|| 𝕯𝖊𝖒𝖔𝖓𝖎𝖈 𝕷𝖚𝖘𝖙 ||

D u a l i t y

"I encourage the epiphany of equality, you know this well."

The man's voice was a dreary joy, as if he was getting tired of acting positive all the time.

It left the person who he spoke with to simply shudder senselessly. If he was getting tired, then all of Hell would pay for his fatigue.

"'Course ya do sir."

His tail flicked sharply as he responded, chin held high in his own desperate attempt to maintain his confident composure. His voice was a drawled casual slur, though his half lidded turquoise eyes betrayed his lazy nature, showing how high on alert he was.

"It's the duality of man; demon, devil, and angels alike. Balance and equality are have their unique definitions." The man paused thoughtfully, hand brushing against his hairless chin in mock consideration to whatever day dreams people expected him to have. Dabi knew it was an act. He continued with a smile, one that had a flicker of obsessive mania. "You've found our scale, now you must tip it in our favor. Do you understand me, Hound?"

He grunted in response. Green eyes and a cheery smile crossed his eyelids, guilt dripping from those visions.

"I ain't happy." Grumbling this fact just so it could be known, the hellhound eyed the scar-mutated man in front of him, only thing surviving from his face being a wide grin.

"I hear and acknowledge your opinion; however your bias isn't of my concern, nor should it be of yours." The hand on his chin drummed. "I need not to think of having you recite your contract out loud—again. I'd like to believe your maturity in smarts outweighs your hormonal chemicals."

Whatever that was supposed to mean. Hormonal chemicals? That sounded like this bastard was trying to imply he loved—...it was best for Dabi not to finish that thought.

"I don' need to repeat it, sir."

Dabi knew when to bite his complaints down.

"Good. I expect updates." His hand finally rested back down on the marble chair he sat on. "And Satan?"

"Been years since he started trusting me, gunna take even longer for him to realize he shouldn't."

The grin grew on he man's face. "Very good."

Dabi tried not to scrunch his nose at his unsavory expression: one that bled malice.

One last time, although he already knew the answer, Dabi found himself repeating the same question that he asked often.

"And there's no way for ya to see inside th' castle, sir? With yer freaky dream stuff?"

"No, Hound." His tone was patient; Dabi had to give him that. Shoto surely would have gotten annoyed at him insisting this. "I can only invite your mind to visit with my magic, I can't spy. But, that's why I have you, correct?" 

Dabi smiled. He didn't need to force it, it was genuine... just not for the right reasons. He wasn't smiling at what this bastard wanted him to smile at, but he didn't need to know what.

"'Course, ya have me."

The reason he always asked that question? There would be no way he could see Dabi's eventually betrayal. He only had his theories.

Did Dabi love Izuku? He would never know.

Did he spill secrets to Shoto that should have gotten him killed years ago? He used to not care about dying, but now he has something to protect.