Sensei's capture has the intended effect on Shigaraki. Each day since Ane watches in quiet awe and pride as a new calm seems to come over her beloved charge-now-leader.

True, Shigaraki's anger never really seems to leave him, but now it's less obvious. Ane likens it to a sharp knife in a thin sheath, threatening to break through and cut someone if pushed too far; the others seem to sense this change in Shigaraki and as a result, respond in turn.

Truly, Ane knows that this is what Sensei would have wanted. Instead of being controlled by his rage, his hate, his pain, Shigaraki can use it.

As Ane witnesses him with keen eyes and ears, she can't help marvel at the way Shigaraki has taken charge as the pillar supporting the League of Villains. It would seem Sensei's planning was all coming to fruition; his defeat didn't count much as a loss in the grand scheme of things; Ane only wished he could be with them to see it, what Shigaraki had inherited.

Except, not all was quite well.

"Watch this."

Ane looked down for a moment at her knitting and back up; Shigaraki was glaring over his shoulder at her, game console clutched in his hands. Ane's tote bag was lying nearby with a few of his games in the side pocket. Before leaving the bar where they had kept Bakugou Katsuki captive, Ane had made sure to collect a few things she thought would be wise to save in advance. At first she had felt guilt at the fear gnawing her insides at what would occur following Shigaraki's villain debut; his inexperience, Sensei's weakened form. It was a close battle, but All Might had triumphed; Ane was glad to have had the foresight to collect items she didn't feel right leaving behind after Sensei ordered her to hide in a building uninhabited. Some money, a few snacks, her blanket and childhood relic of a bear, and such small things that could be easily carried.

Still, it wasn't easy being on the lamb, but at least they were warm and something of a roof over their heads. The jacket Ane had bought second hand was draped over the side of their bed, a low, worn thing balanced on concrete blocks and a wire gate for support.

Ane missed the old hideout, but not just because of the readily available provisions and comfort. It was the home she had made with Shigaraki. Now that the future was so uncertain and the danger seemingly around every corner, some familiar surroundings would have been nice.

"Ane, are you watching? Why are you messing around with that thing anyway?"

"It's just something to pass the time." Ane loops the yarn in tight, but not to the point the scarf's material is too stiff.

"Don't work on it now." Shigaraki's eyes are fixed on the tiny screen. "Shit. You made me lose."

"Tomura, don't fuss."

Shigaraki shuts off the game. "I'm bored."

Ane feels Shigaraki shift behind her; he's hovering for a moment before his fingers come to abruptly snatch the yarn from Ane while his other hand grips the back of her head.

"Tomura, wait-"

Shigaraki doesn't listen. He presses his lips to Ane's with surprising gentleness for the first few seconds, but then she can feel his fingers tighten into her hair painfully. Thin lips are crushing against hers, cracked and dry, but the tongue is wet and cramming itself down Ane's throat as it roams all over the inside of her open mouth. It's a kiss of complete force, demanding reciprocation.

Ane is pushed back further on the bed and Shigaraki's hands yank at the collar of her blouse, stretching the material to expose a shoulder and the strap of her bra. Ane pushes lightly at his chest and gasps for breath the second he dislodges his tongue from her mouth.

"Tomura, please, I'm very tired."

Shigaraki stares at her. His hands are still on her, fingers curled tight in the fabric of her sweater.

"Tomura?"

"Fine. I get it."

Ane is too surprised to even gasp in pain as she's shoved away. Shigaraki scoots back over to the edge of the bed to pick up his discarded console.

"Tomura?"
"What do you want? I thought you were tired? Make up your mind."

Shigaraki's changed a lot over the past weeks. Ever since Sensei's capture, he won't give Ane so much as a second to herself, aside from the times they're in view of the others.

Behind closed doors, Shigaraki becomes a completely different person and reverts almost instantly into his little mode. He wants to be held and coddled without pause. Shigaraki near constantly suckles at Ane's breasts for milk to drink like he's dying of thirst and then he demands she hold him tighter and tell him what a good boy he is for finishing all his milk.

Day and night Shigaraki spends badgering Ane and he doesn't let up until he's satisfied, which is nothing new really, but lately it seems he is never satisfied. As much as Ane is willing, she's also feeling incredibly worn and fatigued; in fact, she feels worried. If Shigaraki is not being satisfied and unhappy in her presence, then is she failing in her duty to him?

"Tomura?" Ane ventures once more.

"I get it. You don't want me."

"You know that isn't true." Ane sighs and straightens up to put her hand on his shoulder, only to flinch as Shigaraki slaps it away. The console has turned to ashes; his eyes look over at her with unbridled bitterness.

"Then why did you push me off?"

"Tomura, please!"

Shigaraki freezes up. Ane is looking at him pleadingly, desperately.
"I'm sorry. I'm just so tired. I haven't slept in days...Tomura, sweetie, I-I-"

Before Ane can finish the tears are spilling from her cheeks and her bottom lip is wobbling. She quickly places her trembling hands over her face out of shame.

"Strength...what strength? I'm still so weak. I can't even hold it together for his sake. You were wrong Sensei..."

Shigaraki himself flinches back when a long, ragged sob rips through the silence. Try as she might, Ane can't bring herself to say anything else or even attempt to string together another sentence together or a plea for Shigaraki to listen. No matter what she says, Shigaraki doesn't seem convinced.

Shigaraki crawls over to where Ane is in a heap on the pillows. "Hey, stop. Stop it. Stop crying now-!"

But Ane can't. She vaguely thinks about how she hasn't cried like this since she herself was a small child.

"I can't do anything. All I had to do was be with Tomura and please him, but I keep upsetting him...am I not enough? Am I so useless?"

"Ane, I said stop crying. Stop it!" Shigaraki pounds his fists into the mattress and Ane stiffens. "What's the matter with you? I said to stop!"

Shigaraki is shaken to his core. He's never seen her like this. She looks scared. Ane's dainty hands come to shield her eyes once more and plug up the ducts where the tears seem to be unrelenting.

"I….oh Tomura. I know my words must not mean much to you. After you've been disappointed by the world, what could someone like me say to make you trust in another again? After knowing that pain, maybe it's just not enough. I really have become a burden to you, haven't I?"

Ane was not raised to be anything other than what others wanted her to be. Sensei was the only one who cared whether she was happy being of use to someone and Ane was happy. Others might think she was all but trapped to do Sensei's bidding but Ane had never seen it that way; she didn't mind living for someone else. Anyone could die; it was the fate of each currently living person at some point. To be able to live for someone else's sake, to be of use and be relied on was more than anything Ane dreamed of.

The first day Ane had seen Shigaraki Tomura, she had wanted to help him. At first it was due to her allegiance to Sensei, but it wasn't long before she found herself thinking of Shigaraki as more than a successor, but a man. A man she felt drawn to like a puppet on a string.

Someone who also had nothing. Someone who had been left behind and shoved aside. Someone who knew the worst life had to offer until another person reached out their hand to offer salvation. Ane's subservient nature had flourished alongside Shigaraki's disdain for everything and everyone around him. All this time, Ane had been hoping that maybe Shigaraki could at least tolerate her if nothing else. But ever since Sensei's capture he had become increasingly difficult and needy, while Ane seemed to keep falling short of his needs.

"Tomura...do you hate me? I thought I could take anything the world decided to throw at me from now on if it meant you needing me. I wanted too much from you. You can't put your faith into someone who has nothing to offer."

Ane's face was wiped with the sleeve of her sweater until her cheeks were dry; the tears were used up despite the ache in her chest.

"I never should have butted in. I'm only going to slow you down."

Ane already knew what she would do. She would find the doctor and request something to make the process quick and painless. Ane doubted he could use her for his experiments, the Noumu he's made are already twice as resilient as she is without the addition of her Quirk.

"I could never replace Sensei. I couldn't hope to give you what you want. I've been a distraction at best; I knew it would come to this eventually. I was selfish. I wanted to be yours so badly. I'm sorry Tomura. I hope you can forgive me."

"I said to stop."

Once more, Shigaraki throws Ane to the bed, but he goes down with her, arms slung around shaking shoulder tightly.

"Why the hell are you talking like this? What are you getting at, huh? You think you're off the hook now that Sensei's gone?"

"W-what?"

Shigaraki pulls back but keeps Ane pinned to the matress with one hand on her shoulder in a bruising grip.

"I doubt your Quirk is effective when up against a gun to the mouth. Or maybe I'll just mine to gouge out your eyes, turn your tongue and your teeth to mush and dust. I'll kill you from the inside out."

Ane stares up at Shigaraki's palm hovering just over her face; his eyes are latched right into her wide ones.

"Tomura...is this what you want?"
Now Shigaraki looks confused. "What?"

"If it is...I won't stop you. I'd rather die anyway than leave you." Ane slowly cups the back of Shigaraki's hand so he's cupping her cheek. "If you feel I deserve death for my shortcomings, I won't fight it."

After all, what life could Ane possibly lead knowing she has to live it without being at this man's side? It's all she knows now and all she desires. Ane's wanted Shigaraki Tomura for so long and now she's so close to him, she sees how incapable, how unworthy she truly is to remain at his side.

"All I've been taught to do is serve, but it's just not enough. Tomura never really needed me in the first place. I just hoped he would. This silly game I've been playing has run its course. I've been fooling myself."

"Do you think I'm mad?"

"I have made you angry." Ane replies. "I just can't seem to convince you of my devotion. And besides Tomura, you don't have use of me anymore. You have your allies to think of, your future, your own safety. I can't fight. I don't have the means to cook or provide any comfort to you. All I can do is follow, but why should I be allowed to do that? Sensei was the one who brought me to the League. You have no obligation to me, Tomura."

Ane leans into the hand on her cheek, savoring the feeling one last time.

"It's okay Tomura. There's no need to pity me."

"Shut up already! What the hell is wrong with you? You're not leaving me, not now, not ever."

Shigaraki's ragged, quavering tone screeches Ane's thoughts to a halt. She winces at the hot tears dripping onto her face; Shigaraki is looking at her almost hatefully, but his pinky is raised above her cheekbone, as if he forgot his touch alone on her skin wouldn't cause her harm.

"But Tomura, I-"
"I SAID NO! Now shut up!"

"But I-" Ane glances to the doorway. "The others, they'll hear you, Tomura-"

"Didn't you hear me?! Just shut up already. I never said you were a burden, I never said those things, I-!"

Shigaraki hunches over to bury his wet face into the front of Ane's sweater; he curls in on himself and clings to her clothes, pinkies still hovering above the fabric so as not to destroy them altogether.

"I hate you, ya know that? I hate you Ane. You don't understand at all, idiot. I need you more than ever...so what the hell makes you think it's okay to die?!"

"I...I thought you couldn't trust me. I thought I was wasting your time. No matter what I say or do, I can't seem to ease your doubts. I only had one job...and I've failed, miserably."

"Idiot. You're such an idiot. How many times do I have to tell you to stop talking like that?"

Ane expects more anger and cursing, maybe even violence at how annoying her prattling on must sound to Shigaraki's ears. But none of these things actually happen and Ane finds herself staring up at the ceiling in pure shock as Shigaraki whimpers into her chest.

"Ane...Mommy, please stop. I didn't mean to make you sad. I know I promised to not be mean. You didn't do anything. I just...I needed cuddles so bad and nap time and….mommy?"

Ane slowly uncovers her face completely to look down at him. Shigaraki is hyperventilating and trembling like a leaf. He suddenly looks so thin and fragile in her arms though she knows he's actually quite stronger than she is.

"Mommy, I'll be good. I don't want you to go, ever." Shigaraki launches himself at her carelessly and buries his pale face into her neck. His quivering voice is barely audible. "I just...mommy, are you going to leave too? Or maybe you think I can't protect you like...like Sensei…"

"Of course not!"

Shigaraki chuckles wetly and sniffs. "Yeah, I know. I know. But I hate this. I hate the idea you feel stuck with me or you can't rely on me. But all this time you were thinking those thoughts? Thinking you had no use to me, no reason to stick around? Well, guess what? You'll stay until I explicitly say so. It doesn't matter what you think. You don't need to think. You just need to do what I say, got it?"

"...yes. Yes, I will. Thank you, Tomura."

"Let's just sleep for now. You can make your outburst up to me later."

"Yes, of course." Ane is practically glowing as Shigaraki pulls the blanket over them.

"Rub my head." Shigaraki's voice is noticeably more subdued. "Just until I fall asleep."

"Nothing would make me happier...my Tomura...I won't disappoint you."
"I know you won't." Shigaraki nods and a grin breaks out over his face as Ane nuzzles his hair. "So stop acting so defeated. We're just getting started."