"It really hurts." Elly lay on her stomach on the bed as her boyfriend gently rubbed her back. "I pulled something, I think."
Aizawa frowned as he lightly probed the pale skin under his fingers. "Stop squirming or I can't help you."
"Sorry."
"Mmn." He nodded, placing his palm on one section. "It's very tight here. This will hurt," he cautioned briefly before digging his knuckles down hard. This elicited a catlike screech from Elly, whose tail shot out as she writhed under his kneading hands.
"Shota! More warning next time!"
"Sorry." He eased up on the pressure, rubbing gently to get the blood flowing again. "Lay there and try to relax."
She sighed. Her back was tingling, not exactly in pain but it felt like she had been wrung through a press. "Ngh."
The lights dimmed, and then the bed creaked and dipped as he lay beside her. "If you still hurt tomorrow, I'm calling Chiyo."
"Aww, don't disturb her on her day off. It's just a sprain. I'll be fine."
"I don't like it when you're hurt." He brushed a side lock of hair away from her cheek.
She looked up and saw the frown on his weary face. "I know. But you helped."
"Hope it's enough. I need a drink. You want anything?"
"Nope. Just you, when you're done hydrating."
He snorted and walked out.
She fell asleep in the dim, cool room, and had no idea what time it was when she woke. She yawned and rolled over without thinking, but was pleasantly surprised to find her back felt much better. Shivering a bit, she grabbed her shirt next to her and pulled it on. It was dark out, and there was no sign of Shota. She sighed; she had slept until his patrol and would not see him until he got back.
There was a piece of paper on the kitchen counter and she shuffled sleepily over, still not quite awake.
"I made the coffee. It just needs to be turned on. Remember to take a pill if you still hurt." A bottle of generic painkillers had been pointedly left on the edge of the note to hold it in place.
Elly laughed. His nearly illegible scrawl always made her smile. No one assumed such a man to have sloppy handwriting, but it really was awful. She turned the pot on and slid her cup to the front of the counter, ready to wait patiently until he got home.
Hours later, as the night waned and the moon shone brightly overhead in the sky she heard his long-awaited scuffling at the door.
It opened and Aizawa slipped noiselessly inside, murmuring "I'm home."
"Hooray." She grinned at him from the couch and got up for a hug.
"I see you're feeling better," he said drily, arching his eyebrows.
"Yep. Much better."
"Oh?" His arms tightened around her. "You want to join me in the bath, then?"
She squealed happily and he snorted laughter at her reaction. Stooping slightly, he picked her up and carried her into the bathroom. Elly reached into his capture weapon and removed his eye drops and goggles, setting them aside as he ran the water.
"You want to take anything else off while you're at it?"
She giggled wickedly, laying her ears back. "I'm not falling for that again. You take that weapon off."
He smiled and set her down, then unraveled it from his neck and shoulders. "Wise decision," he congratulated her. "Now that it's gone, however..."
"Oooh."
"Reach up under it. There..."
"How about here?"
He groaned. Her hands seemed to be everywhere at once, groping him hungrily through his bodysuit and under it. He reached around and started pulling her clothes off as well, kissing every strip of uncovered flesh as it slid into view. His lips caught and suckled at her nipples until she cried out, weakly clutching the counter for support.
"Sho, stop a minute! My god!"
"You sure you're good enough to fool around in the tub?" Aizawa nipped lightly but his voice was serious. "Don't push yourself for something so frivolous."
"Frivolous?! I get what you're saying, but no. I feel better... look."
He watched as she bent and touched near her feet. "Ches, are you trying to touch your toes?"
"I couldn't before I hurt my back, either," she clarified with a snort, her tail twitching.
He coughed dry laughter. "Okay, I believe you. Top or bottom?"
"Oh, my." She whisked her tail around, her heart beginning to thump crazily in her chest at his quick change of tone.
"Took too long."
"Yeek!"
He leaped in and pulled her on top of him, chuckling when she hissed at the contact with the water. "It's warm enough, yes?"
"Yeah, it's fine. I guess my body was a little too hot."
He snorted louder laughter and kissed her throat. Things progressed fairly quickly after that, and as sex in a bathtub was difficult they settled for rubbing against one another. For awhile, the only sounds were their heavy breathing and splashes of water. But soon the toll of being on top began to wear and she groaned.
"You close, baby?"
Aizawa's only reply was to breathe harder, his head thrust between her breasts as they moved. More water slopped over the edge but neither noticed; they were too busy.
His hands clutched her rear, sliding on the slick flesh and he impatiently grasped the base of her tail instead, tugging hard as the weight in his groin grew. This caused her to shriek softly and bounce faster in an agony of desperate pleasure.
"Ah, good girl," he called out, his voice rough. "Keep it up. I'm - I'm close..!"
"Girl?" She protested mildly enough through her exertions.
"Ha!"
"It's okay, baby."
He blushed and sank down into the water, his gray eyes holding her own. Moments later they widened, his dark hair flying upright. His release was warmer than the water at this point and she felt it as he came, slicking her lower belly with his seed.
"Yellow." Aizawa winced and slid one hand between them while the other squeezed her waist. She stopped immediately, sliding awkwardly and grasping at the sides of the tub.
"You okay?"
One bleary eye opened. "Yes. Came too hard ... sorry. Can't go on. Here." The hand that had slid down her front found the top of her sex and rubbed vigorously in tight, hard little circles. Unprepared for this sudden, intense stimulation, her orgasm was as hard as his had been.
In fact, she screamed so loudly she managed to hurt her throat.
"Warn me! Next ... time," she coughed, flopping down to lay on his chest. "Please. More warning next time."
He chuckled and patted her back in a wordless apology.
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Dress Up
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>hey baby!</i>
<b>Cheshire</b>: <i>hi sweetie ♡ what's up</i>
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>I have a question for youuuu</i>
<b>Cheshire</b>: <i>uh oh!</i>
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>lol!</i>
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>if I could only wear a couple of pieces of clothing tonight (or less!) what would you want me to wear?</i>
Elly paused, her tail idly flicking back and forth as she thought. The school outside her office was quiet as it was after hours with only an occasional person strolling by.
<b>Cheshire</b>: <i>I think...</i>
<b>Cheshire</b>: <i>wow this is really hard</i>
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>...</i>
<b>Cheshire</b>: <i>oh no you don't lol. I know what you were gonna say</i>
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>;)</i>
<b>Cheshire</b>: <i>your work jacket and boots</i>
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>the boots?! Kinky! I love it</i>
She giggled wickedly at his reaction.
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>I'll be counting the minutes ♡♡♡</i>
Oh, the anticipation until she opened thei door a half an hour or so later.
True to her choices, he was wearing only his studded leather jacket - an older, slightly ragged one they used for fooling around in -- and the long boots. His hair was flowing free over his shoulders and he was sporting a huge erection along with the most evil grin she had seen in awhile.
"How the hell do you <i>do</i> that? I know you weren't hard the whole time since you texted." She hastily set her bag and neck gear on the bench near the door beside his.
"I get excited when I hear you opening the door," he admitted with a chuckle. "C'mere..."
"I haven't even showered yet!" But she allowed him to pull her in for a deep kiss. Hizashi hummed softly, causing a thrill to run up her spine from the vibrations of his quirk. "Mnn," she panted hotly. "Somebody missed me today, didn't they."
"I miss you every second we're apart." He could somehow say cheesy things like this with a straight, even earnest, face.
"You look sexy as hell."
"You chose the outfit. You like?" He cocked a leg up mid-air as if standing on a step, posed with his hair thrown back and wiggled his eyebrows at her.
Elly's ears perked towards him attentively. "I love it. You know how I feel about that jacket, sweetie." She pulled him closer and kissed him full on the mouth. "Take me, sweetie."
"Sh - shit, that's what I'm talkin' about." He picked her up and hurriedly walked into the bedroom, doubling his stride to set her down on the bed as quickly as possible. "Okay." His shoulders surged and he wriggled out of the jacket. When he would have taken hold of the boots, however, she laid a hand on his.
"Leave them on," she grinned.
"Ohmigod."
"Yeah."
"Heyyy, I get better traction with 'em." Hizashi chuckled wickedly, a dark grin of pure mischief crossing his lips. "Watch out, babe." The bed creaked as he climbed onto her.
"Here, quick." She had unfastened the bottom of her bodysuit.
"So eager," he breathed. "This might be tricky if yer gonna just open the flap."
"Don't wanna wait," she moaned.
"S'okay, I'll go slow at first... mmm, Ches. Oh, baby." He gripped the sheets on either side and rocked forward ever so slightly. "I love you."
"Ohhh... so much, Zashi." She sighed, her hands clasped around his neck. "I love you so much."
"Good," he panted. "That's all I want..." He strained to keep a slow pace, eyes squeezing tightly shut. "All I need. Mnn. You're so hot inside." He giggled as the fur on her upper costume tickled his bare chest.
"Cute," she wheezed.
"Ha! You know what th - that does to me."
"I do."
"Then hold on!"
Hizashi threw himself into the act, gasping hoarsely amidst groans of pleasure. It was not long before his pace had quickened into the rapid squeaking of the mattress springs that signaled his imminent release.
"M'gonna come ... oh, <i>god</i>, baby, you ready for it? You ready for <i>me?</i>" He cried out in harsh little pants, his voice starting to rise as it always did. His hair flowed beautifully as he moved.
"Faster! Yes, Zashi, yes!"
"Huh...uh, oh shit <i>Ches</i>! Yes! Yes! Ye -" He was cut off by her mouth on his, swallowing his screams of pleasure and adding her own as she came, as well.
"Mnn'never takin' these boots off again," he moaned thickly. "They're like, my lucky sex charm or somethin'."
Elly burst out laughing.
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>I have a question for youuuu</i>
<b>Cheshire</b>: <i>uh oh!</i>
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>lol!</i>
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>if I could only wear a couple of pieces of clothing tonight (or less!) what would you want me to wear?</i>
Elly paused, her tail idly flicking back and forth as she thought. The school outside her office was quiet as it was after hours with only an occasional person strolling by.
<b>Cheshire</b>: <i>I think...</i>
<b>Cheshire</b>: <i>wow this is really hard</i>
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>...</i>
<b>Cheshire</b>: <i>oh no you don't lol. I know what you were gonna say</i>
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>;)</i>
<b>Cheshire</b>: <i>your work jacket and boots</i>
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>the boots?! Kinky! I love it</i>
She giggled wickedly at his reaction.
<b>Hizashi</b>: <i>I'll be counting the minutes ♡♡♡</i>
Oh, the anticipation until she opened thei door a half an hour or so later.
True to her choices, he was wearing only his studded leather jacket - an older, slightly ragged one they used for fooling around in -- and the long boots. His hair was flowing free over his shoulders and he was sporting a huge erection along with the most evil grin she had seen in awhile.
"How the hell do you <i>do</i> that? I know you weren't hard the whole time since you texted." She hastily set her bag and neck gear on the bench near the door beside his.
"I get excited when I hear you opening the door," he admitted with a chuckle. "C'mere..."
"I haven't even showered yet!" But she allowed him to pull her in for a deep kiss. Hizashi hummed softly, causing a thrill to run up her spine from the vibrations of his quirk. "Mnn," she panted hotly. "Somebody missed me today, didn't they."
"I miss you every second we're apart." He could somehow say cheesy things like this with a straight, even earnest, face.
"You look sexy as hell."
"You chose the outfit. You like?" He cocked a leg up mid-air as if standing on a step, posed with his hair thrown back and wiggled his eyebrows at her.
Elly's ears perked towards him attentively. "I love it. You know how I feel about that jacket, sweetie." She pulled him closer and kissed him full on the mouth. "Take me, sweetie."
"Sh - shit, that's what I'm talkin' about." He picked her up and hurriedly walked into the bedroom, doubling his stride to set her down on the bed as quickly as possible. "Okay." His shoulders surged and he wriggled out of the jacket. When he would have taken hold of the boots, however, she laid a hand on his.
"Leave them on," she grinned.
"Ohmigod."
"Yeah."
"Heyyy, I get better traction with 'em." Hizashi chuckled wickedly, a dark grin of pure mischief crossing his lips. "Watch out, babe." The bed creaked as he climbed onto her.
"Here, quick." She had unfastened the bottom of her bodysuit.
"So eager," he breathed. "This might be tricky if yer gonna just open the flap."
"Don't wanna wait," she moaned.
"S'okay, I'll go slow at first... mmm, Ches. Oh, baby." He gripped the sheets on either side and rocked forward ever so slightly. "I love you."
"Ohhh... so much, Zashi." She sighed, her hands clasped around his neck. "I love you so much."
"Good," he panted. "That's all I want..." He strained to keep a slow pace, eyes squeezing tightly shut. "All I need. Mnn. You're so hot inside." He giggled as the fur on her upper costume tickled his bare chest.
"Cute," she wheezed.
"Ha! You know what th - that does to me."
"I do."
"Then hold on!"
Hizashi threw himself into the act, gasping hoarsely amidst groans of pleasure. It was not long before his pace had quickened into the rapid squeaking of the mattress springs that signaled his imminent release.
"M'gonna come ... oh, <i>god</i>, baby, you ready for it? You ready for <i>me?</i>" He cried out in harsh little pants, his voice starting to rise as it always did. His hair flowed beautifully as he moved.
"Faster! Yes, Zashi, yes!"
"Huh...uh, oh shit <i>Ches</i>! Yes! Yes! Ye -" He was cut off by her mouth on his, swallowing his screams of pleasure and adding her own as she came, as well.
"Mnn'never takin' these boots off again," he moaned thickly. "They're like, my lucky sex charm or somethin'."
Elly burst out laughing.
Morning Sickness
Upon opening her eyes Elly immediately knew it was going to be a special kind of day. She burped, rolled over, and unintentionally smacked her husband across the face as she struggled to wake.
"Hey!"
"Sorry! Gotta get - bathroom!" The next few moments involved a very panicked cat woman tripping over the sheets and tangling herself in them trying to rush to the toilet.
Aizawa blinked the sleep out of his eyes and yanked the sheets off the bed, bundling wife and cloth together. He bolted for the bathroom, remembering the mess she had made a day ago when she hadn't moved quite fast enough. Elly knelt in front of the toilet and gave him a weak thumbs-up.
"That's it, we're buying a basin and placing it next to you in the bedroom." He leaned heavily on the doorframe as she was violently sick.
"Ughhh."
"Uh huh." He ran cool water on a was cloth and dabbed at her neck and brow. "Didn't Chiyo tell you to eat something when you wake?"
"I didn't even have time," she explained tiredly. "There's a snack on the nightstand."
"Well," he shrugged. "It can't last the entire pregnancy... can it?"
"It better not," she muttered. Her purple hair was wet where he had wiped and wayward strands framed her paler-than-usual features. "I won't be a ball of freaking sunshine any more if it lasts another <i>week</i>."
He snorted. "Hnf! You're one now?" He easily dodged the washcloth as it sailed past his head. "I know this is trying, my queen, but it's necessary if you want to have our child."
"I <i>know</i>, Shota," she grated at him, her ears laying back. "I'm cranky, not stupid." She kicked the last of the sheets off and clambered to her feet. He offered her his arm and hauled her up.
"Hungry now?"
"Yeah." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Like always. Even when I'm barfing, I'm starving, somehow."
He wrinkled his nose. "Yuck."
"Yeah. That's one of the reasons I'm cranky."
Aizawa paused in the hallway to regard her solemnly. She was starting to show, and had resorted to wearing his old t-shirts to bed until she could shop for some maternity clothes. This morning she wore a dark charcoal top that had pawprints trailing up on the back, and a loose-fitting pair of sweatpants. She looked back over her shoulder to catch him staring.
"Sho? You okay there?"
He nodded and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her and rubbing her belly. "Mm hmm. You want company today at the mall?"
"What? Are you offering to shop with me?!"
"Yes." He kissed her cheek. "I'm feeling very ... protective of you both. You mind the company?"
"Aw, cute. Of course not, I've been dying to have you come with me on a few more trips." Her eyes brightened. "We can look in that new baby boutique they just opened for anthros!"
His lips twitched. "Careful, Ches. He or she might come out totally human."
"I know. Doesn't matter, either. But there's a really good chance we'll have a mix. Ears, tail, fangs, nose - one of my great grandparents had the whole head, you know."
"Oh?"
"I can see what's running through your head," she teased him. "You would completely lose it if there was a fluffy cat head in the house all the time."
"There already is." He ruffled her purple hair. "You fight back sometimes, though."
She snapped at his fingers and he jerked his hand out of the way. "Ha!"
"Okay, that's it. We're getting you fed."
"Good. I'm starving."
He rolled his eyes in jest and she grinned at him. <i>I guess there were <b>worse</b> ways to start the day</i>, she thought as she watched him slump over to the coffee pot.
"Hey!"
"Sorry! Gotta get - bathroom!" The next few moments involved a very panicked cat woman tripping over the sheets and tangling herself in them trying to rush to the toilet.
Aizawa blinked the sleep out of his eyes and yanked the sheets off the bed, bundling wife and cloth together. He bolted for the bathroom, remembering the mess she had made a day ago when she hadn't moved quite fast enough. Elly knelt in front of the toilet and gave him a weak thumbs-up.
"That's it, we're buying a basin and placing it next to you in the bedroom." He leaned heavily on the doorframe as she was violently sick.
"Ughhh."
"Uh huh." He ran cool water on a was cloth and dabbed at her neck and brow. "Didn't Chiyo tell you to eat something when you wake?"
"I didn't even have time," she explained tiredly. "There's a snack on the nightstand."
"Well," he shrugged. "It can't last the entire pregnancy... can it?"
"It better not," she muttered. Her purple hair was wet where he had wiped and wayward strands framed her paler-than-usual features. "I won't be a ball of freaking sunshine any more if it lasts another <i>week</i>."
He snorted. "Hnf! You're one now?" He easily dodged the washcloth as it sailed past his head. "I know this is trying, my queen, but it's necessary if you want to have our child."
"I <i>know</i>, Shota," she grated at him, her ears laying back. "I'm cranky, not stupid." She kicked the last of the sheets off and clambered to her feet. He offered her his arm and hauled her up.
"Hungry now?"
"Yeah." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Like always. Even when I'm barfing, I'm starving, somehow."
He wrinkled his nose. "Yuck."
"Yeah. That's one of the reasons I'm cranky."
Aizawa paused in the hallway to regard her solemnly. She was starting to show, and had resorted to wearing his old t-shirts to bed until she could shop for some maternity clothes. This morning she wore a dark charcoal top that had pawprints trailing up on the back, and a loose-fitting pair of sweatpants. She looked back over her shoulder to catch him staring.
"Sho? You okay there?"
He nodded and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her and rubbing her belly. "Mm hmm. You want company today at the mall?"
"What? Are you offering to shop with me?!"
"Yes." He kissed her cheek. "I'm feeling very ... protective of you both. You mind the company?"
"Aw, cute. Of course not, I've been dying to have you come with me on a few more trips." Her eyes brightened. "We can look in that new baby boutique they just opened for anthros!"
His lips twitched. "Careful, Ches. He or she might come out totally human."
"I know. Doesn't matter, either. But there's a really good chance we'll have a mix. Ears, tail, fangs, nose - one of my great grandparents had the whole head, you know."
"Oh?"
"I can see what's running through your head," she teased him. "You would completely lose it if there was a fluffy cat head in the house all the time."
"There already is." He ruffled her purple hair. "You fight back sometimes, though."
She snapped at his fingers and he jerked his hand out of the way. "Ha!"
"Okay, that's it. We're getting you fed."
"Good. I'm starving."
He rolled his eyes in jest and she grinned at him. <i>I guess there were <b>worse</b> ways to start the day</i>, she thought as she watched him slump over to the coffee pot.
Trust Camp (Shota)
The team building exercise this month for U.A's staff was a two night stay at a "Trust Retreat". A good portion of the staff was sent, with a few staying behind to look after things. There were male and female dormitory-style cabins, and everything was rustic yet well maintained. No one really spoke of the reason why they were there until the first night.
"Okay. We're here, we set up this fire and everything."
"What do we do next?" Kan blinked at the forest looming over their backs. "I just hope the answer's not 'get bitten to death by bugs'".
"BUGS?!" Hizashi yelped and tied himself into a rather intricate knot in his fear. "Where? Where?!" He waved a can of spray he was carrying around, his eyes huge.
"I think we're supposed to just talk and stuff."
"Isn't the point of a trust camp to test our trust for each other and strengthen it?"
"This is stupid," Hizashi whined. "Can't we just go inside, where it's kinda safer .... and forget about this part?"
A sardonic voice drifted up from the general vicinity of the yellow sleeping bag on the ground nearby. "You can certainly trust that if I have to do this stupid thing, we all do."
"What about it, then. Elly?" Nemuri raised her eyebrows. "What are we supposed to do?"
Elly winced. "I know as the counselor you probably think I'm into this sort of therapy, but I'm not, really. I don't care for public sharing."
"Excuse me, Cheshire," Yagi sounded confused yet was polite as always. "Do you mean this wasn't your idea?"
"No. I - I don't like these retreats." Her ears were flattened back and her wide, purple eyes darted around nervously. "Nothing good has ever happened to me by sharing intimate thoughts."
Hizashi tilted his head to the side, staring intently at her with a frown on his face. "Not even your family?"
"Especially my family!" She flinched when he jumped at her fervent answer. "Sorry, Zashi. But it's true. Those that were supposed to love me back either never did or showed it very strangely. With mental abuse, among other things."
"Ooh. Ouch."
"Yeah, so I can guess your main fear, pretty much huh?"
"I'm terrified of falling in love," she said simply.
Nemuri laughed softly. "Little chance of that at U.A, though, right? I mean..." She briefly appraised the group huddled around the bonfire and chuckled. "The men here are either taken or, you know." She gestured to Aizawa, or rather, the lump of cloth nearby that was lightly snoring. "That."
Elly's cheeks burned bright red and she was very glad it was too dark to tell.
"Hey! There's other guys here, you know." Hizashi shook his head. "Damn, that's cold. Even for you."
"Hmm? Oh, of course. Toshinori. Sorry."
Hizashi spluttered. "Now you're just bein' insulting."
She covered her mouth with a snarky titter as several others shook their heads at their antics.
"She wasn't before?" The cat lady nodded at the homeroom teacher.
"She's right about me, at least," Aizawa grunted bleakly. "I'm no catch. Nor am I interested in that foolishness." Blushing aside, Elly pulled such a face that everyone noticed except him. "It's a waste of energy as well as productivity."
"Love is not a waste of anything," Yagi asserted, looking distraught.
"I disagree."
Nemuri prodded the fire with a stick, watching as a twig crackled and burst aflame. "You sure about that, Aizawa? I mean, sure, no one's ever seen you date ir anything. But you have to care, right? Doesn't everyone want to find that special someone?"
"I have zero interest," he said firmly.
"Excuse me." Elly suddenly pointed behind them. "I need to run back to the cabins for something." She got up without waiting for a response and left, her movements quick and jerky.
"Oh, dear," Nemuri sighed as the counselor hastily excused herself.
"Probably has to pee. It must suck to be a woman and not just be able to go behind a tree."
"Ugh, Yamada..."
"I doubt that is her intent," Yagi said quietly. His sunken eyes slowly focused on Aizawa, who was yawning and staring morosely at the flames.
"What," he grunted flatly.
Several more people joined Yagi in staring at the bleary-eyed man.
"What?!"
They eventually went back to discussing other topics. After awhile, the ladies decided it was late and they parted to go to their gender-separate cabins. Upon entering, Elly was visible curled up fully dressed on her bed. She jumped at the sound of the door and flipped about.
"You okay, kiddo? You never came back." Chiyo gave her a sympathetic look.
"Oh, I'm fine!" Her smile seemed genuine, though slightly off. "Just a headache. I was so tired I laid down early."
"Oh. Good." Nemuri flopped down onto a cot and was soon fast asleep.
Elly, however, did not get much rest that night or the entire time they stayed. It wasn't much better at home, either. Her smile was always locked firmly in place but her eyes began to look bleary and tired.
It was around this point Aizawa approached her in the confines of her office. He knocked, then when he saw she was alone stepped inside and laid his slumped back to the door.
"Hey."
Her head jerked upright from where she had been dozing and she shook it to clear the fog of sleep. "Eraser... what? What do you need?"
He regarded her more closely. "You haven't been getting enough sleep."
"Yes. I know. It will eventually work itself out." She shrugged. "Insomnia can't last forever."
"Hnf."
"Uhh. Was there something I can do for you, or..?" She flicked her ears anxiously towards him as he approached her desk. He slowly walked over and sat on the edge, staring very intently at her with his bloodshot eyes. She looked away.
"That." He pointed.
"What?"
"You've been acting odd since that stupid retreat we all did. Won't meet my gaze and I hardly see you outside of this office. Why?"
Elly drew in a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "I apologize for not treating you with more respect." She bowed her head. "I've had a lot of difficult case files, and..."
"No."
She jumped, her eyes wide in shock at the sound of his dry voice so close. He was bent forward, mere inches away. "Erk."
"That's not it. Whatever it is, I don't care for it. I have become ..." He paused, grimaced and went on in a strangled tone, "accustomed to your presence during the day. This is unacceptable."
"'Accustomed'?" She blinked. "Waaaait. That's Eraserhead for 'I miss you'. What's going on?"
"I have a language?" He sounded mildly amused.
"Please," she snorted. "You're so laconic a language is hardly what I would call it. There wouldn't be enough words."
"Ches."
"All right. Damn it! What do you want from me?"
"The truth. No matter how hard it might be."
She sighed and fell back, escaping, for a moment, his penetrating stare. "Fine. I tried it the other way - if you'd have let things be, it wouldn't have gotten awkward. Remember that." Once more she rolled her shoulders back, also lifting her chin. She still couldn't look him in the eyes, but settled for a spot near his shoulder, a trick she sometimes taught bashful students. "I was hurt by the things you said at the camp."
"About?"
"Oh, hell. Love, okay?"
He nodded. "I thought it might be that."
"Yes. Well, even though we have differentiating opinions, we can still ... oh!"
He had placed a hand on hers on the desk. She stared down at it stupidly as he curled it around her fingers and squeezed gently. His hand was larger than hers and felt very warm.
"I have developed a certain way of speaking that shuts down certain conversation loops, such as anything remotely involving my personal life."
She finally met his eyes and was astonished to see him looking so soft. His smile was small but natural, not the creepy grin she was used to.
"It's often easier than dealing with colleagues that like to gossip."
"No... you said it's a waste. And you have zero interest."
"In the discussion. I didn't care for talking about it. And I still think it's foolish, but I'm afraid I'm stuck with the facts in this case."
She swallowed hard. "Facts?"
"Your absence pains me; I found it's as bad knowing you might be hurting as well. I want you to get better sleep, but not just because it's affecting your productivity, it's to see you smiling more." He paused. "All of these things are what I desire because I have feelings for you more than is normal for a fellow teacher and pro hero."
"Damn it, Shota, I'm very tired and you're talking in circles to avoid getting to the freaking point..."
He shrugged. "I'm in love with you."
Her mouth fell open in complete and total shock.
Instead of mocking her about her vapid expression, he took her parted lips as an opportunity for a kiss. His free hand caressed her cheek, turning her towards him. It was brief, a gentle mouthing of her own that lasted mere seconds. The scruff on his upper lip and chin scratched a little, the contrast strangely adding to the pleasure when combined with the soft kiss.
"Hmm? Shota?" He was saying something. She shook herself back to reality and struggled to focus.
He was grinning. "Eight o'clock. I'm free tonight and will come pick you up."
"Did you just - are we going to..?"
"Start dating?" He sounded mildly surprised. "I assumed that's what we had to do in order for our relationship to progress."
She lost consciousness briefly again and Aizawa held her up, chuckling wickedly. Why had he waited? This whole experience was going to be most enjoyable.
"Okay. We're here, we set up this fire and everything."
"What do we do next?" Kan blinked at the forest looming over their backs. "I just hope the answer's not 'get bitten to death by bugs'".
"BUGS?!" Hizashi yelped and tied himself into a rather intricate knot in his fear. "Where? Where?!" He waved a can of spray he was carrying around, his eyes huge.
"I think we're supposed to just talk and stuff."
"Isn't the point of a trust camp to test our trust for each other and strengthen it?"
"This is stupid," Hizashi whined. "Can't we just go inside, where it's kinda safer .... and forget about this part?"
A sardonic voice drifted up from the general vicinity of the yellow sleeping bag on the ground nearby. "You can certainly trust that if I have to do this stupid thing, we all do."
"What about it, then. Elly?" Nemuri raised her eyebrows. "What are we supposed to do?"
Elly winced. "I know as the counselor you probably think I'm into this sort of therapy, but I'm not, really. I don't care for public sharing."
"Excuse me, Cheshire," Yagi sounded confused yet was polite as always. "Do you mean this wasn't your idea?"
"No. I - I don't like these retreats." Her ears were flattened back and her wide, purple eyes darted around nervously. "Nothing good has ever happened to me by sharing intimate thoughts."
Hizashi tilted his head to the side, staring intently at her with a frown on his face. "Not even your family?"
"Especially my family!" She flinched when he jumped at her fervent answer. "Sorry, Zashi. But it's true. Those that were supposed to love me back either never did or showed it very strangely. With mental abuse, among other things."
"Ooh. Ouch."
"Yeah, so I can guess your main fear, pretty much huh?"
"I'm terrified of falling in love," she said simply.
Nemuri laughed softly. "Little chance of that at U.A, though, right? I mean..." She briefly appraised the group huddled around the bonfire and chuckled. "The men here are either taken or, you know." She gestured to Aizawa, or rather, the lump of cloth nearby that was lightly snoring. "That."
Elly's cheeks burned bright red and she was very glad it was too dark to tell.
"Hey! There's other guys here, you know." Hizashi shook his head. "Damn, that's cold. Even for you."
"Hmm? Oh, of course. Toshinori. Sorry."
Hizashi spluttered. "Now you're just bein' insulting."
She covered her mouth with a snarky titter as several others shook their heads at their antics.
"She wasn't before?" The cat lady nodded at the homeroom teacher.
"She's right about me, at least," Aizawa grunted bleakly. "I'm no catch. Nor am I interested in that foolishness." Blushing aside, Elly pulled such a face that everyone noticed except him. "It's a waste of energy as well as productivity."
"Love is not a waste of anything," Yagi asserted, looking distraught.
"I disagree."
Nemuri prodded the fire with a stick, watching as a twig crackled and burst aflame. "You sure about that, Aizawa? I mean, sure, no one's ever seen you date ir anything. But you have to care, right? Doesn't everyone want to find that special someone?"
"I have zero interest," he said firmly.
"Excuse me." Elly suddenly pointed behind them. "I need to run back to the cabins for something." She got up without waiting for a response and left, her movements quick and jerky.
"Oh, dear," Nemuri sighed as the counselor hastily excused herself.
"Probably has to pee. It must suck to be a woman and not just be able to go behind a tree."
"Ugh, Yamada..."
"I doubt that is her intent," Yagi said quietly. His sunken eyes slowly focused on Aizawa, who was yawning and staring morosely at the flames.
"What," he grunted flatly.
Several more people joined Yagi in staring at the bleary-eyed man.
"What?!"
They eventually went back to discussing other topics. After awhile, the ladies decided it was late and they parted to go to their gender-separate cabins. Upon entering, Elly was visible curled up fully dressed on her bed. She jumped at the sound of the door and flipped about.
"You okay, kiddo? You never came back." Chiyo gave her a sympathetic look.
"Oh, I'm fine!" Her smile seemed genuine, though slightly off. "Just a headache. I was so tired I laid down early."
"Oh. Good." Nemuri flopped down onto a cot and was soon fast asleep.
Elly, however, did not get much rest that night or the entire time they stayed. It wasn't much better at home, either. Her smile was always locked firmly in place but her eyes began to look bleary and tired.
It was around this point Aizawa approached her in the confines of her office. He knocked, then when he saw she was alone stepped inside and laid his slumped back to the door.
"Hey."
Her head jerked upright from where she had been dozing and she shook it to clear the fog of sleep. "Eraser... what? What do you need?"
He regarded her more closely. "You haven't been getting enough sleep."
"Yes. I know. It will eventually work itself out." She shrugged. "Insomnia can't last forever."
"Hnf."
"Uhh. Was there something I can do for you, or..?" She flicked her ears anxiously towards him as he approached her desk. He slowly walked over and sat on the edge, staring very intently at her with his bloodshot eyes. She looked away.
"That." He pointed.
"What?"
"You've been acting odd since that stupid retreat we all did. Won't meet my gaze and I hardly see you outside of this office. Why?"
Elly drew in a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "I apologize for not treating you with more respect." She bowed her head. "I've had a lot of difficult case files, and..."
"No."
She jumped, her eyes wide in shock at the sound of his dry voice so close. He was bent forward, mere inches away. "Erk."
"That's not it. Whatever it is, I don't care for it. I have become ..." He paused, grimaced and went on in a strangled tone, "accustomed to your presence during the day. This is unacceptable."
"'Accustomed'?" She blinked. "Waaaait. That's Eraserhead for 'I miss you'. What's going on?"
"I have a language?" He sounded mildly amused.
"Please," she snorted. "You're so laconic a language is hardly what I would call it. There wouldn't be enough words."
"Ches."
"All right. Damn it! What do you want from me?"
"The truth. No matter how hard it might be."
She sighed and fell back, escaping, for a moment, his penetrating stare. "Fine. I tried it the other way - if you'd have let things be, it wouldn't have gotten awkward. Remember that." Once more she rolled her shoulders back, also lifting her chin. She still couldn't look him in the eyes, but settled for a spot near his shoulder, a trick she sometimes taught bashful students. "I was hurt by the things you said at the camp."
"About?"
"Oh, hell. Love, okay?"
He nodded. "I thought it might be that."
"Yes. Well, even though we have differentiating opinions, we can still ... oh!"
He had placed a hand on hers on the desk. She stared down at it stupidly as he curled it around her fingers and squeezed gently. His hand was larger than hers and felt very warm.
"I have developed a certain way of speaking that shuts down certain conversation loops, such as anything remotely involving my personal life."
She finally met his eyes and was astonished to see him looking so soft. His smile was small but natural, not the creepy grin she was used to.
"It's often easier than dealing with colleagues that like to gossip."
"No... you said it's a waste. And you have zero interest."
"In the discussion. I didn't care for talking about it. And I still think it's foolish, but I'm afraid I'm stuck with the facts in this case."
She swallowed hard. "Facts?"
"Your absence pains me; I found it's as bad knowing you might be hurting as well. I want you to get better sleep, but not just because it's affecting your productivity, it's to see you smiling more." He paused. "All of these things are what I desire because I have feelings for you more than is normal for a fellow teacher and pro hero."
"Damn it, Shota, I'm very tired and you're talking in circles to avoid getting to the freaking point..."
He shrugged. "I'm in love with you."
Her mouth fell open in complete and total shock.
Instead of mocking her about her vapid expression, he took her parted lips as an opportunity for a kiss. His free hand caressed her cheek, turning her towards him. It was brief, a gentle mouthing of her own that lasted mere seconds. The scruff on his upper lip and chin scratched a little, the contrast strangely adding to the pleasure when combined with the soft kiss.
"Hmm? Shota?" He was saying something. She shook herself back to reality and struggled to focus.
He was grinning. "Eight o'clock. I'm free tonight and will come pick you up."
"Did you just - are we going to..?"
"Start dating?" He sounded mildly surprised. "I assumed that's what we had to do in order for our relationship to progress."
She lost consciousness briefly again and Aizawa held her up, chuckling wickedly. Why had he waited? This whole experience was going to be most enjoyable.
Trust Camp (Zashi)
The team building exercise this month for U.A's staff was a two night stay at a "Trust Retreat". A good portion of the staff was sent, with a few staying behind to look after things. There were male and female dormitory-style cabins, and everything was rustic yet well maintained. No one really spoke of the reason why they were there until the first night.
"Okay. We're here, we set up the fire." Chiyo sighed and held her hands out towards the flames. "This feels wonderful."
"What do we do next?" Kan blinked at the forest looming over their backs. "I just hope the answer's not 'get bitten to death by bugs'".
"BUGS?!" Hizashi yelped and tied himself into a rather intricate knot in his fear. "Where? Where?!" He waved a can of spray he was carrying around, his eyes huge.
"I think we're supposed to just talk and stuff."
"Isn't the point of a trust camp to test our trust for each other and strengthen it?"
"This is stupid," Hizashi whined. "Can't we just go inside, where it's kinda safer .... and forget about this part?"
A sardonic voice drifted up from the general vicinity of the yellow sleeping bag on the ground nearby. "You can certainly trust that if I have to do this stupid thing, we all do."
Elly winced. "I know as the counselor you all probably think I'm into this sort of therapy, but I'm not, really. I don't care for public sharing."
"Excuse me, Cheshire," Yagi sounded confused yet was polite as always. "Do you mean this wasn't your idea?"
"No. I - I don't like these retreats." Her ears were flattened back and her wide, purple eyes darted around nervously. "Nothing good has ever happened to me by sharing intimate thoughts."
Hizashi tilted his head to the side, staring intently at her with a frown on his face. "Not even your family?"
"Especially my family!" She flinched when he jumped at her fervent answer. "Sorry, Zashi. But it's true. Those that were supposed to love me back either never did or showed it very strangely. With mental abuse, among other things."
"Oh. Wow."
Yagi looked absolutely horrified. He turned to her and spoke in a soft tone that still carried. "Parents should love and cherish their children."
"Yes. They should. And now, thanks to them and a bunch of assholes in the US that I had the misfortune of dating, I'm terrified of falling in love."
Nemuri laughed softly. "Little chance of that at U.A, though, right? I mean..." She briefly appraised the group huddled around the bonfire and chuckled. "The men here are either taken or, you know." She gestured to Aizawa, or rather, the lump of cloth nearby that was lightly snoring. "That."
Elly's cheeks burned bright red and she was very glad it was too dark to tell.
"Hey! There's other guys here, you know." Hizashi shook his head. "Damn, that's cold. Even for you."
"Hmm? Oh, of course. Toshinori. Sorry."
Hizashi spluttered. "Now you're just bein' insulting."
"Ha!" She covered her mouth with a snarky titter as several others shook their heads at their antics.
"Him?" Kan snorted, pointing at the blond-haired man as he fidgeted about, adjusting his long legs in a more comfortable position. "It's insulting to the females in his case."
"All that nonsense is a waste of energy as well as productivity," Aizawa asserted.
"Love is not a waste of anything," Yagi asserted, looking distraught.
"Look, I get enough action," Hizashi spluttered, shaking his fist at the fanged man. "Trust me. Club gigs're always full of chicks wantin' to take home the DJ."
"You're telling me it's not just Hero groupies? You know, the ones that'll bed any Pro?"
"Why is it so hard to imagine I do just fine with the ladies?!"
"Excuse me." Elly suddenly pointed behind them. "I need to run back to the cabins for something." She got up without waiting for a response and left, her movements quick and jerky.
"That's why," Aizawa muttered so low no one heard him.
"Prude," Nemuri scoffed as the counselor hastily excused herself.
"Probably has to pee. It must suck to be a woman and not just be able to go behind a tree."
"Ugh, Yamada..."
"I doubt that is her intent," Yagi said quietly. His sunken eyes slowly focused on the Voice Hero.
"What? Whaaat?"
Elly ran back to the girl's cabin. Everything was spinning and she couldn't breathe properly. She got in and had barely taken two steps when she let out a heartbroken wail. She wanted to scrape the images away, make them stop, but as she scratched her scalp and down her cheeks they kept coming, unbidden. Women that didn't care or know anything about him, grabbing greedily at his jacket and pulling at him in their eagerness to fuck a hero.
"Stop, stop. Oh, dear. I knew you would be distraught ... just not this much." Old hands, surprisingly strong for their age, caught hers and pulled them from her face. She hadn't even heard the nurse following her but was too emotional to be surprised. "Here. Let me fix this."
"I wish you could fix my stupid heart," Elly groaned.
"You shouldn't worry so much."
"You heard him, Chiyo. It's none of my business, but I hate thinking about it. I'll be fine. I'm being stupid, that's all."
The older woman smiled gently and patted her arm. "You're not being stupid. A little silly, maybe, but love does that to people. Look, he might have just said that to shut Kan and the others up."
"What man wouldn't take advantage of that?" She choked through her sobs. "Women throwing themselves at him? Really?"
A low noise, as if someone clearing their throat, was heard at the doorway.
"Uh... can I say somethin'?"
"That's my exit cue. Take this," she pressed a small sweet into her hands, "and you. Don't let her hurt any more. Okay?"
Hizashi nodded, blushing, and the woman left, talking quietly to herself along the way.
"Why did you come here? You didn't have to follow me." Elly bit her lip, wringing her hands together. He immediately reached out and took her hands in his.
"None of that," he said firmly, holding her hands close to his chest. "I saw Chiyo healing these scratches. Yer not doin' that again. Just listen." He frowned, his brow drawing tightly together. "I'm not gonna lie to you, Ches. I did take advantage of a few opportunities like that when I first became a pro."
She let her head droop down so he couldn't see her tears. "You don't need to tell me anyth-"
"Quiet, yo! This is hard. I, uh... sorry, but I'm tryna' think." She realized he spoke more slang when he was nervous, and it made her heart beat faster. He was so adorable. "All right. I did, you know? A coupla times. But then I noticed I didn't like how it made me feel."
Her soft sniff was very clearly heard in the otherwise quiet cabin.
"Honest," he said so earnestly that she looked up. "I mean it. I..." He faltered, seeing her eyes filled with tears. "Huh - holy shit, babe, wait! Are those cause of what I - ? Oh, crap."
"S'okay."
Hizashi let go of her wrists and pulled her extremely close. She gasped in shock at the feeling of his arms tightly clasped around her. He smelled good and the two necklaces her wore were cool on the side of her face.
"Nuh uh," he shook his head. "It's not okay. Not when yer cryin'. Please - let me finish quick? I hated that they didn't like, uh, really want me. They just wanted to brag the next day to their coworkers and shit. So I stopped. I swear it was only two and I didn't care about them.
"See, everybody treats me like I'm stupid. Worthless." The exasperation in his voice was so intense that she both heard and felt it as he lost control of his quirk a bit. "The fuck! I hate that, hated it more when I was younger. I thought, I dunno, the girls were giving me attention." He coughed. "That was pretty stupid, though. I know better now."
"We all did things we wish we did differently."
"Yeah. I never did that again, anyway. The sex. You know."
"But really, though - how many years has it been from eighteen to, what, you're thirty now? Were you celibate that whole time?"
He coughed, his ears starting to burn. "No-o-o-o, but I didn't let any body just, you know, grab onto me like that." He paused. "Hey wait - what about you? You're askin' me all these questions but can't I get jealous, too?"
She stared at him as if he had grown another head for half a minute. Hizashi started to squirm when she finally replied, slowly and obviously thinking very hard. "Why would you get jealous?"
"I just can, okay?" The burn on his ears began to spread across the bridge of his nose.
"What I said before at the bonfire was true. I've chosen badly due to my past, and have been treated like crap by guys. After the first few I - I gave up. For a long time. I haven't been physical with anyone since I was maybe twenty-three."
He blinked down at her, his green eyes alternately wide and squinted as he processed this. "Wait ... so you really haven't had sex in almost a decade?"
"Yes." It was her turn to squirm as he shifted his weight, pulling her closer. "It doesn't matter, though. It was never any good, anyway."
"Oh, shit, babe. That's not right. Sounds like you had some shitty partners."
"Ugh."
"It should be different. Even a kiss is way different when you're in love. I wouldn't want to, you know, kiss anybody just because." He gave her a strange look. "I'd want a serious relationship."
"Yeah," she nodded glumly. "I agree."
The blush had spread to his cheeks as well. Hizashi swallowed audibly and, his hands shaking, reached down to cup her face in his palms. "I, uh, would hafta be in love."
Elly's purple eyes showed complete confusion, even when he bent towards her and right up until the moment he pressed his mouth onto her own. They widened abruptly, and she gasped and clutched the front of his open dress shirt. She had no idea that something so fleeting as a light brush of the lips could be so stimulating. Her heart pounded in her chest and though her senses were overloaded, a persistent, electric tingle down below let her know that a decade had indeed been a long time. She initiated the next kiss, opening her mouth tentatively and hoping he wouldn't be turned off by her eagerness.
Hizashi's knees wobbled and he would have swayed had he not been luckily close to a wall. He set his back end to it to stabilize himself before giving into his desire and slipping his tongue between her lips with a low moan. They held the kiss for a long time, clinging to one another in the dim light of the social area in the cabin.
"Sh - shiiittt," he breathed at last when they parted for air. "Oh, man. Whoa."
"Wow," she agreed softly.
"Yeah. Wow." He sighed. "I knew it would be great, but that..."
Elly sighed this time, so dreamily that he smiled. "I think you're right, Zashi."
"Hmm?"
"I think sex could be very good if two people are genuinely in love with each other."
He let out a delighted gasp as her fingers stroked the nape of his neck, her body moving suggestively on his below. "Oh, babe, are you serious? What about -"
"We're adults. And honestly, I trust you in a way I never have anyone else. I just didn't think you would be interested."
"But where..? I mean, the rooms here? Is it okay?"
She shrugged. "They'll be busy for a couple hours."
"Yes." His hands switched from holding her in an embrace to lifting her up. "Which room?" He asked as he took the staircase two at a time.
She giggled at his enthusiasm and pointed. "Third on the right."
He stumbled inside and they collapsed onto the bed, laughing helplessly and rolling around. After the kissing and touching had progressed to underneath their clothing, he shucked his dress shirt and the tank underneath off in a single, smooth movement.
"Tadah." He grinned sheepishly.
"Hizashi," she whispered in awe. "You're gorgeous."
He choked and turned an alarming shade of purple. "What? Ches, I'm just, just normal..?"
She shook her head, hands running over his chest. "No. I don't think so. Your body ... why do you hide it under all those layers?"
"Ohhh my god," he wheezed, twisting and yearning as her palms grazed his abdomen. "M'too tall an' stuff even though I work out it doesn't look like - oh baby, right there."
"You're way more muscular than I thought. Either way is fine, but this is a surprise." Her hands slid lower and grazed the front of his khakis.
"Take me out, babe," he husked, licking his lips. "I want you to do it. Wanna feel."
"Lay back."
He did as he was told, craning his neck so he could see as she carefully unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. Exclaiming in approval at his choice of boxer briefs - she liked the look -- she indicated he should lift his lower half. He did, and the pants were slipped off and tossed indifferently on the floor.
She purred lowly and got up, knelt on either side of his legs and bent to kiss his lower belly along the light dusting of blond hair that trailed down into his underwear.
"Y - your hands," he whimpered, biting his lower lip adorably. He had begun to sweat. Elly's fingertips grazed the front of his briefs, delicately tracing the bulging outline and lingering on the damp spot near the top. "Your hands feel way too good!"
"Good," she smiled.
"Nuhhh," he grunted, shaking his head. "This isn't gonna be over that quick. Here, your turn." He was on top of her before she realized what he was going to do, tackling her gently to the rear of the bed and kissing her passionately. "Ya got," he panted as his fingers deftly unhooked her bra, "too many," his hands triumphantly grasped a double handful, "clothes on."
Hizashi made short work of her simple t-shirt and the bra he had already unfastened, mouthing every bit of skin that he exposed along the way. By the time his hand brushed the crotch of her jeans she was sobbing with need, writhing under his warm, strong body and bucking towards his gentle touch.
"Don't worry," he crooned, kissing her breasts as he unzipped and tugged them down. "I'll take care of you the way you've always deserved to be treated."
"Zashi!"
"Ches." A lightly probing fingertip slipped under the waistband of her panties and rubbed. "Oh, man, you're so hot."
"Please..!"
"Hold on," he murmured. "Feels right an' all, but I gotta ask one more time. You sure?"
"Absolutely yes. I want you so much it hurts my heart and my... well, other bits."
He laughed with pure joy, his eyes bright. "Then hold on, sweetheart. M'gonna show you true love."
The sound wave hit the others back at the bonfire around a half an hour later. They blinked at each other amidst the churned up dust and dirt moments before a veritable stampede of animals burst out of the brush into the clearing, running straight for them.
"Shit!" Aizawa leaped to his feet and hopped off, joining the rest of the staff as they climbed trees and threw themselves out of harm's way as quickly as they could.
"That boy's got to get a quirk dampener if they're gonna be a thing now." Chiyo huffed.
Yagi coughed up a second lungful of blood. "Yamada. Oh... oh my."
"Okay. We're here, we set up the fire." Chiyo sighed and held her hands out towards the flames. "This feels wonderful."
"What do we do next?" Kan blinked at the forest looming over their backs. "I just hope the answer's not 'get bitten to death by bugs'".
"BUGS?!" Hizashi yelped and tied himself into a rather intricate knot in his fear. "Where? Where?!" He waved a can of spray he was carrying around, his eyes huge.
"I think we're supposed to just talk and stuff."
"Isn't the point of a trust camp to test our trust for each other and strengthen it?"
"This is stupid," Hizashi whined. "Can't we just go inside, where it's kinda safer .... and forget about this part?"
A sardonic voice drifted up from the general vicinity of the yellow sleeping bag on the ground nearby. "You can certainly trust that if I have to do this stupid thing, we all do."
Elly winced. "I know as the counselor you all probably think I'm into this sort of therapy, but I'm not, really. I don't care for public sharing."
"Excuse me, Cheshire," Yagi sounded confused yet was polite as always. "Do you mean this wasn't your idea?"
"No. I - I don't like these retreats." Her ears were flattened back and her wide, purple eyes darted around nervously. "Nothing good has ever happened to me by sharing intimate thoughts."
Hizashi tilted his head to the side, staring intently at her with a frown on his face. "Not even your family?"
"Especially my family!" She flinched when he jumped at her fervent answer. "Sorry, Zashi. But it's true. Those that were supposed to love me back either never did or showed it very strangely. With mental abuse, among other things."
"Oh. Wow."
Yagi looked absolutely horrified. He turned to her and spoke in a soft tone that still carried. "Parents should love and cherish their children."
"Yes. They should. And now, thanks to them and a bunch of assholes in the US that I had the misfortune of dating, I'm terrified of falling in love."
Nemuri laughed softly. "Little chance of that at U.A, though, right? I mean..." She briefly appraised the group huddled around the bonfire and chuckled. "The men here are either taken or, you know." She gestured to Aizawa, or rather, the lump of cloth nearby that was lightly snoring. "That."
Elly's cheeks burned bright red and she was very glad it was too dark to tell.
"Hey! There's other guys here, you know." Hizashi shook his head. "Damn, that's cold. Even for you."
"Hmm? Oh, of course. Toshinori. Sorry."
Hizashi spluttered. "Now you're just bein' insulting."
"Ha!" She covered her mouth with a snarky titter as several others shook their heads at their antics.
"Him?" Kan snorted, pointing at the blond-haired man as he fidgeted about, adjusting his long legs in a more comfortable position. "It's insulting to the females in his case."
"All that nonsense is a waste of energy as well as productivity," Aizawa asserted.
"Love is not a waste of anything," Yagi asserted, looking distraught.
"Look, I get enough action," Hizashi spluttered, shaking his fist at the fanged man. "Trust me. Club gigs're always full of chicks wantin' to take home the DJ."
"You're telling me it's not just Hero groupies? You know, the ones that'll bed any Pro?"
"Why is it so hard to imagine I do just fine with the ladies?!"
"Excuse me." Elly suddenly pointed behind them. "I need to run back to the cabins for something." She got up without waiting for a response and left, her movements quick and jerky.
"That's why," Aizawa muttered so low no one heard him.
"Prude," Nemuri scoffed as the counselor hastily excused herself.
"Probably has to pee. It must suck to be a woman and not just be able to go behind a tree."
"Ugh, Yamada..."
"I doubt that is her intent," Yagi said quietly. His sunken eyes slowly focused on the Voice Hero.
"What? Whaaat?"
Elly ran back to the girl's cabin. Everything was spinning and she couldn't breathe properly. She got in and had barely taken two steps when she let out a heartbroken wail. She wanted to scrape the images away, make them stop, but as she scratched her scalp and down her cheeks they kept coming, unbidden. Women that didn't care or know anything about him, grabbing greedily at his jacket and pulling at him in their eagerness to fuck a hero.
"Stop, stop. Oh, dear. I knew you would be distraught ... just not this much." Old hands, surprisingly strong for their age, caught hers and pulled them from her face. She hadn't even heard the nurse following her but was too emotional to be surprised. "Here. Let me fix this."
"I wish you could fix my stupid heart," Elly groaned.
"You shouldn't worry so much."
"You heard him, Chiyo. It's none of my business, but I hate thinking about it. I'll be fine. I'm being stupid, that's all."
The older woman smiled gently and patted her arm. "You're not being stupid. A little silly, maybe, but love does that to people. Look, he might have just said that to shut Kan and the others up."
"What man wouldn't take advantage of that?" She choked through her sobs. "Women throwing themselves at him? Really?"
A low noise, as if someone clearing their throat, was heard at the doorway.
"Uh... can I say somethin'?"
"That's my exit cue. Take this," she pressed a small sweet into her hands, "and you. Don't let her hurt any more. Okay?"
Hizashi nodded, blushing, and the woman left, talking quietly to herself along the way.
"Why did you come here? You didn't have to follow me." Elly bit her lip, wringing her hands together. He immediately reached out and took her hands in his.
"None of that," he said firmly, holding her hands close to his chest. "I saw Chiyo healing these scratches. Yer not doin' that again. Just listen." He frowned, his brow drawing tightly together. "I'm not gonna lie to you, Ches. I did take advantage of a few opportunities like that when I first became a pro."
She let her head droop down so he couldn't see her tears. "You don't need to tell me anyth-"
"Quiet, yo! This is hard. I, uh... sorry, but I'm tryna' think." She realized he spoke more slang when he was nervous, and it made her heart beat faster. He was so adorable. "All right. I did, you know? A coupla times. But then I noticed I didn't like how it made me feel."
Her soft sniff was very clearly heard in the otherwise quiet cabin.
"Honest," he said so earnestly that she looked up. "I mean it. I..." He faltered, seeing her eyes filled with tears. "Huh - holy shit, babe, wait! Are those cause of what I - ? Oh, crap."
"S'okay."
Hizashi let go of her wrists and pulled her extremely close. She gasped in shock at the feeling of his arms tightly clasped around her. He smelled good and the two necklaces her wore were cool on the side of her face.
"Nuh uh," he shook his head. "It's not okay. Not when yer cryin'. Please - let me finish quick? I hated that they didn't like, uh, really want me. They just wanted to brag the next day to their coworkers and shit. So I stopped. I swear it was only two and I didn't care about them.
"See, everybody treats me like I'm stupid. Worthless." The exasperation in his voice was so intense that she both heard and felt it as he lost control of his quirk a bit. "The fuck! I hate that, hated it more when I was younger. I thought, I dunno, the girls were giving me attention." He coughed. "That was pretty stupid, though. I know better now."
"We all did things we wish we did differently."
"Yeah. I never did that again, anyway. The sex. You know."
"But really, though - how many years has it been from eighteen to, what, you're thirty now? Were you celibate that whole time?"
He coughed, his ears starting to burn. "No-o-o-o, but I didn't let any body just, you know, grab onto me like that." He paused. "Hey wait - what about you? You're askin' me all these questions but can't I get jealous, too?"
She stared at him as if he had grown another head for half a minute. Hizashi started to squirm when she finally replied, slowly and obviously thinking very hard. "Why would you get jealous?"
"I just can, okay?" The burn on his ears began to spread across the bridge of his nose.
"What I said before at the bonfire was true. I've chosen badly due to my past, and have been treated like crap by guys. After the first few I - I gave up. For a long time. I haven't been physical with anyone since I was maybe twenty-three."
He blinked down at her, his green eyes alternately wide and squinted as he processed this. "Wait ... so you really haven't had sex in almost a decade?"
"Yes." It was her turn to squirm as he shifted his weight, pulling her closer. "It doesn't matter, though. It was never any good, anyway."
"Oh, shit, babe. That's not right. Sounds like you had some shitty partners."
"Ugh."
"It should be different. Even a kiss is way different when you're in love. I wouldn't want to, you know, kiss anybody just because." He gave her a strange look. "I'd want a serious relationship."
"Yeah," she nodded glumly. "I agree."
The blush had spread to his cheeks as well. Hizashi swallowed audibly and, his hands shaking, reached down to cup her face in his palms. "I, uh, would hafta be in love."
Elly's purple eyes showed complete confusion, even when he bent towards her and right up until the moment he pressed his mouth onto her own. They widened abruptly, and she gasped and clutched the front of his open dress shirt. She had no idea that something so fleeting as a light brush of the lips could be so stimulating. Her heart pounded in her chest and though her senses were overloaded, a persistent, electric tingle down below let her know that a decade had indeed been a long time. She initiated the next kiss, opening her mouth tentatively and hoping he wouldn't be turned off by her eagerness.
Hizashi's knees wobbled and he would have swayed had he not been luckily close to a wall. He set his back end to it to stabilize himself before giving into his desire and slipping his tongue between her lips with a low moan. They held the kiss for a long time, clinging to one another in the dim light of the social area in the cabin.
"Sh - shiiittt," he breathed at last when they parted for air. "Oh, man. Whoa."
"Wow," she agreed softly.
"Yeah. Wow." He sighed. "I knew it would be great, but that..."
Elly sighed this time, so dreamily that he smiled. "I think you're right, Zashi."
"Hmm?"
"I think sex could be very good if two people are genuinely in love with each other."
He let out a delighted gasp as her fingers stroked the nape of his neck, her body moving suggestively on his below. "Oh, babe, are you serious? What about -"
"We're adults. And honestly, I trust you in a way I never have anyone else. I just didn't think you would be interested."
"But where..? I mean, the rooms here? Is it okay?"
She shrugged. "They'll be busy for a couple hours."
"Yes." His hands switched from holding her in an embrace to lifting her up. "Which room?" He asked as he took the staircase two at a time.
She giggled at his enthusiasm and pointed. "Third on the right."
He stumbled inside and they collapsed onto the bed, laughing helplessly and rolling around. After the kissing and touching had progressed to underneath their clothing, he shucked his dress shirt and the tank underneath off in a single, smooth movement.
"Tadah." He grinned sheepishly.
"Hizashi," she whispered in awe. "You're gorgeous."
He choked and turned an alarming shade of purple. "What? Ches, I'm just, just normal..?"
She shook her head, hands running over his chest. "No. I don't think so. Your body ... why do you hide it under all those layers?"
"Ohhh my god," he wheezed, twisting and yearning as her palms grazed his abdomen. "M'too tall an' stuff even though I work out it doesn't look like - oh baby, right there."
"You're way more muscular than I thought. Either way is fine, but this is a surprise." Her hands slid lower and grazed the front of his khakis.
"Take me out, babe," he husked, licking his lips. "I want you to do it. Wanna feel."
"Lay back."
He did as he was told, craning his neck so he could see as she carefully unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. Exclaiming in approval at his choice of boxer briefs - she liked the look -- she indicated he should lift his lower half. He did, and the pants were slipped off and tossed indifferently on the floor.
She purred lowly and got up, knelt on either side of his legs and bent to kiss his lower belly along the light dusting of blond hair that trailed down into his underwear.
"Y - your hands," he whimpered, biting his lower lip adorably. He had begun to sweat. Elly's fingertips grazed the front of his briefs, delicately tracing the bulging outline and lingering on the damp spot near the top. "Your hands feel way too good!"
"Good," she smiled.
"Nuhhh," he grunted, shaking his head. "This isn't gonna be over that quick. Here, your turn." He was on top of her before she realized what he was going to do, tackling her gently to the rear of the bed and kissing her passionately. "Ya got," he panted as his fingers deftly unhooked her bra, "too many," his hands triumphantly grasped a double handful, "clothes on."
Hizashi made short work of her simple t-shirt and the bra he had already unfastened, mouthing every bit of skin that he exposed along the way. By the time his hand brushed the crotch of her jeans she was sobbing with need, writhing under his warm, strong body and bucking towards his gentle touch.
"Don't worry," he crooned, kissing her breasts as he unzipped and tugged them down. "I'll take care of you the way you've always deserved to be treated."
"Zashi!"
"Ches." A lightly probing fingertip slipped under the waistband of her panties and rubbed. "Oh, man, you're so hot."
"Please..!"
"Hold on," he murmured. "Feels right an' all, but I gotta ask one more time. You sure?"
"Absolutely yes. I want you so much it hurts my heart and my... well, other bits."
He laughed with pure joy, his eyes bright. "Then hold on, sweetheart. M'gonna show you true love."
The sound wave hit the others back at the bonfire around a half an hour later. They blinked at each other amidst the churned up dust and dirt moments before a veritable stampede of animals burst out of the brush into the clearing, running straight for them.
"Shit!" Aizawa leaped to his feet and hopped off, joining the rest of the staff as they climbed trees and threw themselves out of harm's way as quickly as they could.
"That boy's got to get a quirk dampener if they're gonna be a thing now." Chiyo huffed.
Yagi coughed up a second lungful of blood. "Yamada. Oh... oh my."
Best of Both Worlds - 1
It was midmorning in a house somewhere on the East coast of America. A warm, sunny day that she really despised - especially since her parents didn't believe in air conditioning.
"Ugh." The middle-aged woman put down her book and rubbed her side, her brown eyes filled with pain. "Everything hurts today."
"Yeah, well, if you'd exercise, you'd be more in shape, Elly!" An older woman that resembled her was moving potted plants around to sweep and dust behind them. It was almost as if she wanted to be in her daughter's way since there were only several plants and she had been at it for fifteen minutes so far.
She closed her eyes. "My ankle is twisted, mom, and it's over a hundred degrees out. I'm not going for a walk, so please stop bugging me about it."
Her mother sniffed. "I'm just saying, if you got out more instead of reading and watching all those stupid cartoons, you might lose some weight. You feel so much better when you eat right. It's so good for you... and then you might meet someone, too!"
She stared morosely down at the manga she had in front of her, fingers tracing the image of the man in all black leather with the giant plume of blond hair. "Yeah. I bet they would be just as crappy as my other boyfriends were. I told you, I'm giving up for awhile."
I'll stick with my anime guys, thanks very much, she thought to herself as her mother rambled on in the background. Saying "uh huh" or "yes, that's true" every few minutes but not really paying attention had become second nature to her, and it appeased the other woman enough so she could get up and grab another cup of coffee.
"Ugh. I hafta go to the bathroom before I get my coffee," she said, wincing at the announcement. She really needed to stop doing that but she doubted the habit would ever go away. Elly rounded the corner and headed to the bathroom before going to the kitchen. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire, god knew why, but maybe she could find some relief there.
She looked in the mirror and became even more depressed. Who was going to want someone that looked like this? Her genes tended to lean towards obesity and it was a struggle to lose any weight. She had horrible, soul-rending depression, and that caused her to eat more as well. The combination was not a good one; she was around five foot, four inches and currently weighed two hundred and thirty or so pounds. Most of that, she figured, was in her wide shoulders and butt.
The insomnia she suffered from gave her deep, dark circles under her eyes and her constant migraines had been one of the reasons she started shaving her head.
A fat, bald, forty-plus year old woman that had never done anything with her life stared back at her with hopeless, dead eyes. She splashed water on her face and head to cool herself off.
It didn't help.
She was starting to go through menopause, so not only were her hormones going batshit crazy but there were more aches and pains to account for.
The stories and artwork she made up around her favorite anime were the only place she didn't hurt. Of course, her family wanted her to give that up because it wasn't "productive".
Let's face it, nothing I do is going to be productive. I'm past that now. My luck sucks, and that's just how it is.
"Did you get lost? I swear, it's like she doesn't want to talk to her own mother..."
She groaned. "I wish I could just..."
Step into my fantasy world? Really? Delusional. Reality is what it is - and it sucks.
That was exactly when the hole appeared beneath her feet and she plummeted downwards, everything happening too quickly for her to even scream.
There was a group gathered on a neatly manicured campus lawn staring up at the other end of the swirling, circular abyss.
"So you don't know what these do? You never experimented?" A woman wearing an outrageous white bodysuit and bondage gear squinted at it in apprehension. "It looks awful."
"Yeah, no way I was going in there." The dark-skinned man shook his head. "I tossed a few things in, sure, but nothing came back. I wouldn't risk it."
A body appeared all at once, falling rapidly to the earth below.
"Nothing's ever come out of one of those before!"
"Holy shit!"
"It's a person!"
Elly was cold and stunned, her breath taken away by the rush of falling. She had time to think that she had maybe died, or was going to when she hit whatever passed for the ground where she was. She heard panicked screaming and then there was a huge jolt upon impact.
She had been partially buffered by a pair of strong arms and what felt oddly like scarves wrapped around her upper torso. Blinking, dazed, she opened her eyes and groaned, rubbing her head where a large bump seemed to be forming under her hair.
Wait a minute ... hair? And what were these things sticking up out of it?
She blinked, struggling to focus. There were voices all around her, and while she recognized some she couldn't understand them at all. She rubbed her eyes and all she could see were a shiny pair of orange shades. The person pulled them down their nose and she saw a familiar pair of green eyes with concentric, spiralling pupils.
"Hizashi?!" She gasped, and had just enough time to notice his confusion before she passed out.
"Ugh." The middle-aged woman put down her book and rubbed her side, her brown eyes filled with pain. "Everything hurts today."
"Yeah, well, if you'd exercise, you'd be more in shape, Elly!" An older woman that resembled her was moving potted plants around to sweep and dust behind them. It was almost as if she wanted to be in her daughter's way since there were only several plants and she had been at it for fifteen minutes so far.
She closed her eyes. "My ankle is twisted, mom, and it's over a hundred degrees out. I'm not going for a walk, so please stop bugging me about it."
Her mother sniffed. "I'm just saying, if you got out more instead of reading and watching all those stupid cartoons, you might lose some weight. You feel so much better when you eat right. It's so good for you... and then you might meet someone, too!"
She stared morosely down at the manga she had in front of her, fingers tracing the image of the man in all black leather with the giant plume of blond hair. "Yeah. I bet they would be just as crappy as my other boyfriends were. I told you, I'm giving up for awhile."
I'll stick with my anime guys, thanks very much, she thought to herself as her mother rambled on in the background. Saying "uh huh" or "yes, that's true" every few minutes but not really paying attention had become second nature to her, and it appeased the other woman enough so she could get up and grab another cup of coffee.
"Ugh. I hafta go to the bathroom before I get my coffee," she said, wincing at the announcement. She really needed to stop doing that but she doubted the habit would ever go away. Elly rounded the corner and headed to the bathroom before going to the kitchen. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire, god knew why, but maybe she could find some relief there.
She looked in the mirror and became even more depressed. Who was going to want someone that looked like this? Her genes tended to lean towards obesity and it was a struggle to lose any weight. She had horrible, soul-rending depression, and that caused her to eat more as well. The combination was not a good one; she was around five foot, four inches and currently weighed two hundred and thirty or so pounds. Most of that, she figured, was in her wide shoulders and butt.
The insomnia she suffered from gave her deep, dark circles under her eyes and her constant migraines had been one of the reasons she started shaving her head.
A fat, bald, forty-plus year old woman that had never done anything with her life stared back at her with hopeless, dead eyes. She splashed water on her face and head to cool herself off.
It didn't help.
She was starting to go through menopause, so not only were her hormones going batshit crazy but there were more aches and pains to account for.
The stories and artwork she made up around her favorite anime were the only place she didn't hurt. Of course, her family wanted her to give that up because it wasn't "productive".
Let's face it, nothing I do is going to be productive. I'm past that now. My luck sucks, and that's just how it is.
"Did you get lost? I swear, it's like she doesn't want to talk to her own mother..."
She groaned. "I wish I could just..."
Step into my fantasy world? Really? Delusional. Reality is what it is - and it sucks.
That was exactly when the hole appeared beneath her feet and she plummeted downwards, everything happening too quickly for her to even scream.
There was a group gathered on a neatly manicured campus lawn staring up at the other end of the swirling, circular abyss.
"So you don't know what these do? You never experimented?" A woman wearing an outrageous white bodysuit and bondage gear squinted at it in apprehension. "It looks awful."
"Yeah, no way I was going in there." The dark-skinned man shook his head. "I tossed a few things in, sure, but nothing came back. I wouldn't risk it."
A body appeared all at once, falling rapidly to the earth below.
"Nothing's ever come out of one of those before!"
"Holy shit!"
"It's a person!"
Elly was cold and stunned, her breath taken away by the rush of falling. She had time to think that she had maybe died, or was going to when she hit whatever passed for the ground where she was. She heard panicked screaming and then there was a huge jolt upon impact.
She had been partially buffered by a pair of strong arms and what felt oddly like scarves wrapped around her upper torso. Blinking, dazed, she opened her eyes and groaned, rubbing her head where a large bump seemed to be forming under her hair.
Wait a minute ... hair? And what were these things sticking up out of it?
She blinked, struggling to focus. There were voices all around her, and while she recognized some she couldn't understand them at all. She rubbed her eyes and all she could see were a shiny pair of orange shades. The person pulled them down their nose and she saw a familiar pair of green eyes with concentric, spiralling pupils.
"Hizashi?!" She gasped, and had just enough time to notice his confusion before she passed out.
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Moy Mell 47
Elly cried herself softly to sleep on a wave of crushing anxiety and tranquilizers.
Aizawa carried her to bed and dragged his worn yellow sleeping bag into her room so he could stay by her side until she woke, keeping his promise. As he lay on the floor and listened to her panicky, shallow breathing he ran through the turn of events in his mind. He had misjudged Zoro, but unlike him, did not blame himself for the other man's outburst. She was safe, and he would not make the same mistake twice.
They would deal with the situation when she was clearer headed. The other man had agreed to be placed in a holding cell without a single word of protest. In fact, Zoro told security he would stay there for as long as necessary. He was currently sitting motionless in a corner of the room where he was confined, staring at the wall.
Elly slept for almost half an hour, and when her eyes opened the first thing she did was call out his name. "Shota?!"
Aizawa's eyes snapped open. "M'here," he slurred, throwing an arm up onto the bed. "Floor. On the floor." He dragged himself up with his lower half still cocooned in the bag.
"Oh," she gasped, catching him in a huge hug. "You stayed."
"I promised."
"Yes." Elly was starting to believe him when he made such a claim. She examined the small bandage on his cheek closely and was pleased to see it hadn't bled. "This doesn't hurt?"
"No." He wriggled around, kicking off the end of the bag so he could sit beside her. "It's just a scratch."
"It's kind of late. How about I make some coffee here and we can talk?"
"Sounds just fine."
Aizawa yawned and paced the area in front of the kitchenette while she bustled about. Soon the smell of fresh brew filled the suite and she handed him a cup.
"Thanks."
"Mm hmm." She sweetened hers with cream and motioned towards a small table nearby where they could sit. "Man, this all sucks."
"I wish things hadn't turned out this way as well." He took a long swallow and reached over with his free hand to take hers across the table. "We need to decide what to do about Zoro before we discuss the matter in general. I would normally make the call myself, but believe you would like some say on the matter..?"
She sighed deeply, rubbing one arm with a small frown. "Yes." He squeezed the hand he held and she smiled weakly at him.
"Do you wish him expelled from the compound?"
"No."
He nodded. "I thought so. I have another suggestion. We can send him to a far corner, like the forest."
"Or one of the weyrs. I - I think that might do him good. Maybe he could choose where to go, if you choose how long."
Aizawa had taken his hand back and was entering some quick texts. "Yes. Smart, safe and fair, my queen... I will let him know. Do you want to see him?" He raised his eyes to hers over the phone.
Elly hesitated. "I don't think so. That is, I do, but I don't want to cause him any more ..." She shook her head. "Discomfort. I guess. I doubt he would accept that he's in pain."
"Are you certain?" His gray eyes were concerned. "If you regret this later, it will be too late. I'm giving him a strict no-contact notice for a year."
"Yes. It has to be this way."
"I'll get immediately on it. I'm sure you don't want him to languish in that cell all night." He slipped his phone into his scarves as he stood, bending down to kiss her forehead. "Try to get some more sleep. It will all be over when you wake in the morning." He ducked into her room to grab his sleeping bag and left, dragging it out behind him.
Her tail curled around the chair and she watched him leave with a melancholy sigh. She knew she was not going to sleep for the rest of the night.
Aizawa wearily made his way to the security office. It was not long due to the fast transportation, but he made sure the night staff had printed a copy of the rules he wanted and informed Zoro he was on his way.
Once there he grabbed the copies on his desk and went downstairs to confront the swordsman. He looked over his shoulder when his name was called, but continued his silence.
"Please come forward."
He got slowly up and moved to the front of the cell.
"It has been decided that you are to have a year of suspension - away from the main compound. You may pick the area, but it needs to be of the farthest reaches of Moy Mell." He handed him a small pamphlet. "There are other stipulations that are covered here, such as no contact. I emailed you a file as well."
Zoro stared dully at the papers he held in his hand. "More than I deserve."
"It may be, but she doesn't want to throw you out or press charges. If it had been anyone else, things might have gone differently. Chris?"
Chris Redfield opened the door. "Sir?"
"You're going to need to escort Zoro to his suite to pack. He'll be transferring to a distant sector." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Text me with the decision. I won't need to be there, we'll let the regional boss take care of the confirmation."
"All right."
The big man spoke no more; he reached down, took his swords back from the bin they had been laid in and placed them back under his sash. Chris spread his hand out, indicating the door, and they walked out to gather the rest of his possessions for the move.
Aizawa spent a few minutes composing a quick email to everyone on his staff explaining the situation and letting them know that he would be extremely busy all day. He delegated responsibilities and set everything up to run as smoothly as possible without him so he could devote himself completely to Elly and her well-being. He knew she must be devastated, but she appeared to be taking things a bit too well.
It worried him.
Aizawa carried her to bed and dragged his worn yellow sleeping bag into her room so he could stay by her side until she woke, keeping his promise. As he lay on the floor and listened to her panicky, shallow breathing he ran through the turn of events in his mind. He had misjudged Zoro, but unlike him, did not blame himself for the other man's outburst. She was safe, and he would not make the same mistake twice.
They would deal with the situation when she was clearer headed. The other man had agreed to be placed in a holding cell without a single word of protest. In fact, Zoro told security he would stay there for as long as necessary. He was currently sitting motionless in a corner of the room where he was confined, staring at the wall.
Elly slept for almost half an hour, and when her eyes opened the first thing she did was call out his name. "Shota?!"
Aizawa's eyes snapped open. "M'here," he slurred, throwing an arm up onto the bed. "Floor. On the floor." He dragged himself up with his lower half still cocooned in the bag.
"Oh," she gasped, catching him in a huge hug. "You stayed."
"I promised."
"Yes." Elly was starting to believe him when he made such a claim. She examined the small bandage on his cheek closely and was pleased to see it hadn't bled. "This doesn't hurt?"
"No." He wriggled around, kicking off the end of the bag so he could sit beside her. "It's just a scratch."
"It's kind of late. How about I make some coffee here and we can talk?"
"Sounds just fine."
Aizawa yawned and paced the area in front of the kitchenette while she bustled about. Soon the smell of fresh brew filled the suite and she handed him a cup.
"Thanks."
"Mm hmm." She sweetened hers with cream and motioned towards a small table nearby where they could sit. "Man, this all sucks."
"I wish things hadn't turned out this way as well." He took a long swallow and reached over with his free hand to take hers across the table. "We need to decide what to do about Zoro before we discuss the matter in general. I would normally make the call myself, but believe you would like some say on the matter..?"
She sighed deeply, rubbing one arm with a small frown. "Yes." He squeezed the hand he held and she smiled weakly at him.
"Do you wish him expelled from the compound?"
"No."
He nodded. "I thought so. I have another suggestion. We can send him to a far corner, like the forest."
"Or one of the weyrs. I - I think that might do him good. Maybe he could choose where to go, if you choose how long."
Aizawa had taken his hand back and was entering some quick texts. "Yes. Smart, safe and fair, my queen... I will let him know. Do you want to see him?" He raised his eyes to hers over the phone.
Elly hesitated. "I don't think so. That is, I do, but I don't want to cause him any more ..." She shook her head. "Discomfort. I guess. I doubt he would accept that he's in pain."
"Are you certain?" His gray eyes were concerned. "If you regret this later, it will be too late. I'm giving him a strict no-contact notice for a year."
"Yes. It has to be this way."
"I'll get immediately on it. I'm sure you don't want him to languish in that cell all night." He slipped his phone into his scarves as he stood, bending down to kiss her forehead. "Try to get some more sleep. It will all be over when you wake in the morning." He ducked into her room to grab his sleeping bag and left, dragging it out behind him.
Her tail curled around the chair and she watched him leave with a melancholy sigh. She knew she was not going to sleep for the rest of the night.
Aizawa wearily made his way to the security office. It was not long due to the fast transportation, but he made sure the night staff had printed a copy of the rules he wanted and informed Zoro he was on his way.
Once there he grabbed the copies on his desk and went downstairs to confront the swordsman. He looked over his shoulder when his name was called, but continued his silence.
"Please come forward."
He got slowly up and moved to the front of the cell.
"It has been decided that you are to have a year of suspension - away from the main compound. You may pick the area, but it needs to be of the farthest reaches of Moy Mell." He handed him a small pamphlet. "There are other stipulations that are covered here, such as no contact. I emailed you a file as well."
Zoro stared dully at the papers he held in his hand. "More than I deserve."
"It may be, but she doesn't want to throw you out or press charges. If it had been anyone else, things might have gone differently. Chris?"
Chris Redfield opened the door. "Sir?"
"You're going to need to escort Zoro to his suite to pack. He'll be transferring to a distant sector." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Text me with the decision. I won't need to be there, we'll let the regional boss take care of the confirmation."
"All right."
The big man spoke no more; he reached down, took his swords back from the bin they had been laid in and placed them back under his sash. Chris spread his hand out, indicating the door, and they walked out to gather the rest of his possessions for the move.
Aizawa spent a few minutes composing a quick email to everyone on his staff explaining the situation and letting them know that he would be extremely busy all day. He delegated responsibilities and set everything up to run as smoothly as possible without him so he could devote himself completely to Elly and her well-being. He knew she must be devastated, but she appeared to be taking things a bit too well.
It worried him.
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