Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya - Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
The bathhouse was a tiled room next to the boiler room, making it naturally warm, and once we had both tubs filled with hot water, it became steamy. There were two claw-foot tubs, pristine and setting on top of little grates and what looked to be a giant hand-woven rug. In between the tubs was a line where you could pull a privacy curtain. It was belted, but Ochaco had just laughed and pulled it to make the illusion of privacy.
I watched her though the back-lit material. Her body growing sharper, more defined the more clothes that joined the mound peeking around the curtain. I held my breath, slipping out of my own clothes with a reverent slowness. I don't know what madness was over taking me. Was I lonely? Horny? Stupid?
I pulled off my boxers, glad once again that Ochaco had gotten me the one new thing I wanted most. "Should we wash our clothes?"
"I'm going to." I heard the splash and sloshing of her body settling into the bath, "Right here in the bathwater once I'm done. If we hang them with the blanket in the boiler room they should dry before we have to leave."
I climbed in, no longer able to discern where she was now that her shadow was merged into the tub's. I didn't even try to disguise the moan of pleasure that gusted out as tired muscles hit the hot water. It'd been so long since I'd sat in a bathtub, and the feeling of the last 24 hours washing away like so much dust was almost enough to make me moan again.
Royan's economy revolved around the sea and the things in it, so I hadn't been surprised to be given a large natural sponge to use in my bath. Armand had told me to keep it as a memento of our visit, and I fully planned to. I soaped it, and scrubbed my skin, turning it rosy and even more relaxed. I thought about the girl on the other side of the curtain, and leaned back, allowing my hair to drip lazily on the rug.
Ochaco's soft drips and swirling splashes made me think she'd decided to just relax. I examined my sponge, looking at it for insight, maybe, before opening my mouth again, "Thank you."
"For what?"
I rolled my eyes, glad she couldn't see it, "The clothes. I yelled at you, you didn't need that."
"My boyfriend is like that too." She laughed, and I could hear her shift, "He's my superior, and sometimes I think he forgets that when it's just him and I..." She sighed, "I miss him."
"That's natural." I sank low, my lips just above the waterline, "Is he someone I might know?"
Ochaco stilled, not a sound coming from her side of the curtain. I almost told her to forget it when she answered softly, "He's not who you were looking for."
"Todoroki?" I blinked, it seemed a long time ago, but it had been just yesterday. "When you said that he'd toast me, I had been surprised. I mean, I know there's repeated quirks out there, but what were the chances? That I'd randomly found you at a fish'n'chips stand?" I laughed, "I'm not worried about your boyfriend, whomever he might be. A quirk as strong as Todoroki's would have been found long ago during the allotment."
"You sound so sure of yourself." Her scoff was easily heard, "I'll have you know that he's strong."
"Che." I shook my head, "I don't know how you managed to slip though the cracks, but the allotments work. The undercity gets food and electricity vouchers. Clothes. And every single child is interviewed without their parent's presence."
"Is that what happened to you?"
"No. When I found out I had a quirk, my parents registered me. I went to military school. I graduated top of my class. I'm going to be the youngest captain in the fleet. Someday, I'll move my parents to someplace nice, with a view of the water and a jumpship of their own."
"That's really sweet. After all the egotism, that is." She giggled and I dunked my head.
I splashed up, and levered myself out of the tub. "Well, whatever." I kicked the pile of dirty clothes into the empty space in front of her bath. "I'm going to bed. Do you mind washing my stuff?" How dare she laugh at my dreams. They might not be as great as being a stupid criminal hunted all over the globe, but it was the only dream I had.
Dabi
After leaving Barult, we grabbed our things and literally ran away from the nightclub. There was a safe house just a few kilometers away, in the Southern part of town, an inn where travelers and merchants were welcomed, but their troubles weren't. A giant by the moniker of 'Brick' stood watch nights.
"[Hey, Brick,]" Shinso had backed up a step, but I stepped forward. I'd had more time to get used to him, "[We need a room, we'll be out of your hair early.]"
"He doesn't have any," Shinso joked quietly, but I shushed him impatiently.
"[Dabi.]" Brick, oblivious to Shino's comment, scratched his chin with a finger that seemed to have too many knuckles, "[It's late, Morganne won't be happy.]"
I flashed him the credits I'd swiped, knowing that they'd overcome Morganne's unhappy feelings. I was right as Brick turned and we followed him into a cozy little reception area. Two couches covered in plush green velour, sat in front of a large fireplace. A few tables were in the area too, almost all of them had a patron or two having a last drink before bed and business in the morning.
"You old fart," Morganne greeted me in shaky Japanese. It was the only thing she'd wanted to learn.
"[Is that any way to treat paying customers?]" She laughed, and held out her hands, and I stepped into them, giving the elderly woman a fierce bear hug. She was more or less unchanged since the last time I'd seen her. Her hair was shining white, and plaited into a crown that she pinned a golden rose into. Her dress matched my own eye color, bright blue with a simple floral pattern covered with a creamy apron.
"[Morganne, this is Shinso. We're only here to get some sleep before we set out down South. Anything I should know?]"
She grunted sourly as she walked over to one of the couches, her gnarled fingers bouncing on the cushions, "[Keep an old woman company. Tell your friend he can sleep in..]" She thought for a moment, "[There's two beds in 102, since I'm pretty sure Brick'd kill you if you're not really straight.]"
"[I told him I have sensitive skin.]" She cackled again, as I turned to Shinso, "Down the hall..."
"I got most of it." He bowed toward Morganne, "[Thank you, Madame.]" He grabbed my bag, and went to find the room.
"[So, what's up?]" She watched his retreating backside with a small appreciative smirk. I shook my head, "[I think he may be too young for you.]" She rolled her eyes, and I continued, "[Brick seems to think you're in a bad mood.]"
"Humph," She snorted, and grabbed a glass beading with condensation and took a sip, "[Pirates and them got a bad taste in their mouths. They're stirring up more trouble than ever. French government is making noise again.]"
My eyes widened, "[That's real, then?]"
"[Not like before, either. They seem determined.]" She smiled, "[There's a politician here tonight, too. Stirring up his own kinda trouble. That's why I've been short with Brick. Guess I should apologize.]"
"[Pirate trouble? How far South?]"
"[Dabi, listen to an old woman. Suze is here. She misses you, she has friends for the boy, too.]" I rolled my eyes with a heavy snort of my own, "[Listen boy. South's trouble. Even the good cities are getting caught up in it. People taken for no reason. Slavery on the rise, illegal trade, black market...]" She shook her head. She dealt in it too, anyone with sense and a liking for machine made things did. Especially here. "[It's bad.]"
"[I found a girl,]" I said gently, and Morganne set her cup down, her eyes going round. She'd known me since I was just a kid while I'd recovered from the burns that I wore. Suzette was the girl who'd kissed me first. But I'd been in pain and shy, and she'd been...a little too flirty. Morganne had taught me French while I learned how to fight and shoot. How to live with a face that couldn't be lost in a crowd. France had been a good teacher. Morganne had been the mother that I wished I had. For all of that, she didn't even know all my truth.
She leaned forward and hugged me again, "[She is the luckiest girl in the world.]" Morganne sat back, her smile near lost in wrinkles, "[Where is she, then? This lucky girl?]"
I closed my eyes, the grief catching up with me now that I had no more anger to spare. "[She was stolen. Pirates.]"
Her soft green eyes misted as she turned her attention to the fire, and when she regarded me again, I could see her lashes stuck together with tears. "[Then she is double lucky. You'll get her back, and if she's tough enough to love your boney ass, she'll be fine. Mark my words, boy. Bring her back when you get her. Tell her...]" Her smile withered, but she patted my hands with her age-softened ones, "[Tell her she must meet your mother. Do you need anything? Ammo? Food? A bedroll? You were always the stupid one, rushing around without a thought in your head.]"
"[Thank you, maman.]" I could barely resist crying into her smock. "[If Midnight comes looking, tell her we've gone South.]" She blinked quickly, obviously afraid for her stupid boy. "[Food. I don't need ammo; I have enough for Hitoshi should it come down to it.]" I served her a saucy wink, "[You know I can always get a warm place to sleep with my charming personality.]"
She snorted gently, "[As you say. I'll deliver some provisions to your room. Sleep. If you have any credits, you should keep them. In case your personality doesn't help.]"
I stood and gave her a small bow, "[Good night, maman.]"
"Konbonwa, Dabi." She is always full of surprises.
Kyoka Jiro
Standing third watch is the easiest part of my duty roster. Captain Todoroki was asleep, as was Commander Ishiyama. That leaves the drop-dead gorgeous Commander Takami in charge. And he was far more easy-going than his name might suggest. I am just supposed to sit though the darkest parts of the night at the communications rig, reading the incoming messages and sorting them, running decryption when necessary.
As lowly Ensign Kyoka, in the dead of night, I mostly get to sit here and either study my signaling codes and methods or better, I chit-chat with Keigo and the other crew members stuck with night watch. Tonight, we had my roommate and friend Mina as well. Though technically, she should have been asleep or studying in our bunk.
Takami walked the beam of the bridge deck, his shoes squeaking against the metal plates as his wings whispered behind him. "All's good, Conn?"
"Clear."
I swiveled in my seat to watch him for a few moments. It was worth it as he carefully sat in the captain's chair, his long vermilion wings at ease, flowing all around him like spilled blood. "Anyone else get out today?"
Mina lounged in Takami's usual seat, her chores over with for the night. Her fluffy pink hair wiggled with her head as she nodded, "Just to the city. I had to mail my parents, check over the stores for anything British." Her strange gold on black eyes glowed in the lights of the dim bridge. "Of course they don't have anything. Just some dreadful Federation knock-offs."
"As if you could afford clothes from London." I snorted, but shot her a smile so she knew I was just teasing. "I was asleep, we'll be here for a few more days. And though you'll be slipping off to our bunk, I still have..." I checked over my shoulder, "Three more hours to this watch." I shrugged gently, "Things down in the bowels are just so boring without Bakugo."
"He didn't come back?" Takami sat up a little straighter now as he turned his attention to me, "I knew he was here for inspection this morning."
"No," tilted my head quizzically, "Why? We're at dock for at a week of downtime. If he didn't have any shifts today, he'd be out having a good time, right?"
"No?" snarked Mina, "I mean it's old blow-em-up Bakugo. He hates doing anything else but being a walking frown. Or yelling. He does like to yell."
Takami stroked his chin, "Jiro, check satcom, is there anything on the wires for this part of the world?"
"Not that I noticed." I turned, and sent my earjacks to ponk out the command codes to bring up the warnings for Northern Europe. I scanned them, "Not area specific, but fleet wide. Something about privateers looking for uniforms? Like, why?"
"That's it?" I twitched aside, he'd somehow silently moved behind me, his hair brushing my skin; a delicate tickle, "Infiltration, most likely. It wouldn't work because of the Ident chips embedded in the uniforms themselves." Takami shrugged, "They'll be caught like usual."
"Wouldn't it be weird if that's what happened?" Mina giggled, the suggestion was ludicrous.
I agreed, "Yeah, if any pirate tried something on him, I feel sorry for them." Bakugo, for all his loud bluster was a good guy, and I really like him.
"It's an open secret that the Captain is looking for his sons. Although they're both old enough to be off apron strings." Takami regained his seat in the captain's chair, wiggling and patting his feathers so they would lie just so. "He believes that they're with some pirate outfit or another. Bakugo met with him just as we were coming off duty, remember?"
I thought back, and he was right, "It was strange, but I didn't think anything about it."
"Well, whatever happened, if anything comes of it, I guess we'll hear about it." Takami turned his amber gaze to Mina, "As charming a visitor as you are, if Todoroki came up for another early morning chat he'd put you, and probably me, off the ship." He smiled, his mischievous eyes lighting up, "I don't know about you, but I don't want to become Scottish."
Mina stood and gave him a mocking salute before leaving the bridge. I sat back in my chair and stared at the comms board. For some reason I couldn't put my finger on, I felt uneasy. Although Bakugo was just as tough as Mina said, I was still worried. To my surprise, I blushed.
AN/ SO! Hawks got a name! It's Keigo Takami! *dies slowly* Honestly, this uniform thing. It is only a plot device. Had to get people moving, hope you don't mind. Thanks go to Mosevic for being here when I need him!
