taken

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.

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