Her Forgotten ~Tomura Shigaraki x OC AU~

Chapter 20: The Sleeping Forgiver

Tomura

She looks so beautiful.

So stunning and radiant, the golden glow of dawn brushing her olive skin. Her eyes are closed, those long lashes sweeping against her flushed cheeks as soft snores roll through parted lips. Her short lilac hair is messy, wild from sleep, but she is still so beautiful.

And peaceful.

She is still sleeping, sprawled out under this comforter, her chest rising and falling so steadily. Her features are relaxed, with no sign of tension or fear anywhere to be seen. She is just blissfully sleeping...next to me.

Slowly, I reach over, gently gliding my thumb across her cheek. Even through the coarse material of my glove, I can feel how warm she is – how soft she is. I smile, then frown. I wish I could touch her without these damn gloves. I wish I could touch her skin with my bare fingertips. I wish I could trace her lips with my thumb ungloved. I wish my fingers could interlock with hers seamlessly, but I can't do any of those things. Not if I don't want to hurt her.

My heart starts to beat wickedly as images of her screaming as she falls to dust flash through my mind. I flinch, withdrawing my hand from her.

I don't want to do that. I don't want to hurt her. I don't want to do anything that could bring her pain. Even imagining something like that causes a twinge to grip my chest, filling me with hollowness.

And then I look at her sleeping face. So peaceful. So tranquil. So trusting. And I swallow. She does trust me; I know she does. Between her fearless and feisty nature, I can't say I find that difficult to believe. And then I remember the things I had said to her. The threats I had made and my heart drops into my stomach.

Such foul and nasty words. Threats filled with bitterness. Even as I said them, they tasted disgusting to me. Like dry sidewalk chalk. But I still said them, and as I look at her, I wish I hadn't. I wish I had bitten them back and swallowed. I wish they had never even crossed my mind. I wish I could erase them from her mind and take it all back, but they've already been said.

And I think another piece of my soul chips away. Then I look at her, soundly sleeping in my bed next to me, no trace of those words anywhere to be seen. No trace of any of it.

I smile. I don't understand how she can do that. How can she lay next to me? How can she lie next to a man after he said those things to her? After he disrespected and belittled her.

She shifts, moving ever so slightly closer to me, that peace still written across her face, keeping me at ease. I reach over, tucking some loose strands behind her ear, still smiling. I don't understand her. She doesn't make any sense to me. I will never understand how she can so easily do these things – forgive and move on – but I appreciate it. Because of her kindness, I am able to be here. I am able to lay next to her, being so close.

I can touch her. I can hold her. I can feel her. Even with these gloves, I am still given opportunities to reach out and touch her. They might be small ways, but they are still tremendous to me.

I watch her, brought to my own sense of peace when my mobile starts to ring. Not wanting to disturb her, I roll over, grabbing it. Then frown, answering it.

"What is it Compress?" I whisper, glancing over my shoulder.

Illika is still sound asleep, looking so angelic and holy. Could she be holy?

"Sorry to disturb you," Compress says.

"It's fine." I pull back my portion of the comforter and climb to my feet, shuffling to the restroom. "What is it? Is there something to report?"