"He's what?"

     "That's it!!" You managed to slide off the table easily enough, slipping past a slowly-frowning Dabi as he came to the conclusion that he probably won't be getting any more kisses. "Taro's trying to get rid of Momo because she's the heiress!! Why hadn't I noticed this sooner?! It was so fucking obvious!"

     He walked over slowly, watching as you got to work pinning and moving yarn around like a true madwoman. "Okay. . ." He drawls, still not getting how this was all making sense to your adrenaline filled brain, "So, he wants the company?" You nod, still focused on scratching all your other theories off and falling to the floor gracelessly. "But I thought you said he wouldn't be wanting the money?"

     "It's not about the money!" You announced, hand shaking as every encounter, every red flag, bad sign, came flying back to you at the speed of light, "It's. . . it's just a big fuck you to his family." Confusion made itself even more evident. Sensing this, you continued, "For whatever reason, their parents made Momo the heir to their shit instead of Taro, who was born first. If it's out of pettiness, commercial gain, maybe they just like their daughter more than their son—who knows! But I've read enough books, watched enough movies!—" You paused with a grunt at taking off a particularly long string of yarn connecting various pinned pieces of papers and printed pictures that were all just proven to be false just now, "To know that his motives are because of that! He feels like his company is being taken away from him, that, to him, being the eldest means taking over the company and not her! Oh my God Touya how have I not noticed this any sooner?!"

     He opens his mouth to say something, to joke along and playfully ridicule even, but frowns at the mention of that. Did. . . did you just call him. . . 

     "What did you say?" You were way too immersed in your work that you hadn't noticed the slightest change in his demeanor, only raising a brow and a hum to let him know you were listening. "That I should've noticed this sooner?" He shakes his head with a sigh, shoving both his surprisingly-gloveless hands in his coat pockets, "Nothing, whatever."

     "Right." Your hands were still shaking, moving to get them pinned to their rightful places and pictures that told a more coherent story now. This wasn't just petty sibling rivalry—if you could even call it that, because as far as you know Momo doesn't really have a reason to hate Taro—this was an attempt of a crazed first-born trying to take back what was given to his younger sister! 

     . . .

     Well it certainly still had something to do with siblings and pettiness, but you digress.

     "God, oh my God, all this work, and it's not even one in the morning." You slapped a hand to your forehead as you laughed, though it sounded labored, shaking your head as your hands shook. This. . . this was it. You figured out why Taro had been willing to go to such great lengths, now all you needed was a plan on what to do next. Do you find more information on the pink vial? Stop Taro before he could strike on Momo again? Who fucking knew! All that you did know right now, was that you figured it out, and all your other problems would have to wait until morning. (It was technically already morning but your body clock doesn't recognize it as that so it technically still isn't, fuck you problems I win.)

     "God! And to think that this was solved by one of your jokes," You turned to Dabi to land some sort of thank-you-kiss to his cheek, still panting like you had just run a mile and only then noticing the solemn and far-off look on his face. 

     Your smile slowly faded, dropping all the more as he hadn't even bothered to poke fun at your sudden decision to show off your affection. "Dabi? Hey, what's wrong?"

     He stays silent a few more moments, biting the inside of his cheek as his eyes slowly gaze to yours in one fell swoop. "Why'd you call me Touya?" In your frenzy you hadn't even noticed that you have, staring at him blankly as you tried to remember, "I. . . I did?" His lack of response and lack of any other tone suggesting that he was just fucking around was enough of a yes for you, you yourself frowning, "Oh. Oh, I'm sorry, it must've just slipped. Sorry." That odd reaction was enough to form even more theories in your head, this time more-so about his identity and being able to tell Shoto for certain that you had met the brother he had been so desperately looking for all his life. You didn't dare ask him why he was responding like this and making the situation far worse, feeling that telling him straight up 'Oh hey yeah, by the way, I've been speculating that you're the long lost kid of the Todoroki's ever since Shoto told me about it, and oh yeah, he told me to tell you that he misses you,' would be enough to have anyone dumping your ass, romantic involvement or not. 

     "Really, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. That was so rude, please forgive me," He still held that far-off look, slowly nodding as you realized how much more enticing the feeling of burying yourself alive right then and there felt. "Yeah," He shakes his head, "Yeah no, it's fine, it's nothing uhh. . ." He inhales through his teeth as he stares at the clock reading about fifty-two now, "I should. . . You. . . You should head to bed, dollface," You quickly offered to walk him out, ignoring the growing feeling of undeniable sadness as he quietly lets you lead him out and into the balcony. 

     With nothing but a parting kiss on the forehead he walks away, presumably to go off to the exit and entrance of his usual route. He wasn't even joking around about keeping it a secret, or telling you to look away so he can do some sort of trick and disappear—nothing. Just. . . him, quietly walking into the darkness and disappear, never to be seen again. "Dabi. . !" Before you could stop yourself you had already called out, his figure only pausing and looking vaguely in your direction as if to say he's listening, "We're. . . we're cool, right?" You voice sounded pathetic, and almost pleading in a way, as he stay silent for a few more agonizing moments. 

     Almost as if he was satisfied with how much he made you suffer, he nods, "Yeah, we're cool." before walking away.

     . . .

     As much as it wanted to make you feel sad, and how much it succeeded, you couldn't stop the part of you celebrating the fact that he was somehow proving you right, that he was indeed that long lost brother that wanted nothing more than to forget the past.

     Frowning and sending one last glance at his retreating form, you turned around and went back inside into the comforts of your home, left with nothing but your insecurities and overthinking to keep you company until the next morning.

● ● ●

     "You will not be-lieve the shit that's happened while you were gone!!" 

     Sure enough, the next day you were at lunch catching up with friends. And by catching up with friends, it was mainly just catching up with Momo. Your conversation ranged from the girl being glad she was out yet also weirdly feeling out of place now that she wasn't strapped down to a hospital bed, Jirou teaming up with Uraraka to rat you out about your kidnapping, and you all tried your hardest not to let the conversation steer into awkward territory—that being the reason she was in the hospital in the first place and. . .other, undesirable events. 

     Sure the kidnaping thing isn't really something to joke around with, but even you had to admit that beating your friends to it by making fun of yourself first was enjoyable enough. 

     "My room was actually searched," Momo had started as she swirled her sparkling water, even that action proving to be graceful despite the numerous bandages she had skillfully covered with scarves and long sleeves proving a disadvantage by bringing forth some sort of pain, "I had to be momentarily moved out because of it, and I'm telling you, the room was barbarically cold." 

     "Why was it searched though? Don't tell me you hid drugs in there or something," Jirou joked, wincing inwardly as her brain immediately filled in the gaps of the mention with the images of the pink vial and Layla's less than desirable explanation at all of it. "As if! I feel like she'd be the last person to ever sneak around drugs," Uraraka laughed on the other end, the brunette sporting visible lines under her eyes and a cup of coffee just barely off-screen. "No, of course not!" Raven laughs with a shake of her head, sighing as she leans back on the cushions of the booth, "No, not that. The reason it was searched was because I called security, just in case. A man broke into my room! Through a window, in a thirty-story building! It was absolutely terrifying!" Your breath hitched at the mention and possibility of that being a certain someone you knew, catching Jirou's subtle raise of a brow. 

     "And. . ." She sends you a look, in understanding but obviously not appreciating the fact that she was kept in the dark about it, to which you slowly nodded as if to tell her you got what she meant. 

     "Yeah, not much happened. They found nothing, we managed to move on," Just as quickly did her bubbly demeanor come right back, waving a hand as if to dismiss the sudden awkward change of atmosphere, "Anyway enough about me! How about you, Ochaco-san? How's it been with Bakery Boy?" All of you three turn to the phone, expecting a flustered and red brunette. But you were proven wrong, seeing instead your friend who looked to be mere moments away from toppling over her chair. 

     "Uhh, Ochaco-san?" She still doesn't respond, only snapping back to reality when her foot makes contact with the ground and sends enough of a jolt for her to snap upright. "Welcome to Uraraka—ow!" You wince as her forehead ends up hitting the desk in front of her where her phone was situated, the force enough to send it down as you were left with the lovely view of black. Cries and asking if the girl was okay resounded, a few more seconds of disembodied shuffling on the other end as she speaks up, "I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm so sorry," She laughs it off as she adjusts the camera, giving you three a full view on her yawning face. "Sorry, just. . . just losing a lot more sleep than usual, I guess." 

     "You sure as hell are," You comment, watching her almost drop her mug of slowly-emptying coffee in an attempt to get another sip, "You look like shit and I mean that in the nicest way possible."

     She laughs it off easily enough, leaning back on her seat as Momo nods. "You can go sleep, Ochaco-san. The store is important but you need to remember to take care of yourself too." Jirou was still snickering at your comment, clearing her throat as three pairs of eyes turn to her, "Uh yeah, what they said. Go to sleep. That's an order or. . . something." The brunette sighs, a smile still on her face, "Come on girls, it's no big deal I just. . ." She inhales, for a second almost losing life, a passing image of her freezing on the spot like the video itself froze. "Okay yeah I thought of it, I just thought eleven came before ten, I—goodnight, I guess," She yawns, waving a lazy hand as you three share a small laugh. "Of course, of course. Talk to you later, Ochaco-san," You all say your goodbye's as she hung up, seeing her almost fall forward just a second before the call ended. 

     "I think we should be worried." Jirou humored, to which you rolled your eyes and Momo giggled. "I'm sure she's fine."

     Another laugh. . .and then awkward territory. 

     Moments like these for the four of you were few and far in-between, a tension in the air over something that neither of you wanted to discuss. You already had a gnawing idea at what it might be about, the passing-by image of a phoenix on TV making you silently gulp.

     "Say. . .about that uh, man, who broke into your room," The musician clears her throat, deciding that letting the atmosphere linger a far worse fate than just facing the situation head-on. "Was. . . Did he have like, black hair? And. . . tall? Like, really tall?" The model nods slowly, as if trying to recall the events of that night. "Yes. . . yes he did, actually. He smelled an awful lot like something burning too, like using a pack of cigarettes as a cologne." You awkwardly clear your throat, playing it off as you chugged down your own glass of bubbling liquid that probably wasn't healthy consumed in this amount, "He wore a mask too, didn't he?" Another nod, before she catches herself and looks at Jirou incredulously. "Why? Did you meet him too?"

     "We all did," Jirou looks at you, a glare forming along the way but getting side-tracked as you looked at Momo with a nervous and sheepish expression, "Uhh. . ." You cleared your throat again, "Hey??"

     "Who exactly is this guy. . ?!" Momo's voice dropped, looking at you two with the look of an angry mother trying not to look angry in public. "What do you mean we all did? He admitted to shooting me, y'know. . ! What is going on right now. . ?!"

     "I don't know, maybe Y/N-san can explain it better." How fucking neat! She was willing to blab all afternoon-long until it came to actually explaining herself! What a team player!

     With a sound that was a somewhat mix of a deep breath and sigh, you got to talking about Dabi and how he was somehow connected to all the. . .interesting events that have happened so far. The burning building, the boat, Jirou almost getting snacked on by a vampire the same day as the burning building (see above), and now you getting saved from a warehouse seemingly unscathed and on your own. Bullshit, am I right? You were currently on the verge of passing out, your bandages stuffy and wounds stinging like a bitch this particularly fine morning. 

     "Although, I don't know anything about him visiting your hospital room." The black-haired girl was still trying to process everything, the drink in her hand long forgotten and even the way she blinked looking a lot more different as an obvious look of distress settles. "I. . . so. . . he. . . he saved you from the construction site?" You nodded, even though you could hardly call it a construction site, "And the burning building at the auction?" You nod again. 

     "And what's this of Jirou telling me about him visiting your apartment?!" Now that one you weren't expecting. 

     You snapped your head towards her with an obvious look of betrayal, the girl—loudly—sipping on her drink as she looked away, as if saying she had absolutely no idea what you were talking about, bud, nope, nada, nothing. "And this—dear God, a mark. . ?!" She was civil enough to lower her voice, a part of you feeling naked and exposed despite the many layers you so proudly wore. Like a stylished piece of onion.

     "It's. . . it's complicated," You sigh, before the model takes a moment to collect herself and sit back up straight. "Yes, yes I understand, and I wouldn't want to overstep any boundaries." She sighs yet again, looking the most stressed in. . . in forever! Momo never looked stressed, that was her superpower!! Yet. . . yet here she was, looking like a disappointed mother. "No wonder he was asking for money to save you, clearly I should've at least realized that there was a deeper relationship at play here." You only nodded at her scolding, but had to stop with a raised brow. Money? What money?

     "You paid him?" She sighs, but ultimately nods, "Yes, something about official business and having his team cooperate. He even had a contract for me to sign," She shakes her head, "Thank God for that."

    . . .

     Were. . . were you like, dead, right now? And you were in your specialized version of hell, where Jirou laughed at you forever and Momo was being sarcastic?

     Speaking of, the musician, who, for this entire interaction had been quiet, speaks up with a laugh. "Contracts? Cooperation? I fucking doubt that they're civil enough for that," She shakes her head, the mere idea and mention of it absolutely hilarious to her, "I met all of 'em and they looked like your average group of thugs." She keeps snickering, but after a moment or two just shrugs, "I mean, they didn't break my phone and let me live I guess, but even I'd say that's low."

     The two friends chatted away, talking shit about a rowdy group that you yourself had met. Were you hurt that they were insulting them, and by order of association, Dabi? Pfft, of course not, they both had a right to hate them! They fucking shot her with all the intentions to kill for crying out loud!

     But the interactions they shared wasn't one you enjoyed, thoughts contorting into twisted versions of what really happened while your brain tries to gaslight you into thinking they were the truth. If Momo hadn't agreed to pay them. . . would you still be in that warehouse? What if the only reason they went along with Dabi was because of the promise they got paid? You couldn't blame them, heck, you agreed with them! Absolutely do shit for your own gain.

     . . .but when it came to the subject of your safety and the relationships you've formed with people it. . . it all scared you so much.

     Were you perhaps being overdramatic? Sure, you were more than welcoming of that possibility. But paired with the sinking, shitty feeling of getting ghosted by Dabi this entire day, your anxiety spiking higher than ever since the moment you got out of bed, and now your friends' blabbers making your senses overload? It all made into a pretty disastrous scene and series of events that was you on the verge of hyperventilating.

notes ; WOOWEE 500 READS LMFAO HOLY SHIT THANK YOU'S!!! ugh, catfishw4 you're a blessing ♥
ANYGAYS SEE Y'ALL NEXT CHAPTER LMFAO