Thank you to everyone who came here after reading 'Blindsided.'

If you haven't read that story, I suggest you head over and do so before continuing this one to get a better understanding of the storyline and characters as this is a sequel!

Enjoy!

Calliope was the last to arrive home that evening. It had been a long day at Juggernaut Academy, America's most prestigious hero school.

10 years ago, Calliope had graduated from the academy. A lot had happened since then. And, though there had been some troubling times, she wouldn't have had it any other way if it meant giving up what she had now. A devoted husband, a beautiful daughter, wonderful friends, a dream job...

Today, she taught at Juggernaut as a teacher who's skills and techniques centred around stealth; the hero Medusa could take you out before you even knew she was there.

With every year bringing her a new batch of students, along with a new mix of challenging quirks and personalities to help guide and nurture, Calliope continuously found herself being pushed to her limits. Now she had reached the end of another taxing week of mental and physical exhaustion, she was glad to be home.

Sam, her husband, had picked little Clara up from school on his way back from the Lab. Their precious daughter was now 8 years old. How time had flown by. It only seemed like yesterday that they had introduced her to their old friends at UA in Japan. Since then, Clara's love for Deku had grown considerably. It was adorable to see her eyes light up every time his name popped up on the computer screen and his face would appear on video call.

One time, when Sam and Calliope had a quick catch-up with his rival Bakugo over video chat, Clara had let slip that Deku was in fact her favourite hero of all time.

"What? That damn nerd?!" Bakugo had scoffed.

"Language!" Calliope had reminded, while Sam simply chuckled at Bakugo's jealously. The blond simply grunted an apology, his grumpy face clearly showing how low-key insulted he was that his beloved god-daughter preferred his all-time rival to him.

"You have your mom's terrible taste in men," Bakugo had grunted, smirking as Sam flashed him the finger while Clara wasn't looking.

Calliope clicked her tongue at the comment but had found herself smiling at the men's banter. As the years had gone on, Sam and Bakugo's brotherly relationship had only grown closer, even with the vast distance between them.

"How do you think Russ felt when he asked her, hm?" Sam chuckled as Bakugo continued to frown; Clara was now showing him all her Deku merchandise.

Russ, also known by his hero name 'Papyrus' was Clara's uncle and second favourite hero after Deku. Annoyingly for Uncle Bakugo, he came third.

After seeing how inundated his older sibling Sam was with work, he had offered to cook dinner for the family that night. He only lived across the hallway from their apartment, so arrangements such as these happened often.

When Calliope pushed open the front door, the smell of hot food greeted her. She suddenly remembered just how hungry she was. Russ called to her in greeting from the kitchen as she kicked off her shoes and entered the lounge.

As soon as she saw her, Clara rushed over and, despite the ache in her body, Calliope hoisted the young girl up into her arms as she happily welcomed her home.

"Yay! Mommy! You're back!"

She giggled when Calliope spun in place, kissing her daughter on the nose as she did so.

"Hello, my darling! How was school?"

Clara babbled away happily as Calliope walked over to kiss Russ on the cheek, having to stand on tiptoes to do so. He was cooking what looked like risotto. It was Clara's favourite; Uncle Russ always spoilt her.

Calliope spotted her husband sat out on the balcony. He looked notably tired. It had clearly been a long week for the both of them.

"...And Mrs Stephenson said my story was really good!"

Calliope gasped happily. "My! That's wonderful! I'm so proud of you! Will you read it to me and Daddy tonight?"

Clara nodded her head eagerly in response as Calliope set her down on the couch by the crayon covered coffee table.

As the little girl went back to her drawing, Calliope made her way over to greet Sam. His brows were furrowed in concentration as he poured over his research notes. He was scribbling away in his notebook and muttering quietly under his breath as she approached.

The head scientist of the Gaster Laboratory was out of his lab coat and dressed in his usual evening attire of sweatpants and slippers. He had taken off his t-shirt and was soaking up the last of the sun's rays as it sank into the horizon. As lame as it sounded, she fell in love with him all over again every time she looked at him. And when he looked over his round glasses at her, and smiled that lazy grin she loved so much, she felt her heart flutter.

"Heya, beautiful." He greeted. She lent down and pressed her lips to his. He tasted like coffee; it would be another late night of working from home for him, then. Sympathetic eyes locked onto tired ones.

"You should take a break," Calliope suggested gently, her hand caressing his face, her thumb stroked the stubble at his chin.

He sighed, both at her statement and at her touch.

"I have to finish this report by tomorrow morning," he informed, taking her hand in his. He flipped it over and kissed her palm. "But I'm almost done."

She narrowed her eyes at him, wanting to believe him. But he kissed her again before she could make any sort of retort. What she'd give to have him crawl into bed with her and not fall asleep 5 minutes after his head hit the pillow.

"Oh by the way..." he proclaimed, pulling away from her lingering lips.

"I fixed the lenses of your eyewear."

He reached under the chair and handed her the item in question.

As part of her hero costume, Calliope wore a viper-head visor that allowed her to go about her day without worry of her quirk affecting people against her will. Over the years, both the costume and visor had been updated. Her latest version was lighter in fabric and colour. However, while at home, she liked to wear a more simple eyewear that had been designed by none other than her husband Sam. The design was far less bulky that her hero visor, resembling a pair of cool sunglasses more than the head of a snake.

Russ had complimented them the first time had seen them.

"Who knew Sam had such good taste!" He had joked as he inspected her new eyewear with a smile.

Calliope continued the jesting as she commented; "Sam just doesn't want to be the only one in the family who has to wear glasses now."

They had been sat on the balcony drinking coffee that morning.

"Our dad wears glasses." Russ reminded her.

"Exactly."

Sam was grimacing at their playful exchange at his expense. Russ continued.

"Gee, Sam. The hefty scars, the glasses, that frown. You look more and more like our old man as the years go on."

Sighing, he had shut his notebook, removing his round glasses to place them next to his mug. He had once again been working hard researching new methods of monitoring hereditary quirk-related issues. The scar Russ had mentioned was the large burn scar across his older sibling's chest.

"Fame has gone to your head, bro," Sam replied with a slow shake of his head. "You didn't used to be this cocky."

The brothers then exchanged a smirk.

"Don't listen to him, my darling" Calliope had purred as she watched her husband rub his tired eyes. Though crows feet had formed in the corners over the years they'd spent together, those eyes still retained their glint of boyish mischief every time he cast them over to his wife.

"You're as handsome as ever."

And to her, he really was as he sat there in the sun, shirtless; all messy hair, stubble and scars.

He had turned his head when she reached around to kiss him, her hand sliding down the uneven skin at his chest. Even after being married 9 years, her heart still hammered every time their lips met.

Behind them, theatrical retching sounds could be heard. Calliope had pulled back from him to see Russ and Clara giggling. Her daughter had scrunched her tiny nose up as she and Russ stuck out their tongues in mock disgust.

"You're just jealous, bro," Sam had grinned.

"Still no girlfriend? Despite being the number one hero and on the cover of nearly every magazine? Heh."

Russ had merely rolled his eyes at him.

The tall, well dressed younger sibling had been voted America's most handsome man 3 years running. Over the years, he had retained his lean physique, impeccably styled hair and kind eyes. Classically handsome in comparison to Sam's more unconventional attractiveness.

"I don't have time to go on dates," he grumbled, looking bashful all of a sudden.

Calliope had pouted and tousled his hair, knowing it would irk him. But before he could complain, she had pulled both him and the young child on his knee, into a warm hug.

"Never mind, Casanova! There's plenty more smooches to go around, isn't that right Clara?'"

Then both mother and daughter had playfully attacked him with loud, wet kisses all over his face.

But the household was far more subdued this evening. Everyone seemed rather tired. Even Clara, who's usual boisterous dinner-table-talk was peppered with yawns every now and again over Russ' risotto.

As the two brothers cleared away the table once everyone's stomachs were full, Calliope got Clara ready for bed. Russ kissed her goodnight before leaving to head back to his place next door. He promised he'd take her to the beach tomorrow when she pouted.

"Are you sure?" Calliope had asked.

"Yeah, of course! You and Sam have been working so hard and things have been real slow for me." He shot her a wide smile and grasped her firmly by the shoulder as he pushed to his feet.

"Well, considering you're a hero, that should be a good thing." She replied, patting his hand before he withdrew it.

After arranging to pick Clara up the next morning, Russ left Calliope to get her settled beneath the floral print sheets. Sam came in shortly after and shuffled beside her.

After listening to Clara's story she wrote at school, an epic tale about a vampire princess whose best friend was a snake and their battle against an evil goat who wanted to kill every child in the world, both parents kissed her goodnight.

"She's such a good kid," Sam smiled as he and Calliope snuggled down on the couch. And when he reached for his notebook, she snatched it from the table and tossed it behind them. Before he could even sound a single word of protest, she closed her mouth over his.

Though all his hard work now lay on the carpet behind couch, he didn't show any sign of irritation when he returned the kiss with a subtle groan of contentment.

"It's Friday..." Calliope uttered against his smiling lips, "work can wait."

Sam sighed heavily, his forehead resting against hers and his hands at her waist.

"What was that quote from Tesla about married men?" He mumbled, his glasses slightly askew as Calliope continued to nip at his lips.

"Something about them not being able to make good inventions." She replied with an alluring smirk and a brush of the nose. And as she swung her leg over him to straddle his hips, she reached up and pulled off the eyewear he had made her.

"Ahh. That's it," he responded; whether to her statement or the fact she was now gently placing soft kisses against his neck.

"Clearly didn't know what he was talking about," Calliope murmured through a smile, "you've always been good with your hands."

A low rumble rounded in his throat, a cross between a laugh and a moan. His hands gripped her hips as their lips met again. He kissed her slowly, almost sleepily.

The creep of his tongue, the squeeze of her thighs.

And when he suggested they go to bed, she was glad that it wasn't just to sleep.