Burning love |Dabi ff

Chapter 6

Training with Dabi had become part of my daily routine. He wasn't exactly gentle in his methods, but he pushed me in ways that made me stronger. Today was no different. We'd been at it for hours, trading blows and dodging each other's attacks in the rundown warehouse we used for training. Sweat dripped down my face as I struggled to keep up with him.

"Your footwork is sloppy," Dabi said, dodging another one of my punches with ease. He smirked, his usual cocky attitude in full force. "You need to stay balanced, or you're just asking to get knocked down."

I huffed, trying to ignore the sting of his words. "I'm trying, alright?"

He chuckled, the sound low and amused. "You're not bad, Katsu, but you've got a long way to go. Don't get cocky just because you've managed to land a few hits on the others."

Dabi never went easy on me, but I appreciated that. He treated me like an equal, which was more than I could say for most people I'd known before. Still, his constant smirking and taunts sometimes got on my nerves.

"Whatever," I muttered, wiping the sweat from my brow. "I'll get there."

Dabi gave a slight nod, his smirk fading into something more serious. "Yeah, you will. Just don't get too soft in the process."

As we finished up for the day, we started walking back through the streets. The night air was cool, and for once, the city was quiet. We didn't talk much, but I didn't mind. Dabi wasn't the type to fill silence with pointless chatter, and I appreciated that.

As we passed by an alley, something caught my eye. A small, skinny cat was curled up near a trash bin, its fur dirty and matted. It looked up at us with wide, scared eyes.

"Wait," I said, stopping in my tracks. "Look at that."

Dabi glanced at the cat, then back at me. "It's just a stray, Katsu. Let's go."

I frowned, my heart aching for the little creature. "It looks like it hasn't eaten in days. We can't just leave it here."

Dabi rolled his eyes. "We're villains, not animal rescue."

Ignoring him, I crouched down and held out my hand to the cat. Slowly, it approached me, sniffing my fingers before rubbing its head against my hand. "See? It just needs a little food and care."

Dabi let out an annoyed sigh. "You're really doing this, huh?"

"Yeah," I said, picking up the cat carefully. It was light, almost too light, like it hadn't had a proper meal in weeks. "I'm not leaving it here."

"Fine," Dabi muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "But you're the one carrying it."

I smiled, cradling the cat in my arms. "I'll call you Ash, you're black with blue eyes. Look, Dabi, he looks just like you!" I yelled at Dabi. Ash meowed softly, settling into my hold.

When we got back to the hideout, the reaction from the others was immediate.

"Kat-chan, you brought home a kitty!" Toga squealed, her eyes lighting up with excitement as she rushed over to see the small cat in my arms. "It's so cute! Can I hold it?"

Ash shifted nervously in my grip, clearly uncomfortable with the sudden attention. I smiled at Toga's enthusiasm but shook my head. "Maybe later. Ash's probably a little scared right now."

Toga pouted, but her excitement didn't fade. "Ash? Is that what you're calling it? I love it!"

Spinner, who was sitting at the bar with Twice, glanced over and raised an eyebrow. "A cat, really? We're villains. We're not exactly the pet-loving type."

Twice, as usual, was quick to argue with himself. "A cat's fine! No, it's a terrible idea! We're going to end up cleaning up after it—no, it'll be fun!"

I rolled my eyes at their banter. "It's just a cat. I'm taking care of it, so no one else has to worry."

Mr. Compress, always the theatrical one, strolled over and peered down at the small creature. "Ah, a stray taken in by another stray. How poetic," he said with a flourish, making me chuckle. His dramatic attitude was always good for a laugh.

Shigaraki, sitting in his usual spot with a controller in hand, didn't even look up from his game. "Just don't let it get in my way," he muttered, clearly uninterested in the newest addition to our little family.

"Don't worry, Shigaraki, it won't bother you," I reassured him, though I doubted he cared one way or another.

I walked over to a small, relatively clean corner of the hideout and set Ash down gently. The cat curled up immediately, still looking a bit wary but clearly relieved to have found a safe spot. I made a mental note to find some food for it later. As I stood back up, I felt a presence behind me.

"You really gonna take care of that thing?" Dabi's voice came from over my shoulder, low and teasing. I could feel his eyes on me, that familiar smirk creeping back onto his face.

I turned to face him, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah. Why, you got a problem with that?"

Dabi shrugged, his smirk never fading. "Not my problem, Katsu. Just don't get too attached. Pets don't tend to last long in places like this."

I narrowed my eyes at him, refusing to be discouraged. "I can take care of it."

He chuckled, the sound soft but slightly mocking. "If you say so."

Despite his words, there was something in his tone—something that wasn't quite as harsh as usual. Maybe, just maybe, Dabi didn't completely hate the idea. Not that he'd ever admit it.

As the night went on, the League settled back into its usual rhythm. Spinner and Twice were talking strategy for upcoming missions, while Mr. Compress entertained Toga with stories from his past. Shigaraki, still glued to his video game, occasionally barked orders at us from across the room, but even he seemed to be in a relatively relaxed mood.

I sat back, petting Ash as the cat rested in my lap, feeling a strange sense of calm that I hadn't experienced in a long time. It wasn't like this place was peaceful—far from it—but in its own twisted way, the League had become my new home. These people, as messed up as they were, had accepted me, and for the first time since faking my death, I didn't feel so lost.

Dabi, as usual, stayed close by, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching everything with that same aloof expression. Whether he was just being cautious or something else, I couldn't tell. But having him around made me feel... safer, even if he'd probably never admit to actually caring.