Burning love |Dabi ff

Chapter 5

It was one of those rare nights where everything felt unusually calm in the League's hideout. No missions, no schemes, no chaos. Just the members hanging around the dimly lit bar, waiting for something—anything—to happen. It wasn't often that we got to relax like this, and for a moment, I let myself sink into the worn-out couch, watching the rest of the crew go about their usual business.

Shigaraki, sitting in his usual dark corner, was glued to his video game console. His fingers twitched rapidly over the controls, and every so often, his eyes would narrow with frustration, muttering curses when something didn't go his way. For someone so dangerous, seeing him focused on something as simple as a game was almost... normal. It was a side of him that still surprised me, but maybe it shouldn't anymore. We were all people, after all, even if the world only saw us as villains.

"Kat-chan! You're spacing out again!" Toga's voice rang out, snapping me back to reality. I blink and turn toward her. She was sitting on the floor, grinning wildly as she shuffled a deck of cards. The way she was doing it—messy and impatient—made me wonder if she even knew how to shuffle properly. Across from her, Twice was arguing with himself, as usual, about which game they should play.

"Come on, play with us!" Toga said, her eyes wide and eager. She didn't seem to care what the game was, just as long as we were all involved. I smiled at her enthusiasm. "Alright, sure. What are we playing?" Before Toga could answer, Twice blurted out, "Blackjack! No, poker! No, I hate poker! Let's play go fish!" He kept going back and forth, his head shaking in confusion as he tried to settle on a game.

Toga giggled clearly amused. "Let's play blackjack! It's easy, and we can all play together." She looked at me with her mischievous grin, waiting for my response. I nodded, happy to just go along with whatever. "Blackjack sounds good to me."

Spinner, who had been leaning against the bar quietly this whole time, came over and pulled up a chair. He gave me a small nod as he sat down. I returned it, appreciating how he didn't push for conversation. Spinner wasn't the most talkative guy, but there was a certain calmness to him that I liked. He wasn't as chaotic as the others, and I found that comforting.

As Toga dealt the cards, the atmosphere in the room shifted. It wasn't tense like usual, where everyone was on edge, waiting for the next fight or mission. Instead, there was a sense of ease. We all played, laughed, and even made fun of Twice when he started arguing with himself about whether to hit or stay.

"You're lucky I don't lose my cool as easily as Shigaraki," Twice said after he accidentally busted, throwing his cards onto the table. "I don't need another hand!" Toga burst out laughing, and even I couldn't help but chuckle at Twice's antics. For all his split personality issues, he was one of the more lighthearted members of the group. It was nice to just have fun with everyone for once. I had only been with the League for a little while, but moments like this made me feel like I was starting to fit in.

"Looks like you're winning, Kat-chan!" Toga said, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she watched me lay down my cards. "Beginner's luck," I shrugged, even though I was secretly enjoying the small victory. It felt good to relax and just be myself around them. Mr. Compress joined us not long after, performing a few card tricks for fun. His over-the-top style made everyone laugh, even Shigaraki, who glanced over from his game with a faint smirk before returning to the screen. Magne sat on the couch next to me, watching the game unfold with a calm smile. She didn't say much, but her presence was comforting.

"Not bad, kid," she said softly as I won another hand. "Thanks," I replied, smiling back. I appreciated her. Magne was always so easy to talk to, and she had a way of making me feel like I belonged here, even when I wasn't sure I did. The night went on like this, filled with laughter, banter, and the occasional argument from Twice.

By the end of the night, as everyone started to wind down, I found myself sitting on the couch again, watching the others. Toga was still bouncing with energy, while Twice and Spinner had moved to another part of the bar to talk. Mr. Compress was telling some kind of grand story, as usual, and even Shigaraki had put down his controller for a moment to listen.

It was in that moment that I realized how much these people had become my new reality. Sure, they were villains, but they were also just people—people who had welcomed me in, in their own strange way. I might not have chosen this life, but I was starting to feel like I belonged here. And for the first time in a long while, that didn't scare me.