"Are you fucking insane?"
Toga had asked Kurogiri to schedule a meeting with Monoma but the soonest he could do it was the following day. So I had to sit and wait in the hotel until I could go see him.
Which meant Dabi would ultimately find out.
"I'll be safe, Toga will be out in the car waiting while I talk to him." I said from the bathroom while I fixed my hair, getting ready to leave.
Dabi's voice got more angry, "No, this is ridiculous. Let me do it."
I leaned out of the doorway to look at him, "Are you kidding? No. I won't risk you getting caught again."
"Oh so you getting caught if this is a set up is better?" He snapped.
I walked out of the bathroom completely, "Honestly, yeah. I don't have any known crimes stacked against my name. Plus I could come up with some lie on the spot or something of why I'm there."
Dabi half laughed, "Haven't I told you you're an awful liar."
Rolling my eyes I adjusted my shirt and took a deep breath. I knew Monoma's quirk was very powerful and talking to him alone was dangerous, but it was the quickest and best shot we had.
Assuming he didn't already tell Shigaraki what we had planned.
My boyfriend walked up to me and wrapped his arms around my waist, I stood a little stiff, still annoyed with him.
"Will you please just let me do it? I don't want you in danger." He asked softly.
I looked up at him and shook my head. "Will you just have some faith in me? I can do this."
He sighed heavily and rested his forehead against mine. I understood his concern, but it was my friend that was threatened and Dabi was much more at risk than I was.
I can do this.
A gentle knock at the door let me know Toga was finally here. I pressed my lips to Dabi's and ran my hand through his hair, trying to soothe him.
"I'll be back in a couple of hours."
I love you.
"Okay. I'll, uh, see you then.."
We both stared at each other for a moment before I turned and walked out the door. I still needed to accept he wasn't too good with words. But I knew, that's all that mattered.
"Hi."
"Hi girly." Toga chirped, stretching her arms out as we walked out of the hotel, "You ready?"
My stomach churned the more I thought about it.
"I have to say yes."
She interlocked her arm with mine, "If it seems like you're gone for too long, I'll come in, okay?"
I exhaled, feeling a little reassured by that, "Thank you."
"Anything for you bestie."
—
After about a forty five minute drive we pulled up to an old abandoned office building, with not many other buildings around. Two cars parked off to the side that I could see.
Toga slowed down and pulled close to one of the front doors, "Kurogiri said it was on the second level, room 3. You can't miss it, like there will be a guard."
I nodded and grabbed my bag but Toga put her hand on my wrist, "You can't bring anything in. Just you."
"Oh okay."
"It's going to work. And I'm going to help get you and Dabi out of Japan once Shigaraki gets caught." She grinned, reassuring me.
I put my hand on hers, "I can't thank you enough. What about you? What are you going to do? Shigaraki will spill everything about The League if he's in custody."
She shrugged, "Kurogiri, Twice, and I will all talk about that soon. I think I wanna travel." Her face got a little more serious, "But all of this needs to work out first."
My anxiety began to rise, realizing how serious of a situation this actually was. And how easily it could go wrong.
"I've never been inside but Kurogiri said he is pretty up and down with his personality. Just try to stay calm the whole time, it might be a test."
"I think I'm gonna vomit."
"Don't do that."
With one more back rub, I stepped out of the car and began walking towards the old dusty building. I couldn't help but have thoughts like if this would be the last time I'd see the sun. Or if this would be the last time I'd walk free.
I shook my head and tried to not spiral.
The heavy door creaked open and it was dead silent inside. I found stairs and made my way up them. Looking left then right, I finally found where I was supposed to go.
A large guard stood in front of a metal door, much different than the other doors. I slowly approached him.
"Uhm, hello." I stated, trying to get his attention.
He looked down at me with no emotion.
"I'm here to see—"
Before I could finish he moved to the side and opened the door for me. I looked a bit confused and stepped inside.
I guess not many people come here so he probably was expecting me.
The room was extravagant. Red walls and ceilings with gold trim. Little statues and waterfalls. Everything the opposite of the dirty outside.
I took a moment to take everything in.
"You must be ____, how exciting!" A blonde man smiled from behind a fancy wooden desk.
I stepped forward a bit and gained all the courage I could.
'Don't let him touch you.'
Dabi warned me. That's what made his quirk so dangerous. He could steal other's quirks and temporarily use them.
"Yes. And you are Monoma?"
With his head in his hand he nodded, smile not leaving his face, "That is correct. Please, have a seat. I've been looking forward to this meeting."
I sat on the chair on the opposite side of his desk and made sure it was pushed back enough so we weren't close.
"Would you like some tea?" He asked, picking up an empty cup and a pot.
I need him to like me.
"That would be nice, thank you."
He poured the pot slowly, steam coming from the hot liquid. He put the little cup on a tiny platter and stretched his arms out to hand it to me.
Hesitantly I reached out to grab it.
Practically in slow motion I saw his fingers almost graze mine. I panicked.
I dropped the cup, the liquid spilling all over his desk. I jumped up out of my seat and began to apologize.
Monoma fell into a fit of laughter.
I looked at him strangely.
"Are you afraid I'm going to touch you?" He continued laughing, "Don't worry, I currently have no reason to. Try to relax."
Currently?
He rang a silver bell and called in a smaller sized person with bird like traits, "Clean this up while we talk." He demanded.
I cleared my throat, "So I assume you know why I'm here."
Monoma flipped his fringe and then shook his head, "I have no clue actually. Kurogiri was very secretive. That's why I'm so excited."
Okay... So this probably isn't a set up.
I took a deep breath, "I want to take down Shigaraki."
He leaned back into his large cushioned chair, thinking to himself. The pause killing me.
"Taking down Tomura Shigaraki hmm...?" There was more silence.
This could go many different ways.
Monoma sat up and interlocked his fingers on the now clean desk, looking me straight in the eye, "Alright. I'll help you."
It felt like my eyes bulged out of my head, "Wh-what? That's it? That easily?"
He began cackling and leaned back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the wood, "He has been nothing but an annoying buzz in my ear since he found out the weapon I have. He should've gotten the money sooner. I have other customers waiting, but because he wants it so bad I know if I let someone else buy from me something bad will happen to me," he scoffed, "so childish. Doesn't he know how business works?"
I sat up straighter, feeling more hopeful that it's possible to really make this happen, "Okay, so how do we do this?"
Monoma looked at me and raised an eyebrow, "You came into a dangerous criminal's office to discuss an issue and you didn't even have a plan if it went well?"
I felt my mouth go dry, feeling dumb. I wasn't used to this kind of thing.
"I mean, I have some ideas but—"
"—Shigaraki won't be easy to catch. He senses if anything is off, his guard is always up like mine. If i just call him in out of nowhere, he will get suspicious, you need to get the money he needed to buy these pills."
The blonde reached under his desk and pulled out a metal briefcase. After opening it, he flipped it around and showed me tiny red capsules.
"This is what he wants. Gives you my power for thirty minutes. Used to be ten, but we managed to make it go up to thirty."
I leaned in closer to look at the pills. These were what Shigaraki were so obsessed with, right in front of me.
"You need to get him in a place he can't escape. Here is a perfect place," Monoma continued, "I'll help you if you get the police to give me full immunity and let me walk free."
I scratched the top of my head, "You think they'll do that?"
"They've done it before. I'm way less wanted than Shigaraki is. They'll do anything to get to him. Plus they don't know about these pills so that helps too."
I nodded my head, "Okay. Money and immunity."
A wicked smile spread across his face, "What a girl. You're going to help my business bloom again. Have Kurogiri call me when it's all set up."
I stood up and nodded once more before turning around.
"Oh wait! ____." Monoma stopped me before I left.
He swung a small plastic bag filled with his red pills in them, "Take this as a souvenir for doing business with me. Five special Monoma pills of your own."
I took the bag from him hesitantly but shoved them in my pocket.
"Use them wisely."
— — —
Author's Note:
Only six more chapters left wowie.
Also I promise there will be smut soon, please be patient just a little longer.