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In retrospect, it wasn’t even a high-level quirk. According to both Kurogiri and Mr. Compress, it was an attack which simply renders one's opponent unconscious. The effects weren't likely to last more than an hour, and in the long run, Tomura was destined for a mild headache at worst.
Still, that information didn't prevent Dabi from enduring his most panic-stricken hour in recent memory. His mind kept replaying the way the light left Tomura’s eyes as he crumpled to the ground, and it was a vision which - quite frankly - would haunt him for days to come.
"Tomura!" he'd cried out with no regard to the audible anguish in his voice. Dabi wasn’t one for letting his emotions show, but in that moment, maintaining a passive visage just didn’t matter. Furthermore, it wasn’t an insult like "mophead" or “creepshow” which passed his lips - but rather, Tomura’s own name. It had been pulled from somewhere deep in Dabi’s chest, like he had no control over it. Much as he felt regarding the actions which followed.
As their opponents eagerly rushed in on all sides, Dabi launched himself towards Tomura and created a wall of fire to shield them. Shrieks of pain could be heard from just outside the ring of flame. Several of their attackers had been a second too late in retreating, and had gotten caught up in the blast. Their mouths continued to emit cries of horror up until the moment they were incinerated altogether.
As if in a trance, Dabi fell to Tomura's side. He gently repositioned the villain and cradled the man’s head in his lap, absently caressing his pale tresses. "H-hey, you're gonna be all right," he stammered shakily, unsure of whether he was directing his comment more towards Tomura or himself.
Dabi proceeded to assess the other for physical injury, of which there was none to be found. He also felt for Tomura's pulse, and breathed a sigh of relief upon finding that the man still had one.
As he continued to repeat his boss’s name in a gentle plea for him to wake up, Dabi pulled his cell phone from his pocket and texted Kurogiri.
Need evac. Boss knocked out.
Pressing "send," he trusted that Kurogiri would be competent enough to locate them. After all, who else would be walled up inside a circle of blue flame?
Within moments a shimmery warp gate appeared inside the circle. Dabi carefully lifted Tomura’s unconscious form so that he could carry him bridal-style. Dabi wasn’t a weak man - and admittedly, Tomura didn’t weigh very much - yet there was a fair bit of effort involved. The fire user gritted his teeth with it, but as he rose to his feet, he made sure that he was standing strong.
With a trembly (yet firm) grasp, Dabi carried Tomura across the threshold.
------
“He’s going to be fine, Dabi,” Kurogiri reassured for the umpteenth time.
“Yes, let him rest,” Mr. Compress agreed.
Dabi shook his head. Their reassurances did nothing.
The two older men were stood in the doorway of Tomura’s bedroom, where the League’s Leader had been carefully placed to sleep off his attack. Much to their surprise, Dabi had taken a seat beside Tomura’s bed, and seemed unwilling to go anywhere else.
“I just…” he sighed, running a hand through his unkempt hair with visible frustration. “I want to stay here until he wakes up. Okay?”
Kurogiri was still against the idea, claiming that only one person was needed to watch over Tomura at a time - and that, as the League’s caretaker, it should be him.
But the conversation kept going in circles.
“Just leave him be,” Compress voiced, although he tilted his head to indicate that the comment was for Kurogiri, this time. Briefly, he lifted his mask up to shoot the other a knowing grin, as if he’d finally figured something out.
Dabi missed the comment and subsequent gesture altogether. He continued to sit by Tomura’s side, watching over him closely with a furrowed brow.
If you’d told him this morning that by the evening he’d be crazy with worry over his boss-and-sometimes-lover, he’d have told you that you were crazy. Dabi didn’t do stuff like that - he didn’t care what happened to other people. Especially not people like Tomura.
In fact, he’d told himself a million times over that there wasn’t anything between them. Sure, they fucked, but that was the extent of it - right?
Then… How come somewhere along the way, Dabi stopped slipping out of Tomura’s room at night? Why, instead, would they wake up tangled in each other’s arms, a soft and sleepy smile on both of their faces?
Not to mention that Dabi also started spending time with his boss outside of sex or League related-business. Often, while the Leader was playing his video games, both would sit in a welcoming and comfortable silence together. At that time, there was no need for words to be exchanged between them.
...But there was still a lot left to say, wasn’t there?
Dabi bit his lip thoughtfully, as he reached out and placed a hand over one of Tomura’s. He absently smoothed the other’s skin with his thumb, gaze fixated purely on the man’s sleeping face.
With a sympathetic pat to Kurogiri’s shoulder, Mr. Compress exited the room. It was merely seconds before Toga appeared in his place - and it took no longer than that for her to process what Kurogiri seemingly could not.
The mist man scowled at her presence, expecting an ill-timed outburst on her part - but for once, Toga was calm. Before the caretaker could say a word to her, however, she swiftly pulled him aside.
“Kurogiri-san,” Toga whispered, just out of earshot from Dabi. “You’re an idiot.”
“Excuse me?!” the bartender exclaimed, his smokey form billowing with indignation.
Toga sighed heavily, closing the door to Tomura’s room and tugging Kurogiri along by his shirtsleeve. Once they were a fair distance away, she let go of him and placed her hands on her hips with a small “Harrumph!”
“Toga-chan, what on earth--”
“They’re in love, ya dingus!” she barked, her normally manic smile taking on an uncharacteristic frown. When Kurogiri said nothing in return she huffed and rolled her eyes. “Geez, you boys are so dumb!”
Oh, Kurogiri thought, as it all finally clicked for him. That explains a lot.
------
Moments after the others left, Tomura made a small sound of discomfort, his eyes beginning to flutter open.
The tightness in Dabi’s chest eased, and he smiled down at the other man adoringly.
“Hey, you,” he said simply, though his voice was choked with emotion.
Tomura made a noncommittal noise before his eyes finally stayed open, ruby red gazing up into cerulean blue.
“What happened?” he asked groggily, a look of confusion on his face. “Did we finish the exchange?”
Dabi nodded, swallowing back whatever feelings were trying to overtake him. “Yeah, boss. We got everything we were promised in the trade. But, uhh…” He cleared his throat awkwardly. “They turned on us.”
Tomura’s eyes widened, his body immediately tensing up. “Is everyone all right?”
Dabi shook his head. “Thankfully, yeah. You were the only one they got a hit on. All it did was knock you out, though.”
Tomura nodded, visibly relaxing. “I’m glad to hear that.”
They sat in silence for a moment before Dabi realized his hand was still placed over Tomura’s. Neither man made a move to pull away from each other, though, which gave Dabi the confidence to continue.
“There’s... One more thing.”
“Oh?”
“I just.” He bit his lip again, eyes not quite meeting Tomura’s. “I know that with the way we live an’ all, we’re not gonna be around forever. And I know our goal is to like, destroy society, but…”
Tomura tilted his head curiously. “But what?”
Dabi took a shaky breath and exhaled slowly. “I… want to be by your side when the world ends.”
Tomura blinked, an unreadable look crossing his face. “Dabi, what are you saying?”
“I’m saying... I’m saying--!” A strangled noise of distress escaped Dabi’s throat. “Ah, fuck it!” he exclaimed, leaning in and planting a fierce kiss to Tomura’s lips.
When he finally pulled back, Tomura was blushing furiously - but he didn’t look entirely displeased.
“Are you saying that you like me?” the pale-haired man asked, a hint of mischief in his voice.
Dabi nodded, the healthy patches of skin on his face turning visibly red. “Like you, love you, freaked the fuck out when I thought you’d died - yeah, all of that stuff!”
“...You love me?”
“Yeah, dumbass,” Dabi snorted, shaking his head. “I fuckin’ love you.”
Tomura huffed a small laugh. “Your idea of romance sucks. But…” He made sure that he and Dabi were making direct eye contact, then. “I love you, too.”
“Oh,” Dabi said quietly - and for once in his life, he was at a loss for words.
The pair grinned, and - having always been more in favor of actions than words - they proceeded to kiss each other like there was no tomorrow.
(Which, for all they knew, there wasn’t - but if that was to be the case, they’d face the end together.)