Fly High, Burn Bright

Chapter 28

"You're a little dense, aren't you? I'm giving you the chance to ask whatever you want, but instead you choose to ask something you already know the answer to." Dabi returned to the position he'd been in before, resting his elbows on the railing as he looked down, a single lonely car flashing down the street in a blur of speed. 

"Just answer the question." I probably should've asked about something else, like where the League had its headquarters or what it was planning to do next, but a part of me still didn't want to believe that they truly thought they'd be able to recruit me into the League. I wanted Dabi to say the exact reason for why they thought it was possible so that I could change that  possibility and shatter the villain's dreams. 

"Shiggy - sorry, Shigaraki - that's our leader, the one with the hand on his face - likes to always keep an eye out for potential recruits." I involuntarily shivered a little, and even the silly nickname for the leader of the League didn't help me loosen up. Even though Dabi was terrifying, Shigaraki scared me even more. At least I could fight Dabi from up close. With Shigaraki, on the other hand, if he was close enough to grab hold of me, it would literally be all over. Dabi saw me grow a little pale and gave me a compassionate smile. "Oh right, you've met him."

It was a little hard to believe that just this morning, I'd been trying my hardest to kill Dabi, when now, he stood mere meters away, talking to me as calmly as if we were close friends. "Yeah, I've had the misfortune of interacting with him before." I thought back to the bank heist from last month, and then remembered how the League had tried to kidnap and force one of the first years of the hero course at U.A. to join them. For what it was worth, Dabi seemed to be starting off with an honest voice.

"Anyway, he always pays attention to U.A.'s top students to see which ones he has a chance of taking in. Young minds are easier for him to work with." Dabi paused briefly, glancing at me as I, too, leaned onto the railing that surrounded the roof. "From what I heard, you eventually became the strongest student, didn't you?" I nodded. "Must've been hard with a quirk like yours. No wonder Shiggy was impressed by you. Naturally, he followed your progress to see if he'd be able to recruit you, and here we are."

The corner of my mouth twitched slightly - I already knew my quirk wasn't exactly the best for hero work, but hearing Dabi say it made it seem even worse than it really was. Still, a question still lingered in my mind. "So why did he wait so long before trying to make a move?" It wasn't that I would've accepted earlier if I'd been asked a few years ago, but I was just genuinely curious. It didn't make sense that they'd wait around for almost four years before finally attempting to take me in.

"Ah, ah, ah. That's another question. It's my turn now." I rolled my eyes - of course he'd be picky with the questions like this. By now, the fear of the abnormally strong villain was the only thing still keeping me from breaking some of his bones, but unlike before, I didn't have the protection of the agency beside me, based on strength alone, Dabi definitely had me beat, and I really doubted that Keigo would be able to help me this time if things got out of hand. "Tell me, my little princess, what's the agency's weak point?"

I scoffed. No way in hell would I even tell him a lie about something as important as that. "As if I'd ever tell you."

"Backing out of an agreement as soon as it doesn't benefit you? How unheroic," Dabi provoked, but I did my best to stay calm, even as he left his spot by the railing, towering over me instead so that I had to look up to meet his eyes. "Or did you perhaps forget how easy it was for me to get into your apartment and escaped from that filthy cell of yours without a trace? It'd be a shame if you had to wake up one day and find your precious little boyfriend covered in his own blood."

"You wouldn't dare," I growled, glaring up at him, any and all traces of sympathy for the still-wounded villain disappearing. He threatened Keigo. He threatened the one person that was still with me, that still mattered and cared for me. 

"Please, princess," he scorned, leaning in until he was only centimeters away from me, and I could see every little dent in the scarred flesh of his face. "You know I would."

A few seconds of silence passed as I seethed silently, anger overflowing in my eyes, but his were full of amusement. Finally, I looked back to the street below us. I can't let him hurt Keigo. If it means I have to endanger some of the agency to make sure Keigo is safe, so be it. "The media. It... it affects us more than you think."

"The media, huh?" Dabi finally pulled back, a satisfied smile tugging the scars apart. "Very well. Your turn then, princess."

"I have a name, so use it, you dimwit," I snarled, the villain pushing on every single one of my buttons almost as if he liked to see me angry. "And you already know what I want to ask."

"No need to be so rude," he mocked, and I rolled my eyes in response, "but since I'm feeling so nice today, I'll tell you. Apparently, Shiggy wanted you to get used to the agencies first before taking you in so that you'd have intel. Nothing like a traitor to make sure the League prospers, right?"

"Oh, yes, definitely," I agreed with him, eyes wide and innocent as I nodded along. "A shame that it will never happen."

Just like before, Dabi leaned in, tilting his head to one side slightly. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, princess."

"Just ask already."

"If you say so," he smiled that deadly smile of his, and I suddenly regretted coming onto the roof. Maybe I shouldn't have met him, but I was still so desperate for information, so I couldn't back down just yet. "I wonder what I should ask you now." Dabi's voice was sickly sweet, like he was trying to hide his bitterness with an overexaggerated fake kindness.

Idiot. I don't believe for a second that he doesn't already have a whole list of questions he wants to ask, and an even longer list of blackmail to keep me from locking him up. On the better side, however, my personal curiosity had been fulfilled. I probably should've asked about something else instead, like information on where to find the League, or what would be our best chance at catching them once and for all, but I'd needed to hear directly from Dabi about why the League was so interested in me. With that desire out of the way, I could focus on what really mattered instead of fulfilling my own stupid needs. I should ask about how to take the League down next, but then again, with every question I ask, he gets to ask one, too.

I held back an annoyed sigh. I can't even afford to lie. If he finds out I'm lying, then he'd take it out on Keigo. If it were only me in danger, then I gladly would've traded my own safety for valuable information, but it's not just me. Dabi watched me writhe silently with annoyance, that same amused smirk that he seemed to always wear widening, as if watching me struggle with frustration was his favorite pass-time. Not wanting to give her further fuel, I tried to calm myself down, focusing on the now-warm metal of the knife still tucked in my sleeve, and the comforting, familiar weight of the dagger and vial of poison. Thankfully, it seemed to work, and Dabi's smile fell a little, but he picked himself up.

"Ah! That's right, princess. I have an idea." I rolled my eyes at him. As if he didn't have his questions all planned out already. "Why don't you tell me what your weakness is?"

"Seriously? You can ask literally anything, but you choose to ask this instead?" Either Dabi was even stupider than he looked, or he just didn't plan ahead. 

In response, he tilted his head to one side, a lazy grin stretching over his scars. "What? If you can be selfish with your questions, then why can't I?"

I hunched my shoulders slightly, trying to shrink into myself. "I'm not answering that. If you had half a brain, you'd know the answer already anyway."

"Just wanted to hear you say it yourself," he teased, his tone similar to the way one might address an old friend, and it made me oh-so-angry. Everything about Dabi ticked me off, and I refused to believe that he wasn't doing it on purpose. This little asshole just wanted to watch me suffer, didn't he?