Chapter Text
The morning sun stung your eyes as you exited the quiet apartment, closing the door after yourself with care to not make any more noise other than the gentle click of the latch. A rush of air escaped your lungs as you began your hurried trek down the stairs of the complex, eager to be on your way. Not that you were late by any means, hell, you were heading out nearly twenty minutes early for your commute, but you wanted to take your time.
It was so pleasant out today, despite the strong glare of the sun as it washed over the sturdy buildings of your small town. The air felt crisp in your lungs as you plodded along the pavement, clearing your mind, you instilled a sense of peace in your mind as you took in the sights on your journey that you usually rushed past on your way to work.
Bright, springtime green peeked out in patches amongst the warm tones of the buildings, providing a vibrant contrast that perfectly matched the quaint town, the new foliage only added to the fresh, revitalizing feeling of the morning.
As you approached a street crossing, you paused and let your mind wander, debating if you had time to stop in at ‘Sweet Tease’ for a cup of coffee that wouldn't have to be made by the already busy wait staff at your job.
Granted it was some time before the restaurant would actually open, but you preferred the variety of roasts and blends offered by the cafe. Not to mention the pretty ginger owner always had a knack for getting just the right amount of cream and sugar in your coffee.
As you mentally sifted through their menu for your beverage of the morning, a tall shadow fell over your own, its owner clearing their throat and nudging you gently before speaking. Hearing your name called, you snapped out of the haze of thoughts, eyes swiveling upwards to meet large black eyes and a million-watt grin.
“Buenos días Compa! Were you looking to cross any time this year or..?” He spoke with a teasing lilt in his voice as he gestured with his ring laden hand at the walking figure illustrated in white lights now blinking across the street. “O-Oh! Shoot yes Sorry!” Adjusting your backpack you scurried across the white stripes, aware of him languidly striding beside you, his long legs covering the distance more easily than your own. Without slowing, you tilted your head in his direction, a sheepish smile forming on your face. “Sorry, and thanks.” You added, laughing awkwardly. “Also good morning Hanta. How are you doing today?”
A deep chuckle rumbled in his throat as he smiled back at you, his posture relaxed, large hands taking their usual place in the pockets of his baggy harem pants. Shrugging his mostly exposed, ink covered shoulders he made a small humming noise before responding. “Eh, well enough I suppose. Mi cabeza no está atrapada en las nubes como algunas personas.” He elbowed you teasingly, laughing at your indignant huff as you stumbled slightly from the nudge, mistaking the quick wince on your face as one of surprise. Your hand flew up to the point of contact, gingerly rubbing the sore flesh of your upper arm through the long sleeve of your shirt.
“Yeah yeah, I'm a space cadet, I know.” You rolled your eyes and shrugged the hefty pack off one of your shoulders, swinging it around so you could access the zipper, digging around the jumbled contents before pulling out your wallet. “In my defense sir, I am not yet caffeinated.” You nodded towards the awning jutting over the sidewalk not too far ahead as you flipped through your bills. “But we shall be fixing that momentarily.”
Reaching the glass door, you pulled it open, the familiar chime of the bell overhead welcomed you into the warm atmosphere. Turning back to your friend, you paused in the doorway. “Coming in? Denki said they got a new shipment of mate yesterday.” You offered, relaying the information your cousin had passed on to you. Sero shook his head, waving off the invitation congenially.
“Ahhhh tempting, Primo. But sadly I have an early booking for a sleeve today. Best get to the shop pronto.” He shrugged and flicked his head to the tattoo parlor at the end of the block, giving you a final wave and wishing you a good rest of your day.
Turning back to the store you let the door swing behind you, cutting off the noise of the early morning traffic as the low, relaxing music pouring from the vintage speaker on the counter filled your ears.
“Good morning hun!” Your eyes focused and came to rest on the beaming freckled face of the shop's owner, her long copper hair tied up and away from her smiling face. “How is the cutest chef in town doing this fine morning?” She placed a paper cup on the counter before she sent a wink your way, your face growing warmer at the attention.
“Star please, I'm not awake enough for comments like that!” You groaned, not even bothering to hide your flustered demeanor. She giggled as she snapped the lid of a to go cup into place, nestling it into a to go carrier with two other cups.
“Aw, but it's so much fun to see you get all shy, cutie!” Another pleading groan escaped you as she moved to the till, still beaming as you squirmed.
“So, you’re here for your coffee I assume?” She inquired, granting you a small mercy from her silver tongue at last. Nodding affirmatively you gestured to the board.
“Yes ma'am I am. Could I get a medium caffe ame-”
“-americano with turmeric, one shot of cream and no sugar” She finished for you, smiling as she slid the trio of to-go drinks across the counter towards you. Blinking a few times at the cups as you processed what was happening you opened and closed your mouth a few times before responding.
“First of all, the fact you know what I want before I ask is spooky.” You said, pointing a finger at the cups and cocking an eyebrow at her. “And second of all, as much as I want three coffees, I should not drink three coffees.” putting away the cash you reached for your card instead anyway, not wanting the other two drinks to be thrown out and wasted. Laughing, she held a hand up as you offered the piece of plastic to her, shaking her head.
“No no hun. These are for the boys. Kirishima called right after I opened and asked me to have these ready when you came in.”
The mention of the red-headed sous chef left your brain stalled before scrambling for the proper response.
“O-oh he did? Well that was-How did he know I-?” Your mouth could barely keep up with the frenzied thoughts that swirled in your brain. Aware you were beginning to babble, you quickly snapped your mouth shut, not wanting to make yourself even more worked up than the turn of events already had. Taking a quick but deep breath through your nose, you composed your thoughts into a coherent, “Thank you, have a nice day” as you tucked away your wallet, collected the beverages and scurried out the door with a still-heated face.
Adopting a more rapid pace than before as you resumed your commute, you thumbed a tear on the fraying cardboard of the cupholder, muttering about how apparently the whole damn town knew about your coffee addiction and making a half-hearted vow to yourself to cut back from now on. With your mind now filled not only with Star’s friendly flirting but also with the fact that your unreasonably handsome coworker had not only noticed your habits, but went out of his way to do something so… so very sweet. The crisp morning air helped cool your face as you walked, the lovely scenery long forgotten as you stared down at the cups, murmuring to yourself.
As a result of your mindless speed walking, you arrived at the alleyway entrance of the restaurant before you knew it, mind clearing as you shifted the contents in your hands to wrench open the heavy steel door, the savory scent of the kitchen greeting you like an old friend. Quickly making your way into the cramped employee locker room, you set down the cups and swung your backpack onto a waiting hook on the wall, covering it with your jacket. After buttoning up your chef’s coat with a practiced ease and securing your hair in a bandana, you snatched an apron from a neatly folded stack and made your way into the prep area, coffees in hand.
The loud murmur of overlapping voices, the clanging of pots and the familiar thud of knives against the butcher block filled the air, settling your mind into work mode. Turning the corner you scanned the room, taking note of the atmosphere as you headed to your station in the back. It seemed that work was calm today, judging by the lack of barking from the executive chef who just so happened to own the business as well. The temperamental blonde was a hell of a cook with a fiery attitude to match, his skill and ambition leading him to open what quickly became the highest rated restaurant in town by the young age of thirty-two.
Memories of your first encounter with the man known as Katsuki Bakugou played in the back of your mind, recalling how your limbs trembled with a mix of excitement and nerves as you stood in the contemporary-looking dining room of Bomb-Appetite, a slightly worn manilla folder filled with letters of recommendation in hand.
The interview was… intense, to say the least, But as it went on you began to open up, your passion for cooking overriding the anxiety in your gut as you described your favorite recipes, the chefs you were inspired by and the accomplishments you found yourself genuinely proud of. Somewhere along the line you realized with a bit of mortification that you were rambling, but as you looked back to the stern-faced man, you saw the beginnings of a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. Standing from his chair he told you, "I aint into sappy shit like that and rambling pisses me off, so now that you are gonna cook in my fuckin’ kitchen, keep your mouth shut and put that effort into my god damn menu." Though his words were harsh, you couldn't help notice the appreciative look he gave the burn scars and toughened skin of your hands, evidence of your hard work in many kitchens.
Now a few months later, you felt properly settled into the rhythm of the kitchen. While it was certainly more intense than previous jobs, you found yourself more at ease in the environment than any other workplace you had been in. The staff were all very welcoming to you, allowing you into their tight-knit circle without a second thought and doing their best to help you as you adjusted as the new pantry chef. One person who proved to be exceptionally helpful at your new kitchen role, was the ever-enthusiastic Sous Chef, Eijirou Kirishima.
The gigantic man was the personification of sunshine, always making sure to greet you the moment he saw you and to bid you a genuine ‘goodnight’ without fail. Anytime you found yourself behind on your work or confused on a task, the red head would appear by your side almost as if by magic, giving whatever help he could before your explosive chef dragged him back to his position on the line. Now and again you would recall his incredibly bright smile the first time he met you, his scarred and calloused hand enveloping your own as he shook it firmly and repeated your name back to you, committing it to memory. Hearing him say your name that day sent an unexpected tingle down your spine, and would still catch you off guard every now and again, making your heart jump ever so slightly with his deep voice.
The corner of the prep station knocked your elbow as you passed it, snapping you out of the past with a harsh tingling sensation as a curse tumbled from your lips. Setting the coffee down on the offending surface, you rubbed your arm before shaking the limb to try to make the buzz go away. As your nerves settled, you pulled the cup bearing your name surrounded by tiny hearts from the carrier, tucking it under your workstation before grabbing the other two drinks and making your way to the line.
Freeing the tall cup marked ‘black, x2 espresso’, you cautiously approached the center of the kitchen’s activity, immediately spotting the imposing figure of your executive chef as he cubed stew vegetables with mechanical precision. As you slipped between the stoves and the expediting table, you announced your presence loudly over the din with a quick ‘Hot, Behind’ as you moved around your boss to place the scalding beverage in its designated area below his station. Your gaze met his as he briefly flicked his eyes over to you with a grunt that was the equivalent of a ‘good morning’ from the blonde, making you smile as you returned the greeting before going to find the final recipient of your drink delivery.
Hearing the familiar click-whoosh of the walk-in fridge opening, you turned your head to see the large Sous Chef exiting the cooler with a hefty amount of chuck roast, presumably for today's lunch special. A soft fluttering stirred in your stomach at the sight of him, his sleeves rolled up above his elbows, showing off muscular forearms covered with scars. His long cherry red hair pulled messily into a bun with a white bandana tied around his hairline to hold back flyaways, smudges of dye staining the otherwise clean headband.
Scarlet eyes met yours, interrupting your unintentional staring, causing your heart to leap as a stunning, sharp toothed smile grew on his face. Plopping his cargo onto a large red cutting board, he lifted a hand in a small but enthusiastic wave as you approached him with the warm paper cup held tightly in your hands.
“Mornin’ Shortcake!” His cheery voice rang over the hustle and bustle, the oddly endearing nickname causing a smile that mirrored his to spread across your face. Coming to stand by him as he moved a hunk of roast from the plastic bag to the center of his cutting board, you fiddled with hair, tucking nonexistent flyaways behind your ear and held the cup out to him.
“Good morning, sir.” You greeted him in a decidedly more quiet tone than you had used with the head Chef. He looked at you over his broad shoulder, a singular stubby eyebrow raised as a smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth.
“Oy, how many times do I have to tell ya not to call me ‘sir’, Miss Mouse?” His eyes glinted playfully as he looked down at you, waiting for your response. A warm chuckle bubbled in your throat as you put your free hand up in mock surrender.
“Ahhhh yes I know, ‘m sorry. Let me try again?” you cleared your throat, exaggerating the sound theatrically. “Good morning, Kirishima.”The smirk on his face grew back into a breathtaking grin at that, and after giving you a quick affirmative nod he turned back to the meat with a pleased expression.
“There we go. Much better.” Pulling a knife from a magnetic strip on the wall, he shifted the roast on the board, quickly getting to work on trimming the excess fat on the beautifully marbled meat before addressing you once again, his eyes never leaving his task. “So how was Miss Star this morning? All well and good at Sweet Tease?” Humming affirmatively, you fiddled with the rim of the to go cup once again, quickly formulating and rehearsing your response in your head before answering.
“Oh yeah, It was pretty calm there this morning; I think I must have gotten there right after the opening rush.” He nodded, muttering a quiet ‘good, good’ as he turned the beef around, inspecting it before making quick work of it, cubing the meat and depositing the pieces into a waiting steel hotel pan. Briefly dropping your gaze to the cup in your hands before returning to him, you continued in a quiet voice. “I, uh. I just wanted to thank you for calling ahead for these.” You lifted the cup, a slightly awkward laugh emitting from your lips. “That was, um. That was really considerate of you.” You nodded to yourself, shuffling closer to him before depositing the drink within his reach.
Kirishima pulled another uncut piece of meat onto the bloody board before peeling the blue latex glove off his right hand, reaching for the cup. Popping the plastic lid off with large but surprisingly deft fingers, he raised the cup to his lips and blew on the steaming beverage before taking a hesitant sip. The smell of chocolate and cinnamon filled the air and made you smile, the thought of this big man having ordered Mexican hot chocolate as his drink of choice on this early summer morning was so very endearing to you. Capping the drink once more, he set it out of the way before turning back to you, wiping the remnants of a chocolate mustache from his upper lip with his forearm.
“Ah it was no big deal.” Sharp teeth peeked through the small smile he gave you. “I figured it would be a nice treat for all of us anyway! Every morning you come in here with that coffee and it just smells so darn good I have kinda been jonesing to try some.” He chuckled as he pulled on a fresh glove, starting work on the meat again.
At this you looked to his cup and then back at him, an eyebrow arched questioningly.
“You were jonesing for my coffee... so you ordered hot chocolate?” You placed a hand on your hip, a teasing smile finding its way to your face as you questioned his statement. His eyes flicked back to yours briefly and with an uncharacteristically quiet laugh he shrugged.
“What can I say Shortcake? I got a hell of a sweet tooth.” The wink he sent over his shoulder came very close to stopping your heart dead in your chest, the heat that had faded from your face now burning in your cheeks once again. Your lips parted to respond, but before you could form any words, a deep voice boomed through the kitchen.
“OI! TATER TOT! THIS AINT A FUCKING TEA PARTY! GET YOUR ASS IN GEAR!” Jumping at the abrupt volume, you whirled around to see the scowling eyes of your chef boring into you from across the room. Heart now racing for a different reason, you immediately made a beeline for the pantry, not seeing the exasperated glare that the redhead gave your superior as you scurried away.
Stepping out from the heavy metal door, you let out an exhausted sigh as the soft sunlight that peeked through the buildings warmed your face. You let out a groan as you lifted your arms above your head, stretching your tired limbs and upper back as you paced the width of the alleyway. The metallic creak of the door sounded once again as a small brunette exited the building, rummaging through her pockets before pulling out a cigarette along with a lighter, cupping a hand to shield the small flame as it flickered to life. Taking a long draw before releasing the cloud of smoke from her mouth, she leaned against the red brick of the building, propping her foot up and sighing deeply.
“Jesus…” She took another puff, a tired smile making its way across her face. “I don't know why I keep forgetting how goddamn busy lunch service is here.” smoke rolled out from the server’s lips as she let out a dry laugh, her head leaning back as she nursed the shrinking stick. You laughed, echoing her sentiment as you continued your pacing.
“Ugh tell me about it.” Crossing an arm over your chest and stretching your taught shoulders. “It's been like.. Four months since I started and lunch still kicks my ass every time.” Nodding in response with the glowing stub still trapped between her lips, she pushed off the wall rubbing the burning remnant of her cigarette on the bricks before flicking it into the large tin bucket placed outside the entrance for that very purpose.
“I know I'm not back-of-house, but for what it's worth, I think you've been killing it.” An encouraging smile lit up her round face, causing a calming warmth to bloom in your chest as you grinned bashfully at her praise.
“Thanks Reina, I'm glad you think so.” Releasing your arms back down to your side your gaze dropped to the ground as you chewed your bottom lip, thinking back to when you started. “My first day here I felt like I got hit by a train. I wasn’t entirely sure I could actually hold this job after the ass beating I took that night.” You laughed, rubbing your eyes, even just the memory of that night was enough to make you feel tired. Reina laughed along with you, the sound of giggles echoed between the buildings.
“Oh yeah I remember. I don't know why any chef would think it was a good idea to throw a new hire in the deep end by starting their training on a Friday night, but hey, I'm a starving writer, what do I know?” She sidled up beside you, hooking her arm through yours. “But you made it and you didn't quit! Also, four months? That's leagues better than a lot of hires we've had! I told you you would do well here!” You smiled back at her, grateful for the encouragement.
“Yeah, yeah you were right. It's actually kind of a great job once you get used to the pace.” You smirked at her, bowing your head in feign adoration. “And I shall be eternally grateful to you for getting me that application, my lady Reina.” Bumping her hip with yours, you giggled as she stumbled slightly, still holding onto your arm. Wobbling, her grip in your arm tightened and her other hand grabbing onto your upper arm as she tried to keep her balance.
A gasp of pain ripped from your lips before you could stop it, and you reflexively jerked your arm out of her hands as you stepped away from her. Her face fell as she looked at you with concern, the jovial atmosphere between you two having vanished. She stepped toward you, looking at where her hand had been a moment ago.
“Sorry babe, I didn't mean to grab you that har-”
Her words cut off, and you followed her stunned gaze down to the dark, bruised flesh peeking out from under the rolled up sleeve of your chef’s jacket. Mortification flooded your system as you quickly pulled the edge of your sleeve down to cover the mark, turning away and striding towards the door. Footsteps echoed behind you before her hand caught hold of yours, stopping your escape. Trembling from the anxiety now running through your body, you slowly looked back to her, taking in the grave expression on her face.
“Did he do that?” Her voice was low and serious as she searched your eyes, causing you to avert your gaze to the ground and attempt to pull your hand from her grip to no avail.
“Hey...” Your name fell softly from her lips as she touched your cheek, guiding your gaze back to hers with her other hand. “I need you to talk to me babe. Did. He. Hurt. You?” She enunciated every word firmly, squeezing your hand reassuringly as she waited for your response. Your voice caught in your throat, you felt as if you were suffocating as you tried to force the words out, knowing your friend would not let you leave without answering. Shaking your head back and forth, you dislodged the knot in your throat as you quietly answered her.
“No. Not really anyway.” Her eyes narrowed as she tilted her head, silently indicating for you to clarify your statement. Taking a shuddering breath you continued. “He… he was just drunk and being really weird and flirty I guess?” She huffed in irritation at that, rolling her eyes.
“You mean being a creepy little pervert as per usual?” Her voice was laced with poison as her disgust for your roommate was evident on her face. You shrugged dismissively, trying to brush off her statement even though you knew it to be more accurate to his behavior than how you had put it.
“Anyway, he was making me a little uncomfortable so I was trying to get to my room and was a bit careless.” Lifting the sleeve, you briefly displayed a harsh horizontal line across the top of the bruise before covering your arm once more. “I tripped and hit an end table as I fell. It's my own fault so don't worry about it please.”
Doubt was written all over her face but she conceded, knowing pushing any further wouldn’t get anywhere.
“Fine. But I need you to know I'm here for you if anything else happens, okay love? If that little rat tries anything again I want you to let me know.” You smiled at her mother hen behavior, grateful to know you had someone who cared so much about your well being.
“So you can whoop his ass for me?” Crooking an eyebrow at her, you were chuckled as a deadpan expression crossed her face.
“So I can kick his nasty, weasley ass into next century with my boot lodged in his ass, yes.”
Laughing at the hatred dripping from her words, you squeezed her hand before pulling away, nodding in acknowledgement. “Heard that. I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Thank you Reina.” A genuinely grateful smile pulled at your lips before you turned away, making sure your cuffs were rolled down to your elbows before you entered the restaurant once more, feeling the concerned eyes of your friend boring into your back up until you pulled the heavy door closed behind you with a resounding thud.
***
Exhaustion seeped into every part of your body, making your limbs feel a hundred pounds heavier as you trudged into the locker room, pulling your hair free from the handkerchief, you rubbed your sore and itchy scalp. Sighing heavily, you pulled your backpack from the hook you had left it on eleven long hours ago, stuffing the damp head cloth into a pocket before swinging the bag over your shoulder and fumbling around for a moment before managing to wrangle your other arm through the second strap. Adjusting the straps of your pack, you turned to exit the cramped room only to come face first with a broad chest, making you reel back in surprise at the unexpected appearance.
“Woah there!” A sturdy hand shot out, catching you by the waist as you staggered, and prevented you from losing your balance. Looking up you met the equally startled face of Kirishima, his crimson eyes widened in concern as he withdrew his hand once he was sure you had regained your balance.
“Sorry darlin, I didn't mean to startle ya.” He chuckled, the hand that left your waist moving to scratch the back of his head bashully. Laughing nervously as the initial rush of adrenaline left your system, you took a step back, intimidated by the close proximity. You waved your hand dismissively before bringing behind your neck, subconsciously mirroring the man in front of you.
“It’s fine, no worries. I just didn't hear you come in.” You let out a wry chuckle “I must be going deaf huh?”
A stubby red eyebrow rose up as his lips melted into a teasing smirk, his hands making their way to his hips.
“You sayin I'm loud, Miss Mouse? Not so light on my feet?” He shook his head in mock offense. “Now I know I ain’t no ballerina but I ain't exactly a Clydesdale either.” The smile grew and he sent another heart-stopping wink your way, letting you know he was only teasing. A matching smile lit up your face as you rolled your eyes, letting out an exaggerated sigh.
“You know what I meant, you dork!” Swinging your foot with barely any force, you made contact with the toe of his bright red crocs.
“And you may not be a Clydesdale but usually I can hear those abominations coming a mile away.” Nodding your head, you indicated the various charms he had fastened to the already offensive looking shoes, ranging from superheroes to little cartoon cats to tiny grenades. A pout formed on his lower lip as he huffed at your words.
“They're not abominations! They look cool!” Picking a foot up, he shook it gently, making the plastic knick-knacks clink like tiny cheap windchimes. Shaking your head, you moved to circle around him, heading for the room’s exit.
“Either way I can’t believe Chef lets you wear them in his kitchen.” Shrugging your pack higher onto your shoulders, you stepped out of the locker room and lifted a hand in farewell. “Goodnight Kirishima. See you tomorrow!”
“Hold on!”” His hand shot out after you, palm facing you as he gestured for you to wait. Paused at the doorway, you watched as he quickly shucked the horrid footwear into a waiting cubby, pulling out an equally loud pair of tennis shoes and slipping them on before practically yanking the chef’s coat over his head. A glimpse of his tanned, solid looking torso could be seen as his undershirt rode up in his hurry to get out of the uniform, making your mind go blank for a moment before running rampant with thoughts that you knew you shouldn't be having about your coworker. Quickly averting your gaze, you pretended to be very occupied by the hem of your t-shirt, pulling on it and smoothing out non-existent wrinkles as he continued fumbling with his wardrobe.
“Right!” His voice rang out cheerfully in the small space. “Let's go!”
You looked up from your hands to see him standing in front of you in his casual clothes, one of his hands fishing through his pocket before pulling out a heavy keyring. His other hand came to rest on your shoulder as he guided you towards the back door, pulling it open and ushering you through as he followed closely behind, pausing for a moment to lock the door behind him.
Shifting your weight from one one foot to the other as you waited for him to finish with the locks, you cleared your throat before speaking. “Did… Did you need to talk to me about something?” A nervous quiver threatened to bleed into your voice as you questioned him. Glancing over his shoulder, a befuddled look took over his features before he straightened, shoving the keys in his pocket and then making his way to your side.
“What do you mean?” His head cocked to the side, making him look like an enormous puppy as he waited for your response. Your hand waved as you formulated your next words.
“Well, I mean... You asked me to wait for you? Was there something you needed to talk to me about?” A flutter of anxiety grew in the pit of your stomach once again, your mind racing through the possible things you could have done that would earn you a talking-to.
His eyebrows rose at this, confusion written all over his face before a spark of realization dawned in his eyes. “Oh no sorry! I guess I shoulda been clearer huh?” smiling sheepishly, he stuffed his hands in his pockets with a shrug. “I just figured I should walk ya back to your place.” His eyes darted away as he spoke, his tone uncharacteristically quiet and lacking confidence. “Well, I know that Reina usually walks with you but she was first cut tonight right?” He looked back to you, waiting for your nod of affirmation before continuing. “Anyway, I don't feel right letting a pret- a young lady like yourself walkin home all by yourself at this time of night.”
You barely registered the stutter in his words as warmth seeped into your chest, your heart fluttering at the knowledge he wanted to make sure you were safe. People had always seen you as independent. A strong, albeit more reserved gal who could take care of herself. You had always been proud of this, the knowledge that people saw you as so strong, but on some days you wished people knew how vulnerable you felt. You almost wished they knew about the nights you were exhausted and defenseless, racing from street lamp to street lamp, the fear of who or what lurked in the dark sending your mind spinning with all the horrible fates you might meet if you didnt keep moving. In spite of these fears, embarrassment always kept your mouth shut tight in lieu of asking for help, a nagging sense of worry that once you asked for help, people might not see you as capable, or worse, think you were weak.
A shy smile crept across your features as you nodded, unsure of the proper response to give him but hoping he would know how grateful you were for the offer. The nod along with your pleased expression seemed to be all the reassurance he needed, his shoulders visibly releasing tension as his usual confident manner returned.
“Right! We should get a move on then darlin! I'd hate to be keeping you from your beauty sleep.” With a playful grin and a gentle hand placed between your shoulder blades, he urged you to start walking, easily falling in step beside you as you headed down the dimly lit alleyway. The silence between you two was heavy as you walked, though the stillness was not uncomfortable. a few minutes passed with only the echo of footsteps before a low rumbling melody began to fill your ears. Glancing out of the corner of your eye, you saw Kirishima's neck tighten and relax with the tune, his adam's apple bobbing slightly as he hummed along with the song in his head.
Your heart fluttered as you listened to him, giggles threatening to bubble out of your mouth every time he hit a wrong note or paused to remember the next part in the melody. Reaching what you recognized to be the bridge, his brow furrowed as his eyes darted about, visibly searching his memory for the next part of the song. The quiet laughter finally escaped you, the bit of tongue caught thoughtfully between his teeth pushing you over the edge. He looked down at you, a pout starting to form as he opened his mouth to respond to your laughter, but his words caught in his throat as your soft voice filled the silence, picking up the song where he had left off.
“Give me all of you, oh
Cards on the table, we're both showing hearts, Risking it all, though it's hard. Cuz aaaalllll of me...”
Regaining his voice, he hummed along with you in finishing the final chorus before the two of you faded into a moment of silence once more, the gentle blush in his cheeks washed out by the yellow glow of the street lamps. Clearing his throat he beamed down at you, his eyes sparkling with terribly-concealed delight.
“I cant believe youve been hiding that pretty voice of yours this whole time, missy! You should be singing on stage with pipes like yours” Heat burned under your skin at his praise as you brought your hand up to hide your face from his stare.
“I'm not that good, you goof.” You mumbled, suddenly embarrassed that you had let him hear your singing. He let out a harumph at your words, his hands braced on his hips as he leaned around your hand to look you in the eye.
“Yes you most certainly are! I don't know what twerp told you otherwise but they need to get their ears cleaned!” The expression on his face was far too serious for the situation, his grumpy glare would have made one think someone had spit in his soup or had actually slapped him across the face. More giggles bubbled in your chest as you shooed him away from your face, rolling your eyes at his antics.
“No one said anything to me, I can hear and judge for myself.” You held a finger up to stop the response you saw forming on his lips. “And I never said I was terrible, I'm just no Christina Aguilera.” The pout returned to his face but he conceded to you, mumbling incoherently under his breath as he straightened to face the path ahead. Shaking your head in amusement, you laughed once again before nudging him with your shoulder to bring his crimson gaze back to yours. “Thank you though. I'm glad you think my voice is pretty.” You bashfully looked to the ground as you finished speaking, watching your scuffed shoes pass over the cracks in the cement below, missing the achingly soft smile on his face as he looked at you from over his shoulder.
The rest of the walk continued in silence as the two of you wound through the darkened streets, Kirishima having positioned himself between you and the road, moving ever so slightly closer to you any time a stranger would pass by on the sidewalk. Had you been paying attention, you would have seen how his gaze followed them like a hawk till he was sure they were far enough away to do no harm. However, before you knew it, the weather-worn apartment building you called home came into view, the majority of its windows darkened as you quietly made your way into the gravel courtyard. Pausing at the gate, you turned to face Kirishima, who now stood stationary at the edge of the sidewalk with his hands buried in his pockets.
“Thank you for walking me home, Kirishima. I really appreciate you going out of your way like that.” Your feet shuffled as you gave him a grateful smile, hoping you weren't coming off awkwardly as you thanked him quietly. He beamed and shrugged his broad shoulders dismissively, responding in a low voice so as not to disturb your neighbors.
“Nothin to thank me for, shortcake. It was just the manly thing to do.” He sent a final wink your way before making a flicking gesture with his hand, shooing you towards the building and softly calling ‘goodnight’ at your retreating figure as you hurried up the stairs.
Reaching your door, you pulled your keys from around your neck, casually glancing down to look down at the place you left him, only to find him still standing there, watching over you. With a smile you sent a small wave his way, a bittersweet feeling pulling at your heart as he returned the gesture before turning and heading back into the night. Fingers trembling with excitement, you turned the key in the lock, hearing the soft click as the small bar snapped out of place and making you flinch with how loud it sounded in the stillness. Gently pushing the door open and slipping into the dark apartment, you kicked your shoes off in the entryway before locking the door behind you with as little noise as you could. Stilling, you listened with anticipation for any noise in the apartment before deciding after a few moments of dead silence that the coast was clear.
Making your way through the cramped rooms and steering clear of the loose floorboards you knew of, you let out a sigh of relief as your hand made contact with the cool metal of your rooms doorknob, happy to have reached your sanctuary.
A creak came from behind you, making your heart fall into your gut as a weasley lisping voice shattered the peace. “So princess. Who the hell was that?”