“I probably will not take you up on that offer,” Echiiro stated honestly, a bit of aggression lingering in his voice. Not that he didn’t want to take Auden on that offer, Echiiro was, admittedly, just conflicted about the entire situation. Perhaps it was just fear of his father finding out that his only son might like men. Plus, a male hero who slept with men? What kind of reputation would that give him? Echiiro bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. “Not that the offer isn’t flattering or anything….”

“Some people simply don’t have the stomach for such an ambition, I don’t deny, it can be a bit stressful at times.” He said with a small smile. It was true. Echiiro barely had time for himself, and well, certainly did not have time for a social life. To make matters worse, Echiiro didn’t really know why he wanted to be the greatest hero ever. Maybe it was because he wanted to protect people, that felt right. But also, maybe it was because he was doing what he was told, that felt right too.

“I’ve only kissed a guy once ….. It was a guy …. And someone really special,” He paused for a moment, pushing some boxes to the side and lying down. “My father caught us in the middle of the act, and his anger, his anger was terrible.” He paused, shaking his head and starring at the ceiling in thought. “I would like to kiss you, as a test, but I don’t want my father to find out….I can’t risk it.”

“Perhaps one day we could test that theory, though I doubt it,” Echiiro said jokingly. Maybe one day, he’d get drunk or curious enough to try sleeping with a man. Hell, that day may come sooner than expected, especially with how much Auden is peaking his curiosity. “The fact that you think you can handle me is even funnier, I tend to be a bit too explosive and destructive at times….wait….that sounded wrong!”

“Mankind’s main purpose in life is to suffer, I mean without suffering we will never be motivated to improve our position in life.” Echiiro honestly didn’t know if what he said made sense, it sounded right, but it seemed Auden needed to be comforted about something, and well, Echiiro didn’t know how to comfort the other male. “Maybe he said, and maybe not, I don’t have time for a relationship. My main motivation is to become the strongest and greatest hero in the world. Relationships will provide an unneeded distraction and weakness.”

“That’s fair, I suppose,” Echiiro scratched the underside of his chin and cast Auden a curious glance. “And what would you do if I wanted more? What would you do if you liked the kiss and I didn’t? Hmmm? You're placing yourself in an oddly vulnerable position.” He asked, sitting on his bed with the boxes. “Wouldn’t it be odd to kiss your roommate? I mean you have to see that person every day!”

“But…I suppose….” He paused for a moment. Auden was feminine-looking, it couldn’t say much about him if he just tried. Echiiro got up from the bed, closed the door, and locked it. "I don't want anyone to eavesdrop on the conversation ..."

This sucks, Echiiro thought coldly to himself. How am I suppose to practice ‘team-work’ if my partner doesn’t even have a quirk for me to work with! Minus his frustration with the assignment at hand, Echiiro was also a bit perplexed at the idea of a ‘quirkless hero.’ His father instilled in him a belief that a. Only people with quirks have the right and privilege to become a hero and b. It was his duty as a hero to protect quirkless people. Does that mean that I’ll have to defend this idiot while also trying to fight a villain? How exhausting!

“Just the same as me? What are you trying to do! Insult me? We are nothing alike! People without quirks don’t have the means to become heroes! By playing this stupid game you're just going to get yourself hurt,” He shouted. Echiiro’s eyes glanced at her weapon, and he stifled a laugh at the weapon and shook his head. Then, just when he was about to speak, there was a loud explosion! Smoke started to billow out from the nearby building; Echiiro cursed in response. “Just stay out of my damn way! Go secure any potential hostages!”

The magma brat covered both of his arms in magma. Shit, I don’t have enough time to generate a massive fist of magma to destroy the projectiles, he thought as he narrowly rolled out of the way of spinning concrete and brick debris. Seeing a moment to retaliate, Echiiro responded by launching four basketball-sized fists of magma at the opponent.

“Normal? What is normal nowadays?” Echiiro found himself saying. Seriously, though, everyone is a freak nowadays. “I mean just think about it, nowadays, there are people who are living nuclear reactors, volcanos, and piles of goo. No one is normal.” He scratched the underside of his chin and finished his clothes. “Ha, even if I accepted the offer, I don’t think you could withstand me. No one would be able to withstand or handle me; I’m simply too much.”

The magmatic brat rolled his eyes. “I was being nice,” he said flatly. As Auden began his rant about men and emotions, Echiiro could not help but roll his eyes in annoyance. “It’s not that simple,” Echiiro said flatly, “People, especially people like you, talk about how ‘it's pathetic that men can’t show their emotion,’ or how that there emotionally immature and whatever, but, in the end, they are the same people who leave when those emotions get unlocked and that vulnerability shows.” He paused for a moment, “They don’t even consider the trauma revolved around revealing emotions, instead, they preach, and preach, and bitch, and leave when those emotions are shown!”

He stopped what he was doing when his phone buzzed. Echiiro received a message from his sister, asking what they wanted for lunch. “Oh, do you want anything to eat? My sister is apparently abandoning me to get us food.”

Auden went on to explain how he came to understand his own sexuality, and honestly, Echiiro found himself relating to some of the things that he said. Admittedly, Echiiro secretly had trouble finding an attraction to the other sex but didn’t want to admit it. He reasoned that it was because he simply hadn’t found someone who was interested in him– but, he was now in college and nothing changed. Save for one guy. “A desire to protect?” he said, half-listening, “Yea, your right, that is kinda fucked up……” He paused, considering Auden’s words carefully, “There was someone ….. But that was a long time ago …. And since then, I’ve been having issues in romance and sex…”

Great, I gotta rechoose my hero name now, wouldn’t want this asshole to think I’ve named myself after him. Echiiro thought after the other explained his ability.

“That’s not the only thing that is fiery,” He hissed, it sounded stupid and he knew it. It was obvious that Echiiro was not comfortable talking about his sexuality; after all, the topic was something that Echiiro himself had difficulty understanding and accepting– he knew he was different in that manner, but simply couldn’t explain “how”. Auden was dangerously pushing on a subject that simply infuriated Echiiro. He was struggling to hold back the urge to sucker-punched this Dandelion in the face. “Careful,” he stated coldly, a note of pure rage behind his voice.

“If such small jabs can get you this rowd up, I’d hate to see what an actual insult can do,” Echiiro said, he flinched a little when Auden touched his chest, and his heart skipped a beat; but he couldn’t tell if it was from anger, being flustered, or something else. Echiiro did not stop Auden’s hand from wandering to his enclosed fist– the Dandelion would find it to be warm, comfortingly warm, but slowly getting hotter. “Don’t touch me, I don't know you like that.”

The last time a conversation like this occurred, Echiiro ended up losing his temper, and accidentally hurting his mother. Memories of the fight he had with his dad started to flood his mind, and his heart beat harder. He snapped his arm away from Auden and turned his back to the striking male, holding his hand a little in thought. “You are invading my personal space; back off.” He forced himself to calm down, his skin returning to normal. "I didn't mean to sound homophobic...."


Auden

“That’s my name, don’t wear it out,” Echiiro said absent-mindedly, not paying attention to the fragile figure behind him- Dandelion; that was gonna be Auden’s new nickname; he looked like one after all, and he was fragile like one. He honestly did not overthink about the blush or being called cute– after all, in high school, both men and women flaunted over him– it was obnoxious. “Magma production and manipulation– I usually think of myself as a living volcano; it's much easier than explaining the actual science behind it.” He paused for a moment, “What about you?”

As Homare left the room, the Dandelion crossed over the invisible line separating him from Echiiro’s side and stood directly in Echiiro’s view. The hot-headed lad blinked twice, obviously confused at this sudden betrayal of boundaries. “Oh? Is the dandelion threatening me?” Echiiro said with a cruel smirk but made it seem like he was talking to no wall or himself.

Then he snarled when he realized what Auden was insinuating that he was attracted to them. “I don’t know what you're talking about. Be careful, dandelion, I wouldn’t want your wings to get burned.” Echiiro had clenched his fist, activating his quirk so that the “molten-orange” skin discoloration would occur. He was flustered in more ways than one. “Are you sure you are not deflecting your attraction to me? Don’t you know volcanoes are dangerous and explosive?”

“So tell me? What do you want? Eh, Dandelion?” He snarled

Auden