In a haze, I wake up to Nemuri on top of me, gently holding me close with the sun barely up and casting the amber rays into the window. She normally would be off to work, but she still holds me, still lays in bed with her arms around me. Warmth and sweetness softly burning, having that spreading, thickening scent flooding my nose and sending me into slumber.
It's like last night was just another night. Which was okay. It's not the end of the world at all. She opens her eyes slightly.
"Oh? Good morning, Koyurei." she smiles down at me and kisses me, her soft, gentle hands roaming my body. She pulls me closer, and I want nothing more than to surrender to her. She giggles and sits up.
"Aww, you're still so sleepy!"
"Mm…" I groan, kissing her on the lips and sliding out of the covers, she gets up with me and we wander over to the bathroom. I lean against the counter and study myself. My red splotches still there, my white overcoming them but still being kept at bay.
I'm a lot less haunted, that's for sure.
Yawning, I watch Nemuri trudge into the inner part of the bathroom. She turns on the shower and steps in as I wash my face. She's normally more peppy in the mornings but… I guess she overused her quirk. I don't blame her.
There's the soft squeal of the faucet and the rush of the water. I thumb through the newspaper, seeing more news about some new crime. I put it down and start to fix breakfast. I notice there's a level of silence from her that I don't really like. Normally she's talking up a storm but right now it's not much at all. I close my eyes, hearing her come out of the bathroom.
"Baby?" she asks, "Are you okay?"
"Okay? I'm better than okay!" I exclaim, "It wasn't so bad after all! They really liked me!" my eyes sting with tears, "This feels like a good dream…"
Nemuri chuckles a little and wraps her arms around me, "It's not a dream, Koyurei. You're living it."
"I know…" I bury my face into her warm, freshly clean skin, "I just don't want to wake up."
"You're okay, Koyurei." I can't really believe it. Not until I'm married to her and never have to see him again. I look up at her and into her limitless sky, her eyes full of that clear blue that I'd see above my head on a winter's day sharp and cold.
"Nemuri, I don't think I am..." my admittance is met with a smile and a kiss. I almost want to turn her around and bury my face into her silky soft hair, fluffed up from the hairdryer.
"You are, and I'll keep saying that until you believe it." she smiles and goes into our closet. This time she takes out her black costume. I guess she's going on the attack and needs her tougher suit.
I hesitate when I have to put mine on now. But I have to. One more year and it'll all be over. One more year... yeah. I prep the bentos for the day, making sure it's all in order and normal. Just...
I don't want to go to work. I close it and meet Nemuri at the door, wrapping my arms around her and hugging her.
"Be careful, okay?"
She grins, dazzling me like always, "Yeah. I will." I almost don't want her to go but here I am pulling out of the driveway after handling the cat. Today's the day everything changes and I'm not stuck there anymore.
I pull into the parking garage. Onima and Kubo both leaving their cars at around the same time I do. They look at me, tense and nervous. I don't know why, I'm pretty sure I'm not tyrannical by any stretch of the imagination but-
That's when I hear those boots, feel that heat, and see my father stomping his way towards us, a god of destruction in human form. He looks at me and smirks just a little.
"Ah, Koyurei. Just in time. Walk with me." He opens the elevator and we both board. Onima and Kubo waving us off like, 'We'll get the next one!' He stands next to me, eyes focused on the door.
"So." he starts.
"So." I echo.
We let the rapid beeping fill the awkward void. I asked him specifically not to track me anymore. Well, not really ask, more like demand because I'm sick and tired of it. He speaks.
"Son, I don't understand what's gotten into you." he says, "You're secretive, combative, and your arrests have gotten more and more aggressive."
"Because I take the high value jobs, the ones that push me? Isn't that what you want?" I guess, "I mean, it's not like you're having that hard of a time yourself."
"It reminds me of when I married your mother." he looks at me, "I wanted nothing to interrupt my time with her, so I would handle any job beforehand like a beast born from Hell itself." he smiles and it seems genuine enough.
As if he didn't hit her or burn me, or mistreat her. It's the smile of a man who really doesn't realize he made the shitshow he's created. Or has and he's just ignoring the entire thing.
I stand with my hands in my pockets, "Well, I'm still not telling you."
Dad scoffs, "How mature of you."
"I'm an adult, my business is my own. I didn't bother you when I wondered things." my counter is met with a stony resistance. He glares at me.
"You have a woman in your life. One I don't know anything about! Of course I'm concerned!" he snaps.
"Oh come on, NOW you're concerned?!" I yell, "All this time, the minute I find someone I'm in love with, I'm happy with, you want to shove yourself in it and ruin it." My flames burst to life as the elevator opens and I glare up at him.
"Her name's Nemuri. And I hope to god you don't meet her." I snarl, my fury being all that I can feel about the whole thing. I walk out and towards my office. Opening the door and closing it behind me, locking it.
"Damn..." I groan, "Fuck!" Now he knows. Now he knows her name, and it's a well-known name. He knows I'm fucking Midnight, that I'm dating her, and that we're probably going to get married if it's ever found out.
My breath ghosts out of me like crazy, almost puffing out like I ran a marathon. Although I didn't, my brain's spiraling out of control. My throat closes, my eyes sting with tears, I can't... I can't even...
My panic is surrounded by bright orange flames looming over me like the peak I used to know like the back of my hand. The cold wind blows it stronger and I close my eyes, trying not to scream. That's when I feel it, the shaking. The unassured rumbling of *something* there. My overactive mind screaming half-visions and truths that scramble together. Reminded of my brother, of how he burned.
How I tried to save him. My anxiety rips through me like a questing beast. But something comes back to focus, a case file settled on my desk expecting me to open it up and take a look. Cracking it open, it's a seismology readout of the area. There're signatures moving towards the city and all that. It's at the very edge and if the calculations are correct then it'll be in the city by today at Noon.
The HPSC sent it to all agencies. Even All Might's going to be part of the operation. Dad scoffed at it I'm sure, but there's just this feeling of foreboding around the office. Burnin', Onima, Kudo, and I all start preparations. The east of the city is where the last quake was. My flames form into wings as I take off, the embers catching in the air and the sun shining down on me. I left from my balcony just to get there before everyone else. I do recon most of the time.
My body is light, my comms crackle, "Enavant, care to tell me what you're doing?" I land and study the area, cleanup crews bustling around and clearing glass and tossed around cars.
"Investigating the quakes, Endeavor."
"Understood, I'll leave it to you. I'm investigating the other cases. We'll convene back at base." he states.
One of them, the captain, rushes towards me, "Enavant, sir! I'm Akitsu." he bows and I bow back. He's short and stocky, but with a wan smile and an odd gun-like attachment on his back.
"What's the situation?" I ask.
"Well, the first few quakes were out in the countryside, seems like it's not a villain attack per se, just some kind of..." he looks around, "The locals call it the Wrath of Nature."
"Is it some kind of quirked animal? Like a super-catfish?" I ask.
"Well, no. we've been monitoring it for a good while." he pulls out a document, "First readouts were pretty weak, so we assumed that it was just small normal earthquakes."
"What changed?" I look down at the document and my eyes widen. There's no way. I just put him away, what the hell is this?! The route goes right for... no. No, that can't be right.
It's headed right for Nemuri's area. It's intelligent. The only people I know with this kind of power are my Grandmother and...
Volcano.
"Aikitsu, it's headed right for the-" The ground rumbles, violently trembling and glass shatters anew, the crews scatter like toys as I grab the leader and take to the air, smoke and ash fill the air, the winds pick up.
I switch the channel, "Burnin', Onima, Kudo! Begin to evacuate civilians!"
"What is it, Enavant?!" Burnin' screams.
"It's the Volcano Thiev-" that's when everything explodes into a hell that only defies description because of what emerges. It's a mass of lava, magma, and igneous rock rising far above the buildings.
"No..." I breathe, "Volcano! Who did this to you?!" a molten, blazing eye meets where I'm flying. I put Aikitsu on the right path to get the fuck out of here. But the monster that was once Volcano thunders...
"Guuuuuuuuuuuuddddduuuuuuuuuuuuu!" it flows towards me, but I try to use my ice to slow it's advance. My flames still keeping me aloft but there's not much I can do against a monster like this.
"Enavant, you can't fight that thing alone!" Burnin's flaming hair darts by me, bursting a rock-like growth on it's stony and lopsided shoulder. It lets out a howl as Kudo redirects pumice shots.
"Any ideas?!" Onima yells, "Because we kinda got our hands full here, boss!"
"We just need to redirect the flows the best we can and focus on getting out any civilians!" I snap, "People have tried redirecting the flows, but it's never worked!" He'll still march his way into the city but I still hit him with streams of ice, they immediately turn to steam but I keep pushing.
"Volcano! Listen to me!" I yell over the roar, "It's alright! I'm here to help!"
"Guuuuuuuudddduuuuuuu..." he moans, "Guuuustttt... Dustyyyyyyy..." A tide of smoke hits me like a truck, the winds rip at me, my armor denting and my costume tearing from the Pumice being lifted.
There's a hiss of a voice on the wind, "Heeeee gave usssss powerrrr..." Dusty Ash's voice drifts through the air, "Ssssorrry, Koyuuureeeiiii." A mighty gale blows me backward towards a bunch of debris, but my Hell Spider slashes through them like paper. That's when I cool down, my breath ghosts out of my mouth, the destruction pushed almost all the way to where they were going, but the people still here all look at me.
"ENAVANT!" they scream as they're being evacuated. I don't have time to hesitate, thinking about my mom, my fiancee, my siblings. My brother's eyes meet mine, blue to blue. Remember who you're fighting for, Koyurei. Remember why you're here. Ice crashes out, flows and holds back the ruins, flowing out of me like the blood and sweat, the tears I gave.
I'm the top Flaming Sidekicker. I'm the heir of Endeavor. I'm going to be a good husband. Volcano is scared, Dusty Ash, and Gust Boy too. They don't know what they are anymore. The wind picks up and blows me clear out of the area, my comms knocked out in the maelstrom. People all see me going flying, but my flames kick back in, my wings lift me and slow my fall.
All I can do is hang on and keep trying to contain the main body of Volcano, trying my best to stay aloft. I fly backwards, screaming at people to get out of my way. Flying towards the area where Nemuri's agency is, the heat just behind me pushing me onward.
I have to think of something. Just anything!
I can't stop staring down at my engagement ring. It's so pretty! I'm almost floating on air just thinking about it. Me, Nemuri Kayama, finding the love of my life? It's making me blush! I speed down the way on my Nightbike, or the special motorbike made for me by a motor company I modelled for in my earlier career. It's a hardy, extremely fast, and powerful black and purple beauty.
In fact, it's really the reason why I have my Brawler Outfit. My white outfit is mostly easily tearable and not exactly the most enduring suit. In fact that's why it was made, for efficiency and not strength. I pull into the lot of my agency, seeing my Boys' cars and one of their bikes. But once I get inside, I see them all bustling around, almost in a tizzy. They're rushing around handling paperwork and all that.
All of them are screaming into phone receivers, not even noticing me. Rushing around like they got their heads chopped clean off their shoulders. I clear my throat and they squeak, forming into a straight line and bowing to me.
"Good morning, Miss Midnight!" they chorus.
"Good morning, seems like we're being very busy today."
"Well yes, Miss!" one of my boys, Tareo, gives me a file on some random rumbling that comes from the east of the city, moving forward towards the city center. A lot of agencies are going out to investigate.
"Make sure you boys secure an evacuation route." I say, "Get everyone out as early as possible."
"But Midnight, the HPSC-"
"They take too long. These quakes..." I think about it some more, there's not much to these. That's when things go sideways, there's a flash of blue and there's Koyurei going flying by the building, yelling down to people.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" in seconds he's got us all into action.
"Okay, Ryo and Shoya, you two start evacuating the clubs, Inaba and Ryoza, you two clear out the others. You other two get as many people out!"
Koyurei's like a god. Switching effortlessly between ice and fire as I lead people out on the Nightbike. So many heroes throw themselves at this lava monster and the smoke lady, the wind blowing the destruction and smoke forward.
As I speed down the way, there's someone running back, it's All Might! Sinewy and tall, a grin on his face as he leaps into the air, the shockwave accidentally blowing me into the air, the winds lifting me further.
I lash my whip around a lightpole and hold on for dear life, seeing Koyurei flying back towards me, "NEMURI! LET GO!"
"WHAT?! WHY?!" I screech, tears running down my cheeks, "I'M GONNA DIE!"
"Nemuri! Trust me!" He reaches his arms out and I close mine. Letting go of my whip there's freefall until I slam into his arms.
We go screaming down, Koyurei holding onto me so tightly and I hold him as tight as I can too. We go flying down, and skidding into an impromptu snowbank. In a huge puff of snow we end up with it in our hair. He groans, and I can't help but let out a laugh, I was panicking hard but... he caught me. I can't help but kiss him, his warmth coming back in shock as I hug him tight. He's gone from cold to warm in seconds.
"Mmm... Mm..." I groan.
I don't want to pull back, but someone clears their throat behind us, "Ahem." We both look up at All Might, he smiles down at me and Koyurei.
"Need a hand, Midnight? Enavant?" he holds out a massive hand and Koyurei takes it, pulling me up with him and stumbling against him. All Might stands there as Koyurei pushes off him.
"Thanks for the assist, All Might." he states, bowing, "I owe you one!" he rises as All Might clasps his shoulder with a hand.
"Enavant, you and the Flaming Sidekickers were the first on the scene." he states, "Thanks to all of you, casualties were kept to a minimum." he begins to walk off and I can't help but wilt. I didn't do anything except mobilize my sidekicks to help with evacuations. My cheeks burn red as Koyurei wraps his arm around me, pressing a kiss to my cheek. What an adorable hypocrite...
We both stick around, helping people sort through the rubble and help with the cleanup. In that moment I realize this is why he's still a hero. He softens, his shoulders untense and he talks to people with a soft voice. I sigh and watch him almost with a lovestruck expression. Just the thought of him and I being married soon fills me with excitement. This day couldn't get any better if it tried!
Until my phone rings, "Hello?" I ask.
"Nemuri, darling! How's it going?" my PR manager asks, his name is Maina and she's kind of a tool but I keep it swallowed down. I wonder what she'll get me on this time? Maybe it's the fact I kept backhandedly dissing her?
Or maybe it's about him?
"Uhm, it's going well, how about yourself?" my voice is normally toned enough, "I just was getting done with a case."
"I saw, you and Enavant are already trending. It's cute, isn't it?" she has that tone of false happiness about her. Like she's about to hammer me with what she was really after and in some way I was right.
"You know the rules, Nemuri." she chides.
"We're engaged, Maina." my answer is quick, "I don't see what's so controversial about that."
"Oh honey, you're the R-Rated heroine, come meet me for lunch." she hangs up and Koyurei runs back towards me, a smile on his face. I sigh and pocket my phone.
"Sorry hon, gotta run." I sigh, wrapping my arms around him and kissing him on the forehead, "PR sitch."
"Awww..." he sighs, looking so adorably hurt, "Why can't you just kiss my wounds better?" he buries his face into my neck.
"Koyurei, when I get home." I want to stay, but of course Maina waits for no man or woman. I mount my motorcycle and he grabs my hand.
"Nemuri, remember. I love you."
I smile and he moves off to help more people. He's always been so alone, but now he's got me and the Sidekickers, a lot of other people too.
Maina Yaoyorozu is a harsh woman. Older, professional, someone who doesn't take shit. She sits over the food like an empress. Her eyes are silver and cold as ice. Her dark hair is graying slightly and she looks at me like I'm scum under her heel.
"Nemuri, are you *trying* to commit career suicide?" she snarls, "The Todoroki family is the HPSC's best kept secret. Endeavor has more money than us, more influence than us, and more power." her gaze softens.
"But I love Koyurei, Maina." I stare down at the food, "He's the only guy I've ever dated that knows me under the mask." She sighs.
"Darling, I've said the same thing I'm about to say to my niece." her expression hardens, "Don't let feelings get in the way of what you want. You've thrown everything you have into this man and I'm worried he'll hurt you."
"So what? You're trying to save me, is that it?" I chew on the noodles with a vengeance, glaring at her, "Because it's not going to work."
"Your history is fraught with controversy and this is the dragon of it." she states, "So you need to decide between your love for him or your career."
"So what? Do I have to abandon him?" I don't notice the heat pitching up until it's too late. Maina closes her eyes and Enji Todoroki himself sits down next to her.
"Nice to meet you outside of costume, Miss Kayama." he states, his sharp blue eyes burning holes into me, sizing me up like a rival. He's muscular and towering over me like an Oni.
"Todoroki, it's nice to meet you too." I nod and he smiles. It's a nice one. If it matched his eyes he would've been a heartthrob for me back when I was a teenager, but this...
It feels wrong. Maina clears her throat.
"Todoroki, you approached me with some concerns about this situation."
"Yes, my son has a history of passionate relationships. He's reckless and downright rageful sometimes." he pulls out some papers detailing it, I look at it with a soft chuff.
"I know that, Todoroki. He's had issues in the past." I state, just remembering this past day that he threw himself at a quirk enhanced gang of thieves and pretty much tried to go at them solo.
"Still, the point remains..." he leans against his hands, "I think that it's in his best interest for you to call this off."
"How about you just leave him alone? He's not even here to defend himself." my tone's flat, "I know about what you've done to him, I know more than most people do." I look at the two of them with rage in my heart but I keep it from spilling out.
"I'm gonna marry Koyurei and I'm gonna find a way for it to work for the benefit of my career, people love a wedding." I continue, "Now if you'll excuse me..."
I bow and turn to leave, leaving some money behind for the food, but that's when Endeavor makes his biggest mistake. He rages up to me, his flames igniting.
"Nemuri. I'm not asking." he rumbles, his eyes full of fury like he's never been told no.
I grin up at him and he doesn't flinch, "I know. You should really, really think about what you've done." I get out of there and onto my bike again, turning it on and turning it on, speeding off.
I'll stay right where I am, thank you.