The Quaintest of All (Dabi x Reader)

[7/3] Dreaming of my former self

I don't know if their story is a sad one. In one aspect, it radiates happiness to both of the individuals, but - they are too different. And difference is a thing that it known to has it's problems in this world. A lonely villain and a lonesome girl. Just what will their fateful meeting bring to them?

✧ ✧* . . ✧ *✧ ✧

The pizza wasn't very good to be honest, but it wasn't the worst thing he had eaten, either. After a long day of work, the girl was surely too tired to cook something for herself, so he soon came to understand her way of eating. They didn't speak much in the process of dining and Dabi had long gotten to the point he'd loved to shuffle off his coat.

"Everything alright?" The female asked while glancing at him from time to time. Of course she must have noticed his nervous fidgeting.

"I'm just a bit hot," the ravenette responded with his raspy voice and the florist couldn't help but smile at this. This would have been the perfect opportunity for some kind of joke, but she decided to throw away her consideration. Seeing her smile, Dabi put on a small grin as well.

"You know exactly I didn't mean it that way, (Name)," he spoke after swallowing his last slice of pizza.

"Yeah, yeah. You can take off your coat, I don't mind." She didn't even look at him to undermine her statement. Because of his skin, he might get uncomfortable - this was the florist's interpretation. As if he could read her mind, he tensed up a bit. Normally, he would never show so much of his skin - not because of abashment, but because it was a good tool to scare people off in a matter of seconds. But yeah, he stands out enough even with his coat on. So it doesn't matter anymore, anyways.

Dabi took his coat off slowly and bent towards the floor next to him as he wanted to put it down, but the young woman was quick enough to interrupt his actions. „I can't let your clothes get dirty," she spoke as she grabbed the blue fabric and went towards her clothes hanger. The male ogled every of her movements with narrowed eyes, trying to process her kind nature. This was unbelievable.

Back at the seat, she put her elbow on the table and allowed her head to rest on it. The female closed her eyes for a few seconds as if she seriously attempted to fall asleep in a position like that, but soon went to open them again. Once more, her eyebrows furrowed and she appeared to be processing some thoughts in her head. There were too many questions inside of it, just too many-

"Is it because you pity me?" Dabi predicated as he leaned back in his chair. (Name)'s head shot up, in a hesitant way, and her (e/c) orbs met the turquoise ones opposite to her. They didn't have much emotion to them, so it was difficult to discern any anger or curiousity. The short silence that rose up after his question was enough to gradually make the male a bit angry.

"It's not necessarily pity, but..," she tried to choose her words carefully as her eyes hovered over his now bare arms, "it's just... it seems like you had to go through a lot. I think every human deserves kindness, and if you maybe didn't have the chance to get treated that way some time before, then it would be a good feeling to know somebody who treats you like everyone should be treated. And that is indulgent."

Oh, it sounds so much like pity.

Dabi looked to his side and started staring out of the window. "There's a reason I hate hero society so much, okay? That's all you need to know." (Name) nodded silently, a bit embarrased. But nonetheless, it was him who asked if he could stay, so she dropped her bashful expression quickly enough.

"Sometimes I get the feeling I don't feel anymore." He was still staring out of the window, with a neutral mien on his scarred face.

The florist didn't know about one single horrible thing Dabi had done before, so of course she couldn't feel anything else but compassion for this poor, poor individual. We of course know what kind of person he is, but time isn't ready for a big showdown yet. If it will ever be.

"If I can do anything to help you - even if it's just talking - then please tell me." Her face was filled with worry while she clenched a fist.

The ravenette almost mustered up a smile as the corners of his mouth twitched, but he let it drop swiftly.

"Believe me, everything you've done until now was more than enough." And so, he looked at her again, but this didn't change his neutral face the tiniest bit. They stared at each other for a short while and none of them knew exactly what to say.

Before the situation could get any more awkward, the house telephone suddenly rang and cast away all the thickness that had lain in the air. At this time of night, it was very unlikely for close friends to call, wasn't it? After all, it's rude to disturb one's sleep. In the moment the ringing had passed a certain limit of tolerability, Dabi abruptly stood up and walked towards the telephone.

"Wait, let me answer it!" (Name)'s voice sounded too alarmed to be surpressed to something kind again, so the male's assumptions of something bad going on only confirmed themselves. And so, his long wounded left hand reached out for the receiver and managed to pick it up before the female could get there in time.

"Hello?" Dabi's raspy voice emerged from within the tense silence that came up after he had picked up the phone.

"..."

"... who's there?" An unfamiliar male voice could be heard on the other side. The florist must have heard him since her face became a lot paler in the moment he had spoken up. She shook her head at Dabi, meaning he shouldn't interfere any more.

"I guess you're someone who's not wanted. You shouldn't-"

But before the ravenette could finish his sentence, the female had already grabbed the phone from his hand and flung it onto it's stand.

"Don't do this ever again." Her voice was far from furious, but her shaking posture made it clear he had overstepped some boundaries. But now he knows for certain there must have been something unpleasent in her life as well. Something she even wanted to forget.

Because he had already messed up, Dabi decided it wouldn't matter anymore if the situation got worse, so he let his thoughts out.

"Is he the reason you used your quirk on yourself before?" He didn't look at her as he still stared at the telephone that had been misused just now.

"I don't see any point in telling you. You have your secrets and I have mine," (Name) answered in a plain way that showed how much she was suppressing her emotions. She opened a nearby closet and took out some folded blankets, all of a different size. "You can sleep on the couch. If you need anything, I'm upstairs."

Upstairs? Ok, this is a really big house for one small family.

Dabi hindered himself to thank her and only stared at the female as she walked out of his sight. Before the male could hear the sound of a door closing nearby, the lights in the kitchen got switched off and left him alone in the bright living room. Shaking his head, Dabi walked over to this room's lights and turned them off as well. Now it was only for the outer street lighting to illuminate this storey.

When the young man was finished with making himself comfortable on the couch, he couldn't help but silently laugh to himself.

Is this what a normal life would be?

He long gave up to even imagine something like that. And so, it was so very funny to him to lay on somebody's couch, in somebody's house, in somebody's shop - disrupting somebody's life.

It has been a long time since he felt as bad as he did today. Was he using her to imagine a proper life? He wasn't even able to differentiate anymore.

✧ Song: Listening to SiJ & Textere Oris right now. Also God Body Disconnect again.

Picture credit: The picture says @kushi_katsu_ (or kashi?), but I can't find anyone