I was sitting on the sidewalk, watching the way water flowed down the sewer systems, the cracks between the cement and the gravel of the road weren't too wide, but if I really wanted to, I could slide down those holes into the underground.
Nah, it probably stinks.
I sighed, standing to make my way to the center where Bakugo and Todoroki were at. All Might had invited me to view a particular event for their remedial courses, a classroom full of children would be their biggest feat yet.
I wasn't going on time, I had my own training in mind so I sparred with Izuku beforehand. I was in my workout clothing, simple leggings and a loose shirt. My hair was flying about with the autumn wind, and I would have to spend minutes trying to get it to stop frizzing around before I arrived at the location All Might had texted to me.
It was a large building, something typical to a dome that would cater to many as a crowd. I entered, tightening the jacket around my frame while I tried to fight off the shivering from the newfound cold. It was never this cold for me back in America, so I'd have to seek some sort of adjustment for the way my bones seemed solidified. I waved to All Might's thin body, he was sitting next to Endeavor as I made my way up the bleachers. I could see children yelling at Bakugo while he screamed at them, Todoroki had little girls clinging to his legs while the pretty Camie was near the loud, shaved guy who kept screaming like Bakugo except in a friendlier manner.
"All Might! Endeavor." I nodded to the two number one heroes, shaking Shoto's father's hand and giving a slight fist bump to All Might.
"Young Reyna, how have you been?"
"Good, sir. Just the usual training, we're planning for the School Festival."
Endeavor peered at me through his deep-set eyes, "Reyna, good to see you."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I knew that Endeavor was currently struggling through amends and forging some sort of bond between his children and himself, Shoto explained that he wanted reconciliation and proof that he was working towards becoming a better person. I wasn't too fond of the idea, but I couldn't exactly look down on someone that wanted to be better.
"Old man, how's life faring the number one hero?" My voice was airy, I wanted him to know that even if I didn't trust him, I'd give him the benefit of the doubt for his own sake.
"I see you're as snarky as you've always been, I'm doing alright I suppose."
I hummed, signaling that I understood while I hopped over the row in front of me to get settled in my seat.
"Young Reyna, your classmates are struggling to understand these problematic children, the whole point of this remedial course is to get the children to behave differently. How would you go about this?"
I took in All Might's words, contemplating my response. If I was in Bakugo's shoes, I'd definitely wring the children by their necks and knock some sense into them. Actually, I would approach them differently, turn their bad into good and show them that they can enjoy themselves without being a headache. Typically, I'd resort to scolding them harshly only because my mother raised me that way, but no kid would really appreciate that in the slightest. Children weren't hard to understand, but the entire world made it seem like they were some foreign creatures with an unintelligible agenda when in reality, all they wanted was to be heard.
Before I could formulate a response, we were all listening intently to the way Bakugo was cursing the children for stealing his gauntlets and insisting that the group kicks their ass. I laughed loudly, covering my mouth to not notify Bakugo of how I was watching his behavior with the poor kids.
"No." That was Shoto, he contradicted Bakugo's thoughts and began ranting on about "My father is the number one pro-hero Endeavor, but to be frank, I don't like him much."
He was still talking but I whipped my head around to stare at Endeavor, feigning surprise at Shoto's words. Present Mic from somewhere nearby was scolding him for being boring and the little girls only kept gawking at the pretty boy.
I noticed one little girl kept flitting her gaze to Bakugo, she was carrying the small smile of a starstruck girl who met her first hero.
I frowned, she may be a kid, but I'd totally fight her if she had a crush on Bakugo.
The falsified thought made me want to guffaw, Bakugo would get a kick out of it if I pretended to be jealous and threw a fit over a little kid. I wasn't the jealous type, Bakugo never once led me to believe that he'd insinuate anything with other people, I had my complete faith in him despite my heavy insecurities.
All Might and Endeavor would speak to me and I'd reply every so often, but my eyes remained focused on the small group and how they were breaking their heads to come up with a plan. The teacher of these children looked worried, insisting that she didn't want her kids to get hurt due to the sheer power of my classmates and Camie's and Yoarashi's strong quirks.
Nothing was working for them. Their yelling and confusion was only triggering the kids to dismiss any suggestions they offered. I was glad they hadn't noticed me because I didn't feel like talking. I wasn't upset, but moments like these where I can simply sit back and observe were rare.
I grinned, one of the little kids swinging around Bakugo's gauntlets reminded me of my little sister. She had the same expression whenever she was up to no good.
I panicked when I realized one boy had a cannon-looking thing projecting from his mouth and aimed it directly at the four teenagers clustered together in the center.
Damn, kids are so powerful these days.
Billows of gray smoke filled the stadium, I fanned it away from our direction, shooting the pro-heroes behind me a small thumbs up while they only gave tight-lipped smiles.
Tough crowd.
A little girl with pigtails screamed, "Queen Bee!" I watched, a ray of pink ultraviolet beams sprouted from her forehead and landed on Shoto.
I watched the typically stoic boy become smitten, eyes sparkling with a charming smile while his two-toned hair splayed out like a supermodel's.
"Hey! I want to see your cute face." I was surprised when his image vanished and Camie took his place instead.
The small child squealed in defeat but my attention refocused on the blonde idiot near the real Todoroki.
"I want to see your cute face." Bakugo pulled off the same smooth expression as Camie's illusion, even the spiky tufts of his hair looked more appealing somehow in his attempt to mock Todoroki.
Bakugo cut the act, roaring with laughter at Todoroki's expense while Shoto seemed unfazed.
He wasn't the only one laughing, I was howling over my seat, my laughter so loud that it finally notified Bakugo of my presence.
That ugly chihuahua trying to act seductive.
The image of Bakugo's former expression only wracked my body with more humor as I tried to contain myself, I had never seen him look more like a moron than at that moment.
"You ugly girl, were you laughing at me?" Bakugo yelled out towards us. I slapped my hand over my mouth while I waved enthusiastically.
"Yeah, and you looked like a dumbass!" Bakugo scowled at my words while I had to wipe the tears from my eyes. All Might scolded me, "Young Reyna, do not curse in front of impressionable children!"
"Sir, trust me, I'm not the only one. Bakugo swears like a sailor." He gave me a light smile, "Of course you would know, you're dating him after all."
I finally became embarrassed, giving him a scowl before turning back and facing the scene unfolding in front of me.
The stadium became galactic. There were winter lights, the pretty kinds people would see in snowy lands like Alaska or the North Pole, it was brilliant shades of green, pink, blue, violet, and indigo, all filtering through the area while makeshift ice slides were being produced from Todoroki.
I get what they're doing now. Screw this, I'm not sitting here when I can be having fun with these snot-ridden kids.
I started jumping over the seats despite Endeavor's protests, I was now in the center of this illustrated mist, hopping through the stones that were littered about. I flung the children to the peak of the entrance to the slide, using my vines to carry me too. A little blonde and haughty boy was about to go down, "Why are you here? You're a big kid."
I laughed, "I've never been on stuff like this, come on kid, let's go." I wrapped an arm around his waist, bringing him in front of me while I pushed us off.
The slide was cold, my ass was freezing but it was worth it. The fake skyline seemed so real with the icy breeze from Shoto's ice, rings of fire were around the slide, casting warm as our faces became illuminated in orange and red hues. I could hear explosions that didn't seem overbearing, they were like fireworks as the slide kept going.
I nudged the boy with my palm, "Have fun!" It was more of an encouragement for him and myself, I loosened up, smiling and cheering in excitement while we glided through loops in the structured ride, finally falling with a steep trail. I gripped the little boy, forcing us to fly in the air while I spun.
We were so high up, he looked a bit terrified but I gave him a reassuring grin, producing a yellow flower in my hand and giving it to him. Our bodies were falling down but I'd make sure he landed safely, "Here, this flower matches you." His little hand took hold of the plant, blushing while he scowled and mumbled a thank you.
I landed with him, putting him down before I felt arms wrap around me. It was Shoto.
"You had fun too, like a little kid." His quiet and observant tone was slightly pleased, knowing he contributed to my excitement somehow.
"Yup, you should create slides like this for us at home."
"Will do."
I nodded at him, smiling before I felt a tug on my cheek. I looked to Katsuki, watching the way he hovered and the glare he carried like he came out the womb with that face.
"Lovely running into you here," I greeted him with a salute and he only rolled his eyes.
"I could say the same, shitty girl."
All the kids enjoyed the experience, they seemed to listen to their teacher now while they all wished my four friends a farewell. The little girls continuously flirted with Shoto, while the same girl from earlier shot a wink to Bakugo. When that happened, he smiled slightly, raising his eyes to look at me with amusement.
We were walking down the corridors, Camie was insisting that Shoto go on a date with her while Bakugo remained silent and I struck up a conversation with Yoarashi.
"You're American, right Reyna? I truly admire how you managed to make a name for yourself already and you have no connections in this country!" Yoarashi was bowing to me in a formal manner, I placed my hand on his shoulder to gesture that he act normally.
"Yes, thank you, but being at U.A is a connection in and of itself, I'm grateful they accepted my application." He listened intently to my words, speaking more of why he rejected U.A to go to the other top school, Shiketsu High.
Bakugo shuffled closer to me, side-eying me in curiosity. I raised a brow, speaking to him through eye contact. I would never comprehend how he and I knew exactly what the other was saying with simple blinks.
He wanted to know why I was here, my glance to Todoroki and back at him showed that Shoto invited me and I didn't reject the offer to be with them both. He huffed, signaling that he'd settle for a proper explanation later.
"Hey, Bakugo, you're not actually that bad if you shut up, you should try it more often." Camie was giving him a thoughtful look, like that simple sentence was what she had been mulling over since we made our ways into the hall. I stifled a laugh, pressing my chin into my shoulder to look away.
"Shut up." Bakugo snapped, seeming dismissal of the conversation. Camie didn't relent.
"Seriously, you're scary and loud and rude but girls would totally dig you if you just smiled more, you're like totally attractive, almost as close to Todoroki!" Camie gave the two-toned boy a bump of her shoulder, but I was focused on her words.
She's right, Bakugo was extremely attractive but that whole intimidation factor threw everyone away from him, but who was she to point out the obvious? I pictured girls fawning over Bakugo the way they did with Shoto, an uneasy and irritated feeling settled in my gut.
Yuck.
I crossed my arms, huffing. Shoto looked at me briefly, giving a small smile while I glared, he liked to act oblivious but he read me well.
"I have a girlfriend, I'm not interested in crap like trying to please others."
"Yup." I mumbled and fought the smile, exactly, you have a girlfriend, Bakugo. It's none other than moi.
"You?! Have a girlfriend? Who's the girl cursed to be with you?" Camie was stunned, Shoto opened his mouth to say something but the tall girl interrupted him.
"Like seriously, is she a hottie? If she is, I'll convince her to pull other guys. Hey Reyna, is she as hot as you? We can try and persuade her to another guy! Not Todoroki though, what about you Inasa? You're looking for a girlfriend?" I stared at Camie in confusion while Bakugo hurled insults at her seemingly indifferent self.
Yoarashi spoke proudly, "I'm not! I want to focus on becoming a top hero, but if someone like Reyna over here happened to be interested in acquainting herself with me romantically, I'd be disrespectful to decline!"
Shoto looked between us both, the gears whirling in his head while mine did the same. I blinked, looking away in embarrassment over what would probably happen next.
"She has a fucking boyfriend, I wouldn't try it." Bakugo was finally pissed off and yelling while I flashed an apologetic smile towards Inasa. Camie understood immediately, carrying a huge smile while she jumped and shook Todoroki's shoulder.
I grabbed Bakugo, stopping him from shooting explosions towards Yoarashi. Tugging his collar, I spoke, "Bakugo and I are dating, I apologize. Bakugo, quit acting like a child we're about to go interact with adults."
"Shut up, shitty girl, I don't give a damn I'm gonna explode this bastard!"
I sighed, releasing him to quickly loop my arm through his, forcing him to face forward and walk.
"They totes look good together." Camie whispered to Shoto and I shot a faint grin to the red-eyed boy beside me. He looked prideful, giving a smirk before resuming to glare at the wind user behind us.
I stood idly by while the four talked to Endeavor, All Might, and a staff from Shiketsu.
Endeavor and Shoto were speaking, I liked the way the sunset casted glows on them, they were beginning to understand each other, I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing but I supported Shoto in whatever he decided to do.
"Florence, let's go home." Bakugo muttered, pulling on the beads of my bracelet to move me away from their private moment. I abided, walking alongside him. We were both silent, neither of us felt the need to shatter the sound of quiet, it comforted us both.
Shoto caught up to us, "Can we go get some ice cream?" I looked to him, "Yeah. There's one nearby here, I saw it when I was walking."
"I'm not eating shitty snacks with you morons," I rolled my eyes at Bakugo's constant brash tone.
"Yes you are, shut up you prickly bastard because you owe us both." My voice wasn't cruel or snappy, Bakugo and I just communicated with each other in ways we understood.
"You guys are a bit harsh with each other, is this normal in relationships?" Shoto's blunt question made me and Bakugo look at each other the way two children would when they both plotted something.
"Yeah, when you like someone you gotta insult them and say they're the smelliest person to walk the Earth."
"Yeah, ugly girl is right, Icy-Hot. So if a girl happens to say she hates you with every fiber of her being and that she wants you dead, you should know it's a confession of love."
I hid the snickers at the lies stemming from Bakugo and I, we were only teasing Shoto but he was too clueless to pick up on it.
"So if I like a girl, I have to call her ugly and mean things?" Shoto looked hurt, as if the idea offended him somehow. I internally melted at how chivalrous he was, he wouldn't think about being crude to anyone.
"Nah, we're just messing with you, Glamouroki. Do not seduce a woman the way Bakugo did to me, I don't even know how it worked," I wailed in fake melancholy while Bakugo took to attempted murder. I was playing dead in his arms, becoming deadweight. He groaned and swung me around while we made our way towards the shop that had the best scents of chocolate.
Todoroki smiled at us both, "You guys seem very in love." I froze, flying off of Bakugo while the blonde boy and I scowled at each other.
"Pft. Me in love with him? In his dreams."
"In my worst nightmares, actually."
I feigned a look of shock while clutching my heart theatrically, "Et tu, Bakugo?"
"You're the Brutus to my Caesar, quit making that dumb face." He pulled on my cheek while I laughed, Shoto only looked confused by the interaction.
We were waiting in line at the ice cream shop that had a patio surrounding it, the current scenery of trees and the wide blue pond would be the perfect view while we enjoyed the frozen treats.
"Bakugo, order it for me I'm gonna go make a call real quick." I gave him a quick kiss to the cheek when Shoto was too distracted by the menu, Bakugo's cheeks dusted with pink slightly while he only nodded.
I hovered off to the side of the building to an isolated spot, taking out my phone to call my mother like I promised her I would.
My hands were reaching to click on the contact when I felt arms wrap around my waist to throw me with such force that I flew into the forest within the same second.
I flipped, landing on the dirt perfectly while I raised vines and stone to protect me.
Who the fuck? What's going on?
Damn it. My phone was away from me on the cement, Bakugo wouldn't know I just got my body
flung about like a doll.
"Florence Reyna," That slightly rusty and high-pitched tone instantly sparked a shiver down my spine, the scar on my abdomen and lower leg burned with rage. I couldn't see him, but the vine that I jammed into the ground told me he was to my right, two meters away obscured by a large, oak tree.
"It won't work again, I'll kill you all if you take a single step closer." My voice was calm, I wasn't shaken or rattled in fear, only disgusted by the memories that reeled through my mind.
Himiko Toga, Dabi, Twice, and Tomura Shigaraki were surrounding me, Dabi was the one who threw me here but he was so fast that he only stood in front of me with a casual, smug grin.
"We don't want to hurt you this time around, Reyna. We have a proposal." Shigaraki's words didn't startle me, I only looked to him as he stepped out from behind the tree, observing me carefully with those beady eyes and baby-blue hair.
"The answer is no. I don't care what you say." I stood straight, dusting myself off while I stretched out my arms. I'm finally allowed to fight. I have my provisional license.
"Even if it means protecting your beloved Katsuki Bakugo? It all makes sense as to why you took his place when we were targeting him." Dabi's words froze me to the ground, the wind rustled through the trees like an audience waiting for the next move.
They wouldn't. No matter what, Bakugo would never forgive me if I agreed to anything with them, even if it's for his sake. I can't trust these bastards, they're the same ones who tortured me mercilessly.
I made my decision.
"All you guys sprout is bullshit. Go to hell and burn, morons." I snapped, waving my hand about me casually while stones with jagged edges surrounded each and everyone of them. I made sure to have a few puncture their skin as Toga and Twice hissed slightly.
"Aren't you tired of the government and U.A using you? They didn't care that you got kidnapped, all they wanted was to clear their names so the hero society can look pristine. Don't you want to change things?" Shigaraki was demanding, almost as if he thought his words could work on me.
I thought to the conversation Bakugo and I had under the stars, where he understood me without me asking for it, how we both promised each other one thing.
"I can change things without joining you. I don't need to resort to pathetic excuses for people just to make this world better for others. You guys act like you're considerate of people who face discrimination and abuse but you're just like the ones you hate most. You only want power because you think it'll fill the void in your heart, you don't actually care about society. This is pointless." I finished that with vines wrapping around all their bodies, I lifted them upwards but they didn't fight me at all.
"If I were anyone else, you all would be dead right now. You realize that, right?" I asked coldly, finally meeting Shigaraki's gaze. He gave me a wicked grin.
"I'm well aware, aren't you tired of holding yourself back because of your morality? It's such a weak and fragile thing, if you let it go, you'd be unstoppable, Master would love you."
I cocked my head to the side, observing the four in curiosity. He had a point, I held back on the worst and strongest aspects of my quirk because I couldn't resort to killing and harming others. It wasn't who I am.
Who I actually was is someone tired of holding back to spare people who didn't deserve any mercy. I wouldn't hold back on my strength if it meant victory and saving others. Izuku and Katsuki taught me that much.
I released them, dismantling the spiked stones as they landed back on the ground.
"Consider yourself spared, maybe one day I'll finally snap and kill you all." I spoke out casually, walking right past Dabi who said nothing but only stared.
Before I could fully venture out into the public, I stopped, only turning my head halfway to see them from my peripheral vision.
I'll finally admit to what I've been doing since they kidnapped me and I awoke.
I noticed the way Dabi seemed to know everything about everyone, he spoke of us all like we were books he read on a casual summer day. I noticed his behavior and how he spoke to Shoto at the training camp when we fought for Tokoyami and Bakugo. He knew too much, in order to have the upper hand, I needed to unearth whatever identities these people
carried. I was rarely alone, Bakugo and I were latched to each other and if it wasn't him, I'd occupy myself with my other best friends. For those rare moments I was alone, all I did was research.
I searched any and every way to get some sort of peek into who the League of Villains really were, scrolling through articles and rabbit holes of information until I came across one singular theory. It wasn't exact or correct, I wasn't even sure if my assumption was accurate but my gut told me I hit the nail right on the spot with what I uncovered. I wasn't sure if I should tell Shoto, the damage would be enormous to him and his family, and again, I couldn't guarantee the truth, it was simply an opinion I formulated after I heard about the death of Endeavor's first child.
I couldn't ignore the words I heard that night in Kamino Ward, either. It was a secret I wasn't supposed to be around for, a yell that did not involve me at all, but it struck through my ears when Gran Torino carried me. I couldn't properly digest it at the time, but now that I could look at the memories without an obstruction of pain, the words no longer became filtered.
All for One told All Might who Tomura Shigaraki really was. His mentor's grandson. His last name wasn't Shigaraki, Izuku told me about All Might's mentor, her name was Nana Shimura.
"You four aren't so hard to figure out, Jin and Toga were the easiest to find some truth on. Shigaraki, well, if only you knew the truth. Maybe then you wouldn't think so highly of your master, he seems to be keeping secrets from you or are just keeping them from yourself?" They said nothing, simply observing while Dabi had the audacity to look smug.
I faced him, meeting his eyes with a calm expression, I had forgiven them. I harbored no need for revenge, no need to understand why they tortured me, in that moment it clicked.
Like the simple rhetoric of any tale, they were villains and I stood on the opposite end of this never ending blurred spectrum of what was inhumane and humane.
I had accepted fate. Sooner or later, our lives would intertwine once more in a war that was larger than us all. They were my opponents, anyone who was villainous would have to become my enemy by the laws of nature.
"You have his eyes, Dabi." The man became slack-jawed. He was furious, but Twice held him back from chasing after me.
I stepped out of the forest, walking towards the side of the building as Bakugo stood with two ice cream cones in his hands, looking absolutely pissed.
"Where the hell have you-" He stopped, eyes focusing behind me, on the villains that stood hidden in the woods.
The cones fell from his hands but I caught them easily, wrapping a vine around the waist to the boy who was now trying to sprint into the forest, eyes burning with an unspeakable rage that I'd never seen from him.
I forced him to hover in the air and stand before me, "Reyna, let me the fuck go!" He was exploding my vines off but I only summoned more and multiplied them. He fought against my quirk, screaming in anger but his eyes were pleading. I couldn't give into him, though.
"If you instigate, we will both get in trouble. They didn't hurt me, I'll tell you everything if you just relax." I was rational, looking to him with a stern countenance, only hoping he could understand that the need for fighting was not a good excuse to risk everything we worked so hard for.
He slowed his thrashing in my vines, finally stopping before huffing and ripping them apart.
Bakugo gripped my face, bringing me centimeters away from him while he closed the space between us and kissed me. I could taste the Rocky Road he was eating while he acted so fervently.
He was worried I would slip away from him again.
I kissed back to show that I wasn't going anywhere. I decided then that I'd tell him everything, even my thoughts that may or may not be true.
I couldn't handle this alone, I would need him beside me for what we would encounter within due time.
He pulled away from me, snatching his cone back while I licked mine lazily. He had taken to lifting my arms around, scouting my body for any tell-tale signs of injuries.
"Are you okay? What did they say to you?" His voice was grated and harsh, it became that way whenever he was stressed.
"Yeah, I'm fine actually, they wanted me to join them and promised your safety if I did."
He froze, eyes widening in horror before he grabbed my shoulders and shook them.
"You better not have said yes, Florence, I swear to God! Don't do that shit, I can protect myself, I won't ever forgive you if-" Tears were welling in his eyes, he looked absolutely terrified and it broke my heart.
I gave him a slow kiss, pulling away to swipe the tears from around him.
"I wouldn't. We can take them on together, with Izuku and the Pros and everyone else. I wouldn't betray you."
The relief that overcame him was a powerful wave, he crushed me to his body, lips reaching for every inch of my face as he thanked me. He shouldn't be thanking me, he would have done the same.
I accepted the affection, still eating my ice cream casually as Shoto stuck his head out from the side of the building. He blushed, slapping his hands over his eyes.
"I thought this was a friendly gathering, do not exclude me to act romantic with each other." I laughed at Todoroki's words while Bakugo pulled away in embarrassment and began yelling.
The rest of the evening was spent with Bakugo hovering over me, his hand never left my frame for a single second.
When the three of us walked back to the dorms, we bid a goodnight to Todoroki. It wasn't so late but everyone seemed to have gone to bed early. Only Kaminari and Kirishima were lounging in
the commons and even then, Bakugo still didn't release the hold on my hand.
We took a shower together, changed together, and we were both lying in his bed, his arms were woven through mine while he kissed me with a passion that I wasn't used to.
He was simply trying to tell me that the idea of losing me was horrific, he and I both couldn't bear the notion of being without one another.
Katsuki was laying his head on my chest with his ear pressed to my heart while I reassured him I wouldn't go anywhere, he squeezed my sides, giving me a quick kiss before getting comfortable.
"We need some sleep, Katsuki. It's okay." I whispered, trailing my fingers over his facial features while I admired him in the moonlight.
He muttered, "I know."
With our limbs tangled together, we eventually found sleep with soft sighs and pressed touches.