“C..could you repeat that, please?” I stammered; pressing my phone harder against my ear, as though it would help me.
“You heard me, Tenderfoot…” Dabi growled; his voice crackly in the receiver. “We're doing something tonight, so be ready by half eight.” I peered over to Amajiki, who was a few feet ahead of me with his head down. We were on patrol, and I didn't want him to ask any questions.
"Sure...I can do that! Usual place?" I kept my voice low, but my body was quickly filling with excitement.
"What? Your fucking bedroom? Yeah, sure...whatever..." He hung up without another word, and I found myself holding my phone to my chest.

He wants to see me?!

"Who were you talking to..?" I nearly leapt out of my skin when Amajiki spoke; having dropped back to walk by my side. I waved him off in a fluster; shoving my phone into my belt pocket and smiling.
"Just an old friend!" I waved him off casually as I scanned the area, hoping for some kind of distraction. I hated lying to my closest friend, but there wasn't much I could do about it. "It's been boring lately..."
"Good...I don't want you getting hurt again..." He mumbled under his breath, and I pouted.
"That was one time! I'm not made of glass..." I whined; tugging on his ivory cape. He stopped walking and hunched his shoulders; lips pursed tight.
"B..but...I was the one that found you like...that...Y..you were barely breathing..." The tips of his pointed ears began to quiver a little, and I scrunched his cape a little tighter. "...C..can you b..blame me for being p..pro...tective of you, (Y/N)..?"

Holy moly ravioli, this boy is gonna send me on a feels trip!

"KIKI!" I wailed; yanking him backwards into a constricting hug. "I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, YOU PRECIOUS LITTLE SASUKE ELF! WAAAAAAAH!" He made an array of pitiful squeaks as I nearly suffocated him, but he didn't try to squirm away.
"Y..yeah...m..me too..." He whispered softly. "A..actually...(Y..Y/N)...I-"

"STOP! TH..THEIVES!" A loud screech sounded out from down the street, and we both sprung into action.  It had come from the shooting range; the one with high security that only licensed lawmen and artillery-wielding heroes like Snipe were permitted to use. The alarms were blaring, and I skidded to a halt the second I laid eyes on the perpetrators. I couldn't mistake the gas mask-clad boy, nor the scaly reptilian skin that was glinting beneath an oversized red scarf.

S..Spinner?! A..and Mustard?!

"Shit! Are they Pros?!" I heard the younger boy call out as Spinner hurled a filled sack into the back of what looked to be a delivery van. The Stain-wannabe gave us a quick look-over before scoffing; rolling his eyes.
"Nah, they look like kids! Hurry the fuck up before they call the real pigs!"  I didn't know what to do. I was supposed to be a hero in training, but I was also supposed to be helping the League. Spinner was a pretty rude man, but Mustard was just a kid. How could I fight against a thirteen year old boy who called me at two o'clock in the morning asking if I wanted to play twenty questions? Just because he was bored and nobody else in the league wanted to chill with a kid?

I'm a hero first...

"CALL FATGUM! I'M ON IT!" I ordered Amajiki, who attempted to grab me by the collar.
"W..wait! D..don't be reckless!" It was too late. I was already rushing towards them; body bending and morphing into that of a Jaguar. Visibly terrified, the pair of villains leapt into the van; Spinner in the front, and Mustard hopping into the back as he reached to close the doors as they hooked out into the street.

Come on come on come on! A little faster..!

When I made the jump, I honestly thought that the extra three breakfast burritos I had that morning would drag me down onto the bitumen, but somehow, I managed to land in the vehicle. The doors slammed behind me, and I heard Amajiki calling my name over Mustard's high pitched squeal. Baring my teeth, I growled at the young villain, who scrambled to reach into the sack and pull out...

...a gun?!

"I..I'LL FUCKING SHOOT YOU, Y..YOU FUCKING BITCH!" He barked; cocking the bolt handle. Immediately; not just fearing for my own life, I reverted back to my true form.
"W..wait! It's me, Hisoka! Just me!" I snatched the mask from my face and held my hands up. "See? It's (Y/N)!" Mustard lowered the gun and yanked the gas mask away, revealing pale, messy brown hair and wide eyes.
"I..I thought you could only turn into a cat..." He murmured; dropping the gun back into the bag as though it would poison him.
"No...Mammals...All mammals..." I admitted; wincing as we turned a sharp corner, which resulted in my shoulder smacking into the wall. "What are you two doing?! Guns?!" Mustard crawled closer; trying to keep himself steady.
"Shigs told us to...For the next move..." He said worriedly. His face was contorted into a frown, and I hated it. He was too young for all of this, no matter how he viewed the world.
"You don't wanna kill people...do you, Hisoka..?" I asked softly as I placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"N..not exactly...but...Stain's ideals...they're perfect! Like...no quirk bias...no getting kicked to the dirt by cocky heroes..! Uh...no offence..." He paused as we swerved again; this time banging his fist against the barrier between the cab and the back. "SPINNER, YOU FUCKING CUCK! QUIT IT! I'M TRYNA TALK TO (Y/N)!"
"THE FUCK YOU MEAN?! THAT CUNT WAS HER?! FUCK IT, DOESN'T MATTER! WE GOT CONPANY AND I AIN'T GETTING NABBED!" Again, Mustard and I went flying across the steel flooring and crashed into the opposite wall.

Holy Hufflepuff, where did he learn to drive?! Wait...company means...

The sudden bang atop the van quickly snapped me back to my senses, and I realised that Amajiki had come after me. Grabbing Mustard by the hand, I squeezed it tight.
"Look...I know this is going against everything I stand for...but...I'm gonna get you to out of this, okay?" I said in a hushed voice. "First, you gotta ask Spi-"

*CRASH!*

The sound of glass shattering didn't have much time to reach our ears before we were tumbled around like Yahtzee dice.
"You gotta ask him if it's just one hero!" I finished my sentence, and, despite being panicked, Mustard banged on the divider again.
"H..HOW MANY A..ARE THERE?!"

"JUST...FUCK!...ONE FUCKING...SHIT!...TENTACLE BITCH...ARGH!" Spinner screamed back; a serious struggle apparent. "HENTAI SHOULD STAY ON THE FUCKING NET, DAMMIT!" Racking my brain, I glanced towards the doors, then back to Mustard. I didn't want to ask him to do it, but it was all I could think of under so much pressure.
"I...need you to throw me out the back of the van..." I said firmly; clenching my teeth as the poor boy looked at me as if I were insane.
"Wh..what?! Y..you'll die!" He yelled; shaking his head frantically. "I'm not gonna yeet you out of a fucking car chase! Dabi would fucking fry me!"

Dabi...wouldn't do that...over me...

"Look, Hisoka..." I had him by both shoulders now, and I forced him to look me in the eyes. "I won't die! We haven't played Overwatch together yet, like I promised!" I gave him a small smile, and he blinked at me with a glistening waterline.
"Y..you'll pick M..Mercy, r..right..? B..be my support..?" He asked hopefully, and I forced my smile to widen.
"I'll always be your support!" I turned him towards the doors. "Now...yeet my butt out of those doors, Hiso!" The boy was on the verge of tears as we carefully shuffled closer to the back of the van, and I closed my eyes; preparing myself for a lot of pain.
"I..I'm gonna open the doors now..." Mustard murmured, and I nodded; not letting him see how scared I was.
"When you do, I'll call out to Suneater...then on the count of four...you throw me as hard as you can. I'll kick off, just so I don't like, you know, end up under the wheel or something!" I laughed nervously; already sweating. I certainly was stupid, that was for sure. Dabi's words had been true, after all. The wind rushed in and licked at our faces when the doors clanged open, and I took a deep breath.

Sorry, Tamaki...

"T..TAMAKI! HELP ME!" My panic was real as I gave Mustard one final look. The last thing I saw was his lips faintly mouthing the words 'I'm sorry' before I was mid-air.
"(Y/N)!" Everything was passing by in slow motion, just like a scene from an action movie. The smoke created by the vans screeching tires; the blur of worried spectators pointing and crying out. For a few lingering moments, everything was peaceful. Right before I hit the ground, I transformed. I don't know why I chose to morph into a hedgehog, but I found myself internally screaming as I bounced and rolled down the road until I veered off into the gutter. My quirk gave out only seconds after I stopped moving, and everything hurt.
"Fffffffffffudge..." I cussed in my own conservative way as my ears rang like church bells.
"(Y/N)! C..crap..!" I felt someone take me in their arms, and that familiar ivory material was wrapped around me. "I..I'll call an ambulance! A..and Fatgum! A..and...and your p..parents!" Amajiki rambled; holding me close to his chest as I just groaned. My left wrist was hurting so bad, I'd gladly donate it to Toga for carving practice. I could feel my road rash stinging and burning, and my neck was throbbing. I was alive, though.

At least you two got away...heh...ow...

---------------------------------------------------

*7 Hours Later - 7:13pm*

"Are you sure you don't want something to eat? Pizza? Yakitori? Ice cream sundae with sprinkles and whipped cream?" Fatgum had insisted upon walking me home. He had had quite the trouble forcing Amajiki to go back out on patrol once I had been taken to the hospital. I loved his company, but there was only so much either of us could take of a sobbing, snotty-nosed elf boy.
"I'm positive, Gummy. Thank you, though!" I smiled; flinching as I knocked my wrist. It hadn't fractured, but there was some damage. A few smooches from Recovery Girl, and all I was left with was a few unsightly grazes to my skin and a day to let my wrist heal up. The sling was already annoying me, but I didn't complain out loud. "I'm sorry for being so much trouble..." The rounded hero uttered a hearty chuckle; patting me on the head with his huge hand. I barely even came up to the man's hip.
"Being brave is nothing to apologise for, my girl! It was reckless, but some of the greatest heroes are!"

But...they didn't do reckless things to save the bad guys...

"Ya know, I reckon our lil' Suneater has a thing for you!" Fatgum announced out of the blue, nearly making me trip and fall flat on my face.
"E..eeeehhh?!" My owlish blinks made him snicker, and he looked ahead into the dimly lit street.
"He's always talking about you when you ain't there, kiddo! (Y/N) this and (Y/N) that...I mean, when he actually talks, that is!" He explained cheerfully, and I felt my face heat up.
"N..no way! I mean...we're best friends! I'm totally too loud and excitable to be his type..." I trailed off into a murmur; unsure of my own argument. "B..besides...I already like someone..."
"Spill! Who?! I love Tamaki dearly and think you two would be cute, but I need this information! Who's the lucky fella?!" His excitement was a little overwhelming, but I couldn't help but smile a little.
"Well...He's tall...Pretty thin...He has dark hair and...these eyes..!" I could feel my chest swell with heat as I spoke about him. "They're like...a raging storm trapped inside of a raindrop! He's kind of a tsundere...but...he always looks out for me..."

I can't say anything else...I shouldn't have even said that...

"He sounds like a charming lad!" Fatgum said with a wide, cheesy grin. "He better not break your heart, or I'll sit on him!" We broke out into a fit of giggles, and before I knew it, we were out the front of my house.
"I'll see you next time, Gummy. Thanks for everything." I used my good arm to give him a hug; my cheek squishing into his jelly belly.
"Just take care of yourself, my girl! And call me Toyo! Calling me Gummy all the time makes me hungry!" He chuckled as he hugged me back. Grinning, I nodded and headed towards the door.
"Then, I'll see you later, Toyo!" After a happy wave, I entered my house and sighed. I could hear Karma and Nagisa barking from the backyard; having been tied up before my parents went to work that afternoon. Till late...again. Sighing, I trudged up towards my room and winced with each step; my muscles sore from the day.

Note to self...don't let teenaged villains throw me out of a moving car again...Mistakes were made...

I paused halfway up the stairs when I heard heavy footsteps from behind me. I turned around and came face to face with none other than Dabi, who didn't even utter a word before he picked me up like a child.
"Y..you're early..!" I squeaked out as he walked me back down the stairs to the living room. He used his foot to brush off the startling amount of candy wrappers before setting me down on the couch and seating himself in front of me on the coffee table.
"Do you have any idea of how fucking stupid you are?" He asked in a low, eerily calm voice, and I shrunk down into the plush of the cushions.
"I'm gonna go with...very..?" I laughed in a pitch that made me cringe. His ocean eyes narrowed before they travelled down to the sling holding my arm; pristine white bandaging covering my poor wrist.
"Why do you always have to be a fucking hero?" He asked rhetorically; scowling as he looked down on me. "The little prick is getting more training for the mission. The crocodile cunt blabbed about your fucking quirk to Fuckhands McMike, and now he wants to talk to you..." There was a short silence while I pondered his words.
"He already knows about my quirk, though?" I thought aloud; tilting my head, only to receive one hell of an eye roll.
"They didn't realise you could be dangerous, Tenderfoot..." Dabi said it in such a tone that even my obliviousness couldn't miss what he meant.
"Oh..." I swallowed; worries beginning to plague my mind.

Does this mean they'll want me to..?

"You also ruined my fucking plans, you moron..." He continued; moving from the table to the place beside me with an annoyed huff. "What I get for tryna be a nice fucking person, for once..." He looked agitated, and his knee bounced up and down as he snatched up the remote and unpaused whatever he had been watching on the television.
"I'm sorry..." I murmured, only getting a sharp grunt in return. The silence was only broken by the dull hum of the film on the screen, but I couldn't stop looking at his face. Scrunched up, concerned and somewhat...upset?

Now's as good a time as any...

"Dabi..." I spoke his chosen name, and he tilted his head towards me, but only a fraction. He kept his eyes glued to the movie. "...I'm...sorry for the other night...I...didn't mean to piss you off...and it was out of line...I just..." I was struggling to find the right words. How was I supposed to apologise for falling for him? For wanting to be close to him in a way that far surpassed friendship?
"It didn't piss me off." He replied with a sigh; his voice softer than it had been before. Shifting beside him, I looked down at my bare feet.
"But...you didn't come back..." He turned to me now, but I couldn't look at him. I didn't want the truth to stare me in the face.
"In what way does that mean I was pissed?" He started; lowering the volume of the TV just a smidgen. "You sucked my dick. Big deal. You going and getting yourself fucked up to save a gassy twerp and a walking handbag shits me off more..." I yelped in surprise when he reached out and pulled me down so I was laying with my head in his lap. He was so warm, and comfortable, despite being so thin.

"D..does that mean you care about me?" I asked curiously; hopefully, peeking up at him. The look he gave me didn't answer any questions, but behind his dark, patchwork scars, there was something soft.
"I...don't hate you as much as most people..." He grumbled; letting his arm flop over my stomach. My lips curled up into a tired smile, and I extended my good hand to touch the coarse skin across his jawline. He flinched, but he didn't pull away. That was a miracle within itself.
"Was this supposed to be a date?" I asked boldly, and that was when he batted my hand away.
"Fuck off."

"It was, wasn't it?"

"I'll burn you."

"You're so cute when you're grumpy!"

"I take it all back. I fucking hate your guts."

***Its 1am and ya bitch finally updated. Sorry for the wait - I had a few issues with ideas for this, plus I got distracted with my new Sero x Reader.
So, I freeballed with Mustard - I wanna see him as an innocent kid mixed up in the confusion of Stain's ideals...for now. I love him so much and I stan an underrated baby boy.

Also, considering holding a hero costume design contest thing? Idek? I wouldn't even know what to do for the winner lmao

Anyway, thanks for reading!***