"You're pouting."
"...I'm not pouting."
[ 15 SP]
Nejire's lack of respect for personal space and her constant questions have led Himiko to misinterpret how our Senpai views . During our after-school ice cream trip with the future Big Three, Nejire has shown excessive curiosity about ever since I ntioned that I am Quirkless.
Because she didn't have much personal space, our periwinkle-haired Senpai was practically hanging off my left arm while she questioned about what it was like to be Quirkless. Her actions seed to irritate Himiko intensely, while Mirio couldn't help but chuckle at the situation.
What caught my attention the most was the annoyed glances Tamaki had thrown whenever Nejire touched .
That boy had it bad for the blue-haired bundle of curiosity.
How interesting.
Returning to my current spar, I smiled at Himiko as she ducked under a quick swing from my wooden bokken. I slid in and swung my weapon diagonally at her, and she blocked my strike with a wince. Himiko huffed and decided to go on the offensive.
With quick movents, I blocked each of her attacks with swift precision. The clacks from our bokkens crashing into each other echoed within my dojo as we danced around one another.
"Admit it! Admit that Hado-senpai is cute!" Himiko said with a glare as she slashed the air above my head. Spinning around her, I bumped her back with the bottom of my bokken, causing her to stumble forward.
"Well... Hado is a cute girl. But what does that have to do with anything?" I jumped back as she launched a roundhouse kick at my midsection. "Wait, don't tell your-"
[ 25 SP]
"Don't say it!" Himiko scread with a red face as she threw her bokken down and engaged in a hand-to-hand fight.
Seeing her flustered face, I felt a mischievous grin grow on my face. Parrying a left jab, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her in by the small of her back. "Say what? That you're jealous?" Himiko blushed brightly as our chests pressed onto one another. "Besides, I think you're pretty cute, too."
[ 100 SP]
"A-ah!" Closing her eyes, Himiko squeaked cutely and swung her right hand up. Unprepared for her punch, my head snapped back as her fist struck my chin.
"Gah! Ma tougue!"
"Sorry!"
Using RCT, I healed my once-bleeding tongue and chuckled at Himiko's embarrassed expression. "Nice one. I can't rember the last ti you ever hit ."
[ 25 SP]
"That's because there was no last ti."
"Ooh... Good job?"
Himiko twirled one of her blonde locks as she stared down at the dojo's wooden floors, a soft blush over her cheeks. "So, you think... I'm cute?"
I stopped rubbing my hair and turned to her with an awkward smile.
"Yeah... I do." At my answer, Himiko took a deep breath and slowly walked toward . Her determined gold cat-like eyes looked into my own as her face was now barely a few centiters away.
[ 45 SP]
"Sukuna-kun," Himiko whispered as she reached out and grabbed my hands in her own. "Can we talk? About... that night?"
Ah, it seems we're finally addressing the elephant in the room.
"Oh. That night." I looked down at our joined hands as she rubbed her thumbs over my scarred knuckles. "When you..."
"Yeah... When I almost... kissed you." Himiko's face beca bright red as she avoided my gaze. Sighing, I pulled away, causing her to frown.
"You have feelings for , don't you?"
"...I do."
[ 55 SP]
A long silence weighed heavily within the dojo as we stood awkwardly in front of one another. After taking a deep breath, Himiko placed her hands over her chest as small tears began to pool at the edges of her eyes.
Don't cry, Himiko. I'm not good with crying girls.
Now, then, what I say next will determine the future of our relationship. I have to be careful.
"Himiko... I have feelings for you, too. But... they're not exactly the sa as your own. Like you told before, I do love you. You're one of the few people I truly value in this world. However, that love I hold for you... isn't romantic." I admitted as I looked into her eyes. Hearing my answer, her eyes beca crestfallen. Reaching out, I held her cheeks and smiled softly. "But that doesn't an they can't change soday."
[ 75 SP]
Himiko's eyes grew wide as a warm, happy smile grew on her face. A burning fire lit up behind her eyes at the fact that there was a chance for her feelings to soday reach . Reaching up, she held my hands with her own. "That's okay with ! I'll just make you fall for then! So be prepared for that!"
Hearing her proclamation, I chuckled and brushed off her tears. "I see. I'm looking forward to that day then."
Moving in, Himiko hugged my chest tightly as her face pressed against . She was positively brimming like a schoolgirl in love. Tentatively, I wrapped my own arms around her back, causing her to sigh in content.
...was this the correct answer?
x x x
(The boy has been offered All Might's power, Sukuna-sama.) Crow Urau said with a slight bow as he rested on my forearm. (However, it seems that the skinny man wishes to test the boy's will and dedication before passing on his Quirk.)
"I see... good work, Urau." I stroked the crow's head and looked out at the dark forest in the distance. "With that, I guess I don't have to worry about the future too much now. Things should proceed smoothly from here."
(I aim to please, Sukuna-sama.)
With nothing more to be said, Crow Urau flew off my forearm and headed back to watch over Izuku. While I did feel a bit bad at keeping tabs on my green-haired friend, I had to ensure he received One For All.
No matter what I had to do to make that happen.
"Who would have thought that bottle would have missed Bakugo by a few kiloters? The whole tiline could have been ssed up... even more than it already is." With a sigh, I leaped down from the roof of my house and went inside.
Since it was around three in the morning, everyone was asleep. Rubbing my eyes, I stifled a yawn as I made my way toward my room for so much-needed rest.
Sniff sniff.
Pausing, I turned toward the direction where I heard so muffled sobs. At the sound of the familiar, soft voice, I frowned and made my way toward it.
"Eri?" I whispered as I softly knocked on her door. At my knock, Eri imdiately grew silent. "What's wrong?"
"...nothing. I'm okay."
[ 10 SP]
Eri was, in fact, not okay.
Even after we had rescued her much earlier in the tiline from Chisaki, it seed that the dead Yakuza boss's influence on her remained strong like a weighted blanket made of trauma. A trauma I knew the girl tried to hide under her apparent happy deanor around the house.
Kaina, Eri's official caretaker, had told that the girl had night terrors a few tis a week. Preventing her from getting a whole night's sleep. The only thing that seed to ward off the nightmares was when Kaina stayed with Eri. It appeared the woman's presence considerably cald the girl down.
Knowing all this, I should have made my way over to Kaina and woken her up so she could help, but from the bags under the woman's eyes, I saw today. I knew she could use a full night's rest. Besides, Eri was my responsibility as well. It's about ti I helped more than just on the financial side of things.
Sighing, I walked inside her room and closed the door behind . Peering through the darkness, I saw Eri sitting up on her bed with her knees tucked into her chest. Her cheeks had tear stains, and she buried her head behind her knees to avoid my eyes. Off in the corner, Jello turned to silently before looking over to its ward.
Sitting beside her, I turned to her and placed a hand on her back. "Another bad dream?"
"...yes," Eri whispered with a sob. "I was back in that place. And he was there. He was... c-cutting again." Eri said as she brushed her arms, which were covered with a long-sleeved shirt. She never liked wearing anything that exposed her scars.
Once I get Idle Transfiguration, I'll make those scars disappear.
"Oh, Eri." With a heavy frown, I brought her into my chest and held her close. Her trembling form pressed against my chest as her soft sobs grew stronger. "You're safe now, Eri. No one can hurt you anymore. I'm here to protect you. We all are."
[ 25 SP]
"I know... I just can't forget about him and everything he did." Eri whispered as she grabbed my shirt tightly while her head pressed into my chest, causing her tears to soak into my shirt.
Feeling irrational anger burst into my chest, I took a calming breath and began to rock her back and forth gently. Closing my eyes, I thought back to sothing my original parents would do for when I was a small child. I could faintly rember my own mother's voice, but I rembered the lyrics clear as day.
I was never much of a singer, but this isn't about .
e stop your crying; it will be alright. Just take my hand, hold it tight." I began to sing softly, causing Eri's crying to slowly stop as she turned up to with wide eyes. Reaching out, I held her hand gently. "I will protect you from all around you. I will be here, don't you cry~"
"For one so small, you seem so strong. My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm. This bond between us can't be broken. I will be here; don't you cry~ 'Cause you'll be in my heart, yes, you'll be in my heart from this day on, now and forever more. You'll be in my heart no matter what they say. You'll be here in my heart always~."
Once I finished singing, I felt my cheeks burning slightly due to never having sung to anyone before. Pulling away, I smiled down at Eri's wide eyes. "Sorry, I'm not really a good singer, but... my mom used to sing this for to help feel better when I was younger."
[ 100 SP]
"That was really good, Oniichan. I... like your voice." Eri said her new title for was seemingly missed by her. "I-I feel a lot better now. Thank you." She said as a small smile grew on her face. "Can you... stay with , Oniichan? Just until I fall asleep?"
"...you got it."
Laying down on her bed, Eri snuggled into my chest as I humd the song to her softly. After a few minutes, she finally fell asleep with a soft smile on her face.
Before I could get up to head back to my own room, my eyes began to grow heavy. Despite myself, I quickly fell asleep beside Eri. Her little hand clutching my own scarred one tightly.
-
AN:
I hope you all enjoyed today's tender and mushy Chapter; there aren't too many of these within this story.
Bonus points for those who know where the song Souta sang is from.
Like always, leave a comnt on today's Chapter, and I'll see you all next ti!
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