Happy New Years guys! Sorry this chapter took so long, I just got hit with some news that really knocked me on my ass(don't worry it's good news). I hope you all have happy holidays and the best New Years with no holes!

Enjoy the chapter!


"You don't have to do this today," Katsuki tells her as they stand outside the door to the apartment. He leans against the railing, the metal digging into his palms as he watches her rub her fingers up and down the teeth of her house key. "We can go back to the house and be done with this. Come back Friday before the move in time, get everything packed up. You don't have to force yourself to do this."

"She's probably at work anyway," she says, glancing at him over her shoulder. There were so many mixed emotions in her eyes, his chest started hurting looking at them. She seemed on the verge of tears, out of sadness, frustration, fear. Her jaw is tense as if a thousand words were threatening to spill from her lips, the muscles working to keep her teeth so tightly wound together. "I just…I just need to get this over with. Did you-"

"Kacchan! Leinei! How are you two doing?"

Leinei glances over as Izuku stands there, smiling at the two of them. She steps back from the door, dropping the hand holding her key to the side. Katsuki pushes himself off the railing, rubbing the back of his head as he looks away from Izuku.

"We're doing better," she assures him, smiling gently. "Were you going on a run?"

"Yeah. Trying to keep up to my regimen even on break," he laughs, nodding. "I think your sister is at work. Her apartment has been quiet since you left with Aunt Mitsu."

"You still call the old hag that?" Katsuki groans. "Damn ne-"

He flinches as Leinei elbows him, glaring at her out of the corner of his eyes. He takes a breath, chewing the inside of his cheek as Izuku tilts his head.

"Are you okay, Kacchan?"

"Yeah, he's fine for the most part. Hey, why don't you two go on a run together?" She looks at Katsuki and Izuku in turn. "I'm sure Katsu has some stuff he'd like to tell you."

"Oh, yeah, that sounds great! It'll be like when we were kids!"

"Yeah," the blond replies, forcing the words through gritted teeth. "Just like then. Let's go, Deku."

"Be safe you two," Leinei calls as they walk away from her, her waving until they cross the corner and she hears their steps leading downstairs. She sighs and shakes her head, turning back to her door and unlocking it. The apartment itself is quiet, dark and uninviting. She closes the door behind her as she walks in, glancing around as she sees Reina's laptop on the coffee table, a red light flashing to let her know the battery is almost dead.

I should plug that in for her…

Just as the words cross her mind, she walks over to it, finding the abandoned cord and slipping the plug into its appropriate place. The blinking light stops, turning a mix of blue and red to show that it's charging. She sighs softly and shakes her head, starting up the stairs to her room. The door leading to said room is slightly cracked open, the thought of which sending shivers through her body.

I could have sworn I left my door shut when I left. Reina could have gone in, but she would have shut the door all the way. I mean, the door could have bounced off the frame when I left, but…

She shakes her head, dismissing the thought and chalking it up to a coincidence, that she left it open by mistake when she left. Pushing it open all the way, she flicks the light switch and bathes the room in the gentle white glow of the overhead light. She sighs softly, seeing the dirty clothes still heaped in the corner, the bed a mess and missing her pillow, and something odd sitting on her desk that she was damn sure she didn't have when she left.

She crosses the room to her desk, sweeping up a lumpy envelope with messily scrawled writing emblazoning her name across the front. Another shiver runs through her body, leaving ripples of anxiety snaking through her veins and coiling in her stomach and heart. She feels like she can't breathe as she sits down in the chair, her hands trembling as she opens the flap. A short note is shoved inside, a small ring that would fit on her pinky taped to the center of it. Her stomach threatens to climb up her throat in the worst way possible, seeing the nickname written across the top.

No. There's no way…I can't…there's no way he got into the apartment. There's not a fucking way.

To Leinei the littlest mouse

It's a surprise you survived. But that just goes to show how strong you truly are,

A strength no one around you appreciates. Let alone your family and that boy you protect so fiercely.

My offer still stands, for you to stand at my side,

And to usher in a new world out of the ashes of the old. It can be just like the old days,

But you'll be walking alongside me, rather than chasing at my back. Think of the ring as a promise, that no matter what I'll keep my word. You matter to me, Leinei.

You're the only person that truly does.

If you wish to see what my word means, let's meet in that alley where we reconnected.

Where I saw just how wonderful you had grown up. I'll wait until the witching hour.

Your choice, Little Mouse.

I do hope you'll choose right.

She feels like she can't breathe still, that thousands of knives are stabbing into her lungs and tree limbs are being thrown upwards against the bottoms and sides of them. She feels sick from the letter, and disgusted at herself. Because the first thing she does after reading the letter is take the ring out and push it onto her pinky finger, feeling the slight squeeze and the way the cool metal feels against her flushed skin. There's nothing special about it, just a regular silverish ring that anyone could pick up for cheap from any jewelry store.

So why does it mean so much to her?

Because in that letter, she saw traces of her Touya, of the boy he used to be and who she loved. She had it in her head repeating, if I do this, if I go to him, I can help him. I can bring him home and get him help. I can have my Touya back…

But there are flashes of Katsuki, of his smirking smile, the soft look he has to his eyes when they're alone together. The memories of just yesterday with them singing and having the most wonderful time, of them actually putting a label to what everyone else has been calling them, and she feels guilty, horrible for thinking about Touya, for putting the stupid ring on as she twists it around her finger and feels her skin pinch and move with it.

I need to call Keigo..he'd know what to do.

But she hesitates, not reaching for her phone as she reads the letter again, feeling so guilty and so horrible for memorizing his handwriting, for smiling at the hastily scratched out misspelled words. Brief cuts of memories from her childhood come back, remembering the way he would get so upset when he would have to rewrite an entire page because he messed up too many times, of how he always struggled to spell properly.

'I thought you'd never get over Touya!'

I haven't. I thought I did, that I could move on, and here I am, being pathetic and clinging to this letter that will most likely be my death if I go. I want to go. I want to see him. I want to help him…

She feels a pain in her side again, wincing as she holds it. The note falls to the floor as she doubles over, the pain bringing tears to her eyes. It feels like it's bleeding, but there's nothing but a dull throb. It brings her back to reality, of the fact Dabi almost killed her, the cruel names he called her, and how he left her for death. But that isn't Touya. That's not my Touya, he wouldn't do something like that, someone had to have made him. He's in there…I know he is…I just have to help him. Yeah. I'm going to help him.

I should still tell Keigo. Someone needs to know where I am in case something happens…At least then they can bury me.

She finally takes her phone out, dialing Keigo. It rings three times, then goes to voicemail. She hangs up, and as she's going to call again, he's calling her. She clicks the button to accept, holding it to her ear.

"Hey, Lei Bay!" he greets her, a little out of breath. "Sorry, I was wrapping up a thing with some fans. You know how they get. What's up?"

"Kei…um…"

"What's wrong? Everything okay? Did Katsuki hurt you? Do I need to kill him?"

"No, you don't need to," she laughs, feeling a little more relaxed as he lets out a chuckle of relief. "I um, actually wanted to tell you something."

"You're sexually active?"

"What?!"

"Sorry, that was my attempt at a crappy joke. But seriously, please never have sex. Stay a virgin the rest of your life. I'm never going to be ready for you to hit that stage of adulthood."

"Alright, well, I never planned on having sex at this moment, but I'll keep that in mind. Are you able to have a serious conversation or not?"

"Completely serious. Lay it on me! I'm listening."

"..." She takes a breath, closing her eyes. "I…I'm going to Hosu tonight."

"So…Katsuki and his parents are going, right?"

"No."

"And why the fuck not?"

"I…I have something I need to do there. It won't take long, I'm going to tell them I'll be with you. I just need you to cover for me. Please."

"Are you going to tell me why you need to go and what exactly this thing you need to do is? Because if it's reliving getting your ass kicked by Stain, I'm not having that. I will drag you to Kyushu screaming if that's-"

"I just…just…"

"Lei, talk to me. You never keep anything from me. What's going on?"

"I…I may have gotten a meeting with one of the villains…one of the ones that kidnapped me and Katsuki."

Keigo is quiet. She can hear his wings flap in the background of the call, the slight whisper of wind past the speakers. Her heart is beating so hard and fast, she feels dizzy. His anger and concern are palpable.

"And how did you do that?" he asks, his voice soft and measured, as if attempting to keep himself from screaming.

"I-I came back to the apartment to pack my stuff, and there was a letter on my desk. It was from the villain Dabi, I think. He didn't exactly sign it, but he called me by the same nickname that is used in the letter."

"..." He takes a sigh and she can hear him pinch the bridge of his nose. It makes her smile. "I'll cover for you. Hell, I'll even pick you up at the door and take you to Hosu myself. But fuck up and I'm pulling you. You're relaying everything he tells you, no matter how small. I don't care if it's his favorite color, or what time he last went to the bathroom. If you're genuinely wanting to do this, you're treating it as if it's a legitimate undercover mission. You guard your fucking words, you guard your actions, and if he gets to close, I will cut his fucking head off. Am I understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. This is the only time I'm letting you do something like this, because you honestly need to be resting and recuperating, and you're over here running headfirst into danger. I'm starting to miss my timid little sister."

"Yeah," she replies softly, a small chuckle escaping her lips as she picks the note up again. "Me too. Um…he said witching hour. I have no clue what that means."

"Damn bastard being cryptic. So he could mean right after midnight or somewhere between three and four in the morning."

"Well at least he's dedicated," she jokes, rolling her eyes.

"This isn't funny, Lei. Stay serious. Read me the letter."

She does so, her voice shaking a lot more than she would have expected it to. Keigo listens intently, his wings flapping once or twice during specific parts. After she finishes, he's quiet. His silence is almost deafening as he thinks.

"Alright…well, Hosu is a bit of a trip from where you are," he says softly, trying to work out a plan in his head. "And he didn't really leave you any contact information to get a hold of him to clarify. That would have been wonderful if he did." She snorts at the sarcasm in his voice. "So I'm hopefully leaning more towards the 3 to 4 AM time frame but we'll be there long before that. And you know which alley he's talking about?"

"I think so. It's been a while but I'm pretty sure."

"Pretty sure, or you know? Because pretty sure gets you killed and I get pissed off because I let you do this."

"I know which alley, Keigo. It's behind the convenience store that got robbed during my internship with Reina."

"Alright. You and I will go and look at it beforehand, just to make sure it's secure. And that he isn't leading you into a trap to finish you off. Speaking of, no secondary locations. None. I don't even care if it's in the bathroom. You do not go anywhere with him that isn't discussed prior with me. Am I understood?"

"Crystal clear."

"Leinei. Why do you even want to do this? Why do you even want to put yourself in danger like this? You just got back. You just got out of it. What's the point of diving back in this quickly?"

"You..wouldn't understand."

"..." He sighs heavily, a small groan following behind. "Fine. If you say so. I won't push the issue. But if he lays a fucking hand on you, I'm going to kill him."

"I'd expect nothing less, Big Brother."

"Now you're just trying to butter me up, you asshole. Give me a heart attack, get my blood pressure sky high, and now you break out the cute little sister shit. Fuck you." But he laughs, albeit a strained one. He didn't want to let her know how scared he really was. At least this time, I'll be around to monitor in case something happens. No more hospital visits. "Alright. I'm going to pick you up at eight. Do you have a facemask?"

"No."

"I'll bring you one then. And wear your hair up. Don't wear loose clothing, but nothing too tight either. Something that's easy for you to move in in case you either have to fight or run. Keep your feather on you too. I won't be too far away but I want to be safe. If you need to be pulled out or you feel it's not going safely, or as safely as communing with a villain can go, the code word is chicken. Say it three times without being suspicious, and I'll come pull you out."

"And if I am being suspicious while saying it?"

"Okay smartass. I think you've spent too much time with Katsuki."

"Maybe."

"But that's besides the point. I'll extract you regardless. Leinei."

"Yes?"

"I love you. Are you really sure you want to do this?"

"...yes. I am."

"Alright. If you change your mind at any point, please just say so and I will take you home. I can't risk losing you again."

"I understand, Kei. I love you."

"I love you too."

She hangs up, taking a breath. Her nerves are still rattled, but a smile breaks her lips. She starts making points of what she wants to say to Dabi, to bring up and go over. Maybe if I appeal to his Touya side, he would come home. I can get him help, and get him in a better mental state. He could plead insanity to his crimes and spend his time in a psychiatric facility rather than jail…At least then I could go see him.

Keigo growls under his breath, using one hand to scratch the back of his head as he stares down at his city. It was still so bright, so cheerful and calm despite the dark dwellings beneath. And it sickened him. Why? He doesn't really know. He strives for this, to make the world just a little brighter, a little easier to navigate. Yet now, it just pisses him off.

The conversation with Leinei pissed him off. But he's never been able to say no to her, and now he's kicking himself for it. He should say no, he has to say no. He should call her back, tell her plan is off, but she's not stupid. She would find a way to Hosu regardless, and then he'd be unable to be there to protect her. This way, agreeing with her and setting boundaries, he would be able to do what he had to do to keep her safe.

But it doesn't stop his stomach from twisting and keeping away the thoughts of how many different ways he wanted to slaughter the villain that mangled her. A smirk turned the corner of his lips up as he imagined what the monster's head would look like flying off his body. The twisting in his stomach lessened at the idea of Dabi being unable to hurt his baby sister ever again, that she would be safe.

Only for it to return three times worse as he realizes she's just playing into what the villain wants. Obviously they want her, or at least Dabi does. And she's too busy playing hero on three different levels to see it, yet he could because all he wants is for her to survive. She doesn't know the panic attacks he's had after seeing her in the hospital, or even on the way to the hospital, or the sleepless nights he had when he didn't know if she was dead or alive, praying for the latter to be true, only to grieve the thought of the former because he couldn't take the idea of another family member being torn away from him.

He sighs and drops his hand, stepping off the edge of the building and gently flapping his wings to keep him aloft. His sidekicks are handling what needs to be done, and they know his number if they need him. Nothing wrong with taking a break every now and then. I wonder if that yakitori stand is still open…

He lets some of the tension leave his body as he heads toward his favorite food stand, waving at some of the people who greet him as they always do. He orders two sticks of his favorite snack and tips the man generously, despite being told not to as usual. He waves bye as he takes two off with his teeth and takes to the sky again. For a moment, he can forget everything. For a moment, what happened and his phone call to Leinei is long gone, a breathless whisper in the wind. He can just exist in the moment, watching the people in his city go by as he eats his snack in peace.

As he finishes the last bite of his snack, the skewers twirl between his fingers as he attempts to find a trashcan to relinquish them in. He finds one, dipping low to drop them in and while he's at it, grabs a runaway balloon for a crying little boy. He smiles as he gives it back, waving as the child runs back to their dad, excited and pointing towards him. At that moment, his phone rings and he takes to the sky to answer it privately.

"Fly high for Hawks, how can I help you today?" he greets, trying to keep his voice light and playful.

"Haha, so funny, Hawks," the Commission President replies, Keigo's shoulders slumping as the tension returns to him. "Are you slacking off again?"

"No ma'am! I'm offended you'd ask such a thing. I was just grabbing an afternoon snack to keep my strength up!" he laughs, despite his smile falling. "It's hard work patrolling all day long. 'Sides, my sidekicks got their routes handled! I have faith in them!"

"I'm sure you do. How is your sister doing? I heard she ran away to her friend's house prior to her appointment with her therapist."

"Oh. Leinei is doing wonderfully! She is actually back at the apartment today," he replies, not technically lying to her. "But yes she was staying with her friend. He was also kidnapped following the Kamino Nightmare. They're both doing very well."

"Wonderful to know. I heard she was going to be moving into the dorms at UA soon?"

"Yes ma'am. But, if ya don't mind, why are you asking me? Reina has all the same information."

"Ah well, we are having some difficulties with Elementia. Following the fact her sidekick was ousted to be a traitor for the villains, her entire agency is being vetted. If we find more reason for suspicion, Starlite will be closed down indefinitely with Elementia being reduced to a sidekick for a high ranking agency until she is able to be trusted again."

Rotten bastards.

"Of course! That makes a lot of sense!" he says instead, still feigning that happy tone to his voice. "If I can do anything to help, please don't hesitate to let me know."

"Understood, Hawks. Oh yes, I will need you here prior to the new rankings being announced. There is something we will need to discuss."

"Of course. See you then."

He hangs up, letting out a forced breath as he pushes his phone back into his pocket. Always something else with these bastards. Can't I just fucking breathe?!

Leinei sets her suitcase and extra duffel bag of things next to the door outside, making sure to pull it closed and lock it. Izuku and Katsuki were off to the side talking. Rather, Izuku was talking and Katsuki was doing his best not to snap on him. The blond seems about ready to explode, his eye twitching until they see Leinei walking over to them.

"Thank god," Katsuki sighs in relief. "Did you get everything you needed?"

"Yeah, I did," she replies, nodding with a soft smile. "Did you two have fun?"

"Yeah! Kacchan and I got to talk a lot!" Izuku says excitedly, his green eyes shining as Katsuki shakes his head slowly, mouthing the words help me. "I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow at the move in time?"

"Definitely," Leinei says, handing the duffel bag to Katsuki. He pulls it on his shoulder with a soft grunt. "See you tomorrow, Izu."

"Be safe walking home!" He calls as they start walking down the stairs. She calls back that they would, waving back at him until they turned the corner to the next flight of stairs. Katsuki lets out a sigh of relief, his shoulders slumping as he groans.

"You're never leaving me alone with him again," he tells her matter of factly, shooting a sharp glare at her out of the corner of his eyes. He notices the contemplative look on her face, the way her eyes are focusing on something that isn't there. "Lei, are you okay?"

"Hmm?" she looks up, jarred out of her train of thought by him saying her name. "Oh, I'm fine. Um, my brother is coming to pick me up tonight. Around eight, he wanted to do something special for me to show how proud he is."

"Oh, alright," he replies, surprised as he looks forward again. Something didn't sit right with him, not the way her voice sounded far off. "Did you want me to come with you?"

"No, it's just a sibling thing. Maybe next time."

"If you say so. You know you can talk to me right?"

"Yeah, I know, Katsu. Don't worry. It's just gonna be me and Keigo. No biggie."

Why don't I believe her?