Nothing happened to his relief. He woke up first, early as he always did. Mei hadn't moved an inch. He had expected her to try and work during the night, but either her exhaustion had caught up with her, or she had found their newfound sleeping arrangement pleasant enough to reject the idea. Takuma himself was firmly in the latter category. He would normally have started his morning routine by now. Today, however, he didn't want to move. His pink-haired girlfriend was in the same position she had been in when he had fallen asleep: on her side, hugging the hand that rested on the cover over her belly, closer to her. Somehow, she had scooted closer to him during the night. Her butt was firmly pressed against him, and the realization had made him move back a little. He didn't want to deal with the more awkward part of the relationship just yet.
Thinking of the relationship, Takuma could admit he had no idea how it was going. Sure, it had only been a day, but in this day, he had shared more of his experiences with her than he had with anyone else in his entire life. From his stint as a prostitute to the slowly rising body count he had accumulated so far. It was freeing and terrifying. And she hadn't judged him for it. Mei had taken a brief look at what he really was and decided it wasn't so bad. He didn't think anyone could accept him for what he had done. And that left him without much knowledge of what he was supposed to do.
Hugging her closer, still mindful not to get too close to the bottom part, he enjoyed the warmth coming from her. Mei was a furnace, and it was one of the many things he enjoyed about her. The physical intimacy from yesterday was also a new development he hadn't expected. Kissing was new for both of them, and even if he had cheated his way to the top, it remained something new for him. Had it been too much too soon, or was it the perfect discovery at the right time? Or maybe somewhere in the middle. Being close to someone wasn't easy, not when she was asleep and his Quirk couldn't naturally warn him if he was breathing wrong. Takuma buried his face in the crook of her neck in search of some more comfort.
He felt Mei wake up with his Quirk first, then through the rhythm of her breathing going out of sync. She turned in his arm, her head ending up on his chest as he let his sleepy girlfriend take the lead. Both her arms ended up wrapped around his chest. It would take her a few more minutes to emerge, and he was more than happy to let her take her time. More cuddling time with his cute girlfriend, how could he say no to that? His now free hand landed on her cheek, and he started gently rubbing her skin with his thumb as she leaned into the touch, not yet fully awake to understand what it was or where it came from. She just knew it was nice and she wanted more. This little moment lasted for what felt like an eternity, which wasn't a bad thing for once. Then he felt her tense right before her arms locked around his chest and squeezed with all her strength for a few seconds. Takuma wondered if it was something he was going to have to get used to, not that he was complaining. He knew she was back the second her eyes opened and landed on him. "Good morning, sleepyhead."
She tilted her head in confusion for a second before her eyes opened wide. "Mornin', this is a thing. Right. That happened, wasn't a dream at all," the words tumbled out of her mouth as she squeezed his shoulder with her hand, making sure he was real. "Yeah, this is good. Me like."
"Me like? Me like too," he agreed in caveman speak.
A snort left her mouth as she climbed him and laid a deep kiss on his lips. "I can't agree more. Now give me cuddles," she demanded as he held her against him with a bit more force.
A sigh of ease left her lips as she returned the embrace, her cheek resting against his. "This is nice."
"Very," she agreed. "I could stay like this all day."
"You're very comfy," he told her with a quick kiss on the cheek.
"It's the chocolate."
"How so?"
"I keep eating it, and it always ends up in the same place," she informed him before pointing at...
Mei had a very large chest, anyone else would have noticed, but he was the exception, realizing only now that his girlfriend was gifted in that area like few women were. Her oversized shirt hid most of it, not that he couldn't peek at the valley of her breasts due to the way she angled her body to give him a good look.
"Then we need more chocolate," he decided with a firm nod, angling his hips under the cover so he wouldn't accidentally poke her with his erection, which was now back in full force due to his girlfriend's antics.
"More chocolate?"
"More chocolate."
"Yeah! Best boyfriend ever," she giggled before going in for a kiss that was anything but shy.
Mei liked being on top, whether they cuddled or kissed. His chest was prime real estate for her, and she didn't miss an opportunity to re-establish her claim every time she could. Now, it wasn't the first time she took the lead, but doing it right after making him aware of her breasts just before squishing them against him was an entirely new experience altogether. It wasn't his first time feeling breasts, not with the history he had on the subject. It just was the first time it happened with him mildly enjoying it. He couldn't feel anything that would bring up his issues. She expected nothing more than he was already giving her, and that made everything easier for him. The searing kiss was a delectable addition to their normal. Which, of course, explained why five seconds in, he had flipped her under him and was busy indulging her with all the do's and don'ts of CPR. In short, she was melting in his arms, and he couldn't get enough of it. He broke the kiss after a few more seconds so they both could regain their breath, before kissing her in turn, matching her intensity with his own. Her eyes did their little zoomies, informing him she was very much enjoying the experience, if his Quirk wasn't busy picking up on the intense emotions in her mind that sent the thought of, 'Yes! More! Don't stop!' straight into his mind. It was the first time he felt those words and actually wanted to meet the expectation and need laced within them.
She was moaning in his mouth by the end, and the more he brought her close to him, the more she seemed to enjoy it, so he didn't stop holding her until she moved her head back. "You're cheating," she bemoaned, her cheeks flushed as her chest rose and fell quickly. He could tell she was seeing stars, and he wondered if he hadn't done too much. He knew what and how to do the things she loved, even if she didn't herself. Too much of a good thing could be hard to deal with for anyone.
"Sorry," he said, nuzzling the side of her cheek. "I got carried away."
"Hey, I'm not complaining!" she was quick to reassure him. "It's just not fair how good you are when you only kissed me yesterday," she pouted.
"When someone else is concerned, be it their emotions or what they feel, I am a quick learner," he told her as he moved to a comfier position, ending up on his side facing her. He still kept her close with a hand on the small of her back. "And let's just say a certain someone has all of my attention," he whispered sweetly in her ear.
Her breath hitched, quickly followed by a shiver of delight. "I'm half-tempted to stay in bed and practice. Everything else can wait!"
"You're not getting out of doing your homework," he stated with a blank face, loving how her expression crumbled. "I won't accept anything but the best from the..." he took a deep breath, taking his time to enjoy the expression of panic on his girlfriend's face before continuing, "Smartest, cutest, most imaginative, and origi-"
He was cut off by a quick kiss. "Stahp it," she moaned, giggling slightly as she hid her flustered face in the crook of his neck. "I need help, boyfriend too cute, can't handle."
He laughed as he kept kissing her shoulder and neck before they finally found it in them to get up. Mei jumped in the shower as he walked to the living room and started his morning stretch. He felt better than yesterday, the motion he was used to didn't feel forced, and he was glad he returned to enjoying this part of his day. Yesterday had been difficult in many ways, and it would have been a shame if he had lost one of the few things he enjoyed doing in the process. Though he couldn't say what he had with Mei wasn't worth it. He would have to find a way to be worthy of her affection.
It was halfway through his routine when he was struck by a sudden wave of emotion. Turning his head toward Mei as he stretched his upper back and shoulder.
'Right, I never did this in front of her,' he commented to himself as he realized his slip-up. Takuma was always careful not to tease himself in front of anyone, and stretching, while helpful to deal with his lingering injury in his left shoulder, could absolutely be seen that way. He wore baggy and boring clothes for a reason. 'It's Mei,' he repeated to himself as he continued through the movement, flexing and relaxing the muscles the way he had learned to do through one of the many videos he had watched on Herotube.
Like a mantra, he repeated in his mind who was watching him. He could feel her gaze, where it lingered, and how much she enjoyed certain parts of his body when he moved, and his shirt tightened or revealed his abs. Nothing she hadn't seen before. Still, it made him self-conscious to the point he rushed the latter exercise to reach the part when he started weight training. He tried to find some humor in the way Mei was spazzing out, trying and failing to act like she wasn't absorbed by what he was doing. It was cute that she at least tried. He knew Mei liked how he looked, and watching him work out had given a kick to the budding lust she was getting acquainted with. He didn't know how she would show that part of her, but he knew he could trust her not to do anything too soon.
She was trying to busy herself with making two cups of hot chocolate, something they had both gotten used to, and Takuma had to admit he had grown fond of the drink. Still, it did its job of reminding Mei to take her pill in the morning, in case he wasn't there to remind her himself.
While his girlfriend was putting the finishing touches to their drinks, Takuma grabbed one of the heavier wrenches he kept in plain sight above the many boxes holding tools and whatnot he had gathered while cleaning the living room and kitchen, which were now thankfully engine-free.
"Do you really do this every morning?" Mei asked as he started lifting.
"Yes," he answered plainly. "At first, it was to help with my shoulder. I had some lingering pain I needed to work through. Then it just became a habit."
"Maybe I should start doing the same," she mused to herself. "I get plenty of training making babies. Look at these guns!" she added, flexing her biceps.
It wasn't his first time seeing the definition on her arm. "It's nice, but I think," he started to say as he pulled the long sleeve of his t-shirt back, "I am beating you in that regard now."
Months of good food had done a lot for his health, and it was good to feel actual meat on his bones for once. The results spoke for themselves as he now beat Mei in muscle mass, while a few weeks ago, he was only skin and bones with just enough muscle to fight for a minute at best.
"Ahwuwha," Mei mumbled as her eyes went in and out of focus, looking at his biceps.
"Don't let your jaw hit the floor," he joked nervously as he pulled the sleeve back into place. His girlfriend wasn't quite drooling, but her thoughts were appreciating the sight in more ways than he could think of. "I'll finish quick and shower. We can take a look at your homework after."
"Sounds good, Mom," she teased, sticking her tongue out at him.
"Watch your tone, young lady," he parodied back in an overly matronly tone.
"This is so bad," she cackled loudly at his terrible impression. "If I ever sound like that, shoot me."
"I refuse."
For the first time since he had been with Mei, someone entered the range of his Quirk when he was in her home. It was notable since he never really had a place where he didn't have to worry about anyone wandering in without warning. Tinker came and went in less time than it took him to warn Mei and reach the door. He had left the box with all the material Mei had selected from his shop and a plastic bag.
"I didn't know Tinker was the type to be shy," Takuma commented idly as he lugged the coffin-sized box inside.
"He isn't. There's a re-run of his favorite show tonight, and he doesn't want to miss it," his girlfriend informed him. "Don't mind him. What's in the bag?"
"Don't know. I kinda have my hands full right now," he said. The box wasn't heavy per se, but it was cumbersome, and he had to make sure not to lose his balance. "Here, grab it."
He lowered the box enough for the shorter girl to grab the plastic bag on top and peer into it. "Let's take a looksy~," Mei singsonged as they went into the warehouse, and he laid down the box on a table next to her workstation.
He ignored the wave of embarrassment he felt from her as best he could and turned his head to see Mei laughing nervously as she peered into the plastic bag.
"Something interesting?"
"Yes. Maybe? For later!" she informed him before opening one of the drawers, slamming the bag inside, and slamming it shut.
He decided not to ask what was inside. If his small interaction with the older man had shown him anything, it was that he was an unashamed prankster, and he didn't doubt there were some spicy things in that bag, like condoms or something else. He was ready to bet his left hand, Mei wasn't easily rattled, and this was one of the few subjects she couldn't power through with her usual demeanor.
"Are you going to need me for anything?" he asked, knowing full well he was firmly in her territory. "Not that I can do much, but I feel the need to ask."
"Yes!" she shouted louder than needed, still a bit rattled by Tinker's gift. "I need to take your measurements again, without your clothes on this time."
Deep breath in, deep breath out. "Didn't you already take those?"
"I did, but the idea I have for your costume needs a closer set of measurements than the one I took when you had your clothes on," she informed him, so focused on her work she didn't notice how uncomfortable he was at the idea.
He easily caught himself and blanked his expression to a more neutral one. "Is that really necessary?"
"Of course. The costume I have in mind works with two layers, the first prototype at least. The first layer is an undershirt with a breastplate that will do most of the work in protecting your vitals, accompanied by a jacket for some added protection for the joints and neck. It should stop most blunt and sharp weapons, and when I get to U.A., I'll have access to something that'll stop bullets. Probably. I'll work on it," she info-dumped on him as he nodded.
Takuma didn't feel like stripping in front of anyone. Not yet, at least. But if he had to, he would have chosen Mei, so it must count for something. He swallowed down the bile in his mouth and took off his shirt. It was the easiest part. "Do I really need to take off my pants?"
"Yep," she nodded as she finally found the measuring tape and turned toward him. "I need to measure your hips for the belt and pants."
He sighed, and his action wasn't unnoticed as the Mei train slowed down to a stop. "Is something wrong?" she asked with a hint of confusion and burgeoning guilt.
"Do you remember how I fight with my legs?"
She nodded.
"I've been at it for a long time, and it doesn't look great down there," he revealed, pulling his waistband a hint lower than he would typically show.
A red scar ran from his lower hips on his right side down to where his pants hid the redness.
"I just want to warn you, if you're not comfortable looking at them, I can—"
"I am!" she said without a hint of hesitation. "If you are," she quickly added, the guilt simmering into a spike that dug through her gut.
"I am," he said, stopping the guilt from going any further. "I just wanted to warn you."
He took a breath and dropped his pants. The sooner he was done, the sooner he could go hide under three different blankets until he felt better. Mei didn't outwardly react to the state of his legs. Internally, she was alternating between seething hatred and horror.
He had scars, many. From Quirks to blades, some were made by the fixers he had gone to for help. Doctors weren't cheap out there, and he couldn't say the few he had access to were the best of the best. And it left some scars from the few Quirks that healed in the underworld. The wielders weren't doctors for a reason.
"Alright, I'm going to start," Mei told him with an uncharacteristic stilt to her words. "Can I?"
He nodded, looking at the ground. He wasn't enjoying the moment, and the sooner she was finished, the better he would feel. So he raised his arms and let her wrap the measuring tape around his arm. The second he felt the touch, he took a step back, not physically. Somehow, he felt like a spectator to what was happening. He inhaled and exhaled, realizing it was now easier than just a few seconds ago.
She spoke again; her words made sense, even if he felt like he was underwater. She spoke, he nodded, and the tape was somewhere else. She repeated the act enough times he lost count. Still, she asked him something, and every time he said yes. He didn't want to, but he did it anyway. After a few more measurements around his legs, she finally handed him the hoodie, and he was quick to put it on, followed by his sweatpants. He blinked as he felt like himself again. "Was that all you needed?"
"Y-Yes..." his girlfriend said, more subdued than he ever remembered her being. "Takuma, sit," she demanded gently as she pointed to the seat right in front of the workstation.
He followed her instruction. "Is there anything wrong?" he asked numbly.
She was feeling terrible, for a reason he couldn't discern. "No, I just wanted to ask if I could hug you."
He chuckled humorlessly. "Of course," he answered with a smile as he extended his arms, expecting her to jump in like she enjoyed doing.
Surprisingly, she slowly took a step in, gingerly wrapping her arms around him as if he were suddenly made of glass. She brought him closer to her, and he was now resting his head in the crook of her neck as she gently petted his head. He wondered how long it would last. He hoped it wouldn't end too soon, and somehow, Mei was of the same mind as she did not move even after what felt like an eternity. It was a slow process, but after an indeterminate amount of time, he found he could breathe easier. Also, his arms had been trembling for some time now, which he hadn't noticed until now. Weird.
His brain finally caught up to what was happening, and he hated himself for what had just happened. "Sorry."
"No."
"No?"
"No," she affirmed a second time. "I'm the one who pushed too far, so I'm the one taking the blame."
"I thought this would go a lot better," he confessed, focusing on her heartbeat to distract himself. "I should've said something when I drifted off."
"You should have," she hummed in agreement. He was glad she wasn't angry at him, at least. "Let's go back to the house."
"But what about the costume?"
"It can wait."
"But you were looking forward to working on it all day!" he countered again, this time earning a glare, and his girlfriend swept him into a princess carry for his trouble.
"The material isn't going anywhere," she affirmed. "My boyfriend, on the other hand, needs some cuddles and a nap."
Her words made him snort. "So I'm like a baby being put to bed now?" he asked, the idea making him chuckle.
She gave him a firm nod as she maneuvered him into the house, closing the door behind them. "Yep," was all she answered before walking to the bedroom, dropping him on the bed, and joining him right after. "My turn."
He was confused for the short second it took her to turn him on his side and hug him from behind. "Better," she sighed in his ear.
He took a second to sink into the feeling of Mei's arms hugging him close. It was different than when he did it, and he could say with certainty he enjoyed being the little spoon. "This is great."
Takuma felt her chest quake against his back as she laughed at his deadpan realization. "I knew you would like this. I certainly did."
It was new, having someone to help him when he was struggling. It was a bit overwhelming, but nice all the same. His thoughts were clearer than they had been in the last... amount of time since Mei had started measuring him. He hated losing track of time like that. Taking in the warmth his girlfriend offered, he now noticed the hug was as much for him as it was for her. His pink-haired gremlin had been rattled by what she had seen, and he couldn't really blame her since some of those scars were pretty ugly.
"About your scars," she finally said, the words tumbling out of her mouth, "could I ask how you got them?"
He shrugged, moving his hand above the one resting on his stomach and interlacing his fingers with hers. Then he slowly moved it to the side of his hips where the largest and ugliest one was. "This one, I got it during the Shibuya massacre. I was trying to evacuate a friend from the fighting when we were caught by a villain. We lost."
The hug grew stronger, and it was the only thing that kept him from biting his tongue until he bled. "I'm sorry."
'Not as much as me,' he thought with a hint of sadness at the friend he had lost. 'I told you to stay behind, Shimana. Why the hell didn't you listen?'
The scar burned, not as much as it did that day, but sometimes it liked to remind him that it existed and would never go away, like many of the others.
"Most of the others on my legs are one-time things, a broken bottle, a knife, a cut that didn't heal well. The worst ones are either from a Quirk or a fixer who rushed his job."
"A fixer?"
"Our version of a doctor. Some weird folks living in basements or sewers, trading their Quirk for things," he told her, explaining a part of the underworld not many had access to.
"What things?"
"You don't want to know," he answered honestly. "Some like money, others practice illegally because their Quirks aren't accepted by society and try to make ends meet. The rest are just insane mad scientists with prices far higher than any sane person would pay."
She hummed, seemingly content with his answer. "And... what about these ones?" she finally said as she moved their hands to the back of his neck.
'She saw, of course she saw,' he chided himself for his lack of forethought.
He took a deep breath. He didn't want to say it, but if he wasn't willing to talk now, he probably wouldn't do it anytime soon. "I did those to myself."
He moved their hands to the side of his head, inviting her to touch his temple, where she could feel the scar beneath his hair.
"Why?" she said with a small wet voice that he couldn't bear to hear. "Why would you do that to yourself?"
He took a breath. The more he talked, the more he felt wrong, out of breath, like he was struggling to even speak. "You saw what happens to me when I lose control. The first time, it was a quick thing that lasted barely a minute, and I was fine after a few hours. The second time wasn't as much a loss of control as overexerting my Quirk until it left me raw and overwhelmed. I don't always have a place to be where I can recover in peace. And I have to keep myself in check until I can find a place safe enough. So I hurt myself; it helps me focus without the overwhelming number of feelings and suffering I am being bombarded with every second of every day." He took a shuddering breath. "It's not the best way I found to deal with my Quirk, but it's the one that works the best when I can't afford to lose myself."
Again, she surprised him by leaving a kiss on the back of his neck. A shiver ran through him as Mei clamped down on him with all her strength. "From now on, if you need to hurt yourself, tell me first."
"I don't usually do it outside of my Quirk going out of control," he told her with a shaky voice. "It's kind of an extreme."
"Okay, still, if you feel like hurting yourself, I want to know," she repeated again, making sure he heard her.
"I will," he agreed. She immediately felt a sense of relief going through her mind. Takuma turned to his other side, now facing his girlfriend with tear-stained tracks on her cheek. Somehow, the sight helped him get out the words he had been about to keep to himself. "I don't feel like hurting myself when you hug me. Hard."
So she did. And if he once thought there was no one who would ever want him, he was faced with the fact that she was hugging him as if he was going to disappear if she let go. This was worth everything. This was worth fighting for. Even-o-O-o-eVeN-o-O-oNeVne-o-O-o