"What was that?" Boots sat up.
"Sounded like clanging or something?"
"What is it?" Candy curled her knees to her chest, wide eyes staring at the door. "Are they coming to get us?"
Patting her softly, Boots stood painfully, "not here Candy, they won't come here."
"Probably just kids, they break in and smash stuff up," Mac followed Boots to the door.
"But it's raining?" Candy looked out the dark window at the streaks of water running down the pane.
Mac gave Boots a quick look, gesturing outside. "You wanna go look?" He picked up a large flashlight.
"Should we?"
"The old man lets me live here, so I try to keep people out," Mac braced his hand on the door.
"You couldn't scare a fly," Boots quipped sarcastically, laughing at the serious look on Mac's face. "Okay," looking down at Candy he ruffled her hair. "We're gonna go make sure nothin' out there that'll hurt you."
"What if you don't come back though?" Standing up, Candy squeezed his arm. "I'm coming too, so if we get taken, it's together.
"You sure? It's wet out there," Mac opened the door to the steady rain.
"We're already soaked to the bone Mac, not much gonna change that, if Candy wants to come, let her come."
"Fine," leading them out into the dark rain, he flipped on his powerful flashlight, pulling up his hood, he followed the familiar path. "Which way was the noise?"
"Not far," Boots limped behind him, his ankles almost fused together as his joints had swollen twice their normal size, the only relief now was the tight fit of his boots.
Walking slowly, they tried to see as Mac swept his flashlight over the various piles of old machinery. "They keep this place neat," Mac pointed to the narrow rows between the stacks of junk. "Easier for people to find whatever they might need."
"What was that?" Candy pointed to something that shone back at them.
"Uh, probably just an old stove, but we can look." Picking his way down the aisle towards the fence he saw the path was blocked by some pipes. "Here we go, it looks like some pipes fell down." He pointed his beam into the bins of metal pipes pushed up against the fence. "Huh, what's that?" A black trash bag sat in the middle of the stack.
Hobbling towards the pile, Boots reached out and snagged the wet bag, pulling it out of the bin. "Got it," he lifted it in the air. "We can check it out in your room."
"Let's go around and check the fence, I wanna make sure no one broke in," Mac humphed. "I don't like that someone might be using the junkyard as a trash heap." He eyed the bag held tightly by Boots. Continuing down the side of the fence, Mac moved the flashlight in a wide arc trying to see outside the fence. The dirt lot next to the junkyard was empty. "Guess not." Stepping back, his shoe sank into the mud and slipped, "Shit!" Arms flailing outwards he fell flat on his back with a squelching thud. The flashlight flipped out of his hand, spinning through the air and bouncing as it landed with a loud crash into the middle of some old equipment. "Fuck!" He gasped as his body hit the thick cold mud.
"Mac!" Boots tried to find him in the darkness.
"I'll get the flashlight!" Candy yelled, following the strong beam now shining up into the night sky. Stepping gingerly through some old laundry tubs, she reached down and grabbed the light. "I found it, Boots!" She cut back through the junk, her gaze landing on a strange shape jutting out from behind a row of machines. Leaning over, she looked closer. "B-B-Boots!" Screaming she scrambled sideways, slamming her shin into the edge of some sharp metal, she tripped and stumbled back onto the path.
"Candy?" Helping Mac to his feet, Boots could see the flashlight swinging wildly as her scream echoed through the junkyard. "Here, come here!" The light swung around, shining right in his face. He used his hand to block his eyes, he heard her feet sloshing and sliding through mud until she flew into him. Grunting, he grabbed her, her body was trembling. "What's wrong Candy?"
"Hair!" She whimpered, pressing herself into his wet clothes.
"What?"
"O-Over there, hair, w-white hair."
Holding her tightly, he looked back over his shoulder, his friend was busy wiping the mud off his coat. "Lemme have the flashlight Candy," he cooed gently trying to soothe her. Walking back from where she'd run, Boots pointed the light between the laundry tubs. "Oh Shit!" He recoiled back, "Mac, get over here!"
Trying to wipe the mud off his clothes, Mac picked his way through the old machines. "Yeah, you see something?"
"Look," Boots lit up a mop of white slick hair peeking out from behind a wall of laundry tubs. "Think someone stashed a body back there?"
"Oh, fuck!" Mac waded through the tubs and began pulling them away. "It's a rug!" He ran his hand over the carpet.
"Don't touch it! Mac! Don't you know nothin'?"
"Let's pull it out, what if it's just a mannequin or something."
Boots chewed on his lip, he might be right. "Okay, yeah, maybe it's just a wig." Grabbing both ends, they managed to pull it into the main aisle. Boots was shaking his head, "that ain't no fucking mannequin Mac." He'd felt the weight when he'd lifted it.
Kneeling down, they began to unroll the carpet, pulling it upwards as they ran out of space. Finally, a body in dark pants and a red top, white hair slicked back spilled out. "Mother of mercy," Mac whispered.
"What is it? Is it a body?" Candy peered between the two men, the beam of light showing the sprawled-out youth on the ground, his lifeless face turned towards her. She let out a loud gasp, flinching at first, but something triggered deep in her memory. Staring at his handsome features now slack in death, her mind began clicking through images, like a slideshow, until one matched. "Sawa?"
Racing up the metal steps, Akio held the phone to his ear, the doctor squawking on the other end. "What the hell is going on?" He opened up his apartment and shrugged out of his wet jacket.
"It's working!" The doctor's voice was loud, squealing with joy.
"What?!" Racing to the back bedroom and unlocking the door, he stared at the monitors. There on the video feed was a large woman, her eyes glowing an eerie purple, dark black-like whips flew around her body. Turning on the direct communications link, screaming came across the speaker. She advanced across the room, her feet lurching awkwardly like a puppet learning to walk on its own. Slamming herself into the door she began pounding. He could hear the doctor's voice calling for her to calm down.
"NOOO!" She wailed, "they're after me! Let me out!" Her gravelly voice was eerily high-pitched. Backing up a few steps, the black whips slipped around her body gripping her waist. Lifting her own body off the ground, more whips wrapped around her legs and arms, her body hovering in the air. Then, they uncoiled with a loud snapping of energy as she smashed into a two-way mirror that dominated the far wall, the glass cracking from the force of her body. She fell to the floor dazed, blood dripping down her face. Clambering back to her feet, she began beating her meaty fists into the mirror, cracked glass tearing her flesh. Suddenly her hands dropped to her sides limply, her body wobbling as the whips dissipated into black smoke. Her head fell forward heavily as she teetered sideways, crashing to the floor. The door to the room opened as the doctor ran into the room, bending over her, he lifted her head and slapped her face, she didn't react. Letting her head fall back to the floor, he looked up at the camera excitedly.
"Did you see that?! She had the power! She had control!"
Akio leaned back in his chair, "fucking finally."
Cackling, Garaki kicked the body on the ground. "This is excellent progress, very good!" Walking out of the room he waved at the two men waiting by the door, he pointed to the woman, "dispose of the body as usual." He watched through the now broken mirror as the smaller of the two men touched the body, like a wave, a wriggling mass of bugs flowed off of his hand squirming wildly as they landed on the woman's skin. Small vermin tore into her flesh and muscle. Garaki shuddered, as much as he'd seen Ide's quirk, he was always fascinated to watch how quickly his hoard of flesh-eating bugs could consume a body. Bones began to peek out from the writhing mass until clumps of the bugs dropped to the floor as the food was consumed. Soon only a skeleton in a hospital gown lay on the floor. Ide placed his hand on the ground and the hoard returned to him. Putting the bones into a bag they passed by the doctor.
"We'll burn the bones," Ide's voice was flat.
"Yes," Garaki followed them out of the infirmary. Stopping he pointed to the double doors at the end of the hallway. "Can you let me out first? I need to check the basement." Ide barely acknowledged him as he paused, then handing the other man the bag, he followed the doctor to the doors, swiping his badge over the keypad. Garaki rubbed his arms unconsciously as he headed down the hall. He was a prisoner here, no better than the homeless trapped in those rooms. His assistants were really his guards. Akio had been clear that he had only been released to find a way to transfer the power of the men inside the fusion of energy that was now safely housed underground. Unlocking the door to the basement, he flipped on the light and headed down the staircase. Pulling the goggles off the metal peg, he put them on as he opened the second locked door. Moving to his chair at the control panel, he stared appreciatively at the huge mass that swirled endlessly behind thick concrete walls and enforced viewing windows. Even within the secured chamber, its crackling power electrified the air around him. Every hair on his body vibrated, he could feel the welling of power moving through him. Sitting down he began taking notes of the displays, he read through the output of energy. "Ah," he smiled, "there you are, old friend." He ran his finger over the glass gauge tenderly.
He'd figured out the cycle for the most part. Based on certain readings he'd managed to identify which one of them was in control at any time. It was like they were locked in an eternal struggle, the energy that was once All For One and One For All were constantly battling for power. He'd tested the woman when One For All was dominating last night. As he suspected, the subject had survived for a longer length of time than any previous person. Reading the displays, All For One was now the entity in charge of the energy inside the walled room. He wanted to test it again now with his friend in control. Flipping a switch, he spoke into a microphone. "Bring another person." He waited until the door opened as Ide and his partner came in dragging a man with a scraggly beard, his face crumpled in tears.
"Please," he whimpered, "don't do nothin' to me." He gasped as a ragged cough ripped through his lungs. He wheezed as he drew in a breath. "I got bad lungs, leave me alone." Tears coursed down his cheeks. Ignoring him they took him into a side room and strapped him to a table that was connected to the control board with thick cables. "Don't worry," Garaki reassured him snidely, "I'm a doctor and I can cure your sickness."
Closing and locking the door behind him, he sat down and slowly opened the valve. The surface of the ball undulated as bits of purple energy shifted and began popping off the surface. Whirling in the air above the ball, the small blobs slithered along the ceiling slowly coming together again, they formed a long snakelike flow of dark energy. Moving forward it wriggled along the wall until it found the tubes that connected to the man yelling and coughing in the other room. Darting inside, it emerged as a dark cloud that burst out over the table, dancing over the man's body. Racing to the window in the door, Garaki was transfixed. The two were so different. All For One made these last few minutes a living hell. The energy twisted itself around his body, squeezing him like a giant python. His eyes bulged as a scream was ripped from his clogged lungs. The dark cloud shot into his open mouth. Snapping his jaw shut too late, he tried to swallow, gagging hard. His eyes bulged more as he struggled to breath, his bound hands clawing at empty air. His body began convulsing as blood trickled from his nose and ears. Garaki pressed closer, watching as his legs were getting bigger. "YES!" He giggled as the man's biceps, then chest expanded, like air being pumped into him, his whole body began to expand. Suddenly his shoulders and calves ripped through his clothes. He spasmed uncontrollably as huge muscles burst from his scrawny body. He jerked one last time and then fell back on the table. His head lolled to the side as the dark energy burst from his mouth and nose, dissipating into the air. Like a balloon with a slow leak, the man's muscles began to shrink until his body was back to his normal size.
"Is it done?" Ide looked through the window with the doctor.
"I think so, yes, let me check the measurements before you go in," Garaki peered at the gauge and nodded. "It's safe." Both men went in and began unbuckling the dead man from the straps.
Writing furiously, he muttered as he laughed, "muscle augmentation, yes, yes, old friend, it was you." He looked up at the ball now pulsing rhythmically. Dark purple bolts of lightning shot out at the walls, searching, like a hungry animal looking for more. "Very interesting." Turning from the control board, the doctor watched as the men dragged the body out of the room. "I want to test again early tomorrow morning," he called to them as they headed towards the stairs.
"What time?"
"Around 6 am, according to my notes, that's the next time." It was when All For One should manifest again, he wanted to be doubly sure.
"See you then," the men headed back to the labyrinth of stairways and hallways.
Holding the door open, Garaki looked back at the spinning ball one more time wondering for the millionth time if All For One's Life Transference quirk was keeping them alive somehow. "Is there some way I can release you?" He whispered, could he hear him? Could he answer? There was only silence as the electric energy pulsed through the room.
Sitting in the shack, Mac and Boots sat huddled staring at Candy. The whites of her eyes shone in the dim light of the single bulb hanging from the ceiling.
"Okay Candy," Boots patted her hand, "who's Sawa?" As soon as the name had been uttered from her mouth, he'd grabbed her and dragged her away from the body. Signaling to Mac that he was going back to the shed. Leaving the dead kid, they'd wound their way back to the shack, sitting quietly inside, waiting for her to calm down.
"I - I'm not sure," she stuttered, trying to see the image again but it was dissolving from her memory.
"What do you see in your mind when you look at him?" Boots kept his voice soft and encouraging.
"I see his hair, white, he dyed it when he got older," she glanced up at him with a worried look.
"It's okay, keep going, tell me what you see when you think of him."
Closing her eyes, she scrunched up her face, concentrating, "I see a room, he's laughing. It's an office? Maybe a fancy room? There's lots of pretty things all around."
"What about you? Look down, what're you wearing?"
"Me?" Candy's voice trembled, she looked down in her mind. "Ooooh! Boots, I'm wearing something official, like a uniform or something. My shoes!" She gasped, "so shiny and they fit, my feet don't hurt." She covered her mouth.
"Okay now look back up, what do you see?"
Candy tilted her head up, her eyes still closed. "Double doors, I'm walking inside. There he is! It's Sawa, he's laughing, he looks happy. I think, I think," she paused trying to keep the scene from floating away. "He's young, maybe in high school. Oh!" The memory became clearer. "He made track," her eyes popped open, "he was an athlete!"
"Good Candy, anything else?"
She shook her head, "no it keeps dissolving into some big mess of images, all molded together, it's hard to tell them apart." Tears sprang into her eyes, slipping down her cheeks, "why did I know him, Boots?" She hugged her knees and rocked herself gently. "Was he my son?"
"Was he?" Boots asked quietly. Her wide eyes glowed as she stared at him, finally she shook her head.
"I don't think so." Closing her eyes again, fresh tears spilled down her face. "It's not him but, I - I have a son, Boots." The rain tapped on the tin roof as silence descended on them.
Crawling across the floorboards, Boots hugged her, holding her tight. "You belong to someone, Candy. A family that loves you and misses you."
"I think I do," her broken whisper thick with sorrow.
"We have to report this Mac," he side-eyed his friend.
"Fuck no! The old man'll kick me out for sure."
"Anonymous Mac, we drag everything outside, maybe in the field and," he heaved a sigh, "have Candy wait with the body."
"No, please," she begged, gripping his arm. "Don't leave me, Boots."
"This is your chance Candy, someone's gotta be looking for you. With the body, the right people are gonna find you, this Sawa's family will know you." He rubbed her shoulder trying to soothe her.
"I don't like it," Mac tried not to grouse but he couldn't lose his home. "Can we at least carry it somewhere else? Further away?"
Twisting his lips, he looked at Candy for a moment, "yeah, that's cool Mac, I didn't mean to drop all this in your lap."
"Well, the body woulda been found at some point, not sure when, so I guess you're helping me." Mac scratched his bushy beard, he pushed at the wet trash bag, "should we look in here?"
"Oh, yeah, maybe it's got something in it, like the murder weapon, be careful Mac."
Nodding, he opened the bag slowly, peering inside. "Hmm, not sure," he looked up, "wanna look? It's just stuff." Opening the bag further, he dragged it in front of Boots.
"That doesn't look like a weapon, looks like some gear or something." He shrugged, "I'd just put it with the body, who knows, right?"
"Yeah," Mac looked out the dark window thoughtfully. "You know, outside the fence, down in the business district, there's an old bus stop. No buses run there anymore, but," he pointed at Candy, "she'd be outta the rain."
"That's good Mac, like someone dumped it there, and then a homeless woman looking for shelter finds the body." He smiled at Candy, "I think that's a good idea, but how do we report this then? You gotta phone?"
"No, but there's a convenience store that sells those disposable phones. I got some money, I can buy one and use it to call." Candy covered her face whimpering. "I'd wait a couple hours though, the late shift police can be real assholes."
Cradling her head against his chest, Boots began to rock their bodies slowly, "okay, we'll wait." Wiping her damp cheeks he smiled tenderly, "we got a few more hours, let's relax together until we have to go."
Standing up, Mac wrung his hands, "why don't I go and get the phone so you can have some time to say goodbye." Bowing he opened the door and ran out into the rain.
The two sat in the shed, arms wrapped around each other, Boots finally succumbed to the tears that had been threatening as he smoothed her wet hair. "I sure am gonna miss you, Candy."
"What time is it?" Kiri yawned sitting on the captain's desk.
"Just past four in the morning." Ochako yawned back.
"Hello," Captain Aizawa sighed as he came into his office, his eyes as puffy and black as their own. "Grunts get the early calls, sorry." He hung up his scarf and sagged into his chair, running his hands over his face. "Denki and Momo are on their way too, considering you've been working the homeless angle, I thought it would be good for you all to be here." He handed them a folder.
"Homeless?" Opening the file Kiri scanned the notes, he sat up straight. "You have Candy in custody?"
Shouta blinked, "how do you know Candy?"
"If you look in our notes for Suguta Ren, we think she may be going by an alias of Candy in the homeless camp."
"Are you shitting me?"
"No sir," Kiri kept reading, "when can we see her?"
"Right now."
Akio woke, his eyes taking in the dim light of his room. Sitting up, he glanced at his clock glowing an eerie green, it was 4:30 in the morning. Stretching, he grabbed his clothes and pulled them on. Opening his blinds he peered out, the rain had slowed, now just a thick fog that clung to everything. Walking into the kitchen he made coffee and picking up his phone, he dialed his next loose end.
He was running, slipping and sliding. Looking over his shoulder he could hear the steady rhythm of feet running. No matter how fast he ran, whatever was chasing him was getting closer. Kaneko jerked awake bathed in sweat. "Ugh," he moaned, pulling at the wet hotel sheet stuck to his skin. His phone began buzzing. Grabbing it he peered at the familiar number, shuddering he put it back on the nightstand. Why was he calling so early? Sitting up he frowned, he knew why. Jumping out of bed he raced to the bathroom, he needed to get dressed and get on the road fast.
Wrapping a blanket over the pale woman shivering in the chair, Ochako handed her a cup of coffee. "We have a medic coming to check you out and make sure you're okay." She sat down next to Kiri on the other side of the table.
"Th-Thanks," Candy was shaking so hard she was barely able to hold the warm drink.
"You're welcome," she smiled, "Candy?" The woman nodded. Ochako pulled out her notebook, "I know it has been a really long night for you, but my partner, Kirishima, and I were hoping you might tell us what happened."
"I - I told the police."
"Yes, we did see the report," she looked at Kiri. "But sometimes in the face of trauma our minds forget things, maybe you might remember something different now."
"Not me," she mumbled, hovering over the coffee cup.
"What do you mean?" The woman shrugged.
"I forget stuff all the time," she sighed, "Boots used to help me."
"Boots?" Kiri leaned forward, "is that who you lived with in the homeless camp?"
Candy stared at him, "you know Boots?"
"No, we heard from a friend of his that the two of you stayed together in the camp. Why did you leave Candy? Did Boots go with you? Why were you at the bus stop?" Ochako laid a hand on his arm stopping his flow of questions. Leaning back, he laughed sheepishly, "sorry, take your time."
"I, um," Candy glanced between the two of them. "I've been with Boots for a little while, he found me."
"He found you?"
She bobbed her head vigorously. "Yeah, I was kind of wandering around by the train station. He helped me out and when he realized I couldn't remember much, he took care of me." She smiled looking down, "he's nice, made sure I was fed and had a place to sleep."
"Did you live in the homeless camp?"
"We did, well, until last night."
"What happened last night?" Kiri managed to ask just one question.
"They came and were close so we escaped."
"They came?" Ochako repeated.
"The people," Candy's eyes grew round, "they grab whomever they can find. I heard they got Mama last time, she's a big lady, Boots knew her."
"So, these people came last night?"
"Yeah, Boots was convinced we were next, so we left."
"You snuck out?" Ochako furrowed her brow, the camp was fairly heavily patrolled. She was surprised that anyone was able to get in or out.
"No, we walked out the front gate, Boots said there was no patrol."
"No police at all?" Kiri cocked his head.
"Not that we saw, so we headed to his friend's place."
"Where's that?" A hesitant look passed over Candy's face, she tapped her finger on her head and looked around the room.
"That's just it, the part I don't remember." She thinned her lips, "we were running and then Boots told me to wait, next thing I know I was walking around on my own."
"Okay," Ochako wrote in her notebook. "You were walking on your own and then what?"
"Well," she looked down at the table. "I was cold and wet, so when I saw the bus stop, I decided to get out of the rain. Figured I'd wait for Boots to come find me." She grimaced, "then I saw the body."
"The body?"
"Yeah, it was weird you know," Candy fidgeted with the coffee cup nervously. "I can't ever remember anything but when I looked at his face, right away I knew who he was."
"You recognized his face?" Kiri looked down again at the official police report, this was new information.
"I did, it was like my brain made a match and I knew it was Sawa."
"Who's Sawa?"
"He's a boy, someone I knew, I guess," she sighed, "I can't really remember."
Looking through the photos, Kiri studied each picture, stopping at the picture of the rug. It was fairly long, tucked under the bus bench, a shock of white hair flowing out of one end. Nudging Ochako, he pointed to the picture. She stared for a moment and gave him a quizzical look. "Candy?" Kiri moved the photo to her. "Is this the rug you saw at the bus stop?"
Glancing at the photo quickly, Candy nodded "yes, that's it, when I sat down my feet hit it. I looked under the bench and saw him."
"You saw Sawa?"
"Yep, it was really scary, I've never seen a dead person before."
Kiri pointed to the photo, leaning towards her. "Candy, can you do me a favor and look at Sawa in this picture."
"Again?"
"Yeah, humor me," Ochako elbowed him lightly but he ignored her. Moving her coffee, Candy stared at the photo. A faint smile played on Kiri's lips, "tell me what you see." Her mouth fell open working silently, she crossed her arms and pushed back in her chair, jutting out her chin.
"What's wrong?" Kiri smiled knowingly, she'd figured out her mistake.
"I can't see his face in the picture." Ochako spun the photo around, staring.
"Where'd you really find him, Candy?" Kiri pushed, "were you with Boots?"
"I can't tell you or Mac will get thrown out."
"Mac?" Ochako scribbled down the name.
"He lives by the bus stop." She whispered, "we were in his house last night when we heard a noise. We went to go check it out and we saw the bag of stuff."
"The trash bag?"
"Yeah, someone had dumped it." She pushed her now cooling coffee away. "Then Mac fell and his flashlight went flying. When I climbed into the junk and got it, I saw the hair," her words spilling fast now. "They unrolled it to - to make sure it was really… well, you know." She sighed heavily, "I saw his face and recognized him. His name is Sawa."
"How do you know Sawa?"
"I - I don't know, a job I think, I have a uniform on in my memory. He's in a big room of some kind, laughing, he was in high school then."
"Wow, that couldn't be too long ago, he isn't much older than nineteen or twenty," Ochako looked at the dead boy's face in another photo.
"I don't know, but I also remembered I have a son," her lower lip began trembling.
Opening another folder, Kiri pushed two pictures towards her. "Candy, do you recognize either of these people?"
Leaning forward again, she stared at the photos. The slideshow in her mind moving through pictures, stopping again at the matches. "My kids! I have kids!" She started to sob. Jumping up, Kiri patted her arm. She looked up at him, black eyes filled with pain. "Who - who am I?"
"If these are your children then you are Suguta Ren."
"I am?" Candy tried saying the name under her breath, the flash in her memory exploded into a full scene, like a movie. Sawa was laughing at something. She looked down, there was a badge on her uniform, Suguta Ren engraved across the top. "I'm a guard?" She furrowed her brow, more images popping. A woman emerging from another set of doors, kissing Sawa, she smiled at Candy. "Uchiyama," she breathed out. "I work at the defense ministry and Uchiyama is Sawa's mom." She paused as more images flooded her mind so fast her temples ached. "Ouch," she hissed as she grabbed her forehead, pain seared through her head. "OUCH!" She bent over, images cascaded one over the other. The truck that had pulled in late, a man running, she'd walked from her guard stand to check. His face turned towards her for a moment and it was Sawa but his face melted into another man with black glittering eyes, his mouth turned down in a scowl. He was yelling at her, a gun in his hand. "DON'T SHOOT!" She screamed as she heard the ring of gunfire in her head. A crippling pain lanced through her skull as she lurched forward, coffee spewing from her mouth as she threw up across the table.
"Shit!" Ochako yanked her notebook off the table as the bile spilled off the side. Kiri grabbed her, holding her steady as she heaved again, spitting up coffee. Jumping up, Ochako ran out of the room coming back with a roll of paper towels, she dumped a huge stack on the table.
"Are you okay Suguta?" Kiri held out a towel for her to clean up. Sunken eyes looked up at him, fluttering open and closed, she slipped off her chair and landed face first on the floor. "SHIT!" Kiri lunged for her, wrapping his arms around her waist, he pushed her back in her chair, her body limp, blood trickled from her nose, she was unconscious. "Call the medics!" He heard the door slam as Ochako raced back out into the hallway.
Sliding his leg over Shouto's, Katsuki flipped on his back, he'd woken just as his dream started so he'd avoided the worst of the nightmare. Turning he could see his face buried into his pillow, eyes closed, breath soft and even in sleep. The red side of his hair was hanging down across his forehead, Katsuki brushed his bangs back gently, studying his scar. He'd finally admitted to him a few years ago that he'd overheard him tell the story to Deku. He fingered the rough red skin that edged his pale cheek. Shouto flinched in his sleep. Jerking his hand back, Katsuki rolled over bracing himself on his arm staring down at his face. Why had he never seen him like this before? Brushing his hands through his red and white silky strands he knew it was most likely because he'd always been competing with him. Icy Hot at one time had just been another peg to get to the number one Pro Hero slot. That or maybe it was that he was just stubborn and dumb. Laying back down he held his hand in the air looking at his scarred skin, stubborn about life and dumb about knowing the people around him. What else was he missing? Flicking his fingers, he thought about the investigation. He'd shown Shouto the overexposed picture of the puddle in the bar but all it proved was that Kaneko had gone outside, nothing more. But why? Why go outside and from the back? And why was he there in the first place? That was a dive bar, maybe one of the nicer ones, but not really his style. Kaneko was a high-end trust attorney, maybe the owner was a client? Turning his hand he saw the red burn along the inside of his wrist, glancing at Shouto he grinned. Hazards of having a boyfriend who was as hot in bed as his quirk. His eyes traveled down his toned back, the covers had shifted slightly exposing the swell of his ass. Katsuki used his finger to slide the sheet down further.
"Stop it," his voice was muffled by the pillow.
His gaze darted up to see one brilliant blue eye looking at him, it closed. Katsuki cuddled close to his warm body, his hand running down his smooth skin. "Good morning."
"If it's before 5 am, you're dead."
Trailing kisses along his shoulder Katsuki nipped him lightly, "and how will you kill me?" He chuckled huskily.
"Are you kidding me?" Lifting his head, Shouto tapped his phone, it was 4:45 am. "Fuck, I'm never dating an insomniac again," he muttered pressing his face back into his pillow. Closing his eyes, he tried to let sleep capture him again, but the firm body next to him was more than distracting. Kat's big hand was roaming over his back, gently fingering his spine as he tickled each nodule. His warm full lips leaving wet kisses across his shoulder.
"You think I'm gonna ever let you date anyone else?" Katsuki kept his tone teasing but his eyes were serious as he watched him. The blue eye opened again.
"You'll have no choice if you keep waking me up in the middle of the night." Shouto grumbled but he studied the expression on his face, he looked like he'd meant what he said.
"What if I make it worth your while?" Katsuki nuzzled his neck.
"You mean by letting me go back to sleep?" Shouto pushed him away laughing. Kat caught him up in his arms.
"Do you know how much I love hearing you laugh?" He kissed him as Shouto laughed again.
"I think no sleep has scrambled your brain Bakugou."
"I'm fucking serious," Katsuki trailed his lips down his jawline, working his way to his earlobe. "I feel like we were always at odds before. You'd laugh with the nerd, but not with me." He traced the outside of his ear with his tongue. Leaning on his elbow he looked down into his red and blue eyes. Shouto laid his hand on his cheek and smiled.
"I like laughing with you too."
Katsuki turned his head and kissed his palm. "I didn't mean to wake you up." Laying back down he wrapped his body around him. "If you wanna go back to sleep," he kissed him on the forehead, "go ahead."
"You mean now that you woke me up?" He yawned and turned on his back, enjoying the feel of Kat's rough hands. "Well?" He looked up into his face, he was staring at him intently.
"Well, what?"
Laughing Shouto looped his arm around his shoulders. "Aren't you going to give me a good morning kiss?"
"I thought you'd never ask," leaning down Katsuki kissed him, tongue sliding along his lips, he pushed the kiss deeper, he was memorized by him this morning, he couldn't get enough.
The kiss surprised Shouto, tender but demanding, it felt like there was something more behind it. Running his hands through his blonde spikes, Shouto pushed into him with all of the feelings he'd been harboring. They ended the kiss, foreheads touching, chests heaving. "That was the most incredible kiss," Shouto blushed.
"Sho," Katsuki murmured, "I'm sorry for being an ass yesterday. I'm really -" The alarm blared with a fast beeping noise.
"Shit!" Shouto jumped, knocking his face into Katsuki's forehead. "SHIT!" Grabbing his nose, he pelted the alarm clock with his hand trying to turn it off.
"Here," looking over the bed, Katsuki ripped the cord from the wall, it kept beeping.
"It's got back up batteries," he grabbed the clock and flipped it off. "In case the electricity goes out."
"Electricity goes out, just fucking sleep in."
Rolling his eyes, Shouto grabbed at his hands. "What were you saying?"
Looking down at him, Katsuki sighed, the moment had passed. "Nothing, just," he smiled and sat up, "I guess it's time to get up anyway. I'm gonna take a shower." Hopping off the bed he went into the bathroom.
Tossing the alarm clock on the floor, Shouto gritted his teeth, "fucking piece of shit," he wanted to melt the stupid thing into a lump of plastic. Yawning loudly, he plodded into the kitchen to make coffee. His phone began chirping from the bedroom, going back, he read through the text. He ran to the bathroom. "Captain just messaged, we need to get in right away. A homeless lady found a dead body, the others are at the station interviewing her now."
Poking his head out of the shower, Katsuki waited for the punchline.
"Not going to ask?"
He gave Shouto an annoyed look. "Okay, so what's that to us?"
"Dead person is Uchiyama Nana's son. The lady found him rolled up in a rug and dumped at a bus stop and," Shouto smiled wider, "they identified a bag of eight Pro Hero pieces of equipment with the body."
Akio drove slowly past Kaneko's house and around the block. Parking on a side street, he got out into the heavy mist. Hunching down into his jacket, he circled the entire block before coming back to his house. Hiding in the blackness along the wall, he tried to remember the layout in his mind. He'd only been there once but it was a simple house, only two bedrooms. Coming around the side, there was a wooden gate, he jiggled the handle gently but it was locked. Grabbing the top, Akio wedged his foot into a small crack and scrambled up, throwing his body over the other side, grunting as he landed. He tried to see in the early morning light but it was obscured by the heavy mist. Running his hand along the side of the house, he wound his way around the back stepping carefully through the flower bed planted along the wall. Stopping at each window, he tried to open them but they were locked up tight with the shades drawn. Two of the windows in the back didn't have the blinds completely shut, cupping his hand he peered inside. The house was dark. The fucker was probably asleep.
Pulling out his phone he tried him again, leaning his ear to the pane of glass trying to hear. The shrill phone rang in his ear but the other side was silent. "Sleepy ass," he pushed his phone into his pocket. It was unusual for him though, Kaneko always took his calls or at least phoned him right back. All he needed was to make sure he destroyed any physical evidence connecting them. "Simple, but no, gotta go and ignore me asshole." Grinning, he ran his fingers over the strip of beading on the outside of the window. He deserved to be woken up by an intruder. "Time to wake up Kaneko," Akio sang under his breath. Digging out a metal tool from his pocket, Akio slid it into the small gap, working the beading loose. Moving slowly, he managed to pull out the entire strip, freeing the main window. Laying his hand on the glass he worked the pane from the window, gently pulling it off. "There you go baby," he carefully set it on the ground, leaning it against the house. Putting both hands on the window ledge, he launched his body up, landing with his feet on the window sill. There was a couch below him. Stepping onto the cushions he dropped to the floor quietly. Using a small flashlight, he made his way quickly to Kaneko's bedroom, the door hung open. Poking his head inside, he paused listening. There was no sound of breathing or movement coming from the bed. Sweeping his light across the room, he could see the bed was empty.
"That fucker." His light fell on the open closet, there were clothes missing from their hangers. There was an empty space on the shelf about the size of a suitcase. "You piece of shit, what did you think? I was gonna fucking kill you?" Akio stopped, shit, he probably would have. Storming down the hall, he went into his office. His flashlight lighting up the large cherry desk. His appraisal kit lay heaped on top with a notebook and a few pens. In the center of the desk lay a sheet of paper, picking it up Akio sucked in a breath. It was the original list, next to the eight items Kaneko had written counterfeit next to each one. "You dumb ass," he looked around the office, "now I am gonna kill you."
Opening all of the desk drawers, he went through each compartment methodically, Kaneko was organized to a fault. He found the small key easily and unlocked the drawer behind the desk sliding it open. It was half empty, Kaneko had clearly taken something from this drawer with him. Glimpsing through the few things left, he didn't see anything else of interest. Slamming the drawer shut Akio went back to the kitchen ripping open the door to the garage, it was empty. "You're fucking running from me?" He seethed, "And in the damn car l restored?" Nobody got away from him. Glancing at his watch it was getting close to five, he needed to leave before it got too light. His flashlight landed on the breaker box in the garage. Smiling he crossed over to the metal box and unhooked the cover, he pulled out his tool and began rewiring the circuits.
Tenya pulled his hood back waving at the guard inside the building. Putting down her clipboard she peered at him through the glass doors. "I came in early!" He called, holding up his badge. Nodding she walked over and unlocked the locks.
"Come in," She held the door. "Sign in on that clipboard there and go through the metal detector." Tenya wrote his name down, and noticed Uchiyama's name.
"Oh, the Assistant Defense Minister is in?" He pointed to her signature. The guard looked at the clipboard.
"Yes, she came in about forty minutes ago, looks like you're both working early today."
"This is great, I came in really early today because I'm working on a project. It would be great to get her input," Tenya's eyes lit up, excited to finally get some one on one time with her. The guard regarded him blandly, motioning him to go through the metal detector. "Thanks," he grabbed his bag and dashed for the elevator, punching the button he waited impatiently for the doors to slide open.
Racing to the office, he excitedly shoved his stuff away under his desk. Clutching his notebook, he knocked on Uchiyama's office. "Assistant Defense Minister?" He called through the double doors, pausing, he held his breath listening, it was quiet. "Uchiyama?" He knocked again. Frowning, he stepped back, he'd really hoped to talk to her about his ideas. Going back to his desk, he sat and turned on his computer, a yawn surprised him. Looking at the office coffee station, it was off, no coffee. Grabbing a mug, he headed down the hallway to the community break room. A thudding noise sounded from behind the stairwell door. A muffled expletive followed. Tenya opened the door and poked his head inside. "Hello?" His voice echoed inside the bare concrete stairwell. More scraping noises came from below. Leaning over the railing, he peered down below. He saw a figure bent over, dragging something, the person was cursing again. Setting down his empty mug on the landing, he trotted down the stairs. "Hello?" He called louder as he rounded the last flight of stairs. The noise stopped. Coming onto the final landing he saw Uchiyama on the stairs hunched over a large box, several more boxes laying haphazardly around her. Her black eyes shot up at him startled as she shifted the box awkwardly in her arms.
"Assistant Defense Minister!" Tenya leaped forward grabbing the box from her arms. She gasped and stepped back, slipping on the step, her arms flailing, she screamed as she tipped backwards. Dropping the box, Tenya instinctively jumped and grabbed her waist, pulling her in against his body. Firing his jets, he kept them from tumbling head over heels down the stairs. He cradled her against his shoulder as his body slammed into the wall at the bottom. Pain ripped through his side, he grunted heavily holding her trembling body. "I'm - I'm," Tenya gulped as he tried to catch his breath. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" He jumped back, letting go of her. Teetering unsteadily, she grabbed his shoulders and nodded.
"I'm f - fine," she stammered as recognition crossed her face. "Lida?"
"I didn't mean to scare you ma'am," he looked at the mess. "Do you need help?"
Glancing around, she shook her head, "no, I can handle this by myself."
Laughing, Tenya adjusted his glasses, "I'm sorry Assistant Minister, but I don't think that is a very true statement."
Sighing Nana lifted her hands in frustration, "you're right, I could use some help. And please, just Uchiyama is fine."
Picking up a box he smiled, "where can I put this for you?"
She looked nervously at him. "Hang on, let me think about that," opening the door at the bottom of the stairs, she held her breath as she looked down the hall in both directions. "Okay," she breathed out in relief, "follow me and quickly." She waved for him to follow her as she moved down the hallway fast, her high heels clicking along the tiled floor, she stopped at a set of double doors. "Set that box here," she pointed to the side of the doors. "I'll move them inside later."
"Don't be silly, what's the point of me moving them here then? You'll just be stuck dragging them all somewhere else. I can put them wherever you need," he hefted the box easily.
"Well," looking over her shoulder, she twisted her lips thinking. If he helped her, she could get out of this horrid place faster. Chances of him seeing anything was negligible, it was almost 6 am, no one was ever around this early. "Fine," she acquiesced. Waving her pass over the reader she held the door for him.
Tenya glanced around the large room with a solitary metal desk and bookcase. "In here?"
"No," Nana darted across the room and opened another door, turning left down a hallway that dead ended at another set of double doors. "We need to stack everything right here, I've arranged to have someone come get everything." Tenya glanced around quizzically.
"Is there a storage space on the other side?"
"Sort of, yes, let's get the other boxes." It took several trips but they were able to move the remaining boxes to the doors. Wiping his brow, he let out a small laugh. She gave him a quick look. "What?"
"I'm out of shape," he squeezed his sides and grimaced, "I haven't worked out properly in four months."
"Hm," Nana just looked away and started counting the boxes. "Okay, that's everything, let's go." Grabbing his sleeve, she heard the double doors swing open, Tenya gasped. "What's wrong, did you open the doors?" Peering around him, her mouth fell open. "Oh shit," she whispered. The two goons that guarded the doctor stood in the doorway, they were dragging a struggling woman between them.
Lida Tenya took ten seconds too long to process the scene in front of him. By the time his mind could register what he was seeing they'd let go of the woman, who ran back down the hall, and grabbed him, putting him into a headlock.
"Watch his legs," Nana backed up, her heart pounding. "He's got jets in them, he's dangerous."
"And I have flesh eating bugs in my hand," Ide smiled wickedly as he held Lida's face, releasing a small amount of his vermin. The bugs swarmed over his cheek burrowing into his cheek rapidly.
"S-Stop!" Tenya screamed as the pain of his flesh being eaten overwhelmed him. "Please," he whimpered.
Chuckling, Ide called them back into his hand, they retreated leaving a bloody gaping hole in his cheek. "Don't fight us," he whispered, holding up his finger, "or you'll be dead before you hit the ground."
Turning Tenya looked back wild-eyed at Uchiyama, "what's happening?" He trembled as pain and fear flooded his body, "why are you doing this?"
Cold eyes regarded him for a moment, then Nana glanced at the two men. "This is really screwed up, take him to the doctor." Letting out a growl she raced down the hallway and back through the double doors blocking out the sounds of him screaming. "Crap," she ripped open the door to the stairs, now what? Racing back up to her floor, she looked up just in time to keep from plowing into a person standing on the landing. Grabbing the rail, Nana reeled back. Kezu Kioku stood in front of her. "Defense Minister," she laughed shakily. "What are you doing here?"
"Uchiyama?" His black eyes squinted at her as he stumbled back. "I came to see the areas that you've had reserved for the last few months," he held up a sheet. "I wanted to see how the lab setup for the quirk identification program is going. I'm very excited to see the progress on that!"
"Oh!" Think, Nana's brain moved fast. "We - We're remodeling some of the electrical to meet the output requirement, it'll take another month or two."
"Oh?" Kezu frowned, "really?"
"I was just checking on everything myself and confirmed the progress. I have all the specifications in my office, if you'd like to see?" He looked past her down the stairwell, clearly annoyed. Smiling, Nana batted her thick lashes, "you will not be disappointed, I promise you, Minister."
"Fine, fine," turning he stopped again, stooping down he picked up something off the ground. "Someone left their coffee mug here, how strange."
Grabbing the cup, Nana laughed self-consciously, "I brought it with me but finished my coffee, so I set it there to pick up later." Giving her another piercing stare, Kezu shook his head.
"You can be quite interesting, Assistant Defense Minister."
Grabbing his arm, she led him out of the stairwell. "Not really Minister, I'm just a boring mom most of the time." Trying to keep the panic at bay as she headed back to her office with the Minister in tow, she realized she needed to talk to Akio about the new addition to their subjects below, he was not going to be happy.
