My Hero Academia: Seek and Destroy [Reader Insert]

30. Jump Into The Fire

Izuku's eyes widened as he realized what was going to happen. "Rosoku wai-"
The rooftop was consumed in an inferno of blue flame as you released the pent up heat boiling beneath your skin.
You were released as the man with metal hands pulled back and cried out as his fingers began to liquify. The rest of the gangsters stumbled back, caught off guard by the sudden explosion.
Deciding that keeping cover was no longer worth it, Izuku broke out of his holder's grip and used his Quirk to crush the gun to his head into pieces.
Filled with adrenaline, you let loose another blast of heat, watching excitedly as it seared the skin off of the gangster who had you at his mercy not a second before.
Izuku crackled with green sparks as he beat down the sniper, ducking and dodging hits with incredible speed.
Metal hands managed to restructure his appendages as they cooled, able to clench into shaky fists. "You little bastard!" He fumed. "You'll pay for that!"
Your face split into an ecstatic grin, "Oh hey, you do gotta pretty neat Quirk! Let's see if the rest of you can melt too." Unleashing a ball of blue fire, you laughed it straight at his face. He dodged it with ease. Whoever these guys were, they were certainly not your average thugs. The grunt threw punch after punch at you, trying to make sure that you didn't get the chance to use any more fire. You struggled to dodge the blows which seemed as strong as they were fast.
He threw a punch and you blocked, managing not to get knocked off of your feet as the blow was dodged. The gangster forced to backwards, trying to get you to stumble.
You noticed his hands started to drip as he kept pushing you. Looks like you had an advantage.
You let him force you back, using the moment you weren't evading to gather up the familiar burn under your skin.
Thinking he had a chance to knock you down, he threw another punch.
You stood there and smirked, not bothering to dodge.
A blood curdling yell ripped from the man as his hands liquified completely, the metal splattering over your uniform and dripping down your chest as the man's fists melted into puddles.
He fell to his knees, clutching the stumps to his chest where his hands had once been.
You whistled, "Damn! That's gotta hurt. Don't worry, I'll be sure to leave your legs intact. It's an act of kindness, that's just what heroes do."
You tapped his shoulder and allowed the fabric of his clothes to burst into flames under your touch.
With him dealt with, you turned your attention to Izuku. He had beaten down one of the gangsters, the man's arms bruised and mangled from the damage. Izuku himself was pinned up against the ledge of the roof, the sniper generating a pistol from his skin and pinning it to his face.
The man must have some kind of object generation Quirk supplying him with weapons.
You launched a long range attack, aiming a blast of fire at the weapon. The man yelled as the gun heat up and he dropped it. Izuku used this opportunity to kick him away, and scramble from the ledge.
He gave a fierce uppercut, cracking the man's jaw underneath his mask and sending him flying. You followed up immediately, grabbing him out of the air, setting his clothes alight and smashing the base of his neck over your knee. The sniper tumbled to the ground, breathing shallowly and covered in burns.
You and Izuku panted, both filled with adrenaline and buzzing nerves.
"Have we been noticed?" You asked.
Izuku peered at the apartment below. He sighed with relief, "No, looks like they were too busy listening to a speech."
You laughed, still jittering from the thrill of the fight "Lucky us."
"We should get going and let Nejire-Chan and Lemillion know we ran into trouble," Izuku said, already heading towards the exit.
You followed behind him just as you were about to leave, a voice made to stop.
"You idiots.....Overhauls gonna finish you off......"
You turned to see the man who had been called 'Odio' shakily pull himself up into his knees.
"You're sick....both of you....this whole world is sick.....only Overhaul can cure it. He's gonna find you and make sure you feel the full force of his cure, Rosoku.
You smiled and turned away from the door, "Well would you look at that. We have a talker! Nice speech, mind throwing in the location of your headquarters while you're at it?"
"Rosoku, we don't have time for an interrogation," Izuku said, making a grab for your hand.
You grinned and slipped out of reach, not taking your eyes off of the gangster, "Oh come on now, we have an opportunity for a little fun here."
You strode over to the fallen man, letting blue fire lick at your uniform. "Think how pleased Sir Nighteye will be if we manage to snag some intel as a bonus. We won't even need those trackers if we manage to wring out the big boss's location."
The man lifted his beaked mask and spat out a tooth, "You dumb kid....do you seriously think you are gonna get anything out of me?"
You gestured casually to where his comrade lay next to a puddle of molten tin, "Well....if Cremation can do that to metal, imagine what it can do to your skin?"
"Heroes don't kill," The gangster smiled mirthlessly. "A considerable weakness if you ask me."
"Of course we don't kill. But that doesn't mean I have to leave you in one piece," you grinned as his smile fell. "Judging by how you were able to hear me and Deku up on the roof I would say you got a hearing Quirk, right? Not to mention your name sounds an awful lot like the English word for sound...." You tilted your head to the side, feigning curiosity. "I wonder if your healing would work even if I burn all your cartilage into ash....."
He recoiled in disgust and you felt a smug sort of satisfaction knowing you had hit a nerve.
Izuku threw himself in front of you, holding your shoulders, "Rosoku. Stop. We need to go."
You scowled, "And leave him here with valuable information!? I don't think so."
You were too worked up now, heart burning and fire roaring in your chest. You may have roasted his friends but you wanted to do more. You wanted ashes and scorch marks and fire and you wanted it now.
"It doesn't matter! Our mission is done!" Izuku said, eyes desperate. "We have to go! We can get Nejire-Chan and the police up here to arrest him."
"That would be a waste of time!" You insisted. "I can burn the answers out of him and we can finally save that girl! Are you seriously not going to let me torch this guy just because you're in a rush!?"
"He's beaten," Izuku said gently. "We don't need to do anything more. He doesn't need to burn."
"But I want him to," you admitted in a low tone. You clenched and unclenched your hands, trying to make the itch beneath your skin subside. "I really, really want him to."
"Rosoku....." your friend said softly, eyes full of hope and pleading. 
Odio scoffed, "It's just like Overhaul suspected, your Quirk has sickened your mind. You are mad with bloodlust and pyromania. Even your little friend can see that."
"Deku move," You demanded, feeling your irritation start to spiral.
He frowned, "No."
You groaned, "Come on! He's a criminal! I'm just gonna fry him a little."
Izuku shook his head, "He's beaten, Rosoku. Stand down,"
You huffed, "How are we supposed to be a duo if you insist on getting in the way!?"
"How are we supposed to be a duo if you keep acting like a villain!?" He pressed.
"A villain!?" You reeled back, feeling shocked and hurt. Quickly the fire in your chest ate it up and turned it to white hot rage.
"I'm the one with the license, I'm the one who's training under Endeavor! I'm older than you and outrank you so I'm ordering you to get out of my way."
Izuku remained steadfast, his glare unwavering. "Your eyes turn blue when your control is slipping. Shoto told me. As your friend I refuse to let you go down this path."
'Your eyes.....they look just like his.....'
You hesitated, reason and anger battling in your mind. Izuku was your best friend and you trusted him, but this fire in your chest needed to burn. Your friend was actively challenging your limits of merciless efficiency.
You let blue fire flare in your hands. You were ready to satisfy your urge and turn the gangster to ash.
But......
Izuku's face shifted into one of fear and worry and suddenly you felt sick to your stomach. What kind of hero would you be if you made your best friend look at you like that!?
You sighed, the fire extinguishing, "Y-yeah.....you're right.....let's go...."
Izuku exhaled in relief and embraced you, "Thank you......"
You swallowed, feeling an odd mix of guilt and viscerally displeasing bitterness. 
Izuku's relief gave you a feeling of comfort and warmth, but your Quirk yearned to blaze and it made you feel restless and irritable.
Mostly you felt itchy.
==*==
You heard a ringing in your ears and the world around you seemed to shift far out of focus. Despite your excitement at finally meeting Sir Nighteye, you couldn't seem to concentrate on anything he said. His lips were moving but you could barely make out the words. It's like you were underwater.
"-soku? Rosoku? Is everything alright?"
You blinked and realized that Nejire, Mirio and Izuku were all looking at you concerned. "Hm? Sorry what was that?" You asked, shifting nervously.
Sir Nighteye folded his hands and looked at you patiently, "I said I feel it would be best if you took a break from the case. It's clear to me that it's causing you unnecessary stress on top of your already busy schedule."
"Oh...." You swallowed thickly. No doubt he had heard concerns voiced by Izuku resulting from the rooftop skirmish. You felt guilt and displeasure at being discarded for something so trivial.
His gaze softened ever so slightly, "I assure you that this is purely temporary. You have provided invaluable insight for our investigation and I am most impressed by your hero work. My agency will likely contact you once we feel you are in a better position to assist us."
Which was just a nicer way of saying, 'Until we make sure you don't roast anyone alive.'
You frowned, "But Sir, You said my assistance was invaluable. Wouldn't you prefer me to remain close to the case? What if the trackers identify the main facility?"
"Unfortunately, we've only been able to trace them to distribution centers and meeting places, so we aren't at risk of uncovering their main location anytime soon. No evidence of experiments and no evidence of the location of their headquarters. We are unfortunately far from solving this case," he pushed up his glasses. "I've decided to go for undercover approaches from here on out, so your services will be put on hold."
That was a nice way of saying you were fired. You shoved down that burning anger in your chest and plastered on a fake smile, "Well, I hope you are able to get to the bottom of this case."
"Please don't take it the wrong way, everyone deserves a break," the bespectacled hero said. "Please fill your free time with joy and laughter. You earned some relief."
This felt like anything but relief. It felt like punishment.
You stood and bowed, "Thank you for the work. I hope to be back soon."
Sir Nighteye held his hand out for a shake,"Until then......"You took his hand and shook it. His eyes flashed purple. "I look forward to seeing you progress as a hero.....Rosoku....."
~~*~~
{You weren't exactly surprised you got put on break after the mission quite literally ended in flames, but that being said you were still bitter about it. Admittedly, you thought that would be the end of your involvement in the whole case. You thought you would just throw your little fit, sulk and then go back to being Rosoku once Endeavor returned.
However, things in your life were rarely that predictable}
"I can't believe he fired me!" You spat, pacing back and forth and scratching your arms. "I've contributed so much! I'm the reason those trigger operations got wiped off the map! So what if I lost control or whatever, those bastards had it coming!"
Natsuo frowned and looked up from his schoolwork, "I already told you I'm not going to talk to you when you get like this."
"When I get like what!?" You seethed.
"When you act like dad," He looked at you pointedly. "You've been stomping around setting things on fire for an hour, it's getting annoying. I told you to get out of my room whenever you throw an Endeavor style tantrum"
You huffed "You could at least pretend to care."
He sighed and closed his textbook, "I DO care! I just have an exam tomorrow and I can't babysit you at all times. Why don't you go bug Fuyumi!?"
"Fuyumi doesn't get it!" You complained. "Besides she would let it slip to dad that I got fired and he would likely end up taking it personally."
"Well....can't argue with that...." He admitted with a sigh. He looked up at you and did a double take. "Are you seriously wearing your gross sweaty sooty hero outfit in my new duvet!?"
You smirked and spread your arms out, "I'm breaking it in for you."
"Like hell you are!" He stood from his desk and stormed over. You giggled maliciously as he tried to wrangle you out of his room. "You are disgusting!" He tugged on your suit and wrinkled up his nose, "What the hell is this stuff on your shirt!?"
You looked down to see the molten tin still clinging to the fabric, "Oh that. I cooked somebody's hands off! They were metal."
He gagged, "Please tell me you're joking."
You smirked devilishly, "Cremation hits it's melting point like twenty times over. It melted like butter."
"Gross, Toya!" He shoved you into the floor. "I thought I told you to leave all your crazy for Endeavor."
"You're crazy too you know," you pointed out. "Who goes into med school willingly!?"
Natsuo sat on the edge of the bed and poked you with his foot, "Hey, you should be thanking me. Someone needs to be there to patch up the heroes when their crazy gets the better of them."
You stuck your tongue out.
"Hey? Does somebody have a flip phone?" Fuyumi yelled down the hall.
You and Natsuo looked at eachother strangely.
"Uh, come again?" He asked.
Fuyumi popped her head in the door, "This cell is ringing but I have never seen it before." She revealed a familiar phone in her hand which was emitting a low buzz.
Your eyes widened as you recognized it as your burner phone from the League of Villains. You had forgotten about it for months.
"Th-that's mine!" You scrambled to your feet and borderline snatched it from her grip.
She frowned, "I thought you had a holo screen phone?"
"I do," you said without elaboration. You could feel her and Natsuo giving you weird looks as you dodged into your room.
You could explain or lie to them later, but if this was urgent you rather be quick with it.
You took a deep breath and answered.
"Hello?"
"Y/N?" A raspy voice asked.
Your eyes widened, "Shigaraki?"
He chuckled, "Well, well, color me surprised. I was placing bets that you tossed this thing after becoming the media's new boy wonder."
"I-what...." You took a breath. "How are you? How is everyone!? Where have you been?"
"Well......" You heard the noise of nails scraping skin. "I would be lying if I said things were alright."
You frowned, "Has something happened?"
A beat.
"I think it's best if we met up in person. That is if you aren't busy saving the world or posing for photos or whatever," He said, not hiding his distaste.
You chuckled, "Lucky for you I've just had a large slot of freetime in my schedule open up. What did you have in mind?"
"7:00pm downtown, make sure you cover up your stupid pretty boy face. It won't be welcome where we are going," Shigaraki said, excitement clear.
"How can you be sure I won't show up with Endeavor's whole agency to arrest you?" You said, tone joking.
"Because I am certain I know you better than anyone else in this city," He said certainly. "And I know you won't be able to resist tearing shit up with me and the League.
"You seem awfully sure of that," you said amused.
"Why else keep the phone?" He pointed out.
You sighed. Looks like your heroics would need to take a backseat. "Where are we meeting?"
He chuckled, "Well, luckily you aren't going to need a fake ID, but tell Rosoku to take the night off anyways.
~~*~~
"We have two more cases of critical injury from Nighteye's agency. Rosoku burned them during an undercover mission," Burnin' said gravely, placing the papers on Endeavors desk.
The #1 hero pursed his lips and took up a pen. He flipped through the files, signing release statements and media coverup forms.
He was a little shocked to see that you had burned off somebody's limbs, but decided against questioning about it. He trusted you to do what was necessary.
Burnin' shifted nervously looking over his shoulder as he methodically flipped through the forms.
He frowned, turning his gaze to her, "If you have something to say, just say it."
"It's nothing! Just...." She bit her lip. "Rosoku has been wracking up a lot of injury reports lately. Is everything ok with him?"
"He's fine," Endeavor said flatly. "He just gets excited and gets carried away."
"He seems so different though...." Burnin' admitted. "When I first met him he seemed to be so much more vibrant and easygoing. Now he seems to be angrier....more aggressive...."
Endeavor regarded her thoughtfully, "How so?"
She shrugged, "I dunno....but when I first met him I didn't think he would be the destructive type. Even though he's your most popular sidekick he has the biggest collateral damage."
Burnin' wandered over to the coffee table set in the office center and picked up a magazine. "You know, yesterday he asked me if I ever get the urge to burn stuff. Do you think that he struggles with that? Maybe that's why he causes damage....He might have a behavioral issue now that he's able to use his Quirk without fear of pain."
"Rosoku is perfect as a hero," He insisted.
"But flawed as a person," Burnin' argued. "I think he's great, but he could be in need of help and is too afraid to ask for it."
Endeavor was silent for a moment, contemplative. Unlike the Commission, he trusted Burnin' and would always consider her perspective. If she believed something might be wrong he was inclined to believe it, especially since her concern came from a friend's perspective.
"What should I do if something is wrong with him?" He asked at last. "Theoretically of course...."
She shrugged, "Maybe just be there for him? I dunno....Just make sure he doesn't feel like a freak or like you don't love him. You both can get temperamental, so you should try and be understanding to him instead. He could be struggling with issues we don't know about."
He thought for a moment, "Do you think that could be? Do you think these.....collateral issues are a result of some hidden problems he hasn't told me of?"
Burnin' hummed and gestured to the magazine cover where you were photographed in action, "I think even the best heroes have the darkest secrets."
~~*~~
{Despite being a hero now, old habits die hard and you weren't about to let a chance to meet up with the League slip by. It had been months since you last saw them but they were constantly on your mind. After being taken in by Endeavor, it had been radio silence from them and you were to scared to phone out of paranoia of getting them caught. That being said, nothing could have prepared you for what exactly the League needed.}
You didn't pretend to have a good grasp on what went on in Tomura Shigaraki's brain, but you sure as hell didn't expect him to give you the address of an underground villain Karaoke bar nightclub. 
Hidden underground in what looked like an abandoned construction site, was a colorful and chaotic club filled with C list villains and wanted criminals. Even though Shigaraki had given you the location of the secret entryway, you had to triple check to make sure you had the right place.
The pounding music and neon signs seemed way too obvious to possibly belong to a villain hideout. You texted him that you had arrived, half expecting him to call you immediately and telling you it was the wrong place.
The bouncer at the entryway eyed you skeptically as you approached, eyes picking apart your hood and mask. He crossed his arms, looking very intimidating with two horns spiraling out from his head and muscles that could rival Endeavors.
"Haven't seen you around here before."
"I'm here for Tomura," You said.
He raised an eyebrow, "You're on a first name basis with the leader of the League?"
You shrugged, "We are cousins."
His eyebrows shot up, "Really?"
Luckily before you could be questioned further, Shigaraki opened the door and glowered at him, "Oi, don't pester him."
"Shigaraki, You're really related to this guy?" He asked, jamming a thumb in your direction.
He glowered, "What, don't see the family resemblance?"
"I just was expecting someone a little more fucked up...." He admitted. "Or at least more the villainous type."
Shigaraki grinned maliciously at you, "Oh believe me, this guy's messed up. Truly a certified sicko this one. His favorite hobbies involve weed whacking butterflies, taking advantage of vulnerable women and desecrating corpses."
The mutant looked at you baffled, "This kid?"
You fought back a facepalm as he happily slandered your imaginary reputation. This night was already turning into chaos. You decided to just roll with it, "Where do you think he gets the severed hands from? Courtesy of his family."
Shigaraki took on an indescribable expression and the bouncer looked completely mortified.
"Right....Carry on then...." The heteromorph stepped back, visibly uncomfortable and not meeting your gaze.
Shigaraki grabbed you in a four fingered hold and dragged you through the club.
You registered his vitals and his location appeared in your minds eye.
Tomura Shigaraki
Heart rate and vitals normal.
You pushed past sweaty people and sticky floors to a staff staircase hidden in the corner. He led you up through the complex to a small set of karaoke booths on the third floor.
"As my 'cousin' you get VIP access around here," he said unlocking the booth and letting you in. "So welcome to my humble abode. Don't judge it too harshly."
You stepped in, looking around in horror at the booth which had been turned into a makeshift bachelor suite. Wrappers and trash littered the ground and it smelled very strongly of dust and cheap cologne. The T.V normally used for karaoke was instead hooked up to a video game console and paused on an indie game.
You grimaced, "Dude, don't tell me-"
"Yep. Been here for about two months now." He said, scratching his neck. He plopped on the couch, shoving aside an old sleeping bag to make room in case you wanted to sit. The villain looked pretty bad, his silvery hair stringy, eyes sunken and his skin cracked and bleeding in ways it hadn't before.
You daintily picked up a candy bar wrapper, "You expect me to believe Kurogiri let's this fly? And where the hell is everyone else!?"
"Gone. All of them. That's why I called you here, I need your help," he said.
You sat down next to him, trying to ignore the feeling of crumbs on the leather seat, "What's going on?"
The villain sighed, "The League and I were desperate for resources so we ended up turning to some....disagreeable means."
You blinked, "Disagreeable by what standards?"
Shigaraki scoffed and scratched his neck, "We ended up joining parties with the Yakuza. Thought it would make the next levels easier, but things didn't go to plan. It turns out that the Yakuza just wanted our reputation rather than support our cause, so our alliance is just becoming a burden..." he itched his neck and overlooked the city with a scowl. "I hate them. They are more interested in making cheat codes than winning the game."
"Cheat codes.....?" Your eyes widened. "You mean the Shie Hassaiki and their drugs, right?"
"You catch on quick," He praised.
Your mind was racing as you processed this. "So these past three months you've all been working with gangsters?"
Shigaraki scowled, "Well, that originally was the plan. Unfortunately that's not how things worked out. Magne was killed during our negotiations. I split up the League so we weren't easy targets."
"Magne.....is dead?" Your face paled as you remembered the villain, who had shown you kindness and compassion during every interaction. She had been someone who just wanted to be free of society's pressures and live life the way she wanted to as a woman.
He nodded grimly, "It shook the league badly. We are still struggling to deal with our losses. We are all on different quests now. Compress lost his arm during the fight and went to Giran for cybernetics so he's been out of my command for the past couple months while he pays off his debts. Toga and Twice are working as Yakuza, Spinner has taken up vigilantism and Kurogiri is searching for some kind of upgrade sensei mentioned."
"What about Dabi?" You asked, curious about the clone.
Shigaraki looked exasperated, "He's off doing whatever the fuck he wants because he's already dead and could give less of a shit if it happens again. I've lost contact with him and pretty much everyone else except Giran."
"So you're alone then?" You said, feeling bad for the guy. First he lost his Sensei then the League....if his living conditions were anything to go by, he wasn't in a very good place.
"Well, it's not the first time. But it won't be that way for long" Shigaraki grinned and met your gaze, "I've got you now...."
You blinked, "M-me!?"
"Look. I'm gonna be straight with you, I want Overhaul taken down and I'm gonna need your help to do it." He leaned forward. "You're investigating their little ring are you not?"
"I was....." You shifted nervously. "But uh....I kind of got put on leave. There was creative differences."
Shigaraki chuckled, "Did those creative differences involve you burning and beating your targets within an inch of their life?"
You shifted, "How did you....?"
"I heard all about it from the Yakuza," His eyes glinted with something vicious and he grinned at you. "Rosoku may be a hero to the people, but he's a nightmare for his enemies. You're becoming quite the monster."
You frowned and looked away, "I can't help it...."
Shigaraki hummed, "Believe me, I know. It's like I said when we first met, you and I are exactly alike." He reached forward and picked up a styrofoam ramen cup with four fingers. "You hate so much it crawls beneath your skin, it burns and itches and builds until you can't contain it and then..." He placed his fifth finger down and the cup immediately decayed into ashes. "Glorious destruction. Your temper is the result of that. Now that you have the fear to prevent Cremation from destroying you, it's started seeking out other means of satisfaction."
You squirmed, feeling uncomfortable with how the villain was able to dissect you so easily. He was able to accurately assess how you felt based off personal experience which wasn't exactly reassuring.
You shook your head, "I can handle it. I roast a couple guys, send them to the hospital and then move on. I'm a hero, I can't go around lighting fires for fun."
It didn't matter what you wanted to do, because now you had Endeavor's legacy to fulfill and you could curb your arsonist tendencies if it meant he would just look at you.
Shigaraki smirked, "That's why I got the perfect opportunity for you, little hero. With the League split up I could never hope to take them down, but you and the heroes? Now that's a force the Yakuza don't stand a chance against. I've got a meeting scheduled at midnight with Overhaul because he wants to meet my second in command. Now he has never met Dabi, so that means I get a free pass to bring in anyone and pass them off as him. It's a perfect opportunity for a hero brat such as yourself to slip in disguised and steal their files. You come with me as Dabi, get the implicating stuff for your investigation, take it to the heroes and bring the gang to their knees. You get to burn their organization and I get to watch their lives crumble. We both satisfy our itch."
You hummed, fighting down the prickling heat in your fingertips at the thought.Shigaraki wasn't lying about it being a golden opportunity. With his help you would have access to the heart of the organization. You would be able to get the location of headquarters or evidence of human experimentation. You could kick start the raid to end the Shie Hassaikai if you got your hands on that.
You sighed and pulled a hand down your face. This was insanely risky. Not only would you be surrounded by Yakuza and criminals, but you would be risking your life. You would be interrogated about yourself dressed as a villain. You would be risking the League's life as well should you slip up.
"You do realize that is insane right?"
"Which means you are interested," he pressed.
"Ok maybe....but what would I even tell the heroes!?" You pressed. "They are definitely going to ask questions if I show up with that kind of information. This isn't the sort of thing you would find on low level investigations. I'm going to look very suspicious with this kind of insider information
"Tell them Overhaul kidnapped you and that you escaped," He said.
You grimaced "Uh, I've sent over nine of his production sites up in flames. I may not know this guy, but I'm certain that kidnapping wouldn't be on the top of his list of things to do to me."
Shigaraki hummed in contemplation. After a moment he seemed to think of something, "Tell them I kidnapped you."
"But why would YOU Kidnap me?" You pressed. "Well, kidnap me again that is...."
"As a peace offering? Tell the heroes that I gave Overhaul Rosoku to please him. He gets his revenge on the brat torching his drugs and I get like, I don't know, a cookie or some shit in return. Use your imagination." Shigaraki grumbled. He clearly didn't care for planning ahead.
"But if I mention you, then they would know of the League's involvement," you argued.
"Good. Then they'll know we aren't dead yet," he said maliciously.
You sighed, "This could......work......."
"Look, I know we are on opposite teams, but I'm willing to truce so that we both get what we want. We both like getting what we want. I win and you win." He said, earnestly. "Rosoku is on break, so either you sit back and do nothing or you can play villain for a night and bring justice to Overhaul's door."
You thought it over.
Yes it was crazy.
Yes you could die.
But it was also exciting and it would give you a chance to prove yourself not only to your father but to Nighteye and his agency. You could help uncover what was causing Izuku such distress.
You smiled, "Alright, let's do it. I've always had a knack for playing pretend."
Shigaraki's dry lips cracked into a crooked grin, "Now that I have no doubt."
==*==
{An hour later, you found yourself stuffed into a dingy dressing room in an old theater turned bar. It was clearly not the most reputable of establishments seeing as most of the people there were familiar to you from their wanted posters. Luckily this meant Shigaraki fit right in.  He sat you up on a stool and dragged out a duffel bag  packed full of various junk. If you were going to pass as Dabi, that meant getting a full makeover courtesy of your villainous ally.}
"Your hair is already dyed, so we will have to stick with this stuff. It'll come out when you shower," Shigaraki said, pulling a can from his bag. It was one of those temporary spray in colourants from a discount yen store. He popped the cap off and shook it.
"Cover your eyes and hold your breath."
You did so and heard a spraying noise accompanied by the cool spray of liquid against your scalp. After a couple of moments the noise stopped. You felt hands poke at your hair and you stiffened immediately under his touch.
"I'm wearing gloves you idiot," he muttered, sticking his whole hand on your head and ruffling up your hair. "See? You're still in one piece."
You laughed nervously and felt your soul return to your body at that realization. He continued to mess with your locks, breaking up clumps of dye and styling it up until he was satisfied with the disheveled look.
"Alright I guess that will do. We better hope it doesn't rain though..." he muttered. "You can breathe now."
You inhaled in relief, immediately being assaulted with the smell of chemicals  and hairspray. "Blech, that's terrible." You scrunched up your nose and fiddled with your gloves, trying to stop yourself from gagging.
Shigaraki paused for a moment, eyes widening slightly as he examined his work. Something uncharacteristically grim flashed across his face.
You looked up at him through your newly blackened hair, "What is it?"
"N-nothing." He turned away and placed the spray bottle down. "Just get comfortable, I still need to fuck up your face."
You blinked, "And by that you mean...?"
"Well, considering how the few people who actually see his face don't survive, we can take some creative liberties." He said. "Unfortunately the ones that are well known are the staples and piercings so...uh....."
You reeled back, "W-wait! You aren't gonna staple me are you!?"
"Well it's not something we can fake," he said, rifling around in his bag. "Don't worry, I had to do this lots of times when Dabi was alive. I'm well experienced."
You shook your head vigorously, "No way man! My face is the one part of my body that hasn't been burnt or messed up! I am not about to let you staple me!"
"It's only for a couple hours. Besides I brought some heavy duty healing equipment, your face will be fine by the end of the day, it won't even scar." He grabbed a pack full of needles and medical gear and plopped it on your lap. "See? Top grade stuff right there. Stolen straight from the hospital."
"If it's so good why don't you use it on your own scars," you tested.
"I can't. That would be wrong." Shigaraki touched his face absently but didn't elaborate on the subject further. "It does work though, Toga used it when her dumb face piercings got infected."
You frowned, "I didn't know she got her face pierced."
"See? You can't even tell. It works great," he muttered. "I've even got numbing cream as well." 
"Wow, you pulled out all the stops. I'm still not gonna let you staple me." You insisted.
"Don't be difficult," he hissed, scratching at his neck.
You looked at him baffled "How the hell am I being the difficult one for not wanting to get metal clasped in me!?"
"Well I don't exactly want to do it, but there is no getting around this if you want to do the plan," He pressed. "This is a high risk operation. Neither of us can shapeshift, we can't risk faking anything and we can't skimp on details. Overhaul notices everything." He pulled out a well loved piercing kit with a variety of different needles and studs. "We gotta be meticulous."
You thought about it for a moment. You weren't a coward, just vain. You didn't want to risk any unnecessary deformations. Your face arms and calves were permanently speckled with burns, but you managed to keep your face just the same. You were admittedly a little scared of ending up looking like Dabi for real should your quirk malfunction. Pretending for a disguise was one thing but you were at a very real risk of ending up the spitting image of him, burns and skin grafts and all.
The piercings and heavy metal aesthetic were awesome. The medical stitches and staples were not.
You were being selfish though, heroes had to do stuff they didn't like sometimes. If you were able to get information at the cost of your health you should do it.
"You can do my hands and stuff, b-but not my face. We can just use piercings instead," you compromised.
Shigaraki's face softened at that and he nodded in agreement, "Ok, that works."
{The next hour went by agonizingly even with the numbing cream. Luckily for you, the villain seemed to know what he was doing and made sure to clean his equipment alongside you to make sure there was no risk of infection. You ended up with three helix piercings in both ears, three studs in your nose, a labret in your lip, both sides of your mouth and your dimples. It definitely was not a very good idea to do that many piercings in one session but it wasn't like you had much of a choice. By the time he was done, your entire face felt pinched and your mouth tasted like blood. The staples were only on the parts of your skin that were visible including your neckline and around your wrists. They pulled and tugged in a way you knew for sure would be agonizing had you not been numb.}
"All done," Shigaraki said, pulling back. "They are misaligned and uneven as hell but considering this was my first time doing it I'd say it turned out pretty good. I've only ever seen Dabi and Toga do it. How are you feeling?"
You frowned and poked at one of the studs, "M'face feels funny."
He nodded, "That'll wear off soon. The painkillers and healing serum can take it from there."
"Tastes like metal..." you mumbled.
"Well, it turned out great if that's any consolation to you," he stood back and admired his work. "Alright little hero, give me your best impression of him."
You raised your brows, lowered your eyelids and tried to look as bored and aloof as possible
He hummed critically, "Not very convincing. You've got way too much light in your eyes."
"Well, I'm sorry that society hasn't crushed my soul yet," you snorted.
He clicked the piercing kit shut, "It's gonna be hard to pass you off as a villainous pyromaniac. You look too squishy and soft."
"Squishy!?" You said in offense. You knew your body wasn't as impressive as Izuku or Shoto's, but it certainly wasn't something to be disgusted at. Endeavor had made sure you had the body of a hero to match your looks.
"No, like your face," he corrected. "It's too boyish and nice even with all that metal. You look like Hello Kitty got dragged through a steel factory."
You scowled, insulted by the description.
"There we go, that looks more like Dabi," Shigaraki said, approving. "You still look too healthy though...."
He pulled out a makeup pallet which you took a wild guess at one point belonged to Tog judging by the crusting blood on the outside of the case. He pulled out a brush which looked like it was for oil painting and powered it in the darkest color possible. "Close your eyes and don't move." He demanded.
Uncertainly, you let your eyes closed and let him do whatever the hell he had planned. You felt the brush bristles poke around your eyes, nose, cheekbones and collarbones.
You opened your eyes and saw him biting his tongue as he powdered around your throat. "Are you a master when it comes to villain cosmetics?" You asked teasingly.
He huffed, "No. Kurogiri would always do my makeup for me."
You couldn't tell if he was joking or not so you just sat there with that knowledge.
Satisfied, he snapped the pallet shut in his hand, "Alright, you look sufficiently sickly and malnourished now. Just like a real street rat."
"Can I look?" You asked, getting somewhat restless.
"Not yet. You need to change clothes first," he said, grabbing a bundle from the side and tossing it over at you. "Just slip them overtop your hero suit. I don't want you burning to a crisp. If things get dicey."
You caught it. Unfolding the bundle revealed a pair of black jeans, a white shirt and a torn grey trench coat.
"Unfortunately I didn't have much in the way of fashion, so try not to be too disappointed," he said. "I guess the coat would be kinda cool though."
You looked at him amused, "Are you enjoying this? Giving me a makeover?"
His face twitched, "I'm just making sure you don't get found out, hero."
"Are you sure? You seem to be quite pleased with this whole ordeal," you teased, carefully slipping the shirt over your piercings and staples.
He grinned darkly, "Maybe I just like having some hero brat at my command."
"Oh yeah, you like bossing me around, doing my hair and makeup, sharing clothes with me..." you shrugged on the trenchcoat.  "Magne would be happy to know you are carrying on her legacy."
"Maybe...." He snorted.
"Honestly though, you seemed relaxed while helping me," You hummed, "You must've had a lot of inspiration from an older sister or something growing up."
He stiffened at that, pausing with his hand on his neck. Something flashed in his gaze, but the next moment it was gone. He scratched at his skin roughly, "Just get dressed."
You frowned at the dullness in his tone and realized you must've hit a sore spot. Shutting your mouth, you slipped on a pair of combat boots and shimmied into a pair of pants. They were all too big for you, but not too uncomfortable.
"Whose clothes are these?" You asked.
"Ah, mostly mine. I think the coat might've belonged to Kurogiri? I dunno....looks cool though. I grabbed it from the back of the closet with a handful of other junk before our old hideout could get demolished...." He trailed off, seeming bitter and a tad remorseful at the mention of his old home.
You looked down at the clothes. Upon closer inspection, the pants had holes in them and stains of old blood. "Are these from bullets? Did you pull these off of a corpse?"
"I got shot by a hero while wearing them, back at the USJ attack...." He smirked. "How's it feel wearing a supervillains clothes?"
You shivered slightly and hugged yourself, "Too big...."
Shigaraki grinned, "Don't get scared now, you look great."
He grabbed your arm and roughly dragged you in front of a mirror, barely able to contain his excitement.
Dabi's vestige greeted you in your place, grinning at you darkly through the glass. "Well, would ya look at that." He whistled and tilted his head to the side. "Good thing it's not permanent, huh Toya?"
You blinked and he disappeared, revealing a smaller lookalike in his wake.
Your brain struggled to connect your body to the image you were seeing.
"Whaddya think," Shigaraki asked, ruby eyes glinting through the reflection.
You reached up and touched your hair, the stranger in the mirror looking the same.
The dark contouring around your face and neck made you look sharp, the harsh lines carving your features into something older and harsher. Your hair was jarringly dark compared to the red, styled up into disarray waves and spikes that were pulled from an American rockstar. The dark locks contrasted against the bright silver metal jammed into your skin. The healing serum had formed a hole around all of the piercings almost immediately, making them feel natural where they were pushed into your skin. You could feel the metal in your mouth against your tongue, forming a line up your face through your lips and skin. The staples on your chest pulled awkwardly at your flesh when you moved, catching on your shirt and forming an invisible seam. You looked absolutely nothing like a hero.
If Overhaul was expecting a stapled up villain then you more than fit the part.
"Pretty cool, huh?" Shigaraki leaned on you, seeming pleased with your shock. "You may not be Dabi, but you sure as hell aren't Y/N or Rosoku."
"I don't look anything like Rosoku...." You agreed. You may be a merciless fighter, but the image you had gained as a hero was one of a charming and feisty fighter who those in need could trust.
This person you were dressed as, was the opposite of all that.  By his side, you absolutely passed as a member of the League. You looked like the kind of people who civilians would cross the street to avoid. That was unsurprising for someone like Tomura Shigaraki, but for you!? For a hero? Now that was a shock.
As practice, you schooled your expression from shock into a stoic relaxed expression. Without all the wide eyed shock, your reflection looked downright sinister, borderline frightening. You looked like you were the type of person nobody messed with.
"There's power when you don't have anything weighing you down," Shigaraki said eagerly. "No morals, no laws, no rules. You can do whatever you want, be whoever you want, destroy whoever you want. It's like a special Quirk all on its own!"
His energy was becoming manic, his movements fast and excited. You struggled not to feed off it, to not lose yourself in the fantasy.
His behavior reminded you of Izuku's in some twisted way, his emotions almost contagious to you. 
It was dangerous to adopt the emotions of a person like Shigaraki. You were walking a tightrope between fate and fantasy and you couldn't risk him influencing you. It was one thing to lose control and destroy stuff, but to do it for pure amusement as he did.....
There wouldn't be any going back for you if you did that.
"It's a good disguise," you said, forcing yourself away from the mirror. "But it's just that, a disguise. After tonight it's back to hero work for me."
He hummed, "Well then, we better make the most of your freedom while it lasts then, little hero."
~~*~~
Shoto was surprised to hear a knock on his dorm room door late at night. He was, however, less surprised to see Izuku standing there, looking haunted.
"Midoriya....." he greeted. "Up so late?"
"I just got back...." He said weakly.
Shoto frowned, "What's going on?"
Izuku took a shaky breath, "We put him on break but...It was too late...It happened just as you said it would......"
Shoto felt a lump form in the pit of his stomach, "You don't mean....."
"It wasn't direct....." He said. "Two of the men who ambushed us this morning just flatlined in hospital."
The dual haired boy paled, "Don't tell me....."
Izuku shivered, eyes teary and full of regret "Yeah.....they died from the wounds Rosoku gave them......"