I wouldn't go so far as to call the spare bedroom at the League's base I'm occupying as my bedroom.

Even though I've been sleeping there every night for the past few weeks.

And I receive late-night snacks in bed.

And I have it all to myself.

Alright, it is my bedroom.

At this point, I remember the route from the bar to the bedroom, but Kurogiri and Shigaraki like to escort me each night. I'm not complaining; I like the courtesy. Tonight Kurogiri escorts me.

Much to my delight, he has brought a bowl full of ice cream with him.

"Health-wise, it is not good to eat or drink something cold before going to bed, but we ran out of milk in the fridge, and I thought you would like dessert," he says.

I smile. "Regardless, I am happy. Thank you." I take the bowl from him once I am seated in bed.

But he doesn't leave. Instead, he pulls a chair and sets it beside the bed. He watches me eat. Feeling uncomfortable, I offer him a taste of the ice cream. He refuses.

"Tell me something, Selene. If you were presented the opportunity to live a new life or seek revenge for the life you live right now, which would you choose?"

"Should I assume I remember everything I have suffered through until now? Is this new life better than the one I'm living right now?"

"For your first question, if you wish. For your second, I do not know."

I contemplate for a few moments. "I would seek my revenge. One would think that my current life is so hellish that the only alternative would be a kinder life. But that's not necessarily true, is it? There must be hells that humankind could not have imagined. This new life might be one of those. It is a risk I'm not willing to take."

"But revenge is a risk, too, is it not? Probably even more uncertain?"

"It is. I might get killed. I might be incarcerated. Perhaps the dreadful possibilities of the new-life option will occur. But what I do know is that seeking vengeance will give me some sense of peace."

Kurogiri is silent, but his next question stuns me. "Are you seeking revenge for yourself or for the life you could have - should have - had?"

I don't respond to that immediately. "Does it make a difference? I'm not doing it for someone else. That's what matters most." Wishing to lessen the grimness, I jest. "Honestly, vengeance and other lives are not common topics discussed when one is eating ice cream. What brought this on?"

"Your spiel at last night's dinner."

Oh, yes. I'd like to forget that rather undignified moment. "Suicide for dinner. Revenge for dessert. What's next? Murder for tea? Don't get me wrong. Revenge is sweet, but ice cream is sweeter."

Kurogiri chuckles. "So bloodthirsty. So ambitious. So indulgent."

"All that and more."

I finish the ice cream, and Kurogiri takes the empty bowl away. "The odd thing about ambition is this: You can acquire it like a fever, but it is not so easy to shed."

I raise a brow. "Is this supposed to be another lecture on limiting my pride? If so, I don't want to hear it." Ironically, my last sentence is prideful enough.

"It's not a lecture. It's a warning," he says with humor. He looks down at the bowl. "Pride and ambition are like milk and sugar. Sweet, delicious, euphoric. They are intoxicating once you have a taste, and you consume more and more until you begin craving for them. Your appetite grows, never to be satiated. Eventually, you consume so much, they kill you. And revenge? It's the cream."

I'm never going to look at ice cream the same way again.

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask.

As he sets aside the bowl, he speaks. "Because pride is your fatal flaw, and I don't want it to be your demise. You're living three lives right now: one with the League of Villains, one at U.A., and one at the Hanada mansion. I can't fathom how difficult it must be to juggle each one, but I do know what happens in each one."

I hear an insinuation behind those words. "Essentially, you're telling me that I need a healthier outlet for everything I experience. Committing murder because of a bruised ego cannot be the only one. And since you've thoroughly completed your homework on me, I should make you my outlet. Suppress the prideful facet of my personality for some time and confide my thoughts and feelings to you, make you my therapist. Is that right?"

"I suppose yes, without all the sarcasm."

I snort at that. "That would make things a lot easier to contend with. I wouldn't even have to recount and relive my life story to you because you already know. Bloody brilliant! I assume you're a therapist of a kind for Shigaraki as well?"

"Yes. I'm his trusted confidante, besides All for One-sensei."

"Having known each other for years, I'm sure you are. He trusts you, he has earned your loyalty." My voice and expression darken with my next words. I lean closer to Kurogiri and whisper, "But not me. I've only been here for nearly two months, I can't possibly be trusted. By all means, you shouldn't. But the same concept applies to me. Kurogiri, as grateful as I am for the bedroom, ice cream, and everything I mentioned in my spiel, I can't trust you, Shigaraki, or All for One. To an extent, you care for me; to an extent, I care for you. But I don't trust you. So I'm going to ask again, why are you telling me this?"

All feelings of mirth and gratitude from before vanish. Kurogiri was clearly trying to manipulate me, and I did not like it.

He stares at me for a long time. I hold it. "You're too clever, Selene. I think you can answer that question yourself."

Evading the question. Alright then.

I lean back and return his stare nonchalantly. "You know what I think? I think that you want to ensure that I'm not hiding any secrets from the League of Villains. You will pretend to be a figure of peace and comfort to me so that I will lower my guard down and reveal any valuable information I may have been withholding. Just as I spy on the Pro-Heroes, you will spy on me. You will ensure that I'm not double-crossing the League because you don't trust me. Am I right?"

He chuckles again, "Too clever, indeed."

I should feel offended, but I don't; I'm amused. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You're welcome."

A beat of silence passes between us before we both chortle. "This is foolish of me, but I'm willing to take you up on the offer," I gasp between laughing fits.

"Really? Why?" he gasps, too.

Once we've calmed down enough, I respond. "Because you're right. I need another mechanism to cope with the mess of my life. Murder and vengeance feel good, but I require something more, especially with the drama happening in my school life."

"Is this about the name you almost let slip during dinner?"

I'm too shocked to bother denying it. "How did you know?"

"Selene, whereas Shigaraki would like to avoid awkward things as much as possible, I am not as reluctant. I heard you pause as you were about to say the name of someone else who 'brought change into your life.'"

I hesitate. "It's a classmate."

"That was obvious enough."

That blunt statement stings a little. "You're not upset? This classmate was my friend, even before you recruited me."

"Not at all. In fact, it helps serve the League of Villains' cause." If only I had befriended him to exploit him. "Could you tell me his name?" Taking note of my silence, Kurogiri adds, "I won't tell Shigaraki about this. Actually, I won't share information about our sessions with him, All for One, or anyone else for that matter."

"Why?" I'm curious.

"Maybe because I'm feeling a little foolish myself."

I laugh softly. "You might feel differently after I tell you his name and what I did," Kurogiri says nothing, patiently waiting for me to continue. "Todoroki Shouto. Son of Endeavor. My ex-friend, if such a concept exists."

Another beat of silence passes.

Though Kurogiri's expression never changes, I can tell he's surprised. "The son of the Number Two Pro-Hero was your former friend. Selene, you hit the jackpot. So what happened to end your friendship? Does he know about your affiliation with us?" His voice changes from surprise to concern at the end.

"No, no, no," I assure him with words and hand gestures. "He doesn't know that I'm your spy." I recite everything that happened: the relapse, his helplessness, the argument, my reasons, our group project, his reactions, my mixed emotions at my actions, and all the events that occurred between. I keep my promise by omitting any details of Todoroki-kun's feelings toward his father, and I withhold any mention of my diary entries.

When I finish, Kurogiri sighs. "Selene, do you realize this makes you untrustworthy?"

Oh, bloody brilliant!

The one time I was truly, completely honest with someone else, I'm deemed as untrustworthy.

How ironic!

How wonderfully, sickeningly ironic!

Citations:

"'Revenge is sweet, but ice cream is sweeter.'" - The Wicked King by Holly Black

"'The odd thing about ambition is this: You can acquire it like a fever, but it is not so easy to shed.'" - The Cruel Prince by Holly Black