They Don't Deserve You

Estelle bit her tongue as she overlooked the crowd surrounding her. Their shouts clanged in her ears like potted pans slamming together repeatedly. Every accusatory word hit her like a dagger into the soul; no, Estelle wasn't wounded by it; she was furious. She could not fathom how she ended up in this position, but everything within her scorched as if her skin had become molten flesh.

As if the gods had finally given her some sort of penance, Estelle let out a sigh of relief as the sound of her ringtone quietened the raging spirits. Taking multiple steps back as if that would shield them from the conversation, Estelle clenched her jaw as their voices began to disrupt the blissful silence once more.

"Estelle, some spirits have fallen from the sky and onto our training pitch. They seemed pretty spooked, but they calmed down after I explained that we knew who you were. Can you pick them up?"

Opening her mouth to respond to the teacher, Estelle winced as a spirit behind her bellowed, "They snuck into our camp, and we welcomed them with open arms! Our general allowed them to get the intel they needed!"

A chorus of agreement followed suit leading to the female slumping as her eyes closed in defeat. "I'm sorry, but I'm dealing with something now. Can they wait?"

It was evident that Mr Aizawa had noted the racket behind Estelle's emotionally drained tone. His effort to keep his tone neutral was apparent, his voice steady after a long quiet beat. "Not really, they don't seem to like us very much. Haven't said a word after demanding us to take them to you."

Estelle groaned, her eyes rolling at how these spirits were always such a pain in the backside. Couldn't they just be civil for once? She understood how their history with humans had caused such turmoil, but it made things so much more complicated when they refused to cooperate. Because of this, Estelle couldn't leave the spirits with the class. They could be a hazard and accidentally lash out at her classmates. "It's dangerous, and I don't really want to ask, but can you bring them here? As you can hear, a lot is going on. I can't leave. But, if you are uncomfortable with that, I'll figure something out."

Surprisingly, his answer was swifter than a heartbeat, and Estelle could feel the weight on her shoulders lighten as she listened to the lack of reservation in his tone. "I'll bring them over. Don't worry about it."

Mr Aizawa didn't know what to expect when he arrived at Estelle's camp. It was the first time he had ever stepped near so many spirits, and the awareness that he was walking into a shark's den was very much on his mind. He was comforted by the fact Estelle was there, but as his eyes began to witness the scene around the field, that consolation quickly waned.

Disbelieving what he was seeing, the teacher did a double take at the atmosphere around him. The last thing he had been anticipating was an angry mob surrounding his student like she was a prisoner of the witch trials. They screamed from every direction, leering eyes staring directly at the person who stood in the middle of it all as they raised their hands like aggressive men watching a football match. He couldn't acknowledge the gall of these creatures, spitting out horrible words to the one who had to lead them all into battle before.

"What does this say about you?!"

The teacher didn't like how they spoke to her, like someone who bore the responsibility for everything. Their daggered eyes searing right into Estelle seemed almost inhumane, like snarling beasts baring their fangs at a weakened prey. It lit his core, a fierce urge filling him to stand before her to ensure he was shielding her from their prying eyes. But he knew she would not like that; Estelle probably had never felt protected, not when she was always the protector.

"Look at her! She doesn't even know what to say to the truth!"

He had no idea what had riled them up to such an extreme. They salivated over Estelle's silence, seemingly taking that as a weakness to whatever was going on. These spirits jumped at the opportunity, and Mr Aizawa could feel the disgust rising within his core at how they treated one of their own. The spirits he had led to camp finally left his side, bumping into his shoulder harshly as they trekked into the crowd. They didn't hesitate, joining their comrades despite not knowing why. His lips curled downwards, his body smouldering under the fire the scene had caused.

"You could have ruined our entire operations for some unworthy ghouls! They don't matter that much!"

Estelle had a million things to do; her plate was overflowing all over the damn table. So, when he heard the yelling in the background, the teacher didn't even want to refuse her request. It was the least the hero could do. He fretted over the teenage girl every day, always wanting to do more, yet having no idea what else he could possibly do when she was still out fighting every day. How do you help a girl who is still being traumatised? Though Estelle got better day by day, he wondered if there would ever be a chance to explore the inner workings of her mind when she was so dead set on leaving them.

"Is she really still fit to be our general?!"

Estelle was his student, and he assumed he would have three years with the girl. But instead, she would likely leave in the next few months, still traumatised by everything that happened. He abhorred it, but he could do nothing about it. He was her teacher, not her father. He couldn't ask for anything besides her homework, which he hadn't requested in five months. He just wished there was more time to change things for the better because it was clear that these spirits had no regard for her well-being. They were at her throat; it made him nauseous.

"Clearly not if this slipped past her!"

Of course, it's not to say that she hadn't changed at all. Estelle had come a long way from when she initially arrived at UA. He just wanted to see her completely free from the cages her life trapped her in.

Unfortunately, looking at her now, it was like she was held hostage once again.

Mr Aizawa could see the stands of her mind snap apart when a spirit finally lunged for the jugular. She had done everything she could to keep herself calm, but evidently, it cut short when it turned physical.

Baring her teeth, Estelle's body shifted before her mind could react, her hand wrapping around the centaur's neck as she used her body strength to push him to the ground. Pressing his head against the mushy land, Estelle's eyes flared with righteous anger as her head snapped to the crowd around her, her body moving slightly, so she was ready to lunge at a moment's notice at the battle-ready bodies around her.

Utterly taken aback at these spirits now attacking Estelle, his body was halted, his mind catching up as he realised he had been heading directly to her. Slowly looking up to final a glowing orb, the educator didn't know what to make of the string-like arm that morphed out of its body to hold him back. Its echoey voice struck him, freezing him at its core when he realised it was communicating telepathically, "Stay back, rotten human. This doesn't concern you."

Unable to argue with such a creature, Mr Aizawa quickly turned his sights back on Estelle, his heartbeat becoming rapid in his ears as he recognised her katana glinting in the light. Scowling as he observed Estelle fight against her cohorts, the teacher had to wonder why the hell they had been so quick to turn on the one they called saviour. It sounded utterly obscene. Estelle didn't deserve that.

"That's enough! I have no more patience for this!" Estelle barked before clenching her jaw to the point it could snap. Her steely eyes fell on the male before her, whose hand grabbed her neck so tightly it would leave a mark. The motion was quick, and Mr Aizawa had difficulty computing what had just happened as a howling screech filled his ears.

Wincing as blood flushed from the spirit's wrist, the teacher cringed as the hand, now detached from its body, fell to the ground, swiftly becoming dust in the wind. Estelle's katana held droplets of red, her body trembling as she once again attempted to hold back her wrath at those around her. Her heavy pants of air reached his ear, heaving breaths being forced in and out of her lungs as she tried to reign back all the havoc she wanted to commit.

Mr Aizawa finally seemed to catch up to the moment, his sights unwavering from the scene as he ignored the flips in his stomach. He was an underground hero. He had seen worse, but watching his own student cut off a hand like it was cake didn't make it any better. Still, he knew the brutality of her own life; this was the type of thing she hated yet forced herself to do for the good of everyone else. He disliked it as much as she did. The ultimate grey area.

The sudden stillness between the honking noise made him feel like he had gone deaf. And, he was thankful when Estelle finally articulated, her tone melding with the bitter air as she snapped, "Take him away and get him healed. Everyone else in formation, now!"

It felt different watching spirits line up like they were in the Japanese military or one of those war movies he had seen on occasion. It felt foreign catching the action in real-time. It felt even weirder to watch Estelle standing before them, her legs apart as she held her katana like a walking stick, the metal pointed to the ground. Mr Aizawa instantly understood her reasons.

She was warning them.

Estelle took a deep breath, a merge attempt at containing her rampaging fury, which failed in the face of what happened. The spirits, who had spent who knows how long hollering at her, were now white-faced, uneasy as they observed the general they hadn't witnessed in so long. It was evident by their expressions that they hadn't predicted a return of this, and Mr Aizawa had to wonder if Estelle had changed her approach to them since entering this world.

It was a surprising thought that balmed his soul in a way that made him feel sleepy. Yet, he could not deny the lingering feeling that it was causing her more trouble than he had realised. Had their perception of her changed as she warmed to the humans around her? Had they transformed her more than he anticipated? Did they regard her as weak because of it?

His eyes stayed on the female, her glowering gaze staring down at her comrades that mirrored the mighty. Her hand clenched onto the katana's handle tightly, her knuckles becoming white under the strain of her tense hands. He jumped a little when she talked, her tone grinding into a snarl as she shook with turmoil. "I am disgusted by your actions today. You ignored your training and my status as general. You've run amock like you've lost your privates. You are weak!"

Multiple voices in the crowd began to cry in disagreement, their faces twisting as if they had sucked the mouldiest lemon on the planet. Estelle wasn't prepared to listen to them, her head shaking as she splintered out another response. "Do you seriously think a couple of undercover ghouls, most likely threatened to do so, is enough to scare me?!"

The defensive spirits turned mute under her question; the only sound filling the stillness was Estelle's footsteps thudding harshly on the ground as she began to pace. Her katana swung next to her with every step like its own perfect dance and was quickly cut short as she rotated to her comrades. Her mouth lifted, and her teeth bared like a lion about to eat its own meal. "You are weak! Can you not think for yourselves?! It's truly pathetic!"

Murmurs filled the bodies surrounding the otherworldly hero, a few heads turning down in shame as others rose up with fire. Those clearly discontented with Estelle's verbal lashing raised their hands, communicating along the same lines as they clamoured into the atmosphere. Nobody saw the teacher standing in the background, his face turning dark at the vile words being spat towards his student. Nobody could see his clenched fists as a deep familiarity filled his bones. They didn't view her as one of them; they never did and most likely never would.

"You forget that we are not like you! It's your job to take care of us!"

"You're the Cambion! Stop expecting so much from us and do the work!"

"You should be grateful we're here!"

"You wouldn't even be alive if it wasn't for us, Half-Spawn!"

Gripping onto his scarf for dear life, Mr Aizawa couldn't remember the last time he had activated his quirk on accident. But, as he stared into the abyss of spirits, his student standing amidst them all, his red eyes flared to life, the hair brushing against his neck lifting from the scene. He felt physically sick from their words; how dare they expect so much from a child? They acted like Estelle owed them simply for existing. It infuriated him. She was a child, goddammit.

The words seemed to wallop into Estelle, her body automatically lunging forward, the point of her katana finally leaving the ground as she directed it to the faces leering back at her. Her features twisted, almost as if she was preventing herself from removing more limbs, yet she pulled herself back, her voice deathly calm as she spat. "You're shitty excuses mean nothing to me. You no longer have an army of cambions to use as you please. I'm still here because my duty is strong. Who would lead your pathetic bodies into battle I'm gone? Do not forget my absence would mean your downfall. Gods, I just might let it if you continue to disrespect me."

Silence.

Compelling herself to respire, Estelle's voice was low, vibrating from the tension in her throat as she continued. "Do not mistake my actions for kindness. I am the same general I have always been, which means I will not hesitate to rip out your throats if I'm insulted in such a way again. Is that understood?"

Reluctant verbal agreements filled the air, and Estelle's shoulders loosened just a little as her globes flickered through the crowd. It didn't take long for her eyes to meet with floating black and flaring red, yet she made no reaction as the words departed her lips. "Dismissed. Get out of my sight."

Slowly padding her feet on the grass as if she hadn't threatened the spirits' lives around her, Estelle maintained eye contact as she slowly walked through the emptying field. Eventually reaching him, the female didn't give him time to speak as she muttered, "Thank you for bringing them here. Follow me."

Following behind Estelle, his eyes uneasily flickered to the spirits, now giving the duo a wide berth. He overlooked their restless glares, obvious disdain covering their foreign features as they stared at the human within their safe haven. The few children within the camp were the complete opposite, their eyes shining in a way he didn't frequently see within the crowd, yet he frowned when he noticed the adults stepping on their childlike wonder-like ants underneath their feet.

Yeah, they were assholes.

Spirits seemed so strange in general. They were apparently on the good side, the side of the light, however, seemed to hate everyone that wasn't their own. They fought against darklings, hated ghouls and humans, and used Cambions for their benefit. They started wars and segregated themselves, yet relied on Estelle and her kind to resolve it. They pushed her to do the dirty work, demanded she remains emotionless throughout, and then called her mean. (His students told him about the conversation with Iris.)

It was a twisted joke.

Mr Aizawa wasn't a fan.

By the time he decided on his opinion of the spirits, he had made his way inside the hut Estelle had led him to. Stopping at the round table in the middle of the room, the underground hero had to take a moment to overlook the map of japan. It looked like a meeting room heroes gathered in to discuss a mission. Instead, this seemed dedicated to the efforts within the war, and he couldn't help but take note of all the new information detailing parts of the war he wasn't even aware of.

Glancing at his pupil, Mr Aizawa didn't even need to hear the words as everything was written across her face. The awkward shuffle of her feet emphasised her discomfort, and it became abundantly clear within the hush that she didn't even know where to begin. Averting her eyes from his, she murmured, "I apologise for making you witness that."

Immediately shaking his head, a long puff left his chest as he was again reminded that Estelle was still a teenager. She had no idea his reaction to the violence she had just committed in front of his eyes; what she didn't comprehend was that Mr Aizawa got it. "There's no need. I understand the situation."

The direct words seemed to slam into Estelle's chest, her eyes turning into incredulity as they whirled up to gaze at the educator. She appeared to find the confirmation within his eyes, her body turning slump under his soft gaze before staring at her shoes. "You shouldn't say stuff like that. Compared to this world, mine is a shitshow."

Mr Aizawa snorted, his lips tilting up at the understatement of the year as he responded. "It may be a shitshow, but you handle things in the way that works for your people. You mentioned to me during one of your colouring sessions that there was a hierarchy of dominance, right?"

Estelle nodded.

"If that's the only way to get them to submit, then it was what you had to do. You had no choice in the matter, which isn't fair to you. It must be challenging to maintain your status, and it must be exhausting.

Mr Aizawa could catch his words impacting her core as she attempted to breathe through her tight throat, the air coming out shaky as she failed to bring her gaze up. His heart clenched for the girl, his sights scanning her as she seemed to suffer under her own actions. Again, the urge filled him to take her away and hide her from the world. She was hurting with every effort she made under the title of general, and it appeared that nobody else could see it. She was crumbling under it.

The taughtened throat caused her words to come out strangled, every essence of her strength pouring into maintaining her self-imposed aloofness. "Then why does it feel weird here? It feels wrong. It never felt wrong back home."

Taking a few steps forward so he was standing in front of her, Mr Aizawa lifted his hand, placing it onto her shoulder like a gentle solace as Estelle fell into turmoil. Her confusion was palpable, the cogs in her brain scrambling to figure out the change within herself. "Maybe it's because you've gotten accustomed to how things are here. The moral code is completely different; understandably, you feel conflicted after being here for so long."

"But doesn't that make me a bad leader? It makes me weak."

"No, I don't think it makes you weak. It's harder to do something you don't want to, yet do it to succeed. It makes you stronger to do what it takes, no matter how much it tears you up inside. This strong will you have, even if you think you have none is astounding. And you're not alone in this. We have your back."

Despite knowing he had said this to Estelle before, it never ceased to make his heartache as he detected them influence her once more. How her body tensed, her mouth opening soundlessly to hide her emotion, was enough for Mr Aizawa to soften. He used to get frustrated at how Estelle was able to outmanoeuvre his questions, how she could maintain her facade no matter how much the class tried to break them down. Now, it felt as easy as breathing to glimpse through the shutters. He could genuinely see Estelle; as troubled as she was, he could see it all.

He'd rather that than a blank slate. It was almost relieving.

"Estelle?"

"Hm?"

"I think you have to ask yourself what you really want. If it feels immoral to follow the codes of your world, ask yourself why. Maybe it means you've outgrown it."

"I..."

Frowning as he saw the fear in her eyes, Mr Aizawa shook his head as he continued, his voice peaceful to ensure he wasn't scaring the poor girl away. "I'm not asking you to give up your world or even stay in ours. I'm just asking you to think about your changes and what you think is best for you. Not them. Not the class. You."

Taking pause at his statement, Estelle gave a slow nod, taking note to mention it within her next session with Hound-dog. Maybe he could help her understand why she was feeling so conflicted. "Okay."

Giving a straight smile, the hand on Estelle's shoulder tightened briefly as he straightened up. "Good. Now, you look hungry and exhausted. I'm taking you to McDonald's."

Instantly perking up, Estelle asked, "What's that?"

"It's a fast food restaurant. They sometimes even give you a toy with your meal."

The teacher bit back his laugh as his globes took in Estelle's shining eyes, bright smile and bouncing feet. It felt maddening to know he had just witnessed her taking off a hand, yet she was so excited that she could receive a toy. It warmed his cold heart to know he had managed to soothe her enough that she could think about something so small with so much happiness. "Ohh! I'd like a toy! Let's go!"

Turning around to shield his grin, the teacher wasted no time heading out of the hut to lead her to his car. Eyeing her, he attempted to hide the downturn of his gut as he recognised her blank expression the second she stepped outside. Making no comment towards the sharp transformation, Mr Aizawa bit back his concern at how much she had to hide.

Sitting in the driver's chair, Mr Aizawa realised his previous frustrations had been valid. If she had this much practice, it was no wonder it felt like he was speaking to a brick wall when she initially joined UA.

Thankfully, the unease faded as he pivoted to face Estelle, his eyes enlarging at the fact she had returned to her previous beam like it had never left. He allowed his smile to show, his eyes turning back onto the road as he pulled his car into gear.

"Soooo, what toys do they have?"

It felt good knowing Estelle felt safe enough with him to bear her emotions. It felt comforting to know that she could be happy freely around him. "It's a surprise. We'll have to wait and see."

Honestly, he had no idea.

"I hope it's squishy."

God, she could be adorable.

Estelle held onto her plush toy tightly as she strolled into her dorm room, her feet heading straight for the body lying on the bed like a woman on a mission. Surprising the male facing the other way, Katsuki released a shocked noise as he felt the full brunt of Estelle's weight as she fell on top of him. Her chin dug into his shoulder, and despite how uncomfortable it was, the blonde made no attempt to move her from her position, his arm lifting to wrap around her as the grin graced his lips.

"What's up?"

Estelle groaned, her nose breathing in his scent subtly as she trudged further into his side. Despite not looking up, she could feel his gaze on her, her body warming under the stare as she listened to the chuckle that vibrated through his chest. "Nothing."

"Tch, that's a lie. You clearly wanted cuddles."

Slotting her arms around him like it was the final piece of a puzzle, Estelle couldn't find herself arguing as the day's tension began to leave her. It was almost invigorating to be in Katsuki's presence like this; nothing genuinely compared to the comfort his embrace brought her. Still, she managed to mumble, "Hmph."

"Saw Mr Aizawa take those spirits out. I'm surprised his lazy ass managed to make the trip."

Estelle snorted, her cheeks raising slightly as she retorted, "He complained about the fact I cut his nap time short."

Feeling her lips tilt up further as she felt the tremors of Katsuki's laugh, she closed her eyes to the feeling of his hand drifting to her hair. She nearly shivered from the contact, her mind eagerly awaiting the soothing motions he was yet to bestow on her. But, as she waited, the female almost groaned out loud when his hand remained frozen atop her head. Squirming in hopes it would get him to move, Estelle felt defeat wash over her as she realised she would have to ask him to get a move on.

Peeking upwards to check if he was just teasing her, Estelle furrowed her brows as she noticed his unblinking eyes staring at the wall like it was his worst enemy. Profoundly confused, she could only guess that the machine in his head was working overtime as she began to blink for him. How were his eyes not watering at this point? How odd.

Katsuki, on the other hand, was mulling over the last week. He had been ruminating over her troubled sleep for days, unable to figure out the change within the otherworldly female and why she continued to evade his awakening every night since he had returned from the agency. She did the same thing every time, jerking awake and desperately attempting to hide the night terrors from him as he pretended to be asleep. He wasn't sure why he held out for this long; typically, he was pretty upfront about his curiosity.

Maybe he was waiting for her to come to him? He couldn't deny that knowing she was trying to hide them from him felt wrong and painful. But something about it struck him as peculiar. Estelle had never experienced nightmares to such an extreme extent before; they had never happened consecutively over multiple nights. Typically, he found they were worse when she had a stressful or triggering day, but she had them regardless of how the days went.

Never mind the words she uttered the first night, which continued to blare into his mind like a siren. It concerned him. What the hell couldn't he know? What was she hiding? He should bite the bullet; he had already waited too long.

"What happened last night?"

Estelle's whole body tensed as if he had just thrown a bucket of cold water over her body. Taking a beat to register the question, she dialled back to gaze up at the stern male; his eyes hardened as he tried to mask the evident apprehension lingering in his question. Averting her gaze, Estelle pursed her lips, her heart quickening as she attempted to answer. "It was just a bad dream. Did I wake you up? I'm sorry."

Narrowing his eyes, Katsuki released his hold on her to fold his arms as he prodded further. "Why were you trying to hide it, though? What? Does that mean I can't come to you anymore, either? Does our unspoken agreement no longer apply? You need to be honest with me. If you don't want me to-"

"No! That's not it!" Estelle jerked in answer, shaking her head rapidly as she realised what he was saying. She knew they helped each other when things got tough, but she had never anticipated that by not coming to him, he would feel as if he couldn't reach out to her anymore either. It made sense now that he had vocalised it, and Estelle cursed herself for not thinking of it sooner. But she didn't want to lie to him. It was easier to hide it than explain it all together.

Attempting to form a coherent reply, Estelle struggled to find the right words to say. The truth would eventually come to light, but it wasn't her place to announce the war to him. This wasn't a matter of her world, yet, the words urged to leave her lips; to explain to him the new nightmares that plagued her mind. She had no idea how to navigate the idea that she was dreaming about them, not her memories or comrades. She had been dreaming about the class struggling to defeat their enemy.

Katsuki had known Estelle long enough to know she was conflicted, her face scrunching up cutely as she navigated her thoughts. The sudden change within the class's training was a huge red flag that something was happening in their world, but he wished she would say it aloud. He could handle it, and honestly, he didn't like that she was so stressed about it.

"The commission had ordered me not to speak on it."

Finally able to hear some form of an answer, Katsuki relaxed, relieved it wasn't something she had purposefully held back from him. Katsuki wasn't stupid; the fact she had changed their training and had begun getting nightmares put him on edge, his ruby eyes darting to her as he pressed. "Whatever it is, it's bad, isn't it?"

Estelle's lips tilted up in reassurance, her hand landing on his folded arms softly before she firmly nodded. "But don't worry about it. We will manage."

Katuski's frown was prominent against his handsome features, his rationale pulling pieces together from her words alone. Why was Estelle involved in the first place? That was the whole reason they had heroes. "You do realise you don't have to do shit for us? We ain't no damn spirits; you aren't obligated to do anything. Plus, you already have enough on your plate."

Pausing from the tricky question, Estelle's eyes immediately fell to the duvet as she pondered the explanation. Eventually shrugging, she murmured, "I may not have to, but I refuse to leave a world knowing I could have done more. It's my duty to keep people safe."

Katsuki couldn't help but deepen his grimace, his eyes crinkling in disdain as he visibly disagreed with her words. "Tch, duty, my ass. If you want to keep them safe, it's all the more reason to stay."

Freezing, the female worded slowly, "Katsuki..."

His scowl didn't wane, his hand immediately darting down to manhandle her as he sat up. Estelle failed to hold back her laugh when his grip slipped, a muffled curse leaving his lips as he pulled her into his lap. Opening her mouth to comment, her smiling lips pursed as he glowered silently, warning her to stop before she could even begin.

Yet, the second he found the position comfortable, all humour left her body as she witnessed his glare become determined, his eyes focusing so much on her that she urged to look away. Forcing herself to stop the squirm that was beginning to lurch out of her, the female stilled as Katsuki leaned forward, his voice verging on a growl as he held onto her tightly.

"You talk so much about your damn duty, but what had duty ever done for you?!"

Her hands that laid on his chest taughtened, catching some of the fabric of his shirt as she gaped wordlessly. The rough vibrations of his voice seemed to shoot a thrill up her back, her cheeks immediately flushing pink as his ruby eyes flipped her stomach upside down. Needing something better to hold onto under the crushing gaze, Estelle could only move her hands to his shoulders, clasping them tightly to reign the frenzied emotions swirling through her body. By the look on his face, he didn't seem prepared to stop in the slightest.

He drew closer, his daring eyes demanding every ounce of her attention as he awaited an answer. No sound was emitted between them, the puffs of air leaving their chests becoming all too evident as he continued to inch closer, his nose barely touching hers as he finally took her silence as a response.

Her eyes were entrapped by his as she watched him tilt his head, leaning over slightly, so his breath tickled her ear. The hair on her body instantly stood as her heartbeat hastened, her chest rising and falling quickly as the atmosphere fell into new territory. "I look at you, and I see a woman who continues to give every aspect of herself to a cause despite getting nothing in return. What have they ever done for you? Have they even thanked you?"

Estelle was having trouble listening to the harsh words through the sounds of her pulse thrashing through her ears. However, the growl underpinning his voice seemed to pass through the barrier, settling in her bones with enough electricity that her thighs tensed. She couldn't open her mouth even if she wanted to, her mind battling between melting because of his damn voice or attempting to argue against the point he was trying to make.

Katsuki seemed to be perfectly content in not receiving a retort, his hands clasping her waist, beginning to drift down to the sides of her thighs slowly as he glanced up through his lashes. His eyes narrowed, every part of him rising to the surface like he was armed and ready to go. He refused to let go of their interlocked stare as he took the final hurdle, his head dipping down as he slowly brushed his lips across her skin like he was playing the violin. The gasp she gave from the lightest of touch was exquisite in his ears, filling his core with deep satisfaction as he plunged onwards.

He could feel the heat of her skin against his lips, only getting hotter within his gentle ministrations. Though he couldn't see her as well as he would like due to the position, the clench of her hands on his shoulders and the rise and fall of her chest was enough for him to picture the pretty sight within his mind. His grip tightened, the irritation within his stomach flaring as he was once again reminded of Estelle's view of the world.

It made him want to scream, no, not at her. It wasn't Estelle's fault she was raised to think she had to provide for everyone else. She had no idea how much she gave daily just to keep those damn spirits satisfied. He had witnessed her break down at the gym, broken over the pressure they had placed on her, yet still somehow finding the time to worry about them. It infuriated him, and Katsuki was prepared to deliver the message by any means necessary.

So, placing the last kiss on the nape of her neck, Katsuki bit the flesh he had just adored on.

Estelle's whole body jerked, a noise leaving her that resembled something between a whine and a groan. His hands kept her in place, preventing her from leaping away as he returned to his words with a vengeance. "What's duty ever done for you?"

Estelle hadn't even realised the floaty state her mind had been encased in until Katsuki had staggered her out of it. It was as if she crash-landed back into reality and was still trying to find her feet within the waters. Her hands held onto him, clasping his shoulders completely like a tight embrace, her buoy lifeline. It stung enough for her mind to listen to his words attentively, only to find herself in bliss once again as his teeth began to graze down her neck.

Every second his teeth touched her seemed to flare her body to life, white-hot heat emanating from the contact in such a way that her mind whirled under the scraping pressure. It was barely painful, a slight sting in symphony with the blazing trail his mouth had created on her skin. It almost felt too much but not enough; it was maddening.

"Haven't you given enough?"

Estelle bit her lip, her eyes closing as he stopped moving to say his piece before returning to her neck like the determined male he was. His attention suddenly switched between the two forms of affection: soft kisses and harsh bites. It was heaven and hell, his words dripping with sin like a devil in disguise, drawing her closer to the pool of heat flooding her stomach.

"Will you even be selfish enough to do what you want?"

Estelle, attempting to open her mouth to respond, halted when his lips cupped around a patch of skin, her eyes widening as she felt a suction effect on her neck. Arching slightly at the new sensation, Estelle was utterly bewildered by how her body reacted, his lips suckling on her skin so nicely that she was overwhelmed by the utter chaos rampaging within her veins. She tried to wriggle under the feeling, her body unable to take the new sensation, only to find his hands trapping her in his embrace.

Gasping for air when he finally released the tender skin from his teeth, Estelle wasn't given a moment of reprieve as his fierce rumble entered her ears, his nose brushing against her hair like he hadn't just done something utterly mad. Estelle had never seen or felt something like that before. Was that something people did?!

"Have you ever wanted to tell them to go fuck themselves? That they should fix the problems that they created? Would they ever sacrifice as much as you did? Because from the sounds of it, those spirit bastards don't even realise they'd be dead meat without you."

The resolution within his tone struck Estelle deeply, her stomach lurching at the conflict of her own mind. Something deep within her sanity, locked away and untouched, seemed to crawl out under his seething words. His anger at them was evident within his voice, his deduction seeping into her head like an unprompted key, and Estelle tensed from the action. The general couldn't understand why she felt so conflicted. Why she felt like listening, yet something within her mind refused to take his words as truth. It was enraging, but before Estelle could think on it any further, Katsuki returned to his previous ministrations, biting, sucking and kissing new flesh down her collarbone.

"The thought of those glowy extras using you like that pisses me off," Katsuki managed to mumble as he continued to wreck Estelle's mind, a plunging delight flooding him as he witnessed Estelle utterly speechless under his lips. Every glance at her was like a tidal wave of endorphins; his mind was resolved to get the point across despite the heavy urge to lose himself in her muffled gasps, quick breaths, and trembling body.

It made him want to take a deep breath, leave and take a cold shower. Everything within him burned at the knowledge that he was causing such a reaction. His hands, alternating from stroking her thighs, occasionally drifted to the bed covers to discreetly wipe the sweat off his palms. At his current rate, he would leave wet handprints on her legs, which would be mortifying compared to the vibe he was trying to give off.

Estelle wouldn't be surprised if her grip on Katsuki was verging on painful as his trail of affection moved upwards to her jaw, small pecks plastered on her that drastically differed from the fierce love he had given her neck. It soothed her, like a gentle breeze after a harsh hurricane, and slowly flooded her veins with cooling comfort rather than blazing heat. Her shoulders eased in consolation, her eyes closing for a moment to take in the comfort of Katsuki before meeting his globes again.

Kissing the corner of her lip, Katsuki leaned back a few inches, his eyes scouring over her flushed and wide-eyed face with an all-knowing smirk. At that moment, Estelle knew that Katsuki was well aware of his impact on her, and he was pleased to know it too. His lazy smile gave all the information she needed; Estelle wasn't fooling him in the slightest.

"If you ever did for us, for me, as much as you did them. I guarantee I would spend eternity ensuring you'd never regret it. You're underappreciated, and you accept it," The male continued aggressively as if he had never stopped. His hands tugged her forward, forcing their chests to press against each other as he breathed, "And you think you deserve it. You couldn't be more wrong."

Leaning forward so their lips barely touched, their breaths began to mingle as one as they fell into locked gaze. The room was motionless under Katsuki's aura, which seemed to pour from every inch of him. He was ordering her attention, and all Estelle could do was observe as he spoke the words that had been on the tip of his tongue for who knows how long. "Yet, you refuse the idea of me giving you what those shitheads should have done aeons ago. What's the purpose of duty when they never earned the right to your service? They don't deserve that kind of devotion. Quite frankly, they don't deserve shit."

Nuzzling his nose on hers, Katsuki's gaze was harsh despite his gentle movements. He was frustrated; why couldn't she see what was right before her? Why was she so hellbent on devoting her life to creatures who didn't care for her? Why couldn't she know he was prepared to give her everything she had been lacking before? Katsuki was ready to give it all. There was no way around it; he always gave everything his all. This was no exception. He just needed to make her see.

"They don't deserve you. You're a goddamn queen compared to them."

"You bit me..."

"Yeah. So what?!"

"You bit me?!"

"Why are you freaking out about that now?! Go to sleep!"

"You sucked on my neck like a Vampyre!"

"You liked it, brat!"