Tempo Rubato

Chapter 2: Prelude

A/N Uhhh, I CAN EXPLAIN! But before that, hiiiiii guys! This fic ain't dead—it's fucking alive! Also, go easy on me—I've fallen behind ever since chapter 100 of the manga, so I have no idea what happens after that, so try not to spoil anything for me if I get something wrong. I'll give you guys the go-ahead when I catch up (which should hopefully be by the next chapter).

Anyways, read on!

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When Wakana returns home from her shopping excursion, she is greeted with tired, amaranth eyes. Hansuke has certainly seen better days and Wakana would certainly know. She looks curiously at her partner as he slumps against the living room sofa, cradling Miki in his arms. Miki is asleep...and also out of the nursery.

"Why is she out of the nursery?" Wakana asks, taking a moment to adjust her hold on the numerous shopping bags she has on her. "Wait...why are you awake?"

Hansuke is supposed to be sleeping...

"What do think?" Hansuke responds rather curtly. He is glaring at Wakana, his naturally angry eyes emphasizing the potency of his harsh stare...that has no effect on Wakana. After all, she's known him for years—she is quite used to him and his deceptively intimidating appearance.

"What's wrong, Han-tan?" Wakana drops her shopping bags without even a second thought (it's not as if she's carrying anything fragile). "You're never like this without a reason."

"And I'm not without reason." Hansuke just wanted to sleep...but he's awake and very, very hesitant to go back to sleep. "Guess who's Quirk managed to manifest?"

"Hmm?" Wakana blinks twice before a wide grin crosses her face. "Oohh! Did she get it—both of ours, I mean?!"

Hansuke is not at all surprised with Wakana's reaction. He doesn't even blink when she dashes towards him without warning. He arches his brow when he sees her messing with Miki's tiny hands as if they were paws belonging to a puppy. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for finger pads, what do you think?" Wakana pouts childishly when she finds none. Instead, all she finds are tiny hands with tiny fingers...that she continues to mess with because they intrigue her. "I was hoping she'd get your finger pads...they're just so soft!"

"So I've been told..." And Hansuke has...many times, by Wakana, who absolutely adores how soft the pads on his fingertips are.

"You wanna borrow my headset?" Wakana gently prods Hansuke's cheek. "I can figure out what else she might have gotten, if she didn't get your finger pads."

Hansuke looks darkly at Wakana. "Keep it—you're gonna need it more than me."

"Hmm?" Wakana tilts her head to the side, her gray eyes looking down at Miki. "That bad?"

"She didn't just get your Quirk, you know..." Hansuke almost wishes Miki had, because Wakana's Quirk is quite harmless on its own (if still rather bothersome).

"But she doesn't have your finger pads—oh...oh..." It takes her a moment, but Wakana understands.

"You got what you asked for..." Hansuke just wishes Miki were a little older. "Happy?"

"Hmm..." Wakana pauses for a moment to think. She then decides to plop down on the sofa, right next to Hansuke. She takes a moment to wrap her arm around Hansuke's shoulder and afterwards, says, "Honestly, I'd still be happy no matter what—so long as it's you. I mean, we make a great team and don't you think it's cool that we made this?"

As comedic as it is to see Wakana casually gesturing at the sleeping infant that they had "made" (as she puts it), Hansuke can't help but turn into a flustering mess as his face heats up with a noticeable blush. He tries not to lose his cool (even though he already has), but Wakana sees right through it and worsens his condition by lightly poking him in the cheek.