Rebirth and Blood

So he can't bend light?"

Izuku held in a sigh when he saw Himiko lean in by his shoulder with a pixie stick in her mouth to get a better look at his screen.

"No, because if he could then he wouldn't show up at all and he doesn't leave any footprints directed out of the stores. Ergo, he is either becoming light or being absorbed in a flash...maybe."

Peeling away from the computer he rubbed his eyes.

"The sheer amount of quirks on this thing is insane and I've even narrowed it down to only Emitter types since that's the only reason I can go with."

It had been hours since he started to work on this case again, seeing as his company gave him the day off due to working too much overtime, which left him with nothing to do. Lately it felt like he was running himself into the ground with both his obligations, but he couldn't slow down or nothing would get done. Granted he had grown bored of the quiet of his apartment and made the choice to spend the time at Himiko's if only for the company.

She was glad for the visit even if they weren't training, that he was sure of. Though as she sat next to him on the sofa, the weight of weeks came down and he needed to close the computer. Purple bags had gathered under his eyes and he looked haggard with the green five o'clock shadow nesting around his chin. It needed to get done because he was the only one working on it, but he was just too burned out to continue the way he had.

Turning his head to the blonde who stared back quizzically, Izuku got up with a sigh at his own weakness and grabbed a blanket off the loveseat before squeezing himself into the larger couch. His legs bumped against her back and Himiko kept feigning confusion until he motioned in an almost grabbing, clutching motion with his hands while the blanket rested over an arm extended above the floor.

She was dressed in black sweatpants and an oversized fuzzy, yellow sweater with her long hair completely down as she grinned slyly at him.

"Well aren't you being needy today."

He glared at her and had half a mind to just grab her until she stopped squirming in that taunting, playful way she did like when they trained.

"Oh shut up, I need to relax and this helps you too, don't deny it. Now shut up and lay down."

A finger flicked him in the nose as a cruel smile formed at the resistance within him.

"Perhaps, or perhaps I can show you what happens to disrespectful little brats, eh?"

Usually he would have fired back a bit, maybe with a taunt of his own to simply liven up the cold air in the apartment but he wasn't in the mood for that. Instead he sat up and gently placed a hand on her arm, knowing for a fact he looked like a mix between a sad puppy and a homeless man. Saying it hurt his pride a little. He knew a man was supposed to take or earn what he gets, yet he couldn't really bargain right now and he wasn't about to make more demands over something so pointless.

"Himiko, can you please just lay down?"

The blonde girl blinked at that, her smile fading away in confusion before returning with a vengeance when she scanned the body language he had. Her teeth were exposed to the air, making the five foot two woman look far more threatening as she got on all four. Slowly she crawled over to him, smelling the building apprehension hiding in his skin until she was on top of him. Those green eyes regarded her in a blend of mild fear and hope, it was so adorable.

A hand caressed his cheek pacedly, gathering every bit of touch and allowed him to get used to it as she patted him like a loyal pet. He stared at her, confused, frightened and needing as those yellow eyes stared right back with all the mirth of a cat playing with a toy.

A thumb touched the crook of his nose when she stroked to the top of his cheek, tapping it softly.

"Well since you're begging, I guess I have to. However-"

The hand which had been rubbing his cheek raised up with an open palm, hovering midway in the air.

"-you need to learn not to talk to me like that."

Like a cobra it came down and smacked him across the cheek with a crack like that of a pistol shot in the silence of the room. Izuku's head snapped to the side, clenching every muscle when he saw what was coming. His face stung and it showed with how he cringed at the rhythmic pain, yet the chance to recover never came since she clasped the sides of his head with both hands, sinking her body directly on top of his with all her weight as she made him look her in the eye.

"If you want something, you ask. You don't give orders to me. I can push because I teach you how to fight so that's fair trade. You have to ask me nicely and I might do it. That way things stay pleasant with neither of us screaming at each other, okay?"

Despite himself Izuku slowly grinned at the blonde with a light of defiance in his soul. Quickly he brought the blanket down over them both and wrapped both arms around her, instantly banishing the cold.

"Alright, but I think I'll be making a few demands anyway."

He tightened down his hold across her back and moved them both to the side, pushing him to the back of the sofa while she took the edge. Himiko rolled her eyes at him, but dug into the hold as the chill left.

They grasped each other without a word, falling to the comfort of rubbing the other's back. Already Izuku found himself able to breathe a little easier. So much had been put on his plate recently that he didn't have time to just relax. First his job had been mounting twice as much work on everybody since it was nearing the fiscal year of the company, then he needed to solve this stupid case that nobody else seemed to care about and he still needed to train on top of it all.

Not to mention having to listen to his mother every other week start going on and on about stupid shit like him getting married or buying a house.

Briefly he shifted around in the sheet and pulled Himiko closer, placing his chin on top of her shoulder as her heartbeat echoed in his ears. He felt her legs tangle around his lower body and wrap close when she did the same. His eyes shut in an attempt to drown out the world, to just focus on the moment with this lonely girl who likely had no one else either. Her breathing complimented the air and for a moment, a solid moment, he wished it could stay like that where nothing was going to hurt him, where he was safe, not alone and held.

He didn't want to let go, he wanted to stay under this blanket with this girl forever because the world outside was cold, unkind and ugly. She was safe here with him, she wasn't alone here. More he squeezed on her back as if he was afraid someone would take the warmth she brought.

Izuku didn't know what the hell he was doing, at all. His life was a sad, pathetic mess that only got better by a hair. He worked the same shit job for years, had no real friends and his mother was getting older with each passing day. He was going to be alone in the big scary world with nobody to help. His life was that of a weakling where he was scared of every little thing, where he was horrified of crossing the wrong person because they might have a power that could reduce him to atoms. 

Nothing made sense anymore, not since that white haired monster attacked everything. There were so many criminals and monsters roaming the streets, nobody had enough to eat, nobody could figure out how or why this was happening. It was just a chaotic hell on earth for people clutching at their teeth that were too weak to survive, like him. 

All Might was gone, he couldn't save the day anymore and the only people left who could were like Kacchan. The world would eat him one day and perhaps another insane criminal king would try to recreate the attempt of the second, taking away everything Izuku cherished. The only thing he had left was his dying dream, a soulless job and this lost girl. So why wouldn't he just want to stay on this sofa with her until the end of everything when those things were waiting? At least she kinda valued him.

Well, he couldn't, could he? They'd both cramp eventually anyway. 

Opening his eyes, Izuku flipped onto his back and ran his fingers through the golden locks. Himiko raised her head up and hummed in annoyance from having to move her limbs, watching the man she saved play with her hair. They said nothing for a while, the two content to simply be until Izuku spoke up.

"So...I think Uravity hit on me yesterday."

Himiko paused completely, looking at him like he suddenly spoke French.

"Say what?"

He shrugged, carefully running a hand down the back of her head.

"I was at a bar with Sugarman and a few other pros to discuss the jewel thief case, which went nowhere by the way, and she happened to be at the counter. Well long story short, she invited me outside and started asking me these weird ass questions."

The blonde blinked in an attempt to process what was said.

"Like?"

Izuku pursed his lips in embarrassment, a red hue coming over his cheeks.

"Like if I've ever been in a relationship before, what type of girls I like,...if I'm a dom or sub."

He looked Himiko straight in the eye hoping she'd at least agree it was strange.

"The woman asked if I liked bondage or not."

Gears turned quickly in the slasher's head when she started to make a picture of how, why and where. Then it hit her. 

Smiling something not worth half of what she was actually feeling, she decided to keep pressing.

"So what did you say?"

Izuku paused at her expression, feeling more shame mounted on top of him.

"I said yes because I figured that maybe I could use the connection to get better cases for Sato's agency. She seemed to not really like that answer because she just wished me a goodnight and left."

Laughter instantly filled the room as Himiko collapsed onto him, her belly heaving from how hard she was laughing. It was a high pitched giggle that continued on and on until she was red in the face. Eventually she found her breath and poked him on the nose.

"Holy shit, you were ready to whore yourself out like some gigolo just to get your boss some better work, that's sad."

He bit the bottom of his lip at her teasing, no longer able to quite look her in the eye.

"Well...yes, but she was also very pretty."

Himiko flicked him in the nose once more with a smirk.

"And I'm not?"

Izuku's eyes grew wide at the question. How and why did he have to respond to that when she was so close? Not to mention that this might lead to a knife getting pulled on him.

"N-No, you are, it's just-"

"Just that she might be able to let you live out that nasty fantasy you have of being tied up and fucked?"

He sat up, practically pushing the girl off him as indignation colored him.

"I'm not into bondage! I just said it because I thought that's what she wanted to hear!"

An arm reached from under the blanket he still had on his shoulders and coiled around him like a snake as Himiko regained the distance, opening the blanket and squishing him to the armrest of the sofa while she giggled at his expense.

"Hey no same in having a kink, Greenie. But let me warn ya, Floaty isn't as free as she'd like to believe. She had a fling with Dynomight back when they were teens that lasted half a decade, long story short he's still nuts about her and not in a good way. Hell, some guys that have tried to court her ended up either moving out of the country or in the hospital with broken legs from "unknown assailants" as the media would put it."

A glare entered Izuku's eyes, one possessed of anger and old pain as his hands clenched and popped. He said nothing, did nothing as he suddenly went rigid, only gazing ahead in a silent fury. So that fucker could get away with that much? Kacchan got to do anything he wanted because…

He inhaled and buried the anger. This wasn't the time nor place for that. When he was alone and not in arms reach of anyone he'd vent. Right now he was with a friend in his happy place so his bullshit could wait.

"Could we talk about something else, please?"

Himiko narrowed her eyes towards his face. She saw every one of those emotions flash through his skin and each was more interesting than the last. There was a story here and it brought a journalistic tingle to her spine. First though, was to eliminate the probable causes until only one left. 

Pulling herself closer to him and running a hand through his hair, she put her chin on his shoulder.

"I take it you're not a fan of Katsuki Bakugou, are you?"

At once his body clenched like one massive muscle at the name. He inhaled again, standing up with flexing hands that continually shaped into fists while his shoulders rolled. He moved about the room in some vain attempt to ease the pent up anger which barely worked.

"No, and I'd rather speak about anything else if you don't mind."

She raised an eyebrow, feeling the familiar hook get drawn in her brain whenever something interesting was happening.

"Why? Ain't like we have much else to do."

He snapped forward with his teeth bared in a snarl, causing the girl to not move in the slightest.

"How about you start talking about your quirk then since you wanna share private shit so much!?"

The words passed his lips in a rage fueled haze and the instant they left Izuku recoiled at his own actions. Guilt weighed heavily on him when he realized he had broken his number one rule of never lashing out at another because of his past. Himiko, however, continued to stare at him with a distant attention. As if she could slice away the blockage around the answer.

He lowered his head like a dog who pissed on the rug. The same way he did with his teachers, his employers, his Mother, Auntie Mitsuki and Kacchan saw him fuck up somehow and he'd get chewed out for it. Except he honestly expected something violent given how she acted around him and he knew he was totally in the wrong this time, so he deserved it.

"...Sorry."

There came a touch on his cheek, a gentle one that brought his eyes upward to see Himiko shaking her head with not an ounce of malice in her cat-like eyes. Understanding shone through them with her guiding him back to the sofa. 

"No it isn't your fault Izuku, I shoulda stopped when you asked. Believe me if anybody knows what it's like to have skeletons in your closet, it's me. Now, how about we get back to fixing that case?"

He stared at her in wonder for what felt like forever. She hadn't hit him? Or cursed him out or cried or threatened to kick him out? She…

Izuku smiled warmly at the blonde, wrapping the blanket around the both of them and opening his laptop, sure that they would figure it out. He was happy to keep going, to strive in order to go somewhere and this was only the first out of many because so long as he wasn't alone he knew he would succeed.