After what they dubbed the ‘Trigger incident’ the two vigilantes started to develop a pattern. Patrols with Eraser were becoming more and more common, especially Saturday nights. It had also become a routine for them to join the Pro Heroes for Sunday mornings for breakfast, granted it was because the three of them would shuffle in from the balcony and collapse in the living room to nap until they were awoken by Yamada singing softly as he cooked breakfast.
And really, they were both touched that the blonde actually cared if they were injured, beside Aizawa, it was nice to have adult that worried about them. Yui’s bio-parents, or perhaps they more like sperm and egg donors, had never really cared if she was hurt unless it impacted her role, and Izu’s mom wasn’t...around anymore.
And then, once Dabi and Himi had settled into their new apartment, the duo would make monthly visits, staying with them for a week. Dabi had managed to get a job as a bouncer at a popular nightclub, and Himi was keeping out of trouble by focusing on catching up on schoolwork so she’d be ready for high school. Which is one of the reasons Yui and Izuku were at their place as winter was at the cusp of turning, occasional showers gracing them instead of snow.
“Izu-chan! Do I really need to learn math? What is its purpose? It’s so boorrriinng.” Himi whined, slumped against the couch as she balanced a pencil on her nose.
“Come on, Himi-chan! You need to learn this.” Izu shuffled closer as he pulled the textbook onto his lap. Yui chuckled softly as she watched them, typing away at her laptop. The gang from the ‘Trigger incident’ and from the trafficking bust that had served as Izu’s debut had been connected, and that was too much of a coincidence. So, she’d started to do some digging. She’d started to show Izuku how to build his own support gear, starting with the taser staff and the communication device. So far, he’d only started the coffee table on fire once, so it was going pretty well.
“Nope! I say break time, we’ve been studying for hours and my brain’s melting.” She sat up and took the textbook to slam it closed. “Let’s talk about something more fun!”
He sighed, before he leaned back on his hands, “Like what?”
Yui yawned before she put her laptop on the table, stretching her arms over her head, “We can talk support gear. I’ve been meaning to have a discussion with you all about it.”
“Really? But we talk support gear all the time?” Izuku tilted his head as he looked up at her.
“I don’t think I’d be good at building that stuff.” Himiko crinkled her nose, “It looks way too complicated.”
“I don’t mean that I want you to build it. Izu is learning what I know because I think he should know the basics since he’s dead set on going to U.A. And I...may have hacked into the school programs to see their forms for their entrance exam.” She muttered the last part, rubbing the back of her neck.
“Well, U.A. is the only school that allows Quirkless applicants to take the test for the hero course. Even Shiketsu won’t allow Quirkless students into their program.” Izuku said softly, fiddling with his fingers as he looked away.
“And U.A. actually only just allowed Quirkless students to apply. Hopefully they don’t change it again.” Yui sighed, “But, anyway, I found a clause that allows students to bring support gear into the exam if they made it themselves. There’s also a clause for students that need support gear for their Quirk, which unfortunately we can’t use, but there’s a clause for the use of one weapon if you dig into the forms enough.”
“But we both decided the support gear I made would be the better fit. Plus, I can take their support course exam as a backup in case I fail the hero course exam.” Izuku grinned, his eyes lighting up with familiar emerald fire.
“You always do like to have backup plans, you know, unless you’re being reckless.” Dabi chuckled, his leg that was leaning off the arm of the chair bobbing lazily. Izuku pouted at him and before he could refute him, the young adult turned to Yui, “What’s this about support gear?”
“Well, considering that Himi’s Quirk is more suited to infiltration, if she really wants to become a hero, she’s probably going to have to rely on support gear like Izu. You’re still planning on applying to Shiketsu’s hero course, right?”
“Yep! I still think it’s bogus that they don’t allow Quirkless people into their heroic’s department, but maybe if I’m on the inside I can try to change people’s minds from within.” She gave them a fanged grin, “Plus, they’re the best school in the area, and U.A. and Shiketsu are rivals and sometimes do joint training exercises! Maybe I’ll be able to work with Izu!”
“You’ll have to have some kind of system that stores blood and probably syringes that you can use to collect it. That might require training in knife techniques...” She hummed, pulling out a notebook and flipping to some pages of basic designs.
“Oooh! I’ve always wanted to learn how to use a knife in a fight!” She giggled, bouncing a bit as she crawled over to her to look at them.
“I can teach you.” Yui said softly.
Himiko blinked, “You don’t use knives though?” Izuku winced a bit, biting down on his lip as he looked up at his sister.
“I...I was taught how by my...mother.” She wrinkled her nose, “It’s been a while since I did it, but it's not something I can forget. Dabi, while we’re here can you go out and buy us two switchblades?”
His eyes widened as he stared at her, “The fuck? You’re going to arm the gremlin...and teach her the best way to stab people?”
“I’m going to teach her how to handle a knife properly so she doesn’t hurt herself or accidently hit something major and kill someone. Himiko, rule number one: whatever I teach you, you can’t use on Dabi. Got it?”
She nodded, giving her a salute, “Ma’am, yes, ma’am! And pleeaasse, Dabi-nii? I promise I won’t stab you, I already nibble you!”
He groaned, covering his eyes with his hand, “I’m going to regret this, but fine. I’ll pick you up some switchblades.”
“Yay! You’re the best big brother! Can you find one in pink or red for me, please?” She gave him big puppy dog eyes.
“Get her a pink bedazzled one.” Yui chuckled softly before she looked through the notebook. “On another note. Dabi. I’ve been designing a suit that will help regulate your temperature. I brought the forms you’ll need to fill out when I get it approved.”
“...But I don’t want in on this hero bullshit?” He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Bitch, your Quirk hurts your fucking body when you use it wrong. You need something to protect you.” She pointed her pen at him, narrowing her eyes.
“Yeah, Dabi-nii! You don’t have to hurt yourself anymore just because you couldn’t save everyone...” Izuku smiled softly as he looked up at him, Himi nodding in agreement.
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“Yeah, enough with this martyr complex, who do you think you are? All Might?” Yui rolled her eyes.
“Hey!” He growled at her, blue flames flickering around his fingertips.
Izuku stood up to get between them, “She didn’t mean it like that, Dabi-nii! S-She's not really comparing you to All Might, its just...well-”
“That buffoon is going to work himself into an early grave with all the shit he does. It isn’t healthy.” Yui huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
“He’s still human...and he can still make mistakes and get hurt...we don’t want to see you get hurt and run yourself into the ground.” Izuku smiled softly as the flames flickered out.
“Wow, you’re not singing All Might’s praises.” Dabi chuckled softly, “And thanks...I’ll fill out the forms once it’s ready.”
“Yeah, well. I still idolize him but...I’ve been trying to focus on other heroes to get more ideas. I won’t be able to just punch my problems away.” He shrugged a bit.
“Oh! Oh! So who’s your favorite hero now then?” Himiko bounced over to him, smiling wide as she poked his shoulder.
Izuku blinked his big green eyes up at her, “Yui-nee...?”
Yui choked on air, her face flushing “Pfft...I-um...ehh... Izu...I-I’m not a hero?”
He tilted his head at her, mustering up once of his best puppy-dog eyes and pout, “But you’re my hero...”
She blinked, a warm and fluffy feeling in her chest, “Aww you adorable little cinnamon roll, you’re my hero.”
“Oh Kami, stop with the sappy shit! They’re talking about the new villain that’s in town!” Dabi tried to shush them before Himi threw an eraser at him.
“Shut up! It’s cute!”
Izu and Yui blinked before they turned to the news, the youngest grabbing the remote and quickly turning up the volume.
“Please refrain from going out at night, A-ranked villain Siren has been prowling the city and using her Quirk to lure people out of sight and strangle them. The details of her Quirk are vague, but authorities are speculating that it can entrance people, as there are no signs of struggle at the scenes. Siren has killed twenty-three people so far, three here in Kyushu. So we advise citizens to travel in groups if they must be out and to be wary of any suspicious individuals. Please leave the capture of the villain to the heroes...”
Izuku frowned softly, “Those poor people...”
“Yeah, she’s been a real menace. I think she kills five people per city she’s in.” Dabi said softly, “We’ve had to increase security at my job, everyone is getting more on edge.”
“Well...we’re here for a week. Izu and I could run into her. We can’t just let her run wild, she could get one of you two.” Yui frowned as she rummaged through her bag, “We were going to patrol around here anyway while we were visiting.” She pulled out the gloves she always wore when she went out as ControlFreak. Ever since the Trigger incident, she’d been even more reluctant to use her Quirk, though she had caved to Izuku’s questions and had used it on some electronics at home. She was able to produce a fourth chip and her time had gone up another minute, but thankfully, there weren’t any sparks of electricity coming from her body and she didn’t fry her gear.
“Yeah, it’s getting late, we should probably get ready.” Izuku stretched, putting the textbook on the coffee table. “Himi-chan, remember to finish the chapter and the worksheet.”
Himiko let out a whine, “Dangit! I was hoping you’d forget!”
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Yui wanted to curse their luck as the sky opened up, and soaked through their hoodies and her hair, at least the suits kept them mostly dry but moving around in drenched clothes was an annoyance. It was their third night out and they hadn’t run into Siren yet. Lightning flashed across the sky, the resounding thunder making it hard to listen for any sounds of distress. Yui blinked when she heard a woman cry out, looking down into an alley as a woman backed away from a large man holding a knife.
“I got this, Null, stay up here.” She aimed the grapple brace, making sure it was secure before she swung down, her feet slamming into the guy’s chest and knocking him onto his back. She landed and quickly restrained him, using a quick jab to the pressure point in his neck to knock him out.
“Oh my Kami! Thank you so much! I-I didn’t know what I was going to do!” The woman sniffled, shaking from the frigid rain and the shock.
“Are you hurt?” She asked, the woman quickly shaking her head, “Good, do you mind calling the police for me?”
She blinked, “Are you not a hero?”
“Uh...no? Anyway, gotta go, be careful, okay? Ask the cops for a ride home, okay?” Yui quickly grappled back to the top of the building, frowning as she looked around for glowing green. “Null?” She pressed the button in her comm, “Null, where are you?” Ice shot through her veins as she turned in a circle, trying to spot anything. “Null?!”
At no response she turned her comm up as high as it could go, moving from one edge of the roof to another until she finally caught a faint lilting voice a distance away. Yui took off, “Null?! Null! Snap out of the Quirk! Answer me please!” She screamed, praying to whatever god that it’d break him out of whatever control the villain had. A quick switch of her goggles activated the night vision to see through the darkness.
She swung down, her feet skidding through water at the entrance of an alley, the sweet singing voice getting louder. Her head snapped up, the night vision painting the alley in tones of green but what she saw made her heart stop. A woman with long, flowing hair that stuck to her skin as rain drenched it stood over a smaller form, her hands around his neck as she sang, squeezing as he hung limp against her hold.
Yui’s vision went red before she was rushing toward them, the woman’s head moving to look up at the noise before the vigilante slammed into her, Siren’s grip on his neck loosening to try to block her. The two were sent tumbling, skidding in the water drenched alley. Yui’s hand jabbing out to the woman’s neck in the scuffle, and she couldn’t stop the sick satisfaction she felt as the villain started hacking and gasping and fighting to suck in the air she'd deprived her brother of. Before she could recover, Yui was already in front of her, her knuckles striking the spot in the neck Eraser had drilled in to them both one night.
Yui was already turning when she saw the woman’s eyes flutter closed and her body going limp, rushing back to Izuku’s side, the boy gasping and coughing as he curled on his side.
“Green bean, it’s me,” she yanked down her mask. “It's okay, she’s down, can I take your mask off?” she kept her voice calm when she wanted to scream, her hands lifting slowly. At his jerky nod she pulled down the fabric, he sucked in large gulps of air.
She slowly put a hand on his back, rubbing gently as she kept whispering reassurances. His breathing eventually calmed, though there was a rasp in his throat and he trembled, his teeth chattering as his whole body shook. She grit her teeth as she left him to secure Siren, and notified the police. Yui didn’t waste time when she could hear the police sirens get louder, the rain was starting to let up as she went back to him. He quickly wrapped his arms around her shoulders as he whimpered, she wrapped an arm around his waist before she grappled back to the rooftops, making her way back to the apartment.
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After they’d gotten back, Dabi had helped Izuku change out of his soaked clothes and getting him dry and into pajamas. The once brilliant emeralds of his eyes were now dull and glossy, his freckles standing out darker on pale skin as his body ran with tremors. Luckily, and Yui thought this sparingly, it wasn’t a word she would like to use, but luckily the suit had taken some of the attack, and while his neck was already bruising in shades of blue and purple, he could breathe normally, if a little wheezing at the end.
Himiko had gathered all the pillows and blankets in the living room, and Izuku was in the middle. Yui and Himi were beside him, his hands latched into their sleeves. Dabi came back from the kitchen with mugs of tea with honey. “Here, green bean. I put some ice in it so it cooled down, just take it slow, okay? It’ll help with the pain.”
He didn’t go to release one of them, Yui frowned softly as she took a mug, catching a whiff of something else in the tea, “Dabi...did you put brandy in this? He can’t have al-”
“Yui...it’ll help. Just this once. I only put a shot in, it won’t...hurt him.” Dabi said softly before he handed her a straw. She frowned before she put it in the mug and offered it to the boy. He took a hesitant sip, crinkling his nose a bit.
“Yeah, sorry, I tried to cover it up with a lot of honey.” He sat down behind him, Izuku leaning back against the extra warmth Dabi always seemed to radiate from his body. Yui and Himi shifted to stay close, he still refused to let their sleeves go.
“Alcohol...gross...” His voice croaked out, a tremor going through his body.
“It’ll help you sleep, green bean. It’s a hot toddy, it always helps my throat when I get a cold. I figured...it might help your throat...” He said softly, “Plus you were both drenched,”
“You don’t have to drink it if you don’t want to, Izu-chan. I can make you regular tea.” Himiko said, her amber eyes shining with worry and she kept a gentle grip on his arm.
“It's...fine...” He took another sip.
They stayed in their huddle as Izuku slowly finished the mug, the tremors eventually stopping as his eyelids started to droop. Waiting until he finally fell asleep with his back against Dabi and Himiko falling asleep curled against his side. Yui and Dabi keeping watch and intently listening to any hitches in his breathing.