"It's one dorm building per class. Girls on the right and boys are on the left. However, the ground floor is the common area. You'll eat, bathe and do the laundry on this floor" Aizawa grumbles
"Owaaa!" Hakagure cheers
"There's even a courtyard" Sero exclaims
"It's so big! There's even a sofa!" Mina says excitedly
The whole class was extremely pumped for their new dorm. Despite everything that has happened recently, it was extremely exciting to live together with their friends. They move towards the other floor to see their new rooms.
"Rooms are on the first floor and higher. There are four rooms per gender on each floor and five floors in total."
The whole class marvel at the spacious room they would be living in. There was an aircon, walk-in closets, and even their own mini refrigerator inside. Aizawa calls the class' attention back to him, "I am informing you all to let you know you will be having new classmates"
"EEHehhh? New classmates?" The students shout rightfully confused.
"Yes, there are four of them. Please welcome them and treat them with care. In fact-" Aizawa glances at the sounds of footstep climbing down the staircases, "These are two of them"
Aether peaks around the corner to see a gaggle of students, all unique looking. Truly different from the people in Teyvat. He was sure he saw a bird over there. Aether gently smiles, "Hi"
"Hello!!" They cheer back and Aether smiles in relief that they all seem kind. A blue-haired kid steps forward and does some weird chopping motions, "Welcome! I am Iida, the class president. Yoroshiku!"
Aether rounds the corner showing himself before the class, "I'm Aether and this is-"
Aether peek beside him to see no one. He looks up to see Xiao still on top of the staircase, they look at each other having a silent eye conversation with just their eyes before Xiao sighs in defeat and descends down as well. He rounds the corner and shows himself, Aether nudges him to introduce himself, "Xiao"
The class audibly 'ooh's
"You have tattoos!?" Kirishima steps forward, "That's so manly!!"
Xiao presses his lips into a thin line before rushing away with a mutter of "I'm going back to our room"
Aether scratches the back of his head, sheepishly. "Sorry 'bout that! He doesn't do well in crowds"
"Well, he's a dick" Bakugo snorts. The girls scold him, "Don't say that!"
"He'll come around soon. He isn't actually like that"
Uraraka reassures Aether, "Don't worry we understand! He's like Bakugo!"
"HA? Don't lump me in with tattoo freak"
"Well, I'd love to see you get along but I'll be going now. I'll explain more about future events tomorrow. Settle in" Aizawa excuses himself (escapes) and the class thanks him, "Thank you sensei!"
When Aizawa leaves the class all but drags Aether down to the common area.
∙•・◦●♟●◦・•∙
"So, how'd your friend get tattoos?" Kirishima asks, "I bet I'll look super manly with tattoos as well"
They gathered on the sofa. They all finished introducing themselves to Aether and he as well repeats his introduction. In the past minutes, Aether had explained their reason for "transferring" to UA high. All of them believe in Aether's excuses, not prodding any further to the highly suspicious nature of their transfer.
Iida fixes his glass, light reflecting off of it. "From what I know, the law does not allow minors to get tattoos"
Aether fumbles around for an explanation, he didn't think Xiao's tattoo would be considered peculiar in this world. If he knew he could have told Xiao to wear the long-sleeve shirt Aizawa left for them instead of the short-sleeved one, "It's natural?"
"Oh! Like from his quirk?" Midoriya supplies and Aether nods frantically, 'Nice save'
"But what is this Xiao's quirk?" Momo asks, "If it's not rude to ask."
Aether shakes his head, "Of course not. It's Anemo"
"Anemo?" The class repeats, confused.
"Like the wind element," Aether says in layman terms. He supposes the word "Anemo" isn't exactly common here. He looks at his now classmates looking back at him and a warmth settles in Aether's chest. It had been a long time since he was surrounded by people who didn't need him to do some menial task for them, it was nice how mundane it was to just converse and answer questions.
"How does he use the wind though?" Tsuyu asks, tongue sticking out from curiosity.
"It's a little hard to explain. You'll just have to see it for yourselves" Aether chuckles.
"Well, how about your quirk?" Midoriya wonders if Aether had a quirk just like his friend, Xiao, or something else completely unique, "I bet it's super impressive"
Aether waves his hand from side to side in a "no" motion, "I'm afraid it isn't as flashy as my other friend's powers."
"Don't say that! I bet it's really cool" Mina encourages her new friend.
"It's Electro" Aether admits that his power really isn't as flashy as Childe who can summon a whale or Zhongli who can summon a meteor.
"Then you have the same power as Kaminari over here!" Kirishima exclaims, pumped with excitement. "I guess you two would have to see who's stronger between the two of you-"
"Looks like I got myself competition!" Kaminari exclaims "I'm not gonna go easy on you!"
Aether laughs at the high energy the people had. It wasn't even a day and already Aether finds himself having so much fun. A complete change of pace from what he was usually used to. Whatever reason it was he was transported here, he was thankful he was able to meet such kind people.
"Where are your other friends anyway?" Jiro questions, it had been half an hour since they first met Aether. One would think the other would have shown themselves by now
Aether recalls the last time he saw Zhongli and Childe, "I think they're in the baths"
"For half an hour?" Jiro presses, that was weird, "Who showers for half an hour?"
Aether cringes, 'I don't think they're just showering in there'
Aether makes some lame excuse like "Oh, they haven't showered for the past week so they're really cleaning themselves"
"Ew!!!" The class collectively says. Zhongli might summon a meteor at Aether for making it look like they were unhygienic animals but it wasn't his fault, I meant whose bright idea was it to be in a shower for almost an hour? (Childe)
"They must look super homeless like Aizawa-sensei" Mina giggles and Hagakure adds on," Or very weird like Mineta"
The girls giggle and Aether is unsure if that was a good sign. Aether reiterates it isn't his fault their classmates now think Childe and Zhongli probably live on the streets.
"But what is their name?" Kirishima asks, "What do they look like? Do they have tattoos like your other friend?"
Aether hesitates, he knows Childe doesn't have any but Zhongli? Zhongli was like the male nun of Liyue. Covered from head to toe, the only skin you could see from Zhongli was his face and his neck. You won't even be able to see a sliver of Zhongli's wrist or ankle. The only person who had the privilege to see a fragment of what Zhongli looks like under his stiff suit was Childe. "Their name is Zhongli and Childe. Childe doesn't have tattoos but I'm not sure about Zhongli"
"Childe? What kind of name is that?"
"I assume when you say, Childe. It is spelled with an E at the end? In the middle ages it is a term for youths of noble origins" Momo expounds
Aether nods furiously, finally someone who wasn't confused.
"I heard you say my name, I hope you're not bad-mouthing me, comrade!"
The class turns to the side of the voice and everyone's jaw drops. Exiting the bathroom, Childe dripping in water, walking like it was a fashion show. Childe had an unbuttoned blouse and loose slacks that barely hung on his hips, it showed off his defined abdominal muscles and sturdy v-line. Scars littered Childe's body and yet it somehow added to the appeal. Aether narrows his eyes at Childe's exposed body, a concerning purple mark on his hips in the shape of a hand. Barely noticeable but Aether's eyes are like a hawk that can see past the bullshit.
"...oh my god" Mina screeches, shaking Aether back and forth. "I thought you said they looked homeless and weird!!!"
"I did not say anything like that! You guys were the ones who came to the conclusion all on your own!" Aether protests trying to loosen Mina's grip from his collar lest he died from suffocation. Once Aether was free from Mina's grasp, he grabs a couch pillow and throws it to Childe which he dodges but that didn't mean he won't complain. "Hey! That's foul play!"
"Put on your damn clothes! You're ruining the children's eyes" Aether spreads his arm to block the view but it literally does nothing. The class was still staring at Childe like he was some interesting specimen that fell out of the sky (not inaccurate).
"I do have my clothes!" Childe waves wildly at the clothes that were barely hanging off of him as if it did not make him look like a stripper, "I forgot to bring a towel okay! I had to put on my clothes even if I was still clearly dripping wet"
Mina shoves Aether to the side and he tumbles down the couch. He could only gape in shock as Mina flutters his eyes at Childe, "Don't worry, we don't mind!"
Tsuyu, Jiro, and Momo nods sagely, "We completely understand"
Childe chuckles and flushes. Aether was half-surprised Childe didn't say flirty comments like he would've usually done but Aether guesses even Childe had the common decency to not flirt.
Kirishima gapes openly at Childe's muscles, "How did you get your muscles to look like that?"
"Yeah!" Kaminari agrees, "I'm gonna sound like Kirishima but- it looks super manly!"
"Kil-" Aether punches Childe in the gut before he could say anything. Aether whisper-hisses, "Were you going to say something like "kill a hundred hilichurls daily"?"
Childe coughs, "I mean um do one-hundred push-ups, one hundred sit-ups, one hundred squats, and ten-kilometer running every day!"
"Woah is that a one-punch-man reference??" Kirishima shouts, "I didn't know you were a fan"
"Wha-what's a one-punch man," Childe asks but no one hears it as Kaminari proclaims, "You must have so many girls around you. Damn. Do you think I can look like that?"
"I would hope that that statement is false"
"Zhongli!" Childe spins around and heads toward Zhongli, Aether can see an invisible tail wagging. Aether's suspicion rises, before they arrived here he was being all sad and disgusting now he was being happy but still disgusting. Childe was turning 180 degrees more often than a coaster ride. "You know there aren't any girls around me. They hate me"
"Oh really?" Zhongli puffs smoke out of a kiseru pipe. Just gotten out of the shower, Zhongli's hair was damp and was free from his usual hair tie. It fell across his shoulders beautifully. Unlike Childe, he was covered in a silken bathrobe with the same color tones as Zhongli's suit yet it still did not show more skin than usual. Even after showering, there was the usual red rouge under Zhongli's eyes. Out of his usual suit, Zhongli looked less put together but did not make him less alluring to look at. If Aether wasn't already whipped for another, he might just be like Childe wagging his tail. Zhongli looked like an imperial consort who just finished laying with the emperor and Aether supposes this was one of the reasons why Childe could never get enough of Zhongli.
But wait, where did Zhongli get that Kiseru pipe? Wait (x2), was smoking even allowed in the dorms? The answer for that is Author decided when one is Zhongli you must always either be drinking tea or smoking out of a Kiseru pipe to double the badassery.
"Then why did I see Liling, the daughter of the Third-round knockout's owner, giving you gifts of courtship a few days ago?"
"Who's Liling?" Childe tilts his head, "I don't even remember any Liling"
Zhongli hums in content at Childe's answer. Boys, take notes, this is how to answer trick questions from your significant other.
Zhongli nudges Childe towards their room, "Let us go dry ourselves before we introduce ourselves to our friends"
Childe smiles and waves at their classmates, "Bye girlies!"
They swoon a bit and Aether resists the urge to vomit.
∙•・◦●♟●◦・•∙
A/N: Still have a hard time balancing a conversation in a group of people. Sorry if I wasn't able to give some screentime to other characters. Don't worry they will have more screen time in the coming chapters :>
Also yes, I am projecting my love and swooning to Childe into the BNHA girls.
Notes:
1. As you have noticed already, the timeline is S3 E53 where they moved into the dorms.
2. (煙管) is a smoking pipe traditionally used for smoking a small serving of kizami. (Wiki) I've always loved how the kiseru pipe looked and my OC Evelynn in my HxH fanfic smokes it as well.
Edit as of 12.07.2023: Minor changes in grammar and sentences for smoother reading.