Joking hazard

 Aizawa Shota was mostly a rather enigmatic man. He sat, slumped over with his solitary gray eye focused in front of him and nothing else.

That was until he heard the sound of a familiar voice. He visibly cringed for a moment, the bloodshot eye widening and his mouth twisting into a horrified grimace.

<i>She</i> was here.

"Do you think we should have a summer wedding?" Ms. Joke immediately found her prey the moment she walked into campus and homed in with declarations of one-sided love. "I'd love that, but the season wouldn't matter, really, any time would be perfect!" She waved a gloved hand around in excitement, her eyes squinted nearly shut in mirth.

"We're not getting married," Aizawa stated flatly for the tenth time. He and a handful of colleagues were sitting outside watching the students having an early morning run.

Most noteable was the school counselor, who was ostensibly providing support for a teen she was mentoring. She seemed hardly able to wave or cheer, however, and instead slouched further into herself as the green-haired woman continued to harass Aizawa.

Elly was torn.

What the other lady - <i>lady?</i> that's <i>the joke!</i>, she thought angrily -- was doing was absolutely sexual harassment. Elly always did what she believed to be the right thing no matter what, no exceptions. Yet she knew butting in on such joking caused her to be ostrasized in other jobs due to no one else taking offense. She also had suspicions that her emotional neutrality might be compromised in this situation. So, despite her objections she waited, cringing inwardly and biting her tongue (at one point, quite literally).

The homeroom teacher's replies were quick and harsh, but she was undeterred. "A long engagement is fine! It'll give us time to pick the venue, and -"

She prattled on and Aizawa ignored her.

Elly, however, decided enough was enough and cleared her throat to get the visitor's attention.

"Excuse me, Ms. Joke, but he's continually refused your advances. It's clearly not welcome and it's making some of us uncomfortable. I'd like to ask you to stop, please."

The look she received was incredulous... until the Smile Hero decided the other woman was making a jest of her own. She tipped her head back and laughed loudly, slapping her knee a few times. When she finally got her breath back she crowed out something no one was expecting.

"Aw, he'd stop me if he could. This is our love language!" She threw her arms around the battered man for a hug. Startled, he didn't push her away at first, just turned his head to stare at her in disbelief.

Elly only saw the hug and him moving towards her.

<i>Yep. Emotional neutrality gone. Tears incoming. ABORT!</i>

She vanished, clambering down the bleachers and favoring haste in lieu of silence. Her paw pads were cushioned by design, but the scraping of the claws in her gloves against the metal and her rapid intake of breath were anything but quiet. And then the grass along the field flattened with the imprint of her boots as she ran blindly towards the campus.

"I was, uh, <i>not</i> expectin' that," Hizashi said as he watched her rapid departure.

Aizawa took the situation far more seriously.

In a fit of sudden, uncharacteristic rage his hair flew up and his single eye burst into color, glowing an ominous red as he wrenched free of the green-haired woman. "<i>That's enough</i>!"

She faltered, seeing anger for the first time directed at her instead of bland indifference. Hizashi whistled lowly from the sidelines, crossing his legs as he leaned back. Aizawa clenched his jaw, obviously biting back more that he wanted to say, and instead ran off down the bleachers in the direction Elly had gone, back to the campus main.

He reached her office and thrust his head in the door.

"Hey," he grunted. "Cheshire? You in here?"

Silence.

"I know you're in here. I can hear you breathing."

Her voice was very flat when she spoke. "Yes. I needed some time to compose myself."

"Agreed." He shuffled in and looked around the apparently empty office.

"I'm aware that I caused a scene and will come back after a time to apologize."

He rubbed at the back of his neck, grimacing slightly. "You don't have to."

"I acted unprofessionally. My colleagues need to be assured there will be no other incidents in the future." She paused, then continued in a softer tone, "Please leave, or I won't be able to calm down."

He trained his eye on the area she'd been speaking from. Color flowed back into her form and he could see that although she was acting clinical and detached, her eyes were red from weeping and her cheeks wet.

His expression must have given him away because Elly's lips firmed and she raised her chin in defiance. "I will <i>not</i> embarrass you further. I promise I'll regain complete composure before coming back."

He shook his head, confused. "No, I - wait." Aizawa glared at her, turned, and locked the door. He then strode over and in one quick movement scooped her up in his arms like she weighed nothing. The counselor was too stunned to move, her body stiffening with a mixture of fear and shock. "Just wait."

"What the hell?!"

"Let me think." He kicked out with one leg, moving her chair enough so he could sit and setting her in his lap.

Elly struggled, baring her teeth with her sharper canines flashing into view. "Put me <i>down</i>!"

"No." His grip tightened, though it was not uncomfortable. "I said, let me think for a minute. Calm down."

"<i>Calm down</i>? You've abducted me, you insensitive ass!"

The scruffy man closed his eye and let out a long-suffering sigh. "If I let you go, you'll vanish or run away. I want you to stay and hear me out."

She hissed angrily and tried to still the lashing of her tail, which was knocking papers off her desk with the wind it was creating. "You don't need to scold me!"

"I'm not going to."

"Then you don't need to sit me here like a child!"

"If you'd shut up for a second, I'm trying to confess," he told her acidly. "I don't have any experience in this kind of thing and I was sure I'd ruin it." He threw his hands up as if to say <i>there you have it</i>.

"Confess..?" Freed from his hold, she sat back but didn't stand up. Elly's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Confess what?"

"Ahhh. I sometimes forget you're not from here."

"No, I know what it <i>can</i> mean. But there's no way you mean it like that. Put me down."

"Is there a specific reason you object to sitting on my lap?" His arms circled her, surprisingly gentle on her upper back.

"Yes!" This time she almost wrenched free, fresh tears spilling from her tired eyes. "You don't mean it like I want! Damn it, stop whatever point you're trying to make, I get it -"

"No," he cut through her panicked cries. "You don't. So <i>listen</i>." Aizawa raised his voice enough to get her attention and she watched him warily.

"Well?"

"My pronunciation is poor," he warned her cryptically before frowning with concentration. He looked into her eyes and spoke haltingly in English. "I ...love you."

Her stomach clenched wildly, fluttering like her rapidly beating heart, and she wobbled in his lap. He swore and clasped her to him, tugging so she fell forward into his chest instead of onto the floor.

"Was that not right? What did I say?"

Elly clutched his black tracksuit in two hands, buried her face in the pile of capture weapon, and sobbed.

"Damn it, <i>why are you crying</i>?!"

She flinched from his tone but when she raised her head she saw he wasn't angry. His brow was furrowed, his single eye filled with concern and he appeared to have lost some of the color in his cheeks.

In short, he looked scared.

She sniffed, raised a hand to wipe her eyes and jumped when a strand of cloth was already there. He brushed it lightly across like a handkerchief, a strange use that was oddly touching. "I <i>never</i> thought you'd say that to me. Ever. I used to stop myself when I daydreamed, even, if it got to that point. The words - they never sounded right when I imagined them."

He raised an eyebrow. "And now?"

"I still can't believe it."

This time the capture thread whipped out to envelope her upper body. Startled, she let out a cat-like sound and he sighed heavily before he tugged her forward, his hands plunging into her hair and his lips seeking hers.

His stubble wasn't as scratchy as she imagined.

That was the only thought that flashed through her mind as they first met. As the kiss progressed they pressed harder, longer, until he let out a low hum of pleasure. Elly purred with delight in response and this inflamed him; she found herself wrestling tenderly with his tongue after he slipped it past her lips.

They needed air at some point, however, and parted with a moist sound and their combined heavy breathing. The capture weapon had unfurled at some time during their kisses, and she lifted a trembling hand to her lips in awe.

"Oh my god."

He broke out into that toothy grin she knew so well. "That good?"

She huffed in exasperation. "Aizawa -"

"No."

"Wha..?"

"I must insist my girlfriend calls me by my given name."

"Oh." Her ears perked up slowly as she thought this through. "Shota," she said slowly, testing how the name felt rolling off her tongue.

"Better."

"Yes, I think I am. Everything is."

"Do you still want to apologize?"

She sniffed once, angrily. "Not to <i>her</i>."

Aizawa actually <i>laughed</i>, and the dry sound caused her heart to soar. Ms. Joke had been trying for years to force him to do that with her quirk, but he gave it so willingly. "All right. How about this idea..?"

It was approximately twenty minutes or so when they reached the bleachers again. Elly put on a brave face and bowed in apology.

"Sorry," she sighed, smiling and then turning to stare at the other woman directly. "My boyfriend told me I should apologize for running off like that."

Aizawa grinned maniacally beside her, an arm wrapped casually around her waist.

"<i>OH, SNAP</i>!" Hizashi exclaimed so loudly several students drew curiously up at the edge of the field.

For once Aizawa didn't scold his friend.

Beyond the sea 3

 "Why would I..." He blinked. "<i>No!</i> Oh shit, no. I'd never judge someone I just met! Anyway, I don't think I hate anyone, either. Not really? Um. Hate's a strong word." He shook his head violently, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. "I just wanna see you. Please." The startled outburst must have convinced her, because she came a little closer.

Hizashi sat where he was, frozen in place by shock as a woman emerged up to her waist from the water. From the crackling light of the fire he could only see she had pale skin, was wearing some sort of bikini top and had short, dark hair that matched her eyes.

The eyes he'd seen the other night.

The odds of anyone swimming alone at night were astronomical. Everyone knew how dangerous it was. Plus, this was his personal backyard so it was even harder to get into than the public beaches, though those were patroled heavier at night.

"You're actually real?!"

Her rich voice took on a sardonic tone. "Last time I checked."

"Oh. Oh, shit, yeah. Sorry, that was rude of me." He stood, wincing as his knees popped, and brushed the wet sand off his rear with a grimace. Then he smiled and waved shyly. "Hello. My name's Hizashi. I live right over there in that monstrosity."

"My name is Elly..." She paused, then shook her head. "Ugh, habit. I'm not fond of that name, my friends call me Ches."

"Can <i>I</i> call you Ches? I mean, we're not friends or anything ...yet. But I'd like to call you by a name that doesn't make you barf."

She laughed, and his heart soared. "Okay, deal. If I can shorten yours. I tend to do that with people anyway."

"Not a problem, Ches."

"Good... Zashi." She paused, bobbing gently up and down with the small waves rolling into the beach. "So, you live there -" One long finger pointed at the mansion some distance away. "but you spend a lot of time in or near the water. Why?"

He shrugged. "I like it. Some people like cities, some deserts an' all that jazz. But I was raised by the sea, and I think it's the best. Besides, well," he rubbed nervously at his leg, "the bugs. Though it's not bad with bug spray and a fire to ward 'em off."

Elly seemed pleased by this answer. "I've seen you cleaning up here. Thank you, so many of us appreciate that. And the creatures do, too."

He nodded, grinning. "Yeah, saw a sea turtle once and - wow! He sorta just swam by me, staring at me with this gigantic eye... it looked like he was happy."

She hesitated, her hand moving to tuck a strand of hair back and jerking away at the last moment. He got the feeling she was as nervous as he was. "I also wanted to tell you, you have a nice voice."

"Oh!" Hizashi blushed modestly. "Thanks. I'm a music teacher at the college nearby an' I DJ and stuff."

The bell from a nearby church began chiming in the distance and Elly cocked her head sharply at the sound. "Um! I have to go."

"Will you come see me tommorow?" Hizashi found himself begging, his throat dry and heart pounding. He wanted to see her again more than anything. She was strange, took incredible risks and trespassed on his property, but her voice and those <i>eyes</i>..!

"During the day?" She sounded alarmed.

"I don't care when as long as I can see you again. Name a time, a place, anything."

<i>Great job, Hizashi</i>, he thought deprecatingly, <i>desperation is</i> such <i>a turn on</i>.

But she nodded. "I'll come as soon as it's dark. Light a fire on the beach again and wait for me."

"D'ya need help getting - oh." She was gone, eerily slipping into the water without a trace. "Um. Bye."

<i>I'll see you tommorow!</i>

Beyond the sea 2

 "Ouch!" Hizashi winced as a wadded up piece of music paper struck his head. "Okay, who threw this? At least yell or something, don't just assault me."

"We <i>were</i> yelling, Mr. Yamada," a perky teen in the front row piped up. She had short, pink hair that flew about as she shook her head rapidly. "You're not listening!"

"Oh." He glanced over at the rest of the class and found them staring at him, wide-eyed. A few were snickering. "Yeahhhh. Sorry about that. I'm a little, uh, distracted today, ya dig?"

He smiled faintly at the eye rolls this phrase caused - no matter how many times, the kids gave him hell for the way he spoke.

"You got a hot date or something?" A spiky-haired young man in the back sneered as he propped his feet up on a music stand.

"None of your business, Bakugo," he answered tartly. "And watch your drums. If you put a foot through one again I'll make you play on pieces of paper for as long as it takes to order a new set."

"Shoulda known that was a 'no'."

"Give the guy a break," someone whispered loudly.

"There's somethin', yo. Who can tell me what a <i>break</i> is?" Hizashi raised his eyebrows. "Anybody? Anybody who <i>isn't</i> Midoriya..? Okay, kid. Go."

The green-haired student enthusiastically recited the answer as if reading direct from a textbook. "In disco, hip hop and electronic dance music, a break is where all the elements of a song except for percussion, disappear."

"Yep. DJ terms, all the vocals an' shit are gone, so you're left with the beat." He held up his phone with a track ready to play to show them what he meant. The rest of that class went much more smoothly after that.

But word - gossip, unfortunately -- got around, and the rest of the day he had to fend off nosy students and colleagues alike. Lunch was especially bad as he'd promised to go with a friend. Nemuri Kayama ran the theater classes and they'd collaborated quite a few times. She was nearly vicious in her insistence he try her dating "techniques", sure that if the man would just do things her way he'd find a partner. He knew she meant well, but she could be very tiring.

"<i>No</i>, Nem, I told ya, I'm not seeing anyone." He groaned as the dark-haired woman across from him waved her phone in his face.

"If you're not, why won't you try this new app I told you about? Plus you've been googly-eyed all <i>day</i>. I know the signs, I work with young adults, remember?"

"So do I!" He sipped his drink, glaring at her over the rim.

"So who is she? Or he? Or they? Spill it!"

Hizashi choked on his lemonade and placed the glass back down. "You know I date women."

"Are you implying to do otherwise would be bad?"

"Quit teasing, please," he groaned. "I'm not. You <i>know</i> I'm not. I don't need <i>more</i> trouble with people speculating about my 'prefs. It's none of their business anyway, it doesn't matter, and I swear I'm not seeing anyone!"

"Sure, sure." Nemuri ate her salad in silence for awhile, biding her time. She waited until he was immersed in some paperwork and his sandwich before slyly asking, "what color are her eyes?"

"Purple," he answered without thinking.

"Aha!"

"<i>Cut that out</i>!"

He really needed his time on the beach tonight.

After work he didn't even bother to eat, just rushed through a change of clothing and picked up his basket of supplies as he headed out the back doors off the porch. He made a fire and sat the basket far enough away so it wouldn't be a hazard.

At last he sighed and fell down onto the sand, his long legs splaying out in front of him.

<i>What a day</i>. Hizashi dipped his head back, rolling his neck to try and relieve the tension there. <i>I hallucinate one night, and everyone thinks I'm dating</i>.

"Only way I get a date lately, though," he murmured. And then, as he sat, he remembered a dream he'd frequently had as a child where a mermaid would come up out of the ocean to be his friend. Smiling, he raised his head and sang out in homage to that fantasy, a sea shanty featuring a sailor in love with a pretty, fish-tailed lady.

<i>If only it were that easy.</i>

Halfway through the song a lone female voice joined him and, though startled, he kept singing.

It was definitely coming from the water.

Confused, his mind jumbled and full of too many thoughts, he managed to carry on and his performance became better than usual due to anxiety. The resulting duet was at once beautiful and somewhat terrifying, as he couldn't see his ghostly counterpart.

When it ended Hizashi immediately called out. "Please, whoever you are... stay with me?" He knew how feeble this sounded and tried to strengthen his plea. "I think I saw you the other night, and I can't stop thinking about you."

Verbal silence with only his rough breathing prevailed for a few minutes. He normally loved the crash and roar of the waves, but now the sounds filled him with abject misery, mocking him with no answer.

"<i>Fuck</i>, even my fantasy doesn't want to be with me." The ocean breeze whipped the stray hairs loose from the bun he'd fixed his hair into around his neck and he slapped at it absently. "Damn it. I'm going crazy, aren't I? And if I am, why can't I just see what I want?!"

"No... no, I'm here." The voice was faint, hesitant. But it was <i>there</i>, and what she said next baffled him so much that he knew he couldn't be making this up. "You're not going to hate me, are you?"

Somewhere beyond the sea 1

 Hizashi Yamada lived alone by the sea.

This sentence sounded far more majestic than the situation was, really. He lived there because it was his home. Hizashi had grown up alongside the crashing waves and learned to respect the bodies of water all around him. As he grew older he also learned to free dive, and would often collect any debris under the water as well as on the beach itself.

The alone part was simply because he hadn't found a partner yet - and, at age 32, he had started to worry if he ever would. His love of the water had pushed quite a few women away, and others had wanted him purely for his wealth.

Almost every night he would build a small fire for light and practice his other passion, music. Being independently wealthy, this beach was <i>his</i>, and as such was private property. It was usually empty unless some kids from the local college were trying to sneak in. He taught there and was good-natured when it came to his students, so they did occasionally stop by.

Tonight, however, he sat alone by the shoreline to play guitar and sing. Ultimately, it was this combined love for the sea and music that led him to the most amazing discovery of his life. He rested comfortably on a low, wooden beach chair dressed in worn jeans, a plain white t-shirt and a hoodie with his college logo on its breast. A pair of sandals lay discarded beside him and he dug his toes in the wet sand near the shore where the waters lapped peacefully towards him. Hizashi pulled an acoustic guitar in front of him and stared out at the stars shining on the water for a moment before strumming gently.

"<i>Somewhere... beyond the sea,
Somewhere waiting for me,
My lover stands on golden sands,
And watches the ships that go sailinnnn' ...</i>"

His fingers trailed slower as he faltered to a stop. He set the instrument down and squinted at the waves, in shock that what appeared to be a head bobbing up at his singing.

"Hello?"

<i>Can't be... well, nah, it could. Just unlikely.</i>

"Nahhhh." He popped his glasses up to rub at his eyes, then shook his head. "I'm too tired," he groaned. "Fuck this, the kid's're right. I'm an old man and I need my sleep." He slung the guitar across his back, tucked the chair under one arm and jammed his feet in the sandals.

What Hizashi thought he'd seen was a woman peeking at him from the water, her eyes just level enough to shine in the light of the crackling fire. Those <i>eyes</i> - he knew he must be imagining it, because they couldn't be real. They were purple, deep and rich and mysterious and so beautiful his heart felt close to breaking. He muttered to himself as he extinguished the flames, shaking his head and carefully covering the pit with sand. "Sad, lonely ass <i>old man</i>."

But he was right, though he doubted himself. Someone was in the water.

The eyes watched him as he made his way back, trudging through the increasingly drier sand to the boarded walkway that led to his home. The head stayed for a few minutes after he could no longer be seen and then slipped as swiftly as it had come into the dark sea.

Words we couldn't say

 Elly sighed as she stared in the mirror at a spot just below her collarbone.

<i>Powerless</i>.

This time, the Word that appeared on her skin was a harsh red color.

She sighed as she traced the letters, flowing across her pale skin in bold swipes of a Japanese brush, and wondered again just who he was. She bore several others in various places on her body and they were becoming bolder, harder to hide under clothing. These were the smaller ones, the hidden pain that he didn't know he had.

<i>Manipulator</i> - between her breasts.

<i>Loser</i> - another red one, located on her right leg.

<i>Survivor Guilt</i> - on her left upper arm.

<i>Repressed Emotions</i> - over her heart.

She was kind of uneasy about meeting the guy, truth be told. None of the words were good, so he had to be a mess inside. As a therapist, she had a few educated guesses about him. For one, he could be be in a dangerous line of work, such as a Pro Hero - "survivor's guilt" and "repressed emotions" hinted very strongly at that. Heroes often lost friends and colleagues, teachers and mentors. It could be devastating, and it could bring about the "worthless" feelings he felt as well.

As a child the marks began appearing and they were confusing, since she had been born in the United States and only knew English. She had a scant knowledge of Japanese until her teens, when she began to learn the language due to her burning curiosity over the meanings of those Words.

When given the opportunity to travel to U.A, she'd jumped at the chance. It was one step closer to <i>him</i>, after all. But Japan was big, and she had absolutely no idea where to look. And of course, even if she knew, it would be difficult to broach the subject. So she waited and worked diligently, getting to know her colleagues and the kids, sometimes patrolling the areas at night.

Aizawa Shota swore violently as he stumped into her office that afternoon. Since losing his leg and eye, he'd been given orders he needed both physical <i>and</i> mental therapy. The scruffy hero had absolutely no qualms showing his disgust at having to "waste his time" with talking about his feelings, and he quite frequently said only one or two words when seated across from her desk.

She sighed, her ears folding back into her short purple hair. "I know you hate this, Eraser," she said in a steady voice. "Would you believe I do, too? It gets us nowhere and it's not helping you." She shrugged. "I wish you would talk, but I won't ever force you to."

He snorted and crossed his arms tighter, his lower lip jutting out in a firm pout. She could see his jaw rippling with tension and his remaining eye was hard as agate staring back at her.

<i>Well, at least I know</i> he's <i>not my soulmate</i>.

Elly scratched absently at her neck, where a mosquito had bit her earlier. "Ouch," she grumbled, slipping her Cheshire Cat gear off her neck so she could rub it directly. In doing so, she revealed part of the new Word on her skin.

Aizawa's frown grew deeper. "Is that a Word?"

She jumped, startled. "Uh. Yes, actually." Pulling her suit down a few modest centimeters, she showed him the word <i>powerless</i>.

"Hnf. Sounds like a real loser." He waved a hand in her direction. "Who would think that of themselves?"

"A lot of people that aren't, surprisingly." She shrugged. "Broad generalizations can’t begin to describe anyone accurately. We're all complex human beings with talents and problems. But it's easy to fall into the idea that you might be lesser, especially when life throws too much shit at you at once." Elly very deliberately avoided looking at his eyepatch or leg.

He opened his mouth, only to realize he'd been engaging with her and slowly closed it before he could say anything else. She nodded, her eyes suddenly showing how very tired she was. This was a man with obvious, severe issues that wouldn't discuss them at all. He was uncomfortable around her to the point of becoming downright surly, unlike the stoic outer wall he put up with those he considered "friends".

<i>One more try for today</i>.

"You know, the commission will only stop these sessions if I give them the okay." He gave her a decidedly sour look that she shrugged off. "It's true. I could lie, sure, but I'm not like that and I also refuse to give up on you. You're an amazing Hero -"

He flinched ever so slightly, ducking into his capture weapon. "No."

"Yes." She stared into his startled gray eye so seriously he began to frown harder. "You have a great quirk, but that's not what makes you amazing. It's your skill. Though you do throw yourself recklessly into action sometimes, which is odd considering you yell at your students for doing the same thing."

He frowned harder and suddenly ripped one of his tattered sleeves back. "What does this say?"

She fell silent, stunned, as he revealed bold lettering in red, in <i>English</i>, on his arm.

"<i>Unlovable</i>."

"Ah."

"Aizawa," she murmured, her throat suddenly very dry, "can you - will you show me your other Words?"

He glared at her suspiciously. "Why?"

Elly pushed up her sleeve to reveal the one on her arm. "Mine are in Japanese, but my home language is English. Yours are in English, but you don't speak it, do you?"

He stared at her arm, his eye narrowing. "<i>Survivor guilt</i>... and <i>loser</i>."

"That man must be in so much pain," she said softly. "I know them all by heart. You, however, don't know English well, do you?"

Aizawa shook his head. "I can show you some, if you want to read them." He rolled up his other sleeve and turned to face her.

"<i>Unlovable</i>, in red, on the one. And <i>anxious-preoccupied</i>," her voice grew shaky as she read that and she couldn't go on.

"The hell does that mean?"

"It - it means the person didn't have a good parental figure, so they're anxious and they crave closeness, but feel insecure. Like they won't ever get love or that if they do, they worry constantly about their partner leaving them."

"So she thinks she's not worth it." He fixed the sleeves on his tracksuit and crossed his arms.

"Possibly."

"Sounds like a lot of work," he said harshly. "Good thing I don't care about love. Romantic relationships are too much effort that can be better utilized elsewhere."

"Oh. That actually... wow." Elly swallowed hard, confused at the pain his statements caused her. "I've always wanted love, but don't believe I can have it. That's harsh, Aizawa. Maybe too harsh, and I'm not sure you really believe it."

He just grunted. "This over yet?"

She sighed and was about to dismiss him when she looked up again. The color drained from her face and she mewed in shock. "Aizawa," she choked, pointing to his forehead. "Oh my god."

"Wh -?" All the air rushed out of him when he turned back and saw her pale face, her purple eyes huge and filled with tears. "Your forehead!"

"Yours, too!"

Elly scrambled in her desk drawer for her phone and flipped her camera to selfie mode. Holding it up revealed a name there - <i>AIZAWA SHOUTA</i> -- in bold, red characters.

She handed it to him and he looked into it. Sure enough, there was one on his as well. "Of course. Yours." He passed the phone back calmly, his expression enigmatic.

Elly nodded. "Yes."

"Shit."

"Yes."

"You're my..." He passed a hand shakily over his face and shook his head. "Can we - will it go away if we hide it --"

"No. People are going to easily guess if we try to hide it, too." She took a deep breath and placed her hands in front of her on the table. "The only way they diminish is when a bond has been established."

"Hah."

"Yeahhh... I know."

He rubbed at the back of his neck, looking nervously aside. "Do you have many more Words?"

"A few that I know of."

"Can I see them?" An unbelievable blush was forming across the bridge of his nose. "If - if that's all right with you."

She raised her eyebrows at this, though she understood his curiosity. "I'll show you if you want. We'll need a private room, though."

"I have an apartment nearby. In the meantime, however -" He reached up and handed her a strip of cloth torn from his capture weapon. "You probably should cover that. Using your quirk would be more suspicious." His reasoned his own hair was enough for now as he tugged some more of the dark locks to fall on his forehead.

They slipped out of campus easily due to her quirk, reappearing only at the exit to sign out. It wasn't long before they arrived at his place, and she was mildly surprised to find that his "apartment" was actually a suite at his Hero Agency. He had the lower rooms, one floor above the offices. The few people working cast curious glances her way as she walked to the elevator beside him, and she knew they couldn't hide their involvement for long. Aizawa ignored everyone, including her, until he opened the door to his rooms and gestured for her to enter.

"Sorry for putting you out like this."

He snorted dismissively, waving one hand at her again. "It's not much, but please try to relax." He kicked off his boots and tossed his capture weapon carelessly onto a peg near the door.

Bemused, she cast her eyes around the spartan rooms, noting how much they reflected on him. There was nothing in his living area that suggested anything other than the basics needed for existence. There was one low table and some pillows scattered around it in the room adjoining the kitchen. A neat stack of papers sat undisturbed on it, with two pens on top.

Elly slipped the scarf off her forehead. She took her gloves and boots off in the place reserved for them and hung her neck gear up. "Bedroom?"

He nodded and pointed, leading the way. This room was even more barren, containing only his sleeping bag and a small crate beside it. A duffel bag was thrown carelessly in a corner and from what she could tell it contained all his clothing.

She sighed and got right to business, slipping the top of her bodysuit to her waist without embarrassment. Nudity was notjing compared to baring your heart, which she was afraid came next. Aizawa's gasp was loud in the stillness of the room as another Word came into view.

"Manipulator?" His hand shook as he half reached out towards her, then quickly snatched it back. "That's  - that's worse than the other one. That's..." He swallowed hard, gulping.

"They probably go together," she said quietly. "You were hurt, and you didn't want to feel like that again. So you push people - and emotions --" Elly traced the symbols over her heart as she spoke, "away. It's not healthy, but you learned this for some reason and you never let go."

His face twisted horribly, and for a moment she was terrified. She whimpered and cringed away from him as he reached out and he shook his head. "Don't be afraid!"

She fought to still her breathing, her eyes wide and tail lashing madly behind her. "Instinctive reaction," she explained in a shaky voice. "I have complex PTSD from my early years. My - my family was not kind. Nor were... others."

"Ah." He paused, then peeled down the upper part of the tracksuit he was wearing as well. Curved over and under his left pectoral were two Words: "<i>Daddy</i>" and "<i>Issues</i>".

It was her turn to make a face. "Oh, I hate that term," she grumbled. "It's so sexist. In my case, it strikes right to the heart of the matter, though."

"What does it say?"

She told him, then chuckled bitterly when he made a face. "Yes... that's about the reaction I expected."

"Perhaps not for the reasons you did, though." He frowned. "Your father wasn't kind?"

"Let's just say he mentally abused me and leave it at that for now."

His frown grew sterner. He was thinking about Eri, and how, though they'd rescued her at such a young age, she still bore the scars of all her abuse.

<i>Imagine if she were never rescued.</i>

He sighed shakily. "Can I ..?" His hand hovered over her breast, remembering how she reacted earlier and very aware it was a sensitive area. "Is it okay if I touch you?"

"The Word or me?"

"Can it be both?"

"Let me tell you exactly how I feel, Aizawa," she said in a firm, clear voice. "I'm attracted to you. I want to have sex with you, because I crave that closeness I've been searching for all my life." She sighed bitterly. "The Words say we belong together. But I'm afraid you'll reject me. I want - I <i>need</i>, commitment before anything significant between us happens."

"Yes." He rubbed at his tired eye. "I see that."

"You hold people at arm's length that you've known for more than a <i>decade</i>. How will I fare, when you've only known me a couple years?"

"Wait..." Aizawa froze as he realized something she said, a blush spreading across his face. "You're attracted to <i>me</i>?"

"Yes."

"<i>Seriously</i>."

"Yes. Seriously." Elly huffed, annoyed.

He suddenly remembered that in her Words she viewed herself as ugly in more ways than one.

"I'm just as doubtful about my appearance as you are about yours," he told her honestly. "I don't put any real effort into it, and I don't see how you could think this," he gestured at himself, "is attractive."

"Are you kidding me?" Her ears perked forward and she reached out, lightly touching his chest and twining her fingers in the mat of dark hair. "You're <i>gorgeous</i>."

Aizawa choked and the blush, having now consumed his face, slowly started to creep down his neck. "I - Ches, I'm not -"

"You are to me." Elly hesitated, then placed her arms around him. "Look," she whispered. "Kiss me, and then we'll both know, right? Maybe? Yes?" She stared at him, eyes wide and chest heaving, and he moved so swiftly she gasped when she felt the press of warm, dry lips on her own. The kiss held quietly like that, unmoving; a simple touch that lasted a minute before he reached out and tentatively cupped the back of her neck in a rough palm. They broke apart and he sat quietly panting, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Oh god," she moaned thickly. "You're so handsome it hurts when you look at me like that."

His eye widened, and he pressed himself close to her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. Next his body shivered and the heavily muscled form went from taught and suspicious one moment to limp in her arms.

"I'm not," he husked painfully. "I know I'm not. I don't even try. But your eyes ...the way you <i>look</i> at me!"

"You can almost believe it, right?"

"Yes!"

"I know. Me, too. I can almost believe you might love me, even though you usually act like you don't want to be around me."

"Fuck." He clung suddenly to her, squeezing his arms around her waist. "I don't want to let go," he groaned thickly. "I don't <i>want</i> to push you away, damn it. I'm not the unemotional asshole everyone thinks, I need someone, I can't lose you, too," he started to sob brokenly, his hands clutching her so tight she would have bruises later. "But I can't get attached because you'll die, and I'm useless as a hero now. Useless!"

<i>Oh. I get it now.</i>

She buried her face in his hair, crying with him. "I'm so sorry. I wish I had the right words to say to you."

He lifted his tear-streaked face to stare at her with a hard squint. "You - you're not going to say you won't leave?"

She shook her head. "I can't promise that. I'm a psychiatrist, not a psychic. I can say you're not useless, but we can talk about that later."

"No... no, that's good." He swallowed back the rest of his tears, causing his voice to become hoarse. "That's honest. Everyone else makes false promises. You didn't."

"I can tell you the truth." Elly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Like I mentioned, I'm afraid you'll leave <i>me</i>. I'm a very difficult person to stay close to."

"And I'm not?"

"I'm insecure, so I crave constant affection - something you may not be able, or even want, to provide." She dropped her head as she spoke. "I've been told many times I'm not pretty. To be blunt, everyone that mattered to me said I'm an ugly, fat, crazy bitch."

"That's not right," he grunted, cradling her face in his rough palms so he could lift it up. She jerked, surprised, but he shook his head. "You aren't insane. And you're more than pretty. You're as <i>beautiful</i> to me as I am handsome to you."

"I know that you don't lie. Gloss over things sometimes, yeah, but when you say it so bluntly..." Her eyes misted over with tears. "I knew I respected you, and even thought you were hot -" He snorted at this as she continued, "but I never considered my feelings beyond that. I guess it seemed futile because I thought you didn't really like me."

"Hnf." Aizawa shook his head again, more firmly this time. "That last part isn't true. I've been in love with you for months," he admitted with a defeated sigh.

"For months?"

"Months." His expression turned sour. "I thought <i>you</i> could never be interested in <i>me</i>." He paused, then added, "especially now." His free hand stole up to briefly touch the eyepatch he wore; the other still rested lightly on her neck.

Elly reached out and brushed her fingertips on it. "Take it off," she said very quietly.

"What?!"

"Show me."

Since he couldn't come up with a logical reason why not - the area had healed by now -- he floundered momentarily. "I - but it's, you don't want to ..."

"Please?"

He frowned, a rush of hot dissapointment and anger flooding through him. In one rough gesture he ripped it off and threw it across the room. "There. One eye, one leg - I'm like one of those cats at the shelter no one wants. The ones that <i>die</i> there, alone, because they don't trust people and they're ugly and disfigured!" His outburst over, he lifted his chin, waiting for her to recoil away from him in disgust as he knew she would.

"You mean the ones you visit every Thursday?" Elly leaned over instead of moving away and kissed his scarred cheek. "Poor baby," she husked sadly. She stared at the hollow socket, the skin twitching when he blinked though there was only scar tissue. "They don't scratch <i>you</i>, do they? It just takes time and a lot of love." When he sat there, unbelieving, she stroked his upper calf above the prosthetic gently as well. "You're not less because of a loss of skin and muscle. But I find myself thinking of those cats now that you mentioned it... and that quote pet owners often use. '<i>Who rescued who</i>?' Could we, maybe, do that? Help each other like that?"

He stared at her, his single eye wide with shock.

She fidgeted nervously after a few minutes, getting more embarrassed as time passed. "I just called you, um. I'm sorry."

Aizawa choked loudly, then just as suddenly as he'd kissed her before, threw his arms around her and buried his face in her upper chest. He kept his face hidden and his voice was muffled but firm when he finally spoke. "I've never confessed to anyone and no one has - has given me a..." He trembled all over, groaning. "Only you can call me something so ridiculous."

"Only me," she whispered, breathing hard while she stroked his hair. "It's okay then? And you've loved me for months?"

"If you can overcome your fear and open your heart to me, can I do any less?" He leaned back and stared intently into her eyes. "We're both broken. Maybe you're right - maybe the <i>Words</i> are right -" He rubbed his forehead. "We need each other."

"Will you try? Do you want to make the effort?"

He pondered this long enough for her to become uneasy, but when he saw her looking down in defeat he spoke. "Sorry! I wasn't sure what to say other than yes."

"How about another kiss?"

"I can do that," he agreed quickly.

Many more kisses later with the last of their clothing (and his prosthetic) cast aimlessly aside, Elly discovered he was far more gentle and loving than expected. The sleeping bag was surprisingly comfortable and combined with his kisses and light touching she relaxed, falling almost completely limp, in his arms. One hand tested her warmth, fingers sliding around her folds to find where she liked to be stroked.

"Oh, Shota," she gasped, closing her eyes and arching her back in a mindless effort to beg for more pleasure. "Baby, yes. <i>Yes</i>."

He shivered at her reaction. For a split second he worried that she was putting him on, but when he paused to adjust himself she whimpered with need. Plus there was no way she was faking the mottled blush creeping down her throat, and her writhing was inspired.

"If that feels good, kitten," he panted, raising his head to stare deeply into her eyes, "remember, I'm not even inside you yet."

"That's not always better, you know," she said, somewhat hesitant to speak the truth about such a touchy manner.

"So I've heard." Aizawa actually smiled. "You already know I'm something of a perfectionist and feel the constant need to prove myself, though. I'm not going to be content until you're enjoying yourself as much as I am."

"Ohhh."

"Yes." He squinted appraisingly at her, taking his time to gaze at her body. He even slid back a ways so he could see as much as possible. The rare smile he was sporting slowly turned as rich and dark as his eye as he took her all in.

Elly started to squirm in embarrassment. "Are you going to..?"

"Not yet." He ran the ticklish touch of fingertips up her thighs and she shivered. "In a little while, yes, but not just yet."

"Well, fine then," she muttered. "Two can play that game, you know."

Breath rushed out of him in a huge gust as she caressed his shoulders, then lower, moving down until she was rubbing his rear. "Ches?"

"Uh huh."

"I don't know how t - to -" He stuttered and snorted suddenly, dropping his face to bury in her neck.

"Are you <i>ticklish</i>?!"

He paused in the middle of wheezing for air to give her a very stern look. "Don't you <i>dare</i> - Cheshire, <i>don't you even</i>..!" His dry laughter was contagious as he wriggled around trying to escape her touch.

"I never thought you'd be ticklish!"

Eventually she relented and he rolled off to catch his breath, glaring at her with his chest heaving. "Just wait 'til I catch my breath. You'll get yours."

"As long as I get this." She reached out and he raised a sardonic eyebrow, only to choke up when she touched his heart.

"Damn it, woman!" He used his one knee to force himself up, abdomen flexing powerfully as he flipped over her once more. "Come here if you want it. I'll give you <i>everything</i>!"

"That's what I want." She raised her legs and used her soft thighs to envelop his erection.

Aizawa exhaled harshly. "You want me just like this, then."

"Yes."

"No protection."

"I'm on hero mandated birth control, quirk regulated. As safe as we can get."

"Tell me yes or no," he chided, kissing her cheek while staring into her eyes.

"Yes. I want you to come inside of me." Elly caressed the back of his neck in one smooth palm. "You're the only man I'll let do this. The only one I need. Is that enough?"

"Yeah." He placed his forehead on hers like before, their names placed together, but this time his eye shut, tears grudgingly squeezing out to trickle down his cheek to hers. "Yeah, you're more than I thought I deserved."

"I know, baby. It's okay. <i>Oh</i>!" His initial thrust came as a surprise, and not because she wasn't prepared for it.

"Did I hurt y-"

"No, Shota, no hurt - please, don't stop." She struggled to express her amazement. "I - it felt good. It's never felt good right from th - the - <i>ohmigod</i>..." She slipped into English but he got the gist of what she was saying. That creepy grin crept back onto his features.

"Hold on, then," he told her quietly. "I love you."

Im in love with the DJ

 Elly <i>really</i> wanted to see Present Mic when he was working a club. The only problem was she wasn't sure of his schedule. After several weeks of vigorous avenue hopping, she realized he must keep his appearances vague due to the nature of his other jobs. She sighed and picked up her phone.

<b>Cheshire</b>: <i>Hey, Aizawa. Do you know where Yamada is DJing tonight?</i>

<b>Eraser</b>: <i>I can take you. Be ready @2000 hrs</i>

It felt strange to text Aizawa outside of work, but stranger still that he answered, and even offered to come along. She fought off the odd feeling and dressed for dancing in a black shirt, jean skirt and sneakers. She had no doubts his set would contain awesome music and she hoped to stick around for the whole night.

A fantasy played out in her head where he noticed her as he was packing up and was so thrilled that they ended up at his place. She imagined what he looked like with his hair down - not many people ever saw that -- and sighed.

Aizawa picked her up in nondescript black clothing with his hair tied back and they hopped a bus to get there. He led her to a spot she hadn't known about and ushered her easily in the door ahead of the line waiting outside. It appeared they knew who he was, here, as he'd helped them before as a Hero.

She hadn't known why he wanted to come, but was glad he had after they stepped inside and her eyes grew accustomed to the light. There he was - loud not only in voice but clothing, his golden hair spiked in that adorably ridiculous plume and sunglasses reflecting the light show on the dance floor.

Her hopes and the silly little dream died horribly in a manner of seconds. He wasn't alone.

Elly stared with dead eyes at the scantily-dressed women crowding around his booth. One was desperately trying to get his attention by shaking her glow-taped breasts vigorously around and waving a pen in one hand.

<i>She probably wants to have him autograph them</i>, she thought with a shudder.

"Let's go," she snapped abruptly to Aizawa, grabbing his sleeve to tug him out the door.

The scruffy man raised his eyebrows but made no real protest. "We just got here," he noted. "And you wanted to come."

"Yeah," she scoffed, "well, turns out it was a very bad idea - the worst I could have imagined." This brought back her fantasy (<i>so stupid, why would he ever want me</i>!) and she turned away quickly before he could see the tears forming in her eyes.

"Ah," he nodded. "The girls."

"What!" Her entire body stiffened in an effort to hold her emotions in.

"I said, <i>the girls</i>," he clarified dryly. "The ones that act inappropriately around him. It bothers you." Aizawa rubbed the back of his neck as they walked down the sidewalk. "That's why I came with you."

"What?" It <i>had</i> been strange that he tagged along but she hadn't given it much thought considering how excited she was.

"Come on." He suddenly grasped her arm in a light but very firm hold and changed direction.

"Where the hell are you taking me?!"

"We're going to test a theory."

Elly protested but half-heartedly, not really caring where he led her though it was quite a bit farther than back to the campus. They passed through several neighborhoods before coming to a rougher part of town. Aizawa finally stopped at a small, nondescript building sandwiched between a bar and an out of business store. He produced a key and motioned for her to follow him inside.

The interior was simple - a lighting fixture above a small table and two chairs. That was it. He sat at the table and gestured for her to sit as well. Elly shrugged and did, wondering what he was about.

Aizawa held his phone casually in one hand but he spoke to her right away. "So. You like Yamada." His phrasing indicated that he meant romantically and she nodded. If there was anyone she could trust to keep a secret, it was him. "You seem to like him more than a passing interest or crush, however."

Tears sprang up at the corners of her eyes, sharp and bitter, but they didn't fall just yet. "I love him so much it hurts."

"As I thought." He finished whatever he was doing on his phone and slid it in a pocket. "I messaged him that you're being held hostage. Now we'll see how much <i>he</i> cares for <i>you</i>."

She turned her head to stare into his eye. "It's one-sided, as you well know, and it's going to stay that way."

He snorted and propped his legs up on the table in front of him. "I know nothing of the sort. What I'm certain of is that in -" he checked his phone briefly "- twenty minutes or less I gaurrantee the idiot comes barging in here in a total panic."

"He's not an idiot."

"We'll see."

"He'll come because he's a hero and someone is in trouble. Not because it's <i>me</i>."

Aizawa affected mild surprise. "So he'll come... but only because it's his job?" He nodded when she said <i>yes</i> in reply. "I thought you might say that, so I planned ahead. He is currently the farthest hero away from this location. It wouldn't be logical for him to show - <i>especially</i> as he's working elsewhere at the moment and not on patrol. There are others just as capable of handling this and he's left it to them before."

"Isn't this going to cause a panic anyway? Because it's one of us?"

"I mentioned it to the others. They know it's a ruse."

Elly blinked, surprised though she knew she shouldn't be. Aizawa was very methodical. "Okay," she mused thoughtfully, frowning harder. "Um. If he comes, then, won't he be angry? You're screwing with one of his jobs."

"I'm sure he will be," was all he replied, then closed his eye. Any more attempts at communication were futile as he settled in for a nap, so she waited.

A quarter of an hour later the door burst open in an impressive display of physical strength. Hizashi stood there with his boot raised, fists clenched, spiral pupils fuzzed with rage and, more dangerously, his mouth open and ready to shout.

He did cry out at the scene before him, but it was just a startled yelp. "Aizawa?!"

"Yamada." He pointed to Elly who was trying very hard not to look complicit. "She's okay."

"<b>WHAT THE F-</b>?!" His voice raised, but Aizawa was ready and erased his quirk.

"Relax."

<i>Don't DO that, I HATE that</i>!, he mouthed, stomping a steel-soled boot on the floor. Hizashi looked rough, totally unlike his slick appearance at the club. He was still dressed as Present Mic, but several long strands of his blond hair had come undone from his trademarked cockatiel updo. His orange shades were sliding down his nose and his neck speaker was turned slightly to the side, contributing to his disheveled look. He blinked over at the scruffy man standing beside Elly, and pointed at his throat.

"I'll unmute you <i>if</i> you promise to be civil."

Hizashi's eyebrows drew his forehead up into a hard point. His lips thinned in a dangerous line, but he nodded. As Aizawa's hair fell and the fire in his eyes died, he gave a tearing gasp. "The <i>hell</i> is going on?!"

"Easy."

"I got a message that she was being held hostage," he grated through clenched teeth. Elly had never seen him so furious. The Voice Hero normally maintained his cheerful attitude even while fighting villians. Right now, however, he looked ready to rip his best friend of fifteen years in half.

"Obviously that isn't true." Aizawa thought for a moment. "Well, I did hold her here, but not by force."

Hizashi squinted at them both, then settled his burning golden eyes on the Insanity Hero, who had gotten up from the chair. "So... you're not in trouble."

"I don't know, <i>am</i> I?" Elly's ears lay back in distress as she edged backwards. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for things to go this far. I honestly didn't think you'd show up!"

"Why the hell not?!" He pulled a wry face and reached out for her. When she tried to back away he shook his head in disbelief. "Don't run from me, ain't gonna hurt ya."

"You don't know that," she said so quietly he almost didn't hear.

"Wha -? Of course I wouldn't!"

She sniffled but was silent. Aizawa, however, was not.

"We were at the club tonight," he said bluntly. "She was hurting so I decided to show her how you felt."

Hizashi huffed in exasperation, waving his hands in the air. "What?!"

"Please don't -"

"The girls."

He slowly pieced it together, his expression sliding from anger to disbelief. "You mean those booth thots..?"

"Please, it's not that big a deal!" Elly tried to salvage some of her pride, fearful that if he understood she was jealous he'd also know why.

"I'm not interested in 'em - why would you think ...what?" He looked so perplexed she felt bad for him. "I damn near knocked those chicks over to get here 'cause I was worried about <i>you</i>." He stepped in front of her, catching her forearms in his hands so she couldn't hide her face. What he saw made him first go pale, then blush deeply.

"Please let me go."

"S'okay, kitty," he murmured, dropping her arms at once but reaching down to wipe the wetness off her cheeks. "Don't cry, hey? Yer not really cryin' 'cause of them, right? Why would you do that?"

"Because I like you!"

"'Course ya like me," he grinned, unruffled. "I'm a likeable kinda guy."

Elly's emotions got the better of her and she blurted out her confession in English, so there could be no mistake. "I'm in love with you!"

"Ohhhhh." His hazel eyes grew impossibly wider, the beautiful green-gold irises flashing in the light. "Oh, shit."

Elly gave up and cried harder. Her worse nightmare was coming true; his exclamation was surely a rejection. Her ears drooped and she sagged, flickering out of sight and sliding down the wall she'd backed herself into to sink onto the floor in abject misery.

To say Hizashi overreacted wouldn't give the emotion justice. He <i>panicked</i> - whining sharply in distress until his friend muted him again.

"Yamada!" Aizawa snapped, taking him by the shoulder and giving him a good shake. "Stop that. I can't tell you what to do, I'm terrible at comforting others. But you can fix it."

"Fix..?"

"<i>Tell</i> her, you idiot! She told you she liked you and you said, and I quote, 'oh, shit'."

"Oh, <i>shit</i>!"

Aizawa left, rubbing his temples with one hand. He had a headache, but hopefully this would be worth the frustration in the end. He tossed the keys on a windowsill, trusting his friend to lock up.

Hizashi knelt, reaching blindly out and hoping he wouldn't touch anything innapropriate. "Hey," he called softly. "Hey, <i>kitty</i>," he repeated, speaking English. His palm brushed her shoulder and he relaxed a little. "I didn't mean it like that. I feel the same way about ya."

Her voice ghosted out of the air in front of him. "You do?"

"Yeah." He shrugged, sporting a sheepish grin. "Lots of people kept tryin' to get me to ask you formally out 'n stuff, but, uh, I kept chickening out."

Elly came slowly back into view, her expression wary. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry for all this."

He snorted. "Not yer fault Aizawa decided to play matchmaker. Although I am surprised. Maybe he thinks it's his job now that Kayama ..." He trailed off, dropped his head for a moment. "Yeah. Okay."

"I think she'd be happy," she told him quietly.

He flashed her a huge smile. "And probably hit me upside the head for not tellin' ya sooner." He helped her gently up and she dusted off her knees with a sigh.

"Oh, I know that would happen."

"So. How about we go back to the club," he suggested, moving away from the painful subject. "I can break down my gear an' apologize for leavin' early." A wicked smirk spread across his features. "Bonus: you can show off to those bitches." He spotted the keys and grabbed them.

"<i>Mic</i>!"

"What?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her as she followed him outside and he locked the door.

"That's not, well, um."

"You know you wanna." He chuckled wickedly. "We've been friends long enough for me to see that. As soon as I mentioned 'em your fangs came out."

"Well... yeah. You got me." She eyed him curiously. "<i>You</i> called them bitches, though. I didn't expect that." He led her outside to his car, parked in the most inconspicious spot he could find. He wasn't driving his sports car for some reason tonight, but it had become a habit.

He scoffed. "They're not upstanding members of society. I don't get how they think 'no' means anything else. I <i>always</i> tell 'em I'm not interested, but they don't <i>listen</i>." His grin grew even more devilish, and he added, "maybe they'll listen to you, though. You can tell 'em yer my girlfriend."

"Is that position open?" She sat nervously and buckled herself in as he flopped into the driver's seat beside her. Hizashi pulled out onto the road before answering.

"Way, way, open baby."

She laid her ears back in apprehension. "I won't say it unless it's true."

He stopped at a light and reached out to take her hand. "That's right," he crooned. "So? You wanna be my girl?"

"You mean it?" Her eyes grew wide and vulnerable, staring at him in disbelief. His plume of hair looked hilarious in the car, pushed forward towards the windshield, but she thought it was adorable. "Do you really mean that?"

"I love you," he told her cheerfully in English, sparing a quick, heartfelt glance before the light changed. "I wasn't lyin' before! I really mean it. You're, like, pretty much the reason I've been holdin' out - I don't like the groupies, but a couple of chicks at the station asked me out, too. And one dude," he added with a cheeky grin.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm straight as fuck but it was flattering. Not interested, though. I only want you."

This flustered her enough that she was silent the rest of the trip, though she smiled and thanked him when he rushed to open her door after parking. Hizashi showed her the side entrance and sought out the manager on duty at the time. They found him on the floor helping out at the bar, wiping down some stools.

"Mic!" He exclaimed loudly, grabbing the Voice Hero's arm in a solid grip. He was a slender man but strong; his quirk was enhancing his muscle mass in limited areas for a time. "You all right?"

"I'm fine," he nodded, then grimaced. "I <i>hated</i> runnin' out on ya like that, man. So, this gig's free, the hours I logged before I split. It was an emergency, though - had to help my girlfriend out of a tight spot."

The manager's eyes widened as he recognized Elly, who, though casually dressed, wasn't trying to hide her unique ears or tail at all. "Oh! Not a problem, Mic. No, we understand you're also a Hero. Don't worry about it."

"So, yeah. This is Cheshire - I see you already noticed, hey? Ches, baby, this is Raul."

"Hi," she smiled, reaching out to shake his hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," he boomed in a voice that, again, belied his thin exterior. "I love meeting heroes. Never get to see too many - that's probably a good thing, right?"

While they were chatting Hizashi noticed a few of the rowdy women he'd been having problems with. He slid an arm around Elly's waist and nudged her with his hip. "We better start packin' up, babygirl."

She nodded but leaned into the hug for a moment longer. "Okay. Where's your box for lights and cables?"

"Over here." He waved a hand and they started wrapping everything up for transport, the women watching closely. A few minutes in one of them went pale and gestured for the others to look at her phone. Hizashi kept a wary eye on the group, as did Elly, but as soon as they glanced at whatever it was they melted off into the crowd, never to be seen again.

"That's one plus to being the Insanity Hero," she murmured.

"Did you - were they <i>afraid</i> of you?!"

"Maybe." She pursed her lips, tapping the top of a plastic tote with her fingers. "I mean, I <i>did</i> tweet something, but..."

He roared laughter and grabbed in a pocket for his phone. "You <i>didn't</i>!"

<b>CheshirePro</b>: <i>No means no, people - especially when my boyfriend @PresentMicrophone tells you!</i>

He cracked up and liked the tweet, then replied with the maximum amount of heart emojis that was possible.

"Yep. Am I causing you trouble?"

"Nope!" Hizashi hugged her tight. "No way, yer fixin' things all up, baby." He glanced over at what little remained of his gear with an even wider grin. "Plus you pack up <i>tight</i>, sweet thing! Holy shit, I shoulda been workin' with ya ages ago."

She raised an eyebrow with a gentle smile. "As your help?"

"Well, naahhh, we'd be a team. I've thought about it before, just never had the guts to talk to ya about it." He gestured grandly at the door. "I'll get the last one, okay? Then we can take 'em home."

"You don't store these at the campus, though."

"Nope." He lifted the heavy tote with a grunt and weaved his way through people until they slipped into the less crowded back area for employees and the entertainment. "I got a place in my agency. Bigass suite, if I say so myself." Hizashi stroked his mustache points as he thought of something. "Oh, and Aizawa lives there, too, but it's kinda more like he <i>sleeps</i> there once in awhile."

She realized he needed the extra trunk space this other car had for his gear when they walked outside.

And he absolutely wasn't lying about the place being big - they had to take an elevator to go upstairs from the agency, and when he unlocked his front door she stared in wonder. His home looked like a cross between a record studio's reception area and living space, with the walls decorated in framed vinyl and highly expensive sound systems set up. There were retro furnishings and shag area carpets, the color scheme black and gold or a deep yellow.

Hizashi dragged his equipment over and she carried a lighter box inside. He slammed the door shit with his hip and motioned to a deep closet to one side of the entrance. "There's where I store this stuff. I'll put it away, 'kay? Now we're in my home yer my guest."

Elly smiled and took off her sneakers, neatly setting them alongside his boots. "Alright." She wandered off to look at his music collection while he grunted and shoved equipment around.

"Oof." After a few minutes he finished setting the last box in the closet and brushed his hands together briskly, clapping his leather-clad palms when done. "Finished! Thanks for your help."

"No problem."

"So..." He turned around and flashed her a mischevious grin. "What'cha thinkin'?"

"Uh... I don't know?"

"Do ya wanna go back out for coffee or somethin'? I can drop you back at campus, too." He reached out slowly, sliding his hands around her waist. "Just let me know, babygirl. I'll do <i>anything</i> you want." This last was drawled out in a low hum as he pulled her forward, giving her enough time to reject the advance if she chose. "You can choose any option, even runnin' off on me."

"I couldn't leave you."

"No? Wanna stay?" His eyebrows raised.

"Let's say Present Mic's probably never had such a captive audience," Elly laughed shyly, her tail swishing.

"Oooooh! So! If my number-one listener agrees, I'll be sure to rock her all night long. Yeah? Yeahhhh?" He slipped his sunglasses off so she could see his hazel eyes. They grew very vulnerable when he spoke and he watched her closely. She answered by lifting her head for a kiss which he accepted so swiftly her knees went weak. Hizashi grasped her tighter, holding her so she wouldn't slip while he brushed his lips on hers. He paused, then nuzzled her sweetly, tickling her with his mustache points to ask for permission before deepening the kiss.

"Mmff... oh, Mic, <i>yes</i>."

He broke apart slightly with a quizzical tilt to his head. "<i>That</i> was freakin' excellent, right?"

She nodded, smiling dreamily.

"Wasn't just me?"

She shook her head.

"Sweeeeet. So, uh. I gotta be honest here. I'm sorta - <i>phew</i>! -- ripe after wearin' all this leather. It's hot, yo, and you know I always say it makes me sweat a <i>lot</i>. I ain't joking. It's nasty." He gestured to the hallway between the kitchen and living room. "We could share a shower, though? If you want?"

"Yeah," she agreed, but reached up to grasp his long leather collar and pull him forward. "If you promise to kiss me a bunch more in your gear first."

"Ya this turned on by leather?" He nudged with his knees until she sat on the couch. Hizashi didn't sit, however. He placed on hand on each side of her and leaned down.

"It's not really the leather, it's you." Her breathing picked up at his choice of positions; his looming over her like this gave her pleasant shivers. He looked so much like his alter ego - confident, and a bit on the manic side with that lopsided stare and grin.

His voice even had the extra lilt he used when in costume. "Awww. Cute!"

She nodded shyly. "I love all of you, of course... but that means I <i>want</i> all of you. Starting with Mic." Her ears flicked and she looked up, worried. "Is that okay? I know some heroes get upset over personas."

He blinked, then his voice grew deeper to answer, proof he was in earnest. "It's fine, babe. I ain't got a problem with it. But it <i>does</i> give me an idea," he whispered in her ear. "You want Mic to make you come? I can keep the outfit on an' use my hands," he squeezed her softly. "Or my mouth..." This time his tongue licked a precise line up her neck to her throat. "I mean, if ya really want, I can ignore the shower and take ya right now." He scratched the back of his neck in thought. "Though, honestly, I want to be more, ah, <i>thorough</i>, for our first time besides less sweaty to start. But I'll leave it up to you. What's it gonna be?"

She shivered at how he said the word <i>thorough</i> and couldn't speak. She just stared into those spiraling pupils of his, growing weaker as the seconds ticked by.

"Oh no," Hizashi crooned in mock dismay. "Overload! Well, then, dealer's choice it is. Yer gonna learn my biggest kink real quick, I guess." He chuckled wickedly and ran a hand up her thigh underneath her skirt to toy with the hem of her panties. She assumed this meant he wanted to use his fingers, but all he did was slip her underwear off before he bent and snagged a throw pillow to toss on the floor.

"Oh, god." Elly started to shake when she saw him get on his knees in front of her.

"That's right... sit back on the couch an' prop yer legs up on my shoulders. Yeah, on the shoulder pads, that's cool." He grinned cheekily up at her and winked. "Don't worry about gettin' loud. My place isn't fully soundproofed but it's muffled pretty good."

She hadn't thought much when he mentioned his kink, but Hizashi was extremely into oral sex in a way no other partner of hers had ever been. This, combined with his affinity to please and the fact that he honestly cared about her, made him an excellent lover.

She gasped loudly and her leg jerked without thought as he used his quirk in a way she had certainly imagined, but never thought would experience.

"Don't kick, now," he chided gently, one hand rubbing her leg while he kissed her thigh. "I know it feels good but ya almost got me that time."

"S - sorry!"

"S'okay, everything's okay." He continued to kiss her while he spoke in a soothing manner. "I'll try not to drag it out anymore, yeah? Hold on." This time he used a low hum, directing his quirk to vibrate gently where she was most sensitive.

"P - Present Mic!" She gasped and tried to correct herself, to use his real name instead, but he shook his head, his hair rustling.

"I said it was cool, remember? Let go an' have fun!" He doubled his efforts, using his tongue and even kissing there in a gesture so intimate she couldn't believe it was happening. "Hey, ya want to feel somethin' inside you, too? Lemme get a glove off, here." He slid a finger inside her body, moaning at her heat and curling, reaching for that spot that would double her pleasure.

He found it.

Elly's mind went blank with nothing but rapture and she screamed his name, clutching the back of his head while he urged her toward orgasm.

When she shook herself back to reality he was sitting back on his haunches with a rather smug look on his face. "Did I live up to your dreams, sweet thing? 'Cause that sure as hell sounded magnificent."

"Yeh - heh - ess," she wheezed.

"Radical," he exclaimed happily, causing her to break out into a fit of giggles. "You ready to clean up?"

"I don't think I can walk yet!"

Hizashi shrugged his jacket off and scooped her up with a chuckle. "Not a problem."

"You're strong," she whispered in his ear as he carried her down the hall to the bathroom.

"Mnnn. Not that much."

"Your arms feel so good around me."

He actually blushed. "That's awesome, 'cause that means I get to hold you a lot. Annnnd here we are." He set her down.

Elly looked around approvingly. "I love your place," she murmured as she stepped out of her skirt. "It's so spacious."

"Uh huh. I kinda need a big bathroom, too. Tend to spend a lot of time on my hair, yanno?" As he spoke he sprayed his long, blond locks from a bottle beside the sink and carefully worked his hands through, bringing them all the way down before pulling his top off.

Elly's eyes widened when her own shirt came over her head and she saw him. "Ohhhh." She sucked in a huge lungful of air, watching avidly as the man stripped in front of her.

Hizashi finally pulled off his last piece of clothing with a sigh of relief and stood, reaching over to turn on the taps in the shower. His muscles flexed smoothly as he moved and she leaned against the counter, completely entranced by his naked body. He was slim hipped but built, his lightly haired chest bulked just right with a finely detailed row on his abdomen. A trail of blond hair, barely visible on his pale skin, wandered down from between his pectorals to a slightly darker patch of pubic hair below. That looked neatly manicured as well, and -

"Hey, beautiful." Hizashi brought her out of her daze with a gentle hand on her shoulder. He was standing in front of her with a broad smile on his face, his voice filled with good-natured mirth. "See somethin' you like?"

Elly responded with a burst of incredulous giggles. "Of course I do! You're <i>gorgeous</i>!"

"Me?!"

She reached out and touched his chest with trembling fingertips. Her eyes grew unabashedly dreamy as she stroked his sweaty skin and he coughed a little.

"Oh, um... wow. Yer serious." Hizashi's neck was splotchy and red, climbing up towards his cheeks. While he stammered he pushed his hair back over one shoulder and she saw that his ears were also pink.

<i>He's as nervous as I am despite earlier</i>, she thought in amazement. Out loud, she doubled down as firmly as possible, sliding her arms around his neck in an intimate caress while she maintained eye contact. "I'm <i>very</i> serious."

"It's just that, well. I guess I thought you were, um. Out of my league..? Heh. That you wouldn't see me as all that."

"That's what I thought about you," she confessed, sighing when he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"For real, yo?"

"Yep."

"Damn." He slid his hands higher, toying with the catch on her bra. "Mmm... was <i>that</i> why you were so jealous earlier? 'Cause I still can't believe ya thought I'd like anyone over you."

Elly groaned. "You're not gonna let me live that down, are you?"

"You were so sad <i>Aizawa</i> took ya under his wing! I'm friggin' baffled, not teasin' ya." He bent and kissed her forehead, smoothing out the wrinkles from a light frown. "Nah, okay, I'll drop it. We're here now and that's what counts. Look, yer only half undressed. Let's finish getting these clothes off and we can shower, 'kay? Yeah?"

She smiled. "Yeah."

They soaped up in silence, Hizashi starting with his hair and then switching sides with her to lather his body while she rinsed and did her own. A few pleased hums floated between them when they scrubbed each others' backs, and then they turned to other business.

"You're beautiful, babygirl." He groaned, letting himself fully appreciate her nudity. "I mean that, it sounds so stupid but naked, I just - you're so..." He spluttered to a halt and tried again. "The curve of your hips -" He ran both hands around her, "all these cute little dimples, an' I love how you fit perfectly against me."

"I <i>really</i> love the feel of your arms around me. Can't say it enough."

He kissed her a little harder than he intended, his hands trembling and focusing every last bit of willpower towards not moving too quickly, though his body literally ached for release.

Elly saw him bite his lower lip when they parted, his eyes squeezed tightly shut, and knew what he was going through. "Hey," she purred in a low tone, "how about I help you? Is it okay if I return your previous favor?"

"Shit!" Hizashi twitched when she tickled his thighs, his erection bobbing firmly towards his stomach. "W - wait, babe, I won't be able to huh - hold back!"

"But we have so much time now, you know. And I want to."

He cracked one eyelid open to peek at her. "You really wanna?"

"Uh huh."

"Oh. That's different, then!"

She took her time, much like he had, kissing from his lips down his neck, chest, and belly until he was shaking all over in anticipation. When she reached the junction between his legs she stroked him first, looking him over as if to commit every bit to memory.

"Wow," she husked softly.

Hizashi's whine of lust rattled the shower door and mirror. He set his palms flat beside him as the water ran down his back and trickled down his body. This was a first - no one had ever complimented him so perfectly without it feeling fake.

And then she kissed him there, and his eyes slipped closed despite loving the scene unfolding in front of him. He let out a soft exhalation of breath, and another, faster one, again and again and <i>again</i> until he was panting, his hands squeaking as he thrust them up and down the wet tile. When she continued the same motions she learned were preferred he whipped one fist up to quickly shove in his mouth.

"Mmmn... <i>hmmmn</i>!"

"Hizashi."

He swallowed hard and opened his eyes. They were teary and pleasure filled, hazy at best, yet he tried to focus on the woman stroking his leg. "Mmnf?"

"Hizashi, please don't gag yourself."

A chuckle escaped him and he grinned sheepishly. "With the positions we're in, shouldn't I be saying that to you?"

Elly snickered, too, but added seriously, "I want to hear you."

"I, I - but, see, I'm a little louder'n -"

"I know, Voice Hero. I want to hear you."

He slowly put his hand down, but bit his lip again, chewing on it anxiously. "Okay, yeah, sure. I uhhh, did warn you though."

"You're not going to hurt me, Zashi."

"Never!" His wet hair slapped about as he violently shook his head.

"Then relax. I love you, remember?" She kissed the plump head again and pushed her lips tightly down as far as she could go without choking.

"Oh, sh... oh, god, baby," he whimpered, his volume raising. "Like that - suck higher. Faster - <i>there</i>!" He gasped, his chest heaving, toes curling on the mat below. "Oh god, I never -!"

Elly concentrated on repeating those actions he loved while trying a few new ones as well. He was incredibly vocal and as he neared his climax he heaped praise on her, moaning and breathing harder. The final shout was a cry of her name - her <i>given</i> name, not the nickname he called her taken from her hero handle. She shivered on hearing it and hugged him around his legs.

"H - huh holy <i>shit</i>," he whimpered.

"Magnificent?"

"Beyond," he gasped, then added in a weak voice, "plus ultra!"

"You dork!"

Hizashi giggled again.

They got out of the shower and dried off. It took him some time to make sure his hair was dry enough and she enthusiastically helped, much to his delight. Once they were dry and dressed in comfy clothing, they cuddled on the couch watching television for some time and chatting.

"You look so <i>cute</i> in my shirt," Hizashi cooed for about the hundredth time during a commercial break. He squeezed his arm tighter around her and nuzzled into the side of her neck. "Pretty kitty."

"Yeek! Your mustache!"

"Oh, c'mon," he smirked, nibbling a little. "Ya know you love it."

"Of course I do, but it <i>tickles</i> when you do that!"

He huffed, amused, and slipped a hand up the side of the shirt she was wearing. "That's why I do it, yeah?"

Elly squirmed around until she was nestled in his lap with her back against his chest. Both his hands were warmly cupping her breasts, the thumbs running gently over hardened nipples. "Get your second wind, or are you just teasing me?"

"Didn't lose my first," he chirped brightly. "But, yeah, baby, I wanna make sweet, sweet love to you."

"Romantic," she murmured, raising her face for a kiss.

"I thought it was cheesy," he confessed, mouthing her lips lightly. "True, though. I'm'a take my time. You ready?"

"Uh huh."

"A'ight." He kissed her more seriously, hands running around her waist to lift her once more.

Hizashi had a large, western style bed with silk sheets. She was mildly surprised at the latter when he laid her down, and, as he crawled in after her she asked him why.

"Why the silk? Oh. It's for my hair." He pulled the rubber band out with a wince and it spilled down over his shoulders. "It's healthier, an' it doesn't catch or anything."

"Mmmn." She ran her hands through the golden locks as he climbed over her.

"Protection?" He kissed her softly on the nose.

"I'm on BC. I'm as safe as we're both clean 'cause of hero work." She nodded her head. "Just love me, Zashi, please."

He closed his eyes with a whimper. "I've been doin' that for ages, anyhow."

They moved much slower, shedding clothing and kissing with increasing passion. Once they were naked Elly raised her legs along his waist, flicking him on the back with her tail. He rolled his shoulders back and set himself before thrusting.

"Oh, baby," he whispered. "Baby, I know we've done stuff before an' all, now, but this is so much more. I wanna be inside you <i>forever</i>." He bent down and touched their foreheads together. His eyes were misty with emotion, so much that one eyelid drooped like it sometimes did. This caused Elly to whimper, her heart filled with love. She reached up to caress his cheek and he moaned and thrust again, slower and deeper, pressing his hips to hers. "I love you."

"I love you so much."

Hizashi moved and she followed, deepening his strokes and causing them both to breathe faster. They were very good together, and it didn't take long before he was moaning loudly.

"I - I'm not gonna last. Is that okay? You close?"

She smiled and kissed him. "I'm there, Zashi. A few more - slow, with that little hip bounce  -- yes!"

"Yeah," he panted. "Like this? Mnnn, oh shit, Ches. Oh. Oh, oh god, <i>oh..!</i>"

"<i>Hizashi</i>!"

"Best performance of the night," he gasped, shaking all over.

"I'm glad I went out tonight," she agreed.