Hello! I am so sorry for the wait! Did not think I would take this long, honestly. XD

Random #fact: I've watched and read Boku no Hero Academia, and god damn, I'm obsessed. So fucking good. I don't think I've watched an anime and then read a manga so fast in my life. I regret nothing. It is that amazing.

Second random #fact: I saw the Death Note Netflix movie. And… well. As a movie only, it's kind of decent. As something based on the original story, it fucking sucks. I think if it had been a what-if someone else had the Death Note instead of Light movie, it would have worked better. That's my opinion though. XD

Hope you like this chapter!

It's amazing how a conversation can change everything.

He can't help the feeling of pure, unadulterated rage he feels whenever he thinks about it. To think that someone as sweet and nice as Nagisa has to put up with someone like that. That her own mother, someone that's supposed to accept her and love her for who he is, forces her to be someone else—the person she didn't get to be—it infuriates him.

He's been over to Nagisa's house a couple of times and he's seen her mother. He thought she seemed to be pretty strict but he hadn't expected…

Karma doesn't think he's ever hated anyone as much as he hates Nagisa's mother right now. He despises her. Who the hell is she to dictate Nagisa's life?

Nagisa has the right to be herself.

Suddenly everything makes sense. That mysterious something he felt back then… It probably was something Nagisa developed after living in constant fear of her mother. If he felt like he would be killed in his sleep after one little poke, then he can't imagine how Nagisa must feel, living with her controlling, overbearing mother every single day. She doesn't know when her mother will explode, does she? Living in uncertainty, making sure not to trigger the woman that's supposed to bring her love.

Living with the fear of being stabbed in your sleep—constantly.

That… that bloodlust he felt, it was probably birthed out of Nagisa's home life. A way to protect herself, so to speak. Her own weapon. But the thing is, she hasn't even realized she has it. And if she does realize it, then what?

Karma doesn't think he's the target. At least, not anymore.

After all, weapons can be used for things other than killing. They can be used for protection.

"And I do get to be myself… When I'm with you… Y-You've… helped me more than you could ever imagine, just by being my friend. So thank you, Karma-kun."

How the fuck can he keep his distance after hearing that?

It's this conversation that makes him think that perhaps he's handling Nagisa's mysterious something—her bloodlust—wrong. She doesn't seem dangerous. Turns out she is. So what? He's dangerous, too. And unlike Nagisa's case, everyone knows he is. He knows it, she knows it. And even then, she continued to be his friend. Even though she knows how violent and sadistic he actually is—she's seen it, more than once—she's never been afraid of him.

She's still his friend.

Karma thinks, thinks, thinks—what is the best decision he can take, knowing this, knowing Nagisa's situation, knowing just how much his friendship helped her—and comes to a conclusion. He won't pretend his relationship with her isn't dear to him. It is. And he's not willing to pull away—especially not after Nagisa confided in him, trusted him, when she openly admitted that he helped, even though he didn't know, he helped her, and he can't bear to think about how Nagisa would be if he suddenly cut ties with her. Who would she be herself with? How would she feel? How would he feel? Nagisa—sweet Nagisa—has a low self-esteem and he's always known this. He wasn't exactly sure why—to him, she was a great person and should have more confidence in herself. He'd never been sure why she was like this; he assumed her low-esteem was due to her shyness, or perhaps because she worries too much about what others may think sometimes.

Now it is all clear. Why she has such low confidence and love for herself. It's because of her mother, and it infuriates Karma to no end. In his mind, Nagisa is such a cool person. How can someone say otherwise? How can someone make her believe otherwise?

He can't, he can't—

It disgusts him that he even considered distancing himself from Nagisa just because he's afraid, without a single thought at what she would feel. Because honestly, Karma has no issue to be the one to show Nagisa just how much she is really worth. In fact, he wants to do it. He wants to help her.

Now, he thinks of Nagisa's bloodlust, and oddly, he's not afraid anymore. He's not the target, just like she isn't his target. They're just two students that perhaps are too dangerous for their own god damn good but who cares. They can be dangerous together. They can stand in the same stage—know they have someone they can trust and won't stab them when their back is turned. It's them against the world.

He feels closer to her. Telling her to drop the honorifics was kind of a spur in the moment, but now he thinks it symbolizes this new step in their relationship. A part of Karma is hesitant to open up but he's willing to try. After all, Nagisa's his best friend, and now he's willing to be even closer to her than they were before. No more walls. No more fear. Somehow, he knows he won't regret this.

I'll keep being her friend, Karma decides resolutely. I'm going to be there whenever she needs me, because I know she would do the same.

Hiroto is walking by the hallway when he happens to hear Shiota and Akabane talking. It's no such a big deal—they're talking about this American superhero movie. Or, well, it wouldn't be a big deal, if he hadn't noticed that Akabane and Shiota dropped the honorifics.

So, of course, he celebrates internally as he's been witness of the clear progress between those two as he goes to look for Yuuma. When he finds him talking to Oshiro. He joins their conversation pretty easily, and once he finds an opening he's quick to stir Yuuma away to tell him about the progress in the Akabane/Shiota relationship.

By the time he finishes talking, Yuuma's looking at him exasperatedly. "Hiroto," he sighs, shaking his head. He looks like a parent, Hiroto thinks to himself. After all, Yuuma has to take care of his younger siblings, so it makes sense that he's adopted a 'fatherly kind of' attitude sometimes. Although he did have that attitude since they were little and—oh, Yuuma's talking. Better pay attention. "That is none of our business. Why are you so interested in Akabane and Shiota's relationship anyway? Is this because Hagakure-san dumped you the other day and you still want to see romance or whatever?"

"What?!" Hiroto splutters indignantly. "N-No! You know perfectly well that I've been interested way before Hagakure even happened since I know those two will end up together eventually!"

Yuuma lets out a laugh. To be honest, Hiroto likes that he can have conversations like this with Yuuma. As stupid as they may seem, they mean a lot to him.

Yeah, so Nagisa and Karma's relationship definitely is diverging from their canon one. Yay! :3

I don't think I originally planned for Hiroto to be such a Karmagisa shipper? Idk, it just kind of happened? Either way, I love him. XD

I actually… am not quite sure how to continue this? I mean, I have ideas, but I need to figure out how to put them together. I'll manage to, though! *positive attitude!*

As always, thank you so much for reading! I hope you liked this chapter. :)