Butterfly Soup

15 minutes later. Shigaraki suddenly kicked the door open, hiding something behind his back, and walked up to the bar counter. - Guess what I brought? — he drawled mysteriously. - I have no idea, — Milante looked up from her cell and looked at him with a poker face. — What’s there? - So uninteresting. You’re boring, — Tomura chuckled and leaned towards her. — Come on, try to guess and… From behind him, someone suddenly heard a plaintive squeak. Milante blinked in surprise. - Tch… — Shigaraki rolled eyes, taking out a small kitten from behind his back. — You ruined all the raspberries, you furry little shit! We didn’t agree that way, — he looked gloomily into the kitten’s eyes. — You’re a lousy conspirator, okay? With these words, he thrust the kitten into Milante’s hands and sat down on a chair. - OMG, — the girl was touched, holding this fluffy ball in her hands. — How lovely! Where did you get it? - Was in the trash can, — Shigaraki responded, resting cheek on his hand. — Take it for yourself. - Damn, I have 4 of my own at home, — Milante sighed heavily, squeezing the kitten. — Okay, what can I do? Of course I’ll take it. She looked at Tomura from under her long eyelashes with a mega-satisfied look. - Thank you. It was the coolest surprise of all, — Milante suddenly leaned forward and gave the guy a savory kiss on the cheek. — You’re lovely. -?!.. Shigaraki’s eyes widened and he grabbed cheek in surprise, his face quickly turning red in embarrassment and he froze. - Ugh…ugh…never mind, — Tomura muttered, turning away and scratching the back of his head furiously. Shigaraki’s heart began to pound like crazy in his chest. He put his hand to it, trying to calm down. " — Again? What kind of bullshit is this, huh?.. And it happens every time she touches me or comes too close." Tomura glanced at the girl from under brows, evening out his breathing. Milante burst out laughing at his reaction and stuffed the kitten into the collar of her sweatpants. Kitten purred loudly and curled up into a ball. - Cats love you, right? — Shigaraki blurted out, pulling himself together. — And you have 4 of them, this is exactly the number of death. It’s funny. - Yeah. And your date of birth is 4/4, — the girl chuckled, looking at him. — Perfecto. You and I, one way or another, are connected by the bonds of Death, ha-ha. You can’t escape this. - Hm-m… Indeed. I don’t think it’s bad, — Tomura squinted, examining her carefully. — Death and Decay are always inseparable. This is real fate, no matter how you look at it. After exchanging glances with Milante, they simultaneously grinned meaningfully under their breath. “- Maybe this is really fate? Everything is too perfect, does that even happen? Ha-ha, it’s as if someone from above took it and gave me the ideal partner. Some kind of fantasy. But it’s even cooler than a video game because it’s 3D.” Tomura looked thoughtfully at Milante. - By the way… — he hesitated. — You like video games, don’t you? - What, it’s not noticeable to me? — Milante looked at him mockingly. — I think I talked about this recently. And when you were sitting in a cafe and I was telling you about stats and HP points, you didn’t understand it? - What if you’re a noob who pretends to be a pro, — Tomura grinned. — Let’s roll, I want to see your suffering face when you lose. What are you playing? - I love LoL, Overwatch, Warcraft, Blade & Soul, but so far it’s only in Korean, — Milante responded, sipping an energy drink. — And you? - Same. Nowadays I hang out more in LoL and Dark Souls. Are you solo? — Shigaraki turned his whole body on the chair towards her with undisguised interest. - Yeah, I don’t like parties, — Milante drawled, scratching the kitten behind the ear. — Do you have a favorite among the LoL characters? I know who it is. - Come on, — Tomura’s eyes sparkled childishly with anticipation. — If you guess right, I’ll even agree to go to the dungeon with you. - Great. This… — Milante paused dramatically and pointed her finger at him. — Jinx! Or Viego. - How did you guess? — Shigaraki whistled in surprise. — Damn, now I really have to call you to the dungeon… — he muttered through his teeth. — Have you really hacked this reality? How do you know everything? - Ehe-he, I have excellent intuition and deduction, — the girl shook her hair smugly. — It’s all because I’m an imba, deal with it. — Won’t you burst? — Tomura made a scary face and loomed over her. — Imba damn you… One day I will find out your secret and kill you, understand? - Yeah, good luck, — Milante broke into a malicious grin. — You’ll completely break your brain while you try, heh. - You still really piss me off… — Shigaraki winced and squeezed her face with his hand. — It’s a pity that Decay doesn’t affect you, but I can strangle you anyway. Let’s try? The girl just chuckled meaningfully and removed his hand from her. Tomura rolled eyes and crossed his arms over chest, glaring at her. - Let’s go, — he suddenly got up from chair and went to the door. - Where? - Let’s play a game, I want to let off some steam, — Shigaraki looked around and grinned ominously. — You’ll definitely lose, beetle. At the same time, we’ll wait for Kurogiri, and then you’ll take me wherever you want. Let’s have a blast. - Huh that was a natural bid for victory! — Milante burst out laughing and, jumping up from chair, ran out into the corridor, holding the kitten. — Come on nerd, try to beat me again! -… Tomura looked at her for a long time, scratched his cheek and trudged after her.

***

Entering the room, Milante put the sleeping kitten on the bed and looked around. - Let Kurogiri look after him, — she turned to Tomura as he entered. — When we walk, I’ll pick him up. - Okay, — Shigaraki shrugged and yawned, sitting down on the computer chair. - Eh, where should I sit? — Milante tilted her head to the side questioningly. — There is no second chair here. - I would make a dirty joke and say where, but I won’t, — Tomura responded, chuckling quietly. — Take a folding one behind the closet and put a pillow under your butt to make it soft. Here will be your throne, princess. The girl snorted and, pulling out a chair, unfolded it, throwing a pillow on top and pushing it towards the table. - Come on, turn it on already, — she waved her handlazily raising his leg and resting it against the wall. — Today the room is more or less clean, I praise it. Or haven’t had time to spoil it yet? - Second, — Shigaraki responded indifferently, clicking the mouse cursor on the screen. — What are we going to roll into? Do you want to play LoL? By the way, I only had one joystick, but I sent Kurogiri to the store the other day to get another one especially for you. Know my kindness. - Thank you. It doesn’t matter what. I would play NFS: Most Wanted, — Milante threw her hands behind head. — D’you like it? - Nope. I don’t really like racing, — Tomura drawled, putting the game on to load. — There will be LoL. Although I’m playing solo, we’ll see… Still, I promised to add you to the party. The girl smiled slightly, looking at the screen. Shigaraki glanced sideways at Milante and, as if by chance, moved his chair closer to her chair. There was silence. - Tch…how long will this damn game take to load? — after a while, Tomura tsked displeasedly. — Today it lags for some reason. It’s because of you. “- The note that I read on the Internet seems to be really true. Is it possible that my computer might break if she suddenly gets angry?” He glanced suspiciously at the girl. - Why is it my fault again? Look, it’s almost loaded, — Milante calmly looked at the screen. — Don’t bomb the fart. Shigaraki shrugged and took the chips lying on the table, popping them into his mouth. While Tomura was eating, Milante’s fingers suddenly ran rather gently (in his opinion) over his shoulder, causing the guy to involuntarily shudder and tense from these actions. Almost choking on his chips, he stared wide-eyed at the girl. Milante looked thoughtfully at the screen, clearly lost in her thoughts, and her hand simply wandered chaotically over his shoulder. Shigaraki was completely bewildered and silently watched her. “- What does she want? Why is she pawing me? Okay, I’ll watch for now…” Milante suddenly slapped him on the back. Tomura’s eyes widened in surprise. - The game has loaded, — she looked at him with a poker face, sipping energy drink. -…Ah, exactly, — Shigaraki blinked and scratched his neck. He took the joystick and pretended to be very interested in what was happening on the screen. Although he himself kept casting picturesque glances from under his brows at the girl. “- What was that? She groped me without any sign… What’s going on in her head anyway?” Shigaraki suddenly felt embarrassed by these thoughts and his cheeks turned red. “- Damn, this is nice… no one has ever touched me like that.” - Well, have you already won? — Milante calmly asked after a while, watching him. — It’s strange you decided to play yourself first. For warm-up? - Sort of, — Tomura muttered, glancing briefly at her and began pressing the buttons on the joystick even faster. Milante noted he held the joystick very carefully in his hands, trying not to destroy it with his quirk. But, besides this, Tomura also possessed amazing dexterity and speed of his hands and fingers. “- For so many years he has been accustomed to handling things so carefully so they don’t fall apart in his hands. This is impressive. I can imagine how difficult it was for him to learn this and constantly keep this thought in his head, controlling himself. It’s even sad to somehow realize this.” Milante looked at Shigaraki’s face: it was focused in the moment and clearly expressed all the emotions he was experiencing. Pursing his lips, he furiously pressed the attack button, sometimes throwing his elbow higher when the enemy was already attacking and quietly cursed when he missed a blow. It was funny to watch him, so Milante involuntarily burst out laughing, putting her hand into the bag of chips. - What’s so funny? — Tomura muttered, glancing at her with one eye. — I’ll win, that’s obvious. - I know, — Milante patted him on the back encouragingly. — You’re playing solo now. But you still have to session with me in dexterity, ho-ho. - Well? — Shigaraki pressed pause and turned to her with an ominous grin. — Now I’ll finish off this f*cking boss and personally test your gaming skills. Understand, yes, what are you signing up for? We haven’t gone to the dungeon yet so you have the opportunity to show me yourself. Yes, I can easily kick you and not even break a sweat, ha! - Oh, — the girl narrowed her lavender eyes, looking at the guy defiantly. — No, you better get ready to cry bitterly from defeat, heh. - These are exactly my words, — Tomura bared his teeth and took her by the back of her head with one hand, in the heat of the moment, moving her too close to his face. — You’ll lose. And when you lose, I’ll make a wish, which you will surely fulfill. Are you ready for shame? While Milante was “laging” for a few seconds, Shigaraki, realizing their faces were so close that their noses were practically touching, quickly moved her away from him and turned away. His palms suddenly became sweaty from nervousness of a delicate nature. - Shame — is your middle name! — Milante came to herself, suddenly laughed ominously and stuck a pillow in his face. — Shigaraki, you’re going to lose it, deal with it, a-ha-ha-ha! You were still walking under the table when I became an Imba in the world of gamers! - You!!!..💢💢💢 Grabbing a pillow, Tomura began to furiously beat the girl with it. She, in turn, keep up with and happily beat him back. Down and feathers scattered throughout the room. “- Why… did I suddenly feel happy, huh? No, it’s actually a lot of fun, damn it! It’s fucking fun, ha-ha-ha!” Having entered into a rage, Shigaraki himself didn’t notice how he had already begun to laugh out loud and jump around the room like a child, dodging the deft blows of Milante’s pillow. Wild laughter echoed throughout the hideout.

***

- NO! I couldn’t lose!!! Shit!.. Shigaraki howled in shame and threw the joystick to the floor, blowing Milante two sessions in a row. - Ehe-he, I’m telling you, I’m an Imba, — the girl chuckled, sprawling imposingly on her chair. — Are you sure? - It can’t be that I’m cheating on you! — Tomura clenched his teeth in anger and began pounding the table with his fist. — Fucking cheater! How is this even possible?! I have no equal in video games! I am a god among gamers, argh!.. - There are no equals, but there is a winner, — Milante said sarcastically, crunching on chips. — And it’s me, ho-ho-ho. - Ugh… — Shigaraki turned around and gave her a murderous look. — Give me another one! I had an ace up my sleeve and now you’re doomed to fail. Hunching over, he sat up normally and grabbed the joystick from the floor in his hands. 10 minutes later.

“-YOU’RE LOST!”

Shigaraki’s desperate and angry scream was probably heard by the entire block. His scream made someone’s parked car squeal somewhere far away on the street. Milante with a poker face looked at how Tomura was already rolling on the floor in impotent anger. Rising from the chair and stepping over the guy, she walked towards the bed. - Impossible… I won’t forgive… I didn’t lose… — Shigaraki muttered frantically, already lying like a pillar with his face stuck on the floor. — She’s a girl… how humiliating… I feel terribly shitty… Ah-h-h… - Here, — she suddenly stepped on his back. — Drink tea with thyme and die… I mean, calm down already, you overgrown fool. There was probably a Kurogiri there on the nightstand, left for just such an occasion. -… Slowly turning his head, Shigaraki stared at Milante with a very strange gaze, without blinking. - Huh, — his mouth suddenly broke into a crazy smile. — Interesting… How did you do it? What is the secret of your gaming power, eh, Milante? Speak. - I’ll tell you right now, get up, — the girl beckoned him with her finger with a serious look. Tomura quickly jumped to his feet and stared at her with burning eyes. - My secret is that… — Milante suddenly and painfully grabbed his ear. — It’s not there. Idiot. - Let me go! — Shigaraki hissed, kicking. — You’re lying, I’ll find out myself. You tell me everything to the best of your ability, mark my words! Milante unclenched her hand and, shaking head, sighed heavily, handing him a cup of tea. Tomura glanced angrily at her, put the cup on the table and plopped down in a chair. - Go ahead, — he stared at her, his eyes smoldering. — I won’t let you out of here until you tell me everything. I will torture you. - How? — Milante looked at him skeptically with a poker face, sitting down on the bed. - I don’t know… something. This, for example, — looking around, Shigaraki, for greater conviction, took out a stationery knife from the desk drawer. — I’ll bleed you and you tell me everything like you’re a dear. - An idiot or what? — Milante looked at him from under her brows as if he were a moron. — C’mon, otherwise this knife will end up in your ass. Learn to lose with grace. -… Shigaraki clenched his teeth in anger and, placing the knife in a twisted position, began to tear his neck. - You’re… You piss me off… You piss me off!!! — he hissed, destroying the girl with his gaze. — One day I’ll kick you, mark my words, you damn beetle! Why the hell are you so strong, huh? Like the damn Nomu, but you look normal… After being indignant, Tomura finally calmed down and slumped tiredly in chair. Milante smiled slightly, looking at him, and stroked the kitten. Bending down, she rubbed her nose against his soft fluffy fur and he purred loudly in his sleep. Shigaraki turned his gaze to them. A vague, fragmentary memory of his dog, Mon-chan, suddenly flashed through his mind. And how he had fun playing with it when he was a child. -… Grimacing, Tomura put hand to his face. - Dog… — he muttered, looking unblinkingly at the floor. — Did I have a dog? Corgi?.. What was his name, I can’t remember, damn it… - Mon-chan. Shigaraki shuddered as if from an electric shock and raised his head. Milante looked him straight in the eye. - Mon-chan…? — he repeated detachedly. - Yes. He wants to convey that he is not at all angry with you for that incident, — Milante said calmly. — His best memories of life are the time spent with you. Remember him more often, he will be pleased. He also said that in the future, most likely, he will come to you, but in a different form. He misses you. -… Tomura blinked in confusion as he processed her words. - How… do you know this? — he muttered nervously, getting up from his chair and approaching the girl. — And about these damn o-hagi… how do you know everything? Milante looked up. Shigaraki grabbed her face and came close to her. - Don’t talk to me about this anymore, — he breathed hoarsely against her lips, closing his eyes. — Don’t… I don’t want to remember anything. - Okay, — the girl smiled slightly, placing her hands on his. — I’ll wait until you remember and let go of the past. Then you will feel better and be free, Tomura. I’ll wait for this moment. Opening his eyes, Shigaraki looked at Milante with a very strange look. His eyes suddenly sparkled with excitement. -… Blinking, he finally noticed her hands resting on top of his, and his heart started pounding in chest again. Embarrassed, Tomura quickly let go of the girl and left the room. Milante looked at him for a long time and frowned. “- I’ll help you, Tomura. After all, you yourself asked me about this secretly. Your dead family told and showed me your past. They are all worried about you and are already repenting of how they treated you. Even your half-stupid father…now he admitted his guilt and, if he could, would apologize to you personally. They all forgave you for the murder. But that bastard, All For One… he ruined your whole life and plays with it like a toy. He enjoys your torment, that vile rat. I hate people like him with all my soul. I’ll kill him soon. In the meantime, I will be by your side and help you. I have my own methods, which are very working, so I have no doubt about success. I will free you from the shackles of the past and this pain. That’s why I’m here. You’ll be fine, I promise.” Milante exhaled and took the kitten into her arms, scratching him behind the ear. A few minutes later, Shigaraki returned to the room. The girl looked at him carefully: the guy looked depressed and even sad. - Hey, come here, — Milante suddenly patted the bed with her hand. — I want to tell you something. Tomura slowly, silently walked over and sat down on the bed. - Listen, — Milante took his hands and turned him to face her. — Everything is fine. You’re safe now because I am near. If you need my help, just tell me directly, okay? I will always come and help you, don’t doubt it. -… Shigaraki stared blearily at his hands in hers, and then raised his eyes, looking into the girl’s face with a very strange look, reflecting mixed emotions. -…Why are you doing all this? — he asked quietly. — Why aren’t you angry and hate me? Aren’t you running away? I wanted to kill you… and you said that you wouldn’t hate me, even if I hated you. You’re weird…and you’re still here. And you are still alive. Because I can’t kill you. Or…no, I don’t want that. I don’t want to hurt you, but I don’t know any other way. Then why are you still here, tell me? What do you really want from me, Milante? Milante smiled softly and, sitting closer, cupped Tomura’s cheeks, causing the boy to shudder. He involuntarily leaned back and nervously swallowed the lump in his throat. - Hey. I’m here because I want to make you happy, — a slight sadness and tenderness flashed in the girl’s gaze; her beautiful lavender eyes shone brightly in the darkness of the room with purple lights, shimmering and twinkling like stardust. — You and I are the same, Tomura. And I want to show you the other side of life and explain that you are not to blame for anything. I want you to understand that hatred is a terrible feeling and you are the only one who suffers unbearably when you are in its power. It makes you weaker. And you want power. I can give you incredible power that can turn the whole world upside down. I’ll share it with you. And then you will become truly invincible. Do you know why? Shigaraki shook his head in confusion, looking into her eyes in fascination, without blinking. He was suddenly enveloped in a kind of cosmic calm and serenity. Everything around him ceased to make sense, he saw only these magical eyes in front of him and heard this hypnotic, velvety voice, leading him into a deep trance. A soft, sweet fog appeared in his head and it became light, light like a feather… - Because true power is in Love, — Milante’s voice became louder and echoed in his head. — Hatred can only be defeated by Love, it is much stronger than hatred. It frees and heals. She gives peace to the Soul and heart. She is the Truth and the Law of human existence. And even here on Earth, you can find and create your own Paradise with its help. Love is Death and Life rolled into one. There is no beginning and no end to anything. And any Destiny can be changed if you truly want it. And you can and should be saved. You deserve to be loved and happy. You don’t have to deserve it. And you will be happy. Even if your path before this was very long and painful, happiness will definitely await you at the end. This is what your heart truly desires, Tomura. I can hear him. And I answered your call. Everything is already in order. Because I’m here. So hold my hand as tightly as possible. And I will lead you to Paradise. I will give you wings and you will soar into the skies. The whole world will belong to you. I’ll be there and help you. To tell the truth…I would like to create a new, truly amazing and ideal, from my point of view, world. In which there will be no evil, pain, suffering. A world where a real utopia will reign. And one day I will make this utopia a reality. I need you, Tomura. Therefore, do not give up, fight to the end. I believe in you! -…! Tomura suddenly began to tremble. White steam came out of his mouth from the cold. His pupils narrowed and turned into dots. His heart suddenly stopped. One second, third strike… His vision suddenly darkened and Shigaraki passed out. Milante carefully laid his limp body on the bed and covered him with a blanket. - I don’t want to take you with me, stupid, — she gently ran her fingers through the guy’s gray hair. — You don’t deserve such a cruel Fate. Like me… But miracles truly do happen. And if once someone saved me, now I, in turn, can also save someone. You’re a good guy, really…and inside you there is still the real you, little Tenko. He is scared, hurt and lonely. So you’re just confused. I will definitely free you, just be patient a little longer. Tomura sighed quietly and deeply in his sleep, as if responding to her words. Milante smiled slightly and, taking the kitten, left the room, closing the door behind her. When she entered the hall, she saw Kurogiri returning behind the bar. - Aragon-san, good afternoon, — noticing the girl, he bowed slightly. — Shigaraki Tomura is in his room now? - He’s sleeping, — Milante sat down on a chair, placing the sleeping kitten on another, next to it. — Will you prepare dinner in the meantime, Mr. Butler? - Yes, sure. Can we count on you too? — Kurogiri asked. - Yeah. I love seafood and don’t eat meat, — the girl answered. — You seem to have a kitchen here, right? - Yes, that’s right. This building is completely uninhabited at the moment, so it was decided to make it a hideout for the League of Villains, — Kurogiri looked at her. — There is a kitchen, a shower room and a relaxation area. — Your whole life is on the run, that’s the lot of villains, right? — Milante let out a laugh, resting her cheek on her hand. — No family, no home, no friends. Just ambitions and goals. And the thirst for revenge. - Most villains live like this, you’re right. But not Shigaraki Tomura, — Kurogiri turned his gaze to the door. He wants to destroy everything he doesn’t like. He longs to be free and do what he wants. He longs to…destroy the Symbol of Peace and the hope of the entire heroic society. And establish your justice. He has a unique vision of the world, but he is a very ambitious and purposeful guy. You probably already understood this. - Understood. Everyone lives in their own world and everyone has their own justice, — Milante responded vaguely, taking an vape from her pocket and taking a puff. — There is no point in convincing anyone that you are right. It won’t change anything. The only thing is…I would like to quickly get rid of all these garbage rats on the ship of life. I don’t like these creatures… She cast a picturesque, heavy glance sideways at the “turned off” TV. -… Kurogiri pretended not to notice this and moved towards the exit. When the door closed behind him, Milante suddenly stood up from her chair and walked over to the TV, bringing her face close to it. - Hey, — she tapped her knuckles on the screen indifferently. — You still won’t calm down, damn Slenderman. One day I will come to you myself, just as you wanted. But if I were you, I would rather hide somewhere deep, deep in a hole, where no one will find you, and tremble with horror. You’re not immortal, remember, right? I have personal scores with you and with that doctor too, so take care of yourself. I promise you will die long and painfully, both of you. -… The TV was silent. Milante straightened up and walked towards the exit. Walking out into the hallway, she slammed the door and retreated to the kitchen to fetch Kurogiri. "—…Even through the screen you can feel this power and strength ha-ha. Oh, Milante, you are simply a miracle of miracles! You’ll come yourself, right? It would be nice, but I don’t believe in it. If I wanted to, I would have done it a long time ago. I see Tomura’s efforts are not in vain, it’s wonderful. One day we will meet, and I will even drink centuries to this meeting. I am grateful to you in advance, because you will give me eternal life and omnipotence. I’m looking forward and very excited. Come on, don’t let me down! I’m waiting for you, my beautiful mon décès."* *(french — death)

***

Look me in the eyes

You’ll see what you mean to me

Search your heart

Search your soul

And when you find me there

You won’t search anymore

Don’t tell me it’s not worth trying

You can’t tell me it’s not worth dying for

You know it’s true

Everything I do, I do for you

Look into your heart, you will find

There’s nothing to hide

Accept me as I am

Take my soul

I would give everything, I would sacrifice everything

Don’t tell me it’s not worth fighting

I can’t help it, I don’t want anything more

You know it’s true

Everything I do, I do for youthere is no other love but yours

And no one else could give me more love

There’s nothing there if you’re not there

Look into your heart baby

No, no, no

Everything I do

You can’t tell me it’s not worth trying

I can’t help it, there’s nothing in the world that I want more

Yes I would fight for you

I would lie to you

I would go over the edge for you

Yes I would die for you

You know it’s true

Everything I do, I do it for you