NeonHorizon: Interaction with a certain someone will be limited for strategic reasons. If you read Twisted Little Heart, you'll understand. And don't worry; Neneko has her reasons for what she's doing. All will be revealed soon enough~

Is this really okay? This is great! I've got the place to myself! Jin stared at the door, frowning to himself as he realized that he had been standing there for about ten minutes. Shaking his head, he forced himself to turn away from the apartment door and looked down the hallway.

It was kind of late for a call to come over, but when Neneko called him, he could not get to her apartment fast enough. He was excited to see her since he had a gift for her and the whole walk there, he was daydreaming about spending the evening together. That warm, happy dream started to fade when he arrived.

Neneko apologized in her polite, quiet way and bowed again and again. She explained that she had to meet with an important client. She would be back in a little while, but her cat had been acting kind of sick so she wanted Jin to stay with her to make sure she was alright.

Not that he minded; he liked the fact that she was relying on him for something instead of that young guy that ran errands for her. He was looking down the hallway at the various doors now, rubbing the back of his head. Jin knew where the tea room was, as well as the kitchen and what Neneko had referred to as the "entertainment room". He was curious about the rest of the apartment.

There were three doors that he had yet to go through and he knew that one must be the bathroom, another being the bedroom. As he walked down the hallway, he paused to look into the kitchen. Neneko had told him there was food in the fridge so he curiously entered the room.

Jin wanted to look around at everything, wanting to learn more about the translator, but he was also cautious. If she knew he had gone through her apartment, she might start to dislike him. She might even be angry and say she never wanted to see him again. Just thinking about that made his chest feel tight and made him grit his teeth.

He stood at the counter, hands resting on the cool, smooth surface and fingertips turning white from pressing so hard. I don't want to make her mad. She's too quiet! I wanna see her get pissed off! Neneko…wouldn't want me to look at her stuff. I can't do that. Jin shook his head and lifted a trembling hand to run through his hair, trying to calm himself down.

Opening cupboards, he searched for her selection of tea. He wanted to find the chamomile because it always made him feel a little better. When she returned, he wanted to be in a good mindset. He hated it when she saw him looking weak, when he felt like he was splitting.

After some searching, he found the cupboard. There was a shelf dedicated solely to a wide variety of teas. There were some flavors he never knew existed, but sounded like they probably tasted good. Then his eyes settled on the tin box that was near the back of the shelf. Jin reached in and picked it up, frowning again. It looked like an expensive brand of green tea, judging from the designs on the box. What really left him troubled was the small handwritten label taped to the lid. It read "Chisaki" and Jin easily recognized Neneko's handwriting.

It was as he put it back that his eyes found something that brought a half-smile to his face. There was a bag of high quality coffee beans in the cupboard, tucked near the back, with a label of its own. His name was there, written in Neneko's delicate handwriting. It made him feel absurdly proud.

Jin looked in the fridge next, unable to fight his curiosity, and his heart skipped a beat. There, again, he saw her handwriting. A note perched on top of a covered dish with his name on it. Apparently she had cooked dinner for him herself and this only added to his bliss.

Next he had to find the cat. It was basically his reason for being there at all; to make sure it stayed alive and well until her return. Jin walked down the corridor again, pausing to check the tea room and the "entertainment room". Finally, he realized he would need to open the other doors.

One opened to reveal a bathroom much larger than the one in his motel room. It even had a large, deep bath that conjured up certain images that made his cheeks burn faintly. Shaking his head, he quietly cursed at himself for thinking about Neneko that way.

He closed the door and opened the next. This was a room filled with a variety of different plants on shelves, as well as hanging from the ceiling. The windows in this room were large and probably let in a lot of light during the day. Jin also saw a desk, computer, printer, and a cat bed against one wall.

Now moving to the last door, he knew this must be where the cat was. Opening the door admitted him into her bedroom and he paused in his steps. Her bed was big for a single person and the dark violet blanket looked soft, inviting. The white cat was curled up near one of the pillows and lifted her head to meow once before rolling around a bit.

Jin stepped into the room and looked around a bit more. There was one framed photo on her dresser. It depicted a family of three wearing yukatas. The child and woman looked rather unhappy and the man was beaming, one hand resting on the woman's shoulder. Something about it was unsettling. Even weirder was that Neneko had something like this framed and displayed. The child was clearly her, but it looked almost like the man had her and the woman at gunpoint.

The cat meowed again, drawing his attention back to the bed. "Yori?" He approached the bed and the feline trotted over to be pet, rubbing its head against his hand and purring loudly. The bed looked so soft, so inviting. Before he could stop himself, he was sprawled on his back with his eyes closed. The cat curled up beside him, perfectly content with sleeping next to the man.

A sigh escape him as he relaxed little by little. The blanket smelled like lavender and chamomile. A sharp contrast to the staleness of the shabby blanket from his motel bed. His eyes half-opened and he frowned, lifting his hands to rub at his face.

I shouldn't be here! It's super comfy! I shouldn't be here! I should've stayed out of her room! It's really nice in here! I love it! I shouldn't…Jin gritted his teeth, muscles tensing. I don't deserve this. I don't deserve Neneko. She deserves someone better than me. I'm way out of her league!

Being there on her bed made certain thoughts come to mind. Certain desires. The idea of lying there, with her. Holding her and feeling the warmth of her body against his. Sleeping beside her. He was sure that it would be the best sleep in his life if that happened and the idea of waking up beside Neneko made his heart pound. Jin anxiously dug his fingers into his hair, trying to distract himself.

Thinking about her this way was making him too excited. He felt like he was splitting apart and reached to the mask tucked into his pocket. As the fabric slid over his face, he released a sigh of relief and leaned over to pet the cat again.

His mood was lifting rapidly as he imagined Neneko coming through the door. She would be quiet as always, her footsteps light and nearly soundless. Now that he was wearing his mask, feeling more stable, he let himself indulge in a fantasy where Neneko would approach the bed. She would straddle him, but lean down with her arms wrapped around his neck so her warm, tea-scented self would be flush against him. A scenario that made him smile behind his mask and hope for her swift return.

Shift P.O.V

As a young woman that typically avoided human interaction, it felt unnatural to seek anyone out. She was taking a huge risk by doing this and she knew it. Her heart was beating hard, fast. Sweat had beaded up along her skin as she approached her destination and it proceeded to roll down her flesh, sticking her clothes to her skin, even after she entered.

At the very least, she knew there was absolutely no chance of Jin being there. She asked him to stay at her apartment and watch the cat, claiming Yori was sick. If he was in her apartment, believing that leaving might prove detrimental to the cat's health, she at least knew where he was. What he was probably doing. So there was no chance of running into him here.

Neneko had done her research extensively. She had been preparing for this day for a while, but had hoped it would not come to this. She had hoped that Jin could be convinced to not fall to the darkness. However, being the noble man that he was, he was committed to the promise he made to help the League of Villains. Thus why she was taking such extreme measures now.

Since I was unable to persuade him, this is my only option. I want nothing more than for Jin to stay safe and be happy. If this is what it takes…I suppose I will need to adapt. Her hands curled into fists and she proceeded into the bar.

The man sitting at the counter grouchily looked her way when she entered before demanding to know what she wanted. Seeing her costume, he seemed to put together what it was. She was either a vigilante or a villain. No self-respecting hero would wear something with such a ragged hem.

The man behind the counter, whose body seemed to be made up of dark smoke or mist, proceeded to engage her in conversation to try to confirm why she was there. He seemed polite enough toward her and spoke properly, as she normally did. Admirable manners for someone that associated with villains.

Again, Neneko had done extensive research. Not just on Shigaraki, but on psychology and acting. So it was quite easy for her to convince him that she was a villain called "Mystic Blade" who had no quirk, but wielded blades with deadly precision. When asked to demonstrate, she was able to hit a small target he chose using skills that she had picked up as a child. However, she lied and told him that it was a skill she had become determined to learn after playing a thief character in so many video games. That seemed to pique his interest.

It was decided that she would be allowed to join, but rather than call her "Mystic Blade", Shigaraki stated that he would be calling her "Mystic". Apparently adding "Blade" was just too much of a bother.

Giran's number was supplied to her for communications and she was sent off with the information that they would be meeting as a group in a few days. As she had planned, Neneko swiftly found a secluded place near the bar to hide and pulled down the black spandex that she had used to cover the lower half of her face.

She was breathing hard, her heart fluttering with panic that was lingering even now that she was away. The translator's hair felt wet from sweating and she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She slid down the cold brick wall, trembling from exhaustion.

All of that research, but I've put it to good use. Good intentions. I can only hope for good results. This is the only way. I have to protect him…in any way that I can. So if I must join as well, to protect Jin, to sabotage them…then so be it. She coughed quietly and cleared her throat, grimacing.

Neneko had watched many films over the past few days in preparation of creating a character that Shigaraki would want for the League of Villains. She had tried different voices, different speech patterns. Finally, she settled on a growly sort of voice that was just a bit lower than hers, with a rather rough speech pattern that imitated a female gangster's. It hurt her throat, but it was vital that she keep her identity secret. That she keep her involvement a secret from Jin.

Hidden in the alley, in the darkness, Neneko changed back into her normal clothes and packed up the villain costume she had put together herself. A dress that had been modified, a black spandex covering for the lower half of her face with a skeletal smile printed over the mouth, and black leggings.

The journey back to her apartment was brisk. She really wanted to take a bath and try to forget about her interaction with Shigaraki. She felt cold, uneasy, uncomfortable. It was horribly unpleasant.

The apartment was silent when she entered. Her bag was stowed away in a kitchen cupboard and she proceeded to search for Jin. It was as she stepped into her room that she found him. Strong arms wrapped around her, lifting her off her feet and pinning her back against a warm chest.

Neneko's lips curled into a smile that she quickly covered with a hand. She felt so relieved, so happy to see him, that she could almost laugh. The warmth that radiated from him brought her an instant comfort. All of her fear and anxiety was melted by that warmth. "Jin…did Yori perhaps give you trouble when I was away? To be so relieved to see me…" she spoke, half-joking.

"I'm just happy you're back! That stupid cat hassled me the whole time you were gone!" He hugged her a bit tighter, his face right beside hers and his chin resting between her neck and shoulder. "Whoa! You look pretty sleepy!"

"Nn…I must admit that my…meeting left me just slightly fatigued." She was set down and smothered a yawn as he walked around to face her. Hands gripped her shoulders gently and he leaned down, his masked face getting close to her again. Heat rushed to her cheeks and she lowered her head, her fingers anxiously fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. "I apologize for asking you to-"

His right hand left her shoulder and went beneath her chin, lifting it so she was looking at him again. Seeing her flushed cheeks seemed to bring him a sense of joy as the eye parts of his mask indicated that he was smiling. "I was glad to do it! I'd do anything for you, Neneko!" The warm pad of his thumb skimmed along her lower lip and he tilted his head. "Don't be so demanding next time!" he added.

Her heart had begun to palpitate and she felt the heat of her blush seem to flow throughout her whole body. Her legs felt heavy when she thought about stepping back. She knew she probably smelled like sweat and she knew for a fact that she looked disheveled. Yet he was still so affectionate towards her. "J-Jin?"

"I'm gonna go make some tea! Wait here! Or don't. I don't care."