Flea

Chapter Thirty Six

"I'm going to get us out of here," Bakugo muttered, face screwed up in determination.

"Can I have some noodles first?" Maeve sighed, her stomach growling for the fourth time in a minute. The girl kept nodding off against the back of her chair. She was too tired to be terrified or angry any more. This was the longest she'd gone without coffee in years, Maeve felt like shit.

"Hey! Blue! I'm hungry," she called and repeated at a louder volume when Dabi pretended not to hear her. Kurogiri, who'd provided them with a beautifully prepared dinner, had disappeared to help Shigaraki make arrangements with All for One.

"You're talking to me like I'm someone who cares," he snapped, but at the same time plunged a hand into his bag and pulled out some beef jerky. Maeve tried not to find it amusing. It wasn't. He was a murderer.

"I'm vegetarian."

He swore, strode to a dying pot plant on the bar, and threw a few leaves at her. One of them fell in her hair and she tried to angle her face to make it fall into her mouth. Maeve was honestly at that point, her stomach was tying itself in knots. Just as it slid onto her nose, however, she froze. The surgeon turned her head, sniffing like a bloodhound.

"I smell coffee. Black. No sugar. Low-quality beans and trim milk. Where is it?"

Twice and Dabi glanced at each other.

"There's no coffee."

"Give it to me," Maeve hissed, becoming feral at the prospect of caffeine.

"It's not yours," Dabi replied coldly, though slightly intimidated by the new side of her.

"Yes, it is. It was mine as soon as it entered the room. Give it."

He narrowed his eyes at her, before trudging across the room to pull a takeaway Starbucks cup from behind the bar. Maintaining the staring contest, Dabi chugged the entire coffee. Maeve's eyes glistened slightly. His remained steady, even though the drink was still boiling. 

"How dare you," she choked, pulling at her restraints.

"Easily. Deal with it," he hissed, throwing it in the trash. Maeve hadn't slept in 24 hours. He hadn't in a good 36. It showed.

Before things could escalate, however, Shigaraki appeared in the doorway. Maeve was reminded why he'd been on the telephone and even though it didn't make her as depressed as a wasted coffee, the thought came close.

"Alright, Dr Aizawa," he called amusedly.

"Tata for now. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other if you're still in one piece after he's done with you."

Maeve raised her chin, swallowing back dread, and calmly met his eyes.

"Who says I'm in one piece now? Hopefully, he'll be more interesting company than you lot."

"Oh, trust me, he is," Shigaraki replied, stroking his hand. Kurogiri undid her straps and gently pulled her to her feet. Maeve surveyed the open portal in front of her. The only time she took was to turn her head to Bakugo and give him a lopsided smile.

"If you get a chance... Tell dad I love him, and it wasn't his fault," she said simply, before disappearing into the darkness. 

***      

The first thing she noticed was the cold. It was frigid, which Maeve realised was what an abandoned building should be like. Dabi must have been regulating the temperature and humidity of the pub without anyone realising.