Momo could feel the butterflies in her stomach.

Shinsou wanted her to stay the night!

“I think you might be right,” she replied, unable to suppress a giggle of excitement. She knew that Aizawa would probably see right through her lie… but the idea of spending an entire night with Shinsou was tempting, a little too tempting to resist.

It certainly didn’t help to feel the way that his hand moved over her body, finding its way to her chest; pinching and teasing her nipple gently. The movement sent sparks of desire through her, and it didn’t take long to feel a pressure against her thigh; proof that Shinsou was also enjoying the teasing. Her lower body tensed in anticipation.

“I don’t know…” She teased him back, “I might need to see this tiny bed of yours a bit closer before I decide for sure…”

She felt Shinsou’s cock pulse against her leg.

Shinsou nudged her up, and she reluctantly followed his guidance. She stood up, backing away enough that he could stand up next to her.

“After you,” She teased, motioning to the bedroom.

He ignored her, instead pulling her into a deep kiss. It sent butterflies through her stomach, and she wrapped her arms around him, leaning into his body as she kissed him back. His hands roved up and down her back, before coming down to squeeze her ass. He slapped it, playfully.

Then he let go, leaning down to scoop her up once more.

“I have to warn you,” he said, a hint of a smile on his lips as he headed toward the bedroom. “The bed is pretty small… you may have to sleep pretty close to me if we are going to make this work.

Yeah, they were definitely going to need a second condom…

Chapter Text

This is a temporary note for my new and returning readers. Last year I hit a point in my work and personal life where I was struggling to balance everything and made the decision to temporarily give up writing fanfiction. I am very happy to say that since that time, I have made a few huge changes in my life that has given me a much better balance. And, with that in mind, I have been able to come back and finish writing the two current works for this AU, 'The Crucible' & 'High on Roses & Black Ink'. (I will eventually also be finishing 'Insomnia & Cigarettes' for anyone who reads my other AU). In that gap period, I did post two attempts at summary chapters, which are the next two chapters, 21 & 22. For now, I am going to move ahead with new content, but eventually I will come around and finish revising those chapters to complete them. So please bare with me through the next two chapters, and then back to the full story in chapter 23.

Chapter Text

Bakugou POV

Bakugou pushed open the doors to The Endeavor Agency, stepping inside with a mixture of resentment and excitement churning in his gut. He was fifteen minutes early, as usual. He hated being late for appointments. And especially for this, his first real hands-on experience as a hero, he was ready to go. Despite the delay on his provisional hero license, he was determined to be the best damn intern this agency had ever seen.

Period.

Even if it meant interning for the fucking flaming asshole himself. The very idea of working with Endeavor made Bakugou grind his teeth. Whenever he thought of the number one hero, his stomach twisted with disgust over everything that happened… how he treated Todoroki, and the way he had behaved during Todoroki's trial. He was a bastard. But he was the only bastard willing to give Bakugou a chance. If he wanted to be number one, he needed to take advantage of every opprtunity he could in order to boost his hero career.

And he was going to be number one.

Besides, the damn nerd had reminded him that he probably wouldn't have to deal with Endeavor all that often. After all, he doubted the number one hero was going to have much time for an intern who didn't even have his provisional license. Bakugou was going to have to prove himself first, show everyone that he has what it takes to be the best damn hero Musufatu has ever seen!

Stepping inside, the foyer to the agency was, as expected, a large, plush display of wealth and power. Marble floors, with huge pillars throughout the room, solely for decoration, Bakugou was certain. There was a large, gold-trimmed desk across the foyer, a smug-looking life-size portrait of Endeavor on the wall behind it. The entire back wall, including over the portrait, had life-like electronic flames flickering across it. To each side was a sitting area for guests, the couches a dark cherrywood with ornate, oversized red and gold cushions.

Bakugou refused to stand there gawking like an idiot, so he ignored the pomp and strode confidently over to the front desk.

"Welcome to The Endeavor Agency," the secretary greeted him. She was an older woman, almost unnaturally thin with a gaunt face and long grey hair pulled into a low ponytail. Her name badge simply read 'Chen'. "How can I help you?"

"I'm here to start my internship," Bakugou replied, squaring up his shoulders and standing up straight. First impressions were important, dammit. "My name's Bakugou Katsuki."

"Of course," Chen replied, giving him a brief, thin-lipped smile. "We have been expecting you. We just need to get you checked in..." She trailed off, mid sentence as she typed something into her computer, then sorted through papers on her desk for a moment before pulling a small packet out. She attached it to a clipboard, set a pen on top, and slid it toward him. "If you will get these filled out for me," Chen directed him.

Bakugou glared at the papers, before catching himself and smoothing out his features. Aizawa-sensei had told him to be on his best behavior.

Tch.

As if he wasn't always on his best fucking behavior.

"What are they?" He asked.

"Just a basic non-disclosure and social media agreement," she explained. "It's required for all visitors. You will have some additional forms to sign with your internship contract, but Endeavor will go over those with you after the tour."

"Great," Bakugou replied, through half-gritted teeth. He took the clipboard, heading over to one of the couches to fill everything out. He had suspected he might have to see Endeavor today with it being his first day and all. Hopefully the meeting would be short and sweet.

Bakugou glanced over the forms. They seemed pretty damn generic; similar to what he had signed for his internship with Best Jeanist. No solicitation. No pictures. No bothering the heroes at work with questions, or for autographs. No unauthorized use of quirks. Anything seen or heard during the tour is considered confidential. Information or pictures leaked would result in legal action. And so on…

He quickly checked all of the boxes, filling out his information and signature at the bottom.

"Ok honey," Chen said as he turned in the papers. He stopped himself from glaring at her. He hated pet names, but especially from some extra he had never met. Always made things so fucking awkward. "Take a seat. Someone should be out in a few minutes to get you started!"

"Thanks," he growled, stalking back over to his seat. He sank into the ridiculously poofy cushion, ignoring the buzzing in his pocket. He was not about to come across as unprofessional just to glance at his damn phone. Besides, it was probably just Deku bugging him with questions about the agency. Thank fuck he had the excuse of the NDA to avoid the nerds dozens and dozens of questions. Once you got Deku started, he would want every tiny detail down to the color of the tile in the damn bathrooms.

After about ten minutes, he was psyched to see he was approached by Pro Hero Lazer. #19 on the hero charts, and moving up quickly. He had dark skin, with his hair in stylistic cornrows, pulled back into a small bun; he wasn't in costume today, but was wearing a red shirt, dark pants, and his signature mega-watt smile… wide enough that it almost put Deku's to shame. He was wearing support gloves, although that was expected. Bakugou had read in an article somewhere that the hero, whose quirk allowed him to shoot lazerbeams from his palms, always wore the gloves to have better control (Which Bakugou would never admit out loud, but he actually related to the damn hero). Lazer was way, way taller than he ever appeared in pictures. Bakugou had read a handful of comics starring him, but, despite being pretty charismatic, he rarely did interviews. So there wasn't a lot of information out about him.

"Hey," Lazer greeted him. "You must be the new intern, right? Bakugou?"

"That's right," he answered, relaxed, refusing to let the Pro know how damn excited he was to meet him in person.

"Cool," Lazer nodded, holding out his hand for Bakugou to shake. "Welcome to The Endeavor Agency. Our normal tourguide is out today, so I'm gonna be showing you around. Cool?"

Cool?!

Fuck yeah! Score! Bakugou couldn't wait to get back to the dorms to rub this shit in Deku's face.

"Yeah," he answered, trying his best to sound nonchalant as he reached forward and shook the Pro's hand. The guy had a damn firm handshake, for sure.

"Awesome," Lazer smiled. "Follow me."

Lazer led him through a pair of double doors at the back of the foyer.

"The agency is five floors, though from what I understand you are gonna spend your first month on the third floor. That's where we do most of the filing and paperwork, public relations. All that. Important stuff, but I'm gonna be honest with you. Boring as hell. Hopefully after that, you'll move on to patrols."

Bakugou nodded, gritting his teeth at the reminder. He was not looking forward to paperwork; it was tedious and dull. He wanted to do patrols right away; that's what all his classmates with internships were doing. But if this is where he started… he would be the best damn paperwork filer this agency had seen! After all, he was the top student in their class.

"Now this floor, this whole floor is dedicated to training. The Endeavor Agency has the best training facilities in the city. Top. Of. The. Line! Now, the cool thing is you have open access to all of it… except the quirk training. Gotta have your PHL for that. All in good time, though."

Bakugou scowled at yet another reminder that he wasn't good enough, not yet. Everything was on hold until he got his damn provisional license. But he kept his mouth shut and followed Lazer. And the hero was right; the facilities here were amazing. A full-size track. Olympic size pool. Two cardio rooms. The biggest weight training room that Bakugou had ever seen. And an interactive quirk training room.

After that, they made their way up to the second floor.

“Second floor is mostly medical,” Lazer continued his tour as he walked Bakugou down a long hallway toward a set of double doors. “A mini-hospital, if you will. Some of the best doctors in the city work here. It’s not uncommon to get hurt during patrols; and having its own medical bay is a great way for an agency to ensure its heroes don’t have to waste their personal time waiting around for medical needs. It's also a great way to avoid journalists who like to bombard heroes with questions during hospital visits. Not all the agencies have them, to be honest. And, like everything else, Endeavor has put a lot of money into ensuring this medical unit has the best of the best. It’s a great benefit to signing with this agency.” Lazer stopped outside a large set of double doors. There was a small keypad on the left, which he keyed a passcode into before pressing his thumb against the screen above it. After a moment, the doors swung inward, allowing them access. Bakugou followed the Pro inside, and it honestly felt just like walking into the reception area of a damn hospital when they stepped through.

“Morning, Lazer,” one of the receptionists called out, a cheerful younger woman with purple skin and blue hair. Her hair was tied back into a bun, large glasses balanced near the front of her nose, and she was wearing a simple pair of light blue scrubs. “I didn’t see your name in the books today. Are you here for an appointment?”

Bakugou followed along as Lazer led him over to the desk. The Pro put his elbows on the desk, leaning in toward her as he flashed the woman another large smile before shaking his head.

“Nah,” he replied. “My monthly check-up isn’t ‘til next week."

She blushed faintly, smiling back.

"So what brought you all the way down here today?" She asked. She didn't even glance at Bakugou. "Anything I can help you with?"

Were they… flirting?

Bakugou gritted his teeth. Of fucking course he would get stuck getting shown around by the one Pro hero in the agency who decided to take a detour just so he could flirt.

"Actually, Yoni, you were just the person I was hoping to see," Lazer replied smoothly. "This is Bakugou, he's the new kid. We need-"

"I'm not a fucking kid!" Bakugou growled, then realized his mistake as both turned to look at him. "I mean… I'm almost nineteen. I'm not a kid." He added, trying to salvage his pride after swearing at a Pro Hero.

Hopefully Endeavor wouldn't hear about this.

"Sorry, Bakugou," Lazer replied, a surprised look on his face. "Wasn't trying to offend."

"It's fine," Bakugou replied, not quite able to bring himself to apologize for swearing at the man. Even though he knew he probably should. Aizawa had warned him to watch his mouth at the agency. But he fucking hated apologizing for shit. Especially to a stranger.

"Ok, well, let's get your appointment set up, then we can continue on."

"Appointment?" What the fuck kind of appointment did he need to file fucking paperwork?

"Don't worry," Yoni answered. "It's just a basic physical. Hero Regulation requires all heroes, even just interning heroes, be approved for work. What days do you intern? We can probably squeeze you in next time so it shouldn't affect your work too much."

"I didn't have to get a physical during my weekend internship with The Best Jeanist," he stated bluntly.

Is he fit to work?

Ha!

He is Bakugou fucking Katsuki. Of course he is fit to work.

"Ah yes," she replied. "Usually a weekend internship is able to use records from the university. Let me pull up your information, and we can check to see what needs to be done. Will you spell your last name for me?"

"B. A. K. U. G. O. U."

She typed it in, pushing the glasses up her nose and squinting through them at the computer as she scrolled.

"Here you are," she mumbled. "Katski? Katsuki? Is that right?" She asked, getting his name wrong on the first try.

"Yeah."

"Perfect, give me just a moment to check and see what all the university has sent." She scrolled, half-humming to herself.

"The physical is pretty easy," Lazer commented as they waited. "You have to get checked out about once a month, or after any mission with a level 2 injury or higher."

A level 2 injury; anything that requires medical intervention, even as minor as stitches. Obnoxious, but he would begrudgingly admit it made sense. There have been some pretty big lawsuits in the past because of heroes being pushed too hard in the field.

"Here we go," Yoni added, her eyes still glued to the screen. "It looks like it has been just a tad over 60 days since your last full physical. So we will need to get one scheduled, and there is a note on your file requesting a mental health evaluation before you are allowed on patrols." She glanced up at him, smiling sympathetically. "That one will take a little longer, but I should be able to get you scheduled to see our Agency psychologist within a few weeks."

"What?!" Bakugou growled. "Why the hell did Endeavor offer me an internship if he didn't think I was stable?" A mental health evaluation?! The university already required him to talk to the counselor weekly ever since the fucking League snatched him out of the training camp.

Bakugou pushed that thought way, way down. He could not afford to spiral down that train of thought.

"It's not an uncommon request," Yoni added gently. "If you have been under extra stress, the agency has to ensure that you are fit to be in the field."

Bakugou wanted to scream at the damn sympathy all over her damn face. He didn't need or want her pity. Extra stress? Ha. He wanted to ask her what the hell was in his records that indicated he had been under extra stress, because the last few months had been a never-ending stretch of shit. Was it the first LOV attack? The second? His kidnapping? His failure to escape, which led to the downfall of his idol? Was it the fucking bullshit with Todoroki? The trial? The failed licensing exam?

He clenched his hands into fists.

"Hey, don't worry about it, ki- man," Lazer added, clearly noting his stress. "It's just regulation."

Fuck. Fuck the fucking regulations!

"Fine," he gritted out.

"So what days are you interning? We will get you set up for that physical."

"Tuesdays. Fridays. And every other Saturday." Bakugou answered reluctantly.

"Great" she beamed. "I have a slot for next Friday at 4:30pm. And I will send a request to the psychologist to get you in for the evaluation as soon as possible. Now there are a few forms I will need signed by a legal guardian. Let me grab them for you, and we will be all done!"

"Thanks, Yoni," Lazer said, flashing her another smile as she stood up and headed toward the back. Once she was out of earshot, he turned to Bakugou.

"Man, I'm gonna be honest with you," he said, speaking quietly so that no one else would overhear. "I have heard a lot about you in the news, and I think you have a lot of potential. But you need to work on your people skills if you're serious about making it big. If you're planning on going underground, it might not matter. But you can't be swearing and growling at everyone if you want to make it into the top fifty. You have a flashy quirk, but that's not going to take you far. You gotta make people feel safe, and you gotta have a personality that the citizens want to see more of. You get what I'm saying?"

Bakugou stared for a moment, surprised to hear it so bluntly. Not that no one had told him that before. Hell, he couldn't count on both hands how many times one of his professors had said something similar.

It just wasn't that easy.

Dealing with drama and bullshit just put his teeth on edge and made him lash out. And all the extra stress he had been under lately only made him more irritable.

He nodded curtly as Yoni came back toward them. He wasn't really sure how to respond, so he hoped that would be enough to tell the Pro that he had at least heard the advice.

"Okay, here you go," Yoni beamed, handing him a manilla folder. "Have a legal guardian fill these out. If you can bring them to me Tuesday, I can have everything in the system before your appointment.”

“Thanks,” he grunted, taking the paperwork from her.

“Thanks for everything, Yoni. See you next week!” Lazer said, before turning to Bakugou. “Let’s keep this tour moving, Bakugou. I told the big guy I would have you up in his office by five and we still got a few more floors to get through.”

Bakugou nodded.

“You better hope that Endeavor doesn’t overhear you calling him ‘the big guy’ again,” Yoni laughed. “I still have a copy of the interoffice memo that he sent about nicknames last summer.”

“I won’t tell if you don’t,” Lazer smiled, tapping the side of his nose before pointing at her.

“I will see you next week, Bakugou,” Yoni said, not responding to Lazer’s comment. But she was blushing and avoiding his eyes.

“Yeah, next week,” Bakugou mumbled, silently thankful that this entire awkward exchange was soon going to be behind him. Lazer led him back out toward the hallway, the manilla file tucked up underneath his arm.

Lazer stopped outside of the elevator, selecting the button that would bring the elevator to them.

“We aren’t going to the other side?” Bakugou inquired, glancing curiously down the hall in the other direction. He could see a series of doors in the other direction, and he seriously doubted that the entire floor was reserved for medical purposes.

“Not today,” Lazer replied. “That side is for the support department. Until your background check goes through and you have signed a full NDA, you won’t be allowed in there. The big guy can’t risk any tech secrets getting out, you know what I’m saying. You aren’t missing much. It’s mostly just a big lab. The workers there are usually too busy to really stop and talk. But once your background check is done, you will get to see some of it when you go in to get your fingerprints done. And if you intern here long enough, you will get to see the whole thing eventually. As the criminals on the street get stronger and more creative, support gear is becoming more and more important in heroics. Not every agency has the budget for a support team. The Endeavor Agency has one of the bigger support teams in the city. Part of our budget comes from developing and selling support gear to agencies all over Japan, and even sometimes to other countries.”

“Huh,” Bakugou nodded as the elevator opened and they stepped inside. Even before dating Todoroki, Endeavor had never been one of his favorite heroes. Yeah, his quirk was cool and all, but he had never really done much research into his agency. He had no idea. It made sense though. Support equipment was a growing field; there were more support students currently enrolled in UA than heroics students.

Lazer selected the button for the fourth floor.

“Third floor above my security clearance too?” Bakugou questioned, resisting the urge to swear. Some tour this was; no wonder Lazer wasn’t normally in charge of this crap.

“Nah,” Lazer shrugged. “It’s just boring.”

“I thought that’s where you said I was going to be interning?” Bakugou retorted.

“Just being honest with you, man,” Lazer smiled, only looking mildly apologetic. “On one side it’s a bunch of conference rooms. On the other side, it’s a bunch of computers. Not really much to see. And by the end of the month, you will know that floor like the back of your hand. We got thirty minutes before your meeting with Endeavor. Soooo… we can go walk around the third floor, if you want. Or I can show you one of the coolest benefits of being a part of the Endeavor Agency. Your choice.”

“Tch,” Bakugou shrugged instinctively. “I mean, whatever. We can go to the fourth floor.”

“Good choice,” Lazer nodded approvingly.

The door opened, leading them out into a long hallway with dozens of doors.

“Fourth floor is mostly offices. If you ever sign with the agency as a pro, you will get one too.” Lazer began as they stepped out, and he led them down toward the end. Bakugou bit his tongue at the comment. He would rather eat shit than sign with this agency as a pro. This fucking internship was solely to get a foot in the door, nothing else. “But most of this floor is the breakroom, and it’s lit. I know Endeavor’s had some bad rep lately, but at the end of the day he takes care of his heroes. I doubt there is an agency with a comparable space to put up your feet at the end of a hard shift.”

Bakugou doubted that. Endeavor didn’t even take care of his own fucking family. How the fuck was he supposed to believe he treated his employees well.

Lazer was smiling widely as he punched in his code, and his fingerprint, and the door swung open.…

Holy shit.

The place didn’t look like a breakroom. It looked like an enormous entertainment center. The room was circular in shape, and huge. It had a small restaurant in the middle of it, with tables and chairs built all around it, fake plants and even a large koi pond built in to give it a very ‘outdoors’ type of look despite being inside. On the left was a nook with a large fireplace, over-sized beanbag chairs set up around it, and two large bookshelves against the wall. There were a handful of people relaxing in them; one reading a comic, the other two lost in conversation with one another. He didn’t recognize any of them, though, and doubted they were heroes. Above the fireplace was a huge screen with the top fifty heroes listed in two columns, a good handful of names highlighted in yellow, including Endeavor and Lazer. Those must be the heroes who work at this agency.

There were vending machines along the opposite wall, and a handful of doors leading back behind the restaurant.

“The chefs here offer a pretty big menu,” Lazer explained as they walked toward the koi pond. “The menu changes weekly, so you don’t usually get bored of the food. And you can submit special requests to the main chef, though sometimes it takes a few weeks for it to go through. If you aren’t too hungry, though. You can hit up the vending machines. They’re free, once you get set up with fingerprint identification, but the agency does track what you eat. Go too crazy on the sweets, and I can guarantee a lecture from the agency’s nutritionist, Nakahara. At the end of the day, we got to stay in shape to do our jobs, ya know?”

It was a good thing Deku didn’t work here. With his damn sweet tooth, the nerd would be in trouble. Bakugou didn’t really care much about sweets though. That shit was terrible for you. If he was going to be number one, he couldn’t afford to fuel his body with junk. So he just hoped the damned restaurant would have some better options from a nutritional standpoint. He glanced up at this weeks menu, relieved to see a number of healthy options including a huge variety of salads and even protein shakes being offered.

“Now on this side,” Lazer said, moving toward the doors on the side. “There is a spa and massage room. That door there leads to a small movie theatre. That’s where most the staff hangs out. They list the movies for the day on a screen by the door. Just like with the restaurant, you can submit requests for movies if you want. In the very back is a small arcade, and an elevator that takes you to a rooftop lounge. It's surrounded with bulletproof, hazed glass so planes can't see in. It just looks like any other room, but the view of the city is breath-taking, especially at night."

Fuck. This was actually pretty damn cool.

***** (End of fully written material)

After finishing the tour, Bakugou is taken up to his meeting with Endeavor. Lazer leads him in; the room, like the rest of the agency, is over-sized with an enormous desk. The desk was empty aside from two computer monitors, a small laptop, and a pile of papers. Endeavor didn't verbally acknowledge his presence, but grunted and motioned to a plush red chair across from him as he continued to type. Lazer quickly left, leaving Bakugou with nothing to do except examine the office as he waited. The walls were covered with rewards for his heroics; pictures of him with other heroes and governmental officials. There was only one picture that really stood out, a single shot of a much younger Endeavor in a clean cut tuxedo, his arm around a young woman in a wedding dress with long, white hair and gray eyes. Bakugou assumed it had to be Icy-hot's mother. The wall above and below the picture had a brighter square of paint; barely noticeable but enough that Bakugou realized he must have had other pictures there at some point. Of his family? It had to be… there were no other signs of his children in the office at all.

Before he could dwell too long, the sound of Endeavor clearing his throat caught Bakugou's attention. He looked over to see Endeavor staring at him, scrutinizing him.

Endeavor welcomes him to the agency, and then gives him a customized non-disclosure agreement to review and sign. It has a lot of repetition from the first agreement; a whole section about the separation of his internship from his education at UA. It has a section stating the requirement of him signing up for and passing the next provisional licensing exam for the internship to remain valid. And six entire pages about confidentiality; mostly around his time in the Agency, but also around any previously gained or future knowledge of the Todoroki household. It specifically prohibited him from being able to share details about the Todoroki‘s with any form of press, on social media, or with other hero agencies. Bakugou saw the purpose of it right away; Endeavor was covering his own ass because of Bakugou's relationship with Todoroki. The whole section seemed super shady, but he already told the police what he knew about the asshole's abuse, so he decided it didn't really matter if he signed it. The final page was his official six-month internship contract with the agency.

He would do whatever it took to make it to number one.

Bakugou handed the signed document back.

“I have to admit,” Endeavor commented as he took the papers, “I had my initial reservations about offering you this internship because of your attitude. But I”m glad that you accepted. You remind me of myself when I was a young man. Perhaps even more so than my own sons do. For that reason, I want to help you succeed.” Endeavor leaned forward, his fingers pushed together to create a steeple. “But I need to know that you’re willing to work for it. I will teach you everything you need to know to become number one, but in return, I want some help with a more private investigation.”

“What the fuck does that mean? Heroics is a matter of public record… there shouldn't be any private investigations.”

Endeavor laughed.

“It isn't really so much an investigation as a family matter,” Endeavor replied, leaning back in his chair as he spoke. “There is some evidence that may link Shouto's new boyfriend, Mr. Chisaki, to the Yakuza.”

Bakugou worked to keep his face neutral at hearing Endeavor say that, not wanting to give away the fact that he already knew for damn sure that Shouto's fucking prick of a boyfriend was a part of the Yakuza.

“After having one son publicly admit to being in the LOV,” Endeavor continued, “surely you can see how bad it would look for the number one hero to have a second son become a member of the Yakuza. The problem is that the commissioner does not allow for heroes, or agencies of heroes, to be involved with missions known to include a family member. This means that I am expected to be left in the dark about anything uncovered in regards to Touya or Shouto. It's unacceptable. They are my son's, dammit! My flesh and blood, the fruit of my loins! I deserve to know what is happening with them. That's where you come in. As an intern, you can be a 'concerned' citizen that just might happen to end up near missions that involve them, and report your learnings back to me.”

Bakugou scoffed.

“The whole thing sounds pretty damn shady, and probably illegal.”

“You’re overthinking it. It isn't illegal because you wouldn't be required to do anything. I will let you know when there is a situation you should be around, and you would just be there, as a concerned friend. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“If you aren’t supposed to be involved, then how will you even know when things are happening that might involve your sons?”

“You just worry about your part,” Endeavor replied seriously.

Like that was an actual answer, the shady ass bastard.

“So what is the second requirement for you to help me?” Bakugou asked.

“Simple. You sign as a Pro Hero with this agency for at least a year after you graduate.”

Bakugou is pissed. He should have known Endeavor was going to try to pull some fucking type of shit like this. He fucking hates when people try to force him down a certain path. He doesn't need anyone's fucking help!

"And if I don't accept your offer?" Bakugou asked, working to keep his voice as neutral as possible.

Endeavor shrugged.

"I will find someone to help me," He replied, as if it were the most simple thing in the world. "But I wouldn't suggest saying no. You are already going to struggle with marketability because of your attitude, Bakugou. Depending on how this internship goes, my word about your work ethic can make or break your career. You just have to decide how much you really want to be a Pro."

Bakugou was seething now; hands clenched into fists, teeth grinding, and struggling not to blow up on the Pro. The threat was clear. This wasn't a choice, this was fucking blackmail! And Bakugou had played directly into Endeavor's manipulative little game.

Fuck!

"Can I at least think about it?" Bakugou asked through gritted teeth. He wanted to maintain at least some semblance of control over the entire fucking shitty situation.

"If you insist. But don't waste my time, Bakugou. We both know what your answer is going to be."

Bakugou growled, biting his tongue to keep from cussing the conceited bastard out. Yeah, they did both know what his answer was going to fucking be! That was what pissed him off the most.

"Is that all? Can I go?" Bakugou managed to bite out each word. He could not be in this office much longer, he could smell the aroma of burnt sugar filling the room, his hands practically sparking with the desire to blow something up.

He should have never accepted this internship. He should have stayed as fucking far away from the entire fucked up Todoroki family as possible.

“You’re excused.”

Bakugou got up, all but stomping out of the room.

Once he was done with all this shit, he swore that he was never going to get involved with another Todoroki. Again.

* * * * * *
Dabi POV
(I want to thank @Vetti for the inspiration for this next section!)

Saturday night, and Dabi is at his apartment, enjoying the beginning haze of a weed-induced high. He creates a makeshift tripod to hold his cellphone, setting it up in front of his couch. He is wearing tight, black jeans with a thick, studded belt and Hawks’ jacket. He has a joint hanging from his lips, pausing in his task every so often to take a deep hit, flick the ash off, and then resume. He can already feel the beginning warp of time, causing the task at hand to feel as if it were stretching on and on as he eagerly worked to get to the main event.

Finally, finally, everything is set-up and ready to go. He is already hard with anticipation as he turns his camera to video and pushes record. He walks over to the couch, adjusting the jacket to hang off his shoulders and leave most of his chest exposed. He turns to face the camera and sits down on the couch, his legs splayed wide open to show off the bulge in his pants.

He sighs, leaning his head back against the cushion as he uses one hand to take three large hits of the joint, slowly blowing the smoke upward with each one. With his other hand, he strokes over his hard cock, moaning softly as he smokes.

“Goddamn… feels fucking good.”

After a moment, he leans forward, putting out his joint on the tile floor and dropping the butt to deal with later. As he leans back, he begins to slowly undo the buckle on his belt, the button, and zipper on his jeans.

"What an obedient little birdie you are, Takami," Dabi purred, not bothering to hide the hint of disdain from his voice as the man's name rolled off his tongue. "One night of having your hands on me again, and all those nasty little mugshots are gone." He rubbed his palm over his pants, up and down the hard length of his cock, rocking his hips up to thrust against the warm friction. He sucked in a breath through his teeth and groaned as he exhaled. His eyes dark with lust as he stared into the camera like he wanted to throw it down on the couch and fuck it within an inch of its life. "Since you were such a good boy for me, I thought I would send you a little reward..."

Pushing his shoulders back against the couch, he lifted his hips up, sliding his thumbs under the waistband of both his jeans and boxers and pushing the fabric very slowly downward as he spoke.He pushed his pants down just enough to pull out his cock, hard and flushed and desperate to be touched. He didn't bother to contain the moan of pleasure as even that slight pressure sent a shock of pleasure through him.

Dabi briefly let go of his cock, spitting on his hand for a makeshift lube before reaching back down and wrapping his hand around himself.

He kept his half-lidded eyes locked with the camera, his mouth dropped slightly open with pleasure as he began to stroke himself. Every little movement felt so good, every sensation amplified by his high. He bites down on his lip as he pulls one of his nipple rings, making the nipple contract and harden. It sends a tingling rush down his chest. He rolls his hips up, stroking himself faster.

"Ngh… Fuck..."

Dabi takes his time, pumping his hand up and down, letting his fingers roll over his piercings. He didn't bother to suppress a single little whimper or moan, letting the lewd sounds fill the silence. Minutes that feel like hours pass as Dabi brings himself closer and closer to the edge, his other hand gripped around the edge of Hawks' jacket. He cries out as he cums, his eyes closing and flashes of pleasure decorating his vision; rocking forward as he paints his abs with lines of cum.

He strokes every last drop out, finally re-opening his eyes and looking back at the camera.

“If you want the rest of your prize, Hawks,” He purred, enjoying the lingering haze of his orgasm, “meet me at the Kakuyasu Hoteru on Friday Night. Room 15B. 10pm.”

*****If you enjoyed the scene, check out this sexy video collab by the amazing @Touya_Rentadom on twitter! If you like it, definitely hit that follow button and check out all of his delicious content (this link is very NSFW, and is 18+ content)
Click Here!

* * * * * *
Shouto POV

Shouto is exhausted by the time he makes it home on Saturday night. Geten’s training regime for this week is harsh and has him worn out; and he still had to complete his Saturday night rounds with Mimic. Although it was getting easier to gather up Yakuza funds from the businesses, especially as some of the business owners are beginning to accept and recognize him, this new responsibility was still draining. Especially tonight. He had some asshole that owned a tattoo studio in the slums try to play a fast one on him, claiming that Overhaul had already visited personally and been given his money. Apparently, he didn’t realize how close Fenikkusu was to Overhaul, and all it took was one simple text from Shouto to determine that his story was a lie. Fixing the problem took one quick call to Rappa, and an hour later the asshole was begging to pay Shouto, through a bloody lip, two black eyes, and possibly a shattered cheekbone.. Shouto was trying hard not to think too much about the guy's condition when they left. Physically, it had been easy. But mentally, and emotionally, Shouto was still trying to adjust to the brutality that came with being a member of the gang.

Honestly, his role in the Yakuza was mentally challenging even on the best days. Yes, he was beginning to get a taste of the power that Kai had told him would come when Shouto stood by his side. But he didn't feel like he was really helping the community the way he wanted to when he made the decision to give himself to Kai. He could only hope that he could make a bigger difference once he is done with his training.

By the time he finally got back to the apartment, it was late and things were quiet. Kai was fast asleep, lying on the bed, on top of the covers with a book lying open on his chest and his phone on the bed next to him, as if he fell asleep waiting for Shouto to come home. He was in nothing but his boxers, and Shouto allowed himself a moment to appreciate the sight of his boyfriend's mostly naked body. The muscles in his chest and stomach… and that fucking ‘V’ that disappeared under his boxers and made Shouto want to pull his underwear off and explore what it led to… especially with the teasing outline of Kai’s soft cock, barely visible in the dim light of their bedside lamp. Fuck. There were so many days that Shouto wondered how he got so fucking lucky… I mean, look at those fucking thighs! Even Kai’s sleep-mussed hair was sexy as fuck.

Shouto hurried to take a quick shower (Kai preferred him to be clean before coming to bed), but he didn’t bother getting dressed before grabbing the bottle of lube and crawling into bed next to Kai. He carefully took Kai’s phone and the book and set them on their bedside table, making Kai stir sleepily. Not surprising, Kai is a light sleeper.

“Mmm… little fox…” Kai murmured sleepily, one of his arms moving to wrap around Shouto’s torso and pull him up against Kai’s naked chest. Kai’s skin was so warm, especially against Shouto’s right side. It felt good, but Shouto knew he wanted more than cuddling tonight… and he was pretty sure Kai wouldn’t mind something a little more either.

He gave Kai a soft kiss, the faintest hint of morning breath already on his lips. Shouto didn’t care though, deepening the kiss before pulling away. He carefully wriggled out of Kai’s grip and crawled down to push Kai’s boxers down and wrap his lips around Kai’s soft cock. Kai’s body responded quickly as Kai groaned, his cock hardening quickly against Shouto’s tongue. Shouto began to prep himself as he went down on Kai, enjoying the way Kai’s hips thrust up into his mouth as he teased his tongue up and down the bottom of Kai’s cock. He hollowed out his cheeks, continuing to get them both desperate and worked up until he could feel Kai's cock pulsing slightly in his mouth, letting him know the other man was getting close.

Moving quickly, Shouto hurried to lube up Kai's cock. He straddled Kai's waist and lined himself up to sink down onto Kai, drawing a deep moan out of both of them.

Fuck. No matter how prepped he was, Kai stretched him so good that it took his breath away and made everything else fade. Nothing else mattered as he leaned slightly backward to enjoy feeling Kai's cock push deep into his body, slowly rolling his hips. Kai's hands came up to grab his waist, groaning as his fingers dug into Shouto's muscles. Shouto could feel Kai's legs adjust under him so that Kai could thrust up into him as Shouto rode him.

Shouto closed his eyes, letting his head fall back as he focused on the feeling of Kai's cock rubbing over his prostate, sending shocks of pleasure through him.

"Mmmm, Kai…" Shouto moaned as he rocked back onto Kai.

Kai growled, and suddenly everything shifted as Kai pulled out and flipped their positions so that Shouto landed on his back against the soft pillows. Shoutos eyes widened with surprise as they met Kai's, a dark burnished gold in the dim light. Kai's arms caged Shouto against the bed as Kai slid back inside of him.

Then Kai kissed him as he began to move, setting a slow, sensual pace that accentuated every inch as Kai moved in and out of him. Combined with the heady rush of Kai's kiss, wanton and covenous; so voracious that Shouto felt like he could get lost in the wave of Kai's passion as they moved together.

Then Kai's hand moved down between them, his long, warm fingers wrapping around Shouto's cock, and sending a jolt of pleasure through Shouto. His body trembled and convulsed underneath Kai; moans of pleasure half-lost in Kai's mouth as each stroke, each thrust, brought him closer and closer to climax.

Kai shifted his hips, moving faster. Within seconds, Shouto was crying out as he came, spilling all over Kai's hand and his own stomach. Kai continued to fuck him through it, causing shivers of over-sensitive pleasure to roll through him as Shouto clung to him, repeating Kai's name again and again in a post-orgasmic trance until Kai moaned, his cum-covered hand digging into Shouto's side as he came.

Kai's forehead rested against Shouto, and Shouto could feel the sheen of sweat on his skin as they lay there for a moment, Kai's body convulsing through the last pulses of his orgasm.

When Kai finally pulled out and rolled away, Shouto's muscles felt like jelly. Kai brought in a cloth to gently clean him up, coaxing him back into the hot waters of the shower and practically holding him up as he washed him off.

But the scent of their body wash was intoxicating, and by the time they were back in bed, Shouto was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillows, his back cuddled up against Kai's naked chest, one of Kai's arms wrapped comfortingly around him.

* * * * * *
Dabi POV

Dabi shows up at 8:10am (tired as fuck, but more put together than at the last training session). He had actually arrived at 7:58am, but purposefully waited to enter just to spite the other man, who had ordered him to arrive at 8. This whole thing was probably some stupid power play on ice man's part - and he refused to give him the satisfaction of following exact orders. After all, they were technically equals in Shouto's training, whether Geten liked it or not.

Dabi parked his bike off in the trees, riding the elevator down, and walking back to the same training area as before. This time, Geten was waiting for him almost by the entrance, in a skin-tight grey training suit that Dabi would never admit to approving of. Dabi loathed this fucking asshole, but there was no denying that he was fucking beautiful, and today's training suit definitely seemed made to draw attention to all the right places.

Dabi certainly hoped the goal wasn't to try to seduce Shouto. If word got to Kai that Geten desired him… well, the man may not survive long enough for the third training session.

"I'm here," Dabi called out, shoving his hands into the pocket of his jacket to fish around for his cigarettes. He had a feeling he was going to need one for this particular conversation. "What the fuck do you want to talk about?"

"Well, you can almost follow basic instructions... I was beginning to think you were incapable of doing even that." Geten sneered.

God, this guy was such an asshole.

"You'd be surprised what I can get done when I'm properly motivated." Dabi quipped, not bothering to hide the fact that he was still appreciating the way Geten's body looked in that training suit. He tapped his cigarette pack against his palm a few times before opening it up to pull one out.

Geten's lip curled in disgust as he watched Dabi shove the pack back into his pocket, using his quirk to light up.

"A simpleton like yourself would be driven by your baser instincts, wouldn't you?" The man replied, putting his hands on his waist in a way that drew Dabi's attention back downward. "How. Disappointingly. Predictable."

"Says the asshole who wanted me all to himself for a whole hour." Dabi smirked as he met Geten's disapproving gaze. "So... what was it you wanted to work out?" Dabi purposefully drew out the last two words in a slow, sultry drawl; meeting Geten's eyes and licking his lips suggestively as he flicked the ash off his cigarette.

Geten didn't reply for a moment, unblinking, appraising Dabi, the lingering disgust obvious on his face. Dabi smoked, feeling impatient with the fucking games but refusing to let it show. After a minute, Geten's face changed; his features smoothing out and his eyes gleaming with a flash of something darker.

Geten took a step forward, reaching out and taking Dabi's cigarette. He brought it to his lips, inhaling deeply and blowing the smoke out directly in Dabi's face. Then he put a hand on Dabi's shoulder. He dug his fingers into a nerve at the junction of Dabi's shoulder and neck, and used it to push Dabi down into a kneeling position, his face lined up with Geten's cock. Dabi felt the beginning pulses of desire in the bottom of his balls at the sight of the bulge in Geten's sinfully tight training suit.

"Why don't we see if you can figure it out from down there… unless you're an all bark, no bite kind-of guy."

Geten's grip tightened painfully to emphasize his words. Dabi glared at Geten, refusing to acknowledge the pain or fight against it, which seemed to please Geten.

Dabi licked his lips once more. He could see the beginning of an erection straining at the front of those tight gray pants. Geten could say whatever he wanted... acting all high and mighty. But he wouldn't be getting hard right now if he wasn't at least a little interested in fucking Dabi.

He wanted to see if Dabi could bite… well, Dabi could fucking bite until the man was begging to blow his load down Dabi's throat.

Geten moved his hand from Dabi's shoulder to make a fist in his hair, using it to shove his face up against his growing erection.

"I think I like you better this way already," Geten smirked as he yanked Dabi's hair, forcing him to crane his neck and look up into his crystalline eyes. "Now put your hands behind your back, and let's see if you can't find a better use for that mouth besides spewing bullshit."

So the shorter man liked being in control. Dabi could work with that. He was used to that. In fact, he really fucking liked it, and if he played his cards right, he might be able to talk the asshole into fucking him before Shouto got here.

Dabi put both hands behind his back. He used the left to grasp his right wrist and his right to grasp his left wrist.

"Yes sir," He breathed, sticking his tongue out to trace a wet line up Geten's clothed cock as he maintained eye contact with the other man's almost glowing irises.

The grip on Dabi's hair tightened before he was released.

"Good boy," Geten growled. The man reached up behind his back, unzipping his suit and peeling it off his arms and chest, and pushing it down to his thighs. Geten was thin and pale, and for a moment, he looked so much like Shigaraki used to look that a wave of nostalgia and need swept over Dabi. He pushed the feeling away - he tried to think about Shigaraki as little as possible - and focused on Geten's cock instead. The man was clearly aroused, his cock flushed red, long, and sticking straight out toward him.

Dabi leaned forward, allowing Geten's cock to graze against his cheek as he starts by licking a hot stripe over Geten's balls. He sucks one into his mouth, tracing and teasing it with his tongue, enjoying the muffled moans that it seemed to draw from Geten. He moved to the other, rolling his tongue over it.

Geten's hand wrapped back into his hair, gripping painfully hard and holding Dabi's head in place as he shifted his cock to push it between Dabi's lips.

"Fuck…." Geten moaned, the head of his cock wet with salty pre-cum as he pushed it into Dabi's throat. "You're mouth is so fucking hot…"

Geten held Dabi's head in place, slowly thrusting all the way into Dabi's throat until Dabi was practically choking before pulling out just long enough for Dabi to get a half-breath before pushing back in. Dabi let his mouth be used, focusing instead on using his tongue to please the other man as he fucked his mouth. It was sexy as hell, and Dabi could feel his erection straining against his training suit and throbbing with pleasure each time Geten's cock pushed into his throat. The lack of oxygen was numbing and it made him feel heady and high as the blowjob continued.

Dabi clenched his hands behind his back, his hips instinctively rutting forward, desperate for any type of friction.

"Ngh…" Geten moaned, his bright eyes darkening as he watched his cock disappear between Dabi's lips. "If I… didn't… fuck… know any… better… I would think… shit, mmm, mmm… that you… like… being used." Geten began to move faster, the words going straight to Dabi's cock. He mumbled incoherently, drool beginning to drip down his chin.

The hand in his hair tightened painfully as Geten mumbled a string of insults and half-coherent praises.

Dabi could feel a haze beginning to take over as he struggled to catch his breath through the new pace. He could feel his muscles getting weaker, and he was certain his face was probably red, cheeks streaked with tears from having his throat fucked.

Then finally, right before he felt as if he might pass out, Geten pulled out. The hand in Dabi's hair kept him in place as Geten jerked himself off, spraying ropes of cum all over Dabi's face and mouth as he gasped pathetically for air. Once he was finished, Geten wiped the last smear of cum off the tip of his cock onto Dabi's cheek before letting go of his hair. Dabi collapsed to his hands and knees, coughing.

When he glanced up, Geten had already redressed and was zipping up his training suit.

So much for getting fucked…

Dabi pushed the disappointment down as he glanced around for something to wipe off his face with. Of course the bastard would make a huge, dripping mess when they were in the middle of a training zone that had exactly zero places to get cleaned up.

His cock was throbbing, and he was certain he was going to end up with blue balls.

"I'm guessing there isn't much chance of you returning the favor," he gasped, his voice rough and fucked out. He finally gave up trying to find something, using his hand to try to wipe the cum off his face and onto the ground.

"Maybe if you had actually shown up on time…" Geten replied, watching as Dabi attempted to clean himself off.

"An orgasm doesn't make you any more user friendly. Noted." Dabi quipped sarcastically, already feeling the slight ache starting in the bottom of his balls.

"If you want user-friendly, you're going to have to show me you deserve it," the asshole replied. "Because so far the most useful thing you have contributed to this training is a bit of stress relief before we started."

Dabi sneered at him, giving up on the half-dried jizz that was covering his cheek and mouth.

He really hated this dick.

Dabi pushed himself up to stand. He held out his hand.

"Will you at least give me a fucking chunk of ice to try to clean up before Shouto arrives, you fucking asshole," Dabi asked.

Geten stared at him, unmoving.

Fuck it. Dabi started toward the lake at the back of the training ground.

"You should keep it, let Shouto see what I did to you. He is more powerful when he is angry."

Dabi was taken off guard by the words… there was no reason he should know that there was anything more than a brotherly love between them. But he would be damned before he would confirm the asshole's suspicions. So instead he put up his middle finger, flipping Geten off as he walked away.

He made it out to the lake, washing up and heading back over. He was gone a minute, waiting out his fucking bluebells without that asshole around to witness it. He expected Shouto to be there when he got back, so he was surprised to see Geten still waiting, typing out something on his phone.

"It would appear your brother has taken after you in at least one regard," Geten said sarcastically, not even looking up at him as he spoke.

Dabi ignored him, fishing out another cigarette and lighting up. He pulled out his phone. 9:10am. No messages from Shouto. Dabi sent out a quick text to make sure he was alright, before tucking the phone back away.

“So once Shouto gets here, I was thinking-” Dabi began, but Geten quickly cut him off.

“Shut up,” Geten began, glaring at him over his phone. “You shouldn’t get ahead of yourself. I already have today’s session planned out… even the pieces that you will be showing him.”

“Like I am going to fucking listen to you,” Dabi retorted, taking a deep hit.

Geten put his phone down, walking over to Dabi. The moment he was in front of Dabi, he reached out and grabbed Dabi’s dick through the front of his training suit, squeezing it harshly and yanking him forward. Dabi cursed, dropping his cigarette, the lingering discomfort from his blueballs blossoming into actual pain.

“You want to be fucked, is that it?” Geten sneered directly into his face. “Then you will do everyone a favor and shut your pretty mouth the fuck up. I don’t give a fuck what Okimoto or Overhaul has told you about these training sessions, but I am the one in charge. I have everything planned out for Shouto to have optimal success with only three sessions, and I refuse to allow you the opportunity to fuck that up. So you will sit when I tell you to sit. And jump when I tell you to jump. And teach what I tell you to teach. If you do all that, then I might consider rewarding you for being such an obedient bitch.”

Dabi whimpered, the grip around his cock was so tight it was painful.

Geten squeezed once more before letting go, and Dabi hunched over, cupping his junk gently.

Before he could reply, though, Shouto’s voice rang out in the distance.

“I’m here!” Shouto yelled. Dabi turned to see his brother in the doorway, running toward them. Shit. He closed his eyes, willing the pain away as he moved his hands and attempted to stand up straight. As if he was just going to let Geten be in charge… not that he wanted to continue that argument in front of Shouto.

“Fuck you, Geten,” he said curtly, hoping that alone would get his point across.

“Follow my lead, Dabi, and you may get to.”

Chapter Text

Shouto POV

The morning had been such a mess. He had forgotten that Dabi and Geten were meeting up early (which really was probably a terrible idea). But because of said meeting, Dabi wouldn't be driving him to the training. By the time he realized that, though, trying to take the bus would’ve ended up with him arriving almost an hour late to the training! So he had ended up on the phone with Kai, convincing him to let Shouto borrow Xaoi Fe to drive him up. But even Xaoi Fe had taken time to pick him up. And the only thing worse than Dabi and Geten having an hour alone to try to kill eachother, was to give them even longer alone… with the added irritation of him being late!

Dammit!

So as soon as he arrived at the training grounds, he rushed impatiently to the elevator and then took off running the moment the elevator doors opened, sprinting down the long hall to the last training room.

"I'm here!" Shouto shouted, slightly breathless, as he entered the training area. He had no idea if Dabi and Geten would even be close enough to hear… he just hoped that they hadn't ended up at each other's throats.

He was surprised, though, to see them almost right at the front. They were standing close together, Dabi hunched over and Geten glaring at him. Dabi turned at his call, though. He straightened up. He had an unreadable expression on his face, but he didn't look hurt. Neither did Geten. Which was, honestly, a big relief.

"I'm here," he repeated as he got closer. Something had definitely happened before he got here. The tension between them was thick enough you could cut it with a knife.

"You're late." Geten greeted him, the words cold and blunt.

"I'm really sorry," Shouto blurted out, trying to catch his breath from the run. "I forgot-"

"Stop," Geten cut him off. "I don't want to hear any excuses." He pinched the bridge of his nose, exceedingly irritated already… which definitely told Shouto that he and Dabi had probably already argued before he even arrived. "This might be the most valuable thing I can teach you… but I don't care. I don't care why you're late. Nobody cares. Anyone who pretends otherwise is either being paid to pretend they care or they just want something from you. Probably both, in your case. You were born with a golden, jeweled spoon stuffed into your mouth. And going straight from daddy to a sugar daddy… you have no idea what the real world is like."

Shouto scowled. He was only fifteen minutes late! Who in the hell did Geten think he was to judge him so cruelly? He knew nothing about Shouto!

"I know exactly what the real world is like. I have seen the corruption firsthand… I know how shitty people are! I was abused, taken advantage of… I was falsely accused of rape, I went to jail! I have a fucking job in the Yakuza. Don't speak to me like I'm a child." Shouto was so angry that he wanted to punch Geten. After working his ass off all week to impress him, the man was completely dishonoring him.

"You are a child!" Geten snapped back, just as quickly. "I doubt you are even twenty yet. So daddy hit you. 15% of children around the world have been abused by a parent… if not more. Shigaraki raped you. 25% of people around the world have been sexually abused… and that's only reported sexual abuse, so I can fucking guarantee you that there are more! You were arrested, but you spent three weeks in the best detention center in Japan, and probably had visitors every fucking day. The Yakuza got you off Scott free, and the only reason you have a place in the underground at all is because you are fucking one of the most ruthless crime lord's in the city. So yeah, you have no idea what it means to make a name for yourself. Not yet."

Shouto was seeing red. He couldn't believe someone would actually say that… directly to his face!

"And I thought Shigaraki was a callous asshole," Dabi piped up. His voice was rough, really rough. Like he got punched directly in the throat or…

He glanced suspiciously back and forth between the two. There was no way that happened.

"Yes, I am callous. But I'm also realistic, and unlike either of you, I wasn't born into privilege and wealth. Everything I have, I earned. And opportunities... they didn't just fall into my lap. I had to search them out, work my ass off to get a chance, and then work even harder to prove I was worthy. I didn't start off a member of the MLA. I didn't start off creating beasts such as Kori Ni Yoru Shi. And when I messed up… when things were hard for me… when I was at my very fucking lowest… nobody cared. I could have starved to death on the streets, and nobody would have thought twice about the loss. That is how the real world works. So if you really want to prove yourself, then stop making excuses and show me what you're capable of."

"So what?" Shouto challenged him. "You just want me to pretend like none of that happened? Forget that I was beaten? Or raped? That's a lot easier said than done."

"You aren't hearing what I'm saying, Shouto," Geten replied coolly. "I didn't tell you to forget. I told you that everyone else already has. If you went to a magazine today and offered to describe your abuse at the hands of your father in detail, they would likely turn you away. It's old news, and nobody cares anymore. But you… you will always care. You will always remember. Instead of allowing it to be a weakness, or an excuse, you need to use it as motivation! You want your father to pay for the times he hurt you? Then make him pay. Get stronger, more powerful. You want to punish Shigaraki for raping you… improve your quirk until it's stronger than his. Then crush him like a bug under your damn shoe. You want to show the underground that you belong here? That you're not just some tight ass that Overhaul takes to his bed every night… then show them. Power is the best language you can speak. It's the only language you can speak that's going to make a fucking difference in your life. And if you really want it, you will stop making excuses. No more 'I'm sorry' or 'I forgot' or 'my quirk isn't made for that'. Take control of your life, Shouto. Either step up, or stop wasting everyone's time."

Shouto was taken aback. No one had ever talked to him like that. The words were cruel, yes... but he could see now they were not without purpose.

Dabi's words from last week came to Shouto as he processed what Geten had just said.

Geten is an asshole.

Dabi wasn't wrong.

Geten had made his point. Shouto's pride felt it too. He wanted to tell Geten that of course he wanted those things, that he has been trying to get stronger! Instead he schooled his expression. Just like he had done so many times when his father was being an asshole, he set his jaw and kept his mouth shut. Geten didn't want excuses, he wanted results... fine, Shouto would give the cold bastard results. If power was the language he needed to speak, then that is what Shouto would speak.

Shouto let both sides of his quirk rush through him, releasing it into a huge wave of both aimed directly at Geten. The immediate clash of ice and fire resulted in a huge rush of steam, explosively billowing out in all directions. Shouto could immediately see a burst of blue flame in the haze, hear the crackling of ice. He dropped to a crouch, putting his right hand on the ground and sending out waves of ice like pillars around him.

"Shouto!" He heard Dabi yell out his name. He knew he wasn't supposed to attack his trainers, but he couldn't stop it. Releasing his ice… even his fire… it felt cathartic. A way to release the anger that Geten's words had brought to the surface; re-opening old wounds and insecurities.

The sound of ice shattering and cracking filled the air around them. The dance of ice and fire between their three quirks quickly encompassed the space around them. Steam laying like a heavy fog, bursts of both blue and orange fire as Dabi countered his walls of ice and Shouto used his fire to try and hold Geten at bay. But the two were so strong that they were slowly closing in on him, despite the tremendous waves of his quirk that he was using.

It was frustrating!

Then suddenly, Dabi popped up behind him in the fog, catching him off guard and sweeping his legs out from underneath him. He caught himself as a burst of blue flame hid Dabi from view. Shouto sent up a wall on that side to block any more surprise attacks from his brother. Just as he did, a sharp shard of ice hit the back of his shoulder from the other side. It was followed immediately by another shard that barely missed his arm and a third one that caught him in the hip. They were sharp, and they hit him hard. He spun around, putting up a shield to block anymore, only to find himself staring up at a literal sea of ice shards hovering above him.

It was his own ice! Just like last time! Broken apart and used against him!

Fuck. He hated fighting Geten.

Shards began to rain down on him, thudding roughly into the shield of ice he was holding up. He tried to put his left hand out to send a burst of flames against the onslaught, only to be struck in the hand. He cursed, quickly pulling it back under the shield. It had cut his palm open, and bright red blood was gushing from the wound.

He gritted his teeth against the pain, using his right side to thicken the shield, which was beginning to crack and weaken under the shards. Shards were piling up around him, beginning to cage him in. He picked up a shard of ice near him, struggling to start cutting a section of his sleeve off to wrap over the wound.

A noise behind him caught his attention. He turned just in time to see Dabi jump down from the wall of ice, landing in a crouch behind him. He looked up, grinning wildly at Shouto as he put his hands up and a huge burst of blue flame enveloped both of them. Hot enough to melt his ice shield, and many of the shards. Water rained down around them, and fresh steam burst around them as the two elements clashed.

Shouto put up his arms to launch another wave of ice at his brother. Before he could, though, he felt the sharp pressure of a knife up against his throat.

A second later, he felt Geten's cold hand on his shoulder as Geten leaned down and spoke lowly in his ear.

"You have a lot of potential, Shouto" Geten said, his breath cool on Shouto's skin, "but you are still no match for us. Admit defeat. Accept that you have a lot to learn, and that you are going to have to work harder than you ever have before to succeed. If you are ready to do that, we can stop wasting time and get started with your training today."

Shouto let his arms drop, knowing he had lost. It frustrated him, though. He shared quirks with both of them. He should be able to fight… have a fair chance of winning! But as Geten lifted the knife away from his neck, and Shouto saw that it was created of ice and not steel, he knew he had to try harder.

Geten was right.

It didn't matter how hard he had tried already, or how tired he was, he still had so much left to learn.

He had to keep going. Until he could defeat Dabi, or Geten. Until he could defeat his father. Until he could defeat Shigaraki.

He wanted to be the best when he was at UA. He was determined to take Endeavor's place at the top. He could still be the best… but he couldn't afford to hold back anymore. UA had never provided as personalized training as the Yakuza had offered him. Which meant there was no better time or place to achieve his dream than right now.

He just had to swallow his pride and admit that he wasn't as strong as he wanted to believe.

Dabi stepped up beside them, watching as Shouto stood up and turned to face Geten. He closed his fist tightly around his palm, trying to slow the flow of blood that was dripping down his wrist and soaking into his training suit.

"I'm ready. I have a long way to go, but I want to be stronger. I am ready for you to teach me. Geten-senpai." He bowed slightly toward Geten as he spoke, forcing himself not to wince at the pain in his shoulder from the ice shard hitting him. He turned toward his brother. "Dabi-senpai." He bowed slightly again.

"Senpai, eh?" Dabi grinned, winking at him. "I could get used to the sound of that."

"You have ten minutes to get your hand wrapped and check for additional injuries," Geten instructed, frowning down at his training suit, damp and clinging to him from the steam around them. "After that, we need to get started. We have a long day ahead of us."

Shouto had to rush to the elevator and back to retrieve the first aid kit the Yakuza had stashed there. He was able to get his hand cleaned up and disinfected, but still had to sacrifice half a sleeve to use as a wrap for his wound; anything else would be burned up the moment he activated his quirk. Otherwise, he was alright. He was definitely going to have a few bumps and bruises, and his shoulder was quite sore, but he knew that Kai would fix everything once he got home tonight.

Dabi watched him work, taking a quick smoke break as he did, and only stepping in twice to help when Shouto ‘wasn’t disinfecting it correctly’ (It was fine - seriously you just pour the disinfectant on it, how hard could it be?).

Finally, they were back to work. Geten started off by having Shouto go over what he has been able to accomplish over the past week. Shouto was proud to be able to say that he followed Geten’s training regime to the letter, even though it was exhausting with everything else he had on his plate. Then he grabbed his backpack, pulling out the childrens blocks and demonstrating the shapes he was able to create. They were still a little chunky, but they were so much better than those first few attempts that Kai helped him through. He could now create six distinct, and recognizable, shapes with his ice. Geten was, surprisingly, quiet as he watched Shouto; his attention completely focused on his right hand and the use of his quirk. But his face was completely stoic, and as far as Shouto could tell, he was neither impressed or unimpressed with Shouto’s progress over the past week.

Not exactly the reaction that Shouto was hoping for, not after how damn hard he had worked to create these shapes. Trying to focus in to produce his ice in only one tiny part of his right side was counterintuitive to everything that Endeavor had taught him. But he had still accomplished it, and had definitely hoped for more of a reaction in response. But at least Geten wasn’t unhappy, and at least there wasn’t another lecture in response.

After that, they began a repetition-style training that had Shouto alternating his ice and fire. First Geten would demonstrate a move, then Shouto would try to mimic it. After that, Dabi would do the same. Then, once Shouto had both moves down, he had to try to recreate them at the same time, utilizing both his ice and fire together. The moves were simple, in theory; but just like the shapes of ice he had learned to create, they were much more detailed and focused than the elemental waves he was used to creating. A single inch-long ring of ice created at the top of his shoulder and rolled down his arm, followed by a small flame that would travel in a straight line up and down the inside of his arm. It wasn’t easy to mimic the single moves; and felt nearly impossible to try to combine both together. Geten and Dabi both chimed in with suggestions on technique and style, but as neither of their quirks were exactly like Shouto’s, only some of the suggestions were truly useful.

After almost two hours of struggling through seven combinations (one for Shouto to practice each day between now and their final training session), Geten finally called for a short break. Shouto collapsed on the ground, desperately wishing that they were done for the day. Both of his arms were tingling from the constant use of his quirk, and he was just emotionally exhausted.

“Mastering the nuances of your quirks is essential if you want to improve,” Geten commented, as he came back from outside of the training grounds and saw Shouto on the ground. He had a large duffel bag slung over his shoulder, which he set down next to Shouto. He fished out a bottle of water and a protein bar for each of them (even for Dabi, which surprised Shouto). “Any elemental meta-ability user can release uncontrolled waves of their ability; improvement comes with your ability to control your elements, no matter how large or small of an amount you are trying to use. And what will set you, Fenikkusu, apart from the rest, will be your ability to do so with both of your meta-abilities synchronistically.”

Shouto nodded. It made sense, he knew it did. But it didn't make the process of learning any easier.

They ate in relative silence after that, although Shouto didn't miss the way his brother kept frowning at Geten. Or the way Dabi seemed particularly focused on Geten's body… despite Geten completely ignoring Dabi. He was quite suspicious that something may have happened between the two of them after all, no matter how impossible that seemed.

Shouto didn't like it, not even a little bit. He didn't think there was anything good that would come of it. But it was also none of his business, as much as he hated to admit it. Dabi slept with whoever Dabi wanted to sleep with, with little thought to the consequences of doing so.

So he tried to push the thought away, hoping he was wrong in his suspicions.

Once they had finished eating, Geten once again dug into the duffel bag and began to pull out weapons, one at a time, laying them in front of Shouto. The first one was a dagger with a thigh harness, the second was a short sword with a scabbard and harness, the third was a coiled whip attached to a belt.

"Amongst the underground of the city, it's already well-known that you have ties to Overhaul and the Yakuza. It is only a matter of time before those rumors are heard by the heroes and the police. Until then, however, Okimito-san has explicitly asked that your identity be kept private for as long as possible. Which means that despite the work we are putting into teaching you how to master your dual-nature, you will be forced to choose one element or the other until Okimoto approves otherwise." Geten explained, a clear note of frustration in his voice. "I, personally, disagree. The Grand Commander would never ask a man to limit himself so-"

"Well, I guess it's a damn good thing that your Grand Commander isn't in charge of my brother's training!" Dabi interrupted him. "Endeavor would see his successor dead before he would see him as a villain. And with his connections to me, you can be sure that our number one hero is keeping a diligent eye out for any sign that Shouto has turned to a darker path."

"As I was saying," Geten said, each word loud and blunt, completely ignoring Dabi's interruption. "Your master places you at a distinct disadvantage. To help correct that, I have worked with Overhaul to obtain weapons that you can use alongside either one of your meta-abilities, until such time that your mastery of your meta-abilities makes you more lethal than the weapons themselves."

"I don't need weapons," Shouto argued. His quirk was more than enough. "I can protect myself. I'm not a hitman, I don't need to be lethal.

"If you really want to beat Kai, fight to kill." Okimoto's words came back to him, but he pushed them away. He didn't join the Yakuza to become a murderer. He didn't want any more blood on his hands.

Geten stared for a moment. He leaned forward, over the weapons, reaching out and touching Shouto's cheek. Shouto stilled, even as Dabi leaned forward protectively. Geten's hand was cold as he traced a line down Shouto's cheek and a thumb over his bottom lip.

Was this a test?

Shouto had no idea how Geten was expecting him to react to such a blatant invasion of his privacy.

"Geten…" Dabi growled out a warning.

Finally, Geten sat back, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I can see it now," he said, and Shouto wasn't even sure who he was talking to. "Why so many desire you. You have a naive, innocent nature. Even after everything that has happened, you have a purity to you that would entice anyone. And Overhaul desired you so fiercely that he never told you what your life would be like at his side, did he? He never gave you a choice, or a chance to say no. Did he?"

Shouto searched Geten's face, trying to determine the truth in his words. Shouto did have a choice.

He chose Kai.

"I would be careful of your words, Geten," Dabi tried again, a second warning. "You walk a fine line."

"But doesn't he deserve to know?" Geten mused, his eyes never leaving Shouto's face.

"What are you talking about?" Shouto asked, frustrated that they were talking about him as if he wasn't even there. "What do I deserve to know?"

"You are going to spend the rest of your life always looking over your shoulder. Your connection to Endeavor, the number one hero, makes you a target. Your connection to UA makes you a target. Your connection to Dabi makes you a target. Your connection to the Yakuza makes you a target. But your connection to Overhaul…" Geten shook his head once more. "You have no idea how many enemies Overhaul has. You have no idea why people are so afraid of him. He has no weakness… no connection to anyone or anything that is so strong that it could be used against him… until you came along. People are going to come for you, and a small wave of ice or fire is not going to be enough. Your life is going to depend on your ability to become as lethal as possible… more lethal than Overhaul's enemies. Even Overhaul knows it, otherwise he would never have paid so high a cost to outfit you with not just one, but three Xyanthium weapons. It would be cheaper to have someone killed than it would be to purchase even one of these three weapons."

Shouto stared, searching Geten's face for sincerity, for the truth in his words. Of course Kai was dangerous. Of course he had enemies… but surely Geten was exaggerating.

Shouto glanced over at Dabi, who was frowning at the weapons on the ground.

"Is it true?" Shouto asked his brother. "And I don't want you to lie and try to protect me. I know Overhaul is dangerous, but is he as dangerous as Geten says? Am I really in so much danger?"

Dabi glared briefly at Geten, before finally meeting Shouto's eye.

"You are the only person that Kai cares about… like, really cares about. The only one that someone could use to try to manipulate Kai. People are going to come after you. They are going to try to hurt you. You need to be able to protect yourself, and that might mean having to kill someone else in order to stop them from killing you."

Shouto stared at him for a moment, absorbing his words. He trusted Dabi. He hated the idea that anyone would want to hurt Kai so badly that they would come after him, but that had happened to him already. Shigaraki raped him to hurt Dabi. Why did it still surprise him that someone would do the same to Kai…

"And these…" Shouto motioned at the array of weapons in front of him. The idea of wearing them, of knowing that they were made specifically for him… it made him sick. "These are made to work with my quirks?"

"Exactly," Geten replied. "An elemental meta-ability is very hard on clothing and metal. Xyanthium is a very hard to find brand that makes weapons specifically created to withstand elemental abilities. The metal will not break or crack, and the fabric will not either. Even the whip can withstand your fire or ice to give it an extra edge when used in battle. Dabi and I will take turns demonstrating, then we can try everything on to ensure they need no final adjustments."

Geten chose the dagger first, covering it with ice in multiple patterns. He used the soft dirt to demonstrate the different wounds each style created based on the thickness and length of the ice. After that, Dabi showed off a few moves with fire around the dagger… including how much easier the hot metal sliced through flesh, much to Shouto's dismay. He knew Kai could heal them, but he could have just explained it.

After that, they demonstrated both the sword and the whip. All three weapons were going to take training and practice, as he wasn't used to fighting with any. After that, they had him try everything on, showing him how to connect everything and adjust the straps on his harnesses. Dabi seemed to be particularly thorough in that task, especially with the harness on his thigh.

Once he had it all on, though, it felt foreign and wrong. He couldn't imagine getting used to wearing all of these under his costume.

After that, Geten made him produce a small, but constant stream of both ice and fire. For as long as he could without causing injury to himself. It was tedious and boring, all the while watching Dabi smoke and listening to Geten lecture him about 'how he had seen more than one fight be determined simply by who could use their meta-ability for longer'.

Finally, almost two hours after they were supposed to be done, Geten ended their session.

"Just like last week, I will submit your new training to Okimoto tonight, and I expect it to be followed exactly as written. You will want to start early this week, as it will require more in order to prepare you for next week."

More?!!

Last week had been exhausting! And he wanted more?

Shouto nodded, working to keep his face impassive and neutral, but internally he was frustrated.

But he wanted to improve. If this is what it took, he would grit his teeth and deal with it.

"Additionally, I want you to begin practicing both perfecting the shapes you are creating with the blocks, as well as beginning to practice creating those same shapes without the blocks to guide you. Any questions?"

"No sensei," Shouto answered. That assignment he expected. The blocks were training wheels; he couldn't use them forever. He just hoped that he could accomplish as much as Geten wanted him too.

"Good," Geten nodded. "Then I will plan to see you next Monday at 9 am." He began to gather up his duffel onto his shoulder, but stopped almost mid-motion and looked at Shouto seriously. "If you are not here by 9 next Monday, then there will be no training. Work hard this week, arrive on time with no excuses, and prove to me that you deserve this opportunity."

Shouto bowed.

"Yes sensei," he repeated, ignoring the exaggerated snort that came from Dabi.

He did deserve this, dammit. And come hell or high water, he would prove it.

* * * * * *
Dabi POV

Dabi waited in room 15D, across the hall from 15B. He wanted to be certain that Hawks hadn't brought anyone else with him before he revealed his true location. It probably wasn't necessary at this point, but he couldn't afford to take any risks. He was good at hiding for a reason, and he wasn't about to risk ending up back in prison for a quick fuck.

He had gotten shit for sleep the night before (what else was new?), and he hadn't been eating much the past few days. He was amped up on energy drinks instead, and had been chain-smoking almost non-stop since yesterday night when Kai told him he needed to get his shit together before the fucking Shibari party this weekend. He was shifting back and forth from one foot to the other, bopping his head to some imaginary tune as he smoked, and hoping that Hawks would hurry the fuck up! He had been through the worst of his come-down last night… the chills and the shaking, the vomiting, and the horrible sense of impending dread and depression as you come back to reality and have to face all the shit that made you start to shoot up in the first place. But he could still feel his heart racing, every part of himself twitching and fidgeting. He could feel the fresh track marks in his right arm burning with the need for him to push the needle back into his skin, to embrace the numbness that came with doing so.

Fuck.

He took short, erratic puffs of his cigarette.

It had been a fucking week. Started off great. But he had come home after the training with Shouto to find a slew of text messages, missed calls, pictures, and even videos from Toga. He didn't know how, but some-fucking-how she had managed to track down his new number. She had begged for him to come back. She had cried and pleaded. She had bribed him, she had even threatened to hunt him down and force him back. She missed him. She missed him so much. She couldn't imagine her life without him. She just needed Dabi back.

And fuck… even after all of the shit that had happened, he missed her too.

Her sniffles and tear streaked face plagued him every time he closed his eyes.

And then there was everything else. Everything she had said about Shigaraki… about him going into a coma, and everything it took to get him back. About the fact that he was worse now than he had ever been… he was dying, and there was nothing they could do to help.

The only one who could cure him was All-For-One.

But Dabi… Dabi could help.

Shigaraki missed Dabi. He needed Dabi. Toga was certain that if Dabi would just come home, then Shigaraki would get better and they could all be happy again. They could take care of eachother again.

And didn't Dabi want to take care of them? Didn't he love them?

And fuck! He did. Shigaraki was a complete asshole, and he had ruined everything. Raping Shouto had literally ruined the life they had built up over the past four years. He hated him for what he did to his brother… but he still fucking loved him. And it was almost too much to know Shigaraki's health was doing so poorly. Not that it was news, he had been struggling for years. But he had never slipped into a coma before. Knowing that he could die anytime, and Dabi would have never had the chance to settle things between the….

It had been too much.

He had tied off his arm and had the needle in it before he even had a chance to think if it was a good idea. Everything after that was a blur. He had kept using because it was easier than coming down. Day after day until Yokubo had stopped by for a quickie, only to find him so fucking high that he had pissed himself and didn't even realize it.

He still didn't remember doing it.

Not his proudest moment.

But she had cleaned him up and forced him to eat something. The next thing he knew, Kai was there. And, oh, was he angry.

Now here Dabi was.

Tweaking like a fucking junkie and counting down the literal seconds before Hawks arrived so that Dabi could tear off his clothes and devour him…

Metaphorically…

Well, mostly metaphorically…

Hawks finally arrived exactly seven minutes and twenty-eight seconds after ten; Dabi watched him knock on the door across the hall. He seemed to be alone, but Dabi waited another minute to be certain before finally opening the door.

When he did, Hawks whirled around, in a panic at getting caught in such a shady place. When he saw Dabi standing in the doorway, tapping his foot impatiently, Hawks walked inside, pushing Dabi in and hurrying to close the door before anyone might walk by and see them together.

"Really?" Hawks hissed, turning around to glare at Dabi. "You couldn't even tell me the real roo-"

Dabi pushed him roughly up against the door, his red wings spreading out in the entryway around them. Dabi put one hand around his throat, the other on the door between his wings, effectively caging him in. He let his hand heat up, almost to the point of his fire creeping across his skin; hot enough that it would burn if Hawks didn't make his decision quickly.

"You're risking everything to fuck me tonight, little birdie," Dabi purred, so close to the hero's face that he wouldn't even have to move an inch to claim his mouth. Hawks winced, gasping slightly as the skin underneath Dabi's fingers began to turn red. "I'm not the little boy you remember… are you sure that you're ready for this? Because if we fuck, there is no going back…"

Hawks gasped as Dabi tightened his hold, allowing small flames to pulse out of his skin. Hawks' long, pale neck was going to be marked with his handprint for days… and that alone was enough to make Dabi get hard. Hard and so fucking ready to fuck that he couldn't stop himself from grinding against Hawks as he waited for the man's answer

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't ready," Hawks managed, between gritted teeth, glaring up into Dabi's eyes. "Now are you planning on choking me out, or are you actually going to fuck me?"

Dabi grinned, meeting the hero's dark-golden eyes, before leaning in to kiss him; hungrily, desperately. Hawks’ mouth opened for him, and he plunged his tongue inside, tasting the lingering essence of peppermint gum on his mouth. It tasted so fucking clean… so pure.

Dabi wanted to corrupt it. To make him taste like cigarettes and booze and the bitter after-taste of Dabi's cum after spilling into his mouth.

They kissed voraciously as Dabi's hand moved from his neck down to his shoulder, digging into the fabric of Hawks' shirt. He reveled in the feeling of Hawks growing hard as Dabi ground against him.

As quickly as the kiss had started, Dabi pulled away.

He removed his hand from the door, bringing it forward to gently… deceivingly… trace it down Hawks’ cheek.

"Don't say that I didn't warn you," Dabi murmured. Then he grabbed Hawks’ arm, dragging him into the room and shoving him down onto the bed. Dabi was right behind him, forcing the hero onto his back and crawling up between his legs, so close that Hawks’ ass was in his lap. The hero was forced to spread his legs and let his knees fall to either side of Dabi's waist. Dabi's cock was pushed up against Hawks' ass, and even through their pants, the weight and pressure on his sex felt so good.

Dabi shrugged off his coat, throwing it blindly back off the bed. Hawks' wings were splayed out behind him, his hands desperately trying to touch Dabi's body… his thighs, his hips, his lower stomach. Anywhere he could reach as Dabi admired the red handprint blossoming over his throat. Hawks started to grind his ass down onto Dabi's cock. Dabi growled hungrily. He shoved the hero's shirt up, then leaned down and bit the lean, smooth skin of his abdomen. He ground his cock against the seat of Hawks’ pants making the hero whimper.

Dabi squeezed Hawks' lean hips possessively before moving his hands to the hero's belt. He slowly unbuckled it, shifting slightly as he worked Hawks’ pants down his thighs, all the while biting and sucking marks on the hero's toned stomach.

Hawks was going to remember tonight for days to come. Dabi was going to make sure of that.

Dabi continued licking, nipping, and sucking hickeys onto Hawks’ stomach until the hero's pants were completely undone and pulled down as far as Dabi could get them without moving. His cock was still pressed flush against a bright red pair of skin tight briefs. Dabi's lips curled in a sadistic smirk, he rocked forward hard, grinding his clothed cock and thighs against those red briefs and bit down on Hawks’ chest with enough force to draw blood.

"Fuck!" Hawks cried out, startled at the pain. He curled his body, pushing Dabi’s face away from his bleeding skin. “That fucking hurt! Are you trying to take a chunk out of me?!"

Dabi looked up, Hawks’ blood on his mouth, a sadistic gleam in his cerulean eyes. He bared his teeth in a grin and licked his lips as he murmured, "And if I am?"

Dabi snaked his hand down between their bodies and started stroking Hawks through his briefs. He licked his lips, enjoying the faint coppery after-taste of Hawks' blood on his mouth, and wrapped his lips around Hawks' nipple. Hawks groaned as Dabi swirled his tongue ring around the budded skin, tugging it between his teeth and sucking hard as he continued to rut against Hawks’ ass.

Hawks’ head fell back against the mattress as he moaned and his fingers threaded into Dabi’s hair.

Dabi could feel a damp spot of pre-cum forming as he stroked Hawks. The sound of the hero whimpering underneath him sent sparks of raw lust pulsing through him as he moved to Hawks’ other nipple, sucking it into his mouth and flicking it with the tip of his tongue. Dabi kept grinding and rocking his cock against Hawks’ ass.

Hawks had his wings curled up partially around them, his legs wrapped around Dabi's waist as he rolled his hips both to meet Dabi’s clothed thrusts and to press up into Dabi’s hand that was still stroking him.

The warmth of their breath fogged the air around them; combined with the scent of Hawks’ arousal, it was heady and intoxicating. Dabi's cock pulsed.

Fuck! He fucking needed to cum!

“Please!” Hawks whined, tugging impatiently at his hair, sounding as desperate as Dabi felt.

Dabi sat up, licking his lips and grinning once more at Hawks. He looked ravished already and they hadn't even started yet; his skin flushed, neck red, lips swollen. Dabi let go of the wet fabric clinging to Hawks' cock and slapped both hands down on the hero's chest, right over top of his sensitive, saliva-slicked nipples… hard. Hawks gasped at the sudden, stinging pain, once again trying to twist away.

Somebody was clearly not used to being handled roughly.

Dabi pushed Hawks’ legs away, unwrapping them from around himself, shifting around to pull Hawks’ boxers and pants the rest of the way off. Then he grabbed those legs from behind the knees, pushed them up to Hawks’ chest, and spread them wide open, exposing Hawks' sex.

"Wait," Hawks mumbled, trying to close his legs as a dark blush began to form over his torso, his cheeks bright pink as he struggled.

Dabi’s eyes raked down his exposed body, coming to a stop right between his spread legs. He tightened his grip on Hawks' thighs and pushed them slightly further apart, leaning forward and spitting into the crack of Hawks' ass. It made the man sputter indignantly, but Dabi could see the way it also made his pretty pink cock twitch against his stomach. It might make him feel dirty… but it definitely turned him on, too.

Dabi continued to hold one leg in place as his other hand moved to undo his own pants, yanking off his studded belt in one smooth motion and undoing the button and fly. He set the belt on the bed beside them, within easy reach. Then he pulled his cock out and started rubbing it between Hawks’ cheeks. He smeared his spit around that cute little twitching hole. He groaned. God! It felt good! His cock had been straining at the front of his pants for too long. It pulsed at the circulation rushing through it, and the prospect of being buried in the tight little ass he was thrusting it against.

Not like this, though. He shifted, aggressively changing their position. Using his grip on the back of Hawks' knee, Dabi rolled Hawks over so the hero was face down with his ass up.

Hawks hesitantly followed his lead, still trying to press his legs together as Dabi pushed his face down and ran his finger up and down the spit-slick crack of Hawks’ ass, teasing the puckered entrance a few times. Hawks was desperately clenching his ass together, his wings flexing down as if half-trying to cover himself; he was clearly still semi-uncomfortable with bottoming, making it harder for Dabi to work his finger inside of him. Dabi spit once more on his ass, using the extra slick to help him work his left thumb inside of the hero.

Dabi was turned on… but he was also fucking irritated. His body still felt like it was burning with need. He didn’t want to top. He wanted to bottom. He wanted Hawks’ fire! His spirit! He wanted Hawks to push him down and punish him for all of the shit he had put everyone through these past few months; to etch himself into Dabi’s flesh so that he could forget about all of the pain Toga’s damn messages had brought to the surface; to fuck him so damn hard that Dabi wouldn’t be able to walk straight. So that he could focus on the physical pain…

But Hawks was just submitting to him. Even with the bites and the burn. He was just letting Dabi take charge.

It just wasn’t going to do.

If Dabi wanted to be fucked the right way… the way he craved to be fucked… well, he was just going to have to inspire that fire inside of the hero.

With his right hand, Dabi picked up the belt. He briefly pulled his thumb out of Hawks’ ass and wrapped the end of his belt twice around his hand. Without warning, he brought the studded side of his belt down straight onto Hawks’ ass.

Hawks yelped, his wings spasming with pain and his body flinching away. Dabi didn't give him time to recover before bringing it down a second, and then a third time on his ass.

"Ouch! What in the fucking hell, Dabi!" Hawks cried out. The belt left burning red welts in his pale skin that Hawks quickly struggled to cover with his hands, even his feathers, covering up the beautiful patterning of welts left behind from the studded belt.

Dabi brought the belt down on the back of his thigh instead, earning another shocked yelp from the hero.

"Fuck! That fucking hurts!" Hawks shifted his marked leg forward. "I thought we were supposed to be fucking! What are you doing?"

Dabi let blue flames envelop his left hand, using them to tickle at the bottom of the feathers Hawks was so desperately using to cover his vulnerable ass, singeing the ends in the process. The moment Hawks yanked his wings away, Dabi hurried to grab his hands and used his belt to tie them up behind his back, shoving his face back down into the pillows.

"Is this too rough for you, Takami?" Dabi purred, massaging the marked skin on Hawks' ass. "Isn't this what you wanted? Sex with a villain... With a criminal... With a murderer" Dabi could go on and on… with an arsonist, a betrayer, a thief, an asshole, a traitor… there was no end to Dabi's many faults.

No wonder he always managed to fuck everything up.

Don't you love us now, Dabi? Don't you care?

Dabi pushed the unwanted thought away, refocusing on Hawks, grabbing his ass cheeks roughly in both hands and pulling them apart.

"It's not like that, Dabi, I came-"

Dabi growled, sliding his thumb back into Hawks’ ass… knowing it was going to burn… knowing there wasn't quite enough spit left to be comfortable. He was starting to feel angry.

Dammit Hawks! Fight back!

"It's exactly like that," Dabi growled, tone bitter, cutting him off as he worked his finger back into him.

God! The inside of his elbow was burning. He could still feel his trackmarks like razor sharp cuts in his skin, begging for more. Begging for him to give in, just one more time.

"You came here for sex with me… you have seen what I've done. What kind of life I've lived. Who has been fucking me for the past four fucking years!" Dabi curled his right hand, digging his fingers into the firm skin of Hawks' ass and scratching lines straight down the belt marks already there. "Did you really think it was going to be the same? Did you think it was going to be gentle? Sweet? This is who I am now! If you don't like it, then stop bitching and take control."

For fucks sake!

Please let him fucking take control. Dabi needed that more than his pride would ever let him admit.

"Is that what you want, Dabi?" Hawks hissed at the stretch as Dabi pulled his thumb out, wet his middle and index finger, and pushed them back into the hero. Hawks groaned and cursed at the pain, feeling anger boil up in response to Dabi's attitude. "You want it rough?… you want me to… fuck!... treat you, ngh… like… like… he used to treat you?"

Shigaraki.

It pissed Hawks off to even think about him... about the fact that he had Dabi for so many years. About the fact that Dabi might still want him. It made an ugly spike of jealousy stab through him.

"Yes," Dabi growled, spanking him roughly for emphasis.

Hawks fought not to flinch, He was angry. He didn't respond, but a second later he dropped onto his stomach, kicking his leg back and sweeping it into Dabi's legs as he flipped onto his stomach, off-balancing Dabi who collapsed onto his side on the bed. There was a blur of red around him as Hawks released his feathers and used them to pin Dabi down onto the bed, the shafts going through the edges of his clothing and burying themselves into the mattress to hold him in place.

Dabi grunted, feeling sharp flashes of pain as some of the feathers cut him in the process, one of them missing the mattress completely and lodging itself into his side. The pain shot through him, a physical release that might have made him cum on the spot if they had started fucking already.

Dabi's cock throbbed in his pants.

Yes!

Fuck, yes!

Hawks was up on his knees in no time, his wings much smaller with so many feathers out of place to hold Dabi down. He placed one knee sideways on Dabi's chest to help hold him in place as he wriggled the belt off his wrists.

Once his hands were free, Hawks yanked the feather out of Dabi's side, sending a second wave of pain convulsing through him. Blood immediately began to well up, dripping down his side to stain the already ruined blankets. Hawks frowned at the wound as he returned the bloodied feather back to his wings.

Hawks' eyes were dark, with adrenaline or lust or some twisted combination of the two, Dabi couldn't be sure. He didn't even care.

He just. Wanted. More.

Needed more.

Hawks' eyes narrowed in on the exposed, fresh tracks on the inside of Dabi's elbow. He leaned down, putting almost all of his weight onto Dabi as he touched a mark gently with his finger.

"Are you even fucking sober?" Hawks asked, the anger and accusation evident in his tone.

"Does it really matter?" Dabi replied, even though the answer was, unfortunately, yes. Well… mostly.

Much more sober than he had been twenty-four hours before.

A goddamn lecture is not what he fucking needed right now. It was really going to piss him off if that is what Hawks planned to focus on.

Hawks chuckled, dark and low. Dabi could see the hero's thoughts racing, arguing with himself about the morality of the situation versus his clear (very fucking clear if Dabi's view of his very hard cock was any indication) desire to fuck Dabi again.

"Are you sober enough to even know what we are doing?" Hawks finally asked. "To consent to what you are asking me for?"

"I'm sober enough that you needn't fret a hair on your pretty little head, sober enough to kick your ass!" Dabi growled, growing impatient with the game. "You have already broken laws to earn this place in my bed. I want to be fucked so hard that I can't sit down for a fucking week. So either you stop pussy-footing around and get your fucking dick inside of me… or I will find someone else to do it instead. Fucking make me scream… or get the fuck out."

Hawks glared at him.

"You are an asshole, Dabi," Hawks growled.

"Took you long enough to figure it out, Takami," Dabi replied, grinning mischievously at him. "Now what's it going to be, Hawks?"

Hawks glared, he released the feathers holding Dabi's pants onto the bed, and roughly yanked the fabric down, finally freeing Dabi's cock which pulsed in response to the cool air.

Dabi's eyes lit up as he watched Hawks pick up the belt from where it had fallen when he'd pulled his wrists free. The hero placed the belt buckle into his palm, wrapping the belt twice around his hand. His mouth had set with determination.

“I can be an asshole too, if that's what you want so damn bad.” Hawks pushed his thighs apart, spreading them wide open. Dabi's cock was flushed, leaking precum onto his lower stomach as he watched Hawks’ eyes rake up and down the piercings along his shaft. He grabbed the end of the belt and looped it into his hand, scooting down just enough to slap it mercilessly against the naked skin of Dabi's inner thigh.

Dabi moaned, back arching at the pain. The sound of ripping fabric filled the room as his movements pulled his shirt against Hawks’ feathers. But he didn't care… his thigh stung, and his cock was throbbing and Hawks finally seemed to be figuring out what he wanted.

Hawks brought the belt down on his thigh once more, then again on the other side. And again and again… Dabi writhed under him as each stroke dug the harsh leather into his skin, leaving long, red welts behind. Dabi closed his eyes, embracing the pain.

"Fuck! Yes! Fuck… fuck… fuck… yes!!!" Dabi chanted a string of curse words. "More… fuck… more Hawks…"

Dabi could see the frustration on Hawks… but he could also see that Hawks’ eyes were nearly black with lust. Each hit was slightly harder, cutting into Dabi's flesh slightly deeper. The hero was enjoying it…

Hawks growled as Dabi cried out for more, dropping the belt and leaning down to suck Dabi's cock into his mouth. He wasn't gentle; he sucked aggressively, his tongue exploring his piercings as his left hand cupped Dabi's balls and his right hand dug sharply into the marks on Dabi's thighs.

The combination of the pain and the pleasure was too much, and Dabi's orgasm crashed into him with an intensity that made him buck up into Hawks’ mouth, blinded with lust and screaming so loud that he wouldn't be surprised if the entire cheap fucking hotel heard him.

Hawks pulled away, pushing Dabi's thighs toward his chest, and leaning down to spit Dabi's cum directly onto his ass. Then he forced three fingers inside of Dabi, down to the second knuckle.

Hawks had never used fucking spit and cum as lube before. It was sticky and crude and filthy in a way that disgusted him, but it made his cock throb so hard that he was almost ashamed by how badly he wanted Dabi.

And the roughness… Dabi seemed to fucking love it, and that made it both better and worse. Is this really what Dabi was used to? What he enjoyed? Is this how that horrible monster had fucked him for the last four years? Degraded him so many times that Dabi craved it?

Hawks' blood boiled. If he ever got his hands on Shigaraki...

Every ounce of anger and pain that Hawks felt over their ruined relationship, he poured it into the rough prep work, knowing that he should be more careful. But if he truly wanted to help Touya, then he had to play by Dabi's rules for now. Which meant rough and hard.

He pulled his fingers out, quickly smearing spit on his cock and pushing inside of Dabi even though he knew that he wasn't prepped enough.

"Fuck!" Dabi groaned appreciatively at the pain, his hips thrusting up as Hawks pushed roughly into him.

"Is this what you fucking wanted?" Hawks asked, as if he thought Dabi might be regretting provoking him.

Dabi ripped his shirt-sleeve out from Hawks' feathers, shredding it. There was no doubt the shirt was ruined anyway. He sat up, ripping part of his other sleeve in the process, and grabbed the burn mark on the front of his throat, yanking him roughly forward. He pulled Hawks into a deep kiss, shifting forward to fully seat himself on the hero's cock.

Hawks groaned deeply into his mouth, and Dabi tugged his lower lip into his mouth and bit down.

"Ah," Hawks pulled back, his bottom lip bleeding slightly.

"I want you to fucking move," Dabi growled, the impatience creeping back in, the urge to lash out once more with his fire almost overwhelming.

Hawks reached up, one hand over the one choking him, the other wrapping into Dabi’s hair and yanking his head backward. It stung, and the sensation echoed throughout Dabi’s body. He could feel his soft cock stirring slightly, desire already building in his gut once more.

Fuck. He wished he was still fucking high. This would feel so fucking good if he was still high.

Then Hawks’ teeth sank into his throat… hard… and Hawks began to move; slow, deep thrusts directly up into Dabi. It burned at first, Dabi’s body still adjusting to the stretch. Dabi’s elbow on the bed was the only thing holding them up as Hawks’ teeth sunk deeper into him. Dabi groaned loudly, his eyes rolling back in his head.

Then Hawks yanked Dabi’s hand away from his throat, letting go of his neck and pushing Dabi back into place on the bed. Dabi landed roughly, hitting his head against the wall, some of Hawks’ feathers digging into his back. He looked up with a grin, putting his one free hand up to touch the bite mark on his neck. It stung to touch, and he smiled even wider when he pulled his hand away to find blood on his fingertips.

“Maybe you can handle me after all, little birdie,” Dabi grinned.

“Fuck you,” Hawks growled. He grabbed Dabi’s shirt, ripping the other sleeve as he used it to yank Dabi up to his knees. Hawks grabbed his hair once more, using the grip to turn Dabi toward the wall and shove him directly into it. Dabi grunted as he hit the wall, the cool surface against his hot skin sending shivers down his body.

Hawks held his cheek against the wall as he pushed back into Dabi, not wasting time before starting to fuck roughly into him. Hawks’ other hand grabbed Dabi’s side, his fingers digging into the muscle, fingernails digging into the skin as he fucked. The pace was brutal, the movement pounding Dabi’s soft cock, his thighs, and his stomach into the wall again and again.

Dabi closed his eyes, putting his hands against the wall, moaning as Hawks fucked him.

“Shit… So. Fucking… Tight. Ngh… Is this what you like?” Hawks breathed into his ear, his words breathy, changing his pace just slightly in order to slam Dabi’s body harder against the wall. Dabi moaned loudly in answer. He could already feel his skin getting sore; his body would be a delicious mosaic of bruises in the morning. “You like… ngh… being… treated like a, a… fucking… toy? Being used… and fucked… and filled up…”

“Yes,” Dabi moaned in response. He could feel his cock desperately trying to get hard once more, the slight pain of hitting the wall just enough to keep him from actually getting there. But it felt good.

Fuck.

It felt so fucking good.

The response made Hawks see red.

Hawks pulled out, using the grip in Dabi’s hair to force him down, Dabi’s body twisting sideways against the wall as Hawks pushed him down onto his elbows. He shifted to get behind Dabi, letting go of his hair. He placed both hands on Dabi’s ass, spreading him open and pushing back into him. The angle let him go deeper than before. He shifted one leg to get a strong stance, and began fucking vigorously into Dabi once again.

“Fuck…” Dabi groaned, digging his fists into the blanket. “harder…”

Hawks groaned, the words doing things to him that he never expected to enjoy. He wasn't used to going harder… he wasn't even used to going this hard!

He grabbed the belt once more, this time adjusting it so that he could use the studs… just as Dabi had used on him. His ass still hurt like hell, so he hoped it would be hard enough to satisfy the masochist.

"That's not enough for you?" Hawks growled as he brought the studded belt down hard across Dabi's lower back and ass. He almost flinched at just the sound of the belt hitting Dabi's flesh, but Dabi groaned, slamming his fist into the wall. "What about this?" He brought it down a second time, working to keep up the rough rhythm. "That hard enough for you?" Hawks brought it down a third time, so hard that one of the studs cut into the red skin of his ass, a small drop of blood welling up.

"Fuck! Yes!" Dabi moaned in bliss, mouth falling open against the mattress, deliriously chanting, "yes... yes... fuck... yes." He arched his back, rolling his hips to meet each punishing thrust with an equally fierce hunger for more. He was quickly getting hard again, the beginnings of a second orgasm already starting to build in him. "Ngh! Fuck yes... it feels so fucking good... don't stop... there... yes... fuck! Nghh oh fuck! Don't fucking stop... yes yes."

Dabi was loud. He didn't give a single fuck that the walls were thin, and every single moan was probably echoing into the rooms around them.

But Hawks did… he knew they couldn't get caught. His career was over if they got caught.

Hawks dropped the belt, draping himself over Dabi. He put one hand over Dabi's mouth, the other cupping the back of Dabi's neck as he focused on slamming his cock harder into him. Dabi's chant became a muffled moan behind Hawks’ hand. Their skin was slick with sweat as they moved together; Hawks viciously pounding into him, his golden eyes shimmering with the fire that Dabi so desperately craved.

Dabi embraced all of it, finally feeling himself starting to numb, the ecstasy of pain and pleasure were blurring together. It was exactly what he wanted. His mind filled with an empty bliss, an overwhelming combination of post-orgasmic haze and pre-orgasmic desire. There was no more crushing guilt. No burning cravings. No side effects of coming down. Just the hard slapping of flesh, the rhythmic pounding of Hawks’ body against his. The peace he felt wasn't real… but it didn't matter. Dabi didn't fucking care. He needed it. And the longer this damned tryst lasted, the harder he could spur Hawks to fuck him, the longer that false sense of peace would last.

“Fuck yes... fuck... nghhh yes… fucking god yes…" the words were blurred and unintelligible behind Hawks' hand, but he kept mumbling anyway. He couldn't stop as he rocked back against Hawks’ rhythm. "Don't stop... fucking... me... like that… Fuck!”

Hawks was as lost in the moment as Dabi; the only thing that mattered was the connection between them. Because right now… in this moment… Dabi was his. His. And if Dabi was his, then so was Touya. And fucking Touya like this…

Hawks has never let go like this. He has never fucked someone with so much chaotic passion, never completely lost himself in the desire to claim someone so completely… It was a heady power rush, and it was almost sickening to admit how much he was enjoying it.

He didn't think he could stop now, even if Dabi begged him to.

“Oh shit… fucking hell… yessss… Gonna cum... gonna fucking cum... yes ... more! Fuck! Yes yes yes... fucking make me cum... fucking make me cum…”

Hawks let go of his neck, shifting slightly so that he could fuck Dabi as hard as possible, sinking his teeth into Dabi’s shoulder. Dabi screamed into Hawks’ palm, his entire body convulsing as he came, completely untouched; Hawks’ fucked him even harder through his orgasm, shifting the hand from behind his neck to under his chest to keep him from collapsing as the sight of Dabi cumming sent Hawks over the edge just after him. Dabi’s ass was like a vice around him as he came, his vision going white as he lost himself in Dabi’s body. He didn’t think he had ever cum so hard as pulse after pulse filled Dabi.

Then they collapsed into a dirty, sweaty, sticky mess. Both breathing hard, bodies occasionally trembling in their post-orgasmic highs. Not snuggling exactly, but lost to the world in mutual bone-melting bliss.

Dabi let himself ride out the feeling for as long as he could; the pleasure, the stinging on his ass and thighs left behind from his belt, the throbbing of the wound in his side that Hawk’s feather had left, and the deep ache in his ass and lower back from being fucked so roughly.

Then Hawks shifted away from him, and the cool air in the room was freezing against his sweaty skin. And with the cool air, everything slowly came back to him.

“I need a cigarette,” he groaned, pushing himself up. He stood up off the bed, wincing at the pain in his ass as he grabbed his pants. It was satisfying, though; and he took a few more steps just to enjoy it as he fished out his cigarettes and pulled one from the pack.

The last one.

Dammit.

He lit up, standing there naked with cum dripping down his ass as he smoked. He closed his eyes, enjoying the nicotine-laced smoke filling his lungs as he inhaled deeply.

Finally, he opened his eyes. Hawks had shifted in the bed, but he hadn’t bothered to dress yet either. Nor had he bothered to even cover himself, and Dabi had to admit that the man looked a hell of a lot sexier post-sex than he remembered… although that was likely due to the array of marks Dabi had left all over him. Especially the handprint burned into his throat. He would likely have to get that one healed to ensure it didn’t scar.

Fuck, Dabi wished he could be a fly on the wall at that doctors visit…

“Was it what you were hoping for, little bird?” Dabi mused.

“I…” Hawks paused for a moment, his eyes looking Dabi up and down. “I don’t know.”

Dabi walked over, offering his cigarette to the other man. Hawks stared at it for a moment, before finally accepting. Dabi watched intently as Hawks placed it between his lips and inhaled lightly. Then, almost immediately, coughed.

He left Hawks to try to figure it out as he limped over and grabbed his ruined shirt, using it to clean off the worst of the mess. Then he pulled on his boxers and pants, then his jacket. Then he finally returned to the hero, taking the cigarette back. He took two large puffs, then extinguished it on the bedside table.

He had probably been too rough. He had used Hawks to sate a need within himself, but he also couldn't afford to scare him away. Kai had plans for Hawks, and Dabi's tie to him was what would help bring those plans to fruition. Which meant he needed to leave Hawks wanting more.

So he reached down and held out his hand to the naked hero. Hawks looked at it suspiciously for a moment before accepting it. Then he pulled Hawks up off the bed and into his arms. He wrapped his arms around Hawks, leaned forward, and kissed him…

Gently at first.

Then deeply.

Then passionately.

The way you would kiss a lover; the way he used to kiss Hawks when they were young and alone and the only thing that mattered was that kiss. He brought his hands to Hawks’ face, running them up into his hair and cradling his head as they kissed.

And Hawks fell; Dabi could feel it in the way his entire body seemed to melt into Dabi as they kissed. The way Hawks kissed him back, a happy sigh escaping the hero. The way his hands came up to wrap around his waist tightly, as if afraid of Dabi pulling away.

As if this moment was what he had been hoping for.

And maybe Dabi should have been ashamed of himself for pulling yet another person into this hellhole… but he couldn't bring himself to care.

So he pulled away, and smiled at Hawks as if Hawks was the only damn thing that mattered in the world.

Hawks looked up at him, the surprise evident on his face.

"Maybe you can handle me after all," Dabi said. Then he stepped back, flipping the hood of his jacket up to cover his face.

"Wait," Hawks said, as Dabi reached out for the doorknob.

Dabi stopped, but he didn't turn around.

"I will see you soon, Takami," Dabi replied, then he opened the door and stepped out.

Chapter Text

Shouto POV

Shouto was exhausted by the time he got done working his rounds with Mimic. They had to complete it early on Saturday morning instead of in the evening. Luckily, everything went smoothly, but he had woken up at 3 am to try to get as much of his assigned training regime in as possible. Shouto had improved so much since Monday, but Geten wasn't going to be thrilled that he didn't fully complete his training today. Shouto could practically hear the cold man’s words echoing in his head. “If you really want to prove yourself, then stop making excuses and show me what you’re capable of. But today was out of Shouto's hands. Kai insisted on Shouto being present at the Shibari party, and apparently they would need hours to be dressed and ready.

When he walked back into the apartment, already exhausted from the day, the smell of food wafted over him with a welcoming embrace. It made his stomach rumble, the distinct happiness of being home rushed over him. He took off his overcoat, hanging it on the coat hook as he listened to the murmur of conversation coming from the other room.

He took a deep breath, a part of him wishing that he was coming home to an afternoon alone with Kai.

As Shouto walked into the living room, he was greeted by the sight of a tall woman wrapping a thick, silver rope around Kurono's waist. Shouto blushed, realizing the white-haired man was practically naked aside from the ropes, a pair of thin, gray boxers was the only actual clothes covering a much more well-defined body than Shouto had imagined Chronostasis had.

"Enjoying the show, Todoroki?" Kurono's droll voice cut through the silence of the room.

Shouto started, quickly looking away as he realized he had been caught staring at the man. Dabi and Yokubo, who had both been sitting on the couch watching the rigger at work, both turned to look at him. Yokubo stood up immediately, coming over to greet Shouto with a warm hug. The sight of her made Shouto's blush deepen, as she was already in Shibari. Her long, purple-streaked black hair was pulled back into an intricate braid, purple and yellow irises woven into the braid. She was wearing a black lace, deep v-cut bodysuit, held in place with very thin black thong-style straps. The outfit showed off part of her sternum tattoo, a new belly button ring, and left very little to the imagination. Her Shibari was a dark-purple rope that was tied primarily around her chest, making it hard to look anywhere but the perfect curves of her breasts; a single string going down her stomach to follow the curve of her thong. And as she wrapped her arms around him, Shouto could feel every intimate curve of hers pressed against him.

"It's good to see you, honey," she whispered into his ear.

Then Kai walked in from the kitchen, and everything else fell away. He was also in Shibari, and the sight of him standing in the light of the window was enough to simultaneously take Shouto's breath away and make his mouth water with desire. His brown hair was perfectly styled, the sharp cuts of his jaw and cheeks seeming to stand out even more than usual. He was shirtless, in a pair of tight black jeans that hugged every muscle in his thighs in a way that made the pants almost look painted on. Like his thighs, the muscles of his chest seemed more defined than normal, a thick, shimmering gold rope tied in an intricate diamond pattern over his chest and torso. It wrapped twice around the top of his thighs in a way that clearly accented his cock.

Fuuucccckkkk….

Shouto’s body instinctively responded to the sight, and even more than before, he wished they could stay home so that he could have Kai to himself for the night. Because even with a beautiful woman pressed against him, all he could think about was walking over to his boyfriend, dropping to his knees, pulling Kai's cock out, and taking it into his mouth…

Kai nodded toward the bedroom, and Shouto felt almost like a puppy as he eagerly followed his boyfriend. When he got there, and Kai gently closed the door behind them, the first thing he saw was a black corset on the bed, and a pile of red rope.

Before he could ask if those were meant for him, Kai's arms were around him. Shouto found himself pushed backward until Kai had him caged in with his back against the wall. Shouto’s body trembled as Kai kissed him deeply, hungrily; his body pressed against Shouto's so firmly that he could feel the thick cords of Kai's Shibari pushing against him. Shouto kissed back, just as desperately, his hands eagerly exploring the planes of Kai’s shoulders, lost in the embrace, hands tracing the ropes along Kai's back. Kai pulled away just enough to start stripping off Shouto's clothes as they kissed.

Eventually, and far too soon for Shouto’s liking, Kai pulled away completely, breathing hard.

“Lay down on the bed, little fox,” Kai instructed breathily, gently pushing the mussed up hair out of Shouto’s face.

"I'm not being dressed by the rigger?" Shouto asked curiously, following Kai’s order and laying down on his back over the thick gray comforter, listening to Kai move about the room, opening and closing drawers.

Things were quiet for a few moments until Kai knelt down on his knees beside the bed, pulling Shouto towards the edge and pushing Shouto's legs apart so that he was between them. Shouto blushed as his cock responded almost embarrassingly quickly, growing almost immediately hard under his boyfriend's gaze.

"Shimizu is arguably one of the best riggers in Japan," Kai finally answered his question, and Shouto jumped just a little as he felt one of Kai's lubed fingers press inside of him. He hadn't known what to expect, but it certainly wasn't this. Not that he would complain, the slight burn quickly turned pleasurable as Kai touched him. "Probably far better than even myself. Shibari, however, is a very intimate journey… especially your first time. I want to be the one to share it with you." He added a second finger, making Shouto moan and his cock twitch in anticipation. "I don't want to share this with a stranger."

After a few blissful minutes of prepping, Kai pulled his fingers out. A moment later, Shouto felt something hard push into him.

"What…?" Shouto started to question as he felt the toy push further in.

"Do you trust me?" Kai asked as he stood up and grabbed something else off the bed.

"With my life," Shouto murmured, as Kai slid a pair of silky black underwear onto him, the fabric clinging to his erection. Kai smiled faintly at his answer as he helped Shouto stand. A shiver of excitement ran through Shouto as he watched Kai pick up a bottle of lotion. Kai had slid an anal plug into him… something he had never done to Shouto outside of sex, and something he wouldn't do for nothing.

Shouto adjusted slowly to the unusual stretch of the toy inside of him as Kai applied a shimmering lotion over his naked skin. He styled Shouto's hair, and fitted him tightly into a black waist-cincher corset. Then came the rope. Kai started around his neck like a choker, then slowly worked the rope down his chest, waist, and each of his legs. It was erotic; each strand, each knot, digging slightly into his muscles. And the way Kai looked at him as he worked… the way he touched each part of Shouto's body almost reverently… it left Shouto light-headed and aching for Kai to touch him the way that he wanted. By the time Kai was tying the last knot on his left calf, Shouto was horny and desperate for more. Kai finished the outfit with a new pair of ankle-high heeled boots, and had Yokubo come in to add just a touch of highlighter and mascara to the look, giving Shouto's Shibari a distinctively feminine feel. But as Kai traced his hands over the rope, slowly up his body, Shouto didn't care.

Kai looked enamored, like he wanted to devour Shouto. And, fuck, Shouto really wanted him to do exactly that.

Once Yokubo was finished with his makeup, Kai was finally satisfied, and they left the safety of their bedroom, everyone else was done and waiting. Kurono's Shibari was finished, and Dabi's too. Like Kai, Dabi was shirtless, showing off his tattoos and nipple rings. He was wearing black leather pants, and matching thigh-high leather combat-style boots. His make-up was darker than normal, with new jewelry and black-painted fingernails. Then, to contrast the rest, his Shibari was a dark blue, seeming to draw out the intense color of his eyes.

Instead of Xaoi Fe driving them, they took an extended white limo to the party; which was held at the very edges of the city, halfway up a mountain, in a mansion that was likely bigger than the one he grew up in. Unlike most of the events he had attended with his father, though, this one had no paparazzi in attendance. Privacy was apparently a key to their invitation. Every single member of their party had to sign an NDA, and a contract agreeing not to use their quirks before being allowed to even exit the limousine.

It was unlike anything that Shouto had ever seen. And he had been to more than his fair share of elite parties at the side of his father.

Stepping inside the mansion, however, was like stepping into an entirely new world… the decor was so extravagant that it felt almost impossible for the place to actually be anyone’s home. The walls were covered in opulent, dark mahogany silk curtains; the rooms lit up not by traditional lights, but by strings of hanging lights and fancy sconces along the walls. A thin, beautiful melody floated through the rooms. The main foyer had a large fountain inside, with two lithe aerial silk performers, one male and one female, on either side, dancing up above them from long silk ropes that stood out as a bright cherry red against the dark decorations.

The other rooms were similarly decorated, with aerial performers or intricate Shibari displays drawing attention. Dozens of scantily clad waiters and waitresses were delivering drinks throughout the party, and the other party-goers were dressed similarly to their group. Swaths of naked skin and lingerie, intricate rope displays on most all, and a good many in masquerade style masks to further conceal their identity. (There was also a good number of partially nude guests, some pairs, or even trios, all but having sex in the middle of the party… x-rated enough that Shouto couldn't look at them without blushing).

To start, they sought out the party's host, to present a ridiculously over-priced bottle of wine as a thank you. When they got to the host, Shouto wasn't super impressed. Not only did Shouto not recognize the man, but he was very old, and didn't seem to care about any of them except Kai. What did catch his interest, though, was seeing Pro Hero Midnight (a lot more of Midnight then he was used to seeing) standing by the man's side. He honestly wasn't sure who was more surprised, him or her, but he certainly didn't expect to see any heroes at a party like this. After her initial shock, though, she smiled and nodded in place of an actual greeting… which he was infinitely grateful for. The idea of talking to one of his old teachers and mentors while wearing the equivalent of lingerie was not a conversation he cared to have.

The next little while was mostly introductions, people talking to Kai and then practically demanding to be introduced to the apparently infamous Todoroki brothers. Shouto faked a smile and dealt with it as graciously as Enji had taught him to do, but Dabi practically preened under all the attention… which made Shouto very nervous.

"Is it even safe for him to be here?" Shouto finally asked Kai, motioning toward his brother, who was currently mid-drink with a woman who had spent the last twenty minutes practically eye-fucking him before she finally got up the nerve to come say hi. "I mean, he still has a warrant out for him, and a pretty hefty reward for turning him in… any of these people could be tempted to do so."

"It is a risk, of course, but much lower than you might expect," Kai answered. "After all, you know how powerful a bit of money in the right hands can be in convincing the law to merely look the other way for a night."

"But there is even a Pro Hero here! If Midnight realizes that he is here… he could be back in prison by the end of the night."

"This will, perhaps, be a good glimpse into the political sway of Musufatu's underground. Midnight is not worried about arrest warrants tonight. If she were, she would have her hands full. Dabi is not the only attendee with a warrant for his arrest… or a price on their head. Midnight is here to keep her father safe, it's unlikely you will see her leave his side."

Shouto took a sip of his drink, glancing back over at Midnight, and then at the much older man beside her.

"Her father?"

"Yes," Kai replied. "Her father, Nemuri Oji, is the host of tonight's party, and an extremely well-known and respected head of Japan's underbelly. Although he technically retired years ago, he spends millions of yen to host this party twice a year so that he may still keep an eye on who is who, and who is truly important. There are many dangerous men and women here tonight; but if a guest were to report them, it would not be long before they were discovered. And for their dishonorable intent, they would be socially ostracized, which would cost them far more than any reward they might gain by turning in Dabi or any other criminal who is walking these halls tonight."

Shouto was thinking over this information, starting to look at each guest with a renewed interest. Sure, the guests looked debaucherous tonight in their ropes and skimpy outfits, but if you were to put them in normal attire, it would be hard to believe that most of these people were likely criminals.

A few minutes later, Kai replaced his drink with a new one, leaning down and kissing him, slipping his tongue between Shouto's lips and tasting him so deeply that sparks of desire washed down Shouto's spine. When Kai tried to pull away, Shouto reached up and grabbed the rope over his chest, pulling him back for another kiss… then another.

Finally, Kai forced him to stop, his pupils blown wide with lust as he took a few deep breaths.

"As much as I want to pull you into a private room and see where this is going," Kai panted, "I have to step away for just a few minutes to take care of some… business."

"Business?" Shouto asked, struggling to squash the disappointment in his chest and switch gears. When Kai used the word business, Shouto had come to realize he usually meant rather unpleasant, violent 'business'. "But I thought this was a social party?"

"Not entirely, I'm afraid," Kai replied. "But I won't be gone long, and then perhaps we can pick up exactly where we left off." He finished with another quick kiss.

Shouto hated the idea, but he knew there was no use in arguing. If Kai decided that he was going to take care of whatever fucking business this was tonight, then he was going to do exactly that. Come hell or high water.

"Fine," Shouto agreed reluctantly. "But it won't take long?"

"It won't take long," Kai answered confidently. "I just ask that you stay in this room while I'm gone. As I said before, there are many dangerous people here tonight."

Shouto agreed. One more quick kiss, and Kai was gone. When Shouto looked around to see where his brother had gone too, Dabi was gone as well. And Chronostasis. And even Yokubo.

All of them. Probably helping Kai with his 'business'. It frustrated Shouto, being the only one left out. Made him feel like Kai still saw him as too young or too inexperienced to really help him. But then again, he couldn't help but remember the bloody pictures he had seen on Hawks’ desk of the mess Dabi had left in the prison… and he wasn't sure if he was ready to help with anything like that.

Still, that left him all alone. The only other people he had recognized so far were Midnight (yeah… definitely not going to try to strike up a conversation with them both so scantily clad) and Sniper (who wouldn't even look at Shouto, let alone talk to him). He spent the first few minutes nursing his drink and watching the end of an aerial performance. After twenty minutes or so, he got bored… and then anxious once he realized there was a pretty rough-and-tumble looking guy leering at him from across the room. The moment Shouto made eye contact, the guy stood up and started walking toward him.

Oh no.

Hell no.

Shouto was not interested in dealing with this creep.

Moving quickly, Shouto dodged into the next room. He made his way over toward a makeshift bar at the far end, grabbing a new drink and taking a large swallow. When he turned around to peruse the room for someone… anyone… who might be worth talking to, the guy was just a few steps away. Too close for Shouto's comfort. Shouto quickly turned and tried to get one of the waiter’s attention, but he felt the guy step up beside him, practically looming over Shouto before he could.

"You're dressed up awful nice-like to be standin' at the bar alone… looked like you could use a bit'a company."

Shouto took a slow sip, contemplating the best way to get rid of this guy. The slur in his voice was enough to know that he wasn't sober, probably not even close to it.

"I'm actually waiting for my boyfriend," Shouto replied, trying not to panic as he glanced around the room. "He will be back any second." Most everyone in the room was pulled into a conversation near the window. The only door was the one he came in through, but he was going to have to get around this guy to get there.

Shouto took a deep breath, trying to push away the mild feeling of panic that was trying to climb up the back of his throat.

He was ok. He was going to be ok.

"Your boyfriend?" The guy sneered, laughing as he stepped closer to Shouto, who quickly took a step backward to try to protect what little space there was between them. "Hate to tell ya, but that chump ya came with is off fucking some other dude."

"What?"

"He's fucking another guy… I saw ‘im go off with some… some… tattooed freak." the man stumbled a bit as he stepped closer, putting a hand on Shouto's shoulder. "Pro’bly balls deep in ‘em as we speak… *hiccup* But you stick with me… imma make you forget about 'im." The lack of personal space was making Shouto feel more and more uncomfortable with every passing moment. Shouto pushed the guy’s hand away, taking another step back. The guy's words made a sick feeling churn in his stomach, even though he knew they weren't true… they couldn’t be true.

Dabi was off helping Kai with whatever Yakuza business they had, they wouldn’t fuck if Shouto wasn’t there with them.

"I'm not interested," Shouto replied firmly, pushing the intrusive thought away and frowning at him. "Leave me alone."

"Leave you alone?" The guy's face scrunched up as if he couldn't understand what Shouto was telling him. He grabbed Shouto's arm this time, roughly, his fingers digging into the naked skin. "What? Am I not good enough for ya, sweetheart?"

Shouto was fully panicking as he glanced around; everyone else was too distracted to realize he was in trouble as the guy pulled Shouto into his arms. He was sweaty and his breath reeked of Saki. Shouto was repulsed as the guy leaned down to try and kiss him.

His instincts screamed to freeze the asshole in place. But he had signed the damned no quirk agreement for the night. He was Overhaul's guest, and breaking his agreement and causing a scene would reflect badly on his boyfriend.

So he punched the guy in the nose. Hard. Enjoying the satisfying crunch, and the blood that immediately started to pour from it. The asshole grabbed his nose in drunken surprise, Shouto immediately pushed to get away from his other arm. But the surprise didn't last even a second before it turned to rage. The man grabbed onto Shouto even tighter, and Shouto cringed as the guy got into his face, his blood dripping down onto Shouto's chest.

"You little cunt," the guy sneered, "you are going to pay for breaking my nose…" Shouto turned his head as the dick tried to kiss him again, flinching when his slimy, blood-soaked lips planted down on Shouto's cheek.

A second later, an angry shout echoed through the room. Suddenly, Kai was there, yanking the guy away from Shouto while Dabi pulled Shouto to the side. A momentary rush of both relief and shame washed over Shouto, but he didn't have much time to dwell on either as he watched Kai slam the bigger man into the ground. The guy grunted loudly, an ugly crack echoing through the room as his skull hit the tile floors.

Time seemed to slow down, but all Shouto could do was watch in horror as the scene played out in front of him.

The guy lifted his head to glare at Kai, but Kai didn't hesitate a second before punching him. Once. Twice. Three times. His teeth bared in an angry snarl, like he would gladly rip the guy’s throat out. Each hit was getting harder, blood splattering up, staining Kai's fist.

Shouto went to step forward, realizing that Kai was in a blind rage. If he kept going, he was going to kill the guy. But Dabi grabbed Shouto, stopping him from interfering as Kai punched again, the asshole’s cheek bone collapsing as the guy gurgled an agonizing half-scream..

The smell of copper was beginning to waft up around them, blood starting to pool on the tile floor as a horrible, almost inhumanly high-pitched cry bubbled out of the man’s barely recognizable face.

A crowd was quickly forming around them, but Kai didn't even seem to notice as he straddled the guy's chest, punching again as the guy thrashed weakly underneath him.

Shouto's thoughts were still reeling with the realization that Kai might kill a man. Right here. In front of Shouto.

Because of Shouto.

Then, with a horrible cracking sound that seemed to echo throughout the room, it was over. Kai’s last punch fully caved the guy’s face in, and Shouto watched in horror as his body twitched and spasmed underneath Kai, then fell limp, the pool of blood spreading grotesquely underneath his destroyed skull.

The room exploded with conversation and exclamations, but Shouto couldn't hear any of it. He could only hear his blood rushing in his ears; the entire room fading away as he watched Kai stare at the bloodied mess in front of him, his hands still in fists at his side, his entire body practically vibrating with rage.

Shouto could feel his anger.

He could feel Dabi's warm hand on his arm, but even that fell away as Kai stood up and turned to look at him.

Shouto was used to seeing Kai's golden eyes grow dark with lust, but never from anything else; and never imagined to see that same look because of… of. Fuck! Because he literally just beat a man to death with his bare fists.

And all because of Shouto.

The naked skin on his chest was flushed red with anger, his nipples budded from the spike of adrenaline. There was blood spray on his cheek, and his chest, and his entire right hand was a bloody mess.

And he was hard.

The ropes framing his cock did nothing to hide that.

Kai stepped away from the body and toward Shouto. The scent of death came with him; coppery and thick. So sudden and cloying that it made Shouto want to vomit.

"Get this mess cleaned up," Kai growled, his voice so deep and distorted in Shouto's ears that it was barely recognizable. Shouto didn't even know who Kai was speaking to.

Then Kai's hand was on his arm, and they were moving. Shouto's body was moving as if by its own accord. Kai pulled him along and out of the room, moving so quickly that Shouto had to practically jog to keep up. The hallways blurred together as he followed Kai blindly, expecting them to flee the party.

After all, Kai just killed a man.

They weren't even supposed to use their quirk, so outright murder had to be against the rules.

But they didn't leave.

Instead, Kai led him toward the back of the house, and up a staircase that Shouto didn't think they were supposed to be using. The landing at the top of the stairs led directly into a long hallway that was not decorated as part of the party. There was only a few dim lights along the wall, a few pictures, and a long pedestal table that had a large vase of flowers and two unlit candelabras.

Kai went straight for the table, not even trying to be careful as he swept his arm across it and pushed everything off onto the floor. The sound of breaking ceramic echoed loudly through the empty hallway as Kai picked Shouto up, sat him on the table, caged him in, and claimed his mouth in a rough, desperate, passionate kiss.

The overwhelming scent of copper surrounded them, and Shouto could feel the half-dried blood rubbing onto him. But Kai, normally cleanliness-obsessed Kai, didn’t even seem to care. Didn’t even seem to notice. He kissed Shouto so fiercely, holding Shouto so tightly it was as if Kai was afraid of letting Shouto go; body pushing Shouto against the wall, hands moving up and down Shouto's sides, erection pressed up against his crotch.

Shouto could still hear the man screaming in pain, his body still numb from the shock of seeing him die. Everything had happened so quickly. Too quickly. But it was slowly dawning on him that the man would have tried to go further if Kai hadn't stepped in. How far? Who knows. Shouto knows for fucking sure that he would not have let the man do what Shigaraki did to him… no fucking way! But could Shouto have hurt him? Could Shouto have killed him if it had come down to that? Could Shouto have done what Kai did?

If the man hadn't stopped, if he had tried to pull Shouto away, to… to…

Could Shouto have killed him if he had to?

He had no idea.

So he clung to Kai, because Kai had protected him; not just from that asshole but also from the possibility that Shouto might have been the one to end up with blood on his hands.

And despite everything that had happened these past few months… despite that Geten and Dabi had warned him that it was eventually going to happen… Shouto wasn't sure if he could have done it.

So he finally began to respond, and to kiss Kai back; to cling to him and wrap his arms around Kai. To force away the images that seemed burned into the back of his eyelids, and instead focus on getting lost in the torrent of Kai's passion. In the feeling of Kai's teeth sinking into his neck, and the rush of warm breath on his skin.

Shouto wrapped his legs around Kai’s waist, his hands touching every inch of naked skin he could find as Kai ground their erections together as they kissed. Every single place that Kai touched him practically burned, filled with raw, carnal lust. Kai’s eyes were almost black, and his movements were erratic and forceful… as if he was still being driven by the same base instinct that had taken over when he killed the man downstairs.

After what felt like both seconds and hours, Kai was pulling Shouto’s silk underwear aside, and Shouto moaned… obscenely loudly for the fact that anyone could simply walk up the stairs and see them… as Kai pulled the toy out of him. His body clenched around the empty feeling inside of him, but only for a second. Kai didn’t waste any time before spitting on his mostly clean hand, smearing it on his cock, and pushing it inside of shouto with a deep growl.

“Fuck,” The word was a curse, barely audible as Kai began to fuck him hard and fast. It wasn’t gentle, and it wasn’t sweet. It was possessive and animalistic, every thrust ramming the end table roughly against the wall; as well as Shouto’s shoulders and back. Kai manhandled Shouto, pulling him forward with each thrust in order to fuck him deeply, leaving him unbalanced and clinging to Kai for support. Shouto could feel the pleasure building in his gut, almost surreal as Kai fucked him; his orgasm almost over-whelming as it crashed into him.

Then Kai cried out, slamming his fist into the wall beside Shouto’s head… and the sound of the wall cracking under the impact as Kai came seemed to reverberate through Shouto. And as suddenly as everything had began… it was over.

Reality seemed to set in, leaving Shouto feeling numb and dazed in Kai’s arms. He was still sitting on the likely ruined table, flowers and shards of ceramic scattered across the floor. His legs were wrapped around Kai’s waist, his arms around Kai’s neck, and Kai… Kai had one hand digging into Shouto’s side, and the other still on the wall beside Shouto’s head. He had buried his face into Shouto’s neck, and was still breathing so deeply and raggedly; Shouto could feel his hot breath in waves, his lips parted and pressing against Shouto’s sweaty skin.

Shouto could smell their sex in the hallway; could feel Kai’s cock softening and beginning to slide out of him. He glanced over at the stairs, a flush washing over him as he realized how close they were, how easy it would be for someone to walk up and see them. And Kai, Kai didn’t even seem to care.

“Kai,” Shouto said his name softly.

But Kai didn’t reply, his body still vibrating with barely contained rage as he breathed in the scent of Shouto’s neck, shaking so hard that Shouto almost wondered if he was crying.

Then he screamed again, deep and angry against Shouto’s skin. He slammed his fist once more into the wall next to Shouto. And when he looked up, his eyes were pitch black in the dim light of the hallway, wet with unshed tears of anger and relief. His cheeks were flushed, and his hair was uncaringly sex-tousled. The splatters of blood on his skin had been smeared, and Shouto didn’t even want to look down at himself, he already knew he must have that same blood decorating his own skin.

“Why?” Kai finally asked, harsh and demanding an answer, searching Shouto’s eyes for the truth. “Why didn’t you follow my orders?”

“What?” Shouto murmured, an uncomfortable coldness starting to settle over him as the cool air of the hallway began to settle on his sweaty skin.

“My orders,” Kai repeated sternly, angrily. “I told you not to leave that room… why didn’t you listen?!”

Shouto’s thoughts seemed to trip and tumble over one another. That felt like so long ago now, even though he knew logically it must not have been that long ago at all. Kai had told him to stay in a certain room. And Shouto had promised Kai that he would do so. But that guy had been there…

“That guy was in there with me,” Shouto tried to explain. “I didn’t want to deal with him, and I thought if I left that-”

Kai cut him off as he punched the wall a third time, stunning Shouto into silence.

“Dammit Shouto!” Kai growled. “Don’t you realize what could have happened to you? People see us together, but they don’t see Fenikkusu yet! One day they will, but right now? Right now they see a pawn. They see someone that they can hurt to get to me. The people here tonight are not normal citizens… they don’t care who your father is.”

“But what difference does a room make?” Shouto retorted, his own surge of anger rising up, an odd contrast to the residual pleasure of his orgasm that was thrumming over his skin. But Kai was putting this all on him, when Kai was the one that left him alone! “You were the one who left in the first place.”

“I left you in the room with Midnight,” Kai bit back. “Nemuri doesn’t care about the people at this party, but she cared about seeing you. I could see it the moment she saw you. You were her student. There are very few people she would be willing to step away from her father to protect, but I believe you are one of them. If you had followed my orders, she would have stepped in had that guy tried groping you in front of her.”

The words sunk in, and suddenly everything made more sense. Kai would never have left Shouto if he had thought Shouto would be in actual danger. And not only had Kai told him to stay in the same room as Nemuri, but they had been quite close to her when Kai had left.

“You have to trust me, Shouto,” Kai continued, his breathing slowly returning to normal. But his gaze was as intense as ever, burning into Shouto as he talked. “You have to obey me. Especially while you are still training. That man could have killed you tonight, he could have… Fuck! When I saw him touching you…” Kai’s voice grew thick, his eyes haunted. Shouto knew he was thinking about Shigaraki, about the video he had finally seen in the courtroom so many months ago.

Shouto stared back, ignoring the dull ache in his ass and the growing numbness in his thighs from their position.

“I’m sorry,” Shouto whispered, wishing that he had followed Kai’s orders like he had promised.

“That man’s death will send a message,” Kai replied, seriously. “Hopefully a message that will grant you a fraction more safety than you had before. But it won’t last forever. If you want to stand by my side, you need to listen to my orders until you are truly strong enough to protect yourself.”

Shouto nodded.

Kai’s mouth was on his again before he could utter a single word, kissing him deeply as he lifted Shouto down off the table. Shouto’s legs were wobbly, and his body was sore. Kai leaned down, picking up the anal plug. He guided Shouto around, and pushed his chest down toward the end table. Shouto was a mess, and he could feel the cum dripping down his thighs as Kai pushed the plug back into him, pushing what was left of Kai’s cum deep inside of him. Then Kai adjusted his underwear back into place.

“Can you walk quickly?” Kai asked as he finally allowed Shouto to stand back up.

Shouto took a few steps, being careful to avoid the broken ceramic. He was sore, and he could feel the tell-tale ache in his lower back and ass, but he could walk.

“Yeah,” Shouto replied.

“Good,” Kai replied. “Because we are going to need to move quickly. I would rather not have to deal with being detained by whatever low-life scum that Nemuri has hired as guards.”

“We are just going to leave?” Shouto asked, surprised. “You… you killed someone.”

“No. I protected what was mine.” Kai replied fiercely. “That guy signed his own death warrant when he decided it was alright to touch you, Shouto. I don’t regret it, and I would do it again if I had to. But I don’t want to waste half my night dealing with the fallout of his bad decisions. After all, I have only had a taste of what I truly wanted from tonight.”

Kai’s eyes almost glowed at the words, and the way he reached out and gently traced a finger down the front of Shouto’s chest left little ambiguity to his meaning. It also sent a rush of warmth over Shouto.

Shouto nodded.

He didn’t want to see the guy again, either. Nor did he have any desire to answer a bunch of intrusive questions about what had led to the guy’s death… just the thought was enough to give him unwanted flashbacks to his time in the detention center.

No.

Shouto just wanted to be at home with Kai. Alone. And hopefully lose himself in the sheets so deeply that he could forget that this entire night happened.

* * * * * *
Shigaraki POV

Shigaraki was crouched down on the rooftop of the building, Kurogiri next to him, both silently waiting for their plan to begin. Physically, he was exhausted, and Kurogiri had tried to force him to stay home in bed. But it had taken a few weeks of hard work to get everything set up for this afternoon. It was crucial that everything went according to plan. This was the first step into seeing Overhaul behind bars, which, according to Kurogiri, was their best option in trying to get allies to break AFO out in order to help with Shigaraki’s treatment.

Finding out about the girl that Overhaul was holding hostage helped, of course. Shigaraki had no idea what Chisaki was actually doing with her, but she was the perfect tool to attract the hero’s attention. Getting her blood had not been easy, but Toga and Twice had finally managed it yesterday after sneaking into some kind of a lab at the facility she was being held at. Now Toga, in the form of a little girl in a white dress, bandages wrapped carefully around her arms and legs to give the appearance of covered up wounds and bruises, was walking circles around a clone of Overhaul. The clone was the damn wildcard here (well, Toga too considering that this entire ruse involved Midoriya Izuku, the UA student that she claimed to love… though Shigaraki had no idea why). But Twice’s clones weren’t always predictable; although they weren’t a mental copy of their host, they did have some aspects of their personality and basic knowledge of who they were… and they didn’t realize they were a clone. So Shigaraki had spent the last three days convincing ‘Overhaul’ that the Yakuza was working with The League and that today he was going to be meeting up with someone important, but that he had to keep the little girl in line at all costs… even by force if necessary.

Luckily, the damn clone was almost as unbearable as his fucking host, so Shigaraki was confident he wouldn't make a good impression with the interning heroes who should be walking down this road any second on their patrols. Deku and Lemillion were the perfect, naive, brash, bleeding-heart, hero wannabes to make this whole thing work. A few crocodile tears and fake bandages would be the beginning of the end for the Shie Hassaikai.

It was almost too fucking easy.

From his perch on the rooftop, Shigaraki spotted the mop of green hair approaching. Deku and Lemillion, in their cute hero costumes, were talking animatedly, looking around in anticipation of some action in their patrolling duties. Shigaraki motioned with his chin toward the pair; Kurogiri nodded in reaction, whistling loudly to alert Toga. A moment later, they reached the edge of the alley. On cue, Toga screamed in pain, just loud enough to catch the heroes attention, running down the alley and practically bowling over Midorya Izuku as she pretended to flee from the Overhaul clone in terror. The clone scowled underneath his mask, his eyebrows drawing together in disdain as he began to stalk after her.

Midoriya looked down at her in alarm, his eyes darting from the tears on her face, to the small horn on the right side of her head, to the bandages all over her arms and legs. Lemillion, however, was frowning as he watched Overhaul approach.

“Now now, Eri,” the clone chided her, as Toga reached out almost subconsciously and grabbed onto Midoriya’s pant leg, wiping at her face as if trying to hide her distress. “These heroes are trying to keep the streets safe. We don’t want to cause them any problems, do we?”

Midoriya looked up as he spoke, his eyes widening as he took in Overhaul’s outfit, especially the intricate plague doctor mask that gave him a definitively villainesque appearance.

“Who are-” Izuku began to speak, but Overhaul cut him off.

“I’m sorry about my niece,” the clone said, glaring as Toga gave a deep, fake sniffle and stepped closer to Midoriya. The intern hero's jaw clenched as he watched her turn fearful eyes toward Overhaul. “She gets carried away with her games at times… you know how kids can be.”

Shigaraki smiled, pleased with the clone's obvious irritation. And so far, Toga’s performance was above even what Shigaraki had expected of her (aside from the fact that she was practically ignoring Lemillion in favor of Deku… she was supposed to divide her attention between both of them, garner sympathy from both of them).

“It’s ok,” Midoriya replied, but he stood up, laying a protective hand on the girl’s shoulder. “You seem familiar… why are you wearing a mask?”

Lemillion seemed surprised by Midoriya’s question, elbowing the green-haired hero as if trying to silently dissuade him from the current line of questioning. Shigaraki smiled. Chisaki may not be affiliated with the Yakuza yet, but Overhaul certainly was. And the Nighteye Agency that Murio worked for patrolled daily in Yakuza territory. Midoriya was a new intern; he may not know who Overhaul was, or how dangerous he was, but Shigaraki guessed that Lemillion did.

“Don’t worry about my mask… I just don’t like to breathe in the filthy pollution in Japan’s air. But that’s of no concern to you. Surely two… heroes?... such as yourselves have more important things to occupy your time.”

“He’s right,” Lemillion interrupted, putting a warning hand on Midoriya’s shoulder. “We should probably be getting back to the agency.” Lemillion took a step back, but Toga turned toward them, latching onto Midorya’s leg dramatically and burying her face into his pants.

“Wait,” Toga cried, the words muffled by his pants and a fresh rush of crocodile tears. “Please… don’t leave!”

Shigaraki smiled as Midoriya’s face hardened with determination.

Perfect.

“I’m not going to just leave…” Midoriya stated bluntly, speaking directly to Overhaul, still completely unaware that he was confronting one of the most dangerous men in the city… or at least, the clone of one of the most dangerous men in the city. But Twice’s clones could still mimic their quirks, which meant that the clone could still destroy Midoriya with the touch of his hand. “Something’s wrong. Your niece is clearly frightened by something.”

“I scolded her for misbehaving. This is merely a tantrum.”

Toga shook her head, keeping her face hidden as she wrapped tiny fists into the fabric of Midoriya’s costume.

“If this is just a tantrum, then why is she covered in bandages?” Midoriya challenged him, and Shigaraki was surprised that Lemillion’s eyes didn't pop out of his head.

“Deku,” Lemillion chided his boldness, but the clone didn't hesitate in his response, a distinct impatience entering his voice. Shigaraki could practically see the wheels turning in his head as the clone determined the necessary actions to end this interaction quickly.

“Eri is quite energetic and playful, but she also falls down a lot,” the clone said, seemingly calmly. “I would ask that you not judge too quickly what seems normal in other people’s families. I am merely trying to take care of my niece in her parents absence.”

“He’s right,” Lemillion interjected, almost frantically pulling on Midoriya’s sleeve now, but it didn’t seem to faze Midorya at all. “Everyone is different. We really shouldn’t judge too quickly!”

Midoriya shook his head, stepping between the girl and Overhaul. He was clearly suspicious.

“I don’t believe you,” Midoriya bit out each word, almost a bit too loud. Trying, Shigaraki supposed, to sound as heroic as possible. “What are you really doing to her?”

“Look, this is a bit of an embarrassing topic,” the clone answered, taking two steps back into the alley. “Not exactly something I prefer to discuss on the street… but if you follow me, I will tell you.” Midoriya followed instinctively, still keeping himself between Eri and Overhaul; Lemillion followed much more reluctantly. “The truth is that my niece defies me all of the time. It’s difficult sometimes to understand children, to help guide them…” As he was speaking, Chisaki began to remove one of his gloves. Shigaraki saw it, realizing that the clone's intention was simply to dispose of the two heroes. Definitely not an option… Shigaraki needed at least one of them alive to take the report of the girl back to their agency.

“Whistle again,” Shigaraki quietly ordered Kurogiri. “It’s time to end this charade.”

Kurogiri did as he was told, whistling.

Toga turned, glancing briefly up toward them.

“Wait,” Toga yelled, letting go of Midoriya’s leg and running back over to Overhaul. “I’m ready to go home now.” She added, giving the hero’s a tearful smile.

Midoriya was clearly confused, glancing between the girl and the clone. But Lemillion’s shoulders sagged in relief as Overhaul stopped removing his glove in mid-motion, allowing it to remain on as he held out his hand to the girl.

“You see,” the clone said to Midoriya. “She’s fine. I’m sorry if Eri’s tantrum has disrupted your patrols too greatly. But I thank you for listening to my worries.” The clone led Eri further back into the alley, turning the corner behind the building.

Shigaraki stuck around for a moment, attention focused on the wannabe heroes. Lemillion had to physically stop Midoriya from going after the girl.

“He’s obviously lying Murio!” Midorya argued. “We need to help her! She was clearly hurt!”

“I know, Midoriya,” Murio replied firmly. “But that was Overhaul, leader of a group of the Yakuza. He was threatening us, that’s why she went to him. Going after him alone is too dangerous! He could kill us… or worse, he could kill her! We need to report this to Sir Nighteye, he will know what to do.”

“Fine,” Midoriya agreed reluctantly. “I trust you, Murio. But we should go talk to him now.”

Murio nodded, and Shigaraki watched the two of them walking away, hopefully headed back to the agency. Shigaraki let out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding, relieved that everything had gone well. Once those two submitted the report of an endangered citizen to Nighteye, hopefully it would be enough to launch an official investigation. Then, one or two carefully constructed concerned citizen reports should be all it takes for the heroes to finally decide to move against the Shie Hassaikai.

After that, all Shigaraki would have to worry about is that the heroes would actually be able to do their fucking jobs correctly, and manage to get the asshole into Tartarus. Otherwise, this entire ridiculous ordeal would be a complete waste of time… time that Shigaraki really didn’t have to spare.

“I’m ready,” Shigaraki said, turning toward Kurogiri. “Let’s finish this.”

Kurogiri nodded, opening up a warp gate. Shigaraki stepped inside, stepping out in the alleyway next to the Overhaul clone and Toga, still transformed into the little girl. The clone's eyes widened with irritation.

“Who in the hell am I supposed to be meeting here?” The clone growled in obvious frustration. “They are taking too long. I almost had to dispose of two nosy heroes.”

“They should be here any moment,” Shigaraki replied, feigning a step toward Toga, but turning toward the clone at the last second and grabbing his neck, unleashing a wave of decay that, within moments, left the clone as a pile of ash in the alley. It was particularly satisfying to watch that smug asshole turn to dust under his hands… although it would have been infinitely more satisfying if it had been the real Overhaul finally disposed of for good.

Shigaraki pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his trenchcoat as Toga reached over and started to draw a smiley face in the ashes at Shigaraki’s feet. He fished out his lighter next, lighting up the cigarette and enjoying the rush of smoke filling his lungs.

It wouldn’t be long now before Overhaul was finally behind bars. And, if everything goes according to plan, Shouto would be out of the way soon as well. Once Kai and Shouto were gone, Dabi would come back to stand at Shigaraki’s side… right where the man belonged.

Chapter Text

Shouto POV
June 21st

After Saturday night, Shouto was determined to push himself even harder. This was his last training session with Dabi and Geten, and there was so much left to learn. He was sure Dabi would help him anytime, but who knows if he would even see Geten again after today. He needed every second to count.

Watching Kai kill that man at the party… it had left him shaken. After he and Kai had slipped away from the party, and spent the next few hours lost in eachother… everything had still come back to him. The sight of that man being killed in front of him kept replaying in his mind, keeping him awake long after Kai had finally fallen asleep.

He knew that Kai had killed Magne to punish Shigaraki for hurting him… but he hadn't watched it happen. Shouto had killed too; those two guards at the prison. But, between the drugs and the smoke, he didn't really remember it. If it hadn't been for the articles that had come out in the wake of the prison break, he wouldn't have even known he had killed two men. And even that knowledge had been troubling… but it didn't hold a candle to watching that man's face cave in under Kai's hands, to hearing him die. He had seen those horrible pictures on Hawks’ desk… the ones that were supposedly a man that Dabi had killed in a similar way… but they were cold and distant, unlike the smell of blood that he couldn't seem to scrub off his body.

And the worst part was that the entire ordeal was unneccessary; avoidable. If Kai could have trusted that Shouto was ready, he could have helped with whatever Yakuza 'business' that had drawn Kai away that night. He doubted it was as violent as watching that man die, and the drunk asshole would have found someone else to bother. Or even if he could prove to Kai that he was strong enough to take care of himself, then Kai wouldn't have had to step in and retaliate with such a grotesque display to defend Shouto's honor. He could have trusted that Shouto would have put that asshole in his place.

But first, he had to prove to Kai that he was ready. He had to prove to himself that he was ready. He had to prove to everyone that Fenikkusu… that Shouto was a force to be reckoned with.

So he had arrived at the training grounds nearly an hour ahead of time to get warmed up for his training. He didn't want to waste even a minute of their time.

After today, it was all up to him. He had to train hard every day; push himself harder than anyone else would. He was going to know his quirks inside and out. He was going to learn to drive a bullet bike and gain his independence from Kai or Dabi or Xaoi Fe or even public transportation. He was going to make sure that every single person he met on his rounds with mimic knew who Fenikkusu was; that they knew he would be fair, but if they stepped out of line that it was his retaliation they should fear and not Kai's. He would learn all the convoluted rules of the criminal world. And then he would beat Kai in training, prove to him that Shouto was ready to be his right hand.

He had just finished his warm-up jog around the training grounds when Geten arrived, also earlier than planned.

"Perhaps you listened to me last week, after all," Geten commented as he got closer to where Shouto was stretching. "If only you had shown such initiative from day one." Geten began to unbutton his coat, analyzing each stretch and movement that Shouto made.

"Better late than never, or so they say," Shouto remarked breathily as he moved from stretching his legs and core up into stretching his arms.

"I suppose you are correct," Geten replied, setting himself apart from Shouto by about eight feet, then beginning his own warm-up. Interestingly, it seemed to be an intricate Tai Chi routine, a martial arts form that he wasn't accustomed to seeing in his training. "Most people don't realize what it takes to achieve true greatness…" He continued, not missing a beat in the flow of poses and movements. "Even fewer are willing to make such a commitment."

Conversation between them fell to semi-awkward silence as Shouto finished up his warm-up. He finished slightly before Geten, so he settled down to lean against a tree to sip on water and cool off. With nothing else going on, it was impossible not to watch and admire the way Geten's lithe body moved through his routine. It was like watching an intricate dance, and it seemed as if each pose was as natural to the white-haired man as breathing; down to even the positioning of his fingers and the subtle signs of his breathing, each breath taken with control and purpose. Even the sweat beading at his brow only added to the way he almost glowed under the artificial lighting. He was beautiful… but he was also, undoubtedly, one of the bluntest, most callous men that Shouto had ever met.

Despite its uncommon use in training, the routine felt so fitting for Geten. Unlike the Yakuza, who measured power through brute strength, fear, and respect; Geten measured strength through absolute control over his body and quirk. And Tai Chi, although not as flashy as other martial arts, was absolutely based around a person's nuanced control over their body and mind.

Shouto's thoughts drifted as he watched Geten move. There was an undoubtable value in the Yakuza's training, and he needed to learn their ways as quickly as possible if he hoped to stand as Kai's equal… no matter how brutal those ways seemed now. No matter how different it seemed from the life he imagined he would have. The Yakuza was his reality, his fate… his destiny. He had to embrace it, or he was going to die trying.

But… he could see value in Geten's training as well. Mastery of his quirk would give him nuanced control over his ice and fire, but also the ability to lash out with controlled large-scale attacks if needed. Already, he was able to control his quirks in ways he had never considered possible.

As quickly as the routine started, Geten was bringing his arms around in a wide circle and flowing right into a shallow bow. A traditional closing move that was meant to honor the ancestors who have passed down the art form.

Geten glanced up, immediately meeting Shouto's gaze. Then he looked around, a slight frown on his face. Shouto glanced at his phone. It was already a few minutes after, which meant that Dabi was running late, though there wasn't a single text to indicate why. That was almost certainly the cause for Geten's sudden displeasure.

"I'm sure Dabi will be here soon," Shouto offered, hoping that Geten wouldn't leave over this. Last week, Geten had specifically told Shouto to be on time, not both of them. But the other man was also easily angered, which made him unpredictable.

Geten pursed his lips, sighing unhappily.

"As I said," Geten replied, a distinct note of distaste in his voice, "not everyone is willing to commit to the process of achieving true greatness. But we will not let that impede your training today. If you are ready to begin, then so am I."

He was definitely callous, as always.

"I'm ready," Shouto nodded, not bothering to try to defend Dabi. He knew that if Dabi was late, it was likely for good reason; but he already knew Geten's opinion on excuses… there is no good excuse. The better option was to just push forward.

Geten nodded, giving Shouto space to stand up and motioning for him to follow. Shouto trailed behind him as they made their way toward a dirt patch near the middle of the training grounds.

"Stand here and activate your right side," he directed.

Shouto did as he was told, allowing ice to creep up his left arm. It didn't stay against his skin for long, though. As quickly as he produced it, Geten used his quirk to control the ice and reform it into a long, thick pole.

"That's good," Geten said once he finally seemed satisfied with his make-shift tool.

Shouto stopped the flow of ice, watching curiously as Geten drew a large circle around him in the almost barren dirt. Roughly three feet out from Shouto in all directions. Once he was finished, he tossed the ice away from him and stepped into the circle to stand in front of Shouto.

"Let's start with your shapes," Geten instructed, rolling his sleeves up and widening his stance. Shouto was excited for this part of the training. Shouto had worked damn hard over the last week, and not only could he create each shape without the block as a guide, but the shapes were cleaner and easily recognizable. "Hold your hands at your side, palms up." Geten continued. "I want you to close your eyes, tighten your core, and take three deep breaths. Once you are ready, ignite a circle of fire around your left hand. Once you do, I will begin to call out a series of shapes. You will have 30 seconds to create that shape before I call the next. You will maintain the ring of fire around your left hand for the duration of the exercise. I will not accept anything less than your best. Do you understand?"

30 seconds?! And maintaining a ring of fire at the same time? Even after all of his practice, this exercise took creating those shapes to an entirely new level.

"Yes, Senpai," Shouto nodded, putting a confidence into his voice that he didn't entirely feel.

Shouto closed his eyes, adjusting his stance and focusing on the strength in his core.

Breathe in… Three. Four. Five. Six.

Breathe out… Three. Four. Five. Six.

“Forget about the task for a few minutes. I want you to clear your thoughts, and just focus on breathing.” He could hear Kai's voice in his mind; spoken in this same room, confident that Shouto could succeed.

Breathe in… Three. Four. Five. Six.

Breathe out… Three. Four. Five. Six.

"Raise your right arm, Shouto." the memory continued, helping build Shouto's confidence as he raised both hands. "Turn your hand so your palm is up."

Breathe in… Three. Four. Five. Six.

Breathe out… Three. Four. Five. Six.

"Just feel the block there. Trace the edges of it in your mind. Imagine the shape of it there, on your palm.” The block might be gone, but the concept was the same. He just had to stay focused. He could do this.

He drew on his other practices from the week, allowing a small flame to encircle his left hand.

"Circle." Geten called out, the shape immediately coming to Shouto's mind. He focused on his palm, feeling the shape there and allowing his ice to form it. "Rectangle." Geten continued, exactly thirty seconds later.

The process repeated through all six shapes.

"What is the first principle that the Meta Liberation Army was founded upon?" Geten asked.

"What?" Shouto replied, opening his eyes, his flame faltering around his left hand. The question seemed completely off topic and distracting.

Geten slapped his left hand harshly.

"Maintain your fire, Shouto, the exercise isn't over," he replied sternly.

Shouto immediately complied, steadying his hands, palms up, and letting the fire re-encircle his hand.

"The only benefit to your brother's absence is our ability to work on both your mental and physical training. You may not wish to join the MLA at present– although, for your benefit, I do hope that the day comes where you will reconsider my offer– but the principles that the MLA were based upon are strong guidelines to improve mental capabilities and widen one's worldview. So I ask again, what is the first principle that the Meta Liberation Army was founded upon?"

It was a good thing Dabi wasn't here yet, although Shouto was getting more worried about him with each minute that passed. But his brother hated anytime Geten spewed MLA rhetoric. If this was part of Geten's training, though, then Shouto would humor him. Perhaps there were things that Shouto could learn from it, even if he knew it was unlikely that he would ever join the MLA. He also knew that Kai would tell him that knowledge is never wasted. Knowing the principles of the MLA could be crucial if the organization were to ever become their allies… or their enemies.

Still, it had taken him almost a week to get a hold of a copy of 'Death by Regulation's, and between his training and his obligations to the Yakuza, he had only quickly read the first few chapters. The five principles were part of what he read, but he wasn't confident that he could remember them all in their entirety.

"Our quirks are–" Shouto began, but was immediately cut off by Geten.

"Meta-ability," the white-haired man corrected him. "Words have power, Shouto. The government coined the term quirk for us. But a quirk is an unusual habit of a person… a quality that is strange or unexpected about them. Something to be endured, as if there is something wrong with our abilities. Using that erroneous term only normalizes it. The word meta, on the other hand, means 'beyond'; it symbolizes change. It correctly portrays how we are greater than our non-powered counterparts."

That actually made some sense… although he did not believe that he was better than someone without a quirk, despite Endeavor telling him otherwise. It was a dangerous and divisive philosophy that could lead to discrimination… or worse. Still, Shouto had never even considered why quirks were called quirks. It was definitely worth looking into, maybe even something he could debate with Kai.

"Our meta-abilities," Shouto continued, once he was sure Geten was done speaking, "are an inherent part of our identity. They are…" Shouto wracked his mind, trying to remember the exact verbiage that he had read. "...gifts. A quality that, um, sets us apart from a…" Shit, he could not remember the word. He went with the closest term he could think of. "...normal human, and represents the next step in human evolution."

"Acceptable," Geten replied, a hint of disappointment in his tone. "You will have 25 seconds now to create each shape. Triangle."

25 seconds?!

He quickly closed his eyes, relying on instinct for that first shape, grateful that he had practiced them as much as he had. He repeated the pattern, again and again as Geten went through each shape; rectangle, oval, square, star, and finally circle.

"What is the second principle of the Meta Liberation Army?"

"Our meta-abilities belong to us," Shouto quoted. This one was the easiest, as it reflected what Geten had described during their very first training session. "They should not be controlled or regulated by any outside organization. External attempts to control one's meta-ability should be met with the same, uh, fight… no, resistance." Stay focused, Shouto! "External attempts to control one's meta-ability should be met with the same resistance as a physical threat to our safety."

"Better," Geten replied. "20 seconds between, and I want your flames to pulse outward between each shape. Oval."

Shouto took a deep breath, quickly imagining the shape and letting his ice form. Immediately after, he fed his flame, hoping the pulse of power was enough for Geten's liking. He continued through each step; hoping that his shapes were still sound even though the exercise was getting harder.

"What is the third principle of the Meta Liberation Army?"

"Our meta-abilities are not… fully developed upon emergence," Shouto began, trying to picture the page in his mind. "They are honed and developed through training, and can… change and evolve over time."

"You simplified it," Geten replied, irritated. "Meta-abilities are not fully realized upon emergence. Through dedicated training and study, one can hone and develop their meta-ability to achieve their abilities potential. For some, this may include a change in their meta-ability, or possibly the emergence of a secondary ability. 15 seconds between, and I want your flames to fully extinguish and relight between each shape. Star."

Shouto let instinct take over once more, letting his flame extinguish as he combined the shape and immediately letting the fire flow back out. It was much harder this time, and he had barely gotten through three shapes when a voice broke through his concentration.

"I made it! I got stuck–" Dabi yelled out, immediately cut off by Geten.

"Quiet, Blue-Flame," he yelled, grabbing Shouto's cheek to physically stop him from looking over at his brother. "You broke his focus. Sit down and keep quiet."

"Fucking hello to you, too," Dabi grumbled.

Geten met Shouto's eyes, his piercing gaze expectant.

"Stay focused. We are starting again. Star."

Shouto didn't have time to get frustrated at restarting. He didn't have time to be curious about his brother's tardiness. He had to immediately refocus or he would not be able to achieve the objective. One shape, after another.

"What is the fourth principle of the Meta Liberation Army?"

"Oh my fucking hell!" Dabi groaned.

"Quiet!" Geten demanded, briefly breaking eye contact to glare at Dabi.

"True mastery over one's meta-ability comes from, um, a synchronistic mastery over one's body, mind, and soul. Only through the union of all three can one achieve true power over their fate."

"He fucking knew that shit," Dabi grumbled quietly.

"Close enough," Geten replied, ignoring Dabi's comment. Ten seconds between, and I want your flames to grow after every shape. Square."

Shouto flexed his core, focusing in to achieve his new objective. Circle. Star. Oval. Rectangle. Triangle.

Shouto could hardly believe that he had kept up, forcing himself to keep his face impassive. But he was not looking forward to what he knew was coming next.

"What is the fifth, and final, principle of the Meta Liberation Army?"

"All meta-abilities are not equal. Even mastery over one's abilities may not grant them as much power as other individuals who have mastered their abilities. The future hierarchy of the human race will be decided by those individuals with the power to rule." It was Shouto's least favorite of the principles. It reminded him too much of his father. Endeavor had trained Shouto since birth to be number one, to show the world how powerful the Todoroki family could be. It was his fate. And, much to his dismay, he now realized that it was the same goal that he needed to achieve if he ever hoped to stand by Kai's side as his equal.

Fate was an ironic thing.

"Very good. Perhaps you did read the book, after all. Five seconds between, and I want you to maintain a three inch flame around your hand for the duration. Oval."

Shouto was expecting the new timeframe, even if he was nervous about it. He enhanced the size of his flame, and let his ice flow together; shape after shape. After the last one, Shouto dropped both his quirks, and relaxed his arms, hoping that his progress and ability to adapt would please Geten. He had kept pace with Geten's instructions, even if his shapes were beginning to struggle.

"Great," Dabi interrupted, as soon as the last shape had formed. He stepped in right behind Geten, and he looked rough. He had a faint black eye, his clothes were more wrinkled than usual, and his hair was everywhere. Shouto was definitely going to have to figure out what happened once they were done. "Fucking fantastic. Are we done with the warming up and the bullshit."

Geten grimaced, whirling visibly on him.

"If you show up almost thirty minutes late, Dabi, then you do not get, nor do you deserve to get, any say in the way I chose to start my training session."

"Yet, you can't seem to remember that these are training sessions, not recruitment. Okimoto isn't paying you to try to steal one of his new members." Dabi growled back, standing his ground.

"Perhaps if the Yakuza were as powerful as they boast, they would not need to bring in an outside organization to train their new recruits." Geten retorted, before turning back toward Shouto. "As I said earlier, one does not need to be a member of the MLA to be benefitted by the teachings of The Grand Commander." Dabi shook his head behind Geten, bringing his hand back up into the same 'L' that mocked the MLA sign of respect, and Shouto had to force himself to stay focused on Geten. "The predictions made by The Grand Commander are the future of the human race. It's only a matter of time, and that time is running out very quickly. The government is losing more and more control over meta-abilities with each passing month. People, like yourself, are seeing past the corruption and the propaganda. They are making desperate and expensive attempts to utilize support gear, because they are finding themselves outmatched by their opposers. It's not just Japan… it's happening all over the world. The future of humanity will be decided by those with true power and true mastery over their abilities. And you, more than any other member of the Yakuza that I have encountered, have the potential to achieve that power. Do not squander that gift, Fenikkusu."

Geten took a deep breath, visibly relaxing and pulling himself back into the moment.

"Now, let's talk about your shapes," Geten finally continued, pointing to the discarded pile of melting ice at Shouto's feet. "They started out strong, a huge improvement over last week. However, as the time decreased, so did the quality of your shapes. This is a skill most useful in battle, and you will rarely have 30 seconds to prepare and create. You need to be able to visualize and create almost instantaneously. Your ability to do so could be the difference between defeat and victory."

Dabi was actually nodding in agreement now, and Shouto hoped that their cooperation would continue for the rest of the day.

Geten moved his hand, utilizing the ice at Shouto's feet to create a small dagger. He held it out for Shouto.

"I am sure you realize that baby blocks are not the goal in this training," he continued, as Shouto accepted the weapon. "You need to be able to create weapons. If you are caught off-guard, you need to be able to defend yourself with no warning. It's going to take hours of practice, Shouto, but once you have mastered this aspect of your meta-ability, you will be able to create things that you can't even dream of right now. Try it." Geten motioned to the dagger in his hand.

Shouto glanced down at the dagger. He had known that the blocks weren’t the goal of his training, but he had his doubts about how to create something as complicated as a weapon. Even if he could create the basic shape, he had no idea how to give it a sharp edge. But, he knew better than to tell Geten that he couldn’t. He had to at least try.

He flattened his palm and placed the dagger on it, the hilt near the tips of his fingers and the tip of the blade extending just past his wrist. He closed his eyes, once more following Kai’s unspoken guidance. It was much harder than the blocks. Because there was no flat surface, it was impossible to feel all the edges. He could only guess the dimensions based off of what he could feel. Channeling his focus into his ice, he slowly let it flow out in what he hoped was the right shape. Because he had practiced the blocks on his palm, trying to focus on such a long area outside of his palm was much harder. And when he opened his eyes to see his attempt, he was… disappointed. It vaguely resembled a cross, but it was as far off from a dagger as his very first attempts to create a block had been.

“I guess I have a long way to go,” he said, self-consciously. He wasn’t really sure what else to say.

“Of course you do,” Geten replied, matter-of-factly. “I should hope that your training has never been easy, nor should you expect it to be anytime soon. It takes years to master any meta-ability; you are no exception just because your father is the number one hero.”

“You could also practice it with Momo as inspiration,” Dabi added.

“Momo?” Shouto had no idea what she had to do with any of this.

“Yeah,” he nodded, ignoring the blank look Geten was giving him. “Think about how she creates items. She doesn’t lay out her hand and form them horizontally from her body. She pulls them vertically, the weapon shaping as she does. Starting from the hilt all the way down to the tip. Like how a 3D printer would produce a dagger. Once you know the dimensions of the weapon you want to create, you could do it that way. It would take longer to master, but I think it would produce the details better than how you just attempted to do it.”

Shouto hadn’t even considered trying that method. He would have to know the dimensions of the weapon intimately, but if he could figure that out, it might just work.

“Only through trial and error, and many, many failed attempts will you begin to improve.” Geten added. “But your success in mastering this part of your ability is what will help you break the mold of what your father, and your university, decided that you could do.”

Shouto nodded. He was definitely feeling a bit overwhelmed. If this was just the warm-up, he really wasn’t sure he wanted to know what Geten had planned for the rest of the training session.

* * * * * *
Dabi POV

Dabi was fucking pumped. After a shitty fucking night, the day was completely turning itself around. Since they had to leave the Shibari party early on Saturday, he and Yokubo had decided that they wanted to enjoy a bit more of the weekend. They had gone to a club last night, gotten drunk, and Dabi had ended up in a fist fight with some asshole. The guy had been just looking for a fight, wanting to look cool in front of his girlfriend or some shit. Well the joke was on him. Dabi might have ended up with a black eye, but the other guy went home with a broken nose, a fat lip, and hopefully a few cracked ribs.

Then, Dabi drank some more and ended up with fucking whiskey dick when he tried to fuck Yokubo after the club. He was pretty sure he had still gotten her off, but it left him less than satisfied. And, to top all of that off, he had forgotten to set any alarms and had ended up late to Shouto’s training, hungover, and unprepared.

And there was nothing he hated more than dealing with Geten’s smug, I’m-better-than-every-fucking-one-else attitude. He just knew that Geten was going to rub this in his face. When he arrived at the training session, it was even worse than expected. As part of his warm-up, Geten was making Shouto recite some bullshit MLA garbage… and Shouto fucking knew it! Geten might be good with ice, but it was a mistake to have him help train Shouto. The last thing the Shie Hassaikai needed was the MLA interested in Shouto. They had enough on their plates as it was.

Luckily, he eased up once Dabi got there, and they were able to get serious. Shouto’s training was going well, and Dabi was impressed by how much his brother had improved in only three weeks.

They went over smaller close-combat attacks, and controlled larger attacks. Shouto was able to mostly keep up with every challenge Geten set forth. And when they practiced with the weapons, Shouto was day and night better than last week. Okimoto had set him up in separate sessions with some of the Yakuza members that used those weapons, and he had picked things up quickly… especially the whip. And Dabi wouldn't lie, seeing Shouto wield that whip did things for him. At no time more than when Shouto managed to use the whip to knock a dagger out of his hand during their one-on-one practice.

He was definitely willing to volunteer to continue Shouto's training now that Iceman was out of the picture.

Then, just as everything was wrapping up, Geten had slipped something into his hand while Shouto was distracted packing up his weapons. It was a key to a room in some hotel on the outskirts of the city. No goodbye. All Geten had said was a simple, under his breath ‘Be there at 7’. He didn’t have to say more. Dabi knew exactly what that fucking meant.

Hate. Sex.

And Dabi was here for it. After the unrequited blowjob last week, Dabi only hoped that Geten would be a better lay this time around. He was still a little sore from his tryst with Hawks, but he was ready for a good fuck that he didn’t have to coax someone through. It was obvious Geten liked to be in charge, and Dabi had a feeling that that was a preference that would follow them into the bedroom. But if Geten wanted to dom him for the night, Dabi was ready.

He wanted it.

So yeah, he may have sped like a bat out of hell to get Shouto back to Kai’s; and then again back to his own apartment. And he may have taken the fastest shower he could, pulling on something nice and tight, that he knew accentuated all the right places on his body.

With only six minutes to spare, he made it to the parking garage of a damn nice hotel. He had expected some grungy motel like he used for hook-ups. After all, his tattoos didn’t make it easy for him to waltz around wherever he wanted. He either had to cover almost completely up, or only frequent places that didn’t care who he was… or didn’t dare to cross the Yakuza and turn him into the heroes. But, he shouldn’t have been surprised. Geten’s head was so far up his own ass that he probably considered himself too important for some cheap motel.

Dabi pulled open one of his bags, fishing out his black mask. He put it on as soon as he took off his helmet, then pulled up his hood. It wasn't a fool-proof disguise by any means, and if he was a smart man he would probably turn around and leave. Walking through the lobby meant risking recognition just so he could get some dick.

But life was fucking short and he didn't think he would get another chance to fuck Geten.

He pulled the key out. Room 1142.

Here goes nothing.

Moving quickly, he used the key to get into one of the side doors, hoping to avoid the lobby altogether. There was no one immediately in the hall, but the place looked fucking nice. Geten had paid a pretty penny to get them in here. It was a weird thing, paying out a whole bunch to hookup with someone you despise.

Maybe the MLA was better off then Dabi realized.

Dabi veered toward the elevator, keeping his head down to avoid eye contact with two men in business suits who were getting off. He got on and quickly pushed the 'close door' button before anyone else could join him. Luckily he made it up to the eleventh floor without issue. There was only a cleaner in the hall as he walked to his room, and though she bowed respectfully as he passed, she seemed far too busy to pay him much attention. He got to the room without issue, sliding his key in and opening it up.

The light was already turned on when he walked in, a musky jasmine scent filling the air in the room. The place actually had a little kitchenette and a small sitting room with a large window at the back. There was no sign of Geten, though.

Dabi stopped and took off his riding gloves, jacket, and mask; laying them on the small table. He walked over to the window and pulled the curtains closed. The room had a nice view, though it wasn't much compared to Kai's apartment. There were two doors in the room, one that led to a bathroom with a small, private onsen; already filled with cool water. The other door led to the bedroom.

And although the bed was huge compared to the motel, the thing that caught his interest was a variety of toys set out on top of the dresser. Curious, he walked over.

"I'll be damned," Dabi chuckled to himself, picking up a flogger. "Ice man doesn't do anything half-assed, I will give him that." The guy had a whole assortment of very high-quality bondage toys. In addition to the flogger, there was a ball gag, vibrating butt plug, handcuffs, rope, blindfold, nipple clamps, and a cane. They weren't the run-of-the-mill stuff you pick up in a cheap sex shop, either. This collection had cost the man a pretty penny.

"I see you like what I brought," Geten observed, walking into the room with a bottle of Sake and two ochoko cups. Dabi glanced over. Geten was wearing simple black pants, and a fitted, dark gray button-up. The top three buttons were undone, showing off his long neck, and pale collar bones. His white hair was pulled back into a bun at the nape of his neck, strands pulled out to frame his face.

The guy might be an insufferable dick, but he had an almost ethereal beauty to him. And in that outfit, he looked sexy as hell.

"You have always been anti-support gear… I wouldn't have guessed that you liked this kind of shit in the bedroom."

"Oh, none of that is for me," Geten replied sensually. There was a raw, lusty quality to his voice that Dabi had never heard, and he couldn't lie… he could feel those words resonate through his entire body.

Geten set the two cups down, opening the Sake and filling the two cups. He offered one to Dabi, who was more than happy to accept. A little booze and a good fuck was definitely what he needed tonight. Dabi brought the cup to his lips, drinking it like a shot. It was a decent bottle; the flavor was sweet and rich with an almost apple-like undertone.

Geten quirked his eyebrow at him, the judgemental bastard. But he filled Dabi's cup once more, and then a third time as he sipped his.

"That's enough," Geten finally said after that third cup, "I want you to be fully aware of every single thing that I'm about to do to you."

"Why don't we get the real party started then?" Dabi asked suggestively. He was already half-hard, and more than ready to feel the other man's cool hands on his body.

Geten grabbed his chin roughly, pulling his face down until his cold blue eyes locked with Dabi's.

"Don't think for a second that you are in control of anything tonight, Dabi." Even Geten's breath was cool as he spoke, and the idea of that mouth on Dabi's warm body made his balls tighten in anticipation and his nipples start to bud. "You will do exactly what I tell you to do. And if you are a good boy, then maybe I will let you cum."

"I can be a good boy," Dabi replied quietly, Geten's hand continuing to hold his chin firmly in place.

Geten yanked him forward into a rough kiss; his lips cold and demanding against Dabi's, his tongue sliding into Dabi's mouth. Geten stepped forward, pushing his body up against Dabi, pressing Dabi’s ass up against the dresser. Geten's hand snaked up and twisted into his hair, holding his head in place as they kissed. Kissing him was a heady feeling, and the firm muscles of Geten's body felt good pressed against his body.

As their breath grew shallow, Geten finally broke the kiss, panting as he stepped back and began rolling up his sleeves.

"Take off your shirt," Geten instructed harshly.

Dabi was quick to obey, sliding the shirt slowly up his toned stomach and over his head. His chain was cool as it fell against his naked skin. Geten watched him appreciatively. He stepped in close, reaching around Dabi to grab the blindfold and rope off the table. He slid the blindfold over Dabi's head, setting it securely in place over his eyes; adjusting it until he was sure Dabi could see nothing.

Then Dabi could feel Geten taking his hands, and beginning to wrap the rope securely around his wrists. Dabi couldn't see it, but he suspected it was a bowline knot, and it was clear that this wasn't the first time that the other man had done this.

Once Geten was satisfied, his touch disappeared. Dabi waited, impatiently. A few moments later, Dabi jumped as something cold hooked between his hands, yanking his arms upward and dragging him out into the room. Within seconds, he was suspended in the middle of the room, his toes barely able to touch the floor, his torso vulnerable and exposed to the ice villain.

The loss of control sent a shock of desire through his body, and he could feel his erection straining at the front of his pants.

Geten purposely took his time, though Dabi could hear him moving around the room. His skin was practically tingling with anticipation, waiting for something… anything.

Then a single, sharp, cold sting of pain bloomed across his lower stomach. He gasped, the shock washing over his entire torso. The cane. The cane, he suspected, covered with a thin sheen of ice for an extra sting. So sharp and smooth that it might have actually sliced into his skin. He could feel his nipples getting hard, pleasure pulsing out from the line where it hit. A moment later, a second sting blossomed, then a third, directly over his nipple.

Dabi fucking loved it, though his body instinctively danced away from the hits. He could barely move, and the pressure of trying was beginning to strain his wrists.

"Look at you," Geten growled, his voice husky with desire. "Your body is begging to be used." A hard hit across the front of his pants made him cry out. The pain jolted through his cock, making it go temporarily soft and leaving him a bit queasy. He took a deep breath as the next strike hit across his lower back.

“Fuck…” he groaned, the next hit taking him across the back of his right shoulder.

“You’re pathetic, blue-flame,” Geten continued, a cold hand starting to trace a line over the residual pain on his lower back. “So desperate to be fucked… did no one love you when you were a child?” The sensation of those cold fingers on his skin resonated into his torso as they continued to trace around his side and then across his lower stomach. If only the asshole knew the truth in that statement. But if demeaning Dabi helped the prick get his rocks off… well, it wasn’t like Dabi hadn’t heard that shit before.

The cool hand disappeared once more, but Dabi could feel the touch lingering like frost on his skin, the line so cold that it almost burned. Another hand on his shoulder; Dabi gasped, his mouth dropping open as a shock of cold washed over his right shoulder, chilling his shoulder straight down to the bone. Then a cool mouth was kissing his left cheek, small kisses until the man’s lips were over Dabi’s ear. “But how could your daddy love such a disgusting disappointment? No wonder he discarded you for your brother.” The hand on his shoulder was beginning to trace downward, a searing line of ice that crept over his chest… his abs… his lower stomach, and then snaking down into his underwear. The temperature was almost unbearable as it crept closer to his cock, and Dabi uselessly tried to pull back against the hook to get away. “Just like Shigaraki…”

This was far from Dabi’s first time with a demeaning dom… but usually they just called him a whore. This was the first time that a dom was purposely trying to cut him down to his core. The sadistic bastard.

“Just like Overhaul…” Geten continued, those cold fingers wrapping around his cock. Dabi shuddered as they began to stroke him, his cock struggling to get hard as it also tried to shrink away from the cold. Each touch was leaving a layer of frost that was spreading over Dabi’s torso, and he could feel his body beginning to shiver. The cold hook between his hands was leaching into his fingers, adding to the numbness that was beginning to take over as the position slowly cut off his circulation. The temperature in the entire room had dropped, and Dabi’s body was growing more sensitive by the second… sensitive in a way that he had never experienced.

“Poor little Dabi…” Geten whispered, those cold fingers releasing his cock as Geten stepped back. “Destined to play second fiddle to your little brother’s success.” A sharp sting of pain cut across his cheek, the strike of the cane so hard that it forced his head to turn. Dabi moaned loudly, activating his quirk lightly to bring up his temperature, blue flame slowly licking at the hook between his hands. It helped with the shivering, slowly driving away the extreme cold that was worming its way into his muscles, slowing down his reaction time and numbing his body. Almost immediately he could feel the frost melting, water beginning to drip down his torso.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Dabi,” Geten laughed lowly, the sound stirring something deep in Dabi’s groin. “I didn’t give you permission to use your meta-ability. Let it drop.”

Dabi moaned as cold fingers pinched his nipple roughly. But he obeyed, letting go of his quirk. He was still chilled, but the warmth had given his body some much needed relief. He was losing circulation in his hands, though, and he could feel his arms starting to go numb.

He was definitely going to need a joint or two after this fuck.

“In no world will your flames outmatch my ice,” Geten taunted him, his voice getting farther away as he walked away from Dabi. “If you thought sex was going to be the exception… then I will have to teach you otherwise.” The words were husky, and Dabi could hear the want in the other man’s voice.

Dabi let his head drop forward as he waited. A moment later, he felt Geten’s hands at the front of his pants, undoing the button and unzipping them. He expected the man to pull his pants off completely, to fully expose his body… but he didn’t. Geten pushed the pants down just enough to bare the top of his ass. Geten pressed his still fully-clothed body up against Dabi’s wet chest and reached around, running one very cold hand down the back of his pants to grab a handful of ass. Then his other hand started to trace a cool, slick object down the crack of his ass. A shiver of desire echoed through his groin and up into his torso, his erection slowly coming back to life as he felt the butt plug slowly drag downward.

The briefest regret at not prepping himself ran through his mind, but it was immediately forgotten as a sharp pain shot through his asshole. Dabi gasped as Geten pushed the plug inside of him with no prep; nothing but a little bit of lube to help force it in.

“Fuck!”

His ass clenched around the intrusion, pulses of pain overwhelming everything else as Geten continued to grope his ass, as if that were some sort of a silent apology.

“You brought that on yourself, blue-flame,” Geten sneered in his ear, so close that as the pain in his ass slowly dulled, he became suddenly very aware of Geten’s clothed erection pressing against his upper thigh. “Disobey me again, and the consequences will be far worse. Do you understand?” Geten asked, pushing on the end of the buttplug and moving it just enough to cause ripples of pain in the sensitive, stretch flesh; a stark contrast to the tingles of pleasure that pulsed out as the very tip of the plug teased his prostate.

“Yes,” Dabi moaned, trying uselessly to grind forward against the other man.

“I’m not sure you really do,” Geten retorted huskily, pulling his hands out of Dabi’s underwear and stepping away. “All through your brother’s training, and now here… you keep trying to defy me. How many times do I have to put you in your place?”

His fucking place? Dabi could get out of this anytime he wanted; he chose to be in this fucking place. The conceited fucking asshole.

Before Dabi could reply, though, a series of painful stings exploded across his back. His body arched forward in response, the movement sending a strange pulse of both pain and pleasure into his ass as it caused the plug to move slightly.

The pain was dulling, though. The stretch… the sensation of being filled up…

It was so, so fucking good.

“Do you understand?” Geten asked again, the flogger once more striking his back, leaving streaks of sensitive skin in its wake. It hurt in the best way possible, and Dabi groaned appreciatively. The sound resulted in another lash across his back, the sting of ice on this one, harder than the last. “Do you?”

Dabi’s body was a wreck of sensations; combined with the faintly buzzing effect of the Sake affecting his senses… it was a glorious darkness that he could fall into.

“Yes,” he moaned, his cock pulsing.

Another lash, a half dozen ice-sharp stings digging into his back.

“YES!,” he yelled this time, his head rolling back. His arms had gone completely numb, his shoulders beginning to ache. “I fucking understand!”

Geten didn’t say a word, but the support holding him in place was suddenly gone. Without warning to prepare, Dabi couldn’t get his footing in time. He crumbled roughly to the floor, his side hitting the ground hard and knocking the wind out of him, his hands still securely tied together. He lay there dazed for a minute, a deep, burning ache settling over his arms as the blood began to rush back into them.

After a minute of the sadistic asshole just watching him struggle, Dabi rolled over onto his knees. His arms were so weak that he could barely use them to push himself up, moaning wantonly as every single movement made the plug inside of him graze his prostate.

Then he could feel Geten lean down beside him.

“You want to be fucked?” the man whispered, accentuating the word by nipping roughly at Dabi’s ear. “Then get on the bed, and show me that you know how to behave.” As soon as he was done speaking, Geten shoved Dabi roughly forward, off-balancing him and causing him to fall back over. But he caught himself with his elbow this time, his head bumping softly against the bedframe.

At least he knew where the damn bed was now.

Dabi struggled back up onto his knees. He ignored the pins and needles that were beginning to vibrate up and down his arms, and used them to push himself slowly up onto his feet. The plug shifted slightly with each step as he stumbled onto the bed, collapsing onto it.

His entire body felt weak.

Fuck.

“Good boy,” Geten quipped, a notably patronizing tone to his voice. Then Geten’s hands were on him, rolling him over to his back. The position pushed the plug deeper, and he groaned lasciviously. Geten was stronger than Dabi realized, pulling him up on the bed. Dabi’s arms were too weak to resist as he forced them back above his head, handcuffing them to the headboard. Only then did he remove the ropes binding them together.

Dabi tested the hold, but the cuffs were secure around his wrists. He lay his head against the pillow, the softness of the bed a welcome relief for his tired muscles; but a constant pressure against the mosaic of lashed skin and bruises on his back.

His body jumped suddenly as Geten turned the plug on with no warning, a sudden, pulsing vibration deep in his ass.

Geten’s hand touched his cheek, tracing his fingers down to Dabi’s mouth and pulling it slightly open. Almost reverently running his finger back and forth over Dabi’s lips.

“Despite your pathetic failure of a life,” Geten spoke lowly, pushing his thumb into Dabi’s mouth. Dabi knew what he wanted, closing his lips around it and sucking it gently, flicking his tongue against it as if it was Geten’s cock that he was pleasuring. “It turns out that you are very good for one thing.” The want in his voice was undeniable now. Dabi was growing impatient, the pulsing vibrations in his ass were very slowly coiling in his gut, his erection straining against the front of his underwear. “I have been thinking about this mouth since the last time that I was inside of it.”

Geten pushed him further up on the bed, so that he was half-sitting against the headboard, his arms awkwardly balanced on his head as the cuffs held them in place. Dabi felt the bed dip as Geten climbed on it, kissing a line up Dabi’s stomach before positioning one leg on each side of him. He moved upward until he was straddling Dabi’s chest.

Dabi could hear him slowly unzipping, followed by the faint shuffle of fabric as he pulled his cock out. Immediately, Dabi could smell the man’s arousal, the scent sending a shock of desire straight down his spine. Dabi could feel his hips moving, gently grinding themselves down to move the plug inside of him. He could feel the beginnings of his orgasm building; the sensation blacking out everything outside of the moment. All that mattered was that glorious vibration rubbing against his prostate, and the firm pressure of Geten’s erection pushing against his lips. He opened his mouth wide, and Geten moaned appreciatively as he slid his cool cock in between Dabi’s warm lips. The salty taste of his precum flooded Dabi’s senses, and he swirled his tongue around it as Geten thrust shallowly into his mouth.

Dabi had no idea how long they spent like that, grinding his ass into the bed as Geten slowly began to push his cock in a little deeper with each thrust.

“Take a deep breath, blue-flame,” Geten murmured, though his voice was barely recognizable, each word dripping with lust.

It was all the warning he got before Geten took all control from him and began to fuck his mouth, the head of his cock pushing back into Dabi's throat with every thrust. Dabi’s head swam, forced back against the headboard. Geten put one hand on each side of his head, holding it in place so that he could use Dabi’s mouth for his own pleasure.

Dabi was close, and each new pulse of precum that dripped onto Dabi’s tongue was bringing him closer and closer to the edge. He managed the occasional shallow breath through his nose, but he could feel himself getting light-headed. It was a feeling that he was used to; surrendering his body so completely to another that he could barely breathe. His entire body was lighting up with desire, and he was moaning lewdly around Geten’s cock.

“Fuck… Dabi…” Geten grunted, his pace starting to get faster.

The words were barely audible, but they went straight to Dabi’s groin and pushed him over the edge. Pulses of color filled the blackness over his eyes as his back arched up off the bed and he spilled his load all over his boxers. Geten didn’t slow down, and the vibrating plug in his ass didn’t stop; wave after wave of pleasure washing over him. It was so gloriously good, and way too fucking much at the same time; his orgasm melting into overstimulated convulsions. So strong that he couldn’t even remember how to breathe, let alone care that he couldn’t.

And just as his thoughts started to dull, and he could feel the edges of unconsciousness creep in, Geten thrust hard into his mouth, crying out as he came; his orgasm spilling deep in Dabi’s throat. The sudden sensation made him choke on Geten’s cock, which seemed to turn the other man on even more, and he continued to fuck Dabi until the very last pulse of his orgasm had passed.

Finally, he pulled out. And Dabi sputtered and coughed, gasping for air, his throat and lungs burning from the abuse. The damn plug was still tormenting him, and his entire body shuddered every time he moved and it rubbed into his over-stimulated prostate. His mouth and chin were covered in a mix of cum and saliva, and he could feel it starting to drip down his neck. He felt Geten drop down onto the bed next to him as he continued to gasp for air.

After a few minutes, he felt the bed shift, and the plug inside of him stilled. Geten grabbed onto the waist of his jeans, but instead of pulling them down like Dabi expected, he pulled them back up and into place snugly around Dabi’s waist. Without bothering to remove the plug or clean up the sticky mess in his boxers, the other man zipped and buttoned the pants back up.

“What in the hell?” Dabi complained, pulling impatiently against the handcuffs in order to pull a corner of the blindfold up. He grimaced as the bright light flooded his senses, squinting. The white-haired asshole was using a rag to wipe off his cock before tucking it away. “I thought that we were actually going to fuck?!” His voice was a hoarse mess, and his throat was still aching.

Geten didn’t reply right away, walking back over toward the dresser.

Irritated, Dabi shifted around enough so that he could pull the blindfold off. His arms were still weak and sore, and being handcuffed like this was not helping them.

“I’m talking to you, asshole,” Dabi tried again. Geten turned around, holding a tin of mints and the ballgag in his hand.

“I do want to fuck you, Dabi,” Geten finally replied, walking over to sit down on the edge of the bed. He set the gag down on Dabi’s stomach, then used an edge of the blanket to wipe the mess off of Dabi’s chin. He pulled two mints out of the tin and held them up to Dabi’s mouth. Dabi grudgingly opened his mouth for the damn mints, frustrated with whatever the hell this fucking game was. “I would love nothing more than to use you like the bitch you are, but there isn’t time.” The taste of peppermint flooded his senses, and Geten reached down, cupping his soft cock and stroking it through his pants. The sensation made him shudder with lingering pleasure, but he could feel it pushing the sticky mess in his boxers around even more. Geten glanced at his watch. “Actually, I should be going very soon.”

“What in the fuck…” Dabi yanked at the handcuffs. “I should have known that this was some stupid game to you. Fucking bastard.”

Geten leaned down, his lips almost pressed against Dabi’s ear.

“I tell you what, Dabi,” he whispered, the hint of a smirk in his voice. “If you don’t tell Shigaraki that I fucked your mouth, then I won’t tell your precious Shiggy that you came in your pants like a pathetic schoolboy.”

Shigaraki?!

What the fuck did he mean…

Shit. Double shit.

Dabi started to panic as reality set in…

“Unlo-” Dabi couldn’t get even a single word out before Geten was pushing the ball of the ballgag into his mouth. Dabi struggled against him, readying to lash out with a wave of blue flame if necessary. He didn’t give a fuck about this fancy room. He could not be here if Shigaraki was coming. As much as a tiny piece of him wanted to see Shigaraki again, it couldn’t happen like this. Shigaraki had a price on his head. Dabi had betrayed him and the entire League. There were consequences to that shit, and he was not ready to face those consequences yet.

But as he uselessly struggled to keep Geten from tying the gag in place, his flames didn’t come. They… wouldn’t. He couldn’t even get a single spark. His quirk was gone.

The cuffs…

This entire fucking night had been arranged to get a goddamn pair of quirk-surpressing cuffs on him! A fucking trap!

Fuck!

Geten laughed at the widening of his eyes, patting him on the head like one would comfort a dog. Then he stood up, walking back over to the dresser.

Dabi couldn’t be here.

He thrashed against the cuffs, yanking so hard that he could feel the metal digging into his wrists. He rattled the headboard, his arms aching from the effort, the cuffs starting to cut into him as he struggled.

He wanted to laugh, and to scream in frustration.

How could he be so stupid?!

He was as good as dead if he couldn’t get out of these things!

“Stop struggling, Dabi,” Geten sneered. “You dishonor yourself. Surely you didn’t think that you could run forever, did you?”

Dabi ignored the prick, his thoughts racing. He had nothing sharp on him right now, but if he could manage to get one of the bars out of his nipples, or maybe his tongue. He could use the jewelry to pick the lock on the handcuffs. But he wasn’t sure if he could manage to get one out with his arms secured in such an awkward position.

He heard the door close, not giving a damn that the traitorous asshole was gone. Good fucking riddance!

His only other option was to dislocate one of his thumbs and try to slide that hand out. He knew Kai could fix any damage he did to himself, but he had seen firsthand the damage that exact trick did to somebody. It would shred his skin, and leave his hand useless until he could get to Kai. He wasn’t even sure if he would be able to drive his bike… but it was his only fucking option.

Fuck!

Dabi banged his head backward against the headboard in frustration.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down enough to think clearly. If he was smart about this, he could do minimal damage. The three shots were not enough; the last few minutes had sobered him up completely. He desperately wished that he wasn’t. Some drugs would go a long way toward numbing the pain.

Dabi adjusted his hands the best he could to make the dislocation as easy as possible.

But a familiar purple haze filled the air beside him before he had a chance to do anything. Within seconds, the warpgate appeared. As Shigaraki stepped through, Dabi let his hands drop, resigned to his fate.

He was going to die.

His heart clenched as Shigaraki came into full view, his red eyes narrowing as they took in Dabi handcuffed to the bed. Shigaraki looked… terrible. His clothes hung off of his skeletal frame, and he was thinner than Dabi had ever seen him. So thin that he looked frail, as if he could collapse at any moment. Long wraps covered both arms, and his face… His hair was completely white and lifeless. His red eyes had developed a slight yellow hue in his sclera, and they were sunken and hollow, dark bags below them. The bones in his face were sharp, his features exaggerated in a way that Dabi had never seen. His lips dry and pale, curling up into a sneer as he took in Dabi’s sex-tousled hair and bare chest.

Dabi had been desperately hoping that Toga had been exaggerating Shigaraki's condition. That it had been some kind of a ploy to lure him back to the base. That Shigaraki was not as bad as she said. But… he was worse.

He really did look like he was dying.

The warpgate closed, leaving both Shigaraki and Kurogiri staring down at him.

"Dabi," Kurogiri nodded in greeting. As if they were still companions. As if he hadn't hand-delivered Dabi's executioner straight to him.

“Make sure that no one disturbs us,” Shigaraki directed Kurogiri, who nodded and headed into the other room to keep guard. Though Dabi doubted that Geten would stick around to see what was going to happen. He was probably already driving away. And Dabi hadn’t told anyone else where he was going. He had fallen right into Shigaraki’s trap.

Shigaraki waited until the door had closed behind Kurogiri before speaking.

“Geten certainly took the ruse far enough,” Shigaraki began hollowly, stepping up beside the bed, and reaching down to trace a single finger across one of the swollen, red lines that the cane had left on Dabi's stomach. “Your recklessness has always been your downfall, Dabi. You hate him and you still would have fucked him, wouldn’t you?” Shigaraki’s mouth tightened after.

The question was rhetorical, of course. With the ballgag still firmly in place, Dabi couldn’t answer. Not that he needed to, not really.

Shigaraki sighed, turning around and pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. He lit one up, leaving Dabi to sit and wait as he paced the room, smoking. He kept glancing over at Dabi, as if trying to decide where to begin.

“Out of the entire League,” Shigaraki finally began, an angry resentment in his voice. “I never thought that you would be the one to betray me. After everything that we have been through together… after everything that I did for you. And you still betrayed me. I trusted you, Dabi. I fucking loved you. How?! HOW?!" The last word was a scream, anguish contorting his features.

He dropped the cigarette, using his boot to put it out on the tile floor. He stalked over, placing the tips of all five fingers on the ball gag, the entire thing decaying to ash in Dabi's mouth. The resulting powder tasted awful, immediately sticking to his spit and coating his mouth. He coughed and spit, trying to get as much of the ash out of his mouth as he could.

Impatient, Shigaraki grabbed Dabi's chin, one finger held away from his skin, and yanked his head back around so that Dabi was forced to meet his eyes.

"Tell me why," he demanded.

"You know why," Dabi replied. "I didn't have a choice."

It was the truth. Shigaraki knew that Shouto was the only person outside of The League that Dabi really gave a damn about. He betrayed Dabi first, when he chose to hurt Shouto. He forced Dabi to make the choice between them.

"Shouto," Shigaraki sneered venomously, pulling his hand away from Dabi's chin as if he had been burned. "Your poor, defenseless, baby brother." Shigaraki spit on the floor in disgust.

"Don't act like you're fucking innocent," Dabi replied. "You went after him to hurt me. You knew exactly what you were doing." The conversation was long overdue, but Dabi had been dreading this moment. He knew how this was all going to end.

"He was nothing, Dabi!" Shigaraki growled. "He was a fucking memory! A part of a world that you left behind. You blame me for his pain, but you were the reason he got involved with the underground. You are the person who ruined your brother's life."

"Fuck you, Shigaraki," Dabi snapped. He took a breath, closing his eyes. The words hit home, hurting him in a way that Geten could have never achieved. No one knew how much Dabi regretted meeting Shouto at that club. How much he regretted taking him to that damn party. Everything had spiraled out of control so fucking quickly. Betraying the League, and helping to free Shouto, had been his only means for redemption.

"The biggest mistake I made was introducing him to a prick like you," Dabi finally added, trying to keep the rage out of his voice. It had been something he wanted to say to Shigaraki since the moment he found out that Shouto had been raped. "I introduced him to the man I loved, and you raped him. In one single night, you destroyed everything between us. You were the reason I left."

"He was nothing, Dabi," Shigaraki retorted, practically seething. "Who was there for you when Hawks tossed you to the side? Certainly not Shouto… I bet he didn't even know you were hurting. Who was there for you when your father left you for dead? I saved your life. I gave you a new purpose… a new identity. I pulled your drunk ass out of the gutter more times than I can count… cleaned you up after your nights out fucking anyone who gave you an ounce of attention. I turned the other fucking cheek every time you came to bed smelling like another man. How many times did I stitch you up after a fight because you don't know how to keep your fucking mouth shut? How many times did I pull the fucking needle out of your arm to keep you from overdosing? I have done more for you than anyone in your life. No one else is ever going to take care of you the way that I do."

Dabi swallowed. He knew he had been a shitty boyfriend, and he knew that he hadn't really deserved everything Shigaraki had done for him. He was an addict and an idiot, and those two things had taken away almost everything he had built up over the last few years.

"It's over, Tomura," Dabi finally replied. He didn't see the point in hashing out their mess of a relationship. "I made my choice. You have been trying to get ahold of me for months… here I am."

"Here you fucking are," Shigaraki retorted.

He started pacing again, his finger tapping his leg. Dabi recognized the nervous tick, and it pulled at his gut with an air of intimate familiarity. Shigaraki was resisting the urge to pull out another cigarette.

"The League wants me to kill you… except for Himiko, of course," Shigaraki said, his voice cool and void of emotion. "They want me to hang your body up in the middle of the city, with the Shie Hassaikai symbol carved into your stomach. Send Overhaul, and your brother, and the entire fucking Yakuza the message that they deserve."

Dabi nodded. That sounded about right. Hopefully Shigaraki would kill him quickly, but he doubted that he would be so lucky. His betrayal was… personal, after all.

"The League has new plans in place," Shigaraki continued, changing the subject and catching Dabi off guard. "We got a comm device into the boss, and we have a plan to break him out."

"From Tartarus?" Dabi questioned. It was impossible. Tartarus was the only prison in all of Japan that had never had a successful breakout. "It's not going to happen. It's impossible."

"It has to happen," Shigaraki admitted, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Why?" Dabi asked. The relationship between them might be destroyed, but Dabi still loved him. Not that he would ever admit as much out loud. He needed to know what the fuck was going on.

"Why doesn't fucking matter," Shigaraki retorted. "What matters is that we have a plan. We have a good fucking plan. It's going to work; the first successful Tartarus prison break in history. But it's not going to be easy." Shigaraki came over, climbing into the bed with Dabi and straddling his waist, putting them on the same level, eye to eye.

It was the most intimate they had been since the night of the party.

It felt good, and pangs of guilt ran down Dabi's spine. If the other man had any idea that Dabi's ass was still stuffed with Geten's butt plug, or that their pants were the only thing between him and the sticky mess in Dabi's boxers… he would be furious. The conversation would likely have taken a very different turn.

"I need men," Shigaraki continued, "I need good men. I need you, Dabi. You have always been my right hand. And you are a complete pain in my ass, but you are a damn good strategist and a better fighter. I need you back at my side and back in The League, and I need your absolute dedication to making this plan work… no matter what it takes."

To say that Dabi was surprised was a complete understatement. Shigaraki was not a sentimental man, Dabi knew that better than anyone. Neither was he a forgiving man.

But Dabi wasn't stupid. This offer, even if he accepted it, wasn't a free pass. He didn't just betray Tomura, he betrayed the entire League. There would still be consequences.

Not that going back was really an option. The Yakuza don't take betrayal any better than The League. There would be a new price on his head in no time… and the Yakuza had a lot more men out there than The League. It also meant losing Shouto. For good.

"What's the catch?" Dabi finally asked. He couldn't outright reject Shigaraki's request. The other man would kill him for sure. Failure to punish Dabi would compromise his position as a leader.

"Not everyone in The League understands your value quite like I do," he answered. "Your betrayal cannot go unaddressed. You have to redeem yourself; prove to the entire group that your loyalties still lie with The League of Villains and no one else."

"And how do I do that?" He pressed.

Shigaraki stared for a moment, than he leaned forward, taking Dabi's head carefully in his hands and kissing him. Their lips barely touched at first, then it quickly devolved into a deep kiss; passionate, almost bruising. And for a single moment, everything felt normal. Everything felt right.

Then Shigaraki pulled back, laying his forehead against Dabi's.

"You kill Shouto," he replied, quietly.

Dabi's entire body stiffened, and it took every ounce of self-control that he had not to jerk away and accidentally cause that fifth finger to touch his skin.

"You know I won't do that," Dabi growled.

"It's not a choice, Dabi," Shigaraki replied, holding Dabi's face firmly in place. "Shouto is the reason that you betrayed us. As long as he is alive, we cannot trust that you might not be tempted to betray us again. He has to die. It's the only way. I don't care how you do it… you can even make it look like an accident if you want to be a fucking coward. But I want Shouto's dead body at my feet within the month."

"And if I don't?" Dabi replied bitterly.

"Then the next time we meet, I will kill you myself. Then I will kill Shouto. And I will make sure to kill him very, very slowly… you have my word on that."

Shigaraki let go of Dabi's face, climbing off of him. He tapped his leg once more as he walked over to the door, knocking on it.

"Let's go," he yelled at Kurogiri through the door, then pacing back over and pulling the pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.

Dabi was seething. He couldn't believe the nerve it fucking took for Shigaraki to give him that type of an ultimatum.

"Aren't you at least going to unlock these fucking cuffs," he growled impatiently as he watched Shigaraki light up.

Kurogiri stepped in, heading over to prepare the warpgate.

"Let's see," Shigaraki mused, looking around. He spotted Dabi's jacket on the counter through the doorway. Disappearing momentarily, he reappeared with Dabi's phone in hand. Teasing Dabi with the glorious scent of the cigarette… he could really fucking use one himself… he walked over and used Dabi's finger to unlock the phone. "Who can we call to come save our little damsel in distress?"

Shigaraki scrolled through his phone for a minute, his eyebrows suddenly shooting up. Then his face melted back into his signature scowl. "And here I thought that you couldn't disappoint me more," he growled.

Shigaraki set the phone down on the bed. It began to ring, the call set to speaker. Dabi had no fucking clue who the asshole had decided to fucking call.

"Hawks Hero agency. How may I direct your call?" A feminine voice answered.

"Hello," Shigaraki answered smoothly, "I'd like to report a tip on the location of the villain Dabi."

"Ok," the woman answered, the sound of a keyboard clacking in the distance. "Can I get your name?"

"I prefer to remain anonymous," Shigaraki smiled.

"Alright, I will transfer you over," she answered. "Please hold." The phone clicked; soft music began to play in the background.

Fucking fantastic.

Hawks was the last person that Dabi needed to deal with right now… and who fucking knows if he was even going to be the hero who takes the fucking call?!

Shigaraki tossed the phone on the bed, just out of Dabi's reach.

"Let's go," he snapped once more at Kurogiri.

"Fuck you!" Dabi growled.

Kurogiri formed the warpgate. Shigaraki put one foot in, then paused to glance back at Dabi.

"He dies either way Dabi… I suggest you choose your path wisely." With that, he turned and stepped fully into the warpgate. Within seconds, they were both gone.

Dabi rattled the handcuffs in frustration as the damn hold music played in the background. No point breaking his fucking hands apart now. The risk of death had passed. But honestly, with an ultimatum like that, Dabi would have rather that Shigaraki just fucking killed him.

"Fuck!"

Chapter Text

Shouto POV

Shouto let the hot water run over him for much longer than necessary to wash the last of the soap off his body. He was sore from training; he had been trying to push himself just as hard this week as Geten had pushed him the last few. Which meant he had been up since six this morning; cardio, quirk endurance, combat training with Setsuno, more cardio, and almost two hours practicing using his quirks together. It was hard, but he could tell that he was improving. Especially with the weapons that Kai had made for him. They didn’t feel so strange anymore, so foreign. He practiced with them daily, and, though he was far from an expert, he felt like he could wield them in a fight if needed… hell, he had done so against some of the other bullets already.

But that meant he was tired. He wanted nothing more than to curl up on the couch and play video games until Kai got home for the night. Unfortunately it was Thursday, his weekly game night with Okimoto. Though Shouto doubted that Okimoto really cared about the game. Their nights together felt more like Okimoto’s opportunity to keep an eye on Shouto. To determine how he felt Shouto’s training was coming along.

Shouto finally turned off the water, stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel to dry off. He didn’t need long to get ready. He needed to look clean and respectful, but he certainly wasn’t trying to impress Okimoto. He chose a simple pair of black pants and a gray long-sleeved shirt. He quickly threw on a jacket, grabbed a protein bar from the cupboard (Okimoto never offered more than tea, and after so much training, Shouto could have eaten the entire box of protein bars), and headed out.

He pulled his hood up as he got on the bus, but with his scar on full display, he knew it was unlikely that his presence would go completely unnoticed. He bee-lined toward the emptiest section, ignoring the hushed whispers as he passed two older women who noticed him almost immediately.

He really needed to talk to Kai about learning to drive the bullet bikes that the rest of the Shie Hassaikai used. He was a fast learner, and he knew that he could pick it up quickly. And having the freedom to drive himself wherever he needed would be almost as useful as the training that Dabi and Geten provided for him.

He sighed as he heard a click from the front of the bus; a camera, he was sure. It was probably those two women. He pulled his hood forward a bit and turned his head to the side. Hopefully it would be enough to discourage more pictures. Not that it mattered. They would probably just share them with friends; a bit of gossip about seeing someone so well-known on the bus. But he wasn’t doing anything neat or unusual, the media would have no interest in such mundane pictures. And even if they were, what article could they possibly hope to publish with them?

Todoroki Shouto Uses Public Transportation: How the Mighty Have Fallen.

Shouto snorted as the headline flashed through his thoughts. Sure, to the citizens of Musutafu, it may appear that he gave up everything when he rejected his inheritance. They may think he was crazy, or they may pity him. But none of them would ever know what he gained when he walked away from his father.

He heard another click.

Seriously? Did people in this city have nothing better to do?

When the bus finally came to his stop, he practically ran off of it. He kept his hood up and his head down, trying to avoid further recognition as he walked the few blocks up to the Yakuza headquarters. Luckily, it was rush hour, and everyone seemed so focused on just getting home that nobody seemed to pay him much attention at all.

Once he made it to headquarters, he went straight to Okimoto’s office. He usually tried to come a few minutes early; but the damn bus had taken longer than normal for the route, and he only had a few minutes to arrive on time. And Shouto knew that Okimoto would not look favorably upon him arriving late.

He knocked the second that he arrived at the door. 6:30 on the dot.

“You may enter, Shouto,” Okimoto called out.

Shouto opened the door, stepping quietly inside. These meetings had a pattern to them, almost a ritual; very fitting for the traditional decor of the room. Shouto stopped just after closing the door, bowing lowly to Okimoto, who was surprisingly not seated at his chabudai, but rather trimming the peonies on the far side of the room. Okimoto stood up, bowing his head just slightly to acknowledge Shouto’s respect. Shouto slipped off his shoes, stepping into the pair of uwabaki that Okimoto left out for his visitors. As usual, their game was already set out on the table, and Shouto made his way over, sinking down onto the zabuton cushion.

Okimoto didn’t join him immediately, leaning back down to gather up the scissors and the dead leaves that he had trimmed from the flowers. Then he headed over to dispose of the leaves in the garbage, and set the scissors into a drawer. Even completing such a mundane task, Okimoto moved with the confidence of power, more power than a simple quirk could provide. More power than most men would ever know in their lifetime. Just sitting here with Okimoto, having the opportunity to learn from him, is something that most of the Yakuza would only ever dream of.

Finally, Okimoto sat down across from him, getting settled on his own cushion.

“You may go first, Shouto,” Okimoto began, setting up two teacups and pouring tea for each of them as Shouto considered his first move. Okimoto always let him go first. Not that it mattered. Over the month since these game nights had begun, Shouto had yet to win. He didn’t even come close. It certainly was not helping foster a love of the game for him.

Shouto picked up one of his black stones from the pile on his right side. He tapped it against the table, eyeballing the board in front of him. Last time he had tried to build his territory up from the corner, and the strategy had completely failed.

Okimoto never looked at the board during Shouto’s turns, but rather watched Shouto’s face, as if he was trying to understand how Shouto thought as he decided on his strategy. It was a habit that Shouto hated, it left him feeling self-conscious and transparent. But it wasn’t as if he had any choice, so he had quickly learned to ignore the older man during his turns, trying to keep his face as impassive and unreadable as possible.

Finally, he decided to try building his territory from the middle out. He set his stone down on two intersecting lines near the center of the board.

“Tell me, Shouto,” Okimoto said, picking up a white stone and laying it on the intersecting lines directly next to Shouto’s black stone. “How did your final week of training with Geten and Dabi go?”

It wasn’t an unexpected question. Okimoto always made a point to ask about his training.

Shouto stared at the board, selecting another stone from the pile and rolling it in his fingers as he debated both where to place it and what all he wanted to divulge about his training. He suspected that Okimoto already knew how things were going. As the newest, and youngest, member of the Yakuza, Okimoto seemed to keep very close tabs on what he was doing.

“Our final training session was very beneficial,” Shouto began, finally placing his next stone to the right of his first one. “I was finally able to correctly form shapes with my ice. They are basic to start, but I am continuing to practice so that I can eventually form things like weapons and tools. I can also successfully utilize my ice and fire in unison for more than just large elemental attacks.” Okimoto placed his next stone as Shouto spoke, and Shouto quickly added a third in a straight line out to the edge of the board. “Dabi and Geten spent much time having me complete patterns with my ice and fire. It’s not easy to manipulate them in opposing patterns like that, but I believe those exercises have helped me to have a better understanding of my quirk.”

"Show me," Okimoto instructed.

"Now?" Shouto asked, immediately regretting the stupid question. Of course Okimoto meant now.

Okimoto nodded his head.

"Ok," Shouto mumbled, standing up and stepping into the middle of the room. The last thing he wanted was to accidentally set something on fire. Surprisingly, Okimoto stood up and approached him, standing directly before Shouto for the display.

Shouto took off his jacket, and set it at his feet. He lifted both arms outward, palm up. On his left hand he chose a circle of fire that would travel up his arm, and on his right a line of ice that would travel from his shoulder down. It was one of his simpler combinations, but also one of his most practiced ones.

Okimoto watched the display closely, seemingly fascinated with the elements traveling over Shouto's skin.

"Again," he said, as soon as Shouto had finished. He walked around to the side as Shouto repeated the pattern, noting his posture. Okimoto set a hand gently on the top of his chest, pushing slightly to indicate for Shouto to stand up straighter.

Shouto did exactly that, feeling a little self-conscious.

"Again," he repeated, leaning down close to Shouto's left arm as he watched the circle of fire climb up it, the flames reflecting in his brown eyes.

"Again." He moved to Shouto's right side, watching the line of ice travel down to his wrist.

"Fascinating," he murmured, and Shouto hoped the man was finally satisfied with the display. He reached out, touching Shouto's wrist where the ice had just been. Shouto could only guess that he was checking the temperature of his skin. It would be colder than normal, of course, but when Shouto used the two sides together then he could regulate his temperature very quickly afterward. "So much potential." He stood back up, nodding at Shouto. "You may be seated."

Shouto was relieved, grabbing his jacket and sitting back down. He took a sip of the strong, bitter tea as Okimoto sat too.

“And how is your training with the Xyanthium weapons?” Okimoto pressed, barely glancing at the board before placing his next stone.

Okimoto was mirroring his strategy. Shouto glanced briefly up at him, hoping for some giveaway for what he was planning. He just wanted to win once, dammit! But, as usual, there was nothing. Okimoto was blank-faced, watching Shouto carefully.

“Good,” Shouto replied, placing his next stone above the first. “The extra combat training you set up last week really helped. I’m getting used to the weapons, I have even been using them during combat practice this week.”

Okimoto, once more, mirrored his move. The man had never used this strategy before. If it continued, the game would end in a draw. What was the point of that?

“Have you worn them outside of training yet?” he asked, carefully watching Shouto’s face.

“Not yet,” Shouto replied. Like he was going to just wear them around casually. He decided to start a new line on the board, try to throw off whatever strategy Okimoto was playing at.

“You should,” Okimoto replied, finally placing his next piece in a spot not mirroring Shouto’s. He was clearly trying to capture Shouto’s first line. “Wearing them, even just the dagger, will give you time to get used to the weapon. It will also help you to protect yourself, if need be. Perhaps it could prevent another incident like Saturday night.”

Fuck.

Shouto was really, really hoping that they wouldn't have to talk about Saturday night.

"Yeah," he agreed, looking up at Okimoto. "That's good advice," he added, hoping that would be enough to satisfy Okimoto.

"Tell me what happened on Saturday, Shouto."

Apparently not. Shouto honestly had no idea where to start.

"Kai got angry–" he began, but Okimoto cut him off.

"I am not asking whose fault it was, Shouto. A man ended up dead that night. The host was less than pleased that our organization killed a man at his party. Although I have smoothed things over with Nemuri, it's important that I understand what happened."

"Kai didn't tell you?" Shouto asked, adding a stone to his second line.

"I am not asking Chisaki," Okimoto replied. "I am asking you."

"Well we were at the party," Shouto began, watching as Okimoto placed another stone by his first line. "And Kai told me that he had business that they had to take care of."

"Did he say what that business was?"

"No," Shouto replied. He placed his next stone, not even caring about the game at this point. He didn't like the questions. It felt like Okimoto was testing him. Or testing Kai. He wasn't sure. "He didn't tell me. But all of them went, everyone but me. Kai told me to stay in the room with Nemuri, but there was a drunk creep staring at me. So I went to the next room."

"Do you often disobey Kai's orders?" Okimoto asked, placing his stone. He was definitely going to capture Shouto's first line.

"No," Shouto answered honestly, his voice stiff. The implication behind the question was clear. Okimoto wasn't sure if Kai could control Shouto. And if Kai couldn't control Shouto…

Shouto didn't want to think about what that would mean for either of them.

"I know how to follow orders," Shouto affirmed, not wanting there to be any chance that Okimoto would think otherwise. He placed his next stone. He didn't care about the territories at this point. "But the guy started to walk toward me. I left to avoid an interaction. I didn't expect him to follow me. When I got to the next room, he started to flirt with me. I told him I wasn't interested. He didn't take no as an answer, and tried to kiss me. So I broke his nose. That just pissed him off, and he grabbed me. That's when Kai walked in…"

The next few minutes played out in grotesque detail in his mind. He didn't think that he would ever forget. The sound of the man's bones breaking under Kai's hands. The smell of the blood. How stark red the blood looked against those white tiles. The sight of Kai standing up, blood splattered over him.

Shouto took a deep breath.

"He pulled the guy away and killed him. And then we left." He was definitely not going to tell Okimoto about the sex after.

"I see," Okimoto replied once he was certain Shouto had finished. Things fell silent between them. Okimoto didn't say a word as they both played, seeming to mull over Shouto's story.

Shouto took another drink of his tea, really hoping that nothing he had said would get Kai into trouble. Surely Okimoto already knew that Kai was the one who killed that man.

"And what did you take away from that night?" Okimoto asked, after almost five solid minutes of silence.

It was not the question that Shouto had expected.

"I learned that I need to be stronger. And that I need to be faster to react. If I had simply incapacitated the man, then Kai wouldn't have killed him."

Okimoto didn't say a word. He simply nodded and placed his next stone. The game was nearing its end, and it was already obvious who was going to win. Shouto didn't care though. He would just be relieved to have the conversation over with.

"I expect that we won't have to have this conversation again," he finally said. It was a simple statement, but it was also a warning. Okimoto wasn't pleased with what happened, and he placed the fault at Shouto's feet.

"No, Okimoto-san," he replied. He would make sure that this conversation didn't happen again. He didn't want Kai to have to protect him. He was determined to get strong enough to hold his own, no matter the situation.

"Good," Okimoto set down his second to last stone. "In other news, I was informed by Hagiwara that 'Musutafu Daily' has agreed to settle the defamation lawsuit in your favor, outside of court."

Shouto's mouth dropped open, looking up at Okimoto. That was the best news he had heard all day. He was beginning to worry that he would end up back in the courtroom over the whole thing. That also meant that he was finally going to have some money of his own. Soon.

"I hadn't heard," he replied, hoping for more information.

"He has been in contact with our accountants to determine the allocation of the funds. Once they have come to an agreement, Hagiwara will let you know. But within the next day or two, you should expect to see a rather large sum deposited into the account that Kai set up for you."

Shouto couldn't help but smile as he lay down his last piece. Having his own money was a huge step towards gaining some of the independence he wanted after leaving his father's mansion. And though Kai had never denied him anything, Shouto wanted to know that he could support himself.

Okimoto lay down his last stone. Shouto didn't even have to count the territories. He knew Okimoto had won.

Okimoto looked at the board, and Shouto knew he was counting the territories anyway, even if it was obvious that he had won.

"You captured more territories this week," Okimoto noted, looking back up at Shouto. "That is good."

"Thank you, Okimoto-san," he replied with a bow of his head. He didn't see why it mattered if he still lost, but he wasn't about to risk offending Okimoto by not acknowledging the compliment.

"Is there anything that you need, Shouto?" Okimoto asked, and Shouto was relieved. That question meant they were at the end of their game night, and he was about to be excused.

He thought for a moment.

"If I could receive one additional hour of training with Master Sekiguchi, I believe that would be beneficial for my training," Shouto inquired. Sekiguchi was an expert with the short sword, the weapon that Shouto was still feeling the least comfortable with.

"I will see what can be arranged," Okimoto agreed. "Is there anything else?"

"No."

"Very well. You are excused Shouto. Continue to train hard, and I look forward to our game next week."

Shouto stood up, bowing deeply once more for Okimoto. He opened the door, about to step out when Okimoto stopped him.

"One more thing, Shouto," the man said. Shouto turned, halfway out the door. Okimoto was carefully gathering up the stones.

"Yes Okimoto-san?"

"Monday afternoon, I need you to visit the records department on the second floor. The dates for our trip to America have been finalized for July 27, and we need to finish preparing some travel documents."

July 27? They were supposed to leave on August 10. Although he supposed the dates didn't matter that much, he was definitely curious about why they had changed. He didn't think Okimoto would tell him, though, even if he asked.

"Of course," he agreed with a bow of his head. "Thank you," he added, before quickly stepping out and closing the door behind him.

He would have to ask Kai about the dates later.

Shouto's phone beeped, and he pulled it out of his pocket, opening his messages. A sense of relief washed over him. Kai was waiting downstairs to pick him up for the night.

He quickly let Kai know that he was headed down.

No public transportation meant no chances of people gawking at him. And, if he was lucky, Kai brought his bike. That meant a ride home with his arms around Kai's waist, and that was something he could definitely enjoy.

* * * * * *
Bakugou POV

Bakugou practically jumped out of his seat the moment class ended. He was bored as fuck, and his body was itching to move. Aizawa had ended the class with a damn test, and Bakugou had been the first to finish. Not that it was hard. Anyone who had read the damn book would ace it, but he knew most of the extra's in this damn class barely bothered to study.

Fucking slackers.

He grabbed his book, dodging the students who were turning in their tests at the last second, and stalked out of the room. He made a bee-line for his locker. He had his internship tonight, and he needed a hot fucking shower before he had to go deal with whatever bullshit that Endeavor had planned. Probably more fucking paperwork. That's all he had done so far. Reports, reports, and more goddamn reports.

He fucking hoped that was going to change soon. He had passed the damn make-up exam last week; he finally had his provisional license. He had jumped through all the hoops Endeavor had forced him through… the physical evaluation, (which he passed with flying colors, thank you very much), the psychological exam, and he had even signed the fucking contract and NDA that Endeavor had blind-sided him with on his first day… even knowing that it was going to force Bakugou to work with the homophobic prick for an entire fucking year after he graduated.

And what did he get after wading through all that shit?

To work on fucking reports!

Bakugou gritted his teeth, angrily spinning the damn lock to his locker. He went too fast though, and messed up. It was a stupid mistake, and it made him feel irrationally angry. He growled at his locker, sparks crackling in his hands as he glared at the stupid fucking lock with it's stupid fucking three digit combination… he wanted to blow the entire fu–"

"Yo, Bakubro," Kirishima's voice derailed his train of thought. "You ok? You look like you are about to go ape-shit on your locker."

"I'm fine," he growled, managing to get the stupid combination right on the second try. "I'm just ready to get the fuck outta here." He added, trying to force himself to calm down. After all, everyone kept telling him that he needed to control his anger better.

It just wasn't fucking easy.

"Me too, man" Kaminari said, him and Sero joining them. "That test was brutal. I swear that Aizawa didn't cover any of that in class. I think I failed." He added, mournfully, slumping against the locker next to Bakugou's. Dunceface was wearing the fucking jacket that Shouto had given him again. As if it was going to give him luck with the fucking ladies. What a joke. Bakugou gritted his teeth at the sight. He hated that fucking jacket. Shouto had worn it the night Bakugou had kicked him out of the house. The night…

Tch. What the fuck ever.

Bakugou was going to torch that fucking jacket if he ever got ahold of it.

Sero nodded, agreeing with Kaminari and patting the blonde’s arm consolingly.

Bakugou rolled his eyes, snatching his backpack out of the locker and shoving his books roughly inside. He doubted that Pikachu had ever opened the fucking book, let alone completed the reading assignments.

Some hero he was going to make.

"I bet you did better than that, man," Kirishima replied encouragingly. "I think I got at least a 'B'."

"That's because you have Mina to help you study," Sero snorted.

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Bakugou razzed his friend.

"I wish I had a friend to help me study," Kaminari added. "If I had a girlfriend like Mina, I would study every fucking night. I'm sure she rides you so hard" about getting your homework done."

Bakugou snorted, slamming his locker shut.

"And she probably likes to review things with you again and again," Sero added, making crude thrusting gestures to emphasize his point.

"Hey dude, not cool. Don't talk about Mina like that," Kirishima came to his girlfriend's defense. "It's not like all Mina and I do is… you know." He added, rubbing the hand up the back of his neck and blushing.

As if the conversation had summoned her, Mina appeared beside them. She had straightened her hair that morning, and Bakugou swore her fucking shirt got tighter every damn day.

"Hi boys," she smiled, "babe," she added, jumping up to kiss Kirishima on the cheek in a way that made her boobs bounce almost obscenely. Bakugou elbowed Kaminari to stop staring and wipe the fucking drool off his chin. "What are you guys up to today?" She asked, joining them as the group began to walk toward the main doors.

"I have my fucking internship tonight," Bakugou answered, as the rest of the group kind of shrugged. Of course they didn't have plans. The group only did shit if Bakugou planned it out.

Lazy fucks.

"That's cool," she replied automatically. "Since you guys aren't gaming tonight, do you want to come over later and study, babe?"

Kaminari and Sero busted up laughing. Even Bakugou had to stop himself from smiling. Kirishima frowned at them.

"What's so funny?" Mina asked, peering over at them curiously.

"Nothing," Kirishima replied, a bit too quickly.

"So…?"

"Sure babe," Kirishima answered, ignoring Kaminari and Sero who were desperately trying to maintain a straight face.

Mina squealed in excitement.

“6:30?” She asked, practically skipping as she walked along beside him. “We could get pizza, and maybe watch a movie after! I have been dying to watch something scary! Aizawa is supposed to be off duty tonight, so I bet you could even stay past curfew!”

“I’ll be there, babe,” Kirishima agreed. “I’ll bring the pizza!”

Pinky caught sight of Momo and Jirou walking towards the dorms, both girls laughing at something on Jirou’s phone.

“Oh, I gotta go!” she said, fully distracted by the possible fucking gossip. Fucking girls. She gave Kirishima another quick kiss. “See you tonight! Don’t have too much fun without us, boys!” She giggled, waving to the rest of them before running off to catch up to the other girls.

“Don’t have too much fun without us tonight, babe,” Kaminari said, mimicking Mina’s annoyingly high voice (and making it even more fucking annoying if that was even fucking possible), and grabbing onto Kirishima’s arm.

Sero snickered, repeating the same crude thrusting gesture from earlier.

God he looked like a fucking idiot!

“No one wants to see that shit, tapeface,” Bakugou growled. “Try to keep it in your fucking pants!”

“I will if Kiri will,” Sero retorted.

“Enough with the fucking sex jokes,” Bakugou snapped, his irritation from earlier starting to come back. For fucks sake, did these two pervs think of nothing else? He must have said it too loud, though, because Deku’s groupies all turned around to look at them.

Bakugou flipped off the entire fucking group. Fuck them. Judgemental bastards.

“If you’re so damn jealous of shitty hair, why don’t you go out and get fucking laid,” Bakugou added, quieter but no less grumpily.

“I wish,” Kaminari retorted.

“I thought you and Jirou were a thing?” Kirishima asked, turning around and walking backwards so that he could see them while they talked. Fucker was probably going to end up on his ass.

Sero shook his head exaggeratedly while Kaminari sighed.

“She broke it off last week,” Kaminari bemoaned. “Said she was bored of going to the movies. Said she thought we were better as just friends.”

The movies?!

“Is that all you’ve fucking done for her since Icy-hot gave you that shitty advice?” Bakugou barked. He warned that fucker not to listen to Shouto. Shouto wouldn’t know how to take someone out on a date if you gave him written fucking instructions. “No wonder she dumped your ass.”

“We got pizza once, too,” Kaminari defended himself, shoulders once more slumping in defeat.

“Don’t stress it, bro,” Kirishima replied, giving him a hopeful smile. “You’ll find someone soon. Maybe you will meet someone at Midoriya’s birthday party! It’s only a few weeks away, and I know MIna is inviting a bunch of people from Ketsubutsu!”

What?! Why the fuck would any of them want to hang out with those brown-nosing weasels?

“Who the fuck put Pinky in charge of invitations?!” Bakugou growled, glad that they were almost to the dorms. The brainless small talk was giving him a fucking headache. “Does Deku know she’s inviting a bunch of assholes?”

Kirishima shrugged.

Fuck! He had already been dreading that fucking party. Now he was going to have to deal with those conceited ass bastards. He swore to god that if she tried to introduce Bakugou to one god damn person from that shitty school that he was going to blow her head off.

“Do you want to drive over to my house tonight?” Kaminari asked Sero, changing the subject. “My parents aren’t home, and I’ve got a new blend I was hoping to try out.”

“Tch,” Bakugou clicked his tongue in disapproval. Of course they were going to get fucking stoned. Probably sit around all night and stare at the fucking walls. No wonder neither of them could find a girlfriend.

“Sure man!” Sero agreed enthusiastically.

Bakugou stepped up his pace as they reached the steps of the dorm. He had exactly two hours to get ready for his internship and he wanted to get to the showers before any of these other fuckers could. There was only one shower with enough water pressure to even wash off the soap, and Bakugou wanted it.

He bet the girls didn’t have that problem in their fucking bathroom.

The other three set off to the kitchen to scrounge for left-overs the moment they got inside. Bakugou took advantage of the distraction to head his own way, damn glad for the peace and quiet.

***
Bakugou got to the agency with fifteen minutes to spare, reluctantly making his way up to the third floor. He stalked into the records room, making his way over to his assigned cubicle. It was squished and small and he hated the entire fucking thing with it’s fancy fucking computer and fake walls (everyone knew there was zero privacy in this damn room). He slumped into the chair, glaring at the screen.

He swore that if he got stuck doing fucking social media monitoring today that he was done. Social media was a lawless land, and if he had to read one more fucking thirst comment about Endeavor’s burnt up ass that he was going to flip his lid. Seeing chicks wondering about the size and temperature of his dick made Bakugou want to gouge his eyes out.

“Bakugou, you’re early!” Kuwahara’s grating voice popped up behind him.

He clenched his fists, and resisted the urge to tell her to fuck off. He still had ten minutes of damn freedom. But she was his supervisor in this hellhole, so snapping at her wasn’t an option. He wiped the grimace off his face and turned around.

“Kuwahara,” he greeted her. She was wearing a garish pink and orange pantsuit and bright pink eyeshadow. It clashed with her curly red hair, and it took everything Bakugou had not to cringe at the ridiculous colors. “What am I doing today?”

“Endeavor wants you to report to the costuming department,” she replied, pushing up her over-sized glasses.

“What?!” Bakugou asked, certain that he must have heard her wrong.

“Endeavor wants you to report to the costuming department,” She repeated slowly, taking his question a little too fucking literally.

The costuming department.

Fuck yes!

Bakugou didn’t want to get his hopes up, but there was only one reason he could think that he would be sent to costuming. He had his fucking license, and they were finally going to send him out on patrols!

He practically ran to costuming, stoked when his ID and fingerprint let him in. If his security was updated to include this department, it better fucking mean that he was going to be here more often.

The room was a bit chaotic with people rushing back and forth. He made his way over to the most official looking worker; a taller woman wearing jeans and a red t-shirt, black hair hanging in a flat bob. But at least she had a fucking clipboard.

She looked up as Bakugou approached.

“I was sent down here today for costuming,” Bakugou greeted her with a small bow.

“Name?” She replied bluntly.

“Bakugou.”

“Ah, yes,” she said, “We have been expecting you. Follow me. We don’t have long before your meeting with Endeavor.”

Costuming. A meeting with Endeavor. He had to be getting sent out for patrols.

He fucking hoped that they modeled his costume after his UA costume. If they tried to change his fucking color scheme, he was going to be pissed.

He scurried after her, following her down to a small room and instructing him to stand in the middle. Two other workers trailed in after him, both starting to dig through cupboards and pulling out a bunch of old clothing and pads. The first woman, he was pretty sure her name was Itoh, came over and took his chin gently, turning his head one way and then another.

“We really need more time for this,” she muttered quietly. It sounded rhetorical, so Bakugou didn’t bother to reply as she started to dig through drawers. But seriously, how much fucking time did they need? His UA costume took him like four minutes, and that’s only if he had to secure his gauntlets in place.

“Put these in,” Itoh instructed him, handing him a small case. “You can use the mirror over there if you need, but be fast. We have a lot to put on you.”

Bakugou opened up the case. There were two brown contacts inside. He looked around, noticing that the other two workers were putting together a costume that literally looked like a fucking stoner. Loose jeans, a tank top, and an over-sized shirt. One of them was pulling out a shaggy black wig.

What in the fuck?! He wasn’t wearing any of that disgusting shit.

“I think there’s been a mistake,” Bakugou retorted, not bothering to move. “I am supposed to be here to get my patrol costume. Not whatever the fuck this is.”

The woman stared at him, obviously exasperated. She walked over and grabbed her clipboard, bringing it over and showing it to him.

“You are Bakugou Katsuki, right?” She double-checked. When he nodded, she pointed to a line on the page.

Bakugou Katsuki 6:30pm - 7:00pm: Disguise, Poor Street Clothes, Wig, Contacts, Adjusted Features and Size.

What. In. The. Absolute. Fuck.

He stared at the damn paper, his mouth hanging open.

Endeavor wanted him in a fucking disguise?!

“Contacts please,” She repeated, setting the clipboard back down and folding her arms impatiently. “We really don’t have a lot of time.”

Bakugou scowled, stomping over to the damn mirror. Who the fuck did Endeavor think he was to put Bakugou in a fucking disguise? What the fuck did he expect Bakugou to accomplish looking like a dirty bum?! He opened the case, glaring at the contacts. He had never worn contacts before, but he would be damned if he didn’t get these fuckers in. He’d seen people do it in the fucking movies. Couldn’t be that hard.

The first contact went in on the first-ish try. The second one though… the fucking second one was the devil itself. His fucking eye refused to stay open for him to put it in, the contact immediately fucking blinking out every goddamn time. It took fourteen tries to get the fucker in. Fourteen tries! And his damn eye looked bloodshot as hell by the time he was done. Now he really did look like a damn junkie.

He didn’t have time to worry about that, though, before they were pulling him back over. The next fifteen minutes were a complete whirlwind. Itoh immediately started gluing latex prosthetics to his cheeks and nose while the other two practically stripped him naked. They were all the fuck up in his business, strapping down pads on his thighs, hips, stomach and arms; poking and prodding like he was a fucking doll and not a damn hero, well hero-in-training at the fucking least.

“Hey, watch your fucking hands,” Bakugou barked as one of them accidentally brushed their hand over his dick.

“Stay still,” the guy replied impatiently.

Itoh was poking at his face, checking to see if the glue was dry. She was apparently satisfied, because the next thing he knew, she was slopping foundation all over his face. It was hard to stay still as the other workers started making him step into the pants. She kept making irritated noises. After they pulled on the shirt, she grabbed an eye shadow palette, adding some faint color underneath his eyes.

“It’ll have to do,” she sighed, stepping back and checking over her work.

As one of them helped him into the awful plaid over-shirt, she stuck a bald cap on him, followed immediately by the ugly wig he had glimpsed earlier.

The entire trio rushed around, adding some last minute touches. A beat up wallet with a fake ID (apparently he wasn’t the first chump to get stuck in this ugly disguise) that connected with a chain to his belt loop. A cheap faux wedding band on his left hand. Some ugly, worn out old vans that were a half-size too big. And a fake cigarette in his pocket.

“Perfect,” Itoh finally announced. She glanced at her phone. “And in the nick of time. You are due in Endeavor’s office in just a few minutes.

He ignored her, turning to the full length mirror to get a better look at the travesty they had forced on him.

“I look like shit,” he glared. And he really fucking did. He looked nothing like himself. The pads on his body made him look much thicker, overweight even. The clothes were saggy and wrinkled. The wig looked greasy and unbrushed. And between the facial prosthetics and the make-up, he looked ten years older.

“That’s the point,” one of the other workers replied. “You look like a normal guy.”

“I look like a creep with a drug problem,” Bakugou retorted.

“Look, you can take it up with Endeavor if you aren’t happy.” Itoh replied. “We don’t have time to change anything. You barely have a minute to make it to your meeting as it is.”

Bakugou glared at his reflection one last time, stalking off out of the costuming department. This had to be some kind of a fucking joke. Punishment for sticking his dick in Shouto.

By the time he made it up to the bastards office, he was four minutes late for his damn meeting, and he was fucking pissed. He knocked impatiently, and maybe a bit too loud to be considered polite.

“Come in,” Endeavor called through the door.

Bakugou opened the door, re-closing it behind him. He went to sit in the chair across from Endeavor, but the smug bastard lifted his hand for Bakugou to stop. Bakugou gritted his teeth as he waited for Endeavor to look over the damn disguise. Endeavor twirled his finger, indicating for Bakugou to turn around for him.

Bakugou's anger flared.

What the fuck was this shit? Some kind of fucking fashion show? Did he expect Bakugou to dance like a fucking monkey? Twirling around so that the homophobic asshole could get his fucking power kick in?

Bakugou clenched his fists as Endeavor repeated the motion, apparently assuming that Bakugou was so fucking stupid that he didn't understand what Endeavor wanted.

It made Bakugou see red. But, like it or not, this was his fucking boss. It didn't matter if this was just some stupid power play, or even if the bastard was just a damn perv that wanted to check out his ass. He had no choice. Not bothering to unclench his fists, he made a show of putting his arms out and turning around so that Endeavor could see the whole fucking disguise.

“You happy?” Bakugou practically growled as he turned back around, resisting the urge to add a swear word or two in there.

See?! He could control his fucking temper.

Endeavor didn’t answer. He simply motioned for Bakugou to go ahead and take a seat. Of course he was too fucking conceited to answer Bakugou’s question, or tell him what the hell was going on. But after all that damn fuss in the costuming department, he better damn well be getting sent on a fucking mission.

He dropped into the seat, containing the urge to glare and opting instead for some good old fashioned resting bitch face as he waited for the bastard to decide to fill him in on what the fuck he was doing today. Sitting down felt weird with all of the extra padding around his ass and thighs, but he ignored it. If a fucking disguise was what Endeavor required for him to get away from a droll night of fucking reports, than he would deal with it.

Though it wasn’t exactly what he had expected for his first assignment. So much for helping Bakugou get his fucking name out there. He wasn’t training to be some no-name underground hero that the public barely knows about. If he wanted to make it to number one, than he needed every person in the city to know who Bakugou fucking Katsuki was.

He could practically hear Aizawa’s grating voice telling him to be patient. Quoting some cliche fucking proverb like ’Every journey begins with a single step’, or ’You must learn to walk before you can learn to fucking run’. Fuck that. Bakugou was ready to fucking run.

“You have done well in the records department,” Endeavor finally began. “You’re diligent and smart. You picked up quickly on the requirements, and the reports that you have completed have been almost impeccable.”

A compliment? That was not what Bakugou had expected.

“Tch,” the noise was almost instinctual, but he knew that he should acknowledge the compliment somehow. It wasn’t like the stingy bastard was fucking generous with praise. “Thanks,” he mumbled. It would probably piss him off to know that Bakugou didn’t give a single fuck how happy Endeavor was with his reports. Anyone with half a fucking brain can write a damn report.

“I was also pleased to learn that you finally passed your provisional licensing exam,” Endeavor added. “Having that grants us considerable more freedom with your internship. As a reward, and as you have likely guessed, you are going to be sent out on a mission tonight.”

Fuck yes!! Yes! Finally!

Bakugou’s adrenaline spiked, the excitement coursing through him. No damn reports. No stuffy office room. No annoying supervisor to pop their head in every two seconds to make sure Bakugou was staying on task. And best of fucking all… he was finally going to get the chance to prove what he was capable of in the field.

Yes!!

“This is going to be a very discreet mission,” Endeavor continued. “The purpose of which is solely to gather information, and hopefully obtain some clear photographs of your target.”

Bakugou nodded. He could be fucking discreet. He could be the most fucking discreet bastard in the world if that got him out of that damn records department.

“And who is my target?” Bakugou inquired. The mission sounded easy. Almost too easy.

Endeavor turned, opening the filing cabinet next to his desk and pulling out a manilla folder. He slid it across the desk. Bakugou glared at it suspiciously for a moment, before reaching over to pick it up. Inside were two pictures, both blown up in size and quite blurry. Bakugou looked at them carefully. The pictures were dark, as if they had been taken in the early evening, and they were taken from quite far away. They seemed to be focused on a guy that was in the distance, facing away from the camera. He was wearing a long black trenchcoat and red gloves, and walking next to some kind of black pet. The only other distinguishable feature was his hair. Although it could have been a trick of the lighting, it looked half white and half black. Just like Shouto’s new…

No.

No, no, no!!

Bakugou had a horrible feeling that he knew exactly who his fucking target was.

He couldn’t even bring himself to look at the second picture.

FUCK!

Could he not get a fucking break?! He might almost prefer the damn reports!

“Those pictures were captured by another agency a few weeks ago,” Endeavor explained. “There is nothing inherently illegal about them, however they were given to me as the individual’s hair in this picture greatly resembles Shouto, as you may have noticed.”

He knew it. He fucking knew it!!

Bakugou gritted his teeth, the excitement he had felt only moments ago fading into a horrible mixture of rage and anxiety. He should have figured it out the moment that Endeavor said the mission was discreet. After all, Endeavor had blatantly told him that he planned to use Bakugou as a means to keep tabs on his sons. Bakugou had even signed the damn contract agreeing to it! He had been stuck between a fucking rock and hard place. If he hadn’t signed, he could’ve kissed the whole fucking internship goodbye. Since he didn’t exactly have a plethora of fucking internship options, not accepting this internship would have put him way behind his classmates in terms of experience. He couldn’t fucking afford not to accept every damn stipulation that Shouto’s flaming prick of a father had demanded.

Not if he was serious about becoming number 1!

What he had not expected was to have Shouto taint his first official fucking mission. This wasn’t hero work. This was just helping Endeavor sort through his dirty laundry.

Dammit!

“Most of these types of pictures I ignore,” Endeavor continued, as if this whole damn mission was perfectly acceptable. “After all, Shouto still lives in Musutafu. It’s to be expected that he will be out and about in the city, even in some of the less savory parts of town. If you will look at the second picture…”

Endeavor paused, and Bakugou realized that the bastard was waiting for him to physically look at the damn picture. He didn’t want to. He had no interest in seeing Shouto. But… again… as much as Bakugou fucking hated it... he had no fucking choice.

Clenching his teeth in frustration, he finally looked at the second picture. Like the first picture, this one was dark and hard to make out a lot of detail. It was taken a bit closer, and Shouto (if that even was who was in the damn pictures… and Bakugou really fucking hoped not) was turned around, looking slightly down at his phone. It was still blurry, but it almost looked like Shouto was wearing some kind of white and red mask. It only covered half his face (the half that Bakugou knew damn well had his scar, a damning detail in and of itself) like some kind of phantom of the fucking opera type shit. The dramatic ass bastard.

Nice to know that some things never change.

“As you can see, if that individual is Shouto, it’s clear that he is wearing some type of a costume.”

“Maybe he is just going to a fucking party,” Bakugou retorted grumpily, praying that somehow he could get out of this damn mission. Maybe even go out on a real fucking patrol. Ya know, like interns are supposed to fucking do! “After all, the entire fu–” Bakugou stopped himself from swearing again. He could control his fucking temper, dammit! “The entire city knows how much he likes to party.” He set the pictures back on the desk. He really didn’t want to keep looking at the damn things.

Endeavor frowned.

“My son’s proclivities aside,” Endeavor replied, talking slowly and choosing each word carefully, “the location and company do not seem to indicate a party. Which means that, again, if this individual is Shouto, then this costume serves a different purpose. A far less innocent purpose, I suspect, than going to a party. Shouto is not a hero, nor is he registered with any organization that would require him to be out and about in any sort of disguise. Considering who his brother is, however, you cannot blame me for worrying that this costume could be an indicator that he has joined a… less than legal organization.”

Like the fucking Yakuza! It was a bitter thought, and Bakugou was pretty sure that Endeavor would shit his pants if Bakugou revealed even half of what he knew about Shouto and his fucking boyfriend.

“So I am just supposed to sit around waiting with my thumbs up my damn ass, hoping that this guy might walk down the street in that costume again?” Bakugou grumbled. If those pictures were taken weeks ago, what was the point of sending him out tonight? “It seems like a waste of time.

“I’ve reviewed footage from some of the street cameras in the area over the last few weeks. Although they are few and far between in that part of the city, they have shown glimpses of a similarly dressed individual on almost every Saturday night between 8 and 10pm since those pictures were taken. You will have a map linked to your account that marks each of the locations where this individual has been photographed over the past month. They are all within about a twenty block radius. I believe there is a high chance that this individual will be out again tonight.” Endeavor leaned forward, gathering up the pictures as he talked and returning them to his filing cabinet. “The goal of tonight’s mission is to attempt to get close enough to this individual to positively identify whether it is or is not Shouto. If it is Shouto, try to obtain some clearer pictures of the costume he is wearing. That’s it. You are not to interact with this individual in any way. You are not to use your quirk in any way. If that is my son, then your quirk would be a dead giveaway to your identity, it wouldn’t matter how well disguised you are. Recognition could put you in unnecessary danger. We will have a third year intern parked three blocks away from your assigned area. They have no knowledge of the true purpose of your mission, and has simply been told that the purpose of your mission is to remain confidential even to him, for now. He will be dropping you off at your location at 7:50pm, and picking you up at 10:15pm, or once you contact him to know the mission is complete. You are not to divulge any of the details of this mission to him during these rides. Do you understand the goals and perimeters of your mission tonight?”

Yeah. This was definitely dealing with Endeavor’s stinky, disgusting, dirty laundry.

“Yes,” Bakugou replied glumly. Maybe he would get fucking lucky and this individual wouldn’t be out tonight. No target meant that he wouldn’t have to deal with the possibility of seeing Shouto in the flesh.

He would be damned before he admitted it to anyone else, but Bakugou wasn’t ready to see Shouto in person. He had known it would happen eventually, especially since he had every fucking intention of putting his toxic ass boyfriend behind bars. But he didn’t expect it to be so soon. It had only been a few months since the trial, and that last night they had spent together. Since he had fucked Shouto for the last time, only for the asshole to turn around and spit in his fucking face. Seeing the handful of pictures, and even that stupid interview he did was more than enough for Bakugou. Although the pain of their break-up had faded, Shouto was still a touchy fucking subject for him. The bastard had dangled Bakugou on a damn hook for months, only to end up choosing to join the fucking Yakuza so that he could keep fucking that possessive asshole. His betrayal had been personal for Bakugou, and the journey that led to that betrayal had damaged Bakugou as much as the fucking night he was kidnapped by The League. In those few weeks, any remaining naivety that Bakugou had left was stripped away. He saw shit that he was never going to be able to forget. Shit that was still fucking haunting him to this day.

And even the thought of seeing fucking half-n-half again was enough to make his mind run rampant with unwanted memories.

Fuck him.

“Good,” Endeavor replied, the faintest hint of a smile on the edges of his lips. “I’m glad that we are on the same page. Do well on this mission, and it will show me that you are ready for more than just paperwork.”

Bakugou’s frown deepened. If he didn’t do well, what would happen then? If this prick didn’t show up tonight, what would that mean for his internship? Endeavor was such a conniving, manipulative piece of shit. He even made a simple statement sound like a fucking threat.

But Bakugou refused to play along with his games. He would kick this mission’s ass, one way or another. He was Bakugou fucking Katsuki, after all. Shouto or no Shouto, he would prove that he was ready.

Endeavor glanced at the clock on the wall.

“It’s 7:15 now,” Endeavor said, standing up. Apparently their little meeting was finally coming to an end. It couldn’t happen fast enough. “You have fifteen minutes to be ready. Daichi will meet you by the East entrance at 7:30. Don’t be late. You are excused.”

Bakugou couldn’t stand up and get out of that seat fast enough. He had fifteen minutes to wrap his head around the mission and take a fucking piss. He would be damned if he failed just because he had to take a leak.

As soon as he was done, he made a bee-line for the East entrance.

“Don’t be late,” he whispered sarcastically, copy-catting Endeavor’s words. Tch. Shows how much the man knew about him. Bakugou Katsuki was never fucking late.

Bakugou made it to the entrance with seven minutes to spare, leaning up against one of the decorative poles and tapping his foot impatiently as he waited. A few minutes later, a taller guy joined him. A much, much taller guy. He had very short black hair, and green eyes. His features were soft, almost boyish still despite the fact that he was in his twenties. He was wearing a simple outfit, black training pants and a gray long sleeved shirt. Simple enough that he wouldn’t draw much attention as he waited for Bakugou to complete the mission, but clearly not civilian clothes. Just in case things went south. Although Bakugou had zero fucking intention of letting anything go wrong tonight, a hero had to be ready for anything.

This must be Daichi, Bakugou presumed as the guy stopped in front of him. Bakugou recognized him, vaguely. He was a third year at UA University. Set to graduate in just a few weeks. He had some kind of a physical quirk, knives that protruded from his elbows or some shit like that.

“Bakugou Katsuki?” Daichi asked, his voice softer than Bakugou expected.

Bakugou nodded. Of course Daichi wouldn’t recognize him. That was the whole point of the damn disguise. But it was still reassuring. After all the press that class 1A had received over the last year, he felt like everyone knew his face. If Daichi couldn’t recognize him, then hopefully Shouto wouldn’t either.

If his target was actually fucking Icy-hot, of course. Bakugou could always hold out fucking hope that it was just some other dick who decided to mimic the haircut just to be trendy.

“You ready?”

Bakugou nodded once more, following the older man out to an old, navy blue Toyota Yaris parked on the street. It even had a few dents in the side. Definitely not what Bakugou expected out of the top hero agency in the entire fucking city, but he supposed that it did make sense that they wouldn’t want anything too flashy for an undercover mission. Especially since Endeavor had implied that they weren’t headed to the best part of the city. The last thing they needed was for some desperate junkie to try to rob Daichi just because he had a nice fucking car.

People fucking sucked.

Bakugou climbed into the passenger seat, cursing softly under his breath as he struggled to get the damn seat belt over the stupid fake muscles that the costuming department had stuck all over him. It kept getting stuck on that stupid child lock feature, refusing to budge until he fed the whole damn thing back to its original position. Of fucking course! He couldn’t wait for this day to end. It took three damn tries to finally get the fucking seatbelt clicked into place. Fucking embarrassing. Not that Daichi seemed to notice. Apparently they were on a strict time frame, because the other intern had pulled away from the curb and started driving long before Bakugou was fully buckled up.

The ride was quiet. Daichi didn’t seem like the kind-of guy who cared for small talk. Bakugou was happy about that, he fucking hated small talk too. He stared out the window, watching as they slowly made their way into a worse and worse part of town. Endeavor hadn’t been fucking kidding. This area wasn’t just unsavory, it was downright fucking shady.

Why was he fucking surprised? This was Shouto that they were tracking, after all. He seemed to attract shady situations like flies on fucking horse shit.

“We will be there in about three minutes,” Daichi finally broke the silence between them, about fifteen minutes into the drive.

Bakugou grunted an acknowledgement, pulling out his phone and opening up the app that linked him to the Endeavor Agency mainframe. Not that it gave him access to much, but it did make this whole debacle of a mission feel a little more official. This was the first time that he had a reason to use the app since he started his internship. He signed in his credentials, using his phone’s fingerprint reader to verify his identity. When the app loaded, he clicked on his notifications. Endeavor had sent him a personal file that linked him up with a map of the area, small bright green ‘X’s marking about nine various locations. One of the blocks had three ‘X’s all near one another. Considering how fucking large the area was, that seemed a better place to start than the rest.

Daichi pulled over in front of an old laundromat.

“My number is in the Agency directory,” Daichi said in lieu of a goodbye. “Text me if you complete your mission early, or if you need assistance. Otherwise, I will be at this exact location to pick you up at 10:15 sharp.”

“Got it,” Bakugou replied, unbuckling the damn seatbelt with it’s shitty fucking possessed child lock feature (which had barely let him sit forward the entire fucking ride thanks to its death grip on his fucking torso).

He climbed out, making his way out onto the sidewalk. There were people around; definitely a handful of shady characters standing in front of a bar across the street, but it wasn’t as busy here as Bakugou had been expecting. Especially considering that this area of the city was known for being a hub of bars and clubs. It must still be too early for the real crowds to be out and about.

Bakugou looked at the map again as Daichi pulled away from the curb, glancing around at the street signs to orient himself. He was only about two blocks away from the street he had chosen to start at. He didn’t see the point in wasting any fucking time, starting to walk toward his destination. It didn’t take him long before he was right where he wanted to be. He surveyed the businesses along the street. On one side was an auto shop, a tiny restaurant that didn’t even look like it was in business, a bar, and a convenience store at the end. On the other side was some kind of a club with a small line waiting to get in, and two blank storefronts. Not a lot of options. He finally decided on the bar, making his way over and leaning against the wall just beyond the entrance to the bar.

He dug into his pocket, pulling out the fake cigarette that they had given him and pushing the button on the end to make it smoke. He slumped over, trying to look as boring as possible. He was just another average Joe, taking a smoke break before heading back into the bar for a drink. Or at least that’s what he hoped that he looked like.

He checked his clock. 7:58. He would give himself thirty minutes here, and if there was not a sign of the target, then he would move to the next nearest location and repeat the process.

Then he just waited. And waited. And waited. He pretended to scroll through his phone, continuing to smoke that damn fake cigarette that tasted like plastic. But he was actively watching the people around him for any sign of Sho– of his target. Whoever it may be. He was glad that the line for the nightclub seemed to move pretty quickly. Otherwise, people might start to wonder why the hell he was taking such a long smoke break.

His feet were starting to get sore from standing in one spot for so long. It was a fucking hot night to begin with, and this disguise made it almost unbearable. He was sweating, and really regretting not having the foresight to grab a damn bottle of water.

But the worst part was that the entire street smelled bad. The acrid smell of sewage seemed to permeate the air, faint but disgustingly noticeable. He was very, very ready to move on to the next area.

He checked the time again. 8:23.

This was some fucking boring bullshit.

At 8:25, he turned off the fake cigarette and tucked it back into his pocket. He was just pulling up the map to decide on his next location, when he noticed a man crossing the street at the end of the block. His right side was to Bakugou, but Bakugou was certain that he had caught a glimpse of black and white hair. Bakugou casually pushed himself off from the wall, walking as fast as he could without drawing attention to himself, he started to tail the man. Once they reached the other side, they disappeared from his sight, blocked by the corner of the club. Bakugou stepped up his pace, not wanting to lose them.

He jay-walked diagonally across the street, hoping to close some of the distance between them. When he made it to the corner where he had last seen the man, he was relieved to see him still on the same road, about a block ahead of him. And now he could see with a certainty that the guy had the dual-toned black and white hair that he was looking for. But the real giveaway that this was his actual target was the small black figure hobbling along next to him. Bakugou had thought it was a pet of some kind from the blurry picture, but he wasn’t so sure now. It seemed to be a… person?

Whatever it was, Bakugou was grateful it was there. The target wasn’t wearing the trenchcoat from the pictures. Instead, he had on black pants and a long white-sleeved shirt with a black vest over it. And though the guy was a little too far ahead of him to tell for sure, Bakugou swore that he saw glimpses of the red gloves every time the duo walked underneath a streetlamp.

Bakugou picked up his pace a little more, not wanting to lose them.

Discreetly, he lifted his phone, zooming in to the target and snapping a quick picture.

The guy was tall (like Shouto), and lithe (like Shouto), and his hair was not only black and white, but also seemed to be in the exact same haircut that Shouto had during that interview. Although he would need to find a way to get a glimpse of his face to be certain, Bakugou was almost certain that it had to be Icy-hot in front of him.

Of. Fucking. Course…

Suddenly, the pair turned to the right. They stopped for just a moment, and the target lifted his arm to knock on a door. Bakugou’s stomach flipped with anxiety. He was closer than before, and he was sure that the profile was Shouto. He would recognize him anywhere, after all, Bakugou had spent a few months trying to sneak sideways glances at him. He lifted up his phone once more, snapping another picture right in the nick of time. A moment after he did, the door opened up, and the pair stepped inside of the building, the door closing behind them.

But he knew that he didn’t have enough to make his ill-tempered boss happy. He hadn’t even gotten a good picture of the mask yet; because of the awkward angles and distance, he hadn’t even gotten a glimpse of the mask yet. Although he was certain that he could give Endeavor the fucking answer that he wanted, Bakugou’s pride wasn’t about to let him walk away with such half-assed results.

If Endeavor wanted photographic proof, than Bakugou would give him fucking photographic proof.

He was not about to squander the chance to get out of the damn records department, and its tedious cycle of bullshit reports. Bakugou slowed down his pace, crossing the street so that he was on the opposite side from the building that Shouto had gone into. He ducked into an alley between two buildings, trying to ignore the homeless man that was curled up on the other end. He found a spot to wait that would put him in the shadows, unlikely that Shouto would notice him when they walked out. He had his camera ready, though, determined to snap a picture the moment that door opened.

“What the fuck are you up to, Icy-hot?” Bakugou grumbled under his breath. The building that he entered looked like some kind of a motorcycle repair shop. Definitely not the kind of place you would go to in order to relax on a Saturday night. “Some fucking Yakuza fucking bullshit,” he growled. The whole thing was shady as fuck, and it left a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Another twenty minutes passed before that door opened again. He started taking pictures, as many as he could as Shouto and the small black-clothed figure walked out.

Shouto looked fucking good as he stopped and slid one of the red gloves back onto his left hand. Just like in the interview, his clothes hugged the curves on his body, sticking to muscles and abs, and those long, long legs… Bakugou could swear that he looked like he was in even better shape than he had during the interview. When the fuck did halfie get such good goddamn fashion sense!

And around his right thigh, distractingly fucking sexy, was a small harness, a blade of some sort catching the light.

Seeing him like that, his clothes practically glued to his body, it sent unbidden images of Shouto through his brain. Of Shouto on his knees in Mina’s bedroom, looking up at Bakugou as he slid his mouth over Bakugou’s cock. Of Shouto on top of him in his bedroom, his pale skin flushed as he rode Bakugou. Of Shouto leaning in to kiss him, the feeling of his soft lips against Bakugou's skin.

Of Shouto screaming as Shigaraki pushed him into the couch and raped him.

Fuck!!!

He knew this fucking shit was a bad idea!

Fuck Endeavor! And fuck his whole fucking contract! And fuck this entire goddamn mission!

The only fucking thing that brought Bakugou back to the present was that damn mask. He had a very clear view of Shouto's mask. Obviously meant to conceal his scar, it covered the left side of his face; white with red flames around the eye and a skeletal grin covering the left half of his mouth. It had a decidedly sinister feel, and Bakugou's heart sank the more that he looked at it.

Shouto was a member of the Yakuza.

It's not like Bakugou hadn't known that it had happened. Not like Shouto hadn't practically rubbed that in his face the last time they were together. Not like he hadn't seen the Yakuza brand on his chest.

But seeing it… truly seeing it was so different then just knowing it.

And no matter how many unwanted images flashed through his fucking mind, the person across the street from him was a stranger. He walked with a confidence that he had never shown at UA. He held his head up high. He practically radiated with an aura of… importance? Power?

Bakugou couldn't quite put his tongue on it. But it was like seeing Shouto for the first time.

Then, as quickly as the whole fucking rollercoaster of emotions had hit Bakugou, it was gone as Shouto started walking again, bringing Bakugou back into the moment.

Into the mission.

He waited just a moment before stalking around the corner to continue tailing Shouto. The decision was fucking stupid. He had the evidence he needed. A clear picture of Shouto and his damn Yakuza costume… not that Bakugou had any fucking intention of telling Endeavor what that costume meant. He might be under contract to follow the man's orders, but he would rather eat shit than enlighten that abusive asshole about where Shouto had ended up.

But he just couldn't stop himself. Curiosity had taken a hold of his common sense. Now that he was here, seeing Shouto in front of him, he had to see what Shouto was up to; to know where he was going. He wanted to figure out exactly what Kai, Shouto's fucking crimelord of a boyfriend, had turned Shouto's life into.

"Bakugou, you really need to get over him. He's moved on… you should too." He could hear Pinky's voice in his head, reminding him why this was such a bad idea. But the fucking joke was on her.

He had to do this. It was part of his fucking internship.

Bakugou continued to tail the pair, probably closer than was completely safe to do so. Their next stop was a club. 'Kiruchi's Dancing Ladies'. Bakugou snorted derisively. A fucking strip club. Of course.

But… he could actually go in there. After all, he was in disguise. He was just some average schmuck looking to get his rocks off. Shouto wouldn't notice him, and if he did, Bakugou doubted that he would look twice. In this disguise, Bakugou was a far cry from 'Shouto's type' (though Bakugou would have said the same damn thing about Shouto's precious Kai just a few months ago… the manipulative, abusive, fucking prick.).

Bakugou glanced at his phone. It was only 9:07. He still had plenty of time before Daichi would be back to pick him up.

He didn't waste time, making his decision and following the half-n-half bastard inside. The door led to some shady fucking hallway that gave Bakugou the fucking creeps. When he got to the end, he was prepared to pull out his fake ID. But he was surprised to find no one at the door, no one even bothering to check ID's.

The inside of the club was dim and reeked of old cigarettes. There were a bunch of worn old tables spread out, a couple of stages in the room. All of the guys seemed to be focused on one stage, the only one with a dancer. Though Bakugou would hardly call twerking a dance.

Tch. Whatever.

He looked around the room carefully, finally spotting Shouto sitting at the bar on the other side. He had an untouched shot sitting in front of him, but he was talking to one of the workers behind the bar. Some shirtless guy.

Bakugou discreetly moved a little closer, nonchalantly taking a seat on the far side of the bar. He kept his face forward, but his attention was completely invested in the two men on the other side. If he had been braver, he would have sat even closer so he could hear their conversation. But he didn’t want to take any chances. Besides, the bar was almost dead, so he didn’t have to worry about any fucking extra’s blocking the pair.

The worker was a thin guy, about Shouto's height, with black hair and red eyes. He was wearing nothing but a pair of tiny-ass skin tight black shorts that left very little to the imagination, and a studded collar with small chains hanging from it. The worker was leaning on the counter, his body language speaking volumes, even if Bakugou couldn't hear their conversation.

The fucker was definitely flirting with Shouto. He was looking at Shouto with obvious fucking bedroom eyes. And if the guy's smile, and the way he seemed completely invested in every word that Shouto had to say, were anything to go by, Bakugou doubted that this was the first time the two of them had met.

Shouto leaned forward, saying something that Bakugou couldn't hear as he reached up and traced a single gloved finger up the guy's neck to tease the chains. Shouto was flirting back.

Bakugou could see the shiver that Shouto's touch sent rippling through the guy's torso. He could almost see the look Shouto must be giving him, clear as day in Bakugou's fucking mind. The way his eyes would go dark as they traced over your face, and his mouth would open ever so fucking slightly as if he was just inviting someone to kiss him. The look that had ended with the two of them in bed together more than once. The way his heterochromatic eyes would pierce into you, intense. Passionate. As if you were the only person in his world… the only fucking person who mattered.

It was a hard fucking look to resist not falling into… even after Bakugou had learned that he was out getting his ass stuffed by that pompous Yakuza criminal.

Tch.

Apparently some things never change. A surge of jealousy flared up in Bakugou's chest, followed by the immediate satisfying thought that maybe Shouto was cheating on the fucker that he had cheated on Bakugou with.

Yeah it was petty, and really fucking childish. But Bakugou didn't give a flying fuck how it would sound to anyone else. There would be nothing more satisfying than watching Shouto's current relationship fall apart because halfie didn't know how to keep his dick in his fucking pants. It would serve the Yakuza bastard right for ruining Shouto's life. And It would make arresting the asshole even easier if he didn't have to worry about Shouto getting in the way.

"What will it be, hun?" He jumped slightly at the question, his attention maybe too invested in Shouto. He glanced around, his teeth grinding at the damn nickname. The worker in front of him was a petite girl with big brown eyes and bleached-blonde hair. She was wearing a pink bikini with sheer fabric covering her stomach.

Bakugou's mind blanked for a second. He had to order something, otherwise he was just going to look like some creepy fucker using the bar to leer at the workers.

"Vodka," he replied, naming off the first alcohol that came to his mind. She smiled, grabbing a shot glass from under the bar and setting it on the table. Then she walked away to grab a bottle.

As she was doing so, another worker, an older gentleman who was actually fully dressed in a cheap suit, came out and greeted Shouto with a bow.

A deep bow.

A bow that was meant to honor someone very powerful.

"What in the fuck?" Bakugou whispered, unable to contain himself. Who the fuck did this asshole think Shouto was?

"What was that, hun?" The girl asked, reappearing with a bottle of bottom shelf vodka in hand.

"Nothing," He grumbled as she filled the shot glass to the top. He pulled it toward himself, but held off on downing it. He needed a legit fucking reason to stay at the bar, at least until halfie was gone.

Which didn't take long.

After Shouto returned the man's bow with a small bow of his head only (seriously?! conceited fucking bastard), he stood up off the barstool. The dagger on his leg shifted slightly as he reached into his pocket, fishing out some money for the drink he didn't even touch, and set it on the table for the worker.

Then he followed the old man around the bar and disappeared into the back, his very odd, very short companion trailing after him.

Bakugou glanced back at the worker who had been flirting with Shouto. The guy’s face had fallen as he gathered up the yen Shouto left for him. He picked up the shot that Icy-hot had left behind and downed it before stashing the dirty shot glass under the sink.

"It's never going to happen, Shigeo,” the blonde teased him. “He is never going to sleep with you.”

“It’s such a shame,” the guy, Shigeo, sighed wistfully, “I would take such good care of him…”

So much for Shouto cheating on his damn boyfriend.

“I don’t know,” Bakugou chimed in, trying to draw out the conversation about Shouto. He wanted to see what else these two knew about him, especially the guy. “He did seem into you. He even tipped you without drinking his shot.”

Shigeo’s eyes lit up, and he trailed over to Bakugou, eager to talk about Shouto.

The girl sighed, rolling her eyes.

“A boy can only hope,” Shigeo replied, leaning on the counter to talk to Bakugou, but clearly lost in his own thoughts.

Tch.

He was probably imagining what Icy-hot would look like in his fucking bed. How his toned hips would feel under Shigeo's hands. How good he would feel around Shigeo's fucking cock.

The damn fanboy had no fucking idea…

Bakugou's jaw clenched in irritation.

“Who is he?” Bakugou pressed, forcing himself to relax and trying to play the conversation off as just a passing curiosity. “I haven’t seen him around this area before.”

“Fenikkusu,” Shigeo sighed. “He started coming in a few months ago. Pops up every couple of weeks to talk to the boss. He came last week, so I wasn’t expecting to see him today. I definitely would have dressed up more if I had known.”

Fenikkusu. Fenikkusu? Fucking Fenikkusu?! Shouto had a fucking Yakuza name? He has only been out of UA for a few months. How the fuck did he get so fucking important so fucking quickly?!

“It’s because of the new boss,” the girl replied. “Our last boss up and sold the whole place on a whim a few weeks ago. It’s been a bit chaotic in here since then.”

“Well, the guy definitely seemed important. Your boss certainly bowed deeply enough.”

“Well yeah,” the girl replied, giving Bakugou a strange look. “The boss says that he is to be treated with the highest honors when he is here. He represents Overhaul.”

Overhaul? Who the fuck is Overhaul?!

It had to be Kai.

Fucking Kai!.

Shigeo nodded, as if knowing who the fuck Overhaul was was some kind of common knowledge. As if he was some kind of fucking god in the area.

Bakugou downed his shot, cringing at the awful taste, his other hand clenched into a fist underneath the table.

If Overhaul was so fucking high and mighty, than why the fuck had Bakugou never heard of him?

Two older guys (definite creeps, by the look of them and the way they leered at the workers) came up and sat next to Bakugou at the bar.

“Hey sexy, Can I get a round of vodka shots for my friend and I” one of them reached over the bar, trying to pinch the blonde waitresses side. She jumped away, glaring at him. Shigeo stepped over, smacking the asshole’s hand.

“Uh uh,” he chastised the guy, waggling a finger at him like he was a schoolchild. “We’ve warned you before… No touching, or I will have you escorted out. Do you want a repeat of last time, Masa?”

Bakugou sighed, standing up from the bar and heading back toward the entrance. The conversation was clearly over. Trying to push it would just seem suspicious.

He headed toward the door. No point bothering to wait for Icy-hot to walk out. He had already learned a lot fucking more than Endeavor asked of him. He was damn good at his job! He pulled out his phone, pulling up the Agency Inventory and scrolling through for Daichi’s number.

All he had left was to decide what all he was going to share with Endeavor. The bastard didn’t fucking deserve to hear everything Bakugou had learned, not after the shitshow he put Bakugou through tonight. Fuck that.

He wanted to turn in his pictures and then get the fuck back to the dorm and put this entire damn night behind him.

He was way more than fucking ready to be done with this shit.

* * * * * *
Shouto POV
June 29

"Are you almost ready, Little Fox?" Kai's voice came through the door. "Xaio Fe is here."

"Almost," Shouto called back. Shouto was running product through his hair, trying to tousle the black and white faux hawk just so, the final touch on his look for the night.

Kai had secured the two of them reservations at one of the most elite restaurants in Musutafu, followed by a night out at the club. Shouto considered it a well deserved break; the last few weeks had been so busy that he needed a night to de-stress. Not to mention the first actual date the two of them had gone on in… awhile. And Shouto's goal for the night was to make Kai's mouth water.

With the money from the settlement, Shouto had picked up a new pair of fitted black dress pants, and a black dress shirt that had two stripes of black sequined lace that ran from just under his collar diagonally down under his arms. It was a subtle effect, but it hugged his torso, hinting at a harness that ran across his chest underneath. Once he undid a few of the buttons, the effect would be perfect for the club… and, if the Shibari had been any indication, he hoped that the accessory would peak Kai's interest.

He had even added a subtle eye-liner to accentuate his eyes, and some highlighter on his cheeks… just enough to catch the light while they danced.

He stepped back, checking himself out. He quickly rolled the sleeves up to his elbows, and added a few black and silver chained bracelets. The effect was exactly what he had hoped for; the dark outfit was not only sexy, but it also accentuated his scar… something he knew Kai would appreciate, even if it meant the hassle of being recognized throughout the night.

"Shouto," Kai knocked again, a hint of impatience in his voice.

"I'm ready!" He called out, quickly spritzing on his cologne. He hurried out, almost running into Kai as he rushed out of the bathroom.

"Trying to-" Overhaul began, but he stopped talking as Shouto stepped back and the man got a good look at him. His golden eyes darkened, and his gaze traveled provocatively down Shouto's body from head to toe, slowly tracing every muscle and curve. As if Shouto’s body was an exquisite work of art; Kai so enamored that he felt compelled to commit every inch to memory. The glint in those golden eyes was so intense that Shouto could almost feel Kai’s touch on his body as those eyes revered him. Shouto’s breath hitched as a shiver of excitement ran down Shouto's spine, a pulse of arousal washing through him. It was the exact response that he had hoped for. A raw, carnal desire, much like the very first time that Kai had seen him in that dingy club where he reunited with Dabi. That moment when Kai had slowly undressed Shouto with his eyes, leaving Shouto vulnerable to the golden-eyed man’s desire.

For a moment, time stood still as tension built in the air between them.

Shouto reveled in it. Too long had passed since Shouto had been able to dress up for Kai. Lately it felt like he was always in his training clothes; and though they were certainly tight enough for Kai's liking, they all looked the same. Even for the Shibari party, Kai had dressed Shouto, had physically tied every rope in place exactly where he wanted it. Of course, Kai had enjoyed the outfit, but it wasn't the same as surprising him (and hopefully surprising him a second time when they got to the club and Shouto showed off the harness currently hidden under his shirt). And Shouto wanted that. Kai was so powerful, in every sense of the word, that it bled into his control over Shouto, and Shouto's obedience was something Kai enjoyed in and out of the bedroom… but, in the moment, Shouto was powerful enough to stop Kai in his tracks, to leave the man speechless.

To remind Kai why he had been attracted to Shouto in the first place.

Without warning, Kai pushed him against the wall, forcing Shouto's hands above his head and holding them firmly in place with his left hand, his right hand coming up to wrap around Shouto’s hip.

"Shouto…" Kai growled huskily, leaning down and kissing the sensitive skin along the side of Shouto's neck. Shouto could feel the slight quiver in his touch, a forced control. Shouto wasn’t just a masterpiece to admire, he was one to own; not just to see, but to take. To command. To touch. To taste. To lose himself into… "My temptress," another deep kiss, Shouto’s mouth falling open as he felt that kiss in the core of his being. “My weakness," Kai's teeth grazed him, sinking into the sensitive skin at the base of his neck. “My sly Little Fox." Fuck! Kai's mouth felt so good on him. His breath was warm as it spilled over Shouto’s skin with every ragged breath Kai took.

Shouto’s body responded to every touch, his hips grinding forward, seeking relief against Kai’s body. Kai pushed him back firmly against the wall, his mouth moving to Shouto’s throat. Shouto let his head fall back against the wall, enjoying the feeling of Kai’s warm tongue caressing his skin.

"I thought Xaoi Fe was here?" Shouto replied coyly, his voice was thick with need. Kai tensed at the reminder, at even the suggestion that Shouto might deny the man his body. The fingers on Shouto’s hip tightened around him.

“I want you, Shouto.” The words were muffled against Shouto’s throat, trailing slowly upward so that he could nip at Shouto’s jaw. Shouto’s pulse was picking up, his heart racing wildly at the sensation, craving to give in to the man’s desire. Kai trailed kisses up his jaw until his cheek was pressed against Shouto’s. “I want to peel this outfit off you with my teeth,” Kai’s right hand was sliding down toward his ass, squeezing it roughly, forcing Shouto’s hips forward and against him, “and bury myself so far inside of you that you will beg me to claim your body.”

Shouto’s cock pulsed at the image that flashed through his mind, at the memory of how good Kai would feel inside of him. Then Kai’s mouth was on his, kissing him fervently, passionately. His tongue slid between Shouto's lips, demanding entrance. Shouto moaned as he let his mouth drop open slightly, giving Kai time to taste him. His body was thrumming underneath Kai's touch, and he could feel himself getting hard. Kai was hard too, Shouto could feel it.

Kai pulled back, breathing heavily as his right hand let go of Shouto’s ass and pulled his phone out of his pocket, his hips grinding against Shouto in a way that should have been illegal.

“What are you doing?” The words came out more like a moan.

"Canceling our reservation," he growled, his golden eyes almost black as he looked up at Shouto. His gaze lingering on Shouto’s lips, and Shouto could feel the tension in his body as he resisted the urge to claim that mouth once more.

Shouto’s body was burning with need, pleasure leaving him numb and open to the other man. But the words brought him back into the moment. Their dinner. The club. The promise of their date weighing itself heavily against the temptation to relinquish that tiny bit of power… and, oh, how he wanted to. But if he could control himself, if he held out until tonight, then Kai’s passion wouldn’t just be a wave trying to pull him under… it would be a tsunami.

"No…" Shouto’s body warred with the word, standing up on his tiptoes in order to grind his cock directly against Kai's. Kai growled loudly, his grip on Shouto’s hands tightening. "I’m hungry…"

And Shouto was hungry, very hungry; his appetite for much more than the promised dinner.

Kai inhaled a breath through clenched teeth as Shouto continued to grind against him. Shouto could feel the lust practically emanating off of him, the desire to take what he wanted. What belonged to him. His fingers were going white as they gripped the phone tightly. His gaze pierced Shouto, so intense that it took Shouto’s breath away. That look spoke volumes, his thoughts loud and clear; you’re teasing me, little fox… and you will pay for it later….

And Shouto fucking wanted to pay for it. He wanted to pay for it in every sinful way that Kai chose to punish him.

"Very well," Kai growled, finally relinquishing control of Shouto’s hands. Shouto’s arms fell back down to his side. Kai stepped away, and Shouto could see the physical strain on his face as he tried to quell his lust. "Dinner it is. But if even one man looks at you the way that I do, I will kill him."

The words made Shouto shudder, the feeling a stark contrast to the lingering desire in his body. The possessive nature of that single sentence made Shouto even harder, but the possibility that Kai might be serious…

It left Shouto conflicted.

"As if I am the only one people are going to notice," Shouto replied. He may have dressed up tonight, but so did Kai. And the man looked as if he belonged on the cover of a magazine, his appearance impeccable and sexy and absolutely radiating with an air of confidence and intrigue that Shouto could only hope he might one day possess. Kai had also opted for black pants and a black shirt, but he had added a dark red vest with a Victorian, almost damask, black print all over it. His hair was perfectly styled, as always, and his golden eyes, dark with desire, seemed to shine even more intensely than normal (but maybe that was because Kai was staring at Shouto as if he wanted to devour him).

"Trust me, Shouto," Kai replied, his gaze once more raking down Shouto’s body, "no one is going to be looking at me tonight."

Shouto could feel the faint heat of a blush on his cheeks; his body, still thrumming from Kai’s touch, responded eagerly to the compliment. Seducing Kai had been the goal of the entire outfit, but it may have worked a little too well. The intensity of Kai's desire had left him flustered, his thoughts fogged with need.

"We should go," Shouto practically whispered. The longer they waited, the thicker the air between them grew. Too long, and Shouto knew they wouldn’t end up leaving at all.

Kai reluctantly followed him out, locking up the apartment and putting his hand on the small of Shouto's back while they made their way down to the car. Xaoi Fe was waiting patiently, as always, and Shouto was glad that it was getting dark outside. He was probably still flushed, the skin on his neck red from Kai’s ministrations.

He only hoped the marks would fade before they arrived at the restaurant.

Kai opened the car door for him. Shouto climbed in, scooting over to the far side of the car and leaving room for Kai. Once they were both settled, Kai lay his hand on Shouto's leg as Xaoi Fe pulled away, using his other hand to type out what Shouto assumed were last minute instructions for some of the other bullets.

The ride was quiet as Kai worked, which Shouto didn't mind. Kai's hand felt good, his fingers curled slightly against the muscle of Shouto’s thigh, firm, almost possessive. And the warmth of Kai's body pressed up against Shouto's side was comforting. The restaurant was only about 20 minutes away. Odoru Doragon was one of the nicest restaurants in Musutafu, and Shouto hadn't been there since before his mom went to the hospital. He barely even remembered it.

When they were almost there, Shouto began to trail the fingers of his right hand up and down the inside of Kai's thigh. A subtle reminder to finish his work, and hopefully turn his attention back to Shouto for the night.

Kai's body tensed as Shouto continued the sensual pattern, his fingers teasing slightly higher each time until his hand brushed against Kai's cock.

"Little fox…" Kai growled, his voice strained, his hand coming to rest on top of Shouto's, putting a gentle stop to the touch. Shouto expected them to stay like that for the last few minutes.

But instead, Kai moved Shouto's hand slowly back up his thigh until it was pushed against Kai's clothed cock.It was an awkward angle, but Shouto could feel Kai's cock responding to the touch.

Shouto turned his head, looking slightly up at him. As Shouto had hoped, Kai's phone was on the seat beside him, forgotten. Kai's attention was intensely focused on him, his thigh quivering slightly underneath Shouto's touch.

Flashes of Kai's mouth on him filled Shouto's thoughts. He knew he was playing with fire, but the effect he had on Kai was addicting.

Shouto shifted, turning his body toward Kai, hyper-aware of the way that Kai's breathing had already changed slightly. Apparently Shouto wasn't the only one thinking about earlier. Shouto grabbed Kai's collar with his left hand and pulled Kai's mouth closer to him. Kai moaned low in his throat as Shouto's lips touched his, kissing him slowly and sensually, his teeth biting softly into Kai's bottom lip before he broke the kiss.

Kai immediately pulled Shouto back, his breath hot against Shouto's mouth. Kai's right hand came up to cup Shouto's cheek as he deepened the kiss, his left hand still holding Shouto's hand against him, his cock straining against the pants, jumping with need as Shouto ran his fingers over it as much as he could from such an odd angle. Shouto could feel the power in Kai's hands pulsing against his skin.

The car slowed down, turning into the restaurant.

Kai broke the kiss, breathing heavily. He moved his hand down to Shouto's throat, his fingers firm against Shouto's soft skin, and turned Shouto's head slightly to whisper in his ear.

"You over-estimate my control, Shouto," Kai growled lowly. "Tempt me, and I will fuck you."

Shouto shuddered at the timbre of his voice, lust dripping in each word. It was a warning, and a promise.

With that, Kai let go of Shouto's neck and the hand against Kai's cock. Shouto blushed as he realized that the car had stopped, Xaoi Fe waiting for them to get out, witness to their passion. Kai closed his eyes and took a moment to breathe before he got out of the car. Shouto tried to quickly adjust himself as Kai walked around and opened his door. Kai held out his hand for Shouto. Shouto took it, using it to step out.

"I will inform you once we are ready," Kai told Xaoi Fe, his voice strained with desire. The man nodded, the car pulling away as Kai's hand came back to Shouto's lower back, his touch commanding and possessive as they walked into the restaurant. He wanted everyone to know who Shouto belonged to.

The restaurant was beautiful inside. The lighting dimmed just slightly, the walls on both sides of the entrance had waterfall fountains every few feet, the water illuminated with a soft orange light. They had brightly colored vined flowers growing over the white walls; strings of fairy lights hanging above them. It was like walking through a garden at dusk, peaceful and serene.

And the smell was divine, Shouto's mouth practically watering by the time they reached the hostesses desk, a huge bronze statue of a dragon holding a tilted black marble slab above its head. In the wake of Kai's attention, Shouto hadn't realized how hungry he actually was.

The hostess bowed deeply as they approached. She was wearing an elegant black Kimono that had a red and white dragon across one side of her chest, and exquisite red jeweled ties going diagonally across the other side; she had a very thin matching black obi, her obijime almost disappearing against it in the same color, another shining red jewel placed as her obidome. Her long black hair was hanging straight down her back, brown almond shaped eyes widening slightly as she came out of her bow, lingering on Shouto's scar.

She didn't say anything, but she definitely knew who Shouto was.

"Reservation for two. Under Chisaki," Kai said. Kai slid his hand further around Shouto's waist as they waited for the woman to check their reservation, wrapping it around Shouto's hip and gently massaging the muscle just above Shouto's ass with his thumb. It was an avaricious gesture, and Shouto could almost feel the aura of Kai's lingering desire spreading up his right side. It was subtle and sexy, and Shouto could feel the tensing in every muscle of his torso, subtle pleasure pulsing in his groin.

"Right this way, Mr. Chisaki," she directed them gently, her voice light and airy. She walked just ahead of them, long slits in the back and front of her Kimono revealing occasional glimpses of her pale legs.

Shouto held his head high as they followed her through the public seating area. Even those tables had a semblance of privacy, beautiful round tables with black marble tops, a latticed, curved wall around half of each one. Every table had a small but intricate lantern suspended above it, adding just a touch of extra light to the dim atmosphere.

Still, the attempt at privacy was not enough to block Kai and Shouto from view as they walked toward their private room. Not everyone looked up, but Shouto could see some of the tables pointing as they passed. He did his best to ignore them, grateful that it would be frowned upon to try to take pictures of him in such a high end establishment. Though he was certain there would still be a few who tried.

Some who were probably waiting for the opportunity to take pictures of a celebrity. After all, this restaurant was well-known to be frequented by the rich and famous.

He could hear bits and pieces of some of their whispered conversations. Trying to maintain the neutral look on his face. He could hear the name Todoroki on a dozen different lips. Tiny bits of conversation teasing the infinite rumors that still tainted his reputation.

Some days he hated how easy it was to recognize him. Although his dual-toned hair had started to trend in the city, the black and white style popping up more and more, his heterochromatic eyes and his scar were a dead giveaway to exactly who he was. And, despite his public announcement that he was discarding his surname, it seemed the city was determined to know him as Todoroki.

Kai's hand tightened on his hip, sensing Shouto's displeasure. It was a welcome reminder that Kai was here with him. What the public thought of him, or of seeing them together, didn't matter. Not in the long run.

Shouto was relieved when they finally made it to their private room. The hostess pulled back a thick, red curtain over the doorway, bowing lowly as they passed her to go inside. Their table looked much like the rest, but it was fully enclosed on every side. There was a huge tapestry of a dragon on the back wall, a single sconce on the two sidewalls for lighting.

The round table, and the room, was small, but Shouto liked that. It felt intimate. Kai waited for Shouto to be fully seated before taking his place directly beside him. Shouto blushed slightly. It was customary to sit across from one another. Sitting so close in a public setting, close enough that Kai's shoulder was almost touching his, was no subtle indicator of the nature of their relationship.

"Your waitress will be here shortly," the hostess informed them.

"Will you please send in your sommelier as well?" Kai inquired. Shouto wasn't surprised. Kai had an affinity for a good bottle of wine.

"Of course, Mr. Chisaki," she replied, bowing once more as she stepped out and let the red curtain fall back into place.

Kai turned his attention back to Shouto, the light from the sconce on the wall reflecting off his golden irises, almost creating the illusion of a fire smoldering within them; intense and passionate. Kai's hand came to rest on his thigh under the table. Although Kai couldn't have him yet, it was clear that he had no intention of denying himself the chance to touch Shouto.

Shouto's stomach tightened, intimately aware of how close Kai's hand was to his sex. And anyone who walked in might see it.

"The first of your settlement money came in," Kai began, a topic he chose, Shouto suspected, in case their servers came in unannounced. Although Chisaki Kai himself was well-respected, very few outside of the Yakuza knew that he was Overhaul. And that kind of secrecy came from carefully chosen words and discretion anytime they were out in public.

But it was a strange juxtaposition to the pleasure radiating out from where Kai's fingers slowly massaged his thigh; a distinct tension building in his groin.

Shouto couldn't wait until tonight.

"Finally," Shouto agreed, not surprised that Kai was already aware. "The newspaper finally decided to settle the defamation lawsuit. 500,000 yen a month for twelve months, and an extra 1,000,000 yen this month for loss of enjoyment of life. I honestly didn't even know that was a thing," Shouto admitted, a bit sheepishly.

"That is what lawyers are for, and Hagiwara is one of the best," Kai answered, leaning back in his chair. "And how much of that did you actually see?"

Shouto had known that he wouldn't see it all. The Yakuza put a lot of money into him, and now he would be able to repay them in kind. Then again, Kai also put a lot of his own money into helping Shouto…

"I get to keep 65% of the funds," Shouto replied. It was more than what he needed. "Enough that I can help with some of the bills for the apartment. I could even pay you back some of the money you spent on me during my trial and while we have been waiting for these settlements." Shouto had no idea how much Kai had spent on him already, but between the trial, clothes, food, the game system, the Xyanthium weapons, and all his costs of living… well, it had to be a lot.

"I don't need your money, Shouto," Kai replied firmly, his tone clear that he did not want to debate the matter. "You gave yourself to me… body," Kai's hand tightened on his thigh, "mind, and soul. That is worth more to me than any money you could offer."

Kai turned, leaning down and kissing Shouto deeply, and Shouto could taste the hunger on his mouth. A lingering need that threatened to consume them both. Shouto fell into the kiss, enjoying the way Kai’s mouth moved against his. His body yearned for Kai to lay him down and worship him.

He had set out to tease and tantalize Kai until the man couldn’t hold back. But it was becoming more and more obvious that Kai intended to pay Shouto back in kind.

The sound of someone clearing their throat was enough to break their kiss. Shouto pulled away quickly, his flush spreading down over his neck. A middle-aged man was in front of the table, bowing deeply to them. He had stark white hair pulled back into a long braid, maintaining a deep bow until the kiss had broken. He was wearing a black yukata with the same white and red dragon that had decorated the hostesses kimono.

It did not seem to phase Kai at all that the man had seen them in such an intimate kiss.

“You are the sommelier?” Kai asked, bowing his head respectfully as the man stood back up.

“I am,” the man replied, also seemingly unphased by their intimacy. “Yokota Takeshi. How may I help you.”

“What would you suggest, Mr. Yokota?” Kai asked. The hand on Shouto’s thigh squeezed gently, moving slightly further up toward Shouto’s cock.

“We have a few very special bottles available tonight, Mr. Chisaki,” Yokota began. We just received a bottle of Okunota Sakurazawa Chardonney. It has a very rich flavor, complex, with just the faintest bitter aftertaste. A wonderful pairing for our more savory dishes. Another of our most requested selections is a bottle of Tomi no Oka Koshu, made exclusively from koshu grapes. The flavor is exquisite, with just a hint of citrus. If you want a deeper flavor, we offer Koshu Awashi Murasaki, a white wine also derived from koshu grapes. It has a very balanced flavor, and pairs well with any of Chef Aoki’s meals.”

“Shouto?” Kai asked, unexpectedly turning the decision over to him.

Shouto froze for a moment. He liked wine. He had tried many different kinds over the years, most pilfered from Endeavor’s collection. Kai had certainly given him a fair share as well. But Shouto knew very little about the different types, and he was a bit nervous to get one that Kai wouldn’t like.

“Do you have anything sweet?”

“May I suggest a bottle of Takeda Winery Sans Soufre,” Yokota replied. “It is a sweet, sparkling wine that delights the tastebuds. It is completely organic, as the Takeda Winery uses no chemicals on their grapes, and all are hand-selected to ensure only the best are used in each batch.”

“We will take that one,” Shouto replied, feigning a confidence in the selection that he did not feel. He did prefer sweet wines over the others, and he could only hope that Kai would agree.

“Good choice, sir,” Yokota replied with another small bow. “I shall select a bottle for you personally.”

Just as he left, the curtain fluttered back open for their waitress. Just like the hostess, she was young and wearing the same elegant kimono; and she was absolutely stunning. She had the same curvaceous hourglass figure as Momo, and the kimono hid none of it. Her hair was dyed a dark red, and hung all the way down her back, a small section pulled up in the front and secured with a red jeweled kanzashi similar to the jewels on her kimono. She was wearing dark, smoky make-up, and her full lips were painted a deep rouge.

Shouto quickly looked away, resisting the urge to stare. Kai’s hand tightened once more on his thigh.

“Mr. Chisaki,” she greeted Kai with a deep bow. “Mr. Todoroki,” she greeted Shouto, bowing deeply to him as well.

Shouto hated the sound of that name on her lips.

“Please, call me Shouto,” he replied quickly.

“As you wish,” she acknowledged, standing up and setting a large, leather bound menu on the table between them. She was glancing back and forth between the two of them, clearly intrigued. Especially by Kai, though Shouto certainly couldn’t blame her for being charmed by him. Especially tonight. With so much lingering tension, Kai was practically radiating sexual desire. Shouto could feel it, and he was certain that she could too. “Do you need a few minutes to make your selection?”

“What are your specialties tonight?” Kai inquired.

“Chef Aoki is offering unagi grilled eel with rice for tonight only, or this week’s special has been fugu sashimi with liver. We also have a fresh shipment of Yubari melon available tonight as well.”

“Do you have zara soba?” Shouto asked. He knew he should probably try one of the specials. Chef Aoki was one of Musutafu’s top chefs, and both meals were probably delicious. But he couldn’t resist the temptation to indulge in his favorite meal.

“Of course,” she replied, smiling at him. “And for you, Mr. Chisaki?” She asked, turning toward Kai.

“I will try the unagi grilled eel, and a side of miso grilled potatoes.”

“I will inform the chef right away,” she smiled, her gaze lingering on Kai for just a moment longer before she turned and left, red hair swaying as she walked out.

“Soba again, Shouto?” Kai teased him.

Shouto smiled back at him, not bothering to answer. He would never apologize for enjoying chilled soba.

“The dates for my trip have been moved forward by almost two weeks,” Shouto told Kai, both changing the subject and trying to distract the other man before he decided to pull Shouto back into a kiss. His own willpower was getting weaker and weaker with each one. Besides, he had meant to tell Kai right after his meeting with Okimoto, but the last few days had been so busy. Now was as good a time as any. “We are set to leave on July 27th.”

Kai nodded, though his lips tightened. It was imperceptible, but Shouto was getting better each day at reading the other man’s emotions. Kai wasn’t happy about the news, though Shouto had no idea if his irritation was at the new date or if it was for Shouto being taken to America in general.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Kai began, but was interrupted as Mr. Yokota came bustling back. He was carrying an elegant black and gold tray with two hand-blown wine glasses and an ice bucket with a single bottle of wine tucked inside of it in one hand, and a stand for the tray in his other hand. He carefully opened the stand beside the table and set the tray down on top of it. Then he placed a wine glass in front of Shouto first, then Kai.

He carefully slid the bottle of wine out of its ice bath, holding it carefully so that the label was pointed outward toward the table. He showed it first to Shouto, then to Kai. After both had acknowledged that the bottle was correct, he picked up a sommelier knife from the tray.

Because of Shouto’s young age, and Kai’s aura of power and confidence, Shouto was not used to being served first when they were out together. People acknowledged Kai first, spoke to him first, and always deferred to him for questions or opinions; and generally, they weren’t wrong to do so. Kai liked to be in control. But because Shouto had chosen the wine, Mr. Yokota seemed to favor him for serving it.

It felt good; a small step toward standing as Kai’s equal.

Shouto watched as Mr. Yokota held the bottle carefully, pinching it between his thumb and the knife in order to score the foil around the top, just below the lip of the bottle. Once he was satisfied, he pulled the foil off and slipped it into a pocket on his yukata. He set the knife down onto the tray, picking up a corkscrew and inserting it into the center of the cork, slowly twisting it down. When all but one turn in the corkscrew was pushed into the cork, he lowered the two ridges on the lever down toward the bottle. Holding the bottle carefully, he pulled the cork halfway up, readjusted the lever, and pulled the cork fully out of the bottle. Holding the bottle in one hand, he used the other to slide the cork off of the corkscrew, setting the corkscrew down and setting the cork in front of Shouto.

Shouto stared at it for a moment, unsure what exactly he was supposed to be doing with it. Kai came to his rescue, reaching over and picking up the cork. Shouto watched as he examined it carefully, reading the vineyard label and then touching both the top and the bottom of the cork. Shouto wasn’t sure what exactly Kai was looking for, but he seemed satisfied, setting the cork back on the table and nodding for Mr. Yokota to finish.

The sommelier then picked up Kai’s cup and poured a small taste of the wine inside. Kai took the glass, swirling the wine around as he looked down into the glass. He lifted it up, smelling it and then taking a small sip. Shouto had seen Endeavor do this before, but watching Kai was a completely different experience. Shouto watched the way Kai’s lips touched the wine glass, the way his tongue barely peaked out to lick any away that might have gotten on his lips as he drank. It seemed almost carnal, and Shouto couldn’t help but remember how good those lips felt on his skin.

Kai’s hand felt heavy on his thigh, a reminder of what was to come.

“Good choice, Shouto,” Kai complimented him, setting the glass back on the table.

A sense of relief washed over Shouto. Kai was a wine connoisseur, and Shouto had been worried that the bottle he chose might disappoint the other man.

Mr. Yokota smiled, pouring a half-glass of wine first to Shouto and then to Kai. He set the bottle back into its ice bath, and began to pick up the tray.

“Please,” Kai requested, “Leave the bottle.”

If it was an unusual request, Shouto wasn’t sure. But it didn’t seem to phase the sommelier as he moved the ice bucket from his tray to the center of the table. He bowed deeply once more before picking up both his tray and the stand and disappearing back out of the red curtain.

Shouto picked up his glass, sipping the wine carefully. It had a rich, bubbly flavor, but it was sweet, just like Mr. Yokota had said it would be.

“Why aren’t you surprised?” Shouto returned to their previous subject once the curtain had fallen back into place. So far, the only thing he knew about this trip to America was that he had to go. He wanted to know why. He was still so new to the Yakuza. Surely he couldn’t be as valuable to Okimoto there as a more experienced member.

Kai sat back once more, sipping his wine and regarding Shouto. His fingers teased over Shouto’s upper thigh, just as Shouto had done to him earlier, lending to the desire that was building inside of Shouto. Kai was clearly deciding how much information that he wanted to divulge. Shouto hated that Kai still had to decide such things. He wanted the other man to trust him completely. Besides, if he didn’t even know the true purpose behind the trip, what was the point in him going?

“Okimoto is going to America to check on his investments over there. He makes the trip once a year, always at the beginning of August. The rest of the year, those investments are watched closely by his nephew, Ohashi Ryota… one of Okimoto’s only blood relatives.” Kai had paused just enough between his thoughts that Shouto was sure that he was choosing his words carefully, which meant that there was definitely more to the story than what Kai was telling him. But at least this was a start. “I expect that this information will stay between you and I only,” Kai added firmly, the look in his eyes telling Shouto that he was very serious in that statement, and he only continued once Shouto nodded his head in agreement. “Ohashi and Okimoto connect monthly to discuss the state of affairs in America. From what Okimoto has told me, it has been nearly two months since he has heard from his nephew. Ohashi is fiercely dedicated to his Uncle, which means that his silence could indicate trouble.”

“Do you think he’s…” Shouto paused, hesitant to voice his thoughts.

“Dead?” Kai finished for him. “Yes. I believe that, though Okimoto’s thoughts are unknown to me. But I have known Ohashi since I was a boy. His honor would never allow him to neglect his duties, and in the five years that he has been in America, this is the first time that he has ever failed to communicate with us.”

Shit.

That was a big problem for Okimoto, both professionally and personally.

“If Okimoto suspects foul play, why doesn’t he leave immediately?” Shouto asked, curiously. If he was in Okimoto’s place, he would want to find out what was going on as soon as possible.

The curtain rustled, and the conversation between them fell silent. Shouto had expected the waitress, surprised when Chef Aoki himself stepped in. Shouto had seen the man plenty of times on TV, but never in person. He looked much older than Shouto expected, his dark hair graying in spots. The waitress was right behind him, holding the tray with their meals.

The delicious aroma hit Shouto like a truck, his stomach growling lowly in response.

Chef Aoki bowed to them, both Kai and Shouto returning the bow. The man was as well-known as Shouto was. Being served by him personally was a great honor.

“Mr. Chisaki. Mr… Shouto,” he greeted them, hesitating at the intimacy of referring to Shouto by his first name. "We are honored to serve you both tonight."

"The honor is ours, chef Aoki," Kai replied with a nod.

The waitress held the tray out for the chef. One at a time, he placed them on the table. For Kai's, he added fresh Japanese sauce over the eel.

“I hope everything is to your satisfaction,” Aoki finished, bowing once before he and the waitress were both gone. It was a fast exchange, even if a great honor. Although Shouto was certain that the chef had many duties in the kitchen. He was glad for the solitude, though. He preferred to speak to Kai alone, instead of making small talk with strangers who hoped to gain some kind of political or social advantage by getting on Kai’s good side.

Kai’s hand left Shouto’s thigh in order to begin eating, and Shouto immediately mourned losing the warmth of it.

They began to eat, Shouto slurping up his soba. It was cool on his tongue, and some of the most delicious soba that Shouto had likely ever eaten. The noodles were perfectly cooked, and the sauce was tangy and bursting with flavor..

“Okimoto has responsibilities here,” Kai said, after they had both taken a few bites. It surprised Shouto; he had assumed that the other man was trying to avoid the subject. "Arrangements that must be made before such an extended absence."

Shouto nodded, taking another, probably over-sized, bite of his soba. He couldn't help it. Now that the food was in front of him, he was ravenous.

"And if Ohashi is… dead," Shouto pushed, even more curious now, "then what will that mean for our mission."

Kai took a deep drink of his wine. He refilled both of their cups. Finally, he sat back and looked directly at Shouto, who hurried to swallow the bit of food he had been chewing.

"If the Americans have killed Ohashi, then this trip will hold much danger." Kai told him seriously. "Your training will be crucial. Killing Ohashi could only indicate a betrayal of the agreement they share with the Yakuza. They will likely try to kill Okimoto, and they will also try to kill anyone who is with him."

Shouto's mouth dropped open, and he quickly took a bite of soba to conceal his surprise.

"There will also be the need to avenge Ohashi's death. We will need to send a message, and that will likely fall to you and Dabi. Perhaps one or two others if Okimoto chooses to bring them."

Shouto swallowed.

Avenge his death. Send a message.

He knew exactly what that meant, what it would require.

Death. More blood on his hands.

Shouto sat back, taking a very large drink of his wine. His appetite had faded.

He had known it would be expected of him eventually. He had never asked how much blood was on Kai's hands, he hadn't wanted to know. But if he was to stand as Kai's equal, then he had to rise within the Yakuza, and that meant following orders, even if you didn't want to.

Even if they made you sick

"Why me?" Shouto asked quietly, looking up at Kai. The other man had seemed to sense that he needed some time to mull over the implication in his words. "Why does Okimoto want me there? I have so little experience. Any of the other bullets would be more useful to him."

Kai sighed, setting his chopsticks down.

"Okimoto does not make any choice lightly," Kai replied after a moment. "He has likely been considering how to best utilize you since the moment he learned that I had taken you into my bed."

Shouto took another sip of his wine. It didn't surprise him that Okimoto knew, but he hated knowing that so many people believed that Shouto's place in the Yakuza was solely because of his place in Kai's bed.

"Although he hasn't divulged his reasoning to me," Kai continued, tapping his fingers on the table. He was irritated, Shouto could see it. "I suspect he had a number of reasons for his choice. In part, I believe it to be a reminder that he has the power to control my bullets if he wishes, especially you." An opportunity to remind Kai that he was still in charge. They had a strange relationship, the two of them. Shouto knew that Okimoto had helped Kai when he was younger, but he had no idea what the extent of that help was. Enough that Kai was reluctant to directly disregard the man’s orders, for now. Shouto knew that Kai eventually planned to try to surpass Okimoto, possibly even replace him. "But he also wanted Dabi. He has been wanting Dabi in the Yakuza since the very first mission we ran with The League."

"Why?"

"Dabi is recognizable. You both are, honestly. Even outside of Japan, there are many who will know your faces because of your father. More so after your trial than ever before. Most of Japan knows of your powers, thanks to your school. And Dabi… there are few in Japan who have not seen at least pictures of Dabi's blue flames. He is dangerous. For Okimoto to walk into a room with the two of you at his side sends a powerful message to both his allies and his enemies about the respect he commands. A message that will likely be recognizable even for the Americans. Okimoto also knows that if he isn't pleased, then Dabi won't hesitate to take action on the Yakuza's behalf."

"Wouldn't Dabi alone be enough?" Shouto pressed, although he wasn't sure that he liked the idea of Dabi going to America alone any better than he liked the idea of them going together.

"Perhaps. But taking Dabi to America is like… taking a loose cannon. He is unpredictable at best. And his wild nature makes him as much of a liability as he is a strength. But your trial showed Okimoto one thing."

"That Dabi will protect me," Shouto answered. Shouto's trial had shown the entire world that protecting Shouto was Dabi's weakness.

"Exactly," Kai replied. "If you are there, it lowers the chance of Dabi overdosing, of him getting lost trying to go out and get laid, or of him ending up in a fist fight in some random bar. It gives Okimoto a semblance of control over him, more than his tenuous loyalty to Okimoto."

Dabi was impulsive, and spent a lot of time chasing after any kind of high or adrenaline rush that he could find. And in an entirely new country, it was hard to say what his brother might get up to unattended. It was unlikely that Okimoto planned to spend every minute with them, so having Shouto there to keep Dabi company might keep his brother out of trouble.

Shouto picked his chopsticks back up, poking at the soba.

“That makes sense,” Shouto finally shrugged.

“Have you ever been to America before, Little Fox?” Kai asked, taking another bite of his eel.

Shouto nodded. Like this restaurant, Shouto had been to America twice when he was a young boy, before his mother went to the hospital. Everything had changed the night that his mom had poured the scalding water over Shouto’s face.

“Yes,” Shouto said, taking a very small bite of his soba. He wasn’t hungry anymore, not really. But he hated to see the last of his meal go to waste. “But I was so little that I don’t really remember much about it. My family went once for my father to receive an award in New York, and again a year later. I don’t even remember why we went the second time,” Shouto admitted.

Shouto’s phone started to ring, interrupting the conversation. It was probably Dabi. Outside of Kai, his brother was one of the few people who called him anymore. He fished his phone out of his pocket.

It was actually Momo.

It had been weeks since he and Momo had seen one another. His training had kept him so busy that he had hardly spoken to her in the last few weeks. She was probably just calling to check up on him.

“It’s Momo,” Shouto informed Kai, feeling a little bad as he declined the call and slid the phone back into his pocket. “I will call her back later.”

Kai nodded.

Shouto took another bite of his soba, the noodles not quite slurping up right, getting sauce on the corner of his mouth. Shouto went to wipe it away, but Kai stopped him. The man must have been watching him closer than Shouto realized. Kai reached up with his left hand, cupping Shouto’s cheek and turning his head toward Kai. Using his thumb, Kai wiped the tiny bit of sauce off the corner of Shouto’s mouth. The man’s thumb trailed over Shouto’s lips, and Shouto opened his mouth obediently and gently sucked the sauce off Kai’s skin.

Kai’s eyes darkened once more, watching Shouto’s mouth. Instead of pulling his thumb away once the sauce was gone, Kai pushed it further in. A pulse of interest shot down Shouto’s spine, and he knew this was his move in their game of cat and mouse. He reached up, holding Kai’s hand in place as he began to suck on Kai’s thumb. He didn’t break eye contact as he sucked the other man’s thumb completely into his mouth, letting himself imagine that it was Kai’s cock instead, and lavishing it with the same attention that he would to pleasure the man.

Kai moaned lowly in his throat.

Before Shouto could fully realize what was happening, Kai pushed his chair back slightly. He pulled his thumb away from Shouto and grabbed his waist, pulling Shouto into his lap. Shouto gasped slightly in surprise, clutching onto Kai’s shoulders. He blushed at his new position, straddling Kai’s lap, settled directly on top of Kai’s cock. Anyone could walk in and see them like this.

But Kai didn’t give him a chance to object, pulling Shouto into a fervent kiss. Shouto let himself be pulled into Kai’s passion, relaxing against the other man’s body. He could feel the heat of Kai’s sex against his own, and the urgency of Kai’s need in the way that Kai’s hands moved up Shouto’s body. His touch was almost bruising, and Shouto could feel the tension as Kai tried to hold back from the ravenous need to consume.

The world seemed to fall away as Shouto began to move his hips, grinding down against Kai. The building desire within him was screaming to be sated, every nerve tingling with need. He was lost in the tension that had mounted between them… In the hallway, Kai’s body trapping him against the wall, the air thick with promises of ecstasy. In the car, Kai’s mouth on his, the taste of lust on Kai’s tongue. Walking into the restaurant, Kai’s hand firmly against his hip, heavy with the desire to own, to claim. Sitting beside him, Kai’s hand so close to his cock, a subtle foreplay, a reminder of what was to come…

And Shouto couldn’t wait any longer. The tsunami was here, and he was ready to be lost in its wake. Kai broke their kiss, reaching up between them and beginning to unbutton Shouto’s shirt, his eyes intent on every inch of pale skin that he uncovered.

Then his hands stopped, his pupils dilating slightly as he slowly undid one more, pushing the shirt open to reveal the strap of the harness against Shouto’s chest. Shouto could feel the pulse of Kai’s cock, the way his entire body tensed. He looked up at Shouto, and Shouto had only a moment to grab onto Kai’s shoulders before the man picked him up. Shouto clung to him as Kai set him on the edge of the cool marble table, quickly pushing their bowls out of the way in order to lay Shouto down.

Shouto kept his legs wrapped around Kai’s waist as Kai hurried to undo the rest of Shouto’s buttons, pushing Shouto’s shirt away to lay on either side of his stomach and fully reveal Shouto’s torso to him.

Kai’s mouth opened, his gaze traveling over Shouto’s pale skin. He set a hand on Shouto’s lower stomach, slowly feeling his way up over Shouto’s abs to slide that hand between Shouto’s skin and the leather harness. His touch was warm, a stark contrast to the cold from the marble that was beginning to seep through the thin fabric of his shirt. Kai’s hand turned until he could grab the harness, using it to pull Shouto back up into an intoxicating kiss.

Shouto put his arms back for balance, his shirt sliding off his shoulder on one side. Shouto could feel Kai working at the button of his pants, and then the zipper.

Kai let go of the harness, and Shouto let himself drop down to his elbows. The other side of his shirt slid off, the fabric puddling around his elbows on the table, the harness now fully visible for those predatory golden eyes. Kai grabbed the top of Shouto's pants, and yanked his pants and boxers down to Shouto's mid-thigh. The marble table was cold against Shouto's naked ass as Kai pushed his legs up towards his chest, not bothering to strip him completely of his pants.

Kai slicked his fingers with spit. His eyes never left Shouto's as he slid those two fingers inside of Shouto. Shouto keened, his back arching up at the slight pain. The stretch was fast, almost too fast, but Shouto didn't care. He finally had Kai's fingers in him, and his body was coming to life for the other man.

"Shhh…" Kai whispered, leaning down and putting his other hand over Shouto's mouth as he continued to prep him. It was rushed and delicious, his fingers moving in and out, scissoring him open slowly until Kai could slide a third finger in, teasing his prostate with every stroke. Shouto moaned against Kai's fingers, his head rolling back as he closed his eyes, rolling his hips up to meet Kai's fingers.

Kai growled lowly, his fingers disappearing. Shouto looked up, watching Kai undo his pants, pushing them down just enough to pull out his cock.

Kai spit on his fingers once more, smearing it over his cock before lining himself up and pushing himself slowly into Shouto.

Shouto gasped at the stretch, the sound lost against Kai's skin.

Fuck!

Kai felt so good inside of him, stretching him so fully that it almost took his breath away. Kai gave him a moment to adjust. But Shouto couldn't wait. He rolled his hips upward, and Kai groaned at the movement.

"So impatient, Little Fox," he murmured.

Shouto didn't care. He had been waiting all night, his body being worked up again and again. Now that they were finally here, and he had Kai inside of him, he needed the other man to start moving. He rolled his hips upwards once more, moaning loud enough that Kai would hear it even with Shouto’s mouth covered.

Kai dropped his hand, grabbing onto Shouto’s harness once more and pulling him back up into a kiss. It was awkward as hell with Shouto’s legs still entangled, off to one side of Kai’s body. But that didn’t matter, because the moment Kai’s hot mouth touched Shouto’s, he began to move.

And… fuck…

It felt so good. With Shouto balanced on the edge of the table, and Kai standing beside it; with Shouto’s legs to the side, and Shouto pulled up into Kai’s kiss… the angle was completely different than what he had experienced before. It made the stretch so deliciously intense, and Shouto practically purred into their kiss as Kai fucked him.

It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t loving. It wasn’t sweet. Neither the kiss or the sex. Kai had set an almost desperate pace, and the sex was pure, unadulterated lust. That desperate desire to lose themselves completely in one another, nothing else mattered but the feeling of Kai’s mouth on his. Kai’s tongue dipping between his lips, his teeth nipping at Shouto’s bottom lip between kisses. And the carnal pace that Kai had set, the entire table shaking as they fucked, Shouto’s cock bouncing against his stomach.

Shouto’s phone started ringing once more, but Shouto didn’t care. He was too lost in the moment, the ringtone nothing more than background music as they fucked.

“Cum for me, Little Fox,” Kai growled, the words almost lost in Shouto’s mouth. They went straight to his cock, to the coiling need that was building within him. He was already so close. He focused on the feeling of Kai so deep inside of him. Every thrust brought him closer, and closer, and closer…

Shouto cried out into Kai’s mouth, his vision going dark as he came, the euphoric pleasure washing over him. He felt Kai stiffen a moment later, burying his cock deep into Shouto as he came just after, rocking against Shouto as he rode out his own orgasm. Shouto felt his body relaxing, small convulsions rippling through him.

Kai let him lay back down as his cock began to soften, falling out of Shouto. Shouto let himself be guided, his eyes flying open as his back hit the cold table, and everything came back to him. They were in a restaurant, in a room with nothing more than a curtain between them and… well, everyone else. He was practically naked, with cum decorating his stomach and dripping out of him. Any moment, their waitress might walk in to check on them.

And Kai didn’t seem the least bit concerned, picking up one napkin and handing it to Shouto. Using the other to start wiping himself off.

“Shit,” Shouto said, wiping off his stomach first. The napkin wasn’t really ideal for this type of clean-up, and he felt more like he was just smearing the cum around rather than actually cleaning it off of him. But it would have to do. He quickly tried to wipe what he could off his ass, knowing that it was not going to be enough, and Kai's cum would still be dripping out of him as they walked out.

“Don’t worry,” Kai said, helping Shouto off the table. “This is a discreet restaurant. Even if they had walked in and seen us, they wouldn’t have said anything.”

That only made Shouto blush harder as he pulled his pants back up and in place.

They still would have seen them, though.

He pulled his shirt back on, trying to quickly button it up when his phone rang again. It was Momo, calling for a third time within the last ten minutes. She knew how busy Shouto was, she wouldn’t keep calling him if it wasn’t important.

"You should take it, Shouto," Kai told him, the sentiment mirroring Shouto's thought. Kai was starting to clean up the table.

Shouto nodded.

"Momo? Is everything ok?" He said as soon as he answered. He had a really bad feeling about her calls. Was there an attack on the class again? Did one of the students get hurt? What if it was Midorya again? What if it was Bak–

"Shou," she answered, and Shouto's heart dropped. He could tell the answer was no. He knew Momo well enough that he could hear it in her voice, thick with emotion. "Are you…" she seemed hesitant. "Are you ok?" She asked.

She was worried about him?

"I'm fine, Mo," he answered, ignoring the strange look that Kai gave him. "I'm just having dinner with Kai. Why? What's wrong?" At that moment, the waitress came back in, and Shouto quickly sat back down, hoping to hide the fact that the bottom half of his shirt was still unbuttoned.

Though, it was pretty damn obvious that something had happened. He just hoped that she wouldn't guess how much.

"Have you seen the news?" Momo asked, her voice very quiet.

The news? Something had come out that would upset him? He hadn't done anything newsworthy lately. After all the fucking rumors published since he left UA, what could they possibly have left to publish about him?

"Oh Shou…" she stifled a small sob. "I'm going to…" Shouto turned, plugging his other ear as the waitress began to talk to Kai so that he could hear Momo better. A second later, he felt his phone vibrate. She must have texted him a link. "I'm so sorry, Shou…"

Shouto lowered the phone, pulling up the link. It took him to the Musutafu Daily website, to an article that had posted only 30 minutes before.

There was a picture of his mom from years ago, a sad smile on her face.

Then he saw the headline, and his heart dropped, his breath catching in his throat.

Tragedy Strikes Again at the Todoroki Mansion.

Chapter Text

Shouto could already feel his hands starting to shake as he clicked on the link to the article, reluctantly watching the new browser pop up. The moment he had seen his mother’s face smiling out at him, a horrible feeling had formed in his stomach. A sense of dread worming its way up and settling like a lump in the back of his throat.

Tragedy Strikes Again at the Todoroki Mansion!

Breaking news!

Wife of our beloved number one hero Endeavor, Todoroki Rei, was life-flighted earlier today to the intensive care unit at Musutafu General Hospital, where she is rumored to be in critical condition after attempting to take her own life. Mrs. Todoroki has spent the last ten years under 24-hour care in a psychiatric unit at MPH after having a mental breakdown and pouring scalding water over the face of her then eight-year-old son, Todoroki Shouto, now known as Shouto. Mrs. Todoroki was checked out of the hospital, against the advice of medical personnel at Musutafu Psychiatric, almost two months ago. The controversial decision came about shortly after Todoroki Enji publicly announced the conception of a new child and disinherited his son Shouto after Shouto was convicted of the rape and assault of a fellow classmate, for which Shouto was exonerated of all charges. The decision also came after the shocking revelation that Todoroki Enji’s missing son, Todoroki Touya, was now known as Musutafu’s number three most wanted villain Dabi, and has spent the last four years in the notorious League of Villains.

At the time of his wife's release, Todoroki Enji was very open about his decision to try to reconcile what was left of his broken family, and bring life once more to the Todoroki mansion. As part of this transition, Mrs. Todoroki has spent these last two months under 24-hour hospice care at the Todoroki mansion; but it now appears that the stress of returning home was too much for her unstable condition. Despite intense supervision, Todoroki Rei was found earlier today, unconscious and bleeding, by her daughter Komatsu Fuyumi. Few details have been publicly released about the incident as of now, or the condition of Todoroki Rei, but it is with a heavy heart that we report that the suicide attempt has resulted in the loss of Todoroki Enji’s unborn son and future successor of the Endeavor agency and Todoroki fortune. The Endeavor Agency released a brief statement at 7pm this evening in which our number one hero thanked the citizens for their concern about Todoroki Rei’s safety and for their condolences around the loss of his son, and asked the citizens of Musutafu to grant his family privacy and consideration during this challenging time. It is believed that a full statement around the incident will be released within the next 24 hours. Until then, click here for the Endeavor Agency’s full statement.

Follow us for the most up-to-date information about this heartbreaking tragedy.

Shouto could feel himself struggling to breathe as the reality of the words sunk in. His hands were openly shaking now, the letters on his screen beginning to blur as tears threatened at the corners of his eyes. He couldn’t move, couldn’t tear his eyes away from the increasingly unrecognizable words that were staring accusingly back up at him from the screen.

Todoroki Rei was found, unconscious and bleeding, by her daughter…

His mom had tried to kill herself. Today. He had spent the afternoon training, and thinking of only himself and his success in an organization that his mother would have hated. And, all the while, she had been home preparing to...

"Shou?" He could hear Momo's voice coming through his phone, faint and far-away.

Shouto had been completely focused on securing his future; and she had been in that bastard’s home, preparing to take her last breaths; to escape the future she was facing.

His chest felt tight, as if his ribcage was being crushed into his lungs. The aching lump of pressure in his throat was burning. He could barely breathe.

Shouto had been building himself up. Freely using his quirks and pushing them to their limit while she was a prisoner, barely able to access her quirk, likely breaking herself down, desperate and lonely and vulnerable.

He swallowed hard, but it brought no relief to the pressure in his throat.

SHouto had forced himself to work harder today than yesterday, and the day before that, driven by the hope that each exercise would get him one step closer to his goals. And she… she had been sitting in that barren mansion, feeling hopeless and stuck. The only goal in her mind to finally free herself from the life that she felt trapped inside of.

The air felt too thick. It was too thick.

He had spent the night getting dressed up for Kai. Had gone out and enjoyed the freedom of going to a fancy restaurant; indulging in the pleasure of his body coming to life underneath his boyfriend while she was probably lying in a cold hospital bed with a dozen doctors running around and trying to force life back into her dying body.

Fuck!

“Shou!” Momo’s muffled voice screamed at him, almost unnoticeable through the sorrow that was beginning to weigh down on him, practically suffocating as grief twisted its way through his body.

”I miss you both so much,” Rei had said to Shouto. “We could have a nice dinner. Your father would enjoy it too. We could be like a real family again.

Like a real family.

A real family.

He could feel the tears wetting his cheeks as they began to fall, his body getting colder, vaguely aware of Kai pulling out his wallet and handing his credit card to the pretty waitress.

Shouto had seen his mom just a few weeks ago, had seen the shell that she had become. The mockery of who he remembered when he was a boy. Shouto reached up, pulling at the collar of his shirt in an attempt to breathe. She had been so happy, the bump of her pregnancy glaring at him, a bitter reminder that Enji was replacing him; a veiled promise to give her a second chance at the life of motherhood that he had denied her ten years before.

”We could be like a real family again.

But Endeavor had made sure that they would never be a real family again. He had ripped that away from Shouto as surely as he had from Dabi. From her… And Shouto had told himself that she deserved to know what happened. That if she was going to have another baby with Endeavor then she deserved to know that he was abusive.

She deserved the truth.

...the suicide attempt has resulted in the loss of Todoroki Enji’s unborn son.

Shouto’s brother.

A new brother that Shouto would never know. A baby that had paid the ultimate price for their father’s abuse.

"SHOUTO!!" Momo screamed, the word breaking off into a choked sob at the end.

”My baby! Shouto!” his mom had cried. Shouto could feel the echo of her grief in the very core of his being.

"I'm here…" he mumbled, but the words felt disconnected, as if it was a total stranger responding for him. His voice must have sounded as torn up as he felt inside, because suddenly Kai was there, taking Shouto’s phone and quickly scanning the article. Shouto didn’t try to resist, his hands practically locked in place, his fingers so numb that he couldn’t even feel the phone leave his hands. The room felt too big and too small all at once, the lingering scent of their sex almost cloying as it stung his nostrils, almost mocking the happiness that he had felt only moments ago.

Enji had tried to tell Shouto that she had struggled with suicidal thoughts in the past.

She is alive because of me! You have no idea how many times I stepped in to stop her from killing herself. She would have been dead before you were even born if it wasn’t for me!”

Shouto could hear the words as clear as day in his mind.

“Shouto,” Kai was speaking to him now, his hand heavy as he set it on Shouto’s shoulder.

Enji had warned him, and Shouto had told her the truth anyway. She had deserved to know.

But now…

"Shouto," Kai was crouching down in front of him, forcing Shouto to look into his eyes. His hand was on Shouto’s cheek now, the other one on his thigh. "Look at me, Shouto." They were so warm on his skin, firm and grounding as Kai's thumb began to trace gentle circles against Shouto's skin, coaxing Shouto back into the moment.

Instinctively, Shouto obeyed Kai, looking up into his golden eyes. They were still dark from the pleasure they had found in each other just a few minutes before. But the passion and fire that had bewitched Shouto throughout the night were gone, replaced with concern as Kai searched Shouto's face.

Kai's other hand came up, gently cupping Shouto's face. Shouto could feel the trembling starting to spread through the rest of his body, a sense of surreal, disconnected shock that seemed to course through him.

Kai leaned forward, kissing Shouto's forehead, his lips soft and warm. A moment later, those lips were replaced with Kai's forehead, patient and unyielding, standing in as Shouto's strength while Shouto's body and mind warred with the somber reality of what he read.

She is rumored to be in critical condition after attempting to take her own life.

"What if she dies?" The words came out as a whisper, so quiet that he didn't know if Kai would even hear them. He didn't want the answer, didn't think he could handle the honest answer to his question, but he was at a loss for what else to say that could possibly express the emotions that were churning inside of him. Guilt at having told her the truth. At not getting her out of that place even after she had begged to go with him. A horrible harrowing sadness at the thought of losing her completely, at losing the chance to have her in his life ever again. Frustration at the cruel irony of the timing of her death. And anger. Anger, rage even, at his father for… everything. For how he must have treated her when they were younger. She had hated him so much that she had poured that scalding water on Shouto’s left side just because it reminded her of Endeavor. Anger at how he had her locked away; how he had never given Shouto the opportunity to see her, or to try to reconcile their relationship. Anger at how, the moment he had lost Shouto, Enji had ripped her out of the hospital where she was safe and…

Fuck!

Shouto didn't know it was even possible to hurt so much at the possibility of losing someone that he had already lost.

Kai sat back, his eyes meeting Shouto's once more.

“She isn’t dead yet, Shouto,” Kai replied, his voice sympathetic but firm. “And even if she dies tonight, her death isn’t your fault. This was her decision, and you had no control over that.”

“But when I saw her last–”

He shouldn't have told her. The illusion of their happy family wasn't fair, not for Shouto or Dabi or her, but it was better than this. It was better than always wondering how things might have ended differently if he hadn't gone upstairs that day.

If he had turned around and left like his instincts had told him to do the moment he heard her laugh…

“When you saw her last, you told her the truth.” Kai interrupted his spiraling thoughts, pulling Shouto’s head further up when Shouto tried to look down in shame. In grief. “That’s a sign of respect. You are probably the only person who was brave enough to honor her that way. If she asked to leave, and your father forced her to stay, then there is only one person who is to blame for her death.”

Shouto searched Kai’s eyes, focusing on the weight and warmth of Kai’s hands cupping his face.

He let out a shaky breath, focusing on Kai’s golden irises as he tried to calm the emotions that were raging through him.

Kai was right. He knew that Kai was right. Endeavor was to blame. If he hadn’t abused his family to start with then none of this would have happened, there would have been no truth that Shouto needed to tell. Rei wouldn’t have burned him, and she wouldn’t have had to go to the hospital. Dabi would have never been hurt, or kicked out. He would have never joined The League of Villains. Shouto wouldn’t have had to go searching for him, and wouldn’t have met Shigaraki. He would have never gotten raped. Midoriya wouldn’t have been either, and Shouto wouldn’t have been blamed for it. He wouldn’t have ended up alienated from his friends and family. He wouldn’t have ended up in the Yakuza.

He also wouldn’t have met Kai. He would have never shared the man's bed or known what it was like to have such power by his side. He would have never known how strong he was capable of becoming.

But, for better and for worse, Endeavor had abused his family. Everything had happened that way, and Shouto hadn’t lied to her like everyone else in her life.

If she died, her blood would be on Endeavor’s hands.

As helpless as it made Shouto feel, all he could do now was go to the hospital. Try to figure out what had happened. Hope that the doctors would be able to save her life, bring her back from… whatever she had done. And if not, maybe he would at least get a chance to say goodbye this time.

Shouto nodded, finally acknowledging Kai’s words. His hands were still shaking and his muscles felt weak. The air around them was still heavy, and he felt like he was going to throw-up. His training had strengthened him so much these past few months, but he wasn’t sure if he was strong enough to do this. And he knew damn well that he wasn’t strong enough to go alone. He was grateful that he had Kai. And Momo…

“Wait, Momo,” he blurted out, realizing that he had left Momo hanging. Despite her own grief, she had been waiting to make sure he was alright, and he had just stopped responding to her. To anyone.

“Your friend is fine,” Kai replied. “I let her know that I would help you, and that you would call her back later. But right now, you have other places to be.”

Shouto nodded, grateful once more that Kai was here with him. If this had happened on any other night, if it had happened when Shouto was alone, there would have been no one to pull him out of the all-encompassing grief that had threatened to consume him.

“You’re right,” Shouto took another deep breath. “I need to go to the hospital and see her.” Kai let go of him, cold air rushing in to replace the warmth of his hands. He stood up and helped Shouto to stand as well. Shouto's legs felt shaky and unstable. He wasn't even sure if he could walk quite yet, so he just stood there as Kai began to do up the rest of the buttons on Shouto’s shirt, arranging it back into place so that it would never look as if it had been stripped off of him. Kai straightened the collar, and rolled the sleeves back into place. He ran his hands through Shouto’s hair, and wiped away the streaks from the tears he had shed. Shouto knew there would be more. He knew things were only going to get harder once he got to the hospital. But at least, right now, Kai made sure that he would be able to walk out of here without it being too obvious what had happened. That article had hit the news while they had been here eating, and that meant some of the people who had watched them walk in might be waiting to watch him walk out. Waiting to see how he reacted to the news.

Waiting to try and get pictures of Shouto on the night that his mom had killed herself.

“Drink this,” Kai said, refilling his glass of wine and handing it to Shouto. Shouto nodded numbly, once again obeying the man. He took a small sip and watched as Kai finished straightening his own outfit. The wine was either going to help calm his nerves, or it was going to make him throw up faster, which might help ease the churning in his stomach.

A moment later, the waitress returned with Kai’s credit card. She cast furtive glances at Shouto, whose distress was probably obvious on his face, even with Kai's attempts to clean him up. She was likely confused; only moments before they had been happy and… hell, if anyone had realized the two of them had sex, it was probably her. But she didn’t seem sympathetic, so Shouto didn’t think she had seen the news yet. Which was a relief, because he didn’t want to talk to her about it or pretend to be alright. He didn’t want consolations from a total stranger.

Kai excused her with a bow, one which she returned to Kai only before she left. He left a rather large tip on the table. Then he gently took the wine glass from Shouto's hand and set it on the table next to the tip. Kai wrapped his arms around Shouto and pulled Shouto into a gentle kiss, one that was world's apart from the impassioned kisses they had shared earlier. This one was comforting. Grounding.

"Are you ready?" Kai asked as he pulled away from the kiss.

No.

He was absolutely not ready.

"Yeah," he nodded, feigning a semblance of control over his feelings, over his emotions. But stalling longer would do no good. It didn't matter how long he hid from the possibility of his mother's death, nothing was going to make facing the reality any easier.

Kai went out first, holding the curtain open for Shouto. As soon as they were both out, he set his hand once more on Shouto’s lower back. This time it was likely as much for reassurance as it was to remind everyone who Shouto belonged to. Shouto was glad for it, glad for the physical reminder that Kai was here with him, because the moment that they stepped back into the public section of the restaurant, it was clear that people had indeed been waiting for him to come back out.

”It’s him! I knew it! I told you I saw him earlier.”

”It’s Todoroki Shouto! Do you think he’s heard?”

”He looks like he has been crying!”

The whispers.

“Todoroki Shouto. Have you heard how your mom is doing?” Some guy yelled it out at him, and it only made the whispers get ten times worse.

"Is she still alive?" Someone else yelled.

The questions.

"Ignore them, Little Fox," Kai whispered, moving his hand back and forth in reassuring lines over his lower back. Shouto nodded, trying to focus solely on putting one foot in front of the other. He was trying not to look at anyone in the restaurant. He didn’t even glance at the people who were so desperate for him to look in their direction; he didn't want to see the way that they were looking at him.

God, it felt like they were still so far away from the doors.

Click.

The pictures.

The fucking pictures.

People had absolutely no shame.

Kai picked up their pace, guiding Shouto toward the elegant entrance of the restaurant. Toward the flowers and waterfalls that had felt so serene and beautiful when they had walked in. Now it felt like a tunnel that was slowly closing in around them, framing their exit for the entire restaurant to watch them leave. To get as many pictures as they wanted.

He could only imagine what these people were thinking about him.

He didn’t think that he wanted to know.

By the time they reached the end of those flowers, and Kai opened the door for him, Shouto was relieved to finally step outside and away from the prying eyes that had haunted his exit. The evening air felt cool on his warm skin, refreshing. He felt like he could breathe a little easier. And, when he saw Xaoi Fe's car already waiting at the curb, he was filled with even more relief at not having to wait on the curb, hoping that people didn’t come out from the restaurant and stare at him like he was some kind of sideshow freak that they were hoping to watch perform.

Shouto climbed into the car, leaning against Kai as soon as the other man was next to him, enjoying the warmth of his body against Shouto’s side.

He could do this. He had to do this.

Even if it hurt.

“Change of plans,” Kai addressed Xaoi Fe. “We need to get to Musutafu General Hospital. As quickly as possible.”

“Of course, Sir,” Xaoi Fe replied as the car pulled away from the curb.

Shouto lay his head back against the seat, staring at the roof and the edges of the nightsky out of the back window. Getting lost in the feeling of his body shifting and swaying with the movements of the car.

He could already feel the grief threatening to consume him once more at the unbidden memories that were taking over his thoughts.

"Take me with you! Please! Let me be your momma again! I won't hurt you! I would never hurt you!" If his mom died tonight, those would be the very last words she said to him. The sound of her screaming his name the last time he would ever hear her voice.

"I love you, mom. Those would be the last words he ever said to his mom, for the first time since he was eight years old. And, for the tiny bit of comfort it provided, she would die knowing that he cared. Knowing that he didn't resent her for what she did to him, for the scar he would carry with him for the rest of his life.

But even those words didn't feel like enough, not now. That day at the mansion, he should have done more. Instead, he just watched whatever sedative was in that syringe take effect. The way that her ice had barely spread around her, a desperate attempt to keep Shouto from getting taken away. He should have promised that he would find a way to help her. He should have promised that he would eventually get her away from his father.

If he had, maybe it would have given her the hope that she needed to keep going.

Instead, this might forever be the last memory he had of her. And that was even worse than the memory of the scalding water hitting his face.

Shouto closed his eyes, trying to shut out the horrible, intrusive thoughts.

He just wasn't ready to say goodbye…

“Fear does not prevent death, Shouto," Kai finally reminded him, an old proverb. "Your worry is not going to change the outcome of this evening. Nor is dwelling on the past. Focus on what you can control about tonight, not what you can't."

Shouto sighed, embarrassed that his emotions were so easy to read.

"There is nothing that I can control about this," Shouto retorted, hating the bitter tone that he couldn't quite keep out of his words. He didn't mean to snap at him. Logically he knew that Kai was making sense, and Kai didn't deserve to receive the brunt of Shouto's misplaced anger. But not worrying, not being afraid that his mom was going to die…

It was impossible.

And the closer they got to the hospital, the more his anxiety was eating away at his insides. The more his mind was spiraling down a path of negativity, dwelling on everything that had gone wrong, everything that had led up to the moment that his mom had decided that death was her best option, her only option to find peace.

Shouto could feel the tears once more burning at the corners of his eyes, quickly wiping them away.

"You can control how you react," Kai replied. "You can control how you are going to speak to your father once you see him, and you know that you are going to see him tonight. You can control what you say to him, because you know that the media will be there, and they will be watching how you two interact for the first time after your trial. You can control how you react to the rest of your family if they are there. What will you say to your sister? To your brother? These are the things you must consider, for they are what you can control."

Fuck.

Fuck!

The realization that Endeavor was going to be there tonight hadn't really sunk in yet, let alone any thoughts about what Shouto was going to say to him. But, like always, Kai was right. Enji's wife was in that hospital, and his father was going to be there. And he was probably not going to be happy to see Shouto. Which didn't matter, because Shouto really didn't want to see him either.

"Is your mom still alive?" Shouto asked quietly, desperately lurching the conversation toward a new subject. He felt Kai stiffen beside him. They never talked about Kai's family. But if Shouto had any chance of driving away the memory of the last time he had seen his mom, or dwelling on the dozens of possibilities of how badly this reunion with Endeavor might go, then he needed something to distract him. Anything.

"No," Kai replied after a moment.

The answer didn’t surprise Shouto, though it did make him sad. As far as he could tell, all of Kai’s family was gone. The closest thing he seemed to have for family was Okimoto, and even that was a strained relationship at best.

"How old were you when she died?" It was an almost instinctual response, an attempt to keep the conversation going.

Kai looked down at him, the late hour creating shadows that hid most of his features, making it hard for Shouto to tell how he felt about the question.

“I don’t think that talking about my mother’s death is going to make you feel any better, Little Fox,” he replied after a moment. “It was a long time ago.”

Of course it wouldn’t make him feel better, but Shouto doubted that it could possibly make him feel worse. Any conversation was better than getting lost in his thoughts. And the traffic tonight was horrendous; they still had at least fifteen minutes before they made it to the hospital. Fifteen minutes to sit there and wonder if he was already too late, if his mom was already dead.

He needed the distraction.

“I want to know,” Shouto urged him to answer. “I want to know more about you.”

Kai made a small humming noise in his throat, his muscles still tensed as he considered the request.

“My father was an alcoholic and a miserable, pathetic failure of a man. He took that out on my mother and I. When I was six, he got drunk and pushed her down the stairs.” The words were cold, emotionless. Like Dabi, the man had learned how to mask his pain and his anger. But even so, Shouto had learned more about Kai’s past in those few sentences than the man had ever told him before, even if it hurt Shouto to learn that Kai had been even younger than Shouto had been when his mother was first taken away from him.

Not only that, but Kai knew exactly what it felt like to deal with an abusive father. Kai was so strong and so confident that Shouto had never even considered the possibility that the man had been abused as well. But, thinking back on the past few months, it made sense. That was why Kai was so insistent about Shouto’s need to stand up to Enji, to separate from him.

He knew how Shouto felt.

“What happened to your father?”

“I killed him,” Kai repeated, the same neutral tone, as if that sentence meant nothing.

”Just because he is your father, doesn’t mean you have to let him hit you.” Kai’s words from so long ago came back to him. ”You are stronger than your father.

Time and time again, Kai had encouraged Shouto to stand his ground against his father. He had even offered to kill Endeavor… more than once. But as much as Shouto hated his father, and wanted to see him pay for everything that the man had put their family through, he couldn’t justify it. He clung to the fact that Endeavor helped some people, even if Shouto hadn’t been one of them. That the only thing that could make Shouto consider killing Endeavor is if the man laid a hand on his new sibling.

But that had changed tonight.

His mom was probably going to die tonight, and it was Endeavor’s fault. And even if Kai had urged him to maintain his composure at the hospital, Shouto wanted to punish his father for all of his sins. He wanted to finally lash out and truly make Endeavor pay for the pain he had subjected their family too.

He wanted to ask Kai if it had felt good when he killed his father. But he was afraid that the answer would be yes.

Shouto lay his head back down, sighing deeply.

He already knew that the answer would be yes.

Fuck.

Shouto couldn’t dwell on that now, couldn’t go down that path. He didn’t think that he would ever come back from it if he did. He could only hope that his mom was still alive when he got there. That he could see her. That he could squeeze her hand and make the promises that he failed to make the last time he had seen her. That there would still be time to try and make things right between them.

The rest of the car ride passed both too slowly and too fast for his liking, Shouto hyper aware of every tiny turn and bump that they hit. Every minute longer he took was ticking away at the time he might have to say goodbye, but the possibility that it was too late… that she might already be gone when they arrived was making him dread the idea of even setting foot in that hospital.

But, just as he knew they eventually would, they arrived at the hospital. It’s stoic, clinical architecture looming above them as Xaoi Fe pulled up to the curb. As soon as the car stopped, it garnered the interest of a handful of journalists who were standing outside, already peering at the car, trying to see if anyone of interest was inside. Waiting like vultures for them to step out.

It stoked the anxiety and dread that was lingering just underneath the surface of his skin, making it feel almost impossible to force himself to start moving.

He really wasn’t sure if he could actually do this. If he could swallow his nausea and his anger and his pain, and walk inside to find out what happened. To find out if his mom was even still alive.

Kai didn’t move either, didn’t rush him to get out. He put a calming hand on Shouto’s knee, his fingers squeezing reassuringly as he waited for Shouto to take the lead. Shouto forced his eyes and his thoughts away from the journalists. He wiped away his tears once more, taking a deep breath and trying to mentally prepare himself for whatever the next few hours were going to hold.

He could sit in this car for hours, and he still wouldn’t be ready for the news he feared was going to be waiting for him inside.

“I’m ready,” Shouto finally said, his voice cracking slightly with grief. Kai nodded, a silent acknowledgement as he opened his door and stepped out first. Shouto steadied himself, opening the door and stepping out on the far side of the car. He lifted his chin, squared his shoulders, and plastered a neutral look on his face… knowing that it wouldn’t be enough to really mask the pain that was likely evident as soon as one saw him. He took one last deep breath, and walked around the car to stand next to his boyfriend. Kai’s hand returned to its rightful place on Shouto’s back, pushing him ever so slightly, giving him the strength to take that first step toward the doors.

“Todoroki Shouto!”

The reaction to his appearance was immediate. The journalists were dropping cigarettes and scrambling to get cameras and microphones ready. They were probably buzzing with excitement at being in the right place at the right time, at even the possibility that Shouto might give away some juicy morsel of gossip that they could turn around and plaster all over the evening news.

Fuck them.

“Shouto! Have you heard how your mother is? Is she alive?”

Shouto gritted his teeth, refusing to acknowledge the tactless questions as he picked up his step.

“Why did your mother try to kill herself?”

They didn’t even seem to care that he was a human being, didn’t even seem to notice it. As if they didn’t even realize that he was just an eighteen year old, vulnerable and hurting, walking into the hospital to find out if his mother was still alive. They saw his appearance as a prize, a means to boost their ratings. The only person who might have made them happier was Endeavor himself.

Every incessant click of their camera was like insult added to injury. And he hated the way their voices carried through the quiet night as they approached, not caring how cruel their questions were or how tasteless it was to lurk around the entrance of a hospital.

“Please,” Shouto replied angrily, glaring at the journalists as they surrounded him. “No comment.” He put up his hand to block the camera’s from getting picture after picture of his distress. Which only seemed to spur the speed at which their camera shutters were clicking at him. Finally, Kai stepped around to put himself between Shouto and the journalists.

Shouto could feel the anger radiating off of the other man, and he was certain the look on Kai’s face was thunderous. But even that was not enough to sway the journalists into walking away.

“Tell us how you feel, Shouto!”

Click. Click. Click.

“The city of Musutafu wants to know if your mother is still alive!”

Click.

“Shouto! Please, we just have one question!”

Click. Click. Click. Click.

“Have some respect,” Kai growled, forcing his way through them and clearing a path for Shouto. Finally, finally they reached the hospital doors. Kai opened them, ushering Shouto inside and closing the door in the journalists’ faces. Shouto practically ran inside, grateful that none of the photographers followed them in… yet. He could only hope that courtesy would continue as the night grew later and they grew more desperate for information to report.

Of course, that didn’t stop the other visitors and patients from noticing he and Kai as they entered. From pointing and whispering and taking unwanted pictures. But those, at least, were distant and easier to ignore.

Shouto made his way directly to the information desk. The sooner he could find out where his mom was, the sooner he could get away from the public. The sooner he could see her. The sooner he would know if he had made it in time.

The receptionist was a very thin, younger woman wearing bright red scrubs that had cartoon-style dogs printed all over them. Her ash brown hair was pulled up into a high bun, and she had small frameless glasses decorating her petite face. She looked up as they approached, her green eyes widening in surprise when she saw Shouto.

“Mr. Tod–” she choked a bit on the name, blushing as she cleared her throat. “Mr. Todoroki.”

“Shouto,” he corrected her, trying, probably unsuccessfully, to keep the irritation out of his voice. “I just need to know what room my mother is in.”

“Oh,” she replied, and Shouto could hear the hesitation in her voice. She looked at Kai nervously for a second, then glanced around as if she was trying to look for help. “Um, actually, your father, um, Endeavor, has requested that, uh, you aren’t supposed to see your mother.” She looked flustered, barely able to look Shouto in the eye as she spoke. “I’m sorry, I’m not… I’m not supposed to give you any information.” The last words were so quiet that he barely heard them.

What?!

Was Endeavor fucking kidding?!

Shouto’s mother was in here somewhere, likely dying and that bastard had the nerve to try to deny Shouto the right to see her, to say goodbye. The words were a punch to the stomach, the pain they caused as acute and crippling as any physical blow that the man had ever dealt him.

“My mother tried to kill herself tonight,” Shouto choked, his composure crumbling with desperation; not quite able to keep the sorrow out of his voice, but not willing to back down. He was done being controlled by his beast of a father. “Please, I don’t even know if she is still alive.” Shouto was grateful that the journalists couldn’t see him now, that his back was turned to the public. He was barely containing the overwhelming need to break down and cry as he beseeched the woman for help. This could be Shouto’s last chance to see his mom, and he would be damned before he would let Enji take that away from him.

“Todoroki Enji has no restraining order against Shouto,” Kai told her, his voice firm and unwavering as he stepped in to help Shouto. “He has no legal standpoint to deny Shouto the right to see his mother. Nor does he have any power to demand exceptions to this hospital’s visitation policy. Musutafu General allows, at minimum, for blood relatives to see their family during visitation hours. Between visitation hours, relatives are allowed to remain in the waiting area. Either you can provide us with the information we need, or your supervisor can, but at the end of the day, this hospital has no legal right to withhold the information that we seek.” The statement was calm, and delivered without emotion or anger, but the message was clear.

“Oh,” the woman replied, her eyes wide as she stared at Kai, even more flustered now than she had been the moment before. “Well, um… you do have a, a point.” Shouto could clearly see her struggling to decide between Kai’s logic and the instructions that she was given earlier.

“Please,” Shouto added, the desperation obvious in his voice. “Please, I just want to see my mom.”

She looked between him and Kai a few times before she finally nodded. And Shouto practically sagged onto the desk in relief.

“Alright,” she said quietly, adjusting her glasses before typing something into her computer. She leaned slightly toward the screen as she looked up his mothers information. “Just… please don’t tell anyone that I told you this.” Shouto nodded. He had no interest in getting this girl in trouble. It wasn’t her fault that Endeavor was a controlling, manipulative bastard. He just needed that room number. He would deal with the fallout of Endeavor’s ire when that time came. “Your mom is in our intensive care unit, room 1D.” She continued, still speaking softly so that no one might overhear her disobeying direct orders. “It’s here on the first floor. If you take this hallway to the right,” she added, motioning to the hall next to them, “and follow it to the end, you will turn left and then you can follow the signs to the intensive care waiting area. You will have to check in with them, and they will let you know when or if you will be allowed in to visit your mother.”

Shouto released a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. If his mom was still admitted to a room, it meant, if nothing else, that she was at least still alive. And that information alone was worth more to Shouto than this woman would ever realize.

“Thank you,” Shouto replied honestly, relieved that she had enough sympathy to not force him to go through a bunch of red tape for such a simple answer.

“I hope they let you see her,” the woman added with a sad smile.

Shouto quickly bowed his head in response, stepping away from the desk and following the directions toward intensive care. He walked as quickly as he could, Kai in step right behind him. It was a lot further than he thought it would be, with way more people passing by than he would have preferred. Like the restaurant and outside, he could hear their whispering, but he ignored it.

The only thing that mattered now was getting to intensive care.

Before he knew it, they were at a large set of double doors. ‘Intensive Care Unit’ glaring at him in bold, ugly red letters. Seeing the words made him apprehensive, dreading the news that waited for him on the other side of those doors.

"You can do this, Shouto," Kai encouraged him, noticing his hesitation.

Shouto nodded, swallowing past the lump in his throat, and lifting heavy arms to push open the doors.

The waiting area was packed, though that wasn't unusual for an intensive care unit in a city as large as Musutafu. He looked around for the desk, his eyes drawn instead to a woman sitting in one of the chairs across the room, red and white hair pulled back into a low ponytail, her head resting on the shoulder of a man with short black hair.

Fuyumi. Fuyumi and her husband, Komatsu.

Despite their disagreements before his trial, and the betrayal he had felt when she asked him to plead guilty, he was still happy to see her. If she was there, he would have one more person there as support, and one more person to call Endeavor out on his bullshit attempt to keep Shouto from seeing his mom.

Kai followed him around the chairs as he made his way over to her. She had her eyes closed as she rested her head on her husband's shoulder. She would almost seem peaceful if it wasn't for her tear-streaked cheeks, lips swollen from crying, eyes bare except for red skin where they had been rubbed dry too many times. She had a plain blue t-shirt on, stretched over a very large stomach.

Todoroki Rei was found earlier today, unconscious and bleeding, by her daughter Komatsu Fuyumi.

Shouto's heart went out to her. She was probably in her last month of pregnancy, maybe even her last week or two. She should be resting at home, preparing for the baby to arrive. Instead, she had been at the mansion, and she had been the one to find her…

Komatsu, Fuyumi's husband, noticed Shouto and Kai first, nodding at them before gently shaking his wife. She startled awake, her gray eyes flying open as she looked around, clearly disoriented. She looked around wildly for just a second, until her eyes landed on Shouto. Her face lit up in a beautiful, tear-streaked smile for just a split second. Then Shouto watched as the reality of the day came rushing back, and she remembered everything that she had seen, everything that had happened. Shouto’s heart broke as he watched her expression change. The glint of happiness that had lit up her eyes at seeing him faded into a dull, cloudy gray, wet with unshed tears. Her smile crumpled, her mouth twisting into an ugly mask of pain and grief.

She sobbed, the sound piercing through the room. A moment later she was up, throwing her arms around Shouto and burying her face into his neck as she cried. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her gently, afraid to push too hard against her belly. And he just held her there, like that, closing his eyes and laying his cheek against the top of her head. He could feel the way her sobs wracked through her body, her belly pushing against him with each gasping breath she took. He could feel her tears wetting his neck, and the way her fingers clung desperately to his shirt, as if she was afraid of letting him go.

It was too much, and he could feel the tears starting to spill down over his own cheeks. He tightened his hold on her, wishing that their reunion wasn’t like this. That the hug they shared was for any other reason. That the tears they shed were out of happiness, and not the mourning of two siblings who were far from ready to lose a parent.

“It’s going to be alright,” he whispered against her hair, praying that it was not a lie. He didn’t know how to be strong for her, not when the meager strength that had brought him to the hospital was borrowed from Kai. But he had to try.

The words only seemed to make her sob harder, and he could feel the way that she shook her head against his neck.

“Oh Shouto,” she cried, her hands pulling on his shirt. The words were almost incomprehensible in her grief, broken and muffled against his skin. “She’s gone, Shouto. I… I just know it.” The words made him cry harder, the anguish in them unmistakeable. Her weight leaned into him, and he had to shuffle his legs to support her as she practically collapsed against him. “She’s still alive, but… when I… when I… when I saw…” she shook her head again, the words completely lost as another sob shook her body.

Shouto could feel her grief all around him, so strong that it was almost seeping into him, making it hard to tell where her sorrow ended and his began. He could feel his legs, his arms, his hands all beginning to tremble once more; the air growing thick around them as each word she spoke hit him like a blow to the stomach. His body was getting weaker, and he knew he couldn’t physically support them both for long.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered, forcing his pain aside long enough to start trying to nudge her back to her chair. Thank god Kai and Komatsu noticed his struggle, quickly jumping in to help take some of her weight off him, and to guide her safely back into her seat. Shouto didn’t care how it looked to everyone else, or how many people in the room were probably staring at them or getting pictures of their grief, he fell down to his knees in front of her, holding her chin in his hands much like Kai had done for him earlier. The sorrow haunted her face as she met his eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks and onto his hands. “I’m sorry for what you saw…”

She sobbed again, blinking uncontrollably as she nodded her head. She reached out and pulled him back into a hug. And he let her, his hands falling away from her face and wrapping around her body. His chest rested lightly on her belly, his face buried into the top of her t-shirt. He felt her lean down and kiss the back of his head, followed by her hands running gently through his hair.

He didn’t know how long he stayed like that, minutes passing by as he felt her chest rise and fall with shaky breaths against his cheek, the soft sound of her crying washing over him.

“I’m sorry, Shou,” she finally whispered, continuing to run her hands soothingly through his hair. Just like she used to do when he was a little boy; after their mother left, and he missed her so dearly. Fuyumi would pull him into her arms, and run her hands through his hair until his tears had passed. “I wanted to… call you as… as soon as it happened,” she continued, the words broken up as she tried to get her own sorrow under control. As she desperately tried to soothe the pain that had taken over him. “I just… I didn’t know how… I didn’t have your number. I’m sorry that you…” a small sob interrupted her, her fingers momentarily tightening in his hair. “That you had to… find out through the… the news.”

Shouto tightened his arms around her, a silent acknowledgement to her apology. He had no one to blame for that but himself. After the trial, his pride and his anger had kept him from reaching out. And this was just one more bitter reminder of what the trial had taken away from his life.

“What happened?” It was Kai who spoke up, who finally had the strength to ask the question that Shouto desperately wanted to ask, but didn’t want to hear the answer to.

Shouto could hear Fuyumi’s heart beating. He could feel the slight rippling bulge of her stomach against his as the baby moved, unknowingly kicking out against their uncle. He could smell the faint floral whiff of her perfume. He knew it was childish, and… fuck he couldn’t imagine what Kai must be thinking about him… but holding his sister like this… it just helped.

“About a week ago,” Fuyumi began, sniffling, her hand briefly leaving Shouto’s hair to wipe at the tears on her cheeks. Her voice was still thick with emotion. “Mother tried to… to overdose on her medications. She took an…” another small sob interrupted the story.

“Mr. Todoroki called Fuyumi about a week ago to tell her about the overdose,” Komatsu took over the story, and Shouto could feel the man’s hand settle on Fuyumi’s leg, lightly brushing Shouto’s side as he tried to comfort her. “It was only a few days after Fuyumi’s last visit. She took an entire bottle of her antipsychotic medication. No one knows how she got a hold of it. Her care-taker found her almost immediately, and was able to force her to throw most of it up before the pills could really dissolve. They called the ambulance, and they were able to pump her stomach and get the rest out before they could affect her or the baby.”

Shouto’s stomach dropped, his entire body tensing as he felt hot tears starting to stream down his face once more. Tonight… tonight hadn’t been the first time since she left the hospital that his mom…

Fuck!

She had been suicidal for at least a week, who knows how much longer before she found those pills. And he… he had no idea…

“The psychiatric hospital wanted her readmitted immediately, and she wanted to go, but Mr. Todoroki refused.”

”If she asked to leave, and your father forced her to stay, then there is only one person who is to blame for her death”

“He was convinced that she would be safer at the mansion. So Fuyumi went down to stay with them for a few weeks until the baby arrived, in order to help keep an eye on her. But today—”

“She used her ice, Shouto,” Fuyumi interrupted him with a bitter sob. She managed to create a piece sharp enough to… to cut her wrists…” Shouto’s head shifted up and down as she sobbed. He sat back, ignoring the tears that were spilling shamelessly over his cheeks and took her hands in his own as he sat in front of her.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered again, not sure what to say, or what he could possibly do that might help lessen the trauma of what she had seen. That might help ease the burden that was weighing on her shoulders.

"There was… so… much blood," she said sadly, barely seeing him as she reached up and tried to wipe the tears from his cheeks. "And the baby…"

"I already know," he replied sadly, wanting to spare her the pain of having to say it out loud.

The baby was gone.

She nodded.

"What have the doctors told you so far?" Kai asked.

"Not a lot," Komatsu answered. "She is in critical condition, and she has lost a lot of blood. No one has been allowed in to see her except for Mr. Todoroki. But things aren’t looking good.”

“And Natsuo?” Shouto asked, surprised that his brother wasn’t already there.

“He and Satsuna were… away for the week… visiting Satsuna’s family,” Fuyumi replied sadly. “They are flying in tonight. But he… he isn’t going to be here for a few hours. I hope…” She shook her head, her mouth twisting mournfully as she tried to resist the need to break down into tears once more. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. “I hope he isn’t too late.” She looked at Shouto for a moment. “Does Touya know?” The question was a quiet whisper, the hesitation to even ask obvious in her voice.

Dabi.

Fuck. Shouto had been so caught up in his own grief, so preoccupied in getting to the hospital, that he hadn’t even talked to his brother yet. Dabi had been so close to their mom that the news was going to devastate him. If their mom died due to Enji’s neglect…

He needed to call Dabi as soon as he could to make sure he was alright.

“I–” Shouto began to answer, when suddenly Kai stood up next to him, laying his hand protectively on Shouto’s shoulder. Shouto glanced up, but Kai’s attention was not on him. Shouto turned, a sense of dread filling him as he saw Endeavor standing outside the door leading into the intensive care rooms. He seemed frozen in the doorway, his face absolutely thunderous as he stared directly at Shouto.

Shouto quickly scrubbed the tears from his face, standing up and turning around to face his father. That seemed to snap Enji out of his disbelief, his hands curling into fists as he stalked toward them.

“You,” Enji hissed.

“Shou…” Fuyumi said hesitantly, her hand coming to rest on his arm.

The anger radiating off of Endeavor was palpable. And Shouto was certain that Enji would have come out with flames blazing if they hadn’t been in public, surrounded by a room of people all anxiously watching the interaction between them, dozens of phones already aimed at them. With little else going on around them, Shouto guessed that there wasn’t an eye in the room that wasn’t watching them.

Komatsu seemed to feel the tension as well, standing up and stepping just slightly in front of his wife, as if he wasn’t quite sure if he might need to protect her or not.

Shouto, honestly, wasn’t sure either.

Enji was unpredictable and short-tempered at the best of times, and tonight was a far cry from the best of times.

Endeavor stopped just in front of them, and Shouto was certain that Kai’s presence was the only thing stopping him from grabbing Shouto angrily. Shouto squared his shoulders, taking a step forward to stand directly next to Kai. He wanted his father to know that Shouto wasn’t scared of him anymore. Shouto was here to see his mom, and Enji was not going to stop him.

“You have a lot of nerve showing your face in here, Shouto,” Endeavor growled through gritted teeth, and Shouto could see faint lines of smoke drifting up from his shoulders, the man’s temper flaring.

Shouto took a deep breath, trying to steady his voice so that Endeavor wouldn’t be able to hear the emotion in it.

“She is my mother,” Shouto replied, glaring straight into those hateful cerulean eyes. “I have as much right to be here as you do.”

“You have no right!” Enji screamed, unable to control the flames rolling up his arms. “You are the reason she’s dying!”

The words felt like a slap across the face, and it took every ounce of strength that Shouto had to keep his face impassive.

”You can control how you are going to speak to your father once you see him… You can control what you say to him…”

A chorus of gasps echoed throughout the room, an awful reminder of the audience around them.

“Dad!” Fuyumi interjected, grabbing Shouto’s arm and using it to help pull herself up. “It wasn’t his fault! Mom was sick!” She tried to step up between Shouto and Kai, but Shouto put his hand out to keep her behind him. He didn’t want to take any chance that her or her baby could get caught in the crossfire between he and Enji.

“He deserves to know the truth, Fuyumi,” Enji growled. Then he turned and looked around the room, making sure that every camera could see his face. “The entire city deserves to know the truth!” Enji turned back around to face Shouto, stepping forward so that he was inches away from Shouto’s face. “Stop acting like a victim. You know exactly what you did! You broke into my house, and you tainted your mother’s thoughts with your filthy lies. Your mother was fragile, and you broke her spirit. She was happy, Shouto! For the first time in years, she was finally able to live in her own house. Tend her own gardens. Sleep in her own bed! And YOU! You bitter, resentful child! I know why you were in my house that day. You couldn’t stand to know that she was happy! You wanted to punish her for hurting you! Well it worked! You might as well have slit her wrists yourself, you ungrateful wretch!”

Shouto recoiled from the cruel accusation, the guilt that had plagued him earlier returning in full force. The air around him was suffocating, every person in the room staring at him, the accusation evident in their eyes. He was definitely going to throw up, shame burning in his stomach.

“That’s a lie,” Shouto choked out over the lump in his throat, but his resolve had faltered. Nothing could have prepared him to hear those words come out of his father’s mouth.

Fuyumi broke down into tears, clinging onto Shouto’s arm.

“No…” Fuyumi sobbed. “It’s not true!”

“What’s the matter, Shouto?” Endeavor taunted him. “Not so brave now that the truth has come out?”

“How dare you,” Kai growled, reaching out and grabbing Enji’s arm. Shouto could barely breathe, his eyes drawing down to where Kai’s naked skin touched Enji’s. Endeavor yanked his arm back as if Kai had burned him. Kai stepped forward threateningly. “You disgrace yourself, Todoroki Enji.”

His father had no idea how close to death he had just been, closer even than Shouto’s mother.

“Don’t touch me, you filthy faggot” Endeavor spit.

Kai growled once more, reaching back out toward him when an unfamiliar voice called out to them.

“What is going on out here?” The voice yelled, a tall doctor hurrying toward them. The man was dressed in their typical, long white coat, his stethoscope bouncing around his neck as he practically ran over to break up the fight. “This is a hospital! For heaven’s sake, where is your sense of common decency?” Shouto could see two security personnel following him.

“This isn’t your business,” Endeavor retorted, his rage turned toward the doctor, flames crackling across his shoulders.

“This is my hospital, Mr. Todoroki,” The man replied, though he didn’t sound as confident as he did a moment before, stepping back slightly as the number one hero glared at him. “I will have you both escorted out if this behavior doesn’t stop,” the man managed, swallowing hard as he motioned to the guards. They glanced around nervously, looking very uncomfortable at the possibility of being asked to escort the number one hero away.

“The doctor’s right,” Komatsu added, stepping forward to try and help the situation. “This is a private matter.”

Shouto watched the anger grow on Enji’s face, Kai reluctantly letting his arm fall back to his side. Enji forcibly let go of his flames, rolling his shoulders irritably as he took a step back. The tension was still palpable.

“I thought I was very clear, Doctor Okabi,” Enji said, his voice like cold fire, “that Todoroki Shouto was not to be allowed in here. He. Isn’t. Welcome.”

The doctor sighed, glancing around at the crowd of people all watching them, trying to figure out the best way to de-escalate the situation. Finally, he looked directly at Shouto.

“Visiting hours are over for the day, Todoroki Shouto,” he said stiffly. “You should return home for the night. Perhaps your father would allow you to visit tomorrow.”

Shouto’s mouth dropped open.

Was he fucking kidding?!

“My mom could be dead by tomorrow!” Shouto yelled, unable to control his temper any longer.

“Because you killed her!” Endeavor screamed back.

Shouto stepped forward, his fist connecting with Endeavor’s nose before he even realized what he was doing, a spray of ice shooting from Shouto’s hand and knocking the hero backwards. The room exploded in conversation, as Endeavor jumped back up, blood dripping from his nostrils, a deep cut decorating his left cheek.

“You insolent fool,” Endeavor barked, taking a step forward.

Shouto growled, refusing to back down even as Enji raised his own fist.

Then suddenly Fuyumi was there, forcing herself between them.

“STOP!” She screamed, tears streaming down her face. “That’s enough!” She stepped back, collapsing against Shouto as she put her hand on her belly. “That’s enough…”

“Fuyumi!” Komatsu stepped forward, alarmed, taking his wife’s arm and helping her back to her seat.

The room fell quiet around them, the only sound was that of Fuyumi weeping.

Shouto sagged, shame washing over him.

You can control how you are going to speak to your father… Only he hadn’t controlled it. He couldn’t. And now the entire city of Musutafu had probably watched him punch his own father on livestream. ...the media will be there, and they will be watching how you two interact for the first time after your trial.

He had dishonored himself.

“Todoroki Shouto,” Doctor Okabi was the first to speak. “It is time for you to go.”

Kai stepped toward him, placing his hand on Shouto’s shoulder and leaning down.

“He is right, Little Fox,” Kai whispered, the words meant for him alone. “It is better to leave with your pride intact, then to be escorted away. Do not let the city see you hang your head in shame. We can return tomorrow.”

Shouto closed his eyes, grief washing over him. If he left now, he wouldn’t get to see his mom tonight. And if she died before tomorrow…

Fuck!

He had promised himself that his bastard of a father couldn’t take this goodbye away from him. That he couldn’t control Shouto anymore.

Then everything had gone downhill so, so quickly…

He nodded his head, tears slipping from his closed eyes. When he opened them, he was acutely aware of so many phones pointing in his direction. One of the security guards had stepped up, hovering nervously beside them. Enji was staring directly at him, an almost sick smile on his face as he watched Shouto take a step backward.

Then Shouto looked at Kai, meeting his intense, golden eyes.

And Shouto nodded.

He put his chin up, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity even though every muscle in his body screamed at him to stand his ground so that he could see his mother tonight, and stepped away. He looked only at Fuyumi, praying that she could see the apology in his eyes, hoping that she would know that his anger was only his sorrow unleashed.

Praying that she didn't believe the toxic lies that his father had spewed.

Then he turned, every step feeling like a failure as he walked away. He felt Kai's hand on his upper arm this time, guiding Shouto along, the other hand typing out something on his phone, probably messaging Xaoi Fe. Shouto wanted to collapse against him, to cry and to mourn. But he didn't. Just like earlier, he focused on putting one foot forward, followed by the other, retreating from the deathly silence of the intensive care unit.

He kept his hands in fists, praying that the onlookers wouldn't see them shaking as he walked through the halls. Everyone was watching him pass by, and he wanted to scream at each person in frustration. But he knew it would only make everything worse. So he kept his head held high, grateful for Kai's hand on his arm.

Before they reached the entrance, Kai gently pulled him down a different hall.

"This way," Kai encouraged him. "Those journalists are going to be waiting by the entrance we came into. Xaoi Fe is taking the long way around the building to pick us up from the side entrance. With luck, we can leave unannounced."

Shouto nodded numbly. It would be a blessing to just walk out and get into the car without a dozen journalists shoving cameras and microphones in his face. And, to his great relief, Kai was right. When they walked out, the car was patiently waiting, without another soul in sight.

He walked around it to the far side, hesitating for a moment before stepping in. He set his hands on the top of the car, leaning against it.

And he screamed.

He fucking screamed!

He screamed, deep and anguished and as loud as he could, because punching Enji in the nose wasn't enough. He felt like his body was trying to crawl out of its skin, the emotions brewing inside of him were just too damn much. He had been dragged through hell and high water over the last year, and he had still never felt as shitty and broken as he did right now.

He screamed until it turned into a sob, lowering his head to the cool metal of the car.

And even that wasn't fucking enough.

So he slammed his hand into the frame of the car as hard as he could, ignoring the shock of pain that bloomed in his wrist. He hit it again, and again, and–

Then Kai was there, grabbing Shouto's arm and pulling him away from the car before he could hurt himself anymore. Shouto sobbed again, slamming his hand into Kai's chest instead, not even stopping to care that he was lashing out at the only person who was there with him.

It felt good.

So he hit Kai again, and again, beating his fists against Kai's chest until Kai pulled Shouto into his arms, forcing Shouto’s arms to fold against his chest and holding him there. Kai didn't say a word, and Shouto didn't fight it, collapsing against him as he cried.

Shouto didn’t know how long they stood like that; but, finally, Shouto’s tears subsided. His throat was sore, and his head aching. His wrist was throbbing, and he finally managed to get his breathing under control. Kai held him a moment longer before finally letting him go. Shouto’s head dropped, and he couldn’t even look at Kai as the man opened his door and waited for Shouto to sit down.

He slumped down in the seat, ashamed of himself.

"So much for staying in fucking control," Shouto remarked bitterly as Kai sat down next to him. Shouto pulled out his phone, wincing at the pain that lanced through his wrist at the movement. He had definitely hurt himself, but he could deal with that later. For now, he needed to know if the argument had made it online, if the city was already watching the entire shitshow play out again and again.

He ignored the slew of messages from Momo and opened up his social media. Sure enough, within just a few moments of scrolling, he found a livestream of the argument already trending. There was probably more than one.

"Fuck!" He cursed, dropping the phone on his lap and running his hands up into his hair, wincing again at the pain.

"You are young, Shouto," Kai replied. "You will learn how to keep your emotions under control, and when is the best time for retaliation." The words were gentle, but neutral. Shouto had no idea how the other man really felt about his behavior tonight, and he simply didn't have the energy to try and figure it out.

It didn't matter anyway.

It was already done.

His mom was probably going to die. He might have missed his only chance to say goodbye. He had allowed Endeavor to get under his skin again. The entire debacle, including him punching the number one hero in the nose, was online for the world to see. And every single person who watched it would hear Endeavor accuse Shouto of killing his own mother.

God fucking dammit!

Shouto didn't even want to think about the articles that would be coming out soon.

"I need to learn faster," he bemoaned.

And Fuyumi… Fuyumi had looked so broken. So defeated.

And Dabi….

Shit, he really needed to call Dabi.

He should have called him earlier. Grabbing his phone, Shouto typed in Dabi's number, hoping that his brother was alright. The phone rang, and rang, and rang.

"I'm sorry, but the number you have called does not have a voicemail set up." A robotic female voice answered.

Of course.

It was a worry though. Shouto knew Dabi didn't have any plans tonight because he had been thinking about going out to the club with them. So if he wasn't answering, and he knew about their mom….

It could be a bad sign.

A very bad sign.

He dialed again.

"Come on, Dabi," he muttered, bouncing his right leg anxiously. " Answer your phone."

"I'm sorry, but the number you have called does not have a voicemail set up."

He dialed a third time.

"Hellooo…" Dabi finally answered, his voice slurring so much that Shouto could hardly understand the word. "Sho?" He started to laugh, like Shouto being on the phone was the funniest thing.

Fuck. Dabi did not sound like he was alright. And maybe it was the fact that the entire night had been shit, but he didn’t have a good feeling about his brother at all.

Why the hell didn’t Shouto call him earlier?!

"Are you ok?"

"Mmmm…" Dabi hummed. "Feel gu…" Shouto could hear a shuffling sound. Then suddenly Dabi grunted, and Shouto heard something crash down on the other end of the phone. “Fuck…” There was another thud, and Shouto was fairly sure that Dabi had dropped the phone.

“Dabi? Can you hear me?” Shouto had a feeling that Dabi was high. Very high. Dammit! Unlike Shouto, Dabi had been alone when he must have heard the news. Which meant that there would have been no one to stop him from turning to his favorite coping mechanism… drugs. Depending on what he took, and how much, that could be very, very bad.

Shouto heard another thud.

Dabi sighed.

“...’m sleepy,” Dabi mumbled.

“Dabi, what did you take?” Shouto asked, concerned. How could Shouto have fucked up so badly? He had been so fucking distraught when he heard the news, and Kai had even told him to think about what he was going to say to his family. And Shouto… Shouto had only thought about himself! He should have called Dabi right then. He should have made sure that Dabi was alright.

And now…

“A lil this… and…. Ugh…”

“Fuck,” Shouto lowered the phone, tears stinging at his eyes. Fuck! This was too much to deal with. First his mom, and now Dabi had probably shot up who knows what. Shouto knew he was doing a lot harder drugs than weed when he wasn’t around Shouto. They had never talked about it, but Shouto had seen the track marks, he had noticed the erratic behavior when his brother was trying to come off it. He had overheard Kai talking to Dabi on the phone, telling Dabi that he needed to get his shit straight.

“Dabi isn’t sober.” Kai replied. It wasn’t a question.

"No," Shouto resisted the urge to kick the back of the seat in front of him. Dammit! If Dabi overdosed… Shit. Dabi had done so fucking much for Shouto over the past few months. Tonight, Shouto should have been there for him. Should have made sure that he was ok. "He is really fucked up. I think we need to go over and check on him. He might have taken too much."

"ShoOo…" Dabi called through the receiver.

“Not tonight, Shouto” Kai shook his head, taking out his own phone. Before Shouto could argue, he had the phone up to his ear, calling someone.

Shouto listened to the faint sound of the phone ringing, irritated. Why the hell would Kai tell him no? Dabi needed them.

"Hello?" Shouto could faintly hear a feminine voice pick up.

"Yokubo," Kai replied, "This is Overhaul. I need you to do something for me."

"What?!" Shouto asked quietly, but a single, stern look from Kai made him hold his tongue. Why would he send Yokubo?! They could go help Dabi!

"Oh, ok," she replied hesitantly. Shouto wondered if she had ever gotten a call from Overhaul before. He wasn't exactly sure what she did for the Yakuza, but he knew that she wasn't directly tied to the Shie Hassaikai. "What do you need?" The question was so quiet, Shouto could barely hear it.

“I need you to spend the night at Dabi’s,” Kai replied simply. “I need you to make sure he lives through the night.”

Shouto’s heart clenched. Kai clearly had the same thoughts as Shouto. And if he was worried about an overdose, it only made Shouto more worried. So why the fuck wasn’t Kai telling Xaoi Fe to change course already?! Dabi didn’t need Yokubo. He needed Shouto.

“What?!” Yokubo exclaimed. “Again? I thought he was going to stop shooting dope.”

Again?! How many times exactly had Yokubo helped his brother?

How many times had this happened?!

“I don’t know what he’s taken,” Kai replied. “But I need you over at his place as soon as possible.”

“How long has he been gone?”

“I don’t know. Two hours tops.”

“Shit,” Yokubo replied. “I can be there in fifteen minutes.”

“If he’s too far gone, call Aku. He will send someone to help.”

Too far gone?!

“Ok.”

Shouto waited until Kai lowered the phone.

“We should go over there, Kai,” Shouto implored as soon as he was sure the call was over. “We can help him just as much as Yokubo, maybe more.”

“Not tonight, Shouto,” Kai repeated himself, his voice stern.

“You don’t understand,” Shouto argued. “If this is about my mom, then I could help him. He was so close to her when he was younger. He was closer to her than any of us, maybe all of the rest of us combined. He’s hurting. I can help him.”

Kai turned to look at him.

“We are not going over there, Shouto. Yokubo has medical training, and she has helped him through more than one… episode. She will take care of him, and we can visit him tomorrow.”

“He needs family!”

“No Shouto!” Kai replied angrily, catching Shouto off guard. Kai almost never lost his temper at Shouto. And Shouto… Shouto wanted to scream in frustration! After everything he had been through tonight! Why wouldn’t Kai do this one thing for him?! If Shouto couldn’t be there for his mom, he could at least be there for his brother!

“Why not?”

“Because,” Kai retorted angrily, before stopping for a moment and taking a deep breath. “Because Little Fox,” he continued after a moment, his tone controlled and neutral. “You have been through too much today. You don’t need to see your brother like that. Trust me. If he has taken too much, it's ugly. It's not like when he gets stoned at the apartment and passes out on the couch. Eventually, you will probably see it firsthand, but it's not going to be tonight."

"But–"

"Shouto." Kai interrupted him, his voice cold and unwavering. It was a warning. From Kai. From Overhaul.

Shouto was not going to get to see Dabi tonight.

Dammit!

Shouto lifted the phone back up.

“Try to stay awake, Dabi. Yokubo is on her way.”

“Mmmmm….” Dabi mumbled.

“I will call you tomorrow,” he tried again.

There was no answer. Dabi was too far gone. Shouto sighed in frustration, hanging up the phone and praying that Yokubo would get there quickly. He was exasperated, stuffing the phone back in his pocket, folding his arms in irritation and staring up at the roof of the car. He clenched his fists, ignoring the pain in his wrist. He wanted to lash out. To scream. To cry. To actually do something. He felt useless. Tonight was a disaster, and he didn't even know where to start to try to fix it all. He felt weak and tired and wired all at the same time; and he was barely holding onto the tiny bit of control that he had regained since leaving the hospital. He wanted to watch the livestream, to see what the rest of Musutafu was seeing about him, but he was worried about breaking down as soon as he did. Just thinking about the last few hours was enough to bring tears back to his eyes. But he didn’t think he could cry anymore. His head hurt, and he was certain that his eyes were probably swollen and red. He had to look awful.

If he couldn't see his mom, and he couldn't see Dabi, then all he wanted to do was get home, crawl into his bed, and hope that memories of tonight wouldn't follow him into his dreams.

Finally, they made it back to the apartment. Now that he had sat down for so long, getting up to walk inside was hard, and he realized how much of a toll the evening had taken on his body. He was exhausted, and his right hand, especially his wrist, wasn’t just sore. It was throbbing. It took everything he had left to follow Kai up to their apartment.

Once inside, though, Kai stopped Shouto from going straight to the bedroom. He guided him toward the bathroom instead, leaning Shouto against the sink before going over to start running a bath.

"I took a shower before dinner," Shouto said as Kai came back to him and began to unbutton Shouto's shirt. He was too tired for this, mentally and physically. He was too tired for anything.

Kai looked at him, and Shouto knew that it wasn't worth fighting. Kai had clearly set his mind on this, and Shouto knew he probably did need to clean up again. Even though it felt like days had passed and not hours, Shouto could still feel the remnants of their sex on his skin. And as much as he just wanted to escape into sleep for a few hours, he knew the hot water would probably help him relax.

"Mmph," Shouto flinched as Kai pulled his sleeve down over his sore wrist. Kai pulled off the rest of the shirt, setting it on the counter behind Shouto.

"Let me see," Kai instructed him, and Shouto lifted his wrist, a little embarrassed at the unnecessary injury. Kai inspected it, turning it over and rotating it gently. It made Shouto wince. He didn't think it was broken, but it was definitely sprained.

"I'm sorry," Shouto mumbled, knowing that he had probably bruised the other man in his anger.

"You are forgiven, Little Fox," Kai replied. He looked up and met Shouto's eyes. "Now take a deep breath."

Shouto followed the orders, tensing himself for the shock of having Kai overhaul his wrist. Although he had gotten more used to the pain that came with Kai’s quirk, it still took his breath away everytime, and he had to fight the urge not to pull away from the other man. Once Kai was done, it always felt significantly better, and today was no exception. The pain was gone, as well as the swelling and the bruising. He clenched and unclenched his fist a few times, glad to see his full movement back.

“Better?” Kai asked.

“Yeah,” he nodded, but only physically. He wished it was as easy to get rid of the grief and anger that he was feeling. He almost envied Dabi. His brother may have shot up too much, but at least he was probably feeling nice and numb. He didn’t have to sit and overthink everything. Or ask himself again and again if tomorrow was going to be too late, or if he would even get a chance to see his mom without Endeavor there to stop him again.

Although, now that Shouto really thought about it, Dabi wouldn’t even have that. No matter how many days passed, Dabi would never have the chance to say goodbye. He wouldn’t get to hug Fuyumi, and feel her run her hands through his hair. He wouldn’t get to feel her stomach, and know that maybe something happy would finally come out of their family. If he tried, it would likely lead to his arrest. Dabi had been closer to their mom than any of them, and the only one who had stayed close to her once she was in the hospital. He probably deserved to say goodbye to her more than anyone.

For everything Shouto had lost this past year, it paled in comparison to his brother.

Kai reached up and ran his thumb across Shouto’s cheek, pulling Shouto out of his thoughts and wiping away a tear that Shouto hadn’t even realized had fallen. He could feel more threatening to spill, and quickly wiped at his sore eyes. He couldn’t remember the last time he had cried so much.

He didn’t think he had ever cried so much.

“There is no shame in mourning, Shouto,” Kai soothed him, beginning to undo the buckles on Shouto’s harness. “Embrace your feelings so that you may come out stronger on the other side. For tomorrow is going to be harder than today. Once your grief passes, you will find your anger and your determination. And once you find that, you will be ready to face your father’s lies head on.”

Shouto mulled over the words as Kai finished getting the harness off, and began to strip off Shouto’s pants. He felt like a zombie as he let Kai move him around to slip his pants off one leg, and then the other. But He knew that Kai was right, and he knew that the debacle at the hospital was going to lead to hell tomorrow. Endeavor’s lies were bad enough, but punching his father in the face, no matter how good it had felt in the moment… and it had felt damn good... was only playing into his games. It was going to reflect poorly on Shouto, and no one else.

"Why don't you get in and finish running the bath,” Kai suggested. “I need to get a few things and then I will come join you.”

Shouto nodded numbly. He watched Kai walk out, before turning off the water and stepping into the bath. He flinched slightly as the hot water stung his skin, but he sat down, embracing the heat to help soothe his muscles. He lay down, fully submerging his entire body except for his face, the hot water encompassing him like a blanket.

One day, very soon, he was going to confront his father about his lies. He wasn’t sure how, or when, but he would make his father sorry for how he had treated Shouto today; and for the filth that was about to spread through the city. Endeavor had no idea who Shouto had become, or the danger he was putting himself in now that Shouto was learning to stand up for himself. Even tonight, Endeavor had been a breath away from death. In all of the chaos, Kai had managed to touch Endeavor’s skin. And if there had been less witnesses, that might have put an end to all of Endeavor’s bullshit.

Though Shouto suspected that, even if he wanted to, Kai wouldn’t kill Endeavor unless Shouto asked him to.

A few minutes passed before Shouto felt Kai touch his cheek. He opened his eyes, and sat up, the cool air from the bathroom rushing over his head and shoulders, warm water dripping down over his face.

“Take these,” Kai said, holding out three small, white pills and a cup of water.

“What are they?”

“Painkillers,” Kai replied. “Something that will help curb the headache that sorrow often brings.”

Shouto nodded, taking the pills and quickly popping them in his mouth so they wouldn’t start to dissolve on his wet fingers. Then he took the cup and drank just enough to swallow the pills. His head was already hurting, and he really hoped that they took effect quickly.

“Drink the whole thing, Shouto,” Kai instructed him as he began to unbutton his vest. “The water will help you as well.”

Shouto really didn’t want to, but he did as Kai asked, taking small sips as he watched Kai slowly strip off his clothes and fold them up carefully, setting them on the counter by the sink. Then Kai picked up a joint that he had apparently brought in as well, and switched it out for the empty cup.

“And that will help you sleep tonight.”

“Thank you.” Shouto took the joint gratefully. Not only would it help him sleep, but it would take a lot of the edge off. He may not get as numb as Dabi, but anything would help him to cope.

Shouto held the joint up high as he scooted forward enough that Kai could climb into the bath behind him. The water level rose as Kai sat down, and they took a moment to adjust so that Shouto was sitting between Kai’s legs, able to lay down against his chest.

And, fuck, it felt good.

He lifted up his left hand, letting his flame spark just enough to get the joint started. Then he just relaxed, closing his eyes and taking a few long drags as Kai slowly massaged his shoulders, the hot water swirling around them. A few minutes passed like that, and as the very beginnings of his high began to take effect, he was glad that Kai had stopped him from going directly to bed.

After a while, he finally decided to ask the question that had been haunting him since the car ride to the hospital.

“Kai?”

“Yes, Little Fox?”

“Did it feel good to kill your father?”

Kai mulled over the question for a few moments.

“Neither ecstasy nor rapture can compare, Shouto. No physical power can compare to freeing yourself from the bonds that suffocated your childhood. There are no words to truly describe it… it is beatific. Intoxicating. Nirvana.”

Chapter Text

Shouto POV
Wednesday, June 30

Shouto's phone ringing pulled him out of a deep sleep. His eyes fluttered open, squinting as he looked around. It was lighter in the room than he expected; he must have slept in a lot longer than normal. He struggled to sit up, quickly realizing that he felt like crap. Although the pain pills, the weed, and the bath had all helped, it hadn't been enough to strip away the effects of the night before. He almost felt hungover. His head hurt, his throat hurt, his thoughts were foggy, and his body felt heavy as he fumbled to grab his phone off the nightstand.

He glared at the screen, a number he didn't recognize flashing across it. He was tempted to ignore it, crawl back underneath the blankets and sleep for a few more hours, but it might be Dabi from a burner phone. And as tired and sore as Shouto felt, he did want to talk to Dabi. To make sure that his brother was alright. Or at the very least, alive.

He was still so damn tired, though.

“Hello?” Shouto’s voice was groggy and rough.

“Is this Shouto?” a woman asked. She sounded very familiar, but Shouto couldn’t quite place her voice.

“Yeah,” he replied hesitantly. Not very many people had this number, and he very rarely got calls from anyone besides Kai, Dabi, or occasionally Momo. “Who is this?” He swore to god if it was a reporter who managed to get his number from god knows where, he was going to throw the entire phone in the trash and get a new number.

“It’s Yokubo!” she replied, and Shouto immediately sighed with relief. “I hope you don’t mind, but I got your number from Dabi’s phone. I- I’m really sorry to hear about your mom, Shouto. I heard about what happened. I hope she starts to recover soon.” His mom… The condolences brought the memories of yesterday back to the forefront of his mind, the sorrow washing over him like a tidal wave, hitting him with such force that it made him want to vomit. Sleep had been blissfully peaceful, but if he had slept the entire day away, it wouldn’t have been long enough.

His mom was still in the hospital; and, once again, he had no idea if she was even still alive.

“Me too,” he choked out, trying to keep the sudden rush of emotion from being too obvious in his voice. He took a few deep breaths, trying to steady himself as he leaned back against the headboard.

He really wished that Kai was still in bed, too.

“With everything else that happened last night, I thought you would want to know that Dabi is doing ok. He was in pretty bad shape when I got here last night,” Yokubo continued. Pretty bad shape. It was so vague, and Shouto had no idea what to make of it. Was he just messed up, or had she found him on the brink of death? Had he actually overdosed? If Shouto hadn’t called to check on him, if Kai hadn’t called Yokubo to go to his apartment, would he still be alive today? “But we were able to get him stabilized and cleaned up. He is sleeping it off now.”

Thank fucking god. Whatever he had gone through. Whatever he had done to himself. He was stable. Shouto sagged in relief, running his free hand over his face a few times to help wake himself up a bit more.

“Thank you for calling me, Yokubo.” Shouto replied earnestly. “For taking care of my brother. Dabi was… really close to our mom. I’m hoping to go see her this afternoon, but then I can come over and check on him. I can even stay with him if you need to head home.” It would be nice to spend the night with him; to bring him dinner and maybe watch a cheesy old movie. To let him talk about everything if he wanted to. To try and comfort him the way that Fuyumi had comforted Shouto.

Shouto could use it too. He knew that actually seeing his mom was going to be even harder than what he had gone through last night. He had seen more than his fair share of friends and family lying in cold hospital beds, unconscious and hooked up to a dozen beeping machines… it was hell, to be honest.

“Oh hun,” she replied sadly, a strange undertone to her voice. “I– I really don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m going to stay with your brother for a day or two, and I promise I will take care of him. But I don’t…” She paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully, just like Kai so often did, “I really don’t think he is up for company today. He needs to rest.”

"I really don’t think that’s a good idea."

"You have been through too much today. You don’t need to see your brother like that. Trust me. If he has taken too much, it’s ugly."

“You don’t want me to see him?” Shouto guessed, even though she hadn’t explicitly said as much. The notion immediately soured his mood even more, the conversation eerily reminiscent of his talk with Kai yesterday. And Shouto wasn’t naive. He knew that hard drugs were ugly. Although he hadn’t finished all of his medical training, one of his classes at UA had been around first response medical training. Citizens hopped up on drugs, or even overdosing, were not uncommon situations for heroes to encounter. He had seen the pictures, and he knew what it looked like. Hell, he had even experienced some of those effects firsthand! He was just frustrated that neither Kai nor Yokubo thought he could handle it.

He knew that they were just trying to help him, but Shouto was stronger than everybody seemed to give him credit for.

“He’ll be a lot better tomorrow, Shouto,” she replied gently, avoiding answering his actual question. The frustration of it all was enough to make Shouto grit his teeth. He could handle it! He wanted to see that Dabi was alright for himself. “Go see your mom, and then take care of yourself. Dabi will be better tomorrow.”

“Fine,” he agreed reluctantly, though he wasn’t sure if he was actually going to listen to her. If he had time later, he might try to go see Dabi anyway. Surely she wouldn’t turn him away if he showed up at the apartment. “Thanks for letting me know.”

“Dabi is strong, Shouto. He wouldn’t want you to worry about him.”

“I know,” Shouto replied glumly.

“And Shouto…”

“Yeah?”

“I know we aren’t really close, but I know how hard it is to go through something like this. I… lost my little brother when I was around your age.” Yokubo’s hesitation was all Shouto needed to know that she must have lost him to suicide as well. “Dabi mentioned a while back that you didn’t get to see your friends very often anymore. If you need someone to talk to, just let me know.”

The sentiment caught Shouto completely off guard. It wasn’t often that someone he barely knew had offered to try to help him. And she wasn’t wrong. Not only did Shouto not see his friends very often, but he had lost most of them over the past few months. He didn’t really open up to people well, he never had. He had just started to really trust some of the other students in class 1A, but the trial destroyed most of that. He wasn’t really sure if he could open up to Yokubo. They really didn’t know each other very well. Other than the night they had danced together and ended up having an orgy in the club, he had only talked to her a handful of times.

But it was still nice to know that he could talk to her if he wanted to.

“Thanks, Yokubo.”

“Of course, Shouto,” she replied, a hint of a smile in her voice. “Take care of yourself today.”

“You too,” he said in lieu of a goodbye. Then he hung up the phone, sinking completely back into the pillows. He held the phone up above him, glancing at the time. It was already 12:14. Past noon! Fuck! He still felt so shitty, he could easily pass out and sleep for a few more hours.

But it wouldn't do much good, not really. Eventually he was going to have to face reality once more. Find out if his mom had made it through the night (and fuck, just the thought that she might not have was enough to make his stomach clench and bring tears to his eyes). Find out what hellacious articles had spawned from that horrible livestream. And try to figure out if there was any possible way to get past his father long enough to actually see his mom.

Even the thought of going back to the hospital was unbearable; as if he was tempting fate to suffer through a repeat of last night. But the thought of not going was even worse.

Shouto rolled onto his side, breathing in the scent of Kai on the other man’s pillows, unwilling to get out of bed quite yet. He cradled his phone, using Kai's pillows to prop up his hands. He took a few moments to quickly save Yokubo's number under Yoki, just in case he ever decided to take her up on her offer. Most of his contacts were saved under nicknames or codenames, especially all of his contacts in the Yakuza.

Then he decided to finally look at his slew of text messages. Most of them were from Momo, from last night all the way until about an hour ago. He wasn't surprised. With everything else that had happened last night, he had never called her back or even texted to let her know he was ok. He was certain she would have seen the livestream, and that had probably made her even more worried. She was his best friend, as much a mama bear as ever, and she just wanted to know that he was alright.

He started typing out a response, but quickly deleted it and dialed her number instead. It would be easier to call then to text. She should still have fifteen minutes or so left for lunch and, honestly, it would be really nice to actually hear her voice.

"Shou!" Momo answered on the first ring, and he could tell that she was happy to hear from him too.

"Hey Mo," he replied. "I'm sorry that I didn't call you back yesterday."

"Is that Shouto?" He heard someone exclaim. It sounded like Mina, or maybe Jirou.

"You sound terrible," Momo noted, her voice sad, but clearly concerned. "Are you…" she hesitated.

She was going to ask if he was ok, but they both knew the answer to that question.

"I still can’t believe what happened to his mom. Poor Shouto."

He ignored the gossip, telling himself there was no reason to be irritated. But he hated it.

"Not really," answering her question, even though it wasn't necessary. "I didn't even get to see her yesterday. I… I don't even know if she is still alive." He admitted bitterly, trying to keep his voice as steady as possible.

"Did you see the video?! He punched Endeavor in the nose! He actually punched the number one hero in the nose!! That was definitely Mina.

"He punched his dad in the nose, and Endeavor deserved it. I would have punched my dad if he talked to me like that too." Shouto thought that was Shinsou, and at least someone sort of understood.

"She's alive," Momo answered gently. "She's alive, but she's still in critical condition. It was in the news this morning. It was the only good part of the news."

"I just woke up," Shouto admitted. "I haven't seen any of the news yet. I'm sure it's shit." He knew it would be. What happened between him and Enji last night had been a journalist's wet dream, an absolute gold mine of hero scandal and gossip.

"Do yourself a favor, Shou, and don't look at the news today," Momo encouraged him.

"And did you see how he was dressed? Hot damn, that boy looked fine as hell." Mina continued, as if Shinsou hadn't said anything. Shouto frowned. He doubted she had any idea that he could hear her.

"That bad, huh?" He replied, doing his best to ignore the background conversation.

"Don't let Kirishima hear you say that," Shinsou snorted.

"Trust me, he's used to her mooning over pretty boys," Jirou retorted. "She's too horny for her own good."

"You know how journalists are," Momo tried to comfort him. “They will say anything for a good story.”

"I'm not horny. It's just the truth!" Mina defended herself. "I mean, he has obviously been working out. I can’t be the only one that noticed. That outfit showed off every muscle in that boy's body!"

"Yeah, and they all love Endeavor," Shouto retorted. "They eat up every lie he tells," he said, not quite able to stop the tears from falling. "But last night, what she did… I didn’t…” he didn’t even know how to express the churning emotions within him. “I would have never done anything to hurt her on purpose."

"You sound pretty horny to me.

Shouto heard the five minute warning bell beeping in the background of the call. Their classes were starting again soon.

"Oh Shou," Momo was starting to tear up now, Shouto could hear it in her voice. "I know that. Of course it wasn't your fault."

"Are you ok, Mo?" Shinsou asked.

"It's not like I want to fuck Shouto… well, it's not like I'm going to fuck him." Mina grumbled. "I mean, have you seen his boyfriend? Mmmm… They are like the perfect couple. They're beautiful."

"I'm ok, Toshi," Momo murmured quietly. Toshi? She had a nickname for him. And he had called her Mo. Apparently they really were a thing, just like Midoriya said. "Can I come over after school, Shou?" She asked him. "Class is about to start, but I really want to see you. At least for a few minutes."

"I thought he looked heartbroken," Hagakure chimed in.

"Me too," Jirou agreed.

"I'll let you know," Shouto replied, trying to shrug off Hagakure's comment. Of course he was heartbroken. "I don't know what time I'm going to the hospital. I have to try and figure out when Enji won't be there."

"Hey babe," Kirishima's chipper voice suddenly joined their conversation. "You wanna walk back to class with me?"

"Tch. I'm out," Bakugou grumbled. "No fucking way I'm walking to class while you two play pinch and giggle the whole damn way. I already had to drown you fuckers out last night. Fucking nightmare…" Bakugou's voice faded away.

"Alright," Momo agreed, "but if you need anything, please call me. I'm here for you. I love you, Shou."

"Kacchan, wait! You dropped your pen!"

"Fuck off! That's not even my fucking pen, Deku!"

"I love you too, Mo," Shouto replied. "I will talk to you soon."

Shouto hung up the phone, his thoughts all jumbled. After everything, it was nice to talk to Momo, and he was really looking forward to seeing her later today. Just hearing her voice helped a tiny bit. But he had also heard everyone else, chatting away about him like he wasn’t even on the line. He was relieved that the conversation about him had been mostly superficial, though it wasn’t surprising since Mina seemed to be leading the conversation. Unlike at the trial, none of his classmates said that they agreed with his father. But they were still talking about him, and he guessed that gossip about him was probably buzzing throughout the university.

What he hated the most, though, was how lonely the call had made him feel. He had Kai, and he had Dabi… but he missed having so many friends, something that he would have never thought possible before going to UA. He missed sitting in the cafeteria and talking about nothing. He missed being surrounded by people that cared about him.

And he hated knowing that, even if he had gone back, it wouldn't have been the same.

He forced the thought away, trying to focus instead on the good news that had come out of the call: his mom was still alive. If he could get to the hospital today without his father around, then he could still get the chance to see her. And if she had made it through the night, maybe there was a chance that he wouldn't have to say goodbye. Not yet.

But first, he had to figure out how to get into the hospital to see his mom in the first place. And before he could do that, he needed to see what disaster had come out of last night so that he could be prepared for what he might walk into.

He was not, however, prepared to do that alone. Even with the comfort of their blankets and pillows, and the comforting scent of Kai lingering all around him. He wasn’t ready to relive the night before without some support. He wanted Kai there with him.

He just really hoped the other man was still at their apartment.

Reluctantly, he crawled out of the warm blankets. He was wearing a pair of maroon silk boxers, and he was too tired to care about putting on anything else. He grabbed his phone and plodded down to the bathroom, at least wanting to brush his teeth and make sure his hair wasn’t in a wild mess before he saw Kai. When he looked in the mirror, he looked even worse than he expected. His hair was, in fact, a complete disaster and his eyes were red, swollen, and puffy. But with his lingering headache, and his emotions all over the place, he really didn’t care as much as he probably should. He quickly brushed his teeth and tamed his hair the best that he could. He splashed cold water on his face, and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

Then he gave up on looking any better and headed into the living room. To his great relief, Kai was still there. He was sitting on the couch, reading. Kai looked up as Shouto walked around the couch. Unlike Shouto, he looked as handsome as ever. He was in a pair of dark jeans, with an unbuttoned white dress shirt. He had a silver chain hanging down over his naked chest, and his hair was slightly damp and still a bit messy, almost sex-mussed.

“Good morning, Little Fox,” Kai greeted him, his gaze traveling down Shouto’s body, lingering appreciatively around the V-line leading down into his boxers. “I am glad you were able to rest. You needed it.”

“I wish I felt more rested,” Shouto replied honestly, walking over to the couch. He tossed his phone on the empty cushion. Instead of sitting next to Kai, he climbed directly into Kai’s lap, straddling him. He wanted to be as close to the other man as possible for a bit. Kai set his book down on the end table. Then he wrapped his arms around Shouto and pulled Shouto firmly against his chest, nuzzling his nose into the crook of Shouto’s neck. Shouto could feel the line of Kai’s naked skin against his own, the cool chain a stark contrast as it touched his chest. Kai had clearly taken a shower that morning, the scent of his shampoo and bodywash almost intoxicating as they filled Shouto’s senses. Kai’s hands wrapped around Shouto’s waist, holding Shouto against him.

It felt like home.

“You didn’t sleep well?” Kai asked. “You seemed to be sleeping quite soundly when I tried to bring you tea earlier.”

Shouto relaxed against him, embracing the tiny sense of peace that came with being in Kai’s arms. If only the rest of the day could be the same.

“Yes and no,” Shouto mumbled. “I slept like the dead, but I still woke up sore. My head hurts. My throat hurts. My heart hurts… I don’t know if I can move from this spot without something to help me. Is there any tea left?” He tried to make the comment feel light-hearted, even if he was completely serious. Now that he was comfortable and wrapped up in the warmth of Kai’s arms, he would happily spend the day right there.

“I’m not sure if that’s a threat or a promise,” Kai replied, kissing the side of his neck. “But unfortunately, neither you or I have all day. I have a few things that I need to take care of this afternoon, and then you are going to see your mother. I already have everything arranged.”

Shouto struggled to lean back enough to look at Kai.

He already had everything arranged? Like Enji was just going to let Shouto walk right in like the night before hadn’t even happened. That was impossible.

“What do you mean?”

“The Yakuza has some contacts in the hospital, including one who owes me a personal favor,” Kai explained. “I was able to get in touch with him this morning to explain the situation. And after a short conversation with your father, he found out that Endeavor will be away at the Endeavor Agency for some time after visiting hours today. He will call us when your father leaves, and escort us in personally so that you may see your mother. Around 7, maybe 8.”

Shouto sat back, hardly able to believe their luck. Though, he knew it likely had little to do with luck. Kai could be very… persuasive when he wanted to be. On any other day, Shouto had mixed feelings about his methods. But today, it was exactly the news that Shouto needed.

Unless the worst happened… and he prayed that she could pull through at least until tonight, if not longer… then he was going to see his mom today.

“Thank you,” Shouto replied, leaning down and kissing Kai quickly on the mouth. “I had no idea where to even start. I… just… thank you, Kai.”

“I’m glad I could help you overcome one of the day’s challenges, but that doesn’t mean that the day is going to be easy. Have you looked online yet?”

Shouto shook his head.

“I didn’t want to be alone when I did,” he replied honestly, hoping the other man wouldn’t think the sentiment made him weak.

“Outside of Musutafu Daily, there isn’t a paper, journal, or tabloid that isn’t talking about what happened with you and your father,” Kai explained. Everyone but Musutafu Daily. And he guessed that the only reason they abstained from stooping to that same low was because of the fresh sting of Shouto’s defamation settlement. “The articles do not favor you. Okimoto is less than thrilled. Although he doesn’t have to worry about the PR management, he is worried that the media coverage is going to draw unnecessary attention to you. He still doesn’t want the main heroes to have any definitive proof tying you to the Yakuza, and he worries that the sudden attention you receive may rock that boat.”

He hadn’t even thought about Okimoto in all of this, or how it might affect his work in the Yakuza. The last thing he needed was to upset Okimoto on top of everything else. The man had already been unhappy about Shouto’s behavior at the Shibari party, and Shouto had promised that he would control himself better in the future.

Then Shouto’s mom had ended up in the hospital, and everything happened with Enji…

Shouto sighed, resting his cheek against the side of Kai’s head, and focusing on the warmth of his boyfriend’s body underneath him.

He didn’t think for a moment that Okimoto would be as understanding as Kai about why Shouto had, once again, lost control of the situation. And, after whatever shit the next two days put him through, he was going to have to explain himself to Okimoto tomorrow at their game night. But the worst part was that Shouto had been avoiding telling Okimoto that some of the heroes were already suspicious about him as it was, though he wouldn’t be surprised if Okimoto already knew.

“He’s probably right,” Shouto replied.

“He is,” Kai agreed. “But that doesn’t mean that you have to accept what happened lying down. You aren’t Todoroki Shouto anymore. You are Fenikkusu. Take control of the narrative, and you will take some of the power away from your father. Even in grief, you can be strategic. Though, you need to be wise when it comes to dealing with your father for the next few weeks. And you need to be the voice of reason when your brother comes out of his mourning phase and turns his sights on vengeance. Your father, like mine, will eventually pay the ultimate price for his sins, but timing is everything. Too soon, and with a corpse torn apart by ice and fire, it would be all too obvious who was at fault for his death. Instead of dealing with a handful of overly suspicious heroes, you would be announcing your change of allegiances to the entire city and you would earn yourself a spot right next to Dabi on Musutafu’s most wanted list. You might as well paint your guilt across the front of The Endeavor Agency in glowing colors.”

“And what does waiting achieve?” Shouto asked bitterly. “I go out and tell the city that Endeavor lied, and most of the city won’t believe me anyway. He gets away with slandering my name again, and barely gets a slap on the wrist?”

“I didn’t say he would only get a slap on the wrist, Shouto,” Kai corrected him. “You and Dabi are going to have to find a way to make it clear that the two of you aren’t to be fucked with anymore. But you will have to do it in a way that doesn’t advertise that message to the entire city. In the meantime, an interview or two with a reputable source should help to sway public favor in your opinion.”

An interview or two… Shouto dreaded the idea of that. As if the entire city hadn’t already watched him break last night. Having to explain his grief, when it should be damn fucking obvious to everyone why he was mourning, sounded like hell on earth.

Besides, the entire fucking argument came down to the fact that Shouto had told his mom the truth about Endeavor’s abuse. And, if Shouto’s failed attempt at filing domestic abuse charges against his father was any indication, he doubted that he would be any more successful this time around at convincing Musutafu that their beloved number one hero Endeavor was an abusive prick to his family.

“A single interview isn’t going to convince the entire city that Endeavor was lying. It never has before.”

“It may not. But silence on your end will speak volumes. History is written by the victor. If you lay low and let this play out without interference, that will make your father the victor. If you want the city to know the truth about what happened to your mother… if you want your mother to know the truth… then you have to be the one to tell them.”

And Shouto had hoped that he wouldn’t have to keep joining the media circus once the gossip from his trial had finally settled down. Apparently, such a simple hope was too much to wish for.

Before he decided what he was going to do, though, he really needed to see what all had happened while he had been sleeping… as much as he wished that he could heed Momo’s advice and ignore the news completely.

“So about that tea you made for me…” he changed the subject, still wanting a little pick me up to help him deal with the bullshit he knew was coming. He needed to pull himself together enough that checking the news wasn’t going to lead to another breakdown. He could already feel his emotions on the brink of spiraling once more. He sat back, keeping his legs firmly straddled around Kai’s waist, but giving himself a bit of space to play with the chain around Kai’s neck, twisting it around his fingers. “Do you happen to have another joint to go with it?”

“I might have one around here somewhere,” Kai replied, watching Shouto closely. Shouto pushed Kai’s shirt further open, enjoying the way his abs tensed ever so slightly when Shouto touched his chest.

“And some more painkiller…?”

Kai arched an eye at him, waiting patiently.

“And maybe some water?” Shouto knew it was lazy to send Kai all about the apartment fetching things for him. But his body was still lethargic, his head still hurt, and letting Kai take care of him sounded a hundred times more appealing than trying to take care of himself.

He could embrace his independent side later. Once the shock of the past few days had faded a little more.

Kai didn’t answer, but his hands came down to wrap around Shouto’s legs and grip the bottom of his upper thighs. Shouto felt Kai’s body tighten underneath him, quickly wrapping his arms around Kai’s neck as the man stood up, picking Shouto up as he did. Kai turned around, lowering Shouto down onto the couch, Shouto’s phone cold against his back. Kai put one knee on the couch as he leaned down over Shouto, his hands still firmly on the bottom of Shouto’s thighs, keeping his legs in place around Kai’s waist. Then Kai leaned down and kissed him gently, his right hand traveling down toward the couch, sliding underneath the leg of Shouto’s boxers, and squeezing Shouto’s ass

“As you wish, Little Fox,” Kai teased as he pulled away from the kiss. Then he let go of Shouto completely, standing up and leaving the room.

Shouto shuffled around, pulling his phone out from underneath him. He scooted up to lay his head back against the arm of the couch, leaving his body stretched out over it as he waited for Kai to come back.

“Is it ok if Momo comes over for a little while today. Around 3?” Shouto called out to him, before he forgot to ask. He needed to be certain that Kai didn’t have anyone else coming over today before he told her yes or no.

“I suppose,” Kai answered, coming back out of the bedroom with the requested joint in hand. Shouto eagerly accepted it, lighting up immediately and taking a large hit. He wanted the numbness that would accompany his high as quickly as possible. “I will be out of the apartment for a few hours anyway.”

Shouto did not like the idea of him leaving, not today.

“Are you going to see Okimoto?” he asked, fishing for details. Even though he knew it was only about a 50/50 chance that Kai would tell him what was going on.

“No,” Kai replied as he headed into the kitchen. “I will talk to him about all of this another time. I need to touch base with Chrono,” he raised his voice, continuing the conversation as Shouto heard him shuffling things around. Probably getting Shouto’s tea ready. “There have been some promising advancements in the project that he is over-seeing, and I need to go in and check on a few things in person. I will only be gone a few hours, and I will be back well before it’s time to go to the hospital. Your friend can stay until I return.”

“Three cubes of sugar please,” Shouto called out, just to be sure Kai wouldn’t forget. “Actually, can I have four?” He changed his mind. He really needed a little extra boost of energy. Caffeine and sugar probably wasn’t the healthiest option for that, but it would have to work for today.

Shouto opened up his text history with Momo.

Shouto: After school work alright for you?

“Sweet tooth today?" Kai replied, amused. "Are you sure you want Miss Yaoyorozu over here if you're hopped up on sugar and weed?"

Shouto knew she wouldn't be happy with him, but he wasn't going to get that high. Just a few puffs, enough to take the edge off. It wasn't like it would be the first time she had seen Shouto get high.

"What is Chronostasis working on anyway?" Shouto changed the subject again, hoping he might get an actual answer this time. It wasn't the first time that Shouto had asked about the project. Chronostasis' sudden absence in the Shie Hassaikai was definitely noticeable.

Kai walked in, a cup of water in one hand and a tea in the other.

"I told you that I would explain the project to you later," Kai answered, the same answer as the last time that Shouto asked. "You have a lot on your plate right now, especially after last night."

Momo: Of course!

Momo: Can Midoriya come too?

Momo: He heard us talking and wants to see you.

Momo: He really misses you…

“I know that it’s a big project for the Shie Hassaikai,” Shouto replied, mulling over the answer to Momo’s question. He wasn’t sure if he was really up for other company, especially not if he was high. But it would be nice to see Izuku again, and the more company he had while Kai was gone, the less alone he would feel. It was probably a bad idea, but after overhearing his old classmates at school earlier, it was a lot harder to say no to seeing one of the few actual friends he had left after the trial. “Isn’t the whole point of my training so that I can succeed as your bullet? Maybe I can help.”

Shouto: Sure

Shouto: Izuku can come too

Kai set the cup of tea on the end table, and handed Shouto the water and three painkillers that he had been cradling in his palm. Shouto popped them in his mouth, almost downing the entire cup of water at once. He didn’t realize how thirsty he had been.

Kai lifted Shouto’s feet up off the couch, sitting down and setting Shouto’s feet on his lap.

“He is helping to produce a new series of drugs for the Shie Hassaikai specifically,” Kai said. It was definitely still vague, but at least it was a start. “It’s not a project that Okimoto condoned, and we need to keep information about it as lowkey as possible. But since you can’t seem to let it go, I suppose I could introduce you to the basics of the project. I don’t want you overly involved yet, though. The last few months of your training are still your priority.”

Not a project that Okimoto condoned?

Shouto knew that Kai had goals that did not include Okimoto, but he had no idea that Kai was already moving forward with making that happen. A new series of drugs meant a new revenue source for the Shie Hassaikai, and a new revenue source would severely decrease Kai’s dependance on the Yakuza.

Momo: He is going to be so excited!

“When?” Shouto pressed. He didn’t know if Kai was opening up out of pity for everything that Shouto was going through, or if he was genuinely convinced that Shouto was ready to be involved, but it didn’t matter. Kai had spent many days out working with Chronostasis on this project, and Shouto wanted to know more about it.

“In a few weeks. Once things settle down with your family.”

Settle down. There was only one of two ways this would settle down. Either his mom finally woke up and was released from intensive care, or after she was gone…

Fuck.

He really hoped that she was eventually going to wake up.

“Before Dabi and I go to America?” Shouto wanted a more definitive answer.

Shouto: See you soon

Kai looked at Shouto for a moment, considering the request. He took Shouto’s cup and switched it out for the warm tea.

“If things are going well,” Kai finally replied, albeit a bit reluctantly, “then I will take you to our new facility before your trip.” New facility? Apparently this project was much bigger than Shouto had even guessed. “There is someone there that I need to introduce you to, anyway. Until then, no more questions about the project. You need to focus on balancing what you have going on with your family and your training. And Okimoto is going to want to know what your plan is to handle the media outcry this morning. It would be in your best interest to take that plan to him, rather than making him have to ask you for it. And I would not suggest the path of least resistance. If Okimoto has to handle this, it will not reflect well on you or me.”

“I will take care of it,” Shouto promised him. He just wished he knew where to start.

Wishing he could do anything but, Shouto finally opened up an internet browser on his phone. It was after one-o-clock now. He had procrastinated as long as possible. He could feel the initial calming effects of the weed in his system, and hopefully the painkillers would kick in soon as well.

‘Todoroki Shouto’ he typed into the search bar, hating that he already knew that the news was going to insist on tying him to his father.

His heart dropped as link after link, article after article popped up on his screen.

”Is Todoroki Shouto Responsible For His Mother’s Death?”

”Todoroki Enji Reveals What Really Happened That Led To His Wife’s Attempted Suicide! Check Out Our Exclusive Interview Now!"

”Todoroki Shouto Broke Into Todoroki Mansion: Tragedy Ensues!"

”Is Todoroki Shouto out of Control? Watch our Video and See for Yourself!"

”Was It A Suicide? Leaked Footage Reveals That Todoroki Shouto May Be Behind The Todoroki Tragedy."

”Todoroki Shouto Incites Fight At The Hospital! Who Was Really Abusing Who?"

"Did Shouto Todoroki Attempt To Kill His Own Mother Out Of Revenge?"

Shouto dropped the phone on his chest, closing his eyes and taking another large hit of his joint. The list went on and on. And just like Kai had said, just like Momo had said, and just like he had suspected, they did not portray Shouto in a good light. Not only that, but most of them had barely focused on him punching his father. They had almost all focused on his father’s lies, his accusations. Not only did they imply that it was his fault that his mom had hurt herself, but that he might have actually helped her to do it!

He felt Kai’s hand settle on his thigh, reminding Shouto that he still wasn’t alone, but giving him enough space to process everything.

At this rate, the entire city was going to think he had given her the ice she used to hurt herself. As if it was actually an attempted murder.

Dammit!

He took another hit, his hand shaking as he did. He could feel the lump of anxiety forming once more at the back of his throat, the ache of grief twisting uncomfortably in his stomach. He held the smoke in his mouth as long as possible before he exhaled. This shit was supposed to help him deal with all of this, but every word still felt like fingernails scraping over an open wound. He blinked away the tears that were burning at the back of his eyes.

“It’s even worse than I expected,” Shouto finally remarked, a few tears sliding down his cheeks anyway. “What a fucking nightmare.” He took a large swallow of his tea. It was too sweet, but at least it was warm and soothing on his throat.

“Then you will find a way to change the stories,” Kai replied confidently.

And Shouto would. He had to. He didn’t have a fucking choice. That didn’t mean it was going to be easy, or that he would be any less resentful about having to waste his time changing the narrative around him all because his father chose to lie about him again. An interview was his best bet, but he hated the suggestion. He hated being pranced around the stage like a pony show. And his best option to complete that interview was by going through Musutafu Daily, the only news source that hadn’t spread those fucking lies in the first place. The same news source that had done so much damage to his reputation in the days leading up to his trial.

What a cruel fucking irony.

He was not ready to make that call yet, though. He would today, but just not yet.

Right now, he needed to forget about all this shit for a little while.

Shouto opened his eyes, setting the cup of tea down and taking a few more puffs on the joint than intended.

“How long before you have to go?” Shouto asked Kai, holding the joint out to him. As much as he wanted to get completely blitzed and forget about everything for a while, it wasn’t really an option. Especially since he was already going to be higher than he wanted when Momo and Izuku arrived. So he set his sights on a different type of escape.

“Thirty minutes or so.” Kai replied, accepting the joint. He only took one small hit before putting it out in his empty teacup.

It would have to be fast, but there was enough time.

Shouto stood up off the couch, and hurried into the bedroom to grab some lube. A quickie would definitely help to take at least some of the edge off. He came right back, wasting no time before stripping off his underwear. Kai watched him, intrigued as Shouto climbed into his lap and pushed his shirt wide open, enjoying the firm, warm flesh underneath his fingers.

“Are you sure?” Kai asked, giving him a chance to change his mind as Kai’s hands settled on Shouto’s waist. Even if they both already knew what Shouto’s answer would be.

Shouto looked him directly in the eye, his cock starting to go hard as it pressed up against Kai’s lower stomach. He needed this. Maybe it was stupid and selfish, but he wanted to get lost in sex, even if it was for just a little while.

“I need you, Overhaul,” Shouto whispered, knowing that Kai loved hearing Shouto be so submissive to him. His golden eyes darkened almost immediately, and he pulled Shouto into a fervent kiss, deep and passionate, Kai’s fingers curling possessively around Shouto’s waist. Shouto let himself get lost in the warmth of Kai’s mouth against his, in the scent of Kai’s bodywash mixing with his own arousal, and in the feeling of Kai’s hands roaming over his back, exploring every inch of naked skin he could reach. He kissed Kai until his head swam with pleasure, enjoying the way every touch seemed amplified by the weed in his system. He kissed Kai, moaning into the man’s mouth as their tongues slid and twined together; until his cock was pulsing where it was pressed between them, desperate to be touched.

Shouto made a small, needy sound in his throat. He wanted more. He needed more, and his mouth on Kai’s was becoming more and more urgent with each kiss. He let his body move of its own volition, rocking his hips and shamelessly rutting his cock against Kai’s abs, feeling the way his precum was smearing against their skin.

Then, when he couldn’t wait even a moment longer, Shouto pulled away from the kiss, panting to catch his breath from the fervent exchange. He quickly uncapped the lube and coated his three middle fingers. He set the bottle aside, and reached behind himself to slide the first finger in. He was too desperate to go slow; pushing it in all the way to the knuckle without even hesitating. It felt so fucking good. Shouto closed his eyes, moaning wantonly as he continued to rut against Kai’s body, moving his finger steadily in and out of himself, rushing to get ready for more. Kai was shifting underneath him, working to get his pants undone. He lifted his ass off the couch, forcing Shouto to move with him. Shouto gasped, pleasure blooming in his groin, the sudden shift nudging his finger deeper inside of him, bumping it unexpectedly against Shouto’s prostate. Kai held Shouto’s weight on his thighs like it was nothing, his body bridged underneath Shouto as Kai worked his pants down just enough to pull his cock out.

Shouto felt it, hard and thick against his ass as Kai relaxed, lowering himself back down to the cushion. Shouto could feel the waist of Kai’s jeans against his skin as Kai left them carelessly bunched around his thighs.

“Fuck… Little Fox,” Kai growled, reaching around Shouto. He pressed his finger against one of Shouto’s lubed ones, coating his skin before sliding that same finger into Shouto alongside his own.

“Nngh…” Shouto groaned.

He leaned back in, kissing Kai roughly as they prepped him, enjoying the way that their fingers slid against eachother, squeezed tightly together as they moved. Kai eventually slid a second finger in, scissoring them gently outward. The stretch was fucking amazing, and Shouto couldn’t wait any longer to feel Kai’s cock inside of him.

“I’m… ready…” Shouto panted against Kai’s mouth.

Kai growled, pulling his fingers out of Shouto. Shouto put his hand around Kai’s cock, smearing the last of the lube from his fingers over it before lining himself up and sinking down onto it. And holy fuck, it was a glorious fucking stretch. His breath caught, and he had to move slowly, giving himself a moment to adjust.

“Fuck you are tight, Shouto,” Kai leaned forward, sinking his teeth into Shouto’s neck and sucking on the sensitive skin. Shouto tipped his head back, giving Kai full access to his throat. He moaned deeply as Kai’s teeth teased him, the sound carnal, full of want. Of desperate lust.

Shouto couldn’t wait any longer. He braced his hands on Kai’s shoulder, seductively snaking his body, rocking his hips up and down as he began to ride Kai. Shouto rolled his hips slowly at first, but he needed more. He needed it faster, and deeper. It didn’t take long for his body to move faster, urgently, almost desperate to feel every inch of Kai sink into him again and again and again. Each time he came down, Kai’s cock pressed lewdly into his prostate, sending sharp bursts of pleasure through his entire torso. The feeling consumed his thoughts as he felt that pleasure building inside of him.

Then Kai’s hand wrapped around Shouto’s cock.

“Shit,” Shouto cursed, moaning as the man began to pump his hand up and down, slowly sucking dark marks across Shouto’s neck and shoulder. “Yes… fuck yes…” he mumbled. Shouto’s body was coming to life, and he could feel his orgasm building, the pressure around his cock melding perfectly into the sensation of being completely filled up over and over again each time he moved.

Shouto dug his fingers into Kai’s shoulders, using the other man to ground himself. He rolled his hips faster, practically bouncing on Kai’s cock. He could feel the sweat starting to drip around the edges of his hairline, the room growing just slightly too warm from the exertion, but it felt too fucking good to stop.

This was exactly what he needed.

“Fuck me, Little Fox,” Kai murmured, sitting back so that he could watch himself stroke Shouto. “Yes… Fuck me… like that.”

Shouto nodded wildly, ignoring the sweat that was starting to drip from his brows. He was out of breath, unable to do more than moan almost lasciviously. He moved with a carnal desperation, his vision starting to go dark around the edges. He was so, so close. He could feel the muscles in his thighs tensing, his abs clenching in anticipation as the pleasure grew inside of him.

“Overhaul,” he cried out, euphoric pleasure crashing into him as he came, Kai stroking him through his orgasm, his cum decorating Kai’s abs and hand. Shouto’s body convulsed, the pleasure almost overwhelming, his pace starting to slow.

Kai grabbed Shouto’s hips and took over, fucking up into Shouto from below, chasing his own release. Kai’s hand smeared Shouto’s cum over his hip, and made Shouto groan with over-sensitive ecstasy each time Kai’s cock buried itself inside of him.

“Fuck, Shouto… fuck,” Kai groaned, and Shouto could feel the man’s thighs tense under him as he moved, rocking his hips up into Shouto as he came. Shouto rolled his hips slowly, trying to help Kai ride out his orgasm for as long as possible. They were both panting lightly, Kai continuing to thrust up into Shouto until he started going soft. After a few moments, he stopped moving, his cock slipping out of Shouto.

They were a sweaty mess.

A sweaty, glorious mess.

Gently, Kai pushed Shouto up and out of his lap. Shouto’s legs were weak and slightly shaky as he stood up, feeling cum drip down onto his thigh.

“Shower?” Shouto asked, knowing that Kai probably needed to leave very soon.

Kai nodded, standing up and kissing Shouto’s swollen lips softly.

“I need to hurry though,” Kai agreed, taking Shouto’s hand and pulling him toward the bathroom. Between the weed and the sex, Shouto was very wobbly, and he felt so damn good that he knew he could just pass out and escape back into a blissful sleep. Which sounded exactly like what he wanted to do. A hot shower and then a long nap.

*****
The doorbell woke Shouto up this time, and he startled, sitting up too quickly. He could still feel the effects of the weed, and the sensation of sitting up so quickly made his head spin a bit. He glanced at his phone. 3:15. Momo must be here.

“Shit,” he mumbled. He was not even close to ready for company.

Shouto forced himself up and out of bed, steadying himself against the dresser as he quickly pulled a pair of boxers out of his drawer. He was definitely unsteady as he pulled them on. The doorbell rang again.

“I’m coming dammit,” he muttered to himself. As soon as his cock was covered, he hurried to the door. He didn’t want them to keep buzzing, or to think he was ignoring them. He could finish dressing once they were inside. Momo had seen him less dressed a hundred times, and Midoriya had probably seen it a time or two in the locker rooms at school. He doubted that either of them would really care.

He hurried down the hall, using the wall as a guide, glad when he finally made it to the door.

He definitely shouldn’t have smoked quite so much.

Shouto shook his head a bit, trying to sober up really quickly as he grabbed the doorknob, remembering at the last second to put one of his hands up to cover the mark on his collarbone. Then the door swung open, and Izuku practically stumbled into Shouto. Apparently he had been leaning against the door. Izuku grabbed onto Shouto to break his fall, his hands landing directly against Shouto’s abs. Shouto grunted at the impact, holding onto the door and stumbling slightly, relieved that Izuku hadn’t knocked them both over.

A second later, Izuku’s emerald eyes widened as they moved from his own hands up Shouto’s torso, realizing that he was touching Shouto’s very naked stomach. He jumped backward, almost running into Momo, a furious blush tinting his neck and cheeks. His eyes roved over the hickies that Kai had left earlier on his neck, then trailing down Shouto’s body, his mouth hanging slightly open as he stared.

“I’m, I’m so–” Izuku stammered, his unable to pull themselves up from Shouto’s waist.

“Did we wake you up from a nap, Shou?” Momo interrupted Izuku, and Shouto turned his attention to his other friend, and… Shinsou? Momo hadn’t mentioned anything about Shinsou joining them, but there he was. His purple hair tousled messily, faint bags under his purple eyes betraying how tired the man probably was. And he was also looking Shouto up and down, an almost disapproving look on his face as his eyes lingered on Shouto’s lower stomach.

“Yeah. But it’s… it’s ok,” Shouto replied, stepping backward, faintly self-conscious of how tight his boxers were now that he was standing there in front of them. He hadn’t thought it would be a big deal, but neither Shinsou or Izuku seemed to be able to look away from his body. “You guys can, uh, come in.” he added, feeling a little awkward as he continued to hold his hand awkwardly over his Shie Hassaikai mark.

Izuku shuffled in, giving Shouto a wide berth. But Momo practically bowled Shouto over as she threw her arms around him, laying her head against his shoulder and hugging him as if she might not have the chance to again. Shinsou followed her into the entryway, frowning slightly as he watched how tightly she had Shouto pulled against her.

Shouto could practically feel the jealousy radiating off the other man.

They were definitely dating.

“I’m so sorry, Shou,” Momo murmured, the words muffled against his neck. Shouto let his arm drop, hoping that she would conceal the mark from view as she hugged him. He put his arms around her, returning the hug. He didn’t care if it made Shinsou jealous. He wasn’t supposed to be here, anyway, and Shouto needed the comfort, even if only for a few moments. He could already smell her perfume, her skin warm and familiar against his. Her hands dug into his sides, and her soft chest pressed against his in a way that made him almost nostalgic. She had comforted him this way more times than he could possibly remember. Those arms around him had helped him cope with all of his dad’s bullshit since they were kids. Before Kai and Dabi came into his life, Momo had been his safe place. His only, truly safe place. And standing here like this, it almost made him feel like everything was going to work out alright.

Almost.

“It just doesn’t feel real,” he mumbled, burying his nose into her hair and breathing in the scent of her. “I’m not ready to lose her.”

“I know,” Momo murmured, and Shouto enjoyed the way her arms tightened around him. His sense of time was still warped from the weed, so he had no idea how long they stood there like that. Then Izuku awkwardly cleared his throat, and Shouto realized that he and Shinsou were just standing around and watching them embrace.

Momo pulled away, giving him a gentle smile as she set her hand affectionately on his cheek. Shouto quickly put his hand back up and over the Yakuza mark, pushing the door closed.

Shinsou was practically scowling.

“I’m sorry,” Shouto said, motioning at himself, before realizing that was going to draw even more attention to his state of undress. He quickly stopped. “I lost track of time.” He stepped past Izuku, who flinched slightly as his hand brushed up against Shouto’s thigh. “You guys can relax on the couch while I get dressed.”

He walked slower than was probably normal, but he managed to walk without stumbling or having to lean against the wall. But he could practically feel Izuku staring at his back as he followed Shouto to the living room.

Shouto motioned to the couch, before heading toward his room to finish getting dressed. He chose a pair of black jeans and a white T-shirt. It was still pretty form-fitting, but almost all of his clothes were since Kai bought most of them. And at least he wouldn't be in his boxers anymore.

He quickly stopped by the bathroom on the way out, re-brushing his teeth. His hair was a mess, and he was a little embarrassed the three had seen it like that. He quickly sprayed some product in it and combed it down. His eyes were still red, and he didn't look great, but considering the last day and a half, it would have to be enough.

When he walked out, the curtains had been pulled back, and the trio was standing in front of the window, admiring the view. Shinsou had his arm wrapped around Momo's waist, her head leaned against his shoulder.

"Shouto," Izuku exclaimed when he noticed Shouto approaching them. "Your apartment is beautiful! You can see the entire city from up here!"

"Thanks."

Momo turned and smiled at him.

"I hope you don't mind, Shou," she said, "but I gave them a quick tour of the place."

He shook his head, although his feelings on that were conflicted. It's not like they could discover much. Kai was very careful to keep his work and his personal life separate. Aside from the mark on Shouto and a handful of clothes in their drawers, there was very little here that could connect them to the Yakuza. Certainly nothing that he thought Izuku or Shinsou would notice.

But it just felt… strange. Besides Momo, this apartment was completely separated from his old life. Seeing some of his old classmates strolling around in their UA uniforms felt almost surreal. Like they didn’t quite belong here.

"Do you want to help me get some tea ready, Mo?" Shouto asked her. He really wanted to talk to her for at least a moment alone.

"Of course," she smiled. "I'd be happy to."

"I can help, too, if you want," Shinsou offered.

"Me too!" Izuku agreed!

"It's alright," Shouto replied, maybe a bit too quickly. "It won't take long, and the kitchen isn’t that big anyway."

Shinsou let go of Momo a bit reluctantly.

"You two can make yourselves comfortable," Shouto motioned toward the couch. "We'll be right back."

Shouto went to the kitchen, glad that only Momo followed him in. He pulled the kettle out of the cupboard and started to fill it with water

"Why didn't you tell me you were bringing Shinsou?" He asked quietly.

"I'm sorry, Shou," Momo said, putting her hand on his arm. "I tried to text you, but you never answered me. I promised him a ride home earlier today, and I didn't want to disappoint him. We are… close."

"I already know that you're dating him," Shouto replied, a little hurt that he was basically forcing Momo to tell him. He just didn't understand why she had tried to hide it. And sure, he didn't think Shinsou was good enough for Mo, but he wouldn't have tried to stop her. When Shouto had gotten serious with Kai, she had lost the physical relationship they shared, which had helped her as much as it helped Shouto. She deserved to have someone, even if Shinsou was not who he expected her to choose. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Today, of all the days, was not when he wanted to have this talk, but he didn't know when he would see Momo next.

"I'm sorry Shou," Momo replied, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him once more as they waited for the water to warm up. "It's not that I didn't want you to know. I really like him Shou, and I think you two will get along really well once you get to know each other." Shouto doubted that. He could tell by Shinsou's body language that he wasn't thrilled to be around Shouto. Probably jealous, especially if he knew any of Shouto and Momo's history. "But there wasn't a good time. I know that you know he took your spot in 1A, and I didn't want you to think I was replacing you with him too. Things just kind of happened between us."

Shouto wrapped his arms around her, leaning his head on her hair. He would have never thought that. Honestly, with how risky his life was becoming, and how dangerous everyone seemed to claim his relationship with Kai was, she probably should replace him. But he knew she wouldn't.

"I knew that, Momo," he replied, kissing her hair softly. "And I'm happy for you. I mean, Shinsou is a bit of an odd choice, but…" he teased, trying to lighten up the mood, even if he didn't really feel it.

"Be quiet," she laughed, pulling away and punching him softly in the arm. "A lot of people would say the same thing about you."

"Well they clearly don't realize how much fun I am in bed," he retorted.

"Don't be so humble, Shou," Momo laughed, rolling her eyes. She opened up the cupboard, pulling down four cups.

"I missed you," Shouto replied, part of him wishing that it was only Momo here and they could just curl up on the couch together for awhile.

"I've missed you, too," Momo replied, getting the tea bag ready and adding it to the kettle. "It seems like you have been so busy lately that you barely have time to talk to me anymore. Kai isn't pushing you too hard, is he?"

"No," Shouto shrugged. "But my training has been a focus the last month. The… organization," Shouto chose the word carefully, just in case Shinsou or Izuku overheard, "is so different from anything I'm used to. I'm just trying to figure out how everything works. And they have set me up with some specialized quirk training, and that has taken a lot of time."

"Just make sure you are taking care of yourself. I mean, you are clearly eating well and working out. This is probably the best shape you have ever been in. But don't forget to have fun and take time for yourself… especially right now."

"I'm fine, Mo. I promise." Shouto raised his voice, shouting out to the other room. "Do you guys want sugar?"

"Six cubes please!" Izuku yelled back. Six cubes. Six?! Damn! No wonder Izuku was always talking a hundred miles an hour.

"One please," Shinsou added. The exact opposite of Izuku, opting for bitter instead of sweet. But at least that request was a bit more reasonable.

Shouto started to count out the cubes.

"Don't change the subject, Shouto," Momo chided him, putting her hand on his to pull his attention back to her. "Promise me that you are going to take care of yourself these next few weeks, no matter what happens with your mom. Don't just bury this inside and try to distract yourself with training, or… whatever they have you doing. Your mom is in the hospital, and you need to make sure that you are taking some time for yourself. Promise me." She was 100% serious, and Shouto knew they weren't going to move from this spot until he promised, and she was satisfied that he meant it.

Shouto turned toward her, looking directly into her eyes.

"I promise. I will take care of myself, I am taking care of myself."

"Good," she replied, apparently satisfied. "Are you ready to head back in now?" She asked.

"Yeah," he replied, although he still wished Shinsou wasn't there. He just didn't like feeling emotionally vulnerable in front of people he didn't really know. Not that it probably mattered. From the conversation Shouto overheard on the phone, he knew Shinsou had seen the video too. He had watched Shouto breakdown at the hospital, just like the rest of Musutafu.

Momo smiled, carefully picking up the kettle and pouring the tea. Then she picked up her and Shinsou's cups. Shouto grabbed Izuku's and followed her back into the living room. Izuku was sitting on the chair, and Shinsou had sat in the middle of the couch. Shouto handed Izuku's cup to him before sitting next to the purple-haired man, trying to suppress his frustration at not being able to sit next to Momo.

Then he sipped his tea, blowing on it gently so it wouldn't scald his mouth. The room went kind of awkwardly silent for a few moments as they sipped. Shouto knew they were all probably waiting for him to talk, but he really had no idea what to say.

"How was school today?" He began stiffly.

"School was amazing!" Izuku beamed, his happy voice immediately filling the room. "Right now we are learning about the importance of political intervention in early heroics, and how it helped shape today's moral guidelines for hero agencies in Japan! It's so interesting! Did you know that early heroes used to have no universal ethical code to help shape their agency guidelines? A lot of early heroes would be considered vigilantes today! Some of them would even be considered villains! A few of the early heroes got arrested because of avoidable civilian casualties during their saves. Eventually the Japanese government realized the dangers of having no consistent guidelines for individuals with powerful quirks." Izuku wasn't even looking at them now, he was talking so fast that it was borderline hard to understand what he was actually saying. "It took them 142 days and 73 revisions before they finally released the original 'Moral & Ethical Guidelines For Japanese Hero Agencies'. Five of the original eleven agencies ended up shutting down or being forced to shut down because of their refusal to follow the guidelines. We spent two days broken up into groups and drawing up similarities between those original guidelines and the guidelines in place today. I had no idea that the original agencies weren't allowed–"

"Midoriya," Shinsou finally interrupted him. "I think that Tod-," Shinsou caught himself, clearing his throat. "I think Shouto gets the idea."

"Oh…" Izuku flushed. "Yeah, sorry…"

"Sounds interesting," Shouto remarked. That was also around the time that the MLA formed. He remembered that The Grand Commander mentioned the original moral guidelines in the third chapter of his book, and the divergence caused by it led to multiple vigilante groups forming. He guessed Geten would have some very strong opinions on this particular conversation. He also guessed that UA didn't talk about that particular aspect of the conversation.

"Do you want to talk about what happened, Shou?" Momo changed the subject, leaning around Shinsou to look at him. "I can only imagine how hard the last twenty-four hours have been for you."

There it was…

Shouto knew that he was going to have to talk about it a little, and he probably needed to. But he was still worried about breaking down once again, even with the weed to numb his emotions.

"Well, I don't know what there is to talk about," Shouto shrugged . “I mean, I’m sure you have all seen the video from the hospital. My mom tried to kill herself, and I tried to visit her in the hospital, and then Enji happened.” Shouto could already hear his voice getting thick. Everything still felt so fresh.

“Shou…”

Shouto could hear Izuku sniffling. God, if Izuku started to cry then Shouto was definitely going to start crying again.

“I’m sorry about your mom,” Shinsou added. “What your dad said to you was really shitty.”

“Thanks,” Shouto mumbled.

“Did you really get to see her again?” Momo asked, her voice tender and sympathetic. “I mean, you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. But your dad mentioned you talked to her at the mansion, and… I know how long it’s been since the last time that you saw her.”

Shouto hadn’t told Momo. Only Dabi and Kai. He hadn’t known how to talk about it even before this happened.

He nodded his head.

“Yeah,” he said. “I, uh… decided that I wanted some of the stuff I had left at the mansion. After everything that happened, I wasn’t exactly welcome there, so I decided to break in when Enji wasn’t going to be there.”

“He wouldn’t let you go get your stuff?!” Izuku asked, a horrified look on his face. Shouto didn’t think he could ever understand. Izuku and his mom were like best friends, she was always there to support him, no matter what.

“He couldn’t swallow his pride long enough for me to get my stuff,” Shouto replied honestly. “After the trial, he tried to force me to move back in with him, said that the whole publicly disinheriting me thing was just a mistake. That if I went back with him, then I could still be his successor. But I would have rather been homeless than move back in with that abusive asshole. Once I told him I was moving in with Kai, he made it very clear that I wasn’t welcome back in his home.” Shouto took a deep breath, a little uncomfortable at having Shinsou hear all of his dirty laundry. “Breaking in was easy… until I ran into my mom.”

He shouldn’t have told her the truth. He shouldn’t have waited to try and help her. If he and Dabi had gotten her out of there sooner, she would have never tried to kill herself.

“She was a ghost,” he said, blinking his eyes to stop any tears from forming. “She looked so tired, and she was obviously on a lot of drugs. She recognized me, but she didn’t know about anything that had happened, and she had no idea that I left because Enji was abusing me. No idea that he kicked Dabi to the curb; that Dabi would have died if it wasn’t for Shigaraki.”

Izuku gasped.

Shouto had said Dabi. Not Touya.

Shouto shouldn’t have even mentioned his brother. Everyone here knew about Dabi, knew that Shouto had stayed with him for some time before his arrest, but only Momo knew the real story. And even then, Shouto had only shared what he had to.

Fuck!

It was just the weed. The weed and all of the fucking emotions. He needed to stay focused.

“Anyway,” Shouto continued, hoping that Shinsou and Izuku wouldn’t press the subject of Dabi. It was enough of a white elephant in the room as it was. “She just kept going on and on about how much she missed me, and how she wanted me to come home. And with the new baby coming… I broke down. I told her about how abusive Enji was. I thought she deserved the truth. I didn’t think that she would…”

He couldn’t say it again.

Enji had tried to warn him, but Shouto had never thought that his mom would try to kill herself.

He wiped at a tear, extremely self-conscious of how close Shinsou was to him. Their shoulders were touching. He wished it were Momo.

“I guess I was wrong,” he added bitterly. “I wish now that I hadn’t told her, but it’s too late. I can’t change that now.”

Momo stood up, coming around Shinsou and kneeling down in front of Shouto and pulling him into a hug. He buried his face in her shoulder, breathing deeply to stop himself from breaking down completely.

“You were trying to help her, Shou,” Momo soothed him, rubbing her hand over the back of his hair. “You couldn’t have known what would happen. Your father was wrong to blame you like that.”

“Her doctors wanted her to go back to the hospital,” Shouto added, though he wasn’t sure if anyone could really understand, maybe not even Momo. “But Enji wouldn’t let her go. He didn’t really care about her. He only cared about the new baby. He wanted her at home so he could make sure nothing happened. He has suffocated her ever since they got married. He is the reason she tried to kill herself.”

Shouto could hear Izuku openly crying now, and he knew that some of his own tears were probably staining Momo’s shirt. But… he actually felt better. Only a bit, but still better. It felt good to tell someone besides Kai.

After a few minutes, Momo finally pulled away, reaching up and fixing his hair before standing up.

“Can I sit next to Shouto, Toshi?” she asked.

Shinsou seemed to hesitate for a second, before reluctantly scooting to the other end of the couch. Momo sat down next to Shouto, Shinsou resting his hand on her knee.

“Did you get to see her today?” Momo asked.

“Not yet,” Shouto replied.

“Your dad shouldn’t be able to stop you,” Izuku added before Shouto could finish. There was a sense of anger at the injustice of the situation in his tone. “It’s not fair!”

“No. But Enji always figures out how to get his way,” Shouto said bitterly. “The only time he didn’t was when our engagement article got canceled, and even then he beat me so that I would tell him how something like that could happen.”

“What did happen? I always wondered why I never saw it.” Izuku asked curiously.

“Engagement Article?” Shinsou asked at the same time. There was a very clear confusion in his voice; apparently Momo hadn’t told him everything about their relationship yet. Shit. He shouldn’t have said that either. He really hoped that this wouldn’t mess anything up between the two of them.

“I was betrothed to a girl that I wasn’t ready to marry,” Shouto said, not really lying, but not telling the whole truth. Momo could tell him the rest once she was ready. Hopefully Izuku wouldn’t give anything else away. “Enji wanted to plaster our engagement all over the papers in order to repair my reputation after those photographs were taken of me the morning after I went clubbing.” That whole debacle felt like a lifetime ago. “A friend helped me get the article canceled. Enji was furious. He was always angry when I tried to be independent or make a decision for myself. Now that he can’t control me anymore, he is going to try to punish me for walking away at every chance he gets. Hence why the entire city thinks that I tried to kill my mom.” The last words were bitter, but he didn’t care.

“What are you going to do about all of those horrible articles that came out this morning?” Izuku pressed. It didn’t surprise Shouto. Izuku had an unquenchable, innate curiosity. Knowing him, it wouldn’t even surprise Shouto to find out Izuku had a whole notebook dedicated to just trying to understand what Shouto’s life had become. He could only imagine the onslaught of questions that Izuku would ask if he found out how much Shouto had improved his quirk in the past few months.

But, Shouto still hadn’t really decided for sure what he wanted to do about the articles. He knew that he needed to make a decision fast. He was going to have to tell Okimoto what was going on tomorrow, after all. But he really didn’t fucking know what would be best.

Shouto shrugged.

“I’m thinking about offering to do an interview with Musutafu Daily. I don’t want to, but it seems like my only option.”

Shouto heard the front door open. Kai was home early. Shit. He probably wasn’t going to be thrilled that Shouto hadn’t mentioned Izuku or Shinsou coming as well.

“But Musutafu Daily published all of those horrible articles about you before…” Momo glanced at Izuku, hesitating to bring up yet another tender subject. “Why them?”

“Because they are the only paper who chose not to slander Shouto’s name this morning,” Kai answered for him as he walked into the room.

Everyone looked up at him as he walked around the couch and into the room. Izuku’s eyes widened when he saw Kai. Shouto had forgotten that Izuku hadn’t actually met him before.

“Mr. Midoriya,” Kai greeted Izuku with a small bow of his head as Izuku stared up at him, his mouth hanging open. “I am glad to see you looking so well.” Kai turned toward the couch. “Miss Yaoyorozu,” he added, taking her hand and kissing the back of it just like he had the first time he had met her. “Lovely to see you again.”

“Mr. Chisaki,” She acknowledged him, even if a bit stiffly. Shouto knew that she had very mixed feelings about Kai.

“And you must be… Shinsou Hitoshi, if I’m not mistaken.”

Shinsou nodded, looking at Kai a little dubiously. Clearly suspicious that Kai had known his name. But Kai knew almost everyone who was anyone, and Shouto knew that The Yakuza probably kept a close eye on all of the up-and-coming heroes from the different universities.

“Welcome to my apartment, Mr. Hitoshi,” Kai replied with another small bow of his head.

“I’m going to get changed, Little Fox,” Kai said, turning his attention to Shouto. “Once you and your friends are finished, I thought we might go in person to inquire about that interview before going to the hospital tonight.”

Shouto forced himself not to physically deflate. This was Kai clearly nudging him in the right direction. He knew Kai was right. He should just get it over with. It’s not like Shouto had an abundance of other options, anyway. He just really didn’t want to deal with the media today.

“Yeah,” he agreed reluctantly. “That sounds good.”

Kai bowed his head one more time to the other three before heading toward their bedroom.

"Little Fox?" Momo mouthed to him as Kai left, giving him a very obvious we are going to talk about that nickname another time look. And Izuku craned his neck to watch Kai disappear down the hallway. The interest was a bit odd, but Izuku was probably just trying to figure out why Shouto had chosen Kai over Bakugou.

Not that Shouto ever planned to discuss what led up to that particular choice with Izuku. The answer was too complex, especially since Izuku practically worshiped the ground that Bakugou walked on. And a small part of Shouto, even if he often tried to ignore it, wished he could still see the blonde occasionally. Talking about Bakugou, and remembering everything that he had put the blonde through, everything they had said to one another the last time Shouto was in his bedroom… it only made Shouto feel worse.

Which was stupid.

Now that a few months had passed, Bakugou probably didn't give a single fuck about Shouto anymore.

"You're boyfriend seems… nice," Izuku commented once their bedroom door had closed. He didn't sound entirely genuine, but it didn't sound malicious either. More curious than anything.

"He is," Shouto answered, although he doubted Izuku would agree if he knew who Kai really was. Izuku's conviction was so strong that he could never really understand how their relationship was strong enough that Shouto joined the Yakuza to foster it. If he had any idea, he suspected the other man wouldn't want any more to do with Shouto than Bakugou did.

"Is his family supporting you, at least?" Izuku asked. "Not that it's the same, but do you get to see his parents or siblings, get to play with any nieces or nephews."

The question caught Shouto off guard. But he supposed that Izuku was still trying to wrap his mind around how Enji was treating Shouto and how hard it would be to have almost no family support… but Izuku also had no idea that Shouto still had Dabi in his life.

"Not really," Shouto answered. "Kai doesn't have any family that lives around here. But I have a few new friends, and I'm doing alright." Calling the other bullets, and even Yokubo, new friends was probably a long stretch, but he didn't want Izuku to worry too much.

"So it's just the two of you here?"

"Yeah?" Shouto answered.

Izuku started mumbling under his breath, so quiet and fast that Shouto couldn't even begin to understand what he was talking about. Shouto shook his head, looking at Momo, who just shrugged. Sometimes Shouto didn't understand his friend at all.

"We should probably get going," Momo said, though Shouto could hear the reluctance in her voice. He was fairly sure that she would stay the entire night, and even go to the hospital with him if he asked.

"Okay," he replied. He stood up and took everybody's cups. Izuku was so caught up in his mumbling, he barely seemed to notice. Something about Murio. Shouto didn’t even try to figure out what he was going on about. Momo followed him into the kitchen to put them away.

"Is your brother alright?" She asked. Shouto didn't have to ask which brother she meant. He should have known that Momo would ask. She had a sort of morbid fascination with Dabi, more so than ever now that she had seen him again. "I remember how close he used to be to your mom."

"No," Shouto replied as he set the cups down. "He almost overdosed last night. If I hadn't called to check on him…" Shouto didn't even want to think about what would have happened if he hadn't called Dabi. "You saw him. He has drug issues even on a good day."

"He overdosed?"

Shouto nodded.

"He's alright now. A friend of ours is with him."

Shouto turned around to look at her, freezing when he saw Shinsou standing in the doorway, staring at the two of them with a strange frown on his face.

Fuck.

Neither of them had said Dabi’s name, but after all those articles in the paper came out, the entire city was well aware of who Dabi was. And Shouto doubted that Shinsou even knew that Natsuo existed.

Momo turned to, recovering much faster from her surprise than Shouto did.

“I’m almost ready to go,” she said with a smile.

Shinsou nodded, but when she turned back around to rinse the cups, he continued to frown at Shouto. He definitely did not like Shouto. And Shouto was fairly sure that if his mom wasn’t in the hospital, Shinsou would be telling him exactly what he thought of him. So much for Momo’s hope that the two of them might become friends.

He really doubted that was ever going to happen. Though he was certain Momo was going to give it her best shot. And he was really not looking forward to that.

Shouto just really fucking hoped that he was as trustworthy as Momo thought he was.

After Momo finished, Shouto followed her toward the living room. She stopped in front of Shinsou, standing up a little taller to kiss him quickly. He kissed her back, but he still seemed tense with Shouto standing there next to him. Momo took Shinsou’s hand, leading him into where Izuku was still sitting on the chair.

“You ready to go, Midoriya?” Momo asked him, and he jumped slightly as she set her hand on his shoulder. Izuku looked up at her, blushing as he realized that he had spaced out. Not that any of them were really surprised. It wasn’t exactly uncommon for him.

“Oh, y-yeah,” Izuku replied, standing up and smiling sheepishly. “S-sorry about that.” Shouto frowned.

“It’s ok.”

Then Izuku stood up and stepped forward to throw his arms around Shouto, surprising him with a bear hug that almost made it hard for Shouto to breathe.

“I’m so, so sorry about y-your mom, Shoucchan,” Izuku mumbled into Shouto’s shoulder. “I hope that she’s ok.”

Shouto hugged him back the best he could with Izuku practically pinning his arms to his side.

“Thanks, Izuku,” Shouto replied genuinely. It had felt good, even if strange, to see him again. Izuku kept hugging him for almost a full minute before Shouto gently tried to step back. Izuku finally let go, and Shouto could see the tears in his eyes.

Then Momo hugged him.

“If you need anything Shou, please call me. I don’t care if it’s the middle of the night. If you need me, I will be here, ok?” Momo told him, squeezing him almost as tightly as Midoriya before stepping back and looking directly into his eyes. “And don’t forget what you promised me.”

“I will take care of myself,” Shouto agreed, again.

She searched his eyes a moment longer.

“Ok,” she nodded, standing up on her tiptoes to give Shouto a kiss on the cheek.

“Thanks, Mo.”

Momo stepped away, starting to lead the others toward the door to leave. Shouto was surprised when Shinsou stayed behind, putting his hand out for Shouto to shake. Shouto hesitated for a moment before taking it. Shinsou pulled him forward to put his other hand on the back of Shouto’s shoulder, a half-hug. Shouto tensed, feeling slightly uncomfortable at the contact.

“I hope your mom wakes up,” Shinsou said quietly, his voice low enough that only Shouto would hear him. “But whatever you and your brother are doing, you keep Momo out of it.”

Then he let go, giving Shouto a serious look. He didn’t wait for Shouto to respond before stepping away and following Momo. Shouto stared for a second, sighing. He wanted to tell Shinsou to mind his own business. That Momo was involved because she had demanded to be involved with Shouto’s life. But, Shouto couldn’t actually be angry with him. He was just trying to watch out for her, to make sure that she was safe.

And that was actually something that him and the purple-haired emo had in common.

Shouto followed them to the door, waving his goodbyes as they walked out and headed down the hall. He watched them for a few moments, before finally closing the door, locking it, and turning around to lean against it. He pulled out his phone, quickly typing out a message to Momo to make sure that Shinsou wouldn’t say anything about the snippet of conversation that he overheard. He really fucking hoped that allowing them to come visit him today wasn’t going to blow up in his face just because Shinsou had been jealous of them going to the kitchen. What did he expect to see? Shouto fucking her on the counter? Kai was going to be pissed if this visit ended up with pro-heroes on their doorstep asking about Dabi.

Still, it felt really good to see Momo and Izuku again. It had helped to know that not everyone believed the slew of bullshit articles that had been posted this morning. To know that he still had a few people that supported him, even if it was a small circle.

Hopefully he could hold onto that feeling for the next few hours.

Standing back up, he headed back toward the living room. Kai wasn’t there, so he went looking for him in the bedroom. Kai was sitting on the edge of the bed, his tie hanging around his neck, the top few buttons of his shirt undone as he typed out a message on his phone. He looked up as Shouto walked in.

“I hope you enjoyed seeing your friends.”

Shouto nodded, walking over to help Kai finish getting dressed. As much as Shouto loved helping Kai take his clothes off, there was something profoundly intimate about helping the man get dressed that Shouto really enjoyed.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the others,” Shouto said, wanting to address the issue directly. In his line of work, it was important that Kai knew who was going to be around. And though Shouto doubted he would bring anyone over if even Momo was there, Shouto knew that the lack of communication would bother Kai. “I was going to tell you about Midoriya, but the sex kind-of distracted me,” he admitted honestly as he did up the last few buttons on Kai’s shirt. “And I didn’t know that Shinsou was coming until they got here.”

Kai was quiet for a moment. Shouto pushed the collar of his shirt up so that he could work on Kai’s tie.

“I’m glad that they helped you,” Kai finally replied. “And I know that I have allowed Miss Yaoyorozu over a few times. But you need to make sure she doesn’t feel too comfortable here. She can’t start showing up with unannounced guests. You know that.”

“I know,” Shouto nodded, tightening the knot on Kai’s tie before adjusting his collar back into place. “It won’t happen again.”

“I don’t think your friend Midoriya liked me very much,” Kai noted, an amused tone to his voice.

“Yeah well, he is really good friends with Baku–” he hesitated for a moment, wishing he had kept that particular thought to himself when he felt Kai tense. They hadn’t talked about Bakugou since the night before Shouto met Okimoto for the first time. But, it was too late now. “With Bakugou. And he over-thinks everything, so he was probably just trying to figure out how I ended up with someone he had never met or even heard of before. I didn’t really talk about you to my classmates, since I couldn’t exactly explain how I knew you. So it just is weird for him, I think.”

“Just be careful, Shouto,” Kai warned him. “You know the risks of having someone see or hear too much. Even in hard times, you don’t want to put your work in the Yakuza at risk. You were the one exception I made around someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Usually I kill people that saw and heard as much as you did. You don’t want to find yourself in a place where one of your friends has to die because you weren’t being careful enough. You don’t want to have to be the one to kill them.”

Shouto sagged against Kai. He knew Kai was right, but today, of all days, he didn’t want to think about that. Especially since Shinsou had, in fact, heard something he shouldn’t have. Not enough to be worried, and not enough to admit as much to Kai.

“I know,” Shouto replied. “I will be more careful.”

Kai nudged Shouto back so that he could stand up. He put his hand under Shouto’s chin and pulled his head up to kiss him; slowly at first, each kiss getting deeper, exploring Shouto’s mouth with his own.

Too soon, Kai pulled away.

“Are you ready to go see your mom, Little Fox?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. To the paper, to sign up for a damn interview… absolutely not. But he was more than ready to finally see his mom. To hold her hand, and tell her that he wanted her to wake up. If she did, he would eventually find a way to help her escape Todoroki Enji.

Chapter Text

Shouto POV

Shouto was already mentally exhausted by the time they reached the hospital. Between the articles, and seeing his friends, and dealing with the newspaper, the only thing that was keeping him going was the likelihood of getting to see his mom (and not having to deal with any of Enji’s bullshit to make it happen).

Luckily, making an arrangement with Musutafu Daily had been easier than Shouto had originally expected. The entire ride over, he had been dreading offering up an interview after everything the publication had said about him in the past. Agreeing to it, and setting up a day to go over, dealing with a bunch of intrusive questions and judgements, and dragging out this entire ordeal with Endeavor even more.

But during the ride, Shouto had an idea; well, inspiration really, from both Kai and (and as much as he hated to admit it) Enji. Instead of offering an interview where he didn’t have control over the questions and topics that were discussed, he offered them a statement instead. It was simple and to-the-point. He got to sit down and write the statement out then and there, with Kai's help to ensure it was worded just the way Shouto wanted it, conveying the exact message he needed it to convey. Clear, concise, but filled with all the emotions he had struggled with over the last twenty-four hours. He even resisted the urge to tear Enji's character apart in the article the way he wanted to; he chalked up his father's shameful accusations to being the product of grief. Although Shouto didn't actually believe that, he decided the story might be better received if he played out the argument as a type of mourning between an estranged father and son. If no one believed that Endeavor was abusive before, he doubted they would believe him now. There was no point repeating himself, better to focus on simply taking the heat off of himself.

If everything went right, hopefully the article would take some of the focus off him and help to alleviate Okimoto's concern.

The best part was that he was done with the entire unpleasant task. The statement was delivered. The paper was thrilled to receive it, and it would probably be on the front page first thing tomorrow. He could go to Okimoto with the problem already in the process of being resolved.

Kai bought him soba afterward, and that definitely helped a bit too. And now he could focus on seeing his mom, as soon as Enji left the hospital, at least. For now they were just killing time at headquarters, waiting in Kai's office, until they got word that Enji had left the hospital. The building was much closer to the hospital than their apartment, and gave them somewhere to wait that wasn't just sitting in the car. It was after seven already, so Shouto really hoped they would get the call any minute now.

Kai was reading over some reports on his computer, and Shouto had looked up a motorcycle driving course online. Kai had finally given him permission to enroll after Kai had driven Shouto to the paper on his own bike, and Shouto had mentioned how nice it was to ride with Kai, but that he really wanted to be more independent and have his own bullet bike to get around on when he needed it. The sentiment was true. Shouto loved the feeling of having his arms wrapped around Kai’s waist, their bodies pressed flush together as the wind whipped around them. It was intimate and freeing. But Shouto hated having to rely on public transportation when neither Kai nor Xaoi Fe was available to drive him around. He’d worked so hard these past few months to help build up his reputation within the Yakuza; but he really felt like having his own bike, one that he could legally drive as much as he needed, was an important step in his goal to stand beside Kai as his equal. With that in mind, Shouto had decided that he didn’t want to wait to get started. The sign-up process was easy, and he was already slotted for a 4-week class that started on Monday. The last day of the class was only a few days before his trip to America, but he didn’t care if it made his schedule a bit hectic. He was more than ready to have his own transportation.

But that distraction had only lasted so long. Now he was mindlessly scrolling through social media, and had entered a rabbit hole of looking at pictures of the largest recorded sharks in the world, thanks to a single video on Izuku's feed that had sent him spiraling. It was brainless entertainment, but that was fine; it was much better than getting pulled into those damn lies that had printed about him. Although a small piece of him was curious to find out what the articles said, he didn't want to sink further into depression.

At 7:24, Kai finally got the call that Shouto was waiting for. Endeavor was officially out of the hospital. Shouto felt a knot of anxiety in his gut begin to form the moment Kai had gotten the call. It was finally happening. After all of the stress and grief and anxiety that had haunted him over the last twenty-four hours, Shouto was going to get to see his mom. His mind felt like a turbulent mass of churning thoughts and fears, and when he climbed onto the back of Kai’s bike and wrapped his arms around Kai’s waist, he clung onto his boyfriend even tighter than usual as they rode to the hospital. Shouto was nervous.

He kept going over all the what if situations in his head.

What if Endeavor came back early?

What if something else went wrong? What if the doctor changed his mind, or another doctor saw Shouto and stopped him from going in.

What if he couldn’t see her after all?

And the worst one… the one that had settled over him like an almost suffocating, lingering dread…

What if Shouto got to the hospital only to have a doctor tell him that his mother had passed away before he arrived. What if Shouto never got to actually say goodbye.

Shouto fought to push those thoughts out of his head. Internally he kept repeating ’everything is going to be fine, she is going to be fine’. He hoped that if he just said it enough times, then maybe he would actually start to believe it.

The drive over was a blur.

Now they were here, both of them dressed down to hopefully decrease the chances of them being recognized, waiting at an employee’s only entrance of the hospital for Doctor Teruya to let them in. Luckily, it was a different doctor than the one who kicked Shouto out yesterday, though Shouto was certain that the entire hospital probably knew about Enji’s bullshit request to keep Shouto from seeing his mom. Luckily, whatever favor that Doctor Teruya owed to Kai was apparently enough to make him risk the wrath of Musutafu’s number one hero. The arrangement that Kai had made was perfect, and getting into the hospital went smoothly. They didn’t have to deal with the journalists that were still hovering outside the main entrance. The doctor escorted them personally through the non-public halls to his mom’s room. No interference. No recordings or pictures.

No audience.

“You have twenty minutes before I will be back to escort you out.” Doctor Teruya told them as they stopped in front of her room. “I know it’s not much, but it’s the best I can do. Mrs. Todoroki is scheduled for her next blood transfusion in one hour, and nurses will be in to start prepping her about twenty minutes before that. It’s important that no one knows that you were here.”

Twenty minutes. It really wasn’t enough, not even close to what Shouto wanted. But again, it would have to be enough.

“I understand,” Shouto agreed. “I’m glad they are still treating her. Is she going to…” Shouto hesitated to ask the question, not even sure if he could over the lump of anxiety in his throat. He was afraid of what the answer might be. “To live?” he added, the last two words quiet and melancholic.

“We hope so,” Doctor Teruya answered. “But we don’t know for sure yet. Her vitals are steady, and she has a good amount of brain activity, but she lost a lot of blood. Everything that happened has put a lot of strain on her body. We are doing everything that we can to help her. The treatment that she is receiving is top of the line. But only time will tell if the effort will be enough. I’m very sorry.”

Shouto nodded, trying to blink away the tears that were trying to form. He gave the doctor a small bow, not trusting himself to speak. He wasn’t a religious man, but he was praying that the treatments would work. He couldn’t bear even the idea that they wouldn’t. Shouto watched the doctor walk away before turning to face the door. The simple, white wood felt ominous as he tried to work up the nerve to go in. Shouto knew what lay on the other side, and he was nervous to deal with the reality of seeing it.

Kai set his hand on Shouto’s lower back, stepping in next to him to open the door and gently nudging Shouto to step inside. The foot of the bed was immediately visible as the door opened up, the room cold and clinical. Shouto followed Kai’s silent instructions; obeying his boyfriend was almost second nature, and much easier than making the conscious effort to face his fears. Shouto took a deep breath as he stepped inside, his attention drawn to the bed as Kai shut the door behind them.

Shouto took a tentative step forward.

His mom looked so… small. So fragile.

Rei was lying in the bed, completely outside of the almost imperceptible rise and fall of her chest, her breathing shallow. Her long, white hair was braided, the braid resting over the shoulder of her white hospital gown. She looked almost peaceful, if it wasn’t for the half-dozen machines hooked up to her and the large bandaged wraps around her wrists. The room was filled up with the sound of the machines buzzing and beeping, but it was almost comforting; a reminder that his moms vitals were strong, even if she hadn’t woken up yet. There was a single vase of roses on the table next to her, and a card with a dove on the front leaned against it.

Kai stayed back near the door as Shouto continued to take a few slow steps forward, until he was standing directly next to his mom’s bed. Shouto reached out, hesitating just a moment before taking his mom’s hand. It was very cold against his skin, and almost disturbed him with how lifeless it felt in his own hand.

He didn’t really know what to say. He had so many emotions that had flowed through him over the past day, so many that were still at war inside of himself. He had so many things that he wanted to say… but he didn’t know where to even begin.

His tongue was so thick that he wasn’t sure if he could speak.

A full minute passed as Shouto held his mom’s hand between his own, hating the scratchy feeling of the wrap around her wrist as it touched the side of his hand.

“I’m sorry, mom,” Shouto finally managed.. Seeing her like this, so vulnerable, it made him wish even more than yesterday that he had done something… anything... after he saw her last that might have prevented this.

He brought her hand up, holding the back of it against his right cheek. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply as he focused on the feeling of her cool fingers against his skin, pretending for a moment that she was awake, comforting him of her own accord.

"You didn't deserve to be stuck in that house with him. I should have helped you get away from him." Shouto could feel the tears burning in the corners of his eyes, he could hear his own voice getting thick with emotion as he tried not to break down.

Machines beeped and whirred in response.

What he wouldn't give to hear her speak even a single word.

Shouto opened his eyes, lowering her hand back down and arranging it gently back into place. He leaned over her, gently adjusting her pillow to support her neck better. He ran his fingers down the side of her face, and tucked her bangs back behind her ears.

She was so beautiful.

"I'm not ready to lose you," he whispered.

Shouto stood there for a long time, his limited time passing too quickly.

"We need to leave in a few minutes, Little Fox," Kai eventually reminded Shouto, his voice gentle and soothing..

Shouto nodded.

He turned away, touching one of the rose petals. His mom would approve of the beautiful arrangement. Dabi would too. Then Shouto glanced at the card, picking it up curiously.

There is no stronger love than that which exists between a mother and her children. The words were printed in bold black letters inside the card.

Below that, in an elegant print that Shouto hadn't read in a long time, Fuyumi had scrawled We love you, mom. Natsuo and Fuyumi had both signed it.

"Do you have a pen?" Shouto asked, looking up at Kai.

"Give me a moment," Kai replied, stepping out into the hall. He returned a minute later, handing Shouto a cheap blue ballpoint pen.

It would have to do.

Shouto leaned down, imitating Touya's scrawl the best he could as he added Touya and, in his own handwriting, Shouto added his name.

Then he set the card back down. He went to his mom once more, leaning down and kissing her cheek

"I love you, mom."

* * * * * *

Midorya POV

Izuku woke up determined. Determined, and yawning, and with a lingering bad feeling eating away at his stomach. He had barely slept last night, his thoughts flashing between being in Shouto’s apartment the day before and standing in that alley with Murio a few weeks ago, that little girl crying as she clung onto Izuku’s pants.

Yesterday had not gone according to plan. Not at all.

The plan had been to make Shouto feel better, to try to help him process everything that he was going through. And Izuku was really glad that Shouto had allowed him to come visit. As far as Midoryiya knew, Momo was the only student from 1A that even knew where Shouto lived now, until yesterday, at least. Izuku himself had only talked to Shouto twice since, well, everything. He felt like he barely knew who his friend was anymore. He missed Shouto. Shouto had always been so fierce and so determined, so powerful and so driven, so smart and so kind… it was hard not having Shouto in his life. He and Shouto had become really good friends after the Sports Festival, and Izuku missed everything about how things used to be.

And he really missed seeing Shouto at UA, even after UA had given his spot to Shinsou. Shinsou was awesome, of course. Amazing actually. His quirk was fascinating. I mean, a brainwashing quirk! It was practically unheard of! For someone to literally control another person after a single response. Izuku had been desperate to get a hold of Shinsou ever since the Sports Festival when the purple-haired teen had almost defeated him without even lifting a finger. He wanted to understand it. The possibilities for what Shinsou could do were absolutely endless, and having him in the class was the perfect opportunity for Izuku to get close to him. He had almost filled up an entire notebook about him already! There were so many people who accused Shinsou of having a villain’s quirk… even Kacchan! But here Shinsou was, in the heroics course at UA, alongside Musufatu’s future top heroes, proving himself day in and day out. It was commendable! Izuku had so much that he could learn from him!

But…

It still wasn’t Shouto.

Even if seeing Shouto was hard for him.

It helped now that Shouto had changed his hair. The black and white didn’t remind him nearly so much of… everything.

He really wished that he and Shouto could talk about what happened, but the handful of times that Izuku had talked to him just never felt right. Not right after Shouto had broken things off with Kacchan. Not over the chat feature on their game. And definitely not yesterday, not with everything Shouto was going through with his mom.

But some days, what happened to Izuku just felt so heavy. Like he couldn't hold the burden by himself. He cried more, and he couldn't really talk to his other friends about being raped. Kacchan still blamed Shouto, even though he was a victim too. Ochako cried every time it was mentioned. Tenya felt uncomfortable talking about sex at all, let alone rape or assault. He wasn’t really close enough to Kirishima or Momo to talk to them. And none of his other friends had been in the courtroom that day. They would never understand the whole story.

But Shouto.

Shouto had so much fortitude. After everything that Izuku saw that day, after everything that he heard... He could hardly believe what Shouto had been through the past few months. And he still came to school every day… well, most days, and he did his best. After his father hurt him. After he found out his brother was a villain. After the League had…

Twice!

Shouto would understand how Izuku felt. How hard it was. Shouto may not be at UA anymore, but he was one of the strongest men that Izuku knew. What happened was just a bump in the road, for both of them. He was certain that Shouto would eventually remember his goals, and work hard to become a hero. Maybe the two of them could even work together one day and make a difference for the city.

Or, at least, he had been sure.

Until yesterday.

Which meant that today, especially, was one of those heavy days.

Izuku sighed, forcing himself to get out of bed, even though it was much earlier than he liked to wake up. He ran a hand through his tangled hair, wincing as his fingers caught in knots as he tried to tame it a little bit. He grabbed his shower kit, and headed downstairs to get ready. He had a busy day ahead of him. Each student in class 1A had an extensive end-of-year quirk evaluation this week, and Izuku’s was this morning. Kirishima had warned everyone on the first day that you only get ten minutes to warm up, and that wasn’t nearly enough for Izuku, not with how hard Izuku’s quirk was on his body. He needed to stretch and run at least a few laps before class so that he could rate as high as possible on this evaluation. After that, Aizawa was going to be covering the practice materials for their end-of-year exams. And Izuku was really hoping for enough time to reread chapter 4 of 'The Evolution of Physical Quirks by Country'. He wanted to get a head start on his report about the fair use of physical quirks in quirk-restricted sporting events. If he was really lucky, maybe Shoji or Ojiro would get to class early too so he could get their opinions.

But, most of all, Izuku wanted the chance to talk with Aizawa. Before he could change his mind. He had debated with himself all night. He had told himself that it was his imagination. That he was overly suspicious after everything that had happened to him. That he was spooked knowing that Shouto had knowingly lived with his brother before his arrest, with Dabi... The very villain who had nearly killed Izuku at the training camp and had kidnapped Bakugou.

That Izuku could trust Shouto.

The car ride to Shouto’s apartment had been a bit tense between Momo and Shinsou, even if they didn’t talk much. Izuku suspected it had to do with the phone call he overheard earlier; Momo had ended the call by telling Shouto that she loved him. Izuku had been right behind them and he saw the way Shinsou tensed up at the words. Shinsou had been stiff ever since. Izuku suspected that’s why Shinsou had asked to tag along in the first place, even though he didn’t really know Shouto. But it wasn’t Izuku’s business, so he kept quiet and listened intently to the soft pop music that Momo had playing and the awkward silence between the two in the front seat.

Then they had arrived at the apartment, and Izuku had immediately stumbled directly into Shouto, accidentally feeling him up. Izuku blushed at just the memory. Izuku had seen glimpses of Shouto plenty of times in the locker rooms, but seeing his body was very different than touching it; Shouto’s muscles had been firm and warm underneath Izuku’s hands. And that had brought up very conflicted emotions. Of course Shouto was handsome, and seemed to be in better shape now than Izuku had ever seen him. Pretty much everyone in 1A (and a large chunk of the school in general) who liked men had at least a small crush on Shouto. That included himself, although Izuku had always known that he and Shouto would likely never date, even before Shouto ended up dating Kacchan.

But the worst part of finding himself so unexpectedly close to Shouto was that, as he looked up Shouto’s body and met his heterochromatic eyes, it took him back to the day that Toga had deceived him. To the moment that he had looked up at his friend as they sat on the steps together, and he had met those same (and yet not the same) blue and gray eyes, only to be punched in the nose. And, for a split second, Izuku had felt the ghostlike feeling of Shouto’s hands on his shoulders as Izuku’s head hit the cement stairs…

He had jumped back so quickly at the apartment that it had embarrassed him. Shinsou had glanced at Izuku strangely for a moment, but Shouto and Momo had been so preoccupied with hugging one another that they had, thankfully, not noticed the few minutes that he needed to focus on his breathing and adjust to having Shouto so physically close to him.

Izuku really hoped that Shouto hadn’t noticed, at least. Izuku didn’t want Shouto to think that he was scared to be around him, even if Izuku’s body seemed to react on its own to his presence, even just his memory at times. Izuku didn’t want Shouto to think that Izuku blamed him for what happened. It had been beyond cruel for The League of Villains to use the face of his friend to try and break Izuku down so completely, but Izuku blamed no one but Shigaraki and Toga for what happened.

He just wished that his instincts felt the same.

But after that, once he had recovered and they had actually made it into the apartment, things started to go well. The apartment complex was super secure… they couldn’t even get in without a special code that Shouto had given to Momo. And there had been two security guards in the lobby. It made Izuku feel good that, after everything, Shouto would be safe here. Shigaraki couldn’t get to him in here, not easily. Shouto’s apartment turned out to be one of the penthouses near the top, and it was absolutely beautiful. It was clean and well taken care of, and when Momo showed Izuku and Shinsou the view of the city… it was breathtaking!

And Shouto, well, Shouto had been sad. Upset. Angry. It was understandable. It was all understandable. Shouto’s mom was in the hospital after trying to kill herself. I mean, Izuku couldn’t even imagine being in the other man’s shoes. If it was Izuku’s mom in the hospital, and she had tried to take her own life… and the doctors didn’t think that she was going to make it. Izuku didn’t know what he would do; it would probably break him. And Shouto already had such a complicated relationship with his mom. Izuku didn’t know much about it outside of what all the different articles had mentioned… and, after all of the false articles that he saw around Shouto earlier this year, Izuku had no idea which ones to even trust. Shouto himself almost never talked about his mom. After all, who would want to spend a lot of time talking about a parent that wasn’t in their life. Izuku didn’t ever talk about his father, not that he knew who his father was. But if he did know who his father was, he still wouldn’t talk about him a lot because he had abandoned Izuku and his mom. Who would want to talk about that? But Izuku did know that Shouto’s mom was the one who had given him the scar on his face, the one that Izuku knew he hated. She had burned him, poured hot water on his face when he was only eight years old. He never told Izuku why, only that she had gone crazy and had to go to the hospital. Izuku couldn’t imagine how hard that was for Shouto, even today. Knowing that his mom had done that to him, having to see the reminder of it every time he looked in the mirror.

After hearing about how Shouto had seen his mom more recently, it seemed their relationship had only gotten more strained. After breaking into his father’s mansion in order to get some of his stuff… and Izuku couldn’t imagine having to break into your own house just to get some of your stuff. I mean, he knew that Shouto had been trying to file those domestic violence charges against his father. It was so brave, so courageous. To stand up to his abuser, especially since Endeavor was the number one hero. Shouto was always brave. He knew that no one would believe him and still he tried to do the right thing and file those charges anyway. Izuku didn’t know what had happened to the case. It just disappeared once Shouto got arrested. But Izuku knew that there had to be some truth to it, because Shouto had rejected his name and his legacy, his succession to his father’s agency and all the money that Shouto was supposed to inherit. Old money. The entire Todoroki fortune… like a lot of money. More money than Izuku would probably ever see in his entire lifetime, even if Izuku became the number one hero. You don’t just do that for no reason. Shouto had to hate his father, and his father apparently hated him too because otherwise Shouto would have never had to break into his own house. But when he broke in, he saw his mom. He said it was like seeing a shell of his mother, that she was drugged up and delusional. That she had no idea what had happened over the past year, no idea what Shouto had gone through.

And that she had been pregnant.

Izuku knew that Shouto hated the fact that she was pregnant. At least, Izuku was pretty sure he had hated it. Izuku had watched the interview that Shouto gave a few months ago, a couple of times. Shouto flat out told his father, on national television, not giving a damn about how it would look to anyone else, that if his father abused this new baby, then Shouto would make sure he went to jail. Izuku knew Shouto. Shouto didn’t make threats. That must mean that he really was worried about Endeavor abusing his new sibling, and that he was worried about the child growing up in the Todoroki mansion.

But now, even if Shouto’s mom lived… and apparently the doctors didn’t think that she was going to live… they had still lost the baby. In trying to take her own life, she ended up having a miscarriage.

And Endeavor… Endeavor had blamed the entire thing on Shouto. Not just to his face, but to the entire city of Musutafu. Endeavor had implied that Shouto had upset his mother so severely when he saw her at the mansion, and saw what and who he had become, that she had chosen to take her own life. And the news had run with it… Dozens of articles claiming that Shouto’s lies had killed his own sibling, and would likely lead to the death of his mother.

That was a big part of why Momo had wanted to visit him personally, instead of just calling to make sure he was ok. After all of the slander that Shouto had received in the days leading up to their court trial, and all the negative publicity that had come out about Shouto in the past year, and now this… Momo just knew that Shouto probably wasn’t ok. She told Izuku and Shinsou as much. And Momo knew Shouto better than anyone. Izuku had watched the two of them over the last year. He had seen how close they were. Everyone had seen it. She told them how much all of those articles affected Shouto, how hard it had been for him. Even after the trial, there were so many articles about Shouto and Dabi that even Izuku hadn’t been able to read them all… and he had tried!

So they went to his apartment yesterday to comfort him. He clearly had needed it, and everything was going ok.

Then he got home. Chisaki Kai. Shouto’s boyfriend.

And Izuku had recognized him. Immediately. His intense, almost piercing golden eyes. His short, brown hair. His height. But most of all, Izuku had recognized his voice. The only thing the man had been missing was the eerie plague doctor mask. But Izuku still knew that it was him.

Overhaul.

At least, that’s who Murio had said the man was, and Sir Nighteye had agreed with him after they submitted their report and their description of the man. Izuku had never heard of this villain before, but Sir Nighteye said that Overhaul was a leader in the Yakuza, and that he was extremely dangerous. That there was very little actually known about him or who he was. The agencies knew about him from stories and secondhand reports and the occasional blurry picture on a streetcam. But there was no direct interactions ever recorded between him and a hero.

Sir Nighteye had told them both that they were lucky to still be alive.

Very lucky.

And, despite days of trying, the Nighteye Agency had found no leads that had helped them to find that little girl, even after they enlisted Aizawa-sensei’s agency to help them. They had found no sign of the little girl who had so desperately needed their help, who had begged them to help her. Izuku couldn’t stop thinking about her, wishing that he had just grabbed her and ran. Gotten her away from Overhaul. He had clearly hurt her. It was plain as day, with those bandages covering up her arms and her legs. She had been terrified of the villain, and he and Murio had just left her there.

Now, she was gone.

And Izuku had felt like such a failure of a hero.

But finally, Izuku had a lead. He was certain of it.

Sure, the man had looked at Shouto like he cared about him. He had referred to Shouto with a pet name, in such an intimate way that Izuku felt like he was invading his friend’s privacy for just having witnessed it. It wasn't like that was the first time Izuku had seen the man. Chisaki was at their trial, though so much of that was a blur for Izuku that he had barely paid attention to Chisaki. But he had seen him again during Shouto’s interview.

Which was exactly why the villain had seemed so familiar when Izuku had met him on the street!

"Because they are the only paper who chose not to slander Shouto’s name this morning," Chisaki had said to them, and Izuku had thought the man sounded familiar. But then he had greeted Izuku, pinning him down with those same blazing golden eyes that Izuku remembered so clearly from that day in the alley. "Mr. Midoriya, I'm glad to see you looking so well."

And Izuku had just known that it had to be him. It had to be Overhaul.

Izuku pushed open the door to the boys bathroom. As he padded over to the sink to brush his teeth, he could hear one of the showers already going. It was probably Kacchan. He always woke up earlier than everyone else. By the time Izuku had finished brushing his teeth, the shower had turned off. Sure enough, when he turned around to grab his shampoo out of his shower kit, Bakugou was getting out of the shower with nothing but a towel around his waist, his back facing Izuku.

“Morning Kacchan!” Izuku greeted his old friend, trying to sound happier than he felt.

Bakugou jumped, grabbing onto his towel so it didn’t drop to the floor. He whirled around, his red eyes narrowing in on Izuku. As usual, he did not seem to be in a good mood.

“What in the actual fuck, Deku?!” he growled, stamping over impatiently. “It’s five in the damn morning. What the fuck are you even doing up?” Bakugou pushed past Izuku, digging into his own kit to grab his school clothes.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Izuku lied. He didn’t like to lie, especially not to his best friend. He never lied to Kacchan… well, almost never. He couldn’t tell him about All Might or how he had actually gotten his quirk. Even if he wanted to. He never lied about anything else though. But he knew that Bakugou hated talking about Shouto, and would probably be even more angry if he knew–

Wait.

Bakugou didn’t like to talk about Shouto. Because he and Shouto had been… sleeping together? Dating? Friends with Benefits? Rivals? Izuku had no idea, because neither of them had ever given him any kind of a real answer about what their relationship had meant. But there had been something between them. Kacchan had helped Shouto the night after Shigaraki had hurt him, Izuku knew that from the trial. Surely Shouto would have told him what happened. And if Shouto told Bakugou about The League, then maybe he told Bakugou about other things. They were still sleeping together when Shouto claimed that he had been living with his brother. That had to have been about the time that Shouto started dating his boyfriend. After all, Kacchan had admitted at the trial that he had been trying to make Shouto jealous… And Izuku had forgiven him. Even if that forgiveness had been hard. Even if it still made him sad. He liked Kacchan. He had for a long time now, and he still did. And when Kacchan had kissed him, it just felt… right. But it wasn’t right, because Bakugou had still liked Shouto. And Izuku had forgiven him anyway, because that’s what friends do. The alternative was that he and Kacchan wouldn’t be friends anymore, and Izuku just couldn’t imagine what his life would be like if he and Kacchan weren’t friends. But if Bakugou had been trying to make Shouto jealous, it was because he had to have known that Shouto was dating someone else. And if he knew that Shouto was dating someone else, then maybe he knew something about—

“Hello?!” Bakugou’s voice cut through his thoughts, the blonde’s fingers suddenly snapping in front of Izuku’s face. “Earth to Deku!”

Izuku blinked, looking over at his friend. Kacchan already had a pair of pants on and a towel wrapped around his head. Izuku must have gotten lost in his thoughts.

He did that sometimes.

“There you are, you fucking space cadet,” Kacchan growled. “Why the fuck are you standing there and mumbling about Icy-hot?”

Izuku had to at least try to ask him. Maybe he knew if Shouto’s boyfriend was actually the villain Overhaul. Although, if Kacchan knew, it meant Shouto knew. And if Shouto knew that his boyfriend was a villain, then he probably knew about that little girl…

Izuku didn’t want to think about that.

He desperately wanted to believe that Shouto didn’t know about any of it.

“I went to visit him at his apartment yesterday… with Momo and Shinsou.”

“Tch,” Bakugou growled, whipping the towel off his head and using it to scrub unnecessarily hard at the partially damp locks. “Good for you, tits, and mindfuck. I’m sure you all had a fucking ball.”

Anger. Resentment. Irritated behavior. Degrading nicknames.

He had Kacchan’s attention.

“We went to make sure he was ok after… ya know, his mom…”

“I fucking know, Deku,” Kacchan growled. “The entire city of Musutafu fucking knows.” Bakugou chucked his dirty towel into the laundry bin, grabbing his t-shirt and yanking it aggressively over his head. Who knows how long his friend would stay once he was dressed. Izuku needed to make his point quickly.

“I met his boyfriend,” Izuku added, feeling a little guilty at the way the statement made Bakugou flinch.

Bakugou looked at him, his crimson eyes glaring accusingly at Izuku for mentioning him.

"Congradgu-fucking-lations," Bakugou growled, "You met the controlling asshole who dicks halfie down every night. I'm sure your life is so much fucking better for it."

Izuku blushed at the vulgar description. If Chisaki was actually the villain Overhaul, then Izuku didn't like the idea of Shouto even living with him, let alone that Shouto was certainly sleeping with him.

Bakugou glared, grabbing his shower kit and shoulder-checking Izuku as he pushed past him.

"Wait Kacchan," Izuku called out to him before he stalked out. Bakugou stopped, but Izuku could tell he didn't want to. He didn't turn back around to look at Izuku, and Izuku could see the tension in his back and muscles. "Didn't… didn't he seem like kind of a… weird guy? Do you think Shouto is safe with him?"

Bakugou's free hand curled into a fist, and he didn't respond right away. His shoulders seemed to tense even more, if that was possible, and seconds ticked away. So long that Izuku wondered if Bakugou was even going to answer.

Then Bakugou finally turned around, scowling. But Izuku could see something else lingering in his expression… not quite sadness, but a resigned acceptance. Izuku didn't understand it at all.

"Do you really wanna know what I think about that bastard?" Bakugou spat between gritted teeth.

Izuku nodded.

"I think that you should stay as far the fuck away from him as you can." Bakugou answered, a cold anger in his voice. "Stay away from him, and stay away from Icy-hot. They are bad news, ok. Shouto's life is a fucking shit show that you don't want to touch with a ten mile pole. Just fucking forget about Shouto, Deku. Forget about hanging out with him. Forget about trying to be his friend. You have no fucking idea who he is now."

That was… a lot.

"What do you mean?" Izuku pressed. It sounded like Bakugou knew way more than he was letting on.

"Tch," Bakugou sneered. "I mean that Chisaki Kai is a bad fucking dude. And that half-n-half bastard isn't much better. Do yourself a favor, and cut all ties."

"But–"

"No buts, Deku," Bakugou growled. "I'm not going to sit around talking about this shit." He turned around, headed toward the door. "But for your sake, I hope you fucking listen to me."

Izuku stared after him.

"Chisaki Kai is a bad fucking dude."

Izuku grabbed his shampoo, setting the kit down on the bench and stiffly heading toward the first shower stall.

It could just be jealousy. Bakugou had really liked Shouto after all. Izuku was sure of it, because he had known Bakugou since they were toddlers and the blonde had never expressed a romantic interest in anyone else. And it might just be that based off of his rather colorful description of Shouto's boyfriend. But it felt like there was more to his words… a lot more. If it wasn't just jealousy, then maybe Bakugou truly did believe that Chisaki was a bad person. And if he thought Chisaki was a bad person, maybe he thought that because he knew that Chisaki was involved with some kind of a dangerous organization… like the Yakuza.

Just like Overhaul

Izuku turned on the water, not bothering to wait for it to get fully warm before stepping in and getting his hair wet. After his conversation with Bakugou, he was more certain than ever that his theory about Chisaki was correct. Of course, nothing he saw was hard proof; and Bakugou hadn’t directly admitted to the man being tied to the Yakuza. But surely Aizawa-sensei or Nighteye would believe that there was enough circumstantial evidence to at least look into Chisaki.

That also meant, however, that they would likely look into Shouto, too. And Izuku hoped with his entire being that if Chisaki really was Overhaul, then Shouto didn’t know. That Shouto wasn’t involved with the Yakuza. That he didn’t know about the little girl that Overhaul was holding captive.

But the thing that bothered Izuku most, is that based on everything that he had seen and heard and inferred… he was worried that Shouto might know exactly who his boyfriend was.

Izuku quickly lathered up his hair, using the shampoo like a body wash as well. He needed to get dressed and get up to Aizawa-sensei’s apartment with enough time for their conversation before the man headed to school to prepare for his classes. He rushed to rinse off quickly, double-checking to make sure there wasn’t any soap left on his body before turning off the water. Then he stepped out, realizing he had forgotten to bring his towel over. He cupped his hand over his cock just in case any of the other’s came in, feeling a little guilty as he trailed water across the floor to get his towel.

He really hoped that Shouto could forgive him for what he was about to do. He knew his old friend would. The old Shouto, before everything would have forgiven him. He would have told Izuku to do whatever was needed to make sure that that little girl made it back home to her family.

But now…

You have no fucking idea who he is now.

Izuku pushed the thought away. Just the thought of turning Shouto in after everything that had happened to him over the past year made Izuku’s stomach churn with guilt. And what if Izuku was wrong?

But there was a little girl out there, alone and hurt and confused. And that was the only person that Izuku could think about.

He dried off quickly, shrugging into his school clothes and running his brush blindly through his hair. He threw his stuff back into his kit, and double-stepped to his room in order to drop off the kit. Then he headed to the teacher's lounge. He was nervous, repeating what he wanted to say to Aizawa again and again as he walked. Students weren't even supposed to go to the teachers' apartments unless it was an emergency. But if Izuku was right, then this information might save a child's life, and that had to be as important as any emergency.

When he got to the locked door leading into the teacher’s complex, Izuku quickly reached up and pushed the buzzer for Aizawa-sensei’s room. He glanced at his phone. 6:09am. He really hoped that his professor was awake already. He impatiently waited a full minute before pushing the buzzer again, and another full minute before pushing it a third time.

“It’s six in the morning,” Aizawa’s very sleepy and definitely semi-irritated voice came over the intercom.

“Good morning sensei,” Izuku greeted him. “It’s Midoriya Izuku!”

“It is six in the morning, Midoriya,” Aizawa repeated himself.

Izuku felt a little pang of guilt at having obviously woken him up. Aizawa was clearly still tired; he hadn’t left an opening for Izuku to say what he needed. But this was too important, so Izuku pushed his nerves aside to press forward with his request.

“I really need to talk to you about… the Overhaul mission,” Izuku lowered his voice for the last few words, just to be safe.

Aizawa was quiet for a moment. Long enough that Izuku was beginning to wonder if he should elaborate; maybe the man was waiting for a better explanation.

“I don’t really think that this is the time or place to discuss this,” Aizawa finally answered, a bit impatiently. “Why don’t you discuss this with Nighteye at your internship. He is the lead hero in this investigation, after all.”

“Nighteye is out of town until Monday for a conference in Tokyo,” Izuku explained. He thought about going to Centipeder, but the hero wasn’t really involved with this investigation, and he had so much on his plate already with Nighteye being out of town. “Please, sensei, this is really important. I believe I have found Overhaul.”

“You found Overhaul?” Aizawa was clearly dubious.

“Yes!” Izuku affirmed confidently. “I know how it sounds, but I really do think I have a lead to find that little girl. Can I please come up and talk? Just for a few minutes?”

Aizawa didn’t answer, but a moment later, Izuku heard the buzz of the doors unlocking. Izuku cheered inwardly, glad that Aizawa hadn’t dismissed him or asked him to talk after class. After all, both he and Nighteye had mentioned how elusive Overhaul was. Apparently his branch of the Yakuza had quite the list of crimes under their belt, and many hero agencies had attempted to find him. He didn’t blame Aizawa-sensei for being skeptical that Izuku might uncover his identity less than two weeks after encountering him.

Izuku took the stairs two at a time up to Aizawa’s apartment, knocking three times once he reached the door. A moment later, Aizawa answered. And the man looked… tired. That tiny knot of guilt came right back as Izuku looked at his professor; wondering if the man had slept at all the night before. His hair was pulled back into a bun, but frizzed from sleep, a long strand falling out near the front. He was still wearing a pair of gray and black striped pajama pants and an oversized white t-shirt. He had deeper bags than usual under his eyes, and a very large cup of coffee in his hand.

He stepped out of the doorway, motioning for Izuku to come inside.

Izuku took a few steps in, slipping off his shoes in the doorway. The nerves he had felt earlier were starting to come back in full force as Aizawa led the way inside of his apartment. Izuku had only been to this apartment once before, and that was only to pick up a book that Aizawa offered from his own personal library to help with a report. Completely transactionary. Izuku had only stood in the doorway. Coming inside of his apartment felt different, like he was seeing a side of his professor that he wasn’t really meant to see. The man’s house was clean, but cluttered. When they passed by the living area, Aizawa had three bookshelves, a desk, a coffee table, and an end table all piled with books and papers. He had multiple corkboards along one of the walls, covered with pictures and articles. Izuku’s eyes darted around the room, wishing he could take a closer look, a tiny glimpse of how his professor’s mind worked, but the man led Izuku to the kitchen instead. Like the living room, it was clean. Besides Aizawa’s coffee cup, and a second cup sitting on the table that Izuku assumed was meant for him, there wasn’t a single dirty dish in sight. The counters were clean, and surprisingly empty. But the table was another matter. There was a small jar in the center of the table stuffed with pens, markers, and highlighters. Around that was four piles of books, a few of which Izuku recognized from the assigned readings in his classes. There was a pile of classwork on one side, clearly waiting to be graded. And a second pile of different newspapers, some words and articles highlighted.

“Sugar or milk?” Aizawa asked tiredly, pulling out the empty chair in front of the second copy cup.

“Yes please,” Izuku answered, sitting down and pulling the coffee toward him, enjoying the aroma. “Thanks for seeing me so early.” he added nervously.

Aizawa made an indiscernible noise in his throat, bringing over a small container of heavy cream and a bag of off-brand granulated sugar. He sat down heavily in the chair across from Izuku, taking a long drink of his own coffee. Izuku, also unaccustomed to being up quite so early, eagerly opened up the cream and poured in a healthy dollop. He added four spoonfuls of sugar, stirring it together and taking a small, tentative sip.

His eyebrows furrowed at the taste, still bitter. He glanced over at Aizawa, who Izuku was almost certain was drinking this coffee black. Even with the sweetener, it was probably the strongest cup of coffee that anyone had given Izuku before. He flushed a bit as he picked up the bag of sugar once more, Aizawa’s eyebrows rising in surprise as he watched him. Izuku quickly added two more spoonfuls of sugar, resisting the temptation to add a third.

Izuku stirred the sugar in slowly, trying to decide where to start.

“You wanted to talk about that little girl and the Overhaul mission?” Aizawa finally began, once it became obvious that Izuku was so busy debating how to start that he had no intention of starting anytime soon.

“Yes!” Izuku piped up, relieved that his professor was taking the lead.

“I should warn you that discussing cases like this,” he added, motioning with his mug at the room around them, “is considered highly irregular in heroics. Some would even deem it unethical. Which means, just to be clear, that this conversation is between a professor and his student, as a learning opportunity. It is not between two hero agencies working on a case together. Any potential leads or evidence you believe you have found will not be considered valid until the appropriate reports are filed, and your evidence substantiated in order to change the course of this investigation. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Sensei,” Izuku nodded his head. Once Aizawa-sensei heard what Izuku had to say, he was certain that the man would help him file the necessary reports in order to move forward with the investigation before Nighteye’s return. Time was of the essence. Statistically, the chances of them finding that little girl alive decreased with every day that passed.

“Alright then,” Aizawa agreed, taking another sip of his coffee. “Tell me what you believe that you may have found.”

“I believe that Overhaul’s real name is Chisaki Kai, Shouto’s new boyfriend.” Izuku began, opting for the most direct route. After all, his professor was a blunt man who always told Izuku to stick to the point. Aizawa choked, nearly spitting up his coffee at the statement, and Izuku wondered if that had been a mistake. Maybe he should have eased into the sensitive topic a bit more.

Aizawa pounded his own chest for a moment, wiping at his mouth and regaining his composure.

“That is…” Aizawa hesitated for a moment, as if not really sure how to respond, “quite a serious accusation, Midoriya. Both for Mr. Chisaki, and potentially for Shouto as well. You understand this, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Izuku answered quietly. He understood exactly what it could potentially mean for Shouto. That was his only hesitancy about coming forward in the first place. “I understand. But if I’m right, it could save that little girl’s life. I… I hope that I’m wrong. But I know what I saw.”

Aizawa rubbed his hands over his eyes, as if trying to wake himself up a bit more for this particular conversation. Izuku got it. Shouto was a sensitive topic all around UA. Izuku knew that the school had tried to reverse his expulsion and bring Shouto back after he was deemed innocent. But Shouto had refused. The teachers never talked about it, but their behavior in the weeks following the trial was enough to tell Izuku that it bothered all of them. But most especially, Izuku had seen how much it bothered Aizawa. He had all but forbidden class 1A from discussing Shouto during class hours.

“Go on,” Aizawa finally continued, lowering his hand and taking another sip.

“When Murio and I encountered Overhaul,” Izuku said, deciding that it would be best to start from the beginning, “we talked to him at length. I looked directly at him, met his eyes. I saw how tall he stood compared to Murio and I, and saw exactly how his hair was cut. And he talked to us! His mask muffled his voice slightly, but his voice was so distinct, I would recognize it anywhere.”

Aizawa mumbled something into his coffee, and Izuku paused, not sure if the man was talking to himself (something Izuku would know nothing about…) or actually trying to interject.

“What?”

Aizawa swallowed.

“I just can’t shake the feeling that there was more to your encounter,” Aizawa added, finally. “Nighteye and I discussed both you and Murio’s reports at length, and none of it makes sense. What happened to you both, It doesn’t fit Overhaul’s M.O., not even close. We don’t have a single clear picture of him, and all of the citizens he has encountered are either too scared to come forward, or they are likely being protected by the Yakuza. He entered hero radar almost five years ago, and not once in that time has he directly engaged a single hero, let alone two of them! The handful of times it is suspected that Overhaul did encounter a hero, based off of secondhand reports, the heroes did not survive the encounter. And yet, he left you both alive. It doesn’t make sense.”

“I told Nighteye,” Izuku added. “The villain didn’t mean to encounter us! He lost control of that little girl! If she hadn’t run out onto a main street, we may not have been so lucky.” And that was the truth, something that Izuku shuddered to think about. After everything that he had heard about the villain over the last two weeks, Izuku and Murio really were lucky to be alive. Murio had been right to pull Izuku back from following Overhaul further into that alley.

If he had…

Still, Izuku was glad the villain had finally messed up, especially if even half of what he had learned about Overhaul was actually true. Now that there was a legitimate report about him, and someone who could identify him, maybe the heroes could finally bring him down. Nighteye and Aizawa both seemed so hesitant around the idea of engaging the Yakuza… but Overhaul was a criminal! He deserved to be brought to justice just like any other villain.

Even if it meant the possibility of Shouto going down with him.

Izuku took a drink of his coffee to swallow the lump of guilt in his throat, forcing himself to stay focused on the task at hand. They needed to save the little girl.

“It feels too convenient,” Aizawa pressed. “I already told Nighteye that I didn’t want you or Murio out investigating this mission alone. You were supposed to have a fully licensed pro hero with you.”

“I wasn’t on the mission when I saw Overhaul,” Izuku admitted. “I, um… I went to visit Shouto yesterday, with Momo and Shinsou. With everything that happened with his mom, we just wanted to go over and make sure that he was alright. But, after we were there for a little bit, his boyfriend came home, and that’s when I recognized him. He looked right at me, just like he did in the alley. He spoke to me. He may not have had Overhaul’s mask, but I know it was him. Same eyes. Same height. Same hair. Same voice. It was Overhaul.”

Aizawa sipped on his coffee for a few moments, seeming to mull over the information. Izuku waited impatiently, praying that the man would believe him.

“You may be correct, Midoriya,” Aizawa finally responded, but he did not sound even the least bit convinced that Izuku actually was correct. “But with no actual physical evidence, and only witnessing a similarity in physical appearance, there is very little to justify him actually being considered a suspect. It might be enough to justify completing a background check on him, but that would be all. And a background check reveals surprisingly little about an individual. Did you see any aspect of his costume on him, or in Shouto’s apartment? Or did he or Shouto say anything that implied that he was involved with the Yakuza? Anything that might support your theory?”

Izuku thought, hard, about everything he had seen in Shouto’s apartment. It had been so simple, so minimal. Besides Shouto’s gaming equipment around the TV, and a book on the end table, there was very little personal touch to the apartment. He had only briefly seen a glimpse of the kitchen and bathroom, and, of course, they hadn’t gone to the bedroom at all. The living room had smelled faintly like marijuana, but that alone wasn’t going to prove that Chisaki was actually Overhaul. After all, both he and Aizawa knew that Shouto had struggled with marijuana before leaving UA; the weed was as likely to be Shouto’s as it was to be Chisaki’s.

“Not exactly…” Izuku trailed off. “But I asked Bakugou about Chisaki this morning, and Bakugou said that he was a really bad guy! He was seeing Shouto at the same time as Chisaki, maybe the reason he wanted Shouto to be jealous is because he knew that Chisaki was involved in the Yakuza and he wanted to get Shouto away from him!” It was a desperate argument, but Izuku was feeling a bit desperate to make his point. Why didn’t Aizawa believe him? He and Murio were the only heroes that had spoken to Overhaul and lived to talk about it. Why wasn’t his eye-witness testimony enough?! He knew that heroes had to be careful, that they had to dot their ‘I’s’ and cross their ‘T’s’, but it was so frustrating! All of the paperwork and requirements, when Izuku was so certain that he was correct.

Didn’t instincts count for anything?!

Aizawa sighed, getting up to refill his coffee.

“Bakugou was having… sexual relations with Shouto before his arrest. And now Shouto is living with Chisaki Kai. It’s far more likely that Bakugou is simply jealous of Chisaki for personal reasons than that he is aware of Shouto’s boyfriend being in the Yakuza. Both Bakugou and Momo were questioned at length during the investigation before your trial,” Aizawa continued with a tight mouth; Izuku could tell he was hesitant to talk about what happened, “and neither of them mentioned anything about Shouto being involved with a member of the Yakuza.”

Izuku slumped.

“Look, I know it sounds crazy! But what if I went back to the apartment? What if I got some pictures of him, or… or fingerprints of something he has touched! I could try to sneak into their bedroom, or–”

“Midoriya.”

“Or I could try to steal Shouto’s phone. Surely that would provide some evidence if there was any!”

“Midoriya.”

“Or I could pretend that we are learning about the Yakuza in class and try to see how Shouto reacted to the information. If he knows that his boyfriend is involved with the Yak–”

“Midoriya!” Aizawa practically yelled, snapping Izuku out of his rambling. He fell silent, trying to keep the tears from forming in his eyes. He hated how easy it was for him to get so emotional, and he didn’t want his professor to have to watch him start crying over this… again.

He just… he just wanted to save that little girl!

“I’m sorry, sensei,” Izuku replied, with a small bow of his head.

“You said that you spoke to Mr. Chisaki in Shouto’s apartment, is that right?”

Izuku nodded.

“And did he seem to recognize you? Did he seem concerned that you were there?”

Izuku thought about it. Chisaki had recognized him, but since the man had also been at the trial, that alone wasn’t surprising; and he knew damn well that none of the agencies would consider it as proof that Izuku was right.

“He knew me, but he didn’t really seem that concerned to see me,” Izuku admitted. He briefly wondered if the argument would be more successful if he lied. But he really hated lying. “He said it was good to see me looking so well. But that was it. He didn’t even look at me twice. But if you had heard his voice, you would understand how distinctual it is. And his eyes… all of the reports say that they are golden, but until you are looking into them, you wouldn’t know how piercing and intense they were. I did hear that voice. I did look into those eyes… twice! I just know it. Give me a chance to go to Shouto’s to try and prove it.”

“Don’t you think that would be a gross invasion of your friend’s privacy?” Aizawa answered him. “And if there is even a small chance that you are correct, Midoriya, then it isn’t safe for you to go back and start poking around. If Chisaki is actually Overhaul like you believe, then just you being in his apartment after having spoken to him in the alley could be enough to put your life in danger. If he caught you snooping around, stealing phones or trying to get pictures or fingerprints… doing that would be entirely too dangerous for even a pro hero to consider doing in an attempt to identify such a high-profile target. It would also be highly unethical.”

“What if we just had him tailed?” Izuku suggested, grasping at strings. “Just for a few days? Just long enough to see if someone can catch him donning his costume, or going to that compound we were watching, or maybe even lead us to that little girl!”

“Heroes can’t just tail someone because they are suspicious of them,” Aizawa chastised him. “Not only for ethical reasons, but for practical ones. Resources are very limited, and most hero agencies don’t have the time or money to put into unfounded assumptions.” Aizawa leaned forward. “I know that you want to find that little girl, Midoriya. I do, too. And our agencies are doing what we can with the limited information that your encounter with Overhaul has provided us. But we have found nothing so far, outside of this one small possibility. There has been no sign of this little girl in the area around where you encountered her. And I know that Nighteye got a report for a sighting of Overhaul near that compound, but I honestly believe it’s a dead end.”

“How can you say that? Someone saw him there!”

“A concerned citizen saw someone resembling Overhaul near that compound one time,” Aizawa continued. “My agency has been monitoring the facility for almost a week, and there has been no sign of Overhaul or any of his known associates. The only people who have gone in and out of that compound are a few workers and gardeners. If the Shie Hassaikai is using that compound, they aren’t entering through the main doors. And even that is unlikely.” Aizawa paused, seeming to consider how much to reveal. “Look, this isn’t information that a first year student would normally learn. In fact, most hero agencies don’t really pay much attention to this unless they actively patrol in Yakuza territory. But since you are involved with this mission, it may be important that you understand the basics of the Yakuza political structure, based off of what we have learned over the past few decades. The Yakuza have been around in many different parts of Japan since before quirks even originated. They have a very strong influence to this day, and even though they are known villains, heroes must be very careful in how we handle any case that involves the Yakuza. Here in Musutafu, there are four major arms of the Yakuza and probably more than two dozen smaller arms of the Yakuza. Their primary headquarters, we believe but do not know for sure, seems to be out of the Okimoto corporation.”

The Okimoto corporation…

Izuku furrowed his brows, trying to remember where he had heard that name before…

“But each of those four major arms of the Yakuza have a territory that they work within. The Shie Hassaikai is one of those four arms, and Overhaul is their leader. Although we don’t have an exact understanding of their system, we know that loyalty and territory is very important to them. Unless our theories around the Yakuza are not correct, or there has been a recent shift in power, then the compound that we are monitoring is not within Shie Hassaikai territory. It’s within the territory of another arm of the Yakuza, the Korosu Mono, led by the villain Toxicity. Those two arms have never worked together before. The most likely reason that Overhaul was spotted near that compound would be that he was in the area for a meeting with the Korosu Mono. It’s not enough to justify the continued costs of monitoring that building.”

“Shouto!” Izuku yelled, almost as soon as Aizawa finished speaking. He remembered where he had heard about the Okimoto Corporation before. This could be the evidence that Izuku needed for Aizawa to take him seriously… even if it was the evidence that would support the absolute worst outcome… that Chisaki was Overhaul, and that Shouto knew that Chisaki was Overhaul, and that Shouto was also involved with the Yakuza.

“Did you even hear…” Aizawa sighed, shaking his head and abandoning the question. “What about Shouto?”

“Shouto told me a few weeks ago that he was part of an internship at the Okimoto Corporation.”

“The Okimoto Corporation?”

Izuku nodded.

“Are you absolutely certain that he said the Okimoto Corporation? Without a single doubt?”

“Yes!” Izuku repeated. “I was talking to him over voice chat, and I remember it very clearly because I had never heard of that corporation before.”

“Did he say anything else?”

“Not really,” Izuku answered honestly. “We didn’t talk about it for very long, he said it was just a business of some sort.”

Aizawa sat back once more, taking a large drink of his coffee as he pondered the new information. He was staring at the wall past Izuku, apparently lost in his own thoughts.

“I”m not going to make any promises,” Aizawa finally said. “And I’m not going to promise that it will be fast, but let me talk to Nighteye about your theory. I will try to do a bit more research around Mr. Chisaki. If we can pull together enough circumstantial evidence that connects him with either the Yakuza or Overhaul himself, then I will file to have him officially investigated.”

“Thank you!”

Aizawa held up his hand, indicating that he wasn’t quite done.

“Until then, however, I need you to assure me that you will not discuss Shouto or his boyfriend with any other classmates, even Bakugou.”

“Of course not, sensei!”

“And, under no circumstances do I want you to take matters into your own hands. Don’t try to tail Mr. Chisaki, or even Shouto. Don’t go looking for evidence in Shouto’s apartment, or start questioning him. If there is even a possibility that Mr. Chisaki is Overhaul then discretion is crucial. Overhaul is practically a ghost, and he is very good at covering his tracks to make sure he stays that way. If he gets even a hint that there are heroes actively looking into him, then he will disappear… and that little girl would disappear with him. And the heroes investigating him would likely end up dead. Do I make myself crystal clear?”

“Y-yes,” Izuku swallowed.

“Good,” Aizawa nodded, glancing at his clock. 6:53am. “Now, if you will excuse me, I have every intention of taking a nap before class starts.”

Izuku nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. He wasn’t exactly happy about the idea of the investigation taking awhile, but he supposed that this was the best outcome that he could hope for. Aizawa, at the very least, was going to investigate Chisaki. He took another sip, wishing it was still a bit warmer, when Aizawa cleared his throat.

Izuku glanced up at Aizawa, who was staring pointedly at him.

“Oh,” Izuku blushed, standing up quickly and setting his cup on the table. Aizawa was waiting for him to leave. Of course. He bowed quickly. “Thank you for your time, Aizawa-sensei. I, um, should go get ready for class,” he quickly said.

“I will see you soon, Midoriya,” Aizawa said, standing up and leading Izuku back down the hall. Izuku stepped into his shoes, taking a deep breath of relief when he stepped out of the apartment.

It was done.

He just really, really hoped that if Shouto ever found out that he came to Aizawa like this, that his friend would forgive him.

* * * * * *

Shouto POV

Shouto moaned as Kai pushed the toy deeper inside of him, lowering his head to the bedspread, fingers digging into the soft fabric, eagerly shifting his hips to try to entice Kai to work faster. He was on his elbows and knees for Kai, his back arched enticingly so that his ass was on display for his boyfriend.

Kai was tormenting him in the best way possible, stretching Shouto open on a red, sleek dildo, moving the lubed silicone in and out of Shouto at just the right angle to barely brush his prostate. He had lost track of how long they had been like this, but Kai was taking his time getting Shouto ready, his other hand firmly on Shouto’s hip, holding Shouto’s ass in place for Kai’s pleasure. Shouto was hard, and the continuous brushing of his prostate had his cock pulsing with need, the head covered in precum.

“Kai…” Shouto whimpered. “Please…”

“You aren’t ready, Little Fox…” Kai murmured, pulling the dildo almost all of the way out so that the bulbous head stretched Shouto’s rim, but leaving him feeling decidedly empty and desperate. Kai’s tone was entirely serious, his voice giving no hint at how wicked and taunting those words were. Words he had repeated a half-dozen times over as Shouto begged for more. The man was edging him, purposely teasing him…

“I need more…” Shouto begged. “Please…” the word devolved into a strangled moan as Kai sunk the dildo fully inside of him. Shouto could feel the tips of Kai’s fingers pressing against the sensitive skin of his rim. His toes curled, his thighs tensing with pleasure.

Kai left the toy inside of him, reaching down and cupping Shouto’s balls, teasing them gently before sliding his hand further forward to give Shouto’s cock two long strokes. Shouto panted, trying uselessly to rut forward into Kai’s hand. But the moment he did, Kai pulled his hand away.

“So impatient…” Kai chided him, digging his other hand roughly into Shouto’s ass, pulling his asscheek aside to admire the dildo nestled inside of Shouto.

“Please… please… please…” Shouto begged. He wanted more. He needed more!

Just as Kai touched the dildo once more, Shouto’s phone rang.

They both paused and looked towards the phone where it sat on the nightstand.

“Who’s calling you, LIttle Fox?” Kai asked, moving the dildo ever so slightly in and out of him, making Shouto Keen as it brushed his prostate over and over, Shouto’s stomach coiling with need.

“I… ah, I don’t… know…” Shouto moaned.

Kai left the dildo deep inside of Shouto once more, standing up and walking around the bed to pick up Shouto’s phone. Shouto shifted his legs, the muscles in his thighs and ass clenching. He could feel his orgasm hovering there, just out of reach. If he could just get a little more sensation… Kai’s hand stroking him or, Kai’s cock filling Shouto up even more than a simple dildo ever could…

He was tempted to drop down to his stomach and rut against the blankets, but the more desperate he got, the longer Kai seemed to be dragging everything out.

“Hello Dabi,” Kai said, putting the phone up to his ear.

Dabi?

Shouto was so distracted by the need to get off that it took him a moment for the realization to sink in. If Dabi was actually calling him, it must mean that he was finally feeling well enough to actually speak to Shouto. Which was a huge relief.

"Of course, he's right here. I will put him on."

But the timing…

The timing was not great.

Kai had a carnal, almost sinister gleam in his eyes as he set the phone down on the bed next to Shouto’s head, pressing the speaker button. Shouto blushed, realizing that Kai wasn't likely to take the toy out of him for the conversation.

Shouto took a steadying breath, trying to force some normalcy into his voice, a deep flush burning his cheeks and neck at the thought of talking to Dabi like this.

"Dabi," Shouto choked out.

"Hey Shou," Dabi replied as Kai came back around behind him, the bed dipping as he climbed onto it. Dabi’s voice sounded a bit rough for sure. "I'm sorry about yesterday. It was a stupid-ass move."

Shouto dropped his ass down to the bed, feeling embarrassed. Kai pulled it back up though, forcing Shouto to steady his knees underneath him, ass back up in the air.

Shouto's cock pulsed at the realization that Kai was going to continue teasing him.

"It's… it's ok," Shouto said, his teeth gritted in an attempt to maintain a steady voice. "I'm glad… you're… ok," he managed, jumping as Kai's hands began to trace silent lines slowly up and down the backs of Shouto's thighs.

He gripped the blanket harder in his right hand, shuddering as the sensation gave him goosebumps. It made him shiver, and made his nipples contract.

"Are you alright?" Dabi asked.

Kai's hands traced further upward, gently pushing on the base of the dildo. Shouto bit off a moan.

"Yes," he managed to reply, his thighs trembling as Kai began to slowly pull the dildo out of him. "I'm… I'm just… angry…" Shouto took another breath. "I hate him." Kai pulled the dildo completely out of him.

Shouto whimpered as the bulbous end popped free, praying that Dabi didn't hear either of the obscene noises.

Dabi growled, apparently knowing exactly who Shouto was talking about and agreeing with the sentiment.

Kai used one hand to push Shouto's ass cheeks apart, using a finger from his other hand to drag a line over Shouto's hole. The pad of that finger slid down so slowly, dragging through slick lube, pressing teasingly against him. It wasn’t enough.

Shouto needed to feel Kai inside him

"I knew he had something to do with this," Dabi continued, his voice a mask of thinly veiled anger. "This whole thing is his fucking fault."

"Relax, Dabi," Yokubo said, her voice quiet. She must be at his apartment still, making sure that he is alright.

Shouto flushed. Would she hear them?

Kai's finger pushed inside of Shouto to the first knuckle, Shouto's stomach clenched, his cock jumping at the touch.

"He wouldn't… send her, ugh… back to… the… hospital," Shouto groaned a bit at the end, his ass instinctively clenching around Kai's finger.

"Fuck him," Dabi retorted, his anger enough to mask the pathetic noises that Shouto couldn't seem to stop.

"Can I… call… you… back…" Shouto gritted out, his eyes fluttering shut, lowering his head back to the bed as Kai hooked his finger just right to gently tease his prostate.

Shouto's cock was throbbing. God he could cum just like this. He could feel the pleasure pooling in his gut.

"He went too far this time," Dabi growled, and Shouto didn't know if his brother had even heard him. But Shouto really, really needed to continue this conversation later.

Kai pulled his finger out, humming in approval as Shouto whined at the loss, pushing his hips back toward Kai in a desperate attempt to chase the pleasure.

"He needs to die.” Dabi ground the words out in a tone that was so dark and full of malice it made Shouto shiver. “It's past fucking time for him to pay for his sins."

Before Shouto could reply, Kai's hands both came up to spread Shouto's ass apart, making Shouto blushed even harder as the cool air hit his rim. Then suddenly pleasure rushed through his torso as Kai's tongue traced a warm, wet line over his sensitive hole.

Shouto couldn’t stop the lewd, needy way he moaned “Yeesss…” as Kai pushed the tip of his tongue inside of Shouto.

Shouto’s world blacked out for a moment.

His blush deepened. He shouldn’t have moaned like that after what Dabi had said, but… fuck… he couldn’t help it. Kai’s tongue felt so fucking amazing.

“Shouto?” there was a strange hitch in Dabi’s voice, followed by a pause. “Are you… are you getting fucked?” His tone had shifted so quickly from intense anger to sultry intrigue that it made Shouto’s insides clench.

Dabi sounded… turned on; apparently by just the thought of Shouto being fucked while they were on the phone together.

Shouto tried, unsuccessfully, to bite back a groan as Kai's tongue pushed further into him, gently stretching his already sensitive rim.

"You… ngh… you called… at a… bad… time," Shouto managed, ripples of pleasure rolling through his torso. "Let… me… call you… back…"

Dabi went quiet for a moment as Shouto tried to hold back his whimpers. Kai's tongue was so deep inside of him… Shouto couldn't think straight.

Shouto felt a knot of guilt worm its way into his gut alongside the pleasure that was building there. He felt so embarrassed! His brother had called to talk to him about something serious, and he was so desperate to cum that he couldn’t even focus on the conversation.

"I'm sorry…" Shouto gasped as the tip of Kai's tongue teased his prostate.

“Tell me about it, Shouto,” Dabi’s voice was a low rumble, thick with lust. His words were a hungry plea as much as they were instructions; as if he hadn’t just been angry a moment ago; as if Shouto hadn’t just been trying to apologize.

Dabi was definitely turned on. Shouto could hear it. Kai could hear it. And Shouto was certain that if Yokubo was near Dabi, then she probably heard it too.

Kai growled, the vibration making Shouto shiver.

Shouto blushed at the words. He had fucked Dabi a few times now. Having him overhear what they were doing, when Dabi wasn't in the moment with them… it left Shouto a bit flustered (even if it did turn him on even more). But knowing Yokubo might overhear the little noises he couldn't hold back… even knowing that she had been part of an orgy with them before, it was still embarrassing. It was so different over the phone.

Shouto felt like he had an audience.

Embarrassing, and yet the idea made his cock pulse even harder; he could feel the precum starting to drip down his shaft.

Shouto's arms were trembling, and his thighs were quivering.

"I was… worried… about you…" Shouto panted, Kai's tongue dancing in a small circle as it pressed against Shouto's sensitive walls. He was trying to change the subject, even if each word was dripping with need.

Kai was going slow… purposefully, tormentingly, sensually, carnally slow as he explored Shouto's body.

"Tell me how Overhaul is touching you," Dabi pushed. Shouto could hear shuffling on the other end of the line. He heard Yokubo giggle softly. "Like that, sweetheart," Dabi whispered, and Shouto knew that she must be touching Dabi.

A small surge of jealousy washed over Shouto, but so did the realization that Dabi was so turned on just knowing that Shouto was being fucked that he couldn't stop himself from chasing his own pleasure while he had Shouto on the phone.

That knowledge was intoxicating.

Kai's hand cupped Shouto's balls once more, his thumb gently stroking Shouto's taint as Kai flicked his tongue just right inside of Shouto.

"Ahhh…" Shouto gasped. "He's prepping… ngh! Fuck…" Shouto was rocking back onto Kai's mouth, his own mouth hanging open as he begged. "Please, Kai…"

“Nghhh,” Dabi groaned. "Are you on your hands and… knees for him?" His voice hitched, and Shouto couldn't help but imagine what had caused that hitch. Was Yokubo touching him? Was she going down on him?

Shouto whined as Kai’s tongue sunk deeper into Shouto’s ass, his legs trembling with pleasure. He could feel his orgasm coiling in his gut; Kai’s tongue was almost too deep… he had to be using his quirk.

“Fuck,” Shouto wished that Dabi was here with them instead of at his apartment with Yokubo.

Shouto moaned again before he managed to answer.

“On my elbows…” A shudder running through him as Kai drug his tongue backwards over Shouto’s prostate.

“Fuck… Take it honey,” Dabi whispered, and Shouto could hear a faint pleased mewl in the background. “I bet you look… sexy as… fuck…” Dabi growled, and he still sounded farther away. He must have the phone on speaker now, his hands probably wrapped up in Yokubo’s long, dark hair. “Ass all up in… the air…”

“Mmmmmm… hmmmmmm….” Shouto moaned as Kai tormented that bundle of nerves inside of him, massaging it with his tongue; the wet heat and the pressure felt so good it was almost enough to make Shouto cum from that alone… almost…

Shouto’s arms were getting weaker, a thin sweat covering his torso.

He was so close…

“If I was there, Shou…” Dabi groaned, and Shouto could hear the distinct sound of choking in the background. Dabi had to have his cock buried in Yokubo’s mouth. “I would take… that… fuck... pretty cock in my mouth… crawl underneath you and… 69 you while Overhaul… ngh… stretches you open on… those… long… fingers…”

Shouto whined licentiously, his ass clenching around Kai’s tongue, his cock dripping obscenely. The idea of 69’ing Dabi while Kai’s tongue was in his ass… fuck! Shouto really, really wished that his brother was here. He could practically feel Dabi’s cock, heavy in his mouth. Shouto could feel his tongue running over the piercings along the bottom of Dabi’s dick, taste Dabi’s precum as it leaked out onto Shouto’s tongue.

“His tongue…” Shouto corrected, his voice strained and breathy. “Kai’s stretching… me… on… his tongue…”

Kai’s hand snaked forward, his fingers lightly teasing the precum leaking down Shouto’s shaft. Shouto’s ass and thighs clenched at the touch, his legs trembling. The touch felt so damn good, but Shouto wanted more...

“God damn!” Dabi moaned, and Shouto could hear the faint wet sound of the blowjob coming through the phone. Yokubo was whimpering, the occasional gagging noise coming through as Dabi pushed too far into her throat. “I’d hold you… open… for him…” Yokubo choked, a wet pop echoing through the phone, followed by a few gasps for breath. Dabi must be fucking her throat. Shouto closed his eyes, letting his lust-addled brain imagine that it was his own throat that Dabi was fucking. He really fucking hoped that Dabi was imagining it too.

He wanted to know if Dabi was imagining that…

“Please Kai…” Shouto panted, trying to rock his hips down and push his cock into Kai’s hand. But the more he tried, the lighter Kai’s touch grew, until Shouto could barely feel the tips of Kai’s fingers tickling his shaft. “Please… I need to cum…”

Kai’s tongue moved back to his prostate, flattening out, the warmth enveloping his senses. Shouto could feel the tears of desperation burning at the corners of his eyes. His vision was starting to blur, his head lolling pathetically between his arms. His entire body was alight with pleasure, every nerve on edge as it begged for release. His arms and legs were trembling so hard that Shouto wasn’t sure how much longer they could support his weight.

“Overhaul…” He tried a new tactic.

Kai growled loudly, the reverberation making Shouto whimper pathetically.

“I want… you… to… fuck… me, Overhaul… Please…”

“Good boy…” Dabi whispered to Yokubo, and Shouto’s cock throbbed at the words. She choked in response, and Shouto could hear the desperate breaths between each wet noise that echoed through the speaker. Dabi might be fucking her, but he wasn’t really fucking her. Shouto could almost see him; hands in her hair, holding her head in place as he fucked vigorously into her throat, eyes closed so he could imagine that it was Shouto instead…

Fuck.

Shouto’s orgasm was just out of reach, and he could barely function around the need to cum. He dropped his weight down onto his right shoulder, his position shifting as he tried to take the pressure off his tremorous arms. His body felt like he was melting, his entire torso tensed with need.

“Fuck me…” Shouto sobbed, “Please Overhaul… fuck me!”

“Fuck!” Dabi cursed.

Kai’s tongue disappeared as he pulled out; and suddenly Shouto could feel the head of his cock pressing up against his ass.

“Ah!” Shouto wanted to weep with relief, crying out as Kai very slowly pushed inside of him. The stretch was delicious; so much better than the dildo. Kai groaned wantonly as he pushed in, his hands digging painfully into Shouto’s hips. Shouto didn’t care about the pain, he loved the rough way Kai gripped him. Shouto’s cock bobbed as he pushed back against Kai, desperate to feel every inch of Kai inside of him.

“You like that, Shou,” Dabi panted through the phone, his voice so thick with lust that Shouto knew his brother was getting close. It sent an electric thrill of pleasure through his gut.

Before Shouto could answer, Kai began to move, slow for the first thrust but quickly devolving into an almost frenzied pace. Shouto’s vision blacked out as euphoric pleasure exploded through his torso; he could barely hear his own scream over the sound of his blood rushing in his ears, his body practically collapsing underneath Kai as he came. Shouto’s cock was pulsing through the last of his orgasm, making a sticky mess of the blankets underneath them when Kai’s arms wrapped around Shouto’s chest, pulling Shouto up so that his back was pressed against Kai’s chest. Shouto could feel the slick sweat on their skin as he held Shouto in place, continuing to fuck him through the last convulsions of his orgasm.

Dabi’s cry came a few moments later, echoed by the slapping of skin as Kai fucked into Shouto’s sensitive body. Shouto grabbed onto Kai’s arms to try to steady himself, every thrust too much as over-sensitive pleasure wracked through Shouto’s body.

Yokubo was choking and coughing somewhere in the background, the noise almost blurred as Shouto struggled to focus on anything but Kai’s cock burying itself deep into him, again and again. Then Kai’s arms tightened around Shouto, and he felt Kai’s teeth sink deep into the flesh of his shoulder as Kai came, the strangled moan lost against Shouto’s skin as he fucked Shouto roughly through his own orgasm. Kai fucked Shouto until his cock was too soft to keep going, slipping out of Shouto as Kai kissed the bite mark he had left on Shouto’s shoulder and let him go.

Shouto collapsed down onto the bed, vaguely aware of his stomach smearing into the mess of cum he had left below them. His body was still trembling.

“I will call you tomorrow, Shou,” Dabi finally managed, apparently pulling himself back together from his own orgasm. “We need a plan. Either we can kill Enji together, or I will kill him myself.”

Chapter Text

Bakugou POV
Friday, July 2

Bakugou all but stomped down the hall after Aizawa, fucking irritated at being pulled out of class. Bakugou was tired… fucking tired; mentally and physically. The professors were all in overdrive, trying to fit as much as possible into these few weeks before their break. Which meant exam after exam, reading after assigned reading, and report after fucking report. And on top of all that shit, Bakugou had his internship tonight, and he needed to be ready for his end-of-the-year quirk evaluation tomorrow. Of course he got stuck doing his evaluation on the last fucking day of the evaluations, first thing in the damn morning after one of his internship nights.

Though he was a bit excited to intern tonight. Apparently his grumpy fuckface of a boss was actually happy with the pictures that Bakugou had managed to get. As a reward, Bakugou was actually going to patrol with Kido tonight, not just go tag along after Icy-hot like some kind of creepy fucking stalker. But he knew it was going to leave him even more tired.

Bakugou had to kill this evaluation. He was the top student academically, and he would be damned if he wasn't the top in quirk performance and improvement. No way Mr. didn't get my fucking quirk till my balls dropped Deku was going to beat him. It didn't fucking matter how much everyone swooned over the green-haired nerd and his ridiculously over-powered quirk, Bakugou could still kick his ass!

Any day of the fucking week!

And now, on top of every-fucking-thing else, Bakugou was going to have to stay up late to finish his final report for his 'Heroics Throughout History' course so that Aizawa could drag him down to the office to talk about who the hell even knows what! He had been all but a damn angel this week. He had aced every assignment. He hadn't sent anyone to Recovery Girl during training. He hadn't blown up on anyone… even with all the bullshit news about Shouto (which he didn't give a fuck about). He hadn't even received a warning for swearing in three days.

Bakugou swore to God that if this was a damn correctional meeting of some kind, he was gonna lose his mind.

He followed Aizawa into one of the UA conference rooms. He slumped into one of the chairs, silently relieved that there wasn't anyone else in the room waiting for them. If the meeting was just him and Aizawa, it couldn't be anything too fucking serious.

Aizawa went around the table and stood across from Bakugou, setting down his thermos of coffee, notebook, and a pen on the table before sitting down himself.

Aizawa cleared his throat.

"Before we begin," Aizawa started, looking up at Bakugou seriously. "I need you to know that this conversation is off the record, and in regards to an active investigation. What we discuss needs to be kept strictly confidential."

An active investigation?

"Ok..."

"This is also a very sensitive subject, and you don't have to answer these questions if you don't feel comfortable."

A very sensitive subject…

No.

No, no. Fucking, no!

If he so much as mentioned that half-n-half asshole, Bakugou was going to…

"The investigation is in regards to Shouto. I know–"

"No," Bakugou interrupted him as he stood up glaring at Aizawa, the name alone enough to make Bakugou see red. Why in the fuck was everyone so damn obsessed with him?! "Nope. Not a fucking chance. First Endeavor, then Deku, and now you! I don't want to fucking talk about Shouto!"

"I just have a few questions–"

"No! I have zero interest in answering a single damn question about–"

"This could save a little girl's life!" Aizawa interrupted him, raising his voice enough to speak over Bakugou without yelling.

A little girl?

What the fuck?!

What in the hell did a little girl have to do with fuckin' Icy-hot?

"What?!"

"Again, this is confidential," Aizawa reaffirmed as he pulled a picture out of the notebook he brought and slid it in front of Bakugou. It was a composite drawing of a little girl, around eight or nine. She had long blonde, wavy hair and a small horn on one side of her head. "But we have a few agencies involved in a search for this little girl. She was encountered by two heroes in the presence of a known Yakuza gang member, Overhaul."

Overhaul?!

Fuck, fuckity fuck!!

He hadn't mentioned one damn word about the Yakuza to anyone but Endeavor, and even that had just been Bakugou turning in the fucking pictures! How the hell did Aizawa know that Bakugou knew anything about that Yakuza asshole!

How in the fuck did this keep fucking happening! He swore to fucking God that the moment he let halfie suck his fucking cock had cursed him to a horrible loop of dealing with that asshole again and again…

Even though they hadn't said a single damn word to one another in months. Fucking months!

"We believe that she has been kidnapped and is being held hostage by this villain. We also believe that she has been harmed already, and her life may be in danger." Aizawa pulled out a second composite drawing, setting it on the table next to the first. It was a man in his mid-twenties with golden eyes, short brown hair, and a dark red and gold plague doctor mask that had a distinctly birdlike feel… eerily reminiscent to the mask he had seen Shouto wearing.

The man definitely looked like Shouto's ass hat of a boyfriend. If Bakugou had any doubt that night at the strip club that Overhaul had been anyone but that pompous fucking criminal, he was certain of it now.

"There is no delicate way to put this, but we have received Intel that could potentially link Shouto to this criminal. I know that we have already asked a lot from you in regards to your former classmate, but do you know anything about Shouto or his partner, Mr. Chisaki Kai, that you haven't already told us? Anything that we could utilize as evidence for this investigation that may help us locate this girl?"

Bakugou stared down at the two pictures in front of him. He had two years… two damn years... till graduation, and then the plan had been to put that asshole behind bars himself. Bakugou had wanted to look straight into those golden eyes, flip that scumbag off and lock his cell directly in the man’s face.

But now…

Bakugou's hands were gripping the chair, trying to decide if he should sit back down, or walk out and let Aizawa deal with this mess.

After all, he had promised Shouto he wouldn't tell, and he had kept his word through all of the damn shit that happened. And now he had signed that contract with Endeavor that prohibited him from discussing Shouto at all.

The little girl in the picture stared up at him, and the longer that Bakugou looked at the picture, the worse his stomach was beginning to twist with anxiety.

Kidnapped by Chisaki, by that damn bastard that had already ruined Shouto's life. And Bakugou had seen the signs of abuse on Icy-hot, no matter what that princess claimed the marks were really from. It didn't surprise him for a second that Chisaki, or Overhaul, or whoever the fuck he was, would hurt a child.

But the question that was really bothering Bakugou… did Shouto know? Had he changed so much in the last few months that he would stand by and watch while a little girl was abused, after being a victim of abuse himself?

Just the thought made Bakugou want to hunt Shouto down and clean his fucking clock.

Fuck!

"I can't fucking talk about Shouto," Bakugou admitted bitterly. Just talking about the damn NDA was probably a violation of the NDA.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that the first fucking thing our controlling bastard of a number one hero did when I started my internship was force me to sign a fucking NDA about the whole damn Todoroki family." Bakugou griped, hesitantly sitting back down.

"An NDA for an agency is generally just in regards to events seen and heard while working, especially confidentiality in regards to active cases." Aizawa replied.

"Yeah, generally, they probably fucking are," Bakugou shifted in the chair. The whole conversation had him on edge. "But mine is some damn custom NDA; guess the asshole doesn't want me to talk more about all the shit I saw when I was with Shouto." Fuck Endeavor, the fucking asshole. "I had to sign it or could'a kissed the whole damn internship goodbye."

Aizawa leaned back in his chair, frowning as he considered the new information. A few minutes passed as he did.

"This conversation isn't an official part of the investigation," Aizawa finally spoke. "If you know anything that might help us find that girl, then I can help you find a way to back-date an official statement so it wouldn't be in violation of any contracts you signed with The Endeavor Agency. But any information you know might be the difference between life and death for this little girl. You could be the reason she gets to go home to her family."

Shit!

Fuck!

Bakugou sighed, running a hand over his face in exasperation.

Fuck it. He shoulda fucking known that this shit would all blow up again. What the hell did that promise even mean at this point, anyway? Halfie made his fucking choice, and Bakugou wasn't about to let some little girl pay the price for someone else's mistakes.

"Shouto's been involved with the Yakuza for a while now," Bakugou finally fessed up. Breaking his damn word felt shitty as fuck, but finally getting that secret off his chest actually felt… good. Sort of. "Since before Shigaraki raped him."

"Can you tell me how you know," Aizawa pressed for more information. "After everything that you all went through a few months ago, I'm sure you understand why I want to be absolutely certain that I understand what's going on before we act on this information."

"He told me," Bakugou retorted bluntly. "After he figured out that that arsonist asshole was his brother, he went over to Dabi’s apartment once without permission. I guess Chisaki was over there and Shouto overheard some shit he wasn't supposed to. The asshole branded Shouto and told him he was indebted to the damn Yakuza. Then–"

"Chisaki branded Shouto?" Aizawa clarified.

"Tch… yeah," Bakugou answered grumpily. He hated that damn mark. "Right here," he pointed to his own collarbone.

"And you saw this brand personally? Could you show me what it looks like?"

Bakugou didn't fucking want to. He wanted to forget he ever saw the fucking mark in the first place.

But, yeah. He fucking could.

He nodded.

Aizawa opened the notebook to a blank page, setting his pen on top and sliding it over toward Bakugou. Bakugou grabbed it, picking up the pen and tapping it against the page a few times as he visualized the mark in his mind (and forced himself to not visualize the rest of Shouto's naked chest along with it). He drew it hastily before sliding the notebook back over. It wasn't perfect, but it was pretty damn close to what Bakugou remembered.

"That shit is what Shigaraki decayed on Shouto before he raped him," Bakugou added, hating the image of Shouto that popped up in his mind… of Shouto sitting on that couch, high as fuck and–

"Did Shouto tell you anything else about Chisaki?" Aizawa interrupted Bakugou's rapidly spiraling thoughts, and Bakugou was damn glad for it.

"Unfortunately," Bakugou retorted grumpily. "Once he started fucking Chisaki, you would have thought the asshole had a golden fucking dick."

"Bakugou, please," Aizawa interjected. "Try not to be too vulgar."

"It's not vulgar, it's the truth," Bakugou growled irritably. "I told Icy-hot not to get more involved with Chisaki. But did he listen to me? No. Of course he didn’t fucking listen to me! He moved in with that asshole after the trial and jumped into working for the Yakuza with his arms wide open. He said that the hero system was too fucking corrupt, and that joining the Yakuza was the best way for him to make a fucking difference.”

“Do you think he actually meant it?” Aizawa asked, a strange undertone in his voice. Bakugou knew that Aizawa was probably less than pleased with the conversation; and far less than pleased that Bakugou hadn’t come forward about this shit before. “Or do you think he was being coerced? After all, Shouto was in a very dangerous position. Once a criminal organization has blackmail against someone, the choices they make aren’t always the choices they would normally make. Do you think Shouto chose to join the Yakuza because he was afraid of being killed if he didn’t?”

Bakugou really, really wished that he could say yes.

“No,” Bakugou sighed, blowing his cheeks out at the word. “I don’t. Shouto said that Chisaki and his brother Dabi were the only people who cared about him enough to help him after he got arrested. Shouto said he owed everything to them, that he wanted to be loyal to them.”

“Did Shouto ever specifically tell you that Chisaki was Overhaul?”

“No.”

“Are you certain that Chisaki is Overhaul? Not just another member of the Yakuza?”

“Yes,” Bakugou replied. This was a damn tricky question. Telling Aizawa about his ridiculous fucking ’mission’ the other night, it would be an even more blatant disregard of his NDA and contract. But this was also the most compelling evidence that he could give to Aizawa. The thing most likely to make an actual difference in his investigation. Something that might actually help them to find that little girl.

It was also more information than Bakugou had shared with even Endeavor.

“I know that asshole’s Yakuza name is Overhaul. At my internship…” Bakugou chewed on his lip for a minute, trying to decide the best way to word what he needed to say. “Endeavor fucking roped me into helping him snoop after Shouto. He is also suspicious that his son’s are involved with the Yakuza.”

Aizawa’s eyes widened momentarily in surprise, but he didn’t interrupt.

Of course he would be surprised. Bakugou knew that shit was fucked. Probably fucking illegal.

“He sent me creeping around after Shouto last week,” Bakugou pulled out his phone, opening it up and scrolling through the pictures. He really shouldn’t have kept one of the pictures of Shouto. Endeavor had specifically asked him to delete everything once they were transferred over. But Bakugou had gotten one that had just looked so damn good…

He knew that it was fucking pathetic…

"I followed him to some shady-ass club. He was wearing a… well…" Bakugou slid the picture over to Aizawa, who picked up the phone, inspecting the picture with furrowed brows. "When I talked to one of the barkeeper's at the club, they said he was called Fenikkusu, and that he represented Overhaul."

"I see," Aizawa said, his mouth set in an unhappy line. "Is there anything else?"

"No," Bakugou shook his head. As if that wasn't damning enough. But if halfie ended up in jail over this shit, that was on him.

"Are you willing to send me a copy of this picture?"

Why the fuck not? What the fuck difference did any of this shit make at this point?

He gave a half-shrug, half-nod.

"And if I arranged to do it during school hours, would you be willing to submit this information in an official witness statement?"

"Back-dated?" Bakugou clarified. He could not afford for this to get back to Endeavor. He could kiss his internship goodbye if it did.

"I will make sure of it," Aizawa assured him.

"Fine," he agreed, even if he really didn't want to. He was looking forward to the day he could forget Shouto, forget fucking him, and forget the whole fucked up Todoroki family.

"I will bring the paperwork tomorrow," Aizawa said. "But I need you to agree not to mention this to anyone else… not to Midoriya, not to Yaoyorozu, and not to Shouto. For the first time in over ten years, we are hoping to bring down a major criminal within the Yakuza. But if Overhaul finds out, he will likely disappear. And if that happens, it's hard to say what would happen to that little girl, or to Shouto."

Bakugou nodded.

He had already broken his damn contract. No fucking way that he was going to risk even more people finding out about this shit. The more people who knew, the higher the risk of Endeavor finding out and getting his panties in a fucking twist over everything.

Bakugou frowned at the picture of the little girl. He really fucking hoped they found her. Otherwise he really didn't know if all this damn shit was even worth the hassle.

Chisaki had already fucking won. He already got Icy-hot all to his damn self. And now Bakugou wouldn't even get the satisfaction of locking him up.

Fan-fucking-tastic.

* * * * * *
Shouto POV

Shouto reached up and knocked on Dabi’s apartment door. He was really not looking forward to the coming conversation. Kai had been exactly right about his brother; now that Dabi was starting to feel a bit better, he did, in fact, have his sights set on revenge. Swift, painful, and thorough revenge. Dabi had called him a half a dozen times throughout the morning to discuss it, until they had finally agreed to meet up tonight after Shouto was done playing ‘go’ with Okimoto.

And Okimoto had, without hesitation, forbidden Shouto and Dabi to kill Endeavor… yet. Despite being displeased with the trending video, the Yakuza leader had been quite pleased about the statement that Shouto had released with the paper to counter it, and the initiative that Shouto had shown to get it published so quickly despite his mourning and the fact that his mom was still not awake. But Okimoto agreed with Kai. The timing for killing Endeavor wasn’t right, not so close to his public disagreement with Shouto.

Shouto and Dabi had been, almost reluctantly, given permission to send Endeavor a message, but nothing that would end up with the number one hero in a body bag.

And Shouto was the one who had to break the news to Dabi.

Great.

Really fucking great.

Shouto had no idea where to even start this conversation. Shouto could tell just from talking on the phone with Dabi earlier that his brother was pissed.

After a few moments, Dabi opened up the door, stepping aside for Shouto to come in. He looked… frazzled. He hadn’t bothered to do his usual make-up, and he had dark bags under his eyes. His hair was messy and hanging almost limply down around his face as if he had just rolled out of bed. He was wearing a pair of black pajama pants, a wrap around his right elbow, and nothing else.

And he was already smoking.

“Hey,” Dabi greeted Shouto as he stepped inside.

“Hey,” Shouto replied, slipping his shoes off as Dabi closed the door.

Shouto wrinkled his nose as the smell of the room hit him, glancing dubiously at the cigarette hanging out of Dabi’s mouth. The apartment absolutely reeked of cigarette smoke, way more than normal. Enough that it almost made Shouto want to cough.

“Are you trying to choke yourself out?” Shouto observed, making his way directly over to the window and sliding it open a few inches, hoping to air things out a bit. The ashtray on the coffee table was already overflowing with cigarette butts, a few more were scattered across the table. Apparently Dabi was resisting the urge to give in to harder drugs by chain-smoking.

Fantastic.

Dabi just smiled at him, unashamedly taking the cig out of his mouth and offering it to Shouto. Shouto shook his head as he sat down on the couch. A part of him was curious, tempted to try smoking a few cigarettes and see what Dabi enjoyed about it so much. But he didn’t think that Kai would approve of him starting up the habit.

“Suit yourself,” Dabi shrugged, putting it back between his own lips, the ember of the cherry brightening as he inhaled deeply before very slowly exhaling the smoke, the thin haze faintly obscuring him. “Did you win your game tonight?” Dabi inquired, moving over toward the window as he smoked.

“No... I never win,” Shouto admitted bitterly. He had actually done worse this week than the last two. Although he hadn’t exactly been focused on trying to win; he had way too much on his mind to really have his heart in the game. Luckily, Okimoto seemed understanding… or, at the very least, he simply hadn’t called Shouto out on it. Though Shouto knew for a fact that Okimoto had noticed his lackluster performance.

Dabi walked back over to the couch, continuing to puff on the cigarette.

“It’s just a game,” Dabi replied with a shrug, half-distracted as he paced back and forth. He was clearly biding his time, waiting until they could finally talk about their plans for Endeavor. But there was something else. Dabi was… off. Shouto couldn’t quite put his fingers on it, but his brother’s eyes were almost unfocused, his movements slightly jerky. There was no hint of marijuana in the air, so Shouto doubted it was that. There were no empty bottles of booze sitting around. Maybe Dabi was just detoxing from his overdose… but Shouto suspected that wasn’t the whole story.

And Shouto didn’t really like the idea that Dabi was combating the effects of withdrawal from one drug with a different drug…

“I doubt Okimoto feels the same,” Shouto replied, deciding to observe Dabi a bit longer before he said anything. After what happened the other night, he was still worried about Dabi’s overall mental state at the moment. But he didn’t want to nag him, especially if it really was withdrawal symptoms that he was struggling with.

“Did you get a chance to talk to him about Endeavor?” Dabi asked, his patience apparently running thin. So much for easing into the conversation. Dabi was just going to jump in head first. “I think I have the perfect spot for us to trap him: Sekoto Peak.”

"Sekoto Peak? Ojichan's training center?"

"Yes!" Dabi replied, whirling around with an excited gleam in his eye. "It's perfect! Enji probably thinks we don't even remember it, so he will never suspect a trap. It will contain our fire, so we don't end up with any other heroes interfering. No one else knows about, it could be days before the heroes find his body, maybe even m–"

“We can’t kill Enji, Dabi,” Shouto interrupted him, not wanting his brother to get too invested in the plan… well, anymore invested than he already was, at the very least. Just like Kai had warned him, Shouto was going to have to be the voice of reason in this. Although he wasn’t entirely confident that he could actually hold his brother’s violence at bay… not for this. “Not yet.” Shouto added, attempting to placate Dabi. His brother was giving him a look that was close to outrage.

“What the fuck do you mean, Okimoto says not yet? Even bothering to ask the old man was a fucking courtesy! This has nothing to do with Okimoto!” Dabi snapped, yanking the nub of a cigarette out of his mouth and stalking over to put it out in the ashtray, knocking a bunch of the other butts out onto the coffee table as he did.

Dabi didn’t even seem to care.

He was way more irritable than normal.

"What we do could affect Kai; it could affect our role as one of his bullets. Of course Okimoto is going to care about that." Shouto replied, definitely wishing that Kai was here to buffer. Shouto didn't want Dabi to think he was siding with Kai, but he definitely felt like he was being forced to side with one or the other.

And honestly, he still hadn't really sorted out his feelings around it all.

"Bullshit," Dabi retorted, grabbing the pack of cigarettes off the table and pulling out another one. "That's fucking bullshit." He lit up, pacing around as he took a few aggravated puffs. "Enji needs to die. This isn't about Kai or the fuckin’ Yakuza…" Dabi motioned dramatically with his cigarette, the ash falling down onto his wrist as he did. He didn't flinch. He didn't even seem to notice. "This is about protecting our family, or at least what's left of it. I should have fucking killed him years ago." Underneath the anger that was so evident on the surface, Shouto could hear the edge of guilt in Dabi’s voice. His brother was blaming himself just as much as Shouto had blamed himself, maybe even more. Shouto hated hearing it. He wanted to comfort Dabi…

But he couldn’t let himself get distracted from the point he was trying to make.

"We are in the Yakuza, Dabi. We can't just–"

"I'm not asking, okay?" Dabi snapped, frowning at Shouto as he took almost manic puffs. "I'm not asking Kai. I'm sure the hell not asking Okimoto. I'm telling you what's going to happen. I have a time and a place. I am going to burn Enji alive… with or without you."

Well, fuck.

Talking Dabi out of this seemed to be a whole damn lot easier said than done.

“And what happens when they find his body all burnt up?” Shouto asked, trying to use the same argument that Kai had used to explain it to him. “It would be obvious who killed him.”

Dabi rolled his head around a bit as he smoked, still not bothering to actually sit down for the conversation. He was practically walking circles around Shouto. He was wound up tight, his anxious energy radiating off of him so strongly that it was palpable around them. He may not have shot up again (or not much, at least), but Shouto was certain that his behavior was the result of more than just nicotine.

Dabi flicked the ash from his cigarette carelessly onto the floor.

“Says Kai?” Dabi retorted snarkily.

Shouto nodded, feeling a bit sheepish that it had been so obvious.

Dabi walked over to the couch. Without even a warning, he climbed directly into Shouto’s lap, straddling Shouto’s legs, the smell of the cigarette almost overwhelming as the smoke swirled around them. Dabi yanked Shouto’s face up to look at him.

“Kai promised you vengeance, didn’t he?” Dabi said, his blue eyes piercing, his attention one hundred percent focused on Shouto. “He told you to stand up for yourself! Promised that you could kill him once you were ready. Didn’t he? Didn’t he?!”

He did. He had… but the timing just wasn’t right.

Dabi put the cigarette between his lips, tucked into the corner of his mouth. He put a hand on each side of Shouto’s face, his fingers even warmer than usual. So warm that they were almost uncomfortable against Shouto’s skin, as if Dabi’s quirk was swirling just underneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed.

“Kai doesn’t get to take that promise back now,” Dabi told Shouto, speaking out of the other corner of his mouth, each word filled with wild certainty, smoke seeping out with every tiny movement of his lips. “Not because it’s inconvenient for him. The heroes won’t discover our dear old daddy’s body because I won’t leave anything behind for them to discover.” Shouto felt frozen in place, his body on edge. Dabi was straddling him, his weight fully planted in Shouto’s lap, his hands cupping Shouto’s face almost intimately. It was overtly sexual; the words coming out of Dabi’s mouth, however, were anything but. “I will watch the light fade out of those disgusting blue eyes, and then I will burn those eyes out of his fucking skull. I will use every spark of fire in my body to turn his body to ash underneath my hands. I will torch every inch of skin… every organ… every bone… I don’t care what it does to my body, I will incinerate Enji so completely that it puts Shigaraki’s quirk to fucking shame. And then I will stand up and piss on his fucking ashes. Goodbye and good riddance to the so called number one hero.”

Dabi’s hands were getting even warmer.

The cigarette between his lips was all but a filter at this point, the ash from the burning ember flaking down onto their pants.

Dabi wasn’t just upset, he was livid; every ounce of anger that he had suppressed over a lifetime was bubbling to the surface. His rage was literally boiling underneath his skin, the need for vengeance all-consuming. Shouto’s own anger almost paled in comparison; a smoldering flame all but unnoticeable in the shadow of an active volcano.

Shouto reached up, taking Dabi’s wrists in his hands and pulling them away from his face. Shouto’s skin was fire resistant… at least his left side was. But he knew Kai would be pissed if Shouto came home with handprints burned into his cheeks.

“And if they figure it out anyway?” Shouto countered, his stomach doing flips at the strange tension that was rolling between them. He had never seen his brother like this before. It was… unsettling.

Dabi yanked his hands out of Shouto’s grip, grabbing the butt out of his mouth and rolling it between his fingers as he climbed off of Shouto’s lap.

Shouto hadn’t realized it earlier, but Dabi was hard. The knowledge made a tingle jolt through his stomach. Now that Dabi was standing, though, his erection was obvious against his thin pajama pants, and Shouto had no idea if it was because he had been sitting in Shouto’s lap, or if it was because he had been talking about killing their father.

Shouto wasn’t sure if he actually wanted to know…

Dabi tossed the butt down on the table, not even bothering to aim for the ashtray. He scooped up the pack, pulling another one out and immediately lighting up, coughing a bit as he took a drag.

“What the fuck are they going to do to me, Shou?” Dabi practically laughed. “The heroes can’t do shit if they can’t find me. So what if they fucking move my name up the most wanted list… I hope they fucking do it. It would be glorious to know that his fucking death made me number one… just like he always fucking wanted his son to be.”

“And what happens when Okimoto finds out that you disobeyed him? When Kai finds out?”

Fuck! Shouto wished he knew what his brother was on.

“What would they do?” Dabi shrugged. “Kill me? Kai can fucking give it his best shot. And even if he manages to fucking take me out, it would be worth it to watch Enji’s body writhe in pain underneath my blue flames.”

“Three months,” Shouto gave up on his current line of reasoning. Dabi was clearly in no mood to be talked out of this completely. But if he could push his brother’s ire off for a bit, just until everything calmed down. Until it wouldn’t be so damn obvious who was behind Endeavor’s death. “If you wait three months, then I will help you kill Enji. I will help you burn his body down to the ground.” The words left Shouto feeling strange; watching Enji pay for his sins was a feat he both wanted to accomplish and dreaded all at the same time. “And if you want to send a message before that, then I’m all in. But Enji can’t die, not yet.”

Dabi laughed lowly, reaching down and grabbing his cigarette pack. He took out another cigarette. He hadn’t even smoked half of his last one yet!

“Fuck!” Dabi cursed under his breath, beginning to pace once more. “How could you fucking ask me to wait… FUCK!” He put the unlit cigarette in his mouth next to the lit one. “That bastard deserved to die a long fucking time ago!"

Dabi lit up the second cigarette, puffing erratically at both of them.

Shouto stood up. Anger or no anger, this was ridiculous. Dabi was clearly tweaking, and smoking like a fucking chimney wasn't going to help them. He stalked over, grabbing the second cigarette and yanking it out of Dabi's mouth.

"Endeavor will fucking die," Shouto growled. "But I didn't join the Yakuza only to have Endeavor's death fuck up my chances of becoming someone in the organization. I need… we both need Okimoto to trust us. I'm not going to let you fuck that up for either of us by disobeying a direct order. You may not care if you end up six feet under, but I fucking do. I'm not going to let you put your life on the line just because you're hopped up on some drug and drunk on the idea of revenge!"

"Give. Me. The cigarette," Dabi growled, his voice deadly and serious. Shouto knew it didn't have a damn thing to do with the cigarette. It was a test. If Shouto gave it back now, then Enji was as good as dead, timing be damned.

"No," Shouto stood his ground, rolling the cigarette between his fingers just like he had seen Dabi do earlier. It burned like a bitch, and it took effort not to flinch as he met Dabi's smoldering eyes and extinguished the cherry. "I'm not like everyone else in your life, Dabi. I'm not going to let you be so reckless."

"I don't need protection, Shouto." It was as much a threat as it was a warning. Dabi took two steps forward, pushing Shouto backward. Once. Twice. And a third time, until Shouto's back was pressed up against the wall. Dabi took the lit cigarette out of his mouth, and snubbed it against the wall next to Shouto's head before tossing the butt on the floor.

"You need someone to protect you from yourself," Shouto quipped. Dabi lunged for the cigarette in Shouto’s hand, but Shouto was ready. He felt bad, but his brother wasn't thinking clearly, and Shouto was not going to lose the upper hand. Shouto responded with a punch to the jaw, not hard enough to do any real damage, but it was a warning of his own.

He wasn’t going to let Dabi win this.

It caught Dabi off guard. He reached up and rubbed his jaw, staring at Shouto.

"I can do this all night, Dabi," Shouto warned him. And he fucking would if that's what it took to get his message across.

Dabi shoved him back against the wall, hard, and Shouto retaliated with a second punch. It was harder than the first, hard enough to force Dabi’s head to the side as Shouto’s fist connected with the side of his jaw. Dabi smiled as he turned his head back to Shouto, the look in his eyes almost feral. And Shouto could see every emotion that had plagued his thoughts the past few days reflected back at him. His anger. His pain. His guilt. His grief. His sorrow. His need for vengeance.

"Give it to me," Dabi repeated the demand.

He was still mourning.

He was just being a stubborn ass about it. A stubborn, high ass.

But Shouto still couldn't give in, even if he wanted to. Even if it would make Dabi happy right now. Shouto had to be the one to stop him from acting on his baser instincts until the time was right.

Shouto stared Dabi in the eye as he dropped the cigarette onto the tile floor, squishing it under his bare foot.

Dabi growled, yanking Shouto forward and throwing him down onto the floor. The movement caught Shouto off guard, and Dabi was on top of him before he could react. Shouto struck out instinctually, slamming his palm into Dabi's shoulder. Dabi punched him in the jaw, pain blossoming through his skull as his head hit the floor.

Shouto returned the punch, catching Dabi in the eye as he kicked up his legs to try and buck his brother off.

Then Dabi's mouth was on his, warm and encompassing, and all of Shouto's thoughts blanked out for a moment. Dabi's body shifted, his crotch moving down to grind his cock directly onto Shouto's as he slid his tongue into Shouto's mouth.

Shouto groaned, kissing Dabi back even though it sent a pang of guilt through his gut. Kai would never approve. But Dabi's mouth felt so good on Shouto's. It was warm, almost too warm, just like the hand sliding up under Shouto's shirt. His lips moved against Shouto's in an almost fervent, sloppy kiss; his lip rings tickling Shouto's bottom lip with every single kiss. His tongue stud stroked the inside of Shouto’s mouth, his lower body grinding lewdly against Shouto's.

The taste of cigarettes was strong in Dabi’s mouth, but Shouto didn’t care. It was a heady, dizzying rush to have Dabi so desperately kissing him… touching him… rutting against him. The hungry way Dabi whined into Shouto’s mouth made it hard to think clearly; the way he rolled his hips made Shouto’s back arch up off the floor.

Fuck! Shouto wanted him…

Shouto lost track of time as they made out, the air growing warm around them. Shouto's pants were getting uncomfortably tight, and he could feel his arousal building.

Dabi's hand slid down underneath the waist of Shouto's pants to grab a handful of his ass, and Shouto's cock pulsed with blind desire.

Shouto broke the kiss.

Dabi barely seemed to notice, turning his attention to Shouto's neck, kissing it as he continued to grind his cock sinfully down against Shouto, licking long hot stripes over Shouto's skin.

"We… we can't…" Shouto gasped, his cock begging him to give in. "Kai…" It was like Dabi couldn’t even hear him; couldn’t stop himself if he wanted to… and, judging from the way Dabi’s tongue ring traced a line up the front of Shouto’s neck, he really didn’t want to. "Kai!" Shouto repeated, his voice pleading almost desperately. He wanted Dabi more than he rightfully should, more than was right for the fact that he loved Kai.

But he wanted his brother to fuck him.

"Please, Shou," Dabi moaned into Shouto's neck. And… fuck… those words made a thread of need coil tight in Shouto’s gut. He shivered underneath Dabi, his nipples contracting into hardened, sensitive little peaks. "I want you…" Dabi murmured, his grip on Shouto's side became almost possessively harsh. "I want you so fucking bad… please…"

Dabi's mouth was on Shouto's once more, and Shouto could almost taste the desperation on his mouth.

Shouto kissed back, his hips grinding up into Dabi's cock of their own accord.

Dabi's mouth felt so fucking good against his. He was pushing Shouto's shirt up, uncovering Shouto's toned stomach. His hands moved almost reverently over Shouto's skin as he bit Shouto's lower lip, sucking it roughly between his lips in a way that made Shouto shudder underneath Dabi.

"We can't… Dabi…" fuck! Shouto really wanted to give in, to be the comfort that Dabi needed. He wanted to be that safe place for his brother, just like Kai had been for him.

But Shouto couldn't. He fucking wanted to, but he couldn't!

"Fuck," Dabi growled, resting his forehead against Shouto's, his body tensing with frustration.

A moment later, Dabi was fiddling with his button and zipper, the weight of his upper body resting heavily against Shouto's chest as Dabi lifted up his hips and pushed his pants down just far enough to uncover his cock.

"You have no… no fucking… idea how. Damn. Sexy. You are…" Dabi growled, his hand moving against Shouto's clothed erection as he began to stroke it up and down over his own naked cock.

Shouto groaned, his cock throbbing as he realized what was happening. Dabi was jerking off…

Jerking off to the thought of fucking Shouto.

Jerking off on top of Shouto…

Shouto's cock throbbed. He grabbed onto Dabi's thighs, his fingers digging into the rough fabric of Dabi's jeans.

"All that fucking training…" Dabi growled, nipping the Shie Hassaikai mark on Shouto's collar. "Your body… fuck… I want you. I want you… Shou… I want… to… feel you…"

Shouto was so fucking hard, it hurt. His cock was leaking precum, and his ass was clenched with the desire to be touched. He knew that he should stop Dabi. Kai allowed them to fuck when they were all together…. But he would never allow this.

"It feels so… fucking… good… to touch you…" Dabi continued to mumble, his hand stroking. Stroking. Stroking.

His other hand was exploring Shouto's chest. Touching and massaging, rolling a hard nipple between his fingers, freely exploring without Kai there to guide what he could and couldn't enjoy.

Dabi seemed almost drunk with the power; intoxicated by the desire to have Shouto like this.

"You have… no idea… how much I want to turn you over…" Dabi's hips were grinding down against Shouto's as he continued to jerk off. "And slide myself in… fuck… fuck… inside of you…"

Shouto's cock was begging for more, begging to be touched. It was all he could do to stop himself from rolling over in Dabi’s arms and pressing his ass eagerly up against Dabi’s cock; to rut his own cock against something… anything.

"Dabi…" he mewled, trying to stop his hips from grinding upward.

"You are… always… so. Damn. Tight…" Dabi's breathing was getting heavier, his movements jerkier. "You feel so… good… on my… cock…"

Dabi shifted suddenly, sitting up more and scooting his lower body forward until he was jerking off directly over Shouto's abs. Shouto moaned at the sight, he could see the slickness of Dabi's precum coating his fingers and the head of his cock; the occasional glint of metal as Dabi teased his hands over the piercings along the bottom of his shaft. The way his hand moved in a frenzied lust…

Shouto's eyes were glued to his brother's cock.

"You've… no. No… no…" Dabi's body was rocking forward, his hips grinding harshly against Shouto's pelvis. "Idea… want you… so… fuck… Fu–" The word broke off into a strangled moan. Ropes of warm cum spilled out, decorating the pale skin of Shouto's abs, Dabi's eyes closed as he imagined himself cumming inside of Shouto. Dabi had to bite down on his own lip to keep from sinking his teeth into Shouto’s skin. His body quaked through his orgasm, hips jerking, erratically thrusting his cock into his fist a few more times.

Shouto's body was on fire, thrumming with pleasure. He was so fucking turned on.

"Three months, Shouto…" Dabi panted, his hips convulsing every few seconds, his cock finally going soft in his hand, the head laying against the mess of cum on Shouto's stomach. "Enji gets three fucking… months. For now, we send him a message… Tomorrow night. Sekoto Peak. You and I."

Sekoto Peak.

Shouto's mind was reeling as he tried to connect the dots, his thoughts a foggy haze of desire, his entire body begging for sex.

"But I swear, Shou… If shit goes sideways, I will kill Enji."

Chapter Text

Shouto POV
Saturday, July 3

Shouto’s emotions were all over the place tonight. This morning he got the news that his mom’s brain scans were showing signs of increased activity. Although the brain scans alone couldn’t guarantee anything, it was a good sign that her body was repairing itself and that she might wake up soon. Kai had volunteered to take Shouto’s normal Saturday rounds with mimic in order to give Shouto the chance to get everything ready; he had also gone above and beyond with resources for them to send an effective message to the most stubborn and belligerent man that Shouto had ever dealt with.

Now, standing in Dabi’s apartment, just moments before they were about to leave, Shouto was feeling anxious, very anxious. Way more anxious than he was willing to admit to anyone.

Shouto tried to keep his hands from shaking as he helped Dabi slide the bracer over his left arm. He especially didn’t want Dabi to realize how nervous he was. He wanted the same cool, confident indifference that Dabi felt… the gentle buzz of anticipation that seemed to emanate from him as they got dressed.

He knew that Endeavor couldn’t be allowed to continue using them as a whipping post; as a scapegoat every time something happened that made Enji look bad. A message had to be sent, and Shouto wanted to help send it… but he knew how strong Endeavor was, and he was nervous to face him again. This time it wasn’t just to subdue him and run, they had to get him restrained long enough to deliver their message… and that was not going to be easy.

“Relax, Shou,” Dabi murmured around the cigarette hanging out of his mouth, smoke drifting up over his face with each word. He must have been able to feel the tremor in Shouto’s hands. Dabi used his free hand to reach up and take the cigarette out of his mouth, flicking the ash off onto the floor as he exhaled the rest of the smoke he had been holding in his mouth, giving Shouto a confident smile. “Nothings going to go wrong.” Dabi’s other hand was held out as Shouto tightened the strap around his bicep, then moved around behind Dabi to start tightening the straps across his back, securing a harness in place over Dabi’s chest.

“I know,” Shouto replied, trying to sound as confident as Dabi.

They were going to subdue Enji together, and they had a good plan. A plan that Kai had helped them put together this afternoon; a plan they had reviewed a dozen times since then, trying to make sure they were ready. That there would be no extenuating circumstances, and no outside factors.

Endeavor was strong, strong enough on his own that even Shouto and Dabi together would be pressed to take him down… normally. Because of the strength of his quirk, Endeavor was practically fireproof, unlike Shouto and Dabi who were fire resistant. That meant it was unlikely they could rely on fire attacks to really hurt him. Shouto still had his ice, but that was going to be used mostly as a defensive tactic, for barriers to protect them from Endeavor’s fire.

That meant that traditional weapons were the best choice for the offensive portion of their plan; and although Shouto was getting better with his weapons every day, he had only used them in training. This would be his first actual fight with them, and because of that, he wasn’t as confident in them as he wanted to be. Not nearly as confident as he should be to go up against Enji.

Shouto finished tightening the last strap. He pressed himself up against Dabi’s back, digging his hands into the soft, reinforced leather of Dabi’s shirt, and took a deep breath, reminding himself that Dabi was damn good with weapons.

Plus, they had trigger; a dose for each of them to boost their quirks. That would give them a definite edge against Endeavor.

They also had a special present from Kai. A prototype weapon developed as part of whatever project that chronostasis was in charge of. A small gun that shot two preloaded bullets. The first one affected an individual's quirk, greatly reducing one's ability to access it. The second one nullified the effects of the first, returning one's quirk back to full use.

Shouto felt like it was cheating in a way, but Dabi said it was nothing more than Endeavor deserved. He was a powerful man, and that was the language he spoke. He enjoyed using his power to hurt and manipulate the people around him. The best way to intimidate an asshole like that is to take away their power. That was the key to their message. Enji wasn’t a person to back down to a physical threat. He didn’t have a fight or flight mode. He was all fight. And if that wasn’t enough, he fought harder, more ruthlessly. But if he knew that Shouto and Dabi had the power to nullify his quirk, that gave them power over him. They would give it back to him this time in order to avoid the heat it would bring to Kai’s project, but if he tried to fuck with either of them again then they would nullify his quirk permanently. He would go from the number one hero to a man who was practically quirkless.

Shouto breathed in the musky scent of Dabi’s cologne one more time before letting go of his shirt and stepping back to admire the completed outfit.

His brother looked damn good as a vigilante. As Shouto had come to realize, Dabi loved getting dressed up for these type of things; it seemed to give him an edge of confidence in his work. Tonight was no exception. Dabi had a new costume for his work in the Yakuza, compliments of Kai, so he had gone all out to enjoy it. He had freshly dyed and cut his hair, the black spikes perfectly styled to frame his face. He had on his usual smokey eye make-up that made his cerulean blue eyes smolder, accentuated by thick mascara and black lipstick. He’d even added a shimmering lotion to his face to accentuate the rose tattoos along his jawline.

Dabi was dressed in a two piece black, fireproof bodysuit with blue trim that perfectly matched the color of his flames. The shirt fit similarly to a long sleeve halter, but it split into two ‘V’s at the bottom that dipped down and connected to a garter-like leather padding around each of his thighs. The neck of the shirt covered Dabi’s own neck all the way up to his jawline. The matching pants slid over top of the garter-like padding and settled directly over his hips. The outfit left teasing peek-a-boo’s of his abs and lower back. Both pieces were made to hug his body for flexibility, and were reinforced with purposeful leather padding between the streaks of blue trim.

Of course, Dabi had added some accessories; a thick, decorative leather choker over the fabric around his neck, knee high boots that were strapped into place along his calves, and long leather bracers that covered his forearms and extended down over a set of black, fingerless gloves.

The straps that Shouto had just finishing tightening belonged to a harness with a diagonal ‘X’ shape that criss-crossed over Dabi’s torso. The harness had four leather slots, each one housing a small dagger. The harness connected to a belt around Dabi’s waist with a few small pouches that contained the doses of trigger, a handful of smoke bombs, and a custom set of brass knuckles that went over the three middle fingers of his right hand. Shouto had gotten a good look at the weapon before he had packed it away, and it looked mean. The metal was shaped so that there was a series of metal nubs along the top that would add a nasty surprise to each punch.

Finally, Dabi had matching gun holsters attached to the belt and secured with a thick leather strap around each of his upper thighs. His right side had the quirk-nullifying gun on it, the other had a small handgun.

Shouto was instructed not to wear his normal Yakuza costume, as Okimoto didn’t want to risk that particular outfit being known to the heroes quite yet. So Kai had also given him a one-piece body-suit, an upgrade to what he was used to wearing during his training. It was simple (especially compared to Dabi’s), fireproof black fabric that had thick maroon strips all the way down the sides of his torso and legs. It didn’t have the built-in padding like Dabi’s, so Kai had also given him leather padding that fit over the suit to provide extra protection.

He had long black thigh-guards that slid over the suit, and covered Shouto from just below his knees all the way up to his lower stomach, extra padding over his groin that seemed to almost emphasize his cock in a way that had practically left Dabi drooling as he had adjusted the leather in place for Shouto earlier that night.

The outfit had a fitted vest that they attached Shouto’s scabbard and sword to the back of. There was a studded belt around his waist that helped to hold his thigh harness and dagger in place on one side, and had an attachment to hold his whip coiled tightly in place on his other side. Like Dabi, Shouto also had long leather bracers that strapped onto his forearms and up over the back of his hands, held in place by a single loop that wrapped around his middle fingers. His boots were much more conservative than his brother’s, covering just over his ankles.

Dabi had insisted on doing Shouto’s hair and make-up as well. Shouto had said that it wasn’t really necessary, but Dabi had done it anyway. He had spiked Shouto’s hair up more than usual, giving it an almost mohawk-esque appearance. Thankfully, he had been much more conservative with Shouto’s make-up than his own; fading out a light brown eyeshadow, and using a black liner over his top lid and half his bottom lid that met at the side of each eye in a small wing. He had smoked that out just a tad, and added black mascara and glitter… which he also spread over Shouto’s scar. Dabi chose a simple, nude colored lipstick and faint liner on Shouto’s lips, and highlighted his right cheekbone.

As a final touch, Dabi had pulled out a hollow needle and carefully pierced Shouto’s ears to add a small, spiked black stud on each side. Shouto had been hesitant about that bit, but once the earrings were in, he wished that he had pierced his ears sooner. They were simple, but they looked damn good.

Overall, he felt a bit over-dressed, as if they should be going out to the club instead of out to fight one of the most dangerous heroes in Musutafu, but he could see the appeal of getting so dressed up. Shouto looked every bit as sexy and dangerous as Dabi usually did, which felt really good, and their outfits alone would send a distinct message to their father. The make-up and the piercings, the fitted outfits and the perfectly styled hair… it created a distinct combination of masculine and feminine mystique that Enji would absolutely despise. It was so unique and different from the stiff appearance that he had tried to thrust on them that it was the perfect way to throw their independence in his face.

And if Shouto had taken a handful of selfies, and texted a few of them over to Kai and Momo… well, he didn’t think anyone could blame him. He needed every bit of confidence that he could find in order to carry him through this mission.

Shouto just hoped that tonight would be enough to finally get Enji to relinquish some of the ever-increasing grudge that he had been nursing for years… or, at the very least, force him to stop acting on that grudge. The possibility of that was enough to get Shouto genuinely excited about tonight despite his nerves.

After Dabi threw on his leather jacket and helmet, Shouto put on his own helmet and followed Dabi out of the apartment and down to Dabi’s bullet bike. They climbed on, and Dabi took off toward Sekoto Peak. Shouto’s heart was pounding as he clung onto Dabi, the cold night wind whipping around them as they rode down the dark road. Shouto had his arms tight around Dabi’s waist, his hands laid out flat against Dabi’s stomach. He was squeezing Dabi’s hips with his thighs and pressing his chest tightly against Dabi’s back, seeking out the comforting warmth of his brother’s body heat and reminding himself that he wasn’t alone this time. Dabi was with him, and they were going to face Endeavor together.

They passed by the neighborhood that led to the mansion, driving a few more blocks before Dabi pulled off onto a dirt trail and slowly guided the bike out to the woods and off the trail, well away from view of the main road. Sekoto Peak was built underneath the hills behind the Todoroki mansion, almost forty years ago by their grandfather after Enji’s quirk ‘hellflame’ emerged. Shouto had only been to it a handful of times. By the time Shouto began his training, Enji had already built his own dojo onto the mansion itself, claiming that his father’s dojo was outdated. Enji built it the year after his father died, and Shouto always wondered if it was out of grief, anger, or spite. He had never been brave enough to ask.

Luckily, Dabi had trained there for a few years, and was familiar enough with the facility to help them get in. Sekoto Peak had an alarm system that was tied into the mansion, but it was minimal since the facility was unused and located on private property. Going through the main door would trip the system, but there was apparently no alarm attached to the back entrance, only a large, locked wrought-iron gate. Once they were inside, set up, and ready, they would purposefully trigger the alarm and wait for Endeavor to come investigate. The only wildcard was if Endeavor brought someone with him… though the chances of him doing so felt pretty slim. He was the number one hero, and pride would keep him from seeking help in protecting his own property.

Shouto reluctantly let go of Dabi and climbed off the bike as soon as Dabi had it parked. Dabi pulled off his leather jacket and lay it over the seat, both of them tying their helmets on the side before covering the entire bike with a specialty tarp that was meant to cover a hunting stand. It was late, and they were far enough off the road that Shouto didn't think anyone would notice it. But Dabi had insisted that being cautious was in their best interest. Endeavor's pride would likely prevent him from reporting the truth. But if some random citizen spotted the bike and reported it for trespassing, and a hero or the police showed up to investigate, it would be a bunch of extra trouble for them.

"Is it far from here?" Shouto asked, keeping his voice pitched low as he watched Dabi finish tying down the tarp.

"Not far," Dabi replied, standing up and double-checking his work. "Probably about a ten to fifteen minute walk. A little steep. Biggest challenge will be spotting the gate that leads down to the back entrance. Things are likely a bit overgrown compared to how gramps used to keep it."

Shouto nodded, shifting around nervously as Dabi stood up straight. He blindly reached up to fix his hair from wearing the helmet, and then began patting himself down, checking to make sure everything was in place.

As Dabi checked the ties on his harnesses and weapons, Shouto followed his lead and did the same for his own, making sure that everything was secure for the coming fight. They only had one shot at this, and nothing could go wrong. If it did, Dabi had already made it clear that he had every intention to simply put a bullet between Endeavor’s eyes… in fact, Shouto knew that Dabi was still hoping that was how the night might end, despite the clear instructions they received from both Okimoto and Kai.

Once they were both ready, Shouto followed Dabi through the trees and they headed up the hillside. The forest around the dojo wasn't super thick, so it wasn't too hard to make their way upward, even in the moonlight. The walk went faster than expected, and Dabi was able to locate the back entrance fairly quickly once they reached the top, despite the weeds and bushes that had begun to choke up the entrance. The thick iron gate over the back entrance was no joke, and had an intricate and complex lock attached that wouldn’t be easy to bust open by normal means. But Shouto was able to use his ice to break the lock apart so they could get inside.

Dabi used his blue fire to create a glowing light as they descended a small, dark staircase. The metal door at the bottom had a second lock that Shouto had to break apart as well. The moment he pushed the door open, his senses were assaulted by the distinct scent of dust and stale air, enough that it made him cough, wrinkling his nose as he stepped inside and into a long dark hallway that extended out in both directions. Dabi stepped in behind him, touching his side to nudge Shouto further inside.

“This way,” Dabi noted, taking a right and leading them down the hallway, his blue flames reflecting almost eerily off of the cement walls around them. There was a thick layer of dust all over, the occasional spider web catching in the light. The stale air got worse the further they got from the door, the dust in the air so thick that it was almost choking. Shouto wished that he had worn a mask of some kind, anything to filter out the dirt trying to get into his lungs.

Shouto coughed again as they reached a door on their left, and Dabi pushed it open. Shouto immediately recognized the enormous room they had stepped into as the dojo. He put up his left hand, activating his quirk to add to the flames illuminating a portion of the room around them.

“This place is filthy,” Shouto noted sourly as he began to look around. The floor was covered in a zig-zagging pattern of filthy tan tatami mats, and the walls looked like they were covered in a traditional rice paper framed with a lattice of thin wooden slats, the traditional beauty and simplicity of the design marred by the thick layer of grime along it. Shouto suspected it wasn’t as simple as it looked, though, as everything in this dojo had been designed to withstand the heat of Enji’s fire.

“I doubt anyone has been here in the last decade,” Dabi replied from the other side of the room.

There were over-sized tapestries decorating the walls, trimmed with red and gold and bearing thick dust-muted strokes of black ink, kanji that symbolized fire, power, and perseverance. Along the walls was the occasional display case. Shouto walked over to the nearest one, using the side of his hand to wipe away some of the dirt. The resulting cloud of dust made Shouto cough again, but as he peeked inside, he could see three antique weapons on display. Shouto had completely forgotten about these cases, and was mildly surprised that his father had left the antiques abandoned up here with the rest of the dojo. They were likely valuable; enough that the thought of pilfering them and presenting them to Okimoto as a gift crossed his mind. Doing so would help Shouto gain favor with Okimoto, and hopefully bolster his place in the Yakuza. He would have to return for the weapons later, though. They had neither the time nor the means to transport the antiques tonight.

“We need to clear out the middle of the dojo,” Dabi’s instructions interrupted Shouto’s train of thought. “We can set up a few barriers, but we don’t want anything unexpected in the way once Enji gets here. There isn’t going to be much light in here tonight besides our quirks, so it’s important we have control over the environment.”

Shouto nodded, realizing that Dabi was right. They should get to work; they didn’t have time to waste. They needed to get everything in place and set off the alarm. The room was enormous, so it took them almost an hour to get all the little things moved over and placed against the walls. The work wasn’t pleasant, and left them covered in a layer of dust and dirt, definitely annoying after all the time they had spent getting dressed. They left two short walls of boxes built up along two of the large stone columns that held up the ceiling of the dojo, makeshift barriers for the fight. Because they were used for dojo storage, the boxes were also flame-resistant, and would give them at least some cover against Enji’s flames.

Once they were both satisfied, Dabi disappeared to go set off the alarm. It didn’t take him long, and he was back in the dojo faster than Shouto expected.

“I figure we have about twenty minutes or so before that asshole walks in the door,” Dabi hypothesized as he walked back over to Shouto. Dabi opened one of the now dusty pouches on his belt, and pulled out one of the doses of Trigger. He stripped the plastic off the needle, working carefully to avoid contaminating the needle with dust or dirt. “That gives us enough time for this to be in full effect. You took this the night ya’ll broke me out of prison. You remember what it’s like?”

Shouto remembered. Shouto remembered very well, and he was both excited and nervous to experience it again. Trigger hadn’t just boosted his quirk, it had made him feel like a god the last time he had taken it, like there was absolutely nothing that could stop him or stand in his way. It had been liquid gold running through his veins… but it had also made him reckless. It was the reason those two security guards had died at the wrong end of Shouto’s fire. Tengai had said that the first time on the drug felt the most overwhelming, and Shouto hoped that the man was right. He needed his wits about him tonight, especially with Dabi’s thirst for blood simmering so close to the surface.

“Yeah, I remember,” Shouto replied, tilting his head to the side to give Dabi access to the side of his neck.

Dabi nodded, reaching up and carefully pulling the neck of Shouto’s outfit out of the way so that he could slide the needle into a clean patch of skin. It pinched just a bit as the needle bit into his skin, but not enough to really hurt. Dabi injected the liquid, pulled the needle out, and switched the empty cartridge out for the second dose in his belt. Dabi administered his dose in the same way he had done for Shouto before stashing the second cartridge in his belt.

Like the first time, Shouto felt nothing right away. It wasn’t until Dabi was sliding the brass knuckles over his right hand that Shouto felt it… swift and intense, like he had been plunged into an icy-cold river and was at risk of being washed away by the current flowing through him. He could feel every inch of skin on his body acutely, hyper-aware of the way his muscles rippled and flexed as he shifted. The body-suit felt like it was a part of him, and he could literally feel his quirk surging through his body, begging for an actual release, not just the lazy licking of a small flame around his left hand.

Shouto moaned lowly, barely registering that he had, and Dabi chuckled.

“It feels good, doesn’t it?” Dabi mumbled, a strange pitch to his voice that left Shouto with no doubt that his brother was also feeling the effects of the drug.

Shouto had the most intense urge to reach over and touch his brother.

The doubt and anxiety that had plagued Shouto on the way here were gone. The nerves that had been eating away at his stomach were nonexistent, replaced with an almost dangerous confidence. There was no way that they couldn’t win now, not with this drug singing in their veins. Enji was no match for them like this.

They really could kill him if they wanted to.