ℂ𝕣𝕦𝕖𝕝𝕥𝕪 | 𝕊𝕙𝕠𝕥𝕠 𝕋𝕠𝕕𝕠𝕣𝕠𝕜𝕚

eighty six

Cold white walls seem endless in Tartarus and my stomach pangs as I look around. I feel hollow as I think of my time in these cells. I went crazy at one point, smashing a mirror.

Two armed guards lead me down the halls and I look into a few cells to see some low level villains glaring back at me. One growls and shakes the bars to scare me but I don't flinch.

He's big and muscly and towers over me. I stop and stare at him with cold eyes before I lunge at him and he tumbles back onto the floor. Little bitch. The guards call my name and I walk down the halls and into another side.

"Try not to let the inmates scare you. They can't do anything from behind bars." I shake my head at the guards' attempt at comfort as I follow them down the cold halls.

"Even if they weren't, I've seen things they can't even begin to comprehend, people and things much scarier than them. I'm not scared of anyone."

You're scared of Tomura. Shut the fuck up inner me.

They nod with a grimace as they lead me into a room and explain that I'll be granted half an hour to speak with Hawks before they come back to escourt me.

I nod and they leave the room, leaving me alone in a hall to the holding cell. I walk down it in stride, clinging to my confidence like a vice. I stand infront of the bars that Hawks is behind.

His golden hair is disheveled, his eyes crazed as he looks over at me. He sits on his bed. He looks feral as he watches me but I don't blink, I keep my focus on the task at hand.

"How's Tartarus? Feel any remorse yet?" He glares at me before speaking after a long stretch of silence, "I'm not weak like you, Maindo." He jabs as he refers to my time spent in this very same holding cell.

I remember sitting on that bed and thinking of Shoto, thinking of what could have been. What has been.

"Am I weak? I held my own against you, didn't I?" He laughs as if what I just said was utterly hilarious, it angers me but I don't let it show. If I want this to work, I can't show any annoyance.

"Barely. I should have stabbed you to death just like your brother tried to do. That way I wouldn't be here, right now."

I smile at his half threat, acid burning my stomach but I don't let it show. "I'm starting to think you have no morals whatsoever. But that's to be expected from someone who was used just like I."

He growls and tries to grab me from through the bars. I give him a pitiful look as he shakes at the bars. "You know nothing!" He screams at me and I give him a once over as I adjust my seating position.

"It's pitiful how much you underestimate me, Hawks. I know more than I let on." He steps away from the bars and snarls at me, "You're trying to act tough but I know deep down, you're scared of me."

I chuckle and shake my head, "Men are so feeble when in a compromising position, no?" I find his empty threat funny rather than scary. I've had worse from scarier people.

"I'd thought Touya would have told you how resilient I am." His eyes widen to saucers and I laugh internally as I realize I've got him exactly where I want him.

"Never mind that, I'm here today so you can tell me what the league plan on doing." He scoffs at my controlling demand and curls his lip at me, his eyes piercing me like bullets.

"Like I'd ever tell you anything. I'd rather die than rat them out, there's nothing you can possibly say to make me tell you anything." I eye him in indifference.

I guess he wants to anger me today, huh? I stand up and walk towards the bars with an indifferent look on my face. He's inches away from me as I speak in a low tone.