Strings (BNHA x OC)

102 || Friendly Fire

"You know, I don't really think Puppet cares." Twice gestured back to the fight.

Puppet had kicked Dabi into the back wall and swiftly drew her dagger from her boot. She shoved her arm across his chest to hold him in place. She wound back her hand holding her dagger—

"Alright, that's enough." Kurogiri's voice rang out over the room. "Puppet, you've proven your point."

Puppet thrust her dagger forward and stabbed it into the wall beside Dabi's head. "Fine," she snarled, moving away from Dabi and leaving her blade in the wall.

Dabi pushed himself off the wall, dusting himself off and straitening his clothes.

"Ugh... did you have to shove me so hard against the wall? My back hurts now.." he grumbled.

Puppet turned immediately. "Your back hurts?! Yours?!" She yelled. "Try getting blasted through a concrete wall!! That shit hurts!"

"It couldn't have been that bad, you're still standing and throwing punches. Just suck it up."

Just suck it up.

That made her snap.

Strings shot from Puppets fingers right at Dabi. They caught him tight around his neck. He went to grab at them but both of his arms were caught by more strings, restricting his movement. Puppet went to pull back hard on the strings, but she didn't get the chance.

Seeing Puppets sudden outburst, Toga, Twice and Mr. Compress leaped into action. Toga threw a knife and cut through the strings that were around Dabi's neck then jumped up and used another to cut the rest of the strings. Twice went and physically placed himself in between Dabi and Puppet, so that if either of them thought of trying to go at each other, he would be there to intervene.

Mr. Compress ran over to Puppet and hooked his arms under hers from behind, locking her in place. "Calm down."

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down." She growled back, trying to jerk away.

The magician may not have been great at physical combat, but he knew how to get an upper hand. He kicked one of Puppets feet out from under her and caused her to stumble. He used to opportunity to drag her to the floor.

He readjusted his grip on her. He moved his arms so that one of his looped with hers and held them both behind her back and his other arm locked tight around her midriff.

"Calm down." He reiterated.

"Dabi, get out of here," Shigaraki instructed turning to the flame villain.

Dabi left the room without a word. Twice tailed behind him, making sure to keep him company.

After waiting another minute to make sure Dabi was gone, Mr. Compress released his hold on Puppet.

Puppet quickly got up to her feet.

Mr. Compress was yanked up to stand by strings that coiled around his torso, grabbing one of his arms in their snare. He stumbled forward before catching himself.

Puppet swiveled around with the strings in her grip. She pulled him down so that they could be eye level. Rage radiated off her figure as she stared directly at the mask covering his face.

She stepped onto the strings with the heel of her boot, trapping them against the floorboards as she pulled them taught, holding him in place.

With her turning on the conflict's mediator, Kurogiri now stood alert. He made no move to intervene, but he had stopped what he was doing and was standing still as his eyes intently watched the two masked villains.

Out of the corner of his eye, Mr. Compress saw Toga shuffle and pull out a blade. He quickly held out his hand in a 'stop' motion, halting her movements.

After everything was still, he slowly moved his free hand to grip some of the strings around him. He could break them with his quirk, but for the good of the situation, he stayed put.

Puppet reached out and he didn't move as she pulled his porcelain mask from his face. He kept his expression carefully neutral as he looked back at her, the chilling feeling nothing to him as he met the eyes of his friend.

Seeing the eyes of the magician, Puppets features softened, animosity fading.

No words had to be spoken between the two; they had known each other long enough that it wasn't necessary.

His calmness quelled her fury. Her posture relaxed as she took a step back, dropping her strings from her hand.

Mr. Compress pulled the black threads from around him. He let them fall to the floor before he nudged them to the side with his boot.

Everyone in the room reconvened.

Puppet walked next to Mr. Compress. She held up his mask to him, not meeting his gaze when he looked at her.

"I'm sorry." She simply said.

He took his mask from her and placed it back over his face. He nodded back too her, showing no ill-will. "As am I."

Shigaraki stood up from his seat and sauntered to Puppet. He pointed at her.

"Do something like that again," he started, "and you're out."

The leader lowered his finger and turned to his second-in-command. "Get them back in here."

Kurogiri wordlessly moved from his spot and migrated to the door that was the exit. He opened it and stepped outside.

"I'm going to punch him," Puppet said lowly, looking at the now slightly agar door.

Shigaraki contemplated her statement for a moment. He shrugged. "You know, whatever. That burnt piece of bacon needs some sense beaten into him anyway."

Puppet looked to Shigaraki, surprised with how easily he agreed.

Kurogiri found both Dabi and Twice in the alleyway outside the door. He beckoned the two back inside.

Dabi stepped inside first, followed by Twice, then Kurogiri closed the door behind them.

Dabi looked at Puppet, and she started to approach him with swift yet powerful strides.

The sound from the punch that was dealt out when she reached him echoed through the room like a thunderclap.

Everyone stood in silence, waiting for a response.

It took a moment for the assaulted to speak. At first he only stood there silently, his face turned to the side by the force behind the blow.

Dabi looked back at her, reaching up to clutch his jaw. "Well, I guess I deserved that."

She said nothing back to him and he dismissed himself. He walked away from her and casually trudged his way up the stairs.

"He took that like a man!" Twice exclaimed. "No, if you ask me that's the coward's way out."