Chapter 6 // Welcome Home

"Lullaby Doe." Shiggs, she assumed was the legendary Shigaraki, scratched at his neck. "Not a name I recognize."

"I'm new." Lullaby crossed her arms. "But it doesn't make me weak."

First off, a bar? Really? She didn't like them at all, with her mother's...habits, in mind. The smell of pinewood and dust made her fight the urge to sneeze. The couch looked comfy enough, but the...burnt guy. He didn't look like someone to fight couch rights over. If she squinted she could make out stitches. Crude staples, maybe.

"Why do you want to join the League?" Shiggs scratched his neck again. "What can you possibly offer? Toga tells me you're blind."

Lullaby tensed as a couple villains scoffed or muttered protests. She felt the energy she charged up buzzing around her system. She had noticed that lately her emotions affected her energy. Her energy had taken a colder hue of amber, and it was a little harsher than she remembered.

"A blind villain?" the burnt boy drawled. "Really, Toga? That's the best you can do?"

"Hey!" Toga protested. "She's a good fighter! She's got two quirks, too!"

Lullaby's face burned, and she felt the energy crackled. "I thought I told you to DROP IT!"

She panted, cheeks burning. A cloud of dust settled, showing shards of light cornering Toga to a corner of the room, steaming and crackling. She swallowed, one shard pressed against her windpipe. She giggled.

She didn't mean to do that. Lullaby tensed as all eyes focused on her intently. She swallowed, crossing her arms tightly.

"Two quirks?" Shiggs purred, scratching intently. "One is Solar, as she said. What's the other?"

Lullaby clenched her jaw. "I don't use it."

Toga giggled, the shards still pinning her against the corner. "She has a deadly voice." she sing-songed. "She can make people crazy with her songs, she even killed someone-"

"SHUT UP!" Lullaby barked, watching with grim satisfaction as more shards sliced through Toga's uniform. Toga giggled again, her neck sporting a small pinprick of blood. Lullaby felt a warm hand go against her neck. She turned her head slightly to see the burnt boy leer down at her.

"Don't try anything." he murmured, eyes burning through her confidence. "Or this conversation will take a different turn."

"Is that a threat?" Lullaby murmured, feeling hot-metal rings dig into her skin. He said nothing, but the temperature of his fingers increased. I got the memo, she thought. "Don't overheat yourself, and we'll get along fine."

"You've got a lot of spunk, kid." he said, tightening his grip. "Watch the line between confident and cocky."

"As if a villain's never been cocky." she shot back. "A group of people bent on killing heroes and anyone in there path is admirable, but when you start sprouting off about morals, then you're the wrong kind of twisted. You don't tell me what to do."

They had a silent standoff. They tensed as Shigaraki began clapping, laughing dryly. It sounded more like a donkey, if you asked her, but she didn't dare say it out loud. "Wonderful job, you two. Lullaby, you seem valuable, despite your sight issue. How blind are you?"

Lullaby shouldered the boy off, rubbing her neck. "Every day is different. Some days I can see better than others, but in all I still have at least 20% of my vision everyday."

"That can be dealt with." Kurogiri said, cleaning off wine glasses. "We've had vision-impaired members before."

"Very well." Shigaraki grinned. "Welcome to the League of Villains, Lullaby Doe."

The other members cheered, pounding their feet and cackling. Lullaby was hoised up by Twice, and Toga bounced rapidly on her feet, laughing manically. The boy watched her from a corner, eyes glinting with supressed curiosity. Was she ever this happy at home, when Kage dreamed of being a hero?

No, she wasn't. But now, things were looking up for Lullaby Doe.

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"Isn't it great?" Toga squealed, showing Lullaby a place to stay. Lullaby slumped on the old couch, eyes drooping. She was tired, but she wasn't finished with today.

"I get it. Thanks for your help." Lullaby said, voice growing cold. "I hope you know, this doesn't change my feelings about you. I still don't like you."

Toga's smile wavered, if only for a moment. "You're still mad about Miku, aren't you?"

Lullaby inhaled, cracking her knuckles. "You wanted to chat? Let's chat. What happened to Miku?"

Toga took a seat on a nightstand, swinging her feet back and forth. Her eyes glinted a harsh gold, and Lullaby almost thought she might have seen regret in Toga's eyes, but she doubted it. Toga was so immature, she probably didn't understand she was doing anything to have a reason to reconciliate.

"What happened to Miku?" Lullaby repeated. Toga grinned, head tilted.

"Do you really want to know?" she questioned slowly.

Lullaby swallowed. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

Toga's grin widened. "Alright, you asked for it, Kage-Boo."

Toga began to speak. Lullaby began to listen.