Shigaraki and Souseiki trudged through mud as they made their way closer to a village. The rain would not let up and the blue-haired teen was growing more irritated by the droplet. The two had been sent out to the countryside a week ago by Kurogiri; who received word of some deeply needed information. This information being some newfound study the "doctor", as Shigaraki called him, wanted to press forward with his research. Shigaraki and Souseiki had been out in the empty country all week trying to find the physician who had uncovered said information. By word of mouth, the two found out that said physician lived in the village they were currently approaching. "This is so stupid," Souseiki spoke up through chattering teeth. Cold winds had been blowing all throughout the day and this new late downpour was not helping at all. "How are you not cold?" She asked pulling her jacket closer to her body as if the wet fabric was going to warm her rapidly depleting temperature.

"I am. I just don't tell you every little inconvenience thrown my way," said Shigaraki as they arrived at the village's entrance. He led the way to a building that still had its lights on so late into the night.

Souseiki walked into the establishment closely behind him and stared wide-eyed at the inside. It was a tavern. The seats were full and so were the tables. "Um, Shigaraki," she said in a small voice.

His elbow jutted back and lightly nudged her, "What'd I just say?" The brunette sighed and motioned as if she were wiping her mouth and followed his step up to the bartender. He easily caught his attention and asked, "Do you know where we can rent out a room for the night?" He asked in his usual tone.

The bartender, a large, muscular man with tan skin starred down at the two, "How old are you two? Shouldn't you be going home?" He leered at them.

"We just need a room for the night. Just tell us where we can find one," Shigaraki said once more, but this time his tone of voice growing more irate with every word. He didn't like it when people wasted his time or when the underestimated him for his age.

The bartender clicked his tongue and turned away, "Go home."

"Souseiki,"

The addressed girl whined, "Tomura," she said drawing out his name. Shigaraki snapped his attention to her and with that, she raised her hands in mock defeat. Souseiki stepped back the appropriate amount and watched as Shigaraki jumped the bar with ease and kicked the back of the bartender's knees.

The man groaned as he fell face first, but turned quickly on his back to look up at Shigaraki. "You little-"

"Look, I just need some directions," he said leaning over him. Shigaraki snapped his neck the side causing his bones to pop. He casually rolled his shoulders back and picked up a bottle of whiskey and watched as it decayed. "Just tell me where I can get a room and I won't turn this dusty ass place into actual dust,"

For a tall and muscular man, he crumpled easily at the sight of a scrawny teenager using his quirk. "three buildings down, old lady Sano rents out rooms to travelers," he blubbers out as Shigaraki steps back.

Souseiki walked closer to the bar and looked at the man as Shigaraki hopped the bar once more. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" She said with a wide smile towards the man before she turned tail and walked out into the storm with Shigaraki once more. "He said she was an old lady. I'll talk to her if you want me to," She offered glancing up at him. The blue-haired teen only shrugged his shoulders as they stood in front of a home that had all the lights off. Souseiki raised her fist and knocked on the door.

They waited patiently, then the door slowly peeled open and an older woman peeped her head out. Her salt and pepper hair sleeked back and her eyes squinted into the night causing her wrinkles to become far more accentuated. "Oh, dear!" She exclaimed once she made out their figures, "Come on in, come in! It's raining cats and dogs out there," she commented as she opened the door wider to reveal she was holding a lantern in her hand. "What are you children doing out there in the cold?" She asked closing the door as they all entered.

"Well, we were looking for a place to stay the night while the storm calmed," Souseiki smiled despite the darkness concealing all her features. "Do you happen to have a room?"

Sano raised her lantern a little higher and eyed the teenagers. She watched as the second didn't face her and seemed to almost hide behind the girl. She squinted at Shigaraki and spoke, "I only have one room, dearies. I couldn't possibly let you two young ones share a room."

Souseiki tilted her head in question, "We don't mind at all."

"No, sweetie. It isn't always safe with your men. Especially at you-"

At the explanation, a light went off in Souseiki's head and she quickly made a disgusted face, "Ewww, no. Ma'am, he's my brother1"

This response prompted the old woman to gasp in surprise, "I am so sorry, sweeties," she said with a hand over her mouth, "Right this way then," she said scurrying up some stairs. "The couch should be big enough for your brother and there are extra blankets in the wardrobe. Help yourselves to them," Sano explained as she opened the door to a room. It was large with the before mentioned couch and a bed. There were wooden nightstands on either side of the wooden bed that was right under a window with open curtains. "Breakfast is early in the morning. I'll wake you two," she smiled as she lit some candles on the nightstand, "Have a good night now."

Souseiki waved to Sano as she left the room. "I'm not sleeping on the couch," said Shigaraki as soon as the door closed.

"What? I'm not sleeping on it either," she said turning on her heel to face him. Shigaraki had his back to her as he shrugged his jacket off, "Are you even listening to me?"

"I am," he sighed as he yanked his wet shirt off, "Look, we can just share the bed." The brunette's cheeks burned red as he turned to face her. It wasn't Shigaraki's body that caused this effect, but it was the fact that he was half-naked before her. His body wasn't the most ravishing to lay your eyes upon anyway. The situation was just embarrassing to her. "It's like sitting on the same couch."

"It is not like sitting on the couch at all!"

Shigaraki sighed and slid under the covers without another word; leaving Souseiki to fume quietly in the dark. She stood there staring at the back of his head and listened to his soft breathing.

She tried to rationalize in her mind as she sat on the couch and slowly took her shoes off. "This is Shigaraki," she thought "He's just him. Shigaraki is a good guy, he's not weird at all, so why should I be acting weird?" Her thoughts went on like this until she took a deep breath and slapped her hands against her cheeks. "I'm fine. This is fine," the brunette said as she pulled her own wet shirt off and hung it against the wardrobe's open door. She crossed to his side and picked up his wet clothing as well and hung them before blowing out the candles. "It's nothing," she mumbled to herself as she crawled under the covers as well.

"Took you a while," Shigaraki muttered as he snaked his hand under the pillow and clutched it close to his head now. Souseiki gave a small grunt as she looked up at the chipping ceiling. "You called me Tomura earlier."

The girl's brows creased as if she had a problem with the way the paint on the ceiling was breathing down on her. "Well," she paused pulling the covers up to her neck, "that is your name, isn't it?"

"Call me Tomura,"

"Okay," she yawned, "Whatever you say, Tomura."

Come morning, Sano did not go against her word. She banged against the door. "Good morning, dears!" She calls out, "Breakfast is ready!" Without receiving a response she walked away leaving the two to get ready.

In bed, Souseiki groaned as she slowly opened her eyes and found herself being a small spoon, in a way. Shigaraki had an arm laying over her neck and the other hand just above her head as it lay under his like a pillow. "Shigaraki," she mumbled still tired. He didn't move so she moved out of his loose grip, "Shigaraki," she called again shaking his shoulder lightly. "Wake up."

"Tomura," he said in a groggy voice, "What happened to Tomura?"

Souseiki rubbed her eyes as she walked to her hanging shirt, "Right. I'm sorry, Tomura," She said as she tugged her shirt off the wardrobe door and pulled it on. The wooden bed creaked as Tomura sat up straight and scratched at his neck while the other rested on a bent knee. The brunette turned in her spot to see if he was changing, but all she saw were those hooded, red eyes looking straight back at her. "Something wrong?" She asked while tilting her head. Those auburn eyes flicked from her to his clothing. A scoff escaped past her lips as she took his clothes in her hand. "Here, Tomura," she sang as she leaned one knee on the mattress and stretched the clothes out to him.

"Children!" called the old woman's voice so loud it could be felt all throughout the room. Tomura grimaced before they both walked out of the room and down the stairs looking for the kitchen. "In here!" The two followed the woman's voice and found themselves in a room with her and three other men. "Sit down and eat!" She gestured to two empty seats.

Souseiki sat down between a small old man and Tomura and began eating her already served breakfast. The two didn't take long to finish their food, pay, and leave. They needed to continue on their search for the paperwork that was requested. Souseiki had inquired about it, but the old woman knew nothing of a man performing research in their village, but that single piece of knowledge would not deter them.

The Doctor was rarely wrong about these types of things so Tomura wouldn't take "no" for an answer so easily. He knew what the Doctor wanted should be in this rickety old place. However, everyone on the street that they asked had the same answer. They had no doctor who was conducting research. There had to be someone left who knew an ounce of knowledge on this subject, right? "What about the bartender?" Souseiki piped up as they walked away from a small pharmacy. "You know how they say drunk people just say everything? Maybe he's heard something."

"I really don't want to go ask that shit bird," Tomura mumbled as they walked closer to the tavern they entered last night.

"Wait outside then. I'm pretty confident I can ask a question by myself," Souseiki quipped with a small smile on her lips. The brunette walked through the doors and stepped up to the bar. The sam muscled individual from the night prior stood with his back towards her. "Excuse me!" She shouted over the loud music playing.

Without missing a beat the man turned around and eyed Souseiki with the same glare he held before. "You again?"

"Quick question," she smiled up at him as she slid into a stool, "We heard that there was a doctor here who was researching something on quirks. Would you know anything about that?"

The wiped his hands on a towel and turned to finish a drink he was making, "Yeah, there's rumors about a doctor who walked into the woods one day and never returned. Could that be your person of interest?"

Souseiki nodded as she traced the lines on the wooden counter, "Maybe, got anything else?"

"Ever heard of a gorgon?" He asked as he set a glass in front of an old greying man, "Don't look into their eyes, kid."

She scoffed as she stood up, "Thanks," she muttered leaving.

The sun peeked out from between the heavy rain clouds and the wind grew stronger as she walked out, "So?" Asked Tomura as he pushed himself off the building.

She shrugged and said, "So we're after a fairytale?"

"That's so stupid."

Her feet hit the pavement heavily with every step. Small clouds of warm breath appeared with every exhale, her heart raced within her chest with every fearful step. "Do something!" She screamed at her partner who ran alongside her.

"Don't you think I would have done something by now if I could?" Replied Shigaraki irritated by the situation rather than the company. Behind them chased an incredibly large individual with a heteromorphic quirk. "If you hadn't been like 'Oh, Shigaraki, where am I suppose to go?' So damn loud we would be close enough to stop it," he said with a high pitched mocking tone.

Souseiki sucked her teeth and twirled around as she was taking off her black jacket, "Can't do shit without me," she muttered under her breath as she started running towards the outraged woman, "I'll get you close!" She threw her jacket in the woman's face in order to blind her. The snakes she had as hair soon disappeared when Souseiki grew closer. The brunette looked back to shout an order, but saw him already hot on her heels. Her feet pushed forward to get him out of her range and without a word he knew he was far enough to use decay. "Close enough?" Came her winded laughter.

Shigaraki looked up at her and raised a brow at the bag she clutched onto. She didn't have that a second ago, but he didn't question her on it. He opted to snatch it out of her grasp and rifle through it, "Cool, she had the papers in here."

"You owe me a jacket."

Shigaraki glanced at her then the papers, "Cry me a river," There was a long pause as they walked away from their mess and Shigaraki looked over the papers. "Like I said, stupid. Why'd I have to get this," he mumbles to himself after shoving them into Souseiki's chest.

Shigaraki snatched the bag and crossed it over her torso, "You're not interested in why she had the papers in there?"

"I want to know why you grabbed it if you didn't know," he said as he waved the papers in her face.

Souseiki shrugged her shoulders and took the papers, "Kind of wanted to see what necessities a gorgon carries."

The teenager scratched at his neck and led the way out of the forest, "Okay?"