Maybe it was silly to feel nervous given the context, but that night as he dressed for bed Toshinori couldn't ignore the butterflies that somehow had made themselves at home in what remained of his stomach. He paced. He changed his shirt twice. He brushed his teeth, worked himself up until he had a coughing fit, then had to brush them again to get rid of the metallic taste of blood. He finally decided to go to her room when there came a soft knock at the door, and he couldn't get the lock undone fast enough.
Mei grinned at him easily, leaning against the door frame. "Sorry to keep you waiting, handsome," she apologized, and the hero felt himself jolt slightly at the compliment. It had been a long, long time since he'd been called that out of his hero form.
The blonde huffed in amusement, stepping back, and holding the door wider for her as she entered the hotel room. "You need an eye exam," he joked, feeling the blush creep into his sallow cheeks.
"Nah. My vision is just fine," she smirked, pointedly sweeping her gaze over him head to toe. By the time her eyes reached his face again his cheeks were blazing. Had he been in his muscle form, he would have been preening, soaking in the praise. But now? Now he wasn't quite sure how to respond to it.
The hero closed the door and gestured towards the small shopping bag the woman held. "What's this?"
"The reason I'm late," she said with a shrug, eyes light. "Most of the stores were closed today, and the one I managed to find had a pretty pitiful selection." She reached in and pulled out a DVD.
"Indiana Jones?" he asked, raising a brow.
"I didn't remember seeing it in your movie collection at home. Want to watch it with me?" she asked, nodding her head toward the hotel room's television.
Toshinori was pretty sure his heart was melting as he looked at the young woman before him wearing his t-shirt and staring at him with excitement in her blue and green eyes. "That sounds like a perfect night," he said.
She pumped her fist in the air in triumph (as if he would have said no) and turned around to put the movie in. "I was going to grab snacks too, but I know you're not really a junk food kinda guy," she said over her shoulder. She then climbed into the bed, patting the spot next to her. Toshinori had no clue how she did it - how she acted so casual about all this. Every move he made he worried might be the wrong one, and even after her assurance this morning, he still worried he might accidentally overstep. Mei in contrast was bold as usual, and if she felt any awkwardness, she did a good job of hiding it.
He leaned back against the headboard, propped on the pillows and Mei easily tucked against his right side, carefully avoiding putting too much weight on his chest. The broken ribs were either a blessing or a curse, and he couldn't decide which for the life of him. The injury kept him in check - for now at least - and it made it easier to behave himself with the knowledge of how bad his body would hurt later if he didn't. On the other hand...
On the other hand, here she was in his bed again and she'd already admitted she wanted him. How easy it would be to tilt her chin up and capture her lips - to kiss his way down her neck, her shoulder, her chest. How would it feel to finally run his hands along the smooth skin of her breasts, or trail his fingertips up her inner thigh? As much as he loved seeing her in his shirts, right now he also really wished to see her out of it.
This morning had been a close call, and injury or not he hadn't been far from losing his self-control. Of course, he would never, ever touch her in any way she didn't want him to - and that was probably the most nerve-racking part right now. Her expectations or wants were still unspoken, and he was worried if he kept going off of her body language alone, he might accidentally misinterpret something. Mei had asked to postpone any conversation that might define what this was, and while it made him nervous, he also understood. This was new, and he'd be lying if he said it wasn't also a little scary. Toshinori truly cared for the woman, and with so much left open to interpretation, he was worried he wouldn't be able to convey that to her enough.
There was a small voice at the back of his head - one he was desperately trying to ignore - that told him she hadn't fallen as deep as he had. If she wanted something more serious, then surely she'd want to ascertain that's what he wanted too, right? However, if all she hoped for was a casual romance, then while it might break his heart, he'd go with whatever she asked of him.
The same voice also reminded him of all the reasons why they shouldn't be doing this at all, and that was a little harder to ignore. He was too old for her, plain and simple. What if this did grow into something serious? What if someday she wanted marriage? Children? A ring he could manage (if he even lived that long), but hell he wasn't so sure about kids. His sickly body probably wouldn't be able to manage it at this point, even if he wanted to.
And what about her mission? Toshinori subconsciously tightened his grip on her arm a fraction as he thought about where this plan would land her if it was successful. Now that they knew All for One was back and likely behind the League of Villains, if Mei did end up being captured she would be at the mercy of her former master. Would he remember her? Most likely. And if he did, All Might was terrified she'd be dead before he'd even have a chance to save her. Neither of them had talked about the worst-case scenario since learning of the villain's return, but he knew she was smart enough to have realized the possibility.
Regardless, what she was striving for was bigger, and as a hero he understood the necessity of self-sacrifice sometimes. As a man, however, he wished he could find a way to simply sweep her away and save her from it all.
As if she wasn't already in enough danger from his nemesis on her own, if even a breath of a personal relationship between the number one hero and the vigilante reached the evil man's ears then so long as All for One was alive and free, Mei would never be safe. Toshinori had seen what it had done to Nana - the pain of losing her husband and sending away her own son - and he was petrified of the same thing happening to him.
You're thinking too far ahead, he told himself, and the irony that he was usually the one telling Mei she was thinking too hard was not lost on him. She'd asked if her wanting him was enough for now, and Toshinori had meant it when he told her it was. Mostly. He needed to remember that and keep his head until they discussed things further. Really, it's all he could do for now - just take things one step at a time.
The blonde was honestly trying his best to pay attention to the movie ('The Lost Ark' was his favorite of the Indians Jones movies, so that helped. Plus, the familiar story made it easier to drown out the dark thoughts he didn't want to have) but his concentration was immediately broken when Mei shifted and casually laid her hand over his thigh as she pressed closer. Good lord, she really will be the death of me, he thought, swallowing nervously. He looked down, planning to make some lame joke about the movie's plot, but when his eyes fell on hers and he noticed just how close her face was, the words died on his tongue. Her fingernails dug into his leg through his pajama bottoms as he kissed her, and he was absolutely okay with that. He captured her lower lip between his teeth, and when she parted her lips to deepen the kiss, he was perfectly okay with that too.
She tasted sweet, with just the faintest spark of something that he could only describe as electric. Kissing her reminded him of winter somehow, and the way the dry air had that crisp static to it. The hero pulled away a centimeter before kissing again at the corner of her mouth, then again on her jaw. Mei leaned her head back, offering him better access and he took it, cradling her face in one hand and placing the other on top of where hers was digging into his leg. Her skin was soft and aromatic with whatever soaps or lotions she used, and he kissed his way down her neck, unable to help flicking his tongue out to taste the dip of her shoulder. He reveled in the small gasp that left her lips when he did so.
Toshinori leaned into her further, lost in the sound of her quiet almost-moans and the way he could feel her heartbeat racing under his lips as he pressed another kiss to the artery on the side of her throat. Inebriated and intoxicated off of the feel of her body pressed into his side - drunk off the sound, smell, and taste of having her vulnerable like this after longing for her for so many months - he forgot himself and hissed when he twisted too far, feeling the stab of his injuries' protests.
Mei pulled back instantly, and he cursed himself internally. "Sorry," he rasped, turning his head away, unable to hold back the coughing. The coughs only caused his ribs to ache worse and it made him want to scream in frustration. Once more his physical limitations filled him with both rage and shame, and more than anything he just wished his body would do what he told it to.
The dark-haired woman sat up and turned so she was kneeling next to him on the bed, and rubbed his back as the coughing eventually subsided. Guess I'll have to brush my teeth again. Third time's the charm, he thought bitterly.
"Jeez, I know I'm irresistible and all, but don't kill yourself over me please," she teased gently, surprising him enough that he actually barked out a laugh before coughing a couple more times.
He shook his head and looked back at her while wiping the blood off his chin with the back of his hand. "I'll see what I can do," he replied sarcastically.
"Although, I'd get some insane street cred for bringing down the Pillar of Justice," she hummed jokingly, smirking and tapping her chin as if deep in thought.
Toshinori chuckled. "Weren't you saying just this morning you were reformed?"
She rolled her eyes and sat back, pointing at the television screen. "Watch the movie and behave yourself," she instructed, making the hero laugh again. The twinge in his side was easier to ignore when he laughed, at least.
"Yes ma'am," he replied cheekily, and she flicked him on the forehead in retaliation.
Mei settled back against his side, and gentleman that he was, he did as she asked and kept his hands (and lips) to himself. The woman ended up falling asleep before the end of the movie, and he stroked her hair softly listening to her slow breaths as the credits rolled. Toshinori flipped off the television with the remote and settled further into the pillows, still cradling the sleeping woman against him. As usual, she didn't stir when he shifted her slightly, and the hero was a bit envious of her ability to sleep so heavily. The smallest sensation was always enough to wake him, no matter what sleep cycle he was in.
The morning didn't offer the luxury of sleeping in again - they had a flight to catch after all - and after a quick kiss good morning Mei disappeared back to her own room to pack for the trip home. Melissa met them at the airport for a final goodbye, and when All Might hugged the young woman, it was bittersweet.
"It was great to see you again, Melissa. Don't forget to keep in touch, okay?" he requested, smiling genuinely at the girl.
"Of course, Uncle Might! Maybe I'll come visit you in Japan sometime. I'd love to see Yūei too!" she said before turning to Mei and Midoriya. She hugged his successor next, who immediately turned pink in the face. "And I'd want to visit you too, Deku! Don't forget about me!"
"I could never forget about you!" he replied emphatically, green eyes wide.
She hugged Mei too, and the woman placed a hand on the blonde girl's shoulder after stepping back. "I can't wait to see where your future takes you. I'm glad to have met you, Melissa," she said warmly.
"Same to you too, Mei. I'm glad Uncle Might has such a good friend," she replied, glancing at the hero and smiling.
Me too, he thought, smiling back at the girls.
It felt surreal to be home finally. We'd only been gone a few days, but it felt like I'd been away for ages as I dumped my suitcase in my room and twirled a piece of hair around my finger. Toshinori hadn't come straight back to the apartment with me, heading instead to meet Recovery Girl at the school and finally get his injuries taken care of. I felt awful that he'd had to go two days without treatment, but I understood his reasoning. Just a couple weeks prior, I'd acted like a huge baby over some bruising, meanwhile he carried on like a champ after having a cannon of energy blasted into his chest. All Might really is the most incredible man, I thought fondly.
On my way into the kitchen I flipped on the news so I could listen while I started preparing dinner, and wouldn't you know it, a familiar boisterous laughter could be heard coming from the television's speakers.
"Can't stay out of trouble for five minutes, can you?" I muttered, shaking my head and smiling. Did this man really go to get his wounds healed and then immediately jump into another fight? Honestly I was unsurprised, merely amused (and slightly relieved).
Finishing up the tofu soup, I moved the pot to the back burner and left it to simmer until the hero returned home. Given the news story, and then another one featuring the man in question half an hour later, I figured he would be home late. As time went by though, and the light outside the window grew dimmer and dimmer, I began to grow a little frustrated. Sure, it wasn't uncommon for him to come home late or miss dinner when he was working, but for some reason, I guess I just hadn't expected that to happen tonight.
Don't lie to yourself, Mei. There is no 'for some reason.' You know exactly what the reason is, I told myself harshly. The truth was, I'd been doing my best to squash down the nerves jumping around in my abdomen all evening - if Toshinori came home healed and feeling better, what would that mean for... other activities...? Recovery Girl's quirk would heal him, but I knew the side effects would drain his energy too, so I was doing my best not to jump to any conclusions or formulate any predictions. However, if he was out fighting crime, then he must have a good bit of energy left.
A pang hit my heart as it occurred to me that maybe that was exactly why he was staying away - to avoid coming home and being faced with any expectations. Dummy, I wouldn't ask you to do anything you didn't want to, I thought bitterly. Harder still was the fact that tomorrow was the day the class left for summer camp. While Toshinori still refused to tell me anything, I at least assumed he would be there as one of the teachers. It was really going to suck to have to spend an entire week pretending nothing had changed and treating him only as one of my teachers. Then again, maybe it was a blessing - if we took things further tonight, it might make keeping up the act all that much harder.
I'd worked myself up into a rather sour mood by the time I finally heard the front door open later that night. I was in the kitchen, getting ready to put the uneaten dinner away (if he wanted any, he could heat it up himself, dammit) when he walked in, smiling brilliantly, and before saying a word swept me up in a kiss.
He makes it really hard to stay mad at him, I growled internally.
"I see you're feeling better," I observed, pulling back.
He chuckled, not picking up on the cool tone of voice. "I feel fantastic," he replied, and damn if I hadn't seen him look this genuinely happy in ages. I could already feel the bad mood melting away, and suddenly I felt guilty for being upset in the first place. Being in love with All Might meant accepting him as a man and as a hero - of course his work would come first, because that's what it was to be the number one hero. I couldn't fault him for it, and honestly, I didn't really want to get in the way of that either.
"I saw you on the news. You must really be feeling good if you managed to bring down an entire drug ring in one night," I replied as internally I sighed and pushed down the last bit of my fading frustration. "Are you hungry by the way? I was just about to put the food up, but I'll make you a bowl if you want," I caved.
"I have plenty to feel good about tonight," he replied easily, which gave me a quick flurry of butterflies and improved my mood even more with his own infectious cheer and optimism. He reached around me and grabbed a bowl. "Dinner sounds great - I can get my own though. Did you eat already?" he asked, ladling out some of the soup. I shook my head and Toshinori frowned marginally before grabbing a second bowl and dishing out another serving.
We ate dinner together on the sofa as he told me about his evening and how he'd caught up with the small gang the police had been after for weeks. It had been a coincidental run in, but how could the Symbol of Peace turn down such an opportunity to enact justice? The hero told me he'd gotten quite a lengthy lecture from Recovery Girl earlier in the afternoon, but she'd still healed his ribs and other miscellaneous injuries from his battle with Wolfram. It was strange how normal it all felt really, and a not-so-small part of me was relieved that regardless of this new path our relationship was taking, underneath it all was still the friendship I treasured.
After dinner, I was dismayed to glance at the clock and realize just how late it was getting. Toshinori had taken the dishes to the kitchen and was washing up, and I sighed as I admitted defeat. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day, and I needed to get some sleep. I crept up behind the man where he stood at the sink, and wrapped my arms around his waist while pressing a kiss between his shoulder blades. "I really ought to head to bed. Will you be long?" I asked, feeling nervous again. After he assured me he wouldn't be, I padded down the hall and let myself into his room.
Curled up under the sheet with just my eyes and nose poking out from under the comforter, I waited impatiently for the hero to retire for the night as well. When he did enter the room a little while later, I felt even further from sleep than I had before, body buzzing with an anticipation I tried my best to keep down. Toshinori glanced over at where I lay and chuckled at the way I was peeking out from under the sheets at him. "Yes? Did you need something?" he asked playfully as he pulled his pajamas out of the dresser.
My eyes roamed over him as he moved, and I couldn't help the way my stomach started doing summersaults the longer I looked at him. Toshinori had been a handsome man in his younger years I knew from pictures, and even under the sallow skin and the places where his bones stuck out too much, I could still see the image of what he had once been. The blonde wasn't conveniently handsome anymore, no, but even so he was still the most attractive man I'd ever known. It was in his movements - how sure and deft they were, and in the expressiveness of his face, despite dark shadows that hid so much of his light. My eyes trailed up his legs, and goddamn was he tall. I loved the way he just seemed to go on forever when he wrapped me in his arms, and how every time I kissed him he would stoop to allow me to reach him. Even on my tippy toes, I could barely reach his shoulder when he stood tall.
His eyes always shined, no matter how dark it was, and not for the first time I wondered if it was a subtle facet of his quirk. I'd spent so much time looking at that face that I could draw his features in my sleep. The dark circles, the sharp cheekbones and strong jaw were all beautiful to me, and nothing made me happier than when he smiled in this form - it was always so much more genuine.
His hands I loved too: his long thin fingers were covered in scars, and the calluses of years and years of hard work always felt nice when his hand held mine. His hands were strong despite their bony appearance, but they were also exceedingly gentle. The amount of control this man had over every movement he made looked so natural - and by now to him it probably was - but it spoke volumes of the relentless training and self-discipline he had put himself through.
The mess of blonde hair was another of my favorite parts about him, simply because I thought it was so adorable. Long bangs tickled when he kissed me and while his hair was never actually tangled (you could tell the poor man at least tried to somewhat tame it) the way it stuck out at every angle was just so freaking cute. It was soft when I ran my hands through it, and just long enough to hold when I'd wrap my figures in it.
He wasn't perfect, but honestly it just made me love him more.
It took a second for his words to register as I caught myself daydreaming, and still a little distracted I heard myself reply, "You," coquettishly, and he froze. The room was dark with only the ambient light of the city coming in through the window, and this cast even more shadows over the hero's face than normal, hiding his expression. I'd told him I wanted him, so it shouldn't have been a surprise, but even so I felt my heart hammer away in my chest the longer he took to move.
"Is that so?" he finally asked hoarsely.
Taking a deep breath and steeling my nerve, I pushed the covers back and slipped out of bed, delicately making my way across the carpet until I was standing directly in front of the tall man. I reached out, hoping Toshinori wouldn't notice how much my hand was shaking and I placed it on his chest, fingers splayed to feel his heartbeat. Underneath my touch his pulse jumped and raced, and despite his statue-like appearance I knew he wasn't unaffected. "Toshinori, I -" I started, but stopped when the man sighed and leaned his forehead to rest against mine.
"You make it very hard to behave myself," he muttered, breath hot on my cheek.
"Maybe I don't want you to behave yourself," I dared to reply, and he groaned.
"Mei, there's..." he paused before licking his lips nervously and continuing, "We should really talk about some things before we go too far," he said in a low and strained voice.
"Do we have to tonight?" I asked, and I hated how meek I sounded saying those words.
He sighed again, and I felt his body slump. "It would be wise to discuss it sooner rather than later," he replied, making my heart ache at the somber contrast between his mood now and his mood upon returning home tonight.
"Do you want me?" Once more my voice was smaller than I would have preferred, but I couldn't help it. I was terrified.
Toshinori shuddered and nodded. "God, yes," he breathed.
"Then can that be enough for now?" I echoed my words from yesterday morning.
"For now," he replied, making my heart jump with hope as he closed the distance between our lips.
Already I couldn't get enough of kissing this man, and the taste of his lips was quickly becoming my favorite flavor. The clothes he'd picked out of the dresser were quickly forgotten as he tossed them aside and brought his hands up to grasp my waist. Simultaneously I tangled my hands in his hair and pressed my body into his. Toshinori pushed back, stepping into me and guiding me backwards as we kissed until the back of my knees hit the bed frame.
His hands ghosted down my sides and hips, stopping when he reached the bare skin at the hem where the oversized t-shirt ended. Fingers light as feathers skimmed over my thighs and pushed up the edge of the fabric while his mouth moved on to brush over the shell of my ear. "Tell me if I do anything you don't want," he requested, voice barely more than a whisper against my skin.
"I don't think there's a thing you could do that I wouldn't want right now," I replied, feeling heat all over my body, and burning everywhere he touched.
He chuckled and pulled back, raising his hands off of me and letting the t-shirt fall again. "I could stop," he teased, smirking, and I scowled as I drew him back to me again.
"Okay, maybe one thing I don't want you to do," I growled, making him laugh as he lowered his head to kiss me again. Hands skated up my thighs a second time, pushing the shirt up to my hips and resting on the skin above the waistband of my shorts. Long, sure fingers pulled at the drawstring while the thumb on his left hand hooked under the band.
My own fingers snaked under his t-shirt, and I relished the feel of his bare skin under my hands and the firmness of the lean muscles of his abdomen. As my touch went higher, my right hand found the texture of slick scar tissue, and I paused for a moment, worried how the hero felt about contact around his old wound.
"It doesn't hurt," he assured me, misunderstanding my hesitation. With the way I felt about my own scar, I was more careful about taking into consideration his.
"But are you okay with this?" I asked, gently tracing my fingers over the too-smooth area to indicate what I meant.
The hero pulled back slightly then, searching my gaze with thoughtful and intense cyan eyes. "You're wondering if I'm self-conscious about my scar?" he asked, holding eye contact.
"I wouldn't have put it that bluntly," I answered a tad sheepishly.
Toshinori seemed to consider his next words. "It's not exactly my favorite part of my body, but pretending it's not there won't change the fact that it is," he said simply.
I nodded before softly kissing the spot through his t-shirt, and when I looked back at his eyes once more, they were closed. Once they opened again there was a fire burning behind his irises, and before I could even register his movements, he had me toppled on the bed. Blonde bangs tickled my cheeks as he hovered over me, arms braced on either side of my head. The gentle and questioning hesitance from before was gone, replaced with an urgent hunger as he crushed his lips to mine again, separating only a moment to pull the borrowed shirt off.
Cool air hit my exposed skin, and I had only a few seconds to feel self conscious as the man's gaze swept over my stomach and chest before finally meeting my eyes again. "Beautiful," he murmured, before bowing his head and taking one nipple into his mouth.
The sound that left my throat would have been more mortifying were I not completely lost in the sensations Toshinori was creating. While his tongue laved over the sensitive skin and his teeth nipped gently, he shifted his weight onto one arm and caressed over my stomach with his free hand. His fingers slipped under the fabric of my shorts, and I couldn't stop from arching into him as he finally found the spot I'd been longing for him to touch.
"Toshi," I panted, and I felt him smile against the skin of my breast while his fingers began tracing circles over my clit. My hands flew to his hair again, and somehow I had enough sanity left to worry that I might be pulling too hard as I dragged his mouth back to mine. I tugged at his shirt, suddenly realizing how wholly unfair it was that I should be the only one in a state of undress, but he grabbed my hand away.
"Let me focus on you tonight," he requested softly.
"That hardly seems fair to you," I gasped as his hand returned to what it had been doing a moment ago, and his fingers explored further between my legs.
"I'm very much enjoying myself at the moment, don't worry about that," he purred as he pressed one long finger into me, making me keen in pleasure.
I became lost in the feeling after that, unable to argue as the man worked my body and drew noises from me that would have made me blush like a rose were I in a more lucid state of mind. Pressure built low inside me, growing more and more as he continued to move and added another digit, before finally he curled his fingers just right so that I fell apart beneath him. Toshinori groaned as I came, muttering soft words in my ear that in the haze I couldn't quite make out, but still inherently knew where tender and sweet.
Shuddering as I came back to earth, I opened my eyes to see him watching me with a hooded stare. I was hyper-aware of where I could feel him pressed against my thigh, but Toshinori made no move to indicate anything further as he withdrew his hand and pulled me against his chest. He pulled the blanket up covering us both and pressed his lips to my forehead.
"How do you feel?" he asked, and the tenderness in his voice squeezed my heart warmly.
"Like I might just be the luckiest girl in the whole damn world," I managed to mumble, feeling the satisfied exhaustion sinking into my bones and he laughed quietly. I nuzzled my nose against his chest, breathing in the comforting smell that could only belong to him. "May I return the favor?" I asked.
Another kiss brushed against my temple. "Not tonight. You should get some sleep."
"You're still dressed. Are you not going to sleep?" I asked.
"You really are just trying to get me out of these clothes, aren't you?" he chuckled again.
"Duh," I replied, and he pulled his arm back from around me for a moment to kick off his jeans. He threw them to the side unceremoniously and curled back into me. I had no shame in shifting closer and linking my leg through his, and I sighed contentedly as my eyelids fluttered closed.
Really, it was a good thing I fell asleep so quickly, because as this wonderful man held me, my dazed thoughts almost made it to my lips and past my internal filter.
I very nearly told him I loved him.