Just Say No

The Tar

    Keigo was silent the entirety of the next morning. He just stared down at the floor with a distant look in his eyes. Dabi sat beside him. 

  "Keigo... I'm sorry about blaming you yesterday, okay?... I know that one night of sex isn't going to fix anything that I said but,"

  "You don't have to apologize, Dabs. I know why you said it. I understand... We're both hurting, and you needed someone to take it out on. Just... let's not talk about it, okay?" Keigo whispered. He was shaking a bit. Dabi nodded. 

  "We're... we're gonna have a little something for Jin today. Sort of a little funeral before we... y'know... before we have to move on. We couldn't find the body, but it's the least we can do for our brother... It would mean a lot to us if you were there too," Dabi gently squeezed his hand in an attempt to get him to react, "I mean...you can always call out from work, right? This is as close as you got to a family thing. It wouldn't be right for them to not let you call out. Even heroes need time to grieve." 

  "I wish I could... I really do, but I can't... not today."

  "You're really gonna go back to them then? I mean, sure it's your job. You didn't mean for them to kill Jin. I get that, but can't you just take one day for yourself and for him? Hmm? It's the least YOU can do after you-" 

  "Please... Dabi, can we not do this now? I don't- I don't want to hear about how the information that I gave caused my best friend to be killed. I-I can't deal with that right now, okay?... Look... If I don't come in today, I'll be in big trouble. I just got out of the chamber. I have no intention of going back I-"

  "The chamber? I thought that you were on a mission, Keigo? I can't believe you would lie to me like that! Actually... I can. Just... go to work... I don't care," Dabi snapped. The adoring passion from the night before had long since faded. Keigo swallowed thickly, trying to keep from crying. He clenched his fists, finally noticing that his nails were growing back in. He didn't say anything else to Dabi as he went out to the balcony and took flight. 

~

 "Aw, that was so cold, birdie. You can't even take any time off to say goodbye to me?" Laughed the voice of Shadow-Jin in his ear, "He's right you know. You lie to everyone that you love. You even lied to me."

  "Shut up... please," Keigo whispered in response. He tried his hardest to focus on the wind whipping past his ears instead of the voice, but it all just sounded like cruel laughter. He grit his teeth as his wings began to feel heavy and his chest began to feel tight. 

  "What? You don't like hearing my voice anymore, Keigo? Don't you miss me at all? Oooh, or are you way too busy fucking your boyfriend to care about me."

  "Just shut up!" Keigo yelled. He landed on a roof-top, clutching his chest as he tried to catch his breath. His pupils were just little slits as he stared out. He could feel the overwhelming guilt creeping over him. Shadow-Jin sat beside him, cupping his cheek with a cold hand. 

  "C'mon buddy, look on the bright side. At least you can still see me, right? Just keep lying to Dabi and everything will be A-okay. Why don't you get up, hmm? You're gonna be late for work," He said. Keigo was shaking as the thing picked him up. He felt like his body was moving all on its own as he flew to the commission's HQ and landed in Gaelen's office. She was leaning back in her chair with a sick smile on her face. 

  "You're late again, Hawks, but that can be forgiven. I need you to get up, you're going right in for physical training then you're going in for a few cosmetic changes and after that, a meeting with Endeavor about having his agency help with the cause of taking down the league, and-"