"What will we do?" Wally wondered.

"I don't know," Shine said, "but he cannot live out there alone. He'll end up in trouble again. Ideally, I'd want him near us. Makes it sound like he's our son or something."

"Isn't he, in a way?" Wally pointed out.

"Anyway, we need to help him," Shine said.

"Could he live here?" Wally wondered.

"Wally! He'd never be allowed around the kids."

"I don't mean the kids," Wally said, "I have an idea..."

* * *

"Absolutely not!" Aizawa thundered.

"Why not?" Wally hedged.

"Where do I even start?" Aizawa was mad. "You have a villain friend who you want to just invite to live in the same general vicinity of my students!"

"A few kilometres away from them..." Shine said.

"That's not the point! What would stop him from coming over and killing every last one of them?"

"We live with them, Aizawa," Shine replied, "and he's our friend. He's not going to try to hurt them."

"How did you get that burn again, Likstar?" Aizawa said.

Silence.

"You want me to believe that one conversation later, somehow your villain pet is a totally different man," Aizawa said.

"All right, Aizawa, fine," Shine said, "You come with me. Now!"

It was the next day and about the same time.

"Excuse me?" Aizawa said.

"We'll go talk to him, and if you're not convinced, then we'll look somewhere else...but if you think there's a chance this is legit, then you must promise to think about it."

"I'm not promising anything, but I don't mind hearing this in person," Aizawa said, "He'll turn down your idea as fast as I did, watch."

Shine bit her lip. Aizawa might be right.

Dabi, don't embarrass me, she thought.

* * *

Dabi was not happy to see Aizawa with them.

"Hey," Wally waved at him.

"What's this?" Dabi backed up.

Shine came up to him. "Stand up straighter," she hissed, "You've got no reason to be wary of Aizawa now."

"What are you doing?" Dabi asked.

"Proving a point. Just don't insult him, okay?"

"I'm not going to play nice just because you have someone to impress!" Dabi snapped.

"Fine then," Shine retorted, "Do your worst. Geez! I asked so much of you!" She walked away in a huff.

"Looks like he's really changed, all right," Aizawa said sarcastically, eyeing him, "I admit, the new look is odd... I don't understand it...but he's still a criminal piece of trash who kidnapped and threatened one of my students. And yourself, I might add. I owe him for Eri, which is the only reason he's not arrested right now. But that is as far as I go."

Shine sighed.

"You could at least give him a chance to explain," Wally said.

"I ain't asking this guy for anything!" Dabi snapped, "I don't want it from him."

"Aizawa is our friend," Shine said to Dabi, with a severe look, "and has helped us a lot in avoiding trouble at UA, to the point of breaking the...well, you know what. I'd think you'd respect that a little, my rebel friend. There are worse people to get help from. I consider Aizawa's good opinion a high honor."

"You do?" Aizawa gave her a blank look. "When have you ever cared about it?"

"I care more than I let on, Aizawa," Shine said, "I wouldn't want to discomfit you after all."

She faced Dabi again. "I wouldn't ask you to do this if I wasn't worried about you, okay?"

"I'd be fine without you," Dabi said.

Silence.

Wally shook his head. "Not cool."

"What I meant was," Dabi stared at the ground, "the learning stuff, that's one thing... I get it, you're the expert, so I have to suck it up for that, but there's no reason for me to act like a gosh-danged charity case."

"I see," Shine said, "You're trying to be considerate, in your own irritating way."

Dabi was silent. 

"That's stupid, Dabi," Shine said roundly, "Even you can't hide forever on the streets. What if you have to use your quirk? Someone will eventually put two and two together."

Dabi was still silent. She was right. They all knew it.

Aizawa frowned.

"Aizawa, I'm afraid he won't last out here alone," Shine said.

"I'm not a weakling," Dabi said.

"That is not the point," Shine said.

"It wouldn't matter," Wally said, "No matter how tough you are, I just don't think anyone can beat those odds forever. And one thing you'll have to learn about our people, Fire Boy, is that we take care of each other. That's in the book. It's lesson one."

"Yes, we'd be horrible teachers if we didn't demonstrate that," Shine said.

She nodded at Aizawa. "But you're our student too, aren't you?"

"Your student? If anything, you were mine!" Aizawa said, "Who taught you how to fight?"

"If you call that near-death-experience on loop fight training," Shine shot back.

Aizawa almost smirked. But shook his head. "I don't trust your newest project."

"See? He'll never give me a chance." Dabi didn't look at Aizawa. "And I don't expect one... I'm not trying to be a hero. I just...am sick of all the same s--- all the time. I'll never be like the two of you."

"Of course you won't," Wally said, "We don't have half the street cred."

Dabi rolled his eyes. "Not funny."

"Why are you selling yourself so short? You're just a baby right now," Shine said, "Believe me, five years from now you won't know yourself anymore...but you must stay alive that long."

"You actually believe this when you say it?" Aizawa said.

That was it for Shine. Her temper was up now.

She turned. 

"Look, Eraser," she said in a stern voice, "I've hung out with villains since I was younger than your students. I went on my first mission at 14. I hung with people who wanted to take over the world at 16. I fought bigger threats by the time I was an adult. I've met lackeys to an evil overlord who switched sides because it was hope, and it was life, and it was light...and I've met plenty of screwed up kids who got a light in their eyes finally after years of nothing but violence and hatred. Wally's seen it too."

Wally nodded, frowning at Aizawa.

"So I'll be danged before I stand here and let you ask me if I believe what I'm saying," Shine said, "Cold, hard experience, Eraser. I know I'm, like, 10 years younger than you, but I get so sick of your self-important, arrogant, snobbish attitude. I like you too, for the record, because you're not a prick. But you can be a real jerk anyway. Think about what this guy has been through for one second, and think what you would feel if someone stood there and talked about you the way you talk about him."

Aizawa stared at her.

"Maybe someone has," Shine shrugged, "I'm very sorry about that, if so. But you won't hear it from the two of us that anyone is worthless. If you want to talk crap about my new student, you'll have to go through me. You got that?" Her eyes blazed.

"Whoo..." Wally was impressed. "Dang, woman..."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Dabi said to him.

"What guy wouldn't be enjoying this?" Wally said, "I love my job."

"Uh...what ethnicity is Shine, just out of curiosity?" Dabi asked, "Some stereotype seems to apply here."

"Jewish, American, European, I think," Wally said.

"I don't know a stereotype for that," Dabi said.

"Well, there is one that Jewish women have their men under their thumb," Wally said.

"Okay, check that one off," Dabi said.

Wally snorted. "Don't push it, kid."

[This was a joke. Don't give me hate over it. I don't have a problem with Jewish people.]

Aizawa was considering.

"So he's your student-- but expecting me to feel empathy for a villain is asking too much. Do you know what they do to people?"

Shine bit her lip. "I know, Aizawa...far more than you think. But I know you are a kind man, also. And you wouldn't send someone off knowing what it would lead to, would you? None of us are innocent, you know."

Silence.

No way that would work, Dabi thought. 

"It's not a good idea," Aizawa said, "It's illegal."

Silence.

"How far do you expect me to bend the rules for you?" Aizawa asked stoically.

Wally sucked in air in an exasperated way.

"Do rules matter more than people do?" Shine inquired quietly.

Another long silence.

"Before I say anything committal, I have a request," Aizawa said, "and you won't like it."

"Name it," Shine said.

* * *

"You want me to do a psych eval on...Dabi?" Cece stared at all four of them incredulously. "Who is suddenly hot-- I mean, different. That's what I meant to say."

Dabi winked at her.

She frowned at him.

"We need to now how much he should be restrained," Aizawa said.

"I only agreed to this because we get along so well," Dabi said smugly.

Cece rolled her eyes. "And he'll cooperate?"

"Either he cooperates, or we go right back to where we started," Shine shrugged.

"Well...fine. This should be interesting," Cece agreed, grabbing a huge bottle of whiskey, "Let's do this."

* * * 

"So, Dabi, what are you doing here?" was Cece's first question.

"Talking to you," Dabi was snarky response.

"Feel like being a smarta-- with the person literally holding your fate in their hands?" Cece held up a pen.

"Sorry." Dabi choked back another snippy retort. 

"Sorry?" Cece tilted her head. "I've never heard you apologize before."

"I get the sickening feeling I'll be saying it a lot if this works out," Dabi said.

"And how optimistic are you about that?" Cece asked.

"If it were up to me, I'd not be optimistic at all." Dabi leaned on his hands. "But out there are two crazy people who actually seem to care what happens to people like me...and I can't say that about anyone else in this whole d--- world... If that is enough, along with all the rest they teach about...the part where you have to believe it in order to change, and I'm tired of running from it...but I guess that sounds crazy to you."

Cece's mouth dropped open. "No...that sounded like the first time you've ever made sense..." She took a drink. "Sorry, I'll try to control my quirk... Uh...so, you're...reforming?"

"I guess for lack of a better word, but I'm not going to be nice to heroes now," Dabi said.

"I would be disappointed if you were." Cece had not had enough alcohol not to say that, apparently. "But no more killing? Or maiming or that kind of stuff?"

"Looks like it." Dabi realized he hadn't even given a thought to that... Had he truly never really enjoyed it to begin with? He wasn't even sorry in the least to think it was over... He wasn't happy either. It was just...so...unimportant. The idea of doing that anymore.

That kind of rattled him.

Cece must have read that. "You don't seem quiet comfortable with that change," she said, tapping her pen.

"I'm not with any of this... I don't want to be here," Dabi sighed.

"But you're submitting to it, willingly, because they asked you to?"

"That, and to mess with you... I owe them, okay? That's all." Dabi scowled sullenly.

Cece shook her head. "I'll ask a few more questions, but I think I have all I need. You good with that?"

"I failed that fast, huh?" Dabi said.

Cece took another sip to avoid answering that question.

* * *

It was barely 15 minutes when Cece told all of them to come back in. Dabi was picking at his jacket and looking annoyed.

Shine tried to smile encouragingly, but he looked away.

"So how bad is it?" Aizawa was real optimistic.

"It's astounding," Cece said.

"What is?" Aizawa frowned.

Dabi winced.

"I've talked to Dabi before," Cece said, "Heck, I even knew him in highschoo-- I wasn't supposed to say that. Scratch that off the record."

It wasn't likely anyone would, but they let it pass. "But I've never heard him talk like this."

"What?" Aizawa said.

"Hmm..." Wally tried to look mysterious. He didn't succeed.

Shine just waited.

Dabi himself looked up oddly.

"Oh, the Dabi I knew before, we all know him, was one of the most selfish, self centered, rude, pricks I ever had the displeasure of knowing." Cece was blunt as always. "Funny, but a real piece of work, you get me? Not fun to counsel at all, that's for sure. I could never have pictured him doing this for anyone or owing anyone anything. I didn't dislike him for that, you get me? It was a blast and all, but hey, I know what people are like. That's just part of my quirk. Basically fun to mess with--I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him type of deal."

"And?" Aizawa was getting tired of her exposition.

"This guy came here, sat down, submitted to something pretty humiliating, and admitted he owed people all in the space of 5 minutes," Cece said, "I can't explain it, because psychology like that doesn't  just change in a few months. Not in my experience. And not without a lot of therapy. But there's been no therapy, no lifestyle change that I can see, and no one's held him at gunpoint, or I could have picked up on it. Any sign of duress, stress, lying, you know, I've got it." she pointed to her head. "And it's not there. My only conclusion?" She threw up her hands. "Dabi is actually different."

Everyone stared at her.

Shine smiled.

Cece nodded. "Which is a load off of my mind, believe me, not worrying about being blackmailed anymore."

"Who said I'd never blackmail you?" Dabi said.

"Will you?" Cece said.

"Nah, I figured you have more dirt on me," Dabi admitted.

"See, there it is? Straightforward. Dabi is not straightforward," Cece said, "Seriously, how long has he been like this?"

"When did you start being more straightforward with me?" Shine asked him.

Dabi shrugged. "It's hard to not be direct with you, Likstar. You drive it out of anyone. That answer your question?"

"I guess so," Shine shrugged back.

"Cool," Wally said, "So what does this mean, Miss Counselor?"

"You make what you want of all of it," Cece said, "but personally, I'd be interested to see where this goes. First time I've ever seen something like this... Well, some of the UA kids have been a little weird lately, but a villain acting this way is so...freaky-- freaky is the right word...but interesting. You get me?"

"You're morally grey," Aizawa said, disgusted.

"I admit, morally grey is my favorite color." Cece was unconcerned. "If that's all, you guys can just leave. I'm supposed to be on my break anyway. And I've got a student coming in later."

"Sato?" Shine guessed.

"That's creepy," Cece said.

"I remember everything. Bye and thanks," Shine said.

They all rushed back out before anyone could see them.

* * *

"Well?" Wally prodded Aizawa.

"Interesting," Aizawa said cryptically, "I'm not convinced this won't wear off though-- or that it will extend to students."

They sighed.

"So you'll keep him away from them, without express permission, and away from anyone else," Aizawa said, "And if any rules are broken about this, I'll strangle all of you. Do you understand?"

They blinked at him.

"What about Nezu?" Wally said, "Will he know?"

"He'll have to know, but I don't plan on mentioning who this is," Aizawa said, "It's a friend of yours who's down on their luck, you understand?"

"But Nezu should know, shouldn't he?" Wally said.

"Normally, yes, but as you suspect him, him knowing could be the worst possible thing for all of us," Aizawa said, "Fortunately, even he won't recognize this guy. He's never met Dabi in person."

That was true.

"And you take full responsibility for everything that happens," Aizawa said, "The only reason I'm agreeing is I'd rather have an eye on the situation personally than not know where he might go and who he might be with, and no one would know who he is. Precautions must be taken to protect the Number 1 hero." He frowned.

Dabi knew exactly what he was implying and scowled at him.

"Since he can't go to jail like this, we're stuck this way," Aizawa said, "No police officer will believe it's him without proof, and only you could provide that. I half thought this before. I was going to say yes."

He smirked. "Giving you a hard time was just a logical ruse."

Wally slapped his forehead.

"We'll pretend we believe that, for your pride." Shine didn't give one crap about Aizawa's "ruse." 

"Thank you."

"I'm just here to be watched?" Dabi sputtered.

"Yeah, you're just like us now." Wally gave him a thumbs up.

Shine led him away. "Don't worry, it's just Aizawa's excuse. We'll be the ones watching you. He's putting a lot of trust in us, so you're going to have to do exactly what we say. I know that's not going to be pleasant, but bear with it. I'm not going to micromanage you, but it is what it is."

"I can't believe that worked," Dabi said.

"Deep down, Aizawa is a renegade too," Shine said, "He can't resist the pull of seeing whether this really works or not. No pressure or anything, though. I have complete faith that it will work out."

"Makes one of us, at least," Dabi muttered.

"In this farewell, there's no blood, there's no alibi. 'Cause I've drawn regret from the truth of a thousand lies, so let mercy come and wash away what I've done.

(I'll face myself, to cross out what I've become. Erase myself, let go of what I've done!)

Put to rest, what you thought of me, as I clean the slate with the hands of uncertainty, so let mercy come, and wash away, what I've done.

For what I've done, I'll start again, whatever pain may come, today this ends. I'm forgiving what I've done..."

[Writing this, I realized just how much Dabi already changed his attitude since the start of the story. It was fun to use Cece as a catalyst for exploring that. I don't know why more people don't fan fic redemption arcs. They are so much fun to write, so much detail and subtle changes that build up over time. I can't wait to see where this goes.]

* * *

Dabi couldn't believe the size of the emergency housing. 

"Wait, isn't this...?"

"Yes, the spot very near where we met," Shine smirked, "Remember that? You tried to set me on fire."

"Uh...sorry..."

"Oh, no need. We weren't friends then. I don't count it," Shine said.

"Wait till you see how nicely decked out this is," Wally said, "And get this, they never turned the electricity off here. I think they were planning to move us back in...or they thought someone else would need to."

"We could fit the whole LOV in here and a couple football teams," Shine said lightly.

Dabi scoffed at the idea of that ever happening.

But it was very nice...better than anything the LOV ever stayed in.

"I can't stay here. It's too upscale." He shook his head. "I'd rather sleep in the woods."

"And get found by Hounddog?" Shine asked.

Dabi shuddered. "Nevermind. I'll get used to it... I still can't believe this is the deal."

"Yeah...well, at first Aizawa won't let you out," Shine said, "but if you follow the rules, in a couple weeks we'll give you a bit more freedom."

"How long do you think we can keep this up?" Dabi shook his head. "I'll get caught sooner or later."

"This is a band-aid fix, Touya. But it'll do until we have something better," Shine said, "Try to enjoy it instead of worrying about it. We have the hard part, right? All you have to do is keep quiet."

"I hate being cooped up though," Dabi said.

He was always restless. He wandered out of the League's lairs because of that.

"So do we, but we had to endure," Wally sighed, "Don't miss that... Not that we have total freedom now."

"But it's much better than it was," Shine said, "And freedom is in the mind, not the surroundings, is it not? Anyway, don't worry. We'll get you things like clothes and stuff soon enough. There's some supplies in there though. Wally will show you where it is. I feel this is as far as I go." She made a face.

"Huh?" Dabi said.

"She doesn't want to see the supplies for guys specifically," Wally explained.

Dabi looked uncomfortable. "Oh..."

Shine laughed at the look on his face. "I'm going back to the dorms. Have fun. Don't let Nezu find out here, okay?" She walked off over the grass.

"Ready to get the tour?" Wally rubbed his hands together.

* * *

Shine was of two minds about whether to tell the kids about this. She decided to hold off yet on telling them that Dabi was on campus. Instead, she just mentioned they were helping him get relocated.

"So he's really going through with this?" Kaminari was amazed. "Wow...if this got to the news, you'd be famous."

"And that is why it should not get to the news." Shine made a face. "I don't want to be famous."

"I think it's wonderful that you're helping him," Momo said, "Will you...want us to help also?"

"Would you be willing?" Shine was surprised.

They shrugged.

"It's not exactly a thing you get a chance to do a whole lot, is it?" Kaminari said, "Why not? It'd be cool."

"Hmm, but Dabi won't like it if he feels like you just want to see him on display," Shine said. 

"That's not what I meant," Momo said, "But I can't imagine it would be easy, leaving your friends like that, and no family to help you...and being all alone."

Shine hugged her. "You're too good, Momo. That's the kind of compassion I like to hear... Gosh, it's good to hear it too. Everyone else is being so cynical about it..."

"I wasn't," Kaminari said.

Shine hugged him too.

"You sure get excited over the weirdest stuff," Jiro said, arms crossed. 

"So, I'm proud of you. Sue me," Shine sassed her.

She sat back. "I'll ask, okay? I think it'd be good if he starts hanging around other people too... This is not a solo pilot journey, but he's...uh...still kind of hostile to heroes. Not sure when that will change, if it does."

"It'll have to, won't it?" Kaminari said, "He's going to be a good guy now. And heroes are good guys, so he'll have to start liking us."

Shine shook her head at him.

"I don't think that's how it works, Denki," Jiro said.

"Did you...just use my name?" Kaminari said.

Jiro blushed. "Is it too soon?" 

"No, no, I liked it. It's fine!" Kaminari started sputtering.

Momo and Shine smiled at the awkward cuteness overload.

"Jiro is right though," Shine said, "That's not how it works. FYI, Dabi doesn't have to like heroes to like good. Heroes aren't always good either. I don't even care if he likes heroes or not. I don't like most of them myself, remember? I like you guys, but not because you're heroes-- because you're good, sweet, caring kids."

They blushed.

"It's so weird to have a teacher praise us openly," Jiro said.

"I'm sad that it's weird for you to hear that," Shine said drolly.

"So..." Momo said, "even if Dabi does not like heroes, I think...I kind of understand why, so I'll try not to judge him. That's right, isn't it? 'Judge not lest you be judged'?"

"Right." Shine nodded.

"But if he needs anything, I'll help," Momo said, "This is a worthy cause, after all... Oh, but not one I've ever trained for. How do you help someone reform?"

Shine leaned back. "I've done it a lot... I'll tell you all the most key ingredients, okay? But everyone has their own approach. No one's is better or worse as long as it's not messed up, because people need different things. But all of us, no matter what your approach is, will need at least the basic things down."

They all leaned forward.

Bakugo, who was listening but pretending not to be, leaned over.

Shoto had not wanted to talk about this, but he was eavesdropping from outside the door.

"Firstly, patience; secondly, consistency; and thirdly, and most important, a willingness to forgive a myriad of things they will do wrong in the process," Shine said.

"What kinds of things?" Jiro scowled.

"Anything from threatening you, to yelling insults, to storming out." Shine seemed to be recalling specific instances. "I've gotten some pretty visceral reactions.... Ugh," she shuddered.

"That's horrible! If they reform, why would they do that?" Kaminari said.

"And you think it's so easy to unlearn all those habits?" Shine replied, "Come on, you couldn't do it all in one day if it were you. That's why patience is key. And often people will say stuff they don't mean. Healing is not always part of reforming as a transition, but more times than not it is, and with healing comes a lot of ugly stuff that has to come out. And guess who they attack? You, the safest target, because they know you won't kill them. People have to vent their anger...and they won't always do it the right way. Once you accept that it's not personal, it gets easier, not that it doesn't hurt...but it hurts in a different way. Not the way you'd get resentful of it."

"Just how often do you do this?" Jiro asked.

"At least once per world, usually," Shine said, "And this is world...hmmm...5? 6? It was a bunch of people at the last one. Great kids, though. Kids usually give you less crap than adults do. Kids are more humble."

"Really?" Kaminari was wide eyed.

"Adults have this idea in their head that they are self sufficient," Shine explained, "Kids usually can't pull that off. Even teenagers know they need others."

"Look at Bakugo," Jiro said.

"Bakugo knows that as well as anyone," Shine said, "and don't talk crap about him around me. You know how I feel about that."

"Sorry." Jiro felt embarrassed to be called out like that.

Bakugo glanced up at Shine. "So how much time will you be spending with this new and improved, Dumba-- Dabi?" He spoke for the first time.

"I don't know. A lot at first, I think," Shine said, "And I know, I don't want to take time away from our lessons either. Ideally, I'd teach you all together to save time, or I'll get exhausted, and you'll get out of sync. But if any of you would even feel right with that, I don't know."

"I'm not sure. Wouldn't it be really awkward?" Momo said.

"So?" Shine leaned on her hand. "Awkward is part of life."

"Maybe if he was less of an ass," Bakugo said.

"Maybe if you were less of one, huh?" Shine retorted, "See how it sounds? Real open minded, Katsuki."

"Fine then. If he agrees, I'll show. I'm not scared of that clown." Bakugo was not one to be intimidated.

Shine chuckled. "This will be fun..."

[👀😉🤗👌]