Chapter Text
The night air was cold, and the slightly damp wood of the bench caused goosebumps to prickle across the man’s skin. He rubbed his palms up and down his arms quickly, trying to smooth away the discomfort.
“…and that’s why it was really hard because–”
“You need to go home.”
His friend bristled at his cold tone and stared with a hurt expression, the sides of their lips tugged downwards as their eyes narrowed.
He steeled, running a hand through his hair as he rushed to correct himself. “I apologize, let me try that again.” He did his best to put all his focus on the person in front of him, not allowing his gaze to wander to the object of his sudden anxiety.
They nodded, so he continued, “What I meant to say was “It’s getting pretty late, and I just remembered that I have to meet with a friend on my way home to help with some piercing care.” ”
Satisfied, his friend nodded and stood, brushing off any dirt that could have gotten stuck to them from sitting on the wet bench.
Dabi smirked, looking smugly at his heavily pierced target. He was unable to hear most of what the two were saying, but he accurately interpreted that the man would be alone soon. If he wasn’t going to be too much of a pain in the ass, Dabi might actually deem him fuckable.
He watched as the larger of the two ordered his friend an uber, ignoring their insistence that they could walk home or at least pay him back.
Once the friend had left, Dabi took several steps towards the other man, not bothering to hide the crunch of his boots on the gravel of the path. Without turning to face him, the other quickly pulled out his phone, and the flame user was about to react when the man finally spoke, tone dry and cold.
“Chill out, man, I’m not calling the cops. I’m texting my friend to make sure they got home safe.”
Dabi’s movements stilled. He had never been talked to like that by a civilian. Maybe he didn’t know who he was?
He was proven somewhat correct when his target finally pocketed his phone and turned around.
Wide eyes met Dabi’s. His lip quirked, satisfied with the more typical reaction. That’s more like it.
Then he rolled his eyes and Dabi fought to keep the confident smirk on his face as the others’ returns to one of practiced neutrality. He looked almost bored.
“So you’re the creep that’s been lurking in the shadows. Care to elaborate?”
Now he let the overconfidence fall away as he glared in annoyance.
“You’re coming with me, or my friends will be paying your friend a nice little visit,” he practically growled.
His eyebrows rose, but nodded, taking a step forward to walk beside the villain as he led him out of the park, Dabi’s hands at his sides despite them normally being shoved into his pockets.
After several minutes of silence, the man broke the tension, “It was kinda fucken stupid that you let me do that, I could have been sending a distress signal for all you know.”
Dabi’s expression hardened and he snatched the phone.
There was no text for help, only a smirk reflected in the glass of the screen.