There was something in Shoto's insistence to hang around her after the school day that was equal parts annoying, and also so endearing her soul lifted her and caused her to walk with pride. She didn't tell him no, and he even slowed his usual brisk walk to stay beside her. Kairi remained quiet as she waited for him to speak and counted how many seconds it would be before they were back at the dorm. 240 seconds. He had already wasted sixty seconds in silence.

"Are you upset with me?" he finally said. Kairi looked over to him, her body shivering strangely as her eyes followed the contour of his face.

"Because of lunch?" she snarled.

"That would be my guess, but I can also feel-"

"Yeah, that pesky little quirk of mine, wouldn't it be great if it were different?" she said with a fake grin. Irritation crossed his face, but only briefly.

"Kairi, everyone has moments when their quirk is inconvenient."

"Yes, but I don't exactly have control of mine, now do I?" she batted her eyelashes innocently. Shoto could visibly be seen swallowing roughly as a faint trace of pink touched his cheeks. His eyes fell to his walking feet quickly.

"You're getting better, though."

"What do you mean, I'm getting better? Seems like every time I get near some sort of emotional meltdown, it ripples to others. Do you remember at the amusement park how terrified I was when the roller coaster took that loop?"

"It was a roller coaster, everyone screams. All the time."

"Every time I get on the subway, the chatter gets louder and people are less patient with each other. I have seen a couple of fights even get started."

"The subway is crowded and everyone is in a rush."

"Yeah, and I don't like crowds. So I get anxious and start freaking out inside, but then everyone else begins to panic and take it out on everyone else. That argument at lunch? That was because I was getting upset and everyone could feel it."

"Is this about you thinking you caused that argument?" Shoto asked, holding open the front door to the dorm and allowing her to enter first. She passed by without so much as a thank you. Her amber eyes tossed his direction, almost asking if he was really that stupid. Shoto's blank gaze flicked her chest and Kairi turned away quickly. Heat crept up her neck. A mild fear told her to avoid his eyes.

"No, I mean... I think I had something to do with that and I forever feel guilty." Discussion clamored into the gathering area as the other students entered the dorm behind them. "What else is new? But I feel... hurt, I guess. Did you really think such an opportunity wouldn't attract me?" She shuffled her bag off her shoulders, but held it at her side by the center strap. Shoto's grey and blue eyes dropped, shame weighing them down.

"I recognize I should have considered the possibility," he admitted. "I guess I thought maybe you were becoming okay with your quirk?"

"It might have some uses, but it's still an issue with other folk, still causes problems, and I think I could do better with a different kind of quirk. Mostly though, it's made me a bit of an issue for others and It's hard to get people to genuinely like me because of it, as my history has clearly shown."

"That's not the case for me." His easy response drummed through her and wavered the rhythm of her chest for a moment. A bright pink coated the rise of her cheeks as she grew small under the remark, said so plainly and firmly. Her skin prickled and she wrapped her arms in front of her as she stood in front of the steps. Body already feeling loose and jellylike, her foot kept missing the bottom step. Kairi's mind grew disjointed from reality as she swayed on her feet. Shoto threw out a hand that snatched her upper arm before she stumbled over her own foot.

"Was there rice wine in your lunch today?" he chuckled, a noise that ricocheted pleasantly through her. Her breath caught in her throat when his touched burned against her arm. She ripped her limb from him, shocked by the treatment he laid on her but hated the empty space it left. Her terrified mind zipped rapidly. "Look, if you're upset but what I said earlier, I'm sorry if what I said bothered you. It's true I may not have been considering how personal the issue may be to you."

"It's fine," she breathed out, though the dryness in her throat was catching. Kairi swallowed, trying to moisten her voice. Shoto's frown didn't leave him. Her heaves were becoming deeper as her face continued to rise with heat. Visibly, his neck tightened and he held his lips tight while his eyes searched. That hand fell to her upper arm again, the welcome burning returning to her. A silent squeak was felt in her chest. Kairi clutched her bag tight against her side.

"Seriously, Kairi, are you all right?" She nodded, and he looked at her doubtfully. Her chest thundered harder her free hand went to cover the sound, as if she could muffle it. "You're not... feeling anxious right now are you?"

"Uh, I don't know?" she whispered, trying to tame whatever was tensing up between her stomach and sternum. It was like being anxious, but something about it was just as exhilarating as it was frightening. "Maybe?"

"Come on," he whispered, and guided her in the direction of the girls' wing. She walked alongside him, silently willing her chest to stop that stubborn tripping and the erratic fluttering that was occurring in her stomach. As her skin continued to prickle with gooseflesh, Shoto kindly walked beside her with one hand lightly touching her shoulder. It warmed where his palm touched. Sweaty fingers dug through her bag for her keys and she opened the door, allowing him inside. Another beat against her chest, and she swallowed. It felt odd, having him in her room. Which itself was odd. Shoto had been in her dorm room a few times, and she had been in his. They were friends, that's what friends did – hang out in each other's rooms. "I know it's easier for you to calm down when someone is with you, but as always I am going to ask-"

"Yes, please stay," she responded automatically, familiar with the question. Her brow was still furrowed against her pale as her gaze fixated on the corner of her dorm room. "Though I... don't think I'm having an attack or anything. Maybe I am. I don't know. It at least doesn't feel like it normally does." Shoto puckered his lips as he thought hard. Kairi shivered and turned her back to him, not seeing the color that flourished in Shoto's face. Her stomach continued to somersault.

"Are you upset?" he asked in a low voice.

"About today?" she asked, still not looking at him as she threw her backpack on the bed.

"Listen, I... I wasn't thinking. That doesn't change my stance but..."

"Mr. Aizawa said it doesn't matter anyway. Even if the trials are successful it would be a few years til it was available to the public so it doesn't do anyone any good to discuss it until it's submitted to the public." She was trying to pushed the subject away from their discussion as her core continued to constrict. Her mind was pleading for Shoto to leave, but also thrilled he was standing behind her in her dorm room. A room he had been in alone with her about a dozen times up to that point, and never once had she felt as she did.

"But in a few years, if it was available, would you do it?"

"I guess that depends on how things go with me here, and if I am able to stop my emotional overspill." Hands pulled a couple of notebooks, a tablet, and a textbook from the darkness in her bag.

Sad eyes fell from Shoto, her own shock making Kairi look over to him. He looked different. Firm as he always looked, but something about his masculine features softened, the tender look in his eyes splitting Kairi in two. Her heart sped and she had to surrender the hold on her body and just sit on the edge of the bed, watching him. "I understand that your quirk isn't easy. I know you've struggled, still struggle. I'm sorry for the pain it's caused you."

"Shoto, you've already said-"

"I know," he interrupted, and then took the few steps to sit on the other side of the bed. Kairi sharply inhaled. Shoto stiffened and averted his eyes. "I am sorry if I seem ignorant to how you feel and don't consider what you may be thinking. I can feel your quirk and have come to assume I must always know what you're feeling based on that, but I also know that isn't how it works which makes it even worse. If you're angry, all I know is that you're angry, but not why. I shouldn't assume and I need to consider your feelings in everything. Even if I can feel them, it's still common courtesy to ask."

"Yeah, you ass," Kairi teased, reaching to lightly tap his arm. A quick shock stuck to her fingers and she pulled her hand back. As if to cover up the small action, she stole the plush elephant from her bed and pressed it to her lap. Shoto smirked, and her spirit was gone. Her stomach shut up through her stomach. Kairi collapsed into her core and reality faded at the sight of the smallest of smiles. His grey eye shone just as brightly as his blue one, dazzling as they fell onto her and only focused on her. She watched with lost fascination as the piece of red hair fell over his eye. Fixated, she followed the trail around his chin and appreciated how flawlessly it followed around his face, his smirk pulling a not oft seen brightness.

"I think your quirk is useful, and has given you gifts not many have. It's a part of you and I guess I think it's a shame to remove those gifts from you. It would make you a great rescue hero." Kthump. There went her chest again, aggressively. She clutched the elephant tighter to her. Shoto rested his fingers in his lap and fidgeted while his face grew redder. There was a strange tension building, something that seemed awkward but nothing felt truly unpleasant. It was always a delight to have Shoto hang around her, when they did work together or would watch something. This time, however... something felt different and odd. Like a beautiful panic was about to burst from her. It was uncomfortable, but she craved something about it.

"Th... anks," she slowly said, her brain reverbing his words back to her. The wording made it seem like he didn't want her quirk taken from the world, but his tone sounded as if it were addressed to her, as a person. "I'll... keep that in mind." He smiled again, freezing and boiling her just as his quirk did.

That damned musical chime ruined it all. She yelped at the sound her computer emitted, a cheery brill that demanded her attention. Kairi dropped the elephant onto the floor and rushed to her open laptop just as Shoto turned towards. Her eyes took a quick glance at the characters spelling out the title of the caller. She cried out and then slammed a finger on the button to decline the call. Relief dropped for a moment before it rang out again and her hand reacted to decline the call. "Just... one second." The text window popped up and her fingers flew across the keyboard to spell out a quick message: Working on homework. Give me a sec.

"Kairi, why did that say 'Mom calling?'"

"Eh, it's a nickname for someone I know!" Kairi told him sheepishly. He raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"Who? I know you occasionally speak to other fans of the stuff you like but I always thought that was more casual social media correspondence." The window popped up with a new message: I only have a half hour before I have to go to work. We planned this two weeks ago. Kairi hissed and looked over to Shoto. Her chest whimpered at the idea of him leaving. More so than it usually did. She wriggled uncomfortably, between her own feelings and the knowing glare Shoto was giving her.

"Shoto, just..." The computer trilled against, it's musical tone insisted. "Just... okay, yes it's my mom okay and I'll explain in a second, just..." Longing reaching for the computer as her potentially unhealthy yearning answered the call just as popped in a pair of nearby headphones. "If you're uncomfortable, you can leave." Her emotion desperately pushed out the next bit. "But you're more than willing to stay if you want!" Shoto furrowed his brow and rose from the bed. Pleading eyes watched the boy head to the door, her spirit beginning him to stay despite her mom on call on the other end. But then he turned his back and leaned against the door, nodding with his chin for her to proceed. Flushed, Kairi looked back at the screen to see her mother patiently tucking a light brown strand behind her hair. "Hi, Mom!"

"Your voice sounds shaky," she said. "Are you doing something you shouldn't?"

"Hello to you," she grumbled with a sigh. "What could I possibly be doing?"

"Your face is flushed, are you drinking?" Kairi's eyes rolled, hard.

"No, Mom. My parents are cops, do you really think I would be drinking?" Shoto's eyebrows expressed a surprised interest in her words. Kairi's eyes shared an annoyed look with him.

"Well, a priest's child gets into the most trouble," she said.

"Mom, I go to the best hero school, and you think I would jeopardize that with underage drinking?"

"Okay, but that doesn't explain how flushed you look."

"I just got home, I was outside," Kairi sighed. It wasn't too much of a lie. She looked over to Shoto again, who was asking questions with his own expressions.

"No, no, you keep looking up over the computer." Her matching amber eyes expanded as she quickly pieced together the clues. "You wouldn't answer my call, you're flushed, you're looking at someone in the room – there's someone in the room and you were making out with them, weren't you?"

"What?!" Her squeak caused Shoto to wince. "I know your quirk is Perception, but I think you're using it in overdrive a bit because that is ridiculous!"

"No, I'm right, aren't I!" A strange pride stretched a smile onto her mother's face. "The mother part of me wants to tell you to actually do your work and stop these frivolous escapades, but I am not going to lie there's a part of me that-"

"Mom, Mom, Mother, no no no no no no..." Kairi almost laughed, hoping her insistence would cover the rapid vibration running through her and accelerating her pulse.

"All you had to do was say that you had someone over and I would have understood, but sweetie I must ask. If you're having sex-"

Terror ripped through Kairi and her hands flew to her earbuds, throwing them out and only seeing her mother continue to babble on whatever sort of traumatizing conversation she was not ready to have. It wasn't the first time her mother went on about things she may want to do as a teenager and it was always embarrassing. This time was completely horrifying even though Shoto couldn't hear it. Kairi mouthed "I'm so sorry, you don't have to be here!" to him. Just then, her mother was gesturing to the camera and then pointing at her own ears, demanding Kairi put her earbuds back on. Slowly, fingers picked up the black beads and pushed them against her ears, looking defeatedly at the camera.

"Look, I'll leave if you want to get back to what you were doing..." The way the sentence hung seemed to indicate the very impression of what she thought she was doing. "Though I do think sixteen is a bit young if I am honest."

"Not sixteen yet, mom..." Kairi groaned. Her heart deflated. "And it's not that, okay? I just have a friend here who was concerned about my wellbeing. That's all."

"That doesn't explain why you're flushed."

"I have emotional issues all over the place, I get red faced for everything under the sun, who knows what's going on with me?"

"Well, okay, we'll catch up next month then if you're truly busy. Who is it, by the way?"

"It's... Shoto," Kairi said. Shoto appeared smug. Her mother propped up with interest.

"The Todoroki boy you saved?"

"Yeah, that friend I told you about."

"All right, call me next month then," she breathed, though she didn't seem too happy about it.

"Okay, I'll see you then." Her mother waved. "I lo-" The screen disappeared before the words could come out. Kairi's heart fell with them. "-ve you..." Slowly, hands reached to close the front of the laptop. The girl slumped dejectedly into her chair, and fingers rolled around each other absentmindedly. The air thickened with silence before Shoto removed himself from the door and placed a hand onto Kairi's back. The hand elicited a sharp gasp from her and then dropped pleased sigh. His hand warmed a tingle down her spine. She settled against his touch.

"I thought you didn't have contact with your mother."

"I said we were distant, which is... technically true. But we have a video call once a month and regularly message each other. She gets excited when I do something 'normal' or when I do something that gets me praised. After I saved you and it was all over the news, I was getting so many messages about how proud she was of me and she said she loved me more times then than she ever had in her life."

"That doesn't sound like she's really proud of you," Shoto frowned. "Just the things that make her look good."

"But her need for contact, how she gets upset when I don't respond... that's got to mean she cares, right? I mean she must love me."

"Perhaps in a way... not the way you deserve to be though." His words fluttered through her painfully. "I'm not sure this is healthy."

"No," she agreed, her body turning ever so slightly to mildly lean against his comforting arms. "But she's my mom. I can't just cut contact with her." He pursed his lips but didn't say a word.

"So what are you freaking out about?"

"Remember that her quirk is perception, however she can also jump to conclusions."

"Yes?"

"Apparently my unwillingness to talk, my flushed face, and the fact I kept looking over to you must have been I was in the middle of going at it hot and heavy with someone." He awkwardly coughed, face flushing deeper than hers. Kairi snorted and rolled her eyes in camaraderie.

"Yeah, with all your figures of your beloved fictional lovers."

"Hey, you don't know, I might have done that." Traumatized eyes looked at the line of her collection and jerked away to a blank spot on the wall. Kairi chortled, the bubbling euphoria bumping in her gut. It help the alleviate the awkward tension she had been feeling, even if she didn't understand why such an uncomfortable pleasantness existed.

"I suspect you're feeling better," he said quickly. "If you're all right with it, I'm going to head back over to my dorm."

"Yeah that's fine, I'm okay now." He pulled the doorknob and stepped halfway out the door.

"I'm serious, Kairi. If your mom isn't giving you the attention you deserve, I do think it's best you cut her away. Ultimately it's your family and your decision, and it isn't my place to tell you what to do but..." He turned over his shoulder and looked at her softly. A look that zinged through Kairi with painful conviction and blessed tenderness. "You're too good of a person and you don't deserve to be mistreated like that." Shoto disappeared behind the door and Kairi was left in her silence, with her mess of feelings sitting in her lap. Her heart ached with sadness at Shoto's leaving but the awkward intensity left with him. She stared at the cover of her laptop, tracing the trim of the logo on its back.

What was going on with her?