Fat. Beautiful. Tasty. Ravenous.

Chapter 23

My wings are twitching involuntarily as we ride the train a few stops over to a more suburban area on the outskirts of Osaka. I'm willing them to stop announcing just how nervous I am but that only makes it worse.

When I start picking at my nails Taishiro's large warm hand covers my two smaller ones and he puts his other arm around me.

"It's okay. She's not mean. She won't hate you," he whispers into my ear.

I nod like I understand but my stomach feels like it's flipping all around my midsection.

What if she does, though? What if she thinks I'm not good enough for her amazing, beautiful son who could have anyone but somehow managed to choose me of all people? What if she can't forgive me for nearly getting him killed? Does she even know about that? There's no way she wouldn't, right?

I can barely swallow as my throat feels like it's tightening up with fear.

Taishiro pulls me closer to him, the softness of his body pillowing me, and my wings finally relax as I rest my head on him for the rest of the ride.

Stepping off the train, I'm glad it's a rather brisk, windy day. The weather has been getting colder lately and the chill in the air promises the first snow of the season will be here soon.

It gives me an excuse to wear long sleeves and pants that conceal my bruises. I would've worn them regardless but at least now I don't look odd for doing so.

Taishiro's sporting the hoodie I gave him for his birthday, the hood pushed back in the way I initially told him looked good on him. I'm glad he also finally has an excuse to wear that. It really does fit him well.

My mind wanders back to that day. How he lifted me and, quite literally, swept me off my feet. How I ran my hands through his hair. How I hugged him, not wanting him to think I was afraid of him. Was that the first day I started falling for him, who he really was? No... I'm fairly certain my heart was already bound to be lost the moment he called my name and saved me from being harassed when we were shooting that commercial. Even then, I knew he was different, special.

"So what's your mom like?" I ask him quietly, as though if my voice were any louder it might reach her and would tell her exactly where we were and how horrible of a person I've been in the past.

Taishiro's broad smile grows brighter and I can see him reliving things as he looks off into the distance.

"Well, she's beautiful for one," he answers almost immediately, "She's always supported me being a hero. After dad passed away when I was ten, she worked hard to keep us afloat. She's the best person I know. I think she'll love you."

"I... I didn't know your father passed away," I breathe out, blindsided by this new information, "I'm sorry."

A sadness passes over his eyes and I can tell that he probably hadn't meant to let it slip or for me to latch onto it. But he was ten. It must've been one of the most devastating things to happen to him.

"It was a long time ago. But I still miss him every day and hope he's proud of me. I got my quirk from him."

I press myself closer to him, trying to be comforting. Then a thought comes to me. His father and mother raised him to be the man he is today. They taught him to be kind and caring while still being strong and a leader. I'm still nervous to meet his mother but if she had a hand in raising him, especially doing so on her own for some of his most formative years, she won't be as judgemental as I feared. She's probably a wonderful person.

The way he gushes about his mom pulls at the strings in my heart. It's so obvious how much he loves and respects her. There's bitter sweet warmth I feel at that, wishing my mother could've been the same.