Votes, comments, and shares are greatly appreciated!!

*

Text Message From: +8123948429
Hi, Shouto. It's Ella again. I found out some crazy information this morning that I think you'd be interested to know.
9:15am.

I blinked a few times in confusion, trying to think back on where I heard that name...Ella. If I didn't remember the information, my brain must have deemed the conversation an unnecessary one.

After having no success recalling, I had an idea and scrolled up in the past message history with this person, seeing it wasn't the first time she texted me. She texted me three other times. They showed up as read, but I don't really remember reading them either. She must not be very important to me.

Once the short scroll to the top had been completed, I read the very first message she sent, slightly jogging my memory now...

Text Message From: +8123948429 (three weeks ago)
Hey, Shouto. It's Ella. The American girl you met at the bar last night. Care to grab a drink tonight?
11:34am.

Oh. The bar. I remember the bar. It was crowded and loud, but specifically the smell of lilies and oranges wouldn't get out of my nostrils. The Woman's eyes were a deeper shade of pink in the dim lights. I remember when she hugged me once the exercise of 'making friends' was done, whispering into my ear how proud of me she was, and the weird feeling I had in my stomach once I heard it. I remember eating cold soba for dinner with her, and our hands touching, and her quirk of being able to put broken things back together—and how insecure she was of the quirk even though she had no reason to be. I...

I guess...I remember a lot of things about that night. My conversation with this girl Ellie wasn't one of them to be honest. But, I vaguely remember her face. That's not enough to intrigue me into texting her back though, so I'm just going to leave it and pretend it never happened. Apparently, I've done that three other times and I think it worked out well. I mean, it didn't work out...unwell.

Closing my phone, I stood up from my chair and left the empty meeting room, planning to head to my favorite vending machine in the building. It's my favorite because it's the only vending machine that sells the brand of green tea I like. I have the money to buy it, but I think I'll use dad's credit card for that today. I like seeing the account go overdrawn-

Ding!

I stopped walking in the hallway and fished my phone back out of my pocket, seeing the same number of the stranger flash across my screen again. Ellie, I think. Or Eva? Which one was it again? Well, I didn't know, but I certainly recognized one name very well in her latest text message...

Text Message From: +8123948429
I met your friend Lani just a few hours ago.
9:25am.

Oh? Now my interest has been piqued.

This girl met Lani? And just a few hours ago? So, that means Lani is awake, and not only that, she's out somewhere right now—or was. Where is she?

Immediately wanting to know more, my fingers began typing back a reply all on their own now.

Text Message To: +8123948429
You did? How?
9:25am-

DING!

Text Message From: +8123948429
I work at the hospital and ran into her there. She said she was there to see a guy.
9:25am.

"A guy..." I murmured under my breath, letting my eyes fall blank in thought.

A guy? A guy. Lani never mentioned a guy, did she? I don't seem to forget things when she says them, so I'm almost sure I would have remembered a guy. I would have definitely remembered a guy. I would have remembered...her guy...

My brain became creative again, and now I couldn't stop my imagination from running away before I could catch it, starting to envision this guy and what he could look like. But, also...who he was to her. She never said she had 'a guy,' and though I never really asked her in the first place, she really should have said something anyways. Because how could she not? It's pretty rude in my opinion.

I needed to know immediately. Because....she's my work colleague and our progress will suffer if she doesn't pay attention to me, but does to some other 'guy.'

Text Message To: +8123948429
Did she say which guy?
9:26am.

I looked at the blue bubble of my text message and waited for the grey typing bubble to appear after the stranger read my message, but it never came. She kept me waiting, and I realized I never wanted a stranger to text me back so badly. I never wanted to talk to someone more if it was about Lani.

A heavy breath pushed through my nostrils as I kept my phone open and leaned back against the wall in the hallway, feeling my chest starting to became knotted with emotions I couldn't really understand. I couldn't understand....I just couldn't understand—why Lani woke up this morning and chose to see a guy immediately. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was thinking about him all night. Even when we were texting.

And, speaking of that, didn't she say she'd text me today? Does that mean she was thinking of this guy and it caused her to not message me? I'm...well, I'm supposed to be her job. I already said she should be required to talk to me everyday. Now I really do think I'll talk to her manager about this and make it an official rule-

Text Message From: +8123948429
Maybe she did. I'd be happy to talk about it more over coffee with you.
9:30am.

My face scrunched up in a bit of confusion, uttering a small 'huh?' of simultaneous question and frustration. Coffee? I don't want to meet for coffee, why should we need to go somewhere and see each other in person when she could just tell me in a three second text message? Then we wouldn't need to go out of our ways and meet up. It's an inconvenience, what she's asking for.

My phone dinged again with another text message, and I was desperately hoping to see one single name flash across the screen, hoping it was Lani. Hoping she would explain-

Text Message From: Momo
Hey, Shouto. With the banquet coming up, and since we are going together, I was thinking we should color coordinate our outfits, as that's the proper thing to do. Did you have any ideas?
9:31am.

With another sigh, I navigated away from Momo's text message, too distracted and absentminded to really take in the nature of it. But, even if I did take it in, I don't think I would have known how to respond anyways. I still never really agreed to keep dating her, or go to the Fresh Heroes Banquet with her. I just didn't say anything, and it just kind of happened.

I'm going to leave her on read, too. That's what I do to everyone. I don't like texting people, so I don't do it.

My foot began to tap against the ratty old carpet of the HPSC hallway as I navigated my message screen back to The Woman, seeing the last message was one in blue, meaning it was from me. It just said 'Goodnight.'

Maybe I didn't say enough...

Maybe I should have said more, like 'Goodnight, make sure to text me tomorrow,' so that way she knew we had another planned speaking time. Because maybe she would have woken up and messaged me if I said that. Maybe seeing another guy would have slipped her mind, and she'd be talking to me right now instead of him.

But, she hasn't messaged me all morning. She's not paying attention to me, and it's pretty rude. And I...I....

My thumbs hovered over the keyboard, feeling all social skills leaving me as I toyed with what to do. One thing about Lani is that she loves to talk. She talks so much, it's actually really annoying. She.....she just talks for hours, and it drives me crazy. I can't stand it a lot of the time, and she's much more tolerable when she's quiet—like sleeping....or unconscious...

But, at the same time, I've become so comfortable with her talking. With hearing her voice or reading her texts. It's only because of her that our conversations are able to move along. She guides me and tells me where to go, and I wish I could do the same. I wish I could easily think of something to say like she always does. It amazes me how she never runs out of things to say...

Me, on the other hand...

For fifteen minutes, I stood in the hallway with my eyes squeezed closed and my brain chugging away overtime for an idea. I wasn't used to reaching out first or starting conversations, but I've had to challenge myself and do it with her more than I've ever done in my life. An idea came to me finally, my eyes flying wide open when I remembered my earlier conversation with Midoriya in the meeting room. One I almost forgot...

"Your instagram gained over 150,000 followers over night!"

That's perfect. It's work related and bound to get a response from her.

Text Message To: The Woman
My instagram is doing well.
9:54am.

DING!

Text Message From: The Woman
I saw. It's pretty awesome, right?
9:55am.

Oh. She saw? She didn't tell me about it. I wouldn't have cared anyways, but it would mean she messaged me, and then we would have moved onto something else. And she'd probably call me 'handsome' at some point.

It's because of 'the guy,' isn't it? That's why she didn't care enough to tell me...

A bitter taste filled my mouth and I swallowed it heavily, grasping at anything I could to keep the conversation going. I wonder if 'the guy' has this problem as well? Engaging in conversations, I mean.

Text Message To: The Woman
Should we take more pictures today?
9:58am.

It's still work related. Once again, it's bound to make her respond.

Text Message From: The Woman
Nah. I've got enough of you to post for weeks
10:03am.

Oh.

I...well...I don't really like that answer...

Becoming a little impatient at her attempts to push off any meetings today, I decided to sound a little more firm. Instead of asking, I'm going to...I don't know...demand? That's not really what I do, and I think 'demand' is too aggressive of a word to use, but I don't really have another one, so...I'm demanding. Kind of.

Text Message To: The Woman
Then we should do more publicity training.
10:03am.

See? I said 'we should.' I didn't ask that time. I told her. And I'm the client, so she can't refuse me. If she does, I'll tell someone and sue—I probably won't. But, I should. I can already picture her voice now, "heh, oh? And who are you gonna tell, Shouto?" She'd say, with her hot breath tickling my earlobe, and her teeth grazing my skin. Her lips ghosting the shell of my ear, her hands gliding up my chest, with her long, black painted nails lightly scratching down it and....and giving me goosebumps—I'm getting goosebumps. At the top of my skull. On my chest from her phantom touch-

Text Message From: The Woman
Since when do YOU like publicity training, Shouto? ;) seriously, you've been working hard. I won't be offended if you want a rest day.
10:05am.

Oh—the wink again—the wink is back. I still don't know how to respond to that, and it's making me dizzy and my heart pound into my eardrums. She's killing me everyday. I should also tell someone about that, too. She could be arrested for being a witch or something—I know that because my classmate, Mina, told me about the witch trials one time. But, I don't really remember it. I just remember the moment because she bribed me with a mochi to listen to her Reddit post about it.

I'm getting off track. Is Lani saying she doesn't want to meet? Is it because of the guy she saw today? I wonder if she's still with him. That must be why she doesn't want to meet. I should have him arrested as well—for taking time away from work. It's a crime to steal my time—when you think about it.

A weird part of me instantly became determined—determined for what? I'm not really sure, but....suddenly, I had to see her today. I had to. Right now. I needed to be with her alone. Just her and I without the guy, whoever he is. I need to take....initiative—initiative, I think that's a better word than 'demanding.'

Text Message To: The Woman
No, I think it's important
10:07am.

For your promotion
10:07am.

We should see each other today.
10:07am.

Like right now
10:07am.

If you want to
10:08am.

See? It's work related again. And it's something that benefits her. So, really, my presence benefits her life when you think about it. She should be grateful. Instead, she's spending time with....The Guy...

Text Message From: The Woman
Hmmm, alright. No objections here. Does grabbing lunch count as training?
10:13am.

Does grabbing lunch count as training? I wouldn't classify eating as training. But, I'm not about to tell her that. Not when it took this much out of me to get this far.

Text Message To: The Woman
I think it does.
10:13am.

I'm not really one for lying. I guess I am now. Did you see that? I'm a liar. Now she's turning me into a villain, too. I can't stand her.

Text Message From: The Woman
Meet me in my office in an hour.
10:13am.

Her office?—she's in her office. Which is in the same building that I'm in right now, just a different floor. Does that mean she's no longer with The Guy? Or, is The Guy in the office with her? Did she bring him to work? Like one's child, or a.....a pet? Maybe she's not with him at all anymore. Maybe their meeting was cut short...

The possibilities consumed me as I quickly turned on my heel and made my way towards the elevator, pressing the number to the HPSC Publicity Department floor before typing back a curt message.

Text Message To: The Woman
I'll be right there.
10:14am.

*

I didn't know what to expect when I walked up to Lani's office, and it almost felt like I was trying to catch her in something when I threw the door open unannounced, showing up an hour—well, fifty-seven minutes earlier than we were scheduled to meet.

And there she was, hovering over her office chair as an employee sat in it. Only, this employee was a girl, not The Guy, and Lani was pointing something out on her laptop, telling her to "edit this" and "edit that" before "it goes out to publishing."

What is she doing? Is she actually...working...?

Whatever conversation she was having with her coworker ceased at my abrupt entrance, with Lani and the other girl looking up at me with a little surprise. I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say anything and just stood there. Lani chuckled a bit, rolling her eyes before muttering something to her coworker.

The coworker immediately got up from her chair and left, giving me a polite nod on the way out that I was too distracted to return. Because I want to see where he is. The Guy, I mean. He's in here, isn't he? With Lani? Or, at least, I thought he was. I guess I...well, I kind of convinced myself that he was. But, looking around, the room looks....empty.

Oh...

The door closed when we were alone, and Lani hummed, her tall heels tapping against the tile as she slowly walked out from behind her desk.

"Hey, handsome." She greeted again, causing my head to instantly start spinning from the name she always called me. "I do remember saying I needed an hour before you came busting down my door. But, you just couldn't wait to see me, huh?"

Once she was out from behind the desk, I got a look at her outfit—rather, how it hugged her frame. She was in a tight pencil skirt that stopped midway down her thighs, and a tight button down blouse that was tucked into it, and...and everything was just...tight. The first few buttons of her shirt were undone, and...I could see the small line that separated the middle of her breasts. Her...well, it was her...cleavage line.

Swallowing tightly, I quickly snapped my eyes up, trying to ignore why she kept the room so deathly hot as I loosened my collar. It's the temperature of hell in here, which is fitting for her.

"I was...hungry." My mouth watered, resisting the urge to look back down at her exposed breasts. "You.....well, you said we're getting lunch, right?"

Something like that. But, right now, I can't even seem to remember my own name. Just that I wanted to come here and see The Guy, and now I see Her Breasts instead. 'Breasts' sounds so formal, too. But, 'boobs' sounds awkward, and never in my life have I thought I'd be wondering what to call the....what did Denki Kaminari call them again? 'Mommy Milkers ?' That term also doesn't appeal to me.

I don't know, I've never been as interested in these sort of things as Midoriya or even Bakugo. I never felt flustered whenever I caught Midoriya watching porn in the dorm, not because I didn't understand what was going on. I'm not a virgin. I just didn't...care? Sex and physical attraction are just biological parts of our existence.

But, now........now....

Lani walked closer, and it was then that I realized I was staring at her breasts again, quickly snapping my eyes up and wondering if she caught me. Again. But, her face was completely unbothered, pink half lidded eyes looking straight through my soul in a way that had my spine shivering.

She crossed her arms, and...that only made her breasts rest atop them and stand out more. "Well, with you being this early, it could still be considered breakfast time." She chuckled at the morning sun peeking in through her window. "I supposed we could find some way to kill an hour though. Any ideas on what we should do?"

Ideas? Ideas. I've got lots of ideas lately. I've never been more creative in my entire life than I have in the last few weeks. But, these 'ideas' almost feel like they're coming from a stranger living inside my mind. A starving, dehydrated stranger that isn't in need of any physical nutrients like food or water. I don't know how I feel about it all, but at the same time, I want to think about it all again. Right now. With her in this top, and in this room....and that....that desk.

The air became thinner and the heat in the room crept into my brain, making me stumble a bit on my feet.

I think I might pass out.

But, I didn't say that—or, really, anything I'd been thinking. I only realized it when she waved me off, brushing past me with her intoxicating scent that had my nose practically chasing her trail.

"Well, if you don't have any ideas, I certainly do. No better time to get some actual work done, and get your measurements." She said, opening a little storage closet in the corner of her office.

"Measurements? What for..." I trailed off as she bent over, giving me the perfect view of her backside.

Backside? Butt? 'Ass?' Once again, I don't really know what I want to call it. Before it never really mattered. I feel like an adolescent teenager having my first sexual experience. I probably should have figured out all the....'terms' I want to use a long time ago. But, then again, I don't know, we're just coworkers. It doesn't matter, right?

She came back up with something in her hand and turned around to face me, causing my eyes to shoot back up once more. "Your body measurements for the Fresh Heroes Banquet, of course. We gotta make sure you look hot, which won't be difficult, considering it's you."

There she goes with the compliments again, and suddenly, I find myself wondering to how many others she gives these compliments to. Does she give them to The Guy as well? I wanted to know more. About him, but also about what she had to say about me.

Because anything about me sounds so much better coming from her mouth.

"Really?" I quirked a brow, watching her extend the item in her hand—which I now realized was a tape measure.

She stopped directly in front of me, hitting me with a heavy waft of her presence that almost had my eyes rolling. Of course, she had her usual scent, but she also smelled like honey today, with just a hint of spearmint, too. Extending the line of the tape measure longer in her hands, she carefully brought it towards my bicep, looking up at me for silent confirmation.

Swallowing heavily, I nodded, slowly extending my arm out wide. My lungs practically collapsed when I accidentally poked my hand into her stomach, about to apologize before she spoke as if she didn't even notice.

"Really. One of the biggest designer's on the market right now checked out your instagram and wants to make you a special tux for the occasion, so that's pretty huge." She smiled at me cooly, wrapping the line of the tape measure around the circumference of my arm. "They need your measurements by the end of the week."

I simply nodded because I couldn't say anything else, afraid my voice might crack if I did. My hand is still pressing into her stomach and I can't think about anything else. The more she moves around my body to get my measurements, the more her body presses into mine, the more my hand moves around her torso—her stomach. It's soft, and delicate, and...she's warm.

It's too hot in here.

The rising heat must have shown on my face as I felt her eyes on me, feeling her tape measure go to my other arm a little faster now.

"Sorry, I know you probably don't like to be touched like this. I'll make it quick." She started out before my malfunctioning brain finally worked.

Because I don't want her to speed it up.

"No." I answered immediately, causing her to jump slightly from my abrupt voice. "It's okay. You....you can touch me. All you want—I mean—all you need to."

She laughed softly at my stumbling, and once again, I rarely felt embarrassed. It's a relatively new feeling, and I realize I don't like it. It's uncomfortable and....embarrassing...

But, regardless, she slowed down now and took her time, grazing my bicep as she slowly looped the tape measure around it. As she moved, my extended hand caressed across her side, and my mind instantly flipped back to everything I knew about her so far, knowing this is the spot where she had the tattoo. The tattoo I still haven't been able to see, but haven't stopped imagining.

Her breath puffed softly onto my face as she fiddled with the measure to get my proportions, and it was then that I realized how close she was. I couldn't stop staring once I started, watching her work....watching her brows knit together in focus and her curled, dark lashes flutter. Her tongue lightly swept along her bottom lip, and....now my mouth is watering.

She was about to speak before she looked my way, faltering on words when she noticed I was already looking at her. And, now....for once, she seemed to lose her voice, watching me—watching me look at her mouth, and how mine softly opened. Knowing our breaths were mixing, and hers was getting just a little heavier.

My fingers itched to do something and my brain ached—physically ached with a new emotion I couldn't place. It almost felt like I was craving her, like having all of her would still never be enough. Like I absolutely need it, but also knowing I can't have it. It was frustrating, but it was addicting, and I found myself moving in closer, smelling her sweet breath, feeling my stomach stir at the sight of her eyes that were slowly going half lidded. God, she looks...she looks...so...

I didn't know what my thoughts were going to say, and I never got the chance to find out as she barely pulled back, sliding the tape measure off my body. I could tell from her body language that she was about to move away, and I reacted before my mind could think about it, reaching my hand back out and gently grabbing her arm. It was one of the very first times I actually initiated a touch. Not just with her, but with anyone, really.

Her eyes barely widened before returning to their usual half lidded look, allowing me to pull her closer.

"Is that all? I think...I think you should get more measurements." I uttered, fighting through each word to ensure I didn't stumble. "What if....well, it's just.......what if they turn out incorrect because we weren't thorough?"

It's true. Things like that can happen, you know. What if the measurements turn out wrong, and the suit has to be sent back, and then I don't get it in time for the banquet—and what if Lani doesn't touch me again like how she's touching me now? What if she never gets this close again?

A soft breath puffed through her nostrils and her lips barely turned up. Judging from how familiar I'm becoming with her expressions, I think she was...amused? I don't know why. I didn't make a joke, but she does think I'm funny for some reason. Taking her bottom lip between her teeth, she unraveled the tape measure again and this time, it came around my waist from behind, causing me to hold in a breath at the feeling of her fingers grazing my sides.

"Mm." She practically blurted out, causing my muscles to twitch as her fingers accidentally grazed my stomach.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing. You're just...veryyy toned. Seriously, do you ever take an off day?" She asked, gently gliding her hand up my stomach. "Well no matter, the ladies will love it."

I inhaled strongly at the feeling of her hand, stumbling once more until my back was against the wall. The action was so subtle, she didn't notice, walking the few steps forward and focusing on my body. She always gives me compliments, but somehow she never bats an eye. Somehow they always sound so generic and so professional.

I realize....I want more.

"Which....um...which ladies specifically?" I asked as her hand landed on my chest now, catching her gaze gliding up towards mine.

Her eyes swam with a look I couldn't read now, but it felt similar to the emotion I was feeling a few moments ago. The craving one. The wanting of something I couldn't have.

"All of them." She murmured, and her voice surprised me—because it was stripped of her usual charm and poise.

It was soft. Honest. It pulled me in again, not knowing what to do or where to put my hands, but wishing so badly that I did.

"All?" I asked barely above a whisper, watching her features glide across my face so attentively.

"All of them..." She repeated, trailing off before her mouth would say any more.

But, I wanted more. If it was from her, I wanted more. I wanted to know everything that was in her head, but it seems she didn't feel the same way.

With a sigh, she slid her hand off my body and retreated from my distance before I could reach her, writing down my measurements on a paper slip on her desk. The room felt less hot now, but the temperature hadn't changed. A part of me felt unfulfilled now that she was over there instead of over here, and I felt a little bit dazed.

Our space was quiet as the sound of her scribbles echoed through the silent room before she paused her writing and tensed her jaw at whatever she was reading next.

"Oh. Uh. Sooo, this whole mess with your ex-girlfriend makes things a little complicated—you know—for the measurements, and all." She barely glanced back at me before focusing back on the paper. "The designer's gonna wanna know what color your tie and shirt should be, and if you're...taking a date...you'll wanna color coordinate with them..."

Color coordinate?

My mind barely traveled back to the text I received a few minutes ago, yet it felt like hours now, vaguely remembering Momo asking for something about the colors. I think. It seems it's a real thing, the color coordination...

"Oh..." I murmured, realizing I sounded a bit...deflated?

I guess it's because I'd forgotten about the situation with Momo for the time being. I'd been distracted with other things, and 'other things' have been nice to think about. Nicer than reality.

But, once again, Lani didn't feel the same way.

"So what color should I put down for the designer, Shouto? Something that matches her? Or something solo for just...you?" She urged a little more firmly, seeming like she was trying to get me to choose.

But, picking a side seems daunting. And, even if she's been trying to get me to make my own decisions, sometimes, I just....don't know what to do.

"Um..." I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling my thinking brain already exhausted from reaching this point. "Is there...just.....something neutral?"

Her brows barely raised before returning to a stoic positioning, and her eyes went just a little colder.

"Sure." She replied curtly, not turning around to face me as she wrote down the note.

Oh. She's not happy. I wouldn't usually notice with other people, but I notice with her. Because I find myself starting to memorize each expression she makes. It's the same expression she made when she found out I had an ex-girlfriend in the first place. But, even back then, she said she wasn't upset. She looked upset back then though, and she looks upset now. I'm....I'm really curious which part she's upset about.

But, my own thoughts have been eating away at me for too long now. I'm upset, too—or, maybe not upset, but....bothered? And I have been ever since I walked through the door—I don't really know what about either. But, I can't stop thinking about The Guy, and if Lani touches him like how she just touched me, and if she wore this outfit around him, with her breasts out, and her skirt this tight, and...and.....

And I needed to know. Right now.

"Um." I forced my overworked social brain to function, slowing down my thoughts to pull the correct set of words from my brain. "Did you....did you see someone this morning?"

Suddenly, my heart began to pound, and I wasn't sure why. It almost felt like how it does when I get nervous, but I don't know why this conversation would make me nervous. I'm not nervous, I'm curious. There's a difference, and this must be another heart attack.

"Hm?" She uttered, starting to make me wonder why she wasn't turning around to face me.

She hasn't ever since the topic of Momo came up. It upsets her a lot, I think. The same way The Guy upsets me. So, we're both upset—or, is it bothered? I don't know. But, I still wanted to see her eyes because they always stir up my stomach. I slowly trailed around the room and walked in front of her desk, catching her pink pupils as they looked up from her notes now.

"A guy, I mean." I asked, fiddling with the All Might figurine that always sat on her desk. "I think—well...did you see one, or something?"

Her pink gaze slowly shuddered from warm to cold now, blinking a few times as she tried to absorb my words. Her attention traveled down to the hero briefcase in my hands before slowly placing her measuring notes back on her desk.

"Heh, that's odd." She gained back some of her poised facade, leaning her side against her desk as she looked at me lazily. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were following me, Shouto."

Following? Why would she think I followed her?

I quirked a brow of confusion as that couldn't have been the furthest thing from my mind, quickly pulling out my phone to explain.

"No, I wasn't. I got this text message today." I said, navigating to the stranger's message board before handing her the phone. "I didn't want to get coffee with her. So, I decided to ask you instead."

Lani scanned the contents of the message quickly before her shoulders dropped in relief—then they tightened again as she reread the message and actually absorbed it for herself.

"No way. I knew Ella was a manipulative bitch." She grumbled, handing my phone back to me with a scoff.

Oh, it was Ella. Not Ellie. I think I'll forget that soon anyways. I'm more focused on Lani's reaction. It seems she really does know the stranger, and from that reaction, it doesn't seem like she likes her.

"Huh?" I asked, watching her swipe a picture frame off her desk.

She handed it to me, and I realized it was a picture I'd seen before—one of Lani and a guy—The Guy, apparently, with his athletic jacket on. "The 'guy' was my brother, Shouto. My brother Raiga. Ella knew that perfectly well." Lani said, throwing around a hand of annoyance as she gestured to the picture.

Raiga...

The name sounded familiar, and instantly, my mind traveled back to last night when I was looking through each of Lani's Instagram pictures, realizing I must have mentally stored away the information so I'd remember it now.

"Raiga? The person from your instagram?" I asked, causing her to snort slightly as I handed her back the picture frame.

"Mhm. Thanks for liking all 3,000 of my pictures by the way." She mused, brushing past me to sit in her chair.

My eyes went a bit blank as I tried to put the pieces together, sitting at the chair on the other side of her desk. "So it's just your brother?" I confirmed almost warily, watching her lean back in her chair and twirl a pen between her fingers.

"Just my brother. That's the only person it could be. I don't have a boyfriend." She clarified, causing my tense muscles to instantly melt.

That means, there is no Guy.

"Oh. That's good." I settled in my chair more comfortably, not realizing my words until after I said them.

"Is it?" Lani challenged, causing my scrambled brain to immediately search for an answer.

"Just because—well, if you were dating someone, you'd have less time to spend on me." I explained honestly, causing her to chuckle.

"Well, aren't you a spoiled brat." She laughed, taking her lip between her teeth. "That's kinda the whole point of a boyfriend. You spend time with 'em. You kiss 'em. Mm, maybe even mess around with them if you're feeling frisky, right?"

"Mess around?-"

"Anyways, you got here quick." She tactfully changed the subject, eyes twinkling humorously as she knew she left me wondering about the previous topic. "You must have already been in the building. What are you doing here on a Sunday?"

I fiddled with my thumbs and looked around her office, reflecting on the busy events of the day before lunchtime even arrived. "Well, I got called here by my boss. To talk about the drug we found at the party last night."

Lani's teases immediately wiped off her face now, accidentally dropping the pen she was twirling between her fingers. "Right. The.....that drug." She cleared her throat, sitting up a little straighter. "Um, did you...ever find what you were looking for, by the way?"

Part of me actually wanted to tell her. I wanted to tell her everything, and not just about the drug. It's not that I think she would tell anyone, it just doesn't seem appropriate to say anything about it right now, especially when the case is still ongoing.

"Sort of. But....I don't think Mr. Aizawa would want me to share that information with people unrelated to the case." I said, causing her eyes to wander absentmindedly.

"Right. Yeah..." She murmured, and I caught her gaze quickly return back to the picture frame on her desk.

The one of her brother—Raiga. I remember his name because she said it, because I looked at her instagram last night and I took everything in. I won't forget it if she said it. And if she just looked at the picture again, it must mean she's still thinking about him. Right? I don't know for sure, but maybe? She did say she went to visit him in the hospital. My brain remembers it, I was just too focused on The Guy—or lack of—to take in anything else.

But, this doesn't seem like something that should go left unsaid—I don't think. So, my brain continued to travel outside its comfort zone, taking another initiative and starting a new topic on my own.

"So, your brother's...in the hospital, you said?" I asked a little quieter, causing her to look back at me.

She seemed surprised herself that I started the new conversation, or that I even remembered about her brother. I guess that...even though I remember a lot of things about her, I never say them out loud, so she doesn't really know that. She probably doesn't ever really know what I'm thinking. I'm sure that can be frustrating for her...

Because it's frustrating for me...being unable to get the words out whenever I want to...

I watched her features closely and took in the way they softened...the way her hand came to her mouth. And her fingers stroked her chin.

"Mhm. He's sick." She murmured, making me think he must have the flu.

"Oh. I hope he feels better soon." I said before she sighed.

Her hand fell from her mouth and into her lap, looking at me knowingly before repeating herself a little heavier and more vulnerable. "No, Shouto. He's...sick."

And, even though I have a hard time picking up on implications and social cues, for some reason I understood. Because it's Lani, and I've been studying her carefully. Every inflection of her voice, every look on her face, I'm watching all of it because I want to make sure I didn't miss a thing.

Her eyes went somber, her shoulders fell, and she looked hopeless. So, what she's saying—I think—is that her brother's illness isn't just a temporary cold. It's something more serious and terminal. And while that thing called "empathy" has always been hard for me to find, somehow, it's not so lost if it's about her.

I felt bad about her and her situation, not only that, but I felt surprised. Surprised that she'd been hiding this for as long as she had—I guess she wasn't ever trying to hide it, but I didn't know—I didn't even think of the possibility. It just makes me realize that there's still so much I don't know about her. There's still so much mystery, and I think about it everyday. I want to know.

"I'm sorry." I lowered my head, causing her to smile weakly.

"Thanks."

The space between us went quiet, but from her body language, I think she was comfortable. The only sound in the room was the soft ticking of her clock. It was slow, and that comforted me, allowing my brain to open up more and share something.

"Um—my brother's sick, too." I said, thinking back on the history I have with him. "His—um....his....sickness isn't physical. It's...it's mental. But...he's still sick. In a way."

I don't talk about him to my friends very often. It's partly because of what he's done to them over the years, but mostly because I guess this is a part of my life I like to keep private—kind of like Lani with her own brother. But, for some reason, I wanted to tell her. I guess....I just wanted her to know that...we can relate somehow? I mean...I feel like...it makes us relate somehow—it makes her relate to me more than I previously realized.

"Wow, I didn't know that." She murmured softly, opening up her body language and leaning forward towards her desk. "Did he ever get help for it?"

"Not by choice." I said honestly. "But, yes. I try to see him once every week to tell him how I'm doing."

Her brow raised slightly in pleasant surprise, "Really? I see my brother once a week for the same reason."

She looked like she felt a little better, and also maybe a little more....I don't know....interested in me? I couldn't help but feel the same. I've never really spoken to anyone about that, but for once, I felt there was someone who could understand.

"Oh. I...I guess we...sort of...have that in common then. Right?" I asked, feeling my lips barely quirking a smile of their own.

Because we're very different most of the time. And while I'm growing to enjoy that aspect of Lani and I, it's also nice to find things that we share together. Things we share that others don't.

She smiled, and it looked like maybe she agreed, about to respond before my phone sounded loudly on her desk.

Ding!

Instinctively, the two of us looked at it, both of us reading the message that flashed across the screen.

Text Message From: Momo
Shouto, can you please answer me?
11:05am.

Lani's smile went dry, and it felt like a shot to the chest after the progress I thought we made today. She let out a breath through her nose and shook her head like she was talking sense into herself, sliding my phone across the table so it was within my reach.

"Looks like someone's wanting your attention. Here you go." She said, her voice sounding distant in a way it didn't before.

And it felt like she was getting further away with every passing second, keeping my eyes on her as I closed my phone screen without a second thought. "It's not important. It's just my ex-girlfriend."

But, that didn't seem to make her cold aura any warmer as she put on her facade again, the facade she used a lot when we first met. The facade that I know isn't her.

"Wow. Two women already in your DMs, and it's not even noon, yet. Someone's popular with the ladies." She smirked, giving her eyebrows a little wiggle before abruptly rising from her seat.

Now she's walking away from me. Whenever other women get closer to me, she gets further away. Does she not like seeing me around other women? Isn't that the purpose of our job? Not that it's a purpose I care for. But, I'm just....confused.

"I don't care for that sort of thing." I turned around in my chair to look at her. "I never respond anyways."

She didn't look at me again and simply waved me off, grabbing an envelope to put my measurement notes inside of. "Hey, don't worry about it. Shouto, you're allowed to message whoever you want. Don't let me stand in the way—that is your date to the banquet after all."

Her words weren't anything I wanted to hear, causing me to sigh as I looked down at my phone slightly, suddenly feeling a little resentment for Momo's timing. I already left her on read, can't she just leave me alone?

I've never really been mad at Momo before. I've never really felt anything for her before, other than indifference. But, for some reason....that might be changing. Negatively.

"You're not in the way." I reassured Lani, rising from my chair now. "I just don't want to message her back."

But, when I started walking over to her, she quickly walked away from me and back to her desk, brushing past me with words that shouldn't have mattered to me as much as they did...

"Okay. If you say so."

**

A/N: as always you guys can read ahead on Patreon. If you missed it, I just posted another nsfw art of Lani and Shouto last week there and people went CRAZY for it.

Also on WATTPAD this upcoming Friday, my Gojo Satoru story comes out! If ur into Gojo, I think you'll love it <3