Ahhhhhhhh I love long comments! All comments make me happy, but Jellyfish Bells (your name is absolutely darling, btw), your comment completely made my day! I'm delighted you love this story so much and I can't wait to write more for you! Also, it's, like, the most flattering thing in the world when someone likes one of my stories enough to go and read another! And you can tell I'm excited because I threw a "like" into my writing just now, which would normally be a huge no-no for me, but I'm just in too good of a mood to care at the moment! That comment helped convince me to power through and finish this chapter to upload today. So without farther ado, let's get to it!

Why aren't they locking me up? I drugged and kidnapped a boy, threatened another with a knife, and they're not even going to send me to a detention center? Maybe they're just waiting until I get out of the hospital. That's pointless, though. If they're so intent on ridding this world of evil, why should they bother giving someone like me treatment?

From the moment I woke up, I've been waiting for a jailor to come take me away, or at least for that counselor to come and crow that I've finally done it, but so far all I've had are doctors and Dad. The doctors, for the most part, were here to tell me the extent of damage to my face. As if I couldn't already tell from my mummified reflection in the window. If it weren't for my hair tied up away from my bandages, I honestly don't know if I'd be able to tell myself apart from something in a sarcophagus. The only exception for that on the doctors' side was one who was clearly a psychologist. He came in about an hour ago to ask me a bunch of meaningless questions. Fifteen minutes later, he gave up on trying to get a response out of me.

Then came Dad. I wish he'd stop blaming himself for all the horrible things I do. It's a pain to deal with his apologies all the time, and he had plenty to spare today. He's such a strange person. Weak, pathetic, but his heart it good. I wish he'd stop caring so much for someone as hopeless as me. It just inconveniences us both. But I know he cares because he feels guilty, guilty for leaving me in the hands of doctors and scientists for the first few years of my life. Guilty for fearing me so much that, after I was first born, he never saw me again until I underwent the surgery when I was three. I can't blame him. I'm horrific.

They've wrapped my hands, too, to hide the markings. Or maybe they're injured. They've given me so many pain meds I doubt I'd be able to tell if my hands were dangling off my wrists by the nerves. I stare at the bandaged appendages in my lap. I don't regret what I did, but before I used Shouto's quirk, I should've found that knife I had and cut out my palms. Maybe if I destroyed the cursed designs, I'd become quirkless. Even that would be better than the monster I am now.

A knock at the door has me looking back out the window. I wonder if I could get my hands on something sharp here. Maybe I should wait until they release me, so there's no chance of them walking in on me as I cut up my hands.

Whoever enters the room doesn't talk. I can hear their footsteps as they come closer, though. Hopefully it's just a nurse who's come to check my IV so I'll be left alone again quickly.

Then there's a weight near my legs, and my gaze falls down to find an in-bed table propped over my knees. Wonderful. I'm in no mood to eat.

But it isn't food that finds itself on the table; it's a chess board. It takes me a moment to process this, and while my gears are turning, a hand begins to set up the pawns. The black end up in front of me, and the white on the other end. Unable to settle my confusion, I finally raise my gaze.

It doesn't take me any time to comprehend Shouto, his attention on setting up the board, sitting on the bed beside me. It does, however, take me a moment to realize I've stopped breathing. I force myself to start again, as quietly as I can. He doesn't look up until every piece is in its place. I vacuum my lips shut tighter. Why he's here, I can't fathom. If I were him, I'd want to be as far away from me as I could get. But I guess if he is here, that means he was able to break from his nightmare. That's...I should have expected it, I guess. Weak willed people can be trapped there for days, but Shouto has never been weak. No, he's always been way stronger than me. Is that why he's here? To confront me? To push this danger out of his life once and for all? He didn't need to, though. I would have left. His father was right. I am far too despicable to be near his son. So why did he have to come? Seeing him now…

I can't say anything. It's not only that I don't have anything to say, but my mouth is dry, my throat is tight, and my injuries have my facial muscles locked into place. I couldn't say anything even if I wanted to.

"Are you going to move?"

I blink slowly, absorbing the expectant expression on his face. Then I look back to the board. He's already moved. Shifted forward a pawn to…

F4?

My frozen expression chips as my eyebrows furrow. What is he…?

He continues to watch me, waiting. Not knowing what else to do, I gradually raise a hand, tentative as I shakily push forward a pawn on my far right to A6. He immediately mirrors me with the pawn on his left.

I retract my hand, which has begun to quake a little too obviously. My breathing, too, begins to turn labored as I scan the board. He...He wants me to win? Or does he have some other scheme up his sleeve? Give me hope then crush it? He isn't cruel! My fists clench to reign in the shaking, and I hesitantly move the pawn in front of my queen to E6. He retaliates by moving his already moved pawn forward by one.

He does want me to win. He's giving me the easiest victory I could ask for. Why? As a goodbye gift?

My gaze shifts off the board and I clench my hands to my stomach. Why couldn't he just leave me alone? He's so kind, so thoughtful even to someone who's evil, but our parting would have hurt so much less if he'd just left it. I wish he'd just stay away.

"Look at me."

I don't move. He waits, and I wait, too. I wait for him to leave. I haven't said a word to anyone because there just isn't any point, but it's especially meaningless with him. No matter how considerate he is, it's all just empty.

"Megumi."

My hands tighten reflexively, my teeth clenching. Megumi. All this time I've wanted him to say my name. Why does he have to do it now? What kind of torture is this?

"Megumi, look at me," he demands leaning in closer. I shrink back against my bed. Am I in a nightmare? Did I accidentally use Night Terror on myself? Is this what I risk throwing people into by merely existing?

Shouto sighs, and I can feel the shift in the bed as he leans back. "Midoriya told me to tell you he forgives you. He's going to be fine. The doctors were able to administer something that broke down the remaining poison in his bloodstream, and there should be no lasting side effects."

Why is he telling me this? I told him before I wanted the effect to last. Is he telling me so that I know I failed?

"Megumi, please look at me. It's because you act like this that stuff like this happens."

What is he getting at? I don't understand!

"Megumi, I'm sorry."

What is...wait, he... I struggle to hold my expression in place, but even with the pain meds, I can feel my skin stretch and chafe against the bandages as my confusion bleeds into my face. After a few moments of trying to shove down my perplexion, I can't help but look up. He hasn't stopped staring at me with those earnest eyes.

A hint of a sad smile tugs at his lips when my eyes meet his, and he continues, "I'm sorry I've been so cold to you lately. The truth is, I've wanted to see you again, ever since my father tore us apart." He turns to stare at the door of the room, his hands fisted anxiously. "Even after we separated, he would always insult you, and use you as an example of a bad influence, and I hated it. I always thought 'What did he know'. One of the few things I felt superior to him on was that I knew you were a good person, while he ignorantly denied it. So when you showed up at UA and you'd taken on this delinquent persona...you were hostile, and cruel, and you smelled like tobacco...it hit me hard. I couldn't accept that my father was right, and I blamed you for letting him be. I lost faith for a moment. I shouldn't have blamed you. I have no idea what you went through while we were apart, and I hate to think about it. I'm sure it was awful, and I wasn't there for you. So I'm sorry. I know I hurt you."

My heart pulsates in my throat and my eyes burn. I don't...what's going on? What is he saying?

"I know you have a good heart," he goes on, turning back to face me. "This face you put on, I know it isn't you, and I think other people know it isn't, either. Midoriya genuinely likes you, and everyone was worried about you when we found you. Well, most of them," he smiles wryly. "You can probably guess who the exceptions were. But everyone was concerned you might be expelled. Luckily, Mr. Aizawa is being abnormally understanding and has told us to hide what actually happened. You're his student, after all, and despite how harsh he is I think he wants to keep being your teacher."

But I've caused so much trouble! Why would anyone—

"So what I'm trying to say is please stop shutting people out. There are always going to be people who hate others for unjustified reasons, but there are people you're important to. Don't feel like you have to be a villain, Megumi. You aren't."

Falling silent, he watches me, looking almost nervous as he awaits a response. Is...is he done? But...I still don't get it! It doesn't make sense! I've always been a nuisance since the moment I was born. If people were ever nice to me, it was out of fear, or guilt, or ignorance...what does he mean, I'm not a villain?

My cheeks crease and crack as my lips part, my voice coming out small, scratchy even in my own ears. "...Why...are you telling me this? Why are you...being so nice...all of the sudden?"

I can't help but gawk as his face turns pink. Realizing the heat in his face too late, he turns away in an unsuccessful attempt to hide it. "I-I haven't been clear lately, and I've acted out of line. I know what I'm saying might sound...sappy...but Mom told me that telling you everything that's been on my mind would help me make things up to you. I really don't like how at odds we've been, and I really don't want to lose you as a friend."

I hiccup, and the noise seems to startle him into looking back at me. His eyes widen as he turns to face me fully, and if I weren't bawling my eyes out, I think I'd laugh at the panic in his normally collected expression. After a few uneasy seconds of watching me be unable to stop crying, he scoots in closer and draws me to his chest, petting my hair uncertainly. My fingers dig into his shirt as I can't help but cry harder. I must be in a dream, I have to be. There's no way that after everything that's happened, how distant he's been to me, he'd say exactly what I've always wanted to hear, and then hold me in his arms. Things like this just don't happen! But even if it's a dream, I've wanted him for so long. His compassion, his care, his love, I never needed anyone else's, just his. Even if it's a dream, I'll take it. I'll hate myself when I wake up. It's so cruel to show me what I've always dreamt of when I could never actually have it, but even if just for this fleeting moment, it feels like he sees me.

It feels like I have worth.

End of Part 1

Part one, you ask? Well, I am most certainly not done with this story. Megumi still has a ton of room to grow as a character, and the relationship between her and Shouto hasn't quite gotten its chance to blossom. The thing is, I don't read the manga, and I'm sure some of you don't, either. So, because I don't want to branch off when there's more canon story to come, I've made the decision to put this on pause and pick up again when the next season comes out. Trust me, I don't want to wait either, but after much deliberation this was the best solution I came up with. As for now, shoutouts to Reversus12 and Rynxenvy who have been here since chapter 1! And thank you everyone else who commented, followed, or favorited up until this point. Every time I get a notification I get a rush of happiness, and I make sure to read every comment left on all my stories. I hope all of you will continue to follow Dark Illusions when I begin part two, and I wish you all a happy new year! Best of luck for 2019! Till season four, this is SnowyNeko, signing off! Toodles!