Trigger Warning:

- mention of sexual assault

- mention of rape

Selene had given me Aunt Ahearn's details to video call her.

But when I make the call, I do not expect a seven-year-old girl with pigtails to pick up.

Ourania – if I recall correctly – is her name.

She squeals when she sees me. "It's the touchy-touchy boy!"

My English may not be the most excellent in the world, but even I comprehend enough that 'touchy-touchy' is a weird description for someone. In fact, it could rub off the wrong way and lead to some serious misunderstandings. Taking care to really put thought into my words, I say, "Please don't call me that. I don't harass people. And my name is Shouto."

"But you touch Selene!" the girl counters.

"Yes, but not without consent!"

Ourania frowns. "There are boys at school who get all handsy. One of them asked if we could hold hands. I said no. He never washes his hands." My eyebrows shoot to the top of my forehead. Gross kid. She continues, "Another boy also wanted to hold hands. He always cleans up. And he doesn't make fun of me for liking pink." I am wondering where she is going with this. Young children can be hard to understand sometimes. "There is one kid whom I hate. He shoved me against the wall yesterday. He said girls were stupid, and girls who liked pink were stupider. Tillie told me to sucker punch 'those walking, talking juvenile douchebags.' She even taught me how to kick someone between the legs. I got suspended today for doing that."

For a while, I am silent. Ourania has given so many narratives, I am not sure how they relate to one another. That is, until I notice a pattern. She is describing all the people who initiated physical contact with her in one way or another. One of them had no sense of hygiene, a second one had, and the last time was a menace to society. I am concerned about the fact that she has heard the word 'douchebag.' Does she know what it means, too? And Tillie … is that a nickname for her older sister, Thalia? Otherwise, the girl is trying to tell me something.

I take a gamble. Cautiously, I ask, "What kind of touch do you think I give to Selene?"

Her eyes light up. So my guess was right. She lifts the computer and carries it somewhere else inside the house. Maybe carry is not the right word. This little bundle of energy runs up the stairs and into what I presume is her room. She holds the corner of the device where everything I see is a blurry mess. As though she is holding it single-handedly, and it might slip from her grasp at any second.

Should I say something? I doubt she has a computer of her own. If this is her mother's …

All of a sudden, the device lands with a thud on her bed. I get a clear view of her bedroom ceiling. It is covered with glow-in-the-dark stars. Oh, that's right. She mentioned having an interest in astronomy. That view is immediately replaced with an up-close perspective of Ourania's face.

Smiling uncomfortably, I tell her, "You might want to scoot back a bit. I am looking straight up into your nostrils."

"Sorry!" she yelps. After adjusting the computer properly, I see her sit cross-legged in front of the screen. "What was the question? I forgot." Now I grin. Without shame or hesitation. She is a cute child. I repeat it to her, and she claps her hands. Ourania exclaims, "Calliope says you touch her like you're her boyfriend! Are you her boyfriend?"

It is adorable to hear that from a girl her age. Selene and I … our relationship is more complex than that, and I do not think she will understand that. Best I keep the answer as simple as possible. "Yeah," I confirm. "I am her boyfriend."

"Boy space friend kind of boyfriend or boy without space friend kind of boyfriend?"

I take a moment to sort out the grammar in my head. "The second," I reply once I figure it out. "Without space bar."

The expression of shock she makes emits a chuckle from me. She is appalled, the way a girl would be if she found out that her school rival was wearing the same dress as her. The audacity! She seems to scream silently. Then she pouts, "You beat me to it. I was going to propose to Selene."

What?!

I choke on my coffee. Some liquid goes up my nose, giving me a coughing fit. Pounding my sternum to clear the airway, I gasp, "Pardon me?"

Ourania's pout becomes more prominent. She hugs a stuffed fairy doll and murmurs, "Selene is a fairy from a fairy tale. She saved me, Thalia, and Calliope from a big, bad ogre. I love Selene. I am waiting for the day when I am old enough to ask her to marry me. She is mine! You can't have her!"

One part of me narrows in the detail she let slip. Selene saved her and her sisters? Another part of me – the much bigger part – is still amazed at Ourania's boldness. I struggle to bite down on the amused beam that pulls at both corners of my lips. Sipping more coffee helps immensely with that.

"Someone special to Selene disapproves of me? That won't do," I placate. "How about I ask you for permission to have her hand in marriage?"

Ourania crosses her arms and shakes her head emphatically. "No!" she declares. "You are my competition in love! I will never give her over to you!"

Keep cool. Keep cool. Keep cool. Must hold my laughter in, no matter what. Still, my shoulders tremble. "So what can I do to win you over? Do I have to convince your sisters, too?"

With her fingers tapping her chin and her eyes pointed up at an angle, she makes an ostentatious gesture of pondering the question. It is so fun to play along with her. With her other hand, she starts to tick numbers off. "Calliope has a girlfriend. She is happy with her. Thalia says she is not interested in romantic love. And the boy who washed his hands was nice, but Selene is nicer." She stops counting and grabs the screen with both hands, as though it were my physical face she is holding. "Just me! Since you're her boyfriend, I'll give you one chance to change my mind."

Okay, then. I try to think of something that might appease Ourania. Stars, faeries, stories … outer space, solar systems, astronomy … Finally, inspiration hits me. If I can appeal to her hobbies, maybe I can get her to like me. Slowly, I speak. "Do you know what Selene is a faerie of?"

Ourania huffs, "Of course I do. Of flowers and night and sweets!"

I cannot resist the second chortle from erupting. She makes a sound of outrage at my behavior. Once I control myself, I say, "You're right. She is a faerie of all that. There is one more thing that is special about her. She is a faerie of the moon. You know, the big white mass of rock that orbits Earth?"

The word itself captivates her attention. Indignation forgotten, Ourania launches into a spiel about the moon. She recites into fast facts about one of astronomy's marvels. How far it is from Earth and Sun, its effect on ocean tides, lack of an atmosphere, skyrocketing temperatures, one face always hidden away from Earth, and possibility of water in its soil. It is fascinating what she knows. The most interesting yet peculiar one she provides is that the moon dust smells like gunpowder. Who would have thought? At this rate, within the next few decades the space agencies will begin mining on the lunar surface.

"Do you want to be an astronaut when you grow up? A faerie of the galaxies?" I comment when she finishes. She nods vigorously. "What do you like about space?"

The girl's emerald eyes glimmer like stars themselves. If I have learned anything from my experiences of interacting with little children, it is that they love talking about themselves. With short attention spans and tanks full of hyperactivity, they are always delighted to shift the conversation to themselves. That is what I am doing. If I can pay attention to the important details amongst the gibberish and recite them back to her, she might understand that I will be a good partner to Selene.

Ourania shrieks in excitement. "Space! Is! Ginormous! Mama takes us camping sometimes during summer. We look up at the stars all night. The Milky Way is so pretty! Did you know shooting stars are actually meteors? There are nights in a year when so many of them fall. I want to see a meteor shower one day!" So freaking cute. She might shift from topic to topic after every other sentence, but for the most part, I comprehend that she is passionate about her interests. Actually, it is endearing that she loves science and fantasy in equal measures.

So when suddenly her enthusiasm drops, I am confused.

"Hey, Selene's boyfriend!" she shouts. Eh? I told you my name. "You are supposed to make me like you! Don't think you can trick me by talking about moons, stars, and space!" But the petulant embrace she gives the rag doll belays the truth.

Fine. I've been caught. I say, "So how would you like me to gain your favor?"

"Thalia told me a game called rapid fire. She said it helps to get to know other people. Let's play that!" I think I have heard of the game. Similar to twenty questions that I played with Selene. After assenting to her demand, she tells me the rules. She is going to ask a series of questions about Selene, and I have only ten seconds to answer each one. I get to do the same to her. Whoever gets the most right wins. "If you beat me," she proclaims with her head raised haughtily, "I'll accept you as my brother-in-law." Again, my eyes widen. After I recover from the shock, I ask her what she desires if she wins. She responds, "You leave Selene for me so I can marry her!"

The match begins.

First question is from Ourania: her favorite perfume. I don't need ten seconds for that. Sandalwood is the correct answer. My turn. I ask her what Selene likes to read. Turns out she is just as sharp, too. Her reply is fantasy romance, and she is right.

A few more rounds pass like this, both growing more competitive.

"Sugar in coffee or artificial sweetener?"

"Neither. Honey. Mint chocolate chip or matcha flavored ice cream?"

"Both; Selene is not picky like that. Hogwarts house?"

"Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Favorite color?"

"Too many. As long as the colors don't clash, she's fine with them all. Disney or Barbie?

"She despises both of them. Says that one of them needs to work on representation, and the other's CGI animation terrifies her. Personally, I agree with her. Studio Ghibli. Favorite character from Ouran High School Host Club?"

"The tall girl from Lobelia Girl's Academy with short brown hair and green eyes. If Haruhi did not want her, then Selene gladly would. Spirit animal?"

Now that is a hard question. Selene identifies with the snake most often, and the dragon is inspired from that patron animal. But she has acknowledged that she has the pride of a peacock and the appetite of a cat. One time, she told me that someone called her a scorpion. So how do I answer that?

"Tick tock! Time's running out!" she singsongs.

There are only four seconds left. I have to say something. But just as I open my mouth, a third voice interrupts us. Older. Mature. Firm yet loving. "What are you doing with my laptop, Ourania?" the voice calls out.

Ahearn-san!

Ourania almost jumps out of her own skin at hearing her mother's voice. Seems like she was not supposed to use the computer and got caught. She stammers, "M-Mama! H-H-He says that he loves Selene! He stole her from me! How can I accept that?"

"Hey," I mutter. "Don't make me sound like I'm some sort of thief."

Ahearn-san puffs out a laugh at her daughter's antics. She reminds Ourania to ask for permission next time she wants to use her mother's computer. However, Ourania is not finished. Just as Ahearn-san lifts the laptop, her daughter screeches, "He didn't answer my question!?"

She gives me an arched eyebrow through the screen before shifting the device to reveal Ourania's face. I smirk at the girl. "Selene's spirit animal is …" Usually, I hate dramatic pauses, but just this once, it is my favorite thing theatric. Ourania stares at me with blatant anticipation. Her reaction is going to make it all the more entertaining. "Me. Todoroki Shouto. Her boyfriend."

If the girl could teleport through the screen, she would. She practically leaps out of bed and tackles the computer like a monkey. Luckily, Ahearn-san raises the device above the girl's height, keeping it out of reach. I know this because Ahearn-san has not rotated the laptop toward herself. The camera stares down at a one-hundred-and-seven centimeter tall biological organism who throws her fists against her mother's knees.

"That's not true!" she cries. "Touchy-touchy boy cannot be Selene's spirit animal! You cannot have her, thief! I will never like you, you meanie!" My stomach hurts from all the chortling. I cradle it and slump on my back to ease the pain. Ourania is just so adorable. I don't even mind the questionable nicknames anymore. I have the urge to tease her more, but when she literally breaks out into tears, I suppress it. Clapping a hand over my mouth, my shoulders quiver.

Ourania falls to the ground, still holding her mother's leg. She bawls as if her toys were snatched from her. Ahearn-san has better restraint than me. She reaches a hand down to rub Ourania's hair. "It's all right," she coos. "Selene will forever be a sister to you."

"NO! I WANT TO MARRY HER!"

Ahearn-san turns the video camera toward herself to speak to me. She says, "My apologies. My daughter is at the I-want-to-marry-you-Daddy age. Except the feeling is with Selene."

Having regained some modicum of decency, I lift my hands. "No offense taken. I figured as much when her tantrum began. If anything, I should be the one apologizing. I kept on goading her."

Ahearn-san dismisses the apology with a wave of her hand. After a few more moments of consoling her theatrical daughter, she carries the laptop to her room. I can hear her daughter's wails throughout the entire walk. Thalia crosses her path. She informs Thalia to let Ourania know her cartoon is about to start soon, and she should hurry downstairs if she does not want to miss it.

After closing the door, Ahearn-san plugs in a charger to the computer. She gets straight to the point. "Selene told me that you might reach out to me. I assume that is why you called and not to humor my youngest's imagination."

I affirm. As she takes a seat, I launch into detail about the arrest scheme. My role, Selene's role, and the third person assisting us, Selene's lawyer. Ahearn-san listens with rapt attention. When I reach the part of her involvement, she opens the cap of a pen and writes. Though she has not admitted it directly, I reason that her action means that she is amiable to my request. She is willing to help.

When I finish, she remarks, "This Reo Sasaki man was right. Evidence of crimes from here cannot be used in the Japanese court of law; likewise, evidence from Japan cannot be used in the English court. But they are valuable enough to generate political pressure."

"Will your superiors permit you to do this?" I ask. Ahearn-san's assistance and cooperation is greatly appreciated, but I do not want her to risk losing her position if that is the price of saying yes.

She gives a subtle smile. A clever one. Putting the cap back on, she states without any regret, "They certainly will not. After all, England has its own problems to contend with, and this scandal is one that will ruin the country's reputation. But their disapproval does not mean my movements are hindered. This is for Selene. I am ready to go behind their backs if it means getting retribution for her."

Ourania's words echo in my mind. Of all the tangents she went off on, the one that still nags at me is the one where she blurted out that Selene was responsible for saving her and her sisters. Should I bring it up? Because what reason does Ahearn-san have to go this far? Carefully, I say, "Most likely it was a slip of the tongue, but earlier, Ourania said something about Selene rescuing her, Thalia, and Calliope. If it is not rude of me, may I inquire about that?"

Her face pales. The moment is short-lived. She brushes it off with a sad scoff. "Forgive me, Shouto. But that is a story I wish not to reveal. There are too many bad memories attached. Just know that I owe a debt to Selene that I will never be able to pay."

"I apologize for bringing it up. But there is something else I would like to know. It is about Selene." She looks at me silently, urging me to continue. "The last time we spoke, you mentioned that the Hanada boys were active participants in her abuse. When I asked her if she was sexually assaulted, she confirmed. What I want to ask you … Is Selene a victim of rape?"

Ahearn-san's cool stare never drops. It reminds me of a mask. A mask to hide the torment of emotions that must be spiralling her mind. "Why don't you ask Selene?" she counters my question with a question of her own. I shake my head, telling Ahearn-san how when I brought up the sexual assault, Selene nearly had a panic attack. The first time I pushed her a little to talk about her past, the situation almost got out of hand. This is something that she does not feel comfortable sharing with me, and I do not want her to get scared again. Ahearn-san hums in sympathy. "What will you do with this knowledge?"

"Keep it to myself," I reply without hesitation. "I want for her to discuss her truth with me when she feels ready."

"She might never be able to bring herself to do that."

"That won't change how I treat her."

Ahearn-san sighs, "It is difficult to say no to you. Especially after knowing the character you possess. Still, if I were to tell you the truth, I would be going behind her back. My loyalty is toward Selene, Shouto. I hope you understand that."

Deep down, I knew that I would be rejected. But I still decided to give it a try.

Ahearn-san changes the conversation back to the original topic.

She requests Sasaki-san's information, claiming to forward anything she finds useful in her investigation to him.

Just before the call ends, she reminds me, "Tell Selene I agree to help."

I promise her I will.

"You're a good boy, Shouto.

"You will make a wonderful boyfriend.

"If only all heroes could be like you."

Blood rushes up my neck.

"Thank you, Ahearn-san."