In Izuku Midoriya's world, everyone knew the rules of soulmates.

On your eighteenth birthday, the name—or names—of the person destined to become your soulmate appeared on your wrist.

And when you finally stood close enough to them, a thin red thread appeared around your ring finger.

Only the soulmates could see it.

The thread couldn't be cut.

It couldn't be hidden.

And, according to everything Izuku had ever read, it couldn't be wrong.

That was why he had been terrified on his eighteenth birthday.

Because instead of one name appearing on his wrist...

There had been two.

> TENKO

TOYA

Izuku had stared at the unfamiliar names for nearly an hour.

He didn't know anyone named Tenko.

He didn't know anyone named Toya.

And there was no surname attached to either name.

His mother had tried to reassure him.

"Maybe you'll meet them someday."

Izuku had smiled.

But secretly, he'd wondered if someday would ever come.

Six months passed.

Nothing happened.

No red thread.

No mysterious soulmate.

No answers.

Eventually, Izuku stopped thinking about it.

Or at least, he tried to.

---

Six Months Later

"Mom, I'm going to the mall!"

"Don't stay out too late!"

"I won't!"

Izuku slipped his shoes on and hurried outside.

It was an ordinary Saturday.

The kind of day where nothing interesting was supposed to happen.

He had a list of things he needed: notebooks, pens, a replacement phone charger, and maybe a new pair of headphones if he found a good deal.

He had absolutely no idea that by sunset, his life would be completely different.

---

Across the city, two villains were preparing for something very different.

Tomura Shigaraki stood in the back room of an abandoned building, staring at a map.

At twenty-three, he had learned not to trust much of anything.

People lied.

Heroes lied.

Friends betrayed each other.

Even fate was probably lying.

His soulmate tattoo had appeared five years ago.

One name.

Deku.

He'd hated it immediately.

Not because of the name itself.

Because it was proof that somewhere out there was a person fate expected him to care about.

Dabi had received the same name.

That was the strange part.

They had discovered it by accident years ago.

Two different people.

The same soulmate.

Neither of them knew who "Deku" was.

Neither had ever seen the red thread.

Until today.

Dabi entered the room, adjusting his coat.

"You ready?"

Shigaraki nodded.

"The mall will be crowded."

"That's the point."

Dabi glanced at him.

"You seem distracted."

Shigaraki scratched at his neck.

"I keep thinking about the tattoo."

Dabi's expression became slightly amused.

"Still?"

"Shut up."

Dabi pulled back his sleeve.

The word DEKU was still visible on his wrist.

"I wonder who they are."

Shigaraki looked at the tattoo.

"So do I."

Neither of them noticed the faint red glow beginning around their fingers.

---

The Mall

Izuku stepped through the glass entrance.

Immediately, he was surrounded by noise.

Music.

Conversations.

Footsteps.

Advertisements playing from screens.

He smiled.

It was peaceful.

Normal.

Safe.

He walked toward the bookstore.

Then stopped.

A strange sensation crawled over his hand.

Izuku looked down.

His heart stopped.

A thin red thread was wrapped around his ring finger.

It glowed faintly.

His eyes widened.

"The string..."

After six months.

Finally.

His soulmate was here.

The thread stretched forward.

Through the crowd.

Izuku hesitated.

Then followed it.

---

Two floors above him, Shigaraki suddenly froze.

A red thread had appeared around his finger.

"What..."

Dabi turned.

His eyes widened.

He had one too.

Both threads stretched in the same direction.

For once, neither man spoke.

Then Dabi gave a quiet laugh.

"Looks like we found them."

Shigaraki followed the thread.

His pulse quickened.

Whoever their soulmate was...

They were here.

---

Izuku followed the thread through the crowd.

Left.

Then right.

Then down another corridor.

The thread tugged harder.

He turned a corner—

—and walked directly into someone.

"Sorry!"

Izuku stumbled backward.

A tall man with messy white hair looked down at him.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, neither moved.

Then Shigaraki looked at Izuku's hand.

The red thread.

His expression changed.

Dabi appeared behind him.

He looked at Izuku.

Then at the thread.

Then at the tattoo peeking from beneath Izuku's sleeve.

TENKO. TOYA.

Silence.

Shigaraki's eyes widened.

Dabi stopped breathing for a second.

Izuku slowly pulled his sleeve down.

"You..."

Shigaraki looked at Dabi.

Dabi looked back.

Then Shigaraki asked quietly:

"What's your name?"

Izuku swallowed.

"Izuku Midoriya."

Neither villain spoke.

Because that wasn't the name written on their wrists.

Deku.

That was the name fate had given them.

Izuku looked between the two strangers.

"And yours?"

The white-haired man hesitated.

"Tomura Shigaraki."

Izuku's eyes narrowed.

That name was familiar.

Very familiar.

His expression changed.

"You..."

Shigaraki noticed.

Dabi immediately stepped between them.

"Don't."

Izuku took a step backward.

The realization hit him.

These weren't ordinary strangers.

They were villains.

And somehow...

They were his soulmates.

All three stared at the red threads connecting them.

The mall suddenly felt much colder.

Shigaraki's gaze returned to Izuku.

"You have two names."

Izuku slowly nodded.

"Tenko and Toya."

Dabi went completely still.

Shigaraki's voice dropped.

"My name wasn't always Shigaraki."

Izuku's eyes widened.

"Then..."

Dabi finished the sentence.

"Toya."

Izuku stared at him.

The pieces fell into place.

Tenko.

Toya.

His two soulmate names.

And the two villains standing in front of him.

For six months, Izuku had wondered who his soulmates were.

He had imagined heroes.

Kind people.

People who would understand him.

He had never imagined this.

Shigaraki looked at him for a long moment.

Then the villain smiled faintly.

"Well..."

His fingers curled around the red thread.

"Looks like fate has a strange sense of humor."

Dabi looked toward the mall entrance.

"We should leave."

Izuku immediately stepped back.

"Wait—"

Shigaraki caught his wrist.

Not violently.

But firmly enough that Izuku couldn't pull away.

Their eyes met.

"You're coming with us."

Izuku's heart pounded.

"I don't even know you."

"No," Shigaraki said.

His eyes dropped briefly to the glowing thread between them.

"But apparently..."

He looked back at Izuku.

"...we're going to have plenty of time to change that."

And as the mall continued bustling around them, completely unaware of what was happening, the red threads around their fingers glowed brighter.

Three strangers.

Two villains.

One hero.

And a fate none of them had chosen.

Yet.

Izuku's mind was racing.

Tenko.

Toya.

The names from his wrist.

The red threads around their fingers.

And the two men standing in front of him.

One was Tomura Shigaraki, a notorious villain.

The other was Dabi, another wanted criminal whose real identity Izuku didn't know.

And somehow, they were his soulmates.

Izuku tried to pull his wrist free.

"Let go."

Shigaraki's grip loosened slightly, but he didn't release him.

"You're scared."

"Of course I'm scared!"

Izuku lowered his voice.

"You're villains."

Dabi gave a quiet laugh.

"Fair point."

Shigaraki studied Izuku's face.

There was something strange about seeing the person fate had chosen for him.

He had imagined someone dangerous.

Someone cruel.

Someone who belonged in their world.

Instead, the person standing before him looked completely out of place.

Green hair.

Freckles.

An anxious expression.

And eyes that still held an almost stubborn amount of kindness.

Shigaraki hated how quickly he noticed all of it.

"What's your Quirk?" he asked.

Izuku blinked.

"Why?"

"Curiosity."

"I don't think I should tell you."

Dabi raised an eyebrow.

"Smart."

Shigaraki glanced toward the mall entrance.

"We need to leave."

Izuku immediately shook his head.

"No."

"Midoriya."

"No!"

His voice was louder than he'd intended.

Several people nearby turned to look.

Dabi's expression sharpened.

"Keep your voice down."

Izuku stepped backward.

"I can call the police."

Shigaraki's eyes narrowed.

"You could."

The red thread between them pulled tight.

Izuku looked down.

For a moment, he wondered whether fate itself was trying to keep them together.

He hated the thought.

He hated that the thread felt warm.

He hated that some part of him wanted to understand them.

And most of all, he hated that he wasn't sure whether his soulmate mark was a blessing or a curse.

---

"Listen," Dabi said.

His voice was calmer than Shigaraki's.

"We aren't going to hurt you."

Izuku stared at him.

"Then let me go."

Dabi hesitated.

Shigaraki looked at him.

Neither answered.

That was answer enough.

Izuku's heart sank.

"You're kidnapping me."

Shigaraki finally released his wrist.

"For now."

Izuku immediately stepped away.

"Why?"

Shigaraki looked at the red thread.

"Because we waited five years to find you."

Dabi's expression became serious.

"Five years."

Izuku stared at them.

"You've known about me for five years?"

"We knew the name," Dabi corrected. "Not you."

Izuku looked down at his own wrist.

"Mine appeared six months ago."

Shigaraki frowned.

"Six months?"

Izuku nodded.

"That's when I turned eighteen."

Dabi exchanged a glance with Shigaraki.

Something about that bothered them.

"You've had the names all this time?" Dabi asked.

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you find us?"

"I didn't know who you were!"

Izuku pulled his sleeve back.

"All I had were the names Tenko and Toya."

Shigaraki went silent.

For the first time, something resembling uncertainty crossed his face.

Dabi sighed.

"So fate decided to make this unnecessarily complicated."

---

A distant siren sounded outside.

Shigaraki's head turned.

"Heroes."

Izuku's eyes widened.

"You called them?"

"No."

Shigaraki grabbed Dabi's arm.

"We're leaving."

Izuku stepped backward.

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

Shigaraki looked at him.

"You have a better plan?"

"Yes."

Izuku pointed toward the emergency exit.

"I run."

Dabi almost smiled.

"He's got spirit."

Shigaraki sighed.

"Fine."

He reached toward Izuku.

Izuku flinched.

But Shigaraki stopped before touching him.

"We're leaving through the back."

"Why should I follow you?"

"Because if the heroes arrive, they'll see two villains standing beside you."

Dabi added quietly:

"And they'll probably assume you were involved."

Izuku froze.

That possibility hadn't occurred to him.

Shigaraki extended his hand.

"Come with us voluntarily."

Izuku stared at the offered hand.

He didn't trust them.

Not even slightly.

But the red thread continued glowing between them.

Finally, Izuku took a careful step forward.

"Just until I'm somewhere safe."

Shigaraki nodded.

"Fine."

Dabi opened the emergency door.

The three slipped into the quiet service corridor.

---

They moved quickly.

Izuku kept glancing at the two villains.

He noticed something strange.

They weren't acting like he'd expected.

Dabi kept checking behind them.

Shigaraki kept making sure Izuku hadn't fallen behind.

Neither touched him again.

Eventually, they reached a waiting vehicle.

Izuku stopped.

"No."

Shigaraki looked back.

"What now?"

"I'm not getting into that."

Dabi sighed.

"I respect the caution."

Shigaraki stared at Izuku for several seconds.

Then he opened the rear door.

"You can sit in the back."

Izuku hesitated.

"You're not going to restrain me?"

"No."

"And you're not going to hurt me?"

"No."

Izuku looked at Dabi.

Dabi shrugged.

"Not planning on it."

Slowly, Izuku climbed inside.

The door closed.

The red thread stretched between them through the small space.

For several minutes, nobody spoke.

Then Dabi broke the silence.

"So..."

Izuku looked up.

"We should probably introduce ourselves properly."

Shigaraki groaned.

"Dabi."

"What?"

"This is awkward enough."

Dabi ignored him.

"I'm Dabi."

Izuku frowned.

"That's your villain name."

"Correct."

"Your real name is Toya."

Dabi's expression changed.

"...Yeah."

Izuku looked toward Shigaraki.

"And you're Tenko."

Shigaraki looked away.

"I haven't used that name in a long time."

Izuku quietly replied:

"Maybe that's why fate gave it to me."

Silence filled the vehicle.

Dabi looked at Shigaraki.

Shigaraki looked at Izuku.

Neither had an answer.

But for the first time, the red thread didn't feel like a chain.

It felt like a question.

And none of them knew what the answer would be.

The journey was quiet.

Too quiet.

Izuku sat in the back seat, staring through the window as the city lights gradually disappeared behind them.

He had no idea where they were taking him.

He had no idea what would happen when they arrived.

And yet, strangely, the thing bothering him most was the red thread.

It remained wrapped around his finger.

One end disappeared toward Shigaraki.

The other toward Dabi.

Only the three of them could see it.

Izuku had read countless stories about soulmate threads.

They were supposed to feel comforting.

Warm.

Safe.

His felt terrifying.

"How long until we get there?" Izuku finally asked.

"Twenty minutes," Dabi answered.

Izuku frowned.

"Where exactly are we going?"

"Our base."

Izuku's shoulders stiffened.

"Your villain base?"

"Unfortunately."

Dabi glanced at him through the mirror.

"You'll be fine."

"That's what kidnappers always say."

Dabi laughed.

Shigaraki, sitting in the passenger seat, turned around.

"We're not going to hurt you."

Izuku looked at him.

"You keep saying that."

"Because you keep looking like you're expecting us to."

Izuku crossed his arms.

"You're villains."

Shigaraki turned back around.

"Fair."

---

The vehicle eventually stopped in front of an old building hidden between several abandoned warehouses.

Dabi opened the door.

Izuku stepped out.

The building looked nothing like he'd imagined.

It was worn and gloomy from the outside, but inside there were lights, furniture, a kitchen, several rooms, and even a small library.

Izuku blinked.

"This is your base?"

"Yeah."

"It's... surprisingly normal."

Dabi looked offended.

"What did you expect? A dungeon?"

Izuku hesitated.

"...Maybe."

Dabi snorted.

Shigaraki walked ahead.

"Come on."

Izuku followed cautiously.

---

The moment they entered the main room, several voices stopped.

Izuku froze.

A handful of villains were staring at him.

One of them looked particularly shocked.

"Who's the kid?"

"Not a kid," Dabi said.

Izuku frowned.

"I'm twenty."

Dabi raised an eyebrow.

"Right. Sorry."

Shigaraki stepped between Izuku and the others.

"He's staying here."

Someone laughed.

"You've brought a civilian?"

Shigaraki's expression darkened.

"He's not a civilian."

Izuku stared at him.

What does that mean?

Shigaraki glanced down at the red thread.

"He's ours."

Izuku's face heated.

"Don't say it like that!"

Dabi smirked.

"He's right."

"You're not helping!"

For the first time since the mall, Izuku heard genuine amusement in their voices.

And despite himself...

He smiled.

Only for a second.

But Shigaraki noticed.

So did Dabi.

Neither commented.

---

Later that evening, Izuku sat alone in a small guest room.

The door wasn't locked.

That surprised him.

He had expected a prison cell.

Instead, there was a bed, a desk, a lamp, and a window overlooking the city.

Someone had even left a glass of water beside the bed.

Izuku stared at it.

"Why are they being nice?"

He didn't have an answer.

His fingers brushed the red thread.

It glowed softly.

Then there was a knock.

Izuku looked up.

Dabi stood in the doorway.

"Can I come in?"

Izuku hesitated.

"Sure."

Dabi entered and leaned against the wall.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then Dabi asked:

"Are you scared?"

Izuku gave him an honest answer.

"Yes."

Dabi nodded.

"Good."

Izuku blinked.

"Good?"

"It means you're paying attention."

He looked toward the window.

"We're dangerous people, Izuku."

The use of his first name caught Izuku off guard.

"But..."

Dabi continued.

"You don't have to pretend you're comfortable around us."

Izuku looked at him.

"Then why bring me here?"

Dabi glanced at their red thread.

"Because neither of us knows what to do with this."

His voice was quieter now.

"Five years ago, I thought my soulmate would never exist."

He looked at Izuku.

"Then you appeared."

Izuku lowered his eyes.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to feel."

"Neither do I."

That answer surprised him.

Dabi pushed away from the wall.

"You should sleep."

He started toward the door.

"Dabi?"

He stopped.

"Thank you."

Dabi looked back.

"For what?"

"For asking."

Dabi stared at him for a moment.

Then he smiled faintly.

"Goodnight, Izuku."

"Goodnight."

The door closed.

Izuku looked at the red thread.

For the first time since he'd been taken from the mall...

He didn't feel completely alone.

---

Across the hallway, Shigaraki stood outside another door.

Dabi approached.

"You talked to him."

"Yeah."

"How is he?"

Dabi shrugged.

"Scared."

Shigaraki's expression tightened.

"We shouldn't have brought him here."

Dabi stared at him.

"Then why did you?"

Shigaraki didn't answer.

Because the truth was difficult to admit.

He had spent years believing he wanted nothing.

No family.

No connection.

No soulmate.

Nothing.

And now fate had placed someone in his path.

Someone who looked at him without immediately seeing a monster.

Someone who still believed people could be saved.

Someone who had unknowingly carried his forgotten name for six months.

Shigaraki looked down at the red thread.

"I don't know what to do."

Dabi leaned against the wall.

"Neither do I."

A pause.

"But maybe we don't have to figure it out tonight."

Shigaraki nodded.

Behind the closed door, Izuku was already falling asleep.

And for the first time in years, all three of them were under the same roof.

The soulmate thread glowed faintly in the darkness.

Waiting.

Not telling them whether this story would end in salvation...

Or darkness.