Mind Boggled

Chapter 29

IMPORTANT NOTE

Dabi is TWENTY-TWO

Harper is FIFTEEN

If any of you even s u g g e s t that I put them in a relationship, I will skronk your top. That's pedophilia. There is SEVEN YEAR age difference. Were they both adults, an age gap of that size really wouldn't matter much. But Harper is a minor, and it's inappropriate for any of you to even imply that they'll be together in any sexual or romantic way. If it continues, I have zero qualms with taking Dabi out of the story, whether that means killing him off, having him arrested, or even going back to re-write him out. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Third person pov

The blanket was big enough that they could share it without touching each other, so that's what they did. Dabi's beat up old DVD player worked wonderfully for what they needed. There were a few stutters in the film here and there, but neither complained as they shoveled ice cream down their throats. Harper let herself sink into the ratty old couch Dabi had probably got with the place, or off the curb. The man's thoughts played idly within her head, reacting to the movie, dwelling on her presence here, and trailing off to all the shit he had to worry about in general.

She hadn't been here all that long, but she could tell he wasn't a bad guy just being around him. He was in a tough situation, and had been through a lot. Though gruff and not the most polite person she'd ever run into, he wasn't a bad person by any means. Harper was glad. She didn't fancy him shanking her in the jugular if she managed to drift off somehow. At least she knew Kurogiri would avenge her. 

"I've got to find a job soon. Other place blew me off the second they saw my fucking face." Touya thought, grimacing. He couldn't deny that he was feeling a lot better than before, even with his various anxieties over what was going on in his life. This weird little brat was oddly quiet. She spoke at just the right times, drawing him out of some of his harsher thoughts and bringing his attention back to the movie with a single off-handed comment. "What's she doing here, anyway? What about her parents? If they knew anything about me-- even just what I looked like-- they'd be pissed as hell. Or they should be pissed as hell. Seriously, it's really late. Do they not care about her?"

"Do you have a job?" Harper asked suddenly, not taking her eyes off the screen. Touya's gaze snapped to her in an instant. He couldn't tell if this kid was after something, or if she was just genuinely weird. He didn't think the ice cream was laced with anything. He wasn't dead yet, nor did he feel particularly dizzy or tripped out. Maybe a bit tired, but he'd felt that way before he started eating. It was all pretty perplexing. He was a little worried about the kid. It's not that he particularly cared about her as a person, but the fact that she was a teenager hanging out in a shady guy's apartment was concerning. She'd just walked in too, not knowing a thing about him. He could have murdered her by now. 

Still, he couldn't stop the small amount of gratitude that thrummed in the pit of his stomach. He really wasn't too sure where he'd be if she hadn't knocked on his door and provided him with a distraction. He was more focused on her presence and actions than he was his hellish nightmare. Just thinking back on it made him shiver and realize how much he needed a therapist. Even if he wanted to see a shrink, he didn't have the money to go. 

"Do I look like I have a job?" Touya scoffed spitefully before he could stop himself. "Last place turned me away. Nobody wants me to work for them with this face, unless it's illegal shit. Not even the warehouse would take me, and I wouldn't even have to interact with people that way. It's fucking ridiculous. If only I didn't have to stay so far under the radar. Damn old man."

"That's fair." Harper blew out a puff of air, her bangs briefly flying up before flopping back down on her forehead. She glanced at Dabi. The guy had it hard. It was actually somewhat of a miracle he wasn't a criminal yet. Or maybe he was, and just hadn't thought about it. He probably had a decent quirk. Those burns looked relatively self inflicted, and his nightmares were full of a pain not caused by Endeavor's abuse. These wounds look cauterized, and were in very specific positions. He was Endeavor's son, which meant him having a fire quirk wasn't at all far-fetched. If it were powerful enough and spiraled out of control... well, it would explain the scarring. "I'll see what I can do."