I Have A Strong, Sneaking Suspicion That Some Will Really REALLY Like This Nagizuru Fic. The Mental Image

I have a strong, sneaking suspicion that some will really REALLY like this nagizuru fic. The mental image it will paint in your minds will be a splendid one, for sure.

And if it makes you feel things, do feel free to share your thoughts. I am most curious.

As always, the au is by @karugoround! And I am very grateful for the chance to help these two grow and interact. Very fun indeed!!!

Hajime grumbled as he pushed his cart into the elevator. He was not pleased with how things had been going today.

The reason? Some imbecile had decided to leave a bucket full of water behind him while he was gathering materials and he had tripped over it, soaking his clothes. The laughs that his fall caused led him to believe it hadn’t been an accident. And unfortunately, Hajime didn’t have enough time to get changed. All he had been able to do was grab another change of clothes and put them on the cart to Izuru’s room. He hoped the Ultimate Hope would allow him to use his bathroom to change while he ate.

He tried to wipe his displeased grimace off his face as he swiped his card and entered the room. Of course, he wasn’t successful in fooling the best analyst in the world.

“It seems an unfortunate accident occurred. A possible sabotage? You know you only need to reveal their identity for them to receive their punishment.”

The offer was given to him half a second after he walked in. And Izuru looked to be a mixture of subtle amusement and not so subtle aggression. Hajime felt his mood improve upon seeing this, feeling slightly vindicated for his anger at the incident.

But he still shook his head. “I couldn’t really tell you. I didn’t see whoever put the bucket behind me. Just that they were new.”

Izuru rested his head on a hand while laying on his side. “I’m sure that’s the case. No one who has been here for more than a week would dare do such a thing to you otherwise. If only they knew what misfortune they have brought upon themselves.”

Hajime raised an eyebrow. “Wait. So you can affect people even if you’ve never seen them?”

“My abilities are not to be underestimated, my dear caretaker.”

Izuru fell silent after, sitting up on the bed and extending his arms for the routine tests. Hajime took a few moments to think on what he was told. It sometimes really did seem like Izuru really had surpassed human limits and was some supernatural force.

However, he didn’t dwell on these for long, as he didn’t want to make his charge wait any longer than he had to. So despite his discomfort of being in soaked clothes, he did the tests as he usually did. And he breathed a sigh of relief once he handed the plate of food off to Izuru. “I hope you don’t mind if I borrow your bathroom. I won’t be long, I swear.”

The experiment took his first bite, then nodded. “Very well.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Hajime grabbed his dry clothing and entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He was quick to shed the wet pants, shirt, and suit jacket. Thankfully, his undergarments had escaped the water, so he didn’t have to remove those. But the same could not be said for his eye covering. He undid it, the strip of cloth lowered onto the wet pile. But as he moved to grab his dry set, he found himself drawn to what he saw in the mirror.

A body riddled with scars.

He quickly averted his gaze, not liking what he saw. All of them were acquired during his time at the lighthouse. And while he might not have any regrets in coming to this place, that didn’t mean he had no opinions on the scars. He was damaged. Worthless. Undesirable. No one would look his way if they knew what he hid under his clothing.

He sighed with a deep frown, reaching over to grab his shirt. But his progress was halted when he felt arms wrap around his waist from behind. Panicking, his eye shot back to the mirror.

He was no longer the only one in the bathroom. That much was clear by the sight of a smiling Izuru staring right into his working eye from the reflective glass. “S-sir? Was I… taking too long?”

He felt the hum as Izuru rested his head on his caretaker’s shoulder. “Not at all. I grew bored and wished to join you. And to see a new sight.”

Hajime frowned again. “It’s not much of a sight. I’m… not easy to look at anymore.”

“I have to disagree.”

The firm statement made the brunette pause, booting him out of his unhappy spiral. He looked over to the Ultimate Hope, who had raised a hand to begin tracing the scar on his chest. “Where did this one come from?”

Somehow, the question also eased his mind. “A lightning strike from three weeks into my job. I somehow survived without too much damage.”

“I see.” Izuru then moved to his right leg, where a nasty long cut disfigured his skin. “And this?”

“A week after recovering from the lightning strike. The ceiling gave out and sent lots of metal appliances crashing down. A sharp piece cut my leg open,” Hajime replied. “Thankfully, it doesn’t inhibit my ability to walk. I often forget it’s there.”

A finger then traced around his blind eye. “I know what caused this.” Then the pale hands reached down to grab his wrists. They lifted them up, displaying the several small cuts and burn scars littering his hands and arms. “But I do not know the origin of these. Do inform me.”

Hajime managed a small smile. “These don’t have crazy stories. They are all from minor accidents in the kitchen, preparing things for you. N-not that I blame you or anything! I would never!”

The white haired man laughed, the sound a wonderful noise. “Calm yourself, my dear caretaker. I assure you that the thought never crossed my mind.” He let go of the right wrist, returning it to its position around Hajime’s waist. But he kept hold of the left one, twisting and turning it as if trying to memorize every detail. “So many scars. So many encounters with harm. But you survived them all, even the dangerous ones. You have quite a tenacious soul. Something I am most pleased about. And I enjoy the sight of your collection, for it is an admirable one.” Izuru then raised the hand towards his face, planting a quick and gentle kiss to the damaged skin.

Hajime hadn’t thought it possible, but he felt the most intense amount of emotions flooding through his body. Nothing the Ultimate Hope had said or done to him had ever affected him this much. His entire body went scarlet. He knew this because he saw it happen in the mirror.

Izuru smirked, enjoying the sight, too. “My, my. One would think that you enjoy my praise. Do not worry though, for I shall reveal this information to no one. Your secrets are safe with me.” The experiment withdrew, stepping away and out the door. “My curiosity has been satiated. You may continue as you were. Though I do insist you keep the door open.”

The embarrassed whine that threatened to escape was barely contained. Just barely. He heard the bed creak as Izuru returned to laying on it, which prompted the brunette to complete the task he came into the bathroom to do. And as ordered, he left the door open. He got dressed in a speed he had never accomplished before, fueled by embarrassment most likely. Though his eye covering was being difficult for some reason. He tried and tried again as he left the bathroom, biting his lip in frustration as it slipped off another time. “Stupid thing. Stay on!” he muttered to himself.

“Calm yourself, Hajime. It won’t do to be so upset. Come to me. Allow me to assist.” Izuru’s gentle voice beckoned him over. And he dutifully obeyed without question. He sat on the bed near the experiment, feeling his cold fingers on his head once more. The fabric was woven around his face, placed and tightened with expert hands. It wasn’t long until the eye was fully covered.

But before he could stand up, the hands placed themselves on his chin, turning his head to make eye contact with the Ultimate Hope. The ruby red eyes scanned his face, observing him in his entirety. He appeared satisfied by this. “Not a hair out of place. Excellent.”

The blush that had just faded returned with full force. He was certain Izuru could feel it along with seeing it. But no additional emotion ran across the man’s face. A perfect doll-like smile, unreadable and unchanging. And a sight Hajime would never tire of seeing.

“Th-thank you, sir,” he stammered out, not daring to move out of the hold he was in. He wasn’t in charge here and he knew his place very well.

It didn’t last too long this time, Izuru’s hands and arms pulling back to slip under the covers again. “Now that you are properly dressed once more, I shall allow you to attend to your other duties. Oh, and do be sure to avoid the first floor today. I sense the new hire training will go poorly for a few souls.”

Understanding the implications, the caretaker nodded. “Yes, sir. I shall remain on the floors above.”

“Good, good. Now run along. I grow weary,” Izuru told him, eyes closing.

Hajime stood and pulled the covers up and around the experiment’s shoulders. “Sleep well. I shall see you soon.”

Masterpost

Lighthouse au!!! Let’s gooooo!!!

Man oh man do I love this au. It’s so much fun. Don’t you all agree?

Also, there’s fanart for the last SCP I did. Here it is!

Hajime sometimes had a really hard time believing that the people he worked for were intelligent. Why? Because they had such reckless ideas and orders that they expected to be carried out. In spite of previous experiences suggesting that it wasn’t a smart idea.

Such as the instructions he had just been given.

“Hinata. You are to bring Izuru Kamukura down to Lab 15. He is to undergo a physical exam in front of us. You will assist by staying in the room with him as damage control. Understand?”

Outside, he simply nodded and replied, “Yes, sir.” But internally, he chastised them for their poor decision making skills. Had they not learned to not test the limits of what the Ultimate Hope could accomplish? Fools, all of them.

Nevertheless, he left the office to do as asked. He entered the elevator and ascended to Izuru’s floor. And he swiftly swiped his card and went in.

Izuru was actually asleep when he walked in. And Hajime really did not want to wake him. But past times had made it clear that the doctors didn’t care what state he was in when they requested him. He was to appear in front of them, and refusal to do so was not an option.

So with a heavy heart, he carefully approached the sleeping experiment. “Sir? We need to go down for something. So you will have to get up.”

Izuru’s eyes slowly opened, clearly not happy with having been disturbed. “The timing of this is… inconvenient, to say the least.”

Hajime gave him a sad smile. “I know. I don’t like it either. And I apologize for disturbing you. I strongly wish that I didn’t have to.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. But if you are so insistent on repenting, then you may carry me down while I’m still waking up.”

The brunette’s cheeks flushed. “Uh… y-yeah. I can carry you. How… do you want me to…”

But Izuru didn’t answer, only smirked. It seemed to send a message. One that made him blush even harder. “If… you want it, sir, then okay.”

He approached the bed, trying to calm his heart again. Once he was close enough, he slid his arms under the other man’s thin legs and around his waist. He lifted him up and off the bed with practically no effort. And Izuru wound his own arms around the caretaker’s neck, sighing contently. “Now take me to the lab. But take your time. I’m still waking up.”

Hajime could only nod. He had carried Izuru bridal style before, but not usually for very long. This would be the longest he would carry the experiment in this way.

But he would do his job and he would do it well. So he began walking out of the room. He made sure to keep Izuru’s long hair off the ground, not wanting to dirty it.

Something the experiment definitely noticed as they entered the elevator. “So considerate. So aware. So… faithful,” he whispered into Hajime’s ear, sending all sorts of shivers down his spine.

“I’m… glad you think so, sir,” he replied, managing to keep the stutter out of his voice. But that’s all he said, keeping quiet to let Izuru have some time to focus on the elevator ride down. He did love them a lot.

Sadly, it could not last forever. The elevator arrived at the fourth floor. Their destination.

Izuru turned his head to stare straight ahead, observing their journey. Hajime tightened his grip on the man’s body and stepped out. He knew where he was going. He knew where all the labs on this floor were located. He found the door to the lab already open, so he didn’t have to put Izuru down. Something he was thankful for.

But he did have to do so moments later as they reached the center of the room. There were all sorts of objects on a table in the room. What they were for, Hajime was sure they would find out soon.

Their focus was mainly on the large pane of glass that separated the lab they were in from an observation room next to it. Hajime knew that the glass was supposed to be bulletproof and extra thick. But he was not sure that would be enough if they ticked off the Ultimate Hope. But he guessed they would see what happened.

The speaker up on the ceiling crackled to life, the voice of a doctor coming through. “Hinata, you are to stay in the room with Izuru Kamukura. Shut the door and stand by it. Kamukura, you are going to perform all the instructions given to you.”

Hajime didn’t want to put him down. His greatest desire in this moment was to walk out with him in his arms and never return. But sadly, it was not feasible. The white haired man was still slightly sedated and Hajime was no superhuman. So he set him down on his feet in the center of the lab before backing away.

The speaker spoke again. “Kamukura. Demonstrate how much you can carry. Start by picking up the smallest weight on the floor under the table.”

Izuru stood there, smiling vacantly. He made no move to follow the instructions.

“Kamukura. Pick up the five pound weight. Now.”

Nothing. Izuru remained still where he was, staring right into the eyes of the one speaking.

“Obey your creators!” the doctor shouted, sounding both annoyed and on edge.

But still, Izuru didn’t move.

That’s about when Hajime decided to intervene. “Sir? Do you wish for me to retrieve the weights for you?”

Izuru turned to look at him, expression now a hint softer. He nodded, so Hajime walked up to him and handed him the smallest weight. He held it with no difficulty.

Hajime stepped back again, leaving Izuru with the small weight in his hand.

“Now that you have seen what needs to be done, pick up the ten pound weight,” the doctor commanded.

But Izuru again refused to move. He just kept staring in Hajime’s direction.

The caretaker chanced a look over to the window, seeing the veins practically popping out of the doctors’ heads. This was clearly getting on their nerves. And he wouldn’t deny it was amusing to see.

But alas, it wasn’t possible to continue for very long. Hajime was sure that if he kept it up, he would have more restrictions placed on him. Something Hajime wouldn’t allow. So he approached again. “Here, sir. Let me get you the next weight.”

He exchanged the tiny weight with another slightly bigger one. Izuru took the ten pound weight and held it like the previous ones.

The doctors, while not usually making good decisions, actually recognized that Izuru would listen to instructions given by Hajime. So they made use of that.

“Hinata. You are to relay any and all instructions to Kamukura.”

Yeah, he saw this coming. But that was fine, he supposed. So long as he didn’t have to request something dangerous.

And so it began. The doctors would bark out orders, which Izuru ignored. And in turn, Hajime would repeat the instructions with respect and carefulness. Which Izuru would perform the tasks, each successfully and with little effort.

Once they were satisfied with his physical capabilities, they tested his luck. One example being his ability to toss a puzzle cube up in the air and have it land completely solved. Hajime was astounded. And he praised Izuru for everything.

After some time, everything on the table had been used. So Hajime assumed that it was nearing the end of the test. He was relieved by this. He didn’t like how strenuous some of the tasks were. He was still slightly sedated. It can’t have been easy. So he was most eager to return the Ultimate Hope to his room.

“We need one more bit of pictorial data before we conclude. Hinata, remove Kamukura’s robe so that his body is visible.”

Hajime’s heart plummeted at the idea. And he felt a sort of rage. How dare they ask such a thing. Izuru was wearing undergarments, so it wasn’t like he would be fully exposed. But the idea of others seeing him without his robe infuriated him.

Izuru, the world’s best analyst, clearly saw this in his expression. He raised his hands and cupped his cheeks, tilting his head to make eye contact.

“Fret not, my dear caretaker. For I do not care if they see me.” He leaned in and whispered in his ear. “Though I will say your anger is flattering. And rest assured that only you may touch me.”

The words comforted Hajime. So he felt better about doing this task, even as the doctors behind him were exclaiming their disbelief over hearing Izuru speak.

Gently, Hajime pulled the robe off, revealing more and more pale skin. And… the large scar on his chest.

Hajime had seen it before. Many times. But still, the sight made him feel strange. Upset that he had gone through pain to acquire that scar. But also fascinated.

The sight also made his own ache. The scars he kept hidden. The residual effect of him surviving thus far. He rubbed one on his wrist, frowning at the phantom pain.

The red eyes noticed this, glancing down at his wrist before returning to his working eye. What that meant, he wasn’t sure.

But he didn’t have time to think much about it. The speaker came on again. “Hinata. Exit the lab and come to the observation room. Leave Kamukura in the lab.”

Again, it was a task he didn’t want to do. But he had to. So after a final look at Izuru, trying to express his apologies via eye contact, he exited the room and reported to the one the doctors were in.

“What did you need from me, sir?” he asked. “Were the test results unsatisfactory?”

He joined the older man in watching Izuru put his robe back on. “While this isn’t… ideal, this is still a good result.”

Hajime was confused. “How so, sir?”

The doctor grinned. “He’s controllable. He listens to you. Anything you told him to do, he did. So that bodes well for us.” The grin changed to a stern expression. “Don’t disappoint us. Make sure this monster is tame.”

“Yes, sir.”

Hajime walked out the door, returning to the lab. Those doctors didn’t know how incorrect they were. He was not loyal to them. He didn’t care about them. Especially not their approval. He was loyal to one and one only. And that was the Ultimate Hope.

“They are done with the tests. We can return you to bed,” he told Izuru, adjusting the shoulder of the robe to better cover the skin.

“Yes. Carry me back to my room, my dear caretaker,” Izuru replied, winding his arms loosely around the brunette’s neck.

Hajime nodded, picking him back up the same way he brought him down. This time with less embarrassment. For he had an important task.

But as they exited the lab and began walking, Izuru spoke up. “One thing before we return.”

Izuru reached over to the door where the scientists were currently. He tapped on the doorknob, smiling wide when it fell to the ground. “How unfortunate. Seems like their day will be inconvenienced by this. Similar to how they were inconveniencing us.”

Hajime grinned as he started heading to the elevator, ignoring the pounding on the door behind him. “Karma. It’s what they deserve. Now let’s get you back to your room.”

Masterpost

A suggestion from sweet hearts cakery! A very cute idea for sure!

A staple of many fics with vast size differences. Wondering how it would be if they were similar heights. Both angsty and cute at the same time. Though I’d say this is more on the cute side.

Hey you!!! Yes, you!!! I need your ideas! Please share them with me!

While the twins were preparing and consuming a wonderful smelling dinner at the human’s home, Nagito found himself lying out in the grassy open area and staring up at the sky. He had turned himself so that he was laying on his back, gold belly scales facing up and his head resting against the soft dirt. He never tired of watching the stars, a gorgeous painting of light on a dark canvas.

He loved it when the moon was full and no clouds were present. Such a pretty sight with all the stars. He heard from Sonia that other places closer to human cities didn’t have as good of a view. Something about artificial light. But he didn’t care to analyze the reason for it. He just considered himself immensely lucky to be blessed with his forest and its natural treasures.

The only thing that was unfortunate was that he was alone to see this. Sonia and Gundham were at the eccentric human’s residence in the woods and the twins were occupied in the brunette’s home. And while he understood that humans fed themselves much differently than his kind, he couldn’t help the loneliness. His life partner was in a place he couldn’t reach. And a thought popped into his mind, one that was not new. What would life be like if he was smaller? If they were of similar sizes? Would their relationship be different?

He shut his green eyes, taking a deep breath and releasing it. The calm and stillness were encouraging his body to doze off. And he saw no reason to refuse the call. So he slowly drifted away, his last waking thoughts entirely on his human.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Nagito. It’s time to get up.”

The naga groaned and buried his face in his arms, wanting to continue his rest.

“Come now, don’t be so stubborn. It’s late morning. You can’t sleep the day away.”

The voice above him kept insisting. But not yet! He was still very sleepy.

“I see. Guess I have no choice but to do this.”

Nagito jolted as he felt someone card their hands through his hair. Nails gently scratched at his scalp, making him let out happy noises in response. “Feels… nice…” he sleepily whispered, tilting his head for a better angle.

“Glad you think so. Maybe you can have more of you get up and come with me.”

It was tempting, so very tempting. He guessed it wouldn’t hurt to do as the voice said if he got more head scratches. So he slowly blinked his eyes open, adjusting to the light. Though once the haziness cleared, he shot up suddenly. “Hajime? Wait, why are you…?”

The brunette tilted his head eyebrow raised. “Why am I what?” he asked, at eye level with the naga.

Nagito wasn’t able to reply for a few moments. Hajime… was the same size as a naga? Or was he now more human-sized? He still was in his normal body, as he felt and saw his emerald tail. But somehow, there was no massive size difference. Magic? A different universe? Or something else?

Whatever the reason, he did not care. This was an opportunity that he would not waste. “Nothing. Pay no mind to my earlier question. Can you please lead the way? I’m still sleepy and need a handsome, reliable guide to help me.”

Hajime rolled his eyes with a blush. “If you really want me to, I can’t say no. Come on, let’s go,” he said as he held a hand out. Nagito stared at the hand, slowly slotting his own on top of it. So similar in size now. His were only slightly longer, but he was able to grab hold without fear. He squeezed the hand, smiling when he felt a squeeze back. Hajime laughed a bit. “You’re acting like you haven’t held my hand before. Do you like doing it that much?”

Nagito squeezed again, meeting the hazel eyes. “I would never tire of holding your hand. All the touches we share are special.”

“I think so, too.” Hajime tugged on his hand, silently requesting for the naga to follow him. To which Nagito was more than happy to do so. They traveled through the house they were in, though Nagito didn’t recognize any of the decorations or furniture. It was as if they were in a totally different house. But he didn’t pay it much mind, as he was enjoying this so much.

They finally reached a large open room, with a few chairs and a tv on the wall. “Here. We can relax in this room together.”

Nagito smirked as he moved in closer. “Hajime. Did you wake me up only to relocate me to this room? Did you perhaps miss my company?”

Hajime rolled his eyes, though his cheeks were still tinted red. “And what if I did? Are you complaining?”

The white hair bounced as Nagito shook his head. “Not at all. It’s perfect.” Then he finally went for it, something he had wanted to do for so very long. He wound his arms around the human’s body, hugging him tight. “It’s just as wonderful as I imagined. I’ll never forget this feeling,” he whispered to himself, closing his eyes and nuzzling into Hajime’s neck.

He felt the human’s strong arms wind around his back, one on his upper back and the other tracing the area where skin met scales. “Clingy, aren’t you? But I can’t blame you. I’m crazy about you, too.”

Nagito sighed blissfully, lowering both himself and his beloved onto the floor. He laid him down on his coils, making sure he was comfortable as he did. “This okay?” he still asked.

Hajime began petting his locks again. “Couldn’t wait til we got to the couch? I’m fine with that.”

Nagito leaned into the scritches, whining happily. “So good. I love whenever you do this. No matter what size.”

“Size?” Hajime questioned, though his hands didn’t stop their movements in his hair.

Nagito opened his eyes slightly. “I know this isn’t my reality. I’m dreaming. And it’s a truly wonderful dream. When I wake up, you will be different. But only in size. You are just as sweet and caring as my Hajime. Truly, I am the luckiest naga in the world.”

Dream Hajime hummed. “Glad to hear that you think so highly of me. But now that you know this is a dream, do you want to awaken?”

Nagito shook his head, clinging tight. “Not yet. Let me indulge in this feeling for a little longer.”

“As you wish.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Nagito didn’t keep track of how much time passed in the dream world. All he really remembered was being softly pulled away from the embrace by a warm light. It had been so comforting, so he didn’t fight it. The next thing he knew, he was opening his eyes in the real world. And he was delighted when he felt and saw his Hajime petting his hair. Though he did have to strain his arms a bit to reach.

His beloved did notice his consciousness, lowering his arms and resting them on his cheek. “Hey, I didn’t mean to wake you. We didn’t mean to take so long. You can go back to sleep. I just wanted to come check on you.”

He was so small compared to the naga. Not even taller than his shortest finger. But somehow, in this small body, there was so much kindness. So much care. It made his heart beat like crazy.

Carefully, Nagito used his hand to hug the human to his cheek. He wanted to say one thing before falling back asleep. “No matter what bodies the universe places us in, be it big or small, same or different species, I know one thing for certain. You are the one I love the most. Please don’t forget that.” He let his hand fall away and he closed his eyes, drifting off into a dreamless sleep. He looked forward to the next morning, when he could see his beloved again.

Masterpost

I find myself both sad and satisfied about this. My cat au fic has ended. After 75 chapters.

It’s kinda surreal. I didn’t think I would get to such a high number of chapters. So much fun times with the precious and fluffy kitties. We had several great adventures with our favorite boys.

And speaking of the boys, thank you to @karugoround for drawing them! They made them so freaking cute! A perfect way to send this au off.

And yeah! I hope you all enjoyed it!

@valictini sent this over to me with no warning. And I absolutely love it! Look at the two gods having a nice tea time!

Thank you so much for it! It’s so cute!

For those confused, it’s based off a note I made in Lost Souls chapter 12. It’s linked on my masterpost if you wanna check it out!

This is a birthday gift for @bobasriduur. She and I have been chatting and she mentioned wishing for something like this. And I am also a massive sucker for parental Izuru. So here we are!

Does it make sense canonically? No.

Do I care? Not at all! Sometimes it’s fun to imagine bizarre what if scenarios.

And it was fun to make! A nice little one shot. And I hope you like it too!

Parenthood was not something people often imagined themselves doing during the apocalypse. But that’s exactly what Izuru Kamukura found himself doing.

He was reminded of this fact as the smaller body next to him on the bed shifted in his sleep, sighing happily when he was comfortable again. But it was enough to wake the man up, blinking his red eyes open.

He scanned his surroundings. He was in a hotel room, one that he was sure had been quite luxurious before the world ended. A bag of supplies was by the door, ready to grab in case he needed to exit swiftly. And beside him… was a child with spiky brown hair.

Hajime Hinata was his name. Izuru had found him lost and alone, wandering around an abandoned park. At first, he befriended the child to ward off boredom. But it became clear very early on that the child saw him as protection and safety. And in turn, Izuru began feeling attached to him. Something that surprised him.

But he didn’t want the feeling to go away. So he had taken over guardianship of the child. Neither knew where his parents were. But Izuru could guess, given the state of the world. It was a wonder that Hajime had survived, given the numerous people brainwashed by despair out there and various other factors that made living difficult.

But survive he did. And Izuru intended to keep it that way.

Which meant food preparation and consumption. This hotel had an expansive kitchen on the first floor with lots of preserved food. It was a goldmine in this day and age.

So Izuru sat up, turning to gently shake Hajime. “It is time to awaken. Let us go prepare something to eat.”

Hajime’s face scrunched up and he hid under the covers. “Ten more minutes,” he sleepily requested.

Izuru thought it over, and decided to accept it. “Very well, you may have ten minutes.”

Hajime relaxed. “Thank you,” he mumbled. But he then let out a confused yelp when the adult pulled the covers off and lifted him off the bed. “What are you doing? You said I could have ten minutes!”

“That I did. But I never confirmed those ten minutes would be on the bed,” Izuru replied, holding him up with his left arm and standing up. He grabbed their bag and left the room, heading for the staircase.

“You’re… a meanie,” Hajime muttered. But his tone shifted again to sleepiness as he relaxed against Izuru’s chest. His hazel eyes closed and his breathing evened out.

That didn’t take long, Izuru thought to himself. But he would keep his word. He would allow him ten more minutes of rest. Perhaps he would be done with breakfast preparations by the end of the timer.

They arrived at the kitchen. Izuru wasted no time in acquiring what he needed. The frozen food storage was simple to open and he grabbed some fruits and bacon, along with a juice box and bottled water. That would suffice for today. He brought his supplies to the stove and began.

The bacon sizzled on the frying pan and he cut the fruit into small chunks. All with one hand, as his other arm was busy holding the young child. It wasn’t an issue. He could do anything. He did have every talent inside him, might as well use them.

He had everything plated up and placed on a table they had been using since taking up shelter here. Izuru had made sure it and the chairs were all sturdy and clean before using them. So he set the still sleepy child on one of the chairs, gently shaking him again. “I allowed you 16 minutes and 32 seconds. Now it’s time to fully awaken.”

Hajime groaned, but blinked his eyes open. He yawned loudly, rubbing his eyes. “It didn’t feel that long,” he complained.

The raven haired man rolled his eyes. “You will live. Now eat while it’s still fresh.”

The scent of bacon hit the child’s nose about then, helping him wake up. “Smells good!” He dug in, humming with delight at the taste.

Something about the sight stirred some buried emotion in Izuru. It happened whenever the child was happy. But even though he didn’t know the name of the emotion, he knew he wanted to experience it more.

“I’m pleased to hear that,” he said as he too sat down and ate what he had made. He supposed it was fine. Better than what most people were eating these days. He was sure that it paled in comparison to meals before the world burned. But it filled their stomachs, and he couldn’t complain about that.

The plates were empty soon. Izuru took them into the kitchen and placed them in the sink. He could wash them later, as he had other matters he wanted to attend to as soon as he could. So he returned to the table, seeing Hajime happily drinking his juice box. Though he did momentarily separate from the straw to ask a question. “What are we doing today?”

“The plan is to locate the garden store in the eastern district. There should be dried seeds of various plants. Growing a garden would be beneficial in the long run,” he answered, rummaging through the bag to find some specific items. He of course found them, knowing the exact contents and where they were inside.

“The garden store? I didn’t know there was one!” Hajime looked excited, eager to go.

Izuru closed the bag once he succeeded in retrieving the items. “We can head out once you finish.”

Hajime sucked on the straw hard, the box deflating as the juice and air was drained. He put the empty box on the table and stood in front of him. “Ready!”

“Good.” The superhuman ruffled the brown hair, causing the child to giggle. He then offered the items. “Would you like to put them on? Or do you want me to do it?”

Hajime thought it over. But he pointed at the adult. “You always make it feel comfy. Can you do it?”

Izuru nodded. “I can. Now stand still. I’ll take them off you when we arrive. Ready?”

The child nodded. “Yeah.”

So he began. He slid the thick blindfold over the large hazel eyes, blocking all from sight. And after, he placed noise canceling ear muffs over his ears, snapping a few times to ensure he couldn’t hear. Hajime didn’t react, so it was working.

Slowly and gently, he slid his arms around Hajime, picking him up and off the floor. The child hugged his neck tight once in range. Satisfied with this, Izuru picked up the bag and began walking.

The blindfold and ear muffs were very necessary. It was the apocalypse, after all. Plenty of horrible and scarring sights that would traumatize a young child. Hajime had so far been lucky and hadn’t seen anything yet. Izuru wanted to keep it that way, so the child wore this protection whenever they left the hotel. Hajime didn’t protest, as he knew there were scary things outside. But he felt safe with Izuru. So he didn’t worry.

Which was excellent, as Izuru thought it best to travel silently to not alert anyone of their presence. He could slip by with no problem, being stealthy when he so chose. Hajime also stayed quiet once the protection was on. So it worked perfectly.

Nothing interrupted their journey. Only sounds and sights in the distance. But still, they were occurrences he was glad Hajime had not witnessed. Screams and buildings collapsing weren’t comforting.

He managed to find the garden store with ease. And it somehow was still standing with minimal damage. He pushed the door open, a little bell chiming. Too bad the owners weren’t here to greet them.

He closed the door and glanced around. All of the windows were high up, too high for Hajime to see out of unless he stood on something. He was safe to remove his protection.

Izuru placed the child on the ground, tugging the ear muffs off first and then removing the blindfold. “We are here. I thought you might want to look around.”

Hajime blinked a few times, adjusting to having sight again. And once he did, he looked around with great interest. “Woah! Look at all the decorations! So pretty!”

There were indeed several garden decorations around, still in good shape and eye-catching. “If you want, you may choose one to bring back. All I ask is that you don’t look out the windows. Is this acceptable?”

Hajime nodded fast. “Yes! Yes! Thank you!”

Izuru stood up to his full height. “I won’t be long,” he promised, turning to the storeroom in the back. That would have what he was looking for.

And just as he predicted, there they were. Various unopened bags of seeds for all kinds of plants. He grabbed all the ones that could grow into something edible. There was quite a wide variety, from lemons to pumpkins. If he could find a suitable area to garden, this would be incredibly helpful for their future years.

Nodding to himself, Izuru re-entered the main store. Hajime had made his choice on what he wanted. A little metal sculpture of a chihuahua. “Can we take him home? Please?”

Izuru petted the hair again. “Of course we can.”

Hajime smiled brightly and hugged the tiny dog decoration tight. “Thank you! I’ll take good care of him!”

“See that you do.” Izuru took a look around, deciding that there was no more they needed from here. “How about we go back to the hotel? You can give him a tour.”

“Oh yes! I can’t wait! He’s gonna love it!” Hajime jumped up and down with glee, ready to go.

But then Izuru’s sharp ears detected something. Ragged breathing and almost childlike giggles. But all in the tone of an adult. Someone was close by.

Now to deal with them. “Hajime, stay here and stay quiet. I’m going to go check outside for something. Don’t come out until I come back in.”

The child looked a bit fearful. “What’s… going on?”

Izuru kneeled down and rested his hands on the small shoulders. “Everything is fine. I am just going to check out one thing. Can you and your new friend watch over the shop while I’m away?”

He was still a little nervous, but nodded. “Yeah. We can do that. Come back soon, okay?”

“I shall.” The raven haired man stood up and went to the front door of the shop, he paused right before, listening. The breathing was still there. He estimated that this person was about 42 feet away from the store. Too close. He would have to eradicate the threat.

Izuru opened the door and stepped out, closing it right behind him and standing in front of it. Sure enough, a despaired riddled man was lumbering towards him with an iron pipe in his hand. He meant to do harm.

But Izuru wouldn’t allow that. He picked up a piece of window glass that was nearby, examining it. It was small, only about two inches. But enough to do serious damage.

Without much effort, he flicked the glass shard towards the man. He crumpled to the ground soon after the impact. He was no longer dangerous.

He turned around to open the door, calling out to the child. “I have returned. Shall we go home?” he asked as he walked in.

Hajime appeared from under a table. “Yeah! Can you help me again? It was really comfy earlier.”

Izuru took hold of the bag again, reaching in to grab the blindfold and ear muffs. “I can certainly repeat it.”

But he paused again as he heard footsteps approaching. But these were… different. And he didn’t sense any intent to harm off this individual. Fueled by curiosity, he stood up and turned around, facing the person now in the doorway. Who was… clapping.

“A splendid display! Though I suppose it’s natural to you, isn’t it? Oh Ultimate Hope.”

He vaguely remembered this person. White hair, lanky limbs, green eyes, and an obsession for hope. Nagito Komaeda. One of the Remnants of Despair.

But despite being one of the most dangerous people on the planet, Izuru felt no bloodlust from him.

He felt Hajime cling to one of his legs, peeking out from behind them at the stranger. His little shivers indicated he was nervous. Izuru placed his own hand on the child’s head, rubbing the hair in what he knew was soothing. He could feel Hajime calm down almost instantly.

Nagito noticed this. “How charitable. You took in another. And it’s good to see he recognizes you as something to latch upon.”

“Enough of your ramblings. Tell me what you came here to say,” Izuru demanded. “Do not waste any more of my time.”

“Oh, of course!!!” Nagito stood straight before giving a bow. “May I offer you shelter? I have a mansion that is well stocked with all you could want. And you may use it for whatever you wish. This offer of course extends to your little one as well.”

The raven haired man thought it over. He knew that the Remnant was being genuine. But what was the best decision? Accept and follow this man? Or decline and return to their hotel? But he supposed he was not alone. There was another who he could get an opinion from.

So he patted the brown hair, getting Hajime’s attention. “Do you have a preference? Or any questions for him?”

The child nervously looked at Nagito, trying to gauge his trustworthiness. Then his small voice asked a question. “Do you… have working baths?”

Nagito smiled wide. “I do indeed! Very large bathtubs. With hot or cold water. Whatever you want.”

Hajime’s eyes widened. “Snacks?”

Nagito nodded. “Lots.”

That seemed to be all it took to convince Hajime. He tugged on the pant leg, looking up with begging eyes at his guardian. “Can we go? Please?”

Izuru couldn’t say he was surprised by this. Children often had different priorities than adults would. But nonetheless, he had the answer he was seeking. So he returned his gaze to the Remnant. “We shall accept. Now take us there.”

Nagito looked elated. “Of course! Right this way!”

~~~~~~~~~~

It took approximately half an hour to reach the large mansion. The entire way, Hajime fidgeted with excitement. Though he still stayed quiet with his blindfold and ear muffs on. Nagito had cooed at the sight, praising the Ultimate Hope’s genius in coming up with such a solution.

They passed through large, intact gates, which locked behind them. So it was definitely secure. In fact, nothing within the gates showed any sign of damage or vandalism. It must be quite secure.

And entering the thick front doors proved this further. It was immaculate, not a speck of dust anywhere. It looked safe enough for Hajime to wander around.

He set the child down and took off his protection. Hajime spun around with wide, amazed eyes. “Wooooaaahhhh!!! It’s so pretty!!!”

Nagito laughed. “I’m glad it meets your approval. Now then, allow me to escort you to your room. I’m sure you are tired and need some rest.”

Izuru made sure to grab Hajime’s hand, instructing him to stay close. Then they trailed behind the eccentric homeowner.

Both looked around as they went. One mesmerized and one calculating and memorizing the layout should an escape be required. Though he didn’t think it would.

The room they were given was bigger than their hotel room. With a bathroom that was also splendid. Every amenity they could ever need was provided.

“Will this be suitable for you two?” Nagito asked, clasping his hands behind his back.

Hajime ran in, examining everything. “I’ve never been in a room this big! It’s amazing! Is this really for us?”

Nagito chuckled. “It is. Please let me know if there’s anything you require. I’ll be sure to prepare some snacks for when you wake up. Now then, I shall take my leave.” He bowed again and closed the door. Leaving them alone in the grand bedroom.

Hajime grabbed Izuru’s hand, tugging him towards the bed. “Can we try the bed? Can we? Can we?”

The adult allowed the child to guide him. “We can. Are you tired?”

“A little bit. Can you stay with me?” They were at the edge of the bed now, the child ready to get on. But he wanted reassurance first.

To which Izuru was fine to provide. “Yes, I can.” He grabbed Hajime under his arms and lifted him up and on the bed, seeing the mattress sink slightly with his weight.

“It’s so soft! You should try it!” Hajime exclaimed, tugging his arm again.

Izuru did as requested, laying down on the mattress next to him. “It is indeed.”

The brunette wiggled closer, snuggling into his shirt, holding onto the fabric with a small hand. “This is nice. I wish everyone could live like this.”

Izuru tilted his head. “In luxury?”

Hajime shook his head. “I meant feeling warm and comfy. Safe. No one feeling scared.”

“You wish for a peaceful world?”

“Yeah. That would be very… nice…”

Hajime’s eyes closed and he drifted off, still clinging to his guardian.

But Izuru remained awake. He thought over what Hajime had said. A peaceful world. That’s what he wanted.

It was certainly feasible. Izuru could accomplish that. Perhaps he could begin soon. Once he was certain this location was safe, he would start. He would begin with a little conversation with a certain Junko Enoshima.