𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 (𝐃𝐚𝐛𝐢 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

17

"Yes?" He answered, pressing the phone to his ear.

The leader of the League of Villains spoke. "I'm calling to confirm our plans. We'll meet five days from now to finalize our preparations."

"I'm aware of that." 

The dry voice came through the speaker once again. "Some of the other members are skeptical. Are you sure that you'll be able to fight this battle? Endeavor is the number-one hero after all."

He was disappointed in the lack of faith coming from his comrades. There was no need for skepticism.  "The goal isn't to kill him," he said. "We'll just be showing the world his weakness. The people already have their doubts and this event will prove them right. Honestly, I don't see why we have to meet so far in advance. This won't be anything large-scale." 

"Maybe not, but you'll be there regardless. I've been easy on you, Dabi, but you haven't been checking in regularly and have offered us no new information."

He sighed. Between keeping an eye on you during the day and researching on his own throughout the night he hadn't been able to call often. He'd need to be better about that in order to keep any suspicion from falling onto him. "I told you my plan, I won't be getting any new information until after it's over."

"Fine, but remember that time is of the essence. The heroes are searching for this weapon as well and we have to find it before they do." Through the phone, he could hear the familiar sound of nails scratching anxiously over dry skin. "Master would be disappointed if we let it fall into their hands."

Shigaraki took All For One's death the hardest out of everyone, as expected. He'd idolized him, and All For One had even planned on making him his successor. Finding this weapon was Shigaraki's only hope to complete All For One's plan. He would use it to destroy everything. Society would be crushed. So much unnecessary death would come as a result. "We won't let that happen. You know that all of us want this as much as you do." 

"I hope you aren't getting, distracted by anything," he paused. "Or anyone."

"There is no one on this Earth that can keep me from making our plans successful. I've just been busy."

"Good. I guess I do know you better than that, and even if I didn't, a distraction would be easy for me to dispose of," he muttered. "Don't fail me."

Dabi smirked. "When have I ever done that?"

Shigaraki hung up without saying anything else. Placing the phone down on the counter, Dabi turned back to the living room. 

He walked to the couch where you slept. There was a folded blanket sitting atop the pillows, and he reached out to grab it before stopping himself. You seemed perfectly warm, and if you weren't then you could wake up and cover yourself. It wasn't his job to take care of you. The phone call had served as a good reminder. Whatever these budding feelings were, he needed to cut them before they could blossom into anything more. For both of your sakes. 

It was the comfort, he decided. He'd gone so long without any affection or caring presence in his life that his heart had merely succumbed to its weakness, its desire to feel accepted and loved. It had chosen you, not for any special reason, but because you were the only option. What he felt was no more than a result of the weak child that he used to be. He was someone different now. That weakness didn't belong to him. Whatever he felt, it wasn't real.  

"Who knew that someone like you could make things so complicated?" He whispered. Kneeling, he allowed himself to press his forehead against yours, only for a moment, granting that child within him a last bit of closure before shutting him away once again. "That boy you used to know is dead, Princess. And it needs to stay that way."