Viper Tongue

Burn Without Me

A few weeks later

For a few seconds, he just stood there glaring at Karma...then his eyes fell onto me. I could tell he wanted to cry but he couldn't, not physically due to the scar tissue "Dabi..." we could see how this looked - Karma sneaking around and me miraculously alive? It looked like we were seeing each other behind his back...he thought I was a cheater

"You know this your fault, you just had to survive, didn't you? What?! Was dying just that little too hard?! You've got nothing left so just go!" This was the only opportunity the redhead stepped in for my defence but I let the man I recently called my 'boyfriend' continue "I told you not to let him in! And you didn't listen,"

The moment he said we were 'done', I watched him walk out of my life. What could I say to make him change his mind? Nothing, that was the painful answer. He was right, throughout my time with the league - I'd contributed barely anything, even the newbies had a bigger part than I! They needed the vacancy anyway...

It was also raining outside and my body was in no condition to combat the weather, but that didn't stop Karma. He may of been smiling when Dabi first fled but now that showed a sign of pain "Forget it Karma, I don't need him" was I being honest? No, probably not but it meant I had longer to recover, right?

"Is it that you don't need him, or he doesn't need you?" Classic Karma, twisting words to find a new meaning - it was what had enticed me from the very beginning, sure he was a narcissistic little thing but at that time...we had that in common, only difference was I was still willing to help those below me

Karma snuck out the door as I turned to the kitchen to bury myself in ice cream tubs and liquor if this place even had it. As far as I could work out - this apartment was still for sale so we could only camp for so long, and that time was running out faster than I could comprehend...Karma was here less too

I may of not been bed bound anymore but I needed to leave soon if I wanted to hidden from both sides of society. This was my one chance to have a normal life again, sure - I'd still have the memories and the painful ghost of his touch but soon the world would no longer remember me as the 'bad guy'

Karma's POV
It pained me to admit that I still felt something towards the snake, even if I never said anything out loud. Only she was allowed to destroy her own relationships so it was my job to salvage this before they flew too far apart to pull back together, that just wasn't fair...and all's fair in love and war!

She'd come a long way from who she used to be but part of her still clung on for deal life as if she was afraid to let go? But I'd seen it! When she was with the new burnt bastard, that part momentarily let go - that wasn't something I could let slip by so if she wasn't going to fight for it, I would!

"You must be a real idiot! I mean, look at you! Well if you won't let her explain...you're going to have to let me, and you're going to listen!" My hand flexed trying not to make too much noise, I'd gone with the good old knife shards tacked onto my palm - this guy definitely deserved it, he turned around way too slow anyway

A smile spread across my face as his arm began to raise as if he'd get the chance to burn me...but he was listening, I had his attention - maybe not all of it but it would have to do "She isn't at fault for this - I simply found her a few nights ago in the middle of the road ready to give up"

Something flickered in his eyes, it was gone the second it appeared but now wasn't the time for that. He had to hear what I had to say whether it was a civil conversation or with a knife at his throat "She'd dragged herself with broken bones from the Shie Hassaikai hideout to the league's...remember them?"

Oh this was going to be fun! Watching the way he was starting to regret walking out of that room
"I thought they'd look there and they did, so I did a little digging and found an apartment, not ours. It was just a place to keep her safe and nurse her back to health...then you break her heart" his lips parted slightly

"You tell yourself that she could 'do better', and that you're 'saving' her...here's the truth - you're doing the opposite. I mean, look at me! She practically loathes yet once upon a time, she would've laid down her life" my gaze drifted up to the apartment lights "you'd do well to fix things"

It soon became clear that there was no point sticking around "she can put you down just as easily as I can, I'd like to see that..." if she was going to disappear then so would I - the league needed to learn that my contract with them relied entirely upon their bond with the snake

which was now broken...