Silence Destroyed (MHA)

Chapter 42- It Never Lasts

The happy atmosphere of Rei moving in with them lasted all of about... 10 minutes? Perhaps more, but that was about the time it took for Hasame to let go of Rei and realize that the two other people in the room (Dabi and Mag) had yet to leave. For a moment things got awkward, then they got lethal.

"Naoko." Hasame's fingers snapped together harshly as she glared, causing half the room's occupants to flinch reflexively. It was something that Naoko couldn't pretend she'd missed no matter how hard she tried. There was murder in her aunt's eyes, It... Well, it made Naoko grumble internally as she prepared for battle. Playing dumb wouldn't help her this time either, it wasn't like she was blind as well as deaf. "Who are they?"

Oh? Now it was Hasame who was playing dumb. Naoko knew damn well that the two members of the league were recognizable, and that Hasame had seen them first hand when she tried to help rescue Naoko.

For a moment, Naoko could feel the 'deer in headlights' look descending, but that couldn't stick. This was her life now, and if these two somehow didn't change their mind about working with her, then this conversation was going to happen eventually. "Oh, yeah!" The enthusiasm she practically willed into her voice? Yeah, that was fake, "This is Dabi and Mag."

So... That was the wrong thing to say.

Even Rei, who Naoko had hoped to have on her side, turned away and shook her head. Dabi and Mag backed up several paces as the anger coming from Hasame reached palpable levels.

Before Naoko could fully comprehend the situation, she had been grabbed by the collar of her shirt and could feel the life force being drained from her with the force of Hasame's glare as the woman loomed over her, "Naoko Fujimura." Oh god, she fucked up. "Do you think I'm stupid?" Hasame was daring her to answer, but Naoko knew better than that.

Ah yes, the lethal trick question. There was no right answer here. Best to stay silent and survive.

"I mean, that attitude of yours really makes it seem like you think I'm stupid." Naoko could feel a bead of sweat running down the back of her neck, "So how about you cut the crap and tell me why two of Japan's Most Wanted are standing in my apartment?

The only blessing of the moment was that neither of the wanted criminals chimed in, they simply stood there, obviously preparing to run.

A nervous laugh somehow managed to escape Naoko as her face paled, "Wouldn't you know it? They happened to track me down while I was at the park a while ago and..."

God, this should be so simple to say, but somehow it just was getting harder.

"Yes?"

"It's actually cool, they left the Crusty Mc... fuck..." This wasn't a Hasame-safe story, it was barely a Rei-safe story, but hey, she'd made this bed, so she didn't have much choice. Hasame seemed to breeze right over the crass name as she waited for the rest of the story, "Um... They left the League of Villains because they didn't like what the head honcho was doing, and for some weird reason, they think I'd be a better person to help. Because apparently, I inspired them?"

Hasame was not impressed with that. A rude gesture was made, but Naoko graciously ignored it in favor of removing Hasame's hand from her shirt, "I know, I know, I was just as confused, but they helped me rescue Rei, so maybe we should give them the benefit of the doubt? Just a thought, but they don't seem to be all bad. They even helped me out during the whole kidnapping thing."

It was far from eloquent, but it seemed to do the job, as Hasame sighed, "It's always you that's picking up the weirdest strays. How?"

"Do I look like I know?" Naoko snapped her fingers at the thinly-veiled insult, "If I knew, I'd get rid of it so weird shit like this would stop happening."