The toilet and I had become great acquaintances over the past week, and it was no different that morning. Another wave of nausea retched up every last drop of my breakfast.
My hands painfully gripped the edge of the pastel blue toilet bowl as I hunched over it, ridding the contents of my stomach for the second time that miserable morning. A thin layer of sweat coated my brow and upper lip. Every day for the past seven days I had to endure this harrowing ritual. Whatever illness was plaguing me, it was making day to day life increasingly difficult.
Tomura had insisted for me to see a doctor, another one of Giran's many associates but I kept brushing it off. Giving the excuse that it was simply a seasonal virus doing the rounds—even if I was the only one to be suffering from it. There was no reason for him to worry.
Flushing away the gross evidence, I lifted myself with a tremble in my hands and wobbled over to the sink. My skin was a pasty complexion, the usual rosy tint that warmed my naturally snowy flesh was nowhere to be seen. Whatever illness was torturing me had better be gone soon, I didn't know how much more I could take. I couldn't be sick, the others were relying on me.
Since Kurogiri's capture, things went into turmoil. Tomura's spirits were dampened. His closest associate, a vital component of the League was gone. It had been roughly six weeks since he was captured and incarcerated within the impenetrable walls of the villain prison, Tartarus. During his mission to locate the so-called 'great power' left behind by Tomura's master, the heroes were able to intercept him and take him down by force.
Then there was the quirk erasing bullets. The ones Tomura had acquired from Kai were a slight glimmer of hope, initially. If we could find a way to mass-produce them then we would finally have something over the heroes. However, Jin was unable to replicate them like we had hoped, the lack of knowledge on their contents made it impossible for his quirk, Double, to make them last. The only person that would have any luck in duplicating them would be the Doctor that Tomura had spoken of frequently. He believed that this man would be able to unlock their secrets. The problem was that the league were nowhere closer to finding the whereabouts of Doctor Ujiko.
And, to top it all off, the funds of our little organisation were beginning to dry up. Resulting in us turning to petty crimes such as small scale theft to afford food and other essentials. Out of everyone, I was the one with the most experience and for each excursion I would always be the one to bring back the biggest haul. I was the League's main form of income. They were counting on me and this illness was becoming quite the hindrance.
I rinsed the horrid bitter taste of bile from my mouth, ensuring that every inch of my mouth was scrubbed spotless. Washing the sticky residue of perspiration from my face with ice-cold water. I took one last look at my reflection, grimacing at how horrific I looked and dragged myself back towards the door to the bedroom.
Muffled voices and loud gunfire noises rung out from the other side of the door. Iguchi and Tomura had spent the majority of the morning cooped up, fixated on a game they recently downloaded—illegally. The two had bonded over their love of video games in the past few months. After finding out that Chi was an avid gamer too it only took a bit of convincing to get Tomura to agree on allowing Iguchi to join him. Before meeting me, Tomura had spent far too much time in solitude so seeing him form a genuine friendship was wholesome.
Chi was slouched on the floor to the foot of the bed, controller in hand, wearing a casual attire of a white tank top that accentuated his burly chest and a pair of black lounge pants. Frizzy lavender hair swept messily back. Tomura perched hunched over on the end of the bed, feet tucked under his legs. A black top, as usual, sleeves rolled up to his elbows while he clutched onto the controller, focusing greatly on the game in front.
In the last few months, Tomura's hair had grown a fair amount, falling disorderly across his face. I loved it being long. I wouldn't change it for the world, but Tomura found it irritating, especially when trying to play video games. So, I found a resolution to keep it from falling in his eyes and distracting him.
Strolling over to the side of the bed I couldn't stifle the giggle that bubbled out of me at the sight of the bright pink hair clips pinned either side of his head. Keeping the pesky locks of hair out of his face and allowing him to play the game without any interferences.
"Drop at military base," Iguchi said, eyes fixed onto the wide tv screen.
"No way, everyone drops there, it'll be a shit show," Tomura snapped back. Both were oblivious to my returning presence.
"The loot is always good here, if we can get a good loadout then we can handle the other players. It'll be easy. Trust."
"That's what you said the last time..." Tomura grunted, clearly vexed. He didn't take kindly to being bossed around by his scaled subordinate.
Ignoring the two young men quarrelling about drop zones, I clambered back onto the bed and wrapped myself around Tomura from behind. Instead of flinching or tensing up at the unspoken touch he relaxed back into my embrace and continued playing the game. I squished my face against him, deeply inhaling the sweet earthy aroma that always managed to settle my unstable stomach. Humming in content as the swirling sensation simmered down inside my stomach.
"Fuck this game! I told you that zone was shit, too many fucking campers!" Tomura yelled, his back rumbled at his raised discontented voice from being shot down in-game.
"Crawl to me, I'll revive you."
"Too late. The little shits got me," Tomura growled, throwing down the battered controller onto the bed in aggravation. "You carry on. I'll join the next one, I need a break from all these hackers," he leaned back, exhaling forcefully. Fingers twitched at the hollow of his neck, desperate to itch away his frustrations.
"Hackers, really?" I smirked into the fabric of his back.
"Uh, yes. Hang on, aren't you supposed to be on my side?" Tomura slowly unhooked my interlocked hands from around his stomach.
"Not when you're blatantly lying," I snorted.
"I'm not lying! They were clearly hacking, how else would you explain it?"
"Your shit?"
"Excuse me?" He tugged me around his side, a startled squeal spilled out of me. "Want to repeat that?" he asked, a threatening smile peering down at me cradled in the crook of his lap. Unfazed by Iguchi sitting only a metre away, the cacophony of gunfire and explosions luckily masked our conversation. Iguchi was none the wiser.
"I...uh...I said...Oh, great Tomura. No one could ever exceed your amazing gaming skills. You're no doubt the best in ALL of Japan," I bit down on my lower lip, stifling the teasing laughter.
"That's more like it," Tomura smugly grinned, tugging my lower lip from between my teeth with the soft pad of his thumb. The smug expression fell, a troubled look replacing it instead.
"You've been sick again haven't you?" Tomura's voice was full of concern, looking over my pasty face. I could never hide anything from him, the man was simply too observant.
"I told you, I'll be fine. Nothing that a bit of rest can't fix," I dismissed his concern with the addition of a shrug.
"Mina, it's been four days now, you can't keep this up. When was the last time you ate something and didn't bring it back up?" Tomura was taking it very seriously. Lips held together tightly while keeping meaningful eye contact.
Feels like forever.
Knowing that he spoke the truth I kept silent, not wanting to waste the little energy I had by futilely arguing.
"I'm worried, baby. I hate seeing you look so sick," he mumbled, placing a hand at the back of my head and pulling me against him. With a defeated sigh, I rested my forehead upon his shoulder.
"People get sick every day, Toma. I'm no different. Probably overdone it lately with all the late-night outings. The cold weather has been a shock to my immune system, that's all." I leaned back, peering up at him affectionately. "Please, don't fret. You've got more important things to be worrying about. I'll be as good as new after some rest," I smiled warmly.
"You're the most important thing, your health comes first Mina," I rolled my eyes and stretched up to his level.
"I. Will. Be. Fine. How many times do I need to repeat myself till you finally get it into that stubborn thick skull of yours?"
"Hmph," he pursed his mouth. "It's not my fault that I care about you, I just love you so much..." His voice fell into a whisper as the noises from the TV lowered. Iguchi was still oblivious to everything around him while his focus was still fixed wholly on the game.
"I know you do Toma and I love you," I glanced briefly at his lips, desperate to kiss the rugged flesh. Heat rose into my cheeks. It had been days since we last got intimate.
"You can kiss me you know," he muttered huskily.
"I don't want you getting sick though..."
"I don't care."
I leaned forward, pressing my lips against his, the sweet taste flooded my mouth. The only thing that didn't cause my stomach to turn in disgust lately.
An intense blush flared over my face as I quickly turned to check that Iguchi was still preoccupied. Sighing in relief when I saw the lizard-like man was engrossed in the game still.
A mischievous smile pulled up onto Tomura's face when he went back in for more but the vibration of my cellphone inside the pocket of my pyjama bottoms interrupted him.
Damn phones always ruining our moments.
I retrieved the device from my pocket, ignoring the grunt of protest from Tomura and unlocked it anyway.
11:05 AM
Yuta: Hey Bobcat! I was thinking about coming over later this evening if Handyman allows ;) Shift finishes at 6. X
With great reluctance, Tomura had finally caved in and allowed me contact with my childhood friend. He wasn't too fond of the towering blonde, especially after finding out that the man had admitted to having somewhat romantic feelings towards me and had tried whisking me off to a different country. However, Yuta would never dare try anything on with me, he understood my feelings and treasured our friendship dearly. He wouldn't risk ruining that.
It started with him accompanying Giran whenever he came to meet with Tomura, to then exchanging text messages, to eventually coming over whenever he had free time. He had decided to hold off on his travels to America till the end of the year. It made me happy knowing we would have more time to spend together, to make up for the last two years we lost.
A faint smile teased the corner of my lips at seeing the humorous nickname he had given Tomura—suppressing the urge to laugh.
"Who's that?" Tomura craned his head over.
"Yuta. He wants to know if it's alright to come over tomorrow after work." Locking the screen quickly to avoid any quarrels over the objectionable name he was completely unaware had been assigned to him.
Tomura scoffed, releasing a drawn-out groan in discontent. It was clear the man still had some resentment towards Yuta and with his stubbornness, I didn't see it improving in the foreseeable future.
"Come on, Toma. It's only for the evening. Surely you can play nicely for a few hours?"
"Yes, an evening spent hanging out with the man who outwardly admitted his feelings for my girlfriend. Oh, and not to mention he looks like he's walked off the set of a fucking gladiator movie!" He hissed.
I sighed, bringing my humourless gaze to meet his sour one, teetering on the verge of having one of his signature tantrums.
"Yuta knows who my heart belongs to, he wouldn't jeopardise our friendship for a teenage crush. Besides, the whole muscly buff thing he has going on doesn't do it for me." I softly cupped his perfectly defined cheek within my palm, tenderly caressing a thumb over the rough flesh. "I much rather my men slim, preferably with pastel blue hair," a smirk crept its way onto my face. The gesture becoming contagious as a similar smile pulled on his narrow lips, a slight blush accompanying it.
"Sounds rather specific."
"Ahhh fuck!" Iguchi shouted at the TV screen. I had almost forgotten he was in the room till that moment.
"Up for another game?" he turned, optimistically directing his question towards Tomura, who flashed me an uncertain look. It was clear he wanted to carry on playing the game. He had waited months to get his hands on it, but at the same time, he was so incredibly clingy. Once we got in these positions it was near enough impossible to break us apart.
I decided to make the somewhat strenuous decision easier for him and prise my way out of his nurturing hold.
"You two carry on, I'm gonna have a nap anyway." Pecking his forehead gently.
"You sure?"
"Very." I smiled softly down at him before crawling up the bed, nestling under the mountain of varying faux fur blankets. I quickly typed out a brief response to Yuta, confirming our plans for later that day and put the cellphone on the bedside table.
"I can come back later if you're tired, Mi." Iguchi said with apprehension.
"No no no, you boys have fun." My head slumped down into the plump pillow. "Don't stop on my behalf." The blankets and bedding basked in Tomura's sweet aroma. Helping to both lull me asleep and settle my sensitive stomach which had started swirling the moment I had left the comforts of Tomura's lap.
"We'll keep the noise down, don't worry, you get some rest, okay?" Tomura rubbed my thigh affectionately over the covers. Unable to speak, I hummed instead. Fingers tangling around the dainty chain hanging from around my neck. I held the precious pendant close to my chest as sleep slowly seeped its way into every muscle and consumed me.
I woke up groggily two hours later, the sickness had simmered down and left me with a hankering for something sweet. A juicy sweet Fuji apple in particular, weirdly enough. One that had the perfect amount of crunch to it. The thought alone had me salivating.
Unfortunately, the cupboards were bare, not a single piece of fresh fruit was in sight. Nothing else would satisfy my hunger, I was craving sweet apples.
I walked out of the kitchen, more disheartened than when I went in there, and entered the bar. Everyone had congregated together chatting casually with one another. Except for Tomura of course—being the unsociable man he was. Slumped up next to the bar, head propped up on a hand. Crimson eyes lighting up the second he spotted me.
"Tomura..." I whined. "I'm hungry..." I pouted.
He sat upright, spreading his knees apart, allowing me to slot between his long slender legs.
"Hungry? I'm sure I saw some leftover chicken pasta in the fridge. Did you check?" His hands hovered cautiously over my lower back. My stomach backflipped at him mentioning the word pasta. Bringing unpleasant flashbacks from yesterday where I spent all evening hunched over the toilet, vomiting spaghetti right back up.
Closing my eyes, I gulped back the small amount of bile that had bubbled up my throat, taking a deep breath to compose myself once again.
"Not pasta." I mumbled through tightly held lips. "I want apples. Fuji apples," I muttered, sheepishly looking up at him.
"Fuji apples?" He raised his pale brows, taken back by my specific craving. "That's what you want?" he asked, a diffident undercurrent to his tone.
I confirmed with a timid nod, a glimmer of hope filled me but was shot down the moment I saw the contrite expression fall upon his face.
"Money's a bit tight at the moment kitten, we barely have enough to afford the basics, you understand that right?" He cupped my cheek gently within his palm, fingers sparsely held away from me. "I'm sorry."
Being Tomura's lover didn't make me an exception. It wouldn't be fair on the others. I had to either temporarily put up with the minor inconvenience, hoping that in time I'd get over the peculiar illness or take matters into my own hands. And I knew exactly which option I was choosing.
"Of course I understand. I'll go down the market and see if I can pinch a few myself."
"Will you be okay doing that? Not that I'm saying you can't steal a couple of apples, that's light work for my little thief," he bopped the tip of my nose lightly, eliciting a vibrant chuckle from me. "I'm more concerned about you, Mina. You've barely kept any of your food down, you're basically running on fumes at this point. I don't think it's a good idea. You're not well enough." He studiously examined my enervated face.
The man lives to worry about me.
"A short walk to the market for a few measly apples isn't exactly demanding on the body, I'll be back before you know it."
He contemplated the idea before shaking his head in disapproval. "Nope, it's not safe. Let Toga get them for you. You need to rest."
"What's that?" Himiko's high-pitch voice chimed out, her focus now on us instead of the tatty board game spread out across the booth table. Jin, Sako and Chi, who also were sat around the table, turned their attentions around to us.
"Oh, just Tomura coddling me like I'm incapable of doing a simple task of walking. You know, the usual," I shrugged, throwing a glare over my shoulder to Tomura.
"I'm not coddling you! Can't I worry about my girlfriend?"
"You worry too much, Shiggy!" Himiko stated, rolling her amber coloured eyes. "If Mimi says she's fine then there's no point in fighting. You know you'll never win," she sung.
"I have to agree with Himiko on this one boss. She's so wrong, never give in!" Jin interjected, contradicting as always.
"What's this, gang up on Shigaraki day or something?!" Tomura retorted, turning his head to the side with a huff, scowling into the distance.
Anyone would think I was asking to trek from here to Timbuktu with the way he was behaving. The childish tantrums had become less frequent since we first met but I doubted he would ever grow out of them entirely. He was too stubborn to do that.
"I'll get you a treat too...?" I whispered, temptingly. Managing to capture his interest, narrowed eyes peering to the side.
"Go on." His brow still adamantly creased, however, the curious glint in his eyes told me otherwise.
"Kit kats?" Knowing that was his all-time favourite sweet snack. One that he'd not had in a long time and would do anything to even have a sample of its heavenly wafer goodness.
There's no way he can say no to this.
"Strawberry?" he asked. A warm triumphant smile tugged at the corners of my lips at the realisation that I had won him over.
"Anything for you, my love." I weaved my hands around his neck, fingers entangling with the long strands at the nape.
A reluctant sigh escaped him. "Market and then home, no detours," he set his terms sternly, shoulders slumped down in defeat.
"I promise! Thank you, Toma." I kissed him tenderly, pulling my body to fit perfectly against his.
"Yeah yeah, whatever..." A smirk desperately tried to fight its way through the tight-lipped expression he was holding.
"If you're taking orders then I'll have a box of cookies & cream pocky," Dabi requested from his seat on the far side of the bar counter. Arm propped up, his head leisurely held in his hand while he scanned through his phone.
"What did your last slave die of?" I snapped back, glaring over at the broody young man. Banter like this was normal between the two of us nowadays days.
"Haven't a clue, but it's a pity because your fucking useless in comparison," a taunting smirk plastered over his patchwork face, eyes never once leaving the glowing cracked screen.
"Watch your tongue, Dabi," Tomura growled, hands squeezing my waist. Dabi's ice-blue gaze noticed the possessive touch straightaway. He perked up at the opportunity of rubbing Tomura up the wrong way.
"I bet your girl has had countless wet dreams of my tongue, isn't that right, Gremlin?" He winked slyly. Tomura tensed up against me.
Dabi always knew what buttons to press to get Tomura riled up and if I wasn't there to step in every time, then there would no doubt be a corpse to deal with.
"Ugh, don't make me sick." I turned my nose up at him in disgust. "You know acting like a prick doesn't make yours get any bigger." I eyed him up and down, slowly and purposefully.
The four spectators, watching over the witty interaction in silence, erupted into a fit of laughter. The loudest was Himiko, as per usual. Falling dramatically onto Jin's lap, her champagne hair spilling over his legs. Tears streamed down her face while she clutched onto her stomach, hysterically laughing like a cackling hyena.
Dabi's smug expression wiped away in a flash at being publicly humiliated. Staples strained on the mutilated skin around his eyes from the sinister glare being sent my way. I turned back to Tomura, letting out a victorious grunt.
"I love that smart mouth of yours," Tomura smirked, pride overflowing from him.
"Is that so?"
"Hmm, I do." My heart fluttered when he thumbed my lower lip.
"Well..." I started. Tomura tilted forward, a seductive edge in his movements. "I love you," I whispered, kissing him. A content purr rumbled at the back of my throat when he pushed his wet tongue through my lips. Bringing with it his sweet natural taste. The others were all none the wiser, still too busy laughing and bickering amongst each other to notice the rather heated moment unfolding between Tomura and me.
We reluctantly broke apart when the vociferous chatter of the others died down. A warm glow radiated between the two of us in the aftermath of that lustful kiss. I took a moment to look over his giddy face, so full of admiration and love.
"I'm expecting more of that when I get back." After a kiss like that I was unwilling to leave but the reminder of my achingly empty stomach pushed me to step back.
"I look forward to it," he smiled."That and the Kit Kat's."
I laughed. "Don't worry, I won't forget your Kit Kat's!" I shouted over my shoulder as I hurriedly skipped out of the room. The excitement of knowing I was going to be able to eat something that didn't turn my stomach had brought a spring in my step.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Like taking candy from a baby.
I strolled triumphantly away from the produce stall, tossing the beautifully rosy red apple, into the air. Pockets filled to the brim with the impressive haul of stolen apples—Fuji apples to be precise. The shopkeeper was still blissfully unaware of the missing goods that had been taken, continuing to politely converse with another patron.
With a smug grin, I bit down, teeth sinking through the semi-thick skin into the creamy white flesh. My taste buds buzzed in pure joy as the sugary sweet juice exploded into my mouth. Already, I could feel the revitalising effects with every mouthful of the fragrantly sweet fruit. In a matter of seconds, not a single morsel of the crisp grainy flesh remained. I chucked the core of the devoured apple into a nearby trash can, pulling out another one from the pocket of my oversized hoodie—Tomura's hoodie.
A blanket of ghost grey clouds covered the sky, casting a gloomy shadow to fall over the city. The air was crisp and refreshing, the heat of the summer now giving way to that of the bracing chill of autumn. A kaleidoscope of varying shades of red and orange littered the ground from the fallen leaves of nearby trees that lined the edge of the road. I pulled the hood of my jacket further up, both protecting my identity and keeping out the brisk breeze. Footage of our attack on the police convoy last month had gone viral, so I had to be extra vigilant in case anyone recognised me from the video.
Luckily, the colder weather meant that more and more people were roaming the streets wrapped up in bulky thick coats that hid the outlines of their bodies. It allowed me to blend easily into the bustling crowd with my baggy hooded jacket, zipped right over my chin. No one should have any reason to suspect me.
I started to head back in the direction of the hideout, satisfied with my substantial haul of stolen produce. Polishing off my third apple, I was grateful that I wasn't experiencing any nauseating effects that I always did with every other food I tried to consume before. My stomach welcomed every sweet bite.
A harsh gust of wind blew down the narrow street, pushing the fabric of the jacket up against my face. Tomura's sweet earthy aroma was engrained into the stitching.
Nearly forgot, I promised him Kit Kat's!
I peered around, searching for the right store, one that didn't have an overly complex security system. The older more run-down convenience stores usually were my best bet. However, the shop owners tended to be more observant and interactive with their customers, which meant I had to time it right. Waiting for the moment their focus was entirely away from me and onto another shopper.
I weaved past a group of adolescent girls, inwardly scoffing at how they were all giggling and blushing at two arrogantly handsome guys passing by. The type that was fully aware of how attractive they were and the dazzling effects they had on others. Using this power to their advantage.
Ugh, fuck boys.
In the distance I spotted a particularly shabby looking building, the 24hr neon sign blinked exceedingly above the door. A young woman, weary and exhausted, sat slumped over the counter. Eyes staring vacantly onto the screen of her cellphone, unbothered by the few customers walking around the short aisles of the stores.
Bingo!
Setting sights on the run-down store, I began walking over to it. My hands gripped tightly onto the hem of my hood, tugging the dark material further around my chilled face when two patrolling heroes strolled in my direction. Both suited up in their obnoxious, over the top costumes. They didn't appear to be of a high rank but a hero was a hero and I couldn't risk them seeing me.
I quickly dodged to the side, allowing them to stride past, thankfully neither one gave me a second glance.
My hastiness caused me to stumble over my own feet. Falling inelegantly against the glass pane of a shop window, hands splayed out in front of me. I looked up to the glare of multiple televisions on the other side, all showing the same news channel. The soundless images playing out on the screens in front of me sent my heart to drop into the pit of my stomach.
Footage of the League intercepting the police convoy on the highway played out. All focus was on me in particular. A large zoomed up picture of my face suddenly filled every one of the screens in the shop window. My mind zipped from one disjointed thought to another as the panic of the situation started to set in.
SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT. This is not good! I have to get out of here. NOW.
Before I could step away and melt back into the crowd, a piercing shrill scream burst out from one of the young girls I had passed by earlier on. Eyes filled with fear as she pointed a trembling finger directly towards me.
*"*L-League...i-it's...IT'S THE LEAGUE OF VILLAINS!"
Feet welded to the ground, panic had truly taken over. I stared wide-eyed while all hell broke loose around me. People screaming scrambled in all directions. The mere mention of the League's presence had sent the crowd hysterical. In my dumbstruck daze of seeing my face plastered all over the news, I had failed to notice that my hood had fallen from my head. Releasing my chocolate locks into the cold breeze, broadcasting my identity to everyone to see.
The uproar had drawn the attention of the two heroes, both had turned and were looking frantically at the crowd of scrambling citizens. Trying to decipher what possibly could have provoked such a reaction. The realisation falling over their expressions came quick when they looked at me, still standing like a deer caught in headlights.
My fight or flight instincts kicked in at seeing them tear through the crowd. Adrenaline surging through my veins, my heart pounded as I flicked my eyes side to side, frantically searching for the nearest escape route. The narrow road was lacking any side roads, the only escape was the way I came. I didn't have the strength to take on both of them. Which left me with only one choice.
I vaulted over the two heroes, narrowly missing them—leaving them open-mouthed and baffled metres behind. Without paying their protests and shouts any notice, I continued to run as fast as my legs would allow. The little energy I had attained from eating the apples was doing no favours for me. My muscles were already exhausted after only minutes of running and the sickness was quickly returning.
I pushed through the fatigue, scrambling sluggishly down street after street. Ignoring all the frightened and alarmed looks from the innocent bystanders. The heroes were close on my tail. I needed to amp up my efforts if I wanted to make it out of this.
The all too familiar rush of energy pulsed through my being when I activated my quirk. A sharp stabbing pain resonated up from my abdomen. A pained gasp slipped out through my fanged mouth as I desperately fought through it. Despite that, the fleeting surge of energy allowed me to gain some distance between the two bumbling heroes.
I turned a corner onto a quieter street, darting down a nearby passage. Allowing me a moment to regain my ragged breath. The two heroes passed by the dark alleyway, unbeknown to my hidden whereabouts.
"I've lost sight of her but she can't have gone far."
"Requesting backup. Female, brunette, early twenties, green eyes, wearing a black hooded jacket and white sneakers. We believe she is a member of the League of Villains..." One of the heroes announced through a radio, his voice trailing off as they carried on down the road.
I crouched down, heaving back deep breaths of the refreshing autumn air, anything to steady the pounding in my chest and the overwhelming need to vomit.
What the fuck was that?
I'd never had that happen before... Was something wrong with me? This illness I'd been suffering from the past few days, had that affected my quirk somehow?
That was the least of my concerns right then. I needed to find a way out of this part of town without being noticed and without the assistance of my quirk on top of that.
I forced myself up from the ground, returning the hood over my head to help in concealing my face and walked back out onto the empty street. Checking both directions beforehand for signs of any heroes that could still be skulking around.
In my blind panic, I had unintentionally run into a part of town that I was unfamiliar with, the buildings and road names all meant nothing to me. All I could do was retrace my steps. In the hopes that I would eventually recognise something that might help point me in the right direction.
Head hanging low to keep my face hidden, I did my best to stick to the shadows at the edge of the sidewalk. Weaving in and out of the people, I didn't want to bring any more unwanted attention on me again. The uneasy atmosphere was still apparent in the air, whispers of a member of the league prowling the streets were being passed about. Putting me even more on edge.
I need to get out of here.
I contemplated calling Tomura, but without Kurogiri and his warping quirk, there was nothing that he could do that would help me out of the situation. His involvement would only make matters worse. I was in this alone.
The streets got more familiar the further I walked, my hammering heart now a steady thump as relief washed over me. The two heroes from earlier were nowhere to be seen, I wanted to laugh at how pathetic they were. These were supposed to be civilisations protectors and they couldn't even catch a girl half their size, even in my weakened state I was able to outsmart them.
Heroes my ass.
My forehead and nape were slicked with a thin layer of perspiration from overexerting myself. I couldn't wait to get home, to take a long hot shower and then to crawl into bed, preferably in the comforts of Tomura's arms. Nausea had come back with a vengeance and the only thing that I knew would keep it at bay was his sweet earthy scent. The slight lingering remnants of it within the fabric of his jacket was all that was keeping me from doubling over, ridding the little I had inside my stomach.
One arm clutching around the flat of my churning stomach, I pushed on and turned a corner that led out to a vast open space, even more people mingled around. Keeping my gaze down, I picked up my pace and started to cross as quickly as possible.
A powerful gust of wind sent me tumbling back, falling with a thud onto my rear.
When I looked back up to the source of such a blast of air, I was met by a pair of vermillion red wings and a disappointed golden stare.
The N02 hero, Hawks.
"Mina, isn't it?" The winged hero asked, "I have to say, I was not expecting to find you when I got the call out." He hovered a few feet off the ground. After all those months he still managed to remember my name.
I scrambled back to my feet, looking around frantically for any means of an escape. The sound of blood thrumming in my ears was deafening. A perimeter of scarlet red feathers was floating around me, inching closer by the second. A crowd of witnesses was building up at the commotion transpiring.
I won't let myself be caught, I can't.
In a moment of sheer panic, I snatched a woman from the group of bystanders, a high pitch scream escaped her as I pulled her in front of me. One clawed hand gripping threateningly around her neck, her frantic heartbeat fluttering beneath my fingers. The other clasped around her wrists, pressing them hard against the small of her back.
"Get back!" I screamed at the slowly approaching hero, "Don't get any closer!" My voice was shaking with both fear and my overwhelming fatigue, a faint green glow shining over the hostage's saffron red curls.
"Or what you'll kill her?" Hawks stepped down onto the ground. The ring of feathers closing in still.
"Yes! So, stay back!"
"I don't think you will."
Hawks stood his ground, hands pushed deep into the pockets of his sandy brown pants. The man acted unconcerned at having a hostage situation in front of him.
"Don't underestimate me," I squeezed tighter on the redhead's wrists, eliciting a pained cry from her.
"LET HER GO!!" A man screamed out from the sidelines. The look of sheer horror on his face could only mean that this woman was dear to him. I shook off the minor embers of doubt from my mind, turning my attention back onto Hawks.
"This isn't what you want, Mina." He tilted his head, eyes gazing sympathetically over me.
"You know nothing about me so stop acting like you do," I growled.
"But the League does?"
"Yes."
Of course they do. They're my family.
Hawks ran a hand through his dirty-blonde hair, letting out an exasperated sigh. "The boyfriend troubles, it was about that Shigaraki guy wasn't it?"
I glared with blank indifference back at him, wondering what could have brought him to that conclusion.
"The news footage. It wasn't difficult to work out," he shrugged, assuming my silence as confusion. "They're bad people, Mina."
"That's what you think but not in my eyes. They've only ever shown me kindness" I exclaimed, thinking back over all the sweet precious memories I had attained during my short time with the League. I could see that this didn't make sense to him. A hero could never understand. They'll never be able to fathom the bond I had with them. With 'villains'.
"What about all the people they've killed? Did they show them kindness? Do they think twice about the families that they leave behind?" His bird-like eyes narrowed, anger burning behind the golden brown orbs.
"You assume that I haven't done the same," I spat, his steely intense glare fell, replaced by one of utter shock. It was funny to see the looks on peoples faces when they realised that I wasn't the innocent sweet girl they initially believed me to be, appearances could be so bitterly deceiving. None of them could ever believe that I was capable of something such as murder.
Oh how very wrong they are.
The circling threat of floating red feathers was closing in, he had kept me talking in an attempt to keep me distracted. I felt like a wild animal being backed up into a corner, all logical thoughts were failing me, leaving only broken and panicked ones instead.
I pressed my claws harder against the skin of the terrified woman's neck, her terror-stricken sobs increased. Hawks' jaw clenched.
"P-please...d-don't hurt me, p-please," she pleaded, her entire body shook like a leaf in a blustering gale, on the verge of passing out.
"Don't do this. Let the woman go and we can talk this out. Just you and me," Hawks said softly.
"Liar!" I roared. "The moment I let go you won't hesitate to attack me, you don't care about me. All you care about is your precious fucking reputation! Wouldn't want to disappoint your doting fans now would you?" My eyes scanned over the horde of watchful eyes.
He took a step back, hands held out in front of him. "Of course I care, I don't want anyone to get hurt and that includes you. So, let's calm down and talk."
As he spoke, the feathers began to retreat, circling back around to return to their original positions within his sizeable vermillion wings.
"You can trust me, Mina." Holding out a black-gloved hand. "We'll go somewhere and talk, no harm will come to you. I promise." A warm and friendly smile on his face.
My mind was blank, staring vacuously at him, a hand still held out for me. I couldn't work out if this was some ploy to get me to give up, to hand myself in or if he genuinely meant it. The kindness and sincerity in the way he was looking at me made me think that maybe the latter option was true.
However, as much as I would like to believe him, that he only had good intentions, I couldn't allow myself to be taken in. Tomura needed me. I had to get back to him.
"I can't...I-I can't be arrested, I have to go home," I muttered shakily, my emotions betrayed me.
"You know that can't happen, you are a wanted criminal now Mina. I can't allow you to go home." My breath hitched inside my tightening throat. "But I promise no harm will come to you."
I can't go home? My friends, my family. Tomura. We still have our whole lives ahead of us. We were going to bring down this society together. This can't be the end, I won't let it be.
I pushed past the excruciating pain resonating throughout my abdomen as I switched on my quirk fully, a glowing green hum of light surrounding me. The woman screamed an ear-piercing cry as my already elongated claws grew, piercing further into the soft flesh of her neck and wrists.
"I won't let you...take me!" My voice crackled as my vocal cords started changing in my transformation.
The booming report of a gun firing echoed across the courtyard followed by a sharp pain to the right side of my chest.
What none of us could have ever predicted was that the panic-stricken boyfriend of the hostage had a concealed weapon hidden beneath his coat. The handgun was pulled out, its smoking barrel pointed directly at me.
My hands fell limply away from the woman. I watched blankly as she scrambled away, frantically pulling on her boyfriend's arm. Screaming for him to lower the weapon which he still had stiffly held up. He was in a state of shock no doubt.
I turned back to Hawks, who was already barrelling towards me.
Before, I knew it I had crashed down to the cold concrete floor. Blood pouring rapidly out from just above my right breast, the strong metallic smell of the deep red liquid filled my nostrils.
Hawks crouched down, lifting my head into his lap, his pupils were so dilated with fear. I couldn't breathe. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't. The bullet had pierced my lung.
"Shit! We need to stop the blood. Fuck. CALL AN AMBULANCE!" His hands pressed up against the wound, desperately trying to stifle the flow of blood.
At this point you would think I was used to the feeling of being on the brink of death, this wasn't the first time I had been in this sort of situation, however, this time felt different. The coldness had spread throughout my entire body.
A gritty raspiness rattled from inside my chest with each wheezing inhale of breath. My eyelids fluttered, the vital lack of oxygen and blood loss was making me lightheaded.
"Stay with me kid, don't be falling asleep on me yet," Hawks anxiously chuckled, trying to make light of the situation. A gloved hand cupped my cheek. "Let me see those beautiful green eyes, yeah?"
The man frowned as another fountain of blood spluttered out from my shivering lips, coating the white trim of his coat. Breathing was practically impossible now, every ragged breath becoming choked up in my tightening throat. A rogue tear rolled down my cheek as the realisation of what was happening hit me.
I shut out the blaring noises from around me, the cries and shouts of the curious bystanders, the slight rustling of dried fallen leaves brushing over the floor and Hawks frenzied pleads for me to stay awake.
Slowly I reached up, weakly clutching onto the locket that was hanging loosely from around my neck and shut my eyes. I always imagined that when the day came for me to pass on, that I would be in the presence of someone who loved me. That I could die peacefully knowing that I was in the arms of someone I loved.
Images of Tomura's beautiful face filled my mind. His smile, that cheeky lopsided grin that I loved so very much. How I wish that I could see it one last time...
"I-I...love...you T-Toma..." I muttered with my last breath.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Where could she be? It's been hours now.
I threw back another glass of the expensive bourbon, still sat in the same position from earlier on. I couldn't care less that this was my last remaining bottle, anything to calm my nerves.
Something about this didn't seem right. Mina should have been back by now, this wasn't like her. She wouldn't usually leave me in the dark like this.
I tried calling her for the tenth time in the last five minutes. It went straight to voicemail like all the other calls. An unsettling feeling bubbled in the pit of my stomach.
Mina, where are you?
The front door slammed open, crashing against the wall to the side. The profound force nearly knocking it off from its hinges. I turned to see Yuta in the doorway, inwardly groaning at the sight of Mina's ruggedly good looking friend.
Ugh, Hercules has arrived.
"WHERE IS HE?!" His thunderous voice demanded, the murderous intent grabbed my attention. I hopped off my seat at the bar and locked eyes with the enraged man. Eyes bloodshot and puffy.
Has he been crying?
He stepped towards me, fists tightly clenched at his sides. "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" Yuta's fangs protruded over his lower lip, his being far more menacing looking than those that Mina had.
Before he could get closer, Spinner and Twice restrained him, each grabbing ahold of a brawny arm. Even with the two men's combined strengths, they were still struggling to hold him back.
"Calm down!" Spinner shouted, grunting as the towering blonde fought back.
"Woah Yuta man, what's got you riled up?" Twice questioned.
"It's your fault, you selfish bastard!!" He bellowed, a deep guttural growl rumbled within his chest, still fighting desperately against the hold of the two men.
"What the fuck are you on about? What's my fault?" My brow furrowed as I looked over the hysterical man. The distress in his eyes was feeding into the uneasiness in my stomach.
"Mina never should have joined you. Never should have fallen in love with you. She'd still be..." Yuta's voice trailed off, tears started streaming down his face as he dropped to his knees. The sound of his heart-wrenching sobs took everyone by surprise, including Twice and Spinner, who both let go of him and looked back in confusion.
What part does Mina have in all of this? Does he know something that I don't?
"Spit it out! She'd still be what?!" The suspense was killing me, if he knew something about Mina then I needed to know.
"S-she's dead..." he muttered.
Two words, those two words were enough to stop my heart, the very blood in my veins freezing.
"Your lying..." I whispered. "She can't be...there's no way...she was just here. Apples...she went to get apples," I stammered, stumbling back against the counter.
He's wrong. Mina isn't dead. No. She's alive. She has to be.
"It's the truth," he cried, still hunched over sobbing uncontrollably into his hands. "She's dead and it's all your fault!"
Toga gasped. "Shiggy..." She whimpered. Yellow upturned eyes glistening as tears of anguish welled up, threatening to spill over any second. I followed her grief-stricken gaze to the TV screen, eyes widening as I looked at the evening news report playing out. A picture of Mina was situated in the corner of the screen.
It felt like someone had punched a hole through my chest, my heart being ripped out in its wake as I read over the horrifying headline.
MYSTERIOUS LOV MEMBER SHOT BY A CIVILIAN HAS DIED IN TRANSIT TO HOSPITAL.
Dead.
Dead.
She's dead?
No, no, no, no, no, no..." I muttered frantically under my breath. "Mina. Not my Mina." I dropped to the floor, gripping handfuls of my hair and tugging hard on the roots.
A gut-wrenching scream tore through me, vocal cords straining painfully at the intensity.
Mina. My beautiful, perfect Mina. Dead.