This Time

Chapter 44

"And so I said, 'You must be a grower, not a shower, huh?'"

Laughter echoed through the group and the rabbit-eared heroine grinned at the positive response to her story. "And then I basically ran up the vine that the plant villain's quirk had grown like it was Jack and the Bean Stalk or some shit - he actually was pretty easy to take down after that. Clean up was a bitch though," the number five hero, Mirko grimaced. "Thorns everywhere," she shuddered.

Mnt. Lady scoffed and pointedly elbowed the man next to her - number seven hero, Kamui Woods. "Sounds familiar," she complained arily. "I feel like there's always thorns and branches strewn about when I work with this guy."

The young hero scrubbed a hand through his leaf-like hair, scowling at the woman next to him. "Oh, shut up - like you don't make enough messes of your own."

I chuckled self-consciously and a tad awkwardly as I took a sip of wine. You really should start cutting back on that, Mei, I chastised myself inwardly. Just because you're nervous doesn't mean you can rely on alcohol to get you out of this.

The room was awash in golden light, and the sweet, melodic tones of a piano could be heard playing from somewhere. Around us were other heroes, business men and chairmen in the support industry, and scattered about was the additional odd photographer or journalist. It was the Hero's Charity Gala, and even with all my experience as a spy, I'd never felt more like a fraud. Little Hara Mei had no place among the famous, rich, and successful here.

A warm touch lighted on my elbow - a comforting touch - and I looked up into Toshinori's observant gaze. The others wouldn't be able to see my shoulders shaking - I was a good enough actor to hide it when I really needed to - but Toshi could feel it where his side brushed against mine. The former number one hero knew too well what this evening was costing me. So, in a show of strength (strength that was definitely a bluff right now), I smiled and raised a brow.

Yes? I tried to question with my gaze, as if I wasn't a swirling hurricane of panic inside.

Toshinori had a way about him that never failed to ground me, and even now with a room full of people around us, his bright blue eyes conveyed silently that I had his full attention - that if I said the word, he would make happen whatever it was that I needed. And that was the crux of it - that was why I was here in the first place. In the course of just a few months, so much had changed in my life. September had given way to October now, and as the season had begun to change, we'd both come to a conclusion that had simultaneously scared the shit out of us, but made us excited at the same time.

I remembered that night a few weeks after Sir Nighteye's funeral when we'd been curled up on the couch watching the television. It was late, and all that was on was re-runs, so I let out a delighted laugh when an old episode of the Late Night Show came on, and there was a familiar red, blue, and yellow hero doing a dance bit to the cheers of the studio audience.

Chuckling, I sat up, and instantly Toshinori seemed wary of the mischievous gleam in my eyes. "I've seen this one before," I beamed.

Bless him, the poor man actually looked embarrassed. "Then let's turn it off, shall we?" he said awkwardly, clearing his throat as he reached for the remote control.

Luckily for me, the little battery-powered device held just enough electricity in it for me to activate my quirk and send it flying to the other side of the room. 'Nah, I wanna watch it!" I cackled deviously.

Toshi groaned. "Really?"

"Yes, really," I stuck my tongue out at him playfully, before turning my attention back to the screen as the man beside me cringed. "You actually practiced in front of the mirror for this, huh?" I couldn't help but tease.