Warnings: angst- just pure angst, heavy self blame and insecurity, toxic relationship traits, Issei isn’t a good boyfriend, mild gaslighting, breakdown.
A/N: Hello friends! Here is my SFW collab piece for this month! It’s based on the song of the same title by Olivia Munn, I highly recommend listening because it’s just a great song. Not beta read, this Captain goes down with her ship.
As always my content is 18+ only MINORS DO NOT INTERACT.
Cigarette inside your hand
Wish you would hold me like that
Breathe me in and pull me close
I can only wait so long
The crowded bar is almost overwhelmingly hot. The floor sticks to the soles of your boots, remnants of spilled beer. Sweat, smoke, and an obnoxious mix of perfumes fill the dense air, clinging to your lungs. Your nose scrunches as someone wanders past the tall table you’re standing around, knocking into you and sloshing beer from their cup down onto your leg. It shouldn’t be this surprising. Aoba Johsai reunions were always a disaster, yet you still attended each and every one.
It’s instinct the way your eyes scan the opposite side of the bar, lips turning up at the corners into a small smile as you watch your boyfriend of eight years, Matsukawa Issei, laughing with his old volleyball buddies. He’s sprawled out on the bench, taking up over half of it. His muscular arm is slung across the back, white button up rolled up to his elbows and revealing the dark swirling ink that covers his forearms. A cigarette rests in the hand that rests on the table, a habit he had picked up from his best friend Hanamaki during your final year of school. His hair is pushed back, the deep black locks even more disheveled than usual, a sign that he’s been sweeping his fingers through it.
A soft sigh escapes your painted lips, burying down the desire to cross the room and perch yourself on his lap, to claim him. A small shake of your head as you tear your eyes away from their table. You’re being too clingy, YN, Issei doesn’t like it when you’re clingy you remind yourself.
The arrival of more of your old friends is a happy distraction. They’re the reason you’re here after all. You have all the time in the world to spend curled up next to your boyfriend, nights out with your friends are less common now that you’re older. Most of them are married or engaged, a few even have kids of their own.
Part of you envies them, the way their lives keep pushing along while you feel as if you’re at standstill. You’ll marry Mattsun one day, you know you will, he’s just not ready yet. You just have to be patient, something he always reminds you that you aren’t very good at.
Do you think of me in your bedsheets
Do they feel the same without me
‘Cause the flame is out and now I choke
As the love we had it turns to smoke
“So where’s Matsukawa at YN? Working the late shift?” One of your friends voices the question you know they’ve all been avoiding. They know he’s here, it’s almost impossible to miss the raucous laughter from their table, the high pitched whines from Oikawa when they tease him. As if they knew they were being talked about the sound of their voices carries through the densely packed space. “Oh! He is here after all!” A frown forms on her bright red lips as she turns back to face you. “What are you doing over here? Go spend time with your man!”
It’s difficult to hide your grimace, your disappointment. “Nah, he’s having fun catching up with his friends,” you reply nonchalantly, trying to brush her curiosity off, but she doesn’t get the hint.
“Oh come on, we all know he and Makki see each other every day and Iwaizumi is here at least every weekend. And they’re your friends too YN! You should be catching up with them just as much as he is!”
Shaking your head, you force a smile. “If he wants me there, he’ll come get me.”
This is what you hate the most. The pity in her eyes as she finally fully looks at you. It must be easy to see how badly you want to be over there, how conflicted you feel about your boyfriend not wanting you there. If only you had a better poker face, a mask to hide behind to avoid that look in her eyes as she decides to change the subject. Nothing hurts worse than having people feel sorry for you.
The night is a whirlwind of reminiscent tales and new stories that have to be shared. It’s easy to get lost like this, to forget the envy as you allow yourself to live vicariously through them for just a moment.
You could tell them about the job offer you received. That’s group chat worthy. They’d all freak out, fawning over you with proud smiles on their faces. But you won’t. What’s the point in sharing the news when you already declined the offer? It was too far away. You couldn’t ask Issei to move to the other side of the country with you. He’s working too hard to build a life here and you respect that. His dreams are more important right now, yours can wait.
You push the thought aside, ignoring the pang of… whatever that just shot through your heart and focusing on their stories. Your mind moves from one imagined future to the next, filling your heart with a hopefulness you hadn’t known in months. One day you’ll have stories to tell of your own, happy news to share in your group chat, you know it. You just have to be patient.
That bubble of sanguine joy shatters into pieces at the end of the night. You turn from your friend group, eyes falling across the much emptier bar. Except much like the bar, the table where your boyfriend had sat with his friends is vacant, the tabletop wiped clean as if no one had even occupied the space. Your eyebrows scrunch in confusion as you dig your phone out, bringing the screen to life in search of a missed call or text.
Instagram notifications, emails, a text from your coworker about a project you’d been working on. There isn’t even a hint of Issei attempting to contact you, of him remembering that you’d come here together. A part of you hopes he’d just ridden back with Iwaizumi and the others, but as you step into the sparse parking lot, scanning for the familiar make of your car, that hope burns out.
With shaking fingers you order an Uber. Your mind shouldn’t instantly conjure excuses for him, you should be able to grab on to the anger you feel as you stand in the freezing cold, snow falling down around you, but you can’t. You justify his actions without a second glance. Because he loves you. He’d never leave you behind like this, he was probably just harassed into some late night shenanigans with the boys. He forgot to text you about it, that’s all.
God you sound so clingy. It’s not like he has to tell you where he’s going all the time. He deserves to have his own space, his own life outside of your relationship. Guilt drowns out any lingering fragments of your anger. You’re such an obnoxious girlfriend, always wanting to be touching him. Hovering around him whenever he’s nearby. You just need to chill out, take a deep breath and relax. He loves you, you know he does.
Is it true you love me yes or no
‘Cause back in June you told me so
And now I’m in your house alone
The embers burn my body slow
You hadn’t even registered that you’d given the driver Issei’s address until you pulled up outside of the familiar building. You’re torn between paying for the extra trip back to your own place or heading upstairs and waiting for him to come home. The impatience of the driver makes the decision for you, and you find yourself standing before his door moments later. Deep breaths, he’s your boyfriend of course he wants you here. Right?
As your hand wraps around the doorknob, you hear voices inside. You still, listening. Maybe someone had broken in. Oh god, what if someone is robbing his apartment? The familiar gruff drawl of Issei’s voice relaxes your tense shoulders, immediately easing your worries. He must have made it home before you could get here!
“Dude, did you text YN and tell her you left?” Makki’s voice rings loudly through the apartment. The con of their shared space is the thin walls. It has led to some rather awkward mornings. Awkward for you anyway, Makki never seems bothered by it.
“No. She’s a big girl, she can find a ride home.” Aww, it’s so nice to hear Issei vouching for how responsible you are. You’d hate it if he babied you after all.
“What are you doing Matsukawa?” This time it’s Iwaizumi who’s speaking. Oh, they all must be here. A nice little after party for the legendary Seijoh Four. Maybe you should call for another Uber and go home after all, better to not interrupt them.
Yet your feet don’t move. You don’t quite know why, but the exasperation in Iwaizumi’s voice has you rooted to the spot. You shouldn’t be eavesdropping on their conversation, it’s so rude, a real invasion of all of their privacy. So why won’t your feet move? And why is your heart beating so fast that it almost hurts?
“What?” You hear Issei respond dumbly, obviously not knowing what point his friend is trying to make.
“Come on dude, you’ve bailed on her for weeks now. Even tonight. You didn’t even glance her way once,” Makki replies.
He’s just been busy, you want to say. His friends don’t understand, but you do. They don’t know him like you do.
“When’s the last time you took her out on a date? Had more than just a late night quickie cause jerking off wasn’t cutting it? It’s pretty easy to see that this ship has sailed. Just cut the poor girl loose already, she deserves to be happy. ” Iwaizumi’s words cut through you like a serrated knife- slow and painful.
No. They’re wrong. You want to pull open the door, to convince his friends that things aren’t like that. Issei loves you, he’s always loved you. You’re the one, you’re his person. Sure, dates are rare and the sex is quick but he’s just been busy. He’s working toward a better life for both of you. Why can’t they see how hard he’s trying for you?
“Mattsun you can’t just reply with a shrug. Are you really just going to keep dragging YN-Chan along when you know that you don’t love her the way she loves you?”
Oikawa. What does he know? He lives halfway across the fucking world! He has no right to make a claim like that. He’s probably jealous, yeah that’s it- he can’t find what you and Issei have so he’s trying to stir shit up. They all are. Issei loves-
“What the fuck am I supposed to say? Sorry YN I don’t love you? Actually looking back I don’t think I ever loved you, you were just convenient? We all know I can’t handle this shit. I’ve tried. She’ll cry, I’ll feel bad and take it all back. It’s a never ending cycle that I’m just stuck in.”
You know that weightless, still, quiet that comes when you submerge your entire body beneath the surface of the pool? When the world just fades away and all that’s left is your own thoughts and the burning in your lungs as you hold your breath just to feel it longer? That’s your world right now.
Nothing registers. Not the voices carrying from the apartment. Not the way your purse drops, spilling across the carpet beneath your feet. Not the movement of your feet across the pavement. Not the wet tracks of tears pouring down your cheeks. Not the sting of the cold winter air.
The only thing you can comprehend is Issei’s words as they rattle around in your head. “You were just convenient.” Like nabbing a parking spot close to the store, or finding a really good restaurant right next to where you work. You’re convenient.
Do you think of me in these bedsheets
Do you hear me babe I’m screaming
‘Cause I thought I loved you now I know
That good love shouldn’t turn to smoke
The sky is dark. The occasional star somehow breaks through the thick layer of city hunk that lingers in the air over Sendai. It Isn’t as bad as Tokyo, you imagine, where the city lights would drown out the stars before the smog even has a chance to.
You picture Tokyo being louder too, constantly abuzz with some form of life. Not the quiet that covers Sendai after midnight. It would be harder to feel this lost in a city filled with so much life.
You aren’t sure how long you’ve been sitting on the park bench, but based on the hefty layer of snow covering your legs and hat it has to have been awhile. You can’t feel your nose, and your cheeks are stiff from crying. You flex your gloves fingers, trying to loosen the stiffness, a side effect of the cold setting in.
Your phone buzzes loudly in your pocket, a phone call. You should pull it out, see who is calling. But you don’t. You can’t. If you look at the screen and see his name, his picture, you’ll fall apart all over again. So you ignore it. Or at least you try to, but the incessant buzzing finally forces you to face this.
It isn’t his name, or his face. It’s Iwaizumi’s. It still hurts just as bad.
You ignore the call, switching to do not disturb to end them all together. You have several missed calls from Issei, from Makki, even a few from Oikawa.
Memories flood your vision. Moments where maybe you hadn’t done enough, hadn’t been enough. You should have done more. Tried harder to be what Issei needed, what he wanted.
You can still do it. You can do whatever it takes to be the girl he wants, to become someone he can love. To stop being just convenient and become something more. You can be better for him.
“She deserves to be happy.”
Iwaizumi’s words suddenly resonate through the tattered remnants of your mind. Happy. You are happy, aren’t you? With Issei? With the future you were building toward? Your future together?
It’s too overwhelming, the sudden realization that the answer is no. You aren’t happy. You are complacent. Too afraid to face the fact that you want more, that this life you’ve been building with him just isn’t enough for you anymore. Are you really willing to change yourself for a life of complacency?
Your fingers fly over the screen of your phone as you shove off of the bench, fighting back a shiver as your soaked backside meets the chill of the night air. You don’t let yourself hesitate. Even one second of doubt and it will be just like Issei said- a never ending cycle that you’re both just stuck in.
The line only rings twice before it’s picked up with a familiar, sleepy drawl. “YN, to what do I owe the pleasure of this late night call?”
“I apologize for waking you Osamu-san. I was wondering if the position you had offered me was still available?”
“Changing yer mind, huh? The position is yours if ya want it. It’s be a pleasure to work with ya.”
“I’ll take it. When can I start?”
Osamu laughs, the first sound to put a genuine smile on your face in- well you don’t quite remember the last time. “Yer certainly eager, aren’t ya. I’m in Tokyo at my shop there, so how ‘bout we meet at my shop in Osaka on Tuesday, ‘round 9 o’clock. That too soon for ya?”
“No, Osamu-San-“
“Just Osamu, YN, please.”
“Okay, Osamu. Tuesday works perfectly.”
“Alright. I’ll see ya then. Goodnight now YN.”
“Goodnight.”
I got two more days
Till I leave this place
You’ll stay the same
I got two more days
Leaving here I’ve gotta go
I’m leaving you I have to grow
The light from the apartment building is blinding in comparison to the dim bulbs along the path through the park. You barely can make out the hulking shadow that paces by your car, at least not until his weight crashes into your chest.
“Jesus Christ, YN. Where the fuck have you been? You’re soaked and freezing. Come on, let’s get you inside-“
“Issei.”
Whether it’s the fact that he finally looks at your face or the tone of your voice you aren’t sure. You watch as he swallows thickly. He knows. They all know, if Iwaizumi’s sudden ushering of the other two back inside is any clue. They know that you heard them. That you know the truth.
“I got a job offer for a position at a company in Osaka.”
Issei’s face contorts. He’s probably confused, wondering why you aren’t crying. Why you aren’t begging for him to take his words back, to not leave you, to tell you that he loves you. “Uh, that’s… nice?” He sounds so uncertain, like he’s walking a tightrope over a bed of open flames, afraid to fall and get burned.
“I’m going to take it.”
“You’re moving? To Osaka?”
You nod, turning your face up to meet his blank stare. Your words are filled with an unimaginable conviction. No lingering doubt about your decision, no insecurity about what you’re about to do. For the first time in a long time it feels like you’re taking a step forward, like your life is no longer at a standstill.
As always my content is 18+ only MINORS DO NOT INTERACT.
I have always loved the rain. Splashing in puddles and watching the water ripple beneath my feet, the soft drips of cold and warmth as they splattered on my cheeks. My parents always knew where to find me on a stormy day- alone at the playground, soaked to the bone.
That day was different though. As I’d skipped through the empty lot in search of a nice, big puddle to jump in, I heard sniffling. At first glance the playground appeared empty, taking a closer look I found a boy a little younger than me hiding in one of the longer tunnels. Deep red hair covered most of his face, leaving only his tear stained jaw exposed. I could feel his pain, the sadness and anger and worst of all loneliness.
Cautiously I crept into the tunnel, stopping a few feet from where he sat, arms wrapped around his knees as he hugged them to his chest. I wondered briefly why he was so upset. Maybe he had gotten separated from his parents during the thunderstorm earlier.
“Hello.”
The boy’s head snapped toward me, eyes wide and his body tense. It was only then that I had noticed his dual-toned hair, and even more startling were his brilliant blue and hazel eyes.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to startle you. I heard you crying when I was playing outside. Are you okay?”
He still looked nervous despite my attempt at sounding as soft and reassuring as my mother usually did in these situations. I wanted to help him, to ease his worries even temporarily, but my parents’ words rang through your mind: You can’t use your quirk on someone without their permission, YN. I didn’t quite understand why I couldn’t use my power to help someone when they needed it, like right now, but I trusted your parents to guide me.
‘Okay, YN, you can do this. You just have to cheer him up without using your powers.’ Sliding a little closer in the tunnel I sat down across from him and pulled out the bag I carried beneath my raincoat. Digging through its contents I found two juice pouches and two small bags of my favorite snacks. Sitting one of each between my legs before sliding the other two closer to where the boy sat.
“Here, these might help make you feel better from whatever is making you sad.” Opening my own snacks I paused, realizing I had skipped the biggest part of comforting someone I just met. “I’m sorry, I should have introduced myself. LN YN, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
The boy glanced back and forth between me and the offered treats for a moment, trying to decide what to do. Finally he reached out to grab what I had offered him, a very faint “Shoto” mumbled in the space between us. Deciding not to press him further I sat in silence, watching him from the corner of my eye as I hummed one of my favorite songs.
It wasn’t long before the silence began to bore me, so I did what I thought was best- talked. Questions asked went unanswered, but that didn’t bother me. I just kept talking. Telling the quiet boy about my family, friends, our favorite things to do, the dog I saw at the park the other day who was polite enough to let me pet him- anything that came to mind I voiced. The silence of the tunnel was filled with hushed giggles, earning the occasional slight upturn of Shoto’s lips as he listened.
When the rain had eased, the soft pitter patter dying out and allowing the sounds of the small town to return, I heard the angry, concerned commotion as it echoed noisily from the apartments across the way. At the sudden introduction of the voices the boy began to shake, his grip around his legs growing tighter as he tried to hug himself impossibly closer.
“Shoto-kun, are you hiding from your family?”
He glanced quickly at me before training his eyes back on the tunnel’s entrance, as if he expected someone to appear there and drag him away. “Yeah,” he muttered, the sound barely audible if not for the lack of distance between us.
“You can come home with me. My family won’t-”
“No. He’ll find me, he always finds me, and then he’ll take his anger out on you too. You don’t deserve that.”
Shoto’s sadness and fear were nearly overwhelming, bringing tears to my eyes as I struggled to find a solution to his problems. I just wanted to make them all go away, to chase away whatever demons were haunting him. But he was right, I couldn’t really do much. Not for the long term anyway.
“I can help you be brave,” I whispered tentatively, eyes trained on the floor of the tunnel. “If you want to sneak back home while they’re searching I can help you.”
Shoto turned his attention to me fully, jolting when he heard doors slamming and heavy footsteps echoing on the empty streets. His breathing quickened, the fear in his heart brimming to overfull. “How?”
“I-it’s my power. I can change what people feel. So I can take away your fear and help you be brave.” Glancing up, I met his intense gaze. “Will you let me help you?”
Shoto studied me for a moment, quickly agreeing as he heard the gate to the playground bang loudly as it was thrown open. “Okay, LN-san, please help me.”
Reaching out, I pressed a hand to his cheek, focusing on taking his fear and pulling it into my body. His shoulders relaxed, breaths returning to a normal pace. “Better?” I asked quietly, letting out a sigh of relief when he nodded in response. “Okay, go to that end of the tunnel,” pointing to the end I had originally entered, “and I’ll distract whoever is looking for you.”
Shoto’s eyebrows raised in alarm at my plan, but I quickly moved past him, throwing a confident smile over my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Shoto-kun, we’ll both be okay, I promise.”
When he was perched at the end of the tunnel, ready to sneak through the more hidden parts of the playground, I launched into action- shifting my emotions and letting the fear I had pulled from him bring me to soft sobs and heavy tears. The sound reverberated through the tunnel, catching the attention of the man searching outside.
My arms shook as I wrapped them around my torso, panic starting to set in as the angry footsteps grew closer to where I was hidden.
I couldn’t help but shriek as a loud thud landed on the roof of the tunnel, an intimidatingly terrifying man appearing before me. His deep red hair is similar to Shoto, as were those piercing blue eyes. But he lacked the softness I saw in my new friend. He was harsher, like a man made of stone instead of a man born of fire. His expression shifted from pure anger to annoyance when he found me, a frown gracing his lips.
“Are you lost?” he grunted after a moment that I imagined was spent debating what to do with me . Shaking my head I scooted further into the tunnel. If I had gotten the timing right my parents would be here soon anyway, they’d help me distract the scary man.
“Okay little one, where are you hiding today?” With perfect timing the melodic voice of my mother carried through the park gate, happy sobs wracked my chest as I grabbed my bag, scrambling to the other end of the tunnel. As soon as my feet had hit the ground I was running toward her, throwing myself into her arms as her face twisted with concern.
The man who had been searching for Shoto stalked past us, his aura overpowering with distaste. I buried my face further into my mothers neck, hoping that whatever would happen at their home Shoto would be okay.
I hadn’t seen or heard anything from Shoto again for several weeks. During my usual daily trip to the park I had searched for him. Excitedly popping my head into the tunnel where he’d been hiding, but I walked away with disappointment in my heart each time.
I was worried. After meeting who I assumed was his father, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad had happened after that day.
It was winter when I finally saw him again. Snow fell from the sky in heavy layers, obscuring the small playground as I trudged my way through the gate. No other kids would be venturing out in this weather, giving me the perfect opportunity to enjoy the space. I was falling backward into the snow, intent on making a snow angel, when the flash of deep red caught my attention.
Sitting up I glanced into the tunnel, shocked to meet the same piercing bi-colored eyes I had spent so long worrying about. My heart raced as I scrambled to climb in beside him, the harsh beating nearly stopping when we were finally face to face.
He was different, changed. Not just the bandage that covered his innocent face. It was deeper, something more heartbreaking that I couldn’t explain. His emotions were muted now, almost unreadable without the use of my quirk to push at them. I was right to worry- someone had broken him.
“Shoto-kun,” I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper and nearly drowned by the world around us. His eyes followed the movement of my hand as it reached out to him, stilling when my mind finally realized what I was doing. The limb dropped back to my side, fist clenched in an effort to not reach for him again. My emotions were too wild, too unrestrained for me to touch him. I didn’t want to accidentally pass the whirlwind of sensations to him. He’d clearly suffered enough already.
“I wasn’t sure if you would be here,” Shoto mumbled, glancing back out at the wintery scene outside.
“Shoto-kun, are you-“
“I’ll be okay.”
My lips pursed in an imitation of my mother when she was scolding my father for overworking himself. Briefly I wondered if this was what love felt like- worrying more for someone else than you did yourself. I didn’t even know what had happened, what lies beneath that bandage wrapped around his head and face.
Yet fire flowed in my veins. Instinct nearly drove me to stomp across the street to beat on his front door and tell his parents exactly what I thought of them.
It wouldn’t help if I did. It actually might just make things worse. I didn’t know how to help, how to rescue him. And it hurt to feel so helpless.
“YN.” His voice grounded me, pulling my attention back to the present. “One day, when we’re older, I want to take care of you the way you have cared for me.”
My lips split into a grin as I leaned back against the tunnel wall, already reaching to pull out my snack bag. “I guess you’ll just have to marry me then, Shoto-kun.”
We fell into the same pattern as before, with me talking and him listening. He offered the occasional response, always something short like he was afraid to let me see too much of him.
So lost in our own little bubble neither of us had heard the heavy footsteps crunching through the snow toward our hiding spot. Not noticing a third person until Shoto’s father’s face appeared in the tunnel end. A rigidly sharp call of Shoto’s name had him paling even more than his usually fair skin. He hesitated, appearing unsure of whether he wanted to comply or to risk the wrath of his father if he tried to escape.
“Now, Shoto.” The second call from his father shook him from his uncertainty, forcing him to rise to his knees and crawl toward the future he couldn’t seem to escape. Reaching out I placed my hand on his briefly, squeezing gently- a reminder that he’s never alone.
Several moments after they had left, silence yet again filling the area, I ventured out of the tunnel. The winter wonderland that eclipsed the lay ground seemed a little less mystical now. I could only cling to the hope that Shoto meant to keep his promise, that one day I would see him again.
Emergency request for aid- [location]
Quickly replying, Shoto headed through the streets of his district. It wouldn’t take him long to cover the distance between the call and his usual patrol. Not at this hour anyway.
His movements were cautious as he approached. The lack of additional details in the call urging a more wary entrance to the scene. Voices and the scuffle of a fight could be heard from several blocks away.
“Y/H/N!”
Rounding the corner, Shoto’s instinctive reaction deflected the barely visible threads that were flying toward the masked heroine. Your head snapped toward him. Recognition, relief, and something he couldn’t place passed through your (e/c) eyes before being replaced with a fierce determination.
An odd familiarity flickered at the edges of his mind, before he could dwell on the feeling his attention was drawn back to the ongoing battle.
Glancing around, he quickly took stock of the situation. Three heroes on site: one of the sidekicks to the bordering district, you, and himself. Five villains: three who looked eerily similar- triplets maybe, the older woman controlled the strings, and a third kid who seems to be grabbing toward the back.
Ice flows rapidly across the empty streets, wrapping around the triplets calf’s and immobilizing them along with the older woman. As the ice reaches the final villain a blinding flash of light fills the area. It only lasts a few seconds. When the dim light of the street returns Shoto swears under his breath. Captured in the ice is the hero who has been standing furthest from him. The villain has used his quirk to swap their places.
“Sorry, I should have warned you about him!” You chirp frustratedly as you jump out onto the ice, sliding toward the triplets and slamming heavily into the chest of the first.
Upon impact the villain shatters, crumbling to clay pieces like toppled pottery. Oh, Shoto thinks as he realizes there are actually only three villains present. He’s cautious as he steps away from the woman, ice capturing her hands as well. He isn’t sure whether she can still use her quirk, but for now his priority lies in capturing the boy.
The battle begins to blur. The constant swapping of places throwing him off. He can’t use his flames for fear of injuring an ally. He isn’t quite sure how he can succeed here. All of his plans are quickly dismantled. He needs an opening, he needs-
Movement from the corner of his eyes distracts him. You somehow managed to move behind the teleporter, arms extended as you reach out. He hasn’t noticed you yet, jumping when your arms wrap around him. For a second Shoto worries that he’ll just teleport away, escaping your hold, but the pained expression that crosses his face says otherwise.
He doesn’t know what you’re doing, but the boy writhes in your arms. Your focus is outstanding, only shifting when the villain’s eyes roll back, his body collapsing. Triumph fills your eyes as you finally glance up, mouth falling open as panic quickly replaces it.
His back stings with the impact of whatever hits him. It only lasts a few seconds, the after effect so much worse. His mind feels blank. Like he’s floating in a pool of memory. He sees his body moving, the sharp spikes of ice that narrowly miss you. Your mouth is moving, words- you’re trying to talk to him- but he can’t hear you. He can’t do anything but watch as his right arm raises, flames already burning along his palm.
He fights against the hold on him. Struggling to get control back, but the grip is strong. He isn’t giving up. If he could just budge his arm a little he could make sure the shot misses.
“Shoto-kun!”
Your voice pierced through the veil surrounding him, giving him enough momentum to jerk his arm to the side, flames melting the ice along that side and freeing the older woman. An image flashed in his mind. A young girl whose eyes look eerily similar to yours sitting across from him in what appears to be a children’s play tunnel. It had to be fake, he’s never had friends before. Never gotten to hide out on a playground. His father never let him. But it feels so real, so tangible. Like he’s forgotten something important.
He blinks, long and slow, and when his eyes open again you’re standing before him. Arms outstretched as you place your palms on his cheeks. Tears bring your eyes as you make contact with him, regret for your actions clearly visible.
It hurts. Like nothing he’s ever experienced before. The strongest, most overwhelming emotions rush through his nervous system at light speed. He can’t make sense of it. Can’t tell if up is up or if up is down. It’s debilitating. He understands more why the boy looked like he was in so much pain. This is your true power.
“Don’t worry, Shoto-kun, we’ll both be okay, I promise.”
Another fragment of memory rushes to the surface. The same little girl is speaking, a grin on her face as she crouches in the end of the tunnel. But it’s your voice. His mind is breaking, he’s sure of it. How else would this make sense?
The pain grows stronger, your focus more intent as his palms grip your forearms. Ice and flame scarring you. His will to fight the hold on him grows. He doesn’t want to hurt you. He should be saving you. He’s supposed to be taking care of you.
He isn’t sure where this sense of possession and debt suddenly appears from, but it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that it’s true. He has to rescue you like you have rescued him.
The breaking of the bond is sudden. His consciousness rising back to the surface as he jerks his arms away from you. Your own grip eases before fading completely. He turns quickly, watching the old woman fall unconscious. The only one left standing is the clone guy, his feet still cemented in ice. They’ve won.
You get to work, quickly binding the villains for transport. A brilliant smile stretches across your pretty face. He has the sudden urge to kiss you then. It’s confusing. This entire evening has wrecked him. Nothing makes sense anymore.
“I’m glad it was you who answered the call Shoto-kun, otherwise I might not have been able to break the Marionette’s hold.”
You wince as you lift the teleporter, drawing Shoto’s attention to the injuries that adorn your wrists.
“I hurt you.”
“Ah, no need to worry about that! These are superficial at best! They barely sting!”
He can tell you aren’t being honest. That you’re trying to protect him from the guilt that is already threatening to eat away at him. He just doesn’t understand why.
You watch him for a moment, something similar to hope and longing swirling in your gaze, before turning away. “See you around, Shoto-kun! Thanks again for the assist!”
He can’t let you leave. Not until he knows why he feels this pull to you. Until the pieces of his fragmented memory are restored.
“Wait-“
You pause, turning back to him with that same look in your eyes. His head swims, everything rushing back at once. You were there when he was little. You helped him be brave- to face his father when he just wanted to run and hide. He ran away to see you again, he-
“One day, when we’re older, I want to take care of you the way you have cared for me.”
“YN.”
It’s not some profound declaration of his memory, yet the shine in your eyes makes it feel as if he’s just given you the world. His heart is racing, even more so than it did during the fight. He definitely wants to kiss you. And now he knows why.
“Would you like to get dinner with me tomorrow evening?”
He’s very late, but if you’ll still let him, he’s going to make good on his promise to you.
As always my content is 18+ only MINORS DO NOT INTERACT.
“I think it’s this way!”
The same words, repeated in a different voice for what felt like the thousandth time in the past hour. You were quickly regretting the decision to attend the joint class 1 a and b winter get together. Usually the weekend was spent relaxing and hoping that no major villain attacks pulled your group apart, but this weekend was different. This weekend had somehow turned into a competitive game show rerun. And it wasn’t nearly as fun as you had planned the snowy getaway to be.
“Who decided that a treasure hunt in the woods in the middle of the snowiest week of the year was a good idea?” A glance to your left had the already frozen breath in your lungs solidifying. Was it the sinking sun making that golden glow appear around Kaminari’s head? Or was that an effect of his quirk? Or your imagination hard at work painting the slightly ditzy pro-hero in a romantic light?
The sudden warmth and weight of an arm slung across your shoulders had heat flooding your wind chilled face until you realized that the limb was not in fact connected to the object of your affection but instead to Monoma.
“Y/N, does your boyfriend always complain this much? Or is the cold weather making him that much more inferior?”
Brushing off his arm, you turned on your heel, snow crunching beneath your feet. Kaminari’s presence was a welcome warmth at your back as he prepared to defend himself.
“Funny, Monoma, as I can’t recall you doing anything aside from complaining since we left,” Mina chimed as she skirted around us. Her eyes rolled dramatically as she met my gaze.
“It’s okay if you didn’t bring the right quirk copies for our outing today, you don’t have to be a jerk about it,” Tetsutetsu added as he followed Mina. Sato, our final group member, only frowned at the blonde Class B hero.
“Exactly,” you placed your hands on your hips, widening your stance slightly as you spoke, “there is no reason for you to berate any of us just because you couldn’t come prepared.”
“You’re a real bitch sometimes Y/N.”
Kaminari tensed behind you, the air brightening as electricity crackled along his hands and forearms. Glancing back your heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. He was always so adorable when he got defensive over you.
“He’s right.” You spoke to your boyfriend now, drawing his attention to de-escalate the rising tension. “But being a bitch is one of my best personality traits. Isn’t it babe?”
The electric current charged in the air began to fizzle out as his hazel eyes fell on you. his cheeks flushed an even richer shade of red from your comment. He was such a sucker for your pet names. Regardless of how cheesy and gross they could be.
“The bitchiest, most badass hero this world has ever seen.”
Now it was your turn to have warmth flooding your face. Compliments came in plenty when you were constantly in the public eye as a hero, but the genuine truth and conviction in his words had you melting into the snowy forest floor. His faith in you was astounding. And probably one of the reasons you were so madly in love with him.
“If you two love birds are done staring lovingly into each other’s eyes while Monoma watches creepily, I think we’ve found the trail back to the lodge!”
Laughter bubbled from your throat at Mina’s shout. Kaminari’s own laughter filled the space around you as he pulled you into his side. “C’mon sweetheart, let’s go find us some warmth!”
Kaminari’s groan was muffled as he collapsed face first onto the bed. You pressed a hand to your mouth to stifle your laughter as you settled in beside him, listening to the jumbled rant he was unleashing. His head popped up beside you, eyes narrowed. “Next year if anyone suggests anything even remotely physical during our get together I’m going to light them up like a Christmas tree.”
“Really?” You bit your bottom lip as you leaned in closer to your boyfriend, running your nose along the crook of his neck. He smelled so familiar, his scent alone put your entire being at ease. He shivered when your lips brushed against the sensitive skin below his ear, his breath caught with anticipation.
“You’re always the exception, sweetheart.” Kaminari’s lips brushed against your own as he turned to face you. Hazel eyes bright in the dim light of the room you shared. “I could never say no to you. Not when you own me so completely.” His kiss was possessive yet sweet. A reminder that you would always be his.
“Mine,” you mumbled into the kiss, enjoying the sparks that flit across his eyes. “And I’m yours.”
Hello Hello! Welcome to another Anilysium collab! This month the theme was a broad Halloween prompt, and our writers and artists have some quality content on the way!
All of our lovely writers have worked hard to bring you their best, so please check it out once it goes live! As usual, if you’d like to check out our previous collab works, please check the masterpost here!
When does this list go live? October 24th at 12am GMT!
Thank you to @shannonplease for the banner! ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧
As always my content is 18+ only MINORS DO NOT INTERACT.
“Okay Princess, which costume did you want to wear for Halloween?” You could barely suppress an eye roll as your three year old scowled at both of the options in your hands, her little arms crossing over her chest as she denied them both. “Well then give me an idea of what to look for,” you plead.
You’ve been searching your local shop for over half an hour waiting for the curly haired brunette to decide what to wear for Trick or Treating this weekend. She wasn’t usually so difficult to please, but for whatever unknown reason she had decided to be the pickiest about her costume for this year.
“Wanna be Beast,” she pouted. Her little lip was pursed as she stared up at you with wide eyes. “And want Daddy to be Belle.”
Her response had you stifling a laugh as you imagined your 6’5” husband donning the yellow ball gown or blue dress the Disney Princess was known for. Shugo was such a great father to your own little that you knew if she asked him with those puppy eyes he’d cave instantly. His teammates would never let him live it down, even if they would secretly find his devotion to his daughter endearing.
Finding a Beast costume for your little girl was easy enough. The trickier part was finding a Belle costume that would fit over the hard muscles of your husband’s broad frame. He’ll be the beefiest Belle Osaka has ever seen!
You got lucky wandering into a second hand shop and finding a yellow ball gown just wide enough to wrap around Shugo’s chest. It would be a bit short, but you’d make it work to entertain your baby’s dream.
As you packed the yellow dress into the trunk of your car you opened a text thread to Inumaki. He would relay the plans to the rest of the team so they could surprise your husband with a visit before you left to gather candy on Saturday evening. His immediate response was a laughing crying emoji and several thumbs up- he was so in.
“Okay Princess, all set?” You asked as you crouched before the brown eyed beauty. Her Beast costume was a tad bit too large for her frame, but she wore it proudly so you couldn’t complain.
“Ready!” She nodded before turning to wait rather impatiently for her Daddy to make his way out of the bedroom. Her tiny feet shuffled in place as her excitement bubbles over. She didn’t have to wait long before you heard movement from the hallway.
Glancing up you swallowed a hysterical laugh as Shugo stalked out in his embellished yellow princess dress and long brown wig. Despite the ridiculousness of the costume, he managed to pull it off well. His broad, muscular shoulders on display in the strapless gown. The material stretched tightly across his chest making your mouth go dry. He looked way too attractive wearing a Princess Belle costume. This plan had backfired for sure.
Before you could wallow in the misery that came with watching your husband confidently pull off a look you’d find yourself struggling to wear if the roles were reversed, a knock sounded at the front door. Stepping forward you eyed the bowl of candy waiting by the front door. It was a little early for trick or treaters but you were prepared nonetheless.
Opening the door a smirk stretched across your face as you found the remainder of the Black Jackals waiting at your doorstep. “Ah, what a surprise!” You purred loudly, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Look Shugo, the team came to visit (Y/C/N) for the holiday!”
The look on your husband’s face as you stepped back to let the team pour into your small home was priceless. If only you’d thought to stage a hidden camera to capture it. The team quickly piled into your living room, standing across from your daughter and husband.
“Well damn, Captain, aren’t you beautiful this evening!” Inumaki snickered, spurring a myriad of similar ‘compliments’ from the other boys.
Shugo only rolled his eyes, swooping your little one into his arms proudly and beaming at her. “What do we tell ‘em, princess?”
“Trick o’ Treat!” Y/C/N squealed excitedly from his arms.
Sneaking to the kitchen you grabbed your phone and began snapping a few pictures as the team took turns dropping the treats they had brought into your daughters bag. Your heart was threatening to bust as you watched them. Her smile was miles wide as she thanked each of them, animatedly talking to her daddy about the candies they were leaving her and what she wanted to eat first. It truly was a Happy Halloween.
