Once Atomic calmed his body and mind, gave him a reason to smile again after the trying past few days, those emotions he let Shigaraki get a taste of started to fade. But even once reality took ahold again, the villain didn't recede into his depression.
Instead, that feeling of gratitude remained. Gratitude for the power that felt more like a companion than a weapon now. Felt like a connection to the one true person he ever cared about.
"You really don't resent her anymore?" Dabi asked, thinking about how you'd gotten a family, friends, a lover, a life, a true life just as Shigaraki had always wanted.
"No," Shigaraki whispered, placing his palms covered in half gloves back on the ground. "I deserve all the pain I've received. And that's okay. Once we finish with what we started, I'll tell her everything. I'll make sure she has the life she wants,"
But the question remained.
"How are you going to convince All for One to keep her alive once we get him out?"
"I'll figure that one out when the time comes. As long as she has all those heroes surrounding her, she's safe."
Dabi nodded as Shigaraki stood, dusted himself off, the two of them ready to go back inside and continue planning for the Hassaikai ploy.
"I'll give you this one boss. Ever since what happened at Camino, you've gotten a lot less annoying,"
"Shut your mouth, you little pest,"
"Not my fault you're finally growing up,"
The two of them had humor behind their words, colloquial friendship finally starting to seep through their teasing. But just as Dabi was about to open the door to the stairwell, Shigaraki felt a shiver.
He stilled, looked around for a second. Atomic make his hair stand on end, started to shift the air at his feet like a dog curiously sniffing at the ground.
What was his problem?
What's wrong?
Protect. Atomic spoke like something had just happened or something was about to happen that seriously put him on edge, made him defensive.
Just as Shigaraki was about to ask further, the phone in his coat pocket rang.
"What is it?" He asked, Compress on the other line.
"Boss... You better get down here."
***
"Headset,"
Your bed dipped at Katsuki's weight as he took a seat. Your body was on its side, above the sheets, still clothed, your face all scrunched up in the midst of a dream. That's how he found you when he finally made his way back to the dorms, up to your room.
It was past midnight, the dim blue light spread over your skin by the unblinded window.
He would've waited till morning to see you, but staring down at your silly, innocent expressions lost in sleep, the phone still clutched in your hands with worry... He'd just missed you so much.
When you shifted, made an annoyed little groaning sound at the sudden disturbance, Katsuki reached his hand into your hair, cast it back so you could feel the warmth of his hand.
Your eyes fluttered awake at the sensation, took a moment to adjust to consciousness. Though they were half lidded, you still caught sight of blurry, spiked blonde hair and tired red eyes to pair it staring down at you.
