I'm dead. I've got to be dead. There's no way this is happening. This is happening and it's the best! He was sure that he must have been destroyed. The men in the hallway had to have damaged his body badly enough that he came apart and now this was some sort of beautiful afterlife. It was the only way he could rationalize what was happening.

Opening his eyes to find Kuroiwa looking down at him with such concern, such sadness. Feeling her soft thighs beneath his head and her fingertips caressing the side of his face. It had to be heaven so he, in a burst of confidence since he was sure that he was dead, threw his arms around her to pull her down to him.

Silky obsidian hair fell around his face as he held her. It was an awkward position for both of them and he really wished that it was different so he could bring her even closer, but he was not about to complain. She smelled like lavender and her skin was warm, even through the soft material of her sleeping shirt.

"Ngh." Jin felt a throbbing in his face and his hold on her began to loosen. The warmth he had felt from holding her faded, goose bumps rising on his skin as he realized that he was wrong. Jin was, in fact, alive. The "angel" he was holding really was Kuroiwa and his head was resting on her lap.

This realization had his heart racing insanely fast and he froze in place with his arms still around her. If I let go of her, she's going to say something! I don't want her to get mad at me! But if I don't let go, she'll think I'm a creep! I could hold her forever! I have to let go! I'm not letting go of her until I'm ready! He failed to notice that his arms were tightening around her.

Kuroiwa placed a hand against his shoulder, but she was trembling. "Ah…Bubaigawara-san, I apologize…could you perhaps…?"

"I'm sorry," he said through gritted teeth. He released her and immediately turned his head to the side when she leaned up again. Jin wanted to look at her. He wanted to know that she held no anger toward him. However, the man simply could not bear the thought of her possibly looking at him with repulsion. His face was a mess and he knew it.

She saw the troubled expression he wore and, to his surprise, she began trailing her fingers through his hair again. "I apologize…if I had acted swiftly, I might have prevented you from losing consciousness…"

It was now that he noticed the glinting object in the distance, on the floor. A large kitchen knife. The sight of it conjured up an image that made his heart swell with even more love. The idea of her coming to his defense, holding the knife and preventing the be assailants from injuring him further. It made him want to hold her again.

"You're…an angel," he muttered. Unfortunately, this sweet sentiment was immediately followed by something terrible. "What kind of demon lets a guy get hurt this bad in the first place?!"

A rosy blush came to her cheeks and she looked away. "Bubaigawara-san, if you could forgive my forwardness earlier…calling you by your first name without your permission…breaking the barrier of professionalism…I apologize. I need to…if I could make it up to you…by tending to your wounds. I would be grateful."

She was asking him so timidly. As if he would be doing her a favor by letting her take care of him. The reality of it was that the thought of her taking care of him brought the man a rush of happiness. No one had ever treated him as kindly as she did and she was only becoming sweeter and sweeter.

Shift P.O.V

Once he was settled on a couch in the tea room, Neneko went to retrieve the first aid kit from her bathroom. It was rare that she had to use it, but was now glad that she always kept it fully stocked. She paused to set a kettle of water to boil, selecting a simple chamomile tea to help soothe him.

It was embarrassing to be seen in her nightshirt. The sleepwear was a long pale gray shirt that reached to just a few inches above her knees. Something simple. Something she never wore in front of others because it showed too much skin. She wanted to get something from her room to put on, to cover more, but she did not want to leave her guest alone for long in his current state.

Kneeling in front of him on the floor, she reached up with a wet cloth to wipe away the blood. His nose was gushing red so she gave him a tissue to press against it. Thankfully, his attackers appeared to have been unarmed. There were no visible cuts; just a few abrasions and deep bruises.

She still had no idea why it had happened. Her neighbor had been out there, along with four other men. Just remembering the way they brutalized her friend made her seethe. She hoped that they fell down the stairs when they ran away. She hoped that something awful happened to them.

Neneko went to get the kettle, some cups, and an ice pack from her fridge. Upon returning to the tea room, she found her cat standing on the arm of the couch and nuzzling against the man's cheek. "Yori, no. Get down," she said, softly yet firmly. The cat's tail flicked in agitation, but hopped onto the floor.

"I apologize. Since she was a kitten, I'm afraid that I've spoiled her."

"Its…fine." He held his head, grimacing in pain.

She lifted the ice pack and gently placed it against a deep bruise on his left temple. The muscles in his neck tensed, a faint twitch beneath his eye as his frown deepened. "What…happened, Bubaigawara-san? I saw my neighbor in the corridor with you…as well as some other men…"

"They were planning to break in," he muttered, keeping his eyes directed anywhere expect for on her. "They were going to hurt you and I couldn't let them do that!"

The woman blinked and began to frown. Her free hand lifted to cover her mouth as she slowly drew the ice pack away. "You…were injured this badly…because you were coming to my defense again. Bubaigawara-san, you…really are too noble of a man. Did you know that those men were unarmed?"

"No," he confessed. "I just…I couldn't let you get hurt. They were going to-!" He held his head with both hands now, eyes closing tightly and teeth gritting. "I'm sorry! I'm not!"

"Bubaigawara-san…?" Neneko bit her lip as her hand dropped from over her mouth. She wanted to tell him that she knew. That she had done her research, used her shadier connections, and that she knew how dangerous his associate Shigaraki was. Someone with a name that sounded evil and made up. Someone with a wicked heart and mind. Someone with so much hatred that he wished death upon the symbol of peace.

She wanted to protect her valiant friend. She wanted to stop him from working with Shigaraki. However, just like when she peered out the peep hole at the fight in her hallway, she was afraid. This was not a fear for her life and safety though. This was a fear of being left alone again. If she told him that she was looking into the people he worked with, he might be angered and decide to never speak to her again.

"Please…I never want you to put yourself in danger for my benefit again," she quietly spoke. As she said this, an idea began to form. Something terrifying, but something that made her heart skip a beat.

Shift P.O.V

As she tended to his wounds, Jin had to keep his hands curled into fists at his side. Having the woman take such good care of him and speak to him so kindly was almost too much for his heart to handle. Coupling that with the way she was dressed, he was soon distracted from the pain of his bruises.

Her bare skin was so pale. Like the petals of a lily. She smelled like lavender each time she got close to him and he had to fight the urge to grab her waist and pull her in for a hug.

I can't promise her I'll never do it again. I won't let anyone hurt her. She's got a strong quirk! She can fend for herself! No! She needs me! She needs me to protect her! He opened his eyes, focusing on her as she poured two cups of tea. Her movements were so graceful, even with her hands shaking. "…I love you…" he mumbled, bowing his head.

"Ah…did you…say something, Bubaigawara-san?" She tilted her head as she offered him a cup of chamomile tea. The woman's violet eyes seemed to stare directly into his gray-blue ones before she smiled shyly.

Taking the cup from her, his free hand rubbed behind his neck. "I said thanks. You seriously didn't hear me?! Ngh!" He downed the cup of tea swiftly, ignoring the way it scorched his throat. Anything to keep himself from blurting that out again. Anything to keep himself from scaring her off.

Kuroiwa did not sit on the couch across from him. Instead, she sat beside him and gave the man a look of concern. "Bubaigawara-san? Are you alright? I can get some painkillers if you are in too much pain. I don't believe you have a concussion, but you do have some severe bruising that may be-"

"You…called me "Jin" before."

"Ah…? Oh. Yes, I apologize for that. It was very forward of me to address you that way. I will be more professional in the future so-"

"No! I mean, I…want you to call me "Jin"." He watched from the corner of his eye as she flushed pink and lowered her gaze to her lap. I want her to like me! I want her to want to be with me! Why is this so difficult?! I'm going to mess everything up! She's totally into me! She can't stop blushing! Why did I think a woman like her would want someone like me?! I don't deserve-!

"…Jin…"

The sound of his name being said in that soft, whispery voice made his heart pound faster. There was a rush of warmth that settled in his stomach and below that. He let her take his cup from him and set it on the coffee table before he could drop it. Something about the way her fingertips brushed over his hand, the way she had spoken his name. It had him fighting back stronger urges now.

"If you would like, if you want me to call you "Jin", then…perhaps you could call me "Neneko"?" she offered. A delicate hand settled on his left knee, sending shockwaves through him where she touched. "I apologize if that sounds presumptuous."

"Neneko." Jin tested the name and decided that he loved it. He loved everything about the translator; from her soft voice and touch to her name. My soulmate. She's perfect for me. She's got her bad points. He looked to where her hand still rested on his knee and he felt a slight twitch beneath his eye.

It was becoming overwhelming. All of this happiness as well as the pain from his injuries. He stared to feel it. Like he was splitting apart. The bliss conflicting with the pain and tearing away at him like a maniac with a knife. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to look away from her. A hand lifted to his face as he stared down at the floor.

I need my mask! I don't need that dumb thing! Where is it?! She saw me wearing it! What does she think about that? She probably thinks I'm crazy! I'm totally crazy! I have to find it! I don't want to put that gross, bloody thing on again! Shaking his head, he stood and forced her hand off of his knee. "My mask…?" he choked.

"I apologize for removing it. I was worried about your injuries. Just a moment." Neneko walked to the hallway and returned with his mask held gently in her delicate fingers. It left her fingertips smudged red. "Ah…Jin…" The pink hue in her cheeks and slight curve of her lips made his heart skip a beat. "Your mask…could use a wash. If you could stay for a bit, I could scrub the blood-"

"It's fine." He grabbed it out of her hands and shoved it into his pocket. I've got to get out of here before I do something stupid! She's so light, I could just pick her up and-! No! Damn it! I can't…do that to her! Neneko! He dragged his fingers through his hair, trying to distract himself as he looked away from the woman.

"Have I done something wrong?" she inquired, following him to the apartment door. There was worry in her tone and fear in her eyes when he looked over his shoulder. Her fingers were now anxiously running along a lock of her long obsidian hair as she awaited his reply.

If he told her how he felt, she would probably run. She would hate him. She would force him to leave. This was what he thought anyway. Jin could not lose her. The comfort, the love. These were things that he needed desperately and he only wanted them from Kuroiwa Neneko. He grabbed her shoulders and stared down at her, the shadows in the hallway making his scar look deeper. "You didn't do anything. I've just got to go. I'll…be back if I get another message in English."

The door was opened and Jin went to retrieve the bag he had dropped near the stairs before the fight. As he checked to make sure that nothing had been stolen, he heard her quiet footsteps approaching from behind. "I can't stay-"

"Do you…perhaps…would you like to learn English?"

Jin looked back at her, eyebrows furrowed as he tried to register what exactly she was implying. It almost seemed like she was saying she no longer wanted to translate for him, but in different terms. The thought of breaking contact with her instantly made him feel weak.

"I meant that…you might…enjoy learning English so you could translate on your own one day. Of course, I…would gladly teach you English, but…you would need to come here more often…if that is something that would interest you…"