The Lost Gods - middle name AU

Chapter 23

Please

Help

Listen?

"Izuku listen to me. Calm down. Breath."

Breath?

What...

I...

I can do that

"That's right. In, out."

My thundering heartbeat began to obey Dabi's guidance, calming, slowing.

A buzz of the fog that was clouding my mind hummed, but did not spill over.

I could think.

There's no need to panic...

It's Dabi

Familiar...

My eyes flicked up to those sharp cyans. I know them. I know Dabi.

He wouldn't hurt me. Hurt us.

"K-kacchan..." I barely manage to pull out.

"Unharmed but knocked out. I don't know why you were taken." Dabi explained, understanding my need to know what was happening.

Without meaning to, a sigh of relief passed my lips.

There wasn't much good in our situation, but knowing that he was ok was enough to ground me.

I focused, forcing out the invading voices, those malicious haunts that infected my mind. They were my weakness. But people were my strength. I could hold them back. Forever.

My mind briefly flicked back. The attack...

"My classmates... are they ok?" I managed out through a parched, gravelly voice.

"The only damage should've been mustard's gas. Plus, its not deadly, it can just knock you out for a while."

So that was the purple gas.

"Dabi... why... why are you..."

The man grimaced.

"It's a side job of sorts. Vigilantism doesn't pay, so I had to get my hands dirty to get some sort of cash flow."

Oh.

That made sense.

He couldn't really get a proper job as a vigilante...

"Ok... what drew you to the LOV?"

He shrugged.

"Crusty's fun to mess with."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Shigaraki?"

"Yup."

That drew a few painful laughs from me.

"So a vigilante is working for a villain group for money, but also to tease their leader."

"That's right."

Sharp cyan eyes softened and filled with mirth as they met my own once more.

"Doesn't crusty like you or something? I am so confused why you were on the list."