This does NOT affect the story. It is not a part of the story.

katara5683 requested Brother by Kodaline

Third person pov

When we were young we were the ones

When Dabi first met Harper Rye, he wasn't sure what to think. She'd shown up on his doorstep out of the blue, with ice cream and a pessimistic disposition. He'd been too shocked to tell her to go away. She'd wormed her way into his life with minimal effort. He had trouble remembering what things felt like before becoming acquainted with her and her little makeshift family she'd somehow managed to construct. Made up of a Detective, a cop, an ex-villain, and one of her classmates, who seemed to be smitten with her. Oddly enough, Dabi fit right in.

It became clear just moments after meeting Harper Rye that her life was not all that it seemed. Somehow, the brunette seemed to ride above it all. It was obvious to him that she had some sort of upper hand in every situation. This girl knew things. She could read people like they were open books, even if they quite clearly weren't. Taking her by surprise appeared impossibly, and she took almost everything in stride as though it were nothing at all. It was almost inspiring, but it also rose a lot of questions.

The Kings and Queens oh yeah, we ruled the world

She seemed to be at the center of everything, fighting her way to the top of every issue, including his. He'd needed a job. Teetering on the edge of total villainy, Dabi had been close to the border. A line he'd worked hard to never cross, but would if it meant he'd survive. He refused to die before his father. He had so much pent up rage and bitterness all just waiting to burst forth from him. He hated the system, and how judgemental everyone was towards him despite how diverse society was these days.

We smoke cigars man no regrets

Then came in Harper, cracking him open like one would crack open an egg. One little tap was all it took for his shell to break, and everything inside to come spilling out and into the open. Her quirk made everything make sense. He thought he would've been more mad, with her pervading his mind, but she couldn't control it. And it helped. He'd never been good with putting what he wanted to say into words. This way, he didn't have to. She always knew. She knew when he was upset, or needed a break. When he was in a good mood or a bad one. What he needed and when.

She didn't know him, but she'd help him. She catered to everyone's needs at once, tweaking the environment and steering both conversation and activities. He was included in this. It was amazing to see. To know that she cared enough about how he felt and about what he was thinking to drastically change up her life in such a manner. His heart swelled. He found himself more willing to talk to other people. He watched movies with Tsukauchi, Sansa, Harper and Kurogiri. He joined in board games, and helped cook.

Wish I could relive every single word

He relished it all. Never had he been so content. He had a job, and a group of people he could easily call friends. Tsukauchi couldn't read minds, but he'd grown to know Dabi. He knew what foods he liked, and how he liked his coffee. He knew the man's favorite color, and his favorite movies. They were little things, but they mattered. Sansa was the same way. He recognized that Dabi seemed to like jokes about shitty dads, and would make an effort to slide one or two good ones in so he could have a chuckle. He knew what songs Dabi didn't like on his playlist, and deleted them off without a word.

Kurogiri was weird. He was like a child, but Dabi couldn't imagine him any other way. He assured Dabi that they were friends everyday. Dabi would never tell the ex-villain, but it was what he needed to hear. He doubted himself and how much people enjoyed his company. He was sort of a piece of shit. In a lot of ways, he couldn't really see how people could like him as a person. But Kurogiri seemed to, and he told Dabi everyone else did as well. Dabi chose to believe him.

We've taken different paths

Harper was moving up in the world, and fast. She wasn't at the apartment as much as she trained to be a hero, staying after school, going off places, dealing with her classmates and their issues. She was straying away and going her own road, and he got that. But dinners felt drabber without her there to scoff at their thoughts and roll her eyes at Kurogiri. Dabi felt fidgety. He was supposed to be her bodyguard, but she wasn't here to guard.

And travelled different roads

Dabi knew it was a bad idea. But he did it anyway. The League of Villains was after Harper, and he didn't like that. He had the right looks and the right quirk for it. Joining wouldn't be hard, especially if he could could slap on a facade the mimicked is past, sour self. It wasn't something he should've dove into without consulting Tsukauchi first, but he did nonetheless. With Harper and his brother in mind, Dabi dove face-first into villain society, intent on bringing it down from the inside out.

I know we'll always end up on the same one when we're old

The look on Harper's face when she stepped into the League of Villain's hideout, undercover and finally able to join, and saw him... god, he'd never get it out of his mind. The shock, horror, and fear that twisted itself into an expression upon her made him cringe even to this day. All at once, every regret he'd ever suppressed about joining the League came washing back. There was no going back. He was in far too deep, and Harper now was too, tasked by UA and the Police Department to gather information.

And when you're in the trenches

Harper was fresh blood in a pack of wolves. She was strong, but even the hardest rocks could be weathered. The members descended upon her, hungry for carnage. Harper was ready for them. She had constructed an effective defense, her eyes cold, stone walls that didn't let anything out. Her mouth always seemed set in a straight and grim line, her arms remaining crossed over her chest, and her shoulders slouched as though she weren't at all threatened. She screamed disarming-- and to an extent, that worked.

And you're under fire I will cover you

Dabi soon realized it was a good thing he was here. Because now, he could watch her. He was good at creating distractions to keep attention off of her. He diverted attention to himself, insulting all the wrong people and staring scuffles that left him bloody, bruised, yet satisfied all at the same time. He could see the wars that would rage in his younger friend's eyes when he would jump into the fray for her. She wanted to stop him. But she knew it could end up getting both of them killed if she did. She was smart, like that. She didn't think positive. She hoped for the best, but she was always prepared for the worst.

If I was dying on my knees

Dabi isn't someone who cares all that much about his own life. He came back to the base covered in blood he wished wasn't his own, with pasty skin and dulling eyes. The pain was so bad it was numbed. He laid eyes on Harper, and his knees buckled. He could see those dams in her eyes break. Fear for his life came flooding forth like a tidal wave, and soon she was scrambling forward to help him. She was lucky there were some other members in the league who gave half a shit. Magne too hurried forth, helping to cover up Harper's distress, and Spinner anxiously hovered.

You'd be the one to rescue me

Harper saved his life. She was a quick thinker, and knew a lot. A lot more than someone her age should've. Through reading minds, she knew exactly where the first aid stuff was. She knew Twice was a universal donor, and wrangled him into a chair to give blood, threatening to stuff a box of bandaids down his throat if he dared to refuse. She had Toga do the IV, seeing as the girl had some weird obsession with blood. Harper cleaned and stitched the wound herself. Dabi didn't want to know how she knew how to do that.

And if you were drowned at sea

It wasn't long before Harper was called out to do a mission for the League. The girl cared too much. She took a bullet for Magne without a second thought. Despite herself, Harper had begun to care for a select few members of the League. A lot were just misled, and given little to no place in society. Unable to find work because of how they looked, acted, or talked. Spinner was a literal lizard. No college would take him, and most jobs you could get with just a high school diploma required you to talk to people. He didn't have the face for it, really. Magne was a trans woman with a magnetism quirk that was more useful than most people gave it credit for.

I would give you my lungs so you could breathe

They worked fast. Dabi kept the palpitations going, trying not to show how terrified he was. His heart was thundering. He was afraid to put too much pressure on her chest, but knew he had to if he wanted this whole CPR thing to work. Harper had grown to be fairly liked. She knew how to get under people's skin and get them to open up, and despite how grumpy she came off, she was surprisingly hard to hate. She'd become a valued member of the League. It wasn't hard to get the others to save her.

I've got you brother

Tsukauchi was reasonably upset over her near-death, and wanted her out. Dabi did too. He begged her to get out while she still could.

I've got you brother

She told him no. That she wasn't about to leave him there to do this job all on his own. It pissed him off. Not her, but the fact that he knew he couldn't leave. So much was at stake. He was almost deep enough to get to the root of the League, and when he did, he'd have a chance to burn it all to the ground.

I've got you brother

So they both stayed in the League. Recovery Girl had healed Harper up right quick, leaving her in shape enough to go on another mission. Despite getting shot, she'd done good on the last one. Dabi wished she hadn't.

I've got you brother

The next one, they got sent. Just the two of them. It was all the way across Japan, and they were supposed to eliminate a man and his family. The man was a huge benefactor to Japan's Hero organization. Without his support, hero society would be taking a knee. They obviously weren't going to murder him. Neither could do that. He was a good, young man, with a lovely wife and two happy children, one five, and the other eight. So when they snuck into their home that night, it wasn't to kill them.

They explained. A few calls were made. Fakes were planted, and the family was carted off to America that very night. It didn't take as long as it should've. Dabi and Harper were left standing on the side of the road that night, staring up at the smog-filled sky and watching their breath come out in cloudy puffs.

Oh brother, we'll go deeper than the ink beneath the skin of our tattoos

Harper cried that night. Maybe the stress of it all finally caught up. Dabi found himself hugging her on a damp street corner lit by the dusty light from a corner store. He shed a few tears too, though he'd never admit it. They just stood there. Dabi wasn't sure for how long, only that they both needed it. Harper was just a kid. Some might argue that Dabi was too, but he'd seen some shit. He'd lived in this world. He had a million lifetimes packed into one. Harper... she was just a teenager.

Though we don't share the same blood

Neither wanted to go back. Something between them changed that night. He wasn't sure, but their bond felt tighter. The feelings he felt towards her strengthened into a bond similar to the one he felt towards Shoto. Harper felt the same way, quietly staring at her feet with an aching heart. Dabi had become someone she could rely on, and who she trusted. Who she loved. The brother she never got to have.

You're my brother and I love you that's the truth

Harper continued on at UA, but everyone could tell how tired she was. Dabi would pick her up everyday and drive her off to the bar. The bags under her eyes were darker than before, and she didn't smile anymore. Her steely determination remained, however. She was tired, but alert. Ready. Dabi had no doubts about her capabilities. It was her state of mind he was worried about. He wanted her to be okay. She was a good kid, and he hoped every damn day she'd come out the other side of this shit show in one piece.

We're living different lives

The summer camp was coming up, and fast. Dabi knew they had to act. They couldn't allow Bakugo Katsuki to be taken, or for Midoriya Izuku to be killed. That much was a given. But they weren't in the right position. They wanted to find out who the mastermind behind the League was. Who they were. It wasn't Shigaraki. Kurogiri had offered them all the information he had, but it wasn't enough. They needed more. They needed to see how deep this went.

Heaven only knows if we'll make it back with all our fingers and our toes

Harper was wrung for information. Shigaraki didn't trust her, even slightly. Dabi was forced to sit and anxiously wait to see if she'd come back from the room he'd dragged her into to talk. He wanted to know everything about the students and their quirks. He wanted to know if she was loyal, and if she'd be willing to kill her classmates and teachers if ordered. They were still under the impression that her quirk allowed her to predict what someone would do next. It was a small mercy.

5 years, 20 years, come back

She came out without a scratch, but with a haunted look in her eyes. She knew what was going to happen now. Harper was meant to die, and she was instructed to take a handful of her peers with her. She cried again, that night. Dabi just held her and rubbed her back, wondering how the hell they'd gotten her. He had to get her out.

It will always be the same

The Vanguard Squad was formed, with Dabi at its head. Their new warper wasn't as good as Kurogiri. They were all uncomfortably transported to the camp, where Harper already wa.s She was fidgety and scared. She'd become a lot more jumpy since finding out what was going to happen. Dabi thought maybe she knew something he didn't. She always did hide things if she thought it would help someone else. It annoyed him to no end, but he also understood.

If I was dying on my knees

Harper couldn't hurt her classmates. Dabi knew that. He tried to make it so she couldn't. So that there was no choice in it for her. He blocked off her path with fire, and separated her from the group of peers she'd been in the woods with. Twice made a clone of him, who darted off the cause mayhem elsewhere in hopes of causing a distraction that would allow Harper to somehow get away.

You'd be the one to rescue me

They met up at the checkpoint, ready to be warped. Mr. Compress had gotten Bakugo, They'd have to figure that out later. Harper looked ragged. Completely run dry. Magne and Spinner both gravitated towards her. Dabi couldn't let himself show too much concern for her. Shigaraki was already suspicious of them both. He knew the others were watching to see how they interacted, so instead he grunted and told them to get going. That now wasn't the time to be sitting around.

And if you were drowned at sea

Bakugo was infuriated to see Harper there. He screamed profanities at her, lashing, squirming, straining against the restraints binding him. Dabi could see how much it hurt Harper, but she kept an expertly blank face. She tried not to let it get to her. Once he knew she was undercover, he'd understand. But right now, it was best he didn't. The betrayal on his face was palpable, though. Dabi couldn't even imagine what his thoughts were.

I would give you my lungs so you could breathe

Dabi stayed near her, muttering small comforts when he knew no one would hear. It wasn't much, but he could tell it helped, even if only a little. This whole thing was spiralling to an end. Dabi could feel it, and he knew Harper could too. It was only a matter of time now. The scale could tip any direction, but they had an upper hand. Dabi wasn't a hero, and Harper was just a kid, but they were against the Villains and the very least. And that mattered.

I've got you brother

Harper and Dabi both had a small chip sewn into the waist of their pants. It gave a single, small vibration. A sign Tsukauchi had sent to let them know heroes were on the way. Dabi did his best not to be tense. He wondered how Harper managed to look so lax, with all this happening. He did his best to mimic it. Him being stressed would only cause her to feel the same.

I've got you brother

All Might crashed through the wall, large as life. Harper dove for the keys that would free Bakugo, swiping them off the counter. Dabi covered her as Shigaraki shrieked, enraged. Bakugo's eyes grew wide as saucers as Harper's brow dripped with sweat, her hands oddly steady despite the pressure of the situation. He almost lost his balance as he was free, gripping at her arms, relieved. He looked like he could cry. Harper did too.

And if we hit troubled water

Then it happened. Something bubbled up their throats. Dabi felt it first, and then Harper. The villains followed, and then Bakugo. Harper and Dabi's wide eyes met as black oozed from their mouths. It sputtered free, causing them to fall forward. The girl gripped Bakugo's hand in hers, reaching for Dabi's with the other. He grappled back, tears dripping from his eyes. Because she was so close to being out. And now she wasn't. And it pissed him the hell off.

I'll be the one to keep you warm and safe

Shigaraki was pissed. They all were. Dabi put himself between the Villains and the two teenages behind him, quirk blazing blue and eyes determined. He wouldn't let them die here. He'd go down before letting anything happen to either of them, even if Bakugo did seem like a real piece of work. Harper clearly thought of him as a friend. So, he fought his hardest. He was exhausted and overheating, but he forced himself to burn brighter.

And we'll be carrying each other

The thought of Harper and Shoto kept Dabi up and moving as things fell into place around them. A man named All For One made an appearance. Harper's friends were here to get both her and Bakugo. The only issue was that he knew Harper wasn't going to leave without him. It warmed his heart, but pissed him off too. He couldn't let her stay here. They were outnumbered, and the villains were out for blood. Hers, especially.

Until we say goodbye on our dying day

Shigaraki dove for Harper, and Dabi did too. He wrapped himself around the girl in a protective manner, curling around her and covering as much of her as he could. Shigaraki's hand came into contact with his back not a second later. Dabi choked back a shout as his skin flaked away, blood pouring from his back as his muscles were shredded away. Harper screamed, trying wildly to remove herself from his grip. So she could do something. Anything. Dabi didn't budge. He grit his teeth, forced a grin, and beared the pain.

Because I've got you brother

Bakugo blew Shigaraki off of him, and someone called both his and Harper's name. Bakugo screamed at her that they had to go, and Dabi shoved her away from him. She scrambled back to him, a mess of tears. Bakugo grabbed her upper arm, trying to get her to grab onto him. Shoto was passing overhead. They were almost out of time. The villains were approaching, and it was now or never.

I've got you brother

Harper looked him in the eyes, and told him to. She said in in a soft, sure voice. Tears were dripping down her cheeks as she sat there, holding Dabi's hands in her own. Bakugo's lips set into this grim line. He ignored Dabi's weak pleas to take her and gave a nod. The shockwave from his explosions sent many of the villains flying back. Harper and Dabi both braced themselves against the ground, sliding just a little as a blast of heated air washed over them.

I've got you brother

Dabi hissed curses at her. All Might was here, and so was All For One. They were about to fight, and they were in the way. All Might couldn't use his full power with them right there. Not without killing Harper. All For One was so close. Walking up to them. Either way, they'd die here. Dabi's tears fell. Harper was going to die here if he didn't do something. But what could he do? He was bleeding out rapidly, and she refused to leave.

I've got you brother

All For One stopped in front of them, all too smug. Harper's gaze was absolutely venomous as she glared up at him, still holding both Dabi's hands in her own. If he was going to die, then so was she. She didn't care about the all-powerful man before her, centuries old and annoyingly witty. His mask doubled as a life support machine. A giant, metal contraption that made his crackle and echo ominously. Dabi knew immediately what he had to do.

If I was dying on my knees

With every bit of strength he could muster, he pulled Harper towards him, and then shoved her away. She tumbled right over the edge of the little hill of rubble they were upon, away from him.

You would be the one to rescue me

All For One laughed. Said something about how even that wouldn't save her. Dabi didn't give a shit.

And if you were drowned at sea

Dabi leapt at All For One, wrapped around him as his quirk fired up. It seared his exposed back, sending his nerves screaming. All Might lunged for Harper, wrapped his arms around her and pulling her back before she could even begin to try and run to stop him. He pushed his quirk, forcing it past its limits. His skin bubbled. All For One screamed in agony, fighting against his grip. But it was too late.

I would give you my lungs so you could breathe

"TOUYA!" Harper's shriek was barely audible over the roar of his flames. Touya closed his eyes and smiled.

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

"He's gone, Harper. It's too late." All Might whispered to her as All For One and Dabi became nothing more than a blue, flaming ball.

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

The most heartbreaking sound All Might had ever heard escaped Harper Rye. Her entirely body went slack. Dabi's fire was so hot, you could feel the heat from here. The Number One pro let the girl slip from his arms, watching helplessly as she sunk to her knees, her eyes wide and unseeing. Overhead, a news helicopter buzzed.

I've got you brother

Touya Todoroki died with a smile on his face. And Harper couldn't save him. She'd wanted to. She'd wanted to so badly. Instead, he'd been the one to rescue her. And for once, she hadn't seen it coming. She was supposed to save him. She was supposed to save him, and she didn't. And now he was gone. She... She'd almost had him.

Harper sat there, covered in cuts and bruises, and she cried. She cried a name that had long since been forgotten. One All Might didn't recognize. One the world didn't know. She cried out for a man who'd given his life for hers, and for the world.

I've got you brother

"Touya!"