My Normal

Stars (4)

"Dude! You can't possible have mommy and daddy issues!-" I yelled while wheezing.

Dabi clutched his stomach, doubled over from all the laughing we have been doing. The whole night has been filled with shits and giggles, plus the insane theories we came up with. Neither one of us were thinking straight and probably wouldn't be for a little while longer.

These are the moments that have a tight hold on me. The moments when Dabi feels exactly how an older brother should. We have fits of laughter and make memories I never knew we could. It all feels so surreal.

Soon enough we forget about the stories and our laughter subsides so we just sit in silence. All of our goofy thoughts are pushed aside and suddenly everything becomes real and all you can focus on is the fuzzy feeling of your skin. Almost as if my thoughts were able to be felt as well, like i could just touch them, grasp them and understand. Understand my past and what made me who I am today. It felt as though all questions could be answered, but they were just out of reach. The answers were so simple yet so complicated.

So I decided to focus on the stars. Clumps of gas and dust floating in the sky. I like to think that each star is a person, and that the star is their life. Their reality. Every star is different. It holds a different reality, or maybe even a world. Something beyond that possibly.

"Do you ever wonder about the stars?" I asked as I turned to face Dabi, laying on our backs.

"Hm?" He hummed in response.

"I mean what they are, what they mean." I looked at him like a little kid who got cotton candy for the first time.

"They are just lights in the sky, merely dots," he replied.

"I think they could be more than that...More so I like to imagine they are," I tilted my head back toward the view, lost in thought and longing for hope.

"How do you see them?" Dabi asked also turning back to face the stars.

"As people...I see them as people. One of those stars is you and one of them is me. Each person has their star," I replied dreamily.

"But I'm right here dumbass," He said and in return; I playfully slapped his arm and chuckled.

"Not like that. Each star holds our memories...Our fate, what's to come. When that star bursts, we die," I sighed.

"Stars die in minutes," He looked back at me.

"Yeah but they don't shine for decades. When they start to shine our lives really start to pick up. As if one event lights a path. An answer to life," I looked back toward him. He seemed confused, but also that he understood.

I wonder when my star will light... Who or what will light it. My thoughts were once again interrupted as Dabi grunted while standing up.

"We should go inside," Dabi harshly said while leading me inside.

"Just a moment longer... Please," I asked because he was in a good mood.

"I said now," He sternly said while grabbing my arm.

He gripped my arm unyielding. If he were to hold onto me any longer there will be bruises tomorrow. He dragged me through the clunky front door and into the dim lit bar.

"What happened?" I asked panting once we were inside.

"You were being annoying talking about all that crap," He bit back.

I knew the real reason. Any longer and he would've let his emotions get in the way of what he has to do. I squeeze my eyes shut thinking of the conversation he told me through tears. How he hates taking orders from Shigaraki but does it for our sake.

Shigaraki chuckled sitting in the bar stool, "You gave her a punishment correct?"

Shigaraki laughed again and glanced at me. I could only see one of his eyes through his hair and it looked merciless. Upon Shigaraki's request, Dabi turned to face me still digging his fingertips in my arm. He suddenly let go and shoved me forward. My knees caught the rest of my body from slamming onto the cold concrete.

I went to turn around but as I did a hard fist hit me square in the jaw. My ears started ringing and my head jerked to the side.  Panting, I tried to look at Dabi but everything was spinning and blurry.

That's it? A single punch? We both know he can put on a better show than that.

I sat there collecting myself holding my jaw. I pushed on it and a loud pop sounded through the room. I grunted while pushing myself off the ground.

"Was it necessary to fucking dislocate it?" I asked through grit teeth.

Dabi just shrugged and pat the seat next to him. I rolled my eyes and slowly dragged my feet over to the cracked bar stool.

"You're going to UA," as blunt as ever Shigaraki spit it out.

Everything seemed to stop, my breathing, all sounds, all the thoughts I was previously hearing. Even my headache subsided, but my heartbeat quickened. I processed what he had just said

"UA? I'm going to u..a?" I slowly tested the words my jaw still aching.

"Yes. You will be attending as a student." Shigaraki replied.

"But... That's a school to make heros."

"We know. You're not going there to become a hero. You're going to get us information."

So many thoughts raced through my mind. Would I be able to find help? Can I leave this shit hole? What if they find out my identity? How will I get in? Why didn't they send Toga? As if Dabi could read my mind he spoke up,

"You'll be taking the entrance exam just like everyone else. We are using a fake address and guardian names. Your existence was never put in records so we are faking your birth certificate as well. The only reason your going and not Toga is because you can control your urges."

Shigaraki was next to speak, "Your only purpose there is to get us information. Everyday you will report to us what you learned."

"What am I supposed to observe...?" I asked.

Shigaraki answered again, "How those students quirks work, but more importantly, their weaknesses. Your goal is to make a list from the easiest student to recruit in the league, to the hardest. We also need information on All might and the school schedule."

"When do I start?"

Can I finally be a hero?