~One hell of a ride~

the start of a beautiful (and slightly chaotic) life

Touyas breaths were sharp and the cold morning air around him stabbed at his skin. His hands were shaking and his arms ached as he ran and dived behind a black car parked in the parking lot he was going to be hiding in. He let out a small sigh of relief when he got behind it before collapsing onto the ground out of exhaustion.

He had just left his home of 14 years to finally be free from the abuse that occurred within those hellish hours spent in that house. Touya had snuck out of the window when everyone was asleep with nothing but the close he was wearing and a small amount of money them at was collected along the way and stuffed in his pocket.

He let the reality of what he had done sink in. He was finally free, finally away from the horrible walls that had trapped and suffocated him previously but now, what would he do? Where would he go? How would he eat?

Questions flooded his head as he sat in a state of pure mental chaos. He had no idea. His plan had been to get a hotel and manage to get as far away as humanly possible from that house but with the little cash he had he would be lucky to get a ride to the streets a couple miles away. There was absolutely no way in hell he would be able to get a taxi across the city, never mind to where he had been hoping to get.

So what now? Was he stranded? Lost? Would he be left to the fate of life and dragged back to that
wretched house of horrors.

Suddenly he heard something drive into the parking lot. He poked his head around the side of the van and looked at what was happening. A white van decorated with graffiti, pulled into the parking lot. It drove around until it found a suitable, pretty out of the way, parking space.

He watched as a group of people began to climb out of the van and create small talk with one an other. After, he saw a kid who couldn't be much older then him climb out the front of the van with a timer and a clipboard. They told them to get ready first and he would call out when to start.

Touya ducked behind the car again seeing the group spread out in the parking lot. He heard someone count down from three and then yell go as loud as they could.

He froze.

People rushed toward each other, weapons in hand, attacking and dodging. He suddenly felt the car shake as someone jumped on it and he looked up quickly.

A man in a yellow tailcoat jumped and landed easily on the ground in front of him. Touya let out a squeak and they turned around looking at him confused. They crouched down and tilted their head before asking him a question, "who are you? What are you doing here? This place isn't safe for kids." Touya had expected their voice to be harsh and jagged but it was a calm and slightly concerned tone instead.

Their hazel eyes glanced at his cheeks and seemed to notice the burns on him but they stayed silent about it. Touya felt his muscles tense and he froze up all over again. "I- im Touya- I'm not meant to be here." He choked out stumbling over certain words and repeating others.

They nodded and thought for a moment before speaking. "I see... where are you parents?" As soon as he said that Touya shook his head and backed away. "I don't want them to know I'm here, please don't take me back. Please!" He begged crystal tears forming in his eyes. They seemed to clock on to what was wrong and knelt down in front of him and put a hand on his shoulder sympathetically. "It's ok, I won't tell them you're here." They paused for a moment. "Do you have a place to stay?"

Touya looked calmer knowing he wasn't going to take him back and shook his head. "I just- I just ran. I didn't really think..." he answered his eyes glued to the floor. He felt slightly disappointed in himself for not thinking this through before he did it. The other let out a sigh, "well, Touya. I'm Atsuhiro Sako, but I go by Mr Compress." He pointed over to the fighting group. "those people are my friends and we are all somewhat like you. I would like to offer you to come with us so you have a place to stay, if you would like."

Touya looked confused and then a little shocked. "Are you sure? I'm not really going to be helpful, I can't even control my quirk yet!" He protested and they chuckled. "Touya, what do you think we are doing here?" He asked. Touya pondered the question for a moment, "fighting..?" He asked immediately regretting the obviously wrong answer. They laughed and smiled, "No, we are here to learn how to use our quirks."

Touyas eyes widened, "you didn't know either?" He exclaimed. Sako shook his head, "not very well anyway. We were never taught." He said. Touya smiled a little as the other began to speak again, "so, do you want to come with us?" He asked the grinning child.

Touya nodded and smiled, "yes please!" Sako smiled back standing up and brushing off the dirt before offering a hand to Touya. They took it and helped themselves up following him round to the van. All the people who were previously fighting were now in a group together chatting to each other. Compress went over to the one with the timer and clipboard and Touya followed.

The blue-haired teen looked up at him. "Ah, your back. Where were you?" They asked before looking over at Touya who hid behind the other nervously. Compress smiled and brought Touya round the front of him to face the blue-haired teen. "This is Touya." Touya tensed and awkwardly smiled before going round the side of Compress and gripping his coat.

The leader laughed at the younger one and introduced himself, "hello Touya, I'm Tomura Shigaraki." Some of Touya's nerves faded away and he managed to mutter a hurt 'hello' before they returned. Compress explained to the leader who he was and what he was doing here before taking him over to the back of the van.

Compress got out a first-aid kit and sat Touya down. "Touya I'm going to patch up those burns you've got now ok?" He asked getting some of the things he needed out. Touya nodded before speaking up, "Uhm- can you- can you call me something else? I don't really like my name. It gives me memories I want to forget." He mumbled eyes looking down at the ground.

The other stopped what he was doing and placed a hand on his shoulder, "sure kid, what do you want to be called?" He asked and Touyas eyes lit up in surprise and excitement. "Uhm- I don't know..." he answered unsure of what was allowed and not allowed. The other chuckled, "well kid, what's your quirk?" They asked.

Touya immediately replied, "cremation, but it's not very good because I don't have the body for it..." the other lifted his head up with his hand and looked him in the eyes for a moment before telling him, "every quirk is good, you just have to figure out how to use it," Touya smiled and thanked him for the reassurance. "Now, what about Dabi?" He asked, "that suits you."

Touya nodded and they finished bandaging his arms and putting burn cream in the ones on his face. "Well Dabi, welcome, to the league of villains."