Chapter Text
Izuku's head spun as he was slammed into the wall of an alley.
He spoke up a few times in class that day, and now his bullies were riled up. He should've known. You can never be what they don't expect of you.
"Damn Deku! What the hell is your problem?" Spit flew from Bakugo's mouth as he shouted, but Izuku didn't dare lift his hand to wipe it off his face.
"You think you're better than me? Smarter than me?" He hadn't answered a single question wrong. He should've known to slip up at least once. It probably wouldn't have prevented any of this, but Bakugo would've been less angry, at least.
"I-I don't Kacchan, you're the best! I just need a participation grade for class, and-" He stammered, but Bakugo just pulled him forward and slammed him down again.
"Damn nerd." He spit at his face, and Izuku turned his head away. "I don't care, stay in your-" Bakugo was cut off as a crackle of flame at the mouth of the alley caught his attention.
There stood a man, his sharp teal eyes shining as he glared down at the boy gripping Izuku's collar.
The man had gnarly scars covering his face and neck that were stapled in place, and Izuku couldn't help but wonder how he managed to get them and survive.
He was tall and thin, but he looked formidable nonetheless. Midoriya was scared of what he'd do to him when he was done with Kacchan.
He didn't have any way to fight back.
Kacchan stepped back from Izuku, releasing his collar, but he couldn't seem to move regardless.
The man chuckled, and the flame in his hand burned out.
"I hate people who think they're entitled to the world just because of a powerful quirk." The taller man said, walking further into the alleyway.
Katsuki stammered.
"What? Cat got your tongue?" He spat, laughing again. "Come on, you were talking big game earlier." He snarked, looking Bakugo up and down derisively
Katsuki's face hardened at that. "Yeah? And who the hell are you, some D-list villain? I can take your sorry ass!"
"Really?" The man drawled, turning his focus to Izuku. "And I'm sure that's why you're beating up scrawny kids in alleyways, huh?"
Katsuki leaped at him, reeling his hand back for his trademark right hook.
The punch cut through the air, but the man narrowly ducked, the blow grazing past his temple. Sparks ignited in Katsuki's hand, taking advantage of the chaos as they collided.
Bakugo pressed forward, powered by raw adrenaline, throwing a series of wild, aggressive punches designed to overwhelm.
But the other man was in control. He dodged with precision, sidestepping the wild swings and countering with calculated strikes. He delivered a sharp jab to the ribs, followed by a brutal uppercut that snapped his attacker’s head back.
Izuku was stood shocked, awed, but the older man barely noticed his presence - his focus sharp, methodical.
With a burst of strength, he pushed the younger man back, forcing him to stumble. Seizing the moment, he closed the distance, unleashing a barrage of punches - each one more punishing than the last. Katsuki's defenses crumbled under the relentless assault, his movements sluggish and desperate.
The man grabbed Bakugo’s arm and spun him around, twisting him into a clinch. Using his superior strength, he drove a knee into his attacker’s stomach, causing him to double over briefly.
Without hesitation, he wrapped his arm around the other's neck in a tight chokehold, squeezing until Bakugo's eyes widened in shock and struggle.
He drove him back against the wall, pinning him with brute force. Katsuki thrashed, fiercely trying to break free, but the second man’s grip was unrelenting. With a final surge of strength, he forced his opponent down, trapping him face-first against the ground, immobilized and gasping for air.
Breathing heavily, the older man stood over him, eyes blazing with dominance.
"You're beat, and I didn't use my quirk once," he smirked. "What's your excuse?" He taunted, spitting on Katsuki's limp form.
"You son of a bitch! Let me up! I won't.. I won't let it end like this!" Bakugo snarled, struggling desperately.
But Izuku just stood there.
Someone... beat Katsuki?
No, not just beat him. He saved Izuku from him.
Before Izuku knew it, the older man was backing off of Katsuki. The boy curled into himself, glaring up at him.
He just grinned, lighting a flame in his right hand, it swirling in a beautiful, glowing blue.
"The name's Dabi. Remember that the next time you decide to fuck with this kid." He said, grinning as Kacchan scrambled to pull himself together.
Bakugo stood up, throwing a glare back at Izuku, before ducking around the man and out of the alley.
The man, Dabi, let the flame flicker out of his hand with a sigh. "You okay kid?"
Izuku quickly nodded. "Uh- yeah! Yes, I'm fine." He spluttered, ringing his hands together nervously.
Dabi just chuckled, leaning against the wall. "I don't bite, relax a little." Izuku was still shaking.
"C'mere kid." He said, laughing as Izuku rushed over. "I'm not real good at the whole comforting thing, but I do have something that should calm you down a little."
He looked kinder like this. His eyes were the same bright teal of the ocean, but they looked softer now, less angry.
He had an aura of strength to him, and he looked beautiful and powerful as light bathed him from outside the alley.
But unlike when they first met, Izuku just found it comforting.
He had deep black hair that framed his face, and he laughed a little when he noticed Izuku staring.
He blushed and stammered embarrassedly, but the man just nonchalantly laid his back against the wall and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Izuku tensed up a little, eyeing the pack.
"I don't know about-" He said, wrapping his arms around himself, but Dabi cut him off. "You don't have to, but I think it'll help you loosen up a little." He put a cigarette in his mouth, lighting a flame on the end of his finger.
He took a drag, slowly blowing it out. "Here, you don't even have to smoke a whole one," He held the smoke out to Izuku, "We can share. Just take a hit, see how you feel about it, okay?"
Izuku nodded, taking it from his hand and putting it to his mouth. He sighed and took breath in, immediately choking and hacking.
The older man laughed. "I did that my first time too, here -" He said, grabbing the smoke from Izuku's hand and lightly patting his back to help him through the coughing fit.
"It's not a straw," the man told him, gently cupping his cheek as his brought the cigarette back to his lips in demonstration.
He breathed in and let it out, blowing the smoke in Izuku's face to see him giggle.
"Now, you try." He handed it back to him, dropping his hand from the boy's face, and Izuku nervously brought it back to his own lips.
He followed the man's directions, vague as they were, and breathed in rather than sucking.
It worked, and though he did cough a little at the unfamiliar sensation, it wasn't as bad as the first time.
Izuku smiled when the man ruffled his hair and laughed. "There you go. Just don't make smoking a habit. It isn't a good one."
Izuku nodded and determinedly said, "Right."
The man just laughed again. "You're so cute and innocent. I'm surprised you're willingly hanging around me, kid."
Izuku giggled and rubbed at his arm, hesitantly speaking. "Well, you're one of the first people who's been nice to me in a while, so..."
A fire lit in Dabi's eyes, one similar to the look he had when he found Izuku pinned against the wall earlier, and Midoriya nervously waved his hands.
"You're so kind too! And strong. Your quirk is super cool too, and it's really pretty, and I find your voice comforting, especially after you helped me today, so-" Izuku rambled, eventually getting into a mumble storm, bringing his hand to cover his mouth like he always did.
His hand dropped to his side when he was pulled into a hug, Dabi's face pressed into his hair.
He hadn't been hugged in a long time.
His hands shook a little as he hugged back, starting to tear up as he rubbed his face against the man's chest.
He heard a voice from above him, gentle and soft, but strong. "If anyone hurts you again, I'll be there, okay?"
Izuku nodded into Dabi's chest, crying a little harder at the words, but the man didn't seem bothered. He just ran his hands up and down Midoriya's back comfortingly.
"I'll give you my number. Call me if you ever need help, and I'll be there." The man said, firm in his words, and Izuku believed him.
"Okay. Thank you." He muttered, his crying slowing down into sniffles as they separated the hug. "Always." He said, a gleam in his eyes as they looked at each other.
Izuku just brought him into another quick hug, and the man chuckled, but was clearly not opposed.
"You really are a clingy one, huh kid?" Dabi said, looking down at the boy. Izuku scrambled to pull away, muttering apologies, but the older man just held him closer. "It's really okay. I don't mind."
Izuku looked up at him, tilting his head with a hesitant but cheeky smile. "You sure? You really don't seem the type."
The man chuckled, and the boy in his arms laughed, pressing a hand to his lips. "You're right, I'm not. But you deserve it, so I'll manage." He said, grinning down at him.