base

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.

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