I couldn't do anything. Kaere curled up in a ball on her bed, her arms wrapped around herself and her glasses discarded on the table next to her bed. If that hero had attacked me…I wouldn't have been able to do anything. My quirk is just for support…and even if I do use my quirk, I can't use it without damaging myself.

Tears soaked into her pillow and her heart was beating loud and fast in her ears. She was only vaguely aware of her phone ringing, but she had her back to the rest of the room. Facing the wall to try to hide her tears from Twice.

I'm…useless. I don't belong in the League. Even if someone gets hurt…they don't want me to use my quirk to heal them. Kaere covered her mouth with a hand, her stomach churning when she remembered facing the number two hero.

"Kae-chan, your phone…"

"I-I can't…I can't…right now," she mumbled, closing her eyes.

"Ngh." Twice pulled on his mask and grabbed her phone. "What do you want?! Hey, Dabi! What? No way! You're not gonna believe what happened! I took Kae-chan home; it's for her own good! No way we're going out there again! Screw that!"

Letting them down. I'm letting them all down again. I was supposed to earn money for the League and now…now I let them down. What good am I? I failed as a healer…I failed as a team member. Kaere tensed when the bed dipped behind her.

"I said we're not gonna go out again! This bird guy came up to her and I thought he was gonna take her! It wasn't that bad."

I don't deserve friends. I don't deserve love. I don't deserve anything. She was trembling and scratched at her wrist. Struggling to keep herself quiet. I can't do anything. I can't…do anything at all.

The male villain pulled off his mask and dug his fingers into his hair. It was obviously difficult for him to focus on plainly explaining and when he looked over his shoulder at Kaere, he ended the call. "I'm protecting her…and she doesn't feel well so we're done for today," he mumbled.

The girl's scratches sealed up as she heard her phone being put on the table. The villain behind her sighed and there was a ruffling sound as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I…I'm sorry," she whispered. "If I was…if I was faster…like everyone else. Or if my quirk was better. I could've gotten away or…I could've…"

"It keeps happening," he interrupted. "It just keeps happening! Every time you need help, I'm too late! Why does this keep happening?! I said I'd protect you, but I wasn't there for you!" Twice turned toward her as she half-turned and his eyes widened when he saw dried blood on her lips and fingertips. "Kae-chan, don't-! I told you not to hurt yourself!"

Her chest started to feel tight when she saw the wet sheen of his eyes. Before she could say anything, she was dragged into a hug. I made him worry. I just…I just keep messing up.

"Kae-chan, I don't wanna see you get hurt." His voice was strained as he held her tightly against his chest. "Okay? I'm not gonna let it happen again! I promise!"

The girl was silent for a long moment and finally hugged back. "I let you…and everyone else…I let everyone down. I can't do anything. I'm…just…useless. P-protecting me is just a waste of your time-"

"Don't say that! Kae-chan, listen! I...ngh…Kae…" Twice dug a hand into his hair, pressing his fingertips against his scalp. His eyes met hers and he broke down. "Every time you get hurt…you know how much that hurts me?! I feel like my chest is being crushed! Every time something happens, I'm too slow to help you!"

I can't do a lot, but…She remembered something that Compress had told her and the girl hesitantly lifted her hands. Her chilled fingers took his wrist and lowered it. "It's…it's okay," she whispered.

She ran trembling fingers through his hair, feeling the warmth of his scalp against her cold fingertips. Twice tensed up at first, but then started to relax. The villain leaned down a little, his arms wrapping around her. "It's…going to be okay," she tried to assure him. "Twice, you…did a good job today. You protected me while I worked and...I just…wanted to do the same for you earlier."

Kaere lowered a hand to pick up his mask and she offered it to him. "You need this…right? It's okay." She managed a small half-smile and was surprised to see him give her a shaky sort of smile back.

He let her slip the mask on over his head and then tightened his hug. "Awww! Kae-chan, you're so sweet! I didn't need your help! I can pull myself together!" Falling onto his side on the bed, he kept her held against him and obviously smiled within his mask. "And I finally get some Kae-chan cuddles, right?!"

Her heart felt like it did a flip, but she held her smile and nodded. "There isn't a lot that I can do, but…I can at least do this."

Twice refused to leave until someone else was in the apartment. He stayed with her, cuddling with his friend, until there was a loud knock at her apartment door. Even then, he stayed close to her when she went to answer it.

When Dabi entered the apartment, he looked from Kaere to Twice and raised an eyebrow. "Still here? Seriously?"

He kept one arm wrapped around Kaere and pointed angrily at Dabi with his free hand. "Hey! You've been gone for hours! I wasn't gonna leave her by herself!"

"Whatever. I'm here now. Get out. I've gotta talk to Kae."

Twice looked down at Kaere and hugged her tighter. "No way! I'm not gonna let you hurt Kae-chan again!"

"Leader said I'm not supposed to damage the healer again. You seriously think I'd do something to her?"

"If you hurt my Kae-chan again, I'm gonna kick your butt! Seriously. Just be nice. Don't make her cry again!"

As nervous as she was to be left alone with Dabi, Kaere knew she had no choice. I can't make Twice stay with me all night. It isn't fair to him. She timidly told her friend that she would see him later and that he could leave. It took some convincing, but Twice eventually agreed to go only if Dabi swore not to hurt her.

Now alone with the half-burned villain, she felt the anxious churning in her stomach again. He was staring at her. She could feel his eyes locked on her and it made her break out in a cold sweat. Glancing over at him as he sprawled on the couch, she subtly moved closer to her open bedroom doorway. "You…s-said you needed to talk to me…?"

He was following her with his eyes; lying on his back on the couch with one arm crossed behind his head. "Heard you had a run in with a bird."

The girl tensed and her face went pale. "A…bird?"

"Or was it a hawk?" Dabi saw her take a step back and he pushed himself to sit up. "What? You thought that was a coincidence? That's…kinda dumb. I thought you were supposed to be smart, Kae."

"I…I don't understand." She felt her glasses slipping down the bridge of her nose and stepped back again when he stood. The tall, dark-haired villain was advancing and his hand darted out to grab her wrist before she could close her door. Kaere winced as he leaned down, bringing his face inches from hers.

"I've got connections that the leader doesn't have yet." He turned her and pinned her arm against the doorframe, above her head, and smirked. "What's the matter, Kae? You look…pretty pale."

"Why…why was that hero there? And did he-?"

"I told him to watch for a mousy nerd and a freak with a scar down his forehead. And if the cops got too close, to make his move."

"But…why?" Kaere was still trying to process what he was saying. That hero was watching me? How long was he watching me? Why is he working with Dabi if he's a hero? I don't understand.

He lifted his free hand and gripped her neck gently, leaning down to her ear and letting the staples along his cheek lazily scrape over her neck. "Wouldn't wanna lose our precious little healer, right? What? Scared? Don't like being watched?" he taunted.

Kaere's eyes were becoming watery with panicked tears. The feeling of his palm against her throat, his fingertips lightly pressing at the sides of her neck, made her go completely still. She felt heat rising to her face from how close he was. The girl could feel his chest brush against hers when he breathed and it sent a chill down her spine. "Th-the bruises…on my neck."

Dabi's bright turquoise eyes narrowed and released her throat. He pushed up her glasses as a wicked half-grin pulled at his lips, stretching them and making her momentarily worry his staples would tear his skin. Before he could say more, there was a light knocking at the apartment door. "Seriously?"

She was released and he stalked across the apartment to the door. The girl stepped into her room again. Ready to close the door and jam it closed if needed. There were goose bumps on her arms, beneath her sleeves. Her stomach was twisting into knots as she watched Dabi closely.

The door opened and there was a brief argument before Compress more or less forced his way into the apartment. He removed his black and white mask and immediately set eyes on Kaere. A trouble frown took form as he briskly approached the girl. His arms spread to embrace her and he ran his right hand along her back soothingly.

"Darling, I'm so glad that you're alright. When I heard that you encountered a hero, I must confess that I feared the worst! I felt my heart drop into my stomach with dread! That charlatan didn't harm you, did he?" The man drew away slightly and pressed his left hand at the small of her back, his right hand caressing her face. "My dear, you look so pale."

"She's always pale," Dabi pointed out. "Aren't you being kind of obsessive?"

"I…I'm fine," Kaere assured Compress. It was clear that Dabi was keeping his connection to the hero a secret from the rest of the villains. He told me about it…like he wanted me to thank him, she thought as she glanced toward Dabi.

The dark-haired villain looked annoyed. He more or less threw himself onto the couch and leaned against the arm of it so he could keep looking at her and Compress. "You're not kicking me out tonight," he warned.

"Your noncompliance is your own problem," Compress remarked, tipping his hat forward. Turning his attention back to Kaere, he gave her a relieved smile. "Kae, would you mind if I stay for a while? I won't be staying the night, but I'd like to spend some more time with my beloved."

Her face filled with a pink tint and she bowed her head. "O-okay." She let him into her room and briefly saw Dabi's glare before the door closed. The girl reached for the light switch and turned off the light; knowing he would want to take off his mask.

There was a soft rustle of the mask being removed and a sigh of relief. Kaere turned to ask what he and the others had done after she left with Twice, but found his lips covering hers before she could speak. A pair of gloved hands settled on her hips and drew her closer against him.

Her arms slid around his neck and her heart hammered in her chest as his lips caressed hers. She was reminded of that morning, when she shared that intimate act with Compress. It made her face go from pink to red and she tensed when she felt a gloved fingertip slip beneath the hem of her t-shirt.

When the kiss broke, he lifted his right hand and gently removed her glasses. They were folded and set aside before he guided her over to the bed. The villain sat down, his hands returning to her hips and pulling her down to straddle his waist. "My sweet, darling Kae," he started as he brought his lips beside her ear. "You make my heart pound in ways it never has before, but today was quite different."

Her vision was dim and blurry, but she could still make out the man's frown. He looked genuinely unsettled and it was so unnatural on his normally outgoing, confident face. "Sako-san…I'm sorry. If I…if I was more like everyone else in the League…if my quirk could help me fight, then…"

"No, no! My love, you shouldn't blame yourself. You can't blame yourself. No one could have foreseen a hero so brazenly approaching you. Though we'll have to thank Spinner for his contribution to your costume when we got our revenge on Overhaul. Without his scarf to hide your face, I'm sure you would have been recognized instantly. No, my dear, I'm just glad that you're safe."

He pulled her against his chest and fell onto his back on her bed, letting her legs rest to either side of his. Holding her in his arms in the darkness, the man's heart beat rapidly enough in his chest that she could feel it as well. "I don't think I've felt such a strong fear before. When I overheard that a hero approached you, I worried that you might have been arrested."

"You…you were really worried?"

"Of course! Kae, at this point, I can't imagine what I would do if I lost you! Just the thought is enough to make my poor heart ache. I trust you feel the same way." Compress trailed his right hand up her back and ran his fingers through her dark brown hair as he spoke.

She closed her eyes and nodded. Thinking about him being arrested or being killed. The thought alone was enough to make her start to feel sick with worry. "My chest hurts just thinking about it," she replied.

"Darling, never fear. I'll never let myself be caught and I'll do everything within my power to keep you from suffering that fate as well."