A/N: So, it's been uh...a month. Very, very stressful. But, the worst is hopefully over. We're finally at camp, and things will begin to ramp up next chapter.
Really ramp up. Once again, I have to ask...Do you guys trust me?
...~AIV~...
"So, this Moonfish guy..." Dabi slumped into the barstool next to Tomura and slid his hands into his jacket pocket, "He really worth all this trouble?"
"Eh, debatable," Tomura shrugged, swiveling around in his chair to watch Kurogiri and Twice work. They had moved the stools and tables away from the center of the room, giving their new arrival some space. Odds were it wouldn't be pretty. Being pulled out of jail via a mysterious black portal wouldn't exactly be the safest feeling in the world. "But, if this works, I have an idea for the future. Besides, the more distractions the better."
"That all we are? Distractions?"
"Mm, that's the plan. But, if you're asking if you're only going to be distractions after the attack, that entirely depends on how much worth you prove to have."
Dabi noncommittally grunted in response, returning his eyes to the black vortex before them. He leaned back against the bar, preparing for his next question, "I do have to ask: Why the Midoriya kid? You put him on the 'Do Not Touch' list. What's that about?"
Tomura didn't answer immediately, opting to take his hand hooked in his belt loops and put it back onto his face. Standing up from the bar, he rolled his shoulders back as he responded, "All in due time, my overcooked friend."
"Ungh, you're a real dick, you know that?"
"Thank you."
"That wasn'-"
"Kurogiri," Tomura interrupted him, moving on from the conversation. "Shouldn't they be back by now?"
"Mm," Kurogiri hummed noncommittally, "The truck should have left by now, so it shouldn't be long. Twice?"
Twice saluted Tomura, resting back in one of the booths, "Running smoothly! Stop fucking asking!"
Yeah, that was about right.
"What are they doing again?" Dabi asked as he reached behind the counter to rummage for a beer.
"Toga is impersonating the head guard while Twice cloned the rest of the team. They take the truck on its regular route until it passes the river, Kurogiri portals them out, and Compress does his thing on the truck and tosses it into the river," Tomura shrugged. "Ya know, standard heist movie shit. Truck schedule was gifted to us by Giran."
"Why wasn't I involved with this plan?"
"Cause not every guard looks like beef jerky left under the fridge for three years."
"And the guards we replaced?" Dabi continued, ignoring the jab. Tomura didn't answer Dabi's question, merely giving him a knowing look. "Right. Well, hopefully this'll be over before anyone knows they're missi-"
"GOT 'IM!"
Six clones of armed Tartarus guards holding a man completely concealed in a straight jacket and bindings suddenly flew through the portal, with all of the guards landing in a splash as they dissolved on impact.
Himiko, looking like a middle-aged bearded guard, hopped through the portal and raised her hands to the sky, "Towel!"
Twice sprung into action, grabbing the bath towel he had on hand swiftly wrapped it around Himiko. Once the towel was secured around her body, her disguise began to melt away. Compress walked through the portal just in time for Himiko to shake herself clean like a wet dog and fling goop onto him, sighing behind the protective visor of his guard disguise.
"Sorry, Compress!" Toga apologized as she happily skipped over to the bar and took a stool next to Dabi.
"Not bad," Tomura nodded, looking down at the struggling Moonfish.. "So, was our friend here happy with the terms?"
Compress lifted his visor, sharing confused looks with both Toga and Twice, "...We were supposed to explain everything to him?"
"Wh-?! Yes, you fucking idiots! So you just kidnap him withou-?! Ugh, whatever. I'll handle it." Tomura pressed his foot against Moonfish's leg, kneeling down next to him. "If you can hear me in that body bag, hit your head against the floor."
After a few seconds, Moonfish lightly thumped his head against the wood.
"Good. I know you must be confused, but it'll make sense in a bit. To keep things short, we just saved you from Death Row. If you want to stay that way, if you want me to open up that muzzle, and if you want access to flesh, then hit your head against the floor again. Then, we'll start setting some ground rules."
Tomura waited longer this time, with Moonfish clearly weighing his options with such limited information. He would leave out the part where if Moonfish declined, he'd just disintegrate him anyway.
But, thankfully, Moonfish hit his head on the floor again.
Tomura smiled, putting his hand on the locked muzzle around the fugitive's face, watching it crack and crumble under his grasp. "Let's talk business..."
...~AIV~...
( A Few Days Later: Just Outside of Musutafu)
Izuku watched as the city grew smaller and smaller in the distance, their bus taking them to a location still unknown to them. His other classmates were chatting happily in their seats, excited for the new adventure.
...All except for a huffy punk.
Kyouka huffed in the seat next to him, with Izuku swearing her glare was burning a hole into the seats in front of them and consequently Tenya's head.
"It's a little funny, honestly," Izuku smiled at her.
She grumbled, crossing her arms, "It was a little unnecessary. Champagne? Really?"
When the Jirous and Inko said their goodbyes at the UA Bus Lot, they might have popped a champagne bottle as the bus pulled out of the lot, celebrating time away from their trouble-making children.
"In their defense, we don't exactly make it easy for them to relax. They could probably use a break from us. And, let's not be hypocrites." Izuku leaned in, whispering to her, "We always celebrate in one way or another when we're left alone."
Kyouka smirked up at him with rose-tinted cheeks, "Alright, you got me there. But, it's not just that. It's a whole month...surrounded by our classmates...with no alone time."
Izuku internally grimaced, but still interlaced their fingers, "We'll figure something out. I mean, hey, I'd argue a forest is more secluded than a beach."
"You really think Aizawa would let us out of his sight?"
Just as Kyouka said, Aizawa stood up and turned towards his students, already halfway into his sleeping bag and clearly not happy that the bus had left so early in the morning. "Something tells me that he won't be in the mood to constantly watch over us."
"Alright, listen up!" Shouta grabbed his students' attention, waiting for them to get quiet, which was damn near impossible. "This bus ride is three-hours long. I skim the brink of insanity after just one class with you maniacs, so I'll be completely passed out up in the front with headphones on. Unless we're attacked or someone is dying, all issues will be relayed to Iida and Yaoyorozu. No trouble, or I'll go ballistic. And, Problem Children? Don't Problem Children anything, okay?"
"Wh-?! Hey!" Kyouka tried to defend them. "It's a bus ride. I'm sure we can sit still without causing any-"
*CRACK*
Everyone turned to see Izuku's arm rest had seemingly cracked right off of the seat. Izuku looked around with wide eyes, not sure what to do with the broken arm rest in his hands.
"..." Kyouka turned back to Aizawa, settling back into her seat, "Point has been made. Continue."
"...What have I signed myself up for?" Shouta sighed, sitting back down and curling up in his chair.
They had told Aizawa about their little run-in at the mall, which was a debate in itself. Aizawa was suspicious of so much already, and having Shigaraki target Izuku specifically just raised more questions.
But, at their request, he kept it quiet and made last-minute changes to the camp plans. He took the fall for the discretion, calling it another one of his "deceptions".
However, when he announced the change of plans, he was smiling to himself the entire time.
...Nothing to worry about, right?
...~AIV~...
( A Few Hours Later: Unknown Location )
"Hey, we're stopped," Izuku lightly shook Kyouka awake, catching the jack that instinctively came out to poke him.
"Mm," Kyouka hummed, stretching her neck as she looked out the window. "Where the heck are we?"
Ochako popped her head up over the seat in front of them, "Some mountain landing near a forest. I think we're stopping to stretch our legs or something, cause I don't see any buildings anywhere."
"...What are the odds of Aizawa making us camp outside all summer?"
Momo sighed, moving out from her seat next to Ochako, "High enough to where we shouldn't think about it."
The friend group exited the bus, joining the rest of their class. They found Shoto already in the gaggle of students, with Izuku asking, "Where's the Class 1B bus?"
Shoto shrugged, "Dunno. Mr. Aizawa hasn't said anything either. I think he's waiting for something."
As his friends began to talk amongst themselves, Izuku's eyes began to roam the forest, trying to figure out where they were. His eyes caught a glimpse of blonde hair, seeing Katsuki talking (listening without responding) to Kirishima over by the cliffside.
Their eyes met, but for the first time Izuku didn't back down, and kept looking. His neutral expression silently combated with Katsuki's attempts at masking irritation with stoicism. Surprisingly, Izuku won out, with Katsuki returning his gaze to the forest.
It honestly felt kind of good, doing that with Katsuki not even bothering with some sort of insult or sneer. The last time they had spoken was right before the midterms, when he had defended Koda from the blonde. Their interactions since the Sports Festival had been sparse, almost non-existent.
Maybe he needed to ask Koda what went down during their test together. He knew they had passed, and Izuku didn't want to say he was surprised, but...
He was surprised.
"Been a long time, Eraser!" Izuku turned back to his friends, his eyes widening at the bright colors and costumes that he saw. Everyone's attention was quickly grabbed by the two women approaching the group. He had only just noticed the yellow sedan next to the bus. The woman in red looked the class over before smiling at Aizawa. "Looks like you've got a great group this year."
Aizawa laughed a little, raising a brow towards her, "What makes you say that?"
"You've got all twenty kids, which means you haven't expelled any of them this year."
"Hm, fair point." Shouta nodded over to his class, walking back to the bus. "Go ahead and introduce yourselves."
"With pleasure!" The woman in red shouted proudly, getting into a pose with her partner. "Rock on with these sparkling gazes!"
"Stingingly cute and cat-like!" The blonde joined in.
"We're the Wild-Wild Pussycats!" / "We're the Wild-Wild Pussycats!"
The class was dead silent as the two heroes remained in their poses like statues. Eventually Kyouka turned to Izuku, "Hero Encyclopedia, please?"
"They're a four-member hero team who all work under the same agency!" Izuku explained excitedly. "This is Pixie Bob and Mandalay! They specialize in mountain rescue operations! They've been working for over twelve years now!"
Pixie Bob launched at Izuku in the blink of an eye, her cat-gloves coming right for his face, "We're eighteen at hear-Eh?"
Before she could touch him, she felt something tightly grip her arm and drag her to the side, making her go right past Izuku. Pixie Bob looked down to see Kyouka's jacks retract from around her arm and return to the girl. The blonde could practically feel ten-thousand threats thrown her way from Kyouka's bored glare alone.
Who knew such a small girl could be so scary?
"Ahem," Mandalay got between them, bringing attention back to her as she pointed towards the canopy of trees below. "Ignore her. Anyway, this entire forest is our territory. You'll all be staying at our lodge headquarters, located at the base of the mountain."
As Mandalay continued to speak, without turning her eyes away, Kyouka whispered to her boyfriend, "...Hey, Izuku?"
"Yeah?"
"This seem suspicious to you?"
"You mean the fact that the lodge is miles away and yet we're stopped? Along with the fact that Mr. Aizawa retreated to the bus? Yeah."
Kyouka eyed the heroes, seeing Pixie Bob take off her gloves to crack her knuckles, a devious look in her eyes. "...What's Pixie Bob's quirk?"
"Earth Flow. She can manipulate the ground and do a lot of crazy stuff."
"...And we're-?"
"Stopped on a cliffside, yes. Ready?"
"...Yes?"
"Perfect."
Mandalay squinted up towards the sky before turning to Aizawa, who was watching from within the bus. "Do you have the time, Eraserhead?!"
Aizawa checked his phone as he slid down the window, "Almost ten o'clock!"
"Ah, perfect! That'll give you all a couple of hours to get there by lunchtime."
Denki raised his hand, looking confused, "A couple of hours? Why would it take that long by bus?"
Mandalay stared blankly at him, "...You haven't figured it out yet?"
Denki furrowed his brow, thinking hard to try and decipher what was going on.
"...Ooooh. Okay, I get it." Denki quickly turned around, bolting for the bus, "Make a break for i-AH!"
Mina then promptly shoved him to the ground in her attempt to escape, "Every woman for herself!"
Most tried to run, but those who made it to the bus were met with shut doors and Aizawa's blank stare watching them through the glass.
He waved at his students as they violently knocked on the door, his monotone voice coming out muffled through the glass, "You have three hours. Have fun."
The cliffside quickly fell out from beneath their feet, plummeting the entire class to the forest below.
As the rocks began to slip out from beneath him, Izuku quickly grabbed onto Kyouka's hand and threw her arm around his neck, using his free hand to grab Tenya. Following Izuku's lead, Kyouka's jacks shot out and wrapped around Ochako and Momo, bringing them in as they fell down past the treeline. Ochako grabbed Shoto by the shirt, piling him on with the rest of the group.
Izuku flipped around as he landed on his feet, grunting as he caught them all. Holding a small pile of people was certainly a balancing act. He stumbled backwards, doing his best not to fall on his back with all of his friends landing on top of him. Especially since Kyouka would be the true victim of it, as she was doing her best to keep Izuku upright. Momo popped a shield out of her leg, bringing it up to cover them from any more rocks and debris that fell.
Izuku messily let them all go, thankful that his friends were mostly able to land on their feet unscathed. Kyouka let go of him, growling as she brushed small rocks off of her shoulder, "Urgh, would anyone like to remind me why we go to this school run by psychos again?"
"To be fair," Tenya sighed, readjusting his glasses, "if we're to be dealing with villainous psychopaths in the future, then they might be the best equipped to teach us how."
"Yeah? Well...Uh, Izuku?"
Izuku spit on the ground, trying to get the taste of dirt out of his mouth, "Yeah?"
"What exactly does 'Earth Flow' do?"
"Why do you as-...Oh."
Class 1A watched in absolute dread as the ground, for as far as they could see into the forest, began to rise up and morph before their eyes. Four legs, gnashing teeth, and the size to back them up.
Tenya sighed in disappointment, "I would like to retract my previous statement. We go to a school run by psychopaths."
Before anyone could start the fight, Koda walked towards one of the beasts with his arms open wide. "Wait, my friends. Please, we mean you no har-Ah!"
Koda was suddenly yanked back by the collar of his shirt by Katsuki as one of the monsters bit down hard at where Koda had been standing.. He thrusted his hand forward, blasting the earth beast to smithereens. "They ain't real animals, Geodude! Call a bear or something!"
"Th-There aren't bears in these woods!"
"Then think of something!" Katsuki growled, blasting another beast as it began to form next to him.
"Well, I guess the fun's starting," Kyouka sighed, her and her friends getting into fighting positions. "Anyone got any ideas? I kinda don't know how to fight big stuff like this without my gear."
Ochako moved closer to her with wide eyes, "I don't know how to fight stuff like this in general."
Momo began unbuttoning her top, turning to face the cliffside as her skin glowed blue, "Don't worry. I'll make some gear for us."
Izuku began walking forward as cyan sparks crackled off of his skin, "Shoto, cover them. Tenya, let's get a headstart, give them some breathing room."
With his pant legs already rolled up, Tenya's engines began to rumble, "Right behind you."
Izuku turned to look through the trees, seeing Katsuki mirroring him and walking towards the growing horde of beasts with sparks popping out of his palms. Crimson met emerald, neither stopping their march through the forest. Izuku heard the beasts growl, ripping his gaze away from Katsuki as he began to charge forward.
Katsuki grunted, breaking into a sprint of his own. As Izuku's speed became far beyond anything natural, Katsuki fired off a stream of explosions behind him. Streaks of electric green and fiery orange raced through the forest, hitting the dirt beasts with full force.
Izuku wasn't even trying to start some silent competition. Really, it was the last thing he wanted, but...
Perhaps some things truly couldn't just die.
...~AIV~...
( Many Hours Later: WWP Mountain Lodge )
"Hah, Kyouka...hah...you know I like doing this, but, hah...can I please put you down now?" Izuku panted out, patting Kyouka's leg as he piggybacked her out of the forest.
Everyone else was trudging along behind them at varying distances. Mina, Denki, and Tooru had been dragged on a sled, courtesy of Momo, by Shouji for the last few miles. Everyone was practically stumbling their way through the forest, their battle with the Earth beasts lasting for far longer than it probably should have.
"Mmm," Kyouka groaned, nuzzling further into his shoulder and shutting her eyes. "I'll get you next time, I promise."
"Kyouka, we both know that's not happening," Izuku sighed, twitching as green sparks zapped across his skin involuntarily. "I released a lot of energy back there, so my muscles are...Okay, I can't feel my limbs, I'm not even sure how I'm standing right now."
"Okay, put me down." Kyouka felt her feet hit the ground as Izuku sighed in relief. Kyouka put her hand on his shoulder, kneeling down slightly. "I can't make any promises about how far I'll get, but we can switch."
Izuku threw out his arm, pointing towards the lodge in the distance, "We're already here."
"Oh...Well, I'll make it up to you," Kyouka helped him up, leaning on each other as they approached the building.
By the main entrance of the lodge, Aizawa sat in a lawn chair, book in hand, "Finally, you made it."
Ochako groaned as she slumped into Kyouka, joining in their efforts to not collapse from exhaustion, "You said it would take three hours!"
"I said you have three hours to get here, which was clearly an underestimation," Mandalay corrected her. As the rest of the class began to join them, Izuku began to fade their groans into the background as his gaze was met with one of a young boy behind Mandalay. Spiky black hair under a red, horned hat, with a look in his eyes that Izuku somehow felt all too familiar with.
"I do have to admit," Pixie Bob joined in, "that wasn't the performance we were looking for. We would have cleared it in under an hour. However, there were a few standouts..."
Mandalay glared at her teammate, but it was already too late, "Pixie Bob, don-"
Pixie Bob suddenly launched at Izuku, Tenya, Shoto, and Katsuki, a crazed look in her azure eyes, "You four are some promising young heroes! I'll mark them as mi-Uumph!"
Kyouka had grabbed Pixie Bob by the face, shoving her away from Izuku, "No! Bad! That's not for you!"
"Hiss!"
Kyouka got in her face, baring her teeth, "NO!"
Pixie Bob flinched back at Kyouka's knife-sharp tone and paralyzing stare. With her jacks, it was as if she was a Mini-Medusa. Pixie Bob grumbled and walked away, seeing she was beaten.
She walked back to Mandalay to pout, but her teammate simply shrugged, "I'm not saying anything. You deserved that. Being that desperate isn't attractive, you know?"
"Shut up!"
Satisfied with her work, Kyouka grumbled as she turned back to Izuku, only to find the questioning eyes of her classmates trained on her. Yeah, maybe that wasn't what most would call subtle. Kyouka turned away from her classmates' prying eyes, the strange look Izuku was giving her catching her view. "...What?"
"Nothing, just..." Izuku cut himself off, quickly leaning in to whisper, "You're so incredibly hot, you know that?"
"Wh-?! You-..." Kyouka sighed, a pout forming on her lips. "Thank you."
"Also, if anyone wasn't suspicious of us before, they definitely are now."
"Whatever. If they can't figure it out by now, then they're just dumb."
"...But, Ashido-"
"I stand by what I said."
"Everyone!" Mandalay began to announce to the class, "Head over to the bus and grab your luggage! You'll head down the main hallway until you reach its end. Boys' rooms are to the left, and girls' are to the right. After you've put your things aways, follow the signs to the dining hall where dinner will be-"
Once the word "dinner" was spoken, most of the class rushed inside, pushing and trampling over each other until only a handful of students remained. Apparently, the idea of food also made them forget about their luggage. Aizawa closed his book with a sigh, getting up to follow his students, with Pixie Bob grumbling not far behind.
Over the horde of students, Izuku and Kyouka could see Ochako wave over the people surrounding her, "I'll save us a table!"
Kyouka chuckled and waved back, "Thanks!"
Momo sighed as she walked up past them, seemingly the only one headed towards the bus, "I'll grab her stuff."
"I'll help," Kyouka nodded as Momo walked away.
"Hold up a second," Mandalay stopped her as she approached the couple. She bowed, smiling apologetically to them. "I'm sorry about Pixie Bob. She's just...uh, scared. Love still eludes her, and she's just afraid that she'll get too old."
Kyouka furrowed her brow, "She looks like she's in her mid-twenties."
"She's only thirty-one," Mandalay chuckled. "But, her worst fear is missing out. It's good to see you guys don't have that worry. You two are very cute, by the way."
They glanced at one another, with Izuku asking, "You know?"
"Eraser told us ahead of time. A couple of first years as a Hero Duo? You don't see that everyday, but he spoke very highly of your abilities and cooperation. We'll try and create some training scenarios for the both of you, alright?"
"Of course," they both bowed, with Izuku responding for them. "Thank you for adjusting to our special conditions. And, uh, if you don't mind me asking, who's child is that over there? I didn't think that any of the Pussycats had children."
"...You would know that?"
"A-Ah, he's a giant hero nerd," Kyouka quickly filled in the blanks, acting as Izuku's filter. "Just assume he'll know a lot of random facts about them."
"Hmhmhm, alright then," Mandalay giggled, gesturing behind her to the sneering boy, "This is actually my nephew, Kota. Kota, come say hello. You'll be seeing a lot of these guys for the next few weeks, so get friendly with them."
Izuku smiled at the boy as he walked past Mandalay and approached him, reaching down to shake his hand.
"Hi. I'm Izuku Midoriya." The boy looked up at Izuku with a glare, his hand raising up, only for Izuku to back away quickly as a fist came barreling towards his crotch. "Whoa!"
Luckily, Izuku dodged in time, internally sighing in relief.
"Kota! Why would you do that?!" Mandalay quickly grabbed the boy's arm, pulling him away from Izuku. "I'm so sorry, Midoriya. Forgive him, it's complicated."
"I-It's fine. We'll see you inside." Izuku waved it off with a smile, leaving Mandalay to deal with the boy. He walked back to Kyouka with a further deepening curiosity about the child.
Kyouka chuckled, "Nice dodge."
Izuku nodded, "I've spent the last seven months being stabbed by your jacks. I saw the look in his eyes, it matched yours when you do it."
"Getting predictable, am I?"
"I wouldn't say predictab-"
*JAB*
"Ow!"
"We'll just have to fix that," Kyouka smirked. She nodded down to his crotch, nudging him as she whispered, "Besides, I need that thing."
"Wh-?! Ju-..." Izuku pinched the bridge of his nose, his face turning completely red. He had no response, allowing Kyouka to smugly walk past him. Well, she was getting comfortable with this sort of stuff, so that was good...maybe.
But, as Izuku began his walk towards the bus, he couldn't help but look over at Kota one last time as he sauntered off into the building with his aunt. "Complicated", Mandalay had said, huh? Spending the summer with his aunt, rather than back at home? And, that look in his eyes...
Izuku dreamed of the day he no longer had to come across such tragedies on a daily basis.
...~AIV~...
( Some Time Later: WWP Mountain Lodge Dining Hall)
Inko had raised him to always have table manners, but she also never had to fight earth monsters for hours on end. So, Izuku allowed himself a little leeway, and like the rest of his classmates, ate like a starving savage.
Izuku shoved another pork cutlet into his mouth, fighting off the urge to shove anything else in his mouth. Kyouka had gone to grab more drinks, leaving Izuku with the rest of his friends at their table (saved thanks to Ochako).
Izuku peered down at Shoto's bowl, glancing up to his friend, "Where'd you get soba? They haven't served any."
"We all have our secrets, Izuku."
"...What?"
"Hey," Kyouka cut them off, setting down a tray of cups and ruffling Izuku's hair as she sat down next to him. "Anyone else take a swing at you while I was gone?"
"Hmhm, don't give Kacchan ideas."
"True. Although, I do have a whole month of doing this to look forward to," Kyouka turned, looking at Katsuki's table. "How was your summer, Kacchan?"
"Fuck off!" the blonde said through vicious bites of food.
Kyouka smiled at Izuku, "You know, I really think he's starting to like me."
Approaching his table with more bowls, Kirishima turned to Kyouka with a sigh, "I'm basically the only person on constant Bakugou Duty for the whole month, so at least mock him in ways that'll make him more annoyed than violently angry."
"I second this," Izuku nudged her as Kirishima walked away. "I know you won't be able to help yourself, so I won't ask you to go cold turkey. But, I'd much rather prefer to spend our time at camp with clothes that don't smell burned. Right now he seems to have settled into our 'live and let live' situation we have going on, but I know it won't last."
"Ugh, fine. For you," Kyouka rolled her eyes, feigning frustration.
Izuku chuckled, squeezing her hand under the table, "Thank you."
"Ugh," Ochako sighed with a shake of her head, "You two are so cute it's physically painful."
"Agreed," Momo nodded, sitting next to Iida and sipping her tea. "Speaking of physically painful, what did you mean by taking a swing at Izuku, Kyouka?"
"Oh, Kota, the kid in the red hat, tried to punch Izuku in the dick."
Everyone at the table seemed shocked, but Tenya was the most appalled, "What?! What a monstrous child! A punch to the testicles is unforgivable!"
As Kyouka and Ochako proceeded to die of laughter from Tenya's particular articulation of said event, Izuku tried to at least somewhat reforge the situation. "I-It wasn't like tha-...Okay, he did try, but I'm sure it's more complicated than that. He seems...troubled, in some way."
"Mm, he does kind of have a Bakugou Look to him," Shoto nodded.
"I heard that, Dry Ice!" Katsuki yelled out from his table.
"I didn't think you could hear anything over your ego," Shoto countered, a complete deadpan delivery.
"THE FUCK DID YOU SAY?!"
Kyouka fistpumped the air, a bright smile on her face, "My sass is spreading! I'm a terrible influence! I'm so proud!"
As the two tables of students began to spark a commotion, with Momo and Tenya trying to calm them down, Izuku hid his face behind his hand. He was unable to keep a smile off of his face, laughing more as Kyouka leaned against his shoulder with her own uncontrollable laughter.
Maybe camp wouldn't be so bad.
...~AIV~...
( Some Time Later: Lodge Onsen - Male Section)
Izuku carefully moved his way over to the far corner of the hot spring as the other boys bickered amongst themselves and splashed around. Snug against the rocks, he was close to the dividing wall between the boy's section and the girl's. So close that he could lean his head over and rest against the wood.
Placing his phone and earbuds down on the outer rim of the pool, Izuku stepped into the water. Knocking on the wall, he asked, "You there?"
*Knock Knock*
Hearing his response, Izuku popped in his earbuds and clicked the call button. Sliding down until his chest was submerged, Izuku relaxed as the muffled sounds of his classmates arguing was replaced by the most angelic, beautiful noise he loved so much.
"Do they ever shut up?"
Izuku chuckled, peeking an eye open to see many of the other's animatedly talking over one another, minus the usual few like Bakugou, Todoroki, Tokoyami. "Nope."
Kyouka sighed, "I can hear them over here clear as day. Who's stupid idea was it to have the boy's section and girl's section next to each other anyway? If you didn't put the fear of God into Mineta a few months back I'm sure he would've tried something."
"Probably. Hey, by the way, are you naked?"
"...Wow."
"Wh-? N-No, sorry! I just meant...you know, it's a hot spring, and I didn't think you'd be comfortable."
"I getcha," Kyouka chuckled. "I won't lie, I took my towel off as I was getting in and when everyone's back was turned. But, yeah, I'm naked. So, progress? I don't think I'm ever gonna reach the levels of confidence Ashido has right now. She's not even in the water, she's just sitting on a rock."
"Yeah, some of the guys are certainly, uh, open. It'd be nice to come back to a place like this by ourselves."
"...You think we could convince one of the Pussycats to 'conveniently' leave the doors unlocked and turn a blind eye to a couple of hormonal teenagers wanting to use the hot springs after hours?"
Izuku chuckled with a blush, "I shouldn't be entertaining this idea, but...it depends on which one we ask."
"Pixie-Bob, dude. She'll go for it immediately if we play the romantics up."
"...But we always play the romantics up."
"Exactly. It'll be easy. Although, we'll need a backup plan. Most likely a bribe. Hmmm...We could tell her we can score her a date and give her All Might's phone number."
"Gross..."
Izuku could practically hear Kyouka's smirk from across the wall to her hot spring, "Buuut...?"
"...Only if she asks for a bribe."
"Nice! Just another reason it's good that you dodged that punch to the dick."
"Oh my-! You know, you're way less shy about all this than I expected you to be."
"I'm a born and bred musician, Izuku. I'm all about practice, practice, practice."
Izuku pinched the bridge of his nose, looking down to hide his smile from any possible onlooking classmates, "Changing subject, because at this point I'm afraid you're going to break through the divider wall to get to me."
"Tempting..."
"Anyway," Izuku chuckled, quickly cutting off where that conversation was headed. "That Kota kid. I can't stop wondering what happened to him."
"Mm, yeah, he's clearly got a chip on his shoulder. I've been hearing him mutter under his breath a lot all night."
"You've been listening to him?"
"Sharp and angry tones like that are hard to space out sometimes. You get curious. All night he just says stuff like 'Wannabe Heroes' and 'I can't stand these hero idiots', stuff like that. I didn't think too much of it, I figured he was just a bratty kid, he'd grow out of it. But, there's some real venom in his voice."
"Wannabe Heroes?" Izuku knit his brows together as he leaned his head back against the divider wall in thought. "He's got something against heroes?"
"Sounds like it. I could try listening to him now, if you want."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"Look up on the divider wall." Doing as Kyouka said, Izuku craned his neck to look up and behind him, seeing a small pair of langs dangle from the edge, just out of sight and in the dark. "I could hear him when I first walked in. He's probably on Mineta guard duty, thanks to Aizawa. I know what you're thinking, and yes, I think we should look into it. A kid his age that hates heroes? I have a strong feeling you'll at least have an inkling as to what he's feeling."
"I never hated heroes."
"Hehe, clearly. But, I mean, he's gotta have some sort of grudge against the hero world, right?"
Izuku sighed, but agreed with a nod. "Probably, and at least in some way, I can relate. It's a hero's job to intervene, even when he's not wanted, right?"
"On the money, Green Bean."
...~AIV~...
( The Next Morning: Pixie-Bob's Handmade Training Ground)
It was official.
Aizawa is a sadist.
Kyouka turned her head, watching all of her friends and classmates torture themselves, just to break their limits. Poor Ochako had been rolling in that ball for over an hour, and Momo looked like she was gonna puke with all that food she was eating. She couldn't remember that last time Tenya stopped running, and Shoto looked like he was about to pass out in that steaming barrel.
The Pussycats were relentless too, mostly Tiger though. He kept threatening to beat up any student who he caught slacking, which was wrong on so many levels. No sneaking off either, as Ragdoll kept an eye on them at all times with her quirk, "Search".
And, of course, Aizawa was sitting cozy in a lawn chair, sipping on a coffee and reading a book.
At this point, the cliffside Kyouka had been hitting looked like a pincushion that had been in use for over a decade. Her jacks were so sore, and one of them couldn't stop vibrating from the hours of pumping sound through it.
She'd definitely take it over Izuku's training though.
She turned away from the cliff, watching Izuku and Kaminari near the treeline. Kaminari was connected to a generator via some battery clamps attached to his back, and his brain was clearly long since fried.
Izuku was about ten meters away from him, barely able to stand up. Scratch that, barely able to move at all.
Kaminari had been trying to boost his maximum voltage, whilst Izuku was trying to consume as much energy as Kaminari could shoot at him. He had been unleashing the excess power for hours, and his muscles had contracted to the point of basically entering rigor mortis.
Mr. Aizawa suddenly approached them, morning coffee in hand. "How's it going over here?"
The only response he got was Kaminari slowly falling onto his back, his stupid face staring unblinking at the sun.
"Hm...Okay, then I guess this is a good time for you to start your training exercise with Jirou, Midoriya."
"M-Mr. Aizawa, I-...I-I can't!"
"You can't? Quite the out-of-character response from you, Midoriya."
"No, I mean I l-literally can't move. I haven't been able to move my legs for half-an-hour and my skin won't stop tingling."
"Oh...Well, uh...Jirou, you're his partner! Take a break and massage his muscles!"
Kyouka halted her jacks' assault of the cliffside to look at her teacher with slight disgust, "Please never make that a command again. Are you even legally allowed to make that command?"
"Probably not, but you were gonna do it anyway."
"True," Kyouka nodded, jogging over to her boyfriend. Once she made it to him, and with Aizawa walking away out of earshot, Kyouka began to gently rub Izuku's shoulders. "Hey, just think that if we're able to move after all this, we can reward ourselves at the hot springs."
"It's the only thing keeping me going at this point," Izuku strained out a laugh. "That is, if we can' actually convince Pixie Bob. Which, I still highly doubt, and think is absolutely insane to begin with."
"C'mon, we got thi-...Huh?" Kyouka's jacks perked up, the sound of a twig breaking in the treeline catching her attention. She caught the gaze, or more glare, of Kota hiding behind a tree. The moment he realized he was caught, he disappeared into the forest.
"What is it? I'd look myself, but I can't move my neck."
"Kota. He was watching us. What's with that, kid?"
~"Forgive him."~ Both teens startled at the sudden voice of Mandalay in their heads, seeing her approach them with sorrow in her eyes. "Like I said, it's complicated. I don't understand why he watches if it just makes him angrier."
"Trust me," Izuku grunted out as he finally managed to unlock himself from his muscles' lock, albeit with still very stiff movements. "Some kids like the feeling of anger. Kota, he...Something happened to him, right? Something to do with heroes?"
Shino turned to him, shocked at the teen's deduction, "How do you figure that?"
"W-Well, removing his attempted strike at me yesterday, he's constantly glaring at us. And, you said he was your nephew. I had to wonder why he wasn't with his parents."
"Not to mention the muttering," Kyouka added in, raising her jacks. "With these, it's a little hard to ignore. Usually I only hear under-the-breath insults from Bakugou."
Shino sighed, gazing off into the forest where Kota had taken off. Izuku quickly tried to backpedal after seeing her sadness, "F-Forgive us! If that's private, we don't have to know. We...We'd j-just like to help, if we at all can. It's just a little strange for me, I guess. I've lived my whole life loving heroes; everyone I knew did. Honestly, I don't think I've ever met someone his age that wasn't obsessed with it."
"Mm, typically you'd be right," Mandalay nodded, crossing her arms and shifting on her feet. "But, I don't think you can help, really. Kota is a very stubborn boy, but he has good reasoning. Kota, his...his parents, my cousins, were heroes killed in the line of duty."
"Oh..." Izuku and Kyouka quickly caught on to where the rest of the story was going, and understood just what made the kid tick.
"Yeah...They died protecting civilians from a villain, which is considered an honorable death. Dying for the sake of others, and all. But, Kota is only a child. As far as he's concerned, he was left all alone while the world praised his parents for their actions. Instead of seeing them celebrate their selfless actions and sacrifice, he sees them cheering on their deaths. He doesn't understand heroes, why we do what we do. He just sees a bunch of fools, parading towards their demise with smiles on their faces."
Izuku couldn't help but scoff, just a little, as he followed Mandalay's gaze into the forest. "Well...from a certain perspective, he's not entirely wrong. But, it's not the right way to think about it, or handle it."
"I know, but I can't get through to him. I try everyday, but it just seems to make him resent me more. He only does as he's told because I'm the only family he has left."
"We're very sorry for your loss. Both of you," Kyouka said, trying her best to give some sort of aid to the situation, even if just a platitude.
"Thank you. If you both truly believe you can help Kota, then I won't stop you. I've run out of ideas, besides therapy when the summer ends. But, I'm already not going to be able to get him anywhere near that without the biggest fight."
"Thank you for telling us," Izuku nodded. "We'll keep that in mind."
"Of course. Sorry about all this, but I figured you deserve an explanation since you've been the one's dealing with him the most. You two take a break, alright? But, I expect you both back to work in fifteen, alright?"
"Yes, ma'am!" / "Yes, ma'am!"
They watched as Mandalay walked away, returning to advise other students. Kyouka blew a raspberry as she turned to her boyfriend. "...Welp, Izuku, I don't know about you, but that was way worse than I was expecting."
"Yeah," Izuku grunted as he painfully managed to get into a sitting position on the ground. "That makes helping him a little more complicated, but we can hopefully still manage. I have an idea, I think. But, I'm not sure how we'll be able to speak with him alone."
"Mm, especially without making him angry."
"That's a given, and probably unavoidable. On the bright side, I have help from the expert on helping kids traumatized by Quirk Society."
"Wh-?! Don't put me on that pedestal. I've helped one kid. And, by kid, I mean a sixteen-year-old that still has issues he's far from solving."
"True, hmhmh-Urgh! Ah, it hurts to laugh." Izuku groaned as he slumped onto the grass, sighing up at the sky. It was funny to remember how naive he used to be. He used to think that if he became a hero, all of these problems would go away. Tragedy couldn't exist in his ideal life, right? However, it only seemed to multiply as he got further in. "I could've ended up a lot like him."
"...No, you wouldn't have. I mean, sort of, but..."
Izuku raised his head up, a brow raised, "What do you mean?"
"Well, I-l...You know I'm always honest with you, right?"
"Of course."
Kyouka sat down next to him, pursing her lips as it was her turn to look into the forest, "Honestly, Izuku, if you hadn't been so obsessed with your dream, kept your golden heart, you...you would've become so much worse."
"..." Izuku sighed, slipping his hand into her's, looking mindlessly into the trees with her. "I know."
...~AIV~...
( Many Hours Later: Training Lodge Outside Dining Area )
"Well, don't you all look...great?" 1A gave a collective groan as their muscles ached and bones creaked, many barely able to stand up. "Wow, okay. Anyway, I hope you're all hungry."
Ragdoll hopped up next to her, smiling brightly, "And that you're all decent cooks!"
All of the Pussycats posed around one of the many tables covered in different ingredients, including vegetables, bags of rice, raw meat, all of the above.
"Pampering ended yesterday, maggots!" Tiger cynically smiled at them.
Pixie Bob sat down on the table, popping a baby carrot into her mouth, "You're all gonna be cooking for yourselves from now on! Get cookin'!"
Everyone groaned, trudging their way to the tables to gather everything they needed. As they grabbed a pot and shoved ingredients inside for the trib to the stoves, Kyouka nudged Izuku, "Hey, you think you can bust out those Inko Genes and whip up the best meal of our lives?"
"Hm..." Izuku looked down at his hands, a brow raised, "I've never tried to seriously cook before. I'll guess we'll see who I inherited from in that department."
"Oh, please be Mrs. Midoriya," Ochako pleaded as they set their stuff down next to the clay brick stoves. "Everything she brought to the party was amazing."
Shoto approached them, leaning down to reach into the stove with his left hand, "Agreed. Here, allow me."
Their stove was lit aflame, and Shoto moved on to the other groups to help them. Momo sped up the process by creating a lighter, and everyone got to work,
...~AIV~...
Well, it was certainly...edible.
They all had varying degrees of success. Surprisingly, Izuku's batch was deemed the best out of the class.
As everyone scarfed down the food like ravenous wild animals, Kyouka lightly poked her boyfriend with her jack, "I knew you had it in you."
Izuku shook his head, eyes wide as he stared down at his bowl, "I don't even know what happened. I sat down to start and everything just went black. The next thing I remember is the completed pot of curry in front of me."
"Mm, like I said, those Inko Genes."
"I-It's not as good as hers. Trust me."
"Don't put yourself down, Izuku," Momo shook her head, shoving another spoonful in her mouth. "It's wonderful."
As their table all nodded and hummed in agreement, Izuku blushed and shrugged, "Thanks, guys. I'm surprised you can eat so much though, Momo. Especially after your training today."
She waved him off, continuing to eat, "My quirk uses up the body fat I store, so I'm perfectly fine. The more I eat, the more I can create."
From the table next to theirs, Sero unfortunately decided to chime in with, "It's kinda like pooping, isn't it?"
Momo shoved her face into her hands, mumbling incoherent denials. Sero froze as a large shadow suddenly loomed over him. He slowly turned his head, seeing Kyouka and Ochako standing above him.
"Apologize..." Kyouka scowled at him, her gaze freezing Sero to the spot.
Ochako cracked her knuckles, "Now..."
As they all watched Sero sputter for some sort of apology, Izuku looked past the tables to catch a glimpse of a red hat disappearing into the treeline once more. He quickly got up, giving a half-hearted excuse to his friends as he quickly created another bowl of food from their pot.
Izuku lightly touched Kyouka's back as he walked past her, getting her attention and nodding towards the forest. Kyouka turned back to Ochako, pointing her jacks down at Sero, "Keep him in line."
Ochako saluted, her gaze unmoving from Sero's quivering form, "Aye Aye, ma'am."
Kyouka quickly followed Izuku, weaving through the tables of students and disappearing into the forest.
...~AIV~...
"I get the feeling he's not gonna be a fan of surprise interventions from strangers."
Izuku stopped just at the edge of the treeline, looking up towards the wide cliff they had followed Kota to. He was just sitting alone up on the cliff, a large cave to his back. He wasn't glaring as hard as usual, so maybe it was a good time? "It's not an intervention. Besides, that's why I brought the food. An icebreaker."
"Since when do you know about icebreakers?"
"I don't, I'm just praying this counts."
Kyouka shrugged, relenting to his excuse, "Well, no sense in waiting at this point. Are you good with kids?"
"We're about to find out," Izuku smiled as he began walking up the rocks. He could hear Kyouka mumble in response behind him about once again lacking real plans. They trekked the rocks until the landing spread out further, revealing a lone Kota sitting in the center of it, staring out into the forest. "I bet you're hungry."
"Ah!" the boy startled, turning to see the two teens walking towards him. "How'd you find my secret base?!"
"Fair warning for the future," Kyouka replied, her jacks rising up. "You might wanna stop grumbling all the time. Pretty noticeable for someone like me. We didn't mean to scare you. We just thought you might like some food, an-"
"Nope, don't want it," Kota cut her off, turning back to the forest. "The last thing I want is to fraternize with quirk-flaunting idiots like you."
"Fraterni-? Wh-? How old are you?"
"So, take your food, and go away," Kota ignored her, bringing his knees to his chest and continuing to scowl into nothingness.
The couple shared a look, both seeing how the gentle approach was going. Izuku had an idea, but odds were it would just make him angrier. But, it's not like they had much choice at that point. It was pretty much their last ditch effort anyway.
Izuku sighed, handing Kyouka the bowl of curry as he stepped closer to Kota. "Your parents were Water Hose, right? The hero duo?"
Kota's eyes widened, jumping up to scowl at him, "Wh-?! How did you-?!...Aunt Shino told you, didn't she?!"
"N-No! Not exactly. She told us what happened, but not who they were. It just sounded very familiar, is all. I remember the day it was announced on the news. I'm real-"
"Really what? You're sorry?" Kota quickly decapitated Izuku's sentence, his glower deepening. "Why would people like you guys ever be sorry? It's what you do, isn't it? Run around, fight villains, get yourself killed showing off your stupid darn quirks? You know what I see when I look at wannabe heroes like you? All I see are walking, talking corpses."
"Damn, kid." Kyouka scoffed, fully taken aback by his words. Poor kid was forced to grow up too fast, but he was still too young to understand it all. But, while he may have been slightly misguided in his thinking, it wasn't totally wrong in a fatalistic way.
Izuku sighed through his nose, shaking his head, "Yeah, well...I'm not even going to begin to try and understand the kind of pain you're in. But, I've been in very, very dark places before. I lived it for years. I can promise you, Kota, life in that dark place you're in, if you don't escape it, walking, talking corpses is pretty spot-on."
Kyouka elbowed him, whispering harshly, "Pretty dark, dude. He's just a kid."
"It's the truth, though. Something I probably should have heard a long time ago." Turning back to Kota, Izuku continued. "I know you see heroes and quirks as the problem. Believe me, I know the issues that can come with them. Bu-"
"You? The stupid hero-in-training? You live for their crap, so don't act like you know anything about me."
As he processed Kota's words, Izuku knew that he'd have to pull out some history. People usually only listened to dramatic examples, and unfortunately he was chock full of them. If it would help Kota, then...
"My quirk didn't appear until I was fourteen."
That caught Kota's attention, leading him to look at Izuku like he was crazy, "That's not possible."
"I know how it sounds, but my quirk at full power causes damage to my body. If I had used it as a kid, I would have died, no question. It didn't manifest until I was able to take it. But, that means, when I was five I was diagnosed as quirkless."
Kota's brows knit together, "Quirkless? That's a thing?"
Ignoring the sharp pain in his gut from that, Izuku merely nodded, 'Yeah, it's a birth defect."
Kyouka flinched at how Izuku used the word "defect". He said it so casually. She knew from his perspective, and probably a lot of people's perspectives, that it was a defect. But, being quirkless wasn't a biological problem. Humans didn't have powers for thousands of years, and now suddenly he's the problem. She knew she was getting offended for him, but it just didn't feel right hearing that.
She should really ask him more about that kind of stuff at some point. Izuku's worldview was fascinating to her.
"I tried using telepathy, breathing fire, and I got nothing," Izuku kept going. "Quirk Society doesn't exactly treat people like I was too kindly. It...It brought me to my knees on more than one occasion. But, I still love quirks. I still want nothing more than to be a hero. Kyouka and I are a hero duo, too, like your parents. Even so, I want that more than anything. Nothing about quirks, or heroes, or life itself is an absolute. Everything is perceived and taken differently, all from our experiences. I know all you see are people celebrating their deaths. But, it's not about glory. Your parents saved hundreds of lives. Mothers, fathers, children, who will go on and have families of their own, and that'll keep going on and on. One life can equal hundreds, or even thousands, all that wouldn't happen without your parents' sacrifice. To me, I don't see fools who threw their lives away. I see wonderful people who inspire me to keep going, no matter how beaten down I get. I know that means nothing to you right now. You can't get rid of the pain you feel, what was stripped from your life, and you'll never get that back. I know firsthand how blinding hurt can be. I was so caught-up in my own world, I hurt someone I love."
Kyouka quietly nodded behind him, still remembering his quarrel with Inko vividly. But, seeing how they were now, it felt like an eternity ago.
"When you keep rejecting the world, even the good it does have to offer, you'll continue to cause pain. First to those who care about you, who love you. But, then, when it's too late, you'll realize the person you hurt the most was yourself. I...I was a bit too late, I think. I catch myself at times, still bitter and rageful, deep down. I don't want that same thing to happen to you."
Kota continued to glare in silence, leaving Izuku to sit in silence, nothing left to say. Kota opened his mouth, about to yell again, but...
"Um..." Izuku and Kota's gaze shot over to Kyouka, watching her shift uncomfortably on her feet. "I...When I was a kid, I hated my quirk. I thought it was disgusting, and ugly. A freakish mutation. Tried to cut them off with scissors, once. It made me grow to hate how I looked, not just from my jacks, but all over. I thought I was...wrong. That lasted for years, I didn't even bother trying to fight it. I let it seep into my skin, take over my mind day in and day out. Someone showed me, however, that our pain can be turned into something beautiful. Hopeful. It can become the fuel that drives you forward. Pain left alone turns into ugliness of all shapes and sizes, and trust me, there's a lot of ugliness in this world, Kota. Don't let your pain fester. Because, believe me when I say it'll corrode your mind until you don't even recognize the person you see in the mirror. It'll shape your thoughts, run your mind for you. A hero's job isn't to take the world's pain away. It's their job to show us how to fight it for ourselves. Izuku had his hero teach him that. I had mine. I'm sure, like everybody, like you, your parents had some darkness of their own. But, it didn't stop them, it didn't control them. Don't let it control you too."
"I-I...I...Urgh! Shut up!" Kota snapped, glaring at them both while on the verge of tears. "Don't you two ever stop! I told you, I don't wanna hear your preachy hero garbage! Now GO AWAY!"
Well, that was all they had. They clearly pressed too many of his buttons, and made him even angrier. The best they could hope for at that point was they gave him some things to think about. Kyouka stepped forward, putting a comforting hand on Izuku's back, knowing he was disappointed.
She set the bowl of curry down, and turned away, "We'll leave this here for you. Sorry that we bothered you."
She took Izuku's hand, and led him back to the forest, leaving Kota to sulk in the moonlight. Both were lost in their own thoughts, but on different topics.
Izuku was still stuck on that cliff, running through the conversation again. Maybe if he just said something a little different, used some different examples, it could have worked, right?
Kyouka was caught on a very specific aspect of the conversation, or really the entire situation in general. Izuku had pointed out that Kota's parents were also a Hero Duo. They met their demise against a villain that outclassed them, and she couldn't help but think of their own situation. She and Izuku had spoken about their shared fear of All For One, but there was a certain nitty-gritty detail she couldn't shake off.
Kyouka stopped her trek, leaving Izuku to get a few steps ahead of her. "Are you afraid to die?"
Izuku nearly tripped over his own feet at the sudden question, swiveling around to face Kyouka. "I-?! Ur-?! What?!"
"Are you afraid to die?" She asked it so easily, as if it was something you spoke about on a daily basis. "I just mean...I know it's sort of a part of our job description, but as we've been talking more about your past and all, and I guess...I guess hearing about Kota's parents made me think about us. They were a Hero Duo too. What happens if you're in trouble and I can't fight? Or if one of us has to make a sacrifice for the other? I'm just..."
She trailed off, looking down at her feet, not sure if she wanted to finish her sentence.
"...I am." Kyouka's eyes shot back up to Izuku. He walked to Kyouka and brought her hands into his. "I'm afraid I'd die too young, not able to spend the life with you that I want."
Kyouka rolled her eyes, but she just couldn't wipe the blush and smile off her face. "Of course, a very good answer as usual."
"But, I'm not afraid to die for something. I'd die for you. I'd die for my mom. All Might, your parents, our friends. I'd die to save everyone, if I had to. I'll die for something, but I'll fight with everything I've got to stay. Is that a good answer?"
"...What about a couple years ago? Before you met me? Before you met All Might?"
Izuku furrowed his brow, his thoughts running rampant for a proper answer. "...Would you believe me if I say I don't know?"
"I would. I'm just not sure if that's scarier than a straight answer yet."
Izuku merely nodded, both understanding what she meant, and knowing that he didn't have to ask her the same question. He brought her into his arms, resting his cheek against her forehead. They sat there, the sound of crickets echoing around them, residing in each others' company.
Looming over their heads was another stark reminder that their time together would always be limited.
No amount of training, power, or love could defeat time. But, they could extend it.
"Okay," Kyouka backed out of his embrace, taking a deep breath. "We've got another conversation to get through tonight, and this one will hopefully end with us much happier."
"I still think this is a terrible idea."
"But..." Kyouka smirked up at him.
"...We've accomplished the impossible before."
"That's the spirit!"
...~AIV~...
( A Few Hours Later: WWP Mountain Lodge Security Room)
*Knock-Knock*
Pixie Bob looked up from her laptop, peering at the door. The other members wouldn't knock.
"Eraser?" The door slid open, revealing Izuku and Kyouka on the other side. They entered the security room, both looking like a bundle of nerves as they shut the door behind them. "You two should be in bed right now. Did something happen?"
Izuku shook his head, nervously approaching her. This was such a stupid idea, why did he let Kyouka convince him this was possible. "It's nothing like that. A-Actually, we had something we needed to ask you personally."
Pixie Bob eyed them suspiciously, but played along, turning her chair to look at them with crossed arms. "Okay?"
"Pixie Bob...we were wondering if, j-just maybe, if you could...u-uh..."
Kyouka put her hand on Izuku's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks, "I got this. I've watched my parents negotiate contracts before. Pixie Bob, as you've been informed, we're a couple. Izuku and I are going to get little to zero real alone time while at camp, and as a fellow romantic, we were wondering if you could help us get some of that desperately needed alone time. And, we were thinking you leave the hot springs unlocked...Pretty please."
Izuku sat with wide-eyes, horrified at Kyouka's bluntness. Pixie-Bob blinked a few times, her mouth slightly agape, "Wow...I'll admit, this is the first time anyone had the guts to just straight up ask me instead of sneaking in later. But, the answer is absolutely not."
"Aw, c'mon. Almost a whole month of no alone time? We won't make it."
"I'm certain you'll find plenty. I'm sorry, really I am. Believe me, I understand that want for affection...Kinda jealous, actually, but anyway, the answer is still n-"
"We can get you a date."
Izuku facepalmed as Kyouka jumped the gun, pulling out the "trump card." Izuku thought she was joking about that.
Welp, they were getting suspend-
"...You're bluffing." Izuku froze, looking between the two women as the negotiation began.
"Nope," Kyouka shook her head, "We know a tall, muscular, single guy who's got a heart of gold and is great with kids."
Ryuko squinted at Kyouka, "Is he hot?"
"Eh, not my type. I'm more into the dark-haired, cute, yet sexy nerds. But, I know every other woman in a forty-thousand kilometer radius would die for ten minutes with him."
"Hmm...How old is he?"
"Fourtyyyy...?" Kyouka turned to Izuku, looking for confirmation. Izuku shook his head, pointing up to signify she was too low. "Uh, middle-aged."
"Hmm...I kinda like younger guys."
"At heart? Or are we going to keep pretending you're not in your thirties?"
"Thirties are still young."
"Young enough to pursue high-schoolers?"
"I-?! It's not like that, I-...Mmm-..." Ryuko grumbled under her breath, crossing her arms as she thought to herself. "...You get tonight, I get the number. If it goes nowhere, your access is revoked. It goes somewhere, and those hot springs stay unlocked every night I'm on night shift. But, we never mention this again, and none of this leads back to me if your teacher finds you."
"If it goes nowhere, we still get a week. It's not our fault if you botch a date."
"Fair enough. Deal." Kyouka handed Ryuko a slip of paper with the phone number on it, with Izuku still sitting shell-shocked behind her. Ryuko turned back to the main computer, shutting off the hallway cameras in front of the onsen entrance. "Access code is one-two-two-one-one-five. I'm on late-night watch Monday and Wednesday. I'm not cleaning anything up."
"Don't expect you to." They shook hands, and turned away from each other. Kyouka took the hand of the speechless Izuku, and left the security office.
Izuku followed behind Kyouka, still in shock, "Wh-...What just happened?"
...~AIV~...
The couple snuck their way into the onsen locker room, after Izuku had double and triple checked the surrounding hallways. All was thankfully quiet, but who knew how long that would last.
Izuku got to the keypad, beginning to type in the code. "We probably don't have long. Someone will wake up to go to the bathroom or something and see that one of us is gone."
"Don't worry, we won't be long," Kyouka stood close to him, her voice low. "...Hey, Izuku? I just realized something."
"What?"
"The onsen has an open ceiling."
"Yeah?"
"Couldn't we have used your powers to jump over and into it?"
"..." Izuku slammed his head against the wall, with the keypad beeping and the door sliding open. He grumbled, walking through the door with a shake of his head, "Well, at least this way we have someone who won't tell on us, and specific days of guaranteed safety. Besides, that also gives us a swift emergency exit."
"We really need to think our plans through more."
"Preaching to the choir," With the door closed and locked behind them, Izuku wasted no time as paranoia was getting to him. Why did love make him break the rules so easily? Hearing Kyouka getting undressed behind him, he took off his shirt and laid it down on a large rock, undoing his belt as he turned around, "We should probably not do anything crazy or too loud. This isn't the kind of rule-breaking I'm used to, so let's just sit back and re-...lax..."
Izuku trailed off as Kyouka was already undressed, shifting nervously on her feet in black lace. Her jacks clinked together as she rubbed her arm, looking up at Izuku with red-dusted cheeks. "...Surprise."
"I-...Wh-...?"
"Remember the duffel bag at the mall? I...I kinda bought a bunch of this garbage. I figured you'd like it. I think it's safe to assume I assumed correctly." She waited for Izuku to say something, but he just stood there in stunned silence. In a failed attempt to hide her smile, she bit the inside of her cheek. "...So, you still want to rela-AH!"
In a flash of green light, she was picked up and walked towards the water. She had to quiet her laughter, hoping it didn't echo into the night sky above them. Sure, their time in this life was limited...
But, damn, it was worth every second.
...~AIV~...
In the pocket of Izuku's discarded pants, his phone vibrated, going unnoticed by the busy couple.
[All Might: ...Would either of you care to explain how Pixie Bob got my number?]