Disclaimer: On Wattpad, this chapter contains images of manga panels from Sweat & Soap that we do not claim rights to. Also, these images are sexually explicit. Viewer discretion advised.

December 30th

Shinsou swept the floor just so he'd have something to do. He was counting down the minutes until eleven p.m. of the following night, when he'd finally get to sleep with his boyfriend. He'd been so deep in thought, overcome with jitters, he accidentally bumped into Keigo and made him drop the shirt he was folding.

"Crap. Sorry," he muttered, picking it up off the floor.

Keigo looked him up and down as he grabbed it back. "Tonight's the night. Isn't it?" He asked.

Shinsou flushed and shook his head.

"Tomorrow then." He chuckled softly. "New Year's. That'll be nice."

The old Shinsou would've told him to mind his own business, or stop prying into his sex life, or lack thereof. But the blackout changed things.

"Dabs made me wait a year."

"For real?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I think it's cuz he worried he'd be taking advantage of me."

"How so?"

"Well, we're two years apart."

"So?"

"When we met, I was sixteen."

"Oh."

"I turned seventeen like...two weeks afterward, but we didn't do it until we were both legal. Dabs wouldn't budge on that."

Shinsou politely handed the shirt back. "I wish he'd just get it over with."

Keigo laughed. "I know the feeling. Trust me." He folded the shirt and grabbed for the next one. "Keep yourself busy. It makes time go faster."

Shinsou nodded, deciding to re-sweep the floor just so he'd have something to do.

Keigo looked across the room at his boyfriend with a look of concern. "You okay, Dabs?"

Dabi was staring down at his cellphone, a V between his brows. "I'm worried about the kid. He's not answering my texts."

Keigo took a step towards the exit. "I can go next door and check on him," he offered.

Shinsou shook his head. "Don't bother. He called out this morning."

Dabi paled. "What? Why didn't you say something sooner?"

Shinsou rolled his eyes. "I already babysit my sister. You want me to keep tabs on Zappy too?"

Dabi glared. "Yes."

"The temp is supposed to drop tonight," Keigo reminded him. "You know how he is about the cold."

Dabi sighed with relief. "I hope you're right."

Shinsou flushed when he thought back to last Halloween. He knew all too well about Kaminari's aversion to the cold. And the lengths he was willing to go to stay warm.

"Hey Shinnyyyyy," Keigo called in a sing-songy voice. "Lover boy's here."

Shinsou dropped his broom and walked out into the aisle, his heart racing. But there was no one there.

"That was mean," Dabi scolded.

Shinsou's shoulders sunk with disappointment. But then a warm, strong pair of arms hugged him from behind.

"See? I wasn't being mean."

Shinsou whirled around and buried himself in Ojiro's embrace, snuggling into his chest. "Hi."

Ojiro knelt down and greeted him with a soft kiss. "How's work, going, Hito-kun?"

Instead of answering, Shinsou deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around Ojiro's neck. His boyfriend sighed into it, hugging him closer.

Dabi gave a low whistle. "Alright, that's it. You're off the clock."

Keigo scoffed. "What? Why? He's slacking off."

"Yeah, he is," Dabi said in a husky voice. "Look at him go. The naughty little slacker."

"Are you getting off from this?!" Keigo shrieked.

Dabi bit his lip, continuing to stare at them. "Dirty, filthy shift lead - "

" - That's exactly what made him bail on us, remember?"

"Shrinking his responsibilities - "

" - Why are you encouraging this?!"

"It so sexy…the way you leave your shift without clocking out - "

" - Can you shut up?" Shinsou grumbled, hiding his face.

Dabi chuckled. "Just remember that, broom boy. I get off from you slacking."

Shinsou paled. "You're gonna make me puke."

Finally, he gave it a rest. "Come on, baby. Let's give the lovebirds some privacy."

"He's still on the clock, Dabs."

"So are you," Dabi reminded him. "Which means you have to do what daddy says."

Ojiro raised an eyebrow. "Don't you mean what Dabi says?"

He smirked. "No."

Shinsou buried himself deeper against his boyfriend. "Ugh. They're so annoying."

Ojiro nuzzled him, planting soft kisses in his hair. "It's alright, Hito-kun. It doesn't bother me." He lowered his voice. "Are you ready for tomorrow night?"

Shinsou's breath hitched as color rose to his face. "Y-yeah." I've been ready since I laid eyes on you.

His kisses traveled lower, to Shinsou's ear. "I picked up a couple of things. Everything's in your room now. Feel free to look through it all and let me know if there's anything else you - "

" - W-wait, how did you get that stuff to my house already?" He asked shyly.

Ojiro shrugged. "Your dads gave me a key."

"WHAT?! WHEN?!"

Ojrio rubbed his lips together in thought. "The night of the blackout. Aizawa-san handed me a spare so I could get you and Eri-chan home. When I went to give it back, he told me to keep it."

Shinsou felt hot all of a sudden. On one hand, it was mortifying to know his parents weren't even trying to hide their blatant approval for Ojiro. On the other…he was indescribably excited by the thought his boyfriend could come over at any time. In fact… Shinsou shyly got on his toes and kissed just under Ojiro's chin. "Then…why don't we bump up our plans to tonight?" Then I'd only have to wait six hours. Hell, maybe less.

Ojiro smiled. "I'd love to, but you have your poetry slam, don't you?"

Dammit. He knows my schedule better than I do. "I mean…I do, but afterward - "

" - You're always tired when you come home," he reminded him. "If we're going to make love, you'll need your rest."

Shinsou flushed pink. "You're deluded if you think I'm gonna get any sleep tonight," he grumbled.

A dark, hungry look appeared in Ojiro's eyes all of a sudden. A look Shinsou didn't see very often. "You think I can't tire you out?"

Shinsou shuddered. Take me. Take me now. Please. Dear God, please -

" - THERE YOU ARE!" Yumi shrieked, grabbing his arm. "Come on! We've been looking everywhere for you!"

Mina jumped up and down excitedly. "Yaaay! Now we can do girls' night!"

Shinsou didn't even recognize his own voice when he cried out, "What?"

"It's something we do…sometimes," Jiro explained. She didn't sound too enthused either.

Izuku waved with a wide smile on his face. "Hi, Shinsou! How's it going?"

Jiro scowled. "If I have to go, so do you."

"Oh, relax, it's just an aerobics class!" Mina assured.

Shinsou looked to his boyfriend for aid. "Help," he squeaked.

"Hitoshi."

Shinsou slipped out of Yumi's grasp and hid behind Tokoyami. "You got here just in time."

"Step aside, Dark Shadow," Yumi warned.

Tokoyami shot her a confused look. "What do you want with Hitoshi?"

"I don't know and I don't care," Shinsou answered. "Get me out of here."

"You're Ojiro's significant other. That means we have to induct you properly into the girl group!" Mina insisted.

Tokoyami cocked his head to the side. "But he's not a - "

" - I think it depends more on who's the more submissive out of the two," Izuku murmured thoughtfully.

Jiro scoffed. "Then why the hell am I here?"

Yumi crossed her arms. "Because I want you here."

"That's a shit reason."

"I'm surprised you never invited Tokoyami," Mina noted.

Yumi shrugged. "He was never dating anyone. Now that he is, I can't tell if he's the dominant one or the - "

" - We're both switches," Tokoyami answered.

Yumi pouted. "Dammit."

Shinsou glared at them. "I'm not going."

Izuku beamed. "We always get cheesecake afterward. It's actually a lot of fun!"

"Also five is just a nice, round number," Mina insisted.

Tokoyami cleared his throat. "As devastated as I am to be the bearer of bad news, I'm afraid Hitoshi has a prior engagement. Perhaps another time."

~.~

Yumi watched helplessly as Shinsou gave Ojiro one last shy kiss and scurried off with Tokoyami in the direction of the parking lot. "Aaaw! I really wanted him to come!"

"Shinsou doesn't seem like an aerobics-kind-of-guy anyway," Izuku said sheepishly.

"That's too bad," Jiro added. "Maybe we should skip the robe-stuff altogether and just grab cheesecake. Sato told me they still have the holiday flavors for another few - "

" - If I were you, I wouldn't skip out," Mina said wickedly. "Don't you think you and Denki would have more fun if you were…flexible?"

Jiro flushed. "Fine. But I need to make a stop at Bath & Body Works."

Izuku flushed. "Me too. I'm almost out of bourbon-scented body wash."

Jiro waved her hand dismissively. "I don't care what scent I buy, I just need to stock up. Denki's been using it for his hands, so we run out a lot quicker."

Mina raised an eyebrow. "His hands?"

Jiro shrugged. "He says they get really dry in the winter."

Yumi marched up to Ojiro and crossed her arms. "You. Giant man-person. You know where he's going, don't you?"

Ojiro smiled. "Yes! Hito-kun is attending a slam where he will perform haikus."

She grinned. "Go on."

~.~

Tokoyami stood backstage, listening to Shinsou perform. He smiled warmly, knowing Kuroiro was waiting for him somewhere in the crowd. Slam nights started out as a way to embrace his dark shadow. But now they were something that brought him closer to his loved ones. He could see the difference Ojiro made in Shinsou's art. His presence, like the summer sun, beckoned Shinsou to crawl out of his shell and step into the light. His work felt more honest now. More open. He spoke clearer, with obvious affection and compelling emotion. So compelling it inspired him to pursue his own form of love.

Melted caramel

Sweet and sticky on my tongue

I ache to taste you

Sunlight incarnate

You bring life to all you touch

Even my body

Kind and generous

You feed my soul with your warmth

But still, I hunger

It's never enough

You underestimate me

And my appetite

I have emptiness

A void only you can fill

Fill me, fill me, please

My cup is ready

Please, I beg you, quench my thirst

Fill it to the brim

~.~

Instead of the finger-snapping Shinsou was used to, one corner of the room erupted in thunderous applause and cheering like a cluster of groupies were hooting at a rock concert. He blushed shyly when he saw who it was.

Yumi, Mina, Jiro, and Izuku were all excitedly applauding him.

"WHOOO!"

"GO, SHINSOU!"

"OWWW!"

"ENCORE! ENCORE!"

Kuroiro and Tokoyami came out on stage to stand next to him. They looked down at the merry little band of applauders with confusion. "I didn't know you were friends with them, Hitoshi," Kuroiro noted.

Shinsou sighed. "I didn't either."

"You don't think they've come here for their girls' night thing, do you?" Tokoyami asked.

Shinsou stared down at them in horror. "Oh, crap. I hope not."

Kuroiro squinted. "But…you're not a girl."

"I don't think they care," Tokoyami noted.

Shinsou pinched the bridge of his nose. "These lunatics are gonna follow me around all night. Aren't they?"

Tokoyami narrowed his eyes. "Undoubtedly. But if you submit to their demands, you'll be rewarded with cheesecake."

Shinsou groaned. "I don't like hanging out in groups."

"You were fine at the spa the other day."

He flushed. "I didn't stick around long. And I only went because Mashirao did."

"What about the steam room?"

"Same thing."

Kuroiro shrugged. "Maybe you should ask what they have in mind for their evening."

Tokoyami furrowed his brow. "I'd suggest indulging them a little. If you don't throw them a bone, they'll keep at it until you give in."

Shinsou scowled. "No. I'm getting in my car, driving home, and ending my night."

Kuroiro twisted up his face in concentration. "But…if they follow you…they'll discover where you live."

Shinsou paled. "Cheesecake it is."

~.~

At Bottom's Up, Bakugo had a rum and coke while Ojiro drank sake. Kirishima sat next to Sero sharing a Guinness between them.

Sero squinted at Bakugo. "It's still so weird to me that you two are friends."

Ojiro beamed. "Bakugo-san is an excellent bowler."

"If we're weirding you out, why don't you just go home?" Bakugo grumbled.

"I'm waiting for Yumi to get back from girls' night," Sero countered.

Kiri smiled sheepishly. "I wanna make sure my Mina-Bobina gets home safe."

Ojiro's brows furrowed. "Hito-kun is usually finished by now." He looked down at his phone for the fifth time that night. "But he hasn't called yet."

Sero winced. "Uh…last I heard, my girlfriend planned to drag him to their aerobics thing."

Bakugo swallowed his drink a little too hard. "Aerobics?" He squirmed uncomfortably when his cock hardened at the mental image of Izuku bent over a weight bench.

Finally, Ojiro's phone buzzed. He paled at the sight of the photograph. "Chikushō." He immediately placed money on the counter for their drinks and stood up. "The girls got Hito-kun."

Sero smiled. "Relax, I'm sure they're taking care of him."

Bakugo picked up Ojiro's phone and glared at the text message. "Then why did he say, help me, I'm scared?"

Sero looked over Bakugo's shoulder at the text. His eyes widened. "Oh, shit. Why would she - "

" - He also said everything is pink and covered in glitter," Ojiro added.

Kiri looked over Bakugo's shoulder. "There's an address at the bottom."

Sero blushed. "Yeah…um…that place isn't…for aerobics." He bit his lip. "Well, I guess it is, depending on how you define - "

" - WHERE DID YOUR BODY SNATCHER TAKE IZUKU?!" Bakugo bellowed.

Sero scowled. "Snatched as her body may be, I'd appreciate if you didn't call Yumi - "

" - It's an exotic dancing club," Kiri said, staring down at his phone in shock. "I just googled it."

Ojiro gasped. "Poor Hito-kun. I have to go get him."

Bakugo ground his teeth. "The second he comes home I'm ripping that little bunny a new one," he snarled.

Ojiro and Bakugo ran out the door, heading for the parking garage.

~.~

Kiri raised an eyebrow. "How did you know it was a stripper bar?"

Sero flushed. "Uh…oh. Well - "

" - Ooooh. Diana?"

Sero nodded. "Diana."

"You said she did ballet."

Sero cleared his throat. "She did."

Kiri shook his head. "Well…if we're getting the girls, we should invite Kami."

~.~

Unbeknownst to Jiro, her panties had been the catalyst that jumpstarted Kaminari's sex drive. Now sex was all he could think about. Reigning in his lust was even harder now than it had been in high school. He'd liked looking at girls, that was for sure, but the only peaches he ever saw were the ones that wore crowns in Mario Kart. It was as if he were discovering girls for the first time, all over again. He hadn't worked up the courage to buy lube, even though he knew Dabi would give him a decent deal, and only chicks shopped at Bath & Body Works. He'd had no choice but to tap into Jiro's lotion supply.

In the beginning, he'd tried to be sparing with it. But his hormones got the better of him. It didn't help that half of the manga Sero let him borrow had explicit images. Or at least, explicit for him.

To a kinky, well-seasoned horndog like Hanta Sero, Sweat & Soap was not a series that could rev one's engine. But Kaminari got hot and bothered just from staring at the cover for too long. After the first few days, he'd built up enough of a tolerance to actually make it past the first page. But now that Jiro was away with the girls, he had three unsupervised hours to himself. For the first time in his life, he couldn't wait for his girlfriend to leave. Jiro barely made it to the elevator before Kaminari was reaching down his boxers. An added benefit to using up all of Jiro's lotion to relieve his tension was his hands had never been softer.

He relaxed into the bed, slipping out of his clothes. He'd wanted to turn his phone off but he couldn't risk the off chance of Jiro coming home early, so he resolved to put it on silent. At first, it had been difficult. Despite all his years of gaming, his hands didn't have the dexterity to pleasure himself and hold a book open at the same time. If he did one or the other for too long, his hand would cramp up. But he finally managed to work out a system.

He'd lie on the right side of the bed, and next to it, he'd prop up one of Jiro's music stands. Then, using two metal binder clips, he'd fix the manga book in place. Then he could alternate hands if he needed to without having to worry about the book closing on him. There was a downside to this, of course. He couldn't turn the page without unclipping it. But that meant taking his hand off of his aching hard-on, which was out of the question.

Kaminari also worked out a better method for cleaning up. Jiro raised an eyebrow when he'd used up one box of kleenex tissues in one day. He knew he couldn't keep that up without her asking questions. So instead, he snagged one of Jiro's numerous cleaning cloths. It was meant for instruments like flutes and trumpets, but it was softer and less conspicuous than a coarse bath towel.

He was halfway through his third orgasm when his phone went off. Kaminari felt the phone vibrating under his pillow. He whined in protest, loath to answer it. But with his free hand, he grabbed it.

Sero-tonin is calling

He squirmed in bed, panting with desire. "Dammit."

~.~

The four boys walked down the ramp in the parking garage, heading for their cars. Kiri and Sero lingered a few feet behind Bakugo and Ojiro, trying to get in touch with their third stooge.

"He's sure taking a long time to answer," Kiri noted.

Sero stared down at his phone with a puzzled expression. "Yeah. This isn't like him."

Kiri shrugged. "Maybe he's playing a game?"

Sero shook his head. "He'd be on discord, but my app says he's offline."

"That is weird."

Bakugo glared at the two of them over his shoulder. "You comin' or what?!"

Finally, Kami answered.

"H-hey. What's up?"

Kiri beamed. "Hey, man! We're picking up the girls. Wanna hop in with us?"

"N-no."

Sero and Kiri shared a look.

"Oh. Okay. You sure?" Sero asked.

"Y-yeah."

They shared a look again.

"Is there…a reason why?" Sero asked.

"B-busy," Kami answered.

Sero pressed the mute button. "Dude, what's with all the one-word sentences?"

"No idea. And why would he be busy? We don't even work tomorrow," Kiri pointed out.

"Should we check on him?"

"Maybe. Yumi said he called off work today."

"How would she know that?"

"Keigo."

Sero unmuted himself. "We can heat up the car for you. Just take the elevator down to Jerry's floor and we'll pick you up out front."

"N-no thanks," Kami said.

Both of his friends noticed he sounded out of breath.

Kiri's eyes widened. "Are you okay? You don't sound good."

"Um…y-yeah. I'm…w-working out."

Sero grinned. "Ooooh, I see. Gettin' swole for the babe, huh? Totally get it. We'll bring her home to you safe and sound, okay?"

"Y-yeah. Thanks, g-guys."

Sero hung up. "I hope Kami starts lifting regularly. Then we can like…have gym meetups and stuff. Get ripped together."

Bakugo smirked. "It'd be a nice change from your noodle arms."

Sero flipped him off. "Quit flirting with me."

Bakugo looked genuinely horrified and turned back around.

On the way to their own vehicles, they passed a shiny black Cadillac escalade. Which happened to be blasting Welcome to the Family by Avenged Sevenfold.

All four guys peered at the driver's window. Dabi was hanging his arm outside of it, holding a cigarette.

"Oh." Sero waved as he approached "Sup."

Once he was standing in front of him, Dabi looked him up and down quickly and gave a bro nod. "Sero."

Sero did the same. "Himura."

Kiri scowled as they quickly did their secret handshake. "Is Keigo in there with you?"

Dabi pointed down at his lap.

The boys were afraid to look, fearing the worst. But upon further inspection, they realized Keigo was just laying his head in Dabi's lap, completely passed out.

Sero gestured toward the stereo. "How does he sleep through this?"

Dabi beamed. "Like a baby." He poked his head out the window, craning his neck to look at Bakugo and Ojiro. "Where you guys going?"

Ojiro answered with a concerned expression on his face. "Hito-kun needs me to rescue him from an exotic dancing club."

Dabi threw his head back and laughed hard. "That was hilarious."

"We're not kidding," Sero insisted.

Dabi stopped laughing. His eyes lit up. "No way."

Bakugo glared. "Why the hell would you be excited about - "

" - Get in the car."

~.~

Their aerobics night turned out to be a pole dancing class. Mina booked a private room sealed off from the rest of the club, so no one would be ogling them. They had an entire studio to themselves. The lights were turned down low and given a soft pink tint to them, creating a soothing environment despite the circumstances. The floor was covered in lush, fuschia-pink carpet. Mirrors lined the walls so they could make sure their movements matched the instructor's. But blindfolds were provided for the students who were self-conscious.

The lesson didn't actually require the students to wear lingerie, but Mina had taken advantage of all the holiday sales at her job. The markdowns plus her employee discount made it impossible for her to resist getting all of her friends what she deemed "stripper" outfits.

Izuku was the first to get into his ensemble. A black lace bodysuit with an open back. Instead of following the instructor, he resorted to climbing up the pole and spinning as he slid down. He treated the pole more like a toy on a playground than an expression of sexuality.

Next was Yumi. Mina picked out a pastel-pink bralette, matching stockings and pearl-studded garter straps. She helped Yumi tie up all her hair into a braided bun so she could show off all her tattoos, including the inkblot butterfly on her back.

For most of them, this wasn't exactly their element. Despite the challenges, Izuku and Yumi tried to keep an open mind. But some of the students were a bit more…resistant to Mina's activity.

Mina, who'd changed into a bra and cheerleading skirt, had Jiro pinned on the floor, trying to rip her jeans off. Jiro struggled against her like a flopping fish.

"GET - INTO - THE LINGERIE, JIRO!"

"NEVER!"

"NOW!"

"NEVER!"

Yumi leaned against a bar and began doing some stretches from her ballet days. "Mina, if she doesn't want to - "

" - THEN I'M GONNA MAKE HER LIKE IT!"

Yumi paled. "Yeah…that's…totally what I was gonna say."

"DO IT FOR YOUR MAN!"

Jiro flushed bright red. "HE'S NOT EVEN HERE!"

The exotic dance instructor, who'd been completely ignored by her students for the past thirty minutes, finally decided to rage quit and storm out of the studio, slamming the door behind her.

Shinsou felt grateful that Jiro was putting up a fight. It distracted Mina from forcing him into the lavender-colored corset she chose for him. But he knew he was on borrowed time. Every second he spent under the table was one second closer to suffering the wrath of Mina Ashido.

He desperately clung to his phone, waiting for a call or message from Ojiro. Save me from this place. Girls scare the shit out of me. Come to my rescue.

~.~

"So let me get this straight," the bouncer said, staring down the six men with a skeptical expression. "You're here to pick up your girlfriends, who aren't strippers…and you want me to let you waltz right through here without paying."

Sero cleared his throat. "Um…I don't know if this helps, but I'm friends with one of the dancers. Dana?"

The bouncer narrowed his eyes. "You mean Diana?"

Sero flushed, embarrassed. "Y-yeah. Her stage name is Princess Di."

"Princess Di has a lot of…friends," the bouncer retorted.

"Well…if you could just tell her Hanta's here, I"m sure she'd - "

" - Tell you to get lost," the bouncer snapped.

Kiri nudged his shoulder. "Dude, she hates you. Don't you remember?"

"What?! Why?! I was nice to her! I even remember most of her name!"

Keigo blinked. "How is it possible you managed to screw up so badly…when the bar is set so low, it's touching the ground?"

Kiri rolled his eyes. "You spent the night out of her house when her parents were out of town, but they came home early, so you had to sneak out the window. As you were leaving, you fell and crushed her cat to death."

Sero paled. "Oh. Shit. I completely forgot about that."

"You're welcome," Kiri grumbled.

Dabi gave Keigo's arm an affectionate squeeze before he passed him. "Relax, everyone. I got this." He yawned as he fiddled for his wallet.

The bouncer watched him, intrigued, but didn't budge.

Finally, Dabi produced a reflective silver card and held it between his two fingers. "This should clear up our misunderstanding."

The bouncer stared at it. "That's not a credit card."

Dabi grinned. "No. It isn't." He moved his thumb, revealing the letters underneath.

The bouncer's jaw dropped. "But - that's - impossible!"

Sero snatched up the card and stared down at it. "How the hell did you get this?"

"What is it?" Ojiro asked.

"A…platinum-status membership card to the Adonis Lounge. Unlimited access to any and every location in the world. Free bottle service, no expiration date…and they get first pick for private dances. These are like…impossible to get."

Bakugo raised an eyebrow. "You sure know a lot about this."

Sero quickly handed the card back to the bouncer. "Diana, uh…t-told me…about - "

" - Isn't the Adonis lounge a chain of gay bars?" Kiri asked.

Sero flushed. "Dude…they make really good steak."

"This is one of the locations, right? We should be free and clear to go in," Ojiro pointed out.

Sero scratched his head. "But…I don't get it. The name on it…it's - "

" - Indigo Wolf," the bouncer murmured, starstruck. "How…how did you get his membership card?"

Dabi looked the bouncer dead in the eye with a mischievous smirk, and winked.

Keigo scrunched up his face in concentration. "Wait. Wasn't that your - "

" - STRIPPER NAME?!" Sero shrieked.

He immediately bowed his head and unclipped the rope, holding it out of their path. "I'm sorry I didn't recognize you, sir."

Dabi shrugged. "No harm done. It's been a long time. But I'm glad to be back," he said in a suggestive tone.

The bouncer blushed. "Enjoy."

~.~

Mina finally managed to get Jiro into her costume. The top part of Jiro's ensemble looked simple enough. A plain black bra with white lace trim. But instead of regular underwear, she'd been given a very short black skirt and even shorter white apron. Mina also put a lace choker around her neck and matching lace wristlets.

Instead of trying to dance on one of the poles, she stood fixed in place with her arms crossed. "I'm not doing it."

Mina scowled. "Do it."

"No."

Izuku beamed as he slid down for the eighteenth time. "Come on, Jiro! It's fun!"

Yumi was using the pole to help her stretch. "It's a nice workout."

"I'd get a better one body-slamming groupies."

Mina stomped her foot and pouted. "I just wanted to help you embrace your feminine side!"

Jiro flushed uncomfortably. "I don't understand why being a girl means dressing up in crap like this!"

"Why can't you be excited about the lingerie like you were about Sero's jacket?"

The room went dead quiet. Jiro turned bright red. Shinsou peeked his head out from under the table.

Izuku took a step toward her. "Hey, there's nothing wrong with - "

" - Mina, you can't just…say that," Yumi scolded.

"I thought you hated each other," Shinsou mumbled.

Jiro quelled her inner panic. "I didn't like it because it was his," she muttered, blushing. "It was just a nice - "

At that moment, the door swung open. The first person to walk in was none other than Hanta Sero.

~.~

Sero opened the studio door, not realizing how close one of the studio's occupants would be standing there. But the moment he stepped in, he came face to face with a beautiful girl in a skimpy maid outfit.

He hadn't meant to stare. He really hadn't. But his brain was trying to play catch-up with his eyes. His opticals saw a petite woman with an elegant nose and smooth curves that were complimented nicely by her...ensemble. But his brain kept insisting he'd met this girl before.

Sero cleared his throat shyly. "Um…sorry, miss. I didn't mean to startle you. But…would you happen to have seen a girl with blue hair and - "

Before he could finish, the girl pulled back her arm and slugged him in the face, knocking him a few steps backward.

That was when he realized who she was. "JIRO?!"

She hugged her arms around herself to hide her stomach. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

Ojiro sidestepped past Sero and slowly made his way into the room with a hand over his eyes. "Hito-kun?"

Shinsou bolted out from under the table like a raccoon out of a dumpster and flung himself at Ojiro. "You came for me!"

"Of course, I did, Hito-kun."

Sero and Jiro stared at each other in mutual horror, trapped in their silence.

"Could you stop staring?!" Jiro snapped.

Sero turned red. "I - That's not - I'm not - You're just - "

" - I said stop!"

"You stop first!"

"I did stop staring!"

"THEN HOW DO YOU KNOW I'M STARING AT YOU?!"

Izuku skipped happily toward the entrance and leaped into Bakugo's arms. "Kacchan!"

The grumpy blonde's glare softened for a moment, but he forced himself not to get lost in Izuku's adorable green eyes. "What the hell are you doing?! You were shot four days ago! You tryna burst your stitches?!"

Dabi snickered. "The only stitches he's about to burst are the ones in your jeans, Katsuki."

Bakugo flushed pink when he realized what Izuku was wearing.

Kirishima waved with a warm smile, unfazed by Mina's getup. "How's it going, Mina Bobina?"

Yumi frowned. "Wait, you're all here?"

Jiro flushed. "Just close your fucking - "

" - Why are you in lingerie?!" Sero shrieked.

"COVER YOUR EYES!"

"I'M TRYING!"

Yumi ignored yet another of Jiro and Sero's bickering matches and turned her attention to their intruders. "What gives? Why are you crashing girls' night?"

Ojiro smiled sheepishly. "Rescue mission. My deepest apologies."

Shinsou clung to Ojiro tighter, snuggling into his chest. "I'm not sorry."

Yumi grabbed Jiro's jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "You okay?"

Jiro wasn't paying any attention. She'd locked her eyes on Dabi, who was holding up his phone. "What are you doing, Himura?"

Dabi quickly pocketed his phone. "Nothing."

~.~

It turned out two straight hours of jacking off worked up quite the appetite, so Kami decided to take a break. He ordered a cheese pizza from Dominoes and sat on the edge of the bed eating while he read one of Sero's milder manga books. He felt relaxed. He was curled up on his bed eating his favorite food and staying inside, where it was cozy and warm. I'll change the sheets and shower before bed.

Kami got distracted from his phone vibrating with a text. He raised an eyebrow. "Dabi?" He muttered to himself. The phone's screen flashed the icon for a text. It had an image attachment. He logged into his phone and poked the message.

His eyes went wide as the manga book fell out of his hands and clattered to the floor.

He didn't know how. But Dabi found and sent a photo of Jiro in maid lingerie. His whole body tensed with need. It was as if the past two hours of exercise didn't even happen. Kami couldn't get his hand down his boxers fast enough. He didn't even bother with lotion. Not that he could've if he'd wanted to. Jiro was fresh out. In his free hand, he held the phone at eye level. Kami groaned as he got close in barely any time at all. The skirt barely covered her thighs. Her breasts looked round and soft in their push-up bra. The choker on her neck made him want to rip it off withhis teeth. I'm sorry, Kyoka. I shouldn't be doing this. Not without you knowing. But you're just…so…so…His breath hitched. He clenched his teeth as his release crept closer. Then finally, he growled gutterally when he came harder than he ever had in his life.

He would proceed to repeat this pattern for the next eighty-four minutes.

~.~

When everyone made it to Dabi's car, it took them less than half a second to realize there weren't enough seats. Which meant everyone was fighting for Shotgun.

"I called it first!" Sero exclaimed.

Bakugo smirked. "Arm-wrestle me for it. Then we'll see who comes in first."

Mina jumped up and down. "Me! Me! Me!"

Dabi unlocked the passenger side and held open the door. "Baby gets shotgun. No exceptions."

Keigo climbed in and sat down. Dabi didn't close the door before sneaking a kiss. Then he looked at the rest of his passengers. "Figure it out." Without another word, he walked around the front and got into the driver's seat.

Yumi spoke first. "I'm the smallest. I'll sit in the trunk."

Kiri shrugged. "Mina can sit on my lap."

Izuku beamed. "I'll sit on Kacchan!"

"No. You won't," Dabi protested. "He'll get a stiff one and you can't suck him off in my car."

"Shut up," Bakugo snapped.

Izuku pouted. "Fine. But I'm sitting next to him."

Yumi climbed into the trunk from the backseat. She peeked over the edge to watch everyone else figure out seating arrangements. Sero sat directly in front of her, draping his arm over the seat to hold her hand.

Ojiro sat down and scooped Shinsou up into his lap, hugging him close. Bakugo sat between Izuku and Kiri, while Mina perched on her boyfriend's lap. But suddenly, all the seats were taken. One person had lost this game of musical chairs.

Izuku held his hand out for Jiro. "Sit on my lap, Jiro!"

She scoffed. "I'd crush you like a bug, Midoriya. Besides, you were in the hospital a few days ago."

Bakugo growled. "This is stupid. Just have Izuku sit on me and Jiro can take his spot."

"I won't be able to drive if you do that," Dabi pointed out.

"What? Why not?"

"You're in the middle. If Izuku sits on your lap, his head will block my rearview mirror."

"Then Kacchan can sit behind you and Jiro can take the middle."

Jiro winced. "Bakugo and Kirishima aren't exactly scrawny guys. If I'm stuck between them, I'll suffocate before the ride is over."

"Can't handle a little push-back, Captain Moshpit?" Sero mocked.

Yumi's eyes widened as a lightbulb clicked on in her head. "Jiro. Sit on Hanta."

Sero blinked, as if he hadn't processed what she said at first. Then he smirked at Jiro, still standing outside in the cold. "She could always walk."

Jiro didn't hesitate. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and marched forward.

Sero's bravado disappeared. "Shit."

Yumi smacked his arm.

"OW!"

"What is wrong with you?!" She snapped.

Sero rubbed the place she hit, wincing in pain. "I was joking!"

Bakugo glared over his shoulder. "Aren't jokes supposed to be funny?"

Sero rolled down his window. "Hey! Come back!"

Jiro didn't stop or turn around. She didn't even slow down.

Kiri's glare wasn't any softer than Bakugo's. "That's Denki's girl, bro. What the hell were you thinking?"

He flushed awkwardly. "I…she - she's not usually so sensitive!"

Mina's shoulders drooped. "Jiro had a rough night. She was completely miserable at our aerobics class."

Yumi shot Mina a look. "You really need to stop calling it an aerobics class."

Sero unbuckled and got out of the car, jogging after her. "Hey! Seriously, come back!"

Even after he caught up to her, she didn't stop walking.

"I was a jerk. I'm sorry. Just…please get in the car!"

She kept her gaze facing forward. "We're doing the Cheesecake Factory for dinner, right? I'll meet you there."

Sero gaped at her. "Don't be stupid, that's an hour from here on foot!"

"Yet I'm gonna get there before you do."

He put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "What's wrong with you? Any other time you'd sass me back with a sarcastic remark. Why are you - "

" - I'm the one who's upset, but I'm the one with the problem?"

He wasn't sure what to say to that. "You're…upset?"

She stiffened. "No."

He stared at her, uncomprehending. "You're the one who punched me. I was being polite, and you hit me anyway!"

Finally, she stopped. She snickered, but the sound wasn't genuine. "You treated me with courtesy and respect while I was in a bra and underwear, but when I'm fully clothed you tell me I can walk."

Sero still didn't understand. Why would being nice to her make her upset? Normally when I make jokes like that, she jokes right back. She clobbered my face but I'm the one in the wrong? "You're not making any sense."

Jiro squinted at him, shaking her head. "You don't know how to respect women unless they look like women. That's why you don't respect me."

"What? Look, just cuz I don't like you, that doesn't mean - "

" - You've got a problem with me because I don't fawn over you like every other girl you've come into contact with."

Sero bristled. That's not it. Is it? I don't like her because she's a total bitch. But when he thought about it, he couldn't remember the last time a girl turned him down. Breakups, sure. But outright rejection? Shit…that's…never happened to me. Well. Almost never. He looked back at Jiro.

"Just because I'm resistant to your charms," she said with finger quotations, "Doesn't mean I'm not a girl."

"I don't need you to be attracted to me! But you're so mean all the time!"

"I piss you off and wound your ego," Jiro said with a shrug. "Sorry to break this to you, but that doesn't give you the right to decide my gender."

He sighed deeply. "You're making this into something way bigger than it is. I made a joke. You took it the wrong way, and now we're both freezing our asses off."

"I didn't ask you to follow me," she pointed out. "Besides, after the way you looked at me in that club, I'm not exactly looking to jump into your lap."

Sero blushed red. "I - I didn't realize it was you."

If Jiro was upset, she did a good job of hiding it. Her voice was calm. Her expression indifferent. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

He shook his head, trying to make sense of her words, which were now bouncing around in his brain. "I don't understand. You're mad at me because I don't treat you like a girl?"

Her hand tightened into a fist. "I'm mad at you because the one time you were nice to me was because I was almost naked."

That's not true. Is it? Sero wracked his brain for a positive memory with Jiro. He came up empty. "I don't see you as a girl," he admitted.

"Yeah. I know."

"It never bothered you before."

Finally, an emotion flickered on her face. Anger. "How the fuck would you know?"

He opened his mouth, but words failed him. Oh.

"What do you want me to do when I'm upset? Spill my heart out to you? Cry? Curl up in a ball and sob myself to sleep? Is that what you do when you're upset? Why do you need a big display of emotion in order to validate someone's feelings?"

Sero was still trying to wrap his around her words. I think…she's trying to tell me she's upset. "So…you punched me because…you were upset."

"Duh."

"Because…I was…nice to you."

"No."

"Because…I was nice to you…while you were dressed like a - "

" - Stripper?"

I mean…I was nice to her because I thought she was a stripper. But there was no way he could say that outloud without sounding like a jackass.

"How would you feel if I only liked you while you were being objectified?"

The idea of Jiro being nice to him was hard enough for him to comprehend. But the idea of Jiro checking him out while he was in underwear just felt…weird. "Um - "

" - Whatever. Just go back to the car."

"Dude - "

" - I'll play nice at dinner. I just don't feel like dealing with you the whole way there." She turned away from him and kept walking.

Sero mentally checked the balance of his bank account, then estimated how much a visit to the ER would cost. Then he quickly caught up to her. "You want me to treat you like a woman?" Quite unceremoniously, he scooped her up bridal style and turned around to head back to the car.

He expected her to kick and struggle. Hit him. Scream bloody murder. Instead, she was surprising still. "What the hell are you doing?" she grumbled.

"Respecting you."

She crossed her arms. "Then why does it feel so demeaning?"

"I dunno. I thought this was what you wanted."

"To be treated like a foot-bound Chinese princess? No."

Sero smirked. "You're not fighting it."

Jiro half-heartedly punched his jaw. "Put me down," she said in a monotone.

He looked down at her curiously. "You…like this."

"No, I don't."

"I think you do."

She immediately wiggled out of his arms and marched away from him. "No."

For as long as he could remember, his brain had formulated two concepts. Girls, and Jiro. Never once had he seen her as an extension of the subgroup girls. Not even after she and Kami started dating. He dated me after all. Although I guess that doesn't count since we were like…five. But watching her as she got closer to the car didn't feel like it usually did. He couldn't unsee the womanly shape that lurked under her clunky black cargo pants and oversized leather jacket. He noticed things about her now he didn't with his guy friends. How small her feet were. The way her hips swayed when she walked. She's not much taller than Yumi. He imagined someone talking to his girlfriend the way he'd talked to Jiro. It made him feel sick.

"Hey," he said softly. "You can sit on me if you want. I don't care."

When he made it up to the car, however, Jiro didn't stick the side. Instead, she circled around to the back and popped open the trunk.

"Jiro?"

She helped Yumi out and got in. "I'm not much bigger. I'll take the trunk."

Yumi frowned. "Oh…kay. If you say so."

Sero stared after her, bewildered. She turned me down. AGAIN!

"Hanta?" Yumi asked.

He couldn't imagine any version of reality where he'd have an interest in Jiro. But rejection was not a sensation he was used to. Especially from a woman. "Why?! Is my lap not good enough for you?!"

Bakugo snickered. "No way. Your legs are as bony as your arms."

"Seriously, man. I don't have a degradation kink. You're wasting your breath."

"IM NOT FLIRTING WITH YOU!"

~.~

Dabi and Keigo shared a look as they watched Sero walk back towards the car. With Jiro in his arms.

Keigo paled. "Totally not our problem, right?"

Dabi shook his head. "Absolutely not."

~.~

One hour later…

Shinsou and Ojiro stayed long enough to have an appetizer and their main course. But when dessert rolled around and the girls pulled out their cocktail menus, Shinsou stiffened uncomfortably, hiding behind his boyfriend's arm.

Ojiro kissed his cheek. "I'll go up and pay, Hito-kun." He handed Shinsou his cellphone. "Go ahead and order an uber, I won't take long."

Mina pouted. "You should stay! Have drinks with us!"

Shinsou jumped up from the table and took a step back. "You'll have more fun without me. I'll see you guys later."

Izuku smiled warmly. "Your poetry was really good, by the way!"

Jiro snapped her fingers. "You were spitting bars up there. It was bitchin'."

Yumi nodded. "Yeah! You should invite us to your slams more often."

Shinsou glared at her. "I didn't invite you to this one. You just showed up."

"I don't see your point."

Before they could protest further, Shinsou bowed his head and scurried outside to order an Uber.

Keigo frowned. "I wonder why he never drinks with us."

Yumi and Dabi shared a look, but they didn't say anything.

Mina waved her hand dismissively. "Whatevz. More booze for us."

The next to go was Bakugo and Izuku. Once they got their slices of cheesecake, Izuku wasted no time stuffing his face. The girls were used to the sounds he made when he ate his favorite New York Style cheesecake. But the second he started moaning, Bakugo stiffened in his seat.

It took everything Dabi had not to laugh at Bakugo's damn near constipated-looking expression.

"You good, Katsuki?"

Bakugo flushed red and glared at Izuku. "Stop doing that," he snarled.

Izuku swallowed and gasped for air. He'd spent so much time stuffing the cake into his mouth he'd forgotten to breathe. "It's so good," he groaned.

Bakugo ground his teeth and squirmed. "Izuku, stop."

Dabi watched behind folded hands with a wide grin. "Man, I wish I had popcorn."

Yumi inconspicuously reached into her purse and pulled out a small bag of cheddar-flavored popcorn. She popped it open in one move and slowly tilted it toward Dabi under the table.

His eyes lit up. "Remind me to give you a raise."

"I don't work for you anymore."

Izuku moaned again as he took another bite. "So…good - "

Without any warning, Bakugo grabbed Izuku with one arm and flung him over his shoulder, marching him out of the restaurant.

"Kacchan, stop! I wanna finish!"

Dabi snickered. "I bet Katsuki does, too."

Mina wiggled her eyebrows. "Told you the cheesecake was orgasmic."

Ten minutes later, they came back in. Bakugo's face was flushed but he looked significantly calmer. Izuku wiped his mouth on his sleeve before he walked back in.

"Those two have no shame," Keigo scolded.

Sero wrinkled his nose. "I feel bad for Midoriya."

Dabi chuckled. "Don't. I think he enjoyed it more than the cheesecake."

Kiri flushed pink, staring down into his lap.

Izuku yawned and stretched. "We're taking our dessert to go. See you guys tomorrow!" He and Bakugo left after paying the check.

Kiri got out his wallet. "I think we'll head out too."

Mina pouted. "What?! But we didn't get drinks yet!"

Kiri laughed. "Let's just drink at Bottom's Up. They're a lot cheaper and we're two floors away from home."

Sero smiled. "Yeah, good idea. Whadaya say, gorgeous?"

She smiled at Mina and Kiri. "Sounds fun. What about you, Jiro?"

Dabi slammed his arm on the table, blocking Jiro from leaving. "No. Not her."

Jiro raised an eyebrow. "What? Why not?"

Dabi leaned in close and stared her down intensely. "Reasons."

"But - "

" - Jiro stays."

"But why is - "

" - Sayōnara, nodo ga kawaita shōfu." (translation: goodbye, thirsty whores)

~.~

Another hour later…

Jiro's gaze darted between Keigo and Dabi nervously. "Can I go home now?"

Dabi shook his head. "No."

"Why not?"

"I don't have the clearance level necessary to release that information."

Jiro glared at him over her cheesecake. "I'm tired."

Dabi, for whatever reason, checked his phone. "Nope. Not yet."

"Why?!" She insisted.

Sato came by their table with an apologetic smile. "Hey, Kyoka. I'm sorry, but we have to close soon. My manager asked me to tell you - "

Dabi slid a credit card slowly across the table in Sato's direction. "Tell us what, exactly?"

Sato smiled. "You know what? I don't remember."

Dabi nodded with a smirk. "Good man."

Keigo cleared his throat nonchalantly before lifting his glass. "So…" He looked in Jiro's direction. "What's goin' on with you and Sero?"

Jiro shrugged. "He's an ass. What else is new?" She drank down the last of her amoretto sour and clunked her glass on the table.

Keigo bit his lip. "Well, uh…I'll tell you what's new. He carried you in his arms like a princess in a fairy tale."

She rolled her eyes. "Seriously? That's what this is about?"

Dabi checked his phone again before answering. "Absolutely."

Jiro scoffed. "He was trying to make a point, which he failed to do."

Dabi looked between Keigo and Jiro, but said nothing.

Keigo gaped at him. "That's it?! Dabs, this is huge!"

Jiro blinked. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Dabi shook his head. "Leave this one alone, Keigo."

"But…if we're right, this would change everything!"

"Exactly," Dabi warned. "Unless we want our dynamic to implode, keep your mouth shut."

"But - "

" - Trust me. Her repressed feelings are buried so deep they've seen the Devonian Era."

Jiro sighed. "You guys are dumb. I'm getting an Uber."

Dabi gestured at her. "See? We'd need a diamond drill to get through that shit."

Jiro raised an eyebrow. "What shit?"

"Your trauma."

"What makes you think I have trauma?"

"You went to Juvenile Hall. How could you not?" He took a bite of his food. "Oh, and the towering walls you've put up around your heart was a dead giveaway."

Jiro smirked. "Fine. I'll open my heart when you open yours."

Keigo paled. "Oh, snap."

Dabi smirked. "Joke's on you, Ramona Flowers. I don't have a heart."

She smirked back. "Calm down, Wallace Wells. You work at Spencers. No need to tell us how edgy you are."

Keigo breathed in through his teeth. "Damn, she hits hard."

"Seriously," Dabi snapped. "What the fuck?"

Jiro raised a brow. "Excuse me?"

"What the hell do you see in him?" His jaw tightened with disapproval. "He's an idiot. His empathetic powers rival that of a rock's, and he's done nothing but treat you like crap. He shit talks you to everyone. The kind of person you'd have to be for him to like you would give you nightmares. What. The hell. Is wrong with you?"

She barely batted an eye. "That was your best shot?" She asked calmly. "That's your diamond drill? Bummer."

Keigo's jaw dropped. "Wait, that did nothing?!"

Jiro glared at them both. "What is it with the men in my life and trying to invoke emotional vulnerability?"

"I'm not," Dabi insisted. "I genuinely want to know. Why…when a man with a heart of gold who adores you is waiting for you at home, you'd even consider - "

" - Just because you can magically guess a person's favorite cocktail doesn't mean you know the first thing about me. And you sure as hell don't know the first thing about me and Han - " she cleared her throat, "Sero."

Keigo gasped. "I heard that."

Dabi's phone buzzed with a text.

Kami: Is Jiro coming back soon?

He looked back up at her. "Now you can go home."

~.~

Kaminari pleasured himself to the point of exhaustion. He hadn't really thought about when he would stop for good. But his phone made the decision for him. 5% Battery life. He laid his arm across her side of the bed, running his hand over her pillow. His loneliness set in. I miss her. As gorgeous as the picture of Jiro was, it wasn't the same as having her next to him. He used the time he had left to shoot a text to Dabi.

Then he passed out. Until he woke to the sounds of the doorknob turning. He shot up out of bed in a panic. "Shit," he muttered. Kami quickly gathered up Sero's manga books and stuffed them under the bed. Then he pulled the sheets off and threw them in the washing machine, immediately starting a cycle. He'd barely managed to get a towel around his waist when Jiro came into the bedroom.

He froze. Terrified she'd take one look at him and know what he'd been up to four the past four hours.

But she just looked happy to see him. "Hi, Love. I didn't think you'd be awake." Jiro leaned in close for a hug.

Kami took a few steps back. "Oh, uh…I'm all sweaty from…from - "

" - Oh," she said with a giggle. "That's alright." She hugged him anyway and kissed him.

If he hadn't run his sex drive into the ground, he would've been turned on by her slow, intimate display of affection. But instead, it made him feel relaxed. I missed you so much. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. "You were gone a while. Did you have fun?"

She scoffed. "To be honest? No."

He interlocked their fingers and gave her a warm smile. "Aaw. I'm sorry, babe."

"It's okay. I feel better now that I'm home."

Me too. Kami kissed her cheek. "I'm gonna grab a shower."

She beamed. "Okay. I'll get the bed ready."

~.~

Jiro flushed when she saw he'd stripped the bedsheets. She was surprised to hear the washer already going, and smell the scent of their tide detergent permeating the air. He's such a good guy. He was already trying to make it nice for us. She grabbed a fresh set of sheets from the linen closet. On her way back to the bedroom, she saw her last lotion bottle in the trash, completely empty. He went through it already? But it was half-full when I left.

The weirdness didn't stop there. On the floor at the foot of their bed were his socks, pants, shirt, and underwear. Kami normally put his dirty clothes in the hamper, but they stood clumped together as if they'd been pushed off. Denki's always cold. Why would he take his clothes off? She tried not to dwell on it as she placed the fitted sheet on their mattress. But she froze when her toe brushed against something under the bedframe. Did something fall?

She got on her hands and knees and peeked underneath. Books? Jiro gradually pulled out each of them and stacked them up. Kami doesn't usually read this much. Curiously, she flipped through each book, examining the covers. She paled when her eyes fell on one book in particular. Volume 1 of a series called Sweat and Soap. Jiro nervously looked toward the bathroom door, but the water was still running. She heard Kami humming an anime opening while he showered. Despite her better judgment, she opened the book and skimmed through some of the pages. The images were too much for her. She slammed the book shut and hid it against her chest. Why is…he looking at such…explicit manga?!

Suddenly, horribly, all the pieces came together in her head. The stripped bed…how sweaty he was…using up all my lotion…how long has this been going on?!

A lump rose to her throat when a worse thought came to mind. How long…have I let this go on? He got all that manga from Midoriya for Christmas. But that was almost a week ago. Has Denki really been…hiding this from me the whole time? Her shoulders sank. This is my fault. I left him hanging on Christmas Eve, and then we never picked up where we left off. Maybe if I'd paid more attention to him, he wouldn't have turned to stuff like this. She was his girlfriend. The person who loved him most. The idea that she'd neglected his needs overwhelmed her with guilt. Dabi's right. Denki is the sweetest boy I know. He deserves better. She scowled down at the book and chucked it at the ground before kicking it. And he sure as hell doesn't need these stupid books!

~.~

Tokoyami shuddered in bed.

Kuroiro snuggled into his back and kissed his neck. "What's wrong, my Fortunado?"

He shivered, cuddling closer. "I…I don't know. I just…feel as though…something terrible has happened."

His boyfriend hugged him from behind. "Try not to let it bother you. I'm sure it's nothing."

~.~

He sat on a velvet couch, watching her dance around a pole. She did it as if no one were watching, even though she knew he was. She acted shy and demure, even in her scandalously short crimson red nightgown. She was completely oblivious to what she was doing to him, but that made him want her even more. Eventually, he couldn't hold himself back. He stood up and walked over to her, waiting at the base of her stage. He reached out, trying to touch her, but she shied away from him. The more she withdrew, the more desperate he became to feel her soft skin. When he finally managed to touch her, she yelped in pain and pulled away.

He gawked in horror when he saw. Where he'd touched the woman's arm, her skin was red and chaffing, as if he'd burned her.

Sero jolted upright in bed, gasping awake. He clasped a hand over his heart, which raced in his chest. He looked next to him. Yumi, the love of his life, lay next to him, sound asleep. It was difficult to keep his hands still. He stared at it, willing it not to tremble. It was…just a dream.

But he couldn't shake the feeling of horror he felt. That he'd hurt the woman in his dream without even meaning to. That he'd been desperate to touch her.

And that the woman had been Jiro.