We are the Future

Rip off the Bandage

Izumi's brow twitched in irritation as she stood in front of the bed for the last shoot of the day. She had told the photographer to go with Bakugo as the final shot... but Shoto sat on the edge of the wide bed in only a pair of sweats and the stylist mussing up his hair for a more touseled look.

"Someone care to explain this to me?" She crossed her arms and irritably tapped her fingers against her bicep. "I thought we had agreed on Ground Zero for the final shot."

"Apparently no one told him that." The photographer told her, testing the lighting for the room. "After the group shot he up and left."

"I'm a full time hero and I don't have anymore time to waste on pictures. Get Icy Hot to do it!"

"...is what he said." One of the assistants told her and Izumi's temples throbbed harder as irritation built up.

"That fucking selfish jerk... I'm gonna kill him for this."

"What's the problem?" The photographer looked at her, the stress and irritation of the day on his face. "He's a handsome man, you're an attractive woman, make the chemistry work like you always do."

"Well there's-" Izumi started to explain but Shoto stood up.

"She's worried because of personal reasons... I had my own convictions about this, but a job is a job. Things like memories and relationship tension shouldn't matter if you're a professional." He went up to her, his fingers snagging the lapel of her silk robe to rub it teasingly. Izumi felt her blood run hot from the intentional intimacy of the move. His voice became soft as a whisper and his eyes bore into her. "I'm a pro, so I can handle something like this... can you?"

Izumi's back went iron rod straight and her eyes narrowed on him. So... that was his game? He wanted to challenge her? Fine, she'd show him the dangers of working with a real professional.

"I more or less was showing concern for your sake not mine." She untied the robe and let it fall at her feet. The sexy negligee left little to the imagination with its lacy pattern and dangerous low cuts. She let her lips curve when she heard the strangled sound of surprise in his throat and she tugged him by the stretch band of his sweats. "If you're okay with it... then let's get this over with."

In the back of her mind, she hoped the boys were keeping Dabi busy... she did NOT want him walking in on this particular set up.

~meanwhile~

"Running away from your sitter, lying to a security guard, sneaking into a buffet, setting fire to a window display, annoying patrons by pushing all the buttons in the elevator, stealing ice cream cones from a vendor, and causing a scene during your mother's photoshoot." Dabi sighed heavily, his arms crossed as he stood in front of his two boys. It had taken him, Mavis, and nearly three security guards to wrangle them down, but they'd managed to trap them near the front entrance. "I'm not the strict parent, but even I have to say you two are on a whole nother level of grounded."

The two stayed silent... which was a rarity. Hiroki just kept his head low, but he could see the anger mixed with the sadness on his face. Nowaki on the other hand was in tears, sniffling and whimpering.

"Well," he crouched down eying Hiroki in particular. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"Yeah..." Hiroki's voice cracked. "I'm not sorry."

"Hah?" He grabbed Hiroki by the head and scruffed up his hair with a firm grip making him squirm. "Wanna try that again, son?"

"Owowowow! I'm not sorry! I'm not sorry!!!" He rolled onto his back and then his side, the first few sniffles of tears coming through. "You're the one who should be sorry!"