Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Act One.

    Folklore ༉‧₊˚.

 

It always smelled like weed no matter how many times she washed her sheets. Aimi was sure her brother had grown used to the smell, but it hadn’t been her intention. The stupid League had some friends, and all she provided was a good enough room. She pressed her face into her pillow, smudging whatever day-old makeup had rotted on her face. She had some embarrassing habits, but that didn’t matter right now.

“Aimi, get up,” shouted her stupid brother from the other room down the hall. The walls were so thin she could hear her brother’s computer beeping away. Some hero’s pathetic sidekick was probably getting their ass beat by her brother in an online game. Again. “Kurogiri wants us to get ready.”

Getting ready entailed Aimi removing herself from her warm blankets, changing from her comfortable pajamas, and talking to people at the ungodly hour of ten o’clock in the morning. She wasn’t a morning person or even an evening person. Aimi Shimura hated people. 

“I’m not moving from here. It’s too early!”

Kurogiri shook his nonexistent head. “It’s not too early. This is a bad habit.” When had he gotten into her room? Aimi groaned, only for her blanket to be torn off. “Wake up, Aimi. I will not ask you twice.” She really didn’t want to move, but she wasn’t about to fall through one of Kurogiri’s portals. 

She rolled out of bed, literally. Aimi hit the floor with a loud thud, groaning as she rubbed her head. She hated waking up for stupid meanings with the boss. Sure, he’d given life to her and her brother, but this whole meeting spiel was actually going to be the death of her. Aimi grabbed a hoodie that surprisingly had no one's blood on it before trudging to the bathroom. Staring in the mirror, Aimi saw the ghost of her mother in the mirror. 

She used to dye her hair pretty often, but the black roots never seemed to stay down. She had all kinds of hair before. Aimi had once asked Tenko to help her out, but that only ended up with four disintegrated boxes of hair dye and a complicated lie to Kurogiri. Her black hair was a remnant of her life before all of this.

Being a Shimura was a past life of hers, and being a Shigaraki was her future. 

Aimi didn’t remember much of her life before the boss. Genuinely. Tenko liked to say their family was nice and all, but she didn’t believe him. There was a bitter resentment in his voice that never quite left her feeling right. 

She washed off the three-day-old eyeliner with a towel that probably was her brother’s. She didn’t care. Aimi felt the black drip from her face, staining her cheeks. She was always too pale for her own liking. Iron deficiency or something, Aimi wasn’t too sure anymore. It wasn’t like she could just walk into the nearest doctor’s office and tell them there was something wrong with her. No one would believe her, plus, she was technically a missing person.

See, Aimi wasn’t exactly the ideal ‘villain.’ She got roped into this whole business because her brother hated the ground villains walked on. Her big brother, her idol. He never mentioned why their father hated heroes, but she knew why the boss did. All Might was the source of everyone's problems, and she never understood why. At every crime she had ever committed or witnessed, All MIght’s big and bright smile was there, haunting her.

“Aimi,” Tenko grumbled, wiping his eyes. His skin flaked onto his black sweatshirt. She yawned. “Move over.” He shoved her out of the way, taking up the sink. 

“I have to use the bathroom too, y’know,” she mumbled, tucking parts of her bangs behind her ears. She was in dire need of a haircut, but she didn’t trust Tenko with her hair anymore (see: the dye fiasco of Halloween) “Get your own bathroom time. Instead of playing your stupid games, how ‘bout you wake up on time?”

“Shut up,” was all her older brother retorted before disintegrating her toothbrush. Aimi groaned, grabbing another Ziploc they kept under the sink. He had a habit of disintegrating all her toothbrushes for no apparent reason. She hated it. 

Aimi finished brushing her teeth before shoving her brother back. She walked back to her room, sat on the floor, and began to spill out her makeup bag. Doing her makeup was by far the most comforting aspect of her day. She loved sitting on the floor and pressing her eyeliner to her face in the quiet of her bedroom. She grabbed her phone, pressing play on one of her music apps. The familiar sound of loud women shouting about their woes filled the air. 

Her room was her own space. For as long as she could remember, Aimi always had her own space. It was only her here. Tenko couldn’t come in, any petty criminals couldn’t come in, not even Kurogiri (sometimes). Only Aimi and her thoughts. Her thoughts were normal.

Totally.

Aimi stuck her brush in her mouth as she pressed a creme eyeshadow to her eyelids. God knows what their boss had in store for them. Aimi hated him with a burning passion. She couldn’t think of their boss without thinking of her brother’s constant screaming and nightmares that plagued him. She had no recollection of their childhood, but she liked to imagine there was a reason Tenko hated everything so much. 

Blood was thicker than water until your blood spilled in unnatural ways. She could recall when a wound would turn an unnatural black instead of red like her brother’s. She had been told by other villains that she was a demon, some sort of devil that batted her eyelashes to get what she wanted. 

A devil in pretty pink lace. 

They called her Cupid. 

She supposed that made sense. But she wasn’t romantic in the slightest. There was no love in her heart, their boss made sure of that. He would tell Aimi to lose all attachments to be able to use her abilities to their full potential. There was no full potential. Aimi Shimura was a terrible flirt and a great thief. 

There was blood on her hands, just like anyone else. Tenko said she wasn’t a killer; that those people deserved it, and yet, she was ruthless. The crimson would dry under her beautifully painted nails, and her nail tech wouldn’t say a word. Who would tattle to the police when she pays double then the usual client?

Aimi stared at the mirror some more, taking in the decay scars from when she was a baby. Tenko had lost control of his quirk. That was how their boss had found them. She didn’t blame her brother for anything. She couldn’t. Their parents had failed them. They had treated Tenko terribly. 

If Aimi was older then, she would’ve gutted them like fish.
She finished adjusting her hair before opening the door again. She crossed her ankles on the bar, tilting her head. “What’s the boss gotta do with me?”

“We have new members, Aimi,” Tenko announced, peeking into her bedroom. She groaned, throwing her head back. Tenko loved torturing her with business meetings. “Hurry up, brat.” She threw a lip gloss at him.

Aimi tugged on a t-shirt she stole from a shop in Shibuya over a month ago. She just didn’t care about getting caught. It wasn’t like she was going to rat out the League. That wasn’t who she was. Plus, Tenko would probably kill her himself if she did rat them out. He was weird. 

She loved him dearly.

Aimi stared at the newcomers. One was a man with burn scars she spent too long staring at. She didn't care. They were atrocious. The girl was shorter, with blond hair in two pretty buns on the top of her head. She reeked of blood lust, and Aimi found herself entranced by her. No, she wasn’t some kind of desperate lesbian. Hell, she wasn’t even a lesbian. You can admire girls without being attracted to them. Common sense, really. 

She hated these guys already. 

Tenko seemed to have the same idea. He glanced at Kurogiri, unamused by the two newcomers in front of them. “Kurogiri, get rid of these guys. Everything I hate came together in one set. A brat, and a rude guy.” Aimi snickered, which earned a very freaky glare from the burned man. 

Kurogiri was obviously trying to play mediator. He raised his hands, forcing all four of them to share a look. “Now, now,” he began, making direct ‘eye contact’ with Aimi. She was the mediator when he was out, which she found stupid . She wasn’t a peacemaker. “They came all this way to visit, so let's at least hear them out, Tomura Shigaraki.” When Tenko didn’t respond, Kurogiri continued on. “Besides, that big shot broker brought them. They're bound to be valuable assets.”

Tenko rolled his eyes like an annoyed teenage girl. “I don't care what you do with them, but make sure I get my commission, Kurogiri.” Aimi hit him with her palm. “And Aimi too.” She grinned. 

Kurogiri sighed. If he had a nose, Aimi was sure he’d be pinching the bridge of it. “At least let me introduce them.” Aimi shot him a thumbs up. Kurogiri motioned toward the girl her age. “First, this cute high school girl. Her name and face were kept tightly under wraps by the media, but she's on the run as the suspect in a series of deaths by blood loss.”

Aimi’s eyebrows shot behind her bangs. She was a murderer. An actual fucking muderer. That made her heart race with excitement and curiosity. “I'm Toga! Himiko Toga!” She grinned, but there was something just a little bit off about her. “It's hard to live! I want the world to become an easier place to live! I want to become Mr. Stainy! I want to kill Mr. Stainy!” Okay, so she was actually insane. Aimi liked her already. “So let me join the League of Villains, Aimi.”

She felt Tomura’s eyes on her. Toga thought she was the League’s leader. She liked that idea for a moment, before shaking her head. “I’m not in charge, sweetheart. But I'd love for you to join. Right, Ten— Tomura ?”

Tenko was just staring at Toga. “I don't get her. Is she crazy?”

Aimi’s voice dropped to a whisper. “At least she’s nice and can actually hold a conversation. Unlike you .”

“I will kill you,” Tenko retorted.

“Very loud incorrect buzzer sound.”

Kurogiri tossed a napkin at them to focus. The Shimura siblings snapped up, focusing back to the man with the burn scars. “Next, this guy over here. He hasn't committed any flashy crimes, but he holds fast to the hero killer's ideology.” Another Stain dick rider. Aimi didn’t like Stain. He was an actual freak. All he did was talk about Al Might like he had some sort of sick crush on him. He sounded more like a toxic ex than a villain. 

The burned man did a once-over of the bar. “I'm uneasy about this,” he began, scoffing a little. He was arrogant. Aimi hated him already.  “Does this organization really have a just cause? Don't tell me you're going to let this crazy woman in?”

Toga huffed. She stuck her finger in his face. Aimi watched her eyes twitch. Seriously, both of them twitched. She was crazy. “Hey, you. You didn't even do what that crazy high school girl was able to do.”

Tenko stepped forward, trying to size up the man with the burn scars. “Give your name first. You're an adult, right?”

“I currently go by Dabi.” The slight sneer on the man’s face made Aimi irrationally angry. God, could this guy be even more of an asshole?

Aimi huffed, throwing her hands in the air. “That’s not what he asked, asshole.” The man’s eyebrows shot up. Aimi was surprised he still had those. “What's your real name?” Blood boiled in her face when he leaned forward, putting his hands on his knees to make eye contact with her. She wasn’t short, for crying out loud! She was average height and this freak of nature was treating her like a child.

“I'll tell you when it's time,” he mused, before standing back up. “Anyway, I will carry out the will of the hero killer.”

Tenko ran a hand down his face. “Jeez, everyone's so hung up about Stain, Stain…” His fingers twitched and Aimi watched his demeanor change. Oh, come on. Could they avoid one meeting without Tenko killing someone? She was so close to buying those ‘Blank Days Since Last Accident’ boards for the bar. “I don't like it.”

He reached forward to touch Dabi’s face before Kurogiri created different portals. Aimi ran her hands down her face, annoyed. She could have been sleeping still, but no, she just had to attend this stupid meeting because Boss needed more people in the League. For his plan that Aimi still didn’t know about. 

“For the love of god, calm down,” Aimi grumbled, moving away from the various portals. She sat on the bar, motioning for Kurogiri to release everyone. “We need the numbers, and they’re crazy enough for this shit. We need them, idiot.”

Her brother stared at her for a minute before rolling his eyes. Kurogiri also tried to calm her big brother down, but he wasn’t having it. Sometimes, Aimi wondered which one of them was older because Tenko constantly  acted like an annoying baby. If Maiki was here, he’d act like a fucking grownup. For once in his stupid life. He stormed away leaving Aimi with the newbies. She glanced at Toga, who was already staring at her.

She shivered under the girl’s gaze. 

Kurogiri groaned in frustration.  “I don't want to complain about a client, especially with his family in the room, but... he's young. Too young.” Aimi fiddled with her fingers because she knew Kurogiri had a point. There was something about her brother that didn’t sit right with her. He was becoming more and more like their Boss, and that made her heart hurt.

“I thought he was going to kill us,” Toga exclaimed, her voice shaking just a bit. But she quickly covered it up by sitting on a barstool beside Aimi. She wasn’t sure what the blond girl wanted, but Aimi really didn’t want to sit there anymore. People were always too much for her. She stared directly into Dabi’s eyes before getting off from the bar.

Aimi slammed her bedroom door shut, before throwing herself onto her mattress. She screamed into her pillow, annoyed by more than just the new recruits. Could her brother make up his stupid mind for once? They needed new members, and these guys were smart and powerful. An actual murderer and an annoying man were just what they needed on their side. The heroes were still looking for them, to bring them to justice.

Aimi wouldn’t look good in orange. It wasn’t her color anyway. She turned on her side, grabbing her phone. She stared at the text from her nail tech, asking when she was coming over. Aimi quickly responded with a text that read two days from now. Unless her brother had some elaborate plan she didn’t know about, she had her own things to do. She clicked on her music app, raising the volume to the maximum.

She wasn’t the average villain, she had assured herself of that over and over again over the course of God knows how long. She was just Aimi Shimura, right?

But there was a nagging voice in her head that told her otherwise.

Chapter Text

There was blood under her fingernails. Though, it didn't belong to anyone. It was her blood. Blood from the flesh that would rather her dead sometimes. Tenko offered to take her to the mall, only after they had yet another screaming match about the new recruits. She won that argument, clearly. No one knew what she looked like, so she gained the ability to just blend  in. 

Tenko did not blend in. News outlets knew what he looked like. He was all over the news. But Aimi knew just the thing! Her favorite thing for as long as she could remember was giving her brother a makeover. Their Boss didn’t like her doing that to his successor, but Aimi didn’t give a shit. This was quite literally her favorite thing in the entire world and who was going to stop her?  

She had pinned some of his hair back into a small ponytail, though some strands just kept coming out. She even put special lotion on his face so his skin wouldn't be as dry, but nothing seemed to work. Aimi was pissed off beyond belief but she really wanted to go to the mall. She loved the mall. She loved going to Harajuku by herself, taking in the fashion and the beauty of the people there. 

“You look less shitty than usual,” Aimi said, clapping her hands together. She grinned at his annoyed face. Tenko shoved her away from her face, using three fingers to push her away. She stuck her tongue out at him, and he only rolled his eyes. “If this villain thing fails, you should be my model. I’d be a great makeup artist!” She was only half joking. Tenko didn’t know that though.

They left the bar at noon, taking the train. Aimi spent the entire train ride playing games on her phone while Tenko mumbled God knows what under his breath. He was so strange, genuinely. She wished Maiki could’ve come with that, but she was off doing vigilante shit. Aimi missed her dearly.

She wasn’t sure how Tenko even agreed to visit the mall. He hated places like this. The last time she dragged him to the store, Tenko killed someone in the dressing rooms while waiting for her. That was the last time they went together. Now, she opted to go alone. 

“Why are we here?” She asked finally, tugging at her gloves. She tried her best to seem fashionable, but she felt stupid now. Tenko was underdressed, while Aimi was overdressed. She felt somewhat embarrassed. “I won’t stop until you tell me.”

Tenko shrugged before sighing, clearly annoyed by her pestering. “That leak Boss gave us is here.” Wait— leak? That meant—

“Yuga’s here?” She giggled. She loved the boy dearly. He was blond, fashionable, and loved spending his money on her. Sure, he was also a traitor to Yuuei, but she loved him so much. “Why didn’t you tell me? You asshole, that’s my best friend—”

“You’re here because I’m making amends. There’s a shit ton of money in my pocket. Maiki suggested I apologize. Don’t make me take this back.” Aimi silently thanked Maiki Jin for everything she’s ever done. “I have shit to do, so go crazy, brat.” Aimi dug her hands into the pocket of his hoodie.

“Make sure not to get caught,” she whispered, fixing a strand of his hair. It was too greasy. God, did he ever wash it? Aimi pressed her lips together before patting his shoulder. She couldn’t remember the last time she uttered the words ‘I love you’, and she had no intention of starting now. Love, no matter how it was felt, wasn’t real. “I’ll see you in what? An hour?”

“Give or take. Bye, Aimi.”

She looked back at him, wiggling her fingers around. “Bye, Tenko.”

Aimi then took out her phone and texted her best friend in the entire world. Well, ignore the fact he was her only friend for a minute. Those two boys on the beach didn’t count. Like, at all. There were just idiots she met once. 

yu!!!!!!!

im at the mall 

where r u

yuga ☆

YOU WHAT
ma douce aimi you can't be here

but if you are here which i bet you are…

im by the hot topic with some of my classmates 

☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆

i am litr On My Way!

She looked around, trying to locate some sign that would tell her where in the world the Hot Topic was. She spotted it with ease, running up the escalator. She popped a piece of gum into her mouth before almost tripping over her own feet. A girl with pink skin caught her, wide black eyes holding her up. 

“Are you okay?” she asked, tilting her head. Aimi blinked, before nodding very slowly. Yuga jumped up, greeting her with his usual flamboyant greeting in French. The pink girl only stared. “Aoyoma, do you know her?”

Aimi forgot for a moment that he was the Yuuei traitor and paused. She removed herself from the pink girl’s hand and grinned nervously. “We met a couple times in Omotesando.” Aoyoma nodded, though Aimi noticed how his fingers twisted the family ring around and around. It was making her kind of dizzy. “He’s been a good friend ever since.”

“Aoyoma, you never told me you had such a stylish friend,” the pink girl exclaimed, rushing to give Aimi a hug. Aimi froze under the girl’s touch. No one ever hugged her. It made her feel sick. She shivered as she removed herself from the girl’s arms. “Oh, I’m Mina. Mina Ashido!”

“I’m Aimi, uh,” she looked around, trying to think of something . She couldn’t think of a last name. Both of her aliasias were technically a crime. One made her a missing person, and the other made her an accessory to every crime known to man. She thought before sighing. There was no way people still remembered the Shimura Massacre. “Shimura.”

Aimi suppressed a giggle as Yuga’s eyes bulged out of his head. 

Some more of Yuga’s classmates came out of the Hot Topic, holding a billion bags. She felt shy now, which was rare. She kind of wanted to go home now. Shopping could wait. She really needed to leave.

Ashido turned to the rest of her classmates, practically jumping out of her thrifted clothes. Aimi could tell. She had seen the same shirt at the bins a month ago. “Aoyoma has this super cool friend. Her name’s Aimi Shimura. Look how fashionable she is.”

The purple-haired girl nodded, smiling a bit. “Yeah, that’s a really nice shirt. Had no idea other people listened to Western bands like Bikini Girl.” She raised her fist to bump, and Aimi barely processed what was happening. She awkwardly laughed before the tall black-haired girl paused.

“Shimura? Your last name sounds oddly familiar, but I can’t remember why.” Aimi knew the girl quite well. Momo Yaoyorozu, heir to the famous Yaoyorozu fortune, and also a very famous girl across the country. Millions had a crush on her, and Aimi admired her a ton. She had an incredible fashion sense. “I’m—”

“I know who you guys are, well some of you. I watched the Sports Festival on TV.” Well, actually, Tenko spent the entire time throwing popcorn at the screen and booing. She joined in. She did not like the loud blond one.  Aimi was rooting for Endeavor’s son to win. “I really think you guys are incredible.”

She was lying through her teeth, but who cares!

“You’re pretty cool,” the other blond boy said. Aimi racked her brain for a name. God, she knew she should’ve paid more attention during the stupid Yuuei Sports Festival. She felt his name hit her in the face. Denki Kaminari, an alleged womanizer and also, according to Yuga’s research, one of Class 1-A’s most powerful members. “Maybe I can get your number—”

Aimi raised her hand. “Yeah, that’s a big no .” She looked down at her phone, checking the time. How had she already spent that long just talking to these idiots? She needed to get out of here. “I’ll see you later, Yuga and Co.” 

Yuga waved and Aimi could’ve sworn she saw actual sparkles leave his body. He was strange, bless his soul. Or don’t. They’d probably burn or something. Not Aimi though. Hashtag straight girl!

She turned the corner into a stationary store. She grabbed a basket and just started tossing things into it. Aimi might have just messed up. But it brought a thrill into her chest that probably needed to be checked out. Actually, no, she was fine. Aimi stared at the Hello Kitty doll a little too long for it to be normal. 

“Everything okay, ma’am?” one of the shopkeepers asked. The man seemed oddly suspicious of her. He had the demeanor of someone who was a jumpy person. Either anxiety disorder or he liked little girls. Aimi batted her eyelashes, running one of her beautifully painted nails down his arm.  “Miss, what are you doing?”

Aimi took a deep breath. For her quirk to work, she needed to make direct eye contact with a person and touch their skin. The shopkeeper’s eyes became heavy-lidded. He looked at her with a lustful expression, which meant he was already thinking that beforehand. Average adult man, she thought to herself. 

“I was just looking, but you wouldn’t mind if I don’t have enough to pay, do you? My big girl job doesn’t pay much.” It did actually. Thanks a bunch, Tenko. But she didn’t feel like spending it. There was no one in the shop but him and Aimi, which helped out the entire situation. She could charm up to four people, five on a good day, but she didn't have the energy for that right now. “Plus, I’ve always wanted to look pretty.”

The man’s head bobbed up and down. “Yeah, don’t worry about it.” He handed her a bag, only taking 158 yen from her hand. She looked up at the ceiling, knowing what was coming next.  “Could I have a kiss, just as a tip?”

Aimi leaned over on the counter, hoping she didn’t look totally stupid. She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips before gagging. She grabbed her bag of things before blowing him another kiss. Oh, another thing too: her quirk didn’t work on camera. It was her pride and joy sometimes. God, Aimi loved being herself. 

She walked down the escalator, swinging her newly acquired stationary and other various trinkets back and forth. That’s when she spotted a mop of green hair and a black hoodie that belonged to her. Oh, Tenko Shimura, what the fuck did you do? She was related to an actual idiot. What did their parents feed him? 

She hid behind a pillar, watching as Tenko continued to threaten All Might’s favorite student. Izuku ‘Deku’ Midoriya, suspiciously timed quirk allegedly, and even worse control over time. She thought he was strange. Aimi wondered if he ran that fan account she fought with when she was twelve. allmights#1fan, you will burn when the time comes. 

“Wait, Tomura Shigaraki!” Midoriya shouted, causing some onlookers to stare. Aimi pinched the bridge of her nose, fighting the urge to bash her head into the pillar. She contemplated suicide each time her brother did something reckless like this. Mad man… “What is All For One after?”

Her brother made direct eye contact with her, before shrugging. “Who knows? More importantly, you should be careful. The next time we meet will likely be when I have decided to kill you.” He adjusted his hood, motioning for Aimi to meet him at the entrance. For some reason, Aimi could still taste the shopkeeper on her lips. People were freaks, but it’s all okay because she got cute things out of it. Tenko glanced at her, noticing the way she kept wiping her lips. “Whose the guy?”

Aimi looked up from her bag of random trinkets. “What are you talking about?”

“You used your quirk,” Tenko pointed out. He sighed, sounding much more frustrated than before. What did he even talk about with that Deku kid? “How old was the guy, brat?”

“I dunno. Early twenties. Didn’t wanna spend your cash,” she grumbled, tossing it back to him. The money was almost disintegrated, narrowly missing all five of Tenko’s fingers. “I used about 150 yen, which was barely anything for all this shit.”

She always felt guilty after using her quirk, like it was eating her alive. She would feel like hot shit one minute, kissing as many people as she needed to. Next, Aimi wanted to kill herself over something stupid. 

“Aimi, idiot, I don’t give a damn about the money. That man will die.” He fiddled with the hoodie string. He peeked into her bag. “What’d you get outta him anyway?”

Aimi jumped up, opening the bag as she walked. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Chapter Text

Kurogiri woke her up at the ass crack of dawn.  He demanded that she get her life together today. Rambling about God knows what, Tenko walked in. He sat on her vanity chair, staring at her. He never walked in like that, but now he seemed annoyed.

“He’s suggesting we do ‘team bonding’ today,” Tenko grumbled, running his hands through his hair. He seemed exhausted, so either he was playing League of Legends all night, or he was having nightmares. To remain in good spirits, Aimi picked a League of Legends marathon. “With the new recruits. I think he’s an idiot. I’ve worked fine on my own.”

Aimi sat up, staring at him under her heavy eyelids. “Tenko, for the love of God, don’t come in here screaming.” She massaged her temple. Her older brother barely gave her time to think before tossing clothes at her. These were new. She glanced back up at him in confusion. “Where’d you get these?”

“Shop,” was all he said plainly. He got back up, looking around her room. Aimi’s room was her pride and joy. She decorated these four walls with her entire personality, or at least, what she hoped was her personality.

Aimi ran her hand over the clothes. When did Tenko get this for her? She stared at the tag, her stomach starting to hurt. They were from the same shop she went to yesterday. They had little shirts and other themed clothing there in the back. Did he kill the shopkeeper? She wouldn’t be surprised. Tenko wouldn’t mind adding another body to his kill count.

She quickly got dressed and did her makeup. She brushed her teeth whilst staring into the mirror. She hated looking in the mirror sometimes. All she could see was the dead family she never knew staring back at her. All she had was Tenko. She scratched at her neck before shaking her head. Focus. Focus.  Focus. 

She walked into the main area, staring as Maiki Jin sat there, sipping on a water bottle. Aimi could barely contain herself before running over. She was vibrating on the balls of her feet. Maiki gave her a smile, ruffling her hair. “Hi, Aimi,” the older woman said, taking in the girl’s features. People liked to say Aimi and Tenko looked alike, but Aimi had to disagree. He seemed different than her, in almost every way. “You look sleepy. Is Tenko not letting you sleep?”

Aimi fanned her face, imitating a fainting spell. “He’s working me to the bone, Mai. Tell you idiot to get it together. I’d like to not carry this entire organization on my poor sixteen-year-old back.” Tenko threw a water bottle at her, hitting her directly in the face. “I’m lying through my teeth. I just stay up late talking to Yuga and robbing places. It’s my job, Mai.”

Maiki rolled her eyes, waving her hand around. “Yeah, yeah. Your job. Love to see a hard-working woman in the field.” she leaned on the bar, texting someone on her phone. “I’m here to tell you the rules of something. Kurogiri wants you two to listen to him today.”

Aimi groaned. “Give Tenko a kiss for good luck and whatnot. He’s going to kick his feet and do whatever Kurogiri wants if you tell him.” Aimi had no idea if they were dating or if this was some sick situationship. She didn’t do those things. She had a boyfriend once. Tenko doesn’t like talking about it, and Aimi can barely remember most of that relationship. She had been too drunk to remember. 

Tenko sat beside her, squeezing her shoulders with three fingers. She wriggled around, before elbowing him in the side. “Shut up, urchin. Mai is here for me , not for you.” Again, people with the gay allegations. Couldn’t a girl dress nice and admire other women without it being considered gay? She wasn't gay. Well, Tenko had something in him, and Yuga was certainly out and proud, but Aimi wasn’t like them. She didn’t go around kissing girls and stuff. She was just there. Aimi didn’t like girls; she liked boys. Everyone liked boys, even her own brother! 

Maiki snorted, covering her mouth with her hand. It was a habit Tenko liked. Aimi could tell by the way his eyes lit up just a bit. If Tenko had the same quirk as her, his pupils would be in the shapes of hearts. Oh, another perk of her quirk, she could tell when people were romantically interested in each other. Maiki was perfect. How the hell did Tenko manage to bag her?

“You’re supposed to meet him at some abandoned parking lot,” Maiki said, grabbing her bag. She seemed to be in a rush. Was she meeting with someone? Aimi really didn't want her to leave. She wished Maiki would stay with them forever. Every time she left, Aimi’s heart broke a little. “I’ll see you guys later.” 

Aimi’s chest burned as she watched Maiki step closer to Tenko. She entered a pretty intimate conversation with Aimi’s brother before getting a kiss from him. It was pathetic. Maiki waved at her before walking out of the bar. She could just walk out . No one knew what the Black Cat looked like. She was perfect. Aimi admired her. 

And she could just walk out whenever she wanted. Aimi didn’t have her number. She never bothered to give it to Aimi. Should she just die now? She didn’t have abandonment issues. You can’t have an issue with abandonment if you’re accustomed to it. 

Aimi sunk in her spot, staring at her phone. Then a text entered her phone, causing her to jump. 

unknown number

hai :3

i found a way to get your phone number

dabi is grumpy idk why

it’s toga!!!

Aimi blinked, before smiling just a bit. It was a friendly reminder of what business she was now in. She was a villain. No matter what, this was for her brother, for her family, and maybe just a tiny bit for herself.

They made it to the parking lot, where Aimi blew her hair from her face. She had spent ten minutes avoiding the police while Tenko just killed whoever was in his way. She leaned on a pillar, looking at the group. three more people were here, and Aimi was starting to find this whole thing exhausting. Was Tenko just going to keep accepting people without talking to her about it?

“Do you just keep recruiting kids?” the man with a mask said, motioning to Tenko, Aimi, and Toga. He seemed annoyed by the implication of children being here. Aimi wanted him to suck it up. “I’m worried that children shouldn’t be in this environment.”

Aimi glanced at Tenko who just gave her a subtle nod. She walked around the man, analyzing his body language. He was confident in himself, but not too cocky. She could smell determination off of him. Maybe someone in the family was in this line of work before this guy joined? Aimi looked for a piece of bare skin. The skin on the back of his neck was enough for Aimi to latch on, looking through the eye holes of his mask. 

No one around them moved, unsure what was happening. Tenko looked at her behind their father’s hand, his beady red eyes unsettling for only a moment. Aimi tilted her head, batting her eyelashes. “Let me see your face, mister. I’ve been wondering about it since I’ve seen you.” Her voice dripped with her quirk, the sickly aura filling the air. 

The man’s gloved hand moved to remove the mask, before revealing his face. Pupils now shaped like hearts, the man smiled down at Aimi. he ruffled her hair, which was new. Typically, she could unveil people’s true intentions with her quirk. But this man wasn’t interested in lusting after her. He wasn’t even interested. The man’s face wasn’t terrible looking. He blinked his yellow eyes, looking down at Aimi with gentle eyes. “I’ll put this back on now,” the man said, nodding his head at her. Aimi adjusted it for him, feeling somewhat guilty now. 

“ That’s Cupid?” another man exclaimed, wearing a mask that scared Aimi just a bit. It covered his entire body. He wore a whole suit. He vaguely reminded her of that freeze guy from that Pixar movie. “I always assumed she’d be older. She’s a baby. Not a baby. I admire your courage.'' The man was just talking to himself at that point. He was weird. Aimi just backed away from the other man, blinking at him. 

“Why are we here?” asked a man with a lizard head. He was dressed similarly to the Hero Killer. Maybe Tenko did have a point. Why was everyone so infatuated with the Hero Killer? He was just some guy with swords and also an obsession with homoerotic vampires! “Shouldn’t we be in hiding?”

Tenko groaned. “Kurogiri suggested we do team bonding. I think it’s all bullshit. I don't like you all, but we have a job to do. It’s simple actually. Kill All Might, and then rid the world of heroes.” Aimi snapped her fingers as he spoke, looking around the abandoned lot. She walked to where she heard some other voices. She looked down from where they were, spotting two heroe talking amongst themselves. They looked up, Aimi narrowly avoiding their gaze. She motioned to her brother, who was still going on his tangent. Everyone looked at her as she did this, probably thinking she was insane. “What is it, brat?”
“Heroes,” she said, almost tearing her hair out. She motioned for them all to remain silent. “There are two of them down there. So shut up and get to whatever Kurogiri suggested, because no one wants to go to jail.” 

Toga nodded, tugging along the man with the long suit. He seemed to follow her every word, while she grabbed his arm. Aimi motioned for everyone else to leave. Tenko pressed his hand to one of the pillars, the material slowly crumbling into the ground. She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the exit. 

The group stared at each other as sirens filled the air. So much for Kurogiri’s bonding. Dabi cracked his knuckles, looking at everyone with boredom in his piercing eyes. He was really starting to irritate Aimi Shimura. 

“Now what?” Toga asked, tilting her head. “You said ‘team bonding’ but we haven’t really done anything! Is it going to be a surprise? I love surprises—”

Tenko’s eye twitched behind their father’s hand. He scratched at his neck for a moment. “Let’s make it a game, then. First person to reach ten targets wins.” He stared at the group, wondering if he should pick the teams. Aimi hoped he wouldn’t. “Team up if you want. It’s like an online game if you think about it.”

Aimi looked around at the group in front of her. They were all strange and she didn’t really like any of them. Well, the Toga girl was cool. But everyone else sucked. Team building wa stupid anyway. No one wanted to work together. Everyone had their niche, and Aimi intended to win all on her own.

So about that.

She didn’t work on her own.

Toga had come to save her ass after being cornered by two cops. Aimi’s face had never been seen by a cop, and no one was going to. Toga carved out his eyes, leaving them tossed on the side of the road. No one had seen her gut him like the fat fucking pig he was. Aimi knew that guy pretty well too. She had caught him having an affair with a detective on the force. Fucking freak . 

“I work alone,” Aimi said, picking up something from his corpse. Toga seemed to have been doing the same thing. It was endearing to know Aimi wasn’t the only person who did something like that. Tenko had only taken the hands of their dead family members. God, she was related to a weirdo. “Seriously, Toga, I work all by myself. It’s better that way.”

“Mister Stainy said the same thing, and look what happened to him,” Toga said, taking the officer’s gun. She played with it for a moment, before tucking it into her pocket. “You need someone to watch your back. Looks, like your brother is the only person who's doing that for you.”

“Well, no shit, he’s my brother ,” Aimi retorted, rolling her eyes. She grabbed a ring from his finger, before slipping it onto her own. She looked around the alleyway before stepping out. She wiped the blood from her hands on the jacket of some man passing by. “Are you coming?” Toga’s eyes lit up.

They ended up catching up to seven targets. Dabi won. Aimi would be lying if she said she was happy for the guy. He was such a dick. Genuinely. What did anyone see in that guy? Tenko seemed just as annoyed as her. He kept grumbling under his breath about how nepo babies get everything they want.

She chose not to question that. 

They ended up getting food from a convenience store. Aimi and Toga went in with the mask gay. His name was Atsuhiro Sako. he was actually really nice. Aimi and Toga actually brought the food with the dead police officer’s money. He had about 800 yen in his wallet. It was enough to buy meals for the entire League. Thank God for that guy’s affair. 

“You have food on your face,” Toga said as they sat on the floor of the bar watching a movie. Everyone was talking and for a moment, Aimi imagined this was what friends looked like. Toga leaned forward, using her knuckle to wipe the broth from the ramen from her face. Aimi blinked, staring into Toga’s yellow eyes. They were so cat-like. 

Aimi’s words caught in her throat for a minute before she swallowed her noodles. “Thank you.” There was a cough behind her and Maiki wriggled her fingers at her. Aimi watched as Maiki’s eyes wandered to Dabi, who was staring at her with slightly wide eyes. It wasn’t too big of a difference, it was that subtle. “Mai?”

“Aimi, my favorite Shimura, can I talk to you for a second?”

The youngest Shimura glanced back at ehr food, which Toga was carefully covering with a paper plate so Tenko couldn’t take it. Her brother was in his room, hiding from everyone like usual. Aimi followed Maiki out to the roof, which seemed to be a reaccuring theme with her visits. That woman just loved roofs. 

“Why’d you wanna talk?” Aimi asked, titlting her head.

“Your ex boyfriend, there’s a case against him, Aimi. He’s in prison.”

Kikotei Antantaru, Aimi remembered his name as Maiki spoke. He was older than her, she didn’t exactly remember. It wasn’t her fault. She had been wasted out of her mind that entire relationship! “Why does that matter to me?”

“He ruined a little girl’s life, Aimi. Just like he did to you.” Maiki’s tone was pissing Aimi off. He didn’t ruin her life. How the fuck did he even ruin her life? Was she just making shit up? Seriously, Kikotei didn’t ruin her life at all. She missed the guy if she was being honest. “You could ruin his right back.”

“Why would I ruin his life? We broke up on good terms.”

She didn’t remember the breakup at all actually. 

Maiki sighed. “Aimi, he’s a bad guy—”

Aimi didn’t want to hear it. She raised her hand in Maiki’s face. “I don’t want to hear it, Mai. Kikotei wasn’t a bad guy. It’s probably false imprisonment. I’ll visit him if I have to. Leave him alone.”

Maiki opened her mouth but Aimi wasn’t hearing it. She stormed from the roof, passed the League, and right into her bedroom. She sat on the floor of her closet, knees to her chest. She opened her phone, looking for Yuga’s contact. 

yuga i have a question

was kikotei a bad guy

wait ur prbly sleeping

nvm bedtime

i was crashing out but its bedtime now

yuga ☆

mon ami i was just packing for the training camp

i am not excited for camping

you should come over before i go

mes parents wouldn’t mind at all 

why are you asking me if kikotei was a bad person?

i saw he was very sweet to you, always bringing you gifts

did something happen?

my brother’s not girlfriend came over

said he got arrested for ruining some kid’s life

she said he ruined mine

he didn’t ruin my life

idk y she’d say smth like that 

yuga ☆

did she explain how kikotei ruined your life, mon cher?

well…no…

yuga ☆

ask him in person then

maybe he’ll tell you what happened

do you still like him?

can i plead the fifth even if im not american

yuga ☆

no, you can not

god damn it

yuga ☆

ヽ( `д´*)ノ

Chapter Text

Girlhood was disgusting . It reminded her of the bitter taste of pure chocolate, staining her lips as she washed her skin raw. That’s what she felt when she stared at herself in the mirror, taking in the bruised skin of hickeys and desperate attempts at sex. So what if she did this to herself? That’s what being a girl was about. Drunken sex and the fear of never being loved were all she had at that point.

She trudged out of the bar, with her bag of essentials. She’d be back later, and it wasn’t like Tenko would even realize she was gone. He was too busy with his planning. They were going to infiltrate the Yuuei Training Camp, or at least, that’s what she understood from Yuga’s texts last night. She fiddled with the keychain on her bag, staring at the other people on the sidewalk. It was early in the morning. They were probably on their way to school, or work, or something in between.

She didn’t wonder what it was like to be someone like that. Aimi was used to her life. She didn’t know how to live any differently. Aimi bumped into a schoolgirl, probably on her way to Aldera Junior High. That was the closest junior high to the prison she was visiting. The little girl was nervous, flinching at the slightest of sounds, and deep down, she reminded Aimi of herself. Aimi used to be scared all the time, and Kikotei helped her through it. 

Kikotei was a good person. He was a great person. Aimi loved him. Love? She wasn’t exactly sure what she thought about Kikotei. She stared at the door of the police precinct, tilting her head. This was where he was. She just needed to come up with a good enough lie.

Oh, who was she fucking kidding?

She was just going to use her quirk. She was in the League of Villains for a reason, after all. And no, before anyone says anything, it’s not nepotism. Well, it might be, but who cares?

Aimi opened the door, batting her eyelashes. She leaned on the counter, tracing the hands of each cop. They all fell under her quirk, leading her to the back. The cells were arranged in the most symmetrical way possible, which made her feel a bit more relieved. She hated things without routine. 

Kikotei Antantaru stared back at her, grinning from ear to ear. His stubble had grown back in, reminding Aimi of a drug addict she had to avoid on the way in. His blue eyes pierced her red ones, making her feel slightly ill. But he looked…nice. He wasn’t the kind of guy to ruin someone’s life. Aimi knew him better than she knew herself. On a bad day. Aimi knew herself pretty well actually. 

“Aimi,” Kikotei whispered, sitting up. He walked toward the bars, looking down at her with hearts in his eyes. She never needed to charm him. “Hello, Cupid . It’s been a while. I didn’t know your brother was letting you see me.”

She couldn’t remember why Tenko didn’t like Kikotei. Kikotei had never seen Tenko’s face, or Tenko for that matter. She had banned him from any interaction with her brother. Tenko wouldn’t hesitate to kill her boyfriend. Ex- boyfriend. Right. Seriously, when the fuck did they break up in the first place? 

“He isn’t,” Aimi said, standing frozen in place. “I heard you got arrested. This time not for a DUI. You ruined some girl’s life or whatever. I just wanted to hear the story from you.” Kikotei chuckled and that led Aimi toward him. The man extended his hand to caress her cheek, his rough thumb against her bare skin. She dolled herself up whenever she would see him, turning herself into a new person. Tight clothes, heavy lashes, and even her mannerisms changed. Kikotei liked her that way. But today, she’d forgotten. “I’m sorry I don’t look my best. I’m meeting a friend.”

Kikotei shook his head, dark blue hair brushing his shoulders. “Aimi, baby, I’m not concerned about how you look. I’ve grown used to your bare face. Plus, the lashes hide your freckles and moles.” He ran his hand over the one on her cheek, and Aimi remembered when he’d kissed every single one she had. “That little birdie of yours must’ve gotten shit entailed. I’m not here because I ruined someone’s life. The girl was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Not my fault she found herself in the Red Light District, Aims.” Aimi blinked. Why was Kikotei in the Right Light District anyway? His apartment was much farther than that. “She’s been saying bullshit, and now, they locked me up. There’s a trial in a week. You’ll visit me, if I get locked up, right?”

Aimi needed a minute. Fuck, she needed several minutes. Locked up? Her ex-boyfriend was being sent to prison! Over what, some girl being in a shit part of town? That’s stupid, beyond stupid. Aimi really wanted to just scream. She leaned into his touch, chewing on her glossed lips for a moment. “I could just let you leave. I could release you—”

“That’d start a manhunt, and no one wants one of those, Aimi.” Kikotei looked at the clock on the opposite wall, narrowing his eyes. “Your quirk runs out in a little bit, and then they’ll wonder why you’re here. I wouldn’t want my girl getting locked up. We wouldn’t want that now, do we?” Aimi shook her head. “Just visit me, okay? I miss seeing your face.”

She looked down at his matted hair before at his face. She really shouldn’t do this. Tenko would probably be upset if he found out she was here right now. Aimi wouldn’t be surprised if her brother disintegrated half her clothes by the time she got back there. “I’ll visit you.”

Kikotei grabbed her cheeks through the bars, pressing his chapped lips to hers. It was quick, but Aimi remembered the last time they’d kissed. She had been wasted, so wasted her mind had become mush. But she remembered the kiss. Under the stars. Just the two of them. The rest of their relationship disappeared into the crevasse of her mind. “I love you, Aimi Suzuki.” Right, she’d never told him her real name.  “I love you so fucking much.”

Aimi didn’t say it back.

She ran once she left the police station, trying her hardest to remain focused. She just needed to get to Yuga’s. Then she could either get wasted or two, cry her eyes out until Yuga finally caved and let her spend the night. Aimi needed to get her mind straight. She touched her lips, feeling Kikotei’s mouth on hers. She didn’t like it. Well, that meant she must’ve loved it then. Right? Right ?

She typed in her passcode, trying to message Yuga. god, her hands just kept shaking. She couldn’t stop. This was infuriating. What was wrong with her? She was mature enough to visit a man in prison. Come on, she wanted to say to her hands. Work. She just needed to talk to Yuga. All she wanted to do was talk to Yuga. 

Aimi stared at the messages from both Tenko and Toga. She wasn’t sure why Toga wanted to text her so badly. Tenko’s messages made her stomach churn. All he had sent her was an ominous ‘ We need to talk .’ How fucked was she? She swallowed, scratching at her neck. She needed to just see Yuga. 

She opened the message thread between her and Yuga, shaking against the bus stop. Her nails clicked against the screen, helping ground her mind. Click. Click. Click. She didn’t bother telling him to ask his parents. She was just going to show up. The Aoyoma’s loved her anyway. 

She didn’t bother to get on the actual bus. She didn’t need to. Aimi was fast. Faster than she should be. But she spent her time running from cops and her feelings. Her stamina was probably better than an Olympic runner at that point. Seriously, if the Olympics weren’t just for quirkless losers, she would’ve done it too. Yuga lived in a very wealthy neighborhood, which made Aimi feel somewhat insignificant. She never wanted money or anything, but God damn , the Aoyomas had more money than she could even dream about.

By the time she made it to Yuga’s, her blush had melted off. Now, she really needed to get inside his house. The gates opened and she was greeted with smiles. Yuga’s parents loved Aimi. Sure, she was also working for the guy who gave their son a quirk, but they enjoyed Aimi’s refreshing personality. However, she had a bet that they just thought she was pretty to look at. 

She wasn’t a narcissist at all, just self-aware.

Yuga was waiting in the kitchen, eating a cheese platter. He only ever made this while waiting for her. He actually hated cheese like that. “Aimi,” he said, putting down the Brie cheese. He greeted her with a kiss on both cheeks. She put her bag on the counter, hopping up to sit on it. “You saw him, did you not?”

“You read my mind, Yuga.” She picked a piece of cheese, sniffing it before taking a bite. “Are you sure you were born quirkless?” Yuga gave her a look. She sighed, throwing her hands up in the air. “Fine, I did see him.”

Aoyoma stared at her for a moment. His blue eyes pierced her soul. Someone really needed to get this kid brown contacts. “What did he say to you?” Aimi nervously laughed, tugging on the collar of her shirt. “Aimi, you can not lie to me.”

“He said he loved me and we kissed and I think I’m probably going insane, but I hate the way my body reacts to him. I’m programmed to love him.”

“Did you say I love you back?”

Aimi looked up from her hands. “What?”

“Did you tell Kikotei you love him?”

Aimi shook her head. “I never said a word. I ran away.” That seemed to be her favorite thing. Aimi loved running away. 

When she returned to the hideout, Tenko was tapping his foot. He had been waiting for her. She sat at the bar, grabbing the bottle of whiskey and taking a long sip from the bottle. Tenko didn’t say a word while Kurogiri watched her. 

“Child, you should put the bottle down,” Kurogiri pointed out, wiping the class in his hand-smoke-thing. Aimi just blinked at him. “Tell your sister she should put the bottle down, Tomura.”

Tomura sat beside her. He was silent, itching at his neck. “What did you do?”

“I saw him at the jailhouse. Maiki told me he got arrested for hurting some girl. I thought that if I saw him for myself I could convince myself of something.” She played with the bottle cap, twirling it around.  “I think I dig myself a hole where only I can dig myself out.”

“I hate that man, brat. He was an asshole who knew what he was doing. You were too drunk to even look at him right,” Tenko said, grabbing a glass with four fingers. He snatched the bottle from Aimi’s shaking hand. That’s weird. When did she start shaking? “You’re a kid, and I hate when you act like you’re the shit. You’re fifteen, dipshit. Act like a fucking kid for once in your life.”

Aimi scoffed. “Hot shit coming from someone who ruins a gang of villains at age twenty-one.” Tenko’s eyes didn’t soften, nor did they glimmer with emotion. Aimi felt guilty. God, it was like her emotions never failed to piss her off. This overemotional teenage girl bullshit was going to be the death of her. “I’m sorry, that was mean. I think I’m drunk and just saying stuff.”

“You don’t remember for obvious reasons, but there was a time Kikotei took you to a nightclub. You were thirteen. He pumped you full of drugs and alcohol. You walked back here with blood dripping from so many cuts on your skin I almost killed him. But you begged me, Aimi. you begged me not to kill him. You said he was a nice guy.” Tenko took the bottle from her permanently. He closed it back up, and handed it back to Kurogiri, who was already taking out something to eat. “I trust your judgment, you’re my sister. But you need to realize that all that love bullshit is just that. Bull shit . Kikotei is a shitty guy, and you’re lucky his ass ended up in prison.” 

“I miss him.”

Tenko’s eyebrows disappeared behind his greasy hair. “How the fuck can you miss someone like that?” Aimi didn’t know how to explain it to him. “Brat, did you just forget about everything I just said?”

“You’re not exactly the most loving guy, you know. You have your issues, and I have mine. I won’t” — she made a sound that sounded vaguely like a mix between a hiccup and a sob — “sit here and lie about it. I’d never been hugged before I met him. I remember my life before and after Kikotei Antantaru.” Aimi could feel hot tears come down her face. She wiped them haphazardly with her sleeve. “I don’t know what's wrong. Fuck—”

She stood up, gripping the bar. Aimi felt dizzy. She hadn’t even drunk that much. Was sobriety making her a lightweight? Jesus fucking Christ. Aimi stumbled to a door, fiddling with the knob. She didn;t bother to check whose room it was before falling straight into the mattress.

“Okay, hell spawn, get off my bed.” Oh, this was the burnt dude’s room. Aimi didn’t move. Her body hurt. The man groaned, rolling her over. “What? Can’t handle your alcohol?”

“I’m going to kill myself,” Aimi moaned, rolling back over so her face was in his pillow. She shouldn’t have gone to see Kikotei. What was wrong with her? One minute, her mind is clear, and the next she’s off doing something she would regret. Her mind was split into a million little pieces, and she was never quite sure which one kept her sane. “Leave me to die.”

“Pretty sure Hand-job would skin me alive if I let you do whatever the fuck it is you intend on doing,” Dabi scoffed, scratching his head. He was shirtless, and Aimi could see all his staples and burns. He looked…ruined. In a way, she was just like him. “What boy broke your heart, princess?”

“A grown man is in prison for probably molesting a girl.”

“What the fuck is wrong with your family?”

Aimi chewed on her fingernail, gnawing on the fancy bow design. Her teeth were sharp by default, which probably went along well with her whole ‘demon in pink lace’ thing she had going for herself.  “Do you think he’s a bad guy?”

Dabi was silent. “Of course, I think he’s a bad guy. Fuck are you thinking? Was he your groomer or something?”

“He was my ex-boyfriend, actually.”

Dabi looked like his eyes were going to bulge out of their sockets. He got up, holding the bottle of beer he had in his hand like it was a cane. “You dated a grown fucking man, and not once did you think he was grooming you?” He put his hands on the back of his head, before moving them in front of himself. He did this a couple of times as he thought about his words. “Did everyone around you think that was okay?”

“Well, duh. I’m fifteen.”

“So now I’m the voice of reason. Aimi, I think you need to sober up if we’re going to have this fuck ass conversation.” 

She sat up, covering her mouth with her hand. Sober up, this guy was a riot. But her world was already spinning enough as it was. She had become a lightweight. This was worse than being gay or something. Aimi leaned forward one more time, taking in the sight that was Dabi aka burnt man’s room. It was like a punk rock concert. Cool. 

Aimi fell forward, face-first into the wood. She could feel every pore on her face, dripping with most likely alcohol poisoning. God, this sobriety thing was SHIT.

Chapter Text

There’s no need to be brave. 

She shouldn’t need to be brave.

Why was she so brave?

“Wake up, demon spawn,” a male voice grumbled as he shook her shoulders. Aimi sat up, blinking as she rubbed her head. She groaned. “Yeah, you’re hungover. I’ve got water.” He sat beside her, handing her a water bottle. She yawned. “Your stupid brother was waiting for me to wake you up. Handjob didn’t want to bother you.”

“I think I said something I shouldn’t have,” Aimi whispered, fiddling with the cap of the water bottle.  “I can’t really remember.” Dabi shrugged, giving her a judgemental look. “I don’t drink anymore.”

“You were delirious. You passed out twice and kept crying for your brother. You’re a toddler, basically.” He sat beside her, fiddling with a cigarette. Aimi slowly blinked at him. “You’ve got issues, demon spawn. I’ll be the judge of that shit. You kept crying, and it honestly pissed me off.” Dabi sighed. “You piss me off.”

“Why’d you let me cry to you?” Aimi asked. She fiddled with the cap of the water bottle, watching the water slosh around. She wasn’t sure how to feel. Sometimes, her emotions went all ary, and she wasn’t sure how to describe it. Everything felt wrong . “You don’t like me, remember?”

“It’s not that I don’t like you.” 

Her heart skipped a beat.

Dabi didn’t look at her, lighting the cigarette with ease. He pressed it between his scarred lips. “You’re young. You and vampire girl. You’re young. I dunno. I don’t fucking know.” He exhaled, smoke circling around his head. Aimi was mesmerized by the heat radiating from his body. 

Aimi brought her knees to her chest. Her heart hurt. She didn’t just feel hungover. Aimi wanted to die. She didn’t say anything, chewing on her bottom lip. “I’m sorry for coming into your room drunk.” Dabi shrugged, giving her a smirk. “I don’t apologize often, don't make this fucking weird.”

“I’m not making shit fucking weird,” Dabi scoffed, rolling his eyes. He didn’t move to hug her, nor did he move to do anything comforting. He just let her sit there. She cried. Aimi cried until her lungs hurt and her throat burned. 

Aimi left his room to hide on her own. She looked around, chewing on her fingernails. She was supposed to be fine. She had this bad habit, a habit she hated resorting to. But sometimes, she couldn’t pinpoint her emotions. Sometimes, everything became too much. Aimi spilled out her makeup bag,  looking for her eyebrow razor. She found the pink plastic, gripping it with a shaky hand. 

Tear me apart . 

Ruin me .

Break me .

Aimi pressed the blade to her skin, just below her wrists. Old scars she had forgotten about stared back at her. She felt the burning fill her body. It was almost euphoric.  She gasped, drawing blood from the now jagged blood-filled lines against her skin. She dropped the eyebrow razor, pressing her hand to her forearm.

Tear me apart.

She grabbed at her container of medical supplies, pressing her lips together. She was out of bandages. Aimi looked around her room, shaking a bit. Her blood stained her palm. She grabbed her phone from her mattress, tapping the screen with her elbow. There weren’t many people she spoke to. 

Tenko would get upset.

Dabi would probably scold her. 

Maiki would feel guilty.

Oh, Toga . 

Aimi had no issue with Toga, and she was sure that Toga wouldn’t snitch to Tenko. She couldn’t think well. She pressed on the girl’s contact, whimpering a bit. The girl picked up quickly, humming to herself. 

“Hiya, Shigaraki,” Toga said, and Aimi could almost hear her smile. She pressed her forehead to the door of her bedroom. She could hear Tenko and Kurogiri. Aimi couldn’t breathe. She was always doing something, and she never dealt with consequences. “Did you need something?”

“I need help.”

Toga’s humming stopped. She sounded less excited now. “Where are you?” Aimi wanted to start crying again. “Shigaraki, where are you?”

“My room. I fucked up, Toga.” She whimpered in pain. Aimi was fine with this shit before. Why was she acting so weird? “I’m being ridiculous—”

Toga huffed. “We’re friends, silly. I’m going to be here. What do you need?”

“Gauze and bandages.”

Toga giggled. “I’m a block away. Just put stuff on the wound.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Aimi wasn’t sure when Toga burst through her door. She also wasn’t sure she ended up on her mattress, in between Toga’s legs, arm extended. Everything felt too fast for her. The blond girl was tending to her wounds, dressing them with gentle touches. But Aimi could see the hungry look in her eyes. She noticed how the girl seemed to just light up when she watched blood drip from Aimi’s fingertips. 

She raised her blood-stained hand, pressing her thumb to Toga’s lip. The blond girl’s eyes lit up. She parted her lips a bit, chewing on Aimi’s blood-covered skin. They just sat there for a moment, and Aimi didn’t want to move at all. 

“Did you get hurt?” Toga asked after a moment, her lips brushing against Aimi’s thumb. “These are really deep.” 

“Bad habit,” Aimi whispered. She swallowed, feeling Toga’s gentle fingertips against her skin. “It was a rough last two days.”

“I heard,” Toga said, brushing some of Aimi’s messy hair from her face. She swallowed again, wishing to be anywhere but here. “Your ex-boyfriend seems like a dick, by the way. You should kill him.”

Tear me apart . 

“I think my brother would love that. He doesn’t like Kikotei much.” Toga fiddled with the bandages on Aimi’s forearm. “Most people don’t. Kurogiri never said anything, but I think he was just being polite. You’ve never met him.”

“I could kill him for you. Poof, and then you never have to think about him again!” The mere thought of Kikotei made her stomach jump. “I think you would be happy with him dead, Shigaraki.”

Aimi looked down, before Toga put a hand on Aimi’s cheek. The girls sat there in silence again, feeling each other’s energy. Aimi was never very spiritual, but Toga made her feel warm right now. She assumed that’s what Kikotei was supposed to make her feel. 

Tear me apart .

“If you kill him, could I be there to watch?”

Toga giggled, her thumb rubbing a small circle into Aimi’s cheek. “Of course you could watch! You deserve a show, Shigaraki! One where your ex boyfriend fucking dies .” She traced the pattern of the bandages on Aimi’s forearm. “Why did you call me? I’m sure your brother would’ve helped you.”

Tenko would’ve killed me , she thought to herself. “You like blood. You silly girl.” Aimi smiled at Toga, who grinned right back. “Does mine taste good, at least?” Aimi raised her still blood stained hand to Toga’s lips again. Toga opened her mouth, pressing her sharp teeth into the soft skin of Aimi’s palm. 

It was a sharp pain, but it made her feel warm again. It didn’t feel euphoric like her eyebrow razor. Toga’s teeth drew blood as Aimi pressed her eyes shut. Toga licked the wound before pressing her lips together. Toga pressed a quick kiss to Aimi’s wound. 

“It’s sweet, just like you, Shigaraki.”Aimi’s cheeks felt warm. “You’re perfect actually. Your blood is nice and sweet, but it’s also sour. It’s like candy, almost!” She put her hands on Aimi’s cheeks, their faces close. “I guess that checks out, since you are Cupid, after all.”

“Cupid is just a facade. I don’t think that represents me at all.”

Toga shook her head. “Then I want to know the real you.”

“You won’t find me all that interesting.”

Toga grinned, and something in Aimi’s chest fluttered. “I will.”

Chapter Text

It came time to infiltrate the training camp . Yuga had promised that everything would be fine, and that they could hang out later. Yuga failed to realize that Aimi wasn’t well in the head. It was almost like she was drowning. 

She stared at her mask, blinking. Aimi was allowed to go, but only to keep Toga in check. Everything about Toga was impulsive, and Aimi was used to it. She had been told this by Tenko multiple times. Aimi just shrugged it off. She swallowed. Everything was going haywire in her head. 

“I still can’t believe we’re going on a mission together, Shigaraki!” Toga giggled, jumping up and down. She was wearing her gear. Aimi had helped her put it on, and everything felt warm when she stared at Toga. She was nice to be around. Maybe Aimi needed more friends. “This is going to be like a girls' night out!”

“You’re both ridiculous,” Dabi grumbled, cracking his knuckles. “We’re kidnapping a blond kid, not going to the fucking mall. Jesus.” He didn’t seem to mind the way Toga was talking. Aimi had gotten used to Dabi. Maybe her breakdown a few days ago made them closer? She brought him a pack of fancy cigarettes during one of her famous runs and he told her to die. They were definitely becoming friends! 

Aimi shrugged. “It’s basically a girls' night out. We’re going out at night, and there’s crime. What else could a woman possibly want?”

“Diamonds?” Compress asked from behind them. He was a much newer member of the league. He joined right after Aimi’s meltdown, and she really liked him. He was fancy and he taught her how to french braid her hair. 

“Money!” Spinner pointed out as he sharpened his swords. Stupid Stain fanboy that played dress-up games with her all of dinner yesterday. She was half convinced that everyone here was just a weirdo because this was a freak show.

“A gun through her fucking head if she doesn’t shut up,” Tenko said, scratching his beck. He had been with Maiki last night, and Aimi should’ve teased him nonstop, but she didn’t. That was too much to deal with, and Aimi was tired. “Get to work, brat.”

Twice shook his head. “I was thinking a boyfriend! Or girlfriend ! Shigaraki can pick what she wants! Lesbian .” Aimi blinked at Twice’s words. That man just yapped sometimes, and Aimi just pretended to ignore him. Aimi liked boys. Boys and their faces sometimes looked nice. Girls were beautiful, with their glossed lips and curves. It wasn’t lesbian, it was just girl things.

“It’s like a shit show here,” Dabi grumbled, cracking his neck. He shrugged his shoulders as everyone stared at him. “Stop talking and do the job we were told to do. It’s like a fucking slumber party. Are we gonna paint our fucking nails and sing stupid karaoke?” 

“You’d enjoy it, wouldn’t you?” Aimi grumbled, tilting her head at her knife. She was given one with the assumption that she wouldn’t harm herself. Aimi felt like a toddler. “I’m sorry, that was mean.”

“Did you have to dye your hair in the bathroom?” Spinner complained. He huffed, raising his hands. They were dyed green. Aimi’s hair had begun to lose color. It was slowly turning into this grayish-white color. She wanted to cry. She was slowly looking like a corpse, and she couldn’t stop it. Aimi swallowed. Her hair was green now, and she knew it didn’t look good. “My hands have been dyed this color for days now.”

“Stop complaining,” Mr Compress grumbled, ruffling her hair. He gave Spinner a look. “We have a job to do.”

Maiki shrugged. She was coming along. She knew a ton about the kids in Yuuei, almost as much as Yuuga. She missed her best friend. She also missed that little druggie she used to hang out with. Last she heard, Hikaru was closer to Shibuya now. Weirdo. “Yeah, because Ten— Tomura’s so good at plans.”

Aimi was going to pretend she didn’t notice the way Tenko, Dabi, and Maiki all shared this really uncomfortable look. Did they all know each other or something? Well, obviously, they knew each other. But it was different. 

Aimi was nosy. Chismosa , as Maiki would put it.

Aimi hadn’t told Maiki about the visit with Kikotei. She’d probably give her that look. She was never outwardly disappointed with Aimi. She was just sad. She would give her this look like she wanted to put her in her bag and never put her down. Aimi was glad she had Maiki Jin in her life, and she meant it. 

“Okay, children,” Kurogiri warned. He sighed, opening a portal. He gave them all this look, almost like he wanted to scold them some more. Aimi blinked sweetly, resting her head on Toga’s shoulder. “One by one.”

Everyone filed into a line like a bunch of toddlers. Aimi kicked Tenko’s shin. He touched her hair, and Aimi could feel the color draining from her hair. Tenko didn’t kill her when he touched her. She just was reminded of the family she didn’t know.

She didn’t know their parents.

She didn’t know Hana.

And Aimi was sure she didn’t know Tenko either.

They emerged in the woods, just like Yuuga said they would. She really hated the woods. One time, Tenko and Aimi tried to find each other in the woods. The boss said it was to destroy some codependency they had growing up. Aimi wasn’t codependent on Tenko. He was an asshole.

Her favorite asshole.

Fucking cunt. 

She had been forced to monitor Big Sis Magne and Spinner. She really wanted to have fun, like Toga and Twice. They always had fun things to do. She had to keep her phone on, so Tenko could make sure she wasn’t having a fit.

She had these sometimes if you weren’t caught up. 

She sat in a tree, kicking her feet. Aimi sighed. This training camp must’ve been so boring without the villains attacking. What would they do here anyway? Did they talk about heroes they wanted to be like? Did they share their hopes and dreams? Aimi hated people like that. People thought they were so much better than others just because they were going to be able to achieve their dreams. Aimi didn’t have those, so she never understood why she was so jealous all the time. 

She flinched as she heard a loud rumble. Big Sis Magne heard it too, judging by the way her lips curled into a concerned sneer. “Don't tell me that little kid is more powerful than him. In that case...this child must be put down!”

The green-haired boy. Izuku Midoriya. Yuuga admired him. Tenko had spoken with him while they were at the mall. Stain hadn’t killed him for some reason. Aimi always thought Stain was a freak with an All Might fetish anyway. Someone should definitely check that guy’s hard drive. 

Spinner stopped Magne from harming Midoriya. Lame as fuck. 

“What the hell was that for, Spinner? He was on the priority kill list!” Aimi’s eyes widened as she watched the pros scramble to stop her comrades. She couldn’t let herself be seen. No one exactly knew what Cupid looked like anyway, unless they were incredibly perceptive, that is. 

She liked being hidden away.

Aimi could do whatever she wanted without people questioning her. There was a tiny voice in the back of her head, muttering something about how men like Kikotei Antantaru liked girls like that. 

“Shigaraki's the one who wants him dead,” Spinner pointed out. Aimi was tempted to slap him with the blunt end of his sword. “ But that boy is someone Stain wished to save, which means he was deemed worthy of being called a true hero. If Stain spared him, then—” Spinner attacked with his sword “  —about time I got a solid hit in.”   Aimi clapped her hands together, whistling a bit. 

Someone saw her.

She turned her head, only to see Yuuga’s big blue eyes blinking at her. She waved, and he gave her a shaky thumbs up. She really loved that really flamboyant boy. 

Aimi learned to kiss boys when she was little. Her quirk developed a little after the Boss took them in. He asked if she had a quirk, and Aimi hadn’t even realized it, but she had charmed four people before talking to the Boss. She could get whatever she wanted.

All she needed to do was kill herself over and over again.

Tenko got the better quirk. He could kill with his touch, making him immune to her quirk. Aimi couldn’t kill with her quirk. She needed to learn how to kill with her bare hands. Men liked girls with attitudes, so Aimi never was mean unless she had to. She would never do anything for a man.

There would be moments when she would sit in the bathtub, wrists split open, and wonder if that’s all she was born for. Men were like animals, savages if you will. So long as Aimi was young and batted her eyelashes enough, she could do whatever she wanted.

You can’t stop what you can never touch.

So she promised that no one could ever touch her again.

Kikotei Antantaru likes little girls.

There were probably signs, but girls like her were blind. You spend so much time with your walls up that you fail to remember the horrors from which you came. Aimi let him know her, intimately , might she add. 

Tainted kisses turned into missing days. She wasn’t sure what was happening anymore, but she needed it. Aimi wanted to be torn apart. The further the situation went, the better she felt about herself. Or so she liked to tell herself. 

Can you really be a victim when you encourage him?

When you begged him to lick you clean?

When you let revenge on your drunken body, tearing you apart from the inside and out?

Aimi couldn’t remember much. She had taken drugs she didn’t know the name of, ruining herself for the perception of a man who didn’t love her for her personality. He loved that she contained the youth he no longer had access to. 

Maybe that was a silly observation, but he was her only perception of love. She was way too young to be messed with. Thirteen with eyes the color of doll clothes.  

The plan was going great. Aimi was there for moral support, after all. She remained with Dabi, who was probably babysitting. Aimi stared at the girl he was talking to. A girl with curlyish red hair that fell around her face. She was naturally pretty, the kind of girl Kikotei worshiped. 

Aimi wanted to know what her head would look like on a stick. 

“Hello, little American,” Dabi rasped, tilting his head. Aimi watched the girl flinch. “Handjob said you’d be alone. He was right.” Did Tenko know her? Was this someone they had to kidnap?

“If you’re going to kill me, do it quickly,” the girl mumbled, putting her hands up. Dabi looked genuinely confused for a moment. “I’m being serious.”

“God, are you high or something? I’m not helping you commit assisted suicide.” Dabi stepped closer to her, just as she stepped back. He blinked at her. “Just run or something.”

The girl turned on her heel, running away. She was weird. Aimi kind of liked her. She was beautiful, especially crying. Her tears were framing her eyes. Everything about this girl was beautiful, and Aimi really hated it. She really, really did. 

“You’re staring at her,” Dabi pointed out, lighting part of the forest on fire. Aimi shrugged. “There’s shit about you that would make a Victorian child lose their minds.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She grumbled, frowning a little. 

“God, you are so fucking gay, hellspawn. It’s amazing how you haven’t figured that out yet.” Aimi just stared at the flames. She wasn’t gay. God, how many times did she have to tell people that? “Congrats on coming out.”

“I’m not coming out,” Aimi whispered. 

They left the camp with no casualties. They had the blond boy in their grasp. Aimi stared at the pearl of the boy, fiddling with it. She was amazed. She heard from Toga that the red-haired girl was a victim of some sort of violence. Her mannerisms were similar to that of a puppy kicked too many times. 

Fiona Chiyoko.

Her name sounded hypnotic. 

Aimi lay on the couch, as Toga and Twice worked to tie their latest victim up. She felt strange. She stared at her phone, where Yuuga’s texts weren’t going through. Gay? Aimi? They didn’t fit in the same sentence. She had spent so much time with a man, that she forgot how to be a girl. 

Aimi opened a new tab on her phone and typed in an ‘am i a lesbian quiz’ into the search bar. This was just to prove a point. She wasn’t gay. Girls were pretty, but men were…well...they were there. That didn’t make her some sort of lesbian. She wasn’t a lesbian.

She fiddled with her tongue piercing as Toga rested her head on Aimi’s lap. It was always so intimate with them, but Aimi was happy to see Himiko Toga. After a long night of kidnapping ugly boys, this was exactly what she needed.

However, what she didn’t need is a picture of a lesbian flag staring back at her with the words: ‘congrats on being a lesbian’ written underneath.  She swallowed. Toga snuggled closer, and she put her phone down. Aimi ran her hand through Toga’s hair and wondered what it would be like to kiss a girl.

She wondered what it would be like to kiss someone she really loved.

She offered Toga her hand, allowing her to sink her teeth into the already bruised flesh. Toga did so with a smile. It was gentle, sweet. It was good to know. Aimi closed her eyes, and let her mind wander. Wander to Himiko Toga’s soft lips against her palm. Her eyes. She left her mind think of Himiko fucking Toga.

Chapter Text

The news was in shambles. They were hell-bent on finding this weird blond boy. Toga was allowed to be in the room since her face was on the news. Aimi either had to hide her face, or just hide in general. She wanted to be involved. Everyone else sucked so badly. 

She wore a mask and hood. Her eyes had contacts in, which was easy for her. She was not going to reveal herself. Aimi was good at lying, at secrets. She was a secret. The League’s little secret weapon. Kikotei’s secret child bride. She was miserable. 

“Isn’t that strange?” Tenko mused, tilting his head. He turned off the television. The Yuuei press conference was still on, and all Aimi could think about was the kids who hadn’t realized that everything was going to shit. She found it funny. Heroes were useless creatures. “The heroes are becoming the bad guys. Seems like they're not dealing with this very well at all. So much criticism. But everyone makes a mistake or two, right? It's not like they're supposed to be perfect.”

Heroes were losers.

Fucking freaks of nature. 

“Modern-day heroes sure have it rough. Don't you think, Bakugo?”

The blond boy’s expression soured. He would have been so pretty if he wasn’t so angry. It made him ugly. Tenko kidnapped someone ugly, how embarrassing was that?

Spinner rolled his eyes. “Once a hero receives payment to protect people, they aren't a real hero anymore. That's what Stain's actions taught us.” Yeah, but All Might was a loser. If Aimi was a hero, she would cash in all the money she had made. She didn’t give two shits about Stain’s ideology. She thought he was useless anyway. Maiki got stabbed because of that freak, like oh brother. Give it a rest, gay boy. 

“A hero in this current system only cares about money and glory. And since society buys into those idiotic rules, anyone deemed a loser is shoved aside. So, we want to pose some questions.” Tenko smirked under their father’s hand. Aimi sat on the bar, fiddling with Toga’s hair. “What is a hero? What is justice? Is this society truly fair? Soon, everyone will be asking. That's when we'll know we've won. And you like winning. Don't you?”

Tenko had been working on his notes. Bakugo won the Yuuei Sports Festival. He was first and had to be tied to the podium. It was like he was rapid or something. What a freak! Aimi would have gagged if that was her boyfriend. (Aimi didn’t know if she liked boys anyway) 

Bakugo growled, tugging on his restraints. Aimi snorted. Compress touched her shoulder, though she knew he was also laughing. She loved Compress. Dabi stepped forward, about to harm Bakugo. She would’ve loved to see that. The boy seemed smitten about someone, too smitten. Was he in love?

“I think he’s in love,” Aimi whispered to Toga, who jumped.

“Who do you think?” She asked, running her fingernail down the class photo of Class 1-A. Aimi narrowed her eyes, before pointing at Fiona Chiyoko. She had smelled it on the girl. The hunger of love, the stabbing pain of unrequited love, or rather, a miscommunicated love. “Really? I was thinking more of Izuku.”

“Maybe he’s bisexual,” Aimi mumbled. She glanced back at the boy, who growled at her again. “Yeah, definitely bisexual.”

Tenko looked like he wanted to tell them to shut up but caught herself. “Dabi, let him go.”

Dabi blinked. “You know he'll just fight.”

Tenko sighed. He really wanted to beat the shit out of Dabi right now. “It's fine. We're recruiting him, so we should treat him as an equal. Besides, he's smart enough to know he can't take us all, right? After all, Yuuei students are so clever.” Bakugo’s eyes were wide with frustration. He also seemed…scared.  Tenko snapped.“Hey, Twice. You do it.”

Poor Twice, Aimi thought as the man stalked toward Bakugo. “Sure thing! No way. Do it. Oh, man.” He whimpered a bit as he undid the restraints. Bakugo blinked, rubbing his wrists. Huh, maybe he really was just ugly? Weren’t his parents fashion designers or something? They birthed a face only a mother could really love.

Compress sighed, sounding almost a little apologetic. “I do apologize for such forceful methods. But please understand that we aren't some kind of unruly mob committing crimes without a third act in mind.” He fiddled with his gloves. “We didn't kidnap you by accident.”

Tenko nodded, standing up. Aimi watched Bakugo tense up. He was mortified. He should be. He saw what Tenko did to their pathetic teacher back at the USJ. Eraserhead, every teen girl dreams for some reason. Her nail tech was in love with him. He’s ugly. Good God , he’s the worst looking man she’d ever seen. “Even though our backgrounds are different, everyone here has suffered. Because of people. Rules. And heroes who try to hold us back. I'm sure you're the same.”

Bakugo nodded before attacking Twice. Toga and Aimi jumped up, ready to put him down. Magne put her hand out. The girls stopped, seething. 

I'm done listening to your endless talking. Can you not get to the point, or do you just like your own voice? Basically, what you're saying is you wanna cause some trouble and you want me to join you.” Everyone looked around. Didn’t they just explain this to him? Was he hard of hearing or something? God, Yuuei had a bunch of idiots enrolled.  “Well, screw you. I like to win.” Oh, okay. Stupid All Might fanboy. They should’ve kidnapped that Fiona girl. She was much more fun looking than this freak. God, wrap it up , All Might dickrider. “I wanna win just like All Might. No matter what you have to offer me, that will never change, do you understand?”

Aimi could just spell him and everything would be fine, but no, everyone wanted to kidnap him the proper way. 

“I’ll never learn your league of bastards.”

Aimi felt offended by that, actually. She even put a hand on her chest. 

Bakugo looked calculated. Shit. He was starting to figure out he’s important to the League. Why weren’t there any stupid powerful kids in that stupid school? Aimi kind of wanted to bash her head into the wall. Everyone was trying to figure out what to even do. Aimi could just, you know, kill him.

It would’ve made this whole thing a lot easier. 

“A clever performer would've acted like we were winning him over. Now that he's broken, he's finished.” Aimi snorted, earning a playful flick to her head from Dabi. 

 Bakugo rolled his eyes. “I only do whatever I want to, and I won't even pretend otherwise. And I'm tired of being surrounded by a bunch of lame-ass wannabes.”

Tenko stared at their father’s hand that had now clattered to the ground. Aimi wanted to scream loudly. She wanted to claw Bakugo’s face off. 

“I wish you would've listened to what I had to say. I thought you and I could come to an understanding. Then I have no choice. The heroes said they'd continue their investigation of our group, so we don't have time to stand here and talk.” He pointed to Aimi, pointing for her to leave. She blinked. He glanced at Kurogiri, who was already making a portal. Magne gave her a sad look before pushing her through.

Falling.

Kurogiri’s portals felt like a rollercoaster with the way they made her stomach churn. She hated it so much. Her face made a crunching sound as she collapsed. Her hands were scuffed up, and she was bleeding from her knees. She spit out some gravel, blinking a little. Aimi looked around. She was in the back alleys a few blocks away from the hideout. She checked her phone. She had a message from Dabi.

ash baby ( ꩜ ᯅ ꩜;) 

hand job has this little mission for u

this was plan b

what’s plan b??????

ash baby ( ꩜ ᯅ ꩜;) 

you.

stupid idiot.

you’re plan b.

Yeah, wow, so fucking helpful. Isn’t her friend so kind to her? Aimi screamed into her hands. Another message, from Tenko. Tenko rarely texted her unless it was to yell at her.

idiot brother ♡

act clueless.

u need to act like a helpless victim. 

there are handcuffs under the dumpster

make urself bleed

look pathetic

u need to act like i’ve kept u captive for the last ten years of ur life

hey! what the fuck

idiot brother ♡

just do it

master’s orders

this sounds like bdsm sexting

idiot brother ♡

nevermind i hope u die

doing the plan

blahblahblah

Aimi was a professional at harming herself if it wasn’t obvious enough.  She pulled out the knife she was given, sliding down the alleyway. Aimi took the knife, dragging it against her porcelain skin. Blood seeped from the wounds, and all she could think about was the girl she left alone in the hideout.

Then she heard the explosion. Two of them. The heroes were there. The heroes were in her room. The heroes had her brother. They had Tenko. She wanted to go back. She took the knife, ramming it into her thigh. She screamed into her palm. Aimi stared at the blood, taking in how her nervous system was working in fucking overdrive. 

She needed to look fucked up. She took her mask,  grabbing the lighter from her pocket. She stared at the dumpster, tossing the mask inside. She leaned over, limping because of her fucked up leg. She set the entire dumpster on fire.

Aimi ran her hand down her face, rubbing blood and dirt in her makeup. She pressed the sharp of the knife against her forearms, staring at her dozens of scars. Kikotei would want her just like this. Kikotei liked little girls. Kikotei liked her. 

Another portal opened up, catching her off guard. She stumbled to the ground just as she finished putting on her handcuffs. Someone picked up the knife, pressing the blade to her tongue. It was Toga, though she looked winded.

Behind them, a man was talking. The man with the voice she barely remembered. Tenko knew him better than she did. He knew his voice, his habits, even his name. That was All For One, their boss, and their master.  When Aimi was young, she remembered a man who brought Tenko gifts. He didn’t talk much to her, and he rarely brought her things unless Tenko asked. But he cared for her, just as much as Tenko did. He would compliment her quirk usage. Master told her how to use her power against anyone, not just the opposite sex. 

Bakugo was beside her. She was bleeding heavily. Everything felt weird. She was losing blood, and losing it fast. She coughed again. Bakugo was staring at her, green hair and pink eyes unnatural. She swayed on her feet before the ground swallowed her whole again. 

Falling.

Falling.

This wasn’t Kurogiri’s portal. This portal dumped her on the street. The Nomu were around her. She could hear them. She felt sick. The man in front of her touched her head. He was muttering under his breath as Aimi’s eyes unfocused. 

“Who are you?” he asked her, and Aimi’s coughing grew louder. She swayed as she grabbed at the man’s arms. Aimi’s eyes rolled back into her head. 

Huh, what was happening? Was she dying? Boss was killing her. Boss was ridding her of her life for the sake of keeping Tenko alive.

Chapter Text

Growing up, she had believed she was invincible. No one could touch what they couldn’t catch. Legally, she was dead. Legally, she died alongside her big sister, and her parents, and all her other family members. There was no Shimura family left to question. Their grandmother was a hero, like all losers with capes do. She just left them to die, or at least, that’s what her brother used to tell her.

Their father didn’t like Tenko much. She heard stories from her brother when he was drunk or upset, muttering to the hand who fed him years ago. He sounded insane to her. Ever since he acquired the hand of their father (abuser), Tenko changed. 

Aimi changed too. 

She blinked, her eyes wide. Aimi opened her mouth, her own voice ringing through her head. She wanted to lie down again, but she was already laying down. So, what’s happening? Was she dying? Oh my God, was she already dead? Aimi hadn’t expected herself to die this early on. 

“You’re awake,” a woman whispered. She was shorter than the average woman, and she was old. Like really old. It bugged Aimi just a bit. “You’ve got some serious injuries. You even had a mild concussion, poor thing.” Aimi had no recollection of ever hitting her head.  Wait, wasn’t that how concussions worked anyway?

“What?” was all she managed. She sat up, touching her hair in a panic. It was brown again. She had just had green and white hair when she fell asleep last time. Had she zoned out? That tended to happen. Her brain caused her to blank out sometimes, and her memories were mushed into a little box in the back of her demented head. “Who…huh…why?” 

The woman chuckled. She was tiny, and incredibly old. Aimi wasn’t used to seeing older people. The oldest person in her life was that broker guy that sent Dabi and Toga her way. She adjusted her goggles. “You poor girl. You caused quite the scene. We had to keep you tucked away for a bit. Do you remember anything before your fall, missy?”

“Burning,” she said, tilting her head in confusion. Her hands had littles burnt scabs, but it wasn’t serious. Aimi looked around. White rooms, white blankets, and the disgusting smell of peroxide. They had taken her to a fancy hospital. She needed to get out. Aimi went to take the iv from her arm, but the woman stopped her. “Let me go.”

“You’re a kidnapping victim, Miss Shimura. Are you aware of that?”

Oh crap . Was that the big plane? Aimi was tired anyway. She had heard all about that little detective and his stupid lie detector quirk, so she would feign fear of men. This wasn’t Aimi’s first rodeo, if you haven’t already  noticed. 

“That’s not my name-” She began, starting to hyperventilate. This was real. She wasn’t a Shimura anymore, was she? Was she even a Shigaraki? Was Aimi just a bunch of names strung together, in a terrible attempt to put her back together again? “Who are you?” Aimi was really panicking, and it was weird. She never felt this much. Regarding emotions, Aimi either felt everything at once, or absolutely nothing. “Don’t say that.”

The older woman nodded, sighing. “You poor girl. Tortured and abused for fifteen years. You must be exhausted.” Huh? Aimi’s chest burned as she took deep breath after deep breath. “A survivor of the Shimura Massacre, and the sole victim of Tomura Shigaraki.”

Victim of Tomura Shigaraki?

Aimi was her brother’s victim?

This was the stupidest plan she had ever heard. She was supposed to play the victim, and Aimi was incapable of acting useless. She wasn’t some crybaby bitch. That wasn’t who she was. Everyone was stupid. Aimi blinked at the woman. 

“That’s me.” it wasn’t her at all. She yawned, closing one eye so she could understand what was happening. She tapped her pockets. No phone. Fuck. either it got smashed, or someone had made sure to take it off her corpse. Tenko had created the worst plan ever, and there was no way they were getting away with it. “Am I free?”

“You poor girl, he can no longer harm you.”

 Yeah, because Tenko was totally the person who had caused her the most harm. Aimi would’ve rolled her eyes if she wasn’t so drugged up right now. She blinked at the woman, closing her eyes, and throwing her head back. God, she was exhausted. 

“I’m Detective Tsukauchi,” the man said. Aimi stared at him. She was wearing that stupid hospital gown still, and she smelled like antiseptic still. Seriously, she had washed her hair seven times, and it still reeked. Aimi chewed on her bottom lip. It had been two days since she ended up in this stupid incident. “I just want to talk to you.”

Aimi wanted this man to die.

“I’m going to start by asking your name, is that alright with you?” Aimi nodded. She raised an eyebrow as the man clasped his hands together. “Your name is Aimi Shimura, correct?” Just nod. The man narrowed his eyes. He wrote something down on a paper and continued on. “Now, Shimura, can you tell me about your brother, Tomura Shigaraki?”

“He’s older than me,” Aimi said, looking directly at the man. With cops, you have to make eye contact.. You have to prove you aren’t scared of them. Stupid Cupid, Kikotei would probably say to her, don’t let them know you before you introduce yourself . “Taller. Temperamental.” 

The detective nodded, jotting down more notes. Aimi was getting away with it, probably. Just keep talking, don’t touch your face, and don’t show any signs of being a whiny little— “Shimura, you do realize you’ve been missing for almost fourteen years. No sign of your birth other than the obituary from when your entire family was murdered either. You're at a loose end in your family history, you do realize this right?” Aimi blinked at him, one eye slowly closing as she ignored his words. She was young when her family was murdered by Tenko, she was well aware of the event. This detective kind of sucked ass. “I just want to know something, and you’re allowed to deny answering the question. I want to know why your brother kept you captive, Shimura.”

“I am a hazard to myself and others.” It came out before she could even process what was happening. “I survived the massacre, but I can’t remember anything after. I remember the cage, four walls and it smelled like weed. It constantly smelled like weed. I could dress up, and do my hair, but I couldn’t leave. I couldn’t run. I was trapped .” Aimi hadn’t even thought like that before, but the words just spilled out. “I don’t know what he intended on doing with me, but I was a problem.”

The detective gave her a sympathetic expression. Bingo . He stood up, sighing. “In the meantime, we’re keeping you under surveillance. This is a precaution just to make sure you aren’t being hunted.” Or with the League of Villains was left unsaid. 

Aimi had just lied to the police. 

God, she really was a criminal.

 Midnight. Aimi knew everything about her. She had a quirk similar to hers, and she loved how incredible her usage of femininity was. Aimi was always in awe of her. The woman had come to see her. She was Aimi’s surveillance. 

Aimi couldn’t stop staring at her. It wasn’t real. This whole situation wasn’t real. “You’re a cutie,” Midnight said, poking her nose. Aimi closed the coloring book she had been given. She was in awe. “You must have been really scared, huh, sweetheart?” Aimi couldn’t even blink. “I’m Midnight, if you didn’t already know.”

“I know who you are,” Aimi said, barely opening her mouth. She licked her chapped lips, swallowing nervously. “Are you my court ordered supervisor?” Midnight laughed. She was in civilian clothing, and she looked nice. Wow, this was actually happening. But deep inside her chest, there was the reminder that Aimi was doing this because her brother said so. Aimi missed him. She missed that asshole so much it was driving her insane. How were Dabi and Jin doing? Was Toga still free? 

“I’m more of a court ordered guardian , sweetheart.” Midnight gave her a smile, and tucked a strand of rogue strand of hair behind Aimi’s ear. This felt oddly intimate, and it was driving Aimi insane. “You’re like my personal sidekick, isn’t that cute?”

Oh my god.

This was real. Her head was spinning as she offered Midnight a crayon. The older woman laughed as they colored a page in her book. It felt nice. She felt like a kid for a second, however that was supposed to feel like. Aimi felt stable. Was that the right word for that?

Kikotei was released that night. She found out from the burner phone she was gifted by one of the nurses with connections with Tenko. Her brother had sent her a long paragraph, explaining how they needed another spy in Yuuei, because Yuuga wasn’t doing a good job. Plus, she wasn’t even legally alive so it was a perfect tactic. They couldn’t trace crimes back to her, and she was also a perfect liar. 

She spent all night wondering about Kikotei’s status. Would he come and save her, just like he promised? She vaguely remembered a drunk promise on the night they’d had sex for the first time. He’d promised to save her whenever she was in danger. Aimi was in danger now, so would he come and rescue her. 

Would he come and save her? All Aimi wanted was to go home and feel normal again. Everything about her was so weird, like her brain couldn’t process any kind of emotion without shattering. She covered her mouth, knowing damn well there were no cameras or audio in her room. They couldn’t do that to her. Something about it being immoral. She had asked Midnight before she left. She just wanted privacy. Aimi missed her bedroom. Tears streamed down her face as she moved to text her brother, who was surprisingly already messaging her first. 

idiot brother ♡

brat…

how are u?

fine

i miss u

is that weird to say

idiot brother ♡

i don’t know, and i genuinely don’t care.

right…

i’m staying with midnight

crazy right

idiot brother ♡

not the hero we were aiming for, but good job.

are they feeding u enough?

did they give u clothes?

kurogiri would kill me if i didn’t ask.

they feed me enough.

i leave the hospital tomorrow

is there anyway u could see me during my checkup or something

i miss the league

idiot brother ♡

u need to focus on ur mission, aimi.

i’ll pull some strings, but i’m not a yakuza boss.

just stay safe, okay?

i’ll stay safe, ten.

i always do. 

Aimi almost typed the words ‘i love u’ before she wiped her face. He wouldn’t leave her for dead, nor would Kikotei. Why did her brain keep going back to that man? Her feelings were on a high, and it felt uncomfortable. Aimi stared at the ceiling before getting up from her bed. She tucked the flip phone into her bra. She walked toward the corner of the room, sitting on the cold hospital floor. She yanked the coloring book toward her and began to color.

Sometimes, she sought after things that made her feel better about herself. Other times, Aimi dug her own grave. She was a tornado, pulling everything into herself. 

She stared at the coloring sheet that displayed Hello Kitty on the beach. She turned on the little nightlight they had given her. It was shaped like a balloon. Aimi took out a pink crayon and got to work. She was alone, completely, and utterly alone. And for some odd reason, she fucking hated it.

Chapter Text

Kikotei Antantaru came into her life the day after her twelfth birthday. He was a quiet man, with long hair and no sign of a beard. He had blue eyes. His eyes reminded Aimi of the ocean. She used to hate the beach, but then Kikotei took her there whenever she wanted to. It was like she had someone who let her do whatever she wanted, and never once did she have to worry about her big brother.

She could be her own person.

Aimi Suzuki and her impulsive behaviors, something Kikotei had grown to love. He would run his hand through her hair, tracing scars on her bare thighs like it was the most incredible thing in the world. She wasn’t incredible, and she wasn’t all that lovely to look at. 

Tenko liked to say she looked the most like Hana. 

Kikotei would kiss her moles, every single one that was raised with scars she had caused herself. Aimi would drink whatever Kikotei gave her, lashes fluttering shut when the chemicals hit her brain. She was so broken, with her hands gripping the toilet and her headaches that never quite went away. She let herself drown in an ocean that belonged to a man twice her age. 

She loved him, as all girls love their first boyfriends. She cried when he wasn’t around, when he disappeared for weeks, and she tore her flesh apart so that he would kiss her more when he came back. Aimi wasn’t crazy, but maybe love made her crazy. She wasn’t sure anymore. 

Midnight asked her if she had ever kissed anyone. It was small talk sure, but Aimi couldn’t tell the woman the kind of man she was enamoured with. He would be in trouble if she opened her mouth, but it wasn’t that he was some sort of rapist or anything. Sure, she cried a couple of times when he put it in, but she just wasn’t used to it. She grew used to it, and how her body stopped feeling real the fourth time he went down on her. 

“You don’t talk much, kiddo,” Midnight said, touching her head. Aimi was dressed, dolled up once more. Her lashes were gently curled and pinched together, and her hair was combed out, placed into a half up-half down style. She looked pretty, and she dreaded what Kikotei would think if he saw her like this. She looked like a broken doll, with her burns from the fire barely hidden under expertly placed gauze. You had to look to see her imperfections, but Aimi didn’t let people know her like that. The less people that knew what she was like, the better it was for everyone. “I won’t bite, I promise.”

“I know you won’t,” Aimi said, folding her blanket. She tucked her flip phone into her bra, humming to herself. Midnight was supposed to leave any minute now, so that the nurses could come and make sure she was healthy enough to leave. 

“Check up time,” a nurse sang, clicking her pen. She stared at Midnight, looking down the hall. The familiar chatter of the detective from last time met Aimi’s ears. “A detective is looking for you, miss. I’ll take good care of your ward.”

Midnight narrowed her eyes before nodding. 

Once Midnight was out of an earshot, the skin of the nurse began to bubble. Himiko Toga grinned at her, clapping her hands together. “Hi, Shigaraki! I was dying to visit you, but your brother is so boring. He kept saying that you would probably be really upset but you look so pretty.” Toga touched her cheek, and Aimi hated how her body instantly welcomed the touch. The ‘am i a lesbian’ quiz results lingered her mind, and it was driving her insane all over again. “I’m so happy I could see you.”

Aimi blinked, remembering her words. “I’m so happy to see you too,” she whispered, tears bubbling in her throat. “Did Tenko give you my new number, Toga?” Toga nodded, sticking her tongue out. “Okay, just wondering is all. You should probably go because I doubt Midnight’s gonna be gone very long.”

Toga shook her head, sighing. She gently ran her thumb over Aimi’s lips, causing the girl to shiver. “Don’t call me Toga, I think we’re passed that, silly.” Toga pressed her lips together, licking them. Toga looked around the room, pressing a quick kiss to Aimi’s cheek. It was quick, and it was friendly. All girls do that to their friends, hell, Aimi’s kissed Yuuga’s cheek a billion times before. She even did it to that druggie boy with the angel wing scars. Hikaru was his name, or whatever. 

Toga left her standing in the room with wide eyes and a tingling feeling in her cheek. Aimi wanted to chase after her. Come on, don’t leave me . It couldn’t be that easy right? Aimi had been so excited to see Toga— Himiko’s face, she hadn’t given herself a minute to grieve the fact she would probably never see them again.

Hold me, console me . . . and then Himiko left without a trace. 

Midnight’s apartment was nice. It was clean and there was no smell of weed anywhere. Aimi was allowed to do whatever she wanted in this home, just so long as she told Midnight wherever she went. It made her feel trapped because at least with Tenko, he let her roam free. Incidentally, Aimi just traded one prison for another.

Ironic, wasn’t it?

She sat on the couch, tapping her thighs. There had been cameras outside of the hospital, begging to see her. They wanted to know about how poor little Aimi Shimura survived being trapped. Aimi only pretended to wipe tears from her eyes as they left the hospital, but for some reason, she really was sad. Was it because Himiko had left? Was it because she missed her brother? Aimi had never considered her relationship with Tenko to be like the usual sibling relationship you often saw in the media, but still, she missed him.

“You can call me Nemuri, if you’d like, or even Kayama.” Aimi looked up, blinking at the hero. She hated how she felt attached to her already. Was it because she was ill in the head, or was it because she had never had a mother? “You don’t have to call me Midnight the entire time.”

It wasn’t that Aimi didn’t want to sound polite. It was that she didn’t know how to process what was happening. She was in a hero’s apartment, she was with a hero, fuck, she was a god damn hostage. Aimi felt like shit. 

“I’ll stick to Midnight,” Aimi said. She stared at the ground. “Can I go to my room?” Midnight’s eyes widened and she gave a slight nod. With shaking hands, Aimi closed the door to her new bedroom. She slumped against the door,  clutching her chest. Her mind felt like mush as she pressed her eyes to her knees. 

Aimi saw stars as she shook. Usually, Aimi could call Kikotei. She could tell him how she felt, and she did just that. She slowly removed the phone from her bra, slowly dialing Kikotei’s old number. Aimi could feel her heart sinking. 

“Kikotei…?”

Silence. 

“Please…I need to talk to you…”

The phone rang, and the call went through. “Aimi?” Her heart fell. She shouldn’t talk to him, she really shouldn’t. Her hands shook as she ran a hand through her perfectly combed hair. Her breathing was fast and she couldn’t stop shaking. “Hi, baby. Can you tell me what’s happening?”

“I can’t breathe .” It was becoming increasingly harder for her to speak. She crawled closer to the window, shutting the blinds. Her body was vibrating almost. Aimi clutched the phone like it was her saving grace. “I don’t remember how.”

Kikotei’s voice was gentle. He was always so gentle with her. “Okay, princess, open your mouth. I want you to suck in the air, okay?” Aimi did as she was told, her tears coming harder and harder. Thank God for her impenetrable makeup base. “Good, now, blow it out. Keep doing that.”

After a while, she could breathe again. Aimi laughed, wiping tears from her cheeks. “Thank you.” She looked up at the ceiling, her heart beating in her chest. She was so confused. Could someone be confused about who they were all the time? Who was Aimi Shimura, hell, if she knew. “How are you?”

“I’m good. Heard something happened with the League of Villains,” Kikotei said, adjusting himself. He was in his room, Aimi sensed it. She knew him better than herself on most days. A little girl and her boyfriend, the kind of stuff that made people cringe, but she loved him. “Are you safe? I just—I need to know you’re okay.”

“I’m safe.” She could hear his smile. “I’m okay, my love.” She hated the way she gagged. She hated how she felt. Kikotei liked to call her dove. Doves are pure, untainted. His little dove, with her white hair and pink eyes. She had a dove necklace around her neck, and assorted dove jewelry. He got them for her every birthday since she was twelve. 

Tenko was wrong. This kind of relationship…it worked. She was loved. He loved her. 

“I missed you.”

Aimi lay down on her bed, tears streaming from her face. She pressed the phone to her lips, lipstick staining the keypad. “I love you, Kikotei.” She meant it. She really fucking meant it.

Chapter Text

You would think she learned from her mistakes, but Aimi was stubborn. She had slept the rest of the day, dreaming of Kikotei and their shared moments. The moments she couldn’t remember due to the drugs and the drinks and the sex. She missed him, but she knew she couldn’t be with him right now. 

She had a mission. Aimi was never one to give up on her brother. He was all she had left. Kikotei was there, yes, but she couldn’t do much. She was one of those girls that got back with their exes. She had gotten back with him before, multiple times in fact. She was embarrassed, wasn’t she?

Aimi made bad decisions when she felt sad. It was like everything in her life was shattered and slowly, everything was unraveling. Whenever the world felt like that, usually, she could just lie in bed until everything felt better. She couldn’t do that here. 

Aimi wasn’t sure how to feel here. It was too perfect. Everyone was happy, there was fresh food. Aimi didn’t smell weed when she woke up first thing in the morning. There was no Kurogiri to remind her to drink water, there was no Tenko to tease her; she was alone. 

She stared up at the ceiling, wondering if this was how the rest of her life would play out. She would wake up, do her hair, and live the life of the people she despised. Aimi pressed her lips together. She would die alone. 

“Hey, Aimi,” Midnight stuck her head through the doorway. “I’m going out today, and you’re coming with me.”

Aimi was forced to look pretty as Midnight dragged her into different stores. She bought Aimi clothes, makeup, anything really. Then she bought Aimi a phone. Aimi didn’t trust it. She only put Midnight’s number in. It felt odd. She didn’t want to do this. She stared at her nearly painted nails, and her shoes without scuffs. Aimi didn’t look like she used to. 

Her hair was slowly turning back to white. Midnight tried dying it, but it didn’t work. The pieces just kept coming back. She wondered if it was because of Tenko. Did his quirk mess up her hair? She missed her big brother. She would probably never tell him that. 

She looked down as Midnight led her through the mall. People narrowed their eyes, wondering who she was. Aimi wondered that all the time. Was Aimi a person or just a concept? A villain’s little sister, or Cupid. Sometimes, you couldn’t tell the difference. Aimi couldn’t even tell the difference. 

Aimi looked at the store she went to, when Tenko was threatening that Deku kid. The man met her gaze, and he marched out. Midnight had walked away, jumping at the chance to meet a few fans. Aimi felt herself get pinned against the wall of the break room. She glared at the man. He had his hand against her hip, pushing her further into the white wall. 

“You come back, rob me, and expect me to move on?” the man whispered into Aimi’s ear, his lips against her neck. Aimi didn’t open her mouth. She didn’t say a word. She didn’t want to talk to him. Aimi didn’t want to give this guy the benefit of the doubt. She just looked away, rolling her eyes. “Do you want to finish what you started?”

She snorted, which didn’t seem to make the man smile. “I didn’t start anything.” The man ran a hand down Aimi’s side, feeling the skin she had carved multiple times. The scars were old, but she knew he could feel them. Kikotei would have kissed them. Kikotei would have loved every inch of her. He wasn’t here. He wasn’t around. “I blew you a kiss when I left. You asked me to kiss you.”

“We’re soulmates,” the man whispered again. Aimi didn’t believe in soulmates. It was a stupid concept. People used that as an excuse to buy cheap chocolate and have terrible sex. “Believe me, girl.”

Aimi brushed her lips against his, and snorted. “Kiss my ass.” 

She was about to knee him in the crotch, when Midnight pulled him off of her. Aimi forgot what was happening, and flinched away from the woman’s touch. Midnight was shouting at the man, calling him disgusting. Aimi couldn’t stop shaking. She wasn’t breathing right.

“Okay, hi, Aimi,” Midnight whispered, removing Aimi’s hands from her forearms. She smiled, and her smile was so warm. It reminded Aimi of Maiki. She missed Maiki so much. She was probably off with Akito, or something like that. Aimi wondered if Akito was better than her. Why did Akito Jin have that made Maiki always run back to him? It pissed her off. “He’s gone. He’s not going to hurt you.” 

She was crying. 

When did she start crying?

Midnight snapped at one of her assistants, and when Aimi opened her eyes again, she was leaning on Midnight’s shoulder. They were on the couch, watching some crappy romcom. Aimi jumped, and Midnight yelped. They stared at each other.

“Are you feeling better?”

Aimi shrugged. Another pause.

“Do you want to cry, Aimi?”

She burst into tears. They came hot and fast. Midnight paused the movie, and let her cry into her blouse. She was so pathetic, wasn’t she? Kikotei would be able to kill that guy, to make it all go away. He would’ve taken her to his apartment, and let her ramble while she sat in his lap. Sometimes, they were both without underwear. Sometimes, it was just Aimi. It was love.

Aimi missed her boyfriend.

Midnight ran her hand through Aimi’s hair, and it was so gentle. It was gentle. It was gentle. Aimi cried harder. Midnight wiped her tears, whispering sweet things. Keep it together, Cupid . Right now, was Aimi even Cupid? Her skin was burning at every touch Midnight gave her.

“Do you want to go to your room?” Aimi managed a weak nod. She slammed the door shut and curled into a ball. She couldn’t breathe. Kikotei was texting her updates on life, and it was familiar. If she closed her eyes long enough, Aimi could pretend she was fine. She was back home. Himiko would come through her door, jumping up and down at her latest kill. She clicked her heels together. Three clicks and she’d be home. 

All For One chuckled. He was always laughing in her dreams. He was calling her an idiot child, Tenko’s kid sister. Aimi wondered if she was supposed to die, just to let Tenko move a little further. She remembered when All For One finally called her by her name. He gave Tenko a new and fancy name, and Aimi got left overs.  

The kid sister of All For One’s successor. 

She turned to stare at his ghost, screaming. He always tortured her in her dreams. Aimi clawed at her own face, trying to make it stop. She really wanted to wake up, to run away, to make him stop talking to her. “Work with us, Cupid,” Boss said, his voice like chalk against her ears. “Get that information, and return home soon.”

Aimi sat up. She clutched her chest. Aimi looked around, breathing heavily. She chewed on her bottom lip. Return home soon. Did All For One finally regard her like he saw Tenko? She slipped her phone out of her bra, the one Tenko got her, and opened up her message thread with Tenko, who was clearly losing it a little. He kept calling her a brat. 

idiot brother ♡

i’m hearing things about that ex boyfriend of yours.

talk to me, brat.

don’t make me send someone to get answers from him.

kikotei?

what’re you hearing?

idiot brother ♡

about his ex girlfriend and him reconnecting.

he was bragging about it at a bar where maiki was watching her new pet project.

a blond boy with mommy issues, it’s pathetic.

blonds are gross. 

idiot brother ♡

they’re insufferable.

now, talk.

what ex girlfriend is he referring to?

how funny would it be if i got back together with him?

maybe it’s his first girlfriend before me?

pretty sure her name was noa or something.

idiot brother ♡

noa nakatsu.

she was an actress, brat. 

noa was in that scary movie you like so much. 

oh

idiot brother ♡

you’ve lost your mind if you think i’m supporting you and that bastard getting back together.

do you not remember what happened last time?

oh yeah for sure

idiot brother ♡

knives wants to meet up with you soon, by the way. 

Aimi tried to ignore the way her heart skipped a beat. She really missed Himiko.

i miss her

idiot brother ♡

i’d be much happier if you were in a relationship with her instead of kikotei.

i don’t like girls

idiot brother ♡

you don’t?

fuck you

idiot brother ♡

mai does that enough as it is

EW

She closed their messages, staring at the ceiling. Tenko was so far away now. They were closer when she was little. He used to crawl into her bed, and lull her to sleep. Aimi would cry and scream. She was three. Tenko liked to talk about Hana when she was sad. He stopped talking about Hana when Aimi grew a little older. 

Aimi rolled out of bed, stared at the mirror. She sighed. Her eyes were pinker than his, and her smile was a little wider. Aimi’s lips had more volume but they were just as chapped. She was Tenko Shimura’s little sister, but sometimes, it drifted farther from her mind. Shigaraki. Shimura. They were the same thing if you really thought about it. There was nothing to divide the two sides of her anymore.

If you looked at Aimi hard enough, she assumed you could see different versions of herself. Did she even know herself? The mirror cracked in her eyes, and she tilted her head. 

Aimi rubbed makeup on her face, the foundation covering her many moles. She looked just like her brother, just like her grandmother. She took a deep breath. The makeup could hide her imperfections, she could play the part of traumatized victim. She could play a little longer. The longer she played, the more her brother would see she wasn’t just some lost kid. She could handle adult situations, she could handle Kikotei. Shigaraki. Shimura. Aimi.

Chapter Text

My name is Aimi Shimura, I’m fifteen years old. 

She used to write in her mental diary every night when she was little. Aimi liked to record every situation she was ever in, and lock it in a box for later. She could never forget anything, except for her first run with Kikotei. The drugs, and the drinking, and the sex—it all made the memories disappear. 

Faded. 

She shrugged on a blazer that Miss Kayama had given her. Aimi, after a few days, had finally grown used to the older woman’s name. She didn’t like using it. Names have power. If you called someone by their full name, you were handing them your soul. By taking the name of Shigaraki or Suzuki, she no longer had to give people the benefit of knowing her. 

Only Maiki, Tenko, and All for One knew her like that. She didn’t like that All for One could know her like that. It wasn’t his story to tell. He knew her, just like he knew Tenko. Only, All for One liked Tenko more. Everyone always liked Tenko more. More. more. More. more. More. more. 

Miss Kayama liked Aimi. She didn’t like Tenko. Tenko was hated amongst the community, and Aimi liked being alone like this. People didn’t compare her to her brother. Tenko can handle it. Tenko can handle what you can’t. Look, Tenko’s destroying heroes and you’re only destroying yourself— the mirror shattered before she could catch her breath. 

Miss Kayama opened the door in an instant. She was standing there in her uniform, eyebrows furrowed in concern. Aimi didn’t realize her hand was bleeding. She did that sometimes. Her brain became her own prison, which was funny considering her entire life she had been trapped in Tenko’s shadow. She didn’t mind her brother’s shadow all that much. At least she had something in common with him, even if it was just a last name. 

“Aimi,” the woman whispered, touching her bleeding palm. Miss Kayama sat Aimi down on the toilet, cleaning her bleeding knuckles gently. “You don’t have to come with me. I can stay here with you. They won’t mind.” She pressed the tissue to Aimi’s bare skin, and she felt like crying. Miss Kayama wiped something from Aimi’s cheek, a mixture of foundation and tears staining the tissue. “Come on, kid. Talk to me.”

My name is Aimi Shimura, I’m fifteen years old.

My brother is Tomura Shigaraki.

I’m Cupid.

I can’t breathe.

  “I’ll go with you.” Miss Kayama tilted her head, and guilt boiled in Aimi’s chest. She liked being with Miss Kayama. She felt guilty for it. She missed Himiko, and waking up to bother Tenko. She missed Dabi, and Twice. She missed getting scolded by Kurogiri for stuff she didn’t try to understand. “I’m okay with going with you.”

“You’re okay with too much,” Miss Kayama said. She finished fixing the bandages on Aimi’s fingers, before throwing a jacket over Aimi’s shoulder. “Perfect. Aren’t you a cutie? It’s one of the jackets I designed for my little sidekicks. I think it looks way better on you.”

Aimi let the material brush against her skin. It was nice. It was nice to be someone that wasn’t based on the precedent of her brother’s existence, even though she was sure it would haunt her forever. 

That night, Aimi was allowed to wander the Yuuei campus. She’d been permitted under the guise that it was just to clear her mind. She didn’t want this, to be here, and pretend that everything was okay. It wasn’t. She was here in this terrible place without her brother. She wanted to stay with Tenko. She missed everything she had before.

She walked in circles, staring at the buildings. She could go see the principal. It wasn’t that late at night anyway. Aimi was supposed to see the world through the lens of a kidnapping victim. This was entirely kidnapping. She looked up from her muttering, a shiver running through her spine. She spotted that girl from the camp, the one with the red hair and sad eyes you saw in those old paintings. 

“You’re a student here, right?” Aimi asked, skipping over. Her tone was gentle, despite the misery she felt. She adjusted her intern badge she had no recollection getting. “I’m looking for Nezu’s office, but I seriously can’t find my way around this campus at all.” Aimi sighed before realizing she hadn’t let the girl talk. Fiona Chiyoko . A pretty name for a pretty girl. “Shoot, I’m just asking questions. I’m Aimi Shimura. It’s nice to meet you.”

Chiyoko extended her hand, her eyes filled with guilt. She looked miserable. It made her giddy, knowing things she did made hero students feel like this. She couldn’t smile nor could she laugh. This was the worst job she’d ever done. “I’m Fiona Chiyoko. I’m w–walking to the main building now. I can take you to Nezu’s office, if yo–you’d like?” The girl had a stutter. It was annoying.

Aimi faked a smile. “I’d like it alot! Thank you, Chiyoko.” 

The two of them walked in silence, and all Aimi could think about was how much that Bakugo kid cared for her. The girl was gentle, and you didn’t need Maiki’s quirk to see that. There was something else, the kind of feeling you get whenever you see those women in those domestic abuse awareness videos before you press skip on Youtube. Aimi didn’t like that feeling. It made her feel uncomfortable. 

Fiona walked behind her, urging her to follow her. Aimi fiddled with her rings, courtesy of Miss Kayama. She hated how used she got to saying Miss Kayama instead of Midnight. It made this entire situation feel intimate. She hated this intimacy. These people weren’t her family. This was just her job. This was just a fucking job. 

“So you’re one of the kids who rescued the blond one, right? I overheard Miss Kayama talking about it,” Aimi mused, not bothering to look at Fiona's expression. She knew it was going to cause a stir. She was doing this shit to get a rise out of Fiona, to see the people she was now going to work with. Right, at some point during the day, Miss Kayama had mentioned how she would be working with Class 1-A on ultimate moves. Quirk awakenings and all that jazz bored her. She didn’t care, but anything to keep her job going. “That must’ve been scary. Villains have been going crazy all over Japan, haven’t they?”

Fiona was silent for a moment. She didn’t say a word before opening the door. She looked back at Aimi, and her black eyes were so sad it made Aimi feel a twinge of guilt. “I guess.” She pointed down a dark corridor. “That’s the principal’s office.”

Fiona went to walk away, when Aimi grabbed her hand. “You’ll do great things, Chiyoko,” she whispered, looking directly into her eyes. Her words were smooth, and for a moment, her quirk worked. Aimi could see Fiona’s pupils melt into puddles of mush. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The red-haired girl nodded, before she spun on the heels of her foot. Aimi liked her already. She was jumpy. That’s what made this game fun.

She walked into Nezu’s office, taking a deep breath. The rodent creature of a principal was waiting for her. She looked up at the clock, surprised by the time. It was late as hell, shit. She sat down, tilting her head. “Principal Nezu, right?”

The creature nodded. “Miss Shimura, a pleasure to meet you.” He sat down in his chair, which was way too big for him, by the way, and sighed. “I’ve been itching to talk to you, especially after Midnight urged me to give you that badge.” The intern badge felt heavier with each word Nezu spoke. “But, let’s not start off on the wrong foot.”

Or paw , Aimi wanted to say but she held her tongue. “It’s nice to meet you too.” She brought her knees to her chest, bringing them to her chest. “What’d you want to talk about?”

“If you’re enjoying Yuuei, that's all I want to know.”

My name is Aimi Shimura, I’m fifteen years old .

My brother is Tomura Shigaraki.

I’m Cupid.

She didn’t say any of that. “It’s a lovely school. I thought it was a myth.” She could play her role so fucking well it drove everyone else crazy. If only All for One could see her now, lying her ass off like the true successor he wanted. “Tomura mentioned it a few times, especially when talking about USJ and training camp.”

“Did he have an insider, informing him of every little move he ever made?” Yuuga’s face floated into her mind, and she felt sick. She shook her head. “I’m glad you escaped that terrible man.” Terrible man, don’t make her laugh? She knew of terrible men and they knew of her, but Tenko was no monster. He was her brother, though did monsters and men really have any sort of differences? They were born of the same make, were they not? If anyone kills Tenko, vengeance shall be taken on them sevenfold. And All for One put a mark on Tenko, lest any who found him should attack him.

But she would do anything to keep him safe.

She would be back with him soon.

She just had to play everyone’s game just a little bit longer. Aimi’s world would be normal again, and she wouldn’t have to keep dying her hair again and again. There was no use. Her hair was as white as freshly fallen snow. A pure, virgin draped in white sheets and angel wings, what a fucked up fantasy. That wasn’t who she was.

Aimi was covered in blood and dirt. She preferred it that way, because all that can be undone with lipstick and the slip of her shirt. Cupid would return eventually, but until then, she would be someone else’s helpless victim.

Chapter Text

When she was little, Aimi wanted to be a worm. Worms yearned to escape, wriggle around in the dirt and eat away things they didn’t like. She liked them. She used to throw them at Tenko. He would disintegrate them and blow the dust back at her. She wasn’t sure why he didn’t like the worms as much as she did. He was always weird.

Weird ran in the family.

Miss Kayama told her she’d be doing some bonding with her students. Aimi wasn’t as pleased as she should be. Sure, Yuuga was there, but she couldn’t interact with him like everyone else. She would give it away. She walked behind Miss Kayama, twirling her hair around her finger. She felt awkward. She was wearing a Yuuei gym uniform. It was tacky, and incredibly ugly. It made sense though, considering the hero costumes she’d seen throughout her time trapped in this horrible world.

“I’ve brought you all a new plaything. Due to some complicated circumstances, my intern will now be a part of your training for today.”

Aimi watched Fiona stare at her. The girl was shifty, like she suspected too much. Yuuga threw himself onto her, touching her cheeks. He put on a whole show, asking her what had happened. He lied to everyone. The friends from the mall, who she didn’t remember existed until now, blinked.

“I don’t like you,” Fiona said, tilting her head as she spoke. She walked away to the otherside of the gym. She was staring at the blond one they had kidnapped. Bakugo. Right, so she liked him. Aimi hummed as she skipped around the arena. She could feel her body growing colder. She said she was quirkless. No one bothered to check. She could lie. Aimi loved lying so much!

Kira would’ve hated this situation. He always hated this shit. He hated the loudness of the bar the one time she brought him over. Poor baby. She didn’t feel up for explaining the story of their shared bullshit. 

“So, you’re a Shimura?” the pink skinned girl from the mall said. She was so pretty. Aimi swallowed. She blinked before nodding slowly. “Wow. We had no idea. We met at the mall, before, with Aoyoma.”

“I can’t remember. It’s nice to meet you again.” 

Aimi couldn’t tear her eyes away from her. Despite being in her uniform, this girl didn’t look tacky or infuriating. She was so pretty. “I’m Mina Ashido. Seriously, call me whatever you want.” She giggled, taking Aimi’s hand in hers. “I love your nails. Did Midnight take you to do them?”

Aimi forgot how to speak. Her eyes kept wandering to Mina’s costume. The leopard print was such an artistic choice, but it worked for her. Her chest was on display, but she didn’t use it as a weapon. It was just there. She looked so nice. Aimi felt drunk. She hadn’t drank since that time with Dabi. She felt insane. 

“Y-yeah, she did. It was a gift. She even helped me dye my hair.”

Aimi had to get away from this girl or else she feared she’d drop the act. It was so gross. Aimi looked around. She clapped her hands together, ignoring the boys as she made her way over to Fiona. She grinned. Fiona looked scared. If she was a freak, Aimi would probably get off on her terror. “Chiyoko, I told ya I’d see you tomorrow! Surprise!” She nudged Fiona with her hip, which Fiona clearly  didn’t like. She was pushing her boundaries, and it made her happy. “Do you need any help with your training?”

“No,” Fiona said. She inched away. 

The youngest Shimura laughed. It was so fun. She liked being cruel and unusual. She tucked some of her white hair behind the brunette Miss Kayama had struggled to dye. “You’re so on guard all the time, Chiyoko.” She touched Fiona’s cheeks. The girl was shaking under her touch. Bakugo was really missing out. This girl was so cute.  “If you don’t need my help, no hard feelings. I’ll see you later.” 

Another blond boy made her sit on the ground. He was trying to use his quirk to explode small rocks. She was the constant or something. “I’m Kaminari, by the way.”

“Aimi.”

“You don’t talk a lot. You’re like Chiyoko. She doesn’t talk ever,” the boy complained. A rock exploded beside her hand. Aimi watched the boy touch his head in pain before shaking it off. “She only ever talks to Bakugo. They’re in love or something.” 

A boy with dyed red hair chewed on a crystal. Aimi looked away. He narrowed his eyes at her before walking to a different section of the gym. He didn’t know Aimi. aimi knew him. Maiki’s younger brother. He was recommended by Miriko. Aimi didn’t like him. Whenever she thought about Akito Jin her chest tightened and it burned. She wasn’t too sure why it burned though. It wasn’t like she knew Akito personally. She knew him like people know celebrities.

She wandered out of the gym, sitting by the entrance. Eraserhead sat beside her. He was watching her if Miss Kayama wasn’t. They talked about Aimi on the phone. It was like Maiki and Tenko. They talked about her on the phone sometimes. It made her sad. She felt sad. 

“You’re quiet,” Eraserhead said. He offered her a water bottle. She took it, fiddling with the cap. “Nemuri thought it’d be a good idea to bring you around my class. They’re social. It’s annoying at times.”

“They’re okay. I’m not used to them.” It wasn’t a total lie, but she used to have Himiko. Sometimes, she would have Kira, or Hikaru, or even Juzu. She had people her age. She really did. They weren’t here ethough. “They were nice. You have nice students.”

Her voice was soft, like she meant it. Did she? Her emotions were never set in stone. Aimi could feel her chest tighten as she heard Akito Jin’s laugh through the window of the gym. She didn’t want to hear it. In the back of her mind, she knew it was wrong to hate him. She shouldn’t. The voice in her head always sounded like someone else entirely. A woman she couldn’t put a face to. Oh, yeah, Aimi heard voices sometimes. Everyone does. 

She wasn’t crazy.

Obviously.