3 MONTHS LATER
"Guess what," Nate said excitedly over the phone.
"You have a boyfriend!" Ochako blurted immediately figuring there were few things he would actually sound this excited over.
He paused a second as he processed her words.
"No, but I appreciate your optimism," he said snarkily and she let out a small laugh.
"My parents want me to make another visit to Japan this year, this time for two weeks."
Ochako's mouth hung open and her heart skipped a beat. She didn't even know how to respond.
"Is that a good silence or a bad silence?" he asked with a chuckle.
"Sorry, Nate, I'm just so stunned! I didn't think you'd be coming back so soon!" she said with wonder.
"Me either!" he rejoiced, "But it's partially for work, partially for play because my second week is just a vacation week. I figured we could go sight-seeing and eat at a bunch of five-star restaurants!"
"Oh wow! That would be amazing!" she squealed, "But I have to work so I won't be able to be with you much…"
"Yeah, I took care of that," he responded mysteriously.
Ochako narrowed her eyes despite him not being able to see, "What do you mean 'you took care of it'?"
"Well I still need a guard don't I? I'm hiring you to be that guard for me for those two weeks!"
She frowned, "But aren't you going to be staying in the same place?"
"Of course!" he answered.
"But that's not my jurisdiction," she told him sadly, "I don't work for Mt. Lady anymore, I work a little ways outside the city actually."
After graduating, she had gotten a slew of job offers, a couple, of course, coming from well-known pros, including Mt. Lady and the other two Lurkers, as well as officially from Hawks. But she had chosen not to go with any of them and, instead, had taken a job with a lesser-known hero in a small city just outside of Tokyo, on the opposite edge of where UA was located.
She didn't want to have to end up working with any of her former classmates, even Mina or Toru. She wanted to leave the whole of her high school life behind. At least when she worked. She would still occasionally visit with the girls from her class from time to time.
"Don't worry about it," he assured her, "I already talked to Mt. Lady and she said she was more than happy to have you working in her territory, especially to guard me again. I also specially requested you from your hero agency and they okayed the job so there you go!"
Ochako's heart swelled. He'd done all that to make sure that she could come stay with him again.
She sighed heavily with appreciation, "Thank you, Nate. In that case, I'd love to come guard you."
"Great!" he said and she could hear his smile through the phone.
Something snagged at the corner of her mind then. Something that made her somewhat suspicious of her friend despite the fact that she cared for him dearly and didn't want to distrust him.
"Nate," she said with a questioning tone, "Is anyone else going to be guarding you with me?"
"What?" he asked, sounding truly shocked, "Of course not, Uravity! I have confidence in your ability to protect me on your own... Wait wait wait. Did you think this was some kind of ploy and I would hire Bakugo as well?"
She hadn't been sure. She trusted him for the most part. And he knew just how hard she'd worked these past few months to slowly piece herself back together after everything that had happened. But she also wouldn't have put it past him to consider it at the very least. He was kinda his friend too. He was familiar with him at least.
"Ground Zero," she said soberly, twisting the chopsticks in her hands she'd been using to stir what she'd been cooking the past ten minutes, "That's what he goes by now."
She already wanted to move away from this subject.
"Right," he said gingerly, "Of course I wouldn't do that, Uravity. It's just you and me, girly."
"Okay, thanks Nate," she said with a sigh of relief, "I'm sorry I suspected you would."
"I understand," he soothed, "I've gotta go now but I'll text you all of my flight info. I'll be there next week so get yourself ready for a good time, yeah?"
She nodded, "Yeah. I can't wait to see you again, Nate."
"Me either, Uravity," he said, "Bye, babe."
"Bye, Nate."
She finished up her dinner and ate quickly so she could start laying clothes out to stay with him for a while after the next week.
"Nate!" Ochako shrieked, running into his arms and nearly bowling him over as their chests met when she picked him up from the airport.
"Oof, take it easy on me, I'm a soft, defenseless royal," he said with a laugh.
But she hardly cared. She was in desperate need of hugs and comfort and it was nice to have a non-threatening male presence around. She had moved out of her parents house only a couple weeks after graduating, ignoring their concerns for her well-being. Being somewhere completely new had helped her feel cleansed and was turning the page on her life. But she did still miss her parents and the easy comfort they brought her sometimes.
They made it safely out of the airport and back to the same hotel they'd stayed in around this same time last year.
Ochako's heart gave a pang of nostalgia and still somewhat tender grief as she emerged from the elevator, looking around the apartment-like penthouse. She sighed heavily, trying not to remember and just focus on making new memories now, looking forward to her days ahead with her usually long-distance friend.
After getting everything settled, Nate told her he was going to head to his room to take a nap, leaving her to wander around the penthouse on her own for a while.
She decided to change into her swimsuit and swim in the private pool for a bit, then soaked in her bath to get the chlorine washed off and to try to soothe her growing sense of unease.
Nate was back in Japan and she got to spend two weeks pretty much just hanging out with him under the guise of being a bodyguard. Not that she wouldn't take her job seriously if and when the time came to do it, but 99% of it was going to be what she was doing now. That was, if he didn't get himself into trouble again.
But some kind of discomfort was growing in the pit of her stomach.
Being back here was a little more difficult than she had expected. Being back in the city and around familiar sights from her last summer was pulling at some small part of her she had thought she'd been doing a good job of burying.
When she was well and truly pruned up from spending too long in the bath, she dried herself off and dressed in a yellow sundress, hoping it would at least make it seem like her mood was brighter than it was, even if it didn't do much for her actual mood.
Sitting on the couch, she turned the TV on and flipped around the channels, searching for something entertaining, a game show, a drama of some kind, even anime would please her, just something to take her mind off of whatever was creeping into her sitting alone like this.
Instead she found a news channel that had a reporter interviewing Deku, of all people. He'd been incredibly busy since he'd gone to work a little over a month ago now. He'd already stopped untold kidnappings and hijackings. Even small time stuff like catching robbers. A particularly incredible feat had been when he'd saved a train full of people from running off the tracks.
Ochako felt a certain amount of pride in her friend for not allowing his suspension, nor his probation, to slow him down or discourage him.
Now, he was standing with the blonde reporter on TV and discussing his most recent rescue of a movie star who had been kidnapped and taken hostage by her stalker.
It was all pretty par for the course until the reporter decided to veer way off into inappropriate territory.
"Deku, can you tell us a few more details about why we hadn't seen you for two months after you graduated from UA?"
He clearly looked uncomfortable with the question but didn't blow her off for some reason.
Deku and His suspensions had been kept very quiet from the media and were not expanded upon other than they were breaking from hero work for a couple months.
People had been understandably upset about it and demanded more answers but none had ever been given.
"We've heard rumors that you and Ground Zero had your licenses revoked due to a personal incident causing you two to fight. Can you elaborate on that?"
"That sounds like wild speculation," he said as kindly and firmly as possible, "Ground Zero and I are perfectly fine with each other. We've been friends since we were children. In fact, let me tell you about the time he played drums at our school festival in first year…"
He'd sidestepped that like a master. She was impressed and relieved.
She flipped the channel again after the interview was over and was able to settle on watching a nature show about lions surviving out in the savannah until Nate came back out looking much better rested.
They ordered sushi to gorge themselves on for dinner and it was some of the best Ochako had ever had. She already felt her unease recede spending time with him and catching up on all the things going on in each other's lives.
Nothing particularly new had happened with Nate. He'd taken a few more trips overseas to London and to Dubai. He'd met a guy in London that he thought he'd liked and gotten along with and he was even gay this time! It had seemed so perfect! But he'd had a boyfriend and was actually kind of a dick for leading him on like that so Nate was, once again, back at square one, single and lonely.
Ochako had kept him abreast of what had happened between her and Him and he'd even soothed her down from some very difficult moments late at night, when dreams had gotten the best of her.
But she hadn't given him much in the line of details about everything else and chose to fill him in now, trying to keep the conversation, and her mind, far away from difficult subjects.
"I'm so glad you came out here," Nate said, throwing an arm around her to pull her in for a hug as they relaxed on the couch, "I would've hated to have to befriend all new people. Being charismatic and optimistic all the time is stressful."
Ochako snorted lightly in amusement as she laid her head on his shoulder, taking in his obviously expensive cologne and missing a different scent that belonged to sweat and heat, "I'm glad I can be your reprieve from that. You don't have to be all proper around me. I'm not a perfect, well-mannered hero all the time in front of you."
"Mmm, well mannered? No. Perfect? I suppose not. But still a super sweet person who deserves every kindness? Yes," he said petting her hair.
She sighed and tried to relax as they watched a game show on TV. Her mind struggled to keep its focus, though.
"Nate," she asked quietly, "Did you love that guy in London?"
Nate considered a moment, then said, "Nah, not really. I only knew him a few days. I liked him, sure. But obviously I didn't even know him."
"Yeah, I guess that's true," she agreed, "Do you still have hope you'll find someone?"
He thought about her question again.
"Yeah, I'll always have hope. I don't believe in soul mates or anything but I do think that there are people out there who are capable of loving exactly who I am at this very moment without wanting to change a single thing and I think it's likely I'll meet one of them one day. I think the same is possible for you."
Ochako liked the sound of that. But it was hard for her to even imagine who that person might be. It was hard to consider even trying to care about someone again. She supposed three months had still not been long enough.
If she was being honest, it was more like one, though.
She had still held the tiniest inkling of hope that the two month suspension would be up and He would have called her or come to see her and said he'd changed his mind. But those two months had come and gone and she got no call or visit or even anything from Mitsuki. And, because she'd realized she had been a complete fool, her heart had crumbled anew those weeks ago. It had been one of the nights she'd had to call Nate and bare her soul.
No. She wasn't ready for something new. Maybe she wasn't being dumb or holding out hope anymore but she was still sore and bitter. No one deserved a face like that.
She fell asleep not long into watching TV and slept for the rest of the night, feeling at least somewhat comforted being around a warm presence that understood her and cared for her in the supportive way she needed most right now.
The next couple days were spent trailing Nate around, going to fancy estates and visiting with other diplomats and politicians.
Ochako still didn't know how Nate did it. It was beyond boring for her to stand around and make small talk and shake hands with- sometimes- some really slimy characters. But he was always there with a smile on his face like it was the most interesting thing in the world.
On Nate's fourth day, things began as they had for the last few days.
She woke up at 7 am to her alarm, took a shower, got dressed in her costume, and ordered breakfast from room service.
Nate was out and ready for the day by 8 am and they headed down to the street and went in to visit the coffee shop next door.
"Hi! Do you want your usual?" the barista greeted her in a rather excessively chipper tone, she thought, for this early in the morning.
"Uh…yeah… You know my usual?" she asked awkwardly, eyeing him a little suspiciously.
The dark-haired man with thick rimmed glasses (who she realized was actually pretty decent looking) smiled at her knowingly, "Yeah, you've come in here the last few days in a row with your boyfriend. After the second or third time, you kinda tend to recognize people."
"Ahhmmm? My boyfriend? You mean Nate?" she asked, looking over at the tall dreadfully gorgeous prince sitting cozily in an overstuffed armchair.
"No, the other guy you walk in here with every day," the barista laughed.
"Oh, Nate's not my boyfriend," she said simply, "We're friends and I also happen to be working for him right now. Notice how I'm dressed like this," she gestured to herself, "and he is wearing very expensive clothing. I'm his bodyguard."
The guy shrugged, "Ah well you could've been meeting up for coffee every morning, who knows."
She paid for their coffees with Nate's card and moved down the line to wait for them to be made.
When they were ready, the same barista that had taken her order handed her her drinks. His brown eyes brightened a bit when he said, "Well, I guess goodbye until tomorrow, Uravity." He already knew her name from her giving it every morning to put on their order.
"Thanks…." she replied and turned away slowly, feeling like she was being stupid.
"Did that guy finally hit on you?" Nate asked, standing as she walked up to him to hand him his coffee.
"Was that what he was doing? I thought he was just being overly familiar and weird," she remarked.
"Not everyone is straightforward in letting you know they're interested, Uravity," Nate laughed, opening the door to let them out onto the sidewalk again, "That guy noticed you since the first day we came in here but I guess he didn't get up the nerve to ask you about me until today."
"If you knew he was interested, why didn't you say anything to me or alleviate his concern about you or something?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"I'm gonna be honest," he said with a grin, "It was just more fun watching him be awkward and cute around you."
Ochako rolled her eyes but smiled with amusement as they continued walking down the sidewalk toward their destination only 10 blocks away.
"Ugh, Nate. You know I'm not ready for any of that," she groused.
"I know," he said in a conciliatory manner, "But you can't always help when things just fall into place, ya know?"
"I don't think the barista is going to fall into place for me, Nate," she snickered.
He shrugged and they continued on.
Six blocks away from the estate they were set to visit, they were waiting on a light to cross the street when she thought she heard the boom of an explosion in the far distance. It was just at the edge of her range of hearing so she wasn't quite sure if she'd accurately picked it up.
The light turned and allowed them to cross.
When they were just past halfway, she heard screams and a loud engine revving to go faster.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement and that was enough for her instincts to take over.
"Nate, get back!" she ordered and pushed him away, reducing his weight so she could easily chuck him the rest of the way to the sidewalk.
She could see and hear better now, a souped up sedan was speeding their way, paying no heed to the laws of the road as it swerved in and out of traffic and ran red lights, forcing other cars to swerve to miss it and people to scream and yell in horror and outrage.
"Go back!" she yelled at the few people behind her as the car sped nearer.
It was going so fast, she knew they weren't going to stop staring at her with dumbstruck faces in time to heed her warning.
She pushed each and every one of them back, reducing their weight, then released everyone, just in time for her to jump out of the way as the car sped past, the driver completely ignorant of the people he almost ran over.
Ochako was pissed.
She spotted a bench for a bus stop sitting nearby and got an idea.
"Stay on the sidewalk," she commanded Nate as he stood up, brushing himself off from taking a tumble at her push.
She didn't wait for confirmation as she ran for the bench, reducing her own weight, then floating the object.
The car was already a block away and getting further. She knew she couldn't completely catch up before she got tired but she could stop it.
If He were here, her mind started but she shut it up before she could even finish the thought.
She pushed off the ground and shot forward, weightless bench in tow. Each of her strides was a massive gain in ground and each push forward increased her speed, which was also increasing the bench's speed.
Ochako finally reached a speed she felt was right, the car only a half block away from her now, both of them having travelled a handful of blocks away.
She released the bench from her grip, giving it a massive shove forward.
The bench launched at her unsuspecting prey and she released it just as it was about to hit the car. Then she heard a crunch, the sound of twisting metal, and surprised shouts as the bench collided with the car, sending it spinning out of control and people scattering in every direction.
It was easy to catch up with it now and Ochako didn't hesitate as she jumped for the car, touching it and sending it up into the air to stop its spinning away from the danger of hurting people.
People were running down the block, one of them being Nate who had a wide-eyed look of amazement as he beheld the car just beginning to stop it rotations as it floated above them.
She released it.
The car fell to the street with a crash, the men inside knocked out cold. Looking inside, she saw they had a slew of guns and a large bag of money that had ripped open, sending it flying all around the car like one of those whirlwind machines that they put people in thinking they could catch the money in them. It was just settling to the bottom as she approached the vehicle.
All around her, people cheered and applauded, thanking her for stepping in and keeping them out of danger.
She smiled and bowed humbly, feeling partially embarrassed by the attention and partially exhilarated. Back in her small city, nothing like this ever happened. It was an exciting day if she caught muggers or could pull someone out of a car crash. Stopping a getaway car mid-flight? That was damn near unthinkable.
Something seemed odd about the car, though. It had taken a lot more blows than she had given it.
She circled the car, kneeling down to inspect it closer. She could see bits of it were charred and the paint was bubbling in places like it had been under intense heat.
What had these guys gotten into?
Then she heard thunderous booms resounding off the buildings all around her.
Her heart began pounding in her chest as she heard a painfully familiar voice bellowing as it came nearer and nearer, " -when I catch you, you fucking bastards!"
The blasts stopped short and she heard boots hit the pavement and scrape across it as they tried to stop their momentum.
She stayed kneeling on the opposite side of the car, unable to move.
"What the-" she heard the voice say.
The bystanders began tittering and talking excitedly.
Ochako's heart dropped to her stomach.
She wasn't sure she was ready to see that face again. She was terrified. She didn't want to move, didn't want to make a sound. Her whole body was trembling and she just could not make herself get back up.
"Nate," she heard Him say to the man standing on the sidewalk not ten feet away from her, his boots thudding as he took each step toward the prince.
"Oh hello, Ground Zero now is it?" she heard Nate greet him cheerfully.
He didn't respond to the question, just went on, "You're here with a guard, I assume. Did they do this?"
"Uuuuuhhh," Nate's eyes went to her, unsure what to say and she gave him a sour look, knowing she'd just been ratted out.
His eyes snapped back up but it was too late.
He was turning in her direction.
Ochako stood, her head held high while her chest constricted painfully as Bakugo Katsuki turned to face her fully.
Looking at his face hurt so goddamn much, she thought she might burst into tears. Yet, at the same time, her heart soared and leapt like it had been set free from a cruel and agonizing cage.
And because she was the absolute idiot that she was, she didn't do or say anything cool, like she had always imagined she would if she saw him again.
She just sighed and gave him a stupid smile because that's what her face wanted to do when she laid her eyes on his.
Something shifted in those crimson orbs as they appraised her cooly.
Then he looked away again, moving to inspect the car, "I should've guessed it was you. It's Nate afterall, and no one else would throw an entire bench at a car."
She blushed a little, "Sorry, I got overzealous because I was trying to protect Nate and I don't really get to see a lot of action in my area so I might've-"
"Floaty, it doesn't matter. I'll handle the car."
A bolt of lightning shot straight through her at his name for her and the accompanying squeezing on her chest was unbearable.
A couple more sets of boots came running up to them, and Ochako stared at the two boys (not much younger than she was), one with firey red hair and the other with deep blue hair. Interns, she realized.
"Wow, that's some kick-ass work Ground Zero-senpai,' the red-head squawked. The other nodded.
Katsuki narrowed his eyes at them, "She did it, you idiots."
Both of the boys' eyes went to her, widening in awe.
"Stop ogling her and get this mess cleaned up," he snapped.
They jolted and got to work taping off the area and pulling the men out of the car to handcuff. Police had also begun to arrive.
"Pfft. Why would anyone give you interns?" she blurted, completely forgetting herself.
"Ehhhh?" he responded, a look of shocked rage crossing his face.
The two boys froze in horror at her boldness.
But Ochako, despite not having initially intended to insult him, found a spark of fight in her at his expression.
"Sorry, I just thought that you were above baby-sitting," she said, recalling how they'd had to handle newbie interns together less than a year ago and now these boys that were trailing after him had to be second or third years, "I don't know who thought that might be a good idea."
The boys looked at her now with astonished admiration, respect for her bravery growing in their faces.
"Edgeshot, that's fucking who," he retorted, then shot another glare at the boys, "I thought I told you to clean this up! I don't see this car gone yet. If I catch either of you even looking at her again, I'll rip your eyes out and feed them to you."
They both blanched and quickly went back to their jobs.
"It seems his faith in you was well-placed," she snorted, doing her best to stifle a laugh.
Katsuki whirled back to her, eyes blazing with a cool fury, "What would you know, floaty? You'd rather give them ice cream cones and headpats."
Her smile disintegrated and she scowled at him. He was also alluding to their former interns who she had babied and had had endless patience for while he had been harsh and penalizing them at every step.
"You're still jealous our interns liked me more than you?" she shot back, feeling her pulse quicken as she watched his lips curl back from his teeth.
"Im not jealous of shit! Heroes aren't given second chances in the real world. You weren't doing them any favors."
Ochako felt her face flush, rage seeping through her body as her heart raced and she opened her mouth to hiss back another venomous response but Nate interrupted them.
"Okay, well we've got places to go. It's been great seeing you again, Ground Zero, we should catch up some time," he said, laughing nervously as he put an arm around her shoulders and began herding her away.
Ochako shot another hateful look over her shoulder that Katsuki returned whole-heartedly.
That pissed her off more. What did he have to be glaring at her for?
"She can't go," Katsuki said haughtily and Ochako damn near whirled around to start a whole new fight but he added, "You got em. It's your bag. And you get to make the statement to the police… and the media."
She cast her eyes around their surroundings, suddenly noticing that a larger crowd had gathered and the police were waiting to speak with whoever could tell them what had gone on. A reporter was also standing just behind the tape, speaking to a camera.
She let out a huge sigh and said snippily, "You can have the bag, I don't care. I have places to be."
"No," he said with a frustrated tone, "I wasn't here when you caught them, I can't tell them what happened."
Ochako looked at Nate for help and for guidance.
Nate gave a small shrug, "I don't know how all this works."
"Fine," she snapped, "I'll stay. You" she met Katsuki's eye, "can go with him since you're doing nothing here. I'll take care of your interns."
Katsuki's eyes flared, "Who the fuck said you got to give the orders?"
She clenched her fist as she tried to remain in control, "Is that a problem? Too independent to take orders from the likes of me now?"
She knew she'd said one thing too many when she felt her chest give a throb of pain.
Fuck, she thought to herself, I'd been doing so well.
Katsuki didn't say anything back to that.
Instead, Nate piped up as he typed feverishly on his phone, "It's okay. Don't worry. I think I can get this meeting with Miyake-sama."
He finished up and pushed his phone into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, "Yep, got that all fixed up. We'll go see him tomorrow and push lunch back with the councillor to dinner. How about that? Now we can handle this."
Katsuki narrowed his eyes at Nate, folding his arms in front of him, "Miyake-sama as in Miyake Toshihiro?"
Nate pulled his phone out and checked to make sure, then replaced it, "Yes, that's him."
Katsuki's eyes narrowed to slits, "What business do you have with him?"
Ochako frowned at Katsuki. He'd never been this pushy with Nate, nor had he ever asked him anything about the people he visited with.
Nate looked a little taken aback as well and somewhat intimidated despite being three years his senior.
"Ah well-"
"It's not your business what his business is," she interrupted, stepping in front of Nate.
Katsuki's attention went to her and she saw indecision in his expression as he considered her, but he seemed to have finally reached a verdict when he said, "This guy is dangerous. Leader of a relatively new yakuza. The Lurkers have had their eye on them for a while now. They've practically taken the place of Shie Hassaikai."
A coldness gripped her at that name and memories of her first year, the raid she'd been a part of, what they'd done to Eri. Sir Nighteye…
She knew she trusted Nate not to be a part of any kind of criminal activity but what if he or his family had gotten involved with something so dangerous without knowing?
She turned to him, "Did you know this, Nate?"
Nate looked shocked right along with her, "No! I didn't know anything! I mean, maybe my parents did but all I know is that we have business dealings with him. It's all legit and on the books, though."
"Do you know what you're walking into over there?" Katsuki asked her, his stare intent.
That question chafed her a bit. Did he just ask if she could handle a job?
"Not that this is any of your business, but I know what I'm doing," she answered, her tone clipped, "I'm not stupid either. We'll go in, then we'll get out. Nothing else."
Katsuki seemed dissatisfied with her answer but he gave no indication of continuing to argue with her.
"Now if you'll excuse me, boys, I have more work to do," she huffed and stormed away quickly before she could let anything else get under her skin.
It took her almost two hours to make her report with the police, then give a small interview with each of the reporters while the car was towed away and the debris was cleared.
The criminals were hauled into the back of police cruisers as she finished up with the last reporter, bowing politely, and went back to Nate, who was sitting around on the curb.
Much to her relief, Katsuki had moved on to continue his patrol with his interns, who she hadn't actually gotten the names of.
She sat, leaning against Nate, and he put his arm around her.
"You did good," he said gently.
"He's totally fine," she sighed, her voice catching in her throat.
Nate said nothing and pulled her closer as she laid her head on his shoulder.
"There's no way he's fine," he consoled her, "No one does the things he did for you and is just fine after three months. You already know he's really good at hiding these things."
"Why did he have to be here? Why didn't Mt. Lady tell me he was working for Edgeshot?" she asked no one in particular.
She wasn't sure if she could continue doing this knowing he was in such close proximity. Only knowing that she had a limited amount of time with the prince of Croatia was keeping her from packing up her bags and running back to her tiny little city and her solitary apartment.
"Do you want to go back to the hotel?" Nate asked, rubbing her arm.
"Yeah," she said, rising to her feet again.
"You want to get a cab?" he said with a smirk.
"Yeah," she answered, smiling back, appreciating that he understood how much she'd taxed her legs today.
They spent the rest of the day binging a TV drama and screaming at the TV how stupid the protagonists were being while eating salty snacks and drinking sodas. It felt like a much-needed day off for her.
At night, they went to bed early because Ochako was still feeling a bit down and wanted to be well-rested for the next day.
Katsuki's warning still stuck in her head. She didn't know these people and she didn't know what she could expect.
She was a hero. Would they even let her on the premises? Should she really be concerned for her and Nate's safety? Should she even allow this to happen?
Ochako tossed and turned for a little while, mulling these thoughts over until she finally fell asleep.
The next day started the same. Alarm, shower, suit, breakfast.
Nate joined her at the elevator and they rode down together, unease about today's visit still eating at her.
But as the doors drew open on the bottom floor, a familiar head of spiky blonde hair and sulky face greeted her.
As soon as she saw him, she was livid. She knew right then and there that he really truly didn't think she could handle guarding Nate on her own at this Miyake guy's compound! Nevermind the fact that she somewhat questioned it herself.
"You. Bastard," she seethed, walking right up to him.
"I'm really excited to see you too, floaty. I'm glad this is gonna be a fun day," he replied, straight faced, disdain dripping from every word.
"Okay…." Nate cut in, his eyes rolling, "I'm too tired for this just yet. Can we get some coffee, please?"
Ochako snorted leading the way outside and into the coffee shop next door.
Nate handed her his card and she went up to make their usual order.
"The usual?" the cute glasses-wearing barista asked cheerfully, his brown eyes shining.
"Yes, please," she smiled back as kindly as she could, hardly feeling like humoring this guy today.
She paid with Nate's card again and waited for the coffees.
When they came out, barista guy handed them to her again. Her fingers lightly brushed his when she took them from him and his cheeks darkened, "See you tomorrow, Uravity."
"See you," she replied and turned toward the table, glad to finally be free of that awkwardness that apparently barista guy did not feel as acutely as she did.
When she approached the table they were sitting at, she found Nate smirking at Katsuki whose foot was tapping impatiently on the floor as he watched her coming closer, then looking behind her toward the coffee bar.
"Took you long enough," he grumbled as they stood.
"Oh yeah," Nate said with sarcasm, though Ochako detected a twinkle of amusement in his eye, "Today will be fun."
They'd arrived at the Miyake compound at around 9 am.
It was now 12pm and Ochako was feeling bored out of her mind.
The boss, Miyake Toshihiro, was a stickler for tradition. He had a traditionally built house with tatami floors and fusuma and shoji doors throughout.
He made them sit through a tea ceremony and a traditional fan dance performance. Then, he fed them lunch with extremely expensive cuts of sushi and sashimi.
She knew she should feel honored that he was treating them (well, technically Nate) to such finery but she just wanted to get out of here. Being in the den of a yakuza, no matter how friendly they were with her friend or how well they treated their guests- even the likes of her and Katsuki- was stressful and she always felt like she had to watch her back.
She also just couldn't wait to get out of here and give Katsuki hell for overreacting and being a complete asshole.
The boss was finally pulling Nate into his office for whatever his business was and they were told they had to wait outside.
Ochako tensed at that and sent a questioning look to him.
He nodded at her, telling her it was okay and she assented, knowing she could do nothing now.
So they sat and waited in front of the fusuma doors, assuming proper respectful seated positions.
She could hear Nate and Miyake's voices occasionally through the door but couldn't make out exactly what was being said. They were speaking in relatively calm and low tones. Knowing that she would be able to hear if Nate's voice were ever stressed eased her anxiety somewhat.
"Can't believe the boss is letting heroes in here, for crying out loud," came a harsh masculine voice somewhere near the front of the house, "and that Ground Zero guy at that."
She saw Katsuki still at the mention of his name, he could hear it just as well as she.
"Apparently this prince guy is a big deal," another, deeper voice came, "and he's able to hire heroes as bodyguards. Must be nice having that kind of authority."
Geez, voices carried like crazy in these halls…
She continued listening in on their conversation knowing Katsuki would be too, just to be able to report back anything important he might've learned.
"Yeah, but did you see that piece of ass he brought in with him too?" yet another voice sounded, a rough scratchy voice that had probably smoked way too many cigarettes.
Ochako clenched her jaw. Of course they would start talking about her…
The other two voices sounded their appreciative agreement.
"She looked young too, fresh out of school," the deeper voice said.
"I wonder how much he paid for her," the scratchy voice pondered, "and if he pays extra to get her out of that suit too."
She could hardly breathe for how closely she was listening now.
"Probably nothin," the first voice answered, "Did you see him? She probably spreads those pretty thighs wide open for that mug of his and being a prince and all that."
The other two made sounds of assent.
Ochako felt like her body was being dunked in ice-water. Heat came to her cheeks but warmed no part of her.
She heard Katsuki let out a burst of air and looked over at him, her eyes widening as she did so.
He shook with rage, his gloved fists clenched tight. Looking at his face, she wasn't sure what kind of emotion she saw there. His teeth were bared in a snarl and his eyes were practically manic. Surely anger was there but the grimace on his face was also tortured. It scared her to see him this way.
"Do you think he'd give her to us just for an hour?" the scratchy voice said with a chuckle, "I bet we could ask him. Imagine that pretty mouth-"
Katsuki jerked and looked like he was going to spring up from his spot, one foot already under him. But Ochako put her hand on his knee and he froze, looking back at her.
She couldn't say anything for fear of being heard but she looked up at him and shook her head. The moment they did something to anyone in this house, it could have dire consequences, the least of which could be the loss of his hero license permanently.
They're just talking, she told herself, They're just saying words that mean nothing.
Katsuki resumed his position, his eyes still on hers, looking furious, looking agonized. He placed his hand on hers at his knee as if in apology.
Was he really not so okay after all? The look he was giving her right now made her think maybe not.
She knew her face was completely betraying her hopes and fears as she stared back at him but she couldn't hold them in.
She moved closer to him and he didn't push back. Just watched her, his eyes turning from enraged to something softer.
She couldn't even hear the men's voices now as she stared into those heated ruby irises.
Her eyes searched his for answers and hope.
Do you miss me like I miss you? they asked, Do you feel the way that I do with just a single touch?
Her hand tightened on his knee only fractionally but his eyes flared to life and his lips parted slightly as she leaned into him further.
Her heart beat so hard against her ribcage, she thought he might be able to hear it as she closed the distance between them, her face turning up to his.
He just watched her come nearer and nearer, not moving closer, not pulling away.
He was so close, she could feel his breath on her face and smell his burnt matches scent. His eyes glowed with untold emotion.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded from behind the door and they sprang apart just before it slid open revealing Nate and the middle-aged Miyake-sama.
"We can go," Nate said jovially, looking no worse for the wear.
So he had been right. His family was involved in nothing untoward. They simply had business.
Ochako let out a breath not only of relief but also from the tension that had been mounting between her and Katsuki just now as she rose from her sitting position.
She'd almost kissed him! He'd almost let her! What could something like that mean?
They all bowed to the master of the house, then a butler led them out to the front.
They passed the three men who had been speaking earlier. She could tell because they were still speaking loudly and joking around as they passed the living area.
They leered at her as she passed and Katsuki, walking behind her, placed a protective hand on her hip, heating her entire body, until they had passed all the way out of the house, then removed it.
"Phew, it was kinda tense in there," Nate said with relief as they exited the estate, "I don't know if I ever want to go back in there again."
"You probably shouldn't," Katsuki said with annoyance.
"Well, thanks for coming with us just in case," Nate smiled at him warmly, "If you have somewhere else to be, we'll let you get to it. Tell Edgeshot thanks for letting us borrow you."
Ochako felt a pang of sadness that she tried not to show as she looked for the town car they had taken here and signaled for it to come around and pick them up.
When she looked back over at Katsuki, his eyes were on her, an odd mix of emotions shifting in them, and she stilled, unable to look away from those warm scarlet orbs.
"You have me all day," he told Nate, not looking away from her.
"Oh?" Nate inquired, his voice becoming playful, "Then you'll come have dinner with us and the councillor tonight?"
Katsuki blinked and tore his eyes away from hers finally, looking back at Nate, a bored expression back on his face, "I guess. Is that all you want from me? You don't need me to babysit you until then?"
"We're just going back to the hotel," Nate chuckled, "but you're free to come if you want."
No please don't, her mind pleaded. It was hard enough being around him like this. Her mind was muddled enough from having almost kissed him back there. She thought she might break if she had to sit around with him another few hours before dinner and pretend that being near him wasn't excruciating every second.
"Nah," he replied with a shake of his head, "I got shit to do if you don't need me."
"Okay then," Nate accepted his response easily, "We'll see you in the lobby at 6:30."
Katsuki nodded once and turned his eyes on her once more.
Ochako shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, unsure exactly what to say.
"Bye," she said in a tiny voice.
"Bye, pink-cheeks," he replied, flipping her ponytail exactly like he knew she hated.
She sent him a glare and he sent one right back. Although it warmed her inside. Somehow, it didn't really feel like a glare.
He strode away, hands in his pockets. She watched him, her eyes tracing the muscles on his back that were still visible through his shirt, already missing him. God, what an absolute and utter idiot she was….
"Jesus Christ," Nate broke into her thoughts, "I don't know what the happened while I was in that room but all I know is I came out and you two have been doing nothing but making 'fuck me' eyes at each other since."
Ochako's palms flew to her cheeks as she felt her whole face burning up.
"NATE!" she squeaked.
"What? It was kinda hot. You could say 'Thanks for inviting him to dinner, Nate', ya know."
Ochako sighed and rubbed at her forehead, loving and detesting this sassy man at this moment, "Thank you for inviting him to dinner, Nate."
"You're welcome," he beamed, "Now you're gonna tell me everything that happened while I was working."
"I'll tell you in the car," she conceded, rolling her eyes.
Nate grinned even wider as he opened the door and jumped in.