"It's an honor," Saito said, clasping Toshinori's hand between both his palms as they shook. "I'm admittedly a fan."

Toshinori could not remember the last time he'd seen someone in public here in Japan with tattoos like that. In America it was commonplace. Here, however, tattoos were associated with street gangs and Yakuza. Saito had it to his benefit, then, that he was clearly foreign. There was a subtle accent in Saito's words, but Toshinori couldn't place it. Saito leaned across the table to introduce himself to everyone else, and bent to press his lips to the back of both Takeyama and Makoto's hands.

"Nice to meet you," Toshinori said as he took his hand back, then gestured to what would have been Aizawa and Yamada's seats — if they'd had the good grace to show up. He didn't particularly want to socialize…He'd come here to reinforce Makoto's cover story to Skyline, that was it. But he had an ugly sense of obligation to Yaoyorozu Asao after what his daughter had been through. He could tolerate them sitting for a bit.

Yaoyorozu and Saito accepted. They pulled out their chairs, with Saito taking the seat beside him. Toshinori had let himself forget that Yaoyorozu was involved in the Hero business — and it was easy to forget, considering his wealth. Only the top Heroes even came close to Yaoyorozu's net worth. Whatever the man had done with his investments along the way, he must have a nose for blood. So to speak.

"So what did we interrupt?" Saito asked, leaning back in his chair to take a glass of champagne from a passing server's tray. Yaoyorozu, Makoto, and Takeyama followed suit.

"All Might's retirement fight," Skyline volunteered. "What a fight."

"It's a hot topic," Saito agreed with a nod, leaning back in the chair. He nudged his glasses up the bridge of his nose and crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm more worried about what the world will be like without the Symbol of Peace to protect us."

"All For One is behind bars now," Takeyama pointed out without hesitation. "And most of the Nomus he created have been taken into custody, too."

Toshinori's disappointment was swift. Mt. Lady had been one of the Heroes involved in rescuing Bakugo — she had seen with her own eyes what had happened, and she knew that much of the League was still at large. They had taken in All For One, but the villain had made it clear that his protege would continue on without him. The League wasn't a snake, it was a hydra. Toshinori watched her with somber eyes as Skyline leaned in closer to the blonde, attentively listening as she recanted her own experience that night in Kamino Ward.

He felt weight on his thigh, and glanced at Makoto. She was looking at Saito and Yaoyorozu instead of him, and he took in her profile. Loose strands hung in waves to frame her face. She didn't so much as glance in his direction, but he felt her give a reassuring squeeze before her hand dropped away, the gesture hidden by the tablecloth.

"I have a feeling the International Heroes Commission will be trying to keep what happens next with the League off of people's TV sets," Skyline said. "Not every Hero can do what you did — standing there and just taking the hit. Damn."

"When I think of all your best fights, I think of the ones where you have been outnumbered and outgunned," Saito said. "Whenever the odds are against you, that's when we see you rise."

"Damn right," Yaoyorozu agreed.

Saito extended his glass across the table, and Yaoyorozu followed suit. Toshinori filled a glass from his place setting with water from a pitcher, and raised it to meet Saito in a toast. The sound of crystal meeting in the air was music to his ears.

"Thanks."

It was the best gratitude he could offer in the setting, but he wished he could say more. He knew it was true. He knew that, when the situation was dire, he did not falter. He was the Number One Hero — there was no room for failure. If he failed, the whole house of cards would come down.

And, he realized, finally recognizing the bitter taste that coated his tongue as he sipped his water, that was exactly what his retirement tasted of. Failure. Even if he had beaten All For One, the League was still out there. Villains were celebrating that he'd been taken out of the game. Who would society call when danger struck, and someone needed to lay their life on the line to save it all? Endeavor? Toshinori suppressed a scoff at his own morose thoughts.

"—heard that there's discussion to restructure how the Billboard Heroes are decided," Saito was saying.

Yaoyorozu added, "Thanks to the Villains' Rights movement."

"I don't want to talk about that," Toshinori sighed.

Saito nodded. "It's ridiculous, isn't it? They break the law and show no regard for life or property, but want that respect shown to them."

"There's definitely a line as far as excessive force," Makoto cut in, lips pursed.

"Of course there is, but they want to target a Hero like All Might with their accusations. It's ridiculous." Saito leaned in across the table, dropping his voice. "Against a Hero like Endeavor, though…"

Saito's words faded away, then he rested his hands palm down on the tablecloth, and stood.

"I have to make the rest of my rounds and introductions." He nodded in Toshinori's direction. "It's been an honor."

"I'm going to go to the restroom," Makoto said, and Takeyama pushed herself away from the table, too.

"I'll join."

All Might would have relished the awkward silence of not a word passing between he and Skyline now that they were alone — only music and the chatter around them. He would've welcome Endeavor's arrival, or even Aizawa's. But, instead, as the women got up and left the table, Skyline's eyes stayed locked on Takeyama's body as she followed Makoto away. He leaned slightly in his chair to keep his line of vision uninterrupted, until they turned a corner out of sight.

"So." Toshinori inhaled until he felt his lungs hurt, then held it in, hanging onto the pain to keep him in check. "You and Makoto really are a thing."

Toshinori didn't answer, and Skyline didn't care. The man could've happily carried on a conversation with a piece of ply board.

"I was pretty skeptical, I won't lie," Skyline was continuing. "I thought for awhile that she just didn't want to go out with me. That's a long time to be long distance and…committed."

Toshinori reminded himself that this was why he was here in the first place — to be the wall between Makoto and Skyline. But his disgust in the American Hero went deep. Rotten below the cuticle. That a man like this — vain, shallow, and womanizing — was a top Hero seemed impossible. Then again, Endeavor was set to become the Number One Hero, and the public spared him little love…and the public didn't know the rumors about his private life. He remembered what Saito had said only moments ago about the Billboard Hero rankings, and unexpectedly found himself inclined to agree with the concept.

"If you don't mind me asking, man to man, how do you do it? Stick to just one woman I mean. I assume you have — had — the same problem, of women just…throwing themselves at you." Skyline's voice was airy and dreamy, eyes distant, as though fondly remembering the women he'd encountered in his life. "How do you settle for just one?"

Across the room, Toshinori saw Makoto and Takeyama round the corner. Her bright green eyes met his as she headed in the direction of their table. The most subtle hint of a smile was at the corner of her lips. She was a fucking vision as she navigated her way through the crowd, and his eyes tracked every movement of her lithe body. Admiring her fully. Toshinori felt her take away the breath he'd been holding, and the pain with it.

"It's not even a challenge," Toshinori said at last, not lowering himself to look at Skyline as he finally answered the question. He missed the expression on Skyline's face in response to his statement, instead focused wholly on the woman across the room. "I would never be unfaithful to a woman like that."