Chapter 7 (Karmi's POV)

Enkei.

The name didn't make the mystery any clearer.

Not that anything could have felt clear at 2 in the morning. The party had come and gone without any incident to speak of. Or at least from the public's point of view. We knew better…

Hiro's tie was gone, his collar unbuttoned, his head laid in his hands. His frustration was so obvious I could have choked on it.

"She came just to make a fool out of us, out of me," he finally said looking up at the rest of us.

"Don't take it personally, we all thought it had something to do with the paintings," I tried to reassure him. For all the good it did.

"It makes no sense," Gogo lamented from her seat at the HQ conference table.

"Maybe insanity is the theme?" Fred suggested to the ire of everyone.

"I don't know, Freddie…" Honey Lemon sighed. "Those paintings can't be a coincidence, can they?"

"Fire is obviously the theme," Wasabi said confidently. "She might not have destroyed the painting like we assumed, but she did still show up. And look what she told Hiro!"

"It'll all end up in flames…" Hiro mumbled. "Why did it have to be fire…?"

Gogo shook her head. "That's not the worst problem. She seemed to know who you were, who you really were."

"I know," Hiro admitted. "I keep hoping it's just because of the cast, just her putting two and two together. But I don't actually believe that…"

"Still," I added. "It's not like your identity is a complete secret, Hiro. Key villains know, and that's enough for the information to spread to the wrong crowd. Not to mention someone as dumb as Krei knowing could mean he accidentally leaked the info to virtually anyone."

"I know, it just makes things even more complicated. It…" He looked up at me. "Puts you at even more risk."

I frowned at him. "Luckily I can take care of myself."

Of course, he didn't seem convinced, but I didn't marry him to be viewed as a liability. I wanted to help, and I would. Somehow…

Surprisingly, Gogo was the one to break the tense silence. "Whoever she is doesn't matter. We just have to stop her, and we won't do it by playing her game."

"What game?" Wasabi asked, not following.

"It's obvious she's enjoying toying with us, especially you, Hiro. She's trying to psych you out, psych us all out. We can't let her get to us, we've defeated a lot tougher villains before."

Fred balled his fists in excitement. "That's it, we've gotta listen to Gogo!"

She smirked, seeming amused for once. "Yeah, I'm gonna remind you of that later."

Still, their attempt to lighten the mood seemed lost on Hiro. He was as brooding as ever.

"Look," I finally said. "We're not making any progress here, and it's late, let's get some sleep."

No one could argue with that, but it didn't mean Hiro was going to lighten up. Something about all of this was almost turning him into a different person. I didn't understand why this villain was having such an effect on him.

For having a mostly expressionless face, Baymax seemed to be thinking the same thing I was. I knew he wanted to try and comfort his friend, but when he waddled silently to his charging station I also knew he was giving me the first chance to talk to him. I appreciated that, I just didn't know if it would do any good…

I kicked off my heels but didn't bother changing into my pajamas. Instead, I watched him trail out to the fire escape off from our bedroom. Without a word, he climbed out and stared toward the city lights. Ignoring that he probably wanted to be alone, I climbed out behind him. Even so, I didn't know what to say.

All I could feel was the distance between us. Even crammed shoulder to shoulder on that dinky fire escape, he felt further away than ever. It was my worst fear, it had been from the start...

But I was too impatient to let the silence last.

"Say something, Hiro!"

"Like what…?" he asked, with an air of annoyance.

"Like what's really bothering you?! Like anything! Just don't freeze me out like this!"

"I'm just tired…" He leaned into the railing, letting his eyes close.

"Tired of what…?" I asked sincerely, some part of me afraid I was the problem.

He turned to look at me honestly. "Maybe being a hero…? Is that selfish, Karm…?"

"No…" I whispered as I felt my shoulders relax. "All you've done is give and give, it's normal to be a little tired. But be honest, Hiro…it's not being a hero that's wearing you out." I reached to squeeze his hand. "It's worrying about everyone else. Worrying about me… But that's not what marriage is for."

"Then what is it about…?" he asked sincerely.

I stared up at the flicker of stars that were being choked by the city lights. "For us…? Being brazen enough to live fully even if the world threatens to burn down around us. Sure…" I whispered. "We'll do everything we can to stop it from happening, but it still might. And if it does…in those last few moments, you know what I'll be the most grateful for?"

I smiled into his brown eyes. "Being with you now, for however long it lasts."

"I want it to last forever…" he whispered back.

"I do too," was all I said before I met his lips to mine.

I didn't know what else to say. This life didn't have any guarantees. I couldn't tell him he'd always be able to keep me safe, any more than he could have saved his brother. But that wasn't the point…

This was the point.

This and nothing else…

The next few days were mostly quiet. Mostly too quiet. Both from the mission's standpoint and my personal one. Hiro still seemed lost in his thoughts, in whatever inner struggle he was dealing with. Part of me felt a little impatient with him if I was honest. But I knew he needed space, space, and time to figure it all out.

Still, I was a little surprised that I'd end up being the sentimental one. So sentimental that it was hard to focus on my work. But if anything could make me feel better it was staring into a Petri dish. I was off for the afternoon, so I headed to HQ to poke around my lab for a while. I was mostly expecting to be alone, which suited me just fine today. But when I arrived alone was exactly the size of it. The jacket thrown against the back of a chair told me Gogo was probably training late.

I breathed a sigh of relief. If it had to be anyone, I was glad it was Gogo, she didn't have an issue guessing when you wanted to be alone. Her jacket wasn't the only thing out of place though, there was a bouquet of roses laid on the conference table. It took a lot of restraint not to sneak over and read the card attached, but I decided to mind my own business for once and just head to the lab.

"Hello, A4y8…" I mumbled mostly to myself as I looked down at the sample.

For once the wiggling virus staring back at me didn't seem as comforting as it used to. Maybe I didn't want to be alone? Maybe I really wanted someone to talk to? The question felt like a tug-of-war inside of me, both points of view seeming somehow accurate.

Before I could untangle the feeling, saw Gogo appear in the doorway. She was in a combat stance that she quickly relaxed when she saw me. "Oh, thought I heard something. Glad it's only you, not that I would mind punching something right now…"

I smiled slightly. "Does punching something really help? Maybe I should try it…"

Gogo wiped her brow with the towel slung over her shoulder. "Trust me, it helps." Closing her eyes, she shadow-boxed the air. "It's simpler."

I leaned against the lab counter, just watching her. For all my own drama, I wasn't blind to hers. She was here punching things alone for a reason. Maybe a very similar reason. Either way, I opened my mouth before I could think better of it.

"How was he…" I whispered. "Hiro, I mean, after…?"

She stopped, her eyes opening. "After…Tadashi?" she mumbled guessing what I meant.

"Yeah, by the time we met, he seemed to have stuffed it all away…" It almost felt out of character, but I wanted to know. I felt like there was still some secret inside the circle, something just out of my reach.

Gogo frowned, the memory clearly painful for all of them. "That's complicated."

I sighed. "I could have guessed that… But it's still complicated, and now I'm a part of that complication."

"What's going on lately?" she asked softly.

I looked down, tracing my finger along the counter edge. "I don't know… Something with this Enkei thing has him upset He keeps freaking out thinking I'm gonna die any second," I huffed in frustration. "And…" I forced myself to add. "Hiro confuses keeping me safe with keeping me locked out."

Gogo relaxed, leaning against the wall. "Enkei's theme is fire, it's obvious why Hiro has issues with that."

Because of how Tadashi died, I figured that much out, but what could I do about it?

"I know, but…"

"It still sucks?" she said so matter-of-factly that I smiled.

"Yeah… To be on the outside is as much my complex as losing someone is his."

"I wish I knew what to say," she admitted. "But emotions aren't my forte. It's just…" she seemed thoughtful for a second. "It takes time to figure out what you feel and why. From someone else's vantage point, it might seem like you're cold or don't care, when in reality… You're just wrestling with yourself. Fighting to figure out a way to express what you…" she hesitated. "Feel. Which," she quickly added. "Is why it's easier to just punch something."

I nodded along, guessing she could relate from experience. I expected the conversation to end there, but surprisingly, she looked up at me with a subtly vulnerable look on her face. "Admitting you love someone once isn't the hard part, it's living it every day after."

I smiled softly. "Yeah…" I knew she'd said what we both needed to hear. A single confession was always portrayed as being the hardest, most important thing. But it wasn't, it was everything that came after. The day-to-day, putting up with them through all their demons. Loving them no matter how long they needed to struggle with it inside.

I had to do that. And…though everyone would assume he didn't think that deeply, I knew Fred did too. It was a subtle emotional understanding that his carefree smile seemed to hide. But he seemed so patient, so much more patient than I'd ever been.

"So," she awkwardly asked, admitting to the obvious. "Any clue what to do with roses? What do you do just put them in a vase of water or what?"

I grinned as I turned back to look into my microscope. "Water would do fine. But don't worry about it if they wither too soon, he'll just have to buy you more. And," I glanced at her teasingly. "Something tells me he can afford it."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Yeah, slightly…" It was subtle, but I caught the ghost of a smile on her lips. It was a look that stayed when she disappeared out the door. Being the shipper that I was, I peeked down the hall just to see her pick up the bouquet before she left.

I thought I could learn something from Fred. So I left early but was sure to make a few important stops before heading home…

"Hiro, are you home?" I shouted as soon as I opened our apartment door.

"Yeah, right here," he mumbled from where he was sitting at the kitchen counter. He was still wearing a suit from teaching class, but his tie was dangling loose and unkempt. He was staring aimlessly into a bowl of half-melted ice cream.

"How was your day?" I asked, hiding the present behind my back.

He shrugged. "Nothing worthy of fanfiction, but I got through it."

When he finally looked up from his depressing bowl of sweets he looked suspicious. "Unlike some of us who appear to be," he tried to smile. "Is the word giddy? And what are you holding behind your back?"

"Oh, nothing…" I teased.

"Sure, nothing," he mumbled taking a bite of soggy ice cream.

After pausing for effect I pulled the bouquet from behind my back. "Ta-da! These are for you."

He blinked, at a loss. "Eh are those flowers…?"

"Duh, of course, they're flowers."

"Uh, you bought me flowers? Isn't it supposed to be the other way- I mean," he faked a smile. "T-Thanks, Karm, you're the best."

"I know," I said, pretending to be clueless to the joke. "Here, read the card."

"Sure…" he mumbled awkwardly as he flipped it open. "Love always, for my adoring wife."

He frowned and I almost choked. "Don't you mean from my adoring wife?"

"Well," I said in all playful snark. "You've been so moody lately I might have gotten confused."

He rolled his eyes, as I finally let myself bust out laughing. "Well, I'll add this to my stack of complexes…"

"Good, glad I could help," I teased as I stole a kiss from his cheek. "Now, if you're gonna mope, Hiro, at least do it right." I snatched his bowl of melted ice cream. "This is enough to make you depressed right here! At least have fresh snacks!"

He smirked slightly. "That seems like too much effort…"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, that's how far you've fallen since we were married. Next, you'll have a beer gut and a beard."

He finally laughed, and it was the greatest sound ever. "Sorry, Karm, I think I'm on a downward slide."

I cut him a playfully sharp eye. "Yeah, well, I won't allow it. Now get your butt in the living room and mope properly!"

"How do I do that?" he humored me.

"It starts with unmelted chocolate chip cookie dough, and ends with a cheap monster movie binge fest."

"You're serious? I thought you had work tonight?"

"I do, but I'm not going," I said digging through the freezer for what was left of the sweets. "I called my assistant and told her she had to cover for me, that my marriage was on the rocks and I needed an emergency intervention. She understood."

"You're kidding?"

"No, I'm not."

He sighed, playing along. "Well, I had my bags packed, but I guess a few killer kaiju flicks could convince me to stay."

I smiled at him, trying not to laugh. "Good, glad to hear it. Because even with your moods, I'd rather you stick around for a while longer."

Losing his tie completely he sunk into the sofa. Kicking off my shoes I joined him with the ice cream.

Halfway through Attack of the Mutant Amoeba (a personal favorite) he glanced over at me and smiled. It was a sincere smile, one that said a lot without having to say anything. "Thanks…" was all he finally whispered.

"For what, Nerdboy?" I mumbled as I leaned into his shoulder.

"Being amazing…" he whispered back seriously. "But um," he chuckled, glancing at the stack of rented B movies. "You're not taking relationship advice from Fred, are you?"

"Well…" I whispered. "He might be smarter than we give him credit for…"

Hiro just looked at me curiously before shrugging it off and turning back to the movie.

Gogo was right, punching things was simpler, but loving someone felt a lot better. I imagined her somewhere staring at a very fancy bunch of roses.

But I thought she already knew that…