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DabiHawks as Vigilantes (Originally posted March 26th, 2021)
Okay, new idea. We’ve all seen hero!Hawks and villain!Dabi and vice versa. But imagine them both as vigilantes. Hawks is very much a “I’m faster and more efficient than the heroes” type, whereas Dabi is a “I’m more ruthless against assholes than the heroes are” vigilante.
They both think heroes are overrated, though, and they end up bonding via an accidental assist and street takoyaki. Cue a vigilante team-up that has the villains running scared and the heroes sweating bullets. Really though, it’s just two powerful 20yos cleaning up the city while not-so-subtly showing off to each other 😂 Hello yes, I’m still here for friends to teammates to power couple dynamics 😂
Continued Dabihawks as Vigilantees (Originally posted March 26th, 2021)
Keigo’s first act of vigilanteism is the same that would have made him a hero in another world.
He saves six people from a four-car pile-up, but since no cameras catch it this time, he passes under the radar. Slipping through the cracks, like his feathers slip through locks when starvation becomes imminent.
He’s not proud of it. Stealing to stay alive. And he vows, as soon as he can stand on his own, he’ll pay society back in spades.
Five years later, he makes good on his promise by toppling a terrifying drug ring.
People from all over the city find money repaid that they hadn’t thought about in years, accompanied by a single red feather. Meanwhile, the authorities scratch their heads, wondering where all the drug money went.
Touya’s first vigilante act is somewhat closer to home and occurs when he meets a man who calls himself Stain. Of all things, they get into an argument. Touya is 12 and still wants his father’s approval more than anything. Stain points out Endeavor’s motives for heroism are rotten at their core. Touya challenges him, quoting stats for Endeavor’s villain capture rate. Stain bites back with Endeavor’s civilian injury rates. It isn’t until Stain offers to show Touya the other side of heroism that the preteen reluctantly agrees, thinking he’ll prove the creepy sword freak wrong.
Instead, he’s treated to the aftermath of one of Endeavor’s more violent fights. One that leaves buildings aflame and firefighters struggling to assist.
Touya watches his old man throw barrage after barrage, and listens as Stain points out how so much of the damage could have been avoided. Shifted angles, less power, planning ahead to herd the villain into a less populated area. Touya listens, and for the first time, he sees his dad for what he truly is: a flawed human. Not the pillar of righteousness he presented to the world.
It rattles him deeply. But not as much as when he hears a scream from one of the burning buildings.
His feet move before he can think, and that day he performs his first rescue.
Years later, when Keigo has fought his way up to a sustainable lifestyle that no longer relies on crime, he dedicates himself to helping where he can. Even in small ways. Like when he finds a white-haired fire user getting doused in a back alley, for instance.
“Rain wasn’t on the forecast today!” He calls, yanking the water dude off the ground to hold him at eye level. Fifty feet in the air.
Keigo recognizes him as a member of a local gang.
“Oh, hey!” He says as the guy thrashes in panic. “How 'bout you stop trying to drown people and I don’t let my feathers slip up here? That sound okay?”
The guy nods frantically, and Keigo beams before sending his feathers to drop the guy off on the most inconvenient roof they can find. Following that, he drops to the ground, where the fire user is still spitting up water.
“Need a hand?” Keigo asks, offering one to the man while taking in his soaked appearance, his white hair, and his bright blue eyes, scrunched up with annoyance.
“Didn’t need any help,” he grumbles, though he still takes Keigo’s hand and allows himself to be pulled up.
Keigo grins. “In the elemental game of rock, paper, scissors, I’m pretty sure water beats fire.”
The guy snorts. “And fire beats air,” he returns, eyeing Keigo’s wings. The blond lifts a bushy eyebrow.
“Not wrong about that. I hate fire quirks, no offense.”
The guy shakes his head, splattering water everywhere. “None taken. Feel the same about guys like that,” he says, nodding in the direction the thug had been whisked away.
Keigo hums. “Why pick a fight, then? You two know each other?”
The guy eyes him. “I don’t associate with scum like that.”
My kind of guy, Keigo thinks, grin widening.
“Ya know, I’d drink to that. Right now, if you’re free?”
The guy’s eyebrows raise. “You don’t even know my name.”
Keigo shrugs. “So, what’s your name?”
“... Touya,” the guy - Touya - says.
Keigo sticks out a hand once more, and Touya takes it with a mix of interest and reluctance.
“Keigo,” the vigilante offers. “Now how 'bout that drink?”