Mind Boggled

Chapter 26

Y'all got confused last chapter for some reason. Todoroki is NOT the hot guy who has a crush on her lmao, it's Kirishima-

Third person pov

There were some people Harper just couldn't forget. They were the type she could easily recognize even if she'd only ever felt their presence once. Some individuals simply had minds so distinguishable from the crowd that she only had to catch a hint of them before she knew exactly who they were. There weren't a lot of people like that out in the world. Ones who were so set apart from the rest that Harper could just snap her fingers and say "oh, hey, it's that one guy."

Kurogiri fell into this small group quite easily.

It wasn't how he felt that was unique, it was how he didn't. Most sociopaths still felt twinges of emotion. Maybe they failed to experience guilt and empathy but still managed to smile, or feel disappointment at the very least. A lot were often times volatile and agitated, and not at all easy to deal with. Kurogiri had none of that. He didn't have any emotion. Nothing accompanied his thoughts. Not annoyance, not joy. No sense of victory or loyalty. Any emotion he may have showed was fake. The man was devoid of any and all feeling, and it was something Harper would always recognize.

"Harper Rye." The ghastly man intoned as she fell onto what had to be the roof of a terribly tall building. She wobbled on her feet only momentarily, her heart rate spiking exceptionally when she realized that meant she probably wasn't going to be getting out of this one. He'd got her more than cornered this time around. Fuck. This guy's timing was literal shit. He could not have chosen a worse day to herd her onto a roof where she couldn't get away.

Here she was, trying to find her friends and be a good person, and he had to come crashing in and kidnap her a second time! It was honestly getting old at this point. This time it was a roof. What would happen next? Would he swipe her corpse from her impending funeral too? She didn't see herself getting out of this one, and that made her throat tighten uncomfortably. Her panicked emotions tangled with the near overwhelming urge she had to stand strong and garner a straight face the best she could. She had to stay calm. If not for herself, then for the people who would be crushed were she to die.

"Oh. Hi." Harper managed to choke out for lack of anything else to say, her nails digging into her palms as her hands squeezed into fists. Kurogiri was a bottomless pit. There was just nothing there. It was actually pretty concerning. She would ask if he was okay, but he definitely wouldn't be able to tell. He was both fine and he wasn't. He wasn't... he just wasn't anything. Numb. How was he not insane? The guy needed some kind of therapy. Maybe drugs to make his brain pump out some happy mind juice, or something.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I've pulled you aside today. I must apologize. I've been wishing to speak with you, but I'm afraid I have not had the chance. It was a pleasant surprise to see you here today." He spoke formally, and Harper realized Dust Bucket wasn't here like he had been last time. It was a bit of a relief to know she wouldn't die a completely agonizing death, unless the All-Consuming Violet Void over here decided to get creative and use his portals to chop off her limbs. "She looks startled. That was not my intention. I do hope she does not devolve into... what is it? Yes, into panic."

"Right, yeah. It's cool. Totally fine." Harper shook her head. Kurogiri suspected she was lying, but she didn't give a shit. Maybe she could do that push thing she'd done back in the bar. Where she shoved with her quirk, or whatever that was. She hadn't done it since then, and had honestly sort of forgotten about it until this moment. She needed to practice it anyway! See, this kidnapping was a good thing. Totally chill and fine. Harper wasn't struggling not to hyperventilate or anything.