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Nemuri wasn't one to curse, but the tirade of obscenities muttered under her breath made her feel better by the moment. Her date last night had been a waste of time, keeping her out far too long for no good reason. She had an early patrol, and working on two hours of sleep left her cranky.
Nemuri wandered the empty streets then rounded a corner, where she stopped so abruptly, she almost tripped over her own feet. Luckily, the man running toward her halted quickly too. Her eyes widened in recognition, and immediately, her friend Oboro Shirakumo averted his eyes with a downright guilty expression.
"Hey! Nem— ah, Midnight. Hi! Sorry. Gotta go, or I'll be late!"
His disheveled 'yesterday's clothes' appearance sparked her mischief. "Isn't it too late to be caught on a walk of shame, Loud Cloud?"
"Yeah, yeah. I didn't mean to stay so long but— y'know,
things happen."
"Again?" Nemuri folded her arms, her irritation returning. This time, though, it was mostly out of jealousy at the number of bite marks on his neck. "Shouta, I assume."
"Who else?" Oboro replied cheerily, smoothing his shirt without success. Noticing her mood, his smile dropped. "Hey, you okay?"
"No, I'm not!" Nemuri exclaimed. "While you're over there, happy and cozy with Mister Doom & Gloom, I'm dealing with nightmares every time I try to meet someone. It's not fair!"
"Aw, babe, I'm sorry. What happened this time?"
"The usual. Little boys who like to talk too much about themselves, which is boring, and patronize me, which is insulting. I'm all for having a good time, but they need to have something attractive about them for that. Right?"
"Oh for sure. I get it," Oboro sympathized.
"Why not learn what kind of art or flowers I like? Or have an actual conversation with me? Interesting is sexy, after all. Is it too much to ask, to be swept off my feet?"
"No. No, it's not."
"And— well, take you and Shouta, for example. Getting with a friend sounds perfect. It would be nice to skip over all the basics. Start ahead, in a way. But all my single friends and colleagues see me as a sister."
"C'mon, I'm sure not all of them—" His sentiment was interrupted by the loud gunning of an engine in the distance, then noticeably closer.
"That's an awful lot of noise this early," Nemuri observed, immediately on alert. Despite being off-duty, Oboro positioned himself beside her.
Apparently it wasn't close enough. The roar of the engine became deafening, the figure that sped toward them a grey blur through a cloud of dust. Nemuri had no time to dodge before she was swept up by strong arms. Before she could use her quirk in defense, Nemuri felt she wasn't being held maliciously, but with surprisingly gentle care. The familiar steel costumed arms of the Turbo Hero were beneath her, cradling her bridal style. Ingenium's engine quirk gave a powerful burst, elbows blazing as he rocketed them upward.
Nemuri didn't remember ever moving so fast, or so high out in the open. She held tightly to Ingenium, enthralled by the sensation— it felt as if they were flying together. Her body vibrated with excitement as he darted across rooftops, then finally slowed to land on one at a jog. As both breathed heavily, Nemuri made no motion to leave his arms, and Ingenium didn't set her down.
Finally, Nemuri pulled back to look into his helmet with a happy little shout.
"Woo! My hero," Nemuri beamed. She nearly lost her breath at Tensei's strength as he held her with one arm, lifting the other to remove his helmet. Hands pressed to his broad chest, she let her legs sink from his grasp, and he slowly unclenched his fingers. Her body slid down his like a slow drop of honey, until they stood pressed together, Nemuri gazing up at him.
Sweet, affable Iida Tensei, her buddy, seemed different. He was always adorable, and she loved that they found endless subjects to talk about. Today, his smile was so uncharacteristically sultry, it was making her sweat, as did the new glimmer in his steel blue eyes. His thick black hair, messy from his helmet and ruffled by the rooftop breeze, caught shots of deep blue under the early morning light. He was exquisite, and it made her heart skip in an unfamiliar way.
"My apologies for stealing you from your duties, Miss Midnight." Although obviously sincere and gentlemanly, Tensei's tone was playful, his manner charming.
"You're such a rebel, Ingenium," she teased back.
"If that's your type, then sure. Let's go with rebel."
Nemuri stared at him in astonishment. Tensei... flirting?
"Well, no apology necessary, regardless," Nemuri replied, gesturing to the empty streets. "It seems to be a quiet morning. Except for your engines, that is." As she ran a hand down his bicep, he proudly flexed for her.
Had he always been this hot? How did I never notice?
Tensei chuckled softly. "Who knows if it will stay that way for long. I saw you on patrol and figured, now's my chance." Taking her hands, he stepped back and exhaled deeply. "I've admired you for a long time, and I've been a fool not to confess to you before. A woman of your intelligence, strength, beauty, and charm is rare and wonderful. If you would do me the honor of having dinner with me tomorrow night, I'd be the happiest man on earth."
Nemuri blinked in shock. A confession, so eloquently stated, it sounded like a proposal. Short, and to the point.
Tensei actually said intelligence first. Then strength. Then beauty. Not as important, because he liked her.
Besides, the way he looked at her left no doubt he thought she was gorgeous.
"Eight o'clock?" she replied with a slow smile.
Tensei let out a breath of relief. "Alright. Eight o'clock." He kissed her hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. "YESSSS," he added, bouncing on his toes in unabashedly boyish excitement. It made Nemuri laugh, opening her arms to draw him into a hug.
The hug was strong, and they held one another for a long time. Nemuri could only imagine how Tensei's embrace would feel without a layer of armor between them. They lingered, then reluctantly parted when they realized they had been gone for a bit too long.
"Ready?" Tensei asked as he donned his helmet.
"No. But I'll just have to wait for next time." Nemuri stood still, and Tensei effortlessly lifted her into his arms again. She wished she could see through the visor more clearly, to lock eyes with him one more time.
Ingenium returned Midnight to the street where she continued her patrol, watching as he fired up his engine and disappeared into the morning. He had given her plenty of unexpected fuel for daydreaming.
At the end of the day, Nemuri hurried to the agency to fill out her reports. She was greeted with a large bouquet situated on her desk, and paused to inhale the scent of the violets and white camellias. The card was fearlessly set into the flowers, and Nemuri opened the tiny envelope eagerly.
"Miss Midnight,
I hope your day was a success.
I'm counting every moment until we are together again.
All my heart,
Ingenium"
The sentiment made her heart ache with how purely it conveyed Tensei.
The friend who could be more.
Someone who enjoyed their conversations.
Someone who took the time to find out what kind of flowers she liked.
And, the one who finally swept her off her feet. Quite literally.