Licensed Villains

Past

Dabi shouldn't have been surprised when he opened the door to his flat only to find Deku sitting in the center of it with a computer on his lap, typing away. By now it's almost expected to have Deku randomly appear at his home. The kid may as well move in at this point.

Stepping into the room, he figured Deku had came here straight from school based on the current time. He closed the door behind him and sighed. "I feel like you're always here."

The kid didn't look up from his computer as he waved to him and said, "Oh hey Dabi!"

He rolled his eyes. "Hey kid."

Dabi tossed the bag of groceries (half of which may or may not be stolen) onto the table. He shrugged off his jacket and placed it over the back of the one chair he owns before sitting down. He stretched his arms in the air, yawning. Today had passed in a blink of an eye. He'd ended up sleeping till noon, only waking up because he'd promised Deku he'd buy himself some food with the small amount of money he gave him. At first Dabi had tried to decline but Deku left him no choice, shoving a stack of 5,000 yen into his hand and then running off to go home for dinner after his internship the previous day. After that, he couldn't put the money to waste. He'd spent the rest of his day looking for the cheapest foods but still ending up stealing a few packets of ramen.

The past two days hadn't only affected him apparently. Every time he looked at the news it was filled with reports on Revite. There was a change in the way people reacted to Revite ever since he'd made an appearance at the USJ. Something that right now was small but would one day be big. Dabi can't name it but he knows it's there. Everyone knows it's there.

The commission has hosted more public meetings this week than they have in years. It's clear Deku's articles are causing them distress. More and more heroes in the top hundred rankings are being targeted. Revite's going after heroes that are closer to them, to their secrets. At this point, Dabi's surprised they haven't hired someone to kill him or Deku yet. He wouldn't put it past them. The least they could do is assign a spy to them.

Speaking of spies, Dabi is glad Deku's here so he can ask him about how being Endeavor's hacker is going. He feels in the mood for spying on a licensed villain today (for the first time in forever).

Dabi leaned forward in his chair so he could peek at Deku's screen. He was disappointed to only find a series of unreadable code. He crossed one of his legs over the other and reached into the grocery bag to pull out a cheap granola bar. As he unwrapped it he asked, "Watch'a working on?

"I've been going through some recordings," Deku answered. He pulled out an ear bud, that Dabi failed to notice he was wearing, and pulled the cord out of the computer so Dabi could hear the recording.

"What are you making?"

"Miso soup."

"Sweet! Save some for me, kay?"

"Okay. Have fun at your class."

"Fun and class? No way. Later!"

Dabi paused midway through taking a bit out of his granola bar. Are his ears tricking him? That couldn't be. . . Deku didn't, did he?

"That's. . . That's Natsuo and Fuyumi," he said. He stared at Deku open mouthed. "Those recordings. . . are they from the Todoroki household. Please tell me you didn't bug the number two hero's house."

"I bugged Endeavors house." Deku had the nerve to look smug about it. "Before you say anything, compared to breaking in I think bugging is an improvement."

All of his instincts were telling him to scold Deku for being reckless like he always is but his logical side kept arguing that bugging Endeavors house helps him. It could give them more information. It'd help him with taking Endeavor down.