Horizon: Okay so this is technically the first new chapter I've written for this in 2 years. My writing style's changed quite a bit so sorry for the inconsistency. I have some plans for the upcoming chapters so hopefully I can start updating this more.
Akari ruffled her long crimson hair and let out a sigh. Tipping her head back, she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down. It just wasn't working. She felt like her heart was beating so fast that it might pop.
Jin was in the kitchen of her little apartment. He'd insisted on getting dinner while they were out and he was plating it now. Even through the door of her room, she could hear him talking to himself about how everything was going to be okay now. It made her stomach twist in knots.
The problem wasn't that she didn't like him. If anything, Akari was starting to become more and more aware of the fact that she did like Jin. He was so eager to comfort her, so determined to make her happy and keep her safe. He didn't demand anything from her, didn't try to push her into things she didn't want to do.
That was the problem because it made her realize something. He was right when he said that being a hero was killing her. Working as a hero was the same as tightening a noose around her neck just a little more every day. Slowly, painfully strangling her.
It was so common for heroes to die on the job. She knew that plenty of elderly heroes still worked, even though they were past the age where they should have retired and gone on to live comfortable, peaceful lives. When she thought about dying the same way that rookie who'd saved her died, it filled her with panic.
She sank to the floor, leaning her back against the wall as she ran her fingers through her thick hair. What should I do? What can I do? Jin's right. If I try to keep this up then I'll die of exhaustion. I always feel like I can never get asleep and one day I might mess up and…She shook her head, sinking her nails into her scalp.
Her throat started to tighten as the corners of her eyes burned with tears. Even though she knew it might kill her, a strong part of her still wanted to be a hero. Not just for the sake of replacing the rookie that saved her when she was a kid, but for the sake of helping others. She did like patrolling, but when she mixed it with her work at the school, it just felt too overwhelming.
The school. That's right. Akari's breathing was unsteady and she opened her eyes, staring at the wall across from her. If I quit going on patrols, it'd be less of a strain on me, wouldn't it? Don't they say the nightshift takes years off your life? If I was just a teacher then maybe…
The thought of not patrolling made her feel guilty, though. If she was just teaching, she wouldn't be able to save people. She would just be preparing students for the day they could save people. The guilt grew heavier when she remembered that poor rookie that'd given his life to save her.
For just a second, Akari thought that if Jin could make a double of her then she could do both. That wouldn't be fair to him, she told herself. Her throat tightened again and she struggled to swallow. I can't ask him to do that. I want him to be happy, right? He wants me to be happy so it's only fair.
There was a gentle knock at the bathroom door. "Akari? You okay?"
"Y-yeah, I'm fine. I'll be out in a few minutes. Just putting some ointment on my scar," she called to him. The hero's eyes flicked to her shoulder and she grimaced at the sight of the deep scar that marred her flesh.
She opened a tube of ointment to start rubbing it on, but paused when she heard something beyond the door. Moving closer to it, she listened intently and heard the apartment door opening. A female voice greeted Jin and she could hear his quick footsteps crossing the main room. Is that my double? Wait. What happens now that she's home? Will she just evaporate or something?
Even though it was her, it still somehow felt like she was eavesdropping. She moved closer to the mirror and tried to focus on putting ointment on her scar. Ignoring the soft, gentle way that Jin was talking to the double.
Akari ran her fingers through her hair when she was done and lingered near the door, frowning. She couldn't hear them talking anymore, but the thought of walking out there and seeing herself made her stomach churn. It wasn't like she could just stay in the bathroom, though.
When she finally pushed herself to step out of the bathroom, Akari couldn't hear the female voice anymore. She ventured into the main area and saw Jin sitting on the couch with a couple of plates on the coffee table. There was no sign of her double, but she did notice something a bit "off".
Jin looked anxious. More anxious than usual. He had his head lowered and he was fidgeting with his lighter, bouncing his leg a little. There was something on his hands and shirt. Like gray dots of mud almost.
Hearing her approach, he lifted his head and forced a smile. "Ready for dinner? I got it plated and…I'll wash everything when we're done. You don't have to worry about anything, Akari. It's like I said; I'll take care of you."
Shift P.O.V
"Akari was in a big hurry to get out of here, huh?" Yamada hung back in the teacher's room, waiting for Aizawa. "You don't think she's going out patrolling, do you? She said she might come over, but she seemed kind of distracted when she left."
Aizawa didn't look up from the stack of assignments. He was trying to busy himself while he thought of what to do. Of course he'd noticed Akari acting strange around the end of the day. It wasn't even just that she basically ran out of the building; she had been glancing at the clock a lot and barely reacted to Yamada flirting with her.
A thought did cross his mind. He said her new friend is a guy. She wouldn't have let him stay with her. She's smarter than that. He wanted to believe this, but part of him worried that Akari really had let her friend stay at her place. A flicker of jealousy started in his chest and he pushed his hair back from his eyes.
"Shouta, what do you think? Should we go to her place so we can figure out what's wrong? I don't think she's going to come over tonight." The blond raised an eyebrow when Aizawa stayed silent. "Hey, Shouta? Come on! Aren't you worried about her? What if she's-?"
"Why did you want her to work here?" The question made the other man go silent. Aizawa's voice was low, quiet, but his tone was even. He turned to look Yamada in the eyes and he could see it so easily now. The panic and worry that ran so much deeper than what someone would feel for a friend.
It wasn't as if he didn't already know how Yamada felt about Akari. He made it obvious every time he was around her. Still, seeing the depth of it like this felt different. It was like when Yamada had wanted to be the one to comfort Akari after she ran into Endeavor. He had a deep, personal connection with her that Aizawa didn't have.
He was attracted to her. He wanted to be with her; she made him feel loved and sleeping next to Akari always gave him the best rest. Their relationship didn't come with high demands from either side and they could spend a whole night together in near silence without it feeling awkward. It wasn't the same as her connection with Yamada, though.
The other teacher let out a sigh and looked off toward the open doorway. "I thought if we were back on the same schedule, maybe we could work things out and get back together," he admitted. "It hasn't really gone the way I thought it would. I'm not even blaming you, Shouta; I'm blaming myself. I should've known it wouldn't work that way. Besides, she had a crush on you in high school, remember? I should've realized things might end up like this, though."
"What do you mean by that?" It was too late in the day and he was starting to get irritated. Between Akari acting so strange and Yamada making some vague implication. Is he mad that I'm with Akari or is this something else? It doesn't feel like he's just jealous.
"She's running herself ragged all the time! Does she really seem happy like this?! I shouldn't have pushed her to take this job because it's been hell on her sleep schedule! That can't be healthy, right? And then she goes off to patrol! She isn't happy, Shouta! What if she's just staying here so I won't feel bad?!"
Aizawa blinked slowly and finished what he was doing. He brushed past Yamada on his way out the door; eyes locked on the end of the hall and taking brisk steps. All the while, the blond hero was right behind him. "She wouldn't do that. If she was unhappy then she would've said something. She isn't the kind of person to do something just to keep someone else happy."
She became a hero against her family's wishes. She even got disowned for it. Akari wanted to try this for herself; not for anyone else. His steps slowed slightly and he slipped a hand into his pocket to get his phone. But she doesn't seem happy with the way things are.
Shift P.O.V
Akari was leaning against Jin's side on the couch, eyes fixed intently on the television screen as the news came on. Another slaying by the hero killer. It sent a chill down her spine and she felt Jin's arm tighten around her shoulders. She could hear his breathing hitch when he saw the slightly blurred photo come up, showing the rough bloody outline of where an unfortunate sidekick's corpse had been.
What am I going to do? She tapped her fingers against the neck of the beer bottle in her hand and she couldn't stop herself from sighing. Ignoring the way Jin glanced over in curiosity as she slouched. If I do keep patrolling, I could end up like that guy. But if I don't, I might miss the chance to save someone else from ending up like him.
The chime of her ringtone drew her attention to her open bedroom doorway and she pulled away from Jin. She'd left the phone in her room to charge and she realized as she got closer that it wasn't a message; it was actually ringing. Her pulse skipped when she saw the name "Aizawa" on her screen and it went to voicemail. Almost immediately, it began ringing again.
"Shouta? What's up?" She managed to keep her voice steady as she closed her bedroom door. The red-haired hero sat on the edge of her bed as she listened to his low, tired voice.
"Where are you? You said you were going to change and then meet up with us." The sound of traffic could be heard in the background, along with Yamada calling a greeting to Akari.
"Shit! That's right! I knew I was forgetting something! Um…where are you now? We were meeting at Hizashi's or…?" She pretended that she'd forgotten, all while hurrying to try to get some clean clothes out of her closet.
There was a pause before Aizawa replied. "Yeah. Are you feeling alright? You didn't go online again-"
"No! Shouta, I thought you know me better than that!" At the same time, Akari started to wonder what her double had done at school that day. Jin said she was supposed to be exactly like me, but did she do anything weird?
"So you're still coming."
"Really can't wait to see me again? Didn't I just leave the school a little while ago? I didn't realize how much you need me," she teased, slipping a jacket on over her tank top. She ran her free hand through her thick, crimson hair and couldn't help grinning because she could imagine how Yamada was teasing him, too.
When she emerged from her bedroom, she was immediately met with Jin's concerned frown. He'd risen from the couch to follow her and she knew what he was going to say before he even opened his mouth. Akari lifted a hand to his cheek and gave him a small, apologetic smile.
"I'll be back, okay? I'm not going patrolling so I should be fine."
He grabbed her wrist and rubbed his calloused thumb over her soft, smooth skin. "You're gonna be back soon, right? Don't be out for too long for I'll have to look for you! No, I…I just don't want anything to happen. That lady earlier-"
"Here." She pulled up her hood with her free hand and carefully tucked her crimson locks into it. "I shouldn't draw as much attention this way. I have to go now. I'll be back." Akari drew away from him and felt a tightening in her chest when she saw his look of worry.
I have to figure this out. All of this! What I'm going to do with my life. If I'll keep being a hero, if I'll have to quit teaching. Not to mention how to handle the Jin situation. I can't tell the others, but I can't let things stay as they are.
