Tea In A Bar

Chapter 4: Can we look at a manual?

For the first time in a long time, Izuku felt comfortable while sleeping.

There were no nightmares. No flashes of red dripping from flowers onto his hands. Or red dripping from the rooftop ledge where his shoes were set neatly next to each other. There was no red from eyes that looked at him with hate he could never truly understand. There was no red from burned skin and cuts. Or from blood staining the cloth Yagi-san carried with him. There was no red dripping from the katana in Stain's hands or pooling underneath Iida's pierced hero costume. There was no red slowly staining his uniform.

Izuku didn't hate the color red.

But whenever it showed up in his dreams, it was never good. So it was a nice change to see that it wasn't making an appearance in his dreams. That it was not making him want to stay awake and avoid the sweet call of sleep.

He could barely feel any aches in his hand. Instead, it actually felt quite warm. Warmth in the past had always meant burns, explosions, and pain. But this warmth was soft and didn't burn, he made sure to pull it closer. He could feel it chasing away the aches and he slipped deeper and deeper into unconsciousness.

At one point he could have sworn he heard someone whispering something, as if it was in his head. "Ninth...Izuku...please rest...sleep, we'll keep the nightmares away."

With that, Midoriya slipped away, burrowing into the warmth that seemed to now surround him.

_____

When Shigaraki had finally come out of his room, it was to hear Compress say "Oh but it is". The sight of Dabi looking defeated, while his hand was being held by Midoriya. Midoriya, who was still asleep.

"Why is the brat holding your hand?"

Shigaraki heard Dabi mutter, "How the hell should I know?" before Toga was coming up to him with a frown on her face.

"Izuku-kun's name isn't brat! Don't be so mean to him, he's really nice."

"What I call him shouldn't mat-"

"Bwahahahaha, he's pulling your hand closer," Spinner started laughing, pointing at Midoriya.

When Shigaraki looked back at Dabi and Midoriya. He could see how the boy was pulling Dabi's hand closer. It almost looked as if he were trying to cuddle the flame user.

"It's not funny Spinner! I can't get him to fucking let go!"

Shigaraki raised an eyebrow. Can't get Midoriya to let go? How hard could that be?

As if she could read his mind, Magne explained. "Apparently the green bean is strong. He's not even using his quirk, but we haven't been able to get him to let go of Dabi's hand. The little guy isn't even hurting Dabi's hand but he's damn strong for someone that small."

Shigaraki turned to look at Kurogiri who was calmly cleaning some glasses from across Midoriya behind the counter. "Is this true Kurogiri?"

"Yes, Tomura. Midoriya fell asleep and they tried to wake him up, to no avail. Then he grabbed Dabi's hand and has not let go."

"Tch."

"Oh don't 'tch' me dustfuck," Dabi sneered at Shigaraki, "Do something to get the hero you wanted to kidnap to let me go."

Shigaraki scowled, "Fine." Then he pushed through the others and put a hand on Midoriya's face.

"HEY WH-"

"NO STOP! KILL HIM!"

"Oh dear."

"What the fu-"

Shigaraki closed his eyes at all the yells from everybody, "Calm down, I wasn't going to decay him. Figured he'd wake up, but he's still asleep." Shigaraki could feel the soft breathing from Midoriya against his hand before he took it off Midoriya's face.