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The Abyss (chapter 14)
🕑 Added 2024-11-03 21:07:18 +0000 UTCNobuto woke up to find two very red eyes blinking languidly as they stared at him. Seeing as she had his arm pressed against her breasts and one of her powerful legs thrown over him, he didn't complain overmuch.
"Good morning," he even ventured.
The rabbit grinned at him, her teeth as white as her hair and eyebrows. "I'm still trying to make sense of you," she admitted easily.
He mustered a smirk. "I guess I didn't give you much opportunity to think last night."
"A schoolboy has no right being so shameless," she complained.
"I think you enjoy it," he accused. He couldn't help the nagging guilt he felt, even knowing Nejire would probably give him a good smack over the head for it. Before proceeding to ask him why he didn't bring the rabbit back with him for good measure.
One of her brows popped up when she felt a part of him poking her thigh. "Already?"
"Can you blame me?" he asked, chuckling.
"I think this thing," she started, grabbing his package with a groan from him, "will have to stomach some disappointment. I'm sore in every way you could be sore."
He avoided her eyes as his Quirk stirred at his excitement, shifting his hand around her back to give her ass a good swat. "Not every way, I don't think."
The previous night's actions were like liquid courage in his veins as his fingers slipped between her cheeks, but she put a stop to it quickly.
"You're still dreaming if you think you can snare this rabbit so easily, Algernon. Nothing's going up there if I can help it."
He pouted at her. "I could be gentle."
Mirko did call him shameless, and her pushing back against him only inspired his competitive spirit.
"Gentle as a lamb, I'm sure. You're cute, but nobody's earned a piece of that just yet."
He honked her fluffy round tail instead, drawing a funny sound from her. "Let me guess, I have to beat you fair and square first?"
She smacked his hand away this time, even as she still draped herself over him. "I don't only enjoy a good fight."
As if to add insult to injury, she moved her hand back, even if she was careful of her sharp nails as she handled it possessively. The black nail polish provided a nice contrast, admittedly.
"What are your plans now that you have a Quirk like that anyway?" she continued inquisitively. "It's a lot of power for a schoolboy."
"This isn't leading up to a lecture, is it? I thought you were different," he teased.
She gave him another squeeze for the cheek. "We all have something we fight for, even if I'm not the best role model there."
He sighed, looking up at the ceiling. Maybe he could say something. He couldn't see Mirko of all Pros tattling on him to the Safety Commission. And maybe it wasn't the same without all the stars in the sky as a backdrop, but he thought she got the gist of it when he finished.
"It would be hard to argue that Quirks aren't getting more dangerous as a Pro Hero," she began. "I still wouldn't know where to begin on how to fix it. You sure you want to deal with the hassle?"
Her hair tickled his neck as she had snuggled into his shoulder. "Yeah. I do."
The rabbit chuckled at the blunt words. "You're more like Midnight than you think. Always her way or the highway."
"It runs in the family," he admitted, taking a swig of water from the glass on the nightstand.
Her hand went to his jaw, turning him to face her. "You've got a cool dream for a schoolboy. You ever need someone to deliver a swift kick in the ass, you know who to call."
Nobuto gave her hair a childish tug. "How about for moral support?"
"Midnight can also be jealous," she commented. "And very petty."
He couldn't argue there.
"Though she also officiated our wedding herself. Didn't she, Hubby?"
"You are having too much fun with that," he accused.
Mirko straddled him in response, her mane of white hair tickling his nose as much as her equally white pubic hair tickled his belly. "I might not be the best homemaker, but I know how to please a man, I think."
Even his Quirk was having trouble figuring out how serious she was being.
"I can attest to that much," he husked, trying to match her brand of crazy. "Besides, you know what they say about rabbits, don't you?"
She gave him a funny smile as she stared into his eyes. "First you try something like that and now you want to breed me? Uwabami was right."
He didn't have a good defense for Uwabami's betrayal, so he just pulled her down into a kiss, though she soon scooted down, planting herself back on another part of him. "I still have you for a few hours."
"I'm not something to be—" She interrupted him, taking a fall again with a throaty groan. He didn't know how much he'd missed the heat and tightness until he was in the thick of it again, and she was dripping. Such a naughty bunny.
By the time they parted around noon, Mirko had a slight limp in her step. It stroked his manly ego like nothing else, knowing he was responsible. Maybe he could finally even admit some gratitude for his sister's shenanigans.
Checking his phone revealed more than a few missed calls and messages, however, most of them from Manami. Curious.
It didn't take her long to pick up, answering in her villain voice. "There you are, Hero! What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I was on a job." It wasn't technically a lie. "You know the Safety Commission is running me ragged after what happened."
"You can't say that like it was some unhappy accident!" And now she was back to Manami. "You told me you wanted to fix things, Nobuto. For everyone. You can't just…"
The way she trailed off had him frowning slightly.
"Do you remember what you had said, Manami?" he asked quietly. "That people with Quirks like ours can only do so much? I saw an opportunity, and I took it. That's what heroes do. They put it all on the line."
"Hmph." He heard the frustrated clicking of a pen, but he didn't think she would call him out on it. Manami thought too much of him, for good or ill. "Why are you both so… so stubborn!" she finally complained.
Instead of continuing to tread dangerous waters, he put on his best hero voice. "A question for another time, La Brava. You contacted me for a reason! I have not forgotten that I still owe you a debt."
Manami couldn't resist getting back into character. "Yes, Hero, you do. We have come to collect, Gentle Criminal and I!"
"What foul deed would you have me do, La Brava?"
"Well, Gentle has been thinking of making a splash by interrupting the School Festival at—"
"The school and the Safety Commission have taken the gloves off, Manami," he shot that down quickly, even if it didn't seem like her heart was in the idea. "I wouldn't be able to protect you, even with the sway I have now."
Given the lack of arguing from her, he was right on the money.
"But worry not, La Brava," he continued in a lighter voice again. "I know what will satisfy that villain."
"How, Hero? Tell me!" she commanded.
"The Court of Heroes. There's going to be more than a few people tuning in to watch. Now, I don't know how many will buy your message of rank villainy—"
"That's perfect!" she interrupted, just as you were just getting into character. He heard her clearing her throat after. "Yes, Hero, that is how you will repay your debt! It is settled!"
"Shouldn't you ask Danjuro first, Manami," he teased.
"Eheheh, maybe. I'll get back to you, Nobuto!" She hung up after.
It was still a few weeks away so there should be enough time to write them into an episode. He'd just have to remember to make a call to a certain peacock when it wasn't the weekend.
Back on the train to Musutafu, he ordered another ramen bowl after his stomach almost mutinied. He'd been so preoccupied trying to make a good impression morning and night that he hadn't had time to chow down.
It seemed he also made the news alongside Mirko.
Nobuto hummed thoughtfully. He was impressed they managed to get most of it on video despite the suddenness of it. From a bird's eye view, Ocean Girl had shown herself as much more dangerous. He hadn't been able to see in the moment that she was pulling on the ocean at least a few miles out; if she had more time, she could very well have flooded a good chunk of Yokohama.
He also found out she went by Riptide, which he easily ignored. Slurping up the last of his noodles, he took a critical eye to his own work.
Distance was an issue, he noticed quickly. Chisaki had been able to extend the Quirk at least three times as far as he could. If he had been able to do the same, Big Bad Rhino or whatever his name was would have hit the dirt as soon as he'd shown his face, and that was assuming Nobuto had failed to sink the entire warehouse into the earth.
He took a peek at the public mood as well. Mirko had her fans, some more rabid than others, but his reputation was still somewhere in the middle of a transformation. Mostly for the better, it seemed.
There were a few who couldn't look past it having been a villain's Quirk, and they were very vocal about it.
Still, even All Might had his detractors. He couldn't please everyone even if he tried.
An hour later, he was back at Musutafu and U.A., finding himself thrown into an argument almost as soon as he entered his class's dorm. There were two sides, one led by Amano and one by Nejire.
For a second he had almost been worried, at least until he found out they were just bickering about the Halloween party that was coming up. It was something they'd done last year together with 2-B, and it was good fun, so it wasn't a surprise it was making a return.
Nejire gave him a look that had him standing behind her, even if he still wasn't sure what the point of contention was. Yuyu was beside him with her chin up, while Enkh-Altan was similarly bored on the other side, towering behind Amano as her neon pink eyes blazed.
He could admit she was attractive; being the tallest girl in their class already made her an impressive sight, further amplified by her heaving bust and generous hips. Nobuto would just sooner approach a pit viper.
"Mind cluing me in?" he finally asked the room at large.
"Amano wants to be a stick in the mud and not invite anyone outside of our two classes," Nejire complained.
"That is thirty of us already. We don't need a bunch of brats bringing down the mood," Amano shot back.
"We had only half as much show up between both our classes last year!"
"That was before we were all in one place!"
Nejire crossed her arms stubbornly. "Look around, Amano. We could easily fit at least seventy."
"And what if a hundred show up?" Amano retorted, leaning forward with her hands on her hips. "There's over two hundred students at U.A."
Nejire's eyes narrowed, and then she whirled around on him. "Nobuto. You can make something for us, can't you? That way we don't even have to try and fit everyone into one of our dorms."
He scratched at the tip of his nose. "Yeah, sure." At worst, it would mean more time practicing with Overhaul. "Though unless you want it made out of dirt, I'd need materials."
"The teachers wouldn't stand for it either," Amano argued.
"Not if I just put it right below us," he said with a shrug. "Like a basement, but many times over."
Nejire clapped her hands at that. "All in favor of Nobuto's plan?"
Amano quickly saw it was everyone except for Enkh-Altan, pouting. "Have it your way, Nejire Chan." Throwing a look at him as well, she grabbed one of the dinosaur's meaty hands and dragged him upstairs behind her.
Nobuto weathered Nejire throwing her own arms around him, nuzzling her nose into his shirt to Yuyu's annoyance. She left after throwing a sour look at him like it was his fault.
The bluenette currently glomping him on the other hand paused, peeking up at him with curious eyes. "Did you grab her by the ears?"
"You're like a bloodhound sometimes," he teased.
He ended up being similarly dragged to Nejire's vividly blue room, with some yellow to make it even more garish. Not that she saw it that way.
"Spill," she told him as they lounged on her bed.
"Well, you were right. The rabbit was hoping for a carrot, and I just happened to have one on hand."
She giggled at that. "I'm always right about these things."
"I think I'll stay quiet. I don't want your head to get too big," he teased.
He leaned in to steal a kiss, giving her hair a tug like he loved. She took advantage to tug his sunglasses off with a cheeky smile. His Quirk barely stirred with how mellow he was feeling.
"I imagine the rabbit bit off more than she could chew," Nejire commented after, tracing patterns on his chest.
"Somewhat," he answered, knowing what she was hinting at. Though he would have to approach it delicately, seeing as—
"I'm not jealous, silly," she told him, seeing right through him. "I said I'd conquer it and I will." Her eyes lowered to another part of him, blazing with heroic determination.
If Mirko hadn't left him a husk of a man, he might have even risen to the occasion.
"How are things with Ryukyu?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Lonelier, now that those two are focused on classes again. But not having to teach them has given me more time to lean on Ryukyu." Nejire's eyes caught his again with a sparkle. "You know, she's very excited to work with you again."
"Are you harassing your boss again, Nejire?" he scolded.
"I managed to get that out of her while I was between her legs," she continued, the scolding not even giving her pause. "Her taste has a little kick to it. Like spicy food."
Nobuto bit down on the spark of jealousy harshly. He had no right. "Finally talked her into it?"
"Something like that," she answered vaguely.
He had the suspicion she was throwing his poor habits back at him. But it was Nejire, so she could only stomach not telling him everything for so long. It hadn't even been a minute when she spilled the beans at an impressive speed.
"Sounds like she was pent up," he finally commented. She had painted quite the picture for him, both of them tangled in the sheets, a thin sheen of sweat covering them both from exertion…
It helped drive the last of his jealousy away.
"Want to come with me?" The bluenette asked, her nails tickling his belly as she traced his sculpted abdomen. You can go on patrol with us for a few hours, and after…" she trailed off meaningfully.
"I'll bring it up with Takeda. I'm sure Ryukyu can teach me a lot about heroism," he snarked.
Nejire giggled again. "But first, Eri wanted to speak with you, Nobuto." Her eyes had turned serious at the drop of a hat. "You quickly made your escape last time," she even accused.
"I'd just remind her of bad memories," he lied through his teeth.
The simple truth was that she couldn't control her Quirk, and she was the only one that could undo what he had made Chisaki do. It would ruin everything.
"Eri insisted you visit again. You're not going to turn her down, are you?"
He pouted at her trying to make him feel guilty. "You're playing dirty."
"You saw how much of a cutie she is, Nobuto. I'd do anything to get a smile out of her."
"Fine," he grumped. He'd taken a thousand risks already; what was one more?
He stared as Nejire proceeded to hop off her bed, tugging on his hand. Of course she meant right now…
He retrieved his sunglasses before he let her drag him away, though she stopped once they were outside the dorm. He spotted a mischievous smile on her lips as she turned to face him.
"I'm not sure if I like that smile," he tried.
"Let me fly us there." Nejire hugged him around his midsection, staring up at him. "It will be quicker that way."
Nobuto adjusted his sunglasses. "Wouldn't that be hard on you?"
"You're not the only one who's been training." He felt something under their feet, a yellow spiral showing itself already. "You'll love flying. Trust me."
He kissed her soft lips. "I trust you." Just not enough to tell her everything, his conscience reminded him, ruining the moment.
The wind had her hair swinging every which way as they rose into the sky under her Quirk's power, though she didn't go as high as the clouds. He felt a pit in his stomach as he looked down at U.A., a very normal reaction to standing so high on nothing but a spiral of pure energy.
Musutafu became a blur beneath them as her Quirk pushed them through the sky.
"Isn't it beautiful? The world from up here. If only everyone had a Quirk that let them fly."
He could tell that she's wanted to show him this for some time, even without his Quirk telling him. And they did make it to the hospital much quicker than if they took the train, his hair windswept and his lips dry.
He followed a slightly more tired Nejire into the hospital, seeing her speaking to a receptionist about visiting Eri.
It seemed she had been here often enough that there wasn't much fuss, and they were brought by a nurse into a colorful room. There was a little girl with silver hair and a small horn inside, smaller than it was the last time he had seen it, having a staring match with a doll.
Mirio was there as well, furiously scribbling on a sheet of paper. It looked like their math homework.
His eyes brightened when he saw them. "Hey, you two!"
Eri turned to them as well, her lips wavering from something between happiness and nervousness. Then he remembered the other reason he had avoided her. Fear. She was terrified that Overhaul could come back at any moment and take her away, even after he assured her that he wouldn't be.
Nejire opened her arms for a hug, and Eri hesitantly walked into it. He watched her hide in Nejire's bust as the older girl smoothed her hair with a small smile.
He had a hunch that Nejire would be good at this kind of thing.
She retreated eventually, turning Eri to face him. "You had something you wanted to say to Nobuto, right?"
The girl nodded her head, trying to be brave. "I don't want to be scared forever. You said he wouldn't be coming back but… but I want to know."
Nobuto tried not to grimace. She didn't sound like a kid at all. His fingers twitched as he moved closer, but he ignored them.
"I won't ask if you're sure. I can tell." He picked her up, holding her gently as he found somewhere to sit. He knew he would be lying to her about Chisaki's fate, but that was unavoidable.
"Can I see your eyes?" she asked softly as he sat, hanging off his leg.
He understood why Nejire found it hard to say no to her. "Alright."
Her lips trembled again as she caught his eyes with hers. With how red they were, they reminded him of Mirko.
As he spoke, he took care to keep his story consistent with Mirio and Nejire there. It was when he reached the part where Chisaki had died that his fingers twitched again, more pronounced this time. He fought a frown when she noticed.
"You're not the only one who's afraid sometimes," he commented softly, trying to distract. "There's nothing wrong with that."
He continued the story, but his hands refused to quiet. He knew Chisaki was still in there somewhere, but he made sure that something like this wouldn't happen.
Nobuto avoided her eyes as he forced himself to finish, going so far as to let his Quirk bite deep, quieting the tremors. He left Eri looking contemplative as he stood, excusing himself to the restroom.
Nejire noticed something was bothering him, but she didn't stop him.
In the restroom, he steadied himself against the sink as he stared at the mirror. His hands still fought him, but it was weaker now. "Can you hear me, Chisaki?"
He felt stupid even asking, and there wasn't any response. Maybe it was all in his head.
Moving away from the sink, he flexed his fingers. They were back to normal, obeying him seamlessly. He looked at his reflection again, frowning. Even if it was in his head, it was a problem.
At least he could take solace in one thing, and that was his Quirk. If he couldn't escape it, then what chance did Chisaki have?
None.
He put it out of mind, splashing some water on his face before leaving.
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Nejire is a force of nature indeed!
