Lost Souls

Learning Curve

Tomura was enjoying the peace and quiet.
Ever since snapping at little Star for walking in on him taking his testosterone, he'd been... uncharacteristically nice to her since.
Although he hadn't exactly planned to be housing a stray ten year old while he was trying to run a villain organisation, he didn't hate the brat.

She wasn't obnoxiously loud like Tomura had always associated with kids her age. There were only a handful of times that Tomura could remember actually getting irritated by how loud she was being, and a good amount of those times were her having woken up from a nightmare while he had been forcing himself awake to avoid dealing with his own.

And despite the world painting him as cruel, Tomura wasn't.
He had his own way of being kind, and though they were never grand gestures of kindness if you weren't paying enough attention, they were acts of kindness all the same.
Which meant although Tomura could be blunt and 'abrasive' at times (which had quickly turned into 'assertive' once he started transitioning), he wasn't going to bully a ten year old.
But, he also wasn't the warmest towards her either.

He didn't have the natural charisma that the others all seemed to have, social situations didn't necessarily come easily to him, either. So trying to mimic everyone's version of being nice actually was pretty draining for him because it felt too much, unnatural, even.
To Dabi, it was probably obvious how hard Tomura was straining to make up for the fact he'd screamed at his kid in a panic.
Star, however, seemed to be perfectly happy with the sudden change in their dynamic, actively seeking Tomura out for help with her worksheets and asking to play games with him of her own accord.

He didn't care too much for spending all that time with her. He liked being alone a lot, too, after all. It had been a long time since he'd spent time with other people in such close proximity, and he found himself needing to withdraw every couple of hours to recharge.
The night was the only time he truly got to himself, especially now Dabi wasn't likely to visit for late night make-out sessions, at least for a while, so he treasured the silence as much as he could.

Which was what he was doing until there was a knock at his door.
It was so faint that he assumed it was just an in-game sound. Until there was a second louder knock.
Tomura moves his headphones so one ear is uncovered, staring with a frown at his door after glancing quickly at the time.
Three a.m. and no-one tended to knock on his door, never mind in the early hours of the morning.

"I know you're awake." Dabi calls through the door in a whisper-yell.

Tomuras frown deepens, his mind immediately moving to try and recall whether he could have possibly done something to upset Star today. Although he wasn't scared of Dabi, or scared of anyone, really, he didn't want to chance anything that would risk his most valuable member walking out.
Another impatient knock and Tomura is standing from his seat, grumbling as he throws his handheld down onto the desk with a displeased clatter.

"What do you want Dabi?" Tomura asks the second the door is open wide enough to catch a glimpse of Dabi's full silhouette in the darkness.

There's no verbal response, Dabi's warm hands flying out to cup his face, the mixed texture of Dabi's lips colliding with his own.
Tomura's so taken off guard that he barely has time to register what's actually happening as it happens, Dabi walking Tomura backward as he continues to kiss him, a little harsher than usual.
It's only when the back of his knees hit the edge of his mattress and he falls on top of it that he manages to part his lips from Dabi's for long enough to speak.

"What are you doing?"

It leaves him angry instead of curious and he almost flinches at his own tone.
Dabi looks down at him with a cold stare, cocking his head as he undresses him with his eyes alone, leaving Tomura almost uncomfortable from where he's sat on the bed.