Top pic credit: unknown

Ari POV:

"Ari?-oh, and Hawks, and Dabi, as well! What are you three doing in the middle of the hallway, so early in the morning?" Re-Destro asked, as he caught sight of our little trio.

My heart was legitimately pounding out of my chest as I blankly stared at Re-Destro. His eyes had only locked with mine so far, not totally processing the two morons behind me, just yet

And truth be told, I didn't have enough courage to turn around and face Dabi and Keigo to see what state they were currently in. For all I know, Keigo could still be choking him. And if that's the case, well, it was nice knowing-

"Ah, we're just having a little chat between old friends! Isn't that right, guys?" Hawks chirped out happily, the complete 180 change in his demeanor causing me to become physically dizzy.

His happy attitude gave me the strength to face him at lightning speed, seeing him standing politely next to Dabi, who was still leaning up against the wall.

How the hell....did he change his attitude so fast? One second ago, he had his hands locked around Dabi's throat, ready to kill. And now, he was smiling innocently, lazily shoving his hands in his pockets as he rocked back and forth on his heels.

And, to my surprise, Dabi had successfully taken a similar approach to Keigo.

Whatever true self of him I had managed to unlock for those few, terrifying minutes was now completely chained up inside himself again. Dabi was back in full force, slouched up against the wall, as he broodily glared at the ceiling.

"A chat, my ass. But, sure, whatever. If that's what you wanna call it. Knock yourself out." Dabi muttered in his usual, familiar annoyance, rolling his eyes closed with a tired attitude.

I could tell both boys were making an effort to keep things civil. Of course, Dabi has no reason to, so it makes me completely uneasy that the three of us are now involved in the dark, little secret of what really happened in this hallway.

And, on top of that....I can tell that whatever just ensued between Dabi, Keigo, and I a moment ago...is still unfinished.

That's right. This isn't over, unfortunately. The tension is still lingering thick in the air.

Keigo's flashing a pretty convincing fake smile to Re-Destro, but I still notice the angry vein that's peeking out the side of his head. Or, the way he purposely shoved his hands into his pockets to hide the way his fists were tightly balled up in infuriation.

His wings were uncontrollably twitching up every few seconds, and being so close to him allowed me to hear the slow, deep breaths he was inhaling through his nose, to try and calm himself down.

And Dabi....I guess I don't know him well enough to know what little mannerisms he does when he's angry, but I'll bet that the tensed jaw and slight angry furrow of his brows, that he's currently sporting, are some pretty good indicators.

And me. I feel stressed. I feel frazzled. I feel sick. I can still feel the taste and texture of Dabi's lips lingering on my own. I can still feel the way his arm curled around my body to bring me closer to him. Or the way he snaked his stapled hand into my hair with ease.

I can still imagine the look in his eyes. The look of him. The person he used to be. I can still imagine the natural inflection change of his voice, that he probably hadn't used in so long.

I can still see that very nostalgic shade of blue in his eyes. Blue eyes that seemed to haunt the deepest parts of my soul for a reason unknown. Blue eyes that almost looked as if they were asking for help-or maybe, it was resentment because no one did help him.

And the conversation with the three of us. Me. Dabi. Keigo.

It has left a strange feeling in my heart. It left an unknown sense of familiarity. Sure, it's not surprising that Keigo is familiar to me. I'm dating the man. I expect that.

But, it was familiar with Dabi, too. And not only that, but even through the tension....the entire ordeal brought about a sense of nostalgia and comfortability that made me uncomfortable. Because, why should that have been known to me, somehow? The three of us together-

"Well, I hope you enjoyed your little chat, cause it's the last one you'll be having...." Skeptic started off, before turning his long, overgrown bangs in Keigo's direction.

However, the grunge guy paused for a moment, cringing slightly as he grabbed his head in pain and burped nauseously, clearly finding it difficult to continue.

That's right. Last night was the party, where Keigo purposely got Skeptic drunk. He's probably hungover right now.

"You're under arrest, Hawks." Skeptic sighed out in disappointment, the words making my heart jump up my throat.

Oh. Shit.

Did they figure out he's a spy??!

"Why?" I blurted out a little too interestedly, quickly clearing my throat at the end to try and downplay my slight overreaction.

However, Keigo kept his cool completely, not even giving, so much as a, micro-expression to Skeptic's order.

He kept his body relaxed and remained in his place, tilting his head to the side and raising a brow of amusement, to play the whole thing off as a joke. Typical Hawks.

"Oh yeah? For what charge? Stealin' your heart?" He smirked cockily, giving Skeptic a cheeky click of his tongue as he skillfully tried to figure this situation out for himself.

Skeptic clearly wasn't in the mood for any of Hawks' antics today, as he immediately swept his long bangs to the side to display his wild, bloodshot eyes.

"No, no, no! Don't pull that crap with me! You knew the deal. You knew that the cameras were supposed to remain on your wings at all times, and yet, you were still bold enough to take 'em off?! You got balls, kid. I'll give ya that. But, it's over now, alright?! There's no use resisting!" Skeptic accused crankily, causing my internal panic mode to intensify.

Agh, yes. I remember....

Shortly after Keigo and I began our hookup for the night, he removed the camera compromised feathers from his wings, to allow us more privacy.

And then, because of this whole commotion with Dabi, he must have forgotten to put them back on, before Skeptic woke up from his drunken stupor.

And it looks like now....he's paying the price for it.

Or, so I thought.

In the next second, I felt a few faint tickles of incredibly fast air whiz past my face at lightning speed. It was so quick, that the sound almost seemed like nothing. And if I didn't know any better, I would have ignored it completely.

But, I knew better to know that those sounds were, more than likely, the sound of Keigo's monitored feathers sneaking back into place on his wings, faster than the speed of light.

"Huh? What do ya mean? I've had the cameras on the entire time!" Keigo countered innocently, without missing a breath, gesturing for Skeptic to check his hand held monitors again.

Immediately shaking his head in stubborn denial, Skeptic looked back down at his monitor-only with the motivation to prove Keigo wrong.

However...

"No excuses. I know what I saw. The screen is black..." He started, trailing off when his eyes caught sight of the perfectly functional screen.

There on the handheld monitor was the sight of Skeptic, Geten, and Re-Destro-of course, the only reason they were on the screen, was because Keigo's feather cameras were currently pointed in their direction.

But, regardless, it meant that Skeptic had been proven wrong.

Well....not wrong, actually. He was very much correct, but Keigo's just lucky that he's got a quirk that's fast enough to outsmart the system.

And his brain is the same way.

"Hm? The screen was black, you say? That's weird, I wonder what technical malfunctions caused that mishap. Is there anything I can do to ensure it doesn't happen again?" Hawks pondered fakely, pursing his lips and stroking his chin in concerned 'thought.'

Heh. It almost makes me wanna laugh, how genuine he sounds with that offer.

"Everything looks fine to me, Skeptic." Re-Destro pointed out casually, giving a friendly smile and a wave to the monitor since he was the one showing up on the screen.

Douchebag.

Keigo and I let out a fake, forced laugh of amusement at his actions, internally knowing that we both found this moment very not entertaining.

Skeptic gave his hungover, raw eyes a harsh rub to try and clear the sleep out of them, keeping his gaze glued to the screen in intense disbelief-as if his previous accusations would magically be proven right, out of nowhere.

"T-Technical...difficul......no. No! That's bullshit! My software doesn't have technical difficulties-Re-Destro, I make it all, myself!! From scratch. I test it weekly. It's not possible-" Skeptic urged a little desperately...his anxious tone of voice displaying that he was starting to doubt his own convictions.

And, judging from Keigo's next gaslighting technique, I could tell he obviously picked up on this, too.

"Ah, hey man, don't worry about it. No one's doubting you, or anything like that! I'm sure what you saw was real. It was probably just the internet connection or somethin'!" Keigo stated cheerfully, before I saw those gold eyes subtly light up with a bit of malicious intent that would seal his sure situation.

Those were Diane's eyes that just lit up his soul. A reminder that her influence still lives inside him, at times.

"And, ya know.....sometimes, alcohol and early morning don't really mix, if you catch my drift. It can make you see things, and all that other voodoo. Need an aspirin, or anything? A chicken sandwich is always my go-to for a hangover." Hawks finished off with a wink, uttering the words with a fake whisper that was just loud enough for Re-Destro to still hear.

That was the intention, of course.

Skeptic's tired eyes widened at Hawks' blackmailing words, at the same time Re-Destro's look turned to one of curiosity.

"Oh? Skeptic, I didn't know you were drinking last night. Seems a bit irresponsible for my right hand, if I'm being honest." Re-Destro pointed out in disappointment, causing kiss-ass Skeptic to immediately look crushed.

That's how all these liberation people are. They worship the ground Re-Destro walks on.

"Huh? What?-no! No, I-I only had a few drinks! The night just got away from me a bit. That's all. I....I apologize for my irresponsibility." Skeptic stuttered out submissively, quickly forgetting about his accusations towards Hawks as he was now too focused on the attention that had been placed on himself.

Keigo tactfully stepped in again, upon seeing Skeptic now in the vulnerable spot, ensuring that he tied up all the loose ends of a 'friendship' with him.

"Ah, c'mon, Re-Destro. Give the guy a break. Skeptic's really cool! I mean, the only reason he felt comfortable enough to even let loose, was because that party you threw last night was just so dang fun! Isn't that right, guys?" Hawks chirped out, quickly turning to me and Dabi for a second opinion.

"Oh. For...sure." I muttered blankly, hearing Dabi simultaneously utter out a sassy "whatever" in the same deflated tone.

"Yes, that's right! The party. Sorry I couldn't stay until the end of the night. But, this old man needs his beauty sleep!" Re-Destro chuckled, quickly turning his eyes on me now as he clearly had something to say.

Damn it. I should have known I wasn't getting out of this one.

I simply raised my brows in 'excited' question, dreadfully awaiting wherever the hell this conversation was about to go.

"Ari, I was very happy to see you there, last night-though I'll admit....I was a little disappointed that you didn't interact with the PLF members more. Any reason why?" He asked, not seeming upset-but, also not necessarily happy about my performance at the party.

I couldn't help but cringe at myself, internally, for my lack of socialization, last night. Admittedly, Keigo had distracted me quite a bit from getting any work done. That was my own fault.

But, luckily, the two of us refrained from interacting alone at the party. In fact, most of my time at the event was spent with...

"Hah-oh, well, uhhh.....Dabi and I actually got to talking a lot, last night." I chuckled, having no choice but to rely on the stitched man for backup, as I really didn't speak with anyone else at the party yesterday.

Of course, I was still worried that Dabi, somehow wouldn't go along with this lie, choosing to rat out Keigo and I, instead. He had every reason to.

However, he didn't get the opportunity to choose, as a certain dipshit spoke up first.

"Yeah, it's true. Those two were flirting all night long, and the sight of it made me absolutely sick!" Geten nagged out, scrunching up his face in disgust as he said the words.

It's funny. His comment was said with an obvious intention to be rude and make fun of me, but it really just ended up helping me out. Dabi is a commander for the PLF, after all. It can't look horrible that I was seen speaking to him all night.

The stitched man didn't say anything in reply. No insult. No denial. No smart ass comment. No retort of how the entire idea made him wanna gag.

No. Nothing. He was quiet. He's been eerily quiet throughout the entirety of this conversation with Re-Destro and the others. A hard contrast to the unhinged way he'd been running his mouth with Keigo and I a few minutes ago.

He's thinking about something. Something serious. And I want nothing more than to know what it is.

But, since I can't....

I chose to go with a different approach. One to throw everyone off my trail a bit.

Sorry, Keigo. But, you better deal with it.

I forced a blush onto my cheeks at Geten's words, letting out a flustered laugh as I pretended I was too embarrassed to meet anyone's eyes.

Keigo and Dabi both whipped their heads at me in pure confusion to my uncharacteristic behavior, clearly very interested in wherever the hell I was going with this.

"O-Oh! Dabi and I weren't talking all night. And we definitely weren't f-flirting. Please..." I muttered out sheepishly, pretending to look back at Dabi for a moment with some type of longing, school girl crush.

I almost busted out laughing when I looked back to meet his gaze, seeing his brow raised in annoyance, as he shot me a deadpan glare that basically said "are you fucking kidding me, right now."

And trust me, I wish I was fucking kidding him right now.

But, as I had hoped, Geten picked up on my 'embarrassment,' now doing everything in his power to try and maximize my uncomfortability.

And that's good. I wanted him to draw attention to it, so that I can do everything in my power to not be associated with Keigo.

Man, these PLF people are so easy to manipulate. Much easier than someone like Dabi.

"Wow-do you see that, Re-Destro?! A crush! She has a crush on that blue idiot!!" Geten tattle-taled like a child, letting out a mocking laugh of victory as he thought he was catching me in some giant lie.

Not the right lie, buddy. But, good try.

"Who you calling blue idiot, you damn ice bastard? Want me to burn some common sense into that empty head of yours?" Dabi threatened out casually, his voice coming out thoroughly irritated and fed up with the events of this day-and it's not even seven in the morning, yet.

Nevertheless, my plan was working, as I noticed the disappointment that Re-Destro had been holding in his eyes, for my lack of socialization at the party, quickly turn to pleasant surprise instead, as he said...

"Ohhh, is that what's happening here, Ari? You have a crush on Dabi? Well......that is truly and utterly adorable!" Re-Destro chimed in enthusiastically, clapping his hands together loudly in a way that made me jump.

"Ohhh. A crush on Dabi? Well, isn't that neat." Keigo chimed in with pure irritation, running a wild hand through his hair.

Obviously, he knew the whole thing was bullshit. But, after the conversation the three of us just had, his anger is clearly still running high.

"Yep. Fucking adorable." Dabi echoed out mockingly, voice laced with a bitter passive aggression that showed how infuriated he still truly was.

Wow. The irony of this situation is just laughable. But, I've got no choice, other than to continue with it.

Letting out a shy laugh, I rubbed the back of my neck 'nervously' to really seal the deal.

"Ahh, nooo! Of course I don't have a crush on Dabi!" I denied intentionally half-hearted, causing Re-Destro to chuckle at my flustered state.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes when I heard the strong flap of Keigo's wings from behind me, finding it amusing that he just had to let me know he was jealous, somehow.

Dumb ass bird. Cool your feathers.

"Oh, no. Of course not!" Re-Destro chimed in teasingly, making this situation worse the longer he kept it going.

I could practically feel the previous tensions between Dabi, Keigo, and I awakening once again with this conversation, causing me to lose my focus in response to Re-Destro's comment this time.

And because I didn't answer right away, the hallway became awkward as the pointy nosed motherfucker and I began giggling like a bunch of schoolgirls-the sounds becoming more uncomfortable to me by the second, as we were the only two laughing about the very unfunny situation.

After a few more moments of forced giggles, I had no choice but to intervene.

"Yep. Okayyy then-Well, anyways...." I chirped out with a tone of finality, praying for Re-Destro to go along with the subject change.

As if remembering his real reason for wanting to talk to me, Re-Destro quickly straightened himself up, clearing his throat softly before moving on.

"Ah, yes, anyways, indeed. I am glad I ran into you, Ari. I was planning to let you sleep in and speak to you once you woke up, but I guess we can just discuss things now since we're all up and at it, right?" He asked eagerly.

I'll admit, his words made me almost regret changing the subject. We're just going from one uncomfortable thing to the next.

But, it's not like I can say no.

"Yeah, of course! Discuss away." I smiled fakely, not missing a beat in allowing him to continue.

"You know, I was a little unsure in the very beginning as to whether or not you'd fit in, here at the Paranormal Liberation Front. But, after having dinner with you, watching you beat Geten in a fight, and seeing the way you interact with one of our top PLF commanders, Dabi.....well, I think it's clear that you deserve a spot here." Re-Destro explained politely, keeping his eyes on me in focus as he assessed my immediate reactions.

And luckily, my poker face has gotten better in these past few months. Because, the calm, unreadable look I kept on the outside in no way mirrored the chaos I was feeling on the inside.

Shit.

Re-Destro's officially offering me a spot in the PLF army. Now, what does this mean exactly? Does it mean that he's expecting me to fight on the PLF side, for the war that's supposed to be coming in four months?-not that I can even bring that up. I'm not supposed to know about the war-Or am I? Dabi didn't really explain much when he dragged me here.

Will I have to stop school?-Damn it, I'm so close to graduating. Three months, and I'll be one of the pros. Will I have to move in to the PLF mansion?-

Re-Destro's chuckle of amusement brought me back to reality a few moments later, causing me to quickly look up at his face and assess his mood.

Luckily, he didn't look mad that I hadn't given him an answer, yet. No, he was being patient this time. Very different from the first night I was here, when I had a mouthful of broccoli, being interrogated impatiently at the dinner table.

And I think I know why.

When I first arrived at the PLF mansion, I hadn't done anything to prove myself useful to the liberation cause in any way. Re-Destro was suspicious of me from the start. He looked at me as a weak kid, and treated me as more of a nuisance prisoner, up until I had my fight with Geten.

It was only once I showed my quirk skills that Re-Destro began changing his attitude towards me-the invite to the party last night, the freedom of not being escorted by any guards, allowing me to sleep in.

So, the fact that he seems to have turned a new leaf, can only mean that he somehow has plans for me to be useful in this war.

And I'm slightly afraid to know what these plans are.

But, even so....

"Ah-wow-Wow!! That's just....that's....wow..." I blurted out like a moron, cursing the fact that my acting and manipulation skills have never been as good as Keigo's. That sly bastard.

I was lucky that my words came out more like pleasant surprise, instead of the dreaded anxiety I was truly feeling.

"Hah! Yes, wow, indeed. You really wow'ed me with your skills, Ari. Offering you a spot in my army is the least I could do to repay you." He smiled, dropping the giant information bomb of the 'army' unexpectedly early in this conversation.

There's my opportunity into gaining more information about this entire ordeal.

Alright, I need to do a little better here, with my lying and acting skills. This is too important to mess up.

Quickly straightening my posture and forcing a smile onto my face, I made an attempt to be more sure of myself.

"Well, who am I to turn down an amazing offer like that? Of course, I'll accept a spot in the Paranormal Liberation Front Army-but, you know, I am curious. Usually armies are associated with....wars...." I started out cautiously, not quite finishing up my thoughts to see if Re-Destro would finish them for me.

After all, it was only thanks to Keigo's coded message that I'm aware of the coming war....I don't really know if it's something I should have known, upon coming here.

Re-Destro picked up on my bait, immediately furrowing his brows in confusion.

"Hm?-wait, Dabi didn't tell you about the war we're planning against the heroes?" The pointy nosed guy asked, quickly turning his eyes on Dabi in question.

Well, there it is.

The stitched man in question simply scoffed, shoving his hands in his pockets as he threw his annoyed gaze back up to the ceiling. It didn't even seem like he was listening to this conversation.

And technically, no. Dabi did not tell me about the war. I was very careful in listening to his words, when he told me he'd be bringing me to the PLF mansion. And what he said was the MLA and League are working in collaboration. Nothing about a war. Nothing about an army. I need to stick with that so I don't mix up my lies, and get Keigo and I killed.

"Well, Dabi didn't tell me much, if you can imagine that." I chuckled, ignoring his small mutter of profanities from behind me, before continuing.

"He just said the league and the MLA were working together-but, what's this I hear about a war? I'm definitely interested to know-and I'll need to know as much as possible, so I can perform my duties to the absolute best of my abilities." I explained, not wanting to sound too suspicious in my intentions for wanting information on this war.

After all, the moment I get back to Musutafu tonight, the first thing I'm gonna do is tell Endeavor everything I heard here.

And I was well on my way to accomplishing that certain goal-that is, until a certain, nosy chicken stepped in.

"Ah-hold on a sec-really?! You wanna let some high-schooler in on all of this? Re-Destro, c'mon man....you've always been a smart guy. I trust you with my life, of course-But, this decision? Are you sure? Ari Parker isn't experienced enough in combat to handle all of this responsibility! I don't think adding her to the front lines is really what's in the best interest of the PLF, if I'm being honest." Keigo pointed out nonchalantly, the words of his statement making me wanna smack him in the face.

Seriously? Shut up.

Yes. I know why he just said what he said. He's trying to protect me. It's his way of saying he wants me nowhere near any of this, and that I should just head back to school, safe and sound.

But, number one, I don't really have a choice if Re-Destro wants me here. It's not like he's just gonna drop the bomb that there's gonna be a war, and then give me the choice to decide if I wanna be apart of it.

And, number two, Keigo can't do much with those damn cameras on his wings, anyways, so my help in all of this is extremely important to the heroes.

"Yes, Hawks, well this high-schooler just beat one of my best men in a one-on-one fight, with the disadvantage on her side." Re-Destro countered, causing my jaw to tense in slight irritation at what he just unintentionally revealed to me.

I knew he was purposely giving me a disadvantage in my fight against Geten. The icy floor, forcing me to complete an exercise, before I fought Geten, so I would be tired, the freezing outfit.

Bastard.

This guy can't be trusted. I know that. But, that's all the more reason for Keigo and I to get to the bottom of this and take him down together.

You're not alone, anymore, Keigo. I'm in this with you. Whether you want me to be, or not. I'm sticking around, and that's the way it's gonna be.

"T-That fight was a draw!!" Geten cried out like a baby, completely butt hurt that Re-Destro was recognizing my talents over his.

But, I ignored him, solely focused on Keigo's sabotaging intentions for this conversation. I need to do a little damage control, to ensure I don't lose the place I was just given.

"And not to mention..." I started off, slowly turning around to meet the pair of golden eyes that were already locked on me.

He hid his concern well in front of Re-Destro and the others, simply raising his brows in careless question to my comment, while keeping that half lidded smirk plastered on his face.

However, anyone could have taken a closer glance and noticed how extremely stiff and forced his smile was. I could easily see how clearly irritated he was with me, for trying to intervene and insert myself into things that we both know are dangerous.

And he's also irritated that he can't do anything about it.

We both met each other's silent, yet heated gazes, secretly and subtly trying to get the other to back down from the fight.

Well, you can bet that it's not gonna be me who backs down first. Not when we're this close to figuring it all out. Not when we're this close to ending his infiltration mission for good.

Not when we're this close to being free.

Keigo wrote that message to me in the sandbox for a reason. He needs help, whether he wants to admit it or not.

"I appreciate your concern, Hawks. But, I can handle myself." I stated firmly, raising my brows to give him a subtle warning to back off a bit.

His wings softly ruffled up at my stubborn tone of voice, causing him to quickly cross tuck them behind his back.

He was quiet at my words, staring at me blankly because he could do absolutely nothing else. He couldn't even blink a wink of disapproval because these orders go beyond him at the moment, and he knows that.

And that was only made more obvious from the way he forced his eyes away from mine after a few moments, letting them slide to the side in begrudging irritation.

"Alright, whatever. Knock yourself out, kid. I don't care." He uttered bitterly, looking completely uninterested in the matter as he attempted to ignore my presence that was staring him in the face.

Don't be like that, birdie.

I know he's worried. I'm not disregarding that. I'm worried, too. And I wanted nothing more than to walk over there and talk this out with him, in any way I could.

But, of course, I couldn't do that. Not with everyone watching. All I could do was shrug my shoulders carelessly at his Hawks attitude, and turn back around to face Re-Destro with a fake smile.

"So, a war against the heroes, huh? Sounds like a plan to me. One step closer to liberation!-anyways, what's my role in all of this?" I asked not-so-casually, trying to calm my fast beating heart so Keigo wouldn't detect my nerves for this situation with his nosy feathers.

"Yes, that's the spirit, Ari! That's exactly it, one step closer to liberation. As for your role in all of this....well, I'm still working out where I want you, and what you'll be doing, but with a quirk like yours....there's endless possibilities, right?" The pointy nosed man asked, finally letting a bit of that usual, fake smile he always wears fall into a dark smirk.

Shit. That look is even more frightening than when he fake smiles.

Re-Destro's eyes burned into me with a new type of fire now, looking at me like I was the object to all of his answers.

I couldn't help but chuckle nervously at the thought, twiddling my thumbs anxiously to try and keep it all together.

"Y-Yes. Absolutely. I look forward to helping you win this war in any way I can, Re-Destro." I smiled, feeling the words leave a sour taste in my mouth as soon as I spoke them.

Mostly because, I have a bad feeling about all of this.

"Excellent! Our odds just got a hell of a lot better with you on our side. As for now, I am aware that it's your last day at the mansion, before your school expects you back. So, lay low at UA, in the meantime, and await further instructions-Actually, I'd appreciate it if you could keep tabs on the heroes and relay any crucial information you hear, that could affect our outcome. How does that sound?" He asked politely, yet the firmness in his voice relayed that he wasn't really asking me to do such a thing.

This situation just keeps getting more and more interesting.

"Spy on the heroes? Sounds like a piece of cake to me. I'll tell you everything I find out." I reassured eagerly, giving the pointy nosed man a small bow of respect.

Now, listen here, I ain't telling him jack shit.

Or, at least, I won't tell him anything truthful.

Re-Destro smiled happily at my compliance, making me think that I was finally in the clear with his trust.

"Great, Ari. All of this is great. Now....are you sure this whole ordeal isn't.....too much for you?" He asked suddenly, keeping his tone light and cheerful as not to spook me.

But, it doesn't matter how he phrases the question. Because I know exactly what he was implying when he asked it.

That was a warning question. A warning that I better not fuck this up. A warning that I better not betray him.

And I will betray him. Gladly. When the time comes.

I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to taking this man down. One day at a time, for the next four months.

"It's not too much. I promise, Re-Destro, that you can count on me." I stated with ease, looking right into his eyes as I told the lie that would end his future.

I don't really know where to go from here. But, one thing I know for sure is that I won't turn my back on the heroes.

No matter what happens....

Four months is where this all finally ends.

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

The day had gone on as usual, and I still had a few hours before I was set to return back to UA.

Not wanting to fuck anything up, somehow, I spent this time in my room...packing the little clothing items I brought with me, and pondering over how I'll tell Endeavor about everything I learned on this little trip.

He'll probably be mad that I was here in the first place, putting myself in danger and all. But, whatever. Enji can get over it.

I pursed my lips in focused day dream...too lost in thought about all of this to notice that someone had snuck into my open window.

It wasn't until I turned around to see a giant bird man glaring at me with his arms crossed, that I jumped in surprise.

Should have expected that one.

"Oh fuck!!-god. You scared the shit outta me!" I huffed out breathlessly, clutching my hand over my heart as I tried to recover from the small shock of him just carelessly barging into this room, like he owned the place.

Typical, bratty Keigo.

However, the bird boy didn't seem to care about my caught-off-guard appearance, instead stroking his chin in fake thought as he pretended to ponder over something very important.

Great. I see he's feeling petty today.

"Oh? Really? I scared the shit outta you? Huh....hey, y'know, that's pretty ironic-considering all of the scary shit you just got yourself into, back there. But, whatever, right?" He shrugged casually, clearly trying to take the passive aggressive route as he attempted to act unbothered about this whole thing.

But, unlike the first days of trying to understand this mystery of a man, now I can see right through him.

He's clearly stressed; worried and full of concern, regardless of how he tried to play it.

Keeping this in mind, I softened my glare at his sassy attitude....watching with small amusement as he purposely avoided my gaze to try and stay angry with me.

I kept my distance from him for a moment longer as I remembered the cameras on his wings, wanting to make sure we had all of our bases covered before we started talking, really talking.

"So....any reason you've stopped by my room, Hawks?" I asked politely, purposely using the name I never use to ask my silent questions of whether or not we were truly alone.

And judging solely based on Keigo's relaxed, natural body language and facial expressions, I already knew the answer before he even spoke it.

"Ah, you can drop that Hawks thing. Dabi's been offsite all day. And Skeptic's too occupied with sleeping off his hangover in the break room, right now. The guy thinks he's being secretive, but my feathers can sense him snoring like baby." He mumbled dryly, keeping his arms crossed stubbornly as he focused his avian gaze on the window in annoyance.

Wow. Clearly, he really wants me to know he's mad.

But, Keigo's never been the passive aggressive type when he doesn't need to be. I guarantee, he won't be able to stay quiet about his grudges for very long-

My thoughts were cut short as I watched his attitude take a sudden, sharp turn in the opposite direction. The anger in his gold eyes simmered away into nothing.

He looked exhausted. Mentally and physically.

"God-just.....what the hell are you thinking, Chicky. 'Cause, I just....I dunno...." Keigo breathed out in tired stress, running a hand through his messy hair as he took a seat at the edge of my bed.

His previously tense shoulders immediately slumped. His annoyed demeanor dropped into something more deflated as soon as he spoke the words.

His reaction surprised me, as it's not one I was expecting. Judging from the sassy way he barged in here, I thought this conversation would only escalate in anger and volume. I figured Keigo was ready for a confrontation, in an attempt to win some argument that he came here to give. In fact, I'm guessing that's what he was expecting too-before he realized that he just didn't have it in him to fight.

It looked as if the events from this morning had completely wore him out, leaving nothing left but this stressed, concerned chicken.

I stayed silent for a moment, wanting to make sure I was reading the situation correctly before I responded.

Keigo was resting his elbows atop his knees, hunched forward as he ran both gloved hands through his wavy, blonde locks. He was talking quietly to himself-a tell tale sign that he was anxious, and his wings were drooped tiredly all the way to the ground.

I pursed my lips in slight pity, not wanting to see him in this distressed state any longer.

Putting my packing on hold, I slowly walked my way over to his seated figure.

I know Keigo heard me coming over to him, judging from the slight flutter of his wings, yet he didn't lift his head to look at me, clearly wanting me to say something about this whole thing first.

Once I reached him, I remained standing, carefully resting both hands on his shoulders before sliding them up into his hair.

He didn't respond vocally to my touch, trying his best to remain stubborn. Yet, the small sigh of content he made when I began stroking his hair gave him away.

I smiled lightly and continued my actions, causing him to cave a little more and rest the weight of his head forward against my stomach.

"Keigooo, it's gonna be okay...." I coaxed softly, running my fingers through his hair with a little more care.

My gentle tone of voice clearly made him melt, as all he could do now was hum in soft protest-yet, at the same time, his hands came to rest loosely on my hips.

"You don't know that, Ari..." He muttered quietly, his words coming out slightly muffled as he practically had his entire face smushed in the comfort of my stomach.

But, I could still notice how any of the anger or annoyances he'd been holding onto all morning quickly melted away into the soft Completely Keigo I love so much.

"I do know that. I hope you do, too. I....I hope you believe in me. I promise, I'm capable of doing this." I uttered softly, closing my eyes as I focused on the feeling of holding him in my arms.

I wanted to savor these last moments, before I had to head back to UA. I don't know when I would see him again.

Keigo clearly felt the same, as soft, pillowy feathers curled around my back in the next instant, enveloping the two of us in this small space that was secret from the rest of the world.

"Ah, it's not that I don't believe in you..." He started off, slowly lifting his head up to look at me.

I looked down to meet his gaze, watching his face immediately soften with a warm smile at the sight.

His wings carefully curled more around my body, gently pulling me forward until I was fully wrapped in the hold of his arms.

"I do believe in you, chicky. I believe in you, more than anyone..." Keigo reassured, pulling me down into his lap.

I sat atop of his thigh willingly, curling both arms around his shoulders as I waited for him to continue.

He held me securely, slowly turning his face towards me until we were only mere inches apart.

"I'm just worried about you. This....this is everything I was trying to keep you away from." He sighed quietly, gold orbs shining with anxiety as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

I chuckled quietly, flashing a smile of amusement to try and lighten the mood.

"Ohhh, come on, Keigo. You can't keep me away from it all." I whispered, snuggling my face into the crook of his neck.

He smiled just a bit at my words, raising his brows in teasing challenge.

"Well, I can try. But, first, you gotta run away with me, little dove. Away from all this. Then, you can be happy. I'll make you happy." He stated quietly, squishing his face against the side of my head to indulge in the snuggle.

His words struck a chord with me. They gave me a realization that I had started coming to this weekend, but now know for sure.

"I am happy. You do make me happy, Keigo. Just having you in my life, that's enough to make me the happiest girl in the world. Yes, we can be happy in the future, too. But, there's no need to wait for happiness. I'm happy now." I whispered, closing my eyes in bliss as I reveled in his warmth.

Keigo held me tighter upon hearing my words, stroking the back of my hair as he let this moment sink deep into the memories of his soul.

"I'm happy too, Ari. You make me happy. And that's why....I just....I-I can't...I can't lose you." He uttered out barely audible.

"Hey...." I soothed, pulling away slightly so I'd be able to look at him.

He didn't meet my gaze for a moment, blankly staring to the side as I could tell he was clearly thinking about the worst.

"You're not gonna lose me. And I'm not gonna lose you. We're gonna get through this, the same way we get through everything else. Four months, Keigs. That's it. We can do this." I reassured, grabbing his stubbly chin between my fingers to bring his attention back to me.

He sighed softly, easily giving in to my touch as he looked at me with fake begrudgement.

"Oh, don't give me that look, bird boy. Besides, I am set to replace Wash in the top ten, right after I graduate in three months. Have a little faith in your new number eight pro hero, hm." I smirked with a wink, watching the worry in his eyes quickly turn to surprised excitement.

"Wait, what?! Get out-Number eight? Ah, man, you'll really be at number eight, already? That's amazing." Keigo beamed, flashing a big, toothy grin as he gave me a small squeeze.

I couldn't help but match his smile, too hyped on the future to even hide it.

"Thanks. Diane called and told me the news a few weeks ago. I just never got the chance to tell you, cause we weren't really talking." I shrugged casually, no longer having the pain of saying such a thing.

Keigo and I had a rough patch. It's not uncommon for relationships to experience one. But, now, we're past it.

"God, I'm so proud of you, Chicky. You've worked so hard for this. That's only a few spots away from number two, y'know." He countered playfully, giving his brows a flirty wiggle as he slowly lowered us back onto the bed.

"It sure is. Who knows, maybe I'll even surpass you, chicken boy." I joked, landing on Keigo's chest as his back hit the mattress.

He opened his mouth in mock offense at my words, causing me to laugh at his dramatic attitude.

"Is that a challenge I smell comin' on? Well, better get ready to be disappointed, dove. I am number two for a reason." He smirked, giving his lip a soft, mischievous bite as he ran his hands along my back.

I lightly rolled my eyes at his words, slowly leaning in closer to his face.

"We'll see about that, Hawks."

"Already getting cocky, I see."

"Well, that's only cause I learned from the best cocky mentor." I shrugged, giggling softly as his smile got bigger.

"Mentor, huh. You know, I'd rather prefer the term boss-"

"Oh, I'm sure you would-"

"But, I'll take it. Hah, I still remember the first day you walked up to my agency, totally begging me for a job-" Keigo sighed in fake exasperation.

"Woah, woah, woah there. Get those jumbled feathers out of your brain. I was not begging. If I remember correctly, you're the one who showed up like seven hours late." I countered, flicking his cheek softly with my fingers.

"Ummm, nooo. I was only like ten...maybe, forty-five minutes late! And for good reason!" He defended, breaking out into smug, soft laughter when I flicked him again.

"Yeah, that's right. You were stopping that out of control train. I remember."

"Ehhhh, well, yes and no...."

I gave him a deadpan, harmless glare to his "but wait, there's more" comment, wondering what the hell he was gonna say this time.

"What do you mean yes and no?"

"I stopped that train, yes. And that would have made me about five minutes late for our first meeting. The other forty minutes were spent trying to scrub the train's oil spill outta the crotch of my pants. I wanted to, at least, look somewhat decent for ya. Thought you were cute, and I wanted to impress you-Oh man, I spent a lot of time trying to impress you though, and you didn't pick up on any of it! Hey, how did I even snag ya, anyways?" He asked nonchalantly, letting his messy, blonde locks splay to the side as he tilted his head in question.

"Hmmm...." I started off in over-dramatic thought, purposely drawing out the question to add some unnecessary suspense.

Keigo simply rolled his eyes in amusement, giving my hips a cheeky squeeze.

"Oh, yeah. Sure. Now you get quiet." He smirked smugly, squeezing my sides again to make me laugh.

"It was the wings." I joked with finality after a few moments, pressing my lips together to try and remain serious.

"Ah-hah! It was, right?!-God, I knew it. You only like me for my body." He pouted fakely, throwing his head back into the mattress to display his utter 'devastation.'

Feeling a little bit mischievous now, I slowly leaned forward....pressing a small, sensual kiss to his jaw that made him squirm in pleasant surprise.

"Can you blame me? You're a hot piece of ass, Keigo. I may be stubborn at times, but I'm not blind." I countered confidently, causing him to let out a flustered chuckle as I began peppering soft kisses on his skin.

"Mmm, trying to get me blushing, little dove? Cause it's workin'." He stated a bit quieter, clearly starting to become distracted by my sweet kisses.

"And what if I am?" I uttered playfully, slowly trailing my lips up his warm cheek.

Keigo's teases faded away for just a moment, with the smug smirk on his face turning up into a genuine smile.

"Well, then you can have me. Cause, I'm all yours and I love you." He said sweetly, his quick shift from teasing to romantic causing me to melt from how adorable he was.

It caused my teases to fade away, too, and choose to savor this moment with him to the best of my abilities.

And especially, after all of the drama this morning. With Re-Destro. And of course....with the kiss from Dabi...

I felt the need to give Keigo all of my love for this small time, and get lost with him in our own happy world that the two of us have created, amidst the chaos.

"Come here..." I started out softly, quickly gaining his attention.

He lazily turned his head towards me, unable to respond as my lips had already pressed against his, kissing him with as much warmth and affection as I could give.

To show him that, despite what happened today in the hallway, despite everything that's coming, I love him, and that he will always be the only one I want.

And words didn't need to be spoken as Keigo understood what I was trying to do, immediately placing his hands on both sides of my face, as he reciprocated the moment and brought me closer.

My eyes fell closed as our lips molded perfectly to one another's, with both of us quickly getting lost in another heat of the moment.

Keigo hummed huskily in content as I deepened the kiss, the sound of it vibrating with a tickle against my lips.

Not breaking away from his lips, I readjusted my position, straddling my legs on both sides of his hips as I began running my hands up his body.

"I love you, too. So much." I breathed out heatedly against his mouth, already trailing one of my hands to the clasp of his belt.

Keigo's breathing had started picking up now, with his cheeks heating up hotter as he watched me undo his belt.

"I-I thought you were sore." He huffed out softly, head slowly relaxing back against the pillows as he felt my hands slide under his black shirt.

"I'll get over it. Trust me." I chuckled, causing Keigo to start really getting into the moment now.

His hand went to the back of my neck, deepening our kiss to his desires-before his lips curled up into one more mischievous smile.

"Ah, y'know, maybe this mansion's good luck for somethin', after all. This is the second time you've had me under you, in the past twelve hours. Or am I just that good at what I do?-" He started teasing, before I lightly bit down on his bottom lip to shut him up.

Keigo's teases trailed off into a small gasp at my action, darkening gold orbs looking up at me with excited anticipation for what was about to happen.

"Do you wanna stop?" I asked with a smirk, already feeling him getting ready from underneath my hips.

He laughed challengingly at my question of tease, smushing my body harder against his own, as he got ready for one more round of fun.

"As if I'd ever wanna stop lovin' you, chicky."

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Next Chapter Title: Special. (and no, it's not another lemon 😂)