[Masao Ando]

How long had it been since her and Jingjing overcame the Combustible Heads? When that villain's quirk took ahold of her, he momentarily stole the thing that she cherished most. She thought that might have been her weapon, but his quirk was much less literal and far more vague in nature. As a result he stole her love, her capacity to love which she had recently gained and with it, her feelings for Enma. Thankfully once the villain relinquished control of her emotions they all came flooding back, but readjusting to such a stark change was proving much more difficult than she had first imagined. For one, she never used to cry, but lately, every night she found her eyes getting teary, felt herself miss Enma so much that it hurt when they were apart.

Which was why this one weekend while Ylva was out of the dorms, Masao invited Enma over to her own room. She had thought about how to tell him about it, what she had been through, but she just wasn't able to put it into words. Whenever they trained she couldn't bring herself to ruin the moment with her problems and when they walked around campus together all she wanted to do was forget the past and live in the present with him. However, everything had changed after her and Enma's run in with the assassin, when she had found out that her dad was going to visit her at campus. She had never felt so anxious before... Would her newfound life by Enma's side survive an encounter with the original Paragon?

''You can come over whenever you are ready, the door's open. It's just me here.'' She sent a heart and rose emoji with her text message to appear a little more lighthearted and happy. After all she was going to be spending time with her boyfriend, what didn't she have to be happy about?

When he arrived at the door she would be there to greet him with open arms, wearing a casual, yet still pretty formal outfit for the occasion. She wanted to look good for him after all. Pulling him into a hug first she smiled. ''Enma-kun, how has your day been?'' She invited him inside and closed the door behind him before she leaned in for a kiss. ''I've missed you. Would you like a cup of tea? The kettle is already hot.''

enma

[enma]

The Night Before...

The time has come. A girl has invited Enma to her place where they would be alone. If there was ever a reason to call the Emergency Arashi Roundtable, it was now. The room was dark, light only illuminating what was a repurposed poker table typically used for his father's pachinko nights with friends. The three Arashis sat with their elbows on the table, fingers bridged together in deep contemplation. Shadows cast over the upper half of their faces as they took this matter with upmost seriousness.

Nothing could bring Papa Arashi and Father together in a room in such unison, nothing bridge years of estrangement more than the only remaining heir stepping towards the inevitable destiny of being the next man of the house. Papa Arashi wore a traditional hakama and had a long, thin set of three handles making up his facial hair. Two from his upper lip, one from his chin. It formed almost a trident. His hair was tied in a bun with his head being mostly bald otherwise, but by choice and not genetics.

Father wore his uniform from working, having rushed over immediately to discuss and strategize at this EAR meeting. Enma wore his typical all-black UAU uniform and coat, Raiju resting against the table. After what happened just outside of his father's store previously, he wouldn't risk it. There was a great silence that loomed over them as they found the words for each other. It was no easy thing to come together and maintain the peace, but for Enma?

For what was coming to pass? They'd do anything. "Father, Grandfather, I have ordered this meeting to ask of you something I never thought I would. I need your help. As you know, my girlfriend -- yes, girlfriend -- invited me to her dorm while her roommate was gone. You know what this means." It would be Papa Arashi who would speak next, the most petrified of the deep-thinking men being Father.

Still, their face shrouded by the single-bulb lighting and hunched over in contemplation, the words were chosen with sincere confidence. "Enma, boy, the time has come. You will finally be a man and inherit the Arashi clan." Without breaking posture or pose, Father chimed in. "While I am still very much healthy and alive, father, I must agree that the time has come. We've prepared a contingency for this moment."

The two hadn't spoken in years outside of the tragic news of Enma's mother and sister. Yet, there was an unspoken agreement between the two. Maybe a spoken one when Enma was still very young, an undying pact that has now come to fruition. Enma was terrified at the prospect, trembling at his ankles but rock-solid in his upper half as to not show that fear to his fathers. "You will not leave here unprepared." Nodding in unison, Papa Arashi and Father synergized in their agreement. "And you will not leave here without knowing how to be responsible."

Enma began nodding along with them, but also had an internal realization. This was an awful idea. "So to treat a lady right--" Papa Arashi went head-first into how the warrior would be both one in the battlefield and in the bedroom. "And the importance of contraceptives before financial security--" Yes, Father chose until Enma was twenty-two to finally have THAT talk.

It was a long night.

The Next Evening...

The EAR did not cure Enma of any anxiety. He texted her a few times that day to show he was looking forward to their time together, but wanted to seem cool. Finishing up any courses he had, he would immediately make for her place. Knowing how she liked to surprise him with her boldness, he took some extra steps to really amaze her today. Standing in the mirror with a new shirt on, it would be a turtle-neck with no sleeves that he might've not fully researched into before getting.

It was cotton and thin and hugged his muscular figure quite well. The neck was thick and the only pattern it had was the vertical lines of stitching. Exposing the surrounding area around his arm shoulder sockets, it really put a focus on those beef sticks of his. Wearing red slacks and black shoes, Enma tapped into this unknown fashionable spirit and wore a black and red bead bracelet. Bringing Raiju along as a precaution, he would not leave them vulnerable.

Wrapped in cloth and tied to his back, Raiju was hidden tastefully as to not scare anybody. Arriving, he looked at Masao and smiled confidently, hiding his utter enthrallment with her. When she hugged him, he wouldn't hesitate to turn it more romantic with a kiss. This is where he took Father's advice. Be passionate, slow and methodic. Given that she accepted the kiss, show Masao that he was bold and confident and kept her guessing.

"My day? My day. My day has been good, yeah. I've been thinking about you all day. How's your injuries?" Be caring, be mindful. Taking a look around the dorm, it began hitting him that he was in a girl's dorm room. They were alone. It was his girlfriend and him with all the time in the world. What if he wasn't ready!? "Tea would be good, Masao." A warm smile her way, he took Raiju from his back.

"I...did not want to come unprepared in case...well, you know. Where may I set Raiju?" A precaution, but one that may be needed to defend himself if he terribly misinterpreted how the night was going to go. According to his fathers, he was the one expected to make the plays. Plays were dangerous. Always be prepared. Use protection! He heard repeat in his head. Clearly that meant use Raiju to defend himself if Masao began murdering him.

But that wasn't going to happen! Right?

Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

She let a hand run over his chest to feel the cotton of his turtle-neck, and a little bit of the muscles underneath. ''You look great.'' She whispered against his lips, smiling before pulling away. ''I am doing just fine. My armor kept me safe for most of it so I didn't sustain any serious injuries. Well, that and you risked your life to save me...'' She trailed off, but brightened up at the fact that he wanted tea. That meant she was doing something right. ''How about yourself, I trust you are healing okay?'' It was embarrassing, but the fact that she had been raised as a boy, and the fact that she had grown up with butlers and maids in the house meant that she hardly knew the first thing about a lot of those essential things that seemed to come so naturally to other girls. Was she a good girlfriend? She hoped she was, and could continue to be even better.

''I anticipated that you might bring Raiju, do not worry, there's a weapon stand in my room.'' After all they were still in the common area of the dorm that her and Ylva shared. ''Follow me.'' She took his hand softly and led him down the hallway. It felt kind of bizarre. She had been hanging out with him for a while now, and yet showing him to her room felt like a bigger deal than she had first imagined it. ''This is the one.'' She stopped in front of the door and gave it a delicate push before stepping inside, leading him right behind her.

Her room was... Well, it was clean, pragmatic and there were lots of bookshelves and storage space for her blueprints. In one corner she had a desk and chair setup with a laptop resting on the table, perfect place to do homework. There was a TV too, but it wasn't all that special and it honestly saw way less use than she liked. Her bed was big, with lots of blankets and pillows for maximum sleep comfort. Next to her bedside table there sat a lone, closed box of jewelry, with a black sleeping mask next to it. On the far side wall, a familiar art piece hung next to her walk-in wardrobe. Her hobbies weren't really reflected in the room because she didn't have any.

Save for one.

What tied the room together was the amount of plants, and especially flowers she had decorating the place and livening it up with some much needed natural fragrance. Not many people knew this about her, but she loved picking flowers and taking care of plants. It also just wasn't something a warrior would typically concern themselves with, so she saw no reason to bring it up.

''Right over here.'' She smiled, indicating a weapon stand that stood up against the wall next to the door. It was empty too, almost as if she had anticipated he might be carrying a weapon. Heck, she knew exactly how he felt. They were both probably still a little on edge after what happened. Walking aside to let him into her room proper, she leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek once he had stored Raiju. ''I'll go get the tea, please have a seat in the meantime. Make yourself at home.''

She took a deep breath when she got to the kitchen and for a split second there, she wished she had just invited him out to spar. Fighting was easier than all this people, romance, listening to emotions and sharing parts of yourself that you thought you would hide away from the world forever. Picking up the tray with their cups and the kettle on it she steeled herself. Giving up was too easy. A proper warrior knew how to conduct themself not just on the battlefield, but around their partner too. She just needed to get used to this.

Walking back in she set the tray down on her desk. ''I am sorry if you find my room to be lacking in character. Truth be told, I spend more time outside of it than in it.'' And she was pretty sure if someone could calculate or track the hours, she had been in her workshop three times as much. Not that any of that mattered. Enma was here, and she was still longing for him. ''Enma, there is something I want to talk about. Two things, actually.'' She let out a small sigh, feeling more and more nervous and less capable of keeping up her stoicism. Assuming he let her, she took his hands and held them. ''I'm not the most... Emotionally communicative person, and neither are you. However, my emotions have been acting out of turn and...'' She took a pause as she could feel herself tearing up. ''I... I fought another villain.'' She admitted, but quickly added. ''And I'm okay, I didn't get hurt.'' She gave his hands a reassuring squeeze. ''I just need to get it off my chest because...'' She looked down at his hands, caressing them gently with her thumbs. ''...Because for a moment, I thought I wasn't going to make it. Then I thought of you and...'' She looked up at him sheepishly, seeking comfort in his eyes. ''You being here brings me a lot of joy.'' She felt a couple of tears trickle down her face as she blinked her eyes. ''Thank you.'' She smiled, taking another deep breath. ''I did not want to make this a sad evening, but I needed to let you know. The other thing. It is about my father, Akari Ando. He is visiting the school campus this weekend, and I want you to meet him. As my boyfriend.''

enma

[enma]

That hand on his chest, those words, that face...Enma was enthralled. He looked forward to every moment spent with her as she introduced feelings into his life that he never knew were possible. Where he was ready to fight until he had fallen with no one waiting for him back home, now he had more purpose to survive and not be so reckless. She opened his eyes to the darkness within, even if they hadn't spoken on it.

She didn't sustain any heavy injuries. Good. Maybe a little darkness was fine in life-or-death situations, but what if he scared her? "My ribs are healing, the core is a bit harder due to location." Feeling his stomach, he looked up at her and felt not pain from the still-mending ribs, but butterflies. Oh, the butterflies were fluttering with fiery excitement. Then she...she invited him into her room?

This is moving so fast...Do I make a move? Is this where I hit her with shock and awe like Papa Arashi said? Swallowing his anxiety, he shakily followed and when she wasn't looking, let the tough act drop. Whenever she looked at him, she would see a stone fortress. Upon viewing a room that was mostly akin to his, he saw the main difference: flowers. It was beautiful, like her. Full of surprises, like her. Well-cultured, like her.

"Tea sounds wonderful, Masao." Setting Raiju on the weapon rack, he would take a seat on her bed. He began fidgeting with his hands on his thighs. Did he take his shirt off here? No, what if he was wrong!? She returned shortly after and he was laying on his side, leg propped up and an arm wrapped around his torso. He tried to look cool and relaxed, but felt silly and immediately sat up.

"Ahem, yes, I only recently spent more time in mine as I made a new friend. I...found a new hobby! Her name's Jun, she has shown me the game 80K. I've been preparing for our face-off where I will surely crush her!" Smacking a fist down into his hand, there was only determination in his face. Hopefully she wasn't the jealous type, but it would be the first time Masao would hear about a friend of the opposite identity.

As she sat down with him and began telling him of the villain she fought, he started to feel extremely worried. She was clearly fine, but he still pondered the possibilities. That's why they sparred, so she could be a stronger warrior. Have faith in her. She's stronger than you. When she told him that the thought of him helped her push through, a few things dawned on him. The first was that he couldn't imagine a world without her, truly.

So trapped in his head for a moment as this revelation began surging through him, his grip tightened. Not so strong that it hurt, but tightened with emotion. The other revelation was that thinking of her was near constant and helped push him through the darkest times. Thinking of her felt like breathing and if she hurt, he choked. These things only meant one thing, and as he was so captivated by the thought, his mouth moved with his mind.

He didn't mean to interrupt her, but there was nothing stopping him speaking at the same time she mentioned her father. "I love you." Catching his mouth, Enma felt something so foreign take hold. He loved Masao? He loved Masao. Her father was...he was...was he going to die? No, but he would faint.

Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

''I am terribly sorry. Had I been able to do more you wouldn't have taken as many hits as you did.'' Between the assailant being after her and her being the weaker fighter of the two of them, it was hard for her to not feel a little guilty about how everything had played out.

When she returned to her room and saw him sit back up again she couldn't help but smile. ''If you need to rest that is okay, lay down, let your girlfriend take care of you.'' She sat on the bed next to him, her hand instinctively reaching for his. ''Junsuina Kanjo-san?'' She didn't know that many Juns and given that it was about 80k that had to be the one. ''I'm glad to hear you two are getting along.'' After she helped look after Jun when she was injured from the Dream World incident, she couldn't help but feel like a bit of a big sister to her, even if Jun didn't see her that way. She did worry about the girl. She was strong, but also reckless. To hear that Enma had managed to befriend her was a relief. Neither Jun nor Enma were that good at meeting new people, but she was happy that they had found a shared hobby. Oddly enough, she was scared of losing him and cared more about him than anyone else, but she wasn't feeling a shred of jealousy. Maybe only over the fact that she wanted to spend more time with him, but then again it was never her intention to monopolize his time either. ''I am certain your victory is assured.'' She couldn't help but let out a little laugh when Enma smacked his fist into his hand.

It was hard to come clean and talk about what happened. Ultimately she had made it out fine, but she didn't want him to worry. Didn't want him to think she was weak, or a burden to him. For the first time in her life she had found someone who really saw her for who she was, and now that she had felt his attention, his love, his smile and his touch, she wasn't ready to just let it go again.

''-And I want you to meet him.'' She let out a small sigh, feeling the weight of what she was saying leave her chest as her heart felt a little lighter. ''As my boyfriend-'' She barely finished her sentence when he said those magical three words. ''H-Huh?'' She blinked her eyes, did she hear him right? Did he just confess that he... ''Enma, what did you say just now?'' Her face was beet red as she replayed the sentence in her head again and again. If only she hadn't been talking her head off she would have been able to hear him say it in isolation. Could she get him to say it again? Was that selfish of her? ''Because it kind of sounded like...'' She was about to say it, but got shy, only more so when she saw how awkward he found the situation too. ''And I was thinking...'' She muttered, looking down at the floor shyly. Her heart was pounding and it felt like her whole body was blushing at once. ''Can we, maybe should we start over?'' She asked with a nervously chuckle, rubbing the back of her neck. ''Um...'' She held his hands and let her thumbs gently caress his. She took a deep breath. ''Enma-kun, you were saying?''

enma

[enma]

No, it wasn't Masao's fault that Enma was injured like he was. This was why he became a hero. Evil didn't wait for a hero to be ready. It didn't wait for a hero to be strong. It acts when it wants to, lurking in the shadows of light cast by the good hearts of the world. She was an angel, someone who was going to revolutionize any hero's arsenal. She worked hard; blood, sweat and tears staunching the flames of her forge.

She didn't deserve to die. Evil didn't choose who deserves it, only those that it wants to consume. Sometimes it ends their life when it kills a person, sometimes it eats their soul. Enma felt evil in his heart when he protected Masao, but to fight for someone he cared about meant overcoming that evil and remembering that it isn't a one-sided feeling. These feelings, these reflections; they were a result of the swordsmith.

That's why Enma loved Masao. As she felt sadness over his injuries and joy over his friendship, he could feel it from her as well. Despite the scary force that was the Ando family, whom did raised her with an iron hand, she wanted him to meet her father. His uttering of words, uncontrolled and completely free would result in the two of them losing their place in the conversation. Both had red faces, unable to put together whole sentences.

She wanted to start over, taking his hands and washing away any worry. Like a glacier prison being melted instantly, she focused him. This was the time to be strong, to be someone that could not have been foreseen by any Arashi. Enma wasn't going to be an empty warrior for the battlefield, he was going to be valiant and present for Masao. Looking her in the eye, he squeezed back. "I love you, Masao. You make my heart shine and give me courage to feel."

Emotion was a fickle subject for the both of them, as navigating their feelings was more difficult due to how they were raised. Enma felt vindicated in having these feelings be a normal part of his life, a part of his journey. "I think about how beautiful and bright you are. How strong you are. I may be able to crush stone, but you are far stronger than me. Strength isn't in the ability to destroy." Bringing a hand to his mouth, he closed his eyes and warmly kissed it.

Moving her hand to take his cheek, he looked up at her with softness that was almost like a little secret shared between them. "It comes from the ability to inspire, to be good, to face adversity without fear. I can't promise to make your father proud, but..." A hesitation, a moment where Enma needed to be confident that he could do right by her and to possess a modicum of self-esteem.

"...I will make you proud. You inspire me."

Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

Never in a million years had she expected that someone would confess their feelings to her. She was tall for a woman, and she even dressed more masculine than feminine most of the time. She also spent most of her time making weapons near a forge, she felt like a misfit, a monster, and yet it was the only person she knew how to be. When Enma looked at her, it was like none of that mattered. He didn't see Masao the misfit, he saw Masao, the woman he was in love with. Was she truly worthy of this attention? Of someone as valiant, brave, charming and funny as him? A flurry of emotions were swirling through her as they sat there, her eyes darting from this place to that while she held his hands and tried her best not to freak out or startle him.

Someone loved her.

Someone loved her and she...

When he squeezed her hands back she looked into his crimson eyes, her heart could have stopped then and there, weak from the anticipation. Then she felt it again. Unimaginable happiness from what he said next, her heart dancing and singing, feeling things she didn't even know was possible. She was speechless, all she could do was look at him, mesmerized by his words and his vulnerability, silently thanking whatever lucky star had arranged for their journeys to cross paths, for their fates to intertwine in a way that made her see the world in a new light. Enma was the one who brought colors into her sad, gray world, and he was saying he loved her.

To make matters worse, he didn't stop there, and if her face had been burning red before, when he continued complimenting her it wasn't just her face, it was her whole body and heart and soul that was burning brightly. ''E-Enma...'' She cracked a smile, tears forming in her eyes as her warrior poet laid his heart bare. When he put her hand up to his cheek she took in how warm it was. He was flustered, just like her, he was nervous, and figuring everything out as he went too. ''Oh, you already do.'' A couple of tears trickled down her face as she let out a small nervous chuckle, moving in a little closer, pulling him into a big hug at first. ''You always leave me speechless with your actions and your words.'' She spoke softly into his shoulder as she kept embracing him, wanting to feel more of him than just his face. ''You inspire me in turn. Your courage is second to none, you don't hesitate for a moment to risk yourself for those around you. You fight with the spirit of a warrior, and yet you are not afraid to leave yourself vulnerable like this, telling me these things even though they must be hard to say.'' She kept her arms wrapped around him, but pulled her face up to his, smiling as she looked into his eyes before glancing down at this lips and leaning in for a deep kiss.

''I love you too, Enma.'' Her heart was threatening to explode with how much it was reacting. Funny, when he said those words to her he made it all look so effortless. ''I want to help you achieve your dreams, and... I want to be here by your side. I need you.'' She traced a hand up his back, following it up to cup the back of his neck gently. ''Let's keep inspiring each other.'' She added after letting the silence hang in the air for a moment, letting out another small nervous laugh as her happiness needed an outlet.

enma

[enma]

If he wasn't shining in the literal sense before, he was now. Hearts began floating up his skin, crawling in endless amounts like a shroud of flat bubbles rising underwater. They were pink and rosy red, a physical representation of the steam that should be coming out of his head. Masao did this to him night after night. When he thought about her, texted her, heard her voice...tasted her lips. It was so hard to resist loving her.

She could craft a sword that would make a legendary smith of old weep. She could present herself in any fashion and show how refined and elegant she was. Strong, sharp, genius-minded. It's all been said and thought and felt before. It's being said, felt, thought, savored, intoxicating right now. Intoxicating was Masao and enchanting was her love. They were confessing to each other in the most beautiful way, uninterrupted and in full openness of each other.

As if the hearts also represented intense heat, Enma pulled at his shirt like he was letting the hot air out trapped within. He'd never complained about being too warm, but she made him different. No hard shell, no suffering in solitude. Masao let Enma be weak in her presence. She made it okay, she made love impossible to avoid. There were other feelings that couldn't be hidden as electricity shocked from his spine while she touched it.

When she cupped his neck, he melted in her embrace. Whatever stone gates kept tears within suddenly disintegrated. Enma was fully crying, clutching her lower back and gently clinging to the outer walls of the ravine that was her back's lower contour. He wept because love hadn't been actualized before in his life. Familial, romantic, platonic. In the truest sense, this was his first love. Enma loved his mother, he loved his family overall.

Enma was able to love someone and say it. Hear it. Bask in it. Breaking the embrace for a moment, he pulled off his shirt and kept leaning back, panting from the heat. "Masao, I'm sorry...I just feel like I'm burning up. I bet this is nothing to you with your time in the forge, but it feels so hot in here." He was sweating, a slight glisten to his broken striped chest. The scars seemed so real, despite being unknowingly artificial.

Putting a hand on his solar plexus, letting it fall down his sharp abs as he caught his breath, he took Masao's hand mindlessly. That was Enma's safety. "I won't lie to you, I've realized there's a darkness in me. A darkness from my upbringing and my trauma, which I thank-you for helping me realize it without us having to speak. That's the power you have." Breaking his speech to look down and observe her hands.

Feeling around her fingers, seeing how wonderful they were and lovely they looked despite being used to work a forge often. Enma turned her hand to just take in the view of her palm. These hands would create much in their life together, wouldn't they? "I am not afraid of your father or your family's judgment. They will learn to respect me because I fulfill a simple role that anyone should if they're going to love you." With a cute smile, he looked up at her once more.

"Your father can't hate me too much if I can keep other suitors away and bring honor to the swords you make." In truth, he was afraid. Afraid he'd disapprove of him, finding some way to break their relationship apart. If that happened, what would he do? He needed to show how hardworking and undeniably skilled he was. Would that be enough? "So...I'm ready when the time comes. Anyways..."

The night wasn't what he expected, which was a good thing. The roundtable was a false alarm, but at least it brought his grandfather and father into the same room for the first time in many years. Still, there was a feeling that wasn't about the obligation to perform. No, there was another new feeling. As his eyes glossed and glistened, Enma shifted forward and became very close with her. Embracing once more, he would whisper.

"...Masao." He wanted to ask how long they had the apartment to themselves, but like casting a spell of divine force, he said her name. Edge of his jaw to hers, face towards her ear, the whisper was wanting. His face was flushed red, but he didn't act nervous. No, he acted in full momentum of his pronounced love for her. He waited, eagerly, to hear her cast the same spell.

Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

She was more in tune with herself than she had ever been. Emotionally, physically, she hung on his every word and action and it was as if she felt him for the first time. Felt all of him. His hands on her lower back send happy chills through her body, they were where they belonged, holding her close, safe, just like this. She was burning up too, and couldn't help but let out another little nervous laugh. ''Our tea must be getting cold.'' She joked, but truth be told she didn't care about the tea, she just wanted to be close to him. She just wanted to feel that her boyfriend was here and that there was room for him in her heart.

When he wept so did she, pulling him into a closer hug, sitting there as long as it took for them to get the happy tears out. Once they pulled away and he took off his shirt she did her absolute best not to stare like some kind of creep. ''A-Actually, I... This is different.'' She admitted with a nervous smile. Unlike the heat she felt from her forge almost every day, the sensation that was burning her up was coming from within. She could only imagine it was the same for him. ''It does feel hot in here. Would you like me to open a window?'' Her eyes wandered down to his abs but she quickly caught herself. She needed to be accommodating of her guest and stop having irrelevant thoughts!

Her eyes grew soft with sympathy as he took her hand and spoke of his darkness and eluded to his all too unpleasant past. It hurt her to know that her quirk was measly armor and nothing more. If only she could have gone back in time and found him sooner, find some kind of way to reach him, maybe she could have made his life easier if they had only met sooner. ''I...'' She looked down at their hands too, acutely aware of how nice his felt. Firm and strong, and yet he was holding hers with the utmost care. ''I love every part of you... I realized that on our second date.'' He had probably thought his darkness had scared her away, but it pulled her in closer. She loved Enma and she wanted to help heal him whatever way she could, not as a savior or anything grand, just as his partner. Being by his side, just like this, exploring his fingers with her own and feeling him there. Getting to see his smile every day and laugh with him. That was enough.

As he looked at her hand her eyes found solace in his. ''My father is a fool and my family are as traditional as they come.'' She couldn't help but smile back when he looked at her with that cute smile, making her heart burst with those unique, colorful emotions she only felt for him. ''However, with your charms I am certain they will like you sooner rather than later.'' It was starting to dawn on her that they really were dating, that she wouldn't have to worry about all that finding a suitor stuff... She had already found him. ''That's true,'' she agreed shyly, looking down at their hands again. ''I am sure that would put his mind at ease.''

She was happy, so happy her chest tensed with every little heartbeat. They had confessed to each other and it was better than she had ever dared dream. All the times she thought about him, whether it was during class, in her workshop or trying her best to hide her true feelings during their sparring matches, there was always a small part of her that feared rejection. That feared the day might come when her feelings bubbled up like soda, that he did not feel the same way about her. To experience the opposite, to have someone she loved love her back, it was pure, emotional ecstasy. And yet, much like he was feeling, something had changed about their night. She suddenly felt more shy and awkward again, and just as she was getting used to going on dates with him. She wasn't just his girlfriend anymore, she was his girlfriend, girlfriend. The added confession made it feel that much more real in her heart.

When he moved in closer her heart beat faster and her hands reached out to embrace him, wanting, needing. ''E-Enma...'' She managed a weak whisper back. Her guard was down, but she trusted him fully, feeling safe in his embrace and in his dreamy, crimson eyes. Her hands traced gentle lines over his scars. ''These scars... Do they hurt?'' It felt corny to ask at a time like this, but it had been weighing on her mind ever since she first saw him shirtless. Besides, it was good to know given what she was about to do next. She closed her eyes and leaned in to kiss him, her arms wrapped around him as she gently pulled him towards her while leaning back onto the bed. Her face was flushed red too, pulling him in closer, as close as he would like. ''Maybe we could just...'' She trailed off anxiously. ''Lay with me, please?''

enma

[enma]

As the steam left their tea, it would be replaced by the heat between the two lovers. So much went into this moment. If Masao hadn't called on him to give his critique, Enma would have never fallen in love it felt. It took more than some solid advice from pro heroes that told him he couldn't be alone forever. It took something to break the mold, to peel back the armor and find the angel within. An angel that he didn't know existed, something only exposed by Masao.

Whether born through their friendship or uncovered by their growing connection, Enma felt things that he once thought were impossible. Now he wanted to love her until his heart gave, protect her until his hands would break, cheer her on until his lungs would ache. For someone so reserved, so polite, carnal feelings began to give rise. Ignoring her suggestion to open a window, he felt her admire his abs, even though it was unconscious.

Her long, flowing hair was like a bed of roses for him to sift his hand through. No thorns to be worried about, the silk that was the swordsmith's mane was so lovely. When she reaffirmed that it was their second date that solidified their love, it did cleanse the fears that she saw the darkness and wanted to run from it. Instead, she wanted to be closer. And closer. So close. Just like they were as their lips were whispers apart.

"We'll worry about him tomorrow. Tonight, Masao, it's just us." A hand down her shoulder, almost pleading to remove the shirt she wore. He didn't even know what he was doing, if he were to be frank. His body moved on its own, trying to flow along and not overstep. As she worried about his scars, he leaned back and gave her a comforting look. "They did, they don't anymore. I'll have more, it is the journey." Taking her head into his hands, he pulled her in to kiss her forehead. That was security.

But as the heat built, the tension rose. His hands would glide down, they would touch in ways he's never done before. Clumsy, wanting, curious. Love gave birth to other kinds of feelings that had only been myths in his life. Masao was beautiful and strong. The Arashi of past, present and future would be honored to see her with Enma. Whatever conflict they dealt with regarding their respective bloodlines was not the night's problem. No, it was time for a different kind of vulnerability altogether.

As she asked to lay with him, he stole a hot, passionate kiss. His hands were emissaries of passion at the gate. They wanted to be let in, but as they would share a kiss that felt more than just romantic, he would ask more formally. Putting a thumb to her lower lip and gently sliding down, he would paint her with pinkish red. His throat would glow with the same hue, hearts forming in his eyes. "Masao, please excuse my ungentlemanly composure but..."

Closer. That kiss before was carnal desire that fed from their love. The next waited with baited breath. "Can we be prey to our lust tonight?"

Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

He was right, in this moment, nothing else mattered. Trauma from the past, worries about the future, tonight she was just going to exist in the present with Enma. Exist with him in a passionate dance, not as warriors the way they had faced each other so many times, but as people, as partners. Enma the warrior was so different from Enma the person and yet, they were also alike. Feeling his hand down her shoulder she felt nervous, not because these were hands that could tear apart the very world around them, or wield a blade with a fierce tenacity. His touch brought her comfort, but she had never been this vulnerable with anyone before. She wanted to, but what if she wasn't good enough for him? What if he didn't feel the same way she did?

She let out a small sigh to steel her nerves, her lips curling into a relieved smile when he reassured her that his scars weren't as painful as they seemed. When he took her head into his hands and kissed her forehead she closed her eyes, lingering in his presence and longing for him in turn as she caressed his arms gently with her hands. ''When that day comes,'' her voice was a lot softer and quieter than she had expected, but it felt right with how relaxed he had made her. ''please, come to me.'' She didn't want either of them to suffer in solitude anymore. She was going to help carry his burden and his pain, even if he might be apprehensive to let her.

She could feel her heart beat faster as they grew closer, her hands exploring the length of his in intimidate detail, memorizing every little bump and shape that made them his. She wanted to know them so well that if she ever lost her vision, she would still be able to recognize him from touch alone. She found solace in his crimson eyes, never daring to imagine that someone would look at her the way he did. The lights were dim, but he was positively glowing, Enma Arashi had never looked better in her eyes. How did she look to him?

...

Was he thinking the same thing that she was thinking?

She relaxed into the soft bed, returning his kiss in kind, looking up at him, impatiently awaiting his answer. Hopefully he couldn't see how nervous she felt. ''Hm?'' She blinked her eyes and looked down at his thumb as she felt it brush across her lower lip and down her neck. She let go of a breath she didn't know she was holding, her hands reaching out to embrace him. She blushed when he gave his answer, her eyes averting his for a moment as she grew embarrassed. ''How are you asking me so directly?'' That was the thing about Enma, despite any doubts or worries he might have, he always appeared so composed and capable to her. After a moment of gathering up the courage to, she moved a little closer to kiss him on the lips. When her eyes met his she could no longer keep her nerves under lock and key. ''I'm nervous.'' She blurted out, breaking into an apologetic smile for ruining the mood. ''Let's start slow. The night is young.'' She took his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers.

---

She awoke the next morning when one of the Sun's rays somehow found a way to sneak past her curtain and right onto her face. Mumbling something under her breath she got out of bed to adjust her curtain. With a small sigh she got back into bed, and didn't realize Enma was there until the moment she laid back down again. Memories of last night flooded her brain as it all came back to her. Every morning since the day she had fought the villain in Tokyo Bay she had woken up feeling terrible, but that tense pain she had felt in her chest for not telling him about the villain attack, for being nervous about her family, it was all gone. Settling back into bed she turned on her side so she could look at him. He looked so peaceful sleeping soundly next to her. While she may not have been aware in the moment, this morning was going to be another core memory for her, the first time she saw her cute boyfriend's sleeping face.

She smiled to herself as if she had gotten away with the perfect crime. There were so many subtle beauties to be found in sharing moments with the one you loved, and she couldn't wait to discover all of them one at a time with Enma. She was tempted to lean over and kiss him, but part of her didn't want to disturb him either. Looking at the clock on her wall she realized how early it was and grimaced a bit. She was not getting up early on the weekend, not when he was right there. Turning back to Enma she looked at him for a few more seconds before closing her eyes. Maybe she could catch a little nap too, until he woke up.

enma

[enma]

"I'll be gentle. Your body is an angelic portrait and I will brush you with love."

Masao made a divine artist out of Enma. The way their passion flared made Inkheart illuminate the room. Anything that was kept secret by the iron prison of Enma's mind began bleeding out. Physical manifestations of his love would be a tell-all as they touched. The night became more than either could anticipate as they consecrated their love in classic fashion. It couldn't happen without making one another feel safe.

For Masao, Enma had a light in the darkness. He needed to hold his own torch, but for now he caught the cinders falling from this heavenly Paragon. Heroes were born at UAU, but they often needed their own kind of heroes. Connections, unbreakable bonds. Love wasn't the mission, often spoken of as a distraction by militaristic kinds such as Papa Arashi. Enma defied what he was taught, overcoming the sickness of ignorance and accepting Masao.

In return, she accepted him. His passion, his affection, his love, his desires. There was a side that only each other had seen. She cast aside the regal nature of her words for him, he let down the iron curtain for her. As they intertwined their feelings and their bodies, they would go into the next morning with bliss. Almost high, he would wake up and look at the scars of his body met by marks of romance and lust.

Asymmetric, they awoke and watched each other be relieved of any sense of duty. The apartment was empty, it was just them. They could lay there for as long as they wanted. The world could wait at least a day, for at least today. As he was wrapped up with her, he felt himself get hungry and knew she deserved a home-cooked meal. Enma had taught himself to treat his body like a temple and figured she was always busy with the next project to cook for herself.

Masao was a queen, so she deserved only the best. She invited him to hurt, to weep, to feel. Dexterously, he removed himself from the bed and took another look at her natural beauty. Light shone off of her crimson hair, creating a duality of dark and light reds. Her skin shimmered, which made his chest glow once more. With a pep in his step, he quietly made his way for the kitchen.

The smell of breakfast would fill the air. Another surprise from the secret artist was his respect and love for cooking. With a clean, well-practiced omurice made for the two of them. With a cursive heart in between, he wrote their first initials on the omelette in ketchup. Topped with alight seasoning garnish for color and flavor, he would hope Masao would join him in the kitchen as he was finishing.

Hopefully, they would stay alone for now. Enma borrowed an apron and had a perpetual smile on his face. This was yet another happy secret to be kept between the two.

Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

She knew she could trust him wholeheartedly, her arms wrapping around him as he whispered words of comfort. Love was a such wonderful thing. How could she have gone this long without it? Maybe it was for the best. After all, she was glad that she got to experience so many of these new experiences with him and no one else. Just like that day she had first seen his quirk, it lit up again, shining with all the colors of the rainbow as kaleidoscope of light surrounded them, the spell that solidified their bond and undying love for each other.

She woke up to her hand reaching out for him, only to find that there was empty space in her bed. ''Enma?'' She mumbled, turning to look around before closing her again and dosing off for another few minutes. Then she finally caught a whiff of the breakfast he was cooking in the kitchen. It took her a moment to sit up and swing her feet over the side of the bed, checking her phone for any texts she might have received during the night before standing up and slipping into a morning gown.

As she got into the kitchen she let out a yawn, covering her mouth with her hand. ''Enma-kun? Did you wait for me to wake up? My apologies.'' She looked at the omurice he was cooking and then it really dawned on her. He was cooking breakfast in her house. ''You cooked breakfast? You didn't have to do that, you're my guest, that should be my responsibility.'' She smiled apologetically. Although she had to admit had she been the one cooking the food wouldn't have looked or smelled nearly as good. She walked over to embrace him and give him a kiss on the forehead. ''Did you sleep okay?'' She brushed a hand through his hair as she looked down into his eyes. Then her eyes traveled a little further down as she took in his whole morning fit and she couldn't help but crack a smile. ''You look great in my apron.'' Suddenly, fear ran through her veins.

Oh no.

She covered her face with one hand, keeping the other wrapped around him. ''Wait! My hair... Don't look at me, I haven't brushed my hair yet.'' Her face was beet red realizing she probably had crazy bedhead and he was seeing that for the first time.

enma

[enma]

There was a happy, blissful, ignorant world Enma found himself in when cooking. Breaking the eggs, whisking the yolks with chopsticks, shifting the omelette around. He did everything by touch, including the boiling of rice. Rinsing it over and over to remove excess starch, it was that labor of love that put a smile on him. He used to cook for Papa Arashi, though happiness was never evident on his face.

No, that was Masao that did that. She didn't have to be around for him to let it out now. When she eventually was, she would see the heavenly glow on his face from a night of passion and a morning of her radiant presence. As she entered the room with the dining table set, he admired her from afar. "You were sleeping peacefully and since you work so hard all the time..." Walking near her, he put his hands on her hips.

"You need to be treated like the kind of royalty that's crowned only through genuine love." He didn't want her to think it was because of her being an Ando. No, it was because she was Masao. The beautiful angel that cast away the dark moil washing over Enma. "Come, your hair is fine, let's enjoy breakfast." Doing his best not to pull her along too hard, he turned and gestured for the table.

"A final secret reserved for you, I cook." It was an act of service, a labor of love. Cooking was something that Enma did thoroughly enjoy, but kept to himself. He wouldn't join any clubs for it, it was rewarded only to those that he was most vulnerable to. Papa Arashi and Masao. He would put a hand to the small of her back, looking up at her and intimately close. Enma almost wanted her to collapse into his embrace and for them to make love all over again, but breakfast was to be had.

Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

Just as naturally as he put his hands on her hips, she wrapped her arms around him. Something about being held like this, standing so close, it just felt like it was meant to be. Like they were always supposed to find each other and now they had finally completed their fated journey. The end of a journey in solitude and the beginning of a life together. ''Come now, I hardly work more than you do.'' She ran her hand gently through his hair, feeling a bit embarrassed at being compared to royalty. She wasn't, she was just a regular woman, but most importantly, she was his. ''If you insist, it just slipped my mind, you should only see me at my best... But I suppose I can comb my hair after breakfast.'' She found reassurance in his eyes.

''Is that so? You are full of surprises, Enma-kun.'' It felt so stereotypically rich of her, but she wasn't a very good cook. The reason being that for most of her life she had grown up in a house with a personal chef. She only really started cooking for herself in her first year at UA, and even then she stuck to the same 10 or so healthy meals that best complemented her training regiment. It wasn't until she sat down for breakfast that she noticed the writing in ketchup on the omurice. ''Did you write this too?'' She smiled, leaning into him a little bit. ''It's cute. Since you made it I will savor every bite.'' Even if it was kind of a shame she couldn't take this omurice and frame it on her wall alongside his other breathtaking artworks.

And the moment she got her first mouthful she could feel an orchestra of flavors dance across her tongue. It wasn't just good, it wasn't just great, it was divine. Enma was an amazing cook, but that wasn't just it, it was the fact that he had made it too. Not just some ready meal she had gotten at the convenience store, or food prepared by a person you hardly know. This was omurice served up by the man she loved and it tasted all the better because he had made it. ''This is...'' She waited to speak until her mouth wasn't full. ''This is fantastic! You've outdone yourself, Enma.'' She smiled over at him, her hand reaching out to squeeze his. ''How long have you been cooking? If you joined the culinary club then I somehow didn't hear about it.'' She wanted to kiss him, but she resisted the urge since they were eating right now. After breakfast, though? He wouldn't be so safe.

She continued to enjoy her breakfast and Enma's company as they chatted away. ''Do you have any plans for today? I need to stop by the workshop for something but it will only take an hour at most.''

enma