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Chapter Text

Kurogiri checked his map for the umpteenth time, tilting his head this way and that as he studied it. He was sure he was on the right path, he'd only come across one fork in the trail so far. If all else failed, he could always return to his car.

Warping there would be the easiest option, but he didn't have the coordinates to anywhere in the national park. Or, anywhere in the country, actually.

God, America was confusing.

He sighed, putting the map away and continuing along the dirt path. He had taken the path marked 'Two Forks' but he didn't quite recall the distance to said location. Regardless, he walked on.

The trip took two days by foot, and he only saw the tower after night had fallen. Even then he barely saw it, his only clue to its presence being its silhouette against the starry sky.

He made his way up the spiraling stairs, the old wood creaking under his weight. He stepped inside and shut the door behind him, then pressed the switch to turn on the power. The lights kicked in first, nearly blinding the mist man with the sudden brightness. Then the radio crackled to life.

"Greetings, Two Forks Tower!" The clearly male voice spoke English, which he could at least understand, thankfully. He was almost stunned into silence, nearly dropping his bag in his startled state. The hesitation was noted, and the voice came again, though slightly less cheerful than before.

"Two Forks Tower, this is ThoroughFare Tower. Come in." Kurogiri scrambled to pick up the radio and turn it on, almost dropping the device as the voice spoke for a third time. "I know you're there, your lights are on." He brought it closer to his mouth, just outside the range of the mist obscuring him.

"I'm here." He said, internally wincing at his English. Needless to say he wasn't very good at it, not knowing much more than what he could figure out along the way.

"It's Kurogiri, right?" The voice asked. He was able to pick up the distinct accent now that he wasn't as startled, and he guessed it was the male on the other end's second language.

"Yes, it is."

"I'm Atsuhiro." Ah, now the accent made sense. The man was Japanese, not American like he originally thought. Well, that certainly made communication easier.

"Indeed. That is what the man over the phone told me." It wasn't even a full few seconds before this 'Atsuhiro' was speaking again.

"So, what's wrong with you?" He asked, his speech ever so slightly slurred at the beginning. Kurogiri blanked, stunned for the second time in minutes.

"E- excuse me?"

"Apologies! People only take this job to get away from something. We're all sort of kindred spirits in a manner of speaking. So, I'm asking what's wrong." The man was certainly bold in his approach. Something he was unfortunately used to.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly. Not that anyone could see it.

"That's a marvelous idea! Go on!"

"I'm sorry? I don't follow." He said. He was beginning to wonder about the man, particularly his mental state.

"You take a stab at what's wrong with me." Atsuhiro said, chuckling in an amused manner. Kurogiri sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Very well. Then will you let me get to sleep? It's almost midnight." Another chuckle was audible over the radio.

"Alright, Giri. Can I call you that? I'm calling you that. Go on, take a stab at me." Kurogiri pulled the radio away for a moment to sigh deeply. This man was far too personal for his liking.

"Are you out here, alone in the wilderness, because no one back home can stand your antics?"

"That's a low blow, Giri. A low blow. I'll just assume you're tired. And clearly a bit grouchy." Kurogiri made a noncommittal noise in response.

"I'm going to bed." He set the radio down firmly, then moved to his back to retrieve his sleepwear. He groaned quietly as the man spoke again.

"Wait! Now it's my turn!" His tone was far too cheerful for this late at night.

"Goodnight." He responded, changing into his sleepwear. Still, the man kept talking as if he hadn't heard.

"Let's see now. . . I don't know anything about you. Perhaps you like trees! Oh! Maybe a borderline fetish! A tree fetish."

"Good. Night." He repeated, collapsing onto what apparent passed for a bed in the corner. The last thing he heard was a warm chuckle, and the man speaking gently once more.

"Goodnight. Welcome to the job, Giri."

Chapter Text

The next day came sooner than Kurogiri would have liked. He was sitting at the desk, reading quietly by the light of the soon-to-be sunset when Astuhiro's too-cheerful voice interrupted him.

"Good morning, Giri! Well, 'afternoon' I suppose. Regardless, there's still a few hours of daylight left. I can see you at your desk, Giri. Call me, I have a little job for you." Kurogiri blinked, looking towards the only other tower he could see, ThoroughFare Tower. So, Atsuhiro could see him? He didn't know how he felt about that. Instead of thinking about it too much, he simply shook his head, putting his book down and reaching for the radio.

"I beg your pardon. I did not intend to sleep in so late." He responded.

"I don't blame you, Giri. That hike puts everyone out of commission, even the youngsters." Kurogiri remained silent, and the man spoke again a moment later. "But, seeing as you're up and running, it's time to acquaint you with the job. See the round map in the middle of your room?" Kurogiri spun, immediately spotting said map. It wasn't hard to miss.

"I see it."

"That's called the Osborne Fire Finder. It was invented in 1914 by W. B. . ?" The man trailed off, and he could just imagine the smile prompting him to finish.

"Osborne?" He guessed, feeling a little foolish while he stared at the map. His reward was a pleased chuckle, one he'd come to expect, even after only speaking to the man once.

"Indeed! You use it to spot, say it with me now, fi-- what the devil?"

"I'm sorry? Is something wrong?" Kurogiri sat up a little straighter, feeling worried. All he got was a few muttered words he couldn't quite make out.

"It's nothing. Where was I? Ah, yes. The map. You use it to-- oh, good god!" Now the man sounded genuinely frustrated.

"Atsuhiro?" He asked hesitantly.

"Look out your window, the one facing west. Do you see what I'm seeing!?" Kurogiri looked in the direction he'd been told, catching sight of a burst of faint smoke hanging in the air above the trees. "Some imbecile is shooting off fireworks! Fireworks!!"

"In the forest? Is that legal?" Who was he to be asking if something was legal or not? He didn't exactly have the cleanest record himself.

"Obviously not! Get down there and stop them! Fire danger is clear through the roof right now!"

"Is that in my job description?"

"What's in your job description is whatever I say is in it, Giri. The nearest ranger is two days away. Go down there and make them see sense." Kurogiri nodded, then moved to grab his pack.

"As in, physically beating sense into them?" He asked, already heading down the tower stairs.

"God no!"

"Atsuhiro, I'm not a police officer. I don't have a rulebook over here."

"Just. . ." A tired sigh, more muffled muttering. "Ensure they don't do it again, Giri. Rob them of their belongings. And for god's sake, don't pummel anyone."

This time, Kurogiri was the one to chuckle. Whether it went unnoticed or ignored, he'd never know. He was already on the trail at this point, map and compass in hand.

"There should be some shale between you and the lake, you'll need rope to get down it."

"And where would I find rope?" He asked, checking the map briefly.

"In the supply box along the way. The code is 'one, two, three, four'. It's the code for all the supply boxes, actually." Kurogiri rolled his eyes slightly.

"Smart."

"Shut up, Giri." Kurogiri chuckled at the tone, slipping the radio into his pocket and continuing along the path. He soon came across something that made him worry.

It was a tree that had been torn apart, large gashes in the bark, wider across than his torso in places. After a moment's hesitation he lifted the radio up to his mouth.

"Atsuhiro? There's a tree out here that looks like something tried to tear it apart."

"And. . ?" The reply was not what Kurogiri had hoped for.

"Isn't that a little disconcerting?" He asked, hoping his tone didn't betray his nervousness. Atsuhiro's next sentences, spoken so nonchalantly, made him more uneasy.

"Giri, there are 226 kilogram grizzly bears out here. They sharpen their claws on trees."

"We don't have grizzly bears in Yokohama city. Specifically in the Kamino ward." He stated, moving in the opposite direction of the torn up tree.

"Well, out here in the Thoroughfare, they hunt and kill people. They bury the bodies, then come back to eat the meat once it's rotted. People just up and vanish." Atsuhiro responded, sounding almost bored with the explanation. Kurogiri almost tripped at the news, catching himself just before he fell over the edge of the shale that had been mentioned.

"Isn't that disconcerting!?" He all but shrieked into the radio. He was not the biggest fan of animals, not at all. Particularly ones that could eat him alive if he wasn't careful.

"No. It's simply life."

"Jesus Christ, Atsuhiro." He muttered, pushing the radio back into his pocket. He clipped the rope he had retrieved from the supply box to the rope hook, then began the steady climb down the shale slide. He wasn't even halfway down when the rope snapped on him, sending him tumbling down the rest of the way.

He landed hard on his back, the impact knocking the wind out of him. He lay there for several minutes, trying to suck air back into his lungs. He eventually sat up, groaning in pain. He was definitely going to be very bruised in the morning. He stumbled to his feet, then pulled out his radio again.

"Hey." He began, wincing at the sound of his voice.

"Whoa, Giri? Are you alright? You sound like you fell out of a tree."

"Close enough. The rope snapped while I was climbing down the shale slide." He explained, massaging the back of his head as he walked.

"Oh god! You're not hurt are you? Didn't break anything, did you?" Kurogiri paused at the concern in the other man's voice, an unfamiliar feeling in his gut. Like his stomach had suddenly decided to do a cartwheel without the rest of him.

"I'll be alright, Atsuhiro. I just wanted to inform you, seeing as I can't go back the way I came." His response earned him a relieved sigh from the man.

"Good thing there's more than one way to get around in Two Forks. Just be more careful next time, alright Giri? I don't want to have to call in a rescue team to find you if you break your neck."

"Of course." With that, the conversation ended, and Kurogiri shoved the radio back into his pocket. He eventually came across the remains of what looked like a campsite. Two packs leaned up against the rocks, directly across from a campfire and surrounded by empty beer cans.

Kurogiri shook his head with a sigh, setting his own bag on the ground and unzipping the largest pocket. He held it open, then reached through various warp gates with one hand to sweep the empty cans into his bag so he could properly dispose of them. He thought of it as sort of helping out after everything he'd done in his life.

Once he'd finished with that task, he went to put out what remained of the campfire. It didn't take much, just throwing some dirt and rocks over the coals to put out whatever was left. He then moved to scoop up the fireworks and what looked like a half full bottle of whiskey, glancing briefly at the text he couldn't read. He pulled out the radio to report his findings.

The other man's response was an exasperated sigh, one that made Kurogiri think he'd dealt with this sort of thing for a very long time.

"Oh, they're drunk pyromaniacs too? Wonderful, absolutely wonderful. Alright, I take back what I said. Pummel those imbeciles into oblivion for me, Giri." This time Kurogiri was the one to chuckle, putting away the radio and heading onwards towards the lake. Along the way, he came across something that made him think twice about taking the job.

Two sets of clothing laid out to dry on a rock, and a little further on, a set of women's underclothes. It was not something the mist man wanted to see, or even think about. He skirted around the articles of clothing, as well as a second set of women's underclothes, and finally made it to the lake.

Far enough away that they were only vague figures, were two women swimming in the water. And Kurogiri had a very bad feeling they were both underage.

"I, ah. . . I found them in the lake."

"You don't sound very enthused, Giri. Something wrong?"

"They're skinny dipping. That's what's wrong." There was a moment of silence, then a series of strange noises that sounded suspiciously like Atsuhiro was trying to muffle his laughter. Kurogiri was about to talk, when a high pitched voice reminiscent of a teenage girl cut him off.

"What is that thing!? Is that a guy!?"

Atsuhiro burst into laughter over the radio.

"Have fun dealing with that, Giri!" Was his only response before he presumably moved away to compose himself. Kurogiri pinched the bridge of his nose, took a deep breath, then proceeded to deal with the two girls.

The conversation consisted mainly of poor insults that more or less confirmed to Kurogiri that the two girls were teenagers. Just his luck. Thankfully he got them to stop setting off fireworks, for the time being at least.

He left the lake, and set about trying to find an alternate path back to his tower. He talked briefly with Atsuhiro in which the man screamed with the closest thing to joy he could manage, scared off a raccoon, and made Kurogiri wonder if the man was losing his mind for the second time in two days.

Kurogiri made it to a canyon, relishing the silence, when Atsuhiro spoke again.

"So, care to share the tale of how you fell prey to the Forest Service's recruiting effort?" He asked with genuine curiosity in his tone.

The mist man sighed in defeat, silently wondering if the man on the other end of the radio ever stopped talking.

"I took the job voluntarily, Atsuhiro. Certain events decided I required a change of pace." He explained, climbing over a fallen tree as he spoke.

"Well, you're in the right place. I suppose you could say 'certain events decided' that we could afford to have you."

"And these 'certain events' are?" Kurogiri asked, pausing to raise an eyebrow at the radio he carried. Not that the other man would ever know or see it of course, for several reasons.

"Oh, you don't know? You didn't hear about how the American government nearly allowed their own national park to burn? Yellowstone itself?" He almost sounded incredulous.

"No, I didn't. This is my first time in America, if you recall." Kurogiri said.

"No, I don't recall." Was his reply, his tone almost a perfect mimicry of Kurogiri's own voice. "But, I'll humor you. Long story short, there was sixty years without forest fires. Then fifteen years ago, someone brilliantly suggested that they let forest fires be left to burn. One hundred thousand acres gone. Just like that!" Kurogiri heard an audible snap from the radio.

"I see. That's quite the disaster." He said slowly.

"Quite." There was a moment of silence before he spoke again, this time almost hesitantly.

"I. . . May have a confession to make. Remember last night? When I welcomed you to the job?" Kurogiri frowned slightly, glancing down at the radio.

"Yes? What of it?" He asked.

"I may or may not have been, ah, drunk. During our first meeting. Or at least a bit tipsy." Ah, there it was. His suspicions had been confirmed.

"Atsuhiro, I'm a bartender back in Japan. You're not the first person to speak to me while intoxicated." He deadpanned.

"I just wanted to apologize! I've been told I tend to be a little overbearing, more so when I've had a few drinks." He said, his tone the slightest bit frantic. Kuro could almost imagine him flailing his hands in an attempt to explain, then grew confused when he wondered if he'd ever actually see it.

"Just, ah. . . Let me know when you're back at the tower. Please." With that oddly quiet reply, the radio went silent.

Kurogiri stared at it for a moment, then pushed it into his pocket. The man had sounded almost embarrassed, though he couldn't imagine why. He'd dwell on it later, when he was in the relative safety of his lookout. For right then, he continued on through the canyon, trying to find his way in the dying light.

The sun lowered further, the shadows cast becoming longer, darker. Distant thunder broke the once peaceful silence, making the mist man look up. For a moment, he could almost think there was a storm gathering on the horizon.

"Excuse me? Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you heard that? The thunder?" He asked, his gaze flicking towards the sky occasionally as he walked.

"Of course, Giri. I've got my telescope pointed right at it. The thunder I mean. There's a storm to the north currently." He said, thankfully sounding like he was back to his overly talkative self once more.

"Should I be concerned? For lightning, perhaps?"

"Not yet, but you should hurry back. And Giri? Try not to get struck by lightning." He chuckled.

"I believe I'm safe. I was struck by lightning once before. I think, I don't exactly recall the incident." He said, smiling ever so slightly at the chuckle.

"Well, an old lookout once got struck by lightning more than once. Seven times to be exact." Kurogiri paused at that.

"I. . . Do not like the sound of that."

Another chuckle, then the radio went silent. Kurogiri kept it out, more willing to put up with the man's talkative nature than before.

He came across a cave, and when inquiring about it as he explored for the sake of his own curiosity, came across a gate. His exploration was not silent, instead punctuated by Atsuhiro's incessant warnings to be careful. It got on his nerves, though he understood his concern.

Still, he couldn't resist teasing the man a bit. Right after his last warning to 'be careful, Giri, I don't want you harmed', that is.

"Please, it's not that dangerou--" He cut himself off mid sentence and let out a yell as though he was falling. Atsuhiro let out the most terrified shriek Kurogiri didn't even know was possible for a man, nearly deafening him.

"GIRI!!"

"Really, Atsuhiro. It's perfectly stable where I am."

"Giri, if I ever meet you in person, I'm going to tear off your arms and beat you with them." Kurogiri was the one to chuckle this time, his smirk hidden by mist.

He eventually made his way out of the cave, startled to see that night had already fallen. He quickened his pace, hurrying down the path.

A bright light suddenly blinded him, and he was forced to shield his eyes. Someone was shining their flashlight right at him, on purpose, for reasons unknown.

An audible click, and the light died, leaving Kurogiri to fumble around in the dark until his eyes adjusted. By that time, the person had long since vanished, not a trace of them to be found. And the only way forward was towards where the figure had been standing.

And so, Kurogiri scaled the rocks and pulled himself up to the top.

Aaaaannnd broke the trail sign when he leaned on it to catch his breath, falling face first into the dirt.

Great.

Another act of villainy, breaking a sign and not telling anyone about it. Oh, how he had missed the old days.

He picked himself up off the ground, grumbling under his breath as he trudged through the dark. He was exhausted, and was extremely willing to just collapse into bed. He finally made it to the lookout tower, pausing and rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

His book, the one he was reading earlier, was on the ground outside his tower. He pulled out his radio, his misty frame tense as he scooped up the book.

"Atsuhiro?"

"Something I can do for you? That preferably doesn't involve giving me a heart attack?" Was his prompt reply. Was Atsuhiro just waiting by the radio all day in case he called?

"My book is on the ground. Outside the tower." Atsuhiro was silent for a worrying moment.

"I think you should get inside. Now."

 Kurogiri didn't bother to reply, all but racing up the creaky wooden steps to the top. What he found was not something he wanted to find.

A window had been shattered, and the entirety of the tower had been trashed. Things had been thrown about without care, and he was pretty sure more than just the window had been broken. He relayed all of it to Atsuhiro, who in turn went to inform his supposed superiors.

Kurogiri sighed, rubbing his temples in exhaustion.

"Any ideas on who could've done this, Giri?" Atsuhiro asked.

"I saw a figure in the canyon earlier, if that helps. They were ahead of me, just watching." He revealed.

"And here I thought all you had to worry about was fires and bears. Now we have to add deranged hikers to the list too? I'll let the Service know."

"Just give me the coordinates to the nearest cliff so I can warp them off if they return." Kurogiri said, uncaring how much venom seeped into his tone.

"Listen, I'm horrible with maps, let alone coordinates. But if it makes you feel better, I'll try and get them for you. I want you to feel safe, Giri. I really do." Atsuhiro said gently.

There it was, his stomach was doing those cartwheels without him again.

"I. . . Thank you." He managed, setting the radio down carefully. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, sighing deeply. It had been a long day, and all he wanted was to sleep for ten hours. He sprawled out on his bed, throwing an arm over his eyes in exhaustion.

He just barely caught Atsuhiro's voice from the radio telling him 'goodnight' before sleep claimed him.

Chapter Text

The second day started almost exactly like the last did, except this time, Kurogiri was almost startled into spilling his coffee on the desk.

"Atsuhiro, do you absolutely have to scare me every morning like this?" He asked, carefully setting his mug down with a quiet sigh.

"Apologies! It's important this time, Giri. I swear!" The man insisted.

"More important than getting me acquainted with the job? That you never actually finished?" He asked.

"Hush. We'll get back to that later, I promise. But right now I need you to do some more hiking." Atsuhiro said.

"Again?" Kurogiri was admittedly getting a little tired of wandering in the middle of the forest for hours on end, even if he did technically sign up for it.

"Again." Atsuhiro confirmed with a sheepish chuckle. "That storm knocked out the phone line, the one I use to speak to the Service. Radio-ing out isn't working either, I found that out earlier. We're almost completely cut off."

"Do I have to fix it as well?" Kurogiri asked, scooping up his pack and heading down the tower.

"No. I just need you to hike out to where the wire runs through Two Forks and report back. If it turns out it is indeed down, I can track down someone who actually can fix it." He explained.

"Understandable. How do I get to the wire?"

"Remember the cave you found? The one you decided to give me a heart attack in? You'll need to go through it and head straight to the north when you exit." He said. Kurogiri had to resist chuckling aloud at the memory.

"Very well. I'll call when I find it." He said, putting his radio away and making his way down the trail. He found his way to the cave much quicker than the day before, making his way through it almost as quickly.

It was peaceful. Everything was calm, the early morning chill slowly and gradually giving way to the heat of the rising sun. Kurogiri could hear every step he took, the call of every bird, even the occasional squirrel racing through the trees.

It was so quiet that morning, Atsuhiro's voice broke the silence like the Titanic and the iceberg.

"Greetings. No, I don't think so. Why do you ask?" Kurogiri stared down at his radio in bewilderment, his head cocked to the side. Atsuhiro didn't seem to be speaking to him, but someone else instead. His tone was so drastically different from the one he used when speaking to Kurogiri.

Almost eerily so.

"Alright, excellent. No, I'm certain he hasn't the faintest idea." A pause, then a surprised sound. "I'm absolutely positive! What do you take me for? A fool?" Atsuhiro's voice dropped a couple octaves, his tone offended. Almost menacingly so.

A quiet sigh brought Kurogiri back to reality long enough to catch the end.

"Very well. I'll inform you of any changes. In that regard at least." There was a moment of silence in which Atsuhiro was assumed to have collected himself, then his cheerful voice resurfaced.

Kurogiri would never have been able to tell the difference had he not overheard.

"Oh, Giri! You haven't gotten lost in the woods on me, have you?" His amused chuckle gave away nothing. It's as if the conversation had never happened. Kurogiri gripped the radio, lifting it to his mouth.

"Who was that?"

"Who was who?" Atsuhiro asked innocently, quite honestly sounding as though he was genuinely confused.

He seemed to be a terrifyingly natural liar, and Kurogiri didn't like the implications that arose from it.

"The 'I'm certain he hasn't the faintest idea.' What was that?" He asked again, stopping completely and staring down at the radio.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You left my line open, or something along those lines." He said carefully.

"Giri, that call was for work, nothing more. I was speaking to. . . on second thought, it's not important. Why are you so concerned?" Atsuhiro's tone had lost a bit of its lighthearted quality, sounding almost defensive.

"I'm not concerned, Atsuhiro." The mist man protested.

"Outstanding. Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Kurogiri, I have work to do. Call if it's important." There was an audible click, and the radio went silent. Atsuhiro must've set the radio down and walked away from it.

Kurogiri stared at the transmitter for a long moment, then let out a sigh. He put it away, then continued along the path.

He hadn't meant for the conversation to go that way, not in any sense of the word. He supposed his curiosity had gotten the better of him, for once. Even still, hearing Atsuhiro call him 'Mr. Kurogiri' in that tone of voice. . . Well, it stung. And he didn't know why.

He didn't have time to finish that thought, because he'd slammed straight into the utility pole he was supposed to be looking for. He stumbled back, rubbing his nose and wiping away the slick red substance trickling its way down his chin. He sighed, pressing a square cloth to his nose and pulling out the radio.

"I found the wire you spoke about. It looks alright from here." He said, wincing at the pressure on his nose.

"Follow it as far along the trail if you can. Then head back as soon as you give me the all clear." Atsuhiro's reply was quick and to the point, and left almost no room to continue the conversation. He was still put off, it seemed.

Regardless, Kurogiri did as he was told. The wire was easy to see in the light, and just as easy to follow. He found himself walking all the way up a large, rocky hill.

Partway up, he encountered a curious sight. A small tortoise sitting on a rock. He knelt beside it, inspecting it first before making any attempt to touch it.

The creature poked its head out of the confines of its shell, making the tiniest of sounds at him. Upon deeming it harmless, he picked it up gently, cradling it in his hands. It pushed its tiny head against Kurogiri's mist-wreathed fingers, nipping lightly at his thumb as a sort of hello.

He couldn't help but chuckle, smiling down at in in amusement. It was simply adorable. He carefully tucked it into the front pocket of his vest, pausing briefly to make sure it was comfortable.

It poked its head over the edge of his pocket, looking up at him innocently. Kurogiri gently stroked the top of its head with one finger, watching silently as it retreated back into its shell for a nap.

He named it Atsuturtle, consequences be damned.

With the newly named creature fast asleep in his pocket, Kurogiri continued on up the winding path. Not far from where he found the tortoise, he found a few familiar looking cans. All empty, which didn't surprise him. He pulled out the radio.

"Guess what?"

"What is it now?" And boy, Atsuhiro did not sound like he was in the mood.

"Empty beer cans. Same as before." He said, sweeping the garbage into his pack to dispose of them properly.

"Children these days. American society is doomed if this continues." The man sighed, sounding very much like he was done with life.

"I'm just wondering how teenagers can be so idiotic." Kurogiri replied.

"You're a bartender. I'm sure you've dealt with worse than a couple of drunk children."

"I'm afraid that is indeed the case, but I still wonder at times." He said, occasionally warping a stray beer can into his pack. The conversation continued, and things seemed to have returned to normal between the two men.

Whatever 'normal' was out in the wilderness.

Kurogiri eventually came across the last utility pole he could reach, and what he found made his heart drop. The wire had been severed, cut cleanly so that the end closest to him dragged across the rocks.

He told Atsuhiro what he found. The man was clearly unhappy, almost to the point of anger.

"I knew it! I just knew it! The moment you said you found those beer cans! Those absolute imbeciles! Do those miniscule, drink-addled lumps of flesh know that this is how people die!?" Kurogiri was taken aback by the man's words, the rather unique descriptors in particular. Atsuhiro wasn't done yet, however.

"What if something happened to one of my lookouts while this was happening!? God forbid a fire rages out of control because no one knows what the hell is going on!!"

"What do you want me to do?" Kurogiri asked once he thought the man was done with his little rant. He was used to having to deal with explosive temper tantrums for years, a little rant from a particularly excitable adult was well within his capacity to handle.

Even if he didn't expect it.

"I want you to find them, and I want you to terrify those little imbeciles."

"I could make a ghost costume, but I'm afraid my sheets were stolen." Kurogiri was relieved to hear a chuckle from the radio, even if it sounded a tad bit more menacing than he was accustomed to.

"Wreck their camp then! That always works for me!"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Oops! Did I say that out loud?" Another less than innocent chuckle.

"Well, I have heard worse." Kurogiri admitted, collecting more cans as he wandered down the path.

"I'm sure you have. Let me know when you find them, Giri." And with that, Kurogiri put away the radio and continued on.

The day wore on, and Kurogiri found himself lost and turned around quite a few times, more than he was used to. Perhaps it was because he was so used to warping from place to place to get to where he needed to be.

Regardless of the reason, he eventually found the campsite of the two girls from the day before. The tent was torn, clothes and other items they had brought were scattered everywhere. Teen magazines, a full six pack of beer, even an utterly shredded sleeping bag.

And so, after putting out the remains of yet another campfire and reading the note left behind, he reported his findings.

"My god, Giri! Are you serious!? Who is so deranged that they'd target drunk children?"

"I can name a few. Thankfully they're a literal ocean away from here." Kurogiri muttered, shaking his head.

"Well, at least they left. I suppose you can return to your tower now." Atsuhiro said, sounding almost tired of the whole thing.

"I suppose so. I'll inform you of when we return." He replied, putting away the radio and retracing his steps.

"I'm sorry, but did you just say 'we'?" Kurogiri paused, mentally debating for a moment.

"Yes?"

"Do I want to know who else makes it 'we'?" He asked. Kurogiri decided to bite the bullet.

"I found a tortoise."

"Well, I'm glad you found a friend to keep you company. Does your friend have a name, Giri? Is it Giri Jr.? I bet it's Giri Jr." The man was chuckling in amusement, and some faint scribbling told Kurogiri he was more than likely writing it down.

"Not exactly." Kurogiri paused, hiding his face in his hands. He hadn't expected to feel the surge of embarrassment at admitting what he had named the creature.

"I named it Atsuturtle." He finally said. There was a moment of silence, in which Kurogiri grew extremely uncomfortable and started to debate how long it would take to suffocate if he warped himself into the void of space.

Then Atsuhiro spoke.

"I'm. . . flattered? I don't know what to say, Giri. Except that is the most adorable thing I've ever heard in my life." He said, his tone as gentle as could be. Kurogiri relaxed, though his embarrassment remained.

"You're welcome, I suppose. It just reminded me of you, in a manner of speaking." He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. Atsuhiro chuckled once more, undoubtedly smiling. Though whether is was out of amusement or not was up for debate.

"Well then, I can't wait to meet him."

Chapter Text

The third day did not start with a heart attack, much to the surprise of one mist mutant. Instead, the morning was relatively quiet for once. He spent the time gathering a few boards, some nails, and a hammer with which to repair the shattered window from the first day.

He had run out of boards, and was about to head down the tower for more when Atsuhiro spoke. This time he was ready, and didn't do more but hook the radio to the collar of his shirt so he could keep his hands free. Why he didn't think to do that earlier was a mystery.

"Hey, Giri?" Atsuhiro asked, sounding only slightly hesitant.

"Yes? Do you need something? More hiking perhaps?" Kurogiri asked, walking down the spiralling steps of the tower. Atsuhiro chuckled in amusement.

"No, not this time. No hiking for today, I can assure you. I just have a question is all."

"Go ahead then. Ask away, Atsuhiro." Kurogiri said, scooping up a couple more boards he'd left at the base of the tower.

"Well, I don't know how else to say this without sounding at least a tad bit rude but, what do you look like?" Now that was something he hadn't expected, not in the slightest.

"Why do you ask?" He raised an eyebrow in the direction of the man's tower, the Thoroughfare, as he returned to the top of his own.

"Because I'm terribly superficial, darling." Was Atsuhiro's teasing reply, sending Kurogiri for a slight loop.

No one had ever called him 'darling' before.

"Well, I was once told that I look like 'an edgy Grillby', whatever that may be." He said, placing the boards down and picking up the hammer and nails.

"Well, I suppose that gives me a good enough start." Atsuhiro said casually, with a bit of a chuckle. Kurogiri didn't have time to wonder about the comment before Atsuhiro was speaking again.

"Now, with my telescope I can only tell you're a very dark skinned, blurry man in some sort of hiking attire. It's cute, but you do look a little silly." This time Kurogiri was the one to chuckle.

"First of all, it's almost thirty degrees out here, and I'm in the sun all day. Second of all, I'm not 'blurry'. What you're seeing is my Quirk. I'm more or less a vaguely humanoid shape of mist."

"Well, you're easy to spot in the light. You stick out like a sore thumb. As for the hiking attire, if you don't normally wear that, what do you wear?" He asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"Suits. What else would I wear?" He asked, chuckling quietly. The window was half covered by boards at this point.

"Ah, of course. How silly of me, not realizing the Kamino ward was so chic."

"It is the peak of high society, Atsuhiro. It's common knowledge." Kurogiri responded, unable to keep the smile from slipping onto his face.

"Ah, yes. Excellent knowledge to have on hand, my dear. Now, your face. I'm looking at you from across the bar. Do I see mist? Or an actual face?" Atsuhiro asked.

"More mist, I'm afraid. I'm completely hidden by it." He said, his smile slipping slightly.

"So, a pillar of dark mist in a suit named Kurogiri?"

"More or less." Kurogiri confirmed, nailing the last board into place and warping the hammer and leftover nails back into the toolbox that had been in the tower when he'd arrived.

"You sound like quite the villainous character, my dear Giri. Are you certain you didn't walk out of a cartoon?" Atsuhiro asked teasingly, chuckling in amusement.

"I'm very certain. If I had, I'd be in Tartarus by now." Kurogiri pointed out.

"Point taken. Next question! I want to know about your eyes. You can clearly see, can you not?" Atsuhiro said.

"Yes, I can. But what I can't see is why you wish to know." Kurogiri responded, leaning against the railing and looking out across at Thoroughfare Tower.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm drawing you! It won't be any good, but I'm bored out of my mind, so I don't particularly care." Kurogiri was both flattered and taken aback. Flattered because Atsuhiro wanted to draw him, and taken aback because the man actually wanted to draw him.

He did his best to describe them, finding it was oddly difficult to describe eyes when all anyone could see was a pair of glowing yellow slits.

"Annnnd I got it! Thank you, Giri. I'll send it to you when I'm finished."

"How are you going to send it?" Kurogiri questioned, raising an eyebrow at in the tower's direction.

"With a bird, obviously."

"A. . . bird?" He asked, bewildered by how nonchalantly the man seemed about sending things 'Game of Thrones' style.

"Yes! I've trained a few doves back in my days as an entertainer, and I still have them. I'm quite fond of avian species." He explained, genuine happiness seeping into his voice, as well as a touch of sadness.

He decided not to ask.

"Well, I will await your. . . message? I'm not sure what to call it. Just please, no more heart attacks." He said, earning a chuckle from the man.

"I'll try my best, Giri! I swear!" He promised, still chuckling in a manner that Kurogiri found comforting. He wanted to hear it more often, oddly enough.

"Well, Atsuhiro, I finished boarding up the broken window, is there anything else you require of me today?" He asked.

"Only one thing. I just need you to sit in your tower until September 1st, and call me at the first sign of smoke. If there is any, that is." Atsuhiro said.

"So, I'm getting paid to do nothing but stare out the window all day? I think I can handle that." The mist man replied, smiling ever so slightly. It was honestly easier than caring for a temperamental child training under the literal incarnation of the devil himself back in Japan.

"Well, you won't be doing nothing, exactly. You have me to talk to! I could also send you some crosswords if you'd like." Atsuhiro offered. "It's a shame we can't visit each other, however. I'd be happy to show you some other forms of entertainment if you'd be so inclined!"

"Is that so? Care to explain what type of 'entertainment' you have in mind?" Kurogiri asked, raising an eyebrow at the tower questioningly. An amused chuckle came from the radio.

"Nothing that would require anything from yourself, Giri, I can assure you. I'll have you know that I am quite a master of magic tricks! Sleight of hand and escapology are my specialties." Kurogiri's eyebrow raised further.

How a man went from magician to park ranger sitting on his ass in a tower all summer, he would never know.

"So, you were previously a magician? Is that what you're saying?" He asked. The radio was silent for a brief moment before the man answered, his tone not exactly cheerful, but it couldn't be called a defensive tone either.

"Yes, that's what I'm saying. Is there something wrong with being a magician instead of, let's say for example, a hero?" Atsuhiro asked. Kurogiri shook his head on instinct, forgetting that the man couldn't see it.

"Of course not, Atsuhiro. There is nothing wrong with having an occupation that isn't related to heroism. You forget, I myself am a bartender, among other things. Not everyone can or wants to be a hero, correct?" The radio was silent once again, this time for a much longer period.

"Well, you're certainly the first I've met who actively thinks in that manner. I know a multitude of individuals who would disagree with you. After all, kids these days have their values chosen for them, instead of choosing their own. It's refreshing to hear."

"Perhaps I could introduce you to a few who wouldn't disagree one of these days." Kurogiri said calmly.

"I. . . I think I would rather enjoy that. I'll keep that in mind." Atsuhiro said quietly, sounding much more relaxed and content than before. He was silent for a while, and Kurogiri was almost prepared to return to the inside of the tower when the man spoke.

"Would you perhaps tell me more? About the 'other things' you mentioned earlier along with your bartending. I'm curious."

"I suppose I could. Now, where to begin. . ."

Chapter Text

Had he known how utterly calm this job was going to be, he would've considered taking it far sooner than he did.

There was something inherently peaceful about watching the sunset, surrounded by nothing but nature as far as the eye could see. Birds chirping, flowers most likely not blooming due to the time of year, and where was he during all of it?

Sitting calmly on the ledge of a ravine, eating his dinner silently. Kurogiri felt no need to talk to fill the silence, unless he was conversing with who he considered to be a friend at this point in time.

It had become clear to him from the first night he arrived that Atsuhiro loved to talk, and the following days filled with the man's near incessant chatter only served to solidify Kurogiri's observation. Whether it was out of a desire to hear the sound of his own voice, a need for someone to talk to after what seemed to be years of near total isolation in the woods or another reason, Kurogiri would never know.

Kurogiri didn't particularly mind.

The man was pleasant to talk to in his opinion, and his voice was calming to hear. And it wasn't every day someone actually took the time to hear what Kurogiri had to say back in Japan. At least here, there was someone who would listen and actually treat him as more than a glorified babysitter.

He knew it wouldn't last forever. Once the summer ended, Kurogiri was getting on the first plane back to Japan and warping straight back to the bar he called home. Back to acting as if his time in the park had never happened in the first place, and they would never meet again, over the radio or otherwise.

A sobering thought, one he preferred not to think about it, at least until the time came.

"Greetings, Giri! Are you having a pleasant afternoon?"

Ah, speak of the devil and he shall appear. Kurogiri thought, suppressing a small chuckle in favor of answering.

"Indeed. I'm quite tempted to stay, I must admit." He said, packing up the remains of his dinner and tucking it away in his backpack. Atsuhiro hummed in acknowledgement, and Kurogiri was starting to get a bad feeling.

"Well, ah, I may have a bit of bad news. A pair of young women were reported missing. They have parents in California who haven't heard from them in a week. And before you ask, California is one of the fifty states. Also part of the song title of a pop song, but we don't talk about that." Kurogiri couldn't help but let out a chuckle, despite the sinking feeling in his stomach.

"I see. Is that all?" He asked, staring idly out over the ravine to watch the last rays of the sun sink below the horizon.

"Unfortunately not. They were supposed to meet with an aunt of theirs in a place called Cody. If they're our drunken pyromaniacs from the week before, you're most likely the last person to have seen them." There may as well have been an iron weight in his stomach with how far it was sinking at what he was hearing. He had hoped to avoid any kind of law enforcement for as long as possible.

"Well, you should inform them I'm happy to be questioned." He said with a sigh, rubbing his temples tiredly.

"You don't sound very happy about it. Is this about those 'other things' that you won't talk about?" Atsuhiro asked.

"Yes. Let's just say police officers and heroes alike aren't particularly fond of me." He responded. Atsuhiro let out a sigh of his own.

"Look, Giri, it won't be an issue. Unless of course, they turn up dead. I'll just not say anything and save us both the trouble of dealing with it any more than we have to."

"Atsuhiro, it's worth mentioning. Missing children are a very serious deal. As much as I dislike law enforcement, I'd rather deal with them than face the possibility of going to prison." Kurogiri said, shaking his head.

"Fair point. I'll keep it vague then, how about that? I know how I sound, but it's simply the fact I don't like speaking with police. And police don't like speaking with individuals like myself." The other man admitted.

"I can't possibly imagine why. You could quite honestly charm them into leaving you alone if you so wished." Kurogiri said with a light chuckle.

"Ah ha, ah ha. Very funny, Giri. Your sense of humor has improved drastically since we met."

"I think you're rubbing off on me. I was perfectly sane until I met you." He said, smiling faintly beneath the mist. Atsuhiro chuckled in amusement.

"I'm sure you were. I am known for corrupting perfectly sane individuals with my utterly charming personality. It's a gift!" Atsuhiro responded dramatically. There was a sudden yelp, and a sudden crash over the radio.

"Atsuhiro? Is everything alright?" Kurogiri got no answer for several worrying moments, and he half considered making his way over to check on the man. Finally, the man responded, sounding slightly winded as though he'd tripped and fallen.

"Everything's fine, Giri! Well, everything except my chair. I'm fairly certain that's broken."

"Did. . . Did you fall out of your chair?" Kurogiri stared down at the radio incredulously, his eyes wide.

"No!" A pause then, presumably gathering his thoughts. "Well, perhaps I did. Maybe." A second pause, slightly longer than the first. "Yes." He finally admitted, his tone very meek and embarrassed. It was so unlike him. So unlike the confident, almost borderline arrogant man he knew.

So much so that Kurogiri couldn't help but laugh. He let out a short burst of giggles, immediately slapping a hand over his mouth to muffle the sound.

"It's not entirely my fault! Well, alright it might be, but just a tad! I was too lazy to put my prosthetic on this morning." His last sentence dissolved into near incoherent mumbles, his tone, though full of protest, seemed very distant in that moment.

Kurogiri almost missed all of it through the mumbling and his own giggling, and it halted his fit of laughter completely.

Atsuhiro had a prosthetic? As in a false limb?

"I see. . . Well, at least you're not hurt. Correct?" He asked gently. He didn't know if he was asking about the fall or what caused him to have a prosthetic in the first place.

"Yes, I'm fine. I do appreciate your concern, Giri. Thank you." Kurogiri believed him, at least if he took his concern to mean about the fall.

Kurogiri didn't believe him for a second about the second option.

"Well, I'm heading back to the lookout tower. Call me if you want to talk. I'm here for you, Atsuhiro." With that, Kurogiri slipped the radio into his pocket, and began the long trek back to the tower.

Chapter Text

"Well, I'm heading back to the lookout tower. Call me if you want to talk. I'm here for you, Atsuhiro."

Those same words kept bouncing around in his head long after Kurogiri had said them. Flitting around in Atsuhiro's thoughts like tiny little moths around a porch light on a hot summer night.

Much like tonight, or any other night in the national park in the middle of summer.

Atsuhiro had not started the day feeling his best. All he had wanted to do was lay down and sleep through the headache he'd woken up with. However, he had an actual job to do that required his full attention. Most of the time at least.

And so, his day had progressed, dealing with a headache that got increasingly worse as the sun moved through the sky.

Not to mention the pain in what remained of his arm.

It was a phantom pain, he knew full well that it was only a memory. But it didn't change how badly it hurt. Sitting upright and moving around made it both simultaneously better and worse. Better because the pain lessened, worse because of how absurdly off-balance he was without the prosthetic. He chose not to put it on that morning, he chose not to wear it when wearing it would have most likely offset how far down his mood spiraled.

A mood worsened by a lack of things to distract him.

He had his doves and rabbit to take care of, his magic tricks to practice and perfect, not that he doubted them, it was merely habit at this point. He could've spoken to Kurogiri, could've had a plethora of pleasant, idle conversations with the man to pass the time.

He didn't. He didn't bother the man with worthless conversations that served no other purpose than to suit his own desires. He bothered the man enough already as it was. He simply couldn't bring himself to admit he'd grown particularly attached to someone he'd never even seen, let alone met in person. Couldn't bring himself to face the fact he needed someone to talk to after spending so many years alone in the woods.

After a few very long minutes of internal debate, he let out a sigh and finally sat up. A light nudge with his foot answered the question of whether or not his chair was broken (it was), and he pulled himself to his feet at last. He stood far too unsteadily for his liking without the prosthetic, and that only served to solidify the decision to put it on. The lone picture sitting framed on his desk helped, in a twisted sort of way.

Once he was properly armed for the remainder of the night, he perched on the windowsill and stared through his telescope. Not at any of the lookouts, but at a very specific, and very familiar canyon all the way in a different sector. Thunder Canyon in Two Forks, and more specifically, the cave with the locked gate. There he stayed for the rest of the night, perched on the windowsill and staring through a telescope with his radio easily within reach.

This year, no deranged hiker was going to get the best of Atsuhiro.

Not when he'd finally found someone to care about again.

Chapter Text

The radio was crackling loudly with static, dragging Kurogiri out of a very comfortable sleep. He sluggishly pushed himself into a sitting position, rubbing his eyes. He wasn't even fully awake yet when Atsuhiro began to speak.

Well, more demanding than actual speaking, which concerned Kurogiri enough to get out of bed and wander over to the radio.

"Giri, you need to get up. Now. You need to pick up the radio." Kurogiri did as he was told, albeit tiredly and with a raised eyebrow. He wasn't entirely sure if he was dreaming or not, the matter was still up for debate.

"Yes?" He asked, rubbing his eyes in exhaustion. "Is there something you needed?"

"God, you're slow. And you're the one with the instant warping around." The voice was not Atsuhiro's, being much more raspy and higher pitched than he remembered. It was a voice he knew well.

"Hello, Tomura." He said simply. He had not expected to hear from the boy, particularly not while he was still in the middle of his training.

"Did I wake you up?" He asked, sounding mildly irritated. Kurogiri held back a sigh.

"Indeed you did. Is there something you needed?" He asked. The answer was not one he expected.

"No. Yes. I. . . I want to know how you're doing. Across the ocean. Away. From here."

"I. . . Suppose I'm doing well." He answered slowly. He was confused by the sudden concern, but he neither questioned it nor considered it unwelcome.

It. . . Was a little nice to hear.

"Good." Tomura was silent for a long moment, long enough for Kurogiri to almost think the conversation had ended. Then the boy spoke again. "I'll. . . Oh, just go back to sleep. You're old, you won't live very long without it."

So he was old now? That got a chuckle out of him. "Old, am I?"

"Yes. You're a foggy old man who I'm still not sure isn't an edgy Grillby."

"Goodnight, Tomura. Sleep well."

"Yeah. You too." The radio went silent, and Kurogiri put it down. He climbed back into bed, all but collapsing back into a deep sleep.

Far away, Atsuhiro held the now silent radio to his ear, smiling just the barest amount. Sometimes, you accidentally overhear the cutest things, even if it came from the mouth of a sleeping man miles away in a different tower. He set the radio down in it's charging station, then crawled into bed.

He fell asleep facing the transmitter, a tiny smile just barely visible.

Chapter Text

Kurogiri stood next to a sign, alternating between staring at it, his surroundings, and the map in his hands. He had not yet wandered to this part of the park, and did not want to get lost.

He traced a path with his finger, walking past the sign and heading North. He kept his map out, using one hand to clip his radio to the collar of his shirt.

"Excuse me? Is it too inconvenient to have supplies brought to the towers?" He asked.

"Apparently not? Well, I do have my supplies hand delivered to my tower." Atsuhiro responded calmly. The faintest scratching over the radio suggested he was in the middle of a crossword or something.

"Is that so? How'd you manage that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Consider it a perk of working in the middle of nowhere for over a decade. Obediently. You're out, hiking in 32 degree heat and I get to play with my doves. Life is simply just miserable unfairness all around, isn't it?" He teased with a chuckle. Kurogiri only hummed in response, more focused on not getting lost than forming a proper reply.

"In any case, when you do get there remember; it's not just your supplies there. A few others get their food from there, the other lookouts, biologists and the like. I'd rather not have to call in for more in case someone accidentally takes more than their own."

"I can assure you, Atsuhiro, I'll only take mine and nothing else." Kurogiri said.

"That's good to hear. In other news, there should be some good things in there!" The man said cheerfully.

"Like?" He prompted, raising an eyebrow in what he assumed was the direction of the other man's tower.

"Non perishables, the ones that don't come in an impossible to open can. Beans, prunes, jerky." Kurogiri personally wasn't fond of those options, but he'd signed up for it. He'd take what he could get and not complain. It was something he was used to by now.

Atsuhiro was still talking. ". . . Colleague used to eat six prunes a day. He was incredibly nitpicky about it, along with everything else. He'd have been great at this job, if he didn't feel the need to 'cure' every 'illness' he perceived in others."

Now that sent some very bad chills running along his spine. It gave him a terrible feeling Kurogiri didn't think he'd be able to shake for a while. Regardless, he continued walking. He finally had some sort of trail to go off of, but he kept the map out just in case.

There was still a chance of bears, getting horribly lost, and Atsuhiro still talking.

Which is exactly what the man was doing. He must've been in a very talkative mood.

"So, Giri. You called me in the middle of the night, about two weeks ago I believe." The other man said carefully, his cheerful demeanor somewhat subdued. "I'm fairly certain you were sleeping, because all I could hear was the name 'Tomura' through the mumbling. You are very hard to understand when you mutter, you know that right?"

Kurogiri hid his face in his hand, groaning quietly. "Why didn't you wake me? If I was disturbing you, you could've woken me up and told me."

"I thought about it, trust me, I did think about it at first. But. . . It just sounded so sweet. . . I didn't want to spoil it." Atsuhiro said quietly. "I hope you're doing alright, when it comes to that."

"I am." Or, rather, he thought he was. It was more than a little complicated.

"Good! I'm glad. You deserve a little happiness in your life." Kurogiri smiled at that, chuckling lightly.

"Thank you, Atsuhiro. I suppose you now know the reason I'm all the way out here. Or part of it, at least."

"Indeed! I suppose it's time I spill why I'm out in the middle of nowhere, isn't it?" He responded with an equally light chuckle.

"If you wish, Atsuhiro. I'll not force the reason out of you." Kurogiri said gently.

"My, you're quite the gentleman, Giri. Still, I think you should know. Partially at least. There's some things. . . I don't think I'm entirely ready to tell."

"Of course. I understand." Kurogiri said. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, or if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Thank you, Giri. Well, I suppose I'm out here in the first place because of my, ah, 'parents'. And I use the term loosely. They were those types that don't accept their children unless they're 'normal' according to them. As in the straight, no sex before marriage, 'you're the gender you're born as and nothing else' type. I got kicked out, lived with an amazing friend, did magic shows and crime together, then we both came out here to avoid getting put in jail for life. And now I'm here. Talking to you."

"And your friend? Or is that something you're not ready to tell?" Kurogiri asked gently. There was such a long silence that he thought Atsuhiro had turned it off completely; that he'd overstepped a boundary without meaning to.

"Dead. She died in our first year working here." Was Atsuhiro's quiet reply. That simple answer hit Kurogiri hard enough he physically felt the need to sit down, sinking heavily onto a fallen log.

Atsuhiro had been working here how long? And he'd lost his childhood friend within the first year? Kurogiri thought, unable to come up with an answer he felt was suitable response to what he'd just been told.

"I. . . I'm sorry, Atsuhiro." He finally said.

"You shouldn't be."

That certainly stopped his train of thought. "I beg your pardon?"

"Listen, Giri. I. . . I need some time. I'll call you." And with that, the radio clicked off and went silent. Kurogiri sighed deeply, rubbing his eyes in exhaustion. Of all the things he expected, this conversation was the absolute farthest thing from it.

Kurogiri sat on the log for a very long time, long enough for the shadows to move a significant amount. It wasn't until the sun's rays moved onto the map he'd dropped at his feet that he came out of his contemplating long enough to remember what he was supposed to be doing.

And so, with the subject of the conversation heavy on his mind, he made his way to the supply box, retrieved his supplies, and headed back the way he came.

Chapter Text

Kurogiri had a habit of staying up late. It was the only reason he saw the fire. He pulled open the door and stepped out onto the old wood balcony, radio in hand.

"My dear Giri, it seems as though you have a front row seat to what may be possibly the biggest fire of the year." Atsuhiro's voice came loud and clear through the transmitter, no longer startling him into almost dropping whatever he held.

"Indeed. It's quite a sight." That was a slight understatement, but Kurogiri wasn't the one known for dramatics. He leaned against the railing as he spoke, watching the distant light of the fire as it poured smoke and sparks into the night sky.

"I'll call it in. They send in some hotshot crew to suppress it, but I have a nagging feeling we'll be stuck with it for the rest of the summer."

"I wouldn't doubt it. It seems to be a large fire even now." Kurogiri said calmly.

"Indeed. Which means it needs a name. Usually I think of something amusing, practical, or even a little risque when coming up with names. It's entertaining to hear someone call a wildfire 'Dante's Inferno' or something similar. But, why don't you do the honors? I'm curious to what you'd suggest."

Kurogiri tapped his radio thoughtfully, tilting his head as he rattled through various options before tossing one out as a suggestion. "Atsuhiro's a nice name." He said casually.

Atsuhiro laughed wholeheartedly, more than a little amused. "No! Giri! As much as I adore how sweet that is, we can't name the fire after me."

"Is it too late to say 'just kidding'?" He asked, chuckling quietly.

"Nope. But I know you're not. As I said, you're very sweet, but we can't call it the Atsuhiro Fire." The man said.

"Alright, what do you suggest then?" Kurogiri asked.

"Hmmm, we can shorten it to Hiro."

"The Hiro Fire. Not to be confused with the Hero Fire."

"Oh shush. You like it." Atsuhiro said, earning a chuckle out of the misty bartender.

"Indeed. It's very fitting." He responded, idly playing with the woven string around his neck. Dangling from it was a perfect, cyan colored sphere. It was translucent, allowing light to pass through enough that he could see the tiny lone feather inside. It had been in the supplies he'd retrieved almost a month ago, along with a silly, childish scribble of his own misty self.

He knew exactly were both had come from, and it made him smile every time he thought about it.

"If it didn't get either of us fired, I'd invite you over to my area. There's this creek down the hill, and my favorite thing to do there is leave a bottle of whatever I happen to have on hand deep in the water. When I come back to get it at night, it's nice and cool instead of disgustingly warm." Atsuhiro said, making a faint gagging sound at the thought.

"Really? I've never thought about it. I'll have to try it one of these days. Where'd you learn that from?" Kurogiri asked. 

"My old friend, the one I told you about. She'd do it with bottles of whiskey we'd steal together and we'd share with whoever we were with at the time. I think you'd have enjoyed it, had we met years earlier." Kurogiri nodded slowly, smiling slightly at the thought.

"I'm sure I'd have enjoyed it immensely, Atsuhiro. I do enjoy spending time with you after all, even if it's simply over a radio." He said, fiddling with the cyan sphere pendant he'd been given.

"Flatterer." Atsuhiro chuckled, and Kurogiri could almost feel the man smiling from over the radio.

"I'm being sincere, Atsuhiro. I wouldn't be speaking with you otherwise." He insisted.

"I know, Giri. It's incredibly sweet. I'm glad you're here."

"As am I." Kurogiri admitted.

Atsuhiro chuckled again, more quietly this time. "You know, I don't speak to the other lookouts as much as you and I speak. Not in the same way either."

Now that was news to Kurogiri. But at the same time, it wasn't. It made him feel warmer than the surrounding temperatures did.

"I understand it's more than likely been a while since you've spoken with anyone in this way and made any sort of connection, and I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but. . . it's been nice." Atsuhiro said quietly, trailing off towards the end as though he wasn't sure if he wanted to be heard. The warmth Kurogiri felt increased tenfold in that single sentence alone, but there was a lingering dampness in his eyes that he fairly certain wasn't because of the excess smoke drifting in his direction.

"I. . . I wish I was over there with you."

Kurogiri clutched his radio, taking a deep breath to steady his voice before answering. "I wish you were here as well." Atsuhiro chuckled at that.

"We could sit outside. Talk without the radios. I could even show you a magic trick or two if you'd like." He said, sounding vaguely excited at the thought. Kurogiri pulled his necklace out far enough for him to see it, watching the dim light reflect off the absurdly shiny surface of the marble. He made a decision, letting it drop back to rest on his chest.

"I. . . may be able to make that a reality." He said carefully.

"You. . . you could?"

"Perhaps. Give me a minute or two." And with that, Kurogiri clipped the radio to his belt and warped several items into his hands; a pencil, his map, one of the posters pinned up in the tower, and every damn measuring tool he knew the location of in his tower.

He went to work quickly, measuring, calculating, and marking up the back of the poster. It was slow work, despite how quickly he was going about it. He wanted to get the coordinates just right, and not accidentally tear something apart by opening a warp gate inside it. He'd seen the results of that before, and it was a thoroughly sickening fate.

At last he thought he had accurate enough coordinates to open up a warp gate or two, a further comparison of the map of his own area helped solidify his assumptions. He held his radio to his mouth.

"Atsuhiro, are you still there?"

"Anxiously awaiting your call, my dear Giri." Came Atsuhiro's reply. Kurogiri made an amused sound, studying the markings he made on the blank side of the poster.

"I have a request of you. Can you look at your map and tell me where your tower is?" He asked.

"I suppose. Hold on." There was a bit of movement, then Atsuhiro spoke again. "I'm sort of in the Southeast corner, more towards the top and center."

"I see. Let me know if you see any dark mist anywhere." He said, then opened a warp gate. He kept his end open beside him, looking up at the Thoroughfare Tower then back at the coordinates he'd scribbled on the poster. He repeated the process for a few worrying minutes before Atsuhiro's startled tone pulled him out of his concentration.

"Wait! I see it! The mist you mentioned, it's a few meters away from the railing in midair." Kurogiri nodded, closed it again, made the necessary adjustments, then reopened the warp gate.

"Better?" He asked, quickly writing down the coordinates for future reference.

"Yes. It's on the tower balcony now. Is that your Quirk?" Atsuhiro asked.

"Yes. I can open warp gates anywhere as long as I can pinpoint the location and it's within my limits. It forced me and maps to become very close friends." The mist man said, setting down the tools and moving to stand in front of the ominous looking portal.

"It's. . . hauntingly mesmerizing." Kurogiri could feel the man skimming his fingers through the fog, it almost tickled. "Can. . . can I come through?"

"Yes, you can come through. It's perfectly safe." Kurogiri said, crossing his arms and waiting patiently.

Nothing happened for several moments, and Kurogiri got a little worried. Then the radio crackled to life.

"I. . . I can't. I'm sorry, Giri. I just can't." Atsuhiro's voice was so quiet, he almost didn't hear it. It sounded like the man was on the verge of crying. Or panicking. Or both.

"Atsuhiro. It's alright. The option is still open if you ever wish to take it. I won't force you to see me in person if you're not ready." Kurogiri said in the gentlest tone he could, releasing his hold on the warp gates and allowing them to start dissolving.

"WAIT! Wait, don't close it yet!" Kurogiri's attention snapped back to the warp gate, forcing back open despite his own bewilderment. He didn't know what was going on anymore.

"Atsuhiro?" He asked hesitantly, watching the still swirling mist.

"I. . . can I just. . . stick my hand through? This is all a. . . a bit overwhelming to be perfectly honest." Kurogiri nodded in understanding, moving slightly closer to the warp.

"Of course. It's alright to be overwhelmed. You're not the first." He assured him gently, smiling lightly when he felt the man trailing his fingers through the uppermost layer of mist again.

He felt Atsuhiro's hand move carefully through the warp, remaining not quite deep enough in the mist to appear on his end, but enough it was surely hidden by fog on the other side. Kurogiri reached up, mimicking the movements he felt until their fingers brushed against each other.

How the man was wearing gloves in this heat, Kurogiri didn't know. He didn't have time to ask, because as quick as the contact came, it was gone again and he felt nothing moving through the fog. He was about to pull away and close the warp when Atsuhiro's hand touched his again, this time without the presence of a glove.

They spent several minutes like that, standing miles apart in their respective towers, almost but not quite holding each other's hands in silence. Then Atsuhiro's voice came through the radio, shattering the silence like a rock hitting glass.

"Kurogiri?"

"Yes, Atsuhiro?"

"Your hand is fucking freezing ."