Getting Yagi back to the hotel unnoticed was a challenge, especially considering he couldn't hold his hero form for even a few seconds. Eventually though, we managed, and after his room door shut behind us, he leaned heavily on the wall.

"Tonight's been monumentally exhausting," he sighed, running a hand over his face. On our way here he'd filled me in on the parts I'd missed, so I knew that statement referred to the mental and emotional exhaustion as well as the physical.

"How's your side? Do you need help patching yourself up?" I asked hesitantly. He'd refused my suggestion of visiting the hospital before when I'd asked, since there was no medical staff here aware of his condition.

"The wound isn't reopened, just bruised," he said with a grimace, rubbing the spot gingerly. "And possibly a few cracked ribs. Everything else I can tend on my own. Thank you though."

While I knew I should leave and let him do what he needed and rest, I was dreading the thought of leaving him. It wasn't just because he was injured, but after the scare of almost losing him tonight, I almost couldn't bear to go away. Opening and closing my mouth several times, I never managed to find my voice to say the words I really wanted to. Even in my head they didn't sound right, and simply fell flat. After a moment I sighed and looked up again to see Yagi watching me patiently. Steeling myself, I stepped forward and raised up on the tips of my toes to press a gentle kiss to his cheek, almost at the corner of his mouth. "I'm glad you're okay," I said softly, hating that this was the best I could manage. I started to step away when the man's next words froze me in place.

"I thought you said you wouldn't miss."

Eyes wide, I met his gaze. His complexion had stayed rather pale since the fight, but just a hint of color had returned to his face. I swallowed, willing myself not to look away. "I thought you said I had to ask nicely," I breathed, heart hammering in my chest.

"I suppose I could make an exception, this time," he replied softly as his right hand came up to cradle the side of my face while his other fell on my waist, pulling me into him. When his lips met mine it was gentle - tender, even - and I melted into him as all the fear, and stress, and worry of the past few hours left my body. None of that mattered right now. The only thing that did was the man holding me, softly kissing away the thought of anything else.

My hands came up and tangled in his hair, and his fingers at my waist tightened as I brought him even closer. Yagi pulled back for a moment to lean his forehead against mine. I could feel his heart beating just as fast as my own where I was pressed against him, and I realized belatedly that the man was trembling ever so slightly.

"Mei," he whispered, and just hearing my given name breathed with such intensity only made me want to kiss him again.

So I did.

This kiss was hungrier, and I had to remind myself to be gentle with him in order not to hurt his injuries. The hand holding the side of my face slid into my hair, fingers tangling in the pinned-up locks and thumb pressed in the soft spot by my ear. The one at my waist snaked around to press in the small of my back, and I sighed into the kiss, offering him the chance to deepen it if he wished.

He did.

His mouth tasted of copper predominantly, which wasn't surprising given how often he spat up blood, but it also didn't bother me really. I was so entranced by him - so absorbed in the moment - that I wasn't actually sure how long we'd been like that when we finally pulled apart again, both gasping for breath.

"Stay with me tonight. Please," he murmured, and how could I possibly say no to that?

I chuckled as I ran a hand down his chest, feeling his heartbeat underneath. "I'm not sure you're all the way up for that, given your current injuries," I replied delicately.

The blonde turned his head away and coughed lightly. "I didn't actually mean that," he said sheepishly. "I just..." he hesitated, seeming to choose his words carefully. "I don't want to be alone tonight. I don't want to be without you."

I smiled as I placed a third, more chaste kiss against his mouth. "Then I'll be right here, Toshinori," I promised, causing him to shudder slightly when I said his name aloud for the first time. "Although, do you mind if I grab a shower before bed? I'm so covered in dirt and ash, it's a wonder you can stand being this close to me."

Toshinori chuckled and kissed my forehead this time. "The same could be said for me too, although I probably smell worse than you do. Yes, go get a shower; I need one also."

"I'll be back then," I said, finally lowering my hands and stepping back.

"You better," he replied, eyes shining. I had to force myself to leave then, because if I didn't then I was going to kiss him again and I'd never leave.

In a daze, I made my way back to my own hotel room, and finally I felt the hysterics start to set in. I felt like I was somewhere between laughing and crying, and after the door shut behind me, I found myself doing both. The tears that ran now were a product of the pure emotion that I'd kept bottled up finally being released, and the smile stretching across my face brought with it a feeling like a suffocating sort of freedom. I had tried for so long to hold out against my feelings for Toshinori, and while I knew I'd lose eventually, somehow I'd never imagined that he would actually return them like this. I stripped off the ruined dress and pulled the pins from my hair, and the nerves began to settle in my stomach as I thought about returning to his room. Stepping into the shower I tried not to let my thoughts get too ahead of where I was presently - the hero really wasn't in the best of shape after tonight, so he probably meant it when he'd said he wasn't expecting anything beyond a sleeping partner. However, knowing now that he did hold at least some attraction for me, I was more worried about being able to keep my hands off of him, not the other way around. My body was shaking despite the warmth of the water, and really if I didn't get a grip on myself soon, I might send myself into a panic attack.

This all made things more complicated than they already were, honestly, and now that the facade of a platonic friendship had come crashing down, there were far too many things to figure out. For starters, I knew that I loved him, but there was no guarantee that his affections went that deep for me. It was entirely possible this was just sexual attraction for him, and I wasn't sure I was prepared to face that possibility. Even if whatever it was between us did extend into more romantic feelings, I wasn't sure how far we could take this. Toshinori had already expressed to me in the past that he had never planned to marry - not that I even wanted to think that far ahead, but would his stance on a serious relationship be changed by the circumstances? Plus, there was also the issue of my mission and his place as a public figure. Under no circumstances could any sort of relationship go public, or it could spell disaster.

You're getting ahead of yourself, I tried to calm back down. My thoughts were running wild, and the trembling had grown so much I could barely grip the shampoo bottle.

We would need to have a talk and figure out where this put us, and while I was scared for what changes or awkwardness that might bring, I knew that conversation wouldn't come tonight. We were both tired, and Toshinori was hurt, and all we really needed tonight was comfort. That much I could handle, right?

Clean, hair dried, and dressed in another of Toshinori's shirts under my bathrobe, I had a marginally better handle on myself as I passed down the hallway fifteen minutes later. I knocked softly on his door, feeling the nerves and anticipation ball up in my stomach again before he pulled the door open with a smile.

The blonde man looked like he felt a little bit better now that he was clean and out of the ruined hero suit. The cut just above his hairline had stopped bleeding, and his hands were covered in bandages. However, I could see the finger-shaped bruises on his throat, and I internally cringed to think what his torso probably looked like right now. Toshinori stood there easily, however, as if there wasn't a thing wrong with him.

"Well, you didn't run, so I'll take that as a good sign," he greeted me, eyes crinkling at the corners.

I giggled stepping past him as he held the door open wider for me. "We are on an island, you know. I wouldn't get very far if I did," I joked.

"You do have a point there," he chuckled, closing the door, and when he turned back to me, seriousness replaced the humor. "But I do want to make sure I'm not crossing any boundaries you aren't ready for. Are you sure you're okay with this?" he asked softly, rubbing the back of his neck and looking at the wall behind me instead of meeting my gaze.

At that I had to laugh, otherwise my nerves would make me throw up. "You cross my boundaries? Goodness, I'm way more worried about crossing yours," I said, a little bewildered.

Toshinori shook his head, eyes full of wonder. "Alright then," he cleared his throat and nodded towards the bed. The blush spreading across his cheeks was more than enough to tell me his mind was probably going to the same place mine was. "There's a lot to do tomorrow. We should probably get some sleep," he suggested awkwardly.

"Yeah," I replied lamely, and when he didn't move I rolled my eyes. "Oh, come on. This isn't the first time we've slept together," I said with a smile, grabbing his hand and leading him towards the bed. "Only this time you don't have to pretend you don't like cuddling me," I couldn't help myself, and Toshinori turned even more red.

"I never said I didn't like it!" he asserted as I let go of his hand to remove my robe and slide under the comforter.

"Well, come here and prove it," I challenged with a smirk.

He didn't bother trying to hide his amusement as he climbed into bed beside me. My initial instinct was to reach for him, but I stopped and looked at the man hesitantly. "Where is actually safe for me to touch?" I asked awkwardly. "I don't want to hurt you." I knew his side and ribs would be incredibly sore, and the last thing I wanted to do was make that worse.

His eyes looked surprised a moment, but then his expression turned appreciative and almost relieved. "How about this?" he directed, moving closer so I was tucked against his chest, but not putting any weight on him, and Toshinori rested his chin on the top of my head. His hand lay lightly across my hip, and his thumb began tracing delicate circles over the area above the waistband on my pajama shorts. "Is this okay?" he murmured into my hair.

I nodded, nose nuzzling the dip of his collar bone and breathed in the familiar and comforting scent of him. "Yep," I hummed, and unable to help myself I brushed my lips along the exposed skin above his t-shirt's neckline.

"I'll never fall asleep if you keep that up," he said with mock sternness, and I giggled again.

"You think you'll be able to sleep?" I asked. The exhaustion I felt was already setting in, weighing on me like a lead blanket, but I hadn't been through nearly as much as Toshinori had tonight.

"Maybe," he replied thoughtfully. "But don't let me keep you up," he said, kissing the top of my head as I yawned into his chest.

"You need it more than me," I argued.

"Hush, Mei. This is helping, I promise."

I did what I was told and fell silent, just listening to his soft breathing and enjoying the warmth of his closeness. It took a little longer to fall asleep and quiet my brain after everything that had happened, but eventually I dozed off, content in this wonderful man's arms.

When I awoke the next morning, I found that I must have turned over at some point while I slept and was now in the same position I was used to when waking up in Toshinori's bed. I'm spooning with All Might again, I thought giddily to myself, enjoying the way his fingers were splayed across my stomach and how his breath stirred the hairs at the back of neck as he snored softly into my shoulder. Although, even this familiar position felt different and more intimate than before. My still sleep-addled brain made the idea of pressing back against him way too tempting, and it took a surprising amount of self-control to keep myself from doing so.

My mind wandered as I slowly came into a more wakeful state, and in the light of day last night seemed much more like a half nightmare, half dream than it did a reality. After the horror of the villain attack, the impact of realizing the hero held some affection for me hit even harder. It was almost terrifying the longer I thought about it. There was so much he didn't know - so many things I still had packed away behind my wall - and it wasn't fair to the hero when he was risking giving himself to me like this. Toshinori deserved so much more than me.

"You're trembling," a sleepy voice observed to my surprise; I hadn't even realized he'd woken up. "Are you cold?"

"No, just... thinking," I said hesitantly. Toshinori shifted and I turned over, laying on my back so I could look at him. Wincing slightly at the action, he leaned up on his elbow and searched my face, eyes almost worried. Instantly I felt guilty - there was no reason to have this talk yet. There had been no declarations nor statements of intention, so why couldn't I let the moment just be enjoyed for what it was? Right now there were no labels, no expectations or promises. That should make it simpler in theory, shouldn't it?

Well, it would be simpler if I didn't love him, anyway.

Toshinori cleared his throat, turning his head so that he was looking off to the side of the room. "Last night I was so caught up that I never asked if this-" he waved his hand vaguely between the two of us, "- is something you wanted." His voice was apologetic, and I felt even worse at the thought that I was making him feel any doubt.

"I guess that depends on what your definition of 'this' is," I said quietly and honestly. "But that isn't a conversation we have to have right now... In fact, I'd rather we didn't yet." I swallowed and steeled myself for my next words, wanting to watch his face but in the end losing my courage and staring at his chest instead. "But as far as what I want... I want you. Can that be enough for now?"

He was quiet a second too long, and when I glanced up at him his eyes were closed, like he was focusing on something or centering himself. When they opened again his gaze was molten, burning with several emotions that he seemed to be trying to keep down. "More than enough for now," he replied finally in a husky voice. The hero bowed his head to lean over me, and hesitated mere inches away, asking permission. When I tilted my chin up he closed the distance.

This kiss was much like the first one the night before. It was soft and questioning, like one or both of us were made of glass that might shatter - and maybe we were. I felt like we were balanced on an edge right now, and while falling either way might be good or bad, regardless it was still falling. Heights had never scared me, but this was a plunge I was terrified of.

The kiss grew as it continued, building in intensity and intent. Toshinori grunted as he braced his arm by the side of my head, and I started to worry about how that might strain his injuries before I was utterly and totally distracted by the way that move also effectively pinned me to the mattress. It was all I could do not to completely embarrass myself beneath him. That became ten times harder when he began mapping a path along my jaw with his lips, and by the time he was kissing over my pulse point I thought I might just spontaneously combust.

"Toshinori," I managed to gasp.

"Yes?" he purred and I could feel him smile against my throat.

A knock at the door made us both jump. "Who the hell...?" I wondered aloud, frustrated. "Imma kill 'em," I warned, struggling to sit up.

"Woah there. As a hero, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to refrain from murder, please," he chuckled, pulling his arm back and sitting up as well. Really it was unfair how adorable the blush covering his cheeks was.

"Oh please, I'm a reformed villain, remember?" I joked, climbing out of bed. "I'll behave," I promised.

"Where are you going?" he asked, watching me suspiciously.

"To get the door, duh."

"It's my room," he reminded me, raising a brow.

The knock came again, and I gestured towards the door. "By all means, if you'd rather get it, go ahead. But from my knowledge of men, kissing like that in the early morning does certain things to the body. I figured you wouldn't want to get up just yet," I teased, causing the hero to spew blood as he sputtered and blushed.

I pulled open the door just enough and used my body to block the view into the room. While I wasn't sure who to expect, I knew there was really only a handful of people who would know where All Might was staying. Sure enough, Midoriya started when he saw me in the doorway instead of the hero he obviously expected.

"Hara?" he asked in confusion. "I'm sorry, I must have the wrong room!"

"Is everything okay?" I asked, glancing up and down the hallway to see if there was anyone else around. The hall was empty, save for a family exiting their room at the end.

"Yeah! I actually was going to come talk to you next, but I guess I got you and All Might's room numbers mixed up somehow. I know you said you turned off the class group messages, so you probably haven't seen," the boy said in the rushed, excited way he usually spoke.

"What time is it even?" I wondered aloud suddenly. My internal clock had been telling me it was early morning, but the sun coming through the window at the end of the hall was all wrong. Dang, I forgot about jet lag, I remembered suddenly.

"It's almost noon," Midoriya replied.

"Wait, really? Did we really sleep that late?"

"We?" the boy repeated with wide eyes.

"Young Midoriya, what's up?" Toshinori's voice came from behind me. Angling around the door so that most of his body was hidden, he leaned over my head to see his successor. Simply unable to help myself, I snickered at the shocked expression on the kid's face that quickly morphed into confusion, then understanding, then mortification.

"A- All Might!" he yelped.

"Keep your voice down, kid!" the hero scolded, mimicking my earlier check as he glanced up and down the hallway.

"Sorry," Midoirya apologized meekly. "Right, it's just that everyone here that's from Yūei is getting together for a picnic barbecue this afternoon. I wanted to ask if you would come! But I totally understand if you're busy. I'm sure you've got a lot to do today, and that would also mean you'd be in your hero form for a while, so maybe you wouldn't want to. And-" the boy was rambling, looking to the side awkwardly.

"Give me a chance to answer at least!" he cut him off, and when the boy quieted the hero continued, "That sounds like fun. Thank you for inviting me." I glanced up to see that Toshinori was smiling warmly at his student.

"Okay!" Midoriya beamed.

"Are the details in the class chat?" I asked, and he nodded. "Alright then. We'll see you there, Midoriya," I told him, much to the teen's delight.

After the green-haired boy left, Toshinori scrubbed a hand through his hair. "Dammit, I didn't realize we'd overslept. I need to get over to the police station and report after last night."

"How are you feeling today?" I asked, studying the way he moved a little stiffly as he dug through the suitcase he had sitting on a chair in the corner. I was also amused to note he was deliberately keeping his body turned away from me, and I could only assume my tease earlier had been accurate.

"Little sore, but I've definitely been worse," he smiled at me over his shoulder, and it seemed he was telling the truth.

Goddamn, what kind of pain do you go through daily to be so unaffected? I wondered silently. "Alright, well I guess I'll leave you to it then," I said a little awkwardly, picking up the robe I'd discarded last night and slipping my arms through the sleeves.

"Yeah. Go take some time to check out more of the expo," he suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll see you later then?" I stopped by the door and Toshinori laid out the clothes he pulled from the suitcase across the foot of the bed before approaching me.

"It's a date," he replied before kissing me softly, hand cupping the side of my face.

I could get used to this, I thought giddily after kissing him goodbye and leaving the hero to do what he needed. Whatever the future may hold - whatever his definition of 'this' was - all I knew was that right now, I was the luckiest girl in the world.

Toshinori was always amazed by the resilience and adaptability of the Yūei students he taught. Anyone who saw class 1A right now would have no idea that most of these kids had spent the previous night fighting for their lives. The kids ate, laughed, and cracked jokes with each other like nothing had happened, which was a testament to just how much they'd already learned and to what good heroes they would all be someday. All Might couldn't have been more proud.

The hero tended the barbecue, more than happy to act as supervisor for the unofficial Yūei outing given how at the last outing class 1A had, his successor had somehow managed to run into Shigaraki. Not that Toshinori expected anything like that to happen on I-island, but he also hadn't expected a villain to take the entire island hostage last night either. A little supervision couldn't hurt. Plus, he was incredibly flattered his students had wanted him here too.

Mei sat at one of the picnic tables with Midoriya, Iida, Uraraka, and Todoroki and he had to constantly remind himself not to get caught glancing at her. She laughed at something Uraraka said, and he almost dropped the burger he was flipping as the bell-like chime of her amusement distracted him yet again.

He still couldn't believe it - at any moment he was sure he'd wake up and this would all have been a dream, right? It was mind boggling that this woman knew him - the real him - and wasn't put off by his failing health, his failing quirk, or any other myriad of reasons why he shouldn't be worth her time. He just couldn't seem to wrap his brain around the fact that she actually did want him.

There were still some big issues they would have to figure out, and no matter how head over heels he felt right now (and really it was ridiculous how he felt like some love struck teenager again), he was still depressingly aware of the fact that the things he was keeping from Mei were a really big deal. The thought of telling her terrified him, but the idea of waiting until it was too late was even worse.

"Hey Hara, how come you just came out of nowhere last night? We didn't even know you were here!" Kirishima asked, slinging an arm around the woman's shoulders as he sat down in between her and Todoroki.

"You think I would ever miss out on a fight?" she replied easily, shoving the boy's arm away with an eye roll.

"I wish I could have seen your dress before it got all ripped up. It looked like it must have been pretty!" Uraraka said, propping her chin in her hands and smiling.

"Yeah, and your boobs looked awesome," Mineta commented from the next table over giving the girl a thumbs up. It was all Toshinori could do to hold back the cough and not spray blood all over the grill.

"Mineta you perv!" Jiro and Ashido both yelled simultaneously. Hara on the other hand simply stood up, face calm before a sudden and wicked grin stretched across her face. In one swift move she grabbed a handful of food from in front of her, stood and lobbed it across the table. It smacked the small boy square in the face, causing an eruption of laughter and cheers from her classmates.

"Now, now boys and girls. There will be no food fights on my watch!" Toshinori called over the laughter, wagging a finger back and forth.

"Aw man," Kaminari whined, putting his plate back down. The warning had mostly been for his benefit as unsurprisingly the impulsive teen had instantly (and excitedly) armed up to defend his friend.

A little while later, bellies full and smiles on faces, the students began to disperse (although not before young Iida rallied a clean-up team). All Might figured it was about time to make an exit himself when Mei caught his eye and she pointedly tilted her head towards the viewing platform a little further down the park. When he followed her direction he noticed a lone figure leaning against the railing, seemingly lost in thought.

Young Midoriya, he realized. What's eating you, my boy?

Toshinori ducked behind a hedge, releasing his hero form in relief. His ribs were aching something fierce, and after over-extending his quirk again last night, holding the muscle form today was even more exhausting than usual. After making sure the coast was clear, he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked down the path towards the viewpoint. Midoriya didn't move when Toshinori leaned against the railing beside him, which probably meant the boy hadn't noticed him yet. He waited patiently, and when his successor finally looked over at him, the hero could see the troubled look in his eyes.

"You know, the news didn't report on the professor," Midoriya said, looking out across the city again. "I know that he was dealing with villains and that he might have done some illegal things... but he was deceived by his assistant, Sam. What happened wasn't completely his fault."

It was easy to see where the teenager's thoughts were going, and Toshinori frowned. "Yes, but it's not that black and white, my boy," he said unhappily. "And the reason the news didn't report on it... You see, if it was revealed to the public, it's possible that other villains would try to approach researchers on I-island. At least that's what the island's board is afraid of." He had assumed as much even before meeting with the police and the board representatives earlier that day.

Midoriya looked down and picked at a spot on the stone railing morosely. "But, All Might..." he trailed off.

I'm sorry you have to learn this lesson so early. This isn't the 'tricks of the trade' I had intended to show you this weekend, he thought, watching the kid somberly.

"'Silence is golden,'" Toshinori quoted, staring out at the stretch of city the platform hung over. "That expression holds a lot of truth."

"What will happen to Professor Shield?" Midoriya asked, and it was a question the hero wished he knew the full answer to.

He sighed. "He's a very sincere person. I'm sure once his wounds are healed, he'll cooperate fully with the police and offer any assistance in the investigation he can. Dave will do whatever he can to atone for his crimes." Toshinori felt a pain altogether different from his broken ribs or injured side gnaw at his chest. "I don't know how he will be judged for what happened or what they will announce publicly. But..." he stopped, heart aching more than he wanted to let on.

"But?" Midoriya repeated, looking up at his hero.

"I don't think he'll ever do research or invent again," he told his student, and when Midoriya gasped, the blonde bowed his head. "It's what I would do if I was him," he said honestly.

"But he's so talented!" the teen protested, and All Might shook his head.

"Yes, but his talent and aspirations don't end with him, you know. They will continue on in the next generation."

"You mean Melissa, don't you?" he inferred.

"Yes," he replied, nodding. "Just as you inherited One for All from me, Melissa carries on her father's hopes and ambitions."

The green haired teen was quiet a moment. "The professor did all this thinking of you, All Might..." he said, and Toshinori felt the pang in his heart at the heavy truth said out loud.

"My boy," All Might sighed, not really sure how to deal with the hard topics the boy was bringing up, but knowing that his successor deserved the truth. He owed him that much. "Nothing we do now will wind back time. As you continue your journey as a hero, you'll run into sad situations like this far too often. I've faced many painful situations over the years; this wasn't the first, and it likely won't be the last. Knowing that... does it make you question becoming a hero?" he asked pointedly, studying the boy's face.

"No! Not at all! I won't quit!" he said, standing up straighter and looking at the tall man, jaw clenched in determination. "I'll become a hero just like you!"

Toshinori softened, and he put an arm around the green-haired boy, hugging him briefly. "No regrets then?" he asked, placing a hand on his shoulder after letting him go.

"None," Midoriya told him confidently.

"Then overcome this sad feeling you have right now and keep moving forward, my boy." The words were easy, but Toshinori was well aware how much harder it was to actually do in reality. If he was honest with himself, he still felt quite numb about the whole situation. If it weren't for Mei last night he likely would have been much worse off today. "Always keep moving forward, beyond the wall of sadness."

"Go beyond..." he muttered, making the older man smile.

"Exactly."

"Plus Ultra," they said in unison, and finally Midoriya smiled. That smile made it worth it, and as they walked together back down the path towards where Mei was waiting patiently, Toshinori decided he really was quite a lucky man.

A/N: So I didn't see the extra clip from Two Heroes that had the dialogue for the BBQ until after I'd already written most of this chapter, which is a bit of a shame. I think it's adorable that in cannon All Might threw the BBQ for his students as a thank you for saving him, but also I was way too happy with how the chapter was to go back and rewrite most of it. Sorry, not sorry.

Okay, a little sorry.

But also, hey look, a kiss! Also, things might get a little *ahem* steamy, in some upcoming chapters, so… yeah. Be ready for that.

- Erin