Wrong. So Wrong.
Weeks passed, each one more awkward than the last. Dabi kept giving me these knowing looks, a smirk playing on his lips. He'd linger near me, almost brushing against my wings, just to watch me squirm.
I started sleeping on the couch, just to avoid him. I ate copious amounts of sugar, hoping to numb the… sensitivity.
The League noticed, of course. Toga was the first to voice it, her eyes gleaming with morbid curiosity.
"What's with you and Dabi? You guys are being all weird."
"Nothing's going on," I snapped, my voice sharper than intended.
"Oh, but something is going on," Twice chirped in. "I can feel the tension! It's thicker than Toga's blood smoothies!"
"Shut up, Twice," I growled.
The tension eventually dissipated, the quirk gradually losing its hold. One morning, I woke up and the wings and horns were gone.
Relief washed over me. I was me again. I could breathe again.
But something had shifted. The dynamic between me and Dabi had changed. He was no longer just a comrade, a useful weapon. He was… something else.
I caught him watching me more often. His eyes were intense, searching. There was a vulnerability in them I hadn't seen before.
And I, in turn, found myself drawn to him. I'd linger near him, drawn to his warmth, his cynical wit. I wanted to understand what had happened, what had changed between us.
One night, after a particularly difficult mission, we were both sitting on the roof, overlooking the city. The air was crisp, the stars bright.
"You okay, crusty?" Dabi asked, his voice softer than usual.
I hesitated. "Yeah," I lied. "Just… tired."
He didn't say anything for a long time. Then, he sighed.
"Those wings," he said, his voice low. "They were… beautiful."
I didn't know what to say. I just stared at him, my heart pounding.
He turned to me, his eyes searching mine. "I shouldn't have touched you like that," he said. "I just… couldn't help myself."
"Why?" I whispered.
He shrugged, a self-deprecating smile playing on his lips. "Maybe I'm just a sucker for a pretty face. Even if it is a little… crusty."
He leaned closer, and I didn't pull away. His breath tickled my ear.
"Or maybe," he whispered, "I just wanted to see what you'd do."
And then he kissed me.
It was a slow, hesitant kiss at first. But then, it deepened. I closed my eyes, letting myself sink into the moment.
His scars were rough against my skin, his lips warm and soft. It felt… right.
We spent the rest of the night on that rooftop, talking, kissing, and exploring the strange new territory between us.
The quirks had faded, the demon had been tamed, and everything was changed. And that, I realized, was something I wanted.
Dabi had touched the demon, but I had touched his soul.