***ALTERNATE POV***

"I know you're always an asshole...but what did those beans ever do to you?"

I winced as Dabi shot me a sharp, azure glare, throwing yet another can of off-brand baked beans into the cupboard.
"I don't remember asking you to help me." He muttered, finally relieving me by turning his head back over to the crate beside him. Returning my attention to my own box of non-perishables, I sighed.
"Believe me, I wouldn't be here if I hadn't been told to..."

I hope she's okay...

"You're like her damn puppy dog. It's gross." Dabi's voice was so bitter; much more than usual, and I squirmed atop my legs, shifting from kneeling to squatting.
"Yeah, well, so are you..." I grumbled, immediately regretting my decision when he lunged towards me, stopping only inches away, nearly causing me to fall flat on my ass.
"You aren't her boyfriend! What are you, like ten? Every time I've seen her lately she's had you tottering along behind her like some creepy shadow!"

He was seriously pissed, but I no longer felt entirely fearful. It was obvious what the problem was. He was insecure, and years of multiplayer gaming had my mouth more than prepared to tip him over into a state of pure fury, even if I didn't want to.

"I'm thirteen, so shut the fuck up. If I was older though, maybe she'd prefer me. At least I don't look like someone tried to Photoshop themselves into a leathery gimp suit and got tired half way through!" It took a lot more power than I thought it would take not to help when his palm ignited with blue flames, dangerously close to my masked face.

"You better quit fucking talking, unless you want me to boil your bitch-ass teenie-bopper face like an egg!" Teeth bared and eye twitching, Dabi was really ready for a fight. That should have been my cue to stop, but I was a kid. What did I know?
"Uh-uh-uh...Don't you remember what (Y/N) said? You can't be mean to me!" I tutted in my most innocent voice, already beginning to sweat.

I soon realised that I had made a big mistake, especially when Dabi's two-toned lips twitched upwards into a wonky, kind of extremely terrifying smirk.
"Sure I do. She said she'd bite me. It'll make for some sweet foreplay.  " My ears hadn't needed to hear that, nor did my imagination need to have the gall to picture something like that happening between the two of them.

"Oh ew! Gross! Don't talk about her like..!" I gagged, shoving his now flameless hand away. "(Y/N) isn't like that! She's too soft and sweet for that sicko porny shit!" I would have been lying to myself if I had said I hadn't had vague flashes of similar scenarios with the girl, but I always felt disgusting afterwards. She was family to me, not somebody I could ever do sexy stuff with.

Dabi scoffed, climbing to his feet, which I mimicked, still standing much shorter than him as he cracked his neck.
"Sure she is, kid." He clicked his tongue, glaring down his nose at me. "Just quit tailing her, otherwise I'll kill you. If you think I won't...you're much dumber than I thought. You've caused enough fucking trouble for her."

Trouble? When have I...Oh...

Of course. How could I have been so blind to it? It all made perfect sense now, as to why Dabi hated me so much. (Y/N) had sacrificed herself to the League to save me, and the way he saw things, I was the reason she was suffering.

"Do you really think I asked her to do that..? I told her not to! Even if it's shitty, what's done is done, so quit taking it out on me! She's my best friend, so you're gonna have to deal with that, you deep fried bag of deformed dicks!" Now I was equally as pissed, but my anger had nothing on Dabi's.

He had me by the scruff of the neck before I could even blink, causing me to choke out, my spittle splashing back at me as it sprayed against the inside of my mask.
"You better listen to me real good, you good for nothing, gassy little cunt! I'm busting my ass trying to figure out how to get her the hell away from this deep shit we got her into, but I'm having a real hard time with it when I have to deal with you breathing down the neck of my girl!"

Your girl, your girl...Even I'm mature enough to know a girl isn't a belonging...

"I..It'd probably be easier if you just got your dad involved, wouldn't it..?" I really needed to think before talking, but it was too late. Dabi's eyes narrowed, but I could see the walls building up before my own.
"What the fuck...are you talking about..?" He growled in question, tightening his grip on my collar.

"I did a little digging after I heard (Y/N) say your real name...Touya, right..? Todoroki Touya..?" Instead of the heat I had expected from my revelation, the air around us dropped to an almost freezing temperature, but that was likely due to my fear. Not only mine, but his, which he masked almost flawlessly with rage.

As he reeled his fist back, I watched the staples around his face buckle, focusing on them rather than the inevitable strike to the head I was about to receive.
"If you ever...ever...say that name again...I will fucking destroy you, you snivelling piece of shi-"

We both froze solid as a familiar face entered the room, pausing mid step as she took in our positions. Jaw tightening, (Y/N) heaved one of the longest sighs imaginable, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Honestly...This is the last thing I need right now..."

(Artwork by the AMAZING kyou_chann, aka salmonii_art on Instagram! Absolute angel and brilliant artist, so please give them some LOVE)

"...Put him down, Dabi..." It was only when she said that that I realised my feet hadn't been touching the ground. I skittered away from him the moment he complied with her wishes, straightening my clothing.
"I wasn't actually gonna hurt him..." Dabi mumbled sourly, crossing his arms across his chest. "What's wrong with you? What did that sick fuck do to you?"

It was really strange, seeing him go from one extreme to the other in the drop of a hat. His entire demeanor softened as he approached her, but she didn't seem all that eager to let him fawn over her after what she had just seen.
"He didn't...do anything..." She said quietly, looking down to the side when his hands came to hold her upper arms. "He just gave me a mission, and it sucks..."

A mission? I thought we were supposed to be laying low?

"It'll be fine. I'll just go with you." Dabi said surely, taking the hint and giving her a little space, if you could even call it that. My frown grew as (Y/N) shook her head, fluffy ears appearing atop her head onto to flatten against it.
"Apparently I have to do it on my own...using my quirk." She revealed, frustration laxing into gentler worry. "It might take days. I really don't know."

Dabi seemed to lose it again, but this time it was for all the right reasons. I felt exactly the same way as his fists clenched by his sides.
"It ain't happening, that's for fucking sure! You're not even back to normal after the last time!" Humming in agreement, I stepped forward.
"Yeah! He can't expect you to go off on your own like that! We don't even know where the hell we are!"

In mere minutes, Dabi and I had gone from enemies to allies, worry swelling as we watched the poor girl try to keep on a brave face.
"I'm sure it won't be too hard...He never said I had to use the predatory side of my quirk...so..." She trailed off, finally allowing Dabi to pull her into a one armed hug.
"I'll go and fucking roast his mangy ass, I swear to-"
"Don't bother...He isn't gonna change his mind. It's just a search mission, anyway. I have to find something a friend of his left somewhere around the district, or whatever you'd call this area..."

This isn't fair...

"If...you want Dabi to stay with you tonight, I..I can go sleep in the other room..." I offered, trying not to dwell on the fact that I had basically let the guy win.
"Actually..." (Y/N)'s arms moved up to curl around Dabi's slim torso, though she turned her tired gaze to me. "...I was going to ask if I could spend time with both of you tonight, because I might not see you two for a while...but after what I just walked in on..."

Dammit...

Dabi and I locked eyes; lenses, in my case, and a silent agreement was sealed between us. She needed us to get along, even if it was only for one evening, and both of us were willing to put our shit aside if it meant she'd be happy.
"What, that? We were just messing around!" I laughed, waving off her comment. "Did you really think we actually hated each other?"

"Yeah, what's with that, Tenderfoot? I may pick on the little shit, but I'd never actually hurt him..."

Was that a glint in his eye? I'm pretty sure that was a glint in his eye. I'm dead meat when she leaves...

Leaving one arm over (Y/N)'s shoulder, Dabi began to lead her out of the room, leaving me to race after them so I wouldn't get left behind.

"Gee...you guys really had me going there for a hot second..!"

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***Mustard needs to return to BNHA otherwise I'm suing.

Next Time: Nose to the ground***