Da Marama

"Infernalia-san, thank you for coming. I know your schedule as the agency manager is quite busy, but I really need to fill out your profile to avoid any unforeseen situations. Sorry for the delay; I clearly should have done this sooner."

"Izuku. Don't flinch, I'm more accustomed to addressing you that way. It's okay, you're raising the country's children, which clearly takes precedence over interviewing me."

"Do you mind if I start taking notes? If I don't, I start babbling rather obsessively..."

"...which undoubtedly irritates me. Write it down."

"...Thank you?...Then let me begin. Tell me, who is Bakugou Katsuki to you?"

"It's a predictable question, but we mutually consider each other an integral part of our existence."

"To what extent do you think the incident three years ago plays a role in this certainty?"

"The UA Experiment?" Excuse me, Izuku, I'm twenty-one years old, no longer a child to naively believe that this... mutual dependence is anything more than the biology of our bodies. However, this in no way diminishes the value of this worldview, which you're now quietly attempting to achieve."

"Y-you're absolutely wrong! I naturally respect your feelings... L-let me ask you to remind me of the details of the experiment. Those data are unlikely to be found in the archives these days... Why did you agree?"

"In short, I wasn't opposed to donating my Quirk for the cause. My body was clearly not designed to accumulate heat from my entire body in one spot, and it wasn't so much unpleasant as dangerous. Hypothermia and my anatomy were clearly incompatible. I was glad to hand this power over to worthy hands."

"I think Dynamight is grateful to you, although, of course, he sometimes has a hard time handling your power himself... I think he needs a couple more sweaters... However, the consequences of that disaster were terrible, yes... terrible..."

"UA clearly got it for trying to merge Quirks back then, huh? Nezu clearly spent a lot of money compensating us both. It's not every day that a device explodes in your face, interfering not only with your Quirks, but with your entire gene pool."

"Speaking of the device... this... glow, it's the residual presence of that... fluid used to illuminate internal organs..."

"Yes, that's right, indocyanine. Due to the drastic changes in our bodies' biochemistry, it remains in some of our tissues. My horns and eyes are affected, but it's only visible in the dark. Katsuki's hands glow slightly. I find it... aesthetically pleasing."

"How long have you been at Dynamight's agency so far?"

"Three months."

"And in those three months, you provoked fights with agency employees eight times."

"Just eight? I thought there were more... Let me clarify, they were frighteningly incompetent and talked nonsense behind my boss's back. Katsuki doesn't object."

"Why do you think your personality has undergone such a change? You were previously described as a gentle, energetic student..."

"It's a change in priorities. Now my priority is Katsuki. Forgive me, but the rest, and especially your opinion, is of no concern to me."

"Why do you think your connection with Kaccha—I mean, Dynamight... is so... intense?"

"Do you often think about your left leg separately? How much more often would you think about it if you lost it? We experience each other as a single whole. And we're both intelligent enough to value our limbs while we have them."

"What parts of our character do you think are most fully passed down through our genes?"

"I guess Katsuki inherited my... cat side. He's cute, but he tries to use it to intimidate people. Truly adorable."

"And what about you?"

"I think I inherited his coping mechanism. I get angry. Constantly. Sometimes it's just background irritation, sometimes I just hate the whole world. Luckily, we're both deeply territorial, so our intentions for each other are aligned. I hope that's crystal clear... Are you afraid of us?"

"W-what?! No, of course not..."

"You're avoiding us. We'd certainly like to see you around more often, but you're ignoring our offers. This... upsets Katsuki. I don't like seeing him upset."

"Are you planning to pick a fight with me?"

"No."

"You won't try to justify your behavior?"

"I don't feel the need to. Do you feel pressure, Izuku?"

"No."

"Do you intend to shield Katsuki from me? Do you think I'm a bad influence on him?"

"W-what are you saying, Infernalia-san! Katsuki has calmed down, and he's clearly comfortable with you... Although, of course, these public displays of... affection... Ahem, excuse me."

"Affection? You mean the purring? I told you he has a very strong feline side. I think secretly you'd feel better if he were angry, instead of just looking you in the eye with that "You're a complete idiot, and I don't even want to waste words telling you that.""

"I'm happy for Kacchan with all my heart, if that's what makes him feel better!"

"Don't raise your voice, Izuku."

"I don't..."

"Izuku. I don't like you either, but out of respect for our... your past, I'll warn you right away. Don't interfere. You're scared of what he's become. That's your problem entirely."

"Forgive me, Infernalia-san, but you're overreacting. Katsuki isn't your property. He has the right to know the whole truth about your intentions, and..."

"My intentions? I gave him my Quirk and my genes. He gave me a part of himself. I have every right to own what is essentially me. You know nothing. And you never will. And don't even try to make me feel ashamed or guilty about those disappearances three months ago. I have nothing to do with those women.

"He's not you."

"He's mine. I'm his. Will you pay for my coffee and my time?"

"You... like iced coffee."

"I cool myself off that way. Any questions left?"

"Do you love him?"

"Yes and no."

"Do you think he would have answered that question the same way?"

"..."

"Infernalia-san?"

"...I think so."

°°°°

The agency door opened silently. The automatic drive had been repaired last week after Katsuki had smashed the glass with the villain's head yet again.

She climbed to the fourth floor. The silence was almost deathly. Not a single employee – just a long corridor alongside a panoramic window, giving any intern thinking about disturbing the boss time to consider whether he really needed to and turn around.

The door opened without its usual feigned bravado.

Marusha climbed right onto the countertop, blocking two of the three monitors and dangling her legs. On the leftmost one, visible due to her skinny frame, a tab with the incident map was prudently open.

A prickly head automatically nudged his solar plexus.

A booming purr echoed, loud, almost indignant, punctuated by occasional snorts – Katsuki's vocal cords weren't tuned to such sounds. Clearing his throat, he finally looked up at her, squinting through his glasses.

"You're taking too long."

"Yeah," she pushed the frames up his head, and he habitually straightened her tie. "I was at a meeting."

"Well, that's news," he muttered tonelessly, then grimaced slightly. "Izuku. Is this about those disappearances?"

"Yes."

"You didn't do it."

"Probably so."

"You wish you were the one who did it."

"Perhaps."

"This topic bored Katsuki endlessly. It was an unpleasant stain on the reputation of an agency that had treacherously resisted investigation.

He twirled his pen thoughtfully. There was a knock on the door, then the intruder entered without waiting for permission. That was the custom. Two heads turned toward the entrance in unison. Katsuki's fingers tightened convulsively on the pen.

"Dynamight-san, the documents. Tell me, what date would be best to schedule the meeting?"

The intern placed an impressive stack of papers in front of them, not even blinking at the sight. Marusha took the papers first, leafing through them almost boredly. Katsuki only managed to get his hands on a couple of the most important sheets.

"Twenty-third," he said.

"Twenty-fourth," she said.

"...Twenty-fourth," he gave in almost immediately.

Bowing, the employee left the office.

Marusha reached under the table, pulling out a container and chopsticks with her free hand. Shrimp. She popped one into her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut. Spicy.

Katsuki returned to work, adjusting the framed photograph she'd brushed against with the hem of her jacket. Two faces stared out from it—Marusha's disgruntled one, and Katsuki's blank one, who was holding her close with one arm. Half of each face was still wrapped in bandages.

"I don't like this photo."

Katsuki, without missing a beat, replied categorically:

"I like it."

"I look like a fool on it."

"You look like an idiot on it," he corrected without malice.

"I hate you."

"Call Iida. We're leaving in three hours."

"Can I ask him for some éclairs?"

"...Yeah."

She helped him carefully roll up his shirt sleeve, revealing his bitten forearm. The marks were old and new, barely healed. She bit him whenever she wanted to fight. Those eight incidents were simply the periods of time when Katsuki wasn't there to restrain her.

"Does it hurt?" she asked quietly.

"Yes," he answered clinically, not looking up from the report.

"He asked if I love you."

Katsuki froze instantly, like an animal about to spring.

"...And?"

"I said yes and no."

He looked up, his gaze slightly clouded.

"Why? Is someone bothering you?" the question was barely louder than an exhalation.

"No, darling, no one." She pressed his face to her collarbone, and he wrapped his weak arms around her, breathing raggedly. His fingers tightened on her already rumpled shirt. "No one will know," she whispered. "No one. It's all good."

I think I did pretty good this time! :3

I love him so much it practically tears me up.

The dear person's birthday is always a big time for me, but with him it's also melancholy and peace mixed up together because I know I can never say him my best wishes in person but I will sure dedicate my soul to celebrating his existence not only today and every single day till my last thought.

It's not a matter of posting an art, but trying to catch the part of him which is always new and fascinating to me.

I want to say with every stroke: "My sun, my god, my mind, my heart is all I believe in. You are this. You are the sun that I want to reach. You are the god I want to pray to. You are the mind I dedicate to. You are the heart that I strive to preserve".