Mind Boggled

Chapter 36

"Yeah, I guess. Don't know how the fuck we're supposed to deal with it. They're clearly not going to let it go." Harper allowed the soulmate thoughts to roll away from her like water off a duck's back. Kirishima seemed relieved, shooting her nervous and flustered glances. She could tell he wanted to apologize, but knew he'd only get a flat stare in response and a simple 'no problem' from her. "Whatever. I've dealt with worse. Besides, apparently some more information on his case has come to light." 

"Wait, really?! I thought they weren't able to find anything." Kirishima scratched the back of his neck. Harper hadn't told him too much. It was police business, after all. Still, even he was aware of the force's struggle to find anything on Sero. They couldn't find out who his parents were, where the house he supposedly lived in was, or where this 'box' he was so terrified of laid. They'd searched along river banks as he'd alluded to his home being to absolutely no avail. Anytime Harper tried to ask him, he'd break down, and his mind would circle around 'the box' some more. It was so deeply ingrained in his brain, it was almost... unnatural. Kirishima was hopeful. "I hope they've found something! The sooner they do, the sooner Harper can catch a break. I don't know how I feel about her meeting with him so much. Isn't he dangerous? What if he hurts her?"

"I don't know the details. Tsukauchi's text was pretty vague." Harper sighed, rolling her shoulders. "I'll keep you updated if I can. You know how shit goes." 

"Yeah, of course. No pressure." Kirishima assured with his usual grin. Harper felt her shoulders fall slack. For some reason, Kirishima just sort of went with everything she said. It wasn't just her, either. It was with everyone. He was so nonchalant and laid back, just rolling with things. She could see how he'd managed to coax Bakugo into something that almost bordered friendship. Bakugo could call the redhead any slew of vulgar names, and Kirishima would just laugh and give a thumbs up. "I hope she's not too stressed out. I still can't believe we're hanging out now. I'm going to her house tomorrow! For dinner! God, I'm going to lose it, and not in a bad way."

"Thanks, Kirishima. You're the best." Harper clapped him on the shoulder briefly before slipping on to open the back door of Tsukauchi's cruiser. He'd bought these sort of stickers that would tint the windows so those outside couldn't see in. This was mostly due to Kurogiri, who insisted on coming with them every time they came to pick Harper up from school. He was sitting in the middle, all but vibrating in his seat as Harper slid in. Kirishima waved enthusiastically, grinning wide with red cheeks. Harper gave one last nod before she plopped in and closed the door.

"There's our little ball of depression." Sansa cooed at her in the same voice one uses to talk to a baby. Harper, as per usual, remained unamused. "She's going to want to fucking off herself when she finds out what we got on Sero. And honestly, I don't blame her. I'm going to scream myself. But only because that's always what I'm doing. On the inside. sHRIE-"

"Wow, okay, shut the fuck up." Harper's hand flew to her head, which already had a dull ache pounding in it from earlier today. Dabi glanced up from his phone just to look at her and snort before returning his attention to it, his thoughts telling her that he was scrolling through his brother's Instagram account. Not Shoto, but the other one, Natsuo. Kurogiri had an arm around her, but she was too used to his odd clinginess to even really notice. "Is what you found on Sero really that big?"

"Yes." Literally everyone else in the car said with no hesitation, including Kurogiri. Harper groaned. Just what she needed in her already discombobulated life. 

"Hey, it's not... the worst thing ever. It just raises a lot of questions that we don't uh... currently have answers to! That's all!" Tsukauchi was trying very hard to stay positive, and you could tell. Harper wished she had some Advil on her at the moment. She needed it. "I'm going to bash my own head in. None of it adds up or makes sense in coordination to what we already know. Someone is lying."