Grim gave no sign that he knew Teiko and her team had returned. He gave me one of my highest profile cases yet and sent me on my way. "You have good instincts, keep using them." While it wasn't unheard of for him to give praise, I wondered about the meaning as I dispensed justice through the day.

The moment I was done and sure that the officers had things under control, I rushed home. It had been twelve hours since I left. I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't for her to still be asleep. I was baffled when I saw Teiko still in bed, taking her sleep like a dehydrated man might gulp water. Did she feel unsafe in my home? Could she be having a bad dream? I removed my shoes and walked as quietly as I could to investigate. Her eyes darted beneath her eyelids and I could tell that her breath was coming in shallower gulps. A nightmare. Had the mission been too much? Did she refuse to speak out of fear and not professionalism?

I must have gotten too close. She sat up like someone had electrocuted her. In her left arm she had a ball of fire conjured. "Easy. It's just me," I said as I drew back. I could tell she wanted to be reassured. For a moment she looked at ease. I felt a glimmer of hope. All too soon, it was replaced with the uncertainty from last night. "I can order in dinner. What would you like?"

She looked towards the clock on my microwave, then to the window. I followed her glance. Six pm, on the dot. "Whoops." Only now did she realize how long she'd been asleep. "Not an omelet, then," she chuckled, the sound forced.

"If you want an omelet, you can have an omelet," I assured her. There was a stand just a few blocks away. "I'll get it." Having seen her appetite firsthand, I knew I'd probably need three or so for her. Though I had only just come home, I rushed right back out the door. I knew my actions made little sense. I felt Teiko and I walked on an edge. One wrong move could end us. We had a flimsy foundation and escalated too quickly. I could only see us ending in a disaster.

I selected three different omelets for her and two servings of omurice. If she wanted one, at least she had some diversity. Otherwise, they would both be for me. As an afterthought, I bought two beers. We both needed to unwind. Surely, these couldn't hurt. I turned the handle to the apartment, sure that I had left the door unlocked. The mechanism halted my attempt, telling me that she must have secured the door in my absence. "Teiko." I knocked gently on the door. "It's me. Let me in."

From inside my home, I heard her stand and walk across the room. It had taken a remarkably short time from her to change. Three weeks ago she had lived in the country with an open door and no neighbors for protection. Now she lived with a pro hero and had to shut herself in to feel safe. "Sorry," she said, letting the door fall open. "Occupational hazard." Her hair was damp and outfit had changed.

"Did you have a nice shower?" I slid my shoes off and set the deadbolt.

"I did. It was tricky to do with a cast, but I figured it out."

"That's good. Hopefully you won't have to get too much practice." I carried our food to the couch and set the bags and beer on the coffee table.

"Hopefully," she agreed, reaching for the alcohol at once. She sat down and waited for me before we dug in. Her responses were short, but I felt like her tone was warming up. I wanted to know how the mission had gone. I wished to probe into the life of an underground hero, but didn't want to make her retreat into herself again.

I turned on the TV as a buffer. We ate in a silence, caught somewhere between awkwardness and comfort. "You made the news," she remarked when my face flashed across the screen.

"Sure did. Grim seems more inclined to give me higher profile cases."

Teiko looked at me and smiled so warmly that I knew it to be genuine. "That's great. I know you'll prove him right." I felt warmth rekindle in me at the praise. I ate with renewed energy, secure that everything would be okay. I could have it all. Heroes only had to learn how to balance work with their personal lives, but I was a testament to how it could be done. It had only taken us a little while to figure it all out. I was glad I'd brought the beer, as it seemed to help her relax.

"Are we going to talk about your extreme dieting?" She questioned with a chuckle. Now that time had passed, she seemed able to accept some humor with the situation.

"That's what I looked like as a kid," I explained. "When I use my quirk I puff up."

"That's good enough for me," she assured me. "The more important question is what should I call you? Yagi or All Might?"

She was incredible. Not only did she accept me so easily, but she wanted to make sure she did it properly. I turned and held out my hand. "Hello, Todoroki Teiko. I'm Toshinori Yagi."

Her palm was swift to meet mine. "It's nice to meet you, Toshinori." While it wasn't my given name, it was far more personal than calling me by my hero name.

I waited, but neither of us let go. "So what's your professional identity?"

"Sandspark, like you suggested. It has a nice ring to it." I was flattered.

She seemed to consider her next words carefully. "Do you know what extents underground heroes go to so they can avoid the press?" At last! She was going to tell me about her mission. I sat a bit straighter, showing her she had my undivided attention, and immediately shook my head. I didn't dare say a word, for fear she'd change her mind. "Good. Keep it that way."

I couldn't tell if she was teasing me or not. I remained at attention, waiting for more details. "And?"

"I can see why Endeavor doesn't do it. He wants to be in the ranks. He hates the interviews, but at least he'll do cases they'll report on. Nobody wants to know what's really out there."

"Are you saying you want to switch to the day?" Could she stomach a microphone to get away from whatever horrors she'd seen?

She gently squeezed her hand in mine. "No way. Someone needs to face them." Even though one of her arms was broken, she still insisted on her track. She grabbed the boxes and used one hand to break them down for recycling. She leaned against the kitchen counter. "I got paid, so I can get out of your hair as soon as I find a place."

"Or you could save it," I suggested.

"I'm kind of sick of living out of a suitcase," she admitted with a tired chuckle. "I'd like to be able to get home, open a drawer, and see my things waiting for me."

"I have a drawer," I answered at once. I knew at once I'd spoken too soon.

"I need a dresser," she corrected with a laugh. "I need to get my own shampoo so I can stop smelling like a beefy American cowboy."

"That's rich, coming from the farmer," I taunted. She hadn't expected my wit, so I was pleased to hear a surprised chortle pass her lips.

She smirked and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah." I felt a thrill at my victory, certain that I wouldn't get too many against her. "I want a bed."

"You seemed to like mine fine enough."

"You're getting clingy, Toshinori." She tutted.

"And you're not saying no, Todoroki." I decided to add some logic in order to appeal to her. "I have a half empty closet, a bed big enough for three grown men-"

"Are you speaking from experience?"

I carried on, "and a home in walking distance to our agency." She seemed to run out of ways to tease me, but I was sure she'd find more.

Teiko walked out of the kitchen and moved to the bedroom. She sought to investigate each of my claims. I watched her peer through the ample walk-in storage, assess my large mattress, and lift her thumb, as if she was a painter gauging size. "I'm not going to be a freeloader."

"I know a few ways you could pay rent."

"Or a hooker." She said at once, which caused my face to flush. She put her left hand back down by her side. "After hearing about three men in your bed, I'm even not sure I'm your type." I swept her in my arms, intent on proving her wrong. "My arm's broken, Toshinori," she chuckled. "I'm not cleared for any strenuous activity."

"So just lay there. I won't mind." I gently set her down.

"You're such a man." She huffed. While she meant her words as a light insult, I took them as a compliment.

"And I smell like one, too." I knew nothing was going to happen, but two weeks after that no-sleep night had me pawing at her. We were both riled up, but tired enough to sleep. Just before I could drift off, she walked back to the front room. I looked up in time to see her return with her phone. I watched her type away, supposedly texting someone. She met my inquiring eyes and flashed the screen at me.

"I'm just letting Enji know I'm okay. He was worried."

I couldn't comprehend their relationship. I sat up, a bit more alert. "He blew up your house."

"He made up for it by selling everything off while I was away."

"He blew up your house," I repeated, unsure if she heard. Had she suffered a brain injury?

Teiko laughed and slipped into bed. "I used to pummel him as a kid. He always started it, but I never held back. Mom and Dad saw it as 'training' and never stopped us. Not when I dislocated his shoulder, buried him into his neck in dirt, or set his toys on fire." She must have seen the look of shock on my face, for she explained. "Yeah, I was a bully. I didn't know any better. High school was a wakeup call." She skidded past that particular subject and circled back to Enji. "I've worked on improving our relationship, but that doesn't change the hell I put him through. So fine, he can blow up my house. Are you really complaining? If it weren't for him, you'd never have discovered boobs."

"I would have," I responded defensively.

"Porn doesn't count."

I knew she was right. Few women had the guts to put the first move on a pro hero. Fewer still could follow through. I'm certain that was the largest blush she ever got out of me.

"Good night, All Might." She slid under the covers, her sling already set on her nightstand from our earlier play.

"Sweet dreams, Sandspark." While it didn't flow as nicely as her statement, I liked it all the same.