~Shiori's POV~

I left Endeavor's Agency in a state of shock. Nina accompanied me to a bank and helped me set up an account and despite my reservations helped me deposit the money into the account. She was kind and patient and seemed sympathetic to my situation. She and Hiro genuinely seemed to want to help me get custody of Hikaru. Afterward she insisted on helping me find a phone that wasn't outdated (and apparently a fire hazard) and would charge consistently. Part of the contract was that I find a new apartment within the next thirty days. Nina offered to look at some apartments with me but I was feeling too shell shocked to do so and we went our separate ways.

I returned to my apartment but felt too restless and decided to see if I could sneak into the hospital to deliver the plush pirate cat I'd gotten, to Hikaru. There was a strong vibration in my pocket that startled me. I realized after I'd embarrassingly jumped that it was my new phone. There was a text message from a contact that had somehow already been programmed into my phone with the name Enji Todoroki. Was that Endeavor's full name? Hiro had called him Mr. Todoroki.

E: Tonight. 11pm. Is this acceptable?

It had a location attached, when I clicked on the link it showed me a fancy hotel downtown. My heart skipped a beat. For a fleeting moment I felt a brief flicker of doubt and uncertainty that this was all a terrible idea and I'd somehow misread the contract and ended up in some kind of kinky sex deal. I squashed that feeling down, Endeavor hadn't done anything to make me mistrust him. The ordeal was a bit odd but it seemed innocent enough.

I nervously responded.

S: Yes

E: Room 1100

My heart stuttered in my chest. I tucked my phone back into my pocket feeling a mix of giddy and nervous. As I reached the hospital, I spotted a familiar face at the front desk, the receptionist I'd been paying off for quite some time now. She looked a little surprised to see me at this time of day but recovered with a smile.

"He should be alone now; I can send an aid to double check if you like?" She offered.

"If it's not too much trouble." I slid the envelope with my tips from the night before across the counter. Per the contract with Endeavor I wouldn't be able to play public gigs anymore. It seemed like he knew about my stage fright and general discomfort with performing in front of a crowd.

She called for someone to do a quick check. A few minutes later I was given the all clear. "Enjoy your visit, Shiori."

"Thanks." I smiled and practically ran to Hikaru's room.

He was laying in bed watching cartoons but only half paying attention. I knocked lightly on the door. My heart sang as he turned his bright caramel eyes in my direction and they lit up with joy. His lips pulled into a blinding grin.

"Mommy!" He cried.

I ran to him with a smile and wrapped my arms around him. "Hey munchkin."

He wrapped his thin arms around me and hugged me tightly. He felt so small and frail in my arms. Had he lost weight since the last time I'd seen him? "What's that?" His soft voice asked and I held back a laugh as I felt him poke at the bag I'd been trying to hide behind my back.

"A present." I giggled before kissing the top of his head and releasing him from my hold.

"For me?" He asked with stars in his eyes.

I laughed and extended the bag to him.

He opened it and a soft gasp of wonder escaped him as he peered inside. "It's a pirate kitty!" He squealed in delight and pulled the plush from the bag before giving it a tight squeeze. "Thanks Mommy."

My heart leapt with joy, "you're welcome." I kissed the top of his head. "I love you."

He squeezed the kitty again and looked to me with a warm smile, "I love you too, Mommy."

I settled into the chair at his bedside and looked to the TV, "what are we watching?"

He looked at me with a smile that stretched from ear to ear, "are you able to stay longer today?"

"Yep."

Hikaru was beside himself, "this is the best day ever!"

We spent the morning and afternoon watching cartoons and singing songs until Hikaru tired himself out. I tucked him into bed, sang him his favorite lullaby and went to the cafeteria for a late lunch before returning. I tidied up his room and arranged his various toys and plush in a fun whimsical way to cheer him up when he woke up. I watched over him as he slept until evening, singing to him anytime he got restless in his sleep. It seemed to calm him and he was able to rest peacefully.

"Shiori, Kazuki is on his way." The voice of one of the aids sounded in the doorway.

I felt an involuntary shiver roll down my spine before getting up and kissing Hikaru on the forehead, "I love you, so much. I'll never stop fighting for you, I promise." I followed the aid to a staff only hallway and took a side exit to avoid running into Kazuki.

I made it back to my apartment later than I had intended and realized I had to hurry to get my guitar and get downtown. I didn't have enough time to grab dinner before rushing downtown. At five till eleven, I nervously stepped into the lobby of the ritzy hotel. The few employees in the lobby looked to me warily. I realized very quickly I was not dressed fancy enough to be here and feared they'd try to kick me out.

I kept my head down and hurried over to the stairwell. They watched me closely but made no move to approach me. I took the stairs two at a time and raced up till I saw a plaque with room numbers in the range of the room number Endeavor had given me. Part of me felt a little apprehensive about meeting a man in a hotel room. I was a little out of breath by the time I reached the right floor.

Exiting the stairwell, I blanched as I realized I'd reached a floor with fancy suites instead of standard rooms. Nervously, I scanned the placards on the wall in search of room 1100. It was at the end of the hall. I hesitantly knocked on the door. My heart thundered anxiously in my chest as I waited for a response.

The door swung inward and a familiar hulking figure filled the doorway. I nervously glanced up into a pair of piercing teal eyes. Endeavor looked nervous. His hair, that he'd had in a ridiculous fashion earlier, looked mussed but still smelled overwhelmingly like hair product. Instead of his usual tight-fitting hero costume, he was wearing a pair of nice dark pants and a button up shirt that molded to his sculpted torso. He awkwardly stepped back holding the door open and giving me room to pass by. The door opened into a large spacious sitting room. There was a big table in the center that had a few trays with fresh fruit, various cheeses and crackers, cocktail shrimp and other odds and ends. There was a grand piano beyond the spread of food right in front of a wall of windows with a set of glass double doors that opened up onto a grand balcony.

I meekly moved further into the room. It was richly decorated, there were paintings on the walls that looked like they belonged in a snobby museum. This place reminded me a lot of where I grew up and all the awful memories that accompanied my past.

"You look nervous." Endeavor noted as he shut the door and followed me into the room.

My stomach let out an unflattering grumble as I passed the table with food. "Sorry." I murmured softly as I set my guitar down next to the piano.

Endeavor shook his head, "figured you'd be skipping meals again, eat something." He motioned to the spread of food before picking up a bottle of water from the table and going to sit on a comfy looking lounge chair.

I nervously nibbled on some fruit. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end and I felt a slight shiver roll down my spine. It wasn't an unpleasant shiver. I could sense him watching me and it was making me anxious.

"You can eat as much as you want." He pointed. "Don't try and tell me you have no appetite; I've seen you nearly choke yourself to death inhaling crab cakes."

My face burned at this and I hurriedly looked away from him. I ate a little more food and started to feel more relaxed before taking a seat at the piano bench. Once I started to relax more, I chanced a glance in his direction, my gaze lingered to his flaming facial hair. "Have you ever set your pillow on fire?" I blurted before I could stop myself as I imagined him laying his head on a pillow with a flaming beard.

He choked on his water, "w-what?!"

I mimicked stroking a beard, "I'd imagine its difficult to sleep with a fiery beard."

"I can make it go away." He pointed and as if to prove his point the flames around his face dispersed.

"Oh..." My heart skipped a beat. He had a handsome face that kind of reminded me of old chiseled Hollywood stars. I felt heat spread across my face and turned my attention to the piano keys. "Any song preferences?"

Endeavor settled into the comfy lounge chair, "I like your original music."

My heart fluttered in my chest, "you do?" I looked over at him curiously and felt my heart start to race the moment our eyes locked.

He held my gaze for a moment before nodding. Feeling suddenly shy and embarrassed, I hurriedly looked away and began fidgeting with the piano keys pretending to check the tuning. After a moment of checking the keys I began to wonder if my playing would disturb other guests who might be trying to sleep.

"We're not going to get noise complaints from other guests, are we?" I asked worried but refused to look at him as I still felt strangely bashful.

"The room is sound proof." He replied in a bored tone.

That probably should have alarmed me, but instead I felt reassured. "Oh...okay...um...should I start now?" My hands were shaking. I balled them into fists and tucked them at my sides.

"If you're comfortable, yes." It sounded like he'd settled back into his seat and was starting to relax but I refused to look at him.

I nodded and sat up a little straighter on the piano bench aligning myself properly with the piano before moving my shaking hands to rest over the ivory keys. This didn't feel like my normal stage fright before a performance, I felt oddly naked, exposed and vulnerable. I took a deep breath before shaking out my hands and letting them dance across the keys. As a haunting tune began to fill the room, I felt myself start to relax.

Though I was still a little shy and nervous, I found my voice and was able to lose myself in my music. Endeavor was silent as he listened and I wondered if this was going okay. I chanced a glance in his direction and saw him settled back in his seat looking to be in a state of peace and relaxation. Every sliver of doubt I'd let creep up on me throughout the day about this whole ordeal vanished in that moment as I realized just how therapeutic this was for him. I smiled softly and continued the private performance with a newfound sense of purpose.

After I played for about as long as I'd play at any of my normal sets, I paused and looked to him unsure if he wanted me to play more. His eyes were closed. I wasn't sure if he was asleep or just lost in some kind of transcendent peace. I was mildly afraid of disturbing his peace as I knew he had a very stressful job and it was hard for him to find moments like this.

I decided to quietly speak up to gauge if he was awake or not, "...Endeavor..."

"Hm?" His response startled me and I nearly toppled off the piano bench.

"...ah...sorry, it looked like you were asleep." I blushed and looked away as his teal eyes fluttered open and locked on me. "...did you want me to play more?"

"One more song, the one you always start with on your guitar." He replied in a tranquil voice.

I nodded and reached for my guitar. A small smile twisted on my lips as I spotted the All Might sticker Hikaru had slapped on my case. Endeavor made some kind of disapproving sound and I chanced a glance in his direction. He was scowling at the sticker on my guitar case.

"If your child hadn't put that there, I'd tell you to take it off." He growled bitterly.

"Not a fan of All Might?" I mused with a smile as I took my guitar from the case and strummed on it lightly to make sure it was tuned properly.

"Absolutely not." He grumbled, there was a faint pause before he spoke again, softer this time, I almost hadn't heard him, "are you?"

I couldn't help but giggle he sounded like a sulking child, "I'm tempted to say yes because I think your reaction will be amusing."

"Are you or not?" He was definitely sulking.

I shrugged, "no offense or anything but before I met you, I was pretty indifferent to heroes as a whole."

This seemed to reassure him, "good." He sat back in his chair.

I giggled softly at this before strumming on my guitar. I played the song he requested and smiled as I saw him slip into that state of relaxation. When the song was over, he offered me somewhat awkward applause before getting to his feet.

"Thank you...the room is paid for through the night, you don't have to worry about turning in a key or dealing with the front desk staff, you're more than welcome to stay since there's hot water and the bed is more comfortable than your floor." He grabbed his jacket off the arm of the sofa and approached me as I nervously got to my feet. It looked like he wasn't quite sure what to do, he'd almost gone in for a hug but paused and awkwardly extended a hand to me.

I couldn't help but laugh. It was quite a sight to see the giant muscular man with the intimidating glare looking so nervous. His cheeks reddened at my laughter and he averted his gaze. He withdrew his hand looking flustered. Feeling bad for teasing him, I gave him a shy hug. My heart skipped a beat as he wrapped his strong arms around me. "Thank you." I breathed before releasing him quickly.

His face seemed even more red than before, he grumbled out some kind of response I didn't catch before taking his leave. Once he was gone, I looked around the fancy room in stunned silence. After everything that happened, I'd never thought I'd be in such a fancy establishment again. This felt like a dream. Part of me didn't trust it and kept telling myself I'd wake up in my shitty apartment and all of this would have been nothing more than a desperate dream I'd conjured to escape.

I nibbled at some more of the food before curiously going to explore the suite. There were two bedrooms one appeared to be a normal hotel bedroom with two queen beds, the other was a grand master bedroom with a canopy king sized bed with satin sheets and a massive bathroom. I nearly squealed as I realized there was a huge walk in shower and a spacious jacuzzi. There was a small gift basket on the counter of the master bathroom that contained various bath products, a plush bath robe and a comfy looking pajama set.

I looked at the various products curiously, it didn't seem like it was something the hotel had set out. Did Endeavor do this? Trying to imagine him picking out girly soaps, robes and pajamas was amusing enough I choked on an audible laugh. Part of me hoped he'd sent his secretary to spare himself the embarrassment.

Picking up a deep purple bath bomb that smelled of lavender and vanilla I began filling the jacuzzi with hot water. I set the bath bomb on the ledge of the tub before stripping. I kicked my thrift store clothes aside and pressed the button to activate the jets once the tub was filled with hot water before dropping the bath bomb into the water. It was mesmerizing to watch it bubble and fizz and change the water to a pretty shimmery purple. I stepped into the tub. The water burned a little at first but I didn't care and submerged myself entirely, it had been years since I'd taken a hot bath or shower.

I resurfaced and leaned back in the tub enjoying the feeling of the powerful jets working to massage my aching body. Perhaps I'd allow myself to be selfish and see if I could find an apartment that had a jacuzzi if such a thing existed in my new price range. If I got custody of Hikaru, I bet he'd love a jacuzzi too, so maybe it wasn't entirely selfish.