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“There he is!,” Ten year old Shuichi squealed and darted down the path as he heard the three other boys chased after him. "Get back here freak!" Shuichi felt a rock collide into his head making him stumble but luckily he learned how to keep his balance by the time he was four. He also learned how to make sharp turns and soon the bullies lost sight of him as he made his way down to the docks.
It was the one place where he felt he belonged, the island he was abandoned on hated hybrids. He was half human and half sea monster, he was covered head to toe in green scales, had bright pink hair and eyes, he even had a tail that gave him a lizard-like appearance putting a target on his back. But at the docks he could hide easily in the water and not have to fear the dangers of the ocean. He debated multiple times just swimming away from this hell and let himself disappear into the deep but he knew that he wouldn’t last a week in it. He was too weak, hybrids were known to have special powers that made them strong but he had nothing like that. All he could do was stick and climb onto walls and breath under water.
He finally reached the docks and quickly dove into the water, hiding under them and listened as three pairs of feet ran past cursing. Shuichi sighed in relief and finally let himself relax as he splashed the water with his feet and tail swishing under the water. He stopped and was going to dive deeper into the water when a ripple echoed on its surface making him freeze. He slowly lifted his head to see two red glowing eyes peering at him behind the dock pillar. Shuichi felt himself locked into place as he felt like he was staring at a predator. The eyes didn’t even blink as they stared at each other for what felt like hours when he noticed the figure was twitching. He broke eye contact first to see that the figure was actually a kid that looked like his age. A kid whose hands were tangled in what looked like a fish net at first but he was too familiar with it. The net was covered in tiny hooks that were supposed to dig into the skin, an illegal net that was supposed to catch hybrids.
Shuichi didn’t hesitate as he swam closer not noticing the kid flexing his five fingers that were so tangled and hooked into the net that he couldn’t place all five of his fingertips onto anything. He glared as the other hybrid grabbed the net expecting a fight only to pause as the green kid started to use his claws to untangle the net.
“Are you okay?” Shuichi waited for a response from the blue haired boy but when he didn’t get one he said instead, “Don’t worry, just try not to move too much or you’ll only get more hurt by the hooks.” The kid only blinked again but didn’t try to move as he slowly got him out of the net. After a couple minutes of gentle reassurance and careful maneuvering the boy was free and the net immediately turned into dust once he was.
Shuichi jumped away as the net decayed from a single touch from the kid and realized that this kid was a hybrid too. He was so focused on getting the net off that he didn’t even realize the kid in front of him didn’t have any legs. Or to be more correct had too many, he had eight dark red tentacles below him that were keeping him above water. Shuichi blinked but didn’t react much besides that. He felt nervous but this was the first other hybrid he’d seen in years. “Thank you.” Shuichi blinked again.
No one had ever thanked him before, he had tried to be helpful and a part of his community when he was younger but that had backfired horribly. Either people treated him like a tool or would try to physically harm him. Shuichi shook the thoughts away but flinched back to see that the blue haired kid was now right in front of him, reaching out to touch his face. Shuichi flashed back to the net turning to dust and shut his eyes, unable to help himself even though he was just thanked by him. Everyone on the island told horror stories of what sea monsters and hybrids did. He felt four gentle fingers brush against his forehead and he flinched again from the sting. It was right where the rock had hit him when he was running early, it must have left a nasty bruise on him.
“Did those people you were running from do this?” Shuichi felt himself being trapped by those red orbs again and knew he couldn’t lie to him. Shuichi nodded, “Everyone here hates hybrids,” he answered with no hesitation as if it was a perfectly good explanation. Then Shuichi watched as the beautiful face of the hybrid twisted into anger. Shuichi blushed at the thought of the word beautiful but knew it was true. The face in front of him was pale and smooth except the skin surrounding his red burning eyes. The hand from before touched his cheek that turned red, making it worse. Shuichi without thinking also reached out and cupped the other’s pale cheek. The red eyes widened and Shuichi felt regret strike him in the gut. He was about to apologize but was cut off as the other smiled for the first time and cupped the back of his hand pushing it closer into his cheek.
That only made him blush harder but winced when the fingers went back to his forehead. The smile dropped making Shuichi want to cry but didn’t because of the snarl the other kid did after the action, “I will make them pay for hurting you.”
Shuichi wasn’t used to having someone want to protect him and he didn’t even know the kid in front of him but that didn’t stop him from shaking his head, “No I don’t want you getting hurt again.” Shuichi stared at the cuts that now littered the hand that still held his own to their cheek and knew the other hand had matching ones. The red eyes this time blinked in surprise and suddenly became thoughtful. “Then I promise I will become stronger, then I will make them pay.”
Shuichi wasn’t sure what to say to that so he smiled and nodded instead making the other smile back which caused his heart to do a somersault. Then the boy suddenly backed away from him with a determined look in his eyes. Shuichi reached out for a split second but didn’t follow as the boy pulled away. “Once I become stronger and make them pay I will take you away from this place. Then you will be mine.”
The hybrid said it with such certainty it felt impossible to disagree, not that he wanted to. Terrible memories of the island played in his mind and the idea of someone taking him away from it all was too good to be true. Shuichi couldn’t stop the hope that filled his face at the words but still had doubt as he hesitantly asked, “What’s your name?”
The boy paused, then let out a raspy laugh, “Tomura Shigaraki, what’s yours?”
“Shuichi Iguchi, but I prefer Spinner,” Spinner never told anyone the name he gave himself before but was very happy when Shigaraki nodded and repeated the name in a quiet voice making him blush.
Then Shigaraki leaned forward slightly, “Will you wait for me, Spinner? Will you be mine?”
Those questions felt important but Spinner couldn’t fully understand them so he didn’t give it a second thought as he nodded, “I will.”
Shigaraki’s grin somehow got wider when he agreed and he nodded before turning around to face the wide ocean before them. “I will come back for you, Spinner.” Then he dived into the water and the last thing Spinner saw of him was his red tentacles pushing him forward before he completely disappeared.
The promise replayed in Spinner’s mind for the rest of the day and many more days to come. Everyday he would go to the docks hoping to see the red eyes again but he never did. Soon once he entered his teenage years he convinced himself that he had made up an imaginary friend to help him cope. For a fake promise his mind made up to keep him moving forward. Then on the day he turned eighteen he signed up for the navy. The navy would take pretty much anyone even if you were a hybrid or not; they were always looking for more people to join. It was his only ticket out of leaving the island and the bastards that lived on it behind. But as he left the island on a navy ship that was going to be his new home, red eyes flashed in his mind and a promise that he would wait for Shigaraki to come get him. But he shook his head, Shigaraki was nothing more than a fake dream.
Three years later
Warning sirens and red flashing lights is what woke Spinner up that night and made him jump out of his cot. It was the warning of an attack and all hands on deck to help fight off the threat. Spinner and the crew he was with quickly made their way to the deck. Once Spinner exited the crew's quarters and on the main deck did Spinner realize that they were all going to die.
In front of him attacking another ship was a fucking titan. Most hybrids were like Spinner, human sized with some powers that made them stronger. Some looked human or some looked more like actual sea monsters but some hybrids, a rare few, could turn into the size of an actual sea monster. These hybrids were called titans. Giants that were the true rulers of the ocean. Sure some have been killed at the hands of humans and even hybrids but before they were slain they would kill thousands.
It would seem that his ship and the other twelve they were traveling with had done something to piss off the titan. But one look at the titan’s face Spinner knew that it was attacking them for its own cruel enjoyment. Spinner had heard that titans had been attacking ships more frequently lately but no one knew why. Spinner had never faced a titan before but had heard many stories from other crewmates, stories of titans being unstoppable beasts. He didn’t believe them at the time because of how others would tell similar stories about hybrids. But now he believed in every story he was told as he watched the titan boil the water around itself and easily lift a navy ship that now looked like a childrens toy in his hand. Watching in sick pleasure as it shook the ship, knocking men off of it so they could fall into the scalding hot water. To be boiled alive and then plucked out of the water to be eaten after. Spinner watched as the titan took the steaming corpses and raised them to its mouth and ate them with a sickening crunch that made Spinner want to hurl.
The titan had dark purple burns covering half his face and upper chest, along his arms and under his eyes. Had striking blue eyes that glowed along with the blue flames that heated the ocean and covered most of the ships around them. Spinner knew that the ones that were dying in the flames were the lucky ones as it seemed the titan was bored of waiting for sailors to cook and had begun to eat them raw and screaming. Spinner couldn’t stop the tears that weld in his eyes at the sight and looked around to see his fellow crewmates with the same hopeless expressions on their faces. He looked at the captain, at their leader and knew he had given up as well as he watched the old man sink to his knees in defeat.
His crew and captain have never been kind to Spinner and he didn’t feel close to anyone there but he didn’t wish for them to die this way either. He now wished he had tried harder to make at least one friend on the ship but knew it was too late for that as the titan turned his head and zeroed in on the last ship still floating. The now empty boat he was holding quickly turned into ash and the titan moved closer causing giant waves to rock the ship. Everyone turned to the captain for orders but none were given and despair finally settled into Spinner’s gut.
Spinner arched his neck to stare up at the titan now towering above them and knew there was no way out. The titan paused as it stared down at the ship as if studying it for a moment before Spinner felt like he was being stared at by a thousand different eyes as he unintentionally made eye contact with the monster. The titan’s face suddenly turned disbelieving as it stared down at Spinner. “No fucking way.” Spinner felt his skin jump as the titan spoke and could swear that the titan was staring directly at him. Then the titan began to laugh like a madman making the boat rock even more and everyone stared up at the giant in disbelief.
After it finished it brought down a single finger slowly towards the boat making everyone scatter away. It landed right in front of Spinner breaking the floor, making him walk backwards refusing to take his eyes off the obvious threat. The finger was huge making Spinner realize just how tiny he was compared to the titan and as the finger began to move towards him making him scramble back until he was suddenly free falling. For a terrible second he thought he was going to land in the soon to be boiling water but his back hit a lifeboat instead. All he could do was watch as the ropes tying the boat to the main vessel were burned away and Spinner in the lifeboat was now floating away from the ship. Spinner gaped, unable to process what just happened as the titan flashed a cruel smile at him before flicking his hand into the water in his direction causing giant waves to be sent his way sending the lifeboat away.
As Spinner was pushed farther away he could now see that the titan had a giant blue mermaid tail that had the same dark purple patches littering around it. But Spinner’s attention quickly shifted to the water around it as it started to boil but Spinner was far enough away now that it didn’t matter, As the navy ship was lifted from the sea, Spinner had to look away as the screams began and he could hear men start falling into the water before the waves finally pushed him far enough away that he couldn't see or hear anything anymore. Spinner curled into a ball in the middle of the small lifeboat and started to tremble. His breath started to hitch and finally he let himself sob. He was completely alone now.
It had been two hours and still nothing happened until the sun finally began to rise. Spinner began to replay what had happened in his mind over and over again wondering why the titan had sent him away on the lifeboat. Maybe it was saving him for later or if he was feeling optimistic, which he wasn’t, maybe it wanted him to tell the story of what happened there but neither option felt right. Spinner finally let himself uncurl and looked around to see nothing but the blue sea and nothing on the horizon. The sun already felt unbearably hot but it didn’t compare to the blue flames of that titan. Spinner felt his stomach knot as he thought back to those poor men dying by those flames.
Tears threatened to pour again but he blinked hard to try and stop them. He had time to sit and cry later, right now he needed to come up with a plan. There had to be some supplies on the lifeboat right? Just as Spinner was about to start looking did he feel it. A shift in the waves that made his hair stand on end. Spinner stopped breathing and turned to see that something big was heading his way, not quite breaking the surface of the water and not stopping. Spinner froze wide eyed as the thing was rushing towards him only for it to go fully into the water, completely disappearing.
Everything froze, even the water around him did and Spinner shakily raised to his feet and took two steps to look over the edge only to scream. Dark tentacles were withering below the lifeboat and they were huge. Spinner couldn’t even begin to comprehend how big they were compared to him when he heard something break the surface of the water directly behind him. Spinner felt a shot of panic go through him as he stood up straight. He could feel the eyes of something on his back and slowly forced himself to turn.
He gasped as he could see the top half of a huge face was on the surface about twenty feet away. Spinner trembled at the sight of the red eyes that studied every inch of him. He could see his own pathetic, trembling figure in the reflection of those eyes. It was a different titan this time, this titan had white hair and pale skin and those horrid eyes that Spinner knew would haunt him for the rest of his soon to be ended life. Then the rest of the head and body began to rise up on the ocean surface and Spinner couldn’t stop the cry of despair that ripped from his throat as it did.
The tears came back full force and Spinner covered his face with his hands unable to bring himself to stare up at the titan before him. This one felt different from the last titan. It was like it had a darker, much more terrifying aura around it. One that made Spinner want the ocean to open up and swallow him whole rather than face this titan. Spinner could hear droplets of water falling for the giant hybrid and it made him look up for a split second only to instantly regret it. A hand was reaching down for him at an alarming rate. Spinner’s knees buckled and he fell on them as he braced himself for impact, ready to be crushed by its overwhelming strength. Only the impact never came, instead Spinner flinched from a thumb that ran over his pink hair softly making it damp as it did. Spinner felt his brain short circuit as it tried to comprehend that he was still alive and that a titan was petting him. Was it playing with him? It had be with how gentle it was as it continued to stroke the top of his head with its thumb. Then it started to run down his back as well in a repeating motion. From the top of head then down his back. After a moment Spinner slowly lowered his hands from his face in confusion. But just as he slightly uncurled, the hand finally moved around him. He yelped as he felt four fingers curl around him keeping him secure in its grip then start to raise him up.
Spinner felt vertigo hit him like a truck and his stomach did flips as he was raised higher and higher and even higher into the air until he was directly in front of the face of the titan. Spinner had squeezed his eyes shut as the air pushed down on his face but kept them shut to not look at the titan now in front of him. Spinner could only whimper as he felt the titan’s gaze on him. Spinner is sure the titan can feel his heartbeat with how fast it was going. He trembled in its grip and just waited for the monster to open its jaws and devour him whole. Only to hear an annoyed growl that makes him tremble harder, “Open your eyes.”
The voice was raspy and deep and held such power that Spinner snapped his eyes open before he fully understood the command. Spinner’s vision was blurred from the tears but could see the titans face stretch into a wide smirk as it stared into his eyes. It almost seemed like it was happy to see him, then what it said next nearly broke his mind, “I finally found you, Spinner.”
Spinner gasped, how the hell did this titan know his name?! It wasn’t possible but it made Spinner really scan the titan’s face. Fully putting it together until a childhood memory sprung into his mind, he only told one person that name. It was completely impossible but it didn’t stop Spinner from whispering, “Sh-Shigaraki?”
Shigaraki’s eyes shine as he recognizes him, “So you do remember me.”
“I-I-I,” Spinner couldn’t breath, this had to be some terrible dream. There is no way that the kid he thought he made up eleven years ago was now a gigantic titan right in front of him. Spinner’s thoughts were spinning as Shigaraki began to bring him towards his face. Spinner shook his head, “N-No! Please don’t eat me!”
Shigaraki ignored him with a roll of his eyes but there was definitely amusement in them. Spinner tensed but instead of being tossed into a mouth with waiting teeth, he was brought to Shigaraki’s right cheek, the one he cupped all those years ago, and his whole body was pressed into it. Shigaraki’s hand pressed him even closer into the cheek as if trying to hug him and the titan released a long sigh of contentment. Okay Spinner really was losing his mind.
Spinner squirmed between the side of Shigaraki’s cheek and hand as he turned bright red but froze at the warning growl. After a few long moments, Shigaraki gripped Spinner again and pulled him away and Spinner felt relief for a split second before he made eye contact with the titan again. Now Shigaraki looked pissed.
“You left the island… You promised you would wait for me but instead you were gone,” A look of hurt briefly crossed the titan’s face and Spinner felt like he got hit by a truck. There was no way in hell did this huge titan remember a conversation he had with eleven years ago, to return to a small island to find a hybrid because of a promise they made as kids. ‘Will you wait for me, Spinner? Will you be mine?’ The words that now held so much weight into them now echoed in his mind.
Spinner sniffled, ‘I will,’ he was only ten when he said it but it was still a promise. A promise he made to the first person that cared that someone hurt him. “I-I…I had to get off that god forsaken island!” Spinner ducked his head down not wanting Shigaraki to see his face. Spinner felt a finger under his chin tilting his head up, he opened his eyes but was surprised by Shigaraki’s expression. It wasn’t angry or understanding but instead intense and very confused. The fingers loosened for a split second and Spinner thought he was going to fall but then the hand shifted under him and he was sitting in the middle of Shigaraki’s palm.
Spinner sat there confused for a second, still extremely overwhelmed by everything. He couldn’t help but notice how Shigaraki’s fingers towered over him. “Spinner,” the tone in the titan’s voice was dangerous, making Spinner snap his head up to look at him, “What happened to your tail?”
Memories of being held down flooded Spinner’s mind. The same three boys that haunted his childhood were now teens that wanted to see if his tail would grow back like a fucking lizard, so they did the only logical thing. They had figured out where Spinner would run off to everyday and had waited for him. Then they ambushed him and cut off his tail. Spinner could feel the pain and the blood as they hacked his tail off with a small blade. Spinner screamed and tried to kick them off but was overpowered. He snapped back into reality from suddenly being flipped onto his stomach by a giant thumb. His shirt is being carefully pulled up to show the ugly scar on his lower back. Spinner’s breath quivered as it was shown. He felt his muscles lock up and he felt like he was going to pass out. Tears came back and he buried his head into the palm. He couldn’t breathe.
Then he felt the large thumb trace the scar gently. “I should have come back sooner, I should have protected you.” The titan rubbed circles on his back for a couple of moments (which felt way too good) as Spinner let the words sink in. He still wasn’t sure if this was a nightmare or a dream at this point but he couldn’t help but think back to all the nights he sat under the docks waiting for a miracle. He sighed and knew the next words he was about to say was going to seal his fate, “You're here now.”
The thumb froze and Spinner felt heat rise up into his cheeks. Why did he have to open his mouth? Shigaraki turned him around so that he had to stare up at him again but this time he had a soft look on his face. The same one he had all those years ago. “I will never let anyone hurt you again.” Spinner knew that his mind did finally snap as he felt himself relax in the hand of a titan and for the first time in a long time he felt himself shyly smile back. Then he heard something approaching.
Shigaraki turned and Spinner felt his stomach drop as he saw a familiar titan approached. The titan that had killed a fleet of ships just hours ago. “So was I right about him being your lizard?”
“I’m not a lizard,” Spinner’s throat closed as the words escaped his mouth. He stared at the titan in horror for a moment but the titan only smirked down at him in response.
“Yes Dabi, this is Spinner,” So the titan’s name was Dabi, the more you know.
“Finally we found him, I swear if I had to deal with you pouting about not finding him one more time I was going to lose it.” Just how long has Shigaraki been looking for him?
Shigaraki growled a warning that seemed to amuse the other titan. Shigaraki glared but let it go, “Remember the island where Spinner was from?”
“Yeah hard to forget with how fast they ratted out your pet joining the navy,” Spinner bristled but Shigaraki continued the conversion without skipping a beat.
“Well I think we should pay them another visit.” Shigaraki’s face darkened and a wide smirk stretched across his face and Dabi responded with the same look. “You know I am feeling a bit hungry.”
Spinner paled as he remembered exactly what Dabi ate and by the looks of it Shigaraki was hungry too. Shigaraki looked down at Spinner again, “I may have been late but I am going to keep the rest of my promise, they are all going to pay. Make sure to point out the ones that cut off your tail.” Dabi growled when he heard that and dove into the water, swimming in the direction of an island Spinner never thought he would return to.
Spinner gasped when Shigaraki pulled him in again but instead of up to his face he was brought right into the middle of the titan’s chest. Spinner felt his face turn red and by Shigaraki chuckling he saw it too. How the hell was Spinner so terrified and flustered at the same time! Spinner whimpered and Shigaraki slowly stroked his back all the way down to his- Spinner yelped and Shigaraki crackled then got serious again. “You’re mine now.” Spinner gulped but felt warmth swirl into his chest at the words.
Shigaraki then dove into the water to follow after Dabi, making sure to keep Spinner secured to his chest by fully covering him with his fingers. Spinner thoughts swirled with horrific images about what was about to happen to the people on the island. He knew that no one was going to survive but that didn't stop a small dark part of him from being happy to finally get revenge. But Spinner still didn’t want to see what was going to happen soon. He peeked through the fingers watching the ocean blue go by in a blur. At this speed they would reach their designation in any second. Then after they were done (Spinner didn’t want to think about it) he had no idea where he was going to end up but knew that he was going to be with Shigaraki no matter what, whether he wanted to be or not.