It Started With A Bullet - Dabi x OC (Multiships)

Hawks Route - Chapter 3

Her self-esteem was getting better since the Sports Festival. But that recent and unfortunate event caused her to question if she's even fit to being a hero.

She doesn't have a lot of power compared to other students. Even Ochako put up with a grand fight against Katsuki.

"I was about to thank you, actually." He adjusted his position so that he was a little more comfortable. His hand rested on the safety rails. "I could have done more had I not let my emotions distract me. I'm not sure exactly what happened after I blacked out, but I think that I probably wouldn't have survived if you weren't there."

"Really?" Momo was surprised at such praise. She didn't expect any form of gratitude. "Well, you were being dragged away by him. I tried to stop him, but I couldn't."

She shook her head and then looked at her arm. "I got another wound while I was unconscious. It was pretty deep. Like someone had stabbed me. I don't recall anything after I had fainted."

"So that's the wound on your arm?" Shoto adopted a shocked expression. A few beads of sweat collected on his head. That was a good sign of his condition improving given the fact that he lost so much fluid from his body. "It must have spread then..."

He noticed Momo's confused expression. He knew that he had to explain. Not everyone was aware of his curse. "Whenever I get involved, people's hands get messed up. It started with Midoriya. Now you. I thought I was the hand crusher, but maybe I crush arms as well."

Shoto was talking a lot more than usual after waking up. The experience seemed to make him want to get closer to Momo. Her presence in the room with him helped to bring him some comfort.

"Heh-" Momo tried to stifle her laughter, but she couldn't. It hurt a bit to giggle. Never had he seen her chuckle like this before. "My apologies- Ahahah."

She had to take a gasp to breathe or calm down, but she had a bad case of the giggles. She wiped a stray tear from laughing so hard.

One of Shoto's eyebrows raised in confusion. "Did I say something funny? I didn't mean to. No one else hurt their hands or arms, right?"

Her laughter confused him somewhat, but if she was happy then it couldn't be all bad. Besides, he enjoyed the sound of her laughter.

"Oh! Hahaha-" She covered her mouth a little bit. There was a little confusion as she tilted her head. "That wasn't a joke?"

"It can be, if you'd like. I like it when you laugh." He had a tiny smile on his face. Talking to her like that felt so natural to him all of a sudden.

He had never attempted to tell a joke before. He was sure that if he did, it wouldn't have the same effect. Perhaps it was worth a shot to hear her laugh again.

He flexed his hand against the safety rails. "Maybe if I'm not careful...I might destroy my own hand someday. I'm still not sure how this curse works."

Her heart fluttered from the compliment. She couldn't help but giggle once more at the last statement. "I don't think you're cursed. Villains just like to hurt people anywhere, I suppose."

She looked at him with a sincere smile. "We were paired up like a team like that one time. Except, this was more serious. We both made it out alive. I suppose that is something to be thankful for."

The low confidence was subsiding. The light of the mood was starting to make her feel positive again. Her bouncy personality was shining through.

His smile gradually became sadder until it was a frown once again. He still wasn't extremely sad, but he was trying to think. The way that villain spoke to him was strange compared to other villain attacks. He knew things about Shoto that he shouldn't be able to know. "The villain who attacked me...you said that he dragged me away. Do you remember anything else that he did or said?"