Work Text:
au prompt where Dabi smokes and when he exhales, his smoke shapes into Shigaraki. He doesnt understand until it turns out Shigaraki is an actual person.
(Crappy idea but it could be cute with the right handy work :} )
The figure in the smoke Dabi’s seen since he picked up his smoking habit four years ago is one he doesn’t recognize. It’s always the same shape— it’s a man, he thinks. He’s always slumped over, sometimes there’s a controller in his hand, sometimes it’s a shot glass.
His supposed soulmate.
They always say your soulmate will appear in your worst habits. The thought makes Dabi scoff. He wouldn’t dare say smoking is his worst habit. Maybe for his lungs but it surely couldn’t be his worst habit, could it? He finds himself wondering what his soulmate’s worst habit it. He assumes it’s drinking from how often he could make out a glass in the smoky outline.
Dabi never likes thinking about his soulmate, especially when the only time he can get a glimpse of him is in the thick smoke that he’s exhaling along with his stress which in return only pulls more stress into his lungs. He’s so tired of seeing the figure, he thinks he might just punch his soulmate in the guy when they finally meet.
He doesn’t though. In fact, he’s so shocked when he recognizes the silhouette of the man he’s seen for the last four years, Dabi spills his drink all over himself before he’s even managed to get tipsy. The sound of the clattering beer bottle mixed with Toga’s loud laugh causes everyone near them to look, but the only pair of eyes Dabi sees is the red ones, wide in shock. Even though they've never met, his eyes feel familiar.
His soulmate.
He’s cursing Toga for all she’s worth while they’re both wiping off spilt beer from the table and the white shirt that’s now clinging awkwardly to his body. The stares have subsided but Dabi still feels a pair of eyes on him. It makes his blood feel hot and he tries so hard to keep his gaze focused on the napkins even though Toga had finished wiping up the liquid minutes ago. Dabi’s focused on patting down his damp shirt until he hears the sound of a chair scratching against the floor and he’s praying it’s not who he thinks it is.
But fate has not been so kind to him tonight.
Dabi keeps his head down until there’s a half empty glass in his vision. Toga takes the chance to go off on her own, wishing Dabi good luck and bouncing off before he even has a chance to protest.
“You look a lot different than I thought you'd actually look.” The man says, voice tinged with amusement. Dabi looks up and meets those red eyes again. It takes him a second to notice the scarred skin around the man’s eyes and he thinks there's a scar through his lips but he's not about to let himself look.
“I can say the same.” Dabi muses. The man takes a second to pull a chair up closer to Dabi.
“Shigaraki.” He says. Dabi assumes it's his name.
“Dabi.” He replies back. There's a smirk growing on Shigaraki’s face and Dabi finds himself looking at his lips again. He doesn't miss the way Shigaraki repeats his name, causing what little of unscarred skin he has to breakout in goosebumps.
“So soulmates, huh?” Dabi starts, resting his chin in his palm. “How long have you been seeing my wonderful silhouette?”
“About five years, I think?” Shigaraki answers. “You?”
“Four, give or take.” Dabi shrugs. “I still remember lighting my first cigarette and seeing the outline and thinking ‘Here we fucking go.’” The way Shigaraki laughs makes Dabi’s head spin.
They say the connection between your soulmate and yourself is almost instantaneous. Neither of the men would've ever considered themselves talkers but the way conversation seemed to flow out of them with so much each, anyone would've said otherwise.
They talk for what seems like hours, until Toga reappears and she joins the conversation. She doesn't get much in, but she's just content noticing all the little things between the pair. The way Shigaraki’s pinky is just barely an inch away from making contact with Dabi’s. The faint smile Dabi holds on his face when Shigaraki speaks. The visible shiver that goes through Dabi's spine when Shigaraki’s hand accidentally on purpose brushes over Dabi’s hand.
Neither of two have consumed any alcohol since before their meeting, yet they both feel buzzed, intoxicated by the presence of one another. They don't even realize when the the bartender yells for last call, indicating they're closing soon. Toga has to snap them back into reality, telling Dabi it's time to go while tugging on his sleeve.
They're reluctant to leave, but they exchange numbers and Shigaraki tells Dabi to call him and the two disappear out of each other's sight.
Dabi has grown to like thinking about his soulmate, especially when he can go into another room and see Shigaraki standing there instead of the silhouette in the smoke he had grown so used to. Instead of wanting to punch the man, Dabi presses a light kiss to the side of his head. His smoking habit has decreased tremendously since meeting Shigaraki, and Dabi still doesn't know what Shigaraki’s habit was, but he never presses to ask.
The two are comfortable together for a bond formed out of bad habits. It's a peace neither of them thought they'd ever have, but they take it anyway.