The metal door clangs shut behind you, your footsteps echoing in the bare room. You whirl around the moment Dabi releases your wrists, rubbing where his grip had left faint marks. Even in the dim light, the scars across his face seem to shift and dance, like flames frozen in time.

"Don't play games with me," you say, keeping your voice steady despite the fear clawing at your chest. "Bakugo was barely conscious when your people took him. I need to know he's safe."

A low chuckle escapes Dabi's lips as he leans against the wall, hands in his pockets with casual indifference. "Always so dramatic, these hero types," he drawls. "Like I said, the kid's fine. Just sleeping off a bad night." His eyes, startlingly bright against his scarred skin, fix on you with unsettling intensity. "We keep our promises. The real question is: will you keep yours?"

You clench your fists, throat tight. What choice did you have, really? The memory of Bakugo's unconscious form being dragged away flashes through your mind. You'd made a deal with devils to protect him, and now...

"Tick tock," Dabi says softly, pushing off from the wall. "The boss will want an answer soon." He moves toward the door with that same eerie grace. "Better start thinking about whose side you're really on."

The door closes behind him with a final, heavy thud, leaving you alone with your choices and their consequences.

𓆩♡𓆪

You slowly wake up, the world still a blur around you. The first thing you see is Toga's bright, energetic face, practically bouncing with excitement. She's holding a bowl of food in one hand and a glass of water in the other, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Thought you might want this," she sings with a playful tone, setting the bowl down gently on a rickety old table that creaks under the weight. The food smells oddly inviting, but you're cautious.

"Please eat, I promise it's not poisonous. We won't poison our biggest asset, now will we?" Her voice is sweet, but there's an underlying edge of mockery as she grins.

She twirls in a quick circle, her giggle echoing through the room as she strikes a silly little dance. It's as if she's the happiest person in the world, and for a moment, her infectious energy almost convinces you to trust her. But something feels off.

The room is dim, shadows stretching across the walls as the sunlight barely filters in. You're trapped here, but Toga seems to be enjoying every moment of it, her eyes never leaving you, waiting for you to make your next move.

The sickly sweet scent of breakfast mingles with the musty air as you force yourself up from the thin mattress. Toga practically vibrates with energy, her signature buns slightly askew as if she'd rushed to bring you food. Her ever-present smile stretches a bit too wide, showing just a hint too much teeth.

"Asset?" You eye the bowl suspiciously – some kind of rice porridge with what looks like pickled vegetables on the side. Your stomach growls traitorously. "Is that what I am now?"

"Mhmm!" Toga twirls, her school uniform skirt flaring out. "And assets need to keep their strength up!" She drops down to sit cross-legged on the floor, watching you with those unnervingly bright eyes. "You know, you're way more fun than I thought you'd be. Most people just scream and cry when they first get here, but you?" She props her chin on her hands. "You've got fire."

You reach for the water first, your throat desert-dry. "I'm not here to entertain you, Toga."

"But you do anyway!" She bounces slightly. "Come on, eat! Maybe if you're good, I can convince them to let you see your explosive little friend. He's been making such a racket." Her giggle has an edge to it, like broken glass wrapped in cotton candy.

You hesitate for just a moment, then slowly reach for the food, trying to ignore the unsettling feeling in your gut. You take a small bite, and the taste is surprisingly savory. "He's probably trying to get to me," you say.  "He's a private little firecracker."

"Oh, private?" Toga leans forward eagerly, her eyes sparkling with a predatory sort of interest. The way she watches you eat is almost... hungry. "You talk like you know him really well. How cute! I love it when people have special connections like that." She rocks back and forth, her fingers drumming against her knees in an erratic rhythm.

You take another careful bite, the warmth of the food providing an odd comfort in this unsettling situation. "It's not like that-"

"But it is something," she interrupts, practically purring. "I can tell! The way your heart rate just picked up a tiny bit?" She taps her own chest. "I know all about hearts, you know. How they beat, how they bleed..." Her smile turns dreamy. "Bakugo's got such a strong heartbeat. Like a little explosion all on its own."

Your spoon freezes halfway to your mouth. The casual way she talks about him makes your skin crawl. "If you've hurt him-"

"No, no, silly!" Toga waves her hands frantically. "I just checked on him earlier. You know, standard villain stuff!" She giggles again, but there's something sharp behind it. "Besides, he keeps asking about you too. Well, more like demanding. And threatening. And cursing. He's got such a mouth on him!"

You huff, frustration creeping in as you take another bite, trying to keep your cool. "Well, he has quite an appetite for news," you say, your tone sharper than you intended.You take a deep breath, pushing your frustration down. "Will you ever let us go?" you ask, your voice steady but filled with the weight of the question. "At least he got nothing to you."

Toga's smile flickers for just a moment, like a candle in the wind, before stretching even wider. She leans in so close you can smell the faint metallic scent that always seems to cling to her. "Let you go? But we're having so much fun!" She pokes your bowl playfully. "And you haven't even finished your breakfast!"

The way she dodges the real question makes your stomach turn, but you force yourself to take another bite. Can't afford to be weak now.

"As for getting nothing..." Toga rocks back on her heels, twirling a knife that seemed to materialize from nowhere. "Sweet little firecracker gave us exactly what we wanted – you." She points the knife at your chest, her eyes glittering. "The moment he saw you in that bar, the way his face changed... That told us everything we needed to know."

She hops up suddenly, making you flinch. "Oh! Speaking of faces..." She skips toward the door, then spins back to face you. "You should see his when he's worried about you. It's absolutely precious. Almost makes me want to steal it for myself!"

You fix Toga with a pointed glare, your eyes narrowing with suspicion as you size up the petite blonde. "Alright, spill it," you demand, your voice low and sharp. "What have you been up to this time?"

Toga merely shrugs, her playful smile never wavering as she idly twirls a lock of hair around her finger. "Oh, nothing too fancy," she replies casually, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Just a little...persuasion, shall we say."

She pauses for dramatic effect, letting the silence hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "Turns out a bit of truth serum and a few creative threats can work wonders. Who knew?" She lets out a light, airy chuckle, as if discussing the weather.

Your frown deepens, a pit of dread forming in the bottom of your stomach. "Toga, what did you do?" you press, your tone laced with a warning.

The blonde simply flashes you a coy smile. "Oh, you know me - I just can't resist a little fun," she sing-songs, waving a dismissive hand. "But don't worry, darling, everything worked out just fine in the end."

Her gaze turns pointed, a hint of steel beneath the playful facade. "After all, I always get what I want." With that, she saunters off, leaving you to stew in your growing unease.