"This boy's too young to be singing the blues."- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John.
Waking up in his arms, I just know this'll be yet another Midnight Controversy. Just the idea that my boyfriend can't do anything without being under so much scrutiny just has me in a spin. Just coaxing him to sleep earlier took way too long. I don't want to up his dosage. But what the hell happened to him? I've never been around someone that scared of anything. He's so scared that he hides in the fridge, he's so scared that I have to gently get him to come to bed.
Nothing could've prepared me for this. Endeavor wanted to play big, play the concerned father just wanting his son back but Koyurei being this scared of his own father makes everything come together. The burn scars, the nights without my quirk where he just stays up staring at the wall. He's not normal. Like he's been through hell even though he's already a hero. Laying next to his softly rising and falling chest, I want him to know I'll never let him go. That we'll get through this together. I bury my face near his heart, feeling the pulse of my boyfriend.
The quick beats soothe my thoughts, closing my eyes and remembering the first time he smiled at me.
It'd been spring, we'd just gotten off the train in Shibuya and well I wanted to keep up with him so I grabbed his hand. Even if I was taller I just wanted him to know I was there. As we were checking out a manga shop, fans gathered in a small bunch oohing and aahing at Midnight right next to a smaller, slender man rambling about the newest GORANGER BLUE title.
But all I could hear was his soft, crackling voice talking about how much he loved this series. The way his dull blue eyes were full of life, the way his smile was awed but at the same time like a child's. The way his hair would billow in the AC, red and white all splotchy and messy.
"And then Goranger Prime was all like… oh,"
"Oh?"
His smile falls, his eyes go back to his book and he moves to put it back, "I… I shouldn't spend my money on this."
Blinking, I grab his wrist, "What? No, you couldn't shut up about this new volume!" he struggles against my grip.
"Nemuri, just-"
"What if I buy it? Would that make you feel better?"
"That'd make me feel worse!"
Then I knew the one thing Koyurei had was a constant demon. A constant itch. A thing that he'd never let go of because it was part of him since Endeavor beat it into him. To put himself last. Always. The morning comes faster than I want it to.
At least this morning. Four in the morning I wake up and stretch, do some warm up exercises, then I go to feed Sushi, only to find an automatic feeder already filling the bowl with food. I kneel and grab the water bowl, pausing to look in at my boyfriend.
Koyurei's smiling in his sleep, his hair's a cute mop of a mess. Sushi bumps against my ankle.
"Mew."
"I know honey." I look down at him and he blinks at me in 'I love you.'
"I love you too, Sushi." Filling the water bowl I almost start breakfast when there's a sticky note stuck to the hand of one Goranger Blue figure. Koyurei's cheeky handwriting on it.
Surprised? Well, Goranger Theta and I made you breakfast last night! And lunch! And dinner in case you go hungry! They're in the fridge! Love, Koyurei and Theta. PS: Alpha and I organized the bathroom, so your stuff is up front and mine's in back. PPS: Love you.
My cheeks warm and a fond chuff bubbles its way up my throat, "Oh Koyurei, never change." Moving on and getting out my bag, I pack it with the food and go into the bathroom, starting the water and washing my body. Every second I wonder if Koyurei's going to part the curtain and join me. God, every time he does cute things like arrange his little figures to do cute things and make me stuff to eat it just makes me want to get back in bed and let him have his way with me. He's such a sweet little boy under that tough facade.
I get out of the shower, the steam and heat swirling around me as I dry my body and pad to the mirror, getting the hair dryer and drying my hair. My hair puffs and billows around in the hot breeze, naturally curly and wavy. They never liked it that way. My eyes are too sharp, too blue. My beauty mark is mostly hidden by my eye. My eyebrows are too bushy even though they're perfectly thin. Everything was wrong to the masses. But…
The door opens, "Nemuri…? You're going?" his voice is so small and just waking up. He doesn't care that I'm wrapped in a towel or anything, wrapping his strong arms around my waist and burying his face into my hair. A squeeze later and I'm almost a puddle on the floor.
"Keep your hair down, okay?" he yawns, "It's pretty."
"Koyurei, there's more to heroism than pretty looks." I sigh, heart melting at how he's so cute in the mornings. So sleepy and warm, eyes barely open, hair a mess but it normally is. He rubs his eyes.
"Not to you…" he yawns again, "Don't you have another modeling shoot today?"
"That was a few weeks ago, babe." I sigh, tracing his arm a little with my fingers, "I snuck on set to give you a little pinup of your own."
He squeezes me again, "Just don't let them get to you, okay?" he sounds almost scared, "I don't want you to get hurt."
"I won't, I won't…" I sigh, patting his arm, "Now lemme go, I gotta head out. Takeyama and I have some kinda interview today."
"Okay… can I come watch?" he looks up at me with a determined glint in his eyes, "I'm not a hero anymore, so I can be seen with you. I'll… I'll protect you!"
He's so adorably naive sometimes. I giggle and press a kiss to his forehead, "Of course you can, honey." he smiles and I get out of the bathroom to put on my hero costume. Once I do, I do my makeup and head out, leaving my boyfriend and my cat to fend for themselves. It's time for me to swim with the sharks. Walking to my motorcycle, I turn it out and back out of the driveway, revving it up and speeding off for my agency, the helmet hugging my head but all I can think about is my boyfriend.
Is he going to be okay?
I slow down and park in front of the agency, it's a small one and fancy enough. Taking off my helmet and tying my hair back I head on in. This used to be my mentor's building, His Purple Highness handed it over to me almost happily enough. It's a small building with nice purple accents to the smooth white finish. It's not bad but it's not really my style. But I couldn't look a gift horse in the mouth so I headed inside. The boys run around like chickens with their heads cut off.
"No sir, she doesn't do that.'
"What? No no no."
"Guys?! The toilet's clogged again!"
"Seriously?!"
My Midnight Boys all clamor and crash around. Getting things done but I get out a whip and crack it. The sound snapping them out of their manic stupors. They all line up and bow.
"Good Morning, Ms. Midnight!" They chorus.
"Morning, my boys. Is there anything going on today?" I ask, they hurry around and check everything. They already know that there's an interview. Another tabloid show where they throw around wild theories.
The current theory being that I'm dating someone and ironically Mt. Lady doing the same. It's an almost Jerry Springer kind of thing like they had a few generations ago, so this isn't new. Just the usual mill of rumors headed mostly by some weird scoop hounds that really want to be the next person who busted the Skyline Allegations. But really… She just likes to cause drama, being my 'friend' and all.
But when I actually get a good look at the document I almost want to toss it in the shredder. It's not a tabloid this time, it's a major news network. Thanks to Endeavor trying to play the worried father that loves his son oh so much and all.
Screw him. Screw him. Screw him with a chainsaw but NOT GENTLY.
"Well yeah, there's that interview." one of them says.
"Right, so I'll go do that today, then patrol la-" Then the PR team heads on into my meeting room with all the whips on the walls and my fans and other gear, headed up by Kubo, his shining eyebrows being his quirk never ceases to amaze me but he can spin a yarn really well.
"Nemuri! You got a minute?" he asks with a bright smile and the other three sort of flinch, my Boys all stop rushing around and stare at them like they're all offended.
But coming in behind them is Koyurei in… a suit. Like a straight up fancy black suit with an electric blue tie. His hair slicked back as he sits down, "Hi." he squeaks, looking at me and I sit next to him with Kubo and the team setting up their 'Murderboard.' of solutions.
"So we've been cooking up something really nice for you and Koyurei here!" he exclaims, "We got… mental health, secret lovechild, paparazzi, and… and… huh. Why'd it get so cold?" they look down at Koyurei. He's got patches of frost on his body, even on his suit.
"They'll never find your bodies." he snarls, and I can't help a giggle from bursting out.
"B-Baby!" I squeak, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry…" Kubo waves it off.
"We get that a lot." one of the trio sighs, "Seriously once Taishiro here gets three…"
"One more Fatgum joke and I swear to god, Kyoya…"
"I GOT IT! What if we make it a marriage thing?!" Kubo screams, "I mean, just imagine that. That's an easy fix!"
Everyone falls silent and I clear my throat. I don't want to force anything on Koyurei. I don't want to become another nightmare for him to have. Even if I love him to bits. I set my hands on the table.
"Why don't we just be honest?"
"What? That your boyfriend is a nutcase?" he counters, raising a shiny eyebrow.
"No, that the stress and fear he's been put under has done a number on his mental state, no one wants a hero who can barely keep things airtight under here." I tap the side of my head with a soft smirk.
"Don't you relieve stress by whipping mannequins?" One of my other PR guys asks, making Koyurei tense in his chair.
"Yeah, and practicing Judo on your sidekicks?" Another says, making him grit his teeth and cross his arms.
"Oh come on you guys, I attract freaks." He opens his mouth but shuts it because he knows better than to interrupt me, lest he incur the wrath of his loving girlfriend.
"Wait so you're saying-" I cut the last guy off and at that point Koyurei's about to lose his ever loving mind trying to say something but not letting it out.
"Yes, maybe how I'm branded isn't what I like, I just had a risque costume and played to the most common fantasy I saw at the time." Glancing at Koyurei there he is chewing on his nails with eyes hardened to glare at my PR team.
He tenses his shoulders, relaxes them, then slams his hands on the table, "I'll do it!" his eyes burn with righteous fire, his fingers burn into the table a little, flames gush out of his mouth and set the sodas boiling.
"Koyurei, honey!" gasping, I grab his shoulders, "Baby, calm down…" he looks at me with those fiery eyes and there's that determination again. Shuddering, he calms and the rest of the team gawk at how fast the turnaround is.
"I'll do it. I'll marry you." he says with that same awed, childlike smile.
"Koyurei, we've only been together for a couple months!"
"And I already know you inside and out, Nemuri." he leans against me, his lips ghosting on my jaw, "I hate what Yu Takeyama says about you. I hate when people look at you and all they see is a pretty face with a nice body."
He touches my cheek with that same smile, "I want them to see you like I do. A beauty beyond dreams. A beauty that wakes up every morning beside me. I love you, Nemuri Kayama."
"You're being cheesy…" I sigh.
"Am I wrong?" he grins with a happy smile and I kiss him on the lips, tasting like smoke but it's not bad. I don't mind that at all.
On our way to the studio, Koyurei just barely stays still. Poor guy has to come up with a response without practice. I hate the media. I hate it so much. My own experiences echo and I grab his hand. He squeezes it.
"Look, if you're going to have a hard time, you can just run out to the car." I kiss him on the cheek, "I won't let any of them get you, okay?"
"Okay…"
I smile and the car slows down, there's a huge crowd swamping the building. Packed in are our fans together. Cameras going a mile a minute just capture us as we go into another world. A world of sharks swimming around through the air and slamming into cages. All of them gawking at me and him. Walking hand in hand. We know our cover story and all that. We know exactly how to play it. We can take our time all we want. We just have to play the situation right. People love romance and people love a heartwarming story of trauma and love persevering through it.
Koyurei and I are led to separate greenrooms, the idea behind it was to have us out there at the same time, answering questions and all that, and then Koyurei tells everyone there his plans. They do my makeup and all I can think about is the fact that he's almost never been in an interview before because every time his father would get in the way.
So here we are, getting ready to go on. All I can do is put on a brave face and head out, seeing my boyfriend right there, looking nervous as all get out. His shoulders bunched and looking around like he wants to be anywhere other than here, and I don't blame him.
"Baby, look at me." I touch his cheek lightly, "You're going to be okay."
"I don't wanna do this. It's not… it's not right." He looks at the crowd, then back at me, "I want to propose to you in the best way possible when it's just me and you!"
"I know, I know. After this interview it's smooth sailing, I promise!" I squeeze his hand, "I know its so hard seeing things go wrong for you, baby."
One of the PAs comes out, "We're on in five, Miss Midnight!"
"You got it!" I smile and Koyurei takes a breath, raising a leg.
"Haaah! KA!" He stomps it down and breathes out, a cold wind billowing out from his mouth, "Haaa…" he cracks his neck and heads out before me. What was he, a rikishi in his past life? Guess I'll ask him later.
"This lovely lady needs no introduction but her man does, coming from our ward of Saitama, it's Midnight and her mystery lover, KOYUREI TODOROKI!" the lights come on and the host shakes our hands. Koyurei isn't as stiff as he was before. Maybe that weird Haka thing helped?
"It's a pleasure to be here." he says, smiling winningly, "And I'm sure you all want to hear all the things I've been going through as I've served you." he sits back in his seat.
"So… how'd you two meet?" the host asks with the face of a real pro. I always couldn't tell if they were fishing for more information or not, but I open my mouth.
"At a bar. It was a night both of us would've liked to forget…" I admit, "Other than finding each other that is." I bat my eyelashes at the man of my dreams. He smiles.
"Yes, I didn't drink that night. I feel as though alcohol impedes true thought. And well… I couldn't keep my eyes off my Nemuri." Koyurei winks at me and it's almost like he's in a drama. The host makes the audience aww. Of course it's weird for an audience to be in on the news but this is a weird style they're trying.
"So, onto the hard question. Koyurei, what was the hardest part of being a hero?" he asks, there's no going back now. They've opened Pandora's box and well it's gonna spill it all out. He looks at the host, then at me, then at the audience but he takes a breath.
"The hardest part was losing someone I was supposed to protect. It… it felt like I failed my duty, and…" he trails off a little, "I guess it was just hard for me to take sometimes. I'd never stop thinking about if I could save them." he looks down at a burn scar at the edge of his sleeve.
"Well then, I hope you find the strength to persevere!" the host exclaims, "So your recent announcement that you're resigning has frankly shaken up the hero world. One of the strongest, most reliable sidekicks decides that's it and decides to hang up the hero costume, what made you decide that?"
Koyurei clears his throat, "I decided to resign because I want to put myself first. To decide that my happiness and mental health is more important. It was a tough fight but Nemuri helped put it in clearer terms." He stands and stares down the cameras like they're his father.
"Heroes are human too. We tire, we get stressed, we get poked and prodded and played with. We're not faceless, we're not glass, but we aren't just robots. I regret that I cannot continue on this path, but there are others that will, I assure you all."
He bows and comes to sit back down, "That's what I've always wanted to say. Seeing as I will be marrying Nemuri sometime soon." he admits.
"Really?!"
"Well yes, Koyurei and I have discussed it. We don't have a date yet at all." I answer, with the bright pearly smile of a Hollywood starlet. They're eating right out of our hands. Swallowing down more and more of what we're giving them.
"Yes, no date but it'll happen in the near future." he says, "I want to take my time, stop and smell the roses, and then finally with good faith I'll propose and all will be well."
All was in fact not well because when we got back home Koyurei really wanted to take a bite out of me, he almost can't let go. His lips tickle, his breath is warm, his body warmer than usual but he's so happy. This is honestly the happiest I've ever seen him.
"Down boy, down…" I giggle a little at the nips he gives me. So soft but so bitey. He's just like Sushi in a way.
"Babe, I'm so happy we got that done~!" he whines, "Lemme love on you!" I gently hold him away from me with my hand, he plucks it off his chest and kisses my palm.
"Come on, Nemuri…" he takes off his suit jacket, "Please?" he starts unbuttoning his dress shirt and I see my sweet lovely boy's muscles working. See the absolute scorched earth of some of his chest and neck, flames dancing soft and sweet on his shoulders, the scent kind of enticing.
"Calm down, babe." I soothe, "Just a bit and I'll be all yours." I pull out my phone and find a ton of missed messages from my Dad. A lot of them, like twenty or so calls just from him alone. I press to call him again but as I'm trying to Koyurei is still messing with me, this time completely shirtless.
"Ugh, fine…" I sigh, taking off my shirt and leaving on my bra, "Come here." I sit down on the bed and I pull him into my arms, pressing him against my soft body. I'm built well, but my quirk makes my body perfect to sleep against. I lull him gently, his lips kissing and breathing in my scent.
He looks so cute when he's sleepy. He fights to stay awake but I just run my hand through his silky red and white hair, "Shhh… it's okay baby, Fall asleep." I kiss the top of his head, "There we go…" he curls up against me and all I do is call my dad back.
It rings once or twice, then picks up, "Nemuri! When were you going to tell us about this boyfriend of yours?"
"Dad, I was. Endeavor just forced my hand." I say, gently scratching Koyurei's head, "Do you want me to come see you all?"
"Yeah, bring your boyfriend with you. Just… let us know you're dating, please." he sighs, "You need to tell us, okay?"
"I know, I know. I love you, Dad."
"Love you too, Nemuri." he hangs up and I see Koyurei shift downwards in his sleep, groaning a little.
"I'm sorry, honey, I know I might have woken you up." I sigh, "I'll tell you everything in the morning…" I close my eyes and turn out the light, with everything that happened, all I can think of is that I'll have to meet his family too, and if they're anything like Endeavor I'm dreading it all.
Koyurei thrashes a little, "Nemu…" he mumbles, and I squeeze him. All I need to do is get through all this. And then it'll just be me and him. And whatever we decide to do.
