Warning: NSFW Scene At The End.
Reeling backwards like an electric shock, Hikari gasped as the connection was finally broken and the green glow slowly dissipated into nothing. But even though her memories were now her own, the woman couldn't help but still feel distorted in every single way.
Then all at once, she seemed to mentally snap back into place as she forced out another heavy breath. Touya's memories, his feelings, she knew them all. The things he so desperately tried to keep to himself, they were now out in the open.
And they felt her completely speechless.
Feeling heavy tears make their way into her eyes, Hikari allowed one to break free before turning towards the man she thought she had known for her entire life.
Her savior, her friend, her traitor, that's what she had labeled him as. But instead of the covering of betrayal, she now felt something else entirely.
Dabi also seemed to be reeling, his hands immediately moving to his temple in pain as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.
It seemed like his entire life had flashed before his eyes, playing out his every thought and feeling like some sort of fucked up movie he didn't want to watch.
His own choices had already tormented him enough as it was, it wasn't like the villain needed a reminder. But if that was the case then why had he witnessed them anyways? Something wasn't right. This wasn't like his usual psychotic breaks or manic episodes. No this was way worse.
Just then, the past events that led up to now seemed to flash through his mind as a spike of invisible feeling began to shock his entire body. Because if he had just relived his own memories then that meant that Hikari had also..
Snapping his cerulean gaze towards hers, the man then silently took in the blatant tear crawling down her cheek before the realization showed what she had just done.
And just like that, he felt everything come crumbling down around him.
Every secret, every lie he had told her had been erased completely, leaving the vulnerable and weak little boy that lied beneath the villain persona he had worked on for years.
His worst fear had happened.
Hikari knew everything.
Widening his eyes, Dabi then felt his feet start to move backwards as he felt his own heart hammer inside his chest with a new emotion he hadn't felt in years. He had thought he had locked all those useless things away but here it was, tormenting him all the same.
Hikari only continued to stare though, her words losing all of their meaning as her mind screamed for a sound before taking a robotic step closer to her childhood best friend. What could she possibly say though and what could he deny now that she had witnessed his life firsthand?
After a moment, she managed to speak as one single solitary question reigned above all the rest. "T-Touya, is it true? You didn't sleep with her?"
The sound of her voice was like a thousand knives, pouring into Dabi's soul as he felt his dead skin start to smoke and spark with flames. The way she was speaking to him, the tone of her voice, that wasn't what he planned on. She was supposed to hate him, she was supposed to stay away.
But that god damn kindness in her eyes, it drove him absolutely mad. He didn't deserve that kind of look, not after everything he had done to destroy her life.
Fuck, he didn't want to be forgiven, especially by her.
Hikari only remained silent though, her entire body shaking with something unexplainable as she waited for his reply, for an explanation even though she had seen firsthand what he had been thinking. But it didn't matter, she needed to hear it now, in this moment, from his lips.
But she was only meant with the cold calm air as those ever constant cerulean eyes stared back at her through the flickering street lamps.
Hikari's own breath rang inside her ears a moment later as every single moment of silence drove her closer to the edge of madness. Why wasn't he saying anything? Why was he just standing there? It's not like he could deny his feelings anymore.
A moment later, she felt herself speak again, her fragile demeanor growing more anxious with every breath. "Touya?"
Suddenly, she felt a large raging heat blind her eyes as a massive barrier of blue inferno blocked her path completely, segregating the two villains onto opposite ends of the street.
Blinking at the bright light, Hikari lifted her hands up to shield her eyes only to put them down a moment later in order to find that the man was completely gone. What the hell?
He was just going to run away? After everything, after years of lying and deceiving her he was just going to completely ignore it? Oh hell no, not on her watch.
He wasn't going to get away that easily.
-----
Racing down the dark alley, Dabi forced another breath as a million horrible feelings began to run through his head. No no no no, it wasn't supposed to be like this. She wasn't supposed to know!
It was cowardly, it was pathetic and it was very Touya, of course he knew that, but the man couldn't help it, knowing that the only thing he always knew how to do was run.
That's how he left Hikari in the first place after all. He had run from his betrayal and his feelings just because he was terrified to see where any of it would lead.
Little Touya didn't do "feelings" well after all.
Hell, that's how he died in the first place.
And sure, he was Dabi, he was a murderer and a villain. The man had spent years defending his reputation after all, and he was sure that he had finally gotten rid of the scared weak little boy he was before.
But now it was happening again, and even though he was faced with a decision once more, the villain's body seemed to make the choice for him. He just couldn't do it, years of ignoring and deflecting and changing his name didn't do a damn thing.
He was a coward then and he was still a coward now. Nothing had truly changed, and that weak little boy hadn't fully disappeared like he had originally hoped. No, he was still alive and well, hidden in his foolish and forbidden feelings.
Reaching the end of the alleyway, the man paused before something seemingly dropped down from the sky as they flew down in front of him in order to block his only path of escape.
The black figure then lifted her head as a pair of haunting amber eyes stared back at him. And although he had known those eyes his entire life, there was something new in them now. Something terrifying.
Righting herself a moment later, he then watched as her broken and deformed wings outstretched from her back in an eerily and intimating fashion, the feathers blocking the only street lamps in view.
And when she spoke, it was incredibly strained, like she was holding onto the last bit of sanity she possessed. "You didn't answer my question."
Seeing him visibly pause, the villain felt himself unravel by the second. It wasn't ever supposed to go this way, she wasn't supposed to ever know about his little screw up. But what could he even say now? All of his options had disappeared.
He then remained silent, watching as his childhood friend grew more and more frustrated by his lack of response. "Cut the shit Touya, what did I just see?! Was that the truth?! All these years and you thought you could lie your way through everything?"
Hikari could feel her heart pound inside her ears, screaming at her to force the words out from his lips. For years she thought she meant nothing to him, for years she had replayed a certain narrative in her head but now everything was falling apart.
Now that she had seen everything with her own eyes and felt every horrible emotion that he experienced in the past, Hikari felt completely lost. Her entire perception had been wrong, just like he always wanted.
And god, she wanted to scream, to cry and punch him all at the same time for it, so much so that her entire body started to shake with mixed emotions as he only stood in silence once more. "Speak, damn it!!! You're always running your mouth but now is when you stay silent? You've got to be kidding me."
Then without realizing it, one of Hikari's feathers sprung from her wings before longing itself into the only illuminated street light behind her, causing the bulb to break as pieces of glass rained down from the sky.
And as more tears sprung from her eyes, the woman felt herself unravel. "I don't understand. For years I thought you only slept with that whore because you wanted to show me that I wasn't good enough for the great Todoroki Touya."
She thought about all the self hate she had placed on herself for his little stunt, always wondering why he had done such an awful thing even after he knew her feelings? Was it because she didn't satisfy him enough? Was it because he only looked at her like a quick hookup? She never understood.
But it turned out it was all because Touya was self sabotaging himself in order to make her disappear from his life and hide his lies. And it worked, it worked so well that she never suspected a thing.
Flashing back through his memories, another heavy lump caught in her throat as she shook her head in denial. "And Keigo, I thought that he abandoned me because I wasn't strong enough. That's why I went through all that damn abuse in the first place!"
It was almost hard to believe, considering she had lived with the idea of Keigo's abandonment for so many years. But was all that really not true? Did her brother actually still love her all this time?
Thinking back to the small little polaroid her brother showed her a couple months ago, the woman felt her expression fall in realization. He had told her that he always carried that stupid picture around everywhere, and back then she didn't believe him.
She always thought he was just trying to lie his way out of his mistakes but now that she had seen it through Touya's memories, it seemed like she now viewed Keigo in a far different light.
Crying back she added brokenly. "But all of that was bullshit? You sleeping with that woman, you telling me that Keigo abandoned me, You claiming that I meant nothing to you, all of that was complete and utter bullshit?!"
Hikari then felt herself grow dizzy as she watched Dabi's stoic body language slump ever so slightly. And although he didn't verbally voice his crimes out loud, Hikari had known him long enough to already know what the villain was trying to say.
He was confirming it.
So much so the woman felt her shaking hands move to her pounding temples before muttering to herself through her own choked sobs. "I can't believe it. I can't believe you..."
Just then, like a slap in the face, another memory seemed to resurface as Hikari's eyes widened in newfound confusion in order to turn back to him. "Wait. Back then, you loved me?"
The words felt like acid on her tongue, coating the entire surface as she watched Dabi's back grow rigid at the forbidden phrase.
Pushing further, the blonde haired bird then took another step closer, her wings outstretched as each sentence poured out from her lips with utter disbelief." And right now, it's still the same isn't it?"
Once again, the villain didn't move, causing Hikari's sanity to wither away by the second. She caught his body language immediately as the villain's cerulean stare turned away in order to avoid the conversion completely.
But even so, she knew exactly what that meant.
Feeling her heartbeat echo in her ears, the woman's voice raised. "Then say it, tell me the truth right now."
A hard silence appeared then, causing the rubber band in Hikari's mind to snap in half before her feathers sharpened lethally and insanity took over once more. No, he couldn't do this, not anymore. She needed an answer now.
Then in a shrill scream of desperation and rage, the female villain screamed. "God damn it, Touya!! Why can't you just say it.?!"
Yet that's when Dabi's voice seemed to counter hers, the tone just as frustrated and broken as hers was. "Because it won't change anything!"
Feeling her mouth run dry, she then watched as the seemingly carefree and unbothered villain began to unravel before her eyes, watching as his hands coursed through his hair with an anxious chuckle. "Fuck, you really screwed everything up, Princess. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. You were never supposed to know about poor little Touya's feelings."
Dabi then shook his head as he added plainly. "Then again, you always did know how to ruin things for me, even back then. Just when I think I have everything under control you stupid pigeons come in and fuck everything up."
And although he was finally speaking, Hikari still didn't understand a thing he was trying to say. "How is me knowing about your feelings fucking everything up?"
Lifting his arms out in mocking vigor, the villain answered. "Because whatever you are imaging, whatever you want in that delusional, little brain of yours is impossible."
Hikari only frowned in response though. "What.."
Yet Dabi was quick to respond, his voice full of venom. "Don't lie to me, Hikari. I know what you want. I've always known. Hell, it's been like a curse, reading you like a book."
Throwing his arms upwards in mocking explanation, the villain then continued roughly. "You want a prince charming to pick you off your feet and carry you away, you want a normal pathetic little life with your deadbeat brother. And most of all, you want a happy ending to your tragic fairytale."
Dabi's lips then curved into a cynical smirk as he finished. "You want it so bad that you deluded yourself into thinking I fit your crazy dream."
Hikari couldn't help but be taken back by his crazy statement. Wait, just what was he talking about? She never thought of him as some kind of prince charming. To her he was always just Touya/Dabi. Nothing more.
Moving forward to defend herself, Hikari frowned. "I don't.."
Yet when she took a step forward, he took one back, further distancing himself from the bird like she was poison. "Then why are you still here, why are you chasing me down and searching for an explanation? Face it, princess. You are still looking for that imaginary man, even after everything you still want to find some reason to forgive me."
At that, the woman felt herself freeze. Why had she come all the way here for an explanation? He was right, a normal person would've just lived with the betrayal or retaliated by trying to kill him. But instead here she was, searching for a reason, for an explanation for his actions.
And perhaps she was looking for a way out, a way to justify his choices, but then again maybe that was just the weakness in her heart once again. Was it so wrong to want to know the whole story, to search it out?
Dabi was her best friend after all. Didn't she deserve an explanation?
But it seemed like Dabi could read her like a book, the silence causing him to shake his head in disapproval, almost like the quiet had confirmed his suspicions. "God, you're so blind, always have been."
Shaking out of her own thoughts, the woman felt herself glare at his comment. "I'm not blind, I'm just trying to understand your feelings for once. You know, since you never want to tell me.."
Yet that's when the villain's lips began to fall as the ever present smile wiped from his face in a millisecond. "My feelings don't matter. I don't matter."
Widening her eyes at such a destructive sentence, Hikari immediately felt herself step forward in response. What was he saying? And what was with that darkness in his eyes, she didn't like it. "What? Of course you do..I.."
Dabi cut her off immediately, his voice louder and far more authoritative as he broke her delusional bubble. "I don't think you get how this story is going to end, Princess. After I kill dear old dad and the rest of my family, I'm going straight to hell with them. There is no saving me, there is no happy life. I'm going to die, that's what I've wanted since day one."
Feeling herself freeze, the woman's legs began to turn numb. What? What was he even talking about? Was he really going to die at the end of this? Was that his whole plan? No, she didn't want that.
And of course she had vaguely heard him say the same thing back at the liberation but it seemed the woman was far too gone back then to understand the implications of his words. But now, she couldn't run from them. She couldn't ignore it.
Using the silence to his advantage, the villain continued in order to ignore the absolute devastation of her face. "Face it you and I aren't on the same sides, Princess. We never were. That's why when I lied about all that shit, because I knew that we could never change that. Our paths aren't the same. I'm going to hell, it's a guarantee, it's what I've been planning since I survived all those years ago. In a couple months I will no longer be here anymore..."
Then his face began to morph into something completely different before his voice dropped into a quiet whisper, the tone just barely audible. "And I'm sure as hell am not going to drag you down with me."
Feeling her head snap up at his words, Hikari's eyes began to widen all at once. So that's what it was, that's why he was always so distant. It's because he didn't want her to die like him after all of this was over.
The realization was overwhelming, causing the bird to move closer in order and reach her arm outwards. "Dabi.."
But just as it made contact, Dabi gritted his teeth before slapping her away in anger. He didn't want to be comforted just because he said something so pathetic.
Yet even so, the villain carried on. "No, listen. I may be a shitty person but I know you deserve so much more than me. You deserve to have your shitty little fantasy and be normal, because you are a good person. Hell, you're probably the last good person on this god forsaken earth."
Thinking to himself, he then sighed. "And even I know that poor little Touya won't let you die like that."
The way he was speaking, the honesty of it all wasn't something Hikari was used to, so much so that she was at an absolute loss of words. Did he really value her that much? Did he really think that she was better than him? How foolish, she wasn't any better than anyone else.
Although that's when she watched him turn his back in order to escape the conversation completely. "So go destroy the commission, do whatever you want, just forget about what you saw and stay out of my life if you know what's good for you."
And for a moment, she watched him leave, disappearing into the darkness only for her feet to follow behind him a moment later. No, he couldn't just end everything like this. She still had so many questions, so many feelings.
Racing up to meet him, Hikari felt herself calling back desperately. "You think I'm some kind of weak little kid, that I can't handle what you're trying to do? Stop treating me like a princess already. I'm not going to die that easily."
Then she watched as the villain slowed his steps before stopping immediately, his hands moving into a fist as small blue sparks began to echo from the skin.
And when he spoke, it was angry and unhinged, the darkness in his tone ever apparent. "You still don't get it, do you?"
Twisting her brow in confusion, Hikari then felt a rough hand wrap around her black hoodie before a pair of stitched fingers pulled her closer until the two were only a few inches apart.
And from this angle, Hikari could clearly feel the slight shake in his body, locking eyes with his frantic ones as Dabi's deep voice cut through her very being. "I would burn the entire world down for you."
Being stunned into silence, she then felt his hand tighten around the fabric as a sad bitter chuckle escaped his lips. "And I would, Princess. Trust me. If you disappeared, if you got in the middle of all of this, I would bring the entire universe down with us."
And what Hikari didn't know was that Dabi wholeheartedly believed what he was saying, and he hated every part of it. It wasn't supposed to be like this after all, he wasn't supposed to have any other attachments other than revenge.
Laughing at his own weakness, the villain shook his head. "How fucking pathetic is that? I spend years distancing myself from my shitty past and yet one little word out of your pretty little mouth makes me revert back all over again."
That was the scariest part of all. The idea that something so simple, so small could cause him to go back to being that pathetic little boy he hated so much. It's the reason why he changed his name and image to begin with.
Speaking partly to himself, the villain muttered back. "Touya was dead, he was supposed to be dead. And yet the minute I even think about killing you his pathetic feelings alway get in the way."
But because he had pulled her close, Hikari heard every word, causing the woman to frown at his dilemma. "You act like not killing me is such a bad thing."
Just then, the villain unlatched his hand from her jacket before moving it to wrap around her neck. Hikari didn't even move though, allowing his fingers to grace her throat.
Although Dabi had already expected the reaction, knowing that she never allowed him the satisfaction of showing him fear. That's just how his princess always was. "Because it is. It goes against everything I've tried to build, it goes against who I made myself to be. You are a part of the past so you should die with all the rest of them. It should be that simple."
To prove his point, Hikari then felt his fingers push deeper into her skin only for the heavy shake in his body to loosen his hand a moment later. "But it never is with you, and this sickness you've infected me with won't let me distance myself like all the rest. You are the last lingering memory of who that pathetic weak kid was and yet you're still around, reminding me of everything I want to forget."
Flashing back to their meetings on that rooftop of Endeavor's abandoned agency as children, both Dabi and Hikari wanted nothing more than to go back to that simple time where nothing mattered. It was apparent in both their eyes.
But unlike Hikari, the villain's fantasies were far more dangerous, because the only thing on his mind was supposed to be his family's demise. And yet, the only thing he could continue to think about was his childhood best friend.
It was an addiction, swallowing him whole all over again and Dabi wanted nothing more than to return to that feeling of love, even now.
Moving his hand slowly towards her cheek, the villain's stitched fingers then began to ghost the surface of her skin with fragile calculation. "And in those moments, for a split second, it deludes me to think that I can have you, regardless of how this story is going to end."
His very touch caused a set of chills to run up her spine as all her feathers began to twitch in sensitivity only to feel his thumb grace over her bottom lip to feel the surface in a tortuous fashion.
So much so that Hikari felt her arm reach forward before grabbing onto his wrist in order to ground herself back into reality. "I don't understand. Why is death the only option? That's what you keep saying but it doesn't have to be the truth. Why can't you decide to live instead?"
But the only thing she received was a heavy sigh, his arm unmoving from her grasp as he replied honestly. "Because, princess. That's the only thing I'm good for. Making a statement, showing the effects of this shitty hero world for generations to come. I know I'm not someone that can live. I knew that the day Touya burned up into nothing."
His words were heartbreaking, causing the woman to immediately detach her hand before taking a step back in disbelief. Sure, he had said his plans already but the way he was talking now, it was like he thought he had no worth at all.
But how could he say that? How could he think such a horrible thing? After he stayed by her side for years, after he saved her by giving her a friend and a reason to live? "I don't...w-what are you even talking about? Not someone that can live? I've never thought that, not even once."
Yet that's when Dabi's teeth began to grit with frustration as another set of blue sparks erupted from his palms. "Are you kidding? Even after everything I did to you? You said it yourself, Princess. I lied and betrayed you for your entire life. If it wasn't for me you and Keigo would've reunited years ago."
And yes that was true, but Hikari knew that there was a difference between being upset with someone and then wanting them dead. No, right now Dabi was speaking in extremes and she hated it.
Feeling her broken wings flap behind her in annoyance, Hikari's brow turned down in a glare for what he was suggesting "So what, am I just supposed to condemn you to death then? Is that what you want me to do? If you really think that then you are out of your goddamn mind."
She then lifted her hands up before continuing. "I can't just choose to forgive or not forgive you, I have to sentence you to hell? You've got to be kidding me. Yeah I'm pissed about everything but there is no way I'm going to do something so stupid and self righteous."
Recalling back to his crimes, the woman then narrowed her eyes. "Yes, you lied to me. Yes, you played with my feelings but you aren't the only one. You are not the sore purpose that my life was ruined. It was the commission and Riku and everyone else that played a part in that."
And Hikari hated that he was taking all the blame for every little bad thing that happened to her. Of course he had a hand in it but to say that Touya/Dabi was solely responsible was just foolish.
It wasn't all bad after all, there was plenty of good he brought to her life as well, but he wasn't focusing on that at all. "At least you walked away, you tried to stop all of this from happening. Sure, it was self sabotage but that's more kindness than I have ever received in my entire life. You tried to save me when no one else wanted to. That's gotta count for something."
Lifting her hand up to the bare skin of her collarbone, the woman then touched the spot that once held her crystal pendant before lowering her eyes in memory. "You don't know how much hope your words gave me through the years. And maybe they were fake for you but that doesn't change that they meant the world to me. They still do."
Dabi could only scoff in disbelief though. "You and your delusions again. Everything I did was for revenge, nothing more."
Hikari simply shook her head in response, knowing the truth. "Not all of it. Aren't you the one that stayed by my side, comforted me by micking Keigo, reassured me about my first kiss, tried to save me from Riku, gave me this necklace so I wouldn't be self conscious and then slept with me and became your first?"
Knowing she had gotten him, Dabi turned his eyes away once more only for Hikari to continue roughly. "I know that wasn't out of revenge, Dabi. I've been in your brain. You did all those things because you cared about me. Yes, it started out as a plan but somewhere along the way you know it changed."
The bird then balled her hands into fists before adding. "So, I will not condemn you to death like you want. Not when there is something else inside of you, something good. And I know I'm not imagining it. You just don't want to acknowledge it. That's why you call me delusional in the first place, because you don't want to feel weak for loving me."
Of course Dabi could read her like a book but so could Hikari. Hell, she knew exactly what he was thinking, almost like a curse of her own. She was the one person he couldn't run from, and he knew it.
So much so that the villain's confident exterior seemed to melt away with each revealing word, causing the man to close his eyes before defeatingly laying his head on her shoulder with a sad chuckle. "You're right, princess. I am weak. You make me weak. You make me do things that I never thought possible. And that's the one thing that I can't have, it's the one thing that killed Touya all those years ago. That's why you need to disappear before things get messy."
The move was so personal, Hikari pretending not to notice his hot breath on her skin as she lifted up a hand to touch the back of his snow white hair. "Things are already messy, that's why I'm trying to fix them."
Yet that's when the villain immediately righted himself up before shaking his head in sad dismissal. "You can't fix them, Princess. What's done is done."
Hikari wasn't happy with that though, watching as he started to turn his back to her again. Just what was his problem? Why was he still trying to run away from his feelings? It didn't make sense. "Why? You're so determined to keep me away. It doesn't have to be this way. I can still help, you know."
But the only answer she got was silence, watching as Dabi once again turned his back on her to leave. The move only caused her anger to flare up once more though. He wasn't going to get out of this that easily. "Hey, I'm talking to you!"
Dabi didn't even bother to turn around though, Hikari's feathers sharpening before a few burst from her wings in order to barrel towards the villain and keep him still.
Although it seemed like he predicted the move, the stitched man turning ever so slightly before his hands erupted in blue inferno and pointed them towards the crimson weapons.
Then all at once, Dabi burned the objects into nothing as the blue light took up Hikari's entire vision only for her to curse at the loss. He really was serious about abandoning her if he was taking it this far. "Shit."
But she wasn't going to let him win, blinking through the pain before her feet chased after the villain once again. No, if he really wanted to get rid of her then would've had to kill her, and she knew that he couldn't do that.
Feeling her heart pound in her chest, the two raced across various connecting alleyways before Dabi made his way into an abandoned building at the edge of town and ascended a pair of steps in the corner.
Hikari knew she had to be smarter than that though, glancing around the back to find a rather large open window on the top floor of the building. Narrowing her eyes, the woman then took all of her feathers before forcing them up to lift her body weight upwards towards the object.
Lifting her hand, the woman just barely grabbed onto the top ledge before falling in order to hoist herself onto the window sill just in time to see Dabi trying to go to a connecting room.
Hikari had other plans though as one singular feather flew past him before lodging itself in the door behind him in order to jam it closed.
Then continuing on from their previous conversation, the bird pushed herself into the room to meet his rigid back. "Why do we have to be on opposite sides?"
The only thing she received though was a lingering silence, causing the bird's temper to flare up immediately in order to shout back roughly. "God damn it, Touya, I'm not your enemy!"
Just then, his intense gaze met hers once more, piercing her very soul. "Then look me in the eye and tell me that you want Keigo dead too."
Not processing his words, Hikari's mouth dropped out in confusion. "W-What?"
Reaching his hand forward, his stitched fingers made their way to her chin in order to pull her closer and soak in his every word. "Didn't you hear me, princess? I want everyone to burn, and that includes your dear brother. If you follow me then that means condemning him to hell along with me. This game doesn't end until everyone is dead, including your brother."
And that seemed to finally register for the bird, her eyes widening his disbelief as her own mouth ran dry with anxiety. Dabi was going to kill Keigo? Well of course he was, that was his plan from the beginning. But why had she forgotten about it until now?
Perhaps it was because it didn't feel real back then, perhaps she thought she could somehow convince him otherwise. But staring into his serious cerulean glare the future was unmistakable. Dabi was going to kill her brother.
The villain seemed to notice her distress as well, his thumb gracing her bottom lip once more before turning his head with knowing intent. "But you don't want that, do you? You want to stop me."
Thinking back to her first meeting with Hawks, the girl was always uneasy about the idea of her brother's death, and at first she thought it was just because of her distaste for killing. But now Hikari knew that wasn't it at all.
It was because she still loved her brother, because she wanted to protect him and keep him alive no matter what. And nothing had changed now. Her feelings were still the same.
And she knew that if anyone tried to hurt her only family, they would be her enemy.
Dabi was right, they both wanted different things, so much so that it was nearly impossible to ignore. Someone was going to win and someone was going to lose, whether they liked it or not.
Knowing that she was connecting the pieces, Dabi hummed. "Don't you see? That already puts us on opposite sides, Princess."
Hikari felt her eyes lower at that, knowing that she would do absolutely everything to keep her brother alive, even if that meant going against the only man she ever loved.
Oh, so that's why he hid his feelings, why he ran away.
Dabi must have known how this would've always ended.
Taking a step back, the woman frowned. "So does that mean we are just going to be enemies from now on? The commission wants your head, should I just bring it to them if you really don't care?"
Dabi was quick to reply though, his voice just as displeased. "And the league wants your head for killing their precious team member, Twice. Should I tell them that your hero brother was really responsible and have them go after him?
Twisting her lips in distaste, Hikari felt her eyes fall in defeat, knowing there wasn't any other option. The world had already decided which sides they belonged on. "So that's it then. We really are enemies.."
He also seemed rather sad, running a lingering hand through his hair before stepping away with a sigh. Maybe now she would understand and finally disappear from his life. "Always have been, Princess. At least now you finally realize."
Feeling her heart shatter in two, tears began to line her vision as she thought about everything the two had gone through to get to this moment. And now, it would all be erased because what they were dealing with was bigger than both of them combined.
Somehow this was all going to end, with either Keigo dead or alive.
Why couldn't the world let them be normal, why couldn't they just have a typical relationship like everyone else? Then again, the idea of Dabi being romantic and going on dates never really fit his image. Perhaps, it was always supposed to be like this.
So much so that Hikari knew it would be impossible to erase her feelings for this war, that her having an attachment to Dabi put herself and her brother in danger. He was his murderer after all, standing right before her like some kind of ominous premonition.
And Hikari knew this was one game she couldn't afford to lose.
Blinking back her tears, the woman then stepped forward before speaking out to her childhood best friend all at once. "Then, let's forget."
All at once, Dabi's eyes flashed with realization, knowing exactly what she was suggesting. But this was different then all the other times. Why now? "What?"
And it was different, so much so that Hikari felt herself take a heavy breath in order to hold herself together. "You want to forget about us, about the past, right? Then let's do it. But none of this disappearing bullshit. I want a clear cut ending. If we are enemies then I don't want to hold anything back."
Taking a step closer to him, the woman then placed a gentle hand on his cheek before a stray tear escaped from her eyes just as a line of blood pooled underneath his dead skin. "Enough with the hiding, Touya. Show me your real feelings. Right here and right now."
Dabi knew what she was offering. Hikari was allowing them to finally let loose, to not care about the consequences or the future but rather to be able to indulge in this frozen moment in time before the world ultimately tore them apart forever.
And the idea was addicting, causing the very damn in his mind to break after years of torment in order to grab onto the hand that was holding his cheek and pushing her body backwards to close the distance.
Feeling her back press against the door behind her, Dabi's stitched fingers found their way into her hair in order to lessen the impact as his lips just barely ghosted hers with so much untapped desire and tension that his voice shook on every word.
Just then, his voice appeared, the tone scratchy and rough as he poured out the most dangerous words of all. "I love you."
Then before she could process them, his mouth was on hers, taking in all of her as desperately as possible while his fingers pushed the back of her head deeper into the madness that was his unkempt feelings.
A word so impossible to say, so forbidden that Dabi thought he would never speak it and yet it tumbled out so easily, like it had been waiting decades to emerge. And even though Touya nor Dabi had ever experienced this kind of feeling before, he knew exactly what it was.
But because of the attachment of it all, he refrained from speaking it until now, as it was too personal, intimate and scary for him. Because once he said it, Dabi knew there was no going back.
Yet here, high above the city, in their own world, the villain knew that this would be the first and last time he could ever feel such a lethal word.
Hikari melted into him immediately, her hands finding their way to his back in order to press him closer to her as a suppressed moan sounded from inside his mouth.
And that drove the villain even more mad, his leg wedging itself between her thighs before detaching from her lips in order to reach the tip of her ear.
Then all at once, he let his tongue trail across the soft pink flesh, causing her to jolt with shock before his hot breath sounded in her ear. "I love you."
Feeling her shaky fingers cling to his jacket in response Dabi felt her hips buck against him in need before moving his lips down to her soft exposed skin on her neck.
Then he kissed the surface, allowing his hot breath to coat her entire being before growling with a supposed need of his own. "I love you."
His sudden confession was unexpected, causing Hikari to close her eyes in order to soak in the feeling of his pure honesty for the very first time. But his words weren't enough. No, if he really wanted to end this, then he couldn't hold anything back.
Utterly breathless from his touch, she whispered back. "Show me."
Dabi seemed to understand immediately as all the years of control and distancing he had built slowly slipped away into nothing. Latching onto the skin, the villain then sucked on the soft flesh only for Hikari to throw her head back in a low moan. "Touya.."
Then before she could say anymore, Dabi reached his hands down to grab onto her thighs and pull her up by her ass as the woman wrapped her legs around him in silent weight.
Pushing his lips back onto hers, the villain then turned around before dropping the two of them on the mattress next to them as Dabi towered over the woman and slipped his tongue into the back of her throat.
Hikari felt herself fall deeper into madness as she desperately grabbed the back of his white strands before pulling him closer towards her, his stitched fingers firmly squeezing the back of her thighs with need.
And normally, Dabi would've taken what he desired and moved on, but it seemed he could never quite do that with his childhood best friend. This time though, was far different than the rest.
Because right now, the man wanted nothing more than to search every inch, to touch every part of her body and savor this moment before it was ultimately taken away by the cruel world that they lived in.
He didn't want to take, he didn't want to steal, but rather cherish this night, so much so that he allowed the seemingly dead Touya to emerge willingly for the first time in his life as a final farewell to the boy he was before.
Hikari seemed to realize the shift immediately as well, feeling his shaking and unsure hands grasp onto her for dear life as he pushed himself deeper into her mouth with a low moan.
Reaching forward, his stitched fingers quickly found her jacket before pulling down the zipper as the bird recalled the moment they shared back in Hawks' apartment before their first meeting with the liberation.
She pictured the way his hands pulled up the back of her dress as slowly as agonizingly possible, teasing her back then into becoming a flustered mess by his simple touch.
And it was the same now, Hikari groaning at the memory before immediately grabbing onto his hand in order to help him tear the black hoodie off of her body as quickly as possible.
Feeling her desperation, Touya then felt his own lips rise in amusement between her kiss before allowing the bird to remove the clothing as the black colored fabric fell to reveal her exposed shoulders.
He then watched the jacket fall to the floor as Touya eyed it with a heavy sullen gaze. Even after all these years, she still favored that simple black hoodie, always picking out similar styles that eerily matched the jacket he had given her during their first meeting.
It was like she refused to wear anything else sometimes, like she always wanted him near her no matter what. And as a young boy, Touya always thought she was stupid for that kind of ideology.
But now the man could truly see just how deeply she had always cared about him, so much so that by wearing that jacket, she was always on the forefront of his mind.
And he loved it, he loved being the center of her entire world.
Slipping his fingers under her shirt, Hikari quickly complied by practically tearing the object off her body a moment later in order to reveal the naked and exposed skin underneath, almost like she had expected him to take her right then and there.
That's usually how it went, but given that this was the last time Touya would be able to hold her and kiss her like this, the boy was determined to make it last as long as possible.
Leaning down to the crook of her neck, the man quickly found his previous mark before his hot breath covered the spot, sucking on her flesh once more while his other hand firmly stayed on the back of her lifted thigh.
Hikari moaned in pleasure at the motion only to feel his breath slowly start to descend inch by inch, covering every ounce of her exposed skin with his marks and soft slow torturous kisses before making his way down to her collarbone.
His actions caused the woman's head to spin. Dabi had never been this gentle before, this caring. Sure, some nights he slipped into old habits but the man was still a villain at the end of the day.
Which meant that he didn't really do the mushy stuff, he didn't spoil her without spoiling himself. The only exception to that rule was when she came to him crying from memories of the past. Other than that, their benefit only relationship was truly just that, beneficial.
But right now, he seemed to be worshiping her, savoring her as his lips trailed across her collarbone and down to the top of her breasts. It was new, and it drove her absolutely insane with every second.
Feeling a light blush of pink reach her cheeks at his touch, Hikari instinctually placed the back of her hand to her mouth in order to hide such an embarrassing and weak expression.
Touya seemed to realize the move immediately though, his fingers cupping her breasts before his piercing cerulean gaze looked up to meet hers. "Oh princess, now why are you doing that? You know I want to hear those pretty little moans of yours."
The woman only closed her eyes though, pushing the back of her hand closer to her cheeks with even more embarrassment. If he had just fucked her normally then she wouldn't have been like this but his new tactics were making her a flustered mess.
So much for being Valkyrie, she couldn't even take this. How ridiculous, she felt like a giddy little school girl, unable to hold it together in front of the boy she liked.
Touya could see her resilience though, lowering his eyes before his lips dipped down to kiss the tip of her nipple in order to whisper a rather uncharacteristic word, one that made her heart completely cease. "Please."
Please. He said please. The man that claimed he would never beg or plead had just uttered out the one word that he vowed never to do, just for her.
And it broke Hikari entirely, the woman's eyes widening as Touya's mouth closed down around her nipple before sucking the pink flesh in order for her hand to fall from her lips in a heavy uncovered moan.
Releasing her a moment later, she watched as Touya smiled in victory before his tortuous slow kisses started once again while his warm hands held her by her waist. "That's it, that's what I love. Give me more, Princess. I want to hear them all."
His touch reached her stomach and before his fingers ripped off her jeans in order to lift her legs further up in order to kiss and suck on the soft underside of her thigh as Hikari gasped in surprise.
Then his palms turned blue as his quirk burned off her remaining clothing only to shove his tongue inside of her without a second thought as Hikari's back arched with another moan. "Shit..Touya..!"
Touya only hummed though, pushing his tongue further into her as he moaned between her wet desire. God, Princess must've really loved him if she was already this ready for him.
Pushing her legs further back to give him more room, the villain's head pushed deeper into her in order to catch every bit of her that he possibly could before pulling back in order to lick his lips. "Fuck Hikari..you taste amazing."
The woman felt her body twitch in need at that, her eyes lowering. "It's all for you."
Then all at once, she watched as the supposed villain's cocky facade fell before his head flopped onto her knees with a suppressed groan. "Damn it, don't say it like that. I'm really trying to make this last."
Not used to seeing this side of him, Hikari replied. "And?"
Suddenly, his face appeared only a couple inches from hers as the villain's deep and serious cerulean gaze left her speechless. "And you saying shit like that is making me want to shove my cock in you right now."
And from this angle, Hikari could very clearly see the frustration in his features, almost like it was taking everything within him not to take her right then and there. She also may have been imagining it but she swore she saw a slight pink in his expression as well.
But that couldn't be right, Dabi didn't get embarrassed.
So much so, that she couldn't help but tease him about it. "Is that resistance I hear? Didn't think I'd see the day where the great Dabi holds back."
She thought he'd laugh or roll his eyes at her words, but the only thing she received was his conflicted expression, like he had also realized the out of character move. " I don't want to waste this."
Then moving closer, the villain's stitched fingers found their way to her chin in order to lift up the surface with a dark raspy whisper. "I don't want to waste you."
At that, the cocky air in Hikari's face seemed to disappear as she stared at the absolute desperation in his eyes. And unlike the past, now there was nothing to hide, nothing to lie about.
No, now she saw just how clear his real feelings were, she saw what he really wanted.
Her. He wanted her.
So much so, that Hikari's own voice dropped down to a whisper in order to lightly touch the staples on his cheeks with a small smile. "Then don't."
Suddenly, she felt his free hand reach her thigh before his stitched fingers found their way inside of her so agonizingly slow that her lips dropped in surprise between his hold.
Feeling another finger arch its way across her walls, Hikari moaned as Touya's forehead pressed against her in order to look deep into her flustered expressions. "Let me watch you. Show me how much you love me finger fucking you like this."
And she did, she loved it so much that the woman felt herself slowly unravel by the slow motion, so much so that her body ached to be ravaged by his touch.
Showing that in her reactions, the bird's fingers found his back in order to dig her nails into the skin with desperation as she cried back. "Y-Yes, I love it. I love you so much. Please more, I want more."
As soon as the beg slipped from her lips, Hikari felt herself frown. Well, there goes the strong dominance she built up. It seems like she had just fallen into the same trap as Dabi.
Humming back, the villain didn't seem to be bothered by the sudden display of weakness though, his voice whispering. "What do you want more of? I'll give you whatever you want, Princess. Just say the word and it's yours."
At the sound of his submission, Hikari felt her fingers travel to his bare chest before slipping them under the fabric with frantic breath. "You. I want more of you."
Watching his eyes widen in slight surprise, Touya's lips then curved into an amused smirk before helping her remove the white fabric with a small chuckle of his own. How naive, she really didn't know anything, did she?
And as the jacket fell away, the man replied back honestly. "You already have me. You had me from the moment we met in that alley six years ago. Since then I knew I could never get you out of my damn head. Even now, you still drive me fucking crazy."
Unclipping the buckle of his pants, Touya tore the leather from his waist before throwing the object away in order to stare down at his princess with want. "Now I realize, it can only be you, it could alway only be you."
The villain then removed his pants before showing her his absolute desire for her as he stroked his hardened cock right above her eyes. "Don't you see? This is what you do to me, Hikari. This is what you've always done to me."
Groaning at the touch of his own hand, Touya frowned at his obvious weak display. "Stupid little bird, how dare you make me simp over you like this."
Yet that's when Hikari reached forward in order to wrap her hand around his cock, causing Touya gasp out in surprise at the action. He didn't expect her to be that bold. "What are you.."
The woman only hummed though, stroking the sides with teasing delight. "You said I could have anything I wanted, right?"
And although that was true, he didn't expect this. In fact, Touya hadn't prepared for her tortuous hands at all, moaning back loudly as she took him entirely in her mouth a moment later. "F-Fuck..this isn't slow, Princess."
He could feel it, the slow heat raising up inside of him by the moment as the man bucked his hips further into her mouth in order for her to take him deeper. God, the only thing he wanted was to grab her by the back of her pretty hair and take control.
But that's not how he wanted their last night to go, the man resisting as he forced himself to keep his hands gripped onto the blankets below. He wasn't a simp before then he certainly was one now.
Yet that's when Hikari frowned before lifting off of him in order to grab the hand that was clutching the sheets and place it on the back of her head in invitation. "Just shut up and let me take care of you. I don't want this one-sided. You deserve to feel good too."
After that, his control seemed to disappear as Touya's fingers immediately ripped themselves into her hair before shoving her head forward as deep as she could go while moaning in satisfaction.
It seemed like being the good guy was out of the window completely. Ah well, it was worth a shot.
Hearing her halfway gag at the force, the woman moaned back before Touya saw her eyes line with tears because of the lack of oxygen. But she asked for this, so the man only continued. "S-Shitty bird..god. It feels so fucking good. I love your lips on my cock. That's it, show me those pretty tears. You're so goddamn beautiful like this. I can't get enough."
Then the villain pushed his hand down before roughly shoving two fingers inside of her as Hikari moaned between his cock, her eyes rolling in the back of her head as she was fucked with pleasure from both sides.
And as her moans grew louder and quicker, Touya thrust faster, his fingers and his hips doing all the work as he felt Hikari tip over the edge and at the same time he did the same.
He then coated his fingers with her release as his own cum hit the back of her throat before she numbly let go of his hold as Hikari fell back on the mattress with a shaky breath. "Yeah, that's the Dabi I know."
Shaking his head with a struggling breath of his own, Touya frowned. "You crazy bitch. You just couldn't wait, could you?"
Hikari only chuckled to herself though. "What can I say, I know what I want."
Touya didn't seem as amused though, his eyes falling with dissatisfaction as he ran a nervous hand through his hair with muttered breath. "Idiot. I was trying to do something different."
She knew that, considering how he acted precious. And even though she loved his soft gentle side, it was also extremely new, and something she didn't know how to process yet. The rough side of him, it was familiar and safe.
Sitting up on her hands, the bird turned her head in reply. "I wouldn't have stayed with you this long if I couldn't take it."
And although he knew that was true, Touya still couldn't help but be saddened by it. "You deserve better than that. I was trying to give you that at least once."
This was the last time they would ever be together before they became enemies, this was the last time he could show her any ounce of kindness, and he still went and fucked it up. Just like everything else in his life, he couldn't even give her a proper ending.
Yet that's when he felt her hit him upside the head, snapping him out of his own delusions before her fingers reached towards his face in order to pull him down to her level.
And when he looked into her eyes, there was no animosity, no disappointment whatsoever. "Now you're the idiot. I don't care about any of that. It doesn't have to be perfect. I just want you to love me, Touya. Love me the way you know how."
Then Hikari's lips curved into a light smile as she cupped his cheek with pure honesty. "The way you are right now, it's enough for me."
Widening his eyes at her words, Touya felt something inside of him break as years of abuse and neglect crept up into his heart. No one had ever said that to him. No one had ever wanted him as he was.
So much so that a line of blood began to seep from the stitches below his eyes while his tear ducts used to be before falling down in a silent line.
Why did she have to go and say something like that? He wasn't prepared.
And now here he was, crying like a little bitch from just a simple sentence.
Lowering her eyes in understanding, Hikari then moved her hands towards the blood before wiping the surface with her thumb as gently as possible."That's right, Touya. You're enough.
At that, more blood began to escape his eyes as Touya closed them in order to rid himself of the slight quiver in his lip before lowering himself down and sliding himself into the woman he loved more than anything.
Hikari gasped at the feeling, her fingers continuing to wipe away the bloody tears as his lips moaned out her name through his suppressed and hidden sobs. "Hikari.."
Nodding her head, he moved inside her as Hikari moaned in reply, her hands grasping the sides of his face in order to anchor herself. "T-That's right, I'm right here. Take me like you want. I'm all yours."
Touya's body moved in compliance, causing the woman to clench around him with response as he cursed through his internal pain. "F-Fuck.."
Biting her lips to keep from screaming, Hikari groaned, knowing that he was trying to distract himself from the pain of his life. And she was happy to give him that. "That's it. Keep going. Tell me how you feel."
Touya gritted his teeth in response, his body moving quicker and quicker by the moment, almost like he couldn't get enough of her. "God, I love how you feel. So tight."
Humming back, Hikari nodded back. "Mhmm what else do you love?"
Yet that's when his gruff voice said something else, something heartbreaking.
"You, I love you."
Widening her eyes, Hikari suddenly felt the reality of their situation crash around her. All the other times he said it, she hadn't fully registered them. The phrase was just to foreign and strange that she hadn't had time to think about it.
But right now, laying underneath him, the woman could see him painfully clearly. She saw the love in his eyes, unmistakable in every single way that it stopped her beating heart immediately. After six years of lying, here he finally was. Her Touya.
And tomorrow morning, he would be gone, they would be enemies. He was going to try and kill Keigo and she was going to have to stop him. The world that they shared was going to shatter around them the minute the sun came up.
Soon there wouldn't be Hikari or Touya. No, the only thing that would be left after tonight was Dabi and Valkyrie. Their attachment, their love, it would all have to disappear tonight.
Feeling her own eyes line with tears, Hikari sucked in a heavy breath before the barrier in her mind broke as she cried beneath her childhood friend. "I love you too, so much."
Touya noticed the change immediately, just like he always did, his eyes lowering in sadness as the man moved closer until their foreheads touched. "I know. I'm sorry you do."
And he was sorry. He was sorry for getting her involved in the first place, for causing her tears and allowing himself to indulge in something so selfish when he knew it would always end in disaster.
This was exactly the reason why he kept his feelings hidden, because he couldn't stand to see the look on her face right now, knowing that he had caused it by getting involved and attached to her.
If only he was worth something, if only he was worthy enough to live for her sake. Then he would do it in a heartbeat. But deep down Touya knew that wasn't the case. He had already caused so much pain, there was no way he deserved to stay on this earth another second.
But that didn't stop him from hating the sound of her sobs, the villain reaching down to hold Hikari as she shook underneath him in mourning. When did it all start? Where did it all go wrong? Ah, that's right. It was back then, wasn't it? When everything went to shit before I could even realize it.
Thinking back to the memories in question, Touya frowned. If only she hadn't visited him in the hospital, if only she hadn't shown him that addictive kindness, then maybe she would've been spared this heartache.
And as Hikari fell apart, she desperately reached towards him, her voice shaky and uneven as she shook her head to his apology. "Don't stop. Don't ever stop. I want to feel you, all of you. Please."
The villain looked down in uncertainty at that only to feel her body trying to move underneath him, to soak up every bit of him while she still could.
Lowering his eyes in understanding, Touya complied, his hips moving upwards once more as Hikari's fingers clawed into his back as even more tears poured down her face, savoring his body breath by breath.
And as his own bloody tears coated his vision, both Hikari and Touya drowned themselves in each other until the sun came up, tasting and savoring every precious moment that they could.
Neither of them truly prepared for what tomorrow would bring.
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As the morning rays cut though the open city window, Hikari groaned to herself before rolling on her back and lifting her arms out to spread herself out. Her entire body ached and her muscles still felt numb from last night.
Yet as soon as the woman pushed her arms outwards, her eyes snapped open before turning her head in order to see nothing but empty space beside her.
And just like that, her eyes began to fill with tears before clutching onto sheets in order to scream into the surface with utter heartbreak.
He was gone, her Touya was gone, forever.
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Walking back to the commission with her head hung low, Hikari paused just long enough to see the commission president standing at the front gates, her eyes lowering in understanding of what had happened.
Then she lifted her arms up before calling towards the broken tear stained bird. "Let's go inside, Takami. We have much to discuss."
Hikari slowly registered the words before feeling her eyes drop with defeat in order to move towards the woman as she wrapped her arms around the female Takami with a fake loving embrace.
And under her hold, the president resisted a smug smirk, thinking that she had just gotten herself a new commission agent, puppet and pet birdie to play with.
But what she didn't know was that beneath her arms, Hikari had a clouded expression of her own, determination lined in each one of her features.
Dabi said he wanted to forget about them.
But that didn't mean she was going to do the same.
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Ey ey ey spicy times all around. Wasn't expecting to write that much smexy smex but it just sort of happened. I also cried in the middle of it for some reason oops. I think my NSFW stuff is getting better though. One step at a time.
So big things, Dabi is now the enemy who wants to kill Hawks and Hikari is the one that is going to track him down and stop that from happening. Enemies to lovers? More like lovers to enemies.
Of course everything is not over, as we see Hikari has her own plan unknown to all.
Next Chapter: Hikari and Shadow team up and we get to see Dabi again, but in a different light now that we aren't on the same side. Oop. Things gonna get messy messy