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Shigaraki walked up the stairs to the rooftop. He was growing tired of the cramped bar, so he decided to sneak out and relax on the rooftop he often visited.
He opened the door and was greeted by the cold breeze hitting his skin. His hoodie fell off his head, and the wind pushed his hair back. Silence welcomed him, and he could already feel his body relaxing in the comfort of the night.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a figure he couldn’t quite make out in the darkness. His body tensed, and he prepared himself for an ambush. As he moved closer to the figure, intending to confront them, the light below shone brightly enough for him to see short brown hair.
He stopped in his tracks. Was it just him, or did this person seem strangely familiar?
He moved closer to get a better look at her face without revealing himself. Though he could barely distinguish her features, he noticed her large eyes and the pink circles on her cheeks—wait.
He dashed towards her and grabbed her arm. She winced in pain and glared at him. As he got a clear view of her face, he stopped breathing, his heart pounding as if it might burst from his chest.
Uraraka Ochako, one of that Yuuei brat’s closest friends!
He quickly turned her around to face the direction he had been looking at and gripped her neck with his hand. He raised his middle finger as a threat. Uraraka squirmed in his hold, so he tightened his grasp as a warning. “Why are you here?” he asked, his voice low and menacing.
“What do you… mean, why am I here?” she gasped, struggling against his grip. “I can’t… breathe. Let go!”
“Why should I?” he asked, tapping his finger. “You’re a hero. You could attack me at any moment. Hell, for all I know, this could be a trap, and someone might come to attack me soon.”
“I’m… I’m alone!” she said desperately, trying to pull his hand away from her neck. “I didn’t come here to fight. I’m exhausted and just want peace, so let go!”
He held his position for a few seconds, waiting for potential threats to reveal themselves. When nothing happened, he finally released her. He watched as she touched her neck, gasping for air.
Glancing around cautiously for any hidden dangers, he felt uneasy at the lack of imminent threat. Could she really have come here alone just to relax and not ambush him? Unbelievable. He kept his guard up, letting the girl believe she was safe while remaining vigilant to fight if necessary.
“Why did you do that?” she asked, her tone filled with anger, her eyes glaring at him as she rubbed her bruised neck.
He stared at her as if she had grown two heads. “Are you an idiot? You’re a hero, and I’m a villain. What did you expect when we meet each other? A simple hello and then a chat about how life is holding up?”
“So what? We’re not on the battlefield, are we?” she retorted, glaring at him with surprising boldness.
He opened his mouth to reply but hesitated. Uraraka seemed to sway slightly and looked less angry than she had during their fight. Her cheeks were a darker shade of red than usual, and her words were slightly slurred. She even had the nerve to talk to him without showing much concern about a possible attack.
Raising an eyebrow, he asked, “Did you drink alcohol?”
She blinked and turned away, hiding her face as she rubbed her neck. “Uh, no…? How did you come to that conclusion?”
He grabbed her wrist, forcing her to face him, but she avoided his gaze. “You’re acting like a drunkard,” he remarked, clicking his tongue. “I can’t believe you’re actually drinking alcohol at sixteen. I thought you were smarter than this.”
She faced him so quickly that her neck almost snapped. “I—! Well—! You… you see…” She looked away, biting her lips in shame. “I… couldn’t help it. It was the only way for me to escape from this hellish reality.”
He stared at her dejected figure, glancing at her wrist before looking back at her with a scrunched nose. What nonsense was she spouting now?
“I’m not spouting nonsense!” she shouted, catching Shigaraki off guard.
He didn’t realise he had spoken his thoughts aloud. What a cunning villain he was. Maybe Uraraka’s recklessness affected him because such impulsive behaviour could lead him to his own demise.
Tears pooled in her eyes as she looked at him. “I… I hate living like this.” She hiccuped. “I want to run away with whatever money I have left and finally breathe. I want to go back to the past and redo my choices. I—I want to close my eyes and never wake up. I…” She sobbed, wiping her tears with her free hand. “I want to dream forever in my happy land! It’s a hundred times better than living in this stupid hellhole!”
She began thrashing about, making it difficult for Shigaraki to hold her wrist. “I want to leave! I hate it here!” She managed to pull her hand free and accidentally leaned towards the edge. “Let me leave this shitty hell!” she screamed.
He watched in horror as her eyes widened, and she slipped off the roof. Without thinking, he lunged forward, trying to grab any part of her he could reach. His heart pounded loudly in his ears, and he found himself holding his breath.
At that moment, he didn’t want her to die. Nothing was on his mind except the urgent need to grab Uraraka and pull her back to the roof. He wanted her to live. She couldn’t die from a careless fall due to her recklessness. It wasn’t fair.
Future him might scream that she had a gravity quirk and could save herself, but could she even use it in her current state? She was so drunk that she could barely function when she was talking earlier. Was she even aware of her quirk, or had she also felt her heart drop when she realised she might die because she forgot about it?
Or perhaps, was she relieved to finally escape the misery she longed to leave behind?
Warning bells rang in his head as Uraraka continued falling farther away.
Faster.
He outstretched his hand, aiming for her wrist. He caught a glimpse of her eyes, disliking their vacant look. They were bright but glazed as if she had accepted her death with a strange sense of relief.
Now!
He grabbed her wrist with his pinky finger raised, and Uraraka’s body slammed into the wall. She cried out in pain from the force of the impact and gasped for air as it was expelled from her lungs. He tightened his grip, feeling his hand tremble, unsure whether it was from her weight or his fear of losing her.
If his rational self were present, he would call himself a fool for feeling fear over losing his enemy. He would drop her right here, right now, with a grin on his face.
He tried pulling her up, but his position being close to the edge made it impossible. With no rails or ledges to hold on to, any movement risked both of them falling to their deaths.
Cursing under his breath, he finally remembered her gravity quirk. Stupid him not telling her to float herself! Now, they would fall to their deaths because of their stupidity!
“Hey, touch yourself!” Shigaraki ordered.
Uraraka’s eyes widened, and her jaw dropped at his audacity. “Wha-what? What are you saying!”
“It’s to save both of us, idiot!” he screamed.
“How is touching myself going to save us in this situation! Do you want to watch me pleasure myself while hanging here? Is that your fucking deteriorated kink?” she shouted, her voice laced with anger.
His veins throbbed with frustration at the accusation. “What the—? Do you think I’m some kind of abnormal pervert who wants to watch you pleasure yourself while hanging from the edge? Are you a fucking dumbass?”
“Then what else did you mean!”
“I meant—!”
His body slipped forward slightly, and he felt his heart drop. He almost forgot that he was holding Uraraka, who was literally hanging from the edge. It was because of this idiot arguing with him during a life-or-death situation! Why had he even decided to save her?
“Look, idiot, you have a gravity quirk! You can make yourself float by touching—tapping yourself. Do it now, or this will be our last night alive!”
She looked shocked, her eyes widening. “A gravity quirk?”
“Yes—” His body shifted again. “Fuck! Do it now, Uraraka!”
His body slipped entirely from the edge as he spoke, and they began to fall. He saw the ground rushing towards them and Uraraka’s panicked gaze. His heart sank to his stomach, and he could only watch in stunned silence.
He closed his eyes, bracing for impact. So this was it, huh? With Uraraka in her drunken state, she might not act quickly enough. Her intoxicated mind was likely impairing her ability to react or even remember her strength and capabilities. Why did he even bother to save her?
Lost in his thoughts and the sensation of nearing the ground, he didn’t notice that they had already stopped falling. He felt something warm gripping his arm, and a voice jolted him back to reality. He opened his eyes to find Uraraka clinging to his arm like a monkey to a tree. The ground was now only a few feet away, and her hair floated around them.
He exhaled deeply, surprised to realise he had been holding his breath. Holy shit, she finally managed to do it. That was close.
He turned his gaze to the idiot, his eyes narrowing into a sharp glare. The person in question looked away, showing the audacity to appear ashamed. They had nearly died moments ago, and she had the impudence to feel embarrassed.
Uraraka coughed, breaking the silence. “Uh… so—”
“So what?” he snapped. “Your stupidity almost got us killed!”
“I’m sorry, okay! I didn’t know I had a gravity quirk.”
“You didn’t—” He stopped himself, taking a deep breath and running a hand through his hair. “How could you not know? You’re just drunk, not suffering from amnesia!”
“It’s because of you!” She jabbed his chest with an accusatory glare. “How dare you blame me when I was just explaining why I was here!”
“Well, we wouldn’t be in this situation if you hadn’t slipped and almost died! You should be grateful I even tried to save you from falling!”
“I didn’t—” She blinked, then looked away. “No… you’re right. It was my carelessness that got us into this mess.”
Shigaraki was silent for a moment before bursting into laughter, clapping in astonishment. “Wow! You actually admitted you’re the one who caused this mess. Are we witnessing some character development here? Please tell me I’m not hallucinating.”
Uraraka’s face flushed deeper, and she tightened her grip on Shigaraki. “Can you please shut up? I’ve already learned from my mistake. You don’t need to add to my burden.”
He rolled his eyes and observed her. She glared at him, her cheeks puffed up, her lips pouted, and her eyebrows scrunched together. And huh… her eyebrows and eyelashes were also brown. Even in the dark, her eyes shone under the moonlight. Her nose was slightly small, and her pink lips looked so soft—
His gaze caught a strand of hair on her face, so he raised his hand and tucked it behind her ear. She squeaked, snapping him back to reality. He quickly pulled his hand away and looked aside.
What the hell was he thinking?
He glanced back at her, noticing she was holding her crimson cheek with one hand. She had a beauty he hadn’t seen before.
Okay, no. They had to get back to the roof. He was clearly being affected by Uraraka’s drunkenness, spouting nonsense he’d never normally utter. “If you’ve learned from your mistakes, get us back up already. Did you forget we’re still floating a few feet above the ground?”
“Oh!” She let out a nervous laugh. “Ah—um, right! Uh…” She looked around and faced him, her lips curling into a crooked smile. “How do we do that?”
He groaned, rubbing his temples. “Try swimming or something. I don’t know!”
“Swimming in the air?” she replied intelligently. She grabbed his arm with one hand and used the other to make swimming motions. Her body moved, bringing Shigaraki along, and she gasped with brightened eyes at the discovery. She continued this movement until they reached the roof.
Shigaraki covered his mouth, struggling to control his shaky breathing. He was feeling nauseous. “This feels like shit. Release us already!”
“Uh… how do I do that?”
Oh my God. “Touch all your fingertips together and say ‘release’!” he yelled in frustration.
He was exhausted by Uraraka’s stupidity. At this point, he wanted her sober self back, even though he knew they’d probably end up fighting if she were fully alert.
She took a deep breath and attempted to follow his instructions.
He blinked, realising they were still too far above the ground. “Wait! We’re too far from the—”
“Release!”
“Idiot!” he yelled as they both plummeted. Shigaraki landed face-first on the ground, while Uraraka landed on her butt. They groaned in pain.
Shigaraki pushed himself up and rubbed his face. He took deep breaths to calm his churning stomach, though his anger only seemed to grow. He looked at Uraraka, who was weakly covering her mouth as if she was about to vomit. Quickly, he placed his hand over hers to help her. “What the fuck? Don’t puke here! The smell will spread because of the strong wind!”
She slowly removed their hands and took deep breaths. She placed her head on his shoulder and felt weak from merely sitting, causing him to freeze. She gazed at the buildings ahead, tears pooling in her eyes while her expression remained emotionless. She still steadied her breathing.
Shigaraki almost acted on instinct and shook her off, but gradually, his anger dissipated, replaced by confusion. He felt a flicker of worry at the back of his mind, though he wouldn’t admit it.
Uraraka began to sob on his shoulder, leaving him unsure how to react. Should he comfort her? But they were enemies—why should he care? Still, something about seeing her cry made his heart ache.
Why was he feeling this way? Shouldn’t he use this as an opportunity to take advantage of her? He could disintegrate her right here and now, but why couldn’t he bring himself to do it? This was the first time he had felt so conflicted.
Was this what it felt like to care, or did he simply believe this wasn’t the right moment to act like a villain for a better future plan?
His lips betrayed him before he could stop himself. “Why are you crying?” he grumbled, attempting to mask his concern with irritation.
Uraraka sniffled and wiped her tears with her hands. “I can’t hold it in anymore. I’m just so tired of this life, always having to be alert for potential battles. I can’t even go out to a mall without worrying about getting ambushed.”
Shigaraki took a deep breath, hearing her words. He knew he was part of the reason for her distress. He constantly targeted their class, never allowing them a moment’s peace. Every peaceful moment was shattered by his attacks.
But a voice in the back of his mind argued otherwise. They suffered more than these aspiring heroes did. Why should they enjoy freedom while he and his comrades did not? At their age, he was focused on becoming the greatest villain. And while Toga was the same age, she was treated worse than them.
Uraraka continued, pulling Shigaraki out of his thoughts. “Besides fighting, I even have to deal with financial problems. I just—” She hiccuped. “I want to be like Yaoyorozu or Todoroki, who have so much money they don’t have to worry about it. I had to learn how to manage every penny just to afford one meal a day.”
He wasn’t surprised by her financial instability; he had read about their character profiles, after all.
Uraraka gave a soft punch to his chest, her eyes brimming with tears. They were filled with profound sadness, immense hurt, and exhaustion. The overwhelming emotion was expressed only through her tears, making his heart clench in his chest.
“Why don’t you stop attacking? Please, just stop,” she pleaded, hitting him again on the chest. “I want to stop fighting and learn to be a hero in the traditional way. I don’t want you guys showing up every moment. Please, Shigaraki… let us experience high school before completely destroying our lives. I want to live a normal life.”
Uraraka looked away, sobbing her heart out. Her words felt like a confession, and his heart broke even more. He knew his attacks had scarred them mentally, but hearing it from one of his enemies, especially knowing they were still in their first year of high school, made it hit differently.
He felt like he was embodying the part of society that had maltreated them. He was the one making them suffer just because he had. Just because he didn’t experience the life he wanted didn’t mean he should make others suffer like he did.
Before he knew it, he found himself holding Uraraka’s hand as gently as he could. She gasped softly in surprise, but he didn’t pay it any mind. He wanted to explain his motives—why he did what he did and his desire—the same wish to live an everyday life.
“I’m sorry,” he said, the words feeling heavy and strange on his tongue. “But I can’t stop. I was trained with a singular goal—to defeat All Might and become the greatest villain. No matter what happens to me or those around me, I must keep fighting to achieve that.”
Uraraka uttered a silent cry at his words and tried to pull her hand away, but he tightened his grip, determined that she would hear him out.
“But, you know… I also want to live a normal life,” he confessed, and for the first time in his life, he felt the weight on his shoulders become lighter.
“I have trained my whole life since my quirk manifested under All For One. I never experienced what it’s like to be a normal child or teenager, studying at school and playing with friends. I was always training and being experimented on—”
He cut himself off, remembering that the doctor was their secret information. He swallowed hard and turned to face the view of the buildings, hoping Uraraka hadn’t caught his slip.
“Now that I’m a well-known villain, I will never experience a normal life. I’ll never have a nine-to-five job, save for a house, or experience the simple joys of love, marriage, and children with proud grandparents playing with their grandchildren.” He laughed bitterly, thinking about his childhood with his shitty parents.
Uraraka remained silent, so he continued. “I’m not the only one who feels this way, you know? While Toga is a bloodthirsty freak, she always looks at students with a longing look in her eyes. Kurogiri, who always cleans glasses and cooks for us, seems to wish he could travel around the country. And Dabi…” He huffed a chuckle. “I can’t read his mind, but I know he finds joy in using his quirk whenever he gets the chance, despite the pain it causes him.”
Shigaraki raked his fingers through his hair, his eyes fixed on the view but his mind elsewhere. “We all want normal lives. But society drove us into villainy, and now we’re left with only two choices: being a villain on the loose or staying in Tartarus.”
Silence enveloped them as he stared at the buildings, his thoughts swirling and making him feel exhausted. He now understood Uraraka’s desire to drink; he also wanted to escape this hellish reality and live in a dream or an alternate universe where his desires came true.
He felt another warm hand placed on top of his, and he glanced at Uraraka to find her with a soft smile—a smile that warmed his heart, making him feel oddly safe with her. Deep down, he wanted to hug her and let his tears fall, but his tear ducts were dry from dehydration and his quirk, so he could only stare.
Uraraka could see the surprise and sadness in his eyes, though he was unaware of it.
“I hope that one day you’ll achieve that dream in this life,” she told him, and he felt a deep sense of relief. Her words were like a confirmation of his future—a promise that he might one day live the life he had always dreamed of.
“And I wish…” Her eyebrows furrowed, and her smile turned sad. “That you’ll find the courage to go against All For One and go through the rehabilitation program so you can live the life you want in a way that is accepted by the law.”
Shigaraki’s eyes widened at her words.
Rehabilitation program? Living a normal life that is accepted by the law? Such a thing exists?
Uraraka giggled, and Shigaraki realised he had spoken his thoughts out loud. “Yes,” she replied. “Actually, it’s a program that hasn’t been revealed to the public yet, but it exists. It’s for villains who are genuinely willing to change, giving them a chance to live as normal citizens.”
She sighed as she recalled the details. “But to participate, you have to get caught and serve time in Tartarus, depending on the length of your jail time. After that, you undergo the rehabilitation program, and then you’re free.”
She smiled as she finished. “Isn’t that great?”
Shigaraki simply stared at her, struggling to process her words. Considering their near-death experience earlier, how could she remember the rehabilitation program but not her quirk in her drunken state?
He chuckled at the thought, which earned him a confused look from Uraraka, but he ignored it.
“I see, but I can’t say I’ll let myself get caught right now. I’ve made too much progress in my villainy. The thought of abandoning it all feels like shit.”
Uraraka sighed, shaking her head and looking away towards the view. “I know.”
Silence enveloped them as they both stared at the buildings before them, reflecting on their conversation about wanting a normal life.
In another life, they might have been best friends or even lovers as they grew older. Maybe Shigaraki Tomura would still be Shimura Tenko, a hero following in his grandmother’s footsteps. Or Uraraka Ochako could be a wealthy girl living comfortably, pursuing her heroic dreams through Yuuei’s curriculum instead of learning from unexpected battles.
It was unfortunate that despite the countless alternate universes, they existed in one where they were enemies, each longing for the normalcy that their alternate selves enjoy.
But for now, they must face their reality. They had this heart-to-heart conversation tonight, only to resume their roles as enemies by morning. Whatever solace they found in this moment would vanish when they parted ways. In this brief moment, they were simply two people, not a hero and a villain.
However, all good things must end, including the temporary respite they had found tonight, as they return to their extraordinary lives.
Shigaraki’s lips curved into a bittersweet smile at this thought.
“Ah, the sun is coming up,” Uraraka pointed out, her voice weary from their conversation. The sky began to shift from darkness to an orange hue.
Shigaraki took in the view for a moment, a soft smile gracing his lips. “The sunrise has never looked so beautiful,” he remarked, savouring the last moments of peace and etching this memory into his mind.
They sat in silence for a moment before Shigaraki stood up, a quiet sense of loss for the warmth Uraraka had given him. “It’s time for me to go. And you,” he glared at her, though the intensity was absent, “make sure you get home safely. You’re drunk, and there are plenty of assholes out there who might take advantage of that.”
Uraraka smiled, nodding. “I’ll be careful.”
Shigaraki studied her face for a while. The sunlight illuminated her features, giving her a soft glow. Her pink cheeks were fuller, her eyes bright with life, and her brown hair danced with the wind, looking perfect against the morning light.
She looked beautiful under the sunlight.
Shigaraki suddenly coughed and looked away, flustered by how far his thoughts had wandered. This caused Uraraka to gaze at him in confusion.
He turned back towards the door but paused, remembering his final words to her.
“Once we return to our lives, we’ll be enemies again,” he said, turning his head to glance at her. “But when we’re alone again, will you still be the person you were tonight, even in my presence?”
Uraraka blinked, a smile touching her lips. “Even as enemies, if I get the chance to interact with you, I’ll treat you as I did tonight.”
Shigaraki huffed. “That’s not a good idea, but honestly? I’d like that.” He turned and walked to the door, his hand waving in the air. “See you around, Uraraka. I’ll try to attack your class less so you can live your normal life.”
As he reached for the door handle, he heard a gasp. “What?” she exclaimed loudly. “You’ll really do that? For me?”
Shigaraki opened the door and glanced back at her, taking in her grinning expression with a smile of his own.
“For you, I will.”