Y/n swung open the door to the bar.

The setting sun peering through the open windows gave the room a little extra light. Small bits of dust, lit up by the afternoon sun, floated around in the air. Y/n reached into her pocket and pulled out a little face mask to cover her mouth and nose. She was especially grateful she pocketed it now that she realized how dusty the bar was. The room was quiet, the sound of her closing her hidden pocket knife was blaring in comparison.

She removed her hoodie as the door closed behind her. Y/n sat at the bar with her belongings tucked on her lap. She anxiously pulled on the hem of her shirt.

"I didn't expect you to come back." Y/n recognized the old man's voice. His footsteps echoed along the walls as he made his way down.

Y/n got up from the barstool and stood up straight. "I said I was serious about this. You're not going to scare me so easily. I've dealt with worse."

He stopped dead in his tracks and shot y/n a yellowed smile. "Many of my patrons are villains. Don't sound too sure of yourself."

Y/n held her tongue and stopped herself from scoffing at his words. He has no idea who he's talking to. After the hell she's been through these past three years, dealing with a few drunken villains was the least of her concerns. They had nothing on an irritated Tomura. "I see. Well, what do you want me to do?"

The man tossed a damp rag to y/n. "Start by wiping down the tables. Place your stuff behind the bar; otherwise, it's going to go missing." She caught the towel and did as he said. She felt him stare at her as she passed by. Y/n hugged her hoodie close to her chest before placing it down underneath the counter. She walked towards the closest table. Y/n felt vulnerable. 

She lightly ran the rag along the nearest table's surface. "So, you said you're looking for your family. What happened to them?" Y/n kept her head down and focused on the task at hand. She chewed on her cheek, deciding how much information she could trust the old man with.

"We got separated." Y/n didn't want him to know too much. Though, he was bound to figure bits and pieces out. She came explicitly to Ogura for a reason.

"And who are you looking for? A brother or sister?" In the corner of her eye, she saw him walk behind the counter and wipe down a glass in his hand.

"My dad." Y/n paused. She saw her reflection on the wooden table. "He left me for work reasons, and I've been trying to find him for a few months now." Y/n walked over to another table. She noticed the old man was watching her work at a distance.

"Can't just file a police report or hire a PI?" Y/n didn't know how to answer that without giving away too much. He mentioned that many of the people who come into his bar are villains, but she didn't want to directly say she was looking for one herself. The PI tip was something to keep in mind. However, as life gets ften did, things weren't as easy as it could be.

Y/n shook her head and began wiping down the next table. "Don't know much about him?" Y/n stayed quiet. "When did he leave?"

"A while ago." Not exactly the truth, but also not a lie. Y/n learned that vagueness was her best friend when it came to Liar. It was a way for her to pick and choose when her quirk activated. In a way, the loophole made y/n felt like she had some semblance of control of her own quirk.

"You said he left for work, what kind of work does he do?" Y/n couldn't tell if he was merely making small talk or if she had said something that made him suspicious. Either way, y/n was beginning to feel uncomfortable about all the personal questions.

"He owns his own business." Y/n already knew what the next question will be. She decided to answer it now, rather than waiting for him to ask. "He sells a lot of things, it's kinda hard to explain."

He paused. Y/n could feel his eyes on her. She already knew why he was staring. "So, what about your boyfriend, I presume?" Her face burned. Though, she wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or just being upset.

"Haven't talked to him in a few months." Y/n circled around the table she was cleaning, so her back was facing the old man. She felt tears well up in her eyes, just thinking about Tomura, and she was not going to start showing weakness to this old man. Especially not after talking herself up like she did earlier. "Four months ago."

The man went quiet. He didn't press y/n further on any more personal questions. She and the man cleaned up in silence. The old man only spoke to give y/n a new set of directions.

Wipe down the tables. Then sweep the floor. After that, help clean the glasses. Finally, polish the bar. Y/n sat at a barstool and waited until it was officially time to open. 

"Since you decided to show up. Take this." The old man held out a notepad and pen in front of her. "I'm sure you've been a waitress at one point, right?"

Y/n was thankful her face was obscured by the small fabric mask. Under it, y/n was wearing a frown. "Ah, no, but I think. I can figure it out." Y/n didn't know what to say to that. She tried to be extra careful not to let any snarky comments slip out.

Y/n was once Tomura's queen, but now she is a waitress for a shady bar in a dangerous city. Y/n sighed. Things could be worse; I could be begging on the streets.

The door swung open, and y/n jumped onto her feet. "Hey, Gramps! Give me the most expensive drink you got!" Y/n turned to the source of the obnoxious voice. A man in a black suit came walking down to the bar. He sat down at the table.

Y/n watched him approached her and the barkeep. How annoying.

"I just made a killing. I managed to sell some group of dumbass villain wannabes the faulty ammunition I was gonna scrap." While the tone in his voice irritated y/n, his words and lack of standards were even more off-putting.

The old man placed a glass with a clear liquid and ice in front of him. He motioned his hand towards y/n. "Hironaka, this here is Atsuko. Don't be," the old man paused for a moment; "well, yourself. This one shows promise, and I'd like it if you all would quit scaring my help away."

Hironaka looked to y/n. "I'm in a generous mood. Give her a shot."

Y/n shook her head. "I'll pass." Y/n had just met Hironaka, and she already found him obnoxious. However, his line of work interested her. She wondered if he was familiar with Giran. As far as dealers go, he's relatively well known.

Y/n sat down at the barstool next to him. She rested her cheek on her hand. "So, what exactly did you say you sell?" she asked. Y/n wasn't sure if it was because he didn't realize she was next to the bar or if he's just stupid. Either way, he seemed to be a little forward about what he does for a living.

Hironaka finished his drink and signaled the old man to give him another. "I sell weapons and ammunition. I know, scary, right?"

Y/n gasped. "Oh, I bet that's dangerous."

Hironaka smiled at y/n. "Well, yeah. But you know, someone has to do it."

"Oh, I see." Y/n tried her best to sound interested in what Hironaka had to say. The self-centered tone in his voice grated at her.

Selling ammunition wasn't so hard. Giran intrusted her to do that straight away once she learned the paperwork. Nevertheless, y/n kept up her face and pretended to sound impressed. "Do you work with other people?" She played with her hair in her fingers as she spoke.

Hironaka finished another drink. He slammed the glass down on the bar's surface. "Nope. I'm a one-man operation," he replied. Another smug smile crossed his lips. Y/n guessed the alcohol was starting to get to his head.

Y/n waved the old man to bring him another drink. His face was beginning to look flushed. "Oh, you're getting me another one?" he asked.

Y/n let out a playful giggle. "Only if you're paying. And I'm sure that's no big deal for someone like you, right?"

"Oh yeah! No problem! You can order yourself something too if you change your mind." The smile on his face rubbed y/n the wrong way. She thought he was both cocky and trying too hard. If it weren't for the fact that alcohol wasn't in her best interest at the moment, she would have considered buying every bottle to shut him up, keeping the ones she wanted and reselling the rest later for extra cash.

It was clear that Hironaka wouldn't know Giran. She was sure he had never met another dealer even close to reputable. He just lost his usefulness, and y/n wanted a way out of the conversation.

The door swung open, and a group of three men walked in. Y/n let out a sigh of relief, there was her escape. She tapped the little notebook against the bar. "Oh, it looks like I have work to do." She stood up and walked towards the men sitting at the far back table.

The night was mostly small introductions and lots of walking around. Most of the patrons seemed apprehensive towards y/n at first. However, a few of them warmed up to her after a bit of alcohol made it into their systems.

"You did good out there, girl." The old man was wiping off tables while Y/n carried plates and glasses to the sink behind the bar.

"Thank you," y/n replied. She turned on the hot water and watched the water run over the dishes. Y/n pulled off the black mask and shoved it in her pocket.

Y/n heard the old man's voice from behind her. "You're more than welcome to go home for the day. I can finish up cleaning here."

If it were any other job in any other city, y/n would have jumped at the offer. However, not in Ogura. Just earlier that same day, a guy got shot in daylight. She felt unsafe starting the night she arrived, and that proved it. Y/n didn't want to walk outside while the sun was down ever again. "Actually. I don't mind helping out," she paused. "Until the sun starts coming up."

The old man nodded. "Sure. I could use the extra help." He left it at that. Y/n was thankful he understood where she was coming from.

The sound of running water and a broom brushing against the wooden floor filled the air. Neither y/n nor the old man spoke while they worked. Y/n quickly finished washing the dishes and began putting them away.

"Nao Goda," the old man said.

Y/n looked up from her work. "Huh? What was that?" she asked.

The man repeated the name again. "That's my name. I said I'd properly introduce myself when you've proven that you'd last more than a day."

Y/n smiled at him. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Goda."

Y/n finished up the list of tasks Mr. Goda had given her. The older man gave y/n a key to the bar and her payment for the night. He excused himself before retreating to his room upstairs.

Y/n sat down at one of the tables and watched the sunrise through the front window. Light rays peeked out from between the buildings and poured into the bar.

She threw on her hoodie and pulled the hood over her head. Although the world outside the bar appeared peaceful, y/n flicked her pocket knife open. She counted her payment before separating a small bit of it and shoving the larger chunk under her bra strap. 

Y/n exited the bar and locked the door behind her. The chilly morning air nipped at her face, giving her a sudden jolt of energy. "How about a delicious microwaved breakfast, and a nap for a hard night's work?" The tone in y/n's voice was genuinely upbeat and chipper. Y/n tucked the key into her pocket. "Yeah, that sounds good," she replied.

The street was quiet. As she walked, y/n didn’t see anyone around. Her nerves were on edge. Being completely isolated made her feel even less safe than she thought. Y/n kept her hands in her pocket. So far, she has managed avoid stabbing someone. However, if it meant her safety, y/n was willing to do it.

On the way back to the motel, y/n passed by a convenience store. She stepped inside to follow through with her plans to cook, but also give herself a break from the cold. She felt her face warm up instantly as she stepped through the automatic door. Her fingertips tingled as she pulled them out of her pocket and rubbed them together. 

Nothing in the store stuck out to y/n. She looked at various snacks and wondered what she could throw together to make a decent meal. She found herself straying to the junk foods. Chips, ice cream, cookies. They all looked so good to y/n.

Y/n stopped in front of some prepackaged instant ramen. "Ew," she mumbled. She began to walked by, without thinking, y/n grabbed several packages of the noodles she had just scoffed at, along with a set of paper bowls and plastic utensils.

Dinner plans bought and in tow, y/n headed back to the motel.

Glass objects shattering, and raised voices echoed down the stairwell. A deepened voice screeching bitch, and various death threats rang out. Y/n held her bag close to her chest. For the first time, she ignored all her usual precautions. She hurried into her room before whatever fight going on above her turned into a blood bath.

Y/n locked the door behind her. She pushed her bed in front of the entrance, blockading herself into her room. Y/n sat down on her blanket and flipped the plastic grocery bag upside down.

The contents inside spilled out in front of her. With both hands, she picked up an instant noodle package. She looked at one and then the other. "We have beef and shrimp. I don't really like these, so it's your pick." Y/n hummed to herself as she pondered the choices. "Shrimp it is."

Using water from her bathroom sink and the microwave to heat everything up. Y/n made herself a dinner consisting of instant ramen and orange juice. She sat down in the center of her bed and ate. "You know, this isn't as bad as I remember. Definitely better than that crappy diner, that's for sure." She paused and stared down at the near-empty bowl in her hands.

Her lip quivered as that familiar coldness sunk in. "Breaking into Tartarus, that was such a stupid plan." Tears fell down her cheek.

"If we didn't go, things wouldn't be like..." she paused, her eyes scanned around the room. Y/n took in the sight of the broken down room she was sitting in. She began to feel her head spinning, and her chest throbbing. "This."

Y/n placed the bowl down on the floor and crawled under the blanket. "Maybe Dabi will leave another hint tomorrow?" Y/n yawned. "Things will turn around once I find one of them."

Y/n felt the thin paper-like pillow under her head. She rolled onto her side, mainly sleeping on her arm. "How about a story?" y/n asked. She hummed and thought about what kind of story she should tell. "Oh, I know."

"Once upon a time, there was a very timid lady. She had everything she needed. A job that she lived for. Friends and family who loved her, and she loved each and every one of them in return. She was content with her life. Perfectly happy.

"Then one night, a sound woke her up, it was a loud thump. She left the warmth of her bed to see what that noise was. She found a man lying on her floor. The man was hurt, and the lady wanted to help him. She didn't know who he was, but she didn't like to see anyone hurt.

"What she didn't know was that the man was a very bad man. He had made many people sad. He even hurt people himself. The lady learned the man's name, and she found out how bad the man actually was. Still, she wanted to help him. Even if the man did a lot of bad things, she still didn't want to see him die.

"The man eventually got better and left. She felt good knowing that she had helped him, but she felt terrible because now the bad man was going to make more people sad.

"One day, the man came back. Knowing that the lady was timid and kind, he took advantage of her. He took advantage of her because he was a bad man. He made the lady sad. Many, many times.

"Over time, it was okay because the lady began taking advantage of him too. Although she had good intentions, she began to wonder if she was also a terrible person and just didn't know it. She might have been timid, but she was smart as well. She played along with the man's games because she knew if she did, the man wouldn't make any of her friends or family sad. 

"She decided to play with him if it meant protecting her friends and family. However, playing along with his games meant that she couldn't see her friends or family anymore. She wanted to protect them more than anything. Because she loved them more than anything and wanted them to be safe and sound. Even if the lady was unhappy in the end.

"After a long time, she stopped thinking about her friends and family. They became a memory she had long forgotten. However, she stayed by the man's side because she learned that playing with the man wasn't so bad all the time. 

"She made some new friends that filled the loneliness in her heart a little. Some of the man's friends didn't like her. A few of them changed their minds, and a few of them didn't.

"Then one day, the lady realized she cared for the man much more than she thought she did. The man wasn't nice to anyone, not even his friends, but he was kind to the lady. She knew he was playing pretend at first. It still made her feel special whenever she managed to make him laugh or smile because he never did those things in front of other people.

"She began to care for the man more and more. Soon enough, she didn't care if the man was pretending or not. You see, the lady is terribly selfish. She just wanted to see him happy because it made her happy. 

"The man never said he loved the lady. Not once. But the lady never said it either. It wasn't needed. 

"Then, one day, the two of them made a foolish decision. It cost her everything. The lady lost her new life, and she lost her new friends and family. Once again, she was all alone.

"Deep down, she feels that they are safe, so she learned to have hope. The world is scary, but she learned that she had to be strong. Still, she was sad to be alone for a long time. But now she's not worried anymore.

"In the end, the lady realized wasn't actually alone. The man had left her a gift. And the lady is very excited to hold that gift in her arms and to play with him- or her- very, very soon. Things are bad for the lady right now, but she's doing the best she can, so her little gift will be happy and healthy for a long, long time."

Authors note:

Thank you for such a successful debut day on the 20th!! 🎉🎉💙

I figured a few people would be returning from Twisted Minds, but I didn't think This many people would be interested in continuing on.

So thank you so much!! I appreciate all the support!! 💙💙💙