Chapter Text
They sneak out of the dorms late the next night. Izuku suspects that Nezu let them go, but he knows there is only so long before Aizawa realises that they’re gone. They both have hoods over their heads and are sitting at the back of the bus. Izuku had texted Dabi, and confirmed a meet up outside a bar the older man frequented.Izuku hadn’t told Dabi he was bringing Shoto, just that they needed to meet up because of something that had to do with the fire user's family. He isn’t sure how Dabi will take seeing Shoto again. He can only hope it goes well.The bus ride is about half an hour, before they exit the vehicle. Izuku leads Shoto through the back alleys, to avoid the street lights and the eyes of strangers. Izuku stops Shoto and peaks around the corner into the alley they are meant to be meeting in. Dabi is always early when they meet up. He likes to be able to scope out the area and make sure no one is lying in wait.
He’s scrolling on his phone. Izuku turns back to Shoto and gives him a signal to stay put until Izuku tells him. The bicoloured boy nods. Izuku steps around the corner. Dabi glances up. Usually when they meet, Izuku is looking for information and Dabi is the one to provide it. But after the incident in Kamino, they haven’t seen each other. Izuku breaks the silence. “What the hell were you doing with the League of fucking Villains?”
Dabi sighs. “You’re the one who wanted me to look into them. I was asking around and someone who knew someone got me a meeting. I didn’t realise until I got there that it was a recruitment drive. I figured the best way to get the info was to join up. I didn’t realise you were the target, I would have given you a heads up.”
“But not Shoto?” Izuku asks.
Dabi flinches minutely. “You know I can’t risk exposure. Everyone knows I got something against Endeavour. I told the others to leave Shoto for me to fight, it was all I could do without blowing my cover.” The man looks guilty about the thought of his fight with his brother. From what Shoto had said, he had just hit Shoto a few times then retreated. But Izuku knows that is like a knife to Dabi’s soul.
“Are you still with the League?” Izuku asks.
“We’re in limbo right now, Shigaraki is freaking out a bit, with his Sensei captured, but it’s been made clear to us by Kurogiri that the mission is still on, to take down hero society. In a few days, we’re meeting with some people from the Yakuza, the people behind Trigger.” Dabi tells him.
“Shit, the Yakuza and the League are not a good combination.” Izuku sighs, “You’ll update me afterwards?”
“Yeah,” Dabi says, “Look, you and I both know that there are a lot of villains that aren’t evil people. Twice is unstable, he needs help, same with Toga.”
“And the others?”
He sighs again, “Spinner and Magne have both been pushed to the margins, they have every right to want this society taken down, plus there aren’t many options for them. Compress is mostly harmless, no body count. Kurogiri is… weird.”
“And Shigaraki?”
“Maybe he was like Twice and Toga once, but he’s too far gone. And that’s coming from me.” Dabi says.
“Alright. I can work with this information. But there is something else I wanted to talk to you about.” Izuku pauses. “I think we need to move up our time table on Endeavour.”
“Why?”
“Because I asked him.” Shoto rounds the corner, his eyes locked on Dabi’s. “Hello, brother.”
Dabi looks at Shoto bewildered, then looks at Izuku with a hard glare, before turning back to Shoto. “He told you?”
“Yes. I wish he didn’t have to.” Shoto says, stepping closer to Dabi. He looks hesitant as Shoto steps closer, until they are within arms reach.The man reaches out a slow hand to touch Shoto’s face. His younger brother leans into the hand on his cheek, like a cat seeking warmth. Without much warning, Shoto grabs Dabi's leather jacket and pulls him into a tight hug. Dabi chokes in surprise, and holds his arms away from his brother, like he's not sure what to do, before gently placing his arms around his brother and squeezing. Dabi glares at Izuku over Shoto’s shoulder
Izuku turns the corner and scrolls on his phone while they speak to one another. He loses track of how long they talk. Eventually they come out of the alley. Dabi’s arm is slung over Shoto’s shoulders.
“We should find some place to sit.” Dabi says.
Izuku nods and they head to a 24 hour diner a few blocks away. They sit down at a booth at the very back of the place. Izuku sits on one side and Dabi sits on the other, with Shoto glued to his side. The place looks like it’s falling apart, but it’s out of the cold. An exhausted waitress comes over and asks what they want. She does a double take at seeing Dabi but ultimately shrugs it off, not caring enough to do anything about it. Dabi orders a black coffee, Izuku orders cherry coke, and Shoto orders a sprite. He also ordered fries for the table, because apparently emotional vulnerability makes Todoroki’s snacky. Who knew, right?
They get their drinks and wait for the food. “So you said something about moving up the time table?” Dabi asks.
“Yes, we should fill Shoto in though.” Izuku gestures to the obviously confused boy. Dabi nods. “Dabi and I have a deal. I was a vigilante for a long time and Dabi used to give me info. In exchange, when the time came, I would assist him in taking down Endeavour. Because of recent events, I think we should do this soon.”
“I agree.” Shoto says.
“Shoto, I don't want you involved in this.” Dabi says to his brother.
“I’m involved whether you like it or not. He’s my father too.” Shoto tells him.
Dabi looks pissed, and meets Izuku’s eyes. Izuku gives him a look and Dabi relents. “Fine, but not in any way that can be traced to you, alright?”
“Fine.” The waitress comes back with a basket of fries and the three of them dig in. “What’s the plan?”
Dabi glances at Izuku, obviously asking an unspoken question. “Yes, I’m going to use my quirk.” Izuku says. “Shoto asked.”
Dabi nods. “When?”
“I’m not sure.” Izuku dips a fry in ketchup. “Hero rankings come out in two weeks. Endeavour will be number 1 in rankings, for the first time ever.”
“I want to wait until after that.” Dabi says. He glares at his steaming coffee. “I want him to have it in his grasp. The thing he’s been working towards for his entire life. I want him to have it in the palm of his hand and have it ripped away.” He says it with venomous intent.
Shoto nods in agreement. “I can get you close enough. When should we do it?”
“I have an idea.” Dabi grins wickedly. “A little bird I know can help us with this.”
Izuku tilts his head, unsure where Dabi is going with this.
“The Commission has sent in a spy. Hawks.” Izuku chokes on his drink. He knew all about Hawks, and his position under the thumb of the Commission. There have been dozens of heroes like Hawks, but none that have turned out so perfect. Lady Nagant, for instance. The rogue asset that they threw away, locking her in one of the deepest cells in Tartarus. “I was the contact point. The League doesn’t realise he’s a spy. We can use this.”
“We can stage a League based attack against Endeavour, using Hawks to set it up.” Izuku says.
“Using one of the nomu.” Dabi says.
Izuku puts his hand up to stop the man from saying more. “Dabi, I won’t use one of those poor creatures for this. They deserve rest.”
Dabi sighs, “You’re right.”
“The question now is whether you reveal yourself as well?” Izuku asks. He knows that is something Dabi has debated at length. To reveal himself, and hopefully see his family again, or stay in the shadows. There are pros and cons to both outcomes. Either way, it needs to be Dabi’s choice.
Dabi stares long and hard at his coffee, rapidly cooling to room temperature. “I want people to know. What he did. To me. To us. I want him to look his mistakes in the face.” Dabi answers.
Izuku nods. “Then it’s settled.”
“It’s not.” Shoto speaks up. He had let Dabi and Izuku bounce their plan off one another, happy to listen up until now. Izuku gestures for him to go on. “If you do this, the commission and the police will know it was you. All For One is gone, you’ll be the only option. They could arrest you.”
Izuku sighs, “Technically there are no laws against this. No one thought it was a possibility so nothing was written.”
“They will still come after you.” Shoto argues.
“Let them come.”