Jet Stream (Kirishima x OC)

Chapter 13: Sports Festival Part 3, Tournament First Rounds

Midnight informed us we would have an hour before the tournament started, mostly so the students who failed would have a chance to play the intermittent games. I walked off with Mashirao and we decided to get smoothies to cheer him up for dropping out of the tournament. While I was sad for him, I was also super impressed with how strong he sticks to his convictions. I'm not sure I could have done the same, at least not today when I have so much on the line.

"So, to be honest, I'm kind of surprised you're still here today." Mashirao says as we sip our fruity drinks and stroll through the vender stands, weaving our way through guest heroes.

"Why? Did you think I would fail already?" I ask with a tiny bit of hurt but mostly confusion.

"No way!" He corrects quickly. "I meant I'm surprised your dad didn't come and kidnap you away. Didn't you say he was here?"

"He could be, but you're right since I'm not missing in action yet, he might be on patrol. Or raging so much that speech and movement have become impossible for him." I chuckle out, but also know how he gets when he's mad. "I should go check, I know where his reserved seat is. I had been hoping he would come and actually watch me in the festival, even if he thought I was in general studies."

We walked to where I knew my dad's usual reserved seat was. He likes a bird's eye view on things, so he always takes a seat at the top of the stands. He always looks for interns who can impress him from a distance, and that's why he watches from so far away. It makes sense for his agency since they work with so much ranged and distance based attacks and rescues.

"He should be right... There." I point to a seat, and notice that it's empty. We're both sneaking around the side of it, on the safe side since I so don't actually want to have this conflict here and now. However seeing the empty seat that still has the 'Reserved' sign on it just lets me know he didn't even show up today.

"Sorry, Ri-Ri." Mashirao says as he places a hand on his shoulders. "But odds are he's still watching at home or on patrol."

"I hope he's on patrol, Inasa's at home. If he's watching with my brother, I may be an only child before I even get home." I joke lightly, but feel my heart grow heavy. A part of me still really wanted my dad here to support me, even if it would have been unknowingly or in a different capacity. He usually comes most years.

"Come on, let's go watch the first few matches before you win against Kaminari." He steers me away from the empty seat.

We joke and chat along the way, but we also clear the air more about Shinso. I told him I ended up bonding with him, and he was a little put out about that but knows how I am. I like talking to people, usually they don't like talking back, so finding another person who did was big for me.

"Woo! Go Shinso! Go Midoriya!" I cheer loudly as the two of them take the stage to officially start the tournament.

"Since when do you know the purple guy?" Mina asks me curiously.

"We met during the cavalry battle then had lunch together." I answer. "And before you ask, no, he didn't use his quirk on me for the battle. It works with speaking, and my lungs had hurt too much to speak at that time. He's cool, kind of reminds me of me. He's working super hard to become a hero despite the odds being stacked against him."

"Wow! Another cutie for you to hang out with!" Mina teases with a shit-eating grin, making me blush furiously.

"Mina!" I yell in a fluster, my mind trailing to two different pairs of red eyes before I shake my head. "Can we focus on the fight?" I whisper yell at her as I feel multiple sets of eyes on me that I refuse to meet right now.

We watch the fight play out. I know Mashirao had warned Midoriya about Shinso's quirk, but he still fell for it anyway. What was strange though was that Midoriya was able to break out of the brainwashing at the last second. The tide of the battle changed after that, and unfortunately Shinso's lack of fighting skills was really evident as Midoriya beat him up and won the match.