Bad Omens and Happy Endings

by Moth_Extract

Summary:

Omegas weren't feared nearly as much as they should be in this society. Quirks did not care about one's dynamic. Power did not care about one's dynamic. With unjust laws that discriminate against omegas and fake heroes that had most of society fooled, the entire system needed a reboot. That was the goal of the League of Villains, a notorious group that almost brought the entire country to its knees. Almost.

This isn't a story where the protagonist achieves everything he wants in the end. The League of Villains was never going to win. Destiny is funny like that. That doesn't mean that the league never had a point, nor does it mean that their efforts for an improved society were always in vain. Does the destruction of the pack have to mean the death of the wolves?

Dabi will be forced to choose between rehabilitation and revenge, to remain as Dabi or to revive Touya Todoroki. Rehabilitation would put him back where he started and revenge will burn through whatever is left of his flesh and bone. Regardless of choice, maybe he could at least help point the world in a better direction. After all, he's nothing if not an opinionated omega.

Chapter 1: Thugs and Heroes

"Don't tell me you're the League's recruiter," a tall man with long, black hair sneered. It was a cool, clear night with the half-moon and a flickering streetlight illuminating the dark alley where two figures had met. "If Shigaraki was going to send an omega to see me, he should have at least sent a pretty one. Does he think this is a joke?" The scent of irritation hung heavy in the air.

"Well, if you can't take orders from an omega, I don't think you'd be a good fit regardless."

"Don't be a bitch. You could at least try to hide your scent if you're going to be bossing around your biological superiors. I could kill you, you kno-"

Blue flames lit up the alley brighter than the old streetlight ever had. The man never got to finish his thought. Dabi sighed as he watched his fire fizzle out. There wasn't much that his cremation wouldn't reduce to ash, so at least he never had to hide a body. Where were these low-rate thugs even getting his contact? Sure, he was supposed to be recruiting. The League needed numbers, but Tomura also wanted quality from their members. Quality included people who at least sort-of agreed with Stain's philosophy. Unfortunately, people tended to be really fucking stupid sometimes. Most of the time, actually.

"What a pain," Dabi said as he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket. Stain's speech was infamous. The man had pointed out some of the major flaws in hero society after taking down multiple pros and had died a legend. Yet, there were still people who seemed to only agree with half of what he had and still thought they could join the LoV. Stain was an omega himself and had mentioned the disproportionate amount of alphas in power during his speech. Calling most heroes "disgusting alpha pigs with no respect or care for the common man" should have been enough of an indicator that Stain did not stand for omega discrimination. The new society the League wanted to build would not rely so heavily on the dynamic roles their current society just couldn't seem to shake. Their high standards did make finding new members of the league incredibly difficult, though. This was the third one Dabi had to burn tonight alone.

There was a process that people had to follow in order to even get to meet with Dabi. First, they had to reach him through his burner. Dabi himself wasn’t one of the ones spreading the word that the League of Villains was looking to expand. That was someone else’s job. Dabi’s role was to pass judgement on the individual after they reached out to him. They’d set up a meeting point, a time, and Dabi would determine if they were made of the right stuff, essentially. It was usually pretty obvious that the candidates were garbage. There was a certain look to people who were dangerous. They carried themselves a certain way. Dabi had never met a formidable foe that underestimated him on account of him being an omega. Someone that had any amount of training knew that quirks did not care about someone’s dynamic. That had been an argument back when they first made it legal for omegas to become pro heroes.

It had only been less than a decade since that law had passed, and Dabi had to admit that it had been a benefit to society. Omegas were very slowly gaining more respect since the public got to witness omega pro heroes obliterate their competition. On top of that, several “beta” pro heroes had come forward and said that they had been omegas this entire time and had their licenses changed to reflect their true dynamic. It was a real step in the right direction. It didn’t solve everything, though. Society as a whole still tended to view omegas as weak. Claiming an omega still gave an alpha legal power over their mates. Claimed omegas had even less rights than unmated ones. It didn’t matter if the claim was forced or even accidental, though those rarely stuck. The only way out of a claim was death or legal abandonment and an expensive surgery to have the entire scent gland removed. It was a lot of paperwork. Omegas were not allowed to initiate separation, nor were they allowed to be claimed more than once at a time. However, alphas could take on as many mates as they wanted to. A claimed omega couldn’t even buy scent blockers, heat suppressants, or birth control without written or verbal consent from their alpha. There was an incredibly long way this society would have to go before Dabi would feel equal to an alpha. Better to just burn it down and rebuild it entirely.

Dabi was half tempted to just go back to the league’s hideout. It was dingy and falling apart, but Dabi would be lying if he said it didn’t feel safe. He’d taken the basement area as his bedroom originally because it was one of the only doors that already had a lock on it. Now that they were all more comfortable around each other, Dabi stayed in the basement because it was cold. Even when it was warm outside and the AC was out, at least the basement was a little cooler than the upstairs and due to the nature of Dabi’s quirk, he was prone to heat strokes. Besides, the rest of his pack often complained about their shitty heater during the winter months. They would hate having to trade with Dabi and freeze at night.
Normally, three candidates in one night was a lot and Dabi would be done. However, the last person that he was supposed to meet had caught his eye. It was just a few days ago when Dabi had received a message from a potential recruit that admittedly had him curious.

I need to talk to the Phoenix.
-Unknown

It wasn’t very creative, but it was the passcode that new recruits were given to alert Dabi that they intended to join. That way there was less risk if the wrong person got a hold of Dabi’s burner number.

you can meet the recruiter this week probably friday
-Dabi
Yeah, I can meet with the recruiter whenever. But I should probably warn you that Im probably not the typical recruit…
-Unknown
ok? how so? and give me a name to save you under
-Dabi
Hawks. But I do agree with what your group is trying to do! You’re right. The current hero system is flawed and it needs to change. I can be more useful to you guys than most of the others you’ve been recruiting, anyway.
-Hawks
how am I supposed to believe that ? if you are hawks then youre either really stupid or trying to arrest us if you thought it was a good idea to lie bout bein a hero then ill just light you on fire the second I see you in person
-Dabi
I’ll bring a peace offering. Intel on the HPSC. And you can pat me down, too. I won’t wear a wire, I won’t bring back up. I’ll just have to meet you at night when I’m not on patrol and nobody can see me. I’m 100% serious about this. Besides, like you said if I am lying about my identity, you'll just burn me on sight and it wont be your problem anymore. If I wanted an arrest, it'd be a better career move to take you down in a massive fight and capitalize on the good PR anyways. Undercover work doesn't pay as well when you put all this effort into branding.
-Hawks
sure. meet me on Wednesday tho. midnight. At the address 3457 W Grey Drive. ill be behind the building and the second i see hear or smell backup youre gonna be roast chicken. I find a wire youre fried. You attack? Fried. ill rip those wings off your back by hand if I have to. Youre lucky im curious.
-Dabi
Understood. I’ll see you then. No backup, no wire, no bullshit, scout’s honor!
-Hawks

The idea of a successful pro hero like Hawks wanting to join their group was almost bizarre. Hawks was in the Top Ten. He was probably rolling in money, fame, and influence. People wrote fanfictions about him, put him posters and magazine covers and shirts. They sold Hawks merchandise and everyone knew that he was the most sought-after alpha in the country. Large, alpha fangs were visible every time the man smiled and although heroes were required to wear heavy duty scent blockers on the job, there were entire internet forums dedicated to theorizing what the guy smelled like. Actually, that last part was a bit creepy. Still, why would someone actively benefiting from the system seek to change it?

It was a trap. It had to be. There was no other explanation. So, why did Dabi feel so compelled to hear the man out? Perhaps it was the novelty of it all. Or that Hawks genuinely could be useful if they played their cards rights. Or maybe, Dabi really was like every other omega in the world and wanted to meet the wealthy, attractive alpha one on one. Who knows.

Dabi was surprised by how short the pro hero was. Of course, it was obvious that Hawks was not the largest alpha out there. Hawks was only a few inches taller than Dabi. The alpha hadn’t given Dabi some grand entrance with wings outstretched and puffed out to make himself look bigger. Instead, Hawks had walked up to him with an air of manufactured confidence. His eyes gave him away. The calculating look in those bird-like eyes would have been missed by someone less skilled.

“Where’s the wire, bird?” Touya asked.

Hawks blinked at him before he flashed a grin and took off his jacket. The fangs weren’t photoshopped. They were large, glisteningly white and dangerous- the teeth of a carnivore-, teeth that had tasted human flesh before. Dabi knew the craving for human flesh all too well. It didn't go away easy. Like the burn of cheap whiskey in the back of the throat or the smell of a cigarette straight out of a prison sentence. Some people could have one taste of it and move on with their life, perhaps even forgetting about it while other fought the craving like how a wild animal fought starvation. This wasn't some domesticated song bird he was dealing with. Hawks were birds of prey and Dabi was not going to allow himself to become a little white rabbit caught in sharp talons. After all, he too had felt the urge to sink his fangs into a little white rabbit and revel in the metallic taste of fresh blood.

“Ya know, you can pat me down if you’d like. I’d even take off my flight suit, but I’m not sure if our relationship is quite there yet,” Hawks said as he turned his pockets inside out. A receipt, a set of apartment keys, and a flash drive fell out. He proceeded to fully take off his coat just to reveal the skin-tight flight suit underneath that left no room for a wire. Dabi rolled his eyes. “I came alone, patchwork. Promise.”

“Alright. I’ll play along,” Dabi took a couple steps forward as Hawks fixed his pockets and put his coat back on. “You said you’d bring a peace offering. Something on the hero commission, yeah? Let’s see it.”

Hawks grabbed the red flash drive from his pocket and handed it over. “It’s all on this. It isn’t malware, either, but I’m assuming you’d be using a burner laptop to look it over anyway. You have multiple members of your team that could easily destroy it if you think it’s tracking you and I doubt you’d use it in your headquarters anyway. Look it over, it’s all good information on some hero agencies. Their security measures, reported HPSC violations, which pros and sidekicks are registered through it, and some personal information on some of the staff. I could get you so much more, though. This is just the low level stuff. If it’ll help the cause, I can find out just about anything you’d want.”

Dabi pocketed the flash drive and let out a small hum. It sounded like a good deal. At the very least, he’d be able to get something out of the hero. He’d leave the final say up to Tomura, though. If Tomura wanted to accept Hawks into their pack, then Dabi would allow it. All else fails and Dabi could just torch the guy.

“About that. Why do you care about our cause? You benefit the most from society as it is, lets be honest here. You’re a wealthy alpha pro hero, why are you wanting to betray your own kind?” There was a moment of silence that followed Dabi’s question. Hawks’s red feathers sharpened a bit as if the question had him feeling defensive. It wasn’t as if Dabi was trying to be nice.

“You know, some of us do care about other people, Dabi.” Hawks spoke slowly, like he was trying to come up with the right thing to say, like he didn’t want to say more than he had to. “Stain had a point. A hero shouldn’t be a hero just for money, fame or power. Our current system is set up to where it breeds corruption. Being a hero isn’t easy, but it’s even harder when your coworkers are accepting bribes and being shady in the background. I’m not saying that I’ve never been shady, either. I’m done with it, honestly. I work directly under the HPSC, ya know? I’ve seen the corruption first hand and its not right.”

“There’s more to the story, isn’t there?” Dabi raised an eyebrow at Hawks. “You may have wings, but you sure as Hell aren’t an angel. Why do you really want to join?” Hawks’s eyes widened for a brief moment. He swallowed. Dabi could see the conflict in his eyes.

“The Commission basically owns me. They trained me and they hold that over my head every day. I want to be free from them. More than anything. As much as wild birds don’t want to be caged.” He was telling the truth. That level of sincerity in his eyes was impossible to fake. Whether or not Hawks agreed with them was still debatable, but it was clear that he did want his freedom. It was a good enough reason for Dabi.

“Okay. I’ll pass this all along to Shigaraki. It’ll be his decision whether we actually strike up a deal or not, though. I’ll reach out to the same number you used to contact me if I want to see you again.” Blue eyes analyzed Hawks for a moment. “Do you have any questions for me? I may not answer, but you can ask.”

“Is Shigaraki your alpha? Ah, sorry! I guess that’s pretty personal! I can smell the claim mark and it kinda caught me off guard…”

“My alpha abandoned me,” Dabi held his tongue. He shouldn’t have. If Hawks wanted his whole story, then Dabi should just tell him every gruesome detail about it. It was impressive that the alpha could pick up on the scent of his claim mark, though. So much time had passed since he’d last even seen the man that claimed him that the scent was extremely faint to say the least. “And Shigaraki Tomura isn’t even an alpha.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. Wait, Shigaraki’s not an alpha? A beta is leading the League of Villains?”

“Don’t be sorry, birdbrain, just don’t ask stupid questions. Shigaraki’s an omega. He’s not hiding it, either,” Dabi explained as Hawks nodded.

“Right. That makes sense. You’ll reach out to me soon, then?”

“Don’t push your luck. It’s not my call. But yeah. If Shigaraki wants more from you, I’ll message you. If the info you gave turns out fucked up, next time you see me will be right before your death. I’m assuming nights fit your schedule best?” Hawks nodded. Dabi continued, “Alright. It’s late. I’ll call you.”

“I sure hope so. Can’t believe that I’ve had a pretty omega’s phone number and didn’t even know it,” Hawks said with that stupid-looking grin of his. Was he really flirting with Dabi right now? What was his angle?

“Flattery won’t get you far with me, Hawks. I’m not impressed by short alphas.”

“Ouch.” That grin was still there. “I’ve been nothing but honest with you, doll. It’s not just flattery.” Hawks was messing with him and Dabi did not appreciate it.

“Fuck off or I’ll roast you right now.” The steady calm of his raspy voice was more threatening than if Dabi were to yell at Hawks. He wasn't speaking purely out of anger or annoyance. Dabi could do it. He would do it. He had done it before. There was absolutely no logical reason that he couldn't do it again.

“Alright, alright.” Hawks threw up his hands in surrender. “I’m expecting a call, though!” With that, Hawks was flying off.

“Asshole,” Dabi muttered as he waited until Hawks was out of his sight. On the walk back to the hideout, he couldn’t stop thinking about their interaction. Hawks was one of the most wanted alphas in the entire country. A string of beautiful, supermodel-level omegas were probably just dying for his knot, even for just a night. Even if Dabi wasn’t claimed and didn’t have the ugly scars covering his body, if he had access to regular meals that filled out his frame with the right amount of fat in the right places, there was no logical way that Hawks would be interested in him. It shouldn’t bother Dabi that Hawks had lied to him about his appearance, but it did. Maybe it was more of a sore-spot than he initially thought.

Something else bothered him even more than Hawks trying to flirt. Why had he brought up the old claim? The reminder of its existence was enough to leave a sour taste in Dabi’s mouth. Hawks shouldn’t have even been able to tell there was a claim there. Usually, it took people several meetings with Dabi before they noticed the scar that was hidden amongst the purple discoloration on his neck, or the very faint scent of an alpha that stubbornly clung to Dabi’s soul no matter how badly he wanted to snuff it out. He hated it. Thinking about it only made Dabi hungrier. The thirst for revenge had kept him going for so long that he knew once his mission was complete, he would burn out, too. Every alpha that had made Dabi into what he was now would know pain. They would die by his own hands, or Dabi would die trying. Still, he really hated that his mate still had this much of an effect on his physiology. Dabi needed to find an underground doctor to remove his scent gland as soon as he had the funds to.

Underground doctors were a lucrative market. There was more money in fixing up villains than actual villainy most of the time. They didn’t come without their risks, however. It was highly illegal, and oftentimes underground doctors would be made examples of when they were caught. Anytime you went under their knife, there was a risk that the doctor would take a body part. The market for underground organ transplants was always profitable, as was the market for omega-specific procedures. Unfortunately, the law prevented omegas from receiving various kinds of care without an alpha’s permission. Unmated omegas were allowed heat suppressants, scent blockers, and birth control, but as soon as there was a claim mark, the alpha’s explicit permission was necessary. Scent gland removals, abortions, and sterilization always needed an alpha’s permission regardless of the situation. Anybody who needed one of these procedures and didn’t have an alpha willing to sign off on them around would be stuck having to decide between the risk of an underground doctor and the risk of leaving their issue untreated.

The base was relatively quiet when Dabi arrived home. Normally, there was some level of organized chaos throughout the building. Tonight was a little different, though. With it being Tomura’s heat, everyone was a little bit on edge. In most packs, an omega in heat was a big deal. Their mate, or the pack leader would be the one helping them through it, if they weren’t being helped by every alpha in the pack. Traditionally, it would be only the omega’s mate and other omegas that would be allowed to see the omega in heat, but modern times have dictated that packs were close and therefore an omega wasn’t a whore if they slept with their whole pack. As long as it was just their pack. Omegas in the league got to choose who was allowed to spend their heats with them, if they even wanted anybody to. Normally, Dabi chose to spend his heats alone. Tomura, apparently, had taken Spinner into his nest for this heat and didn’t want to see anybody else.

The only person at the bar tonight was Kurogiri. His neutral, beta scent reminding Dabi of cotton and it rarely seemed to grow irritated or upset. Kurogiri had to have been some kind of saint or monk in a past life with the amount of patience it took to tend to Tomura on a daily basis. Kurogiri looked up from where he was wiping down the already clean bar.

“Welcome back, Dabi. Was today’s recruitment successful?” Kurogiri asked politely.

“I met someone interesting. There’s promise there, but I think he’s a liability, too. Is Tomura still in heat? I’ll let him make the call on this guy,” Dabi explained. Kurogiri confirmed that Tomura was in heat, so Dabi let himself stretch. It was better to forget about Hawks for now, anyway. “Then I guess I’m going to bed.”

“Dabi, have you had anything to eat today?” The question shouldn’t have caught him so off-guard. The league was a pack and they did care for one another despite their funding being particularly low. More than once, Dabi had seen the limited food supply and decided to forego a meal or two to make sure Toga ate more instead. She was a growing, young alpha who actually needed the nutrients. It wasn’t just her, either. The others needed to eat and Dabi would rather go hungry himself than see his packmates starve. Kurogiri’s observant nature meant that he’d likely have noticed Dabi running off of nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine more than anything substantial. Apparently, his silence was enough of an answer for the beta.

“Here,” Kurogiri pulled out a sandwich from somewhere behind the bar. “You should try this. The bar has been playing with the idea of serving food to our actual customers. Tell me what you think.”

Part of Dabi was tempted to decline. His empty stomach was enough to convince him to accept the meal. He took a seat on one of the old barstools and pulled the plate closer to himself. After the first bite, it was like his body reminded him that cigarettes did not make a good dinner. It was probably only about five minutes before Dabi had devoured the ham and cheese sandwich. Kurogiri slid a glass of water his way, which Dabi was also grateful to gulp down.

“Thanks,” Dabi mumbled. He didn’t miss the way Kurogiri was watching him as he finally put actual nutrients in his body. Kurogiri refilled his glass with water and Dabi didn’t mention it as he drank it a little bit slower this time.

“You’re very welcome, Dabi. Please get some rest. Tomura is scheduled to finish heat soon and he’ll likely have a task for you regarding this interesting new recruit.” He was right. Whether Tomura decided he wanted Hawks in their pack or not, Dabi would likely be doing something about it. Something potentially dangerous. With one omega vulnerable, Kurogiri was likely feeling more protective than usual over the other omega in the pack. Not that Dabi was complaining. He did feel better after his meal.

“Goodnight,” Dabi told Kurogiri before he made his way to the basement area of the hideout. The cool air of his sanctuary had Dabi sighing in relief. It smelled like him down here, sweet and smokey and distinctly omega. This was his area, his territory and Dabi couldn't help but to be comforted by that fact. The layout of his basement prevented his scent from going far when he was in heat on top of helping him stay cool. As much as he trusted his pack, he valued his privacy. Besides, his heats as a claimed omega were intense. Without an alpha around, they were extremely painful, and Dabi didn’t exactly like wasting time nesting or doing anything else that might make them less Hellish. In fact, he took suppressants as often as he could, even if they were the sketchy kind that wreaked havoc on the reproductive system. Anything was better than to be in heat around another person.

As Dabi lay in bed, he wrapped himself up in the torn blankets he had been using. He was grateful for the fitted sheet on his mattress and the pillowcase on his pillows, at least. Any more bedding than this and Dabi would be at risk of wanting to nest. It wasn’t like they could afford much in the way of nesting materials. Whatever Tomura was planning, Dabi was starting to hope that he hurried up and found some sponsors or something. He could really use some better bedding, and he was sure the rest of the league felt similarly.

Notes:

Thank you for reading!
This fic is currently planned to touch some serious subjects so reader discretion is advised going forward!

I don't have everything planned out perfectly yet nor do I have an upload schedule ready, but I do have some general ideas I've been working off of! Please feel free to let me know your thoughts and have a great day/night!

Chapter 2: Broken Streetlights and Cuckoo Eggs

Summary:

The first of many fatal mistakes is made. Hawks meets the pack as his connection with the mysterious, scarred omega grows.

Smoke curled around Dabi's face as the light of his cigarette stood out against the dark night. The streetlight was even dimmer now, flickering on and off every so often. It wouldn't be lit at all if someone didn't come fix it soon. That would be annoying.

Smoking hadn't exactly been a habit that Dabi meant to pick up. His first cigarette was offered to him when he had first found himself alone on the cold streets, hungry and scared from all the stories that his father used to tell him. If he was ever alone at night, an alpha could easily just grab him by the hair and forcibly claim him. Most alphas wouldn't even claim him, either. They'd just use his body and leave him broken and ruined and his father wouldn't be there to help him. It would be his fault for going out by himself at night. God, Dabi hoped the worst for his father. His warnings did hold some truth, but Dabi had already been claimed, broken, and ruined. No alpha wanted him in any way now. It was another omega that had found him. She has been middle-aged and had just left the club she worked at. The scent of sex, cigarettes, and alcohol almost entirely covered up her natural scent of floral rain. When she saw Dabi trying to hide behind a dumpster and wait out the night, she must have felt some amount of pity for him. Her voice was gravelly and her pupils were blown as she offered him a cigarette. At first, Dabi had refused, but she convinced him after his stomach rumbled and she claimed that smoking it would ease the hunger. Of course, it wouldn't ever really satisfy him. Hunger would still be there, but it would be less intense, less real. Ever since that night, Dabi had begun to smoke when there wasn't enough food around for him. Bumming a cigarette or even swiping a pack from a convenience store was easier than finding a meal most of the time. Besides, the woman was wrong about something. Cigarettes did offer a kind of satisfaction, just not the kind that would cure his hunger.

Hawks wasn't late, at least. Red feathers fluttered about as the scentless alpha approached Dabi from the same direction he had come from last time. Once again, he was in his hero get-up. His shifts must be late. Still, Dabi should probably warn him that meeting with him while looking like a hero was begging for the someone to notice.

"So, you talked to the Bossman about me?" Hawks asked.

"I did. Boss is willing to give you a chance. He doesn't trust you, but he's convinced that you're useful. Of course, you'll have to earn our trust before you meet with anyone else. I'm not just taking some random alpha home without at least making sure he's half-decent." Dabi took a drag of his cigarette. "So, you have access to all of the HPSC's records, yeah?"

Hawks nodded, "Yeah. I've got some pretty high clearance. There's only one rank with more power than I have and I bet I could get ahold of information above my position without them realizing. Do you need specific info then?"

"We need to know the updated security measures and a list of teachers and staff for every major hero school in the country. At least the top five. Think you can get that for us?"

"Anything for you, firefly." Dabi tried not to bristle at the nickname. Hawks continued, "I can do better than just a list of staff, too. I'll get you info on their quirks, past criminial records, and their individual agencies if they've ever done hero work. Soonest i could do it is probably two weeks."

"Then I'll see you again in two weeks," Dabi said as he turned to walk away. "Same time, same place. On Wednesday."

"Leaving already? I thought we'd get to know each other a bit. It's not often I get to talk to someone like you and be fully honest,"Hawks whined and Dabi turned back to see him pouting like a spoiled pup.

"Yeah, right. Let me just give a strange alpha all my personal information. Want my social security number, too?" Came Dabi's sarcastic reply.

"I'll bet even your social security number is pretty," Hawks chuckled. "Come on, baby. I'm not even gonna ask for anything useful. You want me to earn trust? Well the only way that'll happen is for us to talk." Dabi hated that Hawks wasn't exactly wrong.

"Call me baby again and I'll rip those pretty little wings of yours out with my teeth," Dabi growled. It was a threat and a promise. Small, omega fangs wanted to tear into Hawks's flesh. Dabi had always been one of those omegas that liked to bite. Even when he had his first heat, his gums longed to bite. It was so bad that first heat that he ended up tearing open his pillow and then getting into trouble for it after. Alphas were known to bite and destroy during their ruts, but it was improper for an omega to express that same instinct. It wasn't unheard of for some omegas to have the urge to bite, but it was usually shamed. Omegas were expected to behave. While alphas were allowed to give into their base instincts and destroy as they pleased, omegas weren't allowed those same freedoms. Alphas could fuck around as much as they liked, but an omega even being mildly interested in sex outside of a cycle was taboo. Dabi was the furthest thing from a proper omega, but there was a time when he could have been considered as such. Before the claim. Before the burns. Before the obsession.

"Don't threaten me with a good time." That stupid smirk across Hawks's face only added fuel to the fire. A sharp note of spice seeped into Dabi's scent of sweet vanilla and burning oak. Hawks still looked perfectly, infuriatingly unfazed.

"You're fucking insufferable, birdbrain." Dabi glared at the hero in front of him before he sighed. It served nobody for him to kill Hawks now, and besides, he might as well humor the guy. At the very least, it'd get him to go home. "I'll give you three questions, and I'll ask you three questions, deal? We'll go back and forth."

"Deal!" Hawks's wings flapped behind him and Dabi wished that he wasn't still in hero-grade scent blockers. At least then it'd be easier to get a read on him. "You can even go first, doll."

"Fine," Dabi crossed his arms. "Why do you insist on calling me anything but my name?"

"Because you're cute and I like your reactions. You don't have a mate to stop me and if you really hated it you could probably take me on in a real fight. But that would mean going against Shigaraki." Hawks's explanation was just as frustrating as the nicknames themselves. Nobody had ever considered Dabi cute before. Not even the alphas that tried to pay him for sex thought he was cute. Usually they just thought he smelled nice and that he looked desperate. Fortunately, he never was quite that desperate. "My turn," Hawks continued, "so, what's your favorite food?"

Dabi raised an eyebrow at that. This was definitely a waste of time. Sure, he could be honest and just admit that he would usually just prefer a bowl of soba from the restaurant that his family used to go to every other Friday when he was a kid. But that was a lifetime ago and expensive tastes were known to scare away alphas that couldn't afford them.

"T-bone steak, medium rare. I like the high quality stuff, too. I can taste the difference between prime and choice. Can't say I've ever turned down chocolate cake, either." All this talk of food was making Dabi salivate. It had been so long since he'd had a good bite of chocolate cake. Probably even longer since anybody had given him a steak. Hawks was an asshole for that question. "You can control your feathers, but can you sense anything through them?"

"Yeah, I can feel them. They're like little limbs, kinda." A red feather floated around Dabi's head. He snapped his teeth at it, causing Hawks to let out a small chuckle that caused a pool of warmth to fill Dabi's stomach. Hawks had a nice laugh, warm, gentle, and lacking the cruel sarcasm that Dabi was used to hearing. "They're real sensitive, too. Can feel little vibrations through them if I really focus, so they're useful for spying, to a point. I can't tell what's being said through them, but I can tell if people are talking. If I focus I can fairly accurately tell how many people are talking in a room and whether they have high-pitched voiced or low-pitched voices. It doesn't work in rooms that have too much outside noise going on, though." Dabi Mentally filed that information away for later. He'd have to play music if he ever suspected Hawks had left a feather somewhere. Hawks hummed as his floating feather returned to his wings. "So, what's your real name? I can't imagine that your mother actually called you Dabi."

"Pass," Dabi said with a frown. "Not even the rest of the league knows that one. Try again."

"Alright." Hawks shrugged. "Then if Shigaraki isn't your mate, then what is he to you?"

Dabi thought for a moment. Those golden eyes were definitely not as innocent nor as kind as they appeared. Anything Dabi told him, Hawks could potentially use against him. At the same time, trust could only be earned if some amount of trust was given. Not to mention that it wasn't exactly this huge secret; Tomura never seemed to care whether people knew about their pack or not. Besides, Hawks would likely find out eventually regardless. "He's our pack leader."

It wasn't a typical pack dynamic. Usually, the pack leader was an alpha. Being a pack leader was something that was seen as being a true alpha's alpha, a real badass. Packs often contained more than one alpha so having others give up leadership to someone else meant that they had true trust and respect for that person. An omega being a pack leader was rare, if not unheard of. Hawks's reaction seemed appropriately surprised by the news and Dabi struggled to hold back the amused chuckle that threatened to escape his throat.

"The league is a pack then? Are you all omegas?" Hawks asked as he tilted his head in a way that absolutely did not remind Dabi of a golden retriever.

"Yes and no. I'm counting those as your last question, by the way. We're a pack, but we aren't all omegas. In fact, the only omegas in the pack are me and Shigs. Everyone else is either an alpha or a beta. We just don't subscribe to your weird dynamic roles. I see no reason to submit or whatever to a weak alpha that I can incinerate in less than a minute," he explained.

"How does that work?" Dabi rolled his eyes at Hawks's extra question.

"This is more than three questions. It works because it does. You'll have to come back next time to ask me anything else. With good intel, preferably," Dabi said. It was late. Heaven forbid he actually wanted to experience some amount of sleep while it was still dark out.

"Wait, don't you still have a question to ask me, though? We did kinda skip your turn," Hawks said with a small smile. That stupid smile was infuriating just as much as the alpha's cocky grin and large fangs.

"Fine." Blue eyes rolled. After a moment of thought, a nasty grin accompanied by an almost patronizing head -tilt crept over the omega. "Would you really be willing to submit to an omega, pretty bird?" Dabi teased, "Give up your perceived power to a weaker being? Let an omega call the shots knowing that you can't do anything about it other than shut up and listen like a good little pet?" Dabi took a menacing step closer to his prey as his smokey scent grew stronger, more intimidating.

"An omega as pretty as you? I'd give my life for, firefly," Hawks chuckled at him as hungry eyes scanned Dabi up and down. Usually this was the part where alphas became unsettled, confused, or even irritated by Dabi's pure audacity. They didn't typically laugh.

Heat rushed to Dabi's cheeks and he had to actively stop himself from catching fire then and there. Before he could even truly respond, Hawks was flapping his wings and leaving the ground.

"I'll see you next time, beautiful!" He called out. Now, that had blue fire bursting from Dabi's shoulders. Whether it was from embarrassment, rage, or something else entirely, Dabi wasn't quite sure.

The flirting continued after that. Hawks's warm laugh was a sound that haunted Dabi's nightmares. To make it even worse, every piece of information that the hero brought him was legit. Every two weeks, like clockwork, they'd meet in the same alley. Hawks would hand over some file, flash drive, or even binder. Dabi had been surprised to find that Hawks was one of those people with overly neat handwriting. It didn't seem to fit him. As much as Hawks kept his pants perfectly ironed, his hair perfectly windswept and the small beard on his face was perfectly groomed, it was also clear that none of it was authentic. That calculating look in those bird-like eyes never left him. Dabi was constantly being analyzed during those meetings. Honestly, it made him uneasy.

It was the fourth time that they met when something changed. Dabi was waiting for the hero in their usual spot when Hawks showed up right on time, as usual. There was something off this time, though. Hawks was carrying a paper bag with the logo for a popular fast food chain on it. His nose immediately picked up on the scent of hot fries and a greasy burger made with the lowest quality beef that money could buy. His stomach also picked up on it.

"Hey." Hawks was lacking his usual cocky demeanor tonight. "I brought you something. Listen, I know you've got that expensive taste or whatever, but who doesn't like some good ol' fast food every now and then? Besides, you look like you could use it." Hawks offered them the bag. Dabi should refuse. He should tell Hawks to fuck off and accuse him of trying to poison him. He should go ahead and light the other male on fire right here. He should run away and let someone else deal with Hawks from now on. Alphas never brought ugly omegas anything.

"It's not poisoned. I promise. I just got it from the one down the road the road like, five minutes ago." That snapped him out of his thoughts. Dabi gave in. He took the bag and opened it up. Sure enough, the warm, salty smell of French fries made his stomach rumble.

"What's the catch?" Dabi asked as if he had the willpower to stop himself from reaching into the bag and grabbing a fry. How long had it been since he'd had fries?

"I couldn't get all the information you wanted. I'm sorry." Hawks was looking down at his feet, shoulders tense. Even his red wings were nervously altering between sharpened and soft. If Dabi didn't know any better, he'd say that Hawks looked like he was expecting to be punished.

"Well, were you able to get anything?"

"Yeah. I was able to get everything except for the intel on Endeavor and All Might. They outrank me and I wasn't able to sneak it without getting caught. I had to convince the commission that I was spying for them instead. I told them that you and Shigaraki were omegas. I'm sorry, Dabi. They wanted me to wear a wire, but I managed to drop it on the fly over." Dabi looked over Hawks for a moment as he realized something.

"Did you bring me food to hide the scent of blood?" Hawks looked up at him and for a second, Dabi caught the look of pure terror that flashed across the alpha's face. No wonder he was always wearing scent blockers if he was on this short of a leash.

"What do you mean?"

"The commission owns you, yeah? They don't exactly see you as a human, do they?" Hawks's barely-visibly reaction confirmed it. Well. that made his motives make a little more sense, at least. "You think I was going to hurt you because you couldn't bring me some of the most highly-guarded information in the country? Or that I would assume you betrayed us and kill you for it? You told them that me and Tomura were omegas like it was some kinda secret. I'll tell you a secret, birdie. Neither me nor Tomura gives a single shit if the whole world knows about our dynamic. I'm more upset that they hurt you than I am that the heroes know I'm not an alpha. How bad is it?"

"It's not-" Dabi didn't let Hawks finish his sentence. He stepped forward and gently touched Hawks's shoulder. When the alpha let out a hiss of pain, Dabi knew it was bad.

"For fuck's sake. What are you doing stopping to get me food like this? Did you even try to fix yourself up first?"

"You're hungry, Dabs. I can handle being a little bit sore for a while. Besides, i figured some food would make you a little bit nicer so you wouldn't roast me alive for not getting you all the info you wanted," Hawks explained as Dabi rolled his eyes.

"Well, you need to be patched up either way. I'll eat when we get back to the hideout, alright? How's your walking?" Dabi held the fast food bag in one hand and offered his other arm for Hawks to lean on. The hero hesitated, but he did let his arm drape over Dabi's shoulders. At least Hawks wasn't too heavy. Hawks hissed again as Dabi held onto him.

"I can walk okay. It's mostly my upper back they got. Normally, they'd use a healing quirk on me so I can go back into work sooner, but they're real pissed at me for this one," Hawks grit his teeth. It was obvious that the alpha was hiding something, most likely pain. Thankfully, the walk back to the base was fairly uneventful, though a bit slow. Hawks wasn't particularly heavy, but he was still limping and Dabi wasn't exactly super physically strong. It was difficult to maintain muscle mass and strength with a lifestyle like his.

They were lucky that Kurogiri was manning the bar again when they got there. The older beta was patient and good to have in an emergency like this.

"I take it this is the new recruit you have been seeing lately?" When his question was answered by Dabi, Kurogiri nodded.

Getting Hawks's flight suit off was surprisingly difficult. It was tight against his sunkissed skin, a fact that was normally hidden under that thick jacket he usually wore to keep him warm at high altitudes. Hawks was lean with a solid layer of muscling; he had the type of build that you'd expect from a runner or gymnast rather than a bodybuilder or strongman. It made sense. He would need to be fairly lightweight in order to fly at the speeds that Hawks regularly reached. When they realized that Hawks would need to first take off his pants in order to take off his flight suit, Dabi offered to leave the room. To his surprise, there was no shitty pick-up line nor perverted joke made by the alpha. Instead, Hawks almost sounded defeated.

"Please," Hawks said as he avoided all eye-contact with Dabi, "if it's allowed, I'd rather you not see my back all fucked up. You should go eat your dinner or something. It's already pretty embarrassing that you practically had to carry me here. I know you don't care about dynamics or anything like that, but if I have a choice, I don't want an omega to see me like this." His voice cracked and Dabi could recognize the hollow look in his eyes. Without much thought, Dabi let his scent take on a more comforting note. If he wasn't afraid he'd cross a boundary, he might've rubbed the gland on his wrist gently against Hawks's cheek. His wrist itched with the desire to scent, but Dabi ignored it and offered a few words of comfort instead.

"Of course it's allowed. I'm still an omega and you still have instincts. Just because that doesn't make me less of a person doesn't mean that you aren't allowed to still be an alpha. You're allowed basic respect and boundaries here, birdbrain."

"If it would make you more comfortable, Hawks, we can have one of the alphas come help you instead of me," Kurogiri offered as his comforting beta scent grew stronger. Hawks remained quiet for a moment before he replied.

"No, I think I'd prefer if it were just you and maybe another beta. Thank you. Really." Dabi couldn't tell exactly how Hawks was feeling, but his voice was thick with emotion regardless. He left the room with his meal, which was now room-temperature at best, and went straight to his room. If he had seen one of his other packmates, he may have felt the need to share and honestly, he really didn't want to. He was hungry; Hawks had bought him a meal. An alpha had brought him something to eat specifically. Regardless of the circumstances, that inner voice that reminded him of his omega status tugged at him. Had an alpha ever really courted him before? Certainly not so obviously. In traditional courting, alphas would feed and prove that they could provide for their perspective mates. Unless they were wealthy and trying to get into an arranged mating. Then they courted the omega's father, apparently. Dabi wouldn't waste much time gushing about the alpha, who probably wasn't even purposefully courting him. He ate until it felt like his stomach may burst, then he ate the last of his fries. It had been so long since he'd felt sufficiently full that he had caught himself almost letting out a purr. A purr. Over a pile of grease and carbs. Was he really that bad off?

By the time Dabi had come out of the basement and into the common area, he was greeted with the sight of the alpha passed out on their couch. Red wings were hanging over the sides of the couch while Hawks was lying on his stomach. The bare flesh of his torso was warm and smooth with a smattering of freckles. White bandages were wrapped around where he had been injured. Scars of various shapes, sizes,and origins were scattered across his body, which was very typical for his line of work. Unfortunately, they also made muscular shoulders even more alluring. Dabi tried not to be too disappointedto see that there were still clear patches covering the two glands on the sides of his neck.

Shigaraki's omega scent always reminded him of that old book smell. It was familiar and there was something strangely ancient about it. When the shorter omega approached him, Dabi was fully expecting to do some explaining.

"Is Hawks your mate?" That was not the first question that Dabi was expecting from the other omega.

"What? No! If he were my fucking mate, you dont think I'd have told you that before bringing him into the pack?" Dabi growled at his leader.

"Don't growl at me, Dabi!" Shigaraki snapped as he stepped into Dabi's space, his scent growing stronger. Dabi knew his place and let out a huff. He broke eye contact and tilted his head in submission. Growling at Shigaraki was a good way for most people to get dusted. Shigaraki sighed. "The way you were oogling him was weird-" "I wasn't oogling!"

"You were so oogling at him! But I don't want you to mate with him. If you respect me as a pack leader, you wont let him claim you."

"Im already claimed, Shigs. He's not going to want anything to do with me anyway. Even if he did want me, i have more important matters to worry about. I never plan on mating an alpha again."

Shigaraki's red eyes narrowed as he analyzed Dabi's expression. "I dont care if you get mated or not. I just dont want you to mate with a hero. Our side or not. Promise you'll leave the bird alone? For me?"

Dabi nodded. "I promise. Im not into short alphas, anyway." Shigaraki snorted at him before he rubbed the scent gland on his wrist gently against Dabi's shoulder. Shigaraki was really the only person he'd even let do that much and still, it made Dabi shiver.

"Now, come on. The rest of the pack is upstairs. Sensei says that a strong pack is built on the bonds of oth pain and pleasure. So we're having a game night. I think Twice bought Toga some of that strawberry flavored vodka, so we'll have to make sure she doesn't puke. Fucking jackass. I told him already that I dont like her drinking until she's at least 18. Theres a functional bar in here and if some good Samaritan sees an obviously underage girl getting trashed it can really fuck us over!"

Hawks was gone by the time Dabi woke up in the morning. Still, the cuckoo had laid its egg.

Notes:

Thanks for reading!
As I plan out the rest of this fic, I'm starting to realize that this story is starting to get pretty dark. Im planning on starting to include trigger warnings at the start of each chapter so please be on the lookout for those and remember to prioritize your mental health and wellbeing <3

Chapter 3: Hormones and Gasoline

Summary:

Like gasoline on an open flame, Dabi's soul burns brighter than ever. Brighter than is sustainable.

Notes:

Content Warning:
The Following Chapter Contains Sexually Explicit Material
Medical Trauma and Neglect
Mentions of Rape
Mentions of Suicide/Idealization of Dying

The smokey scent of burnt marshmallow heat pheromones filled the air as Dabi let out a miserable moan. He hated his heats. They were painful, sweaty and a sensory nightmare. If he could change his dynamic and live the rest of his life out as a beta, he would do so happily just to never experience the Hell that was his heat. Even worse, he knew that his pack would be worried about him. Last time he had a heat, Twice had ended up being half feral. It was always worse when it was Dabi who went into heat. His cycles were irregular to say the least. While the average male omega with his biology had a heat about every six months, Dabi would either get four in one year or none in a year.

Dabi never really remembered much of his heats. With a claim mark still in his neck and no alpha to really spend his heat with, his hormones were six different ways out of whack. The worst part was that this time he couldn't seem to stop thinking about a certain hero. Hawks probably smelled musky and strong and without any warning, Dabi's brain kept picture how good it'd be for those sharp canines to puncture his other scent gland. How good it'd feel to have them nip at his thighs. A red tongue lapping up his slick straight from the source before fucking into him. In and out. Eventually, Hawks would mount him and Dabi could just see that freckled skin glistening with sweat. Feel the desire in Hawks's kiss as that same tongue broke down his walls and explored every centimeter of him.

Dabi's fingers werent enough. They were never enough.

The cheap bedsheet that he clung to wasnt a nest, he didn't deserve a nest. He didnt deserve to even bw alive, wearing someone else's skin like a monster. How could he ever even call himself an omega when he was so ugly, so sickly looking, so abrasive, and immature. He couldn't even have pups, could he?

Dabi's heats were usually filled with insecurities eating away at his already fucked up mind, but they were particularly bad this time around. If he wasn't careful, he'd be going into a pretty bad Drop soon.

Drops were a medical condition that could be deadly if left untreated. While they looked very different for each dynamic, they were essentially the same thing. An overload of the stress hormone during a crucial part of someone's cycle could lead to the body going into panic mode. This was why alphas raped, killed, and cannibalized during their ruts if they werent careful. The condition was rare these days due to its reputation for killing omegas and the fact that schools would educate pups as young as 10 years old on how to prevent them. For omegas, it was a miserable and painful way to die. Their body would essentially shut down amd they wouldn't be able to eat. Without comfort, nesting, and scents, an omega's body might just break down on itself and stop digestion entirely. It was also painful since the hunger cramps would lead to an omega throwing up bile until they would literally pass out or die from their stomach acid burning the esophagus. Dabi didnt know how he had managed to avoid a Drop for so long. Maybe spite. Maybe he just needed to keep moving until he killed his mate. Either way, his inner omega was tired. He just wanted to sleep.

Dabi had no idea how long he'd been in heat when Twice finally broke down the door in a panic. Upon seeing the state he was in, the alpha had ended up holding Dabi against his chest and yelling for help. Dabi didn't care. He was just happy to be held by someone even if he really didnt deserve it.

His throat was burning. His limbs were weak, his scent disgusting and sour like spoiled milk and burning plastic. He was disgusting. Just a lump of used flesh that was only good for an alpha to fuck. He wasnt a virgin, and he wasn't pretty, or good at running a household, or pregnant with an alpha's sons, or even sweet enough to make up for any of it. His mate should've killed him the day he raped him, but no. Touya couldn't even die right, he had to go out the hard way that inconvenienced everyone else around him. If he had access to a gun, a bullet wouldve made this whole process much smoother. Harder to clean up, but smoother.

The strangely comforting scent of honey mixed with fresh jalapeños flooded Dabi's senses as Twice rubbed his back. He leaned against the older man with a sigh. There was some distant yelling as Mr Compress joined the room. Even through the haze of his hormones going haywire, Dabi still picked up on that smooth, chocolate-y scent spiking with fear like a shot of cheaper bourbon than you originally ordered. More scents joined the chaos as Dabi started to get overwhelmed. There was Toga's sweet cherry blossom scent as she paused in the doorway, likely unsure of what to do. Omegas didnt just casually go into drops like this and Toga was still so young. Tomura barked something at someone and his ancient library scent was quick to join Twice's hot honey as Tomura rubbed his cheek against Dabi's hair. Spinner's scent was mild and not dissimilar to freshly cut grass. Even Magne's scent of vanilla and coffee joined the room. His whole pack was here, worried about him.

He didnt deserve their care. All anybody had was their pack and logically, Dabi knew that his drop was scary. Their instincts were probably screaming at them all to protect their pack omegas. But Dabi didnt want their protection. He wanted natural selection to finish the job and take him out before he could do any more damage. Before the pain could grow any bigger.

There was arguing and growling amongst the pack as Twice's grip became bruising. Too bad his scar tissue would likely cover most of the bruises. Touya had never been the type of omega that people believed about anything anyway.

His pack didnt leave his side for the rest of his heat. They would take turns scenting him, holding him, kissing the top of his head as if he were something fragile. As if he had worth. Twice stayed with him the longest, even spending the night holding Dabi sweetly against him.

"You know," Twice's voice was raspy and Dabi was just beginning to gain the ability to focus again. "My mother died of a drop like this. She was a good woman. A fucking bitch. My father," he spoke the word as if it were a slur. Maybe it was one.

"He wasnt the best alpha around. He was a great man! Back in the day, he'd throw stuff at me. Blame me for my mama getting fat and ugly. He was all teeth and growls and violence. What a guy! But Ill never forget that scent of when she first fell into depression. Everything about her was dull. When she dropped, there wasnt anything I could've done. I should've done more."

Twice was crying. It took Dabi a moment to realize that. The salty wetness that occasionally dripped onto the top of his head was shocking. Dabi had never seen a grown man cry like this before, not one in his 30s like Twice was. A fist of grief tightly grabbed ahold of his cold heart, fueled by a fire that burned too bright.

"So when I realized that it was a drop I was smelling from your room..." A sob. Blood welled up from the corners of Dabi's eyes where his tear ducts used to be. It was a stinging pain, but it was the first real thing that had gotten through to him since his drop had initially started. "God, Dabi. I was so scared that you were gonna die, too. I dont care. Im a terrible protector, aren't I? Couldn't even save my own mother from herself. Im sorry I barged in, but I dont think i could've lived with myself if I let two of my omegas die of a drop of all things. I know that theyre miserable for you guys. You like it!"

"I..." Dabi's throat was so sore. He had stopped vomiting after his packmates had started scenting him. The Drop wasnt far enough along to kill him. Nothing ever finished the job, but right now Dabi couldn't bring himself to be all that upset over being alive. His death wouldve been a domino effect. Twice would not have survived the emotional toll. That idea alone was devastating. "Im sorry I worried you so much." Was he shaking? When did that happen? Twice squeezed him tighter.

"No! You should be sorry! Its our fault as your packmates. We failed you, Dabi. It was so obvious that you've been depressed, but so many of us have our own mental health issues going on that it clouded our judgment. We're all fine, this is really your own fault, kid."

For the first time in a long time, there was another reason for Dabi to keep fighting. He'd always loved his pack, but knowing how badly this society had treated each and every one of them was the gasoline that Dabi's flame needed.

He was so used to being fueled by pure rage that he didnt think there was anything else that his engine would take. It was either be angry or be dead. Society taught alphas that being anything but invincible emotionally was weak and that it was their fault if their loved ones perished. It wasn't fair to the good guys like Twice who just wanted to have a happy family. Even Hawks seemed to catch some slack from this mentality. He hadn't wanted anybody to see that he was in pain, much less was he happy about having to accept help. So much so that Dabi had left the room for him. At first, Dabi had assumed it was because Hawks was sexually attracted to omegas and it wouldn't felt wrong to have one around while he was naked. No, it was because Hawks had never been allowed to be anything but a hard outer shell around omegas. Omegas were weak and looked to alphas for protection and guidance. Having an omega see him vulnerable must have been humiliating, even if it was just Dabi. Even if he was joining their cause and believed in equality among dynamics. Centuries of social conditioning didnt go away in a single generation. The only way to make society understand was to show them all what a strong omega was capable of. Dabi had to kill Endeavor. Tomura had to kill All Might. It had to be public.

Dabi's drop had lasted nearly two weeks according to Twice. In his absence, Spinner had handled the meeting with Hawks and even Shigaraki had seemed to stick closer to Dabi. He wasnt out pf the woods yet. A Drop was a serious condition that could take months to fully recover from, but honestly, Dabi didn't care. He had a plan. Kill Endeavor, make a show of it, and then die. Gasoline burned hot enough, but only for a short while. As soon as he could handle his scent just enough to hide the hormonal Hell his body was going through, Dabi was insistent on going back to work. One day, he pulled Tomura aside and explained his situation. Dabi was running out of time.

"Im going to kill Endeavor," he'd said. "In one week. I dont have enough time for your PFL or PLF or whatever to be ready."

Understanding flashed across his leader's face as he nodded solemnly. It was a nice night out, the stars were shining and the moon was half-full. For the first time, Tomura offered him a cigarette. Dabi hummed as the sweet taste of nicotine filled his lungs. Then he offered to light Tomura's death stick as well.

"You ever wonder why the stars are so bright, Dabi?" Blue eyes appeared almost bored as the omega tilted his head. "Its because most of them have already burned up. Their legacy is what we're witnessing tonight. These stars have already died and taken down entire solar systems millions of light-years aways. But they still leave an impact. They're dead, but their sacrifices still light up the night's sky for us. Your sacrifice will light up the sky for generations of omegas. You'll be burned out, but they'll still see you. They'll know your name. That's really all any of us want, huh? To be seen. For our names to be known."

"I want to be equal to knotheaded alphas who think they have the right to treat us as objects."

"They have to see you before that can happen, Dabi. Make sure it's the last thing they ever see."

With that, Tomura stomped out his cigarette and left Dabi alone on the rooftop of their run down bar. Dabi looked back out at the myriad of stars that shone and watched smoke vanish into the air. As long as dead stars lit up the night sky, Dabi could never be truly alone. Death didn't have to truly be an ending.

Notes:

Thank you for reading!
Ngl I was struggling big time with the pacing of this fic. I've been worried that there was not enough build-up of the league's relationship to each other and to Hawks. I hope the content warning at the start of the chapter were helpful as well!
Have a great day/night and I hope to be posting the next chapter soon!

Chapter 4: Betrayal and Early Cremation

Summary:

Even the brightest stars will eventually burn out into nothing.

Notes:

This chapter contains the following:
Graphic Depictions of Violence
Character Death
Suicidal Idealization

Dabi could not tell if he liked having Twice so clingy as of late. Since his drop, the alpha had been keeping a close eye on him. It was annoying at best, downright infuriating at worst. While he could appreciate that Twice was just trying to make sure that he was alright after his Drop, it was, quite literally, more attention than his biological mother had even given her babies. It was annoying. Overwhelming. Smothering. And Dabi could not afford to let his fire be snuffed out right now.

"Quit hovering! I don't need you to baby me," Dabi snapped as Twice insisted that he finish the breakfast that he'd brought him.

"Dabi, you just underwent a Drop! You're totally fine. You need to finish your meal. The protein will help you feel better," Twice lectured him. Dabi rolled his eyes.

"Since when am I your pup? Im killing Endeavor in two days. There's no time for dinner."

"Then you need to be eating as much as you can stomach. Starve. How are you supposed to burn if your fire has no fuel? I still think you're jumping the gun on this one. You need to heal. You're totally fine;this is a great idea!" Twice's pout was annoying to see on a full grown adult. Dabi wanted to snap his teeth at him.

"I'm fine, old man!" He snapped and part of him immediately regretted it once he saw the look on Twice's face. The way his eyes held this deep sadness had never been lost on Dabi, but damn. It did not feel good to know that he was the cause of that expression. Still, it was annoying that the older man had chosen now to pester him about his wellbeing.

"I'm just worried about you is all. I don't care." His tone was thick with a heavy sadness that made Dabi's heart grow tight. Ever since his Drop, Dabi had found himself really starting to care about the blond man's options.

"I know. But you don't have to be. Anything that happens to me is just the price of finally being seen. Stars burn out, you know." Dabi couldn't believe that he was saying any of this aloud, but he couldn't stop his lips from moving either. "Endeavor's sins need to be publicized. People deserve to know the type of people that they support when they idolize heroes."

"Endeavor's your mate, isn't he?"

"No. He's my father."

It was the first time that Dabi had told any of his pack mates the truth. He never directly lied about his lineage, but nobody had ever asked him so directly before. Twice has swarm his secrecy and gently kissed his forehead before finally leaving his bedroom.

Why did Dabi feel so soothed by Twice's gentle lips against his too-warm skin? His comforting scent clung to him like a bait shrimp on a hook. He didnt bother to do anything about the scent that was left on him. Instead, he let it mix with his own, smokey scent. It was pleasant. Comforting.

Dabi had noticed the way that Hawks's shoulders tensed at the meeting tonight. By now, Hawks was attending the more important meetings regularly and Dabi was still trying not to wonder what the bird brained alpha smelled like under all those chemicals. Tonight, something was going to happen. Dabi could tell by the way that Tomura's scent had soured with rage upon entering.

"There's a traitor in our midst."

What happened next was a blur. Hawks had reacted before he was even properly accused. Dabi was too late. Red feathers hid blood like an alpha hid his shame. His pray had stood no chance against a predator so hungry.

Dabi hadn't even had time to process whose blood was spilled before he was practically setting the warehouse that hosted their meetings ablaze. He had relished in the scent of burning feathers as if he were finally pulling a turkey out of the over for family dinner. There was no time for mourning. No time for a funeral. Any time to gather his angry and grief to use as kindling as Dabi wasted too much of his strength trying to catch a rat with wings. A rat that used to have wings.

Grief made for excellent fire kindling. Dabi was suddenly glad that he had never bothered to wash off Twice's scent. It was a scent that clung stubbornly to fabric. Even knowing that he would likely be joining his packmate soon, Dabi found himself numb. While Toga had screamed and sobbed, Dabi tried to focus on taking it all out on Endeavor.

When he found his Drop symptoms coming back, Dabi found himself glad that he had already moved up his showdown with Endeavor. Ultimately, he would be burning out anyway at this point. He just had to survive to make the news. Bringing Endeavor down with him was the whole point. Dabi was never going to survive this battle, but the thought of Twice waiting for him on the other side was shockingly comforting. Besides, he was already facing Hellfire anyway. How different could the real deal be?

Compress had been the one to post the video. His big, public reveal where he told the world everything. It would quickly go viral and severely, permanently, damage Endeavor's reputation. But first, Dabi had to die.

The collateral damage of their show down alone had been enough to attract the attention of multiple media outlets. Dabi didnt care what nor who got burned to ash during their fight. Just that the cameras were on him. By the end of it, everyone would know the sins of his father. Everyone would know that Dabi was Touya Todoroki, disappointment omega son of Enji Todoroki and slayer of Endeavor himself.

Of course, he had never planned for his Drop scent to be so strong, nor for his father to start crying the moment he recognized Dabi as his own pup. The pain of his remaining flesh burning was both expected and blinding. He didnt care anymore. Dabi had already lasted long enough in a fight against Endeavor to make his point. Killing his father was the only thing that mattered in this moment. The fight was an emotionally devastating one that would spark all kinda of controversy and raise doubt in the current hero society. Dabi's death would mean something.

Meaning was not a very potent painkiller, however. Dabi burned out far sooner than he had initially hoped to, every one of his nerves screaming in intense pain until all he could do was lay there and feel the remains of his body crumble into ash. His vision was blurry. He could smell nothing but rotting flesh. Endeavor was still alive.

The look of absolute horror on his face when Dabi had revealed his identity to the world had been satisfying for a little bit. But Dabi wanted to finish his meal. He wanted to watch Endeavor suffer like his son had. It was a disappointing death that happened too quickly. It was taking too long. He couldn't move and black spots slowly started to take over his vision. At least he was pretty sure that he'd gotten a few good hits on his father before he collapsed. There were cameras on them, too.

His body seized as Dabi's pain finally ended and he could've sworn that the stars were fully visible despite the sun's glare.

Was there even anything left of him?

Notes:

This story is not over. The sun isnt destroyed every time it sets.

Thank you for reading and please get some sleep if you're reading this at midnight.