Flashback
"When I grow up, I wanna be a pro hero!!"
"Then be a pro hero sweetie. You're already my little pro hero, but I'd be very proud to see you become someone else's one day. Always do what makes YOU happy, ok?"
*Smiles* "Got it!" *Nods with determination* "I'll do whatever it takes!"
*Chuckles* "And I'll be supporting you every step of the way"
Y/n Pov
I never forgot those very words my Aunt said to me that day. I've wanted to become a pro hero ever since I was little. I've worked so hard to get here, and now i've finally gotten to the point in my life i've always dreamed of.
"Hi. As you all know, my name is Powerpause. Whenever I touch someone and say the word "pause" they are stuck still like a statue and can't move for around 10 seconds. 10 seconds may not sound very long in most cases, but when fighting in combat, it's more than enough time. I can hit the person stuck under my quirk back while they're defenseless, I can have one less villian to fight for a few seconds while I get a head start at fighting the other ones, I can do a variety of things. And if I want to unpause someone before the 10 seconds run out then I just have to touch them again and say "unpause". But my good friend Aizawa has invited me here today to tell you all about my story. To start off, I was abused as a kid. My parents did a good job at first hiding it from everyone for the first 9 years of my life until my aunt found out one day and took me into her custody. For so long, I constantly had to live with being told that I was nothing and could never be anything in life from my abusive parents. When I started a new life and finally safely escaped from them however, I finally had the chance to be in a space where I was not only free to follow my dreams, but supported for chasing them. Now i'm a pro hero, speaking to you today to remind you that no matter what anyone tells you you can't do, says who you can't be, as my Aunt would say, remember to "always do what makes YOU happy."
Deku Pov
As Powerpause gave her speech to the class, I just KNEW I had to write about her in my notebook. I mean, she's such an amazing hero, she's pretty much deserved her own page in there for a while! Everyone of course has already heard of her before as one of the most well-known female pro heroes but I still didn't know that much about her until now. Kacchan was in a bad mood today and meaner to me than usual, but her speech really motivated me to keep going no matter what he says to me. (BESIDES THE ULTIMATE HERO ALL MIGHT OF COURSE!! NO ONE CAN GET BETTER THAN HIM)
Shoto Pov
I tried to hide my shock when she first said she was abused. I don't understand how she could just tell a whole class of people something like that... Being abused is something so personal to me, it's something I rarely tell anyone.
Aizawa: "Ok class, I wanted to let you guys know that she will also be your substitute on the few days that I may end up not being able to teach class this year. On days that she is your teacher, you will call her Ms.L/n."
When I heard Aizawa announce that to the class, I strangely looked forward to her substituting at some point.
I mean, when she's around, am I not gonna feel alone anymore when it comes to what i've gone through?
Am I not gonna feel like the only company I have to understand the trauma and true pain of abuse i've faced in my life in my class is myself?
For some reason... I trust her. I don't know why,
But I do.
I think... i'm gonna talk to her after class.
______
Once class was over and everyone was leaving, he stopped you before you walked too far away. "Um, hi, i'm Todoroki. Shoto, Todoroki. Um, *clears throat*...Iwasabusedtoo..."
Gosh Shoto why'd you have to get so nervous like that?! Now she probably didn't even understand what you were trying to say so you just ended up embarrassing yourself, He thought.
But little did he know, you understood him perfectly.
After you turned around, you slightly cocked your head to the side and looked at him, taking in every detail of his face. "So you're not gonna be the only one in your class anymore when i'm around, huh?"
He was not expecting that answer at all, it felt like you read his mind. "H-how'd you know..?" He asked.
"I read you just now. I paid close attention to your details, the way you're standing, and most importantly,
how... you just said what said to me."
You break eye contact with him, suddenly some more of your trauma coming back to mind, causing a sad look to come on your face and add, "Please, tell me everything... unfortunately, because...I understand everything..."
He looked at you like you started glowing before him. He was so scared, so scared to tell someone he just saw today something that he in some cases wouldn't even tell someone he knew for years. He had a feeling he could trust you, and when he followed that feeling, he had no idea it would lead to a new person that would soon become like a 2nd mother in his life, that he never knew he needed.
______
"Hey!"
As you're walking outside just getting back from having a great conversation with Shoto back at UA, you hear Hawks call you from the other side of a crosswalk beside you. When there are no more cars driving through it, he runs across to you. "What's up bud? How's my favorite 22 year old doin'?"
"Are you just gonna announce my age like that every time we see each other now? When I get old enough in the future, y'know i'm not gonna want people to know my age anymore. Once my wrinkles start coming in someday, I want to make sure people think I'm as young as possible"
"I don't care, *yawn* doesn't matter to me. I'll still get ladies whether it's from a senior home or not."
*Playfully pushes him as you guys laugh together at his statement* "OH SHUT UP, WHEN I GET OLD I'LL MAKE SURE TO HIT YOU IN THE HEAD WITH MY PURSE THEN MAYBE YOU CAN GET SOME SENSE KNOCKED INTO YOU, HAHAH"
Suddenly you see a group of villains walking out of an alleyway beside you, and one of them bumps your shoulder.
"Move out the way next time, wouldn't want you to get burned to a crisp..."
His back was to you so you didn't even see his face, all you could see was his black spikey hair.
You guys looked at them walking down the street, confused as to where they were going, and then you realize that they're on their way to rob a store. You two quickly call more heroes to help you guys fight them.
"Stop right there!" One of the heroes you and Hawks called over says. You see the man with the black spikey hair turn around with the rest of the villains. He had bright blue eyes, and burns all over his body.
Strangely...you were almost...mesmerized, by him...
Dabi Pov
When I hear some kinda annoying hero try to get our attention, I turn around and see at least four of them behind us. I've fought majority of them sometime around before, except for one...
This one girl, was different...
And why was she looking at me like that...?
I get it, I have these "disgusting burns", and "i'm such a horrible person", so I kinda expected her to look at me like i'm some horrendous creature just like everyone else does, but... she actually wasn't...
She was looking at me like she was trying to see through me. Like she knew that I was more than the "evil person" standing before her.
WAIT A SECOND I HATE THIS, SHE'S MAKING ME THINK TOO MUCH AND I'M SUPPOSED TO BE BURNING PEOPLE RIGHT NOW!
WAIT... i'll burn her first...then I can get rid of her, and the stupid distraction that's become...
I light my flames on my hand and get ready to aim it at her.
Here goes...just aim, and fire...
I throw my fire at a building near us engulfing it in flames.
I CAN'T BURN HER. I COULDN'T DO IT. WHY?!
Y/n Pov
We looked at eachother the whole fight, but couldn't get ourselves to fight each other once.
Why? What is wrong with me? I'm a pro hero! I should be able to fight this guy.
But I just... can't...
He really fascinates me, and a part of me wants to know everything about him. At one point he looked at me like he was gonna light me on fire. He even smirked at me when he almost did it, and as much as I hate to admit it, it was kinda hot...
However, when he ended up lighting that building on fire, that gave the villains a chance to escape, and although they realized they couldn't rob the building anymore because it was too close to the heroes around them now, they just escaped back to their hideout instead.
_____
Or at least you thought...
One of them in particular decided to do their own thing today, apart from the other villains.
"You guys head back to the hideout, I'm gonna escape too, but to take a little walk first..." Dabi quickly said to the other villains. "Don't be stupid and get yourself arrested on your sketchy walk alright? Be back for dinner before we eat all your food. Let's go guys", Shigaraki says and they all escape through the portal while Dabi escapes in the other direction.
Later
Once you and the heroes worked out the building that caught on fire and managed to save as many people as you could from it on top of making sure the fire in the building was put out, you went home to your nice apartment nearby.
Why can't I stop thinking about him? To be honest...I think he's one of my favorite villains... AHH, BUT I SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE ONE!! WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ME TODAY?!, you thought to yourself. You were gonna drive yourself insane, you didn't understand why as a pro hero, a villain was having such an impact on you like this. Maybe I should just read a book or something in my bed. Then I can get comfortable and push my thoughts and curiosities about him out my mind.
"It's kinda hot in here though, and maybe the comforting sounds of the city will help distract me", you say to yourself and go to open your window by your bed. Once you lay down, you open your favorite book, and begin to read. But after only a couple minutes, you feel a presence on your windowsill. You suddenly look up and see Dabi sitting on the edge of it in your bedroom, leaning his head forwards a bit to look at you. "Ew, you're a hero AND you read books?" he says. You run out of your bed completely startled and stand there on guard, ready to fight him. AM I HALLUCINATING RIGHT NOW? I FINALLY GET HIM OFF MY MIND FOR ABOUT A SECOND AND THEN WHEN I FINALLY DO HE CLIMBS THROUGH MY WINDOW?? WHAT'S GOING ON?! You think to yourself. "Woah, woah, slow your roll there, believe it or not, i'm not gonna hurt you.
...I can't, hurt you, actually..."
"Me neither", you responded, your body relaxing a little, walking a bit closer towards him.
"But, I don't know why..."
"UH-" you both stuttered, you said that last statement at the same time, now realizing you were both confused about each other.
You then walk even closer to him, looking closely at his face. You were trying to read him like you could everyone else, but it was harder to see through his colder heart.
Dabi Pov
Oh no...what is she doing...why is she getting so close to my face? And why do I feel so comfortable with that...? NO. SNAP OUT OF IT YOU'RE A VILLAIN YOU SHOULD'VE KILLED HER EARLIER-"
*Clears throat* "Look weirdo, I said I wouldn't (and couldn't) hurt you for some reason but I never said I could let you get too close..."
"OH- sorry, i'm just trying to figure you out... there's just something about you... I dunno it's just beneath that hardened heart of yours, I just know somewhere in you there's a bit of warmth there. I just wish I could find it... wish I could see it for myself..."
She's "trying to figure me out"...?
No one's ever even cared too before...
Why isn't she that afraid of me anymore? SHE'S SUPPOSED TO HATE ME. I'M A VILLAIN, FEAR ME, HATE ME, AND I'M SUPPOSED TO HATE YOU. I'M SUPPOSED TO HATE EVERYONE. Why can't I hate you?
Why DON'T I hate you?
"Well... there's not. And it's not your job to find that, I don't need anyone to. I guess heroes are always trying to save everyone... but guess what sweetheart, it's too late for me to be saved. I'm too damaged, killed too many people. Almost 30 now, just wish killing someone like you could help me get there. But you fascinate me, and I'm trying to figure out what about you is keeping me from doing the same thing I would do to the rest of your stupid little hero friends."
"What's your name, your REAL, name?"
Why.
Why.
Why.
Why.
There's too many why's...
I'm gonna go insane.
More insane than I already am...
She wasn't bothered by anything I just said to her.
I'm a villain. In her house...
Standing in her house, literally just told her I want to kill her, but in response,
she asks me my name?
"Sorry, but that's not for you to know. What's your name Powerprincess, YOUR real one..."
I'm getting pretty fed up with this kinda hot lady or whatever. Had a feeling if I called her princess she wouldn't like that very much. I dunno why, but something tells me she's not the princess type...
I'd also love to burn her face but a part of me also doesn't want to mess it up.
Ew... that sounded WAY too nice...forget I just said that.
"Ok THIS, is where we stop. Call me princess again and I call the police. And for MY name, I guess we'll never know now, will we?"
I was right. Look at me, getting to know her already...
"Awww, don't do that to me... remember, I still have a warm heart in me somewhere, right?"
I couldn't help myself, I had to tease her a LITTLE...
"Besides, you wouldn't dare..." *walks closer*
I expected her to move back, but she didn't even a little. We just looked at each other, not looking away for what felt like forever.
"I thought you said you didn't wanna get too close...?"
"Hey, only I do the teasing dummy..."
My feelings always drive me to do impulsive things. My dad abuses me, I become a villain and plan to kill him. I see this girl like no girl i've ever seen before and follow her to her house...
causes my whole life to change for the better...