I began slowly backing away, about to sprint out of his sight.

Eijirou's eyes widened, as he noticed. "WAIT—don't run! Seriously. I don't want to fight you right now. I-I just have....questions. Can we talk?" He called out, cautiously walking slightly closer to me.

I kept my guard up, letting him walk a little closer.

I can't manipulate his hearing. My quirk doesn't work on him for some reason. If I speak, he'll recognize me.

I simply shook my head no, not knowing what I was even trying to convey.

Eijirou furrowed his brows in concentration at my action. "No? 'No' as in...you won't answer any of my questions. Or 'no' as in....you don't want to talk?" He asked carefully, not coming any closer.

I simply shrugged my shoulders in response, not wanting to completely blow him off.

Even though I really should...

"Hmm. Or 'no' as in...you can't speak?" He asked again, raising his brow in curiosity.

Technically, that's true.

I hesitantly nodded my head 'yes' now, letting Eijirou know he was right.

His eyes lit up subtly, happy that he finally got an answer out of me.

"Alright..." he started out, walking slightly closer to me.

I continued watching him, waiting for him to speak again.

"You've fought me a few times now. At the USJ, and then again at the school...right?" Eijirou asked, giving out a test question.

I nodded 'yes' in response, wishing he would come closer.

But, I know he can't.

"At the USJ....you knocked me out. When I regained consciousness, my wounds were all patched up. Someone had provided me first aid. Was....was that you?" He questioned softly, looking directly into my eyes.

It felt like he was looking past my mask.

I thought about how to respond, before I sighed softly, giving in to his curiosity.

I gently nodded my head 'yes', letting him know it was me.

I heard him gasp slightly in response. He's the one who suggested the question, yet he was still shocked by my answer.

"W-Why!?" He asked eagerly now.

I simply held my hands up in response, not speaking.

"Oh right. You can't speak. Um...okay. You saved me again. At the school. You broke in, and I confronted you. A giant blue flame shot out at me, when you were trying to escape. You saved me again, didn't you? By pushing me out of the way?" Eijirou asked quickly.

I nodded 'yes' again, causing his eyes to widen in shock.

"I was in my hardened state at that time! D-Didn't you injure your hands from touching me!?" He questioned in disbelief.

I shook my head, letting him know I did injure my hands.

He looked at me for awhile, not knowing what to say.

"I don't understand..." he finally breathed out, staring at me in curiosity.

I involuntarily started walking closer to him, before abruptly stopping, remembering he doesn't technically know it's me in this villain costume.

Eijirou was lost in thought, furrowing his brows in confusion.

"I thought....villains didn't save?" He asked softly.

I shrugged my shoulders in response, trying to let him know I wanted to save—

Wait....I wanted to save..?

Eijirou narrowed his eyes at me, only becoming more confused.

"So.....you want to save?" He said, trying to interpret.

I shook my head yes.

Apparently, I just found out I do, in fact, want to save.

He chuckled softly now, running a hand through his hair.

"Well, then why are you a villain?" He smiled, still not understanding.

Good question-

I was frozen for a minute, deciding how to respond.

After a moment, I hesitantly threw my hands up again, trying to convey....

Confusion.

Eijirou's smile fell now, as he took in my response.

"What..? Wait...do you even want to be a villain?" He asked softly, eagerly awaiting my answer.

I looked into his eyes deeply now, watching him return my gaze.

He narrowed his crimson orbs in concentration, as he continued meeting my eyes.

Once again, it felt like he was looking at me past my mask.

I could see he was trying to figure something out. He just didn't know what.

After a few moments, I averted my gaze to the ground, shaking my head ever so softly in response to his question.

I wasn't even sure he saw it, until he said...

"No? You don't want to be a villain?!" He questioned eagerly.

I shook my head 'no' again, starting to become run down by this whole situation.

I don't want to be a villain.

I don't want any of this.

I'm starting to break a little.

I felt my lip quivering, as Eijirou's voice changed to a gentler tone.

"Well, hey. You don't have to be. Take off your mask. Come with me. The heroes can protect you." He whispered softly, shooting me a sweet smile.

The same heroes that just tried to kill me a few minutes ago? Yeah, right. Not all heroes are as pure as you, Eijirou.

I rapidly shook my head no, starting to back away from him again.

"Wait—" he called out, before I took off sprinting in the opposite direction.

It's time to run away from my problems. Again.

"You won't get anywhere by running all the time! Let yourself be who you want to be!" He yelled from the alleyway, causing me to come to an abrupt halt.

There it is again. Those words from Eijirou.

"Be who you want to be."

I could leave now and continue on with Shigaraki's mission.

Or, I could put my trust in Eijirou. Put my trust in the heroes...and become a good person—or, at least a decent person...I guess.

His words echoed again in my head:

"I see you for who you truly are, Margo."

"You're a good person."

"Because I know you."

I felt my walls breaking down now, as I slowly turned around to face him again.

It was time to let go, and trust Eijirou would be there for me when I fall.

I closed my eyes softly, as I couldn't stop the name from escaping my lips.

"Eijirou..." I whispered to him, loud enough so he could hear, but not loud enough for him to recognize my voice.

His eyes widened, as he slowly began walking over to me now.

"W-What...? How do you know my name..?" He breathed out in awe.

"I'll show you..." I whispered to him again, my voice shaky that time.

My voice was still too quiet for him to recognize.

I hesitated for a moment, for the last time, before my hands went up to my mask, going to pull it off.

Now, I'll be free—

SLAM!!!

My hands had just grazed the bottom of my mask, about to pull it off my face, before someone kicked me from the side.

I grunted in pain, as the air left my lungs too quickly.

I harshly hit the ground, tumbling a few times before I finally came to a stop.

I coughed and wheezed, as I whipped my gaze up to look at who hit me.

"It's over." Aizawa glared at me, walking towards me now.

"Wait! Mr. Aizawa!!—" Eijirou began saying, holding his hands up to get his attention.

My fight or flight response naturally kicked in, as I grabbed my daggers from my thighs, flipping myself back up to standing.

Eijirou's eyes went wide now, as he saw me get into my fight stance, glaring at Mr. Aizawa.

"Hey...hold on, just relax! You said you didn't want to be a villain. You don't have to do this!!—" he yelled out, before Mr. Aizawa came charging at me.

He didn't even bother to use his scarf this time. Instead, he went for strict hand to hand combat.

Hah. He probably wanted a rematch with me from last time. I did technically beat him.

Eijirou watched in shock, as I expertly twirled my daggers, starting to dodge and attack Mr. Aizawa.

My original intention wasn't to fight Mr. Aizawa, but I was pretty hyped up on adrenaline now. I wasn't thinking too clearly. Also, I guess I was a little angry that he ruined my moment with Eijirou, too.

Aizawa went for a flying kick to my head. I dodged it, running up the side of the wall, and flipping off of it to land behind him.

I spun around and kicked him in the back of the knee, before going to grab his arm.

He quickly footsweeped me, going for a punch to my face.

I sidestepped his attack, and flipped my dagger in my hand, swinging it at his face. Immediately after, I saw a bit of blood splash up into the air.

I got his cheek slightly.

"Mr. Aizawa!!" Eijirou asked, starting to come over.

Aizawa twisted my wrist, before kicking one of the daggers out of my hand.

I still had one in my other hand.

"Get back, Kirishima!" Aizawa called out, before he tried using his scarf on me.

Eijirou immediately stepped back, watching the fight between Aizawa and I ensue.

I grunted in exertion, as my other tungsten knife tore through the scarf, before I kicked Aizawa off of me, and into the wall.

This was my chance. Mr. Aizawa said my quirk doesn't work on him. He said that at school.

I sloppily shuffled to my feet, outstretching my arm at Aizawa.

I felt my quirk gearing up, before Aizawa turned his head to me.

Suddenly, I felt my quirk disappear completely.

My eyes popped out of my head in absolute shock.

"H-H-HUHHH!?!" I yelled out in pure confusion, and now slight panic.

Did he....lie to me?

I was so taken aback, Aizawa was able to gain an opening, punching me in the face.

I groaned in pain, as he threw me against the wall, before I fell on the ground.

Why would he lie to me? What I mean by that is....how would he know to lie to me? What's the reasoning here?

I sloppily shuffled to my knees, going for a right swing with my dagger.

He simply dodged and kicked me in the stomach, before slamming me down on the ground, face first.

Oh shit.

There's only one reason why Aizawa would lie to me...

I began groaning in frustration, thrashing around on the cold alleyway floor.

I watched as Eijirou stood there. Not fully processing what just happened.

"Mr. Aizawa! Are you okay?" He called out weakly.

Eijirou seemed to be in shock that my fighting skills were equal with Mr. Aizawa. Now, he could easily tell I was holding my punches, when I fought him at the USJ and the school.

I attempted to force myself up, before Aizawa slammed me back down, placing his foot on my neck.

At the same time, I felt him use his scarf, holding my arms outstretched behind me.

I looked over, seeing Eijiou's face.

His curious, gentle face.

I now regretted everything. I didn't want him to know I was a villain.

I didn't want him to hate me.

Oh no.

"D-Don't!!!" I groaned out in desperation to Aizawa, as I saw his hand go towards my mask.

"Not like this!! Please, not like this!!" I cried out again, as his fingers began pulling the mask off my face.

Goodbye, Eijirou. You're going to hate me forever.

I cringed, as I felt the cool breeze lightly hit my exposed face now, instantly trying to bury my face in the filthy alleyway floor.

"It's over, Margo. I've been watching you long enough." Aizawa stated, not surprised in the slightest to see me.

This all feels like a bad dream.

I forced myself to look over at Eijirou now, instantly wishing I didn't.

He stared at me blankly, his mouth slightly ajar. His brows raised.

"M-Margo....?" He breathed out in disbelief.