This chapter contains mentions of underage sex and rape.
The time was twelve noon. You were still laying in bed curled up in the fetal position wrapped within a cocoon of sheets and blankets. 'Come on Mia. You promised yourself that today you were going to go out and buy some new clothes. You can't keep washing the same few pieces over and over again.'
Slowly pushing the covers away from your face you spotted the credit card on your night stand before sitting upright. 'I should see how much money is even in this account..Now that I think about it I don't think I've checked it once since I got it. I haven't needed to spend on anything, not even food because of the cafeteria downstairs..'
Dressed in a baggy short sleeve shirt and a pair of denim shorts, you grabbed the card putting it in your back pocket and slipped on your tennis shoes before walking out the door; locking it as you left.
You rode the elevator down to the first floor and just as the doors opened you faltered at the sight of a familiar face. Averting your eyes you did your best to ignore him as you walked towards the main entrance, picking up the pace as you did.
'I can't believe it. That was Hiro-san…I never thought I'd see him again..' Your thoughts trailed off as you starred at the sliding glass double doors. The only thing that separated you from the outside world.
Taking a deep breath you calmed yourself before slowly taking a step forward. The automatic doors responded quickly already opening so that you could smell the fresh air.
It seemed to help ease the tension in your body as you continued to walk not even noticing that you were now standing outside. 'I did it…Now I just need to find an atm, then I can go to the store.'
After checking your account you were thoroughly surprised at how much money you were sitting on. Even so you only bought five outfits and two pairs of shoes.
'Mr. Kim will be so proud of me. Not only did I leave the building, but I walked to the nearest shopping center and was able to go in a store with no issues.'
'Probably because I look like a regular citizen..' Your thoughts trailed off as kept walking back to your apartment. A sign for a tattoo parlor caught your eye, causing your footsteps to slow and eventually come to a stop. After starring at the sign for a minute you decided to follow the arrow that pointed to the second floor shop.
Stepping inside the dimly lit space you were greeted by a receptionist. "Good afternoon. What brings you in today?"
"I-uh..was wondering if it was possible to get a tattoo done today?"
"That depends, what are you trying to get?"
Starring at the fresh ink around your neck in the bathroom mirror of your apartment, you felt relieved to see the familiar inch thick black band back where it belonged.
Looking down you spotted the chain that master Kai had gotten you sitting on the counter and you picked it up. '..I know it cost a decent amount of money..and I don't feel comfortable throwing or giving it away…But I didn't feel right receiving it in the first place..'
Opening a random drawer you dropped the chain inside and closed it, not wanting to think about Chisaki Kai anymore.
"..So..what made you get that tattoo?" Asked Mr. Kim after he'd starred you down for almost five minutes.
'I knew he was going to ask that.' "..I..really missed having it."
"..Took a step forward and then three steps backwards," he muttered to himself as he wrote on his notepad.
"What was that?" You questioned raising an eyebrow at the older man.
He sighed heavily, "..Mia, while you are a grown woman who can make her own decisions, are you sure that getting a permanent mark, one that is a prominent symbol of your traumatic past, was a good idea?"
"..I don't feel right without it." And that was the truth. You knew what the tattoo symbolized but you felt like you where lying to everyone you met when it was gone.
He gave you that look that said you had his full attention. "What do you mean?"
"Ever since I noticed it was gone, everything has spiraled out of control..I don't feel like myself most days..I figured maybe if I got it redone.."
"..Things would go back to normal?"
You shook your head at his statement. "..There's that word again..normal…I read somewhere that normal is defined by the individual, not the masses..Slavery may not have been that great, but it gave me a purpose..My role in this story was small from the start. I was never meant to be anything more than a background character…But you know what..someone eventually saw me. Someone acknowledged me, fought for me, killed for me…Loved me…If being a slave was the price for that, I'd gladly pay it again."
His eyes widened. "..You're serious."
"Very serious."
"..Is that the problem then? You feel like you have no purpose?"
"..I live in an apartment building were everything is paid for and I get a monthly allowance in a private bank account..I don't have any hobbies besides watching movies, cooking and cleaning…And the man I love won't come back to me.."
"We'll circle back to the hobbies. Are you talking about Touya/Dabi?" You nod your head yes. "..Why would he come back?"
"..He visited me, a few days after I moved in."
"What happened when he came to see you?"
"We-um..we..had sex. And when I fell asleep I had a terrible dream that scarred me awake. It was about master Powers training..Anyway, he was already awake and asked if I was alright. I didn't tell him the details, just that I was getting my memories back. He asked what I remembered about him, and at the time it wasn't much..He was disappointed in that, I could tell, but besides that we went back to sleep in a good place..At least I thought we were in a good place. Then I woke up, alone, and he hasn't been back since."
"..That is probably for the best. It isn't healthy for you to still be involved with a past abuser-" "Touya never abused me."
"..Are you sure about that?"
"Yes."
"What about Dabi?"
"What?..No. They're the same person, but he never abused me either. Even if he said something mean or hurtful, he never physically hurt me or forced himself on me."
"..When you were telling me about your first time, didn't you say that you asked him to stop and he kept going anyway?..That he didn't bother to see how much pain you were in until he was finished?"
"..I don't think those were my exact words.."
"..But did you or did you not ask him to stop?"
You where tired enough to fall asleep right then and there when you felt something much larger than his finger rubbing at your core. Trying to catch your breath you were about to tell him you couldn't handle anymore when you felt whatever it was slowly sliding inside of you.
Your mouth fell open as you sucked in a breath. The pain was unbearable and yet it just kept going. 'It feels like I'm about to split in two!'
"Wait..please…stop." Your words fell on deaf ears as he pushed even more of the oversized rod deeper inside you.
Tears pooled in your eyes before falling directly into the mattress. As you tried to pushed yourself back into an upright position, a hand wrapped around your throat, forcing you back down into the mattress.
Now it was hard for you to breath and he finally bottomed out inside your tight cunt. You felt so helpless as you lay there unable to do anything about your current situation. 'Maybe if it didn't hurt I could enjoy it too.'
He pulled out to the tip and you were relieved thinking that it was over. The grip on your neck loosened and you gulped down as much air as you could. But quickly lost it all as whatever was removed was being shoved back in, even harder and faster.
Now you felt broken, no way something of this size was supposed to go inside your body. The tears where flowing nonstop now and you thought that you were gonna pass out or die from the pain.
Thankfully his grip on your throat wasn't constricting your breathing anymore but it was still there. "..M-master Touya..please..it hurts s-so bad."
"..I did."
"Then can you understand where I'm coming from?..I get that you two were children, but he was older, meaning he should have listened when the younger girl asked him to stop…It would be wise if you avoided seeing him again..It will most likely trigger your, submissive side, and you could regress, undoing all the progress we've made."
You made a face at his words. "All I did was go out one time."
"That is still progress. Just because it seems small and insignificant doesn't mean that it is."
Looking off to the side you tried to keep your emotions in check. 'I'm not so sure about that…I still can't seem to stop thinking about sex.' "…Am I crazy?" You asked barely above a whisper.
He raised an eyebrow at your question and after a minute of quiet thought he sat down his pen and gave you a soft look. "..No, you're not crazy..You've just been through a lot more than most people."
"..Then what's wrong with me?"
"I can't exactly diagnose you..but from what you've told me and what I've witnessed..you suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression."
"..Is that it?"
"You think there's something else wrong with you?"
"..I mean..nevermind."
"..This is a safe space Mia. Nothing you say leaves this office."
"I just..I find myself thinking about..sex..a lot."
"Sex?" You nodded your head yes. "..Do you mean..the kind of sex where you are dominated by a master?" You nod your head once again. "..Let me reiterate. You, Mia, are not crazy.. Sex is a part of life, and it is natural to think about it."
"..If you saw what was in my head I don't think you'd call it natural."
"What do you mean?"
"If you saw the things that go through my head..I don't think you would consider me normal." '..I know I definitely don't.'
"..What are you seeing?"
"..The eyes of a stranger starring down at me as I choke on his..it makes me shudder and I feel myself..becoming even more excited…I see multiple men surround me, I feel helpless and hot as they shove what they can, where they can and I'm loving every second of it…I see myself tied up and blindfolded..I know that I'm scared, I also know that pain always come before pleasure..and it's not long before I'm bruised or bleeding and..cumming at the same time."
"..These are more memories resurfacing?"
"Some of them are new, but the rest I've already seen..They play on loop in my head whenever my mind starts to wonder."
"Hmm…Sounds like your submissive self is trying to find an out."
"..Are you saying I should have sex?"
"..Actually if anything you should probably continue to abstain from sex. Unfortunately you didn't get to meet romantic and sexual partners your own age and learn what you do and don't like in your own time..all of that was taken away from you, so I highly recommend avoiding all sexual contact with the opposite sex. At least until you can get your thoughts in order."
'Who knows how long that will take.'
"..Have you tried to talk to other people?..Besides store clerks and myself. Interacting with others will help you greatly in the long run."
"..No..just you and the building manager."
"Well..I'm organizing a group session to help get everyone acquainted. Since most of you are having a hard time adjusting I figured we could start a little closer to home."
"..Are we gonna talk about the same stuff that we do in here?"
"That will be completely up to you guys, but that won't come until much later and that depends on how the first meeting goes. I would like for this to become a bi-monthly thing…Think about it. I have it scheduled for this coming Thursday in the cafeteria at five."
Standing on your balcony you looked out at the afternoon sky. 'I thought I was moving forward at a decent pace..what else can I do?' You sighed trying to think of what else you were comfortable with that could help you become more social.
Out of nowhere you heard a strange noise that caught your attention. The noise quickly turned into a beat '..Is that..music?' You looked down to the sidewalk and saw no one within earshot. Turning your gaze to the roof you raised an eyebrow. After a minute long stare down you decided to quell your curiosity.
Stepping outside your apartment door you looked to your right. The hallway went for awhile before ending at the door that lead directly to the roof. You walked towards it and realized that you could hear the music even more now, as it was getting louder the closer you got.
Pushing open the door you made quick work of the stairs before stopping on the landing. One more door separated you from the source of the music.
The door opened to reveal, an empty rooftop. 'What the?' You thought to yourself stepping outside and turning around. '..It's coming from over there.'
Following the sound you walked around the corner and saw a woman that looked around your age. She has dark brown hair, cut short to her shoulders with bangs that obscure her eyes and makes it hard for you to see what color they are.
But that's not what keeps your attention. She is dancing and moving her body in a way that you could only dream of doing. You stand there and continue to watch her express herself through fluid movements.
Her moves mixed with the tone and mood of the instrumental music. It made you think there must be a story there, one that you were slowly becoming deeply invested in the longer you stood and watched.
The song concluded and she did her finishing move pausing in a practiced pose causing you to applaud the private performance.
Her head snapped turning to you. "..H-How long have you been there?" She questioned looking you up and down.
You smiled to help put her at ease. "Awhile, that was awesome though."
She scratched the back of her head nervously. "..Thanks..Did you come up here because it was too loud?"
"No. I-I live on the top floor, I was on the balcony and heard the music."
"Ah, sorry, I came up here to practice so I didn't have to leave the building, but could still get some fresh air."
"..I used to do the same thing when I first moved in…Are you new?" You stepped closer and realized that you guys were about the same height.
"..Yeah. I've only been here for two weeks..What about you?"
"..It's been, what? Four months?"
"Well lucky me. You can tell me everything I don't know."
"Like what?"
"Like, what's up with Mr. Kim? Why is the government paying for everything?..And how long do you think they'll keep this up?"
'Wow, I was more concerned about what freedom meant for me at first…Maybe she didn't have it as bad.' "..Mr. Kim is just a therapist who they hired to give us guidance in our time of need..I can't answer the last two questions because I honestly don't know. I don't think anyone here would have those answers."
She made a face at your answer. "Well..what do you think?"
"About what?"
"My last two questions."
"..I think..their paying for everything because..maybe they feel like they owe us..for the mistreatment and persecution..I couldn't even guess how long they intend to keep doing this but, why not do it for the same length of time that we were in captivity."
"No way that's long enough."
"This is the government, no way they'll do more than the bare minimum." 'I may not know a lot about politics but I know that the government doesn't care about the people the way they claim to..'
"So true..name's Cho." She stuck her hand out for you to shake.
You smiled and reached for her hand. "Mia."
Days passed and before you knew it you were standing just outside the cafeteria doors. It was already five o'clock and you were stalling. 'Here goes nothing.'
Pushing open the left door you stepped quietly into the open space. A few heads turned to look at you then returned to whatever they were originally looking at.
You walked to the chairs and decided to sit in a random spot between two older women. Mr. Kim who sat at the head of the giant double circle of chairs got everyones attention. "Alright everyone, let's get this started."
The people that were still standing moved to the remaining empty seats.
"Why don't we go around the room and have everyone introduce themselves." He continued and you immediately felt the nerves kicking in.
The group meeting wasn't so bad. No one was forced to talk about things they didn't want to and everyone seemed nice for the most part.
You didn't know that there were now forty residents living in the building. And besides Cho you probably wouldn't get close to anyone else. Speaking of, you noticed her standing close to another familiar face.
"Mia," she called practically waving you over.
Approaching cautiously you wondered if the two where close as it looked like they were comfortable conversing with the other. "Hey Cho."
"Hey, this is my brother Hiro. Nii-chan meet Mia."
"..We've met before."
You nod your head recognizing the man who was so cruel to you while you worked under Shigaraki at the Liberation Army. "I would say nice too see you again, but we both know I'd be lying, Hiro-san."
The taller man bowed low suddenly, causing your eyes to widen before he began to speak. "I apologize for my behavior back then. I was rude and confrontational with you at every step..There is no excuse for how I acted..I did what I thought I had to for the sake of keeping myself and my sister alive."
You starred at Hiro not expecting him to apologize, let alone bow to you. 'Hard to tell if he's being sincere, but I don't think he'd say all that in front of his sister if he didn't mean it.' "..I-uh..accept your apology..I never had any siblings but I can understand the unbreakable bond you two must share.."
Cho stepped in front of you with a glare aimed at her older brother. "Well I don't accept that. What exactly did you do to her that you have to apologize for, hm?"
"I'm sorry about Hiro-kun." Cho said sitting next to you on the roof of the apartment building.
Looking up at the bright blue sky you couldn't help but to let a small smile light your face. "It's fine..Honestly compared to..other treatment I've gotten over the years, your brothers was, beyond strange to me, but looking back and hearing his side, makes me understand him a lot better."
"..You'r way too forgiving." She said standing and stretching her limbs as she walked towards the small portable radio she'd left from the other day.
'..I know we haven't known each other long, but maybe she can understand me..' "..Hey Cho, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what's up?"
You pushed yourself up from the ground to stand and gage her reaction to your question. "..Do you miss it?"
"Miss what?" She asked not bothering to turn around.
"..Being a slave."
"..Not at all." She turned on the radio and tuned it to a different station before a well known pop song came on. "Oh! I love this song." She practically squealed moving her feet and shoulders as she started dancing. Turning to you with a mischievous look in her eyes, she gestured to you, "Dance with me Mia!"
"Oh-uh, I'm not as good as you-" "Who cares. It's just you and me. Dance like no ones watching!" She giggled continuing to swing her hips and move her hands, dancing around you in a circle.
You chuckled at her childish behavior but started nodding your head in time with the music. Watching Cho's feet you tried to copy her movements, moving your hands awkwardly as you tried to pick up on the rhythm.
She slowed down noticing what you were trying to do and eventually started breaking down exactly what she was doing. "..Look at that, you'r a natural."
"Or you'r a really good teacher."
You were walking the streets, just getting some fresh air and taking in the sights. Living on the outskirts of the city was nice because you were still close to everything but you didn't have to deal with the crowds.
The sun was just starting to set and you spotted a cute little cafe with a cat taking a nap in the window. 'Aw, so cute,' you thought pushing the door open. It chimed and you stepped further inside.
"Welcome to Nekocafe, what can I get started for you today?"
"Um..What would you recommend?"
"Do you like your coffee bitter or sweet?"
"..Sweet."
"Then I recommend the caramel chocolate latte."
"Okay, sounds delicious."
"Alright..would you like anything else?"
"..No."
"Okay, just the latte, your total is.."
You sat at the table next to the front window and the cat immediately opened its eyes and looked at you. Smiling at the animal you broke eye contact and looked out the window and up at the sky. It was nice, being able to sit and just enjoy what nature has to offer.
Something landed in your lap and you looked down to see the same cat from the window making itself comfortable. It sat on its back legs and faced you, waiting to see your reaction. You smiled once more, "Well hello," you lifted your hand towards its head and gently touched in-between its ears.
It nuzzled your hand and you moved it down its spine.
"That's a first." The voice of the girl from behind the counter startled you slightly, but for once you kept your composure.
'Maybe I am getting better..' "I'm sorry?" You asked realizing she was still standing there.
Setting a steaming cup of caramel colored liquid in front of you she continued. "She hasn't warmed up to anyone since she's been here. I was starting to think that's just how she is, but then this happens."
"What's her name?" Your eyes went back down to the light grey cat.
"Izumi."
"Such a pretty name."
She stayed on your lap, curled in a ball as you continued to rub her back with your left hand. The latte you ordered in your right as you sipped the sweet beverage.
On your way back to the apartment you spotted a twenty-four hour convenience store with a help wanted sign in the window. 'Mr. Kim did say I should get a job..that would also give me something to help occupy my time..and maybe it will help me meet more people.'
You got a part-time position at the store and so far things were going pretty smoothly. Thankfully you were always a fast learner so you picked up on everything fairly quickly. At first you mostly worked the evening shift but today someone called out sick so the boss asked if you wanted the extra hours.
"Thanks for coming on such short notice Mia."
"It's no problem Mr. Nakamura"
"I have to run this deposit to the bank. You'll be working with the other young part-timer..I believe he's still unloading some boxes in the freezer."
"Okay. We'll see you later."
With that he was out the door. You walked to the small office behind the counter and clocked in before putting on the uniform shirt and walking back out to log into the register.
After about ten minutes the freezer door opened and out stepped a young man who looked like he was in his early twenties, with red hair that spiked upwards and red eyes. He was tall and even in the baggy shirt he wore you could tell that he was ripped.
He turned to see you and his eyes widened as he walked towards you. "Oh, hey..Hi, names Eijiro Kirishima. Are you new?"
"I normally work the third shift but Mr. Nakamura asked if I could come in to cover someones shift. Name's Mia."
"Well it's nice to meet ya."
"Same." You responded with a genuine smile.
"I haven't seen you on campus before."
"That's because I don't go to university." 'He must be talking about the one a few blocks over.'
"Oh..my bad..I didn't want to assume anything."
"It's okay.." 'At least he's not directly asking me about the tattoo or my quirk status.'
Mr. Kim looked down at his notepad with an almost bored expression. "How's the job going?"
"It's good. I like it. The only drama is with the customers but that's easy enough to handle."
He wrote something down. "Good..Have you made any friends?"
"Um..Kinda. I've been talking to Cho and a few of my coworkers are really nice."
"That's progress. You and Cho are close in age so you should have some things in common, besides the obvious."
You raised an eyebrow, "..What's the obvious?"
"..The fact that you were both slaves." He finally looked at you, but instead of being intimidated you took offense to his words. Your silence forcing him to move on.
"…Have you remembered anything else?"
You shook your head "No."
"..Doesn't it bother you that there are still missing pieces?"
You raised an eyebrow at him, "What do you mean?"
"The six months after Touya died, you claim you never got those memories back."
"..It's probably just me mopping around and crying anyway."
"..What if it's more than that?..What if something else happened to you during that time?"
"..Whatever it is.. I'm sure it will come back at the worst possible moment." You muttered to yourself.
Mr. Nakamura asked if you could come into work to cover first shift again and you jumped at the opportunity. You weren't sure who you were gonna be working with but you knew who you wanted to see.
"..Hey Mia! Good to see you again."
"How have you been Kirishima?"
"Eh tired. Working two jobs and going to school are a real pain."
"Where else do you work?"
"I'm a sidekick at Fourth Kind's agency."
'..Did he just say, sidekick?' "..You'r a hero?"
He nodded his head.
'I never thought I'd meet another hero, especially not like this…I should-' The door chimed announcing the arrival of a customer. You were thankful for the distraction as you turned to greet them.
However you faltered at the sight of him. He was tall with lightly tanned skin, ash blonde hair and red eyes. The black tank top he wore clung to his muscled physique while his denim jeans were baggy.
"What are you doing here?" Questioned Kirishima.
"I just came to grab something." He responded his voice reminding you of someone.
"Aw so you decided to come here and see me?"
He stepped closer to the counter and you could already feel your cheeks heating up. "Shut up, red bastard."
"..Exploding idiot."
'Guess they know each other..' Realizing that you were starring you shook your head and turned away so the two could have their moment while you busied yourself with cleaning.
"Did you get a text from Mina? Something about meeting up for karaoke?"
"Yeah I got it, but I'm not going."
"Why not? Every time we all go out you always turn us down..Is it a secret girlfriend you don't want us to know about?"
"Hell no. I don't have time for that. And I turn it down because what you guys choose to do is never fun."
"You'll never find a girlfriend acting like that..Oh well. Hey, Mia!"
"Yeah!" You called from the other side of the store.
"Wanna go to karaoke with me and my friends tonight?"
You poked your head around the corner to see him still standing next to the handsome blonde. 'I've never been to karaoke before..could be fun..' Your eyes caught red before you responded, "..S-Sure."
Dabi stood by the glass panel watching as Shigaraki writhed in pain. Tubes of different sizes sticking out of his body. Not bothering to turn to the short overweight man next to him Dabi stated, "Everything else is ready, how much longer?"
The doctor starred at his little pet project with a wicked grin. "Shigaraki is almost one hundred percent complete, only a few more days." He responded rubbing his hands together.
"..Good." With that he turned to leave the underground laboratory.
You stood just outside the convenience store dressed in a pair of dark wash denim jeans, a black cami that was tucked into your pants and a black cutout hoodie that only covered your neck and arms leaving your cami exposed. Not used to carrying a purse you felt awkward holding the feather light accessory that only held your single apartment key, credit card, and the thin cellphone you bought for the sake of keeping in contact with the job.
'Kirishima said to meet him here at seven,' you thought looking from left to right. It was only a few minutes after seven but you were starting to worry.
"Yo." Called a familiar voice.
You turned and was surprised when you saw Kirishima's friend Bakugo walking towards you instead. You felt a blush warming your cheeks and did your best to keep your composure.
"H-hey, Bakugo. Where's Kirishima?"
"He, had something come up so he's gonna meet us there."
"Oh, okay..Sorry he made you come all this way to get me." You walked in step with the slightly taller man but felt a little uncomfortable as you weren't expecting to see the handsome stranger again so soon.
"It's not a big deal, I was headed this way anyway."
"..Kirishima told me you guys go to school together."
"Yeah. We share a dorm on campus."
"That must be nice…I never got to experience the college life but I get the feeling it's fun and exciting."
"..Not the words I would use, but yeah. It has its moments."
After walking for another ten minutes you spotted a group of people standing by a door with a very bright neon sign that read 'Karaoke!'
"There they are..Hey Bakugo, Mia!" Kirishima yelled waving his arms. He was standing with four other people who looked to be the same age.
"I didn't know you had a girlfriend Bakugo." Questioned the green haired girl as you guys stepped closer.
"It's not like that. Red invited her." Bakugo corrected and you felt a slight pang in your chest at his words.
"Sorry I couldn't meet you earlier Mia. I hope he wasn't too much trouble."
"Don't talk about me like I'm a delinquent who needs supervision."
The brown haired girl rolled her eyes and stuck out a hand for you to shake. "Anyway it's nice to meet you Mia, I'm Uraraka, this is Tsuyu, Midoria and Ida." She pointed to each person respectively and you nodded to each of them, doing your best to make eye contact and not seem like a total outcast.
"N-nice to meet you guys as well."
You all went inside and were lead to a private room. Everyone seemed nice and even though you didn't participate in the actual singing, you still had a good time.
Bakugo offered to walk you home and you didn't refuse him. However the growing silence between you two was becoming uncomfortable. '..Maybe I should say something..' "..It didn't seem like you were having much fun."
"Yeah well singing isn't really my thing. What's your excuse?" He questioned looking at you out of the corner of his eye.
"Oh, um..I've never sang in front of a crowd before. Guess I was just nervous." You responded with a shrug.
"..I'm sure you would've been fine. You have a nice voice."
The blush on your cheeks deepened in color and you were grateful that you guys were already in front of your apartment building.
You smiled, "T-thanks..for the compliment, and for walking me home."
His gaze drifted to something behind you as he spoke. "..So you really are one of the freed slaves?"
You looked over at the building and realized that you should've had him drop you off at the store to avoid this conversation. The smile slowly faded from your face, "..Does that bother you?"
"No. And you don't have to hide anything from me either."
The blush was back on your face as you averted you gaze to the ground. "..We barely know each other."
"..You got a phone?"
His random question made your mind falter, "Huh?"
"A phone. The thing you use to call people."
"Oh, yeah..but I barely use it." You reached into your small purse and pulled out the device, handing it to Bakugo.
He typed a number into the keypad before handing it back to you. "Well now you've got a reason to use it.. Text me, and we can get to know each other." His tone was low and almost sensual as it sent a shiver down your spine.
"..O-okay."
You watched his retreating backside as he walked away and you let out a heavy sigh before turning and going inside.
Once inside your apartment you finally figured out how to send a message. You typed a quick, Hey, it's Mia, and waited to see if he got it.
B: Took you long enough.
M: Sorry. First cellphone
B: I'll let it slide this time.
You smiled and continued to text the handsome blonde late into the night.
"Does anyone have anything that they wish to share about their experience? Something that expands on todays theme?"
You sat next to Cho, who sat next to Hiro. It was surprising to see him raise his hand as you noticed that besides his apology, the man barely spoke.
Mr. Kim called on him.
Putting his hand down he took a deep breath before he started, "..My memory was never altered. Not once..I watched as the world turned upside down for the small percent of us unlucky to be born without a quirk..I was taken from my home, taken from my parents..I remember the look on their faces. I haven't seen them since..Come to find out they died a few years ago. No one bothered to tell me and their assets were sold off since no one came to claim it."
"I started as a kitchen helper at the Liberation and worked my way up. Eventually I was put in charge of assigning roles to other slaves. People started to look at me differently..I was no longer a lowly slave as I had a little bit of power. But I knew I was never going to be like everyone else.. But I tried to look out for everyone. Witnessing some things first hand made me want to help where I could.."
"Everything I did backfired and only caused the ones I was trying to help more pain..So I became an asshole and pushed everyone away..I decided that caring only about myself was the best move for me to avoid further problems..I was tired of being the reason that everyone was getting hurt."
"I thought you said he was your brother?" You whispered to Cho.
"We're not blood related, but he was always a nice guy who helped everyone when he could, including me."
"Thank you for sharing, Hiro..I'm curious, did anyone else try to do something?" Mr. Kim asked looking around the group.
Responses came from opposite sides of the room. "How could we?"
"Any thing we did that wasn't an order lead to severe punishment."
"..So the fear of death kept you all alive?" He continued to question the group.
"No the fear of having body parts cut off or being beaten kept us in line..Our death would've been a release."
"So none of you tried to fight?"
A silence fell over the group and everyones heads turned from left to right waiting on someone else to speak up.
"..I watched my twin sister fight..She fought anyone that tried to touch her..every time she did though she would be punished..It started with beatings..Then they cut off her hands..and then..her legs…Finally they put her out of her misery..right in front of me.."
'This just keeps getting sadder..I don't know how much longer I can deal with this..'
You stood next to Kirishima with a scanner in hand checking the numbers on the stock that was just delivered.
"Looks like you and Bakugo hit it off the other night."
You blushed at the mention of the blond. "..He's actually very sweet when you get to know him-"
"Ha! That guy! Let me tell ya, I've known him for years and he is anything but sweet."
Your phone vibrated in your pocket and you smiled already knowing who it was. Grabbing the device and tapping the screen you read the message from Bakugo. Your smile grew as you swiped your finger across the glass so you could respond.
"Is that him? You guys already exchanged numbers? Man he moves fast." He muttered the last part to himself.
You rolled your eyes at the younger man. "We're just talking, it's not that big of a deal."
"That's how it usually starts..Oh yeah, the gang is getting together tonight to grab drinks, you wanna come?"
"..Sure. Does Bakugo know?"
"Yeah. I'm sure he was gonna try to get out of it anyway, but if you tell him you want go I know he'll show up."
"Fine."
Sitting in a booth with the same group of people from karaoke, everyone had there second drink in front of them and you were starting to feel more relaxed around the group of close knit friends.
'I should order some water. I'm starting to feel drunk..'
Mina, the pink skinned girl with black eyes. threw up a hand and started waving it wildly to get someones attention. "Shoto! Over here!"
"Keep it down b-before you get us kicked out." Said Ida in a bossy, slurred tone.
When a half white half red haired boy with very familiar features approached the table you felt your heart drop. '..No way!..Young master Shoto! How did-why-' You could feel the sweat forming in your palms and your mouth went dry.
"Hey Shoto!"
"Glad you could make it."
Uraraka looked from Shoto to you and back before chiming in. "That's right, you couldn't make it last time so you didn't get to meet Mia. Shoto this is Mia, Mia this is Shoto."
"Nice to meet you Mia." He nodded to you as he squeezed into the booth next to Ida.
'His voice is so different now…I don't think he recognizes me, I should just say hi.' Your mouth opened but no words came out. '..Oh no.' It felt like everyones eyes were on you. Questioning you, judging you '..I can't breath,' you thought standing quickly bumping the table in the process.
"You okay?" Asked Bakugo who was watching you intently.
"..Air. I need some air. Sorry." You said quickly looking only at the floor as you felt tears threatening to fall. Pushing past the others you practically ran for the exit.
Once outside you gulped down the air you felt you desperately needed as you hyperventilated. Turning into the alley next to the bar you put your hand against the concrete wall, putting your weight on it to help steady yourself.
"What's going on?" Came Bakugo's voice from behind you.
"..It's nothing really."
"Didn't look like nothing."
"I just..needed some fresh air." You turned so he could see you'r now, hopefully calm, face. "See, all better now."
"..What did I tell you about hiding things from me."
Your shoulders dropped. "I'm not hiding anything from you."
"Then why were you shaking when Icy-Hot showed up?"
"..Who?"
"Todoroki Shoto." Averting your gaze you tried not to let your mind wander as it would lead to too many tears. Bakugo continued to speak, "..I won't judge you or think any differently of you. I just want to understand what's going on."
'..He's always so gentle, and kind..I guess I can tell him.' "..I uh..I used to work for his family, a long time ago..He was probably too young to remember."
He nodded his head slowly, "..I get it…Did seeing him trigger something?"
"A little.."
"..Come on." He grabbed your hand and pulled you out of the alley and onto the sidewalk.
You quickly noticed that you guys were going the opposite direction of the bar with his friends. "Bakugo, the bar is back that way."
"We're not going back there. If seeing that half and half punk is gonna cause problems then we should go somewhere else don't ya think."
Dabi watched intently as the young hero walked Mia home. He knew that she wouldn't be alone for long, but seeing one of the heroes he'd fought against putting the moves on his woman.
'Can't believe she'd go for someone like him.' He thought to himself as he continued to follow them cautiously so as not to be noticed.
"I think you're officially drunk."
"What are you talking about, I feel fiiinnne," you slurred leaning into Bakugos shoulder.
"Where are your keys?"
You laughed as he patted you down, "I'm ticklish, stop!" His hands continued to roam your body and your giggles started to turn into moans. 'He's doing this on purpose,' you thought catching his eyes. The bright red was drawing you in and you swallowed hard. "It's-um in my back pocket."
"..This one?" His hand slid around your waist and down your back to your ass, inside the pocket of your jeans. It was empty but he was fine getting a literal handful of your assets.
"Nope."
"Hm..then it must be," he moved his other hand the same as he did the first, however this time his fingers made contact with the single key. Pulling it out he expertly unlocked the door and put the key back into your pocket with breaking eye contact.
You felt yourself being drawn in and didn't realize that your faces were getting closer. Noses touched and you broke the starring contest to look at his lips. You wanted to kiss him, but you couldn't bring yourself to take the extra step. 'What's wrong with me? He's a perfectly nice guy who's given me no reason to doubt him.'
That's just it. He's too good for you.
"What's wrong?" His voice brought you back to reality. The closeness of his face and chest making you realize the situation you were still in.
"..Sorry, it's nothing."
"It didn't look like nothing." His hand touched your cheek and it was so gentle.
'How is he constantly reading me like a damn book?' "Am I having deja vu or didn't you say that earlier?"
"..If this is too much for you, you can say it..I understand you've been through a lot."
You rolled your eyes and let out a heavy sigh at his words. "You sound like my therapist."
"What?"
"Eh, fuck it." You kissed him.
"Shoto!"
"No, stop! I won't let you hurt Shoto too!" You yelled standing in front of a young Shoto who was holding his stomach in pain, while kneeling on the floor. Tears were still running down your face because you'd been crying most of the day.
When you heard the sounds in the training room you almost ignored it until you heard crying and decided to check it out.
Seeing Todoroki-sama attacking poor innocent little Shoto you couldn't help but to react quickly. Running into the room and jumping in front of the young boy to shield him from anymore hits.
"Get out of the way-" "No! I won't let you turn Shoto into another Touya!" You yelled trying to be brave as he stepped closer to you.
"Who the hell do you think you-" "Run Shoto!" You said turning to push the boy who was obviously frozen in fear towards the exit.
"You little," He grabbed your arm in a tight grip as you tried to run after Shoto who finally got the message that he needed to move. He was almost out the door thankfully so you turned your attention back to the huge muscular man who you feared since day one.
You used your other hand to hit at the arm that held you and even kicked at his legs but nothing seemed to work.
"Mia!" Shoto called looking back at you.
"Keep running Shoto! Don't worry about me!"
Todoroki-sama was about to go after his youngest son when you grabbed his arm with your free hand and pulled yourself nice and close. Opening your mouth you bit down as hard as you could on the hand that was holding you and he cussed with a yell as his grip gave way and you stumbled backwards onto the floor.
Looking to the door you saw that Shoto was gone. You felt relief wash over you but it didn't last long as Todoroki-sama was on top of you with a hand around your throat. He was squeezing tightly and you could clearly see the pissed off look on his face.
"You blame me for Touyas death? That's where you'r wrong, your the one responsible-"
"Fuck you!"
"No, fuck you. I told you on your first day what I expected from you and you failed every fucking time-"
"What do you expect, I'm just a kid."
"A quirkless kid who is picking a fight with me; and I expected you not to sleep with my son! I bought you to do a damn job!"
"Maybe that's your problem, you have such high expectations of everyone, it's no wonder they all hate you."
Today was a particularly bad day for you. 'I thought this would get easier but it seems to get harder every day.' You sat in Touyas room like you did every night since he died and cried until you literally couldn't anymore.
Everyone was already asleep so the house was eerily quiet. Laying down on the bed you remembered what it was like laying next to him. How warm he felt, the way your bodies seemed to fit together perfectly, all of your conversations, everything you guys talked about for the future.
'Why..why did you have to leave me Touya?..I finally had a friend and..now I'm alone again..'
The tears were flowing nonstop as you grabbed the single pillow and hugged it to your body. 'It really doesn't seem real…Touya..why you?..'
"What are you doing in here?"
Your head snapped in the direction of the door to see a obviously drunk Todoroki-sama stepping into the room and closing the door behind him.
Not wanting to talk to or be alone with the oversized man you stood from the bed quickly and walked towards the only exit.
"Hey, I'm talking to you." He grabbed your arm as you tried to slip past him and held it tight causing you to wince in pain.
"Your hurting me, let go-" his hand pushed you backwards towards the bed and you stumbled landing on the soft mattress in an upright position. You crossed your arms, now angry at having to deal with him while you were trying to grieve.
"You've got some nerve. I bring you into my home..cloth you, feed you and this is the thanks I get?"
"You get what your given old man..I will never respect you. Ever." Your eyes met his on that last part hoping to show your seriousness.
"Well..It seems I have no choice." He was surprisingly fast even in his inebriated state. You watched it happen almost in slow motion yet there was nothing you could do against his strength.
Before you could take in his words fully he was on top of you, your back now pressed against the mattress. Pinned down by his huge body he grabbed both of your hands in one of his and you immediately started to panic.
"W-what are you doing-stop!" The pitch in your voice raised when his free hand made contact with your panties.
"You brought this on yourself." He ripped the thin fabric with ease and tears would've fallen down your cheeks if you hadn't dried out your ducts from crying all day. Now you had no more left to shed.
"No! S-" you sobbed as his hand wrapped around your mouth to silence your screams.
"Don't you get it. It's your fault that Touyas gone and it's your fault that this is happening."
You trashed your legs but they barely moved under his knees. So you continued to scream behind his hand in the hopes that someone would hear you.
"Shhh. You don't want to wake the whole house and have them see you like this now do you?"
Bright blue orbs came into view and you flinched at the familiarity. They had you frozen in place you didn't even notice when he shifted his position. But you knew exactly what was about to happen when you felt something pressing at your entrance.
You weren't ready and you quickly learned that everything about this man was huge as he slammed his entire length into your dry cunt.
'..Is all this really my fault..am I to blame for everything..' You thought as a lone tear fell from your eye.
The sound of your phone announcing a new message woke you up and you were grateful that it was over. '..Well that was…Does unpleasant even cover it?' You questioned as you reached for the thin device resting on your night stand. The screen flashed at you as you read the text.
B: Sorry I couldn't stay last night. Had to leave early for work. I'll call you later.
Raising an eyebrow you starred at the screen before looking at the state of your clothes scattered about the floor. '..Did I..have sex with Bakugo last night?'
You sat in Mr. Kims office, having just explained what happened last weekend.
"..So because you came in contact with, Shoto, you've gotten more memories back?"
"..Seems that way."
"And you say you didn't get a chance to talk to him?"
You shook your head no, "I could barely introduce myself, before my body started to panic..Besides it didn't seem like he recognized me anyway."
"Maybe not immediately but if he suffered similar trauma there is a chance he does remember."
"..I'd feel bad for him if he did."
"..I meant to ask, how come you only blamed Todoroki and yourself for what happened to Touya?"
"..I blamed Todoroki-sama because he pushed Touya in the first place. Made him think he could be even greater than All Might and Endeavor, only to tell him later in life that he should give up on that dream..I blame myself for encouraging him further. For not stopping him when that was my job. The main thing I was brought in to do…"
"You were just a child. That type of responsibility shouldn't have been placed on your shoulders to begin with…Let's change topics. How is your relationship with Bakugo progressing?"
"..It's uh..progressing I guess. I think I drank too much the other night cause I don't remember everything that happened after we left the group at the bar, but I get the feeling we had sex and I might've done something that pushed him away."
"What makes you say that?"
"We haven't been talking as much as we used to."
"Maybe he's busy with work, or school. Something could have come up with his family. You have to remember you are not the center of his world, everyone has other responsibilities that need their attention."
"..But what if I did or said something that offended him and he's just being nice because of my past and not wanting to hurt my feelings?..I can handle the truth."
"..Have you tried asking him?"
"Yeah, but he said we should talk about it in person..that was two days ago."
"..I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. You are a very considerate person. Humble and too caring to have done something so terrible to someone you obviously like..Just give him time, he'll come around."
"And if he doesn't?"
"Then you move on and continue to make friends and live your life."
You stood in the kitchen meticulously watching the timer and your oven as you waited for the rack of lamb you where preparing to finish.
A knock on the door made you turn to look at it and you felt that familiar sense of deja vu as you stepped towards it. Unlocking the deadbolt you pulled the door open and felt relief and surprise at seeing Bakugo standing in the hallway.
"Mind if I come in?"
You mumbled a quick "Not at all," and opened the door wide enough for him to step inside.
Closing the door you leaned against it as you watched him take in your apartment. The timer begin to ring obnoxiously and your eyes widened as you practically ran to turn it off. Grabbing two pot holders you turned to the oven and opened the door to reach inside and pull of the piping hot tray.
"What's that?" He questioned watching you.
"Herb crusted rack of lamb." You responded giving the meat a once over as you sat the tray on the counter next to the stove.
"..Are you..expecting company?" He raised an eyebrow, but your attention was on the food before you.
"..Oh, no. I made it for myself-well more like I'm practicing."
"Practicing for what?..You about to open up a restaurant or something?"
You giggled, "No, it's…My therapist said I should expand on the things I already enjoy doing. So every month I buy a new cookbook and try to make recipes that I've never had before."
"You cook like this often?"
"Almost everyday."
"..And you eat it..all by yourself?"
You smile softly and shrug your shoulders. "Well..since your here..do you..want to join me?..I can't guarantee the taste bu-" "Make me a plate."
"I've never had lamb before, but that was good. Not bad for your first time."
"I feel like you'r just saying that to be nice." You grabbed both of your plates and walked to the sink to clean them.
"Trust me I'm not the nice type. If I say it's good then that means something."
"..You still haven't told me why you came over."
"..Yeah…About the other night.."
"What even happened? I don't remember much after we left the second bar." You said washing the plates.
"Yeah, you were pretty gone by the time we got to your place." He chuckled low to himself.
'Great, I must of done something stupid if he's laughing at me.' "..Did we.."
You didn't notice he'd stood up from the table nor how close he was until he whispered into your ear. "Almost..I really wanted to, but I also wanted you to remember it."
The hairs on the back of your neck stood on edge and you'r breathing started to pick up. Your eyes looked to the side and found his face a mere inch from yours causing your eyes to lower. "Why would someone like you, want someone like me?"
His hand cupped you'r face making you turn your body to face him. "Why wouldn't I." Lips met in a passionate kiss that quickly turned into a heated embrace. And before you knew it you were being picked up and carried to your bedroom, tongues still tangled as each of them fought for control.
Eyes opening slowly, you felt something warm underneath your head and fingers in your hair. "..You'r still here." You said still in a dream like state.
His stomach moved as he spoke. "Today's my off day."
You quickly turned to him with a look of excitement. "..So I get you all to myself today?"
"That's right."
You smiled, "Well, this will be the best birthday I've had in a very long time..Heck I couldn't even remember when it was until a few weeks ago."
He raised an eyebrow. "..How old are you?"
You had to think for a minute. "..Twenty-five..How old are you?" 'I'm surprised this didn't come up sooner.'
"Nineteen."
'I thought we were closer in age.' "..It doesn't bother you, that I'm older?"
"Nope." He answered with an air of confidence.
"..Well since it's my birthday..there's this place I've always wanted to go to."
"..If you say Disney World I'm leaving." You blinked and starred at him silently before realization hit and he made an exasperated sound. "Really?! What are you, a kid?"
"I've never been there before and it looks so cool..Please, Bakugo-kun?..I'll be forever in your debt if you just come with me."
He rolled his eyes and pretended to think about it, before looking back at you. "..I won't let you back out of that you know."
"Yes!" You exclaimed letting a big smile overtake your face.
You couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. The weather was perfect, the lines weren't that long and you got to try so many delicious snacks and treats. Watching the fireworks once it got dark was the perfect way to end the day.
Once inside your apartment you leaned against the door and let out a sigh of content. 'I haven't had that much fun in..forever! I still can't believe everything I've missed out on.' You sat your bags on the floor and proceeded to take off your shoes. Hitting the switch for the light you noticed something, or rather, someone laying on your couch.
"Gotta say, I wasn't expecting you to move on so quickly."
You starred wide eyed at Dabi, looking like he owned the place, stretched out the way he was. "..You call eight and a half months quick?"
He shrugged his shoulders, "I always come back to you."
'That's not an answer..' "..Why did you leave in the first place? Hell, why even bother to come back at all?"
He put a hand on his chest, pretending like your words literally hurt him. "Ouch. What's the matter doll, can't take a little separation?.. I like to think it builds anticipation, plus, I came all this way to celebrate your birthday."
'That's..a surprise.' "..You actually remembered my birthday?"
"I'm actually surprised that you remember it."
'If you would've stayed you'd already know.' "..I remember everything."
He sat upright and looked at you. "..Everything?" You nod your head yes and step closer so that you can sit next to him on the sofa.
Plopping yourself down on the soft cushion you sighed heavily and turned to look at your former master..your first love. "..D-Dabi…I-I need you to leave..and to stay away for good this time-" "The fuck are you saying?!" He interrupted with an incredulous look on his face.
'Remain calm and maintain eye contact.' "I can't keep doing this. It's not like we had a healthy relationship to begin with, b-but this just makes it harder for me-"
"And what about me? What about everything I've done up until this point?! You don't even know how much I've done for your sake-"
"Then where were you when I needed you?! Where were you when.." You couldn't get the words out and it took everything in you to try and hold back the tears that threatened to fall.
Dabi, seeing the look on your face, grabs your arm and pulls you into him, his lips brushing against yours quickly in the process. With his arms now wrapped around you he says, "..I promise to make it all up to you. But you can't give up on us..I need you to hold on just a little bit longer."