IMPORTANT NOTE

Dabi is TWENTY-TWO

Harper is FIFTEEN

If any of you even s u g g e s t that I put them in a relationship, I will skronk your top. That's pedophilia. There is SEVEN YEAR age difference. Were they both adults, an age gap of that size really wouldn't matter much. But Harper is a minor, and it's inappropriate for any of you to even imply that they'll be together in any sexual or romantic way. If it continues, I have zero qualms with taking Dabi out of the story, whether that means killing him off, having him arrested, or even going back to re-write him out. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Third person pov

The blanket was big enough that they could share it without touching each other, so that's what they did. Dabi's beat up old DVD player worked wonderfully for what they needed. There were a few stutters in the film here and there, but neither complained as they shoveled ice cream down their throats. Harper let herself sink into the ratty old couch Dabi had probably got with the place, or off the curb. The man's thoughts played idly within her head, reacting to the movie, dwelling on her presence here, and trailing off to all the shit he had to worry about in general.

She hadn't been here all that long, but she could tell he wasn't a bad guy just being around him. He was in a tough situation, and had been through a lot. Though gruff and not the most polite person she'd ever run into, he wasn't a bad person by any means. Harper was glad. She didn't fancy him shanking her in the jugular if she managed to drift off somehow. At least she knew Kurogiri would avenge her. 

"I've got to find a job soon. Other place blew me off the second they saw my fucking face." Touya thought, grimacing. He couldn't deny that he was feeling a lot better than before, even with his various anxieties over what was going on in his life. This weird little brat was oddly quiet. She spoke at just the right times, drawing him out of some of his harsher thoughts and bringing his attention back to the movie with a single off-handed comment. "What's she doing here, anyway? What about her parents? If they knew anything about me-- even just what I looked like-- they'd be pissed as hell. Or they should be pissed as hell. Seriously, it's really late. Do they not care about her?"

"Do you have a job?" Harper asked suddenly, not taking her eyes off the screen. Touya's gaze snapped to her in an instant. He couldn't tell if this kid was after something, or if she was just genuinely weird. He didn't think the ice cream was laced with anything. He wasn't dead yet, nor did he feel particularly dizzy or tripped out. Maybe a bit tired, but he'd felt that way before he started eating. It was all pretty perplexing. He was a little worried about the kid. It's not that he particularly cared about her as a person, but the fact that she was a teenager hanging out in a shady guy's apartment was concerning. She'd just walked in too, not knowing a thing about him. He could have murdered her by now. 

Still, he couldn't stop the small amount of gratitude that thrummed in the pit of his stomach. He really wasn't too sure where he'd be if she hadn't knocked on his door and provided him with a distraction. He was more focused on her presence and actions than he was his hellish nightmare. Just thinking back on it made him shiver and realize how much he needed a therapist. Even if he wanted to see a shrink, he didn't have the money to go. 

"Do I look like I have a job?" Touya scoffed spitefully before he could stop himself. "Last place turned me away. Nobody wants me to work for them with this face, unless it's illegal shit. Not even the warehouse would take me, and I wouldn't even have to interact with people that way. It's fucking ridiculous. If only I didn't have to stay so far under the radar. Damn old man."

"That's fair." Harper blew out a puff of air, her bangs briefly flying up before flopping back down on her forehead. She glanced at Dabi. The guy had it hard. It was actually somewhat of a miracle he wasn't a criminal yet. Or maybe he was, and just hadn't thought about it. He probably had a decent quirk. Those burns looked relatively self inflicted, and his nightmares were full of a pain not caused by Endeavor's abuse. These wounds look cauterized, and were in very specific positions. He was Endeavor's son, which meant him having a fire quirk wasn't at all far-fetched. If it were powerful enough and spiraled out of control... well, it would explain the scarring. "I'll see what I can do." 

Her words gave Touya pause. She turned to look at him with a raised brow when his gaze snapped over to her. Confusion was painted across his features, his brows furrowed and lips set in a frown. Clearly, the guy had no idea if he'd actually heard her right. Harper couldn't fault him there. She was a stranger. Getting him a job wouldn't be too terribly hard though. Again, the Chief of Police owed her big time. She'd scrounge something up. Maybe she could get Kurogiri to imprint on him, and Dabi could just be his babysitter. 

"...What?" Touya finally choked out. "She did not just say what I think she said."

"I said I'll find you a job." Harper shrugged, shoving more ice cream in her mouth. Dabi didn't look amused. It was painfully obvious he didn't believe her. Funny. He needed help, and apparently that's what Harper gave to people now. Help. "Yeah, yeah: you think I'm full of shit. Just give me a day or two. I'll hunt some shit down."

"You can't be serious." Touya said flatly. His lack of faith in her was plausible. She'd done nothing to make him trust her. Not to mention his luck was shit enough in relation to job hunting, so he had no reason to believe she'd be able to find him work when he himself couldn't even find it. "This kid's insane. I bet she doesn't even live in this building! I thought I saw her in the Sports Festival, but maybe I was wrong. She has no idea who I am. She's just a teenager. Like Shoto! Hell, I should've turned her away at the door when I had the chance."

"Believe what you want. I'll still get you a job." Harper yawned, dropping back further into the couch. She just wanted to sleep. It was only a matter of time before Kurogiri woke up, and when that happened, she'd need to head back over. Her phone was in the pocket of her sweat pants, set to vibrate. It wouldn't be loud, but it didn't take much to wake her up these days. She didn't Tsukauchi calling the entire force over claiming she'd been murdered in cold blood, and she certainly had no urge to witness Kurogiri warping about in a panic. That wouldn't end well. Though the attack on the USJ was wildly focused on All Might and how he managed to defeat the enemy, Dusty and his Smokey accomplice were still noted down as wanted individuals to the public.

They fell into a silence that was neither uncomfortable nor comfortable after that. Touya began to nod off only a few minutes later, but Harper didn't say a word. Instead she sat back and watched John Wick stab a guy in the neck with a pencil. It was oddly therapeutic to witness him murder people with little to no trouble whatsoever. Harper felt her own eyelids drooping around the time Dabi's head lolled forward, his chin hitting his chest. His ice cream tub was empty for the most part, balanced on his legs. His arms were crossed over his chest. Harper couldn't help but think he looked defensive, even asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He can't just follow you around. He's a danger to society! What if he goes back to the League?" Sansa asked as they drove. Harper had woken up to the sound of Tsukauchi banging on Dabi's door. The scarred man was wide awake, looking heavily alarmed as Kurogiri screamed 'police' at the top of his lungs in an overly-emotional tone. Harper could only sigh and slouch back to stare at the ceiling, wondering what in god's name she'd actually done to deserve such torment. She was offered no answers at that time. "Even the Chief agrees! The Purple People Eater back there can't stay with her forever."

Sansa was still anti-Kurogiri. Most of the officers were. Tsukauchi was being accepting enough, but the Chief was insisting they detain him. Harper had sent him a whole essay of texts in the Starbucks Drive-thru while Tsukauchi and Sansa debated over what they wanted to get. She dropped a few subtle threats that were vague enough he couldn't do much other than shiver. After sending an entire speech, he'd meekly texted back that he'd see what he could do. In return, Harper assured him she'd keep doing whatever the hell she'd been doing since the first day of her internship.

"He's not going to revert back to the League, dipshit." Harper sighed, massaging her temples. Her head was already pounding, and it wasn't even lunch time yet. In fact, they hadn't even made it to where they'd be working today. Rather than hang around the precinct and bust petty street criminals, they were on the way to a secure location that was secluded, and out of the way. It was fairly small, holding only Sero, The Hero Killer, and two other convicts Harper didn't really care all that much about. The Chief was going to throw her at Stain and hope for the best. After nearly getting chopped in half by the guy, she wasn't too keen on trying to talk to him. The Chief and those above him in position had insisted she do it anyway.

"Yes. I can assure you that I am quite loyal to Harper Rye. Even if she were to remove my emotions, I already know in my mind that she is a kind and trustworthy person, and would be able to make the proper judgement calls." Kurogiri claimed. It had been quite the morning, with him having some sort of panic attack when he realized she wasn't on the premise. Apparently, he could also find her due to the emotional connection they now shared, and had stormed out of the apartment without telling Tsukauchi. Now he was insisting on holding her hand, even though they were in a closed, moving vehicle. He apparently didn't want to risk it. "This cat man knows not of what he speaks, and thus has lost the privilege of being called my his given name. I am not fond of him in the least."

"You're all so petty." Harper mumbled to herself, shaking her head. Tsukauchi glanced at her in the rear view mirror.

"No need to fight, you guys! I'm sure Kurogiri is on our side for good. That's not to say your worries aren't justified, Sansa, but we're keeping a good eye on him." Tsukauchi assured. However, his thoughts weren't as positive as he sounded out loud. There was a lot of doubt swimming around inside him "What are we supposed to do if he turns against us? I have a gun, but it's not on me at all times. My quirk isn't combative, let alone repelling enough to drive him back if there's ever an issue. If he did choose to betray us somewhere down the line... Harper would probably be the one to pay for it. The League of Villains has their eyes on her, now more than ever. Kurogiri being attached to her at the hip is going to draw unwanted attention as well."

"Yeah, and what if he does eventually? Harper won't even make it to twenty at this rate." Sansa grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. Harper shared a look with her smokey friend, who shrugged. Sansa was quite distressed over all this. "If this Fuck Fack Patty Whack does shit to Tsukauchi and I's actual, literal child, I will raise hell. What's that, America? You have an arsenal of unused missiles? Hiroshima us again, you coward. I dare you."

"So you're basically implying I need a body guard." Harper's brows raised. It was meant to be a joke, but Tsukauchi immediately latched onto it with clear seriousness that made her want to sigh and fall into a ten year coma. Even then, she'd probably still be too tired when she woke up. Hospitals sucked ass anyway. They were depressing to be in. Especially if you went onto the floor full of all the old people who were dying and shit. Sad families, senile elders, clueless kids who didn't understand. It was a whole ass trip.

"The League is after her in general, even without Kurogiri..." The detective trailed, trying to figure out who would make a good bodyguard. "Tikoto that can paralyze anyone he touches, but it requires skin contact. Does Kurogiri have skin? Can he use his quirk even if he can't move? I'm not sure Harper would get along with him, anyway. He's pretty uptight. And by that I mean he's a total dick, but that's not the point!"

"A body guard! That's the best thing I've heard all morning. Aside from when Shakira came up in my playlist while I was showering. Oh, wait, and Thrift Shop! I'm gonna pop some tags--" Sansa devolved into song lyrics, but the overall message was still there. Harper glanced down at her phone, which she'd forced Touya to put his number into before Tsukauchi could call for a battering ram. Or worse, allow Kurogiri to warp in. That would've been a disaster and a half.

"You really think I should get a body guard?" Harper asked. The pair up front nodded without hesitation, already hooked on the notion. Kurogiri wasn't contented with those answers, but stayed silent nonetheless. The brunette's gaze trailed down to her mobile device, and she blinked languidly. "Huh. I think I know a guy."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So." Harper crossed her arms across her chest as she gazed at Stain, who was heavily locked up at the moment. Heavy duty straight jacket, ankle cuffs, cuffs for his ankle cuffs-- the police had truly outdone themselves. The man had yet to speak, and this was the first time Harper was as well. They'd thrown her in alone because they were jackasses, but she could hear several of them watching from beyond the one-way glass. The Chief was one of them, listening as Tsukauchi quietly pitched the idea of a paid body guard. Harper tried to keep her attention on the murderer before her. Getting distracted wouldn't help. "Why kill people? You could've done anything with your life. Had kids. Became a mailman. Maybe worked in a ceiling fan factory."

Stain glared at her, but responded nonetheless. "There are far too many stains on this broken society. Those who claim to be heroes have no true inkling of what makes them as such. They're fakes. Phonies." The serial killer bit out. "It's good she's already assumed I don't have a family outside of my work. I don't want Hirotoki getting wrapped up in all this."

"Alright, so you want to make the world a quote-on-quote 'better place', right? I wonder why." Harper stopped flipping through her packet of information, pretending she'd found the page she was looking for. She sort of had. It was the family relations page, only all the slots were left blank. Time to bluff her way through this shit, just like she had been doing in every other interrogation. "Oh, wait just a second! I was wrong just now. You do have family, don't you? Did you want to make the world a better place for Hirotoki, then?"

Stain visibly tensed, and Harper felt a bit bad for dragging whoever Hirotoki was into this. She tried to dig into Stain's consciousness and figure out who that was. Definitely a male, but she couldn't quite tell if he was a brother or son. Stain's mind was racing trying to figure out how the police had such information. "How could they have known about him? I was careful! Nothing is linking him to me. I rarely even... I rarely even visited! He's just a kid. Like this one, here. They can't... if they drag him into this... God dammit! Who does this little brat think she is?! Why're the police using her to do their dirty work?!" 

"He's your son, right? He didn't take on your surname, but you weren't as careful as you probably think you were." Harper flipped the packet shut. She didn't want to risk Stain seeing her faking and shutting down. He was pissed off enough as it was, and was looking for a way out. If he found it, she'd be pretty much fucked. "He's my age, right? Is he cute? Single?"

"Shut up." Stain bit out harshly, his eyes promising death if she didn't comply. Even with him restrained, it still sent a shiver unbidden down her spine. "Fuck! How the hell does this brat know?! They sent her in for a reason. What reason? Is it her quirk? No-- Shigaraki mentioned this one. She has a reflex quirk. Unless... that was a lie. What's she hiding? There's more to this... I can drive her away. She's nothing more than a little girl. Pathetic. I don't have to tell her anything."

"You seem agitated." Harper noted with clear disinterest, propping her chin up on her hand. She needed to back up a bit. She could push, but not too hard. "You know, I really don't enjoy this. I'm not even too sure why I'm here, to be honest. The entire police force thinks I'm really well put together, but to get real, I've only brushed my hair once this week. I ain't shit, and I think you know that."

Stain eyed her, though his face gave nothing away. Harper could feel confusion start to overtake his frustration and fear for his apparent son. "What's her play? Why's she telling me this? This girl... makes no sense. Her so called 'interrogation' has no direction. She's nothing but a child! I remember her, however. She tackled Endeavor's son out of the way."

An opening. She had to be careful what she said. If he ever decided to ignore her, he'd probably choose to put her out of is mind. That wouldn't help anyone in the end. It was all a matter of whether or not she could keep the guy talking. Harper knew he was painfully close to stonewalling her. Without her mind-reading quirk, he probably would've shut up already and kept it to himself. Harper supposed that's why they'd sent her in. She actually had a chance to wriggle in and through the cracks of the carefully-constructed mask Stain wore.

"You saw me tackle Todoroki, didn't you? I'm glad I got to him in time. He's been through enough." Harper noted, and she saw interest spark in his eyes. There we go. "If you were still out there, I'd ask if you took requests. Endeavor's a total shit bag. You want a fake hero? He's the fakest there is."

Harper valued the privacy of those she overheard, but sometimes shit was necessary. What she said in this interrogation room wouldn't leave it, existing only in recordings and in the minds of those watching. They wouldn't repeat any of what she or Stain said if they knew what was good for them. This was an opening, and though she felt bad using Shoto for it, it was going to work. She could already feel Stain opening up. It's not like she was lying or making anything up. Even without the abuse, Endeavor was a total asshat. Hell, she was feeling sick to her stomach just looking back on his thoughts.

"Why is he the fakest?" Stain didn't sound as hostile as he did before, carefully-hidden interest thrumming deep in his core. Harper didn't outwardly show her relief. She'd managed to get somewhere. Stain wasn't just some purse snatcher they pulled off the street. He was a serial killer, and failing really wasn't an option."She seems sincere. But why Endeavor, of all people? It's odd that she'd single him out."

"You're a father, so I'm sure you'll get this better than I ever could. But..." Harper's fists clenched just thinking about it. Looking at Touya, and hearing Shoto's thoughts playing on repeat like a broken record. The way the half-and-half boy would flinch when people got too close, and sound tired and weary when she'd ask how he was doing. "He... I'm friends with his son. He sits right next to me, and he has gone through... through hell. His father forced an innocent woman into a quirk marriage just because he wanted powerful children. He started training Shoto to surpass All Might when he was only five years old, and all because Shoto's dual quirk is a perfect mix of his own and of the woman he married. I see him come into class, and his arms have bruises that don't come from UA's regimen. And I just feel so useless, you know?"

Stain's eyes were wide with both surprise and rage, but it wasn't directed at her for once. His lips had pressed themselves into a thin line, and even the officers behind the glass were subdued. Some were also shocked, buzzing with questions. Others were full of anger, like Tsukauchi and Sansa, who were already well aware of the Number Two Hero's ways. Harper's knuckles were bone white from how tight her fists were. Her nails dug into her palms, biting, but not enough to make her bleed. Telling this to Stain did have a point. Opening up to people made them trust you more. Opening up while agreeing with them? Even more so.

"I... I see." Stain's teeth grit. "His own child... he had a child to... This is vile! I should've gone after him first! Fake! Phony! To think Hero Society is so corrupted that they'd blindside themselves to the truth. I always knew Endeavor was a fake, but to think he was doing this to his kin. Family is everything in this world. He is hurting a child, and now this one feels a sense of responsibility that someone as old as her should not have to feel! She wants to save her friend. It's noble but... but it is not her job. Her job is to grow and learn, and to become a true hero! Not to... not to do the job the other heroes should be doing!"

"But I wanted to let you know that I will be bringing him down." Harper forced herself to relax, taking a deep breath. Her eyes met his with an intensity no girl her age should have. But Harper had heard and seen some shit, and she was a bit tired of coming to class everyday and hearing her classmate worry needlessly over something no teenager should have to concern themselves over. "I won't kill him, obviously. But I will make sure my friend gets justice for all that was done to him. All that is still being done to him. You preach about fake heroes, so I want to know. Who have you killed, why did you kill them, and... who were those next on your list?"

Stain gazed at her for a long moment there, just thinking. He didn't know this girl, but he was quickly coming to like her, the same way he liked the up and coming hero, Deku. He didn't know much about her per say either, but she had fearlessly tackled her friend out of the way, and now was trying to save him even further. There was this look in her eyes. It was knowing, and quite fascinating. He wanted to say she had the heart of a true hero, but he couldn't be sure. Was there any will behind her words? Would she go through with all she claimed she would?

"Very well." Stain said after a moment. "They've captured me, and I know I won't be escaping. This is the end for me. I see no reason not to comply; I have nothing to hide."

Harper didn't react. She didn't let her shoulders sag in the way she desperately wanted them to, and she didn't let the mental cheers coming from those behind the glass deter her. She held his gaze with the same intensity she'd managed to maintain throughout their short time talking. Stain was the type to latch onto any weakness and exploit it. He was smart, and methodical in his ways. It's how he'd gone so long without getting caught. He was strong. The man was locked up tight at the moment, yes, but Harper was sure he could kill her if he really had the urge to. The drive to murder her simply wasn't there. 

"Alright. In return, I'll do my best to keep the police away from your son. I know you don't want him dragged into this. I don't blame you, and it's pretty obvious you were careful about when you had contact, and how much you had." Harper spoke up. Stain looked blatantly surprised. "He probably doesn't know much anyway. If we do end up having to talk to him, I'll make sure I'm there. I won't let them push too hard."

"I... I see. Thank you, Manx." Stain's head cocked to the side. Now that he thought about it, it was odd that this girl was interning with the Police. Admirable, but odd. "Such a perplexing girl. I've never met someone quite like her. Especially not at this age. It will be... interesting to see how she grows. The potential for her to be a true hero is there. Will she utilize it?"

"Yeah, anytime." Harper said almost on reflex, almost wincing. She was too tired for this bullshit. "So, let's rumble. Kill number one?"

Stain grinned wickedly. Harper had a sinking feeling she'd be here for a while.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"No!" Sero wailed, indignant agony laced in his tone. Harper gazed at him with no signs of remorse, waiting patiently to see if he'd do what he was meant to. The dark-haired boy glared at her harshly, muttering curses under his breath. Harper thought he was being a bit over the top, but at least he wasn't lapsing back into his insanity. He was acting... normal. He felt stable, almost. Like he would in class. "God dammit! I can't believe this. She said she'd never betray me, but she already has. And to think, I was just beginning to trust her."

"Stop being dramatic and take four cards." Harper sighed. Sero had been down to one, and she'd slapped down the plus four, totally wrecking his near-victory. He'd won the last Uno game, but Harper wasn't about to go down so easily this time around. "Glaring at me won't change what just happened. Get on with it."

"You're evil." Sero accused huffily, and Harper rolled her eyes at him. They were in the interrogation room, but Harper hadn't come to ask questions. After her visit was Stain, she was glad she hadn't made plans to try and force information out of the tape-quirk user. Sero was the traitor, yeah. But he was still a human teenager, not just some prisoner they happened to have. And thus, Uno. Today they were just chilling out. Harper got a break, Sero got a break-- it was a win-win situation. The dark-haired boy had already gone through the ringer questions wise from other officers. He was probably tired of it. "I can't believe she pulled that on me."

"Hey, I had the card. I shot my shot, and made a goal. Don't cry over it." Harper scoffed at him as he gathered his cards. She could feel Kurogiri watching them intently, a tirade of new information on Sero pouring from his mind. She hadn't even thought to ask the man about him, which seemed idiotic of her now. It was no matter. She'd ask when she got out, and then Sansa and Tsukauchi would bicker over who had to file the paperwork for it. Maybe Harper would chug another coffee. It really depended on her mood.

Sero eyes her as she gazed down at her cards tiredly. He hadn't really expected to see Harper again, but was surprised when he did. Even more so, she hadn't come in to ask more questions. She didn't bring up the box, or his parents. She wasn't even treating him like he was a criminal! Harper was just here, playing Uno like it was another school day. Sero almost tricked himself into thinking they didn't know he was the traitor. The brunette didn't even seem scared, or like she was... well, you know. Judging him and stuff!

"Why're you doing this?" He decided to ask. He just had to know. Maybe she'd feed him a lie, but he was a deceptive person. He knew what a fib looked like. He'd been telling them almost his whole life. "It doesn't make... It doesn't make sense, right? There's no way she's being for real. She has to want something."

"I already told you why I played that card, so I'm going to assume you want to know why I'm not asking you questions." Harper looked up, shrugging. "Do you want to answer questions right now?"

"Well... no." Sero admitted, though hesitantly. Was this a trick question? "Why's she asking me that? I'm a criminal and a murderer. It really doesn't matter what I want. Besides, her internship is with the police. It's her job to get information out of me! Not to... not to play Uno."

"Then there's your answer. You don't feel like answering, I don't feel like asking." Harper shrugged. Sero blinked at her in surprise. Was it really that simple? That didn't make any sense. He'd been badgered for information since the day he'd gotten here. Of course, he hadn't given any to anyone other than Harper. It wasn't his fault she was so shady! He'd thought he was going to piss himself last time he talked to her. He'd lost his facade. His cool. He was hoping it wouldn't happen again, though he really didn't have much faith in himself.

"Huh. I guess that makes sense." Sero shrugged. "I wonder how everyone in 1-A is..."

"Everyone's worried about you, you know. We told them my reflex quirk detecting an impending issue with your heart." Harper shuffled through the few cards she had left, raising her gaze to meet his. "Maybe you never saw them as friends, but they miss you. Kaminari and Mina have been bombarding me with questions. Mina actually called me at some point crying over it."

Sero's heart dropped. He couldn't stop the ache that clawed its way into his chest. He wasn't supposed to care about them. It wasn't his job to be their friend, or to feel empathy. Not anymore. Longing to talk to them again was dumb. Missing laughing with them and making dumb jokes was impractical. He wasn't supposed to be anything more than a pawn for the League. An information-gatherer! So why...

Why did he care so much?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harper:
I found you a job.

Dumbass #6:
Who the fuck is this?

Harper:
Harper, you idiot. Now do you want a job or not?

Dumbass #6:
What kind of job is it?

Harper:
Bodyguard

Dumbass #6:
You don't even know my quirk. What makes you think I'd be a good bodyguard?

Harper:
You have an interview tomorrow, so I guess we'll see

Dumbass #6:
Where?

Harper:
Just be outside your door by eight, yeah?

Dumbass #6:
...Fine

Harper sighed and moved on to Kirishima. She was far, far too tired for this. She'd accidentally made Sero cry, during which he expressed how much he wished he was a normal teenager who wasn't crazy, and who hadn't killed people. That had been a trip. Stain's kill count went back to before he was the Hero Killer, which sucked ass. They had also tracked down his son, who lived with his mother, step-father, and half sister. Harper would have the displeasure of going to meet him tomorrow.

Optimist #4:
So wait, you want to meet up?! Just us?

Harper:
After internships are through. I owe you an explanation.

Optimist #4: 
You really don't have to! It's totally cool!

Harper:
Is it really, though?

Optimist #4:
Valid

Optimist #4:
I guess I'm sort of curious about Kurogiri! Plus, you've been kidnapped before??

Harper:
This is a conversation that needs coffee. This weekend, I'll come find you or some shit

Optimist #4:
You got it. It's a date!

Optimist #4:
I mean not an actual date

Optimist #4:
It's not that I like, don't want to go on a date with you, I just didn't mean to imply it WAS a date. 

Optimist #4:
I mean you wouldn't want to date me anyway. Not that anything is wrong with it! I'm sort of perfectly date-able. Maybe? I might not be. I'm not trying to like, make decisions about your preferences for you. That's not it.

Optimist #4:
I'd love to date you! It's not you, it's totally me. Ignore me. It's fine. It's just coffee. We're friends!

Harper massaged her temples for what was probably the millionth time that day. He'd be the death of her. The absolute death of her. But hey, Kirishima was hot, and saying they went on a date was a pretty good cover for 'I'm going to spill all my secrets to you' if you asked her. He was a nice person. A bit smiley, but his optimism wasn't the point of being annoying.

The last thing she needed right now was a love life, but she had a sneaking suspicion she and Kirishima would be spending a lot of time together in the near future. He was going to know, which meant he'd know she could hear his love-dovey thoughts. It was going to freak him out, so why not give him this? Maybe it would make him feel a little better about the fact that she had heard literally everything he was thinking about her.

Harper:
Kirishima, do you want it to be a date?

Optimist #4:
Only if you do!

Harper:
Alright

Harper:
It's a date