The smell of sizzling bacon and eggs filled the kitchen as Michael stood quietly in front of the stove. Classic rock music and the occasional pop of grease were the only sounds as he worked away at making a late breakfast, the sun already nearing it's apex in the clear blue sky. Himiko was still fast asleep and would hopefully stay that way until he was done cooking. Last night was a drain on the blonde and Michael felt that she'd appreciate the extra sleep before they began hunting down her former abusers.
Sipping his coffee, the boy savored the bitter scalding liquid as he turned off the burners. He hadn't slept much last night, instead questioning just what he was doing and how he was going to do it. A quick double-check to make sure the gas was off and Michael began to fix her plate. Two eggs and several strips of bacon sat on the plate patiently as he turned to grab the last addition. A piece of buttered toast joined the breakfast platter before being carried down the hall and into his room.
Himiko laid unconscious and softly snoring away as Michael sat down beside her on the bed. Her face was hidden by her messy ash blonde hair, but he could clearly see the puddle of drool that she lay peacefully in. "Himi." Michael whispered as he gently nudged her hips. A slit-pupiled eye creaked open and briefly swept its gaze across the room before settling on the steely grey snake eyes Michael used.
"Morning, Hon. I made you some breakfast. Figured you'd be a bit hungry since we didn't really have any dinner last night and we're gonna be damn busy today."
Sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Toga let out a drawn out yawn that showcased her sharp canines. Still half asleep, she took the plate of food from him with one hand and patted the mattress beside her. Michael took the hint and slid himself closer to her as she began to eat. The two sat in silence as the meal disappeared, one bite at a time. Finishing her plate, concern flashed across the girl's face before she asked, "Did you eat yet?"
"I'm not hungry."
"That's not what I asked, Michael."
"I had a pop-tart."
"A what?"
"Nothing, don't worry about it. Yes, I ate." Michael answered as she set the plate aside and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Are you sure we have to do this?" She asked quietly.
"Are you going to ever really move on if we don't?" He countered.
Himiko sighed before sliding out of bed and stretching her legs, her body completely nude besides a pair of purple and gold gym shorts that barely held onto her hips. "Do you know where to start or did you just plan to stumble around until we found something?" She finally asked as she turned to look at him.
"It wouldn't be too hard to look through some records and find something. I'm no master hacker, but I do have a contact that is."
"As fun as that sounds, you don't have to worry about it. I know where they are." She said as she gathered her hair and slowly began putting it into her signature messy side buns.
As the girl worked with her hair she went on by saying, "A couple years ago, I wanted to see how they were doing without me and I managed to find them. I stop by every now and then, watch them for a while and move on."
"Why haven't you confronted them yet?"
"They've got some security cameras and I was never sure about reuniting with them."
"Well, let me put on some clothes I don't mind burning and a mask, and we'll head out." He said as he looked through his clothes.
Himiko finished putting up her hair as she watched him dig around, wondering when he'd find what she left behind. It wasn't but a few moments later, when Michael came out with two sets of clothes in hand. One being a pair of baggy, black camouflage cargo pants and crimson red hoodie, the other being her schoolgirl uniform. "Ooh, Michael! Stealing a poor little girl's school uniform and hiding it in your closet are we? Are you into something that you aren't telling me about? I didn't take you for the clothes sniffing type." She said giggling at his annoyed face.
"I don't mind you keeping your clothes here. Just make sure to put them where nobody else could see them without actually looking." He said, rolling his eyes at her antics.
"Aww, you're no fun, Mikey. Are you ashamed of me or something?" She asked with a fake pout.
"I don't want Mina or anyone else to find out about you until we are all ready to have that conversation."
"Do you really think any of us will ever be ready for that talk? Do you think any of us will even have a real choice in the matter?"
"No, but I'd rather not rush it along either. Now get dressed, it's almost noon." He said, throwing her clothes on the bed.
Himiko eyed him in silence as she thought about how he could possibly spin this situation to end in his favor. She also appreciated the view as Michael practically kicked off the checker pattern sweatpants he was wearing and slid his leg into the old faded black cargo pants. The swirls and splotches of light and dark greys broke up the emptiness of the black fabric and contrasted well against his tan skin. A plain white shirt followed by a scarlet red hoodie were the next items to slide onto his solid frame, hiding the physique earned from years of demanding everything his body would give. His muscles weren't cut or incredibly toned but hid a strength that a life of hard work would give. She hadn't seen it before, but a large black bulletproof mask was slid on to be followed by the hood, completely hiding away his true identity and emitting an aura of intimidation. "You really just stood there and did not do a fucking thing huh? Fine, well now it's my turn to watch you dress." He said, voice muffled and arms crossed.
Pouting, Toga stepped over to the end of the bed and looked back at the boy with a smirk. The loose purple and gold shorts practically fell down her legs, before being thrown in Michael's face. The naked girl got a laugh out of seeing them get caught on his shoulder, as she took her time and exaggerated every movement of putting her usual outfit on. Finally, her reverse strip tease ended with the beige cardigan sliding down her body and her hands sliding cleanly through the sleeves. "Ta-da!" She exclaimed with a twirl that had her falling into Michael's arms.
Looking up at him, she could see his snake eyes drinking in her image from behind the mask. She could hear his breathing quicken and in his tender hold, could feel his heart pounding as they shared this moment together. "You stupid fucking idiot." She said, just barely loud enough for him to hear.
"What?" He asked confused and scared of what she'd say next.
"You actually care, don't you? You actually care after all this? After everything I've done, you still want to help me?"
With one hand unwrapping itself from her, Michael pulled his mask and hood back to reveal his tan face. "Why are you having such a hard time believing this?." He asked as they stared into each other's eyes.
Himiko stood up under her own power before slowly reaching her hands up to Michael's waiting face. One hand rested on his jaw and cheek as the other pulled his head down from behind and brought him to her level. "Say it." She demanded coldly, her voice shaky for the first time she could remember.
His voice was firm, deep and unwavering as he spoke the words she was so scared, yet so desperate to hear coming from him again. "I love you."
Her lips slammed into his with a burning desire to smother him in her love as they wrapped each other in a warm embrace. Her tongue didn't wait for permission before invading his mouth and wrestling his into submission. Breaking the kiss, she leaned back to look into Michael's loving gaze before finally making a decision in her head. Bringing her lips up to his ear, she gave his lobe a playful little nibble and whispered, "You look good in red by the way. You should wear this more often."
"I aim to please."
After a minute of quietly holding each other, they reluctantly broke apart. The two did a quick check of each other's equipment, Michael sliding his mask and hood back down as Himiko grabbed her knives. With a muffled rasp he looked back to his girl and asked, "Are you ready?
"I don't know."
"Well then let's go and find out. I'll head out the front door and sweep the area. You watch me out the window and I'll signal you if it's clear. When we get out of the area it'll be on you to lead the way, Honey." He said as Himiko hid a blush.
Shutting the door behind him, Michael could feel the early winter wind trying to fight past his hoodie. The ballistic mask blocked the chilly breeze from hitting his face and the fuzzy insides of the hood helped to keep the cold out. Looking up and down the street, he switched between color and thermal vision making sure there were no witnesses. Seeing no one, he flashed a hand signal back towards his house and Toga slipped outside and made her way to his side. "Lead the way and double-time it." His muffled voice said as he began to run.
Toga ran ahead and Michael followed close behind as they made their way ever closer. The two sprinted through dark alleyways and hopped countless fences in their rush, keeping just out of sight of any pedestrians. Toga was far lighter and more acrobatic, while Michael relied more on pure muscle to launch himself over what he couldn't bulldoze his way through. The blonde would occasionally look back to make sure she hadn't lost him or rather, to make sure she hadn't been abandoned again. After an hour of running, the two came to stop, Michael calling for a break as the girl was starting to fall behind. "How are you still going so fast?" Toga asked, catching her breath.
"I'm cold-blooded. The movement heats me up and in turn, energizes me. So long as I keep breathing, I can keep moving."
"Well. It's about ten minutes away from here. Just lemme sit for a second and we can get going again."
"Hey, Himi. How did you get so acrobatic?"
"Hmm? Oh! You mean all my little flips, twists, and twirls! Well, I really just picked it up as I went, you know? Helped me move around and get away from people when I was just living where I could. Why?"
"I was watching you as we ran. You just seemed like you'd been doing it for a while."
"Ever since I ran away, pretty much."
"When was that?"
"Two years or so ago… Right after middle school."
"Damn. Well, you have a home now, no need to run anymore."
"We still have to take care of this, then we can see about not running anymore."
"Well then… Let's get moving." Michael said, Toga breaking into a sprint in front of him.
The pair came to a small two-story house hidden away from the rest of the neighborhood. Trees surrounded it on all sides except the front; a narrow dirt and gravel path led to the main road. The door's blue paint was peeling from the wood in large patches while a camera silently kept watch from above.
"Do they have a back door?" Michael said loud enough to be heard through his mask.
"Yeah. There's no camera there either."
"Looks like that's our way in, then."
The house itself was a dirty white, the paint cracking in spots from sunlight and the passage of time revealing bare wooden planks underneath. The pair circled back to see the backyard had overgrown weeds and tall grass leading to a door. A quick dash had Michael at the door and listening while Toga moved a flowerpot aside to reveal a rusty key.
"Pretty sure nobody is home." Said the boy's muffled voice.
"Let's invite ourselves in." Came the blonde's reply.
The two were inside quick enough, the door shut behind them as Himiko skipped around her old home. The lights cut on with a quick flick of the blonde's wrist to show a somewhat tidy interior.
"Should I take my boots off?"
"Don't bother; I don't think it matters, Mikey." She started skipping off to a room before they could decide on any kind of plan, leaving him unsure of what to do.
Listening to Toga hum softly, the serpentine teen decided to look around. The house seemed mostly clean, but signs of neglect could be found upon closer inspection. Marble counters were spotless, but creeping mold could be found in the corners hidden behind appliances. Floors swept and mopped, but only where it seemed people would normally walk. At a glance, the interior seemed immaculate, but the further in he looked, the worse it got.
The house's layout even seemed to echo this as he walked upstairs and to a door painted the same as the wall around it. A closer look revealed the paint was newer than the rest of the house. The doorknob was even taken out and filled with a caulk-like material. "I'll take door number one, Mr. Carrey." He murmured to himself as he braced for impact and charged.
The door burst open to reveal a room painted a deep red color, a layer of dust covering most everything. He traced his finger on the wall, leaving a line until he hit a silver frame. The photo was covered in a thick layer of dust and partially faded from the sunlight coming from the large window. A quick wipe with his sleeve showed a family picture: a happy couple holding a blonde toddler with a fanged smile toward the camera. He hadn't heard said blonde creep up right behind him, her arms wrapping around his midsection. "They tried to hide my memory away… Didn't they?"
Wordlessly, he turned to embrace her, the silent tears dried by his hoodie. The two stood locked for what felt like hours as Himiko sobbed, only stopped by Michael's next words. "Let's give them a friendly reminder then, hon."
Teary, golden eyes looked up to caring, grey slits as she wiped her face, the sadness replaced with a burning determination. "Wanna have a tea party?"
"I'm a coffee kinda guy, Himi."
"Well, lucky for you, my mom probably has some in the kitchen pantry. How about I go get the tea and coffee started and then we can sit down and look at all my super cute baby pictures!"
Rolling his eyes, he let himself be guided by the shapeshifter into the kitchen. The blonde went to work immediately, rummaging through cabinets and pantries to grab what she needed, Michael organizing them on the table behind her. "Can you start this while I go and grab my baby pictures?"
"Of course, hon." Michael said, setting the water to boil, mild curiosity influencing him.
The next few minutes were quiet save for the bubbling water and the sound of things being thrown around in another room. The smell of tea and coffee brewing reminded him of a cafe; he just needed an eclair to complete the atmosphere.
"Found it!" Came Himiko's voice, an extensive, but dusty photo album in her hands as she happily skipped over to her lover.
The two took a seat at the table, Toga bouncing in her seat, turning the pages and explaining each picture. "This is where I lost my first tooth… This one is me petting a manta ray at the aquarium… This is me on my first day of school."
Eventually, after a few more minutes of looking at Himiko's album, Michael had to get up and pour his coffee and three cups of tea. As soon as he set his glass down, he could hear the faint hum of an engine turning in the driveway. "Hey, Himi! I believe our hosts have arrived."
"Be a dear and wait by the door for them, would you, Mikey?"
"Of course, dear." Michael said, flipping the lights off and taking a spot beside the door.
Toga slid the album to the side, her golden cat eyes seeming to glow in the dim room. The gentle thuds of car doors were followed by voices coming closer. The door swung open, and lights were flicked on. The voices went silent, and Toga's eyes locked on the figures in the door. "Hey, mom. Hey, dad. Sit down. I made us some tea."
"Why are you here?" a man's voice asked as he stepped towards Toga.
" I'm not interrupting anything am I?"
"Himiko. We thought you hated us. We didn't expect you to come back." Her mother said, walking behind her husband.
So far, Michael had gone unnoticed as he studied Toga's parents from behind. Her father had dirty blonde hair, kept neat in a bun. Her mother had dark red hair hanging loose and down to her shoulders.
"Well, I didn't exactly want to, but I had a little snake whisper in my ear that I deserved some closure. So come sit down and have some tea, we have a lot to discuss and It's only fair I do something for you after all this time."
They hadn't noticed him as he guided the door shut behind them, the parents far too focused on the girl and her four cups. Once they'd both sat down, Himiko began pouring tea, the first cup for her dad, the second for her mother. Finally pouring her own cup, she looked at her parents with a faint smile. "So I just wanna start by saying that I've been doing good. Kinda was homeless there for a bit after your last attempt at shutting me away from the world, but it's okay. Not too long ago this guy caught my eye and I knew I just had to have him. He's great and I think he actually kinda understands me, ya know? I feel that he actually wants to help me, and so I invited him to tea with us." Toga said, her fingers touching together in mock nervousness.
"What are you talking about, Himiko? The last time this happened you almost killed that boy from your class." Her mother interjected.
Her red hair was the shade of blood, loose and flowing down her back in rivers of crimson. Michael was slowly edging his way closer to the table, his footsteps silent despite the aged floorboards.
"You don't understand. This boy… He's my hero."
Stopping in his tracks, Michael caught Toga's momentary glance and he knew she meant it. For just that brief moment, her eyes had lost the hidden danger behind them, instead, there was a warm golden gaze that sent a flood of feelings through his body. Though it's lost as soon as it starts, her gaze leveling on her parents once again.
"So… Where is this boy?" her father asked, his voice the deep hoarse tone that heavy smokers tended to have.
"He's where he wants to be."
Her mother spoke up this time, her tea cradled in both hands as she sipped from the cup. "How did you two meet?"
This time Michael decided to answer, his dark masked figure now standing right behind the two parents. "Would you believe me if I said we met at a convenience store of all places?"
Both adults flinched at his muffled voice, her mother spilling a bit of her tea in panic. Slowly sauntering over to the empty chair beside his blonde lover, Michael took the time to get a good look at each parent. Her father had strong features, marred with faint wrinkles coming in from stress and tobacco. Her mother had soft rounded features. A faint difference in skin tone from her hands and face suggested she was wearing makeup. Both looked worried, the mother especially so. "I was just grabbing some coffee grounds and I didn't know it at the time, but I had ran into her. She was pretty sweet and wouldn't you know it, this stray cat ended up following me home. Things happened, we talked, she hung around, and here we are."
Michael paused in thought for a moment, grabbing his coffee and idly swirling the cup between his hands, his mask slid up enough to expose his lips. "You know, It's almost like something out of a book. I find this cute girl who happens to need a place and we hit it off after a rough start, things progress and here I am meeting her parents. Doesn't it almost sound like some kind of storybook romance? I would go on, but that's not entirely why I'm here... No the reason I'm here is because she needs someone to support her in a rather important moment in her life. So… Don't mind me, I'll just be here to make sure she gets what she needs." Michael took his seat next to Himiko, coffee in one hand as the other draped around his companion.
Mother and father shared a look of uncertainty as they focused back on their daughter. Himiko stared at the two, deciding on how she wanted to steer the conversation for what seemed like hours in the deafening silence. "Why?"
Confusion overtook her father, her mother being the one to voice his thought. "Why what, dear?"
"Why lock me away? Why did you try to cut me off from the world? I spent who knows how many days and nights locked away in my room, crying for someone to come and save me."
Scoffing as if this was the easiest question in the world, her father answered. "To keep you from hurting anyone else. We didn't want to do any of that, but you gave us no choice in the matter. Not after your last little crush."
"Sayori was an accident. She even agreed to it."
"She was sent to the hospital for mass hemorrhaging. You nearly killed her and that was the last straw. We couldn't afford another lawsuit or medical bills. You nearly drove us into debt and ruined our reputation."
Michael could feel the anger radiating from Toga as he sipped his coffee, ready to strike should she choose to act now. "You think your reputation is more important than me? Your own daughter? I can understand the money problems, but you honestly think that what others think of you is more important than your own blood?" A razor's edge lined her voice as she restrained herself from lashing out physically.
Her mother was the next to speak up, panic beginning to set in as she tried to save the previous mood. "Himi, look your father is just really stressed out right now. We were ordered to either keep you locked down here or send you to a quirk therapy class. We thought you'd be happier here."
"So you chose to lock me in my own room? You left me in there for days without so much as talking to me! You forgot to feed me on multiple occasions. You threatened to beat me if I tried to escape. You treated me like a rabid animal!"
"You practically were," her father said, his voice carrying the faint smell of alcohol as he got louder. "And if this is how you act now, then I can hardly say that we were wrong for doing so. We should have just sent you away the first chance we had. Hell, you should have seen the relief on your mother's face the moment we figured out you had ran off. Two whole years of not having to worry if you'd break out and drain some poor kid dry."
"I hate to interrupt, but I'm going to ask that you refrain from speaking to Himiko like that again." Michael's deep voice growled.
"Is it true, mom?" Silence and her mother's shamed face were her only answer. "So the two of you want nothing to do with me then?"
"You or that street punk you brought with you. For all I care anymore, the two of you can rot in the street together. Even if she won't say it, your mother feels the same way… We don't want to ever see you again. Leave."
"Himi, I can't do it again. I can't deal with that stress again. I'm so sorry, but we've finally just started getting things back under control and I can't go through losing it again."
"No. Don't be sorry mom. It's too late for that. You won't ever need to be sorry again."
Taking Michael's coffee from him, she took a sip of the steaming drink. Smiling at the bitter flavor, the blonde sighed in delight. "You know, I'm actually really thankful for your thoughts dad. It makes this a lot easier for me."
In a flash, the girl threw the scalding liquid in his face, screaming from both parents followed as Michael and Toga bolted up to take advantage of the chaos. Choosing to go after her dad, Michael slid his mask back into place and walked to the man flailing in pain on the ground. Watching him writhe, Michael rose a leg high and waited for him to stop with his back exposed. When the moment came, his boot came down hard on the small of the man's back, a sickening crack was followed by another scream of agony. "You know, I could've sworn I told you to watch your fucking mouth when you talk to my Himiko."
"My legs! I can't feel my legs!"
"I know! You're welcome for that by the way!" Michael said, his voice mocking the newly crippled man.
Rolling the man over with a foot, Michael straddled him, his hands gripping the father's shirt collar. Pulling the man's face close to his own, his slit pupils staring his latest victim in his eyes as he pondered how to end this. "You know, my dad may have been a bit of a piece of shit at times, but he at least taught me to use my head."
Rearing his back, he rocketed his skull into the man's, blood spraying onto the ballistic mask from the newly flattened nose. Three more savage headbutts had caved in the man's skull, blood and viscera dripping from the black mask Michael wore. Looking over to see Toga's progress, he saw her holding a knife to her mother's throat and forcing her to watch the execution.
Her mother was in tears, sobbing in pure terror as the boy who just murdered her husband approached her. "Himiko! I'm sorry! Please. Please don't."
"Momma. Momma, don't worry. You don't have to be sorry anymore. Shhh… It's okay. Don't cry now. You won't need to worry about a thing again." She consoled, her knife beginning to drag across her throat.
"HEL-" She began to scream before the knife flicked across the skin, cutting her off for good.
The woman struggled for just a few seconds, desperately trying her best to stem the pouring blood. As she fell to the ground, she took one final look at her daughter, the life leaving her eyes as Himiko casually wiped the blade clean. "We have to burn it. All of it." He said as he walked back to Himiko.
She quickly ran off and a few moments later, came back with a candle and match. "I turned the gas on for the oven. We should get out of here." She explained as she headed for the door.
Michael held up a finger before walking through the house and checking the rooms. Finding a computer, he turned on the monitor to see the camera view outside. He looked down to the computer before sending the steel toe of his boot crashing through it. Finding the internal hard drive, he made sure to smash it until it was an unrecognizable mess and quickly walked back to Toga. "Ready?" She asked.
A quick nod from him and the candle was lit before they stepped outside and shut the door behind them. The two had made it to the edge of the woods before Himiko stopped and looked behind her. "Having regrets?" Michael asked.
"No. I just want to watch it burn."
"Well, I'd say it would look prettier at night, but I don't mind waiting."
The girl sighed before looking up at the masked boy at her side. Seeing her, he looked back down towards her and slid his still gore-stained mask off to reveal his bloody face. "I'm here for you if you need me." He assured, taking a seat beside her.
Himiko hummed as she sat down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder, the fuzzy red jacket serving as a nice warm pillow on top of the muscle. "I told you that you looked good in red."
A few hours had passed and the sun was setting when finally, a near-deafening explosion blew out the windows and sent the door flying. Flames licked out the windows and from their position, the two could look into the house and see an inferno consuming anything inside. Michael pulled out his phone and dialed a number before bringing the phone to his ear. "Miss La Brava? Yes, I'd like to call in that favor now."
Toga looked over to him at the mention of another female and favors being involved. "I'm going to need you to send a few fake fire department calls across the city. Yes, just distract them. I have something that needs to cook a little while longer and I don't want someone putting the fire out just yet…. Yes, I will help you and Gentle with that thing you wanted as payment. Pleasure doing business with you." Michael said as he hung up.
He had barely put his phone away before he saw Toga looking into his soul. "Who was that, Mikey?"
"La Brava. Sidekick and lover of the villain known as Gentle Criminal. He's got a little web series on Youtube. It reminds me of the trouble I started getting into back in America when I first got on the wrong side of the law." He explained as Toga calmed down.
Setting his ballistic mask to the side, the two sat and watched the flames burn away the monument to her misery. The heat of the blaze could be felt on their faces despite being so far away. Michael chose to focus on the fire, ensuring everything burned while Toga quietly grabbed his mask from the ground. The blonde flicked away any stuck bits of bone and tissue, choosing to let the blood of her father stay. As the blood dried onto the mask and darkness of night crept ever closer, she looked over to her partner. His vision was still locked onto the burning house and she decided it was time to leave this place behind for good. Feeling a hand grab his chin, his attention was pulled away from the house fire and quickly refocused onto the girl kissing him. It wasn't a crazed lustful kiss, but a soft loving one that he gladly returned. Breaking away from him, Toga stood and offered her hand. Taking it, the two walked away into the city, his mask in her free hand as a chapter in her life's story finally closed.
Sirens began blaring across the city and surrounding suburbs. Fire trucks scrambled to fires that weren't burning in buildings that may or may not exist. It was another hour before a fire engine had arrived at the only house that was actually burning. Once the firefighters had set everything up, the house and everything inside had burned to nothing but smoke and ashes, while Michael and Himiko had been long gone.
The pair had been making their way back home, taking a different route back as to avoid any who may have seen them the first time. Two hours of walking and circling blocks had them finally walking back into Michael's living room, exhausted and cold from the chilly night wind outside. Farron didn't hesitate to strip naked as he made his way to the shower, turning the hot water to its limit and letting the steam warm his body. It wasn't long before Toga walked in and let the water drench her. The heat was turned down a little as they showered in complete silence, only issuing whispered commands to turn or to move as they washed each other. A shower that was only supposed to be ten minutes, quickly became thirty as they let the water do its best to wash away their worries. Finally, Michael turned the water off and Toga began drying off and brushing her hair. The strands of her ashen blonde hair were starting to become more and more common through their house, and would eventually become impossible to hide. His time keeping Toga a secret was coming to an end soon. Drying off, he threw a pair of charcoal grey sweatpants on and made his way to the kitchen to see Himiko looking at a box. "Whatcha got, Hon?"
"Can you make this… please?" She said, handing him a box of hot chocolate mix.
"Yeah, sure. Hey, while I do this can you go pick a movie or two that we can watch. It's not quite midnight yet, but I'm sure we're both fucking tired."
Himiko nodded before walking off in silence. Michael hummed to himself a classic rock song his dad swore by as he worked. Seeing his cabinet, Farron shrugged to himself before taking a look inside. Smiling, he grabbed a few ingredients and quickly got back to working. A few minutes had passed when Himiko walked back in the kitchen to see what was taking him so long. "I love cinnamon rolls!" She said in subdued excitement.
Michael smiled back at the girl before pointing to the oven. The timer read that it would be another five minutes before they were done as the hot chocolate sat steaming and ready. Himiko wore the green sweatpants he'd given her and the matching sweat top, which hung loosely from her frame. Her hair was down again, draping over her shoulders and across her hidden breasts. Michael had lost himself and track of time as he admired her. A small part of him still remembered that she was extremely dangerous, only to be outdone by the cacophony of other thoughts screaming to keep winning her love. The only thing to rip him out of the trance was the loud beep of the oven. Taking the sweets out, the cinnamon rolls quickly began filling the air with their aroma. Michael poured the frosting on one of the rolls before asking, "Would you like to decorate some of them?"
"How do I do that?"
"Take this bag and squeeze it here." He said, handing her the bag.
"What if I mess up?"
"So long as you get it on the cinnamon roll, then it's perfect, sweetheart."
Himiko nodded before going through the rest of the frosting, drawing smiley faces and outright covering one in frosting. Michael cracked a smile at the blonde enjoying herself and grabbed two identical black coffee cups, yellow snakes coiled on their black backgrounds. "Here."
"What?"
"Take this and I'll pour your hot chocolate for you. The kind you picked even has mini marshmallows." He explained before pouring her a glass.
The two made their way to the bedroom and sat quietly by each other as the movies went. Once the first movie had past, Michael and Himiko were both yawning. The two were currently embracing each other in bed, with rolls eaten, and hot cocoa emptied during the first hour. Michael acted as the big spoon while Toga served as his little spoon. Toga was currently unconscious as she passed out halfway through the first movie. Farron could only hold her as close as he could while sleep began its round to catch him again. Her blonde hair was in his face while his hands were up her sweatshirt, wrapped around her sides and stomach. Once he was sure she was asleep and his own conscious fading fast, Michael had made his mind. "Goodnight, Toga… I love you."
It was barely audible and soon followed by his quiet snoring, but his words had roused the blonde enough to look back at him and readjust herself so that they were facing each other. Laying her head on his chest, she smiled and whispered back.
"Goodnight, Michael. I love you too."
