Ordinary - (Dabi x OC)

Anchors

Violet POV:

There was no mistaking it was him. Even in the dim lighting of the mansion and the blood running down his face.

I'd recognize the sight of my best friend anywhere. Through anything and everything. His ashy blonde hair and glowing eyes are too impossible to miss, especially after seeing them every single day for the last decade.

Akio stood in place a few feet in front of me, keeping his bloodshot gaze to the ground in shame.

The crumbling mansion was his backdrop, with the black butterfly painted on the stained glass window behind him giving his frame the illusion of wings.

Fallen angel wings, maybe.

His brows were furrowed sadly and his lip quivered as he allowed me to take him in clearly, shaking in the unmistakable suit of Tsuyo-Midas' second in command.

Tsuyo...is Akio.

No...

It doesn't make sense, right? It can't make sense. Tsuyo is The Boss-or, he was supposed to be before Touya and I debunked that theory-the theory Akio had told me himself during the night of Midas' ball, with pictures, evidence, and the loyalty of being my trusted best friend all backing up his claim.

But, no-no, I still don't believe it. Even with Tsuyo unmasked standing right here in front of me, even seeing Akio talk and fight as Tsuyo these last few minutes-this last year-even seeing his mask come off right in front of my face just now for all the proof I ever needed...

I still can't believe it.

Akio's my best friend. He's selfless, and genuine, and kind. He's a hero. He'd never do something so horrible. He'd never go along with this and be the bad guy.

My wide eyed gaze became too much for him to bear, his bruised face wincing like he'd been hit as he finally opened his mouth.

"I....I told you I wasn't a good person, Vi." He uttered hoarsely, letting a single stray tear slip past his eye.

And, he's not wrong. He never told me his identity up front about who he was, but I suppose, he told me in other ways. More subtle ways, or-cries for help, I should really call them.

Akio's never been kind to himself in any situation. I always attributed that to the trauma he had to endure before we met. Trauma that clearly left him broken, but still, he never once spoke of it.

He was always so quick to say he was a terrible person. He always hinted at bogus statements like he 'didn't deserve me,' or wishing for harmful things towards his own life, always being cryptic about his wants, and spouting random bouts of guilt and regret I never understood.

And there was always a part of him that I never got to see. A part of him that was closed off, and that he refused to share with me no matter how hard I tried to open him up. He'd get little moments where he'd snap and show his inner darkness, only to quickly hide it behind guilty apologizes-or never speak of it at all.

And, of course, there was what he did to Euphoria...

He tortured that girl with his bare hands. I saw it with my own eyes, and never put the pieces together. Even when the fearless Euphoria was so visibly terrified of Akio in her final moments and every time the two spoke, I still didn't notice.

All the times he would disappear and come back even more isolated and sad. All the times he was lost in his own head and cried quietly for absolutely no reason-or, at least any reason that appeared on the surface.

The countless moments he was never around during briefings about Midas-all the times he was, only for Midas to conveniently know exactly our next plan of attack before we even put it into motion. When he was never there with the heroes to fight Midas or his goons. How could he? Tsuyo couldn't be in two places at once...