Chasing You

Chase Eleven: A Present

Dabi was finally free of the hell known as the hospital. Thankfully he only needed a stitch here and there and he was fine. It wasn't as bad as it looked. It also didn't feel as bad as it looked. It was also symmetrical. Good for Death the Kid. He didn't have to hate Dabi now.

He hated going to the hospital. Nurses and doctors always asked him way too many questions about his scars instead of reading his damn medical history. No. He didn't do it to himself. No. It wasn't related to the reason he was here. No. He was not some drug dealer and addict.

Dabi sighed. He just hoped Death the Kid was alright. "Hello?" Dabi was tired of his phone going off so he answered it this time.

"There has been another killing."

"You're going to have to do this one without me, Boss, I'm drugged up and in a shitload of pain," Dabi groaned. His back was being a bitch.

"What happened to you?" Shota asked. Always the nice guy. Really admirable.

"Nothing big, my roof just caved in and fell on top of me," Dabi shrugged. He knew Shota wouldn't be able to see his shrug but he did it anyway.

"No big deal?! What the fuck? Are you okay?"

"Do I sound okay?" Dabi sighed. "I'm fine, for the most part, I just have a giant hole in my ceiling and have no idea if it's even safe to sleep in that place at the moment. But, I've got nowhere else to go."

"I suppose it's a bad time to tell you this," Shota cursed under his breath, "but there was something at this crime scene specifically for you."

"How do you know it was for me?"

"It had your name on it."

"Really?" Dabi laughed. "That's new. What was it?"

"You're going to want to see this for yourself."

...

The scene of the crime. Or, more appropriately labeled, the body dump area. Another warehouse. Another death. This body should just be some no-name stranger that happened to live a life a crime. The cops weren't even here yet. It was just him, the body, and Shota.

"Fuck," Dabi ran a hand through his hair and paced the room. "My name, yeah, that's my name alright. How did he even know?" He pointed to Shota, then to the door, "Can you just, can you give me a second, please? I need to...say goodbye." Shota nodded. He walked out. There should still be some time before the rest of the team arrived.

"Sweetie," a voice. Dabi knew that voice. Who was it? He knew that voice but couldn't place it for the life of him. Dabi turned to face the voice. Blue hair. Plastic hand over face. Lots of black. Tomura Shigaraki.

"It's you," Dabi was at a loss for words. All of this time spent searching. All of the questions he wanted to ask. He couldn't think of any of them now. The only thing on his mind was this body. It was throwing him off. "You killed my father..."

"Please don't say 'prepare to die' next, sweetie, I have insurance and this isn't The Princess Bride," he chuckled. That piece of shit wasn't taking him seriously.

"Insurance?" Dabi scoffed. "The police are going to arrive any minute now. You haven't got shit."

"Do you believe in quirks? Sweetie? Because I've found someone with a rather nice one. Mind control. Whether or not you choose to believe me is entirely your choice. However, you've got some friends you want to keep safe, right?"

"Did you kill this bastard just to get me here? What are you on about?" Dabi frowned.

"I want to talk," Mr. Hand Stealer sat on the ground. "Have a seat. You want to talk too, right? I'm sure you've got questions."

"Don't you want to have a seat?" a guy walked in. Purple hair. Bags under his eyes. He looked like the spitting image of Shota Aizawa. Were they related?

"I most certainly would not like to have a goddamnit seat. What the fuck?" Dabi growled.

"Have a seat," he said. Dabi sat. He didn't want to sit. Why was he sitting? Mind control. The bastard was serious about it. How did it work? To what extent? Fuck.

"I'm here until the police arrive. You've caught me, so to speak," Mr. Hand Stealer shrugged. "Ask your questions."

Dabi tried with all of his strength to stand up. He couldn't. Well, with this brilliant opportunity just smiling at him in the face...he might as well take advantage of it. "Why did you do it?" he asked. "Why did you do this to me?"

"Why did I do what? You'll have to be more specific, sweetie."

"Why did you give me all of this ugly skin? Asshole. Is that straightforward enough for you?"

"To save you," he held out his gloved hand to point at the body between them. "From him. It was my first act of heroism."

"Scarring me to look like a disgusting piece of shit was heroic? What world are you living in? I want to-"

"You want to what? Hm? What do you want to do to me? Kill me?"

"I'm not you," Dabi spat. "I don't want to kill you. I want answers. You can't give me answers if you're dead."

"People didn't listen to you. People don't listen to children. You spoke up about it multiple times and adults turned you away. They couldn't turn away from you looking like that, Dabi," Tomura gestured to Dabi's skin.

"Admit that you enjoyed it, sadistic shit," Dabi growled.

"Would that make you feel better? Would that make you forgive me?"

"Of course not."

"Then I won't say I enjoyed it." Sirens and blaring lights arrived outside. "I'll tell you this, Dabi," he stood up. "We were children. I thought in childish ways. Still do, actually, I haven't grown up much. But, at the time, that was all I could do for you with my power. So, I did it." Tomura walked over to him. He took off his gloves. He touched Dabi's handcuffs, destroying them. "I'm setting you free now. Stop chasing me."

Gone. Just like that.

"I know that voice. I know I've heard that voice before. Damnit!" Dabi stood up. He kicked a rock out the window, breaking the glass. "Who is he? Who the fuck is he?" The handcuffs. Of course! The handcuffs. The answer was right in front of his face. He'd reached out to gesture to him. His sleeve moved up. There was a handcuff on his wrist. He could've removed it but he didn't. He wanted Dabi to know that Tenko and Tomura were the same person. Why?

"He fucked me," Dabi held his hand up to his mouth, disgusted and shocked all the same. He looked out the window at the police buzzing around. "He fucked me knowing who I was, what he'd done, and that I was looking for him. What else was part of his charade? Does he even like Medusa in Greek mythology or was that a fucking hint to his twisted game?"

"Damnit!" Dabi slammed his fist against the wall. It crumbled. He'd just damaged a crime scene but he didn't give a fuck about it. He took out his phone and dialed Tenko's number. Blocked. Of course it was.

"Dabi, what happened?" Shota asked.

"I'm leaving, tell me if you find anything."

"Bu-"

"I'm leaving, Shota, let me leave," Dabi walked out. Walked out and went back to his shitty apartment. He didn't care if the roof was caved in. He just wanted to sleep.