Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Entangled Hearts 1 - 3

 <b>Turdburglr27</b>: <i>Is Present Mic gay</i>?


<b>GroundGremlin</b>: <i>NO</i>

<b>Turdburglr27</b>: <i>He could be, geez</i>

<b>GroundGremlin</b>: <i>He shows no signs of being gay</i>

<b>Turdburglr27</b>: <i>He also hasn't shown signs of being straight</i>

<b>GroundGremlin</b>: <i>He literally was just seen with Midnight at a school festival, you moron</i>

<b>Turdburglr27</b>: <i>So</i>? <i>They work together</i>

<b>GroundGremlin</b>: <i>He also works with a TON OF guys and how come he wasn't with one of them</i>?

Hizashi grimaced and set his phone down. "For fuck's sake, now they're arguing on Twitter about whether I'm gay while others say we're dating."

Kayama tittered faintly. "Does that bother you?"

"Of course it does! We're not dating, ugh!"

"Yes, but we <i>were</i> seen together at the festival." She sighed, covering her mouth as it turned into a yawn. "Honestly, you think my fan base would know I've got better taste than that."

"Hey!"

"What? Gonna argue? Your girlfriend is already pissed."

Hizashi frowned, confused. "You know I'm single, yo."

"<i>Really</i>? What about Cheshire?"

He staggered backwards, arms shooting up. "<i>Whaaaaat</i>? Are you nuts?!"

Aizawa snorted from where he sat beside his friend. He shot him a look but he said nothing.

"You two are pretty inseperable," Toshinori added unhelpfully.

"But - we're not - "

Kayama scoffed, waving her hand airily about as she walked over to the vending machine to get a drink. "You may as well be. You two don't get press but you're always together."

Stunned, Hizashi looked out at a row of teachers all nodding in agreement. "What!"

"Maybe that's why she's upset."

"What, because the press doesn't care about them?"

"Hnf." Aizawa snorted louder and finally glanced over his laptop at the others. "They would, if they were seen as their hero personas."

"Yeah," Kayama agreed. "He's always primping all casual with <i>her</i>. And she hides her features with her quirk."

"But -" The Voice Hero spluttered wildly, hands outstretched on the desk and his sunglasses slipping down his nose. "That's bogus, yo! I don't -"

"Not to mention the flirting." Hizashi spun around, amazed at the newcomer's take. Nezu walked around the desk area with his paws behind his back and a knowing grin. "Those two are always making eyes at each other, are they not?"

"We are?" Now he was more than confused; his tone betrayed complete and utter bafflement. "But - but we're not - wait. <i>Wait, Kayama, did you say she's pissed</i>?!"

"She left for the gym a long time ago. Go see for yourself!"










Elly gripped the climbing wall with her claws and pulled herself up, snarling under her breath. She'd been at the gym for hours, swimming, lifting weights and tearing into practice dummies so hard one had to be retired.

There were so many photos. So, so many.

<i>But what about</i>us? <i>Don't we go out a lot, too</i>? <i>Am I not good enough</i>?

In one, he had his arm slung casually around the dark-haired woman and they were laughing.

<i>Of</i> course <i>they're laughing, they're friends, you idiot</i>!

Still, what if..?

<i>I</i> know <i>I'm not good enough for him</i>.

"I don't need to see that kind of shit and I don't want to think about it!" She ran up so quickly she ripped some chunks out of the plaster, snarling with fury.

As a therapist, she knew jealousy was an instinctual response when one was feeling threatened. She also knew it wasn't a failing if handled properly, and her gym session was an effort to get the fury out before it could fester and hurt anyone.

It wasn't rational - she didn't <i>own</i> him, nor did she want to. But the sick, angry alarm bell going off in her mind as she thought of him with another woman refused to be erased.

It didn't have to be a real circumstance like this last one, either. She often caught glimpses of fanart or obviously doctored photos online that enraged her as well.

Those that originally tried to talk to her spread the word that she was <i>not</i> to be disturbed. A lesser-known hero stayed at the door to advise others as they came in, and he was the one to speak to Hizashi as he entered.

"Hey, man - you <i>don't</i> want to bother Cheshire right now. She'll claw your face off."

"Nah, man. Thanks, but she won't hurt me."

"Suit yourself." The man shrugged. "I warned you."

Hizashi raised his eyebrows, whistling lowly. He could hear the snarls before he even opened the door and it was terrifying. She sounded like some sort of wild cat in a nature documentary, and he briefly wondered if he <i>would</i> be okay. He gulped a little and turned the handle.

"What're you doing, Ches?"

She thought she was hearing things at first.

<i>He's busy, there's no reason for him to break his routine and come here. You're imagining shit</i>!

"I know ya heard me."

Elly hissed with shock and slid down the wall, leaving long, deep grooves as she descended. "Mic?!"

Yes, it was definitely him. He stood with one hand on his hip, eyebrows raised as he watched her carefully. "Yeah. C'mere."

Once her feet were on the ground, she tore her gloves off so she wouldn't have access to the clawed tips. "Uh, what's wrong? Why are you here?"

"Heard you were losin' yer shit," he drawled comically. "I should be asking <i>you</i> what's up."

"Oh. It's nothing. I need to work something out, that's all." She flicked her ears, trying to sound calmer than she felt.

Hizashi gave her a squinty-eyed look. "Nuh uh, kitty," he snorted. "It's not nothing. Tell me."

This time she backed away a step. "Mic, it's nothing. Really."

He crossed his arms, his lips thinning into a line. "Don't'cha trust me?"

"No! No, I mean I do, shit! I just... <i>can't</i>!" The rage returned, breaking free from her calm facade. "I don't wanna talk to you, okay!"

"Fine," he snapped. "If you don't wanna talk, let's fight. Practice ground alpha -"

"I don't want to fight you, either!" Her expression was so stunned by his suggestion that his own frustration melted away.

"You're scaring everybody," he said in a gentler tone. "We can go somewhere we can really let loose on campus. Call it sparring, you know, instead of... whatever this is."

"I don't <i>wanna</i> call it <i>anything</i>!" She screamed. It was too difficult to listen to him being so kind and caring.

<i>You're</i> not special <i>to him. You're causing too much trouble. He doesn't care about you, just stopping your anger because it frightens others. Maybe it frightens</i> him.

"I <i>want</i> to stop feeling so gross!" Elly slammed a fist into the wall hard enough to break skin and he moved swiftly, grasping her wrist and pulling her firmly but gently away.

"Stop that!" Hizashi checked the hand and saw it was only a thin scrape. "Thank fuck you didn't do more damage. Still, that's it, you're comin' with me." He lifted her off her feet in one scoop of his arms.

Elly squeaked in shock, but after a pause started flailing around again. "What the hell are you doing?! Put me down!"

"Nuh uh." He snorted and shifted his grip, pulling her closer against him as he grabbed her gloves and strode purposefully out of the gym. The others watched with relieved sighs as he stormed off.

Although she could have fought harder, she did not. Like she said, her rage wasn't directed at him and he was holding her tight, his arms warm and strong. That caused her to stutter helplessly, her actions belying her words as her tail lashed wildly about in confusion.

"You can't just grab me like this!"

"I can if you're hurting yourself."

"You're abducting me, for fuck's sake!"

He snorted and swerved to avoid a concrete pillar in the garage as she reached out to grab it. His voice dropped low while he marched resolutely to his car. "Don't go there, babe. I'm <i>not</i> gonna let you tear yourself up because yer jealous."

"I never said I was jealous!"

"Oh?" He paused to lift her around, staring deeply in her eyes while he held her at arm's length like the very angry cat she was. "Aren't you?"

"Why would you think that?!"

"Kayama suggested it." He watched her closely as he spoke the name and sure enough, Elly's body went rigid and she bared her fangs in a snarl. "That sounds about right to me. Still gonna argue?"

She glared at him but didn't say anything.

"We're goin' to my place above the agency and work on getting you chilled the fuck <i>out</i>." He opened the passenger door of his mustang and bundled her inside. "Stay there," he told her firmly before he walked around to join her.

"Now what?" She grumbled after he sat in the driver's seat and turned to face her.

"Now you need to take a deep breath and try not to claw my seat to bits."

"I won't fuck up your car, Mic," she snapped. Then, softer, "I know how much you love it."

"Do you?" Hizashi frowned, then reached out to lay one leather-gloved hand on her arm. "I guess you do. We know a lot about each other."

"I guess so."

"Uh huh." He dug his key out of a jacket pocket and slipped it into the ignition. "But I still don't get why you were so angry today. I mean, it doesn't make sense."

Elly groaned loudly. "I can't stand thinking about you with other women, okay?!" She squirmed as far away from him as she could, pressing against the window as the truth burst out. "It's stupid, but it <i>hurts too bad</i>! I'm broken and shitty and I just needed some <i>time</i> to work things out like all the other times but no-o-o-o ," she drawled this sarcastically, "you needed to help."

"Ches."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm a terrible friend. I know that. I try so hard, but you - you fill something in me that I need so badly and I never thought I'd find."

"Babe," Hizashi stressed a little harder.

"And now that's it, I guess. I fucked up everything."

"<i>Babe</i>! Look at me, yo. Geez."

She took a deep breath and steeled herself.

"You didn't screw anything up. Really." His eyes were kind as he stroked a wayward lock of purple hair back from where it was stuck on the wetness on her cheek.

"Jealousy is a negative emotion," she said flatly. "Giving in to it is seen as, ugh, as much as I hate to say it, a 'red flag'."

"Now you know that's not always true. Besides, ya never brought this up, <i>I</i> chased you down. What happened all the other times?"

"Got it out of my system," she admitted grudgingly. "I don't want to hold you back. I want you to be happy."

He let out a gusty sigh. "I will be happy, if you freakin' listen." He shrugged. "I know you're a shrink, yeah -"

"Mic," she chided gently.

"Sorry." He grinned a little. "I was teasing. But some of us can't be fixed, it's <i>really</i> hard, life is busy..." The Voice Hero dropped his tone another notch, speaking softer than she'd ever heard him. "It's not wrong to want. It's not wrong to feel shitty when you think your want is unachievable."

Elly's ears folded back into her hair. "Yeah. I find him at last, and then - then, well, you can't force things. It's okay. I knew from the start, anyway."

He raised his eyebrows. "You knew what?"

"I knew you'd never see me that way."

"Hmm. What way?"

"Oh my god, you know what I mean! I'm not going to humiliate myself further today. Nope. Not happening." She crossed her arms and glared straight ahead out the window.

"You're right," he told her solemnly. Elly heard the creak of leather as he shifted in the driver's seat but didn't look; she couldn't bear to.

<i>He said I was right. He'll never see me the way I do him</i>. She choked a little despite her tough act. That was really rough to hear although she'd expected it.

"I <i>meant</i> you're not gonna humiliate yourself any more today," he clarified, his soft voice close to her ear. She jumped and turned slowly, gasping when they bumped noses. Hizashi's golden eyes were half-lidded and a small, slow smile curved his lips. They stared into each others' eyes for a long moment, his half-lidded and hers wider than wide.

"Hey, Cheshire! You left your gym bag - oh." A small woman with goat horns and three eyes paused when she saw the two so close together. "Sorry! Here you go." She dropped the bag and dashed back to the safety of the entrance.

Elly stared numbly after her, her mind racing as fast as her heart as she tried to make sense of everything. She popped the door and drew her bag inside to set at her feet.

Hizashi chuckled. "Good, now you have your stuff." He turned the key and slowly backed out of the space. "Anyways, like I was saying. We might be broken, but our parts fit together. See, you want to <i>be</i> wanted and I want someone <i>to</i> want me. We can heal each other, yeah? Yeah? Make each other better."

"What you're describing is a dependant relationship."

"So what," he replied, unruffled. "So I depend on you and you, me. The bad kind is where it's one-sided, right?"

She nodded somewhat reluctantly. "Yes, but -"

"You're not gonna talk me out of this, yanno." He looked out through the windshield, his eyes lost in thought for a moment. "That's what you're tryn'a do, isn't it. Push me away, 'cause you think I'm going to leave."

"I -" Elly sighed, dropping her head to stare at her hands in her lap. "Maybe. But what if - what if you don't, if they were all right and I'm..." She drifted off, not knowing how to put her past trauma into exact words.

"What if I'm too clingy?"

"Wha..?" She blinked, turning to see him gripping the wheel with both hands, so tightly his exposed knuckles were white.

"What if you think I'm obnoxious after we start spendin' more time together?"

He opened his mouth to say more but she cut him off with a quick, "I get it, Mic. I don't see you like that at all."

"Yeah. But I do."

"Uh huh."

They drove in silence for awhile after that.









Hizashi's agency was deeper in the city but a fairly fast drive. As he was parking she began to get more nervous, shaking and unable to stop worrying she might screw things up. Hizashi noticed after he got out and popped her door open. She made no move and stared at the dashboard, her eyes a million miles away, until he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, Ches. It's gonna be okay."

She jumped guiltily, ears pinning back. "Wh - oh! Am I that transparent?"

"Not usually, no. But you had a tough day, baby." He pocketed his keys and helped her out. "You're off a bit. No worries, though! We can party all weekend now!"

"You've always got work -"

He shook his head. "I called and got some time off just for you, babygirl."

"<i>You</i> took time?" Elly's ears laid on either sides of her head, giving her a comical look as she stared up at him. "The busiest man I've ever known took time off?" They stepped into the elevator and he pushed the button for the hero suites above the agency.

"For you, yes." He gestured grandly for her as the doors opened, and walked beside her to his door. "Although I gotta admit, it'll be nice to do whatever and not have a schedule for once."

"And what does 'whatever' mean right now?"

"A shower," Hizashi stated very firmly as he opened the door. "I need to be <i>clean</i> and let my hair down." He gestured at the huge plume atop his head with one hand as he hung up his jacket with the other. "Literally!"

<i>A shower. He'll be in there, naked... oh my god. Naked and wet, rubbing soap all over his body -</i>

He squinted earnestly at her, one of his eyes wide and the other a barely-open slit. Hizashi normally utilized this stare when he was intimidating someone, but it sometimes slipped out when he was feeling cocky. When she wobbled a little, a blush spreading quickly across her cheeks, he added a grin that grew more wicked as he spoke. He knew what she was thinking. "Wouldn't a shower feel good after all that workin' out?"

Elly couldn't stop staring at his chest. She'd seen him wearing a t-shirt before, but he usually layered with a long-sleeved one that partially covered it. Hizashi's white shirt was thicker but tight, clinging to his body enough that without the jacket she could clearly see that his pectoral muscles were very defined with the hint of nipples tugging at the cloth...

"<i>Hey</i>, now. My eyes are up here, baby."

She jumped, embarrassed. With a mighty effort she managed to tilt her head but then found herself staring directly into those beautiful golden spirals. "That's not any better," she choked, reaching out a shaky hand to steady herself against the door. "Your eyes are too much."

Hizashi blinked once, surprised. "Wha?"

She steeled herself, knowing she'd already said too much so might as well go all in. "Your eyes are gorgeous," she said weakly. "You keep looking at me like that and I'm going to faint."

"Oh?" This time they widened as he got the gist of what she was saying. "<i>Ohhh</i>?"

Elly swooned; she couldn't help it. He caught her almost automatically, his arms closing around her in an instant.

"Hey," he murmured, concerned. "You okay? You didn't just like, pass out 'cause of <i>me</i>, right?" He pulled her closer to him. "R - right? That's like, only in cheesy romance books 'n stuff?"

"I guess it happens," she sighed dreamily.

"Not to me!"

"Mic?"

"How much of this gotta come off before ya call me <i>Hizashi</i>, huh?" He wrinkled his nose at his outfit. "I only got the pants, gloves, shades..." He ran his hand up to touch the white frames, then further, until he patted his hair. "Err... yeah. It's the hair, right?"

"Mmn." Her fingers brushed the back of his neck where it was feathered and he shivered.

"Yeah. It's the hair. Okay, that's gotta <i>go</i>. You, however, still need to chillax. You get first dibs, if you want."

Elly thought about it. "Your hair takes a long time to take care of, right?"

"Kinda."

"Then you go first." She gave him a little push in the direction of the hallway. "I'll be fine waiting."

"You sure, babe?"

"Yep."

She sat and listened to him cleaning up, eyes closed to better focus on the sounds and smells. He grunted and swore as he got rid of his hero clothing, and she heard what might have been a spray bottle before he let out a relieved sigh. After that the taps squeaked as he ran the shower and Elly leaned back on the couch.

The gentle patter of water falling soothed her and, exhausted from the mental and physical strain she'd been through, she soon dozed off.

Elly woke up a quarter of an hour later to a soft chuckle and tap on her shoulder. She opened her eyes with a faint mew of protest - she hated waking up too quickly -- but her protests died off when she saw him.

Hizashi was dressed casually, his red glasses on instead of the shades and a plain black t-shirt. This was offset by the most outrageously flashy gold sweatpants with a black stripe down the sides. His blond hair looked darker wet, and it flowed down his back freely. In one hand he held a white hand towel and a hair dryer, in the other an odd-looking comb with wavy teeth.

"It's so long," she marveled, gently touching the golden strands. Hizashi didn't really know what to say to that, so he just nodded, smiling as she grew bolder and ran her fingers through it. "And shiny."

"Also damp," he added. "And it doesn't smell so great when wet. You get cleaned up, babe. I'll finish drying an' you can play with it all you want when you come out." He winked slyly at her.

Her heart now racing, she grabbed her bag to take a shower. His bathroom was luxurious and although she wanted to get back to him, she stayed longer, enjoying the huge shower and tub combo.

When she came out she was much calmer and dressed in a soft shirt and sweatpants much like his, though not as flashy.

"I feel so much better," she sighed.

"Great! So, c'mere." He patted the couch, wiggling his eyebrows.

Elly came and sat beside him but he pointed farther back. Confused, she scooted off and he motioned for her to raise her arms. She let out a small gasp when he stretched himself out along the length, laying his head in her lap.

He smiled wistfully up at her. "I know this might be a little selfish, but it's okay, right?"

"Selfish?" She gently ran her hand through his hair, amazed at how alive it felt. "I've wanted to do this for a long time."

"You've no idea how awesome this feels," he murmured. "My hair's always drawn so tight on my scalp. It gets painful after all day like that."

Her fingers rubbed lightly in circular motions, pausing now and then to stroke the thick locks away from his cheeks when they fell a little to one side or another. Hizashi hummed quietly, tilting his head into her touches.

"Is this helping?"

"Yeah," he moaned softly. "Oh, baby, thank you."

Her cheeks burned hotly as she considered their positions. Hizashi's body was limp all over, one arm dangling off the couch and one arm laid across his chest. His t-shirt was pulled up and his pants loose, culminating in a reveal of pale skin and light dusting of hair trailing down his lower belly. His legs splayed over the far end, feet dangling since he was tall.

"My pleasure," she mumbled, suddenly shy.

He opened his eyes to gaze fondly up at her. "What d'ya think? Your turn now?"

Elly froze, her hand in mid-air. "Wh - what?"

"It feels good. You wanna try it?" He flexed his fingers, grinning at her.

Her eyes narrowed a little. "You weren't being selfish at all, were you."

Hizashi's grin grew sheepish and he sat up with a low laugh. "Aw, you saw right through me. But how can you say no?"

They switched positions, Elly sitting farther up than on his lap. He rubbed her furry ears and she sighed, closing her eyes. "Zashi?"

"Mm hmm?"

"It's been a very, very long time since I trusted someone enough to relax like this." She paused but didn't elaborate further, choosing a different route than delving into her past. He knew a little about that, anyway. What he didn't know, however, was the certainty she could give him.

<i>Might as well get it all out in the open</i>, she thought before taking a deep breath.

"Ches?" He sounded worried. "Is something wrong? Want me to stop? Did I upset yo-"

"I love you."

There was a long silence and she stiffened, afraid she'd made the wrong decision. When she grew brave enough to look up, however, she saw his lips twitching with mirth and his golden eyes swimming with unshed tears.

"I was s'posed to say that first," Hizashi chided in a low, deep voice. He sniffled and wiped at his eyes with the back of one hand. "I love you too, baby."

"Oh!"

"And ya <i>still</i> sound surprised." He let his fingers wander briefly over her cheeks to her lips, where they lingered. "Remember the New Years party last week? I was trying to get up the nerve to kiss you all night. Even if it was just a peck on the cheek, I was still too scared shitless in the end."

"Huh." She looked thoughtful enough that he started to shift uncomfortably around, moving his legs but keeping her steady.

"Uh. Babe?"

"I was sad that night," she confessed.

"What?"

"I was sad." She sat up and turned to face him while sitting on his lap. He wriggled a bit, frowning as she kneed him in the groin a little but was quiet until she spoke again. "Sorry," she murmured. "But yeah, that was the party you stayed far away from me and it made me feel terrible."

Hizashi reached out and carefully placed his arms around her with his hands on her back. "If I'd stuck close to ya I was gonna fuck things up." He shook his head, wrinkling his nose and mustache as he did so. "I fucked it up anyway, yeah?"

"I could've kissed <i>you</i> but I was just as chicken."

He squinted at her again and was pleased to see she still melted, her eyes glazing over as she stared weakly back at him. "You want..?"

She almost quipped back <i>do you have to ask?</i>, but didn't because it was so sweet that he <i>did</i>. Elly settled on smiling tearfully and whispering "Yes."

Thursday, February 1, 2024

Cold outside (Aizawa)

 It was fairly late on a winter night in Aizawa's suite above the agency he worked at. Snow fell lightly on the city outside, blanketing the streets and buildings with a thin, fluffy coat of cold.


A party had grudgingly been held here in honor of the holidays, though most of his guests had left by now.

Elly was staying behind, ostensibly to help clean up after the group made a mess, but really to spend more time with the cranky man she'd grown so fond of. As she collected cups and plates a song began to play softly on her phone. She'd set it for background music but forgot when the playlist paused before repeating.

"Sorry. I'll turn it off."

"Wait." Aizawa frowned, listening. "I wanted to ask, before... is this considered appropriate?"

"How so?"

"Well, it sounds like the man is trying to coerce the woman into staying." He paused, rubbing at the back of his neck while the song continued in the background. "My English isn't very good," he confessed. "Maybe I don't understand the phrasing?"

"Nope." Elly stifled a grin, hiding the twitching of her lips by quickly turning and placing the glass she held in the dishwasher. "No, you're right."

"I am?" He sounded mildly surprised.

"Yep. There are some people that think this song is really, uh... creepy. Like, she's trying to get away and he's trying to keep her there." She paused, then continued, "to be fair, it's not <i>supposed</i> to be quite like that. They're flirting; she wants to stay but wants to be persuaded. Maybe chased after a little."

"I don't understand why some people do that," he sighed. "Why can't everyone just say what they mean."

She fidgeted a little, flicking her ears and starting to blush. "Sometimes it's hard to be blunt."

"Have you ever done that? Hinted and not said what you meant?"

"Yes."

"Why?" There was no maliciousness in his tone; he simply sounded curious.

Elly rubbed at one furry ear while she thought about her answer. When she spoke she cast her eyes down shyly, so she didn't notice when he walked closer. "Well... I do it when I'm scared. The answer I get might hurt. I think most people are the same in that regard."

"I wouldn't hurt you."

She made a rocking gesture with one hand. "Ehhhh... you never know, Aizawa. What if I wanted to initiate a - a romance between us. A relationship. And what if I wanted to start, uh, this, by staying over tonight? Rejection would hurt less if we both pretended we're talking hypothetically."

"Like if we were talking about the song?" He raised an eyebrow as she started to blush harder. "<i>Do</i> you want to stay?"

Elly realized how close he was and gasped a little. "See, this is why -"

Aizawa slipped his arm around her. When she jumped, startled, he stroked her shoulder gently. "Enough cleaning." He led her to the couch, encouraging her to sit.

"But there's still -"

"I understand it's easier to hide behind a premise." He curled his arm tighter, encouraging her to cuddle against him, "But I will <i>never</i> intentionally hurt you."

"Aizawa..." Elly shook her head, confused. "Shit," she laughed in resignation. "What happened? What's going on? I mean, one minute I'm putting away dishes and the next I'm - I'm ..."

"In my arms? Yes?" He pulled her even closer, his other arm reaching out so he could lay his hand lightly on hers.

"Yes!"

"Is it okay?"

"Yes again." Elly nodded, then sighed. "Very much yes."

"Well, it's cold outside. And snowing." He let out a rarely-heard dry laugh. "Our situation is rather like the song. I'd feel better if you stayed, but it's your choice."

"Who would drive in this storm?"

"There's likely to be <i>some</i> service that could take you back to U.A."

She thought seriously about it for a couple minutes, toying with his fingers and then tracing his palm. "Hmm."

Aizawa watched her quietly, his breathing slow and even. He simply waited, knowing she would eventually make a decision. Elly, on her part, was convinced by his steady manner. He wasn't going to argue or beg like she'd had to suffer through in previous scenarios with other men. He wasn't guilting or pressuring her though he stated his preference for her safety.

Eventually she spoke and when she did she looked deeply into his single eye. "If I stay, where would I sleep?"

"Yamada forced me to buy a bed last year." He pointed vaguely off toward the dark hall where she had only been in the bathroom. There were two other doors in the dimly lit area. Aizawa saw what she was thinking and added, "you can have the bed. I'll take my sleeping bag into the other room."








He brushed his mouth on hers, watching carefully for any sign of rejection. His heart beat fast when her hands lightly clutched the front of his sweatshirt, her lips parting willingly. A weary sigh of relief escaped him and he pressed forward.

"Aizawa," she gasped, startled at just how good a kisser he was.

"If you're willing to kiss me," he told her seriously, "you probably should call me by my given name."

"Shota," she agreed quietly.

"Perfect." He kissed her more firmly, his hand cupping the back of her neck.

Aizawa's face was clean of stubble as he had recently shaved, and Elly found herself vaguely disappointed. She'd always wanted to know what it would feel like. He smelled <i>sleepy</i>, with his long, dark hair clean but reminiscent of someone that just woke up. It was a soothing smell and coupled with his strong arms wrapped around her she felt comfortable to let go and see what happened.

He was so gentle, and she marveled at this, such an unexpected delight as she ran her fingers through his hair. He uttered low groans when her hands touched a new spot, now the nape of his neck, after that his shoulders as he surged above her.

His mouth moved lower, nibbling on her neck while one hand slipped underneath her sweater. Elly gasped, startled by the intense surge of lust this action stirred within her.

"Shota."

"Nmm."

"We should stop."

"Yes." All movement ceased; he froze in place for several seconds while he took a couple long, deep breaths. When he spoke again, however, his voice cracked on the first few words. "Sorry, I un - understand."

"I don't want to rush things -"

"Ches."

"Huh?"

"You don't need to justify anything. You say stop, I stop. I don't want to do anythung you're not... <i>very</i> positively consenting to."

"Oh." She blushed, then thought for a moment. "Good."

"We should get ready for bed." He cleared his throat and went on to ask, "would you like to use the bathroom first?"

"Um. No, you go ahead. I bet you'll be faster anyway."

He nodded and walked off to grab a duffel bag from his bedroom, the only thing in there besides the bed and a single nightstand with a lamp. She was right and he was quick, the longest time devoted to brushing his teeth before he cracked open the door. "I set everything you might need on the counter," he told her quietly. "There's a shirt on the bed ypu can wear, too."

"Thanks."

"Good night." He scratched absently at his chest, yawning.

"Good night."

Aizawa stumbled into the guest room and unzipped the duffel, pulling out his yellow sleeping bag and tossing it on the floor. He sat down on it and took off his eye patch, setting it aside while he unfastened his prosthetic leg. This took awhile, peeling the soft rubber sleeve off and massaging the rough skin at the base of the stump after the heavy metal leg was put away. He was glad to curl up inside the puffy bag and rest, sighing as he thought of the woman one door away.

It might have been minutes or hours later, he wasn't sure, when he woke to a soft sound. Alert immediately, he threw one side of the sleeping bag off him and struggled to get up. That's when Aizawa realized what the sound was and relaxed slightly.

"Are you awake?" Elly was standing outside his door tapping gently.

He rubbed his eyes and remembered the patch. "Ches?" His fingers dug into the side pocket of the duffel bag searching for it. "Are you okay?"

"I... no. Can I come in?"

"Ahhhh..." It was foolish, but he didn't want her to see him without the patch. When he didn't answer right away he heard her feet scuffle on the floor.

"Sorry if I woke you. It's nothing important." The way her voice broke suggested otherwise and his search grew frantic.

"No, I just have to get - wait --" Aizawa fumbled the patch on and headed to the main bedroom. "Ches?" She jumped upon hearing him and pulled the sheets up to her neck.

"Uh. Yeah. Come in."

"Is there something wrong?"

"I, well. I thought I could handle things." She sniffled and he was mortified to hear she was near tears. "I thought, I really did -"

Aizawa strode quickly over and stood over her at the side of the bed. "You're crying," he said nervously. "Did I do something wrong? What do you need?"

Her tail thumped heavily under the covers and her ears lay back. Aizawa didn't know how to comfort a person, but he understood cats.

He whipped his hand in his sweatpants pocket and pulled out his phone. A couple taps and soft, classical music filled the room. The pieces were soothing and curated specifically to calm cats down when he found strays that needed help. He placed the phone on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I need you to look at me, please," he husked in a low tone.

Her ears flicked and she bit her lip, but she did as he suggested. "Sorry," she gasped.

"No need. Do you trust me, Ches?"

"What?"

He placed a steady hand under her chin and stared into her eyes. "<i>Do you trust me</i>?"

The slightest flicker of alarm crossed her features before she blinked it away. "Yes."

"All right. Are you dressed?"

"I'm wearing one of those shirts you gave me."

He pulled back the sheets and climbed in without another word. Elly froze, startled, then remembered this was <i>Aizawa</i>, and he probably had a plan in mind. He was diligent in asking consent at every turn which he did again after getting in bed with her.

"May I hold you?"

She nodded and scooted close, allowing him to curl an arm around her.  "I'm so tired," she sighed, hesitantly cuddling into his embrace. "And you're so warm."

"You can sleep now," he murmured. "It's okay."

"Mnn..." She relaxed little by little until her yawns grew giant and nearly continious. "Sleep." There was a long pause, then she added, "and you smell good."

Aizawa raised his eyebrows but said nothing, letting her mumble until she drifted off. He lay there for a few minutes to make sure she was really asleep, then let out a slow, deep sigh. He'd normally fall asleep right away but tonight he lay there planning what the morning could bring while he held her close.


Hunger end

 It was finally over.


The couple had gone through a day of tests to make sure the various drugs and hormones were stable and their systems back to normal. They were getting ready to be released from the facility, packing their clothing and personal care items back in their bags.


Hizashi stretched, grimacing as his back popped. His duffel was strained close to the limit with a few new blankets and the robe they'd used while in care. The staff encouraged them to take them home since sterilization was a concern. He had to admit there were several stains that were proving difficult to get out on a few of the items. 


He shrugged these thoughts off and shouldered the bag. "Nmm. You almost ready, babe?"


"Yeah, I'll grab my bag and we can go."


He waited near the door, tapping one foot and whistling tunelessly until Elly ran up.


"Ready!"


"Oof." He grinned down at her and slipped an arm around her waist. 


"Did we really have to dress up?" She fidgeted with her neck gear and sighed. 


"Uh huh." Hizashi opened the front door and waited for the staff to buzz them out of their suite. "Remember, Aizawa says the press weren't satisfied with the statement they released. They're likely to be waiting to catch us."


They stepped outside and there was Ito, who was all smiles as he checked the tablet to make sure they were ready. He let them out with a flourish, pointing towards the main entrance. 


"Thank you," Elly told him sincerely. "You all did a wonderful job helping us."


"Yeah. You guys <i>rock</i>!" Hizashi flashed him a huge smile.


"Our pleasure." The man bowed slightly, his tentacles folded behind him. "We'll see you next time!"


They walked down the hallway while Hizashi pursed his lips hard in thought. "Ahhh... babe?"


"Yeah?"


"How often do you get heats?"


"I can control them on medication <i>if</i> I don't get riled up. I hate taking meds, but in this case I force myself to." 


"Huh. We're gonna have to talk about that."


"Yeah, and probably to a bunch of strangers." 


"Uh huh." He rolled his eyes, pausing to wave at a few of the staff as they made their way to the front. "They're gonna grill us."


"Yep. You ready for it?" They rounded a corner and pushed the door open to the waiting area.


"Sure I'm ready," he chuckled, dragging the sliding strap of his bag up over his shoulder again. "I can't freakin' wait to brag about you." 


The receptionist greeted them warmly and told them they were all caught up. Hizashi gave her a thumb's up and the couple made their way to the exit. 


"So the world will know we had damn near nonstop sex for a week."


"Ten days," he corrected with a smirk. "You went extra, baby. I had to <i>squeeze</i> it all outta ya." 


Elly blushed. "Well, it's not exact."


"I like to think you couldn't get enough of me." He patted his chest here and there, ostensibly checking that his outfit was all in order.


"All the spikes and zippers are intact," she assured him. "I didn't tear it up." 


He raised his eyebrows at her, grinning like a fool while she trailed off, embarrassed. "There's a couple of scratches, though. 'Specially on the back that happened during the squeezing." He wiggled his eyebrows.


"Don't go into <i>too</i> much detail, sweetie," she warned him with a playful slap on his tight, leather-clad rear. "I had to wring quite a bit out of you, too, remember?"


He let out a low cough. "There's no way I could forget <i>that</i>."


"Good."


"There's the car U.A. sent." He pointed nervously. "I don't see anybody waitin', you wanna make a run for it?"


"I can make us invisible, Zashi."


"Oh, yeah!" He blinked down at himself. "Uh... are you doin' it - <i>ohmigod that's freaky</i>!"


"Zashi!" She stifled her laughter with some difficulty. "Quiet, they can still hear us."


"I don't think anyone's out there."


"Whenever they find us, whatever they throw at us, it'll be fine."





Hunger 9

 Hizashi was thrilled when she was calmer the day after their frenzied lovemaking. The center wouldn't let them out until it was certain, but it looked like Elly was on her way back to normal. They ate breakfast, exercised lightly and took a nap afterwards.


It was when he woke some time later that he noticed something was very wrong. The craving for sex was strong, a burning pain in every part that touched anything. The <i>need</i> hurt. It was like a deep seated itch that you could scratch yourself, but in doing so would only make it worse.

The difference was that it was in <i>him</i>.

"Ches? <i>Ches</i>?" He reached for her and panicked when she wasn't by his side. But as soon as he cried out the lights switched on and there she was, standing at the foot of the bed.

"Looks like the world's sexiest DJ is in my bed."

His golden eyes reflected the light, appearing green momentarily, then red as he shifted uncomfortably. She was wearing one of the robes they had been provided, a simple cloth garment that, in his state, appeared the sexiest lingerie possible.

Elly slowly unfastened the robe to fall at her feet. Hizashi drew in a deep, shuddering breath as her naked body came into view.

"It's okay," she said in a soothing tone. "Don't worry."

His breathing picked up and he inhaled so quickly that he choked, heart hammering in his chest. "What's <i>happening</i>?!" He gasped, panicking. "I - I'm all on fire and I can't even move, everything's too much!"

"The doctors here have been using hormones to hold you back. It's caught up with you, that's all."

"But -"

"This is the part no one talks about," Elly murmured as she climbed on top of him. "You're going to be at my mercy for awhile, sweetie."

"I trust you. I... ohmigod, yer so soft, oh god, uh. Uh. Ya sure?!"

"I'm sure." She nibbled on one of his ears and he turned his head, quickly giving her more access. "You took such good care of me. Let me return the favor."

He whimpered and bit his lip as the t-shirt he was wearing rubbed on his chest, the cloth tugging at his hardened nipples. The blush spreading across his nose flushed to his entire face all at once. "What the <i>hell</i>..!"

"Enjoy it," she suggested, running a hand across one pectoral muscle and cupping the bulge to toy with the firm nub. It felt strange, and he began to squirm until she removed his shirt and started using her fingers directly. "Your erogenous zones have almost doubled, so you're going to feel different."

"Babe, wait, it's ...wh - oohhhh." Hizashi's mouth fell open as the niggling turned to delicious tugs of pleasure the more she teased him. "H - holy fuck."

She grinned and bent down, carefully lapping slow circles around the nipple and spiraling closer on each pass.

He started begging about a minute in.

"Ah, please!"

"Please what?" She paused in the act of kissing in between the taught muscles.

"Man, I dunno," he husked desperately. "I guess... suck on my nipples? Fuckkk, that'd be embarrassing if they didn't <i>ache</i> so bad!" He threw an arm over his face anyway when she kissed the tip.

"It shouldn't be embarrassing," she whispered, setting her lips directly on one and smiling when he gasped loudly. "It's hot. I love making you feel good."

"Hnng... f - fuck." He closed his eyes to better experience the pleasure. "Harder, little more. <i>Yessss</i>."

Elly nibbled gently, distracting him so he didn't realize exactly what her fingers were up to until she nudged his thigh with one knee. "Up, sweetie."

"Hunnh?" He blinked, saw that she had her fingers in the waistband of his boxer briefs and licked his lips. "Uh, yeah. Yeah."

Once he was completely nude she carefully closed her thighs around his firm length. In seconds he was thrusting between them, whining eagerly the whole time. She balanced as best she could, wobbling back and forth until she was forced to curl on top of him with her arms resting on the bed. The burn of such an intense yoga position was difficult to maintain but she was rewarded quickly.

After only a few minutes he stiffened and let out a howl that reminded her of the older shock jock radio hosts. "Oh sweet <i>baby</i>!"

"Do you want to come like this or inside of me?"

He licked his lips, his golden eyes wild as he stared up at her straddling him. "Ride me," he panted hoarsely. "I want you wrapped around me so hard we both hurt afterwards."

She took this as a challenge, not only because it was a special request but since it came after all the care he'd put into loving her for such a long time. Elly smiled at him, took several deep breaths and positioned herself.

"You asked for it."

Her legs trembled and her abdomen burned from the strain, but his cries of pleasure spurred her on. Luckily he was at his limit from the teasing and penetration felt so good he was quickly nearing orgasm.

"Don't stop," he groaned. "Don't... stop, almost there, aah - <i>ahhh</i>lmost... oh god, baby, oh shit, my quirk!"

She covered her ears, realizing in horror the dampener had worn off or he'd built up a resistance to it. Hizashi fought against the tickle in his throat, but now, as he drew breath into his lungs he could feel the capacity doubling and knew what it meant.

"It's okay," she said, raising her own voice and trying very hard to keep moving. "Room's soundproofed, there's no - ohmigod!" This last was shrieked in surprise and alarm as she was knocked back by the force of his shout.

When she blinked into focus she saw Hizashi laying on his stomach reaching out for her.

"I'm so sorry, Ches! I swear I tried to hold back but I blasted off like a rocket!"

She giggled, swallowed air, then burped. This caused her to laugh even louder until she was rolling on the floor with mirth. He gaped at her for a couple seconds, then cracked a smile that turned into laughter as well.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Flirt wars gf

 Hizashi was about to sit down by his computer in the shared teacher's office when Aizawa nudged him. 


"What?"


Surprisingly, Yagi answered from across the desk. "You're needed in the lounge, Mic."


"Whaaat?"


"You should take off your neck speaker," he added.


"It's Cheshire," Aizawa grunted shortly. 


Moments later as his unoccupied seat was spinning and the door slammed shut behind him the taciturn homeroom teacher smirked at All Might. "That's how you make him run," he snickered.


Hizashi fumbled his neck gear off as he walked, pushing the door open to the break room uneasily. He heard Cheshire immediately. She was hissing and spluttering under her breath, angered obviously by what she was staring at on her phone. He dropped his speaker carefully on a table and approached.


"Are you okay, babe?"


"No!" She showed her teeth in a snarl. "This is too far. They've <i>gone too far</i> I - I can't -"


"Okay! Let's just..." Hizashi leaned over and slowly gripped her phone in two fingers, treating it as if it were a live snake. "Here we go. Let's put <i>this</i> away. It's makin' you hurt."


"But -"


"Nope." He tossed it on top of a shelf in the corner and turned around, crossing his arms.


"<i>Hizashi</i>, I'm too <i>short</i> to reach that!"


"Yeah. I know."


"But can't I just finish -"


"No." His chin firmed with his eyebrows drawn in a tight frown. "It's hurting you." 


"But don't you want to know -"


"<i>No</i>." He crossed back over and sat beside her on the couch, reaching out to place his arm around her shoulders. "You can't <i>breathe</i>, Ches. You need to stop. Here... what can we do instead? What d'ya wanna do, maybe listen to some music? Read a book?"


Elly sighed with frustration, her ears laying back. "I don't know."


Hizashi found a playlist on his phone and turned it on. Calming instrumental music filled the room.


"Is that okay?"


"Yeah." She leaned into his side, making it easy for him to feel the tension throughout her body. 


"But not all better," he mused. "You're gonna pass out if you don't chill out."


"I need to be in my office in half an hour."


"I'm not letting you go until you can walk without wobbling all around," he warned. 


"I can't just calm down that fast!"


"Well, then," he murmured close to one furry ear, "what about a cuddle? Will that help, baby?"


"<i>Mic -</i>" she began in a huff but let out a small squeak when he pulled her onto his lap. 


"What's up?" Hizashi asked cheerfully. "No cuddle?" He made a show of pouting and looked so overly sad with huge, pleading eyes that she giggled. 


"Okay, okay. But we'll have to deal with all the crazy rumors after this. The kids <i>and</i> staff already think we're dating. <i>The media thinks you're with somebody else, though</i>," she added under her breath.


"Ohhhh, is <i>that</i> what's got ya pissed?" He shrugged, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm not seeing anybody. I wanna, but she thinks all the rumors are crazy." He rolled his eyes dramatically.


She craned her neck to look up at him and found he was blushing. "What exactly are you saying, Mic?"


"Oh. I guess, uh. You wanna date?"


A quarter of an hour later an extremely smug Present Mic strolled into the office and sat down. It was approximately five seconds until he couldn't hold out any more and proceeded to tell everyone how he'd gotten a <i>girlfriend</i>.








Hunger, 8

 "That's right, baby. <i>Scream</i> for me! Ya know I <i>like it loud</i>."


Elly twisted and turned on the bedsheets, clawing at them frantically as her lover pounded into her at a steady, even pace. Hizashi was at his outrageous best, wearing nothing but his Present Mic jacket with his hair done up in a tight bun to help prevent spillage.


"Don't stop, don't stop, please!"


"Ain't gonna," he panted hoarsely, arching his back as he thrust. "Remember, that last shot made me get it up but nothing's comin'. This is all for you - one final fuck so hard your heat'll be over."


"Oh god, ohhh goddd..."


He giggled wickedly and dropped a quick kiss on her cheek. "Hold on, babygirl, this party's only <i>just</i> begun."


The man had stamina, but this was something else. The staff were concerned her heat was taking so long and told him to "do his best" at least one more time. More than a week of repeated sex had definitely taken its toll on him, yet he said would do it as long as necessary, no questions asked. And so he threw himself into the act as fully as possible, giving in to the pull and push, working his muscles as she shook uncontrollably underneath him.


After awhile Elly threw back her head, her throat working. "Mic, oh god Mic that's it -"


Hizashi blinked as sweat dripped into his eye but he didn't dare move his hands to wipe it away. Instead he concentrated, trying to deepen his thrusts to match her weak flops towards him. She was as extremely tired as he was and he knew one more orgasm would put her out like a light.


She needed that.


He <i>really</i> hadn't counted on how extremely physical the last few days had been. He knew the stories about anthros and their cycles but thought, like everyone else, that they were highly exagerrated. Tales involving sex always got blown up on the internet, and a lot of guys loved bragging.


Turns out it was very close to what those who had reportedly been through with their partners. 


It also turned out that quite a few of those people had not, in fact, been boasting, but warning those that thought it would be a fun undertaking. Not to say this wasn't genuinely rewarding, and at times very enjoyable.


Fun, however, was not what it was about at the moment. 


<i>Damn it, it's not working</i>!


"Havin' trouble, Ches?"


She whimpered, her fingers grasping his shoulders in a tight grip. The leather helped; he was unharmed though her nails were digging in. "Close but I can't!"


"Whatcha need, babygirl? Tell me."


"You're not into it!"


"Oh, I'm into it." He laughed when she shot him a narrow-eyed look. "I <i>am</i>. Just not gonna finish this time. That the problem? I'm not coming?"


She nodded - at least he thought she did, her body was jiggling impressively with each movement he made. 


"You want me to fake it, baby? You <i>do</i> feel good."


"Anything," she gasped, "anything. Please."


Hizashi moaned softly in her ear. "Mnn, baby, you fit me so <i>perfect</i>."


She gulped audibly. "Oh!"


"That's it, that's it," he continued, his breath hot and causing her ear to twitch as he panted. "So good, yeah?" He wriggled a hand between them to rub at her upper sex, a tricky maneuver while still thrusting inside her but he was incredibly flexible as well as running on the high energy he was known for. "You make me come so hard, I wanna come -" He threw his head back, throat working to utter a series of scandalous moans that rose in pitch. It was over-the-top acting even by the worst pornographic film standards, but it worked. Hearing him sound like he was in the throes of ecstacy combined with this extreme stimulation tossed Elly over the edge. 


"<i>Yes</i>!"


"Oh, babygirl," he gasped as she shrieked his hero name several times. "Thank fuck. Good, good, it's okay, let go... that's right." 


She collapsed backwards and he hurriedly pulled out and checked her pulse. It was racing but as he waited began to slowly even out. Hizashi sighed in relief and kissed her sweaty forehead. Only then did he notice his own body was disgustingly slick under the heavy jacket, straggling bits of his long hair that fell out of the bun sticking to his neck and shoulders. He grimaced and stood up, bracing himself with one hand on a nightstand since his leg muscles were twitching wildly. Elly muttered something unintelligible, her eyes closed in sleep while he waited. When he was certain he was physically capable of movement he stretched, placing his hands at the small of his back. 


"Aw'right, gotta clean up," he muttered to himself as he grabbed a nearby towel. This was used to very carefully wipe Elly down before tucking a fresh sheet around her. She sighed happily in her sleep, grabbing a handful of soft fabric and cuddling deeper into the pillow. "I love you so fuckin' much, baby," he whispered, and kissed her cheek this time. 


She purred in response, sensing his touch. He smiled, then waddled unsteadily off to the bathroom dropping his jacket on the floor as he went.





Hunger, 7

 "Yeah, let's. I'm getting cold, anyway."


The couple dried off and wandered into the bedroom to put their fluffy robes back on. As they did they heard a beep from the door and Hizashi wandered over to look out into the tiny foyer that seperated their suite from the outside. 


"Hey, it must be dinner time," he called out.


Elly poked her head out of the bedroom. "I <i>was</i> getting kind of hungry."


"Yeah, look." Hizashi pulled open the front door and rolled in a cart with multiple covered dishes. "They probably set this out while we were in the bathroom."


"Bring it on over, sweetie. I want to be disgustingly sinful and eat in bed."


Hizashi squirmed with delight at the name and complied with a flourish.


The food was excellent but then he noticed there was a bottle on the side of the cart. "What's this? Sake? Really?!"


"Is it any good?"


"Ohhhh ho ho ho. Try this," he husked, setting his cup to her lips.


Elly drank, then started purring as the liquid blossomed into warmth in her belly. "Oh, that's <i>good</i>. I wonder why they let us have alcohol?"


"No idea. Maybe it's to help us relax." He cupped her cheek in his hand and kissed her deeply. "Mmmn... that's even sweeter."


"<i>You're</i> sweeter," she giggled.


"Nuh uh. You."


She laughed harder. Hizashi's lips twitched and he drank again, then sighed deeply.


"Oh, <i>fuck</i>," he breathed. "I think I know why they gave us that wine."


"Yeah."


"There was somethin' in it, right?"


"Yeah," she whispered, clinging to him and also breathing slowly. "Wine masks the taste."


"Hmm. They monitor us, so..."


"They'll take action if someone's not eating or sleeping well. We only managed a little nap before. Probably wasn't enough."


"Yeah, 'cause right now I feel like a semi just dropped on top of me." He yawned hugely, stretching one arm over his head but keeping the other slung about her waist. "We better get settled, honey. Or we'll keel over right here."


They pushed the cart some distance away and lay back on the huge mattress. Elly rolled into his arms right away. "I wish this could last forever." She buried her face in his chest, completely content.


He raised both eyebrows. "Your heat?"


"Noooo. This."


"Me an' you?" Hizashi shifted his legs around hers and sighed. "Baby, I'm not going <i>anywhere</i>. If you want me forever, you got me."


"...too good to be true," came the muffled reply.


"You'll see," he promised. "If I hafta shout it in public every day I'll do it." His golden eyes brightened, but for once he held his tongue as a wonderful idea struck him.


"I'll do anything to be with you forever."


"Mmm hmm. Well, here's the list. You ready? You're gonna hafta date me for awhile, put up with a gross amount of affection," Hizashi squeezed her once and she giggled faintly. "No, I mean it. I'm gonna shower you with so much love we'll make everyone around us puke." He thought for a moment, then added, "At the very least we'll get Aizawa. He <i>hates</i> that kind of thing."


"Funnnn. Then what."


"I'll ask you a question you'd better be ready for!" He snickered wickedly. "Although, I doubt you'll be able to prepare. I'm gonna work really hard to surprise you all the time."


"Pfff, already know the answer."


"Oh? What is it?"


"Yes," she murmured so low he almost didn't hear. Hizashi fell asleep with a smile.