That comfort and security Dabi had felt and how easy it was to fall into that was nearly terrifying. He shoves his hands into his pants pockets as a chill runs down his back, that same sharpness comes over his senses. A deep chuckle passes his lips. "I may be a villain but I'm not a monster…" What a fucking lie. Dabi was more of a monster than a human at this point. Using a sixteen-year-old girl without a second thought, wanting more of her touch, the need to corrupt her, for god's sake he was stalking her! Dabi shakes his head, trying to focus on his breathing as he wills her image away. Yet Kagome was burned onto the back of his eyelids. Her tear-stained cheeks and the broken look in her eyes didn't suit her, leaving him feeling unsatisfied about their encounter. He wanted to tease her, to get under her skin for a chance to see that fire that rests deep down. That blaze of emotions dancing behind her blue eyes.

Dabi frowns as he comes to a realization. Kagome has been holding herself back in fights since he had stolen her away. She didn't have that same determination to be at the top, to be noticed. Now she just did the minimum to keep going. Why did she refuse to strive for first like everyone else? He shakes his head with a deep laugh. He will see that flame one way or another, and if he had to force her to fight then so be it.

Having let his feet guide him, he finds himself back at the hideout as he leaves his thoughts. A sigh passes his lips as he heads inside and readies himself for whatever Shippo wanted to scream at him. The fox was always on his ass about his intentions, not trusting anything Dabi would tell him.

Inside is silent. Some lights were on but not a soul in sight. Dabi thinks nothing of it as he heads to his claimed area, thanking whatever luck he had for the quiet and calm air. Yet he keeps his guard up and his head tilted down. That demon would pop up from anywhere or be anyone and he didn't want to take that chance. His door comes into view but so does the fox he didn't want to deal with leaning against the wall.

"You're early."

"Tch." Dabi wanted to get this over with as fast as possible. "Shouldn't that make you happy?"

"She was upset, wasn't she?" Shippo ignores the attitude, making Dabi more annoyed. The way he knew everything, or that he could tell things just by someone's smell, pissed Dabi off. Demonic senses or fox magic, he didn't care what the bastard was doing, he just wanted to be left alone.

"So what?"

"To think a villain like you would have a heart," the fox scoffs as he pushes himself off the wall. "All that frustration crawling under your skin; that itch. And somehow you managed to push her away completely. I didn't peg you as a slow burn type." Now he was taunting him, seeming to want to get a rise out of Dabi. Shippo chuckles a bit to himself as he slowly walks past him, his voice growing more feminine, and a gentle screen of smoke covers him for a moment.

"Whatever fucking game you're playing is going to get you killed, fox," Dabi nearly snarls out, yet the voice that responds catches him off guard.

"Doubt it, patchwork." He had known Shippo was able to shift into other people but this- Dabi shakes his head. The first thing he had noticed was the red and white robes and the long dark hair, but the green of Shippo's eyes anchor him in reality. He was disguised as an older Kagome.

"Don't call me that." It was late, the others didn't need to hear this so he keeps his voice low despite every urge to snap. Yet this was all Shippo needed to see. From Dabi's blown-out pupils to the soft blue flames dancing on his ears, he was nearly demonic in scent from the amount of Kagome's energy flowing through him.

"You poor thing," Shippo smirks at him, purposely taking advantage of this situation. "She has you wrapped around her finger and you don't even know it yet." The flames become bigger as anger floods Dabi. He moves towards Shippo and grabs his neck tightly, unable to keep cool. Kagome-like hands clench Dabi's wrist. "I figured you were a sadomasochist," Shippo only laughs more as he shifts back to himself. "Calm your flames, you fucking knockoff Hades. It was just a joke." Dabi releases him with a grunt before turning and unlocking his room, slamming he door behind him.

Shippo shakes his head as his smile fades, his hand rubbing his neck gently to soothe the slight burn. The human villain was acting more like a lowclass demon, unable to control his strength nor realizing just how dangerous the jewel and its guardian are. "What the fuck are you doing messing with this guy, Kagome?"

Aizawa quietly listens to his student cry her soul out to him, heartbroken and afraid of the future ahead. Having been training her for a year now, he has seen how strong she has gotten and how ambitious she is. But that wasn't the same girl on her knees and tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I should have known, I should have known I wouldn't be able to get by without causing problems! Everything I know has changed and it's my fault!" Kagome hugs herself. She couldn't stop the words from falling from her lips, yet she felt safest crying to her teacher. "To think I could play hero with everyone," she laughs pitifully. "I'm so stupid."

"That's enough of that, Kagome," Aizawa tries to speak over her thoughts. "You've worked just as hard as everyone else to be here."

"I've done nothing but put my friends in danger and make them worry about me! I've been nothing but a burden to everyone!" Kagome hangs her head in shame. "I've been holding back and I'm scared. I'm terrified of losing them if I were to go all out or if they were to know what I actually am." The pain in her heart takes a hold of her as her energy flows out around her in dangerous waves. "I'm a monster. A selfish, disgusting monster!" Aizawa uses his quirk to help her suppress it, kneeling down and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Stop blaming yourself for things you have no control over. People have their own thoughts and motives and they will always do something you least expect. So blaming yourself for All Might's retirement isn't worth it. As for Bakugo and Midoriya, they are rivals and will always be fighting. You don't need to carry the burden of others' actions. You are not meant to hold the weight of the world on your shoulders." Kagome didn't know how to respond, unable to meet her teacher's eyes. "It's been a long night, Kagome. Let's get you to bed." He holds his hand out to her once he deems her in control of her quirk, rubbing his eyes with his free arm.

"Being a Hero isn't easy. It wasn't back when human's didn't have quirks either. I know you look up to the Demons and I'm sure you know about their history, but I also know that you're stronger than you're showing." Kagome hesitates to take his hand, feeling the lecture coming from her Teacher. "You need to speak to me about this instead of hiding and thinking you can graze by." Aizawa grabs her hand and lifts her to her feet. "You're getting two days' house arrest for sneaking out and not going 'Plus Ultra' or whatever. Just use them as mental health days and be thankful you don't have to go to orientation."

"Aizawa…" Kagome sniffles out, unable to find her voice to thank him as he drags her into the building.

"Your actual punishment will come when you get back to class with Midoriya, so don't start thanking me yet." The blunt statement sends a chill down her spine. That would mean she would be sparring against her friend and helping him with his control on 'One for All'.

"Y-yes, sir," Kagome sighs out, keeping her gaze at her feet in the dim lighting. Aizawa leads her towards the elevators before parting ways to head back to his room. Doing one more glance over things, he catches bi-colored hair peaking from a floor above yet didn't want to bother questioning his student.

Kagome silently makes her way to her room, forcing the remainder to her nerves to calm down as she opens her door. She peels off her clothes, stripping herself down to her underwear and not bothering to put her nightclothes on as he slips into her bed for the night.

The Goshinboku tree stands tall in front of her, as sturdy and strong as ever. Kagome smiles softly to herself before covering her eyes with her little hands and starts counting down. She could hear little giggles becoming quieter as she got closer to one, yet Kagome knew she would find them easily. "And one! Ready or not, here I come!" she hears herself call before running to find her best friends.

Bee-lining to Izuku behind the shed, Kagome shouts out she found him while they laugh loudly together. "You'll be seeker next, Zuzu!" she smiles widely. "But I have to find Kacchan first!"

"I'll wait by the tree so it's not cheating," Izuku beams back as they run in different directions on the Higurashi's Shrine. Kagome rushes to where Katsuki was hiding, finding him inside the well house. A chill runs down her spine as she opens the door, having been afraid of stepping inside of here without her mom nearby.

"K-Kacchan? Are you in here?" she squeaks out, scared of what she could find in there. Hearing nothing in response, she walks inside cautiously. "Y-you know we can't-" Kagome cuts herself off, feeling hands on her shoulders as her eyes go wide, not daring to move or say anything. That is until she hears Katsuki laughing behind her, taking his hands off her shoulders to hold his stomach.

"Aha! That was great! What a scaredy-cat!" he continues to laugh as Kagome's eyes fill with tears. She quietly watches him laugh at her expense when they were supposed to be playing a fun game together, getting more upset at each laugh. "You're great 'Gome- Hey, are you ok?" His tone changes as he sees her tears fall down her cheeks. "It was just a joke."

"Yeah, sure," she sniffles and wipes her tears. "Just a joke." Kagome smiles before heading back to the tree. "It's Zuzu's turn to look for us!"

.

A loud knock wakes Kagome from her dream. She rubs her eyes as she sits up, her mind too busy on the memory her brain decided to remind her she had. That day ended with Izuku not being able to find them because Katsuki wanted to keep changing hiding spots while dragging her along.

"Kagome, you awake?!" Mina calls from the other side of the door. "Imma break in if you don't say anything in 3! 2!"

"It's unlocked!" Kagome yells back, realizing she never locked her door when she had gotten in last night.

"Ooo so now we're living on the edge," Mina jokes as she opens the door, Ochaco following close behind the pink girl and closing it behind them. "So what happened last night?"

"Mina!" Ochaco gasps at her bluntness. "At least say good morning before questioning her!"

"Hello, good morning, what the fuck happened?" Kagome could only laugh at them for a moment. Forever finding herself thankful for the mundane things in life.

"That's not any better!"

"I take it they aren't very happy about it?" Kagome asks after a moment.

"I kinda feel sorry for you, Kagome. House arrest with the two rivals? Yikes. Now answer the question." Mina was not going to let this go, wanting to know all the details and why Kagome had gotten punishment too.

"Let me get dressed while I tell you at least," Kagome sighs while Mina squeals. She was always one for good tea and Ochaco was just checking up on her friend. Kagome gets up from her bed to grab her outfit for the day knowing she was going to be helping clean with Izuku and Katsuki. Breathable shorts, check. Sports bra, check. Shirt with a giant rip at the bottom? Maybe not. Kagome throws the shirt to the side as she explains that she had snuck out behind the pair and watched the fight.

Mina, however, grabs the tossed shirt to see what was wrong with it then shakes her head. "Girl, don't tell me you're going to throw this."
"It has a hole in it?" Kagome looks back at her confused. "Why would I keep it?"

"Because of the cute little fireworks on it!" Ochaco beams. "You could make a pillow out of it-"

"-Or," Mina interrupts her. "Make it a cute crop-top!" It was one of her old nightshirts so Kagome didn't care much for it, but the thought of having her stomach showing made her blush.

"I-I don't know about that." Five minutes later Kagome had on the crop-top styled shirt courtesy of Mina. "Ok, you happy now?" Kagome sighs out, not wanting to look in the mirror. "You should be heading off now, guys." Mina and Ochaco look at the time as their eyes widen.

"See you after class!" They dash away to be on time for orientation, leaving Kagome alone in her room. Shaking her head, Kagome finally allows herself to glance at the mirror. Her scars catch her eye more than anything else. Not her thinning waist or how heavy the bags under her eyes were. From her forearms to her legs, she was covered in those memories that were traumatizing yet full of adventure. The lines around her ankles from when she stood in acid to help Inuyasha stay in control of his demon. The gashes and burns trail up her legs from dealing with countless enemies. The bite mark on her side that started all of this. Tears start pooling in her eyes, the sorrow and guilt bubble to the throat as she stares at her body in its imperfect glory.

A few buzzes from her phone pull her away from the mirror as a sigh passes her lips. Kagome wipes her eyes as she grabs her phone and heads down for the day.

Shoto: What happened last night? I heard you crying.

My Hero Hitoshi: Hey where are you? Orientation will be starting soon.

Inu: What the hell did you do?! House arrest?!

Kagome frowns at the messages. She couldn't seem to hide anything from her friends. Replying to Shoto and Hitoshi while ignoring Inuyasha, Kagome finds herself in the elevator as the door closes. "Let's clean as fast as we can then we can rush off to train," she tells herself as she descends to the ground floor. After a moment of silence, the elevator opens to a beaming Izuku.

"Good morning, 'Gome! I was just about to come up to get you," he greets her kindly as he looks away with a soft blush.

"Oh, good morning, Zuzu," Kagome replies as she steps out of the lift. "Sorry I kinda woke up late." As much as she wanted to forget about the fight from last night, it was all she could think about.

"I should be the one apologizing," he frowns slightly. "You wouldn't have gotten punished if we hadn't fought."

"Don't be. It was my choice to follow you two," Kagome sighs. It was indeed going to be a long day. "Where should we start cleaning up?" But with a good distraction, time goes by quickly.

"Oh, right! I think Kacchan is already in the kitchen so we can start in the common area." Nodding in agreement, Kagome plays music off her phone as the pair gets to work on the lounging area. Finding lost items in the couches and behind other furniture, Kagome makes a small pile on the table for the two of them to sort through when they are done. A few songs pass with them doing their own thing. Vacuums in hand, Kagome and Izuku find themselves moving with the rhythm of each song, bumping into each other every now and then as Shake It by Metro Station starts playing. The beat carries Kagome's heart with it, enticing her to dance instead of clean and not care if Izuku saw her. She lets herself have this moment of freedom, without a care or worry. By the chorus, she convinces Izuku to dance with her and forget their duties. Making up dances and moves as they go, they let the beat control them. Hand in hand, spins, swings, dips, jumps, anything they could think of as they laugh contently. For the first time in a while, Kagome felt light.

That is until the song ends and Izuku couldn't keep his thoughts to himself. "So why didn't you tell me?"

Kagome stops moving for a moment before continuing. "About Hitoshi?"

"Well, that," he sighs. "But you have to hold yourself back. Ever since we got you back from the league, you've been different…" Izuku starts trailing off in thought. "N-Not that it's bad or anything! I completely trust that you know what you're doing but…" Kagome couldn't look at him, keeping her head down and her hair covering her eyes. "You promised we wouldn't be keeping secrets from each other, 'Gome."

"I'm sorry, Izuku," Kagome says with a shaky voice. "I know I should have said something sooner, but I hate making you worry abou-" A loud bang followed by a chain of curses cuts her off. "What the hell was that?" It had surprised the pair, both looking towards the kitchen with concern.

"You wanna go check on him?" Izuku asks as he turns back to her. "I would but…" He rubs the back of his head nervously.

"Yeah," Kagome says quickly. "Yeah, no I get it. I'll go see what happened." Having no choice but to face him early on, Kagome cautiously makes her way into the kitchen as her heart hammers in her chest. Katsuki must have so many questions for her if he even wanted to speak to her at this point. She holds her breath as she enters the kitchen, unsure what to expect from her friend, hoping she could still call him that. "Katsuki? Are you ok?" she calls softly, not seeing him right away. He had definitely seen her and Izuku dancing instead of cleaning if the rosy hue to Katsuki's cheeks was anything to go by.

"I'm fine," he grunts out in annoyance. "Go back to helping the nerd." From his tone alone he didn't seem to want to talk to her, but she knew better than anyone that it was a lie. Kagome shakes her head as she walks towards him as her heart throbs in her ears. She knows she has to tell him everything but didnt know when the right time was. The more she hides things from him the further he drifts from her.

"We need to talk…" she breathes out.