Sons of Eraserhead | Dadzawa [BOOK 1]

Chapter 22 - Puzzle Pieces

WARNINGS: mention of a knife

"She owes me a favour." Dabi crossed his arms and looked into the middle distance. "I saved her ass one time." 

"You saved my sister?" Shota asked, stunned to hear the Villain hadn't killed her on the spot. 

"Sister, huh." Dabi chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, that explains a few things."

"What are you talking about?" Shota growled, quickly losing his patience. "We don't have time for your bullshit answers."

"Before I joined the League, when I was about... 11, I think. Anyway, I was walking home from school one day when I heard screaming from this alley I was passing. Being the crazy fucker I was, I went to check it out. These guys had a woman pressed against the wall, knife at her throat. She looked upset, so I used my Quirk on them." Dabi rolled his shoulders, flexing his hands as if he could still feel the very flames he sent spiralling towards the woman's attackers. "Don't know whether they lived. I grabbed the woman and pulled her out into the street." His eyes found their way towards Shota, taking in each of the details he now recognised. "She told me her name was Shion Aizawa, and to remember that name. I never saw her again." Dabi cocked his head to the side and smirked. "I can see the resemblance. You've got the same eyes." 

Shota turned away, but something suddenly dawned on him. "Wait, you said when you were 11? That can't have been that long ago. Less than twenty years, anyway." His brows furrowed. "I thought she left the country."

"If it's any help," Dabi sighed, "I believe it was around April, thirteen years ago. School was just starting again." 

"With your dumbass it's hard to believe you went to school." Shigaraki muttered, earing a slap upside the head.

"Says you. You disintegrated the table yesterday." 

"At least I can do basic math."

"My grammar is better than yours."

"Ladies," Midnight interjected, "you're both pretty. Move on." 

Shota raised an eyebrow at the pair. He surprised at the shock he felt to see them looking so... human. Shigaraki was pouting with his arms crossed and Dabi was scowling at the back of his head. 

"I know that look." Hawks whispered to him. "They may be Villains, but they're still human. They've been hurt real bad, but that doesn't mean they're heartless." Shota carried on staring, silently cursing himself because... he could see it. The Villains, they acted like family. Even on the battle field, he'd noticed how they watched out for each other, coming to each others aid just like the Heroes. 

They were like the Heroes, just the other side of the coin. 

"So what I'm gathering is that Shion didn't leave Japan in favour of living abroad." Mirko concluded, warily eyeing Shigaraki and Dabi. She was fighting every instinct to tackle them right there and then, and the urge was starting become unbearable.

"Or at least she came back sooner than we thought." Nezu tapped his chin. "We could have airline records analysed for that time period and see what turns up."

"We could ask around." Dabi said, "See if anyone has heard anything."

"Anyone?" Shota echoed, eyes narrowed.

"Your sis' is on the sketchy side of the law now, old man. Have faith in our friends. If she's here, we'll find her." 

*******

"Figured it out yet?" Hitoshi asked, placing down a tray of hot chocolate Hanta had made on the dining table beside Midoriya's notebook.