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It had been two weeks since the Great War and the League’s escape – so no killing his father, thanks fucking Best Jeanist and Shigaraki. Since then, they had a new base – surprisingly better than any previous one prior MLF. Apparently, it is one of AFO’s safe houses deep in the mountains, but well equipped to host several people for at least a year (not to mention electricity, warm water and television). From how surprised their leader was in the moment he regained his consciousness, it was obvious he had no knowledge of the place either.
Speaking of their leader, Shigaraki had been in a deep, coma like sleep since his defeat on the battlefield by Midoriya. He woke up only for a minute, just to be hella surprised by their environment, then fell back asleep. They had no idea how much sleep he needed to regenerate, which meant they were stuck here for how knows how long. Dabi groaned, then turned his attention back to the TV.
”…but it backfired him in the end,” the speaker said on the screen. ”As we all know, the Number Three Pro Hero Best Jeanist returned safe and sound, almost stopping the League. Does this mean everything else that the villain said was a lie too?”
”Don’t blow up the TV,” Dabi heard Spinner’s voice behind him, and had to realize that his hands were engulfed in blue flames. Another spokesman appeared on the screen, so he reluctantly turned his attention back.
”However, this doesn’t mean there were no casualties,” he said while pictures of destroyed cities could be seen, as well as seriously injured heroes – Hawks included.
As he watched the man all bandaged up, unconscious, Dabi felt something in his guts stir. The hero deserved what he got of course – he killed Twice who was one of the keys to their utter victory after all. However, the longer Dabi watched, the more the form changed from a grown up man to a pre-teen child, smiling at him from a hospital bed.
’Training too hard’ – he said. ’I’ll be fine!’ – he said, but Dabi knew better. While he himself could go home at least for the weekends, his friend had to live at the Commission’s headquarters which meant nonstop training, and nonstop punishment if he was not good enough. ’Have a great weekend!’ – the small voice said in his head. ’We’ll meet on Monday, Touya!’ Dabi turned off the TV with a growl, the stood up and marched to Skeptic’s room.
”Have you found it?” He asked, barging in without so much as knocking. Skeptic turned towards him and nodded.
”It is a small hospital off the map,” he said, while Dabi walked up to him, seeing the address on the screen. ”They keep him in induced coma, so his injuries would heal as fast as they could.” That was enough to Dabi. He turned around and hurried out of the room, but Skeptic’s voice stopped him. ”Are you going to finish what you started?” The other asked, and Dabi growled out his answer:
”Not your fucking business!”
Thankfully, he could infiltrate through one of the windows that was left open. For a moment he thought of how stupid people were leaving a window open, but then his goal at hand came back to his mind. He hurried out to the corridor and using the emergency stairs up to the floor he knew Hawks’ room was. Just as he predicted, there was no guard in front of his door – he lost his wings after all which was equal with losing his value in the eyes of the Commission. Dabi snarled at that, then pushed the door open and stepped in the room.
The scent of anesthetics made him scrunch up his nose in disgust, but he walked up to the window, and pulled the curtains apart, so he could see the room properly. What he saw pulled on his heartstrings harder than he wanted to admit. On the bed there was the Number Two Hero with tubes attached to his body and with his chest rising and falling slowly – slower than it was normal.
Dabi walked up to the bed, and reached his hand towards the other, but stopped in mid-air. Why was he even here? What he wanted to accomplish with coming and visiting his arch nemesis? He knew that he didn’t plan to kill him. Taking away his wings was a bad enough punishment for what he had done to Twice – and to him. Because yes, deep in his heart a small part of Dabi hoped that Hawks would really turn the tables and become a villain.
At that, Dabi snorted out loud. He should have known better than hoping for something that would never happen. The idiot idolized his father too much, loved saving people too much. That was why Dabi didn’t invite him over the weekend – didn’t ask him to give up everything and die with him on that mountain in that fire. Dabi sighed, then slowly touched Hawks’ forehead, brushing his bangs back. His eyes widened when he felt the other leaning into his touch – still fucking unconscious. Dabi couldn’t help the wet laugh tearing up from his chest.
”Are you fucking stupid or something?!” He asked with volume rising. ”I almost fucking killed you! If it wasn’t for your inter-” – then he would be dead, it came to Dabi. His childhood best friend would be dead.
Dabi felt something sticky running down on his cheeks as he knelt down beside the bed, examining Keigo’s face up close. It was paler than he had ever seen it, but had a strange, peaceful expression on it. Dabi felt his hand wrapping around Keigo’s as he leaned up and touched his forehead to the younger’s. Dabi bit into his lip to hold back a shuddering breath and to gain back his composure.
”Don’t you dare die on me, you fucking bird!” He gritted out between his teeth. On impulse, he leaned down and pressed his lips to Hawks’. It was a feather-light kiss, but it still made Hawks’ heartbeat speeding up.
Dabi heard hurried footsteps nearing the room, and the next thing he knew was he was fleeing trough the window.