SEARCH FOR PRO HERO ENTERS SECOND MONTH
Over a month has passed since Pro Hero Uravity was reported missing when she failed to return from a routine patrol. As the nation waits for any news on the whereabouts of the beloved hero, authorities and heroes exhaust all possible leads, but it seems the end of the search is nowhere in sight. A signed letter recovered by Hosu City Police, purportedly written by the missing hero, gives her last known message: "do not find me."
As the rain poured outside, tapping on the window of the small apartment, the sizzling of fresh bacon and eggs erupted from the skillet. Ochako took in the aroma.
Then, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around Ochako's waist. The gesture was punctuated with a light peck on her nape.
"Good morning," said Himiko.
"Morning, sweetheart," said Ochako.
Himiko took a long whiff of the air.
"Mmm, smells good."
"Me or breakfast?"
"Both," Himiko giggled. She then glanced at the skillet. "I've never had an American breakfast before."
"I think you'll like it."
A month before, Ochako left her old life to live with Himiko in this old apartment, far away from home. The whole country had been looking for her, so they'd taken shelter in a smaller city, not so small that everyone was in each other's business, but small enough for no one out of town to care for it. It also helped that no one in town knew who Himiko was. Having an old friend of hers from the League of Villains as their landlord didn't hurt either.
"TV day or game day?" Ochako asked.
"After last night, I don't think I have the brain power." Himiko smirked. Ochako laughed.
"TV it is."
The two settled on the couch. They ate their breakfast as they watched their favorite shows, often switching between streaming services. After a while, Ochako switched to live TV, flipping between channels.
"Would you like some tea?" Himiko asked.
"Sure." Ochako was about to get up when Himiko laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, I got it," Himiko took the used dishes into the kitchen and put the kettle on.
"Thank you, love."
While Himiko was distracted, Ochako turned the channel to the news. There were a few local interest stories, but over the past month, the news cycle was dominated by her disappearance. Pundits would spout off theories of her whereabouts and cut to interviews with seemingly everyone who had ever met Ochako. Former classmates, sidekicks, agents, teachers, and so on. But what hurt most were the ones with her parents. She left them with a healthy sum, but no amount of money could remove the worry in her mother's eyes. It's the one thing she regrets.
"Ochako?"
"Oh!" Ochako jolted from her thoughts, quickly changing the channel to a game show. She turned to see Himiko walking back to the couch. "Sorry, I was just channel surfing."
Himiko laid the mugs of tea on the coffee table, sat down, and held Ochako's hand.
"It's okay, babe." Himiko rubbed a soothing thumb over her lover's hand. "They'll be okay."
"I'd like to think so." That's one thing Ochako loved about Himiko. Even with all of her idiosyncrasies, Himiko understood her, as did she in return.
Ochako stared at the TV, not really watching but thinking of her life before: the people she loved, the people who miss her. She did miss them, but after everything she and Himiko had been through, she still told herself she made the right choice.
Suddenly, an alarm rang throughout the living room, shaking Ochako from her thoughts. Himiko perked up and smiled.
"Feeding time!"
Ochako tried to hide her grimace. If there was anything about their arrangement that Ochako would be tempted to call a 'downside,' it was Himiko indulging in her little habit. Still, she raised her right arm and began pulling back the sleeve, revealing stained gauze wrapped around her forearm. She carefully unwound the bandage until she uncovered a wound on the back of the arm, Himiko's treat.
Himiko took careful hold of her lover's arm, put her mouth to the wound, and began to drink.
Ochako tensed as Himiko's tongue stung her wound. Even after a month, these 'feeding times' still made Ochako feel a twist deep in her intestines. It took all of her focus to maintain her composure. Sometimes she wanted to put an end to these morbid sessions. But damn her, she could never say no to those golden eyes.
"Mm, tasty as ever, darling." Himiko said, finally done. She grabbed fresh bandages from the end table and started patching up Ochako's wound. When she finished, she laid a gentle kiss to the bandaged arm and beamed at Ochako. "Thank you." Ochako could've melted into those eyes. Himiko got up, moved to Ochako's other side, sat down, and snuggled into her. Ochako leaned her head on Himiko's and continued to stare at the television.
"They will be okay," Himiko said.
"Yeah," Ochako replied.
Ochako did enjoy being a hero for a while, but it got to a point where she just couldn't take it anymore. All the late night emergency calls, all the disasters, crumbling buildings, tsunamis, all the people she couldn't save. She'd had enough. So when she saw an opportunity to leave all of that behind and be with Himiko, she took it.
'Perhaps now,' she'd thought, 'I may finally have some goddamn peace.'