[depends on if the dare is to play video games. that'd be a stupid decision. not a matter of whether he'd accept the challenge or not, but whether the execution of the challenge is something he cares to do. but tomura's right in that dabi isn't all that interested in a raffle. especially since usually requires personal information, right?]
Have ya done any of them before?
[seeing it's one thing, but... there are less than ten options, but dabi's not familiar enough with restaurant giveaways to know if that's an excessive number or not. and he knows a few members of the plf utilize social media for their warfare efforts, like skeptic and re-destro. but personal ones? why would villains have something traceable?
dabi's interrupted from his thoughts by the door opening and glances to the side at the woman appearing in the panel's previous space. the mask over his face and his hood should be enough to block most else, but he does push his glasses up on the bridge of his nose because his eyes are pretty damn recognizable too. both of theirs are, actually.]
Shabu-shabu B Set and two sides of cold ton soba. [going with pork because why not?] Tea's fine. Unsweet.
[ who knows, the slip doesn't even tell them what's being raffled. and the question is answered with a shake of his head—it had been offered once or twice at some restaurant or another, but even before his notoriety he wasn't inclined to leak his location. he did have social media accounts though; by now, most of them are either deactivated or inactive—no reason to give the heroes more data to trawl through.
the waitress dutifully takes their orders and tucks her notepad back into her apron. "i'll bring your drinks right away. if you'd like to take part in any of our promotions, let me know at any time!"
so she saw the interest. or what she thought was interest, because there's no point in trying to take more than what they're here for... once the door closes though, tomura glances at the piece of paper. any of their other companions would've probably had a blast going through this shit... ]
Maybe the trivia will be easy. "What's your partner's favorite food" or something.
[well if this place isn't offering up valuable information like that, can they really be blamed for having wavering interest? dabi's similar to tomura in that case, not wanting to hand out more information that he's comfortable with. might've had a social media account if his life hadn't gone all fucked up ten years ago, but now? hell no. you don't live in the shadows with something like that attached to your ass.
he eyes the promotions once the waitress brings their attention back to them, not willing to give the menus up just yet for that very reason. if there was interest, it was merely curiosity, skulking around to find something "safe" enough to use for the entertainment. after all, they're supposed to be on a "date" right now, right?
tomura's right. the others would indeed be enjoying themselves in their place, not giving any mind to conspicuousness. probably have half the restaurant cleared out by now too, if not calling heroes down on their heads...]
Tch, ya wouldn't get far on that. [dabi's not let too much of his personal tastes out of the bag.] Then again, nothin saying I couldn't simply agree with ya each time.
[cause the place might be smart and have both of them write down their answers, then compare.]
[ they probably could find out if they did something called "asking," but tomura is still pretty set on not doing anything extra stupid, no matter how entertaining it may be to test their luck. still, he's realizing that even the mere existence of those promotions had elicited something interesting. he pushes the glasses over to perch on his head again. ]
We could try.
[ there's no serious intent to actually try (yet?), but it's an opening to some harmless questioning of his recalcitrant ally. starting with the basics: ]
[he'd rather focus on their food and leave the potential of overreaching for extra shit they don't need to other people. especially if it means giving away some stupid personal information. sure, they could make it up as they go along, but dabi has a feeling the people running the event would see through that quickly enough.
at least their order is in. now it was only a matter of time waiting for the food to show up.]
Not givin up on this, huh. [well what's he really got to lose? shigaraki won't know if he's telling the truth and maybe it'll be interesting to have a bit of personal soul searching for trivia.] Blue. Yours?
[ see? it's not like tomura is delaying the main course, and they might as well do something while they wait; otherwise it's entirely likely the two of them end up sitting in silence like a couple of morons.
but even making conversation isn't so easy for them. when the question is turned on him, tomura hesitates. none, he thinks immediately, the self-proclaimed hater-of-everything, but he knows it's a cop-out dabi would surely call him on. black? that's just the color he prefers to wear for its simplicity. even dabi's answer is tempting for a second—he understands the impulse to choose it, having witnessed the other's flames—but that's not his answer, he doesn't care for blue generally. finally— ]
Red, I guess.
[ also another color he wears, but there's touch of deliberateness that isn't just throwing on the color that's easiest to match and least likely to be stained and dirtied. still, the answer is wavering, not so much hesitant as delivered with the blasé attitude of a shrug. might as well. ]
[what, you mean people can't come to a restaurant, put in their orders, and then take the sequestered nature of their seat to have a nice nap? just wake them up when their food arrives and they're good to go.
yeah, if either of them said "black" as their favorite color, the other was bound to look at them strangely. after all, that's simply the color they opt to wear since it's easier for the villains to operate in. well, technically dabi's rocking navy more than black, but whatever. he certainly would call tomura out for that copped answer.
as for blue and his flames, well... he has his reasons for liking blue... though whether either of them are giving each other the true answer is another question.]
Red? Huh, guess ya do have the occasional red accent. [and tomura's eyes have the same hue. a color he personally picks out when he wears things. so it definitely means something.] Tracks.
[ he, at least, isn't going to lie about something like a favorite color. what's the point?
next question—his mind wanders, searching for something that is neither too pointless nor too invasive. talk about needing a delicate touch with this asshole. finally: ]
Any hobbies? Aside from wandering off to kill potential recruits and steal hair dye.
[to be a secretive shady dick. that's always a valid point behind any decision.
dabi didn't get the memo that it was his turn to toss a question, so he's back to peeking at the drinks menu. tsk, they're all so colorful... what's wrong with a can of beer?
imagine, dabi needing a delicate touch. though he'd admit to being surprised tomura is being so considerate of his privacy and shit.]
Oy. I only kill the ones ya wouldn't have any use for. Just like the example ya set for us at the start. [see? lay down the precedents and someone's gonna follow them. rip your rash actions, boss.] Hobbies, huh...
[thinking about it. less out of not having any and more about how much he wants to say.]
I like to keep tabs on certain people. Believe it or not, I spend a lotta time watchin Tv, readin news articles, and studyin or collectin information.
[ what's wrong with something colorful? you wanna be taken to 7/11 for your next fake date?
of course the guy who gets himself all burned up and balks at some basic-ass questions needs a delicate touch—maybe alley cats think of themselves as tough, but some of that hissing and snarling comes from anxiety. anyway, tomura already knows that dabi won't answer what he doesn't want, and that would just be wasted breath on his part.
he huffs, amused, at the throwback. counterpoint: ]
And look at you now.
[ who knows when not killing someone would end up with the two at a fancy restaurant.
a pause while he mulls over that answer. it's not the action that's unexpected—he has seen dabi on his phone fairly often—but does stalking someone through the news really count as a hobby learn to do something for fun, dabi? to his credit, he takes the more curious route. ]
That's a lot of investment in "certain people." Are they that important?
[never said something was wrong with it. it's just weird cause normally he doesn't go to places with fancy drinks. that or he kept missing the days when kurogiri decided to mix up tomura's favor rainbow pony jello shots...
you say that like he doesn't live on a 7/ll diet half the time. as for the alley cat comparison, he's probably right. not that dabi would ever admit to having some kind of anxiety. if he does, it's mostly about whether or not he's going to succeed in his plans and then having a mental breakdown out of rage when some big lynchpin gets stuck on it. BUT that aside, at least he's feeling like answering some of these inane questions right now.]
Ya mean this is what I get for not burnin up the trash?
[well why don't you pamper him some more. mostly taunting. he'd still kill people because 1) it's a thrill, and 2) he can continue to heap those deaths onto endeavor and make his life even more miserable.
seeing tomura spinning his mental wheels at the question earns a curious scan at his face. dabi puts the menu down and leans onto his elbows on the table, chin propped in the crux of his palms. interested.]
Uh-huh. Wouldn't spend that much time on 'em if they weren't. I learned a lot already.
[ they've had access to the MLA's liquor storage for weeks... what's this acting like their fake date is introducing him to fresh luxuries, huh? pity the special treatment is wrapped up in pretend. anyway, in the case of a real date, dabi is totally the type you'd take to 7/11. ]
If I followed through with what I started, you and Toga would be specks of dust in the ruins of Kamino right now.
[ he grins wryly. instead dabi has the privilege of marveling over the restaurant's drinks menu. unfortunately for just about everyone, tomura doesn't care about who dabi kills either, so dabi isn't going to be pampered on account of that. maybe if dabi acted like he wanted it sometimes—
the response elicits a hum. he'd expected dabi to change direction of the topic, but the other man actually seems more prepared to say a thing or two. curious. ]
Didn't take you for the type to be interested.
[ in people, that is. mostly because he doesn't seem like he cares at all, aside from passing the usual judgments—certainly not to the extent of researching some specific someones. at the same time... maybe tomura can imagine. all might and UA occupied a large part of his focus for some length of time. ]
[hey, he could be wondering why they're here instead of lounging back at one of their safe houses getting smashed on some fancy liquor. instead, he's admiring the offerings at the restaurant and making shigaraki feel like he's actually impressing the guy for once. (and truth be told, dabi's kind of impressed. he hasn't been to one of these places in a long fucking time.)
7/11 him later.]
Oy, oy. I'm not the kinda guy to let something like friendly fire kill me.
[casual + dismissive reminder/warning there. dabi didn't join the lov with the intention of being fodder for any of their plans, accidental or not. his life's far too important to himself to become someone's speck of dust. nah, he's gonna be nothing more than a few ashes alongside a certain someone else, or he'll continue to exist until he does.
he had enough of his life being "pampered" to an extent. and then not being "pampered" but more "taken care of" like you would a pet or a chore you're obligated to keep around... but is it really surprising that dabi can actually converse when he's in the mood to?]
I wouldn't be alive if I didn't have somethin interestin to keep me goin, now would I?
[or 'someone' in his case. perhaps this is giving shigaraki a bit more of a look inside dabi's psyche and plans than he'd ever normally have given, but hey, so long as he's in control of what he reveals, the man's fine with that. he laid it out explicitly the day he met shigaraki that he wasn't someone to be considered "under the thumb" merely by refusing to tell him his real name until he deemed it ready.]
People high up in society. The ones with a lot to hide and a lot to lose.
[he rests on his back, arms behind his head.]
Kinda like our attack on those kids in the forest. Wouldn't've been worth payin attention to if it was just some random campers. But ya hit someone the whole world's lookin at, then ya know you'll get the focus ya want.
[ he'd care more about impressing dabi—well, never, but the chances would be slightly higher if their "date" were for more than getting his in-game codes. though if he had his choice of location to take dabi to, this kind of place probably wouldn't even occur to him. they're both relatively easy to please in the food department (unlike mr compress...). does he need to update his (short, sparse) list of dabi's likes and dislikes?
and he lets the reminder/warning stand, not compelled to argue about it. the next is more interesting: ]
Why wouldn't you be? Not having goal doesn't lose you your life.
[ tomura gets the gist of it, of course he does—they're at least kindred spirits in devoting themselves to a purpose—but he wants to know a little more than that. would dabi off himself without an objective, or is a sense of purpose the key to physical victory?
and naturally he agrees with choosing the proper target. that's why he chose all might at first, wasn't it? no way to make a bigger splash than killing the number one hero, but that fell through pretty badly, as did the camp raid dabi's bringing up. ]
Didn't know you'd end up such a fan of it.
[ he comments drily, not without amusement. as stated, at least it was successful as hell in getting them notoriety. ]
[hey, getting a decent meal out of it isn't a bad goal for the date either. and neither of them are directly pissing the other off, or boring the room with pointless blather. way back when, dabi (or touya) would have not only thought this place was passing enough for a todoroki, but actually admit it was a good establishment. luckily, tomura doesn't have to deal with that and instead gets this easier-to-please asshole that walked out of touya's grave.
he's keeping a list of his likes and dislikes? wow.]
If ya don't have somethin important enough to live for, then ya ain't gonna be livin long.
[people drifting listlessly through the day, scraping to get by, and even those at the top, all of them enjoy life more than death. they have a goal, they find something to do that compels them to move forward. from the mundane to the great. dabi's no different. he'd've died on the streets long ago, perhaps even on that mountain top or medical bed, if he'd not had something to focus on and yearn to gain. untainted and twisted as it had been back then.
as for whether or not dabi would off himself if he list his reason for being? lost his purpose in life? ... granted he's dealt with thoughts of suicide before, as little touya frantically wondered what his existence was even for, scrambling for something to grasp onto so the looming abyss of neglect and failure his father dismissed him towards couldn't take him. without a reason for living, there was no point to life. simple as that. people can't endure that much pain and hardship.
he scoffs at the idea he was "a fan" of that mission.]
It served its purpose, even if the vehicle was stupid.
[should've left the kid and just burned down the entire camp rather than trying to capture someone. a few student deaths would've been greater an impact than stealing some jackass who ended up preaching about all might and leading the heroes right to their front door.]
[ lucky him. what would he do with himself if dabi expected to be wooed with expensive dinners and presents?
it's not difficult to keep track of dabi's dislikes though—the man announces those to the world—and he hasn't exactly hidden his likes either. it's obvious enough when you share a living space and someone bitches you out for taking a soba pack. ]
Plenty of people make it through life aimlessly.
[ the way he sees it at least. going to school, getting a job, finding someone to marry—that's just a scripted path set out for the masses that they follow like NPCs. not wanting to die doesn't seem to him like it's living for something. debatable whether either of them could say they're exceptions though—maybe with them, it's not so much living for something than having something worth killing themselves over.
tomura huffs at that backhanded compliment/agreement. before he can retort, there's a knock at the screen doors again before the waitress slides them open, and with a slight bow, begins to serve them their orders. drinks first, then a tray of appetizers (pickled vegetables, seaweed, so on), then the main course. with a 'please enjoy,' she rearranges the serving trays to carry away, but upsets her apron and spills a handful of popsicle sticks. they drop to the floor, where tomura spots several with commands and questions printed on. well—looks like they have an idea about the "dare" game now. ]
[probably find himself another ally that wasn't so high maintenance and weird. guess there's a pro to being a blunt son of a bitch who has no problem telling people their driving sucks, that fish is gross, and how he hates heroes and wants to watch them burn alive in front of him. oh and soba. he like soba. and cigarettes. and apparently hot topic. other shit similar.]
Depends. Just cause ya wanna keep ya head down and live doesn't mean ya ain't got a goal. Even the worst trash in the city would admit to wantin more than they got.
[and wanting more is an aim, something that keeps them alive despite their horrible conditions. people with nothing to want anymore wind up death. and even that's arguable, because death is the only thing they want, to make everything else they don't want stop or go away. dabi aims to live until he dies the way he wants. outside of shouto or endeavor, no one else is worth his death, so he stays alive, even if he has to claw his way back from the edge of the grave.
dabi glances up as the door skims to the side and the conversation's interrupted by food. he leans back from the table so their waitress can arrange everything on the table, stomach silently clenching to remind him one) he's hungry, and two) it's been a while since he's had food like this. sure, the league's quality of life went up when they took over re-destro's army, but... restaurants are not a frequent occurrence for wanted criminals.
when the woman drops the popsicle sticks all over the floor, dabi gives her and the mess a callous look. before grabbing a handful of the sticks and holding them out to her to take while he gathers up some others.
and will attempt to surreptitiously light finger a few while he helps.]
[ Tomura is silent while the waitress hurries to sort out the mess, offering neither reassurance nor rebuke, mostly leaving her to her own devices while he pops the cap of his drink. He notes that Dabi leans over to help though, which raises an eyebrow, mostly just because it's a rare event when Dabi decides to be helpful. At any rate, gathering the spilled prompt sticks is quicker with two people, and once she's tucked them in her apron again, the woman thanks Dabi and leaves with another quick apology. ]
You're feeling generous today, [ Tomura comments, with mild amusement, once the sliding doors shut again.
Helping out their hostess, and that validation of those inconsequential goals of people Dabi would doubtlessly still discard if they ran into each other in some shady back alley. ]
[dabi merely offers a quiet "s'fine" as he helps her gather up the sticks, merely holding them out to her instead of trying to dump them in her hands or put them on her. she can take as she likes. once it's all done, he leans back into his leisurely sprawl by the table, stretching his arms over his head and arching his back to pop his shoulders. then sits up and crosses his legs so it's easier to lean over the table and start on the opening food.]
She should be more careful.
[before reaching out and passing the five wooden sticks he palmed, slid, or otherwise concealed and stole from the woman while she was working. not sure if they'll be of any help, but whatever. tomura's free to take them and use whatever information's on there as he washes.]
[ he's already going after his food while dabi stretches like a job well done. over his bowl of rice, a questioning look gets directed at the other at the enigmatic prelude, but this time dabi takes no prompting and slides over a set of five wooden sticks. tomura glances down at them, then back at dabi, a small grin tugging at his lips. ]
Not bad. Didn't know you could be light with your fingers.
[ he sets his food down for a moment and draws the sticks over, studying them. ]
Is this an invitation to play? I can't hand these back just like that after you went into the trouble.
[ dabi, you're practically giving him an excuse. ]
[it was a job well done, thank you. be grateful he didn't make a big deal about fanfare and flourish when he finishes his little jobs and schemes. dabi's enigmatic and can be dramatic up the wazoo, but sometimes... it's best to simply out with it and offer up the rewards. besides, these sticks aren't gonna do him any good.
and not that tomura's gonna know, but dabi might be basking a little bit under that small grin. praise him; he's awesome.]
I didn't burn down every store or person I stole from. [he had some decency. more like he didn't want to deal with the mess of getting police eyes turned on his location. remember, he had an unremarkable rap sheet when he first met tomura. petty crime at best. then he hung out with bad influences and look where he is now. shame on you lot. corrupting his burned butt.]
Didn't ya come here to play? [or was it just the food? maybe he's agreeing to play... might not be the best partner, but hey, there are worst ways to waste time.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
it's what we do~
Have ya done any of them before?
[seeing it's one thing, but... there are less than ten options, but dabi's not familiar enough with restaurant giveaways to know if that's an excessive number or not. and he knows a few members of the plf utilize social media for their warfare efforts, like skeptic and re-destro. but personal ones? why would villains have something traceable?
dabi's interrupted from his thoughts by the door opening and glances to the side at the woman appearing in the panel's previous space. the mask over his face and his hood should be enough to block most else, but he does push his glasses up on the bridge of his nose because his eyes are pretty damn recognizable too. both of theirs are, actually.]
Shabu-shabu B Set and two sides of cold ton soba. [going with pork because why not?] Tea's fine. Unsweet.
[yeah, picked that out a bit ago as well.]
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the waitress dutifully takes their orders and tucks her notepad back into her apron. "i'll bring your drinks right away. if you'd like to take part in any of our promotions, let me know at any time!"
so she saw the interest. or what she thought was interest, because there's no point in trying to take more than what they're here for... once the door closes though, tomura glances at the piece of paper. any of their other companions would've probably had a blast going through this shit... ]
Maybe the trivia will be easy. "What's your partner's favorite food" or something.
[ yup, paid attention to that order. ]
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he eyes the promotions once the waitress brings their attention back to them, not willing to give the menus up just yet for that very reason. if there was interest, it was merely curiosity, skulking around to find something "safe" enough to use for the entertainment. after all, they're supposed to be on a "date" right now, right?
tomura's right. the others would indeed be enjoying themselves in their place, not giving any mind to conspicuousness. probably have half the restaurant cleared out by now too, if not calling heroes down on their heads...]
Tch, ya wouldn't get far on that. [dabi's not let too much of his personal tastes out of the bag.] Then again, nothin saying I couldn't simply agree with ya each time.
[cause the place might be smart and have both of them write down their answers, then compare.]
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We could try.
[ there's no serious intent to actually try (yet?), but it's an opening to some harmless questioning of his recalcitrant ally. starting with the basics: ]
Favorite color?
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at least their order is in. now it was only a matter of time waiting for the food to show up.]
Not givin up on this, huh. [well what's he really got to lose? shigaraki won't know if he's telling the truth and maybe it'll be interesting to have a bit of personal soul searching for trivia.] Blue. Yours?
[it used to be red, but...]
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but even making conversation isn't so easy for them. when the question is turned on him, tomura hesitates. none, he thinks immediately, the self-proclaimed hater-of-everything, but he knows it's a cop-out dabi would surely call him on. black? that's just the color he prefers to wear for its simplicity. even dabi's answer is tempting for a second—he understands the impulse to choose it, having witnessed the other's flames—but that's not his answer, he doesn't care for blue generally. finally— ]
Red, I guess.
[ also another color he wears, but there's touch of deliberateness that isn't just throwing on the color that's easiest to match and least likely to be stained and dirtied. still, the answer is wavering, not so much hesitant as delivered with the blasé attitude of a shrug. might as well. ]
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yeah, if either of them said "black" as their favorite color, the other was bound to look at them strangely. after all, that's simply the color they opt to wear since it's easier for the villains to operate in. well, technically dabi's rocking navy more than black, but whatever. he certainly would call tomura out for that copped answer.
as for blue and his flames, well... he has his reasons for liking blue... though whether either of them are giving each other the true answer is another question.]
Red? Huh, guess ya do have the occasional red accent. [and tomura's eyes have the same hue. a color he personally picks out when he wears things. so it definitely means something.] Tracks.
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next question—his mind wanders, searching for something that is neither too pointless nor too invasive. talk about needing a delicate touch with this asshole. finally: ]
Any hobbies? Aside from wandering off to kill potential recruits and steal hair dye.
[ well. he actually wonders about that one. ]
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dabi didn't get the memo that it was his turn to toss a question, so he's back to peeking at the drinks menu. tsk, they're all so colorful... what's wrong with a can of beer?
imagine, dabi needing a delicate touch. though he'd admit to being surprised tomura is being so considerate of his privacy and shit.]
Oy. I only kill the ones ya wouldn't have any use for. Just like the example ya set for us at the start. [see? lay down the precedents and someone's gonna follow them. rip your rash actions, boss.] Hobbies, huh...
[thinking about it. less out of not having any and more about how much he wants to say.]
I like to keep tabs on certain people. Believe it or not, I spend a lotta time watchin Tv, readin news articles, and studyin or collectin information.
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of course the guy who gets himself all burned up and balks at some basic-ass questions needs a delicate touch—maybe alley cats think of themselves as tough, but some of that hissing and snarling comes from anxiety. anyway, tomura already knows that dabi won't answer what he doesn't want, and that would just be wasted breath on his part.
he huffs, amused, at the throwback. counterpoint: ]
And look at you now.
[ who knows when not killing someone would end up with the two at a fancy restaurant.
a pause while he mulls over that answer. it's not the action that's unexpected—he has seen dabi on his phone fairly often—but does stalking someone through the news really count as a hobby
learn to do something for fun, dabi? to his credit, he takes the more curious route. ]That's a lot of investment in "certain people." Are they that important?
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you say that like he doesn't live on a 7/ll diet half the time. as for the alley cat comparison, he's probably right. not that dabi would ever admit to having some kind of anxiety. if he does, it's mostly about whether or not he's going to succeed in his plans and then having a mental breakdown out of rage when some big lynchpin gets stuck on it. BUT that aside, at least he's feeling like answering some of these inane questions right now.]
Ya mean this is what I get for not burnin up the trash?
[well why don't you pamper him some more. mostly taunting. he'd still kill people because 1) it's a thrill, and 2) he can continue to heap those deaths onto endeavor and make his life even more miserable.
seeing tomura spinning his mental wheels at the question earns a curious scan at his face. dabi puts the menu down and leans onto his elbows on the table, chin propped in the crux of his palms. interested.]
Uh-huh. Wouldn't spend that much time on 'em if they weren't. I learned a lot already.
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If I followed through with what I started, you and Toga would be specks of dust in the ruins of Kamino right now.
[ he grins wryly. instead dabi has the privilege of marveling over the restaurant's drinks menu. unfortunately for just about everyone, tomura doesn't care about who dabi kills either, so dabi isn't going to be pampered on account of that.
maybe if dabi acted like he wanted it sometimes—the response elicits a hum. he'd expected dabi to change direction of the topic, but the other man actually seems more prepared to say a thing or two. curious. ]
Didn't take you for the type to be interested.
[ in people, that is. mostly because he doesn't seem like he cares at all, aside from passing the usual judgments—certainly not to the extent of researching some specific someones. at the same time... maybe tomura can imagine. all might and UA occupied a large part of his focus for some length of time. ]
What kind of people are they?
[ to have captured dabi's attention. ]
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7/11 him later.]
Oy, oy. I'm not the kinda guy to let something like friendly fire kill me.
[casual + dismissive reminder/warning there. dabi didn't join the lov with the intention of being fodder for any of their plans, accidental or not. his life's far too important to himself to become someone's speck of dust. nah, he's gonna be nothing more than a few ashes alongside a certain someone else, or he'll continue to exist until he does.
he had enough of his life being "pampered" to an extent. and then not being "pampered" but more "taken care of" like you would a pet or a chore you're obligated to keep around... but is it really surprising that dabi can actually converse when he's in the mood to?]
I wouldn't be alive if I didn't have somethin interestin to keep me goin, now would I?
[or 'someone' in his case. perhaps this is giving shigaraki a bit more of a look inside dabi's psyche and plans than he'd ever normally have given, but hey, so long as he's in control of what he reveals, the man's fine with that. he laid it out explicitly the day he met shigaraki that he wasn't someone to be considered "under the thumb" merely by refusing to tell him his real name until he deemed it ready.]
People high up in society. The ones with a lot to hide and a lot to lose.
[he rests on his back, arms behind his head.]
Kinda like our attack on those kids in the forest. Wouldn't've been worth payin attention to if it was just some random campers. But ya hit someone the whole world's lookin at, then ya know you'll get the focus ya want.
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and he lets the reminder/warning stand, not compelled to argue about it. the next is more interesting: ]
Why wouldn't you be? Not having goal doesn't lose you your life.
[ tomura gets the gist of it, of course he does—they're at least kindred spirits in devoting themselves to a purpose—but he wants to know a little more than that. would dabi off himself without an objective, or is a sense of purpose the key to physical victory?
and naturally he agrees with choosing the proper target. that's why he chose all might at first, wasn't it? no way to make a bigger splash than killing the number one hero, but that fell through pretty badly, as did the camp raid dabi's bringing up. ]
Didn't know you'd end up such a fan of it.
[ he comments drily, not without amusement. as stated, at least it was successful as hell in getting them notoriety. ]
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he's keeping a list of his likes and dislikes? wow.]
If ya don't have somethin important enough to live for, then ya ain't gonna be livin long.
[people drifting listlessly through the day, scraping to get by, and even those at the top, all of them enjoy life more than death. they have a goal, they find something to do that compels them to move forward. from the mundane to the great. dabi's no different. he'd've died on the streets long ago, perhaps even on that mountain top or medical bed, if he'd not had something to focus on and yearn to gain. untainted and twisted as it had been back then.
as for whether or not dabi would off himself if he list his reason for being? lost his purpose in life? ... granted he's dealt with thoughts of suicide before, as little touya frantically wondered what his existence was even for, scrambling for something to grasp onto so the looming abyss of neglect and failure his father dismissed him towards couldn't take him. without a reason for living, there was no point to life. simple as that. people can't endure that much pain and hardship.
he scoffs at the idea he was "a fan" of that mission.]
It served its purpose, even if the vehicle was stupid.
[should've left the kid and just burned down the entire camp rather than trying to capture someone. a few student deaths would've been greater an impact than stealing some jackass who ended up preaching about all might and leading the heroes right to their front door.]
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it's not difficult to keep track of dabi's dislikes though—the man announces those to the world—and he hasn't exactly hidden his likes either. it's obvious enough when you share a living space and someone bitches you out for taking a soba pack. ]
Plenty of people make it through life aimlessly.
[ the way he sees it at least. going to school, getting a job, finding someone to marry—that's just a scripted path set out for the masses that they follow like NPCs. not wanting to die doesn't seem to him like it's living for something. debatable whether either of them could say they're exceptions though—maybe with them, it's not so much living for something than having something worth killing themselves over.
tomura huffs at that backhanded compliment/agreement. before he can retort, there's a knock at the screen doors again before the waitress slides them open, and with a slight bow, begins to serve them their orders. drinks first, then a tray of appetizers (pickled vegetables, seaweed, so on), then the main course. with a 'please enjoy,' she rearranges the serving trays to carry away, but upsets her apron and spills a handful of popsicle sticks. they drop to the floor, where tomura spots several with commands and questions printed on. well—looks like they have an idea about the "dare" game now. ]
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Depends. Just cause ya wanna keep ya head down and live doesn't mean ya ain't got a goal. Even the worst trash in the city would admit to wantin more than they got.
[and wanting more is an aim, something that keeps them alive despite their horrible conditions. people with nothing to want anymore wind up death. and even that's arguable, because death is the only thing they want, to make everything else they don't want stop or go away. dabi aims to live until he dies the way he wants. outside of shouto or endeavor, no one else is worth his death, so he stays alive, even if he has to claw his way back from the edge of the grave.
dabi glances up as the door skims to the side and the conversation's interrupted by food. he leans back from the table so their waitress can arrange everything on the table, stomach silently clenching to remind him one) he's hungry, and two) it's been a while since he's had food like this. sure, the league's quality of life went up when they took over re-destro's army, but... restaurants are not a frequent occurrence for wanted criminals.
when the woman drops the popsicle sticks all over the floor, dabi gives her and the mess a callous look. before grabbing a handful of the sticks and holding them out to her to take while he gathers up some others.
and will attempt to surreptitiously light finger a few while he helps.]
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You're feeling generous today, [ Tomura comments, with mild amusement, once the sliding doors shut again.
Helping out their hostess, and that validation of those inconsequential goals of people Dabi would doubtlessly still discard if they ran into each other in some shady back alley. ]
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She should be more careful.
[before reaching out and passing the five wooden sticks he palmed, slid, or otherwise concealed and stole from the woman while she was working. not sure if they'll be of any help, but whatever. tomura's free to take them and use whatever information's on there as he washes.]
She might lose somethin.
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Not bad. Didn't know you could be light with your fingers.
[ he sets his food down for a moment and draws the sticks over, studying them. ]
Is this an invitation to play? I can't hand these back just like that after you went into the trouble.
[ dabi, you're practically giving him an excuse. ]
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and not that tomura's gonna know, but dabi might be basking a little bit under that small grin. praise him; he's awesome.]
I didn't burn down every store or person I stole from. [he had some decency. more like he didn't want to deal with the mess of getting police eyes turned on his location. remember, he had an unremarkable rap sheet when he first met tomura. petty crime at best. then he hung out with bad influences and look where he is now. shame on you lot. corrupting his burned butt.]
Didn't ya come here to play? [or was it just the food? maybe he's agreeing to play... might not be the best partner, but hey, there are worst ways to waste time.]