Now

POV DABI

Finally, after fifteen minutes of torture, Keigo and I land outside our destination. My legs shake as he puts me down, and I feel like I'm going to vomit. "See?" he beams, smiling so wide that his eyes close a bit. "I told you! Easy peasy! You did great."

"Shut the fuck up," I grumble. "C'mon." I drag him inside, and the moron almost trips.

"A bar?" Keigo squeaks. "Why'd you take me to a bar?"

"Don't act like you don't want to get fucking hammered," I chuckle. "Actually, I just need you to watch my back while I chat with this guy. Is that too hard to handle?"

"Seems simple enough," Keigo says, bursting the invisible dust off his clothes. "So what kinda guy are we talking about? Drug dealer? Crime boss? Satan?"

I push his face away with my palm, rolling my eyes. "You're an idiot," I say, laughing softly. "It's kind of confidential, but I'll tell you it's not any of those things. I'll be over in the back right corner, alright? If someone with red hair and a cane comes in, text me." Before the bird can say anything, I shove a small piece of paper with my number on it into his hand. "This is serious, so if you see him, you've got to tell me. And if he has people walking with him, immediately after you tell me, leave. Fly back home and lock your door."

"Who is this guy?" Keigo asks, putting the number into his contacts. "Why are you so afraid of him?"

"I'm not afraid of him," I tell him, taking out some cash I got from Shiggy and putting it in the bird's pocket. "I'm afraid of dying. You should be, too, so don't drink too much." I walk away, not bothering to look back. Keigo can handle himself, and if he can't, well then we're both going to die.

"Dabi," sings Peanuts as I sit down across from him in the booth. His ash blonde hair is neat and combed, slightly wet, too. His eyes are a sharp and piercing purple, and the scar trialing his jaw gives me a disturbing look. He smells like whiskey and after shave. "Long time, no see. Miss me?"

"Not at all, you scumbag," I growl at him. "Let's make this quick. Did you find someone to do the job?"

"Of course I did," Peanuts chuckles. "Who would I be if I didn't? Did you hold up your end of the deal?"

"Yeah," I say, sliding the bag of ashes his way. "Not sure why you wanted her dead, though. She seemed like a boring ass cop living in the suburbs."

"People aren't always what they seem," Peanuts says.

"You're insane," I say, rolling my eyes. "So when is it gonna be done?"

"Pump the breaks, Dabi," Peanuts says with a smirk. "Courtney's death was not my only requirement, remember? There was one more."

"I told you already, you pervert," I growl at him, adding a scowl so he gets the point. "I'm not sleeping with your musty ass. What do you take me as? A hooker?"

"You'd sure make a nice amount of money if you were," Peanuts chuckles. "What's stopping you, pretty boy? Is it 'cause of that hero you walked in with? Hawks, right? He's up there, ain't he? You got yourself a hot hero lover, Dabi. Mm, mm, mm. I'll throw in an extra favor for you if you let me have him for a night, too."

"First of all," I snap at him, slamming my fist on the table. I can feel the heat working its way to my hands, and I use every ounce of strength I have in me to hold it back and not burn this place to the ground. "Hawks isn't my lover. Second, he'd never stoop so low as you. Third, I'd never allow him to stoop so disgustingly low as you. So keep your hands, eyes, and mind off of him, got it, dirtbag? The bird is off the fucking table."

"Oooh, scary~" Peanuts teases. "You're so cute when you're mad. It sounds to me like you've got a little thing for him. I'll treat him good, I promise. Tell you what, if you gimme his address, turn a blind eye when I drop by, all fees are dropped and the deed is done."

"You're a sick, twisted fuck," I growl. "There's a special place in hell for people like you."

"Either that or you're coming home with me tonight," Peanuts says. "Tic tok, foxfire." My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I don't hesitate to stand up and leave through the back door. "You've got twenty four hours to gimme your answer!" Peanuts calls as I duck out the back door. "You've got my number!"

I meet Keigo in the back of the building, and he's fucking hammered. "Dabi!" he squeals, falling into my arms. "The bartender called me pretty and gave me free drinks! A-and then–hic–your scary guy walked in and I was all like 'ahh! Gotta text the sexy villain guy!' And then on my phone I was like 'zip zip zoop' and pressed send and–hic–here we are!"

"Cute," I grumble, taking his hand. "You're too drunk to fly, so we're gonna take the subway. I'm just gonna make sure you get home unfollowed, then I'll leave you alone."

"No!" Keigo whines. "No, please don't leave me alone! I don't wanna be alone!"

"You're a mess, Keigo," I tell him as we hurry to the subway station, twisting through dark alleys. I light my left hand on fire so I can see in the dark, and Keigo grabs my right hand, lacing our fingers together sloppily.

"I sure am, number one," he sighs, his grip loosening on my hand. I readjust his grip, afraid that he'll slip away. I know his mind is cloudy and that he doesn't think it's me that he's talking to, but I don't care. I want to keep him with me, listening to his drunk rambling, letting his bizarre optimism transport me to a whole new world. "And I think I might be falling apart. I used to have a friend, y'know, and he used to keep me together. Then he–hic–then he died and left me all alone. I don't like being alone, Endeavor. I hate it so much. I was a-alone for a long time, and I was so scared."

He stumbles, and I pull him up, grabbing his upper arm to keep him close. We're almost to the subway station. "I know, Keigo," I whisper, but I don't think he hears me.

"My friend was nice," Keigo says, slurring his words and pouting like a child. "He was, he... I was gonna marry him. He was very thoughtful with lots and lots of thoughts. He cuddled with me, too, and I like cuddles. Oh! One time he took me on a date, and it was super duper nice. He's so nice. But he's dead. He died. I miss him, Endeavor, I really, really do." Keigo sighs, laying his head on my shoulder. We duck into the subway, collapsing on the empty bench as the doors close. "I really hope what he said is true," Keigo mumbles, snuggling into my shoulder. I'm yet to let go of his hand, and I'm not sure why. "That the past never dies, because I don't think I can let go of him just yet."

"That's alright," I say gently, leaning my head on his. Keigo's eyes soften, and he passes out on my shoulder. His lips part slightly, softly, and his wings twitch before folding around us. His breathing slows, and I can only imagine what his one-in-a-million mind conjures up for a dream. I smile at him, at the thought of him, the memories of him, the life of him, and sink into the idea that maybe, just maybe, the past is still alive. Because even though I say it a million times a day, Keigo and Touya still feel dead. "Chin up, Birdie. You didn't lose anything. Touya is right here, and he doesn't want to let go of you either."