Trigger Warning:

- witnessing someone else be abused

- vicarious trauma

There are two types of excitation in this world.

One kind brings anticipation and eagerness.

Such as when someone is about to receive a bonus or have a baby.

The other kind brings dread and terror.

Like when someone has received a two-week notice to resign or had a stillborn.

However, there is a third type that goes unnoticed by most: the type of excitation that is a combination of the first two.

Whatever the word is for that emotion, I do not know. What I am certain of is that alternating waves of enthusiasm and worry rack me like tsunamis. After I impulsively knocked out Hanada-shi, Selene told me to go home for both our safety. She said that she would manage everything, but doubt still nagged at my heart.

That was the reason why I negotiated with my father to arrange dinner with her and Hanada-shi so soon after the funeral.

It might seem improper in the eyes of the public, but the clandestine party Hanada-shi had on the day of the funeral was more shameless, so I have no need to feel remorse about my impromptu decision.

Natsuo is spending the night at college dorms as usual, and Fuyumi took my advice and has decided to spend the night at her friend's place. I did not want to drag either of them in this convoluted web. Not to the extent that I was involved, at least.

It's just me and Dad at home. It feels a little uncomfortable, but it is easy to brush off.

My anxiety, though … not so easy.

The act of fidgeting with cuff links is physical proof.

So for tonight, I chose a color combination that symbolized tranquility and harmony. A three-piece ensemble consisting of the jacket, waistcoat, and trousers in teal with jade accents. I spent ten minutes scouring my closet for a tie in the same color and cuff links made of the jade stone. Superstition had gotten the best of me: I had hoped that the stone and shades would bring some peace of mind, but it still has to take effect.

No matter.

I know what I'm going to do when Selene arrives.

Dad calls for me to discuss some things with him.

"Are you sure about this?"

I'm tired of repeating this same conversation for the past two days. Every time we have come face to face, he brings up the meeting. It's obvious he does not want them in his home, but it really would be better if were he not so annoying about it. Despite the ultimatum I gave him, he still thinks he can turn the situation into his favor. One would think that if he were smart, he would know to withdraw from a losing fight. Then again, he was persistent for years in making me use my left side.

I roll my eyes and sigh, "Do you remember the time you confronted her last New Years? You judged her for being friends with me. For your kind information, I am serious about my friendship with her, too. Midoriya and Bakugou are my friends, but she is my best friend."

"I don't like her father," he protests.

"At least we agree on one thing."

"Look, if this is because last year I was ready to use him to make you the Pro-Hero I wanted you to be, then you should know that I reconsidered."

Shaking my head, I say, "Although you shared a drink at his home, you never invited him after that night, so I easily figured that you were not interested in partnering with him anymore. That was your attempt at trying to be a better parent to me, but that is not the reason why I am doing this."

He looks at me, utterly confused. "Then why-"

I answer his question before he can finish it. "She is not him. And she deserves better than him."

Not a moment later, the doorbell buzzes. I reach the door before Endeavor and open it.

It's a good thing I do.

Because my breath catches in my throat.

Selene looks absolutely resplendent.

She's been stunning to me since the first day, but whenever she wears evening gowns, she looks even more beautiful. As though an ethereal aura covers her like a veil, captivating anyone who gazes at her in her mystery. Furthermore, her dress scheme matches mine. A plain teal panel gown with turquoise orchid embroidery. She complements the look with jade satin gloves and shawl tied around her shoulders. I notice that the shawl is held in place with a jade brooch. Once again, we're unintentionally matching.

Not that I'm complaining. Why should I, when it means that even kilometers apart, we had the same idea?

My sight falls onto the blue orchids interwoven in her tendril twist bun. An indigo so deep, it seems to glow amongst the white backdrop.

My trance is broken when Selene coughs delicately and smiles knowingly. "Good evening, Todoroki-kun. Good evening, Oji-san." She bows and continues, "That shade of blue-green suits you. It brings out your eyes."

"Thanks," I manage to get out. I have to fight the urge to rub the back of my neck and look away. Then an idea clicks in my head, giving me the surge of confidence I need to resist the temptation. If she can compliment me in front of our parents, then why should I do the same? "I could say the same about you," I smile cheekily. "Indigo and silver make a divine combination."

The small tinge of pink that colors her cheeks makes me revel internally at my victory. She pretends to adjust her glasses to hide the blush. I'm half-amazed at myself when I look away from her to greet Hanada-shi. Of course, that is not the honorific I use in front of him, but it is what he will always be to me. An unfamiliar, incomprehensible man.

His face is a reminder to snap out of the little game of teasing and focus on the matter at hand: Selene.

While our father figures greet each other, I observe Selene again. Carefully this time. She is good at keeping up appearances. The hard part is peeling back those layers to see what is hidden underneath. After what I saw that night, I can imagine that she is keeping her walls strong. To protect both of us. Without knowing how exactly how dire the situation is, there is no way I can help her with everything I can.

So far, all I have gathered is an inkling of the gravity of the problem: wringing of the hands.

Though her hands are clasped politely together to hold her purse, they are unnaturally still. The kind of stillness caused when one squeezes them so hard together. Ever so slightly, she shifts the pressure from one palm to the other. She has been equally anxious as me, if not more.

Once the pleasantries are over, Dad guides the two to the drawing room.

Our house design and Selene's home structure both consist of traditional Japanese structural elements, yet there is a uniqueness to each residence. She notices it, too, given how she peruses the walls and doors. This feeling of nervousness is familiar. I felt it once when I showed her my dorm room and hoped that she liked it. Now that she is in my home - a place for more sentimental to me than the room at U.A. - the sensation is stronger than ever.

She doesn't seem disappointed, though. If anything, she looks enraptured.

I'll take that as a good sign.

Once we reach the drawing room, I begin to pour our drinks into yunomi. The small cups that one must hold with both hands. Selene insists on assisting me. Together, we prepare four cups of green tea.

Ten minutes later, I regret that decision.

See, whenever there is a gathering involving people of two different age groups - usually, adults and youngsters - one group is left feeling bored and unable to freely have fun. Guess which group that is. Asian society has ingrained into us from the moments we were born the notion that speaking when elders are talking is rude. It makes things so awkward for the kids who just want to have a conversation away from the adults.

So when we finish our drinks, I rise from my seat and announce, "How about after I put the dishes away, I give Hanada-chan a tour of the house?" Without waiting for a response, I move toward Endeavor and take the cup from him. At an angle that only he can see, I level the same cold gaze that he gives everyone else. Do not deny on me this.

Like father, like son. He gives his approval and glances at Hanada-shi. A silent understanding passes between them: this is an excellent opportunity to stabilize the alliance.

At least, that is what I want Hanada-shi to believe. Luckily, he does. He gives Selene permission, and she cannot leave the setting soon enough.

After I return from putting the cups away and Selene exits the powder room after freshening up, I guide her toward the nearest corridor immediately. One look at her and I know that both of us are thinking the same thing.

Maybe it is me who reaches first; maybe it is her. All I know is that milliseconds later, we are locked in an embrace tight enough to crush each other. It's only been two days since I last touched her, but it feels like eons have passed. And hand-holding cannot compare to the relief that this brings. I have barely started to loosen the coil of tension knotting inside me when her cane clatters to the ground. The sound of metal echoes, and we both pull back to stare at each other with mirroring expressions of shock.

A voice calls out from just outside the hallway. Hanada-shi's. "What happened? Did something fall?"

"Just Hanada-chan's cane!" I reply quickly. Not willing to let go of her completely, I seize the cane one-handedly. "Everything's fine!" And before he can come over to investigate, I wrap both arms around her waist and hoist her up. She gasps before clinging to the collar of my jacket. Carrying both her and the walking stick, I maneuver us toward my bedroom. Once inside, I shut the door behind us, pulling her with me.

She is still locked in my hug. So as I slump against the door, I pull her with me. So close to me that the jade brooch jabs hard against my sternum. I do not care. The discomfort is a small price that I am willing to pay if it means I get to hold her as though she is my lifeline.

For a long time, we remain like this. Neither of us say a word. None is necessary. With her arms reaching under mine to clench the fabric covering my back and face resting in the crevice between my neck and shoulder, she matches her breathing to mine. At the same time, my fingers press into her midriff with desperation. Inhaling the soft tones of her sandalwood perfume, the knot of anxiety slowly begins to unravel. I slide down the door, until I am sitting on the ground, and my legs bracket her hips. I place the cane aside. She does the same with the purse.

"I've missed you very much, Shouto," she murmurs.

Her breath is nearly palpable. My heart starts to race once more. "I did, too."

"Did you get home safely?"

"Yeah. What about you? Are you fine? Did Hanada-shi hurt you?"

She retracts just enough to meet my eyes. "It was manageable. And you?"

I don't answer her question. Instead, the word she used nags at me. You are downplaying what happened, aren't you? As if I can my answers just by studying her, I resume my inspection of signs of abuse. Band-aids concealed with a teal choker. No sign of the head wound. No wincing when I graze her shoulder. My hands roam up and down her upper body with the intention of both comforting her and feeling for bandages or other injuries. Just then, when I apply the slightest pressure on her back, she flinches.

I pause. No. Freeze.

This one is new …

Hands hovering above the area, I ask her again. I hardly recognize the sound that leaves my throat. The blaze of hatred I kindled for Hanada-shi has escaped into my voice. So subtle but so intense. "What did he do to you?"

Her mask starts to crack. But she remains silent.

"Selene, do you feel safe with me?" I ask her, much more softly than earlier. That's right. Right now, she's my priority.

She nods vigorously. Her facial expression reveals her confusion at my question. "Why would I not?"

"Then don't hide from me. Please. You can tell me what happened."

She releases my jacket from her desperate clutch to rest her hands on my shoulders. I watch her war with herself, deciding what to say and what not to say. Finally, she speaks carefully, "Everything that you saw … everything that happened after that … those were the consequences of my actions. My brazenness. I said this that night, too. I'll say it once more. You were not responsible for my plight."

A part of me expected me to say something like that. Avoiding and deflecting the topic is a strategy she often uses whenever I bring up her trauma. Not this time, though. Forgive me, Selene. But I cannot stay quiet any longer. "Thank you for assuring me about that, but you haven't answered my question."

She realizes that she won't be able to slip out of this one. Scoffing, she says, "You are a persistent one, Shouto. Subtle, but persistent."

"My father says the same thing about me. Again, tell me what occurred."

She explains how after the deaths, Hanada-shi's drinking habits devolved into madness. Instead of the occasional one or two drinks after a long day, he began consuming bottles of alcohol the minute he woke up. Besides the change in the color of his hair, it was obvious that the loss of his children hit him hard. I do not doubt that he loved his sons, but I feel no sympathy for him. Definitely not after hearing what Selene says next.

"Legally, I am his daughter. But we do not share the same blood. His initial hatred of me, combined with this immense change, made him lose his last remnants of sanity. Stuck in the anger stage of grief, he took it out on me. Last night … last night, he whipped me."

An tense silence permeates the room after that last sentence. Rightfully so, because I am still comprehending that statement. Whipping?! Like the rope made of leather that was used for punishment in medieval times? I shudder at the thought. It has been historically proven that medieval torture devices were infinitely more brutal than torture methods today. Knowing that Hanada-shi is a monster is one thing, learning what lengths he will pursue to prove his monstrosity is another.

"Ice," I murmur. Selene looks at me, puzzled. "Ice," I repeat, more firmly this time. "Does your back sting?" She tentatively replies yes. "Then applying something cold will help. Please. Let me help you."

"All right," she whispers.

Without wasting a second, I snake my left arm around her waist and leave no gap between our bodies. Resting my chin on the slope of her shoulder, I get a good view of her back. Slowly, I brush my right hand against it. She whimpers with every touch but resists the urge to push back, so I whisper into her ear, "You're doing amazing, sweetheart. Tell me if I hurt you, okay?"

"As you wish."

All the times I have used my quirk to soothe her pain, I used my left side. Heat. Because during those instances, she suffered from joint aches and arthritic flares. This is the first time I have used my right side. Because this agony is not like the ones from before. It is not linked to a chronic disease; it is inflicted by someone else. From what I about whips, it is life-threatening. The immediate concern is blood loss. But I can presume that Selene received some sort of medical treatment. That would be the only explanation for why she was even able to travel here. The next concerns include inflammation, infection, and sepsis. For the same reason, she is not at risk of infection and sepsis. But inflammation? There may be no harmful pathogens in her system, but the redness and swelling will take a few days to go. Even Recovery Girl's healing quirk has some limits.

As I stroke her backside, I can feel the raised, uneven skin below the bandages. The texture runs the entire length, from the shoulder blades to just above the waist, in sets of two parallel lines. Two lines bordering one long gash. I count seven such gashes.

I don't know how many lashes constitutes as too many, but I believe that even one is savage. The gag reflex churns in my stomach. I swallow it down. Just imagining it makes me feel sick. Selene actually experienced it.

This cannot go on …

Perhaps after twenty minutes of numbing the area, I stop. Selene has long since shut her eyes and rested against me. There is a lot I want to talk to her about, but when she is sleeping so peacefully like this, it is hard to disturb her. Also, it is a little funny that she fell asleep with glasses on. I want to enjoy this view a little longer.

I can feel her heart beat. Steady. Rhythmic. Her breathing is easy, too. Small whooshes of air tickle the base of my throat, but I'm not complaining. If anything, I am glad that I can be this kind of person to her. Someone she can lean on and be vulnerable with.

However, this vulnerability comes at a great cost. By no means am I undermining my past, but Selene has a worse father than me. And I am afraid that if her abuse continues, I might lose her. For good.

A curl of her hair falls close to her nose. She instinctively scrunches her nose, and as smoothly as possible, I tuck the tendril behind her ear. But the movement awakens her. Her eyes flutter open before looking up at me.

"How long I have been dozing?" she asks as she fixes her glasses properly.

"Not that long. I just finished massaging a short while ago."

She straightens up and pulls back just slightly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. It was simply that your motions were very relaxing, and I slipped into the subconscious."

"No offense taken," I grin at her. "Actually, I'm happy that you got a little rest. It gave me some time to think about what to say to you."

She smiles sadly. Understandingly. "Most likely, you do have more questions for me. Proceed. I'll answer as many as I can and in my limits."

Okay then. Here goes nothing.

My first question is straight to the point. "Why does Hanada-shi hate you so much?"

She considers the question. Pondering over memories, mulling over conversations, she does not speak for some time. Then, "I do not know. I have wondered many times why he resented me for so long, but then I consoled myself without knowing the reason. Because if I learned the truth, I was afraid that he might become more human to me. A flawed man whose intentions were misunderstood. I feared being manipulated by him and by myself to see good in his horrible actions. Better remaining unaware of the truth than becoming a fool for slaughter."

Put more simply, she avoided the risk of being groomed to accept her dark reality. I understand that.

"And becoming the last person alive to inherit his legacy has not changed that," I add. "He needs someone to blame for his misfortune, and it just so happens, it is easy to take it out on the person who he harms on a regular basis. Not to mention, it is a hurt to his ego that his successor is not of his bloodline."

Though I did not phrase it as a question, Selene affirms that all of my deductions are correct. She starts tracing random designs above my heart as she tells me something new. "Yesterday, I was officially declared as the successor. Lawyers were present to oversee the process. I signed the papers denoting me as the heiress to the Hanada Group of Companies. His will was among those documents. After that, there was a dinner, during which I made a proclamation. An end to my abuse. Having already drunk so much during the day, Hanada-sama lost his cool immediately. The rest you know."

Yes. The rest I know. The rest is just the seven gouges I was soothing earlier.

My thoughts drift to her scheme of seeking agency. It reminds me of my own abuse. Dad thrust all of his aspirations onto me, the golden child. Being his only hope, he did not go easy on me. Rather, the traumatic events increased in frequency and duration. Selene must have thought that being Hanada-sama's only glimpse of a future, he would learn to reign in his hatred enough to stop actively hurting her. But it failed. From personal experience, I can say being the sole beacon does not mean exemption from malevolence.

I just wish Selene did not have to learn that lesson like this.

From personal experience, I can confirm one more thing: it will only get worse from here.

I cannot let her go through the torments I did.

Cupping her cheeks, I stroke the soft skin. A distraction to buy some time to summon the courage to bring up the most important question. Simply expressing it will change our relationship irrevocably. The last thing I want to do is push her away.

With a deep inhale and exhale, I meet Selene's eyes.

"Will you allow me to take you away from him?"

A long moment passes.

Shock riddles her face.

"What did you say?"

Her voice is hardly above a whisper.

"Will you give me the chance to get him out of your life for good?" When she still does not say anything, I dredge up more inner strength and push through. "There are only a handful of times when I have been scared. Truly, chilled-to-the-bone scared. The first time, when you were abducted and missing for four days last April. I feared that unspeakable things had happened to you. Then the League of Villains attack at camp. You were right there within my reach, but they took you away. My friends and I tried to rescue you and Bakugou. You fell from so high. You nearly died in my arms. The penultimate instance was when the League broke into your home. You were in a critical condition. And the most recent, the one that was the most terrifying, was that night of the funeral.

"All the scariest moments in my life involved you, Selene. Some of those instances were out of my control, but those that were in my power … the regret has been eating at me like a parasite. You say that I should not blame myself for the things that happen to you, but that is easier said than done.

"It hurts, Moonflower. It physically hurts to watch you suffer, knowing that there is nothing I can absolutely do to stop it," I choke out. At some point during the monologue, I start to tremble. Selene stares at me in sympathy. She begins smoothing back my hair. The sensation of her fingers burying themselves through is a stress-reliever, but not nearly enough.

As she combs back another bunch again, she apologizes. "I'm so sorry, love. Once again, you were in so much pain, and I failed to notice. Your shame … it was building up for so long … and I never paid attention to it." She bites her inner lip, determining what to say next. Of course, she cannot repeat that I should not hold myself responsible. In fact, what she says next is relays her inner dilemma. "What do you want, Shouto? Tell me."

I swallow hard and clutch her arms to cease the shaking. "An opportunity has arose where I can do something. Hanada-shi and Endeavor seek to form a partnership through us. I want to say yes to their deal."

Selene's eyes widen. "Why? After everything I have told you, why?"

"Because this is the only way to protect you."

Shaking her head vigorously, she goes into a frenzy. "I cannot let you do that. Not after all my efforts to keep you away from Hanada-shi. He's vicious. If he suspects anything, he will kill you. I will not watch you die."

"And I will not watch you suffer anymore," I refute, equally adamant. "I got involved with you the day I decided to befriend you, and I never regretted it. But do you know what I will regret? Daring to be with you while never doing everything in my capability to save you."

We are at a standoff. Though still locked in an intimate embrace, we gaze deep into the other's eyes, arguing silently. She fiercely desires to protect me. I can see that. I have seen proof of that. But if she thinks I am going to stand down, then she is wrong. My resolution is no weaker than yours.

"You orchestrated this meeting, didn't you?" she declares.

I don't back away. "I did."

"Pretend I agree to your dangerously risky proposal. How do you intend to protect me?"

The general idea is that the less time she spends at the manor, the less she will be under Hanada-shi's influence. And the alliance is the perfect guise for this. According to Hanada-shi, it is important for the children to get along. That will only happen if we spend time together. Furthermore, "I plan on asking Dad and Hanada-shi permission to work on this project with you. We oversee the strategies, finances, and policies together. That will buy us more time away from him."

Then she voices the flaws with the idea. "This scheme will only work temporarily. It is not a permanent solution. Additionally, Hanada-sama has taken me under his tutelage. I have to learn the business at a rapid pace because at the rate he is downing drinks, he might die of alcohol poisoning in a few months. My weekends are already spent at the mansion, and I imagine that more of my time will be spent there than at the boarding house."

"I don't think so, Selene," I counter.

"What makes you say that?" she asks, making no effort to conceal her suspicion.

"Because Hanada-shi is a tenacious man. You came to U.A. under his orders. To curry the favor of the heroes for his business venture into the hero industry. Now he gets to do that with the Number One Hero. He won't pass up a brilliant opportunity like that. As for running the companies, it helps immensely that you signed the papers that named you legal inheritor. Like you said, this is a short-term remedy. Just an effort to buy time to gather evidence and arrest him."

I wait a moment for the realization to dawn upon her. When it does, she looks more afraid than earlier. "The only person who could file charges against him would be me. I will have to testify as witness, too."

"That's right! Since the creator of the will be punished and not the beneficiary, you will still inherit everything he spent his life building. No worries about residence or finances. You will finally be able to start over."

She gulps audibly. "And because I will not reveal my abuse, the purpose is to search for other incriminating evidence to convict Hanada-sama with the bought time."

I nod. "One stone, two birds."

Selene is utterly bewildered by my attitude. "I thought you were aiming to become a Pro-Hero."

"That has not changed. I want to become a Pro-Hero, but I will use any means to necessary to protect the ones I care about." Leaning forward to kiss her cheek, I susurrate, "And there is no one that equates to what you mean to me."

She gasps. Although her blush skips straight from pink to red, she turns her head to the side. An invitation to keep going. Don't mind if I do. Peppering a trail of kisses from her cheek to her jaw and along her neck, she clenches the fabric of my shoulders in her fists.

"Th-th-then you should also r-remember," she stammers. "Y-You are the person I cherish the most." I don't notice the leg she has wrapped around my waist until it is too late.

As soon as she finishes speaking, she swivels us around and slams me against the floor. The panels are made of tatami, which somewhat cushions the physical impact. It does absolutely nothing to calm the impact unleashed on my heart. I think I fell in love all over again.

With Selene hovering above me, hands planted on either side of my face and knees straddling my hips, it is impossible not to fall for her even more.

"Sly fox," she coos. "Thinking he can charm the snake."

Resting uselessly in my palm is the choker that I had just unhooked single-handedly. I squeeze it, knowing that this a test. Selene wants me to reach for her. Dare to try to her distract her again. The effort at restraint only lasts for so long, though. Soon, my arms rise up to touch her.

Which she immediately rejects by grabbing the wrists and pushing them to the ground.

"Little does he know that the snake has been playing this game much longer than him."

But then, she releases my hands to cradle my face. She traces patterns onto my cheeks, and her immediate wash of boldness is replaced with despondence.

"Shouto," she calls out.

"Yes, my moon?"

"I am still dubious about your proposal. If it backfires, both of us will be in dire trouble. Yet, you are willing to go this far for me. Even though you get nothing out of it. So for your sake, I agree. I agree to do this partnership with you. I will help you find evidence to incriminate me. But there is something you have to promise me."

"Anything," I answer without hesitance.

She assists me in sitting upright. Too aware of the fact that it means she is sitting on my lap, I fight to blush myself. Never letting go of my face, she climbs up to kiss my forehead. Many kisses. Between each kiss, she murmurs the sentence, "If anything, absolutely anything, happens to you because of me, I would never forgive myself."

Reaching up to extricate an orchid from her bun, I press a kiss to her ear. "I'll be careful."

"Promise me you will not risk yourself in danger's path doing this."

"I promise."

Selene stops kissing me and turns around to retrieve her purse. After unzipping it, she takes out two cards. Giving one to me, I flip it around to see what it reads.

It is a business card from a law firm. Sasaki Reo, is the name on it.

"This was the lawyer who was present yesterday. He and most of the lawyers at the firm are well aware of Hanada-sama's mistreatment of me. So it is very likely that they know of his other crimes. I'm giving you his card because he was the only one who told me that he would like to help me."

Kissing her the tip of her cute nose, I smile. "Thank you, Selene." One more kiss, just for the sake of it.

She giggles at the gesture. I want to hear her laugh more, but just as I am about to move in for another, Dad calls for us.

I lean my forehead against hers in frustration.

This makes her laugh harder.

Around the dinner table, the conversation revolves around mundane things. Weather, food, road construction, school, and the like.

But then one inane question sends my nerves firing in panic.

"So what do you think about the house?" Dad asks Selene.

Shoot! I did everything besides follow through with the excuse I made. I didn't even properly show her my bedroom!

I rack my brain up with some explanation, but Selene beats me to it. She answers the question. "It is a beautiful home. Traditional Japanese aesthetics have a way of calming the tensions. Todoroki-kun's room was particularly interesting. Spacious, yet many handicrafts and elements of nature."

So she was taking in my room. A pent-up breath inside me finally frees. I was saved by her observation and multitasking skills. I reach next to me to squeeze her hand. Sitting next to each other makes it easy for me to play with her.

She nearly drops her chopsticks.

Dad spots the action, too. "Is there a problem?"

"Hmm? No. No problem at all. The food is delicious. Did you make it?"

"Actually, Shouto did."

Since our friendship has already been caught wind of by Hanada-shi, I can tease her a bit. "Thank you for the compliment," I say, politely. My beneath-the-table game, though, not so well-behaved. Intertwining my fingers with hers, I pull her hand toward me.

What are you doing? She glares at me silently.

It's been weeks since I last had this kind of fun with you, I return with a mischievous glint.

Sparing a glance ahead of her, she returns her gaze back to me. We're going to get caught!

I rub my thumb against the surface of her glove. Not if I'm smooth about it.

This time she looks away for good. Taking a long swig of water, she focuses on the conversation between Dad and Hanada-sama.

It is then that the discussion shifts to the main point.

Of course, Hanada-sama is the one to bring it up. Greedy bastard! "Kids, Endeavor and I have agreed to work toward the same goal. Endorsement of heroism. I've already told Selene, and Shouto-kun, your father has told you. What have you decided?"

"I accede," Selene replies coolly.

"So do I," I add. "But we decided that both of us would be in charge, since the mission revolves around us."

Surprisingly, he agrees to it quickly. Maybe he is simply happy to get the Todorokis' favor. Anyway, it is a relief I don't have to fight.

So that begs for one more important question. "Hanada-chan, when are you returning to school?" This question is also answered by Hanada-shi. Tonight, he informs us. She missed more than enough days of school, and the longer the Hanadas wait to send her back, the more the public will think that the family has weakened. I am more elated by the fact that Selene and I can enact our plan sooner than I had believed. I can protect her immediately. "I am also going back, tonight. With your permission, she could come with us. Would that be okay, Dad?"

We have a silent father-son staring contest. He relents.

Hanada-shi replies, "Her luggage and other necessities are at home. You can pick her up from there. Say, two hours?"

Two hours after dinner.

One hour for the car ride.

Three hours later, I finally have Selene all to myself.

No one to disturb us at last.

As we lie in bed, I press lingering kisses to her fingertips.

"Earlier, you said that I gained nothing from helping you," I breathe out.

"Yes, I did."

Holding her gaze, I drown into silvery depths.

"You were wrong; I gain you."

She smiles, "You proved that you really are the most selfish when it comes to me."