With the unexpected family history out in the open, there was no choice but for them to have a proper discussion about it. Kimitsuki, Izuku and Katsuki sat back down on the table in the Todoroki dining room, with Shoto and Fuyumi across from them. The eldest of them, Fuyumi, explained everything that had happened to their family, including the presence of another brother.
This was news to Kimitsuki, who had known from Shoto's vague mentions that he had a sister and a brother but he had never mentioned a second brother. She remained silent as she listened to what the elder female had to say. She didn't look at Shoto, either, out of privacy.
It was something sorrowful, to lose one's sibling – and more so that you couldn't help. Kimitsuki had Hiro but for majority of her life, she had believed that he had been dead because of her. That was why she felt like she could understand.
"Your Onii-San is...?" trailed off Izuku as he looked toward the pair of Todoroki Siblings.
"Oh, you haven't told Midoriya-Kun, Kuroyanagi-Chan and Bakugo-Kun about Toya-Nii," Fuyumi said, looking toward her youngest brother curiously.
"That's not something I'm going to volunteer," Shoto replied.
And Kimitsuki understood as she had heard from him that he was always kept away from them all. It was hard to think that he would even ever have any memories or emotions toward him that resembled what he felt today.
"Natsu and Toya-Nii were very close," Fuyumi explained. "They played together all the time. It happened soon after Oka-San was hospitalised. Her condition ended up getting even worse. Even Shoto couldn't go see her. But we got past that. Shoto went to visit her,"
That was following the Sports Festival, and Kimitsuki recalled how much that had meant for Shoto. He had sometimes mentioned his mother to her during their Internship, and how it felt for him.
"Our family's been making progress," continued Fuyumi, lowering her deep grey eyes. "Only Natsu... can't let go of his hostility. In his mind, Oto-San killed Toya-Nii,"
"So, that's why he was making that face," Katsuki commented and Kimitsuki looked toward him in surprise but then looked away as well.
Katsuki noticed the despondent expression on her face but did not say anything at the moment. He felt disgruntled and wanted to glare at Shoto for bringing them into this but kept his cool for now.
"Sorry to bring this up so suddenly," Fuyumi apologised.
"There is no need to apologise," insisted Kimitsuki, giving her an empathetic smile. "We understand,"
Suddenly, the door to the dining room opened, and the five of them turned to look at Endeavor, who stood there a little awkwardly – but when he spoke, it was as normal, "It's time for me to take you back to school,"
"Oh, yessir!"
With that, their dinner at the Todoroki household came to an end. They gathered their things and pulled on their jackets and shoes before they followed Endeavor out of the house. Fuyumi came to see them off but no matter how much Kimitsuki wished that she got to speak to Natsuo, he was no longer around.
Outside by the road, Katsuki went straight for the open door of the escorting car while both Kimitsuki and Izuku stuck behind to properly thank Fuyumi and express their gratitude for inviting them over for the dinner that she had prepared on her own.
"Thank you for the meal!" Izuku said very eagerly as he bowed again and again to the elder female. "It was very delicious!"
"Thank you!" replied Fuyumi happily.
"Izu-Chan is correct," Kimitsuki agreed. "It was very kind of you to invite us all to your home, and the dinner was absolutely wonderful. I loved your Sichuan Mapo Tofu,"
"Oh, you're such a sweetheart," Fuyumi replied, clamping her hands together. "You're welcome back any time! I would love to cook for you again, right, Shoto?"
Katsuki did not like what Fuyumi was insinuating at all, cutting into the conversation loudly, "Teach me the Sichuan Mapo Tofu recipe!" He'll make it himself and feed Kimitsuki all that she wants.
"Sure!" said Fuyumi, too happy to have realised what his real plans behind the recipe were.
"I'll have her text it to me," Shoto added in, looking at his phone.
The second person to go to the car was the awkward Endeavor, who paused and looked toward his daughter, "Fuyumi... thank you,"
Fuyumi smiled at her father before reaching out to grab onto Izuku's hand gently, speaking with a smile, "Thank you for being Shoto's friend, Midoriya-Kun,"
"Oh, well..." Izuku said, taken aback but then smiling gently. "Thank you, too,"
But Izuku was not the only one taken aback for Fuyumi suddenly turned toward Kimitsuki, hugging the girl who towered over her. Kimitsuki hugged her back gently.
"Although I thought you were our Shoto's girlfriend, I'm happier that you're his friend," said Fuyumi, rubbing her back. "Thank you for being kind to him ever since your Internship with our Oto-San,"
"Todoroki-Kun is a dear friend of mine," Kimitsuki replied. "I will continue to honour this friendship,"
On the other hand, Shoto had looked away, nervously rubbed his cheek with his finger at what his sister was saying. But Katsuki was not amused at all, disliking the mere thought of someone like Shoto involved romantically with his Kimitsuki. He didn't like how pink their cheeks were.
The sitting plan for the car was a bit of a mess – Katsuki had gotten in by the window behind the driver but refused to sit with Izuku or Shoto, and he also refused for Kimitsuki to sit with Shoto. In the end, Kimitsuki sat between Katsuki and Izuku, with Shoto next to the green-haired boy.
But even then, it was a packed car, and no matter how much she didn't want to do it to avoid making it awkward, Kimitsuki had to sit tilted, her legs set onto Katsuki's. The only relief was that the car had a tall roof, given Endeavor's height, and that helped them all feel less stuffy.
"I'm going to train you guys up quickly," spoke Endeavor. "Going forward, in addition to weekends, you'll work two days a week if you can shift your schedules around,"
"Last time, it was also like that for Uraraka, Kirishima, and the others," Shoto pointed out.
"We've also got to prepare for finals," Izuku said. "Todoroki-Kun, teach me some English, and Tsuki-Chan, could you help me a little with Mathematics?"
"We can have a study group together," suggested Kimitsuki. "That would be helpful for all,"
Katsuki did not like that they were making plans in front of him, and he directed his anger at Endeavor, "If you're Number One, get your hands on a bigger car!"
"Oh, so a free ride's not good enough for Mr. High Schooler!" responded the chauffeur, Kurumada Untenmaru. "Endeavor! Since when do you bring brats like him along for the ride?!"
"Ever since I was put at the top," replied Endeavor calmly.
"Zounds!" exclaimed Untenmaru. "I guess success changes a man!"
"Zounds?" repeated Shoto, confused.
"What is 'zounds'?" asked Izuku, looking around.
"I have no idea, don't look at me," replied Kimitsuki when the boys looked to her for answers.
However, before this could be explored more upon, their car was intercepted by what initially appeared to be a rogue attack – until their eyes fell onto the terrified expression of Natsuo as he was swung around by what appeared to be a binding Quirk.
"Zounds!" exclaimed Untenmaru as he attempted to evade the attack and get the car back into control but the rest of them all turned to look behind them where the attack went.
"Natsu-Nii?!" asked Shoto, shocked at the condition of this elder brother being held by a Villain.
"Pull your head inside, brat!" shouted Untenmaru at Katsuki, who was hanging out of the window.
"Kurumada-San!" spoke Izuku. "The white lines on the road!"
"Quit talking, you'll bite your tongue!" Untenmaru warned him.
"Whitelines!" said Kimitsuki. "It's a Quirk that allows control over any and all lane lines upon a road – and from what I can see, it is boosted by some sort of impurity!"
"Nice house you live in, Endeavor!" shouted the Villain, Ending, as he appeared in front of their car.
As the car swerved around to avoid the Villain and went onto crash, Kimitsuki used her Capturing Weapon to secure Untenmaru before he could get hurt – and as Endeavor blasted out of the car to go after the Villain, and Kimitsuki swung her legs forward and jumped right after him.
Endeavor had stopped in the middle of the road, standing across Ending. This person was rather muscular, dressed strangely in black and white stripes, and a mask that covered the entirety of his face, except for his mouth and eyes – and those two hosted a wide smile and crazed eyes.
"Let him go!" demanded Endeavor, holding his arm out to stop Kimitsuki from getting too close to the Villain even when she had not thought of doing so, given that Natsuo was suspended between them.
"Do you...!" exclaimed Ending with a strange sense of fervour. "D-Do you remember me, Endeavor?!"
"Seven years ago, I stopped you from going on a rampage," Endeavor responded. "You went by a villain name. It was –"
"Yes!" breathed out Ending, shivering in excitement of the situation. "That's right! Wow, you remember! I'm so happy! That's right, it's me! Ending!"
"I'll say it again, let him go!" warned Endeavor.
"Sorry, Endeavor," Ending responded. "But you gotta understand. You had so many things I could never get, even in a million years. I admired you! I have nothing to protect. I'm willing to kill this guy! Please, Endeavor! Don't mess it up this time! I want you..." He hugged himself. "... to kill me!"
All of this behaviour, Kimitsuki could watch only in astonishment, as she was reminded of the way that Shigaraki acted with her. This level of fanatic fervour – but there was one difference, if he was to die, then Shigaraki would make certain of taking her with him. Kimitsuki swallowed lightly, her eyes darting around to figure out a way to get hold of the situation.
"Heroes don't kill, even when things get crazy," continued Ending. "But hey. You killed a Nomu, didn't you? I'm the same as that puppet. I could be alive or dead. It's hard to tell. So, don't fret over it! Burn me to ashes with those dazzling flames!"
However, Kimitsuki felt a return in her own sense of direction when she heard Izuku, Katsuki and Shoto approaching. But the sight of the four students did not please Ending at all, and he reacted by sending his Whitelines to distract them.
But what Ending did not know was that all four of them had learned by their teachers and from the very man that he was infatuated with – Endeavor, and they were quick to dissuade the attacks.
"Store it up and fire. Condense your power.
Be able to release your maximum output in an instant,
and focus your power precisely. First, keep repeating this
until you can do one of those things without thinking,"
Kimitsuki and Shoto both used their respective Flames, burning down the Whitelines while Izuku and Katsuki blew their attacks away with their own Explosive powers; one of them using the air force from the flick of his fingers and the other doing so with his Explosion.
"It's wintertime, all right?!" exclaimed Katsuki, and Kimitsuki smiled to herself, knowing that he was totally in control of the situation at hand.
"Work study kids!" cursed Ending upon seeing that they had managed to evade his attacks completely. "Don't ruin my death!" He began to move away, taking Natsuo along with himself. "Let's start again, Endeavor, my hope!"
Endeavor went running after Ending, chasing him down to get his son back but before he could attempt to the attack the Villain, he froze in his place – for Ending had moved Natsuo in front of the Pro-Hero, and seeing his son's terrified face left him utterly unsure of what to do.
"O flame of my hope!" taunted Ending at the Number One Hero. "Looks like one son's life isn't enough to keep you from being a Hero!"
With Endeavor completely out of commission mentally, it was upon his students to take care of the situation. Shoto went running ahead, storing up his power, ready to attack Ending, "Let Natsu-Nii go!"
"Because you won't hurry and kill me..." exclaimed Ending angrily as he used his Whitelines to pick up nearby cars with people, throwing them into the air. "... more people are gonna end up dead!" And at the very same time, Ending placed Natsuo in front of a moving train.
Katsuki blasted himself forward at once, fast enough to get in front of the hurtling train and snatching Natsuo out of his binds as Shoto burned all the Whitelines to ashes – and Izuku jumped into the air, successfully unleashing his Blackwhip to grab all the cars.
"No, more people won't!"
"None of your wishes... will come true!"
"Yeah, that's right. Not a single one!"
"Continue to dream of the blazing sun,"
Kimitsuki took Ending by complete surprise, taking him down with a kick right into his face that knocked him right out clean and using her Capturing Weapon to completely bind him. She landed next to him, looking around toward the direction of the others.
Izuku had managed to save everyone as he always did, and Katsuki had gotten both Natsuo and himself out of danger. Kimitsuki smiled but was surprised when Endeavor went running toward them, throwing his arms around his son and the collateral damage, Katsuki, that came with it.
"Are you hurt?!" demanded Endeavor, looking at them.
"No!" shouted Katsuki angrily.
"It's hot..." muttered Natsuo.
"Old-man smell!" complained Katsuki, and he slithered out of the grasp to turn and look at Kimitsuki. "What about White-Line Chump?!"
"He's been secured," Shoto replied, having showed up to aid Kimitsuki with his Ice in securing the man as he slowly returned to his consciousness.
"Like she needed any of your help!" Katsuki shouted at the boy. Kimitsuki let out a sigh but let it go. "You really like taking the credit, don't ya?!"
"It's not right!" cried out Ending, distraught as he sobbed. "Not you... guys! It's wrong! All wrong!"
"Damn Deku!" Katsuki shouted at the green-haired boy next. "What about the mob?!"
"If you mean 'everyone who was in the cars', they're fine!" responded Izuku. "It's a total victory!"
"Shaddup!" Katsuki told him.
"Wh-Why?!" asked Izuku, completely taken aback and Kimitsuki rubbed her forehead as she walked closer toward her two childhood friends.
"What was it you said, Number One?" questioned Katsuki gleefully, looking toward the Pro-Hero, throwing his words back at him, "'This winter'? 'Just once'? 'Faster than me'? 'Show me that you can capture a villain'?!"
"Yeah," agreed Endeavor, who was still embracing his son. "You did great. You covered for my mistake, as quickly as possible,"
"Suddenly he's all modest and crap," muttered Katsuki, unimpressed with the response.
"Ka-Chan..." trailed off Kimitsuki as she reached him, noticing his sourness from a mile away.
"Get a little more frustrated!" Katsuki complained through gritted teeth.
Suddenly, Natsuo snapped out of his shock and shoved his father's embrace away from himself, "Let me go!" He fell back but did not seem to care as long as he was away from the Pro-Hero.
A strange silence fell onto them all, and Kimitsuki found herself seeking Katsuki's support as she slowly reached out to grab onto his sleeve cuff with her hands. Her eyes were stuck on the scene but she vividly felt Katsuki grasp at her hand in return, holding it in his larger one.
"I'm sorry," apologised Endeavor suddenly. "For a second, it crossed my mind. That if I rescued you, you might never... have anything to say to me, ever again. Natsuo, it's okay if you don't believe me. It's not that I was shunning you guys. But I ran away, leaving you with the responsibility. I as good as killed Toya, too,"
"It's not that you were shunning us?" questioned Natsuo, tears appearing in his eyes. "What, then? It's what Toya-Nii always told me you were doing. The day I forgive you... will never come. Because I'm... not kind like Shoto!"
"Even so..." Endeavor said. "Even so, don't you still show up for Fuyumi's and Rei's sakes? Fuyumi has an intense longing for 'family'. Because I ruined things. Aren't you making that effort, so she won't lose faith that we can go back? That we can start over? You're kind, too,"
Natsuo stared at his father as more and more tears spread across his cheeks. On the other hand, Izuku was shocked that his words had been heard by the Pro-Hero.
But Kimitsuki felt sorrowful – she knew that what Natsuo felt about the situation was different. It wasn't that he was burdened by some hate that his father for him on being a 'failed experiment'. It was the disregard. The lack of any emotions toward him – his father didn't hate or love him, in his eyes, and that was much more painful than outright hate. The disregard cut as deep as Endeavor's words, even if only merely about food: "I didn't even realise,"
"But it's okay if you don't forgive me," Endeavor insisted. "You should also realise that if you don't want to forgive me, it's not because you're unkind, either," Kimitsuki looked at him in surprise. "I don't want your forgiveness; I want to atone,"
"Nee-San seems so happy..." cried Natsuo. "But when I see your face, I end up remembering. Why should I have to actively change?! 'Atone'? What the hell is there you can do?!"
"I have something in mind," replied Endeavor calmly.
All of a sudden, they were interrupted by the loud, desperate sobs of Ending, "Stop it, Endeavor! How can you be this way?! Stop! The fierce, arrogant flame! The dazzling light! My hope! Stop it! It's going out! No! Stop it, Endeavor!"
The cries of the infatuated Villain rang through the silence, and Kimitsuki swallowed slightly, feeling thoroughly uncomfortable. She clutched onto Katsuki's hand for comfort and let out the breath that she had been holding back when she felt him squeeze it back in return. She looked toward him and found him already looking at her with a clear expression.
Police arrived soon after to apprehend the escaped Villain, and with the help of Kimitsuki, they confirmed exactly what she had mentioned earlier, "His Quirk that controls painted white lines had been chemically boosted,"
"Boosted, huh?" commented Endeavor, taking care of the situation while Kimitsuki, Izuku, Katsuki, Shoto and Natsuo stood in the back.
"Yeah," replied the Officer. "There's a lot less of it, but it's still on the market,"
"You'd better be careful," warned Untenmaru. "You've been targeted twice in just a few days. Darkness never seems to go away,"
"But light will never go away, either," responded Endeavor calmly.
Kimitsuki laughed awkwardly at the attention that they were getting from the gathered crowd. She rubbed the back of her head as they murmured excitedly about her and Shoto together – and she sweat-dropped when she noticed the fumes going off in Katsuki's hands.
"Ka-Chan," whispered Kimitsuki, reaching for him to calm him down before he blew up in front of the audience. Her eyes met with his and she gave him a smile. "You were so good, too, saving him,"
"Uh, thank you for earlier," spoke up Natsuo, coming back to his senses as he looked toward the brashy ash-blond. "Um, your Hero name...?"
"Huh?" questioned Katsuki, not keen with the man trying to come between him and Kimitsuki.
"It's 'Bakugo', right?" Izuku asked, looking toward him expectedly.
"Wrong," Katsuki replied and he looked away as Kimitsuki tilted her head at him.
"Huh?!" exclaimed Izuku, shocked by the news. He shared a look with Kimitsuki before looking back at him. "You chose a Hero name?! Tell me! Tell us!"
"No!" yelled Katsuki. "I'll never tell you! Drop dead!"
"How about me?" Shoto inquired.
"Forget it!" Katsuki told him aggressively as well. "You can drop dead, too!" He looked away from them, folding his arms on his chest. "There's someone I'm gonna tell first,"
But even Katsuki knew that if Kimitsuki had as mere as looked at him curiously, he would've blurted out his name to her. However, Kimitsuki was a much less intrusive and much kinder person. Kimitsuki herself was burning with curiosity yet she held it in.
"Let us not pester Ka-Chan about it," Kimitsuki said kindly to the other two. "He will definitely tell us in due time. One's Hero name is sacred to them, after all. It is integral to their identity,"
"Integral to their identity it is!" spoke up Untenmaru as he walked over to them. "And yours suits you just fine – a true flower like your Hero name, young lady!"
"Stop trying to hit on her!" Katsuki argued. "She's tall but she's a minor!"
"I don't think he was hitting on me, Ka-Chan," Kimitsuki assured him.
"And your words are as acidic as pesticide!" Untenmaru told Katsuki, who was shocked but before he could respond, Kimitsuki swept it.
"Pesticide can be good for the flowering plant, too, no?" Kimitsuki said, trying to make Katsuki feel better. "It takes away all the bad things that may happen,"
"Too much of pesticide will even kill the flower itself," Untenmaru replied.
Kimitsuki had parted her lips to respond to this but fell silent when she realised that she had no words. She slowly looked toward Katsuki, finding a cold impassive look on his face. She knew that it had hit a nerve, and she felt that distant hurt in his expression to spear her chest.
🤍
After the awkward dinner and unexpected fiasco in the middle of the highway, Endeavor managed to get Kimitsuki, Izuku, Katsuki and Shoto back to their school. It was later in the winter evening so most of the students were already in their dormitories. And as the four of them made their way to their own, it was clear that they were the first to arrive back from their Work Study.
"I expect everyone to arriving back in the morning," Kimitsuki spoke, pulling out the keys that tinkled against her kitty and crescent moon keychain. "Or over the weekend... so it will be just us here for tonight. Let's all rest well and have a good start to our new semester,"
They were greeted by the eager bark of Inu-Chan as he came bounding toward them upon the sound of his caretaker's voice. Katsuki had to grab onto Kimitsuki's arms to steady her from behind as the large dog quite practically threw himself into her arms. The large, furry mass licked her all over her face as Kimitsuki giggled and tried to get him to calm down.
"Oh, Inu-Chan, I missed you and Neko-Chan so much as well!" Kimitsuki gushed as she ruffled the dog's head. "You missed me, too, right? It is so good to see you again, my love!"
Inu-Chan continued to happily receive the love that Kimitsuki was showering upon them, and Katsuki shook his head, faintly jealous of the dog. He realised that the girl had already straightened up, so he gently let go of her arms. He walked ahead of them, snatching Kimitsuki's slippers before Izuku could get them, and the blond set them down for the girl.
"Thank you," Kimitsuki said, smiling at them all as she joined them beyond the Genkan, and Katsuki tsked, not happy to have Izuku under the umbrella of her happiness. "Thank you, Ka-Chan,"
"I will be heading to my room now," Shoto spoke up, looking toward Kimitsuki, Izuku and Katsuki. He nodded at them quietly, "Good night, see you in the morning,"
"Have a good night, Todoroki-Kun," Kimitsuki said kindly, knowing that he must be overwhelmed by everything that had happened, even if he rarely showed it.
One by one, all of them went off toward their rooms, carrying their stuff with themselves. Kimitsuki took Inu-Chan along as they headed off to the female wing. Katsuki stared after her for a moment as she disappeared into the dark corridor, and he wondered if she would be fine all alone as none of the other girls had arrived back yet. She was going to be completely alone in that entire corner.
But rather than Kimitsuki, it was Katsuki who turned out to be restless instead. He had laid down to sleep, but his mind kept trailing off and his ears kept straining themselves, trying to catch any hint of Kimitsuki possibly calling out for his help. Katsuki tossed and turned, unable to stand the thought of the girl being by herself and in the end, he stood back up.
Everything was completely silent – Katsuki's floor was in the middle with Shoto being and Izuku below, and he was more than happy about it as he made his way to the elevators. He tried to devise a plan: he would go to Kimitsuki's floor, knock on her door and convince her to come with him and spend the night in his room.
That was what Katsuki wanted. He felt an uncomfortable jitter in his head as he thought back to the fervour with which Ending had spoken to and of Endeavor. It reminded him of Shigaraki Tomura, and Katsuki could never allow that man, or even the thought him, anywhere near Kimitsuki.
But the situation downstairs on the ground floor was a completely different one, and for the longest of minute, Katsuki was at complete loss as to how to react to it.
Here he was, worried sick of what could happen to the girl, and there was she, humming happily to herself as she place on Inu-Chan's tiny shoes for him before the two of them went out in the middle of the night. Katsuki stared at the scene before shaking his head to bring himself back to attention.
It was Inu-Chan who saw him first and he began to wag his tail toward him. Katsuki watched as Kimitsuki turned to look at him, and she smiled as if there was absolutely nothing wrong with what she was about to do.
"What are you doing in the middle of the night?" questioned Katsuki as he walked forward, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his pyjamas. "Don't tell me you're going out like this,"
"Oh, Inu-Chan is really insisting on a walk," Kimitsuki replied. "And to be honest... I have been feeling a bit warm from using all the fire earlier... I felt like I could hit two targets with one stone,"
For a moment, Katsuki wanted to tell her clear cut that there was no way that she was going but then he remembered that he wasn't the boss of her. He swallowed and changed his tactic, "Right, then I'll go with you,"
"You'll come with us, Ka-Chan?" asked Kimitsuki and her face perked up considerably so – so much, in fact, that it made Katsuki avert his eyes in embarrassment.
"Of course, but not like this!" Katsuki replied. "Don't tell me you're going out like that? At least wear a coat over your clothes!"
Kimitsuki had clearly also gotten ready for bed before she had changed her mind, but she only smiled at him, "Ka-Chan, this is my winter dressing gown. It's very soft and very warm," She seemed to notice his embarrassment. "Wear a jacket as well and let's head out together,"
There was truly no one else outside as Kimitsuki and Katsuki walked under the misty winter moonlight that had swept over them. Inu-Chan walked ahead of them, happily sniffing and jogging around before running back to them whenever he got too far. There was no destination in their mind, but Inu-Chan seemed eager to lead them to the nearby recreational park in the Heights Alliance.
Katsuki glanced toward Kimitsuki, and he glanced at her for a very long time as they walked together – her dark dressing gown made her pearly white hair stand out like rays of the moon and there was a gentle smile on her lips. It lived on her lips as a scowl lived on his, and he suddenly felt disgruntled.
"Shall we sit down for a while?" Kimitsuki asked, looking toward him. "Inu-Chan wants to explore the park... he's a good boy, he'll stay within our eyesight,"
Without any questions, Katsuki agreed and sat down next to her on the bench, watching the large dog move about, sniffing around. The silence between them was pleasant but Katsuki felt that he would rather listen to her speak.
"I... it was such a strange day today, was it not?" spoke up Kimitsuki, playing nervously with her gown. "I never knew that Todoroki-Kun had lost his Nii-San... and to see how everything was..."
"They shouldn't have unpacked all of their family issues in front of guests," Katsuki said rigidly. Kimitsuki looked at him. "You don't expect me to be okay with it when it made you feel so horrible, do you?"
"Oh, no..." Kimitsuki said, momentarily taken aback but then smiling sadly. "You're absolutely right. They should not have done so. I felt horrible, seeing how Endeavor's actions had ripped through his family... it's so terrifying... I'm so terrified of suffering through something similar. To become so greedy toward power... or to be tied so intimately with such an individual..."
Katsuki opened his mouth to tell her that it would never happen because she was too kind, like a flower, and that she could never be stupid enough to fall for such a person – but he froze there. His mind worked overtime, travelling through every instance where he had himself been compared to Endeavor.
'Your words are as acidic as pesticide!'
'Too much of pesticide will even kill the flower itself!'
Somehow, Kimitsuki did not think the same about him or she would never stick around him. Katsuki realised that even someone as pure and as all-seeing as her could be blinded – and a deep sense of shame spread through his chest, so intense that it seemed to throttle him. Katsuki found himself having a hard time processing until Kimitsuki's hand set itself onto his knee.
"Thank you for being there for me," Kimitsuki spoke to him, completely unaware of his turmoil yet curing him of it as if only the two of them existed. "I don't like it when tempers flare, especially of people I'm not used to, like Natsuo-San... but I felt okay, knowing you were there. And you were so good, saving him like that in the nick of time..."
With those words, Kimitsuki gave him that lovely smile of hers, with her pretty lilac eyes folded into half-moons. It was now that he realised that she wasn't blind – she simply trusted him to a degree that she kept all of her defences down around him. Katsuki stared at her, feeling a sense of self and relief sweep into him – and he found himself smile pathetically with a strange mistiness in his eyes.
The moon was above their heads when Kimitsuki and Katsuki returned to their dormitory with Inu-Chan. Neko-Chan was waiting for them, stretching out, but before Kimitsuki could leave with them, Katsuki caught her hand, pulling her gently to get her attention.
"You're going to be alone in the girls wing, aren't you?" Katsuki said, and under the gaze of her lilac eyes, he mustered the courage, "It's just for one night so just come with me,"
Although he wanted to say it toughly to mask his embarrassment, Katsuki still forced himself to be softer in his tone to the girl. Kimitsuki looked at him for a very long time before letting out a chuckle.
"How can I refuse when you're insisting like this, Ka-Chan?" Kimitsuki asked, her own cheeks lightly pink. "Alright... it really won't hurt to spend one more night away from my room,"
Katsuki strangely looked forward to it as he led the way to his room, and even when they stood in the elevator together, she only smiled pleasantly at him. He quickly pulled out another pillow for her, setting it on the bed but did not bring out the third.
"No pillow in the middle?" Kimitsuki asked curiously, and Katsuki felt his cheeks burn as he found himself caught. "I suppose that is alright... it always ends upon the floor anyhow..."
Kimitsuki took off her dressing gown, and Katsuki had a hard time looking away from her when he realised that she was wearing a simple and long white nightgown. And in that dress, with her long white hair, her shining skin and her illuminated eyes, Katsuki thought he had been gifted a porcelain doll.
Even when he slept alone in his bed, Katsuki didn't like to sleep too close to the wall. It was as if that spot was reserved only for Kimitsuki. He let her climb into the bed first, getting comfortable under the covers before he did the same.
The bed felt open without the pillow in the middle yet at the same time, there was a sense of intimacy this occasion that Katsuki hadn't even felt the times he woke up latched to her body – it was that sense of trust between them: the sense of all defences forgone.
It had felt heavier earlier, the weight of the blanket and of the still air in the room. But now that there was someone sharing it with him, sharing that burden and breathing with him into the same air, a sense of comfort set into Katsuki's chest.
Strains in his chest, wrinkles in his forehead, heaviness of existence– all was gone because it was Kimitsuki laying next to him. He could simply exist only in her breathing, as if he was attached to her through something more than fate. That sense of peacefulness was not something that came easy, and Katsuki felt reassured that the only aspect of life that he could think only positive of was Kuroyanagi Kimitsuki.
Katsuki looked toward Kimitsuki and found that she had fallen asleep already, and he stared at her for a very long time. The anticipation of waking up with Kimitsuki's heart beating next to his ironically kept him awake. He swallowed and hesitantly reached out, setting his hand on her shoulder.
Kimitsuki reacted almost as if out of habit, gently curling closer to him and Katsuki let her sleeping figure fall into his arms so that he could slowly wrap them around her. He halted, realising that he was being stupid and possibly taking advantage of her muscle memory when he heard her – it was not a faraway sound, begging for his help from the fear that had kept him awake earlier, but the soft whisper from her lips against his ear of his own name.
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