And so, we ended up sitting side by side, spilling our guts about damn near everything - family, dumb teenage nonsense, even feelings. We laid it all out, no filter.
Honestly, Tenya wasn't as insufferable as I'd pegged him back at U.A.'s entrance exam. How do I put it… Stiff, by-the-book, rash, all bureaucracy and gears grinding - but dig deeper, and he's actually decent. Friendly, even. Proper rich-kid vibes. Makes sense, though - Ida family, three generations of heroes. That kind of upbringing tracks. He apologized for being a dick during the exam, and I threw one back at him, admitting I'd been way worse - levels of asshole he couldn't touch.
The train pulled into the station, and we stepped off. Manual - Hosu's local hero - met us at the platform with a easy smile, his vibe and demeanor exactly like I remembered from the source material. Dedicated, good-natured, trying to be the picture-perfect modern hero, even if he fumbled sometimes. He shook our hands, his warm gaze flickering with surprise when it landed on me.
"Onodera Ryuga and Ida Tenya, right? Welcome to the area. I'll be your supervisor for this internship," Manual said, voice smooth and welcoming. "We'll start with a quick tour to get you familiar with the place. Then I'll break down the job details."
We nodded, falling in step behind him. On the walk, he pointed out the key spots: nearest police station, Hosu General Hospital, zones prone to minor incidents. He explained this wasn't a villain hotspot - his gig was mostly community support and day-to-day stuff. Underrated, but vital hero work.
Tenya soaked it up, scribbling notes like the nerd he was. I tried to look engaged, but my head was elsewhere, drifting to my meetup with Toga. Nervous energy buzzed in my chest, and I had to mentally slap myself to stay cool.
After a full day of touring, Manual took us to Hosu's city office, suggesting we crash there for convenience during the internship. Tenya, predictably, was all in. Me? I politely passed - already had a room booked. They pushed a bit, but canceling last-minute felt like a dick move, so I said I'd just roll in early tomorrow instead.
Truth is, I didn't book anything. Toga did.
No way I could leave her solo - partly to keep tabs, partly so she wouldn't feel so alone. During this internship, I'd carve out more time for her, at least.
Per her text, the spot she picked was… a love hotel?
Yo, what the fuck? I'm not sweating cash, but a whole week here's kinda overkill…
The neon sign - "Romantic Haven" - blazed so bright I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things. No mistaking it - this wasn't your average crash pad. The lobby screamed dungeon vibes: dim pink lighting, hazy ambiance, soft romantic tunes from the speakers, and… some questionable noises drifting down from upstairs.
"…You gonna be kidding me?" I muttered, massaging my temples. I'd braced for Toga picking something weird, but this? This fried my brain. Stepping into a place like this felt mortifying.
The front desk clocked me right away, flashing a grin. "Welcome! Onodera Ryuga, right? Your room's reserved. Sign here, please."
I forced a calm nod, scribbled my name. Easy guess - Toga'd used her Quirk to impersonate me when booking. She'd planned ahead… and wildly misjudged what "living together" meant for this stint.
Following the room number, I opened the door and froze.
And this place… it was beyond anything I could've dreamed up.
Red-tinted glow, a massive round bed decked with fake rose petals, a freaking St. Andrew's cross on the wall (for the bondage crowd, no doubt), a giant mirror facing the bed, a "love chair" off to the side, a huge double pillow stamped with "Love Nest," and some unnameable scent hanging in the air. I stood there, brain stalled, debating if I should even step into this hellhole.
Himiko - back in her real form - sat on the bed, arms crossed, pout dialed to max. She didn't speak, but those sharp eyes and pursed lips screamed she was ready to unload the second I crossed the threshold.
"Motherfucker, this is cooked - no cap…" I muttered, half-in, half-out, stuck between shock, embarrassment, and a pinch of panic.
I'd known this wouldn't be smooth, but this setup? Blew every scenario I'd imagined out of the water.
Himiko stayed put, arms still crossed, but when she caught my pale-as-a-ghost, deer-in-headlights look - rare as hell - her sulk cracked into amusement. Like she wanted to bust out laughing but held it back to keep me squirming.
Finally, she broke the silence with a sarcastic jab that made me wanna sink through the floor: "You coming in, or you gonna stand there forever, Ryuga-kun? I put a lot of effort into welcoming you."
That half-smirk of hers hit me like a truck. I stepped in, locked the door, and tried to play it straight, even though my face was probably tomato-red. "You serious, Himiko?" I asked, voice tinged with defeat. "A love hotel, out of every option?"
She tilted her head, faking innocence. "I thought we deserved something… special for your internship stay. Didn't you say I could pick? This seemed fun!"
"What the…?" I nearly snapped but swallowed it, sighing and rubbing my left eye like a tic. "This ain't a vacation, Toga. It's a hero internship. We don't need extra eyes on us."
She puffed her cheeks, still in pout-mode. "I tried hard to find a nice spot… Besides, who says heroes can't stay somewhere like this?"
Arguing with her now was pointless - I knew that. So I let it slide with another sigh, figuring I'd focus on resting up for day one instead of bickering over her hotel flex.
I dumped my bag in a corner, scanning the room again. Felt like I'd stumbled into some cheesy rom-com fever dream. Everything screamed intimacy - shit I didn't need right now. Getting too cozy with personal stuff would just tank my focus.
Toga watched, grinning like she was enjoying my every twitch. Then she patted the bed, beaming. "C'mon, Ryuga-kun. Sit. I'll behave, promise. Let's chat before bed?"
I hesitated, but plopped down beside her anyway. Her golden eyes sparkled with curiosity, edged with a hint of reproach.
"Ryuga-kun," she started, softer now, "you worn out? I know you've been juggling a ton lately - internship, school, your plans, training. I just wanted to do something to help you unwind…"
I went quiet, staring at her for a long beat.
Maybe I'd been too harsh about this hotel pick.
Maybe I didn't love her like I'd thought.
Maybe… letting her love me - plan or not - was a mistake.
She must've caught my mood sinking, 'cause the playful vibe vanished. She sat up straighter, leaning closer, her cat-like eyes gleaming with rare sincerity - none of that usual mischief.
"Ryuga-kun… you okay? What's up?"
I turned to her, feeling the genuine warmth in her voice. Himiko - normally all carefree chaos - had this sudden sharpness, like a woman's intuition kicking in. Guilt gnawed at me for letting my dark thoughts sour the air between us.
"Nothing," I said, forcing a faint smile that couldn't hide the exhaustion in my eyes. "Just… a little lost, not sure what to do."
She listened, then grabbed my hand out of nowhere. Her small, warm grip eased me up a bit, unexpected as hell.
"I know you're carrying a lot," she said, her voice so gentle it threw me. "But I don't want you running on fumes forever. I'm here to help - like you helped me. I'm not perfect, but… I'll do whatever to make you feel better."
Her words hit hard, tightening my chest. Deep down, I'd never let her - or anyone - see this weak side of me.
Last time I opened up, pre-isekai, that honesty got turned into a joke - mocked, stomped on, escalating to insults and bullying so bad I dropped out. Couldn't take the weight of it.
Since then, I'd sworn off trust - didn't even trust myself. No point ; what's done is done. Locking my heart and head tight kept me safe from betrayal, from being used again.
But that resolve? It's wobbling now, chipped away by the good shit I'm getting - small, but enough to patch the growing hole of doubt eating at me.
Should I follow my heart, just once?
Yeah, I should. Can't shove off the raw affection from the girl who loves me, sitting right here.
Under that hazy red light, in the stillness, Himiko looked… beautiful. No idea why.
Maybe she sensed it too, 'cause she dove in - tongue-first, no warning. I didn't fight it, just went with her flow. She pinned me to the bed, straddling me in a pose that screamed what was coming, peeling off our clothes layer by layer till we were bare as hell. Then she spoke, voice shaky: "I've done awful things, Ryuga-kun. I know I don't deserve love - or to love anyone… But you still took me in, looked at me like a person, not some monster or freak…"
Mid-sentence, she paused, leaned in, bit my neck playfully - then geared up for it.
Every touch, every move from her set me on fire. No hesitation, no holding back - she embraced it all, took the lead. That mix of tenderness and wildness shredded my control.
"I don't care what they think of you," she whispered as I pulled her close. "I just need you, Ryuga…"
After that, it's a blur - reality and haze bleeding together, no telling what's what.
Skin on skin, breaths syncing, movements flowing, heartbeats matching - time slipped by in that quiet, intoxicating rush. We ditched every distraction, lost in each other, inseparable.
Hot? Hell if I know - my head's blank, drowned in raw want.