A/N: Okay, after this it's time I return to Thank You. At least one damn chapter to prove I'm not dead.
I am in the process of moving, but I should still be able to get some stuff done.
Another 10k words chapter, so enjoy. A bit of a cool down chapter, but an important one.
Kyouka awoke with a start, her hands gripping the blankets. Groaning, Kyouka sat up, wrapping her arms tighter around herself. She had a nightmare of something chasing after Izuku, but she couldn’t see what it was. Due to not knowing what he looked like, Kyouka had to guess it was All For One.
Kyouka couldn’t lie, she was terrified. It wasn’t like that fear would make her leave Izuku like he was afraid of. She had shut down Izuku’s train of thought about that immediately. But, she didn’t want to worry him further by expressing her fears, so she kept it to herself, putting on a brave face for him.
She would talk with him about it later tonight.
...Hopefully ending with a repeat of their actions last night.
Kyouka hopped out of bed, blushing as she thought back to it. That was a big step for them. If someone had told Kyouka three and a half months ago that she would be shoving her tongue in someone else’s mouth, she would want to vomit. In reality, it did sound kinda disgusting.
...But, she definitely wasn’t complaining now.
Kyouka heard her phone buzz on the bedside table, not surprised to see Izuku's name pop up on screen. Sitting back down, she answered. "Morning, Broccoli Boy."
"Oh, dusting off an oldie?"
"That name is not that old, I just haven't used it in a while. I'm getting way too cluttered with all the names I've given you. At this point I should keep a file cabinet."
Izuku chuckled, "That's not a bad idea. But, anyway, the reason I'm calling...Have you seen the news this morning?"
"Nah, I just woke up. What's going on?"
"W-Well...I figured out why Iida left early yesterday. His brother was badly injured in a villain attack."
Kyouka immediately grew worried, her finger twirling her jack. Iida had talked so passionately about how he looked up to his brother weeks prior. The timing of the attack now was almost like a sick joke.
"Like, how badly are we talking here?"
"The hospital is keeping his status private, but from the sounds of it...really bad. They think it was the Hero Killer."
Oh...That wasn't good.
That quickly sent Kyouka's already low hopes down the drain.
"...The same Hero Killer that killed tons of Pros and left the ones he didn't kill injured beyond significant repair?"
She could hear Izuku sigh from the other end, "Yeah…"
The musician fell back against the blankets, "Damn. That's...I can't even imagine. I feel so dumb for not getting his phone number. Even if he didn't respond, telling him we're here would count for something. Do you have his number?"
"...You know who you're talking to, right?"
"Yeah, I realized it the moment I said it."
Kyouka had said it before, but that was more proof that her and Izuku weren't that great with people outside of their little bubble they crafted for the two of them. It wasn't like that was a mystery, especially for Izuku. She was a lot better than him at it for obvious reasons, doing most of the talking for him.
She didn't have Ochako's number either, or Momo's, even though she had only really known Momo legitimately since yesterday.
"I guess we'll have to talk to him once school starts back up, at least let him know we're here. Or, if he so pleases, not here. I think you and I know more than most how it feels to want to be alone for a while."
"Definitely. Besides, we have to focus on other stuff for now. Starting with All Might wanting to speak to us at the beach today."
“...This isn’t where you made a mistake by telling me about your quirk and you have to kill me, right?”
“Of course not,” Izuku laughed. “It’s probably just to make sure you’re on board with everything. I can come over in a bit and we can head out.”
“Sounds good. I’ll get ready. Then we can prepare for dinner with your mom.”
"..."
"...You totally forgot we were doing that tonight, didn't you?"
“...I’ll be there in half-an-hour.”
*CLICK*
Kyouka laughed as the line went dead, walking over to her closet to pick out her outfit. Opening the door, she walked in and instinctively reached for the hangar on her right.
...and grabbed nothing but air.
Kyouka looked over to where Izuku's green jacket he gave her a few weeks ago was supposed to be, only to find nothing there.
Looking around her closet, Kyouka realized her "security blanket" was gone completely.
Exiting the closet, Kyouka ran towards the steps, looking down at her mother from over the railing. "Mom, have you seen my jacket?"
Mika looked up to the first floor as she gathered her things, preparing to leave for work, "Which one?"
"Green one. The zip-up hoodie."
"Oh, it's in the wash."
"But, I didn't put it in the laundry bin."
"I'm well aware." Mika deadpanned "Kyouka, I understand it was Midoriya’s, but you wear that thing twenty-four seven, all around the house. It has to be washed at some point, my love."
Kyouka grumbled, walking back to her room and slumping into her desk chair, not ready to endure the next hour or so without her comfort clothing.
Just because it was her only clothing item that pushed away her bodily thoughts didn't mean she wore it constantly.
...Well, it was a lot. It wasn't her fault she couldn't fight the dark side of her mind without Izuku.
...She did wear it yesterday while setting up the date spot.
...And the day before that.
...And before that.
...And most of last week.
...And she slept in it a couple days ago. But, in her defense, it was cold that night.
...But, then she slept in it the next night, and it wasn't that cold.
Okay, she wore it a lot. Kyouka was just lucky the jacket was Izuku's, so she had that cover story as to why. But, she was already tugging on her shirt and shorts, trying to make it not feel so "off" on her.
'No! Damn it! Distractions! Distractions! Dis...Well…' Kyouka looked down at her legs, her mind berating her for thinking of what she was about to do.
...But, she did it anyway.
*Click*
…
(Midoriya Apartment: Izuku's Room)
*Bzzt* *Bzzt*
Izuku set his dumbbell down, picking up his phone to see Kyouka calling him. "Hey, Kyouka. I'm heading out soon. , just needed to-"
"Do you like my legs?"
Izuku stopped, almost dropping his phone. "Wh-What?"
"Do you like my legs? Like...are you...are you attracted to my legs?"
"...This is a trick question, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s not.”
“I'm confused. How...How honest do you want this answer?"
Kyouka looked herself over in the mirror, phone in hand, trying to find a good angle of her lower half, but she couldn't find any from her perspective. "Completely honest.”
"Completely honest?"
"One-hundred percent."
Izuku opened his bedroom door, looking down the hall to make sure his mother wasn't around. Once he closed his door again, he answered, "W-Well, then...Extremely."
Kyouka stopped, the tugging on her clothes halting. "...Really?"
"Y-Yeah. H-Hey, what brought this o-"
"Anything in particular? Like...what I wear."
Izuku cleared his throat, really hoping his mother couldn't hear him from the living room. "W-Well, I already made it clear to you on our first date how I feel about the fishnets."
Kyouka blushed, remembering what Izuku had said when climbing the tree. "Oh, right. I can't believe I forgot about that."
"A-And, um...well your leggings, u-uh jean shorts, your school skirt, y-you're pencil skirts, jeans, denim and leath-A-Ah why am I doing this again? I think I'm embarrassed enough now, thank you."
"Y-Yeah. Yeah, right! Uh, sorry. You didn't have to keep going like that, just...wanted to make sure. So... basically you like them in everything, because you pretty much listed everything I own."
"Well...Yeah."
"..."
"...Kyouka, why di-"
"Okay, see you in a bit! I care about you!"
*Click*
Izuku looked down at his phone, seeing the call had ended. What was that about? A call just to compliment her looks, and asking about what she wears?
'Is...Is that what a booty call is?'
...
Well, Kyouka supposed it could've been more awkward.
And it was helpful. The feeling went away, and...her legs weren't that bad.
But, just to be safe, maybe she would see if Izuku had some sweatpants he didn't want anymore.
…
(Thirty Minutes Later: Kyouka’s House)
Izuku stood on the front porch of Kyouka's house, waiting for her to come down. He still didn't know what exactly that call was about, but he opted to talk to Kyouka about it later in private.
If it was anything close to what Izuku suspected, the last thing she would want was to talk about it on a public train.
Izuku perked up as the front door opened, revealing Kyouka in a red, long-sleeve "The End of Villains" shirt, black and white sneakers, ripped, black skinny jeans, and bracelets galore.
Now, Izuku wasn't sure if he influenced Kyouka's choice of pants...but he certainly wasn't complaining.
Kyouka kissed him, wrapping her arms around Izuku's back, "Hey, Greenie."
"Okay, that name was a little lazy."
"Shut up, it's early."
"Fair enough," Izuku chuckled. "Ready?"
"Yep." They began walking down the sidewalk towards the station hand-in-hand, only seperating once they reached their destination. Boarding their train, they were off to the beach.
As usual, they found the emptiest car they could. Which, being early morning Japan, still had a decent number of people in it. But, it was enough for them to feel like the corner they sat in was private enough. The ride to the station nearest to the beach was a short one anyway.
Kyouka crossed her legs, slightly leaning on to Izuku as the train took off. She looked over at Izuku; he was wearing one of his standard outfits. Red shoes, jeans, and a…
...Jacket.
A white one with two red stripes on the shoulder, to be exact.
No, she had the one. That's all she needed…
Although...
Kyouka rubbed up and down her arms, "Damn, it's kinda cold in here."
Izuku immediately began unzipping his jacket, "Oh! Here." Kyouka laughed as he took it off, causing him to raise a brow. "What?"
"Nothing. Just...I like you."
Izuku blushed, muttering incoherent embarrassed jumbles under his breath. But, Kyouka was pretty sure she heard an "I like you, too" in there, so that was all she needed.
Izuku handed Kyouka the jacket, "You won't get cold."
"No, I'll be fine. Honestly I thought it was a little stuffy in he-...Oh, I see what you did."
Kyouka smirked as she zipped up the jacket, "Did you now?"
Izuku chuckled, taking Kyouka's hand in his. "Are you trying to clean out my closet now?"
"Maybe. I'm not keeping this one, I'll give it back. I'm just lucky this one matched my outfit. Speaking of which, I should take you clothes shopping."
Izuku looked down at his clothes, humming to himself. "I guess I do dress kinda plain."
"There's nothing wrong with that, Freckles. You just never know what your style can be if you explore."
“...You sure this just isn’t an excuse to make me empty all my old clothes out of my closet so you can take them?”
“Don’t you judge me.”
Izuku chuckled, relaxing back into his seat as he rested his head on Kyouka’s. “So...Do you think Iida’s okay?”
Kyouka sighed, shrugging her shoulders, “Probably not. I just hope his brother’s gonna be okay. What about this Hero Killer guy, Stain? I know about him, but what’s he all about? You’d know more about him than me. Is he just some psycho serial killer?”
“Well, all we really know is that the victims he left alive said he talked about them being “fake heroes”. That seems to be his obsession.”
“Fake heroes? Like, he thinks they’re frauds? But, I mean Iida’s a good guy, and his brother is his main inspiration. What would Ingenium do to qualify as a fraud?”
“I don’t know. I don’t even really understand what he’s talking about. Heroes voluntarily risk their lives every single day for innocent people. I don’t get how fraudulent you can be with that.”
Kyouka shrugged, “I guess you never really know for certain. I mean, look at what we know about Endeavor now. Would you classify him as heroic now?”
Izuku furrowed his brow as he was conflicted with that thought. On one hand, Endeavor seemed like an awful person. A man who Izuku believed deserved consequences for his actions. But, at the same time, no one could deny how many lives he had saved. “I...I guess not. I-I don’t know. I mean he still saves people, but...what he did to his family...”
Kyouka nodded, “Yeah, I get what you mean. Hmmm...What about Bakugou? He wants to be a hero, but he’s an asshole who can’t be nice to anyone, even his own heroes. He still treats All Might like shit. Not to mention, he was a bully for eleven years. Something you still need to explain to me, as promised.”
Sighing, Izuku shook his head, “Kacchan is...complicated. He and I were “friends” for a while.”
“You said that with air quotes.”
“Yeah, because I’m not completely sure we were ever friends. Even before he got his quirk, Kacchan was...Well, bratty, in a way. He was a lot nicer, but he definitely had sort of an arrogant aura around him. Arrogance, which I saw as confidence, led me to admire him as it’s something he and a lot of heroes had in common, and I lacked. It wasn’t that bad, because it was mostly just his mom affecting him. Mrs. Bakugou is a proud woman, and she wanted her son to be proud of himself, too. It just didn’t pan out as she expected, which really isn’t her fault. But, anyway, because of that it always felt like I was number two in the relationship. Kacchan was the first to do everything, he thought he should be in charge of the games we played, and even when I said we could be heroes together, he said I can be his sidekick. So, even if it wasn’t his intention, from the very beginning I was a lackey to him.”
“So, he was always an asshat,” Kyouka deadpanned.
Izuku chuckled, “In a way, yes. But, we were kids. And, like I said, it wasn’t that bad…”
“I can feel a “but” coming on.”
“But…”
“There it is.”
“But, then his quirk came in. Everyone, including the teachers, praised him and his quirk to no end. Something just clicked for him. Soon, he believed himself to be above everyone. No one really mattered, but himself. He was the prodigy with a basically guaranteed acceptance at UA. He gained followers, the adoration of other students and teachers, but he saw them all as weak. Then, along came me. The weakest of them all.”
“Izuku…”
“In his eyes,” Izuku quickly cut off Kyouka’s reprimand for downplaying himself. “I was diagnosed quirkless, and suddenly his original follower became an annoying, weak, useless pest, who dreamed the exact same dream as him. Without knowing it, in the blink of an eye I became Kacchan’s biggest threat against his perfect world. He hated me for daring to even aspire to the same level of success as him while being so weak. And...then his reasons began to add up.”
Kyouka groaned, “Of course they did.”
“There were a lot of things. Some I can’t even remember. One of the main one’s was because he thinks being a hero means victory. Winning is all that matters. To him, someone like me doesn’t deserve victory. People who are weak need to “stay in their place” as he liked to call it.”
“Below him,” Kyouka said, rolling her eyes.
“Exactly.”
“No wonder that prick was so desperate to beat you in the festival. If you had beaten him, his entire world would have shut down.”
“The rest is history,” Izuku finished off. “He began to bully me when he thought I stepped too far into his bubble.”
Kyouka scoffed, “And since he thinks the world belongs to him, that was basically everywhere.”
“Kinda, yeah.”
“Did he ever...ya know...beat you up? Outside of the playground, I mean.”
Izuku sighed, looking out of the window. Their stop was coming up. “Sometimes. Not like the playground, but...there were a few physical encounters, or at least physical threats. Shoves, some burns here and there to scare me…”
“...What about his right hook? How you had “seen it enough times to know”?”
Izuku kissed Kyouka’s forehead, standing up as the train stopped. “Like I told you before, there were some very bad days.”
Kyouka followed him off the train, taking the steps up to street level. "You never answered the question. Do you think Bakugou is a real hero?"
"...In his own way. He wouldn't let innocent people die."
"Yet he doesn't care about them? And he's an egotistical, sadistic jerk off."
"Kacchan...is a balance of a lot of things. A-And I can't exactly call a lot of those things good."
"More like a fragile balance." They continued their walk, moving from the main streets to the offroads leading to the beach. “Well, that was proof you’re getting a lot better about opening up.”
“Telling you about Kacchan and I was overdue.”
“Does All Might know?”
“Not as much as you. He just knows we used to be friends, but had a falling out.”
“Understatement of the century. That kick to the dick I’m going to give him is going to be a lot harder than originally planned.”
“The lovebirds arrive.” Both teens looked down the sidewalk to find All Might leaning against the railing looking over the beach.
Kyouka shook her head, “I still can't get used to the fact that the person I’m looking at is All Might.”
Izuku chuckled as they made their way over to Toshinori, “It takes some time.”
Toshinori smiled as the couple approached him, "How's the "Dynamic Duo of the Sports" Festival doing?"
"Ugh," Kyouka whined. "Please don't let that name catch on."
"Either way, it's giving you guys a lot of recognition. I already took a peek at the offers you two have gathered up so far. Both of you have already breached the five-hundred mark, so I'd say it's well worth it."
"F-Five hundred?!" Izuku shouted in disbelief. Kyouka had her own shocked expression next to Izuku.
Toshinori chuckled at their reactions, "And counting. Don't let the numbers worry you. You'll have plenty of time to go through all your options, so think carefully."
Kyouka's jacks tapped against each other, "Wow...All those heroes want me to intern with them?"
"With your performance? Of course they do. Hell, you were at a massive disadvantage against Young Todoroki, and got him out of bounds. Almost beating the son of Endeavor is quite the first impression."
Kyouka blushed, grabbing onto her jacks to stop them from tapping, "...Thanks."
"Don't sell yourself short. You've definitely earned it. Alright, I’m sure you two would much rather be spending the day together than with me, so I’ll cut right to the chase. Young Midoriya, may I speak to Young Jirou privately?"
“Oh, uh, sure.” Izuku walked away, opting to sit on the lowered tailgate of All Might’s truck.
“Walk with me.” Kyouka followed Toshinori down to the sand, stopping once they reached the edge of the shoreline. "Young Jirou, how much about All For One did my protogé tell you?"
"Izuku told me he's the most dangerous villain in the world," Kyouka shrugged. "He has the ability to take any quirk he desires, and he's where One For All originally comes from. And, all of the successors of One For All have been fighting him since. You were the only successful one...Well, at least you were kinda successful."
"And he told you about the target on your back?"
Kyouka immediately grew confused, looking up at Toshinori as she twirled her jack around her finger. "But, Izuku told me you were against him breaking up with me to protect me?"
"I did, and I meant it. Young Midoriya should have the ability to choose happiness and love. He shouldn't have to live his life in fear, or be held back by my failure to finish the job years ago. But, I never said anything about your choice." Toshinori quickly raised his hands up in defense, "Now, before you say anything, I'm not here to try and separate you two. I hope I've made it very clear I want to see you both together and happy. And I'm not saying it was a mistake for Midoriya tell you about this. He trusts you, so I trust you. But, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you went along with this without having a complete understanding of what you're getting into."
"I understand."
Toshinori breathed in deep, looking Kyouka in the eyes. "This man has power like no other. He took the lives of many, including my master's, and nearly my own." Toshinori lifted up his shirt, showing his stomach wound. "He did this to me." Lowering his shirt, Toshinori returned Kyouka's attention back to his eyes. "If he finds out you're very personally involved with Young Midoriya, and he finds out that boy is my successor if he hasn't already, you'll be a target. If there's a way your parents fit in well to whatever he's planning, your family is a target. If you want nothing to do with this, you need to discuss that with Young Midoriya. I won't bother you further. All I ask is that you not reveal this to anyone."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"I admire your courage and loyalty, but this is something that requires long thought and-"
"You don't understand. I have been thinking about this ever since Izuku told me. I'm scared. It would be stupid not to be...but, I'm a hero. Or, I'm trying to be. As much as it's not something teenagers, including me, like to think about when it comes to being heroes, part of the job description I signed up for is sacrifice. Sacrifice for citizens, and for the people close to you. That includes Izuku. I may not know a lot of things, but I know this. I've only known Izuku for about four months, but I care about him like I've known him my whole life and more. He wouldn't leave me, so I'm not gonna leave him."
Toshinori gazed at Kyouka in silence, processing everything she had said. "...Okay. The decision is yours, so whatever you say goes.” Toshinori extended out his hand to Kyouka, “Welcome to the Circle of Trust.”
Kyouka returned the handshake with a smirk on her face, “You won’t regret this...I hope.”
Toshinori chuckled, walking back towards the steps leading up to the sidewalk, “It’s not my choice to regret. It’s Young Midoriya’s. But, I have faith he never will.”
Kyouka followed the pro, stepping up onto the concrete, "Um, not now, but...at some point, can I tell my parents? I don't know when. Maybe when it becomes important for them to know, or it's just not something I can hold in from them anymore, but...I just want permission to tell them when I think the time is right."
Toshinori nodded, "This is your family, Young Jirou. It may be a secret, but I have no power over you to keep you from telling your parents that their child could be a future target of a madman. I have no right. The decision is yours."
"Thank you, All Might."
"Of course."
Kyouka reached the truck, hopping up to sit next to Izuku. “Good news, he’s not killing me for knowing too much.”
“I told you it wasn’t a problem.”
“Yeah, because you told me. What if I had figured it out on my own? I almost did.”
All Might raised a brow as he leaned against the truck, “She did?”
Izuku rubbed the back of his neck with a blush, “U-Uh, kinda. All I did was tell her I was lying about not being quirkless and she figured out the rest of it from there. One For All being given to me, it being your quirk because you were looking for a successor, all of it.”
“...We’ve really gotta work on being more inconspicuous.”
Kyouka nodded, “Yes. Yes, you do. Although, it doesn’t help that everyone keeps comparing you two.”
Izuku scoffed, “Or thinking I’m his love child.”
Toshinori coughed out blood, sputtering at those words, “My what?!”
“A-Ah, nothing! We’ve gotta go, All Might. I need to mentally prepare for tonight!” Izuku began speed-walking down the road, hoping to avoid the impending awkward conversation that would bring.
“Mentally prepare?” Toshinori asked.
Kyouka hopped off the truck, “Dinner with the parent.”
“Ooooh, hehehe. Good luck. Alright, I need to get going, too. This was my lunch break, I need to get back to helping sort through all the internship requests.”
“Good luck to you, too, then. If I get any requests from people you know are assholes, go ahead and throw those out for me.”
Toshinori laughed, “I can’t do that. Besides, you never know who’s eye you’ve caught.”
…
(Twenty Minutes Later: Kyouka's Room)
Kyouka closed the door after Izuku entered, immediately leaning against it as she watched her boyfriend pace back and forth.
"Not as much fun when it's your parent's, is it?"
"I-I don't even know why I'm nervous! She's not intimidating like your parents are.”
“I think it’s less that my father is scary and more that you're just easily intimidated.”
“What about your mom?”
“Oh, no. She can be scary. Where do you think I learned my paralyzing glare from?” Kyouka followed up her question with proof as she glared at Izuku.
Izuku locked up, clearing his throat, “Point proven.”
Kyouka stopped the look, crossing her arms as she walked over to Izuku. “Look, being the only one of us with experience in this, just take roll with it. It’s just dinner. I’m probably going to be doing most of the talking anyway.”
Sighing, Izuku sat on the edge of Kyouka’s desk. “Y-Yeah, I guess you’re right. It’s just...It’s a big deal for me, for us. You, me, and my mom.”
Izuku felt Kyouka’s jack under his chin, lifting his head up to be eye level with her. She placed both of her hands on Izuku’s shoulders, “I know. I get it, I’m nervous, too. I want to make a good impression. But, there’s no backing out of it now. Mostly because I won’t let you. After everything we’ve been through in the last four months of knowing one another, a single meal with your mom is pretty mundane. Just remember you’re making her really happy.”
A small smile grew on Izuku’s lips, “Hm...Yeah, you’re right.”
“I know. Get used to that. Now, we have plenty of time to kill before we have to leave. We need a distraction to calm our nerves. So, we’re two romantically involved teenagers, home alone with no parents in the house. What does that call for?”
“...Probably not what you’re making it sound like.”
“Music practice! We’re doing guitar today.”
Izuku slumped his shoulders as Kyouka ran over to pick out a guitar, but he still chuckled. “After this, I actually want to go over my costume again. You already sent in your request form for the sword, right?”
Kyouka picked up her acoustic guitar, walking back over to Izuku. “Yeah, I did. But, are you talking about your entire costume?”
“I-It was a little scuffed up from the USJ. Not badly, but it was taken back to the Support Studio to stitch back up a few cuts here and there. Working together with Hatsume really inspired me to work more on my costume. N-Not like all the crazy stuff she made, but just an upgrade.”
Kyouka sat on the bed, looking back to Izuku, “Huh. You know what, I will, too. It’d be cool to get an improved costume before we leave for our internships. But, first…” Kyouka shoved the guitar in Izuku’s hands. “You play, and I’ll work on ideas for my costume.” She reached into the inside pocket of Izuku’s jacket, pulling out his hero notebook. “Do you bring this everywhere?”
“...Kinda. Y-You never know when an idea will strike you. Or even when a villain attack happens nearby.”
“Let’s just hope it’s usually the former. Now get to strumming, Basil.”
…
The hours passed as Kyouka and Izuku occupied themselves with Izuku's practice, tossing out ideas and reviewing the other's costumes, chatting in between, so on and so forth.
And, Kyouka got that massage she was promised.
“Mmm…” Kyouka leaned her head back into Izuku’s stomach. She sat on the piano bench with Izuku standing behind her, hands on her shoulders. “You’re pretty good at this.”
“Back when I was training with All Might before UA, there was a point in time where I was really overdoing my training. I was in a time crunch, and I wasn’t sure I would meet the standards All Might had for me. I had to research self-massage methods to make at least some movement possible.” Kyouka chuckled, sighing as she closed her eyes. Izuku hated to ruin the mood, but he had held off asking long enough. “Hey, I wanted to ask...What was that call earlier about?”
Kyouka froze with her hands hovering over the keys. She knew it was coming eventually, the call was a bit too suspicious to go unexplained. “It’s nothing, I just...I dunno. I didn’t know what to wear, and I thought you could help me.”
It technically wasn’t a lie, it just wasn’t the full truth. But, she didn’t need to worry Izuku about all that before, and she definitely didn’t now that she knew about the massive weight on his shoulders.
Izuku’s hands moved from her shoulders to gently caress her arms, “It...I-It sounded like more. It sounded like y-you’d think I wouldn’t like them.”
Kyouka put her hand on his, shaking her head, “Just a small bout of uncertainty. A stupid, minor moment of insecurity. I’m a teenager, it happens from time to time. It’s nothing to worry about.”
“Is this about what Shinso said?”
Yes, but he was just a very small piece of the fifteen year long puzzle. “No, Izu-”
“Because he was lying to get to me. He said so himself, you know that. And I told you tha-”
“That I’m the most gorgeous thing you’ve ever laid eyes on,” Kyouka chuckled. “Yeah, I remember.”
Izuku’s voice grew more concerned, “Did Mineta say something again? If he did I’ll-”
Kyouka laughed again, “You’ll what? Mutter him to death?” She stood up, turning around to face Izuku. “No, he didn’t say anything. You know he’s scared to death of me now.”
Izuku looked down at his feet. “I-I’d...I’d do more than that. I’ll never let him hurt you like that again.” He looked back up into Kyouka’s eyes. “...I’ll never let anyone hurt you like that again.”
Kyouka was taken aback at just how serious Izuku was taking it all. Her deflection of the topic didn’t work. She stepped forward, hugging Izuku tightly and burying her face into his neck.
“I know.”
Izuku hugged back just as tightly, “If you’re ever hurting like that, please tell me.”
“...Okay.” Kyouka knew she couldn’t do that. At least, not to the full extent of her inner turmoils. Not yet, at least. Someday.
The inheritor kissed her forehead, then down to her nose, and finally Kyouka’s lips. “You’re beautiful. Absolutely, perfectly, angelically beautiful."
Kyouka smiled, closing her eyes as she kissed Izuku again, keeping their foreheads together. "I've been told."
"And I'll keep telling you."
Kyouka wrapped her arms around Izuku's neck, sighing as she embraced the warmth of his body. "You're really serious about this." Izuku nodded, the determination she loved in his eyes. "...Thank you."
They kissed again, the punk smiling against Izuku's mouth as she felt his fingers thread through her hair.
A concerned Izuku was an affectionate, needy Izuku. Noted.
Kyouka's brows lifted as she felt Izuku's tongue brush against hers. An act she didn't expect Izuku to initiate first for a little bit.
Very noted.
Without detaching their mouths, Kyouka spun them around, backing up until her legs hit the bed. They both laughed as they fell onto the blankets. This continued for a while, the two teens fully embracing their alone time together. But, the sun began to fall towards the west. Without interrupting their kissing, Kyouka pulled her phone out of her pocket, looking at the time from over Izuku’s shoulder. “We gotta go,” she mumbled against Izuku’s lips.
“Mmgh,” Izuku groaned, not wanting to separate.
“No complaining. You’re the one that set this whole thing up. Cutting our alone time is your fault.”
Izuku sat up with a sigh, “Yeah, I know. But, like you said, I'm sure I'll be okay."
…
(Midoriya Family Apartment)
"Are you okay?" Izuku asked as he watched Kyouka tap her jacks together at an alarming rate. He had noticed her start to play around with them on the train ride, and she started doing it more and more the closer they got to the apartment. Now, with Izuku's hand on the doorknob, they began clinking together rapidly.
"Hm? O-Oh, me? Just fine."
“...Did we just switch roles here?”
“Yeah, I think so. Just open the door before I actually panic.”
Izuku did as he was told, entering the apartment. “Mom! We’re here!” The two teens walked through the door, removing their shoes at the entrance. Inko came around the corner
Kyouka stood up straight, then bowed politely. "It's a-an honor to finally meet you, Mrs. Midoriya. I'm sorry we didn't meet sooner, I'm sure you know by now Izuku's timing for a lot of things isn't exactly the best."
Inko chuckled, "Don't I know it."
Izuku grimaced, 'Oh no, what have I done?'
"Please, come in. You look gorgeous."
“O-Oh, uh, thank you. I didn’t exactly dress up or anything. It’s just...Your son’s jacket that I forgot I was wearing. Only a little embarrassing.”
“Don’t be embarrassed, it’s cute,” Inko said, walking towards the main room. "I'm almost ready. I made quite a lot."
Kyouka followed her in, twirling her jack around her finger with a tinge of red on her cheeks, “I’m sure it’s…” Both teens gazed on at the feast before them as dishes lined the table, the kitchen counter, and some even on the coffee table. “Hoooly shit...Uh! S-Sorry, I mean crap.”
Inko laughed into her hand, walking over to the table, “It’s alright. I’m not going to ask you to hold yourself back. I’m here to get to know you after all.”
“M-Mom?” Izuku asked, still bewildered. “I didn’t think you were serious when you said how much you were making.”
“I wanted this to be a good night.” Inko looked down at the dining table, realizing there was no room for plates. “...Maybe I went a little overboard, but chances that you like at least one thing are much higher. Please, make yourself at home. I’ll get the table ready.” Inko nervously chuckled as she picked up a few dishes from the table to make room.
Kyouka bowed again, “Thank you.” She looked over at Izuku with a smile and a shrug, “Not a bad start, I’d say. Now, I’ve been dying to see one thing.”
Izuku tilted his head in confusion, “What?”
His only answer was Kyouka making a beeline down the hallway. She was heading directly for the door with the All Might nameplat-”WAIT! NO!”
It was too late. The door was opened and Kyouka was inside. “Oh. My. God.”
Izuku sighed, trudging towards his room, hearing his mother’s laugh behind him. Walking through the door he saw Kyouka spinning around to look at everything. “I mean you told me, but...I still didn’t expect this much. But, it’s very you...Or, should I say very All Might?”
“Haha,” Izuku deadpanned.
“I’m not teasing you, honest. It’s just...startling.” Kyouka then dropped her voice so it wouldn’t travel down the hall, “I do have to ask. Since you now have personally known All Might for a while now, isn’t it a little...I don’t know...Weird? Not in general, but to you? Wouldn’t it be like having an entire room themed around your friend?”
“I-I still look up to him and he inspires me. This is just a way of showing he’s my hero.” Izuku looked back at his room again, from the rug, to the posters, the figures, and even the blankets of his own bed, and thought back on the entire year he had known All Might. “A-Although, now that you mention it…”
“Oh, wow.” Izuku’s attention snapped back to Kyouka, who had taken notice of the whole row of hero journals above his desk. “The tomes of hero’s,” Kyouka chuckled. She pointed up at the books, “May I?”
“Y-Yeah, of course.”
Kyouka picked up the first journal, sitting down on the desk and laughing at the scribbles and doodles done by a very young Izuku. “My own journals are pretty organized, but an entire series? Remind me to ask you for tips on note-taking. I’d say you could publish these, but then people could use them for villainy.”
Izuku watched as Kyouka skimmed through the pages, her face lighting up at every sketch from a little Izuku. "Um...Y-You can keep it, if you want."
Kyouka looked back up towards Izuku, uncertainty gracing her features, "N-Nah, I mean, these things are important to you. Besides, the first one? The sentimental value alone is-"
"Nowhere near as high is your value." Izuku stepped forward, lightly pushing the notebook back to Kyouka, "These do mean a lot to me. Which, to me, is just more reason to give it to you, because of just how much you mean to me. This journal is where my path that, by some miracle I'll never be able to explain, led me to you started."
Kyouka looked back down at the journal, rubbing her thumb across the front cover before looking back up. "...Thank you."
She leaned up to kiss him, but the couple was startled by a sniffle. Their attention shot over to the doorway, finding Inko standing there in tears, whispering to herself, "My baby is in love." Izuku covered his face and Kyouka's jacks went haywire as both blushed heavily. "Ah! Sorry, I'm ruining the moment. Just come to the table whenever you're ready!"
Inko walked, allowing the teens' heart rates to return to normal. Kyouka sighed in relief, "How did I not hear her? Ah, whatever. Here." Kyouka handed Izuku his "Hero Journal #13 2.0" from her jacket pocket and replaced it with the first one. "My new costume is still in there."
"We'll send them in when we go back to school."
"Cool. Two jackets and now a journal. I need to start giving you some of my stuff."
A small smirk grew on Izuku's face, "Well, I-I did take y-"
"If you say my heart, I'm going to punch you. I don't care that your mom is in the other room."
"Shutting up." They left the room, heading to the dinner table. This time there was actual room for plates.
Inko had three plates in hand, giving two to the couple. "Uh...treat it like a buffet. Find whatever you like," she chuckled. After gathering up the food of their choice, they sat down at the table. Izuku and Kyouka sat next to each other across from Inko. "So, I know you two met during the entrance exams. But, I don't know how you met."
Kyouka answered first with, “Izuku and I met in Recovery Girl’s office after the entrance exams.”
"Recovery Girl?" Inko turned to Izuku, concern in her eyes, "You were hurt?"
...Oh, right. Kyouka had forgotten Inko didn't know about the side effects One For All had on Izuku's body.
'Damn it. Twenty seconds in, and I screw something up...Well, maybe this can be a good thing.'
Izuku shakily responded, "It's nothing to worry about. It's not that ba-..." Izuku faltered as he caught Kyouka's eye and the look she was giving him screamed "It's time to spit it out, dork". Well, there really was no escaping now. "It just...uh...I kinda...b-brokmsrm."
"I don't think I caught that, honey. What did you say?"
"...I broke my arm...and my legs.” Izuku sat in silence, waiting for a response.
“What?! What happened?!”
“U-Um...Well, you see...It’s my quirk. My quirk’s full strength is too much for my body to handle at the moment. A-And, well, you already know the entrance exam was when it first appeared, so I didn’t know that would happen. But, I’ve learned how to control it! A-Ah, kinda. I can control small percentages of it, but the more I train and use it, the more my body gets used to it and can handle it! Actually, it was thanks to Kyouka I figured out how to do that.” Kyouka’s eyes went wide, her jacks going back to tapping against each other when she realized she was brought back into the conversation.
Inko looked down in thought, her shock turning into a slight frown. “...I saw how you performed in the Sports Festival, so I know how much better you’ve gotten.” She looked back up at Izuku, “I know you can handle it, and you’ll get even better. You’re strong with the mind to back it up.” It was Izuku’s turn to be shocked, his eyes wide. “Just...Just be sure to tell me if it ever happens again. Please?”
“Y-...Yeah, I promise.”
Inko nodded, turning back to Kyouka. “Sorry about that. What happened next?”
“Oh, w-well,” Kyouka said, clearing her throat, “I was sitting next to Izuku, and Recovery Girl had to leave for something. I could tell right away he wasn’t the sociable type, because he locked up the second I sat down. I’m not exactly an extrovert either, so I didn’t say anything. But, to my surprise, Izuku-”
“Let me guess. He asked about your quirk?”
“Hehehe, yep.” Both women laughed as Izuku deadpanned, opting to just let the embarrassment flow as there was no stopping it. “That’s not even the best part,” Kyouka managed to say through laughter. “So, Izuku looks at my clothes and I happened to be wearing a shirt with a punk rock band on it. I have to assume his brain shut down for a second, because he looks at me completely straight-faced, and asks, ‘Ya like jazz?’.” Both women began cracking up again as Izuku continued to eat.
Izuku looked over to Kyouka, “Do you remember when I told your parents I didn’t want to see your home videos because I didn’t want to embarass you?”
“Yeah, but I’m not you.”
“I...Fair enough.”
Kyouka took his hand, “C’mon, it’s me. You know I have to tell that story. You’ve gotta admit, it’s a little funny.”
Izuku cracked a small smile, “...Okay, a little.”
…
(A Few Hours Later)
The evening continued on peacefully, the moon glowing brightly by the time for Kyouka to go. Kyouka stood next to the couch, where they had moved to a while ago, bowing to Inko once more. “Thank you for having me, Mrs. Midoriya. Everything you made was absolutely wonderful. Well, everything I could fit in my stomach. The three of us barely put a dent into everything you made.”
Inko blushed, looking around at all the dishes still out, “Well, at least I won’t have to cook for the next couple of weeks. Actually, would you like to take some home with you?”
“U-Uh, sure. I don’t mind. My parents will appreciate it, too.”
Inko turned to her son, “Izuku, honey, would you mind grabbing some of the dishes and packing them up for her?”
“Yeah, sure.” Izuku headed back towards the kitchen, opening the cabinets for empty containers.
Inko looked to Kyouka, nodding her head towards the front foyer. “Could I have a word with you?” Kyouka nodded, following Inko towards the front. But, on the inside her nerves shot up tenfold. Was this where she told her to stay away from her son? Did she say something wrong? Was she to-? “I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
“I...What?”
“I know this is sudden, but...I’m aware that you know about Izuku and I’s situation. And, I’m sure you’re aware that he hasn’t exactly had the easiest life.”
“Well...Yeah, I am,” Kyouka responded. “I’ve been helping him talk about it more openly.”
“Exactly. That’s what I’m talking about. I love my son, more than anything. I’m not sure someone your age can understand this, maybe as a hero-in-training you have some idea, but I would give up my life in a heartbeat for him. So, when I say I’m truly grateful for everything you’ve done for him, I mean I’ll owe you for the rest of my life. Now, I’m so sorry if that makes you uncomfortable, especially with how sudden that is. But, that light my son had in his eyes all those years ago, running around in his little All Might onesie, it’s not just back. It’s brighter than ever. Your influence on his life, which means mine as well, has helped us grow closer than we’ve been in a long time. No matter what happens between you two, if by some twisted joke the universe pulls separates you, I will always be grateful for what you’ve done and continue to do for my son. I don’t know where we’d be without you.”
Kyouka felt her heart clench as Inko finished speaking. She never expected to dislike Inko, but Izuku’s feelings, their past, and the basic instinct of meeting a new person had Kyouka just a little bit cautious. Not much, just a small inkling in the back of her mind. But, all Kyouka saw was a woman who simply didn’t have the answers, making a choice in an impossible scenario, and it cost her the closeness she used to have with the light of her life.
Kyouka felt she couldn’t take credit for helping a broken family. But, at the very least, she could continue to do what she could. For both Izuku’s sake, and Inko’s.
Kyouka tugged one of her jacks, a blush dusting her cheeks. “Well, thanks, but I should be thanking you. You’re responsible for what is, as far as I can tell in my short life, the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m not exaggerating either. I know I’m young, and I have a lot to learn about romance. But, as long as I’m with him, then I know I’ll be alright. You say you don’t know where you’d be without me? I don’t know where I’d be without him.”
Inko wiped away a few tears, a wobbly smile donning on her. She reached into her cardigan pocket, pulling out a small paper. “Izuku gave you his own token of his appreciation with his journal. I’d like to give you mine.”
Kyouka reached out, taking the paper. “Ohohohohoho! Wow! Hahahaha!”
Izuku came back, containers of leftovers in hand. “What happened?”
“You, are so, cute!~” Kyouka exclaimed, showing off her new photograph of little Izuku in his All Might onesie.
Izuku’s eyes widened, looking over to his mom. “What have you done? She’ll never let this go.”
“She was going to find it eventually, honey.”
‘Damn it, she’s right.’ Izuku turned back to Kyouka, “Can you at the very least get most of it out now while I take you home, so I don’t have to deal with it tomorrow?”
“Deal. Thank you again, Mrs. Midoriya.”
Inko smiled, “Of course. Feel free to come over anytime.” With that, Kyouka walked out the door. But, before Izuku followed after her, he turned back to his mom.
“Um...about what you said earlier, about my injuries...Why weren’t you mad?”
Inko sighed, gripping her skirt, “Well, for starters I didn’t want to ruin the evening. But...I took our argument last month very seriously. It made me understand why you wouldn’t tell me something like that. I just...I want you to know how much I believe in you, and I know you’re not made of glass. I’m going to be here when you need help, but if you say you can handle it, I’ll let you handle it. That is, until I think you need help. No matter how much you say you can deal with something, if it gets to the point where I believe you need help, I’m going to assist you anyway.”
Izuku took a deep breath, nodding at his mother’s words. “...Thanks, mom.”
Inko smiled, nodding her head towards the door. “Now, you have a beautiful young woman outside waiting for you to walk her home. A woman’s patience can only last so long.” Izuku nodded back, walking out the door. Once Izuku was gone, Inko walked back into the living room, looking down at a picture of her and Hisashi’s wedding. “...Only for so long.”
…
(One Day Later: UA High School)
“Hehehe!”
Izuku sighed under his umbrella, looking over at Kyouka as she continued to laugh at the photo Inko had given her. “Are you going to carry that everywhere?”
“Yep. Don’t worry, I won’t show anyone. This is my secret treasure.”
Izuku couldn’t help but laugh a little, “Well, at least you’re happy. And thanks for not looking at it on the train. With all those people recognizing us, the last thing I need is for them to see that, too.”
Kyouka was still shocked by all the people that recognized her on the train. Izuku was seconds away from a panic attack. A cramped train, all eyes on him, a billion questions thrown his way? Yeah, that was asking for disaster. Luckily their stop wasn’t far when people first noticed them.
“Jirou! Midoriya! This is no time for a leisurely stroll! You’ll be late to class!” The teens turned around to see Iida sprinting directly at them, decked out in full rain gear. “A proper student is always at least ten minutes early!”
“Nice poncho,” Kyouka said dryly as he ran by.
“Thank you!”
Izuku glanced at Kyouka, “That was sarcasm.”
“He doesn’t need to know that.” They walked through the front gates, making their way up to the front door. Once inside, they headed over to the personal lockers to store their umbrellas. Izuku stood at his locker across from Iida, watching his friend with worry.
“U-Um...Iida, I-”
“You needn’t worry about my brother. He’s alive.” Iida closed his locker, looking back at Izuku with a smile. “I’m sorry if he or I caused you any undue concern.” With a curt nod walked down the hall towards the classroom.
Kyouka blew a raspberry, closing her locker. “Notice how he didn’t say, ‘alive and well’.”
“Yeah,” Izuku nodded. “And that smile was fake.”
“How can you tell? Maybe we’re looking too deep into it.”
“No, trust me.” Izuku looked down the hall in Iida’s direction with a sigh. “It was fake.”
…
After making it to class and taking their seats, Aizawa walked in, his bandages finally gone. “Morning.”
“You look a lot better, Mr. Aizawa,” Tsu said.
“That old woman is excessive in her treatment. But, nevermind that. Today we have a Hero Informatics class. This one is important.”
Denki shot out of his seat, “POP QUIZ! RUN!”
Mina shoved Denki over his chair, “Every woman for herself!”
“Calm down,” Shouta groaned. “It’s not a pop quiz. You’re picking out your hero aliases.”
The class all cheered, “Significantly better!”
“However, we need to talk about your internship requests.” Clicking the remote on his desk, the ceiling projector turned on, showing a list of names with numbers next to them. “Usually there’s a decent spread of requests for more students, but as you can see, there were some show stealers this year.”
-Class 1-A Draft Pick Totals-
Todoroki: 4,329
Bakugou: 3,892
Midoriya: 3,891
Jirou: 1,012
Iida: 963
Kirishima: 420
Kirishima, Mina, Sero, and Denki all snickered.
Mina: 360
Their snickers turned into laughter.
Yaoyorozu: 108
Kaminari: 69
The four all looked at each other, “Niiice.”
Aizawa glared at them, “Shut up.”
Ochako: 32
Sero: 16
Kaminari groaned at the numbers the top three had, “I still call hacks.”
Momo held back a sigh, looking anywhere but at her draft number. But, in her attempt to look away, she saw Ochako shaking Iida excitedly about the number of drafts she had. She couldn’t tell if that made her feel better or worse. As she felt like maybe it wasn’t that bad. Over one-hundred drafts was pretty good. But, then she felt bad for expecting more like a spoiled brat.
She sat up straight, looking back at her number. ‘Be grateful for what you have, and improve yourself so you can earn more.’
Kyouka’s eyes were wide open as she continued to stare at her number. She was having a hard time believing it. Probably not as much of a hard time as Izuku was with his own number. She glanced to her left to find Izuku’s eyes like saucers, unblinking and unmoving.
“Are you breathing?” Izuku shook his head. “Inhale.” Without changing his expression, Izuku took a long deep breath and slowly exhaled. “I...Good enough.” Kyouka turned around to find Ochako giving her and Izuku two thumbs up with a bright smile on her face. She smiled back, then looked over to Momo. She seemed to be handling it okay, but Kyouka knew was probably kicking herself.
She also saw Todoroki, who seemed neutral as always. But, Kyouka knew he wasn’t happy about being in the top spot since a good portion of it was because of his father’s name.
Katsuki looked up at the board, a growl barely held back.
...One draft.
One. Fucking. Draft.
Deku was the only draft behind him, and he wasn’t even first. He might not have accepted his victory against him, but he still won the tournament. IcyHot was ahead of him by a lot, and Deku was right behind him.
Even Earlobes’ number was higher than he ever would have expected.
Suddenly, Katsuki felt claustrophobic. What the fuck was going on?
Aizawa clicked off the projector, picking up a bundle of papers. “Once class is over, everyone with drafts will get a personalized list of agencies who asked for you. Everyone else will get a list of agencies who are willing to accept any student. There are still some popular agencies on that list, so don’t feel discouraged if you didn’t get drafted. Like I said, this year was an unusual one. But, whoever you choose, you’ll be working directly alongside pros. So, before you can do that, you’ll need your hero names. Now, nothing inappropriate. Yes, I am looking at you, Mineta and Kaminari.”
Mineta hummed to himself, “That’s fair.”
“Aw, c’mon! I wouldn’t do that!” Denki shouted.
“Anyway,” Aizawa continued, ignoring the two, “your names can be changed before graduation, but you’ll still want to think of something good.”
“Or you’ll be put through hell!” All attention was shifted to the door with Midnight entering the class. “What you choose now just might be the name the whole world calls you. So, it better be truly exceptional. Everyone, grab a white board and marker, and start thinking!”
Many in the class cheered, grabbing their necessary items and moving back to their desk. As time passed, people began heading up to the podium and giving off their names. Kyouka stuck to simply “Earphone Jack”. Her quirk’s name was fitting for her hero alias. Besides, it could be changed at any time before graduation, so she didn’t stress too much over the name.
Katsuki ran up to the stand, “King Explosion Murder!”
Midnight frowned, “No.”
“Lord Explosion Murder!”
“No.”
“Emperor Explosion Murder!”
“No.”
“God Explosion Murder!”
“No.”
“God Explosion!”
“Getting a little better.”
“God Murder!”
“Wh-? No! Ugh, just go back to your seat and think it over again.” Katsuki grunted, moving back to his seat.
Suddenly, Mina jumped up to the podium, proudly showing off her card. "Alien Queen!"
Midnight frowned at the name, "You really want to be associated with that monster from the films? That really won't go over well. Pick a different one."
Mina's shoulders immediately drooped, legitimate sadness on her face.
"Excuse me, Midnight?" Kyouka raised her hand.
"Yes, Ms. Jirou?"
"Please, forgive me, but...that's stupid."
"...Excuse me?"
"I mean, it's a name that means something to her. A bunch of people will like the reference, kids who are into that stuff will find it awesome. And, to be completely honest, that name is badass. Besides, it’s her hero name. Shouldn’t it be her choice. I vote she's Alien Queen."
"It's not a vote,” Nemuri growled.
"U-Uh..." All eyes suddenly switched to Midoriya, his usual silence broken. "I...I agree. It's perfect for her."
Ochako jumped up, "Me three!"
Tsu raised her hand, "Me, too."
Kirishima pumped his fist, "Alien Queen is so manly! Uh, and womanly. So just as badass, if not more so!"
Denki jumped up onto his desk, screaming out, "ALIEN QUEEEEN!!!"
All of 1-A, minus Katsuki, Tokoyami, Koda, and Todoroki, all began to shout, "Alien Queen! Alien Queen! Alien Queen! Alien Queen!"
Midnight growled, cracking her whip until they all stopped shouting. "...Fine."
"YEAH!!!"
Mina smiled brightly, tears brimming in her eyes as she jumped towards her classmates, "I love you guys so much! HUG MEEEE!"
Midnight groaned, crossing her arms as the test of the class celebrated. Aizawa slid out from behind his desk, looking up at Midnight from his sleeping bag.
"You have to admit, it's a badass name."
"Shut up. Midoriya, are you ready?"
“U-Uh, yeah. I think so.”
Izuku walked up to the podium, placing his board down for everyone to see. He could see everyone’s expression switch to confusion, minus Kyouka, Ochako, and Katsuki. He did his best to speak without a stutter in front of so many people, “This n-name, well...a-as a lot of you can see is a bit confusing. But...s-someone changed what this word means to me. They changed how I view it, and how I can change how the world views it, too. I won’t let them down, a-and I won’t let myself down. I am Deku. The hero who can do anything.”
Midnight thought about it, shrugging. “Simple, I can see the joke behind it. If you want it, it’s yours.” Izuku nodded, walking back to his desk, ignoring the look Katsuki was giving him and taking his seat. He looked over at Kyouka as she rested her head on her hand, smiling at him. He blushed, returning the smile with one of his own.
…
(Lunchtime)
The rest of the class gave their names, with Katsuki still not picking one. Iida had stuck to his first name, which he seemed disappointed in. But, it was obvious they weren’t going to get anything out of him today.
Now, Izuku, Kyouka, Momo, Ochako, and Iida all ate their lunch in the classroom, going over their internship offers. He didn’t ask to sit with them, but Shoto was there as well. He sat a little outside of the circle and stayed quiet, but they made it clear to him he was welcome to join in if he pleased.
Ochako looked down her list, pointing at one name that stood out to her. “Oh, Gunhead. He could be good. I did say I wanted to get moves like you, Jirou!”
“Ah, I don’t know that much.”
“Yes you do! I couldn’t keep up with you during our fight. Maybe if I go to Gunhead we could have a one-on-one?”
Kyouka gave a curt laugh, “I’ve seen your “Terminator Mode”. Don’t make fighting you even scarier.” Momo suddenly began coughing violently in her seat as she choked on her tea.
“Yaoyorozu, are you okay?!” Iida shouted.
Momo nodded, catching her breath. “I-I’m fine, it’s just...I was caught off guard.”
Ochako tilted her head, “By what?”
“...This.” Momo extended out the paper in her hand for everyone to read.
Izuku shot out of his seat, his eyes wide. “Edgeshot!”
Ochako grabbed Momo’s shoulders, shaking her back and forth, “That’s insane! He’s in the top five!”
Momo grabbed Ochako’s arms, keeping her still. “Yes, I’m aware. It’s just...He wants to train me?”
“Stop.” Everyone switched their gaze to Kyouka, her finger pointing at Momo. “None of that. Check the box, sign your name.”
“But, I-”
“Check the box.”
“...Okay. I will, I’ll...I’m going to go turn this in.”
Ochako stood up with her papers, “I’ll come with you. I’ve decided on Gunhead.”
Iida rose with his papers, “I’ve chosen as well. What about you, Todoroki?”
Shoto looked down at his papers, seeing his father’s name at the top. “...Yeah,” he sighed. He stood up with the rest of them.
Kyouka nodded towards Izuku, “We’re still looking, but we’ll see you guys in class.” The group left, leaving Kyouka and Izuku alone in the classroom. “Okay, Deku, lay ‘em on me.”
Izuku picked up Kyouka’s papers, reading off the names. "Catwoman?"
"Unoriginal and not like the comics. She's basically a furry. Next."
Izuku placed that request to the side, picking up the next one. "Death Arms?"
"Hm...I dunno. Maybe. I don't really know much about him."
"He's pretty cool. I met him once."
Kyouka perked up, "Seriously?"
"Yeah he...A-Ah, well he berated me fo-"
"Nope. Next."
"But you don't even know what he berated me for."
"Don't care. He berated you, so it's not for me. Next." Kyouka leaned back in her desk chair, sighing to herself. They were nine-hundred requests in, and she still couldn't pick one. She almost wished she did poorly in the festival so she wasn't as overwhelmed with options. Looking back at her stack, her eyes suddenly focused on a small sliver in the pile. "Hey, what's that?" Kyouka slipped out the shimmering, golden paper from the middle of the stack, her brow furrowing. "Oh, it's just a request from All Might. Next." She put the paper aside, once again leaning back.
Izuku froze, his eyes widening as he looked at Kyouka. "...What?"
"I said it's just a request from All Mi-..." The purplette's eyes shot open as well, her hand quickly grabbing up the gold embroidered paper and gazing at it in disbelief.
~Ms. Jirou, we are happy to inform you that the number one hero, All Might, has personally requested you for a week and a half long internship at his agency in Tokyo. A living area will be provided for you, along with food and transportation as you desire it.~
~If you choose to accept this offer, please check the box at the bottom and sign on the given line.~
A/N: Yep, that was All Might's idea a few chapters ago.
I already have a bunch written down for Kyouka's internship. Trust me, this should be good.
Writing those two together is legitimately pretty fun.
Also, yes, Momo is going to Edgeshot in this fic as well. Right now, Model Medusa isn't what she needs. And if it makes anyone feel better, I can have Itsuka go somewhere different, too.
I forgot to mention, if you didn't last time or missed the message, if you would like to, join our IzuJirou discord server
https://discord.gg/mhFJTW4JkJ
It's an awesome place, seriously.