~•Our World•~ (A ShigaDabi Story)

8. Hope and Heartbreak

Touya quickly answered the phone. He held it to his ear, waiting for any kind of sound or anyone to answer. Finally, a small voice muttered something.

"Touya?"

"Tenko! Oh thank god!" Dabi sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Are you okay? Where are you? What are they doing to you?"

Tenko was silent on the other side. Toga and Dabi shared a worried look as they waited for their friend to answer.

"I won't be able to talk long." Tenko rasped out. His voice was shaky and he sounded...scared. Terrified.

"Okay, just tell us where you are. Himiko and I will come and find you!" Touya explained.

The blonde picked up her pen again, ready to write as soon as Shigaraki said anything. Static was on the other side. Shigaraki's voice cut in and out, but it was audible.

"K..ori Foun...ions."

Toga scribbled it down in the notebook. Dabi nodded at her and looked ahead again. He closed his eyes and sighed softly.

"Don't worry, Tenko. Just hang in there! Okay?" Dabi tried to say in his most reassuring voice.

Shigaraki made a soft hum on the other side. Muffled voices echoed from Tenko's side of the phone and the two teens friend immediately shut up. It sounded like he had even stopped breathing. After a few minutes, Tenko's voice came back.

"I don't think I'm going to last long." Tenko chuckled softly.

"Hey, don't say that! You'll be fine!" Touya panicked.

"Can I tell you something?" Shigaraki asked softly.

"Go ahead."

The other side was silent, as if he was contemplating whether or not to even speak. Finally, after a few minutes, Tenko spoke up again,

"If I don't make it out, I just want you to know that I love you. I've loved you for a while..I just never fully understood the feeling. But now, now of all times, I finally do. I love you so much..but I'm afraid this will be our final goodbye."

And with that, the call ended. Touya's eyes sat wide as he tried to comprehend what just happened. The burning pain from his scars returned, but he didn't need the stupid, painful feeling of everlasting burning to tell him he was crying. The device in his hand slid out of the loose grip and fell onto the floor.

"Touya?" Toga asked.

He didn't move. He didn't even dare to breathe.

"Hey, what happened? What did he say?" Toga questioned as she put a hand on his shoulder from the bed.

Touya stared down at his hands. They closed and he clenched them until they turned marble white. Tears dripped down his cheeks and landed delicately on his thighs and on the floor.

"Hey, talk to me." Toga whispered to him.

"H-He.." Touya's hand trailed up to his mouth as his breath hitched.

Toga frowned. She slid off the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck. Dabi took no hesitation into hugged her back. He loved me?! And he chooses NOW to tell me! Touya thought as disappointment and anger boiled in his blood.

Shigaraki's words replayed in Dabi's head; "I love you so much...but I'm afraid this will be our final goodbye." No. This couldn't be how it ended! There had to be a way to fix this!

Quickly, Touya peeled himself off of the blonde teenager and snatched his phone up. He yanked the notebook off of the bed and stared at the name that Tenko had told them.

If I type in what he gave us, maybe something will come in! Touya thought determinedly. His fingers worked fast despite how blurry his vision was because of his tears. Toga peered over his shoulder as a list of suggestions popped up.

Bingo! "Kaori Foundations."

"That's where he is." Touya said, tapping the maps icon. "That's where they're keeping Tenko."

"But that's in the middle of nowhere!" Toga exclaimed.

"I don't care." Touya shut his phone off. He stood up and turned to look down at Toga. "Tenko is my best friend. I'd go to the ends of the fucking Earth for him! Now I'm going to go find him, are you coming or not?"

Toga looked up at him and hesitated before giving him a determined nod. She stood up and walked out of the bedroom, Dabi close behind her.

Don't worry, Tenko. Just hang in there. Stay alive for me!

Hey hey! You're local weirdo has returned! With...yet again...another short ass chapter. Sorry about that -w-"

But! I will be making up for it with chapters 9 and 10! So don't fret! Stay tuned to find out what happens next :D