#i'm still not handling um... previous events... very well

[dawnthefluffyduck]

I'll be real I just saw this outfit on a stuffed animal and wanted to draw him in something similar

[sevendeadlywhispers]

7Seals

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Chapter 10

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•Previous Chapter: Chapter Nine

•Next Chapter: Chapter Eleven

• Chapter List

• New chapters every Thursday

•Content: Levi Ackerman × OC female. Slow Burn! Canon verse!

• Word Count: 2.7k

• Warning: This content may not be suitable for all readers. If you've watched all of AOT then you will understand that the show handles heavy subjects such as abuse, racism, violence, and other heavy subjects. This fanfiction will also have the same heavy themes. Chapters with heavy themes will be marked with * at each chapter.

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The barn felt unusually quiet as I arrived early, beating even Levi to our usual meeting spot. A sense of solitude lingered, was this a consequence of my tardiness on other days?

Last night's events weighed on me, casting shadows over my tired eyes. Sleep had been elusive, and the mess hall became my refuge until breakfast's arrival. I lacked the strength to face Alexander's apologies, his attempts to sweep our....

my reality under the rug.

My ODM harness, once a symbol of freedom, became a painful reminder. Straps pressed against my bruised chest, every adjustment sending jolts of pain through my body. Alexander's violence from the night before echoed with each painful breath.

A few slaps had escalated into something more sinister. Questions circled my mind – was it safer to endure the torment within the confines of his presence, or was escape an option for me? Answers remained elusive, a puzzle I couldn't piece together in this weary state.

Levi's sudden appearance shattered my contemplation. Startled, I dropped my canteen, and it rolled away, farther and farther away from my reach.

"Erwin wants you," Levi's voice cut through the air, disrupting the silence that enveloped the barn. I couldn't bend to retrieve my fallen canteen, I had to watch it roll away. Maybe later I'll find the strength to pick it up.

"Hurry up. Come straight back here when you're done," Levi's instructions echoed, as I walked away, leaving the abandoned canteen behind.

I stood outside Commander Erwin's office, why he would summon me.? Was it about my performance? Levi's tardiness this morning added a layer of curiosity.

"Come in," his cheerful voice beckoned. He seemed to anticipate my arrival, knowing the time it took from the training grounds to his office.

"Commander," I greeted as I entered, a mixture of nervousness and curiosity bubbling within me.

"Take a seat," he instructed, and I complied, feeling a sense of unease despite knowing I hadn't committed any wrongdoing. Perhaps it was about my lax approach to training.

"How are you?" Erwin inquired, his words carrying a certain depth that left me questioning if he referred to more than just my well-being.

"Good, thank you. What about you, Commander?"

"Very well," he replied cryptically, and the atmosphere in the room only thickened.

"How's the new squad?"

"Well, I'm the only member, so good," I chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Ah yes, we will get there," Erwin remarked, pacing around the room. Then, he delved into more pressing matters.

"How do you like Levi as your captain?"

"Um, he's doing well. I'm learning a lot," I replied cautiously, sensing a shift in the conversation.

"Last I heard, you were pretty behind in skills for the squad. How's that going for you?" Erwin questioned, pinpointing the very concern that had been lingering in my mind.

"Still need work, but it's going," I admitted, though the truth was, I felt inadequate compared to Levi's prowess. The looming expectation of meeting their standards weighed heavily on me.

"Right," Erwin said, circling to the other side of his desk, where he sat down in front of me. His gaze lingered a moment longer than I'd have preferred.

"How's Alexander?"

"He's good,"

"Really?" Erwin raised an eyebrow. "He's doing okay with you on the Levi Squad?"

"Yeah, he's been really supportive, helping me with different things," I lied, attempting to paint a positive picture.

"Ah," Erwin mused, sifting through paperwork and extracting two sheets. "Then you won't mind telling me why Alexander was yelling at four in the morning." His smile persisted as he laid the papers on his lap.

I glanced at the papers and back at him. "I'm sorry, Commander," I said with a smile, mirroring his demeanor.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I guess it's best that we both tell the truth," Erwin remarked.

"The incident report is in my hands as we speak."

Why did I think I could deceive him? Erwin wasn't Levi or Alexander; he saw through facades. Rookie mistake.

"Okay, fine," I surrendered, though only halfway. I wasn't ready to reveal everything. "He got mad at me for staying up to do paperwork. He was just concerned for me."

Erwin hummed and stood up, tossing the papers into the fireplace while maintaining eye contact.

"Very well, then." His smile returned. "I wouldn't want to keep Levi waiting. Enjoy your day, Aldridge."

"Thank you, sir," I replied, grateful for the quick dismissal.

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"Iris," Levi's voice echoed through the training grounds.

I propped myself against the nearest tree, gasping for air as the ODM course left my chest throbbing with pain. Levi's call urged me to action.

"Get over here. Quick," Levi commanded, his tone brooking no delay.

He didn't want a casual stroll; he demanded urgency, beckoning me to use my ODM gear to reach him. Releasing my hooks became a symphony of stabbing sensations, each motion harder to conceal.

"Why are you wearing your ODM gear incorrectly?" Levi lifted two fingers beneath my leather straps, giving them assertive tugs.

His fingers glided over my chest as he tightened every buckle, his scowl etching disapproval into his dark eyes.

"There's no reason your harness should ever be this loose," he reprimanded, continuing to cinch my straps. "Your ODM gear was one malfunction away from leaving you hanging by the cords. These wires are very dangerous. You could have lost a limb with how lax your harness was."

In the final tug, pain surged through me. I fought against collapsing, refusing to show weakness. As Levi's eyes met mine, I winced at the pain, trying to conceal it. His fingers grazed one of my bruises, rendering me speechless. I couldn't utter a word, fearing I might unleash more than words in the captain's presence.

"It hurts?" Levi asked, confusion etched across his features.

"No, I'm fine," I lied, suppressing the pain that clawed at me.

"Then get out there and run some drills." His hand patted my head and pushed me forward.

Taking a step away, I released my hooks, aiming for the nearest tree. My body betrayed me, halting mid-air, no movement could save me now. Instead of the graceful landing, I collided with the tree with a sickening thud, a sharp pain radiating through my chest. I crumpled, unable to move, the world spinning in a disorienting dance.

The loud whirls of ODM gear above were a distant echo, my senses dulled by the impact. Strong arms lifted me, and there he was – Levi, his concerned face hovered above me, but my mind was a haze, disconnected from reality. His fingers traced my chin, shifting my face, and then rested on my neck. The contrast between his rough, calloused touch and his usual demeanor was striking. A smile played on my lips at the paradox of his gentleness against the backdrop of his harsh persona.

Above me, Levi's voice echoed, distant and muffled. I smiled, lost in the surreal moment, he seemed concerned. His eyes told a different story than his usual stoic facade.

"I don't feel good." I laughed but the laugh slowly turned into coughing. I threw my hands over my mouth as the blood spilled out of my mouth.

His concerned face quickly turned to disgust as he looked at my bloody hands.

"Yeah. I don't think I'm supposed to do that." My eyes slowly fell closed, the last thing I felt was Levi jerk my body from the ground.

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"Well, good morning, soldier," the lady greeted me in the sterile confines of the infirmary. White walls surrounded me, and a woman in a white coat stood beside my bed.

Maybe it wasn't just a bruise?

"That was a nasty fall you had there," she remarked, helping me sit up. I shrugged off the pain, laughing nervously. Why did it feel like my whole body had been run over?

"You broke a rib; it punctured a hole in your lungs. You'll be fine. Give it a couple of months, and you'll be good to go back flying around on those damn things," she reassured me, poring over some papers.

"Thank you," I said, grateful for the news.

"You know," she began, setting down the papers and fixing her gaze on me, "that rib wasn't a fresh crack."

"Ha, really?" I chuckled, attempting to downplay the situation. "Must've been out for a while."

"No, the way that fella ran in here with you, you wouldn't have had time to have bled as much as you did. You've been bleeding internally for hours, and I know damn well that fall didn't crack your rib," she stated, staring intently.

I was left speechless. What could I possibly say?

"The bruises on your stomach say otherwise."

"Being a scout isn't easy," I deflected with a laugh.

"And I know coming up with excuses ain't easy either," she retorted. "It's a matter of time till they start catchin' the lies and mixups."

"Aren't you tired?"

My eyes met her brown gaze, she looked at me in disappointment. What did she think she knew?

"You're not alone."

I remained silent as she left the room, her words echoing, a subtle offer to share the burdens. What was there to talk to her about? She took one look at me and assumed everything. How?

Levi walked in just as the nurse left, his presence filling the room. His eyes, colder than steel, locked onto mine.

"You idiot," he groaned, arms crossed. "How long did you know your rib was broken?"

I felt the weight of his gaze. Levi, usually pristine, wore the stains of my blood like a badge of annoyance. Why hadn't he changed yet?

"I didn't know," I lied, trying to hold his gaze.

"Bullshit," he spat, his eyes briefly softening as they met mine. The intensity became uncomfortable, and I broke away first. He leaned against the wall, a resigned "Tch" escaping his lips.

Levi had given up, a sight I thought I'd never witness. He looked at me again, breaking the silence, "How you holding up?"

"I'll be fine. Back in two weeks," I assured him. He rolled his eyes but concealed any disagreement.

"I already talked to the doctor," he disclosed. "You won't be ready until the end of October, shit maybe November."

I should've known they spoke, but what else had they discussed?

"I'm sorry, Captain," I mumbled, head hung low. "I understand if you want me off your squad. I'm only a liability."

"Shut up," Levi ordered. "You don't call the shots around here. You are a fucking liability, a pain in the ass. But I'm the Captain, and what I say goes."

He paused, his gaze piercing mine.

"You will become the best soldier the scouts have ever seen. I don't give a damn if you don't want to; you're on my squad now. You better enjoy your rest now because I won't be gentle with you."

Our eyes remained locked as I responded,

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Now we—" His voice was abruptly cut off by the door.

The door swung open, and Alexander entered, his gaze immediately locking onto Levi, dismissing my presence in the room.

"Alexander."

Levi's voice sliced through the tension, a rare acknowledgment that sent shivers down my spine. Levi's eyes trailed every move Alexander made, a predator assessing its prey.

Alexander's ocean eyes eventually met mine as he sidled up to my bed, gripping my hand with increasing pressure.

"Where have you been?" His feigned concern rang hollow.

"I got hurt during practice," I replied with a forced smile, my thumb grazing his hand as he tightened his grip. His dismissive response stung. "You'll be fine," he said, brushing off my discomfort.

"She's not fine." Levi interjected, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall near the door.

"I'm sorry," Alexander turned to Levi, ignoring me. "I wasn't speaking to you."

Levi's eyebrow arched, his death glare intensified.

"Seems like you forgot about our little run-in the other night. I'd leave if I were you. Erwin's not here to save you this time."

Alexander's grip on my hand loosened as he backed away, leaving the room with a cryptic promise. "I'll see you later tonight," he uttered before the door closed behind him, and Levi promptly locked it.

"What was that all about?" I questioned Levi, curiosity getting the better of me.

"None of your business," he retorted, his demeanor as stern as ever.

"Well then, I'll just ask him when he comes back later," I responded casually, shrugging my shoulders.

"Doubt he'll say something," Levi remarked, his expression unreadable.

"And why's that?" I pressed.

Levi shot me a side-eye as he pushed himself off the wall, taking a seat in the chair beside the bed.

"Okay..."

"Aye, brat," Levi addressed me. "Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

"Yeah, I did," I admitted, snapping my head towards him.

"I'll remember that," he warned.

"Go ahead, no one is stopping you," I retorted, slumping back into the bed.

"What's got you so pissy?"

I glanced around the room before fixing my gaze back on the bed. "My damn rib is broken," I said, a bitter laugh escaping my lips.

"That's your own damn fault," Levi chided. "You should have known better than to practice while being injured."

"Save it," I shot back in frustration. "Outside those walls, if you're injured, there's no relaxing and stepping out. You push through it, or you're dead."

A heavy silence settled in the room, broken by Levi's voice. "You're right," he conceded. "But you're not outside the walls. You're inside. Until then, you are going to do whatever it takes to keep you alive and well. Got that?"

"Yes, sir," I affirmed.

"You guys got it lucky up here," Levi remarked. "Not everyone has access to a doctor or medicine. Take advantage of it while you have it."

Lying in the medical room with Levi keeping a watchful eye, his words about the scarcity of medical care outside the walls echoed in my mind. Not everyone had the privilege we did. Countless citizens in the innermost parts of the wall were in desperate need.

"Hey, Capt?" I addressed him, breaking the silence. "What do you mean by 'up here'?"

"What else could I mean?" he grumbled. "The underground doesn't have shit compared to the lives above."

"Are you from the underground?" I asked without hesitation, a question that had lingered in the air for so long. Levi's reaction spoke volumes – he looked like he wanted to kill me. The words slipped out before I could second-guess myself. It was something I genuinely wanted to know, a piece of the puzzle that was Captain Levi. The rumors were varied – from high-ranking officials' son to a country town, but the most persistent was that he hailed from the underground.

"Yeah, and?" Levi replied, scanning my reaction, as if he anticipated a negative response. But I didn't care. Who was I to judge someone based on their birthplace? If anything, I felt a sense of empathy.

"Ah, so the rumors are true," I remarked.

"It's not a secret," Levi said. "It's not like it's anyone's business either."

"No, you're right. It just explains a lot," I shrugged with a small grin.

"Explains what?"

"The way you act," I said, looking at him. "But also the way you and Alexander despise each other."

"I don't despise him," Levi asserted. I gave him a skeptical look, and he huffed. "I detest him."

"That's the same thing, Captain," I laughed. "Well, it explains the ego contests."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You both act like there can only be one person from the underground up here. Y'all got some unfinished business or something?"

"The hell are you talking about, Aldridge?" Levi was starting to get agitated.

"Did you guys know each other from the past?" I questioned.

"I've never seen that kid before," Levi stated. "Why do you think we know each other? Unless you know something I don't, cadet." His face was stern.

"I thought you guys knew each other by the way y'all acted?"

Levi's eyes widened. The confusion was etched away by anger as received the news.

"Alexander is from the underground."

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[yn-rollcall]

Momento Bakugo X Reader Chapter 29

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Summary: So I was always told to look on the bright side. The bright side is that I’m finally meeting the Number One and Two pro-heroes Deku and Dynamight. The downside is that I was publicly dragged out of my job for a string of robberies that I did not commit and am being detained for questioning.

Length: 3.3k

Warnings: Oral Sex, Food Kink, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Mirror Sex, Quirk Kink (My Hero Academia), Shameless Smut, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Rough Sex, Emotional Constipation, Chocolate Syrup, Fluff, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, Temperature Play, Hate Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Attempted Sexual Assault, Blood and Injury, Heavy Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Panty Kink, Semi-Public Sex, Creampie, Bondage, Body Worship, Light Dom/sub, Daddy Kink, Pegging, Public Masturbation, Office Sex, Wank and Tell, Polyamory, So like at the very very end there’s KatsukixReaderxKirishima, But it happens so last minute I don’t feel justified tagging it as one of the main relationships, Constructive Criticism Welcome

A03

Wattpad

A/N: Beta Read by Inanna6315

I was in a daze when I got back to the bakery. I was too busy concentrating my gravity on my skirt, trying to make sure that my inner thighs stayed hidden. It's embarrassing enough that his coworkers knew, I couldn't handle jabs from the regulars today. I didn't even remember getting there, I just noticed that I wasn't cold anymore. Auntie looked at how I carried out my duties and smirked.

"So he finally snapped huh?" She asked.

Wait a second.

"That's what you were up to?" I said, snapping out of my trance.

"Don't get me wrong I definitely wanted to try to do a café event which was a huge success! And I wanted you and Dynamight to resolve your issues. Two birds, one stone." She hummed happily.

I wanted to pout or get irritated but I genuinely couldn't. My body was still sore and tingly from earlier. I just huffed half-heartedly and wiped off a table.

"I just wish it didn't happen in front of his coworkers." I mumbled.

"WHAT?" Auntie exclaimed. "Holy- In front of them? Like right in front of them? Katsuki!" She gasped, scandalized and impressed.

"No! Just...it was in his office and they came in sometime after the first O-" I explained.

"The first-" She parroted.

"And I'm like 95% sure they heard me because I was loud and it was so embarrassing but it felt so good and I don't think I'm gonna be able to function around him. That didn't help at all!" I whined.

"Well I mean, you guys crossed that threshold now so it's no longer such a big deal, right? Unless he needs more time?" She asked delicately.

"No um. He seems okay actually. He said we were more than okay." I smiled and could feel myself getting all fuzzy at the way he gazed into my eyes.

Huh? Gross. Wait.

The bell clanged as someone walked in. I was too distracted by the conversation to really greet them. I mean I was head over heels for him but am I that head over heels? I could practically feel the world being dyed pink as I remembered the sweet nothings he whispered in my ear.

'You did so good baby'

'I love you so much'

'You were so good for me, let me take care of you'

Take care of me? Do I kinda want that? For Katsuki to stick around? For me to rely on him?

"Aww!" Yoko gave me a huge hug. "You guys are totally gonna get married!" She cheered.

Oh no. Why don't I hate that? Getting married?

Thoughts swirled in my head of having a wedding, walking down the aisle to Katsuki with a tux. Katsuki...with a tux. Him picking me up, carrying me to the threshold of wherever the fuck we end up living and wow it's kinda nice? Do I want that?

"As long as they manage to not fuck in public, which at this rate..." Deku trailed off.

I glared at him as he and Denki walked in. He stared back at me unapologetic about his comment while Denki kept texting enthusiastically on his phone.

"Kirishima texted me all flustered!" Denki laughed. "The work group chat is also blowing up."

"Oh god..." I groaned.

He's definitely not going to be able to look me in the eye for a while. Can I look him in the eye? We didn't stop for a second when he and Hawks came in. And Hawks...he watched me...well like a hawk. I couldn't believe my former hero crush saw me like that.

"So I take it everything's settled?" Deku asked, giving me a hopeful look.

"Yea. We talked it out." I smiled.

"Good." Deku said, flashing that boyish grin.

The rest of the day flew by and I was getting ready to walk home. By the time I took the trash out and cleaned my station, I spotted Katsuki at the front waiting for me. My body heated up at the sight of him and I knew I was in trouble. When we locked eyes, it seemed he knew what I was thinking too. A smirk lined his features as I shyly walked up to him and adjusted the bag on my shoulder. I waved goodbye to Auntie and we walked onto the street.

"Did you get in trouble at your job?" I asked sheepishly. "Is Kirishima okay?"

Katsuki laughed. "I got chewed out a little bit but it's fine. And Ei is okay."

"That's good." I sighed.

Katsuki's hand laced through mine as we walked. Once again, I'm smiling like a lovesick schoolgirl. We walked by an alleyway. Katsuki paused for a second then suddenly tugged me into it. He surveyed the area and pulled me into the more obscured part, mostly shielding us from potential eyes. His hand cupped my cheek as he pressed his lips to mine.

"I thought about you all day." He murmured.

Me too.

I closed my eyes and immediately deepened the kiss. He paused for a second before pulling me closer. Then he grunted and flipped us around, holding me against the wall. He held me up as I wrapped my legs around him. Soft kisses trailed along my jaw as my breath started to pick up speed. Our bodies were shifting, trying to gain more access as our actions became more hurried. Then Deku's words suddenly hit me.

If they manage not to fuck in public

If this keeps going I would actually fuck him in public. I would actually fuck Katsuki, the second up and coming hero in the country, in PUBLIC. This is bad, really bad. I gently pushed him away and he stopped, eyes concerned.

"What's wrong?" He asked quickly.

"We should get home." I said hastily.

"I..okay." Katsuki gently agreed.

We walked in silence up to my apartment complex. I kept a set distance between us and crossed my arms to prevent myself from touching him. He pursed his lips but didn't say anything. The look of concern on his face grew as we got closer to my apartment door. I smiled weakly at him before unlocking my door. He squeezed my hand, making me turn to him.

"You okay?"

"Yea!" I said too quickly, causing him to narrow his eyes.

I didn't elaborate and he waited a few moments before sighing.

"Cut the shit." He asserted.

I shuffled a bit from foot to foot. "It's the intensity thing...I just need time to adjust to it."

"You promise that that's it?" He asked softly.

I snuck a look around to see if anyone was watching and I moved my skirt. He sucked in a breath. I was dripping down my legs.

"I-" He gulped. "I could help with that." He said huskily.

My body shivered and I shook my head.

"I think that'll make it worse. And you still need sleep."

"But-"

"Let's try waiting it out and seeing if it calms down a bit. You also have to get more settled in on the case right? Give it a week." I said quickly.

"Fine." He groaned.

He pulled me into a kiss and then walked to the elevator, clearly put out. Which I would've found cute if I didn't feel the exact same way. I walked inside, said a quick hello to Iris, showered and closed my door, already resolved to run the battery on my Dynamight vibrator all the way down tonight.

The next few days were hell. No work to distract me since Costume Week was already over and there's only so much cold showers can do. My mind, during every quiet second, would wander to that moment in Katsuki's office. And honestly I was still trying to figure out if I liked being watched or if that was the intensity at play. Theoretically though, if someone WAS going to watch...I wouldn't mind it being those two.

Auntie told me that the costume week was such a success she planned on doing it next year as well. We made about three months' worth of profit in that one week and have had a general increase in clientele - at least according to the last couple of days. Some people even asked for me but Auntie told them I was on vacation. The amount of times I thought about walking to Katsuki's office for round two is almost embarrassing. Every single day crawled by and every night I used that damn vibrator like it was my lifeline. I stuck to texting because if I called I was definitely gonna beg him to come over.

I did, however, get a call from him last night. He invited me to a hike this morning. Us being alone and sweaty together screamed outdoor sex. So I panicked and invited Kirishima since Deku would just tease me. Kirishima didn't exactly get it but decided he wanted to support me anyway which was really nice of him. I arrived at the hiking trail and met Bakugo who gave me a dead look. I smiled sheepishly and waved to Kirishima who blushed a bit and waved back.

"Scared to be alone with me?" Bakugo said and I cheesed at him.

"Just a...precaution." I said

"No one would be around." He said vaguely.

"We agreed to wait and see." I said, pretending to have more willpower than I actually do.

We started on the trail and I focused on my burning muscles rather than Katsuki. We're not thinking about the sweat dripping down those rippling muscles or how great his thighs look in those pants. Definitely not focusing on his arms and how strong he is. Absolutely not pondering how he could totally lift and lower me onto his cock. Or how great his ass looks. We are fully and successfully avoiding all sexual thoughts. Katsuki cleared his throat, suppressing a laugh. I realized I was staring at his chest while he was waiting to help me cross a gap. I took his hand, avoiding his teasing look, climbing up to where he and Kirishima were waiting.

"At least it's mutual." Kirishima mumbled and Katsuki laughed.

My face burned a bit but I just kept walking. Eventually, we reached our destination and overlooked a huge forest. A sea of oranges, yellows and greens coalesced with soft sounds of nature rustling in the wind. The air was clearer up here and smelled sharp and clean. I looked back at Katsuki and Kirishima.

"This is amazing!" I said, beaming at them.

"Glad you like it." Katsuki said with a small smile on his face.

We all sat down on that overlook, eating some protein bars and fruit we brought up with us. I distributed the water in my bag to the other two as they zipped up their packs. Kirishima looked at Katsuki who looked away. Then he tapped him with his foot and Katsuki swatted him off, annoyed. I raised my eyebrow looking between them before I set my water down.

"Want to say something?" I asked them.

Katsuki glared at Kirishima and pointedly looked at the horizon, his cheeks reddening a little bit.

"I took the day off so we could go to the festival later."

A date?

He glanced at me then quickly looked away.

"Only if you want to." He murmured.

"Yes!" I practically shouted, my body floating a little.

Both of them looked at me, eyes wide and I cleared my throat. I floated back down and adjusted myself.

"I mean sure. When are we going?' I said casually.

Kirishima laughed a little and Katsuki covered his mouth to hide his smile. I smiled into my water, excited for tonight. We talked a bit more before hiking back down. This time Katsuki stayed close, holding my hand almost the entire time. We made sure to joke around with Kirishima to make him not feel like a third wheel. Based on his easy smile, I think he appreciated the effort. When we got back to the starting point, we parted ways with Katsuki agreeing to pick me up later at around 7.

I briefly wrestled with what to wear before I settled on something warm and cute. I rested up for the rest of the day, noting that even though the hike wore me out, I recovered quickly. My quirk seemed to not be as much of a drain either. I smiled, pleased at my recovery progress. The doorbell rang and I opened the door to see Katsuki dressed up, armed with a smirk. He had on his dark wig which makes sense; since the chances of him being recognized and mobbed are high in this case.

"You look cute." He said.

"Thanks! One of us has to." I replied, earning a flick to the forehead.

We got in the car and he drove us to the festival. The dark night slowly filled with noise, light and laughter. When we arrived at the entrance, the festival was in full swing. Booths everywhere, crowded enough to where I had to stick close to Katsuki. At first holding hands was fine but as we got deeper inside, I clung to him to keep from getting swept away. I kept one hand holding his and my other arm wrapped around his arm, holding it to my torso. A faint red blush slowly made its way across his face as we navigated through. Over the crowd, I spotted a stuffed animal that looked really cute. I didn't know why but I kind of wanted it. Suddenly, Katsuki steered us in that direction and led us to the booth runner.

"What do I do to get that?" Katsuki asked as he pointed to the plush I was staring at.

"Toss the ring around the bottle with that number back there and it's yours!" The booth runner said cheerfully. "You get three tries."

The booth runner handed him three rings as Katsuki rolled up his sleeves. I tried to not stare at his arms as he focused on his target. He missed the first three tosses and I could see that competitive glint appear in his eye. Uh oh. Eventually I got my fill of the view because we were 20 tosses deep and I could see the veins in his head popping out. I knew if I mentioned that he didn't have to get it, he'd be mad. I could see in his eyes it's moved past wanting the doll, it was now about pride. And the booth runner was very happy with how much money he was getting from Katsuki.

I raised my hand up.

"Can I try?" I asked.

"Sure!" The booth runner said with a cheshire smile.

"No, I'm winning you that damn prize." Katsuki grumbled.

I ignored Katsuki and handed the booth runner some money, looking at the prizes. There was an angry pomeranian stuffed toy that had Katsuki's exact expression on his face.

"And I'm winning you one too." I said with a smile. "We can have matching ones."

He looked like he wanted to argue but he sighed a slight smile on his face.

"So fucking stubborn."

"You know it." I said sticking my tongue out.

I've tossed the damn ring about 15 times and I've come to a conclusion. This game was definitely rigged. There's no way I'm this bad. Katsuki watched me rack up just as many tries as he did with amusement. I looked at him, ready to blow up.

"I have good aim! What the hell's going on here?" I screeched as yet another ring bounced off.

"Don't look at me." He suppressed a laugh.

"One more round!" I seethed.

"We should probably eat." Katsuki suggested.

"No! Not 'til I get that toy!"

He laughed as the booth runner gave me another set of rings. I took a deep breath, calmed down and focused. I'm getting that damn toy. I tossed one ring, It was too far. I adjusted my aim and tossed the second one. Close, but it bounced off. Then with the last one I practiced the wrist motion and tossed it. It rattled around and finally sunk around the bottle with the number. I jumped up and cheered.

"Look look! I got it! I got the toy!" I squealed.

Katsuki beamed at me before realizing he still hadn't gotten my toy. Then he yelled at the booth runner to get him more rings while I was making grabby hands at the toy they were bringing me. Once the toy was in my hands, I hugged it with a cheery smile.

"It looks like you!" I joked.

"No the hell it doesn't."

"It's even got the angry vein mark." I said, holding it up to Katsuki's face. "Twins."

He huffed shoving it away from his face as he tried a few more times. He grumbled and I teased him. Eventually, taking two more tries than I did but who's counting, he won the toy. He held it out to me. I looked at it, then him.

"You keep it." I said.

"Hah?! I was winning this for you!"

"Yea but this one looks like you and I really want to keep it so you keep that one." I said

He rolled his eyes, then looked at the toy. A soft look came over his eyes as he looked at the stuffed dog.

"Kinda looks like you."

"What? No." I said

"Yup when you were a dog you looked kinda like this."

"I think you need your eyes checked."

We argued back and forth going from booth to booth. We started competing to see who could win faster. I wasn't really keeping track of the number since I was having so much fun. I could tell he was too by the way his eyes sparkled and that beautiful feral smile spread across his face. My stomach grumbled and I smiled sheepishly.

"We should eat." I said, getting up from the yo-yo tsuri booth.

He agreed and we visited some food stalls. After getting probably too much food, Katsuki looked at the time.

"It's almost time for the fireworks."

"Oh yea! We gotta find a good spot."

"I already scouted one." He said with a proud smirk.

He took my hand and weaved us through the crowd, leading us to a near silent grassy cliff in the woods. The moon hung high in the sky as the sounds of the festival faded in the background. We sat down, eating the food. Katsuki looked at his watch again as we were finishing up.

"Just in time." He said as a bright red firework exploded behind him.

I've never personally cared for fireworks. You've seen one, you've seen em all but somehow this was different. This was special. The exploding lights reflected off of Katsuki's form as he watched the fireworks. I turned towards the show and felt Katsuki lace his fingers through mine. We watched one big explosion happen right after the other so close, the ground vibrated. It was a little scary but exciting.

It was a little exhilarating being alone with Katsuki, like the world consisted of just us. The longer we sat together, having this moment, the more this big, deep emotion surged in me. I loved Katsuki for a while, but now I am overwhelmed with it. Katsuki's hand tightened around mine and I looked at him. He was staring at my lips. I leaned in, closing the gap. He gently moved his lips against mine. Soft, unhurried and full of love. We broke apart. Suddenly he hugged me, squeezing me tight against his body.

"You're so damn cute." He murmured.

My heart beat faster as we watched the fireworks in each other's arms. Soon, the show petered out and we headed back. As we weaved through the crowd I could feel that intense love forming into a need to be close. A need to be with him. I pulled out my phone asking Iris to spend the night somewhere else. To my relief, she texted back almost immediately with a thumbs up. We got to his car and drove home in comfortable silence. When we got to my door, he let go of my hand, scratching the back of his head.

"So...better than last time?" He asked.

"Yea. I had a lot of fun." I said smiling.

"Good." He said, eyes soft. "Goodnight."

He turned to leave and I fidgeted, trying to build up courage.

"Katsuki!" I called out before I could lose my nerve.

He turned around. I reached out and pulled him in by his belt, bringing him chest to chest with me. His eyes darkened with lust immediately as we stood there for a moment. I stared at his chest, trying to force myself to say what I wanted to say. I eventually buried my face there, too shy to say it directly.

"Please touch me." I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "I need you."

"Are you sure?" He asked, holding me tighter.

His hands cupped my chin, tilting my head up so he could look into my eyes. Looking for any sign of hesitation. There wasn't any to be found.

"Yes. Very sure."

TO BE CONTINUED

[pianostarinwonderland]

Hallooooo! Doves, angel, and aphrodite? If that's okay with you~!!

[Ask game here!]

Doves: What's the most romantic thing someone's done for you?

Holy shit, if I can cram the last 12 days of my life in this one ask, I really would because I'm having a crush on someone right now and everything he's done seems so romantic. Like, we've held hands, he's invited me to events, he'd say "when I perform, I'll call you up on stage". But I've noticed that he does all this with friends too, so I can't be completely delulu about this 😭

I suppose so far, it's this: There was an event that was held two Sundays ago that the music club I'm part of had. For context, my crush and I are in the same club. He performed there, and I wasn't able to go because I didn't know about it until the day before and it was far from my place. But he's told me a few times "I wish you were there" and that leaves me so 🤡🤡🤡 BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I'VE HAD SOMEONE SAY THAT TO ME ?????? Pls, I have a guilty pleasure and it's to feel wanted by someone, and he fulfilled that guilty pleasure in that moment and I'm ueueue

Angel: Do you like bad boys or sweethearts more?

shit. HHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA

This is so funny because I have liked both types 🤠 my previous irl crush is someone that you'd probably perceive as a bad boy based on how he dresses and walks and even the way he interacts with friends and attracts the girls. My current crush is a sweetheart, like one time, he tied his friend's shoelaces while we were walking when he didn't have to.

Azul doesn't really fall in either type, but he is a stinkee man.

It's hard to really decide because I love the charm that bad boys can have but I cherish the kindness of sweethearts. I think it all depends on how I can connect with them and if we can really work well together. More than the label is a human, and there's a whole universe to discover in a "bad boy" and a "sweetheart". It's those complexities that I end up looking at and falling for ;u;

It also makes up a big part of why I really love Azul. He's complex—and not saying that Twst characters aren't complex at all. But Azul's complexity tends to be highlighted a lot, most especially in the way his UM works. The bare bones of his UM is that he can steal one's abilities from them, but he makes it more complicated by adding the use of a contract to act as a check and balance.

Aphrodite: How important are looks?

Depends on what you're seeking. If you seek a "happy crush", I'd say looks are very important. Happy crushes are those kinds of crushes that give you the butterflies whenever they pass by you or they enter the same room you're in. There's no intent to pursue but you'd admire from a distance. Crushes are selfish, and that's fine. Sometimes, you might seek out a happy crush just to make your life a little more fun and interesting.

But if you're seeking someone that you actually want to get into a relationship with, personality is where you have to really look into now. Do you like the person, regardless of romantic feelings? Do you think they treat the people around them right? What are the red flags that they display, and are those the red flags that you can forgive or can handle? Then you also think about compatibility. Do you think you get along with this person? Do you find yourself happy around them? Do you see a future with them? That third question, you don't have to answer right away, but it is still important to take note of.

When it comes to close relationships, platonic or romantic, I really take those seriously. It's hard to get into my inner circle of trust because I'm very critical of who should be in and who should stay out. So if for some reason any of you approach me to ask for relationship advice, just know that I'd be pretty serious about it hahahahahah

[rael-rider]

Rumor from 4chan is that the new Guardians writer is Zeb Wells.

I guess we'll know tomorrow but if that's true. But judging by that piece of information I dunno what to think. Wells did a good Nova run with Sam, his New Warriors run was um... It was a choice but nowhere near being the worst New Warriors run but his Rich was kind of vapid( and yeah it was pre-Annihilaton but he still had lots of character even then) and he had him in the most awkward as fuck situations, lol.

His ASM has been getting mixed receptions and I can see why. I'm not keeping up with it that much but from what I've seen it has some good moments but overall isn't a good Spider-Man run and that stuff with Mary Jane is so shit. But I think Marvel Editors are also messing with the title.

I heard his Hellions was good and from what I saw it did look interesting so I might check it out.

So yeah it could be good? I dunno. I'll still check it out because OFC it's Guardians I will check it out even if I'm crying about not liking the writer. That said I'm not as invested in it without Rich, especially since Ewing left things off with him, Peter, and Gamora in a very interesting spot and the three of them being closer than ever and it looks like that won't matter in this new run so why should I be that invested in it? (and I honestly hope we don't get a "they had a fight off screen and went their separate ways BS explanation" because writers seem to love doing that stuff because they just don't want to deal with what the previous writer did and if that's the cause I rather the writer ignores it and just leaves it open for Ewing to explain what happened).

But at this point I'm content with Al Ewing being the one who gets to handle Rich and I'll take whatever Rich crumbs I can get. Marvel also better give Ewing a Nova solo and just leave him alone with the character like they did with Immortal Hulk (as in no Event interruptions or anything like they're doing with the X-franchises because I could tell the whole Sins of Sinister event halted X-Men Red's story and possibly influenced it).

[alvacchi]

Phantom Thief Hanako-kun AU Story: Chapter 8- The Search For Mitsuba

((Edit: I completely forgot a small recap so allow me to just add 😂))

In case it wasn't clear, this story does have its dark themes...

Enjoy!

---

-Last time in the previous chapter...

-Yashiro accepted a missing case from Yako

-Hanako unexpectedly came into Yashiro's apartment with a fever and Yashiro took care of him

-Mitsuba got a visit from Tsukasa

-and Kou got missed calls from Mitsuba

-The story continues!

-The next morning

-Hanako slowly opened his eyes

-He hadn't slept that well and soundly in so long

-As his eyes adjusted to his surroundings

-He started realizing where he was

-That ceiling. This bed. And.

-He looked over to his side

-To what he was holding

-Daikon legs

-Which means

-He looked up to see Yashiro sleeping peacefully

-What kind of weird sleeping position did he take???

-No, that wasn't the point right now!

-He got up letting go of her legs, flustered and touched the top of his head

-His eyes widened

-Gone. His hat's gone.

-He patted himself in search of the jewel he stole during the heist

-That's gone

-He looked down at himself

-He wasn't in his clothes

-All the rustling and movements on the bed woke Yashiro up

-She stirred and got up, still slightly out of it

-As her eyes adjusted, she faced a flustered Hanako who looked at her in horror

-Yashiro: "Hm...? Hanako-kun?"

-Hanako: "Detective, what were you...??? What was I....???"

-He couldn't seem to form the words

-Yashiro snapped out of her sleepy state as she looked at Hanako

-Seeing him getting so flustered was making her blush as well

-They were both on the same bed

-Add that on top of him wearing some of Yashiro's clothes

-Yashiro sure was seeing a new side of him

-Hanako didn't seem to remember all of last night's events, judging from his reaction

-But Yashiro still did

-Yashiro: [flustered] "Nothing happened last night! You were just really sick."

-Hanako: "Oh..."

-He fidgeted

-Hanako: "Could I have my clothes back?"

-Yashiro: "Ah, right!"

-Yashiro gave him his clothes back

-Hanako quickly changed and regained his composure

-He didn't feel any jewel in his clothes

-He must have hidden it away somewhere like he did before

-Hanako: "Well I'd best be on my way"

-Yashiro: "Wait!"

-Yashiro grabbed Hanako on time to stop him from going out the window

-Yashiro: "You're not going to disappear again, are you? We still have that deal. A gentleman should keep his word, no?"

-Honestly at this point, the deal was an excuse so they could hang out more

-Hanako: "Heh~ You remember what I've said before. You want me to still visit?"

-Yashiro: "Yes!"

-There was no hesitation in her reply Hanako noted surprisingly

-Hanako: "...Very well then. I'll come by when I can"

-He doesn't seem to be so bothered anymore? Thank goodness

-Yashiro sighed in relief

-Yashiro: "Oh good. I thought I might have to resort to this."

-She pulled out the jewel which she kept in a box during the clothes swapping

-Hanako looked shocked

-Did that mean he came here immediately after the heist without a care?!

-Wow, he was not thinking straight at all

Hanako: "Oh god I didn't know you're such a savage. You got me"

-Hanako looked down and held his hand to cover his face

-He couldn't stop smiling

-Yashiro: "I can be when I want to! I shouldn't even be doing this but well..."

-Yashiro put the jewel in his hand

-Yashiro: "Here."

-Hanako covered his eyes with his bangs and looked away, turning his back

-Hanako: "Um....thanks. I'll see you some time soon."

-If Yashiro looked closely at him, the back ends of his ears were blushing bright red

-Yashiro: "See you"

-And with that, Hanako took off

-Yashiro got ready to go to Tsuchigomori's detective agency

-She just received a call from Tsuchigomori to come report

-She may still be investigating Yako's case but she should get back to the agency whenever she can in case she's needed

-She's an apprentice learning from Tsuchigomori after all

-Once she arrived at the office, Yako was sitting there annoying Tsuchigomori

-Tsuchigomori: "Don't you have anything better to do?"

-Yako: "I'm worried!"

-Yashiro: "Good morning, Tsuchigomori-sensei! Good morning, Yako-san!"

-Yako: "You're back! Any news? Good news??"

-Yashiro: "Uh I would still need more time to investigate. I'm sorry that I haven't found anything yet."

-Yako: "Ugh you're all useless! Misaki could be suffering at this very moment!"

-Yashiro: [sweatdrops] "Ahahaha...."

-Suddenly, the office door slammed open

-And in came a very worried Kou

-Kou: "SENPAI!"

-Yashiro: "Kou-kun?! What's wrong?"

-Kou: "It's Mitsuba! I don't know where he is!"

-Yashiro: "HUH?!"

-Kou: "He called me a few times last night and I didn't pick up but now when I try to call him back, I don't get a single response!"

-Yashiro: "Wait but this was last night, right? Maybe you're overreacting? He could be busy"

-Kou: "I thought that at first but then I thought about Yokoo and Satou. They haven't been responding to my messages either and they seem to have mysteriously disappeared from the traffic department for a couple days already so I'm worried."

-A bit of background:

-Yokoo and Satou were Kou's police buddies

-They trained together as novice police cadets way back

-Since they transferred to the traffic department, they gave Kou a traffic safety amulet, saying it suited him since it was a pun (The word on the amulet is pronounced "Koutsuu" in Japanese)

-Kou initially wore the amulet around his neck but now wears it on his right ear

-Kou's whistle was also a gift from them when he got promoted to a police officer

-Alright, back to the story!

-Yashiro: "What??"

-Yako: "Wait, what did you say? So, it wasn't just Misaki who disappeared?"

-Kou: "Huh? There's another person missing?"

-Yashiro was puzzled

-Were Kou's missing friends connected with the missing Misaki case?

-It was too early to conclude

-Kou: "Senpai, please! Could you help look for Mitsuba? I don't know about Yakoo and Satou but they're still part of the police force and they got each other so I believe they are able to take care of themselves. Mitsuba though...he doesn't seem to have anyone with him so I want to find him as soon as possible!"

-Yashiro: "Leave it to me!"

-Kou: "Thank you! I'll come along too! I feel responsible"

-Yako: "Hmph, if it's not about Misaki, then I'll just hang here."

-Tsuchigomori: [facepalm] "...I wonder how you're a policewoman"

-Kou and Yashiro left the agency in search for Mitsuba

-They started with places Kou believed Mitsuba would be at

-Then, they just looked around the city

-Kou had a worried look on his face the entire time that Yashiro couldn't help but worry for him

-She tried to think of a conversational topic to get his mind off the case for a bit

-Yashiro: "Kou-kun, I baked some donuts a couple days ago and I was reminded of you since you taught me how to make them"

-Kou: "Oh really? I'm glad that you like that recipe!"

-Well, he smiled a bit. That's good

-Kou and Yashiro ran into Teru in the middle of their investigation

-Yashiro: "Minamoto-senpai!"

-Kou: "Nii-chan!"

-Yashiro: "What are you doing here?"

-Teru: "I'm patrolling this area. What about you two?"

-Kou: "We're looking for Mitsuba! He might be around this area"

-Teru: "Then, let me join you! I may be able to help."

-Yashiro: "Thank you, Minamoto-senpai!"

-Kou: "Thank you, Nii-chan!"

-As always, Teru was so cool!

-But wait

-As Yashiro stared at him, she noticed that she didn't seem to feel as strongly attracted to Teru as before

-But why?

-Maybe because she spent the last couple days worrying her head off about Hanako?

-She did seem to think about Hanako a lot lately and when it comes to him, she gets flustered easily....

-........What?

-Wait why does that sound like...?

-No. Perish that thought.

-It was stupid.....right?

-Oh gosh, maybe she should talk to Aoi about this

-Yashiro crushed on a lot of hot guys in the past and Hanako just didn't apply to that category in her terms

-So it was really strange

-As the three searched, Teru stopped them at one point

-Teru: "Maybe it's better if we split up to cover more ground. We could widen our search and then come back to a spot together when we're done. Whoever finds Mitsuba could bring him over."

-Kou: "Ah! Sounds good, Nii-chan! The city does have a lot of people so it should be alright. Senpai, what do you think?"

-Yashiro snapped out of her zoning out

-Yashiro: "Huh? Oh yeah, sure. We could do that."

-Teru: "Then, let's meet back at that statue over there in half an hour. That should be enough time to cover this part of the area"

-Yashiro & Kou: "Got it!"

-And so, they split up and Yashiro was left to investigate one part of the area on her own

-She found there were back alleys in some sections so she decided to have a look into them

-She's a detective's apprentice so she should be able to handle this

-As she searched however, she felt a pair of eyes watching her

-And they gave her the chills

-Yashiro: "W-who's there?!"

-No response

-She suddenly had vivid flashbacks to that time with Tsukasa

-She still hadn't gotten over that

-And before she knew it, she was getting a bit scared as she walked through the back alley

-She's got to pull herself together

-The longer she felt herself being watched though, the more scared she got

-She started running and she didn't know where she was now

-Yashiro: "Kou-kun! Minamoto-senpai!"

-Now, she was yelling for them

-As she turned the corner, she bumped into someone and fell down

-Yashiro: "Oof!"

-"Detective! Are you alright?"

-That voice. That nickname.

-She looked up

-Yashiro: "Hanak--"

-She immediately shushed when she realized Hanako wasn't alone and he wasn't even in his uniform

-Hanako was actually dressed up as Hana from before

-And nearby she saw Mitsuba

-Yashiro: "Mitsuba-kun!"

-Mitsuba: "Daikon-senpai!"

-Not so long after Yashiro found Mitsuba, Kou and Teru came running towards them

-Kou: "Senpai!"

-Yashiro: "Kou-kun! Minamoto-senpai!"

-Kou: "You weren't at the statue by the agreed time so we--"

-Kou then spotted Mitsuba

-Kou: "MITSUBA!"

-Kou proceeded to tackle and hug Mitsuba

-Mitsuba: "Minamoto-kun?!"

-Kou: "MITSUBA I WAS SO WORRIED!"

-Mitsuba: "Ah...I figured you would be. I tried to call you before but you weren't picking up so I left a voicemail."

-Kou: "Oh. I didn't check that. Oops."

-Mitsuba: "Stupid."

-Kou: "But wait, then why weren't you picking up my calls??"

-Mitsuba: "I had my phone turned off! I may have also left it behind. Did it not click for you that I am busy? I tried to let you know that!"

-Kou: "Mitsuba...I thought you went missing"

-Mitsuba: "What? Are you worried that my cuteness would get me kidnapped? I hope you don't plan on handcuffing me and you together again!"

-Kou: "That was a misunderstanding! I thought you were a criminal! And I didn't know how it worked at the time"

-Mitsuba: "I was being an undercover journalist! I can't believe you didn't even have the key to unlock them and we were stuck together for some time. AH YOU PERVERT!"

-Kou: "That again?!"

-Yashiro: "Ahem...you guys could squabble about that later?"

-Kou: "Oh sorry. I forgot you guys were there. Thank you Senpai for the help! You're the best! And of course Nii-chan too!....Oh Hana! You're also here! We meet again!"

-Hanako: "Ah yes! It's nice to see you again!...."

-Hanako was sweating under Teru's glare who was eyeing him suspiciously

-Hanako: "Well I got to leave so I'll get going now. Bye bye!"

-Hanako left the scene, everyone watching him go

-Mitsuba was recalling their conversation earlier:

[Earlier]

-Mitsuba: "You can drop the act now. We're alone. I know it's you, Hanako."

-Hanako: "Oh? Did you just figure it out?"

-Mitsuba: "No. I knew it was you the moment I inspected your face at Daikon-senpai's apartment. Minamoto-kun may be an idiot but you can't fool me. Don't underestimate me."

-Hanako: "Heh~ but you didn't say anything."

-Mitsuba: "I didn't say anything because I figured Daikon-senpai didn't want to reveal you. I do care for her, for your information. And Minamoto-kun...I don't know if I want him to know"

-Hanako: "So why did you drag me out here then? If not to arrest me?"

-Mitsuba: "I wanted to ask you something personal. I noticed it before but I didn't mention it."

-Hanako: "And what's that?"

-Mitsuba: "Why are there bandages underneath your clothes? In my photos of you, I could spot a glint of them now and then when the wind is strong enough to reveal more of your skin."

-Hanako: "Oh? Are you concerned for my well-being, gentleman?"

Mitsuba: "No. I do not care for you at all. If anything, I do not even want to associate with you. The only reason I'm even bothering is because Minamoto-kun is worried about you and Daikon-senpai seems to be protecting you for some reason."

Hanako: "In that case, I assure you I'm perfectly fine. No bandages here."

Mitsuba: "...Let me rephrase that. Why WERE there bandages underneath your clothes back then? Even if you say that, the times you had bandages were infrequent and unusual. There were times you did have them and times you didn't. They don't seem ordinary to me and I don't think you got hurt that badly during your heists. Those bandages seemed almost as if to say you got hurt...on purpose."

-An eerie silence followed

-Hanako: "Do you really want to know that badly?"

-Mitsuba felt some odd terror

-That's when Yashiro bumped into Hanako

-So, Mitsuba didn't quite get his answer but there was definitely something going on

-As he pondered while they walked out the alleyway, he felt like he was being watched

-He turned in the direction he felt them

-But then it was gone

-Was it his imagination?

---

-Hanako was back at his hideout where a bunch of Mokke were playing around

-He was in the middle of thinking

-While he noted that Mitsuba was quite a sharp and observant boy, there was also something else on his mind

-Yashiro was looking for Kou and Teru before she bumped into him

-And she seemed very close to Kou

-Hanako was wondering when Yashiro started calling Kou "Kou-kun" instead of "Minamoto-kun"

-It didn't bother him before but now suddenly, it did

-He thought of when Kou was being all cheery with Yashiro

-A sharp pain went through his chest

-Mokke: Something smells

-The Mokke started inching away from Hanako

-His heart was aching and he didn't get why

[lovelahela]

❛ high road ❜ ─ mother of the year.

⇢ entry for choices march challenge ! @choicesmarchchallenge

⇢ pairing: hailey young + astra young, thomas mendez x mc (hailey young)

⇢ genre: fluff, humour

⇢ prompt: high road ++ kindness

⇢ description: in which astra is paired up with ajax for a school project and seeks life lessons from her mother on how to deal with it.

⇢ word count: 1597

⇢ notes: i’m going to try my best to participate at least every other day if not every day for the rest of the month in hope of spreading positivity during these difficult times. i really do hope i'll manage to put a smile on someone's face and these dark moments just a little bit easier.

if you want to be put on my moty tag list, tell me!

❛ it's my way or the high way! ❜

❛ that... is not what i meant when i told you to take the high road, sweetie. ❜

Soft laughter and the aromatic scent that insinuated the presence of baked goods in the outdated oven filled the quaint apartment on a sunny Sunday afternoon. A brunette with a petite frame struggled against the hold of a noticeably taller and broader man wearing the goofiest grin on his handsome face. Hailey shrieked in surprise when Thomas smeared the coccoa filled batter across her rosy cheeks.

"You've crossed a line! THIS MEANS WAR!" She emitted a surprisingly powerful battlecry for such a small woman, shocking her captor into released her from his arms. He stared at her for a few seconds, dumbfounded, before he burst into laughter so genuine that Hailey's feigned angry expression softened into one of admiration and awe.

Thomas braced himself against the counter and his shoulders and entire body shook as sounds of joy interrupted the short period of silence. A small smile stretched her small, plump lips and eyes the colour of rich soil sparkled with fondness. Once his laughter died down, he coughed awkwardly upon noticing her staring and their closeness, and he scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Uh — you have a pretty strong battlecry for someone so tiny." He grinned yet again, a playful glint in his steel blue-gray eyes.

Hailey whacked his shoulder jokingly. "Rude! I'm not that short, for a Korean woman."

"Emphasis on the for a Korean part." She poked his ribs, receiving a surprised yelp as a response. He raised his arms defensively. "Okay, okay, I'll stop teasing. Wouldn't wanna lose you — people of your stature are in short supply."

Hailey gasped, but couldn't fight the wide smile that practically stretched from ear to ear. "You did not!"

"You're right, I didn't." He looked at her with a wicked expression. "I wouldn't dare insult you — you're a little intimidating — and yet very good at small talk!"

She squealed in mocked offense and slapped his rather muscular arm multiple times, ignoring the fact that he showed little to no reaction to her attempted physical attacks. "You're just jealous you'd never be able to measure up to someone as amazing as me!"

Thomas cackled evilly at her choice of words. "You know what, Hailey Bear? You're right. I might need to knock myself down a few inches. Maybe lower my expectations a little bit."

At that point, she couldn't fight the giggles that bubbled out of her lips against her will. "I walked myself into that one!" Her laughter bounced off the words, chaotic and jovial, but like a melody to his ears. While he appeared distracted with her, she seized the opportunity to smear batter across his cheeks in retaliation. He gasped, pointing an accusatory finger at her.

"Traitor!" He lunged at her menacingly, and with a surprised squeal, Hailey attempted to flee from impending doom. However, he was too fast for her, and grabbed her arm with a satisfied "aha!"

Without realizing his own strength, he pulled her body up against his own, suddenly putting mere centimetres between their faces. Granted, she had to tilt her head upwards to fully look him in his widened eyes — which she realized were rather gorgeous up close. His lips were parted, shocked by the sudden turn of events, and his breathing was laboured as his heart hammered against his ribcage.

A fuzzy feeling that, as much as she hated to admit it, only ever showed up around the adorable yet dorky lawyer settled in Hailey's stomach. Blood rushed to her already reddened cheeks and ears as she tried to ignore the feeling of her chest pressed against hers. They were either too shocked to move, or they didn't want to — maybe a little bit of both.

The sound of a door being flung open snapped them back into reality, and they sprung apart from each other. The two dissolved into a fit of embarased coughs, each avoiding the other's gaze. Two small girls shuffled into the living room, oblivious to the tension between their parents. Luz, Thomas's fiesty daughter with lovely, curly hair had her arms crossed across her chest defiantly with a determined look on her adorably scrunched up face. However, Hailey's daughter Astraea, whose messy bangs shielded her eyes shamefully and gloomily, had her shoulders slumped in defeat. Hailey's motherly instincts kicked in almost immediately, completely forgetting her previous interactions with Thomas.

She rushed forward and kneeled down, gently placing her hands on her petite child's shoulders. A frown distorted her gentle features. "Hey, hey, what's wrong, sweetie?"

Though her voice was calm, it was laced with concern. Thomas furrowed his eyebrows worriedly and glanced at Luz for an explanation.

"Astra's still sad that she got partnered with that buttface August for our science project."

"Luz! Language!"

"Hey! You weren't supposed to tell!" Astraea pouted at her best friend's betrayal, bottom lip quivering inconspicuously. Hailey almost didn't notice it.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier, Rocket?" The corners of Astraea's lips quirked upwards at the use of the nickname her mother and her beloved neighbour Levi began calling her, but the smile faded as quickly as it came.

"I didn't want you to talk to the teachers, or anything. People will think I'm a snitch — and snitches get stitches," she whimpered, ashamed of keeping it a secret from her mother.

"That — that assbutt will get stitches if he doesn't watch out!" yelled Luz angrily.

Hailey bit down her laugh when Thomas choked on thin air behind her, imagining the horrified look on his face. "WHERE ARE YOU LEARNING THOSE WORDS?"

"Look, August may be a little mean — " she ignored the scoff from Luz, knowing she couldn't truly express what she thought about that little twerp " — but he wouldn't risk failing to bully you. If he tries to annoy or tease you, just take the high road. Do you know what that means?"

Astraea thought back to the time she heard her mother use a similar phrase when talking to someone on the phone, and scrunched up her face in determination with an exaggerated nod. "Yep! Thanks, mom!"

Hailey ruffled her daughter's shoulder-blade-length, jet black hair and fixed the bangs so she could see her beautiful irises, a warm brown with specks of a soft blue you could spot if you looked hard enough. After her messy divorce with her ex-husband Guy Ledford, those blue specks reminded her of his despicable eyes until Astraea made them her own.

Once the duo rushed back into Astra's bedroom, Hailey stood up and absentmindedly turned to face Thomas. Nervous butterflies ate at her insides as memories of their exchanged flooded her mind.

"I — Uh — We — "

" I mean — Um — We could — "

Upon accepting that neither of them could formulate a full, coherent sentence, they let out a single cough simultaneously and resumed their baking activities, subtly smiling to themselves despite their flaming cheeks.

The following day, Hailey drived to Bernhardt academy, anxious about seeing how Astraea handled her day with the pompous child that made her put up with incessant teasing and occasional bullying. Her blood boiled whenever she thought of him and his mother, Vanessa Blackwood, who had been throwing comments with underlying hints of racism and homophobia at her. Although his twin brother Ajax was more bearable, he was too meek.

The students began filing out of the school and ran into their parents' waiting arms. Hailey stood on her tiptoes, her eyes scanning the crowd of little ones to find her own. Finally, she spotted Astraea walking out in a fast pace, arguing with a familiar boy while clutching her books against her chest in a knuckle-whitening grip. Hailey frowned at the sight of the two bickering heatedly and waited for them to get closer to listen to their conversation. Luz and Thomas walked up beside her.

"Everything okay, Hails?" asked Thomas gently, his arm around his child's shoulder. Said child cracked her knuckles menacingly while glaring at the bully walking beside her approaching best friend. "Time to kick some butt!"

He sighed, but decided against scolding her for the time being.

"You're wrong! That would be totally uncool! We should build an airplane!" argued August relentlessly as his brother trailed behind him nervously.

Finally, Astraea whirled around and glared at him fiercly, very red-faced and teeth clenched.

"For the last time, the theme isn't aerodynamics!" The volume of her voice heightened with each uttered word, drawing the fleeting attention of near parents and children. Hailey gaped at the sight of her sweet little daughter snapping at someone, and despite the proud feeling that welled up inside of her, she warned her like any other responsible adult would do, in theory. "Astra! Inside voices!"

Even August appeared shocked at her outburst. "You can't talk to me like that!"

"Yes, I... I can!" Her voice and resolve wavered at his equally furious and intimidating gaze, worrying her mother. However, she squared her shoulders and retorted confidently. "It's... It's my way or the high way!"

No one spoke for the following seconds, unsure of what to say at her uncharacteristic choice of words. Upon processing the context behind them, Hailey snorted, earning a look of disapproval from Thomas while Luz whooped in approval at Astraea's decision to stand up for herself aggressively.

She cracked an involuntary smile, beaming proudly at her daughter. "That... is not what I meant when I told you to take the high road, sweetie."

[fal-carrington]

Just Friends Pt.3

Pairing: KamilahxMc

Disclaimer: The characters are NOT mine, they belong to PB

Prompt: “She was able to catch your eye at the minute she stepped into the same environment as you. She was gorgeous, kind, interesting, brilliant and... Single. I never thought my type would be a serious, tall woman, who loved suits, with straight hair down her shoulders and beautiful brown eyes until I met her. It was very easy to fall in love with Kamilah Sayeed, the CEO, billionaire, she was out everyone’s league, the difficult part of the task was to make her love you back. But this was a task that I was more than happy to accomplish”

A/N: This is my newest work, I'm working on this fanfic which is basically the fluff / smut style, since you guys filled my message box with requests for smuts and I've only been writing so much angst lately XD This is for all the anons who asked this ❤️Anyway I have not abandoned my previous works, which will eventually be posted. The events occur after the battle against Vega

Ahmanet Financial

Kamilah’s pov

"Are you free tonight?" Hayley asked softly on the other end of the line.

"That depends on your definition of free,” I replied as I reviewed some contracts that were on my desk. It was about 18:00 pm when Hayley called. She was anxious, I could feel it in her voice. I had to admit that hearing her voice for the first time that week was very good, but I would not say that to her.

"Oh, come on. I have plans for us today, if you are available. And before you arrange any excuses, I've already asked Adrian and you both has no council meeting scheduled for today. So there's no place you can runaway, Miss Sayeed” She said boldly and I smiled at that.

"Us?" I asked, frowning with that unexpected word. “I have to admit I’m surprised with your call.” I said.

“Since you did not show up at the office this week, I found myself thinking about you and I thought it would be nice if I called you..."

"So you admit that you were thinking about me?" I teased with a smile on my face. She was thinking of me, that precious little human thing, how she always capable of surprising me. In my time of life, only few people were able to surprise me, but Hayley did it with great ease. She was impulsive, young, stubborn and extremely unpredictable.

"I... Um... Kamilah!"

"You said so."

"I didn’t meant that—“

"Oh, I think you did. It’s alright. I'm not mad at you thinking of me," I said with a smile and I heard her sigh.

"Yeah...Um... I ... I was just referring in case of the two of us... You know, maybe we could—" I smiled involuntarily, as I heard her stammer, imagining that cute red blush on her cheeks. "...You know, maybe we could go out and do something nice.”

"You know, I'm busy now, right?" I told Hayley, holding my phone in my ear.

"I know, I know! But you're always busy! And I do not want to bother, but you said you would release a day on your agenda,” she said, remembering my words perfectly, I sighed.

"I think I underestimated your memory. May I ask what your plans are?"

"So you're interested?" She asked, laughing.

"Maybe," I said with my eyes on my computer.

"I can guarantee you'll have fun," she said excitedly. "Sooo... Are you considering leaving work early for us spending some time together?"

I spent a few seconds reconsidering that, a part of me strangely was eager to spend time with her. And the other part thought that going out early work would not be a very responsible act on my part.

I sighed. I could hear her breathing perfectly on the other end of the line, eagerly awaiting for the answer. I wanted that. I really wanted spending so time with that young mortal. Who am I and what have I done to Kamilah Sayeed?

The irresponsible part won obviously, that was exclusively Hayley’s fault. Spending so much time like this with her, make that effect on me.

"Okay, I believe I can release my agenda for you, Miss O'Connell."

"Thank you, Miss Sayeed. You will not regret it.” She said and I could feel the smile in her voice.

Hayley’s pov.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" Kamilah asked as she drove through the streets of Manhattan.

I looked at her. She was unbelievably beautiful that night, which was not much of a struggle for her, but today she wore something different and casual that fits her nicely. She wore a white Gucci sweater, skinny jeans, oh my god, Kamilah was in jeans... She looked fantastic in jeans.

"It's a surprise! It would not be fun if I told you,” I said with a smile. I was grateful that she had not chosen a more formal look because the place I chose was far from something she was accustomed to.

"Can I at least know what we're going to do on Chinatown?" She asked curiously.

"Let's have fun! It'll be cool, Lily and I we used to go there all the time,” I said excitedly.

"I hope it's worth the time of drive." She said with her eyes on the street.

"Don’t worry." I touched lightly on her hand that was on top of the cambio. Kamilah stiffened, but did not take her hand under mine. "You worry too much when things are out of your control, right?" I said with a smile.

"Just a little," she said with a small smile. Stroking my hand lightly. “You look beautiful, by the way.” Kamilah said casually, and I felt my cheeks burn and my ears turn red. "And here we go, you're blushing again." She laughed.

Another twenty-five minutes of traffic and finally we arrived at our destination. Kamilah looked around at people walking through the streets and fireworks scattered around the shops, all well-colored, music echoing from everywhere.

"Can you explain now what we're doing in Chinatown?" She said impatiently again.

"Park there!" I said pointing to a spot that was a few feet from us. Kamilah rolled her eyes, but did as I said and parked the car.

I got out of the car and threw the handle of my bag over my shoulder. Today I had chosen something for myself, Lily was not at home so I had to turn myself, then I chose something more my style. A black tank top with several necklaces on my neck, shabby jeans with all star and my cross purse plus my beige leather jacket hanging on it. Kamilah got out of the car still looking around, as she was in a hostile environment, I believe she's never been here before.

"Come on, it's going to be fun. I'll introduce you to my favorite restaurant.” I said excitedly.

"Your animation is definitely contagious." She watched around and started to walk beside me. "I've never been here before."

"I love this place. It’s amazing"

"Is that so?" She replied with her eyes narrowed. She was so close. Oh my god, she smelled so good. That perfume...

"Oh, serious? Has not Mama Sayeed taught little Kamilah not to judge without knowing?” I asked with folded arms, standing in front of her. She studied me for a few seconds, before letting out a laugh that made me smile.

"For your government..." She said approaching me until we were inches from each other. Being so close to her kept me from forming concrete thoughts. "...My mother never said that." She said her lips so close to mine, her beautiful brown eyes burning mine.

"Sometimes I forget you're royalty, ma'am. I bet you had a lot of servants to straighten your shiny, moisturized hair with a comb, you have until today.” I said with a boldly smile and kept walking beside her.

"Not that it's in your best interest, but my hair is naturally smooth..." She said walking beside me, I could feel the smile in her voice. "But you're right, they used to comb my hair, but it was me who held the extra comb." I laughed out loud.

"I can not believe you're joking." I touched her warm hand, curling my fingers into hers.

"You're a bad influence," she said with a smile.

We went to my favorite restaurant, and I must say the food was great. They always surprise me every time. Kamilah tried not to show, but I'm sure she liked it. After dinner we walked the streets and watched the fireworks, we bought ice cream, which made the evening even better. When was almost midnight Kamilah stopped the car in front of my apartment and I saw the light of the room lit, Lily had already arrived.

"I hope you enjoyed it," I said looking at her. Kamilah smiled, a small smile, and I saw a sparkle in her brown eyes.

"Very much," she said. "But, if you do not mind..." She leaned forward, touching my face, I swallowed hard as she approached. Kamilah kissed me then, her lips were soft and her perfume made me lose my senses. At first she was gentle, but as the seconds passed, the kiss became rough, and when I found myself, I was out of breath, my tongue against hers, my mind spinning, and clinging to Kamilah's sweater. "Let's go to my house," she said between kisses.

"But, I told Lily..." I stopped kissing her breathlessly and looked at her. Kamilah looked back at me with pure desire in that brown eyes. Fuck. Was that what I was supposed to do? I mean, it's our second date, but we already sleep together. Twice. And just now we were going out, if I lower my guard now... would that be wrong? Oh fuck, but she's looking at me with those eyes, I can not even breathe when she looks at me like that She wanted me and I wanted her. "... Forget what I said, let's go to your house.” I said impulsively and Kamilah opened a widely grin.

Lily and Hayley's apartment 9am

I unlocked the front door and entered the apartment, closing the door behind me. Still with a smile on my face and with the memories of last night in my mind.

"Look who's come, if it's not the Obi-wan of sex." Lily greeted me with a sly grin on her face as she made pancakes. I felt my face turn red, left my purse on the armchair, and approached the counter.

"Obi-wan of sex?" I frowned at her. Trying not to turn red, obviously staying the same way.

"You are obi-wan and Kamilah is clearly Yoda. How was last night? You not came home,” she said with a laugh. She and her Star Wars references.

"Ah ... Um ... It was good. We talked a lot. She is pretty funny"

"My ass you both kept talking all night. You smell like sex girl, I smell her perfume on you, it's really good, by the way.” she said with a laugh. "I bet Kamilah bang you yesterday. You're even with a hickey on the neck.” She said pointing at me with a spatula, I tried to cover it uselessly.

"Lily! This is not a hickey here! This here... Is... accidentally I fell." I said embarrassed.

"I bet it fell down. In Kamilah's bed, that’s right,” she said with a laugh and I covered my face. “Girl look at yourself you look red as tomato. But if want to keep acting like nothing happened, so nothing happened.” She gave me a wink with a smile.

Ahmanet Financial 7pm

It had already been two months of weekly dates, sex nights at Kamilah's house, outside our relationship, the only person who knew was Lily. And it's been great, all the time I spend with her, my feelings only increase, if that's even possible. I could almost say we were dating, things have been going very slowly between us. Kamilah was not a big fan of the G word. So today I decided to briefly go over at her job to see her before going out with Lily for a girls night, since Adrian had given me the night off.

"Honestly, I do not care," she said as I walked beside her through the hallways of her office. She was dazzling in her black suit that looked perfect on her body, her black blouse had a neckline that valued her breasts, and I swear I had to stop staring. "Hayley, serious? Could not you send me a message instead of coming to my work to say you're going out with Lily?” She said.

"Hey, one day you'll thank me for giving you satisfaction where I'm going to you. And you do not check your cell phone at night, what would be the purpose? Besides, I wanted to see you.”

"That's cute, but I'm working." She stopped in front of her office door. A young brunette girl who seemed to be older than I was standing watching, with a tablet in hand.

"Hi!" I said as I caught her looking and her cheeks burned as she was caught looking at us. I reached out my hand and she hurried to squeeze it

"Hi, I'm Karen. Mrs. Sayeed's assistant." She said with a smile.

"We were finally introduced. I'm Hayley, Kamilah's future girlfriend. Nice to meet you,” I said and saw the horror in Kamilah's eyes. Karen tried to hold back the laughter.

"We're just friends," Kamilah said, trying to correct me seriously.

"Anyway, she is, but I’m not. How long have you worked here?"

"Ten years," she said.

"Holy shit. You've been working here for a long time, tell me, the job comes with a health plan, a dental plan?”

"Okay, Hayley. I have to work and you have to do whatever it is, come on.” Kamilah said pulling me into the elevator.

“Bye Karen!” I stopped in front of the elevator. "But I did not even tell you where I'm going with Lily tonight," I said looking at her.

"OK. Where are you going? "She asked impatiently with her hands on her hips. I prepared myself for her response after what I was about to say.

"So... Priya invited me to come to her club. Basically, we are going to one of Priya's shows,” I said, and at that moment I saw her features change. Kamilah's look of impatience turned to hidden anger behind those brown eyes.

"Are you serious?" She said.

"I came to warn you and ask if everything was fine. I know you and Priya are not very close," I said, watching her features. Kamilah sighed and ran her hand over her face.

“Oh, come on. It's just a show, and it's going to have electronic music and drinks, it's going to be amazing” I said excitedly.

"Of course not, why would bother me. You going to one of Priya’s shows, knowing perfectly what my feelings are towards that particular person and how she behaves when you're around?"

“Yeah...?”

"Go ahead then. If you want.” She shrugged.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "Um... So we're cool about that?"

"Sure why not?" She snapped angrily.

"Alright then! I'll call you when I get home.” I said with a smile and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, stepping into the elevator.

[yn-rollcall]

Momento Bakugo x Reader Chapter 27

First Chapter

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

Summary: So I was always told to look on the bright side. The bright side is that I’m finally meeting the Number One and Two pro-heroes Deku and Dynamight. The downside is that I was publicly dragged out of my job for a string of robberies that I did not commit and am being detained for questioning.

Length: 4.9k

Warnings: Oral Sex, Food Kink, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Mirror Sex, Quirk Kink (My Hero Academia), Shameless Smut, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Rough Sex, Emotional Constipation, Chocolate Syrup, Fluff, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, Temperature Play, Hate Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Attempted Sexual Assault, Blood and Injury, Heavy Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Panty Kink, Semi-Public Sex, Creampie, Bondage, Body Worship, Light Dom/sub, Daddy Kink, Pegging, Public Masturbation, Office Sex, Wank and Tell, Polyamory, So like at the very very end there’s KatsukixReaderxKirishima, But it happens so last minute I don’t feel justified tagging it as one of the main relationships, Constructive Criticism Welcome

A03

Wattpad

A/N: I hope I handled this well. Beta read by Inanna6315. Sorry for the wait. It'll now be consistent til the end.

The phone rang for about two rings when a breathless Deku answered the phone.

"Are you okay?" He asked quickly.

"Yes but I don't think Katsuki is." I said.

There was some shuffling in the background.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his voice a lot more focused now.

"First, was I interrupting something?" I asked.

"What's wrong with Kacchan?" He pressed.

"Um. He's avoiding me? And at first I thought he was taking things slow but it's definitely something else." I explained quickly. "Did he say anything to you?"

He breathed out a sigh of relief.

"I mean he expressed a lot of regret over not saving you sooner."

"That day, at the gym." A soft deep voice said a little ways away from the phone.

"..Oh." Deku said.

"Oh what?" I asked.

"There was this one time. He...he said he messed up really bad. And...just cried. I've never seen him like that." Deku explained.

"He messed up? When?"

"The day I tried to get you two to talk it out in the training room."

"But...I was the one who pushed him away?" I said, confused.

"You pushed him away?" Deku asked

"Yea he um...it was going to be bad if I didn't." I said, vaguely, not wanting to reveal much about such a personal moment, especially if Katsuki himself hadn't said anything about what happened. I heard Deku moving on the other end. A door shut quietly. More movement. Deku stayed silent for an uncomfortable minute before saying very quietly:

"Did.....did he hurt you?" He asked softly.

"What? No no no. He didn't. He was the one who was going to get hurt." I said quickly.

"Y/N..."

I realized how much it sounded like I was covering for him. I was strong, but the only times Deku saw me fight Bakugo, he had won by a landslide.

"Izuku." I said softly. "You can't tell anyone this okay? I'm serious."

"I won't." He promised.

"He-he um." I gathered myself. "We were talking and then we were arguing and then things got sexual and intense. We were still arguing but...he was basically telling me he missed me." I stumbled out.

I paused for a moment, trying to organize my thoughts. The whole thing was a brainwash-tinted, sexually charged, spur-of-the-moment action for me. It was hard to break down my individual thoughts and string them together.

"It's okay." He said softly. "You can tell me."

"I missed him too and I let things go too far. He started kissing me and stuff and...he thought that was the only way he could be with me. That's why he was doing it." I said with a shudder. "And I almost let him."

Silence.

"I couldn't let him do that to himself. I couldn't let myself do that to him. So I pushed him away." I said, not sure if I was able to explain it clearly.

"I think...he walked away with...a very different interpretation of events." Deku said delicately.

"Like what?" I asked.

"He um...he might feel like he assaulted you." Deku said quietly.

I choked.

"WHAT."

"Listen I thought he did. Even after hearing the explanation the line seems blurry." Deku explained exasperatedly.

"But he didn't! He gave me an out! So many times and I didn't take it!" I said back to him.

"Okay but I don't think he sees it that way!"

"That's...dumb! If anything I was the one who...fuck! I mean if the only way I positively responded to him was when he was sexual isn't that like manipulation or...or something?" I said. "I'm the one who basically...oh God. " I trailed off, realizing the gravity of the situation.

How the fuck is he blaming himself? I thought back over it again, remembering my words and actions.

Because Deku told me to.

You're an asshole.

This is fucking pathetic.

That was before he touched me. Afterwards the insults had mostly stopped. You could argue things were normal albeit emotionally charged. I started participating and reacting to him. But if someone was observing...it probably looked really bad.

"Shit." I said finally. "I see your point."

"So...what's the plan?"

"I probably gotta make the first move." I said. "I just...he's so damn careful I don't know how." I sighed.

"Let's brainstorm tomorrow the best way to go about it." Deku said.

Katsuki POV

I haven't been meaning to but I've sulked all day about the way our date ended. Her eyes were trained on me, begging for something I couldn't give. And I deeply wanted to give her whatever she wanted. I shook my head, snapping out of it and focusing on patrol. I passed by the bakery and on instinct looked inside knowing she wouldn't be there.

However, there was a flustered Yoko and Deku talking inside as a little excited puppy ran up to the door and clawed at the entrance. Yoko walked around the counter and opened the door, letting the puppy scamper straight up to me and paw at my heels. I picked it up, looking into it's big expressive eyes. The dog barked and licked me. I turned my head just in time for the tongue to miss my mouth and scrape over my cheek.

Deku jogged up to me looking at the dog and then me.

"You-You should take her home!" He blurted out.

"What?" Yoko and I said in unison.

"The um owner doesn't come back until Monday." Deku said quickly.

I narrowed my eyes at him until Auntie walked up.

"It's a friend of mine's dog. They asked me to watch it but I just remembered my building doesn't allow pets. " She said.

"Why can't Deku or Pigtails watch the dog?" I glanced at Yoko and Deku.

"I'm allergic." Yoko said quickly. "And my lease also doesn't allow pets."

I turned towards Deku.

"I uh.." Deku squirmed.

Todoroki walked over.

"We wanted some alone time." Todoroki said, walking around me and standing by Deku. "And I want all of his focus."

Deku blushed deeply, glancing at Todoroki.

"Got it." I said, pushing the mental image out of my head.

The puppy barked, nuzzled and pawed at me happily. I pouted at her as she licked my face one more time.

"Fine!" I said grumpily.

"Thanks Kacchan!" Deku said.

I glanced at the puppy again. She was a very small and fluffy curly-coated retriever. The hair color and eyes reminded me of Y/N. Against my will, I could already feel myself growing attached. The little puppy started wagging its tail and tried to climb onto my head. Auntie walked out and she held out a blue bag. The bag was vaguely familiar and empty. I grabbed the bag and put the puppy in it. Her head popped out the side and she stuck her tongue out panting happily.

"What's her name?" I asked absentmindedly as I scratched under her chin.

The dog closed her eyes happily and leaned into my touch.

"Menace." Yoko said almost pointedly.

Strange name.

The dog barked at her. I'd be mad at that name too.

"Alright let's go, little menace." I cooed at her.

The dog looked at me and craned it's head towards me. I gave her more scratches and she panted happily. I slung the bag over my shoulder and continued my patrol. People pointed, oohed and aahed. I initially tried to let other people pet her when they asked but Menace didn't seem to like that. Children were okay though.

When I got back to the office, I was worried Menace might've peed or something but it seemed fine. She was a well trained dog. The minute I set down the bag, Menace trotted over to the bushes. The sounds of peeing filtered out. When it stopped, she popped out of the bushes and came back to me. I walked towards the doors and she followed obediently, her little legs rushing underneath her. She tripped a little bit, whined and then got back up quickly with a huff. I smiled at the little fighter as she scrambled past the door frame. When I got to the office, I sat down in my chair and Menace walked up to my desk, desperately trying to catch up with her tiny legs.

"Sit." I said.

She hesitated a moment before sitting at my feet, tail wagging.

"Good girl." I said, giving her more attention.

She nuzzled into my touch happily, almost sad when I stopped. Her tail wagged furiously, causing a small smile to show up on my face. This puppy is killing me.

"Hey Kacchan." Deku asked. "I'm sorry but we'll need you for a full day today. Denki called in sick and his paperwork is pretty urgent. Do you think you could do it?" He asked apologetically.

"Sure." I grunted.

I looked at Menace, suddenly wishing I had snacks to give her for being good. Deku walked over and gave her a bowl full of some of his lunch along with some water in a separate bowl. She walked up to the bowl hesitantly, and bent down, eating slowly. After a bit, she seemed to get more comfortable. Once she had her fill, she walked over to me and started pawing at my leg.

"Sit, I've got work to do." I said sternly.

She whined, but sat. I worked for a bit before glancing at the puppy. She laid down on the cold tile unhappily but silent. A little tug pulled at my heart at the sight. I sighed a bit before scratching her chin and body to which she responded positively. Eventually, I pulled her onto my lap and worked like that. She fell asleep and stayed still as long as I gave her attention every once in a while. I had been considering getting a dog and this was definitely sealing the deal. Maybe a bigger breed though.

The workday ended uneventfully and I briefly worried about a small puppy being in my car without restraints when she climbed into the back. The little puppy took a few steps back, wiggled her butt and hopped onto the middle console. Then, she climbed onto the passenger seat and sat contentedly. Waiting for me. She barked and stared at me with those big eyes. I eyed the dog and got in the driver's seat. We rode home calmly with surprisingly no incident. I even rolled the windows down to see if she would react. She almost gave me a look that said "Really?". I didn't know why I felt self-conscious all of a sudden, especially over a dog, but I rolled it up quickly after that. I have to call up the owner and ask about their training method.

When we got home the puppy explored the house. I briefly thought about a dinner I could cook tonight that was dog friendly, vowing to pick up official dog food tomorrow. I managed to think of something and eyed her when she got close to my couch. Menace didn't seem the type to tear up furniture, so I cooked with relative ease. She didn't even beg as the food was being cooked. When dinner was almost over, Menace came from the same hallway as my bedroom with a too-big collar around her neck. My eyes blew wide open.

"No no, that's not for you." I said quickly, moving to take the collar.

She resisted, barking and stepping back. Guess she is a normal dog after all but I don't want to play tug of war or keep away with this collar. I grabbed at it again and she growled when I got close. My eyes bugged out.

"Starting to understand the name. You're pretty stubborn when you wanna be." I grumbled. She barked in response.

The collar was something I bought on impulse because I couldn't get the image of Y/N wearing a collar with my name on it out of my head. And now Menace has claimed it, probably thinking of it as her own collar. The puppy cradled it protectively and didn't make any moves to tear it up to my surprise. I resigned myself to letting her have it. I could always try to take it off when she sleept tonight. I loaded a bowl with food and paused before I set it down.

"Trade dinner for the collar?" I said half-heartedly.

Menace shook her head no and stepped back with something very close to a pout on her face. Unbelievable.

"Fine." I grumbled as I gave her dinner.

She cautiously eyed me as she approached the bowl. When she saw I wasn't gonna try anything, she shrugged off the collar, put it under her paw and started eating. Very smart dog, although she doesn't seem to realize I'm definitely stronger than her. It was unbearably cute. After dinner, I checked my phone and realized Y/N hadn't texted me all day.

Kastuki:

Hey, how was your day?

I waited a few minutes and realized it was gonna take a while for her to answer. I hopped in the shower and when I finished, I found Menace sitting on my bed staring at me. I rolled my eyes at the freaky dog and got dressed. The puppy barked repeatedly and I waved it off. I yawned, surprisingly tired after the workday. Then, I got in bed, settling under the covers. The dog walked over as I got comfortable and barked again. Then she started pawing at me.

"It's sleeping time." I said to the dog, picking her up and holding her over my head.

I looked into her eyes. "Sleepytime." I repeated.

She nodded and wiggled her body so I set her down. She climbed on my chest and curled up, settling herself.

"You're intent on giving me a hard time huh." I asked.

She barked in confirmation. I closed my eyes and sighed, very charmed by the cute puppy when I felt a lick on my mouth. I safely yanked the puppy off of me and set it on the bed before furiously wiping my mouth,

"Gross you really are a...a.." I trailed off when I heard a loud poof. I then turned around to see Y/N completely naked on my bed with my collar around her neck.

"Hi." She said sheepishly.

My brain won't function. I blinked at her, mouth agape as she crawled over.

Where? How? The collar? No clothes. What the fuck-

"Okay so admittedly this was not the plan but y'know it works anyway." She said, settling down beside me. "Gotta roll with the punches I guess. Does Deku usually panic under pressure by the way?"

Plan? For WHAT? What is she talking about?

"What?" I managed to choke out.

"Never mind. Um. Can we talk about that night in the training room?" She asked softly.

When the sentence hit me, it was like a splash of cold water.

"Um...yea." I said gruffly as I watched her use the covers to cover herself.

I stealthily arranged the covers to hide my hard on and gave her my full attention.

"So I was wondering why you were avoiding me. What could've caused it." She said licking her lips. "Then I remembered the training room."

I gulped, shame flooding my body.

"I-."

"Lemme finish." She interrupted.

I nodded.

"That night. I um. I did something awful to you." She said.

I made a surprised noise at the back of my throat.

"To me?" I said incredulously.

"Um yea!" She said indignantly. "I don't doubt pushing you away was the right thing but I never should have let the sex get that far." She said quickly.

"You- I. I was the one who assaulted you!" I screeched, the words burning in my throat. "You should hate me."

"No you didn't-"

"I pushed myself onto you-"

"Katsuki I-"

"And I made you leave in a panic! I've never seen you run so fast-" I said.

"I WANTED IT!" She bellowed at me, a blast reverberating around the room. A moment of silence stretched between us before she collected herself. "I wanted you to Katsuki. And for a minute, I was willing to let you get hurt to have you."

Something about her words pricked at that complicated knot I haven't been able to figure out. I tried to drown the subtle sting of feelings coming up. I stared dumbly at her.

"What?"

"Katsuki you gave me outs. Outs I didn't take, ones I should have taken considering everything but I wasn't thinking. Because I missed and wanted you too. I stopped everything because I didn't want you to regret it."

"What the hell are you talking about?" My eyes narrowed.

"You were willing to throw away your pride and do something that you deemed pathetic just to be with me!" She stammered. "That's awful."

More intense emotions gathered in me, becoming harder to suppress.

"I-"

"I literally know what it's like to be with someone who only reacts positively to you during sex. I thought I'd never do that." She said softly. "But I let it get really far. I..." She trailed off, struggling to find the words. "I...probably made you feel like the only way you were worthy was when you were with me sexually and that wasn't okay. Brainwashing or not."

She wrung her hands together and her face contorted with guilt. She looked me in the eye, her face sincere and sad.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you." She said.

I wanted to rebut her words but I felt my throat sting. She looked at me and scooted closer, like she was approaching a scared animal. I felt raw. I wanted to run.

"Please say something." She pleaded, delicately.

I didn't realize how far down I had shoved the resentment at being seen so low. At having felt so low. The embarrassment. The bitterness at all the harsh words I took just to have a piece of her. I felt the bravado I've been keeping up fully deflate and leave behind mountains of emotions I tried to dissolve.

"Did you really think I was pathetic?" I found myself asking.

"No. I said that to hurt you. I'm sorry." She said softly.

"Do you hate me?" I asked, trying to prevent my voice from cracking.

"No. I never did. I have notes and stuff I can give you...if you want proof."

I smiled a bit, remembering the notes I read on her desk.

"Does any part of you...really feel those things about me?" I asked, my voice a whisper now.

"No. I loved you so much I couldn't stand it." She said, scooting closer. "I want to make it up from here on out. I'm sorry for putting you through all that."

"It was Hosei." I said automatically.

"But I still committed the actions. I still have to apologize." She said, and I felt the dam inside me that kept me from weeping fill with cracks.

"I thought. I did. I assaulted you. I- I did the one thing that set me apart from that garbage and you looked like you hated me but sometimes you looked like you loved me and I should have stopped but I kept going because I was so desperate and I'm sorry." I rambled, my eyes stinging with the threat of tears. My voice gruff from the weight of trying to hold it all back. "I know you don't see it that way but I do and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

It was fucking embarassing. Asking all these questions, how it made me feel weak. Warm, comforting arms wrapped around me.

"Katsuki I have no doubt that if I asked, truly asked you to stop, you would've." She murmured. "When I floated you off of me, you immediately stopped. You didn't make any moves to make me stay. You didn't press the issue. You've kept respectful boundaries up until now. That's how I know."

"I'm not sure." I whispered.

"I am. You're not Hosei. He was never in the same universe as you. Ever." She said calmly. "When I look back at that moment in the gym, what stuck with me and helped me make the decision to stop were the times you checked I was okay with the touch. It may have been nonverbal but Hosei never did that. You're not like him."

There was a thought, the core of everything that made this so complicated to move on from. It was childish, it was weak but it was necessary for me to admit it.

"You hurt me." I whispered brokenly. "I knew it wasn't you but it hurt. It hurt so bad." My voice cracked.

For a moment, I was terrified. I was terrified that more hurtful words would come. More insults, more hate and vitriol. I held my breath, waiting for her response.

"I did hurt you. And I'm so sorry. I promise I will do better." She said softly, squeezing my hands.

I broke down. I sobbed, finally feeling forgiven. Feeling like I could forgive. Her arms wrapped tighter around me. All the emotion I've been holding back since she was kidnapped spilled over with no sign of stopping. For a moment, I was overwhelmed but feeling Y/N's arms tighten around me kept me anchored. Slowly, the bitterness, resentment and embarrassment washed away and while the residue was still there, it was small enough to deal with on my own time. Eventually, I stopped sobbing and felt my cheeks heat up. Crying in front of your newly re-acquired girlfriend isn't exactly sexy and it's not something I was used to doing in any context. She laid us down, keeping me in her arms. I still felt embarrassed but calm. And sleepy. My eyes grew heavier and heavier until I fell asleep.

Y/N POV

I sat up with a start, realizing that this was not my bed. My house, my anything. I hyperventilated until the events of last night flashed back in my memory. I breathed one last calming breath before crawling out of bed. I've only been here once before but things seemed so different from then. I looked through his drawers until I found a shirt that I was okay with putting on. I didn't see any shorts, so I put on his boxers underneath and called it a morning.

When I walked into the living room, I turned on the TV to watch the news. It was covering a fight that happened earlier this morning. As the story went on, I realized that Dynamight was the hero who had a difficult fight this morning. And that he looked really worse for wear. My heart clenched as ice cold dread filled my body. We just had that talk last night; what if he's hurt? Was he able to focus? Is he okay? I didn't finish watching the news story, I just opened a window and blasted myself to the bakery. After about 10 minutes I walked in sweating, up to the counter, surprising Yoko.

"Katsuki has he? Is he okay?" I panted.

"What? What's wrong, why are you dressed like-?" She asked

"Is Katsuki okay?" I cut her off, distressed.

"I-I haven't seen..." She trailed off looking behind me.

There he was, a little worse for wear but completely alright. Some soot covered his face and outfit and his hair looked way messier than usual. His eyes were wide as he stared at me. Tears sprung to my eyes as I flung open the door and launched myself at him. He grunted at the impact and held me up as I squeezed him tight.

"Are you okay?!"

Katsuki POV

I watched her pull away, tears in her eyes at the prospect of me getting hurt. She wore one of my old t-shirts with the collar and still had sleep lines on her arms. She must've woke up and rushed over here just to check on me after hearing about the fight this morning. I didn't know if it was the conversation last night, but in that moment I felt so much love and care it hurt. I tried to shove the feelings down but they were overwhelming. I knew this for a while and she's said it repeatedly but it finally hit me at this moment. She truly did love me, just like Deku said. And I loved her.

Y/N POV

After a moment, it was like his brain rebooted. He nodded, grunting roughly and pulled my body close to his. Then he leaned down and kissed me. It was so intense that I forgot everyone was there by the time he pulled away. And my feelings about it were um...let's just say everyone should be glad I was too shocked to do anything else. Because I would have done it. My body was on fire and I used all my willpower not to do anything. That didn't stop me from giving him bedroom eyes, unfortunately. Katsuki leaned down again and gave me a peck, pulling back just enough to touch my forehead.

"Are you ok?" He asked softly. "You rushed all the way over here didn't you?"

"I-...I-..uh fuck." I said eloquently.

"You're gonna have to get used to me touching you." He chuckled.

"Touch me more then." I said, leaning in for another kiss.

Katsuki froze, probably remembering where we were. Honestly, one of us had to or I was personally gonna see that we went to jail. He let my lips brush his before he pulled away. I whined, separating from him with great difficulty. There was a teeny tiny part of my brain that was heavily aware that I was single handedly making everyone uncomfortable. But so much of me didn't care. Just wanted him, just needed him and oh fuck this is the intensity thing isn't it. I took a deep breath. Embarrassment started creeping up at full force. I needed to leave before I fully decided to fling myself into the fucking sun. Katsuki grabbed my wrist and kissed the inside of it. His eyes were sending me messages of deep love and patience. His lips sent my mind spiralling with more x-rated thoughts. I needed to leave right now.

"Thanks for checking up on me." He said softly.

"Mmm no problem." I wheezed out. "I'm uhh gonna go now bye." I said quickly before I blasted off.

When I got home, I used the spare key to get in and my phone was vibrating off the hook upon the counter. I took off Yoko's note that said 'Here's your stuff! Sorry for accidentally turning you into a dog!" and checked my messages.

Kira:

If you're gonna keep this up I'm giving you an intervention

Damn Voyeur *laughing emoji*

Yu:

Maybe I suddenly understand Dynamight stans.

He just be kissing like that??

Ori:

My single ass is throwing up, sobbing and punching the air over you guys

Motherfucking congrats.

Ori sent a screenshot of us from a video someone took. I was looking at him like I wanted to devour him. I did. I still do. I looked at social media real quick and of course it's trending. Gravity Girl and Dynamight. I scrolled through and basically everyone was reacting to us being together finally being confirmed. Some love it, some hate it and everyone has an opinion. I closed my phone and groaned.

I briefly thought about changing and meeting up with Katsuki later to apologize for making a mess for his PR team. And possibly to make today's impression not be that of a psycho nympho girlfriend. But just the thought of being in the same room as him made my body heat up at an alarming rate. Now that I've been able to unload some of my guilt, apparently the floodgates have been opened and it's all lust.

How the fuck am I gonna be able to function around Katsuki?

A/N: Yoko's quirk is called (according to her) True Love's Kiss. In reality her quirk is the ability to turn herself and other people into animals and the only way to change them back is to kiss someone. If you didn't know you could just kiss anybody Yoko would sometimes say it has to be someone you like just to try to get two people together. She's a menace.

The government name for her quirk is Beast Shift which she hates with all of her being.Also my favorite brand of humor right now is like those couple videos being stitched with someone distraught and screaming while trying to congratulate them.Lastly I'm SO FREAKING EXCITED for next chapter I really think you guys are gonna like it.