Author's note: Hi all! Please enjoy the new chapter! Thank you so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites.
Takara could not be happier. She lay on the couch cuddled up next to Izuku with Katsuki sitting on the floor in front of her. Contentedly she dozed with her head against Izuku's brawny shoulder. Suddenly, he jostled her when things grew intense in the video game. Katsuki hissed a curse word through his teeth. Half awake, she reached forward to run her hand through his silky, spiky hair as if soothing an angry beast.
"Awww, man," Izuku groaned when she heard the distinct sounds of his video game avatar meeting an untimely death.
"It's okay, sweetie," she comforted him, patting his thigh as she settled her head back down on his shoulder. "You'll get him next time."
"Stop whining, wuss," Katsuki grumbled.
"Shut up! You're not the one who's dead," she shot back, tugging on the longer hairs on top of his head.
Katsuki grunted and swatted at her hand to shoo her away after pulling his hair.
"Stop...I gotta concentrate, dammit," he growled, the buttons clicking like crazy on his controller.
Takara sighed and stretched her arms above her head. Rather than leaning against Izuku, she extended her body across his lap despite his cross legged sitting position. She laughed lightly as he raised the controller over her to continue playing the game, presently unfazed by her closeness due to being distracted.
What a lovely way to spend a Sunday, she thought, allowing her eyelids to drift closed again. The remainder of Saturday had been spent in her apartment lazing around, watching TV, and ordering out food as they recovered from their hangovers.
Today they were spending time in the guys' apartment. Izuku cooked breakfast this morning, then they settled down to play video games while she did the dishes. It was only fair since Izuku did the cooking. He had washed the dishes yesterday. Next time it would be Katsuki's turn to wash the dishes because he had lucked out of getting stuck with dish duty by chance or by choice so far.
"What are we gonna do for lunch?" she asked, placing her head on her arms folded over Izuku's thigh.
"You hungry?" he questioned her, accidentally elbowing her in the head as he waved the controller around.
"Ow!" She massaged the sore spot on the crown of her head but did not vacate his lap.
"Sorry." He apologized yet kept playing without even a pause.
"You deserved that," Katsuki chuckled meanly, sounding a little too happy about her pain.
"Shut up," she snapped, thumping him on the back of the head. His skull made the hollow sound of a ripe melon.
"Ow! Mean ass," he muttered.
"Take's one to know one," she retorted.
"That's mature," he shot back sarcastically.
"Oh, please," Takara huffed, reluctantly removing herself from across Izuku's legs when he jumped and almost threw her off while executing a move in the video game and obviously helping it along with his body. "I don't understand how you can get so into these video games."
"Why don't you come play and find out?" Katsuki suggested.
"I don't play video games," she replied, standing up from the couch.
"It's really fun. Have you ever played one?" Izuku asked.
"Not even the claw machine at an arcade. And I don't want to play one," she answered, huffing like a snob as she walked in front of Katsuki on her way to the kitchen.
"Come 'ere!" Katsuki growled, grabbing her by the hand before she passed by.
"Hey! Stop!" she wailed in protest as he pulled her down into his lap.
Katsuki positioned her in the hollow made by his cross legged sitting position which was the perfect size and shape to create a seat for her behind. Taking one of her hands, he pressed the controller into her palm and folded her fingers over it.
"What are you doing?" she asked as he did the same with her other hand to make her hold the game controller.
"We're about to pop your cherry video game virgin," he returned, placing his hands over hers.
"Geez, Kacchan," mumbled Izuku, concentrating more on the video game than chastising his friend for being a bit dirty.
Takara exhaled noisily in an effort to convey her annoyance. She tried to wiggle out of his grasp and free her hands from his. He absolutely refused to let go, holding her securely but without hurting her. His ability to be gentle despite his anger and gruffness never ceased to amaze her.
"Katsuki, let me go. I'm thirsty," she whined.
"Just for a minute. Just give it a try," he coaxed her, his breath tickling her neck.
However, when she fully took in her present situation, sitting in Katsuki's lap, his arms wrapped around her and his hands holding hers even if it was over the controller, she decided she might give the video game thing a chance.
Takara looked at the screen trying to figure out what was going on. There were two characters on the screen dressed like medieval knights in full armor which she assumed to be their avatars. She guessed the one with red accents on his silver armor to be Izuku's character and the one in black armor to be Katsuki's. Creatures that resembled humanized bats, as big as a man with the body of one but the face and wings of a bat, dived like birds of prey at the knights. A ghost like woman floated across the screen screaming which made their avatars grunt and groan as if being punched.
"The Banshee is killing us!" Izuku exclaimed, his character waving his sword in the air as he ran after her.
"Kill the Chiropteras," Katsuki commanded her, pushing his thumb down on hers which made his sword slash through the air and cut off the head of the big bat creature standing in front of his knight.
"What about the woman?" she asked as the ghost walked through the screen and the black knight was flung backwards as she passed by.
"Don't worry about her. We can't kill her yet. You're wasting energy, nerd. Stop running after her like an idiot. Damn that bitch," snarled Katsuki, pushing down on her forefinger which opened another screen.
Pictures of little glass bottles filled with different colored potions appeared. Using her fingers to make all the moves, he choose a red potion. The avatar popped it open and drank it.
"What was that?" she asked, growing genuinely curious about the game.
"A healing potion. Kill it! Kill it!" Katsuki yelled when one of the bat demons swept over the head of the knight.
"I'm trying! I'm trying! I don't know how!" she shrieked back, pressing all of the buttons in rapid succession.
The character raised his sword straight up into the air as the bat buzzed him again. The sword struck him in the head and cut his body in two as the momentum of the creature's flight pushed him down the blade.
"Nice! That's the way you do it," he encouraged her.
"Here comes another one! What do I do? What do I do?!" she screeched, growing excited and pressing all of the buttons again.
Katsuki began to patiently explain which buttons controlled which movements. He told her step by step how to execute special moves. Eventually he took his hands away from hers, resting them on her waist in an effort to keep her still because she kept rocking side to side threatening to smash parts of him that should definitely not be smashed.
"You're pretty good at this for a first timer," Izuku complimented her as they decimated the level boss, the vampire who created the bat demons.
"Thanks," she returned, smiling from ear to ear.
"So you like video games now?" Katsuki questioned her with a self-satisfied smirk on his face.
Positively elated by their victory, adrenaline surging through her veins, she wanted to continue playing. "Yes! What's on the next level?"
So they played. And played and played for hours. They made it to the final level. The final boss was a dragon guarding a castle and the damsel in distress. A little predictable, but she liked it - a lot.
"That's it! That's it!" Katsuki excitedly exclaimed when she unleashed an atomic attack, a killing blow, that rippled all the way through the castle to destroy the dragon with fire reducing it to a smoking pile of ash in seconds.
"Yay! I did it!" she hollered, climbing out of his lap.
She jumped around and did a little happy dance much to amusement of her friends. Izuku stood up to celebrate their victory with her, taking her into his arms for a congratulatory hug.
"You were amazing," he complimented her, not bothering to remind her she did not defeat the dragon and save the princess by herself.
"That was so much fun," she giggled, embracing him again before he could let her go.
Katsuki stood to his feet, pushing them apart to walk between them to the kitchen. They both stared after him in disbelief. Unconcerned with their gaping, he opened the refrigerator to take out three bottles of water.
"So why don't we go out to celebrate?" Katsuki suggested, handing them the bottles.
Takara snatched the offered bottle out of his hand, swiftly twisting off the cap, and drinking greedily. She had forgotten she was on her way to the kitchen to get a drink when the video game thing started. That had been at least four hours ago. She was positively parched.
"I'm soooo hungry," Izuku moaned, holding his empty belly that rumbled as if on cue.
"Let's go then. Barbecue. My treat," Katsuki offered.
"Wow, thanks, Kacchan," his pleasantly surprised friend returned.
"I should go change," Takara said, going toward the door.
"You look fine the way you are," Katsuki assured her.
She looked down at herself doubtfully. Her cut off denim shorts were so old there was abundance of white fringe around the legs as well as holes worn into back pockets. She wore a baby pink thin strapped tank top and no make up. Her plain black thong sandals were by the door. How could she possibly go out like this?
"Let's go! I'm starving!" Katsuki announced, grabbing her by the hand.
"Wait a minute," Izuku said, hurrying down the hall to his bedroom.
"Come on, nerd, or we're leavin' ya!" the impatient blonde threatened, tugging her toward the door.
"I'm coming!" he called back, coming out of his room with a pile of cloth in his hand.
Izuku approached Takara , handing her the red hoodie made out of thin, super soft t-shirt material. Great for summer and covering her multitude of fashion sins.
"Thanks," she replied, grateful for his thoughtfulness as she pulled on the light jacket.
"Come on, girls! Now that you've had a moment to go over fashion tips, let's go eat!" Katsuki exclaimed in his patent crass manner, stomping to the door.
Takara felt a dry, calloused palm slide across hers just before long, strong fingers encased her hand. She glanced over to see Izuku smiling at her, a blush on his freckled cheeks. Her mouth and throat instantly became as dry as the desert as she looked into his large, innocent green eyes.
"Aren't you hungry?" he asked her when she did not move.
"Uh, y-yeah," she stammered, picking up one of her leaden feet and the other followed suit.
The third of their trio was no where to be found as they walked hand in hand, side by side, down the stairs. At the bottom, Katsuki waited for them, leaning against the banister. The blonde's narrow eyes flickered down to their hands clutched tightly together then up to Takara's face. Izuku's fingers clenched her hand tighter as they continued to move forward toward him.
"It's about damn time. I was beginning to think I was going to be eating by myself."
"We're walking?" she inquired as he fell into step beside her.
"It's not far," Izuku assured her.
"I could the walk anyway." She stretched, placing her hands in the small of back before arching it. "I sat for way too long."
"So do ya like video games now, Princess High and Mighty?" Katsuki asked her.
"Mmm," she hummed thoughtfully, not wanting to admit the truth. But she did anyway. "Yeah. I do like them."
"Hmph," he snorted, his mouth tilting into that arrogant smirk he wears so well.
The back of Katsuki's hand brushed across the back of her free hand as they walked. They continued to swing their arms, their hands skimming across each other from time to time. At the restaurant, he stepped in front of her to slide open the door for her to enter. The aroma of grilled meat made her mouth water.
"Good choice, Sir Grumpypants," she said to him, feeling Izuku's hand slip out of hers.
"Grumpypants?" Katsuki muttered, sneering at her as she walked past him into the restaurant.
"Welcome! Sit anywhere you like," the waitress called to them as she hurried into the kitchen.
They took the table in the corner by the front window. Takara sat beside Izuku on one bench with Katsuki sitting across from her. When the waitress came to their table, Katsuki ordered for everyone. He also turned on the electric grill built into the table so it would be hot and ready when the meat arrived.
"After we eat, why don't we walk around a little? Explore the neighborhood," suggested Izuku, pouring water into her glass from the pitcher the waitress brought them.
"That would be great! I haven't had time to familiarize myself with my surroundings yet," she pointed out. "It will be nice to know where things are around here."
"You're so clueless. I guess we should have showed you around the neighborhood a lot sooner," Katsuki said.
"We really haven't had the time. Hey," she said, reaching across the table to lay her hand on top of his resting on the table top. She also reached over to hold Izuku's hand. "I want to thank you guys for taking care of me. Thank you for being my friends."
"You're very welcome," Izuku returned, his cheeks turning pink.
She adored how he blushed so easily. She squeezed his hand as she smiled at him. When she felt Katsuki's hand slide quickly from under hers, her gaze turned to him.
"The food is here," he explained for the sudden withdrawal of his hand as the waitress set down the platters of raw meat.
"Are you still coming with me to visit the hospital tomorrow?" Takara asked Izuku as Katsuki began laying pieces of steak on the grates.
"Of course. I'll bring my hero uniform along...just in case," he said with a big grin.
"Good idea," she giggled.
"You two are going to babysit on your day off?" Katsuki inquired not having a clue what they were talking about.
"We're going to visit the children's hospital," she clarified.
"Tuesday is my day off. Do you have to go to the conservatory? We could do something...if you want," Katsuki added, busying himself with laying meat on the grill to avoid looking at her.
He was being weird, acting like an awkward teenager asking her out on a date. Was he asking her for a date? She never knew with guy. She believed he was a mystery even unto himself so she certainly could not figure him out.
"I will be back home around two if you want to do something then," she said as he concentrated on cooking the meat to avoid eye contact.
"Whatever. I don't care."
Dammit Katsuki. Just when I begin to think you have a soul. Takara rolled her eyes and sighed.
"I just thought you might want to look around the neighborhood some more. So you won't get lost in your own back yard, you know, like an idiot."
Ugh...
After they finished their meal, took a pleasant walking tour of several blocks around the vicinity of their apartment building. So far she had only been back and forth from the apartment to the conservatory with only two side trips to the grocery store she passed on her commute between those two destinations. She had no idea there were so many amazing places nearby.
There was a clothing boutique, a book seller, several knick knack shops, and variety of other stores including a small grocery store. At this time, they did not go into any of the stores to look around. They would save shopping for another day. There was a small park with a pavilion, a playground for children, and a shrine.
It was a lovely neighborhood with several nice places within walking distance of where she lived. She would no longer have to go to the overcrowded grocery store where she could barely find a parking place. She was finding more and more reasons to stay - and to be happy.
Before heading home, they stopped by the convenience store to buy ice cream. There was actually self-serve soft serve ice cream machine with three basic flavors. Takara picked chocolate, Izuku choose strawberry, and Katsuki took vanilla. The walk home was decidedly more quiet as they ate their ice cream because it was melting fast, dribbling down the cones onto their hands. Despite the sun having gone down, the lingering heat was still sweltering. The sweet treat hit the spot.
"Ugh, I love ice cream but I don't like the sticky hands it leaves behind," Takara groaned as she walked up the stairs, avoiding touching the handrail.
"You shouldn't be so damn messy," Katsuki said.
"Not everyone can eat the whole thing in two bites like you, Kacchan," Izuku defended her. "Want to come in to watch a movie?"
"I would love to watch a movie. But...can I take shower first?" she asked. "I'm a little bit sweaty and yucky after our long walk."
"Prissy damn woman," Katsuki muttered, typing in the code to unlock their door. "Just make it quick. We won't wait all damn night for you."
"Oh, come on Bakugo, me being a prissy damn woman is one of the things you like about me," she teased him, purposely using his last name to convey her annoyance.
"Hmph," he snorted, walking into the apartment.
"I think I'll do the same thing," Izuku said, turning back to look at her from the open doorway. "Just come on in when you're ready. You know the code."
Takara went to her apartment. She had forgotten all about wearing Izuku's hoodie until she took it off. Hugging it to her chest, she held the hood to her nose to breathe in the scent of him. He always smelled clean like soap, the scents of pine and sage intermingling. There was another layer of his scent that met her nose when she breathed in deeper. A bright, citrusy smell something like a lemon. If sunshine had a scent, she was sure that would be it.
Takara lay the jacket over the foot of her chaise lounge. She should take that back to him, but she wanted to wash it first. Undressing as she went, discarding her clothes wherever she happened to be at that second, she left a trail behind her into the bathroom.
Katsuki was right. She was messy. But she would clean it up later so who cares?
Turning on the water in the shower, she brushed out the tangles in her hair as she waited for the water to heat. She thought about how she had fought her manager tooth and nail on his decision to bring her back to Japan. He confessed at last her Father had ordered her to come back. Of course he ordered it. Although an adult with a successful career, her Father still seemed to control her life.
However, her manager had employed his negotiating powers when speaking to her father about the move. He would convince her to come back to Japan, bring her "home" so to speak, scheduling concerts and recording sessions here for one year only. After that, the choice was hers to stay or go. Also, she would have the liberty to live on her own without returning to the family compound. He told her Father she required her own space to rest and regroup as well as perserve her creative abilities.
Takara sighed, a smile lifting the corners of her mouth for no other reason than she felt a sense of peace and contentment she did not think she had ever experienced. She could not recall ever smiling for no real reason except when playing her music. Even happiness when playing her cello had been difficult to come by for a few years now. She had even considered retiring from music entirely. She never imagined she would find everything she ever wanted, and then some, so close to home.
After her shower, she pulled on a pair of purple plaid sleep shorts and a lavender t-shirt. She would be going to bed a few hours so why bother getting dressed up in 'real' clothes. She slipped on her sandals and went next door.
Without knocking, she punched in their code. The beeping of the mechanism then the clicking of the lock would alert them to her presence. When she walked inside, the incredibly pleasing aroma of freshly popped popcorn slathered in tons of butter met her nose.
"Oh, my god, that smells great!" she exclaimed.
"It will be done in a minute. Go ahead and sit down," Izuku told her, waving toward the living room.
Katsuki sat on the couch looking irritated and bored as hell simultaneously as he flipped through the movie titles and descriptions on the streaming service displayed on the TV. Takara sat down on the couch beside him, grabbing the remote out of his hand.
"Hey!" he yelled, attempting to retrieve it from her. "Give that back!"
"You always pick the movie!" she protested, waving her arm around to keep him from touching the remote. "Let me or Izuku pick for a change!"
"No! You'll pick some damn chick flick, and he would pick a movie with talking animals!" he groused, lunging for the remote.
Takara lay back on the couch to distance the remote from his grasping fingers. She stretched her body and her arm as long as they would go so he started crawling up her body. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she pressed her toes against his belly and pushed him back.
Grabbing her ankles, he pushed her legs down onto the couch. Lunging forward for a mad grab at the remote, he landed flat on top of her. She squealed with laughter still trying to keep the remote from him, but her arms just were not long enough.
"Hah! Got it!" Katsuki yelled triumphantly, taking a moment to glare down at her smugly and gloat about his victory.
"Uhm...what are you two doing?" Izuku questioned them.
The two indicated in his question craned their necks to him standing at the end of the couch. His eyes were bigger and rounder than normal which made them realize how compromising their present position must look.
"Ahhhh...nothin'," Katsuki answered, sitting up quickly to retreat to his corner of the couch. "She stole the remote and wouldn't give it back."
"Oh, okay," murmured Izuku, satisfied with the answer as he took a seat beside her.
Takara sat on the middle cushion, leaning toward Izuku. She was not sure what to think about what just happened. They were just playing around, but how must that have looked to Izuku? Her cheeks heated with embarrassment.
After sitting the single large popcorn bowl in her lap, Izuku put a protective, and possibly possessive, arm across her shoulders pulling her closer to him until her thigh pressed firmly along his.
"What are we watching?" Izuku asked.
"Here," Katsuki said, extending the remote to him. "I can't find anything. You choose."
Takara could not keep the smile from forming on her face. Just as Katsuki had suspected, Izuku choose an old movie that was part animated talking animals, part real people, and all romance. She cast the blonde a sidelong glimpse expecting him to insult his roommate's choice by viciously attacking his taste in movies. But to her great surprise, he never did. He rolled his eyes then sat quietly without protest as the movie began.
She reached into the bowl for popcorn and fingers brushed the back of her hand. The fingertips were smooth as they skimmed across the back of her hand again then dug into another part of the bowl. Her breath caught in her throat because those fingers belonged to Katsuki. For his personality to be so harsh and abrasive there were so many soft and gentle things about him.
A few minutes later, they were both digging in the popcorn bowl again. This time Katsuki's forefinger ran across the middle of her palm. The unexpected touch tickled her and made her heart skip a few beats. Undercover flirt. Turning her head to look at him, she saw that he was staring at her, his eyes intense, almost glowing in the dim blue light eminating from the TV screen. Her body inadvertently shuddered in reaction; not in disgust but something else entirely - a feeling that made her warm, a little too warm, inside.
"Are you cold? I'll go get you a blanket," Izuku said before she even replied.
What would she say? No, I'm not cold just turned on by our friend over here? God...
"Oh, you don't have to do that," she heard herself saying.
"It's fine. I don't mind," he assured her, slowly peeling his arm from around her shoulders as he stood up.
"But - " she tried to protest but he was already walking down the hall.
Right this second Takara actually feared being alone with Katsuki because she had no idea what he might do next - or what she would do in response. Not that she thought he might hurt her. Oh, no, she was not afraid of that at all. She could tell he wanted to do really good things to her in a bad way. The wait to find out what exactly he would do was not long.
In a matters of seconds, she found herself in his arms being held firmly to his chest in an astonishingly innocent embrace. His cheek pressed to hers so closely she could feel the muscles of his jaw moving against her skin. His lips were positioned by her ear, so close that when he spoke his warm breath made the muscles of her back tighten with a painful intensity from excitement. The man gave intense hugs which certainly suited his aggressive personality.
"If Izuku wants the first kiss, he better hurry. I know he's shy, but he better kiss you before I do," he whispered as if warning her of some type of impending doom.
"Well, isn't that kind of you to give him first dibs," she retorted curtly, pushing against his shoulders with her hands. He held her so tightly she could not budge her body one inch away from him. "I'm not some kind of prize for you two fight over."
"Oh, there won't be a fight, I assure you," he said, releasing her. He immediately scooted back into his corner to resume staring at the screen.
"Here ya go," Izuku declared, spreading the blanket over her.
The blanket was royal blue one side and red on the other. It looked just like All Might's cape. She smiled at Izuku and wanted to hug him tight. A grown man and still an All Might fanboy. He is too sweet and unassuming. She pulled the blanket up to her chin. The material was so soft and fuzzy.
"How's that?" he asked, tucking her back under his arm after sitting down.
"Good. It's very good," she sighed, laying her head on his shoulder.
"You can put your feet in my lap to get really comfortable," Katsuki offered, reaching down to grab her ankles and lift her feet up.
Well, since he was not really giving her a choice in the matter, she did as he suggested, extending her legs to place her feet in his lap while leaning back against Izuku's side. The man behind her draped his arm across her shoulder and between her breasts, his hand lightly cupping her hip. Perhaps he was not so clueless and naive as to not know what was happening here between the three of them.
Katsuki tucked the blanket around her feet to make sure she was fully covered, then laced his fingers together behind his head to keep his hands away from her. Fifteen minutes later, when she began to doze off, he stood up making quite a show of stretching and yawning.
"Well, I'm off to bed," he announced. Walking down the hall, he called back over his shoulder, "Good night, Princess. Good night, Nerd."
"Good night, Kacchan," Izuku called after him.
"Good night," Takara responded as well.
Picking up the remote, she checked the time on the television. 8:03. What the hell?
"It's barely past eight," she remarked.
"Yeah. We've been keeping him up way past his bed time," Izuku returned, patting her hip to reassure her it was perfectly normal for him to go to bed so early.
"Huh...that man never ceases to surprise me," she murmured, turning to snuggle into Izuku.
Soon the both of them were asleep as well.
~\./~
By morning, they were a tangle of arms and legs, her head lying on Izuku's chest over his heart, she listened to the steady beat as the gray light of the dawning day filtered through the vertical blinds into the room. So nice. So content. So happy.
"Hey," Katsuki whispered above her, startling her.
Takara never even heard him come down the hall, not a footfall not a creak of the hardwood flooring. Izuku did not stir under her despite her violent reaction, the sudden jerking of her entire body, at the sound of Katsuki's voice. She carefully sat up, moving cautiously as not to wake him.
"Morning," Katsuki greeted her, moving toward her from behind the couch with a lopsided grin on his face.
"Morning. You could have stayed here and slept with us," she murmured, giving him a sleepy smile.
"I'm sure I slept better and much more comfortably than you," he said, patting her head as if she were a child.
"Oh, I don't know about that. I was pretty happy where I was," she returned, standing up.
"You both appeared pretty content." The corner of his mouth dropped and his lips formed a straight line. He did not seem angry though. Sad maybe. He was so adept at covering his emotions with a constant simmering rage that if another emotion entered his eyes became somewhat flat and unreadable.
"Are you leaving for work this early?"
"Yeah. I just wanted to say something before I left," he murmured, beckoning for her to follow him.
"O-okay," she stuttered, moving away from the couch to the kitchen.
Takara gasped when he cupped her jaw with one hand, his long fingers extending into her hair. She held her breathe as he tilted her face upward to make her look into his eyes.
"Did he get that kiss?" he questioned her, his thumb stroking across her cheek gently.
"No. He didn't," she confessed. "Bakugo, look there's something I need to tell you."
"You're upset with me," he stated rather than asked.
"Huh? Why do you think that?" His perceptiveness stunned her.
"You call me Bakugo when you're upset with me. Are you angry with me?"
"Not angry. I'm not mad or sad or...oh, hell I'm not sure what I am. I'm confused. Definitely confused," she confessed, lowering her eyes from his soul piercing gaze.
"About what?"
"About how I feel about you and Deku. I like him. But I also like you. I think..." She hesitated, chewing on her lower lip, wondering if she should say the next words rattling around in her brain. Her eyes connected with his before she made her confession. "I think I'm in love with you." She wrung her hands, her entire body shaking. "Both of you."
"Huh," he scoffed, that self assured cocky grin curling up one corner of his mouth. "I thought so."
"You did?" She felt even more confused, her eyes searching his for an explanation to clarify exactly what he knew, when, and how.
"I did. We haven't talked about it but...well...the funny thing is...I think we're both in love with you too," he admitted, lowering his hand from her face.
Katsuki turned his back to her to slip his feet into his running shoes in preparation to leave.
"So what do we do?" she inquired, staring at his back.
"I don't know. Guess we'll have to figure it out." His slightly gravelly voice sounded pensive, calm, almost kind.
"I can't choose between you," she said, placing her hand on the door handle over his to keep him from opening it.
He turned his head to look at her, a small somewhat amused smile on his lips like one smiles at a precious child who has just said something comical yet endearing.
"I wouldn't ask you to choose. Just like it would be unfair of you to ask us to decide between the two of us who will be with you."
"Katsuki - "
Her words fled when he inclined his head those few inches toward hers to kiss her forehead.
"Hey, don't worry about it. Like I said, we'll figure it out."
Pushing down on the handle, he freed his hand from hers and opened the door after she stepped back. He left without another word. When the door closed, she leaned against it, pressing her fingertips to her forehead where he kissed her.
"We'll figure it out," she murmured to herself.
"What?" Izuku asked sleepily from the couch.
Takara jumped, pressing her hand against her chest to hold back her runaway heart.
"Did you ask me something?" he questioned her, sitting up to glance at her.
"No. I was just talking to myself," she said, walking toward him. Sitting down on the couch beside him, she greeted him properly. "Good morning. How did you sleep?"
"Pretty good actually," he replied, stifling his yawn. "You?"
"Quite well."
"When do you want to leave to go to the hospital?"
"I usually get there around nine in the morning when I go."
"In that case, I'll cook breakfast. Then we can get ready and leave. Does that sound like a good plan?"
"Sounds good to me," she agreed, following him into the kitchen. "Want me to help with breakfast?"
"No, I got it. You can make coffee if you want. I bought some because I know you like it," he informed her, opening the cabinet to show her the bag of coffee, filters, and tiny three cup coffee pot he purchased just for her.
"Oh," she gasped, flinging her arms around his neck. "You are so sweet and thoughtful."
As much as she enjoyed hugging him, Takara had to let him go in order to make herself a cup of coffee. Once the machine was prepared and the coffee brewing, she stood beside Izuku as he beat eggs in a bowl with a pair of chopsticks. She was too impatient to walk away from the little machine that was working as fast as it could. While waiting she opened the cabinet next to the sink to get a mug. She even poured a little bit of milk in it in anticipation of the coffee being ready.
"You can pull the pot out even though it isn't done yet. There's a flow shut off that triggers when you remove the pot," Izuku informed her, pouring the eggs into the hot skillet to scramble them.
"Really?"
She immediately grabbed the pot and pulled it out. Sure enough, only a few drops escaped sizzling when they hit the warmer plate below. After filling her cup, she took a sip. The warmth flowed down her throat, through her chest, and continued spreading through her entire body. A sense of well being and relaxation flowed over her as she sighed happily. This must be what it feels like when an addict takes a hit of their chosen drug.
Izuku chuckled at her. "You're not complicated at all. You like the simple things in life. You're easy to please."
"I hope that's a good thing," she said, looking at him over the top of her mug.
"I think it is," he murmured, turning his head to look at her. "I like making you happy. I want to make you happy."
"You do," she assured him, stepping toward him. She placed her hand on his cheek, pushing her fingers through his hair in an affectionate gesture. "You have already made me very happy."
Pink coloration flooded his cheeks. Shyly, he looked away, turning his attention back to eggs cooking the pan.
Takara thought for sure that would be the moment he would her, but he did not. Oh, well...
~\./~
Takara strolled through the lobby of the hospital straight to the elevators. Heads turned and watched with great interest. But they weren't looking at her. They were staring at the man walking behind her. Despite not being in uniform, they still recognized him as the hero Deku.
While waiting for the elevators, a girl of about twelve years old approached him with a notebook and pen in hand. She had shoulder length brown hair and eyes the same color that were warm and friendly. For some reason, there was something familiar about the girl.
"Excuse me," the girl said, her voice quivering due to her nervousness.
"Oh, hello," Deku patiently greeted her as she extended the notebook and pen to him.
"Do you mind?" she inquired expectantly.
"No. Not at all. What's your name?"
"Nao," she replied.
"N...A...O," he spelled out loud as he wrote. "Are you here visiting someone?"
"No, Sir, I'm not," she responded politely, a sadness stealing the warmth from her eyes. "I'm here for a routine test to make sure my leukemia is still in remission."
Takara covered her mouth with her hand before she could make a noise of shock. At last she recognized the girl. She had visited her here when the child was much younger, probably about eight or nine. At the time Nao had no hair, her eyes were sunken, her skin sallow, her body emaciated ravaged by the course of chemotherapy she was only halfway through completing.
"Oh," he gasped, the pen pausing in midair. "You're a very brave girl, Nao. You're the real hero here."
"Nah, not really," she timidly returned, her cheeks turning pink. "The last time I tested, I got good news. Hopefully I will again."
"Me too," he rejoined, giving her one of those thousand watt smiles.
The girls beamed back at him, rocking and forth on her heels. Her eyes ran around the room nervously, skimming over Takara. Noticing her for the first time, the girl craned her head around Deku to see the woman standing behind him a little better. Her eyes widened in recognition, the happiness flooding back and warming their chocolate colored depths.
"Oh, Miss Otani! It's so good to see you again!"
The girl rushed forward to hug her which she accepted happily with tears in her eyes.
"It's good to see you again too, Nao," she said in return.
"Are you both here to visit the kids?" the girl asked, stepping back toward Deku.
"We are. I even brought a hero with me today," she announced proudly, patting him on the shoulder.
"Wow," Nao sighed, taking the notebook and pen back from Deku. "Miss Otani, is he your boyfriend?"
Deku's face instantly became red as a ripe apple.
"Uh...uhm...well...he's a good friend," Takara replied diplomatically. He wasn't her boyfriend - yet.
"Aww," the girl moaned in disappointment. "I was hoping he was. That would be awesome!"
The bell on the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.
"Well, we have to go," Takara proclaimed, stepping inside. "Bye, Nao."
"It was great meeting you," Deku said, getting into the elevator as well.
"Bye, Miss Otani! Bye, Deku!" she called back to them before the doors closed to carry them away.
"Well," Deku inhaled, his voice softer than usual and a little sad. "That was something...unexpected. But she seemed genuinely happy. Seeing her smile like that made me happy too."
"That is why I do what I do. That's why I visit these children. I'll admit it's not all about what I'm doing for them. They help me a great a deal and give me a lot of joy in return. It's rush you know. Seeing them smile or laugh...forgetting for just a moment the horrible thing they're going through. I bet you know what that's like when you swoop in and do your hero thing, helping someone at the absolute worst moment in their life. I can't imagine what it feels like to save someone's life."
"Actually, it feels kinda like that. Probably a bigger adrenaline rush," he admitted with a smile. "Besides, I think in a way, you kind of do save these kid's lives."
"They have saved mine that's for sure."
After a short pause, Deku cleared his throat.
"Takara?"
"Hmm?"
He hesitated, shifting his duffel bag from one shoulder to the other.
"Do you want children someday?"
At first the question caught her off guard, but she quickly recovered her presence of mind. It was just a simple question, nothing more.
"Yeah. Someday."
The elevator doors opened to their floor. Takara led him to the nurses station where she greeted the three nurses by name. All three of the women gaped at Deku.
"I've brought a special guest today," she announced despite not having to do so. "Is that okay?"
"Is that okay?" one of the nurses repeated, breaking into a wide grin. "That's more than okay! The kids are gonna love him!"
"I brought my hero costume. Is there somewhere I can get changed?" he asked, holding up his duffel bag.
"Sure!" the other two nurses exclaimed in unison. They scrambled around the desk to take him by the arms to usher him into the head nurse's office across the hall.
The other nurse rolled her eyes and shook her head, chuckling lightly at her overenthusiastic coworkers who stood guard, one on either side of the office door.
"The only people he needs to be protected from is you two," she teased them as she walked around the desk to greet Takara. "Come on. I'll take you to the kids. At the moment we've got a large group I'm afraid. The ones well enough for visitors are all in the same room together."
Takara's stomach dropped to her kness upon hearing that. Her belly fluttered nervously as they reached the door to the first room. In the room there were ten beds, five beds along each wall, boys on one side and girls on the other.
The children ranged in ages six to twelve suffering from chronic but non contagious conditions. They were always the toughest to get through to because most of them had been in and out of hospitals all of their young lives.
Takara plaster on a smile before entering the room. The last thing those kids needed to say was a frown and a pitying expression.
"Hey kiddos, I've brought you a visitor," the nurse announced as she brought Takara into the room.
The children perked up a bit, sitting up in their beds to get a look at their visitor. They seemed disappointed to see that it was just some woman. That did not bother Takara. She was accustomed to this reaction. Kids weren't typically among her fan base. However, usually when she began talking to them, playing games, reading stories and such, they warmed right up to her. Sometimes she wondered if they thought she was just another person coming to poke, prod, or study them as if they were some lab animal.
"Hi, kids. My name is Takara Otani. I also brought a friend with me. He'll be here in just a minute. Does anyone want to play a game?" Takara asked receiving dubious or bored expressions in return. "Card game? Old maid? Poker?"
She smiled feeling a sense of relief when the last suggestion garnered a titter of laughter from the older children who knew what poker is.
"How about a board game?" she ventured going to the cabinet in the corner beside the door where they were located.
They never changed the layout of this place. Perhaps it offered a sense of famliarityand comfort to the children treated here frequently
"So who is this friend of yours lady?" a boy of about ten with angry eyes and no hair questioned her. "And why should we care?"
There was a tentative knock on the door. Great timing. Takara quickly moved to the door to open it with a flourish in order to reveal Deku in his full hero costume. This time he was wearing his mask which stunned her. He looked like a gigantic scary rabbit, the metal part of the mask covering the lower half of his face resembling a maniacal grin.
"Holy sh - "
"Takara, the kids," he hissed before she could say the entire word, the mask giving his voice an odd robotic sound.
"Deku!" the younger children called out in unison.
The older kids tried not to act impressed or the least bit thrilled when he entered the room. As the younger children gathered around him, giggling and jabbering all at once, the older kids felt free to express their interest in greeting the hero in their midst.
Takara backed away to make room for all of them, watching Deku as he patiently allowed the children to touch his leg braces and gloves while trying to answer the numerous questions hurled at him all at once.
A six year old boy with a prosthetic leg from the knee down took great interest in the metal braces on Deku's legs. The other small child, a tiny little girl too small for her age, held out her arms to be picked up by him. Her fingers explored the mask on his face.
"What do you look like under that mask?" asked an eight year old girl dragging her IV pole behind her.
Kneeling down, Deku carefully set the frail child in his arms down on her feet. Staying on his knees to remain eye level with most of the children, he pulled away the metal bottom portion of the mask, lowering it around his neck. Then he pushed back the hood to reveal his entire face and his excessively messy hair.
"You're kinda cute," said a girl of about twelve. Bandages covered her arms from her wrists to her elbows. Although young, her waist length hair was white as snow.
"Thanks. You remind me of someone I know," he said to her.
Who could that be? Takara pondered.
"Tell me your names," he said.
Each one announced their name in turn. None of them offered any information about their condition nor did he or Takara ask. It didn't matter anyway. Once the initial excitement of meeting the hero died down and their questions sufficiently answered, they brought out a few board games to play. They laughed and talked about any subject the children wanted to discuss.
"Why don't you tell us a story?" an eight year old boy named Takeshi requested, obviously growing bored with the games.
"Okay. Sure. I can read something," Deku said, looking at the shelf of books in the cabinet.
"No, tell us a story...tells us about one of your hero adventures or make up something," clarified the older girl named Nana. "We've read those books a thousand times."
"O-okay," he replied nervously.
"I've got an idea," Takara said, coming to his rescue which must be a change for him. "Not only will we tell you a story. We'll act it out too. But all of you will have to help out as well. Okay?"
"Okay!" they replied in an excited chorus.
"Well, he's the hero, of course!" exclaimed Haruhi, pointing at Deku. "So you be the girl he saves."
"That's a good start," she returned. "What else?"
"Make it romantic," requested Nana.
"Ew, no," moaned Rei the boy with a bald head and anger issues.
"You can be the bad guy, Rei," Nana suggested. "You look like a villian."
"Be nice! Anyway...come on, Deku, save me," she said, giving him a wink. Employing her acting skills, she grimaced to transform her face into a distressed expression. "Help! Help! Oh, where is a hero when you need one?"
"Never fear! I am here!" Deku proclaimed, sliding up next to her.
"Gee, that sounds familiar," she mumbled, grinning at him.
"I couldn't help it. I had to say it. He was my mentor after all," he said to her in a low voice. He swept her up into his arms in a princess carry which made her cry out in surprise. Speaking more loudly, he said, "I will save you."
"Not so fast!" yelled Rei, hopping out of his bed. He extended his hands, fingers outstretched toward Deku. He wiggled his fingers as if exacting some kind of mind control on him. "Drop the girl, Deku! She's mine!"
Deku's arms actually tightened around her shoulders and under her knees, pulling her closer into his body.
"Drop me," Takara hissed at him.
"But I can't. I don't want to hurt you," he whispered back.
"Drop me. I'll be fine. I swear," she promised him.
"Okay."
Deku lowered her legs a bit so she would be able to get them under her before hitting the floor, then he cautiously dropped his arms as if he had lost control of his body. Takara lowered herself to the floor in a controlled fall. She grabbed her ankle, pretending to be injured.
Deku stood back up straight, holding his back stiff with his arms extended in front of him and his eyes staring blankly ahead.
"You're under my control now, Deku," Rei said issuing a laugh worthy of any good villain.
"Deku! Deku! Oh, no! That terrible villain has control over him," she proclaimed being purposely melodramatic. Overacting made the children giggle. "Is there anyone who can help us?"
"I can!" yelled Nana, snatching the sheet from the bed and tying it around her neck. Grabbing her pillow, she flung it at Rei. "I'll bash you with my giant marshmallows until you let him go!"
Gales of laughter erupted from everyone in the room. They continued on with their play. The other children joined in on the fun one by one, each one choosing if they wanted to be a hero or a villain as the battle raged on. There would be a happy ending today. The hero saved the girl and defeated the villains with a little help from his hero friends.
"Deku," Takara said, taking his gloved hands in hers. "I can't thank you enough for saving me."
Looking up at him, she could not contain her smile. This had been more fun than she had ever imagined they could have considering the circumstances. The children appeared to have liked it too as they sat on their beds, all smiling broadly as they watched the conclusion of their little play.
"Aw, I was just doing what heroes do. No thanks are necessary," he said, pulling his hands from hers to strike an official hero pose with his hands on his hips and his chest puffed out.
Lord, he looked like All Might standing there like that.
"We want a romantic ending," Nana demanded impatiently.
"Shh, I'm getting there," Takara said in a stage whisper. She rushed forward, laying her cheek against his chest. "But Mr. Hero, there's something more you should know."
"And what is that?" he inquired in his best All Might baritone.
"I think...I think..." Her mouth went dry. She might have made a mistake by choosing this path. She might not be able to say the words because she actually meant them. "I think I love you."
"I think I love you too!" he responded, giving her a hug.
"Oh, come on!" Nana moaned with obvious disappointment.
"Ugh," groaned Takeshi, slamming his face into his pillow.
"What's wrong?" Deku asked, befuddled by their reactions. "The hero saved the girl. The girl is in love with the hero. What more do you want?"
"A hug? Really?" she snapped, lifting a questioning eyebrow.
"What am I supposed to do?" Deku asked.
Takara could not tell if he was acting now or if he was seriously that clueless.
"You kiss her, dummy!" answered Rei who had been completely against the romance in the beginning.
"Kiss her? Should I kiss her?" Deku asked the kids.
"Yes!" the answered together enthusiastically.
Deku turned to Takara. His face was so red it almost glowed. She would swear she could feel the heat radiating from his skin due to the intense blush.
"Takara, is it okay if we - "
Without allowing him to finish the question, she leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. The children issued a collective "ooh" and clapped at the conclusion of their little story.
Deku's lips were silky soft and enticingly compliant under hers. She wanted to ravage his mouth, to kiss him hard and long, however, considering they had an audience, and a young audience at that, she kept the kiss brief and chaste.
"You really are my hero, Deku," she said when their eyes met.
"Takara, I - "
"We should say our farewells to the children. I'm sure they need to rest now. "We've had a lot of fun today. Thank you."
"Yeah. I can't wait to do it again."
"We should back to the children," she reminded him when his eyes remained steadfastly on hers, his hands grasping her upper arms.
"Oh, yeah," he said, releasing her and backing away a step or two. "You're right. We should probably get ready to leave so they can rest."
Takara smiled then walked away from him. She did not know if he meant visiting the children or kissing her when he said he could not wait to do it again. Whichever one he meant, she would be more than happy to take him up on the offer.
This was not how she wanted their first kiss to go, but it wasn't so bad. Maybe now with the initial awkward contact out of the way Deku would be a little braver and take the initiative to kiss her next time.
