Chapter Text
Soulmate dreams are a blessing and a curse.
For some, meeting your soulmate through your dreams is easy. They’re neighbors, eventual high school sweethearts, even future coworkers. The thrill and adventure of putting the pieces together is just half the fun for some people. It’s almost like a game to see if you can find the other first.
For others, not so much. Some lose their soulmates before they’ve ever met them in person and are plagued with empty dreams for the rest of their lives. Some are forced to watch the most horrendous of things happen. After all, some dreams turn into nightmares.
For Natsuo, his soulmate dreams are proof that he can still be worth something to someone. He wasn’t enough for his father or mother, he wasn’t enough for his brothers or to help Fuyumi handle the weight of their broken family. But he would be enough for his soulmate. He would help him and heal him and show him that life was so much more than a shitty bar and nightmarish creatures.
Because Natsuo knows who his soulmate is. He knows Shigaraki Tomura shares his dreams and memories. The villain has been there for some of his worst moments, ranging from Touya’s death to him failing his math midterm. But Natsuo has also seen the deck the other has been dealt with. Natsuo knows intimately well that the villain who attacked his brother’s class is just as alone and trapped as he is, even if Shigaraki doesn’t realize it yet himself.
And there’s no way Natsuo will allow himself to fail another loved one.
Now just how, he’s not sure.
Still, he can’t just not try. Not when everytime he closes his eyes he sees the brilliant, red ruby ones of his soulmate. Followed by a small smile that highlights that cute little mole that’s to the left of his lip.
But the dreams never gave him a location or even a marker. Just a glimpse into his soulmate’s life. Natsuo already knew a few things about him: his quirk scared him, made him push people away. He only had a dad, who’s name might be Giri? And he loved video games, especially anything that would allow him to play solo.
So he vows, when he turns 18 and moves out for college he’ll search for his soulmate.
After a month he’s a bit disillusioned though. The dreams are coming more frequent and he can tell his future husband is stressed. He tried meditation and Fuyumi’s at home remedies, trying to see if he can get a detailed insight to his soulmate’s living situation.
Nothing works.
And it’s not like Tomura will tell him. He’s already asked. Multiple times. The answer is always the same though: it’s not safe for you to find me.
Like living with Enji Todoroki is safer.
Natsuo groans at his desk, head in his hands at another failed lead. In all honesty, he’s not really detective material. He’s smart, sure. But clever at solving puzzles? That one was a toss up. Medical ailments were one thing. Finding the exact bar his soulmate was trapped in when he only knew what the inside of it looked like?
Ha. Funny.
Sighing, the student gets up from his desk and makes his way to grab his coat and leave his apartment. Though he’ll never admit it, he is kind of glad his father recommended he have his own place rather than a dorm. He would have probably driven his roommate insane with the way he’d shoot out of bed and just start typing away whenever he thought he figured out where Tomura was.
Still, accepting Endeavor’s money to pay for it was a bit rough.
Fuyumi had to be the one to slap him over the head and tell him to just take the damn money and save his own for when he graduates. Something about not feeling guilty about using the man who’s hurt them multiple times.
His older sister was truly devious sometimes.
Locking his front door, Natsuo makes his way down to the cafe in between his new home and the campus.
What happens next is a complete accident.
Natsuo is barely functioning at eight in the morning, but he made the mistake of taking a chemistry class first thing to ‘free up his afternoons’. He’s exhausted from having stayed up to look up more bars with bartenders named Giri and finding nothing. His eyes struggle to stay open as he exits the coffee shop.
Which is when he walks straight into some dude who just fucking reeks .
“Fuck!” The stranger curses as Natsuo’s pretty hot coffee splashes all over his white T-shirt.
“Shit dude!” Natsuo apologizes, wide awake now that he’s aware he might have caused someone a third degree burn. “Are you okay?”
The stranger growls, cursing him out as he lifts his head up to look at the face of the idiot who split a hot beverage on him.
Suddenly Natsuo is staring into his long since dead brother’s eyes.
Or, at least, this guy looks like Touya. Those icy blue eyes filled with anger are eerily similar to his brother’s.
Maybe-Touya’s eyes grow wide as he takes in Natsuo’s form, which only solidifies his far-fetched, highly improbable, but much coveted theory. He’s not sure he can take the disappointment if it’s not.
“Touya?” he whispers. He hates how his voice cracks a bit.
His brother looks panicked, blurting out the first thing that pops into his head. “What’s a ‘Touya’?”
Natsuo furrows his brows. “What?”
Touya smiles awkwardly.
It’s the same smile he used to do when they were kids and he’d get in trouble. As a last ditch effort he’d try to cute his way out with a big grin full of teeth.
It’s such a blast from the past he barely notices when Touya takes the opportunity to escape down the street.
Shaking his head, Nasuo curses and books it after him. He can think about all that later. First he has to catch the little fucking asshole.
Touya dashes down an alleyway and Natsuo follows with ease, all those years playing soccer keeping him in shape. If this had been back then, his older brother could have beaten him with ease.
As it stands, they barely reach the end of the alley when Touya stops, visibly out of breath and leaning against a door.
“Really, running?” Touya rasps out, a hand over his heart. “I thought you were a nerd?”
Natsuo shakes his head but he can’t help the smile on his face. “Colleges like students to be well-rounded, so soccer was a thing for a bit.” Tears prick at the corner of his eyes. “Wow, you’re really here.”
“Don’t sound so happy.” his brother grumbles.
“Why wouldn’t I be happy? You’re my brother. I missed you.”
His brother glares at him, but before he’s able to say anything the door he’s leaning up against opens. Touya lets out a surprised sound as he falls backwards on his ass.
Smoke filters out from the doorway. “I thought I heard you bitchin’”
Natsuo turns to see a grown man, maybe a few years younger than his father staring down at his brother in amusement. He’s got on an awful purple jacket, with a leopard print shirt and he reminds the college student of those pimps in those American movies.
The pimp looks over at Natsuo and grins. “Ah, I see. You chased him all the way over here, huh?” Looking back at Touya, “I thought I told you no more guests.”
“He’s not a guest. He’s leaving.”
“No, I’m not,” he shoots back, before grinning up at the old man, “My name’s Natsuo, I’m that dumbass’s brother.”
Mr. Pimp laughs, shaking his hand. “Brother? Damn, you sure are full of surprises kid. Come on in, Natsuo. I’m Giran, let me introduce you to the others here.”
Walking over his brother, the college student looks around the room.
He’s definitely late for his chemistry class and this place definitely belongs to someone who works on the other side of the law, but if Touya is here then there must be an explanation. And he’s not leaving without one.
“So, over here we have Toga. She’s the blond one with a knife kink.” Giran introduces, pointing to a high school student.
Toga smiles and waves, her fangs shining under the dull living room light. “Nice to meet you, little Dabi!”
“Little Dabi?”
Suddenly, a taller buff looking man appears right beside Toga. He’s wearing a mask, so Natsuo can’t really tell if he’s friendly or seconds away from strangling him.
“Yeah! If you’re Dabi’s little brother, then you're little Dabi!.” Mask man explains, before a deeper, gruffer voice follows. “Bitchin”
Natsuo turns to his brother, who has yet to pick himself off the floor. “Dabi? Really?”
“Fuck you.”
“Okay, then.” The student turns back to his audience. “I’m Natsuo. And you are?”
“None of your business!” The gruff voice answers first this time, followed by what Natsuo would assume is his natural timbre. “I’m Twice!”
Nodding, Natsuo turns to look at his brother, who’s finally decided to get up and join the land of the upright. “So, these are some interesting friends.”
“Sure, whatever,” Dabi mutters, “you’ve seen them, you’ve seen me. Now can you go?”
“Hmm, no.”
Giran laughs. “I like this kid. Hey, you interested in joining the League?”
Dabi shakes his head, which Natsuo ignores because the only League he’s heard about recently is the one involving his soulmate. “You mean the League of Villains, right? With Shigaraki?”
He can feel his brother staring into his back, but the college student barely cares. He’s spent countless nights searching for his soulmate and this is the closest he’s ever gotten.
“Yeah. You’re brother over there was thinking of joining.”
Dabi rolls his eyes. “I was thinking about it, I’m not sure—”
“You’ve gotta.” Natsuo blurts out.
His brother stares at Natsuo like he’s gone mad, which granted, is valid given the circumstances. After all, it’s not like they ever spoke about their soulmates to each other. Sure, Natsuo knew Touya had one because he used to complain that his soulmate would always ruffle his hair and treat him like a little kid.
But Natsuo up until now has never admitted who his soulmate was.
His brother narrows his eyes. “Why?”
“Okay, don’t get mad.” At the flicker of a blue flame Natsuo groans. “I said don’t get mad. Don’t, you know the word, do not. ”
“I know what the fucking word means! What I wanna know is why you want me to join this fucking creep’s little—”
“He’s not a creep!” The college student shouts, before straightening up and clearing his throat. “That I know of.”
“Natsuo,” Dabi asks, deceptively calm as his icy blue eyes zero in on his little brother, “what color are Shigaraki’s eyes?”
Giran snorts, smoke filtering out of his nostrils. “Dabi, seriously? What are you—”
“Red.”
“Where does he live?”
“Don’t know. All I know is that it's a bar.”
Dabi hums. “What’s he look like?”
Natsuo shrugs. “Like a normal guy? He’s got a mole on the bottom left of his lip though.”
Silence falls over everyone. The college student wonders if he’s about to die. He’d be really pissed if he discovered his long lost dead brother and the bastard just killed him. No doubt he’d haunt his ass for the rest of his weird little life.
“What?”
Giran is the one who breaks the silence with a cough. “I’ve known Shigaraki for a few years now. Only seen him once without that stupid hand of his.” His eyes slide over to Dabi’s. “Your brother’s right, Shigaraki’s got that mole.”
Twice gasps, “Holy shit, little Dabi is Shigaraki’s soulmate! That’s fucked.” Suddenly the other villain is cooing. “Awe, how romantic!”
Toga squeals, clapping her hands. “Is that why you want Dabi to join the League? So he can introduce you to Shigaraki?”
“Are you fucking insane? The guy’s a villain. Like a villain villain!” Dabi shouts. It’s weird getting a lecture from someone who he thought was dead.
“Oh, like you haven’t murdered anyone recently,” Giran adds, lighting up another cigarette. He offers one to Natsuo.
“No thanks, I appreciate it though.” He turns his gray eyes to stare at his brother’s icy blue ones. “Murder? You forget to tell everyone you’re actually alive and you’ve been roaming around murdering? What the fuck?”
“Nope, you can’t tell me anything because you have a huge fucking soulmate boner for Shigaraki!” Dabi laughs, hysterical. “Plus, there is no way in hell I’m helping you get hitched to that creep. Guy’s bad news as it is.”
Natsuo hums. “Shame. Guess I’ll just have to tell Fuyumi you’re alive.”
“Oh the plot thickens.” Twice claps, excitedly, before pausing and turning to Toga. “There’s more of them?” he whispers to the teen who just shrugs.
“No.” Dabi shakes his head, “Do not drag Fuyumi into this.”
“Why not? Don’t you think she’d like to see her big brother all big and alive.”
“Natsuo—”
The college student hums, tapping his chin with his phone. “How badly do you think she’d kick your ass if she found out? I bet she’d leave you in a block of ice for a few hours. Maybe days.”
Dabi growls, little swirls of smoke curling around his ears. “Fucking fine! Okay? I’ll fucking do it. Would that keep your mouth shut?”
“Maybe…”
“What more could you possibly want?”
“You gotta be my roommate.”
“Absolutely fucking not—”
Luck is on Natsuo’s side this fine morning as his phone vibrates in his pocket. One quick glance and he immediately knows exactly who it is. Without breaking eye contact with Touya, he picks up. “Hey, big sis. You’ll never guess what happened at school today!”
Fuyumi’s voice is muffled, but there’s no doubt Touya recognizes it when his eyes widen like saucers. He makes a strangled sound, as his friends watch in amusement.
“Fucking fine,” he hisses, making wild gestures to get his little brother to shut up. “I’ll be your stupid fucking roommate, just don’t tell ‘Yumi.”
“Yeah,” Natsuo smiles victoriously, “I saw someone spray paint devil horns on dad’s poster. It was great. Though I think they could have added a tail, personally.”
Toga pats Dabi’s head, as Twice laughs at the arsonist’s misfortune. “Don’t worry! I’m sure your brother’s got your best interests in mind.”
“Yeah, right.” The flame user grumbles, “Manipulative little shit.”
Natsuo finishes his quick call with his sister before turning to his brother with a big grin on his face. “So, you gonna pack?”
“What is this “gonna”? Didn’t they teach you Japanese in that fancy high school Dad sent you?”
“Really?” The college student raises a single white brow. “That’s bold for someone who didn’t finish middle school.”
He gets a middle finger for his astute observation.
“Come on, let’s get your shit, you big drama queen.” Natsuo sighs.
After another hour of arguing and stuffing his brother’s meager belongings in a bag, Natsuo successfully drags him back to his apartment. For once, he is glad dad’s footing the bill.
“This is how college students are living?” Dabi asks the moment they enter the apartment. The statement is followed by a gasp, as the older Todoroki pops his head through a door on his right. “You’ve got a guest room?”
The other laughs softly under his breath, putting down his school bag on the kitchen table. “Well, the one’s paid by Endeavor sure do.”
“Dear old dad’s paying?” his brother laughs, “No wonder. You’d be living in a dump like me if you were paying.”
Natsuo flips him off, but ignores it when the other plops down on his couch.
“Listen, when is this meeting you’re having with Tomura?”
His brother doesn’t even open his eyes. “Sometime next week. Shigaraki has been looking for recruits, word has gone around he and Stain are tight, so lots of Stain’s fans are flocking towards your soulmate,” suddenly he opens one ice blue eye to stare at Natsuo, “I might not even make the cut.”
The college student tilts his head. “Awe, don’t sell yourself short. I’m sure you’ll ace your little villain interview.”
“Please don’t call it that.”
He pretends to ignore his older brother, who’s fighting hard to push down a yawn. “You can sleep in the guest room, you know? More comfortable than a couch.”
“Natsu, I’ve been sleeping in dumpsters and on cardboard boxes. This is heaven.” Touya mumbles, sleep finally catching up with him after the day’s spontaneous discovery.
It’s surreal watching his older brother fall asleep on his couch. Just this morning he remembers passing by the funeral picture on his way to the coffee shop and now here he is. Burnt, twisted, and definitely on the wrong side of the law, but here all the same.
Maybe, maybe if he plays his cards right, he can do what he couldn’t do all those years back. Maybe he can save his soulmate and his older brother.
Maybe.