MHA: Harbinger of Fear - Male Reader x Midnight

Part 62

The house began to quiet into a peaceful hum from vents blowing warm air, the fridge buzzing, and a faint voice from a nearby room.

Keigo offered a short glance as Rachel passed. He was relaxed with sleep on his mind. She wondered how he slept with the wings.

The quiet voice came from a darkened room and bright computer screen. Another girl, one Rachel hadn't been able to meet yet, was invested in what appeared to be a scientific demonstration. Whether she was studying or just watching it was hard to say.

Y/N's study was as tranquil as always. The room was soundproofed, making her ears ring when the outside world faded into a whisper. It would have been a normal sight had it not been for the open shelf and dark corridor leading downstairs.

The basement betrayed the upstairs energy. It was still quiet but in an anxiety-inducing way. The air was chilly, making goosebumps ripple over Rachel's arms as she shuddered.

The dark, cold, and distant room described Y/N well. It actually suited him more than what stood upstairs. Maybe it was harsh to think but unlike Nemuri or his daughters, she had seen firsthand what he was capable of.

She frowned and found her focus. She looked to Y/N with hesitation stealing any words she had shaped mere moments ago.

He was meditating, that much she knew. But what she saw didn't seem quite as relaxing or calm as the word implied.

Scars and bruises covered his exposed chest and back. His entire right arm was riddled with the light lines. The best she could describe it to be is a shattered vase put back together with glue and patience.

Her gaze turned upward, roaming over his shoulder blades. Besides muscle, she saw a scattering of scars surrounding a focused area. She frowned and then came to a swift conclusion. He had been shot. And from the looks of it, he was hit blindsided by a shotgun.

"You were shot??" She blurted out. Before she could sputter an apology, he nodded.

"It was in my earlier years." He rolled his shoulders, flexing the curvature of exposed muscle with a few clicks of bone. "I had just gotten my license in UA and went on patrol. Normally you would build up hours working for an agency, however, I avoided all that and worked under my mentor, Sorahiko. I heard you met him."

"He's your mentor?? I thought that was All Might?" She asked.

"Was." He reiterated. "Neither of us had seen him when it happened. My quirks weren't quite in tandem then, so when it hit me it felt like someone threw fire over my back. The pellets ricocheted though and I earned a scolding from him, my mom, and Nemuri."

"My god." She said breathlessly. "And the rest of these? Those were in UA, too?"

"This one was from a blade." He reached back and pointed to a small horizontal line at the small of his back. "It was the same case there. Although not as severe."

He led her down a small story of his earlier life. He showed her a small burn mark on his shoulder he had earned from a volatile quirk. A long, thin slash crossed over his abdomen created by a sharp eye and steadied hand. And a line splitting his eyebrow that made the air somber.

They were relics from a forgotten time. Each one whispered tales of blood and survival while shouting his rise to heroism and fear. He didn't go too far into detail, but Rachel had a feeling he didn't care for them as much as she did.

"All for One." He lifted his arm, showing the many lines webbing across (Skin Color) flesh. "Had I been any slower I would've lost an eye. And had I been more careful this wouldn't have happened."