The Damned Legacy

Chapter Eight. Searching For Shadows

Kukumi arrives back and tosses her destroyed boots into a nearby dumpster before getting inside. She is bruised and aching already and smells of smoke worse than when she left. I'm lucky he didn't break anything with that punch. But there is going to be one hell of a bruise. She puts the few drink items she had in the minibar before walking to the staircase door.

"You look beat to hell," Todoroki states as he sits up from the couch.

"You say that every time I get back, Roki. And I was going to make Soba for dinner tomorrow."

"Oh, who got under your skin Ariga? You seem so much more pissy than usual." He teases without looking up from his phone.

"This is just my perfect demeanor, Roki, everyone else asleep?" It was so much effort to put up the charade so he wouldn't question anything.

"Izuku and OChako went to bed rather early, but I am not sure about Iida. Kota stopped by today and told us that the heroes think the fire was infighting. Good thinking with where you lit it."

Kukumi grins at him; it was entirely not on purpose. "Thanks! I'm gonna put things away and head to bed myself. Don't guard the door too long, or your paranoia will kick in."

She climbs the stairs and releases the breath she had been holding. Now so long as Tenya didn't wait up for her, she was golden and could drag herself to her room soon to pout about her wounds. However, when she rounded the corner into the kitchen, she saw him sitting here anxiously bouncing his leg and staring at the book he had been reading earlier but only a few pages farther.

"Really coming along in that book, aren't you?" She thought about staying quiet but might as well act like she was okay.

His eyes snap to her form immediately, and concern takes over his frustrated features, "Kukumi, what happened to you?"

Her shirt is singed around the tank top straps, and the bottom is scorched and turned into some dingy crop top, as well as a few burn holes in her jeans. She is sure a few purple bruises started to form on her abdomen on the way here but refuses to look. And there are black smoke marks over her body.

"I ran into some trouble, but I handled it just fine, Tenya."

He looks her over, frowning deeply, "this is not handling it! I knew you should have brought your phone. You needed backup! Why must you insist on going out by yourself?!" He scolds too loudly.

"Firstly, lower your voice, or you're going to wake everyone. Secondly, I was too far away for you or anyone else to back me up. It was nothing. I promise. Just a few bumps and bruises to adorn my already scarred skin. Now stop worrying and help me with the groceries."

He looks her over before taking the bags from her, "go sit down. I will handle putting things away."

Kukumi rolls her eyes as he takes the bags, "I am going to go change and wash off." She says, crossing her arms over her chest.

Tenya whips around and scowls at her, "I said sit." His eyes pierce right through her, and she feels a shiver gloss over her spine. He clears his throat when all she does is uncross her arms and stare at him with her mouth open, "please," his eyes soften as he turns back around.

She stares at his back, trying to calm her racing heart before pouting and stepping towards the table, "okay. Since you literally demanded." When her body meets the chair, she finally feels how sore everything is.

Her legs from holding her in the air, her abdomen from that blow, and everything else from the fall. I bet he feels worse. Then her brows knit together; why would I care about him? He almost let me die instead of getting away. She props her head on her palm and elbow on the table, but he didn't. This isn't very hateful of her; she is actually feeling bad for hurting the hero. But, he saved her at the expense of her getting the way and hurting himself. It feels different than what most heroes would do.