Is this Love?!

(Nezu POV – Nezu's Office)

I watch as the boy leaves. Calm as ever. A fascinating contrast to my own chaotic thoughts. Yet he walks away without a care in the world.

First, the revelation that Nana's grandchild was alive. A claim so audacious I dismissed it immediately, but I wanted to know if he knew about OFA to have said it to me in particular. Something I have yet to discover.

'How much does he truly know?'

My fingers drum rhythmically against my desk. 'Should I inform All Might? No, he is emotionally compromised where Nana is concerned. If he loses composure and presses Kata for more details, it'd make acquiring more information difficult. But he deserves to know.'

And he'd get really upset if he discovers this later, which wouldn't be good for our relationship.

'Tsukauchi, should be informed as he'll be necessary. His investigative expertise will be crucial in uncovering the truth along with his connection to the Police Force.'

My eyes shift toward my desk, where Kata's emancipation application lies. 'It will be slightly troublesome... but going back on my word would make things more difficult.' I press a button, attempting to access the recording of our conversation. 'As expected… nothing.'

All surveillance stopped the moment he entered, and resumed once he left.

I exhale slowly, taking a sip of my now-cold tea. This level of foresight is not typical for a student. 'Did he plan this? Most likely. But how much of our interaction was planned?'

Technically, he has committed no crime. He is a model student, his performance at the Sports Festival has placed him at the center of the media's attention, and every hero agency will be scrambling to recruit for the internship. Any rash action against him would reflect poorly on U.A., especially so soon after the USJ attack.

And yet… that is not my primary concern.

'Kata is dangerous.'

My mind replays the scene. Plasma, heated to temperatures great enough to allow nuclear fusion. Raw destructive potential in the palm of his hands, and he managed to contain and control it. A momentary miscalculation, a lapse in control… and the devastation would be beyond measure.

And perhaps most troubling of all…

'He does not embody the values of a hero.'

I review our conversation, dissecting every word he said. His body and expressions are completely unreadable, which is as remarkable as it is concerning. He is pragmatic. Willing to act as an enemy if he deems it necessary.

'But enemy is a broad term. It could be anyone...'

That is not the mindset of a hero.

For several minutes, I analyze and weigh possibilities. I calculate the risk Kata Okada poses... and as of now, it's too risky to act against him. There is potential for him to do great things.

And then, unexpectedly, I smile.

'There is more he knows. That much is certain.'

But it is not all bad. He is growing. The request to aid Himiko Toga, however unorthodox, suggests an evolving sense of morality. Motive-driven, yes. But morality nonetheless.

'Perhaps, just maybe… there is still a hero in him.'

Still, precautions must be taken. He will be watched. Not just by me, but by the staff as well. If he crosses a line... proves himself a danger to anyone or this institution, it is my responsibility to act.

For now, however, he remains a student of this institution.

'A very troublesome student indeed.'

A mischievous smile tugs at my lips before I return to my usual polite expression. I reach for my phone, drafting a message to both All Might and Tsukauchi.

'We need to investigate this information first. If All For One is truly back, we must prepare. And if Tomura Shigaraki is, in fact, Tenko Shimura… then a difficult decision will have to be made.'

I sink back into my chair, my mind already weaving contingency plans as I await their arrival.

(Kata POV – U.A. Nurse's office)

I step into the nurse's office, immediately spotting Recovery Girl seated in her chair. She turns toward me, offering a kind smile.

"I haven't seen you here before. I thought students had today off, but what can I do for you?"

I nod in response. "Hello, Recovery Girl. I had something to discuss with Nezu so I came in. I was injured last night, so I came here hoping for treatment, if that's alright?" I say calmly.

She gets up from her seat, walking over with a scrutinizing gaze. "You don't look injured. Show me the wound."

Without hesitation, I deactivate my quirk, allowing the stab wound from Toga to reappear. I deepen it slightly—just enough to make it seem more severe than before. "I had used my quirk to keep it closed."

Her brow raises. "How did you get a cut this deep?"

"I was out late last night, and someone tried to mug me. They had a knife and managed to stab me."

She nods, unfazed, and gestures for me to sit on the bed. Leaning in, her lips extend foraward and she presses a gentle kiss to my arm, and immediately, the wound begins closing at an accelerated rate.

I shift my focus inward, activating my Radar.

I detect a formless energy flowing out of every cell in my body, converging where I'm hurt, my cut. I observe the formless essence at work, memorizing the way it stimulates cellular regeneration and accelerates mitosis.

'So this is life energy…'

I attempt to manipulate it with my own quirk, but I fail. I can sense it, but I can't feel or interact with it.

'I thought as much.' I sigh internally. I still lack the necessary control to manipulate energy, but that's irrelevant. Understanding the process is what matters.

The wound seals itself completely. Then, as predicted, slight hunger and exhaustion follow.

"Thank you, Recovery Girl," I say politely.

She smiles. "How are you feeling? Any dizziness?"

"No dizziness. Just a bit hungry and tired."

She gives a satisfied nod and waves me off.

I leave the office, beginning my walk home.

'I'll need to do more research.'

I remember the process and I can replicate it with my Telekinesis. I wouldn't even need to use life energy, bypassing the exhaustion. 'But it's better to actually learn the theory before experimenting on myself.'

The streets are a bit busy as people go about their day. I take a short detour to pick up groceries before heading home.

(Kata POV – Kata's Home)

I set the groceries down, prepare a quick meal, and eat. Himiko is already asleep, so I leave some food for her before heading to bed myself.

When I wake up around 3 PM, take a quick shower and open my laptop. I download several medical textbooks and begin studying—focusing on cell structures, mitosis, and regenerative biology.

I compare theoretical knowledge to my observations, dissecting each principle carefully, searching for a way to refine what I saw firsthand.

'Copying the process without understanding it, is a guaranteed death sentence one day. Besides, I can do better than just accelerating natural recovery.'

To speed up the process, I decided to abuse my Radar, scanning the pages as I scrolled rapidly. Everything on the screen was imprinted into my mind in an instant.

"Why didn't I do this before?" I wondered as knowledge poured into my brain.

Unfortunately, I quickly realized I was limited by my scrolling speed. Even with my enhanced perception, I still had to move the pages manually. Each book took around 20 minutes to finish. Halfway through the fourth book, Himiko woke up.

She groggily sat up, stretched, and stumbled out of her room, looking half-asleep.

"I made breakfast and left you a portion in the fridge if you want it," I said without looking away from my screen.

(Himiko POV – Kata's Home)

I opened my eyes. An unfamiliar ceiling above me and beneath me…a soft bed, for the first time in a long time.

'I'm still alive. Not in jail. Not surrounded or hurt.'

My thoughts trickled in slowly, then fell into silence.

I sat up, stretching lazily before stepping out of the room.

There he was. Kata.

Sitting on the couch, scrolling through something on his laptop at an insane speed.

'He didn't report me?'

"I made breakfast and left you a portion in the fridge if you want it," he said plainly, still focused on the screen.

No hesitation. No disgust. No shouting.

My neutral expression morphed into my usual bright smile. "Aww, did my new favorite person make me breakfast?" I teased, before noticing the time. "Even though it's not breakfast anymore? That's so sweet~!"

'He cares about me!' My excitement bubbled up. 'He even made me breakfast.That's something people in love do!'

I practically skipped to the fridge, pulling out the meal—rice, miso soup, and grilled fish. I microwaved it quickly before plopping down beside him, watching the screen flicker so fast I couldn't read a single word.

"Whatcha doin'?" I asked through a mouthful of rice, savoring the taste. 'So good!'

"Studying biology," he answered flatly.

I leaned in, nudging him with my shoulder. "Why? That's so booooring!" I groaned before giggling.

He didn't react. No irritation, no snapping at me. Just kept scrolling.

'He doesn't mind?!' My grin widened. 'He accepts me!'

"You like blood, and I don't have an unlimited supply," he explained casually. "So, to avoid dying, I want to learn how to heal myself and regenerate blood, among other things."

He said it like achieving that was the most normal thing in the world. A task easily accomplished.

But my mind latched onto one thing. 'He's been thinking about me!'

A warm blush spread across my cheeks, and my heart pounded in my chest.

I really like him.

I really love him... And...

'I really want more of his blood, so I can show him just how much I love him!'

The thought sent a shiver through my body as my hand instinctively reached for my knife. My fingers curled around the handle.

I wanted to stab him.

But I hesitated.

'He did say…'

"Can I have some blood?" I asked curiously, tilting my head.

Would he recoil this time? Look at me in disgust?

No. He just extended his arm without hesitation, eyes still locked on the screen.

"Do you need to stab me for it, or do you just need the blood?" he asked, completely unfazed.

I blinked. "I don't know. You need to stab someone to get blood. There's no difference."

He simply nodded, and a small cut opened up on his arm by itself.

No flinch. No complaint.

My eyes locked onto the fresh blood pooling on his skin. My grin stretched wider.

"Wait a sec!" I chirped, dashing back to my room to grab something.

Moments later, I returned with a clean straw.

Sliding it into the wound, I took a long sip.

"Ahhh~" A satisfied sigh left my lips as the familiar, intoxicating taste flooded my mouth.

'Kata's so nice! He lets me drink his blood whenever I want, and he's always thinking about me!'

A shudder ran down my spine.

I want him.

I love him.

I giggled to myself as I continued drinking, while Kata simply let me—his attention still focused on his work.

(Kata POV – Kata's House)

Being fully aware of everything happening around and within you can be unsettling—especially when you feel and see your blood leaving your body in real time.

Still, I focus on the silver lining.

Himiko's drinking habits create the opportunity to experiment with my newfound knowledge. After finishing 4 medical textbooks, I finally have enough confidence to attempt accelerating my blood regeneration.

'I'll start slow.'

I shift my focus inward, delving deep into my body as my awareness settles on my bone marrow.

From my studies—and a few tests—I discovered that my quirk factor isn't just concentrated in my brain. It exists in every single cell in my body.

Simply put, every cell in my body can generate Telekinetic energy, and hence use Telekinesis as well...if they were capable of thought.

I intend to abuse this discovery.

Directing my cells, they produce the energy and I stimulate the stem cells in my bone marrow, urging them to multiply and differentiate into red blood cells at an unnatural rate.

The process is delicate. Slips ups could result in cancer or my blood becoming too thick. Other risks are present, but I could just as easily detect them all and fix them. 'But better safe than sorry.'

To fuel the process, I shift focus to my intestines, manually breaking down the food I ate for breakfast, forcing my body to absorb the nutrients faster.

I regulate my hormones, control my blood sugar levels, and ensure my hydration remains stable by pulling moisture from the surrounding air, amongst many other things.

'…Really glad I studied first.'

After a while, Himiko finally pulls away, satisfied. I barely acknowledge it as I direct my focus to the wound she drank from. Healing it is simple—far easier than achieving homeostasis while actively disrupting it. Within seconds, my arm is as good as new.

A few minutes later, my body fully recovers as my blood volume returns to normal.

'…Almost.'

A wave of hunger and thirst crashes over me as the price of my little experiment. Without hesitation, I pull food from the kitchen towards me with my quirk, eating and drinking while continuing to enhance my digestion. Only once the sensation fades do I let out a breath, my mind settling.

Still, a frown forms on my face.

'This isn't viable yet.'

At best, it could greatly enhance my recovery rate. In combat, it would be too risky and inefficient—unless I learn to manipulate and convert energy directly. 'Which is a far ways off.'

The thought sends a spark of excitement through me. Even if this attempt wasn't perfect, the knowledge is very applicable in other areas.

Before I can dwell on them, something soft presses against my side.

Himiko leans against me, her signature grin in place. "I'm bored. Let's do something fun~!"

I sigh, wondering what types of 'fun' her twisted mind can think of.

'Yeah… my peaceful days are over.'

But strangely enough, I don't mind it as much as I thought I would.