Amaya remained close to Minoru as they continued their somber walk down the hall to the fading sounds of the television in the lobby behind them. Her companion was just short enough that keeping an arm around his shoulders was inconvenient, and so, she settled for wrapping him tightly with her wing instead. Though she was momentarily distracted by her conflicting thoughts and concern for Minoru, Amaya eventually noticed that someone was behind her- not by the sound of footsteps or any sort of gut feeling, but by the very presence of their blood.

It was a gentle, strong pulse that felt oddly cold and familiar. Though she was still learning the rhythms of her classmates' bodies, Amaya was beginning to be able to distinguish who was closest to her via her Quirk. Crowded moments made the process of learning distinct pulses difficult, but there had been enough moments in close proximity to the boy behind her that she had picked up on his eccentricities. There was comfort in the unusual cadence- a reassurance in the knowledge that its owner seemed to be one of the least judgmental and most easygoing among her colleagues. It was something Amaya felt she needed as she tried to tend to Minoru's needs, lest she grow overly frustrated with the little pervert.

"Aki."

For just a moment, the rhythm of blood seized and then quickly sped up.

"How did you…?"

"I can feel you," Amaya answered as Daisuke appeared at Minoru's other side. She half expected some "clever" response from her charge, and the lack of one confirmed her suspicions that Minoru was legitimately upset. The occasional sniffles only helped to reinforce the notion. "Your blood is distinct."

"…that may be my favorite compliment I've ever received," Daisuke said with a hint of amusement.

"Why's that?"

"Because it's weird."

"Your face is weird."

"…a little," Daisuke admitted. "My nose has always been slightly crooked…"

Amaya rolled her eyes as she arrived at the shared dormitory door.

"As if you're not still at least an eight. You coming with us?"

"Well… yeah, he's my roommate," Daisuke answered as he pulled out his key and began to unlock the door. "Wouldn't be right if I didn't. Like you said- we've all gotta stick together, right?"

"…thanks, you guys," Minoru finally said in a strained voice before he snorted back a bit of running snot. "This is so embarrassing…"

"It doesn't have to be," Daisuke consoled as he pushed open the door and stepped inside. "No one in our class seems like they're a dick, so far. I think everyone in the lobby just now is understanding of how you feel, even if they don't necessarily feel it to the same extent. Everyone reacts to things like this differently."

"Swear to god, if we had that blond asshole downstairs I'd probably end up decking him before the day is out," Amaya muttered as she took in the sights of the boys' dorm. She quirked a brow at the various club posters and trophies on Minoru's side of the room and smirked at the sight of the two costumed women with their tongues entwined between the academic decorations. "He'd probably be the type to laugh at someone in tears…"

"Monoma?" Daisuke asked.

"That's the one," Amaya confirmed as she guided Minoru to the nearby bed and sat down beside him. "Smug prick. I've had a run-in with him already, and I'm not a fan."

Daisuke grimaced, thinking quickly to try to steer the conversation away from any further confrontation.

"Hey, Mineta," Daisuke began, trying to distract his roommate as he shoved the door closed with his tail. "Can I get you anything? Water?"

"…no, I'll… I think I just need some time," Minoru said sullenly as he took a box of tissues off the nightstand next to his bed. "The news just hit me real bad."

"Any particular reason?" Amaya asked as she once again draped her arm around his shoulders. "Or is it not something you want to talk about right now?"

Minoru swallowed a lump in his throat as he squirmed within Amaya's membranous wing. He hesitated for a moment as he watched Daisuke sit upon the other bed, directly across from his. With a shake of his head, Minoru blew out a harsh breath and then his nose.

"…this isn't the first time I've seen an… important hero die. Last time was worse and literally right in front of me, but I guess I never really got over it. What happened today just makes me think of that. That's… all I want to say. Please don't ask for details. I was hoping it'd be a one-time thing, but I guess that was naïve."

"Yeah, well…" Amaya started, only to notice that Daisuke was giving her a look full of warning from a few feet away. She reconsidered her words, retracting her wing as she tired to put on a more comforting tone. "…even if it was a little naïve… it's important to keep hope alive that things might get better in Japan, I guess? Otherwise, what do we even have?"

"Each other," Daisuke pointed out. "Cheesy as it may be, I already feel better at U.A. than I did in high school… at least, for the most part. Bakugo is… surprisingly helpful at providing perspective. He's done a lot for me in not a lot of time."

"He hasn't said anything stupid yet, as far as I can tell," Amaya confirmed. "That's a step up from a lot of people here."

"Guilty," Minoru confessed before blowing his nose again. "I don't really do great under pressure. That's something I've gotta work on as a hero. I mean, look at me- I'm an emotional mess right now, I was an asshole yesterday…"

"You're not an asshole right now, at least," Amaya consoled. "I kinda feel like one, though. I have no idea what to say to make you feel better, other than just… sitting here with you. I'm not so good at the advice-giving role. What I have to say isn't what a lot of people want or need to hear when they're feeling like shit. My 'advice' just tends to make them feel worse."

"…and yet you offered your open door," Daisuke mused.

"So did you, after opening with 'I might not be the best at this stuff…'" Amaya reminded, deepening her voice to the point of parody.

"…I do not sound like that…"

"…you kinda do," Minoru said sheepishly. "Your voice is pretty deep for how you look…"

"Wow, alright," Daisuke said as he raised his hands in front of his shoulders. "I see how it is. Two on one…"

"Did I say it was a bad thing to have a deep voice?" Amaya teased with a smirk. "It's kinda cute…"

"Can confirm," Minoru added as he wiped his nose with a tissue. "It's a nice contrast. Makes you more… intriguing, in a strange way."

"I wasn't expecting to just constantly be called weirdly attractive today," Daisuke said with a shrug. "I mean, I guess I'll take it?"

"It's gonna be a weird day for everyone," Amaya pointed out as she interlaced her fingers and stretched her arms up over her head. "Are you actually feeling any better, Shorty? Sometimes company is enough on its own… which is my way of saying we're probably not doing much, but I'm going to pretend this was a great move and we saved the day."

"You guys did more than I can explain just getting me back here and checking in," Minoru reassured as he transitioned to lay upon his back and stare up at the ceiling. "But I think I'd honestly rather be alone right now."

"…ouch," Daisuke said, though it was unclear whether or not he was actually offended as he stood up off the bed. "If you need us, we're just a text away…"

"What he said," Amaya replied as she also got to her feet. "There's value in just being alone sometimes, too. I get it. I'm probably going to go binge some shitty series to get my mind off all this, unless Jiro also needs my shitty advice."

"That sounds like a decent plan," Daisuke praised as the pair headed for the door. "I'm almost considering just passing out on a couch in the lobby."

Amaya gave Minoru a small wave as she looked back over her shoulder before exiting into the hallway and turning her attention to Daisuke with an unimpressed look.

"Didn't you just wake up a little while ago? Or did you pull an all-nighter with him looking at porn and math league challenge problems?"

Daisuke rolled his eyes, though he couldn't help but chuckle at the suggestion.

"I've been up a little while, but Bakugo and I went down to the training room on the bottom floor," Daisuke explained as he and Amaya began to walk toward the bend in the hallway. "We ended up sparring with some 1-B students. Toga and Ojiro."

"Don't think I've met Ojiro yet," Amaya considered as she gave Daisuke her full attention. "How'd that go?"

"It was… honestly pretty terrifying for a multitude of reasons I'd rather not get into," Daisuke answered as they passed Tenya and Juzo's door as well as the bathrooms. It was at the following corner into Amaya's hallway that he slowed down, signaling his classmate to do the same. "Hey, before you head back to your dorm… are you okay? I mean, relatively. With the whole Nighteye thing. You're acting…"

"Weird," Amaya finished as she defensively folded her arms across her chest. "Like I said- weird day for everyone, and it's only just getting started. I don't…" Amaya started before taking a pause to shrug her shoulders. "Sometimes I have trouble relating to people and seeing things from their perspective. It's not like I don't care, but I just don't really feel some things as intensely as other people seem to. I don't know why."

Daisuke searched Amaya's face, finding only a cold, detached quality in her eyes that signaled he was looking at a nearly impenetrable wall. He knew that pushing at all could lead to disaster if not handled carefully. Even so, Daisuke found that he couldn't help himself from at least making something of an attempt to ease her mind.

"Even if that's true, you're making an effort," Daisuke pointed out. "You're putting yourself out there where other people wouldn't. Doing what other people would be afraid to even try, because you know it's right."

"That's the job," Amaya said with a frustrated sigh. "That should be the minimum. We're ultimately here to help people, Aki. If we can't help each other, how the hell are we going to have any chance of helping the public? I don't know. I'm feeling… maybe focusing on other people makes it easier not to think about how I personally feel. I usually don't like the answer I get when I do that."

"Then should you really be alone right now?"

The words left Daisuke's mouth before he could stop them. Amaya's immediate smirk and raised brow filled him with a sense of impending doom.

"…well aren't you forward. Seems like an odd time to shoot your shot, but I'm not saying no..."

"That's not…" Daisuke managed to get out, his cheeks beginning to match the deep red of his hair. "Uh…"

"I know, I know," Amaya said with a wave of her hand. "Let me have that one. You're probably right, though. Even if Mineta wants to sit in the dark and brood, I really, really don't… and streaming whatever is only going to help me run from reality for so long. I just don't know what else to do, and I feel like going to check on someone else would just be more depressing after how badly I botched things just now."

"Then how about streaming whatever and running from reality with a friend?" Daisuke suggested. "A friend who won't get bent out of shape if you snark at them as needed?"

Amaya rolled her eyes once again and waved Daisuke to follow her toward her door.

"I don't snark. I sass."

"If you say so," Daisuke conceded as he walked along at Amaya's side.

"I do. And… thanks for asking, because I sure as hell wasn't planning to tell anyone. How are you feeling?" Amaya replied as she began slotting her key into the door.

"It's complicated," Daisuke answered vaguely. "Not good… but better knowing I don't have to be alone right now. I don't know who in our class to turn to that would just be up for keeping each other company while not probing too deep. I'm thinking- and hoping that that's you, after what just happened with Mineta."

"It is," Amaya confirmed as she pushed the door open and stepped inside to find the space vacant. "Come on in. Let's keep things simple and just… not think about the world for a bit."

"I do like simple," Daisuke agreed as he stepped inside. "Simple is good."

"Especially in times like these," Amaya agreed as she closed the door. "Are you the hugging type?"

"I mean… I don't really initiate for a lot of reasons… but they're nice," Daisuke admitted. "As long as there are no strings attached."

"Strings?" Amaya asked as she walked back around into Daisuke's field of view.

"Just… I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea," Daisuke explained as he held Amaya's gaze with a frown. "I'm only really looking for comfort from a friend… and hoping to return the favor. I could go for a quick hug."

"Gotcha," Amaya replied as she closed the distance and snaked her arms around Daisuke's back to pull him closer. "I'm good with just being friends. No pressure."

Daisuke gingerly returned the gesture, taking great care to complete the embrace as respectfully as he could. The awkward placement of Amaya's wings forced one of his arms a little too close to her butt for his liking, but he tried not to make his hesitance obvious. As Amaya leaned her forehead into his shoulder and took a deep breath, he felt a squeeze that signaled he wouldn't be allowed to escape anytime soon.

"…I needed this…"

"Yeah," Daisuke agreed, giving the upper base of one of Amaya's wings a gentle rub as he allowed himself to enjoy the sensation of her arms around him. "Me too."

"…this fucking sucks," Amaya said softly. "Nighteye was one of the greats. I met him a few times…"

"I thought we weren't facing reality for a little while?" Daisuke asked.

"I thought this was going to be a quick hug," Amaya shot back, opening her eyes as she continued to lean against his chest.

Daisuke said nothing and made no effort to pull away.

"…I've got an idea. Hear me out?"

The same sense of weighty dread that Daisuke had felt before filled his entire body, feeling as though all of his blood had been spontaneously replaced with lead. Even so, he couldn't help but be intrigued by the vague statement.

"I'm gonna regret this… but let's hear it."

Author's Note:

A lot going on here, and none of it is as simple as it might initially seem.

-RD