Golden Ashes

Chapter 7

I almost trip coming through the portal. "What are we doing out here?"

Shigaraki looks at me and then back in front of him. "I need to talk to you."

"About?" I stand next to him.

He lifts an arm to scratch his neck. 

"What? Oh don't tell me it's about that kiss."

"What kiss?" He looks at me again, the corner of his eye just barely visible through the fingers on his face.

I flinch. "What do you mean 'what kiss'? What, do you have short term memory loss?"

He puts his hand down and sighs. "No I don't." He grabs the hand off of his face and grabs my shoulder with his other hand, pulling me close to him. There's nothing but hostility in his eyes. "We. Never. Kissed. Understand?"

I push him off, almost falling. I don't know what to say so I just stand there, shocked. "So you don't like me? Why the hell would you kiss me?"

He makes an annoyed noise. 

"No, answer me." I glare at him.

He still doesn't answer me.

"What's your problem? Do you have something against feelings?"

"Stop."

I blink, simmering in my anger. "You're so fucked up." I walk closer to him. "Why?"

He looks away, putting the hand on his face again. "Everyone here uses something other than their real name. You need to figure something out too."

"Except Toga. That's her real name."

"Yes it is, but she's devoted her life to villainy and you haven't. You hesitated to walk through that portal. You were enrolled in a hero class. You haven't been through anything to give you a reason to want to destroy the hero society. Until you decide that's what you want your life to be, that the league is what you want your life to be, you don't get to use your real name."

I turn my back to him, thinking. "No, I haven't devoted my life to this but it's not like I'm gonna leave. I already joined you, and I don't back out easily." I face him again. "I'm choosing to be in this, with you. If you want me to not mention what happened..." I walk closer to him and yank the hand off his face. "Don't make things happen." I walk away, tossing the hand back at him, leaving him stunned and surprised.