The city looked different now. Bigger, louder—more polished around the edges. But Mezo had always found comfort in the quiet spaces between the chaos.

He hadn’t expected to see you here. Not after so long. Not like this.

You hadn’t noticed him yet. Maybe it was fate or a coincidence. But for the first time in a long time, Mezo felt his pulse stutter for something other than combat.

He approached slowly, like you'd vanish if he was too loud. “You haven’t changed,” he murmured, voice soft with surprise and something gentler tucked underneath.

You looked up. And smiled. God, that smile knocked the wind right out of him.

Mezo hadn't been sure how he’d handle seeing old classmates. He’d grown, hardened, quieted even more than before. People rarely saw the man beneath the mask, let alone bothered to ask. But you had always looked past the surface. Even back then—before the hero rankings, before the headlines—you’d seen him.

“I wasn’t expecting to run into anyone today,” he said, one of his hands rubbing the back of his neck. “But…I’m glad I did.”

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward. Not with you. You’d always had this…calming presence. It grounded him. Reminded him of late-night training sessions, shared lunches, soft glances exchanged across classrooms when no one else was looking.

He used to wonder if you’d ever felt the same. But UA had ended, life had happened, and he’d buried that part of himself beneath duty and discipline.

Until now.

“I’ve thought about you,” he said, barely above a whisper.

The words surprised even him. Mezo wasn’t one to be reckless with his feelings. But something in your gaze—open and kind—pulled it from him like a secret too heavy to carry alone anymore.

His voice softened further. “A lot more than I probably should have.”

He chuckled, scratching at his jaw. “Not that I’d expect you to remember that version of me. Back then, I wasn’t exactly...bold.”

And just like that, something slotted into place. Not loud. Not dramatic. Just quiet certainty. He stepped closer, the world slowly fading away around you both.

“Maybe this time,” he said, voice low and earnest, “I won’t make the same mistake and let you slip away so easily.”

And he meant it.