Shigaraki and Scribe

Chapter 17

Scribe had hoped to be leaving shortly after breakfast the next morning. She sat with the teachers, concealing her impatience with difficulty, listening as they discussed the logistics of the move-in.

Midnight shrugged her dainty shoulders. "They're all pretty self-sufficient, I would say. Give them their room assignments and tell them to get settled in. Without parents to get in the way, we should be fine." She licked her lips a little with a smile. "I can't wait to have this place chock full of youthful energy around the clock."

Scribe's eyebrows shot up. She caught Aizawa's eye from down the table and felt his amusement. He sipped his tea. That's just Midnight. Don't let her scare you.

Not exactly scared, just hope she's safe to have around teenagers. She replied without even thinking, then clenched her teeth a little. She couldn't seem to stop him from getting into her head. It was like some part of her still wanted him in there.

To distract herself, she turned to Principal Nezu. "You haven't assigned me a role in the move in process."

"I..." He scanned his clipboard. "I suppose I haven't."

"That's fine. Maybe I'll just float around and help where I'm needed?" She smiled. This would suit her just fine. If anyone noticed she wasn't there, they'd just assume she was helping in another dorm.

"Perfect, you can start out with me." Aizawa's voice behind her made her jump a little. When she turned, he smiled. Unless you had other plans?

Damn him. He seemed to know exactly when to turn up. "Of course. That will be perfect, actually. Give me a chance to meet the students."

"Oh, there'll be plenty of time for that. Unless I expel the lot of them for their behavior at Kamino Ward." His black eyes darkened even further.

Scribe realized she was holding her breath and quickly looked away. How was it that his eyes could still do that to her?

"Now, Aizawa..." Nezu was saying in the background.

Aizawa held up a hand. "I'll show restraint. I promise. But they do need a scare. I'll give it to them."

Scribe wondered what he meant by that. She reflected that Aizawa's teaching style didn't exactly mesh with the impression she had of UA, though, conversely, it absolutely fit the man. It might be interesting to watch him.

Unfortunately, she was stuck for the moment. She tried not to think of the minutes ticking past while she remained dutifully by Aizawa's side to greet the arriving first years. She felt it when Tomura was close, and she sent him a reassuring thought, even as she wondered if she'd ever manage to get free.

Finally, Aizawa gathered the first years for a tour. She hung back a little. He glanced at her. "Will you be joining us, Miss Scribe?"

"I thought maybe I should check in with some of the other classes." She smiled. "I will have other students, too, Mr. Aizawa." She met his gaze. May be better if I'm not there when you scold them? Wouldn't want you to hold back at all on my account. She thought she almost saw him smile before he inclined his head.

Feeling as if she'd been released, Scribe made her way through the mass of students and teachers outside the dorm. She paused to speak to Vlad King, who introduced her to the students he was assigning. She showed them to their rooms, smiling through her impatience, then escaped out a back exit.

If she was right, it would take about half an hour to hike to where Tomura waited. She hoped he'd instructed whatever men he'd brought with him to give them privacy when she arrived. And that they'd be either scared or respectful enough of him to honor the request.

Whatever, she thought, orienting herself carefully in the brush of the forest. All that matters now is getting to him.

***

"You sure she's coming?" Dabi paced restlessly. He didn't say it, but Shigaraki felt his doubts. This could be a trap. Scribe could even then be leading the heroes of UA toward them. It didn't matter that he knew she wasn't, that she wouldn't, that she loved him and if he was captured she'd go down fighting next to him. Scribe had not yet proven herself to Dabi or Spinner or anyone else in the League.

He understood that lack of trust was natural caution, so he gave them something to do. "Spinner, get up high somewhere and watch for patrols. Dabi, set up a perimeter about 50 meters out and patrol. If either of you see anything suspicious, call Kurogiri. He'll warp us all out before we're even discovered."

"Got it." Spinner shimmied up a tree easily and disappeared. Dabi gave him a dubious look, then shrugged and set off into the forest, leaving Shigaraki alone.

He paced. He could feel her, knew she was on her way, but still he felt like he couldn't breathe. Like someone had cut off the oxygen. Did he doubt her? Could she conceal betrayal from him? He gritted his teeth. He knew the worry came from his own sense of unworthiness. How could something as perfect as she was love something like him? How was it possible that she let him touch her?

His fingers itched in the gloves. He thought about taking them off, decaying something. Something harmless. A tree at worst. Forest had too damn many of them, anyway. He rubbed his hands together in an attempt to alleviate the anxious, growing want to destroy.

A rustle in the bushes behind him made him turn and Scribe emerged. She was disheveled, dirty, and her face was scratched. He thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

They met in the center of the tiny clearing. Nothing had ever felt so right, so soothing to so many of his irritations as having her in his arms again. He held her as close as it was possible to and still felt as if she were too far away. I can't let her go again.

Her arms behind his neck, she pulled him into a deep kiss, and with it came a tide of her emotion—love, relief at being in his arms again, desire... He realized how right he'd been about the shared emotions intensifying the physical. He was just about to sink into her, let himself drown in her, when he heard Spinner clear his throat over the comm and looked up. His lizardy lieutenant was perched in the top of the tree, studiously not looking at them.

Scribe had followed his gaze and giggled, lowering her forehead to rest on his chest. He cleared his own throat, but his voice still sounded a little hoarse when he said. "Um, Spinner, maybe check out the view a little further east. And, um, I'll be off comm for a few."

"Sure thing, Boss. I'll get you if there's an emergency." He grinned and waved from the treetop. "Hi, Scribe. Nice to meet you."

She couldn't hear him of course, but she waved back cheerfully. They watched as he leapt gracefully to another tree, then a few more before he disappeared. Then Shigaraki turned back to Scribe, his grin spreading across his face. "Where were we?"

To his great delight, she had no problem remembering.