~BNHA~ The Echoes of Silence

Untitled Part 7

Katsuki couldn't shake off the foreboding feeling as they approached the abandoned warehouses where Dabi's crew usually lurked. The area felt grimmer, darker than the last time he'd been here. But back then, he was helping with stolen goods, not diving headfirst into an emotional storm.

Stepping into the lounge, he took in the scene: Dabi's men were everywhere, their stances aggressive, eyes hungry for retaliation. They greeted Katsuki with familiarity, but upon spotting Izuku, their welcomes turned to suspicion. Two of the larger ones shot forward, fingers coiled into the fabric of Izuku's shirt. "Who's this?" one growled, yanking him forward.

But Izuku, ever the rock, didn't so much as flinch. Katsuki reacted instantly, grabbing Izuku's arm and pulling him free. "He's with me," he snapped, his tone aggressive.

Even if he was Dabi's brother, Katsuki could tell some were ready to throw down, their nerves on edge."Outsiders shouldn't be here."

Just as the tension in the room threatened to escalate, Dabi appeared, leaning casually against the hallway entrance. Despite the weariness clear in his eyes, he stood relaxed, hands buried deep in his pockets.

"It's fine." Dabi said, a wisp of smoke curling from his cigarette, his gaze firmly on Katsuki. "Both of you, follow me."

Once secluded from the prying eyes of his crew, Dabi's composed front wavered. The fatigue he'd been holding back took its toll, making him slump heavily into a chair next to Toga. To Katsuki, the signs were unmistakable. There was a dangerous brew of fatigue and suppressed rage in Dabi. Memories of their childhood confrontations flooded back, reminding him of how Dabi's anger, if suppressed too long, could lead to an explosive outburst. Concern knotted Katsuki's stomach.

Across the room, Toga sat, propped against pillows. Her face was a map of bruises and pallor, but it was her eyes, swirling with emotion, that drew the most attention.

But it was the way Dabi was attending to her, the delicacy with which he handed her a cigarette and then lit it for her, that struck Katsuki the most. Dabi's usually aloof demeanor had given way to something softer, more protective. It reminded Katsuki of the way Dabi would look after him, Fuyumi, or Shoto in their youth.

"I can light it myself, you know," Toga mumbled, but the slight tremble of her fingers betrayed her.

Dabi simply hushed her as he lifted the small flame to the tip of her cigarette. "Just let me do it, okay?"

The room was thick with tension. The low hum of the ceiling fan was the only noise, apart from the soft crackle of the cigarette. Toga inhaled deeply, letting the smoke drift slowly from her parted lips. She then shot Katsuki a look, that same mischievous glint in her eyes despite her condition. "Came to introduce your new boyfriend, Katsuki?"

He huffed out a sigh, not in the mood for her brand of humor, and slumped into a chair. Izuku shifted uneasily behind him, clearly out of his depth in this situation.

"What happened?" Katsuki asked.

Toga's gaze hardened, her grip tightening on the blanket as she pulled it closer to her body. "You already know what happened, Katsuki."

Dabi sighed, taking a long drag from his cigarette before blowing out the smoke. He chose his words carefully. "It happened over by West 7th."

Katsuki's brow furrowed, his mind racing to piece everything together. "You were over by West 7th? What the hell, Toga? That's the damn badlands," he snapped, his voice rising in exasperation.

Katsuki knew acutely that the Badlands, despite being unclaimed by the gangs, weren't exactly neutral ground. It was more of a stronghold for the police, tasked with overseeing the few upper-class residents. Even with Enji's influence, no protection was guaranteed there, especially not for lone gang members tempting fate.