#kenji: how was i supposed to know you were going to go for my helmet?? I made it scary so you wouldn't

[aced0g]

When your best friend forever knocks off your villain helmet in battle or alternatively, when you confirm your suspicions that your bff is a villain and also a huge fucking dumbass

im back on my meme shit this time with my dumbass Kenji

[we-are-the-rebellion]

Everything Is Gonna Be Fine - File 005

Date: 3/5/215

Incoming signal: Hello? Hello? Can anyone hear me? Is there anyone in the wasteland listening to me? Fuck, this is hopeless…  We don’t even know if people are alive out there, we’ve never left the region because of the horror stories we’ve heard. CeeCee are you sure? …Yeah, right. Ahem! I’m Nate, I’m from the Eastern OQ region, and for the last ten years I’ve been fighting in, well to put it lightly, a pretty nasty civil war. The group I was with has been mostly killed or captured and our leader is missing, presumed dead. Please, if someone is out there and can hear this, we need supplies. Wait what’s- Shit! CeeCee get down they found-

Outgoing message: Nous vous entendons. Sur routre chemin.

__________________________

Date: 13/6/215

Location: Prison Complex, Ottowa, Ontario-Quebec Region

   Nate choked out a sob and wrapped the younger man in a tight, one-armed hug. Lewis was surprised at first but slowly leaned into it.

   “I’m okay.” he assured.  “I’m fine.”  Nate nodded, but didn’t let go. Lewis pushed him back.  “We’re on a bit of a time crunch, we can talk later.” he said softly but firmly. Nate took a deep breath.

   “Yeah... Yeah, of course.” he muttered, pulling back fully and looking into Lewis’ eyes for an answer. Lewis looked behind him at Zander.

   “Hey man, you good to move?”  Zander tried his best to sit up.

   “Not really, it’ll hurt like a bitch and I might lose a few non-essential organs, but if you’re here to break me out I’ll tough it out.” he replied, wincing. Lewis and Nate frowned at each other. 

   “Zander...” Nate said in a “concerned mom” tone of voice. Lewis sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

   “Well, I would just break Nate and CeeCee out and come back for you, but...”

   “We’re not leaving him here.” Nate insisted, folding his right arm over his stump.

   “Oh so you’re part of the rescue committee now?” Lewis snapped. 

   “Hey! Stop fighting. Make up your minds.” Zander barked at them, coughing at the strain he had put on his voice.  “If you have to, leave me here. I get that I’ll be a pain to carry, and the guards here are gonna shoot you to pieces if you aren’t quick. Just don’t waste time fighting over what to do with me.”

   Nate swallowed. He hated that Zander was right, and he hated how calmly Zander was accepting this. He had always been ready to give up his life for the cause, even now that it was over. 

   “No. Shut the fuck up Zander, we’re gonna get you out. Somehow.” Lewis insisted. He muttered and pulled out a comm device.  “Where the fuck are they... Come on come on...” 

   He jumped when the door opened, but relaxed when the “guard” who came in took off their helmet to reveal Milo, very flushed and out of breath. 

   “Where’s Tara?” Lewis questioned him, pulling him into the room and closing the door. Milo shrugged, the mute boy signing something to Lewis. Nate didn’t quite catch all of it, but he understood that he was saying something about CeeCee. Lewis nodded.  “Alright, cool. Nate, help Zander up.”  Nate nodded, going over to Zander’s side. 

   “You ready man?” he asked, sliding his arm under Zander’s shoulders and lifting him up. Zander winced but nodded, pushing himself up. Nate slowly eased him up, helping him swing his legs over the side of the bed and stand up. The burns on his leg still looked horrific, but the bruising on his side was clearly the root of most of his pain. Even though it had been a few months, the abhorrent “care” the elites had given him hadn’t helped his injuries. Once he was fully up on his feet, he let out a small yelp and nearly collapsed. Nate held him up, trying to have a firm enough grip to keep him from passing out without hurting him.

   Milo and Lewis signed to each other passionately, occasionally checking a small comm device for a signal. Nate helped Zander limp his way over to them.

   “What’s the plan?” Zander asked. Lewis looked up at him.

   “We have one more person, we have to wait for them. I told them to get CeeCee but they aren’t back yet and they aren’t telling me anything, so honestly we may be fucked.” he sighed, running a hand through his greasy blonde hair. Zander’s face darkened at the thought that CeeCee could be in danger. He knew that the guards would kill her if they saw her trying to escape, no questions asked. 

   “How reliable is your friend?” he asked Lewis. He needed to know what the chances were that he’d be able to see CeeCee again.

   “They’re the best.” Lewis assured him.  

   “And CeeCee’s better than the best, you know that. If anyone could make it out of here it’s her.” Nate added. Zander nodded, anxiety still clouding his head. 

   After a few moments, Lewis sighed. 

   “I would love to wait for Tara, but we have to go. They might still be able to get out on their own, but we have to leave.”  Zander closed his eyes. He understood.

   “Then let’s go.”  Milo and Lewis both gave him sympathetic looks before putting on the helmet disguises and opening the door.

__________________________

   CeeCee was perfectly fine with breaking herself out, which was essentially what she was doing at this point. Someone in an elite guard uniform had opened her cell, motioned for her to come out, refused to touch her and then opened a vent and crawled inside. Unfortunately for CeeCee, this person was quite a lot thinner than she was.

   “I’m a big girl, you think I can fit in there?” she asked, peering into the narrow crawl space. The person looked at her blankly and shrugged. She had a sinking suspicion that this person was either deaf or didn’t speak the same language as she did. The person hesitated, but eventually they crawled through the vent and disappeared. Which was fine. CeeCee could handle herself, and this person was not obligated to risk their life to save her. It was just slightly odd that someone who couldn’t speak to her, didn’t want to touch her and couldn’t bring her with them would open her cell door and make it appear that they were here to break her out. 

   Oh well, life was weird. The only thing to do was to get out of here as fast as fucking possible, which was exactly what she planned to do. She slunk along the wall of the corridor, always looking behind her shoulder. She needed to find a weapon. There, just across the hall, an armed guard... Could she take them? She hadn’t been able to take care of her body the last few months, she didn’t know if she was strong enough to have a proper fight. She needed to be stealthy. She took a deep breath, walking up to them, measuring every footstep. Every step had to be quiet. Every breath had to be held. Once she was behind the guard, she leaped up, wrapping her arm around his neck in a headlock, pulling him down. The guard was taller than her, most people were since she was only 5′0, but she could use that to her advantage. Forcing someone who was six feet tall to bend over backwards to her height was a particular favorite tactic. 

   “Give me your gun.” she growled. The guard choked and clawed at her arm, but she didn’t let him go.

   “Get off him!” barked a voice from behind her. She spun around. A new guard was running up to her, but behind him was-

   “Zander?” she gasped, dropping the guard. Zander looked up at her and his eyes widened. 

   “CeeCee! Oh my life, CeeCee.”  

   She took a better look around her. The two “guards” were actually... Lewis and Milo? Lewis was still alive?

   “What’s goin’ on?” she asked as Nate helped Zander limp over to her.

   “We’re breaking out.” Nate answered matter of factly. 

   “Where’s Tara?” Lewis asked. CeeCee shook her head, trying to back up.

   “Tara? Breaking out? The fuck is happening?”  Lewis looked around at the other men.

   “Tara is supposed to be breaking you out.”  CeeCee remembered the strange person who disappeared into the vent.

   “Yeah, she disappeared. I dunno where the fuck she went.”

   “They.”

   “Sorry, they disappeared.”  Lewis cursed under his breath.

   “Fuck.”

   Zander coughed and everyone turned around to him.

   “No time... To talk.” he said with another cough. CeeCee felt her heart break. 

   “We have to get him out of here.”  

   “Yeah. Let’s go.”  Zander shook his head vehemently. 

   “No, you should leave me here, I’ll weigh you down. You have to go.”  CeeCee grabbed his shirt collar with her left hand and yanked him forward.

   “Alexander Ashworth, shut the actual fuck up. If you were any more damn stupid I’d swear that all those years around Kenji sapped your ability to make rational thoughts.” she snapped, roughly grabbing him away from Nate and starting to carry him away.  “Y’all coming?” she shouted back at the three other men, who were just standing in shock. They quickly shook themselves out of their surprise and scurried along behind her. Zander laughed quietly to himself.

   “I love you.” he whispered. CeeCee would’ve been more than happy to return the sentiment, but right now she was focused on getting her idiot boyfriend out of here.

   Something didn’t feel right about all of this. This was way too easy.

   “Lewis, did you kill the alarms on your way in?” CeeCee asked.

   “We were going to, but they were all disconnected already. It was weird, but we didn’t have time to question it.” he responded, looking over his shoulder. She swallowed nervously.

   “Now may be a good time to question it. I think that they’re setting up a trap for us.”  Milo looked over at her, eyes wide, before roughly jabbing Lewis in the ribs and signing “I fucking told you so.” Lewis winced and looked down.

   “I don’t know man... I thought maybe we were having some good luck.”  Nate sighed.

   “When have we ever had good luck, Lewis?” CeeCee chimed in, doing her best to look authoritative while also struggling to hold up Zander. Nate frowned at her.

   “So... Now what?”  Zander coughed, less in a “I’m dying” kind of way and more in a “notice me” sort. 

   “I swear on my father’s body that if you tell me to leave you and save myself, I’m gonna make sure you’re the only person who leaves here alive.” CeeCee hissed at him. He smiled at her weakly.

   “I know. But I really am just weighing you down, and if shit hits the fan then you won’t be able to drag me all the way out there.”

   “You don’t fuckin’ know what I can or can’t do.” she snapped. Zander sighed. 

   “CeeCee... Baby, I-”

   Before he could finish, a siren started blaring.

   “I guess they fixed the alarms.” Lewis sighed, grabbing Nate and Milo and pulling them along behind him as he started to sprint.

__________________________

   Zander appreciated so much that CeeCee would stick with him no matter what. He loved her so much, and that was why he was going to sacrifice himself for her when she couldn’t carry him anymore. He couldn’t be dragged around by her, risking her life and the lives of Nate, Milo, Lewis and maybe even Lewis’ friend Tara. There was only one hitch in his plan; CeeCee had a very strong grip on him and was one of the most determined people who had ever lived. There was no way she was going to let him go.

   “Shit! Fuck! Fuck!” Lewis shouted as he sprinted furiously down the halls of the prison complex. Guards had been alerted to the security breach and weren’t at all happy about it. A bullet whizzed over Milo’s head, narrowly missing him. Nate looked like he very much wanted to say something but was just in for the proverbial ride. Zander felt useless, like a slab of meat. He couldn’t run, couldn’t fight, could barely even stand up. How was he supposed to keep up? He couldn’t keep up, which meant CeeCee couldn’t keep up. A gunshot echoed in the corridor. Blood? No, they were fine. Keep running. Keep up.

   “Fuck, fuck, keep running. Keep going.” Lewis was chanting, a reminder to himself. Keep going. Keep up.

   The entrance was there. So close. Guards, blocking the way to freedom. No, not freedom, but close enough. As close as they could get. 

   “What do we do?” CeeCee called out. Nobody knew, but someone had to answer. Another gunshot. It sounded further away. One of the guards at the door fell, the others turned around. 

   Sirens still blared, so loud, so close, everywhere. How could anyone focus in here? They couldn’t, too loud. 

   “Just run.” Nate answered. That was all they could do. No time to focus, no time for questions. Just run. Just hope that running would work. So they ran. Zander felt like he was going to pass out. As he kept forcing his body to go beyond its limit, he suddenly felt like he was out of his body. That wasn’t it. He felt like he was still inside his body, but there was no control. Only beating heart, heavy breaths. Only running. Only sweat, dripping down his forehead and back. He couldn’t control his movements. He couldn’t control it when he collapsed. 

__________________________

Tag list: @thereasontherumisgone @germanmetal

[kazhewbrekker]

vilify me - chapter 4

this is the longest chapter to date! and probably the last one for a little while as im settling into college and dont have as much time. fear not though! chapter 5 is in the works and im committed to finishing this monster of a multific. without further ado!

(AO3 Link) (Chapter 1) (Chapter 2) (Chapter 3)

Kenji seemed unimpressed as he walked into the hanger. I wasn’t expecting a huge reaction, but I thought he’d be at least a little bit excited over the prospect I was offering. I gave him a wink as he walked closer and patted the seat on the motorcycle I was leaned against, lovingly. It was a good thing I hadn’t run my plan past Warner, he would’ve been jealous.

“Do you know how to ride a motorcycle?” I asked innocently.

Definitely not impressed. “Never seemed like a necessary skill set.”

I shrugged. “Feel like learning?”

Kenji crossed his arms over his chest as I passed a helmet to him. He didn’t take it from me, which was to be expected. There was no chance he was going to go easy on me. I mean this was literally me trying to appeal to him enough to get him to trust me. Or maybe, just maybe, it was me trying to find something to relieve myself of the utter boredom that had befallen me since I came to Sector 45. Which, I had to remind myself, wasn’t Warner’s fault.

He was busy. I was also usually busy, that’s just how things were with us. And now, with this mission he’d put me on, I would find a new way to be busy.

“Come on, it’ll be fun.”

Kenji took the helmet begrudgingly, “Where are we going?”

“Does it matter? Let me answer that, no.”

I climbed onto the seat, settling my feet in their place on either side of the bike. Kenji hesitated again, the black helmet now smugly fastened around his head, trying to figure out where he was supposed to sit on the motorcycle with me. I grabbed his wrist, between us was the layer of his military coat and the riding gloves I had fashioned myself with, as I pulled him on behind me.

“I’m not going to kill you.”

“I didn’t say you would, Princess.” Kenji shifted uncomfortably and created a space between the two of us. I had the urge to roll my eyes. Like that would stop me. If I wanted him dead he would be by now. “How come you don’t wear a helmet?” Kenji asked.

I revved the bike. “Let’s hope you don’t find out.”

-

“Put your foot on the break,” Warner instructed. “No, hold it down.”

“Sorry,” I shot him a glare and pressed down all my weight on the car’s brake. The glare broke apart in an instance. I was too excited to be mad.

Finally, after being told over and over that he would teach me, Warner was going to show me how to drive. I’d wanted to for years, ever since he had when he was eight. Mum and Dad would never let me behind the wheel of a car, at least not until I was older no doubt, they didn’t even trust Emmaline in one yet. But I would learn how to drive first, because Anderson had left home earlier that morning and Leila wouldn’t mind if we borrowed the car. Or totalled it.

“Okay,” I said, “okay, what do I do next?”

“Shift into drive.”

I blinked down at the controls. “What am I on right now?”

“Reverse.”

I managed to shift the car into drive recalling what I’d seen in films, “You don’t have to look so nervous, we’re indestructible, remember?”

Warner sighed exasperatedly, hands tightening on the seatbelt. “Keep your eyes on the road.” I grinned and checked my mirrors, slowly pulling my foot off the brake and towards the gas. “And I wish you’d stop saying that.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because my biggest fear is that one day it’ll stop being true.”

I frowned. I took it slow, but driving on a street that no one was ever going to come down again gave me the whole road to practice. I jumped between brake and gas over and over, inching forward and trying to get the hang of it. Every once and awhile, Warner pointed something out to me, but he was as patient as he was with teaching me anything. It was easy, easier than I thought it would have been.

“I’m not going to lose my powers, Aaron.”

“No,” he agreed, “but have you considered your parents’ new project.”

I sucked in a breath and the car huffed in response. Warner didn’t looked shocked as I hit the brakes to look over at him. He looked worried. “Project Canary. Emma’s losing her mind over it.” I said.

“I know, I heard.”

I raised an eyebrow, “Don’t tell me she’s bothering you about it too.”

“When she can’t call you she calls me, I’ve told you this before.” He tucked his chin and looked down at the watch affixed to his wrist. “Emmaline is just worried about you, love.”

“Of course she is, because if they can get through me it means she’s next. I don’t blame her.”

“Ella.”

“It’s true!” I shrugged, “You know it, I know it. I reckon if Canary succeeds, then I’ll be the only one affected. Well, and you, probably.”

“Probably? You can’t be serious.”

I sighed dramatically, shifting gears and turning us around back towards the house. I knew he was staring at me, I could feel it burning under my skin. If he was offended by the truth that was his problem. Not mine.

“If something happened to you,” I wasn’t watching his face, but I heard the way his breath caught in his throat. A chill settled around me as I waited for him to continue. “I would be devastated. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yes, sure, of course.” I snipped back.

“Ella, I’m serious.”

Too much, too heavy. I nodded in an attempt to get him to drop it. Warner was my best friend, but God if he didn’t make everything out to be life-and-death. Though, technically, this situation could very well end in my untimely death. It didn’t matter. He was serious all right, far too serious. And I didn’t want to think about the immediate future, not like he did.

-

I loved motorcycles. More than cars, planes, especially boats. Nothing else could get me in contact with the same level of speed as the motorcycle could. I wondered a lot if it was anything similar to drugs, Mum and Dad would have me caged again if I experimented with anything that could mess with my brain or my body. So, death defying activities was all I had.

But I had to drive carefully, Kenji’s arms wrapped around me so tightly I had to focus on the wind whipping my hair to not break down at the feeling of being barred.

I hadn’t been lying about the helmet comment, as far as Kenji knew I was talented in hand-to-hand combat and could most likely kill someone if they just so happened to brush my skin. He had no way of knowing that a motorcycle crash was much more likely to hurt whatever I crashed into then myself. When I’d first embraced my daredevil tendencies, Warner had insisted that I wore protective garments, riding jackets and enforced padding. We hadn’t known the full extent of how much damage I could sustain. We found out though, eventually.

I came to a stop in a place where the road evened out and the buildings had grown scarce. It was strange, Southern California had always been overflowing with populace and new houses that the large expanse of nothingness was almost unnerving. I pushed those thoughts from my head and removed Kenji’s hands from my waist.

He attempted to climb down with me, but I steadied him on the bike with a smile and said, “I’m teaching you how to ride remember?”

“I never said I wanted to learn how.”

“Yes, but you also never said you didn’t.” I placed my hand on the handlebar, about to launch into a speel about what each part on the bike did, until I noticed he was staring at me strangely. “What?”

“I’m curious. What brought this on?”

“Me teaching you how to ride a motorcycle? I was bored, wanted to ride my bike, and you’re supposed to follow me everywhere I go.” I paused, sardonic in nature. “Thus, here we are.”

Kenji looked back at me as if he didn’t believe me, and I had to give him credit, he was a lot more intuitive than he had appeared at first glance. It wasn’t as if I was lying. I was currently trying to use enough of the truth that he’d have eventually just have to believe that my intentions were pure. It’s not as if I had given him any reason to believe otherwise. Beside the fact that I work for a fear mongering government that treats its citizens even worse than the ground they walk on.

I might have to rethink my plan of action.

“Okay,” I huffed. “Clutch is here, gear shift is down here, throttle, and break. You’re ready to go.”

“Wait, hold on a second, that’s the big lesson? You point at all the controls, pat me on the back and say ‘Good luck.’ You’re the worst teacher in the history of ever.”

“Jesus, that’s a little harsh.”

“Never have kids.” He said with a straight face, “You’d try to teach them how to ride a bike and then just throw them straight into oncoming traffic.”

I groaned, “Newsflash you egg, traffic isn’t as issue anymore. The 405 is dead and I’d be a great mum.”

Kenji didn’t move as he held his humorless expression. As the silence dragged and we continued to just stare at one another, something cracked. I wasn’t sure if I was the first to snort, but giggles erupted from my lips until I was crumpled on the ground holding my stomach from laughter. Kenji wasn’t much better, he had to use to the motorcycle to hold himself upright as he practically hacked up a lung.

I was wiping tears out of the corners of my eyes when Kenji finally said, “All right, that was hilarious. But I’m still not riding this death trap with a ten second long instructional period.”

“Just,” my voice was still strangled with restrained giggles, “trust me here.”

“You don’t make that easy.”

But he listened and settled on the bike like before, keeping one boot on the ground to stabilize himself. I corrected his form and I watched as his eyes darted nervously around the open field. I couldn’t say I completely understood his nerves, I’d never had to really worry about bodily harm before. With that, I had the sudden realization that this was a terrible plan, and if it failed it would really suck to have to drive home with a dead body. Or, even worse, have to walk.

“Ready?” I asked honestly.

He didn’t in the least bit look ready. At least he knew how to brake.

Kenji gave a curt nod and I stepped away from the bike, giving him room to start the engine again and prepare for take off. The motorcycle gave a growl that I felt in my chest, that made the hair on my arms stand up, and as Kenji gave me one more glance before staring at the opened, empty road before him. I gave a silent prayer to a God I don’t believe in.

The motorcycle lurched forward, shakily and slow it made its way down the street. A couple of times I worried if it was going so slow that the machine might tip over, but at every chance Kenji shifted his weight to keep it steady. It wasn’t until he turned around and came back towards me that I saw he had a genuine smile on his face.

I rolled my eyes, he was going barely more than 20 miles per hour.

“All right. It’s not a vespa.”

He hit the brakes as he neared me and the sudden stop made him ram his stomach into the center console. Kenji took a shaky breath but his voice was only a little winded, “What’s a vespa?”

“Oh my God.”

-

Our bedroom was cold. It was the middle of July and from the window I could see the moon against the cloudless sky. It was the only thing lighting the room. For once I was happy that snow hadn’t come so early this year, because if it had then I wouldn’t be able to see the moon at all. I clung tightly to my blanket knowing that it was my only protector, that would stop the dark corners of the room from getting any closer to the foot of my bed.

I had been working very hard to not let it bother me, to sleep through the night without interruptions or nightmares. If Emmaline could do it then so could I. But it seemed like the harder I pushed away the negative thoughts, the stronger they came back with a vengeance. And the more they stole my breath straight from my lungs. I knew what panic was now though, I’d felt it before. It kept rising and rising like the temperature on a thermometer. Until my head started to feel dizzy and my chest began caving in.

What was it that Warner always said? Try to breathe.

Easier said than done.

At this point I should’ve been used to any form of sensory deprivation. Nothing to see, or hear, only the cold walls of the room that remind you that you’re not dead. Or asleep. Or somewhere in the middle. Mr. Anderson would turn down the oxygen in the room if I tried to fall asleep. It would go on for hours. But it always ended, sometimes I was worried it wouldn’t.

Little bird, little bird in a gilded cage. With spikes on the bars. Little bird with no escape.

“Ella,” my sister’s voice whispered across the bedroom. “Ella, go to sleep.”

I froze. My rampant neverending thoughts must have woken her up, or at the very least kept her from falling asleep. I wasn’t quite sure what Emmaline could hear and what she couldn’t. But if I hated being in my own head, then surely my sister would despise it just as much. “Sorry, Emma.”

She sighed, rolled over. I felt my face burn with shame. “No worries, just…“ Her soft words disappeared into the cloud of dark that blanketed over her half of our bedroom. We’d been sharing a room since I was born. At least that’s what I had been told. But now the sea of carpet between the two of our beds felt wider and all the more terrifying under the gaze of the moon. I had to steel myself. I couldn’t be weak, I couldn’t whimper at the idea of closing my eyes, what would Mum say?

“Ella. Come here.”

I looked over to Emmaline’s moving sheets. I could barely make out her motions across the room. But I didn’t give it a second thought. I bundled the blankets around my body, grateful for the socks that covered my feet, and I tiptoed over the lie to Emmaline’s side of the room. Where pink met purple.

Emmaline was waiting patiently with arms outstretched. She pulled me and my blankets up onto the sheets with her, and that’s when I noticed the long sleeves pajamas and the gloves. How had she been wearing gloves to bed? Emmaline pulled my head to her shoulder and hugged me tightly. I wished I could see her expression. I wished I could read her thoughts for a change. My panic spiked once more.

“Calm down,” Emmaline yawned. “Give it a rest.”

“S-Sorry.”

It was dangerous to be this close to my sister. It was dangerous to be around anyone, ever. This was my curse. My burden. Mum called it a gift, she said it made me special. But I had to work harder, so I could be just like my sister. Mum would kill me if anything happened to Emmaline. She’d actually kill me.

“Shhh, go to sleep.”

“I-I…”

My sister’s finger combed through my hair. I closed my eyes against her pillow.

“Sleep, Ella. You can worry about things in the morning.”

She was right. I knew somewhere deep down that she was, but a part of me refused to accept it. It seemed like no matter what I did, my worries would follow me into my dreams too. I focused on Emmaline’s breath, her heartbeat, the slight brush of my hair from my forehead. It made me crave the blurry memories of climbing into bed with Mum and Dad, falling asleep in the safety they provided. Now it didn’t feel safe to be near their wing of the house, or even near them.

“I don’t want nightmares.” I whispered back to her.

Emmaline paused. If I paid close enough attention I could feel the edges of her power just on the cusp of my consciousness. If I dared to push against it all I would feel would be numb. “Okay, I’ll make you a deal.”

I blinked my eyes opened, “A deal?”

“Sure,” she pinched my shoulder. “If you try to sleep, I promise I’ll chase all the bad dreams away.”

It was far too dark in the room for me to see the look on her face. I couldn’t even tell from her tone if she was messing with me. I was a bit too old to believe that anyone could chase away my bad dreams, especially when they had been formed out of reality. But then again, Emmaline had power over the mind. Even now I could feel her rooting herself in my thoughts, sharing them with me, but blocking me from following that path back into her own head. It was a one way trip, or so she said.

If anyone could get rid of the nightmares, actually get rid of them, it would be Emmaline.

“All right.” I said.

She nodded once into the dark, “Close your eyes, then.”

I did as she asked. A moment passed, but in the moment the darkness of my eyelids didn’t feel constraining, like I was being pressed against the walls of a prison. It felt almost calm. Like a purring cat under my bare fingers, enjoying the feeling of my touch. It felt like I was back in North America, tucked into familiar sheets, pressed against the side of someone else. But only for a moment.

And then I opened my eyes and Emmaline was gone.

I sat up, wrapped in pink sheets, and stared across the room to the bed I had fallen asleep in. Purple sheets as pristine as if they had never been slept in at all. I should have figured. That kind of comfort and safety could only last a night.

-

Kenji wasn’t confident enough to drive us back, and I wasn’t entirely confident he could either. So, I drove the motorcycle to the compound, stopping myself from taking any unnecessary risks, least Kenji never go on another adventure with me again.

As much as I loathed to admit it, my plan was almost certainly backfiring. I was having fun just making friends with someone new. Socializing wasn’t exactly a skill I excelled in and the fact that Kenji almost didn’t seem nervous to get on the back of the bike with me after spending the afternoon in my company made me feel better than I had in awhile. There was a churning afterthought though, that if he wasn’t who he said he was, if Warner was right; then Kenji would die by my hand. There was no way around it.

Or so I told myself as we parked in the hanger.

I shot a scathing look at the soldier who carted off my bike, knowing they would take care of it, but trying to retain the menacing aura I had accumulated before I started letting myself go soft. Maybe Warner was right and I really should go back to training in the mornings.

It was only a second later as I turned to speak to Kenji that I felt a thrum of energy go through my body. The sensation stilled me to my core, even my lungs refused to take in oxygen as my brain scrambled for concrete meaning. I knew this feeling and I knew it well. My body restarted.

“Kishimoto,” my voice was harsh, “you are dismissed.”

“But--”

“Now, soldier.” There was a bite at the end of my words that I hadn’t ever used in conversation with him before. He registered this and, probably with some sense of betrayal, turned on his heel and marched away from the hanger. I hoped he was fast enough.

When my ability had first manifested, there were a lot of things going through my five year old head. And still it wasn’t anywhere near as complicated as Emmaline’s own mind. My sister, being a year older than me, took it upon herself to compare us in everything. Even before our powers. Shockingly, she wasn’t so far off when it came to this over everything else. Our abilities were simultaneously complete opposites and so similar that they could not be recreated in any test subjects. Though it wasn’t from lack of trying.

I could feel the energy of living things. Around me were spools of thread that tied back to every living creature, I could feel their hearts pumping, I could sense the electricity beneath their skin. By extension, Emmaline was connected to life through their minds. She had her own network that she organized and colorcoded, more orderly than my own, efficient. But our largest connector remained each other, and it was at that moment that I felt my sister’s ability wrap itself around me. As if it wanted me to know she was here, listening in to the private confines of my head. So, I did what any little sister would do.

I immediately thought back to the last time Warner’s lips were on mine, the heat of our breath as I undid the buttons of his shirt. I let my eyes close as the memories washed over me, leaving a singing fever in their wake.

Emmaline withdrew faster than a bat out of hell.

“That was rude.”

I heard her before I saw her. My eyes blinked opened tentatively as I watched my sister walked down the stairs into the hanger. Soldiers stopped, if only for a moment, to stare and wonder. Emmaline looked a lot like our mother. Her hair was two shades darker than mine and always laid flat down her back, her face was older, wiser. And she wore that red lipstick that Mum liked.

It was hard not to think of that woman when I looked at her. “What, like looking through someone’s head? Tell me, is that real rude?”

She rolled her eyes, “You’ve made your point.”

“Have I?”

When she stepped down from the last stair a smile appeared on her face, out of nowhere. And then she held her arms open towards me. I noticed the sleeves of her coat, the collar of her shirt that covered her neck, the gloves that seemed to permanently cling to her hands. This wasn’t a last minute decision, my sister had come to Sector 45 with the full intent to see me.

I tried to walk calmly towards her. I’m pretty sure I failed.

Emmaline hugged me. She squeezed my shoulders and rocked us from side to side like a dance. It wasn’t appropriate, to be so excited to see each other, if our mother was there she would have chastised us greatly. But Mummy dearest wasn’t there, and we could do whatever the hell we wanted.

“This is a surprise,” I said as we pulled away.

“I told you I’d be visiting shortly.”

“Actually, you asked if you could visit and I never got back to you.”

Emmaline huffed as if I’d greatly inconvenienced her, “Doesn’t matter. It’s not as if you’re busy, hiding out from our parents and what have you.”

“They know where I am.” My eyes narrowed on her as a mischievous smile inched its way onto her face. “Mum does know where I am, right Emma?”

“Oh, she could guess, but I’m afraid she’s preoccupied right now.”

I held my breath. No wonder I’d been left alone for almost a month. Emmaline was covering for me and with her powers no less. It was starting to get scary how easily she could deceive the people that more or less ran the world.

“And what was your excuse for flying out here?”

Emmaline glanced at me, her lips upturned in a smug expression that made her lipstick seem darker. The color of blood. “I’m allowed holidays just like you.”

There was a palpable moment of tension between us that shattered with a clap of my sister’s hands. She turned on her heel and made her way back towards the stairs. I followed, just as she had expected me to do, and I watched as her hair flew behind her like a black veil. Nothing was different about Emmaline from the last time I had seen her, but I knew my sister better than that. She wasn’t a consistent person in the least.

She had plans. Always.

“Why didn’t you introduce me to your friend?”

I met her eyes as she glanced back at me, “Didn’t think you’d be interested.”

Emmaline hummed to herself for a moment before we entered the main hallway. She let me move to take the lead as I headed for the nearest elevator. It was just around dinner time now, the sun had already begun it’s decline over the ocean. Well, it would’ve anyways, if it wasn’t for the clouds hiding it. And I was starved from messing around in God knows where for hours.

“Y’know, sis,” she spoke finally after the elevator doors closed. “You can’t exactly lie to me.”

I gritted my teeth.

“And I’m not just saying that because I can read your mind. What, can’t trust me now? Especially when you’ve decided on making friends with someone you think is working for the rebellion.”

“Hush up,” I hissed.

The elevator was still steadily moving up towards the higher floors. That left us with little time left to speak with the comfort of not being recorded. Once we were out in the open, anyone could overhear us and report back to Anderson, Kenji would be as good as dead.

“I don’t know for sure.”

Emmaline scoffed.

“I don’t. Doesn’t matter, I just don’t want you rooting around in his head while I’m trying to do my job. Because if he is with the rebels, then maybe he can lead me to that base.”

“The base Anderson’s on your ass about.”

The doors open, “That’s the one.”

We walked in silence towards the dining room. There was something strange and familiar about wandering these halls with my sister beside me. Maybe it reminded me of when we were children, I scrunched my nose. Emmaline and I hadn’t wandered the halls together when we were little. We barely interacted outside of bedtimes and Sunday breakfasts. I watched her out of the corner of my eye and found her looking back at me. Her expression was blank.

Before I even opened the door to the dining room, Emmaline groaned from beside me. I felt a tinge of a smile make its way onto my lips before I waltzed inside, emulating the grace of a person with the ball in their side of the court. If she was going to be confrontational or then I simply wouldn’t let it get to me, Emmaline could whine all we wanted but this was still Warner’s sector.

A telepath and an empath walk into a bar… I’d hate to hear the punchline.

Emmaline hesitated by the door as I swept inside to take my usual seat beside him. He barely spared a glance at my sister, before turning to me, his side of the table devoid of paperwork for the first time in weeks. I narrowed my eyes, had he heard of her arrival before I had? Most likely.

I leaned close enough to press my lips to his cheek as he whispered, “A nice surprise.” I had to stifle the laugh the built up in my throat.

As much as I liked to taunt my sister, I also found myself increasingly more demure in her presenance. My cheeks reddened and I dug my teeth into my bottom lip as I pulled away from Warner and into my own space. I caught Emmaline’s eye as she, now quiet for the first time since I’d seen her, sat down carefully beside us. I braced myself for whatever she was reading, whatever she could feel.

“Don’t stop on my account.”

My nerves blew out of my lungs in an instant. Warner brought a water glass to his mouth rather enthusiastically, he was hiding a grin. I could rest easy knowing that this dinner wasn’t going to be a normal Emma-Aaron staredown, where I was placed in the middle and forced to choose which one I would have to calm down first. Frankly, I found it unfair that they put me in such a position at all.

Emmaline and I had been rivals since the beginning on account of our abilites and the expectations that came with them. It made our relationship difficult to say the least, stressful and even distant. We rekindled what we could salvage the older we got, but it was hard to put the pressures our mother had forced down our throats away. Warner and Emmaline’s rivalry was different. And I couldn’t even be sure when it started. It almost felt like I had woken up one day to the both of them being at each other’s throats with no explanation other than, “Because I hate him, Ella.” on my sister’s lips.

I had my assumptions. But I certainly wasn’t going to tell them that.

“C’mon now,” Emmaline spoke first. “What have you two been up to, spare no details.”

“Is that why you came here? To catch up?” Warner raised an eyebrow and I felt his hand find mine underneath the table.

Emmaline amused herself my looking through the assortment of bottles on the table, in Sector 45 there never seemed to be a shortage of alcohol, before picking one that suited her tastes. “Why else would I be here?” She said as if there was a very obvious, very necessary reason for her to be here. Her eyes met his with something I could only describe as contempt, “To make sure you haven’t defiled my little sister?”

I felt more than saw Warner’s reaction to her words. It was like the walls turned ruby red, the air became almost stifling, but neither of the other occupants seemed to notice. No, Emmaline was reveling in my love’s discomfort. There was a gnawing dread in my stomach that colorfully plated breads weren’t going to fix. I squeezed Warner’s hand.

“Behave,” I said.

Emmaline shrugged, “I haven’t done anything that warrants punishment, Els. Even if punishment is your specialty.”

“For someone so gifted in speech, you’d think you would have learned when to shut up.”

“Bite me.” She laughed and buttered a roll.

The heat had dulled, but only slightly, and a dull blade was worse than a sharp one. I turned to Warner, who was still fixing my sister with a death stare. I raised his hand to my cheek. If I kept his attention on me, then hopefully they wouldn’t do something I would end up regretting.

“I rode my motorcycle today.”

“You did?” Distraction successful, he answered curiously.

“I missed it. We should do it more often, it wasn’t the same without you.” The room smelled like lilac. “It’s getting pretty cold out, as well, so if you want to go riding--”

“A metal deathtrap.”

“--We’ll have to go soon.” I gritted my teeth again and caught Emmaline’s gaze out of the corner of my eye. “You never have anything helpful to add, do you?”

Emmaline was watching our exchange, eyes shimmering with something that I couldn’t place. But Warner could. I could read his movements better than his facial expressions, as he tilted his body in front of me. The lilac that had misted the air had turned frigid, but hadn’t disappeared. Not yet anyways. Emmaline placed her chin on the palm of her hand.

“Still trying to find a way to break your neck?”

How dare she pretend to be innocent. “Why? Decided to give it a go afterall?” I answered.

There was an ebb and flow to the frequencies that surrounded the table. Emmaline, ever the bringer of chaos, was upsetting my natural balance. I knew she would, hypothetically, and I could handle it. Hypothetically. But what I couldn’t handle was my sister trying to infuriate the both of us at the same time. Though that was what she did best wasn’t it?

“Tell us why you’re really here, Emmaline.” Warner’s voice was serious.

I stiffened as my sister’s lazy smile faded. “You already know, don’t you?”

“Tell her, then.”

“Or you will. I’m familiar with the threat, thank you.” She rolled her eyes and the childish glee she’d been playing with from the moment she’d hugged me, disappeared completely. If I could feel emotions like Warner, I’d suspect any cheerfulness in my sister had blown away, almost like it never existed. “Project Canary.”

My blood froze in my veins.

“They’ve completed it?”

Emmaline appraised Warner’s question, “They believe they have.”

“And that’s all that really matters.” His fingers tightened their grip on my hand and I squeezed back with just as much force. I couldn't feel the rest of my body, I was grasping for anything, and had settled on my power. It covered me like a blanket, extended itself to Warner and wrapped him in it as well. It was protecting us, it would protect us. But not from that, not if they had succeeded.

“Don’t be dramatic,” Emmaline chasitied. “As if I would let them create something powerful enough to neutralize Ella. I’m not an idiot.” That was a pointed statement if I ever heard one.

“What were you doing in Asia?” How could Warner be so calm?

“Testing it, obviously.”

He leaned back, “And?”

Emmaline was silent for a long time. Long enough that I began to count. I hated counting, more than anything. As much as I loved mathematics and sciences, the theory of numbers and how they could organize the entire universe, I despised counting with a passion. Because once I started, it was almost impossible to stop. To pull myself out of that scared little corner of my head that I only fell into against my own will.

1, 2, 3, 4…

Warner’s pointer finger tapped on the inside of my wrist.

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t serious.” Emmaline continued, “I could have waited for my sister to come home to see her again, but it couldn’t wait. So, here I am.”

“Here you are.”

It was a message, it was a message and I couldn’t decipher it, but I would keep trying. For him. I focused on the feeling. The soft brushes of the pads of his fingers as they typed out a message to me and only me, heavily coded, even in his mind. Emmaline couldn’t read this, only I could. If I just--

“The Unnaturals they found in the last raid have been wiped out. Overseen by Supreme Commander Ibrahim and Mummy dearest, of course. It wasn’t a diplomatic mission, I lied, Nazeera and I watched the precessions.” Warner could no doubt see what Emmaline was recalling in her mind, “Their frequencies, their signatures, just vanished. Like they were dead.”

“But they weren’t dead, not when they disappeared.”

Emmaline nodded, “It was like a blackhole. I’ve never felt anything so… wrong.”

“I can understand that at least.” Warner went quiet again, and deep inside my mind where reality couldn’t touch me I felt all the more trapped losing that tether. I shut my eyes tightly. Without the sound of their voices, the darkness, the frequencies were consuming the edges of the room, and I could feel them sting across my skin. The hand that Warner held was the only place that cooled, like soaked in water, safe. “Love, you need to come back to us now.”

I was weak. How could I be falling apart so easily? Here the two of them were speaking calmly and I was falling apart at the dinner table. If Anderson saw me, if our mother heard--

27, 28, 29, 30…

“Thinking like that isn’t going to get you anywhere, sis.”

Warner’s free hand came up to tuck my hair behind my ear and slid down to cup the side of my face. It was like balm on a sunburn. If I could just move, then I could disappear into the circle of his arms where I would be safe, and loved, and

“Wake up, sweetheart.”

I gasped and the ticking of a clock. The numbers. The counting stopped.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered to the both of them, my eyes trained on the tablecloth. Embarrassment, shame, weakness burned in my gut.

Warner stroked my temple, his eyes never left my face but Emmaline turned away and I had to restrain my own wince. My mind was not a serene place to be in at this moment, that was for damn sure. Maybe if she learned to stay out of my head then she wouldn’t read things she couldn’t stomach.

“But that wouldn’t be very fun, would it?” She mused.

Warner pursed his lips and answered her, gaze still trained on me. “I think that’s enough for tonight. Actually, I think that’s enough entirely. You passed on your information, Emmaline, go home.”

“Gladly,” she responded, “if my sister comes with me.”

“No,”

The noise was raw and strained, I wasn’t sure where it came from until I saw my sister’s eyes turn to me. There was a mix of pity and desperation in them that made me feel all the more sick to my stomach. Maybe she believed the best way to protect me was by us staying together, but if her information had solidified anything it was that I couldn’t return home. Not anytime soon anyway.

“Emma, I can’t.”

“And why not?” Emmaline stood to her full height. She towered over the table, but I could feel her unease rolling off her frequencies in waves. It had been awhile since I had fallen apart in front of her. Probably almost a decade.

“Mum, she plans to test it on me.” To my surprise, my lips didn’t quiver. “It will work.”

“And I’ll stop her.”

I shook my head. She didn’t understand, she couldn’t understand what losing my powers even for a moment would mean for me. The vulnerability that I hadn’t felt since I was a child. How stripping me of something so intertwined with my entire being would be alike to killing me. The fact that the Reestablishment could very well kill me using such an object.

I watched the warring emotions on my sister’s face as she considered my thoughts. I wished that I could read her own and understand why she would be so insistent that I return home with her. It didn’t work. Emmaline turned away from me, and away from the table, and walked back towards the door. We hadn’t even gotten the chance to eat anything. I hadn’t noticed until now.

“Els,” Emmaline called back to me. “I’ll see you in the morning. For training, yeah?”

She paused. I bit my lip, “Of course.”

And with that she nodded and left. The door slamming behind her with more force than necessary and a weight settling in my gut that I could be sure would disappear overnight. I glanced to Warner, his eyes still heavy on my face, and I found something in them that perfectly reflected how I felt. How this whole situation felt.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face into the collar of his jacket. And I cried.

[kaycha1989]

The Right Partner

My Hero Academia Fanfic

Characters: Katsuki Bakugou, OC

Rating: Mature

Tag List: @rageyoudamnednerd @cobblepottantrum

Chapter 13

The stylist finished prepping Bakugou and Kia for the photo shoot, so the interview moved to the stage where they would pose for pictures. The small break was just what the interview needed to move past Kia’s anger at interviewer’s rude remark about Bakugou.

“So, Wildside…” Ryuski continued, “Since you want to be an international hero you must speak different languages. How many languages do you know?”

Kia paused. “I’ve never really counted before,” she said as she started counting on her fingers. “Not including English, I think about twenty.”

“That is amazing! How old were you when you started learning to speak other languages?” Ryuski asked.

“My mom started teaching me German and Spanish when I was five,” Kia answered.

“Did she teach you all the languages you know?” Ryuski asked.

“No,” Kia responded as her smile slipped.

“Where did you learn to speak the others?” Ryuski prodded.

Seeing Kia hesitate, Bakugou spoke up. “Are you going to ask me any questions? I thought this was a team interview?”

“Of course, my apologies, Ground Zero,” Ryuski stammered as he flipped through his notebook while asking Bakugou some questions.

Kia relaxed as she moved into place in front of the camera. Kenji was adjusting the lens and looked up.

“Miss, could you turn slightly to me? We will do a standing pose to start with,” Kenji said.

Assistants moved in to show Kia how she was supposed to stand but the heroine had already taken up the pose. Kenji snapped a couple of photos as he gave Kia instructions on what pose to take. Kia went through the motions that Spotlight had taught her, bored out of her mind.

It was true that Spotlight had talked her into doing some modeling while she was at his agency, but she didn’t particularly like the boring poses. She liked it better when she had a good partner or a group to pose with and they could just goof off and have fun with it. This whole thing was way too formal and she didn’t know anyone here. At Spotlight’s agency they had so much fun during the shoots. Sometimes Spotlight himself would step in a strike the pose he wanted the models to take.

Kia found herself smiling as she recalled her friends back in America.

“What is the stupid grin for?” Bakugou asked as he walked up to her.

“Just recalling some fun memories,” Kia responded.

“Well, they said it is my turn.” Bakugou gestured back towards the crew.

“Alright,” Kia said as she moved out of the way.

Bakugou stood stiff and awkwardly in front of the camera as the assistants stood back, too nervous to approach him. Kia stifled a giggled as Kenji tried his best to get Bakugou into the right pose. Taking pity on her partner and the photographer, Kia stepped up to help.

“I know you don’t want to do this, but you have to relax, B,” Kia said as she stepped in front of him.

“What is the point of all this?” Bakugou asked, giving her a questioning look.

“Good publicity and Jeanist said we have to,” Kia replied matter-of-factly.

Bakugou snorted as Kia grabbed his shoulder. “Turn towards the camera slightly while moving your left foot forward about…15 cm,” she told him. Bakugou moved as she told him, and Kia moved around behind him to check his pose.

“Now relax your shoulders,” Kia said as she ran her hands over his shoulders and down his back. Bakugou felt his muscles relax instantly at Kia’s touch. Moving back in front of him, she poked him between the eyes. “How many times do I have to tell you not to scowl so much?” Kia laughed.

Bakugou just scowled harder at her. “What makes you think I’m gonna listen to you?” he asked.

“Just close your eyes and take a deep breath. When you open your eyes, look directly at the camera. Think you can handle that?” Kia mocked, moving away.

Giving her a dirty look, Bakugou did what she told him. Kenji snapped a picture as soon as Bakugou opened his eyes. Kia guided Bakugou through a few more poses before the hero was fine relaxing on his own.

Stepping back behind the camera, Kia watched as Bakugou owned the camera. Kenji did an amazing job of showing off Bakugou’s good looks with the different poses.

“Now could you smile?” Kenji asked cautiously. Bakugou attempted a smile only to have Kia burst out laughing so hard she doubled over.

“Good luck with that!” Kia laughed, “That is something I have only seen a couple of times,” she said as she walked up to her partner, pushing on the sides of his mouth to imitate a smile, which only made Bakugou’s scowl deepen.

“Well let’s move on to the team pictures then,” Kenji said moving back behind his camera. First, he positioned them back-to-back, asking them to turn towards the camera a little.

Bakugou took a deep breath again and relaxed for the photo. Opening his eyes, Bakugou noticed everyone had funny looks on their faces. Puzzled, he ignored it as Kenji snapped the first photo. One of the assistants snorted a little, drawing Bakugou’s attention off the camera. Looking up, he caught Kenji smothering a laugh with a cough. Wondering what was so funny, Bakugou looked over at Kia to see her doing her best-exaggerated impression of his own scowl.

Figuring he might as well get his revenge, he grabbed her face with one hand, smooshing her checks together while he used the other hand to push down on her eyebrows. Everyone at the photoshoot burst out laughing at the display.

Batting his hands away, Kia smiled up at her partner, causing him to grin back at her. Hearing a shutter click, they both looked back at the camera to see Kenji giving a thumb up.

In the next pose, Kenji had Bakugou sit down while Kia stood behind him. Taking the pose and waiting for the shutter to click, he was surprised when Kia leaned forward and hooked her fingers in his mouth to pull back his lips in a forced toothy smile. Much to Bakugou’s horror, the camera clicked just then.

The onslaught of tricks and pranks had begun. Every pose they went through, they took turns picking on each other. While Kia was standing in front of him, Bakugou figured out she was ticklish and he used that to his advantage. Pretty soon, everyone in the room was laughing including Bakugou, albeit not very loud.

“Alright, can we try a couple shots with you guys using your quirks?” Kenji asked.

“Have any ideas of how you would like us to do that?” Kia asked.  

“Wildside, could you encase each fist in flames and take up the back-to-back pose we started with?” Kenji asked. “Ground Zero, take the same pose and hold your hands up in position to use your quirk.”

“How big a blast do you want?” Bakugou asked.

“Something small, we don’t want too much or it will mess with the lighting,” Kenji replied.

Taking up the position, Kia lit her fists as they waited for Kenji’s count down. Bakugou ignited explosions in his palms enough to be flashy, but nothing too big.

“Thanks guys, I have a feeling these are going to turn out great!” Kenji said, standing up straight. He walked over to the two heroes, giving them a bow he asked, “You two were amazing, could I have your contact information? I do some art shows and have an idea for a couple of shots I would like to do with you both.”

“It is ok with me. What about you, Ground Zero?” Kia asked, turning to her partner.

“Sure, why not?” Bakugou replied.

After giving him their information, Kia and Bakugou said their goodbyes to Ryuski before heading to the parking garage. It was almost 11am when Bakugou and Kia left for the agency. Kia leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Bakugou as he sped down the street.

“Thanks for that, B,” Kia said through the headset in their helmets.

“For what?” Bakugou replied.

“For interrupting when Ryuski asked me where I learned how speak a lot of languages,” Kia reminded.

“You looked like you didn’t want to answer,” Bakugou replied.

“I didn’t,” Kia said, squeezing him tighter.

Bakugou didn’t ask any more questions and Kia didn’t loosen her hold as they turned a corner headed towards the agency.

As they parked the bike, Kia placed the helmet she was using back on the shelf. “I should have my brother send my helmet over,” she thought out loud. “A friend of mine painted it custom to look like a dragon.”

Bakugou didn’t respond as he put away his own helmet and made his way to the door. Puzzled, Kia hurried to catch up with him. They walked in silence as they made their way to their office. Once there Bakugou sat down heavily at his desk.

Kia walked over to her own desk, starting up her computer to check her e-mail. “You know, you did a really good job with the photo shoot. The camera really loved you. I think the pictures are going to turn out amazing,” Kia said, looking over at her partner.

Again, Bakugou didn’t respond. He just stared at his computer, his scowl getting ever more prominent. Frustrated, Kia stood up, placing her hands on her hips as she looked at her partner. She didn’t think she had done anything to make him really mad so she wondered if he had something he wanted to say.

“Alright, what is it?” Kia demanded. Bakugou looked over at her, his scowl deepening. “Either I pissed you off or you have something you want to say. Which is it?” Kia asked.

Bakugou mumbled something under his breath.

“What?” Kia asked, straining to hear her partner.

“I said……” Bakugou mumbled again.

“B, I can’t understand you, speak up!” Kia said.

“I SAID THANK YOU, DAMN IT!” Bakugou yelled.

“PFFT!” Kia burst out in laughter, doubling over as she clutched her stomach.

Bakugou stood up, his anger and embarrassment at the boiling point. “IF THAT IS HOW YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE MY GRATITUDE, THEN GO DIE!!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Kia gasped, trying to get herself under control. Shaking her head, she straightened up to look at him. “You really have a hard time accepting help, don’t you?” Bakugou just glared at her before turning away. Kia walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, I’m sorry, ok. I shouldn’t have laughed. What do you feel you have to thank me for?”

Bakugou turned back around to face her. “You stood up for me with that reporter. I’ve only had one other person do that for me with the media.”

“Of course I would defend you, B! You’re my partner. It’s not a big deal,” Kia replied.

“It was a big deal to me,” Bakugou admitted.

Kia was surprised at the sincerity in Bakugou’s gaze as he confessed to her what her words meant to him.

“I meant everything I said.” Kia gave him a smile.

Bakugou was about to say something when there was a knock at the door.  Kia walked over and opened it to see Jeanist standing there.

“Hello, how was your interview?” Jeanist asked, walking in.

“I think it went pretty good,” Kia replied standing back. Bakugou walked over next to her and gave a nod in agreement.

“I’m glad. The agency could use some more publicity for our up and coming heroes,” Jeanist said. “I actually came here to talk to you,” he said, looking at Kia.

“What can I help you with, sir?” she asked.

“I’ve been asked to provide some models for the cover shoot of a popular magazine. I was hoping you would oblige and model for me,” Jeanist said. “Of course, you will be paid for your time.”

Kia hesitated while thinking about the offer. “When will the shoot be?”

“Two weeks from now,” Jeanist informed her.

“What kind of modeling will it be?” Kia asked.

“It will be for the fall line of a popular clothing brand, so just everyday attire like pants and jackets,” Jeanist replied.

“Ok, it doesn’t sound too bad, I will be happy to do it,” Kia said with a smile. “Think you can manage without me for a day?” She turned to Bakugou.

“I will be just fine,” Bakugou snorted.

“Alright then, I will be counting on you,” Jeanist said as he turned to leave.

When the door closed, Bakugou turned back toward his desk. “Let’s get ready to go on patrol,” he said.

“Alright, sounds good to me,” Kia said, walking over to shut off her computer. “Want to get something to eat first? I’m starving.”

Bakugou nodded as he put his gauntlets on and headed towards the door.

“Do you like sushi? I found this great spot a couple blocks from here? Since you paid last time, it will be my treat.” Kia smiled.

“Sure,” Bakugou replied as they headed out.

Ch 1 | Ch 2 | Ch 3 | Ch 4 | Ch 5 | Ch 6 | Ch 7 | Ch 8 | Ch 9 | Ch 10 | Ch 11

Ch 12 | Ch 13 | Ch 14 | Ch 15 | Ch 16 | Ch 17 | Ch 18 | Ch 19 | Ch 20