It had been about two weeks since then. You had been putting in work since final exams were coming up, taking extra time to study, training your body more. Typical UA stuff. Todoroki even joined you some days. Other times, the two of you just hung around at your apartment. It was a comfortable routine the two of you had fallen into.

But today was different.

You hadn't meant to be walking home alone this late, but you had decided to stay behind at school and study for a bit after insisting that Todoroki should go visit his mom. In the end, you had to lie to him and tell him that Ai was meeting with you to walk you home from the train station. You knew he wouldn't have left otherwise. On the other hand, you also knew Ai was probably busy with some kind of activity. Probably mugging someone if we're being completely honest.

So, you walked alone.

You yourself didn't have a problem with this, but Todoroki did. He wouldn't be worried out of his mind of course. However, you felt no need to worry as you had done this so many times before without any issues.

The moon was high as you briskly walked along the sidewalk through the city outskirts.

"I hope Todoroki and his mom are doing alright..." You sighed, kicking a stray pebble along the cement.

It had been quiet for awhile. Strangely quiet. Usually, there were stragglers who'd sit along the streets and catcall you, but the sidewalks were vacant.

"Stop overthinking things (y/n)." You huffed silently. "People are probably just at the bars is all!"

But it was one of those occasions that your optimism had made you blind. Before you knew what had hit you, a hand wrapped around your wrist.

Wha-?!

Immediately you yanked away. But it was to no avail as their strength topped yours. You shifted your other hand towards him, however, it was stopped halfway by another pair of hands.

"W-We got her!" One of them called out excitedly.

"Shhhhh! Shut up, you idiot! What if someone hears us?!" The other man commanded. "And make sure you don't let her hands touch anything."

Who are they?! They know about my quirk?!

"LET GO OF ME!" You panicked, thrashing in their grips. "DAMMIT, I SAID LET GO-"

Another set of hands came from behind, covering your mouth firmly. Sheer panic set in. You muffler screams and cries for help, yet the sound barely broke through the man's fingers.

"Don't worry, we're not gonna hurt you." He smirked, breath hitting your ear. "You are our angel after all~"

The malicious undertone sent shivers through your body, turning your stomach to the point you had to vomit. You continued to struggle as they pulled you off to the side and into an alleyway, hands never leaving you.

Calm down, think (y/n)! What can you do?! Suppressing my emotions won't do much good right now. I don't even know what they want...

Beads of sweat cascaded down your forehead. All three men had dark clothing on with hoods casting shadows over their features. They didn't look or sound familiar at all.

"Sorry, we don't mean to be rough with you (y/n)! We just need you to hold still for a moment!" One of the men whispered in an almost friendly manner. But there was no doubt in your mind that they were anything but friends.

Think! I gotta find out what they want and assess the situation from there!

They forced you down onto your knees, the man behind you temporarily uncovering your mouth. Your arms were still held tight as you called out to him.

"What do you want?! What did I ever do to you?!"

"You did so much (y/n) dear, for all of us~" The man stepped out in front of you with a bright smile. "We're here to show how much we care about you!"

"What the hell are you talking about?! If you cared then you wouldn't be doing this!" The panic rises in your voice once more. You observed as he took out a cloth from his pocket and kneeled down in front of you.

"Out of love, of course~" The man pressed the cloth up against your nose and mouth. You yanked backward, the stench making it obvious that they were intending to knock you out.

Chloroform?! I can't inhale it...

The other two men kept you in place, anxiously waiting for you to be forced to finally take a breath. Your eyes squeezed shut as tears pricked their corners.

Damnit all! I don't know how anesthetics work! If only I had studied more! If only I was physically stronger-

"Step away from the girl."

Your eyes shot open at the new voice, head twisting towards the figure standing in the alleyway. He wore a black cloak, deep purple scaring running up his arms and chest.

"What?! Who the hell is he?!" One of the men nervously stuttered.

"We're busy here." The leader scoffed. "Scram, before I make you sorry for showing up."

The expression the stranger bore was borderline bored until the ends of his lips curled in a sinister fashion.

"You just added fuel to your funeral fire."

With those words, blue flames erupted from the man's palms. It raced towards you in an instant. The captor before you didn't have a chance to react before the flames had engulfed him, the heat of his burning flesh radiating against your face. As soon as the chloroform coated cloth had been removed, you coughed violently. One of the men holding you had let go out of fear while the other flinched from their comrade's bloodcurdling scream. This allotted you a chance for escape, a chance you wholeheartedly took advantage of.

In an instant, you pressed your newly freed hand to the chest of the man who still held you.

"LET GO ALREADY, YOU ASSHOLE!" Like you had done in the USJ incident, you halted the function of his lungs as quickly as possible, using the alleyway wall to keep him in place. He became weak quickly and incapacitated not long after.

The last one standing had attempted to escape out the back end of the alleyway. But there was no exit, just a dead end.

"Not so fast." The cloaked stranger growled, nearing the terrified man.

"Wait!" You called out. He ignored you, flames erupting from the marred flesh of his arms in a menacingly way. Your surviving captor has crumbled to the cement and was practically groveling for his life. Your savior raised his hand at the man, the intention of incineration becoming very apparent.

That was until you jumped in front of him.

"I SAID WAIT!"

The stranger cocked his eyebrows, only muttering a single word lowly.

"Move."

"No." You retorted.

"You have no reason to defend him. Move."

"I said I won't!"

"Why are you always so stubborn?" He scoffed.

"Huh?" Your eyes widened at his words. "What do you mean always? Do I know you?"

"So you forgot about me too, huh?" He grinned. "I'm hurt (y/n)."

He knows my name?! Could he be after me for some reason too?! No... He could have taken me already...

"How do you know my name?! Who are you people?!" You cried out with questioned eyes.

"First you forget me, now you have to audacity to lump me in with these scumbags?"

"Please... H-Help... me..." A weak voice called out. Your eyes shifted past the strange man and landed on your horribly burned captor a few feet behind him.

"Never mind this! Help me get him to the hospital!" You pleaded, quickly stepping towards the injured man.

"Wait a second." The stranger caught you with his arm, holding you back and away from him.

"What are you doing?! Let me pass!" You growled.

"They tried to drug and kidnap you. Why are you so hellbent on helping them?"

"Because people should help other people!"

The man went silent for a moment, but the strength of his hold did not waver. It had only gotten stronger.

"Your logic is flawed, you naive idiot." He scoffed, grabbing hold of your arm and dragging you back towards the alleyway entrance.

"Let go!" You commanded. "I don't wanna fight you, but I will!" Despite your thrashing about, he held onto you tightly.

"They don't deserve your help. Forget about them."

"But he'll die without medical care!"

Somehow your pleas managed to get to him. He stopped dead in his tracks and glanced back at the man he had left a petrified mess.

"Take your scumbag leader to the hospital." He growled. "And if you ever approach her again, you'll end up in a body bag."

- - -

After enough distance had been gained from the scene, the stranger released your arm.

"Don't even think about going back there. Follow me." He ordered.

"And why should I trust you?" You muttered, rubbing the spot where he had gripped you so tightly.

"Because if it weren't for me, you'd probably be in the back of someone's car."

You stood for a moment and huffed to yourself. He did save you, and he hadn't given you a reason to not trust him. What's more, you somehow were finding his presence to be comforting.

"How... do you know me?" You softly questioned once more.

"Still nothing, huh?" He huffed. "Kyoko sure did a thorough job."

"My mom? You know my mom?!"

"Perhaps I've said too much." He sighed, walking forward. "Just pipe down and follow me."

"Could it be... D-DAD?!" You stuttered.

"What? No you idiot. I'm only a few years older than you."

"Oh... Well, this is awkward."

You just heard his sigh at your stupid comments and continue forward down the dimly lit street. He didn't say anything more as you followed along, eventually arriving at your apartment complex.

"Thanks for walking me the rest of the way home." You smiled softly towards him.

"Yeah. You don't need help getting inside too, do you?" He sarcastically responded.

"Hmm, I don't know... A lot can happen in 10 feet, you know?"

"You're ridiculous." He sighed, extending his finger towards your door. "Now go inside already."

"I will, I will." You chuckled. "But before that, can you at least tell me your name? It feels a bit strange that you know where I live and I don't even know your name."

He didn't answer straight away, taking a moment to just examine how you anxiously awaited his answer.

"Dabi."

"Huh, Dabi?" You questioned. "Is that your first name or your surname?"

"Don't make this complicated. Just call me Dabi."