Hawks was going to lose his actual shit.
My entire life had been made up of many, many mistakes, and this wasn't going to be a change in that pattern. Of course calling Koehi, if that even was his real name, was going to be a risky move.
I had asked for him to meet me at a small cafe on the outskirts of town, and he had been more than willing to accept my offer. There was no doubt in my mind now that he had something to do with whatever Hawks had been pulled into, and I felt terrible for ever doubting him.
Landing with an awkward hop and skip, I willed my wings away, brushing down my pants and shirt before pulling my shoulders back, heading straight for the cafe. It didn't take long for me to spy the hooded man, seated outside as he leaned back in his seat, and I forced a pleasant smile.
"Kohei! Sorry I'm late!" He jumped a little due to my peppy greeting, nodding in return as he adjusted his medical mask.
"Songbird, it's nice to see you again. I ordered you a coffee, I hope that's okay?" Though I couldn't see it, I could hear the smile in his voice, and sat down across from him.
"Thank you, just what I needed." I laughed, taking hold of it so my hand could warm up. "Sorry to call you out at such short notice. I don't get much free time lately, and I thought it would be nice to actually talk, for a change." The cafe wasn't busy at all, and neither was the street. It was the perfect place to try and get some answers.
"No, it's fine, really. I'm more than happy to be having a friendly rendezvous with my favourite hero." Kohei replied, though the final word in his sentence had a little extra kick. No, not kick. Venom. "So, you and the bird got back together, I hear?" That took me way off guard, and I nearly spilled my coffee when I was bringing it to my lips.
How...does he know that..?
"S..Sorry, what..?" Blinking like an idiot, I stared into the tinted lense of his shades, trying to see what was beneath.
"Grapevine, love. Apparently a few reporters saw your dear husband flying out of your place this morning." He explained, sitting forward and leaning his elbows on the table. "It's hard to be famous, isn't it? Everybody watching your every move like that sounds rough."
No, he knows...and not because of the paparazzi...
Taking a small sip, I placed that cup back down and mirrored his relaxed pose, keeping that smile on my face.
"Sure is, but hopefully that'll all be a thing of the past, soon enough. Change is coming, I just know it." There was a brief silence between us, and Kohei's shoulders stiffened, just a little.
"Change..?" Oh, he was interested now, just like I expected. He had been playing a game, and now it was my turn to make a move.
"Yeah, there's this amazing new movement I've been looking into. Maybe you've heard of it? The liberation front? Somebody leant me a book about it, and I couldn't put it down!" My excitement was fake, but I was pretty experienced at putting on an act. "You and I both know how corrupt the hero business is. I mean, you work for Herogue, right? How could you not? It's disgusting, and it should never have been established in the first place."
Keep the bait floating, (Y/N)...You gotta make sure you've hooked him first...
Leaning just a tad closer, Kohei's glasses slipped down his nose, just a little, and I caught a glimpse of cerulean.
"I couldn't agree more. Who are they to say we can't use our quirks, huh? Who are they to kick us...kick people who are different, down into the dirt?" He was starting to sound passionate now, and I was more than ready to work with that.
"Finally, someone who gets it! One of the girls I used to work with got arrested for defending herself from a mugger! Two years because she used her quirk without a license in public! Like, come on!" That wasn't a lie, though it was stretched. One of the other showgirls I used to work alongside had indeed been arrested, but she'd also been guilty of extensive property damage.
Nodding along with me, I could see he was growing more and more restless the more we spoke about it. Maybe it wouldn't be such a difficult task after all?
"It sure would be something, to meet the liberation front, huh? Join up and put a stop to all this bullshit. Kind of like Stain, but in numbers..."
The bastard is testing me..!
Grazing my finger against the curved handle of my cup, I nodded, releasing a short sigh.
"It really would. I never really wanted to be a hero anyway. Stain's ideology is more my thing. Why should we be paid for saving lives? That's just shallow, and corrupts the whole system of the world..."
Another silence, longer this time, and I silently prayed that I hadn't slipped up. Now, I had a very vague idea of who I could really be talking to, but only after stalking my way through list upon list of wanted criminals. Only a few of them would have really needed to go so overboard with such a disguise, and if I was right, I really had to be careful.
"If that's the case..." Kohei cleared his throat and stood up, planting his gloved hands on the table and bending down so he was close to my ear. "...then I think you should come with me..." His voice became lower, and much scratchier, and a chill trickled down my spine as I nodded in agreement, standing up and abandoning my coffee.
When we had walked barely a few paces down the street, Koehi slung his arm over my shoulders, and I could feel just how tense he was, and I hoped that he couldn't feel my fear, too. Before long, he directed me into a laneway, leaving me standing in the center as he moved to face me from beside a dumpster.
"What are you doing..?" I asked cautiously, making it seem like I was none the wiser.
This could go either way. One, he could have easily figured out my ploy and kill me right then and there, or two, he could have fallen for it.
"You really wanna join that liberation cause, Songbird..?" He asked me slowly, tilting his head a little so his hood flopped to the side. Nodding, I took a small step back, puffing my chest out.
"Absolutely. I've been screwed by society more than enough times to be sure of it."
Again, that hadn't been a real lie. Kohei stood there for a few moments, staring me down, before he made a move. Down came the hood, off came the mask and shades, and away went the gloves. The urge to gasp was manageable, but only because that man had been on my list of possible suspects.
Keigo...I'm so sorry I doubted you on this...
"You're...Dabi..." I murmured out, as though it was a huge shock. "...From the League of Villains..." His split face donned a smirk as he ate up my surprise, and he took a single step forward.
"Still sure?" He was just trying to mess with me now, expecting me to freak out or run for the hills, but no. I had to help Hawks.
"Why wouldn't I be? Just because you've been labelled a villain?" My (E/C) eyes bore into his, making him aware of my unwavering confidence. The only things I had to lose was my husband and my life, and only one of them truly meant anything to me.
Impressed, Dabi extended his hand, the piercings that held his skin together glinting in the dull light.
"You don't know how glad I am to hear that. Take my hand, and I'll make sure you get a front row seat." There was no hesitation. His skin, both alive and dead, was hot against mine, but once there was contact, he squeezed his hand around mine, giving me no chance to go back on my decision.
Whatever he did next, I had no idea. A few clicks on his phone, and then I felt something creeping up my throat. It was thick, like out of date jello, and tasted like literal shit. Choking and gagging, I squeezed my eyes shut, only opening them once the feeling had gone.
That taste is gonna stick around for a while...What the fuck was that..?!
"Welcome to the beginning of the end, Songbird." Dabi's voice caught my attention, but it was quickly taken away again by what stood before us. A mansion. An estate. It could have honestly been a huge, gated city, for all I knew. There were guards, some of which looked mildly familiar, and I turned to face Dabi again.
"This is..."
"The Paranormal Liberation Front, Sweetcheeks. Let me give you the grand tour..."
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***Excuse me, Sir, I wrote you your own X Reader, so kindly step the fuck back.
Is he being too trusting? Or does he have his own scheme cooking?
🤷♀️
Next Time: Fancy Seeing You Here***