Third person pov

Sero's old house was rickety and falling apart, with the roof all caved in and the inside trashed. Harper and Kirishima both shared a glance as they stood right outside what should've been the front door. The actual door itself was discarded in the overgrown lawn, with plants sprouting through all the cracks that had formed in it over the years. Just standing outside the home, Harper could already smell the old musk that came with abandoned and old houses like this.

It was a shame Kirishima couldn't come in, but he was here for moral support. Because it was getting dark, they'd come to a mutual agreement to have Harper meet his parents after searching this whole place from top to bottom. Harper didn't think she'd find anything the detectives and various officers hadn't already, but maybe it could help her get a better grasp on Sero's way of thinking. And maybe it could explain this 'box' he was so afraid of. He alluded that it was here, but she almost wondered if maybe it wasn't. She was about to find out.

"I'll be back in a second." Harper grumbled, massaging her temples. She wondered how Shoto and Dabi were doing back at the precinct. Hopefully the whole thing wasn't up in flames yet. Who knows how long the pair would be stuck in there together at this rate. It depended on how long this search took, and whether or not Harper found anything. The brunette didn't think she would. That being said, her life had a funny way of working out these days.

"R-Right! Be careful!" Kirishima beamed at her bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck just so he'd have something to do with his hand. "I'm freaking out. She invited me-- me!-- to come with her here. Not only that, but she agreed to meet my moms! This is the best day of my life. She's meeting my parents. Isn't that like, a big step? She can hear me. It's fine. Hello. Good luck! You'll do great! Let me know if you need anything or like-- gah, I don't know. I'm sorry."

Harper simply snorted in a good-natured manner, turning and trudging into the house. She was careful to keep an eye out for any markers the police could've left. The last thing Harper needed right now was another mess. Kurogiri had passionately insisted he come with them, but was too afraid to approach the house. He kept arguing that it was haunted. Swearing up and down there were probably ghosts in there. He'd warped Harper back to the car three times on her way up. It was only when Tsukauchi threatened to keep him home from UA that he settled in the backseat to sniffle and shed a few nervous tears. Harper had just patted him on the shoulder and promised him a hug when she got back out, much to his glee and her dismay.

This house had a certain air to it. Something bad had definitely happened here, and it had happened to Sero and his family. Harper frowned as she maneuvered through the home. Hanta and his sister, Aimi, had both grown up here together. Harper wondered if they'd been happy back then. She knew Aimi had mentioned him having some behavioral issues before, but surely nothing too harsh. The villains had probably preyed on his early mental illness and twisted it as they tapered with his memories. When they went back to get both Shoto and Dabi, the quirk specialist would be done, and they'd know for sure.

Harper wanted to get to know who Hanta really was better. He'd constructed Sero, who she'd gotten to know during her time at UA. It was clear that wasn't all the truth. At his basis, he seemed like a genuinely nice person. She'd played board games with him and chatted with him time and time again, and she could firmly say they were friends with no trace of doubt in her mind. Still, that didn't tell her who he was. Or rather, why he was the way he was. She could feel herself on the brink of really getting him, but she wasn't quite there yet. A piece of the puzzle was missing. Harper was itching to find it.

The kitchen was where they'd been when it happened, according to Aimi. The home was very open. Not many years prior, it had probably served as a wonderful family home and pleasant place to live. Harper frowned, looking at what it had become now. It made her a little sad to see Sero's old house in such a state. She'd never seen it beforehand, but just knowing so much had gone on here set a heavy weight in her chest. What gave anyone the right to come in and destroy things the way the villains had? It made her teeth clench. She'd seen firsthand the horrible things people could do. She'd pulled some real shit in the past too, but not because she didn't have to. Still... this made her gut twist and her lips pull into a firm frown. Sero hadn't deserved this. Aimi hadn't either. No one did.

The kitchen had been stripped of all appliances. Even the sink was gone. Who had taken it all, Harper didn't know, but one thing struck her as odd. There was a single cabinet sitting there. All the others had been removed, but this one looked to be in decent condition. The paint was weathered and chipping, and it looked a little warped from rain, but it was a functioning. It was... just a cupboard. Looking at it by itself, it looked an awful lot like a box. Harper frowned. A few officers were chatting behind her while others mulled around, taking photos and notes. More than one forensics expert was here taking samples. Harper once again reminded herself to be mindful of where she stepped.

"Hey." Harper said, drawing the attention of one of the officers. She recognized the tired woman as one of the coffee-guzzlers of the precinct. She looked dead tired, as always. Harper could relate. "Can I borrow your flashlight?"

The woman glanced at the cabinet and nodded. "Sure, but I don't think you'll find anything in there. We checked it and swabbed, but there's nothing but a bit of mildew." She said, removing her light from her belt and tossing it the Harper. The girl caught it, almost dropping it in the process. The officer gave her one last glance before turning back to her conversation. Her thoughts drifted after Harper as the brunette trudged over to the lone cupboard. "That's Harper for you. Kid's probably onto something. If what Tsukauchi says is true, I'm sure she's on the fast track to becoming one of our own. She makes a damn good pot of coffee, too..."

Harper carefully pulled the cabinet open. The hinges squeaked as she crouched down, flicking on the flash light and shining it inside. Just as she'd been told, there was nothing there. It was nothing more than a rotting cabinet. The whole thing was just plain grimy. There wasn't even any way of telling whether or not this was the cupboard Sero and his sister had hidden it. It was more than big enough to hold two terrified children. Had it, though? Harper didn't know. Just thinking about her ex-classmate and his sister sitting here, crying and trying not to make a sound as their parents were killed... it made her shiver. She hated enclosed spaces. She was sure Sero did too, after this. Harper wasn't sure this was the box, but it could definitely be one. A wooden one, but still a box nonetheless.

There was still something bothering her about the cabinet. She almost wished Kirishima were here to help her inspect it. It was good to have a fresh set of eyes on things. Bouncing ideas off of him was productive. He wasn't as book smart as a lot of their classmates, but he was more clever than most of them. Harper felt slightly proud of that fact. Shivering and trying to supress the urge to vomit, she leaned into the cabinet slightly. Immediately, she felt stifled. She ignored it for the sake of finding out what the fuck was going on.

Seriously, this cupboard was rubbing her the wrong way. She pushed on the top and felt around the corners. She squinted at water stains and tried to figure out what it was about this cabinet in particular that was bothering her. Was it just that she didn't like how enclosed it was, and so it was putting her on edge? No, no-- that wasn't it. This was a hunch. Harper didn't know for what, but she just had a feeling. She was seldom ever wrong when it came to her slight inklings. They didn't come often, but when they did, she knew better to ignore them.

The brunette pushed on the bottom of the cabinet, but nothing budged. She frowned, putting her hand flat on it and trying to shake it. Harper almost jumped and banged her head on the top of the cupboard when the bottom actually gave a rattle, banging on the sides as she pushed it back and forth. She withdrew her hand, grimacing. Great, so there really was something here. More drama, she supposed. Perhaps it would help them figure out what was going on. It could be nothing, or it could be a peek into what Sero couldn't remember.

Harper was assuming whatever this was happened to be new. Tsukauchi had said she was free to touch anything, but she knew it was better safe than sorry when exploring something they hadn't tested yet. She pulled the nitrile gloves she'd copped from her fake-dad's cruiser out of her pocket and began to wrangle them on, awkwardly balancing the flashlight on one knee in the process. No one seemed to be paying attention to her. Should she call someone over? Where was Tsukauchi when he was actually needed? Harper let her quirk feel around for him.

"I like this color of paint..." Was all she got from him. He was somewhere outside. Wondrous. That did jack all to help her. That was fine. The worst thing that could happen was death, and she didn't see that occurring in this scenario. Though if she asked Kurogiri, he'd probably beg to differ. He thought everything was lethal.

"Whatever." Harper muttered, wriggling her fingers eagerly to try and get the gloves to stop pulling at her skin and fall into place. Shaking her head and taking a deep breath, she reached out again with one hand, seizing the light with the other. Tentatively, she leaned in and knocked on the bottom. At first it wasn't apparent, but after a few more solid taps, it was pretty obvious she was dealing with something hollow. Gripping the edges near the front, she pushed her fingers down the edge. The wood shifted slightly, and she was able to get her fingers under it. Holding her breath, she lifted. What she found made her pale considerably.

There was a massive hole the same length and width of the cabinet that spanned at least ten feet down. She flashed her light down, risking a glance at the bottom. It was nothing more than a concrete hole. Smooth walls and sharp corners with a flat floor. There was no reason for it to be here. There was nothing at the bottom that she could see, and there was no stench of decay. But looking down into the pit, she felt sick when it hit her just what this was. Down there, without any light, things would become blurred. All you'd know is that there was a floor and four walls around you. It would be disorienting, and cold, and utterly terrifying.

"It's a box." She breathed grimly. This was what he was so afraid of. She could only imagine the things that had been done to him in here. How many times had they shoved him in that hole? How many other people had they put down there? Just thinking about it made her shiver.

"Hey, Harper! You almost ready to go?" Tsukauchi spoke from behind her. "Has she been here the whole time? She pretty much bee-lined for the kitchen. Why isn't she moving? Are her shoulders tense, or is that just me? I think I remember her telling me she had a disliking for small spaces. Is the cabinet making her nervous? Why's she still sitting there? I hope she's okay!"

"Y...Yeah, but..." Harper turned, her body shifting and giving view to what she'd found. She frowned. "I think I found the box Sero was talking about."

The smile dropped of Tsukauchi's face in an instant.

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

The car ride to Kirishima's was quiet, save for Sansa's incessant humming. The guy really didn't have the ability to read the mood. Tsukauchi was typing away at his phone at light speed. After Harper's discovery, they'd begun to check for more hidden spaces in the home, and had called in a special team to brave what Harper was convinced now was 'The Box.' It made sense he'd be so afraid of it. Looking over the original blueprints of the house, gifted to them by the city, it obviously wasn't originally there. That means it was most likely made specifically to torment Sero or perhaps other people.

Kirishima was silent next to her, but his thoughts were running rampant. His shoulder was pressed against hers in a subtle attempt to comfort her. Harper wouldn't rag on it considering it was working. "She looks shaken. That really must've freaked her out. I'm still mad at Sero, but... if that compartment under the cabinet is as bad as it sounds, he must've gone through a lot. Harper has already said it's not all his fault. I think she's probably right. This is shaping up to be pretty dark."

"Dammit." Harper shook her head suddenly, bringing her hand up to massage her temples. "Tsukauchi, can you call Aimi Fujie and have her come in tomorrow? I need to talk to her. If anyone tells you she can't, insist. It's important."

"Yeah, of course." Tsukauchi answered immediately, not willing to deny her anything at this point. He paused his typing as his thoughts fell off track. "This kid's too young to be dealing with this, but without her, we probably never would've found that hole. I hate to think what they'll find down in there..."

"This shit is fucked, lads." Sansa whistled. "Seriously, just what did this tape dispensing little bastard go through? I'd join up with the villains and then betray the only people who could probably help save me too if I were him."

"I am just glad you came back alive." Kurogiri said to Harper. He was holding one of her hands, and was pretty much refusing to let go. This meant Harper had to rely on Kirishima to flip through any pages she needed on the case or with the house's layout. Luckily, he'd gotten pretty good and figuring out what she wanted without her having to say anything. "I was sure she'd die in there. The ghosts must like her too. I don't blame them. Harper Rye is my best friend and the best person on the planet. Of course they would notice! How foolish of me to be afraid."

"I was never in danger of dying, Kurogiri. Don't worry." Harper sighed. Kirishima cracked a smile. "Sansa is right for once, though. This is really fucked up. This definitely helps explain why Sero is the way he is now."

"Yeah, it sounds... man, it sounds scary. I'm not sure what I'd do if I were him. I can't believe he lived through all this." Kirishima frowned. The Chief of Police had said to keep the case under wraps, but Harper had chatted with Tsukauchi and he'd agreed it would be okay for Kirishima to look at some of the papers. Not all, but he already knew Sero was the traitor. That was the biggest secret of the whole thing. The 'beef', as Sansa had been calling it. Him being a hero in training helped as well. Were he just any other civilian, Harper wasn't sure she'd be able to tell him any of this. "The things Harper has to deal with on a daily basis... man, she's amazing."

"I can't either. It's a wonder he isn't more fucked than he already is." Harper frowned, glancing up. They were slowing to a stop in front of Kirishima's house. The sun had long since set. There was still the barest hint of light that seemed almost left over, but it was pretty dark overall. The moon was full, and there weren't any clouds. Tsukauchi could probably drive without his headlights and they still wouldn't die.

Harper didn't know how to feel at the moment. She just felt... tired. She was always tired, but today it felt deeper than just her usual exhaustion. This was the kind that made her want to sink into a pile of pillows or burrow under a pile of blankets and never come out. It felt like she could never catch a break these days. Hopefully tomorrow would be slower. Her parents were scheduled to call, so at least there was that to look forward to. The more time passed, the more she missed them. Harper wished they were here.

"O-Oh, man! I forgot about my parents! Do you still want to meet them?" Kirishima asked, concerned. He didn't want to push anymore stress onto her. Her plate was full enough as things were."Today's already been really long. I don't want to add to her stress. Especially since she still has to talk to Sero. Wow, she's gotten a lot done in such a short amount of time! That's so cool! Why is she so amazing? I'm going to die."

"Yeah, it's fine. It's about time they figure out who's dragging their son off to plunder the many mysteries of the world." Harper grumbled sarcastically, but not rudely. Kirishima beamed, opening the door and sliding out. Harper wiggled her hand out of Kurogiri's. The man let out a yelp, but didn't get the chance to follow. Sansa was already whipping around and spraying him with a bottle of water before he could pursue her. The warp-gate user let out an ungodly shriek that Harper cut off by shutting the car door, her head pounding. Kirishima looked like an excited puppy.

Kirishima was beyond excited. Nervous, but excited! Harper was finally getting to meet his family, and it made his heart swell and want to burst into a million pleasant little pieces. He just felt so overwhelmingly happy. He always did around Harper. He never would've thought he'd ever find someone to make him feel that way, but here he was! His obsession was admittedly a bit unhealthy, but how could he not absolutely adore her? That, and she wasn't even repelled by his weird obsession with her! Yes-- he acknowledged that it was more than a little... intense. But he wasn't harassing her and had been trying to tone it down, and his mom told him that was real manly of him!

"They're going to love you. I've already told them so much about you, so you don't need to worry. Oh! But not your quirk or anything. They just think I hang out with you all the time to study and watch movies. I mentioned some of the police stuff, but not really. Just that your dad was a detective." Kirishima babbled, anxious but enthusiastic. Harper gave a half smile. "I hope she likes them, too. God, I'm so nervous. What if I embarrass myself? I'm already embarrassing myself? Was this a bad idea? Ma is going to say something totally embarrassing! And mom will definitely want to hug her."

"It'll be fine, Kirishima. Seriously. If they're anything like you, I'm sure I'll liked them just fine." Harper assured. Kirishima went red, almost dropping his keys at her bold proclamation. "Besides, I'm only coming in for introductions. What's the worst that could happen? I read minds. You can't tell me they'll possibly reveal something I don't already know."

"Embarrassing baby stories." Kirishima squeaked. "And the fact that I sort of have pictures of her in my room. Fuck. I promise they're framed, and it's not some creepy closet-shrine. Wait, is that worse?"

"See. It'll be fine." Harper shrugged. Kirishima winced. God, this was so embarrassing. He was making a fool of himself in front of his crush! But if his parents liked her... again, the idea made his heart soar. They already were very supportive of his dream to be a hero and of his adoration for his classmate. They never had to ask about her, because he talked about her enough that they essentially knew everything about her. Barring any of the taboo topics, such as her quirk or what exactly she was doing in the police. That, and why she joined UA to begin with.

The Kirishima home was warm, and the smell of freshly-cooked food wafted into the entryway and made Harper's stomach twist hungrily as she stood there. Kirishima was smiling so broadly that his face hurt. Harper felt at ease knowing what she was doing was making him happy, even if he was nervous. He already dealt with so much of her shit. It was... nice to experience some of his life too. She needed to do that more. That's what friends were supposed to do, right? They hung out, sort of opened up to each other on occasion, though Kirishima really didn't get much of a say in that seeing as he couldn't hide much from her for long. He'd met her present family, and now she was meeting his. It was probably the easiest thing she'd had to deal with since she began at UA.

"Ma! Mom!" Kirishima got the courage to call out. "I'm home! I-I... I brought Harper-"

There was a very loud clang, and the sound of rushed footsteps. A woman with short, curly black hair and very dark brown eyes skidded around the corner so fast she almost slammed into the wall. She froze upon seeing Harper standing there, her mouth opening slightly and revealing two rows of sharp teeth just like Kirishima's. For a moment, she just stood there. Harper blinked at her. Kirishima flushed red with embarrassment.

"Dear, don't just stand there." Another woman appeared. Her hair was long and spiky at the ends, like her son's. It was a muted brown color. She had red eyes and a warm smile, looking flushed. They were both dressed oddly nice considering the hour and the fact that they were home alone. Harper hoped they hadn't gone too far for her. "Oh my! She's so adorable! Kirishima's photos don't do her justice at all. I hope we haven't freaked her out too horribly. I'd feel right awful if we drove her away from Eijiro. I know how much he likes her."

"R-Right, hi. I'm Kirishima's ma, Yumi." The black-haired woman tumbled forward, offering forth her hand sharply and trying to look at least somewhat intimidating. Harper took it with a half-smile she'd barely managed to plaster on. "Holy shit, she really is cute. No wonder Ei's so taken with her. So calm and collected-- I wonder if she feels the same or not. Should I ask? Ei might kill me."

"And I'm his mom, Asahi." The redheaded woman also gave forth her hand, and Harper shook it as well. "Ei's face is as red as his hair! I thought I'd seen him blush before, but-"

Harper took a deep breath. Resisting the urge to crack her knuckles in preparation for what was to come, she instead let her shoulders relax. Time to wipe the dust off of some of her old social skills that had been sitting dormant for far too long. Of all the times to whip them out, of course she'd pick down instead of any of the monumentally important moments that had come up in the past. It was fine-- Kirishima was about to have his mind blown, but if anyone deserved effort from her, it was probably him. Seriously. He'd just sat outside an abandoned house for almost three hours just for her. And he didn't complain once. If Harper was going to value anything in life, it had to be that.

"Hey! It's nice to meet you." Harper plastered on her best smile, with was apparently good enough because Kirishima's eyes got really big. His cheeks remained apple red. "Kirishima's told me a lot about you. I wanted to come meet you sooner, but school's been keeping me busy. And I think he mentioned that I work some with the police, due to my dad."

"Yes, yes, of course!" Yumi burst out excitedly, spurred on by her inviting demeanor she'd taken in lieu of the general tired air she usually exuded. "She's so polite! I know I was joking when I told Kirishima I'd start planning the wedding, but looking at them now..."

"We're glad to meet you as well, Harper! It is okay if I call you that, right?" Asahi fretted. Harper threw at arm around Kirishima, just barely tall enough to make it over his shoulders without it being too awkward. He jumped slightly in surprise. Asahi and Yumi were vibrating with excitement. Asahi, especially. "I've always wanted a nice daughter, and Eijiro brought me one! Ah!"

"Yeah, of course. Kirishima hangs out with me way too often for his mothers not to call me by my first name." Harper shook Kirishima slightly, still smiling. She was careful not to accidentally friend zone him, even if he was just that at the moment: her friend. The slightest thing could throw these two off. She could tell just looking at them that they were protective of their son, and she didn't want to accidentally hurt one of the few people in this world she genuinely liked. "I wish I could stay longer. We'll all have to eat dinner together sometime."

"You're welcome over anytime you want. It was nice just meeting you after all this time." Yumi insisted eagerly, sending Kirishima a wink. "Ei's pretty taken with you, you know! You should see his face when he talks about y-"

"M-Ma!" Kirishima sputtered, waving his hands in front of his face. Harper snorted at him. At least this was going well. She could feel happiness pouring off Kirishima in droves. He'd wanted them to get along quite badly, so get along they would. Harper was careful not to lay her kindness on too thick. She was polite and somewhat-cheerful, but not to a fake extent. She channeled what she was like when she actually got enough sleep and was trying. In her younger years, she could remember always being like this. It was back when she saw the best in people. Before... before all that.

"Well, he's too good for me, you know." Harper sighed, letting her arm slip off his shoulders. "I really don't deserve him. He never complains about my bullshit."

"He'd dedicated." Yumi agreed proudly. Asahi stepped forward, arms open. Kirishima let out a groan, his mind sputtering out apologies in between his racing thoughts. Harper willingly stepped forward, making a real effort to hug Kirishima's mom back rather than just stand there like she'd lost the ability to lift her arms. Kirishima let out a noise that sounded like a deflating balloon as his mom pulled away from the hug to pinch Harper's too cheeks. Harper snorted again, glancing back at her redheaded friend. He looked happy yet apprehensive at the same time.

"I-I- uh, yeah, I know Tsukauchi is waiting and we don't want to keep you." Kirishima managed to randomly blurt out. "I've forgotten how to form relevant sentences again! At least they didn't bring up any baby stories. But still, ma brought up my crush... a-and then Harper-"

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks for introducing me to your parents. I'll text you later." Harper gave him a brief pat on the shoulder, glancing back at the two woman and offering another smile. They seemed nice, but thank god this was already over. Three minutes and she was already drained. "It was a pleasure to meet you both."

It was pretty clear Kirishima didn't have many friends over. Or maybe it was because of his crush. She still really couldn't understand just where that had come from or why he still had it despite knowing her personality was shit. It was sort of flattering to know that his feelings had persisted even after getting to know her. On the other hand, it was also greatly concerning. How could anyone like her in that way? She was the epitome of human garbage, while Kirishima was an actual decent human being with a solid moral compass and too much compassion.

The smile on Harper's face faded slightly as she stepped outside, but not completely. She made sure to close the door behind her so they didn't feel obligated to sat anything else or enthusiastically wave. It felt nice knowing she'd finally met Kirishima's parents. Like maybe she wasn't a complete piece of shit friend. She was far from good with social interactions, but she was going to assume that one had gone well based on the reactions from both Kirishima and his parents. She'd take the win. These days, she needed all of them she could get.

Kurogiri was incredibly relieved by her return, still insisting on sitting right next to her despite them two being the only ones in the back seat. Harper had long since resigned herself to it. He was clingy, and she had adjusted appropriately in response. She'd really done this to herself by agreeing to adopt him in her moment of panic. Even with how obnoxious he tended to be, she was glad he wasn't with the villains. And though she'd never say it out loud, she did love him. She'd come to love all of her makeshift little family, and wasn't ashamed to admit it to herself.

"So how'd it go?" Tsukauchi asked cheerfully as they drove back to the precinct to end their day off with some further emotional scarring for Sero and to see what the exposure therapy with Shota and Dabi had resulted in. "She seems happy enough. I'm glad it went well. He seems to really like her. Though if he ever catches feelings, we may have a problem..."

Harper wasn't about to tell him Kirishima already had feelings. No need to sentence the redhead to an early death. "It went fine, I guess." Harper shrugged. "They didn't hate me."

"How could anyone ever hate you?" Kurogiri gasped, seemingly horrified. "You're too pleasant to be hated, Harper Rye! My word. Are there people out there to hate her? Young Shigaraki surely seemed to... this won't do at all."

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to. You'll only get hurt in the end." Sansa said in an oddly morose tone before slamming a pawed hand right onto the radio button. Harper grimaced as music burst forth full blast, almost making Tsukauchi jump slightly in surprise. The detective gasped in an excited manner right after. Trust both of them to have the same music taste. Sansa's train of thought continued to chug on in a completely spontaneous direction. "Two people in China caught the black plague, and I think that's a sign it's all ending."

Harper let out a sigh as they vibrated in place, waiting for the real song to begin. Kurogiri remained pleasantly unbothered. Though he was far from the stoic, well-mannered individual he was before, he hadn't lost all of his refinement. It was ingrained far too deep in who he was to just vanish completely. When he was without emotion, that's all he'd really had to cling to. It was something he could control.

"G'on do the two-step, then cowboy boogie! Grab your sweetheart, and spin out with 'em." Tsukauchi and Sansa burst out, heads bobbing. "Do the hoedown and get into it! Woo-hoo-hoo!"

Harper smiled slightly, glancing out the window. Today was shaping up to be not so bad. Certainly better than she would've thought. But it wasn't over yet, and all she could really do now was hope and pray that whatever higher power was listening would finally get up off their ass and do her a solid. She needed a pick-me-up. Looking at what had come to light with Sero's case and the fact that Dabi'd been stuck in a room with Shoto for around four hours, no cap, Harper decided she probably wasn't going to get one.