Into the Fire - a Shigadabi Fanfic

26 - Victory!

"You going to let me win this time?"

"No need, Shiggy. I haven't played this game before either."

"You'll still beat me. You won't let me win even once?"

"Now where would the fun be in that?"

It's cold all of a sudden. I reach for my fluffy coat-

His hand snaps out and catches my wrist. "Not so fast, Chapstick."

His other hand lights with crackling blue flame, and he launches it with perfect accuracy towards the old-fashioned fireplace in his room. Almost instantly, the logs light and burn with smokeless sapphire fire and heat spreads through the room. I sigh softly, sinking back into his chest and pressing start on the game.

We're halfway through the first race - and I've just pulled into the lead - when Dabi kisses my neck. Losing all focus on the game, I jolt, causing my racing car to swerve madly and fall behind.

"Illegal tactics! Cheater! Cheater!"

He smirks from behind me. "We never specified that distraction isn't allowed."

I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him on the lips until the race is over. When the finishing whistle sounds, I let go of his face and smirk. He stares at the screen - and my No.1 ranking - in shock.

"Tomura, were you... playing the game behind my back while we kissed?"

Dabi's controller lies forgotten on the bed. I cackle with glee, raising my arm high and punching the air.

"Victory!"

He soon gets me back for it by putting the controllers on the table, wrapping his strong arms around me and flipping us in one quick motion. I grin up at him, my hands in his hair, and realise that the light, bubbly feeling in my chest is happiness. Here with him, I feel safer than I have in forever. Dabi's head dips to my neck, spreading fire in the wake of his lips, and I tilt my head back to give him more access. I've never trusted anyone before, at least not like this. I would walk into hell for you. He trails kisses over my jaw and returns to my mouth, accidentally catching my lip on his teeth.

The copper tang of blood seeps into my mouth.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to- I mean, are you okay-"

It's cute how flustered he is. I touch his face, marvelling at the way he blushes too when I touch him. I choose you. Out of everyone he could have, he chooses me.

"It's okay. I trust you."

He goes still. "Really?"

I swallow. "Yeah. I trust you, Dabi."

We stay still for a moment, and then he flops down on top of me. I make an oomph sound as the air punches out of my lungs. Klutzy idiot. He buries his head in my neck, and I wrap my arms around his back. It feels good, being entangled with him like this, like nothing can break us apart.

"Staples? You good?"

"Yeah," he whispers against my skin. "Yeah, I'm good. But... you really trust me?"

"Why's that so hard for you to believe?"

"I don't know if you noticed, but I was kind of a prick to you when we first met."

I laugh. Of course I noticed, I tried to kill him. But this seems like something he needs to say, something he wants to get off his chest, so I let him continue.

"It's just, I don't think I've ever trusted someone properly before, or been trusted. At least, not like this."

I know exactly what he means. We're villains. Ever since we were young, there have been so many dark things in our lives, so much betrayal and hatred and pain that the echoes of our scars still haunt our dreams. So now, finding each other against the odds, finding trust, someone to bare our secrets to in the dark, someone to kiss our scars... it's kind of unbelievable. Unbelievable that we could be loved like this. There that word is again. Love. Even if it's Dabi, it still scares me, that kind of commitment. His hand winds through my hair, playing with the long wavy blue strands.

"I never thought I would find someone like you," he admits quietly. "I had pretty much accepted my life, but then you... I saw you and at first, I didn't recognise what the feeling was."

"Me too. I hated you at first, you know," I tell him quietly. He stiffens, but tries to act cool.

"Oh yeah?"

"Not anymore, you know that. But the things you made me feel... I hated you for it. You know I've never done anything like this before, and the way I couldn't control you-"

It's all coming out wrong. This isn't what it's supposed to sound like. I don't want Dabi to think that-

"I know," he whispers. "I know what you mean. So, when did things change?"

I relax a little bit. I've never told anyone this kind of stuff before. It's scary, telling him the absolute truth and not knowing if he's going to hate me for it. I look up at him, at the shadows on his face flickering in the sapphire-blue light from his fire, and I breathe.

"I think I first admitted to myself that I didn't really hate you when you got captured by Todoroki's ice at the first raid on the school. Seeing you there, trapped, thinking that you might never come back..."

I hadn't realised I was scratching at my neck until Dabi's hand pulls mine away and he slips his fingers into mine. I trust you. And I do trust him, don't I? I just don't think I can trust myself not to fuck this thing up and make him run away. He might be mysterious, but I have secrets of my own too. I want to tell him everything, but I'm scared. That's enough for today. I squeeze his hand, and as if sensing exactly what I want, he kisses me softly, slowly. Gently, he begins pulling my jumper up. I help with it - I was getting too warm anyway - and then I remember that I'm wearing his shirt underneath. It's comfortable, and the way it smells of him soothes some jagged edge inside me.

Dabi kisses my nose, and then he drops onto his side and hugs me. It's nice like this, curled up against his warmth, lying in his bed with his arms wrapped around me. It makes me feel safe, like even the invisible monsters can't get to me anymore. I trust you. I rest my head on the pillow, curling up into a ball pressed close against Dabi's chest. I trust you.