Top pic credit: Marik

Ari POV:

"Hey......Ari......you awake, yet, or what?" I heard a voice vaguely say to me, the words barely extending past my unconscious fog.

I furrowed my brows in confusion, hearing myself let out a delusional groan in reply, but not feeling the sound come from my throat as my body was still incredibly out of it.

"No..." I croaked out dazedly, attempting to move my body before a sharp shooting cramp immediately shot through my muscles.

I immediately cringed in pain, feeling a warm hand suddenly rest on my shoulder, before gently pushing me back down.

"I wouldn't try getting up yet, if I were you, unless you wanna take a nose dive straight into the floor. But, then again....whatever, I guess. It's your face. I dunno." The person muttered boredly...and somewhat awkwardly, keeping their hand on my shoulder as I slowly began coming back to consciousness.

Trying to open my incredibly heavy eye lids, my pupils instantly started burning from the light, causing me to hiss in pain and quickly close them again.

"Fuck. Where....am I..." I mumbled out, still feeling the warm hand on my shoulder as I tried to force my brain back to consciousness.

I heard the person shuffle around slightly, and judging by the way I felt the mattress under me move with the sound, I gathered they were sitting at the edge of my bed.

"In your room. You've been sleeping for awhile. That ice bastard gave your ass a pretty good whooping, you know. Heh, but even I gotta admit, it was satisfying as hell, watching you kick his teeth in. Yeah, he's not doing so hot, either, and that makes me happy." The person chuckled lowly, their wicked sound starting to become more familiar in my ears, the more I woke up.

Letting out a small sigh, I gently began rubbing my closed, swollen eyes to try and prepare them to open in a few seconds.

"Ice bastard.......oh, that's right. Geten. Is he okay?" I croaked out raspily, feeling the most recent events starting to transpire back into my mind.

I remember it now. I kicked Geten in the face, fell on him, and then we both got crushed by his ice. Fun times.

A small scoff of disbelief sounded from next to me at my statement, already making me irritated for whoever this person was.

"Why the hell do you care if he's okay? The guy just tried to kill you. He's alive and you should be furious about that and wanna get revenge on that fucker." The person retorted, before I slowly began opening my eyes again so I wouldn't burn my corneas off from the light this time.

Still trying to adjust to my surroundings, my vision came out blurry, before I lazily turned my half lidded eyes to the person sitting on my bed.

My sight wasn't clear enough, yet, to make out the distinct features of their face, but I could still recognize their hair and general characteristics enough to finally gather who it was.

"Ugh. Dabi? What the fuck are you doing here?" I sighed out tiredly, giving my lagged eyes another rub with my fingers to get myself more awake.

Especially, now that I know I'm in his presence, I don't want him being around me when I'm vulnerable like this. I don't trust him.

The stitched man let out a grouchy hum of disapproval for my reaction to him, yet he didn't even move from his spot on the bed.

"Wow. Is that any way to speak to your savior?" He asked mockingly, causing me to let out a bitter chuckle at the ironic words.

"You are not my savior. If anything, this entire situation is your fault. I never asked to come here." I blurted out, probably, a little too honestly, as I was still trying to rid my brain of the sleepy fog I was in.

I immediately began racking my lagged thoughts for a quick counter excuse to my statement, before Dabi's low chuckle cut me off.

"What, you're telling me that you're not a true liberator?" He asked, the teasing tone evident in his voice.

He said it in a way as if he already knew I thought this whole thing was a scam. That part didn't surprise me, since Dabi and I are both well aware that he did, in fact, force me to come here.

But, what did surprise me is that he sounded as if he also thought the whole thing was a scam, too. Or, he at least sounded like he didn't actually give a flying fuck about the liberation army-an army that he's a commander for, apparently. Why wouldn't he care?

What are Dabi's true intentions? I never seem to know.

Finally managing to clear the remaining sleep from my eyes, I turned my improved sight back on Dabi...only now noticing that it was his hand that was resting on my shoulder.

Scrunching up my nose in disgust, I quickly shoved his hand off me, before rubbing my temples as I felt my head starting to pound with a migraine.

"Don't touch me." I muttered out rudely, waving a dismissive hand at him in hopes that he'd leave.

But to my unsurprised irritation, Dabi shrugged off my words, simply crossing one leg over the other as he tilted his head at me in unbothered curiosity.

"Damn, you're even more bitchy today than usual. Someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed, Princess?" He asked condescendingly. The corners of his lips turned up in a smirk when he saw me about to retaliate.

"That's a rich statement coming from you, emo bastard." I grumbled, hearing Dabi whistle softly at my attitude.

"Man, so stubborn. You know, I'm not a fan of that pigeon head. But, gotta give him props for being able to handle your shit for all that time. You really know how to keep 'em on their toes, I guess." Dabi chuckled, immediately causing my curiosity to perk up at the mention of Keigo.

Last I remember, Keigo had been watching me fight Geten. At some point, he also managed to sneak one of his feathers into my clothes and ended up saving my life during the fight.

But....where is he now? Has he been by to see me? Does he even know I'm okay? Is he too involved with this liberation stuff to-

"God, do you even know how fucking predictable you are?" Dabi suddenly nagged, abruptly pulling me from my thoughts.

I quickly turned my attention back to him in confusion, noticing he was already looking at me.

"Huh?"

"I said, you're predictable. I barely even mention that shit head's name, and your face is already overflowing with desperation. I hope you know how pathetic you look, pining over him like that." He muttered bitterly, averting his eyes away from me to look out my open window.

My brows furrowed in cranky annoyance, realizing I've only been awake for no longer than five minutes and this is what I've come back to.

"I....that's.....oh, fuck off. My....pathetic-ness is none of your business." I retorted lamely, unable to find the energy to match wits and comebacks with Dabi right now.

I'm tired. I'm in pain. And, quite frankly, I really don't wanna talk.

But, apparently, that didn't matter to Dabi as he lazily shifted his eyes back on me, leaning down towards me just a tad closer as he spoke his next words.

"I think it is my business, since I'm the one who helped you here. Let's call it....looking out for you." He drawled out casually, raising his brows at me in challenge.

I stared at him dumbly, starting to become irritated with my tired brain at the fact that I didn't seem to understand a damn thing today. Maybe I got hit in the head during my fight and became more stupid than usual, or something. I don't know.

But, either way....

"What do you mean you helped me here?" I asked somewhat roughly, not meaning for my voice to come out so threatening that time.

Once again, Dabi seemed pretty unbothered by my attitude, more darkly excited about whatever he was going to say next.

"Oh yeah. 'Course you wouldn't know. You were unconscious, after all. How do you think you got here, after the fight? Safely in your bed? With those bandages on your cuts and gashes? Did you think those liberation fucks helped you out? Did you think that was Hawks' doing?" Dabi asked just a tad less malicious than before, once again trailing his cerulean eyes towards my window to avoid my gaze.

I stared at him blankly as I tried to register his words, only now looking down at the bandages that covered my arms, and probably my legs as well.

"You helped me?" I asked in disbelief, quickly lifting the blankets off my body to see what attire I was currently wearing.

The idea of Dabi changing me while I was unconscious was definitely an unsettling thought.

But, to my relief, I was still in the grey, ratty jumpsuit I wore during my quirk demonstration. It was tore up pretty good, but the point was....it was still on me.

Dabi scoffed as he watched me search my clothes, already knowing exactly what I was checking.

"Don't trust my intentions? Ouch. That's hurtful." He muttered in fake hurt, his voice cold and distant to show me that he didn't care what I thought.

I immediately opened my mouth to counteract with another insult, before my eyes trailed down to my bandages once more.

Was Dabi really the person who took me back to my room and tended to my wounds?

I don't know. I really can't trust anything out of the guy's mouth.

But, then again, he's the only person here with me right now. So, what else can I say? It would be pointless and energy wasting to even argue with him about something so ridiculous.

Letting out a small, tired sigh....I kept my gaze on the wrapped bandages around my arms, surprised at their intricacy and level of correctness.

I wonder where Dabi learned how to do proper first aid? Not what one would typically expect from a villain....

Calming down my attitude, I was about to actually thank Dabi for the first time ever, before he quickly spoke first and ruined it.

"You know, it's funny. Here you are, questioning me and my intentions, after I just spent the last 24 fucking hours caring for your ass, meanwhile, that bird brain you love so much never even came to see you once, while you were cooped up in here." Dabi started off, studying my face closely as he brought Keigo back into the conversation again.

My shoulders slumped slightly at the exhausting talk that was apparently coming, causing me to quickly put a hand up to stop Dabi from speaking.

I don't have the mental strength for these mind games right now, Dabi. I really don't.

"Look, can we just stop this for a minute. I was trying to thank y-"

"He didn't even blink an eye when he saw you get crushed by that giant block of ice, you know. He didn't run to you, the way you wanted him to. He didn't look afraid or worried for you. He simply shrugged his shoulders at the sight of you bleeding everywhere, before walking out of the room with that liberation slut on his arm." He chuckled maliciously, watching as I was too mentally run down to hide the twinge of hurt that flashed across my face.

Liberation slut, he said. It must be that same girl who was touching Keigo's shoulder and laughing at his jokes.

But, either way, Dabi's words shouldn't be cutting me as deeply as they are. I know Keigo's situation. I know he's got to play the flirty, charming number two hero Hawks in order to fit into his role. I know the breakup wasn't real-or it at least didn't happen, because Keigo had lost interest in me. I know there was no way for Keigo to run to my aid after the fight, or come into my room to check up on me and make sure I was okay.

And yet, here I am. Letting Dabi, of all people, take a swing of pain to my, apparently fragile, feelings. Letting his words affect me in a way that they shouldn't.

Sheesh, I just need to go back to bed.

"I get it, alright? It doesn't even matter, anymore. Hawks and I broke up-" I started saying, rubbing my temples with my fingers as my headache got worse.

But, Dabi didn't let up.

"Oh, believe me. I know you two broke up. He told me. He told everyone. We all laughed about it. At you. Apparently, you cried like a fucking baby." Dabi smirked dryly, watching my eyes cringe slightly as he knew he was starting to push me too far.

"Just, fuck off, Dabi. I mean it-"

"But, you know, Princess. The thing about break ups is that usually it means both parties move on. And believe me when I tell ya, after seeing how much of a smooth talker that chicken skewer is with all the broads here, he's definitely moved on-"

"Shut up, Dabi. Come on, I'm not in the mood!-"

"But, you? Oh-ho. You, Ari Parker, can't seem to let go of something that's no longer there. Hawks did. So easily. Yet, you've spent this entire month waiting for your fucking Prince Charming to sweep you off your feet. And for what? Is he here?" Dabi questioned mockingly, boring his eyes into mine as he impatiently waited for an answer this time.

"No. And I never expected him to be here, so don't think you're telling me anything I don't already understand." I spat out honestly, feeling my teeth grinding together in frustration at this conversation.

But, it's true. I really didn't expect Keigo to show up. I wanted him to, and of course, I'm disappointed that he couldn't. But, I never really expected it, given his circumstances. That's just how it is.

That's....how it's always been-

"And aren't you tired of that? Aren't you tired of always expecting the bare minimum from that piece of shit? Getting hurt and looking pathetic about it? I mean, I doubt he'd wait around for you like this, if your roles were reversed." He pointed out, raising a brow of challenge at me.

Of course Keigo would. I know he would wait for me.

But, Dabi doesn't need to know that. It's none of his business.

"Dabi, look..." I started off, already feeling my fire dwindling away as soon as I began speaking.

"I'm tired. I'm in pain. And frankly, I don't want to speak to you, preferably ever, but especially right now. I don't know why you're so fascinated with me. I don't know why you're so fascinated with threatening my family and making my life a living hell. And I don't know why you're so damn fascinated by my relationship with Hawks. That one especially blows my mind. But, the most important thing you need to know about any of these things? It's none of your business. So, please, please...for right now....please, just leave me alone." I sighed out in exasperation, cursing the lump that was starting to form in the back of my throat as I spoke.

Dabi simply shrugged, giving my leg a quick pat before he rose from my bed to standing.

"Fine. Whatever. Maybe, one day you'll get it through that thick head of yours that all you're doing is wasting your fucking time with him. I hope you do, anyways. Do yourself a favor and quit looking so damn pathetic." He said rudely, stretching his arms over his head before slowly walking towards my door.

I blankly stared at the ceiling as I took in Dabi's hurtful words, not able to come up with a witty deflection or smug insult in reply.

Normally, I have a pretty thick skin when it comes to Dabi. When it comes to everyone. But, for some reason....for the first time....

He actually hurt my feelings. He took the mind games and insults too far, and while I never want to participate in them, I especially don't want to right now.

Because, you know what? I am tired. Emotionally and physically. I'm just....tired.

"Dabi..." I croaked out quietly, my voice raspy, and vulnerable, and weak with him for the very first time.

It was a voice that instantly made him stop in his tracks, meaning it took him by surprise. Yet, he didn't turn around to face me, staying frozen in place with his back to me, as he patiently waited for me to speak again.

The room was quiet for a time as I tried to gather my words. Frankly, I'm not even sure why I called out to him. I didn't feel pressured to speak quickly and keep him here. I didn't feel awkward with the silence. I didn't want him to apologize or say anything in response to my mention of his name.

And judging by the way Dabi also didn't say anything, I could tell he was thinking some deep thoughts of his own. Sharing this moment with me for the first time. This sad, yet relatable, moment of something neither of us could quite understand. Almost feeling connected by our pasts, somehow, and understanding the other's pain.

And finally, after minutes had gone by of Dabi and I speaking through our silence, the question I had for him finally came to me. The question I've had for him all along, but never knew how to ask it. The one thing I truly, actually wanted to know about Dabi-not just Dabi. But, the man behind Dabi.

"Why....are you so mean?" I breathed out to him, barely above a whisper, asking the question with genuine concern and curiosity as I pondered over the reason.

But, seriously why?

Why was this man so bitter about everything and everyone in his life?

Why does he hold so much anger in his heart that he has to say and do such horrible things?

What happened to this man, what pushed him so damn far off that edge of basic humanity that he forced himself to become this, this monster?

Why did he lose his way?

I continued lifelessly staring at the ceiling as I waited for Dabi to respond. Honestly, I didn't even expect him to. And that's okay. I guess I was more just asking the question to myself and thinking out loud.

Dabi was quiet for a long time after that, not moving from his spot. Not turning towards me, or even shuffling around on his feet. He simply stared at my door, probably debating on whether or not he should respond, or just keep walking, the way he normally would.

And then, only after a few minutes of sad, yet peaceful, silence between Dabi and I, did he finally speak. He spoke in a voice I'd never heard before. It was soft and quiet. Somber and alone. It was pain.

But, most of all, I could easily tell....

That it wasn't Dabi who spoke his next words. It was the lost boy inside his soul, who never found his way back home.

"Because, the world's mean." He uttered quietly, voice soft, low, and just a little bit boyish with remembrance for the person he used to be.

And I guess, in a way.....he's not wrong. But-

Before I could even respond to his comment, Dabi continued his walk towards my door, leaving my room without another word. Without even giving me a chance to share my opinions on his reasoning.

Dabi, you left before I could finish my inner thoughts. And because you left, I never got the chance to tell you what I think.

Yes, Dabi. You're not wrong. The world can be very mean.

But, if you look hard enough....

It can also be very beautiful.

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

Hours had passed since Dabi left my room, and I had long fallen back asleep.

The moon was already high in the sky. I could no longer hear the loud sounds of the mansion ruckus, meaning everyone was finally settled down for the night.

My body was still aching like crazy from my fight with Geten. The gashes and cuts that littered my skin hurt so badly, but I was still able to get some sort of light sleep for the night, as I could tell my exhausted body was craving it, no matter what.

That is, until I vaguely felt someone put their arms around me through the cloud of my unconscious haze, forcing my body and mind to instantly wake up.

Thinking it was either Dabi or some liberation schmuck trying to cause some trouble, I immediately began thrashing around in the bed, ignoring the searing pain in my body as I attempted to quickly roll out of it.

"Get off me!!-" I started yelling, trying to look around the pitch black room for a weapon I could use.

"Shhh!! Hey, hold on-it's me! It's just me, Ari. It's me." That familiar voice quickly hushed out in a whisper, catching my wrist before I could leave the bed for good.

Stopping in my tracks, I remained sitting up in the bed, quickly turning my gaze on the person who was speaking.

And what do you know. There was Keigo Takami, tucked under my covers, looking up at me with a beaming smile that glowed brightly against the midnight darkness of the room.

I stared at him dumbfounded, trying to wrap my head around how he got in my room. Is he even here? Am I still dreaming?

Sensing my confusion, Keigo let out a breathy chuckle as he kept a light hold on my wrist. And while it was too dark to make out every specific detail of his face, I could still see his smile getting wider with glee when he knew he finally caught my attention.

"Soooo, hi there." He whispered happily, voice laced with a bit of playful tease as he tried to keep things as casual and light hearted as possible.

My eyes immediately noticed a giant, black blanket covering his back, quickly realizing it was wrapped tightly around his wings to conceal them from the outside world.

It must be to cover the camera lens that are stuck in his feathers.

Mind still fogged with sleep, and also shock that Keigo was currently in my room-my bed, actually, for the first time in a long time, I didn't quite have a handle on my voice volume, yet.

"What are you-" I blurted out like a groggy moron, causing Keigo to shoot up to sitting in the bed and quickly cover my mouth.

"Shhh!!!!! Are you trying to get me caught, or what?!" He hissed quietly, frantically starting to gesture to the blanket covered wings on his back.

I blinked my eyes at him dazedly, sleepily attempting to speak with his hand still covering my mouth.

Lightly rolling his eyes at my doofus attempts, Keigo placed a finger to his lips in a silent effort to tell me to keep my voice down, before he slowly released his hand from my mouth.

"But....won't it look suspicious if Skeptic sees that you have a blanket hiding the camera monitors?" I whispered quietly, watching Keigo hover his face closer to mine so he could understand my soft, groggy voice.

He grinned warmly upon hearing me speak so sleepily, and as if that action alone wasn't enough to make my heart immediately start fluttering, Keigo leaned even closer to me, with his lips tickling the lobe of my ear as he whispered back.

"Nah, don't worry. It won't look suspicious. After all, we've all gotta sleep sometime, right? With the way I've wrapped the blanket around my wings, Skeptic will just think I've draped it over my back to protect myself from the cold, while I sleep. He'll never know. We just have to talk really quietly." Keigo said, slowly pulling away from my ear after he spoke so he could see me.

I nodded in acknowledgment to his words, hesitantly trailing my eyes to his gaze that was only inches away from my face.

Keigo's look was soft, golden orbs beaming bright with care as he studied my features intensely.

And while all he had to do was barely move his head forward to be able to close the remaining distance between us, he kept this respective space, choosing to carefully tuck a strand of bed-headed hair behind my ear instead.

I didn't utter a word as he did so, feeling his thumb graze across one of the cuts on my cheek, along the way, courtesy of Geten's ice.

Keigo pursed his lips in disapproval as he brushed over the cut, now starting to trail over my beaten appearance as it caught his attention.

His brows furrowed in concern as he looked over the countless mini cuts that littered my face, gently placing both hands on my shoulders as his gaze now swept down to my scratched, bruised arms.

"Ah, you look pretty beat up. Are you okay, chicky?" He whispered to me sweetly, keeping his attention on my bandaged arms with guilty eyes as he spoke the words.

Truth be told, I still didn't feel the best. Physically....or mentally. Even hours after Dabi and I had spoken, I hated the fact that his words still left a sour taste in my mouth for some reason.

But, as usual......

I did the best I could to push the doubts and toxic thoughts from my mind, not wanting to waste the minuscule moment with the Completely Keigo who was sitting next to me.

No. Despite it all. Despite the infinite, unspoken words of hurt and tension between Keigo and I. The dangers that lie with him even being in my room, right now. The war that's coming...

I just want to savor this time with him. Because now....just getting to speak with him, and not Hawks....has become a rare, sad privilege.

I feel like he's slowly drifting away from me, and I want to pathetically fix that in any way I can.

Letting out a small sigh, I turned my own attention to the cuts and bruises on my arms, reflecting on how they came to be there.

"Yeah. I'm alright. Geten really gave me a run for my money there, I'll admit. But....I'm alive." I stated, involuntarily adjusting my legs on the bed before a sharp shooting sting shot through my body.

"Agh! Ow." I hissed out, hunching over to grab my leg in pain. I almost forgot about the giant gash that had sliced across my thigh from Re-Destro's first test. It's deep, so I'm sure it will scar.

Keigo immediately shifted his position on the bed to get closer to me, before I felt his warm arms envelope around my aching body. He placed his hand atop my own, brushing soft strokes atop it as I clutched my leg in pain.

"Shhh. I know. I know it hurts. You really took a beating out there today. That's also why I came here. I knew you'd need someone to patch you up. You didn't think I'd miss my opportunity to play the sexy nurse, did you?" He whispered teasingly, trying to lighten the mood.

Although, I couldn't focus too much on Keigo's joke and he knew it, as he didn't utter anything more, gently pressing his forehead to the side of my head and holding me for a few seconds longer. Longer than he needed to, of course.

I bit down on my lip as I felt my body aching with new pains the more awake I became, instinctively grabbing Keigo's hand in mine to give it a squeeze.

He instantly squeezed it back in reassurance, pressing a chaste kiss of comfort to the side of my head, before he spoke.

"I'm gonna lay you back down, so I can take care of you. Okay?" He whispered, the pure Keigo tone of his voice satiating my soul as I didn't realize how much I was truly starving for him.

I miss him. I miss him so much.

"Okay." I breathed out quietly, closing my eyes as he held me.

Yet, before Keigo could lay me down, I felt my body move on its own, ignoring its screams of pain as I weakly wrapped an arm around his shoulder, nuzzling my face into his chest for this measly hug.

Even though it was late and definitely bed time, Keigo was still wearing his hero suit, meaning he'd probably still been awake and doing some work before he came here to see me.

When does he sleep?

Not wanting me to exert too much energy, Keigo's hands instantly went around my back, pressing me up against him to support my body weight for me.

"Hey, you're okay, chicky. It's alright. I got you. Don't worry." He stated, running a gentle hand through my hair before carefully starting to adjust me on the bed.

Keigo continued hugging me, while also slowly helping me lay back on the bed, doing his best to make sure he didn't crush me with his body weight.

Once I was laying on my back, he adjusted the pillows under my head to make sure I was comfortable, before kneeling over me to assess what cuts and gashes needed the most attention.

Until....

"Hm. Judging by that fresh blood stain on your abdomen, the cut on your stomach must have opened up. I'm gonna start there, is that okay?" Keigo asked me, reaching into his jacket pocket to pull something out of it.

"Yeah. That's fine." I uttered weakly, sinking my head back into the pillows as I kept my half lidded eyes on him tiredly.

I don't know what I was expecting Keigo to pull out of his pocket, but it sure as hell wasn't about fifteen different things.

My brows raised in slight surprise at the endless amounts of bandages, creams, and other first aid supplies that continued leaving Keigo's pockets, making me chuckle slightly in amusement at the sight.

"Wow. Okay, Doctor Hawks." I teased with a small smile, causing him to laugh softly.

"Ha Ha. Tease me all you want. But, I'll have you know, it took a lot of skill to sneak all of this crap into my pockets. With the amount of lumps I had stuffed in my clothes, you'd think I was the pillsbury dough boy, or somethin'." He countered lightly, inspecting a few of the medical items in his hands with focus.

I couldn't help but giggle slightly at his words, quickly slapping a hand over my mouth so I wouldn't make too much noise.

The smile on Keigo's face spread slightly bigger upon hearing my laugh, slowly turning his attention back to me with blissful longing.

"I missed that, you know." He uttered, gently trailing his hands towards the ratty jumpsuit I was wearing.

"Missed what?" I asked curiously, watching Keigo starting to slowly unbutton my clothes so he could get to the wound on my stomach.

His honey eyes alternated between meeting my gaze and focusing on unbuttoning the top half of my clothes.

He shrugged his shoulders lightly, carefully popping off the buttons one by one.

"Well, there's a lot of things I miss. But.....your laugh is definitely one of the big ones." He whispered absentmindedly, undoing the last button just above my hips before he decided that was far enough.

I watched as Keigo leaned forward slightly, using both of his hands to gently pry open my clothing a little more so he'd have a better view of my injured skin.

Goosebumps rose on my body from the cold air as I felt my torso and breasts fully exposed to Keigo now. But, the only thing he was concerned about was the cut on my abdomen.

His brows furrowed in focus as he inspected the cut. One of his fingertips accidentally grazed the puffy, bloody skin, causing me to cringe softly and instinctively grip his wrist.

"Sorry. Your clothes are slightly stuck to the blood. I'm just tryin' to separate it without pulling too hard. Bear with me here. I'll get it." He muttered, cringing softly in pity as he had to pull on the clothes with just a little more force to separate the stick.

I whined softly, gripping his wrist tighter as he began wiggling and prodding the sensitive, injured skin, before sighing in relief a few seconds later.

"Got it-I got it. All done with that part. Now, I just gonna clean the wound...." Keigo started saying, before his eyes scanned over the bandage that was already taped to my stomach.

His face contorted up in confusion, before his gaze suddenly began looking at all of the other bandages on my body, as if only now noticing something important.

"Huh. That's weird. Guess I never asked. But, do you know who patched you up? Whoever it was, they actually did a really good job. Sure, the bandages need to be changed now, but the wrapping and the technique is professional. It's on par with the first aid training we learned at the hero commission." Keigo scoffed in disbelief, slowly starting to undo the bandage from around my stomach.

I groaned internally at the question, wanting to answer truthfully, but also not wanting to ruin the peaceful energy that Keigo and I currently had.

Not to mention.....I really didn't want to think about Dabi....and what he said.

But, I can't lie to Keigo. I've never been able to.

"Yeah......uh...Dabi did it." I mumbled barely audible, watching Keigo's hands immediately freeze upon hearing my words.

His eyes went blank with realization, his peaceful demeanor instantly seizing up with tension and anger at the cruel reminder of this situation we were in.

"Oh. Is that so? You let Dabi help you? Sounds like fun stuff. Neat." He huffed out shortly, voice laced with tones of bitter passive aggression for the stitched man.

Feeling my body physically weakening from the new toxic energy that had suddenly entered the room, I simply closed my eyes deflatedly, feeling Keigo continue to tend to my wounds.

"It's not like I had much of a choice. I was unconscious and he-"

Apparently, that was the completely wrong way to phrase the sentence as Keigo quickly turned his attention on me in a concoction of panic, fury, and anxiety, immediately starting to run his eyes over my body as if this revelation brought about a new development.

"Wait a minute-what? Back up-You were unconscious? Alone. In a room. With Dabi. Exposed to him like this. Unconscious?!" Keigo spat a little too loudly, furrowing his brows in growing anger as he glared at me.

And while I know his anger wasn't meant to be directed at me, I couldn't help but immediately become tired of his attitude, before it even really began. I don't want to talk about Dabi, right now. Or ever. What I want, is for Keigo to drop it and move on, so we can just continue this peaceful moment together.

"It's not a big deal. He didn't-"

"Not a big deal?! We're talkin' about the guy who tried to take advantage of you right in front of my fucking face, Ari! If he's shitty enough to do that, he's definitely shitty enough to do something when no one's watching! That bastard. He's really askin' for it, huh." Keigo seethed out quietly, eyes starting to go wild with a rare type of anger I don't usually see from him.

It's a lethal look. One that makes him look unrecognizable to me. Throughout the time I've known Keigo, I've seen this look from him a few times. One time I saw it, was at the moment Dabi tried to take advantage of me in front of him. Another time I've seen it, is when we're around Diane.

But, it's a look that Keigo only makes when he's snapped and someone's pushed him to the edge....to the brink of his humanity. He's usually so good about holding it in and keeping his head on right.

So, the fact that I've been talking to him for less than ten minutes and he's already been triggered enough to be set off like this? It's out of character for him. It must mean he's really not doing well here at the PLF mansion. Not just physically, but also mentally.

It means that Keigo is finally starting to hit his breaking point with this infiltration mission....that he's finally starting to crumble under the pressure and get to a mental state where he's no longer fit to even continue it.

He's been holding it all in for too long, and these cameras on his wings only make it worse. His frustrations are running at an all time high and since he never has time to let them out, anymore, they're just building up and aggravating him more.

And that is not good for his sanity as a human being.

And that look he's got on his face, right now....that wild, insane stare that makes him seem a little maniacal? It hurts me to think that this is a look that's simply representing his current true self and what he's feeling inside himself.

Which is the feeling of being trapped.

I don't like it. I don't want to see it. And I hate how, this time.....there's nothing I can do to help him. I feel powerless.

Slowly reaching my hand up towards his face, I grazed the bottom of Keigo's tensed jaw in an attempt to bring him out of his self destructive trance. I just wanted him to come back to me.

And he did slightly, blinking his bloodshot, exhausted eyes a few times before he turned his troubled gaze on me, relaxing his shoulders a little as he felt me touching his face.

I could sense him looking at me, yet I kept my focus on the trail of my fingers, watching them glide over Keigo's smooth skin, before brushing over the facial hairs of his chin, and very slowly brushing across his bottom lip....feeling the natural softness of it, mixed with a light, chapped dehydration as well.

The lost, lethal look on Keigo's face slowly began fading as he found his way back, sensing the weary quietness of my demeanor and getting the hint that I wanted to drop the subject of Dabi.

I'm tired. In more ways than one. And I think he knows it.

He let out a soft sigh of guilt as he tried to force himself to let go of his anger, the warm vapors of his breath tickling against my finger as it gently brushed his lip.

Unexpectedly, and very softly, Keigo's lips slowly pressed against my finger, keeping his glowing, avian eyes on me as he gently gave it a kiss.

It was a silent, soft action. An innocent one with unspoken words.

I met his eyes now, before slowly starting to pull my hand away from his lips.

However, the moment Keigo felt me pulling away, his hand gently closed around my wrist, moving it back to him as he now placed a soft kiss on my bruised knuckle, letting his eyes fall closed before he pressed his forehead against it tiredly.

Another sigh escaped his mouth as he forced himself to temporarily release the stress and frustrations he's been holding onto for this past month, shakily gripping my wrist a little more securely before relaxing his hold once more.

"The most important thing...." Keigo started off raspily, speaking slow and quiet as he tried to gather his thoughts.

"....is that you're okay. That's all that matters." He finished, slowly lifting his head back up to look at me once more.

The sentence was said to both of us, but it also seemed like the words were meant as a way to convince himself to see things from a better perspective.

I felt a source of toxic tension immediately leave my body upon hearing his words....a tension I didn't even realize I'd been carrying.

My body moved on its own and before I knew it, I was gently pulling on Keigo's arm, silently trying to get him to lay down with me.

Without hesitation, his body moved with the force of my weak pull, carefully laying down next to me on the bed.

Clearly trying to keep his distance still, Keigo laid next to me, letting his messy, blonde locks spill across his forehead and onto the pillow beneath his head.

With a little body pain, I turned on my side so we'd be face to face, not being able to stop the small, genuine smile from forming on my face as I looked at him.

"Yeah. I'm okay. But.....don't think I didn't notice that you had something to do with that." I uttered softly, my voice knowing and just a little teasing as I tried to lighten our moods.

Of course, I was referring to the little feather that had been hiding in my clothing, during my fight with Geten. The little feather that saved me from crashing head first into the cement wall.

Keigo smiled softly, and it was a real smile. But, I could tell the weight of our circumstances were still heavily invading his mind as his smile was also a bit sad. And even a bit guilty.

"Ah, well.....I couldn't just sit by and watch you die. I had to do something. I'd never be able to live with myself...if....." He breathed out a little shaky, not being able to stop himself from reaching his hand out towards me.

His hand gently rested on my side, being mindful of my injuries as he kept his touch light and careful.

Wincing in slight pain, I gently scooted closer to him....feeling Keigo pull me even closer as he sensed my struggle to move.

And while he hesitated for a moment in doing so, he didn't utter a word as he eventually succumbed to his inner desires a little more, committing fully to the action of wrapping his arms around me.

I closed my eyes in pure bliss at the feeling, lazily wrapping my arm around Keigo's shoulder as I nuzzled my face into his neck.

A small, almost inaudible sound came from his throat, and I couldn't help but smile in amusement as the noise sounded like one of his coos.

But, instead of drawing attention to the adorable sound, I tucked it away inside the memories of my mind, wanting to have my full focus on the feeling of being in Keigo's arms.

He rubbed soft circles onto my skin, speaking again a few peaceful minutes later.

"And besides....I can't take all the credit for your win today, chicky. I barely did a thing. It was all you out there. And, man, did you kick some serious ass. I ain't kidding around. I've never seen you fight like that." He whispered, gently draping the blankets over the both of us to get more comfortable.

He used the blankets this time, because his wings are incapacitated and unable to wrap around me.

I chuckled softly at his words, feeling my muscles starting to become a little heavier now, the more comfortable I became.

"Thanks, Keigs. I just hope it was enough to impress Re-Destro. Not gonna lie. It kinda felt like he was trying to kill me out there." I muttered against his neck, feeling his familiar, sweet scent hit my nostrils.

"It was enough. Trust me, I know for a fact that it was. I've been gathering intel, ever since your fight ended to make sure Re-Destro isn't planning on harming you. And he's not. He's...impressed. Which is both good...and bad...." Keigo sighed out deflatedly, as his mind was probably still running rampant with endless stress and anxiety.

I gently stroked his shoulder with my hand, trying to keep him in this calm state of mind with me for just a little longer.

"Hey....it's alright. We've done all we can for right now. Tomorrow's a new day. But tonight....the work day is finished. Now, it's time to rest. It's time to sleep." I reassured tiredly, placing a chaste kiss to his skin.

He gently ran his fingers through my hair, humming slightly in half hearted agreement.

"Yeah. Guess you're right. Oh-and I'm sure you'd also like to know that Re-Destro shipped about seven extra bags of frozen broccoli to the mansion, because he saw how much you enjoyed it at dinner. Wasn't that nice of him?" Keigo asked teasingly, voice smug and playful as I could sense the smile on his face.

"......seven?"

"Seven."

I groaned tiredly in annoyance, hearing Keigo let out a small snicker.

"Y'know, Chicky, seven bags of broccoli is enough for you to eat it at every meal. You could make a broccoli smoothie for breakfast-"

"Stoppp-"

"A broccoli sandwich for lunch-"

"How about I shove the broccoli up your-"

"And a bowl of broccoli for dinner-oh, wait, unless, you wanted it for dessert, as well." He finished, cackling softly as I smacked his shoulder.

"If only you didn't put that damn broccoli on my plate to begin with." I joked lightly, not thinking much of my words as I felt myself falling asleep.

Keigo laughed quietly with me, yet I could sense that something else was on his mind besides broccoli.

"Yeah, well....I guess you can just add that to the never-ending list of things I'm sorry for." He muttered quietly. His tone was still teasing enough to keep the mood lighthearted, but I could sense the underlying feeling of pain and guilt that sentence was truly carrying for him.

I know he's hurting. I'm hurting, too. We still haven't spoken about what happened with the 'breakup' and Jeanist. We could have talked about it tonight, but we didn't. Because this moment alone with Keigo is something that's become so rare, that neither one of us had the heart to ruin it by addressing our issues, and this rough patch our relationship is currently experiencing.

And that makes it hurt more. Because we both know that's the truth.

Like I said....sharing moments with Keigo Takami has become a rare thing.

It's starting to become a reality that's falling out of my reach, even though I'm desperately trying to hold on for dear life and keep up.

I'm trying. I'm trying to have patience with our shitty situation and wait for him.

So, for right now....

"Will you stay with me tonight, Keigo?" I asked him gently, not able-or even trying to hide the pure, longing emotion that coated my voice.

Keigo clearly heard it, too, as he immediately gave me a secure squeeze in his arms. He chuckled softly to himself, and judging by the pure glee of it, I could tell my vulnerable tone of voice had managed to actually touch the deepest parts of his heart.

And even though I know he couldn't. Even though I know that he'll leave my room once he knows I've fallen asleep. Even though I know that once I see him tomorrow, Keigo Takami will be nothing more than a man of my memories from this very moment.

That didn't stop him from indulging in this time with me. And I couldn't help but fall asleep with a smile on my face, as I heard him say....

"Of course I'll stay with you, Chicky. Always."

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A/N: Thank you to levisbench for drawing the picture of Keigo and Ari, laying in the bed. Your talents never cease to amaze me❤️

Next Chapter Title: Turn A Blind Eye.