Reaching the House

David hesitated as he thoight of just walking away.

He had no desire to become a hero, let alone get too friendly with anyone.

But something about the woman's genuine expression made it hard to just walk away.

"It wasn't a big deal," David shrugged, trying to brush off the whole thing "You don't have to do anything"

Nana raised an eyebrow, amused. "Not really. Trust me, people usually avoid trouble like that in this day and age and i wouldn't feel good if i let you go like that"

As David got a better look at her in the dim streetlight, he realized she was close to his age— in her mid-twenties, just like him.

Despite her height, which put her a bit taller than him in her heels, she had a kind but confident air about her.

She looked way better than her 2D drawing.

"Why don't I at least thank you properly? Lunch? Maybe some other time?"

David blinked, caught off guard by the offer.

He wasn't exactly the social type, and his mind immediately went to all the potential complications.

But then again, she was friendly, and it wasn't every day you got offered lunch by someone who was literally the strongest hero at the moment.

"I don't know…" he trailed off, not sure how to respond.

"Come on, it's just lunch," Nana pressed gently. " it wouldn't hurt to take a break and hang out with someone who owes you, right?"

David rubbed the back of his neck, still hesitant.

He didn't know how involved he should get with her but ultimately relented.

"Alright," he finally agreed, nodding slowly. "Lunch sounds good."

Nana grinned. "Great! Can you give me your number then ? I'll find a good spot, and we can catch up."

Relieved she didn't push for more informationhe gave her his number and then quickly left. "I'll see you around, then."

She gave him a small cute wave unmatching her physique as she headed off, and David continued his walk towards Kaede's place.

As he walked down the now-empty streets, David wondered what this world had in store for him.

So far, it had thrown him some surprises, and it looked like there were more to come.

---

[IMAGE ] (KAEDE)

David finally reached the familiar doorstep of his aunt Kaede's house, feeling a bit lighter after his encounter with Nana Shimura but still eager to get settled.

He rang the doorbell and waited, shifting the shopping bags in his hands.

The street was quiet, the late hour making it feel almost serene.

The door opened, and Kaede appeared, slightly disheveled but still radiating the warmth she always did.

Her short dark hair was tied up in a loose bun, and she was wearing casual clothes, clearly caught off guard by the late-night visitor.

When her eyes landed on David, they widened in surprise.

"David!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up as she rushed forward to hug him. "What are you doing here so early? I wasn't expecting you !"

David smiled, returning the hug.

Kaede had been like a second mother to him after his parents died, and her embrace felt comforting. "Yeah, I figured I'd come early and help out. Besides, I had a few days off and thought I'd crash here for a bit."

She pulled back and gave him a once-over, her surprise turning into a fond smile. "You always were full of surprises. I'm glad to see you, though. It's been a while."

David shrugged casually. "Figured it was about time. Plus, I'm here to help with your birthday stuff."

Kaede's expression softened, and she let out a small sigh. "You didn't have to do that, but I appreciate it. Really." She paused, then gestured toward the hallway. "Come in, come in. Have you eaten? I can whip something up if you're hungry."

David shook his head as he stepped inside, taking off his shoes at the entrance. "Nah, I'm good. I ate before coming here. Don't wanna put you through any trouble this late."

She gave him a look of mild disbelief but didn't push further. "Alright, if you're sure. You've always been considerate like that." She closed the door behind him and led him further into the house. "You must be tired. I'll set you up in the guest room—well, it's technically my older son's old room, but it's yours now for as long as you need."

"Thanks, Aunt Kaede," David replied, following her up the stairs.

He glanced around the house, which still had the same cozy, lived-in feel he remembered from his childhood.

It was a nice change of pace from his own apartment, which was more of a functional space than a home.

They reached the room, and Kaede opened the door, revealing a modest space that had once belonged to her older son.

The bed was neatly made, and though there were a few leftover signs of his cousin's life—like an old poster on the wall and some books on the shelf—it was otherwise ready for a guest.

"You'll be comfortable here," Kaede said, stepping aside to let him in. "If you need anything, just ask. I'm next door."

David set his bags down by the bed and nodded. "This is perfect, thanks. And don't worry, I'll be helping out with whatever you need tomorrow. You shouldn't have to do everything by yourself."

She smiled warmly, touched by his thoughtfulness. "You've always had a good heart, David. Alright, I won't keep you any longer. Get some rest. We'll catch up more tomorrow."

David gave her a small smile as she left the room, closing the door behind her.

He sat on the bed for a moment, letting out a long breath.

It felt good to be in a familiar place, even if not really his familiarity but memeories were weird like that.

After some thinking.

David leaned back in bed, setting up his laptop for another stream.

He had cleared the room of anything incriminating or recognizable, careful not to let his aunt's place be caught on camera.

He had a growing audience now—3.4k subscribers—but still hadn't hit the 1,000 viewer mark he needed for the reward on any of the two stream.

Regardless, the plan was in motion.

As the stream started, David smiled sleepily at the camera.

Acting as if the meds were making him a little sluggish.

"Hey, guys. Long time no see."

> ThugLife123: He's alive!

> TooSpooky4Me: Yo, you okay man??

> FlatEarthAvenger: Thought you'd been taken out by the claw-monster.

> BoredBiscuit: What's up with the bandages, dude?

David chuckled and rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, I'm alive. Went to the doctor and got patched up. Bandages and some pain meds—feeling pretty loopy, but nothing major. Just tired."

> GhostKing1337: Show us the wound, bro!

> ShiftyEyedPeacock: Gotta see the damage, man!

> NinjaCat47: Bet it's gnarly af.

He smirked, then lifted his shirt a little, revealing the bandages wrapped tightly around his midsection.

> BigFootBeliever: Damn, that's a big patch-up.

> FurryFuryFan: How are you even streaming through that??

> ThisIsNotADrill: Yo, that's a serious wound!

> SnackGoblin69: Are you gonna survive?!

Lowering his shirt, David shook his head, grinning. "It looks worse than it is. I'll be fine. What's even crazier is what happened earlier today."

> ClownMaskSimp: Oh, boy. Here we go.

> CursedLlama: Spill the tea, man.

> ParanormalPhreak: What now? Did the claw monster come back?

> DumpsterFireRider: Lemme guess, ghosts?

David leaned in, lowering his voice slightly to build up the suspense. "No ghosts this time. I was walking down the street, minding my business, and I see this woman getting hassled by some thugs. I thought, 'Alright, let's help her out.' So I walk over, and get this—they take one look at me and run off like they've seen death itself."

> SpookySocks42: WHAT? They just bolted??

> MicrowaveChampion: Dude, are you secretly a pro hero or something?

> AlienHunter55: They were probably quirkless cowards, man.

> ConspiracyCaptain: Nah, they must've known who you are. Shadow vigilante confirmed.

David shrugged, keeping his expression nonchalant. "I have no idea why they ran. Maybe I've got an intimidating face or something. But yeah, didn't even have to throw a punch."

> ToastBandit: You got that main character energy, dude.

> GothToasterOven: Or maybe you're secretly terrifying.

> TrenchCoatVibes: They probably thought you had a quirk that could mess them up.

> VeganViking: How do you keep stumbling into this wild stuff??

David laughed softly. "Honestly, I don't know. Either way, it was a win for me and the lady, I guess."

> CaptainObvious1337: You're like a magnet for crazy stuff.

> FlatEarthAvenger: Gotta start charging people for protection.

> BurgerBoyPro: Hero material, confirmed.

> VapeNayshBlazeIt: Next time, film it! We wanna see!

Yawning, David stretched. "Alright, guys, I'm about to pass out from these meds. Just wanted to update you all, let you know I'm still alive and kicking. More streams coming soon—bigger and better. Stay tuned."

> UFO_PizzaDude: Heal up, bro! We need you!

> CrocNinja: Rest easy, you absolute unit.

> BigFootBeliever: Can't wait for what's next.

> CursedLlama: Rest those bones, see you on the next one.

> CheeseLoverX: Don't let the meds knock you out too hard!

With a final wave, David ended the stream, a satisfied grin on his face.

Everything was falling into place.

Even though none of it was real, his viewers were hooked, and that's all that mattered, they would find out eventually its all an ARG and its going to be even better and explosive if the reveal is done write

=========================

Stones and Reviews please