Top pic credit: Birf

Violet POV:

The next day had come too fast, morning already halfway gone...

And Dabi never came home.

Hah, that's funny, right? 'Home.' As if this place-this situation ever meant something. As if my mind is trying to continue creating these little false delusions.

I couldn't have created them alone though. Dabi had a part in it, regardless of what he says or thinks. Because as much as he doesn't want to admit it, he fed into these delusions, too. Enough to run away from them and evade the night-and, half the damn morning, for that matter...

No. I don't have any idea where he went. Yeah, I could always check the sorority girl ankle monitor that's still stuck to him like a dog collar. But, I don't want to. Not because I don't wanna know where he is, or I don't care.

It's because I haven't done such a thing since Dabi and I were still in our stage of enemy acquaintances. I used to check his monitor location when I didn't trust him. When I didn't know him.

Checking it now...just feels like a regression in our relationship-or-whatever the hell this is-was?-is? Gah, I really don't know. How serious is this fight between us, anyways?

It didn't seem serious enough to end this situation between us. It seemed like we were both annoyed and, admittedly, a little hungover. It seems like we both said things we didn't mean.

And then...the last time I saw him...when he gave me the cough medicine. His eyes had been bloody and rubbed red, almost like he was crying.

Except, he wasn't crying. I've never seen him cry actually. While I've seen him more emotional than he wishes he was, I have to hand it to him....I've never actually seen the man cry.

He did look sad though. Regretful and longing. Like he wished he could take it all back.

And, yeah, I've known Dabi long enough to know I shouldn't ever expect an apology from him. The man could murder everything I care about in one fell swoop and pull the ol' 'well, your house, your interests, your plants, your friends, your job, and everything you so dearly love, shouldn't have been in my way then.'

Is that an exaggeration? Well....

Anyways, while Dabi won't ever verbally express an apology, I've come to learn he makes up for it in other ways.

Like-surprise!-through his actions. As I've already told you-his words and actions never align.

For example, last night. I expected more. Wrongfully so, of course. But, still...I did.

I expected Dabi to stop the pointless fight when he saw me become emotional. I thought I'd see all the heartless villainy fade from his gaze quicker than it came-feel his hands reach out to touch me, any part of me to let me know he knew he fucked up.

And, then I expected him to drop it and hold me. Sure, he wouldn't have been the one to initiate the hug. But, he also wouldn't have been the one to let go once it had started.

His voice would melt back to that warm softness I've come to love. The warmth that isn't 'Dabi,' but instead the man I fell in love with. He'd lay with me on the bed and stroke my hair...allowing me to hug him as tightly as I wanted, until I fell asleep to his scent and the sound of his voice.

Then, we'd wake up together. He'd be second guessing the night's previous actions by now-aka, his softness. After that, he probably would have tried to play off the encounter with an excuse that, absolutely no one believes, and we'd be back in our sweet, little world of delusions....ready to do it all over again.

Except, that didn't happen. Because, something snapped in Dabi. Something I can't understand.

He obviously knows something I don't.

If I play back the actions of the previous day with my typical Violet Overthink, I can try to pinpoint the moment things went south in that damn confusing head of his.

Hmmm, let's see. I woke up to him spooning me, so...obviously no hard feelings yet. We'd been laughing and joking around in the bed-set to have an amazing day with plenty of...you-know-what.

Then, Natsuo called and broke the news to me. But, even in my catatonic haze of hysteria, I still remember Dabi was concerned. He'd knocked on the bathroom multiple times to check on me, and even agreed to get me stomach medicine that I didn't need.

Yes, I lied. And, yes, I was gone for hours on end to a mysterious place he's probably unsure of. But, even still, I know Dabi. I know that's not enough to cause a fight, like it did last night...

So, what then?

Well, I'll tell you what. It means, that in the six hours I was gone, Dabi was alone. Alone with his thoughts. His actions. Alone to do whatever the hell he was doing in that time.

And, whatever that was, it was apparently enough to make him snap. Not too severely, I don't think. Like I said, things were tense last night, but not a full blown argument.

But, in his head....he does know something. Either about himself, or me-or, even our situation that made him react randomly, the way he did.

Sure, I don't exactly know what. But, I'm going to find out. Whether he wants me to or not.

Because, yes, Dabi has always been good about keeping secrets from me. From everyone. He's always been good about covering his tracks.

But, everyone-everyone slips, from time to time. At least once. Dabi is no different.

So, now, it's only the waiting game-being extra vigilant towards his actions without him knowing. Looking for that perfect mistake. That perfect moment of letting his guard down that will give me everything I need to know about him.

I want to know him. And I will. I'll make sure of that.

...though, it does make that objective a little harder when he ghosts my text messages. Oof. Embarrassing!!!!

A soft groan of annoyance escaped my lips as I swiped my thumb along the screen of my phone-looking at my three unanswered messages, sent to Dabi, with pure disdain.

He's avoiding me on purpose. Because he doesn't want me to figure him out.

Yep! That's right! I know that. Won't take me thirty-six-million chapters to figure that simple piece of information out. Dense? Not this girl!-

Ding!

The sound of my phone chiming in my hand caused my heart to jump up my throat-causing my eyes to widen and immediately scan the message, in hopes it was Dabi.

But....ugh...

Text Message From: Unknown.
Your supposed too be here by now.
11:32am.

My brows scrunched in annoyance at the message, immediately knowing who it was, even if the number claimed 'untraceable.'

It's Kaito. Midas and Tsuyo would never even think about typing the wrong use of 'you're' and 'to!'

Regardless, the cool, number one, awesomeness, badasss Spelling Bee Winner in me will need to fix his grammar later, because phewww, I'm nervous!

Sure, nothing beats the nerves of first meeting Midas. I honestly should have worn a diaper from that meeting alone.

But, by literally anyone's standards, I should have done enough by now to soil whatever impression or friendship I've been trying to build with this man-I mean...fake build with this man.

Our last meeting should have been the end of it. Hell, for any other villain, it would have been. What kind of evil guy lets someone stick around after ruining their big, diabolical plan and sacrificing themselves to save their boyfriend?-or-whatever he is!

The point is, Midas should have killed me right then and there. Or, at least threatened to do so. Or, gotten angry, for that matter!!!

But, no. Instead, he thanked me for what I did and sent me off for some R&R-only calling me back after I've had a few days of rest.

It doesn't make sense. And it definitely shouldn't have me as curious and intrigued as it does right now.

What I'm trying to say is....yes, I'm nervous. But....I know...I should be more nervous than how I'm feeling. I should be focused on how I can stop Midas. How I can prepare for the perfect moment to double cross him and end this.

I can't though. All I can think about is getting to see that beautiful mansion and smell the fresh lilies decorating one of the many outside patios it holds.

And, of course, getting to see those wonderful, stunning jewels.

Hah. But....I'm getting ahead of myself...

Obviously, things have been a little weird lately. All around, weird. With Dabi. With Midas. With everything.

I'm sure I'm not as excited to return to the mansion as my mind is making it out to be. I'm sure this is just a way to channel my nerves into something more productive. Yeah. Science! Wooo!

Letting out a detoxing sigh and shaking the little nerves from my body, I took one more glance at my phone to see if Dabi messaged me.

He didn't though, leaving me to silently let him go for the time being so I can focus on myself.

After all, this will be one of the rare times that Dabi doesn't accompany me to Midas' mansion. Because of that, I need to be on my A game more than usual.

I can't fall into his trap. I can't underestimate him.

*****

And, upon arriving to the entrance to the mansion, it seems that 'underestimating' Midas is exactly what I did.

That beautiful mansion was still standing big, and tall, and well kept as ever-if anything, it may have somehow gotten impossibly bigger. Except, unlike the last time I was here, the giant front lawn of the place was now completely filled with people. People I'd never seen before.

Uhhh. What happened to the 'No Walking On The Grass' policy???

Men. Women. Old. Young. Countless people overflowed the premise-every single one of them smiling from ear to ear as if they've just discovered some sort of gold mine.

...and judging from the shiny jewels resting in each of their clueless hands, it seems they may have.

My eyes widened slightly as I hesitantly approached the giant crowd in front of Midas' house, doing a double take on the little, shiny topaz jewels that rested carefully in the hands of each guest.

What? Is Midas giving away his jewels? To random strangers? That doesn't seem like something he'd do...

Excited conversations and laughs filled the air as I slowly weaved my way through the tightly packed crowds, hearing people raving about such beauty and the possibility of getting to catch a glimpse of their new 'boss.'

New boss?

....uh-ohhh...

It was impossible to even count the number of new guests gathered here at Midas' quarters. The bodies went on for miles. Unease settled in the pit of my stomach as I subtly shoved my way through the crowd a little more assertively, reaching the front door to the place after what felt like ages.

A sigh of relief fell from my mouth as I tried to stumble inside the place-not able to even cross the threshold of the door as a giant arm stopped me from coming any closer.

I furrowed my brows in confusion to the hand, turning my attention to the source, and only coming face to face with a torso.

Ooo. Someone's tall!

Pursing my lips, I slowly craned my neck up to look at the culprit, seeing a scary looking security guard standing in my way.

Well, he's new!

"Assigned group?" The guard demanded me lowly, keeping his arm firmly planted in front of the entrance.

Huh?? What did I miss?!

"Uhhhh. Group?" I asked in confusion, looking around the premise for a better explanation.

The guard growled lowly like a feral animal at my bad response, towering over me just a little taller now.

"No group? No entry." He said firmly, causing subtle panic to rise in my veins as I wracked my brain for an answer.

"Uhhh-okay-group! Right, of course..." I chuckled nervously, holding my hands up in awkward defense when the guard tried to bat me away like a bug.

Group, group, group. Come on. Think of something!!!-

"My group..." I started off, saying the only thing I could think of. "Well......I'm an Aquarius."

Awkward silence consumed the space as the guard tilted his head at me, giving his knuckles a small crack to show my answer was incorrect.

....oof. He must be a Scorpio...

"Get lost." The guard uttered dismissively, nodding for me to leave before someone else stepped in from behind them.

"It's okay, Tank." Tsuyo stated from inside the mansion, slowly making their way over to the entrance upon spotting me. "She's ranked too high to be in the 'groups.' Make a note to give her immediate access from now on. Always."

The security guard, now deemed as 'Tank,' let out a low grunt of understanding before lowering his arm and stepping to the side.

I smiled sheepishly as I slowly scooted my way past the door in a very uncool manner, giving Tank an unnecessary salute as I did so.

"Tank." I nodded in departure, putting my foot in my mouth for no reason with my next words. "It's a very manly name! Kudos!"

Tank looked at me with a stone cold gaze, half lidded eyes bored as ever.

"I was named after my grandmother." He refuted emotionlessly, causing my gaze to widen in panic at my mishap.

"Ohhh........I'm so...very sorry-" I tried saying, before I felt a grip on my arm yank me forward.

"Just stop talking." Tsuyo sighed tiredly, already seeming adjusted to my awkward persona by now as they dragged me away from Tank.

"I can't help it." I groaned knowingly, taking a silent breath of relief when Tsuyo released my arm and allowed me to walk on my own now.

Any nerves I'd been feeling prior to coming here slowly began to dissipate as the pleasant energy of the mansion settled back into my brain.

The smell of fresh flowers and aromatic oils filled the space. Polished tiles, hand decorated with jewel murals marbled on the floor. The prettiest chandeliers you've ever seen, with countless spiral staircases in every direction-just begging you to ascend them and get lost in the place.

The thick, heavy curtains had been tied open to reveal sky high, spotless windows-giving the perfect view to the grassy hills and gardens that lied outdoors. And, of course, that familiar, dreaded forest peeking in the background-so deceivingly peaceful to disguise Euphoria's prior demise.

And, most of all, the ambiance. Every day felt like a vacation, and every night felt like the most relaxing, peaceful party you've ever been to. People of all ages were scattered around the giant lobby-and outdoors. On the stairs. Everywhere. Just enjoying themselves to no end.

Admittedly, it felt nice to soak it all in for a moment, causing my head to fallback slightly and my eyes to close in peace. Until...

"So. Where's your wild dog?" Tsuyo interrupted my peace a few moments later, strolling side by side down the lobby at my relaxed pace. "Master requested both of you, if I'm not mistaken.

The reminder of Dabi as the 'wild dog' brought a sour feeling to my mouth as I remembered how we left things this morning, causing me to speak without thinking.

"I dunno. What do dogs do during the day?" I grumbled slightly, causing Tsuyo to turn their masked face towards me in question.

"Trouble in paradise?" They asked disinterestedly, letting out a dry scoff as they looked forward once more. "Can't imagine why with that one."

One of my relaxed eyes creaked open to glare at them, letting my mental and physical exhaustion speak for me.

"Your sarcasm isn't needed." I said matter of factly, causing Tsuyo to tilt their head slightly.

"That's a first." They muttered, lazily looking out the polished windows and to the gardens. "I didn't think you'd be bold enough to act cranky around here. Must have been some fight."

Both of my eyes fell open now upon hearing Tsuyo's words, causing my lips to purse deflatedly as I wished to move on.

"I'm just tired. I had a....busy weekend." I finalized, looking to the murals on the floor for distraction.

Tsuyo and I strolled in silence for a moment, one that was a bit too relaxed for my liking.

"Interesting." They said eventually, changing the subject as they sensed I wanted to move on, "well, we've been busy around here, too, if you can't tell."

I perked up a bit at the change in conversation, looking around the crowded premise with rejuvenated concern now.

"Yeah. What's with all the people?" I asked, forced to scoot past a large group of guests who wouldn't move out of the way.

Oh, but they moved out of the way for Tsuyo though. Of course. They must have established their power here very quickly with the new arrivals.

"New members." The masked person explained, bringing their gloved hands up to graze the new gem necklace adorned around their neck. "The promises of jewels and riches goes far with most of the population, nowadays."

Interesting. They almost sound bitter about their last words. As if they don't fall into this category, themselves.

"So, he's just giving away his jewels?" I clarified in shock, not willing to believe Midas would be so careless.

"Topaz is his weakest compound." Tsuyo explained, plucking a piece of topaz from the pocket of their uniform. "While it ranks high in price, this matter doesn't hold any special abilities. That's why he deemed it a safe gift of promise for his cattle."

"Cattle?" I asked with a furrow of my brows, finding the word so atrocious for the conversation, I thought I'd misheard.

But...

"Master's words. Not mine." The masked person clarified, boredly tossing the meaningless piece of topaz up in the air repeatedly. "'Cattle,' meaning workers. Just workers. It's not like they're gonna be around very long."

My face went a bit pale at the revelation. Of course, it was obvious-knowing Midas' view on...well, everyone. But, I hadn't actually thought about it until now.

"Wait.....you mean....he's planning....to kill all of these people?? Do they know that??" I asked in shock, noticing how incredibly happy all these new members looked.

Doesn't look like people who are prepping for their horrible deaths!!!

Tsuyo easily weaved their way through the crowds, not missing a beat with their next words.

"They are aware of how important they are to Midas' cause, yes." They replied vaguely, causing me to follow up a little bit more irritated.

Because that's not what I asked...

"But, did he tell them he's planning to kill them?" I asked a bit louder, wanting to make sure I was clear as possible.

I flinched a bit as Tsuyo gripped my arm unexpectedly now, squeezing it roughly between their grasp as they rotated my body to the left.

"Keep your voice down. Or, I'll let that thing over there get ahold of you." They warned, dangling my frame towards the direction of Kaito, speaking with a guest a few feet away.

And while I had only just noticed the iron maniac in the place, it seems he's had his blood thirsty eyes on me for awhile, already glaring at me when I found his gaze.

Ooo. Shivers!

I pressed my lips together in begrudging defeat as I lowered my voice, causing Tsuyo to release me once more when they sensed I'd back down.

"Okay. Well, obviously that's a 'no' if we're being so secretive about it." I uttered quietly, rubbing the back of my neck with nerves for the countless 'cattle' I passed by.

All these smiling, happy people are going to die. That's very unsettling.

But, Tsuyo is good at keeping composure, it seems. More so than I realized, since this is the longest conversation we've had.

"It's not a secret." They reminded me calmly, clearly having taken the lesson of patience from Midas. "Secrets are ugly. We don't have secrets around here."

And, yet, as much as they try to follow in his footsteps, they are in fact not Midas. Because their words contradict their previous actions. Ones we are both aware of.

Tsuyo says there are no secrets around here. Yet, they never told Midas that I was Dabi's accomplice. They went so far as to hide the evidence of the bloodied crystal knife I'd used-sticking their neck out for me when they didn't have to.

Call me crazy. But, that sounds like a damn big secret.

"Then what would you call it?" I asked with disbelief, slowly turning my attention back to the masked person once more.

Because they intrigue me. Damn, they really do.

They seemed to realize this, creating a bit of space between us when I looked their way.

"Well. Repaying a debt." Tsuyo explained automatically, not having had enough time to form an answer true to their own thoughts. "You see, Master Midas gave these people expensive jewels. He gives them free access to all the commodities of his mansion and the best meals. They laugh and find joy they've never experienced before in their entire lives. In return, they dedicate themselves to his cause, in every way possible, regardless of what this means-this is what he told them, and they agreed."

I nodded softly and, admittedly rolled my eyes a bit at that explanation, still feeling as if it was evading the question.

"It's still not the full story." I said surprisingly stubborn, wondering how much of Dabi had truly rubbed off on me.

It's true though. And, maybe it's just the thing I need to open my eyes and wake up a bit to who Midas is. He's manipulative. Can't be trusted-

"Interestingly enough, no one asked him to elaborate." Tsuyo followed up, almost sounding amused as they looked my way. "Do you know why?"

My brows furrowed in pure confusion to the question, not having a clue on how to respond.

"Because greed clouded their judgement. Selfishness blinded their eyes to the truth." They said curtly, as if this was supposed to explain the logic behind killing them.

"So what?" I asked honestly, no longer able to look the smiley new members in the eyes as we passed by them.

Interestingly enough, Tsuyo didn't look at them either as we walked. They never did, having kept their eyes to the window the majority of the time.

"So, it's simply another test." They followed up. "Anyone who would have had enough decency to ask Master to explain further would have gotten the honest truth and had the choice to leave. But, no one did. Their own ugly flaws will bring them to their deaths. It's what they deserve."

'Ugly flaws,' they say. And, yet, those are still Midas' words. Not their own.

They've still saved me multiple times when they had no reason to, and kept their own secrets from Midas.

It's something we both know. And while Tsuyo probably thinks I'm not bold enough to ask it...

"And that's what you believe as well?" I asked a bit softer, not wanting to step on their toes with the personal, veryyy slightly confrontational question.

But, offense had obviously been taken when they snapped their head in my direction now, quickly looking around a bit panicked to ensure no one had heard me speak such a thing.

"Of course." They answered immediately, voice low and threatening the way it hadn't been before. "You'd be stupid to question anything at this point."

I get what they're saying. They're saying I'm just lucky they saved me at all from Midas' wrath, and that this should be enough to never speak of the moment again.

That's just not how I operate though. I'm tired of always having questions about others. I want answers. About someone. Anyone! Cause, after awhile, all these secrets in my life will just make me crazy.

"I thought you said I was bold." I persisted with losing fire, seeing the dangerous tension starting to rise in Tsuyo's shoulders.

They looked directly my way now, no doubt glaring right at me through the mask on their face.

"There's a fine line between being bold and being stupid. You're close to crossing it." They seethed out lowly, giving me a very clear warning of where I stood right now.

Not looking to push any buttons today, I decided now was the time to give up on my temporary fire, pressing my lips together and nodding silent agreement to shut up.

Tsuyo's body relaxed slightly when I'd dropped the subject, allowing us to walk in silence for a few more moments before we reached the exit of the lobby.

"Anyways..." they sighed tiredly, slowly halting our walk to give further instructions. "he's been holed up in his office for the last few hours. Waiting for you to arrive so you two can speak."

Nerves settled back in my body once more at Tsuyo's words, making me realize I'd been taking advantage of the comfort I'd been feeling with this person.

"About what?" I asked warily, apparently getting too comfortable as they scoffed and gestured towards one of the hallways with annoyance.

"Quit asking me and go find out yourself." They uttered, clearly wanting to get rid of me now as our conversation had come to a close.

Admittedly, I wish it didn't. I won't say I enjoyed the conversation between us today. But, I didn't hate it, and I definitely would have liked to hear more from them.

But, regardless, I didn't wanna overstay my welcome, simply giving them a sheepish nod of departure as I slowly turned on my heel to begin the trek to Midas' office-

"Oh. And one more thing before you go." They quickly stopped me, reaching into their pocket and pulling out a stunning, multicolored jewel pendant.

It was identical to the new necklace they had been wearing around their own neck, causing me to stiffen up slightly as they quickly placed it on me.

Silence consumed me for a moment as I slowly looked down to the jewel, unable to stop myself from grazing its beauty with my fingertips.

"What's this?" I asked, keeping my eyes on the gorgeous jewel with ease.

"Your rank to the other guests here." Tsuyo explained, keeping their masked eyes on me as they continued a little darker. "The rank of Midas' personal triad, of course. You're required to wear it now. It's the most special one. Now everyone will know how much power you hold."

I understood exactly what Tsuyo was trying to do with that statement. It was manipulative. Meant to make the jewel sound amazing. A following of Midas' orders, no doubt.

Yes, I knew this. I knew this so well. I understood the tactic.

And, yet, the words went deeper into my head than they should have. No, it's not because of any underlying powers this jewel has. It's not because I'm being controlled.

It's because it felt good to be acknowledged. To actually be looked at and recognized as 'powerful' for the first time in my life, instead of the loser I'm always portrayed as.

It was nice. And, my satisfaction must have shown on my face as Tsuyo reached out and flicked the jewel with their gloved fingers to bring me out of my thoughts, causing me to jump back to reality as they spoke the harsh truth.

"Seems like you're wearing it with pride already."

*****
With every step deeper into the forbidden hallway, the sounds of the lobby got softer. So soft, until after a few moments, they were no longer heard at all.

I was thankful for that. Hearing the laughter of dead people isn't something that one would consider comfortable.

But, with the gorgeous array of different colored jewels lining the walls as I walked, it was admittedly easy to forget.

It shouldn't surprise me, the bliss that's slowly starting to enter my veins as I ascend deeper down the faintly lit hallway. I've only been allowed back here a few times, and each time, it felt amazing. Hell, even when I wasn't allowed back here, it felt amazing-so amazing, I lost all sense of awareness and let Euphoria catch me when I shouldn't have.

That's just what happens when one is around Midas' jewels-any color, any size. Happiness overtakes you. Your eyes shine and shimmer, desperately drinking in every feature of the mesmerizing stones, because you've never seen so much beauty.

Your chest starts to feel warm and bubbly, with waves of giddy glee making you feel drunk on all the good things in this world. Pain doesn't exist, because the jewels don't give it a place to.

You feel free. More free than you ever have before, unable to even imagine how you went so long without experiencing such beauty.

That's why it's so easy to forget everything else as I continue strolling deeper down the hallway, feeling my feet becoming lighter as the aura of countless jewels settled potently in my brain.

Because when the thoughts cross your mind that this man is a murderer, beauty paints over the truth. When you try to think logically of the damage he's trying to inflict on the world, glee shuts off your brain.

So bright. So beautiful. All you have to do is imagine anything you want, and it comes to life right before your very eyes.

I inhaled deeply as the smell of fresh lilies kissed my nostrils, yet there wasn't a real flower to be seen around here. My fingers grazed the wall, feeling nothing but the soft vapor of misty cool, clouds-yet, I was indoors. A faint smile curled on my face as I felt wrapped up in a blanket of peace, allowing my eyes to fall closed as my false senses guided me deeper down the hallway.

I never want to leave. I never want to be anywhere else. Inside this hallway, I could live forever. I'm invincible.

A small giggle escaped my lips as I extended my arms out from my sides, twirling like a drunken, crazed lunatic as I stumbled down the endless, blissful hallway with excitement.

It was only when I heard a faint sound coming at the end of the hallway, that my senses barely perked back to attention. It was a real sound-not an illusion from Midas' jeweled forbidden hallway, but something that was actually happening.

I stopped my ridiculous twirling for a moment, standing in the middle of the hallway as I tried to pinpoint the sound.

Hmmm. It's hard to hear, but it sounds like a melody. An instrumental melody.

It must be music?

I let my hazy eyes slowly open as I walked small steps, coming just a little closer to the sound to hear it more clearly.

It sounds like a piano. Someone's playing the piano.

My mind trailed back to my last visit at this mansion, remembering how I found sheet music for the piano amongst Midas' personal belongings. It was handwritten.

It must be Midas playing the piano.

Surprising. Last time I saw him, he was barely able to even look at the thing. Now, he's playing it?

Admittedly, the whole situation made me curious...

....curious to hear Midas play.

Slowly and carefully, I inched just a little further down the hallway...stopping my steps altogether when I was a few feet away from the closed door to his office.

The position allowed me to hear everything perfectly now, able to make out each single time his fingers hit the keys.

The tune was a soft, yet structured-leaving me to imagine how his hands flowed across the keys.

Having to simply 'imagine' left me a little dissatisfied. I've always liked watching people play the piano. It's always been one of my favorite things. I don't know why, it just is.

But, man, with the beautiful sound of Midas' playing, even imagining it doesn't sound so bad. I've never, in my entire life, heard someone play the piano so perfectly-and as a classical music connoisseur, that's a big compliment!

Even with the jewels in the hallways clouding my senses, it didn't matter. The sound was too real, hitting my eardrums too passionately to be an illusion.

Slowly, I closed my eyes and listened to the sad, passionate tune...trying to imagine the story that lied behind it.

I recognize the song he's playing. It's from a famous musician. I can't recall the name, but it must not be the original piece I found lying around his stuff.

But, man. He plays the piece so perfectly. Whoever that original composer is, he's definitely giving them a run for their money right now.

His music flows like the ocean, rising powerfully like the waves and falling softly like the morning tide.

Having recognized the song, I found myself humming along to the music softly...letting my head lull back and forth as if I was being put to sleep.

In a good way. In a way that makes me want to get lost in a dream.

As the song normally goes, Midas' fingers gradually began to pick up the tempo of the song-but, unlike the song, he changed the key to minor a few moments later-as if to make things sadder and more emotional than it already was.

I can feel his emotions through his music. Pain. Anguish. Isolation.

And a whole lot of sorrow.

With the increasing tempo and power of the music, I couldn't help myself when my fingers slowly reached for the doorknob...carefully creaking the door open a few moments later.

I just want to catch a glimpse.

Unusual for when he has company, Midas' room was completely dark upon me opening the door. Everything looked sadder and more empty-a big contrast to the bright atmosphere he displays in front of others.

In the middle of the dark room came the louder, more clear sound of the piano-with Midas' frame sitting at it, just a little hunched over as he was lost in his own world.

Due to the position of his piano, he had his back to me-but, that didn't even matter as his body displayed every emotion of the song like a true showman. His arms glided effortlessly along all directions of the piano. His fingers expertly curling onto the keys-only to lift a few seconds later as if the thing was made of porcelain.

His torso flowed like a wave, gently rocking back and forth from the piano with each note. And, most of all, his head was light-giving soft little shakes every now and then as if the music was speaking to him.

The tempo and difficulty of his notes increased once more as he got deeper into the song. He didn't even have sheet music out, meaning he must have memorized this particular piece for himself.

His head moved with the direction of his music, shaking softly with the rhythm of the quicker notes, and swaying slower with the sadder, longer notes.

My jaw dropped in pure shock as Midas picked up an impossibly faster and more intricate difficulty of his notes now, demonstrating his incredible expertise to something I've never seen before-even from famous musicians.

After countless, blissful moments of the powerful, fasted paced sadness...Midas slowly paused in the music-making me hold my breath in awe as I waited to see what happened next.

His tense shoulders softly relaxed as he lowered his fingers back to the keys gently, resuming the soft, slow tune he'd started with. His head slowly rose from the keys-gaze looking out into the pitch black of the room as if he was searching so hard for something. Someone.

I can only wonder what his face looks like right now. He's obviously playing with someone in mind, even if they aren't here.

A few moments later, Midas' fingers hit the keys for a final time...ending the piece with the same, somber anguish he'd started it with.

The sound of his last note echoed strongly throughout the high ceilings of the room, until it faded out into the sky above...soaring away with the rest of the clouds.

He remained sitting at the piano in silence for a few moments, unaware of my nerdy gawking behind him.

You know, until...

"Wow." I blurted out like a dummy, causing Midas to turn around as if he'd been caught in a horrible act.

Quickly now, he turned on the lamp that rested on the table next to him, eager to create some light now that he knew I was here.

"How long have you been standing there?" He asked with uncharacteristic surprise, rising from the piano at lightning speed.

I chuckled sheepishly at being outed, rubbing the back of my neck nervously as I shuffled back and forth on my feet.

"Well.....probably an embarrassing amount of time. Sorry." I admitted, pressing my lips together as I looked to the ground.

Midas studied my awkward persona curiously, seeming to have a bit of his own as he oddly sat back down at the piano stool to compose himself.

"I didn't give you a time to arrive today-wasn't expecting you so early. I figured you'd want to sleep in." He reasoned softly, running a hand through his hair with dazed eyes.

He looks emotional, probably from the music he was just playing. With unexpected company, he's obviously trying to force himself out of it now.

Wanting to smooth over the weird moment, I gave him a polite smile as I slowly walked into the room, feeling my happiness returning with the peaceful vibes.

"Well, you know what they say-the early bird gets the worm." I chirped out with pep, causing Midas to chuckle lightly now.

"Yes," he smiled faintly, finally pulling himself out of his head as he looked over to me. "I suppose they do."

I couldn't help but study how natural he looked, sitting at piano...unable to stop myself from saying what I truly felt.

"You're an incredible musician." I complimented, causing Midas' smile to fall softly.

"'Was' is the term you're looking for." He said a little less happy, showing uncharacteristic tension with the subject.

I don't know why I feel compelled to pry, or even make him feel better. But, I do.

That's just how Midas is, I guess. Enemy, or not-he's good at making others like him.

"How come?" I questioned, lazily leaning against his desk, "certainly not for loss of talent."

Midas let out a soft sigh to my words, letting a tinge of pain flash across his face as he spoke.

"I wish it was. It's impossible to forget. Believe me, I've tried." He said a bit exasperatedly, looking back to the piano as if the thing was damned. "Even if I turn my mind off, my fingers.....they just....move on their own."

He sounds so annoyed by this-as if being a naturally gifted piano prodigy is the worst curse in the world.

I don't understand it. I'd kill to be good at something-anything. And, this guy just takes it for granted?

"Is that such a bad thing?" I inquired, legitimately curious to find the root of this issue. "Music is considered 'beautiful,' isn't it?"

Though, it seems the question was pushing a bit too many boundaries as Midas' brows furrowed with slight annoyance, abruptly reaching up and shutting the piano with a loud 'clack' now.

"Not the way I remember it." He uttered distantly, eyes looking voided in his own memories.

The weird behavior from him made me uncomfortable, causing me to straighten up a bit more formally.

"I'm sorry." I said softly, feeling a tinge of fear settle in my veins that I'd gone too far.

But, it seems Midas also picked up on my own subtle shift in behavior, eyeing my tensing shoulders, before he quickly changed his tone.

"Ah, my dear. Don't be sorry for inquiring. There's nothing wrong with curiosity." he smiled, clearing the bad mood from his throat immediately as he got back to business. "But, I warn you, my story is not for the faint of heart. Not one I wish to spook you with."

His words were genuine, matching the smile of finality to legitimately drop the subject.

But, admittedly, this only made me wanna know more about Midas, causing me to speak up with surprising interest now.

"Oh. Well...I can handle it." I pressed a bit, not wanting to be seen as a weak damsel in distress.

That's how everyone else sees me. I don't want to be seen like that here, as well. Especially after the power and respect I've been treated with.

And it seems Midas wanted to ensure I knew this, too, as he nodded in agreement, slowly rising from the piano stool once more and walking over to me.

"I'm sure you can," he said reassuringly, placing a manipulative hand of warmth on my shoulder. "And if our lovely partnership continues, the way it has so far, then you'll be one of the few, trusted who know it. How does that sound to you?"

"Good." I blurted without thinking, feeling my blood freeze a bit at being caught by myself.

....but-I mean-what else was I supposed to say, right? It's all for this mission. To keep myself safe. Yeah, that's it. Of course, I don't actually agree....

"Good." Midas mirrored me a bit darkly, flashing a minuscule smirk of malice before it was no longer there at all.

He looked behind me a few moments later, tilting his head in a bit of surprise at what he found.

"Now, then. Where is your Dobby?" He asked, craning his neck to the side a bit to ensure he didn't miss something. "I do remember I asked for both of you to return today. No?"

Even with Dabi's absence, Midas didnt seem upset in the slightest. Quite the opposite, actually. It seemed to be a nice advantage for him.

"You did," I said apologetically, letting my shoulders relax once more as I leaned back against the desk. "Sorry I'm the only one to show."

Midas waved me off quickly, having already forgotten all about Dobby-Dabi as he strolled to his table for a drink.

"No hard feelings, my dear." He reassured, pulling out two jewel encrusted tea cups from his cabinet. "I understand why Dabi didn't want to come today."

My brows furrowed a bit at his certainty, desperately grasping for any 'Dabi' answers from anyone at this point.

Yeah, it's unlikely Midas knows any more than I do. But, what if he does.

"You do?" I questioned a little pathetically.

Midas nodded lazily in agreement, pouring the smooth steaming tea evenly between the two cups.

"Of course. Most people would take almost-becoming-murdered a bit personal. Perhaps, he needs a little more time to come around." He hypothesized patiently, using the stainless steel tongs to plop a cube of sugar into each teacup.

I sighed deflatedly at the incorrect assumption from Midas, rubbing the back of my aching neck as I reflected on our fight from last night-that carried over into this morning, too, apparently.

"Well, it's not that." I blurted out visibly distraught, cringing slightly at my answer.

I never intended to let Midas know of the relationship troubles happening with Dabi and I. It's just hard to not show my dissatisfaction when there isn't anyone for me to speak to about it.

Only Akio knows about my relationship with Dabi, and he can't stand the guy. Not exactly a neutral party for our fights.

"It's not?" Midas asked with relaxed interest, carrying the cups of tea over to comfy chairs in the corner.

I followed him naturally, sensing this was where he wanted to chat and catch up.

"No, it's not," I sighed tiredly, plopping down in the big comfy chair with ease. "But....it's fine."

Yes, a lie. It's not fine, and I'm literally dying to know what the hell Dabi is thinking in that broody brain of his. But, I know it's just easier to drop it-

"Hmm. Certainly doesn't seem that way." Midas reasoned perceptively, carefully handing me my tea before sitting in the chair across from mine.

He was silent for a moment as he waited for me to expand on my troubles, leaving the two of us to sip our tea in comfortable quiet when I said nothing.

I felt Midas' eyes on me a few moments later, watching him set his tea cup on the little table that separated us.

"Darling, listen here," he said softly, not wanting to spook me with the massive authority he truly held. "I don't want you to feel as if you have to hold these things in. It's not healthy. Yes, I'm your boss. But, I don't just think of you as an employee. I think of you as a colleague. Someone I trust. Similar to Tsuyo."

I slowly looked up from the soothing glass of tea, paying close attention to his words.

He was only nice to Tsuyo until they made a mistake. Who knows what he really did to them behind closed doors. It makes me terrified to know. To wonder what this man is actually capable of.

The thoughts only caused my shoulders to tense up, and my brain to thank itself for finally using logic for the first time since I've been here.

Midas sensed this as well and immediately backed off, grabbing his teacup from the table and leaning back in his chair once more.

"I apologize. Truly, I don't mean to pry..." he started off with a kindness that didn't reach his eyes, subtly looking at me from atop the rim of his glass. "I just don't know how many people you have in your life worth talking to. I just want to let you know I'm here. Whenever. If ever. That's all."

His words were genuine and patient. Interested and caring.

It was the perfect thing to make me feel at ease in the situation, causing my guard to come down a little as I relaxed into my chair.

"It's just....complicated." I uttered truthfully, throwing my head back against the cushions.

Midas laughed a bit in amusement to my exasperated appearance, crossing one of his legs over the other with a shrug.

"Most relationships are." He affirmed, causing my brows to raise once more in surprise.

"Wait. Do you know firsthand?" I asked eagerly, itching to learn a sliver about anything concerning this man's life.

His lips curled into a bit of a devious smirk as he thought about the question, opting to keep his thoughts to himself once more.

"Excuse me, but I don't believe that's any of your business." He teased a bit quirky, taking a purposeful sip of his tea as I feigned offense.

"Ohhh, I see how it is," I laughed, wagging my finger at him in good humor. "You can ask about my relationships, but I can't ask about yours?? That's pretty ugly, if I do say so myself!"

Before I even had the chance to wonder if my last comment was overstepping, Midas broke out into a hearty laugh now to show he was in on the fun, causing me to slowly laugh with him as we enjoyed each other's company.

"I suppose you're correct again. One of the many reasons I recruited you into my triad." He complimented, expertly evading the current conversation to a different topic.

And, it worked like a charm on me. How could it not? As someone who doesn't receive many compliments, I have the tendency to eat up each one to the fullest. Call it a flaw, or whatever you want. But, that's how I am.

"Really?" I inquired, admittedly wanting to hear more.

Midas knew it, too.

"Of course." He said warmly, having no problem keeping the kindness going. "Nevermind the fact that you're one of the smartest people I've met, or the most funny."

I chuckled lightly at the next compliment, waving my hand off as if the words didn't matter.

"Oh, please." I said like a bashful idiot, yet Midas simply continued.

"But, you're also....without a doubt, the most powerful." He said a little lower, piercing his gaze at me a bit smug as he knew how that would affect me.

My eyes widened like a naive child now, looking at him with disbelief as I spoke.

"Really?"

"Really. It's one of the main reasons I picked you, Violet. You're one of the most powerful people I've ever seen." He reasoned lowly, placing his tea on the table before slowly rising to his feet. "Don't believe me? Come see for yourself."

I watched in confusion as Midas strolled over to his desk now, gently setting my tea down on the table before rising to follow him.

In his desk-the desk I've already rummaged through without his knowledge, he slowly opened the locked bottom drawer, retrieving a brightly glowing jewel from it.

I legitimately needed to shield my eyes at the powerful glow the jewel emanated, barely able to look at the thing through the openings of my fingers.

"A new jewel," he explained with focus, keeping his shimmering gaze on the blinding thing like it was nothing. "This is what I've been working on since you've been away. It's what I wanted to show you. Take a look."

I laughed slightly at the ironic order, attempting to look at the thing before my eyes burned.

"I can't. It's too bright." I said, feeling my eyes water at the sight.

"So, control it." He suggested patiently. "Go on, I taught you how."

Letting his own confidence in me guide my way, I slowly removed my hand from my face and squinted at the jewel...doing my best to control my emotions in a way that would dull the jewel's light.

A pain ran up my arm a few moments later as I connected with the jewel, watching the blinding lights slowly die down into something beautiful.

"There you go." Midas encouraged warmly, seeming much too proud as the power of the jewel slowly dulled away.

However, instead of dying out like a flame-as I expected the jewel to do, the ball of light that had been surrounding it found a new host...

...wrapping around my wrist in the next second.

I gasped in panic at the blinding light that had now been swirling around my wrist, unable to freak out as Midas guided me.

"Don't worry. It's supposed to do that." He reassured, letting his eyes glow to life with his quirk as he reached his hand into the ball of light.

He grabbed a handful of the intangible matter, flexing his hand a bit shakily as he controlled the pixels of bright jewels in his hand.

"My strongest jewel, yet." He explained, morphing the ball of light into different shapes. "Normally, my jewels are just a one-time use. But, what you see here-this ball of light? It's actually minuscule pieces of the same single jewel, now able to disperse and have multiple different uses in one go."

My eyes widened in surprise at the new power Midas had managed to unlock, making me realize his quirk weaknesses were slowly starting to dwindle.

"It's something I've been trying to achieve for years." He explained, almost in an awestruck whisper. "A game changer. But, I never found the correct compound. Until you."

"Me?" I asked with a bit of alarm, feeling the ball of bright gems attempting to rage free from my grasp.

Midas took a deep breath as his own gem ball tried to get away from him, causing me to do the same to ensure we wouldn't lose control of these weapons and cause chaos.

"Mhm. When our strongest powers collided directly, the last time we spoke....it created a new compound. A compound the world has never seen before. I took a sample of it and combined it with your individual crystals, and my jewels, and it made this-and this was only the first test run! Imagine what else we could make together, Violet."

"No one else could ever have made something so powerful. So, do you understand now? How much power and potential you truly hold in your body? It's immeasurable. What I believe you can do, you can surpass that. In strength and wits, you are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for."

I felt unease swirling around in my stomach at Midas' words, knowing I should be freaking the absolute fuck out at the monster he'd just created in these few weeks I was away.

But, at the same time....that little bug of pride slowly began to eat away at my conscience as I looked to the jewel closely...hearing the little voice inside my head tell me how cool it was that I was able to make something like this.

Me. I made something that one of the most powerful, feared people in this country is proud of. That says a lot about my abilities, sized up to the rest of the population.

To all the people who always doubted me.

My emotions slowly began to bubble up in my chest as I thought about the possibilities, letting them get the better of me as the ball of jewels roared louder around my hand, before releasing unwillingly into the wall of Midas' office a few seconds later.

An instinctive scream came from my mouth as the gems crashed incredibly powerfully into the wall, crashing into five different rooms of the mansion before finally dying out for good.

I gaped in silent panic at the sight, hearing Midas hum nonchalantly a few moments later.

"Of course," he continued casually, powering down his own ball of gems now. "These jewels are harder to control, compared to the typical ones-as you just saw for yourself."

"I'm so sorry." I uttered in shock, looking to the gigantic hole in the wall a bit frazzled now.

Midas seemed indifferent though, more concerned about putting the precious jewel away for safekeeping.

"Don't be. I didn't like that wall anyways. The color doesn't match my curtains." He shrugged, scrunching up his nose in disgust.

I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly, still feeling a bit embarrassed before Midas moved on.

"However, I would like for you to get more acquainted with these jewels." He said a bit chipper now, strolling past me with a new pep in his step. "Especially, since you had a hand in creating them. It's only fair."

I couldn't help but chuckle a bit complimented at his words, feeling an even mix of nerves stirring in me at the unknown.

"Okayyy." I said hesitantly. "What did you have in mind?"

Midas had his back to me now as he looked out the giant window of his room, tactfully not allowing me to see whatever look currently painted his mysterious face.

"Something I've wanted since the moment you arrived here. Something that can finally be made possible, now that we have no one else accompanying you to stand in our way..." he said a little mischievously, slowly turning to face me with a wicked gleam infecting his eyes.

"It's time to unlock your potential, Violet."

*********************************************

A/N: Happy belated birthday, Touya. You little snake 🤪 I wrote a bonus chapter of Ordinary for the occasion called 'Traditions.' It will be a Patreon exclusive out tomorrow morning! Here's a lil sneak peek for everyone to see, too (tho the full thing will only be on Patreon). It's a really cute chappy. I love you all❤️

Violet POV:

Sure. To some, it may seem just a littleee messed up. But, when did I say I was normal?

Making a cake for Touya's birthday is something I look forward to every year. It's the one day I force myself to remember all the good times, and none of the bad. Why? Well, because I know that's what he'd want.

I've kept the tradition going for a long time. Ten years, now, to be exact. The first year I did it was my first year at the Todoroki house.

The last year was...never! Cause I haven't missed since.

And, just because I'm holed up in a fancy hotel room with cranky Dabi this year-trying to stop Midas from committing mass genocide-it doesn't mean I'm about to stop the traditions now! Everyone has a birthday. I'm a big birthday person, and I believe each one should be celebrated. Even the ones who are no longer with us.

See, there's just one, teeeensy problem.

"Two cups of flour for the cake!? I thought it read twelve!!" I hissed out quietly, trying not to yell so I didn't wake up Dabi in the other room.

Though, if the man didn't wake up to the pillows of black smoke filling the kitchen just a few moments ago, he probably wouldn't ever wake up. He did make his 'world famous,' as he calls it, elixir of whiskey and cough syrup last night. Gotta love that guy, right? Oof.

Thanks for reading this chapter. I hope you enjoyed! See you next week. Please don't forget to vote.

Next Chapter Title: Muscle Memory.