After an age spent finding my composure, I went off in search for Dabi.

He wasn't where I had last seen him, loitering outside his room, nor was he in any of the typical populated areas. It was dark now, and the longer I looked, the more agitated I became.
"Beats me. He's probably in one of his moods, so he'll just be all cranky and try to pick a fight if you find him now." Toga sighed, her feet swinging back and forth as she hopped up to sit on the pool table. "You should just play with me instead!"

Yeah...I'd rather not become your sentient knife sheath...

Across the room, Hawks and Twice appeared to be having a very deep one on one, and I felt my throat tighten. My husband looked so normal, so at ease, but how could he after what he had done? Even so, I couldn't quite hate him for it. When the right time came about, I would bring it up, but not yet. We both had work to do.

"Maybe later, Himiko. I really have to get this message to him." I replied to the younger girl, turning to continue my fruitless hunt. On my way out, I caught Hawks' eye, and he tilted his head, silently asking me if I was okay. Insteading of nodding, I simply shrugged, tearing my gaze away and speeding up.

Just how much blood do you have on your hands..?

High and low, I searched, and I was about to call it quits. That was, until I came across a door that was labelled 'Security'. It was close to where the big hall was situated, in the lowest levels of the mansion, and I just knew he had to be in there. If he wasn't, then he must have evaporated.

Quietly opening the door, I had to squint due to the lighting. A giant wall of screens casted a technicolor glow over the room, as well as that unmistakable mop of ebony.
"Fuck off. I'm not in the mood." Dabi's greeting was nastier than I had ever heard him, but I didn't falter, moving inside and shutting the door behind me.

"It's me. Still want me to fuck off?" Normally, I'd lull my voice into something a little more suggestive, but not this time. I had to remember, he was dangerous, and he had already given me a warning.
"What do you want?" Though there was less bite, he still sounded venomous, so I remained with my back against the door.

"You, uh, told me to reheat those nuggets earlier...but Geten kind of mugged me in the kitchen..." It was a risk, giving him bad news, but I had to give him some kind of explanation. I couldn't see his face, but from what I could see from the back of him, he deflated a little.
"Right. Doesn't matter. Get out of here."

No way. If I can reach you in this state, I could get what I'm after...

Without looking, I clicked the lock on the door before slowly walking towards him, barely glancing at the footage on the screens around us.
"Are you alright?" Did I actually care? Not at all. Honestly, I hoped he was upset. Pained. Drowning in despair. A small taste of the constant cycle he had caused for me.

The office chair he sat on creaked as he leaned back, and I paused, ready to retreat if he made any sudden moves.
"Fine. Just thinking." He replied curtly, arms coming to sit on the designated rests. "Didn't I tell you to leave?"

It obviously wasn't going to be easy, but I had a secret weapon. Stubbornness.
"Yes, but you don't really sound fine..." I edged a little closer, eyes trained on the back of his head. "If you wanna talk about it, I'm happy to listen..."

Nice work, you dumb bitch. That doesn't sound sketchy at all.

"Talking never did anyone any good, so go. Before I make you go..." Oh, he was venomous now, but it only fed my determination. I had to use his weakened mentality to my advantage.
"Then I could just sit here and keep you company. Lips sealed, if that's what you'd prefer?" Another step, and I was close enough to reach out to him, but I waited for the right moment. I could survive a few burns, but it didn't mean I wanted them.

"Tch, sealed around what?" I knew it was just snarky sarcasm, but standing by my inherited motto, 'anything for the mission', I was willing to, if it would loosen his lips. Stuffing away my pure hatred, like overpacking a suitcase, I marched around to stand in front of him, catching a glimpse of his agitated face before dropping to my knees.
"Would it help you feel better?"

Starting at his parted knees, my hands ran up his thighs, and the feeling made me want to immediately throw up, but if Hawks could kill for this assignment, then I could take a mouthful from the person I hated the most.
"Th..the hell are you doing?" Dabi's falter urged me to dance my fingers just a touch closer to his fly, and I glanced up at him with an innocent expression.

"Well, if it would make you feel better, then I don't mind." I waited for a response, hands paused just shy of his crotch. The look he was giving me was the hybrid love child of confused and pissed off, though there was a faint tint to the pale skin of his cheeks. When he didn't reply, I considered backing off, but when he reached out and grabbed the scruff of my shirt, I nearly yelped.

"Come here." Initially, I panicked as he lifted me up, almost effortlessly, into his lap, my back pressing firmly against his chest. His arms coiled around my middle, and his chin came to rest on my shoulder.

What the fuck is this bastard playing at..?

"Look up and tell me what you see." He directed, and I did just that, having to crane my neck to really get a good look at the center monitor.
"That's...Endeavor's Agency..?" There was no doubt about it. It was live footage of the building. I could even spot the window I always barged in from.

"Yep. He's the whole reason. Why I began to follow Stain. Joined the league. Ended up in this shithole." I could almost hear his walls crumbling, and I hoped that he couldn't hear my wild heartbeat over the top of it. "He's the worst of them all. Nothing but scum. He doesn't deserve to even have a pulse."

It was hard, hearing him talk about my close friend like that. What had Endeavor done to him to make him hate him so much?
"You...mentioned having gone to school with his son. Back before I knew you were, well, you. Did that have something to do with how you feel about him?" Honestly, I just wanted to make sure that Natsuo wasn't in his line of literal fire. He couldn't defend himself like a hero could, and I feared for him.

"Not exactly. From what I remember, he was an okay kid..." Dabi sounded somewhat nostalgic, but it quickly returned to toxicity. "It all starts with the number one. The boss said he's mine for the taking once we get the ball rolling..."

I'll have to warn Enji somehow...and make sure Natsuo, Fuyumi and Shoto stay safe...

Nodding along, I very nearly gagged when I felt his lips press lightly against my shoulder, his breath torrid against my skin.
"So, this is why you're in a bad mood? Because of Endeavor?" I queried, trying to sway the conversation so he wouldn't try to devour me.
"Society as a whole, but yeah, I guess you could say he's the cause. At least part of it, anyway..."

He continued to kiss up the side of my neck, staples scraping my flesh in a way that had me internally cringing.
"Does this mean you're feeling better, then?" The way I giggled would have been enough to make anybody that truly knew me wretch, but Dabi seemed to remain oblivious.

"Getting there..." He replied distractedly, one hand rising to brush just shy of my breast, much to my dismay. "Your company seems to be helping a little..." Luckily, my scoff didn't come off even half as sharp as it could have, and I shifted away from his lips, turning to look at him.

"My company or my body?" I asked him, raising a brow to pretend that I was teasing. Squeezing me a bit tighter, Dabi smirked a little, his blue gaze seeming so much brighter in the glow of the monitors.
"Don't call me out."

This piece of shit has actually fallen for it. Men. Typically thinking with their dicks.

Throwing away the remaining scraps of my dignity, I pulled away from his arms and stood up, only to turn and climb back into his lap, having to force my legs to fit beneath the plastic arm rests.
"Seriously...are you really okay? I can tell you weren't just brooding."

Seemingly confused by my sudden change in position, Dabi cautiously wrapped his arms around my waist, placing his hands on my lower back.
"Just slowly descending into madness is all...Got a lot on my plate at the moment with this lieutenant bullshit." I hadn't been expecting much truth, so I was pleasantly surprised, and I casually wrapped my arms around his neck in hopes of putting him at complete ease.

"Lots of board meetings, I bet." I frowned, the skin of my fingers tingling from the leathery feel of his patched skin. "You reckon we're close to making a move?" The information I needed was so close, I could almost taste it. I just needed him to trust me a little bit more. Just a smidge.

Dabi leaned forward a little, eyes trailing down from mine to my chest, then back up again, his tongue slipping out to wet his coarser lip.
"Not yet. Gotta wait for the boss to get back..." He answered in short, tugging me closer to meet him in the middle, almost nose to nose. "Would ya look at that? You've got me feeling a whole lot better."

Even though revenge was a dish best served cold, my path towards it was suddenly burning. His lips were on mine, his tongue seeking entrance through the breaks in open mouthed kisses, and I forced myself to allow it. All I had to do was pretend to surrender to him, then, if lady luck decided to shine down on me for once, he'd surrender to me in return.

My hips began a slow grind against him, but to my surprise he stilled them with his grip, pushing his lips against me harder so I would have to depend on him for support. Confused, I pulled back for a moment, catching my breath and blinking back at him.
"D..Dabi, you don't want to..?" Way to sound heartbroken, (Y/N). I deserved an award or two for that.

"Don't get me wrong, sweetheart...I'd love to have you messing all over my dick..." He whispered, pressing a chaste kiss during his pause, voice dropping a few octaves before continuing. "...but I'm damaged goods in that department...Wouldn't work even if I tried..."

Shit...He can't get it up..?

My shock was genuine, and for a moment, just a fleeting second, I actually almost pitied the bastard. Imagine never being able to get that kind of relief?
"I..I'm sorry, I didn't realise..." I murmured sheepishly, running a hand up through his thick, black hair. "That's okay, though. Sex isn't everything..." In all honesty, I was ecstatic. He was all bark and no bite after all, in that department, so I was pretty much safe. The only problem was that now I had to figure out another way to get him talking.

"Huh, and here I was thinking you just wanted a ride..." The way Dabi's lips twitched upwards upset me, and I wasn't sure why. It wasn't hatred, as I knew that feeling all too well. It wasn't quite pity, either. There was something deeply wrong with him, and even though I would never even begin to forgive him, I could tell he never wanted to end up that way. My revenge would crush him, but perhaps I wouldn't be the only one freed by it.

"Nah, I just feel a pull towards you, y'know? You keep me on my toes, and you're pretty fucking attractive. It beats a bird that constantly needs his ego stroked..." With that, Dabi let out a laugh, and he pulled me in even closer, lifting me up a little so I had to look down at him.
"I think I made the right decision leading you here. Might just have to take you for myself once we've done what we need to do..."

Allowing him to kiss me again, this time with way too much passion than I could really stomach, I smiled back at him, fuelling it with as much faux love and adoration as I could muster.
"How long do I have to wait? Patience isn't a strong suit of mine..."

Humming against my lips, Dabi toyed with the hem of my shirt, pinching it between his fingers.
"Mmmm just a month, give or take..." He replied between pecks, scooting forward so he sat on the edge of the chair, now supporting my full weight with his knees and hands. "Once that crusty fuck is out of the hospital we'll be home free..."

Hospital. Eureka. That's exactly what I'm after.

"Still sounds too long..." I whined, covering up my excitement, though I trailed into a yelp when he suddenly stood up.
"Quit complaining. It's a sure thing, right? Why don't we go have some fun to pass the time?" At first, my mind drifted to sickening thoughts. "I have an Eskimo to beat the ever-loving shit out of, and some moral support wouldn't go astray."

Again, relief flooded my system, and I nodded happily as he finally put me down, his touch leaving my body and giving me the freedom to relax. Still, my pulse was going crazy, and I was torn between the want to cheer and throw up. I was really taking the saying of keeping friends close and enemies closer seriously, it seemed, but it had to be done. For Hawks. For myself. For Tsunagu, and, most importantly, for the little girl that the man by my side had taken away from me.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get this party started!"

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***The Instagram illustration was merely a logical ruse.

Next Time: Concealed***