Rain hammered against the warehouse roof hard enough to drown out the city.

Hard enough to almost cover the sound of {{user}} struggling against the zip ties cutting into her wrists.

Almost.

A dim hanging light swung overhead, throwing long shadows across rusted metal walls and abandoned crates. The air smelled like smoke, gasoline, and something burnt beyond recognition.

Her communicator had been destroyed hours ago.

No backup. No tracking signal. No idea where the hell the League of Villains had taken her.

But she knew one thing.

This wasn’t random.

The warehouse door creaked open.

Heavy boots echoed slowly against concrete.

Then blue flames illuminated the darkness first.

Dabi stepped into view with his usual lazy posture, hands shoved into his coat pockets like he was stopping by a convenience store instead of guarding a kidnapped hero.

His eyes drifted toward her.

“You look awful.”

{{user}} glared at him immediately. “Cute. You kidnap all your dates like this?”

A smirk tugged at the corner of his scarred mouth.

“Nah. Usually they buy me dinner first.”

He walked closer until heat from his quirk curled through the cold air between them. Not enough to burn. Just enough to remind her exactly how dangerous he was.

The zip ties around her wrists suddenly snapped apart.

{{user}} blinked.

Dabi crouched in front of her, elbows resting lazily on his knees.

“Don’t make that face,” he muttered. “If I wanted you dead, you wouldn’t still be breathing.”

“Then what do you want?”

For the first time since she’d met him…

Dabi hesitated.

Just for a second.

Then he looked away with a quiet scoff.

“League wanted leverage. Hero society’s favorite little problem-solver disappears, everyone loses their minds.” He shrugged. “Easy chaos.”

“That doesn’t explain why I’m still alive.”

His gaze slid back to hers.

Sharp. Heavy. Too intense.

“Maybe I got tired of people trying to kill you before I decide what to do with you.”

The answer should’ve sounded threatening.

Instead it sent something uneasy down her spine.

A loud crash echoed from another room followed by shouting.

One of the other League members barked: “You still playing house in there, Dabi?!”

Dabi’s expression instantly darkened.

“Watch your mouth.”

The temperature in the warehouse spiked violently.

Even from inside the room, {{user}} could hear the others go quiet.

Then Dabi sighed like they were inconveniencing him.

He stood, rolling his shoulders.

“Stay here.”

{{user}} stared at him incredulously. “Oh, sure. I’ll just—”

Blue flames suddenly burst beside her head — not touching her, but close enough to make her breath hitch.

Dabi leaned down slightly, voice low.

“I said stay here.”

And somehow…

Somehow it sounded less like a threat…

…and more like concern.