"So what exactly are we, dollface?" 

     "Hu—" You pause, mid-bite on your sandwich, finding the mischievous smile that slowly creeped onto his face, "Hu-u-u-u. . . peo. . . ple???" You lower your food as confusion spread all over, the smug look on his face evident as he tilts his head with a knowing smirk. "Try again, babe."

     "Yeah how does that work, I've been wondering since forever," You ignore him, placing your lunch on the plate provided, "Are you just like. . . the creatures, but with human disguises, or are you half creature half human?" Dabi shrugs as he stares at you, still wearing his mask from across the booth. You two were currently alone on an impromptu date—because nothing ever wasn't when it came to Dabi—as Freddie rushed out a few minutes before screaming something about finding the perfect place to live in as she shamelessly takes the box of pizza. You let her, seeing as you did promise it to her.

     "Why have I never googled this before, wait. . !" The man laughs as you focus on that, completely forgetting about your lunch as you glared at your phone to give you answers. He hums, finishing his share of food long ago. "You know, now that we know that your friend's brother is out to kill her, and know who's out to kidnap you for some reason, what do you suggest we do now?"

     You were in the middle of reading a complex explanation of how to identify these 'creatures', spiraling deeper and deeper into a conspiracy theory that never really answered your original question. You stop, giving it a once over as you put down your phone and turn to Dabi with a shrug. "To be honest? No clue, dude. I could say we go and like, I don't know, stop him. Or. . . call the cops on him? Although I'm pretty sure they're on his payroll so we might as well not. Plus, we don't have enough evidence."

     The phoenix nods, and with a straight face says, "So we should plant some."

     "WHA—NO."

     He bursts out laughing, leaning forward on the table with a sigh of content, "You're cute. But seriously, babe, you're gonna need a plan."

     You sigh as well, but of the opposite energy, leaning back on the soft cushions of your seat in a groan. "I know! But I'm genuinely lost on what to do here." He nods, understanding where you're coming from but ultimately still being slightly disappointed. He wanted to help, but how could he? Because as much as he'd hate to admit it, he. . . didn't really care. He doesn't have any personal vendettas for anyone, and he doesn't really give a shit about celebrities. Hell, the only reason he didn't shoot Yaoyorozu was because you asked. Also because he genuinely has horrible aim but he doesn't like to talk about that.

     "Well whatever you decide to do," He shrugs, "I'd say to stay safe, but that would mean not giving me a reason to save you and look like a hero so you can do whatever, really." You reach over and give him a playful smack, rolling your eyes with humor as he grins from behind the mask. "And ow. But good, at least you're back to being that again. Now come on, let's go." He stands up, looking and feeling a lot more carefree than usual as you raise a brow. "Already? I haven't finished my sandwich yet." 

     "I insist. Come on, we can go get something else to eat on the way." You really didn't want to question it, but with how calm he acted you couldn't help but feel so. "You sure?" He nods, turning to leave without another word. Deciding that there would be plenty of time to ask him about it later, you grab your food to take one last, big chomp on it before going after him with your mouth full

     You swallowed and cleared your throat as you got out onto the busy streets, shaking your head as you stumble a bit before eventually regaining your balance to walk alongside your beanpole of a friend. "What? What's wrong?"

     "Don't look now—I said don't look—but some people are following us." You try not to just crane your neck backwards immediately, but it was hard with a sentence as vague as that. "There's what. . ?!" He hums, almost as if he didn't just say something disturbing as he slings an arm around your shoulder and pulls you closer. You scoff, "Please don't tell me you're just pretending that we are being followed to have a reason to do this?"

     "As much as I'd like to admit and say yes, that would only make me a liar." He chuckles, "But yes, we're being followed."

● ● ●

     "Natalie I want those papers on my desk up and ready to be signed."

     "Yes sir."

     "And I trust that you have my coffee ready too?" 

     "Just the way you like it, sir." 

     "And my kiss?" Taro grins as he sees the young woman's face go red, laughing loudly as they traverse the busy halls. "I'm just kidding, obviously not."

     "One wouldn't dream, sir." He laughed it off, but a forced smile finds its way on his face before he clears his throat. "Very funny. Dismissed, I'll be taking it from here." She nods, still clutching onto her clipboard like her life depended on it as she walks away. He huffs, complaining about not being given a proper secretary as he enters the cold threshold of his office. It looked just like any other, to be honest. The desk, the chair, the unreasonably large window with a beautiful view over the city, a couch nobody ever uses—the man felt right at home. 

     He stomps his way over to the chair, sighing in relief as he can finally lose the smile on his face. God, it was tiring. How hadn't he lost his cheeks yet? Smiling for hours on end without break is a talent itself, and the fact that he had to do it around stupid people was even worse. He led a large company and rose through the ranks before he even reached thirty, but in exchange he's left having to deal with downright incompetent staff. (Natalie was an exception somewhat, but the pissy asshole just didn't like her.)

     He stares at the unfamiliar packet on his desk, raising a brow as he grabs the small package wrapped in brown paper. He reads over the note attached to it, rolling his eyes as he drops it to the paper bin next to his desk without another thought. He'll just have someone take that out for him, he always did.

     He groans as he stretches, almost wrinkling his on-brand suit as he opens up his laptop. He had a lot of work to be finished today, and he just wasn't in the mood for it. What with all the stress of having everything on his shoulders—as well as the attempted murder of his sister, especially because it failed—waking up on the wrong side of the bed, and overall just not having the energy of having to deal with anything right now. He looks outside the window with a scowl, his look of disdain reflecting through the glass with the bad weather outside. 'Come to New York!' They say, 'It will be fun!' they say. Goddamn, couldn't at least one person bear to mention the amount of rain they'd be getting all the time?

     As if on cue he watches as thunder flashes slightly in the distant clouds, almost as if God himself didn't want him to have a good day. Who would? The only person in the world who couldn't see how much of a dick he was, was himself. And pretty much the entirety of the chosen demographics of who knows him and his name, only recognizing him as the charming, young, suave Japanese businessman who is singlehandedly running an empire in his late twenties. All of course, but you. 

     How ironic, a person he tried to treat so nicely in the past being the first ever to see through his bullshit. He wouldn't doubt that you were being helped by someone, he even had a gnawing feeling at the back of his head telling him that the shooting had been staged. But why didn't the bullet just fully miss? It would've been easier to fake and make fun of Taro by just aiming somewhere else. But it still grazed her arm. Was it an accident? Did Momo know about it? Did you tell her? If you didn't then why? Why couldn't you have warned her? It was her life on the line, he refused to believe that you remained silent about it. Did you? She always said you were a good friend.

     Various thoughts ran rampant in his head, bouncing off of walls and causing a ruckus in his train of thought that he hadn't noticed the new pop up message on his home page. When he did however, he simply glanced over it before closing it soon after. He wasn't exactly new to shit like this. Hell, everyone with at least half a braincell would know that pop ups are never good. 

     He thought that was the end of it and went on with his shit-faced day, hands basically slamming on the keys as he typed aggressively. His workload was lighter, but even then it had him holding a look of boredom and hate as he went through it one by one. 

     Before he could open up another email to passive-aggressively respond to, the same pop up shows up again. He clicks his tongue, moving his mousepad to clear it with an angered huff. But much to his surprise, the cursor didn't move. It forced him to read the pop up, brows furrowing more and more as he went through the incredibly vague message. "What the fuck. . ." He mumbles, giving the mousepad a few more tries before giving up in anger. He curses once again, about to just close the device and go do something else, but the pop up changes to a call.

     It didn't give him a choice as it picks up on it's own, showing a static image with the words 'Audio Only' displayed front and center. "Yaoyorozu Taro, a pleasure to meet."

     He frowns, thinking that he must've been hacked and some fucker in their mom's basement was just messing with him out of boredom. He rolls his eyes, hand tightening around the edge of the laptop as he goes to slowly pull it close. But the—vaguely familiar—voice speaks again. "Don't worry, my friend. I know what you are looking for." He scoffs, mumbling a 'what do you know' thinking that what was playing was just a recorded message. "Oh but I do. You want to get rid of the fashion designer who put a foil in whatever petty problem you encountered," Oh great, now it was insulting him? He curses at it as the voice laughs.

     "Forgive me, I'm a man of humor, and I know you used to be too. And I," He chuckles, emphasizing, "I for sure know that you simply want to take your sweet, long-overdue revenge on your little sister laying sick and shot in the hospital. And along the way, L/N Y/N just happened to now be involved in it." His hand still gripped the top of the screen, ready to close it the moment he loses interest in whatever the voice was proposing. "I'm not asking for much, just a quick favor. Remember the envelope you just so carelessly threw into your trash? I'm gonna need you to get it for me." Taro scoffs, offended that someone—A disembodied voice out of everyone—had the audacity to order him around. But then again, that wasn't really the main issue here. How had he seen him throwing it away? Did they install cameras in his office somewhere without anyone knowing? Hell, did they use his laptop camera to spy on him?!

     He frowns as he opens the device up fully, staring at the brown paper still staring at him on top of the white colored pile. He leans down, picking it up and letting it lay on the table in front of him as the voice hums. "Good. Inside you will find a small vial, and it'll be the key to your success. Be careful with it, will you?" He rolls his eyes, ripping it open without a thought as he finds the small pink liquid swirling in a small glass container. But surprisingly enough, it remained intact. "All I ask is for someone, anyone," The voice emphasizes, "Anyone at all, to drink this and see what happens. Who it will be is entirely up to you, Yaoyorozu. And in return, we get rid of that pesky little sister of yours and you can enjoy being an only child again."

     "But I already have some help," He clicks his tongue, leaning back on his seat. "Yes, but that was to get rid of L/N, correct? With them dealing with her and us getting rid of Momo, you virtually wouldn't have to do anything." His brows furrow deeper, glaring at the camera as the voice chuckles. "I understand your suspicion, but I promise that you will be doing well soon enough. Plus, if anything does go wrong, you don't lose anything. I won't be asking for anything else, just for you to tell me what that little vial of liquid in your hands could do." Taro huffs, holding the container with his thumb and index finger, watching as the small sea of pink bubbled and fizzed with each small shake, "You can so proudly offer to kill a person for me, but you can't test out some mystery liquid yourself? Bullshit."

     "Say what you want, my friend, but I know you will be coming to your senses soon. You're a smart man, Taro: I trust you'll do the right thing." The previous smug look on his face disappears as the voice remains silent, only hearing the small pit-pat of rain outside and humming coming from his laptop. He looks at the vial once again, then back at the static screen as the voice continues to talk. "See what that liquid can do, and your sister will die of natural causes. A heart attack? A car crash? Who knows, but she won't be bothering you anymore." He'd be lying straight out of his ass if he said he wasn't intrigued, deciding that accepting help from a disembodied voice coming from a pop up on his laptop was a new low he was gonna have to swoop down to. But if it means getting what he wants, and not having much consequence be so against him in the long-run, he decides that trying it out wouldn't be too bad. 

     Staring at the liquid one final time, he looks at the laptop's camera and listens to the practically audible sounds of the voice smiling behind it as he states, finally, with a firm nod, "Deal."

● ● ●

     "Dabi this is starting to worry me," You tried to find somewhere inside you the courage to joke, attempting to sing-song your way out of depression with a huff as the man beside you stays quiet. You didn't have to look behind you to know about the small crowd so suspiciously infatuated with the two of you, shared glances and what you could've sworn were glinting knives making you shudder. The skies above you went more and more gray the more twists and turns you and the phoenix took to try and overthrow them, catching one of these mystery people glaring directly at you each time you passed by a mirror. "Just run when I run," He whispers, the grip on your wrist tightening. Not enough to hurt you, but enough to make you nod. 

    You cross a street once again, a part of you sure that you both singlehandedly walked the entirety of the Upper East Side of Manhattan just trying to lose these guys. But you didn't have time to think about that as, without warning, Dabi takes off down the street. You yelp as you get dragged along, eventually finding your momentum to run alongside him without falling behind like a runaway kite. Finding the courage to finally look over your shoulder, you stare in horror as the group also start picking up pace, angry pairs of burning eyes glaring right into yours. "O-ho fuck," You yelp once again as the phoenix takes a sharp turn. His eyes scan the buildings that blurred beside the two of you, his bright blue orbs going back and forth as thoughts and plans ran in his head. Finally settling on one, he tugs on your wrist as you take a turn for, get this, its a fan favorite; an alleyway!

     "Climb!" He orders as he pulls down the fire escape, groaning as you quickly make your way up. He stays behind, about to follow after but stops as he finds the group eventually catching up. Clicking his tongue, he kicks up a pipe laying beside an oversized dumpster that rolled slightly, swaying softly from side to side at the uneven terrain. He catches it, fashioning it in his hold as you stay on a platform above.

     About five people stand at the end of the alley, casting long shadows over the dead-end as you bite your lip in worry. You didn't doubt Dabi's skills and ability to handle the situation, hell no, you were doubting if whether or not you should get climbing to ditch him or stay behind and help. But how? You didn't exactly know how to deal with the fact that you were outnumbered. 

     As if hearing your thoughts, he removes his mask and gloves as he sends a wink towards you. Now, normally you would be a blushing, confused hot mess, but right now, you were just wondering how a cocky a person would have to be to be able to flirt in a situation like this. "Cheer for me, won't you?" And not a warning later he throws the pipe towards one of the people, the clang making you cringe as they easily fall to the pavement with a thud. The other four was given no chance to react as Dabi appears in front of him in speeds you never knew was possible for a mortal—you assumed he was mortal—to achieve. Flame-covered fists aim for one person's abdomen, while the other worked to grab another's jacket to slam the two together. You seem to notice that pattern with him, finding that slamming two idiots together really worked in his favor a lot. 

     The last two were smart enough to get out before he struck at them, aiming for his back as your grip on the railings tightened in worry. He grunts in pain, before ducking from a punch and sweeping a leg under the person behind him. It seemed to have worked, quickly getting to his feet to grab the hem of the person's shirt before he could drop to the ground. Quickly his fire spread, the man's clothes erupting in blue as he screamed in horror. He simply ignores him, opting to throw him off to the darker side of the alley. You winced as you see them rolling on the pavement, trying to get the fire off of their character as the smoke rose to where you currently were. 

     By now Dabi was on a full-on fist fight with the last one, getting hit once or twice before inevitably finding the opportunity to strike back. It went on for a few minutes, sounds of punches landing and the occasional dirty play of the phoenix using his power. But in the end your. . .  honestly what was he to you? Was he your friend? Was he something more, like a best friend? Tongue tango partner? You weren't at all sure. 

     But either way he stood victorious, standing over the unconscious body after landing one final punch to the chin on the other guy. He was still admiring his work, looking out of the alley to make sure no one saw or that the police weren't here yet. You were about to call out to him, to proudly announce that you could get the fuck out of there now, but stop as the man he burned earlier slowly stood up with a different scrap of metal on his hand. You grew alarmed, turning to see Dabi leaning down to pick something from one of the fallen people and overall distracted without an eye on the back of his head. Looking around in a worry, you find a loose brick beside you as you grimaced.

     Picking it up with fidgeting hands, you lean over the railings and, without warning, hurl the piece of rock straight towards the man. 

    It broke upon impact, dropping to the floor as you swore you saw blood seeping out. Horror flashed onto your face, eyes once again snapping to see the dumpster from earlier had moved. With the little push from the man's lifeless body hitting it, it started rolling towards Dabi faster than a speeding car, yelling out a "OH MY GOD WATCH OUT!" as it did so. But of course, he wasn't dumb, and managed to side step right before it could crush him underneath. He winces as it stopped with a small crash when it hit the unconscious forms of your attackers. turning with a hum to the person you threw a brick at. "Congratulations, babe. You're just as bad as me now."

     "SHUT UP I PROMISE I'M NOT A MURDERER,"

note ; *fboi face* guess who got 66k words on this book and not a single sign of a social life hehehe this bitch right here