Chapter Text
The build up to getting Akari Miyahara to where she is now required much more distress than she would’ve liked. Nonetheless, Akari persevered.
Her hidden spot on the rooftop, just far enough to be undetected by the bustling city, but close enough to make out the tiny figures of those below her, allows her a birds eye view of the fight about to occur. The cool air stings her eyes as they search the alley a few blocks down. A hero, dressed in white, is slowly getting cornered.
Poor hero, Akari thinks. For she knows this brawl won’t end in the speed hero’s favor.
“You’re too close to the edge.” Akari ignores her friend’s warning, rolling her eyes with annoyance.
“No one’s going to see me.” She glances over her shoulder, casting him with a glare. “If anyone gets us caught, it's you with those damn flames.”
Dabi’s flames wither down to nothing, although he scoffs at the girl’s words. “It's on you now. I don’t want Shigaraki to yell my ear off because you were an idiot.”
That earns another eye roll.
Akari turns her head, her dirty blonde locks falling over her shoulder. Her brown eyes narrow in on the fight she’s already missed half of. As she guessed, things are turning out poorly for the hero. She can’t recall his name nor his ranking, but that’s not why she’s here anyway. Akari’s focus flicks away from the hero, who’s desperately trying to put up a fight. But he’s no match for the long, sharp blade cutting through the air. It makes contact with his leg, causing a loud shrill to surge from his mouth. Soon after, the hero freezes when his blood makes contact with the villain’s tongue.
Hero Killer Stain comes on top again.
Dabi sighs. He’s inched closer to the edge, watching the end of the fight play out. His lips curl into a sinister smile but his eyes show no sparkle. “I thought he would’ve lasted longer.”
Akari glances at him before continuing to watch the killer. “Me too.” A pause. “I bet Shigaraki will be pleased though.”
Dabi snorts, leaning away from the edge. He tugs Akari back as well by her collar, causing the young girl to jerk from his grasp. “You’re too close, idiot.” His words hold no malice, just something closer to concern.
Akari sticks her tongue out at him but doesn’t move back. She leans back on her elbows, the rubble on the concrete cutting into her skin. Her head falls back, and she studies the dark sky. Faded stars are the only thing visible as she stares up, watching them twinkle. Her mind wanders as the silence is occupied by the mindless mumbling from Dabi and the city’s restless chatter. She zones it out after a moment. Breathing in the cool air, Akari recalls a similar night from nearly a year ago.
Akari breathes in deeply, the cold air burning her throat and then lungs as she gulps it down. Her head sticks out from the old and abandoned warehouse she and Dabi made their home for the past month. From inside, Dabi watches her from the corner of his eye, making sure she doesn’t stumble and fall ten stories down.
Akari squeezes her eyes shut and inhales deeply again. The crisp air almost reminds her of her old house in the countryside. When she ignores everything else around her, it almost is.
“Don’t fall,” Dabi mutters under his breath.
Akari’s eyes peel open, finding the boy with the blue flames. She grins cheekily before pulling herself back inside. She shifts away from the tall opening, obliging to Dabi’s concern.
“Aw,” she teases. “You do care, huh?”
Dabi scoffs and looks away. “Do not.”
Akari giggles and walks closer. She nudges him lazily with her shoulder. Dabi retaliates by swatting her away. The two bicker and tease each other for a bit longer.
When Akari looks at Dabi, she sees the brother and protector she’s never had.
When Dabi looks at Akari, he sees his younger sister he pretends Akari is.
“Hey,” Dabi suddenly says. Akari stops swatting at him when his tone shifts. “Tomorrow, I have to take care of something.”
Her brows knit closely together. Her face scrunches into a look of confusion. “What do you mean?”
Dabi sighs. “I just gotta do something.”
“Can I come with?”
“I’d rather you stay here.” Dabi shakes his head slowly.
Akari pouts, her lips curling downwards. “What are you doing anyways?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
Akari is pulled from her thoughts when something hard and rough kicks her in the side. She groans and pushes herself up to see Dabi’s foot still hovering by her stomach. “What the fuck?” she hisses.
“Let’s go, sleepyhead,” Dabi mutters. He pushes himself off the wall and extends his arms above his head. Stretching his long limbs, Dabi exhales loudly and gestures with his chin for Akari to hurry up. “Shigaraki is probably wondering where we are.”
Akari pulls herself to her feet before brushing off her backside. Some debris still clings to her clothing, but for the most part it's gone. The teenager follows closely behind Dabi as they disappear into the darkness.
Akari isn’t surprised to find the exterior of the building they enter quiet and dark. It is, after all, meant to be abandoned. What kind of deserted building has lights on?
The fifteen year old skips up the steps to the warehouse. She tries to open the door, failing to enter as its padlocked shut.
“Why do you always try the door?” Dabi asks incredulously. “We always lock it.”
She shrugs. “I don’t know.”
The two don’t speak again as Dabi shoves the side window open. He squeezes himself through the small opening headfirst. Akari follows close behind him, getting through much quicker and easier, considering she’s smaller.
Akari tumbles through the gap, hitting the floor. She yelps when her head bangs against the hard wood. “Can’t we find another way to get in and out of here?” she moans, rubbing her head.
Dabi ignores her whining and starts down the hall. Akari quickly scrambles to her feet and follows after. The whole dark and empty place has always creeped her out. The two navigate through the quiet place, moving through hallways until the sound of chatter finally reaches their ears. Under the door of the last room down the hall, light creeps through. Akari walks past Dabi, who’s walking at an annoyingly slow pace, and wraps three times on the door. Before anyone would have any time to react to the sound, she burst through the door, a grin already woven on her face.
Her companion’s eyes snap to her, all of them quickly reacting. They relax easily when they see their friends’ familiar faces.
“Hiya.” Akari twirls before flopping down on a bean bag Twice is already lounged on. “Miss me?”
“Of course!” Twice cheers.
“Absolutely not,” his other side counters.
Akari just grins and steals a piece of candy from the bag in Twice’s lap. Dabi finally saunters into the room, slamming the door behind him. His blue eyes flick around the room, hovering on Akari for only a second. He glances at Shigaraki, who's hunched over a bar stool. The leader scratches vigorously at his neck, the noise irritating Dabi.
“Care to fill us in?” Shigaraki demands.
Dabi rolls his eyes and finds an empty wall to lean against. He shrugs and nods to Akari. “Ask her.”
Akari sits up when all eyes turn to her. Toga tilts her head, studying her close friend. Even Kurogiri seems interested in what she has to say.
“He’s good,” she says simply.
That earns a collective groan and scoff from the group. Akari responds to their annoyance with a shrug and defensive words.
“Come on,” Spinner finally says. “Tell us what you saw. How does he fight?”
“Does he use knives?” Toga asks, eyes gleaming at the thought. Akari glances unsurely at the bloodthirsty girl. She still hasn’t wrapped her head around the fact that Toga is nearly two years older than she is.
“He’s quick,” Akari replies. “In and out before cops or heroes show up. Although he does like to give some sort of monologue before he actually starts to fight.”
Shigaraki sits up, his head turning to Akari. “So, he’s good enough?”
Akari nods and bites into another piece of sour candy. “Yeah. He could be a good fit. Him and Toga could be a pair.”
Toga’s eyes sparkle as the words leave Akari’s mouth. The girl grins and fiddles with one of her blades again. Mr. Compress clears his throat from his spot in the room. Everyone looks at him curiously. He really only talks when he has something important to give to the discussion. Other than that, he just listens in.
“And we’re sure this hero killer,” the words leave his mouth like venom, “isn’t a psycho who’ll only ruin what we’ve built?”
Akari blinks, a little dumbfounded by his question. Her brown eyes flick to Dabi who’s distracted by the blue flames dancing on his hand and wrist to even notice her prying eyes. Shigaraki’s voice drifts her gaze away before Dabi can look up.
“He’s not in the League yet,” Shigaraki reminds them all. “Thursday is his interview. Then we’ll decide if we want to keep him or use him as target practice.”
The rest of them nod and hum in agreement, understanding Shigaraki’s point. But Akari’s brows knit further together, and she leans forwards more.
“Wait, Thursday?” she asks. When she receives a nod, Akari shakes her head. “But that’s only three days away. How’re we supposed to track his movements by then?”
“You’ll figure it out.” Shigaraki’s cold eyes meet hers. “I wouldn’t have recruited you if you couldn’t.”