False Reality

Just Pretend

Keigo had left feathers in your room everywhere that night. He'd almost insisted on staying in your room, but you'd told him to get out more insistently and won that fight.
There was one under your pillow, one by your face no matter how many times you turned around, and then when you'd gotten up to go in your drawers, you'd found one nestled in amongst your school books and decided it was better not to know how bugged your room was.
The next day you basically refuse to go to school, even with all the bribing with Keigo.

You don't even look at your phone when he leaves it in your room. You're in half a mind to 'accidentally' destroy it, especially after Akio sent a message about what you two had 'done together' once you'd gotten back home yesterday.
Keigo sits on the edge of your bed quietly, probably debating on what to do with you. If he is, he seems calm about it, rhythmically rubbing your arm with his hand like he had last night.

"I kind of need to be at the base today, kid." Keigo says, his voice softer than usual. "Can you come, or do I need to get someone over here?"

"I'll come." You say, your voice barely loud enough to carry.

"Are you sure? If you're already struggling..." Keigo begins, but you interrupt him.

"It's fine."

It was probably better for you to try to get out of the house and do something to distract yourself, anyway.
You slowly peel yourself away from your bed, sitting up while leaning on one arm, Keigo's hand having disappeared from your other arm.
He remains sat next to you though, looking at you with concerned golden eyes, and an expression on his face that kind of makes it seem like he wants to argue it a little more with you.

"Alright, well..." He sighs as you sit up fully, hugging your knees. His hand goes to the back of your head. "Eat something first, okay?"

You nod, waiting for him to give you some distance before spreading your wings out and giving them a shake out.
It takes a while for you to put yourself together so you look relatively presentable, and it takes a while to eat the cereal waiting for you in the kitchen before you and Keigo leave for the PLF base.
Helping him while you were feeling so empty probably would help you learn to mask just like he did.
You could carry on pretending for a little longer.

*•*

"Weird vibe today, huh?" Keigo asks you quietly, his golden eyes scanning the hallways as you walk through them.

He wasn't wrong, everyone seems a little on edge today, not many smiles on the random people that hung around the base like there seemed to be usually when you came here.
You'd heard hushed comments about the 'second in charge' being irritable, but had no idea who that would be. You knew it could either be Shigaraki or... Destro, was it? You can't really remember the low-down Keigo had given you. The factions were too much to remember, and it wasn't like it was too important to what you were there to do, anyway.

You grunt affirmatively, looking out for other kids in the building, but seeing a grand total of none.
The second you do spot a younger girl, you realise you're staring at the back of Dabi and Star, the little girl clinging to his jacket as though she was a scared toddler.
Keigo motions for you to hurry up subtly, pacing quickly but as quietly as possible behind them.

"When I'm feelin' a bit better we can have a sleepover, yeah?" Dabi says to her, his voice the softest you'd heard it.

So even Dabi was feeling off-colour. Maybe he'd had a fight with Shigaraki, that'd make sense after all if they were 'boyfriends' like Star had said before.
And although the term 'sleepover' should have your skin crawling, your alarm bells aren't going off. His voice sounds genuinely gentle and caring, something you'd never seen from him before, and she doesn't seem scared or off-put by the suggestion at all.