Supernova

Chapter Three - Learn to Control Yourself

Or making it seem as if he had been. I spent some time inspecting myself. Other than being a little dusty, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. After I was sufficiently satisfied with that, I took the seat across from him at the table. He began gathering the scattered papers and placing them back into the thick folder.

"I passed out when my quirk turned off?" I asked him, sliding the chair in. "Why?"

He sighed again. "Your guess is as good as mine."

The first time I'd passed out, it had been for forty-seven minutes. The next had been forty-two. There didn't seem to be any significance. He had been flipping through my file while I'd been asleep, which I could tell because he had new questions and documents to reference. My doctor's observations from my childhood. My records from Invincible Stronghold Training Agency. X-rays, CAT scans, and MRIs. Scans of my brain activity that showed the faulty wiring. He hadn't found anything that gave him any idea why I would pass out from having my quirk turned off. As I flipped through the information I had that wouldn't be found in that file, I didn't have any ideas either.

After telling me that perhaps we'd done enough for one day, he dismissed me. I was too shaken to go back to the dorm building, and the last thing I wanted to do was see anyone or be roped into a menial teenage conversation about English homework or whatever else, so I headed down to the front gates and went for a run along the outskirts of the city. I ran and ran along pavement sidewalks and rocky trails until I tasted acid and it came spewing out of my mouth with little resistance or effort. The fact that it came out clear told me that it had been a little while since I'd eaten, so I decided to head back.

"Hey Stronghold!" Kaminari called out to me as soon as I'd rounded the corner. He was in the same place as when I'd left, with Kirishima, the pink girl, and the blacked haired boy. Bakugo was missing. I headed over to them. "Where ya been?"

"Went to the gym for a few hours," I lied, kind of.

"Come hang out with us," the pink girl said, motioning to the empty chair that Bakugo had been occupying earlier.

"No thanks, guys," I said, holding up a hand. "I'm going to grab a snack and head to bed."

"But it's only nine!" Kaminari whined.

"Rest is just as important for training as the training itself," I told them with a shrug. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Stronghold," Kirishima said. I paused and turned back to the group, taking the opportunity to look at his eyes again. They were calmer than before. "I'll take you up on that offer."

"Really?" I said excitedly, clapping my hands. "I'm so happy! Meet me down here at four thirty tomorrow and we can get a few hours in before class."

"Four thirty in the morning?" Kaminari exclaimed.

"Who willingly gets up that early?" The pink girl asked him, in just as much horror.

"I'll be there," Kirishima said.

"Looking forward to it," I told him, holding my fist out.

He knocked his into mine. It was gentle; I could tell from how little recoil there was despite my using no density. Was that for appearances, or was he genuinely worried he'd hurt me? Was it cockiness? He still wasn't holding eye contact with me for very long, so I couldn't read much from his eyes. I was looking forward to getting him alone in the morning, so I could get a better idea of exactly what the fuck was going on there.

I ducked into the kitchen, grabbed a few bars from one of the cupboards, and headed over to say goodnight to Momo. She was at another one of the seated areas beside Todoroki and across from Midoriya and that brown haired girl. They seemed engaged in their conversation, and I remembered that I needed to get her alone so I could ask her about Todoroki. Momo's soft face looked up and smiled when she saw me coming. Everything else aside, it was good to be able to see her all the time.

"Good run, huh?" She asked as I sat on the arm of the sofa closest to her, one foot remaining on the ground for a quick escape. I noticed her eyes were looking down at my chest, so I followed them, and noticed some of my stomach acid had splashed onto the front of my shirt. "Off to bed?"

"Almost," I told her, raising and shaking the bars. "Just wanted to say goodnight."

"Goodnight," Todoroki said. The brown-haired girl said nothing.

"I'm pretty sure those are Kacchan's," Midoriya said, his tone sounding nervous, as he pointed at the bars in my hand.

"That's right. They're Cacchan's," I said with a smile, placing my hand to my chest.

"Cass," Momo scolded in a way that sounded joking, but wasn't.

"Oh, whatever," I said, batting my eyelashes at her. "What's he going to do anyways? Kill me?"

That got a small laugh out of Todoroki. I approved of Momo's liking him.

"Just replace them before he notices, okay?" Momo asked.

"Replace them?" I asked, genuinely surprised. "What do you mean?"

"You know we have to buy our own food from the grocery stores," she eyed me. "Right?"

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" I asked her, my voice almost becoming a yell against my will. "I thought that stuff was for everyone. I've just been eating whatever I wanted all weekend."

"That was where all the soba went?" Todoroki asked. Iida was looking at me disapprovingly.

"I can go with you tomorrow, if you want," Momo offered.

"No. I've been to the grocery store before," I lied defiantly, crossing my arms. "I can go by myself."

"Alright," Momo said doubtfully.

"Anyways, sweet dreams gorgeous," I told her, leaning down to give her a hug and a kiss on the forehead, which she let me do. "Love you."

"You too," she said, nicely enough, but with some hesitation in her voice.

I tried not to be bothered by her newfound coldness, but I was.