Just wanted to let you guys know I added a TINY but crucial bit at the end of the last chapter. So, check that out before continuing!

Also my whole family knows about this book now since I started making an audiobook of it (links to it in earlier chapters) and the other night I had a dream wherein I panicked after some random 6-8 year old girl told me she was listening to the series as well. So, thanks family chain of gossip for bringing even more embarrassment upon my existence.

PLEASE READ AND RESPOND:
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Also also, this paramount so I MUST have your opinion on this.
As you all know, I started this book with the intention to have NO ROMANCE. But I wanted to be funny and play off of a plethora of different romantic tropes for the heck of it. That being said, now I kinda feel like the plot might be disappointed with me if I do not actually conclude in the romance department and officially ship some peeps. It isn't exactly necessary, but a natural and potential path to slide down. Rest assured, it wouldn't go down like your typical romance tho. ,xD

All I ask from you dear readers is a vote.

🟥 (End on a ship. If this is your vote, please comment who you think would have the healthiest long-term relationship with y/n. Not just who you think looks/acts the cutest together.)

🟦 (End on no ships.)

🟪 (Whatever the heck I already have in mind. I have a feeling you guys might not like, being a fricked up hybrid of both options above. Don't ask. You won't get answers.)

Thanks for your input, guys. I expect to see your PowerPoint presentations on my desk by Monday.
===========================

     Why do you feel so lonely again? Now, when everything is starting to get a little better.

     Now, when classmates both new and old orbit around you and the elders are starting to respect you again. Now, when it looks like your life may finally be going in the right direction.

     Something feels...off.

     There's a heaviness that rests in your chest now every time lunch comes around at school. Even if you're fairly popular, people from all classes offering a greeting or even sitting around you, the people who matter most to your heart aren't among them.

     To you, your image of a good lunch break is sitting across from Tenko and Iguchi, where the three of you can talk about nerdy gamer things and crack colorful jokes outside of any adult's hearing range. You tend to dissociate a lot more now, unable to stay focused on all the talk about makeup, workout routines, sports, and the like. You were in sports a bit in your past life, but that was just to fill time. The same could be said for gaming, but...

     Why did you like gaming? Sitting alone in your room, you tried out a few games on the newly bought LHX458pro. You originally had no desire to buy one yourself, but Tenko's obsession with acquiring one had piqued your interest.. and you liked finding ways to waste your father's money.

     After about a week after school had started, you could "see" screens finally, though a bit fuzzy and chaotic. The chemical components inside were apparently enough for your Sight quirk to pick up on once it had gotten a hang of depicting the real world.

     Despite being able to now, playing by yourself just...wasn't fun. It never had been.

     You growled at yourself and dropped the remote. You leaned your back against your bed and dug your fingers through your recently washed hair.

     You bashed yourself for being so pathetic. In your past life, you were fine with being alone; preferred it even. Yet, in this life, you'd softened to the idea of having friends, companions, people who cared about you everywhere you went.

     That wasn't reality. It wasn't reality and you knew it!

     As much as you wanted to just get used to this. Accept that you wouldn't always have friends.. your other half was exceedingly selfish.

     You wanted your friends back and you wanted them back now. If for no other reason than to have someone close to talk to again. Openly, about anything and everything.

...

     There was this game Tenko always talked about getting. You decided to give it a try. But of course, that wasn't where you'd stop.

     " 'Shimama' " You finally found him. You chuckled reading that username again. It was something you used to teasingly call him while gaming and it stuck. He started using it as his username in several other games, so you had a hunch this was the same kid. And, judging by the way he trash talked the other noobs and clowned around online, it most definitely was him.

     You faked a casual, random greeting sometime between games in the lobby, stole his attention by sharing his unhinged sense of humor, and then asking to team up with him in the brawl ahead. He agreed. All of this was communicated via text. You could tell right away that he had formed a connection with you, though, as he stuck to his promise by not leaving your side as the fight progressed. He'd been playing for about a week now, so he acted as your somewhat helpful mentor. It was funny, though, because he would still mess up even the basics sometimes and wind up blowing himself up or something! 😂

     This game is a chaotic mix of Fortnite and Capture The Flag, with the added randomly placed bombs that need to be disarmed or they'll tear up parts of the map. With that, it can get very technical with its gameplay. A devious but understandable strategy is for a member of one team to sacrifice themself by guarding a bomb planted on the other team's side. It's called Suicide Camping and it's the only thing you're good at in this game. Most of the weapons also deal with flashy explosive weapons... Now that you think about it, this would probably be the young Bakugo's favorite game right about now.

     By the end of that week, you had Tenko as an online friend again. It wasn't the same as old times, when you could call each other and scream or laugh over the mics together, but this was a close second. Simply knowing he was your friend, even if indirectly.. I dunno.. it was just so nice.

     You missed him. More than you realized.

     While gaming one night, on your own this time to gather enough exp points as to not embarrass yourself tomorrow, that old familiar feeling returned.

     More and more, your dad watched you from afar. Made sense. He was likely exceedingly bored locked away in Tartarus. But, he just kept staring at you in random intervals now. Annoying.

     Then that feeling in your head started to flash on and off. At first, you were concerned, then annoyed. Then.. wait, that rhythm is almost familiar?

     You set your remote down on the floor and crossed the room, sitting down at your desk. You pulled out a piece of paper and pen, paying attention now to the frequency in which that quirk activated and deactivated. The rhythm paused long enough for you to know the message was resetting. You began to translate when it started up again.

- "g o o d  j o b  a d j u s t i n g  t o  t h a t  q u i r k.  I  w a s  p r i v i l e g e d  w i t h  f o r e s i g h t  a b o u t  i t s  f u n c t i o n."

     After linking all of the coded messages together, you smirked. So glad you studied Morse code back in elementary school. Back when you were too bored to bear it.

     You wrote back to him on that same sheet of paper. " 'Didn't you talk to me once through this?' "

- "d a m a g e d  q u i r k."

     " 'Ah.' "

- "f o u n d  m y  m o n e y,  I  s e e?"

     " 'Yeah.' "

- "a n d  t h e  b l u e p r i n t s?"

     " 'Still don't know what you mean by that.' "

- "t h e y  a r e n' t  v i t a l.  m e r e l y  s u g g e s t i o n s."

     " 'Okay, good. Because I wasn't going to follow them anyway.' "

- "I  k n o w."

     After a pause, you turned back around to look at your paused screen. You sighed and returned to writing.

     " 'Can you hear me?' "

- "n o."

     " 'Okay. Well I'm going to play again. Bye.' "

- "m a k e  s u r e  t o  s l e e p  t o o." You weren't going to waste your time translating the rest onto paper, standing up instead. "r e s t  w e l l,  (y/n)." You did end up hitting the hay about half an hour later.

     What a strange, strange man.

---------------

     Tenko opened the door to the break room sporting a couple new bandages on his skin, surprised when he lifted his head to spot you and Iguchi gorging vending machine sweets together at one of the tables. Everyone's eyes widened, switching sporadically between one another. Nothing was said for at least a minute.

     Finally, Tenko pieces everything together. "(Y/n) gave you her muscle quirk!?"

     Speaking with his mouth full, "wELl teCHnicAlly we'Re SHariNg it."

     You spoke up as well, mouth also still full. "YeaH I copHied iT."

     Tenko stood in the doorway, hands placed sassily on his hips. "What about the dangers of playing with quirks, huh?"

     "Says the one with ten or something I dunno." You then shoved another cinnamon roll into your mouth. "IG-sHi iSH SHaFe." After swallowing, "Remember the kid I stole it from? Well, now that I can copy quirks much easier, I gave his back. The girl's too, albeit altered, so she can turn it on and off whenever she likes."

     "Wait you stole a little girl's quirk too?!"

     "Oh yeah forgot you didn't know about that one." You shoved another pastry into your mouth.

     ""All UA students, please make your way outside onto the field."" The speakers overhead called. You and Iguchi grabbed all the wrappers you could and threw them into the nearest trashcan. On the way to the field, you stopped by the bathroom and cleaned up your face and hair as much as physically possible. Your eyes were still wrapped. That was just going to have to be something the world would have to get used to. At least your hair was a little longer now.

     Usually, after the rules were explained and the event introduced, one of the first years would stand up in front of the crowd and give a little speech. Things were slightly different this year, however. You were once again asked to go onto the stage, since apparently you had done so well last year. The people really wanted an update, I suppose.

     Oh well. You agreed to go along.

     The whole stadium was alive with noisy cheers as you hiked up the steps. Once up there beside Lady Midnight, you tore your hands from your pockets and waved to the crowd. Once handed the mic, you knew you needed to address what was on everyone's minds first. "Heh, don't worry about this, guys." Tugging at one of the pieces of wrapping around your head. "I just got in a little accident over winter break and lost my eyes. Thanks to cutting edge technology, though, I can see again, no surprise." You could practically hear the buzzing thoughts of the crowd. Hardly any of them positive. You nearly had a panic attack right there, but looking down at Iguchi and Tenko gave you strength to refuse the offer of your mind.

     Clearing your throat, "Keeping this short.. you know being rich doesn't make you more valuable as a human being, right? Having wealth says nothing about the worth of your flesh, your soul. It's the same with your body. You can have six arms, or you can have none. Either way, you hold the same value as someone with two arms... The same goes for quirks. Someone can have the most valuable quirk on the planet.. or they can have none... Let me be bold here and say these two are worth the exact same."

     You paused and swayed into a step to the side, letting the audience have their varying reactions.

     "So then what does determine someone's worth, huh?? Is it their skill, their strength, their heritage? Nah. The thing that really matters is this." You threw up your hand, pointing at the sky. "Your character. Your soul. Who you really are on the inside. You can be identical twins, but your souls are vastly different!.. It's your soul that determines what you are going to become. It's your soul that gets you there. And while things like disability, history, heritage, wealth, and so on may make achieving that seem impossible.. they're just obstacles at the end of the day. . Take me for example. I will become the number one hero, even with a villain's quirk... And I challenge all of you to try and stop me." You threw your fist up over your head, striking the same victorious pose as last year. The crowd cheered. When they had quieted down a little, you giggled and pulled the mic to your mouth again, smiling naughtily. "I'm gunna start by winning this year's Sports Festival." You winked down at Tenko. He folded his arms and shook his head, smirking as well.

---------------

     About a week ago, Tenko stopped by somewhere important.

    Ms. Inko opened the door, glancing confused at the boy standing there patiently. "Oh?.. Who is this?" She looked down, noting the boy's UA uniform.

     The teen's eyes flushed a faint pink, eyes darting to the side. "Hi, Miss, I'm- my name is Tenko Shimura.. I- I know you don't know me personally, but I'm a childhood a friend of (Y/n)'s and I've met your son a few times before. I know he and (Y/n) were pretty close, so I just wanted to see how he's doing. Is he alright?"

     "O-oh?" The woman turned around. There was no one behind her in the living room. The fact that she didn't ask what happened confirmed to the teen that she knew what was going on. "He should be in his room right now doing his homework. I don't know how much he knows about (Y/n), so please don't tell him about her record."

     Tenny nodded. "Yes ma'am."

     She let the boy in. Tenko's eyes wandered around their humble apartment, noting the lack of wedding and family pictures. Most were just of Ms. Inko and her son. The furniture, even items strewn about from forgetfulness, were minimal. It was likely the two weren't doing too well financially either. Maybe even a little worse than Tenko's own family.

     "Oh, Izuku~ Someone by the name of Shimura is here~"

     Muffled: "WHAT?" Tenko chuckled as a ruckus broke out behind the boy's door.

     "Would you like something to eat?" Inko asked the guest, already walking toward the kitchen.

     "No, ma'am, I'm fine."

     "Nonsense! You're a hero student! Aren't they always hungry?"

     "Well. I.." He couldn't really argue there, especially with all the training and strict diets. He didn't fight the idea of having a snack as the woman left. Izuku's thumping feet stole his attention next.

     The fluffy haired greenette leaned around the corner, his eyes a mix of concern and distrust. "What does (Y/n) want?" Tenko was not expecting such sass from this child. He blinked a couple times at the kid stupidly.

     "...What do you know?" Tenny whispered so Inko couldn't overhear.

     Izuku copied. "Kachan told me everything.. (Y/n) and her dad are villains." He then stared down defeatedly. He really did trust those two... And to think the man he had a growing admiration for was actually the guy who killed All Might!.. Scary to think he let himself get so close to such a monster.

     Tenko crouched down to the boy's level and placed his hand on the kid's shoulder. He stared at him with such care in his eyes, empathetic all the way. "I'm not here for (Y/n). I just wanted to see how you were doing."

     The preteen pursed his lips, diverted his eyes to the ground. Tenny watched closely with concern. Something was definitely eating the small one up inside. Eyes still to the floor, "..Are you a villain too?"

     Tenko's eyes fluttered open and closed, leaning back a little. "Wh?? No! Sh-she was my friend, but I never even knew (Y/n) was a villain until everyone found out! I'm just as shocked as you." Izuku bit the inside of his lip while considering the elder's words. As much as he wanted to believe him, it was hard to. The only people he felt he could trust anymore were his mom and Kachan, which was a very, very small circle.

     Ms. Inko arrived with a plate of snacks for Tenko and her son. Tenny sprung to his feet and thanked her kindly as he took a treat. "Is there anything I can do to help out around here?"

     "Hmhm, thank you, that's very kind but you don't have to. You did nothing to--" Inko stopped herself. Tenko sighed as the two boys looked to her.

     "..He already knows." Tenko.

     The woman sighed. "...I see."

     Everyone stood in a circle of mourning silence for a moment.

     "If it helps any.. I'm sure (Y/n) never meant to hurt anyone." Tenko clarified to the crowd. Ms. Inko nodded, staring down. Izuku noticed. Inko noticed his noticing, so she opened her mouth to speak.

     "She... has clearly gone through a lot. It doesn't excuse anything she did, but, it's obvious she doesn't have a lot of positive influences in her life."

     "Yeah.." Tenko nodded to that. Most of the crimes she committed after all were in that gap of time when the two were apart. He was probably her only source of light then, yet he was far from her life. Though it wasn't his fault, didn't stop him from feeling like it was.

     A small sniff pulled both pairs of eyes down to the little boy. Tears streamed down his cheeks. His fists were clenched, struggling to breathe.

     "...Why does (Y/n) have to be a villain...? Why...?"

...

     Tenko placed his hand on the boy's shoulder and rubbed it. "Hey.. listen..." He got the little one to look him in the eyes. "Good people can do bad things sometimes. (Y/n) has a strange quirk. Who knows how hard it is for her to control it? But even she believes in fighting the odds to do the right thing... I don't think she'll stay a villain. Knowing (Y/n), she'll be a hero just like she promised.

     This is just me thinking out loud.. but I think all she needs is another chance."

---------------

     Though vastly different, this year's Sports Festival started with a daring obstacle course race too! Followed by a high-risk, high-reward team competition.

     All the second years had improved substantially since last year, though, sadly for those really wishing to win this year, that meant their competition had improved just as much. Other than a few outliers, everyone was performing similarly to how they were last year. Heck, if anything, all this improvement of theirs was making it look like you had gotten worse! You hadn't exactly been collecting quirks to help with speed and agility, so this meant that there was a lot of room for you to start falling behind. You were making it into the top five of these competitions by the skin of your teeth!

     Out of everyone who had improved substantially, Iguchi was the most obvious of them all. And only a small fraction of that had to do with the muscle enhancing quirk you'd just given him. Now, he had a clearly defined fighting style and way of doing things. His eyes and mind were sharp! There truly was no teacher like daring, real life experiences, was there?! That kid had come far from the agitated, snappy, self conscious kid who only got by last year by copying other people's fighting styles. He was truly becoming his own hero and it was showing marvelously!

     Tenko had improved a lot too! Though not quite as obvious as his friend, he had grown both physically and mentally as well! Best part was he finally stopped hurting himself every time he used OFA. But his mind had become more tactical as well. He found more and more ways to incorporate seemingly useless props as his tools, and he was great at inspiring others to follow his lead!

     Hokusei was an unexpected runner-up, though this was more likely due to him actually trying this year. You didn't know if it was just to get on your nerves or if he actually had a desire to win, but he was putting in the effort to go places for this once. Who knows? Maybe Tenko gave him a pep talk you weren't there to witness.

     And, because Hokusei joined forces with Tenko for the team challenges -- you teamed with Iguchi and a few others -- that magnety sir slid his way into the finals.

.  .  .

     You were dragging Komoi Ai / "Frame Rate" / the guy who wears a biker helmet all the time, back to the 2B section. Ever since you started sharing a class with this guy, you got a good look at his true colors: a mix between Mineta and Monoma from the anime, whose favorite pasttime happens to be teasing and hitting on girls in a very condescending manner. For that, you never felt bad for dragging the kid around. He never talked to you the same way, simply because you terrified him. And you made it your personal job to babysit this brat for as long as you two shared a class.

     When you had finally thrown the kid into the 2B section, you looked on ahead at the fight you were missing. Before he could scamper away, you picked the classmate up by the back of his shirt and growled at him face-to-visor. "Look, you made me miss half of the best fight!" You then dropped the boy and let him scurry off. You then descended the steps, hands in your pockets as your attention trained on the battle ahead.

     It was Hokusei v. Iguchi. Before you even grabbed your seat, Iguchi showed just how much he had improved by winning that fight. "Hmh." You smirked.

     "(Y/n)!! Shuichi just threw Hokusei out of the ring!!" Kobayashi announced over the actual announcers: Present Mic and Midnight again.

     Speaking of Mic, he was comedically unenthusiastic whenever talking about you. It would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad!

.  .  .

     Oh dang... Iguchi made it all the way to the top three.. Heh, too bad he had to share a grade with you and Tenko, otherwise he might have won the whole event. You, unfortunately, had to kick the high-riser down, limiting him to a meager third place. You halfheartedly apologized afterward, since you weren't going to start feeling sad for winning, but he just laughed it off, not seeming to care. Man... You'd never even realized how much the teen had changed until now. He was so much more self assured and confident, it honestly made you jealous.

     Guess than means it's just you versus Tenko.. again.

.  .  .

     "What's with the smile!?" Tenko grinned across the arena at you. Guess yours was contagious.

     "Oh, nothing~ Just that I'm going to win~"

     "Heh. We'll see about that."

-

     You won.

     It all happened so fast. Now, the young man was sitting with his back against a cratered wall, blood dripping from his scalp. His back burnt with chafed skin. Ringing filled his ears. A thick, constant buzzing filled his head. His limbs were fidgety and numb. His breaths started to grow more intense as realization set in.

     It had been a rather long, flashy and wild fight. Tenko must have gotten into a rhythm; assumed this fun would never end.

     It did, and he lost. For some reason, he was struggling to accept that.

     Your large shape marched through the fog. You broke through the settling dust, worry clear in your fidgety motions. The dust disturbed your senses. It took a moment to acclimate to seeing through it. When you got a good look at Tenny, you were relieved to see he was alive, well enough, and still conscious.

     The teen's raspy breaths grew as you came into view. He inhaled dirt and coughed through his sore, dry throat. His eyes stared up at you as you offered him your hand. You smiled warmly down at him. "GG, mate. I'm surprised I even won!" You chuckled.

     ...He stared. He thought. He looked down at the floor, still processing that he'd actually lost.

     He was doing so well, training so hard, learning so much! H- ha- how!? How did you beat him?! He beat you last year! Was he getting worse?! If you could beat him, then what other villain could? Was One For All not enough!?!

    You leaned in to help, but stopped when he shrunk back. His bottom lip curled, fearful eyes brimming with tears.

     "Tch. Baby." You shrugged the hurt off of your shoulders and turned your back on him. You helped instead by guiding the first-aid crew the loser's way. One person stuck around you to help bandage your shoulder, which you didn't even realize was torn open until now.

     Tenko's denial grew like an infected wound in your heart. The more you thought about it, the worse you felt... Was there seriously no hope in him becoming friends again? Was this it? Would this friendship die a slow, agonizing death?

     These questions plagued you for an entire month, until you'd finally had enough.

----------

     After a couple hours cleaning up your manners with Ms. Yamashi, you portaled close to the beach to wind down.

     It had been a long, strenuous day. One full of exams, manners, and people.

     "Hhhh..." So many people. But...

     This sure was a useless cycle. You could never seem to get the friends you had lost out of your mind, especially Tenny.

     He had been with you for so long... You hadn't realized that he was just as much of a comfort to have around as you were for him. Maybe.. maybe you'd taken his friendship for granted... He really was a great guy.

     And to think he was still wary of you and your villain status.

     What drove the knife even deeper was his growing relationship with Hoku. Knowing him, he probably only started entertaining the guy because he didn't have the heart to turn him away. The two have nothing in common besides being in the same class. Now, however, it seems more and more like he's enjoying the guy's presence, if for no other reason than the "attention bombing."

     And now, that f###ing brat's gotten himself a gaming console and a few games to go with it, just so he has an excuse to spend more time with Tenny. You know this simply because, well, you've been maybe sorta stalking Tenko online. You know, with the friending him in all his favorite games as someone else and crap... The more you think about it, the creepier you sound. But... Ughh..

     Glaring the sunset down like it had said something offensive, you cursed your mind for always going back to thinking about this whenever you had some free time to think. Were you that bothered by it?? Really!? How annoying.

     The cold shoulder wasn't working.

     "(Y/n)?"

     "Hm?" You turned your head. Standing on top of a pile of trash was none other than Izuku. The shore's wind tossed his bushy hair as his green eyes settled on you.

     "It really is you! You came!" He hurriedly crawled down from the pile until his sandals sank into the beach. Now that you actually looked around, it was a little cleaner than last time you were here. So, that must mean Izuku has continued to visit this place. "(Y/n)!! Remember?! Remember your promise to me!?" He stopped in the sand a decent distance away, apprehensive about getting too close. His fists clamped tightly and shook in front of him. The boy shook his head, tears already gathering around his eyes.

     Your mouth dropped open. Then, you nodded. "Uhuh... You.. Do you know what kind of quirk you want?"

     "I WANT YOURS!" The kid cried. "I WANT YOUR QUIRK SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A VILLAIN ANYMORE!" You stepped back, holding your breath. The boy you stared at so intensely was crying his heart out, hugging himself like his very soul was on the line here. He gagged on his own breath, forcing himself to calm down enough to breathe. Speaking softly, "...I know you don't want to be a villain, (Y/n).." sniff "-I promise! I'll use your quirk to save people! It doesn't have to be a villain's quirk, and I'll prove it!!" It was clear in the preteen's eyes that he wasn't going to be convinced otherwise. He'd made up his mind, and he made it a while ago.

     Still, you felt like arguing was necessary. "..That's a very nice offer, but seriously, this is a very strange and powerful quirk. Even if I could give it to you, you would die!-" There was a way around this, and you hated that. Just like how you had plans already to enhance your own body's strength, the same could be done for Izuku's.

     Just like how Tenko/Tomura enhanced his own body in Season Six, it was possible for another boy much like him to be made physically stronger without the need of a quirk as well. Was it humane or easy, though? Certainly not. Even you, someone looking forward to such an upgrade for a year now, was not looking forward to the torture required for it. "...I really suggest you ask for a different quirk."

     "(Y/n)!! You promised I could have any quirk!" Stomping his foot in the sand.

     "I... did say that.." Stupid kid wasn't supposed to read into that. Seeing that sincerity in his eyes... This was his way of trying to help. "...I'll.. I'll think about it. If I can figure something out...
            then sure."

---------------

     It had been a while since you'd eaten in the main dining room. It was a rather fancy but brief event. You were told to wear your nice kimono for this occasion. Other than that, no instructions were given. You were simply to exist.

     It was rare for the Shie Hassaikai to have guests over, but today, the head of another Yakuza and his wife were here about deals and such. They were here to simply visit too, but Kai of course ensured business was somehow involved.. Both Yakuza leaders sat across from each other at the far ends of the table. You sat across from Kai next to Pops. To your left was the other elder's wife. No real small talk was said, at least not between you ladies.

     "I may not have direct connections to the medicinal drug industry, but I know someone who does~ There are two men in particular with a great amount of influence I just so happen to be good friends with." The visitor with a mustache said calmly. Pops made sure to hold his second in command back from talking business throughout the first part of their visit, allowing for more casual conversation to be had between the elders. But, once Kai had his permission to bring up business stuff, the entire atmosphere shifted.

     Kai turned his head to the elder, elbows on the table so he could do the finger-weaving thing. Huh. He looked so weird without any mask on, honestly. Like, really really weird. Bro actually has a mouth?! Ew. "Wonderful." Ew. You can see his mouth moving when he speaks now. MAke iT stOp! "If you could contact them and let them know I am interested in conducting business, that would be much appreciated."

     "-I know generally about your quirk erasing drug." Yet the man looked quite perplexed. "But.. it's hard to imagine why you would want to make it into a medicine." His eyes turned to you, which you weren't expecting.

     Kai sat straighter. "It's fairly simple-"

     "-I was asking Death Angel."

     "I can answer just as easily."

     "It was her idea though, wasn't it?" The elder gave Kai a rather sassy look. Oh my gosh you loved this man. Actually standing up for the little guy and giving them the recognition they deserve! *violent narrator coughing* Kai side eyed you, showing an angry, pouty look. Now with no mask, you could see the curled lip that usually accompanied the stoic glare... Oh my gosh so cute he looks like a grumpy old cat! 🤣

     After realizing his glare was receiving the reverse effect, the young man leaned back and sulked on his own. You tripped on your thoughts after you realized this meant you were up with a speaking role for once!

     You slipped some water and cleared your throat. "Oh-khm!" What was the question again..? Oh! "If the quirk erasing drug, or 'Q.E.' is seen as a weapon only, there is no doubt it will be made illegal. And if that becomes the case, then things like tracking the drug will be much easier, and distribution will be too great of a challenge. It will be a highly valued product, yes, but at the cost of painting an unflattering target on our backs. And if the prices of distributing the drug are too high.. then that could backfire as well. Only the rich would be able to afford them, meaning the chances we would be feeding more power into only those who could destroy us are immense. Finding a way to cheapen the drug would not only make distribution easier, but it would also be giving smaller factions the chance to destroy any growing threats to our cause." You stopped a second to pop your neck. Ahh, better. Kai glared at you with disgust. "The best thing we can do before starting production on full-scale would be to legalize the drug beforehand. Slide it into a few hospitals, pitch it as a necessary drug for quirk related ailments. That way~ when we start selling to anyone, there will be no way for law enforcement to distinguish between legal and illegal trade. The drug will reach more customers that way, and a broader buying base means greater demand, which will in-turn bring us more money in the long-run, even if the price is substantially lower. We can always wrack up the price in a decade or two anyway, when the drug both in it's legal form and not have integrated into society so much they become a necessity to daily life." You ended it off with a playful shrug. "At least that was my idea~" And it was brilliant! How did you know already? Because you watched your old home in a past life fall into this exact same trap. You could remember rather well the days when weed stores suddenly popped up around every corner. The more you thought about why, the more you were both appalled and impressed.

     Hopefully, though, this drug would have more of a positive affect than a negative one. With quirks getting so crazy and dangerous, some people might decide removing their quirks to be the safest route. And you honestly couldn't blame anyone who would do that. Yes, you've made speeches left and right about quirk equality and all that jazz.. but, obviously the issue is going to be far more complicated on an inter-personal level. Better to let the individual decide for themself what they want to do with their quirk. That at least would be better that forcing someone to suffer just to prove a political talking point.

     But of course you couldn't sway these kinds of people with virtuous intentions and dreamy ambitions. No, these guys only spoke in honor, glory, and money.

     The old moustached man rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a grin splitting his lips. "My my~ The woman too, aye~? I must admit I'm jealous. You two make one h### of a power couple, both mentally and physically." Kai was already embarrassed by how terribly long and detailed your explanation was, so this compliment only added to the flustering fire.

     You passive-aggressively tilted your head and smiled at the old man, a gesture which he did not pick-up on. "Oh really~?"

     The jolly old man continued like he wasn't making the table terribly uncomfortable. "Makes me wonder what kind of monster the tow of you will breed!" He leaned back and laughed.

     "PSSSSHHHH!!!" Kai spat out everything he was drinking, many of the particles of spit and wine landing on your disgusted head. Kai started to gag and choke so badly Hari slid open one of the doors and ran into the room to pat the brunette's back and help him calm down. You sat incredibly stiff, skin turning firey hot without the need of a quirk. Though the old man meant it as a joke, unfortunately, he had the wrong crowd.

     For all the things you two disagree on and get on each other's nerves for, at least you and your fiance firmly are alike in and can agree on your shared Asexuality.

     For Kai, it's almost like having gender dysphoria, but much broader than that. Without getting into much detail, he absolutely despises anything having to do with human waste. It's gotten so bad in recent years that his mind will often block out all memories of being in the bathroom. Makes it easy to pull off toilet seat pranks without having to suffer the consequences, but it's pretty sad the more one gives it thought. It's no surprise then that he would be equally disgusted, if not even moreso by anything involving reproduction. He would rather die a thousand slow, painful deaths than even consider... you know.

     You were a different kind of Asexual. For you, it's more closely related to an intense fear of emotional vulnerability. A genuine fear, strong as any other, about getting so close to another. It's a hard fear to put words to; though, in a way, you have a feeling there is something universal about it. But, there are parts of your soul that simply cannot, under ANY circumstances, be shared with another. This is a strong driver for your Aromanticism as well. Things like romance and smeks is not only not preferred, but actively uncomfortable and even feared. It would just be a step too close.

     In this likeness, at least, the two of you could find some form of comfort in the arranged marriage to one another. Though the discussion was never spoken directly between the two of you, both of you knew you had nothing to fear. Neither of you had the want nor the need to cross those boundaries, which was honestly what made being around each other feel so safe. So peaceful, in a way. Because, for all the things you had to worry about with each other, at least sexuality wasn't one of them.

     Thad did, however, make crude jokes like this man's all the more punishable. You'd already imagined yourself vaporizing him three times before he even had the chance to catch his breath and apologize. By then, he was already teary eyed with laughter.

     Neither you nor Kai looked at each other for the rest of the meal. Yet somehow, this old man and his wife were invited to your wedding.

     Craaaaaaap, that's happening in just a yeeeaarrr! How weeeeeeiirrd!

     You were excited to change into casual clothes and relax to some gaming after all that. The best way to take your mind off of things.

---------------

<GraffitiGremlin has joined the raid>

Shimama: guys Graff is alive lol

GraffitiGremlin: ,xD sorry guys I had to do chores first

Shimama: oof
Default101: oof
YeetTheChild: oof

Shimama: Graff help Yeet defend the base 101 and I are infiltrating the enemy base rn

GraffitiGremlin: okok

     You knew the other three were most likely in a VC together or something. They had invited you to join them once, but you claimed to be too shy. This meant there were doubtless many fun conversations and jokes going on that you had no idea about.

     Your character raced to help Hoku's, which was plowing down a wall of plant zombies at the moment. You jumped in and helped him "mow the lawn." Even in game, your prejudice shown through. You rarely talked to "YeetTheChild" directly. It helped that he wasn't very sociable online either.

     There was one other friend who usually joined your party: Moritsuka aka antler guy, aka "Gaymer_Man". Ironic because he isn't even the gay one. But, ever since he got a job that runs a little late, he hasn't been able to join as often anymore.

     It was painfully quiet in your room. There was no Himiko going to sleep on the bed behind you. Nobody talking outside your room. Not even the rustling of leaves or hoo'ing of an owl outside your window. It wouldn't have been a big deal, hadn't you taken your headset off halfway through because your head was starting to hurt.

     You started detaching from the thrill of the game more and more, until by the end there remained no serotonin inside that head of yours. The repetitious sounds of clicking and button pushing seemed to put your mind in a numbing trance. There was nothing fun about this game. There was hardly anything fun about the people you were playing with.

     You were tired, cold, and painfully alone.

Default101: I need to go to work guys. Don't forget about the leftovers, Ten.

Shimama: ok bye
GraffitiGremlin: o7
YeetTheChild: seeya

     After Spinner left, you remaining three discussed what to play next. It was late; dark outside now. Hoku decided now was probably the best time to leave so he'd have time for dinner and bed. After he got offline, only you and Tenko remained..just like old times.

     It was a terrible idea, but by this point all fear of the potential consequences had been sanded down to nothing.

---------------

     Tenko sighed tiredly after Hokusei left. He exited the empty VC. Suddenly, without any voices or game sounds to accompany his ears.. it was so quiet.

...

GraffitiGremlin: you afk?

A message through the console itself pm/dm'ed him.

     He grabbed his remote quickly, replying with " 'nah' ".

GraffitiGremlin: want to hang out?

Shimama: What game?

GraffitiGremlin: no game
GraffitiGremlin: irl

     Tenko's eyes widened, heart picking up pace. He'd known this person for only a month! Yeah, they got along like old friends, but he didn't even know this guy's name! He could turn out to be a creep, or worse!

Shimama: ,xD nahh, I'll pass. Maybe later when I've known you a bit longer

GraffitiGremlin: what if you already known me?
GraffitiGremlin: what if you've known me for years?
GraffitiGremlin: longer than you've known anyone else

Shimama: DAD?!?

GraffitiGremlin: oh yeah. XD no. Not THAT long. But pretty close

     Tenko's breathing stopped right there. When he finally fought to inhale, it entered shakily. His eyes were glued to the screen... This was getting scary.

Shimama: who are you?

GraffitiGremlin: . . .
GraffitiGremlin: I wish I knew the answer to that myself XD

     But you weren't laughing. You weren't even smiling.

GraffitiGremlin: Mind if I kidnap you for a bit?

     Tenko sat there dumbfounded, unable to form a proper response in his head. He had multiple theories running through his head. His most prominent one was correct.

     In the peripheral, a little dark spot emerged. Was he seeing things now?! Tenko's eyes snapped to the spot on the carpet in front of him. Nope. It wasn't one of those weird shadows that vanish once you look at it. Crap. Was he going insane??

     The little hole in the floor steadily crawled his way. Tenko freaked, falling off of his little stool onto the floor. "One For All.." he whined, summoning the super strength to fight this thing. Problem was it didn't even look like something he could fight! The teen was still trying to figure out what to do when suddenly the dot disappeared. Before he could celebrate, however, a much bigger one materialized underneath him. "AA-!" Tenko fell through the floor, falling several feet onto a stiffer carpet. Someone's arms wrapped around him from behind, holding him in place. "AA- AY- F###! S### PERVERT A## LET ME GO!" Even prying the arms off of him using One For All at ten percent was proving a challenge.

   "Shhh.. it's just me." You mumbled. Your familiar voice only made him calm down slightly, however.

     "(Y/n)?! Oh I f###ing knew it!" You were sitting with him on the floor in your room. He wasn't sitting on your lap so much as he was sitting in the middle of a nest that was your legs. Jabbing his heels into your shins wasn't doing anything to you, and he trusted you well enough to at least know you hadn't trapped him with the intent to kill him. Proving his suspicion, Danger Sense wasn't jabbing his head. His wiggling stopped, instead deciding to be diplomatic. "Wh-- ..why am I here??"

     "Just felt like kidnapping you.." You rest your chin on his shoulder, eyes sliding closed. You held Tenny close, absorbing his warmth. A small chuckle bubbled out of your chest. "It's what villains do, right?" Tenko growled, biting his lip. "I bought Tarea Tanyo." Handing Tenko your remote. "I know you've been dying to play it." On the little scroll-through menu on the screen, the boy could see the game you were talking about. His hands were shaky, but he navigated to the game and booted it up. He trained his eyes on the screen and played through the tutorial without saying a word. He was sloppy about it; all previous skill pushed to the side. He was somehow relax and tense at the same time. His whole body shaking, but not because he was scared.

     It had been so long since you hugged anyone. You missed it so. It wasn't even that cold tonight, but you were chilled to the core. Now, though, you were starting to warm up and relax. That uncomfortable numbness in your head was steadily melting away. What you were left with was a stinging pain in your chest. But, it wasn't an agonizing sort of pain... Tenko felt strange. He hadn't snuggled anyone except his mom and Hana, and that was ages ago, back when he was just a little kid. He wasn't as accustomed to it as you were... So could you really blame him for having such a hard time focusing on the game or knowing what to do in this situation?

     Tenko exhaled a shuttering sigh. "...I get the feeling you've never been much of a gamer.."

     "Hm.. true." You hummed. "I don't not like gaming. But, it's just not my first choice."

     "So... Why do you keep going out of your way to play with me? Why did you decide to become a hero?? Is it all because of mE-?!"

     "Yes. But it's..more complicated than that. ... For as long as I can remember, I've never cared about what I do or who I become... I just want to feel like I belong somewhere.." It was why, of all the wishes you could have made between lives, you chose to reform villains in a fantasy world. You chose to have a special dad, and live a special life, with special superpowers. You didn't want to just be another face in the a sea of people exactly like you. You wanted to feel like an individual..with a purpose. "...I guess you made something like that easy for me; feeling needed." But even with those powers, the iconic heritage, and exciting life...somehow, you were still missing out on that sense of purpose. Of meaning.

     You had the feeling you could live a thousand lives full of magic, power and thrills.. but you'd never feel satisfied with any of it. You were still you, after all.

..

     "...Are you okay, (Y/n)?"

     "What do you think?"

     "Sorry..."

     "No, it's n'kay.."

...

     "Do you...want to talk about it.?"

     "M-mh.." You denied the idea first. But, after giving it some time, the silence of the room only broken up by the clicking of buttons, that ache in your chest not going away, you relented to the idea of sharing. "...For the past few years it feels like the only reason I really do anything is just to get the right reactions out of people. I feel like I've been dead this whole time, or like my soul left me ages ago... But for some reason," hugging your friend a lil tighter, "..I felt like I'd actually lost something when you stopped talking to me. These past few years.. it's been pretty easy to just shrug problems like that off and move on... But... I can't seem to let you go..." You picked up your chin and rest your forehead on his shoulder instead. "'M sorry if I'm making you feel uncomfortable. . I just don't know what else to do... You were right.. I'm terrible at making new friends. .. Doesn't help that I have a habit of surrounding myself with people who hate me..."

     Tenko sighed sadly, staring down at his controller.

     "...Same..."

     "Really?"

     Sniff. "Yeah." Tenko set the controller down on his lap to rub the tears out of his eyes. "Glad I'm not the only one.." He was talking like he was seconds from crying. You held him close, which magically stopped him from breaking down.

     Sad as it was knowing you had played a large part in your childhood friend's pain, you felt a little better.. knowing you weren't the only one.

     "We're stuck, aren't we?" The boy lamented. "We hurt when we're apart, and we hurt when we're together... How cruel..."

     You laid your cheek on his shoulder and sighed along. "Sucks, dunnit?"

     "Yah."

     "...Tenny?"

     "Yeah?"

...

     "If I ever turn into a full-on villain.. I want you to know you have permission to kill me."

     Tenko gasped. "What?! You're not!"

     "But I might." Your tired eyes stared ahead at the screen, lacking any sort of emotion. "I can't even trust myself anymore... I don't know what I'll do."

     Tenko ground his teeth together. "Idiot. You have control over that kind of stuff."

     "Sometimes...It doesn't feel like it."

     "You dO-!"

     "-I'll do everything I can to keep myself from turning into a villain again.. But, if I fail.. you need to be okay with killing me." This was a rough conversation. For both of you. But, you knew it needed to happen. If you were going to continue to be friends, you needed to accept and prepare for it's potential and indefinite end.

    Tenny wiped his face with his sleeve, then picked up the remote again. "...I couldn't kill you even if I tried. You beat me last Sports Event."

     "Roughly 60% of what determines the winner is determined in the preparation stage. 30% is determined by your mindset going into it. The rest is luck. I could tell from the very beginning that you weren't in the right space mentally to win that day. That's where I had the advantage. Unlike you, I've had a lot more real life experience fighting people, even when I don't necessarily want to or feel like it."

     "So what you're saying is.. I need to become a thug."

     "Psh! No."

     "Get 'ur d### money ou'a'er pockets! Oh eu wanna brawl 'or it!?" Tenko made his voice gruffer, goofier. Your head slid off of his shoulder, hissing out in laughter. The boy's smile grew as he continued. "Ow! Ooh! F###! At least this c'ounts as me cardio!"

     "Pfffffff! N-o!"

     "Ge'in smashed i'oo a wall? Mur like pushup pra'ice!"

     Snickering, "bruhh." But then you decided to add some yourself. "Time'a get muy reps in stealing sum purses!" You both laughed together. The joke was so stupid, but it was so fun!

     Ahhh, this is why... This is why you suffered. Why you wanted to be here in the first place. Otherwise, you never would have known this side of Tenko. The good in him would have never flourished, and in time people would forget he even had a soul.

     This was the life you saved.

     When the laughter had dyed out, "Hey, so, when can I go back home? We have school tomorrow, remember?"

     You pouted, wrapping your arms around him again. "Nou.. Tenny stay."

     "(Y/nnnnn)."

     "I am your kidnapper, so I make the rules!" Puffing out your chest, pouty lip to the sky.

     "Ghh. Seriously?"

     "We can finally have that sleepover we never got to do. There's a lot of fancy leftovers chilling in the fridge right now if you're hungry~"

     "Hhhmhgmnwhghhh.. fffine."

     "Cool." You rolled backwards into a portal, elsewhere rolling out from the wall onto your feat so smoothly. Tenko exited the game and pushed himself up too. The moment he was standing, the teen had a look around at your room. The only light source in here was the TV screen. He'd..never actually seen this room before. It was pretty cool! Filled to the brim with personality. More than he expected.

     You slid your slippers on and made a portal through the bedroom door so you wouldn't stir up any unnecessary noise. "Follow me, but be quiet. Everyone should be going to sleep right about now." You whispered before vanishing completely. Tenko stood up and stuck his arm out through the dark mist. It was so ominous, natural for him to fear it. Tenko bit his lip and strode through.

     "(Y/n), I- oof!" Tenko bumped into somebody on his way out of the portal. Specifically, Kai, who was talking to you at the moment. Once Tenko and Kai made eye contact, you knew drama would follow.

     "You brought a boy here?" Kai glared down at the teen. Tenko chuckled. Who was this again? You had never mentioned living with anyone before.

     "I- hahah!" Awkwardly, you wedged your arm between the two. "This is a childhood friend of mine! We're just catching up!"

     "Uhh, (Y/n), who is this?" Tenko pointed at Kai. From the looks of Kai's pajama wear, he would assume the man lived here too.

     "I'm her--" Before Kai could finish, you put a portal around his neck, trapping his head in his bedroom. While the man struggled to pry his head free, you made up an answer for him!

     "You see! This place is kind of like a joint apartment of sorts!" Gesturing around the dark kitchen where only a few small lamps glowed. "It's how I can afford living on my own!" You slapped the back of your hand against Kai's chest. "This guy's Kai Chisaki! He basically runs the place!"

     "Huh..." Tenko looked around, leaning past the corner to get a brief view of the dark living space as well. "It looks nice here. Alsooo, why did you do that to his head?"

     Placing your hand on Kai's shoulder like an old friend. "Oh, he just likes to spit nonsense and make jokes sometimes. But his sense of humor's a little special. Just being safe! Don't want to spend all night explaining a joke!" Your head then also vanished through a portal, quickly telling Kai not to tell Tenko anything, since he has close connections to hero society and whatever else would get the guy to shut up. Suffice to say, Kai was in a very bitter mood by the time his head was finally freed. Another very humbling experience for him.

     Tenko bowed to the other. "Nice to meet you, Chisaki."

     "It's Overhaul to you."

     "Overhaul? Sounds like a stage name. Are you a hero?"

     "No, I'm the-"

     "-a Vigilante!" You interrupted him yet again. Kai was so done. He wanted to leave, but now that you had a boy over, knew he couldn't leave you two alone.

     Kai stuck around, half asleep, draping himself over random furniture in the shadows as you warmed up some leftovers for Tenny. He kept asking when Tenko could leave, but you were stubborn and wouldn't let him go til morning. It was official. You had kidnapped Tenny.

     "So what kinds of things do you like to do in your free time?" Tenko asked as he started to eat. He had offered to clean up, but you argued he was your guest and shouldn't have to.

     "Um..." That was actually kind of a hard one. "I like anything art related.. Oo! And watching really low budget horror flicks!"

     "Flicks?"

     "Movies, I mean."

     "Oooh."

     "Speaking of those.." the dark shape of the couch spoke using Kai's voice. "You really need to stop turning the volume up so much. I can hear women screaming or Godzilla screeching from my room."

     "Eheh, sorry." The experience was much more immersive with the volume up tho.. And you preferred to watch then on the living room TV.

     Tenko was intrigued. He'd never really gotten to know this side of you. He always assumed you had other interests, since gaming was nothing but your side hobby. Guess this was why. "Hey, maybe you can show me one of the movies you like!" He offered. Though he didn't personally like horror movies, games, books, etc, he was willing to try something new with you.

     "Yusss!" You of course loved this idea.

     This was so much fun. Reminded you of your very first sleepover, back when the only things you and Tenny could do before bed was watch a movie and talk. In this instance, Kai inserted himself in the role of your mother. The figure of warning just lingering there in a corner. It was a little weird, but with him barely able to stay conscious the whole time, he was easy to ignore.

     It was midnight by the time the movie finally ended. By then, the two of you agreed it was probably best to get some sleep.

     You yawned and leaned back against your bed, stretching your arms over your head. "Man, guess I should get you a futon."

     "That boy is not sleeping in your room." The blanket burrito on the floor growled.

     "Hey, my quirks haven't been acting out as much as they used to! I- I don't think I would set him on fire tonight!"
         "Wait what?"

     "You know that isn't what I was implying."

     >:O "You know I'm Asexual!"

     "Is he?"

     You and Tenko looked at each other. "...Are you?" You inquired.

     . . . o///o "A sexual, what?"

     "Kaaaaai! Can you please explain it to him?!"

     "Not a chance!" The blanket burrito refused.

     "Fine then! Tenko, you can sleep in the living room."

     "Wait why?"
     "SeEriOusLy?"

     "I had plans to make breakfast for everyone tomorrow." TvT

     "Oh!"
     "Ew."

     A plan finally settled, you grabbed spare bedding for Tenko to use and helped him make his bed, all while the two of you reminisced on old stories from previous sleepovers and hangouts. Kai finally announced he was going to the bathroom but that he wouldn't be gone for long. Him out of the picture, the conversation didn't really change until your laughing had settled down again.

     Finishing with his couch bed, "You know... It's strange to think that we've been friends for as long as Izuku has been alive."

     "..." Tenko gasped. "You're right!.. D###." You were smiling sadly down at the couch, then your old friend.

     "I'm sorry I never thought to visit you in those years we were apart."

     He shrugged. "You were still figuring things out. I don't really blame you."

     "While we're talking about Izuku- wait- ..hhhh, nevermind. I- I mean. Sorry..."

     "Psshhhh! Change of topic!"

     "Yeah!" 😅 .. "I ran into the kid earlier today." Tenko flinched. "A while ago, I promised I'd give him a quirk if he proved to me he had what it takes. You know.. like how I gave you one."

     "What quirk did you give him?"

     "He wants mine." Scoffing, you stared down at the floor again. At the rug under your slippers. "I think he wants to prove that he can become a hero with my quirk."

     "Can you even give him your quirk?"

     "Not traditionally, no, buuuut, I just so happen to know a mad scientist who can do all kinds of crazy s###."

     "What about Izuku? Wouldn't a quirk like yours kill him?!"

     "That's where the problem lies... See, I actually know of a way for him to strengthen his body enough to handle my quirk, but it's basically torture with benefits. And I...don't want to put the kid through that. But, at the same time, I did make him a promise. And, in a way..." You stared at your hand, examining the hole in your palm. "...I agree with him. He would put my quirk to far better use than me. Heck, maybe him taking it from me would actually save me from being tempted into villainy again." You clamped your hand shut, then looked back up. "I dunno. What do you think?"

     Tenko took a moment to rub his chin and think. "...I dunno, honestly. I may not know him as well as you, but I know that Midoriya kid is a lot like me when I was littler. So.. I get the feeling... Hhmmm.."

     😅 "At least I'm not the only one struggling here."

     "Hang on a second." Tenko dug deep into his well of morals and wisdom, until at last he came up with something. "Could I go as a test subject? I mean.. I could really use a stronger body myself!" He meant it as a half joke, but when he saw the sternness in your eyes, that glare that bore daggers into his soul, he knew he had crossed a line. "What?"

     You shook your head, wiping the image of Tomura out of your mind. No. Even if he did get those enhancements, Tenko wouldn't magically turn into the same villain from the anime... But still... It was too great of a risk.

     You stared at the floor again while rubbing your chin. "...Hmm. I guess you're onto something with the test subject thing. I actually already had plans to go through that process myself, since y'know my body still isn't quite as strong as I would like it to be without any quirks."

     Though you were already relatively powerful.. your mind kept returning to those moments when your raw strength was all you had, and it wasn't enough. Trapped at the bottom of the ocean...and almost being killed by your dad, almost being killed by Kai, almost being killed by your mother... In all of these instances.. you were too weak to defend yourself. You never wanted to be weak like that again. By the time you opened your mouth, you'd already made up your mind.

     Rubbing the back of your head, "I guess I can go through first, see how it is, and make adjustments before Izuku goes through. Heh, maybe with enough anaesthetic we can simply ensure he never wakes up to any of it."

     "Hey, if it means that kid gets to become a hero and you take one step further from villainy, I don't see any problems!" Tenko smiled at you. You smirked back.

     Guess he had a point. 

-------------

     "Ummm... Why are you still here?" Tenko asked the Kai perched casually on the throne of a sofa across the coffee table. A single dim lamp from the kitchen lit a small portion of the man's golden eyes and face. The elder had been doing nothing but glaring at the now lonely Tenko for the past half hour now. It was unsettling.

     "(Y/n) might be smart... but she's also stupid. So sometimes I have to fill in for her lacking braincells by doing jobs like this."

     "And what are you doing?"

     "Listen, I know (Y/n). And I know how much of a heavy sleeper she is. Put those two together on your own if you want." Tenko wasn't connecting the dots. "Hhh.. I'm keeping you out of her room, plain and simple."

     "Oh....hhh. Ew, no! I'm not a pervert!"

     "And how should I know."

     "Just trust me, man!"

     "Unfortunately, trust isn't a reliable form of currency." Kai then leaned back in his chair, getting comfortable. "Now go to sleep... You have school tomorrow, don't you?"

     Tenko huffed and rolled over so his back was facing the man. "Fine." The tension was thick in that dark, quiet room. The only prominent sound was that of a ticking clock on the wall.

Tk... tk... tk... tk...

----------

      "Woah, did neither of you get any sleep?!" You poured Kai and Tenko some coffee. The poor dudes looked like they could pass as actual zombies. Tenko was swaying tiredly, and Kai was staring down at the steaming coffee mug with the deadest expression.

     "Yeah, no more sleepovers. This guy was staring creepily at me all night." The teen groaned.

     Kai's forehead suddenly bashed onto the table. "I want to die..."

     You sighed sadly. "Sorry, guys. I was really hoping this would be a fun thing."

     "Hey, other than the sleeping bit," Tenny reached out, touching your arm to grab your full attention. His tired eyes smiled up into yours. He tilted his head. "I had fun."

     After a long, drawn-out pause, your uncovered eyes started to water. "..Me too."

     From then on, though your bond certainly was a troubled one, it was no longer one of distance.

     You weren't alone.

.

.

.

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Another 11k long chapter lol 😅🥲

Kai:

Don't think I'll end up using this, but it's been chilling in my notes for a while now.