For Her | Sequel to 'Number 7' | Aizawa x OC Fanfic

Thirty Six: Normalcy

Akiyasu

"I think I'm ready to go back to work." I spoke aloud as I chopped up vegetables for lunch.

"Back to the agency?" Shota questioned as he stirred the rice.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"I think so. Things are getting better. Aren't they?" I paused what I was doing and looked up at him, earning myself a glance.

"Are you asking me?"

"Well, you're the one who's had to deal with me."

"Deal with you? You make it sound bad." He stopped stirring, tapping the utensil on the side of the pot to get the water off before he placed it on the counter and turned to face me.

"It was bad."

"Losing Echiko was bad, yes. You attempting suicide? Also horrible. But everything after that was not bad. And I wasn't dealing with you. I'm your husband and I was taking care of you exactly the way I should have."

"Regardless, do you think things are better?"

"They seem so. But I don't know what goes through your head, so it needs to be you who decides if you're better." He affirmed.

"I feel better. But I don't feel like I did before we encountered the League."

Shota hummed and crossed his arms. "We're never going to be the people we used to be before this happened. Things are different now and they always will be. It's okay to change."

"Have we changed for the better?" I asked.

"I hope so."

I smiled to myself and leaned my hip into the counter. "You don't seem so different. You seem like the same sleepy and grumpy man you've always been."

"Tch." He rolled his eyes. "Well you're still the stubborn ass that gets hurt all the time."

"And you love it." I grinned.

He blew air through his nose and stepped closer to me, grabbing me by my chin and tilting my face upward before he pressed a kiss to my lips. When he pulled away, he brushed my dark hair behind my ear and stroked my cheek with his index finger. "No. I love you." He clarified before he stepped away and began to stir the rice again.

I sighed in content, watched him for a few moments, and softened. "I love you too."

That conversation had happened a few days ago. Since then, I had gone back to my agency and slowly began to integrate myself back into hero work. When I wasn't doing that, I was back at UA, either with my family or mentoring Maiyu.

As Maiyu and I trained, our relationship also began to bud. Over time, she got more and more nosy about irrelevant things, such as my romantic life or my friends. She always avoided talking about my children, I noticed. Maybe it was because she was afraid I would think she was up to something or maybe she knew the topic was too sensitive to inquire about. Either way, that was the only thing that seemed to be off limits to her.

"So, you went back to hero work. How is that going? Encountered anyone in the League yet?" Maiyu asked as we jogged a lap around the track.

"It's going okay. There's a lot more crime now than when I stopped, so it's been a little overwhelming."

"To be expected after Shigaraki busted hundreds of people out of jail." She remarked.

"For the most part, the ones we encounter aren't the brightest villains so arresting them isn't as difficult as you would expect. I'm just worried that Shigaraki or Toga or Dabi will make an appearance."