This is from Patreon! I hope you guys enjoy. Don't worry it's not angsty-- I figured we all needed a bit of cheer in this shitty quarantine. There are a lot of one-shots being posted to patreon and to the one-dollar tier as bonuses! If anyone is interested or has any questions, I've got you smh. That's also where you can read Freeze Forward and Fostered, both Freeze Frame AUs! 

Third person pov

It started shortly after she started at UA.

I close my eyes it's you

Lillian had never been one to have many dreams. They simply didn't come to her when she slept, and that was fine. It's not something she was particularly torn up over, or that she even thought about. It's just... how things were. Any dreams she had were the brief, foggy kind she couldn't remember anything about. Never were they like this. These dreams-- the ones she started having almost immediately after her first day of class-- were bright and vivid. So clear see would've thought they were real if not for the fact that she was still waking up every morning.

When they first started, she wanted nothing more than for them to stop. When she peered back at that time, she wouldn't trade those nights for anything in the entire world. Lillian had never been a big believer in fate, but she was sure that them meeting like that was supposed to happen. Where would she be if she hadn't had that place to escape to? Would she have nightmares about all she'd seen? Closing her eyes was now a comfort. It wasn't something to dread.

The first dream she had, she remembered thinking it was real. She hadn't even realized she was asleep. One moment she closed her eyes, and the next she was opening them to a grassy field full of colorful flowers and rolling plains. She was laying under a tree-- the only one in sight. It was the big kind with twisting branches that looked like it was pulled straight out of a fairytale. And when Lillian managed to blink her shock away and gather her bearings, she was able to turn her head to the left and see that she wasn't alone.

And I know now who I am

There was another boy there. A teenager like her, only he was massive. Well over six feet tall, lying there next to her and blinking at her like he couldn't believe she was there staring at him. Lillian had never screamed so loud in her life. What else was she supposed to do? She woke up in a grassy field after falling asleep in her perfectly normal bed in her perfectly normal house, and now she was finding out that she was alone with some gargantuan guy three times her size who she probably wouldn't be able to fend off if she tried.

He'd flinched and bolted upright at her shriek, shouting that it was a dream and to calm down. Which didn't make Lillian calm down. Back then, Lillian didn't know what the words 'calm down' meant. She was too anxious and erratic for something so simple! Instead, she burst into tears. The boy looked surprised, like he hadn't expected her to react to him in the slightest. As though this had happened before. It definitely hadn't. Lillian would remember something like this. Was there even a way to forget? The answer was no, there wasn't!

Lillian just sort of blubbered there for a moment, her knees curled under her. The boy sat criss-cross in front of her, a good seven to eight feet away. He was clearly trying to make himself smaller by hunching over, but it just made him more intimidating. Why was he so tall? Yet he looked her age. God didn't make people like that, right? He'd said this was a dream, so maybe she'd conjured him up... was this her sleep paralysis demon?! Her anxiety, humanized?!

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Lillian continued to panic for the next twenty minutes before finally managing to calm down and croak out a small apology. She didn't know why she was apologizing to someone who'd been watching her sleep, but she was. She felt sort of bad about screaming at him. Even if he wasn't like, real. Was he real? No, if he was real, she was probably the one who wasn't real. He'd said this was a dream. So he was fake. Right? Yes. That made sense.

"A-Ah, it's fine! I should be the one apologizing!" The other teen shook his head, waving his hands in front of him as he did so. His eyes were still wide as saucers, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "My name is Inasa Yaorashi. I've been having dreams like this with you in them since I was around eight, but this is the first time you've actually woken up and responded to me! I'm actually pretty surprised. I mean, normally you just lay th--"

He didn't get to finish. Lillian started to cry again.

And I know now

They established a few things that night. Inasa thought she was just some fake, made-up girl he'd been dreaming about since he was a kid, and Lillian thought he was a demon. As in, she didn't think he was real, and he was pretty convinced she wasn't real either. That made two of them. Why would her own apparition call her fake? And why was he so loud? He shouted practically everything! This was just more proof it really was her anxiety personified. She was second-guessing herself now. Was she real?

Inasa was excited. The girl was awake, and her name was Lillian! He'd never thought she'd wake up and reply to him. He remembered the first time he had a dream like this. He told his parents all about it. Then, it just kept happening! Was his brain finally advanced enough to make her wake up and interact? This was all so weird and exciting. He had been convinced he'd continue to dream about her for the rest of her life and never get to know who she was or why he had conjured her up, but here they were! She was much shyer than he'd imagined.

"Yeah, I'm pretty much in love with you!" Inasa laughed like this was some sort of joke. It wasn't a joke. Lillian wasn't laughing-- wasn't even smiling right now. "You are very pretty. I've got a good imagination."

"I-I'm pretty sure you're the fake one." Lillian had admitted, not knowing how absolutely wrong she was back then. "Y-You're all my fears combined! Really tall, l-loud, b-bold, giving me unsolicited c-compliments... plus you're m-making me second guess my existence."

"If you have to second guess it, you're definitely not real." Inasa snorted, grinning at her. Lillian just sniffled in response.

There's a place I go when I'm alone

That one, single dream should've been the end of it. Lillian had woken up shivering like a newborn fawn and then had managed just barely not to fall into a complete mental breakdown while getting ready for the day. So imagine her surprise when she's finally gotten her heart rate back to normal by the end of the day, and gets into bed while reassuring herself that she will not be dreaming about personified anxiety only to wake up-- yeah, you guessed it-- laying in a grassy field next to a very tall, very smiley boy.

He seemed excited to see her. She was too in shock to actually do anything. He ended up hugging her due to her lack of a response. He was warm-- like a real person, almost. It was actually more comforting than it was nerve-wracking. Lillian might've even hugged back were she not completely and totally mortified by the situation. She didn't ever dream! Why was she dreaming again?! This could be a reoccurring thing. Two times in a row couldn't be a coincidence. What if the dreams never stopped?

"You're back!" Inasa gave her one last squeeze before releasing her, grinning widely at her. Another laugh bellowed out of him. "Thank you very much for appearing!"

He stood and bowed so hard his head slammed into the grass and his forehead started to bleed. Lillian didn't bother to hide her horror.

Do anything I want, be anyone I wanna be

It took a few nights, but Lillian managed to accept that this was just going to be a regular part of her routine. And once you got used to Inasa's loudness, he actually wasn't too bad! For an imaginary dream man, anyway. He was very touchy-feely, and liked to hug Lillian. Lillian didn't know how she felt about that. She didn't hug many people. Not even her parents. Still, Inasa was oddly warm for someone who wasn't real. If this was all a dream, Lillian didn't guess it mattered. Besides, he seemed to enjoy pointing out how small she was. It was vaguely irritating, but Lillian had accepted her runtish size a long time ago.

"I just s-started at UA." She told him, tugging at her fingers unsurely. "They're r-really nice. E-Eraserhead is my teacher!"

"I almost started going there! That must be where you got it from." Inasa laughed. He still talked like she was fake, but Lillian talked like he was fake too, so she guessed it was a mutual understanding. Lillian just let it happen. What could she do? She was lucid, but couldn't manipulate what was happening as far as she could tell. She'd tried to make Inasa quieter with sheer will power alone several times. "I go to Shiketsu high! So far, I'm top of my class!"

Lillian gave a shy smile, and he beamed at her in return. She was pretty sure that was the moment when she decided that these little meetings weren't all that bad.

But it is us I see and I cannot believe I'm falling

They continued to meet up. Every night for weeks upon weeks, Lillian would fall asleep and wake up to him grinning next to her. And then he'd celebrate, scooping her up in his arms and whooping like her waking up was the best thing that could've happened to him. Lillian had been initially freaked out by him picking her up and spinning her around, but now she was used to it and couldn't help but laugh. Inasa had such a vast, detailed personality. It was hard to believe he wasn't real. But this was undoubtedly a dream.

"You're so pretty." Inasa admired, gazing at her and actively proving her point that this was all fake. Who would ever think she was pretty? "If you were real, I'd definitely propose! Well, I guess I'm too young for that. I guess I'd just have to court you, then!"

He let out a loud, booming laugh afterward. Lillian would've blushed and sputtered were this real life, but she'd gotten too used to it over the past few weeks to be affected. He was always saying stuff like that. Lillian would either squint at him until he stopped or tell him he couldn't be in love with someone who wasn't real. He'd just laugh at her then too, but Lillian's point stood. He had to be the fake one, right? He'd claimed to have been having dreams of her since he was a child, but she hadn't seen him at all before this whole slew of lucid rendezvous started.

That's where I'm going, where are you going?

Lillian hadn't meant to get attached to Inasa. But after the USJ, she had a massive break down. She woke up in their grassy field crying, and Inasa's grin had dropped like a stone in a pond. He'd gathered her up in her arms and shushed her, and rubbed her back until she calmed down. Lillian was hysterical as she blubbered out her explanation. Normally when Lillian told Inasa about things in her life or in her day, he'd laugh and make a reference to her being fake. He didn't do that this time. Didn't even mention it. Lillian was glad.

"I've got you." He assured, holding her close. Lillian buried her face in his shoulder and cried. She cried the entire time they were together, hugging him as hard as she could. She blubbered about Nomu, and broken bones, and how bad her eyes had stung. And she talked about how scared she'd been, and about five fingers turning everything to dust. Her teacher-- god, she couldn't stop crying. Anytime she tried to bring him up, she'd just start to wail all over again. Inasa never acted annoyed by her crying or frustrated. He just held her and rubbed her back, running a hand through her hair occasionally and wiping off her cheeks.

"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry." Lillian managed to choke out, just before she woke up. He smiled this warm sort of smile full of fondness, and that's the exact moment Lillian found herself fixated to him. When she woke up, she told Hitoshi all about her dreams.

Hold it close, won't let this go

Lillian and Inasa were a lot, lot closer after that. They talked more, and Lillian started to treat every dream like it would be the last. Right before she fell asleep, she'd think as hard as she could about Inasa to make sure that the grassy field was where she went. There, and nowhere else. She didn't want it to end. Inasa was her friend, even if he was a product of her dream. Generated by her mind or not, he was one of the realest things in her life. He was steady. No matter what was going on, he was always there waiting for her when she fell asleep. That meant a lot to her.

"You know I'm still in love with you, right?" Inasa asked one night as he tossed her in the air and caught her again. It got hard to pass the time sometimes, so they'd find things to do. One of those things was Inasa throwing her as high as he could and then catching her. It had terrified Lillian at first, but she was used to it now. He seemed to enjoy it a lot. Lillian could never dream of having the upper body strength for something like that, but Inasa's biceps were the size of her head or something crazy like that. She didn't doubt he could handle it just fine.

"Whatever you say." Lillian gave a small smile as he beamed at her, tossing her up into the air again. "The UA Sports Fesitval is soon. Hitoshi, Neito, and I are going to work together. I-I hope we pass the first part. It's supposed to be really hard."

"I'm sure you'll do great!" Inasa assured. This was another moment in which he didn't make any claims that she was fake. He was careful not to upset her, and Lillian appreciated it. Even if she still was pretty sure he wasn't real. It was a weird feeling, and she tried not to think about it. That she was friends with someone who didn't exist. "You won't leave me for this Hitoshi fellow, will you? You two sound real close."

"I'd never leave you, Inasa!" Lillian laughed. Inasa caught her, beaming even brighter than before. Lillian couldn't stop herself from beaming back. It was almost depressing to admit, but she was at her happiest when she was here.

Dream, catch me, yeah

Turns out Lillian was adopted. She woke up that night next to Inasa as usual. He had his head propped up on his hand and was gazing at her with a fond expression. It made Lillian wish she'd been seeing him since she was eight too. Well... she guessed Inasa wasn't real. Just realizing that made her want to cry her eyes out. That wasn't the issue right now. Her parents weren't really her blood parents. Sure, she still loved them, but the fact that they hadn't told her or the school... she didn't know. She just felt a little depressed over it was all.

"You look sad." Inasa said after a moment. Lillian sniffled and sat up, which prompted him to do the same. He scooted up so he was right next to her. Lillian let herself lean against him, her eyebrows furrowed as she gazed down at her hands. Inasa didn't say anything else. Though, he did wrap an arm around her and offer a comforting squeeze. Lillian was grateful. She really was. She didn't know if Inasa was real or a figment of her imagination, but she was glad he was here either way.

"I'm adopted." Lillian frowned, turning to peer up at him. He blinked at her. "I don't know how to feel."

"Do you want a hug?" He asked, looking hopeful. Lillian smiled. Half because she actually did want a hug, but half because seeing him grin at her was all the cheering up she really needed.

Dream, catch me when I fall

Lillian opened her eyes to see Inasa's hovering over hers, his brows drawn tightly together and a frown plastered on his face. Lillian might've been startled, but she was too relieved to see him. She'd been trying her best to fall asleep. It was hard because of how much her mind was racing, but she'd finally done it. She'd managed to pass out and appear here. She wasn't sure how long Inasa had been waiting, but hopefully not long. He always got here first.

"You're crying." He noted, bringing a large hand up to wipe at her cheeks. Lillian gave a sad smile, bringing her arms up and lacing them around his neck. He looked surprised, but pulled him up with her anyway. Lillian settled into his lap like she was meant to fit there, burying her face in his shirt. He was always wearing soft, cotton shirts and baggy sweatpants that looked a lot like the ones Hitoshi wore. She took a deep breath. He smelt woodsy. He'd said he had a wind quirk, so she guessed it made sense.

"I'm not adopted." Lillian sniffled. "I was actually kidnapped."

Inasa hugged her closer, his brows furrowing. "You sound like you have a very complicated life."

Lillian let out a teary laugh, but even she couldn't deny it.

Or else I won't come back at all

Lillian woke up breathless the first night after the Sports Festival. The smile on her face seemed like it was permanently etched there. She turned to greet Inasa, but she was struck when she saw that he wasn't laying there like he normally was. He was sitting up and gazing at her with big, round eyes. They were red and puffy, like he'd been crying for a while. Lillian scrambled to get up, her happy expression falling from her face as she rushed to sit in front of him. He didn't stop her from grabbing his hands, only peering down at them like he couldn't believe she was actually touching him. It was... weird. Not like him at all.

"Inasa? What's wrong?" Lillian asked, voice ripe with concern. She'd never seen him cry before. She blinked as he brought his gaze up from their interconnected hands to look at her face. His eyes were searching. Lillian wasn't sure for what. She held his stare with concern and worry circulating through her blue irises. He stared back like he was seeing her for the first time.

"Y...You're real." Inasa croaked. Lillian froze like a deer in headlights, giving him a bewildered look. "Y-You're real! On the TV-- I saw you compete i-in the.. the... y-you're real."

"Inasa?" Lillian asked, her voice quiet, and her eyes still full of fret. He cupped her face in his hands delicately, like she might break into a million pieces if he was too harsh. Lillian felt a fresh wave of confusion swell in her as he gave her the happiest, most genuine grin she'd ever seen on him before. It was a smile that looked like it would make his cheeks hurt, and he laughed.

That was the first time Inasa kissed her. Lillian had immediately begun to cry.

You do so much but you don't know it's true

"I'm real!" Inasa insisted for the millionth time. Lillian was sitting a good six feet away from him, afraid he'd kiss her again. It's not that she hadn't... liked it, or that she was mad. It was just terrifying. She had tried to text Neito for help, asking if this was a wet dream or if she'd finally just lost it, but he hadn't responded. She was actually getting a little worried. "I'll give you my phone number! I've been trying to call into Present Mic's show, but too many people ring in!"

"This is a dream! Th-There's no way you're real!" Lillian wouldn't dare to hope. She just couldn't! It would hurt too much if it wasn't true. Inasa huffed, crossing his arms over his chest in a pouty manner. Lillian huffed back, eyeing him from the corner of her eye. Even if he was real, he wouldn't like her in real life anyway. She was more confident when she was asleep. Which was... weird, but true.

"Fine. I'll just have to make you fall in love with me for real! Then, I'll come find you. That'll prove it." Inasa seemed to decide, grinning at her. Lillian felt her cheeks heat up just like they did anytime he dared mention anything relating to their kiss. He'd seemed a lot brighter since declaring that she was real and pressing his lips to hers. Kissing was... definitely odd. It wasn't fireworks or sparks. It was just soft and addicting. Lillian sort of wanted to do it again, but it felt wrong.

"...Alright." Lillian decided it was best just to agree. "B-But don't kiss me again."

"You're right! I shouldn't have done that without asking." He stood up, and Lillian tensed as he bowed so hard his forehead slammed into the ground, just like he'd done the second time they'd appeared before one another. "I APOLOGIZE!"

The way he shouted it made Lillian dissolve into laughter. The next day, she found herself hosting an entire concert alongside Present Mic. And when she gazed out over the crowd, she swore she saw Inasa grinning widely in the hoard of people with his eyes shining with tears. But when she did a doubletake, he was gone. She brushed it off as a figment of her imagination. Probably a mistake on her part, but she couldn't allow herself to get lost in the fantasy of him. Not when she was so sure she'd be let down.

And I know now who I am

"You have merch now! I've ordered all of it. That way, I'll be able to look at your beautiful face even when I'm awake!" Inasa beamed proudly, tossing her up in the air. Lillian snorted. Merch. Of her. Who'd want any of that? Unless it was the Endeavor Banisher apparel, which she would admit she had purchased. What wasn't to like? Endeavor was canceled. Inasa had been very proud of her for that. He apparently hated Endeavor, so he'd gotten very hyped as she brought him down.
"Shoto got some too. I asked him about you like you said to, by the way. He says he doesn't remember anyone named Inasa Yaorashi with a wind quirk." Lillian noted. She swore she heard Inasa grumble 'asshole' under his breath, but she was flying back into the air before she could process. Lillian sniffed. Was she forgetting something? It sure felt like it... wait, that's right! How could she have skimmed past something so important?! "Neito is dead, by the way. And Mr. Aizawa is my dad."
Inasa had never dropped her before. He hadn't this time either, but it was a very near thing.
Yeah, yeah, yeah

They helped each other study for exams. Lillian would sit in his lap and they'd quiz each other. It was around this time that they kissed for a second time. Inasa had respected her and hadn't made any moves to initiate one. This was nice of him. Beyond nice, actually. But it also posed an issue. Lillian wasn't bold in the least. Making the first move wasn't her forte, but she couldn't stop thinking about it. It felt like she was being torn apart. She really liked Inasa, but she wasn't sure she couldn't believe he was real. Letting herself start to think it was true was only going to hurt. Shoto saying he didn't remember him hadn't helped either.

Lillian was helping Inasa with his English when it happened. They were just walking across the grass, him carrying her. He liked to carry her. Lillian insisted she could walk just fine and that he didn't have to, but he'd just grin and laugh in a very Inasa-like way and proceed to spin her around. She felt the unwavering fondness that she felt towards him beginning to grow and expand in her like a warm flower coming to bloom. So one night when she woke up to him gazing at her, she found herself rolling over so that their noses were almost touching.

Inasa had frozen. He went completely stock still, his eyes getting slightly wider and his lips parting in surprise. Inasa didn't often blush, but he did this time. Probably out of surprise. Lillian's face went entirely red. She hadn't really meant to do what she did, but here she was. She found feel his breath fanning across her face-- it smelled like mint. She wondered if hers smelt like bubblegum. That's the flavor of toothpaste she used.

They stared at each other for a moment longer before they were kissing again, Inasa pulling her closer. This kiss was a lot, lot longer than the last.

And I know now

"We both passed!" Lillian exclaimed in a joyful tone. Inasa let out a booming laugh that sounded more akin to a cackle. That only made Lillian want to laugh too. He was so intense sometimes, she couldn't help it. "I'm excited for the summer camp. Aren't you?" Lillian questioned. Inasa had told her that the hero course for his school was going to fly across Japan for theirs. Lillian still didn't know where 1-A was off to. She was sad Neito couldn't come, but still very excited for what was to come.
"Of course we did! We studied like crazy." Inasa lifted her up, setting her on his shoulder. Lillian felt incredibly tall. "Now, we're both going to get stronger. That way when I see you, I'll be extra ripped! You won't be able to resist me."

Lillian didn't tell herself Inasa was fake anymore, but she didn't tell herself he was real either. She cried anytime she thought too hard about it. The prospect terrified her. It didn't make sense. This was literally a dream. Neito was insisting they were soulmates. When Lillian had told her friends-- with a bright red face, of course-- that they'd kissed again, they'd all gasped like she'd revealed something scandalous. Even Shoto.

"I've figured out when we're going to meet." Inasa noted, drawing her from her daze. She blinked up at him curiously as he grinned. "The licensing exam! It's perfect! I can even meet all your friends, and they can meet me! I'll be sure I wear as much merch as is allowed. That way you know it's me."

"You're like, seven feet tall. I think I'd be able to spot you without the merch." Lillian gave a small smile, feeling a little sad. She wanted to hope. But what if she showed up at the licensing exam, and he wasn't there? What if he disappeared, and it was all fake? Lillian wasn't.. wasn't sure what she'd do.

There's a place I go when I'm alone

"I haven't kissed anyone yet." Hagakure huffed. Their first day at the summer camp was coming to an end, and Lillian was eager to get to bed so she could tell Inasa all about it. He was going to freak when he heard she was thrown off a cliff. She wondered what he'd gone through, too! His class was going to an obscure mountain apparently. Inasa laughed and said that he had an advantage. There were no electronics allowed at all, but he had the advantage of their dreams! While his classmates were stranded and cut off from the rest of the world, he still had Lillian. she hadn't been able to stop smiling when he told her that.

"Me either." Jiro sighed, eyes sliding over to Lillian. Lillian hadn't involved herself with the rest of the girls in the class. She was closer to the new kid who'd come in, Hitoshi, and that 1-B kid who hadn't come on the trip. It was... sort of weird. Jiro really just wanted to get to know her better, and she was sure everyone else wanted to as well. Now was the perfect time. They were all relaxing in the hot springs, and there was no escape. "What about you, Lillian?"

Lillian froze, her eyes going wide and her face going bright red. Not the reaction they'd been expecting. Mina let out a gasp.

"What?! No way!" The pink-skinned girl gasped. "Do you have a boyfriend?!"

"Yes!" The two voices of Hitoshi and Shoto called from beyond the barrier before Lillian could answer. The freckled girl felt mortified, but even she couldn't deny the way her heart flipped.

Do anything I want, be anyone I wanna be

"Please marry me." Inasa groaned as Lillian kneaded her hands into his shoulders. He'd had just as hard a day training as she had. The only downside on his end was that he hadn't gotten the luxury of a hot spring. Though, he had admitted that he hadn't been thrown off a cliff and then forced to trek through the woods for hours at a time. Lillian had been tempted to tell him about the conversation between her and the rest of the girls in the hot spring before, but she was too embarrassed to.

"Alright." Lillian agreed. Inasa hummed low and deep, making his entire body reverberate. It was a pleasant sound. Like a big cat purring.

"No, really. I'm in love with you." Inasa decided. "I remember the first time I saw you. I thought you were the prettiest girl I'd ever seen. And then I got to watch you grow up and change into this... and then I finally got to meet you. After all those years of talking to you while you sleep!"

Lillian was quiet for a moment, continuing to rub into Inasa's upper back. He tilted his head back when she didn't say anything, giving her a curious look. There was a silent question in his eyes, asking if he'd gone too far. He hadn't. He said stuff like this all the time, so it wasn't new. This time, it just... struck something different in Lillian. Maybe it's because she was tired, or maybe it was something else.

But it is us I see and I cannot believe I'm falling

"I think... I love you too." Lillian admitted, rubbing her hands into his back again. She was being scooped up into his arms before she could even process that he'd moved.

That's where I'm going, where are you going?

The happiness was swiped away the next night. In a flash, Inasa felt his dreamy retreat with whom he was sure was the love of his life turn into a terrifying nightmare. One where he was helpless. Where he wanted to help, but didn't know how. He was scared, but Lillian was even more afraid. She couldn't stop crying. It was so much worse than the USJ. She woke up late, gasping for air as though she'd just come back to life. The tears were immediate, and she latched onto him with her eyes wide and terror.
"I-I-Inasa, I-I can't--" Lillian choked out as he stared down at her, his eyes wide and afraid. A rage unlike any other built up in him. Who had done this to her? Who was making her feel this way? What was wrong, and what could he do to help? "I-I can't get out. Th-They came, a-and they attacked u-us--"

"Lillian, Lillian, it's okay. I've got you. It's going to be okay. It's all going to be okay." He held her close and tight, squeezing his eyes shut to keep back his own tears. He didn't know what was happening. At all. From what he gathered, someone had dared to lay a hand on Lillian. The same villains who'd attacked the USJ, no doubt. And they'd gotten Lillian. They had her, and he was all the way across the nation on a fucking mountain in the middle of nowhere. Fuck!

"I-I'm scared." Lillian looked up at him, her eyes wide. Her grip on him tightened so hard it left marks. Inasa felt his heart stop. It felt like a goodbye. "I love y-"

She vanished right out of his arms in the blink of an eye. The scream he let out was full of not only rage, but grief too. Because she needed him, and he wasn't there. He pounded his fists against the ground until his knuckles bruised and bled, as though that would somehow help him get to Lillian. It didn't. That being said, crying didn't really help either, but he did that anyway too.

Hold it close, won't let this go

Their teacher woke the class up that morning. Lillian hadn't appeared again, but Inasa sure as hell wasn't going to risk not being there when she did. He knew, realistically, he couldn't make it all the way back to where she was to help. As much as he wanted to take off and go to her in real-time, he knew that wouldn't do any good. He was just too far away. So, he had to do what he could from where he was. If that meant waiting for the moment she came back into their shared dream world, then so be it. He'd wait. He'd wait as long as it took.
He came to with a gasp as well, startling his classmates. He twisted around and looked at them with wide eyes. His teacher rose an eyebrow.
"You okay there, Yoarashi?" The woman questioned. He looked... angry. Absolutely pissed, actually. Inasa was intense, but he wasn't the type to get irrationally angry out of nowhere. He'd been pumped for this summer camp. Their whole class had, but especially him. He was a go-getter, that's for sure! So why did he--
Inasa shook his head again, and with a quick blast of air, he knocked himself right back out. His classmates had no idea what to do as he fell backward and thunked back onto his tatami mat. They shrieked.

Dream, catch me, yeah

Inasa sat and waited. He waited and waited, and then waited some more. He woke up in the infirmary with his teacher sitting by his bed, but he was up and knocking himself back out before she could get a single word in. He didn't give a damn. He just... really didn't. He was going to sit here and wait for as long as it took. Lillian... Lillian had to come back to him. He refused to accept anything different. He'd sit under this tree an eternity if that's what was needed.

It took some time. Inasa woke up again, this time restrained. He still managed to knock himself out. He did it harder this time. Next time he came to, he was sure they'd have quirk restraints on him. Inasa couldn't afford not to be here whenever Lillian finally showed up. He couldn't do much for her right now, but this... this he could handle. It didn't feel like enough. It wasn't enough, but it's not like he was there. Not like he wanted to be. All at once, he hated himself for not choosing to go to UA. Had he, he'd be there with her.

Finally, after hours of sitting, she appeared before him. The relief that came with seeing her was overwhelming. He hadn't been sure he'd get the chance to see her again. He'd almost thought that maybe... maybe she'd been taken away.

Dream, catch me when I fall

He quietly drew her closer to him. She feebly wrapped her arms around him, her body shaking as she silently cried. Tremors ran through her body, telling Inasa the story of the trauma she'd experienced. She looked so tired. So, so tired. He held her softly, but not too softly. He was firm and secure in his grip too. He wanted her to feel safe here. Safer than she'd ever felt in her entire life. He leaned himself up against the tree and curled himself up around her, pressing his face into her hair and assuring her quietly that he was here. That he wasn't going anywhere.
"H-He's dead." Lillian whispered, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "A-A-Awase. And Hitoshi's h-hand, and... a-and Izuku sh-shot... A-Awase... I-I can't---"

"It's okay, Lillian. You don't have to explain. It's alright." Inasa assured. His voice was soft. He was glad she had her face buried in his shirt right now. The look on his face right now could surely kill. He was just... so angry. It only got worse as she muttered out fractured pieces of what she'd gone through to him. She was incredibly strong, shaking her head and calming herself down. He wasn't sure how she did it.

"I'm okay." She said, more to herself than to him. Inasa watched her give him a small smile. "I... I-I have you, and Shoto, and N-Neito, and Hitoshi, and m-my dad, a-and Mic, and Mihoko, and Inko, a-and Chad, and Rei, a-and... a-and everyone. I have everyone."

"You do. And I'm not going anywhere. I promise." He gave her a bold grin, holding her close. "And as soon as I'm home, I'm putting in for a transfer to UA! You'll have to deal with me day and night!"

Hearing Lillian's laugh had never brought him such solid reassurance before, even with how small it sounded.

Or else I won't come back at all

Inasa spent the entire time holding her. He was almost afraid to let go. He'd almost thought that... that maybe she'd died. That he'd be waiting for her here forever. She managed to tell him the story of what happened after calming herself down, a frown on her face, and her hands squeezing his as she leaned back into his chest. The entire tale was a tangled mess, and he had to wonder how she'd even survived. He was eternally grateful she had.

He was pissed. Inasa had made sure to ground out several threats and slurs towards those who'd hurt her. It wasn't okay. Not even slightly! Lillian seemed almost comforted by the fact that he was upset. She told him not to worry, but she did feel safer knowing that Inasa was just as angry as she was about this. The whole thing was just... a mess. One Lillian had no idea how to clean up.

Lillian was calmed down and not stuttering anymore by the time she was ready to wake up, smiling up at Inasa. He beamed back. Lillian had a lot of hope. When he'd first met her, she'd been shy and reserved. Unsure of herself, you could say. She'd grown so much! She was a badass, and the nicest girl he'd ever met by far. He just wanted to hold onto her and never ever let go. She gave him a kiss on the cheek before she went, telling him thank you and telling him that she couldn't wait to see him again. Inasa woke up shortly after, smiling. His teacher looked thoroughly disturbed.

See you as a mountain, a fountain of God

Inasa didn't offer any explanation to his classmates or teacher, but he was cleared to start training with them nonetheless. He was upbeat and motivated, but also an absolute force of nature. The rage he felt towards those who'd dared lay a hand on his Lillian swelled in him, and he channeled it in his training during his first day back at it. He didn't hold anything back. When he got his hands on this Izuku character, he was going to wring his scrawny little neck and laugh heartily while doing it.

Lillian was a lot happier that following night. Tired and more than a little sad still, but she talked about the dorms with some level of enthusiasm. UA was going on lockdown, and Lillian was especially going to be kept under tight wraps. As in, Inasa wasn't going to be able to see her when he got back. No one outside the school was going to be allowed in, aside from maybe the parents of the students under special circumstances. Like Hitoshi's mom, Mihoko. Lillian mentioned her a lot. She sounded like an absolute badass. Inasa hoped he'd be able to impress her so they'd trust him with Lillian. He was going to protect her with everything in him.

"The licensing exam." Lillian hummed as Inasa tossed her in the air. Her hair billowed around her as she fell. Inasa loved her hair. He loved everything about Lillian! "I... I think that's when I want to meet you."

"But that's so far away!" Inasa exclaimed. It was actually only a few weeks away, but he was impatient. He wanted to break onto UA's campus the very day he got back from his class's summer camp and literally sweep her off her feet. Quirks didn't apply in this dream world of theirs, but he couldn't wait to pick her up and whisk her to him with his wind.

See you as a descant soul in the setting sun

"M-Maybe I'll be more put together!" Lillian defended, her cheeks going red. She felt a little embarrassed. The last few times she'd shown up here, she'd been disheveled and sort of looked like she was on crack. Inasa still smiled at her anyway. What could she say? She'd had a rough past few days. "I'm trying to get my shit together."
"You're the most put-together person I know!" Inasa bellowed as he caught her. Really, who would be this functional after experiencing so much trauma? Her coping skills were clearly effective. "I want to kiss you in real life! I am in love with you, you know."

"I'll cry." Lillian said immediately. Inasa laughed, spinning her around with a grin. Lillian couldn't help but smile back. Inasa had... there was something so secure and familiar about him. Over their many months together, she'd learned so much about him. He was so loud, and intense, and brash. Bold, but kind. He really had no shame. He'd say the most embarrassing things without even flinching. Lillian wished she had that superpower in her arsenal. She just... she loved him. She had really grown to just adore him. He'd been there for her through all of it, and he hadn't missed a single step.

"Happy tears, I hope." Inasa tossed her back in the air again. "I'm going to marry you, you know!"

"I know." Lillian murmured, smiling. She wasn't sure whether or not Inasa heard her. She almost hoped he did.

You as a sound just as silent as none

Things reached a new normal after that. Lillian still was struggling. The next several nights were unsteady. Some moments were happy and they were fine, and others Lillian was just absolutely bawling her eyes out without provocation. There was no estimating when the dam would break. One second she'd be fine, the next she wouldn't-- simple as that. Inasa took it all in stride. He loved to hold her, and he felt useful and self-assured when he was able to give her the comfort she needed.

"You're great, you know." Lillian sniffled as Inasa rubbed her back. "Why do you like me? I-I cry, and I... I'm useless, a-and anxious, a-and I have so many freckles, a-and my hair is a-always a mess. And you're s-so tall, and h-handsome."

"You think I'm handsome?!" Inasa looked like an excited puppy. Lillian let out a teary laugh. "And I don't like you! I'm in love with you! You have the prettiest smile, and a great sense of humor, and you're super strong! You're the most beautiful person I've ever met!"

He said it so earnestly and with such an unassuming grin that Lillian couldn't help but cry a little harder as she hugged him. She loved him. She really, really did.

I'm yours

"Out of all my classmates, I'm going to be the one that gets married first." Lillian sniffled. Inasa froze, peering down at her with wide eyes. "I'm going to marry you one day, Inasa. I am."

Inasa stared at her for a moment, stunned. And then Lillian was being kissed. For the first time all week, she felt like the teenager she was supposed to be.

There's a place I go when I'm alone

Things went by quickly after that. Lillian began figuring out her special move. Her dad and All Might helped some, which she was grateful for. She was contemplating telling her dad about Inasa. She was convinced he was real. There was no way she'd made him up. Her brain could never conjure something that vivid and that genuine. He was warm-- he had a body heat, and she could feel him. She hadn't mentioned him to her dad at all. Like, not even once. It was going to end up being an issue.

Inasa's class finally flew back after their one and a half week training camp. The licensing exam was... well, going to happen days after he landed basically. Inasa's classmates had all talked about UA's quirks and observed clips of the sports festival. Inasa had warned them with a scarily level smile to leave Lillian alone, to which they'd rolled their eyes. They all just thought he was a die-hard fan who had vivid sex dreams about her or something like that. If only they knew the truth. That most nights, he spent his time tossing her in the air and catching her again just because he could.

He was excited. Everyone around him noticed. He was vibrating and acting like a bouncy puppy. He and Lillian were both freaking out in their own ways in their dream world, alternating between Lillian panicking and Inasa cheering, and them just avoiding the topic. The dream world felt like moving through a cloud. It felt real, but not quite like the actual thing. He didn't know how to describe it other than it was obvious something was still separating himself and Lillian. There was a very clear divide. Physically, they were not touching, no matter how much it felt like it.

Do anything I want, be anyone I wanna be

"I'm scared." Lillian admitted. It was the night before the exams, and she didn't know what to do or how to feel. She'd tentatively told her friends what was going on. She didn't bring Inasa up much. Certainly not at a time like this, with everything that had happened. However, the seemed more pumped than she was to see whether or not he was real. Neito had hunted on social media but apparently couldn't find anything on him, and Shoto still failed to recall seeing him during the licensing exam. That being said, he didn't remember even seeing Momo there, so Lillian was trying to hold onto hope. "What if he doesn't like me?"

"This is like, your entire ass soulmate. Calm down. You see him every night. You've cried into his shoulder while looking like a trashed muppet, and you've kissed him. There's no way he's not going to like you. Bitch wants to marry your gorgeous ass." Neito scoffed. Lillian sniffled, feeling like she was going to burst into tears once again. She was just so scared. What if she went to this exam and he didn't show up? What if he didn't exist? She regretted not getting his phone number now. Lillian was absolutely, one-hundred-percent sure she'd fail this exam if she didn't see Inasa. She'd just feel so heartbroken was all! What if he wasn't real? Was she crazy?

"It'll be fine. He'll be there." Shoto said, not looking up from his game of temple run. He looked tired. "Your dreams sound to vivid to be fake. I'm not good with names or faces. Besides, couldn't you just ask your dad who all the recommended students were?"

"I'd expose myself!" Lillian exclaimed, though it was a viable option. Hitoshi patted her back solemnly.

But it is us I see and I cannot believe I'm falling

When Lillian woke up in their dream world, Inasa was gazing at her like he always did. A little odd of him, but she'd gotten used to it. Whenever she woke up here, apparently she stayed asleep for around five minutes, so he'd talk to her and admire her face. Him talking about it made her blush bright red every time, but she was still flattered nonetheless. Sometimes she wished she could fall asleep first and pull a reverse Uno card on him, but her sleep schedule was too fucked up to even think about it. Inasa just went to bed too early!

"I'm going to cry." Lillian sniffled as he threw her in the air, catching her and spinning her around before tossing her up again. He'd been rambling all night about how they should have a code word so that Lillian knows it's him, but Lillian was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to miss someone like Inasa. He was seriously huge. His entire hand practically covered her entire upper back and made her feel extremely tiny. He thought it was the best thing ever, but Lillian wanted to be tall too!

"Why?!" He asked, loud and excited. "We'll finally get to meet, and you'll see that I'm real! And then we'll kiss, fall in love, and get married! It'll be great!"

"I-I thought we were already in love." Lillian mumbled as she dropped back into his arms. He beamed at her. It almost reminded her of Mirio, but Inasa was much more intense. Which was hard to believe, because Mirio was like the sun. Literally, she had never met someone so cheerful before. That was beside the point. The licensing exam was tomorrow! As in, she was going to have a huge test and meet Inasa in person! Well, they sort of were in person here... but this was more personal and private. It almost didn't count! Everyone would see them, and it would be real life. No going back. What if he regretted it after seeing her?

"Of course we are!" Inasa planted a firm kiss on her forehead before letting out another booming laugh. "But this time it's different! I get to meet your friends, hold you in real life, and ask your father for your hand in marriage!"

"You get to what-"

There's a place I go when I'm alone

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. We're here. We're actually here. I'm going to cry. H-Hitoshi, please snap my neck." Lillian stuttered. Hitoshi wasn't allowed to participate, but he and Neito had managed to coin Aizawa into letting them come watch. Something about being Lillian's emotional support-- she didn't know. They'd used her as an advantage and it had worked spectacularly. Her dad was giving her a look full of concern, and half her classmates looked prepared for her to start crying. Did Iida have tissues? Talk about always being prepared.

"Don't worry, Lillian! You trained really hard for this! I'm sure you'll do great." Ochako assured with a grin, clenching her fist encouragingly. Mina nodded in agreement, grinning. Everyone was super pumped. Some were nervous, but not as nervous as Lillian. Lillian wasn't really worried about the test. Her dad had told her that if she failed, she could retake it! No, the test was far from the issue here.

"I'm getting kind of nervous too. I wonder what they'll make us do." Jiro frowned. Lillian's eyes flitted around, searching the crowd. Shiketsu... were they here yet? She searched for a head that towered above the rest, but she didn't see one. Maybe they weren't here yet. She was scared. This wasn't okay. At all. On any level. What if he wasn't real?! What if she was in love with someone she'd imagined up?! Holy shit, she was going to die. Dead. Deceased. She should've just let Izuku get it over with.

Do anything I want, be anyone I wanna be

"If you can pass this test and get your provisional licenses, then you novice eggs will hatch into chicks. You'll be semi-pros." Aizawa droned, putting a comforting hand on Lillian's shoulder. She was looking around a lot. Was the crowd getting to her? She had been through a lot recently. Maybe allowing her to take this test hadn't been the best idea. He'd been resistant to it, but that's why Hitoshi and Neito were here. Too bad they weren't doing shit to help. Typical. "I expect your best. "

"Alright!" Kaminari grinned. "I can't wait to be a heroic chicken!"

"We've got this. On my mark, call out the usual you guys!" Kirishima clenched his fist, ready. "Ready? Plus-"

"LILLIAN!"

But it is us I see and I cannot believe I'm falling

Lillian felt her heart stop, and she whipped around so fast she was pretty sure her own neck almost snapped.

Inasa was standing there, beaming at her in disbelief. It was the same look he'd worn when he'd realized she was real the first time. Lillian gawked at him. Hitoshi and Neito did too, their mouths open because this was exactly the guy Lillian had been describing to them! Hulkingly tall, bald, and intense! Aizawa looked between his daughter and the massive Shiketsu student, his eyes narrowing as Kaminari and Kirishima curiously stepped out of the tall teenager's way.

"Holy shit." Neito breathed, looking Inasa up and down and then looking at Lillian. "First time's going to hurt."

"You- shut the hell up!" Hitoshi hissed under his breath, hitting the blond with his stump. Neito swatted blindly back, not looking away from the scene unfolding in front of him.

Lillian opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. And then, she started to cry.

That's where I'm going, where are you going?

"Hey, it's that girl Inasa's a huge fan of." One of his classmates observed, peering around him.

"I can't believe he made her cry." One of the girls sighed. Lillian flapped her hands in an unsure manner. Inasa was there. That was him. People were looking at him and could see him just like she could. He was... he was here! She was awake, and she was standing right in front of her. Shoto sniffed and squinted at Inasa, trying to recognize him. Nothing was sparking. Aizawa looked even more concerned as Lillian started to cry harder. Like, borderline wailing. He was sort of panicking. In fact, almost all of 1-A was. Why was she having such an intense breakdown?

"Don't cry!" Inasa crossed this distance between them with one step, his legs just as long as they were in their dream world. Everyone's jaws dropped as he picked her up. Just lifted her up and... threw her in the air. Aizawa felt his quirk flare to life in shock as his daughter came plummeting back down into this idiot's arms. Who was this kid? What the hell?

"Y-Y-You-" Lillian wrapped her arms around him and squeezed as hard as she could, which really wasn't that hard. Inasa was grinning so wide it hurt. He welcomed the ache, holding her close to him and spinning around giddily. This was Lillian! His Lillian! Holy shit he loved her, and she was here, and everyone was looking at them! Brilliant!

Hold it close, won't let this go

"Inasa Yaorashi. I remember you." Aizawa hissed, looking confused and pissed. "Put my daughter down."

"No!" Inasa laughed. Neito sputtered at the blatant denial. Lillian was in love with this guy? She had described him as intense and enthusiastic, but this was something else entirely. Hitoshi looked torn between laughing, filming, and both. "You see, we're in love! And we've finally united in person!"

"Oh my god, he's crazy." Mina whispered. Jiro swatted her arm and shushed her. She didn't want to miss and second of this. Was this who Lillian had kissed?

"I can't believe this is happening. I know she told us about him, but I really didn't expect this." Hitoshi admitted as Inasa held onto Lillian tightly, not budging as Aizawa tried to pry his arms open. Inasa's classmates looked mortified. Absolutely mortified. But Lillian wasn't fighting it. She had her face buried in Inasa's shoulder and was holding on like a koala bear. The purple-haired teen winced. "Lillian? You good in there?"

Dream, catch me, yeah

"I-I'm great." Lillian wheezed out, stopping Aizawa in his tracks. He watched his daughter pull away from the kid who's swiped her, beaming. It was the biggest and most genuine smile he'd ever seen on her face before, and he found himself stunned. She was still crying, but she just... looked so incredibly happy. He didn't know what to do. Inasa beamed back. "You're real. Y-You're really real!"

Lillian couldn't even begin to process it. So many emotions were running through her, she didn't have time to be embarrassed that this was happening in front of her entire class, her dad, and Inasa's friends. It was just... wow. This was real. He was holding her. She couldn't process. She'd expected this to an extent, but partially hadn't at the same time. She hadn't wanted to get her hopes up, but now he was here and he was holding her. In real life. He was holding her, and this was real life! Holy shit fuck! What the fuck?! What did she do?!

"I told you I was!" Inasa gave her another squeeze. Lillian let out a laugh. "And look! All your friends are here! Finally, I can meet them and convince them I'm worthy of your hand in marriage! And hug you! And kiss you! And now we can be together and be together forever! IT'S WONDERFUL!"

He cackled some more, excited as he hopped from foot to foot. His classmates looked terrified.

"Her hand in marriage?" Kaminari choked out. Aizawa felt his eyes begin to glow. Marriage? Who the hell was this guy? Why wasn't Lillian running away from him? She was gazing at him with big, round puppy dog eyes that made him think she wasn't against this. But she'd never had this guy over! Never even mentioned him! Was this some kind of quirk? If it was, could he erase it?

Dream, catch me when I fall

Inasa was freaking out. Absolutely freaking out. He felt like apologizing and then never letting go of Lillian ever again. He'd known she was real, obviously. He watched Sports Festival clips of her all the time, listening to her recordings from Mic's show religiously, and had every piece of merch relating to her known to mankind. He wasn't shy about showing his affection for her outwardly. But this was different. Her friends were here, and she was here! She was in his arms! He could protect her properly now, and give her the love she deserved! And convince her friends he was the one for her!

"Oh my god." Lillian gasped, drawing Inasa's attention away from the floored Hitoshi and Neito The girl let out a laugh. It finally seemed to be fully sinking in. "You're actually here! They can see you! You're real!"

"What did he do? Catfish her or something?" Camie mumbled. She was elbowed into silence.

"Yes! I'm here! And you're even more beautiful in real life!" Inasa bellowed for literally everyone to hear. Lillian normally would've been embarrassed, but she couldn't find it in herself to be as he excitedly tossed her in the air again and caught her. Ochako and Mina were both filming, faces flushed red as they whispered back and forth. "I love you!"

"I love you too!" Lillian exclaimed back with just as much enthusiasm, laughing. She turned to look at Neito and Hitoshi. "I love him! He's real! He's actually really real!"

Neito and Hitoshi nodded absently, their eyes wide. Aizawa froze.

"You what?"

Inasa was pretty sure he was in danger. But as Lillian boldly pressed her lips to his, he couldn't find it in himself to care.

Or else I won't come back at all