Two years. Two whole years training to be a hero and now I’m this villain that people fear daily. I’m a monster. I fear myself. What is wrong with me? That’s what I ask myself all the time but can never find the answer. The answer is villainy. I will get revenge. I will make him pay for the pain he put me through. So, I will get him back for this. He will get what was coming for him. He will die.

Chapter 1

The white walls around me covered in the reflecting glass drove me more insane than the surrounding people did. My hand gingerly touched the scar on my face. I could feel all of them looking at me through the windows. I knew they were there. Waiting for me to crack, scream, kill.The camera watched me almost as close as their eyes did. A loudspeaker squeaked, causing my head to twitch. I hugged my knees in the small corner that I stayed in 24/7.

“Are you ready to talk yet, villain?” Endeavor’s voice stabbed me. No matter how many times they asked me this question, I never answered. His sigh was loud when he released it. A weak laugh left me. They quickly switched the mirror, so I could see them. I stood and walked over to the glass.

“I’m not a villain. I’m a girl just trying to get through her life. But no, you think that just because I have different thoughts than you, that I am a villain. You deserved that blade to go through you. You deserved every single second of pain that you felt. Because that’s what I went though, Enji. I’m sure you haven’t forgotten what you did to me. Right? How could you? I’m not to blame for Toya’s ‘death’ when he isn’t dead. You are. You drove him off the edge. He told me everything and then you messed it up. He couldn’t have died. Toya was strong. He was tough. He was more of a hero then you will ever be. So, I’m not the villain here, you are.” His eyes glared into mine, but I knew I had won this. Just as he was about to speak, the wall behind me caved in. Nomu’s all stood there, staring with their empty eyes.

Two strong claw-like arms grabbed my shoulders and pulled me. I screamed, but they didn’t stop. Before I knew it, my vision was dark. That moment came back to me.

⛶

All pro heroes at U.A. high school sat around the oval table with me at one end and Principle Nezu at the other. My hair hung in front of my eyes, hiding my tears.

“We think we should take you out of U.A. We think you are in danger here. However, you are only being taken out of the hero course. Another course that would be glad to take you in is the general studies course, with Hitoshi Shinso. I trust you know him. There have been a few requests to remove you from the school, however, us teachers agree courses should switch, not schools.” Even though he was trying his best to be comforting, Principle Nezu was crushing my dreams. Endeavor stood and slammed his fists onto the table.

“We should take her out of Japan! She’s put not only herself but others in danger! Do you realize what she has done? She killed my son and also brought my other children to hate me. I am trying to atone with them but it’s hard when I have her, encouraging them to do what they want and not follow my orders!” All Might looked at him and shook his head. He then told him to stop and leave me alone. Then he did it again. He said that I was the reason that Toya was dead.He continued to call me a danger and a monster. I broke. I pushed the chair back and threw a long blade through his chest. Where did that come from?

“I didn’t kill him! You brought him to die. I told your kids to be who they want. Not who you want them to be. Shoto actually likes who he is now because he isn’t under your control and under what you want. Toya would say all the time how he hated how he wanted to be like you. Then you stopped paying attention to him. He hated himself. He tried so hard not to cry when I was around because he didn’t want to seem weak to me. I loved him how he was. But you didn’t like him that way. No, you had to change him.” My lungs felt like they were burning as my eyes ran with tears. The teachers all looked at me with fear in their eyes. After that, I said goodbye to everyone else and then they sent me to Tartarus, where they would wait until I was ready to talk. I never did.

Endeavor returned every single day, even if he was in pain, to see that I too was suffering. All Might never once came to see me. The thought of me dying there scared him. He never liked to see me in pain. One night I had a dream about Toya. My best friend. My only friend. The night that we sat under the stars and counted every single one that we could before we grew tired of it. I told him I loved him that night. He said it back. Suddenly, the memory became more like a nightmare. He was walking away and I couldn’t do anything. My motionless body lies there while he disappears.

A storm rolled through, shaking the walls. Every hair on my body stood up. I’ve always hated storms. Really all loud sounds scared me, but storms were the worst since the bright lightning hurt my eyes.The heavy silver doors bolted open, spooking me. A dark figure strolls through and stands in front of me. I didn’t look. I hate to admit it, but I was terrified. Gently, weight added to my head with a pet-like motion. It was All Might. He sat beside me.

“I’m sorry that all of this is happening. I should have told him to stop when I had the chance. You shouldn’t be here. You have wanted to be a hero since you were that little girl that we found, so alone. Now, you are here and scared in the darkness alone.” That was the only thing that he was good at. Words. Whenever he spoke it gave me this spark of hope. That I could make it through whatever I was in. Just as quickly as he arrived, he was gone. Just like Toya.

Day after day, they continued to watch me. I remember that one day when they used electric currents to drive out the menacing side of my mind. Mouse. That was the name.That’s what she told me anyway. I didn’t like it very much since she was a little scary but it’s not like I can stop her from taking control of me. I’ve always hated how I looked at myself. A demon that stares back at me. Why do I have to do this? Why do I have to feel like this? The second I felt the shock go through my body, she screamed. It was loud and long. It was almost like I could feel it in my chest. Hands held down my arms and legs while the lights busted, throwing glass over the floor. That day, Endeavor was happier than ever. He had finally gotten a small answer.

Maybe the biggest thing that made me want to die so badly was how I lied to all of my friends. Ashido cried. Iida stayed silent. Bakugo stood with his arms crossed and glared at the heroes that stood behind me.Todoroki nodded. Kirishima stayed wide eyed the entire time, same with Kaminari. Ojiro hugged me tightly. Dark Shadow sobbed while Tokoyami handed me his favorite poetry book. Each of them had their own way of saying farewell to me. Bakugo was quiet. He didn’t say a word to me. The teachers did nothing like that. Not even All Might. They nodded and sent me off.

Toya would have told them a prison wasn’t the correct choice. He would’ve yelled right in his fathers face with tears waiting to escape his eyes. Nezu told me he’d keep a close eye on the two silver swords that were gifted to me on my 12th birthday. They were part of my hero costume and they didn’t let me keep them. All Might said he would do all he could to get them back. They meant a lot to me. Toya remembered my birthday and used his father’s money just to give them to me. I loved Toya so much. He had a kind heart and was always up for a karaoke night. There were times we would sneak into town and go into a bar that would let us use their basement for karaoke.

One year for my birthday, he gave me a necklace with his name engraved into a blue heart. Endeavor noticed it on my neck when I was with All Might. He ripped it, breaking the chain and melted it in front of my eyes.Once the metal cooled, I knew I could never tell Toya. I never did. How could I? We told each other everything but here I was, not telling him the reason I had a scar and why a necklace was gone. That reminds me. The last night that Toya was with me, I told him that his father burned me. He didn’t look angry. But I knew what he was thinking. He had said ‘He’s a bastard. I can’t believe he’s my father.’ Then he laughed it off and hugged me tightly, apologizing for what Endeavor had done to me. I’ll always miss those days when he would hug me and make me feel like I was fine.

Chapter 2

A bright light blinded me when I could finally see again. Mumbles filled the air. Then a dark voice. All For One. I knew that voice. My body moved and fixed itself. It wasn’t really him, but a TV with his terrifying face. Someone threw something at me. The hero costume. No katanas, but daggers instead. A short man with a long mustache and goggles that reflected the world around him. He told me to get changed, and that I had to meet people. How could I just ignore him? He left, and I did what he said. All For One then tuned back in on the TV.

“I have a successor and you need to watch him while I can’t. Protect him. Teach him. Take orders from him. If he sends you on a mission, you will take the mission. If he accepts you, then welcome to the League of Villains.” The TV screen goes black after he chuckles. My hands fumbled with the mask that I pulled over my mouth. My eyes darted to a mirror with broken pieces. Without thinking, I hid the scars using Mouse's magic. I could see out of my right eye for once. The effects were simple, I didn’t look like me anymore. The second I walked out, I saw people standing and waiting around. I remembered them.

The memories of the third day of school at U.A. flooded back to me. It hurt. A dark figure waited in a corner. He didn’t talk like the others did. Twice and Toga asked me a million questions. I stayed quiet. Hours passed, and we all stayed in that stupid bar. Everyone but me fell asleep. The stool was spinning slightly while my lower body moved but my head was resting on the counter. Shigaraki started stacking cards, hoping they would stay up. A gust of wind left my mouth, and the cards toppled down. He glared at me, making me laugh.

Days. Weeks. Months. I was still there. Somehow still alive. I had gotten to know everyone. Toga. She actually becomes someone she loves. Twice. He can’t go anywhere without his face covered, or he feels like he’s splitting apart since he doesn’t know if he is the real him. He never really told me why. Shigaraki is All For One’s successor. I know little about him. Spinner. Stain really inspired him, like Toga and Dabi. Dabi, however, isn’t very social; he only comes to the meetings because he has to. We get along kind of. We don’t talk but we work well together because we don’t fight.

Shigaraki asked us all to come together one day. Everyone sat around him but not too close. I sat beside Dabi in the shadowy part of the bar. None of them have seen me without the mask and using none of Mouse’s abilities. I look entirely different and I kind of like it. He explained that there was a mission that he needed two of us to go on. His eyes met mine.

“Kitana. Then we need someone else.” My fists became tight. I didn’t ask him ‘why me?’;That’s how I would get killed. Obviously, Toga isn’t coming because she wouldn’t focus if we saw anyone that she became interested in. Twice was too, since he would have to show his face. Spinner said no. Dabi was the last one. They ordered me to use my Quirk to alter his appearance while we were on the mission. We couldn’t argue. Before we knew it, we were already in Shenzhen, China. The hotel that we had settled into had one bed but connected to another room that Dabi claimed. My guess was because it had more privacy and there was a bigger bed. I was fine with it. Where my bed was, the window displayed the beautiful constellations. While I was asleep, both Dabi and I went back to the original state. So, I told him not to order room service or come over to my side at night.

Our job was to kill a man named Kehori Menzaru. He pissed off Shigaraki or something like that. The only reason I agreed was because I got to get out of the bar, interact with people, and kill someone for fun and do it however I wanted. We had to attend parties and act like entirely different people. The first night, I had to flirt my way into finding out what our disguises were going to be. Dabi chuckled while I walked over to the tall man in a suit. My hand traced his muscles. Thank god I didn’t look like me because he would’ve killed me.

“Hey, sweetie. Could you tell me who is going to be here at the ball tonight? I need to know if a certain someone will be there.” I went behind him. He stiffened and cleared his throat. Then he handed me the guest list. My lips gently pressed onto his cheek and I walked away. Once I was back with Dabi, I wiped my mouth and gagged. He repeated what I said in a mocking tone. My elbow dug into his side. The second we returned to the hotel room, we picked out the outfits that we would wear each night. He would not be at this ball but people he knew will. We will simply take their place. The only way for me to alter someone’s appearance and voice, is I need to know how that person sounds and looks. This weirded Dabi out. His job was to locate the people and let me know. Then I would record their voice and take a picture of them. After that we would let them know that they have canceled the ball and we could go as them.

Three hours I had been sitting in the dark alleyway. I could faintly hear screams in my mind. I knew they weren’t real, but it didn’t stop my memories from making their existence known. Dabi crouched down in front of me, holding a jacket above my head. My eyes met his, and he knew I wasn’t ready for this. He sat beside me and sighed.

“You should know we don’t really have any choice but to do this stupid mission. Shigaraki will kill us if we don’t.” Dabi’s blue eyes made me feel like I was looking into an ocean. I laughed and hugged my knees.

“I know, but I never thought that I would have to wear a stupid dress and dance with strangers!” I groaned as he handed me his phone. Within ten minutes, we were already walking to the venue and preparing ourselves. I flicked Dabi’s nose and pulled his hair when he told me not to fall in love. We separated to change then met up once again so we could fully disguise ourselves. His white tux made his hair and eyes pop, making my face burn. The tight blue dress that I had to wear was making me want to die. I closed my eyes and waited for the image and voice of the two people to play in my head. Dabi flicked my ear and chuckled. The second I opened my eyes, he looked different. My hands went straight to his collar to fix it.

“Now remember, you need to be nice tonight or you’ll blow your cover, you ass hat.” After my hand found his cheek with a loud smack, I walked away and through the giant marble archway. Two men in black suits and dark sunglasses stood like FBI agents, causing me to hold in laughter. When you are suddenly a thin brunette with green eyes you forget you are actually kind of attractive. Heads turned the second I sat down in the seat that I (Or Mitishi Kuri) claimed. The cold champagne touched my tongue, making me shiver slightly.

A man who was too big for the small suit he was in stood on a small stage and held a glass into the air, toasting the night. I sat at the table for a few hours, waiting for something to happen. But nothing. No matter how long I waited. Until he walked over to me. A man with cherry lips, dark red eyes, gray hair, and a fancy, nice fitting suit, bowed to me. His lips touched my gloved hand with a smirk. He lifted me from my seat and guided me to the dance floor. One of his hands rested gently on my lower back while he intertwined the other with mine.

Calico Yu. That name was so gentle. The second he said it I blushed a little. Of course, I had to lie about my name but, damn he was fine. His jawline, his arms, his smile, his hair. Everything about him was perfect. I couldn’t get over his laugh. It made me want to just run away in the black heels that were strapped to my feet. He didn’t tell me his Quirk, which is how many people lead these days, but he told me he was looking for someone to make his. Someone to marry. Of course, I would not let that be me. That could change the entire plan I have going on. The second he twirled me, I could see the color in his face drain. Dabi (Or Riku Makima) was standing there, glaring at Calico. What in the hell is he doing? The two people who we’re impersonating have never met, and he’s making it seem like we have. Calico nodded to me, then moved onto the next lady that came into view.

“What’s your issue?” I ask him. He followed me when I walked away and scoffed. We stood on a balcony, the wind howling. The orchestra continued to play while the stars blinked. Someone’s hands met my waist and spun me around. Calico was there again, smiling. Before I could say anything, we were already dancing again, Dabi alone in the night.

I pulled my hair out of the tight bun and smashed my head into the fluffy pillow that was calling my name. Dabi, no longer looking like a stranger, stood by the giant lamp in the room's corner.

“Why did you stop him from dancing with me?” I sat up and crossed my arms.

“You were going to get your heart broken and come crying to me when it happens.” Dabi scoffed, followed by a grin.

“Okay. First off, I will never get heartbroken.” I stood and walked over to him. “Second. I’m never, ever , Going to cry to you about anything. I won’t ask you to hug me or hold me to comfort me because I can do things by myself because, Dabi, I don’t need you.” Compared to him, I was pretty short, but I still felt high and mighty. Dabi said nothing. He just stood there and looked at me with disgust. Soon enough, he turned around and headed to the bathroom for a shower. Before he entered, I reminded him of no room service. He ignored me, of course.

That night I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t even fall asleep. The stars seemed to mock me. They really have no reason to be so beautiful in the sky. Eventually, I stood and walked around. Dabi was peacefully asleep in his giant bed. For a while, I just stood there and watched him. Something made a small noise in the hallway. I made my way over and looked through the peephole, hoping to see something interesting. Nothing. Just a newspaper. I hate the nights so much.

As I lay in my bed, I realize I need to get sleep or I’ll go even more insane than I already am. The cold blanket gently sat on my shoulders. I wanted to cry. Why? Toya’s face popped into my mind. Then I fell asleep.

Chapter 3

Last night. I haven’t been ready for this night. He was actually going to be at this ball. With all the intel we had gathered over the past two weeks, I was terrified. Today the red dress hugged my curves making me want to hurl. Dabi walked behind me, now in a blood red tux. We spared each other a gaze then left. Calico had stopped coming to the balls. It irritated me. He was the only person who I would talk to, and he was the only one that I actually felt like I could talk to without catching feelings for him. Once I arrived, Kehori Menzaru stood in the middle of the ballroom and toasted all the people in the room.

Instantly after everyone finished eating dinner, bodies moved to the dance floor and waltzed with each other. This disgusted me but I couldn’t stand there and do nothing. A hand gently touched my hip, swaying me gently.

“Don’t panic. It’s just me.” A voice spoke. Who was this? Oh, right? Dabi. My chest rose and fell faster, not knowing what to do. We followed what the others did. The second we faced each other, he grinned, making me look away. He eased some hair out of my eyes, tucking it behind my ear. I rolled my eyes and looked around at the surrounding people. A couple stared back at me. Dabi cleared his throat. Then he stopped. A hand reached out towards me that wasn’t his. The man bowed. I looked at Dabi who nodded to me, beginning to walk away.

“Please, allow me to treat you to a dance.” His hand found my waist, making me shiver. Of all people, Kehori wanted to dance with me. We danced together for a while until he brought his face close to mine.

“You seem lost. Almost as lost as I am in your eyes.” He chuckled and gently touched my cheek. That’s when I realized. . .we were the only ones left on the ballroom floor. He slowly backed up and bowed, so I curtseyed in response. Dabi walked over to me and took my arm. He spun me and mumbled in my ear.

“How do you feel about making a scene?” He smirked, making me do the same.

“That sounds like fun.” Just as I finished, the room went black and the blue flames filled the room. We laughed at each other and looked at Kehori. Just like the blade I used to impale Endeavor, it shot into his heart, sticking into the ground with him hanging off the edge. We continued to dance while everyone’s screams filled the air. We snuck out the back and went back to the hotel room. I plopped down on the floor and laughed. Dabi pulled his tie off, chuckling.

“You know. . .That was a lot better than I thought it was going to be.” I lifted my hands into the air and laughed, saying it was what I did best. Within seconds we were getting into bed and sleeping peacefully. That was until I had a nightmare.

The tears poured down my face while my screams increased with volume. I couldn’t see anything but I could hear him, telling me to breathe. Bright lights and a heat wave caused my body to seize. My eyes opened and Dabi was there, wiping my tears. Only now did I realize what I was yelling. Toya. In my dream, he was standing there with a smile. My mind brought me back to all the times when we were together. It scared me. Then he walked away. It felt like there was a fire in my throat. Dabi held a cup to my lips, allowing me to drink.

I could finally breathe, and I felt okay mostly. Dabi was holding me in his lap with my legs hanging off of his left leg and my face buried into his chest. His hand stroked my back while I hiccuped. He rested his head on the top of mine. A chuckle left my mouth.

“I’m sorry. I’m so pathetic.” My arm wiped my eyes. Dabi shook his head,

“You just scared the shit out of me. If it’ll make you feel better though, can we talk about it? I mean, you kind of just screamed a random guy's name and I’m curious now.” He tried his best to avoid eye contact with me; I didn’t blame him.

“Well, you don’t know who I am. That’s what is the most confusing thing,” I say as I crawled out of his lap and got comfortable in front of him. Air left my lungs, making me want to puke. The second my eyes closed to turn off my Quirk, I regretted it. I was me again. Aiko Oshima. The girl from hell. “I’m. . . This. You know the story about Aiko Oshima, right? The one that ‘went crazy’. Yeah, that’s me.” His eyes looked into mine. Before he could say anything, I continued.

“I had a best friend, and I had a life that was pretty much set for me. I was happy with my life and who was in it, but that one person had a unique plan. When I was about two months old, my parents died, so I had no one to take care of me. The heroes took me in, all taking responsibility for me. They were my people. They were my family. Then, when he figured out that I wouldn’t have a Quirk, Endeavor trained me to become a hero. With no hesitation or second thought, I accepted because I wanted to become a great hero like the surrounding people. After a month, my curiosity got the best of me and I ventured up to the very top of a peak. This is when I met Toya. . .”

⛶

A boy with fiery red hair threw punches into the air, in a fighting motion. Then he began to kick and duck, acting like he was in a battle. My eyes grew wide, amazed. Then, like the idiot I am, my hand slipped off of the giant boulder, causing me to roll forward. Dirt in my eyes and both of my legs getting chewed up, the world felt like it was spinning. That’s when he walked over, interrogating me. I repeatedly apologized, begging for him to not yell at me. He stopped and scoffed. He also then realized who I was and called me his father’s new pet. I looked up to him with a tilted head. Pet?

“You are being trained by my father. I can’t believe he could just throw me out like that.” The boy said this with his arms crossed. So, he is the oldest son that Mr. Endeavor was talking about?

“I HAVE AN AMAZING IDEA!” I screamed, jumping to my feet. This caught his attention. “I could teach you everything that he teaches me and you teach me everything that you know. You itch my back, I itch yours! And I could use a friend that isn’t an adult.” With some thorough thinking, he finally nodded, holding out his hand.

For months we would meet at that peak after my training sessions with Endeavor. It took us an entire week to actually tell each other our names, this always made me laugh when I thought back to the moment. Toya Todoroki. I love that name.

When Christmas rolled around, I was a little scared to meet up with him. Mainly because I thought he would not be there, instead he would be with his family for the holiday. Nope. He was there, waiting with a giant smile. I ran over and hugged him tightly. Toya handed me a box with my name scribbled on the top. I took it with a questioning look. We sat, and I unwrapped it. A note — That I didn’t read until I was alone, because that’s what he said — Two silver katanas sat in the box with our names engraved on them.

“When they are by themselves they’re strong, but bring them together and they’re even stronger. That’s like us.” He laughed and blushed wildly. I hugged him tightly, knowing I had a loyal friend. After that, we would each practice with one. That was until about a year later when I disappeared for a few months. Endeavor had told me to charge at him with my full power. I did so, hoping I could at least land a hit on him. But I didn’t even have a Quirk then. He knew that too. He had found out that Toya and I had gotten close and this angered him. So he hurt me. That’s how I earned the disgusting burn on the right side of my face, sliding onto my shoulder and a bit of my chest. Because of the burn, I had lost vision in my right eye. I was terrified to go back. What if he feared me? What if he didn’t know who I was? Maybe that was for the best for anything.

The second I stepped onto that peak I felt like I was going to hurl. When the wind caused my hair to move from my face, my pulse grew. He walked closer to me and I backed up. We did this repeatedly for about 10 minutes, then he yelled at me.

“What are you hiding, Aiko? You leave for months and then you come back and you won’t even let me come close to you? Did I do something?” His voice was deeper than before, and he was taller too. Tears filled my eyes as I walked closer to him. I rested my forehead on his shoulder and closed my eyes.

“I missed you so much.” Hiccups followed my every breath, all he did was pat my back. You can’t really do much when your best friend is crying on you and you do not know why. His hand gently touched the brand fresh scar that traced my face. Toya didn’t speak for a while, and I wasn’t really planning on talking either. Eventually, I looked up at him and smiled.

“A villain attack. I thought that a stupid, Quirkless, weakling like me could help to stop a villain. I can’t be a hero if I’m too weak to take a single attack. Maybe there is something wrong with me. I think that he’s right. I shouldn't be alive every single day. Like the rest of my family, I should be dead. Toya, I’m scared.” My tears burned my skin worse than the fire that Endeavor burned me with. Of course, I would not tell him the truth but it also kind of was. Endeavor felt like a villain that showed me how weak I really am. Toya hugged me tightly and shook me. He stopped and held my face in both hands, tears in his eyes. This was the only time I saw him cry. I can always hear those words that he said to me. . . ‘You are not and have never been a weakling. You’ve grown and learned. Sure, maybe sometimes you don’t make the smartest decisions, but you always fix the problems in the end. I can count on you to make me laugh and make sure that my father doesn’t ruin my day. You, Aiko, are the reason I want to get up every day and make sure that you laugh too. I want to see you happy every day. When you cry or say that you’re scared, it’s okay. When you cry, it’s okay. You are going to have days when you cry and days when you’re scared. That’s normal. That’s okay! You are perfect. I am so glad that you are who you are. I love you, Aiko. You’re my best friend and I couldn’t ask for a better person to fill that role.’

Chapter 4

The sky had never looked so beautiful in the morning as Dabi and I made our way through the airport. Of course, we went our separate ways so that people wouldn’t think we were working together or that we even knew each other. I boarded flight 965, and he boarded flight 322. The second I sat into the soft, first class leather seat, I wanted to run out and find his plane. After last night, Dabi wasn’t much of a jerk to me. He knew what bothered me and what he shouldn’t say around me. He understood. Somehow Dabi made me feel safe. People feared him because of the way he looks, not because of the way he acts. If it was how he acted, then they would just say that he was a selfish jerk.

The animals in the back of the plane made the least amount of sound that I have ever heard. My eyes shut, but my mind still didn’t allow me to fall asleep. Even when Dabi was humming and trying his best to put me to sleep, I couldn’t. That voice in the back of my head said that he could kill me if I did. I trusted him, though. Only a little.

“Would all passengers please fasten their seatbelts as we are preparing to land in just about 30 minutes, thank you.” The captain spoke as if his microphone was inside of his throat. A woman in a blue uniform collected the trash from the other first-class passengers, smiling at each one. When the plane finally stopped moving, I was the first to exit. I hated flying. It made me feel like I was dead. Of course, I wouldn’t hate that. The rest of the day was like a blur.

We returned to the hidden bar.

I went back home.

I had another nightmare.

The voices grew louder.

⛶

The birds sat on the balcony outside my window, singing like opera singers. Of course, I woke up on the floor, my face covered in drool from crying. Today was going to be a shitty day, I could tell just by the way my hair fell after brushing it. The sun hurt my eyes as it shot through the bathroom window, reflecting off of the mirror. ‘Wonderful.’ The amazing hell buzzer rang, making me want to just throw a grenade down the laundry shoot and wait for it to blow up the entire basement. My boots stomped against the floor, pressing the button to allow up my guest. Regret. What else could I feel when the man that practically was my father stood at the door, waiting for me to let him in. All Might. Why?

We sat there, silent for hours across the room from each other. He sat on the comfortable couch while I stood in a dark corner, waiting for him to say something wise that would make my skin crawl. All Might wasn’t the same, buff, loud, smiling superhero that I once admired. Now, he was this skinny, dying, soul that could barely breathe. His dead eyes looked up, cutting through the atmosphere, piercing into mine.

“Little Fighter, I’m-”

“Don’t call me that. I’m not the same person who I used to be.” My voice peered its way into the world, making me want to cringe. He looked hurt, like the day I had nearly killed Endeavor. I grinned, knowing that I had finally gotten him back. This is what I had been waiting for. A time where I could make him hurt almost as bad as I did when he let them send me away. Then he smiled. Why the hell are you smiling? His laughter filled the air.

“I’ll be back in a month to check in on you again, don’t be so mean next time or I won’t bring you any mochi.” He dropped a plastic bag onto the table and walked out the door. Of course, right when I thought that something was going to happen, he left. He’s been visiting since I escaped from Tartarus. All Might is the only hero that knows where I am. Mainly because I reached out to him the day after The Mission of Montague. That mission was the very first that Dabi and I did together. That day, that terrible day. . .I killed over 300 people. Whenever I looked at my hands, I saw the blood that covered them. The second time the phone rang, All Might answered, and quickly made his way to the apartment that I now call my own, even though he’s paying for it.

Why must it have been that night that I saw all of that blood? I mean, that night I told Dabi about the woman in the corner that would put her stiff hands on my throat. He slept on the floor that night beside my bed. He’s gone through many of my nightmares, so he knows what to do. Everything has changed between us since then. We had that fight and then I told him about who I truly am. For once, I trust someone.

The darkness of the room made me shiver. Something rattled the window, making me jump. Without warning, Dabi climbed through the small opening and closed the curtains, not noticing me on the floor behind him. When he turned around, I ran into his arms, crying into his chest. At first, he didn’t know what to do, but after several minutes, his arms hugged me tightly as we both fell to the floor. His humming calmed me, allowing for me to lean my head on the wall with my eyes closed.

“It’s that bad?” His voice grew from the darkness. I nodded, not knowing if I could talk without crying again. “I’m here for you, Aiko. Even if you don’t want me to. I got your text, the one about how you couldn’t move, and came here pretty quick.” Dabi’s hand lifted into the air, his fingertips igniting in the beautiful blue fire he’s known for. My hand gingerly traced the scar beneath his left eye. He jumped slightly, turning his head to me slowly.

“I’m surprised they don’t disgust you.”

“They’re beautiful. Sure, you might not like them, but I think that they’re important. They show what you’ve been through. It’s a way you can let people know that you’re strong. I love them. I really do. You should too.” My voice was slightly breaking, while the words poured out of my throat. I leaned my head onto his shoulder, my hand falling onto his. Dabi took my hand, resting his head on top of mine, his breathing calmed me. The night went by quickly, we slept on the floor but it was the best sleep I had ever had in my entire life.

Once I woke up, Dabi’s gentle snoring allowed me to stretch peacefully, knowing I was safe next to him. He woke up shortly after I did, yawning. I didn’t even realize he had taken his patchy jacket and placed it over me. He took it back as he stood. My legs felt like pins and needles while I rose to my feet. The cereal fell into the white bowl, making me yawn. Dabi took the bowl and threw a spoon into it, beginning to chow down.

“What a great host you are.” He grinned, taking a sip of water. Rolling my eyes, I poured another bowl, this time with less. After We finished eating, I went to my room to change. That’s when it hit me, I didn't have to hide my face anymore. The jumpsuit hugged my body, making me spin. Great, I lost more weight. Losing weight is great, but I hate it. Nothing fits me anymore. Dabi opened my door, watching me pull my hair up into a messy ponytail. It looked terrible. He chuckled and walked over, pulling it down and re-brushing it. This time, it stood up perfectly and stayed in place. When he finished, he flicked my ear and pulled my hair. Dabi pulled off his tank top and threw it onto my bed. I turned around, seeing his scar covered back.

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” His voice was deep, rising from the silence. I pulled out one of Toya’s old t-shirts and threw it at him. My brain got ahead of itself, forcing me to walk over to him and place my hands on the scars on his upper back. His body stiffened. Breathing out, my lips gently pressed onto the highest one, moving onto the next, and then the next, and the last one on his back. My hands rested on his sides, waiting for him to react. He gently touched my hands, pulling them off. When he turned around, I braced myself for the worst.

“Why?” He asked, still holding my hands. I put them onto the scars on his stomach and looked into his ocean blue eyes.

“You don’t like them. They actually disgusted you, Dabi. You,” I looked around then at him, placing both my hands onto his face, “You are fucking amazing.Dabi, you remind me so much of my old friend. The one that I had a nightmare about? Toya would hide so much from me, like his scars. He wanted to worry about me but wouldn’t let me worry about him. Ever.” My words hit him, I could see it in his eyes. About to pull my hands away, he put his on mine, closing his eyes. I could see it and feel it. He’s hurting. Standing on my tiptoes, I placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.

Eventually, he pulled the shirt on and his jacket, still shook by what just occurred. We climbed out of the window and sat on the roof, watching the sunrise. Shigaraki sent out a group text, telling us to arrive at the bar at 7:30. We didn’t plan on it. Dabi asked me if I was serious about what I said. My headshot to him, punching his arm. No matter what I said, he didn’t believe me. I want to know more about him but he doesn’t trust me. I trust him a lot.

When we finally moved our asses and arrived at the bar, Shigaraki stood there, angry. I walked by him, breathing out. Dabi sat beside me, closing his eyes tight. Shigaraki droned on about the success of our mission. Crossing my arms, the leather squeaked, making me cringe. My phone rang, making everyone turn to me. I answered and walked into the other room. I am 100% sure my heart stopped beating when I heard his voice.

“Let us help you, dumbass.” Bakugo’s voice shot through the phone, making me freeze. He knew everything. He wanted to know, and I let him know.

⛶

I locked myself in my room and didn’t leave for two entire weeks. Bakugo noticed first, He knocked on my door for fifteen minutes straight, making me go insane. He walked in after kicking open the door, scaring me. He gently closed it and sat beside me on my bed. I told him everything. Even the things I didn’t tell the pros, I just spilled. He held my hand when I started crying. When I first met him, he wouldn’t call me anything but names. Now that I’m closer with him, it’s easier for me to let loose around him. We talked little, I just cried a lot. He flicked my nose and told me to stop thinking bad thoughts.

Katsuki Bakugo. One of the main reasons I am still alive. After the League of Villains captured him, I freaked out. He’s always been the type of person to do things himself but I always wanted to let him know that people around him can help. He’s been different around me since. Kind of. Bakugo’s Quirk explains why he has such an explosive personality. He’s a bit of a bully but I’ve grown to be used to it.

Silence filled the air as he rubbed my back, my head on his chest. His heavy breathing let me know that this scared him. My head being where it is and what we were doing. I looked up at him, wiping my face. The second I went to say thank you, he told me to shut up and go to sleep. I did just that. When I woke up he was sitting there, head nodding, trying not to fall asleep. I remember my hand falling over in eyes and telling him to go to sleep. Even though he didn’t want to admit it, he’s tired. When he fell asleep, I could hear the change in his breathing and the calmer beating of his heart.

Maybe it’s bad that I ran away like that and didn’t tell him what was really going on, but I also just thought he’d be mad at me. After that, he understood what I truly have in my head and what I think of. A week after our mini sleepover, Bakugo pulled me aside and asked me if I was okay with doing the exercises that the rest of the class had done. It’s not like I could say anything but he told me he was there for me. I joined that day but he stood beside me the entire time. When we walked back to the locker rooms, he waited outside the door for me. If anyone asked him what he was doing, he would yell at them and bully them. He’s been there for me in ways that no one else has and it’s made me realize that he really cares. Even if he denies it, he does.