My eyes fluttered against the bright light, a voice calls for me from the other end of the hallway. I couldn't see this blurry figure, everything was so hazy and my skin felt so sticky and wet.

My hair drenched with sweat, greasy and disgusting.

My shirt and skin stained with blood.

My breathing was short, but fast. I could feel the beating of my heart against my ear, and the heat of the corridor. The cold skin against mine contrasted the room temperature.

I wanted to let go of this hand.

But it was all that I had, and what I needed to just get through those doors.

The voice calls for me, it enchants me.

So when I looked up, I saw who called my name. It tore me into pieces, my knees were about to give up from the pressure I was feeling. And the hand, in mine dropped to the ground.

As soon as my knees gave up - he ran to me and caught me in his arms.

I betrayed myself by letting him hold me,  hug me. I swore, I could hear faint sniffling, but maybe it was just me and I was just imagining it.

"What the fuck happened to you?" His fingertip would trace over my bruised lip, I never noticed how disheveled I look - I blankly stare into his eyes.

His ever so alluring turquoise orbs.

Dabi...

He pulled me out of my train of thoughts, and I was brought back to my senses.

"Dabi..? You... You're here..." I hesitantly clutched the sleeve of his coat, to feel if he was real. The dismembered hand on the floor forgotten.

Every inch of my memories flooded back, everything that I heard, saw and felt. I felt cold. And my hand moved from his sleeve to his chest. Where my grip tightened.

"You... You're here because you're going to kill me aren't you..?" I whispered, when the question left my lips, I've never seen Dabi look so horrified.

"Where did you get that idea? Snap out of it Y/n. You need to leave." The ravenette sternly says.

"I know why you're here..." I slurred, daringly getting up close to his face - our noses practically touching.

And within a second, my eyes that were hazy flashed to full on concentration; a hate glimmering along with it. "I don't want to hear you care about me. I always knew, why don't you take me to Eugene?" I bitterly whispered into his ear.

"If you care for me so much that is."

I felt him look at me, but I didn't budge.

We stayed like that for a second, before I finally pushed him off of me.

"So? Don't wait to deceive me. Do it now." I dared.

⑅˚; DABI'S POV

I felt her breathe down my ear, and it sent shivers down my spine. Her voice full of despair and misery. When she pushed me away, the words that left her lips were bold.

I read her, trying to find any sign. Anything. Anything sincere. But what I found was the embodiment of dread.

I ruined the very thing I could have had, the only thing that wouldn't be tainted by the darkness of my life. She had love in her, I swear - but when she looks at me now, I could only feel anger.

Her sincere emotions seeping through the facade through her eyes.

The eyes are the window to the soul.

Despite our power difference, I didn't understand why I felt so small under her gaze.

"You. Will. Take. Me. To. My. Best friend."

Each word that fell from her tongue, fell with venom.

I always thought I'd take the upper hand, but now - the roles were reversed: I was the crow in the snake's tail. But I had to let her know, so I would atleast leave her in peace.

But it seems begging for forgiveness here wasn't a possible option, her dread was sincere.

I never really liked Shigaraki anyway.

_

⑅˚; BACK TO NORMAL

As we came closer and closer to what I assumed was Eugene's location, I glanced up at Dabi.

He was nonchalant. No emotion in his face as we moved through the symmetrical halls that we walked in the past half an hour.

We came towards an elevator, and I stared at Dabi in distrust for a moment. But he only glanced back at me for a short while before getting in.

I frowned, but nonetheless got in as he was waiting for me to hop on aswell.

The fact that the elevator had no solid walls, but just the iron bars of a cage unnerved me beyond extent. But I kept cool, not wanting to show any weakness.

The tension was high and it seemed like this lift wasn't gonna stop any time soon.

The cement that would occasionally scrape against the metal of the lift had me flinching a few times but I eventually got used to it. The vibration beneath my feet edged me on. Dabi hadn't moved a single inch since we got in, only a handful of slight glances at me before going back to minding his own business.

Was what I thought.

I never really noticed his eyes lingering at me. I guess he was quick enough to look away.

I wanted to know what was on his mind.

The scraping gradually got louder as we came even deeper into the earth, it was easy to understand we were underground. I bit back my cheek as I held back a painful groan, the metal hissing- practically screaming.

The sound finally stopped and the elevator let out a peaceful ding, in contrast to the sounds it made earlier.

The cage doors opened and Dabi stepped out, stopping for a while for some odd reason.

I oogled at him puzzled before my own legs moved - I wobbled.

No wonder...

I got back my balance and we continued to walk until we reached a gate. Dabi moved to the side and pressed his hand on a screen similar to the one back up and the gate opened.

[VALID: PLEASE ENTER]

The screen read, I shook my head and went forward, this time side by side with the ravenette.

It was a few minutes of complete silence and footsteps until he broke the quietness of the atmosphere.

"You've met me before. Did you know? Or do you remember?" He spoke out of the blue catching my attention. I finally turned to look at him straight in the eyes, taken aback and curious.

He wasn't looking at me.

"No, I don't see why I'd know someone like you." A cold reply leaves me. Dabi side glanced me before looking straight ahead again.

A dry chuckle left his throat.

"We haven't known eachother for long, but I think you'd be happy to see me again."

I felt that he wanted me to stop and ponder his words, I didn't understand what he meant by that. My mind said that it was probably just a trick to take me off guard; but my heart said otherwise. Somewhere in the back of my mind a strong surge of curiosity flows through me.

"You have something to say? Stop speaking in riddles then." I partially shut him down almost quickly. Dabi snickered quietly, but I ignored his snarky attitude.

I never noticed how he stared at me after my response..

The ravenette was silent, but I paid no attention to it for I was too focused on my own mission. Dabi was probably in his own world, and so am I.

After what seemed like an hour of walking, 'caution' and 'warning' signs started appearing on the doors we passed by or walked through. The aura was unnerving so I kept my guard up, Dabi's shoulders tensed too.

"We're getting closer." Dabi stopped walking, he grabbed my hand and pulled me to another room. I gasped and started tugging as he dragged me along. We entered into a storage room and he rummaged through a few boxes.

"Here, wear this." He tossed a lab coat and some glasses towards me, I caught it just in time and hastily wore them.

'Smart.'

As soon as I finished putting the lab coat on, I was about to open my mouth to inform him I was ready- but he placed a finger on my lips. That laid back look in his eyes were no longer there and this time he looked serious.

"Y/n."

I furrowed my brows, wondering what he was up to.

"We can't do this if you don't trust me." The ravenette stared down at me, when he spoke his voice was soft. Gentle as if trying to console with a small child.

"I'm not doing this with you because I trust you, there's more important things to think about." I tugged my wrist away from his light grip.

"Believe me Y/n. I had no where else to go. The league accepted me, it became my home. If I didn't follow, they'd kill me." Dabi placed both of his hands on my shoulders, sending me on edge from how close he was to me.

I didn't even realise I was sandwiched between him and the wall.

"I don't want your apology. If you're trying to make me forgive you, then prove it." I harshly shoved him off of me and walked to the door.

"Now come on.." I mumbled twisting the door knob, I suddenly felt a hand in my hair and I growled swatting his hand off of my head.

"The fuck?"   "It's for diguise purposes."

I groaned and messed up my own hair before roughly slamming the door open and walking out with him following behind.

.

"Last gate."

I gulped, staring at the closed doors.

"Y/n, whatever it is - I want you to keep calm." Dabi said, his palm hovering over the scanner. "It's for the better." He finally pressed his hand on the screen, the data loading.

Real life seemed to have slowed down as I watched the screen on the wall process the information and display the bold - [VALID: PLEASE ENTER]

I watched as the doors opened, time seeming to stop.

My breathe hitches.

‧₊˚✩ೀ⋆｡⑅

🌝: i honestly dk how to feel abt this chapter.. on the bright side..
1.4K reads !!!! my exams r abt to end soon so I might be able to thug out more chapters