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It had been two months. Two months of...... not exactly peace. Nothing was peaceful about the League of Villains. But it had been two months since Hawks stopped playing double agent. Since he had truly joined the league. And Dabi wasn't one for romantics or sappy feelings, but he had to admit he was happier than he had ever been in his life. He should have known it wouldn't last. After all, when did Villains ever get happy endings?
It was just a simple meeting. Trying to find out if some wannabe idiot was good enough for the League. He had a type of pain control quirk if Dabi remembered correctly. He could create any injuries on the inside of the body by manipulating their bones or shit. To be honest, he hadn't really read the file. But now, he was waiting in an alley for some loser to show up. He was twenty minutes late.
"Fucking loser." Dabi mutters, pulling out a cigarette. He lights the tip, letting smoke fill the air. He's about halfway through the damn thing when he heres footsteps approaching. Dabi drops the cig, smashing it under his foot as he looks the newcomer up and down.
"I'm assuming you're Ren Kurogane?" He asks. Kurogane nods, a sharp smirk on his face.
"That's me. And it doesn't take a genius to figure out who you are." He states, hands in his pockets as he walks forward. Dabi scowls, already annoyed with this man's personality.
"Wonderful. Unfortunately, you are near an hour late." Dabi says, his words coming out in a rough drawl. Pushing off the wall, he walks past Kurogane with the walk of someone who was tired of being around people. "Maybe next time, aim for being on time. You may have a chance that way."
"Dude, really? You're gonna cut me without even attempting to listen?" Kurogane asks, watching Dabi's retreating form. When Dabi doest respond, Kurogane holds holds out his hand. Dabi suddenly gasps, stumbling and grabbing his chest. He hits the wall, gasping for breath.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Dabi asks. Kurogane smirks, walking closer.
"Showing you exactly what happens when I don't get my way. I'll join the League, one way or another. And this time, you won't be there to stop me." He says, and twists his hand. Dabi's body jerks when something sharp pierces his lungs on both sides. His ribs, he realizes. The fucker bent his bones to kill him.
"Sorry for you, but I can't have any complications in my way." Kurogane states, and walks away. Dabi is left in the middle of the alley, lungs pierced and bleeding internally. He knew he wasn't going to survive, he wasn't dumb. And no one would willingly save one of the top villains in Japan. So instead, with shaky hands, he pulls out his phone and hits one name. Hawks answers on the first ring.
"Heyo Hot Stuff. how'd the recruitment go?" His boyfriend asks. Dabi winces as he adjusts himself.
"He was no good. Some idiot who thought he could-" Dabi gasps softly for breath, the hand on his chest clenching as if that could stop him from dying. "Showed up almost an hour late." He hears silence on the phone.
"That was a dick of a move." Hawks states. Dabi chuckles, the sound wet as he wipes blood from his lips.
"Yeah. Sure was." He muttered. His body was starting to go numb.
"Dabs, you ok? Do I need Kurogiri to portal you here?" Hawks asks. Dabi smiles weakly. Hawks may truly be a villain now, but there were some hero tendencies that never faded. "I'm fine Birdie." Dabi lies, resting his head against the alley wall.
"Ok." Hawks says, the tone Dabi learned meant the winged man didn't believe him but trusted him enough not to push. Dabi almost hangs up, but does something stupid and reckless.
"I love you Keigo." He forces out. He can almost see the way Hawks tenses at the sound of his real name. The two of them never used their real names with each other.
"I love you too.... Touya." Hawks whispers. Dabi hangs up, letting the phone slip from his hand as the fire user stops breathing. Touya Todoroki had already died once on Sekoto Peak. Now, Dabi died once again in the back alley of some rundown shop.
It had been two hours. Two hours since Dabi had called Hawks. Hawks was starting to get worried. Mr. Compress had been sent to Dabi’s last known location about five minutes ago. So where the fuck was he?
Hawks was about ready to storm out of the League and find his boyfriend himself when Kurogiri’s portal open and Mr. Compress walked through. Carrying a limp Dabi. At first Hawks thought Dabi was just passed out. But then he notices Dabi’s chest is no longer rising or falling. Dabi wasn’t breathing. The winged hero-turned-villain felt his throat close up as the realization hit him harder than a freight train. Dabi was dead.
Hawks drops to his knees, suddenly feeling as though every bit of warmth in the room has been sucked out. He vaguely heres Mr. Compress apologize, laying Dabi's lifeless body on the couch, but Hawks can't hear him through the fuzz in his mind. Dabi was dead. He was gone, and he wasn't coming back. His talons tangle in his hair as he tries to hold onto some form of composure, but all he feels is hopelessness. Like his reason for living was gone. He hears Toga crying. He hears someone else talking, he can't place who. But it didn't matter anymore. And when the weight of the truth settles onto Hawks, he screams. It's animalistic, heartbroken, and an awful sound to hear. It's the sound of someone who had ther other half ripped away. And that's exactly how Hawks felt in that moment.
-2 Years Later-
The war was over. Endeavor was dead, Hawks had made sure of that. He took pleasure in burying his feather into the man's heart, watching the life leave his eyes. All the villains were now in rehabilitation. Hawks tried to be better, but he still lashed out. He still got violent, but he was trying. Natsou Todoroki, Dabi's younger brother, had founded the Touya Todoroki Program. The program was for kids with quirks they couldn't control or quirks that caused them to hurt themselves. Hawks had donated a very large amount of money to the program. He also made sure Dabi's legacy was not just that of a villain. He told the public everything.
Hawks was no longer a hero. He wasn't a villain either. No, the name Hawks was dead. The suit had been put up. Now, Keigo Takami was just a normal citizen, trying to live a normal life. But that's hard to do when the one person you wanted to live forever with is gone, isn't it?