Come Down To The Black Sea III

Chase

You're bored and looking for some entertainment, and Sun is more than willing to entertain you.

Vampire Sun x Thrall Y/N

CW: suggestive

Wordcount: 2530

You were bored. Oh, so very bored and restless. Moon was out on an errand. So it was just you, Sun, and DJ and the other spirits haunting the place. Speaking of Sun, you found him lounging in one of the sitting room chairs by the fireplace doing some kind of embroidery project. As soon as you entered the room, his eyes met yours and a wide grin stretched his face.

“Hello, sweet thing. What brings you here?”

You didn't answer right away, instead going over and leaning on the back of the chair he was sitting in. “I'm bored,” you said at length.

“Ah, I see. And you've come to me looking for entertainment, is that it?” He didn't sound bothered, setting aside his project and patting a hand on his lap, quietly inviting you to have a seat.

You smiled, stepping around and slipping into his lap, Sun smoothly pulling you close. “So how should I entertain my darling, hm? We could always go to the kitchen and I could whip up a little something. Maybe brunch with hot chocolate?”

“Are you sure you should be making that?” you asked playfully. “Maybe we should wait until Moon gets back.”

Sun reached down, casually pinching your lower jaw between his long fingers as he stared down at you with a playful smile. “Are you looking to be punished? I can't imagine why else you would antagonize me so.”

You held back a snicker. Apparently, Sun was super sensitive about his cooking skills. “It's fine, I'm not that hungry anyway.” In the background the logs in the fireplace crackled softly and the faint smell of wood smoke teased your nostrils.

“That's makes one of us, then,” he remarked, leaning down to nuzzle your neck. His breath was warm and soft, his caress was calming yet electrifying. You felt his sharp teeth lightly grazing at your neck, but... It wasn't even a bite. It was a tease. He chuckled and buried his face in the curve of your neck.

His lips lightly caressed you, his voice whispering in your ear, "Mine." He pressed a soft kiss at your neck, then another. Your pulse quickened and you were so distracted by just this. His scent was addictive, his words pure honey in your ears. And he looked so goddamn fine.

"Oh, is someone hungry?" you asked playfully, feeling his mouth teasing along your neck. Like he wanted something more. You rubbed your hands up and down his chest.

"I'm not only hungry." He looked up at you. His eyes darkened but the fire light still made them glow. He tilted his head and you felt his teeth again. "I crave you, my Star," he purred in your ear. His fingers were at your waist and he moved them up, up, up, under your clothes. His touch was electric. He was as bold and teasing as you wanted him to be.

Your eyes widened, face going red as his fingers snuck under your shirt. You quickly grab his hands, stopping him. "W-wait! I... um... this is just really fast."

His grin became wider as he felt your grip on his fingers. "Too fast?" He said with a playful smirk as his eyes twinkled. "I suppose we do have the whole day ahead of us. I'm not complaining though."

You rolled your eyes but you were smiling. "You are absolutely incorrigible." All the same, you were grateful he had the courtesy to respect your boundaries and stop when you asked.

Sun chuckled. "Well, to be fair... I'm not entirely incorrigible. My hands are right here." He teased, and his fingers went up, just under the fabric of your clothes, touching your skin but going no further.

He was trying to make the touch as teasing as possibly. His fingertips were barely grazing your body, making his intentions clear.

"Your skin is so smooth." His voice purred again, like soft velvet. "It's almost insidious how... Desirable you are."

Your face burned with both embarrassment and appreciation at his words. Your heart was beating way too fast. You almost felt light headed. Okay, well if it was games Sun wanted to play, then you'd play one of your own. You leaned forward, giving him a surprise smooch. Then, in his moment of being stunned, you scrambled out of his lap and made a run for it.

When you gave him a sudden kiss, he froze. Time seemed to slow down and his mind blanked in a good way, his eyes sparkling once again when you jumped out of his lap and ran.

You heard his laugh behind your back. "Really, little star?" He taunted you. "If you think I'm letting you go, then you're sadly mistaken. But by all means..." His voice dipped, making your heart quiver with his next words. “Run as fast as you can.”

And run you did, through twisting halls and up and down staircases of the maze-like manor. You ran so fast everything was a blur and your body was quick to burn itself out. You paused for breath, looking for a place to hide and recharge. You ducked into what appeared to be a guest room. There weren't a whole lot of places in the room you could hide. Making a split second decision, you ducked into the closet and quietly shut yourself into the dark enclose space. You covered your mouth to stifle your breathing.

Sun walked near the bedroom and stepped in, his heels clacking against the hard floor. A small smile was plastered on his face and he moved his head slowly, trying to make out any sound you might've made.

"I know you're in here, my little sweet. You're not the only one good at playing games." His voice was soft but it clearly teasing you. "Come out, come out, wherever you are," he called playfully.

You kept your hands clamped over your mouth, breathing quietly through your nose while your heart thudded loudly against your rib cage. You could hear him out there. HUNTING for you.

"I can hear your heartbeat, little Star," Sun murmured, his voice and footsteps growing closer as he wandered the room. "I can hear your breath. So quiet. So fast." His tone was playful, but you could hear a drop of excitement in it. It was easy to tell he was having the time of his life with this game the two of you were playing.

Your eyes widened. Of course, he could hear your heartbeat. If that was the case, then he already knew exactly where you were. He was just toying with you. You crept further back into the closet, searching of a dark nook to hide away in but there was none to be found.

"There you are," Sun's voice lilted. You could almost imagine him grinning, but in his usual charming way. There was no escape. You heard his fingers gripped the door of the closet. "There is no use in hiding, sweet thing." His voice dripped with a smirk. He was enjoying the chase, no doubt, but he obviously wanted you too. "I'm getting in there, sooner or later. You won't escape this hunt."

Even though you know there is little use in it, you tried to hold the door closed. If only to prolong the inevitable. You could hear the door bend under Sun's force, his grip not too strong, yet not too weak, just strong enough so the door still stood. His fingers were moving up and down it, trying to find any weak spots.

"Good, good," he whispered, his voice was slightly lower but he was still amused. The sound of it was oddly addictive, almost hypnotizing. "Resist. Don't give up the fight."

A full body shiver ran through you at his words. It was a weird sort of thrill mixed with vindication and pleasure at his praise. He liked what you were doing. He liked it when you resisted. It just made the chase more fun for him. You used all your weight to hold the door shut, fighting and resisting, just like he wanted. Just like you wanted.

"That's it. Keep resisting, my Starlight. Make me break the door to get you." His voice purred darkly, sending tingling goosebumps racing up and down your spine. You could hear the sound of wood splintering under steel nails. It was clear Sun was determined to get rid of any obstacle that would deny him your embrace.

He was like a tiger. You were like a gazelle. And the whole game was a play of cat and a mouse. He was amused and the thrill of you holding off against him made him crave you more, want you more. Wanted you in his arms where you belonged.

Would he really break the door down? Honestly, you wouldn't put hardly anything past him at this point. You held out for as long as you could, but just when you felt the door about to give you jumped back. A cacophony of breaking wood and squealing metal ensued as Sun tore the closet door clean off its hinges, sending splinters scattering to the floor.

His footsteps creaked on wood and a gentle chuckle left his lips as he tossed the door aside and stepped into the small space.

Your breath caught in your throat as your back was pressed against the closet wall as he cornered you. There was nowhere left to run as he pinned you against the wall. His gleaming eyes flickered and his fingers gripped your hips.

"Mine," he growled softly, his claws lightly brushing your skin, tickling you, yet they didn't hurt. "Mine."

He didn't even give you time to say anything, Sun kissed you passionately once again. His tongue played against yours, your bodies touching, him pressing you against the wall. Goosebumps raised on you skin where his claws brushed, and you moaned as his tongue brushed yours.

You heard his laugh once more as he saw your goosebumps, his gaze tracing over your body, his eyes shining with joy. He pulled away, holding you by your cheeks and gazing directly in your eyes. His fangs were glistening like diamonds.

"You were thinking you were going to escape me?" He chuckled. "How precious of you, my darling." He was amused, his eyes still holding a predatory gleam, yet he still managed to make you feel safe. So, so safe.

"No," you admitted. "I didn't think I could escape you. I just... wanted you to chase me. It was... fun." It felt weird admitting all of this, like you were confessing to some sort of scandalous sin. But you didn't feel he would judge you for it.

Sun leaned his head towards your and whispered, "I knew it." His eyes were sparkling with joy. "It was fun, wasn't it?" His voice was quiet but the feeling of desire was very palpable. "Catch and keep. And you, my precious little Star, are caught." His hands held you tight and he looked so happy, leaning down to once more gently press his lips to yours.

You hummed into his kiss, feeling safe and comfortable. Is this what people often refer to as aftercare? You rather liked it. "It would seem so," you murmured in agreement, hooking your arms around his neck. "So then... you don't mind if I occasionally put up a bit of a fight? Just to keep things interesting?"

He laughed, his lips brushing against your forehead tenderly. "Oh no, not at all." Sun smiled. "In fact... I'd say that the hunt is the most enjoyable. The chase, the play for power. The game. I love the game, I could play it for hours." He chuckled and kissed your neck, his teeth slightly grazing your skin once again, causing you to shiver with delight. "You're my little Star. You're always in my reach and afraid to say..." Sun whispered, his teeth lightly biting you but not piercing skin. "There's no escape for you."

Good thing you had absolutely no desire or need for escape then. "Well, then let me give just a little bit of warning," you said before moving your head and biting his shoulder playfully. "This little star bites back."

Your bite was gentle but he let out a little moan, the muscles under your teeth twitching. "Oh, a feisty one, I see." Sun snickered. "A hunt with fire and brimstone. Fascinating. I must say, as a thrall you're a bit of a handful..." He hummed, stroking his long, nimble fingers along your jaw. "And I like this."

"I can be sweet too," you told him. "I'll admit. All of this is very fast. Faster than I'm used to. It feels like... hmm... like I've been crawling for a long time and now suddenly I'm running. So, do you think you can have the patience to let me stop and catch my breath once in a while?"

In all honesty, Sun was very tempted to just throw you on the bed and do some more enjoyable things with you, but... he could be gentle. He liked what you were playing, he liked the chase.

"We'll take it slow." He murmured and leaned closer so his face was almost touching yours. There was also a very faint glimmer in his eyes, as if he was expecting just one more kiss - hoping even. "Slow and steady."

"Thank you," you told him, smiling. Taking gentle hold of his face, you leaned forward and kissed him, knowing he wanted it as much as you did. You leaned against him, suddenly feeling completely tuckered out. "I think I need a nap."

"It would seem you pushed yourself just a little too hard," Sun chuckled, leaning his chin on your head. He held you in his arms, one hand stroking your hair gently. "You can sleep as much as you want, as long as it's in my arms," he whispered, his eyes glittering with affection and his gaze full of love.

His claws lightly brushed your skin, his eyes scanning your face, studying it like it was something precious. Because, as he said, you were. You were his.

You hummed and leaned against him, closing your eyes and letting loose a yawn. "That sounds nice. "

"I've been told that I'm also a good pillow." Sun chuckled, his voice calm and steady. He picked you up and carried you to the bed, laying down with you resting on top of him. "You can sleep here, sweet thing. I won't let anything happen to you,” he promised, kissing your forehead. “Sleep, rest, feel safe. You deserve all of it, my Star."

"Thank you, Sun," you murmured, curling up on top of him.

He held you closely, his arms hugging you tightly. His fingers were playing with your hair as his eyes were filled with affection. You suddenly realized how exhausted you were. His body felt warm and comforting, perfect to catch some Zs after all of the running and hiding.

"Sweet dreams, my precious little star," he whispered, once again wishing you pleasant rest. "Rest well."

And rest well you did.

A new life for Tomura part 5

stupid dumb dumb idiot goof dumb

Doodles I did my fic, chapter 16 of TROD

Chapters: 6/? Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia (Anime & Manga) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko/Reader Characters: Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko, Reader, Takami Keigo | Hawks Additional Tags: Yandere Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko, Quirkless Reader (My Hero Academia), Voice Kink, Hand & Finger Kink, Porn With Plot, Eventual Smut, really more like a smattering of smut here and there between therapy sessions (and sometimes during), Sexual Frustration, Touch-Starved, Choking, Canon-Typical Violence, Soft Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko, not all the time but sometimes, Shiggy is a thighs and ass man I decided, wants to grab reader's ass and massage her thighs and rub his cheeks between them, Mutual Pining, Psychologist!Reader, Prisoner!AU, Shiggy gets therapy, it's giving harleen quinzel falling for joker vibes, you are too curious for your own good, Possessive Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko, no beta so please be gentle with me senpai Summary:

Somewhere in the process of analyzing him, you realized that red wine gaze was starting to go to your head. By that point however, you were half-drunk already, settled in the palm of his hand.

Omg i loveeee this fic !

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Tomura is one of those guys who kisses you with his mouth fully open. like he doesn't even try to match the movement or the form of your lips with his and just slobbers all over your face, covering it with spit. your whole chin and upper lip are always wet and sticky with his saliva. you think it's the lack of experience, but no. apparently, he just likes making out with you so much that he can't contain himself from vacuuming your whole mouth into his while salivating and panting heavily. get used to having drool on your face.

Yay team pokemon fire✨✨✨ma fav is Blaziken idk how to say his started in english

Love Like Ghosts (Chapter 15) -- a Shigaraki x f!Reader fic

You knew the empty house in a quiet neighborhood was too good to be true, but you were so desperate to get out of your tiny apartment that you didn't care, and now you find yourself sharing space with something inhuman and immensely powerful. As you struggle to coexist with a ghost whose intentions you're unsure of, you find yourself drawn unwillingly into the upside-down world of spirits and conjurers, and becoming part of a neighborhood whose existence depends on your house staying exactly as it is, forever.

But ghosts can change, just like people can. And as your feelings and your ghost's become more complex and intertwined, everything else begins to crumble. (cross-posted to Ao3)

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14

Chapter 15

There’s something wrong with your house, but you knew that when you bought it. Right now the thing that’s wrong with your house isn’t the ghost who haunts it, but the fact that said ghost is on day five of an extended sulk. With every day closer to your departure, Tomura’s gotten mopier, and no matter how many times you explain to him that you’ll only be gone for two days, it doesn’t seem to stick.

It’s Friday morning, and you’re leaving directly after work, which means you have to say goodbye to Tomura this morning. He’s not making it easy. “Someone else can go. Aizawa can go,” he complains. “I don’t see why you have to.”

“I’m the one who started looking into this. And Aizawa has kids to look after.” You finish packing your bag and zip it up. “Are you sure you’re okay to watch Phantom? Spinner said he would –”

“I know to feed her and play with her and let her out. I’m way better at taking care of our dog than Spinner.” Tomura is scowling worse than before, and you feel slightly guilty. You like hearing Tomura say that Phantom is both of yours, but that’s not a good enough reason to wind him up. “Why do you have to stay away that long?”

“It’s going to take me six hours to get there. I won’t be there until midnight tonight. I’ll take all of Saturday and some of the next day going over the documents, and I’ll be back late on Sunday.” You pick up your bag and start down the stairs. “I don’t like being away, either. I like it here.”

“Then don’t leave.”

“I have to.” You set your bag down by the front door, then crouch down to say goodbye to Phantom. You haven’t left her alone for this long in a while, and you’re going to miss her. If it wasn’t for Tomura, there’s no way you’d take this trip.

Tomura didn’t follow you down the stairs, and you hear his voice echo through a house that already feels a little too empty. “I won’t have anybody to talk to.”

You thought about that, too. You thought about it and decided that not talking to Tomura for two days wasn’t something you were prepared to tolerate. “Can you come down here? I’ve got something for you.”

Tomura’s footsteps are slow, almost reluctant, as he makes his way down the stairs. “What is it?” he asks. You don’t answer – you’re too busy searching through your hall closet for a bag you stashed there months ago. “If you want me to kiss you before you leave, just say that. Don’t act weird and –”

He stops talking when he sees the bag you’re holding out. “It’s a present,” you say. “Sort of. Open it.”

Tomura’s not very good at opening presents. He shreds the bag, followed by the box, and a charger cable and a pair of headphones fall out and clatter to the floor. He avoids dropping the main event, if nothing else – the smartphone remains in the palm of his hand, and he stares at it suspiciously. “This is for me?”

“We can set it up really quick right now.” If you were smart, you’d have done this last night, but last night you were busy – not with sex, which would have at least been fun, but with trying to snap Tomura out of his over-the-top bad mood. You beckon him closer and he hovers over your shoulder as you start the process. “See, this is your profile. What do you want to set your name as?”

“My name.” Tomura watches as you set it. “Now what?”

You adjust his phone so it’ll always be on battery saver, hook it up to the WiFi so he won’t burn through all your data, and mute all his alert sounds. “Now we’re going to get you some contacts. People you can call or text if you need to.”

You probably spent a lot more time than necessary thinking about whose numbers you should give to Tomura. You ruled out Dabi’s and Hizashi’s instantly – the last thing you want to do is give Tomura the ability to start fights with either of them whenever he wants. Giving Tomura Keigo’s number is risky, but you’re pretty sure Dabi doesn’t know Keigo’s passcode. Tomura gets Aizawa’s number, and Spinner’s, and Jin and Jin’s mom. Jin’s mom, after pleading from Himiko and significant hesitation, agreed to let you add Himiko’s number to Tomura’s phone. You add the other ghosts, too, even though Tomura doesn’t really need a phone to talk to any of them. Last of all, you add Mr. Yagi.

Tomura doesn’t like that. “I don’t want him on my phone. Get rid of him.”

“You don’t ever have to call him,” you say. “It’s just in case.”

“In case what?”

You don’t really know. Tomura makes an irritated noise. “I want Izuku’s number.”

“You can’t have Izuku’s number. Even I don’t have it.” You wouldn’t want it, honestly. Giving Izuku unlimited opportunities to text you or Tomura feels like a stunningly bad idea. “Okay, that’s everybody. Only text them if it’s important, not to start fights. I don’t want to have to fix the fence again.”

“I know,” Tomura says, annoyed. He studies his phone, then looks up at you. “Where are you? Are you in here?”

“I’ve been texting you all the contacts.” You tap your number. “This one is me. You can name me something if you want.”

You show him how to edit the contact, then watch with a little too much interest as he selects a name. He hesitates for a long time, then looks at you. “What am I in your phone?”

“Um –” You added him as a contact already. You hold out the phone for him to examine, and he studies it like he’s reading a textbook. “It’s just your name. Tomura. See? I thought about adding the ghost emoji, but that would have been silly. I can add it if you want.”

Tomura shakes his head, then sets your phone aside and types your name into his as your contact. Which is fine. Except then he adds a display name – My Human. “Hey,” you complain. “Don’t do that. I used your name.”

He smirks. Part of you wants to change his display name to something like “my asshole ghost” to return fire, but before you can say anything, Keigo honks his car horn and hollers from outside. “Hey, if we’re going, we need to go now!”

“We’re going!” you shout back. You pick up your bag and your work backpack and race out to his car. You’re about to get in when you realize you haven’t said goodbye to Tomura yet. And that you’re missing your phone. “Shit –”

“I have your stupid phone.” Tomura’s on the other side of the fence. You reach for it, but he holds it just out of range. “I want a kiss first.”

“I was going to kiss you anyway,” you say. You lean across the property line, grasp his shoulder to pull him closer, and kiss him goodbye. You don’t stop until Keigo honks the horn again.

You’ve been in relationships before, but none of your exes ever insisted on a goodbye kiss when you had to leave for more than a day, let alone a goodbye kiss in full view of the entire neighborhood. You’re a little giddy on the drive to work, and Keigo, to his credit, doesn’t rib you too much about it. “He knows you’re not going off to war, right?”

“He knows.” You slouch down in the passenger seat. “He’s been moping all week. Did Touya do that?”

“When I was gone for too long, Touya broke out of the house,” Keigo says. Your jaw drops. “He and a bunch of other ghosts haunted this old-style family compound, and each of them was confined to a specific area. He broke out of his and into somebody else’s. You can guess how that went. So that ghost broke out of their assigned haunt, and then –”

You remember what Keigo said about ghost fights. “How many ghosts were there, total?”

“Six.” Keigo winces. “I moved pretty fast after that.”

Dabi sounds like he was a lot to deal with even back when he was Touya. A terrible thought occurs to you. “You don’t think Tomura would –”

“You told him where you were going,” Keigo points out. “And you got him a phone so he can talk to you. When it was me I just dipped for a day or two. I had no idea Touya was going to take it like that.”

“So that was kind of early on for you guys?”

“I guess.” Keigo sighs. You’re at a stoplight, and he hits his head lightly against the steering wheel. “Anyway, that one was on me. If he’d been a normal roommate I would have told him where I was going. So I think you’re probably fine. But we’ll let you know if anything weird starts happening.”

You’re hoping it won’t. You change the subject. “Thanks for giving me a ride. Parking in the station lot for two days was going to be expensive.”

“No problem. I was headed this way anyway,” Keigo says. “It’s better that you’re taking the train than driving. Less expensive.”

“It’s harder to track, too,” you say. “I don’t think anybody’s watching, but – still. Better safe than sorry.”

“Definitely,” Keigo agrees. He merges onto the highway and floors it to a speed he swears the cops don’t pull people over for. “Nobody wants a repeat of last time.”

You’re hoping to avoid it. That’s what this trip is about. When you shared the idea with Mr. Yagi and Aizawa, they both approved, although they both suggested that they should go instead of you. You held your ground. Even fifteen years after his embodiment, Mr. Yagi has a reputation among ghosts, and Aizawa’s carrying around Hizashi’s marks with no conjurer-forged bracelets to conceal them. Besides, you’re the one who found the asylum, who found Shigaraki Yoichi. Since there’s basically nothing else you can do to help, you want to see this through.

But that doesn’t mean you’re looking forward to the trip. In fact, your dread of it increases throughout the day, until you’re dragging your feet along with your suitcase as you walk to the train. Some part of you knows the dread is irrational, but it’s hard to shake, and it’s got nothing at all to do with conjurers, asylums, or ghosts. The city nearest to the asylum is the one your parents moved to, after you went to college and they sold the house you grew up in. And you and your parents have an agreement to check in whenever you’re in the same city as they are. When you texted them to tell them you’d be there for the weekend, they told you to cancel your hotel reservation and invited you to stay with them.

It’s been over two years since you last saw them. Last time it was awkward, and it was awkward the time before that, too. Your parents’ ambitions for you included a college degree and financial independence, and once you hit those milestones, it was clear at least to you that they have no idea what to make of you. But turning down their offer of a place to stay would have made things worse, and besides, hotel rooms are expensive. Saving money is worth an awkward weekend at your parents’ new home. You’ve never been there before.

You doze on and off on the train, waking up at every stop and checking your phone. Tomura hasn’t texted you, but then again, why would he? He existed in the house alone long before you were even born. Maybe he’s figuring out that he likes the peace and quiet, too.

The thought doesn’t sit well with you, and you’re crabby for the rest of the ride, although you do your best to shake it off once you arrive. The meeting with your parents will be difficult enough without you being irritated at the ghost in your house at the same time. It’s just past eleven-thirty as you make the short walk to your parents’ house from the station, your stomach growling the entire way. You’ll have to order in from somewhere once you’re settled for the night.

Their house is in a small new development, multiple homes clustered around a large central courtyard. You step through the gate and make your way across it to your parents’ front door. You check your phone one last time, ordering yourself not to be disappointed when you see that Tomura hasn’t reached out. Then you raise one hand and press the doorbell.

The door swings open almost immediately, and your father smiles at you in a way that gives you pause. He reaches out and lifts your suitcase out of your hand, then pulls you into the house and into a hug shortly afterward. For lack of anything better to do, you hug him back.

He’s smaller than you remember. More frail, and there’s more grey in his hair. How old are your parents now? Pushing seventy – they had you late, and you’ve always had the impression that you were sort of an accident. “It’s been too long,” your father says to you. He waits while you take off your shoes, then beckons you further down the hall. “Come along. We held back dinner so we could eat together.”

That doesn’t sound right. You rarely ate with both parents at once when you were a kid; family mealtimes were no one’s priority, and you ate with whichever parent was in the house at dinnertime, or you ate alone. “Why?”

Your father gives you an odd look. “It’s been too long,” he says again, as if the distance is all your fault, as if they couldn’t have reached out just as easily. “And it seems you’ll be very busy this weekend. This might be the only time we can catch up.”

“I have a lot to do,” you admit. Your father sets your suitcase down just inside the door of a room and continues down the hall. You can smell food cooking. “Thank you for waiting for me.”

Your mother is busy in the kitchen, but when you go to help her, she waves you off, under instructions to wash your hands and get settled. “I’m making your favorite,” she tells you, and smiles. But then you see the smile waver. “Is it still your favorite?”

“I make it all the time,” you say. “It never tastes quite like yours.”

Tomura’s observed you working on the recipe more than once, and he always makes fun of you for changing it each time. No matter what you change, you can’t make it taste right, but maybe – “If you won’t let me help, can I stay and watch?”

“Of course,” your mother says. “It’s been too long.”

You wish they’d both stop saying that. If they wanted you to talk to them more now, they should have talked to you when you were a kid. Hizashi’s words pop into your head, like they do every so often: Mommy and Daddy didn’t love you enough. Maybe they didn’t. Or maybe they just didn’t know what to do with a kid once they had one.

Your phone makes the sad chiming sound that tells you it’s running low on battery, and you dig up your charger and plug it in, leaving it balanced on the corner of the kitchen counter as you watch your mom cook. Watching her, it’s easy to see where you went wrong in the recipe, or where you went wrong by following the recipe – there are spices your mom uses that are nowhere to be found on the ingredient list. You didn’t watch her cook very often as a kid. Maybe you should have asked if you could help.

The three of you sit down to dinner, and it’s beyond weird. The family dinners you remember were full of silence, but it’s been over two years since you last saw your parents, which means there’s a lot to talk about. You’re not sure how to talk about your life now, so you ask your parents about theirs, and hear that your dad’s retired but your mom is working part-time teaching English at a local middle school. They like their neighbors a lot. In fact, they want you to meet their neighbors tomorrow night. Apparently the neighbors have been asking about you.

“We told them a little, but you’re so busy that we haven’t talked in a while,” your mom says. Now you get why they invited you to stay here. Not knowing what your only child is up to looks pretty bad. “How have things been for you? Are you still working in the public defenders’ office?”

“What about law school?” Your dad takes a sip of his drink. Sometime in the last three years, your parents got sort of into fancy wine. “Are you still planning to go back?”

“Yeah. Money’s still an issue. I had a hard time saving with how high my rent was.” You try your own wine, but you don’t know enough about wine to know if it’s any good. “I bought a house, though. So I guess that’s new.”

It’s quiet for a bit. When you look up from your plate, you find your parents staring at you with their jaws dropped. “You bought a house?” your mother repeats. “You can’t afford law school. How can you afford a house?”

“I didn’t have enough for law school. I had enough for a downpayment,” you say. “My mortgage payments are cheaper than my rent was.”

“That’s hard to imagine. Is it in a good neighborhood?” your dad asks. “If it isn’t – what’s funny?”

Your neighborhood, being good. “There are five other houses besides mine. Three of them have families in them. They’ve been really nice to me, mostly. We all get together sometimes.”

“What for?”

Strategy sessions. Ghost fights on the sidewalk. Conjurer ambushes that end with half the street wrecked and some of you injured. “Just regular stuff. I went to one of the kids’ parties last weekend. I brought Phantom. She was a hit.”

“Who?”

“My dog,” you say. “I’d just gotten her the last time we talked. Don’t you remember?”

“She sent us a picture,” your dad reminds your mom, while you tamp down your frustration. “Is someone looking after her this weekend?”

“Yeah. My –” The stumbling block of how to describe Tomura temporarily breaks your brain. “A friend.”

You covered it well, you think – but you weren’t fast enough. “What kind of friend?” your mother asks, way too interested. “A special friend?”

“God, Mom. No.” You imagine the look on Tomura’s face if he heard someone refer to him as your “special friend” and experience a brief but powerful urge to crawl into a vent and die. “A friend. Really, I could have asked anybody in the neighborhood. They’re all really – nice.”

“A house,” your father muses. “In a good neighborhood. You must have a lot of friends over.”

You can’t tell if he’s needling you or not. He knows you’ve never been the type to have a lot of friends. “It’s kind of a ways out from where everybody else lives. Most people don’t like driving that far.”

“Oh, so that’s how you could afford it.”

You could afford it because it’s so goddamn haunted that nobody else wanted it, and the only reason you kept it is because the ghost who haunts it let you stay. “I don’t mind. I’d rather drive than have roommates and a landlord.”

Your father nods sagely. Your mother’s on a different track. “What about dating? Is there anybody special?”

“No,” you say, lying your ass off. “I’m not seeing anybody.”

Your phone starts ringing on the counter, but you ignore it, and so do your parents. “I don’t want to rush you, but you ought to get a move on, don’t you think?” your mother presses. “You’re going to be twenty-seven soon. If you don’t hurry up, all the good ones will be gone. Don’t you want to settle down?”

“I’m as settled down as I’m going to get,” you say. Your phone starts ringing again, and you ignore it again, even though you’d almost take a telemarketer over this conversation. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

“You’re not disappointing us if that’s what makes you happy,” your dad says, and you’re impressed for about two seconds before he ruins it. “Are you sure that’s what will make you happy? What about –”

“What about kids?” your mother breaks in, looking honestly distressed. “Don’t you want kids? You’d be such a good mom –”

You would possibly be the worst mom on the planet. Your phone starts ringing again. “Are you going to get that?” your dad asks.

You should. Three calls in a row means it’s important, but this line of questioning from your parents is pissing you off, which means you’re not in the mood to do anything you should be doing. “Nope.”

“I’ll get it,” your mom announces. She picks up the phone and gasps. “Who’s Tomura?”

Your stomach drops like you’ve been kicked off a building. “Nobody,” you say. “He’s –”

“I knew you had a special friend!”

“He’s not a special friend!”

Your mom brandishes your phone, triumphant. “Then why is there a heart next to his name?”

He wouldn’t. He – you stare at the screen of your phone, and sure enough, there’s Tomura’s name on the caller ID, complete with an obnoxiously red heart emoji. You’re going to kill him. You seize the phone, accept the call, and press it to your ear. “What?”

Tomura sounds unfathomably sulky when he answers. “You got me the phone so we can talk while you aren’t here. Why didn’t you pick up?”

“I’m having dinner with my parents. It’s rude to pick up the phone at dinner.” You’re conscious of your parents staring at you with identical gleeful looks on their faces. “Just like it’s rude to call somebody three times in a row. What was so important?”

“You didn’t call me all day.”

“You didn’t call me, either,” you point out, trying not to lose your temper. If he had called you, you’d have noticed his little edit to his contact and gotten rid of it. “Is everything okay?”

“It’s fine. Phantom ate and everything.” Tomura’s quiet for a second. “You have parents?”

“Yesh,” you say. Did you tell him that’s who you were staying with? You don’t remember. “I’m staying with them, not at the hotel. They invited me.”

Tomura swears under his breath. You can hear him rustling around, but you’re not sure what he’s doing, and the longer you give your parents to prep for their interrogation, the worse it’s going to be for you. “Can I call you back in a little bit? I do want to talk to you. I just – can’t right now.”

“How long is a little bit?”

“I don’t know,” you say hopelessly. Why does it matter? It’s not like he’s going to fall asleep. “I will, though. I promise. I miss you.”

The words leave your mouth before you can really think them through, but it’s the truth. You do miss Tomura. You miss him extra right now, and you’re not looking forward to falling asleep without his presence lurking somewhere in the room. When you wake up from nightmares of the world between, he and Phantom are the only things that make you feel better. “I miss you, too,” Tomura says. Then he hangs up the phone.

You set it aside, then turn back to face your parents. “So,” your mother says, grinning, “who’s Tomura?”

Your ghost. The reason why you don’t date anymore. The reason why you’re as settled as you’re ever going to be and the reason why your parents aren’t getting grandkids and the reason you’re here at all in the first place. There’s no way to explain him that your parents will understand, so you pick the one thing they will understand, even if it’s sort of wrong. “My boyfriend.”

You stagger off to bed forty-five minutes later, feeling like you’ve been run over by a train. Your mom had lots of questions – about where you met Tomura, how long you’ve been seeing him, what he looks like, what he does for a living – almost all of which you had to lie about. You’re going to have to remember all those lies later, too. Your dad was more concerned about why you’d lie about having a boyfriend, at which point you lost patience a little bit and said that the conversation the three of you just had about it was all the reason you needed. Then your mom said she wanted to meet him, and you decided it was time to start clearing the table.

They have a guest room, which is where you’re staying. You get ready for bed, go inside, and shut the door before checking your phone again. You’ve got messages from Tomura – and from Keigo. You open Keigo’s first and grimace when you see what it says. The lights in your house are going berserk right now. If he’s trying to get ahold of you, you should pick up the phone.

Keigo sent a video, too. In it, the lights inside your house are flickering wildly, and the entire property seems to be surrounded by some kind of weird, wavering forcefield. Great. You check Tomura’s texts next. He wants to know where you are. Why you haven’t called him. Then there are a few texts of him winding himself up over reasons why you haven’t called him, externalizing a thought process you would have kept to yourself if it killed you, before it occurs to him that something might have happened to you. At which point the phone calls started. You dig your headphones out of your backpack, put them on, plug them in, and call Tomura back.

He picks up halfway through the first ring, and you start talking first. “I shouldn’t have gotten mad. I just wasn’t planning to tell my parents about you, and because you called me when you did – and because you put that emoji in your display name – they found out.”

“Why does it matter if they found out?” Tomura asks. “Why don’t you want to tell them about me?”

You almost point out that you said you weren’t planning to, not that you didn’t want to, but Tomura knows what you really meant. He knows you better than you think he does. “You’re hard to explain,” you say. “To people who don’t know about ghosts. It wouldn’t make sense to them.”

“Why not?” Tomura’s climbing the stairs. You can hear them creaking under his feet. “You’re my human. Not the kind of human Spinner and Jin are. The kind Aizawa is.”

“The kind Keigo is,” you correct. Tomura makes an irritated sound. “Aizawa and Hizashi are married.”

“So what? You’re that kind of human. That’s not hard to explain.”

Maybe it isn’t. Maybe you’re making this more complicated than it needs to be. “I told my parents you’re my boyfriend. I hope that’s okay.”

“Boyfriend,” Tomura repeats, like he’s never heard it before – but when he speaks up again, it’s clear he’s got a handle on what it means. “If that’s what you have to call it so people understand, fine. As long as they know you’re my human.”

You could probably play off Tomura calling you his human as a cute nickname or something, but you’d really prefer not to have to do that. “If I tell people you’re my boyfriend, they’ll understand for sure.”

“Good.”

There’s some rustling around on Tomura’s end of the line. “What are you doing?”  you ask. “Where are you?”

There’s a prolonged silence, which means Tomura’s somewhere he thinks he’s not supposed to be. There aren’t many options left these days. “You’re on the bed, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. So what?” More rustling. “It’s weird that you’re not here. I hate it.”

“I don’t like it, either,” you admit. When you close your eyes, it’s easy to picture Tomura stretched out on your side of the bed, taking up the space you usually would, head resting on your pillow. “Maybe there won’t be as much to go through tomorrow as I thought and I can get home tomorrow night instead.”

“The sooner you come back, the better.” Phantom’s collar rattles in the background of the call, and you know she’s jumped up on the bed with Tomura. “Spinner came over. He said I needed a game that wasn’t Rainbow Fish, so he gave me one and taught me how to play it. It’s – Pokémon?”

“He gave you something to play it on, too, right?” You need to thank Spinner. “What do you think of it?”

“It’s okay. The music is weird.” Tomura’s voice fades for a second, and you can hear Phantom slobbering into the microphone. “It was more fun before he left. I don’t like playing games alone.”

“You can ask him back over. I bet he wouldn’t mind,” you say. “Which starter did you pick? Fire, water, or grass?”

“Fire,” Tomura says. You could have guessed that. “My rival had water, though. I should have picked grass.”

“If you picked grass, your rival would have picked fire.”

“So they always pick the one that can beat yours?” Tomura sounds honestly pissed at the unfairness, and it makes you smile. “That’s stupid.”

“It would be boring if it was too easy,” you say. Tomura complains under his breath. “And they can’t beat you if you build a good team. I used to play that a lot as a kid. I can help if you want.”

“I don’t need help,” Tomura says. “You can watch if you want.”

“That sounds nice.” You imagine sitting next to Tomura with your head on his shoulder, letting the goofy Pokémon music lull you into a doze. It’s a weirdly relaxing image. You find yourself swallowing a yawn. “Sorry –”

“Go to sleep. If you don’t you’ll be slow, and then you’ll have to stay the extra day.” Tomura sounds annoyed, but he sounds annoyed any time you have to end an interaction before he wants it to end, so you’re used to it. What you’re not used to is what he says next. “If you have one of your nightmares, don’t just lay there doing that weird shivering thing. Call me.”

You lie there for a moment, stunned. You’ve never mentioned the nightmares to him. You never breathed a word. “How did you know?”

“I know what sounds you make in your sleep. When you’re having a nightmare they’re wrong.” Tomura’s quiet for a moment. “Don’t just lay there. Call.”

Your throat feels tight. “Okay.”

Tomura hangs up. You pull your headphones out of your ears, set your phone down on the nightstand, and squeeze your eyes shut. You don’t need to cry. There’s no reason why your eyes should well up.

You’re in your parents’ house. It’s a new house, but it feels the same as the old house. Even though your parents listen now. Even though they care about what’s going on in your life – for their own reasons, sure, but they care – your family is still the same way it’s always been. Quiet. Distant. Sterile. Your parents have seemed happier the last few times you’ve seen them. You’ve never admitted it out loud, to anyone, but you think they’ve been happier since you moved out, because you moved out. And that was okay with you. The last time you went back to visit, it was fine.

It’s not fine anymore – not because they’re different, but because you are. You remember Tomura saying once that he didn’t care about being alone before, but he does now. You didn’t let yourself care about the way your family was before, but you can’t stop yourself from caring now, because now you know how it feels to actually belong somewhere. You belong at your house. You’re wanted at your house. You make someone happy by being there. Somebody misses you when you’re gone, tells you to hurry back, tells you to call if you’ve had a nightmare. There’s probably something fucked up about the fact that the only person you’ve ever felt at home with isn’t even human. But you know what it means to feel at home now. Being away from that is hard. Harder than you want to handle.

You scramble for your phone, and it starts ringing in your hand. Tomura’s contact, with its stupid heart. You jam your headphones into your ears and accept the call, and for a moment you and Tomura are just talking over each other. The gist of it is pretty clear, though. You were about to call him, just when he decided to call you. “Um –”

“Stay on the phone while you’re sleeping. That way I’ll hear. And I can wake you up.”

Your heart lifts even though it shouldn’t. “How are you going to wake me up?”

You picture Tomura shrugging. “I’ll just yell.”

“Don’t yell.” The only thing that would be worse than having one of your nightmares is waking up from one to the sound of Tomura hollering in your ear. “If you hear me start to have one, hang up the phone and call me back. I’ll hear it ringing and it’ll wake me up.”

“Yelling is faster.”

“And it’s scarier,” you say. “You’d know if you slept.”

“Ghosts can’t.” Tomura’s quiet for a moment. “I wish we could.”

That strikes you as weird. It strikes you as weird any time Tomura talks about wanting to do one of the few human things materialized ghosts can’t do. “Why?”

Tomura doesn’t answer. “Fine. I won’t yell. Go to sleep.”

“Tomura –”

“Go to sleep,” Tomura says again. If you try to talk anymore, he’ll just ignore you. You hear Phantom snoring in the background and tell yourself that it’s time to sleep. You shut your eyes.

Somehow knowing that Tomura’s there on the other end of the line, knowing that he’ll wake you up if you start having one of your nightmares of the world between, helps you fall asleep. You think you hear Tomura whisper something as you drift off, but there’s no way you heard him right. It has to be a dream. At least it’s a better dream than the ones you’ve been having lately.

Enough to Go By (Chapter 6) -- a Shigaraki x f!Reader fic

Your best friend vanished on the same night his family was murdered, and even though the world forgot about him, you never did. When a chance encounter brings you back into contact with Shimura Tenko, you'll do anything to make sure you don't lose him again. Keep his secrets? Sure. Aid the League of Villains? Of course. Sacrifice everything? You would - but as the battle between the League of Villains and hero society unfolds, it becomes clear that everything is far more than you or anyone else imagined it would be. (cross-posted to Ao3)

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5

Chapter 6

You find out what Tenko’s up to from the news – or from Kazuo, who texts you to tell you that “your friend” is making headlines again. It’s an uncharacteristic move for Tenko, who you know has been trying to keep to the shadows while he gathers allies, and it gets weirder when you find out that he showed up in a shopping center to have a conversation with one of the students from the class he attacked. You weren’t really watching the Sports Festival, but this kid made headlines for repeatedly breaking his fingers while trying to use his quirk. Every so often, quirked people make you really grateful that you don’t have one yourself.

Tenko didn’t get caught. He was long gone before the heroes and law enforcement showed up. But the incident leaves a weird taste in your mouth. He wandered into a mall to chat with a high school student. Why didn’t he talk to you? You’re supposed to be his best friend, his sidekick. He called the two of you hanging out together a date. What could he tell a high school student that he didn’t feel safe telling you?

The question consumes you more than you want it to, so you fall back on your now time-honored tradition of drowning yourself in tasks to avoid thoughts you don’t like. Work, and sitting with Yoshimi through her treatments, and ducking phone calls from your parents, who are moving the whole family – again – and want you to come home and help. Your mom threatens to throw away all your old stuff if you don’t, and even though you took everything you cared about with you when you moved away, the thought of your things being thrown out with the trash bothers you. It bothers you enough that you use your one day off in two weeks to go back to your parents’ house and clean out what’s left of your room.

When you get there, you find half the house out on the lawn, and your mother arguing with the oldest of your younger siblings. “Don’t take that tone with me, Haru,” she’s snapping. “Whatever you think you’re doing, it’s not as important as helping out your family. We need you here to –”

It’s like something snaps in your head, and you’re swamped in the memories of a hundred times where you were told the same thing. You thought that with you gone, your parents would have pulled themselves together, but it looks like not. It looks like they just dragged your brother into replace you. You step forward without thinking, right into the middle of it. “Hey, Haru. Hey, Mom. Sorry I’m late.”

Both of them stare at you. There’s something accusing in Haru’s stare, not that you blame him for that. Your mom looks more relieved than anything else, and with her temporarily neutralized, you turn to your brother. “Go do what you need to do, Haru. I’ll fill in until you get back.”

Haru doesn’t need to be told twice, and he doesn’t wait around for your mom to protest. He books it, and you turn to face your mom again, the feeling of accomplishment at defusing a conflict drowned almost immediately by your frustration with yourself. Two seconds. You’ve been here two seconds, and you’ve stepped back into the part you used to play like you never left.

Your mom hugs you. “Haru’s been just terrible these last few years,” she complains. “Any time we ask him to help, he throws the biggest fit. I can’t count the number of times I’ve told him to act more like you –”

“He’s nineteen, Mom. He’s got his own life,” you remind here, like it’ll help at all. You step back out of her embrace. “I came to sort through my stuff. Where is it?”

She gestures vaguely at one corner of the front yard, and you make your way over, at which point you discover that what your mom described as your stuff is actually only half yours. The other half seems to be every picture and keepsake your parents have of you. You knew your relationship with your parents wasn’t ideal, that they stopped being interested in you the second you stopped being useful to them, but seeing this gives you pause. “Mom –”

“We’re downsizing,” your mother explains. “Take what you want. We’ll throw the rest out.”

Fine. If that’s how they want it, that’s fine with you. The first things you dump in the throwaway pile are every photo that consists of just you and one or both of your parents. There goes the whole first year of your life, like it never happened at all. After that, it gets a little more difficult, because your siblings are in the pictures and it’s not their fault they were born. You find a partially filled photo album, start stripping the pictures you want to keep from their frames, and fit them into the remaining spaces. You don’t have a lot of space for picture frames. And this way you don’t have to look at them unless you want to.

Most of your toys and books went to your siblings as hand-me-downs, usually before you were actually done with them, so most of the things that are yours are things you had to fight to save. Your favorite books, which you rescued by carrying them around in your backpack twenty-four seven. A journal with a lock on it and no key, but you know how to pick locks now, so it doesn’t matter as much as it did before. Then there’s a box that’s been taped, glued, and stapled shut, with DO NOT TOUCH written all over it. You remember mummifying this box when you were ten or so. You just don’t remember why you did it.

You can open it once you’re home. You stack the photo album on top of it and keep hunting through all the pieces of your life that your parents are planning to throw away.

In the end, you can’t take much stuff. You don’t have very much room, and while Kazuo would probably agree to let you store things in his house, you don’t want to have to ask him to do that. There’s not really that much important stuff here, anyway. The books and games from when you were really little? You outgrew them a long time ago, so what would you even be keeping them for? It’s not like you’re going to have kids.

That thought came out of nowhere. You sit back on your heels, frowning at the change of tune. In spite of the shitshow of your childhood and the fact that you’d most likely pass on your quirklessness and put the next generation in the same second-class position as you are, you’ve always seen yourself having children. Not very many children. Two, most likely, and a decent difference in their ages – enough that you could let them have their own time instead of treating them like twins, not so much that you’d run the risk of parentifying the older one even slightly. You think you’d be a good parent, maybe. At the very least you know what not to do.

You’ve been sure of that since you were old enough to figure out where babies come from. This is the first time you’ve had the other thought, and it feels like a certainty. When did it change?

The answer is lurking somewhere in the back of your mind, and you decide you’re not interested in answering it right now. With your stuff sorted, you dump the things you’re not taking into the garbage pile, making sure your mom sees which photos you’re getting rid of. You really should leave after that, but then the rest of your siblings come barreling out of the house, and you don’t think you should leave without saying goodbye.

Isuzu, the oldest of your younger sisters, is in her last year of high school. Music is her thing, and she’s applying to every conservatory in the country – keeping her options open, she says, but you know she means getting away from home. The twins, Shigure and Shinji, are both at Ketsubutsu Academy, training to be heroes. They’ve enhanced their control over their quirks to the point where they can induce specific parts of the vomiting process at will, and they demonstrate it on you, making your throat burn and your mouth flood with bitter-tasting saliva before your mom catches them at it and makes them stop. The triplets, a full ten years younger than you, aren’t even out of primary school yet. They want to be heroes, too.

Your dad arrives, with Haru in tow, as you’re making your second attempt to escape. He hugs you, too, and asks why you don’t come home more – right before he asks you to get the triplets washed up for dinner and check that they’ve done their homework. You almost tell him to go fuck himself, but ultimately you don’t want the fight. You herd the triplets back inside and start with the homework.

Isuzu follows you, not speaking up until after you’ve confirmed that the homework is completed and shooed the triplets off to the bathroom. “How did you do that so fast? It takes me and Haru forever to get them moving.”

“Practice,” you say. “More than I should have gotten. More than you’ll get if you get out of here.”

“I’m working on it,” Isuzu says. She looks uncomfortable, and like she wants to say more. You wait. “I’m sorry I told on you back then. If I hadn’t, maybe –”

You shake your head. “I had to go.” You cover your upper arm, the same motion Tenko made, and a chill runs down your spine. “I didn’t leave because you told them about this. I left because I got into my apprenticeship, and they told me I couldn’t do it.”

“What?” Isuzu looks shocked. “Why?”

“They needed me at home.” You shrug, your nonchalance masking the memory of the bolt of rage that shot through you when you realized what they were trying to do. “The only way to stop it was to make sure I wasn’t home anymore. I wish it hadn’t landed on you and Haru.”

“Haru’s madder about it than me,” Isuzu says. She leans against you, her head on your shoulder. “I remember stuff he doesn’t. Like that friend you had across the street. I don’t remember his name –”

“Tenko,” you say. Your heart lurches into an unsteady rhythm. “You remember him?”

“Not really. I remember you talking about him, though. You always had so many stories to tell.” Isuzu sighs. “Did they ever find out what really happened to him?”

“No,” you say. You did, though. You might be the only one who knows what became of Shimura Tenko, and even you don’t know the details. “I’m surprised you remember. Mom and Dad didn’t like me talking about him.”

“They didn’t like you being sad,” Isuzu corrects. “They don’t like me being sad, either. I’d be sad if it was my best friend who vanished. You said you were gonna marry him.”

“I – what?” Before you can follow up on the absolutely batshit thing your sister just said, one of the triplets comes back into the living room with obviously unwashed hands. “Arisa, I know you didn’t wash those. Go back in.”

Arisa sticks her tongue out at you. “You can’t tell me what to do. You don’t even live here. And you don’t have a quirk.”

“Right,” you say, a moment before Arisa activates her quirk and wallops you with every ounce of the contempt she feels for you. It takes all your self-control to avoid bursting into tears. “I can leave, though. Mom can’t get me in trouble any more, because I’m grown up. But she can definitely get you in trouble. Risk it if you want.”

Arisa glares at you for a moment longer, then heads back to the bathroom. You clear your throat and blink hard, digging your nails into your palm to give yourself something else to focus on. “Even I felt that one,” Isuzu remarks, wincing. “How do you take this stuff?”

You clear your throat again. “Practice.”

You make it through dinner, then book it, telling Isuzu and Haru to look you up the next time they’re in Yokohama and hitting the road before the twins or the triplets can use their quirks on you again. You cry a little bit on the train home, just enough to let off steam, and text your friends, who know what your family’s like and all advised you not to go. When they ask how it went, you send back a sad face.

Mitsuko: fuck them, then. they don’t deserve you

Hirono: come over and get trashed if you want. always makes me feel better

Sho: ooh, party at Hiro’s

Sho: count me in

Yoshimi: I can’t but 💛💛💛

Mitsuru: can I bring Izumi

Mitsuru gets a resounding thumbs-down from everybody for that one. Ryuhei chimes in, saying he’s down for a party, and Kazuo moves the venue to his house from Hirono’s shitty apartment in Kamino Ward. When you get off the train in Yokohama, you head over to Kazuo’s without stopping at home first.

Your friends have varying ideas on how to make you feel better. Mitsuko and Hirono think you should get drunk, so you drink a little, and Sho thinks you should bitch as much as you want about your family, so you do. Mitsuru’s got lots of siblings, so you complain about siblings together, and Ryuhei, not to be outdone, offers to beat up the triplets for you. “My quirk is perfect for it,” he says. “They’ll never know what hit them.”

They wouldn’t – Ryuhei’s quirk is called Reflection, and it bounces any quirk-based attack right back in the face of whoever sent it. “They’re ten,” you say.

“So?”

“Wait until they’re adults and it’ll be legal,” Kazuo says blandly. “What’s in the box?”

“Oh,” you say. You haven’t let go of it, although you relinquished the photo album to Mitsuko and Hirono after extracting promises that they wouldn’t take the photos out. “I’m not sure. I guess I thought it was pretty important.”

Kazuo touches his temple, then lowers his hand. “You don’t know, so I don’t know, either.”

“Let’s open it,” Hirono suggests. Mitsuko is still flipping through the photo album. “What kind of dirty secrets have you got in there?”

“I was ten. Not a lot of dirty secrets at that age.” You hold the box out to her. “Mind doing the honors on the tape?”

Hirono’s quirk is called Slice. It lets her cut narrow lines in any substance she draws her finger over, and you know she’s used it for good and evil at various points in her life. She cuts through the tape, you pry out the staples, and you and your friends from high school look down at the things you thought were worth hiding when you were ten years old.

There’s another journal, which means the one you grabbed was probably a decoy. You don’t remember being this sneaky, but you’re guessing you had a reason, and as you look through the other things in the box, you realize what it was. “I hid this before my memory got wiped,” you say. “It’s all things about my friend.”

“I thought they were just wiping your memories of the murder scene,” Mitsuru says, frowning.

“That’s what they got, sort of.” Memories are coming back to you as you peer into the box, memories of collecting these things, squirreling them away, panic beating at the base of your throat the entire time. “They were going for all of it.”

There’s a plush toy – a corgi, the same kind as Tenko’s dog, because you’d always wanted a dog and your parents always said no. Tenko got it for you for your birthday, the same year you had to go home early from his party. There are a bunch of photos, too, stolen out of a photo album – possibly the same partially-empty album you found when you were sorting. Some are from school. Some are from parties – yours, Tenko’s, Hana’s. Some were pretty clearly taken by Tenko’s mom. Seeing them makes you want to cry.

In the pictures, Tenko’s house is still standing. Tenko’s family is still alive. There’s Tenko like he used to be, dark-haired and grey-eyed and quirkless and happy. The two of you were always happy together, even if you weren’t happy at home. “These are cute,” Sho remarks. “Lots of puppy love going on here, and I’m not talking about the dog.”

You remember that you apparently told Isuzu you were going to marry Tenko and cringe from the thought. “Don’t be weird.”

“If it helps, it doesn’t look all that unrequited,” Mitsuko says, peering over your shoulder. “Check that one out.”

The photo she’s pointing at is from your class’s Valentine’s Day party. You and Tenko are trying to trade valentines, except you’re too embarrassed to look at him while you hand yours over. He’s not embarrassed to look at you. He’s grinning, that same smile that some of the other girls called creepy, the one you still like seeing because you know that it’s real, and he’s holding out a valentine of his own for you.

The valentine Tenko gave you is in the box, although his handwriting is impossible to read when you’ve had as many drinks as you’ve had tonight. In the corner of the box is another, tinier box. It looks like a jewelry box, and when you pry it open, a memory floods over you. There’s a locket inside. You put a picture in it the day before you got your memory wiped, and when you pick it up, you find the picture staring up at you. Tenko. Even five years after he vanished, you couldn’t let him go.

You shouldn’t have had so much to drink. If you were sober, you absolutely wouldn’t be bursting into tears.

Your friends aren’t exactly clear on why you’re crying, but they comfort you anyway, Mitsuko and Hirono and Sho hugging you while Ryuhei and Mitsuru hang awkwardly back, patting your shoulders. The only person who doesn’t get in on it is Kazuo, but Kazuo was never the touchiest, even before his mind snapped. And something’s up with Kazuo tonight. Even through your own mess of emotion, you can tell.

You wait until everyone else is drifting off before you try to get it out of him. “What’s wrong?”

“The HPSC is reactivating me.”

“They – what?” The alcohol’s made you just a little slow – the anger hits before the understanding’s truly formed in your head. “No, they can’t. They can’t, Kazuo! After what they did to you –”

“My provisional license is still active. That means they can.” Kazuo extracts a letter from his pocket and holds it out for you to peruse. You can barely read it. Your vision is swimming with rage. “When All Might crippled the black market, he took down every possible informant with it. Someone is backing the League of Villains. They need to find out who. My quirk is the fastest way.”

“They can’t do this. Not with what happened last time.” Your heart is hammering. Kazuo’s work-study was in Yokohama. When he collapsed, they brought him to your clinic, and you saw firsthand what overuse of his quirk did to him. “It could kill you.”

“There are safeguards, theoretically.” Kazuo’s voice is flat, emotionless. Like it’s been for two years and counting. “If you read further in the letter, you’ll see the protocol they outlined.”

You don’t need to read it. “You’ve got a medical condition. Using your quirk will exacerbate it. They can’t just conscript you like this!”

“It’s done,” Kazuo says. You look at him, speechless with fury, still too close to tears. “I didn’t tell you so you could get angry over something you can’t solve. I told you because I’ve predicted the types of questions they’ll instruct me to ask. I can ask them in a way that will preclude you in the answers.”

You hadn’t even thought that far ahead. “But in order for me to do that,” Kazuo continues, “you must keep yourself out of their search parameters. As long as you don’t directly aid your friend in the committing of a crime, you’ll fall outside their net.”

“Directly aid,” you repeat. “What does that mean?”

Kazuo gives you a look. “Failing to stop something is not the same thing as assisting in it.”

Now you get it. Kazuo’s telling you that simply knowing what Tenko’s up to isn’t enough to get you in trouble. In order for you to come under suspicion through Kazuo’s quirk, you’d have to actually do something – not just to help Tenko, but to help Tenko commit a crime. “I understand.”

You do. But that fury is still bubbling up within you, pointless as it is, at the thought that catching some vague scraps of information about the League of Villains is worth Kazuo’s sanity, Kazuo’s life. “We’ll figure something out. I won’t let them keep using you.”

Kazuo’s eyes are blank. They’ve been blank for years. But every so often you’ve seen a flash of something within them – some feeling, something familiar, something of the boy you knew. “You can’t save both of us,” he says, and his right hand falls from his temple to rest in his lap.

He was using his quirk just then. What was he asking? What did he see? You want to ask him, but he’s just picked up a half-empty bottle of vodka and drained it, and now it’s all hands on deck to hustle him to the bathroom in time for him to throw it back up.

The thought crosses your mind, as you’re rubbing his shoulders and offering him tissues to wipe his mouth, that it would have been easier if you’d fallen harder for Kazuo. If you’d fallen hard enough to cling to him even when his heroic ambitions pulled him away, hard enough to hold on even when the overuse of his quirk destroyed his ability to feel anything at all, hard enough to fight for him even when he doesn’t see a point to trying at anything any longer. It would have been hard, sure. But at the same time, it would have been easier for everyone involved if you’d felt for Kazuo the way you feel for Tenko.

You and Kazuo fall asleep on the bathroom floor, and in the morning, you’ve got a backache and a hangover. So does everybody else, but there’s something at least a little relieving in the fact that you’re all suffering together. You’ve got work, but it’s a half day, and it starts at noon. Plenty of time for you to go home and take a shower and try to sober up the rest of the way.

At least that’s what you think. When you step out of the bathroom in your apartment wrapped in a towel, you step directly into a warp gate, and it swallows you whole.

Kurogiri said he’d tell you what you were walking into the next time Tenko summoned you, but maybe he just forgot. You think you can probably talk Tenko into sending you back long enough to put on clothes. But once your feet touch the ground, it’s clear that you aren’t in the bar, where you’ve been nearly every time Tenko’s called for you. The air is cold and clammy, and there’s a strange smell, half antiseptic, half rot. You know this smell. You remember it from a field trip you took in nursing school. It smells like a morgue.

It smells like a morgue, and it’s pitch-black. You can’t see your hand in front of your face. Where’s Tenko? You can’t imagine him summoning you here without an explanation – which means he’s not the one who summoned you. Who did?

A voice issues from the darkness, deep and almost friendly. “Do you know who I am?”

The revulsion and terror that sweeps over you at the sound of his voice are almost enough to bring you to your knees. But you grew up in a family full of quirk users whose quirks affected the mind and body, and they loved to practice on you. Sixteen years of surviving it gives you the experience to stay on your feet. And when you think about it, you do know who this is. “You’re Sensei,” you say, and the man in the darkness makes a pleased sound. “Shigaraki’s master.”

“Very good,” the man says, but it isn’t – you only remembered to use Tenko’s new name at the last second. “Now it’s your turn. Tell me who you are – and who you are to Tomura.”

“I’m – nobody,” you say. Sensei’s influence over you intensifies, and you keep your feet with an effort. “I’m a nurse. He came to the clinic I work at last year. He’d hurt his wrist.”

“I see,” Sensei says after a moment. “Had you met Tomura before that time?”

Tomura? No. You shake your head, only to remember that Tenko’s master probably can’t see in the dark. “No.”

“But you’ve seen him since.”

“Yes,” you say. “When he’s injured, he sends Kurogiri to find me. So I can help.”

“I see,” Sensei says again. You’re tempted to point out that if the doctor, whoever the doctor is, had treated Tenko’s gunshot wounds, Tenko wouldn’t have needed to call for you in the first place. But that would escalate things. You keep your mouth shut. “Do you possess a healing quirk?”

“No.”

“That’s a shame,” Sensei remarks. “Would you like one?”

“No,” you say at once. Maybe too quickly, given the insanity of the statement. “It’s not possible to give quirks.”

“It is. And they can be taken away just as easily,” Sensei says. You stay quiet, and when he speaks again, it’s a change of subject. “It seems Tomura has taken a liking to you.”

“I – I wouldn’t know,” you stammer. How much does Tenko’s master know? “I don’t know how Shigaraki feels about anything.”

“Thankfully, I do.” Sensei goes silent for a moment. “I suppose it’s wise of Tomura to keep a medical provider in his orbit, even if you would be more useful to him with a healing quirk. What is your quirk?”

Your stomach instantly twists into a knot. “I don’t have one.”

“Mm.” Sensei’s voice takes on a reflective note. “Let’s remedy that.”

The darkness is complete. You don’t see the hand coming; all you can do is startle when it clamps down over your face, enormous and rough and hot. Your breath leaves you in a sharp gasp, too quiet to be a scream but still too close for comfort. But just as suddenly as the hand settled over your face, it pulls away with equal speed. Sensei chuckles, a low, dark sound that makes your skin crawl. “You’ve been dishonest with me, but I can’t fault you for not sharing what you don’t know.”

You’ve been dishonest, yes. It doesn’t seem like he knows about that. But what don’t you know? “Sir? I don’t understand.”

“You have manners. It’s a shame Tomura won’t appreciate them,” Sensei says. “You will understand in time. Kurogiri?”

The mist begins to billow around you – and at the same time, it clears partially, revealing the shape of the man standing before you. He’s terrifyingly large, looming over you, and his face – “I would advise against telling Tomura of our meeting,” Sensei says as you stare up at him in terror, “but that is ultimately your decision to make. You and I will have no further dealings. Tomura has chosen you as a piece in his game. I will leave you to him.”

The terror drowns you. You fight to keep your head above water. “Yes, sir.”

“Sir,” Sensei repeats. “I do like that.”

The tone in his voice breaks your composure, just as the mist closes around you. By the time Kurogiri deposits you back on the floor in your apartment – in your apartment, they know where you live – you’re hyperventilating, panicking, almost out of your mind. “Shigaraki Tomura will call for you this evening,” Kurogiri says. “I do not know his purpose. I advise you to be prepared for either possibility.”

For a date. Or for a meeting with his new allies. You’ve never felt less prepared for anything in your life. Kurogiri vanishes, and you curl up in a ball, shivering. Maybe it’s from the cold. Maybe it’s from the smell of rot. Maybe it’s from the pure terror of meeting Tenko’s master, of the lingering sensation of his hand closing over your face. Whatever it is, you have to get rid of it. And you still have to go to work. You crawl back to the bathroom, turn the shower on scalding, and climb in.

Edit

Moondrop is cool too, if i was honest i love both of them, but sundrop is my little sunshine that make me feel safer that's why he's my second comfort character 🫶✨

Red (Tomura Shigaraki x F!Reader) [Soulmate AU]

Words: 12k // mdni

Tw: reader is Aizawa's daughter, soulmate au (you get the same mark when you touch your soulmate, plus other things), angst, depression due to separation, hero/villain conflict, trapped together in flashbacks, miscommunication, abuse/grooming (afo duh), Shiggy being disguised as Tenko and attending a day at UA with you, hell lot of complicated feelings, very Canon divergent: timeline wise, league doesn't exist yet but they are in their 3rd year, let me say it again... angst, bit skippy and I am so bad with tenses so I hope this is sound, reader's quirk is some telepathy stuff mixed with her dad's quirk erasure

Teaser: Tomura agreed because when you would see how he massacred his family then you won't be nice to him anymore and he won't feel so conflicted because of it. When you see how happy he was… you will be a hero again and hate him. Just like the rest.

Note pls read: this has been in the drafts since June last year. I don't intend on making a part 2. It is up to you how the story ends ♡

"You're okay! Thank god."

You don't think you have ever seen your father this relieved your entire life. He pulls you into his body, wrapping you protectively in his embrace and you start crying almost instantly. You break… finally, inevitably.

You have been locked in that room with Tomura Shigaraki 3 days ago and now you don't think you can ever be yourself again. 3 days that transformed your very core forever. It is too much to comprehend. You can never go back and it is so very apparent.

You felt for the body next to you in the pitch black darkness. You checked for a pulse and let out a relieved sigh feeling the strong thumps on the person's neck. "Hey, wake up!" You shook the person while simultaneously looking for the flashlight you carried in your belt. You thought it was a civilian or a pro you didn't see.

“What happened?" A breathy voice rang your way. You froze immediately. It was a dooming suspicion that manifested in your bones, that you did not want to entertain in such a dire situation. You found the flashlight and turned it on, seeing the red coat. Your suspicions turned to truths in a matter of seconds, leaving you terrified and vulnerable just like that.

A sharp inhale rippled through you as you jumped back and immediately activated your quirk. Shigaraki. Of all people. He reached for you and grabbed your wrist but you could fight him off, running to the other side of the room.

"I don't need my quirk to kill you!" He yelled.

"We are trapped! Be reasonable for a moment!" You yelled right back. He still charged for you and you used your scarf to trip him, then tied his hands behind his back.

"Bitch!" He hissed. “Fucking– bitch!’

"Freak! We are in serious danger. Calm down. You can try and kill me when we make it out of here."

"I will!" He rolled over and brought his legs up to slip his tied hands to the front. "I promise you that, hero scum!"

"Did any of your people see us? Because I think none of mine did," you asked him and untied him again, staying on guard but he just walked to the door.

"No. But just give me my quirk back, little Eraserhead, and we are out of here," he groaned with annoyance like you should have figured that out yourself already.

You did give him his quirk back but stayed alert. You couldn't trust he wouldn't just turn around and kill you. He reached for the door but then exclaimed in pain and was hurled through the air, hitting another wall where he was electrocuted again. He dropped to the floor in the middle of the room, breathing heavily and twitching.

You knelt beside him. "You good?"

"Peachy!" His voice had a shrill to it as he hissed. "What now?"

"I… I don't know."

You really were trapped.

"Guess we will have to make due until someone finds us," he shrugged and reached for your utility belt. "What do you have in there?"

"Hey!" You grabbed his wrist. "Personal space? Ever heard of it?"

"Tch."

"I have protein bars and liquid packs," you got them out and gave one to him. "We should ration."

"Yeah, shit," he rolled his eyes. "I've played survival games before. This thing is like Batman's utility belt, or what?” He pulled a little first aid kid out.

You frowned. He didn't seem all that hostile anymore. “Yeah… that was the inspiration,” you admitted to him.

There was a long moment of silence between you before you spoke again. "We thought you were working with the lab guys, but that's out of the picture now. What were you doing here?"

"Is this an interrogation? I'm not dumb!"

"I'm just trying to talk," you whispered and hugged your legs. "If I think about the fact we are trapped in here with nobody knowing where we are–"

"Your father is Eraserhead. Shut up. He will find you."

You looked at him. Was that his way of comforting you? It felt like it.

"You like my dad, right? I can get you an autograph," you smiled at him.

Tomura didn't understand. Why would you smile at him? He is horrible and you know that. "Shut up!" He felt warmth creep into his cheeks. "I just think he's cool… for a hero. He's still ass and has to die."

"Shigaraki escaped," Endeavor grunts with frustration. "He always finds a way."

You hold your fathers jacket tighter.

You hate yourself.

You feel relief Tenko got away.

》》》》

"Hey," Aizawa knocks on your door and walks into your room. "Can we talk?"

It's been a week since you returned home safe and sound. He can't imagine how you must have felt these 3 days. A part of him does not want to know… the other makes up the worst scenarios.

You have been quiet and distant ever since and it doesn't help with the fear and rage that your father holds. Of course, it was to be expected. He will give you as much time as you need, but you need to talk to him to get better.

You are just sitting on the bed. Your phone is on your desk and the TV is off too. Your face is pale and apathetic but you nod.

Aizawa sits on the floor in front of you, trying to not let his worry show too much. "Do you want to talk, kiddo?"

"Talk about what?" Your voice is barely a whisper.

"About what happened? About Tomura Shigaraki," there is no easier way to approach this. Sadly. If Shota could, he would take all of this hardship from you. You are just a kid, you are his kid. You should not have to go through this. He never wanted you to be a hero.

He sees how you grip the pillow on your lap tighter at the mention of that name. Your eyes blink rapidly and you breathe heavier.

"There's nothing to talk about," you say and turn your back to him, curling up. You feel like your bed swallows you, like it opens up and eats you whole. How could you ever go back to your life? How could you tell your father? It is so hopeless.

Tomura Shigaraki. That's not even his name. And no one but you knows. They don't care. Tenko is right about that. They just don't.

You thought about his question. "Well, I guess, my biggest secret is that in Hosu… we fought Stain and we didn't have our licence yet so the police lied about it."

Tomura's lip turned into a snarl and his eyes narrowed. "Really that's it? Lame. And I watched the whole thing… You got beat up.”

You looked at him, a small smile tugging on your lips. "Then do better, cmon."

Tomura thought. "I killed m–"

"I know you kill. That isn't a secret."

"Tch," he rolled his eyes and crammed through his mind. "Tomura Shigaraki is not my name. Sensei gave it to me. I only recently remembered that." He looked at his hands and swallowed. “I think I have a fucked up brain or something.”

He could see that this piqued your interest. He won this game. This stupid game. Your big eyes darted at him. "Will you tell me what your actual name is?" You asked.

“No.”

“Pretty please,” you turned your body fully toward his. “I am nosy! You can't just say that and now back out!”

“No chance.”

“Pretty please, Tomura-kun.”

“Pff.”

“I can guess. Satoru– that's too basic–”

"Tenko Shimura." He had to tell you. He knew it wasn't smart but you looked too cute not to. Your little pout and sparkling eyes.

"It fits better than Tomura Shigaraki," you uttered, looking at him with so much attention that he started to become nervous. "Did your friends call you Ten?"

"I told you I have no friends."

"But did Tenko have friends?"

He had to think, like he needed to put effort into remembering. Maybe his brain really was damaged. "They did call me–," he said with a chilling realization. "I had friends."

You frowned, head tilting to one side. "Well, this means, you turned into Tomura Shigaraki? You weren't always like this–"

"Like what? Disgusting? Gross? Evil? Like what?!" He got irritated so quickly.

You took a deep breath and it reminded him to do the same. "You haven't always been a villain. You haven't always been lonely."

"Pff. You haven't always been–"

"I have," you said proudly, crossing your arms. "I have always looked out for my friends and the weaker kids and protected them from bullies."

"Well," he shot back like you are two kids having an argument in the sandbox. "I did that too! Mikkun und Tomo always said 'you're really nice, Ten.' And when we played heroes they said I should be All Might because I protected everyone–"

You looked at him with that softness again that made his skin crawl in a whole different way. "But you are wrong. I was born to destroy. And at home… I was always lonely. As Tenko and as Tomura. When I killed my family… I was happy," he laughed.

You looked at him with a black face. He wished you would have looked horrified, would have scolded him or something but there was no judgment in your gaze at all. Heroes always looked at him with hatred… it was strange. "Can I see?" You asked blankly, raising your hand.

"Okay," your father sighs. "Talk to me when you are ready. Okay?"

"Okay," you whisper and tears shoot into your eyes. You feel so guilty and ashamed. How could you tell him? How could you tell anyone that you feel so sorry for the villain they all want to take down? They all think he deserves no mercy? They hate him. But Tenko doesn't even deserve it. He needs help. He needs to be saved.

Your father is a hero. You are a hero.

But you cannot forget what you saw. A little boy crying for help in his abusive home, a boy who was not at fault for his quirk awakening when he was in a fragile emotional state, a boy who killed his family by accident but then was groomed into believing it was what he wanted to do.

Tomura agreed because when you would see how he massacred his family then you won't be nice to him anymore and he won't feel so conflicted because of it. When you see how happy he was… you will be a hero again and hate him. Just like the rest.

You used your quirk on him in a different way, digging in his mind until you saw what happened that day. He could watch how your face twisted with horror, your eyes glossing over, how sick you felt because of what he had done. Now you will stop–

But that never happened.

Tomura stopped breathing when your arms closed around him. It happened so fast. You crouched closer and embraced him, holding him so tightly. The only one who had hugged him was sensei and it was a different kind of hug than this. You squeezed even tighter and Tomura felt something inside of him break, something that was under lock and key but now fell apart thanks to your hug.

"What are you doing?"

"I am sorry," you whispered against his shoulder. "I am so sorry, Tomura. I am so sorry all of that happened to you. I am so sorry, Tenko."

"I am sorry," you whisper and Shota stops at the door. He should have never allowed you to become a hero. He should have protected you better. His heart breaks.

"There is nothing you need to be sorry for," he says. "Shigaraki will be the one who's sorry." Whatever happened, whatever he has done, he will pay the price for hurting you.

》》》》

You are sitting in class, but your mind is somewhere far away. What is Tenko doing right now? Is he okay? Did he get hurt? You hate not knowing. You hate that you care so much it makes you feel sick. You rub at your wrist. It shouldn't. He is a villain. And you're a hero.

"What are you doing?" Shigaraki asked when you wrapped your cloth around your arms.

"I am cold," you sighed, sitting back down. It's been about 6 hours of silence by now.

"Tch," he rolled his eyes.

"Don't be a gentleman and offer me your coat. It looks way too good on you."

Shigaraki looked up again, "w-what?"

"Red really suits you," you said, smiling softer. "I like it on you."

"You like it on me?" He pondered on that for a moment. "Just shut up. Don't make fun of me."

"Someone can't take compliments."

It was the first compliment he has ever gotten. So that was a lie. He never had to take a compliment so he can't be bad at it… right? He didn't get what you were saying is all.

"I bet your boyfriend wouldn't appreciate–"

"My boyfriend?" You laughed.

"I thought– Deku."

"No… we are just friends. Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend?"

You could see how that question offended him. His lips turned into a tight line and his breath came in more ragged.

"Are you making fun of me again?!"

"N-no? It was genuine?" You stammered.

He calmed down immediately, "oh. Well, no. I'm… alone all the time… I never meet people."

You thought for a while, "doesn't that get lonely?"

"Tch," he rolled his eyes. "Villain's don't care if they are lonely!"

“But humans do?” Your eyebrows pinched. “Right?”

How would Tomura know? “Just shut up already….”

"(Y/N)?" Izuku stands before your desk, smiling. You look around realizing only then that class has ended.

"Y-yes?" You start to pack your things.

"Are we still on for tonight?"

You freeze. Izuku and you meet up every Wednesday to study and just hang out. It's been like this ever since you started school.

"Can I rain check you?" You just can't see yourself pretending like you want to hang out. You don't. You want to crawl into your bed and rot.

Izuku's face says it all. But you don't care.

"See you tomorrow," you say and walk past him out of the classroom.

"You have no friends at all?" You asked. It was hard to fathom. There had to be someone.

"There is sensei and Kurogiri," Shigaraki shrugged. "But… that's it."

"We can be friends–"

"I will kill you!" He snapped.

"We can be friends until someone comes to rescue us," you finished your sentence. "Just for now? I'd feel better if I'd be stuck here with a friend, you know."

"That's so dumb."

"Maybe that's why you don't have friends."

Shigaraki looked up with darting eyes, he looked like a lost puppy and you felt bad for your comment.

"No, you are right," you backtracked. "How can we be friends when we don't know anything about each other."

Silence. The silence lasted but you couldn't tell for how long. It may have been minutes or hours or days.

"Well, what's your favorite color?" he eventually asked.

You smiled to yourself, "it's red. Are we playing 20 questions?”

》》》》

Shota is desperate. It's been months. He hasn't heard you laugh, only seen you smile when you absolutely have to. You don't hang out with your friends anymore, you don't care about anything. You are a shell. Therapy is not leading anywhere, your grades are dropping, you dropped your hero internship too. During hero training you do the bare minimum. You are just so hopeless.

"I can cancel the mission–"

"You don't have to," you say. "I'll pick Eri up, make dinner and put her to bed. It's no big deal."

Shota nods. "Okay." He hesitates for a moment but then decides to ask. "Hey, I have noticed you are still wearing your winter uniform and tracksuit. Is anything wrong with your summer clothes?"

You tense instantly, playing with the hem of your sleeves. "N-no. It's nothing. I think I just prefer long sleeve shirts."

He pauses. "Alright." He would know if you would hurt yourself. He would know. It still fills him with unease. "I am back as soon as possible. We could go to the aquarium this weekend? We haven't been in quite some time. Yamada suggested it."

"Yeah," you nod. "Eri would love that."

Shota looks at you with softness. That is not the point. You are supposed to enjoy yourself again. "You can ask Midoriya to come if you want. You haven't been hanging out?"

"Well, we're not really close anymore. So, no. You will be late, dad. You should go." You don't want to talk about Izuku… you know you have made it hard but you never thought he would just abandon you altogether. He never even tried helping.

Not close anymore? You were inseparable.

He leans down and kisses the top of your head. "I love you, kiddo."

"Hm. Love you, too."

You can function when you need to. So you do all the chores then pick Eri up from uncle Yamada enduring his upbeat mood for a moment.

It is hard.

Your soul has no purpose like this. It's all so heavy.

"(Y/N)?" Eri says as you are sitting on the bus. You keep rubbing your wrist. "Do you have a soulmate mark?"

"No!" You shoot. "I don't. It's a mosquito bite."

"Oh, okay. Wouldn't it be cool? Finding your person? Maybe you'd be happy again," she babbles innocently and you want to burst into tears.

You will never be happy again… you will never be happy again as long as he is–

You take a deep breath and take Eri's hand. "Yeah maybe. Who do you think it may be?"

"Deku-kun or Miro-kun!"

"You just say that because you like them so much," you force a smile.

"I hope it's not Neito!" She crosses her arms.

You play with her for a bit then make dinner and put her to bed. You don't close the door fully so it stays open just a gap and then you stand in the dark hallway, feeling the weight of the world crash down on you. Your face grimaces as you try to not cry too loud, holding onto your wrist.

You don't want to go to the aquarium.

His head was resting in your lap and you just stroked through his hair. "Hold on a little longer. Please, Ten," you whispered. You leaned down and gingerly kissed his forehead. "Someone will save us…. Jus hold on."

You could feel his face twist into a soft smile and he reached out, touching your hair. "Y-you are… so… gentle."

You felt tears slip from your eyes. You were so scared to lose him then. Oxygen running out with every breath you took.

You were so scared to be separated, by death no less.

But with how hard life is now, you cannot help but wonder if that would have been mercy.

》》》》

Shota doesn't know what to do. He is at his wits end. You are a completely different person. He misses your smile, he misses your jokes and determination, he misses your optimism and positive attitude, that you don't take things so serious and always find the joke.

And now… now he is looking at the college application you put in and feels like it all comes crashing down finally, eventually. You didn't apply for a single hero branch.

You walk into the kitchen and open the fridge, looking inside then closing it again.

"(Y/N), sit," your father says with that tone; the sensei tone.

You look at the sheet in his hand and sigh to yourself then plop down on the chair next to Eri. "What? Anything wrong?"

"What is this?" He puts the list down. "Psychology? Human resources? Medical welfare? Criminology? Quirk research? And soul science?! Soul science?!!"

You shrug, "what?"

"You want to be a hero! You have always wanted to be a hero," Shota says.

You and Shigaraki were nearing the 24 hour mark. "Why do you want to be a hero so bad? Because of your dad?" It was his turn to ask a question.

"No. Not because of him. I just believe that some people need saving and others can save. And I can save," you said.

Shigaraki was quiet for a long moment again. "And do people always know they need saving?" He mumbled.

"No… some times they don't."

"But then why does no hero try to save villains? What if villains don't know they need saving?"

You kept quiet, thinking about it. Your heart sank and your stomach twisted. He was right. Have you ever been told to save the villain? Despite all they might have done, they are still human. "I-I don't know."

"I guess that's why we're heroes and villains," he chuckled. "Your turn," he looked at you.

"(Y/N)--"

"Dad," you meet his worried eyes for the first time in so long. "I don't think I can be a good hero anymore. That is all."

"But that is not true."

"You saved me," Eri smiles. "I think you're a great hero."

"Deku and Miro saved you," you say sharply.

Eri frowns. You were there too. You helped a lot. Eri remembers.

"(Y/N), that is not the problem. You are running away from something and it can't go on like this!"

You are. You are trying to run from the inevitable. It terrifies you to the bone. You look at the table and clench your jaw. You don't want to cry.

It must have been about 40 hours and you realized that you were running out of oxygen. It was after the hug, after finding out Tomura Shigaraki's origin.

Who Tenko Shimura was.

You were running out of things to ask each other too.

You have discovered that you like a lot of similar things. He is a gamer, he denies it but he likes shoujo animes just like yourself, he is a picky eater and you are both really fascinated by sharks.

"What's your type?" You asked in a whisper, laying on the floor beside him.

He didn't answer right away. "Well," he cleared his throat, embarrassed or shy. "Kinda you. Just not a hero."

You turned your head to look at him. Your flashlight was about to die and only gave off the slither of a glow at this point. It is so dim but you can still see his blush. "It's the lack of oxygen, isn't it?" You chuckled.

"No. You are cool… for a hero."

"Like you think my dad is cool?" You raised an eyebrow.

"No! That's weird! It's my turn to ask now!"

You giggled. His mouth dropped open as he feels your giggle crawl inside his chest and nest there.

"Do you believe in soulmates?" He whispers, like asking this was scary.

"How couldn't I? I mean, they are real," you said. "My parents were soulmates… my dads mark is almost gone now… it keeps fading since she died."

"Oh."

"Yeah," you sighed softly. "Do you believe in soulmates?"

He thought for a moment. "No."

"Why?"

"Do you have a crush on Deku?" Tenko asked instead as it was his turn.

"Why are you so caught up on Deku and me?"

"So you do?" It was ridiculous how it made him feel. Like he lost something.

"I don't know. Sometimes I look at him and I feel a tug in my chest. But… only sometimes."

"Hm."

"So, why don't you believe in soulmates? There is proof."

He stayed quiet.

"Imagine we'd be soulmates. How funny would that be," you grinned. "Then us getting locked in here together is just our conjunction event."

"Shut up," he hugged his legs, laying his head down on his knees.

You sat up and he startled alert, watching with a frown tugged on his face how you scooted closer. You knelt before him, a softness on your face that made his blood boil and then the flashlight gave up. The room fell into pitch black darkness. He couldn't even see you anymore despite you being so close.

"(Y/N)?" He whispered, knowing you are there but needing confirmation.

He felt how you got even closer and then pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Tomura held his breath, feeling all these things he has never felt before. It was a tsunami crashing down on him.

You sit back but then Tomura reaches out and touches your hand, a soft brush of his fingers against your knuckles. Nothing more. He could hear you gasp.

And then, it suddenly was as bright as daylight in the small room. You both felt the rush, the tingle in your veins as the red string manifested between you, becoming something tangible in the form of your soulmate marks manifesting on your wrists. Your skin was glowing in beautiful glittering golds and iridescents. Your eyes fracturing the sparks to a million specs. Magic. Love.

Tomura moved back and you did too, eyes daring at the mark on your skin that slowly started to settle.

You stayed silent in the cold darkness that followed.

You rub the mark under your sweater. "Can I go?"

"No. Not until you tell me what is going on. You said that Shigaraki didn't touch–"

"Dad– nothing happened. It's not about that!"

"No excuses anymore. You have to get out of this depression you are in."

"Leave me alone!" You yell and get up so quickly the chair falls over. "I can't tell you!"

"Why?" Shota blinks. He has never seen you like this. You have a great relationship. You used to talk about everything.

"Because you're a hero!" Your voice breaks and tears spill from your eyes. You wipe your face and go to your room, ignoring him.

But he doesn’t drop it. He follows you upstairs. "What does me being a hero have anyone to do with this? I am your father. That's what I am at my core. What I am first and foremost, always!"

You shake your head, "if I'd tell you, you would treat it as a hero and villain thing!"

"How can you know if you don't tell me? Kiddo, please. You are suffering… let me help!" He takes your hand and gives it a squeeze. "You will always be my baby. Nothing can change that. Nothing."

You look at him, eyes filled with hot tears. "I… I…–" you are about to show him the mark when his phone rings. It's an emergency. He can't… he has to…

He looks at you, then the phone. Being a hero or being a father. Is this what you mean?

"Go. They need you," you tell him soberly. "I'll tell you later."

He sighs. "I love you," he kisses your head again like he always does, pulling you into his chest. "We will talk later. Promise?

"Love you, too," you squeeze. "Promise."

He leaves and you and Eri decide to watch a movie then it is time for bed. You tug her in then walk to your room, rubbing your eyes. You reach for the doorknob and stop.

It is like a charge, like a current. Like something is waiting behind the door, someone. You slowly open it, on guard, but you still freeze seeing the figure standing in your room.

Tomura stands there, slouching, looking at you with wide eyes. He doesn't know what he is doing. He shouldn't be here. But it got unbearable. It got worse than any itch. These past months were absolute hell.

"Tenko?" You whisper, turning on the lights. You gasp seeing him, hands flying to your mouth in utter shock. He is covered in wounds, blood even seeping from the corner of his mouth.

"Don't call me that," he hisses. He shouldn't be here. Sensei will kill you. Sensei said he will kill you, that soulmates are just a burden, but Tomura is aching in ways only you can sooth.

"Erase my qu-irk," he chokes out and takes a tumble forward, hands reaching toward you. "Please!" He needs to touch you.

You move so quickly, eyes glowing for a moment as you prope inside of his mind to cut his brain from using his quirk, catching him before he falls and then he just holds you, cups your face first and then hugs you so tightly you mold together.

Silent tears roll down your cheeks, dampening his coat. The void in your chest fills up slowly, you can breathe again. He is crying too, he can't do it silently, and the smallest sobs get caught in your hair.

"How badly are you hurt?" You want to pull away but he won't let you.

"Ten, please. Let me help you."

"Needed to see you," he sobs. "Couldn't stay away… couldn't stay away… I couldn't forget… you."

You pull away by force now, cupping his face and brushing away his sticky hair. "I'm so happy you are here," you tell him, smiling and crying all that once.

He is mesmerized. You are everything. You are the blood in his veins and the air in his lungs and he has been dead this entire time. He doesn't want that you pull away from him, but you pry his hands off and run out of the room coming back with a first aid kit and damp towels.

"Do I want to know what happened?" You ask, pulling off his coat. You clean him up, not able to help the smile. You are so happy, every missing piece just clicks into place. So easily. It is just him.

"N-no. Y-you wouldn't smile at me anymore," he husks. You would hate him. He knows you would. He regrets it so much. "How can you smile at me at all?"

Your soulmate marks burned but you kept quiet for a long while in the utter darkness of your prison.

"So why don't you believe in soulmates?" You asked again, your voice is faint. "I kinda deserve to know now."

"Who would want to be my soulmate," he heaves.

You take his hand, rubbing over his knuckles with the cloth. You stop and look at him, your eyes glow again which means you pulled your quirk away. Tomura tenses and wants to pull his hand away. What if he kills you too?

But you don't allow it and bring his hand to your face, kissing his knuckles softly. You turn his hand around so his palm is facing the ceiling and kiss the mark at his wrist next.

Tomura starts to sob, body falling limp. How can you do that? You are a hero and he is a villain. He just cries ugly tears until they run dry. Your gentle, warm affection incapacitating him entirely.

You stitch him up, give him painkillers and something warm to eat. And now you are just sitting in front of your bed on the floor, leaning against it. It is quiet, has been for a moment and he finally looks up at you.

"Hi," he says, smiling with exhaustion.

You let out a laugh. "Hi."

"I can't believe you have an All Might poster up on your wall," he rasps. "You're a degenerate."

You laugh again. "What's on your walls? Posters of my dad?"

"Nothing. I don't even have a window;" he chuckles.

"No wonder you're so pale," you grin.

He chuckles again. Your eyes are glued to each other. You couldn't look away even if you wanted to. It would be impossible.

Shota sighs and puts his goggles down on the kitchen table. Nothing of what just happened made sense. But that Shigaraki got away again makes Shota angry. Angry in a way that concerns him. Heroes don't want revenge. But when he thinks about you… He feels like he needs to avenge you.

Why would he break into a soul science facility? What did he steal? For what reason? Shota sighs deeply and washes his hands. That doesn't matter now. That's work. He has to take care of his girls now.

He checks on Eri first, she's soundly asleep, then walks to your room. He stops dead when he hears you laugh. The sound is so foreign these days that it stings for a second before utter relief floods through his chest. The laugh turns into a giggle. Shota could cry. But then he realizes that you aren't alone. That a second voice comes from your room.

He would be mad under any other circumstances but you are laughing, genuinely laughing. He listening more closely, trying to figure out if it is someone he knows but you keep your voices hushed.

"You can stay… please stay," you tell Tenko, drawing patterns on his soulmate mark.

"Y-your father– I can't–"

The floorboards creak outside of your room and Tomura jumps up in panic. You grab his hand, squeezing tightly. "Trust me."

And he wants to. He wants to lay his life in your hands if he had a choice but he prepares to attack, prepares for the worst. Because what are you thinking? And because that's what he knows. Eraserhead hates him. Eraser and him were aiming to kill each other just a few hours ago.

Your father knocks then walks in. He looks at you then the boy beside you.

Tomura's face twists in confusion at the reaction or the lack thereof.

"It's pretty late to have someone over I don't know, don't you think?" He says but you know your dad and his tone is not angry at all.

"Dad," you take a deep breath, calming your own nerves. "This is Tenko Shimura. We met at group therapy."

Tomura looks at you. Are you changing the way Eraserhead perceives him? With your quirk that is a possibility. It must be. It's the only explanation for this. He needs to play along.

"H-hello, sir," Tomura steps forward and bows. "I am sorry we meet like this."

Shota scans the boy. Deep black hair, scars, his appearance is unkempt, baggy clothes, skinny and pale. Poor kid, he thinks.

"Ten… uhm, got into a fight," you mention to the first aid kit. "He knew we learn how to patch up wounds at U.A. so he came to me."

You look at your dad, praying that he believes you.

"How bad is it?" He asks. "Recovery Girl is still up."

"Not that bad," Tomura heaves. He is focusing so much energy on standing.

"Don't lie," you snap at him and he looks at you like a guilty puppy. A friend? No. This familiarity is different. "We should go to her. It's just a kiss."

"A kiss?" Tomura shrieks. He did not even have his first kiss and now some lady will kiss him to heal him. "I don't– I don't know."

"On the cheek," Shota chuckles.

"Oh."

You giggle and wrap your arm around Tenko's waist, supporting him. He can hardly walk. Your dad makes two observations. That he is a friend is bullshit. And the fight wasn't just some rumble between kids. That boy is hurt

"What fight did you get into, Shimura?"

"Uhm," he looks at you with question.

"Dad," you shake your head and blink in a way you haven't for months. It was the 'dad, I tell you later. Just play along' face. A face you used to give him way too much.

"Understood."

"What do we have here?" Recovery Girl coaxes you all inside as you arrive. "Or who do we have here? Are you Miss (Y/N) boyfriend?"

"I– uh–" Tomura looks at you. "N-no?"

Shota has to hold back the laugh. "Is that a question or an answer, son?" He says.

"Really funny, dad," you rolled your eyes.

He smiles.

"Well, then, (Y/N)'s maybe boyfriend, come here and sit," Recovery Girl pats the hospital bed. "Let me check you out first, ah, but I see you have already been cared for. Oh, what is this?"

"What?" Your face falls flat in worry and you move to Tenko's side immediately. "Did I miss something?"

"N-no. That is old," Tomura says under a breath.

You now see the huge bruise on his chest and you meet his eyes, worry and question in your gaze.

"I see," Recovery Girl says, glancing over at Shota for a second then going right back to caring for Tenko.

You watch with a smile how awkward he is, not knowing how to react to Recovery Girls witty care. It is adorable.

When it is all done he can stand and walk on his own again. "T-thank you, Miss Recovery Girl," Tomura bows.

She chuckles. "I don't ever want to see you beat up like that again, boy! Understood?"

"Understood?" He forces a smile on his lips.

You walk out of the office.

"How about you stay the night?" Shota says. "It is very late. I will call your parents."

Tenko looks at you then back to Shota. "I… I don't want to–"

"Ten, it's okay," you smile. "Stay?"

He takes a deep breath. "Okay. You don't have to call my parents, sir."

Shota looks at you and you give him that look again.

"You get the couch ready. I still need to shower," Shota says and leaves into the bathroom.

You and Tenko look at each other and wait until the shower is running to talk.

"What is going on?" He says calmly.

You plop down on the couch and rub your temples. "I am changing the way people perceive you."

So he got it right. That must be extremely tiring.

"I need to go."

"Do you want to go?" You look at him.

Of course not. He wants to be with you. All the time. He enjoys every second of this… of you. But sensei will be so mad. And… he knows this is so risky.

You reach out and stroke through his pale hair.

He just gives up, laying on the couch, head in your lap. Of course he doesn't want to go. He does not ever want to leave you. You are everything to him. The sun and the moon and the entire sky. He has no resolve.

You play with his hair, softly scratching at his scalp and he sighs. "This won't end well." He is not talking about this persona you are making up. He is talking about All For One punishing him. But he takes all the punishment for some more time with you.

You lean down and kiss his nose. His crimson eyes are huge blood moons, staring at you.

"Let's make your bed," you say and get him to get up, pulling the sofa out so it becomes a bed. You find the spare pillows and blanket and make it as comfortable for him as possible.

"Here, that should fit," Shota gives Tenko some pants and an old shirt. "Goodnight, then." Shota waits for you.

"Goodnight, Ten," you smile softly.

"G-Goodnight."

Your dad follows you into your room where you quickly hide Tomura's coat under your bed. Your heart pounds.

"So?" You two sit down on your bed.

"Well, his dad… he's not treating him well," you say. It's not even a lie, not entirely.

"He gets abused in his home?"

You shrug. "He won't say… but I am sure."

"Does the police know?"

"I don't think so. It is complicated, dad. His experiences with the authorities and heroes haven't been the best." You explain, not lying at all. "He only knows to get into fights and be reckless… but… he's really okay, dad. If you give him a chance to be…. He is like the stray cats you feed… he wants to be good but he doesn't know how."

Shota sighs. You really like that boy… that is undeniable. “Were you afraid I wouldn't accept him?”

Your eyes shoot up, caught red handed right there. “I… I have made you worry so much… I did not know if you would blame Ten for how I am. His circumstances are complicated and when you don't know him you could think he's… A bad guy.”

He has just heard you talk more than these past months. "Where does he go to school?"

Your face grimaces. "He doesn't."

"What do you mean? He has to go to school?"

"Well, I said it's complicated. I really mean it. He… he doesn't have a lot of choices. He doesn't have a family…no one to help him… and he can hardly accept help from me due to his bad experiences. I am glad he chose to come here tonight…. I'm so glad–” your voice hiccups.

Shota swallows. He reaches out and squeezes your shoulder. "Okay, let's, together… see what we can do… but he can only be helped if he trusts proper authorities."

"And what if those authorities have let him down and allowed this to happen?" You ask.

Shota looks at you with a frown.

You close the distance between your dad and yourself and hug him before he can think too much about it. He is so taken by surprise that his eyes tingle with tears.

"Thank you, dad," you whisper. "For letting him stay tonight."

"Of course."

》》》》

Tomura has been awake for a while. He knows he should leave. He knows that sensei will punish him for staying away for so long already. But… he just wants to see you one more time. One more time before cutting the connection with you once and for all.

Like you hear his silent call you appear at the stairs. You jump the last one and he frowns.

"It creaks," you whisper and he nods.

You look different. Hair messy and eyes sleepy. You are beautiful. Soft and looking like home. He hates these thoughts. It is stupid to want this. He could never have it.

"I was scared you'd already be gone," you tell him, sitting down on the pulled out couch before him. "How did you sleep?"

"Good," he whispers. He is so confused. Why does he feel okay? He shouldn't. He should use this and kill as many heroes and students who are around… he should.

Tomura wants to destroy all of this, every last bit. It is the only way, the only thing that will bring him peace.

You scoot closer and lay down. There's distance between you and him and he wishes it wouldn't be there. You look at each other, seeing right into each other's souls. There is no filter. Maybe it's just one soul?

You reach out and cup his face, your thumb traces softly on his cheek. His eyes flutter. "Do you have to go back?"

"I want to go back," he whispers.

"Do you?"

"Tch. I… I will destroy everything."

"Everything? Do you even know what that is?"

Tomura's words get stuck in his throat. He turns and his back is now facing you. What do you even mean? He will destroy everything because it is the only way to build a world where people like him can live an easier life. Everything means… just everything stemming from that house. You have seen it.

He feels how your arms slip around his waist, pulling him close. Your face nuzzles into his back.

"Tch." He melts into you, though. He hates it. He hates how he can't stop it, how he doesn't want to stop it. He wants you. He wants peace.

"Hmm?"

"You are annoying."

You are about to doze off. It feels so right to lay beside him. All the missing bits suddenly available. But you hear the little footsteps and pull away, sitting up.

Tomura is sad about that but he sits up too, looking at you then at the little girl that appears. She has hair the same shade as he does, red eyes too and a horn.

"(Y/N)?" She whispers and runs over into your arms. "Who is that?"

"My friend, don't you want to introduce yourself?"

She takes a moment to build the courage but then straightens up. "I am Eri, nice to meet you."

Tomura recognizes the name. It's the girl from Chisaki. The permanent quirk erasure. What is she doing in your house?

"I am To– Tenko," he nods.

"To-Tenko?"

You giggle and Eri looks at you with sparkling eyes.

"Just Tenko," he says.

"Go pick out an outfit for the day then you can start your video game."

Eri doesn't hesitate and runs up the stairs.

"She is in her playing video games before school era. I know you know who she is."

Tomura stays quiet.

"You and her aren't all that different… she was just lucky and got saved," you say. "You just need to be saved too."

"Shut up," he says sharply and itches at his neck.

You look over your shoulder at him and lean closer, kissing his cheek. His eyes widen and he pushes you away, cheeks visibly flushing a bright pink.

"You're like a stray cat for real," you smile. "Accept the affection."

"Shut up!" He hides his face. He is just not used to it. He never has anyone close and suddenly it is you… you of all people… who is close… you.

You dress Eri then she runs and grabs the switch. "Maybe today I can finally figure it out!"

"Tenko can help you," you say. "He's a gamer." He looks at you with puppy eyes. "Right?"

"Y-yeah? What game is it?" He whispers.

"Spyro!"

"Spyro's cool. Where are you stuck?" His whole mood suddenly changes and he listens to Eri explain her dilemma. They settle on the couch and Tomura assists her with tips. She wants to do it herself and he can respect that.

You listen to them from the kitchen, preparing breakfast.

Your father never sleeps in but who knows how the emergency mission– you look at Tenko. They ran into each other last night, didn't they? It was him, your father responded too. Your father beat him up like that alongside the other heroes? Your stomach clenches

"Hhhhhiiii!" Eri exclaims. "I've done it!"

"Good job," Tenko smiles.

Eri raises her hand to give him a high five but Tenko turns his hand to a fist for a fist bump instead. Your heart sinks. He doesn't have to be a villain. Just seeing him like this proves it, does it not?

You clean up the living room and you talk Tomura into taking a shower. The three of you then brush your teeth together. You sit him down on the tub edge and stand between his legs. Tenko looks up at you with warm cheeks and big eyes. You start to blow dry his hair, smoothing it out with a brush.

No one has ever taken care of him like that. He can't even look at you.

"Do you want to drink something special?" You ask as you sit down for breakfast. "Any tea? Matcha? Hot chocolate?"

Tomura bites his tongue and looks at you. He can't possibly say it.

"Making you a hot chocolate," you chuckle and turn away.

"Thank you."

Eri chooses to sit down next to Tenko. She keeps staring at him until he feels uneasy. Can she see through your illusion? Eri stands on the chair and leans closer.

"Who are you?" She whispers.

"Tenko… (Y/N)'s friend," he gulps.

"Yes… but you have to have magic or a quirk or something because (Y/N) has been so sad and now you show up and now she isn't sad!"

Tomura looks at you. Have you suffered just as much? He hates that thought so much. Everything just hurts all the time. Tomura is used to it but you… you are not like him.

"Eri! Get–" Shota runs down the stairs, finally awake and thinking there is no way he would be on time, having to get Eri and himself and you ready. He stops dead, looking at the scene. Eri is already dressed and eating breakfast, you are making lunch boxes. He barely got you out of bed for months.

"Morning, dad," you smile.

"You could have woken me up."

Tomura watches how Eraserhead walks over, kissing Eri on the head and then you. Is that what a real dad does? Something inside Tomura hurts– no… inside Tenko.

"Good morning, Shimura. You slept okay?"

Tomura stares at Shota. "Y-Yes. Th– thank you for letting me stay."

"Hm."

You put breakfast on the table and everyone sits down and starts eating. Tomura is hesitant. He is lucky if he gets one meal a day and that is definitely not smelling as nice as what you cooked. He is a picky eater which might just be because he hardly ever gets variety in his food.

You watch from the corner of your eyes how Tomura starts to dig in. He is timid at first but after two bites he shovels the food in. You smile softly.

"Are you prepared for the test today?" Shota asks.

"Not really," you answer honestly.

He sighs.

"Can we go to the aquarium today? Can Tenko come?" You ask.

"Yes!!" Eri shouts.

"I… I really have to… get back, (Y/N)?" Tenko stammers.

Get back to what? Shota looks at the boy sitting at his table. He is eating like he hasn't had a home cooked meal in years and after what you told him… that probably is the case.

"Schools out at 1 today and then we go immediately… just for a little bit?"

Tenko sighs and squeezes his eyes shut. He can't say no to you. He has no resolve. That is a huge problem. It's such a big problem. He doesn't want to murder you, he can't say no, he doesn't want that you suffer…

"Okay… then let's go," Shota says. "Shimura, how about you go to school with us today?"

"W-what?"

"Yes!" You smile. He frowns at you. Do you not doubt him at all? What if he kills everyone? Why do you trust him like that?! "I can–"

"No. He will attend my class," your father shuts you down before you get your hopes up.

"Really?" You scoff.

"So… what do you say?"

Shota watches how Tenko looks at you, hoping for guidance. He nervously starts to itch at his neck.

"You might like it… going to school," you say with softness. "But if it's too much–"

"No! I… I guess I'll go?"

"Good," Aizawa nods.

You and Tomura go to your room to pick him a backpack and some supplies. He is so awkward but you are thankful he is willing to play along.

"Aren't you scared I'll kill someone?"

"Deku?" You grin.

Tomura scoffs.

"No… I am not," you smile and take his hand. "You wanna know what it's like."

"What is what like?" He looks at you wide eyed.

"Living?"

He scoffs again. No. No that isn't it. He sees this as a goodbye. He wants to spend as much time with you until… well.

"I know exactly what backpack you can have, Ten," you tell him and rummage through your closet. You throw the backpack over to him and he grimaces before looking at you again.

"Really?" It's a bag in the form of cartoon All Might. "Give me my quirk for a second."

"You had your quirk this entire time."

"What?!" He drops the bag. That's a lie. It has to be a lie!

You want to reach for his hand but he pulls it away. You look at him sympathetically, accepting it. "You keep your pinky off things subconsciously–"

"But I caught the bag!" Tomura nearly yells. This is wrong. You are lying. Why are you lying to him?!

"Maybe subconsciously you know you're not in any danger right now?" You think. "Sometimes quirks activate when we are in survival mode… maybe it feels like a break to your soul?"

He reaches for the tissue box and it decays. He looks at you with narrowed eyes. But… he is upset right now. There could be truth to your claim… he feels so entirely different right now than what his usual normal is.

"I am sorry. You want me to–"

"No," he takes a deep breath. "No… it's fine." If something goes wrong he will at least be able to fight.

You open your school backpack and sit down on the bed. He does too.

"Pencil or pen?"

"I don't fucking care," he scoffs.

You pout and put a variety of pens into a second case and throw it into a bag along with some other things.

"I am really happy I get to spend a day with you," you say with a smile but melancholy still lingers in your tone.

Tomura's chest feels tighter. This is such a dumb idea. He knows it is. He moves forward until his head touches your shoulder. You stroke through his hair that now smells like your conditioner. He can't say it but he is happy too.

You are on your way then. You drop Eri off at the daycare and then walk to the main building. There are so many people. Tomura walks closer and closer to you. Your shoulders are touching. Can no one see him for who he is? What if there is another quirk that makes yours useless?

"See you then, dad. Lets–"

"Oh no. Shimura is coming to my class. I told you," Shota says with a stone cold face.

You chew your tongue and look at Tenko. He sees your distaste about that but you flash him a smile instead of protesting. "Have fun, Ten," you hug him then walk to your classroom.

Tomura takes a deep breath. You did not even tell him to be good or something… no word of distrust… it feels strange. You should be worried. Right?

"Shimura, are you and my daughter dating?" Shota bluntly asks and Tomura's eyes widen.

"What?! No! No, Mr. Eraserhead." Tomura follows the hero, staring at the floor. You are not… well, he wants to. But he knows–

"Well, then, do you have any intentions to do so?"

Tomura doesn't know what Aizawa's tone of voice means. Tomura starts to itch at his neck. "I… don't."

"Why? You seem very familiar," Shota thinks back at all the little things. How you look at each other… how you talk to each other. How easy it all comes to you. You are so comfortable with each other that one may mistake you for soulmates.

"I wouldn't be good for her," Tomura says honestly and Shota finally looks at the boy. He sees so much sadness and hurt but smouldering rage too. Perhaps he is right even if right now you seem so happy. Tenko knows it isn't sustainable… that is mature.

They walk into the class and Tomura looks at Deku. He could just kill him right now. He could just do it. Some of the brats start to talk amongst themselves. What does he even look like? He has no idea. What if you make him look ridiculous? You wouldn't. It is actually so impressive how you can manipulate everyone in the building.

"Class, this is Shimura Tenko. He is a guest at my house and will be attending this class today. Don't scare him. Sit down."

Tenko walks to the free spot and gets the stuff out you have packed for him. He opens the notepad, seeing a scribble from you.

"Just treat this as some school simulator game ♡" you doodled yourself and him next to it with little hearts. He smiles. How can you be so nice to him?

"Try to fill in as much as you can," Aizawa says as he puts the test sheet down on Tomura's desk.

He finds it actually very interesting and his pen flies over the page, answering the questions. Tamura is not dumb and sensei taught him but never like this.

It is kind of fun. Well, it's all hero trash of course but… he can enjoy it for the day.

Three periods pass. The test, math and English. Then there is a break. Eraserhead leaves and Tomura holds his breath as half the class, his very enemies start to gather around his table. He is staring blankly ahead, not knowing what to do.

"Ten!"

Hearing your voice is like salvation.

"Does he speak our language?"

"I am from here," Tomura mumbles.

"He's a bit shy," you say and put your hand on his shoulder, standing behind him. "Hi, guys."

"Shy!" Mina coos.

"Let us not overwhelm him," Tenya orders.

"How did you meet?" Izuku asks, looking at you.

"Uh… therapy," you say to keep the lie up. You meet Tomura's eyes and he frowns, brows pinching together tightly. He gets up quickly and cups your face. Your eyes widen.

"Your nose is bleeding," he says and wipes the blood away with his thumb, cradling your face.

"Oh," your cheeks heat up and your heart thumps and you know he can feel it. "I should go to the bathroom."

"I'll walk you."

You and Tomura walk down the hallways but you pull him into one of the janitor closets instead. He tumbles and traps you against the wall, face inches away from yours.

"I just need a break," you smile softly. "From using my quirk. I'm starting to get a headache."

"Ah." Tomura uses his sleeve to wipe your blood and soon the nosebleed stops. He watches how your hands disappear into the front pocket of his hoodie, pulling him a bit closer as you close your eyes. His heart aches. "Do you like me better the way you project me now?" He asks.

"What do you mean?" You open one eye again.

"I mean… when I look… normal?"

Your hands leave his pocket again and instead cup his face, softly going through his hair. He stares at you with suspicious eyes. "You look normal?" He tries to avoid your eyes now but you don't let him.

"Tch. You know what I mean."

"You look handsome too… and cute."

"Cute?" He grimaces.

"And hot."

"Pff."

"This is just a disguise, Ten. Nothing more. I like you the way you are. I only change your hair color to black, make you look a bit more alive and hide your scars.”

"But you call me Ten."

"Because your friends call you Ten?"

"You're so annoying–"

He didn't see it coming. And nothing could have prepared him. God, it is the best feeling in the whole world. His body goes limp in the wake of your lips against his.

"Sorry," you whisper only to do it again. This time your hands drop to his neck and you pull him closer. He kisses back, tries to – he is so overwhelmed. He takes a shaking breath against your lips before pressing his mouth harder into yours, leaving no room to breathe at all.

Your eyes meet when he pulls away again. "But don't you want me to change at all?" He whispers.

You hug him close. He wants to hear it? He wants you to say it? But it's not your place. "I want to save you."

"Save me?" He scoffs.

"Yes."

You kiss him again, hands digging into his hair to pull him closer.

He has never been saved. He holds onto you for dear life, the kiss like air to him.

“Shouldn't we go back?” Tomura whispers.

“Probably.”

You think the best way to step out of the closet again is to just do it quickly– All Might stands right there in the hallway, blinking at you and Tenko.

“Uncle Toshi!” You never Uncle-Toshi him at school, but it seems like the right thing to do now. “This is my friend Tenko Shimura. We were just going back to class.”

All Might's face twists and turns. “Shimura? What a coincidence. I once knew someone with that name… where are you from, kid?” He asks. Tomura is really trying his best to stay calm. What would stop him from killing All Might right now?

“Here,” he says. “I'm from around here.”

“Ah. Well, you'll be late if you don't go now.”

“Right!” You bow and Tomura does too once he notices you are, then you hurry down the hallway, your fingers tangled up.

“I've never known anyone named Shimura… That's kinda strange, right?” You frown.

“Maybe,” Tomura shrugs. “I was sure he'd notice.”

“Notice what?” Neito says, suddenly appearing behind you. “You are Tenko then? Hm?” He raises an eyebrow.

Tomura looks at you, eyes wide and irritated. What the hell? Suddenly a purple haired guy walks by and tugs Neito away. “Don't mind him.”

“Didn't know you were into emo guys!” Neito calls. “Could've just dated–”

“Don't even say it,” the purple haired guy says.

You sigh and walk Tomura back to 3-A. “That were my classmates.”

“I see… Class A are the main characters for a reason.”

You laugh, “you and Bakugou would get along so well.” You bump your shoulder into his, your pinky softly reaching for his again. “And? How was English class?”

“Fine… the teacher is just so annoying…I liked math a lot.”

“You weirdo,” you smile.

You drop him off in class and turn back to walk to yours, touching your lips.

Tomura watches you walk away and is about to get back into the class when Deku suddenly appears.

“Can we talk for a second?”

Tomura's heart starts beating like crazy. “Yes… sure.”

Tomura and Deku move to the windows and Deku looks out into the court while Tomura tries to keep his hand steady. Does he know?

“Thank you,” Deku says.

Tomura's face slips into utter confusion. “What?”

“Thank you for being there for her. She's been so down for months… I didn't know what to do so I did nothing– I hate myself for it. But today, just because of you, she seemed so much like herself again.”

“Doing nothing is the worst thing you can do.”

“I know.”

“I don't know what you want to hear, Deku,” Tomura says. “You want me to say that it was okay you abandoned her in her worst time, that it was not your responsibility… When she needed you most? You were closest to her, you were her best friend, right? I thought you were dating to be honest. Oh and, you are a fucking hero. You needed to save her! But because her problems did not fit in any box you chose to ignore it and sweep it under the rug. I won't say it. You messed up. Big time. And I hope she realizes it and never forgives you.”

Izuku blinks. “Thank you for being honest.”

“Tch.”

“I'll do better!” Izuku nearly shouts.

Tomura rolls his eyes. Stupid heroes. “Whatever.”

》》》》

“You know… they have sharks.”

Tomura looks at you. “I really have to go.”

“To do what… villainy?”

He blanks and looks at you. His brows furrow, “no… I mean–”

“I was joking,” you say and take his hand. Your fingers tap together… Then you pull him in for a loose hug. “Please…” your soft touch moves higher to his soulmate mark. A current running across his body when you touch it. “Just a little more?”

He sighs deeply, arms wrapping around you. “All right.” How could he say no? He couldn't possibly… he wants you to be happy one last time.

So, he finds himself in the backseat of Eraserhead's minivan. He really shouldn't be seeing the pro hero so casually. Him of all people.

“Tenko?” Eri asks. “What's your favorite animal?”

“It's sharks.”

She gasps. “Just like nee-san! And what's your favorite color?”

Tenko thinks, “red.”

“Oh!! Just like nee-san! Maybe you're soulmates?!”

“Eri,” Shota says sternly. “We talked about this. You cannot say two people are soulmates who have some things in common. It makes people uncomfortable.”

“I apologize,” she pouts. “I forgot.”

“It's alright, Eri,” you say.

Shota catches a glimpse of you and Tenko too. Neither of you even is embarrassed… that's odd. You used to go ballistic when Eri did that to you and Midoriya.

You arrive at the aquarium and you and Tenko always stay 5 steps behind. After a while of trying to stay as a group, Shota just accepts that you'd rather stay with him alone and makes sure Eri doesn't bother the two of you too much. It is enough that he can hear you laugh and giggle right now after such a long time of missing it completely.

“Spider crabs are so creepy,” you say looking at them.

“Heh… maybe because they have spider in the name. Spiders are creepy,” Tomura says.

You giggle, “you wanna tell me right now you're scared of spiders? They are definitely more scared of evil old you.”

Tomura knows you're teasing. “Look at that thing.” He points at an odd fish.

“Ah, yes. That's a sunfish. They are funky.”

“Ugly.”

“I think they are cute,” you smile. “Cmon!” You grab his hand and lead him through the people to the huge whale shark tank. “This is what we wanna see. Look!”

You watch how his eyes light up, the blue light mixing with the deep red. It creates the most beautiful sparkle. “Holy shit, I didn't realize they are this huge! And manta rays too???”

“There's a black tip.”

“Crazy! Another one! And what kind is that?”

You breathe out, contently, following the whale shark's movements as if you search his guidance.

Tomura looks at you in the soft blue hues the tank gives off. You are smiling, so beautiful and warm. His heart is beating so strong, he feels it everywhere. Sometimes he wondered if he even had a human heart but now it is so apparent.

He wants this. He wants you. He really does. You make him feel so… alive. You make him feel included and seen and heard and… Like a human and as much as he tries to deny it– he wants to be human. Maybe… maybe somehow you can make it work? Maybe you are right. Maybe there is more to everything and maybe life can be good.

You are soulmates. That has to mean something. If Tomura was meant to destroy then he wouldn't have a soulmate, right?

Tomura reaches out and wraps his arms around you and rests his chin on the top of your head. Your hands interlace almost instantly. Your hearts are beating out of order in sync. Together like this; it's what you're meant to be.

You don't say anything. You lean into him and it all just is right. All the pain you have felt is gone now that you are together. You are meant to be together…. No matter what.

“There are still other sharks–”

“Let's stay a moment more,” Tenko whispers. “It's… beautiful.”

“It is,” you smile, holding his hand tighter.

Shota watches from a safe distance. He knew the day would come and that you genuinely are happy since Tenko showed up makes it easier to accept. Tenko may not be the guy Shota imagined for you… and the kid told him he doesn't think he should date you himself but… well… if he makes you forget all the trauma you endured being locked up with Shigaraki then Shota is thankful.

"Are they really not soulmates?" Eri asks, tugging on Shota's sleeve.

Soulmates?

"Being soulmates is super rare, Eri," Shota says. "And their marks would have appeared by now."

Shigaraki… he broke into a soul science facility last night.

Shota gets his phone out to google what that lab is researching but he never clicks on the google icon. 14 missed calls from All Might. He looks up again. A sinking feeling spreads in his chest. No. No, that is impossible. It can't be.

He gets up and walks over like he is in trance. Eri is confused. The pieces click together. It is all obscure shapes. No it just can't be. Shigaraki is the source of all your sorrow.

You turn around and frown at him. "Dad?"

He grabs Tenko's wrist, then yours. There is nothing. Shota looks at you and the panic in your eyes gives you away. He knows when his little girl is lying to him. His eyes glow and his hair swirls as he erases your quirk. He looks again and now clearly, so evidently, sees the soulmate marks. They match up perfectly, branded into both of your skins. But Shota is too scared to look at Shimura again. Why would you not tell him? This whole talk about you not being able to tell him because he is a hero… was that it? It can't. This is insane.

It cannot be Shigaraki. That would be– it just can't be.

"Dad… let me explain!"

Shota looks up with the conviction of a hero, meeting Shigaraki's bloody red eyes. He shivers all over.

Tomura panics and his free hand stirs but you put your arm in front of his chest to protect him but also to stop him. "Please… stay calm."

"Stay calm?!" Shota narrows his eyes at you. He grabs you and pulls you away from Tenko. Then using his quirk on Shigaraki. "How could I stay calm?!"

"Dad… please… there is so much you don't know. I could not tell you– I… I was scared but Tomura isn't–"

Shota looks at the monster he allowed into his house, who seems even paler now, shocked and wide eyed, unable to break from Shota's gaze as he doesn't dare to move a muscle.

"You're under arrest–"

You use your own scarf to tangle with your dad's so he can not reach Tomura. "Run!" You tell him and he does, bolting for the staff only door. He knew this would go south. He knew it would only crash and burn and decay before his eyes. Why did he think it could be different?! Why did he think he could have this– you! He is so stupid. So utterly stupid!

After running up stairs and through doors upon doors he pushes the next door open and finds himself on the roof, running until he reaches the edge. Tomura reaches into the pocket of his pants and takes out the little veil he has been keeping safe there ever since last night.

He has to do it… for your sake too. All of today was just a goodbye… yes… just a goodbye. That was the reason.

"Tomura!" You stand a few paces away from him, eyes wide and concerned. You hold your hand out. "We can– what is that?" You frown.

"I am sorry–" his voice breaks. "We can't… it will never happen– it will just keep hurting you."

"W-wait!" Your eyes widen and your hands wave in panic. Your heart beats so loudly. You have heard of the drug when you applied for soul science, it is new and only in testing. It is supposed to sether the red thread between soulmates to make life easier. "Tomura… no… wait… please."

Your father comes up beside you, but you hardly realize.

"I have to!" Tomura's eyes squint. He might be crying. He doesn't know… doesn't care. "You will only keep hurting because we can never be–"

"I rather hurt then!" You yell and take a step. "I don't– I can't… lose you for good."

Tomura shakes his head. Why are you making it so hard? Why is his heart tearing apart in his chest? He doesn't have a heart– he can't have one having done all that he has. He does not care. He never has. Like he never cared for his family and killed them. He can't care– he can't be with you. He is disgusting and evil, Tomura knows it. And you are a hero. And you are gentle and loving. And he can't be any of that! That is why he never got saved. You are not compatible even if fate linked you together by a red string. He should hate you. He ought to. For your own good. "Sensei… said…. He said he will kill you if I…. If I don't." Tomura raises the veil to his lips. He doesn't want to do it either… his body is fighting him like some survival instinct kicks in but he knows it is the right thing to do! For your sake too. He does this for you… He is not being selfish… right?

"Then we'll kill him?!" You shake your head and step forward, fanatic eyes searching for his."I'll become a villain! If I become a villain— then we can— right? We can be together! Please!" You are desperate and stumbling over words faster than you can think. You are scared. What would it mean to cut the thread? You have suffered for months… if he cuts your bond… does it mean– "I can't live missing a fragment of my soul, Tomura– missing you forever. I can't do it. I'd rather die," you sob, sinking to your knees.

"(Y/N)?" Shota whispers.

"You don't mean that," Tomura knows. You are a hero and you have a wonderful life… he saw that today. He sighs shakily. "(Y/N)... I am sorry."

"Please," you sob. "Don't… please just please!"

"I have to," Tomura whispers and raises the veil for his lips. His hand is trembling.

You suddenly charge at him and your cloth wraps around his wrist trying to stop him.

"Even if you cut our thread… I won't ever stop fighting for you. Let me save you, Tomura." You yell. "Let me… just–" You are getting angry, but it comes from a place of love. You just want to love him, all of him. You don't care. "Stop!"

He decays the cloth and bites the top of the veil off. The liquid burns like toxins. It travels down Tomura's throat, making him choke.

“No!” You cry out and collapse as a piercing pain travels through your body.

All Might then appears, pinning Tomura to the ground with his hands behind his back. You feel so dizzy, so awful. You crawl on the ground trying to reach him. Your eyes are locked together.

“I love you,” you heave, hand reaching out for him, so desperate. “I love you…”

The red thread snaps. It is abruptly. Vile and against nature. It is sacrilege. It hurts… it hurts so much. It is the worst pain you have ever felt. You wither and scream until it becomes so unbearable you just pass out.

.

.

.

.

.

.

You know you are not awake. This cannot be the waking world. Whale sharks are swirling around you, manta rays too. But you are not under water.

You turn around and hold your breath.

“What is this dumb scene?” Tomura mumbles. “What are you doing here?”

He looks so different. His hair is longer and so devoid of color that they nearly beam in white. But not just that… his whole aura has changed.

“Why do you talk to me like that?” You whisper. “How dare you!” You yell. “That is the first thing you say to me after–”

“That was such a long time ago, (Y/N). Get over it. I did.” He turns away. “I am destroying the world right now,” he chuckles like a madman. “I feel nothing anymore! Don't show up and think I'd care– ha! I left you in the past.”

No. No. This cannot be real. You know it isn't. “TOMURA!” You yell, hoping to wake him up from this fever dream he is stuck in apparently saying things like that but instead you open your eyes, staring at the ceiling of some hospital.

You feel– alone.

BOY NEXT DOOR SHIG

i actually really like this one. like might be my fav thing I've ever posted lol. slow burn i fear. ends w smut. as always

follows the American academic calendar sorry its all i know and it'll make sense why at the end

5k ish words (sorry idk how this one got so long)

warnings: uhh slow burn, smut, multiple positions, make out, dirty talk, choking, dom shig, slight voyeurism, slight exhibitionism

you went to college a little over an hour away from where your parents lived.

which meant you only really went home and stayed with them on school breaks. Summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas break.

You didnt think or wish to be back at your parent's house, your whole life was at college. Your friends, your stuff, your job.

That was until your parents got a new neighbor over the summer.

He was tall and kind of lanky. He had long fluffy blueish-white hair that was a little past his shoulders and always slightly in his face.

You saw him and what looked like his dad moving in.

Their new house was the one right next to your bedroom window.

Your parents went next door to introduce themselves. They came back and told you that the boy was only a year older than you and he was also in college.

You asked more questions, what school? What is his name? Does he live at home? is he on social media?

but they said they didnt know. They told you to go over and introduce yourself but you had a better idea.

You knew better then to open your bedroom window. For all you knew the new boys dad could be in the room directly next to yours.

But you did it anyway. You took down the curtains, opened the blinds and opened your window.

It was summer after all.

You never got the opportunity to talk to the boy over the summer.

You saw him in passing.

He was akward. When you saw him in the neighborhood he would give you one of those closed-mouth smiles and lift his hand in a wave. he was so hot in one of those loser-man type of ways.

You also saw him doing yard work. He never took his shirt off but he had more muscle on on than you initially thought.

Luckily, the neighbor boy also took the bedroom across from yours and he seemed to notice your open window.

Sometimes in the evenings he would open his too.

there was a little bit of distance between the houses but you could still occasionally hear the music he was listening to, you could hear him talking while he was gaming, and sometimes you would wait until he was in his bedroom with his window open to change clothes.

you hoped he would notice. maybe even take interest.

but as the summer ended and you packed up for school you knew you had to accept that it was too soon. you knew it needed time.

as the semester progressed you tried to forget the neighbor boy. you went out with you friends, you went to class, and you lived your life but he was always there in the back of your mind.

no matter where you were or what you were doing you couldn’t help but think of him. what he was doing, where he was, his long slender hands, the veins on his forearms. when you would listen to him talk to his friends. if he had a girlfriend.

obsession is a big word but you were swiftly approaching it with how often you thought about him.

when you went home for thanksgiving in mid-november you were actually ecstatic, unlike your usual sadness to have to leave your life behind. not this time, you were going to get to see him.

even if if was in passing or if it was just listing to him play video games through his window.

something was anything.

and anything was something.

just like he did over the summer he opened his window in the evening.

you tried not to stare into his house but it was much more decorated and lived in than it had been over the summer.

he had posters on his walls, better lighting, furniture arranged to be more fung shiu, and dirty clothes on the ground.

what you would do to get a hold of his dirty laundry.

he still played video games at night and listened to music.

you still changed infront off the window.

you two saw each other in passing and he did the same thing he did over the summer.

a closed mouth smile and his hand would lift up as a wave.

but now your parents and his dad were friends so they had more to tell you about him.

you had to play it cool they couldn't know that you were obsessed, no you were asking out of morbid curiosity.

your parents told you his name was tomura shigaraki. his dad adopted him, it was just the two of them, he was a year older than you and he was in computer science.

and no it did not seem like he had a girlfriend.

you had to hide your excitement.

how much did he know about you? was he even interested?

as your excitement began to dwindle and you got ready to leave home and go back to school for the last few weeks of the semester you herd someone call out your name.

you looked up and sure enough getting out of his car was the neighbor boy, tomura.

“hey! you’re (y/n) right?”

you tried to control yourself. you knew your face had to be beet red.

“oh yeah hey”

“well i just wanted to say hello" a pause. he looked around a little awkwardly, then finished his train of thought "im tomura.”

you gave a small smile “it was nice to meet you tomura, i guess ill see you around”

he did his little wave and went inside.

you could feel the butterflies in your stomach.

you couldn’t get his devious little grin out of your head.

he had to be interested. you two were the same age and the same demographic. he was a loser and you were beautiful.

if you weren’t obsessed before, now there was no denying it.

the last three weeks of the semester went by agonizingly slow. even your friends noticed your distracted demeanor.

you chose not to tell them. you didn’t want to ruin the magic. and you didn’t want to sound delusional about the neighbor you’ve been stalking and only spoken to once.

when the semester finally ended you were practically already packed and ready to head home.

you spent the entire drive trying to calm yourself down. knowing you had to play it cool around the neighbor boy. around tomura.

you got home and pulled into the driveway, you noted that his car was in his driveway.

you walked in the front door and were met with not only your parents, but also tomura and his dad.

your eyes instantly met.

you dropped the bag you were carrying.

“oh hey” you said not breaking eye contact.

“uhh what’s up” he said sounding nervous but there was no denying that he was happy to see you.

your parents introduced the two of you. he awkwardly shook your hand. you could feel how clammy they were.

your mom announced that tomura and his father would be coming to their yearly holiday party that they throw every year.

you had to rein in your excitement.

“oh, I'm excited to see you guys there”

they left and you immediately went upstairs to scream into your pillow, with your window closed of course.

the holiday party's theme was to wear holiday-esc clothes, you knew who would be there so of course you wore a little black dress and a santa hat.

you saw tomura walk in but you didn't approach him, not yet.

he was wearing a collared shirt under an oversized dark green sweater with Christmas symbols on it that looked thrifted.

you helped yourself to the access of alcohol that both your parents and their guests provided.

you had left your window closed the last few days in anticipation of seeing him tonight.

you noticed he was drinking a beer. your eyes met from across the room. he was standing next to his dad, talking to a group of neighbors.

you were talking to a different neighbor, an old lady who was telling you to dress more modestly.

you risked a glance. he was checking you out. how little you left to the imagination in your little dress.

he caught your eyes and blushed, looking away instantly. he was back into the conversation as soon as he looked away and you looked back.

you excused your self for more alcohol.

you talked to your mom

felt the warm effects of the alcohol.

made eyecontact with tomura.

talked to some more of the party guests

more prolonged eye contact.

You were laying it on thick with your "fuck me eyes"

after what felt like an eternity of dancing around each other finally, your parents were talking to him and his dad.

you joined the circle, only a little motivated by the alcohol you had been drinking all night.

the alcohol that mad the blood rush between your legs a little more than usual.

your parents were asking him about college. he answered their question but was staring at you.

"- yeah I dont really have plans after graduation I'll probably just go wherever the wind takes me kind of thing"

he didnt take his eyes off you. even after he finished talking. he was a good head taller than you. his hair had gotten longer but it still looked good on him. you noticed the contrast of his light hair against his dark eyebrows. he was well-groomed. clean shaven. you wondered what he would look like first thing in the morning with stubble and no shirt on-

"Y/n?"

"Sorry?"

"they were asking about your plans after college"

"Oh um- Im also not sure yet, Ive been looking into grad school but I'm still on the fence,"

your eyes flicked to tomura, an invitation.

"Now, if you'll excuse me I'm gonna go get some water."

he took the bait, "I think im gonna get some water too"

he followed you to the makeshift bar on the kitchen island.

you poured yourself another drink.

he cracked open another beer

“so what are you drinking?”

he shrugged and took a sip

“doesn’t taste very good”

you simply nodded. you could feel the heat on your cheeks. all these months of thinking about him and now you have absolutely nothing to say.

“so you study-“

“can we quit it with the small talk?”

he stepped closer to you and wrapped his free a hand around your waist, he leaned down so that his mouth was right next to your ear.

he said it just quietly enough that only you could hear, “i don’t want to act like i haven’t been jerking off to you changing in front of your open window and you can’t act like you’re not the little slut who opens her window and gets naked for me.”

you flushed. your blood should be cold from the embarrassment but it wasn't.

it was the opposite.

you felt like you were on fire.

it felt like your excitement was pooling in your underwear.

you realized he was still holding on to you, he hadn't moved.

it was like you and tomura were the last two people on earth. your surroundings a blur,

"wanna get out of here"

"yes. yes please" you whispered.

"thats what i like to hear"

he took your hand and walked you to the back hallway of the party since so many people were blocking the front door and the stairs.

he stopped you in front of one of the doors.

you wanted him so bad that a drunk makeout next to the guest bedroom was enough.

your back was against the wall and one of his hands was leaning against the wall next to your head.

"do you ever think about me when you're away?" he whispers.

you run a hand down his chest. stomach. brush your fingers against something else.

something hard.

"all the fucking time" you whisper back.

he doesn't say anything.

he pins your back to the wall with his body. his hand runs through your hair.

his hand does it again.

youre looking down.

his hand grabs your jaw and forces you to look up him.

he inspects your face, eyes lingering on your lips,

and then he kisses you.

not a little gentle kiss.

your mouth is met by his wet open mouth.

your hands locked around his neck, one of his hands found your waist and the other was in your scalp.

you could feel his hard on.

you rubbed your sex on him and he sucked in a breath while kissing you.

his tongue was exploring your mouth, he wanted in while simultaneously sucking on your bottom lip and biting your tongue.

tomura was warm, he smelled like ocean and spice and laundry detergent. he was all you wanted and more.

he pulled away from the kiss and took a step away from you. he wiped your mouth with his sleeve and then wiped his.

an old man you recognized as one of your moms coworkers wandered back into the hallway.

you quickly understood why tomura just pulled away.

“this isn’t the bathroom” he said looking between the two of you.

you and tomura look at each other and fake a laugh.

his face was flushed, his hair a mess, and your there was a tint the color of your lipstick around his mouth.

"oh yeah we were just talking about college. the bathroom is that way." you pointed to where the party was happening

the man smiled and walked away.

once he was gone you and tomura went right back to what you were doing.

this one wasn’t like the first one though.

it was rougher. it was something more

tomura grabbed your jaw with one hand and squeezed your ass with the other, saying between passionate kisses,

“you have no idea how badly i’ve wanted this”

he pulled on your hair, forcing your head to angle up towards his face.

you can’t ignore his big strong hands, the length of his fingers, the veins on his arms just peeking out from under his rolled up sweater sleeves.

your santa hat must have fallen off a while ago.

his other hand on your ass kneaded it like it was bread dough.

he grabbed at your ass by the handful, pulling on the skin and fat and muscle before letting it go, occasionally feeling your waist, the swell of your hips, and then going right back in for your ass and repeating the process.

his tongue explored the inside of your mouth like it belonged to him. he sucked on your bottom lip, shoved his tongue in, sucked on your mouth with his entire mouth all in no particular order.

you pressed your hips into him and liked what you found.

with one arm wrapped around his neck, you other massaging his scalp and occasionally pulling his hair, a signal to him to come closer to you.

you moved back and into him again. grinding against him. he was hot and hard.

you removed your hand from his scalp and palmed his member.

he pulled off your mouth but not your body and let out a shaky breath.

“if we start with that i won’t be able to stop” he whispered into your hair.

“who said that’s a bad thing” you whipered back.

you could feel his smile against you even though you couldn’t see his face, “i never said it was bad but maybe we should find somewhere more private”

“can we sneak out to your place?”

this was when he pulled his body off of yours and you could see his smirk, “i think that’s a great idea.”

the two of you tried to tidy each other up as best as you could but there was no denying the fact the the two of you just did something. both of your cheeks were flushed, hair was ruffled, and clothes disheveled.

there was also no denying his excitement. you pulled his sweater down to help him attempt the hide the tent in his pants.

he mumbled out a "thanks" and looked away blushing.

he walked out into the party first, raising his eyebrows at you as he said to meet him outside in ten minutes.

you counted to 100 before entering the party so as not to look suspicious.

you didn’t want your parents old and nosy friends know yours and tomura’s business.

you found your parents and stood in on their conversation. casually looking around every chance you got to find him. you spotted him in the kitchen standing next to his dad talking to a woman.

he was standing with his hands in his pockets, slouching, his cheeks still pink, his lips a little swollen, and his his looked like someone had just ran their hands through it.

you noticed you were staring. then you noticed he was staring at you too. he gave you a small smile and he pointed his head toward the front door.

you gave him a small nod in agreement.

you whispered to your mom that you were going to go sit outside and to not worry about you.

she had a few drinks in her system and was more concerned about her holiday party than whatever nonsense her daughter was up to, so it was easy to slip away.

you instantly started walking towards the front door when you felt a hand grab yours. you didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

the next five minutes were a blur.

your hand in his.

running over to his house.

his frantic effort to unlock the front door.

instantly making out against the front door once inside.

running up the stairs with him right behind you.

hands intertwined.

barely making it to his room before, once again, aggressively making out against his closed bedroom door.

tomura peeled your desss off in one fluid motion and picked you up throwing, you on his bed.

he whipped his sweater off, and climbed on top of you.

you began to undo the buttons on his white button down but he stopped you,

"ah ah, not yet. its my turn"

he pulled one of your breasts out of your bra, nipple already hard, and put his mouth around your nipple.

his right hand finds yours, interlocking fingers and pressing you to the bed.

his left hand finds your other breast and kneads on it. pulling on your nipple, grabbing the flesh with his palm and fingers.

all while milking your other.

his mouth sucking and teeth bruising there was nothing you could do to conceal the unholy wimpers he coaxed out of you.

his eyes find yours.

“look at me” he says then resumes what he was doing.

your mind couldn't form coherent thoughts.

the only thing you could focus on was the pleasure you were experiencing at his hands.

and mouth.

your hips find his.

you could feel his rock-hard member in his pants.

your free hand finds his member between the two of you and you rub your hand up and down him over his pants.

he inhales shakily.

"mmm not yet" he whispered into your breast.

he maneuvers to switch sides, his mouth now on the opposite breast and his hand cupping the breast his mouth was just on.

your back arches and you moan as his mouth makes contact.

you couldn't stop yourself from grinding your hips against his again.

he bit your nipple in response, getting a yelp out of you.

you knew for sure by now that you were soaked through your panties.

since Tomura had taken your dress off your arousal was evident but his attention was still on your breasts.

he was holding one of your hands and the other was in his hair, nails scratching circles on his scalp and occasionally pulling on his hair.

your hips still moving against his you gave a tug on his hair for his attention.

he kept his mouth where it was but stopped what he was doing, lazily looking up.

you pet his hair and whispered "can we please?" pushing your hips into his for emphasis.

he raised his eyebrows slowly.

he removed his mouth from your nipple dramatically with a loud sucking noise.

he sat up and switched the position he was in to now hold down both of your wrists with one of his hands and to hold your hips down with the other,

"I said not yet,"

and he turned his attention to the nipple he had previously been working on.

you thought you couldn't have been more aroused but with his new found control over you? you could have come just from the sight of him.

your hips struggled against his arm, seeking any form of release as you whimpered in pleasure from the love he gave to your nipple.

you came out of your trance and realized he was still fully clothed and you were still wearing your bra and underwear.

he removed himself from you slowly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and pushing his mane of hair out of his face.

you were breathing heavily and slightly disoriented from what he had just done.

"lets get rid of these, shall we?"

he started to pull off your underwear. and you went ahead and removed your bra.

"it cant be fair that im the only one who's naked?"

you motioned to him still being almost fully dressed save for the sweater he had been wearing over his now half unbuttoned button-down shirt.

shigaraki sighed and began unbuttoning his shirt

"I thought you preferred to be naked?" he looked up at you and smirked "or are you just a show off?"

you didnt really have a good response to his call out so all you could do was stare at him.

you watched him undress making sure to emphasize one of your signature looks, the fuck me eyes.

he definitely noticed your gaze.

he smirked back at you as he stood up and shucked off his pants.

Leaving him in nothing but a pair of blue plaid boxers.

your favorite.

he crawled back onto the bed and sat on his knees in between your legs, where you lay on your back. head propped up with pillows and still panting from what his magic mouth and fingers just did with your nipples.

he locked eyes with you, hooked his hands underneath your knees, and pulled your bottom half up to him.

he pushed your legs up, essentially folding you in half as he brought his mouth down to yours.

He kissed you sweetly and deeply. with care but also disrespect like he would stop if you asked you him to but you were pulling him closer, scratching his back, and grinding against his member.

so he squeezed your thigh, groped your boob a little tighter, and explored the cavern of your mouth a bit deeper with his tongue.

his hand previously on your tit found your throat. he choked you as his mouth pulled from yours.

the pressure of his hand caused your mouth to open, searching for air and only getting a little bit of it.

he squeezed tighter as he licked down the column of your neck and back up.

kissing your mouth lightly one last time as he released your throat and started kissing down your body.

kissing down to your soaking wet sex.

his hand stroked your face at first. he kissed your jaw, your neck, your chest, booth boobs, your navel, then he found the space between your legs. he lifted your legs over his shoulders and started kissing you there too.

he kissed your clit similarly to how he kissed your mouth at first. softly. respectfully. passionately. like he was waiting for permission.

you gave it to him by grabbing a handful of hair and rubbing yourself against his face. you could feel his nose and his smirk on your sweet spot.

he took your invitation, and you could hear him inhale through his nose he grabbed two handfuls of your ass and went to work.

with his mouth on your clit you could feel him sucking on it, lapping his tongue against it, and eventually sticking two fingers into your sopping entrance.

you couldn't hold your moans in. especially once his veiny, long-fingered hand was pumping in and out.

your first orgasm didnt even build it just ripped through you, without anything you could have done to stop it.

shigaraki, satisfied enough with his handy work sat up and whipped your wet from his mouth with the back of his hand.

you could have orgasmed again from the sight of his flushed cheeks and messy hair in the ambient lighting of his bedroom.

"your so fucking hot" you couldn't stop yourself from saying.

his hazy eyes found yours "You should see yourself right now" he gave you that smirk after he said it.

there was no hiding his arousal. he pulled his boxers down and his member sprang free.

he was hung.

8 inches long and thick.

all you could do was stare your mouth slightly open and your blood pumping between your legs.

"you like what you see i take it," he says that fucking smirk on his face.

all you could do was nod your head.

he spits on the tip and starts pumping himself as he moves forward toward you.

he hooks his arm under your right leg and maneuvers himself between your legs.

"you ready?"

you hum in response

"mmm i need a yes"

"yes, I am ready"

"good girl, thats what i like to hear,"

he inserts himself slowly, you feel the familiar sting of being stretched out

tomura pauses, looking at you as if asking permission to continue.

your hand is covering your mouth but you nod for him to continue.

he does.

you look down to see that he is not even halfway in.

"oh my god" you whisper "its so fucking big"

he just smiles, not losing his focus on what he is doing.

once hes almost all the way in he pauses again, looking at you for permission to continue.

"can you start moving slowly?"

he doesn't acknowledge your words other than thrusting in and out as slowly as he can,

with each thrust in you couldnt with hold your whimpers.

tomura was slowly increasing speed and how deep he was going,

"is this okay" he asked his breath slightly shaking

"oh my god yea" you struggle to get out

he pushes the leg hooked. under his arm up higher and finally bottoms out in you,

you both moan.

"fuck, youre so tight,"

"you youre so big"

his hand hound your face and stroked your cheek before he took your jaw in his hand,

"youre so fucking beautiful"

you could feel your heart flutter in your chest as he pounded in and out of you and an unholy speed.

"lets switch positions"

you hum in response, so fucked out that you couldn't form coherent words.

he grabs a pillow and flips you over, shoving the pillow underneath your hips.

he taps the small of your back, you spread your knees and arch your back for him, grabbing one of the other pillows to hold in your arms.

tomura grabs hold of your hips and inserts himself, going in smoother this time.

just because the entry was easier did not mean the new angle was any mind boggling.

and tomura was not holding himself back in the slightest, he moaned once he was all the way in and wasted no time in absolutely fucking the shit out of you.

you didnt know it was possible for a human being to experience pleasure like this. your second orgasm of the night rips through you with an inhuman moan.

tomura gathers up your hair and pulls you toward him,

"came again so soon? thats my girl"

he wraps one hand around your throat the other finds your shoulder to use as leverage as he continues to fuck you from behind.

his thrusts begin to stutter losing speed and consistency,

"im close i wanna see your face"

"okay" you say through breaths

he once again flips you over, pumping himself as you readjust the pillows under your head and hips,

tomura heaves your legs up and enters you one last time.

your hands find the back of his head and you pull his face up to yours as he resumes his no longer consistent pace.

his hand finds your throat and your other hand finds his bicep, squeezing at the cords of muscle,

you look up at him slowly, from the sight of his cock entering in and out of you, his muscular upper body, to his big red eyes staring down at you. watching you watch him.

one last orgasm rips through you, starting in your stomach and then spreading to your core and to the rest of your body.

tomura finishes at the same time as you, pulling out and coming all over your stomach and boobs.

the two of you just sit there for a moment. both of you breathing heavy. both of you fucked out of your minds.

tomura is the first to break the silence.

he swallows and rubs his jaw,

"do you think we should go back to the party because I kind of want to do that again?"

m.list