Into the Shadows...

A Day in the Life of a Villain

Thump...Thump

Thump, Thump...Thump

Thump, Thump, Thump...Wack!

*huff...huff...huff*

Ugh, I feel disgusting. I remove my hand wraps after finishing my workout with the sand punching bag Kurogiri so nicely helped me steal, and let me just say, it was not easy...that fucker was heavy. Luckily, Kurogiri's quirk is making portals which really came in handy getting the damn thing back to the hideout. I've really made myself at home at this rundown bar. It's been about two years since I joined Shigaraki's Little League. It's definitely no baseball club. I chuckle at the memory of my constant teasing of poor Shiggy, we've grown a lot closer since that day, he's like an annoying big brother now. Don't get it wrong, he's still the boss and he never fails to remind me of my place when I get too comfortable with my words. It's never bothered me though, I wouldn't want his title as the leader anyway, I see how much it stresses him out, and recently his scratching has gotten worse, which means he's definitely planning something.

*knock knock*

I turn to the sudden interruption, it's probably Kurogiri with breakfast, I thought to myself as I make my way to open the door for him. Over the years, Kurogiri has really made me feel welcomed and became close to a father figure. He was very respectful and caring, and I could tell he cared for Shiggy the same way. He always made sure I ate three meals and practically forced eight glasses of water down my throat every day. I didn't mind though, it was nice to finally be cared for after being neglected for 10 years by my so-called 'parents'. More like 'birth giver' and 'sperm donor'. I never failed to let Kurogiri know how much I appreciated him. Last year I even made him a card for Father's Day as a joke, which he laughed at but I know he kept it. I saw it propped up on his desk when I walked past his room one day when the door was open. I couldn't help but smile at the memory of him denying his role, 'I'm not your father Mei, I'll never have kids, especially if they grow up to be anything like you', it was meant as an insult, but I knew he was lying. I'm a great kid.

Shigaraki on the other hand had also grown into a not-so-secret 'big brother' role. He wasn't too much older than me, maybe in his early 20s, I still don't know his exact age, he was pretty secretive when it came to anything about himself or his history so I stopped asking, but our annoying arguments slowly began to blossom into playful banter. He made me feel welcomed regardless, like I could rely on him outside of the League, like a friend. On more than one occasion his title would be promoted to the protective older brother. Almost half a year after I joined the league, another villain had been recruited by Giran, at the initiation interview he had gotten a little too comfortable in my personal space, receiving a low growl from Shigaraki, let's just say the perverted man will never be able to get "handsy" with anyone again. If you don't catch my drift, Shiggy disintegrated his hands. Probably a little overboard, but I appreciated the gesture, grim as it may be.

I open the door to in fact see Kurogiri standing there with two plates of breakfast on his arm like a waiter with a small towel draped over his other forearm.

"I brought you breakfast. Training early again...Tomura won't be pleased if you wake him up this early again Mei. I could hear you pounding away on that thing while I was cleaning the bar downstairs."

He quirks his brow giving me a disappointed look, probably knowing I wouldn't listen and be up early pounding away on the bag again tomorrow morning. He wasn't wrong for thinking that because I most definitely will. I shoot him a smirk and shrug.

"Awe Giri, let him bitch, he needs to stop sleeping 'til noon anyways."

He hands me the food defeated, he'll be expecting an earful about my 'lack of respect' from Shiggy later for sure. I take the plate and open the door wider for him to come in and sit to eat with me like he usually does. It became a ritual of ours after I got into an argument with Shiggy and refused to eat for a few days, Kurogiri noticed and started standing in the doorway to make sure I finished my plate before leaving. Eventually, he started bringing his plate with him so he wouldn't just be standing there staring while I ate. I was grateful for that, we would talk about things he saw on the news, which I never really cared about, but it was his job to know so I listened carefully. He'd listen to me rant about Shiggy and his constant pestering of me 'not stealing in broad daylight' and how I was 'endangering them all with my carelessness'. It was generally the same old thing for the past year since our ritual began...news, me ranting, him giving me advice, then he'd leave once we finished eating.